Geometric-optical Modeling of a Conifer Forest Canopy

The objective of this research is to explore how the geometry of trees in forest stands influences the reflectance of the forest as imaged from space. Most plant canopy modeling has viewed the canopy as an assemblage of plane-parallel layers on top of a soil surface. For these models, leaf angle distribution, leaf area index, and the angular transmittance and reflectance of leaves are the primary optical and geometric parameters. Such models are now sufficiently well developed to explain most of the variance in angular reflectance measurements observed from homogeneous plant canopies. However, forest canopies as imaged by airborne and spaceborne scanners exhibit considerable variance at quite a different scale. Brightness values vary strongly from one pixel to the next primarily as a function of the number of trees they contain. At this scale, the forest canopy is nonuniform and discontinuous. This research focuses on a discrete-element, geometric-optical view of the forest canopy

Use of collateral information to improve LANDSAT classification accuracies

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

A Brief Evaluation and Discussion of an Important Device in High School Science Teaching

Author Institution: Chemistry Department, Stivers High School, Dayton, Ohi

Forming Strategic Service-Learning Partnerships

Service-learning is a “form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs, together with structured opportunities for reflection designed to achieve desired learning outcomes” (Jacoby, 2014). For many service-learning courses, the quick shift to online learning disrupted or halted some experiences as students, partners, and instructors adapted to COVID-19 and restrictions. As we re-enter the classroom, instructors and community partners are seeking to re-engage in service-learning opportunities. This GIFTs session will discuss some strategies and approaches you can use to facilitate and develop mutually-beneficial partnerships in your service-learning communication course

Educators\u27 Perceptions of Twitter for Educational Technology Professional Development: A Uses and Gratifications Expectancy Model

Throughout the years, the practice of professional development amongst educators has evolved to adapt to the needs of a changing society and a shift to online professional development (OPD) opportunities has become popular for meeting the needs of educators. As a result, social media platforms, like Twitter, have grown in popularity as outlets for OPD; however, little research has been conducted to evaluate why educators are seeking professional development opportunities through social media platforms. This exploratory study proposed to examine how educators\u27 uses and gratifications expectancy of Twitter for professional development influences their perceived e-learning experience. In addition, it sought to investigate the demographics of participants who were seeking educational technology knowledge through Twitter. Based on a review of literature, a uses and gratifications approach was the proposed theoretical model for evaluating how and why educators\u27 perceived e-learning experience was affected by four uses and gratification expectancy constructs. The participants included any educators who utilized the #edtechchat hashtags on Twitter, which is devoted to the sharing of educational technology knowledge, as well as weekly, organized Twitter chats on topics related to educational technology. The data was collected through a Web-based survey based on an adapted version of Mondi, Woods, and Rafi (2008) Uses and Gratification Expectancy Questionnaire, where the researchers examined how and why students\u27 uses and gratification expectancy (UGE) for e-learning resources influenced their perceived e-learning experience. The data was analyzed through Pearson correlation coefficient and a stepwise multiple regression to discover which UGE constructs predicted educators\u27 perceived e-learning experience. All four UGE constructs showed significant effects on perceived e-learning experience; however, the stepwise regression results showed cognitive uses and gratifications expectancy to be the only significant predictor of perceived e-learning experience. The findings of this research supports previous research into uses and gratifications of Internet-based tools and may help Twitter chat moderators plan their efforts for coordinating effective professional development experiences

FOCIS: A forest classification and inventory system using LANDSAT and digital terrain data

Accurate, cost-effective stratification of forest vegetation and timber inventory is the primary goal of a Forest Classification and Inventory System (FOCIS). Conventional timber stratification using photointerpretation can be time-consuming, costly, and inconsistent from analyst to analyst. FOCIS was designed to overcome these problems by using machine processing techniques to extract and process tonal, textural, and terrain information from registered LANDSAT multispectral and digital terrain data. Comparison of samples from timber strata identified by conventional procedures showed that both have about the same potential to reduce the variance of timber volume estimates over simple random sampling