Planning for Change While Changing the Plan: A Case Study of Staff Perceptions of an Elementary ELL Program Redesign

This study shows how I, the leader, conceptualized and implemented a program redesign over the course of two years (2009-11). At the time of this study I was faced with multiple factors which led to the inspiration for change: (a) the relatively rapid increase in the number of students needing ELL services, (b) a growing teacher concern for ELLs performing in the core academic areas, and (c) greater emphasis on improving level of English proficiency and overall academic performance for placement purposes in the ELL program and in the regular education class, and (d) the change of exit criteria in January 2010 by the state for ELL students. The purpose of this research study was to assess how administrators and teachers in an elementary school perceived the first two years of a new ELL program at Wiley from conceptualization to implementation. In order to answer the exact questions of inquiry identified in the following chapters, I gathered a team of five staff members who would review and assist with this complex change process. I chose to use a case study methodology approach that focused on the change process experienced by the district while conceptualizing and implementing a program redesign for ELLs. I gathered data through the use of surveys, interviews, and artifacts to draw my conclusions. Overall, staff appreciated the awareness and identification of the issue of the changing ELL population and setting a plan to address the concerns. However, because this study was based on a two year process, the findings indicated a need for more time to address the entire process. More time would be used to create a culture of collaboration for staff and schedule additional time to fully implement a three- to five-year redesign plan

The exact CC-function in integrable λ\lambda-deformed theories

By employing CFT techniques, we show how to compute in the context of \lambda-deformations of current algebras and coset CFTs the exact in the deformation parameters C-function for a wide class of integrable theories that interpolate between a UV and an IR point. We explicitly consider RG flows for integrable deformations of left-right asymmetric current algebras and coset CFTs. In all cases, the derived exact C-functions obey all the properties asserted by Zamolodchikov's c-theorem in two-dimensions.Comment: v1: 1+15 pages, Latex, v2: PLB version, v3: Correcting a typo in footnote

Classical solutions of λ\lambda-deformed coset models

We obtain classical solutions of \l-deformed \s-models based on $SL(2,\mathbb{R})/U(1)$ and $SU(2)/U(1)$ coset manifolds. Using two different sets of coordinates, we derive two distinct classes of solutions. The first class is expressed in terms of hyperbolic and trigonometric functions, whereas the second one in terms of elliptic functions. We analyze their properties along with the boundary conditions and discuss string systems that they describe. It turns out that there is an apparent similarity between the solutions of the second class and the motion of a pendulum.Comment: 36+9 pages, 8 figure

REBRAIN GREECE: The Greek Case of Collective Intelligence Ecosystem for Governmental Decision Making

REBRAIN GREECE (RBG), a multidisciplinary and inter-ministerial working group, formulated in April 2019, is perhaps the first Greek governmental collective intelligence ecosystem, reaching out to efficiently handle issues of utmost importance, such as brain drain and digital transformation of the existing human resources to the new digital working society. As an ecosystem, it consists of several, thematic, inter-connected working groups, composed of different ministries’ teams of field experts, dealing with concrete but inter-correlated issues, interoperating in a constant way. RBG constitutes a three pillar- interoperability -collective intelligence- ecosystem, encompassed in its functional architecture constant and open source, interoperability synergies between governmental agencies, different field’s experts and ministerial executives, between machine learning schemes and data bases and integrated information systems info exchange modules. It uses the data analytics power of the Labour Market Diagnosis Mechanism (LMDM) and already produced data driven policy proposals. Big data applications of LMDM are interpreting and visualising different types of big data bases through cross-checking raw data and thus formulating approaches towards public policies. Through visualization softwares used for interpreting the data into policy perspectives and proposals, that policy makers examine and elaborate on the most suitable choices and activities for challenge-responsive market digital policies

Economic aspects of safety in the Greek construction industry

The thesis addresses the economic impacts of construction safety in Greece. The research involved the development of a methodology for determining the overall costs of safety, namely the sum of the costs of accidents and the costs of safety management failures (with or without accident) including image cost. Hitherto, very little work has been published on the cost of accidents in practical case studies. Moreover, to the author’s belief, no research has been published that seeks to determine in real cases the costs of prevention. The methodology developed is new, transparent, and capable of being replicated and adapted to other employment sectors and to other countries. The methodology was applied to three construction projects in Greece to test the safety costing methodology and to offer some preliminary evidence on the business case for safety. The survey work took place between 1999 and 2001 and involved 27 months of costing work on site. The study focuses on the overall costs of safety that apply to the main (principal) contractor. The methodology is supported by 120 discrete cost categories, and systematic criteria for determining which costs are included (counted) in the overall cost of safety. A quality system (in compliance with ISO9000 series) was developed to support the work and ensure accuracy of data gathering. The results of the study offer some support for the business case for safety. Though they offer good support for the economics of safety as they demonstrate need for cost effectiveness. Subject to important caveats, those projects that appeared to manage safety more cost-effectively achieved the lowest overall safety cost. Nevertheless, results are significantly lower than of other published works for two main reasons; first costs due to damages with no potential to injury were not included and second only costs to main constructor were considered. Study’s results are discussed and compared with other publish works

TEACHING PRACTICES OF ORAL LANGUAGE AND READING SKILLS IN STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Communication includes a wide range of difficulties for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from acquisition and processing of information and verbal expression to reading and writing. Therefore, these students face challenges in their school life. The purpose of this research is to evaluate and apply teaching practices for the cultivation of oral and reading skills in students with ASD The methodology used was action research in three general secondary schools and lasted 3 years. The research was conducted in Greece by the second teacher of the class who only supported students with special educational needs. Specifically, we conducted three case studies of students with an average age of 15.3 years. Students were diagnosed with ASD. Qualitative data from the action research were collected through observation methodology with informal pedagogical evaluation in checklists of basic skills. Furthermore, the methodology of the intervention with field notes was applied to the form of the teaching interaction. The results showed that students respond to comprehensive differentiated teaching interventions, which include oral speech and reading comprehension activities.  Article visualizations

Development οf an algorithm for computation and visualization of internal forces in 3D structural elements: application to the non-linear lateral response of piles

105 σ.Σκοπός της παρούσας διπλωματικής είναι η ανάπτυξη αλγορίθμου για τον υπολογισμό εντατικών μεγεθών σε τριδιάστατα δομικά στοιχεία και η εφαρμογή του σε μεμονωμένους πασσάλους και πασσαλομάδα από οπλισμένο σκυρόδεμα. Οι υπάρχουσες μέθοδοι εξαγωγής των εντατικών μεγεθών πασσάλων (δοκός σε έδαφος Winkler, υβρίδιο δοκού - πλακών σε τριδιάστατα πεπερασμένα στοιχεία εδάφους, μέθοδος “Embedded” Pile) παρουσιάζουν συγκεκριμένες αδυναμίες όσον αφορά στη ρεαλιστική προσομοίωση της απόκρισης του πασσάλου. Οι αδυναμίες αυτές εντοπίζονται στην κατά παραδοχή θεώρηση του πασσάλου ως δοκό, σύμφωνα με την θεωρία της τεχνικής κάμψης, στην λανθασμένη εκτίμηση της αλληλεπίδρασης των πασσάλων μεταξύ τους, όπως και μεταξύ των εντατικών τους δυνάμεων. Εξαιτίας των παραπάνω κρίνεται αναγκαία η δημιουργία μίας μεθόδου που θα λαμβάνει υπόψιν την πλήρη σύζευξη των εντατικών μεγεθών υπό το πρίσμα της θεωρία συνεχούς μέσου και η οποία θα συνεκτιμά τις μη-γραμμικότητες όλου του συστήματος εδάφους – θεμελίωσης και την αλληλεπίδραση μεταξύ τους. Οι υπολογισμοί πραγματοποιήθηκαν με πρόγραμμα πεπερασμένων στοιχείων, στο οποίο εφαρμόστηκε ένα νέο μακροσκοπικό μοντέλο συμπεριφοράς του πασσάλου από οπλισμένο σκυρόδεμα. Οι τάσεις του πασσάλου που εξήχθησαν από την ανάλυση, υπόκεινται σε κατάλληλη επεξεργασία ώστε μέσω αριθμητικής ολοκλήρωσης να εξάγουν τα εντατικά μεγέθη σε κάθε ορισμένη διατομή του πασσάλου. Αναπτύχθηκαν δύο μέθοδοι υπολογισμού εντατικών μεγεθών: Slice Method: Οι τάσεις υπολογίζονται με γραμμική παρεμβολή στο επίπεδο σε προκαθορισμένες από το πρόγραμμα πεπερασμένων στοιχείων διατομές. Μέσω διακριτοποίησης Voronoi γίνεται η αριθμητική ολοκλήρωση σε κάθε διατομή ξεχωριστά. Volume Method: Οι τάσεις λαμβάνονται στον πάσσαλο κατευθείαν από τα σημεία στο χώρο όπως υπολογίστηκαν μέσω των πεπερασμένων στοιχείων. Με χωρική γραμμική παρεμβολή υπολογίζονται οι τάσεις στα αυθαίρετα ορισμένα επίπεδα των διατομών. Η αριθμητική ολοκλήρωση των τάσεων γίνεται με ανάλογο της προηγούμενης μεθόδου τρόπο. Στη συνέχεια γίνεται εφαρμογή της μεθόδου σε τέμνουσα και καμπτική φόρτιση μεμονωμένου πασσάλου, όπου μελετήθηκε η απόκρισή του σε χαρακτηριστικά σημεία της καμπύλης αστοχίας, επαληθεύθηκαν οι μηχανισμοί αστοχίας και διαπιστώθηκε η συσχέτιση μεταξύ αξονικής δύναμης και καμπτικής φέρουσας ικανότητας. Τέλος, σε αντίστοιχη εφαρμογή σε πασσαλομάδα 3x3 μελετόνται οι μηχανισμοί αστοχίας και η απόκριση της πασσαλομάδας σε τέμνουσα φόρτιση, η ανάπτυξη και όδευση των πλαστικών αρθρώσεων συναρτήσει του κατακόρυφου συντελεστή ασφαλείας και η συσχέτιση της καμπτικής φέρουσας ικανότητας με την αξονική δύναμη.The purpose of this thesis is the development of an algorithm for the internal forces calculation in 3-D structural elements and its implementation to reinforced concrete single piles and pile groups. The existing methods for the calculation of the structural pile forces (Beam on Winkler foundation, Beam – Plate hybrid in 3-D soil elements, Embedded Pile) appear to have several shortcomings concerning the realistic simulation of the pile response. These weaknesses could be summarized to the consideration of the pile as a beam, according to the beam theory and the false estimation of the pile-to-pile and internal forces interaction. Due to the above-mentioned deficiencies, arises the need of a tool that takes into account the correlation between the pile internal forces in light of the continuous medium theory and also considers all the non-linearities of the soil – structure system and the interaction between them. A finite element program is used for the stress calculation, to which was implemented a new macroscopic model of the reinforced concrete pile behaviour. The stresses that extracted were manipulated so as to produce the internal forces through numerical integration. Two methods were developed for this calculation: Slice Method: Stresses at each pile intersection are derived from linear interpolation in plane of the stresses extracted from the finite element program. Then, through Voronoi decomposition, numerical integration of the stresses is applied at each section separately. Volume Method: Pile stresses are manipulated directly without pre-defining plane intersections. At each arbitrarily defined pile intersection, the stresses are calculated through spatial linear interpolation. Numerical integration at each plane is implemented as in previous method. Afterwards, the application of this method is examined to a single pile under lateral loading and bending moment. Specifically, its response among characteristic points of the failure envelope is studied and at each point the failure mechanisms are pointed out. Also, the correlation between axial force and bending capacity is indicated. Finally, the method is applied to a 3x3 pile group, where it is examined its response under lateral loading. The formation and development of the plastic hinges in relation to the vertical safety factor is also studied and the correlation between axial force and bending capacity is indicated.Βασίλειος Γ. Πανόπουλο

The Use Of Internet By Educational Institutions: The Case Of Greece

The purpose of this study is, to investigate the use of the Internet by Greek educational institutions (universities and polytechnics) in the field of public relations. A study of one hundred web sites, randomly selected from a list of four hundred sixteen web addresses found in the web site of Gunet (www.gunet.gr), reveals how new technologies help universities to build relationships with publics. All the selected web sites were examined in terms of: (1) ease of interface, (2) usefulness of information, (3) generation of return visits, (4) conservation of visitors and (5) dialogic loop. Content analysis was used for the gathering of the data. &nbsp