The percentage of low-grade material composing the annual hardwood lumber production in the U.S. is on the rise. As a result, finding markets for low-grade and low-value lumber has been identified as a top priority by researchers and industry associations. Computer simulation has been used by the manufacturing industry for several decades as a decision support tool. Simulation programs are commonly used and relied on by researchers and the industry alike to conduct research on various aspects of the rough mill from processing to recovery efficiency. This research used the ROMI-RIP and ROMI-CROSS simulation programs to determine specific conditions that led to optimal part yield when processing No. 3A Common, 4/4-thickness, kiln-dried, red oak lumber in rip-first and crosscut-first operations. Results of the simulations indicated that cutting bills with narrow part widths and short part lengths are conducive to obtaining optimal part yield while processing No. 3A Common lumber. Furthermore, it was found that as the percent of No. 3A Common lumber in a grade mix increases, part yields and sawing efficiencies decrease. The results also indicated that higher part yields will be obtained when processing short-length No. 3A Common lumber between 6 and 8 feet in length. / Master of Science

The general performance of learners in mathematics in most secondary schools in South Africa is not encouraging. Statistics reveal that there is a general poor performance in mathematics and related science subjects especially in those schools located in previously disadvantaged communities. There is just a need for appropriate interventions of the significance of mathematics in present society which is now characterised by high information and technology thrust. The objective of the study was to investigate the impact of the tutorial intervention programme on the performance of a grade eleven mathematics class with a view to improving the mathematics performance of these grade 11 learners. The selection of the action research based method was premised on the idea that it would help the researcher to improve his tutoring practice as well as contributing to better learner performance. Data was collected through the use of qualitative research methods. These involved observation, the utilisation of focus group discussions of learners, and in-depth interviews with randomly selected learners and other mathematics colleagues. A careful mix of learners of different learning abilities was made so that high performers would assist those whose performance was lower. In each group of five at least two high performers were included. Findings of the study point to the effectiveness of the tutorial process, justifying its adoption on a long term basis. In general, it can be concluded that the tutoring strategies used by the researcher had a positive effect on the knowledge retention of the learners. This conclusion was arrived at from an observation of improved test results over time, the learners' views in the questionnaires as well as those of peer observers. / Magister Educationis - MEd

CCI Valve Technology AB is a company located in Säffle, Sweden, that manufactures and installs bypass valves. Due to requirements outside normal standards on the valve's hardness values, some measurements have had difficulties meeting such requirements. During this thesis work, tests were carried out to determine how to overcome the difficulties. The experiments focused on five different areas that may affect the components hardness, welding method, soaking temperature during post weld heat treatment, measuring procedure, component thickness and number of heat treatment cycles. The Grade 91 steel specimens that were examined consisted of five solid cylinders and three various pipes that were welded together by using shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) or gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). Each pipe was sawed apart into three equal parts. All specimens were hardness tested and eight of the specimens' microstructure was studied with an optical microscope. The hardness measurement instruments used, LECO V-100-C2 and GE-MIC 10, are Vickers hardness testers, one stationary and the other one portable. The measuring results contain a vast number of different hardness measurement data. From the analyzed data, the conclusions were drawn that the most suitable soaking temperature during post weld heat treatment were 750° C, that the SMAW method creates a more stable hardness profile than the GTAW method, and that one heat treatment cycle is more beneficial than two or more.

My essay has three foci. One is the presentation of a survey I gave to two groups of pupils, one grade 7 and the other grade 8 about their attitude to reading books in school, and their attitude to reading books in general. I was interested in how the result would correspond to what many investigations on this subject had concluded. One such result was that girls were usually not only more willing to read, but they were also better readers than boys. Therefore, the answerers must tell if they were boys or girls. The result of my investigation rather corroborated what many others had already said: Swedish young people are not enthusiastic book readers, but when reading, the girls are the ones that take the lead. Another focus is in a way historical. I used a novel by a Swedish author telling about poor people on the Swedish countryside in the nineteenth century dreaming of being able to emigrate from their home country and come to America. What interests me is the story telling of the attitude to reading, both in the characters and the authorities. There is much about reading incapacities, but also of lust for, and skill in reading. The attitudes from the authorities is dominated by churchly paternalism: reading skill in ordinary people has one primary function, to make them good Christians. This common value-system is fixed by the didactic curricula of the time. My third focus is the Swedish curricula especially in what they say about reading and literature. I thought I found that they have at least something in common with the curricula of mid-nineteenth century than might be expected. The older ones have what could be seen as an instrumental attitude to reading and such an attitude I thought could be perceived also in the modern ones: they seem to be eager to point out the usefulness of reading in general and even of reading literature. Another point would be the great importance attached to the strengthening of the common value-system, here, not Christian belief, but a democratic ground of values. In my study of what is said about reading in school by people discussing the subject, and when looking at the result of my own investigation by the questionnaire I very often find a similar instrumental attitude: all reading, be it fact or fiction, is expected to lead to something useful not just pleasure.

No description available.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

The problem of this study was to test the effectiveness of adapting the reading instruction to the level and ability of individuals or small groups of a particular group of second grade children.

This study was concerned with determining the effectiveness of two methods of teaching arithmetic in the first grade. The primary dimension of this problem was to determine and compare the arithmetic achievement of an experimental group using the Cuisenaire program and the achievement of a control group using a conventional program for the purpose of finding which was the more efficient. The secondary dimension of the problem was to determine whether socio-economic status or sex affects the achievement which results from either the conventional or the Cuisenaire method of instruction.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between selected criteria and academic achievement in graduate studies leading to certain master's degrees in education at North Texas State University. The major areas in education which were included were Elementary Education, Elementary School Administration and Supervision, Secondary Education, Secondary School Administration and Supervision, and Physical Education. Graduate grade-point average was used as the criterion for academic achievement.

The problem of this study was to determine what effect purpose, background and distractions have on the effectiveness of the listening act.