MSc, Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand / The effect of assistive devices on the speed and legibility of a child’s writing is not fully understood in the literature. This study therefore investigated the effects of Stetro pencil grips, soft splints and inclined surfaces on handwriting speed and legibility in order to better guide occupational therapists with regard to handwriting intervention. A writing legibility score sheet was developed to measure the factors of handwriting requiring assessment in this study namely: letter formation, spacing between words, letter spacing between lines, accuracy and general appearance. The study also compared the handwriting speed and legibility of grade two learning disabled learners with grade two mainstream learners. In analysing the results, letter formation and general appearance were the two areas where the learning disabled sample scored significantly worse than the mainstream sample. The various assistive devices were shown to have different impacts on writing speed and the five areas of legibility.

Faculty of Arts School of Human and Community Development 0000613a Tel: 011 849 3853 / South African Speech-Language Pathologists are assessing and treating many adolescents with varying speech and language difficulties. This task is complicated by the fact that it is currently largely unknown what the language abilities of mainstream adolescents are. Some research has suggested declining language abilities, as well as significant effects of grade, gender and language background on cognitive academic language skills. As individuals grow older, the demands of the classroom environment become greater, forcing adolescents to use complex language skills in order to learn. This research paper aimed to assess the complex sentence comprehension abilities of a sample of South African adolescents, through the use of the Grammar/Listening subtest of the Test of Adolescent Language, developed by Hammill, Brown, Larsen, and Wiederholt (1980). Additionally, the effects of grade, gender, language, time spent reading for school and recreationally each week, number of television programmes watched per week, length of time spent playing computer or video games per day, preferred learning styles (group/alone and auditory/visual/both), most recent English and school report marks, and use of cellular telephones, were used to determine related factors and educational variables which might be linked to each other. Additionally, a working memory measure was included, in order to ascertain that this factor was not having a negative effect upon the comprehension scores. It was found that gender was an over-riding factor throughout the study. Females tended to do better on the complex sentence comprehension test, and also spent more time reading for school each week, obtained better English and school report marks, preferred to learn alone, and sent more sms’s. Males were only inclined to play more computer or video games per week. In opposition to the initial hypothesis that these learners would perform poorly on the TOAL subtest, it was found that participants generally performed within the average limits of the test. Correlations, one-way ANOVA’s, chi squared analyses and t-tests were performed for the secondary aims, in order to determine any relationships between the variables. Overall, though, gender was the key variable in the study, which is in line with other literature in the field. Home language and educational level had minimal effects. Further research has been recommended.

Cette thèse a pour objet l'étude du comportement asymptotique des solutions des équations des fluides de grades 2 et 3. Dans le premier chapitre, on étudie les profils asymptotiques au premier ordre des solutions des équations des fluides de grade 2 en dimension 3. On démontre que les solutions des équations des fluides de grade 2 convergent vers des solutions particulières et explicites des équations de la chaleur, lorsque le temps tend vers l'infini. Ce résultat montre en particulier que les fluides de grade 2 se comportent asymptotiquement comme les fluides newtoniens régis par les équations de Navier-Stokes. Pour cette étude, on utilise les variables d'échelles (ou variables autosimilaires), et on effectue des estimations d'énergies dans divers espaces fonctionnels, en particulier dans des espaces de Sobolev à poids polynomiaux. La description des profils asymptotiques est obtenue sous des conditions de petitesse sur les données initiales de l'équation.Le second chapitre de cette thèse traite des profils asymptotiques à l'ordre 1 des solutions des équations des fluides de grade 3 en dimension 2. À l'instar des résultats du premier chapitre, on obtient ici aussi la convergence des solutions de ces équations vers des solutions explicites des équations de la chaleur. Les outils utilisés pour cette étude sont semblables à ceux utilisés pour les fluides de grade 2 en dimension 3, à savoir les variables autosimilaires et des estimations d'énergies. Dans ce cas aussi, on conclut que les fluides de grade 3 se comportent asymptotiquement comme les fluides newtoniens.Dans le dernier chapitre, on étudie l'existence d'un attracteur pour les équations des fluides de grade 3 en dimension 2 avec des conditions périodiques. On considère donc les solutions faibles de ces équations à données initiales dans l'espace de Sobolev H¹. Ces solutions faibles définissent un semi-groupe généralisé. Ensuite, on montre que les solutions à données initiales dans H² possèdent un attracteur global pour la topologie H¹. Pour ce travail, on utilise un schéma de Galerkin, des estimations a priori et une méthode de monotonie. Les principales difficultés que l'on rencontre sont liées au peu de régularité des données initiales et au fait que l'on ne sait par si les solutions des équations des fluides de grade 3 à données H¹ sont uniques. / This thesis is devoted to the study of the asymptotic behaviour of the solutions of the second and third grades fluids equations. In the first chapter, we study the asymptotic profiles to the first order of the solutions of the second grade fluids equations in dimension 3. We show that these solutions behave asymptotically (when the time goes to infinity) like explicit solutions to the heat equations. This result shows in particular that the asymptotic behaviour of the fluids of grade 2 is the same as the one of the Newtonian fluids, modelized by the classical Navier-Stokes equations. For this study, we use scaled variables (also called self-similar variables), and we perform energy estimates in several functions spaces, including weighted Sobolev spaces. Notice that the first order asymptotic expansion that we obtain holds under smallness assumptions on the initial data.In the second chapter of this thesis, we study the asymptotic profiles to the first order of the solutions of the third grade fluids equations in dimension 2. As in the previous chapter, we establish the convergence of these solutions to explicit solutions to the heat equations. The methods that we use are very similar to the ones used in the case of the second grade fluids equations on in dimension 3, namely scaled variables and energy estimates. We also conclude that the fluids of grade 3 behave asymptotically in time like Newtonian fluids.The last chapter is devoted to the study of the existence of an attractor for the third grade fluids equations in dimension 2 with periodic boundary conditions. We consider the weak solutions of these equations with initial data in H¹. These weak solutions define a generalized semiflow on H¹. Then, we show that the solutions with initial data in H² admit a global attractor for the H¹-topology. To this end, we use a Galerkin method, a priori estimates and a monotonicity method. The main difficulties come from the lack of regularity on the solutions and from the fact that these solutions are not known to be unique.

Thesis advisor: Irwin Blumer / Public and private schools are adopting new technological software to manage student information in a web-based format. These programs have the capability to provide students and parents with on-line access to grades and higher quality assessment information with the hope that students take information about their grades and use it formatively to improve in the classroom. Teachers, however, have historically kept their grade books private and increasing transparency into grading represents a major change in teachers' communication of student achievement. This qualitative case study examines the impact of increasing transparency in assessment by providing parents and students access to web-based grading information on teachers' perceptions of the quality and effectiveness of communication with parents and students, teachers' perceptions of student motivation, teachers' application of the program, and teachers' perceptions of their communication with each other. Seven teachers participated in this research study over the course of one semester at a large, suburban New England high school. The data from this study showed that increasing transparency in assessment to students and parents resulted in changes in the nature and substance of communication between teachers, parents and students. Teachers reported changing their use of the program over the course of the semester in order to provide greater clarity of assessment data to students and parents and, as a result, students were able to use it formatively to improve student learning. Teachers reported that the greatest impact of this program was in improved communication with students leading to increased student effort and a sense of student ownership over grades. Teachers also felt that increasing transparency in assessment influenced communication and collaboration among teachers. The findings of this research study provide implications for educational practice, policy, future research and leadership. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Administration.

The purpose of the current outcome study was to determine the effects of the Ready for Success (RFS) classroom guidance program (Brigman & Webb, 2012) on the social-emotional skills and competence, reading proficiency, and promotion between third-grade students who received the RFS intervention (treatment group; n = 104), and third-grade students who did not receive the intervention (comparison group; n=91). Following training in the manualized RFS curriculum, certified school counselors in the treatment group implemented five, weekly, 30-minute lessons followed by three monthly booster lessons. This study followed a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent group design. The study employed a teacher report measure of social-emotional skills and competence (i.e., Devereux Student Strengths Assessment) and a standardized formative assessment of reading proficiency (i.e., Reading Running Record). Furthermore, retention data was provided by the participating school district’s data source. Statistical significance between the groups was measured by a series of MANCOVA analyses and a Pearson’s chi-square analysis. A partial eta-squared ηp2 effect size was reported for each dependent variable. The data supported the RFS classroom guidance program as an effective Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) intervention for promoting student social-emotional skill development (i.e. selfawareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making) and overall social-emotional competence (SEC). This study provided support for the use of school counselor-led SEL classroom programs to promote the social-emotional development of students in the school setting. Furthermore, the study further supports the value of school counseling interventions for students in the domain of social-emotional development. Finally, the findings of this study provided empirical support for the RFS classroom guidance program as an effective SEL intervention. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Made available in DSpace on 2015-02-04T21:45:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silvio Luiz.pdf: 2742047 bytes, checksum: 10de74b8cc8c906d49315ee2f47f3470 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-05-07 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O desenvolvimento de material multimídia e interativo é uma atividade que tem ganhado importância cada vez maior no âmbito da aprendizagem eletrônica. O uso de tais materiais juntamente com novas e modernas abordagens pedagógicas pode tornar mais significativa a experiência de aprendizagem. A produção destes materiais é um processo complexo e caro, pois envolve um grande número de especialistas de diferentes áreas que devem trabalhar de maneira colaborativa. Segundo a experiência do LabVirt conduzida pela Universidade de São Paulo, para que tal produção seja eficiente, é necessário compartilhar objetos de aprendizagem desenvolvidos em outros processos de produção, além disso, o envolvimento dos estudantes no processo de produção contribui significativamente para a melhoria do aprendizado dos próprios estudantes. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de propor e avaliar infra-estruturas baseadas em grades computacionais no suporte à implementação das funções essenciais à produção, armazenamento e catalogação de objetos de aprendizagem. A tecnologia de grades computacionais prove suporte efetivo à criação de comunidades voltadas ao desenvolvimento e à utilização de objetos de aprendizagem, que estejam geograficamente dispersas e que envolvam pessoas de diferentes instituições trabalhando de forma colaborativa.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-03-29T23:27:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-12-10 / This work presents a model for semi-automatic transformation of multi-thread applications into grid-enabled applications, focusing on algorithms that present communication and synchronization. The model uses Java threads and aspect-oriented programming to convert threads into grid tasks, maintaining the state of shared objects during the execution. In this work we also present performance and ease of use evaluation results. Keywords: Software Engineering, Distributed Systems, Grid Computing, Aspect Oriented Programming / Este trabalho apresenta um modelo para transformação semi-automática de aplicações multi-thread em aplicações para grades computacionais, focando em algoritmos com comunicação e sincronização entre tarefas. O modelo utiliza Java threads e programação orientada a aspectos para converter threads em tarefas para a grade, mantendo o estado de objetos compartilhados durante a execução. Neste trabalho apresentamos ainda resultados de avaliações de desempenho e facilidade de uso do modelo. Palavras-chave: Engenharia de Software, Sistemas Distribuídos, Computação em Grade, Programação Orientada a Aspectos

Este texto apresenta nosso projeto de implementação de um arcabouço de suporte a agentes móveis dentro de um ambiente de grade denominado InteGrade. Nosso arcabouço - MobiGrid - foi criado de forma a permitir que aplicações seqüenciais longas possam ser executadas em uma rede de estações de trabalho pessoais. Os agentes móveis são utilizados para encapsular essas aplicações com longo tempo de processamento. O encapsulamento de uma aplicação com longo tempo de processamento dentro de um agente móvel é o que denominamos como tarefa. Sendo assim, as tarefas podem migrar sempre que a máquina é requisitada por seu usuário local, já que são providas com capacidade de migração automática. Nosso arcabouço também fornece ao usuário um gerente que rastreia as tarefas por ele submetidas. Baseados no ambiente de execução de tarefas descrito, criamos um modelo matemático para efetuarmos simulações de como se comportariam muitas tarefas submetidas a uma grade com grande quantidade de estações de trabalho. Neste trabalho apresentamos também esse modelo, bem como os resultados das simulações nele baseadas. / This text presents a project which focuses on the implementation of a framework for mobile agents support within a grid environment project, namely InteGrade. Our framework - MobiGrid - was created in such a way that time consuming sequential applications can be executed on a network of personal workstations. The encapsulation of a long processing application by a mobile agent is what we call task. Hence, the tasks can migrate whenever the local machine is requested by its local user, since they are provided with automatic migration capabilities. Our framework also provides the user with a manager that keeps track of the submitted agents. Based on the execution environment described above, we have created a mathematical model which allows us to simulate how a great quantity of tasks submitted to a grid with many workstations would behave. In this text, we also present our model, as well as the results of our simulations.

Course grades, which often include non-achievement factors such as effort and behavior and are subject to individual teacher grading philosophies, suffer from issues of unreliability. Yet, course grades continue to be utilized as a primary tool for reporting academic achievement to students and parents and are used by most colleges and universities as an admissions measure. High-stakes assessment results are also used by schools to convey student achievement, and several states now require students to pass an exam to receive a diploma. What is less clear, however, is the relation between these two measures, GPA and high-stakes assessment results. One purpose of this study was to examine the predictive relation of mathematics GPA to student performance on high-stakes assessments. Multiple regression models were used to analyze the predictive relation between mathematics GPA and performance on the ACT and the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (OAKS), two high-stakes assessments. In addition, the regression analyses were used to examine the influence of other student-level variables such as talented and gifted status and math courses taken prior to testing on the relation between mathematics GPA and performance on the two high-stakes assessments. In all, 299 high school students from a single grade-level enrolled in one Oregon suburban school district participated in the study. Results indicate that GPA is a significant variable in a high-stakes assessment outcome. Additionally, results of the multiple regression reveal significant student-level effects on assessment outcomes that reduce explained common variance in both the ACT and OAKS models. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Research for the past decade has examined academic performance gaps among students from the perspective of sex, race and ethnicity groups, and low socio-economic status. Across those studies school attendance has been identified as a primary correlate with academic success. I used a descriptive non-experimental design to investigate the relationship of student academic outcomes (i.e., GPA, credits earned toward graduation) among student groups (i.e., sex, race, and special education status) on attendance type of unexcused or excused absences. This study included two cohorts of 9th grade high school students (n = 2,262) from the Eugene 4J School District during the 2013 to 2016 school year. I calculated Chi-square tests, Independent t-tests, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient to examine the relationship of attendance with student academic outcomes for GPA and credits earned toward graduation and to further compare attendance type (i.e., unexcused or excused absences) among student groups. Findings indicated statistically significant differences for unexcused and excused absences and for GPA and credits earned by specific demographic subgroups – males v. females, white v. minority, special education v. not special education. There were also statistically significant correlations for GPA and credits earned based on unexcused and excused absences among demographic subgroups. In addition, there were statistically significant differences by academic and attendance variables for students who remained in comparison to students who left Eugene 4J.