Belief updating is a research area investigating how individuals refine or fail to refine their preexisting beliefs when confronted with corrective sources. Understanding the various drivers of poor belief updating in a political context is essential to maintaining an informed democracy, as the ideal voter in a democratic nation updates political misconceptions and false beliefs when presented with corrective sources. Despite the importance of this topic, the literature examining potential factors that could contribute to poor belief updating in a political context remains particularly limited. I aimed to address this limitation by recruiting undergraduates from the University of Central Florida’s Psychology Department via SONA to complete an online survey. This survey investigated misplaced certainty, right-wing authoritarianism, belief in a just world, Machiavellianism, subclinical narcissism, and external locus of control as novel predictors of belief updating in a political context. Regarding past literature examining these personality variables in general belief updating and general political contexts, I hypothesized that participants who scored higher on these various personality measures would be less likely to learn from corrective sources and revise their misconceptions and false beliefs in a politically centered feedback-learning task. Overall, the data did not support this hypothesis, as only misplaced certainty, right-wing authoritarianism, and subclinical narcissism significantly predicted poor belief updating. Further, right-wing authoritarianism was the only unique predictor when controlling all variables, and it had a particularly weak linear relationship with belief updating. These results indicate that the mechanisms contributing to belief updating in a political context are too complex to be adequately predicted by personality factors alone.

Businesses' demand for information technology-(IT) capacity and IT solutions are growing daily. As available services and products expand, users require more convenience, cost savings, user-friendliness and reliability. Manufacturers of mobile devices have always been motivated to develop mobile devices which are more flexible and reliable. As a consequence of the above mentioned, the importance of business in the modern technological environment was greatly overestimated as a result of development in mobile technology. Mobile technology breaks the limitations of mobility in businesses which provides innovative possibilities Mobile distance-based services have attracted much attention because of the growing potential that it offers. Businesses need mobile options that deal with specific needs. A mobile accounting system will provide adaptability and flexibility to an entity, which at this stage has not been possible. An improved adaptability and flexibility of enterprises will have a positive impact on productivity and innovation as a result. The rapid growth and development of mobile technology creates the opportunity for the development of many innovative mobile applications. From the above it is clear that there is an existing trend that companies want to implement more mobility in their business. From an accounting perspective, small-to medium-sized businesses have simpler rules and regulations that must be obeyed (IFRS for SMEs). Thus, the point of entrance of this study will focus on the feasibility of a mobile accounting system for small to medium sized entities (SME). On a global scale, should the importance of small-to medium-sized entities (SMEs) not be overlooked. SMEs are the mainstay of most national economies and represent between 30 to 60 percent of the economy's gross domestic product. A mobile accounting system will provide managers and business owners the option to have “anytime anywhere” access to the entity's financial information. This will also allow businesses to be more mobile. Thus, invoices can be issued, receivables added, payments entered (creditors and so on) and all this can be done without physically being on the business premises. The mobile system will therefore communicate in real time with the database on the business premises which is stored electronically and so information for everyone who uses it will be updated and correct. / MCom (Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Businesses' demand for information technology-(IT) capacity and IT solutions are growing daily. As available services and products expand, users require more convenience, cost savings, user-friendliness and reliability. Manufacturers of mobile devices have always been motivated to develop mobile devices which are more flexible and reliable. As a consequence of the above mentioned, the importance of business in the modern technological environment was greatly overestimated as a result of development in mobile technology. Mobile technology breaks the limitations of mobility in businesses which provides innovative possibilities Mobile distance-based services have attracted much attention because of the growing potential that it offers. Businesses need mobile options that deal with specific needs. A mobile accounting system will provide adaptability and flexibility to an entity, which at this stage has not been possible. An improved adaptability and flexibility of enterprises will have a positive impact on productivity and innovation as a result. The rapid growth and development of mobile technology creates the opportunity for the development of many innovative mobile applications. From the above it is clear that there is an existing trend that companies want to implement more mobility in their business. From an accounting perspective, small-to medium-sized businesses have simpler rules and regulations that must be obeyed (IFRS for SMEs). Thus, the point of entrance of this study will focus on the feasibility of a mobile accounting system for small to medium sized entities (SME). On a global scale, should the importance of small-to medium-sized entities (SMEs) not be overlooked. SMEs are the mainstay of most national economies and represent between 30 to 60 percent of the economy's gross domestic product. A mobile accounting system will provide managers and business owners the option to have “anytime anywhere” access to the entity's financial information. This will also allow businesses to be more mobile. Thus, invoices can be issued, receivables added, payments entered (creditors and so on) and all this can be done without physically being on the business premises. The mobile system will therefore communicate in real time with the database on the business premises which is stored electronically and so information for everyone who uses it will be updated and correct. / MCom (Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Dans le contexte actuel du vieillissement de la population, il importe de s’intéresser aux changements qui surviennent avec l’avancement en âge. Le vieillissement s’accompagne de modifications pour différentes fonctions cognitives, dont la mémoire de travail (MdeT), un système permettant le maintien temporaire et la manipulation d’une petite quantité d’informations. Les travaux de cette thèse portent sur le vieillissement normal de la MdeT et des fonctions de contrôle attentionnel (FCA) qui la sous-tendent (l’alternance, l’inhibition et la mise à jour). D’abord, la première étude (Chapitre II) visait à préciser l’effet du vieillissement normal sur la MdeT et sur chacune des FCA qui la sous-tendent. Elle avait également pour but d’identifier les FCA qui contribuent à la réalisation de différentes tâches de MdeT, et si cette contribution diffère selon le groupe d’âge. Des tâches mesurant chacune des FCA ainsi que des tâches de MdeT ont été administrées à des personnes âgées et à des jeunes adultes. Les analyses contrôlant pour le ralentissement cognitif ont révélé que les habiletés d’alternance et de mise à jour sont préservées chez les personnes âgées, mais que l’inhibition est atteinte comparativement aux jeunes adultes. Les analyses ont également montré que l’impact du vieillissement sur la MdeT dépend de la tâche utilisée. Enfin, les résultats ont indiqué que la contribution des FCA à la MdeT dépend à la fois de la tâche de MdeT et du groupe d’âge. En particulier, la mise à jour contribue davantage à la MdeT des personnes âgées qu’à celle des jeunes, ce qui pourrait refléter une tentative de compensation. La seconde étude (Chapitre III) avait pour objectif de caractériser la variabilité interindividuelle au niveau des FCA, pour les personnes âgées et pour les jeunes adultes. Des analyses hiérarchiques en grappes réalisées sur les habiletés d’alternance, d’inhibition et de mise à jour, ont permis de déterminer si différents profils de contrôle attentionnel étaient présents. L’étude cherchait également à déterminer si les individus appartenant à des profils de contrôle attentionnel distincts diffèrent quant à certaines variables intellectuelles ou de santé. Les analyses ont mis en évidence trois profils de contrôle attentionnel distincts parmi les personnes âgées, l’inhibition étant une FCA critique pour distinguer entre les trois sous-groupes. Trois profils de contrôle attentionnel ont également été identifiés chez les jeunes adultes, et ces profils étaient caractérisés par moins de variabilité intra-individuelle que ceux des âgés. Les analyses ont par ailleurs montré que les profils de contrôle attentionnel se distinguent sur certaines variables intellectuelles et de santé. Les implications théoriques et cliniques de ces résultats seront discutées en fin de thèse (Chapitre IV). / As the population is aging, it is increasingly important to study the changes that occur with advancing age. Normal aging is characterized by changes in various cognitive functions, such as working memory (WM), a limited capacity system that temporarily holds and manipulates a small quantity of information. The work presented in this thesis focused on the normal aging of WM and of the attentional control functions (ACFs) that underlie this system (shifting, inhibition, and updating). The first study (Chapter II) aimed at exploring the impact of normal aging on WM and on each of the ACFs. We also sought to determine which ACFs contribute to performance on different WM tests, and whether age group has an impact on those contributions. Tasks measuring each ACF as well as WM tasks were administered to healthy older adults and to younger adults. The analyses controlling for cognitive slowing revealed that older adults’ shifting and updating abilities are preserved, but that their inhibition abilities are impaired compared to younger adults. Moreover, the impact of normal aging on WM is task-dependent. The results also indicated that the relative contribution of the ACFs to WM depends on both the WM task used and the age group. In particular, older adults relied more than younger adults on updating to perform WM tasks, which might reflect a compensation attempt. The second study (Chapter III) aimed at characterizing interindividual variability in the ACFs of both older and younger adults. Cluster analyses were performed on the shifting, inhibition, and updating abilities, in order to determine whether different attentional control profiles were present. This study also explored whether the individuals that belonged to distinct attentional control profiles differed as to intellectual and health variables. The analyses revealed three attentional control profiles among older adults, and inhibition was the ACF for which the three profiles differed the most. Three attentional control profiles were also identified among younger adults, and their profiles were characterized by less intra-individual variability than those of older adults. The results also showed that individuals belonging to different attentional control profiles differed on some intellectual and health variables. The theoretical and clinical implications of those findings are discussed in Chapter IV.

Marine renewable energy promises to provide a significant contribution to the future electricity supply. It is estimated that 17% of today's UK electricity demand could be generated from wave and tidal sources. The ambition to harvest this resource is in the public interest, as it eases the pressures on energy security, holds the potential to reduce carbon emissions and has the prospect to create a new UK industry sector worth £15 billion. From an engineering perspective, marine energy is one of the least developed renewable energy technologies and has to be regarded as unproven. The reliability of components and devices in the harsh marine environment is one of the main engineering challenges. Reliability assessments and the assurance of acceptable reliability levels are dependant on the adequacy of failure information, which is scantily available for marine energy. This thesis shows that large failure rate uncertainties impede the reliability assessment for wave energy converters and how a suite of experimental, numerical and statistical methods can be applied to improve scarcely available reliability information. The analysis of component load conditions identifies fatigue as failure mode of concern and the fatigue life of mooring lines and marine power cables is quantified in a floating wave energy application. A Bayesian statistical approach and dedicated service-simulation component testing is proposed, and implemented to improve the quality of reliability estimates and to provide relevant data and assurance. The methods presented, along with the results, will assist reliability assessment and design during early development stages, and will inform the prediction of maintenance requirements during operation. Reliable marine energy systems will be the technical enabler for the successful transition of prototype devices to a commercially viable marine energy industry.

Dans le contexte actuel du vieillissement de la population, il importe de s’intéresser aux changements qui surviennent avec l’avancement en âge. Le vieillissement s’accompagne de modifications pour différentes fonctions cognitives, dont la mémoire de travail (MdeT), un système permettant le maintien temporaire et la manipulation d’une petite quantité d’informations. Les travaux de cette thèse portent sur le vieillissement normal de la MdeT et des fonctions de contrôle attentionnel (FCA) qui la sous-tendent (l’alternance, l’inhibition et la mise à jour). D’abord, la première étude (Chapitre II) visait à préciser l’effet du vieillissement normal sur la MdeT et sur chacune des FCA qui la sous-tendent. Elle avait également pour but d’identifier les FCA qui contribuent à la réalisation de différentes tâches de MdeT, et si cette contribution diffère selon le groupe d’âge. Des tâches mesurant chacune des FCA ainsi que des tâches de MdeT ont été administrées à des personnes âgées et à des jeunes adultes. Les analyses contrôlant pour le ralentissement cognitif ont révélé que les habiletés d’alternance et de mise à jour sont préservées chez les personnes âgées, mais que l’inhibition est atteinte comparativement aux jeunes adultes. Les analyses ont également montré que l’impact du vieillissement sur la MdeT dépend de la tâche utilisée. Enfin, les résultats ont indiqué que la contribution des FCA à la MdeT dépend à la fois de la tâche de MdeT et du groupe d’âge. En particulier, la mise à jour contribue davantage à la MdeT des personnes âgées qu’à celle des jeunes, ce qui pourrait refléter une tentative de compensation. La seconde étude (Chapitre III) avait pour objectif de caractériser la variabilité interindividuelle au niveau des FCA, pour les personnes âgées et pour les jeunes adultes. Des analyses hiérarchiques en grappes réalisées sur les habiletés d’alternance, d’inhibition et de mise à jour, ont permis de déterminer si différents profils de contrôle attentionnel étaient présents. L’étude cherchait également à déterminer si les individus appartenant à des profils de contrôle attentionnel distincts diffèrent quant à certaines variables intellectuelles ou de santé. Les analyses ont mis en évidence trois profils de contrôle attentionnel distincts parmi les personnes âgées, l’inhibition étant une FCA critique pour distinguer entre les trois sous-groupes. Trois profils de contrôle attentionnel ont également été identifiés chez les jeunes adultes, et ces profils étaient caractérisés par moins de variabilité intra-individuelle que ceux des âgés. Les analyses ont par ailleurs montré que les profils de contrôle attentionnel se distinguent sur certaines variables intellectuelles et de santé. Les implications théoriques et cliniques de ces résultats seront discutées en fin de thèse (Chapitre IV). / As the population is aging, it is increasingly important to study the changes that occur with advancing age. Normal aging is characterized by changes in various cognitive functions, such as working memory (WM), a limited capacity system that temporarily holds and manipulates a small quantity of information. The work presented in this thesis focused on the normal aging of WM and of the attentional control functions (ACFs) that underlie this system (shifting, inhibition, and updating). The first study (Chapter II) aimed at exploring the impact of normal aging on WM and on each of the ACFs. We also sought to determine which ACFs contribute to performance on different WM tests, and whether age group has an impact on those contributions. Tasks measuring each ACF as well as WM tasks were administered to healthy older adults and to younger adults. The analyses controlling for cognitive slowing revealed that older adults’ shifting and updating abilities are preserved, but that their inhibition abilities are impaired compared to younger adults. Moreover, the impact of normal aging on WM is task-dependent. The results also indicated that the relative contribution of the ACFs to WM depends on both the WM task used and the age group. In particular, older adults relied more than younger adults on updating to perform WM tasks, which might reflect a compensation attempt. The second study (Chapter III) aimed at characterizing interindividual variability in the ACFs of both older and younger adults. Cluster analyses were performed on the shifting, inhibition, and updating abilities, in order to determine whether different attentional control profiles were present. This study also explored whether the individuals that belonged to distinct attentional control profiles differed as to intellectual and health variables. The analyses revealed three attentional control profiles among older adults, and inhibition was the ACF for which the three profiles differed the most. Three attentional control profiles were also identified among younger adults, and their profiles were characterized by less intra-individual variability than those of older adults. The results also showed that individuals belonging to different attentional control profiles differed on some intellectual and health variables. The theoretical and clinical implications of those findings are discussed in Chapter IV.

[pt] Foi feito um estudo da linha de montagem de viaturas do Parque regional de Manutenção da Primeira Região Militar com o objetivo de propor o uso de uma ferramenta computacional que auxilie no planejamento da produção desta organização militar. Para isso, foi criado um modelo, composto de várias estações de trabalho, dispostas em linha e utilizou-se o software de simulação ARENA. Foram executadas análises de sensibilidades e ajustes no modelo, com o objetivo de ajustá-lo. Com os resultados obtidos, conclui-se que uso desta ferramenta computacional proporciona aos gestores desta OM de manutenção do Exército Brasileiro um melhor planejamento da produção anual e conseqüentemente um retorno mais rápido das viaturas às OM de origem. Foi feito, também, uma breve explanação sobre Logística Militar, Fases da Logística Militar, Níveis de Apoio Logístico, Função Logística Manutenção, Escalões de manutenção, Organização da Logística no EB, Teoria de Filas e Simulação. / [en] It was made a study of the assembly line of vehicles of the Regional Park of Maintenance of the First Military Área (PqRMnt/1) with the objective of proposing the use of a computation tool that aids in the planning of the production of this military organization. For that, a model was created, composed of several work stations (workshops), disposed in line and the software of simulation ARENA was used. Analyses of sensibilities and fittings were executed in the model, with the objective of adjusting him/it. With the obtained results, it was ended that use of this computation tool provides to the managers of this OM of maintenance of the Brazilian Army (EB) a better planning of the annual production and consequently a faster return of the vehicles to origin OM. It was done, also, an abbreviation explanation on Military Logistics, Phases of the Military Logistics, Levels of the Logistic Support, Functions Logistics of the Maintenance, Steps of Maintenance, Organization of the Logistics in EB, Theory of Queues and Simulation.

No modelo dos multicomponentes da memória de trabalho o problema do armazenamento da ordem serial de eventos visuais e espaciais ainda é muito discutido. A literatura sugere que recursos do executivo central (o sistema de controle atencional da memória de trabalho) são utilizados para manter a representação da posição serial dos estímulos visuais e espaciais na memória. Mais precisamente, é proposto que a função executiva de atualização de informações esteja envolvida com este processo. Esta função promoveria a modificação contínua da representação mental conforme a entrada de novas informações no sistema cognitivo. Entretanto, não está esclarecido se ocorre uma dissociação visual e espacial no uso de recursos da função executiva de atualização de informações para o registro da ordem serial. O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar o envolvimento da função executiva de atualização da informação na memória para a ordem de eventos visuais e espaciais. Os participantes foram estudantes universitários (n = 71) que realizaram as tarefas de memória delineadas segundo o paradigma de tarefas duplas. Neste procedimento as tarefas primárias de memória visual e espacial foram combinadas a tarefas secundárias executivas de tempo de reação de escolha (CRT) e tarefas que exigiam recursos de atualização da informação (tarefa de tempo de reação de escolha para um item anterior CRT-1). Na tarefa CRT o participante deveria julgar dois tons auditivos como sendo de alta ou baixa frequência. Na tarefa CRT-1 esta resposta deveria ser atrasada em um item, ou seja, a resposta ao estímulo n só deveria ser dada quando o estímulo n + 1 fosse apresentado. As tarefas secundárias eram realizadas durante a apresentação dos estímulos e no intervalo de retenção das tarefas primárias. No primeiro experimento a capacidade máxima de armazenamento espacial e visual (span) de cada participante foi estabelecida em sessão pré-teste, e no segundo experimento o participante memorizou sequências de três a sete itens. Os resultados mostraram que, de modo geral, o desempenho dos participantes nas tarefas primárias foi prejudicado mediante a interferência na função de atualização de informações. As semelhanças entre a memória serial visual e a memória serial espacial foram: curvas de posição serial caracterizadas por primazia e recência; predominância de erros de transposição de deslocamento em um item da posição correta; efeito prejudicial do aumento do tamanho da sequência; queda do desempenho quando recursos executivos são reduzidos, principalmente os designados a sustentar a função executiva de atualização da informação. As diferenças entre os dois tipos de representação serial em geral foram: menor capacidade e precisão na representação de itens na memória visual em comparação à espacial; a memória visual é mais susceptível ao aumento da quantidade de itens para retenção e para este tipo de armazenamento não há uma diferenciação clara entre os efeitos dos dois tipos de interferência executiva (CRT e CRT-1), como pôde ser determinado para a tarefa espacial. Conclui-se que recursos executivos de atualização da informação participam dos mecanismos envolvidos com o registro da ordem serial dos eventos visuais e espaciais de maneira integrada aos recursos específicos do armazenador visuoespacial. Sugere-se que a memória visual conta com um mecanismo de registro da ordem serial semelhante à memória espacial, sendo que as diferenças entre os dois padrões de desempenho são atribuídas às especificidades no registro da identidade dos itens, e não na manutenção da ordem serial dos mesmos. Implicações para a compreensão da interação funcional entre recursos de armazenamento e processamento da informação na memória de trabalho são discutidos. / In the multicomponent model of working memory is still unclear how the serial order of visual and spatial events is retained in memory. The literature suggests that the central executive resources (the attentional control system of working memory) are used to maintain the representation of serial position. More precisely, it is proposed that the executive function of updating information is involved with this process. This function makes continuous modification of mental representation to accommodate new information in the cognitive system. However, until now had not yet been determined whether there is a visual-spatial dissociation in use of executive function of updating information for the registration of serial order. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of the executive function of updating information in memory for the order of visual and spatial events. Participants were undergraduate students (n = 71) who performed memory tasks designed under the paradigm of dual-tasks. In this procedure the primary tasks of visual and spatial memory were combined with secondary executive tasks of choice reaction time (CRT) and tasks that occupied resources required to update the information (one-back choice reaction time CRT-1). In the CRT task the participant should judge two auditory tones as high or low frequency. In CRT-1 task this response should be delayed in one item, that is, the response to the n stimulus should only be given when the n + 1 stimulus was presented. The secondary tasks were performed during the presentation of the stimuli and the retention interval of the primary tasks. In the first experiment the capacity (span) to retain spatial and visual information was established in pre-test session, and in the second experiment the participants memorized sequences of three to seven items. The results showed that, overall, participants\' performance on primary tasks was impaired by interference on the updating information. The similarities between visual and spatial serial memory were: primacy and recency in serial position curves; most frequent serial position error of transposition in one item; detrimental effect of increasing the size of the sequence, performance impaired by the interference in the executive resources, especially those designed to support the executive function of updating information. The differences between the two types of serial representation, in general, were: smaller capacity and precision in the representation of visual items as compared to the spatial characteristics; the vulnerability of visual memory to the increasing the amount of items is bigger than in spatial memory, and for visual memory there is not a clear differentiation between the effects of two types of executive interference (CRT and CRT-1) as could be determined for the spatial task. We conclude that executive resources of updating information are part of the mechanisms involved in the registration of the serial order of visual and spatial events, and they work in an integrated manner to specific visuospatial resources. The data suggests that visual memory has a mechanism for registration of serial order like spatial memory, and the differences between the two patterns of performance are attributed to the maintenance of identity of the items, and not the maintenance of serial order. Implications for understanding the functional interaction between storage resources and processing of information in working memory are discussed.

Um ensaio de carga dinâmica pode ser efetuado em tubulões, estacas hélice continua, estacas moldadas in situ ou estacas cravadas. Tal ensaio se baseia na Teoria da Propagação de Onda em estacas e visa avaliar a capacidade de carga estática mobilizada a partir do evento dinâmico. A análise do ensaio é feita mediante um programa (p.e. CAPWAP ou DLTWAVE), computacional que leva em conta tanto os sinais de força e velocidade obtidas em campo e o modelo do sistema estaca-solo Este trabalho apresenta uma metodologia para atualização bayesiana dos parâmetros de Smith da teoria de propagação de onda, levando em conta não só os sinais registrados, mas também a informação geotécnica-probabilista prévia sobre estes parâmetros. Uma aproximação semelhante já foi aplicada pelo orientador da pesquisa à estimativa de parâmetros geotécnicos de rochas a partir de medidas de deslocamento em túneis, e de campos de permeabilidade a partir de observações piezométricas em barragens. A técnica proposta está baseada firmemente em conhecimento empírico geotécnico que fornece o ensaio e erro do procedimento usual de comparação de sinais: a atualização bayesiana permite aos parâmetros afetados por incerteza maior ter um ajuste proporcionalmente maior de acordo com observações. O máximo deslocamento elástico (quake), o fator de amortecimento (damping) e a resistência estática unitária, de cada trecho da estaca, são considerados variáveis aleatórias com distribuições prévias estimadas dependendo do local de cravação da estaca. Discute-se e calcula-se a correlação cruzada entre parâmetros diferentes e autocorrelação ao longo de profundidade da estaca. As observações são escolhidas do sinal calculado por um software de análise de sinais de cravação, em espaços regulares ao longo do tempo. Postula-se um modelo linear de observação, pesquisa-se tal linearidade, também, deriva-se uma matriz de sensibilidade (ligando cada parâmetro a cada observação), e estimam-se também as incertezas nas observações (sinais). O resultado final é uma distribuição de parâmetros de Smith ao longo da profundidade de estacas, atualizada de acordo com as observações. A aproximação proposta é aplicada em sinais de um dos momentos da cravação, no final da cravação (\'end of driving\', EOD). / An dynamic loading test can be performed in concrete piles, bored piles, drilled shafts, auger cast-in-place (continuous flight auger) piles. Such essay bases on the Theory of the Propagation of Wave in piles with the aim of evaluate the capacity of static load mobilized from the dynamic event. The analysis of the test is made by a PC program (p.e. CAPWAP or DLTWAVE), that takes into account the signals of force and velocity obtained in field and the pile-soil model. This work presents a methodology for bayesian updating of Smith\'s parameters, taking into account not just the recorded signals, but also the prior geotechnical-probabilistic information about these parameters. A similar approach has already been applied by the senior author to the estimation of rock geotechnical parameters from displacement measurements in tunnels, and of permeability fields in embankment dams from piezometric observations. The proposed technique is deemed more firmly based on sound geotechnical knowledge than the usual trial and error signal matching procedure: bayesian updating allows for parameters affected by larger uncertainty to undergo proportionately larger adjustment according to observations. Quake, damping and static resistance are considered random variables, with prior distributions assessed from information about the geotechnical characteristics of the soils the pile is driven into. Cross-correlation between different parameters and auto-correlation along pile depth are discussed and estimated. Signals measured at some properly selected times are the chosen observations. A linear observation model, linking observations to parameters, is postulated, linearity is investigated, a sensitivity matrix (linking each parameter to each observation) is derived, and uncertainty in the observations (signals) is estimated. The final result is a distribution of Smith\'s parameters along pile depth, updated in accordance with the observations. The proposed approach is tested in end of driving (EOD) signal.

O ponto de partida deste trabalho são dois cursos que pretendem atualizar o currículo de física do ensino médio através da inserção da física moderna e contemporânea. Estes cursos, que fazem o que Chevallard, em sua Teoria da Transposição Didática, chama de transposição externa (do saber sábio para o saber a ensinar), mostraram a possibilidade de elaborar e implementar seqüências didáticas que atualizem o currículo de física do ensino médio. Este saber a ensinar, ao ser transformado em saber ensinado passa por mudanças elaboradas pelo professor. As relações professorsaberaluno se estabelecem na sala de aula, de acordo com as situações propostas pelo professor que gerencia essas relações, através do que Brousseau chama de contratos didáticos. Usando a Teoria das Situações Didáticas e os contratos didáticos construiu-se uma ferramenta de análise. O objetivo deste trabalho é, por meio da observação da sala de aula e usando essa ferramenta, verificar se as situações implementadas e a sucessão dos contratos didáticos mostram a possibilidade uma seqüência didática tornar-se parte do saber escolar, por ter sido aceita pelos alunos. A aceitação da devolutiva pelo aluno surge deste contexto como condição necessária, mas não suficiente, para que aconteça a aprendizagem. / The starting point of this work is two courses that intend to update the curriculum of physics of the secondary school through the modern and contemporary physics insert. These courses make that Chevallard, in his Didactic Transpositions Theory, calls external transposition (from the wise knowledge for knowing to teach), has showed the possibility to elaborate and to implement didactic sequences to update the curriculum of physics of secondary school. This knowledge to teach, being transformed in knowing taught go through changes elaborated by the teacher. The relationships teacher-knowledge-student settles down at the classroom, in agreement with the situations proposed by the teacher that manages those relationships, through the one that Brousseau calls didactic contracts. Using the Didactic Situations Theory and the didactic contracts an analysis tool was built. The objective of this work is, through the observation of the classroom and using that tool, to verify the implemented situations and the succession of the didactic contracts shows the possibility a didactic sequence to turn it leaves of the school knowledge, for it being accepted by the students. The acceptance of the devolution by the student appears of this context as necessary condition, but no enough, that the learning happens.