Undergraduate biomechanics is classically viewed as one of the most difficult courses included in kinesiology programs, often leading to poor student performance and attitudes. By adjusting the interactions students have with course material, it may be possible to positively impact student outcomes. Past work has shown that interactive learning episodes can positively impact student attitudes toward difficult course content, as well as improve student performance variables (Catena & Carbonneau, n.d.; Moreno & Mayer, 2007; Pandy, Petrosino, Austin, & Barr, 2004; Zhang, Zhou, Briggs, & Nunamaker, 2005). In the present study, I investigated the effectiveness of interactive, exploratory based learning episodes in undergraduate biomechanics laboratory sessions. Episodes consisted of a brief introduction of the laboratory topic, which was consistent across groups, followed immediately by a pre- laboratory assessment. Students then completed the laboratory, which either included exploration in interactive computer applications or still images of the applications displaying the necessary information for completion. Intervention sessions utilized custom interactive computer applications where students were prompted to explore course concepts centered around reciprocal relationships between variables specific to each laboratory topic. Student performance was collected and assessed for Work Loop Muscle Mechanics and EMG signal processing laboratory topics at two independent instances. For both learning topics, intervention and control groups both, improved their scores between pre- and post-laboratory assessments indicating learning. In the post-laboratory testing, the intervention group significantly outperformed the control group on the most challenging assessment question (P = 0.005). Adversely, the intervention group achieved significantly lower scores for the simplest signal processing questionnaire item (P <0.001). Although the present study contained mixed results, it supports the utilization of exploratory based learning episodes on typically challenging topics with abstract concepts. Further investigation is needed in order to explore the chronic learning effects of such instructional methods. / Graduate

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第21646号 / 医博第4452号 / 新制||医||1034(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 武田 俊一, 教授 萩原 正敏, 教授 滝田 順子 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

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In electrochemistry "Inductive loops" appear as a small "hook" into the upper half-plane in the low frequency range of the Nyquist plot of the impedance function. This has puzzled scientists for decades because the electrochemical impedance is known to have a purely negative imaginary part. In this dissertation we will show that the lack of time-invariance can be a source of inductive loops. We first introduce a technique for measuring the impedance of a time-invariant electrochemical system. Since circuits of arbitrary complexity can be approximated by an equivalent circuit model consisting of elementary Voigt circuits and possibly a capacitor, we show that this technique gives a reliable approximation of the impedance of an elementary Voigt element and the exact impedance of a capacitor. We then apply the same procedure to systems with time-dependent resistances and capacitances and observe the appearance of inductive loops in the plot of the "impedance function". Finally, we examine electrochemical systems whose properties change on time scales of $1/\Ge$, where $\Ge$ is a small parameter. We derive a formula which permits one to extend the theory of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to time-dependent systems with slowly changing properties. This formula agrees with the classical theory at high frequencies while being able to capture low-frequency inductive loops. / Mathematics

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This thesis describes the design, implementation and testing of a UHF frequency synthesizer. The synthesizer is designed to provide a sine wave output programmable from 400 MHz to 500 MHz in 0.1 MHz increments. The synthesis technique utilized is Digital Coherent Indirect Synthesis. This technique uses phase locking to provide a range of stable output frequencies all derived from a single crystal reference. Component design and system level analysis are presented in detail.

The recent trend in the RF and microwave industry has been a move towards increasing the number of components realized on one radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) (or microwave integrated circuit (MIC)). This trend has resulted in complex RFICs which often require reactive as well as other circuit components to be supplied in the form of an external circuit. Because the manufacturer's suggested circuit is often developed with a specific application in mind, the same circuit may not satisfy the demands of another application. Provided the necessary functionality and connections are possible, the external circuit may be altered such that the requirements of the other application can be met, thus extending the flexibility of the RFIC. The work presented here is focused on investigating modifications to RF Microdevices' suggested external circuit for the RF29X5 family of low cost, half duplex, FM/AM/ASK/FSK RFIC transceivers originally intended for operation in the 433, 868, or 902-928 MHz industrial, scientific, and measurement (ISM) bands. Examinations of the operating principles of the transceiver components were performed which facilitated the identification of suitable modifications. Among the modifications identified were implementation of a phase locked detector, various methods for extending the FSK data rate limitations of the transmitter, improving the phase noise of the VCO, and the implementation of a fractional-N synthesizer using the RF2905 internal phase-locked loop (PLL) components and external inexpensive logic circuits. In addition to these modifications to the external circuit, the investigation of the oscillators of the RF2905 resulted in a potentially improved implementation of the VCO by modifying the internal active circuitry as well. / Master of Engineering