Sensor network performance is governed by the physical placement of sensors and their geometric relationship to the events they measure. To illustrate this, the entirety of this thesis covers the following interconnected subjects: 1) graphical analysis of the variance of the estimation error caused by physical characteristics of an acoustic target source and its geometric location relative to sensor arrays, 2) event/anomaly detection method for time aggregated point sensor data using a parametric Poisson distribution data model, 3) a sensor reduction or placement technique using Bellman optimal estimates of target agent dynamics and probabilistic training data (Goode, Chin, & Roan, 2011), and 4) transforming event monitoring point sensor data into event detection and classification of the direction of travel using a contextual, joint probability, causal relationship, sliding window, and geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) method. / Master of Science

The present study aims to predict which individual factors may influence strategy-choices in wayfinding situations, specifically when participants are faced with ambiguous instructions in unfamiliar environments. Individual differences were measured with self-report forms of the Big Five personality traits and the Santa Barbara sense of direction scale (SBSOD). The study was conducted in a web-based survey format with a n=104 (65 female, and 39 male). A regression analysis concluded that the trait conscientiousness was the only factor that had predictive value in determining choice of strategy. SBSOD had some predictive values towards strategy-choice, but needs further investigation before any general conclusion can be drawn. Future studies should focus on a more goal-oriented task with more realistic stimulus. / Föreliggande studie har undersökt vilka individuella faktorer som kan påverka val av strategi i olika navigations-scenarion, specifikt när deltagare möts av oklara instruktioner i obekanta miljöer. Individuella skillnader mättes med själv-utvärdering av Big Five personlighetsdrag och Santa Barbara sense of direction scale (SBSOD). Studien utfördes i ett web-baserat enkätformat med ett deltagarantal på totalt 104 (65 kvinnor och 39 män). En regressionsanalys fastslog att personlighetsdraget samvetsgrannhet var den enda faktorn som kunde predicera strategival. SBSOD hade viss produktionskraft mot strategival, med detta behöver utforskas mer innan några generella slutsatser kan dras. Framtida studier bör fokusera på en mer målinriktad uppgift med mer naturtrogna stimuli.

L'étude présente le profil de compétences des directeurs des ressources humaines (DRH) des cégeps du Québec. Ne disposant pas de description d'emplois reposant sur des analyses rigoureuses pour les différents postes de cadres, un profil de compétences est nécessaire pour la sélection, le développement professionnel et l'évaluation du personnel cadre dans les cégeps. D'abord, une analyse d'une base de données constituée à partir de réponses à un questionnaire d'analyse d'emploi rempli par des DRH a été réalisée. Ensuite, un profil de ressources a été dressé puis a été validé par des DRH en poste. Enfin, un profil de compétences a été élaboré à partir du répertoire de ressources. Le profil comprend 23 compétences regroupées en catégories. Il s'agit de compétences intellectuelles, personnelles, relationnelles et managérielles. Le profil est accompagné d'un répertoire de plus de 200 ressources. Ce dernier est composé de connaissances, d'habiletés, d'attitudes et de caractéristiques personnelles.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1958 Z85

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1964 B16 / Master of Science

LD2668 .T4 1966 C37 / Master of Science

LD2668 .T4 1966 W752 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1966 N853 / Master of Science

The topic of students’ application of conceptual knowledge in physics is constantly being researched. It is a common occurrence that students are able to solve numerical problems without understanding the concepts involved. The primary focus of this dissertation is to investigate the extent to which a group of first year physics students are able to identify and use the correct physics concepts when solving problems set in different contexts. Furthermore, this study aims to identify underlying factors giving way to students not applying appropriate physics concepts. A questionnaire was designed in test-format in which all the problems dealt with two objects whose movement had to be compared to each other. The physical quantities describing or influencing the objects’ movement differed in each consecutive problem; whilst the nature of the concept under consideration remained the same. The problems were set in various contexts namely: i. Formal conceptual questions, some with numeric values; ii. Questions set in every day context with/without numeric values; iii. Questions on vertical upward, vertical downward and horizontal motion. The questionnaire was distributed to 481 students in the first-year physics course in 2014 at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North West University. It was expected that the percentage of correct answers would reveal discrepancies in the responses to contextual, numeric and formal conceptual questions. The outcome of the statistical analysis confirmed this expectation. In addition, it seemed that only a few students were able to correctly identify the appropriate variables when considering vertical and horizontal movement while the majority of the students did not apply the same physics principle in isomorphic vertical upward and vertical downward problems. It appears that the context in which the question was posed determined whether the problem was seen as an item that would require “physics reasoning” or as a setting where physics reasoning did not apply. The results revealed students inability to relate physics concepts to appropriate mathematical equations. Two important results from this work are: (1) the presentation of a questionnaire that can be implemented to investigate various aspects regarding the contexts of physics problems; and (2) expanding the concept of context to include the direction of movement as a separate context. / MSc (Natural Science Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The topic of students’ application of conceptual knowledge in physics is constantly being researched. It is a common occurrence that students are able to solve numerical problems without understanding the concepts involved. The primary focus of this dissertation is to investigate the extent to which a group of first year physics students are able to identify and use the correct physics concepts when solving problems set in different contexts. Furthermore, this study aims to identify underlying factors giving way to students not applying appropriate physics concepts. A questionnaire was designed in test-format in which all the problems dealt with two objects whose movement had to be compared to each other. The physical quantities describing or influencing the objects’ movement differed in each consecutive problem; whilst the nature of the concept under consideration remained the same. The problems were set in various contexts namely: i. Formal conceptual questions, some with numeric values; ii. Questions set in every day context with/without numeric values; iii. Questions on vertical upward, vertical downward and horizontal motion. The questionnaire was distributed to 481 students in the first-year physics course in 2014 at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North West University. It was expected that the percentage of correct answers would reveal discrepancies in the responses to contextual, numeric and formal conceptual questions. The outcome of the statistical analysis confirmed this expectation. In addition, it seemed that only a few students were able to correctly identify the appropriate variables when considering vertical and horizontal movement while the majority of the students did not apply the same physics principle in isomorphic vertical upward and vertical downward problems. It appears that the context in which the question was posed determined whether the problem was seen as an item that would require “physics reasoning” or as a setting where physics reasoning did not apply. The results revealed students inability to relate physics concepts to appropriate mathematical equations. Two important results from this work are: (1) the presentation of a questionnaire that can be implemented to investigate various aspects regarding the contexts of physics problems; and (2) expanding the concept of context to include the direction of movement as a separate context. / MSc (Natural Science Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015