Multi-Object Adaptive Optics promises to be a useful tool for the upcoming class of Extremely Large Telescopes. Like current adaptive optics systems, MOAO systems compensate optical aberrations caused by atmospheric turbulence, but with the added benefit of being able to compensate multiple portions of a telescope’s field at the same time. To ensure the success of the eventual MOAO systems built for the ELTs, several demonstrator instruments have been designed and tested on current telescopes. Raven is one of these demonstrators, designed by the University of Victoria Adaptive Optics Lab for the Subaru 8.2 meter telescope to feed the InfraRed Camera and Spectrograph. Raven corrects the light of two science targets using wavefront information from three natural guide stars, and a single laser guide star. The topic of this thesis is the design and implementation of Raven’s tip/tilt compensation system, used to stabilize the output image positions on IRCS’s 0.140” slit. Tip/tilt correction of the science targets is done using a combination of motorized pick-off arms, piezoelectric tip/tilt platforms, and deformable mirrors. Through digital filtering and calibration, it is shown that these actuators are able to collectively keep the output science images stationary during simulated laboratory observations. A performance reduction due to residual tip/tilt errors is expected to be less than 5%. Raven goes on-sky in mid-2014, and it will be the first MOAO instrument to attempt scientific observations. / Graduate / 0548 / 0606

The purpose of this study was two fold: (1) to examine how the distribution of resources within and outside an Enhanced Language Training Program (ELT) affected a group of newcomers’ access to Internet literacy development; and (2) to discuss ensuing pedagogical and curricular implications for the ELT Program. The relationship between the distribution of resources and a group of newcomers’ access to Internet literacy development was studied through a hybrid of two frameworks: van Dijk’s (2005) digital divide and Warschauer’s (2004) social inclusion. The key findings were that the distribution of resources affected access four ways: (1) resources affected multiple types of access, (2) the effect of resource distribution on access was both cumulative and successive, (3) distribution of resources could either facilitate or impede access, and (4) Internet literacy development could potentially increase or decrease the resources. The findings resulted in implications for the ELT program and teaching.

The purpose of the study is two-fold. The primary concern is to specify to what degree the senior students of the Department of English Language Teaching (ELT) at Abant izzet Baysal University and those, authorized with a teaching certificate, of the Department of English Language and Literature (ELL) at Erciyes University feel knowledgeable and competent in meeting the international standards that an English Language teacher should have. The secondary concern is to identify to what degree the methodology courses offered by the ELT and Certificate Programs seem adequate to provide the students with those standards in terms of general aims, the contents and the number of methodology courses.In this study, various methods of gathering data were utilized: A two-part questionnaire (i.e., knowledge and performance) were given to the senior students of the two departments, and interviews were conducted with the instructors who teach methodology courses in these programs.The findings related to the first concern of the study revealed that the senior students of the ELT Department felt better prepared than those of the ELL Department in achieving the desired standards. In the &ldquo / Language and Awareness&rdquo / domain of the knowledge and performance parts of the questionnaire, ELT students got the lowest mean scores. Among the five, only in this domain, did the students from the ELL department outrank the students from the ELT department. In other words, the ELL students felt more knowledgeable and competent in many aspects of language and culture than the ELT students. Yet, the t-test results indicated that the difference between the students&rsquo / perceptions of their knowledge and competence in this domain of the two parts of the questionnaire is not statistically significant. In the other domains, &ldquo / Learning, Teaching, Assessment, and Classroom Environment&rdquo / of the knowledge and performance parts of the questionnaire, the ELT students seemed to be more satisfied with the input and practice when compared to the ELL students, but the t-test results of both groups indicated that the perceptions showed a statistically significant difference only in &ldquo / Learning, Teaching, Assessment, and Classroom Environment&rdquo / domains of the performance part of the questionnaire.The findings related to the second concern of the study indicated that the two programs (i.e., ELT and Certificate) seemed adequate, to a certain degree, in providing prospective English Language teachers with desired standards. However, based on the opinions of students and instructors, it could be concluded that those programs had some deficiencies in terms of the contents and the number of the methodology courses.In the light of the data collected and analyzed, some recommendations are made about the revealed deficiencies in the ELT and Certificate Programs in the last chapter to ensure that the prospective teachers are equipped with the best qualities and standards required to be a professionally qualified English teacher.

State universities in Saudi Arabia have adopted a new educational policy, which made English the medium of instruction for all scientific departments. This has led to establishing a Foundation Year Programme (FYP) in the English Language Institute (ELI) of those universities, which aims to prepare university students to cope with the new academic requirements in their chosen majors and to improve their overall language competence. This study investigates teachers’ roles and beliefs regarding assessment practices in the ELI with the aim to uncover not only the role(s) teachers play in both continuous and summative assessment practices, but also teachers’ understandings of and attitudes towards assessment and their roles in it. Findings will also include how teachers perceive this role in this interpretive study, where the data were collected using open-ended interviews with twenty male and female expatriate and Saudi EFL teachers who work in the ELI of a specific Saudi university. The data were analysed on the basis of participants’ views and explanations about their roles in both continuous and summative assessment in the institution. The findings revealed that teachers had no role in summative assessment unless they were members of the Assessment Committee and that most teachers wanted to have a voice and be more involved. While teachers had a limited role in continuous assessment in the classroom, they felt the need for more involvement in the choice of materials/topics employed as well as more freedom regarding the way it is administered. The study also revealed that the ELI was not well receptive of criticism from teachers, which made teachers sometimes reluctant to being more involved in assessment or voicing their views in fear of being labelled negatively. Finally, some contributions to knowledge, implications for the context and recommendations are provided as well as some suggestions for improving teachers’ roles in assessment for future consideration.

Os efeitos produzidos pela interação da radiação ionizante com os circuitos integrados podem ser classificados em efeitos de eventos únicos (Single Event Effects - SEE), comumente relacionados a problemas transientes, e efeitos de dose total ionizante (Total Ionization Dose - TID), os quais se originam em decorrência do longo tempo de exposição à radiação ionizante. Com relação à proteção desses circuitos, técnicas, como redundâncias temporais e espaciais, podem ser aplicadas a fim de reduzir a ocorrência de eventos transientes. Por outro lado, efeitos de TID e mesmo alguns SEE específicos, como os que causam degradações permanentes do circuito, podem ser atenuados drasticamente através de técnicas propostas em nível de layout. Nesse contexto, este trabalho analisa os conceitos básicos envolvidos na interação da radiação com o transistor MOS, desvios de suas características elétricas e técnicas de atenuação dos efeitos acumulativos aplicadas em níveis de arquitetura de sistemas, de processo de fabricação e de dispositivo. Contudo, este trabalho realiza uma abordagem mais detalhada de técnicas de tolerância em nível de layout. A tolerância em nível de layout do transistor é o resultado da combinação entre tecnologia escolhida agregada ao uso de anéis de guarda (guard rings) e aplicação de técnicas em nível de dispositivo como, por exemplo, a de geometria fechada (enclosed-gate). Este trabalho explora diferentes topologias de geometria fechada analisando diferentes modelagens e estimativas de razão de aspecto (W⁄L). Além disso, todas as análises e propostas apresentadas ao longo deste trabalho levam em conta o ambiente de projeto comercial, de forma que os dispositivos e técnicas propostas possam ser aplicadas e fabricadas utilizando ferramentas de projeto comerciais, respeitando restrições quando a dimensões e espaçamentos entre estruturas de acordo com requisitos comerciais de litografia. Os resultados obtidos corroboram o fato de que ao custo de área é possível que se obtenha um dispositivo mais tolerante à radiação e, neste caso, técnicas de mais alto nível ainda podem ser aplicadas de forma a atingir uma maior eficiência de proteção. / Studies related to ionizing radiation effects into MOS transistors are usually classified into two main groups, Single Event Effects (SEE) and Total Ionization Dose (TID). The former is related to transient effects and the later to the permanent effects which occurs during the whole lifetime of integrated circuits and devices. Architecture level for SEE mitigation techniques usually involves redundancy and majority voters, on the other hand, TID mitigation techniques act avoiding or reducing the weak and critical regions in the layout perspective. In this context this work proposes the analysis of primary physical mechanisms of radiation effects in semiconductor components and MOS transistors by exploring the electrical properties and related degradations. The mitigation (or hardening) techniques are explored not only at the architectural level but also by processes improvements. Nonetheless, this work is primarily focused to achieve a radiation hardened circuit by applying specific changes in the layout perspective making the design named as Radiation Hardened by Design (RHBD). Trading the area and circuit density it is possible to harden the most basic building block of electrical circuits (MOS transistors) and, in this case, by applying higher levels of mitigation techniques it is even possible to harden the entire circuit. Hardening by device is a combination of technology node, use of guard rings and techniques such as Enclosed Layout Transistor (ELT). Thus, this work realizes a comparative study of different proposed models to estimate the effective W/L aspect ratio in ELTs. Moreover, the analysis and approaches presented throughout this work take into account the commercial context, i.e., respecting the commercial Process Design Kits rules.

The dissertation The English Language Teaching Methodology for Learners with Impaired Hearing deals with the current situation in the field of ELT in special secondary schools for learners with impaired hearing. It has two main aims: - 1) to gather knowledge from ELT methodology and combine it with information from other source disciplines, e.g. special pedagogy, pedagogy, psychology, and linguistics to form a coherent basis of special systemic English language teaching methodology for learners with impaired hearing; - 2) to carry out a research project in the field of reading with deaf and hard-of-hearing learners at secondary schools since reading is the skill which is practised by all groups of learners with hearing impairment. The dissertation summarizes information on these learners, it describes their characteristics and needs. Main communication methods are presented, as well as some thoughts on the development of language and mind of the deaf. A substantial part of the work is devoted to motivation, emotional and personal development of deaf learners and to their practical communicative needs in the classroom. The work sums up the ELT methodology findings and comments on them from the perspective of a special school teacher. The research part reflects the project findings in the field of...

This thesis explores students’ views concerning the current English as medium of instruction (EMI) policy at Kuwait’s two public higher education institutions, Kuwait University (KU) and the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET). In line with the exploratory nature of this study, an interpretivist and social constructivist epistemological stance was implemented to elicit and analyse students’ views and gain their insights on the current situation. The study employed a sequential mixed method design using quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (focus groups, semi-structured interviews and semi-structured observations) methods to present a holistic picture. The number of the participants were 12 for the focus groups, 100 for the questionnaire, 11 for the in-depth interviews and 10 teaching sessions were observed. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the quantitative strand data and thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data. The study revealed that although most participants preferred to learn through English, the current EMI policy raised many concerns. These related to students having to endure an ‘extra burden’ and the additional effort needed to study a subject being taught in a language that was not their mother tongue. The students expressed the view that this resulted in them being unable to gain a deep knowledge of the subject and not attain high grades which then affected their career prospects. These issues arose due to the students not being sufficiently competent in the use of English at the high level expected for degree level work. Students also expressed concerns relating to EMI policy effects on Arab identity and on the use of Arabic as a language of science and academia. Students would prefer a policy that promoted the use of both Arabic and English in their courses which would enable them to benefit from developing their understanding of both languages. The thesis concludes by presenting a recommendation to modify the medium of instruction policy such that it incorporates both English and Arabic. These recommendations have implications for policymakers, teachers and students.

Os efeitos produzidos pela interação da radiação ionizante com os circuitos integrados podem ser classificados em efeitos de eventos únicos (Single Event Effects - SEE), comumente relacionados a problemas transientes, e efeitos de dose total ionizante (Total Ionization Dose - TID), os quais se originam em decorrência do longo tempo de exposição à radiação ionizante. Com relação à proteção desses circuitos, técnicas, como redundâncias temporais e espaciais, podem ser aplicadas a fim de reduzir a ocorrência de eventos transientes. Por outro lado, efeitos de TID e mesmo alguns SEE específicos, como os que causam degradações permanentes do circuito, podem ser atenuados drasticamente através de técnicas propostas em nível de layout. Nesse contexto, este trabalho analisa os conceitos básicos envolvidos na interação da radiação com o transistor MOS, desvios de suas características elétricas e técnicas de atenuação dos efeitos acumulativos aplicadas em níveis de arquitetura de sistemas, de processo de fabricação e de dispositivo. Contudo, este trabalho realiza uma abordagem mais detalhada de técnicas de tolerância em nível de layout. A tolerância em nível de layout do transistor é o resultado da combinação entre tecnologia escolhida agregada ao uso de anéis de guarda (guard rings) e aplicação de técnicas em nível de dispositivo como, por exemplo, a de geometria fechada (enclosed-gate). Este trabalho explora diferentes topologias de geometria fechada analisando diferentes modelagens e estimativas de razão de aspecto (W⁄L). Além disso, todas as análises e propostas apresentadas ao longo deste trabalho levam em conta o ambiente de projeto comercial, de forma que os dispositivos e técnicas propostas possam ser aplicadas e fabricadas utilizando ferramentas de projeto comerciais, respeitando restrições quando a dimensões e espaçamentos entre estruturas de acordo com requisitos comerciais de litografia. Os resultados obtidos corroboram o fato de que ao custo de área é possível que se obtenha um dispositivo mais tolerante à radiação e, neste caso, técnicas de mais alto nível ainda podem ser aplicadas de forma a atingir uma maior eficiência de proteção. / Studies related to ionizing radiation effects into MOS transistors are usually classified into two main groups, Single Event Effects (SEE) and Total Ionization Dose (TID). The former is related to transient effects and the later to the permanent effects which occurs during the whole lifetime of integrated circuits and devices. Architecture level for SEE mitigation techniques usually involves redundancy and majority voters, on the other hand, TID mitigation techniques act avoiding or reducing the weak and critical regions in the layout perspective. In this context this work proposes the analysis of primary physical mechanisms of radiation effects in semiconductor components and MOS transistors by exploring the electrical properties and related degradations. The mitigation (or hardening) techniques are explored not only at the architectural level but also by processes improvements. Nonetheless, this work is primarily focused to achieve a radiation hardened circuit by applying specific changes in the layout perspective making the design named as Radiation Hardened by Design (RHBD). Trading the area and circuit density it is possible to harden the most basic building block of electrical circuits (MOS transistors) and, in this case, by applying higher levels of mitigation techniques it is even possible to harden the entire circuit. Hardening by device is a combination of technology node, use of guard rings and techniques such as Enclosed Layout Transistor (ELT). Thus, this work realizes a comparative study of different proposed models to estimate the effective W/L aspect ratio in ELTs. Moreover, the analysis and approaches presented throughout this work take into account the commercial context, i.e., respecting the commercial Process Design Kits rules.

This qualitative case study examines teachers’ perspectives on receiving and teaching newly arrived immigrant pupils. Previous research and the Swedish National Agency for Education have shown that immigrant pupils have a tendency to fail their education, and some researchers also implied that these children fail their English education. The aim of this essay has been to investigate how English teachers at a secondary school in southern Sweden deal with the growing number of newly arrived immigrants in their classes. The collected data is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with three teachers at a secondary school in Sweden. The results indicate that the teachers considered that it was challenging to receive and teach newly arrived immigrant pupils. They do not have enough information on how they should incorporate these children into subject planning and ongoing pedagogical initiatives. Moreover, the data also show that the participants expressed the fact that the pupils often had a low level of English proficiency, and that they occasionally did not obtain a grade in English. The pupils’ low English level connected with their ongoing Swedish acquisition made it difficult for the teachers to adapt their teaching. The Results also implied that many newly arrived pupils used English as a communication language, which may have a positive impact on their learning.

A mudança do paradigma analógico para o digital, emergente da revolução tecnológica pela qual passamos, juntamente com o grande interesse atual pelo uso das TICs nos processos de ensino e aprendizagem da língua inglesa, motivaram esta pesquisa. Com o objetivo de investigar os processos de (des)construção de sentidos tanto dos alunos como dos professores, além de vivenciar a complexidade que emerge das aulas de inglês pensadas a partir da presença das TICs, a pesquisa se desenvolveu em duas fases: 1) elaboração do projeto Familiarização com o uso da língua inglesa através do computador, implementado na escola pública com alunos do quinto ano do Ensino Fundamental, e, 2) a observação, no ano seguinte, de aulas de inglês e de informática, para uma turma de sexto ano da rede pública. A pesquisa mesclou as metodologias qualitativa (MAXWELL, 2005), interpretativa (ERICKSON, 1986) e de fundo etnográfico (GEERTZ, 1973), enquadrando-se no gênero da autoetnografia (PRATT, 1992; ELLIS; ADAMS; BOCHNER, 2011). Os dados, aqui chamados de momentos significativos, ou seja, momentos que apontam para aspectos da mudança de paradigma de analógico para digital foram analisados a partir dos pressupostos das teorias pós-coloniais (BHABHA, 1994), pós-modernas (VATTIMO, 2004), do letramento crítico (MENEZES DE SOUZA, 2011; SHOR, 1999), dos novos letramentos (LANKSHEAR; KNOBEL, 2003; BURGESS; GREEN, 2009) e multiletramentos (COPE; KALANTZIS, 2000). A análise dos momentos significativos corroborou a hipótese de que há uma relação entre os processos de ensino e aprendizagem de inglês e as novas tecnologias que pode contribuir para mudanças na construção de sentidos dos atores envolvidos. Para tanto, é necessário haver um forte investimento no processo de autoletramento crítico por parte do professor. Entendido como exercício de auto-observação no encontro com o outro durante o processo de construção de sentidos, o autoletramento crítico pode auxiliar na compreensão da complexidade das relações entre professores, alunos e construção de conhecimento a partir do paradigma digital. Nesse exercício de auto-observação, o presente trabalho foi elaborado na forma de narrativa, entendida como um processo de criação de significação, uma forma de fazer sentido (BRUNER, 2001), com foco principal nas ações (ARENDT, 2010) dos atores envolvidos no processo de ensino e aprendizagem, recortados aqui nas figuras dos alunos, professores e pesquisadora. / Emerging from the present technological revolution, the change from the analog to the digital paradigm, together with the ever-rising interest in the use of ICTs in ELT motivated this research. Aiming at investigating both teachers and students meaning-making processes as well as experiencing the complexity involved in the teaching of English as a foreign language as far as ICTs are concerned, this research was developed in two phases: designing the project entitled Familiarização com o uso da língua inglesa através do computador (English language familiarization via computer), implemented in the Brazilian Public School with a group of fifth graders and, in the following year, the observation of English and Computer classes for a group of sixth graders. This research follows a methodology which combines qualitative (MAXWELL, 2005), interpretative (ERICKSON, 1986) and ethnographic (GEERTZ, 1973) perspectives, fitting into the autoethnolographic genre (PRATT, 1992; ELLIS; ADAMS; BOCHNER, 2011). The data, here named meaningful moments, that is, moments which point to aspects of paradigm changes from analog to digital were analysed using the theories of post colonialism (BHABHA, 1994), post modernism (VATTIMO, 2004), critical literacy (MENEZES DE SOUZA, 2011; SHOR, 1999), new literacies (LANKSHEAR; KNOBEL, 2003; BURGESS; GREEN, 2009) and multiliteracies (COPE; KALANTZIS, 2000). The analysis of the meaningful moments confirmed the hypothesis that there is a relationship between the English teaching and learning processes and the new technologies which may contribute to changes in the meaning making process of those involved. Thus, a considerable amount of investment in the process of critical self-literacy is necessary on the teachers part. Taken as the exercise of self-observation in the very moment when the self meets the other in the meaning-making process, critical self-literacy may foster the understanding of the complexity of relationships between teachers, students and the construction of knowledge within the digital paradigm. Throughout this exercise of critical self-observation, the present dissertation was written as a narrative, as a meaning-making process, a way of making meaning (BRUNER, 2001), focusing mainly on the actions (ARENDT, 2010) of those involved in the teaching and learning processes, represented here as the students, teachers and the researcher.