The purpose of this study was to determine how the Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech can best focus their outreach efforts to benefit the local public school community. The study assessed the needs of local science teachers and how their needs can be met through educational outreach programs. A self-administered online survey was used to inquire about the use of experiential teaching methods using school gardens and other outdoor environments. The survey was also intended to determine interest in incorporating supplemental programs into the K-5 Montgomery County Public School curriculum to enhance the Virginia Standards of Learning related to plants and environmental science. The survey was sent to 273 K-5 teachers in the Montgomery County Public School System in Virginia. Because of the small number of responses, the results from the survey were not representative of the population, but were satisfactory to gain practical information for this study. Data analysis indicated existing programs, the need for programs, and how programs can best be implemented. Existing programs consisted of hands-on activities in the classroom including growing plants from seeds and dissecting and observing plant parts. Experiential learning opportunities outside of the classroom included school gardening, observations on the school grounds, and outdoor field trips. Survey respondents indicated a need for supplemental programs related to plants and environmental science. Teachers reported interest in a school gardening program, having a guest speaker in the classroom, receiving curriculum support, and taking their class on a field trip to the Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech. Most teachers also showed interest in receiving in-service training to strengthen their knowledge of plants and environmental science. Based on the results of the study, there is a need for supplemental programs related to plants and environmental science. Engaging lessons should be developed to assist teachers with school gardening programs. Experiential learning opportunities such as meaningful field trips should also be developed. Other methods to supplement school curriculum include providing teachers with curriculum materials and lesson kits. All programs developed should correlate to the state-mandated standards. / Master of Science

Hand and finger movements are underrepresented in biomechanical studies, primarily due to the challenge of tracking the hands and fingers. Several limitations are associated with marker-based motion capture, including interference with natural movement, and require the tedious, time-consuming application of numerous markers. Advancements in computer vision have led to the development of markerless motion capture systems yet validation of markerless systems for the upper extremities is limited, especially the hand and fingers. The purpose of this study was to develop and assess a markerless motion capture system capable of tracking hand and finger kinematics. A markerless system using four synchronized webcams was developed. Camera pairs were organized in different angles Centre90° (C/90°), Left45°/Right45° (L45°/R45°), and Centre/Left45° (C/L45°). Motion capture was performed with both marker-based and markerless systems. Twenty healthy participants performed five dynamic hand tasks with and without markers. Three-dimensional joint positions were defined using a musculoskeletal model in OpenSim. No significant differences were observed between C/90° and C/L45° markerless camera pairs and the marker-based system. The L45°/R45° camera pair differed significantly from other markerless pairs in several tasks but agreed with the marker-based system for the index finger during flexion. For most of the fingers, no significant differences were found across the different camera pairs. Correlations and error for the concurrent finger flexion task revealed high consistency among all the camera pairs, with R² above 0.90 and RMSD below 10°, the thumb showed greater variability. The R² and RMSD varied depending on the camera comparison and finger for each task. Markerless motion capture for the hands and fingers is possible with little difference to marker-based systems and is dependent on the camera orientation used. / Thesis / Master of Science in Kinesiology

This paper has been undertaken, first, to contribute several more cases of various congenital anomalies to the literature on human genetics, and, second, by an analysis of the genealogies, to determine the possible modes of transmission of these anomalies.

Das Wissenschaftsverständnis als Verständnis über die charakteristischen Grundzüge der Erkenntnisgewinnung und die Eigenschaften naturwissenschaftlichen Wissens ist in einem durch Naturwissenschaften und Technik geprägten Alltag unverzichtbar (z. B. NGSS Achieve Inc., 2013). Viele Autoren gehen davon aus, dass Schüler durch das Konstruieren, Testen und Ändern von Modellen ein Modellverständnis als Bestandteil von Wissenschaftsverständnis erlangen (z. B. Lehrer & Schauble, 2006). Doch bisher konnte keine Studie gefunden werden, die diesen Zusammenhang empirisch belegt. Daher wurde auf der theoretischen Basis des Modells der Modellbildung nach Justi und Gilbert (2002) eine standardisierte Hands-On-Aufgabenstruktur entwickelt und evaluiert. Sie regt Schülerinnen und Schüler dazu an, Tätigkeiten der Modellbildung auszuführen, um eigene Hypothesen zu untersuchen. Dabei aktivierte Schülervorstellungen wurden mit einer Methodenkombination aus Lautem Denken, Interview und Videoaufzeichnung erfasst. Zur Beurteilung der Qualität aktivierter Vorstellungen in unterschiedlich elaborierten Ausprägungen wurde das Kompetenzmodell der Modellkompetenz von Upmeier zu Belzen und Krüger (2010) herangezogen. Als grundlegendes Ergebnis zeigt sich, dass die meisten Probanden der zehnten Jahrgangsstufe trotz unterstützender und strukturierender Maßnahmen keine Vorstellungen über Modelle als Erkenntnismethoden äußerten. Doch in der Arbeit werden andere erfolgreiche Lernangebote zur Aktivierung epistemologischer Schülervorstellungen beschrieben. Eine weitere Erkenntnis der Studie ist, dass die durch Justi und Gilbert (2002) beschriebenen Schritte zur Modellbildung mit Blick auf zukünftige Interventionen um drei Aspekte erweitert werden können. Außerdem werden mit Blick auf die Anbindung in den Schulkontext Unterschiede zwischen grafischen, gegenständlichen und verbalen Modellbildungsprozessen reflektiert, die mithilfe eines qualitativen, experimentellen Untersuchungsdesigns erfasst wurden. / Various authors claim that students achieve a better understanding of the nature of science and scientific inquiry through modeling (e.g. Lehrer & Schauble, 2006). In this process, students develop models of a phenomenon, test their ideas with the model, change the models and discuss the results. Whether students do indeed achieve a better understanding of the nature of science and scientific inquiry through the process of modeling cannot be answered sufficiently by current research. That’s why, in this study the model of modeling by Justi and Gilbert (2002) was transferred into a standardized hands-on tasks. The task forces students to analyze their own questions about a biological phenomenon by building, testing and changing models. In this process, students’ conceptions were captured with a combination of interviews, thinking aloud and videography. The theoretical structure of model competence by Upmeier zu Belzen and Krüger (2010) served to assess the quality of the student statements. A fundamental result of this study is that the participants at the age of sixteen expressed mainly ideas about models as a product of science despite supportive measures. The thesis describes other offers of the hands-on tasks which enable ideas about models as inquiry methods. Another finding of the study is that the modeling steps of Justi and Gilbert (2002) can be extended to three aspects. In addition, and overlooking the school context, differences between graphic, material and verbal modeling processes are described. These were analyzed using a qualitative, experimental study design.

Detta examensarbete undersöker balansen mellan frihet och struktur i informationsförmedlingen i en utställning som bygger på hands on-pedagogik. Arbetet har utgått från utställningen Människokroppen vid Tom Tits Experiment i Södertälje. Utställningen som byggdes 1997, har utformats med en tanke om att skyltar skapar hinder och en motvillighet om att skylta om "rätt sätt". Utställningsytan har idag komprimerats och experimenten har grupperats i två avdelningar. I samband med denna förändring har skyltningen i utställningen kommit att ses över. Detta eftersom föräldrar och andra vuxna besökare utryckt en önskan om mer information. Behovet av information har delats in i skyltar för enskilda experiment och skyltar för utställningens tema. Hur denna efterfrågan kan mötas utan ett gå emot den pedagogik och estetik som Tom Tits tror på är den centrala punkten för arbetet. Lösningen har utgått från en tes om att det går att samla informationen vid en punkt för att minimera antalet skyltar i utställningen. Genom metoder såsom litteraturstudier, kvalitativa intervjuer, enkätundersökning och rumsanalys har en förståelse för problemets komplexitet skapats. Vilken i stor utsträckning handlar om kontrasterna mellan barns nyfikenhet och den kontrollerande vuxenvärlden. Den designlösning som tagits fram, resulterade i tre (istället för en) punkter där fokus har lagts på att etablera utställningens tema och uppmuntra till interaktivitet. Det har även funnits en strävan efter enhetlighet och flexibilitet då problemet inte är koncentrerat till den aktuella utställningen och informationsförmedlingen i hela huset saknar en röd tråd. Varpå hänsyn har tagits till Tom Tits visuella profil och den estetik som ses som karaktäristisk för verksamheten. Studierna kretsar därmed till stor del kring Tom Tits, men förhoppningen är att arbetet intresserar flera aktörer, varpå en strävan efter generella riktlinjer för informationsförmedlingen har funnits. / This is a study about the balance between freedom and structure in the information design of an exhibition based on hands-on education. Work is focused on the exhibition The Human Body at Tom Tits Experiment in Södertälje. The exhibition, which was built in 1997, was designed with the idea that signs create barriers and a reluctance to advertise about the "right way". The exhibition space has now been compressed and experiments have been grouped into two sections. In connection with this change, the signs in the exhibition come to be reviewed. This is because parents and other adult visitors expressed a desire for more information. The need for information is divided into labels for individual experiments and signage for the exhibition's theme. How this demand can be met without going against the pedagogy and aesthetics that Tom Tits believe is the central point of the work. The solution was based on the thesis that it is possible to gather information at one point to minimize the number of signs in the exhibition. Through methods as qualitative interviews, questionnaire survey and spatial analysis have an understanding of the complexity of the problem created. Which largely deals with the contrasts between the child's curiosity and the controlling adult world. The design solution that has been developed, resulting in three (instead of one) points where the focus has been on establishing the exhibition's theme and encourage interactivity. There has also been a quest for uniformity and flexibility, then the problem is not found to the current exhibition and information design throughout the house lacks a common thread. Whereupon consideration has been given to Tom Tits visual profile and the aesthetic that is seen as characteristic of the business. Studies circuits thus largely about Tom Tits, but it is hoped that the work interests a number of players, then a pursuit of general guidelines for the transmission of information have existed.

abstract: Effective tactile sensing in prosthetic and robotic hands is crucial for improving the functionality of such hands and enhancing the user's experience. Thus, improving the range of tactile sensing capabilities is essential for developing versatile artificial hands. Multimodal tactile sensors called BioTacs, which include a hydrophone and a force electrode array, were used to understand how grip force, contact angle, object texture, and slip direction may be encoded in the sensor data. Findings show that slip induced under conditions of high contact angles and grip forces resulted in significant changes in both AC and DC pressure magnitude and rate of change in pressure. Slip induced under conditions of low contact angles and grip forces resulted in significant changes in the rate of change in electrode impedance. Slip in the distal direction of a precision grip caused significant changes in pressure magnitude and rate of change in pressure, while slip in the radial direction of the wrist caused significant changes in the rate of change in electrode impedance. A strong relationship was established between slip direction and the rate of change in ratios of electrode impedance for radial and ulnar slip relative to the wrist. Consequently, establishing multiple thresholds or establishing a multivariate model may be a useful method for detecting and characterizing slip. Detecting slip for low contact angles could be done by monitoring electrode data, while detecting slip for high contact angles could be done by monitoring pressure data. Predicting slip in the distal direction could be done by monitoring pressure data, while predicting slip in the radial and ulnar directions could be done by monitoring electrode data. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Bioengineering 2012

The aim of this study is to prepare and verify a molecular biological teaching cycle. This cycle is focused on hands-on activities, critical thinking and student's activity. A total of 99 pupils from two elementary schools (9th grade) and one multi-year grammar school (equivalent to primary schools) participated in the verification. They helped to create an attractive learning cycle from molecular biology, which can be used directly without major modifications and low cost.

No description available.

Abstract Background Todays guidelines for advanced CPR emphasize chest compressions with good quality and early defibrillation. Prehospital CPR performed by ambulance crew, an automated external defibrillator (AED) is used. The AED analyzes the heart rhythm and the performer is following the advice to chock the heart or not, given by the AED. During on-going CPR there are sequences when no chest compression is performed known as hands-off time. Hands-off time includes the time for the AED to analyze the heart rhythm and the time when advice is given to the crew. Studies show that prolonged hands-off time has a negative impact on survival after a sudden cardiac arrest. Purpose The purpose with this study was to look into if the hands-off time could decrease with use of manual mode on the defibrillator by the ambulance crew. The crew had to analyze, make a decision to chock or not, charge the defibrillator and give the chock if appropriate. Furthermore, the crews’ knowledge in analyzing heart rhythms that can be defibrillate was investigated.  Method A quasi-experimental method was used. 38 participants, all ambulance crew, were included in the study. The participants were randomized into two groups. One group performed CPR with an AED, the second group used the manual mode on the defibrillator. The study data were processed in SPSS. Results The time preceding the first defibrillation was significant shorter in the group using manual mode. There was no difference in total hands-off time between the two groups. All heart rhythms were interpreted right and all defibrillation were done correctly. Conclusions Time from establish cardiac arrest to first defibrillation was significant shorter in manual mode. Furthermore, all heart rhythms were interpreted right and all defibrillation were done correctly. Time from first defibrillation to start of chest compressions was equal in the two groups. There were no significant differences in hands-off time between the two groups.   Keyword: ambulance, cardiac arrest, automatic external defibrillator, manual defibrillator, manual rhythm analyze, hands-off time

Historians of the early space age have established a norm whereby President Eisenhower's actions are judged solely as a response to the launch of the Sputnik satellite, and are indicative of a passive, negative presidency. His low-key actions are seen merely as a prelude to the US triumph in space in the 1960s. This study presents an alternative view showing that Eisenhower’s space policy was not a reaction to the heavily-propagandised Soviet satellite launches, or even the effect they caused in the US political and military elites, but the continuation of a strategic track. In so doing, it also contributes to the reassessment of the wider Eisenhower presidency. Having assessed the development of three intersecting discourses: Eisenhower as president; the genesis of the US space programme; and developments in Cold War US reconnaissance, this thesis charts Eisenhower’s influence both on the ICBM and reconnaissance programmes and his support for a non-military approach to the International Geophysical Year. These actions provided the basis for his space policy for the remainder of his presidency. The following chapters show that Sputnik had no impact on the policies already in place and highlight Eisenhower’s pragmatic activism in enabling the implementation of these policies by a carefully-chosen group of expert ‘helping hands’. This study delivers a new interpretation of Eisenhower’s actions. It argues that he was operating on a parallel track that started with the Castle H-bomb tests; developed through the CIA's reconnaissance efforts and was distilled in the Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. This set a policy for US involvement in outer space that matched Eisenhower’s desire for a balanced budget and fundamental belief in maintaining peace. By challenging the orthodox view, this paper shows that President Eisenhower’s space policy actions were strategic steps that provided a logical next step for both civilian and military space programmes at the completion of the International Geophysical Year.