In this study a hierarchical linear model was applied to the analysis of data collected at the student level and the school level in an attempt to address the following issues: (1) The applicability of a two-level hierarchical linear model in assessing relative school effects on mathematics achievement of eighth graders using a large data set; (2) Within the context of a hierarchical linear model, to assess the importance of the effects of variables not under the control of the school on the outcome, to evaluate the effects of the schools on the outcome by analyzing the residuals and obtaining a ranking of the schools based on their effects, and to compare the sizes of the school effects to those of the predictors in the explicit model; (3) Compare the results obtained by the two-level analysis to those obtained by a conventional school-level analysis of the same data. / The study showed that about 11% of the total variance in the outcome scores was due to differences between the schools while 89% was due to differences within the schools. / Within the schools, about 70% of the variance was jointly explained by the students' sex, verbal ability, and minimum competency level. Virtually no variance could be related to race or ethnicity after controlling for the other variables. Between the schools, three school level variables had significant effects on mathematics achievement: The school's mean verbal ability (strong effect), the rate of disciplinary referral in the school, and the percentage of whites in the school (weak effect). / The HLM model and the traditional model explained approximately equal amounts of the between school variance in mathematics achievement. The two models also ranked schools in a fairly similar fashion on their residuals, although significant differences between the two sets of rankings did occur. However, the ranks yielded by the HLM model are based on more information than those yielded by the conventional model. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-03, Section: A, page: 0785. / Major Professor: Jacob G. Beard. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

The primary purpose of this study was to analyze four original Spanish literary books and their adapted versions (readers) to determine the primary changes that occur in the adaptation process. / The secondary purpose of this study was to determine the extent of agreement/disagreement between methods of classifying adapted texts to develop a generalization of "intermediateness" as a classification. / The data of this study were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. / Qualitative analysis was through a thorough analysis of lexical, syntactical and content factors of the eight literary works under study and quantitative analysis through the application of the Spaulding Readability Formula and the Vari-Cartier Readability Formula. / The significant findings of the study were that the Vari-Cartier formula tended to rely on the factor "syllables/100 words" as a component of the formula in determining the reading difficulty rating over the other component, "sentence/100 words" while the Spaulding formula tended to rely more on the factor word "density" as a component of the formula in determining the reading difficulty assigned to each Spanish prose rather than the other component "average sentence length". / The Vari-Cartier Readability Formula did not detect simplification in the Spanish readers under study while the Spaulding readability Formula did detect simplification in the Spanish readers under study. / Qualitatively it was determined that the original and adapted versions of the books in this study differed according to their lexical, syntactical and content factors while all the adapted readers had been simplified to different degrees in their lexicon, syntax and content. / It was also determined that the results of the qualitative analysis related far close with the Spaulding Readability Formula while the Vari-Cartier Readability Formula agreed little with the qualitative analysis. / "Intermediateness" in the adapted readers essentially was characterized by a simplification of the lexical, syntactical and content factors of the original versions. / This study implied that the reading difficulty assigned a reader is dramatically affected by the measure used to determine the reading difficulty and the components making up that measure. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-09, Section: A, page: 3208. / Major Professor: Frederick L. Jenks. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 31-09, Section: A, page: 4376. / Thesis (Educat.D.)--The Florida State University, 1970.

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The study involved the evaluation of anthropometric activities for high school science. The activities actively engaged students in the process of gathering, processing and analyzing data derived from human body measurements, with students using their prior knowledge acquired in science, mathematics and computer classes to interpret this information. Quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interview) methods were used to provide answers to the research questions. The quantitative portion of the study involved students' achievement, students' attitudes to science and students' perceptions of the classroom learning environment. A pretest/posttest design was used with achievement outcomes, however, only a single assessment of student attitudes and classroom environment was made. The sample size used to gather data on students' attitudes to science and students' perceptions of the leaming environment was 726 students. Five hundred and ninety-eight (598) students tools the biology test. However, analyses were restricted to the subsample of 158 students who had experienced the anthropometric laboratory activity. Twenty-four students (24) were interviewed for the qualitative part of the study. Data generated from the interviews were used to complement information provided in the surveys. The main purpose of this research was to evaluate these student-centered activities in terms of students' achievement, students' attitudes and students' perceptions of the science classroom environment. Other aims included: to validate generally-applicable measures of classroom learning environments and students' attitudes to science; to investigate gender differences in students' achievement, attitudes and perceptions of classroom environment; and to investigate associations between the classroom learning environment and the student outcomes of performance and attitudes. / Some of the important findings of this study included: 1. In reference to the survey instruments, the item analyses supported the internal consistency reliability and ability to differentiate between classrooms of the learning environment questionnaire and the analyses of attitude data supported the factorial validity, internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity of the attitude questionnaire. 2. Substantial differences between the pretest and posttest scores for the achievement measures in Biology and anthropometric activities were found. These findings were supported by statistically significant t-test scores and effect sizes. 3. There was a positive influence of using anthropometric activities on both students' attitudes and their perceptions of the classroom learning environment. The findings based on qualitative information (interviews, which involved twenty-four students) were consistent with patterns emerging from our quantitative information (surveys, which involved 760 students) and they supported the effectiveness of the anthropometric activities. 4. The analysis of gender differences in students' achievement, attitudes and perceptions of classroom environment revealed that boys have more positive attitudes to science than girls do and is in agreement with past studies. However, females' students demonstrated more favorable perceptions of the learning environment than mates, primarily with Student Cohesiveness and Rule Clarity. 5. The association between student attitudes and their perception of the leaming environment indicated that students' attitudes to science are most likely to be positive in laboratory classes where student perceive a strong integration between the concepts and principles covered in theory classes and in laboratory classes. These findings are consistent with results in other countries. / 6. The association between achievement and student perceptions of their learning environment, suggest that integration of theoretical concepts with laboratory activities (Integration), a cohesive student group (Student Cohesiveness) and using appropriate laboratory materials and equipment (Material Environment) are likely to lead to student achievement. This finding replicates the results of previous studies. 7. I found stronger outcome-environment associations for attitudes than for achievement. This finding is consistent with results from past research. The contributions and significance of this study can be summarized as follows: 1. One of the key components of this study was the development and implementation of the innovative anthropometric laboratory activity, which was especially designed for this research. 2. Another contribution of this study is to the field of integrated curriculum instruction. While most instructional curricular activities are subject specific, this study is interdisciplinary in nature because it effectively links concepts and skills from science, mathematics, statistics, and technology (graphing calculators and computers). 3. A unique feature of this research is that it had an evaluation component involving student performance, student attitudes, and the nature of the classroom learning environment. Therefore, the study contributes to the field of learning environment research by adding another study to the limited research that has employed the classroom environment as a criterion of effectiveness in evaluating educational innovations. The study has the potential to help other science teachers to apply these ideas in their classrooms.

Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine) / This work investigates a number of issues. Firstly it examines ultrasonic fetal biometry, the parameters and techniques for accurate measuring and reviews the procedure adopted for graph formation and application of regression analysis for a mathematical model to describe the relationship between fetal size and weeks of gestation. Next it establishes new Australian fetal measurement charts for the crown rump length, head circumference and abdominal circumference, based on an Australian population, to replace the charts currently in use that are over 20 years old and relate to middle class white American and British women. The new graphs, along with previous work completed by the author in 1999 on the BPD, OFD femur and humerus length, were subsequently accepted by the Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (ASUM) in 2001 as the new Australian standard for ultrasonic fetal measurements. The accuracy of first trimester ultrasound dating is also investigated, displaying the variations seen in the crown-rump length due to fetal flexion and the implications of inaccurate measuring. The third study examines inter- and intra-sonographer ultrasonic fetal measurement reproducibility in the final 6 weeks of pregnancy. The study highlights the importance of sonographer competence, standardised measuring protocols, image planes and reference charts, particularly for patients undergoing ultrasound examinations for fetal growth assessment at different practices. The fourth study looks at the incidence of fetal macrosomia and birth complications in Chinese women and Caucasian women in two time periods, 1992 and 1999/2000. The results showed a rise in macrosomic babies born to Chinese immigrants from 4% of total Chinese births in 1992 to 9.8% in 1999/2000. There was also a rise in the rate of macrosomia among Caucasian women with respective rates of 11 and 14% for the same periods. The incidence of post partum haemorrhage increased significantly over this time in both Chinese immigrant and Caucasian women. Interventions declined in all Caucasian birth-weight ranges whilst interventions for Chinese births remained stable except between 3500grams and 4000grams, where interventions rose from 35.7% to 60.5%. Fetal macrosomia is a complication of pregnancy that is increasing in incidence. One of the causes of fetal overgrowth is uncontrolled gestational diabetes mellitus and so if women thus diagnosed are closely monitored, the risks of a macrosomic baby and associated birth complications may be reduced. The final study examines the effect of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on fetal growth. GDM is a complication of mid to late pregnancy caused by glucose intolerance. In the Australian population up to 8% of all pregnancies can be affected. In the Australian Chinese community the GDM rate is as high as 15% compared with 4% in Caucasian women. The risks to the fetus as a result of GDM include increased perinatal mortality, large for gestational dates, macrosomia and prematurity. The aim of this study was to determine whether the fetuses of women diagnosed with GDM were significantly larger for dates for any of the commonly ultrasonically measured fetal parameters, than in the general pregnant population. The results show that if the glycaemic levels are properly controlled, fetal size should not be compromised. The abdominal circumference measurement appears to be the important marker for fetal macrosomia, particularly in the Chinese population. The study also assessed fetal weight gain from 36 weeks gestation to term in Caucasian women with GDM and Chinese pregnancies both with and without GDM. No statistically significant difference was seen in daily weight gain between the groups investigated.

Thesis (M.A.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, 2005. Action Research Paper (M.A.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 30-32).

<p>Did the right person win? In competitive sports the difference between winning and loosing can be very marginal but still the result will have a big impact. To finish second, even if it is an Olympic Game, can be felt like a failure for the athlete. In the light of this the quality of the measurements and the judgements in sports are an extremely important issue. In this dissertation, consisting of two separate reports and one summary report, the freestyle discipline, acroski, and the gymnastic discipline, rhythmic gymnastics (RG) where studied with a focus on the rules and judgements in the sports. The reliability and validity of the rule and judging systems were analysed together with changes in the rule and judging systems. The reliability, as the judges ability to interpret the rules and judge in a consistent way, and validity in the sense that the judgements, and the rules for the judgements, where in accordance with the idea of the sport. Information was gathered from rulebooks, judging manuals, meeting protocols, and historical documents. For information on how the rules and judgements where perceived among people involved in the two sports, interviews where carried out with two coaches, two judges and four athletes from each of the sports. In the summary report the results from the two reports where discussed and a comparison of the rule systems and judgements was made together with a discussion about reliability and validity problems in sports measured by time, length and height. The results showed that the rule and judging systems in acroski and RG in a short time have gone through major changes to increase the reliability and validity in the judgements. The quick evolution of these sports seems to be the main reason for these changes but also other factors where of vital importance. Finding the balance between making the judgements as objective as possible, without loosing the idea of the sport, together with the quick evolution of the sports, seemed to be the main challenges in the rule and judging systems of acroski and RG.</p>

<p>Measurements are important to specify and verify properties for components, modules and systems. The specifications for a certain figure of merit are usually given in a numerical value or a two dimensional plot. However, there are some devices, like power amplifiers with certain figure of merits that depends on two or more working conditions, requiring a three dimensional plot.</p><p>This thesis presents a measurement method including graphical user interface of three parameters gain, efficiency and distortion when two-tone or WCDMA signals are used as an input to the PA.</p>

H.L. Ross. / "July 28, 1948." / Bibliography: p. 12. / Army Signal Corps Contract No. W-36-039 sc-32037.