The adoption and integration of technology is limited in K-12 contexts worldwide, including in the Middle East. Based on the work of Everett Rogers (1995) and his disciplines, studies in the United States indicate that teachers' perceptions towards the attributes of technology (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observability) reflect the extent by which technology is used. Furthermore, teachers' characteristics and the support environment provided can potentially encourage or inhibit the adoption of technologies. This multiple case study was designed to show the applicability of Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory in Kuwait public school systems. The study was conducted with eight female Kuwaiti teachers in two primary public schools. A qualitative methodology was employed using interviews, participant observations, and physical artifacts for collecting data. The study reveals that Rogers' three attributes relative advantage, compatibility and observability (result demonstrability) contributed to use, while complexity and observability (visibility) limited use. Prior experience and practice, motivational support provided by the school administration and department head, and teachers' voluntary decisions on the type of technologies to use encouraged use. Anxiety from lack of functionality of devices and extra time and effort in preparing materials, centralized decision-making on technology purchases, budget constraint, and limited access to technology and classrooms in which devices are located were factors that limited teachers' use. The study showed that Kuwaiti teachers' acceptance of technology varied along the continuum, where some teachers were early adopters and some were laggards. Support initiatives are needed from the Ministry of Education and school administration, in order to facilitate technology adoption and use in Kuwaiti schools. / Ph. D.

This study of the relationship between teacher attributes and student scores on the SOL Algebra I Test in Grades 9-12 focused on three prominent teacher attributes: certification, specialization in math, and years of experience teaching math. The study also assessed two additional relationships: 1) the relationship between student socioeconomic status, as reflected in the percentage of students who receive free or reduced fee lunch, and the SOL test score; and 2) the association between teacher perceptions of Stronge's (2002) domains of effective teaching and achievement on the SOL Algebra test. Teachers who taught high school Algebra I in the Commonwealth of Virginia voluntarily completed a questionnaire about their experiences and educational preparation, and their perceptions of teacher attributes that contribute to student achievement in Algebra. The study found no significant relationships between the teacher attributes and student achievement on the Algebra I SOL test. Only two of Stronge's domains of effective teaching, <i>Teacher as a Person </i>and <i>Monitoring Student Progress and Potential </i>, were statistically significant. These findings affirm recent reports that traditional measures of teacher quality such as seniority or certification, or established views of effective teaching may not be related to student achievement. The study found that the students' socioeconomic status had a statistically significant association with student achievement on the Algebra I SOL test. Although the study findings are limited because of the small sample size and the homogenous sample of Virginia teachers, the findings are consistent with recent reports on effective teaching, and widespread educational reform. Studies that are specifically focused on the teaching of subjects such as Algebra could help to identify the characteristics of great math teachers and the unique teaching strategies these teachers use to help students successfully learn math. New research that utilizes qualitative research methods has the potential to identify additional classroom strategies and approaches used by great teachers. In 2009, No Child Left Behind requires that all schools find, hire, and retain highly qualified teachers for core subject areas. The findings of this study suggest that traditional measures for hiring and rewarding teachers may need to be expanded to include new perspectives on selecting effective teachers. / Ed. D.

Sustainable innovations are observed as a major way by which the ill-effects of the built environment can be avoided or offset. The adoption of innovations are critical to the society, as they pave the way for further incremental or radical innovations, depending on the feedback from their users. In this process, the attributes of an innovation play an important role in its adoption. The objective of this study was to determine whether observability, one of many attributes of innovations identified in the literature as affecting their adoption, plays a critical role in the adoption of sustainable innovations, specifically Rainwater Harvesting Technologies and Strategies (RwHTS). Further, the study aimed to determine whether the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) resulted in frequent adoption RwHTS. Last but not least, the study also sought to understand how designers used BIM to enhance the acceptance of RwHTS in capital projects. The stakeholders identified for this study were architectural firms that are geographically located in the southeastern states of the United States, and the study was conducted from their perspective. This study was segregated into two major phases. The first phase involved a survey of 2,200 designers/architects located in seven southeastern states, including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, and District of Columbia. The survey questions targeted experiences associated with the implementation of RwHTS and the use of BIM for designing and constructing facilities over the last decade by the architectural firms. Based on the responses received, six firms were purposively selected for Phase II, which involved a case study approach that included meeting with the designers, conducting interviews, understanding general firm policies for capital projects, identifying factors that result in the adoption of RwHTS, and developing a process-based profile undertaken by the firm to understand how key decisions were made. By the end of this phase the researcher identified the factors that result in the adoption of RwHTS. In addition, the researcher also found that observability did not emerge as an attribute that played a critical role in the adoption of RwHTS, in comparison to the other attributes. The study also found that the current use of BIM did not result in the frequent adoption of RwHTS. Finally, the study was able to produce a generalized process map that depicted the steps undertaken during the design process for the adoption of RwHTS in capital projects. This study encompassed the basic principles of sustainability in the built environment, adoption of innovation, and Building Information Modeling use within the design industry. / Ph. D.

This study was designed to investigate the development of the crown architecture of six genotypes of loblolly pine across a variety of growing conditions, and also to investigate the stability of the crown ideotype for these genotypes over a range of site and silvicultural management regimes. The objectives were to determine whether the crown dimensions that determine the crown ideotype of four clones, a mass-control-pollinated family, and an open-pollinated family of Pinus taeda L. are consistent within their respective genotypes, and to determine whether those same crown dimensions and genotypes follow consistent patterns even when established on different sites with contrasting qualities and different silvicultural regimes. The study was conducted on a 5-year-old plantation with an initial spacing of 1,235 trees per hectare. The plots had not reached crown closure, which provided the opportunity to assess the crown characteristics of individual trees of each genotype and how they developed over in a variety of growing conditions, without the interactions of other individuals. The study was a split-split plot design with the whole plot divided between two sites of contrasting quality; one site established in the Virginia Piedmont and a second site established in the North Carolina Coastal Plain. The sub plots were divided between high and low intensity silviculture. The sub-sub plots were divided among the six genotypes of loblolly pine. Seventeen tree and crown characteristics were measured, and means were compared using analysis of variance and Tukey's HSD test. We hypothesized that the branch and crown attributes would follow consistent patterns among these genotypes on the two sites and between the two silvicultural regimes. The results generally confirm these hypotheses. When the genotypes were compared, interactions only occurred with total branches, internode length, total foliage mass, and total leaf area. Tree height, diameter at breast height (dbh), stem volume, and crown volume averaged 4.8 m, 7.5 cm, 0.03 m3, and 7.1 m3, respectively at the site in Virginia, compared to values of 4.1 m, 6.2 cm, 0.02 m3, and 4.9 m3 at the site in North Carolina. Tree height, dbh, stem volume, branch diameter, branch length, and crown volume averaged 4.7 m, 7.5 cm, 0.03 m3, 1.3 cm, 90.3 cm, and 7.3 m3, respectively under high intensity silviculture compared to values of 4.3 m, 6.2 cm, 0.02 m3, 1.1 cm, 68.7 cm, and 4.7 m3 under low intensity silviculture. There were differences among the genotypes in branch diameter, branch length, and crown volume, with the branch diameter of clones 1 and 3 averaging 1.2 cm compared to an average of 1.3 cm for clones 2 and 4. Branch length for clone 1 averaged 72.4 cm and clone 3 averaged 77.0 cm, while branch length for clone 2 averaged 83.3 cm and clone 4 averaged 86.7 cm. Crown volume for clone 1 averaged 4.9 m3 and clone 3 averaged 6.3 m3, while clone 2 averaged 7.1 m3 and clone 4 averaged 7.2 m3. These differences conform to the crown ideotype for these clones, where clones 1 and 3 were considered narrow crowned and clones 2 and 4 were considered broad crowned. The branch diameter and branch length of the open pollinated family (OP) was similar in size to the broad crowned clones (1.3 cm and 84 cm, respectively), while the branch diameter and branch length of the mass control pollinated (MCP) family was smaller than the narrow crowned clones (1.1 cm and 71.2 cm, respectively). Crown volume for the OP family was intermediate between the clonal ideotypes, averaging 5.9 m3, while the MCP family had the smallest crown volume, averaging 4.7 m3. A single-degree-of-freedom ANOVA comparing the two clonal ideotypes yielded similar results. There were interactions with branch diameter, total branches, internode length, and total leaf area, but the broad crown ideotype was larger in every measured parameter than the narrow crown ideotype. The lack of interactions and the general conformity to crown ideotype in this study indicated stability among these genotypes across this variety of growing conditions. / Master of Science

Since 1997, the retail industry of South Korea has suffered a decline in sales due to the nation's financial crisis. Because of the increase of price consciousness, discount stores have become the stores most attractive to South Korean consumers. The purpose of this study was to (a) compare the differences between South Korean and the U.S. consumers in demographics, shopping orientation, perception of the importance of store and product attributes, and store evaluation, satisfaction and patronage in discount stores and (b) examine the relationships among the six variables. In addition, South Korean consumers' preferences toward the strategies used in the U.S. discount stores were examined to determine whether these strategies could be adapted to South Korean discount stores. The proposed model suggests that consumers' shopping orientation affects their perception of the importance of store and product attributes. Consumers' perception of the importance of attributes affects how they evaluate a store. Consumers' evaluation of the store then influences their satisfaction with the store. If consumers are satisfied with the store, they choose to patronize the store. A total of 234 participants recruited at Wal-Mart were included in this study, 117 from South Korea and 117 from the U.S. Results showed that there were significant differences between the two countries in participants' occupation, marital status, age, education, the perception of the importance of attributes in discount stores, and store evaluation and satisfaction. When the relationships between variables were examined, results showed that the proposed model is partially supported. When South Korean participants' preferences toward the strategies used in the U.S. were examined, they showed high preferences toward some strategies. The implication of the results were discussed. / Master of Science

Maude es un lenguaje de programación declarativo basado en la lógica de reescritura que incorpora muchas características que lo hacen muy potente. Sin embargo, a la hora de probar ciertas propiedades computacionales esto conlleva dificultades. La tarea de probar la terminación de sistemas de reesctritura es de hecho bastante dura, pero aplicada a lenguajes de programación reales se concierte en más complicada debido a estas características inherentes. Esto provoca que métodos para probar la terminación de este tipo de programas requieran técnicas específicas y un análisis cuidadoso. Varios trabajos han intentado probar terminación de (un subconjunto de) programas Maude. Sin embargo, todos ellos siguen una aproximación transformacional, donde el programa original es trasformado hasta alcanzar un sistema de reescritura capaz de ser manejado con las técnicas y herramientas de terminación existentes. En la práctica, el hecho de transformar los sistemas originales suele complicar la demostración de la terminación ya que esto introduce nuevos símbolos y reglas en el sistema. En esta tesis, llevamos a cabo el problema de probar terminación de (un subconjunto de) programas Maude mediante métodos directos. Por un lado, nos centramos en la estrategia de Maude. Maude es un lenguaje impaciente donde los argumentos de una función son evaluados siempre antes de la aplicación de la función que los usa. Esta estrategia (conocida como llamada por valor) puede provocar la no terminación si los programas no están escritos cuidadosamente. Por esta razón, Maude (en concreto) incorpora mecanismos para controlar la ejecución de programas como las anotaciones sintácticas que están asociadas a los argumentos de los símbolos. En reescritura, esta estrategia sería conocida como reescritura sensible al contexto innermost (RSCI). Por otro lado, Maude también incorpora la posibilidad de declarar atributos. / Alarcón Jiménez, B. (2011). Towards a Framework for Proving Termination of Maude Programs [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/11003

The purpose of this study was to construct a career meta-competency model for sustained employability in the contemporary world of work. This study explored a convenience sample (N = 304) of early career employees’ personality preferences (measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), self-esteem (measured by the Culture-free Self-esteem Inventories for Adults) and emotional intelligence (measured by the Assessing Emotions Scale), as a composite set of their personality attributes, in relation to their employability attributes (measured by the Employability Attributes Scale). The participants comprised 81% blacks and 64% females employed in the business management field in managerial/supervisory (53%) and staff (28%) level positions. Their ages ranged between 25 and 40 years (early adulthood and establishment phase) (79%). The correlations, canonical correlations and multiple regression results indicated that the participants’ personality attributes were significantly and positively related to their employability attributes. Structural Equation Modelling indicated a moderate fit between the theoretically hypothesised career meta-competency model and the empirically tested structural model. The results indicated job level as a significant moderator of the relationship between the participants’ personality and employability attributes. Middle management level was associated with an inverse relationship between the personality and employability attributes. Staff and middle managers did not significantly differ regarding their mean scores on these variables. On a theoretical level, the study deepened understanding of the cognitive, affective, conative and interpersonal behavioural dimensions of the hypothesised career meta-competency model. On an empirical level, the study produced an empirically tested career meta-competency model in terms of the various behavioural dimensions. On a practical level, career v counselling and development interventions for guiding employees’ sustained employability in terms of the career meta-competency behavioural dimensions were recommended. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

A Floresta Ombrófila Mista também chamada de Floresta de Araucária representa um dos mais ricos remanescentes de florestas pluviais subtropicais brasileiras, tendo como principal representante a Araucaria angustifolia, espécie considerada ameaçada de extinção. A diversidade microbiana possui um importante papel no funcionamento e manutenção do equilíbrio dos ecossistemas florestais, mas é desconhecida em solos com araucária. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a diversidade, funcionalidade e estrutura das comunidades microbianas em florestas de Araucaria angustifolia natural, introduzida e impactada pela queima acidental. O estudo foi realizado no Parque Estadual de Campos de Jordão, SP, tendo como áreas de estudo: floresta nativa com predomínio de araucária (FN), reflorestamento de araucária (RF), e reflorestamento de araucária com queima acidental em julho de 2001 (RQ). Em cada área, foram escolhidas ao acaso dez árvores de araucária e ao redor de cada árvore coletou-se uma amostra composta de três subamostras. Foram avaliados atributos químicos, microbiológicos, estrutura das comunidades de Bacteria e Archaea por PCR-DGGE e seqüenciamento parcial do gene rRNA 16S de Bacteria, análise da capacidade de utilização de substratos de carbono (Biolog) e perfis de ácidos graxos ligados a ésteres de fosfolipídios (PLFAs). As áreas são caracterizadas por solos ácidos, com elevado conteúdo de matéria orgânica (MO) e baixa disponibilidade de cátions metálicos básicos. A área FN apresentou maiores teores de carbono da biomassa microbiana (CBM), atividade respiratória basal (C-CO2) e relação carbono da biomassa microbiana: carbono orgânico total (CBM:COT), comparada ao RF e RQ. Os maiores valores de quociente metabólico (qCO2) foram encontrados no RQ quando comparado a FN e RF. A análise canônica discriminante identificou o atributo microbiano qCO2 e químicos, Mg e pH, como sendo responsáveis pela discriminação das áreas, seguidos do teor de P. A análise de PCRDGGE revelou que as estruturas das comunidades bacterianas de FN e RQ foram mais similares entre si do que em RF. A análise de escala multidimensional (NMDS) com ANOSIM baseada nos perfis de amplicons de Bacteria mostrou que as três áreas são diferentes entre si, enquanto para Archaea não houve diferença entre as áreas estudadas. A afiliação taxonômica das seqüências de clones do gene rRNA 16S mostrou que o solo de FN apresenta uma maior diversidade de táxons. Os filos Proteobacteria e Actinobacteria foram os mais freqüentes nas três áreas. A maior diversidade estimada pelo índice de Shannon foi encontrada em RQ, em comparação a FN e RF. A análise por Biolog mostrou que área FN apresenta a maior taxa de utilização de substratos, em relação RF e RQ, as quais não diferiram entre si. Os perfis de PLFAs não apresentaram diferenças entre as áreas estudadas. Observou-se uma maior biomassa bacteriana, principalmente de Gram-positivas, quando comparada a biomassa fúngica de PLFAs das áreas estudadas. As análises multivariadas apresentaram-se como importantes ferramentas no estudo de diversidade microbiana, sendo os atributos químicos e microbiológicos do solo úteis para a interpretação dos resultados obtidos. / The Ombrophilic Mixed Forest, also called Araucaria Forest, represents one of the richest remainders of subtropical pluvial forests in Brazil. Its main representative species is the endangered Araucaria angustifolia. The microbial diversity plays an important role in functioning of forest ecosystems. However, the microbial diversity in soils with araucaria forests is mostly unknown. The aim of this work was to evaluate the diversity, structure of microbial communities in their possible functions in a natural preserved araucaria forest (FN), a planted araucaria forest (RF) and a planted araucaria forest impacted by accidental fire (RQ). The study was carried out at the State Park of Campos of Jordão (SP). For each area, ten araucaria trees were randomly selected and a sample composed of three sub-samples was collected at approximately one meter from the trunk of each tree. Chemical and microbiological attributes, as well as structures of bacterial and archaeal communities were evaluated using PCR-DGGE and the partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene from Bacteria, community level physiological profiles using Biolog, the phospholipid fatty acids profiles (PLFAs). The studied areas were characterized by acidic soils, with high content of organic matter (OM) and low availability of basic metallic cations. The area FN presented the highest contents of carbon in the microbial biomass (CBM), higher basal respiration activity (C-CO2) and higher microbial biomass carbon: total organic carbon ratio (CBM:TOC), compared to RF and RQ. The highest values of metabolic quotient (qCO2) were observed in RQ, when compared to FN and RF. Using canonical discriminant analysis (CDA), qCO2, Mg concentration and pH were identified as the main attributes responsible for the discrimination of the areas, followed by the P concentration. The PCR-DGGE analysis revealed that the bacterial community structures in FN and RQ share higher levels of similarity, as compared to RF. Non-metric multidimensional scale analysis (NMDS) and ANOSIM based on the profiles of bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons showed that the all three areas had different bacterial communities, whereas archaeal communities were similar, based on 16S rRNA genes amplicon profiles. The phylogenetic affiliation of 16S rRNA gene clone sequences showed that soil from FN presents higher taxa diversity, as compared to RF and RQ. The phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the most frequent in the three areas studied. Higher Shannon index was observed in RQ soil than FN and RF soils. Biolog analysis showed that FN has the highest substrate utilization rates, when compared to RF and RQ, which did not show significant differences. In general, PLFAs profiles did not show differences for the areas studied. Estimated bacterial biomass was higher than fugal biomass, with predominance of Gram-positive bacteria. Integration of chemical and microbial attributes through multivariate analyses is essential for identifying the factors determining microbial community structure in forest soils.

The purpose of this study was to construct a career meta-competency model for sustained employability in the contemporary world of work. This study explored a convenience sample (N = 304) of early career employees’ personality preferences (measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), self-esteem (measured by the Culture-free Self-esteem Inventories for Adults) and emotional intelligence (measured by the Assessing Emotions Scale), as a composite set of their personality attributes, in relation to their employability attributes (measured by the Employability Attributes Scale). The participants comprised 81% blacks and 64% females employed in the business management field in managerial/supervisory (53%) and staff (28%) level positions. Their ages ranged between 25 and 40 years (early adulthood and establishment phase) (79%). The correlations, canonical correlations and multiple regression results indicated that the participants’ personality attributes were significantly and positively related to their employability attributes. Structural Equation Modelling indicated a moderate fit between the theoretically hypothesised career meta-competency model and the empirically tested structural model. The results indicated job level as a significant moderator of the relationship between the participants’ personality and employability attributes. Middle management level was associated with an inverse relationship between the personality and employability attributes. Staff and middle managers did not significantly differ regarding their mean scores on these variables. On a theoretical level, the study deepened understanding of the cognitive, affective, conative and interpersonal behavioural dimensions of the hypothesised career meta-competency model. On an empirical level, the study produced an empirically tested career meta-competency model in terms of the various behavioural dimensions. On a practical level, career v counselling and development interventions for guiding employees’ sustained employability in terms of the career meta-competency behavioural dimensions were recommended. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

[pt] Nesta tese é proposta a incorporação da estratégia de amostragem dupla, já utilizada em inspeção de lotes, ao gráfico de controle de np (número de defeituosos), com o objetivo de aumentar a sua eficiência, ou seja, reduzir o número médio de amostras até a detecção de um descontrole (NMA1), sem aumentar o tamanho médio de amostra (TMA) nem reduzir o número médio de amostras até um alarme falso (NMA0). Alternativamente, este esquema pode ser usado para reduzir o custo de amostragem do gráfico de np, uma vez que para obter o mesmo NMA1 que um gráfico de np com amostragem simples, o gráfico com amostragem dupla requererá menor tamanho médio de amostra. Para vários valores de p0 (fração defeituosa do processo em controle) e p1 (fração defeituosa do processo fora de controle), foi obtido o projeto ótimo do gráfico, ou seja, aquele que minimiza NMA1, tendo como restrições um valor máximo para TMA e valor mínimo para NMA0. O projeto ótimo foi obtido para vários valores dessas restrições. O projeto consiste na definição dos dois tamanhos de amostra, para o primeiro e o segundo estágios, e de um conjunto de limites para o gráfico. Para cada projeto ótimo foi também calculado o valor de NMA1 para uma faixa de valores de p1, além daquele para o qual o projeto foi otimizado. Foi feita uma comparação de desempenho entre o esquema desenvolvido e outros esquemas de monitoramento do número de defeituosos na amostra: o clássico gráfico de np (com amostragem simples), o esquema CuSum, o gráfico de controle de EWMA e o gráfico np VSS (gráfico adaptativo, com tamanho de amostra variável). Para a comparação, foram obtidos os projetos ótimos de cada um desses esquemas, sob as mesmas restrições e para os mesmos valores de p0 e p1. Assim, uma contribuição adicional dessa tese é a análise e otimização do desempenho dos esquemas CuSum, EWMA e VSS para np. O resultado final foi a indicação de qual é o esquema de controle de processo mais eficiente para cada situação. O gráfico de np com amostragem dupla aqui proposto e desenvolvido mostrou ser em geral o esquema mais eficiente para a detecção de aumentos grandes e moderados na fração defeituosa do processo, perdendo apenas para o gráfico VSS, nos casos em que p0, o tamanho (médio) de amostra e o aumento em p0 (razão p1/p0) são todos pequenos. / [en] In this thesis, it is proposed the incorporation of the double-sampling strategy, used in lot inspection, to the np control chart (control chart for the number nonconforming), with the purpose of improving its efficiency, that is, reducing the out-of-control average run length (ARL1), without increasing the average sample size (ASS) or the in-control average run length (ARL0). Alternatively, this scheme can be used to reduce the np chart sampling costs, since that in order to get the same ARL1 of the single-sampling np chart, the doublesampling chart will require smaller average sample size. For a number of values of p0 (in-control defective rate of the process) and p1 (out-of-control defective rate of the process), the optimal chart designs were obtained, namely the designs that minimize ARL1, subject to maximum ASS and minimum ARL0 constraints. Optimal designs were obtained for several values of these constraints. The design consists of two sample sizes, for the first and second stages, and a set of limits for the chart. For each optimal design the value of ARL1 was also computed for a range of p1 values besides the one for which the design ARL1 was minimized. A performance comparison was carried out between the proposed scheme and the classical (single-sampling) np chart, the CuSum np scheme, the EWMA np control chart and the VSS np chart (the variable sample size control chart). For comparison, optimal designs for each scheme were considered, under same constraints and values of p0 and p1. An additional contribution of this thesis is the performance analysis and optimization of the np CuSum, EWMA and VSS schemes. The final result is the indication of the most efficient process control scheme for each situation. The double-sampling np control chart here proposed and developed has proved to be in general the most efficient scheme for the detection of large and moderate increases in the process fraction defective, being only surpassed by the VSS chart in the cases in which p0, the (average) sample size and the increase in p0 (p1/p0 ratio) are all small.