This thesis consists of two topics: statistical selection and profile monitoring. Statistical selection is related to ranking and selection in simulation and profile monitoring is related to statistical process control. Ranking and selection (R&S) is to select a system with the largest or smallest performance measure among a finite number of simulated alternatives with some guarantee about correctness. Fully sequential procedures have been shown to be efficient, but their actual probabilities of correct selection tend to be higher than the nominal level, implying that they consume unnecessary observations. In the first part, we study three conservativeness sources in fully sequential indifference-zone (IZ) procedures and use experiments to quantify the impact of each source in terms of the number of observations, followed by an asymptotic analysis on the impact of the critical one. Then we propose new asymptotically valid procedures that lessen the critical conservativeness source, by mean update with or without variance update. Experimental results showed that new procedures achieved meaningful improvement on the efficiency. The second part is developing a wavelet-based distribution-free tabular CUSUM chart based on adaptive thresholding. WDFTCa is designed for rapidly detecting shifts in the mean of a high-dimensional profile whose noise components have a continuous nonsingular multivariate distribution. First computing a discrete wavelet transform of the noise vectors for randomly sampled Phase I (in-control) profiles, WDFTCa uses a matrix-regularization method to estimate the covariance matrix of the wavelet-transformed noise vectors; then those vectors are aggregated (batched) so that the nonoverlapping batch means of the wavelet-transformed noise vectors have manageable covariances. Lower and upper in-control thresholds are computed for the resulting batch means of the wavelet-transformed noise vectors using the associated marginal Cornish-Fisher expansions that have been suitably adjusted for between-component correlations. From the thresholded batch means of the wavelet-transformed noise vectors, Hotelling’s T^2-type statistics are computed to set the parameters of a CUSUM procedure. To monitor shifts in the mean profile during Phase II (regular) operation, WDFTCa computes a similar Hotelling’s T^2-type statistic from successive thresholded batch means of the wavelet-transformed noise vectors using the in-control thresholds; then WDFTCa applies the CUSUM procedure to the resulting T^2-type statistics. Experimentation with several normal and nonnormal test processes revealed that WDFTCa outperformed existing nonadaptive profile-monitoring schemes.

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This study examined the impact of a full-day evidence-based practice (EBP) process continuing education training on practitioners' self-efficacy pertaining EBP, attitudes toward EBP, perceived feasibility of EBP, intentions to engage in EBP, self-reported engagement in EBP, and EBP knowledge. A secondary aim was to assess the impact of post-training coaching on the aforementioned outcomes at three-month follow up. The EBP Assessment Scale (Rubin & Parrish, in press) and 10 knowledge questions were used to measure the dependent variables in this study. A pretest-posttest follow up design was replicated four times, with two of the four groups receiving the coaching component based on a coin-toss. The results of this study support the effectiveness of this EBP training model, as there was significant change and moderate to strong effect sizes for each of the dependent variables over time in the desired direction. This study did not support the effectiveness of the coaching component. However, very few practitioners participated in the coaching, and for those who did, the dose of coaching was minimal. Major implications of this study for practice and policy include: 1) This EBP Process training model should be utilized as a part of future efforts to implement EBP within the field of social work; 2) The EBP process may enjoy greater success than past efforts to integrate research and practice in social work and the allied fields; 3) Some hypothesized barriers within the EBP literature were confirmed, while others were not; and 4) This study provides additional support for multi-faceted continuing education approaches and adult learning and diffusion of innovations theories when teaching practitioners the EBP process model. Future research should concentrate on finding ways to further increase practitioner engagement in EBP; identifying ways to improve support for the implementation of EBP at the organizational and policy levels; finding ways to address the most salient barriers to EBP, such as time and resources; and more effectively study the potential impact of coaching during the implementation of EBP. / text

Since the mid-1980s, various educational games have been developed, and their popularity has implications for the use of games in the classroom. Although research over many years has shown games to be effective in enhancing motivation and improving learner performance, studies that connect specific elements of games and learner motivation are lacking. This report is a literature review of relevant articles on motivation and attributes in game-based learning, including empirical studies and theoretical articles from 2009 to present. Based on the attributes presented by Wilson et al. (2009), the game environments in these studies are reviewed, with a focus on recent studies and trends related to game-based learning. This review also presents an examination of how the recent studies conducted their experiments in order to investigate game attributes and motivation. The relationship between the attributes and learner motivation is discussed. Because of the current lack of research on the relationship between attributes and learner motivation in game-based learning, the results of this literature review can provide insight into the potential use of game attributes. / text

The goal of this work is to modify an existing course module on engineering better medicines to produce a more engaging physiologically realistic and pedagogically sound curriculum. The original module explored drug delivery using a one-compartment model, which examined only the dissolution of medicine; the module relied on a traditional teacher lead pedagogy. The curriculum modifications include engineering a two-compartment model students use to test the medicines they design, incorporating both dissolution and transfer to the blood and project based learning strategies have been added to produce a student centered project. The purpose of these modifications is to produce a curriculum successful in providing a diverse group of students, both male and female, of all socioeconomic backgrounds as well as ethnic and cultural groups with a positive engineering experience. / text

This report is an exploration of theoretical and applied aspects of form-based coding. First, it presents an in-depth look at conventional zoning, conditions surrounding its origins around the turn of the twentieth century, the system of legal precedents that supports zoning, the evolution of the zoning “toolkit”, and the scope of zoning policies which are prevalent today. Second, form-based codes are defined and differentiated from conventional codes as well as design guidelines. The organizing principles on which FBCs are based are explained and the components of FBCs are described. Issues and controversy surrounding FBCs are discussed. Third, diverse case studies from around the country are carried out in order to examine how form-based codes are developed and applied in various real-world contexts. Case studies are presented in two different tiers, primary and secondary. Primary case studies involve in-depth research, whereas secondary case studies receive a brief, overview-style treatment. Primary case studies are: St. Lucie County, Florida and Sarasota County, Florida. Secondary case studies are: Leander, Texas; Peoria, Illinois; Montgomery, Alabama; Arlington County, Virginia; Hercules, California; and Miami, Florida. Fourth, conclusions are drawn from the research and point towards best practices in form-based coding. The report concludes that form-based codes are not a cure-all, should be developed in the context of a visioning process, and should strike a balance in terms of regulation. Additionally, market factors play a major role. The high cost of coding is a major concern. Furthermore, code writers should be prepared to educate the public as part of their profession. / text

With the proliferation of new technological alternatives to the traditional classroom, it becomes increasingly important understand the role that innovative technologies play in learning. Computer environments for learning to teach have the potential to be innovative tools that improve the skill and effectiveness of pre-service and in-service teachers. There is a tacit sense in such environments that “realism” is best created through, and associated with, a kind of pictorial literalism. I designed a computer model (the Direct Instruction tool) that, though simple, appears realistic to many users and thus contradicts that sense of literalism. I also propose a theoretical classification of computer representations based on the relationship (or lack thereof) between perceived usefulness or relevance and realism. In this study, I investigate two questions: 1) What are the kinds of claims or insights that respondents generate in relation to using the DI tool to organize their experiences? 2) How do the functionalities of the DI tool fit with or support what respondents see as meaningful? Results indicate that a model can be seen as relevant and useful even if it is not internally consistent. Two major themes that were meaningful to study participants were the simultaneously positive and negative role of “difficulty” in the classroom, and the balance between past performance and future potential. The DI tool seems to promote a shared focus on these themes despite the diversity of past educational experiences among study participants. Responses to this model suggest that extremely abstracted representations of teaching are able to influence the claims and insights of users, affording a glimpse into the internal realities of pre-service teachers. This in turn creates an opportunity to articulate these alternative realities without judgment, describe them with respect, and make them an object of consideration rather than a hidden force. The results of this study contribute to a theory of computer environments for learning to teach that can shape the effective use of these tools in the present, as well as accommodate new models that may be developed as technologies change in the future. / text

Almost twenty years ago Texas implemented a functions-based approach (FBA) to teaching algebra. This approach emphasized the use of nearly all multiple representations, use of a graphing calculator to explore graphs, and modeling of linear and quadratic functions. This interpretation of FBA in conjunction with curriculum placing the teaching of simplifying expressions and solving equations close in sequence may contribute to student confounding of the rules for simplifying and solving. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to explore student rating of the usefulness of teacher-provided and function-based approach (FBA) strategies for simplifying expressions and solving equations in Algebra. The subjects of this study were two algebra teachers and their respective algebra students. The teachers, who taught both Algebra 1 and Algebra 2, were at a high school campus located in an urban district. A researcher created survey based on teacher-provided strategies used by participating teachers was administered to 100 students and 22 teachers. The teacher survey results were used as a professional basis for comparing students' results. Descriptive statistics were used to create graphical representations of students by course groups and identify students who confounded rules. Student FBA preferences and course groups were used to identify 18 student interviewees. Student and teacher interviews were used to corroborate survey results. Participating teachers identified and commented on areas of concern from the survey results. Both teachers approved of the low percentages of students rating FBA strategies as useful but were concerned about higher percentages of students (30% or greater) confounding rules or not realizing the usefulness of relevant sub-strategies. Neither teachers nor students were aware of benefits of graphing calculator use in simplifying. Students, regardless of course group or FBA preference, justified the use of teacher-provided strategies with symbolic manipulation and changed FBA ratings to less likely. There were few student references to equivalence and equality that were supported by FBA. These results are important for algebraic instruction in Texas. Texas has mandated use of graphing calculator on 8th grade Mathematics STAAR exam. Recognizing the benefits of a complete FBA along with effective use of graphing technology may prevent this type of confounding. / text

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing