The central argument underlying this research is that experiential learning (EL) can strengthen environmental university programs. Its goal is to demonstrate the benefits of EL from students' and graduates' perspectives and to provide recommendations for its effective implementation into a program. The research utilized a qualitative case study (Environmental Sciences/Studies (ESS) programs at the University of Manitoba, Canada) through focus groups and individual interviews with students and graduates. The results indicate that EL helps develop an understanding of environmental complexities; motivates students to engage at all levels of their ability; is decisive in skill development; engages students in environmental issues with diverse stakeholders; is important in obtaining employment; and it is imperative to connect EL activities to concepts taught in class. The data however, did not show EL to be a significant factor in fostering pro-environmental behaviours in post-secondary environmental students. Overall, the research shows that provided effective implementation, EL can play a significant role in enhancing ESS curriculum and that ESS students place a great value on EL in their education. / October 2016

This phenomenological study documented the influences of a high school career exploration program, Experience-Based Career Education (E.B.C.E.), on the professional lives of nine adults who are former program participants. E.B.C.E. was an experiencebased, student-centered program that helped students develop long-term career goals and then reassessed those goals based on community-based, externship experiences. The findings in this study indicate that the utilization of John Dewey’s experiencebased, student-centered philosophy, the basis for E.B.C.E., effectively enhanced the learning process. The study's data, which was gathered exclusively through an Internet focus group session and follow-up email questions, documented the long-term influence of E.B.C.E. on program participants at Ellen Martin High School, a school that admitted only honors students in a large city in the South. E.B.C.E. participants from Ellen Martin High School participated in the Program for the last two years of high school. Program participants discovered their career interests and researched their career options while learning job skills and life skills during their junior year of E.B.C.E. Their non-paid externships, during their senior year of E.B.C.E., helped students learn how they might fit into the adult work world. Study participants developed life guides/philosophies, such as the importance of responsibility, commitment, dedication, and hard work. Adult mentors played an important role in the lives of the E.B.C.E. students, both personally and professionally and several study participants have maintained contact with their former E.B.C.E. mentors. These mentoring experiences helped E.B.C.E. participants develop a sense of confidence about their abilities in the adult world. They have maintained this sense of confidence in their present profession. Most of the study's participants experienced flow, a condition linking high challenges to feelings of enjoyment, self-worth, and ongoing development, based on their successfully meeting challenges. Some of these challenges were purposely placed in the paths of students to test them while they participated in E.B.C.E. The positive feelings about overcoming challenges, in the adult work world led E.B.C.E. students to seek higher level challenges and this recursively upward pattern of seeking higher challenges has led them to continue seeking higher challenges in their professional lives.

Surgie en 1996, "La main à la pâte" suggérait que l’école ne pouvait se suffire du lire écrire et compter sans un « raisonner » qui en constituerait son épine dorsale à travers l'enseignement des sciences. Ce projet innovant souhaitait concilier une formation intellectuelle par la construction de connaissances et de compétences, une formation morale par les valeurs construites et transmises, une formation sociale ou politique par l’éducation du sens critique.La recherche présentée se demande si cette opération peut et à quelles conditions être transférée au système scolaire ? Question complexe affaire de finalités, de contenu, d’organisation, de gouvernance. Question complexe car La main à la pâte n’est pas à l’heure actuelle à distance du système éducatif : un tiers des écoles primaires a pu être concerné par l’enseignement des sciences fondé sur l’investigation qu’elle encourage et accompagne.Dans un premier temps, est analysée La main à la pâte. On en retient l'importance de l’investigation raisonnée et des conditions socio-historiques de l'émergence des savoirs.Dans un second temps sont clarifiées les stratégies d’acteurs qui s’y déploient, illustrant une constante articulation entre des dimensions de co-formation et une visée éthique empreinte d’humanisme revendiquée par ses fondateurs.Ensuite est abordée La main à la pâte d’un point de vue politique en montrant comment plus globalement a été traité le lien science et société. Enfin, est questionné le possible transfert de ce modèle dans le système de l’ Education Nationale, tant du point de vue des enjeux de l’enseignement scientifique et de l’éducation citoyenne que La main à la pâte promeut, que sur le plan de la conception de l’organisation qu’elle incarne. / Born in 1996, La main à la pâte (Lamap) suggested that teaching could not limit itself to reading, writing and counting without some “coherent reasoning” which would constitute its backbone through the teaching of sciences. This innovating project hoped to reconcile an intellectual education: the construction of knowledge and competences, a moral education: the construction and transmission of values and a social/political education by enhancing critical thinking.This research thesis questions whether this operation can be transferred to the school system, and in which conditions. It is indeed a complex question, in terms of finalities, contents, organization and governance. It is a complex question because Lamap is not remote from the education system: one third of the elementary schools has already been concerned with inquiry based science education, which Lamap encourages and accompanies.First, we start with the analysis of Lamap, underlying the importance of the thought process and of the social/historical conditions for the emergence of knowledge.Secondly, the actors’ developing strategies are clarified, illustrating a constant articulation between dimensions of mutual training and the strong humanistic ethical philosophy asserted by its founders.Then Lamap is studied through the link between science and society, in a general political perspective. Lastly, we question the possible transfer of this model to the Education Nationale system, both in terms of the stakes of science education and citizenship education which Lamap promotes, and as far as the respective organization of these two systems.

The concept of community is receiving increasing attentionacross organizations and throughout the entire society.Voluntary association, creation of value, and solidarity incommunity contexts get more and more appreciated and nurturedwithin companies and other organizations. At the same time,lack of community is raised lately by Western sociologists as amajor source of alarm while the large participationpossibilities provided by the Internet are seen as a hope forremedy. This thesis aims to contribute in the area of technologydesign for communities by seeking to gain understanding ofvoluntary community work and to design artefacts in support forsuch work. Community work is studied through anethnographically-inspired approach for empirical observation ofcommunity activity and the artefacts that support it. Fieldstudy of‘voluntary working order’was conducted inseveral voluntary communities: amateur radio and three studentorganisations. In studying such working order, one mustrenounce a set of assumptions that are commonly made aboutwork, starting with the very idea of remuneration as a basicmotivation. Instead, challenge as a major motivation isproposed for work in voluntary communities. To draw inspirationfor future design, an examination is made of the way thismotivation is reflected in the features of technology createdby the communities for their own use, in the working contextsof the field settings. Lessons learned about amateur work are then used and refinedwhile reflecting on amateur-work-oriented design of ITartefacts conducted within a student organisation, with aparticular interest in self-sustainability of participatorydesign practices in such settings. Practices of participatorydesign are re-considered in the context of voluntary work, theabsence of the employer-employee conflict, the challenges andlearning trajectories of the members. As development is done bymembers of the student community, design interventions forself-sustainability of amateur software development aredescribed and reflected upon. A generic approach is proposedfor action aimed at self-sustainability in amateur settings.The socio-technical features that resemble across thecommunities studied and practices experienced are then groupedunder the generic name of the perspective developed in thisthesis:“Amateur Community”. The perspective isproposed as a point of departure for further study and designintervention in similar communities. Comparisons are madebetween Amateur Community and other approaches such asCommunity of Practice. Keywords:amateur, volunteer, community, work, amateurwork, participatory design, software development, challenge,contingency, pioneering, public, personal development,learning, hands-on learning, selfsustainability / QC 20100420

This paper revisits one of the more frequented stops at the crossroads of politics and morality in contemporary ethical theory, Michael Walzer’s essay “Political Action: The Problem of Dirty Hands.” The aim is to provide a fresh assessment of Walzer’s project, and to evaluate the tenability of its core notion of “dirty hands.” In pursuit of this aim, the effort is made to reopen the paths which take Walzer to his celebrated impasse, from two directions. The first of these resituates Walzer’s analysis in the context of the debate within Anglo-American ethical theory in which it is originally expounded. The second route seeks to recapture the trail of thinkers who guide Walzer to his conclusions from more remote locations in intellectual history, in order to determine the reliability of his intriguing constellation of Machiavelli, Weber and Camus as lodestars. Writing thirty years later, one of Walzer’s friendliest interpreters, Jean Elshtain, in the midst of her enthusiasm for ‘dirty hands,’ renews doubts about his recommendation of “casuistry.” Hints from throughout Walzer’s essay, incompletely elaborated there, are parceled together into closing suggestions as to an alternative approach to so-called ‘dirty hands’ situations. / text

Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή πραγματεύεται την κατασκευή και τον έλεγχο ενός καινοτόμου τεχνητού χεριού, για προσθετικές κυρίως εφαρμογές, κάνοντας χρήση βιομιμητικών ενεργοποιητών και πιο συγκεκριμένα ειδικά κατεργασμένων λεπτών κυλινδρικών αγωγών από μορφομνήμονα μεταλλικά κράματα νικελίου-τιτανίου. Εκμεταλλευόμενοι τα συγκριτικά πλεονεκτήματα των ενεργοποιητών αυτών έναντι των αντίστοιχων συμβατικών, αναπτύσσεται μια πλήρως λειτουργική συσκευή με μικρό μέγεθος και βάρος, ανθρωπομορφική εμφάνιση, αθόρυβη λειτουργία και χαμηλό κόστος κατασκευής και συντήρησης, ικανή να εκπληρώσει σε μεγάλο βαθμό τις απαιτήσεις των ατόμων με αναπηρία στα άνω άκρα. Για τη φυσική υλοποίηση του σκελετού του τεχνητού αυτού χεριού χρησιμοποιείται η τεχνολογία της ταχείας προτυποποίησης. Καθένα από τα πέντε δάκτυλά του ελέγχεται ανεξάρτητα μέσω ενός υπο-ενεργοποιούμενου μηχανισμού κίνησης με τεχνητούς τένοντες. Για τον έλεγχο θέσης κάθε δακτύλου, αναπτύσσεται και εφαρμόζεται μία νέα μέθοδος ελέγχου βασισμένη στην έμφυτη δυνατότητα ανάδρασης θέσης των προαναφερθέντων ενεργοποιητών μέσω μέτρησης της ηλεκτρικής τους αντίστασης. Επιπλέον, αναπτύσσεται κατάλληλος αλγόριθμος για τον σχηματισμό διαφόρων θέσεων και συλλήψεων του τεχνητού χεριού. Για τη βελτίωση του ελέγχου, το χέρι εξοπλίζεται με αισθητήρες αφής στα ακροδάκτυλα, καθώς και με τη δυνατότητα οδήγησης συσκευών οπτικής και απτικής ανάδρασης. Όλα τα ηλεκτρονικά κυκλώματα που είναι απαραίτητα για την οδήγηση των ενεργοποιητών και τον έλεγχο του χεριού αναπτύσσονται και ενσωματώνονται στο εσωτερικό του φυσικού πρωτοτύπου. Με τη βοήθεια ειδικού προγραμματιστικού πακέτου, σχεδιάζεται μία γραφική διεπαφή ελέγχου μέσω της οποίας μελετάται και αξιολογείται η δυνατότητα του αναπτυχθέντος χεριού σε πειράματα σύλληψης διαφόρων αντικειμένων. Τέλος, προτείνονται διάφορες τεχνικές ελέγχου του χεριού από τους χρήστες του, ενώ αναπτύσσεται και κατάλληλος αλγόριθμος ελέγχου βασισμένος στη χρήση ηλεκτρομυογραφικών σημάτων. / This doctoral thesis presents the development and control of an innovative artificial hand, mostly for use in prosthetic applications, utilizing biomimetic actuators, and, more specifically, specially processed thin cylindrical wires made of shape memory nickel-titanium alloys. By exploiting the comparative advantages of these actuators over the conventional ones, a fully functional device is developed, of low size and weight, anthropomorphic appearance, silent operation, low fabrication and maintenance cost, which is capable of satisfying to a great extent the needs of the upper limb amputees. The physical implementation of the chassis of this artificial hand has been performed using rapid prototyping technology. Each of its five digits is independently controlled via a tendon-driven underactuated mechanism. For the position control of each digit, a novel control scheme is devised and implemented based on the inherent position feedback capability of these actuators via the measurement of their electrical resistance. In addition, the necessary algorithm is developed for the formation of various hand postures and prehension patterns. In order to improve the overall hand control, the hand is equipped with tactile sensors at its fingertips, and is also capable of driving optical and tactile feedback devices. All the necessary electronics for driving the actuators and controlling the hand are developed and embedded inside the physical prototype. Using a special programming package, a graphical user interface is designed, through which the grasp capabilities of the developed hand are studied and evaluated for various objects. Finally, several user control techniques of the hand are proposed, and a control algorithm based on the use of electromyographic signals is also developed.

Tyrimo problema: Ilgai trunkanti sėdima padėtis prie kompiuterio, kartu su netinkama darbo vietos ergonomika, yra vienos pagrindinių priežasčių, lemiančių kaulų raumenų sistemos skausmų atsiradimą (Janwantakul et al., 2009). Tačiau, ne visada įmanoma pritaikyti darbo vietą pagal ergonominius principus, tinkančius kiekvienam dirbančiajam, ir, kai nesilaikoma darbo vietos ergonominių principų, darbuotojai dažnai būna priversti prisitaikyti prie prastų darbo sąlygų (Ghosh et al., 2010). Dažniausiai yra rekomenduojama pakeisti darbo pobūdį ar darbo aplinką, arba ieškoti būdų, kaip geriau prisitaikyti, pakeičiant darbo padėtį pagal ergonomikos principus (Voerman et al., 2007). Hipotezė: manome, kad ilgai sėdint įsitempia viršutinės nugaros dalies raumenys ir sąlygoja nervų, įnervuojančių ranką, užspaudimą, dėl ko gali sumažėti plaštakos raumenų jėga, bet fiziškai aktyvių asmenų, nors ir dirbančių sėdimą darbą, plaštakos ir pirštų raumenų jėga turėtų būti didesnė, nei fiziškai neaktyvių asmenų. Tyrimo tikslas: nustatyti sėdimą darbą dirbančių kaklinės stuburo ir viršutinės nugaros dalies skausmų ir fizinio aktyvumo sąsajas su plaštakos ir pirštų jėga. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti kaklo ir viršutinės nugaros dalies skausmų paplitimą. 2. Įvertinti sėdimą darbą dirbančių žmonių fizinį aktyvumą. 3. Nustatyti tiriamųjų plaštakos ir pirštų jėgą. 4. Nustatyti koreliacinius ryšius tarp vertintų rodiklių. Tyrimo metodai: buvo apklausiami sėdimą darbą dirbantys asmenys, kurie sėdėdami... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The research issue: prolonged sitting position at work using a computer, along with poor workplace ergonomics is one of the main reasons causing development of musculoskeletal pains (Janwantakul et al., 2009). In case of non – compliance with the principles of workplace ergonomic requirements, employees are often forced to adapt to poor working conditions (Ghosh et al., 2010). In most cases, it is recommended to change the nature of the work or the work environment, or to look for ways to better adapt by changing the working position according to ergonomic principles (Voerman et al., 2007). Testing objective: establish the cervical spine and upper back, pain and physical activity correlation with the dominant hand fingers and hand strength for the sedentary job employees. Tasks of the testing: 1. To establish the neck and upper back pain prevalence. 2. To evaluate the physical activity of the persons engaged in sedentary job. 3. To identify the dominant hand palm and fingers strength. 4. To determine the correlation between the estimated parameters. Hypothesis: it is considered that the hand and finger strength is lower of physically inactive individuals or of the persons engaged in sedentary job as they more often have complaints about the neck and upper back pain, than the sedentary workers, but physically active individuals. The following methods applied: the sedentary job employees have been questioned, who spend sitting at least 4 hours a day and they were... [to full text]

Kinetic studies determining the second order rate constants for the monoepoxidation of cyclic dienes, 1,3-cyclohexadiene and 1,3-cyclooctadiene, and the epoxidation of cis-/trans-2-hexenes by dimethyldioxirane (DMDO) were carried out using UV methodology. Consistent with published results, the kinetics of cis-/trans-2-hexenes by DMDO showed greater reactivity of the cis-isomer compared to that of the trans-compound. Molecular modeling studies for the epoxidation of a series of cis-/trans-alkenes, by DMDO were carried out using the DFT approach. The mechanism of epoxidation by DMDO was modeled by determining the transition state geometry and calculating the electronic activation energies and relative reactivities. The calculations were consistent with a concerted, electrophilic, exothermic process with a spiro-transition state for all cases. Kinetic studies for the monoepoxidation of the cyclic dienes showed a greater reactivity for 1,3-cyclohexadiene compared to that for 1,3-cyclooctadiene. The DFT method was employed to successfully model the transition state for the monoepoxidation of the cyclic dienes by DMDO and successfully predict the relative reactivities. Student misconceptions, at the high school and/or middle school level involving energy changes and chemical reactions have been prevalently noted in literature (by ACS and AAAS). Two examples of these misconceptions are: 1) heat is always needed to initiate a chemical reaction and 2) all chemical reactions create or destroy energy. In order to address these types of misconceptions, an educational module detailing the influence of energy changes on chemical reactions has been developed in conjunction with the Bio-bus program for middle and high school students. Visual aids and hands-on activities were developed in the module to potentially help students overcome/deal with the common misconceptions. Surveys were designed to access the situations (determine the extent of the misconceptions) and the effectiveness of the educational module, before and immediately after the module and one-month later to determine retention. The educational module has been presented to approximately 100 high school students from underrepresented communities. Pre-survey data confirmed the presence of the common misconceptions reported in the literature. Data from the post-survey indicated the new instructional module enhanced the student’s interest of science and expanded their content knowledge and laboratory skills. The post-survey data (immediately following the module) showed a significant difference in two out of five misconceptions when compared to the pre-survey data. However, this significance decreased when the 1-month post-survey data were compared to the pre-survey data.

This thesis presents a novel table top hand rehabilitation device. The purpose for creating this device is to assist therapists in treatment of hand after injury. Injuries to the hand are common and can be very debilitating since our hands are our primary means for interacting with our world. The device is capable of independently mobilizing the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) and proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) in the fingers of the hand, and recording their motion. The device is capable of moving either joint through a range of 0° to 90°, and can be used for either the left or right hand. In the Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) mode, the device moves the MCP and PIP joints through a trajectory that approximates healthy hand motion, known as the minimum jerk model. This is done using a Proportional Integral Differential (PID) controller, which compares the actual position of the device to the desired minimum jerk trajectory. The trajectory following of the minimum jerk model was found to be successful with a maximum error of only 1.46° in the MCP joint and 2.10° in the PIP joint across all trials with injured participants with an average error of 0.11° and 0.14° for the MCP and PIP joints respectively. The device also incorporated various user-friendly features such as user-defined maximum permitted torque, range of motion limits, speed control, and visual feedback. A survey of the participant’s perceived comfort, safety, smoothness and passivity produced positive results. The average responses of the injured hand participants to questions of perceived Comfort, safety and Smoothness were above 9 out of 10 for each question. The average increases in ROM for the active extension of the MCP joint and the PIP joint were 3.3° and 3.2° respectively. The average increases in ROM for the flexion of the MCP joint and the PIP joint were 8.9° and 7.2° respectively. This is a sign that the device has an effect on the participant even if this effect can not be shown to last beyond the one hour session. It will require further testing with a long term group of participants and a control group to determine if this is a lasting effect and if the device is ready for clinical use. The active resistance and haptic modes are both operational but require additional work to increase smoothness and stability before testing can begin.

The main purpose of this workshop is to focus upon a complementary approach to the study of, and the investigation into, concepts related to Geometry- Space Strand. It ought to benefit educators especially those who prepare teachers for the primary/elementary schools. Participants in this workshop will initially learn the skills needed in Pop-Up Engineering to produce ‘hole’ 3- D paper models which illustrate some particular geometric concepts. The process of the construction of these models allows for building imagery, testing predictions, arousing and satisfying curiosity, connecting to Geometric concepts and most of all motivating and holding interest. It is envisaged that this approach to the teaching and learning of geometric concepts will provide grounds for discussion, enrichment, exploration, clarification of and ownership of ideas, and cross curriculum integration. It has the potential to reduce the apparent difficulty students experience with the study of geometric concepts.