This qualitative study explores the learning conditions of marginalized adult learnrs enrolled at an adult high school. The study also explores the role of mathematics in the adult learning environment. The study collected data from two sources: a survey collected data from 64 adult learners enrolled in a high school mathematics course that leads to graduation; interviews were also conducted with ten of these participants. The findings indicated that although both external and internal factors were identifited by the participants as affecting the learning envoronment, these were not regarded as barriers to learning. The participants had a positive view of their own abilites. Mathematics was regarded by the learners as important and was not regarded as an obstacle to their goal of a high school diploma.

This qualitative study explores the learning conditions of marginalized adult learnrs enrolled at an adult high school. The study also explores the role of mathematics in the adult learning environment. The study collected data from two sources: a survey collected data from 64 adult learners enrolled in a high school mathematics course that leads to graduation; interviews were also conducted with ten of these participants. The findings indicated that although both external and internal factors were identifited by the participants as affecting the learning envoronment, these were not regarded as barriers to learning. The participants had a positive view of their own abilites. Mathematics was regarded by the learners as important and was not regarded as an obstacle to their goal of a high school diploma.

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Mexican Americans are a population that has significantly increased over the years in the United States. Despite their growth, many still face barriers in their pursuit of success and are at increased risk for poorer outcomes. Many explanations, such as acculturation, have been sought as potential contributors to poorer outcomes seen among Mexican Americans, particularly in academic settings. As an alternative explanation to acculturation, Fordham and Ogbu (1986) proposed that many of the negative outcomes in academic performance seen among African Americans could be attributed to the within-group processes that ostracized those who exhibited behaviors deemed “White.” Since the emergence of the “acting White” thesis, significant research has emerged in the hopes of either proving or disproving the tenants of the thesis. What has emerged is that some minorities have experienced pressures to conform and that many utilize a set of strategies that allow them to negotiate their multicultural contexts. However, most of the literature has focused on the experiences of African Americans; meanwhile research has been limited among other ethnicities who may share similar experiences. This report proposes a study that would attempt to examine whether Mexican Americans experience social pressures to conform to within-group cultural expectations. This study would also explore how Mexican American youth negotiate their ethnic peer cultures and school environments. In addition, potential psychological stressors related to accusations of “acting White” and perceived social pressures would also be explored. / text

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This qualitative study of an adult literacy program, Literacy for Liberation, operated by a non-governmental organization and serving a marginalized demographic in Haiti, considered the impact of a literacy program designed to enhance technical and critical literacy skills while promoting communal and individual change. Data, collected in five open-ended interviews and two observations, focused on the contextual, logistical, and beneficial aspects of the program. Results were analyzed using markers from Freire’s framework of critical pedagogy: humanization, situated literacy, dialogue and consciousness-raising, and transformation. Findings revealed limited economic, social, and communal benefits, and that replication of the program may be possible if certain steps are followed. Overall conclusions demonstrated that expanding literacy programs in this setting can facilitate social and economic progress for previously illiterate adults and future generations, particularly where structural inequality is evident. Final recommendations included comparison studies of other programs and longitudinal research of descending generations.

This qualitative study of an adult literacy program, Literacy for Liberation, operated by a non-governmental organization and serving a marginalized demographic in Haiti, considered the impact of a literacy program designed to enhance technical and critical literacy skills while promoting communal and individual change. Data, collected in five open-ended interviews and two observations, focused on the contextual, logistical, and beneficial aspects of the program. Results were analyzed using markers from Freire’s framework of critical pedagogy: humanization, situated literacy, dialogue and consciousness-raising, and transformation. Findings revealed limited economic, social, and communal benefits, and that replication of the program may be possible if certain steps are followed. Overall conclusions demonstrated that expanding literacy programs in this setting can facilitate social and economic progress for previously illiterate adults and future generations, particularly where structural inequality is evident. Final recommendations included comparison studies of other programs and longitudinal research of descending generations.

It is well documented that some populations experience higher rates of certain diseases. While researchers have explored factors contributing to health disparities, attention has turned to the influence of social factors. For instance, stereotype threat has recently been applied to the health care setting in order to explain growing health disparities (e.g., Aronson et al., 2013). Health care stereotype threat (HCST) may arise when patients become aware that a negative health stereotype exists about a group or groups with which they identify, thus negatively impacting their utilization of health care services. Furthermore, patients with multiple marginalized identities have unique experiences of stereotyping and discrimination within the health care system. The purpose of the current study is to address Abdou et al.’s (2016) recommendation that researchers examine health care stereotype threat among individuals with multiple marginalized identities. The present study identified patients with a chronic illness and multiple marginalized identities including: (a) identifying as Black, (b) being considered overweight by medical community, and/or (c) identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT). These identities were chosen based on research indicating that physicians hold implicit bias attitudes towards and stereotypes about these groups (e.g., Blair et al., 2013; Chapman et al., 2001; Sabin et al., 2009). I utilized qualitative research methodology to contextualize patients’ experiences of stereotyping in a health setting. In person, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight patients. During the interview process, four major categories and 22 sub-level categories emerged. Grounded theory methodology (Corbin & Strauss, 2008) was used to analyze the data. The results of the study revealed a complex relationship between negative experiences with a provider (i.e., dismissive communication and perceived stereotyping) and health care utilization. Patients’ negative experiences with providers made it more difficult for patients to continue engaging in care. Systemic barriers as well as level of coping and social support influenced patients’ perception of stereotyping and discrimination. Level of support from other providers and use of coping skills also determined the extent to which patients continued to utilize available health care in the face of discrimination. Implications for future research and clinical practice are delineated.

<p>State estimation deals with estimation of the state of an object of interest by observing noisy measurements. The process to obtain the state estimations is called filtering. In this report several filters are compared to an existing one. The new filters deal with nonlinear process and measurement models in a different way than the existing filter. Instead of approximating the nonlinear transformations the probability densities are approximated by a set of points which undergo the nonlinear transformation.</p><p>The application for which the filters will be used is to estimate the position and orientation of a camera in a markerless environment, using data from an inertial measurement unit and a camera. It is found that the corresponding process and measurement models contain nonlinearities and therefore an accuracy improvement is expected with the new filters.</p><p>The new filters are variations of the so-called unscented Kalman filter. Also a discussion on the marginalized particle filter is presented. Instead of using randomly chosen samples as in the particle filter methods, the unscented Kalman filter uses deterministically chosen points. The marginalized particle filter partitions the variables of the system in a linear and a nonlinear part. Linear Kalman filters are applied to the linear variables and a particle filter to the nonlinear variables, thus reducing the computational load. Details of various implementations of the filters are given, as well as the motivation for the specific implementations.</p><p>Tests are carried out to assess the performance of the filters. This is done with both simulation data and real measurements. A comparison is made to the original extended Kalman filter. The tests are focussed on accuracy and computational load.</p><p>Results showed that the use of the new filters did not improve accuracy. This is mainly due to the fact that the nonlinearities are not so severe. Furthermore the filters had a higher computational load, which is an important aspect in the system reviewed in this report. Therefore the current filter need not to be replaced. The unscented Kalman filter is a good alternative to the EKF in case of new applications, since it can handle the system in a black-box manner in contrast to the EKF.</p>

State estimation deals with estimation of the state of an object of interest by observing noisy measurements. The process to obtain the state estimations is called filtering. In this report several filters are compared to an existing one. The new filters deal with nonlinear process and measurement models in a different way than the existing filter. Instead of approximating the nonlinear transformations the probability densities are approximated by a set of points which undergo the nonlinear transformation. The application for which the filters will be used is to estimate the position and orientation of a camera in a markerless environment, using data from an inertial measurement unit and a camera. It is found that the corresponding process and measurement models contain nonlinearities and therefore an accuracy improvement is expected with the new filters. The new filters are variations of the so-called unscented Kalman filter. Also a discussion on the marginalized particle filter is presented. Instead of using randomly chosen samples as in the particle filter methods, the unscented Kalman filter uses deterministically chosen points. The marginalized particle filter partitions the variables of the system in a linear and a nonlinear part. Linear Kalman filters are applied to the linear variables and a particle filter to the nonlinear variables, thus reducing the computational load. Details of various implementations of the filters are given, as well as the motivation for the specific implementations. Tests are carried out to assess the performance of the filters. This is done with both simulation data and real measurements. A comparison is made to the original extended Kalman filter. The tests are focussed on accuracy and computational load. Results showed that the use of the new filters did not improve accuracy. This is mainly due to the fact that the nonlinearities are not so severe. Furthermore the filters had a higher computational load, which is an important aspect in the system reviewed in this report. Therefore the current filter need not to be replaced. The unscented Kalman filter is a good alternative to the EKF in case of new applications, since it can handle the system in a black-box manner in contrast to the EKF.