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The core purposes of this study were twofold: (1) to ascertain whether mathematics teachers support reform oriented teaching practices, and (2) to discover whether there is correspondence between what classroom mathematics teachers say they should do when they teach mathematics and what they really do in the classroom. To carry out this investigation, elementary, middle and high school mathematics teachers responded to survey questions about their beliefs and practices and were observed. There are two major research questions that underlie this research and several secondary questions. The primary questions are: 1. Do in-service mathematics teachers support the major principles of reform oriented mathematics instruction? 2. To what extent do in-service mathematics teachers exhibit reform-oriented teaching in their classrooms? Among the secondary research questions are the following: 3. Does professional development support reform oriented teaching practices? 4. Do teachers' beliefs vary with respect to the grade level they teach? 5. Do teachers' beliefs vary with respect to their levels of education? The subjects were mathematics teachers from three grade levels, elementary, middle and high school selected from three school districts in northeastern United States. One hundred seventy-four mathematics teachers participated in the main study. Ten of the teachers who completed the Questionnaire voluntarily participated in in-class observations and post-observation interviews. The Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) was used for the observation. All 10 teachers were interviewed individually immediately either after the in-class observation took place or a day later. The most salient finding of the study was that while teachers express a strong belief in the major tenets of reform oriented mathematics teaching, their actual demonstration of this type of teaching is far less evident. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated only marginal relationships between teachers' demographic characteristics and their beliefs. A multiple regression analysis found that only 6% of the variance in beliefs is accounted for by the demographic variables. One of the major conclusions of the research is that teachers feel compelled to teach in ways that are discrepant from their beliefs in order to prepare their students for the standardized tests, which are now a critical component of educational accountability. Educational implications, limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are discussed. / Educational Psychology

The current study used data gathered as part of the Head Start/Public School Transition Project (Virginia Site), and included only data on the children who were part of Cohort II (i.e., enrolled in kindergarten in 1993). This database was examined to determine how select child and family characteristics uniquely contributed to parents' and teachers' ratings of the children's social skills and problem behaviors. A series of exploratory factor analyses (EFA), using principal components extraction and varimax rotation, were conducted to identify from the available database underlying constructs associated with the children's development of social skills and problem behaviors. Results of the EFA were used to construct predictor and dependent variables. Separate univariate models were established at four time points and hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine the unique contributions of the various predictors of parent and teacher ratings of children's social skills and problem behaviors. Of the demographic variables examined, the unique contribution of Hispanic ethnicity to parents' ratings of the children's social skills and problem behaviors was significant at all time points. Other predictors that were significant and uniquely contributed the most to parents' ratings of the children's social skills included the family's routine (beginning of kindergarten), parenting style (end of kindergarten), and attitudes about the neighborhood (end of first grade). Parents' attitudes about the behavior of children in the school was a significant predictor of parents' ratings of the children's problem behaviors. None of the predictors contributed significantly to the teacher's ratings of the children's social skills or problem behaviors. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study is to explore job satisfaction among pre-tenured faculty. More specifically I was interested in examining demographic and personal fit factors, fit with the norms and values of the institution among pre-tenured faculty in different institutional types. The sample for the study included all pre-tenured faculty members who completed the COACHE 2009- 2010 job satisfaction survey. The COACHE survey was administered to pre-tenured faculty at 149 four-year colleges and universities in 2009-2010. The conceptual framework for this study is grounded in a modified version of the structural model of job satisfaction by Olsen et al., (1995). The application of exploratory factor analysis followed by stepwise multiple-regression was used to construct and discover dimensions or factors that predict global job satisfaction affecting pre-tenured faculty members. The results of the stepwise multiple-regression revealed that the three constructs of variables differ by institution type. A combination of five variables: effectiveness of work-life balance policies, satisfaction with time available for faculty work, satisfaction with tenured collegiality, satisfaction with autonomy of faculty work, satisfaction with compensation, and satisfaction with support services were the most significant predictors of job satisfaction for pre-tenured faculty members. Institutional fit variables were stronger significant predictors of fit and job satisfaction compared to demographic and personal fit variables. The findings of this study underscore the importance of university administrators to pay particular attention to extrinsic dimension of the faculty work to job satisfaction to fulfill institutional mission. / Ph. D.

<p>Storm water is defined as runoff from precipitation such as rain or snow. It is collected in sewage disposal systems and since it mainly originates from urban areas it can contain high levels of heavy metals, nutrients and oil etc. Polluted storm water is currently treated by different methods such as wet ponds, constructed wetlands and filter strips. This study investigates these methods, which in earlier studies have shown to give varying results regarding their treatment efficiency.</p><p>This thesis has been written on commission of SWECO VIAK and was aimed at studying those parameters that may affect the treatment efficiency of nutrients and heavy metals in storm water treatment facilities (STF:s). Through literature studies the dominating treatment processes in ponds and wetlands were examined. The flow pattern was then simulated in four different storm water ponds, of varying shape and size, by using a physically based computer model. The residence time distribution for each pond could then be calculated as well as the hydraulic efficiency, which is a measure on how well the inflowing water is spread throughout a pond. Finally a multiple regression analysis was performed. This analysis examined how the reduction of lead, copper, zinc and cadmium depends on the following factors: the specific pond area, the variance of the residence time distribution, the hydraulic efficiency and the concentration of incoming metals and suspended solids. The specific pond area is a factor which is defined as the pond area divided by the reduced run off area.</p><p>The results from the multiple regression analysis indicate that an increasing content of inflowing suspended solids leads to a better treatment efficiency regarding lead and copper. The specific area showed to have some effect on the treatment efficiency, but this effect was less than that of the content of inflowing suspended solids. The reduction of cadmium depended mainly on the specific area and the incoming concentration of cadmium. An increasing reduction of zinc could to some extent be explained by an increasing specific area.</p><p>The results from this analysis and earlier studies are emphasizing the fact that adsorption to particles and sediment is one of the main processes for a good separation of heavy metals from storm water. Longer measurements series from additional treatment facilities are needed to build a statistical model which, in the future, can be used to predict the treatment efficiency of storm water ponds.</p> / <p>Dagvatten är regn- och smältvatten som samlas upp i avloppssystem. Då detta vatten huvudsakligen härstammar från urban bebyggelse så kan det innehålla höga halter tungmetaller, närsalter och olja med mera. Idag behandlas förorenat dagvatten bland annat genom nyttjande av dammar, våtmarker och översilningsytor. Dessa behandlingsalternativ har dock visat sig ge varierande resultat med avseende på dess reningseffektivitet.</p><p>Detta arbete har utförts på uppdrag av konsultföretaget SWECO VIAK och syftade till att studera vilka parametrar som påverkar reningseffekten av närsalter och tungmetaller i dagvattendammar. Genom litteraturstudier undersöktes de dominerande reningsprocesserna i dammar och våtmarker. Därefter modellerades strömningen i 4 dammar med varierande form och storlek. Vid detta arbete erhölls en fördelning av uppehållstiden hos vattnet för respektive damm samt ett värde på den hydrauliska effektiviteten, vilken är ett mått på hur väl det inströmmande vattnet sprids ut i dammen. Slutligen utfördes en multipel regressionsanalys.</p><p>Vid denna analys undersöktes hur reningen av bly, koppar, zink och kadmium beror av den specifika dammarean, variansen hos vattnets uppehållstidsfördelning, den hydrauliska effektiviteten samt inkommande metall- och TSS-koncentration (suspenderat material). Den specifika dammarean är en faktor vilken defineras som kvoten mellan dammens area och dess reducerade avrinningsområde.</p><p>Resultaten från den multipla regressionen tyder på att en ökad inkommande halt av suspenderat material till dammen har störst betydelse för en förbättrad avskiljning av bly och koppar. Även den specifika arean och metallkoncentrationen i inflödet visade sig ha en viss, men något mindre, betydelse. Reduktionen av kadmium berodde däremot till störst del av den specifika arean och inkommande kadmiumkoncentration. En ökad reduktion av zink förklarades till viss del av en ökad specifik area. Resultatet att halten av suspenderat material i hög grad avgör reningen samt tidigare studier understryker det faktum att adsorption till partiklar och sediment verkar vara en av de viktigaste processerna för en god avskiljning av tungmetaller. Längre mätserier från fler dagvattendammar krävs dock för att i framtiden ta fram en statistisk modell vilken skulle kunna användas till att prediktera reningseffekten.</p>

Given the increase in popularity of Lifetime Value (LTV), the argument is that the topic will assume an increasingly central role in research and marketing. As such, the decision to assess the state of the field in Lifetime Value Modelling, and outline challenges unique to choice researchers in customer relationship management (CRM). As the research has argued, there are an excess of issues and analytical challenges that remain unresolved. The researcher hopes that this thesis inspires new answers and new approaches to resolve LTV. The scope of this project covers the building of a LTV model through multiple regression. This thesis is exclusively focused on modelling tenure. In this regard, there are a variety of benchmark statistical techniques arising from survival analysis, which could be applied, to tenure modelling. Tenure prediction will be looked at using survival analysis and compared with "crossbreed" data mining techniques that use multiple regression in concurrence with statistical techniques. It will be demonstrated how data mining tools complement the statistical models, and show that their mutual usage overcomes many of the shortcomings of each singular tool set, resulting in LTV models that are both accurate and comprehensible. Bank XYZ is used as an example and is based on a real scenario of one of the Banks of South Africa. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Computer Science))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of grit and intrinsic motivation regarding students' propensity to procrastinate. Three specific research questions were constructed: "How much of the variance in participants' procrastination is explained solely by their degree of grit?" "Does the degree of intrisic motivation contribute with additional explanatory information for the regression between grit and procrastination?" "Is intrisic motivation a mediator for the regression between grit and procrastination?" To test this, a hierarchical multiple regression analysis was constructed. To collect data an electronic questionnaire was constructed. The sample consisted of 271 students who all studied at Karlstad University. The data was collected through the learning platform itslearning. Grit was measured with Swedish-Grit Scale. Intrinsic motivation was measured with a modified version of Task Evaluation Questionnaire and the students' propensity to procrastinate was measured with Pure Procrastination Scale. Grit and intrinsic motivation constituted the independent variables and the students' propensity to procrastinate was the dependent variable. The results showed that both the grit and intrinsic motivation significantly contributed with explained variance in the students' propensity to procrastinate. The strongest predictor variable was grit. The results also showed that intrinsic motivation was not a mediator for the regression between grit and procrastination. The conclusion is that grit should play a greater part in the Swedish school system. / Syftet med studien var att undersöka betydelsen av grit och inre motivation för studenters benägenhet att prokrastinera. Tre konkreta frågeställningar konstruerades: ”Hur stor del av variansen inom deltagarnas prokrastinering förklaras ensamt av deras grad grit?”, ”Bidrar inre motivation med ytterligare förklarande information för regressionen mellan grit och prokrastinering?” och “Är inre motivation en mediator för regressionen mellan grit och prokrastinering?” För att testa detta genomfördes en hierarkisk multipel regressionsanalys. För att samla in data konturerades en elektronisk enkät. Stickprovet bestod av 271 studenter som alla studerade på Karlstads universitet. Datainsamlingen gjordes via lärplattformen itslearning. Grit mättes med Swedish-Grit Scale. Inre motivation mättes genom en modifierad version av Task Evaluation Questionnaire Prokrastinering mättes med hjälp av Pure Procrastination Scale. Grit och inre motivation utgjorde oberoende variabler och studenternas prokrastineringsbeteende utgjorde den beroende variabel. Resultatet visade att både grit och inre motivation signifikant bidrog med förklarad varians inom studenternas prokrastineringsbeteenden. Den starkaste prediktorvariablen var grit. Resultatet visade också att inre motivation inte var en mediator för regressionen mellan grit och prokrastinering. Slutsatsen av arbetet är att grit borde spela en större del i det svenska skolväsendet.

A inovação tecnológica desempenha um papel fundamental no desenvolvimento de empresas, regiões e mesmo de países. Especificamente no estado de São Paulo, estudar os aspectos relevantes a este tema é de suma importância por se tratar do estado mais industrializado e mais importante economicamente no Brasil. Dentro deste contexto, este estudo visa analisar especificamente aspectos ligados à inovação tecnológica nas empresas dos diversos setores de atividade industrial, utilizando para isto ndicadores de inovação tecnológica e de dados empresariais da Pesquisa de Atividade Econômica Paulista (PAEP), realizada pela fundação Sistema Estadual de Análise de Dados Estatísticos (SEADE), sobre o período de 1999 a 2001. / The technological innovation performs a fundamental part in the development process of companies, regions and even countries. Specifically in the state of São Paulo, the study of relevant aspects to this theme is of summary importance because it is the most industrialized and economically important in this country. Within of this context, this study aim to analyze specifically some aspects linked to the technological innovation in different sections of industrial activity, using to this, technological innovation indicators and business results obtained by the Paulista Research of Economic Activities (PAEP), that was realized by SEADE foundation over the period of 1999 to 2001.