Browsing by Subject "Effectiveness"
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Item Effectiveness of phonological awareness and reading interventions on children with language impairment : a research review(2011-05) Armstrong, April Melissa; Peña, Elizabeth D.; Sheng, LiThe effectiveness of treatment approaches aimed at children with language impairments to improve reading skills is the focus of this research synthesis. Research in this area is extensive but this report aims to focus on the results of 12 studies to highlight similarities and differences. Findings from these studies were analyzed and showed that phonological awareness intervention is one of the most prevalent types of intervention for this population. Research supports the fact that phonological awareness intervention can produce positive changes in children with language impairments. This type of intervention can not only cause improvements in phonological awareness skills but can also cause increases in reading ability. Credibility ratings for the studies as well as clinical implications are also discussed.Item Effects of student performance assessment outcomes as a criterion in the teacher evaluation process(2014-05) Maldonado, Samuel; Olivárez, Rubén; England, Grace; Saenz, Victor B.; Garza, Karen; Rodriquez, Xochitl M.; Wetzel, Melissa M.The teacher evaluation processes and practices utilized in American public schools serving kindergarten through high school students have undergone continual alterations since the early 1880's. In 2001, the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, now known as the No Child Left Behind Act, spurred the development and implementation of comprehensive public school accountability systems based on student academic performance measures. This national legislative initiative has brought to the forefront a renewed push for changes in traditional teacher evaluation systems which align individual teacher efforts with student performance outcomes (Stronge, Ward, Tucker, & Hindman, 2007). According to federal documents, in 2013, 30 states required student performance as a measure in teacher performance evaluations. Among these states, 20 require student performance outcomes to be a "significant or the most significant factor in judging teacher performance" (ESEA, 2012). Consequently states and local education agencies (LEAs) developed and employed varying evaluation approaches to document and measure the effects of individual teacher efforts on student performance. The utilization of pre- and post- student assessment measures has been a feature of such evaluative attempts to connect teaching with student outcomes and to determine the value of the teacher’s effort. One such evaluative approach has evolved as value-added model (VAM). In spite of its widespread utility in American school system, the validity, fairness and sustainability of VAMs in teacher has been questioned by leading scholars in the field and vigorously challenged by teachers and organized teacher organizations and unions. Therefore, the purpose of this case study is to examine the effects of inclusion of value-added methods in the teacher evaluation process, and to acquire information to broaden our understandings of the complexities involved in the application of student performance outcomes to evaluate individual teacher performance. The research questions guiding this study are: (1) According to teacher perceptions, how does the inclusion of a student academic performance measure in the teacher evaluation process influence teacher's instructional and non-instructional behavior? (2) Are there measurable differences between elementary and secondary teachers in their perceptions of how a student performance measure in the teacher evaluation process influences teacher instructional and non-instructional behavior? (3) According to teacher perceptions, will students' academic performance on state assessments improve due to the inclusion of student performance outcomes in the teacher evaluation process?Item Internal crossflow effects on turbine airfoil film cooling adiabatic effectiveness with compound angle round holes(2014-05) Klavetter, Sean Robert; Bogard, David G.Internal crossflow is an important element to actual gas turbine blade cooling; however, there are very few studies in open literature that have documented its effects on turbine blade film cooling. Experiments measuring adiabatic effectiveness were conducted to investigate the effects of perpendicular crossflow on a row of 45 degree compound angle, cylindrical film cooling holes. Tests included a standard plenum condition, a baseline crossflow case consisting of a smooth-walled channel, and various crossflow configurations with ribs. The ribs were angled to the direction of prevailing internal crossflow at 45 and 135 degrees and were positioned at different locations. Experiments were conducted at a density ratio of DR=1.5 for a range of blowing ratios including M=0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0. Results showed that internal crossflow can significantly influence adiabatic effectiveness when compared to the standard plenum condition. The implementation of ribs generally decreased the adiabatic effectiveness when compared to the smooth-walled crossflow case. The highest adiabatic effectiveness measurements were recorded for the smooth-walled case in which crossflow was directed against the spanwise hole orientation angle. Tests indicated that the direction of perpendicular crossflow in relation to the hole orientation can significantly influence the adiabatic effectiveness. Among the rib crossflow tests, rib configurations that directed the coolant forward in the direction of the mainstream resulted in higher adiabatic effectiveness measurements. However, no other parameters could consistently be identified correlating to increased film cooling performance. It is likely that a combination of factors are responsible for influencing performance, including internal local pressure caused by the ribs, the internal channel flow field, jet exit velocity profiles, and in-hole vortices.Item Investigating Rainwater Harvesting as a Stormwater Best Management Practice and as a Function of Irrigation Water Use(2012-02-14) Shannak, Sa'D Abdel-HalimStormwater runoff has negative impacts on water resources, human health and environment. In this research the effectiveness of Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) systems is examined as a stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP). Time-based, evapotranspiration-based, and soil moisture-based irrigation scheduling methods in conjunction with RWH and a control site without RWH were simulated to determine the effect of RWH as a BMP on a single-family residence scale. The effects of each irrigation scheduling method on minimizing water runoff leaving the plots and potable water input for irrigation were compared. The scenario that reflects urban development was simulated and compared to other RWH-irrigation scheduling systems by a control treatment without a RWH component. Four soil types (sand, sandy loam, loamy sand, silty clay) and four cistern sizes (208L, 416L, 624L, 833L) were evaluated in the urban development scenario. To achieve the purpose of this study; a model was developed to simulate daily water balance for the three treatments. Irrigation volumes and water runoff were compared for four soil types and four cistern sizes. Comparisons between total volumes of water runoff were estimated by utilizing different soil types, while comparisons between total potable water used for irrigation were estimated by utilizing different irrigation scheduling methods. This research showed that both Curve Number method and Mass-Balance method resulted in the greatest volumes of water runoff predicted for Silty Clay soil and the least volumes of water runoff predicted for Sand soil. Moreover, increasing cistern sizes resulted in reducing total water runoff and potable water used for irrigation, although not at a statistically significant level. Control treatment that does not utilize a cistern had the greatest volumes of predicted supplemental water among all soil types utilized, while Soil Moisture-based treatment on average had the least volume of predicted supplemental water.Item Professionals' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Online versus Face-to-face Continuing Professional Education Courses(2011-10-21) Ke, JieWith the increasing use of the computer and the Internet in the training sector, there are constant debates about the effectiveness of e-learning versus traditional face-to-face (FTF) education since the early 1990s. However, limited empirical studies have been conducted for this purpose in the field of Continuing Professional Education (CPE), on which the flexibility in time and place of e-learning have made and will potentially make a greater impact. Even fewer such studies were situated in a non-academic context for professions other than nursing or healthcare. Moreover, the learners? voice is often absent in the debates. This exploratory study was designed to a) obtain professionals? perceptions concerning the effectiveness of online versus FTF CPE courses from two pedagogical aspects of adult learning: professional knowledge and practice development and technology context link, and b) assess if professionals? perceptions varied as a function of their sociocultural and professional contexts. Self-reported perception data were collected through an online survey. Professionals (n=399) from Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) participated in the study. The professional units where the participants worked included Fire Service, Utilities and Public Work, Homeland Security, Safety and Health, Public Safety and Security, Technology, and Search and Rescue. Exploratory factor analysis (Principle Component Analysis), descriptive statistics, t-tests, multivariate analysis and ANOVAs were run for the purpose of data analysis. It was found that the professionals who participated in the study (a) perceived that online CPE courses were less effective in enhancing their professional knowledge and practice development when compared to traditional FTF CPE courses; (b) perceived that online CPE courses were more effective in linking what they had learned to technology contexts that they were in; (c) perceived that online CPE courses were less effective than FTF courses in general; (d) who were female perceived online CPE courses? ability in improving their professional knowledge and practice less negatively than male participants; and (e) who were firefighters favored the online CPE courses compared to professionals from the other units in TEEX, while the professionals from Safety and Health were most negative about the effectiveness of online CPE courses. The responses to the two open-ended questions provided information on the measures recommended by surveyed professionals to improve the effectiveness of online and FTF CPE courses.Item Short-term and long-term effects of coach leadership behaviors(2010-05) Anderson, Leal Jaurice; Green, B Christine; Dixon, MarleneSport is a medium through which the leader can greatly influence the consequences. The purpose of this research was to examine the ways in which perceived coach leadership behaviors impact perceptions of coaching performance, individual athlete performance, team performance, and lifelong outcomes. In this study, two hundred seventy nine former student-athletes were asked to recall and report on the experiences they had as an athlete during high school along with specific lifelong outcomes (e.g., confidence, control etc.). Student judgment of their coaches’ types of behavior, (e.g., Democratic vs. Autocratic) was compared with perceptions of their coach’s performance, their individual performance, their team’s performance and various lifelong outcomes. Results revealed that Training and Instruction, Social Support, and Positive Feedback were related to Coach Performance. Training and Instruction and Democratic Behaviors were related to Individual Athlete Performance. Training and Instruction and Positive Feedback were related to Team Performance. Social Support structures were related to Athlete Challenge. Training and Instruction was related to Athlete Confidence in Abilities and overall Lifelong Outcomes. Autocratic Behaviors were related to Athlete Control of Emotions. Training and Instruction was found to be related to every short-term performance component. Coaches seeking to impact performance of their teams can do so by utilizing these leadership behaviors. Many of these behaviors also have a long-term positive effect on the individual. Sport managers seeking to satisfy the goals of the organization may employ these leadership behaviors to select, train, and evaluate staff members to increase the overall effectiveness of the organization.Item The Effectiveness and The Goals of Foreign Aid: An Empirical Examination of Sectoral Aid?s Influence on Mitigating Conflicts and Violence(2012-10-19) Zhang, YuThe objectives of foreign aid are closely associated with the global political and economic issues during the last 60 years. In recent years foreign aid flows have been considerably influenced by international terrorism. In this paper I attempt to investigate whether and how sectoral aid has affected international conflicts and intra-country violence. The analysis is initiated by case studies. I use graphical analysis to examine the rationale and disbursements of sectoral foreign aid to Iraq and Afghanistan from 2002 to 2010. It is discovered that aid for agriculture and food are extremely low in these conflict areas. Then I use a comprehensive panel data to show the relationships between conflicts/violence and sectoral foreign aid covering 123 developing countries from 2002 to 2010. It shows that agricultural aid can significantly reduce conflict, and aid for food security can significantly mitigate violence. Aid for some sectors will increase conflict/violence. Finally I use directed acyclic graphs (DAG) to present preliminary results on the structure of causality among conflicts/violence and sectoral aid, showing that aid to government is positively associated with both conflict and violence.