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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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1999

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Articles 1561 - 1590 of 2555

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Third International Mathematics And Science Study (Timss) And The Nature Of College Courses, D. R. Sterling Jan 1999

Third International Mathematics And Science Study (Timss) And The Nature Of College Courses, D. R. Sterling

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

The TIMSS report leads to some strong conclusions concerning the effectiveness of various approaches for teaching mathematics and science in grades K-8. This presentation will focus on a description of the findings of TlMSS concerning effective teaching. Although the TIMSS study and its findings relate directly to teaching prior to college, the findings do have a lot to say about effective teaching at the college level. At the very least, they describe the type of teaching and learning that future teachers must experience if they are to bring about this type of learning in their own courses.


Hands-On Physical Science Course At Radford University, T. Tanaka Jan 1999

Hands-On Physical Science Course At Radford University, T. Tanaka

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Most students in our introductory physical science course are elementary education majors. We are faced with several obstacles in teaching basic science to these students. For example, they lack interest in science, logical thinking, and necessary data gathering and analysis skills, among others. Many of those obstacles could be traced back to the science courses they had taken in the past. Those courses put more emphasis on memorizing scientific facts than understanding natural phenomena or experiencing scientific methods. As a result, the students tend to have a negative attitude toward science in general. In order to reverse this attitude, We …


An Investigative Approach To Teaching Mathematics: Excitement And Concerns Of K-8 Preservice Teachers, J. L. M. Wilkins Jan 1999

An Investigative Approach To Teaching Mathematics: Excitement And Concerns Of K-8 Preservice Teachers, J. L. M. Wilkins

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Following from the recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, an Investigative Approach (IA) to teaching mathematics encourages students to explore real-world problems through hands-on activities instead of focusing on rote memorization of facts, formulas, and procedures. This paper discusses thirty-two K-8 preservice teachers‘ responses to questions regarding excitements and concerns about using this method of teaching. Although most preservice teachers are excited about the prospects of using this approach in their future classrooms, some exhibit hesitations related to concerns about time constraints and their own math abilities. A mathematics methods course presently being taught that is centered …


Community College Perspectives On Teacher Preparation In Virginia, D. L. Neely-Fisher Jan 1999

Community College Perspectives On Teacher Preparation In Virginia, D. L. Neely-Fisher

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

The need for future teachers who are well versed in mathematics and science will not be provided by Virginia’s four-year institutions alone. A large portion of those students who complete their K-8 teacher preparation programs at Virginia’s four-year institutions have studied a significant portion, if not all, of their mathematics and science at community colleges. Therefore, if future teachers are to have completed appropriate mathematics and science courses these must be provided by the community colleges. In addition, community colleges can play a critical role in attracting people with a high potential for becoming excellent teachers. Two-year colleges are located …


Preparing Preservice Teachers For The Experimental Design And Data Analysis Sol's, J. E. Wright Jr. Jan 1999

Preparing Preservice Teachers For The Experimental Design And Data Analysis Sol's, J. E. Wright Jr.

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Many elementary teachers find teaching the science Standards of Learning (SOL) difficult [1, 2]. Some are even threatened by them. Of particular concern are the SOLs related to experimental design, handling data, and the scientific method. A possible reason for this discomfort is because many of these elementary teachers have had limited-to-no exposure to experimentation. As one of the activities included under a recent National Science Foundation Science Teachers Enhancement Project (STEP) grant awarded to Hampton University in conjunction with Virginia Union University and St. Paul's College, we included a teacher science fair competition. A special workbook/text was developed for …


Journal Of Mathematics And Science: Collaborative Explorations Jan 1999

Journal Of Mathematics And Science: Collaborative Explorations

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.


Creating The Need To Know, A. L. Buikema Jr. Jan 1999

Creating The Need To Know, A. L. Buikema Jr.

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Context-based teaching provides a strategy that gives the responsibility of learning back to the student. This approach is being used at Virginia Tech in a number of settings, including an introductory Biology class with 325 students.


Impact Of A New Introductory Mathematical Modeling Course On Student Confidence In Mathematical Ability And Skills, P. Dean, D. Hydorn, S. Sumner Jan 1999

Impact Of A New Introductory Mathematical Modeling Course On Student Confidence In Mathematical Ability And Skills, P. Dean, D. Hydorn, S. Sumner

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Interdisciplinary mathematics and science courses are increasing in popularity. Faculty teaching these courses are given the opportunity to show how mathematics plays an important role in science and how it can be used to improve our understanding of mathematics and science. This paper discusses a new course in mathematical modeling that focuses on environmental issues. Course content and format are presented, as well as the results of a study on the changes in students’ perceptions of their mathematical abilities as a result of taking this new course.


On The Job Mathematics, G. Rublein Jan 1999

On The Job Mathematics, G. Rublein

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

What kind of course work is appropriate for a general education mathematics requirement? In most instances, students see a presentation of one or more mathematical topics followed by some applications. Sometimes these applications are characterized as ‘real world’ even though no person would ever be paid to work the problems that students are given. We will describe an approach to this issue that requires students to replicate mathematical work that is done by people who want to keep their jobs. Only a small minority can make money doing mathematics for entertainment. Hence, we omit for this category everyone employed in …


Informal Geometry In The Preparation Of Teachers: A New Mathematics Course At The University Of Virginia, L. D. Pitt Jan 1999

Informal Geometry In The Preparation Of Teachers: A New Mathematics Course At The University Of Virginia, L. D. Pitt

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Students require a rich variety of hands-on geometric experiences before they progress to more formal traditional geometric instruction. This fact has often been ignored in the mathematics preparation of today’s teachers. At the University of Virginia a new general education geometry course, The Shape of Space, is being developed that focuses on obtaining deep understandings of elementary geometry through physical and visual activities.


A Model For Faculty Collaboration In Preparing Virginia's K-8 Teachers, B. F. Risacher Jan 1999

A Model For Faculty Collaboration In Preparing Virginia's K-8 Teachers, B. F. Risacher

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

The overall goals of the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) [1] are for students to become good problem solvers and communicators about mathematics, to reason logically and to make connections within mathematics and to other disciplines such as in solving science problems. Unfortunately, the beliefs about teaching of many preservice teachers are not consistent with these goals. Furthermore, the college mathematics courses experienced by preservice teachers are generally in contrast to these goals. This study outlines a collaborative effort of three colleges to encourage faculty to adopt a more student-investigative style of instruction A planning team offered a semester of …


Experimental Design At The Intersection Of Mathematics, Science, And Technology In Grades K-6, R N. Giese, M. M. Mason Jan 1999

Experimental Design At The Intersection Of Mathematics, Science, And Technology In Grades K-6, R N. Giese, M. M. Mason

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Interdisciplinary courses, highlighting as they do the area(s) the disciplines have in common, often give the misperception of a single body of knowledge and/or way of knowing. However, discipline based courses often leave the equally mistaken notion that the disciplines have nothing in common. The task of the methods courses described in this paper is to reach an appropriate balance so that our pre-service elementary (K-6) teachers have a realistic perception of the independence and interdependence of mathematics and science. At the College of William and Mary each cohort of pre-service elementary teachers enrolls in mathematics and science methods courses …


Curriculum Restructuring At Lynchburg College: Effects Of Realignment To State-Mandated Competencies And Implications For K-6 Math And Science Teacher Preparation, W. Mckenzie, C. Messerschmidt Jan 1999

Curriculum Restructuring At Lynchburg College: Effects Of Realignment To State-Mandated Competencies And Implications For K-6 Math And Science Teacher Preparation, W. Mckenzie, C. Messerschmidt

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Because Lynchburg College offers a four-year program to attain teacher licensure, current restructuring efforts have been aimed at targeting the professional studies requirements across a program of courses that are efficiently integrated. Math and science methods courses will be combined into a workshop course. A new general studies program has been approved which requires eight hours of lab sciences and three hours of math. A General Science course has been approved which will be geared towards pre-service teachers. The professional core requires an additional eight hours of lab sciences, totaling 16 hours in science, and six hours of math, geared …


Wonders Of Technology-Teaching Physics To Non-Scientists, V. A. Niculescu, P. Martin Jan 1999

Wonders Of Technology-Teaching Physics To Non-Scientists, V. A. Niculescu, P. Martin

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Wonders of Technology is a conceptual physics course developed for non—science majors. The approach taken here in the introduction of the physical concepts is to depict their role in today’s technology, specifically the technology familiar to the students, and also to emphasize the connection between technology, art, and culture from the historical perspective. Why this approach? The traditional method of teaching physics is perceived by many students as "user-unfriendly" — they think physics is difficult, abstract, and, in fact, of little or no relevance to everyday life. The course Wonders of Technology alleviates this perception by placing the students on …


Edis 788 Mathematics/Science/Education Field Project As A Capstone Experience In Five Year Ba/Mt Teacher Education Program, S. P. Plaskon Jan 1999

Edis 788 Mathematics/Science/Education Field Project As A Capstone Experience In Five Year Ba/Mt Teacher Education Program, S. P. Plaskon

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

As a culminating experience, students in the Elementary Education Program Area at the University of Virginia are expected to engage in a field project/thesis experience in the final semester of their program of study. This session will provide an overview of the Field Project/Thesis Experience as it currently exists and will discuss possible variations to encourage more math and science collaborations.


Experiencing Science, An Introduction To "Real" Methods Of Science For The Preservice Teacher, D. L. Neely-Fisher, D. B. Hagan Jan 1999

Experiencing Science, An Introduction To "Real" Methods Of Science For The Preservice Teacher, D. L. Neely-Fisher, D. B. Hagan

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

The "scientific method" presented in the middle school classroom introduces the experimental approach of science in a way that may actually bear little resemblance to the processes actually used by working scientists. Teachers equipped with an insight into the motivations, philosophy, tools, and culture of science will better convey an accurate and positive picture of science as a critically important human endeavor. The Experiencing Science course was designed to answer the challenge of giving the pre-service teacher and decision-maker better insight into actual processes used by scientists, in the context of each of the major disciplines.


Innovative Opportunities For Elementary And Middle School Teachers To Maintain Currency In Mathematics And Science: A Community College-School System Partnership, B. Ellis, M. Giacofci, D. Riley, P. Scott Jan 1999

Innovative Opportunities For Elementary And Middle School Teachers To Maintain Currency In Mathematics And Science: A Community College-School System Partnership, B. Ellis, M. Giacofci, D. Riley, P. Scott

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Since 1992 the Manassas Campus of Northern Virginia Community College – in response to requests from local school systems – has developed four innovative methods of assisting elementary, secondary and middle school teachers to enhance their content knowledge in science and mathematics, as well as integrate curriculum units for classroom presentation. These methods are based on the assumptions that: - While teachers at this level have fundamental understanding of math and science, if they wish to incorporate new concepts or technologies from these fields, graduate level content courses are generally beyond their background level. - Community College faculty can often …


Teaching Physical Science Through Technology: Middle School Vcu Phy 591, V. A, Niculescu, D. B. Hagan Jan 1999

Teaching Physical Science Through Technology: Middle School Vcu Phy 591, V. A, Niculescu, D. B. Hagan

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Teaching Physical Science through Technology is a new 3-credit laboratory-and-lecture based course designed to serve as an introduction to the teaching of physical science concepts at the middle school level. Physical science phenomena are presented through investigations of commonly known applications of technology and focus on the Virginia Science Standards of Learning for 6th Grade Science and the Physical Science courses. Topics include matter, gravity, mechanics, heat, optics, electricity and magnetism, and computers as seen in their roles in common devices. The development of the course includes assessment from six semesters, collaboration with other institutions including the Science Museum of …


Rapporteur's Report, W. E. Haver Jan 1999

Rapporteur's Report, W. E. Haver

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

The agenda for the Statewide Conference places a number of important challenges for Virginia’s colleges and universities on the table. The new licensure requirements in the areas of mathematics and science for prospective K-8 teachers represent a major, and very much needed, change in current practice. It will be extremely difficult for those of us in the science, mathematics, and education departments to make the necessary changes to respond to this challenge. This report will attempt to measure the magnitude of the changes needed to produce the requisite numbers of adequately prepared teachers, the extent to which individual colleges and …


Data Visualization Tools For Science And Math, B. Kolvoord Jan 1999

Data Visualization Tools For Science And Math, B. Kolvoord

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

As the computers available in schools become more powerful, more and more exciting tools are available to science and math students and teachers. Visualization tools, such as image processing, geographic information systems, modeling, and simulation software, are a class of tools with particular promise. These tools are being used in schools across the country to integrate computer use with the curriculum and to bring more hands-on inquiry to the students. A primary goal of using these computer-based tools is to aid students in developing a deeper understanding of the science and math (not the computers) and to help make difficult …


A Field Based Approach To Introductory Geology Instruction, G. R. Woodwell, J. L. Hayob Jan 1999

A Field Based Approach To Introductory Geology Instruction, G. R. Woodwell, J. L. Hayob

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

As part of the NSF-funded VCEPT project, geology faculty at Mary Washington College have developed and pilot tested a two-semester sequence of geology courses which are taught in a non-traditional, discovery oriented style. The guiding philosophy of the course development is to ensure that students learn about geological principles through collaborative learning in a variety of field settings that were carefully chosen to provide good examples of a range of geologic processes and environments. The design goals of these courses include improvement in student retention of concepts, increased student interest in earth science, improved critical thinking skills and the promotion …


Aims & Scope Jan 1999

Aims & Scope

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.


Thermodynamical Stability Of Ch3ono And Ch3ono-: A Coupled-Cluster And Hartree-Fock-Density-Functional-Theory Study, Gennady L. Gutsev, Puru Jena, Rodney J. Bartlett Jan 1999

Thermodynamical Stability Of Ch3ono And Ch3ono-: A Coupled-Cluster And Hartree-Fock-Density-Functional-Theory Study, Gennady L. Gutsev, Puru Jena, Rodney J. Bartlett

Physics Publications

The structure and thermodynamic stability of methylnitrite and its anion are studied by the infinite-order coupled-cluster method with all singles and doubles and noniterative inclusion of triple excitations [CCSD(T)] and Hartree–Fock-density-functional theory (HFDFT). We have optimized the geometries and computed the harmonic vibrational frequencies of major fragments, H2, CH, NH, OH, CN, N2, CO, NO, O2, CH2, NH2, H2O, HCN, HNC, HCO, HNO, O2H, CO2, NO2, CH3, NH3, CNH2, HCO2, HNO2, CH3N, CH3O, CH3NO, CH3ON, CH2NO2, and their anions, when the latter exist. Fragmentation energies obtained at both levels of theory are rather close to each other, except for channels …


Innovations In Forestry: Funding Forest Plans, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center Jan 1999

Innovations In Forestry: Funding Forest Plans, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Books, Reports, and Studies

1 folded sheet (6 p : ill..) ; 28 cm


Spatially Augmented Reality, Ramesh Raskar Jan 1999

Spatially Augmented Reality, Ramesh Raskar

Link Foundation Modeling, Simulation and Training Fellowship Reports

To create an effective illusion of virtual objects coexisting with the real world, see-through HMD-based Augmented Reality techniques supple1nent the user's view with images of virtual objects. We introduce here a new paradigm, Spatially Augmented Reality (SAR), where virtual objects are rendered directly within or on the user's physical space. A key benefit of SAR is that the user does not need to wear a head-mounted display. Instead, with the use of spatial displays, wide field of view and possibly high-resolution images of virtual objects can be integrated directly into the environ1nent. For example, the virtual objects can be realized …


Camera Trackers, Matthew Cutts Jan 1999

Camera Trackers, Matthew Cutts

Link Foundation Modeling, Simulation and Training Fellowship Reports

Tracking an object's location with inertial sensors works well over short time periods, but sensor drift and errors in integration cause errors to accumulate exponentially. Images, in contrast, work very well to determine a camera's location provided that the camera moves slowly. I received fellowship funding to work on a hybrid image and inertial tracker. The idea was to use data from the image sensors to correct errors and drift in the inertial sensors. The computer vision community has expended a great deal of energy in pursuing motion tracking from images. This area of research is also related to compositing …


Radical Artificial Intelligence: A Postmodern Approach, Doug Blank Jan 1999

Radical Artificial Intelligence: A Postmodern Approach, Doug Blank

Computer Science Faculty Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.


The World Wide Web, H. Berghel, Doug Blank Jan 1999

The World Wide Web, H. Berghel, Doug Blank

Computer Science Faculty Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.


The Xrcl Project: The University Of Arkansas' Entry Into The Aaai 1999 Mobile Robot Competition, Doug S. Blank, Jared H. Hudson, Brian C. Mashburn, Eric A. Roberts Jan 1999

The Xrcl Project: The University Of Arkansas' Entry Into The Aaai 1999 Mobile Robot Competition, Doug S. Blank, Jared H. Hudson, Brian C. Mashburn, Eric A. Roberts

Computer Science Faculty Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.


Graphics + Robotics + Ai = Fast, 3d Scene Construction, Brian C. Mashburn, Doug S. Blank Jan 1999

Graphics + Robotics + Ai = Fast, 3d Scene Construction, Brian C. Mashburn, Doug S. Blank

Computer Science Faculty Research and Scholarship

Sceneconstruction is the process of building realis- tic, three-dimensionalrepresentations, or models,of real world environments, such as rooms, landsacpes or buildings. Because of the realistic quality of images being produced, current scene construction algorithms require manualprocessing by humanexperts. However, the benefits of having such 3Dmodelsare great. Con- sider a situation where a three-dimensional modelof an evironment must be created in real-time. Existing scene construction algorithms will not su~ce. There- fore we have outlined a newarea of quick and dirty scene construction whereusable, lowresolution, three- dimensional models of real world environments can be created in real time. This paper describes the need …