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Learning Scene Semantics for 3D Scene Retrieval
Get PDFThis project presents a comprehensive exploration into semantics-driven 3D scene retrieval, aiming to bridge the gap between 2D sketches/images and 3D models. Through four distinct research objectives, this project endeavors to construct a foundational infrastructure, develop methodologies for quantifying semantic similarity, and advance a semantics-based retrieval framework for 2D scene sketch-based and image-based 3D scene retrieval. Leveraging WordNet as a foundational semantic ontology library, the research proposes the construction of an extensive hierarchical scene semantic tree, enriching 2D/3D scenes with encoded semantic information. The methodologies for semantic similarity computation utilize this semantic tree to bridge the semantic disparity between 2D sketches/images and 3D models, enhancing retrieval performance. Furthermore, the project proposes a semantics-driven framework for 2D scene sketch-based and image-based 3D scene retrieval, aiming to unlock new opportunities for applications spanning virtual reality, 3D entertainment, and autonomous systems. Overall, this thesis contributes valuable insights and methodologies to the field of semantics-driven 3D scene retrieval, laying a solid foundation for future advancements and interdisciplinary collaborations whilst promoting research development in the developing realm of visual computing
The Azalea Trail Maids: White Women’s Contributions to the Lost Cause in Mobile, Alabama
Get PDFThis paper analyzes the origins of the Azalea Trail in Mobile, Alabama, and the history of its corresponding Azalea Trail Maid program. The Trail is a walking and driving trail through the historic areas of Mobile, in which hundreds of azalea bushes have been planted along the roads. Beginning in 1929, the Azalea Trail takes tourists through the heart of downtown Mobile, the city’s antebellum homes, and other local attractions. In 1949, the program expanded to include a “Trail Court,” and in 1951, it created a festival to crown an Azalea Trail Queen and select the members of her court, who were costumed in 1850s regalia. The Queen reigned over the festivities, many of which were themed around the Old South and its subsequent romanticization via the Lost Cause. This paper argues that Mobile’s white women perpetuated an antebellum fantasy that gradually increased in grandeur, especially during the late 1950s and 1960s, when legal racial segregation began to crumble. The Azalea Trail Maids’ prestige can be linked directly to the social unrest in Mobile following various turning points in both local and national politics due to the success of the Civil Rights Movement, such as Mobile’s school desegregation. This paper emphasizes the crucial role Southern white women have played in upholding white supremacy since the Reconstruction era through modes of civic duty and historic preservation
Performance and Perception Disparities in Blended Learning Across Varied Vocational Academic Backgrounds
Get PDFWith rising popularity of vocational education in China, the study investigates how academic backgrounds influence vocational students’ perceptions and learning outcomes in a blended SketchUp course, guided by Blended Learning framework and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Quantitative data from 71 undergraduate and 71 junior college interior architecture students was analyzed using statistical methods, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and t-tests. The analysis showed no significant differences between academic groups in academic achievements, but differences in several perceptions, suggesting equitable learning experiences in the blended course. Tutorial videos may have contributed to personalized pacing, reducing variations among learners. Applying TAM to analyze student acceptance and engagement further enriches understanding of how academic backgrounds impact the utilization of educational technologies. These findings emphasized the potential of well-designed blended learning models for inclusive education. Results verified and enriched blended learning theory regarding differentiated instructions and online personalization to foster equitable, quality education, addressing diverse learning needs
Open Access Month at 10: Where We\u27ve Been, Where We\u27re Going
Get PDFFor the past ten years, University Libraries has celebrated Open Access Month each October in connection with International Open Access Week. Over that time, Open Access has become far more commonplace in the scholarly publishing landscape due to changes like federal funder mandates and Plan S. While many of these signs are encouraging and point to greater availability of research findings, there are several significant challenges that also must be confronted. Predatory publishers remain a concern, there are deep questions about the sustainability of the predominant OA model that relies upon author fees, and new technologies have made it easier than ever to falsify research and diminish trust in the scholarly record. What does this mean for the future of Open Access? Are there lessons from the past ten years that can help us move forward into the next decade? Join us as we explore these questions
“UFO Reports Swamp Mississippi”: Media Coverage of the 1973 Pascagoula Alien Abduction
Get PDFOn October 11, 1973, Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker reported that they were taken aboard an unidentified flying object (UFO) in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Hickson and Parker’s abduction is now known as one of the most famous extraterrestrial encounters in the United States. In 1973, Hickson and Parker’s story captivated the media’s attention, and fifty years later, in 2023, UFOs are still widely reported on. This thesis utilizes the first-hand narratives from Hickson and Parker’s individual books to provide a detailed retelling of what happened on October 11. This thesis then analyzes the media coverage of the Pascagoula alien abduction in its direct aftermath, as well as current UFO coverage. This thesis argues that while the media coverage from 1973 of Hickson and Parker’s encounter was published in a hard news style, lacked complexity, and supplied only the facts, current UFO coverage is written as longform, in-depth, and often multiple-page articles. This conclusion was made by analyzing the differences in UFO knowledge, government involvement and programs on UFOs, and journalistic practices in 1973 and 2023, respectively. While in 1973, the Pascagoula alien abduction was reported as if UFOs were science fiction, recent coverage approaches UFOs more seriously with the release of new government programs dedicated to investigating unidentified phenomena. This thesis further serves as an insight into media evolution and how the digital age has made journalism more accessible, multi-faceted, and analytical
Metadata-For When You Want to Avoid Socializing but Still Be a Productive Human Being
No full textSara Gonzalez, who is completing her MLIS and graduate archival certificate, discussed how she obtained her job as a metadata specialist at the University of South Florida Libraries. She also talked about the concept of metadata and applications of tools and standards. Furthermore she presented a list of AI tools for metadata practice
Selection of Spring and Fall 2024 Master’s Project Posters
Get PDFStudents are required to create academic research posters on their capstone research project and present them in class. The following selection of the Master’s Project Capstone Posters are from LIS 695 in the Spring 2024 and Fall 2024
Spotlights: Faculty, Alumni, Festival
Get PDFMeet Dr. Kaeli Gretter, alum Miranda Loper, and learn about the keynote speakers for the 2025 Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival
A Comparative Study of Teacher-Student Verbal Interaction in Primary School Mathematics Classroom Teachers --Taking novice teachers and expert teachers as examples
Get PDFTeacher-student verbal interaction is a key method of encouraging active learning and participation in classroom activities. It significantly improves the effectiveness of teaching and learning in primary mathematics. Teachers at different developmental stages show obvious behavioral differences in the process of classroom interaction with students, and an in-depth analysis of these differences can help promote the professional growth of novice teachers. Based on the Classroom Smart Evaluation System (CSMS), this study compares and analyzes the teacher-student interaction behaviors of novice and expert teachers based on two co-curricular lessons on multiplication of 5 in second-grade primary mathematics. It was found that these two types of teachers differed in five aspects: classroom structure, teaching style, classroom emotional atmosphere, teacher-student questions and answers, and teacher-student thinking development. The study advises novice teachers to reduce their control in the classroom to enhance students’ engagement and subjectivity. Furthermore, they should focus on providing more positive feedback to create a supportive classroom atmosphere. Developing effective questioning skills is also essential, as it can diversify the types of questions posed. Additionally, teachers should be aware of their questioning habits and the various learning styles of their students to improve the alignment between teachers’ and students’ thinkin
Fight at the Museum: An Ethnographic Study Investigating Staff and Volunteers at WWII Museums and Memorials
Get PDFMuseums are places where events of the past can be explained, appreciated, and understood. While efforts are often taken to provide a neutral position in the presentation of complicated and emotional historical events, there may exist external pressure to present a more overtly nationalist narrative to please a particular audience or group of funders (Fujitani 1997). This creates a conflict of interest with respect to fair, accurate, and/or honest representation (White 1997b) for museum staff to navigate.
The goal of this thesis is to investigate stories that museums are permitted to tell within the context of Japanese and American narratives of WWII as told in prominent national museums and memorials located in Japan and the U.S. Following Japanese anthropologist Takahashi Fujitani (1997), I explore how different representations of major events such as the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the use of atomic weapons against the Japanese affect museum narratives. The purposes behind each of the museum studied are similar in that they were established as a way to honor and remember the past and the loss of lives associated with wartime events. The museums narratives often align with dominant perspectives of their local regions, but recent peace and reconciliation efforts have taken place between museums in Japan and the United States that emphasize remembrance and healing. These developments highlight a commitment to a continuation of peaceful relations between Japan and the United States that exemplify the need for open collaboration and understanding today and in the future