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The influence of COVID-19 on campus leaders’ attitudes towards an acquired expertise in technology
Get PDFThe purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the influence of COVID-19 on campus leaders’ attitudes towards acquired experience in technology. The research was completed during 2021 with K-12 campus administrators within the state of Texas. A purposeful sample of 171 K-12 campus administrators within the state of Texas completed the Principal’s Computer Technology Survey (PCTS). Of those, 10 campus leaders participated in the individual interviews. Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, Wilcoxon signed rank tests, and thematic coding were used to analyze the data collected. Quantitative data demonstrated campus leaders’ integration of technology and attitudes towards technology were significantly influenced by COVID-19. The qualitative analysis provided supporting evidence of the importance for campus leaders’ experience, knowledge and training in supporting instructional technology integration as necessary to increase teacher and student achievement
Parameterizable Design on Convolutional Neural Networks with Chisel Hardware Construction Language
No full textThis thesis presents a parameterizable design generator on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) using Chisel hardware construction language (HCL). Chisel HCL is an open-source embedded domain-specific language (created and maintained by University of California, Berkeley) that inherits the object-oriented feature of Scala for constructing hardware. By parameterizing structural designs such as the streaming width, pooling layer type, and floating-point precision, multiple register-transfer level (RTL) implementations can be created to meet various accuracy and hardware cost requirements. The HCL design can generate the RTL implementations with Verilog, which is synthesizable and implementable on FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays). The evaluation is based on generated RTL designs including 16-bit, 32-bit, 64-bit, and 128-bit implementations on FPGAs. The experimental results show that the 32-bit design achieves optimal hardware performance when setting the same weights for estimating the quality of results, FPGA slice count, and power dissipation. Although the focus is on CNNs, the approach can be extended to other neural network models for efficient RTL designs
Telehealth Training of Caregivers to Increase PAP Machine Use in Adults with Down syndrome
No full textA common sleep disorder among individuals with Down syndrome is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The most common treatment of OSA is Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy. However, adherence to PAP therapy prescriptions is low. The high prevalence of OSA and low adherence with PAP therapy emphasized the need for an intervention to increase PAP machine use in individuals with DS. The following study evaluated a caregiver-implemented behavioral intervention aiming to increase PAP machine use in adults with DS using a multiple baseline across participants design. Participants in this study included three adults diagnosed with DS and OSA. The researchers utilized behavioral skills training via videoconferencing software to train the caregivers to implement the intervention. The intervention included the use of graduated exposure to the PAP therapy (i.e., slow progression of steps leading up to 4 hours of PAP machine use), differential negative reinforcement (i.e., longer breaks following compliance, shorter breaks following noncompliance with the graduated exposure step), contingent positive reinforcement (i.e., rewards following compliance with the graduated exposure step) and noncontingent positive reinforcement (i.e., access to a leisure item during intervention sessions). This caregiver-implemented behavioral intervention was effective at increasing PAP machine use for all participants. The results of this study serve as preliminary results for the effectiveness of this behavioral intervention when implemented by caregivers
Perception and Practices of Parents and Teachers on Educating African American Students During a Global Pandemic or Times of School Closures
No full textThe purpose of this qualitative study is to analyze the perspectives of parents and teachers regarding the barriers and successors of educating African American students through a global pandemic, or unexpected school closure. The study researched successful practices and impediments African American students experience and suggested future practices school districts may implement to bridge the achievement gap of African American students during a global pandemic, natural disaster, or other times of school closures. The theoretical framework in this study is centered on the educational philosophy of the Social Learning Theory developed in 1963 and later detailed in 1977 by Albert Bandura (Nabavi, 2012). The research questions that guided the study were, a) What are parents' perceptions about how their child performed academically during virtual instruction compared to face-to-face instruction? b) What are parents' perceptions about how their child has been impacted socially- emotionally during virtual instruction compared to face-to-face instruction? c) What are teachers' perceptions about how African American students performed academically pre-pandemic compared to post-pandemic? d) What are teachers’ perceptions of the successful practices school districts may implement to bridge the achievement gap of African American students? A purposeful sample of the groups of participants parents and teachers were interviewed to build an empirical understanding of the significant impact of school closures and virtual learning on African American students' achievement. The study found when analyzing the experiences of the parents and teachers who worked with AA students pre, during, and post pandemic students were impacted more socially- emotionally during virtual learning than they were academically. Parents reported noticing of more temperamentally changes impacting AA students because of the isolation from peers’ which research from the Social Learning Theory suggest is critical to development of children. According to the teacher’s perspectives pre-pandemic AA student’s academic performance in general was aligned to current literature that suggest on average academic students perform subordinate to other races. However, what the study found was that post-pandemic AA students were behind academically but not substantially more than any other race. All races showed deficits in learning loss when returning to school post-pandemic
Finding for the Charles W. Yodzis Papers (HSF-71)
No full textThe Charles W. Yodzis Papers is composed of correspondence, memorandums, organizational charts, handbooks, manuals, technical reports, technical drawings, handwritten research and calculations, engineering performance studies, general propulsion studies, research files, notes, scientific studies, presentation slides, staff lists, photographs, 35mm slides, directories, magazine issues, and miscellaneous materials, created, used, or collected by Charles W. Yodzis from 1957 to 1994. Yodzis served as the Chief of the Primary Propulsion Branch of the Propulsion and Power Division at NASA Johnson Space Center from 1964 through his retirement. Most of the materials were used by Yodzis in his research and design for the engine systems for the Apollo Command Service Module and Lunar Module, and for the Space Shuttle Orbiter—for which he and his team were primarily responsible for developing. The collection consists of materials stored in Yodzis’ original office subject and research files by project, purpose, engine type, and mission names. The collection is unique in that there is a large amount of Yodzis’ original handwritten scientific calculations and notes on all aspects of the development of primary propulsion systems for spacecraft
Finding Aid for the William R. Muehlberger Papers (HSF-69)
No full textThe William R. Muehlberger Papers comprise reports, correspondence, photographs, geological maps, and itineraries. It was created by William R. Muehlberger, a Geology Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, who NASA selected as the Primary Investigator for the Apollo missions at the Johnson Space Center. The materials in this collection were created and collected by Muehlberger between 1945 and 1996, with a particular focus on his work related to the Apollo 15, 16, and 17 missions. They consist of field notes and other records that are not personal in nature, but rather related to his professional work on these missions
Finding Aid for the Warren L. Brasher Papers (HSF-62)
No full textThe Warren L. Brasher Papers is composed of memorandums, operating manuals, handbooks, professional papers, publications, articles, presentations, books, technical reports, and miscellaneous materials, created, used, or collected by Warren L. Brasher during his career working at NASA. He worked at Johnson Space Center from 1966 through at least the late 2000s. The bulk of the collection is composed of professional papers Brasher authored or co-authored reports relating to Apollo and Space Shuttle programs; technical reports on NASA programs; and official NASA reports. There are also a number of handbooks and other records on the Apollo Lunar Module propulsion system, on which Brasher worked between 1966 and the early 1970s. A good amount of official NASA records exist on the testing and selection of propellants for the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) during the 1970s and early 1980s, as the Space Shuttle Orbiter was being developed
A qualitative case study examining the factors that contribute to the retention of experienced special education teachers in Texas public schools
Get PDFThe special education teacher shortage in the U.S. continues to grow and the implication of this shortage is multifaceted. First and foremost, students that are eligible for special education may not be receiving the educational supports and services that they deserve and legally require. Additionally, this shortage may cause great financial burdens on school districts that are continually having to hire and train new special education teachers. There also may be negative financial obligations when districts are sued because there are inadequate or uncertified teachers supporting these students. There are many studies that have inquired why teachers leave the field of education, however, there are minimal that have explored special education teachers specifically, and according to Billingsley and Bettini (2019) current studies of special education teachers that leave or remain are largely quantitative. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions and experiences of special education teachers that have remained in the field. The research questions revolved around intrinsic and extrinsic motivation factors regarding why they have remained. Using both in person and a video conference platform, five participants were interviewed with an open-ended interview protocol. The researcher then analyzed the interview transcripts which revealed two intrinsic (work itself and achievement) and three extrinsic (supervisor/leadership quality, working conditions, and coworker relations) emergent themes. Overall, the findings of this qualitative study revealed interventions for education leaders and authors/instructors of educator preparation programming to assist in reducing the special education teacher shortage
The Relationship Between Principals' Tenures and Other Fixed Variables and Students' Achievement on the 3rd and 4th grade Reading STAAR Exams in Texas
Get PDFIn a time when educational leaders and stakeholders are called to do more to maximize student outcomes while drawing on dwindling resources, it is prudent to analyze all factors that contribute to increases in students’ achievement trends. Earlier research has focused on the role teachers and principals have played in students’ achievement. The research also supports that teachers’ tenures are positively correlated with students’ achievement. However, little attention has been given to the exploration of the impact principals’ tenures may have on students’ achievement. The purpose for this research was to describe the relationship, if any, that exists between principals’ tenures and students’ achievement. In addition, the researcher, in an effort to avoid monocausality, wanted to explore other fixed variables such as principals’ gender and school type, in conjunction with principals’ tenures, to see whether these items provide any additional insight into students’ achievement trends. It is the researcher’s hope that the results of this study adds to body of research and further aids districts and leaders with effectively meeting students’ needs and maximizing students’ outcomes
The Effects of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports on Middle School Student Achievement and Middle School Student Outcomes
Get PDFThe purpose of this mixed method study was to examine whether or not Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) influence middle school academic student achievement and middle school disruptive behaviors. The population of this study was a participating school district located in eastern Harris County outside of Houston, Texas. The sample consisted of seventh and eighth grade teachers from four different middle schools that used PBIS or did not use PBIS that had STAAR scores assigned to their name. A total of 103 middle school teachers met the criteria. Individual teacher STAAR scores and individual student PEIMS data for office referrals were collected by the researcher for the middle school teachers within the participating school district. Independent t-tests and a Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze the quantitative data, while an inductive and deductive coding process was used to analyze and transcribe the collected qualitative data for ten participating teachers. The quantitative findings indicated that there was a statistically significant mean difference in student achievement between classroom teachers that implemented a PBIS model compared to classroom teacher that did not, but there was not a statistically significant mean difference in disruptive behaviors for classroom teachers who used PBIS compared to classroom teachers who did not. The qualitative data revealed five emerging themes: building positive relationships, improved student achievement, changing negative behaviors associated with the benefits of PBIS that address challenging behaviors, increased instructional time, and decreased office referrals. Based on the qualitative findings, middle school teachers trust that PBIS is effective in increasing student achievement and decreases challenging behaviors of middle school students. The research concludes with implications and recommendations for future research based on the findings