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Examining A Year One Sor Implementation: A Mixed-Method Study Of Teacher Experiences And Student Literacy Scores
Get PDFWith increasing national and legislative mandates prioritizing SoR practices, many schools are shifting their literacy practices to align classroom instruction, interventions, and screening to follow reading research, which can require a shift in pedagogy for individual educators and schools. This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study explored a year one implementation of the Science of Reading (SoR) in a mid-size midwestern school district during their first year of across-district literacy reform. Qualitative case study interviews were conducted of K-3 Classroom teachers (4) and literacy coaches (4). Emergent themes from the findings included value in high fidelity professional development, challenges related to resource “flooding,” tensions between fidelity and adaptation, and the impact of literacy leadership on educator feelings of support and buy-in. Teachers expressed both optimism and fatigue regarding implementation, often viewing the process as a positive shift they would recommend for other districts that had aspects of an uneven rollout. The quantitative analysis was a mixed ANOVA analysis of secondary student data to serve as a follow-up of the qualitative interviews. Results indicated marginally significant benefits for students with double deficits in the SoR intervention group. Findings suggest that high-quality professional learning and literacy alignment framed within the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, literacy leadership, and established communication systems could play critical roles in implementation outcomes of SoR initiatives. This study contributes to the growing literature on how public schools can effectively navigate complex change to support reading achievement through science-aligned practices, focusing on teacher voice as a part of continuous improvement
Extreme Environment Tribological Studies Of Multifunctional Materials
Get PDFThis research examines polymer wear behaviors across polyether-etherketone (PEEK) and polylactic acid (PLA) composites in varying environmental conditions. Tribological investigations of ceramic and intermetallic coatings are explored in the context of material selection for lunar operation. In the first study, PEEK composites incorporating ternary nanolaminate ceramics, termed MAB and MAX phases, were tested in varying temperature environments above and below their expected glass transition temperatures to evaluate their tribological performance in comparison to a non-reinforced PEEK substrate. Results showed that under ambient conditions, both MoAlB (MAB phase) and Cr2AlC (MAX phase) ceramics stabilize the friction coefficient compared to pure PEEK, although friction is slightly increased due to the presence of ceramic reinforcements. In a 100°C environment, the addition of these ceramics provides less frictional stabilization than at ambient conditions. In a 200°C environment, a low-friction lubricating tribofilm develops for the pure PEEK and 10 vol% Cr2AlC containing samples. However, in 10 vol% MoAlB composites, an unstable high-friction response was observed. A 20 vol% MoAlB concentration showed a reduction in wear and stabilization in friction response, suggesting a critical concentration between 10 and 20 vol% MoAlB reinforcement. The second study explored the friction response and wear performance of ceramic-reinforced PLA composites in the context of lunar surface materials (materials already present or that can be produced from materials already present). Reinforcements included basalt moon dust, zirconium silicate, borosilicate, and silicon carbide. Understanding these tribological behaviors may inform the sintering potential of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) materials. The results showed that the tribological behavior of PLA-composites is dependent on factors including porosity and particle embedment. For more porous PLA composites, wear performance is reduced with the reduction in mechanical properties. PLA-Zirconium-silicate showed the lowest porosity and best wear performance. Spherical borosilicate reinforcements demonstrated the second-lowest porosity and second-best wear performance. Basalt moon dust showed the highest relative porosity and the worst wear performance. The purpose of the third study was to characterize the effects of a particular lunar highland simulant on various alloys and ceramic coating systems to evaluate the friction and wear performance of these materials in an extreme tribological environment. Results indicated that chromium-carbide containing coatings performed most notably, effectively stabilizing friction response and providing a significant reduction in wear rate as compared to uncoated aluminum and titanium alloy substrate materials
Investigation Of Wireless Communication Sub-Optimizing Factors And AI-Based Optimization For BER Reduction
Get PDFThe increasing demand for high-throughput, low-latency, and reliable wireless communication has led to significant advancements of cellular wireless technologies since the early ‘80s. However, in dynamic and interference-prone environments—particularly those involving Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)—signal degradation due to pathloss, multipath propagation, co-channel interference, and weather-induced attenuation continues to undermine performance. These factors contribute to elevated bit error rates (BER), inefficient spectrum usage, and unreliable communication links, thereby limiting the practical utility of wireless systems in aerial applications. Traditional mitigation techniques, while effective under certain conditions, often fail to adapt to rapidly changing wireless environments. This shortcoming underscores the need for intelligent, context-aware optimization strategies capable of dynamic adaptation.This dissertation aims to advance mobile wireless communication, with an emphasis on UAV-to-ground control station (GCS) links, through the development and application of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based optimization frameworks. These frameworks are designed to counteract the sub-optimization mechanisms arising from channel impairments and operational variability. The research investigates how environmental and system-level factors—such as UAV altitude, velocity, frequency selection, and modulation order—interact to degrade signal quality and increase BER. A central problem addressed in this work is the lack of a comprehensive, real-time optimization strategy that can simultaneously manage multiple degradation factors while dynamically reconfiguring key communication parameters. The research problem is approached through a multi-phase methodology. In Phase 1, detailed models are developed to characterize the individual and combined effects of pathloss, multipath propagation, interference, and weather-induced attenuation on signal quality and BER. These models are implemented and validated using MATLAB® simulations. In Phase 2, seven state-of-the-art metaheuristic algorithms—Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Gray Wolf Optimization (GWO), Genetic Algorithm (GA), Chicken Swarm Optimization (CSO), Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA), and Elephant Herd Optimization (EHO)—are employed to optimize critical communication parameters, including carrier frequency, transmit power, modulation scheme, UAV speed, and altitude. The goal is to minimize BER while satisfying practical constraints. Phase 3 evaluates the performance of these algorithms across two metrics: convergence time and processing time, enabling a comparative analysis of their effectiveness and efficiency in real-time operational contexts. This dissertation makes several key contributions. First, it presents a quantitative analysis of how pathloss affects BER and signal quality in UAV communications, incorporating a variety of operational parameters such as distance, frequency, and altitude. Second, it delivers a comprehensive examination of multipath propagation, assessing its effects across multiple modulation schemes, channel conditions, and Doppler scenarios. Third, it characterizes how different interference levels and frequency overlaps influence bandwidth availability and system robustness. Fourth, it models the impact of atmospheric weather conditions—such as fog, rain, and cloud density—on signal attenuation and link reliability, offering insights into how these conditions affect UAV-GCS communication under realistic constraints. Finally, the dissertation proposes a unified AI-based multi-parameter optimization framework, capable of dynamically tuning key communication parameters to maintain low BER and high reliability in rapidly varying aerial environments. The framework\u27s performance is rigorously evaluated using the metaheuristic algorithms, providing practical guidelines for selecting the most effective optimization strategy based on application-specific constraints. By integrating signal degradation modeling with intelligent optimization techniques, this work addresses a critical gap between theoretical models and their operational deployment. Unlike existing approaches that either oversimplify the communication environment or focus on isolated impairments, the proposed framework accounts for the complex interplay between various degradation factors. It enables real-time, environment-aware reconfiguration of communication systems, thus enhancing the spectral efficiency, resilience, and quality of service of UAV-supported wireless networks. The findings of this research have strong implications for the design of next-generation mobile communication systems, particularly in mission-critical applications such as disaster response, aerial surveillance, and autonomous logistics. In conclusion, this dissertation presents a robust, scalable, and adaptive solution to one of the most pressing challenges in UAV wireless communication—real-time BER minimization under diverse and unpredictable channel conditions. The AI-based optimization framework developed herein offers a viable path forward for the deployment of reliable and efficient UAV communication systems in real-world environments, paving the way for more intelligent and autonomous aerial network architecture
From Theory To Practice: Addressing The Operational Challenges Of School Principals
Get PDFSchool principals play a crucial role in the effectiveness of educational institutions, yet many enter leadership positions lacking adequate preparation for operational responsibilities. This Dissertation in Practice examines the challenges principals face in managing financial, staffing, and facility operations and the impact of these challenges on principal retention. Using a qualitative multiple-case study approach, the research investigates the experiences of new and veteran principals within Bismarck Public Schools to identify gaps in their operational preparedness.Findings highlight five key themes: (1) gaps in financial and budgetary training, (2) the role of mentorship and support systems, (3) balancing instructional leadership with operational duties, (4) staffing and personnel management challenges, and (5) the need for practical administrative training. The study emphasizes the necessity of structured mentorship, hands-on training, and accessible operational resources to support principals.
As a response to these challenges, this dissertation outlines recommendations to Bismarck Public Schools’ Administration via a white paper document that provides considerations to address the findings of the research. The white paper considerations aim to enhance principal effectiveness, reduce job-related stress, and improve retention by bridging the gap between theory and real-world practice.
This research contributes to the field of educational leadership by providing a framework for improving principal preparation and support. Recommendations include implementing structured mentorship programs, refining professional development, and integrating operational management training into leadership preparation programs. By implementing these recommendations, Bismarck Public Schools can enhance principal retention and create more effective school leadership
Gallagher
No full textGallagher at the Chester Fritz Performing Arts Centerhttps://commons.und.edu/performing-arts-photos/1058/thumbnail.jp
