119 research outputs found
Consumers’ Attitudes towards Surcharges on Distributed Renewable Energy Generation and Energy Efficiency Programs
No full textabstract: Increasing penetration of energy efficiency programs and distributed renewable energy generation has imposed significant challenges for utilities to recoup their large upfront costs. There is a heated debate on what surcharges should be implemented to help the utilities recover their fixed costs; however, very few studies focus on consumers’ attitudes regarding this topic. This study surveys about 190 residential consumers throughout the United States in November 2015, investigating their preferences and attitudes towards extra demand charges and volumetric energy price increases. We apply probit models and regress consumers’ attitudes on selected socio-demographic and behavioral variables. The results indicate the homeowners are more likely to prefer demand charges when compared to renters. The demographic and behavioral factors impact consumers’ perception of bill savings from energy efficiency programs or solar panel installation and also influence how consumers perceive the fairness of utilities recovering revenue losses by increasing volumetric energy price. In this paper, we demonstrate there is preference heterogeneity among consumers and that policy makers should be aware of such preference heterogeneity and apply policy targeting based on the identified demographics and behavioral factors impacting consumer preferences.The final version of this article, as published in Sustainability, can be viewed online at: http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/8/147
Perceived Peer Support, Autonomy and Self-Esteem Among Boarding School Students
No full textThis study conducted to investigate perceived peer support and autonomy among boarding school students
and its correlation with their self-esteem. Among 131 students from two selected boarding schools been the
participant of this study. The researchers applied quantitative method in collecting data. The questionnaire
adopted for this research was developed by Yueming Jia et al, (2009) and Way et al. (2007). The data showns
that boarding school students perceived high level of peer support and autonomy. This due to amount of
time they spend together in school hours and in the dormitory. They got the chances to to get involved in
the decision-making process of the school like school regulation, teaching-learning activities and sports
among classes. However, the study also found that there is no correlation between perceived peer support,
autonomy and boarding school students’ self-esteem. This finding contradicted former studies which shows
that social interaction with peer partly affect students’ mental health and self-esteem
Analysis of College Students’ Satisfaction with the Application of the PAD Class in Teaching
No full textResearch on the Status and Countermeasures of Rural Teachers Development Against the Background of Rural Revitalization
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English as a second language teachers' perceptions and use of classroom-based reading assessment.
No full textThe purpose of this study was to explore ESL teachers�� perceptions and use of
classroom-based reading assessments. The research questions underpinning this
study were: 1) What types of classroom-based reading assessments are used in ESL
classrooms and how are they used? 2) What are ESL teachers�� perceptions regarding
the function and effectiveness of classroom-based reading assessments? 3) What and
how do external factors influence ESL teachers�� use of classroom-based reading
assessments? 4) What and how do internal factors influence ESL teachers�� use of
classroom-based reading assessments?
The participants of this study were six middle school ESL teachers and seven
elementary school ESL teachers. Data consisted of interviews with the participating
ESL teachers, classroom observations, and assessment materials.
The finding of this study indicated that there were three kinds of classroombased
reading assessments commonly used by ESL teachers in the classrooms: tests,
observation, and using writing to assess reading. These classroom-based reading
assessments served ESL teachers in two ways: helping teachers make decisions about
individual students and helping teachers make decisions about instruction. In addition,
classroom-based reading assessments were viewed as effective instructional
instruments. ESL teachers highly valued classroom-based reading assessments,
considered them accurate and valuable, and thought these assessments could provide
great help to the daily teaching of reading. Students, statewide mandated
standardized tests, and districts were three major forces that influenced this
assessment process.
Four conclusions can be drawn from this study. First, classroom-based
reading assessments played a central role in ESL teachers�� teaching and assessing of
reading. Second, ESL teachers highly valued classroom-based reading assessments,
considering them valuable, accurate, and efficient. Compared to statewide mandated
standardized testing, ESL teachers preferred classroom-based reading assessments.
Third, ESL teachers�� use of classroom-based reading assessments was largely under
the control of districts or school authorities and there were many disagreements on
the ways of assessing reading of ESL students between teachers and the districts or
schools. Finally, statewide mandated standardized testing had distorted ESL teachers��
use of classroom-based reading assessments in practice
Peer Effects and Voluntary Green Building Certification
No full textabstract: Empirical evidence is provided to show that peer effects have statistically significant and positive impacts on the diffusion of green building certificates. Application and approval records of green certificates by commercial buildings in NY and AZ are used. The challenge of self-selection is addressed by the usage of fixed effects and the challenge of reflection is addressed by the time lag delay between a building’s application and its approval. Empirical results show that an additional approved LEED certificate within a zip code will increase the probability of a commercial building in the same zip code to apply for a LEED certificate by 3–4 percentage points; an additional approved Energy Star certificate within a zip code will increase the probability of a commercial building in the same zip code to apply for an Energy Star certificate by 1–2 percentage points
Parameter Identification, Simulation, Linearization and Validation of a Ship Propulsion System
No full textThis Thesis is written to obtain the Master of Science degree of Maritime Technology at Delft University of Technology. It describes a research regarding with the calibration(parameter identification), validation and linearization of a ship propulsion system model. In the meantime, the Thesis is also one sub-project under the research program "Potential of Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulation in the Towing Tank" held by Dr.Ir.A.Vrijdag. HIL (Hardware-In-the-Loop) Simulation is widely used in Engineering Technology Field, and has been proved to be a very effective, highly-efficient, economical and environmental friendly strategy in the test and development of engineering control systems. The model scale ship tests nowadays, on the other hand, need to be improved and HIL Simulation provides an innovative & creative way, therefore it is reasonable to start the program and explore more in this field
An iterative semi-blind channel estimation and detection for OFDM systems in time-varying multi-path channels
No full textSuperimposed pilot-interference aided channel estimation and joint signal detection in amplify-and-forward relaying systems
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