Active vibration control of an elastically connected double-string continuous system

The paper deals with the optimal control of a distributed host structure consisting of two elastically connected complex continuous double-string system and subjected to certain excitation load. Investigation of the behavior of such system is of great theoretical and practical importance. A technique is proposed to actively damp out the undesired vibrations in the structures by a combination of applied actuators and displacement feedback gains. Two performance measures, involving energies at the terminal time as well as applied and feedback control efforts, are introduced. The optimality conditions of the applied actuators are derived by using the method of eigenfunction expansion and calculus of variations. The feedback parameters are numerically determined from the solution of a minimization problem. The proposed approach is illustrated by a numerical example involving a system which consists of two strings subjected to a continuous load.     

Optimizing Instructional Video for Preservice Teachers in an Online Technology Integration Course

This study assessed the effect of design instructional video based on the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning by applying segmentation and signaling on the learning outcome of students in an online technology integration course. The study assessed the correlation between students’ personal preferences (preferred learning styles and area of specialization) and their learning outcomes. A three-group pretest–posttest design was employed to assess whether there were significant differences in students’ test scores after they watched an instructional video. The results of the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) analysis indicate that instructional design had a significant effect on students’ learning outcome. This effect was demonstrated by the statistically significant differences in students’ learning outcomes, with the highest scores achieved by students in the segmented and signaled video group and the lowest scores in the no-segmentation and no-signaling group. Moreover, results indicate that students’ learning preferences and area of specialization related significantly and positively to their learning outcomes. These findings suggest that the use of educational video in online courses has the potential to effectively improve students’ learning outcome; however, it requires design manipulation. The results also emphasize the importance of rethinking the one-size-fits-all approach in developing online course content and include consideration of the students’ learning preferences and area of specialization to optimize their learning.     

Second Life to support Multicultural Literacy: Pre- and In-service Teachers' Perceptions and Expectations

The purpose of the study was to examine preservice teachers’ attitudes using Second Life for multicultural literacy and to explore effective strategies to implement this technology in teacher preparation programs. Participants included thirty-six preserve teachers from early childhood, elementary, and secondary education programs. Participants indicated that interacting with cultural artifacts and diverse populations promoted multiculturalism, 47.5% reported that Second Life supported the development of multicultural attitudes and 50% indicated that Second Life can support multicultural respect. Additionally, 33.4% considered Second Life an effective learning tool for K-12 education while 40% remained undecided. Participants questioned the veracity of certain objects, often failed to communicate with individuals from other cultures, and worried about inappropriate content. Despite these limitations, Second Life could serve as a rich environment to build multicultural knowledge through culturally representative locations, artifacts, and communication. Suggestions for incorporating multicultural experiences via Second Life are presented.     

Can transformational leadership influence on teachers’ commitment towards organization,teaching profession,and students learning? A quantitative analysis

This study investigates the impact of transformational leadership as idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration on teachers’ commitment towards organization, teaching profession, and students’ learning. A quantitative survey method was applied, and four broadly hypothesized relationships were tested with a sample of 1,014 trained non-graduate and graduate teachers serving in twenty-seven secondary schools in Sarawak, Malaysia. The results indicate a moderate level of teachers’ commitment and a low level of transformational leadership qualities among the respondents. This study found that inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, and intellectual stimulation were the factors contributing towards teachers’ commitment to teaching profession, and there was no dominant factor influencing commitment to students’ learning. Moreover, it was discovered that inspirational motivation was a factor to teachers’ efficacy and teaching experience. Besides, teachers’ efficacy and teaching experience were predictors to teachers’ commitment to organization, teaching profession, and students’ learning, respectively. These findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between transformational leadership and teachers’ commitment to organization and teaching profession, but not students’ learning. The results of this study indicate the necessity for leadership development of school leaders so that they could systematically acquire and internalize the effective transformational leadership qualities that are crucial in changing teachers’ attitude and improving their commitment towards their profession.     

Review on development progress of automatic manual transmissions control

In recent years, the sustainable development of automatic manual transmissions (AMTs) control in vehicles is conspicuous. The control applications have grown fast and steadily due to the tremendous progress in power electronics components and the control software that enhance the requirements for delivering higher vehicles performance. AMTs control strategies achieve a reduction in the driveline dynamic oscillations behavior during gear shifting and clutch starting up processes. AMTs future expectations are an increase of torque capacity, more speed ratios and the development of advanced and efficient electronic control systems. This paper concerns with the progressing view of AMTs in the past, today and future, gives an overview of the potential dynamic problems concerned with AMTs and some control strategies used to solve those problems.     

Showing Is Knowing: The Potential and Challenges of Using Neurocognitive Measures of Implicit Learning in the Classroom

The value of neurocognitive measures to study memory, attention, cognition, and learning is well established. However, the vast majority of work using these tools is performed in tightly controlled lab experiments using simple lab stimuli. This article looks at the viability of using multimodal neurocognitive instruments to measure implicit knowledge in real‐world learning contexts. We focus on some of the most promising neurocognitive tools for this purpose, including eye‐tracking, electroencephalography (EEG), and functional near infra‐red spectroscopy (fNIRS). The specific challenges and potential of each tool are considered for use within learning contexts. These tools may be of particular importance to student populations that typically underperform on traditional learning assessments, including students with disabilities, English language learners, and students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds, among others. This review concludes with recommendations to the field for further work required to bring objective measures of implicit knowledge to real world learning contexts.     

Confirmatory studies on the antioxidant and antidiabetic effect of quercetin in rats

Quercetin (QE), one of natural flavanoid group, was widely distributed as a secondary metabolite in plant kingdom. It has been believed that oxidative stress plays a role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of the present study was the evaluation of possible effects of QE on blood glucose and antioxidant enzymes in experimental streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. STZ was injected intraperitoneally with single dose of 50 mg/kg for diabetes induction. QE (15 mg/kg bw day, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection) was injected for 3 days prior to STZ administration; these injections were continued to the end of the study (for 25 days). Glucose tolerance test and random plasma glucose were done for all animals. Cellular antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were measured in pancreatic homogenates. Quercetin had no effect on plasma glucose level of normal animals but its pre- treatment was able to prevent diabetes induced by single intraperitoneal injection of streptozocintreated rats. Antioxidant enzyme activity significantly decreased in STZ induced diabetic group. QE treatment significantly increased the antioxidant enzyme activities. It could be concluded that quercetin, a flavonoid with antioxidant properties, exerting its beneficial antidiabetic effects.     

The contributions of relationships with parents and teachers to Turkish children’s antisocial behaviour

The present study examined the concurrent contributions of parent–child and teacher–child relationship quality to Turkish children’s antisocial behaviour, with a specific focus on the moderating role of teacher–child relationships (closeness and conflict) on parent–child relationships when predicting antisocial behaviour. Participants were 94 children (56 boys) with mean age of 7.05 years (SD = .88) enrolled in 24 classrooms from five elementary schools in a suburban school district in Turkey. Mothers reported on their relationship with children and teachers reported on their relationships with children as well as children’s antisocial behaviour. SAS PROC MIXED was used to test hierarchical regression models of children nested within classrooms. Results showed that teacher–child conflict moderated the association between parent–child conflict and children’s antisocial behaviour. Such that, higher parent–child conflict was related to higher levels of antisocial behaviour at the context of higher levels of teacher–child conflict. In addition, teacher–child closeness also moderated the association between parent–child conflict and children’s antisocial behaviour. Such that when teacher–child closeness was at average or high levels, lower levels of parent–child conflict was related to lower levels of antisocial behaviour. Teacher–child conflict was positively associated with children’s antisocial behaviour. Limitations and future directions of the current study are discussed.     

A comparative study of the effects of cultural differences on the adoption of mobile learning

The objective of this paper is to understand the impact of cultural differences on mobile learning adoption through identifying key adoption characteristics in Canada and Turkey, which have markedly different cultural backgrounds. A multi‐group analysis was employed to test the hypothesised relationships based on the data collected by means of survey questionnaires from 190 and 163 undergraduate students in Turkey and Canada respectively. The results indicated that there is a strong relationship between culture and adoption behaviour, and there are major differences in patterns between the adoption behaviours of the two countries. Implications of these findings are discussed.