Evan Ortlieb and F.D. McDowell
Reading comprehension levels of elementary students have not significantly improved in the twenty-first century, and, as a result, the need for systematic and intensive reading…
Abstract
Purpose
Reading comprehension levels of elementary students have not significantly improved in the twenty-first century, and, as a result, the need for systematic and intensive reading interventions is as high as ever. Literacy clinics are an ideal setting for struggling readers to experience success through the implementation of a cyclical approach to individual assessment, planning, instruction and evaluation. Yet, additional research is needed to create current and relevant models of literacy clinics for today’s diverse learners. This paper aimed to measure the effects of an experimental approach to reading comprehension instruction for third graders within an off-campus literacy clinic; the intervention involved a scope and sequence of comprehension strategies in which students had to demonstrate skill mastery before progressing to the next skill.
Design/methodology/approach
This investigation used a classic controlled experiment design by randomly assigning half of the literacy clinic participants (30) to either a control or experimental group. The previous year-end’s Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) scores of the participants were used as indicators (or base lines) of each participant’s preexisting level of reading achievement.
Findings
There was a statistically higher achievement rate in the experimental group as measured by the CRCT statewide assessment with a Cohen’s effect size value (d = 0.79) suggested a moderate to high practical significance.
Practical implications
This study’s findings are relevant to those involved in literacy remediation, including literacy clinic directors, preservice educators and curriculum directors.
Originality/value
This paper is one of a kind in that it is the first to trial a scope and sequence of evidence-based comprehension strategies for comprehension improvement in primary school students. The findings call for major changes to thinking about how we improve students’ reading skills by focusing on depth rather than breadth.
Details
Keywords
Brian Torries, Amanda J. Sterling, Nima Shamsaei, Scott M. Thompson and Steve R. Daniewicz
The purpose of this study is to calibrate a microstructure-based fatigue model for its use in predicting fatigue life of additively manufactured (AM) Ti-6Al-4V. Fatigue models…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to calibrate a microstructure-based fatigue model for its use in predicting fatigue life of additively manufactured (AM) Ti-6Al-4V. Fatigue models that are capable of better predicting the fatigue behavior of AM metals is required to further the adoption of such metals by various industries. The trustworthiness of AM metallic material is not well characterized, and fatigue models that consider unique microstructure and porosity inherent to AM parts are needed.
Design/methodology/approach
Various Ti-6Al-4V samples were additively manufactured using Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS), a direct laser deposition method. The porosity within the LENS samples, as well as their subsequent heat treatment, was varied to determine the effects of microstructure and defects on fatigue life. The as-built and heat-treated LENS samples, together with wrought Ti-6Al-4V samples, underwent fatigue testing and microstructure and fractographic inspection. The collected microstructure/defect statistics were used for calibrating a microstructure-sensitive fatigue model.
Findings
Fatigue lives of the LENS Ti-6Al-4V samples were found to be consistently less than those of the wrought Ti-6Al-4V samples, and this is attributed to the presence of pores/defects within the LENS material. Results further indicate that LENS Ti-6Al-4V fatigue lives, as predicted by the used microstructure-sensitive fatigue model, are in close agreement with experimental results. The used model could predict upper and lower prediction bounds based on defect statistics. All the fatigue data were found to be within the bounds predicted by the microstructure-sensitive fatigue model.
Research limitations/implications
To further test the utility of microstructure-sensitive fatigue models for predicting fatigue life of AM samples, future studies on additional material types, additive manufacturing processes and heat treatments should be conducted.
Originality/value
This study shows the utility of a microstructure-sensitive fatigue model for use in predicting the fatigue life of LENS Ti-6Al-4V with various levels of porosity and while in a heat-treated condition.
Details
Keywords
Ian F.W. McDowell and Pauline Ashfield‐Watt
Looks at the role of dietary folate for cardiovascular health. Considers the hypothesis that a diet poor in folate may lead to accelerated vascular disease. Also looks at the role…
Abstract
Looks at the role of dietary folate for cardiovascular health. Considers the hypothesis that a diet poor in folate may lead to accelerated vascular disease. Also looks at the role of some enzymes with regard to cardiovascular disease.
Uma Maheshwaraa Namasivayam and Carolyn Conner Seepersad
Solid freeform fabrication is particularly suitable for fabricating customized parts, but it has not been used for fabricating deployable structures that can be stored in a…
Abstract
Purpose
Solid freeform fabrication is particularly suitable for fabricating customized parts, but it has not been used for fabricating deployable structures that can be stored in a compact configuration and deployed quickly and easily in the field. The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology for deploying flexible, freeform structure with lattice skins as the deploying mechanism.
Design/methodology/approach
A ground structure‐based topology optimization procedure is utilized, with a penalization scheme that encourages convergence to sets of thick lattice elements that are manufacturable and extremely thin lattice elements that are removed from the final structure.
Findings
A deployable wing is designed for a miniature unmanned aerial vehicle. A physical prototype of the optimal configuration is fabricated with selective laser sintering and compared with the virtual prototype. The proposed methodology results in a 78 percent improvement in deviations from the intended surface profile of the deployed part.
Originality/value
The results presented in the paper provide proof‐of‐concept for the use of lattice skins as a deployment mechanism. A topology optimization framework is also provided for designing these lattice skins. Potential applications include portable, camouflaged shelters and deployable aerial vehicles.
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to demonstrate the design and verification of a 3D reticulate octahedral cellular structure using both analytical modeling and additive manufacturing…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to demonstrate the design and verification of a 3D reticulate octahedral cellular structure using both analytical modeling and additive manufacturing. Traditionally, it has been difficult to develop and verify designs for 3D cellular structures due to their design complexity.
Design/methodology/approach
Unit cell modeling approach was used to model the octahedral cellular structure. By applying structural symmetry simplification, the cellular structure was simplified into a representative geometry that could be further designed with a standard beam theory. The verification samples were fabricated with EBM process using Ti6Al4V as materials, and compressive testing were performed to evaluate their properties. In addition, designs with different number of unit cells were investigated to evaluate their size effect.
Findings
Explicit mechanical property design (including modulus and compressive strength) of the octahedral cellular structure was realized via parametric equations driven by geometrical designs and material types. In addition, it was verified both numerically and experimentally that the octahedral cellular structure exhibit unusual size effect, which is highly predictable. Unlike some of the other cellular structures, the octahedral cellular structure exhibits softening behavior when the number of unit cell increases between the sandwich skins, which could be explained by the upsetting effect commonly observed in bulk deformation processes.
Originality/value
This paper established a more comprehensive understanding in the design of octahedral cellular structures, which could enable this type of structure to be designed for sandwich structures with higher fidelity. Therefore, this study not only demonstrated an efficient methodology to design 3D cellular structures using additive manufacturing, but also facilitated the development of design for an additive manufacturing theory.
Details
Keywords
Amanda McCloat, Elaine Mooney and Lynsey Elizabeth Hollywood
The purpose of this paper is to examine the self-reported food skills, cooking confidence and practices amongst a sample of parents on the Island of Ireland (IOI) and to highlight…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the self-reported food skills, cooking confidence and practices amongst a sample of parents on the Island of Ireland (IOI) and to highlight jurisdictional similarities and differences between Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI).
Design/methodology/approach
Parents (n=363) on the IOI completed a questionnaire exploring confidence levels of food skills, cooking techniques executed and the identification of barriers which might impact on meal preparation. Non-probability convenience sampling was utilised.
Findings
The majority of parents (75 per cent) learned their basic cooking skills from their mother with home economics classes being the second most popular source of learning. There were a number of statistically significant jurisdictional differences. For example, when preparing dinners, NI parents were less likely to enjoy cooking and more likely to use processed foods such as breaded frozen chicken and jars of sauces than ROI (x2=56.167, df=1, p<0.001). Similarly, parents in NI were less likely to involve family members in meal preparation (x2=17.939, df=1, p<0.001). Parents in the ROI reported higher confidence levels than NI parents when cooking from basic ingredients; following a simple recipe and preparing new foods. Over half (51 per cent) of parents identified barriers to cooking with fresh ingredients as: time, cost, busy family life and limited facilities.
Research limitations/implications
Findings indicate that parents would benefit from exposure to practical food skills intervention focussed on quick, nutritious family meals while simultaneously developing parents’ culinary skills and cooking confidence in home cooked meal preparation.
Originality/value
There is a lack of information pertaining to food skills and cooking confidence amongst parents on the IOI.
Details
Keywords
Uma Maheshwaraa, David Bourell and Carolyn Conner Seepersad
Frontier environments – such as battlefields, hostile territories, remote locations, or outer space – drive the need for lightweight, deployable structures that can be stored in a…
Abstract
Purpose
Frontier environments – such as battlefields, hostile territories, remote locations, or outer space – drive the need for lightweight, deployable structures that can be stored in a compact configuration and deployed quickly and easily in the field. This paper seeks to introduce the concept of lattice skins is introduced to enable the design, solid freeform fabrication (SFF), and deployment of customizable structures with nearly arbitrary surface profile and lightweight multi‐functionality.
Design/methodology/approach
Using Duraform® FLEX material in a selective laser sintering machine, large deployable structures are fabricated in a nominal build chamber by decomposing them into smaller parts. Before fabrication, lattice sub‐skins are added strategically beneath the surface of the part. The lattices provide elastic energy for folding and deploying the structure or constrain expansion upon application of internal air pressure. Nearly, arbitrary surface profiles are achievable and internal space is preserved for subsequent usage.
Findings
A set of virtual and physical prototypes are presented, along with the computational modeling approach used to design them. The prototypes provide proof of concept for lattice skins as a deployment mechanism in SFF and demonstrate the effect of lattice structures on deployed shape.
Research limitations/implications
The research findings demonstrate not only the feasibility of a new deployment mechanism‐based on lattice skins – for deploying freeform structures, but also the potential utility of SFF techniques for fabricating customized deployable structures.
Originality/value
A new lattice skin mechanism is introduced for deploying structures with nearly arbitrary surface profiles and open, usable, internal space. Virtual and physical prototypes are introduced for proof of concept, along with an optimization approach for automated design of these structures.
Mervyn D.J. Wilson, S. Roberta Smyth, Anna E. Murray and Margaret A. Black
The reawakening of the Northern Ireland tourism industry, in 1994, has developed a growing business confidence that international tourist levels will increase. Unfortunately…
Abstract
The reawakening of the Northern Ireland tourism industry, in 1994, has developed a growing business confidence that international tourist levels will increase. Unfortunately, there is not a range of suitable accommodation either in standards or in number to cater for an influx of visitors. Examines the development of the accommodation sector in relation to the tourism industry of Northern Ireland. Highlights problems of the Northern Ireland accommodation sector and documents recommendations for future developments.
Details
Keywords
Hannes Velt and Rudolf R. Sinkovics
This chapter offers a comprehensive review the literature on authentic leadership (AL). The authors employ a bibliometric approach to identify, classify, visualise and synthesise…
Abstract
This chapter offers a comprehensive review the literature on authentic leadership (AL). The authors employ a bibliometric approach to identify, classify, visualise and synthesise relevant scholarly publications and the work of a core group of interdisciplinary scholars who are key contributors to the research on AL. They review 264 journal articles, adopting a clustering technique to assess the central themes of AL scholarship. They identify five distinct thematic clusters: authenticity in the context of leadership; structure of AL; social perspectives on AL; dynamism of AL; and value perceptions of AL. Velt and Sinkovics assert that these clusters will help scholars of AL to understand the dominant streams in the literature and provide a foundation for future research.