A review into the factors affecting declines in undergraduate Computer Science enrolments and approaches for solving this problem

There has been a noticeable drop in enrolments in Computer Science (CS) courses and interest in CS careers in recent years while demand for CS skills is increasing dramatically. Not only are such skills useful for CS jobs but for all forms of business and to some extent personal lives as Information Technology (IT) is becoming ubiquitous and essential for most aspects of modern life. Therefore it is essential to address this lack of interest and skills to not only fill the demand for CS employees but to provide students with the CS skills they need for modern life especially for improving their employability and skills for further study. This report looks at possible reasons for the lack of interest in CS and different approaches used to enhance CS education and improve the appeal of CS

Enhancing Programming Lectures Using Interactive Web-Based Lecture Slides

Programming is often seen as a difficult subject to teach and keep students engaged and motivated about. Also programming results are frequently found to be lower than for other subjects (Jenkins 2002; Robins et al. 2003; Bennedsen and Caspersen 2007). Therefore, the challenge is to find a way of improving programming education to address these problems. This paper considers the use of innovative pedagogy approaches to do this due to their ability to enhance learning experiences. An innovative pedagogy case study is presented that was designed to test whether interactive web-based lecture slides can enhance programming lectures to make them more engaging and enjoyable and make programming easier to understand. The lecture was an introduction to the jQuery JavaScript library/framework for first year undergraduates. Results were overall positive and show value for approaches like this and that they can enhance lectures to make them more engaging and enjoyable and can be used to make programming easier to understand

Exploring Student Engagement and Disengagement in University Education, Can Vocational Activities/Practice-Based Learning Help?

Student engagement is a commonly discussed term within education especially within Higher Education where academics regularly engage in research around the topic with the aim of improving engagement and the student experience. However, despite the focus on and recognised importance of engagement it has been observed, particularly by academic staff, that disengagement amongst students is increasing. This paper explores the possible reasons for reduced engagement in universities and contemplates whether the teaching approaches used in higher education are to blame. It looks at approaches that are better suited to adult learners to meet the way they approach education, their needs, complex lifestyles and so forth. A case study is presented, influenced by this literature, designed to improve engagement via a lab session which is vocationally relevant with examples that are more realistic to a work environment. This is done to help meet the growing trend of students wishing to see the vocational relevance of their studies. Results showed activities like this can increase engagement and enhance the student experience and student learning

Rättvisa och likvärdiga betyg - ¿Una posibilidad? På vilket sätt går det att ha en likvärdig bedömning i ämnet spanska med dagens formulering av uppnåendemålen?

Syfte Vårt syfte var att undersöka huruvida det går att ha en likvärdig bedömning i ämnet spanska med dagens formulering av uppnåendemålen i den nationella kursplanen för moderna språk. Vidare ville vi undersöka hur den av Skolverket förväntade lokala planeringen av den nationella kursplanen ser ut och vilka strategier lärarna använder sig av för att säkerställa en likvärdig bedömning i ämnet spanska. Dagens formulering av uppnåendemålen i moderna språk ger ett stort utrymme för tolkning. Tanken är att formuleringarna ska ge utrymme för att lokalt kunna planera och anpassa undervisningen utifrån de lokala förutsättningarna. Ur ett likvärdighetsperspektiv uppstår dock problemet, som vi såg det, just vid tolkningen av målen. Vi frågade oss hur en likvärdig bedömning ska kunna existera med olika tillvägagångssätt och med uppnåendemål som ger utrymme för subjektiva tolkningar. Metod Vi använde oss av två metoder - dokumentanalys och intervjuer. Vår dokumentanalys bestod av elva lokala planeringar av kursplanen i moderna språk. Vi analyserade var och en av dem för att se huruvida de följer uppnåendemålen i kursplanen och jämfört planeringarna sinsemellan. Vi valde att utgå från Skolverkets Allmänna Råd för att se om de lokala planeringarna stämde överens med förväntningarna på hur arbetet på lokal nivå ska bedrivas. För att förstå hur lärarna resonerade kring ämnet och ta reda på vilka strategier de använde sig av gjorde vi fyra intervjuer. Resultat Vårt resultat visade att så som uppnåendemålen ser ut idag skulle man kunna närma sig en likvärdig bedömning om det fanns praktiska förutsättningar. Den främsta nyckeln för att nå dit är genom samarbete, vilket brister ute i verksamheterna. Problemet med formuleringarna är, enligt oss, att en subjektiv tolkning av målen riskerar att bli dominerande vid bedömningen. Svaret på vårt syfte blev att en likvärdig bedömning i ämnet spanska med dagens formulering av uppnåendemålen kan, som vi ser det bara uppnås genom samarbete

Tycho Brahe's supernova: light from centuries past

The light curve of SN 1572 is described in the terms used nowadays to characterize SNeIa. By assembling the records of the observations done in 1572--74 and evaluating their uncertainties, it is possible to recover the light curve and the color evolution of this supernova. It is found that, within the SNe Ia family, the event should have been a SNIa with a normal rate of decline, its stretch factor being {\it s} $\sim$ 0.9. Visual light curve near maximum, late--time decline and the color evolution sustain this conclusion. After correcting for extinction, the luminosity of this supernova is found to be M$_{V}$ $=$ --19.58 --5 log (D/3.5 kpc) $\pm$ 0.42.Comment: 28 pages, 3 figures, 3 tables. submitted to ApJ (Main Journal

The X-ray Iron Emission from Tycho's Supernova Remnant

We present the results of broadband fits to the X-ray spectrum of Tycho's supernova remnant obtained by the Solid-State Imaging Spectrometers on the ASCA Observatory. We use single-temperature, single-ionization-age, nonequilibrium ionization models to characterize the ejecta and the blast-shocked interstellar medium. Based on the Fe K emission at 6.5 keV, previous spectral studies have suggested that the Fe ejecta in this Type Ia remnant are stratified interior to the other ejecta. The ASCA data provide important constraints from the Fe L emission near 1 keV as well as the Fe K emission. We find that the simplest models, with emission from the ejecta and blast wave each at a single temperature and ionization age, severely underestimate the Fe K flux. We show that there is little Fe emission associated with the Si and S ejecta shell. The blast-shocked interstellar medium has abundances roughly 0.3 times the solar value, while the ejecta, with the exception of Fe, have relative abundances that are typical of Type Ia supernovae. The addition of another component of Fe emission, which we associate with ejecta, at a temperature at least two times higher and an ionization age $\sim$ 100 times lower than the Si ejecta, does provide a good fit to the spectrum. This model is consistent with X-ray imaging results. Although fluorescent emission from dust in the remnant may contribute to the Fe K flux, we conclude that it is unlikely to dominate.Comment: 23 pages, LaTex; 4 postscript figures, 2 postscript tables. To appear in ApJ, vol 49

Computing in Education: A study of computing in education and ways to enhance students’ perceptions and understanding of computing

There is a huge demand for computing skills in industry due to computing becoming ubiquitous and essential for modern life. Yet despite this, industry struggles to find employees with suitable computing skills and similarly Further and Higher Education institutions have observed a lack of interest in their computing courses in recent years. This study looks at possible reasons for this lack of interest in computing, how computing is taught in education and ways to improve students’ perceptions and understanding of computing. It focuses around a case study of a university outreach event for secondary schools which investigated how interactive teaching methods can be used to enhance students’ perceptions and understanding of computing and to increase their computing knowledge. It includes the use of physical computing and was designed to make computing fun, motivational and relevant, and to provide examples of real-world applications. Surveys were used before and after the event to understand what students’ impressions and knowledge of computing is and to see if the event improved these. Observations were also used to see how well the students handled the event’s content and whether they appeared to enjoy and understand it. Results from the case study indicate that interactive teaching methods enhance computing education, and physical computing with electronics can enhance lessons and show the relevance of computing with examples of real-world applications, and can be fun and motivational. The case study provides teachers with example tasks and challenges they can use with their students and/or ideas around other interactive teaching methods including practical computing

X-Ray Measured Dynamics of Tycho's Supernova Remnant

We present X-ray proper-motion measurements of the forward shock and reverse-shocked ejecta in Tycho's supernova remnant, based on three sets of archival Chandra data taken in 2000, 2003, and 2007. We find that the proper motion of the edge of the remnant (i.e., the forward shock and protruding ejecta knots) varies from 0".20 yr^{-1} (expansion index m=0.33, where R = t^m) to 0".40 yr^{-1} (m=0.65) with azimuthal angle in 2000-2007 measurements, and 0".14 yr^{-1} (m=0.26) to 0".40 yr^{-1} (m=0.65) in 2003-2007 measurements. The azimuthal variation of the proper motion and the average expansion index of ~0.5 are consistent with those derived from radio observations. We also find proper motion and expansion index of the reverse-shocked ejecta to be 0".21-0".31 yr^{-1} and 0.43-0.64, respectively. From a comparison of the measured m-value with Type Ia supernova evolutionary models, we find a pre-shock ambient density around the remnant of <~0.2 cm^{-3}

Expansion Velocity of Ejecta in Tycho's Supernova Remnant Measured by Doppler Broadened X-ray Line Emission

We show that the expansion of ejecta in Tycho's supernova remnant (SNR) is consistent with a spherically symmetric shell, based on Suzaku measurements of the Doppler broadened X-ray emission lines. All the strong K_alpha line emission show broader widths at the center than at the rim, while the centroid energies are constant across the remnant (except for Ca). This is the pattern expected for Doppler broadening due to expansion of the SNR ejecta in a spherical shell. To determine the expansion velocities of the ejecta, we applied a model for each emission line feature having two Gaussian components separately representing red- and blue-shifted gas, and inferred the Doppler velocity difference between these two components directly from the fitted centroid energy difference. Taking into account the effect of projecting a three-dimensional shell to the plane of the detector, we derived average spherical expansion velocities independently for the K_alpha emission of Si, S, Ar, and Fe, and K_beta of Si. We found that the expansion velocities of Si, S, and Ar ejecta of 4700+/-100 km/s are distinctly higher than that obtained from Fe K_alpha emission, 4000+/-300 km/s, which is consistent with segregation of the Fe in the inner ejecta. Combining the observed ejecta velocities with the ejecta proper-motion measurements by Chandra, we derived a distance to the Tycho's SNR of 4+/-1 kpc.Comment: Accepted to Apj, 25 pages, 7 figures, 5 table

Finite state machine representation of digital signal processing systems

A new method for implementing digital filters is discussed. The met11od maximises the output signal to noise ratio of a filter by assigning at each of the filter variables an optimal quantization law. A filter optimised for a gaussian process is considered in detail. An error model is developed and applied to first and second order canonic form filter sections. Comparisons are drawn between the gaussian optimised filter and the equivalent fixed point arithmetic filter. The performance of gaussian optimised filters under sinusoidal input signal conditions is considered ; it is found that the gaussian optimised filter exhibits a lower approximation error than the equivalent fixed point arithmetic filter. It is shown that when high order filters are implemented as a cascade of second order sections - with if necessary one first order section - the section ordering has a very small effect on the overall signal to noise r atio performance. A similar result for the pairing of poles and zeroes is found. Bounds on the maximum limit cycle amplitude for first and second order all-pole sections are presented. It is shown that for a first order all-pole the maximum limit cycle amplitude is lower than would be expected in the equivalent fixed point arithmetic filter, whereas , for the second order all- pole the bound is twice as large. Examples of a low-pass , band-pass and wideband differentiating filter,designed using free quantization law techniques,are presented. This new design method leads to a filter whose arithmetic operations can not be performed using fixed point arithmetic hardware. Instead, the filter must be represented as a finite state machine and then implemented using sequential logic circuit synthesis techniques. The logic complexity is found to depend - amongst other considerations - on the so called state (code) assignment. Some preliminary results on this problem are presented for the case of a next state function computed using the AND/EXCLUSIVE- OR (ring-sum) logic expansion. A review of the state assignment techniques in the literature is included. A part of the state assignment problem - for the case of AND/EX'·/OR logic - requires the numerous and consequently rapid computation of the Reed-Muller Transformation. A hardware processor - designed as an add-on to a minicomputer - is described; speed comparisons are drawn with the equivalent software algorithm.Digitisation of this thesis was sponsored by Arcadia Fund, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin