Search

Teachers play a large role in determining whether or not the classroom climate experienced by students is positive, especially through their visible emotional behaviors (i.e., neutral, positive, and negative emotional expressions). Research suggests that teachers make specific contributions to the classroom emotional climate in actions such as building relationships with students, managing classroom behaviors, and displaying enthusiasm during instruction. The current study explored one specific contribution teachers make to the classroom emotional climate (i.e., teacher displayed affective demeanor) likely associated with maintaining student engagement. The purpose of this study was to capture the unique influences of teacher displayed affective demeanor as it relates to students' engagement. Secondary analysis using video recordings of 84 first through third grade classrooms were used to explore teachers' displayed affective demeanor (n = 79) and students' off-task behavior (n = 539) during reading instruction. Limited research addresses the contribution of teacher displayed affective demeanor as students progress through elementary school and move to new classrooms. This study investigated these associations both concurrently and longer term (across three school years). Specifically, multilevel growth models were used to explore whether and how teachers' affective demeanor and students' off-task behavior were associated over time. Two main research aims were addressed: (1) How does teachers' displayed affective demeanor relate to students' off-task behavior cross-sectionally in first, second, and third grade? and (2) How does teachers' displayed affective demeanor relate to growth in student off-task behavior from first through third grade? Teachers' demeanor characteristics were associated with students' off-task behavior and distinct associations between students' off-task behavior and teachers' demeanor were present in first, second, and third grade. Additionally, an increase in teachers' positive demeanor was associated with less off-task behavior in the spring of third grade and a more rapidly declining rate of growth in off-task behavior over time. The results suggested that first grade teachers' positive demeanor contributed to changes in students' off-task behavior in the same school year as well as the following two school years that students experienced in different classrooms. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The nonjonic surfactants n-C 1 6113 3 (OCH2CH2) 60H (C 1 6E06 ) and CiS-C9H18=C 1 3H2 5 (0CH2CH2 ) 60H (C22E06) have been studied in binary mixtures with heavy water, using techniques including optical microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and x-ray and neutron scattering. The liquid crystalline phases have been characterized and their dimensional parameters determined. A phase diagram of C 16E06 has been produced covering the range of surfactant concentrations from 24 to 60% by weight. This system presented a nematic phase associated with calamitic mesogenic units, the first one to be characterized in this kind of system. Both systems showed a lamellar phase at high concentration and temperatures, while a hexagonal phase at lower concentrations and temperatures. Between these phases a different lamellar region was found, but with smaller interplanar distances than the L. phase. It was called fluid phase, F. This was the first observation of this phase in such kind of system. The structure of the fluid phase was concluded to be disrupted planes of amphiphile molecules with water filling the inplane spaces. No correlation was found between mesogenic units in different planes, therefore no regular structural lattice in the plane normal to the lamellae is expected. The C 16E06 system also showed an ambiguous V 1 cubic/intermediate phase between hexagonal and fluid phases, the cubic being the more stable state.

The current architectural landscape of strip malls and big box stores is the antitheses of what nearly every practicing architect avails to while in the security of the academy. Upon entering the real world of budgetary constraints and hard deadlines, it seems that most architects are content to simply earn a paycheck rather than produce meaningful work. This destructive method of designing is a result of a supposed lack of choices, and can only be combated when architects have more to lose than their principles. By architects playing the role of both designer and developer, it is possible to see a more sustainable, meaningful and beautiful architectural landscape emerge. This architecture will ideally be tailored to the specific community in which it resides, it is not meant to be a prototype that can be inserted in any hurting neighborhood, or a top-down solution to a worldwide problem, but rather an example of one possible solution used to inject life back into an under used or undervalued locality.