Nonlinear dynamics modeling and epidemic forecast of COVID-19

To study the spreading trend and risk of COVID-19, according to the characteristics of COVID-19, this paper proposes a new transmission dynamic model named SLIR(susceptible-low-risk-infected-recovered), based on the classic SIR model by considering government control and personal protection measures. The equilibria, stability and bifurcation of the model are analyzed to reveal the propagation mechanism of COVID-19. In order to improve the prediction accuracy of the model, the least square method is employed to estimate the model parameters based on the real data of COVID-19 in the United States. Finally, the model is used to predict and analyze COVID-19 in the United States. The simulation results show that compared with the traditional SIR model, this model can better predict the spreading trend of COVID-19 in the United States, and the actual official data has further verified its effectiveness. The proposed model can effectively simulate the spreading of COVID-19 and help governments choose appropriate prevention and control measures. Copyright ©2023 Control and Decision.

Getting Students to (and Through) Advanced Math: Where Course Offerings and Content Are Not Adding Up. American Educator Panels. Research Report. RR-A827-10

This report uses Spring 2022 data from nationally representative surveys of principals and math teachers in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) to explore students' opportunities to prepare for and take advanced math. The authors found that small high schools, high schools in rural areas, and high schools that predominantly serve students from historically marginalized communities tend to offer fewer advanced math courses (e.g., precalculus, Advanced Placement math courses) and that uneven access to advanced math begins in middle school. K-12 teachers who work in schools that predominately serve students living in poverty are more likely to report skipping standards-aligned content and replacing the skipped content with concepts from previous grade levels. Also, more than half of K-12 math teachers said they need additional support for delivering high-quality math instruction, especially teachers who work in schools that serve predominantly high-poverty students. In the wake of the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students living in poverty and students of color, these results highlight a critical need for resources to support teachers and to increase student access to advanced courses. [For technical information about the surveys and analysis in this report, see "Learn Together Surveys. 2022 Technical Documentation and Survey Results. Research Report. RR-A827-9" (ED626092).]

Opportunities for K-8 Students to Learn Statistics Created by States' Standards in the United States

Statistical literacy is key in this heavily polarized information age for an informed and critical citizenry to make sense of arguments in the media and society. The responsibility of developing statistical literacy is often left to the K-12 mathematics curriculum. In this article, we discuss our investigation of K-8 students' current opportunities to learn statistics created by state mathematics standards. We analyze the standards for alignment to the Guidelines for the Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE II) PreK-12 report and summarize the conceptual themes that emerged. We found that while states provide K-8 students opportunities to analyze and interpret data, they do not offer many opportunities for students to engage in formulating questions and collecting/considering data. We discuss the implications of the findings for policy makers and researchers and provide recommendations for policy makers and standards writers.

Online Psycho-Educational Intervention in Mathematical Learning Difficulties

The present study shows the results of six case studies referring to an intervention applied to mathematical learning difficulties. Participants were 8 to 12 years old. The intervention considered mathematics as a language and it is theoretically based on Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and Peircean semiotics. The objective was to work on the development of academic skills associating mathematics with interactional social skills. The analysis was based on qualitative data collected during the intervention process and quantitative data from scales and instruments with pre- and post-intervention measures. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic context, some methodological issues were affected, mainly because the evaluations took place before and in the midst of the pandemic. Social impacts of the pandemic have unevenly affected participants, especially adolescents and children. The pandemic had a worse effect on adolescents than on children, especially regarding procedures that involve memory, and those with attentional problems also had worse results.

New Paradigm: HR Professional Transformation in Manufacturing Company: Acces la Success

This study aimed to optimize the line managers performances in the human resources (HR) division in answering the role of the HR management function problem in Medan City Manufacturing Company. The novelty proposed is a concept of HR management called "Human Resources Professional Transformation". Specifically, this concept discussed the ability of HR division line managers to make adaptive changes to the company's business-oriented functional divisions with managerial competence, commitment, innovation capability, and readiness for changes towards work performance. The population of this research was the line manager of the HR division, totaling 185 respondents. The sampling technique used a probability sampling approach with simple random sampling through the slovin formula, totaling 126 respondents. The analytical tool used is structural equation software through the SmartPLS application program. The results showed that managerial competence, commitment, innovation capability had a positive and significant effect through the HR professional transformation on the performance of line managers in the HR division. Meanwhile, readiness for change has a positive and insignificant effect on the HR Professional Transformation. Readiness for change also has a positive and insignificant effect on the Line Managers Performances in the Human Resources Division through HR Professional Transformation. Based on the suitability test of the research model, it proved that the HR Professional Transformation can answer the problem of the role of the management function to improve the line managers performances in the HR division with managerial competence, commitment, innovation capability, and readiness for change of 0.907.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teaching mathematics and students' knowledge, skills, and grades

As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and measures to secure public health, many processes have moved to the online space. The educational process is not an exception. Our main goal, which is presented in this article, was to re-design the educational process from face-to-face to distance learning in the Mathematics 1 course at the Technical University of Kosice. This article describes our approach to teaching, observations, and experience. This case study examines three factors: Firstly, the impact of distance education on overall assessments of students. Using descriptive statistics, the results of student evaluations were compared from the overall assessments for the last six academic years. It was found that distance learning does not affect excellent students and eliminates the number of students who do not pass. Secondly, the participation of students during online lessons, and thirdly, the use of electronic materials. The questionnaire survey and the data from the learning management system Moodle were used to examine the second and third factors. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the questionnaire survey data (frequencies, percentages and averages). An exploratory factor analysis was performed in order to assess the underlying key concepts regarding student evaluation of the teaching process. The exploratory factor analysis confirmed that this questionnaire followed the four key concepts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Online Courses of Mathematics for Entrance Exams

This paper deals with the results of students during the preparing courses of mathematics for entrance exams at an university. These courses take place every year and since the Covid-19 period, they are not only face-to-face, but also online. The study involves students of secondary schools who apply to the university of economics. This report compares results of tests of two different classes of these students and from different parts of mathematics. These tests are in the form of online quizzes. We do not prove if there are differences between the scores of students of short-time or long-time courses. In addition, we compare the results with the students from the year before. We also emphasize the more problematic topics of mathematics.

Recreational travel behavior and COVID-19: insights from expected utility and the theory of planned behavior

Understanding what factors play a role in people's decisions to travel during a pandemic is important to public health officials and to stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry in the United States (US) and worldwide. This study examines factors influencing people's decisions to cancel/postpone recreational travel within the US amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Our conceptual framework extends the Expected Utility model, commonly used in economics to model decisions under risk and uncertainty, to incorporate subjective norms and perceived behavioral control from the Theory of Planned Behavior. Our results suggest that risk perceptions, subjective norms, and concerns over transmitting COVID-19 to others play a significant role in the decision to cancel and postpone recreational travel. Results also suggest that perceived behavioral control may be less relevant to travel decisions when traveling involves elevated health risks.

Blind Special Education Students' Mathematics Psychology in the Pandemic: The Impact of Flipped Classroom Learning

Blind students' mathematics learning results during the Covid-19 epidemic will be examined in this research using a Flipped Classroom approach. This research makes use of a quasi-experimental approach that includes non-equivalent control groups. Blind kids in grades IV and V make up the study's population of 16 participants. Saturated sampling was used to collect the samples. Students in the experimental class are taught using the Flipped Classroom paradigm, while those in the control class are taught using a direct learning approach as a comparison. A p-value greater than 0.05 indicates that the data are normal and homogenous. The average of two unpaired samples from data is compared using the independent sample t-test. There is no H0 for a t-statistic of less than 0.05;if it is less than 0.05, it is not accepted. First, the Sig.t count (2-tailed) or the P-value are compared to make the first decision. After the second judgment, H0 is no longer a valid hypothesis. Learning arithmetic in a traditional classroom or without any treatment utilizing the Flipped Classroom methodology was shown to be less beneficial for blind pupils during the covid-19 outbreak © 2023, Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities.All Rights Reserved.

Novel Degree-Based Topological Descriptors of Fenofibrate Using M-Polynomial

Chemical graph theory is currently expanding the use of topological indices to numerically encode chemical structure. The prediction of the characteristics provided by the chemical structure of the molecule is a key feature of these topological indices. The concepts from graph theory are presented in a brief discussion of one of its many applications to chemistry, namely, the use of topological indices in quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) studies and quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) studies. This study uses the M-polynomial approach, a newly discovered technique, to determine the topological indices of the medication fenofibrate. With the use of degree-based topological indices, we additionally construct a few novel degree based topological descriptors of fenofibrate structure using M-polynomial. When using M-polynomials in place of degree-based indices, the computation of the topological indices can be completed relatively quickly. The topological indices are also plotted. Using M-polynomial, we compute novel formulas for the modified first Zagreb index, modified second Zagreb index, first and second hyper Zagreb indices, SK index, SK1 index, SK2 index, modified Albertson index, redefined first Zagreb index, and degree-based topological indices.

Online or In-Person Course? Meaningful Discussion of Learning Effectiveness and Satisfaction of Microwave Filter Design Course in Graduate Students

Contribution: A research on applying blended teaching in microwave filter design in graduate students. Background: The Covid-19 epidemic has caused many universities worldwide to switch to online courses. Taiwan did not have a large-scale local infection in 2020, so the school has implemented a blended teaching plan, combining online and in-person courses. Intended Outcomes: Discuss the effectiveness and satisfaction of the Microwave Filter Design Course in Graduate Students for two classes, Online or In-person course. Application Design: This study uses a quasi-experiment to teach microwave filter courses in the two classes. The teacher integrated into the Flipped Classroom and Interactive Response System (IRS). Students must use the APP to complete the preclass preview and prepare materials. Class A [Formula Omitted] uses in-person classrooms for the whole course;Class B uses blended teaching. The first eight weeks are synchronized online, then mid-term exams, and in-person courses are used for the next ten weeks. Students in two classes in the last week filled out the course satisfaction questionnaire. Findings: Class B achieved better results in the eighth midterm exam week, showing better learning results. Although students in both classes are highly satisfied with the course, Class A is more satisfied than Class B. For graduate students participating in the microwave filter design course, in-person classrooms and blended teaching can achieve good learning results and satisfaction. However, teachers must pay attention to students' reception and understanding of flipped classrooms when using online teaching. And timely and in-depth guidance on the accuracy of APP use.

An Epidemiological Model for Tuberculosis Considering Environmental Transmission and Reinfection

As tuberculosis (TB) patients do not have lifetime immunity, environmental transmission is one of the key reasons why TB has not been entirely eradicated. In this study, an SVEIRB model of recurrent TB considering environmental transmission was developed to explore the transmission kinetics of recurrent TB in the setting of environmental transmission, exogenous infection, and prophylaxis. A more thorough explanation of the effect of environmental transmission on recurrent TB can be found in the model's underlying regeneration numbers. The global stability of disease-free and local equilibrium points can be discussed by looking at the relevant characteristic equations. The Lyapunov functions and the LaSalle invariance principle are used to show that the local equilibrium point is globally stable, and TB will persist if the basic reproduction number is larger. Conversely, the disease will disappear if the basic reproduction number is less than one. The impact of environmental transmission on the spread of tuberculosis was further demonstrated by numerical simulations, which also demonstrated that vaccination and reducing the presence of the virus in the environment are both efficient approaches to control the disease's spread.

Mathematics Teacher Educators' Decisions in a Time of Crisis: Self-Reflections as a Basis for Community Inquiry

A time of crisis is a time of uncertainty, when many decisions need to be made. This study combines self-reflection, along with community inquiry, as three mathematics teacher educators recount a lesson that they taught in the past and how it was changed due to the COVID-19 crisis. Decisions were analyzed in terms of goals, orientations, and resources. The findings showed that the key issue was the immediate requirement to change one's regular routine. For some, resources were replaced. For others, dominant orientations receded to the background, and new goals were set. A final reflection conducted after returning to the classroom revealed how challenges during the crisis led to change and the adoption of new goals both during and after the crisis, clarifying our values and leading to the use of additional resources today. © 2023 by the authors.

Two-stage Examinations in STEM: A Narrative Literature Review

Written, invigilated examinations are valued for their reliability, economy and academic integrity. Nevertheless, examinations are problematic. Final, summative examinations can disadvantage students who experience assessment anxiety, and students may not receive useable feedback. An alternative is the two-stage examination, where a traditional examination is followed by a group examination with similar questions. Students gain peer feedback on their examination performance, and can meaningfully apply this feedback. Use of this format in tertiary STEM education in universities has indicated that students prefer the format, although it has been little studied in Australia. Furthermore, its effects on reducing stress and fostering deeper learning are not well understood. The COVID-19 pandemic and switch to online learning has provided us with an opportunity to review our assessment practices and has led to a new willingness to test different examination formats. Here we provide a narrative review of the results of previous studies on two-stage examinations and, based on this and our experience teaching in large-cohort introductory biology courses at an Australian university, we propose a formula for employing them in this context.

Problems of Mathematics Teachers in Teaching Mathematical Content Online in Nepal

The study aimed to explore the problems of teachers in teaching mathematical contents through the online mode during COVID-19 in Nepal. A cross-sectional survey study was carried out among 415 mathematics teachers from basic school to the university level. A self-constructed questionnaire was administered online, and the data were analyzed using the t-test, ANOVA, and the hierarchical multiple regression. The result shows that Algebra, Statistics, Vectors, Geometry, and Analysis are problematic areas for teachers teaching mathematics online. The institution types, ICT training status, and years of using the laptop by teachers at the secondary level were found to be the key factors determining the problem of mathematical content teaching during online instruction although the level of problems varied with respect to the teachers' age and experience at the university level. Copyright © 2022, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.

Characterization of varieties biofortified in iron and zinc and local varieties of common bean

Iron and zinc are important minerals in humans in sub Saharan Africa, whose deficiency is known as "hidden hunger" due to the lack of recognised symptoms in the early stages. Although iron deficiency is the most prevalent, zinc is also involved in inhibition of replication of viruses, including the corona virus (COVID-19). In North Kivu and South Kivu provinces where more than 50% of common bean is produced and consumed in Democratic Republic of Congo, 36% and 47% of preschool children are anemic due to iron deficiency. This paradox is mainly due to insufficiency of iron-rich foods. The aim of this study is to characterise 59 iron and zinc biofortified varieties together with six local varieties of common bean for a potential selection programme in Butembo town in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We focused on 15 qualitative and five quantitative parameters. The qualitative parameters were helpful to distinguish the different morphotypes and for cluster analysis. In addition to the descriptive statistics, the quantitative data were used for Pearson correlation and for principal component analysis, PCA. Qualitative parameters enabled grouping of the study genotypes into 14 morphotypes according to the aspect and colour of the seed coat, the colour around the hilum and the size of seeds. Clustering grouped the 65 genotypes into 12 clusters with the most similar genotypes grouped in the same cluster. Quantitative parameters showed that the study genotypes were dissimilar (P=0.00). A positive correlation was obtained between the days to flowering and the days to maturity (P<0.05) and between the number of pods per plant and the days to flowering. A strong correlation was found between the number of pods per plant and seeds per pod (P<0.01). In contrast, a negative correlation was observed between the 100 seed weight and the number of seeds per pod. The PCA represented on two perpendicular axes showed 64.1% of the total variance of which the 42.3% is explained by the first axis and 21.8% by the second axis. Overall, the study genotypes are morphologically and quantitatively different and thus can be used in a selection programme.

From Resistance to Resilience: Teachers' Adaptation Process to Mediating Digital Devices in Pre-COVID-19, during COVID-19, and Post-COVID-19 Classrooms in Nepal

This qualitative study explores the implementation and adoption process of the use of digital devices and tools in teaching and learning before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal. Using Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory as a framework, the study examines the adoption and adaptation of digital devices by in-service secondary mathematics teachers (n = 62) and the teachers' perceptions of and preferences for instructional modalities. The findings suggest that, despite the increased reliance on digital devices during the pandemic, there is a lower likelihood of them being used in face-to-face classrooms in developing countries, such as Nepal. The adoption of online learning had not yet reached the adoption stage, even after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, online learning was not widely adopted by teachers in developing countries societies. The study also provides important insights into the challenges of and opportunities provided by using digital devices in post-COVID-19 classrooms, and its implications for policymakers and educators in Nepal. © 2023 by the authors.

Fitting Percentage of Body Fat to Simple Body Measurements: College Women

Percentage of body fat, age, weight, height, and 14 circumference measurements (e.g., waist) are given for 184 women aged 18–25. Body fat, one measure of health, was accurately determined by an underwater weighing technique which requires special equipment and training of the individuals conducting the process. Modeling body fat percentage using multiple regression provides a convenient method of estimating body fat percentage using measures collected using only a measuring tape and a scale. This dataset can be used to show students the utility of multiple regression and to provide practice in model building.

Probabilistic Forecasting of Electricity Demand Incorporating Mobility Data

Due to extreme weather conditions and anomalous events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, utilities and grid operators worldwide face unprecedented challenges. These unanticipated changes in trends introduce new uncertainties in conventional short-term electricity demand forecasting (EDF) since its result depends on recent usage as an input variable. In order to quantify the uncertainty of EDF effectively, this paper proposes a comprehensive probabilistic EFD method based on Gaussian process regression (GPR) and kernel density estimation (KDE). GPR is a non-parametric method based on Bayesian theory, which can handle the uncertainties in EDF using limited data. Mobility data is incorporated to manage uncertainty and pattern changes and increase forecasting model scalability. This study first performs a correlation study for feature selection that comprises weather, renewable and non-renewable energy, and mobility data. Then, different kernel functions of GPR are compared, and the optimal function is recommended for real applications. Finally, real data are used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model and are elaborated with three scenarios. Comparison results with other conventional adopted methods show that the proposed method can achieve high forecasting accuracy with a minimum quantity of data while addressing forecasting uncertainty, thus improving decision-making.

Report on the Condition of Education 2023. NCES 2023-144

The "Report on the Condition of Education" is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the condition of education in the United States at all levels, from prekindergarten through postsecondary, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons. There are core indicators that are updated every year and spotlight indicators that provide in-depth analyses on topics of interest to education agencies, policymakers, researchers, and the public. At the broadest level, the Condition of Education Indicator System is organized into five sections: family characteristics;preprimary, elementary, and secondary education;postsecondary education;population characteristics and economic outcomes;and international comparisons. The Report on the "Condition of Education 2023" encompasses key findings from the Condition of Education Indicator System. The full contents of the Indicator System can be accessed online through the website or by downloading PDFs for the individual indicators. [For "The Condition of Education 2023": At a Glance, see ED628291. For the "Report on the Condition of Education 2022. NCES 2022-144," see ED619870.]