http://www.amser.org/index.php?P=Home AMSER (the Applied Math and Science Education Repository) provides educational resources and services built specifically for use by those in Community and Technical Colleges but free for anyone to use. http://amser.org//SPTUI--CWIS/images/cwis_logo.gif http://amser.org//SPTUI--CWIS/images/cwis_logo.gif 69 21 AMSER Logo en-us ealmasy@scout.wisc.edu ealmasy@scout.wisc.edu Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=12107 Six Sigma is a strategy designed to improve efficiency in manufacturing and business processes. Its basic focus is to decrease defect, improve overall quality, reduce cost and increase profit in production. Modern operations managers recognize the tremendous advantage of applying innovative and advanced techniques that would increase productivity and customer satisfaction. Tomorrows managers are being educated at universities today. Implementing business processes analysis and improvement methodologies should be considered an important component of this education. Six Sigma methodology offers a comprehensive body of knowledge to aid with such process improvements.This paper suggests a road map for implementation of a graduate course in Six Sigma. Students would start by acquiring the basic cognitive skills and mastering the necessary underlying concepts and theories. These theories are then put into practice through a project selection and execution. Finally, students would be prepared to offer recommendations and suggestions for the selected business on manufacturing processes.As with any instructional and curriculum material, a course in Six Sigma methodology should also provide a means of assessing outcomes and student learning. This paper will present and discuss these issues and should be of great interest to those educators who wish to offer instructions on this topic. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=11245 This Joint Oceanographic Institutions activity (PDF) provides questions related to interpreting paleoclimate (climate in the past) data. Questions inquire about characteristics that make sites favorable for paleoclimate records, locating sites using a map, finding patterns and correlations in the data, and implications for these records. Figures are provided to answer the questions and are from various sources that, in most cases, are hyperlinked to the original source. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=11155 This article is a compilation of information about free-living eukaryotes in extreme environments. Written in summary form, it includes anaerobes, thermophiles, psychrophiles, acidophiles, alkalophiles, halophiles, barophiles, xerophiles, and organisms in other extreme environments. Including a lengthy list of peer-reviewed references, the author invites new information and is dedicated to routinely updating the site. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=3554 Slide shows a 10X image of prostate adenocarcinoma, Gleason grade 3, Score 6 infiltrating between benign prostate glands.Specimen Type: cellMagnification: 10Annotated: falseDisease diagnosis: neoplastic Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=9717 This website contains eight one-hour videos designed to help K–6 teachers gain an understanding of some of the basic physical science concepts they need to teach in today’s standards-based curricula. Programs include real-world applications, labs, and animations. Videos are available to watch online for free. Written teacher materials and professional development credits are available for purchase. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=9735 This is a collection of interactive tutorials on the fundamentals of waves. The tutorials emphasize concepts that are not usually well illustrated in textbooks. Java applets are used to illustrate the physics. The lessons begin with very simple wave properties and ends with an examination of nonlinear wave behavior. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=10412 This website from NASA is a photo gallery that contains images of planets, nebulae, galaxies, globular clusters, stars, compact objects, and spacecraft. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=10450 The Ontario Science Centre's Sci Zone presents a series of home experiments that give children opportunities to explore science outside of the classroom. Topics include: growing rock candy, the jelly bean challenge and why is the sky blue? Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=10366 The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established 1899, is a major professional organization in North America for astronomers and other scientists and individuals interested in astronomy and astronomy research. The mission of the American Astronomical Society is to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the Universe. Their website includes information on membership, meetings, grants, prizes, career services and more. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:00:01 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=9700 This web page provides information about and resources from physics workshops for teachers in community colleges. This project is a National Science Foundation sponsored effort of Joliet Junior College (IL) and Lee College (TX). The project is aimed at high school and two-year college teachers who teach the core physics courses for technology and other programs. The resources incorporate major developments in teaching and learning strategies that have emerged in the last few years. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:00:01 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=8167 This presentation, by Arizona State University, addresses operational amplifiers; their structure, construction and applications of the technology. The site is broken down into ten sections; these are: an introduction, terminal connections, op-amp internals, ideal op-amp equations, circuit analysis example, voltage follower, inverting configuration, non-inverting configuration, differentiators, and integrators. Overall, the site is flashy, but still informative presentation of this technology. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:52:27 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=12085 Engineering mechanics, specifically statics and dynamics, is a critical foundation for advanced topics in several technical disciplines. On the surface, the common, application oriented focus of engineering technology would suggest a common approach to these fundamental topics. However, there is a large variation in the curricular format and pedagogy used to introduce mechanics among engineering technology programs across the country.A study was conducted to identify the different approaches used in mechanics courses in different engineering technology programs. Additionally, a study that distinguishes the factors of success in the engineering mechanics courses at the University of Dayton will be reviewed. Using these studies, recommendations for an ideal approach will be suggested.Also, in the past few years, many innovative pedagogical techniques for guiding students through engineering mechanics have been documented. The primary focus of these studies has been with engineering programs. Yet, a common assumption is that these techniques can also be implemented in engineering technology programs. While this is true for many methods, some important differences exist. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=11101 This Diseases of Aquatic Organisms scholarly article (PDF) reports that the Protistan parasite, QPX (Quahaug Parasite X) that affects the hard-shell clam Mercenaria mercenaria is a member of phylum Labyrinthulomycota, within which it appears as a specific relative of Thraustochytrium pachydermum. Obtained by DNA sequencing of the nuclear gene encoding the 18S RNA of the small-subunit ribosomal (ssu-rDNA) and subsequent phylogenetic analysis, these results confirm the provisional assignment of QPX to the Labyrinthulomycota made previously on the basis of morphological and ultrastructural characters found in some, but not all, geographic isolates. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=11495 This Geotimes article highlights recent work done by Derek Lovley on the microbe Geobacter. The article discusses the ability of Geobacter to eat metal wastes as well as the prospect of using Geobacter as a microbial fuel cell. The web site also contains links to the Geotimes' home page, the American Geological Institute (AGI) home, and other useful AGI links. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500 http://www.amser.org//index.php?P=FullRecord&ResourceId=10137 The Gateway to Educational Materials Project aims to provide educators with quick and easy access to substantial collections of educational materials found on various internet sites. GEM has over 500 consortium members providing materials, over 600 items listed in astronomy and over 1500 items listed in physics. Other subjects include the arts, education technology, foreign languages, health, language arts, mathematics, philosophy, physical education, religion, general science, social studies, and vocational education. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:00:02 -0500