In modern education, computer applications are capable of enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. Instructors teaching spreadsheet applications such as Excel are faced with a variety of assessment and teaching methods to assign and grade homework projects that guide students in mastering the essentials of spreadsheet operations. Several grading software packages are available in the market to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of teaching an Excel course. This study discusses a system designed to create and grading Excel assignments. The system's advantages and drawbacks are discussed and compared to the packages available in the market.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) specifications of cascading style sheets (CSS) have the intention of providing a mechanism for separating styling information from the structure of an HTML document. Such a separation simplifies web page design and maintenance. By surveying prominent websites, this paper will determine to what extent and by what means this forward step in web page design has been achieved. These results will serve the interests of web page design professionals and instructors in web page design courses by showing what techniques are successful in separating style from structure. Successful techniques cannot necessarily be inferred by reference to W3C documents; indeed, the findings of this survey are contrary to some of these recommendations.
A method for the determination of the solubilities of ca. 20 common silica-containing minerals is proposed, wherein the release rate of dissolved silica is monitored in terms of mol cm-2 sec-1 from the mineral surface, using a series of extractions with pH 7.5-8.5 seawater and having the dissolved silica concentration adjusted to 5, 50, 100 and 200 x 10-6mol 1-1 (the range of dissolved silica concentrations commonly found in the deep oceans). These extractions reveal both long-term dissolution rates and precipitation magnitudes for a given mineral at a given dissolved silica concentration. Preliminary results suggest the following solubility ranges with respect to dissolved silica in seawater at 1-2°C for the following minerals: albite, 55-110 µM; kaolinite, 10-300 µM; hornblende, 50-120 µM; nepheline, 35-75 µM, chlorite, 40-80 µM; biotite, 60-120 µM; illite, 40-70 µM; montmorillonite, 80-250 µM; hyperstene, 200-275 µM; bentonite, 115-340 µM; epidote, 150-200 µM; tremolite, 200-275 µM; olivine, 300-700 µM; quartz, variable but between 50 and 800 M. The above approach may allow us to predict a stability sequence or weathering series for these minerals in seawater and deep-sea sediments having a variety of dissolved silica concentrations.
The rapid evolution of web page standards, new tools for creating web pages, and ancillary features like scripts and plug-ins make the effective teaching of web page design a moving target. By analysing a cross section of 108 web pages, this paper details current practice in professionally designed web pages in order to provide insights into what should be emphasised and what can be safely ignored in teaching web page creation. In addition, a clear indication of the usefulness and acceptance of new features would benefit the continuing evolution of web page standards.
ABSTRACT A nomogram has been constructed for analyzing slope stability in fine-grained sedimentary environments. It was designed to aid in interpreting the muses of mass movement in modern and ancient settings, to provide a basis for evaluating and predicting slope stability under given conditions, and to further the understanding of the relationships among the several key factors that control slope stability. Design of the nomogram is based on effective stress and combines consolidation theory as applicable to depositional environments with the infinite-slope model of slope-stability analysis. The link between the two combined theories is a term representing the effective overburden stress, which may be predicted from consolidation theory and a knowledge of sedimentation rate, time, and the coefficient of consolidation. In turn, if infinite-slope conditions are assumed to exist, the effective overburden stress can be used to derive a factor of safety against static slope failure by using the angle of internal friction and the slope angle. Values of the variables may be determined directly from measurement, or, depending on the objectives or limitations of the application, they may be speci ied or estimated. Information supplied with the nomogram is intended to assist in estimating values where necessary. The nomogram applies to depositional settings in which fine-grained sediment has accumulated at a relatively constant rate upon a base that is essentially impermeable. The model further assumes that the lateral extent of sediment affected by any mass movement will be great compared to its thickness and that no outside agents (e.g., cements, gas) are influencing the section. The nomogram is applicable to static conditions (inherent stability of the slope) and certain dynamic conditions (such as earthquakes). It may be used to investigate mass movements in the geologic past as well as those in modern environments. Although the nomogram was not designed to be more than an interpretive aid and was not intended for solving slope-stability problems of any complexity or where precision is required, it does provide a basis for interpretation and an adequate first approximation in most cases.
