Browsing by Subject "assessment"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 38

After the Ribbon Cutting: Creating and Executing an Efficient Assessment Plan for a Large-Scale Learning Space Project
(2016-12-15) Ostrow, Michele; Wyatt-Baxter, Krystal
An Assessment of the Natural Gas Resource Base of the United States
(1988) Fisher, W. L. (William Lawrence), 1932-; Finley, Robert J.; Seni, Steven J.; Ruppel, Stephen C.; White, William Allen, 1939-; Ayers, Jr., W. B.; Dutton, Shirley P.
The distribution of natural gas in the United States comprises proved reserves in known reservoirs, inferred reserves, undeveloped resources within these reservoirs, and undiscovered resources. Beyond proved reserves, all volumes of future natural gas supply are estimates based on information derived from past and current experience in gas production and reservoir development. Even proved reserves are subject to periodic revision. This assessment begins with an understanding of major components of the natural gas supply derived from existing resource estimates that use established methodologies. In addition to historically defined elements of the resource base, a new component—reserve growth in heterogeneous reservoirs—is quantified in this study. Resource assessments proceed in their planning and compilation from reasonably well-known quantities (proved reserves) to increasingly less well-known quantities (undiscovered resources). Furthermore, natural gas reservoirs termed unconventional are typically given separate consideration and include gas in low-permeability reservoirs, gas in shale formations such as the Devonian of the Eastern U.S., and coalbed methane resources. This approach has been followed in this assessment. Special note was made of Alaskan gas reserves as they are significant and proven, but transportation for North Slope gas to the Lower 48 states is lacking.
An Assessment of the Oil Resource Base of the United States
(1992) Fisher, W. L. (William Lawrence), 1932-; Tyler, N.; Ruthven, Carol L.
A select panel of oil resource analysts, convened in August 1992 by the Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, and the National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research (NIPER) at the request of the U.S. Department of Energy, concludes that the remaining, recoverable volume of crude oil in the United States ranges from 99 to 204 billion barrels, inclusive of 25 billion barrels of oil carried as proved reserves by the Energy Information Administration at the end of 1991. The range in estimates reflects different assumptions of price and technology (including the geological ability to apply that technology). The lower estimate assumes a stable oil price of $20 per barrel (1992 dollars) with existing technology. The higher estimate assumes a price of $27 per barrel (1992 dollars) but with advanced technology. The range in estimates of the remaining resource base recoverable under the given assumptions is equivalent to 35 to 75 years of continued U.S. crude oil production at the current annual rate of 2.7 billion barrels.
Assessment of Gas Resources for Secondary Gas Recovery Technology
(1990) Jackson, M. P. A.; Ambrose, William A.; Finley, Robert J.
Unrecovered gas resources available through existing technology can be a significant source of reserve additions in maturely explored petroleum provinces. In this study, nonassociated and associated Texas reservoirs were analyzed for gas reserve growth potential. In the nonassociated fluvial Frio Brooks reservoir, infill drilling from 640 to 320 acres per well can potentially increase reserves by 15.7 percent of estimated ultimate recovery. Gas reserve additions may result from improved contact with isolated or partially isolated sandstones that are not effectively drained by conventional development practices. An additional 14.4 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of gas resources can be potentially recovered by strategic infill drilling down to 10-acre spacing in the Grayburg reservoirs of Dune field, one of many mature West Texas fields located on the Central Basin Platform. Infill wells strategically drilled in the Dune field grainstone facies are projected to be most cost-efficient and productive. Recoverable associated gas in selected plays is estimated to be from 3.4 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) to 5.8 Tcf. The greatest recovery potential for associated gas reserve growth in Texas is in carbonate reservoirs with complex facies architecture in the Permian Basin. Geologically based infill wells in areas of greatest reservoir heterogeneity can recover much of this unproduced gas resource.
Assessment of Native Sulfur Potential of State-Owned Lands, Trans-Pecos Texas
(1987) Hentz, Tucker F.; Price, Jonathan G.; Gutierrez, Gay Nell, 1955-
A model of the requisite geologic and chemical conditions for native sulfur mineralization in evaporite rocks enables an objective first approximation of the regional sulfur potential in and surrounding the sulfur districts of Trans-Pecos Texas. From studies of Gulf Coast salt-dome cap-rock occurrences of native sulfur, it is known that sulfur mineralization in commercial quantities is dependent upon the coexistence of several factors: (1) anaerobic, sulfate-reducing bacteria, (2) hydrocarbons, (3) circulating meteoric groundwater, (4) shallow (< 2,500 ft of ground surface) and voluminous deposits of anhydrite and/or gypsum, (5) faults, joints, pervasive dissolution features, or some combination thereof in the evaporite deposit, and (6) structural traps. Bacteria, contained in a mixture of groundwater, hydrocarbons, and dissolved calcium sulfate, metabolize the dilute hydrocarbons to form hydrogen sulfide through the chemical reduction of sulfate ions. Oxygenated groundwater then oxidizes the hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur. Fracture systems allow the mixture of these ingredients and also permit their migration to traps, which provide sufficient residence time necessary for the formation of sulfur in commercial quantities. Definition and evaluation of these geologic aspects in the study areas form the basis of this assessment model.
Assessment: Is it really worth it? The UT Austin Fine Arts Library: a case study
(5/5/2008) Schwartz, Laura
Beach and Dune Conditions at South Padre Island, Texas - Assessment and Recommendations
(1993) Morton, Robert A.
An investigation of beach and dune conditions on South Padre Island was conducted for the Town of South Padre Island specifically to address two coastal issues: dune management and beach stability. The study results were organized and presented to assist City officials in their planning and management of beaches and dunes, which are vital to the economy and storm protection of the region. The study demonstrates that beach stability and dune development vary along the island and that management strategies need to be prepared for accreting, stable, and eroding beach segments. Furthermore, the study recognizes the need to begin planning for beach replenishment projects that will be required to maintain recreational beaches along eroding segments of South Padre Island in the future. Recommendations are made regarding the location and restoration of dunes, as well as options for beach replenishment. Additionally, it is recommended that the town initiate a beach-dune monitoring program that will provide a scientific basis for prudent management of the natural resources.
Book Review: Toward a Critical-Inclusive Assessment Practice for Library Instruction
(Public Services Quarterly, 2019) Brandt, Sarah
Challenging Perceptions: Exploring the Relationship between ELL students and writing centers
(2017) Cheatle, Joseph
In an attempt to create more meaningful and effective assessment, the Howe Writing Center at Miami University implemented a new post-consultation/exit survey. During the course of the Fall 2012 semester, over 800 students responded to the post-consultation survey. Writing center theory has documented the limitations of the post-consultation survey; however, this type of feedback still represents the best and most accessible way to assess and expand the knowledge of writing centers. This assessment project provided important feedback concerning the writing center at Miami University about student demographics that use the writing center, including academic year and classes students wanted to work on. The assessment project also contributes to writing center theory and discourse by providing a different narrative for non-native English speaking students and native English speaking students that use the writing center. The assessment challenges the view that writing from non-native English speaking students is only concerned with so-called "lower order" writing issues and writing from native English speaking students is primarily concerned with so-called "higher order" writing issues. Instead, it was found that non-native English speaking students are interested in working on many "higher order" concerns and were very similar, after sentence-level concerns, in their writing needs to native English speaking students.
Closing the Loop: How an information literacy assessment plan contributes to first-year student success at UT Austin
(2013-06-29) Wyatt-Baxter, Krystal
Before attending the assessment track of Immersion I struggled with writing an assessment plan for my unit, which works collaboratively with faculty members to support information literacy in first-year seminar courses. Through Immersion, I had a breakthrough in my thinking about how to feasibly assess the mixture of teaching techniques and learning outcomes used throughout my unit to support the diversity of courses we work with. I brought the insights gained through work with my Immersion instructors and cohort members home, and my colleagues and I finished and enacted a comprehensive assessment plan. My poster will cover highlights of our plan, focusing on changes that we have made based on what we learned about student learning through assessment. I plan to feature: 1) How we are using individual classroom and course-level assessment methods as part of our program level assessment. 2) How we worked with faculty members to assess course-integrated information literacy in both large classes and small seminars. 3) How we have used the evidence we gathered to improve our program. 4) How the process of working together to create an assessment plan has increased both confidence in using student learning assessment methods and communication about assessment within my unit. I plan to interact with viewers by sharing what we have accomplished through assessment since my Immersion experience, and inviting them to discuss their experiences with assessment and successful methods they have used. This exchange of ideas will contribute to the ever-growing culture of assessment within our profession.
Common Grounds
(2018-01-09) Flaxbart, Jenifer; Guzman, Allyssa
The Composition Of Normative Groups And Diagnostic Decision Making: Shooting Ourselves In The Foot
(2006-08) Pena, Elizabeth D.; Spaulding, Tammie J.; Plante, Elena; Pena, Elizabeth D.
Purpose: The normative group of a norm-referenced test is intended to provide a basis for interpreting test scores. However, the composition of the normative group may facilitate or impede different types of diagnostic interpretations. This article considers who should be included in a normative sample and how-this decision must be made relative to the purpose for which a test is intended. Method: The way in which the composition of the normative sample affects classification accuracy is demonstrated through a test review followed by a simulation study. The test review examined the descriptions of the normative group in a sample of 32 child language tests. The mean performance reported in the test manual for the sample of language impaired children was compared with the sample's norms, which either included or excluded children with language impairment. For the simulation, 2 contrasting normative procedures were modeled. The first procedure included a mixed group of representative cases (language impaired and normal cases). The second procedure excluded the language impaired cases from the norm. Results: Both the data obtained from test manuals and the data simulation based on population characteristics supported our claim that use of mixed normative groups decreases the ability to accurately identify language impairment. Tests that used mixed norms had smaller differences between the normative and language impaired groups in comparison with tests that excluded children with impairment within the normative sample. The simulation demonstrated mixed norms that lowered the group mean and increased the standard deviation, resulting in decreased classification accuracy. Conclusions: When the purpose of testing is to identify children with impaired language skills, including children with language impairment in the normative sample can reduce identification accuracy.
Cut! How assessing student learning helped us focus our video production
(2014-08-04) Wyatt-Baxter, Krystal; Nacca, Elise
Library Instruction Services at UT Austin is faced with the challenge of making sure 8,000 new students achieve a set of basic information literacy learning outcomes each year. In order to maximize the time we spend in the classroom as well as to meet students at their points of need, we began creating videos aimed at teaching students concepts and skills ranging from understanding the importance of background information to finding the full-text of articles. We planned and recorded the videos following best practices, and began including them in pre-session assignments for students and stand-alone research guides. Our web analytics told us that the videos were being used, but the question remained: did students achieve the desired learning outcomes after watching the videos? Approach: In order to answer this question, we recruited 10 first-year students at the beginning of the fall semester to participate in a video assessment project to measure their learning after watching one of the two most widely used videos we created. In individual sessions, student volunteers were asked to think aloud as they completed a pre-test composed of a series of tasks that mirrored the process of finding materials for a typical first-year assignment, and then watched a video walking them through the steps of either finding an article or finding a book on a topic. After watching the video, students were asked to walk through the same series of tasks as before, again thinking aloud and explaining their decisions as they did so. Findings: In the pre-test, only two of five students fulfilled the learning outcomes tied to the video on finding an article for a paper, and four of five students fulfilled the learning outcomes tied to the video on finding a book. In the posttest, four of five students successfully found a relevant article, and four of five students found and explained how to retrieve a relevant book. By analyzing students' comments and performance, we learned that our videos were more successful in teaching conceptual ideas (such as where different kinds of information would be published, or how to brainstorm keywords) than in demonstrating navigation or click-by-click instruction. Practical Implications: Even though our assessment project had a very small sample size, we learned valuable information that has helped us make decisions about the videos we create. In the future, we will focus on creating videos that explain and reinforce complex ideas and difficult concepts (such as evaluating information) or provide real-life visuals (such as finding a call number in the stacks) rather than screencasts that demonstrate tools. This will allow us to spend more time designing instructional tools that aim to help students understand threshold concepts and less time recording screencasts of changing database interfaces. As instruction increasingly moves online, it is essential to know which formats work best for different kinds of learning, and how to focus our energy on providing the most value. After assessing the learning outcomes in our videos, we know how to better facilitate deeper learning.
Developing with data: Mapping engagement for greater understanding of library audiences
(2019-04-11) Covington, Elle
Who hears the stories we tell and how do they respond? In order to build a strong supporter base, a library must know who their supporters are and what motivates them to engage. A data mapping project was conducted to determine patterns in rates of engagement with the library’s email communication. Email engagement data was combined with donor profiles to develop a greater sense of audience and their values in order to develop a targeted and effective communication strategy and identify and address engagement gaps. Email engagement data was collected for over 23,000 email subscribers between January 2017 and January 2018. This data was then compared against the university’s donor database to gain insights on audience demographics and engagement both with the library and with the larger campus community. The demographic information collected gave us a better idea of who had expressed interest in hearing from the library. We were able to determine numbers of alumni, faculty, students, and parents as well as which departments they may be associated with. Through email engagement statistics, we could tell what types of stories our supporters were most interested in and how language, layout, and timing impacted their levels of engagement with that content. The donor data further enhanced our understanding of our audience’s values by giving us information on which university departments our supporters donated to aside from the library. This data told us a powerful story about what our audience cares about and how the library can tailor our messages to their values and interests. A set of guidelines and recommendations was developed from the analyzed data, which will continue to inform and guide the development of email content and sending strategies in the future. This project models a way in which libraries can better understand their unique supporter base and develop more effective communication strategies designed to increase supporter involvement and engage potential donors.
Edwards Aquifer Storage Assessment, Kinney County to Hays County, Texas
(1993) Hovorka, Susan D.; Ruppel, Stephen C.; Dutton, Alan R.; Yeh, Joseph S.
The distribution of water in the Edwards aquifer was assessed using a core- and log-based stratigraphic study that included 200 neutron and resistivity logs and 300 porosity and permeability plug analyses. The Kainer, Person, Devils River, West Nueces, McKnight, and Salmon Peak Formations of the Edwards Group were investigated during this study. The aquifer extends over 3,111 mi^2 (8,004 km^2) and thickens toward the south from approximately 500 to 780 ft (150 to 240 m). In the Edwards outcrop, the aquifer thins northward because of erosion and decreased saturated thickness. Porosity data were interpolated between wells to create a three-dimensional cell-based model of porosity. Porosity distribution reflects both the depositional rock fabric and later diagenesis. Small-scale vertical variations in porosity are the result of facies changes caused by high-frequency cyclicity in the depositional environment. Vertical facies stacking influences the amount of dolomitization and diagenetic enhancement of porosity. Subtidal facies deposited during major sea-level highstands are generally undolomitized and exhibit low porosity (4- to 12-percent porosity). Grainstones at cycle tops in the Kainer, Person, and Devils River Formations are typically high-porosity intervals with high depositional porosity that may have additional solution enlargement of pores and pore throats (20- to 42-percent porosity). Dolomitized subtidal facies have very high porosity in intervals with stacked tidal-flat cycles because of preferential dolomite dissolution.
ENLACE: Data Collection Visit 1 Forms
(2023) Latino Research Institute
Eight materials used to collect physical activity data during the first examination visit for participants in the ENLACE study. This includes a consent form, physical activity questionnaire (in English and Spanish), AnthroFitness data sheet, participant contact information sheet, monitor follow-up log (in English and Spanish), and a motion monitor record booklet (in English and Spanish).
ENLACE: Data Collection Visit 2 Forms
(2023) Latino Research Institute
Three materials used to collect physical activity data during the second examination visit for participants in the ENLACE study. This includes a physical activity questionnaire (in English and Spanish) and food frequency questionnaire data sheet.
Establishing Equity: Aligning Dual Language Bilingual Education to HB3 Sec. 11.185 Texas Early Childhood Literacy & Mathematics Proficiency Plans
(Texas Education Review, 2021) Núñez-Porras, Patricia; Hernández, Julia
This policy brief provides recommendations that address dual language bilingual education and House Bill 3 (HB3) Texas Early Childhood Literacy & Mathematics Proficiency Plans requirement. How can the HB3 Texas Early Childhood Literacy & Mathematics Proficiency Plan requirement set appropriate reading goals for dual language students designated as English Learners? These recommendations are attentive to the unique trajectory of developing literacy in two languages (biliteracy) and accurately report a students’ biliteracy growth. Adopting the stated recommendations will ensure valid measures of students’ literacies, establish an accountability system and drive an accurate appropriation of funds to support robust dual language bilingual education implementation.
Fine Arts Library Assessment of Services and Collections: Final Report
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Fine Arts Library Facility Use Study: Evaluation Plan
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