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Effective School-Wide Discipline Programs Promote Student Achievement, Jeremiah Lamar Bundrage Nov 2012

Effective School-Wide Discipline Programs Promote Student Achievement, Jeremiah Lamar Bundrage

Master's Theses

Student discipline has been a concern for school districts for many years. Many district and school level administrators have made the decision to strictly enforce local and district level discipline policies. The initial logic was intended to reduce negative behavior by simply demanding responsible student interaction. The strict enforcement of such policies increased student absenteeism as well as created a communications barrier between school leaders and parents. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a school-wide discipline program. The study will explore the methods needed to implement such program as well reveal how the discipline program …


Correlating Social Media Policy To The Isllc Standards, Bret Gowin Nov 2012

Correlating Social Media Policy To The Isllc Standards, Bret Gowin

Master's Theses

The Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) was a committee developed in 1996 by the Council of Chief School Officers (CSSO) that created standards to direct the training of aspirant school administrators. The objective of each of these standards also may provide guidance for administrators in their daily mission to lead their school to providing the highest quality education possible. Social media is a fairly new communication tool that school leaders must consider in the development of school policy. This communication tool has an overabundance of considerations, both positive and negative, that must be measured when developing policy on its …


3-D Seismic Interpretation, Seismic Attribute Analysis, And Well Log Interpretation Of An Area Between Ellis And Rooks Counties, Kansas, Vilma I. Perez De Pottella Nov 2012

3-D Seismic Interpretation, Seismic Attribute Analysis, And Well Log Interpretation Of An Area Between Ellis And Rooks Counties, Kansas, Vilma I. Perez De Pottella

Master's Theses

The researched area covers the extent of the Keller 3D seismic survey [2 mi2 (5.2 km2)] and is located approximately 12 miles northeast of the city of Hays, Kansas and NW of Ellis and SW of Rooks counties, Kansas. Eight producing oil wells along with one dry hole are located within the research area. This study is focused on the Cambrian-Ordovician Arbuckle Group which is the principal oil bearing reservoir within the research area and in the region. Interpretation of the Keller 3-D seismic data, well-log correlation and a study and description of the drilling samples suggest that the Arbuckle …


Understanding How College Students' Literacy Is Affected By Texting Sms Lexicon, Katherine L. Herrman Nov 2012

Understanding How College Students' Literacy Is Affected By Texting Sms Lexicon, Katherine L. Herrman

Master's Theses

Spelling and grammar have always been taught in schools as means of proper language mechanics (U.S.D.E., 2006). Recently, the use of correct spelling and proper grammar in writing among college students has seemed to weaken (Junco & Cotton, 2011). Although there may be many factors that could contribute to this decrease in proper language use, the development of new technologies may be playing an important role. Presently, one of the newest technologies, cell phones, is in the hands of many young adults. Most of these young adults are using their cell phones to send and receive instant messages, or text …


Burrowing Owl (Athene Cunicularia) Nesting Ecology In Western Kansas, Carol D. Grover-Mariner Nov 2012

Burrowing Owl (Athene Cunicularia) Nesting Ecology In Western Kansas, Carol D. Grover-Mariner

Master's Theses

The Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) is a common occupant of Smoky Valley Ranch located in Logan County, Kansas, where the abundance of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) burrows provides ideal habitat for the Burrowing Owl. The objectives of the study were to 1) estimate the densities of black-tailed prairie dog colonies through visual counts, 2) estimate nesting success and nest survival probabilities of the Burrowing Owl with the use of a burrow camera, and 3) estimate post-fledging dispersal and return rate of juvenile Burrowing Owl the following season. I located 96 potential nests from 24 March through 2 July 2007 …


The Effects Of Upper Body Vs Lower Body Training On Rate-Pressure Product, Zanae Baird Jul 2012

The Effects Of Upper Body Vs Lower Body Training On Rate-Pressure Product, Zanae Baird

Master's Theses

Lower body activities such as walking, running, and cycling have traditionally been used as the activity mode during physiological exercise testing. Interest in specific responses to upper extremity exercise has increased since upper body cycle ergometry became an important alternative exercise mode in the 1970s. Previous research on upper extremity exercise utilized upper body cycle ergometry or a standard push-pull rowing movement. Few upper extremity studies measured rate-pressure product. The purpose of this study was to compare rate-pressure product between lower extremity exercise utilizing upright cycling and primarily upper extremity exercise on a double arm swing Ski Erg ergometer. Hemodynamic …


Recognition Of Speech In Multi-Talker Babble By Individuals With Hearing Loss, Kyle J. Christensen Jul 2012

Recognition Of Speech In Multi-Talker Babble By Individuals With Hearing Loss, Kyle J. Christensen

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the speech recognition abilities of individuals with hearing loss using multi-talker babble as a competing stimulus. Twenty-six young adults participated, 15 in the normal hearing group (mean age of 21.9 years) and 11 in the hearing loss group (mean age of 22.2 years). The participants with normal hearing (0-20 dB HL) had a high frequency pure tone average (HFPTA) of 5 dB HL in both ears, while the participants in the hearing loss group had an HFPTA of 13 dB HL in the right ear and 25 dB HL in the left …


Understanding The Relationship Between Perceived Levels Of Stress, Mindfulness, And Meditation Practices, Michael Gallagher Jul 2012

Understanding The Relationship Between Perceived Levels Of Stress, Mindfulness, And Meditation Practices, Michael Gallagher

Master's Theses

Mindfulness meditation has become increasing popular in the Western world the last few decades. Although the research in the area of mindfulness is just beginning, many studies report positive benefits to individuals who learn this type of meditation. This study compares the perceived stress levels of college students who report common characteristics of individuals who practice mindfulness meditation against college students who do not report those common characteristics of mindfulness. The student’s level of mindfulness was measured using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire while the Measurement of Stressful Life Events was used to determine the student’s perceived stress levels to …


Distributional Survey And Habitat Associations Of Crayfishes In Three River Basins In Kansas, Ryan Lee Pinkall Jul 2012

Distributional Survey And Habitat Associations Of Crayfishes In Three River Basins In Kansas, Ryan Lee Pinkall

Master's Theses

Kansas represents the western most edge of high crayfish diversity in North America. The most recent comprehensive survey of crayfishes in Kansas was conducted over 50 years ago and resulted in a list of seven species. Subsequently, three species were added sporadically. The most recent summary of crayfishes in Kansas included 10 species and suggested the highest diversity to be located in the northeastern portion of the state. I surveyed crayfishes in three river basins in Kansas during the summers of 2009, 2010, and 2011: Kansas-Lower Republican, Missouri, and Upper Republican. Sites were selected based on stream order and partitioned …


Pre-Service Teacher Dispositions, Kevin Splichal Jul 2012

Pre-Service Teacher Dispositions, Kevin Splichal

Master's Theses

The objective of this study is to discover what other universities are doing to address pre-service teacher dispositions. Many universities have utilized assessment tools and policies directed toward student dispositions which can be very useful for institutions who have not yet begun the process of evaluating disposition traits in their candidates. This analysis can be most beneficial to departments and colleges who are looking for research based practices during their own implementation phases of policy creation geared toward assessment of pre-service teacher dispositions. The research will be most useful for any educator working with pre-service teachers. This data can be …


The Effects Of Video Self-Modeling On Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Casey N. Schmidt Jul 2012

The Effects Of Video Self-Modeling On Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Casey N. Schmidt

Master's Theses

Video self-modeling (VSM) is a type of intervention that has been developed to assist students in viewing themselves successfully in a wide variety of domains. Previous research regarding VSM states that it is beneficial to children with autism spectrum disorder and has helped them improve functioning in many settings. Specifically, VSM is useful to children with autism spectrum disorder because it minimizes attentional and hearing requirements, and allows the child to see themselves as they could be rather than as they currently are. Video modeling avoids reliance on social interactions or the presence of a therapist to promote learning. This …


Continual Passage Of Staphylococcus Epidermidis In Subinhibitory Levels Of The Biocide Triclosan Results In A Marked Increase In The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, Antibiotic Resistance, And Ethidium Bromide Resistance, William T. Moore Jul 2012

Continual Passage Of Staphylococcus Epidermidis In Subinhibitory Levels Of The Biocide Triclosan Results In A Marked Increase In The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, Antibiotic Resistance, And Ethidium Bromide Resistance, William T. Moore

Master's Theses

Triclosan is a multi-purpose biocide that is used in many personal care products, including antibacterial hand soaps and toothpastes. The wide usage of triclosan fosters its dispersal into the enviro11l11ent, which might contribute to the ability of microorganisms to become resistant to triclosan in addition to certain other biocides and clinical antibiotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether long-term exposure of two strains of Staphylococcal epide]'midis to subinhibitory concentrations of triclosan would select for resistant mutants, and whether their ability to form polysaccharide biofilms lends to this resistance. This study also aimed to determine whether a mutation …


The Face Of Extinction: Are Charismatic Species More Vulnerable To Endangerment?, Andrée M. Brisson May 2012

The Face Of Extinction: Are Charismatic Species More Vulnerable To Endangerment?, Andrée M. Brisson

Master's Theses

Conservationists have suggested extinction is non-random; some species are more prone to extinction than others. Multiple traits (e.g., large bodied, long-lived, slow-reproducing, migratory, habitat and/or dietary specialists) have been cited as contributing to the endangerment of species. Due to global anthropogenic demand for wild species (e.g., sport, trade, fashion, medicine, religion, food), I propose charisma as an additional trait of endangerment. This predicts charismatic species are more often targets of direct exploitation than less charismatic species, and that global demand will continue to increase with world population and development. These species represent our most iconic and animated organisms. I quantified …


Middle School Math Teachers' Perceptions Of Standards, Assessment Literacy, And Professional Learning: A Colorado Case Study, Michael Wayde Brom May 2012

Middle School Math Teachers' Perceptions Of Standards, Assessment Literacy, And Professional Learning: A Colorado Case Study, Michael Wayde Brom

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the perceptions sixth through eighth grade middle school math teachers in Colorado had of the professional learning they had received related to implementing the Colorado Academic Math Standards (CAMS), and also determine the teachers’ level of understanding in each of the following areas: (a) state standards alignment and curriculum, and (b) assessment literacy. The study was designed to demonstrate how each area complemented the other two areas and their collective impact on instructional practices and student learning. The researcher’s hope was that the findings of this case study may be helpful, at …


The Effect Of Climate Change On The Distributions Of Invasive Plants And Their Associated Biological Control Agents In North America, Caroline A. Curtis May 2012

The Effect Of Climate Change On The Distributions Of Invasive Plants And Their Associated Biological Control Agents In North America, Caroline A. Curtis

Master's Theses

Climate change has the potential to alter the size, shape, and location of species’ distributions. As a result, the interactions between species are also likely to be impacted as novel species encounter each other and historical community assemblages are broken apart. To quantify the impact of distributional changes as a result of climate change on interacting species, distribution maps were produced for three species of invasive plant and their associated biological control agent at three time periods: current, 2050, and 2080. For each of the future time periods, two distribution maps were created for each species, representing the minimum and …


Assessment Of Aging Structures And Recruitment Of Walleye Sander Vitreus In Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Weston L. Fleming May 2012

Assessment Of Aging Structures And Recruitment Of Walleye Sander Vitreus In Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Weston L. Fleming

Master's Theses

Most walleye Sander vitreus populations in Kansas are supplemented or sustained with stocking. In 2006, gamete collection for hatchery production was initiated at Cedar Bluff Reservoir because the walleye population has a high abundance of potential brood fish and has been sustained by natural reproduction since 2001. However, no quantitative index has been developed to assess walleye recruitment in this fishery. Accordingly, from July through November 2010, I evaluated catch-per-unit-effort (overnight sets) of age-0 walleye in 19 and 25-mm mesh gill nets biweekly and at random and standard sites. There was not a significant difference in catch-per-unit-effort between site types …


Influence Of University Level Direct Instruction On Educators' Use Of Technology In The Classroom, Angie M. Garner May 2012

Influence Of University Level Direct Instruction On Educators' Use Of Technology In The Classroom, Angie M. Garner

Master's Theses

Previous research regarding technology integration in education has indicated that when technology is integrated into the classroom with fidelity it can enhance educational experiences ranging from academic achievement to student attitudes toward education and student self-concept. Research has also indicated, however that despite the growing presence of technology in classrooms, it is not being effectively utilized. Further research investigating this disparity between presence of technology and integration of those technologies for student-centered learning opportunities has revealed that there are several underlying factors related to effective educational technology integration. Those factors which are considered to be most influential are (a) time, …


Parental Quality Of Marriage And The Effects It Has On Children's Willingness To Support Married, Separated, Or Divorced Parents, Deirdre Deiter May 2012

Parental Quality Of Marriage And The Effects It Has On Children's Willingness To Support Married, Separated, Or Divorced Parents, Deirdre Deiter

Master's Theses

The purpose of the current study was to investigate how martial quality affects children’s willingness to provide support to their divorced, separated, or married parents. It was hypothesized that children would be more willing to provide support to parents with higher levels of marital quality prior to divorce or separation. One focus of the current study was to investigate the amount of support given to parents from a younger sample of adult children than typically studied. Data were collected from both the virtual and on-campus student population. One hundred and twenty-four students participated in the study (45 males and 79 …


Remote Sensing Analysis Of Hydrological Functionality Of Playa Wetlands Using Landsat Tm/Etm+ Data, Benjamin F. Grover May 2012

Remote Sensing Analysis Of Hydrological Functionality Of Playa Wetlands Using Landsat Tm/Etm+ Data, Benjamin F. Grover

Master's Theses

A playa wetland’s ability to retain moisture and water has the greatest influence on the ecological and hydrological functionality of the playa. In this project, Landsat TM/ETM+ satellite imagery was analyzed to determine whether it could be used to detect hydrological functionality of playa wetlands based on their temporal ability to retain soil moisture and water. The project consisted of a ground truth study in which soil moisture, water content, and vegetation data was gathered from the area and related to the satellite imagery pixel values. With this data, a maximum likelihood classifier was created using the mean pixel values …


Drunk And Disorderly: The Origins And Consequences Of Alcoholism At Old Fort Hays, Ryan M. Kennedy May 2012

Drunk And Disorderly: The Origins And Consequences Of Alcoholism At Old Fort Hays, Ryan M. Kennedy

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to discover the causes and consequences of alcoholism at old Fort Hays. Unlikely to encounter Indians, soldiers longed for entertainment to fill the void of boredom in their lives. Serving as a regional supply center and railroad subsidy, Fort Hays deployed the majority of its soldiers as laborers, serving nearby Hays City, the railroad, and the fort itself. The tedious, routine-driven lifestyle enforced by Fort Hays commanders, in combination with feelings of frontier isolation, often led to resistance in the form of alcohol usage. Utilizing court-martial records, Post Orders, and soldier journals, this thesis …


A Comparison Of Three Bicycle Pedal Types And Power Output, Brandon Kuhn May 2012

A Comparison Of Three Bicycle Pedal Types And Power Output, Brandon Kuhn

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the power output over a 30-second maximum effort bicycle sprint with three different pedal types; clipless, toe-strap, and flat. The participants for this investigation were eight (7 males and 1 female) mountain bikers with ages between 20 and 55 ( Age = 40) from the Central Kansas Mountain Bike Club. Each participant was required to provide his or her own bicycle and the researchers provided the training stand, Saris CycleOps PowerTap rear wheel, and Garmin Edge 500 cycling computer used for data collection. Testing procedure consisted of a warmup, 30- second maximal …


Using Landsat Thematic Mapper Satellite Imagery: Assessing And Mapping Trophic State In Cheney Reservoir, Kansas, Dingnan Lu May 2012

Using Landsat Thematic Mapper Satellite Imagery: Assessing And Mapping Trophic State In Cheney Reservoir, Kansas, Dingnan Lu

Master's Theses

Eutrophication is a major inland water problem that is researched by many environmentalists and hydrologists. A eutrophic inland water body can cause many negative water problems, such as taste and odor, biotoxin, and low dissolved oxygen. Many previous studies were effective based on using remote sensing to evaluate water body trophic state. In this study, the Cheney Reservoir is selected as an object to test the performance of using remote sensing, specifically the Landsat Thematic Mapper sensor, to evaluate the trophic state of a reservoir. Based on Landsat TM imagery, the chlorophyll a concentration is estimated to be used to …


Survey Of The Freshwater Gastropods Of Southeastern Kansas With Emphasis On The Distribution And Habitat Use Of The Delta Hydrobe (Probythinella Emarginata), Bryan Sowards May 2012

Survey Of The Freshwater Gastropods Of Southeastern Kansas With Emphasis On The Distribution And Habitat Use Of The Delta Hydrobe (Probythinella Emarginata), Bryan Sowards

Master's Theses

The status of many aquatic gastropods in North America is not well understood. Many are exposed to threats similar to those that affect bivalves and other aquatic macroinvertebrates. The delta hydrobe (Probythinella emarginata) is a gill-breathing (prosobranch) snail that occurs in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. It is 1 of only 5 species of prosobranchs in Kansas and is highly sensitive to changes in water quality within watersheds. Probythinella emarginata is presumed to be a Pleistocene relic in the state; it was first collected alive in Kansas in 2001 within Cedar Creek, Chase County, Kansas. I surveyed 13 …


Spatial Conservation Prioritization Of Kansas For Terrestrial Vertebrates, Megan R. Rohweder May 2012

Spatial Conservation Prioritization Of Kansas For Terrestrial Vertebrates, Megan R. Rohweder

Master's Theses

Biological diversity is being threatened by the encroachment of humans, which limits the habitat available for conservation and strains resources allocated for conservation efforts. However conservation goals have to be achieved within these limitations. Conservation priorities can ensure that habitat and resources are used effectively and efficiently. I developed a conservation prioritization plan for the terrestrial vertebrates of Kansas. I used modeled distributions of every terrestrial vertebrate species found in Kansas to build three biodiversity indices; species richness, vulnerability, and endemicity. Kansas was divided into a grid of planning units, 34.5 km2. For each taxonomic group the planning units were …


Leadership And Innovative Environment In Organizations, Xiaojuan Xia May 2012

Leadership And Innovative Environment In Organizations, Xiaojuan Xia

Master's Theses

This article examines the relationship between leader-follower friendships and the innovative environment in organizations. The results of the study reveal that leader-follower friendships are positively related to the measurements of innovative environment. Organizations with an innovative environment exhibit strong overall leader-follower friendships. Measures of leader-follower friendships are obtained from Boyd and Taylor's developmental approach to the examination of friendships between leaders and followers. In order to find out the determinations of an innovative environment, this paper reviews the work of Van der Sluis, Baldridge, Burnham, Bharadwaj, Menon, McLean, and others. The article synthesizes the literature, and lists the factors that …


Relationship Between Cultural Intelligence And Leadership, Lu Yang May 2012

Relationship Between Cultural Intelligence And Leadership, Lu Yang

Master's Theses

The study investigates the prediction that the higher cultural intelligence competencies, the more effective leadership. Multiple regression analysis of data from 14 managers in the United States and 71 managers in China report several relationships between the cultural intelligence competencies and effective leadership. The study focused on the relationships of each dimension of the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS), Metacognitive (ME), Cognitive (C), Motivational (MO) and Behavioral (B), to each dimension of the Leadership Behavior Inventory: Visualizing Greatness (VG), Empowering the ―We‖ (WE), Communicating for Meaning (CM), Managing Oneself (MOS), and Care and Recognition (CR). Analysis indicated that there are significant …


California's 2011 Realignment Legislation Addressing Public Safety And How It Will Impact Local Governments, John Mineau May 2012

California's 2011 Realignment Legislation Addressing Public Safety And How It Will Impact Local Governments, John Mineau

Master's Theses

California’s 2011 Realignment Legislation Addressing Public Safety is the most sweeping public safety reform package since shortly after California’s statehood in 1850. Traditionally, any person convicted and confined for a felony has been incarcerated and supervised by the state. Moving forward, realignment will put many convicted felons in local jails instead of state prisons. It will also place paroling offenders under local probation supervision rather than state parole. The change in parole supervision represents a monumental shift of responsibility from the state to local governments. Realignment will have major effects on local government operations and budgets. Realignment has been conceptualized …


Influence Of Habitat Heterogeneity On Small Mammals In The Central Platte River Valley, Nebraska, Justin D. Anderson May 2012

Influence Of Habitat Heterogeneity On Small Mammals In The Central Platte River Valley, Nebraska, Justin D. Anderson

Master's Theses

Although the loss of prairie is substantial across the extent of its historic range, large portions of native rangeland still remain throughout Nebraska. It is critical that resource managers and private landowners manage rangelands in a manner that will enhance ecosystem integrity by using techniques that provide disturbance regimes. Heterogeneity based management, such as patch-burn grazing and rest-rotation grazing, can be used as a conservation tool to increase biodiversity within management units and at a landscape level. Heterogeneity-based management has received much attention in the literature within the past decade, but there has been little focus on how these management …


From Fields Of Golden Grain To Black Liquid Gold: The Economic Contribution Of The Oil Industry To Ellis County, Kansas, Katherine Cobo May 2012

From Fields Of Golden Grain To Black Liquid Gold: The Economic Contribution Of The Oil Industry To Ellis County, Kansas, Katherine Cobo

Master's Theses

This thesis will demonstrate how the financial wealth that resulted from the discovery of oil in 1928 and the continued oil production until the decline in 1970 became a major contributing factor to the economic prosperity of Ellis County, Kansas for over four decades. The introductory chapter provides a clear picture of the agricultural background of the Ellis County economy. Confronted by economic depression from the 1929 Stock Market Crash, extreme drought, and dust storms across the Kansas prairies, Ellis County farmers and residents faced financial devastation. But when oil production began to provide an influx of financial wealth, the …


Gas Exchange And Leaf Anatomy Of Andropogon Gerardii Ecotypes Over A Climatic Gradient Of The Great Plains, Jacob T. Olsen May 2012

Gas Exchange And Leaf Anatomy Of Andropogon Gerardii Ecotypes Over A Climatic Gradient Of The Great Plains, Jacob T. Olsen

Master's Theses

The phenotype of two Andropogon gerardii subspecies, big bluestem and sand bluestem, varies broadly throughout the Great Plains of North America, giving rise to ecotypes within the species. This study sought to discriminate between genetic and environmental variation of big bluestem and sand bluestem by examining gas exchange and leaf anatomy in common gardens across a climatic gradient of the Great Plains. Thirteen populations of big bluestem and one population of sand bluestem, constituting five ecotypes, were planted in community plots and a single plant plots in a common garden at each of four sites ranging from western Kansas to …