Digital Commons Network^™

2008 Winter Boise State University Commencement Program

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Scholarworks Description, Scholarworks

ScholarWorks Publications

ScholarWorks is a collection of services designed to capture and showcase all scholarly output by the Boise State University community. This paper provides a brief description of these services and highlights the major advantages of the project.

Trichomycetes From Lentic And Lotic Aquatic Habitats In Ontario, Canada, D. B. Strongman, Merlin M. White

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fungi and protists make up an ecological group, trichomycetes, that inhabit the guts of invertebrates, mostly aquatic insects. Trichomycetes are reported herein from arthropods collected in lotic habitats (fast flowing streams) and lentic environments (ponds, ditches, seeps, and lakes) from 11 sites in Algonquin Park and 6 other sites in Ontario, Canada. Thirty-two trichomycete species were recovered, including 7 new species: Legeriomyces algonquinensis, Legeriosimilis leptocerci, Legeriosimilis whitneyi and Paramoebidium umbonatum are described from mayfly nymphs (Ephemeroptera); Pennella digitata and Glotzia incilis from black fly and midge larvae (Diptera), respectively; and Arundinula opeongoensis from a crayfish (Crustacea). Legeriomyces rarus Lichtw. & …

Correction Of Electronic Record For Weighing Bucket Precipitation Gauge Measurements, Anurag Nayak, David G. Chandler, Danny Marks, James P. Mcnamara, Mark Seyfried

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Electronic sensors generate valuable streams of forcing and validation data for hydrologic models but are often subject to noise which must be removed as part of model input and testing database development. We developed an automated precipitation correction program (APCP) for weighing bucket precipitation gauge records, which are subject to several types of mechanical and electronic noise and discontinuities, including gauge maintenance, missing data, wind vibration, and sensor drift. Corrected cumulative water year precipitation from APCP did not exhibit an error bias and matched measured water year total precipitation within 2.1% for 58 station years tested. Removal of low-amplitude periodic …

An Exploratory Investigation Of Frequently Cited Articles From The Early Childhood Intervention Literature, 1994 To 2005, Juli Pool, Marisa Macy, Suzanne Bells Mcmanus, Jina Noh

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The authors explored frequently cited articles across four peer-reviewed journals in early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE). The Social Science Citation Index was used to examine journal articles from 1994 to 2005 in: Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Infants and Young Children, Journal of Early Intervention, and Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. Results for the most frequently cited EI/ECSE journal articles are reported.

Revealing Online Learning Behaviors And Activity Patterns And Making Predictions With Data Mining Techniques In Online Teaching, Jui-Long Hung, Ke Zhang

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study was conducted with data mining (DM) techniques to analyze various patterns of online learning behaviors, and to make predictions on learning outcomes. Statistical models and machine learning DM techniques were conducted to analyze 17,934 server logs to investigate 98 undergraduate students’ learning behaviors in an online business course in Taiwan. The study scientifically identified students’ behavioral patterns and preferences in the online learning processes, differentiated active and passive learners, and found important parameters for performance prediction. The results also demonstrated how data mining techniques might be utilized to help improve online teaching and learning with suggestions for online …

Ballot Mark Detection, Elisa H. Barney Smith, Daniel Lopresti, George Nagy

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Optical mark sensing, i.e., detecting whether a "bubble" has been filled in, may seem straightforward. However, on US election ballots the shape, intensity, size and position of the marks, while specified, are highly variable due to a diverse electorate. The ballots may be produced and scanned by poorly maintained equipment. Yet near-perfect results are required. To improve the current technology, which has been subject to criticism, components of a process for identifying marks on an optical sense ballot are evaluated. When marked synthetic ballots are compared to an unmarked ballot, the absolute difference of adaptive thresholded images gives best detection …

Analyzing Leaders’ Perceptions To Enhance The Use Of An Employee Engagement Survey, Shelley A. Berg

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this evaluation study was to explore how a non-profit health insurance provider responds to the results of its annual employee engagement survey. According to most definitions, an engaged employee is a high-quality performer who takes personal responsibility to work toward the success of the organization. This study was designed to answer three questions: (1) What do leaders at HealthXYZ do with the data collected from the annual employee engagement survey? (2) How do leaders perceive the usefulness of the annual employee engagement survey? (3) What actions, if any, do leaders take as a result of the data …

Tidal Heating Of Terrestrial Extrasolar Planets And Implications For Their Habitability, Brian Jackson, Rory Barnes, Richard Greenberg

Brian Jackson

The tidal heating of hypothetical rocky (or terrestrial) extrasolar planets spans a wide range of values depending on stellar masses and initial orbits. Tidal heating may be sufficiently large (in many cases, in excess of radiogenic heating) and long-lived to drive plate tectonics, similar to the Earth's, which may enhance the planet's habitability. In other cases, excessive tidal heating may result in Io-like planets with violent volcanism, probably rendering them unsuitable for life. On water-rich planets, tidal heating may generate subsurface oceans analogous to Europa's with similar prospects for habitability. Tidal heating may enhance the outgassing of volatiles, contributing to …

Air Compression As A Mechanism For The Underdamped Slug Test Response In Fractured Glacier Ice, Toby W. Meierbachtol, Joel T. Harper, Neil F. Humphrey, Jeremy Shaha, John H. Bradford

CGISS Publications and Presentations

Artificial perturbations of borehole water levels, known as slug tests, are a useful means of characterizing the glacier hydrologic system. Slug tests were performed on Bench Glacier, Alaska, in 21 boreholes over three field seasons during the transition from a winter to a summer drainage mode. Fifty-four slug tests were conducted, with water level monitoring in up to five boreholes adjacent to the slugged borehole. Seven of the slug tests were performed in conjunction with dye dispersion tests to identify water pathways within the slugged borehole following perturbation. Nearly 60% of monitored adjacent boreholes showed a hydraulic connection to the …

Comparing Sexual-Minority And Heterosexual Young Women’S Friends And Parents As Sources Of Support For Sexual Issues, Elizabeth M. Morgan, Carly K. Friedman

Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The present study provides a comparative analysis of sexual-minority and heterosexual emerging adult women’s experiences seeking support for sexual issues from parents and friends. Participants included 229 college women (88 sexual-minority women; 141 heterosexual women), ranging in age from 18 to 25 years of age, who provided written responses to an inquiry about a time they went to friends and parents for support for a issue related to their sexuality. Responses indicated that the majority of participants had sought support from either a parent or a friend and that mothers and female friends were more likely involved that fathers or …

Assessing Inheritance Of Zircon And Monazite In Granitic Rocks From The Monashee Complex, Canadian Cordillera, James Crowley, R. L. Brown, F. Gervais, H. D. Gibson

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Zircon and monazite from granitic sheets and dikes in the Monashee complex, Canadian Cordillera, were investigated to determine whether igneous crystallization occurred at 1.9 Ga or 50 Ma with 1.9 Ga inherited zircon and monazite. Four of the five samples are weakly deformed to undeformed, despite occurring in a gneiss dome at the structurally deepest exposed level of the orogen that elsewhere was strongly deformed and partly melted at 50 Ma. Based on U-(Th)-Pb dates from zircon and monazite, field relationships, and mineral composition and zoning, we conclude that the granitic rocks crystallized at 1.9 Ga and were metamorphosed at …

Selective Screenability In Topological Groups, Liljana Babinkostova

Mathematics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We examine the selective screenability property in topological groups. In the metrizable case we also give characterizations of S_c(O_nbd,O) and Smirnov-S_c(O_nbd,O) in terms of the Haver property and finitary Haver property respectively relative to left-invariant metrics. We prove theorems stating conditions under which S_c(O_nbd,O) is preserved by products. Among metrizable groups we characterize the countable dimensional ones by a natural game.

Prey Behavior, Age-Dependent Vulnerability, And Predation Rates, Susan Lingle, Alex Feldman, Mark S. Boyce, W. Finbarr Wilson

Mathematics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Variation in the temporal pattern of vulnerability can provide important insights into predator-prey relationships and the evolution of antipredator behavior. We illustrate these points with a system that has coyotes (Canis latrans) as a predator and two species of congeneric deer (Odocoileus spp.) as prey. The deer employ different antipredator tactics (aggressive defense vs. flight) that result in contrasting patterns of age-dependent vulnerability in their probability of being captured when encountered by coyotes.We use longterm survival data and a simple mathematical model to show that (1) species differences in age-dependent vulnerability are reflected in seasonal predation rates …

Students’ Online Interaction Styles: Can They Change?, Dazhi Yang, Jennifer C. Richardson

Dazhi Yang

Past studies indicate that students demonstrate different online interaction styles, which consist of the ways or habits students acquire knowledge from computer-mediated discussions (Sutton, 2001). Such interaction styles include the active interaction style (Beaudion, 2002), the vicarious interaction style (Sutton, 2001), and the mixed or balanced-interaction style. The purpose of this exploratory study was to further investigate whether students’ online interaction styles changed during a course utilizing asynchronous computer-mediated discussions; and if so how and why they changed. Results indicate that such changes did take place as 44% of participants adjusted to more active learning styles as the courses progressed. …

Locating Oil Spills Under Sea Ice Using Ground-Penetrating Radar, John H. Bradford, Lee M. Liberty, David F. Dickens

CGISS Publications and Presentations

The accelerating level of interest in arctic oil and gas exploration was demonstrated in the overwhelming response to recent lease sales in the Alaskan OCS region. As development increases, the potential for accidental oil spills in the arctic marine environment increases. The need for reliable systems to detect oil trapped in a range of ice conditions remains at the forefront of continued efforts to improve response to ocean spills.

The Effect Of Blakely V. Washington On Upward Departures In A Sentencing Guideline State, Brian Iannacchione, Jeremy Ball

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

One of the problems facing the criminal justice system is unwarranted disparity as a result of unbridled discretion. Although disparity, by itself, does not necessarily indicate a problem in the criminal justice system, disparity unwarranted does present a problem. Disparity becomes unwarranted when, controlling for legal factors, extralegal factors such as race/ethnicity, gender, and age influence court processing decisions. The greater the discretion one possesses, the higher the likelihood of unwarranted disparity in one’s decisions (Albonetti, 1991; Meeker, Jesilow, & Aranda, 1992; Bushway & Piehl, 2001). Within the criminal court system, judicial discretion in sentencing has received the most scrutiny.

Challenges And Questions Concerning “Culturally-Sensitive Design”, Ross Perkins

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Since the inception of the field of anthropology, scholars have debated the definition for the word "culture." Lonner and Adamapoulos (1997) note that "there are 200 or more definitions of 'culture' in the literature of the social sciences, not one of which has been embraced by a substantial number of social scientists" (p. 76). Strauss and Quinn (1997) provide an overview of four schools of thought regarding the interpretations of "culture":

"Geertzian interpretivists have stressed the publicness of meaning, cognition, and culture. Foucauldian postmodernists have argued for the constructedness of culture and of the self. Some contemporary historical materialists highlight …

Mosfet Modulated Dual Conversion Gain Cmos Image Sensors, Xiangli Li

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, vision systems based on CMOS image sensors have acquired significant ground over those based on charge-coupled devices (CCD). The main advantages of CMOS image sensors are their high level of integration, random accessibility, and low-voltage, low-power operation. Previously proposed high dynamic range enhancement schemes focused mainly on extending the sensor dynamic range at the high illumination end. Sensor dynamic range extension at the low illumination end has not been addressed. Since most applications require low-noise, high-sensitivity, characteristics for imaging of the dark region as well as dynamic range expansion to the bright region, the availability of a …

Using Clicker 5 To Enhance Emergent Literacy In Young Learners, Howard P. Parette, Jack Hourcade, Jenny M. Dinelli, Nichole M. Boeckmann

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Best practices in emergent literacy instruction for young children acknowledge and facilitate the smooth progression between children’s early engagement with print materials and subsequent fuller literacy mastery. In so doing, model programs target five key emergent literacy skills. The rapid rise in the breadth and depth of educational technology, including computer software, is offering early childhood education professionals new and powerful tools in teaching early literacy. This paper offers a brief review of best practices in emergent literacy, notes the growth of technology in this instruction, and examines the potential contributions of one specific software program, Clicker 5, in helping …

Floodplain Deposits, Channel Changes And Riverbank Stratigraphy Of The Mekong River Area At The 14th-Century City Of Chiang Saen, Northern Thailand., Spencer H. Wood, Alan D. Ziegler, Tharaporn Bundarnsin

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Riverbank stratigraphy and paleochannel patterns of the Mekong River at Chiang Saen provide a geoarchaeological framework to explore for evidence of Neolithic, Bronze-age, AD 5th Century Yonok and AD 14-16th Century Lan Na Cultures. Typical bank stratigraphy charted on the Thailand side is imbricate cobble gravel overlain by 5-10 m of reddish-brown sandy silt. The silt section is composed chiefly of ½ to 2-m thick layers of massive silt without paleosols interpreted as near-channel floodplain and gently-inclined levee deposits laid down by episodic, infrequent, large floods. The surface soil is dark-brown clay loam (La Na time. Brick ruins of 14-16th …

Ambient Temperature Influences Diet Selection And Physiology Of An Herbivorous Mammal, Neotoma Albigula, M. D. Dearing, Jennifer S. Forbey, J. D. Mclister, L. Santos

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The whitethroat woodrat (Neotoma albigula) eats juniper (Juniperus monosperma), but the amount of juniper in its diet varies seasonally. We tested whether changes in juniper consumption are due to changes in ambient temperature and what the physiological consequences of consuming plant secondary compounds (PSCs) at different ambient temperatures might be. Woodrats were acclimated to either 20ºC or 28ºC. Later, they were given two diets to choose from (50% juniper and a nontoxic control) for 7 d. Food intake, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and body temperature (T_b) were measured over the last 2 d. Woodrats at 28ºC …

Open Access Publishing: Its Impact On You, Marilyn Moody, Eric Forte, Peggy S. Cooper

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Hardware Dispenser Project, John D. Raff, Dave Owen, Paul Sheppard

Service-Learning Program

The purpose of this design project was to develop a system that will allow employees of the ARC to be able to work on a greater variety of projects and to improve their productivity. The hardware dispenser group developed a design for a tray that would help the ARC employees work quicker and more efficiently. The tray has bins to hold hardware which the supervisor loads onto the tray. The employee slides a bag over the tip of the funnel and into the clip which holds the bag in place. The worker then chooses which parts need to be in …

Focus, Kathleen Craven (Editor)

FOCUS on Boise State

No abstract provided.

Secular Spirituality/Mundane Media: One Newspaper’S In-Depth Coverage Of Buddhism, Rick Clifton Moore

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper addresses Mark Silk’s theory of "unsecular media" through a case study of a visit the Dalai Lama made to the United States. Silk contends the themes (what he calls "topoi") media use to cover religion are derived from Western faiths. Thus, according to Silk, when Western religious principles are used to write about Western religious practices, those practices are generally evaluated positively. In the analysis that follows I examine the extent to which Silk’s topoi were used to report about Buddhism, an obviously "Eastern" religion. The basic findings suggest that Silk’s topoi were readily applied in the stories …

Real-World Industry Collaboration Within A Mechatronics Class, Vidya Nandikolla, Susan Shadle, Patricia Pyke, John Gardner, Robert Grover, Suhas Pharkute

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper describes the implementation and assessment of an innovative senior/graduate level mechatronics (robotics) module that integrated structured and unstructured learning experiences, in collaboration with an industry partner. With real-world constraints and expectations, students designed and delivered a product as the final project. In fall 2007, the corporate partner provided state-of-the-art, programmable robotic kits with a user-friendly programming environment. The assigned project was to design a biomedical robot to work in a hospital intensive care unit (ICU) to perform tasks such as transporting supplies or delivering paperwork. Students with diverse skills and majors were grouped in ten teams, two to …

Temperature (5.6-300k) Dependence Comparison Of Carrier Transport Mechanisms In Hfo2/Sio2 And Sio2 Mos Gate Stacks, Richard G. Southwick Iii, Justin Reed, Christopher Buu, Hieu Bui, Ross Butler, G. Bersuker, William B. Knowlton

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Temperature dependent measurements have been used to examine transport mechanisms and energy band structure in MOS devices. In this study, a comparison between high-k HfO₂ dielectrics and conventional SiO₂ dielectrics is made to investigate dielectric specific thermally activated mechanisms. Temperature dependent measurements on large area n/pMOSFETs composed of SiO₂ and HfO₂/SiO₂ gate dielectrics were performed from 5.6 K to 300 K. A large increase in the gate leakage current is observed at the formation of the minority carrier channel. The data indicate that gate leakage current prior to the formation of the minority channel …

Stochastic Event Reconstruction Of Atmospheric Contaminant Dispersion Using Bayesian Inference, Inanc Senocak, Nicolas W. Hengartner, Margaret B. Short, W. Brent Daniel

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Environmental sensors have been deployed in various cities for early detection of contaminant releases into the atmosphere. Event reconstruction and improved dispersion modeling capabilities are needed to estimate the extent of contamination, which is required to implement effective strategies in emergency management. To this end, a stochastic event reconstruction capability that can process information from an environmental sensor network is developed. A probability model is proposed to take into account both zero and non-zero concentration measurements that can be available from a sensor network because of a sensor’s specified limit of detection. The inference is based on the Bayesian paradigm …

Title I Program Models Of Delivery: The Impact Of Paraeducator Instruction On Idaho Fourth Grade Reading Proficiency, Janet S. Byers-Kirsch

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Under federal law No Child Left Behind (NCLB, 2002), each state must annually increase the percentage of students proficient on their achievement tests. They must also have a plan to ensure school districts adequately train and evaluate paraeducators or possibly face losing them as instructional assistants. The study was a descriptive design using quantitative analysis from information gleaned from Idaho’s school district Title I Directors and principals statewide who responded to Qualtrics web-based survey with data about their elementary schools’ models of Title I program service delivery, instructional staff and their training. It examined the relationship between the five most …