Digital Commons Network^™

The Double-Pivot Network Simplex Method, Jordan Mae Sahs

Mathematics Theses, Dissertations, Research and Student Creative Activity

The network simplex method, a minimum-cost network flow algorithm, was first created in 1956 by George Dantzig to solve transportation problems. This thesis improves upon Dantzig’s method by pivoting two arcs instead of one at each iteration. The proposed algorithm is called the double-pivot network simplex method. Both leaving arcs are determined by solving a two-variable linear program. Due to the structure of these two-variable problems, this thesis also presents an approach to quickly solve them. The network and double-pivot network simplex methods make use of a modified eXtended Threading Index technique to efficiently create cycles and maintain the spanning …

Social Media Engagement And Mobilization To Extremist Violence, Lauren Moss

Political Science Theses, Dissertations and Student Creative Activity

This thesis investigates how engagement with extremist communities on social media correlates with increased violent mobilization among radicalized individuals. It argues that as individuals strengthen their ties to extremist groups online, they increasingly identify with these communities and adopt behaviors endorsed by them. This paper explores various levels of online engagement, from passive interactions to more active involvement, as well as factors to mobilization exhibited as observable behaviors both in person and online. Comparative analysis of two violent and two nonviolent adherents of the Boogaloo ideology reveals ten unique mobilizing indicators in violent cases. When compared against the social media …

Math Minds, Lauren Gearhart

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

During this capstone project, three instructional and three formative assessment strategies were integrated into a fourth-grade math unit involving multiplication of fractions. This math unit consisted of seven instructional days including a pre-test and post-test. The strategies focused on student engagement and progression throughout the unit. Following analysis of the data collected on the instructional strategies and the formative assessments, the student's performance increased. I collected data from the pre- and post-tests that evidenced the turn and talks, think aloud, small groups, exit tickets, student whiteboards, and observation were effective instructional and assessment strategies to enhance student achievement. This capstone …

Utilizing Collaborative Learning To Analyze And Represent Data During A Graphing Unit, Emily Mangano

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project reports the effects of various differentiated instructional and assessment strategies that were integrated into a third-grade math unit on data collection and representation. The unit was conducted over 12 days. It consisted of nine lessons, a review lesson, a pre-test, and a post test. I will explain the data I collected, the instructional strategies I implemented, and the assessment strategy used to track student progress. The instructional strategies included collaborative learning, cues and questions, feedback. A pre- and post-test were administered, and the data analyzed. Based on the data I collected, the students improved in their knowledge …

Teaching Fraction Concepts To Third Grade Students With The Support Of Instructional And Assessment Strategies, Kaitlyn Brandl

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project reports and analyzes the effects of utilizing differentiated instructional and assessment strategies in a third-grade classroom. The capstone will discuss the benefits and results of implementing two instructional strategies and two assessment methods during the instruction of a math unit in fraction concepts. The math unit was delivered over a period of 10 instructional days and included pre-assessment and post-assessments. Based on the data collected, student understanding and performance increased after integrating supports through differentiated instructional strategies. In this capstone, I will discuss the methods utilized to deliver instruction and assess student learning. Conclusions of the capstone …

Teaching Addition And Subtraction Story Problems To Second Grade Students Utilizing A Differentiated Instructional Strategies, Rene Gold

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project reports the effectiveness of four instructional strategies and two assessment methods that were integrated into a second-grade mathematics unit. The unit focused on addition and subtraction within 1,000 with missing numbers and story problems. The unit was taught over five days. The unit included both a pre-and post-assessment to assist in documenting student growth from the first to the last lesson. In my capstone, I will discuss the most effective instructional and assessment strategies and their impact on students' learning. After the completion of this unit, I analyzed the pre- and post-assessment data. I discovered that using …

Addressing Athletes Coexisting Conditions Of Autism And Depression: Participants Self-Report Decreased Feelings Of Depression Post Exercise, Joshua Sutton, Saundra Shillingstad, Jessica Baldwin

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The goal of this study was to evaluate if exercise would decrease depressive symptoms of participants who reported having coexisting conditions of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and depression. Research has reported that autistic people have increased rates of depression, in comparison to general populations (Unruh et al., 2020). The purpose of this research was to evaluate if exercise would decrease depressive symptoms of the Unified Fitness athlete participants who self-identified as having depressive symptoms and ASD. This research was conducted during the Fall 2023 semester as an extension of the class Kinesiology Practicum, using the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) …

Monero: Powering Anonymous Digital Currency Transactions, Jake Braddy

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Cryptocurrencies rely on a distributed public ledger (record of transactions) in order to perform their intended functions. However, the public’s ability to audit the network is both its greatest strength and greatest weakness: Anyone can see what address sent currency, and to whom the currency was sent. If cryptocurrency is ever going to take some of the responsibility of fiat currency, then there needs to be a certain level of confidentiality. Thus far, Monero has come out on top as the preferred currency for embodying the ideas of privacy and confidentiality. Through numerous cryptographic procedures, Monero is able to obfuscate …

Effects Various Distilled Water Brands Have On Chlorophytum Comosum., Brooke Bluhm

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

When first attempting home gardening, one of the challenges many home-renters are starting to face is being able to supply enough clean water to one’s plants. In order to overcome this challenge, many plant enthusiasts are utilizing prepackaged distilled water from price friendly brands available at most regional Walmart locations. With the number of choices available on the shelves of today’s grocery stores, and vague ingredient lists on packaging it can be challenging to determine which brand is actually best suited for one’s specific needs. In order to determine the best distilled water suited to grow Chlorophytum comosum, various gallons …

Beyond Rehabilitation: Exploring The Field Of Occupational Therapy And The Transformative Impact Of Care, Sierra C. Fox

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

As a profession that implements unique approaches to empower people of all ages and abilities to actively participate in activities that are meaningful to them, occupational therapy is an essential service for providing holistic healthcare (Darawsheh, 2018). As an undergraduate approaching graduation, the process for applying to graduate school programs has finally begun, and it has become obvious the lack of public knowledge there is regarding the profession. Even among other healthcare professionals, there is often an inadequate understanding of the field, which can be problematic and result in patients not being referred to receive the services that may benefit …

Preparing 3rd Graders For Addition & Subtraction Using Differentiated Instructional & Assessment Methods, Emily Brasfield

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project reports the effectiveness of four instructional strategies and two assessment methods that were integrated into a second-grade mathematics unit. The unit focused on addition and subtraction within 1,000 with missing numbers and story problems. The unit was taught over five days. The unit included both a pre- and post-assessment to assist in documenting student growth from the first to the last lesson. In my capstone, I will discuss the most effective instructional and assessment strategies and their impact students learning. After the completion of this unit, I analyzed the pre- and post-assessment data. I discovered that using …

Finance And Artificial Intelligence, Luke Schawang

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into finance represents a significant evolution in the industry, one that has been ongoing for years but is now accelerating rapidly. This paper explores the various forms and functions of AI, from reactive machines to the potential for superintelligence, and examines its impact on banking, business finance, and investing.

In banking, AI has bolstered cybersecurity and fraud detection, leveraging machine learning algorithms to continuously improve accuracy and efficiency. Similarly, in business finance, AI tools like chatbots and algorithms streamline processes, enhance productivity, and reduce costs. In investing, AI-driven solutions such as robo advisors offer …

Minor Exploitation And Regulatory Shortfalls: Safeguarding Children’S Data In The Age Of Modern Technology, Kaylee Lahti

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This paper looks into the issue of minors in the era of social media and seeks to answer the question: how can regulations help to protect children’s privacy in the age of social networks? To do this, this paper will start by exploring the privacy issues that have arisen amongst minors in the modern age and the lack of accountability for social networking companies. It will then look at the current regulations related to this issue and see where these regulations have fallen short. Next, possible regulatory solutions to this issue will be explored, including looking at current laws that …

What Makes Us "Good" Leaders?, Dante Rossini

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

What makes us good leaders? It’s a question that philosophers, politicians and business strategists alike have been asking for centuries. Generations of scholars have sought to pinpoint the various attributes and characteristics that define leadership beyond a formal organizational role. Going a step beyond, extensive research has also been devoted to deciphering what abilities make certain individuals successful as leaders in comparison to their peers, along with how aspiring leaders can practice these abilities to hone their own leadership performance. All of this research culminates in an intimidating amount of literature, riddled with a broad array of theories and conclusions …

Decoding Democracy: Ideographic Analyses Of 2024 Republican Presidential Nominees' Rhetoric, Allyson Havenridge

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The following rhetorical analysis identifies the rhetoric that was used by 2024 Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Donald Trump. Rhetoric can be thought of as the means and ways that we, as social beings, use language to create meaning and exchange symbols to better understand the world around us. This rhetorical analysis aims to identify the ways in which certain words are being used and the reasoning behind why they were used by the rhetor, or the speaker in a rhetorical situation. The ultimate focus of the following rhetorical criticism is to examine how ideographs, or words that encase …

Analysis Of Water Pollutants Across Greater Omaha, Desmond Marshall

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Water is a finite resource, and most water has the potential to become contaminated in sitting bodies. Health complications have an increased chance of occurring when these water sources have pollutants. Preventative and treatment methods are components of the legislation put in place to prevent concentrations from reaching levels capable of causing these ailments. However, sites sometimes fail to keep them under tolerated levels. This study is intended to examine if several locations across Omaha are keeping pollutants under legal concentrations and analyze any trends in the data. Locations (n=10) are sampled twice, with exactly two-weeks between collections. The water …

Phonics In Kindergarten: Introducing Digraphs Using Scaffolding And Manipulatives, Courtney Brink

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

In my capstone project, I incorporated multiple strategies that supported students’ learning of and engagement with lessons on three digraphs: sh, th, and ch. My objective was not to teach to mastery, but instead to expose students to higher level literacy concepts and build their background knowledge for future lessons. Based on student artifacts, students gained multiple opportunities for exposure and practice of reading and writing words with digraphs. The assessment data does not directly support an improvement in student performance with independent writing. This capstone will highlight the instructional and assessment strategies I used, the data I collected, and …

Text-To-Speech Animation: Generating Visuals Based On Phonetic Spelling, Colin Tomcak

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Speech is a complex field, and remarkably difficult to master. There exist many groups who could use more tools to help improve their pronunciation of English words. The goal of this project was to create a text-to-speech animation program as an addition to our group capstone, Pronunciation Pal. Pronunciation Pal is a web-based application meant to assist those who are deaf or hard of hearing in improving their pronunciation, likely as an addition to therapy with a speech pathologist. This application uses tools like diagrams and references to help users better understand how to pronounce a word. The goal of …

That Way: An Examination Of Male Relationships In Film During The Hays Code, Jane Knudsen

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The Hays Code (1934-1968) influenced the construct of United States masculinity and the discourse surrounding masculine presentation between the 1920s to the 1960s. The Hays Code and World War II affected the culture surrounding male/male relationships in the United States. Previous research done by David Lugowski (1999) and Jeffrey Suzik (1999) shows that both World Wars led to crises of masculinity in which the hegemonic ideal of masculinity was restructured to establish men as providers and warriors, and Code-era films reflected the discourse. To understand the gender roles in the 20^th century, I analyzed the Hays code, male bonds, …

Implementing Instructional And Assessment Strategies To Improve Student Success In Art, Hayden Thomaier

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

For my honors capstone project, I taught a 3-week unit to my Art III class at a suburban high school in Nebraska. This unit covered concepts such as color theory, composition, and how to create the illusion of depth within a piece of art. This unit ended with the students creating a 24x30 in. painting of a space that was personal to them. The instructional strategies that I used throughout the unit included learning objectives, providing feedback, and nonlinguistic forms of representation. The assessment strategies I used included a pre and post-assessment at the beginning and end of the unit, …

Reading Fluency Intervention: The Impact Of Integrating Differentiated Instructional Strategies Into Small Group Instruction, Amaya Brodine

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project will report the effectiveness of three instructional strategies and two assessment strategies integrated into a 11-week reading fluency unit. These strategies were implemented in a small group setting with the goal of improving students’ automaticity reading scores. This small intervention group met four times a week for eleven weeks where students practiced choral reading, buddy reading, and game-based learning strategies. Throughout this reading intervention unit student data was gathered through triannual growth assessment, weekly progress monitoring, formal assessment strategies, and a final project. This capstone will also provide an overview of the data collection methods utilized through …

This Is Your Life Cycle: Analyzing The Impact Of Graphic Organizers, Collaborative Learning, And Non-Linguistic Representations On Student Learning, Ian Schmidt

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone investigated the implementation of cooperative learning through turn-and-talks and the use of graphic organizers in a third-grade reading unit. The unit’s topic centered around a story titled “This Is Your Life Cycle” which talks about the life cycle of a dragonfly. Throughout the unit, the students completed a pre-test, multiple summaries using a graphic organizer, multiple formative assessments, and a post-test. Upon completion of the unit, I analyzed the data to determine the effects the strategies used had on students' learning. Student data and performance demonstrated a possible link between an increase in student learning and the use …

Ethics In Law And The Effects On Mental Health: An Interview Study, Kaitlyn Nyffeler

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

On August 2, 1983, The American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct were adopted by the House of Delegates. This set of rules provides legal professionals with the guidance needed to uphold the rule of law and to preserve justice. In this set of rules, lawyers learn the duties of confidentiality, client relations, diligence, and the overall conduct owed to the courts. Furthermore, these duties can be demanding and oftentimes challenging. Therefore, this study examined the different ethical rules as they apply to lawyers and how these demands can impact their mental health. Interviews were conducted with six lawyers …

Mathematics Majors In Medical School Admissions: A Comparative Evaluation Of Mcat And Gpa Performance, Morgan Baker

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Choosing a major as an incoming undergraduate student can be very stressful. This study investigates the differences in success that come with choice of undergraduate major, particularly focusing on the performance of mathematics majors. A large majority of medical school applicants come from a biological sciences background. Despite this preference, there is evidence that students from nontraditional majors produce higher Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores and superior grade point averages (GPAs). Utilizing data visualization and analysis through R programming, this research examines public data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to understand the benefits of pursuing a …

The Unspoken Words Of Fashion: Movements Behind Harajuku’S Avant-Garde Fashion Trends, Alastair Leon

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Over the past 50 years, the Harajuku neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan, has become an epicenter for innovative fashion trends that have reached global audiences. Fashion, as a medium, is an art form that can be as powerful as traditional work. It can convey a multitude of messages, and most notably, it can be a wordless statement against dominant culture and societal norms. Social groups have used fashion as an identifier, and they are commonly linked with a subcultural identity. Self-expression is a powerful tool to fight against the status quo, and fashion enthusiasts in Japan have advocated for a rebellion …

Verbs In Context: Project Based Learning As Intrinsic Motivation, Trinity Weers

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project studied the effects of teaching grammar in context and allowing students to engage in content through project-based learning. Data shows that teaching grammar in context through project-based learning and a broader plan of study effectively gives weight to the study of grammar, and helps students gain current mastery while preparing for future learning. This unit started with a pretest, had seven days of instruction and formative assessment, and ended with a summative project that students had three days to complete. Students designed verb posters as their summative assessment and these posters were saved for future seventh graders …

Teaching Students How To Fill Out Job Applications In A Special Education Classroom, Lucas Gappa

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

In this capstone project different instructional and assessment strategies were used during student instruction to help students see how to assist them is being able to fill out job applications. In the span of seven teaching days, five lessons on the subject and two testing periods are the duration of time spent on the unit. Starting with a Pretest and ending with the final assessment to see the progress made with the students. Adjustments were made during instruction, and students were engaged in reflection to help the students' performance. The lesson was initially scheduled for 5 days of instruction, but …

Spiking Engagement: Analyzing Social Media Tactics And Fan Interaction In The Omaha Supernovas, Anne Thomas

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The available engagement of social media for firms and their target market is unmatched. Rather than a one-way communication, it is an open channel. Potential customers can share their thoughts and feelings on the firms’ products and services, and firms can connect with their customers and create brand loyalty. This opens opportunities for marketers to look at new ways and strategies to connect with their customers. This is the same for professional sports teams. Just like a traditional firm, professional sports teams rely on being able to connect with and sell to their target market.

The newly established Omaha Supernovas …

The Impact Of Policy And Perception On Women’S Health Since 2010, Eryn Busenbark

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This project tackles the complicated relationship between policy and perception of women’s health in the last decade. This was achieved through research on existing literature and semi-structured interviews with five professionals in various areas of women’s health: mental health, public policy, sexual health education, and research. Literature reviews were conducted using University of Nebraska at Omaha Criss Library’s databases, with dozens of articles analyzed. The goal of this research was to gain an understanding of how public opinion and perceptions can sway policy, which has created challenges and consequences for women and their health.

Use Of Non-Linguistic Representation In A 1st Grade Classroom, Haylee Umble

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Reading skills are difficult to comprehend for student who are English Language Learners, especially in first grade! Like many other majors, education majors have an "internship" called clinical practice or student teaching. This is the most influential time to put our learned skills to the test in the most genuine environment possible: a classroom for entire semester. For my clinical practice, I was placed in a on the English side of a dual-language 1^st grade classroom at an elementary school in the OPS School District. I discovered an area where there was struggle for many students. Therefore, I created …