Digital Commons Network^™

Sustainability Of A State, District, And School Professional Learning Community, Gertrude Jones Black

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I explored professional learning community sustainability at the school, district, and state levels. Researchers have found that professional learning communities are a means of effective professional learning for teachers and a vital factor in increased student achievement. However, there is very little multi-case research involving the sustainability of professional learning communities. This multi-site case study extends the research on this topic. I used qualitative methods to clarify my understanding of the phenomenon of sustainability of PLC communities. I investigated how the PLC members’ stances and actions, perceptions of school culture, and commitment to lifelong learning impacted a …

A Globalized Optimization Schema For Automated Fiber Placement Processing Parameters, Matthew John Godbold

Theses and Dissertations

Automated Fiber Placement is an advanced manufacturing technique for industrial-scale composite structures. Advanced robotics coupled with composite manufacturing results in faster and more consistent results than previously obtained through hand layup. The complexity and interconnectedness of the automated fiber placement process provides a difficult challenge for traditional modeling techniques. Modeling within automated fiber placement currently utilizes physics-based modeling to inform the translation of a design to a manufacturing plan. The intricacy of the automated fiber placement process dictates that attempts at modeling or optimizing these processes are often limited in their scope. Physics-based modeling for manufacturing typically involves numerous interacting …

The Effect Of Instructionally Embedded Cognitive Reframing On Students’ Self-Beliefs Of Their Mathematical Competence, Kelly Eyre Frazee

Theses and Dissertations

Many students lack the ability to maintain positive perceptions of their mathematical self-belief, resulting in undesirable social, emotional, and academic outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a cognitive reframing strategy on third and fourth grade math intervention students’ perceptions of their mathematical competence. This study sought to understand the impact of this emotional regulation strategy on students’ ability to autonomously regulate their negative or irrational thoughts related to their mathematics abilities, as well as the impact on their self-beliefs. Data for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews with students, student reflections, and researcher …

Computerized Psychological Testing: Designing And Developing An Efficient Test Suite Using Hci And Reinforcement Learning Techniques, William Henry Hoskins

Theses and Dissertations

In this work we discuss the design and development of the Carolina Automated Reading Evaluation (CARE), created to facilitate the finding of deficits in the reading ability of children from four to nine years of age. Designed to automate the process of screening for reading deficits, the CARE is an interactive computer-based tool that helps eliminate the need for one-on-one evaluations of pupils to detect dyslexia and other reading deficits and facilitates the creation of new reading tests within the platform. While other tests collect specific data points in order to determine whether a pupil has dyslexia, they typically focus …

Adapting Deep Learning Techniques For Geologic Investigations Of Hydrothermal Venting At Seafloor Spreading Ridges Using Auv Surveys, Isaac Keohane

Theses and Dissertations

Locating hydrothermal chimney sites unlocks research into their correlations with geology, lithospheric cooling, and deep-sea biogeography at seafloor spreading ridges. High-resolution bathymetry and sidescan sonar collected by Automated Underwater Vehicles allows for chimneys, only a few meters wide and tall, and fissures, only a few meters wide, to be resolved across large areas (>100 km2). We developed a Chimney Identification Tool (CIT) that utilizes a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), a Machine-Learning model able to classify based on shapes and textures, to identify chimneys in 1m-gridded bathymetry. We then utilized the CIT to identify many potential off-axis chimney structures at …

Causes And Consequences Of The Risk Of Generalizability Biases In Health Behavioral Interventions, Lauren Von Klinggraeff

Theses and Dissertations

Preliminary testing of health behavior interventions (e.g., pilot, feasibility studies) are used to evaluate intervention viability prior to additional testing and resource investment (e.g., larger trials). This initial testing provides valuable information, but promising estimates of effectiveness produced during early testing are rarely reproduced in larger studies, stalling the development of effective, scalable health interventions. In the obesity intervention literature, external validity biases, features of the intervention that are not (or cannot) transfer to the larger study, are associated with these diminished effects. These study features, such who delivers the intervention, the characteristics of the population receiving the intervention or …

Floodplain And In-Channel Sedimentation In The Bedrock Congaree River, Sc, Mahsa Ahmadpoor

Theses and Dissertations

The Congaree River planform is characterized by an abrupt increase in channel sinuosity in the downstream direction. Such a change is not typical of alluvial meandering rivers but has been observed in mixed bedrock-alluvial rivers. This motivated the first study of this dissertation, specifically designed to determine if the Congaree River is indeed a mixed bedrock-alluvial river in its low sinuosity (upstream) reach. To test this hypothesis, sonar-based measurements of channel bed and sublayer elevation were performed from Columbia to the Congaree River-Wateree River confluence. The sublayer is here defined as the first surface visible in the sonar measurements underneath …

Polybenzimidazole Membranes For Electrochemical Applications With Harsh Operating Conditions, Kris Likit-Anurak

Theses and Dissertations

Polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes are high temperature proton exchange membranes (PEMs) which have advantages such as being able to operate in high temperatures, strong acid environments, and have no need for external humidity during operation. PBI membranes have been demonstrated to work effectively in multiple electrochemical devices, including fuel cells, hydrogen separation pumps, redox flow batteries, and a hybrid sulfur electrolyzer. In this work, para-PBI and densified para-PBI membrane have been used to improve electrochemical performance in harsh operating conditions that are both high temperature (≥120 ̊C) and high acid concentration (≥ 5M). First, we demonstrated the use of para-PBI membranes …

Mixed Methods Action Research: How Integrating Student Response Technology And Case Studies In A Largely Populated University Course Influences Student Engagement, Feedback, And Learning, Scott L. Matteson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if implementing student response technology (SRT) and case studies into a largely populated university undergraduate course would influence student engagement. When student engagement is influenced the potential for positive learning outcomes occurs leading to a higher likelihood of student success (Swap & Walter, 2015). Four research questions guided this study: How and to what extent does incorporating SRT and case studies in a largely populated undergraduate course at MSU influence: (1) student motivation; (2) cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement; (3) feedback; and (4) What are the effects of SRT and case studies …

Testing Models Of Context-Dependent Outcome Encoding In Reinforcement Learning, William M. Hayes Iv

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies of reinforcement learning (RL) have established that choice outcomes are encoded in a context-dependent fashion. Several computational models have been proposed to explain context-dependent encoding, including reference point centering and range adaptation models. The former assumes that outcomes are centered around a running estimate of the average reward in each choice context, while the latter assumes that outcomes are compared to the minimum reward and then scaled by an estimate of the range of outcomes in each choice context. However, there are other computational mechanisms that can explain context dependence in RL. In the present study, a frequency …

Impact Of Acetylcholine On Internal Pathways To Basal Amygdala Pyramidal Neurons, Tyler Daniel Anderson-Sieg

Theses and Dissertations

The basolateral nuclear complex of the amygdala (BNC) – consisting of the lateral (LA), basolateral (BL), and basomedial nuclei (BM) – detects salient environmental stimuli (cue-detection) and motivates appropriate behavioral responses to their implied meaning (cue-guided behavior) via a precise pattern of internal circuitry. Glutamatergic signals representing environmental stimuli enter the LA and split into parallel streams that activate pyramidal neurons (PNs) in the anterior and posterior BL (BLa and BLp), which putatively mediate negative and positive emotions, respectively. The BL is the most densely innervated target of the cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) and ACh transients (phasic ACh) in cortex …

Electronic Learning: An Educator’S Guide To Navigating Online Learning In A Collegiate Horn Studio, Michelle Beck

Theses and Dissertations

Inarguably one of the most abrupt changes our education system has seen in the last 50 years, online learning has swept the country. To protect both the health and safety of its citizens, the country has shifted to an online format. With this change comes opportunity for growth and advancement of online learning curriculum. At the same time, this quick move has led many educators through an uncomfortable reassessment of teaching practice and pedagogical approach. In this document I will examine the many aspects of e-learning. E-learning is defined as “utilizing electronic technologies to access educational curriculum outside of a …

Digital Learning Environment Development: Action Research Using A Situated Coaching Model With Elementary Classroom Teachers Integrating Technology, Robert Burggraaf

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the impact of a situated coaching model for participating teachers at an elementary school. This study focused on three research questions: (1) how do participants experience a situated coaching model for technology professional development? (2) how does a situated coaching model affect participants’ digital learning environment scores? and (3) how does a situated coaching model impact participants’ perception of barriers to implementing a digital learning environment?

This study situated a coach in an elementary school to work with four teachers over a six-week period in modeling, co-planning, co-teaching, and observing classroom …

The Impact Of Inquiry-Based Learning On Academic Achievement In Eighth-Grade Social Studies, Lindsey A. Bailey

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of practice described in this paper was identified by varying academic performances of students in a middle school located in South Carolina. The identified problem led the researcher to formulate a research question: What is the impact of inquiry-based learning on academic achievement for eighth-grade students in social studies? The purpose of this study is to determine if implementing inquiry-based learning will affect the academic achievement of students in social studies. Action research allows teachers to study their own classrooms to better understand them and to be able to improve their quality or effectiveness (Mertler, 2014). Action research …

Global Problem-Based Learning In Math, Dora Fletcher

Theses and Dissertations

In the high school of focus in this study, mathematics students struggle to transfer and apply skills to unfamiliar contexts. Also, minority students are underrepresented in advanced mathematics course enrollments. This two-part study consists of a longitudinal analysis of enrollment trends in mathematics courses as well as an action research study of the impact of Global Problem-Based Learning on achievement and attitudes in advanced mathematics classes. The study was conducted at a southern U.S. International Baccalaureate (IB) high school with an annual enrollment of approximately 1300 students. The longitudinal study examined three cohorts of high school graduates, 797 students, beginning …

The Effects Of Implementing An Online Professional Learning Community For Teachers Of Gifted And Talented Courses: An Action Research Study, Chelsey A. Mintz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to examine the effects of implementing an online professional learning community (PLC) designed explicitly for teachers of gifted and talented (GT) English language arts (ELA) courses. The present action research (AR) is a limited mixed design study, including quantitative and qualitative elements, to discover the effects on collaboration and professional growth focused on best practices for GT instruction. The quantitative data were collected through surveys, which included Likert scales and nominal items and were analyzed through descriptive statistics. The qualitative data were collected through guided and semi-structured interview questions and transcribed before …

Impacts Of An Online Learning Community On The Way Students Communicate, David Dennis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to describe one advanced placement (AP) high school literature unit and student-participants' perceptions of technological communication in that English Language Arts (ELA) unit. The site of the research was West-Oak High School in Westminster, South Carolina. Student-participants are accustomed to electronic communication. The participant-researcher designed and implemented a blended AP ELA curriculum unit for Shakespearean Drama to combine an online learning discussion with face-to-face discussions aimed at observing whether these students are able to improve their ability to construct defensible verbal and written arguments. Data collections included a series of observations and …

Effects Of Language For Learning On Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Diana M. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Language for Learning (LL) is an oral language curriculum that uses Direct Instruction (DI) methodology. DI is well researched, but only limited studies exists on the use of LL with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study used a multiple baseline research design, across four, four-year-old participants, to measure the effects of LL on the language development of young children with ASD. This study also measured the generalization of learned skills to the narrative language of the participants. Finally, changes in the participants language microstructure were analyzed throughout the study. A researcher-created acquisition probe was used to measure language …

Service-Learning: An Interpretive Case Study Of Teachers’ Perspectives And Planning Strategies, Cory Susanne Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This interpretive case study focused on elementary teachers who were implementing a service-learning project in their classroom. Research suggests that service-learning is beneficial for students and is becoming more prevalent in high schools and universities. Current literature, however, provides little evidence for the use of service-learning at the elementary level. The purpose of this study was to explore and gain insight in to how elementary school teachers use service learning and to examine underlying factors that shape and influence how teachers plan for and implement service learning projects. This study aims to provide a planning model to support elementary teachers …

Learning Human Poses From Monocular Images, Xiaochuan Fan

Theses and Dissertations

In this research, we mainly focus on the problem of estimating the 2D human pose from a monocular image and reconstructing the 3D human pose based on the 2D human pose. Here a 3D pose is the locations of the human joints in the 3D space and a 2D pose is the projection of a 3D pose on an image. Unlike many previous works that explicitly use hand-crafted physiological models, both our 2D pose estimation and 3D pose reconstruction approaches implicitly learn the structure of human body from human pose data.

This 3D pose reconstruction is an ill-posed problem without …

A Comparison Of Three Levels Of Verbal Redundancy In Multimedia Learning And Its Effects On Memory Retention And Transfer In Legal Professionals, Angela Mizell Dooley

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to examine verbal redundancy in multimedia learning and its effects on memory retention and transfer in legal professionals who were randomly assigned to watch one of three multimedia videos. Tests of ANOVA showed no significant differences in performance, mental load, or combined efficiency scores among the three instructional groups, but participants in the complementary text group rated the video with complementary slides as significantly more helpful than the videos with redundant, overloaded text slides and spoken words only. Factorial ANOVA also revealed that the redundant text group with fewer than five years of experience scored significantly lower …

An Investigation Of A Culturally Responsive Approach To Science Education In A Summer Program For Marginalized Youth, Brittany A. Garvin

Theses and Dissertations

The demographics of today’s schools are becoming more and more ethnically and linguistically diverse, as culturally diverse students comprise approximately one third of school populations (Ladson-Billings, 2005). However, the educational experiences of students of Color demonstrate a history of marginalization and inequity (Williamson et al., 2007) as far too many students of Color have maintained poor educational achievement outcomes. The effects of such disproportionally high levels of low academic achievement are extensive and can be witnessed across subject content areas, particularly in math, science, and literacy. To improve the academic performance of students who are culturally, racially, ethnically, and linguistically …