Gifted Education Commons^™

Analysis Of Deck-Building Games For The Development In A Digital Medium, Eric Ian Dundas

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis discusses the game design justifications of Rift Colosseum, a deckbuilder card game developed by Eric Dundas. The research conducted intends to reinforce the design decisions for the game. The research includes systems from Trading Card Games Magic: The Gathering, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, and Flesh and Blood. Additionally, research is conducted on Slay the Spire, a deckbuilder roguelike. The analysis helped to find unique mechanics that could be utilized further when combined with other systems, especially digital-only mechanics inspired by Slay the Spire.

Several concluding materials were developed, such as the card types, card restrictions and …

An Analysis Of Attending Industry Events As An Independent Game Developer: My Experience At The 2024 Game Developers Conference, Ben Laube

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The game development industry, known for its rapid evolution and competitive nature, presents significant challenges and opportunities for both novice and veteran developers. This paper provides a personal account and reflection on attending the 2024 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, aiming to demonstrate the substantial impact such events can have on independent developers. Through detailed descriptions of attended sessions and networking opportunities, including “GDC Pitch: Day 2,” “Getting Hired With a Personal Touch,” “Learn From Our Mistakes,” “Speed Networking,” and the “GDC Expo” this paper explores the value of industry events in terms of knowledge gained, connections made, …

The Lived Experiences Of High-Performing Black Male Students With Advanced Placement Courses, Griselda Almonte-Delgado

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Black male students are underrepresented in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Studies on the perspective and experiences of high performing Black male students with Advanced Placement (AP) is limited. Available research indicates that high performing Black students are enrolled at half the rate of White students both nationally and locally in Advanced Placement (AP) courses (Dept. Of Civil Rights, 2021). Research uncovers multifaceted factors influencing enrollment, ranging from personal motivation to systemic barriers. To qualitatively address this dissonance, this research used Attribution Theory as its framework to examine the lived experiences and perceptions of eight high performing Black male students from …

Netflix, Inc. Strategic Audit, John Kinney

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Netflix, Inc. is a large publicly traded multinational corporation within the Streaming entertainment industry. Founded in 1997, Netflix started as a mail-based DVD rental service. Soon switching from a per-rental fee model to the subscription model they still use today. In the late 2000s the company began offering the ability to stream content directly from home and have now grown to become the most successful streaming company in the world. This report will provide an overview of Netflix’s background, its position in the industry landscape, and its ability to sustain a competitive edge. Using both Porter's Five Forces and PESTEL …

Building A Data Pipeline And Machine Learning Model For Insurance Data, Connor Weyers

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Insurance telematics is an emerging and exciting field. It combines the advancements in GPS tracking, computational analytics, data processing, and machine learning into a useful tool to help insurance companies make the best product for their consumers. This is why National Indemnity looked to implement a telematics portion to their business processes of underwriting insurance policies and sponsored a School of Computing Senior Design project. In this report, we will first review existing solutions that been used to solve problems and subproblems similar to that we are given in this project. We then propose designs for the data pipeline and …

Thinking Outside The Box: Exploring The Instructional Conversations Model Beyond English Language Learners Into Gifted Learners, Terri Thornton

Dissertations

Gifted students, characterized by exceptional intellectual abilities and unique learning needs, often find themselves navigating an educational landscape that may not fully cater to their specific requirements. Traditional teaching methods may fall short of engaging and challenging these students to realize their full potential. This dissertation delves into the efficacy of instructional conversations as an innovative pedagogical approach tailored to the distinctive learning profiles of gifted students. Through a comprehensive examination of relevant literature, theoretical frameworks, and empirical evidence, this study seeks to illuminate the impact of instructional conversations on the academic, social, and emotional development of gifted learners.

The …

Rivian Automotive Strategic Audit, Bruno Salles

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of Rivian Automotive, a pioneering electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, focusing on its background, performance, challenges, and future outlook. Founded in 2009 by Robert "RJ" Scaringe, Rivian embarked on a mission to revolutionize the automotive industry with its innovative EV offerings, driven by a commitment to performance, utility, and sustainability. The company's journey from inception to its Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2021 and subsequent challenges amid the global semiconductor chip shortage and market dynamics are examined. A detailed PESTEL analysis evaluates the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors influencing Rivian's operations and …

The Hope Venture: Strategic Audit, Bradley Sullivan

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Hope Venture is an international nonprofit headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Their work is comprised of education and health projects targeted at individuals living in extreme poverty. Currently, most of their projects are located in India and Sub-Saharan Africa. A PESTEL analysis was performed to assess the external environment in which they operate, while a Porter’s 5 Forces analysis explained industry dynamics. Their competitive advantages, such as their unique 100% model, are explored, while key challenges regarding scalability are discussed. In the end, recommendations are given to overcome potential threats and to continue to sustain a competitive advantage in the …

Teacher Perceptions Of Gifted Middle School Students, Tom Wimsatt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Middle school students who fall under the gifted and talented category are often perceived as being “self-sustaining, easy to handle” students. Research into the nature of gifted and talented students over the last 40+ years has proven otherwise, demonstrating a wide range of social and emotional issues as well as the need for advanced academic challenges. However, middle school teachers have shown mixed opinions about the specific needs of gifted and talented students, oftentimes seeing GT students at the middle school level to be less student and more “student helper”. This study was conducted to determine the current trends and …

Parent Experiences In Advocating For Their Advanced Children In Elementary Schools, Kathryn Adams

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The amalgamation of underachievement, underidentification, lack of state and national mandates and definitions, and the unique social, emotional, and academic needs of gifted and advanced students has resulted in a system fraught with issues that leave parents with the role of advocating for their child’s best interests at school. According to the National Association for Gifted Children, schools may not be completely effective in providing services for gifted children, leaving many parents feeling that their children’s needs simply are not being met (Harris, 2017). Parents of gifted or advanced children have noted several areas in which they feel unsatisfied with …

Teacher Background And Underrepresented Students In Gifted Education, Kayla Berg

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students in gifted education programs is a longstanding concern involving equity and access in educational systems. This qualitative research explores the complex factors influencing this disparity, focusing on the role of teacher perceptions in the identification process. Elementary and middle school teacher participants (N = 14) from a single school district provided interview data. Data collection focused on interviews with classroom and gifted teachers related to the three research questions. The research design was a multiple embedded case study.

First, the study investigated how teachers' perceptions of gifted characteristics vary based on personal experiences, …

Preassessment Data And Differentiation In Middle School Math Classrooms, Brittany Mitchell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This research study investigates the use of preassessment data to guide differentiated instructional strategies in educational settings. Since there has been an increased awareness of diverse learning requirements among students, differentiated instruction has become a highly researched topic and proved to be an effective strategy used to address different learning modalities, interests, and levels of readiness. However, there has been little research aimed at differentiating for a middle school math classroom. In this study, qualitative methods are employed, and interview transcripts are the primary sources of data. Findings revealed that math teachers understand the benefits of preassessments and differentiation strategies, …

Gifted And…: Teacher Reflection And Transformation In Response To Teaching Gifted Students, Patrick Gene Rabon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

12 teachers, representing five schools in a district, shared via individual interviews their insights regarding giftedness and the needs of gifted students. These interviews explored the characteristics of giftedness and gifted education, the needs participants identified through their experiences with their students, the choices participants made regarding these needs, and the various ways participants reflected on these choices. This study used reflexive thematic analysis and transformative learning theory to make sense of the data, and a reparative approach shaped the study’s approach to the collection and analysis of the data. This study found that participants tended to think in terms …

Topgolf Callaway Brands, Corp. Strategic Analysis, Sean Smith

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Topgolf Callaway Brands, Corp. (the “Company”, “Topgolf Callaway”, “Topgolf”, or “Callaway”) is an industry-leading golf and active lifestyle company that provides golf entertainment experiences, designs and manufactures premium golf equipment, and sells golf and active lifestyle apparel and other accessories through their family of brand names. They operate under the Topgolf, Callaway, Jack Wolfskin, OGIO, TravisMathew, Odyssey and Toptracer logos for their various product and service offerings. This report seeks to understand the industries in which the firm operates, the forces present in those industries, the resources and advantages of the firm, risks associated with their operations, and recommends several …

Sarcopenia And The Importance Of Resistance Training And Protein-Rich Diets For Prevention Of Muscle Loss In Older Adults: A Literature Review And Informational Pamphlet, Madison Steele

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The growing prevalence of sarcopenia among older adults as well as youths has prompted further research aimed at developing effective preventative measures and treatment plans. Sarcopenia is often thought to occur solely due to aging, but several other factors contribute to progressive muscle loss. Previous research studies have found an effect of physical activity and dietary protein levels on the risk of developing sarcopenia as well as its onset age. This study aims to review existing knowledge in the field to compile an extensive list of sarcopenia causes and methods of prevention. The main causes identified in this review are …

The Standards And Expectations Of The Speech-Language Pathology Field, Abbie Summers

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The goal of this project was to provide individuals interested in the field of speech-language pathology with relevant information from professionals in various positions in the field. These sources were to include speech-language pathologists in education, research, academia, and medicine. Interviews were conducted with these professionals covering various questions about their experiences, salary, education, professional development, interprofessional work, and on-the-job skills. From these interviews, data collection occurred based on responses to find commonalities to include in the write-up. The article provides information on personal experiences in the field, professional certification, professional growth and development, salary expectations according to work settings, …

Mechanical Engineering Capstone: A Reflection On The Design And Prototyping Of A Portable Water Heating System, Timothy Goldsmith

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis includes several documents from a Mechanical Engineering Capstone course. These include project postmortem reports written at the conclusion of each term. These reports summarize the designing and prototyping of a portable water heating system. Additionally, this thesis includes written feedback on the final presentations for six other senior design teams. In these documents, presentations and projects are evaluated and encouragement and feedback are provided for the teams. The final component of this thesis is an essay reflecting on the different leadership roles assumed during the capstone course.

An Interdisciplinary Lesson Plan Of Social Studies And English Language Arts For Third Graders, Sidney L. Yant

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

My name is Sidney Yant and I am a current senior honors student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I am majoring in Elementary Education. For my honors senior project, I have created a four-week-long unit lesson plan that focuses on English Language Arts and Social Studies. This unit starts off with two weeks of separate lesson plans for English Language Arts and Social Studies and then the last two weeks the lessons are completely integrated together into one plan.

Delta Air Lines Strategic Audit, Victoria Diersen, Rebecca Koppelman, Nicholas Lauver, Aaryan Naik, Drake Vorderstrasse

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This case study focuses on Delta Air Lines, a prominent company in the airline industry. We conducted a strategic audit utilizing theories and principles central to strategic management to complete the case study. Our research used publicly available information that included the company’s website, SEC filings, news articles, and industry analysis. The goal of this case study is to collect and analyze data, apply strategic management concepts to a contemporary organization, and evaluate the firm’s potential for competitive advantage.

We looked at many factors for Delta Air Lines, including firm analysis, industry analysis, external analysis, internal analysis, performance analysis, competitive …

A Grim End For Europe's First Civilization: The Fall Of Minoan Crete, Ashley Arp

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Early popular theories about the collapse of the Minoan civilization center around natural disasters, but geoarchaeological research from the past few decades has disproved these earlier theories. It is evident that the Minoan civilization continued to thrive for around a century after the volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami that had previously been credited as the cause for the collapse. Evidence of manmade destruction has been uncovered across the island of Crete c. 1450 BCE and this period was quickly followed by a drastic cultural shift that included more Mycenaean elements than had been found on the island previously. These destructions, …