Gifted Education Commons^™

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, …

First Solar Strategic Audit, Sydney Pelster, Abigail Cota, Katherine Schoenfelder, Nolan Mauk, Eli Waring

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This case study explores First Solar, a global leader in the photovoltaic solar module industry. Using strategic management strategies and principles, we have curated a strategic audit to analyze the company’s competitive position. We used First Solar’s publications and website as well as general articles on the solar industry, analyst findings, and additional public findings as the basis of our analysis. Overall, our goal was to apply the learned strategic management concepts to a complex organization and identify First Solar’s potential competitive advantages.

We looked at many factors for First Solar, including firm analysis, industry analysis, external analysis, internal analysis, …

A Performance-Based Exploration Of Vocal Anatomy And Pedagogy: Maximizing Technical, Stylistic, And Physiological Frameworks For Superlative Vocal Technique In Artistic Function, Michael J. Civitano

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the influence of specific frameworks in performance and vocal pedagogy on artists' capacity to enact evidence-based learning outcomes, with emphasis on vocal physiology and educator-performer relationships. Employing an experimental design, five philosophies that support capacity-building were tested across two trial settings, varying in intensity. The participant utilized narrative reasoning, diversified methods, and mentorship from specialized educators to apply frameworks. Findings indicate that, in practicing evidence-based learning and maximizing anatomic foundations of the voice, substantial developments in artistic capacity ensued. Educator-performer relationships mediate this process through reciprocal collaborations that foster capacity-building. Performers display optimal artistic capacity by effectively …

Lockheed Martin Strategic Audit, Trevor Deboer, Gunnar Lombard, Sam Nelson, Tj Taylor, Paul Wynegar

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Abstract

This case study explores Lockheed Martin, a global leader in defense contracting. Our team performed a strategic audit using the theories of strategic management. Our research was pulled from various sources, including Lockheed Martin’s website, SEC filings, related news articles, and relevant industry analysis. The goals of this case study revolved around collecting data and performing analysis to evaluate Lockheed Martin’s potential for competitive advantage in the airplane and parts manufacturing industry.

Some of the various analyses performed on Lockheed Martin include firm analysis, industry analysis, internal analysis, external analysis, competitive dynamics, business-level strategy, corporate-level strategy, and exploring their …

An Analysis Of Child Valence Bias Trajectories As A Result Of Parental Factors: A Longitudinal Perspective, Kaylee Brooke Donner

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Valence bias is an important part of how individuals perceive the world around them, and this is especially influential in terms of children’s development. This study used data from longitudinal data collection surveys consisting of 197 participants, ages 6-17, to investigate correlations between valence bias, puberty, parental conflict, emotion regulation, temperament, interpersonal regulation, trait anxiety, and personality. This research provides much sought-after knowledge in terms of how parental factors impact children’s development, specifically children's valence bias development. Previous research has shown that emotion regulation in parents, along with different parenting styles with equal levels of discipline and loving support largely …

Investigating Large Repeats In The Arabidopsis Thaliana Mitochondrial Genome Using Mitotalens, Megan Gusso

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This lab project explores the complexity of the mitochondrial genome by investigating large genomic repeats and their effect on flowering plants’ reproduction and viability. Mitochondria are the site of cellular respiration to create energy and contain their own DNA. This is counterintuitive because the byproducts of cellular respiration impose a threat of mutation for the stored DNA. The mitochondrial genome differs in size between animals and plants. Plant mitochondrial DNA is larger due to the presence of large, noncoding repeated sequences, and a large amount of DNA of unknown function. These sequences undergo high levels of recombination and rearrangement. The …

Increasing Nursing Aide Knowledge On Benefits Of Light For Sundowning Syndrome, Grace Hilfiker, Julie Masters

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In this study, the knowledge of nursing aides on the benefits of light for sundowning syndrome was investigated. While dementia and sundowning syndrome is discussed during nursing aide training in the state of Nebraska, there is no discourse focused on how light plays beneficial role in lessening the symptoms of sundowning syndrome for those who are afflicted with dementia. This study asked what the current knowledge base surrounding dementia and sundowning syndrome is of nursing aides in the state of Nebraska. The aim was to justify adding a focus on concrete methods to use when caring for patients with dementia …

The Future Of The Organization Of The Petroleum Exporting Countries, Mikayla Gross

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a multinational and intergovernmental organization that dictates the petroleum exportation policies of 13 countries: Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela (About Us, 2023). The mission of OPEC is to ensure a stable supply of petroleum through its shared policies for its Member Countries and consumers (Our Mission, 2023). Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela founded OPEC in 1960 under the foundations and principles that dictated the international world order. Those foundations and principles …

Nonlocal Frameworks For Differential Equations--Analysis And Numerical Investigations, Layla Montemayor

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Systems of differential equations have been employed successfully in nearly every scientific field, including natural phenomena, finance, A.I. and machine learning. In a classical set up, a differentiable equation will be associated with a number of initial conditions that will help determine a unique solution to the system. The setting of classical differential equations requires assumptions on the regularity or smoothness of the input functions. Thus, we cannot produce with classical differential equations solutions which are irregular or even have discontinuities.

To overcome some of these challenges brought up by investigations of irregular or singular behavior, different formulations of nonlocal …

Lincoln's Carnegie Library: A History Of Community And Philanthropy, Emily Blomstedt

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Nebraska received 69 Carnegie libraries from the Carnegie foundation between 1899 and 1922. The first and most expensive Nebraska Carnegie library was granted to Lincoln in December 1899, after a fire destroyed Lincoln’s previous library. Lincoln’s main Carnegie library served the community between 1902 and 1960 before it was torn down in 1961 to build the present-day Bennett Martin library. This thesis explores the 60-year history of Lincoln’s Carnegie library, how it connects to national trends surrounding Carnegie libraries, and the role community and philanthropy played in the development of Lincoln’s public library system. These themes are examined through a …

A Strategic Audit Of Instacart, Taylor Durbin

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Instacart is an online grocery delivery and pick-up service that allows users to order groceries and other household items from local and large stores and retailers through its website or mobile app. Apoorva Mehta founded Instacart in 2012 with the intent to help people conveniently access the food they enjoy, and the service now reaches over 14,000 cities across the United States and Canada. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the company as its rise to becoming a prominent player in the online grocery delivery industry has skyrocketed demand for the service and presented numerous operational challenges for the …

Final Design Of Legion Hall Revitalization In Potter, Nebraska, Madison Brennfoerder

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This project was conducted to renovate and revitalize the Legion Hall community center in the Village of Potter located in western Nebraska north of the Interstate. The work completed for this project can be separated into five disciplines: Hydrologic & Hydraulic Design, Geotechnical Analysis, Structural Analysis, Environmental Analysis, and Transportation Design. Legion Hall is a historical building within The Village of Potter which was built in 1917. The Village of Potter has recently acquired the rights to the hall and is seeking to revitalize the historical community center to increase tourism in the village.

Eli Lilly And Company Strategic Audit, Isha Kishore

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Eli Lilly and Company (Eli Lilly) is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm's mission statement is to unite caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. Eli Lilly is guided by three core values: Integrity, Excellence, and Respect for People. This strategic analysis evaluates Eli Lilly's macroenvironment using the PESTEL analysis, its competitive landscape using Porter's Five Forces Framework, and the company's strategy, competitive advantage, and significant issues and opportunities for expansion.

An Exploration Of Gifted Hispanic/Latino Students’ Educational Capital At One Title I Elementary School, Jasmin Solórzano Churchill

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Gifted programs, designed to enhance engagement and rigor for students exhibiting talent or potential beyond their peers in the general education classroom, are not equitably identifying and serving Hispanic/Latino students. This qualitative study explored gifted programming at a Title I elementary school located in a largely Hispanic/Latino community. Very few students received gifted services at the school, despite equity measures in place. Using a framework of educational capital, this study highlighted the cultural capital and community cultural wealth of gifted Hispanic/Latino students and provided suggestions for enhancing programming for this historically underidentified population of learners. Data were collected through semistructured …

Imsaloquium 2024 Event Booklet, Student Inquiry And Research (Sir)

IMSAloquium Event Booklets

Cover design by Harish Chandar '26

Welcome to IMSAloquium 2024. This is IMSA’s 37th year of leading in educational innovation, and the 36th year of the IMSA Student Inquiry and Research (SIR) Program.

Exploring School Leaders' Perceptions Of Gifted Education Educator And Gifted Program Evaluation, Rachel Louise Geesa, Krista M. Stith

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

In an effort to better support the needs of PK-12 students identified as gifted or high-ability, school leaders need to be familiar and comfortable with supporting gifted education educators and developing and evaluating gifted education programs. Gifted education educators should have defined roles and responsibilities, and school leaders need to be prepared to effectively evaluate gifted education educators. In this mixed-methods study, we explored pre-service and in-service school leaders’ perceptions of evaluation of gifted education programs or gifted education educators through responses from one anonymous survey with 36 respondents and one optional, confidential interview with seven participants. The findings from …

Ua64/2 The Challenge: Magazine For The Center For Gifted Studies (No. 56 Spring 2024), Elizabeth Joyce Editor

Gifted Studies Publications

Magazine created by and about the WKU Center for Gifted Studies.

The Effect Of Sample Grinding On Color-Based Predictions Of Soil Organic Carbon, Mason Rutgers

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Measurements of soil color are widely accessible and can be used as indirect measures of soil organic carbon (SOC). Sensor-based soil color measurements, frequently used in quantitative studies to predict SOC, often use ground and sieved soil samples for color analysis. However, it is unknown whether the extra steps of drying, crushing, and sieving a sample improve the quantitative relationship between color and SOC. This study was conducted to evaluate color-based predictions of SOC using intact, sieved (<2 mm), and fine-ground soil samples from northwest Oklahoma. Moist soil color was measured using Munsell color charts (MCCs) and a Nix Mini 3™ portable color sensor (PCS). The color of the soil samples was measured before processing, after crushing to pass through a 2-mm sieve, and after mechanical grinding to less than 0.25-mm. Using Munsell value (from the MCC) and CIEL* (from the PCS) as predictor variables, regression analyses were conducted to develop SOC predictive functions for each physical state. The resulting coefficients of determination (R2) and root mean squared errors (RMSE) were used to assess model fits for predicting SOC. Model contrasts were calculated to evaluate significant differences between each predictive model. All models exhibited strong relationships (0.56 < R2 < 0.70, 0.20 < RMSE < 0.25) between soil lightness and predicted SOC. Models built using aggregated samples measured with both MCCs (R2= 0.70, RMSE= 0.20) and the PCS (R2= 0.69, RMSE= 0.21) produced the best results. Models built using intact samples measured using the PCS did perform significantly better on samples dark in color (CIEL* < 30). These results suggest that grinding soil samples does not improve color-based predictions of SOC using MCCs and the PCS.

Stealth Morph Intervention: A Single Case Mixed Methods Design, Kristen Elise Job

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Students who are considered “Stealth Dyslexics” may use their gifts and talents to mask their disability until the time comes when the rigor of academics peels away the mask and students are identified in middle or high school with dyslexia or reading difficulties. The primary aim of this mixed methods study was to investigate a reading fluency intervention, Stealth Morph, on identified twice exceptional (2E) students with stealth dyslexia. The intervention uses Greek and Latin roots as a morphemic approach to help students access the building blocks of academic words. The intervention consisting of 10 units to be used daily …

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter Newsletter, Issue #64 Spring 2024

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter: Newsletters

President-Elect's message, John R. Ruberson

Nominations form for Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska chapter

2023 Outstanding Graduate Student Award nominations solicitation

2023 Teaching Award nominations solicitation

2023 Research Award nomination solicitation

2023 Extension Award nomination solicitation

2023 Award of Merit nomination solicitation

Annual dues notice

List of active members with expiration terms

Membership renewal form

Outstanding Graduate and Undergraduate Student Award fund solicitation

In memoriam:

Raymond "Gene" White (October 10, 1930-May 28, 2021)

ΓΣΔ pledge