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Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Georgia Southern University Researcher Uncovers Mystery of Fireflies

Impacts Of Laurel Wilt Disease On Redbay (Persea Borbonia) Population Structure And Forest Communities In The Coastal Plain Of Georgia, Usa, Kimberly S. Spiegel

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Laurel wilt disease (LWD), a fungal disease vectored by the non-native redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus), has caused mortality of redbay (Persea borbonia) in the Coastal Plain of Georgia, USA, since 2003. This disease has spread 30-100 km/year and little research has evaluated its impacts on redbay population structure and forest communities. Healthy and infested populations of redbay and their associated communities were compared in five sites infested with LWD and three un-infested sites in five counties in Georgia. Tree, shrub, and herb layers were sampled separately to determine redbay population structure and community composition and structure. Only 8% of …

Earmstrong, Armstrong Atlantic State University

Armstrong News & Publications: e-Armstrong Newsletter (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Finding Your Place In The Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning, Daniel Bernstein

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Excerpt:

One thing is abundantly clear about the emerging communities of scholarship in teaching and learning. Many, many instructors in higher education throughout the world are paying close attention to their students' learning, reflecting on their own contributions to that learning, and making their thoughts and their work visible to others. An attitude of inquiry about teaching and learning is no longer limited to faculty members who specialize in education research; the best instructors in...

Service Learning In The Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning: Effective Practices, Glenn Bowen

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

This paper examines faculty application of service learning to pedagogical scholarship in higher-education institutions. It addresses the need for evidence of teaching effectiveness as reflected in learning outcomes systematically investigated and documented. The paper is based on a qualitative content analysis of peer-reviewed journal articles focusing on service learning in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). The analysis revealed four underlying themes: real-world application, collaboration and interaction, meaning making through reflection, and enhancement of course content. Effective practices are highlighted and suggestions for promoting SoTL are offered.

Effects Of Visual Analogies On Learner Outcomes: Bridging From The Known To The Unknown, Susan Spezzini

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

This study examined the effects of visual analogies on learner outcomes in Phonology for ESL Teachers, a challenging course within a master’s degree program at a prominent university in the southeastern United States. To reduce student anxiety, facilitate Saturday classes, and bridge from the known to the unknown, concrete images (train cars) were used to represent abstract ideas. Data were analyzed from course evaluations and exams of 70 students in two non-analogy courses (2004, 2005) and 114 students in three analogy-based courses (2007, 2008, 2009) and from an electronic survey completed by 64 former students (September 2009). Course evaluations improved, …

Designing Learning Environments To Foster Affective Learning: Comparison Of Classroom To Blended Learning, Patricia Schaber, Kimerly Wilcox, Aimee L. Whiteside, Lauren Marsh, D. Christopher Brooks

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Affective learning is a key dimension of health professional education and involves teaching topics such as empathy or grief that impact student attitudes and beliefs to prepare them to be novice practitioners. The move in higher education toward online and blended learning (a mix of online and traditional, classroom-based learning) disrupts traditional approaches to teaching professional affect, which is heavily reliant on instructor modeling. This paper documents insight into the redesign process of a course, Professional Identity: Behaviors and Attitudes, from a traditional to a blended learning format, with a focus on affective learning. This study employed a survey approach …

A Model For Undergraduate Research In Statistics Education, Alan Russell

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

This essay shows how the current SoTL project was used as a vehicle for undergraduate research to directly improve student learning and how it might be used to introduce a new paradigm in the training of secondary mathematics teachers. Using the language of David Lopatto’s research into undergraduate research, I share how I have integrated an undergraduate student as a co-investigator of our SoTL project. The article shares the criterion I used for choosing the student, a brief overview of the SoTL project, the educational benefits for the student and possible future directions for incorporating undergraduate students.

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A Faculty Learning Community On The Scholarship Of Teaching & Learning: A Case Study, Trent Maurer, Diana Sturges, Padmini Shankar, Deborah Allen, Saida Akbarova

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Excerpt: What happens when a group of faculty interested in SoTL gets together? This essay presents a case study of the Faculty Learning Lommunity [FLC] on SoTL at Georgia Southern University since its inception in 2006. Included in the discussion are the history and origins of the FLC, its evolution over the last four years, the products and outcomes of the FLC, and reflections from recent members on the influence of the FLC on their teaching,...

Made In America? Assumptions About Service Learning Pedagogy As Transnational: A Comparison Between Ireland And The United States, Susan V. Iverson, Amanda Espenschied-Reilly

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Using exploratory, qualitative interviews, the authors studied conceptions of academic service-learning in the United States and the Republic of Ireland in order to elucidate the ways in which culture and social context shaped practitioners' perceptions and practices regarding service-learning pedagogy. Participants articulated a shared understanding of service-learning, identified similar barriers to utilizing service-learning and institutionalizing its practice, and discussed tensions surrounding the purpose of service-learning. However, Irish participants distanced their practice from the historical and cultural context of U.S. service-learning, demonstrating the process of localization. We conclude that the overarching tenets of service-learning may be transferable but the social, cultural, …

Academic Analytics And Data Mining In Higher Education, Paul Baepler, Cynthia James Murdoch

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The emerging fields of academic analytics and educational data mining are rapidly producing new possibilities for gathering, analyzing, and presenting student data. Faculty might soon be able to use these new data sources as guides for course redesign and as evidence for implementing new assessments and lines of communication between instructors and students. This essay links the concepts of academic analytics, data mining in higher education, and course management system audits and suggests how these techniques and the data they produce might be useful to those who practice the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Family Medical Leave - 2355

Human Resources Policies

To establish a policy that defines eligibility, duration and return from leave requirements for granting an employee family medical leave.

Getting Up To Speed: Acceleration Strategies In The Florida Scrub Lizard, Sceloporus Woodi, Eric J. Mcelroy, Lance D. Mcbrayer

Biology: Faculty Publications

Small animals typically rely on quick bursts and intermittent pauses when moving in the wild. Hence, the study of acceleration capacity is important for understanding the ecology and evolution of locomotor performance. In this study, we investigate intraspecific variation in the acceleration capacity of a small lizard (Sceloporus woodi). To quantify animal acceleration performance, the momentum‐impulse theorem is applied to data collected from high‐speed video recordings of individuals accelerating from a standstill and over a subsequent distance of 0.4 m. Unlike earlier studies, the momentum‐impulse approach allows one to directly and precisely quantify the per step contribution to …

Strategic Theory, Methodology, Air Power, And Coercion In The 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War, Zachary Jones

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the air power, coercion, strategic theory, and strategic methodology in the 2006 Israel/Hezbollah War. In state versus non-state actor conflicts, air power's utility is different from state versus state conflicts. The dynamics of coercion also differ greatly from state versus state conflict. Additionally the strategic theories, and the methodologies used to develop these theories differ as well, both in their goals and their utility. By examining the 2006 Israel/Hezbollah war, which is an excellent example of a high-intensity conflict between a very capable state military, and a well-equipped non-state actor, Hezbollah, I analyze the ways in which …

A Delphi Study Analyzing Perspectives Of School Library Media Specialists' Attitudes Toward 21st Century Literacies, Rebecca W. Warren

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The present study has undertaken the exploration of the perceptions of (School Library Media Specialists) SLMSs regarding the tools and skills necessary to become 21st century literate. Moreover, the researcher attempted to explore how SLMSs are presently using technology to achieve their instructional goals related to 21st century literacy. Specifically, the researcher sought answers to the following research questions: 1. what is your definition of 21st century literacies? 2. what are the skills and tools necessary to be considered 21st century literate? 3. how do you incorporate 21st century literacies into the curriculum?

Rh Glycoprotein As An Ammonia Transport Molecule, Matthew B. Phillips

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Fish use their gills to excrete ammonia in order to eliminate nitrogenous waste. We hypothesize that this mechanism is accomplished by one or more transport proteins in the Rh glycoprotein (RhxG) family. Longhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus) cDNA was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and then the PCR products were visualized on an agarose gel. The cDNA from the gel bands was then sequenced and the gene sequence fragments were assembled and completed by rapid amplification of the cDNA ends (RACE). By this process we have obtained large portions of the gene sequences of the four known paralogues located in …

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Georgia Southern University Professor Helping Lead Lyme Disease Research

Aasu Radiologic Sciences Student Earns Scholarship, Armstrong Atlantic State University

Armstrong News & Publications: Armstrong News Records (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Habitat Relationships Of Breeding Birds In Bottomland Hardwood Forests Of The Altamaha River, Georgia, Jared Andrew Zimmerman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Bottomland hardwood forests (bottomlands) dominate most of the river floodplains and lowlands of the southeastern United States. These vanishing and often degraded forests provide habitat for at least seventy species of breeding birds. However, little is known about habitat associations of breeding birds, specifically within mature, closed-canopy bottomlands. It is often assumed that once bottomlands become mature, closed-canopy forests, that they are essentially identical from the perspective of breeding birds. To test this assumption, I examined habitat associations of the overall breeding bird community as well as ten priority species within the little-studied mature bottomlands of the Altamaha River, Georgia. …

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Georgia Southern’s William Irby, Ellen Murkison Honored by National Academic Advising Association

The Impact Of Racial Microaggressions On Black Athletes: Implications For Counseling And Sport Psychology, Terrence A. Jordan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore Black collegiate athletes experiences with racial microaggressions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine Black student athletes regarding their experiences of subtle forms of racism within sport and academia. Findings of the analysis indicated that eight primary these emerged which included ascription of intelligence/status, assumed superiority of White cultural values and communication styles, exoticism, second class citizenship, assumed universality, denial of individual racism, coping strategies, and underdeveloped incidents and responses dealing with racial microaggressions.

Administrators' Beliefs Regarding The Effectiveness Of Alternatively Certified Teachers, Jack D. Arrington

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the beliefs held by school administrators regarding the effectiveness of alternatively certified teachers in the Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP). The study sought to identify specific strengths and weaknesses of alternatively certified teachers. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with eight public school administrators, four from the middle school level and four from the high school level, in an eastern Georgia county. The interview questions were developed using the categories of evaluation outlined in the Georgia Teacher Observation Instrument. A demographic questionnaire was also given to enrich the data in this study. This study generated data …

Earmstrong, Armstrong Atlantic State University

Armstrong News & Publications: e-Armstrong Newsletter (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Monitoring Drop Jump Height And Psychological Measures Throughout Competitive In-Conference Division 1 Collegiate Basketball Season "An Exploratory Study", Michelle Dyke

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the physiological and perceived stress and recovery response in Division 1 women basketball players across a competitive in-conference basketball season. Methods: 9 female Division 1 female collegiate basketball players volunteered and completed 5 testing sessions throughout in-conference play. The team was separated into starters (S) (n= 5;mean ± SD;19.4±1.5 y) and non-starters(NS)(n= 4;mean ± SD;19.2±0.5 y) Testing began during conference play and consisted of two drop jump trials and completion of the Recovery-Cue seven (RC7). Subjects also completed the Recovery-Stress questionnaire (REST-Q) on weeks 1 and 5. Results: A significant increase …

Behavioral And Reproductive Plasticity In Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia Holbrooki) In Response To Predatory Cues, Carolyn Vanzwoll

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Olfaction in fishes can be an important mechanism in determining the level of predation risk. Many fishes possess alarm signaling systems, wherein an individual can detect injured conspecifics via olfaction and respond behaviorally to the presence of a predator. The superorder Ostariophysi exhibits a fright reaction to injured conspecifics, characterized by specialized cells and alarm substances. I tested if a live-bearing non-ostariophysan, Gambusia holbrooki, exhibited a similar behavioral response to its injured conspecifics. I also examined the effects of exposure to this and other predatory cues during a single pregnancy cycle. I hypothesized that immediate exposure to the cues would …

Size Correlations Between Sucking Lice And Their Hosts Including A Test Of Harrison's Rule, Sherri M. Cannon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Ectoparasite size can be influenced by many factors; one is host size. Harrison's rule states that larger hosts typically have larger parasites. In this study, sucking lice (Insecta: Anoplura) were used to test this rule. Sucking lice should provide a good test for this rule because they are generally host-specific and because, as a group, they parasitize hosts of different sizes. Also, sucking lice use their tibio-tarsal claws to grasp host hairs, therefore, correlations between claw size and host hair diameters were also tested. Raw analyses including 206 species of slide-mounted sucking lice from throughout the world, followed by analyses …

The Village Mother In Selected Works Of Toni Morrison, Taqwaa Falaq Saleem

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis uses Beloved, The Bluest Eye, Sula, and Song of Solomon to discuss Toni Morrison's presentation of women as biological and surrogate mothers and the relationships those mothers have to their children. These mother-child relationships take place in African American "villages" and each chapter displays the relationship between the community (village) and the biological and surrogate mothers. Beloved represents the ultimate biological mother and Song of Solomon represents the ultimate surrogate mother. The Bluest Eye shows negative surrogacy and Sula shows the positives and negatives of biological and surrogate motherhood. Considered together, the novels work to form a village …

Sources And Consequences Of Ecological Intraspecific Variation In The Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus Woodi), Steven C. Williams

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Sceloporus woodi is a small, sexually dimorphic Iguanid lizard endemic to dry xeric habitats in Florida. This species is most often found in sand-pine scrub habitats, but also inhabits relic long-leaf pine "islands" within the scrub of the Ocala National Forest in north central Florida. In the current study I investigated seasonal and sexual variation in foraging behavior of S. woodi and compared microhabitat use, behavior, diet, morphology, and ectoparasite load at a pine island site to S. woodi in scrub habitats. No variation in movement patterns existed between seasons and sexes. However significant seasonal and sexual differences did exist …

The Study Of Binary Steering Algorithms In Discrete Tomography, Brittany A. Cole

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In this research project we will study the binary steering technique in iterative methods for image reconstruction in discrete tomography (DT). We will compare the effectiveness of three common algorithms to solve binary systems. The methods used are the Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (ART), Cimmino (CIM), and Diagonally-Relaxed Orthogonal Projections (DROP) algorithms. These reconstruction algorithms will be transformed into binary reconstruction algorithms through the binary steering technique. A new binary steering technique was developed to improve the convergence of the binary steering algorithms. Numerical experiments were performed to demonstrate these improvements.