Digital Commons Network^™

An A Priori And A Posteriori Analysis Of Usefulness Of Tem 8 And Toefl, Yuanjun Qi

Masters Theses

The present study is dedicated to investigating the construct validity of two largescale English language tests, Test for English Majors - Band 8 (TEM 8) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). In a priori validity research, a qualitative analysis of relevant test specifications and the blueprint of TEM 8 and TOEFL shows that TOEFL has a stronger construct validity evidence than TEM 8. There is overlap in construct definition between TEM 8 and TOEFL. In a posteriori validity research, the quantitative analysis of test scores obtained from 48 college junior English majors shows that both TEM 8 …

Language, Culture & The Classroom, Sarena Wing

Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Lanthorn, Vol. 48, No. 54, April 3, 2014, Grand Valley State University

Volume 48, July 1, 2013 - June 2, 2014

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

(Re)Claiming Spaces Through Story: An Examination Of The Liberatory Potential Of Autobiographical Narrative In Adult L2 Literacy Development, Jessica Elizabeth Peters

Masters Theses

Adult ESL learners at the community education level are frequently undereducated (Lasater and Elliott, 2000, 2005), and fifty percent of limited-English proficient (LEP) adults report having nine or fewer years of formal schooling (NCIIP, 2012). They may be preliterate or only marginally literate even in their L1, which has significant negative implications both for language acquisition and for employment and educational opportunities. Further, many of these adult students also experience feelings of low self-worth with respect to their ability to succeed in any academic setting, let alone a foreign one, which poses a serious barrier to their ability to transition …

Locating Stakeholders Within The Technocratic Frame: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Achieve, Inc., Ann Burke

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

In Their Own Words: Healing From Traumatic Childbirth, Jennifer L. Brammer

Masters Theses

Trauma related to childbirth is seldom addressed despite the incidence of women who experience traumatic births. Birth trauma, like other traumatic events, can have a lasting impact on women and can effect their attachment to their infants. This study gives voice to women's birth trauma and describes what women find helpful in their healing processes from traumatic birth. This study is based on the narratives of 14 women who graciously shared their birth stories and healing journeys in semi-structured qualitative interviews. Their traumatic birth experiences occurred 3 ½ to 26 years ago.

A post-positivist approach and narrative theory informed this …

Reading In And Through Nature: An Outdoor Pedagogy For Reading Literature, Richard Novack

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Preparing For Urban Teaching Through Place-Conscious Inquiry, Inga Dietlin, Amy Carpenter Ford

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Postsecondary Inclusion For Individuals With An Intellectual Disability: A Comparative Case Study, Eric Jordan Moore

Masters Theses

Postsecondary education programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities have emerged exponentially in the United States over the last decade. Research regarding these programs has largely been descriptive, and thus there exists a need for qualitative, outcome-based research. In this comparative case study, graduates from two types of postsecondary education programs for individuals with intellectual disability are surveyed regarding employment outcomes and other personal developments. The results from each program are compared with one another and also with a comparison group of individuals with intellectual disabilities who did not attend a postsecondary program (utilizing the 2009 National Longitudinal Transition Study-2). This …

Location And Literacy: What Phillis Wheatley Helps Us Remember, Gregory Shafer

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Finding Data: The Politics And Magic Of Accessing Capital Punishment Data, Barbara O’Brien

2014 Conference Presentations

This talk provides an overview of the primary data sources for death penalty research and a glimpse at some of the limitations of working with these sources. Examining each stage of a capital prosecution—from the police investigation of a potentially capital murder to a governor’s decision to grant clemency sparing the life of a death-row inmate—is necessary to understand the process as a whole. But arbitrary factors like local politics, luck, and institutional legacies limit researchers’ ability to collect data about each decision point, making researchers’ attempts to follow cases across multiple stages exceptionally difficult.

Lanthorn, Vol. 48, No. 52, March 27, 2014, Grand Valley State University

Volume 48, July 1, 2013 - June 2, 2014

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Exploring Time And Space In Frame By Frame Animation, Daniel L. Ketchum

Cinesthesia

No abstract provided.

Culture Research Landscape Throughout The United States Department Of Defense, Sharon Glazer, Nina Hamedani, Kristina Kayton, Amy Weinberg

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

This contribution delineates the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) regional expertise and culture (REC) research landscape from 2005 through 2011, including major research efforts and topics of study, key contributors and publications, collaborative practices, and future research opportunities. Through interviews and survey responses, subject matter experts (SMEs) in REC research noted the need for better REC research coordination, more social science expertise and personnel, and greater collaborative practices. Key contributors to REC research across the DoD are located at AFCLC, ARI, ARL, AFRL, CAOCL, NAWCTSD, TRADOC, and the HSCB Modeling program. Opportunities for future research include: (1) Validation studies for …

Principles Of Test Development In Papua New Guinea, Sarah Flint, Kristen Pammer

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

With over 800 languages and more than 1000 cultural groups, Papua New Guinea (PNG) provides a challenging environment in which to develop culturally appropriate psychometric tests. Consequently, few tests have been specifically developed for parallel-emic research in PNG. This paper proposes a framework in which to develop psychometric tests within PNG. Linguistic, cultural and social factors are all addressed and strategies for working within these cultural boundaries are posited. Models for translation and validation are assessed in light of the unique challenges presented by the linguistic diversity of PNG. An alternative methodology of translation more appropriate for PNG is also …

Toward Sustainable Development Through Nurturing Diversity, Leon Jackson, Deon Meiring, Fons Van De Vijver, Erhabor Idemudia, William Gabrenya

IACCP Proceedings of the Biennial International Conferences

A peer-revieved book based on presentations at the XXI Congress of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology, 2012, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

(c) 2014, International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (ebook) ISBN 978-0-620-60283-9

Psychological Traits Affecting Both Cultural Adaptation And Foreign Language Acquisition, Timothy Dean Keeley

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

This empirical study goes a long way in determining the psychometric variables that predict individual differences in terms of the degree of success in both cultural adaptation and foreign language acquisition (FLA). Ever since Schumann (1978) introduced his Acculturation Model, the most well-known attempt to link cultural adaptation with FLA, a number of empirical studies have sought to determine these psychometric variables with mixed results due to the wide variation in the research methodologies applied in terms of learning targets, achievement measures, types of treatment, etc. (D.rnyei, 2005). This study overcomes the weaknesses of many previous studies. The experiment involved …

High Prevalence Of Dissociative Amnesia And Related Disorders In Immigrated People, Angelica Staniloiu, Hans J. Markowitsch

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Across various cultures, dissociative amnesic disorders have been shown to be triggered by psychological stress or trauma. In immigrant populations, stressful experiences can arise during pre-emigration, migration or post-migration phase. Preliminary data suggest that stresses related to various phases of migration and acculturation could trigger dissociative amnesic disorders via a dysregulation of hormonal stress responses. These findings are highly relevant in the era of increased globalization and call for culturally sensitive approaches, in order to accurately diagnose and optimally manage these conditions in the future.

Foreword, Leon Jackson, Deon Meiring, Fons Van De Vijver, Erhabor Idemudia, William Gabrenya

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Paternal And Maternal Postpartum Depression On Infant Language Development: A Quasi Meta-Analysis, Kelsey Canada

Honors Projects

This paper presents a quasi meta-analysis of 16 different articles published between 2004 and 2014 examining the impact of maternal and paternal postpartum depression (hereafter PPD) on language development, specifically in infants up to 2 years old. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to adapt this methodology at the undergraduate level reducing the number of steps from 12 to 10. To achieve this goal, the author synthesized the results of the studies following selected themes of risk factors, synchrony and interaction patterns, meaning making, and connections within the family system. While significant results were reported throughout the studies, a presenting …

Alternative Theologies Of Christianity: Influencing The Christian Church From Within, Paul Bratt

Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Say-It: Design Of A Multimodal Game Interface For Children Based On Cmu Sphinx 4 Framework, Mashael Alsulami

Technical Library

Nowadays, computer games are involved in a child’s education as tools for learning or practicing some academic skills. However, most educational games are designed without any considerations about children with motor system difficulties. Thus, the main benefit of multimodal interfaces is to allow for inclusive design, which will enable children with motor disabilities to use the same applications other children use. Since focus and concentration are major skills for children in the learning process, many physical games can be performed with assist from parents or teachers to practice these skills. This project aims to explore the effectiveness and the use …

The "Northern Cities Shift" A Digital Preservation Story, Max Eckard

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Bottlenecks In The Open-Access System: Voices From Around The Globe, Elisa Bonaccorso, Reneta Bozhankova, Carlos Daniel Cadena, Veronika Čapská, Laura Czerniewicz, Ada Emmett, Folorunso Fasina Oludayo, Natalia Glukhova, Marc L. Greenberg, Miran Hladnik, María Eugenia Grillet, Mochamad Indrawan, Mate Kapović, Yuri Kleiner, Marek Łaziński, Rafael D. Loyola, Shaily Menon, Luis Gonzalo Morales, Clara Ocampo, Jorge Pérez-Emán, A. Townsend Peterson, Dimitar Poposki, Ajadi Adetola Rasheed, Kathryn M. Rodríguez-Clark, Jon Paul Rodríguez, Brian Rosenblum, Victor Sánchez-Cordero, Filip Smolík, Marko Snoj, Imre Szilágyi, Orlando Torres, Piotr Tykarski

Peer Reviewed Publications

A level playing field is key for global participation in science and scholarship, particularly with regard to how scientific publications are financed and subsequently accessed. However, there are potential pitfalls of the so-called “Gold” open-access (OA) route, in which author-paid publication charges cover the costs of production and publication. Gold OA plans in which author charges are required may not solve the access problem, but rather may shift the access barrier from reader to writer. Under such plans, everyone may be free to read papers, but it may still be prohibitively expensive to publish them. In a scholarly community that …

Evidence For Prosody In Silent Reading, Jennifer Gross, Amanda L. Millett, Brian Bartek, Kyle Hampton Bredell, Bo Winegard

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

English speakers and expressive readers emphasize new content in an ongoing discourse. Do silent readers emphasize new content in their inner voice? Because the inner voice cannot be directly observed, we borrowed the cap-emphasis technique (e.g., “toMAYto”) from the pronunciation guides of dictionaries to elicit prosodic emphasis. Extrapolating from linguistic theories of focus prosody in spoken English, we predicted and found that silent readers in experiment 1 preferred cap-emphasized, newsworthy content (“James stole the BRACELET") when the just-read story left them wondering what was stolen (compared with control trials). Readers preferred “JAMES stole the bracelet” when …

Madness And Difference: Politicizing Insanity In Classical Literary Works, Gregory Shafer

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Talking And Teaching About My Family: Personal Narratives, Disability, And Writing For Empathy, Rachel Kooiker

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Acting Out Against The Norm: Improvisational Frames And Nolan's Crazy, Beth Murray, Spencer Salas

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Toward Health Equity For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, And Pacific Islanders: The Health Through Action Model, Traci Endo Inouye, Rachel Estrella

The Foundation Review

· Since 2009, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has invested over $100 million to foster racial healing and eliminate policies, practices, attitudes, and cultural messages that reinforce differing outcomes by race.

· Health Through Action represented an unprecedented level of investment targeting AA and NHPIs. Embedded within the WKKF racial equity portfolio, it was the first time a private-sector foundation joined forces with a national AA and NHPI organization to acknowledge and address health disparities facing this population.

· HTA provided direct grants to seven AA and NHPI collaboratives and 11 AA and NHPI anchor organizations around the country to advance …

Integrating Racial Equity In Foundation Governance, Operations, And Program Strategy, Yanique Redwood, Christopher J. King

The Foundation Review

· This article is intended to provide the field of philanthropy with a useful framework for organizing racial-equity efforts.

· When the Washington-based Consumer Health Foundation became a staffed foundation in 1998, its initial grantmaking focused on health promotion and access to health care. As a learning organization, however, it took steps that led to greater support for efforts addressing the interconnectedness between health status and racial equity. This included support for advocacy as a strategy to create systems change benefiting low-income communities of color.

· This commitment to racial equity is not a separate initiative; it is integrated into …