Digital Commons Network^™

Sustaining Change: Successes, Challenges, And Lessons Learned From Twenty Years Of Empowering Students Through Community-Based Learning Capstones, Seanna M. Kerrigan

University Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

More than four thousand students engage in the community-based learning capstone program every year by enrolling in one of 240 senior-level courses that culminate their undergraduate education. In this article, the author shares the context and history of the program, its foundational principles and processes, and the nuts-and-bolts details of the ongoing operation of the largest community-based learning capstone program in the United States.

Freedom As A Natural Phenomenon, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

"Freedom" is a phenomenon in the natural world. This phenomenon - and indirectly the question of free will - is explored using a variety of systems-theoretic ideas. It is argued that freedom can emerge only in systems that are partially detennined and partially random, and that freedom is a matter of degree. The paper considers types of freedom and their conditions of possibility in simple living systems and in complex living systems that have modeling (cognitive) subsystems. In simple living systems, types of freedom include independence from fixed materiality, internal rather than external detennination, activeness that is unblocked and holistic, …

Gaining Policy Insight With A System Dynamics Model Of Pain Medicine Prescribing, Diversion And Abuse, Wayne Wakeland, Alexandra E. Nielsen, Teresa D. Schmidt

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

Misuse of pain medicine is a leading cause of accidental deaths in the USA—over 15,000 deaths annually. A system dynamics model was developed and used to study the impact of three types of policy interventions to reduce adverse outcomes. Besides medical usage, the model also includes the diversion of pain medicines and their nonmedical use. Model behavior compared favourably with historical data at multiple points in the system. A prescription drug monitoring program intervention reduced nonmedical overdoses through supply restriction, and an intervention to reduce popularity of nonmedical usage reduced nonmedical overdoses by curtailing demand. A tamper-resistant drug formulation intervention …

An Expanded Perceptual Laboratory: Public Art And The Cinematic Techniques Of Superimposition, Montage And Apparatus/Dispositif, Dave Colangelo

School of Film Faculty Publications and Presentations

The use of the moving image in public space extends the techniques of cinema— namely superimposition, montage and apparatus/dispositif—threatening either to dehistoricize and distract or to provide new narrative and associative possibilities via public art. These techniques also serve as helpful tools for analysis drawn from cinema studies that can be applied to examples of the moving image in public space. Historical examples include the multi-screen experiments of Charles and Ray Eames; and contemporary public projections such as Krzysztof Wodiczko’s Abraham Lincoln: War Veteran Projection, Robert Lepage’s The Image Mill, my own project entitled Workers That Live in the Mirror, …

University Studies Annual Assessment 2014-2015, Rowanna L. Carpenter, J.R. Estes, Celine Fitzmaurice, Seanna M. Kerrigan, Annie Knepler, Dana Lundell, Neera Malhotra, Vicki Reitenauer, Erika Schnatz

University Studies Annual Assessment Reports

During the 14-15 academic year, University Studies (UNST) adopted a “Goal of the Year,” communication. We introduced a new writing rubric, piloted the rubric and used it to review Freshman Inquiry (FRINQ) ePortfolios and Sophomore Inquiry (SINQ) writing samples. We investigated the usefulness of the rubric, the types of writing being asked of our students and how well our students’ writing reflects our expectations for their learning. At the Capstone level, we expanded our course ePortfolio assessment approach to include intentional faculty conversations about how they address the goal of communication in their courses. We continue to be interested in …

Writing Outcomes Assessment, Portland State University. University Studies Program

University Studies Assessment Research

Summarizes findings in the Annual Report related to writing and quantitative literacy in Freshman and Sophomore Inquiry 2014-2015.

Topic Team Feedback From The Strategic Ice Cream Social, Strategic Planning Development Team

Resource Archive

The Strategic Planning Development Team held an ice cream social event where they solicited feedback regarding the mission, vision and values of the university. Topic teams used the information gathered from the university community to help inform their decisions in the strategic planning development process.

To This Day: College Graduates On The Lasting Significance Of Relationality And Experiential Learning, Ann Fullerton, Vicki L. Reitenauer

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the past twenty years, much research has been conducted into the effects of community-based learning and service-learning on students, but studies into the long-term impacts that persist after graduation have been fewer in number. In this article, the authors share perspectives from Portland State University alumni on the lasting significance of their participation in a community-based learning course that has been operating continuously for more than two decades and the key features of significant learning experiences more generally.

Interactional Practices And Artifact Orientation In Mobile Augmented Reality Game Play, Steven L. Thorne, John Hellermann, Adam Jones, Daniel Lester

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

In an effort to better understand the ways that small groups use digital technology as they move through a physical environment, this paper describes the methods used by groups of three people to maintain a group participation structure as they accomplish a quest-type task during mobile augmented reality game play. The game was available on one mobile digital device (an Apple iPhone) that was shared by three players as they negotiated a set of point-to-point route finding tasks. Video-recordings of each group were made using three cameras (two head-mounted cameras and one hand-held camera). We focus on the different ways …

Job Seeking Learners: Digital Literacy Acquisition Case Study, Elizabeth Withers, Gloria Jacobs, Drew Pizzolato, Jill Castek, Kimberly D. Pendell, Stephen Reder

Research Briefs and Case Studies

This case study investigates the experience of digital literacy acquisition among adult job seekers, offering an overview of the various lab settings accessed by job-seeking learners, as well as the different ways that tutor-facilitated, self-paced learning was organized. Examination of the learner path as experienced by job seekers reveals the challenge for learners of seeing the relevance of digital literacy acquisition when faced with the urgent need of having to find employment. Also discussed in the case study are the significant impact of the relationships that developed between learners and tutors, the role that tutors play in building relevance for …

Corrections And Reentry: Digital Literacy Acquisition Case Study, Elizabeth Withers, Gloria Jacobs, Jill Castek, Drew Pizzolato, Kimberly D. Pendell, Stephen Reder

Research Briefs and Case Studies

This case study investigates the digital literacy acquisition process for learners within a corrections setting. The digital literacy program was part of the reentry program available to some individuals approaching their release date. The case study describes the lab within a prison, and details of how mentor-facilitated, self-paced learning was organized. Examination of the learner path in a corrections setting highlights how learners perceived the relevance of digital literacy in their lives; how they overcame their fears of computers or technology and their self-confidence grew; and potential changes in their self-identity, which often led to imagining new and different possible …

Parties, Politics And Regulation: Evidence From Clean Air Act Enforcement, Robert Innes, Arnab Mitra

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Does local Federal regulation respond to the preferences of local Congressional representatives? For example, do Republican Congressmen reduce local enforcement of Clean Air laws in their districts? We use facility-level panel data on Clean Air Act inspections over 1989–2005 to study the causal effect of a Congressman's party affiliation on local enforcement. Random assignment of electoral outcomes is obtained with a Regression Discontinuity design. We find that new Republican (vs. Democratic) Representatives significantly depress inspection rates for local polluting facilities in the first year after their election. (JEL D73, Q52, Q53)

Writing About Writing And The Multimajor Professional Writing Course, Sarah Read, Michael J. Michaud

English Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article connects the pedagogy of the multimajor professional writing (MMPW) course with two important contemporary discussions in composition studies: the pedagogy called writing about writing (WAW) and the conversation about the transferability of rhetorical knowledge from school to work. The authors argued that the capaciousness of the WAW approach accommodates the best of genre-based and client-based pedagogies for the MMPW course and provides a framework for expanding the course beyond skill-based outcomes to include preparing students to be learning transformers. The article includes two iterations of what a writing about writing -- professional writing course can look like.

Why Are We Watching Funny Videos In Our Pedagogy Course? Deconstructing Humorous Videos To Foster Social Activism In Educators, Anita Bright

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

For critical educators working towards social justice and activism, it is imperative to promote a thoughtful and purposeful examination of the privileges that spring from institutionalised practices, and the ways belief systems may deny the normalcy of views or experiences of others. By employing critical discourse analysis and framing funny videos as part of larger, cultural “mirror” that reflects widely-held values and beliefs within local, institutional and societal domains, this paper identifies specific humorous videos and lines of inquiry that have supported educators in recognising their own complicity in promoting a narrow definition of normativity, along varying and intersecting planes, …

Preservice Teachers’ Attitudes And Beliefs Towards Different Types Of Bullying And The Likelihood They Will Intervene, Jennifer R. Banas

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

To increase the likelihood a preservice teacher would intervene into a bullying situation, it is necessary to understand their attitudes towards and beliefs about different types of bullying. Results from this study indicate preservice teachers respond to different types of bullying in different ways. They are more likely to rate bullying directed towards one’s sexual orientation as serious and important in which to intervene; however, compared to other types, they are more likely to intervene into physical bullying. The attitudes and beliefs that most greatly predicted the likelihood of intervention included empathy towards the victim, believing it was important to …

The Importance Of Managing Expectations: A Challenge For Teacher Preparation Programs, Jeremy Delamarter

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

Pre-service teachers often enter teacher preparation programs with rigid expectations of what teaching will be like. Unfortunately, these expectations are often misaligned with reality, and pre-service teachers often imagine a world in which the emotional or affective outcomes of their work will take precedence over content-based student learning outcomes. Unfortunately, this inspiration/content dichotomy is often reinforced by popular representations of teachers. If unchecked, these misaligned expectations can lead to practice shock, the disorienting, disillusioning, and sometimes traumatic identity crisis that often accompanies the first year of teaching. The challenge for teacher preparation programs is to create intentional and structured reflective …

Testing And Characterizing A Novel Sampling Method For Aerosols : Application Of Spe For Oxidized Gas-Phase Compounds, Daniel Wright

University Honors Theses

The aim of this research was to develop a novel sampling method to collect volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, and particle matter, in aerosol samples. Aerosols have both biogenic and anthropogenic sources. Primary organic aerosols (POA) are directly emitted, while secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) are formed by reaction of gas-phase compounds in the atmosphere. The sampling method developed in this research will enable the collection of a complete range of compounds, with the ultimate goal of allowing regulatory agencies and scientists to improve the development and testing of computer models that predict the roles of aerosols in atmospheric and health …

Body-Worn Cameras: A Step Toward Trust And Legitimacy For Campus Police, Jaycee Elliott

University Honors Theses

Throughout history, police-community relations have often been called into question. In an era of instantaneous communication through social media and other outlets, media coverage of events involving perceived police misconduct can have an instant impact on the public trust of the police and their perceptions of the police as legitimate. Just as evolving technology can have a negative impact on perceptions of the police, officer body-worn cameras present departments with a novel outlet to rebuild and maintain trust and legitimacy within their communities. As campus law enforcement agencies continue to be tasked with the equivalent roles of their municipal counterparts, …

The Potential Of Serious Games As Mental Health Treatment, Sheena M. Miller

University Honors Theses

Abstract

Video games deserve to be readily recognized as a means of assisting people in healthcare settings. This paper proposes a simple taxonomy for serious games that function as mental health treatment: 1) Informative Game Playing; 2) Therapeutic Game Designing; and 3) Therapeutic Game Playing. These three categories are explained and examples of games from each category are included, as well as corresponding research when applicable. The process of elaborating on this taxonomy elucidates the capabilities of serious games and also emphasizes areas for design improvement as well as further clinical research. Several controversies and unresolved issues surrounding video game …

Methods Of Collecting And Separating Atmospheric Organic Aerosols For Analysis Using Two-Dimensional Gas And Liquid Chromatography With Mass Spectrometry, Craig Fairbaugh

University Honors Theses

In the atmosphere, biogenic and anthropogenic emissions are oxidized to form secondary organic aerosols (SOA); however, the identities and concentrations of the compounds formed are inadequately known. In this work an aerosol (gas+particle) collection system was designed and tested in order to more fully characterize atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) that contribute to SOA. Target compounds to be collected were C₆ to C₂₀ compounds with oxygenated functional groups such as aldehydes and alcohols. The collection system was designed to allow characterization of atmospheric aerosols using multiple analytical methods: two-dimensional gas chromatography with time …

Technicalities: A Memoir, Shelley Smith

University Honors Theses

Using memoir, this piece explores the social location of the author throughout her life. By examining memory, writing in the past tense and providing creative observations and commentary on experience, the author is able to offer perspective on various aspects of privilege, oppression and the intersections therein. The creative style also attempts to validate and legitimize personal experience as research in a deconstructed, approachable manner to increase public interest and awareness of personal social location.

Conceptualization Of The Memorial Tattoo In Scholarly Literature, Nicole Brown

University Honors Theses

The intent of this study is to examine the "self-help tattoo," specifically the sub-genre of the self-help tattoo, known as the memorial tattoo in scholarly literature. Over the past few decades, tattoos became increasingly popular within the United States' middle- and upper-class communities. The widespread use and increasing acceptance of such body art in Western society have invited researchers in many scholarly fields to interpret the memorial tattoo's meaning. This study finds that the memorial tattoo is conceptualized differently across scholarly fields and there isn't an overarching theoretical framework that all scholars follow.

Never You Mind What They Say, It's Still Not Okay To Be Gay, Kelley Lawson

University Honors Theses

The Gay Rights movement of the United States (U.S.) has made progress in the past few years with the overturning of bans on openly gay service in the military and gay marriage nationwide. Queer identity is being portrayed in more positive ways in the media and becoming an accepted form of identity in many areas of the country. Traditionally many Religious Right Organizations in the U.S. have been opposed to Gay Rights. This research explores the responses of the Conservative Christian organization Focus on the Family (FOTF) to this increasing normalization of queer identity. By analysis of documents on their …

The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Physical Activity According To Social Media: A Content Analysis Of Celebrities' Posts On Twitter And Instagram, Amelia Meisser

University Honors Theses

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the majority of the US population is overweight. Researchers have attributed the increase of people being overweight to a change in diet and a lack of exercise. Because physical activity is attributed to being a large component of maintaining a healthy weight, this paper analyzes how often celebrities’ posts on Twitter and Instagram refer to physical activity. Social media was examined with regard to social cognitive theory which suggests that individuals can learn by observing. A content analysis was conducted of posts about physical activity from the top 30 most …

Vasectomy Disparities Among Foreign-Born Latinos Living In The United States : A Preliminary Study, Midori Mawi Altamirano

University Honors Theses

The number of vasectomized foreign-born Latinos in the U.S. has increased by 2.2% from 1995-2010 (CDC, 2012). This increase is analyzed using a financial and cultural framework. The study has two objectives: a) examine the accessibility of a vasectomy among foreign-born Latinos, b) explore masculinity traits among foreign-born Latinos that influence their decision to undergo a vasectomy. Based on the literature review, this research study proposes an expansion in vasectomy coverage not only to eliminate health care disparities, but also to decrease expenses in health care costs by providing coverage for a more affordable permanent sterilization method; and the implementation …

Trauma And Mental Health: The Development, Treatment, And Future Of, John Anthony Wheeler

University Honors Theses

Trauma seems to be an integral part of any given society. When most people think of psychological trauma, soldiers who were engaged in battle during wartime are most often what comes to mind. However, most trauma occurs in before an individual reaches adulthood. Research has shown that dysfunction results from exposure to trauma at any given point across the lifespan. Children who suffer from trauma often grow up to be adults with psychological dysfunction, passing on this dysfunction to the next generation. The objective of this paper is to identify some of these other areas of traumatic exposure and understand …

Crossing The Tracks, Keaton Suskie

University Honors Theses

Substance abuse is a major issue all around the world. It is an issue that not only affects the abuser but also affects individuals and entire communities as well. Substance abuse is often glamorized in media and, though there are some cases where it is not, substance abuse is all too often misrepresented. The issue of adolescent substance abuse is virtually ignored or, at the very least, is underrepresented in media. In a few cases where adolescent substance abuse does play a role in media, it is rarely the central issue. More often than not, the issue of adolescent substance …

The Role Of Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase (Sod2) During A Coxiella Burnetii Infection, Rachel Diantha Champaigne

University Honors Theses

Coxiella burnetii is the etiological agent of acute Q fever and highly fatal chronic endocarditis in humans. It is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that initially invades macrophages and thrives within a lysosome-like parasitophorous vacuole by modifying host processes. Expression analyses of THP-1 cells (human monocyte/macrophage cell line) using RNA-seq show differential expression of several host genes in C. burnetii infected cells when compared to uninfected cells. Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase (SOD2) expression is highly upregulated (8x) during C. burnetii infection as opposed to uninfected cells, but it is unknown if this expression pattern is a host immune response to suppress Coxiella …

Digitally Enhanced Classrooms: Understanding The Effect Of Individualized Technology On Language Arts Instruction In Elementary Schools, Celine De Clercq

University Honors Theses

The use of technology in elementary classroom settings has been increasing every year. Many schools already included computer classes; however, recently there has been a large move towards individualized, or 1:1, technology as well. We now find certain schools have acquired tablets and laptops for each student – fully integrating modern technology with traditional instruction. However, in the effort to keep up with the surge of technology, schools may be ignoring the need for professional development and curriculum planning to support technology as a tool that enhances student learning. While working in an “Apple Distinguished” school that provided individual tablets …

Avoiding Online Predators: Proactive Measures Companies Can Take To Protect Their Female Consumers, Alexandra Meneely

University Honors Theses

This study examines the implications of social discovery applications (apps) for the safety of their users and proposes proactive policies for firms to adopt to ensure greater safety. This report specifically focuses on female victims of technology-facilitated sexual violence and harassment on the basis that the research to date indicates that women and girls are disproportionately the victims of both sexual harassment and violence in offline contexts. Through an analysis of three cases of mobile app abuse, mobile industry security standards, and proactive versus reactive policies, the issues and alternatives are explored. This research draws on journal articles, market research …