Digital Commons Network^™

Montana Kaimin, March 20, 2012, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Why Are Caribou Declining In The Oil Sands?, Stan Boutin, Mark S. Boyce, Mark Hebblewhite

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Teaching Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching, Matt Roscoe

Colloquia of the Department of Mathematical Sciences

Pedagogical content knowledge is an important construct in teacher education (Schulman, 1987). This category of teacher knowledge extends beyond prerequisite knowledge of subject matter to a dimension of subject matter knowledge that is used for teaching. Ball and Hill (2005) have developed a measure of pedagogical content knowledge in mathematics and have shown that teachers’ possession of such knowledge is positively related to student achievement. Not surprisingly, many recent educational reform efforts in mathematics have been directed towards the development of pedagogical content knowledge in teachers.

In this presentation I will share with you the results of my ongoing …

Montana Kaimin, February 22, 2012, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Montana Kaimin, January 31, 2012, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Montana Kaimin, January 26, 2012, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Georadar-Derived Estimates Of Firn Density In The Percolation Zone, Western Greenland Ice Sheet, Joel Brown, John Bradford, Joel T. Harper, W. Tad Pfeffer, Neil Humphrey, Ellen Mosley-Thompson

Geosciences Faculty Publications

Greater understanding of variations in firn densification is needed to distinguish between dynamic and melt-driven elevation changes on the Greenland ice sheet. This is especially true in Greenland’s percolation zone, where firn density profiles are poorly documented because few ice cores are extracted in regions with surface melt.We used geoader to investigate firn density variations with depth along an about 70 km transect through a portion of the accumulation area in western Greenland that partially melts. We estimated electromagnetic wave velocity by inverting reflection travel times picked from common midpoint gathers. We followed a procedure designed to find the simplest …

Thermal Tracking Of Meltwater Retention In Greenland’S Accumulation Area, Neil F. Humphrey, Joel T. Harper, W. Tad Pfeffer

Geosciences Faculty Publications

Poorly understood processes controlling retention of meltwater in snow and firn have important implications for Greenland Ice Sheet’s mass balance and flow dynamics. Here we present results from a 3 year (2007-2009) field campaign studying firn thermal profiles and density structure along an 85 km transect of the percolation zone of west Greenland. We installed one or two thermistor strings at 14 study sites, each string having 32 sensors spaced between 0 and 10 m depth. Data from our network of over 500 sensors were collected at 15-60 min intervals for 1-2 years, thereby recording the thermal signature of meltwater …

Montana Kaimin, January 25, 2012, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

From Conic Intersections To Toric Intersections: The Case Of The Isoptic Curves Of An Ellipse, Thierry Dana-Picard, Nurit Zehavi, Giora Mann

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Starting from the study of the orthoptic curves of parabolas and ellipses, we generalize to the case of isoptic curves for any angle, i.e. the geometric locus of points from which a parabola or an ellipse are viewed under a given angle. This leads to the investigation of spiric curves and to the construction of these curves as an actual intersection of a self-intersecting torus with a plane. The usage of a Computer Algebra System facilitated this investigation.

Faculty And Librarian Collaboration On Problem-Based Learning, Samantha Hines, Eric H. Hines

Mansfield Library Faculty Publications

This report describes a case study using a collaborative model of problem-based learning in library instruction as an innovative alternative to traditional methods. The authors examine the use of problem-based library instruction in three courses, including an examination of the results of the assignment students were given as part of the exercise. The authors found that the problem-based learning model increased student engagement with library resources and provided a mechanism for identifying and correcting deficiencies in students’ information literacy knowledge and skills. If a specific session of library instruction is intended to provide guidance on the use of the library …

Student Enrolment In Classes With Frequent Mathematical Discussion And Its Longitudinal Effect On Mathematics Achievement, Karl W. Kosko

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Mathematical discussion has been identified as being beneficial to students’ understandings of mathematics (Goos, 1995; Lee, 2006). Students in classrooms with more effective math discussion have been observed to engage more frequently in discussion (e.g. Hiebert & Wearne, 1993), but the converse is not necessarily true (e.g. Manouchehri & St. John, 2006). Utilizing hierarchical linear modeling, the present study examined student enrollment in classes with more and less frequent discussion and such enrollment’s effect on mathematics achievement over time. Results indicated that students enrolled in classes that discuss math “almost every day” consistently have higher math achievement than students enrolled …

Mathematical Competitions In Hungary: Promoting A Tradition Of Excellence & Creativity, Julianna Connelly Stockton

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Hungary has long been known for its outstanding production of mathematical talent. Extracurricular programs such as camps and competitions form a strong foundation within the Hungarian tradition. New types of competitions in recent years include team competitions, multiple choice competitions, and some exclusively for students who are not in a special mathematics class. This study explores some of the recent developments in Hungarian mathematics competitions and the potential implications these changes have for the very competition-driven system that currently exists. The founding of so many new competitions reflects a possible shift in the focus and purpose of competitions away from …

Some Reflections On Mathematics And Mathematicians: Simple Questions, Complex Answers, Juan Eduardo Nápoles Valdes

The Mathematics Enthusiast

In this work we present some reflections on mathematics and mathematicians. Special emphasis is placed on the questions (1) what is mathematics? And (2) what is a mathematician? Some reflections and open questions are posed at the end of the work.

Visualizations And Intuitive Reasoning In Mathematics, Kajsa Bråting

The Mathematics Enthusiast

On the basis of historical and didactical examples we consider the role of visualizations and intuitive thinking in mathematics. Examples from the 17th and 19th century have been used as well as smaller empirical studies at upper secondary school level and university level. We emphasize that a mathematical visualization does not reveal its intended meaning. With experience we can learn to interpret the visualization in different ways, depending on what is asked for.

If Not, Then What If As Well- Unexpected Trigonometric Insights, Stanley Barkan

The Mathematics Enthusiast

In performing an exercise of “What if not”, one can end up with a paucity of structure. Adding alternative structure can be a rich source of discovery, as we present here. The framework of this presentation is the original voyage of discovery, from a trivial geometric problem to the derivation of some unexpected trigonometric formulae based on regular polygons. The original “voyage” has been changed only sufficiently to make the text readable.

Reflections On Teaching With A Standards-Based Curriculum: A Conversation Among Mathematics Educators, Jill Newton, Ricki Geller, Lindsay Umbeck, Lisa Kasmer

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Many teachers and researchers have written about the challenges inherent in adopting new teaching practices in mathematics classrooms (e.g., Chazan, 2000; Clarke, 1997; Heaton, 2000). The authors of this article, all with secondary mathematics teaching experience, are convinced by research suggesting that Standards-based mathematics curricula are beneficial for student learning.1 However, the first three authors had not used such curriculum materials in their own classrooms, and we desired experience using a Standards-based mathematics curriculum with secondary students. To this end, we taught a week-long summer course with a focus on linear functions to high school students who had previously struggled …

Some Explicit Solutions For A Class Of One-Phase Stefan Problems, Olawanle P. Layeni, Jesse V. Johnson

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Salva and Tarzia, [N.N. Salva, D.A. Tarzia, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 379 (2011) 240 - 244], gave explicit solutions of a similarity type for a class of free boundary problem for a semi-infinite material. In this paper, through an elementary approach and less stringent assumption on data, we obtain more general results than those given by their central result, and thereby construct explicit solutions for a wider class of Stefan problems with a type of variable heat flux boundary conditions. Further, explicit solutions of certain forced one-phase Stefan problems are given.

Increasing The Use Of Practical Activities Through Changed Practice, Frode Olav Haara, Kari Smith

The Mathematics Enthusiast

This study sets out to examine the influence of a value-based intervention on two elementary school teachers’ use of practical activities in mathematics teaching. The intervention was a “Values and Knowledge Education” (VaKE)-based in-service course that introduced the two teachers to a value-based approach to mathematics teaching. The introduction included examples that were supported by use of practical activities. Interviews prior to the intervention made the teachers aware of an inconsistency between the desired and actual practice of their own teaching. The intervention provided them with a possibility of narrowing the gap between vision and practice by changing practice. Qualitative …

A Year Of Practice And Performance: Improving Piano Skills To Become A Better Choral Director, Ellen Mckenzie

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Piano skills are extremely important to a choral teacher’s success, and I always considered my piano playing as a weak point in my teaching. The intent of my project was to dedicate a year of intensive practicing and performing as an accompanist in order to improve my piano technique, gain a wider repertoire of music to use in teaching private lessons and choir, and gain confidence in my abilities as an accompanist. Through one hundred and three hours of documented practice time, eight performance experiences in a variety of settings, and eighteen pieces prepared and performed, my playing has improved …

The Climatic, Biotic And Tectonic Evolution Of The Paleogene Renova Formation Of Southwestern Montana, Kevin John Lielke

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Renova Formation of southwestern Montana contains an important record of Paleogene floral, faunal, climate and tectonic change in the northern Rocky Mountains. The period between the end of the early Eocene and the early Oligocene (~49-32 Ma) was a time of rapid and far-reaching climate change. This period saw the end of global greenhouse climate and the establishment of icehouse conditions across the Earth. These changes led to profound alterations in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems. This study examines the late Eocene/early Oligocene history of the northern Rocky Mountains by means of an integrated study of the sedimentology, tectonics …

An Analysis Of Retention Factors In Undergraduate Degree Programs In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics, Mike H. Johnson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This mixed-methodological study explored the factors that predict a student's likelihood to complete an undergraduate program in a STEM discipline at one campus reliant upon that mission. Offered in response to a national imperative for the U.S. to compete globally, researchers contend educators must better prepare a STEM foundation and inspire STEM careers. This study employed a quantitative and qualitative approach to (a) identify key indicators of success for students entering a STEM discipline, (b) determine that living in the residence hall had an impact on success, and (c) identify quantifiable drop-out rationale for students who did not complete their …

Evaluation Of Physical Fitness Tests And The Usefulness Of An Internal Crew Questionnaire To Predict Job Readiness In Hotshots, Benjamin Adams Lovelace

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Hotshots are elite wildland firefighters that are used in all capacities from first attack to the most hazardous duties during wildland firefighting. The unpredictable nature of the wildfire creates a dangerous and physically challenging environment for those attempting to stop its advance. Hotshot wildland firefighters must be conditioned to perform the tasks associated with their job and to avoid injury. Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate possible assessment tests in an effort to predict job readiness for interagency hotshot crew members. Methodology: Thirty-six male and female type 1 hotshot crew members completed 4 physical fitness tests …

Functional Encryption As Mediated Obfuscation, Robert Perry Hooker

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

We introduce a new model for program obfuscation, called mediated obfuscation. A mediated obfuscation is a 3-party protocol for evaluating an obfuscated program that requires minimal interaction and limited trust. The party who originally supplies the obfuscated program need not be online when the client wants to evaluate the program. A semi-trusted third-party mediator allows the client to evaluate the program, while learning nothing about the obfuscated program or the client’s inputs and outputs. Mediated obfuscation would provide the ability for a software vendor to safely outsource the less savory aspects (like accounting of usage statistics, and remaining online to …

Gender, Justice, And Jim Crow: North Carolina Judge Elreta Alexander And The Long Civil Rights Era, Virginia Lyndsay Summey

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Elreta Melton Alexander (1919 – 1998) was a pioneering African-American attorney from Greensboro, North Carolina. Coming of age during the Jim Crow period of the South, she was the daughter of a Baptist minister and a teacher and grew up comfortably as a part of the black middle class. The descendant of two white grandparents, her bi-racialism formed her early awareness of colorism within the African-American community. Alexander received her Bachelor of Arts from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University before going on to become the first African-American woman to graduate from Columbia Law School in 1945. In 1947, she …

Relationship Of Self-Concept, Depression, Academic Estimation, And Online Social Networking In Adolescents, Jaime Rebekah Long

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The present study investigated the relationship between academic self-concept, academic outcome confidence, and academic estimation in depressed and non-depressed adolescents, with a focus on gender differences. The study also included exploratory questions on online social networking (OSN) usage. Participants (N = 66) were 9th and 10th grade students from one high school, with 40 females and 26 males. Academic self-confidence and outcome confidence were measured with the Student Self-Concept Scale (SSCS) and depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiological Studies’ Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). Standardized test scores and grade point average (GPA) for each student were collected …

Phonological Awareness Skill Of Segmenting In Bilingual English/Spanish Speaking 4- And 5-Year-Old Children, Kate Lorraine Mckay

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Abstract Segmenting, the ability to pull apart words into their smaller linguistic units, is a known predictor of early literacy. This study investigated the segmenting skills (a component of phonological awareness PA), in bilingual English/Spanish-speaking 4-and 5-year-old children at the levels of syllable, onset-rime and phoneme. The results of this study were then compared to a previous study that explored PA skill development in monolingual English speaking children of the same ages. The comparative analysis explores how bilingualism impacts PA skill development. This study examined the segmenting skills of 31 bilingual students who attended a Spanish immersion school, the majority …

Developmental Mathematics In Two-Year Community Colleges And Student Success, Brenda Catherine Frame

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Poor success rates of developmental mathematics courses at community colleges have currently received nationwide attention. Efforts to remedy the situation include complete course redesigns and intervention strategies. A recent intervention strategy in use is the implementation of success courses that are aimed at changing the learning perspectives of developmental students. The purpose of this mixed-method comparative study was to closely examine this strategy as it relates specifically to students studying developmental mathematics at the lowest level at one community college. Students taking the lowest level developmental mathematics course at the participating community college were designated into one of two groups: …

Diagnosis Threat In A Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Population, Haley Gail Trontel

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The present study examined the effect of diagnosis threat on neuropsychological test performance. Forty-nine participants with a history of mTBI were randomly assigned to either a Diagnosis Threat group or a Control group. The Diagnosis Threat group was told that they were selected to participate based on their history of head injury and that they might expect to perform more poorly on testing. Participants in the Control group were told to perform to the best of their ability. It was hypothesized that individuals who had a history of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) made salient prior to testing (Diagnosis Threat …

A Theoretical Development And Simulation-Based Comparison Of Four Parameter Estimation Methods For The Spatio-Temporal Autologistic Model With Emphasis On Maximum Generalized And Block Generalized Pseudolikelihood, Jordan Earl Purdy

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

A regular lattice of spatially dependent binary observations is often modeled using the autologistic model. It is well known that likelihood-based inference methods cannot be employed in the usual way to estimate the parameters of the autologistic model due to the intractability of the normalizing constant for the corresponding joint likelihood. Two popular and vastly contrasting approaches to parameter estimation for the autologistic model are maximum pseudolikelihood (PL) and Markov Chain Monte Carlo Maximum Likelihood (MCMCML). Two newer and less understood approaches are maximum generalized pseudolikelihood (GPL) and maximum block generalized pseudolikelihood (BGPL). Both of these newer methods represent varying …