Digital Commons Network^™

Opportunities For Optimal Apple Production Management In Arid Conditions, Sam Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Apple trees are susceptible to biotic and abiotic stresses in the Intermountain West. The arid climate along with non-ideal soils make apple production challenging. Also, as high-quality agricultural land is developed, crop production gets pushed to land that often is saline. Apple trees grow poorly in saline soils. If apples are going to be grown in Utah, rootstocks must be identified that will tolerate saline soils. The USDA rootstock breeding program produced some rootstocks that may show salt tolerance. This project assessed the salt tolerance of these apple rootstocks in the greenhouse and in the field. Test rootstocks were compared …

The Influence Of A Values Affirmation Intervention On Students' Mathematical, Social, And Epistemological Empowerment, Carrie Olson Bala

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to better understand the influence of educators’ attention to identity construction as tenth grade Emergent Bilinguals and native English-speaking students develop mathematical, social, and epistemological empowerment in a mathematics classroom. I incorporated a framework detailing critical consciousness as a mediator between students’ identity construction and their empowerment development. I employed a mixed methods transformative design, utilizing quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the influence of a values affirmation intervention on students’ critical consciousness and empowerment. To follow, I incorporate integrated analysis to highlight emerging and differing patterns in the empowerment data, the specific characteristics …

Implementing A Digital Sharing Space In Online Studio Coursework In The Field Of Landscape Architecture, Elizabeth Braithwaite

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Landscape architecture education focuses on creating socially-rich environments for learning. Coursework in landscape architecture often is labeled as “studio learning.” These types of classes involve a high degree of collaboration and detailed critique. They create opportunities for students to interact with each other and their professors. When considering the adoption of online learning, a primary concern of landscape architecture professors is to maintain this high degree of social interaction in online classes.

This study explores the use of several platforms to facilitate social interaction in online landscape architecture coursework. These platforms include Canvas, Basecamp, and Conceptboard. Canvas is the learning …

A Content Analysis Of Graphical Literacy Skills Instruction In Fifth Grade Core Reading Programs, Georgia A. Bunnell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this content analysis study was to identify the affordances embedded in core reading program (CRP) teacher’s manuals that facilitate graphical literacy skills as a component of literacy instruction. In the informational text selections of selected CRPs, graphic category, type, function, and connection to text were assessed to determine the kinds of graphics used to convey information. The instructional guidance associated with these graphics was then evaluated for type of instruction (no instruction, reference, and teach) and explicit instruction elements. The results from this study indicate that representation photographs and general images are the most prevalent type of …

Let Us Live To Make Men Free: Locke And Aquinas On Toleration And Natural Law, Micah Safsten

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Tolerance is a difficult and controversial concept in political rhetoric. For many, tolerance requires the acceptance of what one believes is evil. Still, most of us feel as though we must accept the differences of others on some level. This thesis is an attempt to better understand tolerance. To do so, it uses the concept of natural law, or the idea that all law should justified through one, universal theory of good. This would seem contradictory, as natural law supposes that a single vision of the good life exists for all. Yet the natural law theory of one legal theorist, …

The Role Of Music Context In High School Students' Translations Among Representations In Algebra, Danielle Divis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Previous research suggests that integrating music into mathematics can benefit students’ mathematics learning but leaves questions as to exactly how students interact with music context and mathematics simultaneously. This study used a descriptive multiple-case study design to understand the way high school students utilize music while engaging in music-contextualized algebra tasks. Eight pairs of high school students participated in this study. The procedures included training four volunteer high school teacher-researchers to carry out three music-contextualized mathematics lessons in their own classes. Data sources for each pair included three student work samples, three audio-video recordings of class sessions, and one audio …

Early Sibling Play Interactions As A Source Of Developmental Support For Toddlers: Observation Of Young Children's Developmental Support During Play With Toddler Siblings, Tasha L. Olson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The sibling relationship is a unique and important context for infant and early child development. Despite the important role of siblings and the unique aspects of the sibling relationship, sibling interactions are largely overlooked by scholars as a resource of potential developmental support. Identifying and fostering developmentally supportive interaction (DSI) behaviors in sibling relationships may expand available supports for children’s early development and may also support family well-being.

This study used a sample of 15 child-toddler sibling pairs to identify DSI behaviors in interactions between young children and their toddler-aged siblings, determine if and how well DSI behaviors could be …

Belief, Unbelief, And Rebelief In Santa Claus: A Theory Of Cyclical Belief Or A Belief Cycle An Introduction, Steven G. Merrell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Every single person, no matter who they are; what they look or sound like; where they are or come from in space and time; their sex, gender, and/or orientation; their age or maturity; their culture; and/or their background, has one or multiple belief(s) and/or belief system(s) of some kind. Such belief may be temporary, transient, fleeting, or long lasting. It/they may be superficial or deeply rooted. It/they may be (considered) or seem rational or irrational. It/they may be encouraged or discouraged, romanticized or pathologized. It/they may be conscious, subconscious, or unconscious; or, such belief(s) may exist somewhere in between. It/they …

The Underappreciated Intersection Of Science Fiction And Satire, Christopher Nicholson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis considers, from a creative writer’s perspective, the largely untapped potential for combining the strengths of satire and science fiction to create stories that provide both escapism and real-world commentary without sacrificing one for the other. It discusses background information and examples of both genres, and then illustrates the principles discussed with three original short stories.

Development Of An Instructional Course On Fire-Protective And Low-Water Landscaping In Utah, Jordan Goff

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Because of climate change, population expansion, and other factors, both wildfire and drought are becoming pressing concerns in Utah. Home landscaping can reduce risk of damage from wildfire (fire-protective landscaping) and contribute to lower water use (low-water landscaping). While it is important for homes in the wildland-urban interface in Utah to have landscaping that is both fire-protective and low-water, best practices for the two are often taught in ways that make them seem mutually exclusive. This project used existing research and best practices to develop a learning experience to teach homeowners how to implement landscaping that is both fire-protective and …

Building A Positive Teacher And Student Identity In The Chinese Dli Context, Lila Jensen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio contains a selection of the author’s research interests and learning achievements while in the Master Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University (USU). It represents the author’s investigation, observation, and reflection as an MSLT student and as a Chinese teacher and coordinator for the Chinese Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program in Utah.

The first section of the portfolio contains the author’s teaching perspectives including professional environment, teaching philosophy statement, and professional development through teaching observations. These perspectives represent her professional growth over the years in the field of Chinese teaching in the DLI setting. The second …

Sacred Earth: The Role Of The Natural Divine Within Wendell Berry's "Manifesto", T. Greyson Gurley Ma

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Kentuckian writer and poet, Wendell Berry, is often associated with environmental literature and advocacy. However, often overlooked, much of Berry’s work is inherently religious in nature, specifically Christian. Berry’s poetry expresses many of his personal beliefs regarding life, spirituality, religion, interconnection, stewardship, and agriculture. In particular, Berry often uses characters to communicate these aforementioned personal ideas. This practice can be seen through his utilization of the character of the Mad Farmer within a great deal of his poetry, including poetry dedicated to the Mad Farmer himself. Although this character expresses many of the same beliefs as Berry, he is not …

Defending Difference: Translingualism In The Composition Classroom, R. Elle Smith

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Translingualism includes 1. appreciating how people use language differences to produce meaning, 2. recognizing that all language is fluid, and 3. helping students and teachers question standard language ideology. Translingual pedagogy should be process-oriented rather than product-focused. Instead of focusing on the writing product matching or not matching the standard, translingual pedagogy should focus on questioning standard language ideology and being more flexible in our language beliefs. Additionally, most scholarship surrounding translingualism has focused on the multilingual community. This thesis expands on the scholarship by asking how translingual pedagogy must shift in a primarily white monolingual classroom. Also included is …

Paranormal Investigators: Exploring A Positive Social Construct Through Paranormal Belief And Investigations, Meagan E. Oltman

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This thesis is a case study providing a more detailed look into how a local paranormal investigation team forms a community that cultivates social benefits beyond proving the supernatural’s existence. Folklore provides a path to understanding supernatural beliefs and fears, furthering the understanding of paranormal communities and any advantages of being a part of or receiving help from paranormal investigators and investigations. The paranormal or the supernatural defies standard explanation. For example, ghosts and UFOs, at times, are not explained away with traditional scientific theories and hypotheses. Paranormal investigators, also called paranormal researchers, choose to study the paranormal phenomena considered …

Sporkling, Mia Jensen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

For my thesis, I wrote and illustrated a graphic short story that captures the confusing experiences associated with aging out of childhood. My thesis, titled “Sporkling,” follows a twelve-year-old girl named Moira as she confronts her fears with the help of the recently thawed disembodied head of the quirky nineteenth-century inventor, Samuel W. Francis. The central topics of the project reflect on the unification of the body and mind. Whereas the young, naïve Moira represents the body, the disillusioned, decapitated Samuel represents the mind. As the two spend an afternoon trapped in Moira’s father’s secret laboratory, they must assist each …

Authorial Agency: Investigating Composition Pedagogies Under A New Lens, Tyler Hurst

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This essay considers the work of three prominent composition scholars through the lens of authorial agency, which I define as a form of agency that focuses on the individual voice and self-determination of students in the writing space. Though the concept of agency has been previously considered by composition scholars, this contribution might aid in understanding various pedagogical approaches by analyzing how authorial agency is already being engaged within composition pedagogies and investigating how authorial agency aids teachers in understanding their pedagogy so that students learn to take back control of their own authoritative voice and self-determination. By re-investigating …

Building 6c’S (Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, Culture, Connectivity) In The Chinese Learning Classroom, Weixi Dong

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This teaching portfolio is a product of the author’s studies in the Masters of Second Language Teaching Program at Utah State University and her experiences as a teacher of Chinese at the elementary school level in the State of Utah’s public school Dual Immersion program. The author provides a selection of teaching reflections and research that have had the most impact on her teaching practice. First, the author offers personal reflections and a theoretical framework for her pedagogy in the Teaching Perspectives section, through a discussion of her professional environment and teaching experience; this is followed by the Teaching Philosophy …

Utah State University Commencement, 2022 - Uintah Basin Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2022 Commencement Ceremony for the Uintah Basin Campus of Utah State University.

Utah State University Commencement, 2022 - Eastern Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2022 Commencement Ceremony for the Eastern Campus of Utah State University.

Family Perspectives On Developmental Monitoring: A Qualitative Study, Sarah Behrens, Evan Dean, Marisol Torres

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Developmental monitoring, an ongoing process to identify children at risk for developmental delays, is an essential component to the identification of a developmental disability in young children. In collaboration with families, medical professionals are expected to monitor the development of a child; however, current research focuses on screening with less attention on developmental monitoring and the role of the family. Here, we show the experiences of families with medical professionals specific to developmental monitoring and how families obtain and develop knowledge on child development. We analyze qualitative data from a sample of family caregivers using semi-structured interviews. With a thematic …

Collaboration Between Secondary Special Education Teachers And Community Rehabilitation Service Providers: A Focus Group Analysis, Tabitha L. Pacheco, Robert L. Morgan, Michelle C. Mcknight-Lizotte

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Collaboration by professionals across agencies has been identified as a research-based practice associated with successful post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Succesful post-school outcomes include community employment, postsecondary education (such as involvement in two- or four-year college programs), and independent living for young adults with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation counselors, special educators, and community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) must collaborate to increase the probability of successful outcomes, particularly given the advent of Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). Five core areas of Pre-ETS include: (a) job exploration counseling, (b) work-based learning experiences, (c) counseling, (d) workplace readiness training to develop social skills and independent …

Parents’ Perceptions Of The College Experiences Of Twice-Exceptional Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Joseph Madaus, Emily J. Tarconish, Shannon Langdon, Ashley Taconet, Nicholas W. Gelbar

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder are accessing college in increasing numbers, and within this group, there is a cohort of academically talented students who can be considered twice-exceptional, or 2e-ASD. While research about college students with ASD is increasing, there is a relative dearth of literature about 2e-ASD college students, and their secondary transition and college experiences. The current study presents the results of individual interviews that were conducted with 10 parents of 2e-ASD college students to explore their perceptions of their children’s experiences, including what things went well and what were problematic areas. Parents described clear and early expectations …

Perceptions Of College Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder On The Transition To Remote Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Joseph Madaus, Alexandra Cascio, Nicholas W. Gelbar

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

COVID-19 caused a major shift in how college students, including those with disabilities, received their education during the Spring 2020 semester. The rapid shift to remote learning resulted in new challenges, but also, some benefits for students. This study presents the results of open-ended responses of a cohort of 31 students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who were part of a larger study and enrolled in very- to highly competitive institutions (as rated by U.S. News and World Report) during the Spring 2020 semester regarding their experiences, both positive and negative, in shifting to remote learning. The students described …

Experiential Learning Through Participatory Action Research In An Interdisciplinary Leadership Training Program, Jessica L. Franks, Stephanie D. Baumann, Marvin So, Angela M. Miles, Jorge M. Verlenden, Teal Benevides, Mark Crenshaw, Stephen Truscott, Daniel Crimmins

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Background: Experience in multidisciplinary collaboration among healthcare providers, leaders in public health, and educators is essential to effectively address the diverse needs of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families.

Purpose: We describe three participatory action research (PAR) projects from an interdisciplinary training program, which used experiential learning to enhance leadership competencies and promote inclusive services. Trainees report their leadership growth as providers and advocates for children with I/DD using experiential learning through PAR.

Approach: Trainees discuss their engagement with organizations serving children with I/DD and ways that experiential learning supported leadership skill development, …

Assessing Need And Acceptability Of A Youth Mentoring Intervention For Adolescents With Autism By Adults With Autism, Kai Y. Gunty, Lindsey Weiler, Angela Keyzers, Rebekah Hudock

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Background: Adult mentors can positively influence development, yet youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have too little access to adult mentors who can provide role modeling, guidance, and support. Furthermore, neurotypical adult mentors (i.e., adult mentors without ASD) may not understand the day-to-day realities that youth with ASD face and the social world they navigate. Therefore, it is possible that adults with ASD may be particularly well-suited as mentors for youth with ASD.

Method: Six semi-structured focus groups of four to seven people each explored the need for a mentoring program to bridge the gap between the supports youth with …

Utah State University Commencement, 2022 - Moab Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2022 Commencement Ceremony for the Moab Campus of Utah State University.

The Utah Statesman, April 25, 2022, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Reinforced Behavioral Variability In The Valproate Rat Model Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Ann Galizio, Amy L. Odum

Psychology Faculty Publications

Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to display restricted, repetitive behaviors and deficits in social interaction. Rats exposed to valproate (VPA) in utero have been shown to model symptoms of ASD. In previous research, VPA rats engaged in less social interaction and more repetitive responding than controls. The purpose of the present study was to further investigate behavioral variability in the VPA rat model of ASD by testing VPA and control rats in a reinforced-behavioral-variability operant task. In this procedure, rats emitted sequences of lever presses, some of which produced food. During baseline, food was delivered probabilistically, and …

Utah State University Commencement, 2022 - Tooele Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2022 Commencement Ceremony for the Tooele Campus of Utah State University.

Implementation Of Telemedicine Within Francophone Countries, Kaleb Keller

WLC/CSPH Symposium

Improving access to healthcare within medical deserts is a central goal to many government and healthcare leaders. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world saw an increase of technology used for daily tasks that were no longer possible due to the virus. One of these is the use of telemedicine. France and other French-speaking portions of Europe have been a leader in developing new telemedical platforms and research to aid in improving access to healthcare within medical deserts such as Sub-Saharan (francophone) Africa or French Polynesia. The following research aims at providing a specialized view of francophone countries …