Digital Commons Network^™

Signals Conveying Teachers’ Readiness For Change In Next Generation Science Professional Development, Bonni Jones

Student Research Symposium

Change in the domain of education is complex. Research has begun to uncover factors that influence the success of proposed initiatives. This paper examines factors influencing science teachers as they wrestle with implementing innovative teaching practices. We present a theoretical framework that unpacks a construct we call signals of readiness for change (readiness signals). We define readiness signals as elements of teachers’ talk that signal a teacher’s sentiment toward a proposed initiative. Signals often reflect tensions that must be resolved for initiatives like the Next Generation Science Standards to succeed and endure. These tensions exist in teacher beliefs, confidence in …

How Does Embodied Doing Become Thinking? A Motor Control Characterization Of Ct, Ravi Sinha

Student Research Symposium

Few studies have examined the nature of learning involved when young children engage with tangible robotics toys, particularly from a cognitive perspective. We use the tool incorporation mechanism from cognitive and motor neuroscience studies to describe the development of computational thinking (CT) during early childhood. We characterize the development of CT through participation in screen-free coding tasks as learning symbol-based control.

The Russo-Ukrainian War: Understanding The German Media Coverage Of Ukrainian Refugees, Bailey Runhaar, Caitlin Keith, Maralenae Leake, Claudia Schwabe

Student Research Symposium

The Russo-Ukrainian War began in 2014. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, escalating the ongoing war. The Western media began reporting about the attack as soon as information became available. News reports, articles, and social media were flooded by information related to the conflict, including the stories of refugees from this war as they left Ukraine to other countries around Europe. Throughout this war, German media coverage has been generally pro-Ukraine, showing the country and its refugees sympathy and support, says the Diplomatic Courier. While the war between Russia and Ukraine is still raging, the Western …

Shifting The Paradigm With Wednesday Addams: Why Nuanced, Intersectional Portrayals Of Autistic People Matter, Camille Bassett

Student Research Symposium

For decades, Autistic people have been portrayed in the media through dehumanizing stereotypes such as the robot, the superhuman savant, and the empty shell. Through these stereotypes, Autistic people are construed as non-human, above-human, and sub-human but never as human beings with complexity, authenticity, and dignity. In addition to being stereotypical, depictions of Autistic people have historically featured white and male characters, a longstanding pattern that erases Autistic women and people of color, among others. In 2022, however, Netflix’s spinoff series of The Addams Family, Wednesday, brought to the screen one of the very first autistic-coded women of color—its titular …

Social Media And Marketing For Social Workers, Megan Bolan, Jaylee Cox

Student Research Symposium

Marketing for non-profits is an extremely important task for an organization to function well, and social media, in the last decade, has become an important tool for marketing. Through work with the Clinical & Social Work Association (CSWA), it was realized that there is very little information on how to effectively market non-profit organizations such as CSWA to social workers and social work students. There is also little information on how to increase engagement with social workers through social media. We conducted our research using a logic branching mixed methods Qualtrics survey, targeting social workers (licensed or unlicensed) and social …

How Interior Design Promotes Productivity In The Workplace, Emily Caine

Student Research Symposium

This office space was designed with productivity and mental and physical wellness in mind. Many people overlook the way their workplace environment affects them, however, it can contribute heavily to their productivity and well-being. Well-designed and productive office spaces pay attention to: ergonomics, acoustics, flexibility, breakout space, technology, adequate storage, color theory, climate and airflow, nature, and natural light. The layout of this office design focuses heavily on the employee experience. “87% of workers would like their employer to offer healthier workspace benefits”. Intentional interior design will change the way you feel in a space. The traditional office space with …

Connecting Beliefs, Mindsets, Anxiety, And Self-Efficacy In Computer Science Learning: An Instrument For Capturing Secondary School Students’ Self-Beliefs, Luis Morales-Navarro, Michael T. Giang, Deborah A. Fields, Yasmin B. Kafai

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Background and Context

Few instruments exist to measure students’ CS engagement and learning especially in areas where coding happens with creative, project-based learning and in regard to students’ self-beliefs about computing.

Objective

We introduce the CS Interests and Beliefs Inventory (CSIBI), an instrument designed for novice secondary students to learn by designing projects (particularly with physical computing).. The inventory contains subscales on beliefs on problem solving competency, fascination in design, value of CS, creative expression, and beliefs about context-specific CS abilities alongside programming mindsets and outcomes. We explain the creation of the instrument and attend to the role of mindsets …

The Utah Statesman, April 10, 2023, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Engineered Production Of Bioactive Polyphenolic O-Glycosides, Jie Ren, Caleb Don Barton, Jixun Zhan

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Polyphenolic compounds (such as quercetin and resveratrol) possess potential medicinal values due to their various bioactivities, but poor water solubility hinders their health benefits to humankind. Glycosylation is a well-known post-modification method to biosynthesize natural product glycosides with improved hydrophilicity. Glycosylation has profound effects on decreasing toxicity, increasing bioavailability and stability, together with changing bioactivity of polyphenolic compounds. Therefore, polyphenolic glycosides can be used as food additives, therapeutics, and nutraceuticals. Engineered biosynthesis provides an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to generate polyphenolic glycosides through the use of various glycosyltransferases (GTs) and sugar biosynthetic enzymes. GTs transfer the sugar moieties from …

Neon In Nevada: A Case Study In Statewide Collaboration, Amy J. Hunsaker, Cory Lampert, Teresa Auch Schultz

Journal of Western Archives

Neon signs in Nevada capture the spirit of glitzy gambling meccas, boom and bust towns, and frontier settlements that dot the vast geography of this unique state. However, many iconic and hidden signs are in constant danger of disappearing as populations shift and the elements naturally break down the physical aspects of the signs. In addition, neon signs in Reno and remote, Northern Nevada locales have remained relatively undiscovered. UNLV has had a long history of documenting the art of neon and has partnered with the Neon Museum in Las Vegas to preserve this rapidly disappearing cultural heritage. Digital Humanities …

The Utah Statesman, April 3, 2023, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

The Impact Of Usu Extension On Agricultural Productivity, Justen Smith

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah has over 18,000 farms and ranches spanning 11 million acres, which generate more than $21 billion in total economic output (after adjusting for the multiplier effect). While it is true that Utah becomes more urbanized each year, it is also true that agriculture continues to play a vital part in our state. As the population of Utah and the United States continues to grow, food production is more important than ever before. Utah State University (USU) Extension has led the way for 105 years in providing non-biased, research-based technical assistance to producers and the Utah agricultural industry.

The Impact Of Usu Extension On Public Nutrition And Health, Heidi Leblanc

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

There is a need to provide effective nutrition information and education to the public to enable consumers to make wise dietary choices. As the relationships between diet, physical and mental health, and disease prevention become clearer, the promotion of healthy eating behaviors and lifestyles for both youth and adults has received increased attention in recent years. With high levels of obesity, chronic disease, and poor dietary habits, there is a need for non-formal nutrition education that addresses individual and family health and wellness. The Public Nutrition and Health Education program at Utah State University (USU) Extension seeks to decrease the …

Rethinking Behavior - Spring 2023, Midwest Symposium For Leadership In Behavior Disorders

ReThinking Behavior Magazine

A magazine for professionals serving children and youth with behavioral needs.

Spring 2023, Volume 6, Issue 3

Anemone Cut Flower Production In Utah, Shannon Rauter, Melanie Stock

All Current Publications

Anemone (Anemone coronaria) is grown as a cool-season annual for cut flower production in Utah. Tubers can be planted as early as November in a high tunnel for blooms beginning in March. For field production, plant in fall with insulation or as early as possible in spring (i.e., the soil is workable, approximately early March) for blooms beginning in May. Flower production ceases when temperatures reach approximately 80°F, usually by early July in northern Utah. In North Logan, UT, high tunnels produced an average of 2 to 7 marketable stems per plant, compared to 1 to 4 stems …

Ranunculus Cut Flower Production In Utah, Shannon Rauter, Melanie Stock

All Current Publications

Ranunculus (Ranunculus asiaticus) is grown as a cool-season annual for cut flower production in Utah. Tuberous roots can be planted as early as November in a high tunnel for blooms beginning in April. For field production, plant in November with insulation or as early as possible in spring for blooms beginning in May. Flower production ceases when temperatures reach approximately 80°F, usually by early July in northern Utah. In North Logan, UT, high tunnels produced an average of 3 to 7 marketable stems per plant, compared to 1 to 2 stems per plant in the field. Profit potential …

Faculty Senate Agenda, April 3, 2023, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - March 13, 2023
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Presidency Business
• Information
• Educational Policies Committee - March 2, 2023
• Reports
• Budget and Faculty Welfare Committee Annual Report
• Sustainability Council Annual Report
• Old Business
• Changes to SNAC
• Code 404
• New Business
• Resolution: Amendments to the USU Student Code of Conduct
• Faculty Senate President Elect
• Faculty Senate Executive Committee Membership
• Adjourn

The Utah Statesman, March 27, 2023, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Make No Apologies: Fear Of Negative Evaluation, Depressive Symptoms, And The Mediating Role Of Accounting For Covid-Safe Behavior Amongst People At High-Risk For Severe Illness, John S. Seiter, Timothy Curran, Rebecca E. Elwood

Communication Studies and Philosophy Faculty Publications

With the goal of understanding unique and important threats to the mental health of people who are especially vulnerable to severe illness as a result of COVID-19, this study investigated associations between such individuals' fear of negative evaluation, tendency to "account for" practicing COVID-safe behaviors, and depressive symptoms. Grounded in perspectives on self-presentation, normative influence, and cognitive dissonance, we hypothesized that fear of negative evaluation would relate positively to accounting for COVID-safe behaviors, which, in turn, would associate positively with increased depressive symptoms. The results showed that increased fear of negative evaluation predicted an increased use of apologies and excuses, …

The Predictive Validity Of The Gre Across Graduate Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis Of Trends Over Time, David F. Feldon, Kaylee Litson, Brinleigh Cahoon, Zhang Feng, Andrew Walker, Colby Tofel-Grehl

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This meta-analysis assesses the predictive validity of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) across outcome variables, including grade point average, for graduate students. In addition to aggregate effects, this paper also assessed changes in observed effects over time as related to increasing diversity in the graduate student population and as a function of gender and racial/ethnic composition of study samples. Framed using a lens of critical whiteness, this analysis examined n = 1,744 individual effects across k = 208 studies. Overall, 61.6% of reported effects were nonsignificant (i.e. no predictive value of GRE scores on student outcomes). Further, the magnitude of …

The Utah Statesman, March 20, 2023, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

What Box Elder County Leaders And Residents Can Do To Strengthen The Impact Of Girls And Women In Their Area, Angie Kleven, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

This idea sheet is based on a 2023 gathering of 38 leaders in Box Elder County. Girls and women face challenges unique to the area in which they live, and the goal of this gathering was to identify those barriers and determine strategies and initiatives that local leaders and residents can implement to address them. This document includes recommendations in the following areas: education, home and family, health and wellbeing, business and economics, and culture and community engagement.

A Literature Review Examining Broadening Participation In Upper Elementary Cs Education, Umar Shehzad, Mimi Recker, Jody Clarke-Midura

Publications

Despite proliferated efforts to integrate computer science in elementary education, there is a dearth of studies that synthesize the current state of CS education research in formal educational contexts, specifically in upper elementary classrooms. Further, while numerous studies have investigated approaches and strategies that broaden participation in computing, the majority of them focus on secondary and post-secondary settings. The present study uses a systematic literature review process to review research conducted with students in formal classroom settings in grades 4, 5, and 6 and published since 2013. We review the research through two questions: What are barriers to broadening participation …

Green Oa Day Media Toolkit, Erica Finch, Kellianne Gammill

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

This media toolkit contains materials used by Utah State University to promote faculty and student involvement in green open access by encouraging them to submit their accepted papers to the institutional repository. The graphics in the toolkit are designed to attract attention and generate interest in the repository. The toolkit features graphics for different social media platforms, all of which incorporate the #GreenOADay hashtag.

Understanding The Effects Of Trenbolone Acetate, Polyamine Precursors, And Polyamines On Proliferation, Protein Synthesis Rates, And The Abundance Of Genes Involved In Myoblast Growth, Polyamine Biosynthesis, And Protein Synthesis In Murine Myoblasts, Laura A. Motsinger, Lillian L. Okamoto, Nikole E. Ineck, Brynne A. Udy, Christopher L. Erickson, Youssef Harraq, Caleb C. Reichhardt, Gordon K. Murdoch, Kara Jean Thornton-Kurth

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Research suggests that androgens increase skeletal muscle growth by modulating polyamine biosynthesis. As such, the objective of this study was to investigate effects of anabolic hormones, polyamine precursors, and polyamines relative to proliferation, protein synthesis, and the abundance of mRNA involved in polyamine biosynthesis, proliferation, and protein synthesis in C2C12 and Sol8 cells. Cultures were treated with anabolic hormones (trenbolone acetate and/or estradiol), polyamine precursors (methionine or ornithine), or polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, or spermine). Messenger RNA was isolated 0.5 or 1, 12, or 24 h post-treatment. The cell type had no effect (p > 0.10) on proliferation, protein synthesis, or …

The Utah Statesman, March 13, 2023, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Affected Family Members' Communicative Management Of Opioid Misuse Stigma: Applying And Rethinking The Stigma Management Communication Typology, Sydney O'Shay, Emily Pasman, Danielle L. Hicks, Suzanne Brown, Elizabeth Aguis, Stella M. Resko

Communication Studies and Philosophy Faculty Publications

Opioid misuse is a prevalent health problem in the United States with consequences extending past the person who misuses opioids to affected family members (AFM) through courtesy stigma. The goals of this study were to understand the stigma management communication (SMC) strategies employed by AFMs when they experience courtesy stigma and changes in strategies used over time. The findings from interviews with 34 AFMs suggest the SMC strategies they employ range from those that indicate acceptance of stigma and avoidance of stigma situations to strategies where AFMs actively challenge opioid misuse stigma. However, strategy use depended on the social context …

Affected Family Members’ Communicative Management Of Opioid Misuse Stigma: Applying And Rethinking The Stigma Management Communication Typology, Sydney O'Shay, Emily Pasman, Danielle L. Hicks, Suzanne Brown, Elizabeth Aguis, Stella M. Resko

Publications

Opioid misuse is a prevalent health problem in the United States with consequences extending past the person who misuses opioids to affected family members (AFM) through courtesy stigma. The goals of this study were to understand the stigma management communication (SMC) strategies employed by AFMs when they experience courtesy stigma and changes in strategies used over time. The findings from interviews with 34 AFMs suggest the SMC strategies they employ range from those that indicate acceptance of stigma and avoidance of stigma situations to strategies where AFMs actively challenge opioid misuse stigma. However, strategy use depended on the social context …

Second Language Acquiescence Of Multilingual Students In Tanzania, Ann E. Roemer

World Languages and Cultures Faculty Publications

This research, conducted at a major university in Tanzania, investigated the personal experiences of multilingual students vis-à-vis the government's language policy requiring Swahili as the language of instruction (LoI) at the primary level and English at the secondary level. The participants, who spoke 25 different languages as their L1, were placed into 49 different language groups and asked to write what they remembered about the language policy where they attended school. The data show that Gramsci's cultural hegemony is occurring in Tanzania. The 'common sense' is that people truly believe English is symbolic of prestige and power–even though few people …

“I’Ll Give Them All The Time They Need”: How Lgbtq+ Teens Build Positive Relationships With Their Active, Latter-Day Saint Parents, Sydney A. Sorrell, Emalee J. Willis, Jane H. Bell, G. Tyler Lefevor, Samuel J. Skidmore

Psychology Student Research

Strong and supportive relationships with parents are key to promoting the mental health of LGBTQ+ teens. Overwhelmingly, studies have focused on ways to improve parental acceptance, largely neglecting understanding the parent–teen dyad as a unit and ignoring teens’ contributions to their relationships with their parents. To address this gap, we conducted 19 separate interviews with LGBTQ+ teens and their Latter-day Saint (LDS) parents (38 total interviews) to explore the ways that teens contributed to the development of positive relationships. Additionally, we explored teen-related factors that presented challenges to the parent–teen relationship. Thematic analyses suggested that LGBTQ+ teens engaged in several …