Identifying Self-Determined Learning Practices Within Social Media For Teacher Professional Development, Leah Mcjilton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The collective increase of learner-centered teaching and substantial technology use in the classroom has given instructors potential opportunities to support students in developing lifelong learning skills. The ability to manage one’s own learning is an essential skill for lifelong learners in today’s workforce. Heutagogy, or self-determined learning, suggests that individuals have agency with respect to how, what, and when they learn. Heutagogy provides a framework for making the most of these developments, drawing on established learner-centered education theories. The key principles of heutagogy provide a foundation for designing and developing learning environments using social media. In order for teachers to …

A Short Film That Addresses Substance Use Disorders In Rural Communities And Strategies In Prevention And Treatment Of Addiction, Sarah R. Poteracki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper and accompanying video (link to the short film is here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1etDnUmEvkOds8J0EKnq1gnFO79-GggjY) offer insight into the current state of research collaboration surrounding substance use disorders in West Virginia. This professional project explores the importance of collaboration both in a research and clinical setting and in the social realm. The film was shown at the 2nd annual meeting for the Appalachian Node of the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network on February 25, 2021. I interviewed 14 researchers and experts from a diverse range of disciplines who shared insights and strategies in the prevention and treatment of …

Exposure Therapy: Stimulus Intensity As A Factor In Treatment Preference, Matthew C. Arias

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Currently, a host of treatments are available for treating anxiety disorders, including specific phobia. Treatment of specific phobia includes pharmacological, psychosocial, and combined approaches. Exposure therapy, however, is considered the leading psychological treatment for specific phobia, and has shown to be effective. Exposure therapy challenges held beliefs about feared stimuli/situations and attempts to integrate new learning about the feared object/situation. Despite exposure being effective to treat specific phobia, it is associated with low adherence and high dropout rates. There is a need to examine, therefore, ways to improve patient adherence for exposure. A way to examine this issue is to …

Correctional Officer Opinions About Offenders With Mental Illness: The Relationships Among Opinions, Burnout, Emotional Intelligence, And Mental Health Training, Courtney Hull

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rates of mental illness among incarcerated individuals in the United States are high and have been well documented. Correctional officers are on the front line of identifying symptoms and alerting mental health professionals to problems as they arise. Correctional officers often lack an understating of mental illness, feel ill-equipped to manage mental health crises, and experience high levels of job-related stress. The objective of this study was to better understand the relationship between correctional officers’ emotional intelligence and opinions about mental illness, and to identify if burnout moderated the relationship between the variables. Additionally, the study sought to understand the …

Experimental Investigations Of Contact Friction And Transport Properties Of Monolayer And Bilayer Graphene, Prakash Gajurel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Results obtained from experimental investigations of contact friction in monolayer and bilayers graphene and the related effects on their transport properties are presented here along with their discussion and interpretation. For this purpose, chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene samples on SiO₂/Si were prepared. The samples were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Summaries of the results are given below.

Defects-controlled friction in graphene is of technological importance but the underlying mechanism remains a subject of debate. The new results obtained from the analysis of lateral force microscopy images revealed that the contact …

Transference Of Emotional Intelligence And Self-Efficacy Observed Through Adventure West Virginia Student Trip Leaders, Ashley Irene Fox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since the creation of university sponsored outdoor recreation trips, research studies have been conducted to examine the impact of this programming on participants. These studies have typically assessed impacts through measuring common components used to quantify overall leadership abilities such as emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and transference. In this study, researchers utilized a quasi-experimental approach to attempt to measure the impact of leading outdoor orientation trips on leader ability to transfer leadership skills to other areas of life. A sample (N = 29) of undergraduate student trip leaders of West Virginia University’s Adventure West Virginia (AWV) program was surveyed and divided …

Enacting Sustainability In Footwear Product Development, Mary Samantha Hale

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The apparel and footwear industry's negative environmental impacts have companies facing scrutiny as consumer environmental consciousness increases (Brewer, 2019). Apparel and footwear companies are scrambling to develop sustainable initiatives with more consumers demanding they be held accountable for their actions. The industry has focused on recycling, raw materials sourcing, and reducing production waste during product development for more sustainable outcomes. This qualitative case study explores how sustainability as an abstract corporate initiative affects footwear companies and product development processes. The best way to explore how companies engage and execute sustainable practices in their product development process is by examining it …

Development Of Collision Resilient Drone For Flying In Cluttered Environment, Al Mahmud

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The use of multi-rotor aerial vehicles, also known as drones, has increased significantly in the last decade due to their ease of use and applicability to an extended range of functions. Therefore, the importance of making these vehicles safe, for both themselves and the people around them, has also increased. A clear solution to this problem is the development of algorithms that generate collision-free paths using different sensors. However, even with such onboard computation, avoiding a collision is not always possible. Thus, the use of a protective structure (cage) around the aerial vehicle is a solution to keep it safe …

Adolescents' Production Of Clausal Structures In Written Narrative, Expository, And Persuasive Genres, Lauren Elizabeth Myers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The aim of this study was to analyze written language samples across different genres and age groups to provide information about the production of complex syntax emergence as time progresses across tasks. Complex syntax is both a socially and academically relevant language skill that is observed to advance well into later life. In order to analyze language samples as a way to identify language abilities, we must first understand syntactic emergence across genres with adolescents who are identified as having typical language development. In this study, written narrative, expository, and persuasive language samples were elicited from sixty typical adolescents in …

Accuracy Of Digital Impressions At Varying Implant Depths: An In-Vitro Study, Vivia Sequeira

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Implants placed at variable depths may vary the amount of visible scannable surface of a scan body. Intraoral scanner technology uses advanced optical principles to record the surface of the scan body to accurately capture the implant position.

Purpose: To investigate the effect implant placement depth has on the accuracy of digital implant impressions using an intraoral scanner.

Materials & Methods: A partially edentulous gypsum master model was fabricated to allow the positioning of a single implant analog at different depths. Four groups based on the planned implant depths of 0, 3, 6 and 7mm and corresponding visibility of …

Investigation Of Ions Accelerated Through Electrostatic Menisci In An Inductively Coupled Plasma, David D. Caron

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Plasmas are used in semiconductor fabrication as they allow for very precise control over processes such as etching and doping. This is achieved by extracting a beam of ions from the plasma to interact with and modify the surface of a silicon wafer. However, conventional fabrication methods are reaching spatial limitations as semiconductor features reach the atomic scale. Therefore, in order to better control the fabrication processes and facilitate the transition to three-dimensional architecture, a greater understanding of ion beam formation is needed. Ion beams are extracted at the boundary between the Debye sheath and an externally applied potential, which …

Janus Kinase 1 Drives Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Transcriptional Reprogramming In Astrocytes, Savannah Graham Sims

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neurological and neurodegenerative diseases are heterogenous and devastating diseases with limited therapeutic options and no cures. The broad, long-term goal of this project was to elucidate therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative conditions that attenuate damaging inflammation while leaving the beneficial immune response intact and avoiding broad immunosuppression. Inflammation and the accumulation of misfolded proteins are associated with a wide variety of neurological diseases. Here, we have examined how the accumulation of misfolded proteins shapes inflammatory signaling in the glial cell population astrocytes. Astrocytes are the most populous cell in the central nervous system (CNS) and provide physical and trophic support to …

Determining The Effects Of Imidacloprid On Non-Target Soil Organisms In Hemlock Stands, Braley Burke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), is an invasive insect that is causing mortality of eastern hemlock trees, Tsuga canadensis, and Carolina hemlock trees, Tsuga caroliniana, across the eastern United States. To protect these ecologically important tree species, a neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, is commonly used. Imidacloprid is an effective treatment and can remain effective against HWA for four to six years but long-term (≥ one year after application) non-target effects of imidacloprid on forest ecosystems are not well-studied. This study examined terrestrial non-target effects of imidacloprid in hemlock stands with different treatment histories to …

The Media's Framing Of Incarceration In West Virginia, Patrick John Orsagos

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The following is a professional project that examines the way in which the mass incarceration of West Virginians has been framed by the news media. The research presented explains the scope of the problem of mass incarceration, followed by an explanation of research conducted on framing. The literature review explores what other media scholars have published about framing and argues which frame is most dominant in crime reporting by state media. Following this is a methodology for production of a podcast series that utilizes a thematic frame and the practice of solutions journalism to promote dialogue around the systemic issues …

Mechanisms And Therapeutic Interventions For Breast Cancer-Induced Fatigue And Mitochondrial Dysfunction, David Andrew Stanton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

According to the latest statistics from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), about 1 in 8 U.S. women (~13%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime. This translates to an estimated 268,600 new cases of breast cancer for the year 2019, and these diagnoses will collectively make up 15% of all new cancer cases across all cancer types. The majority of these women will experience the often-debilitating symptom of breast cancer-induced fatigue. these patients often have difficulty performing normal activities of daily living, have decreased tolerance to traditional tumor-directed therapies, and have higher rates of cancer recurrence. …

Investigation Of Foundation Failures, Ali Buabbas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Investigation of Foundation Failures

Ali Buabbas

Foundations form a very critical component of any structure. The integrity and lifespan of the structure are dependent on the strength and durability of the foundation. Under ideal conditions, immediately after the structure is constructed, the foundation meets all the requirements of the structure. However, after a while, due to the action of many other factors, the structure’s foundation may no longer satisfy the needs of the structure.

Some of the factors contributing to the failure of the foundation can be due to natural events. Construction engineers should anticipate these factors to minimize …

Jurors' Perceptions Of False Confessions, Madison G. Gallimore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the effect of mock jurors’ perceptions of a defendant’s false confession vs. no confession (false confession presence), coercive interrogation techniques vs. panic-escape (false confession reason), and expert witness testimony vs. defendant explanation vs. expert witness testimony plus defendant explanation for his false confession (source). The four hypotheses and one research question pertained to main effects and interaction effects of false confession presence, false confession reason, and source (separately) and expert witness conditions combined on five outcome variables. Outcome variables were defendant’s guilt, trustworthiness, suggestibility, susceptibility to external influences, and juror’s likelihood of changing their verdict. Using Amazon …

Development Of Synthetic Coal Char Simulant For Microwave Conversion Studies: A Computationally-Driven Approach, Kevin A. Hager

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent experimental demonstration of new reaction windows for coal char/methane reactions that are less energy-intensive, provides innovation for modular reactors. However, the correlation of the exact mechanism for the enhancement of these reaction windows is not certain. This study investigates the simplification of these experimental studies by developing a well-characterized coal char simulant. The approach involves using a computational approach to screen macroscopic composition to replicate the dielectric and compositional response of actual char. This study is focused on PRB coal char. A discrete element method (DEM) technique was used to simulate the packing of coal chars to give the …

Remediation Of Spatial Skills In First Semester Calculus Using Haptics-Based Applications, Kristen L. Murphy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Spatial reasoning is required for many topics in undergraduate mathematics as well as other STEM fields. In calculus specifically, there are few interventions that assess students’ spatial skills and provide remediation. Haptic technology is a novel approach to spatial skills remediation due to its unfamiliarity to students and its flexibility with regard to models. The purpose of this dissertation is two-fold: first, to determine what level of spatial abilities students possess upon entering an undergraduate calculus course, and second, to determine whether haptic feedback will enhance an intervention for improving spatial skills.

The dissertation research was a mixed-methods study using …

The Impact Of Driver Reaction In Cooperative Vehicle Safety Systems, Elwarfalli Ibrahim

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cooperative Vehicular Safety (CVS) has recently been widely studied in the field of automated vehicular systems. CVS systems help decrease the rates of accidents. However, implementing and testing CVS applications in real world is very costly and risky. Hence, most of the related research studies on CVS applications have relied mainly on simulations. In simulated CVS systems, it is important to consider all critical aspects of used models, and how these models affect one another.

The movement model is a key component in the simulation study of CVS systems, which controls the mobility of vehicles (nodes) and responses to the …

Rania: A Framework For A Modular, Voice Enabled, Gerontechnology-Centric, Smart-Home System, Emily Francis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the United States, the proportion of senior citizens is expected to rise significantly over the next few decades. This increasing number of senior citizens combined with the increasing demand for at home healthcare workers is putting a strain on the elderly healthcare system. Smart-home healthcare technology { such as smart medication dispensers, fall detection systems, smart pantry systems, etc. { has the potential to alleviate this strain on the elderly healthcare system. Smart devices can give an individual more autonomized and personalized surveillance of their health and well-being. While these devices are beneficial as standalone devices, they would be …

A Deep Learning Approach To Lncrna Subcellular Localization Using Inexact Q-Mer, Weijun Yi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Long non coding Ribonucleic Acids (lncRNAs) can be localized to different cellular components, such as the nucleus, exosome, cytoplasm, ribosome, etc. Their biological functions can be influenced by the region of the cell they are located. Many of these lncRNAs are associated with different challenging diseases. Thus, it is crucial to study their subcellular localization. However, compared to the vast number of lncRNAs, only relatively few have annotations in terms of their subcellular localization. Conventional computational methods use q-mer profiles from lncRNA sequences and then train machine learning models, such as support vector machines and logistic regression with the profiles. …

Implementation Of Fuzzy Logic Control Into An Equivalent Minimization Strategy For Adaptive Energy Management Of A Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle, Jared Alexander Diethorn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As government agencies continue to tighten emissions regulations due to the continued increase in greenhouse gas production, automotive industries are seeking to produce increasingly efficient vehicle technology. Electric vehicles have been introduced by the industry, showing promising signs of reducing emissions production in the automotive sector. However, many consumers may be hesitant to purchase fully electric vehicles due to several uncertainty variables including available charging stations. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have been introduced to reduce problems while improving fuel economy. HEVs have led to the demand of creating more advanced controls software to consider multiple components for propulsive power in …

Comparative Analysis Of Different Classes Of On-Line State Estimators For Aerodynamics Angles And True Airspeed Sensors For Applications To The Sensor Failure Problem, Alexandra Anne Augsberger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Throughout aviation history, there have been numerous incidents due to sensor failure that have caused a range of issues from loss of control of the aircraft to crashes resulting in loss of human life. Although there are many hardware-based solutions to this problem, the threat of control hardware failure still exists. This work investigates the efficacy of implementing neural networks (NN) and Kalman filters (KF) to solve the accommodation portion of the sensor failure detection, identification, and accommodation (SFDIA) problem through on-line real-time estimation of specific aircraft dynamic parameters. The implementation of on-line estimation architectures into the aircraft flight control …

Unique Biological Applications Of Charge Transfer Dissociation Mass Spectrometry, Halle M. Edwards

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The ever-changing landscape of mass spectrometry is driven by gaps in knowledge, and one of the biggest driving forces is the desire to understand the structure and dynamics of biomolecules in living organisms. New and better methods of tandem mass spectrometry are often at the heart of technological developments. Some fragmentation methods are limited to expensive FTICR instruments, some techniques are limited multiply charged precursors, and others are limited to breaking only the weakest bonds in precursor ions; all of which support the pursuit of new activation methods. Charge transfer dissociation (CTD) addresses some of these concerns by providing structurally …

A Selected Analytical Bibliography Of Works For Saxophone By Composers Associated With The Darmstadt International Summer Courses For New Music: 1946-2021, Christopher Mark Delouis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although the saxophone is one of the most recently invented concert instruments, countless pieces of music have been written for it. This document aims to contribute to the established scholarship that examines and highlights existing saxophone repertoire, by looking specifically at composers associated with the Darmstadt International Summer Courses. Bruce Ronkin’s Londeix Guide to the Saxophone Repertoire 1844-2012 is a standard resource for the 21st century saxophonist to have. It includes some, but not all, compositions for saxophone written before 2012. By looking at this specific set of composers, with many who are alive today, this document is able to …

Evaluation Of Lidar Systems For Rock Mass Discontinuity Identification In Underground Stone Mines From 3d Point Cloud Data, Mario Alejandro Bendezu De La Cruz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goal of this thesis is to compare the accuracy and precision of the discontinuity identification results obtained by three active remote sensing technologies along with a point cloud processing program, and the results obtained by conventional methods. For this research, the active remote sensing devices were terrestrial LIDAR, mobile LiDAR with Simultaneous localization, and mapping (SLAM), and LIDAR/Camera on an autonomous UAV. The open-source point cloud data processing programs Discontinuity Set Extractor (DSE) and the Cloud Compare were used to process point cloud data.

The results of this research found that it is possible to identify certain geological structures …

The Well-Made Man: An Exploration Of George Tesman In Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, Ryan Ernst

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hedda Gabler is one of the best-known works of Realism theatre, and the character, Hedda, is a showcase of dynamic and challenging work; but her husband, George Tesman, rarely, if ever, is showcased. Here I explain why George’s character deserves more attention and actually makes for a better protagonist than Hedda. Textual analysis shows the absence of the play’s parental figures and a rubber band metaphor illustrates how all the characters are con-nected to each other. The misconceptions and subtext concerning George: a social filtering mechanism, perception of character, George’s selflessness, how he is made fun of, the heart compared …

“‘The Negro Had Been Run Over Long Enough By White Men, And It Was Time They Defend Themselves’: African-American Mutinies And The Long Emancipation, 1861-1974”, Scott F. Thompson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation analyzes racially motivated mutinies by black military servicemen from the Civil War to the Vietnam War. Resistance against white supremacy in the armed forces illustrates the commitment of generations of African Americans to a vision of freedom centered on bodily, familial, and socioeconomic autonomy. These mutinies thereby warrant the reframing of emancipation as a centuries’-long process rather than a single event confined to the 1860s. Subscribing to martial masculinity, black servicemen believed acting forcefully, and risking their lives or well-being as a result, offered the best path to earning their human rights. African-American sailors enjoyed the opportunities offered …

Pulsar Noise Processes And Emission Physics, Brent Jacob Shapiro-Albert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Precision pulsar timing can be used to study many different astrophysically interesting phenomena, from the emission mechanism of pulsars to the detection of nanohertz gravitational waves. These analyses span topics such as studying the single pulses of pulsars and analyzing years of pulsar timing data from pulsar timing arrays (PTAs). Single-pulse studies allow us to glean information on the emission physics of pulsars on their shortest timescales, while PTA observations of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) allow us to not only study the pulsars themselves, but also probe the interstellar medium (ISM) and constrain the noise in the data for precision pulsar …