Digital Commons Network^™

Ellipsis Of Arguments: Its Acquisition And Theoretical Implications, Koichi Ohtaki

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the acquisition of Argument Ellipsis (AE). In Chapter 2, I discuss two theoretical approaches to the cross-linguistic distribution/acquisition of AE, namely, the Scrambling Analysis (Oku 1998) and the Anti-agreement Analysis (Saito 2007), and show that neither can be maintained, based on the facts from cross-linguistic distribution of AE and learnability considerations. Then, I propose that the cross-linguistic distribution/acquisition of AE are best accounted for by the morphology of extended nominal projections such as case and number. More specifically, it is argued that only languages that exhibit non-fusional, agglutinating (case) morphology allow AE. This proposal correctly explains the …

Tales That Tell All: A Political Analysis Of Folktales Of Iran, Yass Alizadeh

Doctoral Dissertations

This research presents an analytical study of the rewritten folktales of Iran in 20^th century, and investigates the ideological omissions and revisions of oral tales as textual productions in modern Iran. Focusing on the problematic role of folktales as tales about the unreal and the fantastic serving a political purpose, this study traces the creative exercises of Iranian storytellers who apply ideological codes and meanings to popular folk language. The works of Mirzadeh Eshqi (1893-1924), Sadegh Hedayat (1903-1951), Samad Behrangi (1939-1968) and Bijan Mofid (1935-1984) are examples of a larger collection of creative writing in Iran that through the …

Examining Video Self-Modeling In Promoting Food Acceptance In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A School Setting, Gail M. Loughlin Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations

Children with autism spectrum disorder have a higher incident of feeding problems as compared with typical children and children with other developmental delays, with the feeding problems more often identified as learned or behavioral. Research into the effectiveness of antecedent- and consequence-based behavioral strategies continue to grow, with most research conducted within clinical settings. As educators we strive for less restrictive and empirically validated interventions within more naturalistic settings. Despite the growing body of research as to the effectiveness of video modeling to affect change across a number of areas, research using video modeling is sparse with respect to food …

Neurobehavioral Response To Increased Treatment Dosage In Chronic Aphasia, Jennifer L. Mozeiko

Doctoral Dissertations

Archival abstract submitted

On The Absence Of Tp And Its Consequences: Evidence From Korean, Jungmin Kang

Doctoral Dissertations

This thesis explores the possibility that article-less languages may lack Tense Phrase (TP) projection (cf. Bošković 2012), focusing on Korean. I argue that Korean lacks TP and that the absence of TP in Korean results in a non-phasal Complementizer Phrase (CP) in Korean. I also provide an account of temporal interpretation in Korean that does not involve TP. In Chapter 2 I adopt Chomsky’s (2008) C-T association and Takahashi’s (2011) case-valuation approach to phase heads (a combination in which the lack of TP voids the phasehood of CP), and argue that CP/vP are not phases in Korean (although they are …

Embodied Rhythm Interventions For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders (Asds), Sudha M. Srinivasan

Doctoral Dissertations

The current randomized controlled trial compared the effects of novel, embodied, rhythm interventions - music and robotic - with those of a standard-of-care, stationary, academic intervention on the social communication, behavioral, and motor skills of 36 children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) between 5 and 12 years of age. Children were matched on age, level of functioning, and services received prior to randomization. The study lasted for 10 weeks with the pretest and posttest sessions conducted during the first and last weeks of the study. Training was provided in the intermediate 8 weeks, with 2 sessions provided each week. Between-group …

Mouse Models Of Neuroanatomical, Behavioral, And Genetic Correlates Of Language-Related Impairments: An Investigation Of Core Phenotypes., Dongnhu Truong

Doctoral Dissertations

The development of the brain is an immensely complicated process that is highly regulated by numerous genetic pathways. Disruption within any stage of this operation—from proliferation, to neuronal migration, to synaptogenesis—could ultimately lead to deleterious behavioral outcomes, ranging from severe intellectual disability and gross motor developmental delays to more subtle cognitive impairments such as language disability. It is therefore no surprise that neuroanatomical anomalies resulting from of altered cortical development are associated with a number of language related neurodevelopmental disorders such as specific language impairment (SLI), dyslexia, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Over the past decade, genetic association studies have …

A New Look At Clitics, Clitic Doubling, And Argument Ellipsis: Evidence From Slavic, Jelena Runic

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the status of clitic pronouns by analyzing several morpho-syntactic and semantic phenomena, and by examining their implications. I analyze several peculiar restrictions on clitic doubling and other related cliticization phenomena in non-standard Serbian and Slovenian dialects, and explore their relevance for the general theories of clitic doubling. Additionally, I examine the availability of the full spectrum of clitic meanings in Slavic and Romance, and show that clitics in article-less Slavic languages exhibit the kind of semantic flexibility that is not found in article clitic languages (both Slavic and Romance). I then explore the implications of this finding …

Noun-Noun Compound Comprehension As Self-Organization: The Representation And Processing Dynamics Of Noun-Noun Compounds, Pyeong Whan Cho

Doctoral Dissertations

By noun-noun compound, we mean any combination of two nouns that native speakers of a language can understand. Native speakers can easily generate and understand novel, transparent compounds (e.g., mountain magazine), suggesting compositional processing. Relation-based theories of compound meaning (e.g., Levi, 1978) provide an explanation for this apparent productivity by assuming a set of semantic/thematic relations (e.g., ABOUT) that can bind two component nouns. Inspired by relation-based theories, we propose a self-organizing network model according to which (1) the meaning of a noun-noun compound M H (e.g., mountain magazine) corresponds to a tree-like constituent structure whose daughter nodes represent …

What We Thought We Knew: Intellectual Assessment Of Individuals Who Are Blind, Richard L. Sylvester Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations

Throughout the history of intellectual assessment, research involving individuals who are blind has often been scarce. Currently, there are no intellectual assessment procedures based on the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of intelligence available to individuals who are blind. CHC theory is considered to be the gold standard of intellectual assessment and many government and diagnostic policies rely upon CHC theory. The proposed research sought to extend the current reach of CHC theory to individuals who are blind by developing a new measure of tactile performance ability. The Tactile Assessment of Performance (TAP) was developed and administered to participants who were blind …

Re-Telling Old Stories: Chaucer’S Italian Poetics Of Intertextual Commentary, Leah A. Schwebel

Doctoral Dissertations

Re-telling Old Stories situates Chaucer within a classical and Italian tradition of intertextuality. By looking beyond Chaucer’s immediate textual models to how his authors are themselves using and translating literary works, I demonstrate that much of what we have attributed to Chaucer’s desire to appear erudite—particularly his frequent occlusion of his vernacular model, Boccaccio—instead shows him manipulating strategies of authorial engagement deriving from antiquity. Crucially, these strategies are not anxious responses to poetic influence, motivated by fear of similarity or, worse, inferiority, as Harold Bloom might argue. Rather, they indicate Chaucer’s playful engagement with his precursors on their own terms, …

Implications Of Species-As-Individuals: Kinds, Essentialism, Induction, De-Extinction, Mark Lowe

Doctoral Dissertations

The individuality thesis, or “species-as-individuals” (SAI), is the dominant view in philosophy of biology. Biological species are not natural kinds, but individuals. This dissertation defends SAI against recent proposals to reconceptualize species as natural kinds. I argue that, despite criticisms, the preponderance of considerations still weighs in favor of SAI. I then defend another consensus view in philosophy of biology, that species have no essential intrinsic qualitative properties (species anti-essentialism), against recent attempts to revive essentialism, and show how SAI is better suited than the view that species are natural kinds to defeat essentialism. I next develop an account of …

National Identity At The Margins Of Europe: History, Affect And Museums In Slovenia, Robert Booth

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the historical and idiographic aspects of national identity in Slovenia and brings empirical data to bear on the question of the effect of museums and their identity narratives on citizen museum attendees. Museums have often been portrayed as such sites of identity construction and as important state-making and state-maintaining institutions that educate citizens on the history and heritage of nationhood and nationality. This empirical data is coupled with ethnographic and discourse analytic approaches to demonstrate that the apprehension of identity is predicated on broader historical, socio-political, emotional, moral and economic aspects of society. This dissertation specifically engages …

Pluralism And The Absence Of Truth, Jeremy W. Wyatt

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I argue that we should be pluralists about truth and in turn, eliminativists about the property truth. Traditional deflationists were right to suspect that there is no such property as truth. Yet there is a plurality of pluralities of properties which enjoy defining features that truth would have, were it to exist. So although, in this sense, truth is plural, truth is non-existent. The resulting account of truth is indebted to deflationism as the provenance of the suspicion that truth doesn't exist. But it would be hasty to simply classify the account as deflationary. Each …

Academically Gifted University Students With Learning Differences: A Qualitative Exploration Of The Experiences And Perceptions Of Twice Exceptional University Students, Stephanie L. D'Souza

Doctoral Dissertations

Twice exceptional learners are typically defined as learners who fit the description of gifted while also meeting the parameters for a learning difference, such as learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, emotional disturbances, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, etc. These students have special social/emotional needs and special needs in education, and are at particular risk of underachievement and not meeting their full academic potential. The bulk of the previous research has focused primarily on gifted students with learning disabilities, and also has been conducted principally in primary and secondary education settings. This study examined four gifted post-secondary students with a variety of …

Social Boundaries And Cultural Identity In Costa Rica: Implications For The Well-Being Of Nicaraguan Immigrants, Marisa L. Prosser

Doctoral Dissertations

This research explores immigrant adaptation and well-being in Costa Rica where the growing number of Nicaraguan immigrants has been challenging concepts of national and personal identity among immigrants and the host population. In this context of a perceived immigration crisis, nationality has become the most frequently invoked basis for the differences in character and culture that many Costa Ricans perceive to exist between Nicaraguan immigrants and themselves. This research builds upon existing scholarship suggesting that a strong sense of identification with one’s country of origin protects against a variety of stressors faced by immigrants, particularly when it forms part of …

Integrated Academic And Social Support For Military Veteran Students: Imagining A New Horizon In Education, Gerardo Ureno

Doctoral Dissertations

Integrated Academic and Social Support for Military Veteran Students: Imagining a New Horizon in Education

Combat and war veterans are enrolling at institutions of higher education hoping to complete their academic degrees. Veteran students' changing identities from soldiers to students and their diverse academic experiences present unique and significant challenges for university support personnel hoping to assist these students in their transition to the academic community. As such, there is a need for college and university officials to better understand military veteran students' academic and social needs. The successful academic transition of this growing student population depends on the initiatives …

The Effects Of Explicit Listening Strategy Instruction On The Listening Comprehension Of English As Second Language (Esl) Community College Students, Yi Guan

Doctoral Dissertations

This mixed methods study explored the effects of explicit listening strategy instruction on the beginning-level ESL learner's listening comprehension at a community college in Northern California. Most previous studies measured the effectiveness of listening strategy instruction by comparing students' test scores, but little research explored the students' listening strategy development and their perceptions of the strategy instruction. Furthermore, no prior research exists on the effects of listening strategy instruction among community college students.

The researcher employed the concurrent triangulation approach, collecting and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously. Data sources included interviews, a listening test, background surveys, and classroom …

The Effects Of The Read 180 Program On Oral Reading Fluency, Linguistic Comprehension, And Reading Comprehension With Secondary Special Education Students, David Lyon Teja

Doctoral Dissertations

There is great concern about secondary special education students reading achievement in decoding, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension. The READ 180 Program is an evidence and scientific based reading program that includes direct instruction, computer aided instruction, and reading materials that are high interest and implement the common core. The purpose of this study was to see the differences in oral reading fluency, linguistic comprehension, and reading comprehension in a pretest posttest model over a fourteen-week testing period. Ten ninth grade secondary students who were reading below the 25th percentile were instructed with the READ 180 Program with fidelity (90 …

Effective Reading Interventions For Spanish-Speaking English Learners With Reading Disabilities, English Learners Who Struggle With Reading, Or Both: A Meta-Analysis Of Second Through Fifth Grades, David Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations

This meta-analysis synthesized research on effective instructional practices and strategies in second through fifth grade for Spanish-speaking English Learners (ELs) who have reading disabilities and English Learners who struggle with reading. The central research problem is the dearth of research addressing literacy instruction for ELs with reading disabilities, making identification of effective reading interventions difficult. The inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis resulted in 15 quasi-experimental or single-subject empirical research studies that used reading interventions to improve the reading comprehension performance of ELs. The overall average effect size for the meta-analysis, not based on homogenous studies, was 1.15. When outliers were …

Exploring The Educational Paths Of Mexicanas: Testimonios Of Academic Success, Luz Navarrette Garcia

Doctoral Dissertations

In 2014, Latina/o children comprise over 50% of the California K-12 student population. The recently changing demographics are not problematic; rather, the problems that inspired this study include a legacy of inadequate education (under-education) and the lack of support of Latina/o students throughout the P-20 educational system (preschool through graduate school). This qualitative study explores the experiences of nine Mexican American women who share at least four past experiences in common: 1) immigration to the United States from México, 2) experience learning English as a new language, 3) attainment of a baccalaureate degree, and 4) enrollment in a post-baccalaureate (graduate …

Exploring The Experiences Of Latina/Os In Graduate Health Science Programs: A Qualitative Study, Mijiza Malane Sanchez

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study conducted at a Northern California university explored how six Latino/a health science professionals navigated their academic trajectory. The six participants identify as Latino/a and shared their journeys to the health sciences. This study examined how participants utilized their community cultural wealth to navigate the complexities of campus climate during their pursuit of a graduate or professional degree in the health sciences. Research data included narratives from in-depth interviews with the six participants and a focus group.

The key findings of this study illustrate the profound significance of mentorship in the pursuit of health science careers. This study …

Ready To Write: Exploring The Student Perspective On The Transition To College, Julie Sullivan

Doctoral Dissertations

Written communication is a cornerstone of college and career success, yet many students arrive at college underprepared for the writing demands of the academic discourse community. The potential reasons for the perceived gap in writing ability point to the ongoing challenges of education in the United States. As the population pursuing college degrees becomes more diverse, expectations differ between high school and college, equity in education issues persist and standardization focuses on academic skills, overlooking the potential role that nonacademic or "soft" skills play in student success. When decisions are made to address these concerns, the student perspective is frequently …

Rehearsal And Enactment For Teaching In Urban School Settings: A Qualitative Study Investigating The Connections Between A Math Methods Course And Fieldwork, Rajeev Virmani

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I studied teacher education reform efforts aimed at improving the preparation of preservice teachers through the use of rehearsals in a math methods class. As many experts in the field of teacher education call for curricula in which preservice teachers learn from and in practice, I investigated a type of pedagogy called rehearsals within a practice-based teacher education setting that may afford preservice teachers with the initial preparation needed to become effective teachers.

In this qualitative study, I examined how three preservice teachers and math methods instructors rehearse the high leverage practice of leading a whole-class discussion. …

Assessing Student Learning With Technology: A Descriptive Study Of Technology-Using Teacher Practice And Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Tpack), Lara Elaine Ervin-Kassab

Doctoral Dissertations

In 2013, a majority of states in the US had adopted Common Core State Standards under the Race to the Top initiative. With this adoption came the opportunity to utilize computer-delivered and computer-adaptive testing. Although the computer-based assessments were intended to assist teachers in designing classroom assessments and using student data to inform instructional practice, teacher-reported data indicated that the areas in which teachers are most unprepared, lack confidence, or are in need of development were assessment (DeLuca, 2012; Wayman et al., 2007) and technology (Brush & Saye, 2009; Kramarski & Michalsky, 2010).

The Technology Assessment Practices Survey (TAPS) study …

Teachers Adapting Common Core Informational-Text Writing Instruction For Students With Mild To Moderate Disabilities, Diana Hawley

Doctoral Dissertations

With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards, students must now become skilled at using different types of writing to help them critique text and process information. They also are required to write informational text. Informational-text writing is challenging for students with mild to moderate disabilities, including students with language-learning disabilities, who often struggle with aspects of language necessary for learning to read and write. These students show striking challenges with productivity, grammatical and spelling accuracy, and sentence complexity, with differences in performance by genre (Koutsoftas & Gray, 2012; Scott & Windsor, 2000; Troia, Lin, Cohen, & Monroe, 2011). …

Logic And Grammar In Child Language: How Children Acquire The Semantics Of Polarity Sensitivity, Lyn Tieu

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the acquisition of a phenomenon that lies at the interface of logic and grammar. Polarity-sensitive items (PSIs), including negative polarity items (NPIs) such as English any, are often characterized by their restricted distribution, and analyzed in terms of their licensing condition (compare John doesn’t have any books, where any is licensed by negation, with the unlicensed *John has any books). Any moreover oscillates between NPI uses and so-called ‘free choice’ uses (John may choose any book). While a small handful of previous acquisition studies on English any have targeted children’s knowledge …

Toward A Naturalistic Solution To The Moral Problem, David J. Lambie

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of my dissertation is to work toward providing a naturalistic solution to the moral problem. The moral problem arises because moral claims appear to be objectively true and have an essential act-guiding nature. The first chapter of my dissertation lays out some of the main views that have been held concerning the connection between moral judgments and moral motivation. The rest of the dissertation consists of two main projects. The first involves arguing that Michael Smith’s solution to the moral problem is implausible. In chapter two I draw upon pre-existing work as well as my own original contributions …

Empirical Examination Of Caregiver Empowerment, Appraisal, And Depressive Symptoms Among Adult Siblings Of Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Mamta Saxena

Doctoral Dissertations

Today, 72% of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) in the United States live with a caregiver (Braddock & Rizzolo, 2013). In many families, siblings of individuals with IDDs are the default long-term care providers (Heller et al., 2008). Despite the fact that research has begun to recognize and explore the roles of family members in care, little is known about sibling support providers (SSPs). Exploration and confirmation of the caregiving processes and outcomes of siblings can have implications for policy, research, and practice. The purpose of this study was to examine a conceptual model of caregiving processes and …

Gifted Students’ Perceptions Of The Influence Of A Gifted Middle School Program On The Development Of Their Achievement Orientation, Micah N. Bruce-Davis

Doctoral Dissertations

In social cognitive theory, the development of self-perceptions is a complex process involving personality and environment. While educators may have little influence on students’ personality traits, they can attend to environmental components that support the development of positive self-perceptions. Developing positive self-perceptions has been identified as a key precursor to developing achievement behaviors. Achievement orientations are viewed as positive learning orientations with students focused on learning new material in comparison to a standard of excellence. Motivational variables such as achievement goals, self-efficacy beliefs, and intelligence beliefs have been connected to the development of an achievement orientation. These motivational variables have …