Digital Commons Network^™

Emergent Geographies In Green Energy, Sean Tierney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A consensus on climate change is spurring an energy transition, but the geography of this transition is uneven and this paper evaluates the energy landscape globally, in the United States and in Colorado. Developed countries have taken the lead in installations and of next generation energy technology ownership. Green electricity has still not achieved parity with fossil fuels, which puts their adoption in the hands of policy makers who are trying to spur innovation with minimal financial disruption. Yet the future of green electricity is in question due to weak and fragmented policy regimes, but also because of inadequate R&D …

The Implementation Of Restorative Justice In Iceland: A Comparison Of Police- And Expert-Led Conferencing, Hafsteinn Gunnar Hafsteinsson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On first of October 2006 the Ministry of Justice in Iceland launch a restorative justice pilot project. Building on the pilot project data, this thesis evaluates the implementation of restorative justice into the criminal justice system in Iceland by asking victims, offenders and other participants in police- and expert-led conferencing to answer questionnaires' relating to these two types of restorative justice practices to crime. The thesis compares its results with findings from a review conducted by Paul McCold (1998) who more than a decade ago challenged concerns on police facilitated conferencing. The data examined in the present thesis support Paul …

An Investigation Of The Role Of Aquatic Plants In The Cycling Of Phosphorus And Nitrogen In Murphy's Bottom Lake, Armstrong County, Pa, Melanie Ann Mathews

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objectives established for the Murphy's Bottom Ecological Project are to obtain baseline biological inventories and establish a Master Plan for reclamation of the 100 acre site located in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. Reclamation plans include connecting the 20+ acre Lake, formed by sand and gravel removal, to the Allegheny River to form a backwater wetlands. This study produced a macrophyte species list, mapped the macrophyte community and determined water and plant phosphorus concentrations and water nitrogen concentrations. Replicable laboratory methods for the analysis of these nutrient concentrations were adapted from established molybdenum blue, Nitrate Electrode and HACH Cadmium Reduction Methods. …

Food And Social Life In Puglia: A Comparison Family Food Worlds In Northern And Southern Italy, Jennifer Lawer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the role of food in northern and southern Italian culture. My goal is to point out the cultural differences between northern and southern Italy through the lens of food. This thesis also explains the geographical, historical and economic factors that have shaped modern Italian family food worlds. Finally, the research examines the effect of European Union food policy in Italy. It specifically focuses on whether or not the traditions of food production and consumption habits in northern and southern Italy are altered by European Union policies.

Virtual Hood: Exploring The Hip-Hop Culture Experience In A British Online Community., Natalia Cherjovsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this fast-paced, globalized world, certain online sites represent a hybrid personal-public sphere'where like-minded people commune regardless of physical distance, time difference, or lack of synchronicity. Sites that feature chat rooms and forums can offer a deep-rooted sense of community and facilitate the forging of relationships and cultivation of ideologies. This dissertation investigates whether this trend is relevant to web sites concerning hip-hop. This genre is arguably one of the most pervasive and influential global cultural forms, yet it is markedly different from most other forms of globalized culture because it emerged within and is still embedded in a distinct …

For Home And Country Confederate Nationalism In Western North Carolina, Hunter D. Shaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines Confederate nationalism in Western North Carolina during the Civil War. Using secondary sources, newspapers, civilian, and soldiers‟ letters, this study will show that most Appalachians demonstrated a strong loyalty to their new Confederate nation. However, while a majority Appalachian Confederates maintained a strong Confederate nationalism throughout the war; many Western North Carolinians were not loyal to the Confederacy. Critically analyzing Confederate nationalism in Western North Carolina will show that conceptions of loyalty and disloyalty are not absolute, in other words, Appalachia was not purely loyal or disloyal.

Death And Disengagement: A Critical Analysis Of The International Community's Intervention Effort In Darfur, Victor Hodges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to analyze the international community's conflict management capabilities through its response to the Darfur crisis. Primarily, it aims to show through the lens of the Darfur crisis, which is widely accepted as the first genocide of the twenty-first century, that the international community has yet to develop a framework to collectively intervene in and resolve crimes against humanity. Additionally, this thesis will show the international community's recognition of their shortcomings through the gradual transformation of policies undertaken by several of its leading entities in response to the crisis. The research will pinpoint several major factors behind the …

Evaluation Of Stream Assessment Protocols For The Evaluation Of Habitat In Intermittent Headwater Streams, Eric Rasmussen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

EPA and state water resource agencies are now placing greater emphasis on monitoring and managing headwater streams. Two EPA stream protocols are available for headwater stream assessment but little effort has been made to compare these two methods or their resulting habitat quality index scores. The objectives of this effort were to 1) compare data types of the two protocols; 2) compare how the two protocols assess intermittent streams using habitat quality index (HQI) scores; and 3) compare stream characteristic emphases (geomorphology, riparia, substrate, in-stream cover for biota and hydrology) between the two protocols and their effect on overall HQI …

United States Land Cover Land Use Change, Albedo And Radiative Forcing: Past And Potential Climate Implications, Christopher A. Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Land Cover Land Use (LCLU) change affects Earth surface properties including albedo that impose a radiative forcing on the climate. Recent spatially explicit satellite derived contemporary LCLU, albedo, and projected LCLU data are used to study the impact of LCLU change from 1973 to 2000, and from 2000 to 2050, on albedo and surface radiative forcing for the conterminous United States. Four research hypotheses concerned with past and potential future climate implications of LCLU change are addressed. The research described in this dissertation makes an important contribution to advancing understanding of the role of LCLU change on the climate system, …

An Analysis Of Daily Newspapers In Mississippi That Charge For Online Content, David Hopper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines seven daily newspapers in Mississippi that charge for content on their websites. The papers analyzed include the Vicksburg Post, Greenwood Commonwealth, Columbus Dispatch, Starkville Daily News, Daily Times Leader, Herald and Oxford Eagle. The thesis discusses the pay models used by each paper's website, the reasons for switching to a pay site from a free site and the results received thus far. Numbers include the number of online subscribers and the number of hits to each website. The national debate over paid versus free content is discussed. Literature on the subject is reviewed.

A Gis-Based Analysis Of Chickasaw Settlement In Northeast Mississippi : 1650-1840, Wendy Cegielski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Now Watch Me : The Black Dancing Body And Southern Identity, I'Nasah Kiam Crockett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Men's And Women's Sports Media Coverage In The Southeastern Conference, Reather Elizabeth Holbert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

He Will Laugh, Samuel Douglas Ray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Discovering The Healthcare Beliefs And Practices Of Rural Mestizo Ecuadorians: An Ethnonursing Study, Julie A. Moss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose

This qualitative ethnonursing study was to discover and understand the role of the nurse, healthcare beliefs and practices of rural mestizo Ecuadorians. Discovering these beliefs and practices will enable nurses and other healthcare workers to provide care that is acceptable, congruent in culture and health promoting.

Background

The current literature regarding Ecuadorian health practices has been limited to the study of indigenous Americo-Indian groups living in Ecuador. No studies have been conducted in the mestizo rural setting.

Research Design

An ethnonursing method developed by Leininger was used to guide this study which took place in Tosagua, Ecuador.

Conclusions and …

Harmony In Time: Memory, Consciousness, And Expectation In Beethoven's Waldstein Sonata, Op. 53, Andrew S. Powell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Harmonic expectations in Western tonal music are formed throughout an individual's lifetime, created by the encounter of commonly recurring patterns of relationships of chords within music. The recognition and identification of these patterns, particularly when the anticipated patterns are denied, are expressed on a conscious level. Although identified and articulated from the conscious experience, a listener's attention may not be actively engaged in harmonic processing; moreover, the identification of deviations may arise from nonconscious processing of harmonic events. This paper identifies the processes in formulating and expressing harmonic expectation and its subsequent denial, as well as the nonconscious processing which …

Glory Stands Beside Our Grief: The Maryland United Daughters Of The Confederacy And The Assertion Of Their Identity, Amanda Mae Myers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project analyzes the position of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Maryland Division as a Lost Cause organization in a border state, and argues how the women sought respect from the national UDC chapter and divisions of former Confederate states. Women of the Maryland UDC believed strongly in their wartime support for the Confederacy and their identity as southerners; yet, they struggled for an equal voice within a national association predicated on the values of the Lost Cause and having been from a state that had not seceded. Southern sympathizing discourse among Maryland UDC women had to be reaffirmed …

A Blueprint For Planning And Designing Staged-Authentic Heritage Attractions In Small Island Nations, Earney F. Lasten

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this largely qualitative study was to develop a blueprint for planning and designing a staged-authentic heritage tourist attraction for small island nations. Data were gathered and analyzed in three phases. In Phase I, existing and potential supply, demand, and external variables associated with staged-authentic heritage attractions were identified, and a preliminary planning model and conceptual framework was developed. In Phase II, the model was refined. A blueprint containing seven major questions and 26 sequential steps was developed. In Phase III, the blueprint was tested using focus groups and an online tourist survey in the Caribbean region (Aruba) …

Exploring A Five Factor Mentoring Model Within Elementary Science, Joyce M. Smolik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the perceptions of several elementary science mentors and their mentees within one school district based on a fivefactor mentoring model. Utilizing a qualitative methodology in the form of a case study, five mentors and three mentees were interviewed using a structured protocol. From verbatim interview data and field notes, three themes pertaining to the role of the mentor within elementary science emerged as emotional support, technical support, and educative support. Within the five-factor mentoring model, personal attributes suggested notions of support and expert status as critical elements for effective mentoring. …

A Comparative Analysis Of Student Achievement In Florida Charter And Non-Charter Public High Schools 2007-2009, Shannon R. Sommella

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if any relationship existed between the change in developmental scale scores (DSS) on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) for reading and mathematics, in selected Florida school districts among charter and non-charter public high schools, for grades 9 and 10. This study also investigated if any relationship existed in student achievement based on student demographics (gender, economically disadvantaged, primary home language (ELL) and ethnicity), and examined if there was a difference in professional demographics of faculty (advanced degrees, teachers’ average years of teaching experience, and percent of courses taught by out of …

Adventures Of Kody A Children's Visual Storybook And Interactive Web Site, Matthew L. Walsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In order to experience unconditional love, prejudices must be exposed and overcome. People often meet others with a disability or handicap and unknowingly treat these individuals negatively. As a middle school teacher, I have often witnessed students behaving cruelly towards those that are different. When my dog became a paraplegic I was inspired to develop a project to assist young readers in the development of conscientious actions towards individuals with disabilities. This document chronicles the development, procedures, and outcomes of the process behind that artistic endeavor. The artistic elements of this thesis project are a written children's storybook and an …

Biogeography And Diversification In The Neotropics: Testing Macroevolutionary Hypotheses Using Molecular Phylogenetic Data, Juan Manuel Daza Rojas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lineage diversification in the Neotropics is an interesting topic in evolutionary biology and one of the least understood. The complexity of the region precludes generalizations regarding the historical and evolutionary processes responsible for the observed high diversity. Here, I use molecular data to infer evolutionary relationships and test hypotheses of current taxonomy, species boundaries, speciation and biogeographic history in several lineages of Neotropical snakes. I comprehensively sampled a widely distributed Neotropical colubrid snake and Middle American pitvipers and combined my data with published sequences. Within the colubrid genus Leptodeira, mitochondrial and nuclear markers revealed a phylogeograhic structure that disagrees with …

The Effectiveness Of State Certified, Graduate Degreed, And National Board Certified Teachers As Determined By Student Growth In, David Gardner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Federal, state, and local government agencies are promoting merit pay systems that are tied to student achievement. The main problem facing governments, school districts, and educators is that money is hard to come by in the current market and choosing where to spend merit pay monies to receive a maximum rate of return on the investment realized in increased student achievement is difficult to determine. This study did explore the student achievement results of third, fourth, and fifth grade state certified, graduate degreed, and National Board Certified teachers in Brevard and Seminole County Public Schools as compared to those of …

Geospatial Analysis Of Roadway Traffic Volume, Flow Simulation, And Air Pollution Impacts On Built Environment, Jessica Headrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Cyber Group Work On Esl Learners' Writing Skills, Hyeyeon Kang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Skin Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Of Collegiate Athletes, Courtney Hobbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Prospects For Change: Creating A Blended Learning Program Through A Culture Of Support, Bill Leach

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Blended learning, a combination of traditional face to face (F2f) instruction and computer-mediated communication (CMC), is a popular trend in many universities and corporate settings today. Most universities provide faculty members course management systems, such as Blackboard, Angel, and others as a way to organize and transmit course materials to students. In order to assess the pedagogical value of blended learning in a university-level first year composition (FYC) environment, it is necessary to view the environment through a critical lens and adequately train faculty in the need for and use of the features of the learning management software (LMS). The …

Understanding The Female Conceptualization Of Sexual Addiction And The Role Of Addiction Treatment, Megan Douglass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Beginning with the diagnosis of nymphomania in the 19th Century, there has been widespread and continued interest across the mental health and bio-medical realm of what constitutes normality of female sexual behavior, and of the boundary at which sexual desire is deemed to be excessive, and thus abnormal. However, research questions that specifically investigate the subjective female voice and perspective in considerations of so-called hypersexuality or sex addiction remain understudied. This research project proposes to examine the cultural pathways and systemic foundations which have historically in the West problematized female sexuality by investigating women's own perceptions of sexual addiction and …

A Realist Interpretation Of U.S.Relations With China, Xiansheng Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Realism theory provides the most powerful explanation for the state of war and the rise and fall of great powers. It expounds the important concepts and themes like national sovereignty, security, survival, interests, balance of power, balance of terror, alliance, dominance, hegemony and polarity. Realism can be classified as classical realism, structural realism and neoclassical realism. In recent years, liberalism, globalism and constructivism also have greatly influenced academics and policy-makers under the new phenomena of globalization and terrorism. This paper explores how classical realism theory has been applied to and revealed in the issue of American policy towards China. The …

Integrating Universal Design For Learning Concepts Into Secondary General Education Instructional Methods Courses, Kimberly Pawling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Because many general education teachers feel unprepared to provide students with disabilities with appropriate instruction, changes to teacher education programs are needed (Burdette, 2007; Smith et al., 2010). Teacher education programs need to integrate content regarding instructional methods for teaching and accommodating students with disabilities in secondary, general education classrooms (Burdette, 2007; Smith et al., 2010). The results of the research should provide insight (1) to determine if integrating instruction on UDL into preservice SGE students' instructional methods courses will increase students' knowledge of UDL and (2) to determine if integrating instruction on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) will affect …