Digital Commons Network^™

Faculty Adoption And Integration Of Technology At East Tennessee State University., Tammy L. Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the demographic characteristics of faculty related to (1) faculty integration of technology, (2) the utilization of technological tools, (3) and the knowledge of computers and information technology of full-time faculty members at East Tennessee State University.

Four hundred forty-three full-time faculty from East Tennessee State University were surveyed. The total mailed and e-mailed returned responses for this study were 205. Eighteen hypotheses generated from 3 research questions were tested using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, Analysis of Variance, Two-Way Analysis of Variance, and Multiple Regression Analysis.

This study showed that full-time faculty …

Designing Without Boundaries., Mickey Glover

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis was written as a supporting paper for a graphic design exhibit for a Master of Fine Arts Degree. The focus of my design is the creation of successful pieces of expressive graphic design that defy many traditional or formal rules of design.

This thesis begins with a brief explanation of my methods and what I feel makes for good expressive design. These include a heavy reliance upon intuition, the necessity of traditional design education, historical and contemporary influences. I then characterize my motivations and methods of creating graphic design. Followed by the relation of my work to historical …

Towards A Taxonomy Of Aspect-Oriented Programming., Mario Bernard Hankerson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As programs continue to increase in size, it has become increasingly difficult to separate concerns into well localized modules, which leads to code tangling- crosscutting code spread throughout several modules. Thus, Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) offers a solution to creating modules with little or no crosscutting concerns. AOP presents the notion of aspects, and demonstrates how crosscutting concerns can be taken out of modules and placed into a centralized location.

In this paper, a taxonomy of aspect-oriented programming, as well as a basic overview and introduction of AOP, will be presented in order to assist future researchers in getting started on …

Factors That Predict Student Performance In Dual Credit Courses In Kentucky Community And Technical Colleges., Nicholas L. Brake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research addresses the problem of productivity in the P-16 system of education, emphasizing the repetition of the senior year of high school with the first year of postsecondary education. This study analyzes this integration through dual credit courses in the context of both P-12 and higher education reform in Kentucky. An analysis of these factors is critical in light of the deregulation of dual credit in Kentucky since 2000 and the increased enrollment of high school students in college courses both nationally and in Kentucky. Dual credit courses in Kentucky community and technical colleges are evaluated based on the …

An Exploration Of The Influence Of Demographic Factors On Individual And Aggregate Student Achievement Measurements In The Kentucky Accountability System., Beverly Lee Derrington Moore 1938-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the progress of standards-based accountability in eliminating the effects of student background and school composition factors on student achievement and school performance in a large, urban district in Kentucky. The factors included gender, socioeconomic status (SES), ethnicity, mobility, family structure, giftedness, and disability. The school composition variables were the percentages of those factors in the school populations. Each grade and level--elementary, middle, and high school--was analyzed by multiple regression. At the student level, SES, giftedness, and disability predicted 15 to 36% of the variance in scores. SES, family structure, and mobility rate accounted for 56 to 91% …

A Historical Review And Financial Analysis Of Higher Education Funding In Tennessee., Claire Sauls Stinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This was a study of the development of an objective funding method for public higher education institutions in Tennessee. The review covers the history of higher education funding from the early 1800s through the beginning of the twenty-first century with emphasis on the early 1960s through the year 2000. The study describes and analyzes the efforts made in Tennessee to provide adequate and equitable funding to public higher education institutions.

Minutes of meetings of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, reports on studies commissioned by state officials, accountability reports prepared by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the Tennessee Board of Regents …

Towards A Connection Between Linear Embedding And The Poincaré Functional Equation., Tara Marie Michels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Several linear embeddings of the logistic equation, x_n+1=ax_n(1-x_n) are considered, the goal being to establish a connection between linear embedding and the Poincaré Functional Equation. In particular, we consider linear embedding schemes in a classical Hardy space.

Survey Of Health Effects Among Residents Adjacent To A National Priority List Site In Ssouthwest Virginia., Danette Haywood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Saltville Waste Disposal Site is a National Priority List site used during the 77- year operation (1895–1972) of an electrolytic chlorine and caustic soda plant. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine disease prevalence among Saltville Medical Center (SMC) patients. Diseases associated with chronic exposures to mercury, arsenic, and lead were reviewed in patient records and these data were analyzed. Ratios of illness observed at the SMC were compared to health studies of similar environmental exposures and disease prevalence among residents of neighboring communities. Prevalence ratios were calculated for residents and non-residents of Saltville who were SMC patients. Saltville …

Spectroscopic Examination Of The Catalytic Decomposition Of Hydrogen Peroxide By A Copper (Ii) Complex Of A Dissymmetric Schiff Base And An Imidazole Derivative., John D. Davis Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies involving copper (II) complexed with a dissymmetric Schiff base and imidazole derivatives had identified catalase activity of these complexes towards H₂O₂. Reactions such as this are of great interest due to the important role of copper-based complexes in biological systems. Our research has been conducted to add to the base of knowledge regarding the efforts of other researchers to investigate copper complexes that exhibit similar reactivity as copper-based proteins towards dioxygen. The copper complex chosen for this study contained a tri-dentate Schiff base adduct which, when complexed with an imidazole derivative, limited the manner …

Gender, Spatial Learning Trials, And Object Recall., Tifani R. Hite

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous researchers have reported women doing better than men in object recall. The current study tested for gender differences in object recall over three memorization trials using gender neutral stimuli. Fifty men and 53 women viewed pictures of 60 objects (15 in each of four quadrants) for one minute, and then had three minutes to recall as many objects and locations as they could. This procedure was followed over three trials. Women performed better than men, and the difference increased across trials. Training was successful as participants recalled significantly more objects and locations on trial 3 than on trial 1. …

Placing Monitoring Devices In Electric Power Networks Modeled By Block Graphs., David Wayne Atkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of monitoring an electric power system by placing as few measurement devices in the system as possible is closely related to the well known vertex covering and dominating set problems in graph theory. A set S of vertices is defined to be a power dominating set of a graphs if every vertex and every edge in the system is monitored by the set S (following a set of rules for power system monitoring). The minimum cardinality of a power dominating set of a graph is its power domination number. In this thesis, we investigate the power domination number …

Winning An Independence Achievement Game., Mark C. Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The game "Generalized Kayles (or Independence Achievement)" is played by two players A and B on an arbitrary graph G. The players alternate removing a vertex and its neighbors from G, the winner being the last player with a nonempty set from which to choose. In this thesis, we present winning strategies for some paths.

Synthesis Of Chiral Surfactants For Enantioselective Organic Synthesis., Kalyan Mondal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first step of the synthesis of the hydrocarbon-based chiral surfactant (2) involved the methylation of (S)-leucinol to give (2S)-N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethyl-(1-hydroxy-4-methyl-1-pentyl)-2-ammonium bromide (2.92g, 67%). The chiral surfactant was synthesized by reacting (2S)-N,N-dimethyl-2-amino-4-methyl-1-pentanol (1) with bromohexadecane (2.06g, 71%). The functionalized styrene for the polymer supported chiral catalyst (6) was synthesized by reacting (1) with 4-vinylbenzyl chloride. The polymerization was carried out with 10% of the functionalized monomer (5) (1.26g, 70.2%), 5% cross-linking agent divinylbenzene, and 85% of styrene with AIBN as the initiator. The structure of each of the products was confirmed by using FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. The activity of the …

One Bug, Two Drugs : A Mathematical Model Of Resistance Dynamics In The Icu., Susan L. Calcote White 1971-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotic resistance is a problem causing growing concern in the medical community, leading some to speculate that a return to the preantibiotic era is imminent. The problem of antibiotic resistance is particularly significant in the intensive care unit (ICU), due to the weakened immune responses of the patients and quantity of antibiotics administered. One theory proposes that the policy of cycling, or rotating, the antibiotics used in the ICU may minimize the development of resistance. Few clinical trials investigating the effects of cycling have been conducted, and many questions concerning the impact of cycling policies are unanswered at this point. …

The Influence Of Teachers' Efficacy And Beliefs On Mathematics Instruction In The Early Childhood Classroom., Elizabeth Todd Brown 1948-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation was a correlational study conducted with a population of pre-k educators from a large Midwestern, metropolitan school district. The purpose was to examine if relations existed among early childhood teachers' sense of self efficacy, their beliefs about the importance of mathematics and teachers' mathematics instructional practices. There is strong reason to believe that teachers' mathematics beliefs and conceptions about the subject matter and its teaching play a vital role in their effectiveness as mediators between the subject and the learner. Examining teachers' efficacy and beliefs can inform educational practice and differentiate between successful and less successful instructional practices …

Application Adaptive Bandwidth Management Using Real-Time Network Monitoring., Amit Grover

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Application adaptive bandwidth management is a strategy for ensuring secure and reliable network operation in the presence of undesirable applications competing for a network’s crucial bandwidth, covert channels of communication via non-standard traffic on well-known ports, and coordinated Denial of Service attacks. The study undertaken here explored the classification, analysis and management of the network traffic on the basis of ports and protocols used, type of applications, traffic direction and flow rates on the East Tennessee State University’s campus-wide network. Bandwidth measurements over a nine-month period indicated bandwidth abuse of less than 0.0001% of total network bandwidth. The conclusion suggests …

A Study Of The Perceptions Of Female Displaced Workers In A Community College Regarding Their Educational Expectations And Barriers To Their Achievement., Pashia H. Hogan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adult women enter or reenter college for a variety of reasons, one of which is because of the loss of a job and the need to retrain for reentry into the workforce. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the actual experiences of female displaced workers entering community college, as compared with their initial expectations as adult learners. Data were collected through interviews with 23 displaced workers age 25 or older who were either enrolled in or had graduated from an associate of applied science degree program at Northeast State Technical Community.

Interview transcripts were analyzed using Glaser …

Faculty Adoption Of Computer Technology For Instruction In The North Carolina Community College System., Karen Hill Less

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computer technology has become an integral part of instruction at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. Some instructors have enthusiastically adopted technological innovations in their classrooms, often expending their own funds for hardware and software, while others have resisted the trend, citing a myriad of reasons for not including computer technology. Significant research on the adoption of innovations has been undertaken by Everett M. Rogers, who identified individuals on a continuum from Innovator to Laggard. Rogers’ research was used as a basis to classify full-time faculty teaching in degree programs in the North Carolina Community College System and to compare …

A Re-Evaluation Of The Us Epa Radon Risk Categorization For Unicoi County, Tennessee., William Grant Parsons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective risk communication is based on appropriate risk characterization. A reevaluation of the 1987 US EPA radon risk categorization of Unicoi County Tennessee was conducted using in-home radon concentrations, determined in a long-term monitoring study. Radon concentrations were measured in 69 homes using Electret Passive Environmental Radon Monitors (E-PERM’s), following standard methods. Radon concentrations determined in this study (avg. 4.03 ± 3.04) were significantly higher than those measured in the USEPA study (avg. 1.96 ± 1.08). Using this study’s data, the risk categorization was recalculated with the US EPA Radon Index Matrix Model. The model re-categorized Unicoi County from a …

Categorizing Non-Functional Requirements Using A Hierarchy In Uml., James David Moody

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Non-functional requirements (NFRs) are a subset of requirements, the means by which software system developers and clients communicate about the functionality of the system to be built. This paper has three main parts: first, an overview of how non-functional requirements relate to software engineering is given, along with a survey of NFRs in the software engineering literature. Second, a collection of 161 NFRs is diagrammed using the Unified Modelling Language, forming a tool with which developers may more easily identify and write additional NFRs. Third, a lesson plan is presented, a learning module intended for an undergraduate software engineering curriculum. …

Factors In The Design And Development Of A Data Warehouse For Academic Data., Margaret C. Lester

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Data warehousing is a relatively new field in the realm of information technology, and current research centers primarily around data warehousing in business environments. As new as the field is in these environments, only recently have educational institutions begun to embark on data warehousing projects, and little research has been done regarding the special considerations and characteristics of academic data, and the complexity of analyzing such data. Educational institutions measure success very differently from business-oriented organizations, and the analyses that are meaningful in such environments pose very unique and intricate problems in data warehousing. This research describes the process of …

Bounds On Total Domination Subdivision Numbers., Lora Shuler Hopkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The domination subdivision number of a graph is the minimum number of edges that must be subdivided in order to increase the domination number of the graph. Likewise, the total domination subdivision number is the minimum number of edges that must be subdivided in order to increase the total domination number. First, this thesis provides a complete survey of established bounds on the domination subdivision number and the total domination subdivision number. Then in Chapter 4, new results regarding bounds on the total domination subdivision number are given. Finally, a characterization of the total domination subdivision number of caterpillars is …

Retention And Motivation Of Veteran Teachers., Edith Anderson Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The workforce in the United States is aging. Teachers, like all other workers in the country, are also aging. The veteran teachers in our nation's public schools possess wisdom gained through their on-the-job experience. With looming teacher shortages in our public schools, it is imperative that we retain this wisdom. Administrators, school boards, and the community have an obligation to tap this wisdom for the benefit of children. This study was conducted, therefore, with the purpose of learning how to do that.

The data were collected through the process of one-on-one interviews with 21 veteran teachers in Knox County, Tennessee. …

Comparisons Of Reading Scores In Two Tennessee Elementary Schools Between Students Receiving And Not Receiving Specialized Training In Phonemic Awareness., Raymond Lee Hatfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phonemic awareness has been identified as an essential precursor to reading. Many children suffer from a condition called central auditory processing disorder. Students suffering from this disorder have difficulty distinguishing between phonemes. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness for developing phonemic awareness skills in early readers by using a computer program designed to enhance the phonemic awareness skills of students. During the 2001-2002 school year, students located at two Kingsport elementary schools were administered the Brigance Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills pretest and posttest. Based on the results of the pretest and posttest data, it was determined that …

Collaboration Between Art Teachers And School Counselors Of The Johnson City Elementary Schools To Assist At-Risk Students: An Art Experiences Model., Caroline Dover Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Art has been used for centuries as a healing tool for adults and children; however, the use of art therapy in schools is a recent development. Art therapy, encompassing art, psychology, and therapy, is by nature interdisciplinary. Art experiences provided to students at risk of failing or dropping out of school may offer non-verbal communication that can be used effectively to satisfy a variety of developmental, social, or emotional needs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a curriculum-based art experiences model, combining the skills of art teachers and school counselors. Data were collected through a focus group …

Parameter Estimation For A Modified Cable Model Using A Green's Function And Eigenvalue Perturbation., Scott Lewis La Voie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis we developed the Green's Function for a tapered equivalent cylinder model of dendritic electrical propagation. We then use the Green's Function to develop a Carleman linear embedding scheme which is used to estimate the effects of a nonlinear ion channel hot-spot on the tapered cylinder solution. Mathematica^© was used to implement the Carleman embedding scheme.

The Curricular Practices Of Early Childhood Teachers Working In Public Sschool Primary Grades., Elizabeth Ely Brading

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the curricular practices or thinking of early childhood teachers attempting to use developmentally appropriate practices in public school primary grades. The purpose of this study was to investigate four primary grade teachers' thoughts and classroom practices, through observation, interviews, and classroom schedules. Data were analyzed following the procedures for open, axial, and selective coding as explained by Strauss (1987). All four teachers exhibited common elements: educational beliefs consistent with those of the National Association for the Education of Young Children; frustration with their school's curriculum; and the combination of a rich pattern of guidance strategies in …

Fire, Soil, Native Species And Control Of Phalaris Arundinacea In A Wetland Recovery Project., Richard Douglas Foster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Southern Appalachian Phalaris arundinacea control was investigated by: 1) correlating cover and species richness with soil characteristics across transects; 2) burning and herbicide use to determine conditions facilitating native plant establishment; and 3) hemi-parasitic Pedicularis lanceolata tested as a biological control.

Phalaris cover was correlated with subsoil consolidation; areas without Phalaris had consolidated subsoil while Phalaris at >50% cover established on loose soil. Phalaris cover inhibited species richness (r²=0.78). No soil characteristic predicted species richness.

Herbicide reduced Phalaris cover and aerial biomass by 23% and 63% respectively, compared to controls. Burning was ineffective. Two summers after herbicide Phalaris …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Integrated Learning System Use On Mathematics Achievement Of Elementary Students., Vicki Carpenter Kirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between time spent on an integrated learning system (ILS) entitled, SuccessMaker^®, as a supplement to traditional mathematics instruction on achievement as measured by standardized achievement tests of elementary students. The variables of grade-level, ability level, and gender were also considered. The population consisted of students who were second-, third-, and fourth-graders during the 1997-98 school year. Data were gathered that covered the three-year period beginning in 1997 and ending in 2000. The final sample consisted of 348 students who participated in Computer Curriculum Corporation^© mathematics instruction and …

Extensions To Opengl For Cagd., Chunyan Ye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many computer graphic API’s, including OpenGL, emphasize modeling with rectangular patches, which are especially useful in Computer Aided Geomeric Design (CAGD). However, not all shapes are rectangular; some are triangular or more complex. This paper extends the OpenGL library to support the modeling of triangular patches, Coons patches, and Box-splines patches. Compared with the triangular patch created from degenerate rectangular Bezier patch with the existing functions provided by OpenGL, the triangular Bezier patches can be used in certain design situations and allow designers to achieve high-quality results that are less CPU intense and require less storage space. The addition of …