Digital Commons Network^™

A Distributed-Memory Implementation Of Kiva-3 With Refinements For Large Eddy Simulation., Aytekin Gel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In spite of the tremendous advancement of computer technology within the last decade, today's grand challenge problems are still beyond the numerical simulation capability of the most state-of-the-art hardware. Fluid dynamics problems involving the prediction capability for turbulent flows represent one example for such situations. Large eddy simulation (LES) is a viable alternative to direct numerical simulation (DNS) of turbulent flows due to the fact that certain portion of the detailed small-scale information resolved in DNS is suppressed in LES technique in order to make the computational problem more tractable. However, even with LES, today's challenging problems require accurate schemes …

Selecting The Most Qualified Teacher Applicant Utilizing West Virginia Code Section 18a-4-7a., Paul E. Barcus

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of county school superintendents, county personnel directors, principals, and teachers in West Virginia who had been involved in the teacher selection process concerning the effectiveness of West Virginia State Code §18A-4-7a. More specifically, this study examined the perceived effectiveness of the second set of criteria found therein in leading to the employment of the most qualified applicant for a classroom teaching position in the public schools of West Virginia. A descriptive research design through a questionnaire was used which involved the analysis of the responses by the participants in the …

Students' Perceptions Of Teachers' Communication And Its Effects On Students' Learning., Patricia Ann Burant

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This investigation examines the perceptions that students have of teachers' argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness to determine if these trait behaviors in conjunction with a student's perceptions of their teacher's socio-communicative style (being their level of assertiveness and responsiveness) have an effect on the student-teacher relationship. In addition, this investigation attempts to create a model of teachers communicative behaviors which lead to students' feelings of learner empowerment and student learning. The findings of the study indicate that teacher responsiveness has significant positive impact on students, feelings of learner empowerment, students' reports of affective learning, and students' reports of less cognitive learning …

The Effects Of Teaching In A Professional Development School And The National Council Of Teachers Of Mathematics Professional Standards., Laora Dauberman Brizendine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics presents a vision of what necessary components should be included in teaching mathematics to support the reforms presented in the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards . The six Professional Standards offer insight, guidance, and vignettes explaining how a mathematics teacher at the K–12 levels can and should guide their students in the attainment of mathematical power. The Holmes Group, a consortium of Deans from Colleges of Education within large research universities in the United States, has as its primary goal to reform teacher education programs as well as …

The Reflective Journal: The Emotions And Consciousness States Of Poets Within A Transpersonal Writing Design., Mary Catherine Wuenstel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Reflective Journal methodology is an educational tool that was created to examine poets as they wrote poetry within a transpersonal writing design. Although language arts theory approaches have dealt primarily with the interactive and subjective nature of language through reading and writing activities, few have addressed the potential of the use of language as a vehicle for personal change through self-expression. This study attempted to investigate the psychological experiences, which may occur when poets are engaged in writing poetry and their opinions on personal change after the experience of writing. While writing, the poets in the study displayed that …

Preschool Teaching Experience And Special Education Support Systems: A Survey Of Western Pennsylvania., Stephanie Ann Sterling

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A regional descriptive study was conducted in Western Pennsylvania, throughout a five county area. Preschool teachers (N= 80, return rate 23.7%) of three and four year old children were surveyed to gain descriptive information about their preparation and training as a preschool teacher and their experience with preschool children with disabilities in their classrooms. Results indicate that most teachers have a Bachelors degree although many did not have this degree in early childhood education. It was found that almost every preschool has at least one child with disabilities enrolled in its program, but only half of the preschool teachers surveyed …

The Fernow Experimental Forest: An Analysis Of Historical Change., Jennifer Ann Mccullough

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Three sets of aerial photographs were employed to assess the historical changes within the US Forest Service (USFS) Fernow Experimental Forest in Parsons, West Virginia. The Fernow Experimental Forest was almost entirely clear-cut in the early part of the 20th century prior to its establishment in the 1930s. The USFS photographs acquired in 1956/58, 1972, and 1985 were the main source of data. The photographs were stereoscopically interpreted to identify mature forest, as well as selective cutting, clear-cutting, and areas that were regenerating following logging. The logging classes included areas of selective cutting, clear-cutting, and areas that were regenerating from …

An Analysis Of The Trends In Energy Conservation Studies Of The Iac Program., Nithya Sundararajan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Small and medium-sized manufacturing plants (those with fewer than 500 employees) represent more than 98 percent of the more than 374,000 establishments in the U.S. manufacturing industry, 64 percent of employees in the total manufacturing labor force, and more than 42 percent of total manufacturing energy consumption. In 1976 the federal government started funding industrial energy audits for small and medium sized manufacturing firms under the auspices of the Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) that are spread throughout the U.S. The data collected from the hundreds of energy audits that are conducted each year is collected in a database maintained by …

Texpert: Expert System For Evaluating Product Design For Worker's Safety And Health., Vikram V. Venneti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Today, there is an increasing emphasis on the safety and health of a worker. Optimum resources are invested to ensure worker's safety. Most of the regulations, and other measures as suggested by NIOSH, OSHA and other leading safety organizations concentrate towards the steps that a worker needs to take to use a product safely. Instead, if the product itself is designed to be safe, and if the manufacturer of the product knows about the product's safety before usage, it would reduce a great deal of wastage of resources. This research is an attempt to implement the above ideology. The objective …

The Effects Of Verbal Aggression Involving Father/Son Dyad On Compliance-Gaining And Affect., Michael Charles Germano

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study examined the relationship between father and son when the father employed verbally aggressive strategies. Further, this study examined the level of affect that the son would have toward their father when such strategies were employed. Finally, this study was designed to examine the compliance level of sons toward their father when verbal aggression was present in their relationship. This study included 162 participants from a large Mid-Atlantic University. The results showed that fathers will gain less compliance from their college-aged sons using verbally aggressive messages. Furthermore, sons will not have a positive affect towards their father when verbal …

Backcalculation Of Pavement Layers Moduli Using Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Explicit Finite Element Analysis., Gergis W. William

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

After reviewing the existing literature on FWD testing and backcalculation algorithms, a new backcalculation approach based on Three Dimensional Finite Element Modeling (3D FEM) was developed. This approach accounts for the transient dynamic nature of FWD load, the three dimensional geometry of the pavement structure, and the friction and bonding characteristics of pavement layers interfaces. The 3D FEM backcalculation approach was used to backcalculate the layers moduli of flexible, rigid, and composite pavement sites located in West Virginia. The layers moduli of each site were also evaluated using three widely used backcalculation algorithms: MODULUS, EVERCALC, and MODCOMP. Comparison of their …

Compliance-Gaining In The Classroom: The Effects Of The Use Of Behavior Alteration Techniques And Power., Randall P. Gonyea

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the relationship between teachers’ use of behavior alteration techniques and power, and students’ compliance. Participants rated their teachers’ BATs (pro-social or anti-social) and power (coercive, reward, legitimate, referent, or expert), along with their degree of compliance to specific teacher requests. After dividing the teachers into two groups (pro-social BATs and expert or referent power, or all other combinations), an ANCOVA was run to test the relationship between the two groups and student compliance. Contrary to the hypothesis, the groups were not found to differ on their compliance. This finding was mainly due to the co-variates (teacher nonverbal …

An Examination Of An Interpersonal Dominance Construct., John Griffin Cole

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the validity and reliability of an interactional measure of Interpersonal Dominance. The study employed surveys from 202 college students, and examined self-report data with regards to two temperament measures (the Eysenck Personality Inventory and the Five-Factor Model of Personality), several trait communication variables (Socio-Communicative Orientation, Communication Apprehension, Self-Report of Immediacy, Shyness, and Verbal Aggression), and the interactional measure of Interpersonal Dominance as advanced by Burgoon, Johnson, and Koch (1998). The study determined that the Interpersonal Dominance measure advanced by Burgoon et al. may in fact be measuring trait communication variables, and not necessarily interaction. This study also …

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance And Electron Nuclear Double Resonance Study Of Niobium(5+) Hole Center In Cadmium Tungstate., Catalina I. Dorin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR ) and electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) techniques have been used to characterize the Nb5+ hole center in CdWO4 In this center , a hole in trapped on an oxygen ion adjacent to a Nb5+ ion substituting for a W6+ Hyperfine and nuclear quadrupole interactions associated with the niobium nucleus (100% abundant, I = 9/2) dominate the EPR spectra. The measured g matrix confirms that Nb5+hole center is indeed a holelike defect. The ENDOR results provided a direct measure of the gNβN value for the nucleus responsible for the hyperfine, and served to confirm that a …

Uneven Development Of Nature: An Historical Geography Of Ohiopyle State Park., Richard James Hoch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines the use of nature in the uneven development of Ohiopyle State Park, located sixty miles to the southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The production of this park resulted from a complex system of socio-spatial relationships that existed between Ohiopyle and Pittsburgh during the city's industrialization. The thesis has two objectives: (1) to demonstrate that the park is a space of produced nature, resulting from decades of human activity; and (2) to illustrate the various ways in which the production of this park is an extension of the production of the Pittsburgh industrial space. The thesis addresses these objectives …

An Analysis Of Science- And Technology-Related Health Assistance Provided To Lesser Developed Nations From 1985 To 1995., Robin C. Spitznogle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The problem of this research was to analyze science- and technology-related health assistance provided to Third World nations between 1985 and 1995 by four donor agencies: Ford and Rockefeller Foundations, USAID, and World Bank. The research examined health assistance in terms of (1) the number and value of projects by region, sub-region, and country; (2) the amount of assistance provided by individual donor agencies; (3) the types of projects initiated; and (4) the impact that these projects had on 8 health-related and 1 economic-related indicator in selected countries. A total of 610 health projects, valued at $1.6 billion, were identified. …

"No Matter Where You Go, There You Are" But How Do We Find You? Location Determination Technologies For Cellular Enhanced 9-1-1 Service., Wendy Sue Geary

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recently there has been an explosive growth in the use of cellular telephones. Many people purchase "cell phones" specifically for the safety factor, expecting the same type of Enhanced 911 service they receive from landline phones. However, the only 911 service currently available for cellular callers in most areas is Basic 911, which means that emergency response time may be less than optimal. A recent Federal Communications Commission regulation promotes the provision of Enhanced 911 service for wireless customers. A key component of this Enhanced service is "Automatic Location Information" ("ALI"), a computerized report of caller location that allows calls …

Developing Critical Consciousness: Representations Of Race And Gender In Two Afro-German Works., Maren Knebel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Eva Demski and Ika Hügel-Marshall are two contemporary women writers whose works contribute significantly to the Afro-German culture. Demski is a “white” German author who depicts in her novel the life of an Afro-German woman, Afra, as well as the life of her “white” daughter, Nivea. Hügel-Marshall, who was born in 1947 as the daughter of a German mother and an African-American father, depicts in her autobiography her own development from object to subject. This thesis demonstrates that both authors encourage a development of critical consciousness by creating written evidence of a shared Afro-German identity and by expressing the problems …

The Ecg Signal Processing By Adsp-21062 Digital Signal Processor., Limin Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

About 350,000 people die each year due to sudden cardiac death. The use of the Implantable Cardioverter / Defibrillator (ICD) makes it possible for an emergency defibrillation system to be always available to those patients that in high risk of sudden cardiac death. For this kind of technique, real-time detection and identification of arrhythmia automatically is important. Detection of arrhythmia usually involves complex algorithmic calculations, reducing the ability to provide immediate therapy. In this project, Analog Device’s ADSP-21062 digital signal processor is introduced as a candidate for the main processor of ICD. Cross-correlation, a method for detecting arrhythmias, is used …

Assertion Seeding: Development Of Program Instrumentation Through Iterative Formal Analysis., Vikram Nagulakonda

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Model Checking has been successfully used for validating the requirements of concurrent systems, but validating requirements does not guarantee a sound implementation. We combine the power of model checking with source code assertions to verify concurrent systems. Assertions have been used for detecting software faults during debugging and for run-time checking in production releases of software. We developed the Model-based Assertion Generator and Extraction Tool (MAGET) to extract a PROMELA state model from an assertion-annotated Java program. The extracted model is then validated against properties specified in linear temporal logic (LTL) and the results of the validation process are used …

The Evolution Of Adult Literacy For Learners With Special Needs., Susie A. Huggins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis looks at the evolution of adult education over the last 340 years and includes a discussion on Moonlight Schools and Operation Alphabet. The educational abilities of men and women are discussed. The evolution of adult education is reviewed through the legislation that effected the school system. The history of Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) and the role of the Monongalia County LVA affiliate are reviewed. A survey of the MCLVA is conducted to research educational attainment of parents, adult learners and children of adult learners. Finally, the WV driver’s license exam process is reviewed. Many adult learners have …

I. Steroid Hormone Enrichment Of Brine Shrimp (Artemia Salina) Nauplii. Ii. Factors Associated With Acute Bacterial Infection That Limit Fertility., Amanda R. Barker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of incubation of Artemia nauplii with steroids prior to the first feeding instar II stage of Artemia development. Decapsulated Artemia cysts were incubated at a concentration of 3 g cysts/L in hatching media (1 L seawater at 1.030 SG, 0.08 g highly unsaturated fatty acid supplement) and either 20 mg 17β-estradiol (E2) or 17 αmethyldihydrotestosterone (MDHT) dissolved in 3 mL 70% ethyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol alone (control). Cysts were cultivated at 18-20° C for 24h. Nauplii were collected by filtering culture media, and were rinsed in 1 L fresh water. Artemia …

The Relative Efficacy Of Computer Assisted Instruction., Dane Edward Huxford

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This manuscript examines the relative efficacy of computer assisted instruction (CAI). A review of literature is examined with regard to the positive and negative aspects of the use of CAI in the university classroom. An experimental design was outlined incorporating the use of 3 teachers instructing 3 separate sections of volunteer students on a topic. The design measured the differences between affective learning, cognitive learning and student perceptions of teacher nonverbal immediacy. Participants were randomly assigned to a class, which utilized either: lecture, handout or the use of CAI. Results showed significant differences between teachers and a slight difference in …

The Relationship Between The Principals' Preferred Leadership Styles And Levels Of Implementation Of Character Education Programs In Kanawha County Schools., Thomas Earl Williams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was conducted to determine if there was a relationship between the independent variable, leadership styles of Kanawha County Schools (KCS) principals, and the dependent variable of implementation levels of character education programs. The population of the study included all principals in KCS (n = 87). The sample used for the study also included all principals in KCS (n = 87). The instruments used for collection of data in the study included: (a) Leadership Behavior Description Questionnaire-Self (LBDQ-Self), (b) Character Education Assessment Checklist (CEAC), and (c) Demographic Survey of KCS Principals. The instruments were completed by the respondents in …

The Effects Of The Malaysian Department Of Wildlife And National Parks' Environmental Education Program On The Environmental Knowledge And Attitudes Of 13-17 Year Old Students., Ebil Yusof

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study focused on the effects of the Malaysian Department of Wildlife and National Park's (DWNP) environmental education program on the environmental knowledge and attitudes of the secondary school students. Conducted between May 11, 1998 and August 11, 1998, this study was designed to reflect three objectives: (1) to determine the effect of participation in the DWNP's environmental education program on environmental knowledge and attitudes of 13-17 year old Malaysian students, (2) to identify demographic factors that contribute to the change of environmental knowledge and attitudes, and (3) to establish base line data for future evaluation of the effectiveness of …

The Bond Of An Enduring Relationship: United States-China Scientific Relations, 1949-1989., Yuegen Yu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Science has long been a principle driving force in United States-China relations. It has served as the lasting bond of the two countries, enduring but often turbulent relationship. This dissertation is a study of the development of United States scientific relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) from 1949 to 1989. Science was a key element in America's historical “special relationship” with China. The rich tradition of Sino-American scientific cooperation dated back to the 1840s. From the establishment of the PRC in 1949 to the Sino-American rapprochement in 1972, despite inactivity in scientific discourse between the two countries as …

An Application Of The Delphi Method Of Forecasting To The Future Of Public Education In West Virginia, Carl H. Friebel Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study investigated the nature and types of events that will affect the future of public education in West Virginia. A three round modified Delphi design was used to identify the events, estimate when each might occur, and determine their level of impact and desirability.

In Round 1, surveys were mailed to forty-seven educational leaders representing various educational agencies and constituencies in West Virginia. In response to the first survey, panelists generated a total of one hundred thirty-four events which had at least a 50 percent probability of occurrence between the present and the year 2020. In Round 2, panelists …

Functional Analysis: An Application To Mother-Infant Interactions., Karen Lynn Weigle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mother-infant interactions were investigated to: (a) determine the feasibility of simultaneously conducting functional analyses on two individuals' behaviors in an unstructured setting; (b) compare functional analysis results across the Motivational Assessment Scale (MAS), Functional Assessment Interview Form (FAIF), and videotaped observational data analyzed using conditional probabilities (CP); and (c) compare parenting stress and social support, and infant developmental level with patterns of interaction. Twenty-one mother-infant dyads, nine with developmental delays (DD), having infants between 12 and 36 months of age participated. Five home visits were conducted. In the first, mothers completed a questionnaire and interview regarding their infants' challenging behavior. …

Photoluminescence And Optical Absorption Spectroscopy Of Infrared Materials Chromium(2+) Doped Zinc Selenide And Zinc Germanium Phosphide., Corneliu Ioan Rablau

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation reports on the photoluminescence (PL) and optical absorption studies of two materials of interest for near-to-mid infrared (IR) laser sources: Cr2+:ZnSe and ZnGeP2. The first study uses optical absorption, PL and PL lifetime measurements to investigate the chromium impurity in ZnSe. Optical absorption at 296 K and at 5 K reveals three main features: the 5T2 → SE Cr2+ intracenter absorption peaked at 1.77 μm, the charge transfer band around 520 nm and a 680 nm absorption band, tentatively associated with the creation of Cr ion-pairs. Steady-state PL at 5 K under 514.5 nm excitation shows two near …

The Effects Of A Preschool Movement Program On Motor Skill Acquisition, Movement Concept Formation, And Movement Practice Behavior., Darren Luke Robert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the effects of participation in a parent-involved movement instruction program, on the skill acquisition, concept formation, and movement practice behavior of preschool children. The research questions asked “What is the effect”: (1) of a nine week instructional program that emphasizes motor skills and movement concepts for parents and their preschool children on motor skill acquisition and movement concept demonstration of preschool children? (2) that parents as teachers have on the motor skill acquisition and movement concept formation of preschool children? (3) of enrolling in a nine-week movement program more than once on the acquisition of motor skills …