Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Learning Geometry Using A Computer-Generated Automatic Draw Tool On The Levels Of Reasoning Of College Developmental Students., Lalah W. Larew

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The following study investigated the cognitive growth of college developmental geometry students enrolled in a one-semester course in introductory Euclidean Geometry. A quasi-experimental research design was used to determine if changes in cognitive growth occurred when students used a computer-generated automatic draw tool as an instructional aid. The subjects were a control group of 36 community-college students who learned geometry in a lecture-based formal and 27 students from the same college who learned geometry by using the automatic draw tool, GeoExplorer , for one-third of their instructional time. The van Hiele Theory of levels of thought in geometry was used …

The Relationship Of Leadership Frame Use Of Departmental Chairs To Faculty Job Satisfaction As Perceived By Selected Departmental Faculty Members., Saralyn Grenga Mathis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was designed to examine the relationship between faculty job satisfaction and the leadership frame use of that faculty member's immediate superior, usually the departmental chair, as perceived by the faculty member. One hundred and seventy-two faculty members who had no administrative title and who held a full-time position as a professor, associate professor, or assistant professor at any of the five West Virginia public, Southern Regional Education Board four-year VI institutions of higher education completed The Mohrman-Cooke-Mohrman Job Satisfaction Scale and Bolman and Deal's Leadership Orientations Instrument (other version). Descriptive statistics and one-way analyses of variance were used …

The Effect Of Postorganizers On Mathematics Achievement Following Lectures., Karen E. Mitchell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This experiment examined the impact of an enhanced graphic postorganizer on the amount of learning and retention college students realized from mathematics lectures given during a full semester. The study was a quasi-experiment in which intact classes of intermediate algebra students with similar mathematical backgrounds either completed the written postorganizer developed for the experiment after each lecture or took a quiz over the same lecture. The postorganizer emphasized concepts, definitions, relationships and student-developed explanations rather than procedures. The planned difference among the groups was the amount of involvement that the students had with the postorganizer. Students in the four groups …

Assessment Of The Impact Of The West Virginia Medicaid's Prior Authorization Policy For Nsaids On Chronic Patients: Economic And Humanistic Outcomes., Aiman Ab Momani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The West Virginia Medicaid prior authorization (PA) policy requires patients to have tried and failed two different classes of generic NSAIDs for two weeks each before a branded NSAID is approved. However, the implementation of PA may lead to increase in utilization and cost of unrestricted medications and/or medical services and compromise patient care. Therefore, the goals of the study were: (1) to assess the net economic impact of PA for NSAIDs, and (2) to determine the impact of the policy on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The study was conducted in two phases. In phase I, retrospective utilization …

A Neural Network-Based Bottom-Up Approach For Building A Software Reuse Economic Model., Gary Dawson Boetticher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This work describes and presents a process for building a neural network-based reuse economic model. This study adopts a bottom-up perspective where granularity moves from the developer (software program) level to the enterprise level. The goal of the proposed process is to create a model which provides accurate and reliable results which can be applied to various forms of software reuse in various programming paradigms. The current state-of-practice for measuring effort and reuse effort is extended, leading to improvements in accuracy. Furthermore, in order to accomplish this goal, it becomes necessary to address different forms of reuse: black-box and white-box …

The Effect Of Position On Educators' Perception Of Ideal And Actual Inclusion., Tauna Malone Cole

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The literature in the field of special education abounds with reports of inconsistencies in opinion among practitioners regarding what constitutes best practice in inclusive programs. Educators in West Virginia have been charged with the collaborative development of strategic plans for the inclusion of students with disabilities in their home schools. To date there have been no supplemental funds for implementation. Using a post facto or non-experimental design, this study was conducted to identify the perceptions among WV educators relative to what constitutes ideal inclusion and to what level it is perceived to be implemented in their home schools. Also considered, …

Safety By Design: An Expert Systems Approach., Magdy Akladios

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Industries may require the application of new technologies. In recent years, these technologies have undergone rapid development. Intensely scrutinized in terms of design, new technologies surprisingly receive little attention when assessing the hazards they might pose to worker health and safety. These technologies are usually designed by experts who know very little about safety and health issues. A user-friendly, easily accessible system that is devised to assist designers during the design phase by pointing out the different downfalls of their design with respect to safety and health issues and impacts, can dramatically improve safety, reduce costs, and most importantly, reduce …

A Comparison Of The Personalized System Of Instruction To Direct Instruction In The Training Of Direct-Care Residential Staff In The Use Of Social Attention And Planned Ignoring., Byron Michael-Carrick Doom

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study compared the Personalized System of Instruction to Direct Instruction in the training of direct-care staff from community residential facilities. There were a total of 51 direct-care staff participating in the study. The experimental design was a pretest-posttest design. Experimental Group I received PSI training, Experimental Group II received Direct Instruction, and Experimental Group III was a control group. Participants in Experimental Groups I and II received the same training content, with only the method of instruction varied. Phase one of the study was the pre-training observation phase during which participants pre-training use of the content areas was evaluated. …

The Immunology And Infection Of The Cystic Fibrosis Lung., Andrea Rene Drummond Massengale

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The leading cause of death among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is progressive lung disease characterized by an early, sustained inflammation, chronic infection by mucoid strains of P. aeruginosa, and subsequent bronchiectasis. The connection between defective CFTR and the apparent pathophysiology of the CF lung remains unclear. Understanding this connection is of critical importance in developing strategies that temper the respiratory inflammation in CF and prevent P. aeruginosa colonization of the airways. The goal of this dissertation was to provide new insight concerning the immunology and infection of the CF lung by investigating the following: (1) the effect of alginate on …

The Effects Of An Internet Skill-Building Module On Safety And Environmental Graduate Students' Internet Anxiety, Likelihood To Use The Internet, And Learning Internet/Intranet Content., David A. Ealy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The use of technology in training has grown a great deal over the past five years, and the tools have improved which has produced several changes in the way training is being designed and delivered. These delivery methods include the Internet, and electronic performance support systems. Today's trainers must possess a different set of skills needed to perform in an increasingly technological environment. At the present time, little research is available on the effects of Internet anxiety, and most of the related research revolves around computer anxiety. The study was designed to examine the effects of an Internet Skill-Building Module …

A Study To Identify Operational Computer Lab Models And To Develop An Instrument To Assist In Evaluating Programs That Provide Computer Technology To Accommodate Needs Of Students With Disabilities In Higher Education., Carol H. Kann

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The problem of this research is to identify operational computer lab models and to develop an instrument to assist in evaluating programs that provide computer technology to accommodate needs of students with disabilities in higher education. The following research questions were answered: (1) What operational models for adaptive computer labs are currently being used within college and university environments? (2) What criteria are used to evaluate these operational models? (3) Can a self-evaluation instrument be designed to assist institutions of higher education determine the quality of their adaptive computer labs? A modified Delphi technique was used to arrive at consensus …

The Utilization Of Electronically Disseminated Research In Academic Personnel Decisions., Sylvia Anne Hawranick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the current status and use of electronically disseminated research (EDR) in academic personnel decisions. The population included 236 institutions classified as Research 1 or 2, or Doctoral 1 or 2, according to the Carnegie Foundation's Classification. The Chief Academic Officer of each institution was identified as the contact person. A cover letter and survey were sent to each institution, and 100 institutions (44.1%) responded.

The data was analyzed by institution type, and the results were reported based on responses to each survey question. Key findings included:

1. Technology Usage: Over 97% of respondents had access to a …

Motivational Characteristics Of Poor Readers: Evidence For Positive Change., Joan Marie Henderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Early reading experiences strongly influence a student's feelings of competence and motivation. Encounters with failure may lead to anxiety, limited effort, and negative responses that affect future performance. Therefore, instruction that fosters motivational factors and emphasizes success is critical, particularly when literacy attainment has not occurred. The interactive model of reading involves a balance between affective, cognitive, and social aspects of literacy engagement important for motivation. The purpose of this study was to examine the nature of how children who had failed to read responded to an interactive model of literacy instruction. The research conducted used qualitative methods and case …

An Examination Of Child, Family And Professional Factors That Influence The Use Of Assistive Technology In Early Intervention., Erin Denise Hider

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Technology is becoming more commonplace in our society. It is being used with young children in every setting to improve quality of life and increase educational opportunities. Many parents and service providers have not been adequately trained on how to use assistive technology with young children. Camp Gizmo was set up as a forum for parents, professionals, and college students to learn what assistive technology is available and how to use it to meet the needs of children. The camp gave parents an opportunity to try different technologies with their children. These children, their siblings and the children of camp …

Gerald Finzi's Songs For Baritone On Texts By Thomas Hardy: An Historical And Literary Analysis And Its Effect On Their Interpretation., Curtis Alan Scheib

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research document examines twenty-six of the forty-nine songs composed by Gerald Finzi (1901–1956) to texts by Thomas Hardy (1840–1928). The songs were written for baritone and are found in the sets; Earth and Air and Rain, Before and After Summer, and I Said to Love. The study views the songs within the context of Finzi's life and compositional style as well as in relation to his affinity with the poetry and outlook of Thomas Hardy. It examines in some detail the lives of both composer and poet, and also looks at song composition in Britain during the first half …

Trade And The Environment: A Political Model Of International Public Goods Problem., Qingshui Zhou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent decades there has been a debate over the entwined issues of trade and the environment, and the 1990s witnessed a great rise in global environmental concerns. The purpose of the present study is to seek a cooperative solution to these concerns. Postwar environmental movement, interaction of trade and the environment, and the reconciliation issues are reviewed. Methodologies to studying these issues are categorized into (1) international trade approaches, and (2) environmental economics approaches. A political model-cost sharing game is then proposed. Specifically, environmental problems resulting from trade are treated as international public goods and the issue of optimal …

The Role Of Therapist Communication Style In Parent-Child Interaction Therapy., Laura Christine Capage

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Research has found a relationship between treatment success and parental compliance with treatment programs. The current study explored how therapist characteristics impact on parental compliance with a behavioral parent-training program (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy). Also, differences in maternal satisfaction with the treatment program and therapist were explored. The participants were 45 mothers with children between the ages of 24 months and 83 months. Each mother was taught effective parenting strategies using one of three therapist communication styles: (a) positive therapist, (b) neutral therapist, and (c) negative therapist. Although all groups demonstrated an increase in their skill level from pretreatment to posttreatment, …

The Effects Of Teacher Clarity And Immediacy On Student Learning, Apprehension, And Effect., Joseph Lee Chesebro

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the effects clear and immediate teaching have on student learning, state receiver apprehension, and affect. Although teacher clarity and constructs conceptually similar to immediacy have been identified as effective teaching behaviors, few experimental studies have investigated the combined use of these behaviors. This is important because research related to clear teaching suggests that immediacy may be a necessary precursor to clear teaching and that the absence of immediacy may significantly threaten the effectiveness of clear messages. A review of this research is followed by the identification of attributes which characterize clear teachers. The results indicate that clarity, …

A Qualitative Study Of Five West Virginia K-12 Ruralnet Project Teachers Merging The Internet Into Their Instruction And How The Internet Affects Professional Practice., David A. Falvo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This qualitative study explores the day-to-day classroom work of five West Virginia K–12 RuralNet Project teachers, highlighting the drama of integrating technology into learning and showing how these teachers build and refine relationships to foster their sense of professionalism, through the use of technology. This study shows how teachers use the Internet as an instructional resource and as a tool for connecting to other people within and outside of the learning community. The participants of this study began to learn new technology skills during the summer of 1995. Today, they are integrating Internet technology into their daily teaching and planning …

"To Make The Crooked Ways Straight And The Rough Ways Smooth": The Federal Government's Role In Laying Out And Building The Cumberland Road., Billy Joe Peyton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

By 1800 the United States had emerged from the turmoil of its Revolutionary era to begin focusing on economic growth and westward expansion. To open up the vast trans-Appalachian region the federal government in 1802 began formulating plans to fund and build a "national road to connect the eastern seaboard with the "western waters. After considerable debate, Congress in 1806 passed an act that called for laying out and making a road from the Potomac River at Cumberland, Maryland, to the Ohio River at Wheeling, (West) Virginia. A six-member surveying team led by three presidentially-appointed commissioners completed the arduous task …

The Responsible Students Program Of The West Virginia Board Of Education: Background, Components, And Data Systems., Jill Anne Lewis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

School skills training and schoolwide management programs are often applied in schools by introducing a package that has been developed in another school and worked well there. When transplanted, however, these programs often fail to achieve satisfactory results. This study focuses on the application of a transplanted, state-mandated, schoolwide program as carried out in a small rural elementary school (population 250). It compares the program with features of programs recommended in the empirical literature, in order to identify components which should be included to ensure the effectiveness of such programs. The Responsible Students Program (RSP) at Dennis Elementary was evaluated …

Ferriin Oxidation Of Benzylic 1,2-Diols: A Mechanistic Approach., An Liu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The oxidation of d,l-1,2-bis(4-cyanophenyl)-1,2-ethanediol by ferriin (i.e., Fe(III)(1,10-phenanthroline)3 has been investigated. In contrast to the oxidation of other 1,2-diaryl-1,2-ethanediols, the presence of a pyridine base is required. Careful investigation of the kinetic behavior of this system reveals non-isosbestic point behavior. A complex mechanism is proposed to account for this oxidation reaction. This mechanism is in contrast to the normally observed outer-sphere electron pathway oxidation mechanisms of ferriin.1 The rates of ferriin oxidation of cis - and trans-1,2-diphenyl-1,2-cyclohexanediol have been found to be dramatically different. Cis-1,2-diphenyl-1,2-cyclohexanediol reacts a minimum of 104 times faster than the corresponding trans-isomer.2 Implications for the oxidation …

An Assessment Of Organizational Effectiveness: A Study Of West Virginia Watershed Associations., Sarah A. Cline

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recently, federal and state government agencies have advocated a watershed approach to deal with water pollution issues. This approach addresses water quality and use on a watershed level and advocates public participation in watershed protection issues. In many communities, watershed associations have formed as an avenue for public involvement in a watershed approach. This thesis examines factors impacting watershed association effectiveness in reaching their intermediate goals (activities conducted and financial resources obtained for watershed protection) to achieve their final outcomes. Factors effecting the formation of watershed associations are also examined. Both analyses are conducted at the watershed level using the …

Measuring Fluoridated And Non-Fluoridated Sealant Fluoride Concentrations And Their Effect On Streptococcus Mutans: An In Vitro Study., Deborah Annette Bassham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Decalcification around brackets is a problem associated with plaque accumulation trapping caries producing bacteria, such as Streptococcus mutans (SM) and Lactobacilli acidophilus. The aim of this study was to measure 1)the concentration of fluoride released from three sealants: Protection TM Plus, Maximum Cure®, TransbondTM XT, and a glass ionomer, GC Fuji II 2) fluoride release of materials recharged with topical fluoride, 3) the ability of materials to inhibit SM, and 4) the degradation of materials by SM. A significant difference was found in fluoride released over 28 days between the four groups. There was no significant difference in the fluoride …

Programming Wizards: Generating Syntax-Free Conceptual Editors., Windell Hansford Goff Ii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this project is to develop a generator for a class of syntax-free conceptual editors called "programming wizards". These editors provide a model of software that is especially suitable for novice software developers, freeing them from intricate syntactic details. The effectiveness of these editors is demonstrated by showing how they ease learning of component-based software engineering principles in introductory computer science classrooms. The notion of programming wizard generation is expected to be generally applicable for teaching other principles without the intrusiveness of particular specification / programming syntax.

An Exploration Of The Relationship Of Nonverbal Aggression With Verbal Aggression, Nonverbal Immediacy Assertiveness, And Responsiveness., Jamie Leigh Geiser

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A need to study the nonverbal aspect of aggression is argued because the inclusion of nonverbal aspects within the original conception of verbal aggression suggests that the role of nonverbal cues in the expression of aggression might be stronger than originally thought. To test the potential relationship of nonverbal aggression with other personality variables, a 30-item scale of nonverbal aggression was developed. A study of 179 college students is reported which sought to investigate the possibility that nonverbal aggression is related to verbal aggression, nonverbal immediacy, assertiveness, and responsiveness. Gender differences in nonverbal aggression was also investigated. The results revealed …

"They Don't Throw, They Turn; They Don't Fire, They Burn": Place And Identity In Seagrove, North Carolina., Li-Ting Hung

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent Scholarship in geography explores the cultural identity of place by analyzing literature, music and art, but few scholars have studied pottery art, one of the oldest forms of art making. This study of Seagrove, a small central North Carolina town with a long tradition of locally produced pottery, examines the way place identity develops, is presented, takes multiple forms, and is contested through pottery art. Further, it explores the concept of institutionalized place identity by analyzing the impact of a new Pottery Center and Museum in this town. The research has carried out by means of open-ended interviews with …

Development Of And Measurement Using A Point Doppler Velocimetry (Pdv) System., David L. Webb

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A two component Point Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) system has been developed and tested. Improvements were made to an earlier PDV system, in terms of experimental techniques, as well as the data acquisition and reduction software. Measurements of the streamwise and spanwise mean and fluctuating velocities for flows from a rectangular channel and over an NACA 0012 airfoil were made, and the data were compared against hot wire data. The closest to the airfoil surface that PDV measurements could be made was on the order of 0.005 m (0.2”, z/c = 0.0169). When the PDV and hot wire data were compared, …

Collegiate Sports Sponsorship And Brand Awareness: A Study Of Collegiate Sponsorship At A Football Game., Hye Yoon Jung

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The main purpose of this study is to determine whether students are aware the brands, which are sponsoring their school sports events. In addition to this, the study also looked to find variables influencing the level of sponsorship effects expressed as brand awareness.

This study concerns how the effectiveness of sponsorship is produced in the two different brand awareness measures, the brand recall test and the brand recognition test. Based on this, gender and number of games the respondents attended are used as independent variables.

The results of this study demonstrate that the collegiate sponsorship can be a great marketing …

The Effect Of Product Design And Packaging Parameters On Effective Storability And Retrieval: A Computer-Based Approach., Srinath Srivatsavan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The product life cycle begins with the feasibility study, design, manufacturing, and moves towards storage, retrieval, and distribution, ultimately ending the life in retirement. The design and manufacturing functions, in this product life cycle, are far apart from the storage, retrieval, and distribution functions. However, the effect and impact of the design function on the storability, retrieval, and distribution functions is significant. The significance is seen in the form of the costs incurred and committed to the storage infrastructure and materials handling activities. The product design parameters also influence the unit design aspects when the products are packaged as units …