Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

Semi-Automated Modeling Approaches To Route Selection In Gis, Binfei Chen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As an alternative to traditional graphical intuitive approaches (GIA), a semi-automated modeling approach (SMA) can more efficiently identify linear routes by using powerful iterative and automated methods. In this research, two case studies were investigated to examine critical issues relating to the accuracy and effectiveness of raster-defined algorithmic approaches to linear route location. The results illustrate that different shortest-path algorithms do not necessarily result in markedly different linear routes. However, differing results can occur when using different neighboring-cell links in the cell-based route network construction. Cell-based algorithmic approaches in both Arc/Info and IDRISI software generate very similar results which are …

Willingness To Pay For Industrial Recruitment: A Look At Local Decision-Maker Activity Versus Citizen Preference, Beth Ann Loy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Academic research in the area of economic development policy is overwhelmingly critical of industrial recruitment, recommending instead that resources be directed towards strategies such as business retention and expansion, fostering local entrepreneurship, and amenity development. This research moves beyond criticizing industrial recruitment policy and explores one potential reason, a high discount rate, for practitioners' reliance on recruitment over other available local development techniques. The research also investigates developer's probability of success for industrial recruitment as well as alternative development strategies and examines whether economic developer use of incentive packages to recruit local businesses is a rational decision, i.e., supported by …

Desire For Thinness And Desire For Health In Eighteen And Nineteen-Year-Old Females, Monica Gene Andis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Desire for thinness and desire for health were surveyed among eighteen and nineteen year old female adolescents in north-central West Virginia to determine the incidence of these motivations within this population and their relationship to unnecessary weight loss concerns, and dieting behaviors. Variables derived from body image satisfaction, self-esteem, socioeconomic status, religiosity, and food management behavior were examined for their ability to predict desire for thinness and health in subjects.;Using the statistical process of discriminate analysis, 51.6% of 345 subjects were correctly classified into groups desiring thinness and/or health. Only weight perception accuracy and food management group were found to …

Real-Time Multimedia-Based Education Through The Internet, Abhay Arun Bakshi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The rapid advances in computer and communications technologies are challenging the American education systems to provide increased educational opportunities beyond the traditional geographic boundaries at a reasonable cost. Many educational institutions are answering this challenge by developing distance education programs. Distance education provides effective learning environment. An important requirement for effective distance education is the availability of continuous interactivity and immediate feedback. Over the Internet, synchronous sharing of multimedia content introduces unacceptable delays as network bandwidth is limited. In this thesis, the issue of Internet bandwidth is minimized and a novel system is developed for distance education using multimedia course …

Implementation Of Courseware For Internet Delivery, Sohail Ramzan Khan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A process centered environment for implementing courseware is presented. The proposed environment addresses some of the constraints in the existing state of the art technology, presently used for distance education. The environment interface is developed using MS FrontPage 98 web development software. The thesis describes the design and implementation of the environment, which is named WVUCT. WVUCT utilizes MS NetMeeting software as a mode for interacting with the students in many different ways. WVUCT uses MS FrontPage 98 for developing a web-based course. The course web once developed using the environment can be published to any httpd server for student's …

Productive Performance And Fertility Of Broiler Breeders Maintained In Commercial Colony Cages And On The Conventional Floors, Kitogho J. Mwashighadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A trial with four replicates was conducted to compare performance and fertility of naturally mated broiler breeders maintained on litter floor versus their counterparts maintained in two tiered colony cages. Cage maintained hens with restricted feeding weighed less (P 0.05) was found in egg weights among treatments. No difference (P > 0.01) was found in feed conversion ratio per dozen eggs produced by hens maintained in cages and those on the conventional floors. A higher (P < 0.05) hen-day production was observed from 29 to 35 weeks of age in broilers maintained in cages than those on the conventional floors, but after this period no difference (P > 0.05) occurred. There were more (P < 0.05) eggs collected with cracks from cages than from the litter floors. The fertility rate was different (P 0.05) difference in mortality rate occurred between hens maintained on the fitter floors versus those in cages. When the breeders were 41 weeks of age, eggs from each treatment group were randomly collected, weighed, and incubated. Offspring from these treatments were randomly allocated to litter floor pens. Progeny were spaced at 23 CM.2 and were reared to 42 days. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in growth rate and feed conversion ratio in offspring from hens maintained on the litter floors versus …

Maternal Self-Efficacy Beliefs As Predictors Of Parenting Competence And Toddlers' Emotional, Social, And Cognitive Development, Priscilla Kari Coleman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Appreciation for cognitive factors associated with parental competence and child outcomes has expanded dramatically in developmental research over the past several years. Parental self-efficacy beliefs, in particular, have emerged as both a salient direct predictor of positive parenting practices and as a mediator of the effects of several of the most thoroughly researched correlates of parenting quality including maternal depression, child temperament, and social support. Parental self-efficacy beliefs embody an estimation of the degree to which parents perceive themselves as capable of performing the varied tasks associated with this demanding role.;The objectives of this study were threefold and entailed the …

Fuzzy Reliability Modeling Of Distributed Client -Server Systems, Patrick Louis Cross

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With the proliferation of client-server systems there is a need for new approaches to determine their reliability in the uncertain environment of the internet. The proposed methods analyze client-server reliability by accounting for uncertainties in the operational environment of the internet. The uncertainties are addressed with a fuzzy paradigm applied in a tractable, verifiable reliability model of client-server systems. For computer hardware, fuzzy sets were used to address vague reliability data using bi-state fuzzy probabilistic theories. For software and operating systems, fuzzy sets account for the uncertainties in bi-state failure data using fuzzy possibility theories. Client-server architectures, such as hypercubes, …

Perceptions Of Supervisory Behaviors And Supervisory Needs Among Licensed Speech-Language Pathology Assistants, Jean Suzanne Mead

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to identify supervisory behaviors that occurred and the extent to which they were perceived as necessary during supervisory interactions between licensed speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) and their supervising speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Surveys were mailed to the 173 licensed SLPAs in Louisiana, who were the population for this study, requesting information about the supervision received. Eighty-eight (51%) completed and returned the survey.;The survey consisted of three parts. Part I contained 29 statements that were each rated twice using a Likert-type scale. The first rating indicated the extent to which supervisory behaviors occurred and the second …

Interoperable Components Across Multiple Component Architectures, Ravi S. Banda

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A component is a pre-fabricated, pre-tested software object that provides clients with a well-defined set of services. Component software requires an architecture through which any developer or vendor can deliver a component at any time and have that component become immediately useful to applications on any given system. A system that supports component software must therefore support a generic service abstraction that is, an architecture that defines how all types of components appear and how they are manipulated. As part of the thesis various component architectures COM, JavaBeans and CORBA have been studied and the interoperability issues between the components …

Nondestructive Testing Of Concrete Bridge Decks Using Ground-Penetrating Radar And The Chain Drag Method, Jerry J. Scheff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis presents the findings of two different nondestructive techniques that are used for bridge deck analysis: the chain drag method and ground penetrating radar (GPR). The chain drag testing was performed in the laboratory with 23 simulated concrete bridge deck specimens. The specimens contained varying internal conditions such as with/without steel reinforcement and with air and water filled cracks. The tests were to determine if the chains could uncover the different characteristics of each specimen, and to see if the varying sizes of the three chains had any influence on the outcome of the results.;The GPR testing was performed …

Computer-Controlled Autonomous Model Car: A Mechatronics Project, Aparna Sachidanand

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mechatronics is a synthesis of mechanical engineering and electronic engineering, and computer engineering, distinct areas that overlap in the design of systems. It represents the interdisciplinary nature of design and development of today's products.;The current research focuses on the design, construction and testing of a computer controlled autonomous model car which can exhibit intelligent behavior such as timed course execution, obstacle detection, and response to sensor inputs. The car is intended as a mechatronics design project that will be integrated into an existing one-semester mechanical engineering undergraduate instrumentation course.;The car was designed around a microprocessor board (Tern Analog Drive) controlled …

Effects Of Celeration Rate On Behavioral Fluency, Kevin J. Munson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In precision teaching, it has been argued that learning should continue until responding is fluent (i.e., it can be performed accurately and rapidly in the presence of distracting stimuli, even after a delay since its acquisition). Furthermore, it has been argued that the speed with which learners achieve fluency (i.e., celeration) also is important. The purpose of the present experiments was to test those propositions. Subjects read binary numbers on a computer screen, and spoke the decimal equivalent of those numbers into voice-recognition equipment. In Experiment 1, responding was reinforced with money arranged on VI schedules for correct responses with …

Impedance Effects Of Metallic Ground Plane On The Ctha Antenna, Tao Guan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As with the fast-paced development of the communication industry, antennas have become an indispensable part of daily life. However, everyone may have experienced the malfunction of a communication system or radio due to a nearby human body or building or automobile. Then comes the question of how adjacent objects influence the antenna. This thesis has concentrated on the study of these effects on the impedance of the CTHA (contrawound toroidal helical antenna).;The results of this study indicate the CTHA's input impedance changes as a damped sinusoid function of the distance between it and the metallic ground plane. For equivalent distances …

Engine Instrumentation And Data Analysis For Ignition System Testing, William Joseph Chambers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The charge ignition system is used to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber of a spark ignited internal combustion engine and is the subject of many ongoing research projects. As a means to quantify the performance of an ignition system, a 16 horsepower Briggs and Stratton V-twin engine has been instrumented and the necessary data analysis software developed. This test engine was used to monitor the performance of three different ignition sources. When the performance of these ignition sources was analyzed using the test engine, the differences in performance of the systems was evident in the calculated values …

Identifying The Type And Appropriateness Of The Evaluations Of Selected Agriculturally Related Science And Technology-Based Usaid Projects Conducted Between 1985 And 1995, Allen E. Bayles

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A review of the literature indicated that baseline data that described how and what were being evaluated at the project level by agencies involved in third world development had not been published. This was a descriptive study using content analysis of the available evaluative reports for the USAID projects involved with the transfer of agriculturally-related technology identified in the National Science Foundation research project, Assessing the Literature on the Benefits of External Science and Technology Aid Assistance to Developing Countries (Pytlik, Vasudevan, Bayles & Spitznogle, 1997).;The research concludes that impact evaluations were not being conducted at the project level. While …

Do Christian Schools Implement Long -Range Plans?, Steven L. Degeorge

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine long-range plans of schools accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) to determine whether evidence of implementation is present in administrators' job descriptions and evaluation documents.;Data were gathered through the use of a survey and by the collection and comparison of long-range plans, administrators! job descriptions, and evaluation documents. A second survey of board chairs was taken to determine the acceptance of the rational planning model presented and their attitudes toward implementation.;Thirty-two schools participated in the study, in which major points of the long-range plans were fisted on a chart. …

Cellular Mechanisms Of Altered Neuronal Sensitivity In The Genetically Epilepsy-Prone Rat, Lance Russell Molnar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The genetically epilepsy-prone rat (GEPR) is an animal model of epilepsy which exhibits deficits in GABAergic neurotransmission in a variety of brain regions. However, the underlying cause for this deficit has yet to be described. The present studies were therefore performed in order to elucidate the mechanism(s) underlying this GABAergic deficit. To accomplish this task, electrophysiological recordings of Purkinje neurons in sagittal slices of the cerebellar vermis were performed. The initial aim was to compare the basic electrical membrane characteristics of Purkinje neurons from GEPR and control animals using standard intracellular recording techniques. These studies indicated that there is no …

Language Imperialism Versus Linguistic Rights: The Case Of Native Americans., Jonathan Woodruff Maffay

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

From the days of the Old Testament and Tower of Babel through the nineteenth century efforts to create artificial languages, the human race has longed for a universal language. Its purpose would be to bind the linguistically diverse people of the world into a cohesive whole. With English apparently well on its way to becoming just such a universal language, many people are now growing concerned at the prospect. For them English is an imperial language that threatens the world’s rich cultural and language complexity. Linguistic rights activists have now begun trying to counter this universalizing trend with language repair …