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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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The Development Of A Representative Policy For Student Use Of Campus Computer Networks At Research I And Ii Institutions., Jeffrey Scott Hale Jan 1997

The Development Of A Representative Policy For Student Use Of Campus Computer Networks At Research I And Ii Institutions., Jeffrey Scott Hale

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The campus computer network is available to students on nearly every university campus. Needing to know how to interact electronically as well as the potential to reach libraries throughout the world is well chronicled and is becoming a matter of students' common knowledge. Problems that can arise on a campus range from new ways to cheat to new methods of threatening to do harm. The purpose of this study then, was to develop a representative policy for student use of campus computer networks at Research I and II institutions. Separate surveys were sent to the chief student affairs and chief …


Perimenopause: A Phenomenological Study Of Women And Health Care Providers In Rural Areas., Patricia Ann Kraft Jan 1997

Perimenopause: A Phenomenological Study Of Women And Health Care Providers In Rural Areas., Patricia Ann Kraft

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Using a four step phenomenological approach for inquiry, the researcher explored and interpreted data obtained from the lived experiences of sixteen perimenopausal women and eight health care providers living in rural areas. A purposive sampling technique was utilized. Participation was on a voluntary basis. Data collection procedures included a face-to-face semi-structured taped interview and completion of a demographic questionnaire. Following analysis of the data, twenty-two common essences were identified from intuiting of the interview data. These essences were classified into six major themes which integrated all the realities of the participants. The findings of the study revealed six major themes …


Role Expectations And Predictions Of Trends For Human Resource Development At Small, Private Colleges And Universities Within The Southern Regional Education Board Area., Beth Ann Triplett Jan 1997

Role Expectations And Predictions Of Trends For Human Resource Development At Small, Private Colleges And Universities Within The Southern Regional Education Board Area., Beth Ann Triplett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was designed to identify the role expectations, reporting hierarchy, years in role and trends in human resource development (HRD) as reported by the person responsible for HRD in small, private colleges and universities within the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) geographic area. The population for this study was all the four-year, small, private schools in Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states (N = 200). Each institution in the sample was mailed a copy of the HRD Roles Survey, an instrument developed for the purpose of this research. The survey was based on data from the American Society for …


Decentralized Estimation For Large Scale Interconnected Systems., Noureddine Bekhouche Jan 1997

Decentralized Estimation For Large Scale Interconnected Systems., Noureddine Bekhouche

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation deals with the design of decentralized estimators for large scale interconnected systems. The systems are composed of several subsystems interconnected together. At each subsystem level a filter is designed to estimate local and/or interface variables. Kalman filtering and H{dollar}\\infty{dollar} filtering tools are used to derive decentralized estimators based on two different approaches namely, direct and indirect methods. A power system application is used to illustrate the proposed algorithms. In each method the decentralized filter design requires a subsystem model (local model) and a set of measurements. In the direct method additional measurements are needed for decentralization. In the …


A Unique Astrocyte Morphological Plasticity., Joanna B. Bobak Jan 1997

A Unique Astrocyte Morphological Plasticity., Joanna B. Bobak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Morphological plasticity of astrocytes has been hypothesized as vital to ongoing plasticity in the adult central nervous system. However, it has yet to be demonstrated directly that astrocytes are capable of gross morphological changes under non-pathological circumstances in the adult nervous system. In our studies, we have investigated this issue in the glial limitans associated with a well-known model of neuronal plasticity, the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus. The activity of the neuroendocrine cells comprising this region was stimulated in rats by substitution of 2% saline for drinking water for 2 or 9 days. Light and electron microscopic morphometry revealed that by …


Examination Of A Cumulative Strategies Model For Drug Abuse Prevention: Risk Factor Reduction In High-Risk Children., Kimberly Ann Horn Jan 1997

Examination Of A Cumulative Strategies Model For Drug Abuse Prevention: Risk Factor Reduction In High-Risk Children., Kimberly Ann Horn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A Cumulative Strategies Model for drug abuse prevention employs a process by which two or more drug abuse prevention strategies are used conjointly, such that each strategy targets two or more factors that place children at high risk for drug abuse. This model was examined using an innovative multiple component program called CHOICES. CHOICES emphasizes the reduction of risk factors that are characteristic of a high risk population of children of alcoholics and predictive of drug abuse. Using a repeated measures multiple baseline design, the results of this study revealed that the Cumulative Strategies Model inherent to the CHOICES program …


The Impact Of Good Father-Son Relationships On The Son's Development From Adolescent To Middle Age: A Qualitative Study., Wayne Francis Coombs Jan 1997

The Impact Of Good Father-Son Relationships On The Son's Development From Adolescent To Middle Age: A Qualitative Study., Wayne Francis Coombs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This is a qualitative study regarding the impact of good father-son relationships on the son's development between adolescence to middle age with a homogeneous group of middle-aged men. Literature regarding the study of father-son relationships is reviewed along with historical and current theoretical perspectives. The literature contains a great deal of information pertaining to poor father-son relationships and essentially no information regarding good relationships. The major focus of this study was then to identify the components of a good father-son relationship and describe the impact of these on the son's life. It was found that a "good enough" father-son relationship …


A Modified Research Approach Teaching Style In A High School Chemistry Classroom., Krystal D. Curtis Jan 1997

A Modified Research Approach Teaching Style In A High School Chemistry Classroom., Krystal D. Curtis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to develop a teaching style that used a modified research approach in a high school chemistry classroom. This modified research approach involved constructivist teaching practices, particularly the learning cycle. It emphasized the development of student science process skills, the mastery of science content, and a better understanding of attitudes about science in the classroom. It also promotes active learning in the classroom. The study also looks at the effectiveness of implementation of this teaching style. The methodology of the study involved designing modules which centered around nine basic chemistry concepts. These modules were guided …


An Exploration Of The Effect Of Attachment Style On The Conflict Dynamics Of The Long-Term Couple., Gloria Jean O'Donnell Jan 1997

An Exploration Of The Effect Of Attachment Style On The Conflict Dynamics Of The Long-Term Couple., Gloria Jean O'Donnell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Significant research literature supports the view that a couple's ability to resolve conflicts has a large impact on the stability of the relationship and the satisfaction of the members of the couple. Few studies have been conducted, however, to determine the relationships among the intrapersonal and interpersonal variables that affect the dynamics of conflict, in long-term couples. Consequently, this study explores the impact of the affective, cognitive, and behavioral correlates that accompany the internal working model, as described by attachment theory. Special attention has been given to the employment of defense mechanisms, style of conflict management, and defense-provoking behaviors. Participants …


Methane Oxidation And Respiration Of Methylococcus Capsulatus (Bath)., Scott Andrew Cook Jan 1997

Methane Oxidation And Respiration Of Methylococcus Capsulatus (Bath)., Scott Andrew Cook

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The membrane bound enzyme methane monooxygenase (pMMO), is a mixed function oxygenase that initiates the oxidative metabolism of methane in methanotropic bacteria. Copper is required for catalytic activity of pMMO, illustrated by the recovery of pMMO activity in EDTA-inhibited membranes, whereas zinc and nickel had little effect or were inhibitory. Inhibition kinetics, cosubstrate dependence, and substrate protection experiments show that acetylene acts as a suicide substrate for pMMO, binding specifically to a 26-kDa peptide. The acetylene binding capability of pMMO increased as a function of copper concentration as does the specific activity, suggesting that copper activates pMMO by binding to …


Lived Experiences Of Male Nursing Students With Caring., Patricia Jean Young Jan 1997

Lived Experiences Of Male Nursing Students With Caring., Patricia Jean Young

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fifteen male nursing students from four baccalaureate nursing schools in West Virginia participated in this phenomenological study. The phenomena of interest was the lived experiences of male student nurses related to caring. Demographic data was obtained in the interview process. Semistructured interview questions were used in the individual interviews, which were all audiotaped. The methodology used was based on the Swanson-Kauffman and Schonwald method, which entailed the four step process of bracketing, analyzing, intuiting, and describing. Five themes were identified. The Primacy of Caring was the first theme. Characteristics of caring, the origins of caring, the lived experiences of caring …


The Relationship Of Leadership Styles Of Selected West Virginia College Deans And Department Chairs To Job Satisfaction Of Departmental Faculty Members., Debra Simon Jan 1997

The Relationship Of Leadership Styles Of Selected West Virginia College Deans And Department Chairs To Job Satisfaction Of Departmental Faculty Members., Debra Simon

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 deans or department chairs and the dependent variable, faculty job satisfaction. The population of the study included all instructional faculty at 11 public institutions of higher education in the state of West Virginia which grant baccalaureate degrees and beyond (N = 2,279). An appropriate random sample (n = 328) of the total number of instructional faculty was selected. The data collection instruments in this study include: The Leadership Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ), the Mohrman-Cooke-Mohrman Job Satisfaction Scale (MCMJSS) and a demographic survey. …


Integrating Technology Education Concepts Into China's Educational System., Faxian Yang Jan 1997

Integrating Technology Education Concepts Into China's Educational System., Faxian Yang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The problem of this study was to develop a strategy for integrating technology education concepts within the Chinese mathematics and science curricula. The researcher used a case study as the basic methodology. It included three methods for collecting data: literature review, field study in junior and senior secondary schools in America and China, and interviews with experienced educators who were familiar with the status of technology education programs in the selected countries. The data came from the following areas: Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, China, and five states in the United States: Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York. The …


Computer Programming: Science, Art, Or Both?, Sandra Trent Gum Jan 1997

Computer Programming: Science, Art, Or Both?, Sandra Trent Gum

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine if spatial intelligence contributes to a student's success in a computer science major or if mathematical-logical intelligence is sufficient data on which to base a prediction of success. The study was performed at a small university. The sample consisted of 15 computer science (CS) majors, enrolled in a computer science class, and 15 non-CS-majors, enrolled in a statistics class. Seven of the CS-majors were considered advanced and seven were considered less advanced. The independent measures were: the mathematics and the English scores from the ACT/SAT (CS-majors); a questionnaire to obtain personal information; …


A Qualitative Assessment Of Spirituality And Its Impact On The Final Life Stage For A Sample Of Older Adults., Robert P. Heck Jan 1997

A Qualitative Assessment Of Spirituality And Its Impact On The Final Life Stage For A Sample Of Older Adults., Robert P. Heck

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The problem being addressed through this study is the need to adequately understand the significance of the spiritual experience for older adults, especially as related to their resolution of the final life stage of integrity versus despair as conceptualized by Erikson (1963). Qualitative research methods were utilized to conduct and analyze structured interviews with six older adults. Interview questions were validated by past research efforts on spirituality and on integrity versus despair. Research questions addressed in this investigation include the following: (a) Does Erikson's theory of integrity versus despair adequately explain the data and provide an appropriate framework for conceptualizing …


Intensive Supervised Probation And Institutional Placements For Adjudicated Youth: A Closer Look., Cleaster Marie Jackson Jan 1997

Intensive Supervised Probation And Institutional Placements For Adjudicated Youth: A Closer Look., Cleaster Marie Jackson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With the alarming rate of school violence and teen crime public outcry demands that we look for immediate remedies to make schools and communities safe. One solution which has received public support is the current trend to solve this problem by building more juvenile facilities to house these youth. This short term fix, which has been referred to as an "out of sight out of mind mentality" creates other concerns such as loss of educational dollars to public schools and highlights the lack of commitment to provide effective programs to meet the needs of challenging students. The purpose of this …


The Relationship Between Public Sector Higher Education Level-Four Grievant Variables And Third-Party Discipline And Discharge Arbitration Case Determinations At The West Virginia Education And State Employees Grievance Board, Years 1985-1995., Ellen Jane Barnes Jan 1997

The Relationship Between Public Sector Higher Education Level-Four Grievant Variables And Third-Party Discipline And Discharge Arbitration Case Determinations At The West Virginia Education And State Employees Grievance Board, Years 1985-1995., Ellen Jane Barnes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the relationship between grievant variables (case description, case issue, gender, seriousness of the case) and case determination (denied/granted). A disk copy of QA4 database years 1985 to 1995 was provided by the West Virginia Education and State Employees Grievance Board. The approximate 222 higher education synopses reports were read to locate the population. Fifty-five higher education discipline and discharge synopsis reports were isolated. Key words used by the Board assisted in isolating the population. The 55 higher education synopsis reports were printed out to compare to information on case decisions housed in the West Virginia Secretary of …


A Program For Educating Parents About The Effects Of Divorce And Conflict On Children., Kelly Dawn Shifflett Jan 1997

A Program For Educating Parents About The Effects Of Divorce And Conflict On Children., Kelly Dawn Shifflett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Based on empirical research in the area of parental conflict and child adjustment and evaluations of several existing programs available to separated/divorced families, a parent education program was developed to address the relationships between parental conflict, divorce, and child adjustment. The present study explored the impact and consumer satisfaction associated with participation in the k.i.d.s.: kids in divorce and separation program, a 4-hour psychoeclucational program for parents that is specifically focused on divorce and parental conflict. The impact and consumer satisfaction associated with participation in the k.i.d.s program were examined by comparing a treatment group of parents who participated in …


The Relationships Of School Organizational Health And Teacher Commitment To Student Achievement In Selected West Virginia Elementary Schools., Louis Kent Watts Jan 1997

The Relationships Of School Organizational Health And Teacher Commitment To Student Achievement In Selected West Virginia Elementary Schools., Louis Kent Watts

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was designed to assess the relationships between school organizational health, teacher commitment, and student achievement as measured by third and sixth grade CTBS test scores. The purposes of the study were to determine whether relationships existed between school health and achievement, teacher commitment and achievement, and the combined variables of school health and teacher commitment and student achievement. A sample of 504 teachers in 29 identified schools in four counties of southwestern West Virginia was chosen. Each participant was provided a packet which contained a cover letter, a sheet with five demographic questions, the Organizational Health Inventory for …


Identity Management And Decision-Making Strategies Of Lesbian Women At Various Stages Of Identity Development: An Ethnographic Study., Joy Sharon Whitman Jan 1997

Identity Management And Decision-Making Strategies Of Lesbian Women At Various Stages Of Identity Development: An Ethnographic Study., Joy Sharon Whitman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This was a qualitative study designed to explore how women at various stages of lesbian identity development manage and make decisions about managing their identities. Management of identity was explored in terms of how women came out or stayed hidden and how they made decisions to both disclose and conceal. It used Cass' (1979) Stage Allocation Measure, based on her model of homosexual identity development, as a means to categorize women at various stages of lesbian identity development. Twenty-five adult women were individually interviewed, using a semi-structured interview schedule. In addition, participants agreed to maintain a journal for one month …


Post-Soviet Transitions In Policy And Management Of Zapovedniki And Lespromkhozi In Central Siberia., David Miller Ostergren Jan 1997

Post-Soviet Transitions In Policy And Management Of Zapovedniki And Lespromkhozi In Central Siberia., David Miller Ostergren

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 changed the government bureaucracy and dismantled the centrally controlled economic system. Directors of zapovedniki (strict nature preserves) and lespromkhozi (forest industry dependent communities) are experiencing a challenge to their ability to manage, protect and/or study the lands under their supervision. This study investigates how changes in the social-political system have affected the forests and protected areas in Central Siberia, and how managers have adapted to the current political and social climate. This investigation used case study methodology and three sources of empirical data; open-ended interviews, documentation from archival and secondary sources, and personal …


Monte Carlo Studies Of Instabilities In Solids Under External Strains And Stresses., Anatoli M. Peredera Jan 1997

Monte Carlo Studies Of Instabilities In Solids Under External Strains And Stresses., Anatoli M. Peredera

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

We use dynamical Monte Carlo simulations to investigate instabilities of solids in the presence of externally applied stresses or strains. One of the instabilities is the classical Euler buckling instability of compressed rods. We address, for the first time, the dynamical aspects of this instability, that is, we study how an initially straight flexible chain reaches the final buckled configuration at long times. We find that this process has much in common with coarsening phenomena such as the spinodal decomposition or unstable mound growth in molecular beam epitaxy. Evolving chain's profile is like a wave with a wavelength which grows, …


Performance-Tunable Distributed Execution Of Object-Based Software., George Braden Rinard Jan 1997

Performance-Tunable Distributed Execution Of Object-Based Software., George Braden Rinard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The central challenge in software engineering research and practice is to improve the quality and performance of software systems, while decreasing the cost for producing such systems. While the combination of parallel execution with component-based software construction provides opportunities for addressing the software development challenge, it also raises a fundamental distributed software engineering dilemma, not adequately addressed in the literature. This dilemma is a result of the following two observations: (1) The quality and productivity benefits of reusability accrue only when reusable components are used without modifications. (2) For improved performance in a distributed environment, it must be possible to …


Examination Of A Common Conceptual And Treatment Model For Ptsd In Vietnam Veterans, Rape Survivors, And Victims Of Child Abuse: A Clinician Survey., Josephine A. Ridley Jan 1997

Examination Of A Common Conceptual And Treatment Model For Ptsd In Vietnam Veterans, Rape Survivors, And Victims Of Child Abuse: A Clinician Survey., Josephine A. Ridley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examined biases in diagnosing, treating, and conceptualizing PTSD based on clinician variables, such as theoretical orientation, and patient population characteristics, such as type of trauma, patient gender, and patient age. Surveys were mailed to members of APA and AABT containing case descriptions of a child sexual abuse victim, an adult rape survivor, and a Vietnam combat veteran, each meeting criteria for PTSD, and five questions requesting: (a) working diagnoses, (b) target symptoms, (c) treatment goals, (d) recommendations for treatment, and (e) etiology. A total of 126 completed surveys were returned from an equal number of male and …


Postsecondary Persistence Of Ged Students., Maria C. Rose Jan 1997

Postsecondary Persistence Of Ged Students., Maria C. Rose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

More nontraditional students are attending college, and many of these students are enrolled with GED certification. The validity using GED certification as postsecondary admission criteria has been questioned. Participants included 251 students enrolled with GED certification as admission criteria to a small Mid-Atlantic college in the Spring 1997 semester. The influence of ACT, GED, literacy scores, learning and study skills, and the number of successfully completed developmental classes on grade point averages was researched. Students were interviewed to gain insight into students' perceptions of factors contributing to persistence in college. ACT scores were found to be good predictors of grade …


Increased Exposure To Specific Types Of Narrative As A Mechanism Of Change In Theory Of Mind Development., Nicole Marie Ruther Jan 1997

Increased Exposure To Specific Types Of Narrative As A Mechanism Of Change In Theory Of Mind Development., Nicole Marie Ruther

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Over the past decade, researchers have become increasingly interested in children's developing "theories of mind," the attribution of thoughts and beliefs to both themselves and others, and the description of relations between mental states and actions. Although earlier work was focused on identifying the age at which children obtain such knowledge, more recently researchers have begun to investigate the mechanisms responsible for the development of a child's theory of mind. The purpose of the present study was to experimentally examine the importance of narrative as a mechanism through which children come to understand relations between people's thoughts and actions. Thirty-seven …


Conceptual Knowledge Of A Normative Life Event: The Impact Of Intellectual Ability, Age, Experience And Attachment On The Concept Of Death., Elizabeth Rooney Levelle Jan 1997

Conceptual Knowledge Of A Normative Life Event: The Impact Of Intellectual Ability, Age, Experience And Attachment On The Concept Of Death., Elizabeth Rooney Levelle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study investigated differences in the conceptualization of death among children and adults with and without mental retardation (MR). Thirty-five adults (17 adults without MR, 18 adults with MR) and 29 children (21 children without MR, 8 children with MR) participated in the study. The study employed a 2 x 2 design with Age and MR as the factors. Participants completed several questionnaires, cognitive developmental tasks, and intelligence assessments. Results indicated that diagnosis of mental retardation was slightly more influential than chronological age in determining participants' responses about death. This effect was evident for the Universality and Causality components …


An Exploration Of Critical Thinking, Learning Style, Locus Of Control, And Environmental Perception In Baccalaureate Nursing Students., Sandra Elizabeth Marra Jan 1997

An Exploration Of Critical Thinking, Learning Style, Locus Of Control, And Environmental Perception In Baccalaureate Nursing Students., Sandra Elizabeth Marra

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This descriptive correlational study was conducted to explore the relationships among the constructs of Critical Thinking (as measured by the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal), Learning Style (as measured by the Kolb Learning Style Inventory), and Locus of Control (as measured by the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Scale) in baccalaureate nursing students. A convenience sample (n = 68) of senior students from two classes was recruited to represent the last group graduating before (n = 47) and the first group graduating after (n = 21) curricular revision generated to better facilitate Critical Thinking. A subsample (n = 20) described their perceptions of …


A Recorded Tape Analysis Of The Types And Frequencies Of Decisions Made By West Virginia School Boards From August 1990 To August 1995., Linda K. Mccall Jan 1997

A Recorded Tape Analysis Of The Types And Frequencies Of Decisions Made By West Virginia School Boards From August 1990 To August 1995., Linda K. Mccall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the relationship between the types of school board decisions identified by the Hange and Leary study (1996) and the duration of time spent on these decisions. The source of information for this study was electronically recorded minutes of selected West Virginia school board meetings during the time period of August 1990 to August 1995 and the types and frequencies of decisions identified by the Hange and Leary study (1996) of the same period. The duration of time spent on each decision type was determined by reviewing videotapes or audiotapes of meetings which corresponded to the selected written …


A Neural Network Based Inference Engine Generator For Comprehension And Translation Of English And Spanish Commands To Unix "E-Mail" And "Vi" Editor., Mohammad Reza Moozoun Jan 1997

A Neural Network Based Inference Engine Generator For Comprehension And Translation Of English And Spanish Commands To Unix "E-Mail" And "Vi" Editor., Mohammad Reza Moozoun

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since the advent of computers, scientists have tried to use the human languages for communication with computers. This pursuit has led several scientists, such as Chomsky to establish that there must be a specific part of the brain adapted to language learning and processing genetically, namely the "language organ". Humans are able to understand and produce sentences that they may have never heard. This leads to the understanding that language must follow some strict rules of processing which is referred to as "grammar of a language". The Artificial Neural Networks (NN) inspired by the neural networks of biological systems have …