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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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Defining Environmental Theology: Content Analysis Of Associated Literature., Robert J. Jacobus Jan 2001

Defining Environmental Theology: Content Analysis Of Associated Literature., Robert J. Jacobus

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Environmental theology is a term used often by religious communities describing theological doctrines concerning the relationship of deity and ethical conduct to the environment. After an extensive literature search, an operational or declarative definition for environmental theology was not discovered. The objectives of this study were to establish an explicit and scholarly definition of environmental theology and introduce deoview as a descriptor associated with the term. People have and will continue to act according to their belief systems: this paper has value in understanding beliefs, ethics, and behavior of people and people groups.

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Still Life: A Collection Of Poems., Kelly Anne Moffett Jan 2001

Still Life: A Collection Of Poems., Kelly Anne Moffett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The poetry manuscript Still Life: A Collection of Poems focuses on issues of domesticity, estrangement, and recognition within an estranged landscape. A critical introduction includes a discussion of the poetics of Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Frost.

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Spatial Models Of Forest-Environment Relationships On The Appalachian Plateaus: The Allegheny Mountain Section, Western Maryland., Joshua Andrew Kincaid Jan 2001

Spatial Models Of Forest-Environment Relationships On The Appalachian Plateaus: The Allegheny Mountain Section, Western Maryland., Joshua Andrew Kincaid

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goal of this thesis research was to show that spatial data do affect the results of the analysis of vegetation-environment relationships. Vegetation-environment relationships were modeled within the Allegheny Mountain section of the Appalachian Plateaus physiographic province in western Maryland. Specifically, this research focused on two state forests, namely Garrett and Potomac State Forests, in Garrett County, Maryland. Four regression models were utilized in this research to model the basal area and diversity of the fifteen most prominent species relative to environmental factors within the two forests combined. A standard Ordinary Least Squares regression model with diagnostics for spatial effects …

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Exploring The Linkage Of Environmental Impact Assessment (Eia) And Geographic Information Systems (Gis): A Case Study Of The West Run Expressway (Wre), Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia., Sewelo S. Keleagetse Jan 2001

Exploring The Linkage Of Environmental Impact Assessment (Eia) And Geographic Information Systems (Gis): A Case Study Of The West Run Expressway (Wre), Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia., Sewelo S. Keleagetse

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process that seeks to identify potential environmental impacts resulting from development projects and to use this information to minimize those impacts on the social and ecological systems. EIA has been in existence for over three decades and has evolved from a single legislative mandate to a broad methodology. Since the introduction of EIA in the National Environmental Policy Act legislation in 1969, many techniques have been developed to help identify and assess the environmental impacts arising from human activity. Due to the complex nature of both social and natural systems, questions have been raised …

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Cross-Cultural Field Experiences In Costa Rica: A Qualitative Study Of Teacher Change., Peggy A. Romeo Jan 2001

Cross-Cultural Field Experiences In Costa Rica: A Qualitative Study Of Teacher Change., Peggy A. Romeo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In order for teachers to be able to think and teach globally, they must be involved in cross-cultural experiences; experiences that lead to change. The purpose of the present study is to provide information that may be of value in determining if the experiences of a field course designed around a trip to Costa Rica generate professional and personal change in the teachers who participate in the course. Methods for data collection included (1) in-depth, open-ended interviews of the participants before and after the field course; (2) participant observation of the field trip; (3) evaluation of participant journals; and (4) …

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Shake, Rattle And Roll: Hazard Modeling In Indonesia Using Gis., Jacqueline K. Snyder Jan 2001

Shake, Rattle And Roll: Hazard Modeling In Indonesia Using Gis., Jacqueline K. Snyder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The islands of Indonesia are unique in that they are prone to more combined natural disasters caused by volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunami than most other countries. Indonesia is also one of the most densely populated areas in the world. As a result, Indonesia is highly vulnerable to large-scale natural disasters. The political structure, island setting and economic status of the country have prevented the creation and implementation of a comprehensive vulnerability hazard model. Such a model would be an invaluable tool in reducing both economic loss and human casualties arising from natural hazards because it would identify vulnerable areas and …

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Testing The River Continuum Concept: Exploring Ecological Processes In The Wheeling Creek Watershed., Deborah Ann Carpenter Jan 2001

Testing The River Continuum Concept: Exploring Ecological Processes In The Wheeling Creek Watershed., Deborah Ann Carpenter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The river continuum concept (RCC) asserts that the biological community in a stream system is largely regulated by geomorphological factors (Vannote, et al., 1980, 131). The concept states that community structure in natural stream systems is structured in order to capitalize on the most efficient energy utilization throughout. The objective of this research is to test the RCC in the Wheeling Creek watershed of northern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania and to compare the results with those hypothesized under the RCC. One of the strongest criticisms of the RCC is that the continuum assumes an undisturbed stream system. Anomalies found …

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Enjoying A Bad Life: Short Fiction Drawn From Disorder., Kate Green Van Sant Jan 2001

Enjoying A Bad Life: Short Fiction Drawn From Disorder., Kate Green Van Sant

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My own cultural background is somewhat confused, and I inherited from my late father many strange and suspicious stories that can never be corroborated. This allowance for ambiguity also reminded me of my fondness for the labyrinths and forking paths of Borges, and I realized that this duality was probably closely related to my travels between cultural frontiers and my frequent passages between mania and depression. The narrator struggles for independence and emotional stability with humor, attempting to pull order, both creative and practical, from her disorder. Her success is to be judged not as much in her accomplishments as …

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Japan's Ise Shrine And Selected Norwegian Stave Churches: An Examination Of The Definition Of Vernacular Architecture., H. Gary Gillespie Jan 2001

Japan's Ise Shrine And Selected Norwegian Stave Churches: An Examination Of The Definition Of Vernacular Architecture., H. Gary Gillespie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Japan’s Ise Shrine (300-600 C.E.) and Norway’s stave churches (1100-1250 C.E.) are examples of vernacular architecture. Analyses of their functions, building materials, construction techniques, structural forms, and the impact of local philosophical, mythological, and folk influences upon their forms and decorations show that the Ise Shrine and selected Norwegian stave churches reflect cultural values and idea systems common to both cultures. By definition, vernacular architecture implies a regional, provincial character wherein architectural style is perpetuated by native traditions as opposed to cross-cultural influences or universal expression. Yet, as this study demonstrates, all vernacular architecture is not so idiosyncratic and provincial, …

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Matewan Before The Massacre: Politics, Coal, And The Roots Of Conflict In Mingo County, 1793-1920, Rebecca J. Bailey Jan 2001

Matewan Before The Massacre: Politics, Coal, And The Roots Of Conflict In Mingo County, 1793-1920, Rebecca J. Bailey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

On May 19, 1920, gunshots rang through the streets of Matewan, West Virginia, in an event soon known as the “Matewan Massacre.” Most historians of West Virginia and Appalachia see this event as the beginning of a long series of events known as the second mine wars. This dissertation argues that this event was, rather, the culmination of an even longer series of events that unfolded in Mingo County, dating back at least to the Civil War, and setting the stage for the second mine war. Equally important, while it is outside the scope of this dissertation, the conflicts in …

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"A Mad Intemperance...Of Building": The Literary Construction Of Early Modern London., Rachel Dawn Ramsey Jan 2001

"A Mad Intemperance...Of Building": The Literary Construction Of Early Modern London., Rachel Dawn Ramsey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My dissertation tracks the development of London's built environment through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, identifying the shared conceptual and narrative techniques employed in building literature (construction manuals, architectural treatises, and urban improvement tracts) and in literature about buildings (plays, poems, and novels) to discuss the evolution, dissemination, and significance of contemporary debates over urban expansion, urban planning, and spatiality. The first two chapters examine how literary texts proved instrumental in shaping debates over London's urban expansion at key historical junctures: the late-sixteenth century when London's population explosion triggered a series of anti-building proclamations and during the rebuilding of London …

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Food Security And Coping Mechanisms In Kenya's Marginal Areas: The Case Of West Pokot., Anne Kisaka Nangulu Jan 2001

Food Security And Coping Mechanisms In Kenya's Marginal Areas: The Case Of West Pokot., Anne Kisaka Nangulu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study analyzes food security and coping mechanisms in semi-arid West Pokot between 1920–1995. Based on a wide array of primary and secondary sources, the study analyzes the historical role of indigenous irrigation, specifically furrow irrigation, rain-fed farming and livestock keeping, in food production and food security among the Pokot of northwest Kenya. Besides farming and herding, the study also analyzes trade, hunting and gathering, as well as lending and borrowing (for example of food) based on reciprocity, and their contribution to food security in the area. In the colonial and post-colonial West Pokot, income from wage labor and mining …

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An Analysis Of Quality Of Life, Income Distribution And Rural Development In West Virginia., James Obadiah Bukenya Jan 2001

An Analysis Of Quality Of Life, Income Distribution And Rural Development In West Virginia., James Obadiah Bukenya

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The term quality of life has been described as a vague entity (Grayson and Young, 1994) and conceptualizing it, has proved to be difficult. Nevertheless, understanding how individuals form their needs to create life satisfaction is important because these subjective evaluations determine life adjustment and mobility behavior and is the basis of demand for public actions. Additionally, more effective social programs can be designed based on the knowledge of how individuals form their needs to create life satisfaction and avoid problems that may result because the perceptions of the planners and policy makers do not always coincide with those of …

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Beyond The Workplace: The Uneven Development Of The Japanese Space -Economy And The Role Of Labor, 1965-1994., Shawn Michael Banasick Jan 2001

Beyond The Workplace: The Uneven Development Of The Japanese Space -Economy And The Role Of Labor, 1965-1994., Shawn Michael Banasick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite the rapid industrialization and high rates of economic growth that Japan experienced for much of the postwar period, there have been relatively few attempts by English-language researchers to investigate Japan's domestic space-economy at the regional scale. This dissertation examines the process of uneven development in Japan from 1965 to 1994. The conceptual framework for the analysis is a regional political economy approach, combining theories of uneven development with recent work by Michael Webber and David Rigby on regional profit rates in manufacturing and the determinants of profit rate change over time. In addition, insights from the recent literature on …

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Teachers' Conceptions Of The Nature Of Science: Analyzing The Impact Of A Teacher Enhancement Program In Changing Attitudes And Perceptions Of Science And Scientific Research., Aimee Lee Govett Jan 2001

Teachers' Conceptions Of The Nature Of Science: Analyzing The Impact Of A Teacher Enhancement Program In Changing Attitudes And Perceptions Of Science And Scientific Research., Aimee Lee Govett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a residential science research experience in changing participants' attitudes and understanding of the nature of science and their view of themselves as science researchers. Data from interviews, journal writings, classroom observations and two pre-post instruments were used in the evaluation plan. As participants of this study, 16 inservice teachers (K–16) attended a two-week residential institute at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, West Virginia. The format of the institute featured a scientific research experience designed to arm its participants with the skills needed to model their …

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Cross-Cultural Gender Dynamics In Classroom Interaction: The Adult Esol Classroom., Dara Gay Shaw Jan 2001

Cross-Cultural Gender Dynamics In Classroom Interaction: The Adult Esol Classroom., Dara Gay Shaw

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of gender dynamics and culture on interaction in the adult ESOL, from the teachers', students', and observer's points of view. Using an ethnographic methodology, the researcher drew from class observations, videotaped segments of classroom interaction, teachers' self-evaluations of gender equity in instruction, and their responses to gender dynamics scenarios, student responses to classroom photographs, as well as student, teacher, and administrator interviews. Fifteen research questions were divided into three sections: Cross-cultural Context, Gender Dynamics and Classroom Interactions. The Cross-cultural Context research questions centered on the perceptions and expectations of the …

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Mapping Appalachia, Jennifer Hall Boggess Dec 2000

Mapping Appalachia, Jennifer Hall Boggess

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The complexities of natural and human events that make up the history of a place also create components of its image. Images, even those that are meant to describe limited, specific information, often reveal more than that which they were designed to tell. The maps that have been used in conjunction with traditional notions of landscape painting suggest that there is no single way to understand a place. They also hint of something ineffable but true emerging from their forms. The history of movement of people and natural forces, the arriving and leaving of individuals and cultures change the landscape. …

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Commercialism, Subsistence, And Competency On The Western Virginia Frontier, 1765--1800, John M. Boback Dec 2000

Commercialism, Subsistence, And Competency On The Western Virginia Frontier, 1765--1800, John M. Boback

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since the early nineteenth century, Americans have frequently associated the pioneers of the Appalachian Mountains with subsistence farming, economic independence, and a certain degree of hostility toward capitalism. This thesis disproves the myth of pioneer self-sufficiency by demonstrating how the men and women who settled in western Virginia during the final third of the eighteenth century used a variety of tactics in their struggle to achieve a competency. Although subsistence activities, such as hunting and farming, undoubtedly held an important place in the backcountry domestic economy, the settlers also interacted with the commercial market as both producers and consumers of …

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Diversity Of Ectomycorrhizal Fungi On Two Reclaimed Surface Mines Differing In Soil Properties, Betsy S. Kurnik Dec 2000

Diversity Of Ectomycorrhizal Fungi On Two Reclaimed Surface Mines Differing In Soil Properties, Betsy S. Kurnik

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

I analyzed community structure of ectomycorrhizal fungi on white pine (Pinus strobus) on two reclaimed surface mines in eastern Ohio. One site was acidic and metal-stressed, the other was alkaline. Completely different community composition was found on the two sites by PCR/ITS/RFLP analyses of field collected mycorrhizae. However, Shannon-Wiener index values indicated that the two communities were equally diverse. A population of isolates of one species common to both sites was obtained from trap cultures planted with white pine. The identity of this species as Wilcoxina mikolae was established through DNA sequencing of the ITS region. The W. mikolae populations …

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Exploring Visitor Meanings Of Place In The National Capital Parks - Central, Wei-Li Jasmine Chen Dec 2000

Exploring Visitor Meanings Of Place In The National Capital Parks - Central, Wei-Li Jasmine Chen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study uses a new approach to interpretative research based on (1) understanding the meanings visitors attach to park resources, and (2) examining the connections that visitors made after attending an on-site interpretive program. The study was conducted at the National Capital Parks in Washington, DC. This study revealed that many visitors to the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial (i.e. the Triangle) seek something of value for themselves, including everything from connecting with the past and rededicating themselves to the ideals of the nation. The study incorporated mixed method design, including purposeful sampling …

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Integrating Spatial And Spectral Information For Automatic Feature Identification In High -Resolution Remotely Sensed Images, Jong Yeol Lee Dec 2000

Integrating Spatial And Spectral Information For Automatic Feature Identification In High -Resolution Remotely Sensed Images, Jong Yeol Lee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research used image objects, instead of pixels, as the basic unit of analysis in high-resolution imagery. Thus, not only spectral radiance and texture were used in the analysis, but also spatial context. Furthermore, the automated identification of attributed objects is potentially useful for integrating remote sensing with a vector-based GIS.;A study area in Morgantown, WV was chosen as a site for the development and testing of automated feature extraction methods with high-resolution data. In the first stage of the analysis, edges were identified using texture. Experiments with simulated data indicated that a linear operator identified curved and sharp edges …

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Alexander Von Humboldt And Nineteenth-Century Ideas On The Origin Of American Indians, Michael Anthony Wadyko Dec 2000

Alexander Von Humboldt And Nineteenth-Century Ideas On The Origin Of American Indians, Michael Anthony Wadyko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation revolves around Alexander von Humboldt's research on Indian origins. Humboldt conducted investigations on Indians during his precedent-setting scientific expedition to Meso- and South America during the years 1799--1804. Officially sponsored by the Spanish crown, the main purposes for this expedition were twofold: to examine, evaluate, and discredit Buffon's "degeneracy" claims about America and its inhabitants, and to gather empirical evidence on geography, climate, flora, fauna, and the indigenous cultures. From these results Humboldt published three major works about the expedition, particularly a thirty-volume work condensed to two volumes, Vues de Cordilleres et monuments des peuples d' Amerique.;From this …

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Agricultural Non-Point Source (Agnps) Water Quality Modeling In A Gis Environment, Stephen George Carpenter Aug 2000

Agricultural Non-Point Source (Agnps) Water Quality Modeling In A Gis Environment, Stephen George Carpenter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis project outlines the development and implementation of a complex GIS project in a government agency. The objective of the project was to integrate a public domain GIS package (GRASS) with a commercial structured query language database in order to undertake Agricultural Non-Point Source (AGNPS) water quality modeling. Three general areas of GIS technology were investigated consisting of technical issues involved in linking GIS; the model; database development; and a discussion of system performance from an institutional perspective.

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Evaluation Of The Use Of Remotely Sensed Images To Speciate Mixed Appalachian Forests, Doru Ioan Pacurari Aug 2000

Evaluation Of The Use Of Remotely Sensed Images To Speciate Mixed Appalachian Forests, Doru Ioan Pacurari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Advancements in technology have led to development of various new sensors and platforms. Among them, the airborne digital camera has potential for use in detailed forest vegetation management, and they offer a number of advantages over conventional aerial photographs. The aim of the study was to determine the ability to speciate mixed Appalachian hardwood forests using the Airborne Data Acquisition and Registration (ADAR) System 1000, and to determine the optimal spatial resolution and the optimal scale of the acquired images. Digital images of a 200-ha area in west central West Virginia were acquired for the study.;The first objective of the …

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Examining Yard Sales In Fayetteville, A Rural West Virginia Town, Kimberly Dawn Wood Aug 2000

Examining Yard Sales In Fayetteville, A Rural West Virginia Town, Kimberly Dawn Wood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The informal economy has been a widely studied topic as the economy has changed with a shift from primary to secondary industries. The informal economy is a particular topic of interest in West Virginia, a state with a depressed economy where many citizens participate in informal activities to supplement their income. Yard sales are an understudied informal activity, and one the researcher saw occurring often in rural Fayetteville, West Virginia. A study utilizing in-depth interviews was completed and sought to answer who participated in yard sales, how extensively they participated, and why. It was found that reasons for participation were …

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Scale, Ecological Fallacy, And The River Continuum Concept, Hope M. Childers Aug 2000

Scale, Ecological Fallacy, And The River Continuum Concept, Hope M. Childers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Concern over scale is not new, and it is not restricted to geographers. Spatial and temporal scaling is a conceptual and methodological problem for all sciences using geographic information. This paper teases out issues of scale and ecological fallacy from the literature and discusses how these issues influence the applicability of an influential theoretical framework in stream ecology, the River Continuum Concept (RCC). Investigators are faced with decisions regarding scale during sampling location selection, field data capture, and subsequent data interpretation. A thorough understanding of the heterogeneity of stream habitats and the life histories of the organisms being studied could …

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West Virginia State Legislators' Opinions Of Local Mass Media, Timothy Shaw Penn May 2000

West Virginia State Legislators' Opinions Of Local Mass Media, Timothy Shaw Penn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This survey of members of the West Virginia House of Delegates and Senate regarding their opinions of local mass media found that the majority of lawmakers felt local mass media had little influence on their decision making process. The legislators did not, however, view the media as neutral sources of political information. Self-described "conservative" lawmakers rated media sources described as "liberal" as being less accurate in their coverage of the legislature than did self-described "liberal" or "middle-of-the-road" lawmakers. The thesis used discriminate analysis to develop a statistically significant function able to classify, with high confidence, the political orientation of lawmakers, …

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Iron And Acid Removal From Acid Mine Drainage In Open Limestone Systems, Qingyun Sun May 2000

Iron And Acid Removal From Acid Mine Drainage In Open Limestone Systems, Qingyun Sun

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Passive systems, like wetlands, anoxic limestone drains, and open limestone channels, show promise for treating acid mine drainage (AMD) discharges. Open limestone channels have been developed for over ten years and the treatment effectiveness of AMD by open limestone systems shows wide variation. The variation is due to site conditions (slope and size of the limestone channel) but more importantly to the surface area of the limestone and iron concentrations in the water. Iron in AMD coats the limestone in open limestone systems thereby reducing the surface area available for reaction. Over time, the limestone appears to lose its ability …

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Review Of The Factors Influencing The Satisfaction Of Learning In Online Courses At Marshall University, Jan Isobel Fox May 2000

Review Of The Factors Influencing The Satisfaction Of Learning In Online Courses At Marshall University, Jan Isobel Fox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study is to determine what factors influence online course satisfaction. Additionally, the study investigates differences in demographics between traditional student populations and those students attracted to online courses. Research questions were defined for investigating relationship between student satisfaction in the online course with the of the amount of learner interaction and feedback, the reason students enrolled in the course, faculty expertise in online technologies, the course pace, the combination of instructional strategies used in the course, and the students prior experience with the online course product. Additionally, course retention data was calculated as a secondary satisfaction …

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Sedimentology Of Historic And Prehistoric Deposits In The Drainage Basin Of Deep River And Muddy Creek On The Piedmont Of North Carolina, Victoria Leanne Spurgeon May 2000

Sedimentology Of Historic And Prehistoric Deposits In The Drainage Basin Of Deep River And Muddy Creek On The Piedmont Of North Carolina, Victoria Leanne Spurgeon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Deep River and Muddy Creek flow across a granitic and volcanic terrain intruded by diabase dikes in the Piedmont physiographic province of central North Carolina. Geoarchaeological and sedimentological investigation of these Piedmont streams included fourteen trenches dug at four floodplain localities. Soils in these trenches were described using standard soil taxonomy and sampled for particle-size, magnetic susceptibility, and mineralogical analyses.;Increased upland erosion rates, after European settlement, left more than a meter of historic sediments in some areas of the floodplains. A paleosol, indicated by an Ab horizon, records the floodplain surface at the time of European contact. This paleosol, dated …

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