Digital Commons Network^™

A Qualitative Study Of A Capacity -Building Professional Development Experience., Theodora R. Cox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Capacity building in schools is of great interest to educators and policy makers who see an ongoing need for improvement in schools. This qualitative study investigates a professional development program provided in a school system to determine: (1) the dynamics of the experience that inspired participants to want to change practices to better facilitate student learning; (2) how selected educators exemplified that inspiration in their daily professional experience; and (3) how the training has impacted classrooms, schools, and the school system. The study took the shape of a funnel. Wiersma (1995) explains that the funnel approach begins with a general …

Say-Do Correspondence: Effects Of Reinforcer Magnitude, Response Requirement, And Prior Experience On Choices., Stephanie P. Da Silva

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The effects of reinforcer magnitude, response requirement, and prior experience on choices in say-do correspondence were assessed in three experiments. In each of the experiments, correspondence was trained on red, green, and white key colors using Lattal and Doepke's (2001) homologue of correspondence. In Experiment 1, the duration of food presentations following correspondence on each key color was manipulated across conditions. As the duration of food presentation increased (e.g., from 3 s to 6 s), the number of say responses on that key color increased and, as the duration of food presentation decreased (e.g., from 3 s to 1 s), …

Sequence And Distribution Of The Neotyphodium Lolii Peptide Synthetase Gene Ipsa., Prapassorn Damrongkool

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neotyphodium lolii is a fungal endophyte of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Like related endophytes of other grasses, it increases the grass host's fitness. Endophyte-infected grasses have greater resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, and thus are highly competitive. However, the endophytes also produce toxins that cause toxicoses in grazing animals. N. lolii produces a large amount of lolitrems, which are thought to cause ryegrass staggers in mammals. The fungus also produces a smaller amount of a highly toxic ergopeptine ergovaline. In this dissertation, I have characterized, sequenced and surveyed the distribution of peptide synthetase gene IpsA that is required for …

Framing The View: The *Western Landscape And Nineteenth-Century Narratives Of Expansion., Thomas P. Kinnahan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study traces the flowering of Western scientific exploration during the fifteen years following the Civil War. During these years, the empirical modes of perception and representation associated with Western exploration gained growing cultural authority and increasingly came to frame discussions of Western policy. At the same time, the systematic exploration of the West revealed the region in new and sometimes startling ways, in some cases prompting far-reaching revisions in the nation's self-perception. The stakes of these revisions became especially acute in the 1870's as the nation's frontier line flowed toward the alien landscapes of the arid West, prompting both …

The Impact Of Student Discourse And Journal Writing On The Mathematics Achievement Of Fifth-Grade Students., Lesley A. Klishis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In its Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics called for a new vision of what is means to be mathematically literate (NCTM, 2000). A major goal of this reform movement has been to provide students with opportunities to develop "mathematical habits of the mind to not only know the signs, symbols, and terms of mathematics, but to read, write, and discuss mathematics. This study investigated the relationship between instructional strategies and student understanding in mathematics. Specifically, the study explored whether student discourse is a desirable prerequisite of journal writing, and whether the …

An Inverse Boundary Value Problem From Semiconductor Modeling., Mingying Lu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this thesis, we investigate an inverse boundary value problem arising from the study of semiconductor transistors. The problem is to recover a number of parameters in the coefficient function from the knowledge of the solution at some accessible boundary. We first review the mathematical models that describe the current flow in a transistor into an integrated circuit. We then obtain the theoretical results pertaining to this inverse problem, such as existence, monotonicity, differentiability, asymptotic properties and identifiability. We also formulate the partial differential equation model into a boundary integral equation model. For the differential equation model, we employ both …

A Methodology For Determining The Character Of Mine Roof Rocks., Gerald Lee Finfinger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The underground mining industry is dependent upon the implementation of an engineering design and strategy to adequately and safely control the surrounding rock mass, with support of the roof rocks being of the greatest concern. Primary roof support systems use mechanical structures, such as roof bolts, roof trusses and cable bolts, to stiffen and control the roof rocks. Each of these systems requires the drilling of a small-diameter hole into the roof which is used to insert the mechanical structure. The structures are designed for specific geological and geotechnical characteristics and the more information that can be collected on these …

Living Logos: Framing The Discourse Of The University Presidency., Mortimer Williams Gamble

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to analyze speeches and opinion articles of four presidents of doctoral-extensive universities to determine how the four leadership frames of Bolman and Deal (1984, 1997) are manifested in the public utterances of the presidents, and whether there is any relationship between those frames and the occasion and purpose for the discourse as defined by situational contingencies and the significance of the occasion. Conclusions were drawn as to whether the president, through his/her discourse, consistently operated in one or more frame(s) apparently chosen for what occasion and/or purpose; whether there is a correlation between frame …

Prediction Of Treatment Dropouts From Outpatient Substance Abuse Rehabilitation: A Discriminant Analysis., Phyllis J. Harner-Neer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Significant research literature supports the need for programs better designed to meet the needs of adolescent substance treatment. There is little research, however, that addresses the identification of characteristics of those adolescents who do not complete treatment. Consequently, this study seeks to identify those characteristics of adolescents by segueing off of another study that proved successful in identifying characteristics among inpatient adult male substance abusers. This study looks at the archival data of 38 adolescents who attended outpatient substance abuse treatment at an experientially-based, substance abuse program designed for adolescents. Methodological processes included the use of demographic variables collected through …

A Tolerance Initiative Versus Multicultural Education: Portraits Of Teachers In Action., Raphael Chesare Heaggans

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Shadypine Middle School has recently implemented what they called a Teaching-for-Tolerance initiative designed to help all students become tolerant of cultural perspectives. This initiative involved teachers adding multicultural education to current curricula to show students groups of people who were discriminated and prejudiced against and their reaction to the discrimination and prejudice. Since teachers are using multicultural education as a base for this initiative, this study investigates how the tolerance initiative illustrates or exemplifies levels of multicultural education as described by Sonia Nieto. This study also investigates what the reactions of the parents and students are. This qualitative study employed …

Experimental Support For The Use Of Story Telling To Guide Behavior: The Effects Of Story Telling On Multiple And Mixed Fixed Ratio (Fr) /Differential Reinforcement Of Low Rate (Drl) Schedule Responding., Michelle Heffner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Story telling is universal, and the significance of stories may lie in their ability to guide behavior. An informal analysis of story telling suggests that stories provide a model of behavior, establish motivation, and stimulate the development of self-generated rules. In psychotherapy, stories illustrate points, suggest solutions, improve client insight, increase motivation, and establish rapport (Barker, 1996; Zeig, 1980). Despite the popular use of stories across theoretical orientations and treatment approaches, it is not clear if stories facilitate behavior change. Observational and correlational data suggest that stories may guide behavior, but there is no experimental support for these findings. The …

Epr And Endor Studies Of Point Defects In Lithium Triborate And Beta-Barium Borate., Wei Hong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron-nuclear double resonance (EN-DOR) have been used to identify and characterize point defects in nonlinear optical crystals of lithium triborate (LiB3O5) and beta barium borate (β-BaB2O4). Two similar hole centers, one (Hole Center A) stable below approximately 130 K and the other one (Hole Center B) stable below approximately 170 K, were observed in LiB3O 5. For both centers, there is a major hyperfine interaction with only one 11B nucleus. The g matrix and the 11B hyperfine and nuclear quadrupole matrices have been determined for each hole center. I suggest Hole Center A is a …

The Cycle Of Abuse: Factors That Put Survivors At Risk For Perpetration Of Child Physical And/Or Sexual Abuse., Aline E. Rabalais

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Investigators have hypothesized that survivors of child sexual abuse may be at increased risk for becoming perpetrators of sexual abuse against children. Much of the available information about this cycle of abuse, however, is anecdotal and not based on empirical evidence. Furthermore, there has been little investigation of whether or not a history of sexual abuse may put one at risk for becoming a perpetrator of other types of child maltreatment, such as physical abuse. It is also unclear whether or not gender differences with respect to level of psychopathology and repeated exposure to traumatic events might increase the likelihood …

Sensation Seeking Characteristics And Neuroendocrine Responses To An Acute Psychological Challenge In Latent Forensic Identifiers., Jonathan W. Roberti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined various characteristics of 29 (20 females and 9 males) undergraduate participants interested in latent forensic identification. Participants completed a basic demographics questionnaire, information about daily stressors and psychosocial stressors (HPS: Scotti, 1992, 1999), the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS-V; Zuckerman, Eysenck, & Eysenck, 1978) and Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ; Zuckerman, Kuhlman, Joirement, & Kraft, 1993). Salivary cortisol samples and perceived distress were assessed before and during exposure to an acute psychological challenge. Participants self-reported handling daily stressors well and to have had minimal experience with psychosocial stressors. Compared to published normative data on the SSS-V and ZKPQ, males …

An Exploratory Examination Of The Relationship Between Motivational Factors And The Degree To Which The Higher Education Faculty Integrate Computer -Mediated Communication (Cmc) Tools Into Their Courses., Francis Ndwiga Murage

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The stated research problem of this study was to examine the relationship between motivational factors and the degree to which the higher education faculty integrate CMC tools into their courses. The study population and sample involved higher education faculty teaching in science departments at one public university and three public colleges in the state of West Virginia (N = 153). A Likert-type rating scale survey was used to collect data based on the research questions. Two parts of the survey were adopted from previous studies while the other two were self-constructed. Research questions and hypothesis were analyzed using both descriptive …

Gender, Gender Role, And Gender Role-Orientation Of Exercise Task: Effects On Cardiovascular Reactivity And Confidence., Andria Leigh Doyle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study was conducted to examine gender and gender role differences in cardiovascular reactivity and confidence in relation to performing gender role-oriented exercise tasks. Sixty-four participants were selected to view videos of male and female models performing two exercise tasks [baton twirling (the feminine gender role-oriented task) and martial arts (the masculine gender role-oriented task)]. Participants then completed the exercise tasks while following along with the same video models. Heart rate (HR) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) were measured during experimental conditions. Participants completed questionnaires to assess their level of confidence to perform each exercise …

Examining The Value Of Banner Ads: A Uses And Gratifications Study., Ashley E. Norman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As clickthrough rates for banner ads decrease and scrutiny toward online advertising rises, finding a way to assess the effectiveness of online advertising is becoming increasingly important. Advertising value is one theory that has been proposed as a means of determining what gratifications consumers receive from advertising. This study applies advertising value to the Web and studies how three banner ad designs – animated, static and content-specific – rate in terms of the three predictors of advertising value – information, entertainment and irritation.

Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of 2% Lidocaine With 1:100,000 Epi Vs 4% Articaine With 1:100,000 Epi On Teeth With Irreversible Pulpitis., Dean S. Elattrache

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study compared the effectiveness of 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine, with 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine, on teeth diagnosed with irreversible pulpitis. 39 cases were selected where 19 received 2% lidocaine and 20 received 4% articaine. Once a diagnosis of irreversible pulpitis was confirmed and a nerve block with 2% lidocaine was administered for mandibular teeth only, either the lidocaine or articaine local anesthetic was chosen for buccal and lingual infiltrations. After 5 minutes the evaluation of anesthesia was determined in 3 stages. Stage 1: Endo Ice retest prior to access preparation, Stage 2: Access preparation, and Stage 3: …

A Hydrologic Analysis And Model Of A Watershed, Containing An Ecologically Important Wetland, In Canaan Valley State Park, West Virgina., Sam Lamont

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Canaan Valley, located in the northern mountains of West Virginia, is the largest area of inland freshwater wetlands in the central Appalachian mountain region. Small, isolated wetlands within the 5,000 ha valley often support many rare plant species. One such area is Abe’s Run wetland, in the southern end of Canaan Valley State Park.

A comprehensive hydrologic study was conducted within the approximately 135 ha Abes Run sub-basin to aid in the protection and management of the area’s rare plants. This study includes the analysis of: the gradient of the local water table using two inch, screened groundwater wells …

A Numerical Study Of Current Distribution Inside The Cathode And Electrolyte Of A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell., Suryanarayana Raju Pakalapati

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fuel cells have the potential of becoming the prime power sources in near future. They offer many advantages over conventional power generators. Fuel cells are being extensively researched where Numerical Modeling plays an increasingly important role. The present study comprises of a new modular approach to the three dimensional modeling of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). The new approach resolves important scales and details of pertinent processes inside various SOFC components. The model calculates the spatial distributions of current, temperature and specie concentrations inside the SOFC. Simulations are performed on cathode of a SOFC showed interesting results. Also a …

Physical Activity Perceptions In Adolescents: A Qualitative Analysis., Lindsey M. Parker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this research was to investigate adolescent perceptions of overweight and physical activity. Focus groups were used to collect information. Eight age- and gender- specific focus groups consisting of 48 participants (10 middle school males, 10 middle school females, 15 high school males, and 13 high school females). Perceptions of overweight, benefits, barriers and facilitators to being physically active were gathered among the groups and compared using age and gender. Males and females were found to differ in their overweight perceptions, perceived benefits of physical activity, their activity preferences, and barriers to physical activity. High school aged adolescents …

The Effects Of Cancer On Interpersonal Relationships., Alicia M. Vandine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of these studies was to examine the impact of cancer on relationship satisfaction, equity, relationship maintenance strategies, and loneliness. The researcher proposed cancer would significantly impact the way individuals with cancer, and their friends/family, view their relationship. Participants in study one were 122 undergraduate students; study two participants were 18 adult pairs (36 individuals) from various Mid-Atlantic States. Results for study one and study two showed individuals in relationships affected by cancer are less satisfied and use fewer relationship maintenance strategies than individuals in relationships not affected by cancer. There was a significant inverse relationship between satisfaction, relationship …

Discovering August Strindberg's "The Ghost Sonata" Through The Costume Design., Nicole R. Frachiseur

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document is intended to record the costume design process for West Virginia University’s 2002 production of August Strindberg’s The Ghost Sonata. The design was assigned as partial fulfillment of the requirements of a Master of Fine Arts thesis in theatrical design, specifically costumes. This document includes the process of the costume designer with visual documents of research, development, photographs, and paperwork needed to complete the design.

A Survey Of The Minkowski ?(X) Function., Randolph M. Conley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Minkowski defined the question mark function ?(x) in 1904 as a map from the rational numbers in the interval [0,1] onto the dyadics in [0,1]. The map can be extended over the entire interval. In providing an historical survey of this function, I review basic results concerning Farey fractions and continued fractions. Then I examine Minkowski’s definition and its extension, and I give a new proof of a basic fact about the extension. By stepping through the literature, I outline the known properties of ?(x) and state some generalizations of the function. Finally, I present an interesting connection to a …

An Operant Blocking Account Of Rule-Governed Behavior's Insensitivity To Local Contingencies Of Reinforcement., Marta Leon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This experiment examined whether operant blocking could explain instructed behavior’s insensitivity to contingencies. Fourteen subjects were randomly assigned to three groups and trained to respond to a multiple differential reinforcement of low rates 4- seconds/fixed ratio 18 (DRL 4-s/FR18) schedule. Subjects in the Blocking and Unblocking groups received instructions about the optimal response rate. Subjects in the Minimally Instructed group received only general instructions. Arbitrary stimuli correlated with the schedule components were presented to all groups. For the Unblocking group, the introduction of these stimuli was accompanied by a change in reinforcement’s magnitude. Sensitivity and blocking were assessed by reversing …

The Effect Of Dietary Lactose On The Performance Of Turkeys., Mabel Mbone Milimu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An experiment was conducted involving 360 large white turkeys of mixed sex, raised in floor pens. The purpose of the experiment was to determine the effect of dietary lactose on the performance of turkeys and to determine the optimum amount of lactose inclusion in the diet. There were six diets and three replicates of each diet. The diets contained 0%, (commercial and control) 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 4% lactose and were randomly assigned to 18 pens with 20 birds per pen. Feed and water were offered ad libitum. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) among the diets in final …

The Effects Of Superimposing The Same Vs. Qualitatively Different Food On Responding Maintained By A Variable-Interval Schedule Of Reinforcement., Jessie-Sue Milo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the effects of response-independent delivery of same vs. qualitatively different food than the reinforcer on rats' lever pressing. During baselines, a variable-interval schedule delivered either pellets or milk. A fixed-time schedule then was superimposed which delivered either response-independent pellets or milk. The order of reinforcer and responseindependent food presentation was counterbalanced across subjects, such that in four different conditions each rat was exposed to each combination of reinforcer and response-independent food presentations. Similarity of the response-independent food to the reinforcer did not differentially disrupt response rates. Response-independent milk decreased response rates more than response-independent pellets. Postreinforcement pausing …

Ergot Alkaloids And Herbivory In Model Animals, And, Variation In An Ergot Alkaloid Biosynthesis Gene., Andrea B. Sedlock

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neotyphodium spp. are members of the fungal family Clavicipitaceae that grow endophytically within several important forage grasses, imparting benefits to the host grass. Several species produce toxic ergopeptines that are thought to adversely affect mammalian health. Inclusion of 1% agar in endophyte-infected seed diets was found to ameliorate some of the consequences of feeding endophyte-infected seeds to mice. Based upon feeding preferences of rabbits and mice, it seems that ergot alkaloids are not critical factors for deterring feeding on endophyte-infected plants by these animals, but the presence of the fungus appeared to deter rabbits. Intron-containing fragments of lysergyl peptide synthetase …

The Biology And Ecology Of Interactions Between The Predatory Nematode Clarkus Papillatus Bastian And Selected Bacterial Biological Control Agents., Kimberly A. Salinas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Interactions of different nematodes with various biological control agents were examined in field and in vitro studies. In a field experiment conducted to determine effects of the bacterial biocontrol agent, Kodiakâ (Bacillus subtilis GBO3), on soil plant parasitic, predatory and free-living nematodes, no significant differences were found in the abundance of any nematode group among treated and untreated plots. Chemotaxis assays developed to evaluate the effects of Kodiakâ on the movement of the plant parasitic nematode Pratylenchus scribneri Steiner and the predatory nematode Clarkus papillatus Bastian detected no nematicidal or taxis effects. In another chemotaxis assay, bacterial isolates were examined …

The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy Expectations And Career-Choice., Geraldine January

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Analysis of responses from (N = 64) undergraduate students enrolled in Learning Strategies and Orientation courses on the Career Decision Making Self-Efficacy scale and the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale, revealed that participants who selected male-dominated careers scored higher on the goal selection subscale compared to participants in the female-dominated group. Similar results were observed for career decision-making, self-efficacy and major status. As predicted, the scores for males on the OSES indicated that males reported equally higher scores for male and female-dominated occupations, whereas females reported higher self-efficacy for female-dominated occupations compared to male-dominated occupations.