Digital Commons Network^™

We Are The Same But Different: The Lives Of Two College Music Majors, Josephine M. Cannon

Honors Theses

As the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder continues to increase every year, so does the number of students on the spectrum who pursue a college education. This case study was designed to examine the lives of two college music majors: one, Bella, lies on the autism spectrum with a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), and the other, Rebekah, does not. In order to collect rich, reliable, and valid data, several different methods of data collection were employed. Each student graciously recorded several video journal entries, as well as individual practice sessions on their major applied instrument. In addition, each student, …

Religious And Ceremonial Microartifacts From The Winterville Archaeological Site (22ws500), Caitlyn E. Burkes

Honors Theses

The Winterville Archaeological Site (22WS500), located near Greenville, Mississippi, served as a ceremonial center during the Mississippian Period (approximately 1000-1500 AD). Originally consisting of twenty-three or more mounds, Winterville was a significant social and religious gathering place and was home to the elite classes of the society. This study analyses microartifacts from two locations on the site, leading to comparisons and conclusions of the types of religious activities occurring at each. Mound C was home to an elite group while Mound B likely served as a temple or religiously significant mound. The findings indicate that elites and elite mounds played …

The Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Using A Traditional Approach To Speech Therapy To Using A Traditional Approach To Speech Therapy Plus Non-Speech Oral Motor Exercises In Children With Articulation Disorders, Alanna D. Buckley

Honors Theses

This study focuses on an area of debate in the field of Speech-Language Pathology with little prior research on the topic. The thesis considers the use of non-speech oral motor exercises in children with Articulation Disorders. Understanding the reasoning behind the use of these exercises as well as the reasons that cause the exercises to be controversial are discussed. Data is collected from four clients at the University of Southern Mississippi Speech and Hearing Clinic. All four clients have Articulation Disorders; non-speech oral motor exercises are used in therapy with two of the clients in addition to a Traditional Approach …

The Effects Of An Academic Values Clarification Exercise On Academic Performance Of College Students, Dana Goetz

Honors Theses

Values exploration exercises, in which individuals are typically asked to rank order their values and describe values that are most important to them, have been used for many purposes including reducing the racial achievement gap in academic performance (Cohen, Garcia, Apfel, Maseter, 2006), increasing acceptance of health related issues (Harris & Napper, 2005), and increasing academic success (Chase, Houmanfar, Hayes, Ward, Vilardaga, & Follette, 2013). However, little research has addressed the mechanism or mechanisms through which values clarification exercises impact outcomes, particularly academic achievement. This paper analyzes values clarification exercises used in educational settings during the 1970s and the roles …

Teaching Book Arts In The Classroom To Enhance Education, Leah Ruesink

Honors Theses

Books are the foundation of education and a central component to our society. The process of making books, including the art of paper-making, printmaking, typography, and bookbinding are rarely known or recognized today. In our current age of computer and photographic technology, these processes have become a lost art. Through my experiences exploring and creating book art in Italy through a study abroad experience, as well as an internship at the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, I began to see many connections to book arts and educating children. The power and magical aspect of books came alive to me, and I …

Traditional Assessment Vs Non-Traditional Assessment: What Native American Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Looks Like In A Suburban Classroom., Jamie Keyser

Honors Theses

Native American culturally relevant pedagogy is a form of non-traditional assessment, which focuses on ways to measure what students learn, understand or do not understand, without using the standard traditional assessment of a test or quiz. In schools today, there is a lack of culturally relevant teaching because schools are deep into a curriculum that is Eurocentric and focused on the dominant culture, European Americans. To see if Native American culturally relevant pedagogy assessment strategies were beneficial to students of all races in a suburban classroom, action research was done in an internship classroom in a suburban school district. Two …

Individualized Education Program Complexities For Students With Autism, Jordan Rohraff

Honors Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) belongs to a group of closely-related neurobiological disorders (Phetrasuwan, Miles & Mesibov, 2009). Incidence of this disorder is on the rise and is also seen as a topic of increasing concern, especially among educators and parents. Students with ASD need assistance from a variety of professionals in order to achieve academic success. To maintain effective communications between all involved parties, a collaborative plan must be put into place. An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is an educational roadmap for students with disabilities. Although these important plans have many benefits such as providing students with their much needed …

“Additional Analysis Of Previously Collected Data: Food Choices In Children With Autism”, Kristin Crinion

Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to look at children with autism and their food choices based on previously collected data. The previously collected data includes a caregiver survey to determine food acceptance level (e.g. severe, moderate, typical), and a caregiver reported food inventory. The caregiver reported food inventory was used to see what specific foods children with autism are eating and in what food categories (e.g. dairy, fruits, vegetables, protein, and carbohydrate). Per previously literature, it is researched that children with ASD tend to have more food selectivity than typically developing children (Suarez, Nelson, & Curtis, 2012). There is …

An Overview Of Sensory Processing Disorder, Heather Lonkar

Honors Theses

This thesis was done to evaluate the basic overview of the definition, diagnosis, comorbid conditions, symptoms, causes, and treatment, as it pertains to Sensory Processing Disorder. Although the research has been light on this subject, there have been studies done, that show the possible causes, and effectiveness of treatment in children. The purpose was to examine, more closely, the relationship between Sensory Processing Disorder and the outcome of occupational therapy based sensory integration (OT-SI) intervention. Controversy surrounding sensory integration exists, because of lack of fidelity in research. Researchers are currently interested in the fidelity of the treatment, and whether or …

Art And Aphasia: A Literary Review And Exhibition, Jessica Parrish

Honors Theses

My honors thesis explores aphasia, my primary topic of interest, through procedures spanning both of my degrees. Communication makes interaction possible for exchanging ideas, feelings, concepts, and events. Aphasia, an acquired disorder, impacts language areas that are responsible for expression, comprehension, literacy, and symbolic understanding. Aphasia interrupts the mental process responsible for converting thought to language. Literature involving both traditional speech and art therapy is discussed. Once the aphasia disorder type is assessed, a speech language pathologist designs a therapy plan. Art, which has been used in therapy and research for rehabilitation, shares a connection with language and symbolic thought. …

Emerging Themes In Dystopian Literature: The Development Of An Undergraduate Course, Devin Ryan

Honors Theses

Young adult (YA) dystopian literature is a trend that is taking the nation by storm. Since September 11, 2001, the genre has gained a strong backing from academics, authors, and YA readers; after Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games (2008), however, YA dystopian literature has become the forefront of teen reading, especially with the recently adapted film versions of the widely renowned trilogy. In order to keep up with the times, a proposed course—YA Dystopian Literature: A Survey of Modern Book Series—has been created to be taught at Western Michigan University by Dr. Gwen Tarbox in the spring of 2015.

Before …

The Effect Of Regional And Seasonal Variability In Wastewater Microbial Community Structure On The Biodegradability Of Room Temperature Ionic Liquids, Steven Aiello

Honors Theses

Biodegradability is an important consideration in the design of novel chemicals. At the end of their function, chemicals should break down into harmless degradation products to avoid toxic effects as a result of environmental persistence. To test the biodegradability potential of novel chemicals, a protocol designed by the Organisation for Economic and Cooperative Development (OECD) is used. This protocol states that in a mixture of the chemical of interest, a microbial inoculate, and mineral media, 70% of the chemical must degrade within a 10-day window of a 28-day experiment in order to be considered readily biodegradable. The protocol states that …

A Study Of Stress Levels Of Students, Rebekah Currie

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Wmu Career And Student Employment Services – Present Practices And Future Recommendations For Employer Relations, Amanda Jeppesen

Honors Theses

Career services offices currently find themselves in a rapidly changing environment. Due to economic hardship, students and employers are expecting more effective and fruitful engagement, and offices must create innovative solutions to provide such engagement on shrinking budgets. Career services staff charged with conducting employer relations activities are charged with brokering these relationships between employers, students, faculty and staff, and the offerings of their departments. The purpose of this study is to determine current practices for the career services offices at Western Michigan University, Oakland University, and Central Michigan University. Then, best practices identified by industry experts will be explored …

Lead Seals From Colonial Fort St. Joseph (20be23), Cathrine Davis

Honors Theses

The mainstay of the North American fur trade was cloth, which composed at one time over half of the goods shipped out of Montreal for trade with Native Americans. However, this cloth rarely survives in archaeological context, leaving only other artifacts that yield limited information on the textiles that once existed at a site. Among these artifacts are lead seals, which functioned much in the same way as modern day clothing tags, with lettering and symbols that reveal information such as the origin, quality, and quantity of the cloth to which they were once attached.

This study examined seals from …

Influences And Perspectives: Studying Abroad In Germany, Alexandra Nelson

Honors Theses

A group of Western Michigan University students who studied abroad in Germany within the past two years were surveyed to better understand what influences opinions and stereotypes of another culture. In this thesis the country and culture that was specifically observed was Germany. This thesis focuses on three factors that influence an individual’s opinions of another culture: (1) the influences from the individual’s family, friends and culture/society of his/her home country, (2) the influences from the host country’s culture/society of his/her study abroad, and (3) the influences of his/her experiences while studying abroad. In the survey, the students were asked …

Walk-Training Increases Expression Of Gdnf In Pectoralis Muscle But Not Diaphragm From Mouse, Erin Donovan

Honors Theses

Neurotrophic factors are proteins that play an important role in the development and maintenance of neurons. Recent studies have shown that neurotrophic factors may hold promise for treating damage to the nervous system caused by trauma or diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is expressed in skeletal muscles and affects peripheral motor neurons. Results of previous studies have demonstrated that exercise can increase GDNF content in skeletal muscle of rat. The goal of the current study was to examine whether expression of GDNF in skeletal muscle of mouse is also regulated …

Resisting (And Reproducing) Language Domination In A Bilingual Kindergarten Classroom, Roxana Gamble

Honors Theses

In modern U.S. society, English is considered the language of power while Spanish is considered a minority language, unfit for academic or professional settings. These macro-level power inequalities are evident in micro-level interactions between students and teachers in mainstream schools. Dual language education programs, however, attempt to challenge this ideology by elevating the status of minority languages and their speakers. In this study, I use an ethnographic/discourse analysis approach to examine how one teacher's practices in a dual language kindergarten classroom work to both reproduce and resist dominant ideologies about Spanish. Through participant-observation, interviews, and audio recordings of naturallyoccurring speech, …

The Relevance Of Fraternity New Member Education Programs, Christopher Miller

Honors Theses

College can be a difficult time of transition for young men, and done properly a fraternity can provide a strong tool for initial and continued success. My thesis will center on a curriculum I developed for the new members of my fraternity, the Michigan Beta chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp). Under the auspices of SigEp’s nationally implemented Balanced Man Program, my program is aimed to help new members of college and SigEp understand collegiate life, fraternity, and how living a life centered around the principles of SigEp can help ensure success in college and in life after college. The …

Two-Way Dual-Immersion Programs, Monica Nealis

Honors Theses

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, “of the 281 million people aged 5 and over in the United States, 55.4 million people (20 percent of this population) speak a language other than English at home” (Center for Applied Linguistics). As this number of English language learners, also known as ELLs, continues to grow, families and educators alike are looking for effective programs and instructional strategies to serve these children and adults (CAL). “Dual-language education” is an umbrella term used for an additive form of education in which students are taught literacy and other content (reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social …

¡Vamos: Es Hora De Conocer España! Unit Plan For The Life And Culture Of Spain, Katheryn Cook

Honors Theses

This thesis, ¡Vamos: es hora de conocer España!, is a unit plan for a high school Spanish course focusing on the life and culture of Spain, with an intense focus on the languages of Spain other than Spanish. The cultures of the regions where these languages are found in Spain are rich with history and are quite individual and unique. The goal of this unit was to create a connection between language and culture for new language learners. When someone has a story and a context behind what they are learning, they will have a connection to the material …

Stimulating The Brain With Creative Movement In The Classroom, Theresa Lytwyn

Honors Theses

This paper explores and discusses the use of creative movement in the normal classroom setting as a means of stimulating the brain to be active in learning and eliciting emotional responses in children. Creative methods of pedagogy are explored through research about the involvement of the Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner, right and left brain functions while learning, 21st Century skills, and movement as a mode of learning. The benefits of arts integration in the classroom are examined as they relate to pedagogy and ways to include all learners regardless of mental, physical or emotional capabilities is discussed. The research …

Backyard Archaeology: Informing The Southwest Michigan Community About Local Archaeological Sites And Research Through The “Evidence Found” Exhibit, Tabitha Hubbard

Honors Theses

This paper is a report of my involvement with and background research for an upcoming exhibit called “Evidence Found.” The project is a collaboration between the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. In this report, I provide a description of the exhibit and my involvement in preparing the exhibit. I also present the research I conducted for use in the exhibit. Joseph Hines, a designer with Project Arts & Ideas, and Dr. Michael Nassaney, a Professor of Anthropology at Western Michigan University and the principal investigator of the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project, are creating the …

Position Tracking Using Wifi, Tyler Bayne

Honors Theses

Position tracking using WiFi is needed as a more accurate method of intra-building tracking due to Global Positioning System's (GPS) lack of accuracy in buildings. The main application of this project is to provide a safety system, which may be either tracking employees within a building and allowing them to send an emergency message through a device, or to track objects throughout a building. The devices can send simple messages to a central location. These messages will include position information and which emergency has been selected. The devices consist of two buttons and two LEDs, and with a button press, …

Position Tracking Using Wifi, Nathan Conrad

Honors Theses

Position tracking using WiFi is needed as a more accurate method of intra-building tracking due to Global Positioning System’s (GPS) lack of accuracy in buildings. The main application of this project is to provide a safety system, which may be either tracking employees within a building and allowing them to send an emergency message through a device, or to track objects throughout a building. The devices can send simple messages to a central location. These messages will include position information and which emergency has been selected. The devices consist of two buttons and two LEDs, and with a button press, …

Application Of Concurrent Engineering Design, Chance Ballard

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Paper And Pixel : A Study In Multichannel Advertising, Jesse Jackson

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Undergraduate Students’ Knowledge About Applying To And Attending Graduate School In Speech-Language Pathology: The Effect Of A Panel Presentation On The Topics, Chelsea Swadling

Honors Theses

The researcher of the following study recognized that undergraduate students in the speech-language pathology and audiology program at Western Michigan University feel unprepared and anxious about applying to and attending graduate school. The following study was conducted in order to determine the effectiveness of a panel presentation in preparing undergraduate students for applying to and attending graduate school. A professional panel of five nationally certified speech-language pathologists was gathered to give a presentation to the speech-language pathology and audiology undergraduates aiming to expand the knowledge base and reduce the anxiety that undergraduates possessed about attending and applying to graduate school. …

The Effects Of A Picture Acitivty Schedule And Functional Communication Training, Sarah J. Lett

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects a package treatment containing a picture activity schedule and functional communication training on the reduction of problem behaviors on a child with developmental delays. The study was conducted by first establishing discrimination between pictures, to be used in the picture activity schedule. Then the tutors progressively advanced through the six phases of the picture activity schedule. Each phase taught fundamental rules such as “first this, then that”, and built the schedule to more complex structure. In this way, the student could anticipate upcoming tasks, and preferred activities. The predictor strategy …

The Combined Effects Of Picture Activity Schedules And Extinction Plus Differential Reinforcement On Problem Behavior During Transitions, Jessica Hurdelbrink

Honors Theses

To decrease problem behaviors and increase compliance during transitions, a treatment package consisting of a picture activity schedule combined with extinction and differential reinforcement of other behavior was implemented. The study consisted of baseline and the intervention. Based on previous studies involving picture activity schedules, Gina Cross wrote the protocol for the teaching of the activity schedule and the transition protocol. The teaching protocol was made up of four stages of most-to-least prompting, and involved teaching the child to move the picture icon to the bottom of the schedule independently. The transition protocol gave instructions on how the tutor and …