Digital Commons Network^™

A Course To Prepare Undergraduate Music Education Students For Teaching Autism Spectrum Disorder, Amanda Lynn Whitmer

Masters Theses

In the field of music education, Autism Spectrum Disorder has become an area of importance requiring more thought and intentionality from teachers than normal lesson planning expectations. Because music educator programs only offer courses that cover the whole spectrum of special needs and do not focus on autism specifically, music educators are finding themselves unprepared to create music lessons that can accommodate learners with such a unique spectrum of learning abilities. Many college curriculums offer special needs courses that focus on all aspects of special education that can be found in music education but very rarely for autism as a …

The Old Testament’S Contribution To The Baptism Of Jesus In The Gospel Of Matthew, Andrew James Herbst

Masters Theses

The Baptism of Jesus is an often overlooked or misunderstood event. There are numerous interpretations of what the Baptism of Jesus reveals, some of which alternate between Christ’s work and ministry as a man or a revelation of His deity. A clearer understanding of the Baptism event may be discovered through examining the Gospel of Matthew and relevant OT texts. Matthew depicts Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, as the Son of David who would fulfill OT prophecies and become the messianic King and Servant of Yahweh. The voice from heaven, the dove, and the anointing of the Spirit may …

Influence Of Soil And Land Cover On Chronic Wasting Disease Prevalence In White-Tailed Deer And Mule Deer Across North America, Madison L. Miller

Masters Theses

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that infects deer and is caused by a pathogenic prion. CWD is a concerning wildlife disease because it is incurable, potentially poses a risk to human health, and is spreading rapidly. CWD prions are transmitted both directly via bodily fluids and indirectly through environmental reservoirs such as soil. In this study, we investigated the influence of land cover and soil characteristics on CWD prevalence in white-tailed deer and mule deer. We acquired CWD prevalence data from seven North American regions and used ArcGIS to obtain land cover and soil characteristic data …

Short-Term 2d And 3d Geomorphic Change Detection At A Public Park On Lake Michigan Using Uas Remote Sensing Techniques, Scott Patrick Fitzgerald

Masters Theses

The high-water level of Lake Michigan (LM) in the past few years has led to significant periods of erosion and increased the risk to private property owners on the coast. To cope with this, many property owners on the coast of LM have constructed coastal protections, some opting for seawalls. Previous studies have assessed the effects of seawalls but disagreed on their impacts, and only laboratory studies were able to establish their range of influence. Using a different method to study their effects will be pertinent to understanding them.

This research aims to use a higher temporal and spatial resolution …

The Shawnee And The Long Knives: Loyalty And Land In Lord Dunmore’S War, C. Nicole Rigney Bialko

Masters Theses

This thesis looks at Lord Dunmore’s War, the last Indian War of the colonial period, from a social history perspective. Essentially a land dispute, it was heightened by the political pressures of 1774 and ongoing conflicts between white colonists and the Shawnee, Lenape, and Haudenosaunee of the Ohio River Valley. These events were complicated by the actions of Captain John Connolly at Fort Pitt and Virginia’s Governor Dunmore. Dunmore endeavored to secure the loyalty of Virginians and American Indians through this war and instead lost both. Many historians have mistakenly portrayed this as a war with only one battle—the Battle …

"The Third Power": James A. Everitt And The American Society Of Equity, Mark Kristian Myrdal

Masters Theses

The late 19th century marked a golden age for farmers’ movements in the United States. Crushing debt, deflation, increased urbanization, and industrial acceleration generated much discontent in America’s agricultural communities, and unleashed “a Populist moment” of farmer protest and organization. While the early 20th century witnessed significant economic improvement, farm organizations continued to operate and, in some cases, even thrived. Established in 1902 by seed merchant and newspaper editor James A. Everitt of Indiana, the American Society of Equity was one of the first major farmer’s movements founded in the twentieth century and helped to spread the concept of cooperative …

Popular Culture And World War Ii Propaganda, Baillie Victoria Catherine Bryan

Masters Theses

Popular culture in relation to World War II has been explored by various scholars over the years. They have deeply examined how radio, film, and other forms of media helped the war effort along and how Hollywood became engaged in the war effort, but there has been a lack of in-depth analysis of the major themes across the mediums. This thesis will examine how film, radio, cartoons, and comic books came together to become a powerful tool of propaganda and public information for the American home front and military. It is an in-depth examination of the major themes that were …

Development Of A Ppg Sensor Array As A Wearable Device For Monitoring Cardiovascular Metrics, Jose Ignacio Rodriguez-Labra

Masters Theses

Wearable devices with integrated sensors for tracking human vitals are widely used for a variety of applications, including exercise, wellness, and health monitoring. Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors use pulse oximetry to measure pulse rate, cardiac cycle, oxygen saturation, and blood flow by passing a light beam of variable wavelength through the skin and measuring its reflection. A multi-channel PPG wearable system was developed to include multiple nodes of pulse oximeters, each capable of using different wavelengths of light. The system uses sensor fusion along with a machine learning model to perform feature extraction of relevant cardiovascular metrics across multiple pulse oximeters …

Cultivating Meaningful Consultation And Collaboration: Tribal Environmental Protection In Michigan, Zachary Reed

Masters Theses

In the year 2022, there are 12 federally reaffirmed Native American tribes in Michigan. These tribes all maintain natural resource departments to manage tribal environments. Indigenous groups have a rich history of protection and understanding of the natural world. This connection to land and water has been systematically challenged through patterns of colonialism. Through policy making, revitalization efforts and environmental ethics, the State of Michigan has been improved by tribal natural resource departments. But, while the United States and the State of Michigan recognizes tribal sovereignty, meaningful tribal consultation is inadequate. Through collaborative interviews, historical sources, and contemporary evidence, this …

Instructor Selection And Use Of Virtual Field Experiences In College Geoscience Course, Kristen Foley

Masters Theses

Virtual Field Experiences (VFEs) are a growing supplement and gateway to traditional fieldwork in the geosciences. With VFEs becoming more accepted for use in college geoscience courses, how instructors find and choose VFEs for their students is critical to creating greater accessibility and future resources. VFEs that are not easily accessed by instructors may go unused, and the effort put into making them would have been wasted. This phenomenological descriptive study utilized five focus groups of college geoscience instructors in the United States. Each 1-to-1.5-hour focus group session of 3-7 participants took place on video conferencing software, which was recorded …

The Relationship Between Eviction, Rent Burden, And Poor Births In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Joseph Agati

Masters Theses

Millions of Americans get evicted every year, with thousands coming from Kalamazoo County, Michigan alone. Additionally, many more live with rent burden, paying over 30% of their monthly income on rent. Both eviction and rent burden have been linked to adverse health effects, such as depression and anxiety, and negative coping mechanisms, such as alcoholism and smoking. This study asks if eviction and rent burden are correlated with poor births in Kalamazoo County as there are hundreds of poor births in the county every year, as well as which social vulnerability themes are most predictive of eviction and poor births. …

Uplifting Voices: Implementing A Heritage-Based Civil Rights Program In The United States Forest Service, Amanda Jo Campbell Crawford

Masters Theses

The United States Forest Service holds in public trust hundreds upon thousands of historically significant sites. For decades, the management of these special places has focused on basic site identification and protection to meet legal compliance measures for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Standard practices within the agency led to cultural sites being identified on the ground in a cursory fashion, but with little research or follow up into the history of the site of the people that had created and occupied it. Sites reflecting the identity, history, or material culture of People of Color were especially …

Collective Expressions Of Monacan Indian Nation Identity: A Communicative Arts Genre Study, Gretchen E. Casler-Cline

Masters Theses

This study considers the current communicative arts practices of the Monacan Indian Nation, an Indigenous Virginia tribe of approximately 2500 people located in Amherst County, Virginia. Historically the tribe was a large nation that extended from the falls of the James River near Richmond, Virginia to the Southwestern portions of the state near Roanoke and now the Monacan Indian Nation homeland is at Bear Mountain in Amherst County, Virginia. The study was conducted through interviews and observations at tribal events such as the annual Powwow and culture class, as well as consistent attendance and participation as a musician at St. …

An Abductive Argument From Depression And Anxiety To Christian Personal Holiness, Kelly Douglas Burchett

Masters Theses

The science on pathological depression and anxiety (D&A) describes religion and spirituality's (R/S) insulating and immunizing effects in roughly 72 to 85 percent of all relevant articles. But the descriptivism of science cannot assign any normative value to a theological worldview. Deductive logic favors theism via Leibnizian contingency, Kalām cosmology, objective morality, fine-tuning of the universe, and abstract conceptualism. The information in DNA, the irreducible complexity of intracellular machinery, the improbability of folded proteins, and the support for common modular design over common ancestry establish a design inference for all of life. Unguided naturalistic simulations fail to surmount the complexity …

Policing And Homelessness, Michael Ernest Bridges

Masters Theses

This research examines the barriers that exist between law enforcement and the homeless population of Lawrence, Kansas. Based on the criminalization of certain homeless practices and the treatment of homeless people by government officials, persons experiencing homelessness are less likely to report crimes to the proper authorities. Being the case, law enforcement methodology must change to a community-oriented policing style in order to create open lines of communication between law enforcers and this unique community. This study examined the homeless population's hesitancy to contact the police when they were in need of assistance and compared the results to both how …

“Celtic Things” In Tolkien’S Mythology, Erin Kriz

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Repeatability And Behavioral Syndromes In Genetically Distinct Clades Of Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon Cinereus), Kelsey Garner

Masters Theses

Animal personality implies limited behavioral plasticity and behavioral traits which are correlated across contexts. Correlated behaviors, sometimes referred to as behavioral syndromes, have the potential to inhibit behavioral traits from evolving independently. Limits on behavioral variation can influence a population’s ability to invade new geographic areas and exploit new niches. One way to explore such variation is to examine behavioral syndromes in genetically distinct populations of wide-ranging species that exhibit different dispersal pathways and distances. The personality-dependent dispersal syndrome suggests that certain traits, such as exploratory and risk-taking behavior, are correlated with dispersal success. The Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon …

Survey Of Diatom Periphyton Assemblages In Lake George, Joy Jackson

Masters Theses

Lake George is an oligotrophic lake that has been monitored by the International Biological Monitoring Program (IBM) since the 1960s. The 51 km long lake is separated into two deep basins, one in the south where the major stream inputs are located, and one in the north where the lake feeds the La Chute River, which empties into Lake Champlain. The two basins are separated by a shallow channel named the “Narrows.” The southern basin has experienced a higher level of development than the northern basin. The aim of this study is to characterize the diatom assemblages in the northern …

Variation In Alkaloid Composition And Sequestration In Dendrobatid Poison Frogs, Katherine R. Waters

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Alkaloid-Based Chemical Defenses In 11 Species Of Bufonid Poison Frogs From Brazil (Bufonidae: Melanophryniscus), Emily Staufer

Masters Theses

The term ‘poison frog’ describes members of five anuran families that are capable of sequestering lipophilic, alkaloid-based chemical defenses from their prey. Alkaloid defenses can vary widely within and among poison frog species, mostly linked to differences in availability of arthropod prey at different scales. While research has mainly focused on alkaloid variation within the dendrobatid and mantellid poison frogs, bufonid poison frogs in the genus Melanophryniscus demonstrate high inter- and intra-species alkaloid variation, and some members are capable of both sequestering dietary alkaloids and synthesizing alkaloids metabolically. However, of the 31 species of Melanophryniscus, only eight have ever had …

“Albertania” And “Egbenema”, Panding Biodiversity In The Oculatellaceae (Cyanobacteria)., Mildred Akagha

Masters Theses

To conduct molecular studies of cyanobacteria of Lagos, Nigeria, a total of eight soil/subaerial samples were collected in Lagos State, Nigeria, and used to isolate cyanobacterial cultures that were characterized microscopically, sequenced, and phylogenetically analyzed. Within the resulting set of cultures, a number of Synechococcales were observed, particularly belonging to Oculatellaceae. “Egbenema” and two new putative species of the recently described genus Albertania were found. Both genera belong to a supported clade within the Oculatellaceae that includes Trichotorquatus and Komarkovaea. The two new putative species of Albertania, “A. egbensis” and “A. latericola”, were from …

The Benefits Of Offering Classroom Piano Lessons As Part Of The Curriculum In Public Elementary School, Denise Cheeks Mundy

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the potential benefits of offering classroom piano lessons as part of the curriculum in public elementary schools. The research reviews the educational, neurological, and cultural potential benefits a child may receive if they study the piano. Further study examines the availability for teachers to receive training in teaching group piano, the methods of setting up a piano classroom, and materials needed for such a program in the school system. Records of the history of group lessons showed that this method of teaching has had periods of success and periods of decline in …

Rewired: Utilizing An Integrated Design Campaign To Persuade Generation Z To Rethink Their Hyper-Connected World, Madison Jude Fogarty

Masters Theses

Twenty first century youth have never known a world without the Internet. From childhood they are increasingly reliant on the Internet for their sense of connectivity, play, communication, and socialization. These habits that are formed at a young age are rewiring children’s brains in a negative light. Psychological effects such as narcissism, escapism, instant gratification, and social comparison have become common issues that the current generation faces every day. This thesis will examine how increased dependency on social media and the Internet affects Generation Z and beyond. To better understand how media is affecting childhood and beyond, research was conducted …

True Pauline Worship Is Trinitarian: A Look At Paul’S Trinitarian Presuppositions, Connie Heberlein

Masters Theses

This thesis seeks to show that true Pauline worship is Trinitarian. Thus, proper Christian worship must be Trinitarian. This work begins by examining the Shema and exploring the unique identity of God presented in the Old Testament and the literature of Second Temple Judaism. Building on this foundation, this work evaluates statements found in Paul’s letters in which Paul reformulates the Shema to include Christ and the Spirit in the divine identity of God. The goal is to understand how the first Christians, who were Jews committed to the exclusive worship of Yahweh, moved from monotheistic worship to Trinitarian worship …

A Defense Of The Resurrection Miracle And Critique Of The Hallucination Theory, Joshua James Smothers

Masters Theses

Many Christian scholars simply laugh at the notion of the Hallucination theory. However, while it is laughable that the hallucination theory claims the disciples of Jesus all shared a hallucination in which they saw their beloved friend risen from the grave, there is more to the hallucination theory than meets the eye. This thesis defends the resurrection using history while critiquing the hallucination theory. Jesus did rise from the grave in the same physical body that was crucified at Calvary, and the disciple's claims of seeing a risen Jesus are true and can be proven with fact and evidence.

Geographic Range Size As A Predictor Of Dispersal-Dependent Behavioral Traits In Two Clades Of A Terrestrial Salamander, Teah Evers

Masters Theses

Animal movement has the potential to affect diverse processes within ecology and evolution including range expansion, gene flow, adaptation, and speciation. Two aspects of animal personality that are germane to dispersal are exploratory and aggressive behavior. These behavioral categories may represent a trade-off such that energy invested in territorial defense leaves little energy for movement and dispersal. The Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) is a wide ranging, dispersal limited, terrestrial salamander with well documented phylogeographic divisions. I examined dispersal-relevant behavioral traits within two clades of P. cinereus with disparate geographic ranges. The Northern Clade (NC) has a range extending from …

"The Women's Hell": Distinctions Between Forms Of Sexual Violence At The Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, The Liberalization Of Sexuality In The Weimar Republic, And The Exploitation Of Sexuality In The Third Reich, Ashley Ruth Lamoureux

Masters Theses

The Ravensbrück concentration camp located in northern Germany acted as the only Nazi concentration camp designated exclusively for women following the closure of the Lichtenburg camp. Beginning in 1939, women held in other camps, ghettos, prisons, and sanatoriums across the Reich were transported to Ravensbrück, “the women’s hell”. Until recently, Holocaust scholarship has largely overlooked the history of Ravensbrück as well as the complicated demographics of prisoners in the camp. A majority of the female prisoners at Ravensbrück were asocials or political and religious dissidents. The distinction of asocials as a separate prisoner categorization was not invented by the Nazi …

Students’ Reflection Of Cross-Cultural Experiences: A Study Abroad Narrative, Alexandra Dudley

Masters Theses

This study sought to explore the cross-cultural experiences of students who had studied abroad during their undergraduate college years. Previous research has shown the importance and impact of study abroad and cultural experiences on student development. A qualitative approach, specifically a narrative method, was utilized to best understand students’ stories and how they made meaning of their study abroad experiences. Four participants were interviewed one-on-one, and their stories or narratives are provided here. This study revealed that students studying abroad with adequate support will experience an array of cross-cultural influences that leave lasting impacts on their personal and professional lives.

From Soup To Nuts - The Efficiency Of Non-Profits: Evidence From U.S. Food Banks, Mary A. Mattingly

Masters Theses

Nonprofits are a growing part of America’s economy and play an import role in fulfilling the needs of society in addition to private firms and government agencies. Economists haven’t researched nonprofits as much as other firms in the past, but this is starting to change. This project looks at the efficiency of 20 food banks in the United States using Data Envelopment Analysis. The results show that American Food Banks appear to be using their funds efficiently, but others could learn to use their inputs and outputs in a more efficient manner. As more data becomes available, this area of …

Undocumented Students’ Barriers To Completing Higher Education, Yesenia Muruato

Masters Theses

This study sought to examine the circumstances that influence DACA recipients in the United States to withdraw from their undergraduate institutions. This qualitative study on undocumented/DACA students who have left higher education prior to degree completion. It identifies the impact of immigration status on enrollment decisions, reasons for leaving higher education, obstacles students faced, and what programs or services might have successfully intervened and given them the opportunity to continue enrollment.