Digital Commons Network^™

Cognitive Dimensions Usability Assessment Of Textual And Visual Vhdl Environments, George Kontos

Theses

Visual programming languages promise to make programming easier with simpler graphical methods, broadening access to computing by lessening the need for would-be users to become proficient with textual programming languages, with their somewhat arcane grammars and methods removed from the problem space of the user. However, after more than forty years of research in the field, visual methods remain in the margins of use and programming remains the bailiwick of people devoted to the endeavor. VPL designers need to understand the mechanisms of usability that pertain to complex systems like programming language environments. Effective research tools for studying usability, and …

The Impact Of Internet Social Networking Websites On The Gay Community: Behavior And Identity, Michael Cinquanti

Theses

The hypothesis of this thesis is that social networking website design can exert a mediating influence upon the culture of a site by supporting certain behaviors more than others; this influence can be analyzed in an active and structured way that takes into account the culture of the community it addresses. Evidence will be offered by case study, demonstration of specific mediations, and analysis. This hypothesis will be tested with specific reference to the gay male community. The scope of this paper will be limited to the analysis of gay-oriented social networking websites as new media, in general and through …

English Language & Third Generation Programming Language Pedagogical Practice Analysis, Vincent Falbo

Theses

In an effort to provide better computer programming instruction to more students at an introductory level, pedagogical methods could be improved using a paradigm of instruction based on the same strategies used to teach students spoken languages. Although many different methodologies of instruction have been explored in the past, this document identifies relationships between spoken languages and computer languages that encourage the exploration of the best practices of teaching English Language Arts so that they could be applied to computer programming instruction. Those with backgrounds in mathematics and science initially completed programming tasks. Much literature about the problem solving aspects …

Biologically Inspired Object Categorization In Cluttered Scenes, Theparit Peerasathien

Theses

The purpose of the thesis, Biologically Inspired Object Categorization system, is to provide an automatic system to classify the real-world images into categories. Generally, computer algorithms classify objects with much lower efficiency than human. Furthermore, some images with complex features such as cat and dog faces are difficult to be classified by ordinary computer algorithms. Therefore, the simulation of the structure and process of a mammalian’s visual cortex is created, which functions similarly to a human’s visual cortex, by using a computer. In this paper, I am presenting a biologically inspired neural network system which processes the images in a …

Self-Portrait, Hong Seon Jang

Theses

My primary aim is to investigate and analyze the ways in which my cultural identity as an Asian artist has been shaped, redefined, and recognized, and how my questions of cultural identities cannot be separated from the broader context of major social, philosophical, and cultural exchanges under the guise of 'Globalization.' [...] The thesis project is a continuation of my inquiries about my cultural identity and how my interpretation of others in the concepts of my art practice has been affected by the authoritative standards of art and humanities set by Western powers over the centuries. I seek to understand …

School Days, Hope Rovelto

Theses

My thesis exhibition, 'School Days,' is a collection of autobiographical sculptures. My thesis is inspired by the difficult memories of my childhood education. During school I felt condescension from my teachers and peers; I felt like I was actually wearing a dunce cap. This body of work represents the feeling of being ostracized from others in a classroom. I used the form of school chairs for my sculpture. The school chairs are the primary metaphor reflecting my early formal education. We, western industrial society, have an almost universal relationship with the school chair. As an artist, I use its form …

The Application Of Social Marketing In Reducing Road Traffic Accidents Among Young Male Drivers - An Investigation Using Physical Fear Threat Appeals., Brian Harman

Theses

In 2004, the Irish government rolled out its new two year road safety strategy which aimed to reduce road deaths in the Republic of Ireland to no more than 300 road fatalities by 2006. The strategy failed to reach its target. There were 368 road fatalities on Irish roads in 2006. The effects of the penalty points system, which was introduced in 2003, is considered responsible for reducing Irish road fatality figures to their lowest level since 1964 (335 deaths). However the beneficial effects of the penalty points system have proved transitory and road deaths have risen in recent years. …

Optimization In Multi-Agent Systems : Structures And Procedures, Ingo Stengel

Theses

The main advantage for the use of agent technology is in the capacity of agents to represent the interests of individual entities and to act autonomously on their behalf. In multi-agent systems this involves communication, coordination and negotiation.

The focus of this dissertation is to find ways to optimize multi-agent systems at different levels by taking into consideration their structure and the procedures used. As optimization depends to a large extent on the problem to be solved, group forming scenarios, in which self-interested agents compete to form and join groups, have been selected here for consideration. Optimization issues are discussed …

Is Pain Really God’S Megaphone? Responding To C.S. Lewis, Lisa Moate

Theses

In this study I will defend C.S. Lewis’ claim that people can be morally improved through experiences of pain and suffering and that, as such, attempts to avoid painful experiences are inappropriate. In explaining the context within which Lewis treats pain, a discussion of the nature of pain itself is not necessary since the importance of Lewis’ work lies in its practical application and the role it has in people’s lives; that is, in contributing towards our moral growth. The nature of pain is examined insofar as clarifying the idea it that can only be understood individually due to the …

A Biologically Inspired Focus Of Attention Model, Daniel I. Harris

Theses

With high definition, high resolution, technology becoming ever more popular, the vast amount of input available to modern object recognition systems can become overwhelming. Given an image taken from a high resolution digital camera, a target object may be very small in comparison to the entire image. Additionally, any non-target objects in the input are considered unnecessary data, or clutter. While many modern object recognition systems have been created to be over 90% accurate in the recognition task, adding large amounts of clutter to an input quickly degrades both the speed and accuracy of many models. To reduce both the …

Evaluating The Usability And Security Of A Video Captcha, Kurt Alfred Kluever

Theses

A CAPTCHA is a variation of the Turing test, in which a challenge is used to distinguish humans from computers (`bots') on the internet. They are commonly used to prevent the abuse of online services. CAPTCHAs discriminate using hard articial intelligence problems: the most common type requires a user to transcribe distorted characters displayed within a noisy image. Unfortunately, many users and them frustrating and break rates as high as 60% have been reported (for Microsoft's Hotmail). We present a new CAPTCHA in which users provide three words (`tags') that describe a video. A challenge is passed if a user's …

Gender, And Other Variables, Affecting Graduation Outcomes And The Future Of Science. Male Vs. Female Students 1995-2003 Rochester Institute Of Technology’S College Of Science, Catherine Mahrt-Washington

Theses

This thesis focuses on the impact of retention of undergraduate students on the future of science. If there are insufficient numbers of science students pursuing and succeeding in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education and careers, it has been argued that the United States will lose its innovative, competitive, and technological edge. The focus is on the challenges of retaining students, both male and female, in the sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology from 1995-2003. This thesis will describe and analyze existing data in an effort to develop a case specific understanding of retention metrics, student retention dynamics, and consideration …

Email Overload In Academia, Jeffrey D. Hole

Theses

The emergence of email as a viable and inexpensive communication channel has led to its increased presence in the daily lives of professionals. Email has become a ubiquitous tool in a faster paced and more globally connected world. Besides simple notes, professionals now use email to communicate tasks, important personal and organizational announcements, meeting requests, and share documents. As the importance of email has grown, professionals have made the email client a work nerve center. The vast increase in the volume of email and the use of the email client as a multifunctional tool now threatens the productivity gains it …

Lithuanian Diaspora: An Interview Study On The Preservation Or Loss Of Pre-World War Two Traditional Culture Among Lithuanian Catholic Émigrés In Western Australia And Siberia, In Comparison With Lithuanians In Their Homeland, Milena Vico

Theses

This study is designed to ascertain the cultural changes which have taken place over a period of fifty years within three distinct Lithuanian communities. Of these three, two communities –one in Western Australia and the other in Siberia –were part of the post-World War Two (WWII) diaspora. The third is still living in Lithuania. I set out to determine the extent to which, during the period of fifty years covered by this study, cultural practices, values and beliefs have been maintained and lost by those who participated in the interviews carried out as part of the methodology of this thesis. …

Implementing A Forensic Educational Package For Registered Nurses In Two Emergency Departments In Western Australia, Christine M. Michel

Theses

The results of violence are a major public health problem that infiltrates hospital emergency departments (ED) daily. Often, ED nurses are the first healthcare professionals to see patients, speak with family members, handle personal property and collect laboratory specimens. Such actions can be of extreme importance to the 27 different categories of forensic patients. To adequately address forensic patient issues, ED nurses need exposure to forensic education. The aim of this research was to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a clinical forensic education package on ED nurses’ perceptions, knowledge and care of forensic patients. To accomplish this aim, this …

Career Aspirations: Similarities And Differences Between Adolescence With Learning Disabilities And Adolescence Not Receiving Special Education Services, Cara A. Stromberg

Theses

The Self-Directed Search (SDS) and Career Advisement Questionnaire: Adolescent Form were administered to a group of high school students who were either classified with a learning disability (LD) or who were not receiving special education services. The SDS and Career Advisement Questionnaire: Parent Form were administered to a subset of parents of students with LD. Results indicate that students with LD differed in their work personalities compared to students not receiving special education services and compared to their parents’ estimates of their work personalities; specifically, students with LD held lower self-estimates about their own abilities compared to peers. Students with …

How Modes Of Interviewing Affect Self-Disclosure, Sara Elizabeth Nicholls

Theses

This study examined how different modes of interviewing affect the self-disclosure of sensitive information in emerging adults. Participants included 61 students ages 18 to 22 years old who attended a Western New York university. Internalizing behaviors such as feelings of depression and anxiety were measured using three questionnaire formats: face-to-face, computer, and paper/pencil. Results showed that participants answered significantly different between the interview modes on 6 of the 21 questions. Those in the computer group were significantly more likely to endorse "No" on questions pertaining to feelings of depression and anxiety. These results suggest that the computer mode may be …

Si Dios Quiere ..., Katrina Marcelle D'Autremont

Theses

This thesis explores issues of closeness and distance within families. By looking at how aspects of cultural identity further complicate this dynamic as well as how photography is used as a way of mapping a family character, this thesis encompasses topics ranging from Argentine artists to early daguerreotype photography. Using her own Argentine- American heritage as a subject for the photographs, the artist focuses on her grandfather's apartment in Argentina, which acts as a stage, and character in her family story. Traditional modes of photographic posing are borrowed and explored in this work, not only to reference the old photographs …

The Manufactured Experience, Debra Ruzinsky

Theses

Repeatedly what I see around me are places and messages that generate manufactured experiences, manipulated by someone with an agenda to promote. My thesis work, entitled "Sweet Reassurance," is a personal approach to re-invention; a conceptually driven body of work that explores my obsession with irony, a need to vent frustration with public policy, complacency, and misguided priorities. The work springs from a notion to create proposals for architectural projects that are rather absurd and could never really be realized. They are my brand of visionary architecture, existing somewhere between the Utopian and the Dystopian. I have developed a vocabulary …

Establishing Universal Screening Risk Indicators Using Reading Curriculum-Based Measurement And The Developmental Reading Assessment, Adrienne M. Zonneville

Theses

The current study examined the abilities of Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy Skills Oral Reading Fluency (DORF) and the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) to be used as screening measures for predicting performance on the yearly state reading assessment in New York. Data from 194 students’ performance on DORF, DRA, and the English Language Arts (ELA) assessment were examined from an existing data base. Participants’ scores on the DORF and the DRA in third grade were compared to their performance on the fourth grade ELA. Screening cut scores were developed for each benchmarking period to assist in identifying students who …

The Road Ahead: A Dynamic, Interactive, And Multidimensional Flash Website, Hung-Ju Hsia

Theses

Everyone has several dreams in his/her life. To be an International student in the United States, I am fulfilling one of my dreams. At December 17th 2001, I stepped on the United States, a dream territory where I had never been to, and started a fantastic journey. Everything was so fresh to me. In California, I felt the warm sunshine, friendly people, and a vigorous life style. In New York, I found beautiful snow, a serious attitude on working, and a stylish life style. Traveling across the country, I realized why people call America a dream territory. Maybe two years …

Assessment Of Noise Impact Of Air Traffic At Dubai International Airport, Maryam Ali Ahmad Al Balooshi

Theses

The aviation industry in UAE has experienced rapid expansion over the past decade due to increase in economic growth and technological advancements. UAE’s total fiscal investment on airport development over the coming 20 years is estimated to exceed Dh 71 billion (US$19.35 billion). Civil aviation now a day is considered one of the greatest environmental concerns which lead to many different environmental problems. The International Aviation Organization (ICAO) secretariat considered aircraft noise as the most significant cause of adverse community reaction relating to the operation and expansion of airports. This is expected to remain the case in most regions of …

Transfer And The Fuzzy-Trace Theory, Michael Ryan Massey

Theses

Transfer occurs when something is learned under particular circumstances and is applied in a new, somehow different, situation. This paper will argue that fuzzy-trace theory can be used to explain the process of transfer. The advantage of fuzzy-trace theory is found in a dual-process theory of memory. Fuzzy-trace theory explains a broad range of phenomena and has the strength to conquer the elusive problem of transfer. Trace-cue compatibility theory is a theory of memory retrieval. By combining the trace-cue compatibility theory with fuzzy-trace theory, we get a method for treating both memory storage and memory retrieval. This combination provides a …

Prefrontal Cortex Asymmetry And The Regulation Of Communication: A Meta-Analytic Study, Michelle Elaine Pence

Theses

A rapidly growing body of research indicates that individual differences in the ability to regulate emotions depends on symmetric functioning in the prefrontal cortex. When prefrontal functioning is asymmetrical- especially when the right side is more active than the left- a lack of emotional control is more likely. This lack of emotional regulation has consequences for affective social interaction and, therefore, communication. Although a great deal of theoretical speculation abounds regarding the research literature, conclusions have been based on narrative literature reviews. In the present study, a psychometric meta-analysis of studies that examined the relationship between prefrontal asymmetry and variables …

Racial Profiling And The Police: Utilizing The Census Transportation Planning Package To Benchmark Traffic Stops Made By The North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Michael R. Herb

Theses

Racial profiling, or the practice of using race, ethnicity, or other racially based characteristics to decide when to stop, cite, or search drivers, has been studied and analyzed by researchers for decades. Attempts have been made to gain an understanding of why officers commit acts of racial profiling and to identify different evaluation methods that allow for accurate analysis of racial profiling data. This study attempts to create a new method of evaluation by utilizing the Census Transportation Planning Package (CTPP) as a benchmark for racial profiling data. Variables from the CTPP are used to create estimates of the transient …

Emphasizing The User In The Usability Study: Investigating Activity Theory And Website Navigation, Heidi Trost

Theses

The effects of organizational schemes in website design have been studied using measures of speed, number of mouse-clicks, accuracy, and user recollection of website content information. This study investigates self-reported user confidence and satisfaction of websites using two different organizational schemes. Users were randomly assigned to one of the two sites and asked to perform a series of information-retrieval tasks. Time taken to complete the tasks was recorded and participants completed a survey measuring their confidence and satisfaction using a website. No significant differences were found between the two websites in respect to user self-reported confidence and satisfaction. The results …

Character Design And Marketing – Designer Toys, Yen-Fu Chen

Theses

Designing a series of my characters and one story for those characters is the first step in this project. Those characters will be presented on my design products from 2D to 3D and from t-shirt to cell phone downloads. There are four categories for my design works. The first part is 2D print media. I will put those characters on posters, stickers and post cards. Also, the customers can have my character designs on their t-shirts. The second is that I will have real toy models for my characters. The customers can have my real design works, and they can …

Gardenscapes: A Harmonious Approach To 3d Art, Charmie Tate

Theses

None provided.

The Link Between Emotional Recognition And Executive Functioning Ability, Alexandra Popa

Theses

This study investigated the link between executive functioning (e.g., planning, shifting, inhibiting) and emotional recognition ability based on facial expressions. In addition, differences in emotional recognition and executive functioning among college majors and year in school was assessed. Gender differences were studied as well. A sample of 53 volunteer undergraduate students were administered an abbreviated version of Ekman's Pictures of Facial Affect (AEFER) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test: Computer Version 4 (WCST:CV$). Findings indicate a moderate association between emotional recognition and executive functioning. Participants' performance varied on emotional recognition tasks based on year and major. Also, differences in executive …

Urban Middle School Students’ Perceptions Of Math And Science Teachers’ Caring Behaviors And Student’S Self Reports Of Academic Competence, Brenda Rhyne

Theses

This research examines urban middle school students' perceptions of their math and science teachers' behaviors. Specific caring behaviors (challenging questions, encouragement and praise, non-verbal support, understanding and friendly, and controlling -- which refer to teacher's expectations for classroom behavior) were evaluated by 101 students (72 girls and 29 boys) in grades 7, 8, and 9 by means of a survey instrument. Research findings support earlier investigations confirming that boys and girls interpret teacher friendliness differently. However, both male and female students reported similar perceptions of their teachers' behaviors with respect to praise, non-verbal support, and controlling. In addition, a strong …