Digital Commons Network^™

A Lakota/Nakota/Dakota Model Of Oratory, Cheryl A. Long Feather

Theses and Dissertations

Lakota/Nakota/Dakota people, as well as other Native American tribal groups, did not traditionally use the established, conventional forms of oration to which most in contemporary mainstream society relate. Rather, Native-specific epistemology, ontology and axiology played a central role in forming and supporting the function of communication as well as the speaking conventions that continue to be used today. These culturally-based patterns and structures present both challenges and opportunities that have been only marginally explored in various disciplines such as education, social and behavioral science, and psychology. This body of work exists for the purpose of exploring a traditionally Native understanding …

Language And Literacy Acquisition And Maintenance Of Sudanese Refugee Learners, Laverne Kingsbury

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to more fully understand the language and literacy goals and values of a linguistically diverse Southern Sudanese refugee population residing in the Upper Midwest portion of the United States. The linguistic and cultural demographics of the area's major school district changed consistently and dramatically over a twenty-year time span. Five participants who were parents of young children were interviewed for this study from a metropolitan community with a population of approximately 200,000. Fourteen percent of the English Language Learners (ELL) in the public schools were Sudanese.

Qualitative research methods included an ethnographic approach in …

North Dakota K-12 Principals' Perceptions Of Arts Integration In Schools, Roger Allen Abbe

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research integration of the arts into other areas of the curriculum as a teaching tool in North Dakota’s K-12 classrooms. Emphasis was placed on the perceptions of North Dakota’s K-12 principals relating to integration of the arts, the current state of arts programs in North Dakota’s K-12 schools, and principals’ perceived barriers to integration of the arts. Attention was also given to the degree to which teachers in North Dakota’s K-12 schools currently integrate the arts into lesson plans as a tool to enhance and reinforce learning in other areas of the curriculum. …

Seismic Waveform Based Criteria For Phase Transition Of Co2 In Sample Rocks, Andi Jakupi

Theses and Dissertations

Storing carbon dioxide (CO2) in depleted oil and gas reservoirs, un-mineable coal beds or deep saline aquifer reservoirs is being considered as the most effective CO2 sequestration option. A crucial element in CO2 storage is a dependable monitoring method and assessment criteria of the mechanical integrity of the C02-rock system. One method to assess this integrity is designing a system to measure elastic properties via nondestructive seismic waves on various sample rocks under numerous conditions. Due to the nature of rock formation, their material content is neither isotropic nor homogeneous. Their elastic properties can be characterized indirectly by measuring the …

Psychometrically Equivalent Trisyllabic Words For Speech Reception Threshold Testing In Cantonese, Misty Noelani Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and equate Cantonese trisyllabic words which could then be used in the measurement of the speech reception threshold. A selection of 90 frequently utilized trisyllabic words were selected and then digitally recorded by male and female talkers of Standard Cantonese and presented to 20 subjects with normal hearing beginning at 6 dB below their pure-tone average (PTA) and ascending in 2 dB increments until one of the following criteria had been met: (a) the participant responded correctly to 100% of the test items, or (b) the presentation level reached …

The Effect Of Inquiry-Based Learning In A Technical Classroom: The Impact On Student Learning And Attitude, Ian R. Hartman

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effect of inquiry-based instruction in technical undergraduate education. Specifically, the effect was measured along two dimensions: 1) the effect on student learning and, 2) student attitude towards subject matter. The researcher designed an inquiry-based instructional approach to encourage interaction between teacher and students and to help students take more responsibility for their learning. Three technical undergraduate classes participated in the study. Each class was divided into experimental and control groups. For the experimental group, a twice-a-week traditional lecture was replaced with a once-a-week inquiry-based question and answer session. Students in the control group were taught as …

Perceptions Of The Sitting Bull College Elementary Special Education Program Between 1996–2005, Kathryn Froelich

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the Sitting Bull College Elementary/Special Education program has contributed to the retention, qualifications, and sense of efficacy of graduates from 1996 through 2005. The study further examined graduate retention, graduate qualifications, and graduate sense of efficacy as related to program content, program delivery, and program faculty. This study was conducted as a mixed method/action research and involved methodology conducted through the administration of a survey and individual interviews. A 29 item written survey was mailed to all 32 program graduates. Interview questions were developed and conducted with ten of the questionnaire …

Filming Theater: The Audiovisual Documentation As A Substitute Of The Performance, Nestor Fernando Bravo

Theses and Dissertations

Theatre is not a thermometer of society; it is the fever. The archive is the aftermath that recalls that fever. In this thesis I theorize about the status of audiovisual documentation, its functionality, and its ontological relation with the performance. I argue that the film of a performance does not constitute evidence per se, but it acquires such status through the concurrence of other documents and archival artifacts existentially related to the theatrical production. I also propose that the audiovisual document becomes a substitute for the performance when it has disappeared from the historical world, becoming the new referent for …

Je Vis, Donc Je Vois, Donc Je Dis: Banlieue Violence In French Rap, Schyler B. Chennault

Theses and Dissertations

Since its creation over two decades ago, French rap music has evolved to become both wildly popular and highly controversial. It has been the subject of legal debate because of its violent content, and accused of encouraging violent behavior. This thesis explores the French M.C.'s role as representative and reporter of the France's suburbs, la Banlieue, and contains analyses of French rap lyrics to determine the rappers' perception of Banlieue violence. Using the song lyrics, this work examines the conditions and causes of that violence as seen by the Banlieusard, and answers the critics' accusations that French rap is a …

Rethinking Trümmerliteratur: The Aesthetics Of Destruction Ruins, Ruination, And Ruined Language In The Works Of Böll Grass, And Celan, Kurt R. Buhanan

Theses and Dissertations

Trümmerliteratur - literally “rubble-literature" - is a brand of literature that became important after the Second World War, led by Heinrich Böll, whom I term the apologist of German Trümmerliteratur. Typically included under this classification are the writers who began to produce in the years immediately following the war, and in whose work the rubble and ruins of the landscape figure prominently. Böll provided the programmatic framework for the movement in his “Bekenntnis zur Trümmerliteratur" but his relationship to another type of ruin writing presents a point of friction when he appears to be working in a romantic mode to …

Creation Of A Training And Development Program For Teachers Of Less Commonly Taught Languages At Brigham Young University: A Development Project, Margaret Merrill

Theses and Dissertations

This project report discusses the design, development, and evaluation of a teacher development program for teachers of less commonly taught languages in the Center for Language Studies (CLS) at Brigham Young University. Teachers hired to teach beginning language classes in the CLS are typically very proficient in the target languages, but are not trained in language teaching. Because proficiency in a language alone does not sufficiently qualify someone to teach it, this teacher development program was created to train CLS teachers in the basics of language pedagogy. The report includes a review of relevant literature on language pedagogy and teacher …

Statistical Machine Translation Of Japanese, Erik A. Chapla

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to find ways to improve the performance of a statistical machine translation system that translates text from Japanese to English. Methods included altering the training and test data by adding a prior linguistic knowledge, altering sentence structures, and looking for better ways to statistically alter the way words align between the two languages. In addition, methods for properly segmenting words in Japanese text through statistical methods were examined. Finally, experiments were conducted on Japanese speech to produce the best text transcription of the speech. The best statistical machine translation methods implemented resulted in improvements …

The Impact Of Ethnic Identity On Student Achievement In China: A Meta Analysis, Xinyi Wu

Theses and Dissertations

There have been concerns about low educational achievement of ethnic minority students in China. Previous studies have explored this area, especially in regard to the relationship between economic backwardness and achievement. However, a new field of study examines ethnic identity being considered as a cause of low achievement. This study is to use meta-analysis to determine the aggregate results of current research on the effects of self-identity on ethnic minority students and their achievement in China. The literature has been collected through searching library holdings, and online electronic resource search. Different levels of identity construction are discussed. This thesis concludes …

Neurophysiologic And Behavioral Measures Of Phonetic Perception In Adult Second Language Speakers Of Spanish, Jaden D. Hellewell

Theses and Dissertations

Infants 6-8 months old are able to identify nearly every speech sound contrast on which they have been tested, regardless of whether that contrast represents an across-category (two different phonemes) phonetic change in their native language or not. A child's ability to identify non-native consonant contrasts greatly diminishes by 11-12 months of age. The present study examined speech sound discrimination in three groups of listeners. Adult second language (L2) listeners of Spanish were compared with native English listeners with no knowledge of Spanish and native Mexican listeners to determine if they would show the ability to discriminate phonetic distinctions that …

Sociocultural Strain Theory, Amy L. Proctor

Theses and Dissertations

In reaction to criticisms of existing strain theories, Agnew (1992) developed General Strain Theory, and in doing so moved toward micro-level conceptions of strain. A return to the cultural concepts found in traditional strain theories may provide a more complete examination of delinquency/criminality, as it would incorporate the influence that culture has on rates of delinquency/criminality among certain groups in American society. This thesis adds to the knowledge base of criminological thought through the creation of a new strain theory. Sociocultural Strain Theory (SST) may provide a better explanation of delinquency/criminality, particularly among racial/ethnic minorities, by taking into consideration cultural …

Electronic Media And The Novice-Level Esl Textbook, Jacob Selz Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The past decade had seen a re-evaluation in both foreign language, and English as a Second/Foreign Language, instruction methods due to the new technology available to aide in this instruction. While different institutions have access to different levels of technology, the adoption of basic technology for the classroom will eventually happen in the entire developed world. The purpose of this thesis is to wed the new technology available to a traditional textbook. It offers guided instruction to help a facilitator who may have never taught English as a Second/Foreign Language before, along with the actual electronic media needed to supplement …

The Rhetoric Of Picasso, Matthew R. Sharp

Theses and Dissertations

Pablo Picasso was arguably the most famous and controversial artist of the twentieth century, and some of his most famous pieces were created during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) in response to the horrible atrocities taking place in his homeland. "The Rhetoric of Picasso" by Matthew R. Sharp, filed December 2007, examines some of these works—including paintings such as Guernica and Weeping Woman —and theorizes their rhetorical force, using speech act theory as the theoretical lens. Based on common images and themes in Picasso's symbolism, it is determined that Picasso's works during the Spanish Civil War are expressive speech acts …

The Lynks Reader, Anne Marie Reamey

Theses and Dissertations

Many adults and children have problems reading and comprehending books, signs, written directions, etc. These same individuals have difficulty processing written materials as a result of right hemisphere interference. The Lynks Reader (DLR Co., Richmond, VA) is a commercially developed device which has been used to help individuals move from their right to their left hemisphere and to increase reading fluency and comprehension. The objective of this project was to evaluate the best way to use the various forms of the Lynks Reader. Using the device demonstrated an increase in reading fluency and comprehension by increasing the left hemisphere dominance. …

Would You Believe Me If I Said I Didn't Need You, Andrew Kozlowski

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an attempt to expand upon the ideas that permeate the practice of art making that has developed over the past two years. Art criticism, theory, history, and practice are used to give definition to the boundaries of my ever-shifting body of work. Focusing on the elusive nature of communication in both public and private spheres, these projects range from installation and sculptural work, to web projects, photography, and drawing.

Differentiated Educational Strategies In The Elementary Art Classroom, Mary Amber Bush

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides elementary art teachers strategies for teaching lessons in a method called "differentiation". The purpose of differentiation is to tailor lesson plans to try and meet unique needs of the students. Lessons can be differentiated through content, process, or product. A teacher may choose one of these three areas and provide different approaches to the lesson to meet different learning needs of the students. To meet different learning needs in an efficient way, students are grouped for lessons based on their readiness, interests, or their learning styles. This thesis provides greater detail on content, process, product, readiness, interests, …

Within And Without, Shane Robert Rocheleau

Theses and Dissertations

Within and Without is a document which illustrates my personal and artistic research into the nature of the postmodern conception of the self: that self is unfixed, multiple, and reactive. It explicates my myriad and explorative approaches to photographic portraiture. Furthermore, it indicates many of my theoretical and artistic references and how I have applied my lessons both as an artist and a researcher to maximize the effect of my concepts within the formal and aesthetic confines of my photographs. Finally, this document explains my own beliefs concerning the nature of self and how a synthesis of my influences has …

The Textual Condition Of Hemingway's African Book, Joseph Arnold Holt

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Commemoration Practices Of The Roman Soldier, Brandon R. Olson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Work On Myth : Jazz Musicians' Biographies And American Jazz Culture, Max OestersöTebier

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Reading Don't Sew No Hems : Examining Smith And Wilhelm's Theory Of Engaging Readers On Girls, Bridget F. Ryberg

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Assessing Perceived Marriage Education Needs And Interests Of Latino Individuals In Utah County, Utah, Iliana Snyder

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized focus groups to assess the perceived needs and interests for marriage education among single and married Latino individuals residing in Utah County, Utah as well as the identification of common themes and differences for this population. Male and female groups at various points in the marital developmental life stage were studied including high school students (15-18 years of age), single never married young adults (19-30 years of age), committed (engaged or cohabiting) adults, married persons recently transitioning to parenting, and married people with children. The sample consisted of 10 groups, 5 female and 5 male. In addition, …

Design Drawing In Instructional Design At Brigham Young University's Center For Instructional Design: A Case Study, S. Todd Stubbs

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to compare the use of design drawing in design fields such as architecture, engineering, and industrial design with its use in instructional design (ID). This study was conducted in three parts: first, a review of literature to understand the role and value design drawing plays in non-ID fields; second, a search for design drawing in the literature of ID; and third, observations of actual use of design drawing in ID in the field. For the first part, the literature of design studies was reviewed regarding design drawing. For the second part, the literature review …

Instructional Choices Of Mississippi Foreign Language Teachers, Elizabeth Anne Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to survey Mississippi foreign language teachers in regards to demographic information pertaining to their educational and professional experiences and how often they employ certain activities taken from the Mississippi Foreign Language Curriculum Framework (2000). The data were then examined to see if a relationship existed between specific teacher demographic data and how they implemented the state-mandated curriculum. A researcher-designed survey instrument was developed. In order to establish the validity and reliability of the instrument two samples were taken: Mississippi foreign language teachers and teachers subscribing to the on-line listserv FLTEACH. A total sample of …

French And Spanish In Contact: Code-Switching Among Spanish Immigrants In France, Anna Michalina Debicka-Dyer

Theses and Dissertations

This sociolinguistic study of the bilingual speech of Spanish immigrants in Toulouse, France focuses on the phenomenon of code-switching (CS). The analysis of the data showed that most CS was situational, rather than metaphorical. Three types of CS were found: insertion, alternation, and congruent lexicalization. Their examination revealed that the insertion of French words was more common than of Spanish items, the alternation was most frequent in repetitions, and the congruent lexicalization was present at the grammatical and structural level. The speech of the individual participants was also analyzed, and it was found that the sociological aspects greatly affected the …

Roadblocks To Success: What Is Preventing The Literacy Achievement Of Mexican-American Students?, Barbara J. Ross

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.