Digital Commons Network^™

The Development Of An Esp Vocabulary Study Guidefor The Utah State Driver Handbook, Kirsten M. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project details research conducted and the method employed to create a tool for acquiring the technical vocabulary from the Utah Driver Handbook. Technical terms were compiled into a vocabulary tool for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. ESL programs within the state have noted the need for materials to help learners acquire this vocabulary. The tool will assist ESL learners preparing for the written driving exam by reinforcing the vocabulary through various iterations, including flash cards, simplified definitions, and an L1 gloss. Learners preparing for the exam will be able to study difficult vocabulary terms using the …

Self-Authorship: A Teaching Approach During The After-School Community Program, Fatjona Lubonja

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of integrating self-authorship pedagogy applied to a younger population. Integration of a self-authorship program during an after-school community program examined the self-authorship pedagogy approach following the developmental theory designed by Baxter Magolda (1999, 2001). Much of previous research in self-authorship was influenced by college student population. There was a literature gap on self- authorship theory applied to younger age population. This research investigated students' responses to the self-authorship program, the impact self-authorship had on students' learning, the impact self-authorship had on after-school programs, and my leadership throughout the research. The …

Participation In Emergency Notification Systems And Other Factors Influencing Residential Students' Protective Behaviors At A Four-Year Public University In The South, Stephanie Hailey Mcbrayer

Theses and Dissertations

In addition to creating a campus environment that could save lives, concepts including recruitment, retention, accountability, assessment, and federal funding are all connected to a university's emergency preparedness plan. Current literature has primarily focused on secondary educational settings or recommendations for action in response to major violent events like Virginia Tech and methods to try to identify a threat. The purpose of the current study was to investigate factors influencing whether students chose to "opt-in" and receive emergency notifications from the university. The study also utilized a modified version of Lenski's (1992) Campus Safety Survey that was constructed using the …

Use Of Roadway Attributes In Hot Spot Identification And Analysis, David R. Bassett

Theses and Dissertations

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Traffic and Safety Division continues to advance the safety of roadway sections throughout the state. In an effort to aid UDOT in meeting their goal, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Brigham Young University (BYU) has worked with the Statistics Department in developing analysis tools for safety. The most recent of these tools has been the development of a hierarchical Bayesian Poisson Mixture Model (PMM) of traffic crashes known as the Utah Crash Prediction Model (UCPM), a hierarchical Bayesian Binomial statistical model known as the Utah Crash Severity Model (UCSM), and a …

Evaluating Campus Climate According To Resident Status, Francine Sandone

Theses and Dissertations

Linked to positive student outcomes such as effective risk prevention and health promotion, decreased problem behavior, and increased likelihood for academic success, climate has become a buzzword in not only elementary and secondary education, but in higher education as well. Colleges and universities have followed the precedent of school climate research and have begun to explore and unveil characteristics that impact campus climate. However, previous research has been limited in not only the identity characteristics they assess, but also in the degree of comprehensive assessment for this complex concept. The purpose of this study was to investigate multiple dimensions of …

Prospects Of Police Reform In Egypt's Changing Political Environment 2011-2015, Rabha Allam

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Threat Of State Sponsored Cyber Attacks In Canada: To Serve And Protect, Andrew Macdougall

Theses and Dissertations

This Masters of Global Affairs project has been constructed for the use as a piece contributing to policy recommendations for the Canadian Federal government on their response to handling state-sponsored cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure (CNI) in Canada. Throughout this project an exploration is undertaken to understand the means of attacks that Canada has faced since the millennium, as well as to see what defense and security measures were of use, and what security measures were under-utilized. By exploring these attacks to Canada’s CNI, clarification on improvements for the federal government on its future state of cyber defense become …

Whose Downtown Is It Anyways? The Urban Transformation Of Downtown Cairo Between State And Non-State Actors, Hajer Awatta

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine how the influential state and non-state stakeholders interact, conflict and collectively shape the urban transformation of downtown Cairo. The stakeholder analysis revealed interesting positions and power levels of the influential stakeholders impacting urban transformation in downtown. It also illustrated alliances and dependencies between entities within the same stakeholder group and between state and non-state stakeholders. Collaborations between influential stakeholders in the private sector interested in establishing lobby groups to further their interests in downtown. Despite the commonalities between the interests of the state and private investors, the state prefers to maintain development …

Assessing The Repercussions Of A Mass Departure Of Building Inspectors From The Code Professional Industry In Utah, George Reese Williams

Theses and Dissertations

National studies suggest that eighty percent of existing code professionals are expected to retire within the next fifteen years. As part of this research, it was determined that approximately half of all licensed building inspectors in the State of Utah will reach retirement age within the next ten years. As building inspectors make up a large part of the Code Professional Industry this demographic was selected as the focus of this research. The purpose of this research project was to assess the urgent need for new entrants into the Code Professional Industry in Utah. As part of this research, trends …

Provisioning Rural Wireless Broadband: A Prototype Implementation With Cognitive Radio Technology, Babajide Mandela Adejumobi

Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive radio technology, a revolutionary communication paradigm that can utilize the existing wireless spectrum resources more efficiently, has been receiving a growing attention in recent years. Our study is motivated by the fact that researchers are beginning to unveil different obstacles in the practicability of cognitive radio (CR) and, consequently, an urgent need has arisen to demonstrate practical implementations of CR technology. Specifically, this study seeks to implement a scenario in which two mobile phones communicate with each other using CR technology. Since commercially available mobile phones do not have the capability to dynamically adapt the operating parameters to function …

A Virtualized Scada Laboratory For Research And Teaching, Joseph Zachary Thornton

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes a virtual Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) laboratory. This virtual laboratory was built using virtual devices that simulate industrial processes, emulate control system ladder logic functionality, and utilize control system communication protocols. Human machine interfaces (HMIs) were developed for distribution and testing, and commercially available HMIs were implemented. In addition to virtual devices and HMIs, attacks were implemented against this virtual system. Uses for this laboratory include both SCADA security research and pedagogy. The laboratory serves research purposes, as it utilizes industry standard SCADA communication protocols as well as commercial HMIs, and is capable of interfacing …

A Grenade Of Paper Flowers: A Collection Of Poems, Melissa Dugan

Theses and Dissertations

A Grenade of Paper Flowers is a collection of poems of varying forms, styles, and lengths that explores the themes of love, identity, sexuality, violence, and constructed meaning.

Investigations Into The Genomes Of Two Ascomyetes, Jay Wilbur Pyle

Theses and Dissertations

Fusarium verticillioides is a filamentous ascomycete that is both a plant endophyte and pathogen, causing disease during any life stage of the plant. When F. verticillioides grows in maize the fungus can synthesis a number of mycotoxins including the fumonisins, which have been linked with human esophageal cancer and neural tube associated birth defects. In an attempt to control fumonisin production our lab is searching the genome of F. verticillioides for a selfish genetic element known as Spore killer. The plan is simple; we envision creating a bio-control strain capable of harnessing the genetic transmission-distorting properties of Spore killer to …

A Risk Based Approach To Node Insertion Within Social Networks, Chancellor A. J. Johnstone

Theses and Dissertations

Social Network Analysis (SNA) is a primary tool for counter-terrorism operations, ranging from resiliency and influence to interdiction on threats stemming from illicit overt and clandestine network operations. In an ideal world, SNA would provide a perfect course of action to eliminate dangerous situations that terrorist organizations bring. Unfortunately, the covert nature of terrorist networks makes the effects of these techniques unknown and possibly detrimental. To avoid potentially harmful changes to enemy networks, tactical involvement must evolve, beginning with the intelligent use of network in filtration through the application of the node insertion problem. The framework for the node insertion …

Ethical Behavior And Ajzen’S Theory Of Planned Behavior Applied To The Decision To Obtain Professional Credentials, Sarajo Paluch

Theses and Dissertations

Currently, the requirement to obtain and maintain professional credentials within the engineering discipline varies among the five military departments within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). However, there may be an ethical requirement to do so. The purpose of this research was to investigate ethical theory and behavior theory, and their influence on the decision to obtain and maintain professional credentials. Individual Moral Philosophy (IMP) is one approach describing ethical thought. The Ethics Position Questionnaire (EPQ) measures the two dimensions of IMP: idealism and relativism. The Theory of Planned Behavior (ToPB) is used in research to predict behavior intentions and …

The Use Of Ultra-Violet (Uv) Light Emitting Diodes (Leds) In An Advanced Oxidation Process (Aop) With Brilliant Blue Fcf As An Indicator, Robert W. Scott Iv

Theses and Dissertations

Water contamination can result from terrorist acts, industrial accidents, or natural phenomena. Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) represent a potentially useful method for water decontamination. This research explored the application of Brilliant Blue FCF as a witness dye in an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) employing Ultra-Violet (UV) Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) with peroxide (H₂O₂). In addition to exploring the attributes of Brilliant Blue FCF within this application, this research employed this dye to evaluate the effect of varied UV LED duty cycles (pulsing) on the reaction rates of a UV/H₂O₂ AOP. Experiments performed using …

Modeling And Simulation Of Evacuation Plan For Hancock Stadium, Nirmal Neranjan Weerasekara

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to use Modeling and Simulation of Evacuation Plan (MSEP) to support management to execute proper evacuation plan in case of emergency at Hancock Stadium in Illinois State University. Analyses of the research literature and evacuation scenarios are used to build a simulation system that will connect a description of emergency and evacuation situation with its context. It shows how an evacuation plan actually functions. The results of the study will help safety managers to understand the current situations of evacuation according to the specific simulation scenarios. The evacuation simulation is categorized according to the …

Undocumented Hispanic Students And The Postsecondary Transition: A Narrative Perspective, Alfred Trafford

Theses and Dissertations

Undocumented students transition to college in extremely low numbers due to a high degree of marginalization, inequity in access to higher education, and constitutional confusion regarding federal and state issues of supremacy and inferiority in immigration, tuition, and financial aid policies. Such students must contend not only with traditional challenges of teenagers in high school "including identity and development concerns and academic and social pressures" but also with the issue of not being in the United States legally. A narrative strategy of inquiry was used to collect, analyze, and interpret data from extensive participant interviews and a research journal; the …

The Discourse Of Drug Use In Egypt: An Interdisciplinary Exploratory Study, Alejandro Gutierrez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis sets out to better understand how Egyptian society constructs and labels the ‘deviant’ behavior of drug use. However, it is not about drugs per se, it is about scrutinizing the complex process through which Egyptian society encounters, experiences, and regulates behavior. Through an interdisciplinary approach, it builds an alternative and critical understanding of a stigmatized group of individuals by describing how they shape or are shaped by the dynamic system in which they exist. Thus, it creates a conversation between the structures of power that regulate the moral economy of society on the one hand and individuals practicing …

Compliance Of Corporate Businesses To Health And Environment Standards. The Case Of Cell Phone Towers In Egypt, Mohamed Mostafa Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the compliance of corporate businesses to the health and environment standards especially, the construction of cell phone towers, in Egypt. Also, it examines to what extent the mobile companies in Egypt adhere to the health and environment standards, namely in the residential areas (informal and poor areas). It demonstrates how the standards set in Egypt are not applied restrictively enough to ban the violations. Besides, there are negative impacts that might be found as a result of not complying with the health standards. In this study, the qualitative research methods were used in the form of in-depth …

Towards A Child-Centered Juvenile Justice System In Egypt: A Situation Analysis Of Law And Practice, Manar Mohammad Abulqasem Hafez Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

The past few decades have witnessed a growing global interest in formulating juvenile justice systems that can prevent juvenile delinquency as well as rehabilitate and reintegrate juvenile offenders. This research studies the Egyptian juvenile justice system, both in terms of its regulating law as well as its application, in light of global instruments and international requirements for the establishment of a comprehensive and rehabilitative juvenile justice system. The research is qualitative, uses observation and interviews with stakeholders involved in the administration of the juvenile justice system in Egypt. It offers a conceptual framework that builds on the internationally pronounced United …

Into The Vortex Of A Maelstrom: The Art Of Municipal Governance In Confederate Richmond, Joshua Shaffer

Theses and Dissertations

From May 1861 until April 1865 the city of Richmond, Virginia served as the capital of the Confederate States of America, during the American Civil War. Throughout the course of the war it operated alongside the established governments of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the County of Henrico, and Richmond City. The body that experienced the greatest fluctuation and change was the municipal government, which consisted of a city council, mayor, and hustings court. The city government faced existential challenges that included an increase in its population, an influx of Confederate soldiers, and the constant threat of the Union army. While …

Dual-Band Non-Stationary Channel Modeling For The Air-Ground Channel, Ruoyu Sun

Theses and Dissertations

Multiple air-to-ground (AG) radio propagation channels are experimentally characterized for two frequency bands, C-band and L-band. These characterizations are aimed to support the specification of the control and non-payload communication (CNPC) links being designed for civil unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The use of UAS is expected to grow dramatically in the coming decades. In the United States, UAS will be monitored and guided in their operation within the national airspace system (NAS) via the CNPC link. The specifications of the CNPC link are being designed by government, industries, academia and standards bodies such as the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics …

The Meaning Of Place Recovery On The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Ronald L. Schumann, Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Recovery is a post-disaster period of adjustment when individuals, households, neighborhoods, and communities work to overcome the effects of a disaster and regain functionality. Recovery is a multi-scalar process whose outcomes are manifested in the physical landscape; however, assessments of the meaning, progress, and outcomes of recovery are specific to individuals who view the landscape from an embodied perspective within the local social hierarchy. Common recovery measurement techniques used by emergency managers, planners, local leaders, and hazards scholars approximate recovery with reconstruction of physical infrastructure or repopulation of residences. These longitudinal quantitative proxies may claim to represent the status of …

Institutional Resilience Along The Mississippi Gulf Coast In The Context Of Pre- And Post-Hurricane Katrina, Khai Hoan Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Building resilience to disasters helps reduce loss of life and property, allowing communities to recover more quickly from shocks and disruptions. Governing institutions are tasked with tremendous responsibility in terms of mitigating risks and enhancing resilience of local communities through proactive planning and policies. It is important to examine how institutional policies have changed pre- and post-disaster to determine their contribution to community resilience. Metrics and indicators can be used to quantitatively assess, establish baseline, track, and monitor resilience at the community level. Few studies have attempted to measure institutional resilience using a set of indicators and metrics, and even …

A Botanical Survey Of Native And Non-Native Species Along The Three Rivers Greenway In Columbia, South Carolina, Rebecca L. Givens

Theses and Dissertations

Baseline surveys are important tools in establishing the present flora located within an area for future monitoring. In addition, knowledge of invasive species presence is essential to help maintain native ecosystem biodiversity. This study aimed to establish a baseline inventory of plant species found along a portion of the Three Rivers Greenway in Columbia, South Carolina, and to create a comprehensive list of native and invasive plant species within this area. In addition, a geographic information system (GIS) was employed to show the spread of a particular known invasive plant species, Hedera helix within the area. Specimens were collected in …

Services Received And Parental Perception Of Quality Of Life For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Judith Marie Cholewicki

Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid increase in the rate of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), there has been a surge in treatment interventions and outcome measures. Treatment interventions consist of evidence-based practices and programs that lack scientific validation. Parents’ selection of a treatment or multiple treatments is often based on the desire to maximize their child’s personal well-being (Pituch et al., 2011; Rodger, Braithwaite, & Keen, 2004). Current outcome measures provide valuable information and may demonstrate a change in a standard score. For example, a change in intelligence quotient, is not evidence that this change contributes to the child’s personal …

The Impact Of Victim Age And Religious Affiliation On Perceptions Of Cleric Sex Offenders, Kaylee Ann Stone

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined perceptions of sex offenders using a 2 (victim age: 11-year-old vs. 15-year-old) X 2 (type of sexual offense: rape vs. statutory rape) X 3 (affiliation of the perpetrator: public school teacher vs. Catholic priest teacher vs. Lutheran pastor teacher) factorial design. Participants (N = 286) were asked to read one of 12 vignettes describing charges of improper sexual activity between a male teacher and his male student. Results indicated that participants recommended a shorter sentence and registry level, attributed more blame to the victim and less to the offender, and found the victim more mentally unstable …

Relationships Between Law Enforcement Officer-Involved Vehicle Collisions And Other Police Behaviors, John Andrew Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

Specialization and versatility regarding officer negative outcomes have different implications for agency policies and practices. Versatility suggests interventions that address several problematic behaviors, while specialization may necessitate more targeted interventions. If officers who engage in one form of negative behavior are also more likely to be involved in other undesired outcomes than co-monitoring behaviors via early intervention systems or other mechanisms may be an effective means of identifying problematic officers. The threat posed by officer-involved motor vehicle collisions to the safety of police and the public has received increased attention from practitioners and researchers in the past decade or so. …

Sex Offender Management Policies And Their Unintended Cosequences: A National Survey Of The Perceptions Of Professionals, Corey Call

Theses and Dissertations

The mid-1990s brought sex offenders to the forefront of policy issues due to several highly publicized cases of abduction, sexual assault, and murder involving children. Following these cases, a number of sex offender management policies were passed to quell public concern over the safety of children due to sex offenders. Most notably, these new sex offender management policies mandated the creation of publicly available registries of sex offenders and enacted residence restrictions that forbid sex offenders from residing within certain distances from areas where children commonly congregate.

Although current sex offender management policies have been revealed to be largely ineffective …