Digital Commons Network^™

Changing Destinies: An Overview Of The Human Genome Project, Jennifer Lynne Watson

Theses and Dissertations

The Human Genome Project was initiated in 1988. Its purpose being to sequence the entire human genome, including the noncoding regions by 2005. Through the research conducted, due to the project, several genes associated with specific diseases have been identified. This paper is a review of the Human Genome Project and genes that have been associated with the onset of specific diseases. Cystic Fibrosis, a disease affecting the respiratory system, has been isolated to a gene on chromosome 7. Alzheimer's Disease, the disease which is most responsible for dementia, has several genes associated with its onset. These genes lie on …

A Computer Assisted Study Guide For Viral Hepatitis, April, 1999, Diana Hullihen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to design a computer assisted program that would enhance the effectiveness of instruction in a clinical laboratory science program. Computer assisted instruction has been proven to be a beneficial and effective method of meeting educational objectives.

The topic of viral hepatitis is a complex and difficult one to teach. The instructor decided to supplement traditional lecture using computer assisted instruction. The goals and objectives of the lesson would be reinforced through this method as well as help the student to master the subject content.

The computer assisted study guide was designed to enhance the …

Retesting Parent Training: Does Parental Training Increase Parents' Self-Concept, Ronald G. Stockwell

Theses and Dissertations

Similar to studies by Gordon and others, the purpose of this study was to retest and reinvestigate whether parent training increased the self-esteem of participants. Two groups (sample (n = 15) and control (n = 10)) were pre- and posttested (at 10 and 9 weeks respectively), using the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale: 2. Both groups showed high educational achievement and were Caucasian/White; the sample was 13 women, 2 men, while the control was 9 men and 1 woman; and, most reported above average incomes. The scores were analyzed using a repeated measures t test and non-parametric analysis, which did not find …

Effects Of Support Group Participation On Teachers, Scott Flanegin

Theses and Dissertations

The study observed, analyzed and evaluated the effects of support group participation on the psychological, emotional, and professional needs of teachers. The study used a qualitative research design to gather data on seven female high school teachers participating in a professional development group. The research instruments used included a pre- and post-survey, a questionnaire, and journal entries. The survey recorded data concerning each teacher's pattern of contacts with colleagues, level of job satisfaction, resources for problem-solving used by the individual, and demographic information. Data analysis tabulated and compared survey response percentages before and after the study. The questionnaire and journal …

Junior High In-Class Support: A Program Evaluation, Louise Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of a junior high school in-class support program in meeting the educational needs of students enrolled in that program by using a school-based case study method of inquiry. Additional purposes of this study include demonstration of this intern's leadership skills by using decision-making techniques, communication skills, evaluation techniques, and organizational management techniques. Methodology used in program evaluation was a stratified proportional 5% random sampling of students enrolled in Social Studies class for the years under study. Student grades and standardized group administered achievement test results were also analyzed, as were …

Using Television & Video To Teach English For Bilingual Students, Thu N. Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the visual program was to stimulate the learning ability in an interesting way. Twenty bilingual students were organized into three condition groups; group A read with videotapes, group B read along and group C read textbook only. Group A and B were students of mixing levels of limited to close mastering level of speaking. Group C mixed students of limited English to none. There were six units of twelve lessons. The students of three groups took the same pretest and posttest for each unit. A final test was given out to measure the reading skills of previous …

Peer Mediation: One Component Of Student Conflict Resolution, Alicia A. Erney

Theses and Dissertations

The study was designed to identify the effectiveness of the peer mediation program instituted at Edgewood Regional Junior High School. A quantitative analysis would establish the validity of the program and replace perceptions with statistical documentation. The action based research design compared the number of disciplinary referrals resulting in suspension for fighting or student assault to the number of cases referred to mediation. The student population was comprised of approximately one thousand students in grades seven, eight, and nine. The mediation statistics were compiled on a monthly basis from the information contained on student forms that were kept as part …

The Effectiveness Of The Use Of The Picture Exchange Communication System (Pecs) On The Development Of Functional Communication Skills In Preschool Children With Autism, Patricia M. Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the use of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on the development of functional communication skills in four preschool children with autism. The students involved in this study were enrolled in two preschool disabilities-autism classrooms. The classrooms were very similar in the routine and schedule they followed in addition to the teaching and behavioral techniques that were used with each student. Three students were pretested in September 1998, the fourth student was pretested in November 1998. All four students were posttested in March 1999 to measure their individual growth …

The Development Of A Code Behavior For Holy Name Parish School, Patricia Coonelly Munyan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to review the current discipline code in the school and to revise it if necessary. The study was carried out at Holy Name Parish School in Camden, New Jersey. The predominantly Hispanic school had a student population of 96 in the sample group, grades five through eight. A committee comprising the intern, one faculty member, five students, and four family representatives reviewed the current code and examined codes of other schools.

The intern examined school records for statistics on student disciplinary problems and found that no formal records existed in this area. For her …

Acquiring Automaticity Of Basic Math Facts And The Effect That This Has On Overall Mathematic Achievement, Sandra S. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to prove, through a systematic approach, that teaching addition facts to mastery would improve the mathematics scores of second grade students. This study attempted to demonstrate that if a desired level of automatic recall of basic facts was achieved students would show improved scores on a nationally standardized test.

Basic math facts were taught to a group of students over several months and they were tested daily on speed and accuracy. Standardized test scores were then compared from the end of first grade (prior to the intervention) and end of second grade scores (after …

What Effect Will Increased Parental Involvement In Science/Biology At Woodrow Wilson High School Have On The Improvement Of Students Academically?, Lasandra Watkins

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover whether or not student achievement could be improved through the increased participation of parents/guardians for students enrolled in science classes.

High academic achievement in science courses has been rapidly declining for the past twenty or more years. With this decline in science has come a decline in the overall academic achievement of students.

To turn the tide of students failing to students excelling academically in the sciences, I believe that increasing the level and quality of parental involvement is "the solution" to this problem.

Students in my biology classes will participate in …

Interventions For Increasing Substitute Teachers In Camden City Public Schools, Linnell N. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover and describe any methods or strategies, which could be utilized to reduce or eliminate the shortage of substitute teachers in Camden City Public Schools. The design of the study was based on an action research model. Two areas of intervention were selected for the action research: (1) District level intervention and (2) Substitute teacher preparation intervention. Two populations were surveyed for data collection and analysis: substitute teachers who were new to Camden City Public Schools as of September 1998 and school district principals.

The surveys designed for this study were constructed to …

A Study Of The Use Of Voice Messaging Technology To Maximize School And Community Relationships, Luis A. Pagan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to implement a district-wide voice messaging service that will bridge the gap between our parents and teachers, as well as to provide teachers, parents, and community a communications tool to ensure access and awareness with continuous information and education to all members of the school community.

Surveys were issued before and after the implementation of the Hotline to assess how families felt about the type and quality of communications they have with teachers and administrators at their children's school. Families from elementary, middle and high school were randomly selected to participate. This approach is …

The Effects Of Positive Intervention Strategies On At-Risk Twelfth Grade Students, Barbara M. Castleberry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of positive intervention strategies on the attendance rate and academic progress of fifteen identified at-risk twelfth grade students using an action research design. Additional purposes of this study included demonstration of the intern's leadership skills in problem analysis, organizational ability, decision-making techniques and motivational ability. Mathematical analysis was used to determine if the attendance rate and grade point averages of the identified at-risk twelfth grade students increased or decreased over their attendance rate and grade point averages in the eleventh grade as a result of positive intervention strategies. Also analyzed …

The Effects Of Professional Development On Student Performance Of At-Risk Students, Carol Mizrahi

Theses and Dissertations

The study focused on effective instructional strategies that could be used to improve student performance in the classroom and result in a classroom failure rate of less than 25%. The effects of a professional development workshop presented on instructional strategies were examined as they related to student performance.

The sample of this research consisted of eleven teachers who were required to attend a district-developed instructional strategies workshop based on a midterm failure rate more than 24% during the 1997-98 school year. Four methods of data collection were used: evaluation form, participant observations, interviews, and review of students' grades. The data …

A Title Ix Assessment For The Athletic Department At Salem High School, David W. Suiter

Theses and Dissertations

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 provides legislative relief for females who were being denied participation opportunities in intercollegiate and interscholastic athletics.

In recent years there has been a substantial increase in the number of Title IX lawsuits brought against secondary institutions.

The purpose of this study was to perform a Title IX "self-audit" of the Salem High School Athletic Department and its programs. It was designed to identify any problems and recommend solutions.

It also provides a method for continued self-examination for the Salem City School District and any other secondary institutions interested in determining their Title …

Analyzing And Improving Team Teaching Practices In Southampton Township Schools, Susan C. Schaal

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze current practices of regular and special education teachers working in inclusive settings. The methodology of this study was based on a pre and post test design. The Inclusion Team Teaching Analysis Protocol (ITTAP), developed by Rick Welsh, was administered prior to a four day team teaching training session, and again after the training session. This protocol was administered individually and confidentially. The sample consisted of three teams of teachers who had been team teaching together for varying amounts of time. The ITTAP was analyzed for purposes of comparison on twenty team teaching …

Study Of The African American Male Adolescent In A Suburban School District, Jane Anne Macwright

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the academic and social status of the African American male adolescent in a suburban upper middle class school district and compared the findings with the literature at large. Since most of the literature dealing with the African American male adolescent is conducted in an urban setting, the intent of this investigation was to determine if the same problems that confront today's African American male adolescent in urban centers are prevalent in suburbia. Research was a combination of quantitative and qualitative investigation. The quantitative research compared discipline referrals, grade point average, classification, demographics and referrals to the Pupil …

The Relationship Between Learning Process And Students Who Play A Band Instrument, Tinamarie C. Stanfa

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the learning processes of students who play a band instrument. The problem was to see if all band students process learning in the same manner.

Prior to the study, the researcher sent a letter to the building Principal and Board Of Education to get permission to conduct the research. Next, the researcher sent a permission slip-letter home to all band parents explaining the purpose of the study and what the results of the study would be, if they chose to know.

Once all the responses were received, the researcher administered the Learning …

Fan-Beam Multiplexed Compton Scatter Tomography For Single-Sided Noninvasive Inspection, Brian L. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Multiplexed Compton Scatter Tomography (MCST) is explored as a method of nondestructively generating cross-sectional images of a sample's electron density. MCST is viable when access is available to only one side of the sample because it registers scattered gamma radiation. Multiplexing in scattered photon energy and in detector position allows simultaneous interrogation of many voxels with comparatively wide collimation. Primary components include a radioisotope source, fan beam collimators, and energy-discriminating detectors. The application of MCST to inspecting aluminum airframes for corrosion is considered. This application requires source gammas near 100 keV where the scattered gamma energy is severely broadened by …

Learning Is More Than Meets The Eye: Vision Affects Reading And Impacts The Learning Of All Students, Paulina Holly Kleve Graf

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Interval Matching And Control For Hexahedral Mesh Generation Of Swept Volumes, Jason F. Shepherd

Theses and Dissertations

Surface meshing algorithms require certain relationships among the number of intervals on the curves that bound the surface. Assigning the number of intervals to all of the curves in the model such that all relationships are satisfied is called interval assignment. Volume meshing algorithms also require certain relationships among the numbers of intervals on each of the curves on the volume. These relationships are not always captured by surface meshing requirements. This thesis presents a news technique for automatically identifying volume constraints. In this technique, volume constraints are grouped with surface constraints and are solved simultaneously. A sweepable volume has …

Malwida Von Meysenbug's Memoirs Of An Idealist. Translation Of Memoiren Einer Idealistin, Monte Gardiner

Theses and Dissertations

The following translation is the first full length rendering of Malwida von Meysenbug's two-volume autobiography Memoiren einer Idealistin/Eine Reise nach Ostende into English. Meysenbug, who boasts ties to Nietzsche, Wagner, Herzen, and Saffi, was forerunner to a long line of female social democrats. She was an eyewitness to the tumultuous political events surrounding the German Revolution of 1848, and is remembered as a pioneer in education and gender issues. Meysenbug's memoirs depict nineteenth-century Europe in a dynamic state of transformation. This is a time of opposition and contradiction, when emerging philosophies and political movements vie for power with existing structures. …

Analysis Of Usaf Battlelabs' Communication Infrastructure Over Various Protocols, Rocky A. Favorito, David M. Mcillece

Theses and Dissertations

As a result of the doctrines exposed in the Air Force's "Global Engagement: A Vision for the 21st Century Air Force," the concept of a "Battlelab" was devised to support and develop the key warfighting capabilities needed in the next century. Although geographically separated, these labs must have the capability to exchange information with each other in a "Virtual Battlelab Environment" (VBE). Although many types of data will be exchanged, only variable-bit-rate (VBR) video and distributed interactive simulation (DIS) traffic are modeled in the VBE. The research described in this thesis utilizes a systems engineering approach to investigate the performance …

Progressive Failure Analysis Of Composite Panels, Stephen M. Spottswood

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to determine the physical response, including material failure, of a curved composite panel designed to resist transverse loading. The cause of the material failure, in the form of delamination, fiber and/or matrix failure, was determined through various criterion based on non-linear movement using a finite element analysis technique. Data generated both with and without the addition of progressive failure criteria, was compared with previously published experimental data, noting where the theory diverges from the experimental results. The inclusion of various failure criterion, to include maximum stress, Lee, and Hashin, provided a more realistic representation …

Design And Analysis Of On-Orbit Servicing Architectures For The Global Positioning System Constellation, Gregg A. Leisman, Adam D. Wallen

Theses and Dissertations

Satellites are the only major Air Force systems with no maintenance, routine repair, or upgrade capability. The result is expensive satellites and a heavy reliance on access to space. At the same time, satellite design is maturing and reducing the cost to produce satellites with longer design lives. This works against the ability to keep the technology on satellites current without frequent replacement of those satellites. The Global Positioning System Joint Program Office realizes that it must change its mode of operations to quickly meet new requirements while minimizing cost. The possibility of using robotic servicing architectures to solve these …

East Coast Abort Modeling With Rtls Elimination For The Space Shuttle-Liquid Fly Back Booster Launch System, Thomas L. Miller Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the ability of the proposed Liquid Fly Back Booster, a replacement for the Space Shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs), to eliminate the need for the Return to Launch Site (RTLS) abort mode. A Fortran model of a nominal launch trajectory was perturbed to simulate a single Space Shuttle Main Engine-out (SSME-out) abort scenario at different times in the launch with the goal being to abort to the southern most landing site possible. The model accounts for vehicle lift, drag, dynamic pressure, throttling times and includes atmospheric effects to enhance fidelity. Results show the RTLS abort mode can …

Tip Vortex And Crenulation Effects In A Compressor Cascade With Moving Endwall, Barry W. St Germain

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of changing Reynolds number and flow coefficients on the velocity and pressure flow fields within a linear cascade with moving endwall were investigated in this experimental thesis. All flow field measurements were taken at a constant compressor blade tip gap clearance of 1.0 % chord and endwall speed of 318.6 ft/s (97.1 m/s), with flow coefficients of 0.40, 0.52, 0.62 and 0.72. All data acquisition occurred in a plane 23 % chord downstream of the trailing edge plane of the linear cascade. Hotwire probes determined the complete passage, three-dimensional fowled behind both crenulated and regular blade geometries. Vector …

Robust Eigenstructure Assignment Using Positive Definite Output Feedback Control, Adam G. Harris

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates a method of eigenstructure assignment for the classes of controllers known as positive definite output feedback control. The research began with a closed loop system with output feedback control that utilizes a collocated actuator-sensor pair. It is shown that this system is robust because it is globally stable for positive definite feedback. Analytical analysis is then completed to determine gains that minimize a cost function that is the error between the desired and achievable (assuming positive definite output feedback) eigenstructure. Examples are given at the end of the thesis to validate the computer code and theory results.

Fatigue Response Of Repaired Thick Aluminum Panels With Bondline Flaws, David S. Conley

Theses and Dissertations

his research investigated the fatigue response of precracked 558 x 177.8 x 6.35 mm (22.0 x 7.0 x 0.25 in) 2024-T351 aluminum panels repaired with single-sided partially bonded, unidirectional, eighteen ply boron/epoxy reinforcements. Disbonds were introduced into the bondline of each repair during the adhesion process using teflon inserts. Five different disbond configurations, with varying disbond locations and sizes, were tested. Each repaired panel was subjected to constant amplitude cyclic fatigue loading with a maximum stress of 120MPa. Results from the different configurations were compared against one another and against repaired panels with no debonds to assess the effect of …