Digital Commons Network^™

A Preferred Vision For Administering Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Timothy S. Harvey

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this reflective research paper is to articulate my fundamental values and beliefs that will guide me as I prepare to enter the professional field of educational administration. I will begin with a general overview of what brought me to this point in my life. The paper will then examine specific values and beliefs identified in the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards, (ISLLC), of Visionary Leadership, Instructional Leadership, Organizational Leadership, Collaborative Leadership, Ethical Leadership and Political Leadership. My goal is to exhibit these leadership standards throughout my educational career.

Literature Response Journals : Successful Implementation In A Balanced Literacy Program, Michelle Heiserman

Graduate Research Papers

When balancing their literacy program, classroom teachers take into consideration many components of reading. They know that they must look at each student to see where his or her strengths and weaknesses are. They then plan instruction based on this assessment. One way is to teach how to respond to literature, which is a valuable way to reflect and clarify while reading. It allows the students to work at their own level and become engaged in literature. The literature response journal can be used in conjunction with any literacy program. It provides a way for the teacher and student to …

Constructivism In Online Learning : A Literature Review, Zishan Hong

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to look at the interaction of constructivist-based approaches, adult learning characteristics and six online learning issues. Constructivist learning environments allow learners to build their own meaning and understanding from learning resources and circumstances. Constructivists claim that learners accumulate new knowledge by themselves and use this to pile up previous knowledge and experiences. The learner is the learning focus, and the instructors act as facilitators or guides, which provide appropriate and enriching supplies. This theory supports well the adult style of learning. Based on constructivism, the online instructor is a facilitator to monitor and provide …

Morning Message : Bringing Interactive Writing To Life In A Kindergarten Classroom, Kay M. Hoffman

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this article is to inform the reader of one way of implementing interactive writing into a kindergarten classroom, which is through the use of morning message. Interactive writing means different things to different people and my interpretation will be discussed throughout the article. I will share where I have been as a teacher of young children as well as some of the things I have learned along this invigorating journey.

Active Learning Techniques To Teach Spanish Vocabulary, Sara E. Janssen

Graduate Research Papers

The journal article, "Pictures, John Travolta moves, and Sign Language: Active Learning Techniques to Teach Spanish Vocabulary," discusses the experiences 8th grade Spanish students had while using three instructional practices for learning vocabulary. Active learning strategies are a popular method for educators, especially those at the middle level. Educators can get their students active in learning by doing many different things. Pictures, "silly signs," and sign language were used to engage my students in learning fourteen Spanish vocabulary words.

Three groups of Spanish exploratory classes were the subjects in this study. Each of the three groups received instruction using one …

Training : What Is Training, Identifying The Need For Training, Methods Of Training, And How Can Trainings Effectiveness Be Evaluated?, Michael Johnson Jr.

Graduate Research Papers

This review involves aspects and elements of preparing effective training programs. In this review the researcher addresses the design and development stages of training programs. This review will provide valuable information for practitioners in the field of training and staff development. Definitions, needs assessment methods, evaluating effectiveness, methods of conducting evaluations, and building a rational for training programs are the areas covered by this review.

This review is written in the perspective for novice trainers and staff developers. The information provided can assist novice trainers build a knowledge base to enhance their ability to provide effective training. This review is …

United States Diplomacy In The Age Of The Internet, Allison S. Greene

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The dynamics of international relations are constantly changing, and the origin of an extraordinary amount of that change can be traced to what has been coined the ‘Information Revolution.’ It is a revolution as profound and as significant as Gutenberg's invention of moveable metal type, and may result in social and political consequences of comparable magnitude. One of the most significant and far-reaching implications of this phenomenon is the emergence of the Internet. Since its inception, there have been many claims and assertions about existing and potential repercussions of the Internet within the diplomatic realm.

The purpose of this work …

Web Citation Availability: Analysis And Implictions For Scholarship, Mary F. Casserly, James E. Bird

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

Five hundred citations to Internet resources from articles published in library and information science journals in 1999 and 2000 were profiled and searched on the Web. The majority contained partial bibliographic information and no date viewed. Most URLs pointed to content pages with "edu" or "org" domains and did not include a tilde. More than half (56.4%) were permanent, 81.4 percent were available on the Web, and searching the Internet Archive increased the availability rate to 89.2 percent. Content, domain, and directory depth were associated with availability. Few of the journals provided instruction on citing digital resources. Eight suggestions for …

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally: Documenting Environmental Activism In New York State, Brian Keough, Amy C. Schindler

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

A significant component of the political history of New York and other states in the second half of the twentieth century is the extraordinary growth of a social movement directed at environmental issues. The authors completed a case study of a documentation project to collect archival records about the history of environmental affairs in New York State. This article critically examines documentation strategy and the evolution of statewide documentation projects in New York, describes the implementation of a documentation project for environmental affairs, and suggests methods for improving the identification and selection of records of enduring value. The project set …

The Ceres-Rice Model-Based Estimates Of Potential Monsoon Season Rainfed Rice Productivity In Bangladesh, Rezaul Mahmood, Mark Meo, David R. Legates, Mark L. Morrissey

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Agricultural practices in Bangladesh are largely dependent on the monsoonal rainfall. Historically, Bangladesh often experiences severe droughts and floods during the monsoon months, with significant crop losses during both extreme conditions. This article provides a quantitative assessment of potential monsoon-season aman rice for four transplanting dates: 1 June, 1 July, 15 July, and 15 August. A crop-growth simulation model, the CERES-Rice, is applied to sixteen locations representing major rice-growing regions of Bangladesh to determine baseline yield estimates for four transplanting dates. The applications were conducted for 1975 through 1987. Average potential yield in Bangladesh is 6,907, 5,039, 3,637, and 1,762 …

Crane Operator Training Delivery : Is The Current System The Way To Go?, Ian Douglas

Theses : Honours

There are over 20,000 people certificated to operate cranes in West Australia and there are currently approximately 2000 construction cranes operating in the state of West Australia. The safe operation of these machines in the workplace is critical to safety on the job. As is often the case when machinery is involved in an accident or event, when something goes wrong there is the possibility of people being injured or for damage to occur to the machine and the surrounding infrastructure. The number of events that have been reported in the media during recent months highlights this fact. To help …

Storying The Body : Women's Narratives Through The Lens Of Breast Cancer, Janet A. Griffin

Theses : Honours

What can women's narratives contribute to our understanding of breast cancer and to feminist theories of the body? This thesis explores the meanings women construct to make sense of embodied experiences of breast cancer, and the profound experience of breast loss. Rich contextual data was elicited from in depth, guided conversations with five premenopausal women who have undergone mastectomy. Adopting feminist methodology, biographic-narrative was used to place the body at the heart of inquiry. This thesis explores the personal and theoretical meanings of mastectomy, embedded in the larger story of how these five women experience their breasts, throughout their lives. …

Phonological And Syntactic Processing, And The Role Of Working Memory In Reading Comprehension Among High School Students, John V. Holsgrove

Theses : Honours

The performance of 60 year8 students was examined on tasks measuring phonological processing, syntactic processing, and reading comprehension. The students were also administered several measures of working memory relating to the phonological loop and the central executive. A series of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that phonological processing and syntactic processing were both predictors of reading comprehension, and that the presence or absence of the latter distinguished good and poor comprehenders respectively. The phonological loop was found to play a small but significant role in the processes involved in reading comprehension, but not the central executive. Gender differences suggested that boys …

The Effects Of Sleep On The Acquisition Of Skill, Peter G. Croy

Theses : Honours

The current research was designed to evaluate the effect of sleep on memory for the declarative and procedural knowledge components of a cognitive skill. In a training phase, 17 participants in a no-sleep control group practised 120 repetitions of a simple algebra equation at Sam and 22 participants in a sleep group practised the task at 8pm. Novel task inputs were introduced withh1 the same task structure in a transfer phase conducted 12 hours after training for each group. Overnight sleep conferred a 29% performance deficit on the transfer tusk compared to no-sleep controls. The results support the hypothesis that …

Attributions Of Criminal Responsibility Of Children : An Exploratory Study Of The Role Of Wrongdoer Age, Victim Harm And Perceptions Of Intent And Consequence, James Mccue

Theses : Honours

Recent cases, such as that of James Bulger, have provided anecdotal evidence of children's capacities to commit illegal acts. Currently however, the public's attributions of children who engage in antisocial and criminal behaviour, and whether they should be held criminally responsible for their actions, has received little attention in terms of empirical research. The aim of the present study was to examine these attributions and establish whether they concur with the guidelines for criminal responsibility set down by the Western Australian criminal justice system. Two independent variables were manipulated using vignettes and included the age of the wrongdoer (7, 10 …

Hepatitis C, Quality Of Life And Cognitive Function : An Exploratory Study, John Caithness

Theses : Honours

Active chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a viral infection that affects approximately 150,000 Austra1ians. It has various quality of life impacts and the literature suggests some cognitive ramifications. In this Western Australian exploratory study, 13 healthy students from Edith Cowan University made up a control group. One experimental group consisted of 11 people with CHC and mild liver damage, and a second experimental group consisted of 8 people with CHC and at least moderate liver damage. The participants were assessed with a health-related quality of life questionnaire, the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36); a test of cognitive functioning, the …

The Practice Of Homework : A Critical Ethnography : The Story Of Four Families, Jacqueline Hubbard

Theses : Honours

This thesis explores the homework experiences of four students and their families through the lens of critical inquiry. The stories of the participants are told through conversational interviews with students and their parents/caregivers, as well as their classroom teacher, in a bounded study. Drawing on these stories, the issue of homework is 'problematised', and analysed in light of issues such as institutional power and hegemony. A critical review of the literature reveals a significant gap in the existing research on homework in relation to the inclusion of student and parent voices. The study addresses this silence by listening to the …

Identifying Complex Issues Surrounding The Construction Of Indigeneity In Film And Documentary, Debbie Carmody

Theses : Honours

Indigenous identity can only be located within . a framework of historical dislocation from where white notions of assimilation are shattered. Therefore Indigeneity can only be defined in relation to the black experience within colonialism's hegemonic structures. I will argue this by looking at constructions of Indigenous Australians in the feature film Radiance (1998) directed by Rachel Perkins, and the documentary Sissy (2000) directed by Debbie Carmody (previously known as Debbie Gittins), which was made as part of this thesis. This raises questions: What is the black experience and the process of black survival within colonialism's hegemonic structures? How does …

A Historical Geography Of The Bayswater Wetlands, Anna Ciuppa

Theses : Honours

This study examines the loss of 80-90% of wetlands in the City of Bayswater within the Perth Metropolitan Region. As a geographical study of wetlands it is largely concerned with the value of those wetlands to the local community, as well as to the flora and fauna species diversity of the City of Bayswater. The City of Bayswater is a sub-catchment of the Swan-Avon River system. It is approximately 5 kilometres from the Perth Central Business District. In its pristine state the Bayswater catchment would have been a landscape of swamps and lakes that supported prolific birdlife, frogs, native …

Public Scepticism And The Social Conscience : New Implications For Public Relations, Rachel Yeates

Theses : Honours

This research thesis explores the question "how can public relations counteract growing public scepticism, maximising trust and goodwill between an organisation, its target publics and the wider community?" Public scepticism of large corporations is not a new phenomenon, but it is gaining great momentum. Subsequently, it has been suggested that the practice of corporate public relations must focus on fostering an organisational culture that adopts a 'social conscience', that is necessary to counteract consumer distrust. This includes organisations practicing attributes of 'excellence' such as open communication, corporate transparency and honesty. They must also be aware of, and sensitive to, the …

Isolation And Characterisation Of A Pax Group Iii Gene From The Freshwater Crayfish Cherax Destructor: Implications For The Evolution Of Muscle Regeneration, Robert B. White

Theses : Honours

Pax genes encode transcription factors that are highly evolutionarily conserved and are vital for animal development. Vertebrate Pax group III genes Pax3 and Pax7 are required for proper development of muscular and central nervous systems. In their roles in muscular systems, Pax3 and Pax7 specify myoblasts (muscle progenitor cells). Pax3 is predominantly involved in embryonic myogenesis and specifies embryonic myoblasts. In contrast, Pax7 specifies adult myoblasts (muscle satellite cells), and has been demonstrated to be vital for adult muscle regeneration. Recent evidence also implicates a role for Pax7 in the conversion of certain stem cells to the myogenic lineage. The …

Wireless Local Area Network Security : An Investigation Into Security Tool Usage In Wireless Networks, Susan Webb

Theses : Honours

Many organisations and individuals installing wireless local area networks (WLANs), which are based on the IEEE 802.11 b standard, have little understanding of the security issues that surround this technology.

This study was initiated to determine how WLAN security issues affect organisations in Perth, Western Australia. The scope of the study was restricted to 802.llb WLANs operating in infrastructure mode, where all traffic is transmitted by wireless access points (APs). This study was conducted in two phases. The general aims of the first phase were to determine the number of detectable WLANs in the Perth Central Business District (CBD) and …

Patterns Of Water Uptake And Rhizosphere Salinity In Casuarina Obesa Miq. During A Drying Period At Lake Toolibin, Western Australia, Patrick J. Mitchell

Theses : Honours

Lake Toolibin is one of a few remaining freshwater lakes in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia. Since monitoring began at Lake Toolibin in the early 1970's groundwater levels have risen to within 1-2 m of the lakebed with an accompanying migration of salt. The site-specific nature of water uptake in Casuarina obesa Miq. (the dominant lakebed tree species) and rhizosphere salinity were explored spatially through analyses of soil properties (groundwater depth and salinity, particle size and components of soil water potential ψ₁). Plant water sources (using δ²H signatures) and water availability (based on ψ_{leaf …}

Multivariate Geostatistical Analysis With Application To A Western Australian Nickel Laterite Deposit, Ellen Bandarian

Theses : Honours

Although it can be time consuming and computationally more expensive to work with multivariate data, it is often desirable to exploit the relationships among and between the variables sampled across a study region. In most cases the availability of this secondary information can enhance the estimation of the primary variable(s). The aim of this research is to describe and then demonstrate the use of multivariate statistical methods in geostatistical analysis. The methods will be illustrated by application to a multivariate data set from an actual mineralisation. The data suite is known as MM22D and comes from the Murrin Murrin nickel …

What Reflections Of Eden Do We Find In A Garden?: An Analysis Of Illusionary Constructs That Seek To Establish Identity With The 'Ideal' Garden, Olga Kirov

Theses : Honours

Gardens are retreats that offer sanctuary from the tensions of modern life, Spiritual needs have stirred the Western psyche the most to embellish myths that account for the inconsistency of life. The original myth of the Garden of Eden has represented the ideal paradigm between imperfect nature and human nature, accounting for human frailty and anxious yearnings for a utopian perspective. In attempt to improve human nature, throughout time humans have aspired to transform or improve the natural environment, thus making every garden an image. As an art form, that draws on the past as it looks to the future, …

Street Photography: An Approach To Strangers: Casual, Close And Personal Encounters, Flavia M. Schuster

Theses : Honours

Street photographers can either camouflage or reveal their identities to the strangers they photograph. By choosing to remain anonymous, photographers often create images in which only their subjects are exposed. By unveiling their identities however, they often create images in which their interaction becomes evident in the resulting images. Casual Encounters looks at the mechanisms employed by photographers that choose to remain anonymous in contrast to the myth of the flâneur. Close Encounters looks at the mechanisms employed between strangers to deal with their daily interactions in urban environments. Personal Encounters serves to explain my own approach to the strangers …

Investigation Into The Population Dynamics And Key Life History Characteristics Of Non-Biting Midge (Diptera: Chironomidae) Which Can Be Utilised To Improve Nuisance Control At Lake Joondalup, Western Australia, Michael Roberts

Theses : Honours

Non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) become a severe nuisance to humans living close to urban wetlands when they emerge at night to form mating swarms. The phototactic nature of adult chironomids means that large quantities of chironomids congregate around artificial lighting prominent in the surrounding suburbs of urban wetlands. This nuisance problem has compelled the investigation of suitable control options which are able to reduce the numbers of midges to below nuisance levels for an extended period. Currently the options available to control chironomid populations rely on the treatment of affected wetlands with pesticide. These treatment regimes are usually only successful …

The Ecological Evolution Of Public Relations Theories: An Exploration Of The Ningaloo Controversy, Allison Campbell

Theses : Honours

Many contemporary public relations scholars are attempting to redefine the discipline to incorporate more than the current token gesture of community beneficence into professional practice. Communication activities that perpetuate organizational privilege in Wester style democracies are now considered outdated and unethical. Current theoretical research suggests that public relations suffers an image crisis front its association with liberalist ideology and is considered something of an adversary to the purpose of social movements such as environmentalism. An ever-growing endorsement of communitarian values within society signifies that public relations has the opportunity to enhance greater cohesion between diverse interests by contributing to the …

The Composition Of Cryptophytes (Geophytes) And Other Plants In The Northern Jarrah Forest Of Western Australia: An Analysis Of Logged And Old Growth Forest, Conrad C. Slee

Theses : Honours

Forests are decreasing globally and there are pressing requirements for ecologically sustainable forest management to be implemented at all scales. There has been some criticism of the public managers for forests and the processes used to select reserve systems and silvicultural methods used. Limited research has been conducted on the effects of logging on the plants of the northern Jarrah forest of south western Australia, While fire is a major disturbance event, disturbance during logging operations may remove non-commercial trees, understorey shrubs and change soil conditions. Some plants that regenerate from below ground storage organs such as Cryptophytes (Geophytes) may …

Tauhid And Tasawwuf: Indonesian Sufism In Search Of Unity, Natasha Ryan

Theses : Honours

The Islamic principle of Tauhid (Divine Unity) is foundational to Islam and Tasawwuf, better known to us as Sufism. Within the Indonesian consciousness of Islam, Tauhid can also mirror Indonesia's national motto, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), its understanding of tolerance reverberating with the purity of Islam. The recent renewal of Sufism in Indonesia may provide a Sufi paradigm shift to help relieve some tension surrounding an emergent Islamist intolerance, thereby smoothing the rising waters of uncertainty flowing alongside the current Islamic resurgence. While it is generally rare for Australians to take an interest in Indonesia's mystical Islamic culture, …