Digital Commons Network^™

Lists: Starting Points For Researching And Writing The Histories Of Academic Departments, Michael R. Hill

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The discovery, imaginative construction, and methodical compilation of lists is a productive initial strategy for researching and writing the histories of academic department and small professional organizations. When purposefully conceptualized as inclusive, list construction provides a methodological framework that curtails the seemingly inherent tendency of historical writers to overlook the contributions and participation of minority members of professional organizations – I use the term “minority” here in the widest possible sense, to indicate virtually anyone who by one criterion or another has come to be defined or perceived as somehow “marginal” or “unimportant” to the historical record you are documenting.

Undergraduate And Graduate Catalog [2002-2003], Georgia Southern University

Undergraduate & Graduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

2003 Aasu Women's Basketball Guide, Armstrong State University

Armstrong Athletics: Women's Basketball Records (Archived)

No abstract provided.

The International Telecommunications Sector : A Financial Investigation Of Post Privatisation Performance, Nasser Mubarak Shafi Al-Shafi

Plymouth Business School Theses

The focus of this thesis is an investigation of the post-privatisation performance of the international telecoms sector. Firstly, the general hypothesis (1) of this thesis has been pursued, which states that the privatised telecoms companies perform differently from their non-privatised (private) counterparts. Several tests were applied; namely, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. The principal finding was that there was no significant difference in performance. Secondly, the next hypothesis (2) states that the financial performance of each company is positively related to that of the other two selected companies. For this purpose, multiple regression tests were performed to investigate any inter-relationships …

Analysis Of Space Employee Risk Acceptance, Aliya Bostubayeva

Theses

In the summer of 2002, eighty-one students, faculty and staff of RIT took a survey that was aimed at determining the possible employees expectations about the risk compensation if hired to work in space. Every mission in space entails a certain degree of health damage; the length of stay is directly related with more risk involved. The survey results help understand rough estimations of risk acceptance of the future space labor force (cosmonauts and astronauts not included). Three sets of questions described the consequences of space missions (short, month-long and long), where the extent of health damage is directly dependent …

Te Contaria Mi Vida: I Would Tell You My Life, If Only You Would Ask, Ruth Ann Belknap, Pilar Sayeed

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Universal screening for domestic violence is recommended in many health care settings. This qualitative study was undertaken to explore the thoughts and feelings of Mexican American women regarding being asked questions about domestic violence by a health care provider. We wanted to further explore what characteristics about a nurse, or other health care provider, would give a woman confianza, the trust necessary to discuss this issue. Seven women, who self identified as abused or formerly abused, were recruited from a pool of Spanish-speaking women receiving services from a rural domestic violence agency in the midwestern United States. The researchers …

Using The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (Idea) To Reduce Discipline Referrals, Daniel Shakespeare

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This report describes a program to reduce disciplinary referrals of special education students at Andalusia High School (AHS) in Andalusia, Alabama. With a total student population of 557 students in Grades 9-12, the office received 878 disciplinary referrals in 1998-1999. Of this number, 244 referrals were for 32 special education students who averaged 13 referrals each. All 32 special education students had at least 2 disciplinary referrals (with a range from a high of 17 to a low of 2).

Possible causes of the problem were identified. First, the role of the regular education teacher in working with special education …

The Principal's Role In Promoting Success For Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students: A Participatory Research Study, Maria Norma Martinez

Doctoral Dissertations

We need to understand more fully what facilitates success in schools with diverse populations. Through participatory research, the voices of school principals who are responsive to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students were recorded and analyzed to provide insights on the practices that promote the school success of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Using a dialogic retrospective, the participants had the opportunity to engage, individually and collectively, in reflection and dialogue to identify common themes that emerged in their important work as school leaders and as advocates for diverse students.

An Examination Of Personality As A Predictor Of Guard Behavior In A Virtual Environment, Jean M. Catanzaro

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Military personnel need access to realistic training tools that can provide a safe environment in which to acquire skills that will generalize to real world tasks. A virtual environment (VE) is one such tool. The focus of the present study was to evaluate a VE as a training tool for military guards. The first goal was to examine the potential of VE technology to provide effective training for standing watch at a military checkpoint. The second goal was to study a set of personality traits that might predict performance. Participants completed the NEO Personality Inventory and were trained to perform …

Overreaction, Heteroscedasticity, And Spillovers In Stock Returns: Evidence From The Kuwait Stock Exchange, Mohammad Yousef Al-Hashel

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

This research examines stocks' returns and volatility in the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE). The research is organized in five chapters. The first chapter provides an introduction of the research, its importance, and its main goals. The second chapter presents a historical background of the KSE and the stages it experienced to reach its current situation. The main goal of this chapter is to pave the road for the subsequent chapters. Then, the third chapter tests the overreaction hypothesis using monthly data for stocks listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange over the 1993–2002 period. Similar to the findings of De Bondt …

Embryo And Gamete Development Upon Exposure To Cca Components: Cro3, Cuo, And As2o5, Nerbana Talaat-Elsebaei Mahmoud

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Production of functional gametes and healthy embryos is essential for proliferation of all vertebrates, especially humans. Many compounds have toxic effects on developing gametes and embryos among which are chromium trioxide (CrO₃), cupric oxide (CuO) and arsenic pentaoxide (As₂O₅) as a mixture (CCA) or individually. Controversy surrounding the safety of CCA-treated wood centers primarily on the toxicity of its components and the potential for these metals to be released from the wood.

The aim of this research is to test the hypothesis that CCA components have deleterious effects on embryo development, oocyte maturation and …

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 …

Excuse And Justification In The Law Of Fair Use: Transaction Costs Have Always Been Only Part Of The Story, Wendy J. Gordon

Faculty Scholarship

In American copyright law, the doctrine of "fair use" has long been problematic. Every plausible litmus test that might simplify the "fair use" inquiry has proven inadequate, and copyright commentators have long sought an algorithm or heuristic to lend predictability and conceptual coherence to the doctrine. Twenty years ago, I published in this Journal an article entitled Fair Use as Market Failure, which suggested that the key to understanding the protean terms of "fair use" could best be found in the notion of market failure. That 1982 article has been often misapplied, by both courts and commentators. I am …

Reexamining The Posse Comitatus Act: Toward A Right To Civil Law Enforcement, Sean J. Kealy

Faculty Scholarship

The military is currently prohibited by federal statute from participating in domestic law enforcement. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 ("PCA") establishes criminal penalties for people who willfully use members of the Army or the Air Force to execute the laws. Although a product of the Reconstruction Era, this law reflects a strong American tradition against the domestic use of the military that stretches back before the founding of the nation.

Building Leadership Capacity: A Case Study Of Standards-Based Staff Development, Geraldine M. Harge

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

A qualitative case study approach was implemented to examine the perception of 13 principals regarding the efficacy and utility of skills using the California Standards of the Teaching Profession (CSTP; California Teaching Commission, 1997) in the supervision and evaluation process. The results of this study showed that the principals had consistent participation and found the skills and tools for observation and evaluation very useful for (a) awareness and understanding of the CSTP for informal observation, (b) commitment to continued use of the CSTP, (c) continued support from the district for sustained implementation, (d) improved teacher capacity at a beginning stage …

Meeting The After-School Needs Of Early Adolescents, Ann Michele Allen

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide a more attractive after-school program to youth at a middle school. The program was located on the school campus and offered minimal activities, which were facilitated by untrained staff, with limited activity space for the youth to congregate. The program met daily in a school classroom, offering limited supplies and activities to the youth after school. Due to these limitations, very few youth participated in the afterschool program, thereby placing themselves at risk for harmful and inappropriate behaviors in the after-school hours.

The writer developed a more attractive after-school program for the youth. …

Sixth-Grade Study Group Intervention Program To Increase Academic Achievement In The Area Of Reading, Sue Greenfield

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to incorporate intervention strategies with 6th graders in the elementary school setting. The goal was to have each individual student increase standardized academic achievement in the area of reading, which automatically results in an increase of standardized academic achievement for the entire group. Students were involved in a number of intervention activities during school, before and after school, and on Saturdays. Activities included State Bar Association training for students, which certified active participants as peer mediators, and field trips and seminars. Activities incorporated proponents of education from the community, who hosted community functions and media …

The Effect Of Incorporating Interactive Concept Maps On Non-Major Adult Students’ Attitudes And Motivation Toward A Web-Supported Biology Course, Efrain J. Venezuela

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This study aimed to investigate the effect of incorporating interactive concept maps, as an instructional strategy for teaching complex biological concepts, on non-major adult students’ attitudes and motivation toward a Web-supported biology course. The author hypothesized that the incorporation of interactive concept maps would have an affect on non-major adult students' attitudes and motivation toward a Web-supported biology course. Consequently, this study attempted to answer the following question: How would the incorporation of interactive concept maps influence non-major adult students' attitudes and motivation toward a Web-supported biology course?

This study was conducted with non-major adult students enrolled in upper-level, Websupported …

Federalism And The Public Good: The True Story Behind The Religious Land Use And Institutionalized Persons Act, Marci A. Hamilton

Articles

No abstract provided.

Harnessing Information Technology To Improve The Environmental Impact Review Process, Michael B. Gerrard, Michael Herz

Articles

No abstract provided.

Leading The District-Mandated Technology Focus At Twin Lakes Elementary Through The Development, Validation, And Implementation Of A Technology Training Program, Kristen E. Bazley

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Twin Lakes Elementary will be emphasizing the areas of math and technology beginning in the school year 2003-2004. The school’s infrastructure and curriculum had to be completely revised in order for technology integration to occur. Moreover, most of the teaching faculty possessed few, if any, of the computer skills they needed to function in this new environment and there was a significant degree of skepticism and resistance in adopting this new way of teaching.

The purpose of this project was twofold: (1) to develop and present a training program that would enable faculty members to utilize technology instruction methods in …

Usage Of Federally Donated Food In The School Meal Program, Sandra Shannon

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

In 1999—2000, an audit of 15 Miami Dade County Public Schools by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bureau of Food and Nutrition (VanTreese, 2000), revealed that none of the 15 were effectively utilizing federally donated commodities in the meal program. A review of quantitative data from 26 schools revealed there was an overall usage rate of 62% of federally donated food in the school meal program, 38% less than the federal government requirements that 100% of donated commodities be used. The commodity usage rate in 2000-2001 for B Elementary School was 85%, and the commodity usage rate …

A System-Level Comparison Of Cost-Efficiency And Return On Investment Related To Online Course Delivery, Thomas R. Ramage

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This study was concerned with identification, categorization, and calculation of course-level costs of online courses from community colleges of disparate size in terms of enrollment, support services, costing and accounting methods, and administrative structures.

A survey consisting of the Cost Identification Worksheet was administered to Chief Financial Officers at 12 community colleges in Illinois requesting data related to actual, direct, fixed, and variable costs related to online courses. Data were compiled into institutional spreadsheets for analysis and a composite developed of community colleges in Illinois.

The goal of the study was to compare costs and revenues of Illinois community colleges …

Saturday School: An Alternative To Suspension Program To Reduce Suspensions And Student Violence, Todd S. Meiklejohn

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

During the 2001-2002 school year, Homestead Senior High School suspended 417 students on 772 occasions. Thus, 13.5% of the student body was suspended from school for disciplinary reasons. More significantly, 32.4% of all outdoor suspensions were a result of violence. To further compound the problem, there was no feasible course of action to deal appropriately with student conflict or violence.

An assessment of the problem revealed various causes. Specifically, the school’s out-of-school suspension rate was amongst the highest in the district; male students were suspended 3 times more than their female counterparts; and Homestead Senior High School students committed double …

Effective Use Of Multimodal Interventions With Adolescents In Residential Care, Brian J. Hawkins

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was written to study the use and effectiveness of behavioral intervention in residential child care facilities, serving adolescents from backgrounds of abuse and neglect. Direct care workers in these out-of-home settings have experienced significant difficulties in managing negative behaviors exhibited by adolescents in care. It was found that direct-care workers were insufficiently trained and lacked understanding in resident behavior, leading to frustration and failure in providing appropriate and effective behavior interventions.

The writer developed a training curriculum to instruct direct-care and social-service staff in multiple methods of management and intervention in negative, unproductive behaviors. Understanding behavior development, …

Implementation Of An Elementary In-School Suspension Program And Its Effects On School Climate, Carla K. Hall

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was focused on involving the staff at Goodyear Elementary School in fostering an orderly environment for student learning by implementing an In-School Suspension (ISS) program. This was an ethnographic study and provided a descriptive approach of the school’s culture and organizational structure. The applied dissertation included several initiatives in the implementation of the ISS program, which were a School Climate Inventory (SCI), organizational strategies, leadership structure, professional development, and student interviews.

Results of the applied dissertation indicated that the implementation of the ISS program had a positive impact on the school’s climate. The staff was involved in …

Improving Character Education In Preschool Programs Through Improved Program Policies, And Through The Training Of Teachers And University Student Teachers, Cheryl N. Priest

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide training, coursework, resources, children’s materials, and program policies that would improve the development of character within preschool children enrolled in a university laboratory preschool setting. Many of the young children enrolled in this school were not exhibiting the skills often associated with character development. A number of these children were not working with others to solve social problems, did not verbalize feelings or expressed feelings in unacceptable ways, and did not identify classmates as friends. Classroom teachers also found that some children were unwilling to help others and that they were doing nothing …

Addressing The Response And Responsibility Of The Education System To The Social Concerns Of At-Risk Students In American Schools: An Evaluative Study Of A Partnership Intervention Program, Ina Dorman

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The social problems of students and society in general have changed dramatically over the past 2 decades, and school leaders are now challenged with how to address these changes effectively while preserving the integrity and purpose of an institution of learning.

This study identified the social, environmental, and behavioral issues facing students in a large, urban school district with a population of over 250,000 students. This qualitative analysis examined the data and risk factors that impact the academic achievement of students and the response by the organization leaders to respond adequately to the challenges.

The school district is situated in …

Developing And Using A Welfare Reform Model Of Social Work To Increase The Role Of Social Workers In Assisting Welfare Customers To Self-Sufficiency Through Employment, Jessie Jordan-Parker

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to increase and enhance the role of the Welfare Social Workers in providing case management services to Welfare customers. Welfare Reform (WR) Social Work positions were being eliminated because some thought that traditional social work models could not be adapted to the requirements of employment centered WR programs. This was thought because no research had been carried out and no data was available to indicate the efficacy of social workers or social work models in assisting those welfare customers to self-sufficiency through employment.

The writer developed a WR model of social work intervention. The model …

The Negative Impact Of Middle School Mathematics Achievement On Classical High School, William G. Frost

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ version of high stakes assessment testing that has moved to the forefront of education reform over the past decade. True accountability for students and principals is present only at the high school level because students must pass the English language arts and mathematics sections of Grade 10 MCAS to qualify for a diploma.

Archival MCAS data over 4 years of testing reveals 2 inescapable conclusions. First, regardless of level (Grades 4, 8, and 10 are MCAS benchmark years), students have performed significantly better in English language arts than mathematics, …