Digital Commons Network^™

The Lives Of Animals, The Lives Of Prisoners, And The Revelations Of Abu Ghraib, Charles H. Brower, Ii

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

In this Article, Professor Brower suggests that the images depicting inhuman treatment of detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison contain timely lessons about the function and the importance of legal personality. To illustrate this thesis, the Author first identifies animals as a population condemned to an existence bereft of the protections that accompany legal personality. Next, the Author describes the chilling similarities between the treatment of animals and the treatment of prisoners in Iraq and in the so-called "Global War on Terror." Finally, the Author discusses three potential lessons for a nation widely perceived to have retreated from its commitment …

Taking Back The Trash: Comparing European Extended Producer Responsibility And Take-Back Liability To U.S. Environmental Policy And Attitudes, Megan Short

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Note explores the mandates adopted by the European Union and individual European states and examines the feasibility of their implementation in the United States. Part II outlines the current extended producer responsibility schemes in Europe and the current waste disposal system in the United States. Part III examines the societal and cultural differences that account for varying environmental attitudes in Europe and the United States, with a focus on Germany. Part IV discusses the feasibility of developing national take-back requirements in the United States by examining legislative obstacles and other barriers. Part V offers a conclusion and recommendation for …

Not As Easy As Black And White: The Implications Of The University Of Rio De Janeiro's Quota-Based Admissions Policy On Affirmative Action Law In Brazil, Ricardo Rochetti

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Note specifically addresses the propriety of affirmative action pertaining to admissions to institutions of higher education. The focus will be on Uerj's quota system because, of all of Brazil's neophyte quota systems, it has received the most publicity and attracted the most scrutiny.

Part II of this Note will analyze Uerj's program and highlight the reasons for its ineffectiveness and the arguments that both proponents and opponents of the program have advanced. Part III will introduce the issues that the Supreme Federal Tribunal, Brazil's highest court, will encounter in deciding the challenge that the National Confederation of Teaching Establishments …

A Closer Look At Constructivism, The Learning Cycle, Scientific Process Skills And Their Interrelationships Within A High School Chemistry And Physics Classroom, Jennifer M. Gates

Graduate Research Papers

Over the last several decades, science education has been in a state of potential change. In fact from the Committees of Ten to the beginning of Project 2061 and now, it has been a time of constant debate over the best practice in science education. The most recent science education reform movement began in 1989 with an effort towards scientific literacy and relevancy by the American Association for the Advancement of Science report, Science for All Americans (American Association for the Advancement of Science { AAAS}, 1989). This publication has proven to be a landmark in science education reform and …

The Rhetoric Of Rush Limbaugh: An Analysis Of Diversity Issues, Jim Schnell

Iowa Journal of Communication

Rush Limbaugh's controversial comments regarding race and the sports media on ESPN in September, 2003 put a spotlight on his rhetoric in relation to diversity issues. This article will describe how C-SPAN videotapes can be used in the classroom to enhance student learning of issues related to diversity and rhetoric. The rhetoric of Rush Limbaugh is focused on in this particular classroom case study. Study of Limbaugh is relevant due to the success of his daily radio talk show, "The Rush Limbaugh Show." He has his fans and critics. One of the controversial areas associated with Limbaugh is his position …

Effective Teacher Management Of Disagreement In College Classroom: A Review And Extension, Jason J. Teven

Iowa Journal of Communication

The diversity present within college classrooms is becoming an increasingly important context for contrasting ideas. In an effort to extend previous research, this study sought to determine the relationships among Tolerance for Disagreement (FFD), nonverbal immediacy, and teacher evaluation in the college classroom. Respondents in the study were 229 students (107 males and 122 females) enrolled in Communication classes at a small southwestern university. The target teachers were those the participants had in the classes they took immediately prior to the class in which the data were collected. Students 'perceptions of their teachers' TFD was found to be positively related …

Assessment: A Creative Component, Sandy Ross

Graduate Research Papers

This is the year in our curriculum cycle where science is being reviewed with the goal of purchasing of new textbooks, materials, etc. Due in part to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, and in part to the desire to have consistency throughout the district, our science curriculum will be drastically changing. We are moving from teaching one content area in depth for the entire year, to using a more integrated approach where all content areas are addressed each year. The standards and benchmarks are being rewritten to coordinate with the concepts tested on the Iowa Tests of Basic …

A Preferred Vision For Leading The Secondary School : A Reflective Essay, Chad David Wolf

Graduate Research Papers

As I reflected on past experiences in my life, I found myself in a position of leadership. Interestingly, one ofmy earliest leadership experiences happened around the age of ten. The neighborhood I grew up in had several families with children. It was natural back then for us to play outside most of our free time. As children, it was not unusual for us to have times when no one could make a decision on what we would do that day. On many occasions, I found myself being selected to make the decision for the group. My childhood years were the …

What I Believe About Educational Leadership: A Reflective Essay, Janet Young

Graduate Research Papers

Education, in my opinion, is one of the most honorable professions a person can experience. Each teacher or principal involved with educating children is someone that makes a difference in the lives of children and influences them as they become adults. It is amazing to think about the profound impact each educator has on others. No other occupation has such a responsibility. I believe that all children can learn, and I have had a passion for making that a reality since my childhood. I know that I can help children reach their potential. Parents must know that we cherish their …

Electrical Breakdown In Polar Liquids, Shu Xiao

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Hydrodynamic processes following the electrical breakdown in polar liquids, mainly water and propylene carbonate, are studied with electrical pulse-probe systems and optical diagnostics including shadowgraphy and Schlieren techniques. The dielectric strength of water in a repetitively pulsed power system is found to be 750 kV/cm and 650 kV/cm for pulses of 200 nanosecond and 8 microsecond duration, respectively. For energies less than 1 J, the discharge plasma decays in approximately one microsecond. The mechanical effect created by the expanding plasma is a shock wave which has an initial pressure of 1 GPa and decays within approximately 5 microseconds. The observed …

Johann August Weppen's Der Hessische Officer In Amerika And David Christoph Seybold's Reizenstein: The American Revolution And The German Bürgertum's Reassessment Of America, Virginia Sasser Delacey

Institute for the Humanities Theses

While American, British, and French reactions to the American Revolution are well-known, those of the German people are not, despite the presence of almost 30,000 German soldiers in America fighting for the British army and hundreds of German volunteers fighting for the American patriots. The participation of German soldiers on both sides of the conflict inspired numerous works of German poetry, prose, and drama, all largely forgotten in the wake of the French Revolution and the rise of German Classicism and Romanticism. This thesis examines two works that have received brief mention in the past two centuries: Der hessische Officier …

The Business Judgment Rule As Abstention Doctrine, Stephen M. Bainbridge

Vanderbilt Law Review

The business judgment rule is corporate law's central doctrine, pervasively affecting the roles of directors, officers, and controlling shareholders. Increasingly, moreover, versions of the business judgment rule are found in the law governing the other types of business organizations, ranging from such common forms as the general partnership to such unusual ones as the reciprocal insurance exchange. Yet, curiously, there is relatively little agreement as to either the theoretical underpinnings of or policy justification for the rule. This gap in our understanding has important doctrinal implications. As this paper demonstrates, a string of recent decisions by the Delaware supreme court …

The Frequency Of Imagery Use On The Performance Of A Complex Motor Skill, Eric Rebhuhn

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The use of imagery to enhance athletic performance has been an interesting topic for coaches, athletes, and researchers. Indeed, a number of researchers have found that using mental imagery resulted in improved athletic performance (Blumenstein, Bar-Eli, & Tenenbaum, 1995; Corbin, 1972; Feltz & Landers, 1983; Weinberg, 1981). In addition, imagery has been reported to be one of the most utilized cognitive strategies by athletes (Defrancesco & Burke, 1997; Gould 1994). Findings suggest that imagery can be an effective performance improvement strategy. Moreover, a majority of the research has focused on simple motor tasks performed in laboratory settings rather than on …

Enhancing The Legitimacy Of The World Trade Organization, Andrea Greisberger

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has faced harsh criticism from developing nations in recent years. Many developing nations feel that the promises they received when they joined the WTO have not been fulfilled. These nations feel that wealthy, industrialized nations like the United States and the members of the European Union are the only ones that have benefited from the organization. Moreover, they feel that these developed nations have benefited at their expense through the WTO's dispute settlement process. Many improvements to the WTO have been proposed. However, the one that seems the most able to help developing nations, the …

Toward A Comprehensive Response To The Transnational Migration Of Unaccompanied Minors In The United States, Carolyn J. Seugling

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The number of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum has dramatically increased in recent years. The international response has been both varied and at times opposed to the best interests of unaccompanied minors. The United States has chosen to respond through changing unaccompanied minors' care and custody without addressing the need for changes in their substantive rights. However, it is necessary to broaden the interpretation of asylum standards to secure unaccompanied minors' legal rights as children who suffer persecution because they lack primary caregivers.

Theoretical Considerations For Geosynchronous, Earth-Based Gravity Wave Interferometer, William Griffin

Honors Program Theses

We investigated theoretical considerations in the design of an Earth-based laser interferometer for detecting gravitational waves. Our design envisages a ground-based tracking station in communication with two geosynchronous satellites. We assumed linearized gravitational waves in a Schwarzschild spacetime geometry outside the Earth. Our initial calculations show that such a design is sufficiently sensitive to successfully detect gravitational waves near Earth.

Identifying School-Aged Children At-Risk To Develop An Eating Disorder, Natalie Jean Muth

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Current research supports that school-based eating disorder prevention programs have yielded unsuccessful results. Hypotheses presented in chapter one suggest failure to implement effective prevention programs are related to problematic screening attempts and a lack of focus on targeting prevention at the primary level. Chapter two outlines a review of literature analyzing eating disorder identification, history, prevalence, assessment and existing prevention programs. Chapter three describes the present study, which uses an eating disorder assessment instrument to screen a consenting sample of forth through twelfth graders. Results, presented in chapter four, suggest (a) that a significant number of students could benefit for …

Cooperative Learning In The Middle School : Is It A Developmentally Appropriate Strategy?, Laura C. Guilford

Graduate Research Papers

"Cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other's learning" (Holt, 1993, p. 5). The strategy sounds simple, and it has existed throughout history in some format, but there are many aspects.that come into play when cooperative learning is used. This review of literature examines what cooperative learning is, what the benefits of using cooperative learning strategies are, what problems can occur, and whether cooperative learning is an appropriate strategy for middle level students.· The author discusses recommendations for resolving some of the problems that teachers have with …

Implementing Writer's Workshop In A Kindergarten Classroom, Katie Hauschildt

Graduate Research Papers

Can children be taught to write in kindergarten? Should children be taught to write in kindergarten? How do you teach children to write in kindergarten? These and many other questions about the appropriateness of writing and how to teach writing have been swirling around the education community for many years. As a kindergarten teacher I myself began wondering about these questions and how to answer them. I was intrigued by the idea of providing a framework in my classroom that would encourage emerging readers and writers to create and manipulate their own text.

In an effort to better understand the …

"Speling It Rite Eevn Aftr The Test" : What Students Can Tell Us, Jennifer L. Heckmann

Graduate Research Papers

This paper describes a teacher inservice designed to aid teachers in implementing a developmental spelling program in an elementary setting. Developmentally appropriate instruction in spelling takes into account a student's existing knowledge of words. Such a program consists of understanding each student's level of knowledge, selecting word lists to meet the students' needs; providing explicit instruction about spelling patterns, and continually assessing students' spelling progress through authentic, written work

The questions this project will address include: (a) Why should a developmental spelling program be implemented, (b) what research supports a developmental approach to spelling instruction, (c) what are the potential …

Webquests : An Online Strategy For Web-Based Inquiry Learning, Chieko Homma

Graduate Research Papers

This review discusses the WebQuest format, a strategy to support web-based inquiry learning, from both inquiry learning and web-based learning perspectives. The purpose of this review is to reveal what elements in WebQuests support learning effectively in a school setting while using resources regarding inquiry, web-based learning, and the implementation of WebQuests. The result shows WebQuests can be a solution for teachers to integrate inquiry learning and the Internet into the classroom effectively, and also for students to go through the inquiry process by using appropriate information. WebQuests require the inquiry process and significant elements to support web-based inquiry learning. …

Modification Of Growing-Season Surface Temperature Records In The Northern Great Plains Due To Land-Use Transformation: Verification Of Modelling Results And Implication For Global Climate Change, Rezaul Mamood, Kenneth G. Hubbard, Christy Carlson

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Land-use and land-cover change can modify near-surface atmospheric condition. Mesoscale modelling studies have shown that modification in land use affects near-surface soil moisture storage and energy balance. Such a study in the Great Plains showed that changes in land use from natural grass to irrigated agriculture enhanced soil water storage in the root zone and increased latent energy flux. This increase in latent energy flux would correspond to a decrease in sensible heat flux and, therefore, modify near-surface temperature records. To verify this deduction, we have investigated the changes in the historical near-surface temperature records in Nebraska, USA. We have …

Cmos Digital Pixel Sensor Array With Time Domain Analogue To Digital Conversion, Alistair J. Kitchen

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis presents a digital pixel sensor array, which is the first stage of an ongoing project to produce a CMOS image sensor with on-chip image processing. The analogue to digital conversion is performed at the pixel level, with the result stored in pixel memory. This architecture allows fast, reliable access to the image data and simplifies the integration of the image array and the processing logic. Each pixel contains a photodiode sensor, a comparator, memory and addressing logic. The photodiode sensor operates in integrating mode, where the photodiode junction capacitance is first charged to an initial voltage, and then …

Exploring The Clinical Nurse Educator's Ability To Foster Student Reflection, Jessie M. Johnson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study is to understand how Clinical Nurse Educators use reflective practices with students. While the value of reflective practice has been vigorously discussed in both nursing and educational literature, studies to support its benefits remain strangely elusive. The appeal of reflective practice has arisen out of a sustained conviction that life experience offers a legitimate and rich form of knowledge. If captured, it may narrow the gap between the non practical nature of theories and the complexities of everyday practice problems. The research question for this study is: "How do Clinical Nurse Educators foster student reflection?" …

Identifying Ways Of Enhancing The Psychological Functioning In Victims Of Sexual Offences From Clinical And Justice System Management Perspectives, Stacy L. Gall

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Research efforts in the field of sexual victimisation have traditionally focussed on identifying ways to increase reporting rates. While reporting rates still remain low with estimates in the 10-15% vicinity (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1996; Australian Institute of Criminology. 2000), there is thought to have been an increase and stabilisation of reporting rates in recent years (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1998, 2002; Roberts & Gebotys, 1992). Brought on by this increase and stabilisation of reporting rates, is a need to expand the research focus to include the effective management of victims of sexual offences. Management can take place on two …

Plague, Pestilence & Pollution : Berkoff's Collision With Aeschylus And Sophocles, Michelle Aslett

Theses : Honours

Our humanity is bound to perennial themes in drama, so when a classic play is adapted to 'suit' contemporary audiences, the revised version will often reflect the zeitgeist of the times in which it was produced. The magic of retrospection then allows us to examine the social and political particulars that influence the adapted as well as the original work. Indeed, Steven Berkoff's reworkings of both Aeschylus' Agamemnon and Sophocles' Oedipus Rex reflect an unsettled and divided British context in the throes of ideological upheaval during the 1970's and early 1980's. While consistent criticism of leadership and political strife in …

Skill Acquisition And Transfer In A Simple Algebraic Task, Charan J. Singh

Theses : Honours

Speelman's (\999) finding that performance of a skill is based to some extent on the conter.t in which it is performed, rather than simply on the acquired skill itself, is not accounted for by the basic skill acquisition theories like ACT -R Theory or Instance Theory. The purpose of the current experiment was to examine whether the degree of change in context influences the degree of reduction in transfer. Forty participants were trained on an algebraic task and then tested in two different transfer conditions. Condition one included one new item and condition two included two new items in the …

The Body And Technology In Popular Culture, Przemyslaw Psuj

Theses : Honours

The human experience of the world today is increasingly adapted and understood via technological terms and systems. This thesis analyses and examines the ways in which technology today impacts upon the human body and its capacities in the area of subculture and music. Also considered are the implications of this notion for the future. Primarily my study stems from theory proposed by Donna Haraway (1985) and her image of the cyborg and its inherently hybrid nature. Picking up on this point, I will look specifically at the existence and representation of the hybrid body in popular culture. Some critics fear …

Evaluation Of An Esperanto-Based Interlingua Multilingual Survey Form Machine Translation Mechanism Incorporating A Sublanguage Translation Methodolgy, Richard Boddington

Theses : Honours

Translation costs restrict the preparation of medical survey and other questionnaires for migrant communities in Western Australia. This restriction is compounded by a lack of affordable and accurate machine translation mechanisms. This research investigated and evaluated combined strategies intended to provide an efficacious and affordable machine translator by: • using an interlingua or pivot-language that requires less resources for its construction than contemporary systems and has the additional benefit of significant error reduction; and • defining smaller lexical environments to restrict data, thereby reducing the complexity of translation rules and enhancing correct semantic transfer between natural languages. This research focussed …

Teachers' Experiences Of Teaching Children With Learning Difficulties, Michelle Francis

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this review is to present some of the issues involved in teaching children with learning difficulties (LD}. Approximately one in five children within mainstream classrooms will experience LD. Many of these children will also exhibit social, emotional or behavioural problems (for example, withdrawal, depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Conduct Disorder). Teachers' perceptions and judgments about LD and their self-efficacy influence their teaching practice of students with LD. It is recognized that teachers cannot manage the needs of LD students alone and need support in their teaching from specialist consultants and also for their own psychological well-being. …