Digital Commons Network^™

Genetic Methods Improve Accuracy Of Gender Determination In Beavers, Christen Lenney Williams, Stewart W. Breck, Bruce W. Baker

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Gender identification of sexually monomorphic mammals can be difficult. We used analysis of zinc-finger protein (Zfx and Zfy) DNA regions to determine gender of 96 beavers (Castor canadensis) from 3 areas and used these results to verify gender determined in the field. Gender was correctly determined for 86 (89.6%) beavers. Incorrect assignments were not attributed to errors in any one age or sex class. Although methods that can be used in the field (such as morphological methods) can provide reasonably accurate gender assignments in beavers, the genetic method might be preferred in certain situations.

Is Extension Relevant For The 21st Century?, Nancy H. Bull, Lawrence S. Cote, Paul D. Warner, M Ray Mckinnie

Journal of Extension

As a 90-year-old artifact of the days when an agrarian economy dominated society, is it possible for Extension to still be relevant? As the primary outreach and public service function of land-grant universities, the relevance of Extension is tied to the perception and reality of the relevance of these host institutions. Did the recent ECOP report A Vision for the 21st Century and other ECOP statements address whether Extension remains relevant to the 21st century context? Extension educators are assisting communities of place and of interest and involving more university and agency colleagues in responding to changing citizen education needs.

Smith Lever 3(D) Extension Evaluation And Outcome Reporting--A Scorecard To Assist Federal Program Leaders, Bill Hoffman, Barbara Grabowski

Journal of Extension

The Government Performance Results Act requires that federal agencies and programs set goals and measure outcomes (USGAO, 1996); however, program managers find it difficult to make the transition from measuring program outputs to developing outcome-related measures (USGAO, 1997). The Hoffman EEOR Scorecard was developed to help federal Smith Lever 3(d) program leaders with this problem by blending the LOGIC Evaluation Model with the utilization of Extension evaluation and outcome reporting (EEOR) ideal practices. The utility of this question-based scorecard for all Smith Lever 3(d) programs is exemplified through its use with the CSREES Extension Integrated Pest Management Implementation Program.

Moving Towards Ecologically Based Pest Management: A Case Study Using Perimeter Trap Cropping

Journal of Extension

Despite almost a half-century of IPM research and Extension efforts, pesticide usage continues to rise. Scientists and policy-makers have criticized IPM for a continued dependency on chemical solutions. They argue that long-term solutions will only be found by restructuring the crop system to incorporate preventative ecological measures that keep organisms from reaching pest status. Extension and IPM risk losing credibility on environmental issues concerning pesticides and risk losing funding to organizations that are willing to develop ecologically based pest management solutions. Perimeter trap cropping is presented as one example of an ecologically based solution.

Agent Performance And Customer Satisfaction, Bryan D. Terry, Glenn D. Israel

Journal of Extension

To fulfill its mission, Extension must develop programs that are relevant and high quality, and improve the lives of clients. Customer satisfaction surveys are used in Florida to collect data about these attributes. It is also important to understand how employee performance affects customer satisfaction. Our findings show that customer satisfaction was not significantly influenced by agent performance and that Florida Cooperative Extension benefits from the experience of its workforce. Given the importance of customer satisfaction as Extension's performance measure for the Florida Legislature, we suggest that administrators should emphasize customer satisfaction as a major factor in employee performance scores.

Improving County-Based Science Programs: Bringing Out The Science Teacher In Your Volunteer Leaders, Martin H. Smith, Cheryl L. Meehan, Richard P. Enfield, Jeanette L. George

Journal of Extension

4-H programs can play an important role in increasing children's exposure to, and interest in, science. To be effective, however, specialized training for volunteer leaders is needed. A method of training adult volunteer leaders to train 4-H teens to be cross-age teachers of an inquiry-based science program was designed and evaluated. Key components of this method were specific scaffolding strategies, including modeling, coaching, effective questioning, promoting group interactions, and encouraging independent investigation and thinking. Data from focus group interviews and quantitative measures showed improvement at all levels of project involvement: Adult volunteer leaders, 4-H teens, and participating 4-H youth.

Soil Aggregation: A Practical Exercise For Crop Producer Education, Charles S. Wortmann, S Corey Burbaker

Journal of Extension

The importance of soil physical properties to crop growth is often under-estimated by producers. Simple tests are needed for demonstration of variations in soil physical conditions due to soil properties and management. Tests that can be used by producers in their fields are preferred. A test of wet aggregate stability of soil is described that can be used in teaching crop producers about soil physical properties. The test requires little equipment and less than 10 minutes of teaching time. The test is also appropriate for use by producers to diagnose problems and monitor trends on their fields.

Bringing People With Common Interests Together At A Trade Show, Mohamed Fr Khan

Journal of Extension

The International Sugarbeet Institute was developed as a "one-stop" meeting place for growers and providers of goods and services required for sugarbeet production. Growers are provided with the opportunity to discuss their needs and requirements with providers. For 2 days, individuals and companies make available all the machinery, equipment, technology, and services required by the sugarbeet industry. Popular national figures inform growers of issues that affect the industry. Participants share and discuss ideas on how to improve sugarbeet production and maintain a viable sugarbeet industry. Trade shows like the International Sugarbeet Institute are a great tool for Extension educators.

The Self-Guided Horse Facility Analysis: A Proactive Safety Education Tool For Equine Facilities, Elizabeth A. Greene, Josephine F. Trott

Journal of Extension

Extension professionals who work with horse owners, barn managers, and other equine clientele often encounter resistance to new management ideas. There are several faulty theories that horse people often rely on with respect to safety in equine facilities. Exposing these flaws facilitates convincing horse owners to adopt safer standard operating procedures. The Self-Guided Horse Facility Analysis is a checklist-driven booklet designed to help clientele recognize the potential hazards in their facilities and to make a proactive change before an accident occurs.

Predictive Variables For Success On Licensure Examinations For Practical And Registered Nursing Education Graduates, Mary Anne Marsh

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to examine the relationships of demographic and academic variables to student performance in a laddered practical nursing (PN) and registered nursing (RN) education program. The information gained may be utilized to establish research-based admission, progression and graduation criteria to promote students successful completion of the program and pass the nurse licensure examination.

Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data related to the variables that were measured. Pearson correlations and regression analyses were used to examine various relationships and determine which of the admission demographic and academic variables were related to, or predictive of …

Nontraditional Students In Associate Degree Nursing: Perceived Factors Influencing Retention And Empowerment, Rebecca J. Rudel

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted to attain a deeper understanding of how nontraditional associate degree registered nursing (ADRN) students experience nursing education. At a time when there is a shortage of nurses in this country, these nontraditional students add significant numbers to the nation's nursing workforce and often receive their education at community colleges. It was of particular interest in this study to understand the factors involved in the retention and empowerment of ADRN students attending a Midwestern community college.

Using phenomenological methods, six nontraditional nursing students from one Midwestern community college were purposefully selected to participate in this study. …

Perceived Indicators Of Support Leading To The Successful Attainment Of The National Board For Professional Teaching Standards Certification., Richard W. Bales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been limited research completed to identify supports or supporting behaviors that assisted candidates while they were completing the national board certification process. Identifying support factors that assisted national board certified teachers to the successful completion of the process was the primary focus of this study.

A qualitative research method was used to interview national board certified teachers, their teaching colleagues, and their administrators. Questions were posed from the interview guides developed for each of the three targeted groups. Information derived from the interviews focused on the perceived supports that lead to the successful attainment of the national board …

Correlating Technology Surveys And Third- And Fifth-Grade Proficiency Levels In Math And Reading Throughout Tennessee., Gary L. Lilly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study used two different sets of data collected through two distinct means during the 2002-2003 school year. To fulfill the federal accountability requirements related to the distribution of monies known as EdTech (2002), the Tennessee State Department of Education required every school within districts that accepted the formula EdTech funds to complete an online survey called the EdTech Tennessee Online Technology Evaluation or E-TOTE. The E-TOTE survey collected information on a variety of topics related to educational technology including questions about teaching and learning, educators' preparation and development, infrastructure, and equipment counts. The other set of data came from …

Trends In Sophomore Students' Perceptions Of Academic Advising Services At East Tennessee State University., E. Renθe Chaffin Couch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine sophomore students' perceptions of academic advising at ETSU as reported in fall 2002 and trends in sophomore students' perceptions of academic advising at ETSU from 1994 to 2002. Four research questions and seven hypotheses were examined.

The ACT Survey of Academic Advising was the instrument used in this study. This survey was administered to ETSU sophomores enrolled in 2000-level English literature classes during the fall semesters of 1994, 1998, and 2002. Data obtained from the survey regarding topics of discussion with advisors, satisfaction with assistance received, and impressions of advisors were analyzed …

Internet-Based Courses: Observations Of Faculty Developers/Teachers And Students With Disabilities At 4-Year Public Institutions In Tennessee., Janet Mcdaniel Keener

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study will be to identify important factors that should be considered by faculty members at selected public institutions of higher education as they plan, design, develop, implement, and evaluate Internet-based courses, in order to make the courses responsive to the needs of students with disabilities. In addition, the study will explore perceptions of students with disabilities in terms of Internet-based courses offered at their institutions. A total of 17 faculty developers/teachers and 7 students with disabilities were interviewed. Qualitative methodology was used to analyze the data.

The significance of this study lies within the legal and …

Childhood Experiences Of Appalachian Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence During Adulthood., Amy L. Reeves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent national surveys in the United States estimate one in five females will experience abuse by an intimate partner during her lifetime. Previous quantitative research linked childhood victimization to repeated victimization in adult relationships. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of childhood in eight female victims of intimate partner violence who were born and reared in southern Appalachia. Interviews were analyzed using a descriptive-interpretative phenomenological method, as described by Van Manen. The three essential themes from childhood were identified as: living 'as if' an orphan; surviving in chaos; and, manifesting a devalued self. These themes were congruent with findings …

Green Card, Blood Card, Or June 4 Card: The Chinese Student Protection Act Of 1992, Linxiang Zhu

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will detail the actual reasons behind the passage of the Chinese Student Protection Act (CSPA) of 1992. It will demonstrate that the passage of this act is rooted in American political desires, American partisan conflicts, and a sophisticated lobbying effort on the part of Chinese students and scholars, who had their own, often complicated, reasons for not wishing to return to China.

To set the stage for this work, it will provide significant background information on three topics: Chinese-American immigration history prior to 1989, the "Crisis of 1989" itself, and the respective responses of the American Congress and …

Offender Treatment: An Evaluation Of A Cognitive Restructuring Program, Randy L. Telander

Theses and Dissertations

The United States is first among industrialized nations in the rate at which we imprison offenders. With ever-increasing numbers of incarcerated offenders and continued high recidivism rates, many institutions have begun implementing treatment programs in attempts to combat crime and reduce recidivism rates. With high costs to all of society (including victim losses and costs to prevent, convict, and imprison offenders), it is important for correctional officials to know the extent to which programs are facilitating or inhibiting offender change. However, despite many reported program evaluations being published in the literature, many have identifiable flaws and few, if any researchers …

Could Brazilian Research Organizations Support The Berlin Open Access Accord? A Proposal To The Istec Board Of Directors, Johann Van Reenen

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

A proposal to use the 50th Anniversary celebration of Instituto Brasileiro de Informaç\xe3o em Ci\xeancia e Tecnologia (IBICT) at the Second Annual ISTEC/FAPESP (Fundaç\xe3o de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de S\xe3o Paulo) Digital Libraries Workshop at UNICAMP in May 2005 to make a global announcement that Brazil has joined in the Berlin Open Access Accord. Plans are presented for actions and why this is important.

Annual Report Of The Digital Library Linkages Initiative Of Istec With Analysis Of Outcomes For 2004, Johann Van Reenen

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

This is the annual report to the ISTEC board of directors regarding the digital library linkages initiative. CONTENTS include: DLL Month 2004, Progress report on goals set for 2004, DLL Portal, Integration of other services/software with DLL, ISTEC Institutional Repository, Humanities Proposal, 2nd Simposio Internaciaonal Bibliotecas Digitais (II SIBD), Consortial access to electronic content, Reports from regional operations of DLL, recent achievements in the history of DLL, concept of a Digital Library and an Institutional Repository

Undergraduate Academic Success During The Semester Of Reinstatement Following Academic Dismissal, Michael F. Cogan

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the success patterns of academically dismissed undergraduate students who were subsequently reinstated at a mid-sized research university the following semester. The academic dismissals in this study occurred between the fall of 1999 and the spring of 2003. The university reinstatement policies provided the researcher with a unique opportunity to measure a relatively large sample (N=973).

Two regression techniques were utilized to identify significant predictor variables that could be utilized to make administrative decisions regarding future reinstatement activities. Linear regression results indicated that honor point deficiency accrual during the semester of dismissal was a significant predictor of term …

Spotting The Chick: An Essay On Formation In The Context Of Church As Family, Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Reducing The Use Of Seclusions And Restraints In A Residential Treatment Center For Children, Stephanie L. Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

Fourteen children participated in this study to examine if specific or clusters of interventions are able to reduce the ultimate outcome of the use of seclusion and restraint in a residential treatment center. The purpose of this study was also to develop an increased knowledge in alternative treatment methods for reducing the use of seclusion and restraint. A modified single subject research design, utilizing multiple baselines across behaviors and individuals was used to examine least restrictive and restrictive interventions. The results indicated that the utilization of least restrictive interventions increased by the time children were discharged and the use of …

The Bg News December 1, 2004, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. December 1, 2004. Volume 95-Issue 66.

Career Commitment And Overall Job Satisfaction Of The Clinical Laboratory Scientists And Clinical Laboratory Technicians In North Dakota, Marcia L. Olson

Theses and Dissertations

Today’s critical shortage of clinical laboratory professionals has presented a tremendous challenge for many laboratory managers. To recruit and retain laboratory professionals, managers must succeed iI1 creating an environment where laboratory professionals want to be employed. Maintaining overall satisfaction of these laboratorians is key to their retention. This study had three purposes. First, the researcher determined the levels of career commitment, satisfaction with benefits, and overall job satisfaction of the North Dakota licensed CLSs (Clinical Laboratory Scientists) and CLTs (Clinical Laboratory Technicians) currently employed. Secondly, the researcher investigated the relationships among career commitment, satisfaction with benefits, and overall job satisfaction …

Access To Learning: A Handbook For Parents, Teachers, And Paraeducators For Preschool Children With Visual Impairments, Mariah D. Thiel

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents (V. 13, No. 2)

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

No abstract provided.

Introduction: Death Penalty And International Law, Davison M. Douglas

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

No abstract provided.

Suppressing The Incriminating Statements Of Foreigners, John Quigley

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

No abstract provided.

Death, Dissent, And Diplomacy: The U.S. Death Penalty As An Obstacle To Foreign Relations, Mark Warren

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

No abstract provided.