Digital Commons Network^™

Promoting Metacognitive Regulation Through An On-Line Environment, Mark Mcmahon

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The constantly evolving world of work is causing a great deal of emphasis on the need for graduating students to demonstrate a range of generic skills to enable them to be both employable and able to adapt easily to new requirements. However, research indicates that secondary schooling is not preparing students adequately for learning independently.

This study sought to explore strategies for developing and supporting the metacognitive skills of higher education students. In particular, it sought to explore how university students' cognitive self-regulation could be supported in an on-line environment designed to engage them in the self-monitoring integral to metacognitive …

The Use Of Principles And Techniques Derived From Meditation For The Design And Creation Of Co-Participatory Musical Systems, Hannah E. Clemen

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

For this thesis, a detailed study was undertaken to determine whether techniques derived from traditional meditation systems can be applied to "co-participatory" music systems in order to enhance their accessibility, interactivity, and experiential impact, In order to adequately address this subject, a number of investigative steps have been taken. First, a workable list of definitions for what meditation actually is was made by comparing the practices and philosophies of a number of traditional meditation forms. The conclusions derived from this stage of the discussion served to create a definitive "blueprint" for meditation and served as a theoretical foundation for the …

Living Beyond The Unanticipated Sudden Death Of A Partner : A Phenomenological Study, Martin L. Rodger

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research project used a Husserlian phenomenologlcal approach to explore grief and Its Impact upon men and women who have experienced the sudden and unanticipated death of his or her partner. The use of Husserllan phenomenologlcal research Into thanatologlcal study Is a valuable method of exposing the experiences of bereaved people In a vibrant and deep manner. Husserlian phenomenology allowed the surviving partner to reveal every aspect of his or her everyday life and experlencas. It Included what grief meant to them, how It was manifested In their everyday lives and how their partner's death had Impacted upon his or …

Seven Decades Of Sports Writing At The West Australian (1901-1971), David R. Marsh

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

For a country whose identity is much bound up with sport, little research has been done so far into Sports journalism in Australia. This study traces the changes that have occurred in the reporting of sport in the West Alustralian between 1901 and 1971. This time span has been chosen to cover the period from Federation to the point when sport acquired its own section at the back of the newspaper and sports editor Ted CoIlingwood retired after 32 years in the job. In this seventy year period, January and July of every seventh year are taken as a sample …

English Reading Comprehension Of Thai Undergraduates : L1/L2 Usage, Texts, Strategies And Problems, Rapeeporn Sroinam

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

English Ianguage has been taught as a foreign language in Thailand for more than a century and now occupies an important place at all levels of the Thai education system. This study investigates the influence that the Thai language has on intermediate level undergraduate sludents while they are engaged in individual unaided reading of a variety of English texts and determines what aspects of reading texts caused problems. It aims to compare how often and for what purposes students resort to Thai with texts about culturally familiar texts and culturally unfamiliar texts, as well with different genres and question types. …

Character Cars : How Computer Technology Enhances Learning In Terms Of Arts Ideas And Arts Skills And Proceses In A Year 7 Male Visual Arts Education Program, Gemma E. Scarparolo

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

'The possibilities that the technology can offer are seemingly endless and remain to be fully explored in [visual] art education." (Callow. 2001. p,43) The aim of this research is to investigate whether the integration of Visual Arts Technology Tools (TECH-TOOLS) into Traditional Visual Arts Programs (TRAD-['ROG) enhance the students' learning in terms of Arts Ideas (AI) and Arts Skills and Processes (ASP) and whether it is a cost effective option for Western Australian primary schools. To determine whether it is worth the inclusion of TECH-TOOLS in terms of enhancing learning. this research will statistically state whether the combination of TECH-TOOLS …

Survivability Through Pre-Configured Protection In Optical Mesh Networks, Quoc V. Phung

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Network survivability is a very important issue, especially in optical networks that carry huge amount of traffic. Network failures which may be caused by human errors, malfunctional systems and natural disaster (eg. Earthquakes and lightening storms), have occurred quite frequently and sometimes with unpredictable consequences. Survivability is defined as the ability of the network to maintain the continuity of service against failures of network components. Pre-configuration and dynamic restoration are two schemes for network survivability. For each scheme, survivability algorithms can be applied at either Optical Channel sublayer (Och) known as link-based. Or, Optical Multiplex Section sublayer (OMS) known as …

Towards A Pro-Active Model Of Professional Development For Tertiary Level Teachers In The United Arab Emirates, Lynn J. Nicks-Mccaleb

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This body of work identifies the professional development needs of teachers at Abu Dhabi Men's College in the UAE as their role in the classroom and pedagogical trends change in response to the needs of the 21st century global workforce. The aim of the research was to identify what pedagogical changes had impacted the teaching and learning environment at the college and subsequently to identify strategies and professional development models to prepare the teachers for dynamic developments in their teaching and learning environment. A pragmatic, interpretive approach was taken in the study, drawing on qualitative data to explore ways to …

An Examination Of The Mentoring Process: A Study Of The Interaction Between Mentor And Mentee In The Context Of An Adolescent Mentor Program, Christopher K. Konrad

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study is to explore the mentoring process, specifically the interactions between mentor and mentee in the context of an adolescent mentor program. The data was gathered through in depth interviews with two mentors and feedback sessions from nineteen mentee participants who were involved in a group mentoring program for young people aged 14-16 years. Several adolescent programs, conducted at local high schools, were included in the study. A qualitative methodology of constructivist hermeneutics was utilised to examine the data and link it to the literature related to the study question. The findings indicated that what occurs …

Change In The Political System Of Republic Of Korea (Rok) And The United States (United States)-Rok Alliance., Pyungwon Kong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The United States (U.S.)-Republic of Korea (ROK) alliance is one of the most successful bilateral alliances within the international system, since its formation after the Korean War (1950-1953) in 1953. However, there has been increasing divergence in the perception of Seoul and Washington about the alliance. Thus, the dependent variable of this study is change in South Korea's perception of the alliance. Not downplaying the importance of systemic explanations of this phenomenon, this study employs foreign policy approaches to explain transformation of Seoul's perception of the alliance. However, the study goes beyond democratization and war theory to analyze how socio-economic …

Review Of Ninotchka, Michael Adams

Publications and Research

Review of Ernst Lubitsch's Ninotchka: http://www.media-party.com/discland/2005/09/ninotchka.html

An Exploration Of The Adjustment Processes Of Freshmen Student-Athletes And Non -Athlete Students., V Paul Downey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine the adjustment to college of freshmen student-athletes (n = 78) and students (n = 174) at a Division I university. Participants were surveyed using the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ; Baker & Siryk, 1999). Student-athletes were found to be significantly less committed to earning their undergraduate degrees than non-athletes, during both week seven and week 15 of their first semester. Predictor variables accounted for 24% of the variance in social adjustment with a more positive perceived impact of personal-social factors and an internal locus of control, emerging as significant predictors. Commitment …

A Study Of Persuasion, Propaganda And The Effectiveness Of Messages., Kelly M. Saunders

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study of persuasive and propagandistic messages explores the differences and similarities among the two, as well as elements necessary for success, using previous research in the field. In addition, this report includes an analysis of the diffusion, framing, placement within newspaper articles, and effects of news content relating to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth disseminated during the 2004 Presidential campaign. The results of this study suggest a need for greater scrutiny among reporters regarding messages distributed by interest groups.

Manure From Grazing Cattle: Effects On Soil Microbial Communities And Soil Quality In Northern West Virginia Pastures., Yovita Sutanto

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Upland pastures in West Virginia receive low-input management. The effect of manure addition to upland pasture soils was measured with a variety of biological indicators such as soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), hot water extractable carbon (HWC), potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN) and soil CO2 efflux. The effect of manure was found to be short-lived and most profound in soil surface Microbial diversity of pasture soil was examined using community level physiological profiles (CLPP) and molecular characterization of 16S ribosomal RNA genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Culture-independent and culture-dependent methods for molecular characterization of …

Dynamics And Mechanism Studies Of Nonlinear Chemical Systems, Tabitha R. Chigwada-Razunguzwa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The kinetics and mechanisms of oxidation of selected thiocarbamides (tetra-methylthiourea, trimethylthiourea, phenylthiourea, and 2-aminoethanethiolsulfuric acid) by chlorite in aqueous acidic media are investigated using UV/Vis, NMR, Stopped-flow techniques, and qualitative analysis. The reactions were extremely complex, with reaction dynamics strongly influenced by the pH of the reaction medium and formation of stable intermediates (sulfonic acids). Results revealed that oxidations of substituted thioureas do not always proceed via a stepwise oxidation of the sulfur center. Instead, reactions occurred in two stages: S-oxygenation of the sulfur center to yield the sulfinic acid, which then reacts in the second phase predominantly through an …

Osteotropic Cytokines Mediate Human Osteoblast-Like Cell Eicosanoid Production, Anurag Grover

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

We have examined the effects of the cytokines tumor necrosis factoralpha (TNF), transforming growth factorbeta (TGFbeta) and the effect of cyclooxygenase inhibitor ibuprofen on prostaglandin and 15-HETE biosynthesis by normal adult human osteoblast-like (hOB) cells. In the present studies, conditioned media harvested from hOB cell cultures were assayed by eicosanoid specific EIAs to determine quantitatively the effects of cytokines on PGE2, 6-keto-PGF1alpha, PGF2alpha, PGD2, thromboxane (TXB2) and on 15-HETE biosynthesis. EIA analysis indicated that PGE2 was the predominant PG metabolite released by unstimulated hOB cells and its synthesis was increased more than other PGs in cells treated with (TGFbeta) and …

Measurements Based Performance Analysis Of Web Services, Venu Datla

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Web services are increasingly used to enable interoperability and flexible integration of software systems. In this thesis we focus on measurement-based performance analysis of an e-commerce application which uses Web services components to execute business operations. In our experiments we use a session-oriented workload generated by a tool developed accordingly to TPC-W specification. The empirical results are obtained for two different user profiles, Browsing and Ordering, under different workload intensities. In addition to variation in workloads we also study the applications performance when Web services are implemented using .NET and J2EE. Unlike the previous work which was focused on the …

Pharmaceutical Performance Testing Of Commercially Available Calcium Supplements, Jianqing Liu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In our research, the quality of a number of calcium supplements was evaluated by their physical properties, disintegration and dissolution profiles. Physical tests and disintegration did show a pH sensitivity. Disintegration confirmed the good uniformity of the products. In the USP required dissolution test, most of the products did not achieve acceptable drug release in the specified time period. While formulation factors and the salt form of calcium supplements can to some extent affect their dissolution pattern, it was ultimately considered that the failure may be related to the poor solubility of the calcium salts.;Based on the results and the …

Using Gis And Landowner Survey To Determine If The Forest Stewardship Program Is Effective At Generating Involvement In Forest Health Issues In West Virginia, David Page Mccann

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A risk rating map created from 22 shapefiles of pest and disease activity data was used to produce maps of individual properties distributed to half of survey subjects along with a postcard questionnaire. In total, 933 landowners were surveyed; 21% responded. The affects of three factors---the Forest Stewardship Program (FSP), region, and a map---on landowner interest were investigated using ANOVA and logistic regression. The affects of covariables risk rating and acreage were evaluated using ANCOVA. Logistic regression identified preferred delivery methods and pests and diseases relevant to landowners. FSP participation significantly affected interest level, the selection of gypsy moth, and …

Drosophila Melanogaster Protein Kinase Ck2 Interacts With And Phosphorylates The Neurogenic Repressor M8 Resulting In The Production Of A Novel Eye Phenotype, Regina L. Trott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Protein kinase CK2 is a serine/threonine protein kinase ubiquitously expressed in eukaryotic organisms. The enzyme is composed of 2 alpha (catalytic) subunits and 2 beta (regulatory) subunits. The minimum consensus site for CK2 phosphorylation is S/TXXD/E, where "X" is any non-basic amino acid. Substrates so far identified include proteins associated with cell cycle regulation and development.;In Drosophila melanogaster, the Notch pathway activates members of the Enhancer-of-split Complex [E(spl)-C]. m8, which is a member of the E(spl)-C, was found to interact with and be phosphorylated by CK2. The physiological affects of CK2 phosphorylation were studied in vivo through the Gal4-UAS system. …

Integrated Stability Mapping System For Mines, Quanxi Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Integrated Stability Mapping System (ISMS) was developed as an engineering tool to quantify the geologic and geo-mechanical information of mines, and to integrate the critical stability influence factors into an overall stability index for use in mine planning and support design. It is generally understood that the inherent underground roof stability is determined by the interaction of both the given geologic characteristics and the local stress influences. Form this perspective, in this dissertation, the need for an integrated stability mapping system is established through investigating the traditional and current hazard mapping practices. In order to fulfill this need, computer …

The Scholarship And Praxis Of Communication Ethics: Rhetorical Interruptions In Historical Narratives, Melissa Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Creating a praxis model for performing communication ethics scholarship is important in Postmodernity, as a multiplicity of narratives requires knowledgeable life-long learners who are willing to understand historicity and one's place within traditions. This study relies on Alasdair MacIntyre's seminal work, A Short History of Ethics, as it provides an historical lineage of Western philosophers who wrote about ethics within the time span from ancient Greece, to modern day. Major metaphors are extracted from the works of these philosophers as guiding hermeneutical entrances into historical and temporally bound narratives, used as the praxis portion of this work. Narratives, epics and …

Planning Release: An Evaluation Of The Allegheny County Jail Project, Rae Dorer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of the Allegheny County Jail Project is to allow inmates to maintain social bonds by obtaining meaningful employment and reduce the rate of recidivism. The rates of recidivism were evaluated for the Allegheny County Jail Project and then compared to the rate of recidivism of the general population of the Allegheny County Jail to measure the success of the program. A population of 126 enrollees, the first and second year enrollees of the program combined, was selected for this evaluation from September 2001 to June 2003, and then a follow up of one year was conducted to find …

National Cave And Karst Research Institute 2004-2005 Annual Report, National Cave And Karst Research Institute

KIP Articles

No abstract provided.

Taking Conversation, Dialogue, And Therapy Public, Mari Boor Tonn

Rhetoric and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

This essay interrogates “conversation,” “dialogue,” and the language of therapy as framing devices for various public deliberative processes in the 1990s and since. Although “conversation” and “dialogue” are often trumpeted as a means to restore civility, egalitarianism, and community into the public sphere, this essay argues that these communication modes, coupled with the language of therapy in which they frequently have been couched, are problematic as paradigms for conflict and problem resolution on public issues. The essay argues, first, that a conversational model for deliberation may impede rather than further democratic goals, and, second, that conversation may function.

The Effectiveness Of The Alcohol Response-Ability Judicial Sanction At A Mid-Sized Comprehensive University, Nancy Ann Betzel Mathewson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the Alcohol ResponseAbility Program (ARP) that is currently used by the Health Education Resource Center at a mid-sized comprehensive university of 11,500 students. A review of literature revealed that individualized feedback and motivational interviewing seem to be more effective than other alcohol prevention methods. Literature also suggested that challenging students' perceptions of campus drinking norms could effectively reduce binge drinking rates on campus. The Alcohol Response-Ability Program, a combination of motivational interviewing and an online educational program including online feedback, incorporates a challenge to students perceptions of campus drinking …

Bringing Her Fist Down On That Wholeness: Rewriting Gendered Narratives In Zoeìˆ Wicomb's Fiction, Rachel Heicher

Masters Theses

This thesis situates South African writer Zoë Wicomb's fictional work within a critical context of current feminist theory, exploring Wicomb's response to a central problem for poststructuralist feminism-how can we deconstruct femininity while simultaneously conserving a platform for feminist political activism; how can we assert. on the one hand, that there are no "women", and then, on the other, continue to campaign on behalf of "women's" rights? Wicomb's two novels to date, You Can't Get Lost in Cape Town (1987) and David's Story (2000) serve as test studies for a model of gender that fluctuates and purposefully and constructively embodies …

A Focused Study Of The Social Outcast In Literature: A Healing For America's Youth, Darcey A. Voyles

Masters Theses

Adolescence can be a difficult time in life, and today's teenagers face even more difficult situations in the high school atmosphere. A frequent element in the high school social scene is alienation of the "uncool" kids. This social isolation can have devastating effects on the outcasts and school community as a whole. Within this thesis, I reveal my plan for alleviating the emotional trauma of social isolation by bringing the discussion of social outcasts into the literature classroom. Literature reflects society, thereby giving young readers a lens through which to view the alienation in our global world that they may …

Cultural And Individual Influences On Foreign Policy, Emine Sunduz Demir

Masters Theses

The principle aim of this thesis is to examine how strategic culture affects foreign policy decision-making, as contrasted to the particular decree of influence the individuals have on the foreign policy process in the concept of an immediate extended deterrence. This thesis is based on three case studies that are tested separately using both Cha's notion of strategic culture and Allison's Bureaucratic Politics Model in order to find which model (if any) best explains foreign policy decision making. Cases are: The SemiVietnamese War in 1979 and Deng Xiaoping, the Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1996 and Jiang Zemin, and the Kosovo …

Ethnicity And Religion: An Inquiry Into The Origin And Nature Of Conflicts In Nigeria, Ugochukwu Chrys. Nwabueze

Masters Theses

The policy goal of a Pax Nigeriana in the African continent is hardly realizable without a focused confrontation by Nigeria of its own security deficits. A security and politically deficient Nigeria will have nothing to offer the African continent in terms of peace and political stability if it cannot by example overcome its own accidental and structural flaws.

With this in mind, the work sets out to address the origin, nature and resolution of conflict in Nigeria. Before adequate resolution therapy could be recommended for violent conflicts in Nigeria, any intending researcher must of necessity address the origin and nature …