Digital Commons Network^™

Particulate Matter Matters!, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

National Science Education Standards:

• CONTENT STANDARD D: Science as Inquiry
• CONTENT STANDARD E: Understandings about science and technology
• CONTENT STANDARD F: Personal and community health; Environmental quality

Indoor Air Pollution, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objectives: Students will learn about indoor air pollutants the types and legal concentrations and affects on human health. The students will also determine the pathway for the formation of radon.

National Science Education Standards: As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop an understanding of the structure of the atoms; environmental quality; and natural and human-induced hazards.

As a result of their activity the students will have a better understanding of the atom’s parts and how the atom disintegrates and interacts with the environment. The students should have a better understanding of the …

There's A Whole Lotta Spillin' Goin' On!, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Unit Learning Objectives: The learner should be able to:

1. Compare and contrast hazardous chemical spills 2. Comprehend how hazardous chemicals affect the environment.
3. Explain the difficulty involved in cleaning up a hazardous spill.
4. Explain how the chemical travels once it is released.
5. Assess how hazardous chemicals affect the human body and animal life.
6. Analyze a chemical spill and its affects on its surroundings.
7. Create an emergency management system based on a real life situation

Evidence of Understanding: By the end of this unit, students should be able to demonstrate a clear understanding of hazardous …

Is Air Quality In The Index?, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objectives:

• Make predictions and explanations based from evidence.
• Identify sources of air pollution that affect air quality.
• Interpret and apply the Air Quality Index.
• Have the desire to share Air Quality information with others.

5-8 NSES Standards:

• Standard A: Inquiry •Standard D: Structure of Earth Systems
•Standard E: Science and Technology
•Standard F: Personal Health, Population, Resources, Environmental and Natural Hazards, Risks and Benefits, Science and Technology in Society

9-12 NSES Standards:

• Standard A: Inquiry
• Standard D: Geochemical Cycles, Origin and Evoluti
on of the Earth System
• Standard E: Science and Technology …

Trouble Breathing?, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objective:

Students will make connections from everyday situations to air quality. Students will know the 7 criteria pollutants established by the EPA and monitored by each state.

National Science Education Standard:

As a result of activities in grades 5-8, students w ill learn that natural environments may contain substances that are harmful to human beings. Maintaining environmental health involves establishing or monitoring quality standards related to use of soil, water, and air.

To Burn Or Not To Burn, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objective : Students learn how a locally proposed power plant may impact the environment of their community.

National Science Education Standards:
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, students
should develop

• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understandings about science and technology

As a result of activities in grades 9-12, students
should develop understanding of

• Personal and community health
• Environmental quality
• Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges

Finding The Planetary Boundary Layer, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objective: Students will learn about the presence of the planetary boundary layer within the troposphere. Then using real life data, observe the changing levels of the boundary layer.

National Science Education Standards:

• Standard A: Science as Inquiry
• Standard B: Teacher will guide and facilitate a learning environment
• Standard D: Students will be provided with time, space and resources to conduct their research.
• Standard E: Science and Technology

Be Particular About Our Matter!, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objectives:

--Demonstrate that particulate air pollution can be invisible to the eye.
--Students will collect and observe particulate matter.
--Students will identify pollen grains and make their own pollen map for Davenport.
-- Students will collect and interpret local environmental maps.
--Students will investigate health risks involved in polluted air.

National Science Education Standards:

• Standard A: Students will conduct scientific inquiry
• Standard B: Teacher will guide and facilitate a learning environment.
• Standard D: Students will be provided with time, space and resources toconduct their research.
• Standard F: Risks and benefits; Science and technology in society

Do The Dewpoint!, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objectives:
1.Students will observe examples of condensation and deposition.
2. Students will observe, record, and analyze data.

National Science Education Standards: All students should develop: abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry, properties of earth materials,and changes in earth and sky.

Precipitation Patterns, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objective: Students will demonstrate the relationship between precipitation types and surface temperatures.They will use forecast maps to predict where snow or rain will fall over the next several days.

National Science Education Standards – As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop an
understanding of structure of the earth system.

Abuse And Dissociation Disorder, Myrtle Godfrey

Graduate Research Papers

Child sexual abuse is widely regarded as a cause of mental problems in adult life. The damage inflicted by child sexual abuse.has an affect on the child's capacity to develop trust, intimacy and sexuality. Sexually abused children not only encounter assaults on their developing sense of sexual identity, but a blow to their interpretation of the world as a safe environment, and their developing sense of others as trustworthy. In addition, childhood sexual abuse is correlated with higher levels of dissociation. (Fleming, J. & Mullen, P. E., 1998). Of the victims that were abused by someone with whom he or …

Meeting The Needs Of The Adult Learner In The Instructional Design Environment, Takeisha Henfield

Graduate Research Papers

There are an increasing number of adults who are seeking further education and training for various purposes, ranging from English as a Second Language to doctoral degrees. These adults possess different characteristics and require different conditions than traditional younger learners. In an effort to design effective instruction for adults as learners, the basic instructional design process should be understood. Through that understanding, a taxonomy of instructional design models as well as specific models can be discussed. The knowledge of adults' learning needs, plus an understanding of instructional design and its models, can help instructional designers produce more effective instruction for …

No Child Left Behind Act : Implications And Strategies For Middle School Science Teaching, Kimberly A. Holmes

Graduate Research Papers

The No Child Left Behind Act was enacted to ensure quality education for all students. Despite the constraints of the No Child Left Behind Act, the teacher has the responsibility to provide quality science education for the students. This paper will guide teachers in selecting instructional strategies that have been supported by research that closely meets the research-based standards provided by the No Child Left Behind Act.

The Benefits Of Collaboration And Co-Teaching In The Elementary Grades, Katherine Kelley Hoover

Graduate Research Papers

Collaboration between educators is an older concept that has become popular again in recent years. Due to the recent federal and state mandates, schools are implementing new teaching methods to raise school achievement and benefit all students. When collaborating, special education students are generally included in the general education classroom with two teachers co-teaching to meet the needs of the students. This paper will explore the importance of collaboration between general education and special education teachers and the benefits to all learners in the classroom.

Tree Identification And Age Project, Mark Jensen

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of the Tree Identification and Age Project is to use authentic learning activities to extend the current curriculum to include learning that takes place at high levels of cognition. The methods employed integrate higher-order thinking into learning through a hands-on, problem-based approach to authentic scientific investigation. Using a problem-based approach, the learners apply knowledge and skills to solve real problems. The process involves focusing on the problem, identifying relative information, categorizing, critically analyzing, synthesizing that information and effectively communicating the results.

A Literature Review Of The Think-Aloud Reading Comprehension Strategy For Teacher Use In The Classroom, Cindy Kathryn Kauder

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review focuses on the classroom use of a research based comprehension strategy called Think-Aloud. This is a strategy that readers of all abilities and ages can incorporate into their daily reading habits in order to more fully engage in text of all types. This is a fairly new strategy that has come to awareness and more widespread use within the last few years. Teachers need to provide direct instruction and model this strategy so that students correctly practice and use it alone and with partners. The final goal of the Think-Aloud strategy is that readers will become more …

Use Of Social Stories For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Alicia Ann Karwal

Graduate Research Papers

Social stories have been widely used as an intervention for children on the Autism Spectrum. Educators and other service providers of students diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder are continually looking for strategies that will allow for their students to have more typical social experiences and greater quality of life. Some controversy exists concerning the success of social stories as an effective intervention. This paper will briefly examine characteristics of individuals diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It will then explore using social stories with children affected by an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Finally, it will consider a variety of purposes …

Relationship Between Soil Moisture Of Near Surface And Multiple Depths Of The Root Zone Under Heterogeneous Land Uses And Varying Hydroclimatic Conditions, Rezaul Mahmood

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Istart 2: Improvements For Efficiency And Effectiveness, Irwin B. Levinstein, Chutima Boonthum, Srinivasa P. Pillarisetti, Courtney Bell, Danielle S. Mcnamara

Computer Science Faculty Publications

iSTART (interactive strategy training for active reading and thinking) is a Web-based reading strategy trainer that develops students' ability to self-explain difficult text as a means to improving reading comprehension. Its curriculum consists of modules presented interactively by pedagogical agents: an introduction to the basics of using reading strategies in the context of self-explanation, a demonstration of self-explanation, and a practice module in which the trainee generates self-explanations with feedback on the quality of reading strategies contained in the self-explanations. We discuss the objectives that guided the development of the second version of iSTART toward the goals of increased efficiency …

Assessing The Format Of The Presentation Of Text In Developing A Reading Strategy Assessment Tool (R-Sat), Sara Gilliam, Joseph P. Magliano, Keith K. Millis, Irwin Levinstein, Chutima Boonthum

Computer Science Faculty Publications

We are constructing a new computerized test of reading comprehension called the Reading Strategy Assessment Tool (R-SAT). R-SAT elicits and analyzes verbal protocols that readers generate in response to questions as they read texts. We examined whether the amount of information available to the reader when reading and answering questions influenced the extent to which R-SAT accounts for comprehension. We found that R-SAT was most predictive of comprehension when the readers did not have access to the text as they answered questions.

Providing Vanet Security Through Active Position Detection, Gongjun Yan, Gyanesh Choudhary, Michele C. Weigle, Stephan Olariu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Our main contribution is a novel approach to enhancing position security in VANET. We achieve local and global position security by using the on-board radar to detect neighboring vehicles and to confirm their announced coordinates. We compute cosine similarity among data collected by radar and neighbors' reports to filter the forged data from the truthful data. Based on filtered data, we create a history of vehicle movement. By checking the history and computing similarity, we can prevent a large number of Sybil attacks and some combinations of Sybil and position-based attacks.

Behavioural Activation Treatment For Depression: A Review Of The Literature ; Effects Of A Brief Behavioural Activation Treatment On Activity Levels And Depression, Debra L. Bailey

Theses : Honours

Behavioural activation (BA) is an emergent psychological treatment for depression rooted in the tradition of behavioural theory. This paper discusses the manner in which BA arose as a result of the seminal Jacobson et al. (1996) study, which dismantled the behavioural and cognitive components of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT; Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979). Published empirical studies examining the effectiveness of BA are reviewed and considerations for future research are offered. It is concluded that BA shows promise as a parsimonious, effective, and potentially cost-efficient psychological treatment for depression. However, more large-scale research is needed: in samples with low …

Depression, Rumination And Dependency In Relation To Age And Gender, Alison J. Lee

Theses : Honours

Extensive research has been carried out in the field of depression and its relation to age and gender. This article reviews relevant literature in the field of depression, rumination and dependency and the relationships of these to age and gender. It has been shown in numerous studies that depression, rumination and dependency are related and exist in comorbidity with each other. This article also reviews some of the research that has been conducted on age and gender with relation to rumination and dependency. It has been found in relation to rumination, dependency and depression that women are more susceptible than …

The Perceived Psychosocial Benefits Of Pet Ownership On Child Development: A Parental Perspective, Erin K. Leahy

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this review is to explore the beneficial role pets play in facilitating the psychosocial development of preadolescent children. It is proposed that the pet is perceived by both the child and parent as a developmental resource during preadolescent development, as it assists the child in accomplishing key developmental tasks such as responsibility and autonomy, socialisation and the development of humanistic qualities. This review also highlights the importance of pets in assisting preadolescents develop self esteem and identity, and examines how pets give children new perspective on important life matters such as birth, illness and death. Attainment of …

In-Flight Service Recovery - What's Been Tried, What Actually Works? : An Exploratory Study, Nicole Bennett

Theses : Honours

This study explored airline service failures that occurred in-flight (during the flight) and service recovery techniques attempted within the industry. A mixed methodology was adopted so that the key issues could be identified and the respondents' feelings and motivations could be examined. A questionnaire was developed to investigate in-flight service failures and, if any, the degree of success of the service recovery attempts, as judged by the respondent. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted to explore selected respondents' feelings and the motivations behind their answers. The rich data obtained is important because it gives the study more relevance and depth. This …

Teachers Experiences With Teaching Children With Learning Difficulties: A Qualitative Study, Aleesha Morton

Theses : Honours

It is estimated that 16% of Australian primary school students suffer from a learning difficulty (LD) (Rivalland, 2000). Teachers are expected to provide these students with the specialised education they need. However, teachers have reported that they face numerous challenges to provide LD students with the support needed, which may result in them experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety. These challenges include problems with identification of the specific difficulty and the most appropriate intervention programs to implement, a lack of pre service education and training, insufficient resources and funding specific to students with LD. Awareness and understanding of these …

An Investigation Into The Effectiveness Of Paired Reading With The Incorporation Of Additional Error Corrective Procedures, Kathryn Schneider

Theses : Honours

The aim of this literature review was to examine the effectiveness of the Paired Reading (PR) intervention, a one-to-one instruction approach to improving children's fluency, accuracy, and comprehension. The effectiveness of PR in promoting a positive attitude towards reading and in increasing children's sense of self-efficacy in reading was also investigated, focusing principally on children whose level of reading was below what was expected for their chronological age. It addressed the question of how well the intervention can be implemented by parents and explored the strategies used in PR to elucidate what aspects of the intervention may contribute to its …

Do Auditory Simulations Of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Change Young Adults' Attitudes Towards Noise Exposure?, Claire Roockley

Theses : Honours

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), or hearing damage from regular exposure to loud noise, can profoundly affect a person's hearing capabilities and overall well-being. Many individuals continue to expose themselves to hazardous levels of noise, and, in turn, put themselves at risk of developing a NIHL. This review critically examines the existing literature presented on NIHL. Emphasis is placed on the increasing prevalence of NIHL in young adults from exposure to loud recreational noise. The effectiveness of current educational strategies that have been employed to reduce or prevent the occurrence of NIHL in this cohort is also examined. Research indicates that …

A Methodology For Thorough Text Preparation Of German Lieder, Emma Louise Blake

Theses : Honours

The impetus behind this study is the suspicion that singers beginning their training are either unaware of the vast amount of preparation that needs to occur when performing any work or they are aware but have no idea where to start. The understanding of text and an emotional connection with its meaning are vital to a successful Lied performance. This dissertation aims to create a method of preparing the text (of a Lied) that encourages detailed observation and creative thought, and which enables a musician with limited understanding of the German language to comfortably acquaint themselves with the repertoire. This …

Attitudes Towards Depression And Anxiety, Tiana Hankins

Theses : Honours

The overall aim of the present paper is to review the literature surrounding attitudes towards mental health, with a specific focus on attitudes towards depression and anxiety. This paper discusses the concept of attitudes, their nature and measurement. This is followed by a review of attitudes towards mental health, with a number of studies being examined and their results discussed. Research has found that the general public has negative attitudes towards people with mental illness; however research has also found that these negative attitudes are improving due to an increase in education and awareness surrounding mental health. The two attitude …