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Neural Network Prediction Of Math And Reading Proficiency As Reported In The Educational Longitudinal Study 2002 Based On Non-Curricular Variables, Jason Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Predicting student achievement is often the goal of many studies, and a frequently employed tool for constructing predictive models is multiple linear regression. This research sought to compare the performance of a three-layer back propagation neural network to that of traditional multiple linear regression in predicting math and reading proficiency from 103 non-curricular variables collected in the National Center for Educational Statistics' 2002 Educational Longitudinal Study. The neural network model was implemented using the Java programming language and the coefficients for the regression equations were produced by SPSS. The results showed that, for this data set, neither model provided an …

Narrative As Communication Activism: Research Relationships In Social Justice Projects, Elizabeth A. Curry, Deborah Cunningham Walker

Library Presentations & Publications

When they talk about CASA or the project, Deb and Elizabeth use the words “we, our, or us,” not “them or they.”
Deb and Elizabeth are part of CASA because they understand us. They get it.
Lots of people study domestic violence, but they were the first researchers interested in us, the workers. We felt validated because university researchers thought what we did was important, and they asked us to help them understand our work.
They didn’t lecture us; they listened to us.

These are some of the staff’s observations about our participation in the University Community Initiative Project (UCI), …

The Development And Application Of A Systematic Approach To Evaluating An Academic Department's Brand Meaning, Cassandra C. Elrod

Doctoral Dissertations

"Research of existing literature indicates that below the university level, there has been little effort made in branding academia, namely academic departments. The lack of branding may significantly affect the perceptions that potential students and future employers of these students have about one of these academic units. The impact may be most significant for units where the fields of study that are represented by the department may be unclear, such as in the case of engineering management. However, even in the cases of better-understood fields of study, for example, electrical engineering, the competition for students with other fields of study …

Pediatric Physical Therapists And Evidence Based Practice: A Participatory Action Research Project, Joseph Schreiber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The purpose of this project was to describe in detail the attitudes, beliefs, and practices of a group of pediatric physical therapists regarding evidence-based practice. In addition, utilizing a collaborative, participatory action research approach, several strategies and outcomes were identified as a means to aid these individuals in improving their ability to use research evidence for clinical decision making.

Methods: The primary investigator and a group of five pediatric physical therapists collaborated to develop and implement strategies and outcomes that were best suited for each individual. During phase I, information was gathered to describe the participants' current beliefs, attitudes, …

Meeting The Absurd: Camus And The Communication Ethics Of The Everyday, Brent Sleasman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The metaphor of the absurd, as well as the work and thought of Albert Camus, has primarily served as a secondary resource within the communication discipline. This project contributes to the conversation about the absurd in an effort to further the study of communication ethics by placing Camus in the foreground. The metaphor of the absurd provides an opportunity to examine philosophical hermeneutics in relation to Camus's insights. The work of Paul Ricoeur and Hans-Georg Gadamer, emphasizing the role of metaphor and how it connects the absurd as used by Camus to our current postmodern moment, provides the methodological framework …

Looping: The Impact Of A Multi-Year Program On The Academic Progress, Retention, And Special Education Placements Of Students In Two South Central Pennsylvania Schools, Joseph Snoke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if there are increased benefits in a looping instructional delivery system, as it pertains to academic progress, retention rates, and special education placements. Specifically, the study determined if there was a significant difference between students involved in a looping instructional model as compared to those not participating in a looping model. The target population of this study consisted of students looping and non-looping in third, fifth, and eighth grades, who attended rural elementary schools located in central Pennsylvania. The students would have attended the districts between the years of 1999-2005. PSSA scaled …

School Success Among African American Male Adolescents: An Existential Examination Of Protective Factors, Carol Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many adolescents who live in a high-risk neighborhood, harsh and sometimes dangerous circumstances often interfere with the ability to enjoy school success. While quantitative methods have been employed to reveal protective factors among African American male adolescents, few qualitative studies exist that analyze the lived experiences of this population of youth and their ability to flourish despite environmental disadvantages. This study is a phenomenologically-oriented narrative case study of five African American male adolescents who attend high school in a small, rural community and who are on track to graduate. The primary philosophies that framed this study were Ryan and …

Managing Change In Asian Business: A Comparison Between Chinese Educated And English Educated Chinese Entrepreneurs In Singapore, Thomas Menkhoff, Ulrike Badibanga, Yue Wah Chay

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Against the background of the current rapidly changing business environment, the article examines the organizational change management behaviour of the owner-managers of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore. The analysis of survey data is aimed at ascertaining whether there are any differences between Chinese and English educated small (ethnic Chinese) businessmen in terms of Change Management (CM), a dichotomy that is of great historical and politico-cultural significance in Singapore. The survey data show that there are indeed differences between the subgroups (eg with regard to the initiation of a more participatory people management style) but these variations turned …

Developing Jewish Awareness Seminars: A Model Implemented In Adventist Churches In Michigan, Robert Clyde Quillin

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Many Jewish people are finding Jesus as their Messiah, but few are uniting with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In its Global Missions emphasis, the Adventist Church has not prepared church members to effectively witness to the Jewish people. Michigan Conference has about 0.29 percent (16,000) of the nation’s Jewish population, but no organized plan is in place to train members for Jewish soul-winning. Approximately 22 of Michigan’s 83 counties have one or more synagogues, which is sufficient Jewish presence to warrant an interfaith outreach. A lay-training program is needed.

Method

After researching literature, a questionnaire was devised, and a …

Working Towards Restorative Justice In Ethiopia: Integrating Traditional Conflict Resolution Systems With The Formal Legal System, Julie Macfarlane

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This paper considers how the multiple realities of dispute resolution in any environment affect the work of conflict resolution practitioners. Conflict resolution practitioners are almost always invited in by representatives of the formal legal system, and their work generally focuses on managing - and perhaps reforming - this system. In practice, they cannot ignore the existence of parallel informal systems of conflict resolution that may undermine or distract from the formal state system. These may include structured alternatives to law, such as religious tribunals or community mediation programs. There may be other, more informal but equally significant family or community-based …

Restorative Justice In Post-Disaster Situations: Untapped Potential, Maria R. Volpe

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

Post-disaster situations can provide a wide range of opportunities for restorative justice. Depending on the nature of the disaster, man-made or natural, the potential of using restorative justice practices to assist in rescue, recovery, and rebuilding efforts can be significant. The challenges, however, can be even more significant.

My interest in examining restorative justice efforts in post-disaster situations grew out of my earlier research on dispute resolution responses to 9/11. In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, countless questions arose about the role and relevance of dispute resolvers. 9/11 also triggered a wide range of hate crimes, which seemed …

Justice Or Forgiveness? In Search Of A Solution, Olga Botcharova

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

The presentation will be based on the model I created during my work with the leaders of ethnic/religious communities (Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim) engaged in hostilities in the former Yugoslavia, during times of war and post-war. This work is summarized in two diagrams, Seven Steps Towards Revenge (inner circle) and Seven Steps Towards Reconciliation. In its entirety, the work represents a journey from revenge, understood as a natural response to an inflicted hurt, towards reconciliation, with forgiveness and justice playing crucial roles in the process. This model is in Appendix 1, together with a brief description of the stages …

Restorative Justice And The Sexual Abuse Scandal In The Catholic Church, Janine Geske

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. I want to begin by telling you how I got into the restorative justice field. I served as a judge for almost twenty years, and nine of those years were in criminal court. My last assignment before going to the Wisconsin Supreme Court was to preside full-time over sexual assault and homicide cases. During the time I spent as a trial court judge, I regularly taught classes at prisons in Wisconsin. About ten years ago, I became involved in a restorative justice program in the Green Bay Correctional Institution, a …

Apology In The Context Of Wrongful Conviction: Why The System Should Say It's Sorry, Abigail Penzell

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

The first section of this Note will discuss apology as a psychological tool to heal victims, offenders, and the community. The second section will examine the use of apology in analogous contexts to that of wrongful conviction. The third section will explore the potential or perceived disadvantages of offering an apology in the criminal context. The fourth section will detail the desire for apology among the wrongfully convicted as well as give examples of situations - like Mr. Fuller's - in which an apology has been tendered and has helped victims reintegrate into society. Finally, I will conclude that the …

Children's Ministries, Steelman Library, Doug Roth

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Leadership In Knowledge Sharing: Creating Value Through Collaboration, Thomas Menkhoff, Yue Wah Chay, Hans-Dieter Evers, Benjamin Loh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study aims to understand the antecedents of knowledge sharing behavior amongst tenant firms in Science and Technology Parks (STPs) which has been highlighted as a key factor for the development of an epistemic culture of innovation in STPs. Components of a model of knowledge management leadership with a focus on knowledge sharing and innovative value creation in STPs are developed inspired by the work of Nonaka, Nahapiet and Ghoshal, Guns and others. Collection of data on various relevant measures is ongoing, covering technology firms and STPs in Singapore and other Asian countries. Besides outlining model components and hypotheses, tentative …

Behavioural Syndromes In Brook Charr, Salvelinus Fontinalis: Prey-Search In The Field Corresponds With Space Use In Novel Laboratory Situations, Alexander D.M. Wilson, Robert L. Mclaughlin

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Comparing The Performance And Satisfaction Of Face-To-Face And Virtual Teams In A Learning Enviroment, Ying-Chieh A. Liu

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The main purpose of this study is to find whether virtual teams perform as effectively as face-to-face teams and if not, whether solutions can be derived to improve the levels of performance. To this end, the study compares the performance and satisfaction perception levels of virtual teams with face-to-face teams in a learning environment. In order to develop a sound framework for the research, a detailed literature review of prior research encompassing team satisfaction and performance in face-to-face and CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) supported environments was undertaken. Additionally the researcher performed a meta-analysis of previous research studies and from these …

Utilization Of Health And Medical Services: Factors Influencing Health Care Seeking Behaviour And Unmet Health Needs In Rural Areas Of Kenya, Trish Prosser

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

There are many factors that influence health and health care seeking. Although many of these factors are similar across populations, exactly how they interact and influence the actions of people is often unique to a population in the context of the environment they live in. The current study, a population-based cross sectional survey, identifies three specific geographically diverse populations in rural areas of Kenya, to gain information regarding overall influences on health care seeking, and also information specific to each geographical area to directly target the health needs of the individual population living there. Participants of the survey were interviewed …

The Prediction Of Antenatal And Postnatal Depression In A Sample Of Western Australian Women, Debbie A. Lien

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In Australia, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; Cox, Holden & Sagovsky, 1987) has been increasingly used to screen for antenatal depression prior to its evaluation on a sample of Australian pregnant women. Also, the identification of predictors associated with antenatal depression has been neglected relative to the research focus on postpartum depression. An aim of the study was to evaluate the antenatal screening properties of the EPDS against diagnoses of major depression with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI; Sheehan eta!., 1998). The aims were also to develop predictive models of risk factors associated with antenatal depression as measured …

Multidimensional Approach To Nurse Client Communication In Two Malaysian Intensive Care Units, Faridah Hashim

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Communication among patients and nurses m the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has received extensive attention in the nursing research literature. These studies have identified numerous factors both enhancing and impeding effective nurse client communication. Despite the extensive research attention paid to nurse client communication in an ICU setting, no studies can be located that take a multidimensional approach to exploring the factors serving to enhance or impede such nurse "client communications. The literature review searched from 1980 when the landmark study by Ashworth ( 1980) reported on nurse-patient communication in the ICU. Many studies followed on nursing communication

Social Theory & Its Relation To Social Problems: An Essay About Theory And Research With Social Justice In Mind, Richard K. Caputo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This essay examines the relationship between social theory and social problems, the truth-value of theories, and the importance of theorizing about the role of the state, i.e., national government, in the resolution of social problems and the achievement of social justice. The author argues that much contemporary social theory has lost its moorings in regard to amelioration ofsocial problems, that Popper's criterion offalsification is a requisitefor more meaningfully applied social theory, and that the state should be part of any social theory meant to address social problems. Moral and political philosophy is used to provide criteria to justify a positive …

Learning Environments : Redefining The Discourse On School Architecture, Alessandro Degregori

Theses

The thesis maintains that the physical environment of the school is only one component, although an important one, of learning environments suitable for learner-centered, consiructivist approaches to learning. Accordingly, school architecture should relate to both, the physical as well as the social environmental contexts. This perspective could invite educators and architects to participate in a collaborative discourse for realizing most effective and sustainable learning environments, one school at a time.

In search of learning factors, factors that could influence learning and engage educators and architects in a collaborative discourse, the study addresses the following: a) A review of literature …

The Relation Between Hostility And Social Support: Investigating Potential Mediation Or Moderation By Trait Forgiveness, Attributional Style, And Trait Empathy., Benjamin Parker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A substantial body of scientific literature has examined the relations among hostility, social support, and physical and psychological functioning. Typically, positive relations are observed between hostility and various problematic health concerns and negative relations are observed between social support and these same problematic health concerns. Hostility is commonly associated with decreased ratings of social support. The purpose of this study was to explore this relation between hostility and low social support, and determine whether three variables derived from the positive psychology literature (trait forgiveness, attributional style, and empathy) either moderate or mediate this relation. One hundred and fifty two female …

An Examination Of Parenting Strategies, Attitudes, And Stress In Foster And Biological Parents Of Young Children., Kristine E. Rork

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The child welfare system is undergoing a crisis in which there are a greater number of foster children requiring temporary housing arrangements than there are foster parents available to provide housing for them. However, despite this fact, little research has been performed regarding the needs and characteristics of foster parents. To help retain these foster parents, they must believe their needs are being met by the child welfare system; otherwise, there is an increased risk of foster parents deciding not to foster in the future. The present study investigated differences between a sample of 30 foster parents of children ages …

An Empirical Investigation Of Tree Ensembles In Biometrics And Bioinformatics Research., Yan Ma

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis study is intended to explore the usability and efficiency of tree ensemble learning when applied to the following research areas: multi-modal biometrics information fusion, software defect prediction and microarray data analysis. The data sets from these three areas have various structures in terms of the sample size, number of features, and the class labels distribution. For example, microarray experiments produce high-dimensional data with at least thousands of variables (genes), while the data sets from biometrics and software engineering studies are large-sized with hundreds to thousands of observations, majority of which are of the same class label. Different data …

Review Of Pretty Things, Michael Adams

Publications and Research

Review of Gilles Paquet-Brenner's Pretty Things: http://www.media-party.com/discland/2007/12/pretty-things.html

Impact Of Co-Morbid Insomnia On Health -Related Quality Of Life And Patient Preferences In The Primary Care Setting., Anuja N. Roy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It is estimated that almost one-thirds of the patients in primary care settings experience some form of insomnia. Co-morbid insomnia accounts for almost 75% of such cases and, is considered to be a symptom (rather than a stand-alone disorder) that remits with treatment of the underlying medical or psychiatric disorder. In Phase I, this study examined if there was any incremental impact of co-morbid insomnia (after controlling for confounding covariates) on health-related quality of life (as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study 36 Item Short-Form Health Survey, i.e., SF-36, and the EuroQoL 5D, i.e., EQ-5D) compared to similar patients without …

The Dynamics Involved In Web-Based Learning Environment (Wle) Interface Design And Human-Computer Interactions (Hci): Connections With Learning Performance., Ivana Schnitman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Distance education has always served as an option for students who could not attend school in a traditional way. However, educators know very little about online pedagogy and the related use of Web-based Learning Environment (WLE)s as instructional delivery and support systems for education. To make Web-based Instruction (WBI) a good experience, careful attention should be devoted to the elements that comprise the environment: the pedagogical and technical design components. The goal of this study was to investigate the dynamics involved in the HCI that take place within a WLE. The research objective was to examine the existing views of …

Developing And Evaluating A Gis-Supported Immersive Visualizaton System For Soil Resource Mapping., Paddington Hodza

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines the coupling of GIS and immersive visualization (IV). This study was premised on the hypothesis that linking IV and GIS could potentially enhance a user’s visual-cognitive capacity to perceive, analyze, and understand complex geospatial data. A loosely-coupled GIS-IV system was developed and subsequently tested by professional soil scientists in soil boundary mapping and soil map update case studies. Soil boundary mapping is essentially a visualization enterprise involving the creation of cognitive models representing the relationship between soil and observable environmental features. A GIS-IV conceptual model was formulated, and an operational system was designed and implemented. The GIS-IV …