Digital Commons Network^™

Teaching Presence: A Focus On The Instructor's Role In Online Collaborative Learning, Keisha Smith Dubuclet

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The use of e-learning has been extended beyond simply providing access to information to providing the ability to learn collaboratively via an interactive learning environment. The ability to create an online collaborative and interactive environment is a challenge. This study strove to examine the most effective design and facilitative strategies for fostering student learning and participation in hopes to make design and implementation of online discussions easier and more efficient for teachers. The primary goal of this study was to understand how the degree of instructor presence influenced students’ perception of learning and how students engaged in deeper levels of …

Intentional Diminishment, The Non-Identity Problem, And Legal Liability, I. Glenn Cohen

UC Law Journal

This Article, lying at the intersection of law and bioethics, examines whether it is wrongful to use assisted reproductive technology to intentionally create disabled children, and whether legal liability should attach to such acts. In particular, this Article considers the way these issues are intertwined with what philosophers have called the "Non-Identity Problem," the idea that so long as a resulting child will have a life worth living the child cannot be harmed by being brought into existence, because even an impoverished life is better than not existing at all.

In her article in this Issue, Kirsten Smolensky suggests that …

Creating Children With Disabilities: Parental Tort Liability For Preimplantation Genetic Interventions, Kirsten Rabe Smolensky

UC Law Journal

Using preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), parents can now screen embryos for genetic traits such as deafness and achondroplasia (dwarfism). Studies show that some parents intentionally choose embryos with disabilities because that genetic trait runs in the family. This recent trend raises the important legal question of whether a child can sue his parents in tort for selecting or engineering disabling genetic traits.

This Article suggests that children both can and should be able to successfully sue parents who engage in certain direct genetic interventions. First, tort law should protect a child's moral right to an open future where parents' preimplantation …

The Forgotten Frontier - Healthcare For Transgender Detainees In Immigration And Customs Enforcement Detention, Dana O'Day-Senior

UC Law Journal

a challenge for anyone, but for transgender individuals, the lack of healthcare policy specifically addressing the healthcare needs of transgender individuals can mean that ICE detention is hazardous to one's health. Many researchers have studied the challenges faced by transgender individuals in the prison setting, and many researchers have examined the problems with healthcare access and delivery in ICE detention facilities. However, so far no one has bridged the gap between the two areas of research and looked at the specific challenges ICE detention poses for healthcare for transgender individuals.

This Note attempts to bridge that gap by focusing into …

The Effectiveness Of Contextualization On Second Language Acquisition Using The Situational Discourse Semantic Model, Alice Marie Johnson

LSU Master's Theses

In traditional classrooms a second language is taught via thematic word sets, grammatical explanations, and patterned syntactic practice. This study compared the traditional teaching approach to a scaffolded teaching approach, consisting of words taught within a narrative context. Five fifth-grade students were taught Spanish as a second language during a ten-week intervention. Vocabulary learning and sentence generation were measured following each session, as well as a pre-posttest measure. Results showed that print was an important support used by participants in the traditional condition. However across time, vocabulary learning and sentence length increased significantly more in the scaffolded condition.

Determining The Relative Efficacy Of Reciprocal And Non-Reciprocal Peer Tutoring For Students Identified As At-Risk For Academic Failure, Keri F. Menesses

LSU Master's Theses

The current study directly compared the academic and social gains of reciprocal peer tutoring, non-reciprocal peer tutoring, and traditional classroom instruction with elementary students. Participants included 59 students who performed below-average on class-wide screenings using curriculum-based measurement math probes. Students involved in peer tutoring were trained to tutor basic math facts using a constant time delay procedure. Both types of peer tutoring produced significantly larger academic gains than traditional classroom instruction; the two types of tutoring produced comparable academic and social results, although reciprocal tutoring resulted in marginally larger academic gains. Reciprocal peer tutoring is recommended based on the fact …

A Study Of Elementary School Children At Risk For Truancy: Exploring Gender Differences, Services Offered, And Other Factors Related To Truancy, Alice Joseph

LSU Master's Theses

This cross sectional, exploratory study examined the characteristics of elementary school children at risk for truancy. Furthermore, the study explored if there were any significant gender differences in the number of children referred to the TASC program. The current study also sought to answer if there were any gender differences in common problem areas reported to have an impact on truancy. Finally, any differences between children identified as low risk and high risk were also investigated. This study used secondary data analysis. Elementary school children (N = 23,459), grades Kindergarten through 4th grade who participated in the TASC program of …

A Comparison Of Feeding And Mealtime Problems In Intellectually Disabled Adults With And Without Autism, Jill Cherie Fodstad

LSU Master's Theses

Due to the dearth of information categorically describing feeding behaviors in those with autism spectrum disorders, the goal of this research is to examine the nature of feeding difficulties in adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Feeding and mealtime behavior problems are an area of concern due to their impact on an individual’s daily functioning, as well as the potential for causing severe medical conditions (e.g., poor nutrition, choking, aspiration) that may ultimately lead to death. Due to the importance of this topic for proper diagnosis and treatment planning, a better understanding of these behaviors in …

Alzheimer's Caregiving Appraisal, Andre' Fortier

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the knowledge base of AD caregiving appraisal by understanding a connection of factors that influence caregiving appraisal. It is important for the profession of social work to understand the complexities which may impact the level of care and/or appraisal. A combination of research questions and hypotheses were devised to determine the influence of each factor and/or a combination of factors on caregiving appraisal. The survey comprises of six sections: demographics and stage of AD, burden, resilience, family strengths, ethnic awareness, and caregiving appraisal. The overall survey was designed by the researcher; …

A Pedagogical Analysis Of Selected Pieces From Preludes, Op. 38, By Dmitri Kabalevsky, Sayaka Kanno

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Dmitri Borisovich Kabalevsky (1904-1987) is considered one of the composers who made the greatest contribution to the teaching repertoire for the piano. His interest in young people and devotion to music education has resulted in books and articles, as well as widely used pedagogical works including Childrenfs Pieces, Op. 27, Twenty-Four Little Pieces, Op. 39, and Five Sets of Variation, Op. 51. Many teaching materials in beginning to early intermediate levels include Kabalevskyfs accessible and imaginative pieces from these collections. In comparison, his advanced works are rarely performed in concerts or used for teaching among educators.@@ This research focuses on …

Let The Church Rise: The Acceptance Of Government Funding By The Religious Community In New Orleans Post-Katrina, Jaime Collins Hilton

LSU Master's Theses

This research presents themes which generate insight about why religious organizations in New Orleans accept or decline government funding for disaster relief and rebuilding. A total of eight in-depth interviews were conducted with church representatives to explore opinions regarding churches’ stance on obtaining federal funding for emergency aid provided to survivors of Hurricane Katrina and also for rebuilding purposes. Furthermore, quantitative results were obtained in collaboration with the LSU Public Policy Research Lab as part of a cross-sectional, exploratory study. The Public Policy Research Lab contacted an additional total of 54 churches (N=62) in the New Orleans metropolitan area were …

Add, Subtract, And Multiply: Paintings, Elizabeth Lorena Noble

LSU Master's Theses

Noble, Elizabeth Lorena, B.A., University of Central Arkansas, 2005 Master of Fine Arts, Fall Commencement, 2008 Major: Studio Art Add, Subtract, and Multiply: Paintings Thesis directed by Professor Edward Smith Pages in thesis, 44. Words in abstract, 209. ABSTRACT This thesis chronicles the daily rituals involved in personal grooming, adornment, and cosmetic use. As a woman and a painter, I appropriate the female figure in my work and use the body to provoke thought and conversation about the concept of the body as a workable surface. I see the body surface similarly to how I see the painting surface. In …

Dress In The United States Of America As Depicted In Postmortem Photographs, 1840-1900, Ryan Jerel Aldridge

LSU Master's Theses

The results of a content and historical analysis of American postmortem photographs from 1840 to 1900 found in Sleeping Beauty: Memorial Photography in America and Sleeping Beauty II: Grief, Bereavement and The Family In Memorial Photography American & European Traditions by Stanley Burns (1990 and 2002) indicate that day dress was the most popular form of postmortem dress depicted in the photographs. A comparison of the findings from this examination of the dress of 89 deceased individuals depicted in 84 postmortem photographs with descriptions of dress based on nineteenth century archaeological burial remains and portraits of living individuals indicates that …

Association Of Breakfast Consumption Patterns With Weight Status, Nutrient Intake, And Dietary Adequacy In African American Children 1-12 Years Of Age And Adolescents 13-18 Years Of Age, Brandy Michele Williams

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of these studies was to determine whether weight status, nutrient intake, and dietary adequacy were associated with breakfast consumption patterns. A representative sample of African American (AA) children and adolescents who participated in 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was used in a secondary data analysis. Participants were first grouped by age: 1-12 years of age (y) (n=1,389), 13-18 y (n = 988) and then by breakfast consumption category: breakfast skippers, ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC) consumers, and other breakfast consumers. A single multiple-pass 24-hour dietary recall was conducted using computer-assisted software to record dietary intake. To estimate …

The Construct Validity Of The Clinical Assessment Of Working Memory Ability, Benjamin David Hill

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Working memory is the cognitive ability to hold a discrete amount of information in mind in an accessible state for utilization in mental tasks. This cognitive ability is impaired in many clinical populations. There have been a number of theoretical shifts in the way that working memory is conceptualized and assessed in the experimental literature. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Working Memory Indices (and their component subtests) from the WAIS-III and WMS-III accurately assess the working memory construct as it is currently defined in the experimental cognitive literature. Results generally supported the construct validity of …

The Role Of Attentional Focus In Event-Based Prospective Memory, Jill Shelton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Shelton, Jill, B.S., University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, 2001 M.S., University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, 2003 Doctor of Philosophy, Summer Commencement, 2008 Major: Psychology The Role of Attentional Focus in Event-based Prospective Memory. Dissertation directed by Professor Emily Elliott Pages in dissertation, 59. Words in abstract 188. ABSTRACT Two experiments were conducted to investigate how attentional resources are utilized in event-based prospective memory (PM). A PM component (make a designated response when you see a bird word) was embedded in a living/non-living judgment task (Experiment 1) and a recall task that required participants to alphabetically re-order sets of items (Experiment 2). One hypothesis predicts …

The Association Between Relationship Satisfaction And Similarity Of Personality And Goals In Life, Kristin N. Renz

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

The Dichotomy Of Working And Stay-At-Home Mothers : And How To Choose, Kaleen Skramstad

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Handedness On The Skull And Shoulder Bones, Michelle Lynn Osborn

LSU Master's Theses

The unique configuration of the human clavicle and mastoid process suggests a functional connection between the head and shoulders in humans. The hypothesis in this study is that the clavicle, scapula and head form a functional complex and are interconnected by the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles. In this complex, the trapezius muscles attach to the skull and become active when loads are carried. The sternocleidomastoid muscles are anchored to the clavicles; when loads are being carried, they act as guy ropes for the head, thereby keeping the head from being extended by the force of the contracting trapezius muscles. These …

Steel And Snow, Christopher Vernon Harder

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

An Exploratory Study Of Social Work Supervisors' Supervisory Styles, Motivations, And Evaluative Processes, Michelle Elise Chevallier

LSU Master's Theses

While many factors influence the quality of social work supervision, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore social work supervisors’ supervisory styles, motivations, and evaluative processes and its impact on the social work profession. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from 10 Board Approved Clinical Supervisors (BACSs) during a one-time session in which a questionnaire on supervisory styles was administered and an interview covering supervisory styles, motivations, and evaluative processes was conducted. This project was undertaken to better understand some of the perceptions, values, beliefs, and problems involved in the supervisory process and its impact on the profession. …

Grinding The Axe Body Spray: Linking Gamer Experience And Brand Recall In Guitar Hero Iii, Miranda Coy Lemon

LSU Master's Theses

The growth in popularity of social video games that appeal to a wide variety of audiences offers new opportunities for in-game advertisers to reach beyond the traditional gamer market. The current study aimed to test the effectiveness of in-game advertising placements in the popular video game, Guitar Hero III, based on the Limited Capacity Model of Mediated Motivated Message Processing (LC4MP). The Limited Capacity Model predicts that experienced gamers utilize fewer mental resources when playing video games because the repeated action of playing video games eventually becomes automatic. An experienced gamer would therefore have a greater capacity to remember in-game …

Internet Use And Environmental Justice: An Exploratory Study, Jane Catherine Dailey

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

My study examined how inner-city adults perceive and experience the Internet as a civic engagement tool, and if they view the Internet as a tool for environmental advocacy. Research shows a consistent divide between those with Internet access and those without. Individuals living in low-income minority communities are the least likely groups to be Internet connected. Consequently, the Internet could further separate historically marginalized communities from important government and social resources rather than bringing them closer. Qualitative research methods were used to reveal socially-constructed perceptions of the Internet as a civic engagement tool in the inner city. Grounded theory techniques …

Recommended Practice In Preschool Instruction: Increasing Child Attention During Whole Group, Mauree Elizabeth Harris

LSU Master's Theses

In a teacher-directed activity, such as whole group, children can learn new skills by following the teacher’s directions and/or model the teacher’s behaviors. The National Association for the Education of Young Children Developmentally Appropriate Practices provides several recommended practices for creating a community of learners. When teachers follow these strategies they are providing multiple opportunities to engage children (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997). When used appropriately, whole group instruction can be very effective when teaching and can be used at various times of the day. Whole group instruction builds a sense of community among the classroom. The purpose of this study …

Processes And/Of Performance: Difference, Memory, And Experimentation, Benjamin Daniel Powell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study enacts performance analyses by combining experimental and avant-garde performance practices of artists or art movements such as John Cage, Jerzy Grotowski, Dadaism, and Eugenio Barba with the differential philosophies of Jacques Derrida and Gilles Deleuze. By focusing on the ways that performance practice informs understandings of “the ghost” and différance in Derrida’s theories, and processes of production and experimentation in Deleuze’s, this study examines performance as a process of negotiating practice and theory that continues to produce rather than disappear. To reinforce the productive capacity of performance, this study looks at three different sites and the processes at …

Walden Pond And The Performative Touristic Gaze, Daniel Christopher Bono

LSU Master's Theses

This is an ethnographic study of tourism at Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. I argue that Walden Pond operates as a site that creates tensions among visitors due to the ways that time has transformed the once serene landscape into an overcrowded swimming pool. These tensions, however, fall under the expectation that the State Reservation of Massachusetts (re)creates Thoreau’s Walden as suggested in his discourse, but the performance of history is enacted through the creation of meaning among visitors engaging in a dialogue that references the past, talking about a space that has cultural significance. Exploring the touristic experience and …

How To Remember Thee?: Problems Of Memorialization In English Writing, 1558-1625, Sean Flory

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the use of funeral commemoration in religious and political controversies in early modern England. By examining the rhetoric used in funeral sermons and elegies, I show that commemorative writers use figural interpretation of the Bible to legitimize praise by linking the deceased to characters from scripture. Figural interpretation places the dead into a framework of ecclesiastical history and creates Protestant saints used as exempla in political and religious debates. This dissertation examines funeral sermons, elegies, and other commemorative poems written between 1558 and 1625. Chapter one discusses the development of figural interpretation in Elizabethan funeral sermons. …

Baby Signs: Caregiver Perceptions Of Their Use And Benefit To Children, Leah Catherine Legere

LSU Master's Theses

Gesture use is a precursor to spoken language, and children who exhibit frequent use of gesture have higher rates of speech comprehension and production when tested between 13 and 15 months of age (Bates et al, 1989). The purpose of this study was to learn more about caregivers’ perceptions of the use and benefits of sign to their children. Fifty-three caregivers were recruited for the study, and 33 (62%) of these caregivers reported that they had used or were currently using baby signs with one of their children. Six (18%) of these caregivers also reported that their children presented developmental …

Foreign News And Public Opinion: Attribute Agenda-Setting Theory Revisited, Asya A. Besova

LSU Master's Theses

This study contributes to the body of research on public opinion and media coverage of foreign news by examining the coverage of nine foreign countries in The New York Times and The Times. Media coverage and the public opinion about foreign nations were strongly correlated. Specifically, negative coverage tends to have more agenda-setting effects than neutral and positive coverage. The findings also suggest that media portray foreign countries in a unidimensional fashion, by limiting the coverage around a few policy issues. Finally, the U.S. and the U.K. media coverage of foreign nations were very similar.

Richard Rorty's Map Of Political Misreading, Shaun Kenan King

LSU Master's Theses

For more than a quarter century, Richard Rorty was one of the most controversial writers. Critics of Rorty have often clustered their remarks around distinct themes within Rorty’s body of literature. Is Rorty’s criticism of the correspondence theory of truth valid and what standard of validity could confirm that? Does Rorty’s treatment of pragmatists such as William James and John Dewey accurately reflect their writings? Is Rorty’s brand of liberalism defensible when it assumes no non-circular form of justification can be proffered? These are the questions most often addressed by Rorty’s critics. He responded to their objections for two decades. …