Digital Commons Network^™

Standards-Based Content Analysis Of Selected Biological Science Websites, Joy E. Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The purpose of this study was to analyze the biology content, instructional strategies, and assessment methods of 100 biological science websites that were appropriate for Grade 12 educational purposes. For the analysis of each website, an instrument, developed from the National Science Education Standards (NSES) for Grade 12 Life Science coupled with criteria derived from the Web-based Inquiry (WBI) for Learning Science instrument (Bodzin, 2005) and other pertinent published educational literature, was utilized. The analysis focused on elucidating the appropriateness of the biology content, instructional strategies, and assessment tools of selected websites for facilitating the biological science education of Grade …

State Compliance With The Mine Ban Treaty, Jacqueline C. Perez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Landmines have inflicted an insurmountable amount of physical and psychological harm, inhibiting social and economic development far after the conflict has ended. In an effort to create a world free of the weapon, a campaign to ban landmines was launched by non-governmental organizations. The Mine Ban Convention entered into force in 1999, requiring nation-states to immediately ban the use, production and transfer of anti-personnel landmines (APLs), destroy stockpiles within four years and remove landmines already planted within ten years. This study examines the level of legal compliance with the Mine Ban Convention. An empirical analysis is conducted using a data …

Study Of Seventh Grade Geometry Posttest Scores After Using The Geoleg Manipulative Tool, Phyllis. Pacilli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The purpose of this research was to identify if 1) there is a difference in student achievement between students who use the GeoLeg manipulative tool and students who use a traditional compass, protractor, and ruler on the same geometry unit; 2) there is a difference in student achievement between the genders between those who use the GeoLeg manipulative tool and those students who do not; and 3) there is a relationship between identified learning styles and student achievement on a geometry unit posttest after using the GeoLeg manipulative tool. There were 317 students in the study. The research found that …

The Moral Authority Of The Child In Two Fairy Tales, Alyssa. Cedeno

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Although many studies focus specifically on the child's reception of fairy tales, few have considered whether the (step)child in the tales is more aware or more equipped with a knowledge of "moral authority" and "correct" conduct than the (step)parent. This thesis will consider the (step)parent/ (step)child relationship motif in two French and German fairy tales by Perrault and the Brothers Grimm: Perrault's Cendrillon ou la petite pantoufle de verre and Le Petit Chaperon rouge; and the Grimms' Aschenputtel and Rotkèappchen. In analyzing the genre's depiction of children, the thesis will examine the ways in which the narrative voice constructs the …

The Effects Of Social Structure On Individual Actions: A Social Cognition And Social Structure Approach, Harry Trip Knoche

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This study examines the effects of epistemic motives and individual social structure (strength of social ties) on individual actions. lt has been suggested that the informal structure of relations that develops within firms affects the actions of individuals e effects of both epistemic motives and social structure are considered. The findings of this study suggest that information about the epistemic motives of employees can provide insight into the fonnation of the individual social structures and the intrinsic desire of employees to take interdependent or independent actions. The effects of epistemic motives and individual social structure on individual actions, the organizing …

Disordered Eating In Male College Students And The Associated Risk Factors, Kathryn A. Feltman

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Stalking Victims : Gender Of Victim And Level Of Threat, Billea J. M Ahlgrim

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Spatial Memory And Antioxidant Defense In Long-Living Ames Dwarf Mice, Stephanie Branshaw

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Faculty Development In Instructional Technology: A Multiple Case Study, Robson Moura Marinho

Faculty Publications

Employing the descriptive multiple case study method, this qualitative study explores the experiences of ten faculty members involved in learning about technology at a Major Pubic University in the United States. Participants shed light on the learning process in instructional technology by sharing their personal experiences, perspectives, ideas and behaviors. This paper summarizes the results of the study, making comparisons with related literature, and then discussing its practical implications and recommendations for faculty development. The findings indicate the need of a more holistic approach to faculty development programs in instructional technology.

Trends In Body Fat, Body Mass Index And Physical Fitness Among Male And Female College Students, Peter Pribis, Carol A. Burtnack, Sonya O. Mckenzie, Jerome Thayer

Faculty Publications

There have been many publications in recent years reporting on the quantity of physical activity among college students using indirect indicators such as steps walked per day or time spent on physical activities. The purpose of this study was to describe the trends of physical fitness related to BMI and body fat among university students between 1996 and 2008. The results showed a significant decline in the average fitness levels measured as an estimation of VO2max for male and female students (p < 0.001 for both sexes). The linear trend for BMI by years was not significant for both sexes (p for males = 0.772, p for females = 0.253). On average, in the last 13 years, % body fat was increasing 0.513%/year for males and 0.654%/year for females. There is a significant indirect correlation between the student's VO2max levels and % body fat, r = -0.489; p < 0.001 for males; and r = -0.416, p < 0.001 for females. Approximately 23.9% of the variance in the VO2max levels in males and 17.3% in females can be explained by the variance in % body fat. The results support recent findings that physical fitness among college students is declining and body fatness is increasing. © 2010 by the authors.

A Qualitative Approach To Understanding Audience's Perceptions Of Creativity In Online Advertising, Andrew Mcstay

The Qualitative Report

In this paper I seek to inquire upon audience's perceptions of creativity in online advertising - a heretofore poorly understood area. This paper initially outlines current academic understanding of creativity in online advertising, mainly derived from quantitative assessments. It then advances a qualitative methodology including diary-interviews and ethnographic online interviews across 41 participants. My starting point is a critique of the most comprehensive conceptual intervention in the area of advertising creativity - Smith and Yang's (2004) typology of "relevance" and "divergence". I assess to what extent this typology emerges from my participants' data. Two key features of relevance - contextual …

(Re)Constructing Reflexivity: A Relational Constructionist Approach, Diane Marie Hosking, Bettine Pluut

The Qualitative Report

This article distinguishes three discourses of reflexivity in relation to human inquiry. One of these arises from a post-modern, relational constructionist perspective which radically re-conceptualizes reflexivity: (a) as a local and co-constructed process oriented towards the question (b) how are we 'going on' together, and therefore paying attention to (c) the realities and relations we are co-creating during the research process and so (d) is concerned with local pragmatic and ethical issues (Gergen & Hosking, 2006; McNamee, 1994) rather than with the quality of truth claims. Regular reflexive dialogues as part of, and directed at, the research process can heighten …

Theoretical Versus Grass-Roots Development Of A Community Partnership, Socorro Escandón

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine Bracht, Kingbury, and Rissel's five-stage community development model as applied to a grass-roots community action group. The sample consisted of low-income, predominantly Hispanic women in a community action group in a Southwestern barrio, some of whom were experiencing domestic violence. The community group organizer was interviewed, and a content analytic table was constructed. Results showed that the community group's efforts would have benefited from a theoretically organized approach. The window of opportunity continues to be open for community development researchers to offer theoretical assistance to groups that are forming and to …

Depression: The Differing Narratives Of Couples In Couple Therapy, Eija-Liisa Rautiainen, Jukka Aaltonen

The Qualitative Report

How does the spouse of a person with depression take part in constructing narratives of depression in couple therapy? In this study we examined couples' ways of co-constructing narratives of depression in couple therapy. Three couple therapy processes were chosen for the study, one spouse in each couple having been referred to an outpatient clinic for treatment for his/her depression. Four sessions from each systemic couple therapy process (Jones & Asen, 2000) were analyzed using narrative analysis. According to our findings, couples co-constructed narratives of depression, each in their own way. It is crucial to focus not only on the …

Dialoguing With Body: A Self Study In Relational Pedagogy Through Embodiment And The Therapeutic Relationship, Chantale Lussier-Ley

The Qualitative Report

This article emerges from a self-study (Baird, 2004; Bergum, 2003; Grumet, 1990; Ham & Kane, 2004; Kitchen, 2005a, 2005b; Loughran, 2004) conducted as a requirement for a doctoral class at the University of Ottawa in the Faculty of Education. In this study, I reflected on my embodied experiences and the role of the body in my consulting practice in sport and performance psychology with athletes and dancers. Inspired by the work of Chehayl (2006), I engaged in a narrative analysis (Sands, 2002; Sparkes, 2002) of my own emerging autobiographic tale, and actively worked towards re-storying my body through a multi …

Arts Voices: Middle School Students And The Relationships Of The Arts To Their Motivation And Self-Efficacy, Heather Moorefield-Lang

The Qualitative Report

This study explores the question "Does arts education have a relationship to eighth-grade rural middle school students' motivation and self-efficacy?" Student questionnaires, focus-group interviews, and follow-up interviews were data collection methods used with 92 eighth-grade middle school students. Strong emphasis was placed on gathering personal narratives, comments, and opinions directly from the students. Content analysis was used to analyze the student interviews. Middle school students felt that there were both positive and negative relationships between their arts education classes and their motivation and self-efficacy. The students in this study had much to share on the arts courses offered in their …

Issues In The Analysis Of Focus Groups: Generalisability, Quantifiability, Treatment Of Context And Quotations, Lilla Vicsek

The Qualitative Report

In this paper I discuss some concerns related to the analysis of focus groups: (a) the issue of generalisation; (b) the problems of using numbers and quantifying in the analysis; (c) how the concrete situation of the focus groups could be included in the analysis, and (d) what formats can be used when quoting from focus groups. Problems with respect to generalisation are discussed; types of generalisation are presented which can be used in focus group research. Arguments are made against using a primarily quantitative perspective in the evaluation of focus group data. It is argued that the situation of …

Geographic Distribution Of Natural And Anthropogenic Noise In Selected Grand Forks Parks, Erin A. Pederson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

From Canter To Cantor: Negotiating Constraints, And The Perceptions Of Elitism In Serious Leisure Pursuits : The Experiences Of A High Performing Athlete And Artist, Lorraine O'Neill

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Everyone experiences leisure differently but, for people who excel in a chosen field, a hobby can become a serious goal-oriented leisure pursuit. Many talented people, however, fail to reach their leisure goals due to constraints. This study explored individual life experiences of serious leisure participants. It focused on the lived experiences of individual event [horse] riders and opera singers who successfully negotiated their constraints, enabling them to reach their high performance goals.

The purpose of this study was to explore positive personal strategies that individuals used to negotiate constraints in serious leisure. This was done by exploring intrapersonal, interpersonal and …

Preparing To Teach In Higher Education., Mp Fuller, Am Lee, M Pettigrove

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Realist Painting And Its Relationship To My Creative Practice, Xuning Wang

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis examines the realist art movement from its origins in France in the 1840s to its development in China in the 20th century and its impact on the author as an artist. The thesis reviews the development of realism in France, and traces its impact on Chinese conceptions of realism in the 20th century. The contemporary debates surrounding realism in China are examined and contextualised within the recent history of realism in China. Finally the thesis looks at the impact of realism on the author’s creative practice and a case is argued for the development of realist ideas in …

Living Fifo: The Experiences And Psychosocial Wellbeing Of Western Australian Fly-In/Fly-Out Employees And Partners, Anne M. Sibbel

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Using a concurrent multi-methods design employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies this study investigated the psychosocial wellbeing Western Australian fly-in/fly-out (FIFO) mining employees and their partners. The quantitative phase of the study assessed the psychological wellbeing, relationship satisfaction and perceptions of family function of 90 FIFO mining employees and 32 partners of FIFO employees using the General Health Questionnaire 12, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Family Assessment Device. Analyses revealed that both FIFO employees and their partners are within the norms for healthy functioning on the scales and sub-scales of the measures of psychological wellbeing, relationship satisfaction and perceptions …

Goal Motivation, Academic Outcomes, And Psychological Distress Of A Group Of Australian Secondary Students : Scale Refinement And An Extension Of The Ingledew, Wray, Markland, And Hardy (2005) Model, Craig Harms

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Beliefs held about personal goals are termed goal dimensions. When applied to academic goals, goal dimensions represent a form of academic motivation. The purpose of this research was to examine if a model of goal dimensions developed by Ingledew, Wray, Markland, and Hardy (2005) in a business setting with adults could be applied to explain academic outcomes and psychological distress of two hundred and sixteen Australian final-year secondary students who were striving to gain a place at a university. Structural Regression (S-R) Analysis was used to examine the effect of the goal dimensions on psychological distress at Time 1 (April); …

How Healthy Are Hairdressers? An Investigation Of Health Problems Of Female, Western Australian Hairdressers, Mary O'Loughlin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Aim: Hairdressing is a common worldwide occupation which, in Australia, comprises largely of a female workforce. Hairdressers are exposed to a range of potential health hazards in their work environment. There is a lack of current research into common health problems experienced by Australian hairdressers. This study aims to investigate health issues experienced by this occupational group, to identify potential health problems that may be associated with their work and to identify concerns for future research. Methods: A review of current literature examining the health of hairdressers was conducted to ascertain areas of health concern for hairdressers. This …

Industrial Heat Stress : Using Ice Slurry Ingestion As A Practical Approach To Reducing Heat Strain In Workers, Joseph E. Maté

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Personnel working in industry can encounter hot and humid conditions where uncompensable heat loads are experienced; an inability to dissipate stored heat increases the risk of developing a heat illness. In order to minimise the incidence of heat illnesses, several heat stress reduction interventions have been developed which aim to allow for safe repeated bouts of exposure to high thermal heat loads. These vary from modification of the working environment, wearing of personal protective equipment designed to cool, heat stress indices and/or hydration regimens. Despite these interventions, personnel still experience heat stress related illnesses. Consequently, the overall aim of the …

Infusing Critical Thinking Into An Employability Skills Program: The Effectiveness Of An Immersion Approach, Sophie Kennedy

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The demands of the knowledge economy have placed renewed emphasis on graduate employability and the development of higher-order thinking skills. Preparing graduates for the workplace requires new instructional approaches to develop a matrix of interrelated skills. This study investigates an immersion approach to developing employability skills with emphasis on the infusion of critical thinking skills in an undergraduate business degree.

The research is situated within the pragmatic paradigm and comprises a mixed methods approach. Analyses of project instructions, student reflections and test scores are presented in an explanatory case study in three parts: the infusion of critical thinking skills in …

A Model For The Measurement And Presentation Of Participation Awareness In Online Groupware Systems, Greg Baatard

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The need to support effective group work in online environments has become a prominent issue in both education and enterprise. Universities continue to adopt constructivist-based learning strategies which see learners engage in group work to build knowledge, coupled with an increase in online and distance learners. In enterprise, where group or team based work is commonplace, the prevalence of the Internet has seen the emergence of teams that collaborate wholly or partially online.

In response to this emergent need, groupware, software used to support online group work, has become widely used in both education and enterprise. Although based upon sound …

Linking Uses Of Management Control Systems With Strategic Capabilities And Business Level Strategies For Organizational Performance Evidence From The Sri Lankan Textile And Apparel Industry, Nirosha D. Kapu Arachchilage

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research investigates how the uses of Management Control Systems (MCS), namely, diagnostic use and interactive use, as moderating variables, influence the relationship between business (competitive) strategies (which are determined by strategic capabilities) and organizational performance. Simons’ levers of control model, Porter’s theory of generic competitive strategy and the Resource Based View (RBV) of strategy have been considered as the underpinning theories and models of the study in developing the theoretical framework and hypotheses. The theoretical framework consists of two strategic capabilities (low cost competency and uniqueness competency), two generic business strategies (cost leadership and differentiation), two uses of MCS …

Socio-Cultural Factors Influencing Male Involvement In Reproductive Health During Pregnancy, Childbirth And The Postnatal Period In Rural Districts Of Malawi, Jane Dzumbila-Namasasu

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis focuses on socio cultural factors influencing male involvement in reproductive health during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period in rural districts of Malawi. This research stems from my fourteen years of experience in designing and overseeing the implementation of reproductive health services in Malawi, which led me to question why men as partners/husbands are not considered in the design and implementation of such services. Men as partners/husbands bear witness to most of the reproductive health problems that women go through and they are in a position of power, making decisions for their families‟ welfare. In addition to men‟s …

Theory Of Entropic Security Decay: The Gradual Degradation In Effectiveness Of Commissioned Security Systems, Michael P. Coole

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

As a quantitative auditing tool for Physical Protection Systems (PPS) the Estimated Adversary Sequence Interruption (EASI) model has been available for many years. Nevertheless, once a systems macro-state measure has been commissioned (Pi) against its defined threat using EASI, there must be a means of articulating its continued efficacy (steady state) or its degradation over time. The purpose of this multi-phase study was to develop the concept and define the term entropic security decay. Phase one presented documentary benchmarks for security decay. This phase was broken into three stages; stage one presented General Systems Theory (GST) as a systems benchmark …