Digital Commons Network^™

Death On High Seas Act - Defining Dohsa's Applicability To Noncommercial Aircraft Accidents, Susan Roxanne Jett

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

No abstract provided.

What's Wrong With Pregnancy In The Airline Industry And What To Do About It: Balancing Public Safety Interests, Disability Rights, And Freedom From Discrimination, Jennifer Staton

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

No abstract provided.

Maintaining Privacy In A World Of Technological Transparency: The Barr Program's Ups And Downs In Changing Times, Olga Gurtovaya

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

No abstract provided.

Don’T Touch That String! There Went The Databases, Dee Baldwin, Michael Kucsak, Alice Eng

Library Presentations & Publications

Web discovery tools can change not only the way users search and retrieve information, but also, how libraries and librarians work with information. When the University of North Florida implemented web scale discovery tools, we discovered that the technical implementation was challenging, but the most difficult changes were related to the library culture. Our students were “early adopters” moving from over 26 different entry points to finding most library materials in one search. But our staff and faculty were more resistant to the change.

Technical challenges related to implementation included coordinating the various technology pieces to customize the search interface, …

What We Can Learn From The Lived Experience Of Asperger's Syndrome, Craig Allen Talbot Edd

Dissertations

The overall purpose of this study was to survey the personal experiences of individuals with Asperger's Syndrome (AS), analyze and combine them into a shared lived experience in order to provide information pertinent to treatment and intervention, particularly in educational and extra-curricular settings. Those teaching, volunteering or working with individuals with AS must consider their behavioral propensities and natural inclinations in both characteristics and individual personality traits when guiding them in schooling, career preparation, life skills, social interactions and other responsibilities. The goal of the study was to identify common interventions, including technology interventions, or patterns of behavior used by …

Second Grade Students' Cognitive Understanding Of Heart Rate Monitors And Pedometers, Carolyn Lee Tozer

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood obesity has become a significant health problem in the United States (Dietz, 1998, Blair et al., 2007, Robinson, Wadsworth, 2010). In children, obesity is defined as being at or above the 95th percentile for BMI according to age growth charts (Carroll, 2006). There are several approaches to combating the epidemic of obesity. In physical education classes, teachers are using are heart rate monitors and pedometers to assess the students' levels of physical activity (Blair et al., 2007). However, it is uncertain if elementary students better understand the results from the pedometer, or the heart rate monitor. A study of …

Juror Personality And Legal Blame, Eugenia Vazquez

Theses and Dissertations

The following study looked at the relationship between self-monitoring and jurors' view of liability in a civil accident case. Some studies looking at belief systems and selected personality traits and have found conflicting results on whether or not you can determine which way the juror will vote on a case. Even fewer studies have looked at the Big Five Personality traits and self-monitoring. Research shows that individuals who are more extraverted are more likely to vote for the defense. This study had participants (N=147) take the Big Five Personality Inventory and the Self-Monitoring Scale, then read an accident scenario and …

Leadership Development In Higher Education: Exploring Model Impact Among Students And Alumni, Michael Scot Bommarito

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of an institution-wide leadership development model on students at a private Christian university. The university being studied in this research made a significant commitment to the principles of servant-leadership as well as Kouzes and Posner's (2002) Leadership Challenge development model. In 2001 the university adopted the mission of ensuring that every student grows as a leader in his or her own field of study. All courses and programs are required to include servant leadership development opportunities and outcomes. Key to the model selected is the premise that leadership, as a …

Phylogeography And Habitat Associations Of Franklin's Gulls In Their United States Breeding Range, Annmarie Krmpotich

Theses and Dissertations

The Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) is a long distance migrant which is listed as a species of concern by U.S. state wildlife management agencies and in the Northern Prairie and Parkland Waterbird Plan for the U.S. and Canada. The designation of this status is due to few, isolated breeding colonies and unknown population dynamics. Few attempts have been made to address the unknown population dynamics or to quantify habitat use at breeding sites of this species. Recognizing there is a need for this information; this thesis uses deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence to show the relationships of Franklin's gull breeding colonies …

Reflected Appraisals And Racial And Sexual Identity Development In The Lives Of Black Lesbian And Bisexual Women, Konjit Vonetta Page

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a grounded theory about the relationship between racial identity statuses and the experience of reflected appraisals in the lives of Black lesbian and bisexual women. Black lesbian and bisexual women were specifically selected in this study due to the unique and multiple issues Black lesbian and bisexual women face as members of multiple marginalized and oppressed groups.

Participants in this study included 13 self-identified Black lesbian and bisexual women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant. In accordance with grounded theory approaches, follow-up interviews were conducted and enabled participants to provide …

Media Portrayals Of Political Spouse's Communication On The Campaign Trail: A Content Analysis, Anita Lynn Herold

Theses and Dissertations

A good public image is important to everyone, but it is vital to political

candidates. Media content has been the focus of much research, but most centers on the candidate as an individual. This research explores media portrayals of the communication that occurs between a candidate and their spouse.

A content analysis of newsmagazine articles from September 1, 2010 to November 1, 2010 was conducted exploring concepts relating to candidate status, spouse's sex, gender roles and stereotypes, acceptance, and media ideology.

Only 8.82% of the articles contained instances of spousal communication. All of these communication events portrayed in the article …

Workshop Training And Instructional Coaching: A Model For Professional Development That Results In Academic Student Growth, Amy Jo Leonard

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined two forms of Professional Development, workshop training and instructional coaching together and workshop training alone. All participating teachers attended the same workshop training on vocabulary instruction and were trained in using procedural cards for teaching science vocabulary. Two teachers were randomly selected to be in the experimental group (workshop training and instructional coaching together) and two teachers were randomly selected to be in the control group (workshop training alone). The experimental group received six weeks of instructional coaching including pre-conferencing, post-conferencing, and classroom observations with feedback. Using posttest t-test, the researcher determined the effects of both the …

Leaving The Fda Behind: Pharmaceutical Outsourcing And Drug Safety, Chenglin Liu

Faculty Articles

During the 2008 heparin crisis, a tainted blood-thinning drug imported from China caused the deaths of at least eighty people in the United States. However, despite the Food and Drug Administration’s (“FDA”) reactive measures, the American regulatory framework for drug safety remains largely unchanged. Currently, about 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredients, 40% of finished drugs, and 50% of all medical devices used in the United States are imported from over 100 countries. With the growth of product outsourcing, pharmaceutical companies in the United States have stopped manufacturing many essential medicines. Nevertheless, the FDA’s foreign inspections have lagged. It would take …

Consumer Bankruptcy Policy: Ability To Pay And Catholic Social Teaching, Richard E. Flint

Faculty Articles

An essay is presented on consumer bankruptcy policy in the U.S. It informs about the significant changes in the consumer bankruptcy introduced by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 including incorporation of an ability-to-pay test as a requirement for getting the benefits of the act. It reviews the Catholic social teaching related to the interrelationship between the dignity of man and his rights and duties to promote justice and the common good.

On The Abuse And Limits Of Lawyer Discipline, Vincent R. Johnson

Faculty Articles

Despite being routinely underfunded, lawyer disciplinary processes must operate in ways that merit the confidence of both society at large and the American legal profession. This means that those who participate in lawyer grievance adjudication must be vigilant against systemic abuse (whether deliberate or unintentional) and mindful of factors that limit institutional competence. This Essay argues that, in many instances, disciplinary authorities should abstain from deciding grievances that would require them to rule on unresolved scientific questions, particularly if controversial matters are involved. The Essay further urges that grievance rulings must be consistent with American constitutional principles which favor robust …

Judge Bernard S. Meyer: First Merit Appointee To The New York Court Of Appeals, Vincent R. Johnson

Faculty Articles

This is the story of Judge Bernard S. Meyer’s exhilarating, exhausting, and highly productive first year on the New York Court of Appeals. Based on a reputation for integrity and a record of professional accomplishment, Judge Meyer was chosen to the New York Court of Appeals in 1979, and the following seven-and-a-half years he spent there were highly productive. While on the Court of Appeals, Judge Meyer was a progressive reformer, and it was clear he intended to use his office to make the world a better place and, whenever possible, remedy injustice. He looked for ways in which the …

Dr. Alfred J. Kahn, Nancy V. Kahn

Social Service Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

How Much Does The Distance In Distance Education Matter? Our Students Speak, Manoj Pardasani, Lauri Goldkind, Janna Heyman, Bronwyn Cross Denny

Social Service Faculty Publications

Distance learning programs in social work education have been growing exponentially throughout the United States. This study interviewed Master of Social Work (MSW) students enrolled in two synchronous distance-learning courses that employed a blended pedagogy, and evaluates their insights about the learning experience. For these two courses, material was presented via video conferencing and supplemented with online media at two campuses at a large school of social work. In order to give students a voice about their experiences, data were collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Common themes included: autonomy, emotional connectedness, technological challenges, and knowledge acquisition. Both the strengths and …

More Than The Sum Of Its Parts: An Innovative Organizational Collaboration Model, Lauri Goldkind, Manoj Pardasani

Social Service Faculty Publications

For at least the past decade, the social service sector has been pressed by external forces to develop models of interagency collaboration. While many organizations use strategic partnerships, joint service delivery models, and even mergers to remain viable in climates of competition, few agencies have explored the possible rewards of sharing development and fundraising tasks. This article examines an innovative collaborative fundraising entity forged by three child welfare organizations in the New York City area. The authors conducted structured interviews with key stakeholders at each of the three agencies to describe the model as implemented by the agencies as well …

Senior Centers And Policy Advocacy: Changing Public Perceptions, Manoj G. Pardasani, Lauri Goldkind

Social Service Faculty Publications

As critical components of the aging continuum of care, senior centers promote older adult health and well-being by providing opportunities for recreation, socialization, nutrition, health education, and access to vital social services. As the United States population ages rapidly, public funding, which is the primary source of support for a majority of senior center services, has remained stagnant. If senior centers are to continue to effectively serve older adults and meet their comprehensive needs, they need to demonstrate their relevance to the community and advocate for increased funding support. This paper explores the policy concerns of senior center administrators, investigates …

Managerial Cost Accounting, Christopher M. Fairchild

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Automatic Document Classification In Small Environments, Jonathan David Mcelroy

Master's Theses

Document classification is used to sort and label documents. This gives users quicker access to relevant data. Users that work with large inflow of documents spend time filing and categorizing them to allow for easier procurement. The Automatic Classification and Document Filing (ACDF) system proposed here is designed to allow users working with files or documents to rely on the system to classify and store them with little manual attention. By using a system built on Hidden Markov Models, the documents in a smaller desktop environment are categorized with better results than the traditional Naive Bayes implementation of classification.

Reconsidering Instructional Design With Web 2.0 Technologies, Fei Gao, Kun Li, Tian Luo, Jamie Smith

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Emerging technologies such as Web 2.0 afford interconnections, content creation and remixing, which provide rich opportunities to for more personally meaningful, collaborative, and socially relevant learning (Greenhow, Robelia, & Hudges, 2009). Web 2.0 and other emerging technologies offer new possibilities of designing collaborative activities that engage learners in meaningful learning (Chai & Tan, 2009; Cress & Kimmerle, 2008).

Despite the enthusiasm of integrating Web 2.0 technologies into learning environment design, researchers found that few instructors know the pedagogies that could lead to productive innovation (Collis & Moonen, 2008). This symposium consists of one theoretical paper and three case studies that …

"You Got To Be Follow-Worthy Or I Will Unfollow You!” Students’ Voices On Twitter Integration Into Classroom Settings, Tian Luo, Teresa Franklin

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This research centers on a case study where Twitter was integrated in an undergraduate level course. Under the instructor’s specific guidance and ongoing feedback, students actively participate in the course both in and outside of classroom. They perceived the incorporation of Twitter into classroom to be highly engaging and contributive to their learning. During the 10 week course, students’ initiatives in developing self-defined codes of conduct for tweeting, creating user groups, and assisting one another to become proficient in using Twitter, demonstrated a high degree of autonomous social learning in both formal and informal learning environments. Not only were they …

Designing Microblogging-Based Class Activities, Tian Luo, Fei Gao

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Microblogging tools such as Twitter have been frequently adopted in educational settings to facilitate learning. This study examined how a microblogging tool, Twiducate, was incorporated into a graduate-level class of ten students. During the 1.5 hour lesson, students participated in a series of Twiducate-supported collaborative and reflective activities. The analysis of in-class discussion transcripts, text-based posts on Twiducate and a pre- and post-test survey results revealed that students were highly engaged in classroom collaborative learning and there is a high level of interaction. Students reported the challenges of using microblogging tools, such as the possibility of creating distraction and disorder …

Seeing The Clouds: Teacher Librarian As Broker In Collaborative Planning With Teachers, Sue Kimmel

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Teachers engaged in sustained collaboration with a teacher librarian were interviewed about the meaning of that collaboration. The findings suggest that the teachers recognized important contributions of the librarian to instructional planning and classroom instruction including knowledge, legwork, and support. In particular, they understood her role as a broker both to resources and to ideas for using those resources in instruction. While these resources were essential, they were not sufficient; they required a knowledgeable peer who also understood their application to the curriculum and what students were expected to learn. They required a librarian.

Comparison Of Restricted And Traditional Discussion Boards On Student Critical Thinking, Jennifer R. Morrison, Ginger S. Watson, Gary R. Morrison

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Interaction is a critical component of distance education and involves the transfer of information between the learner and content, learner and learner, or learner and instructor (Moore, 1989). Current distance education literature has examined the role of interaction, specifically learner-learner interaction, in learning and discussion design to enhance achievement. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of restricted and traditional discussion boards on critical thinking and learning in a graduate-level online distance education course. Findings indicated improved critical thinking in the quality and preparation strategies of initial discussion board postings when participants' views of peer responses to …

Virtual Or Reality: Prosecutorial Practices In Cyber Child Pornography Ring Cases, Michal Gilad

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

With the rising use of the Internet over the past decade, the boundaries between our physical space and cyberspace are quickly fading. The Internet has become an integral and inseparable part of modern being, and its dominance in our lives is undeniable. Actions taken online are no longer a mere virtual fantasy, but directly relate to our “offline” everyday living. Modern criminal trends also demonstrate the strong link betweenthe virtual and physical worlds.

I 4 An I: Why Changing The Standard For Overcoming The Presumption Of Patent Validity Will Cause More Harm Than Good, John A. Morrissett

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Bad facts make bad law. The Supreme Court recently addressed the issue of what constitutes the appropriate standard of proof for invalidating an issued patent. The Patent Act provides a presumption of patent validity. Therefore, a party challenging a patent’s validity bears the burden of overcoming this presumption. However, the Patent Act is silent as to the standard of proof required to satisfy this burden. Despite the Act’s silence, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (“Federal Circuit”) has consistently held that the Patent Act’s presumption of validity can only be overcome by a showing of clear and …

Introduction: Contains Cover, Table Of Contents, Letter From The Editor, And Masthead, Joel Hermsdorfer

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

The Richmond Journal of Law and Technology is proud to present its Annual Survey issue of the 2011-2012 academic year.