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Book Production In The Medieval West Midlands: The Case For Organized Bookmaking, Rashelle Spear

Masters Theses

My thesis project, Book Production in the West Midlands: The Case for Organized Bookmaking, takes into consideration the geographical factors of the medieval manuscripts of the West Midlands in England from the mid-fourteenth to the early fifteenth centuries. The medieval manuscript is an artifact: it is a piece of the past that, if examined carefully, will present a narrative about bookmen, bookmaking practices, and the reading public of a specific period and, in this case, a geographical area.

To discover a more coherent picture of bookmaking and the way books were prepared and received in the West Midlands, I closely …

Many-To-One Communication Protocol For Wireless Sensor Networks, Chansu Yu, Robert Fiske, Seungmin Park, Won-Tae Kim

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper proposes a novel communication protocol, called Many-to-One Sensors-to-Sink (MOSS), tailored to wireless sensor networks (WSNs). It exploits the unique sensors-to-sink traffic pattern to realize low-overhead medium access and low- latency sensors-to-sink routing paths. In conventional schedule-based MAC protocols such as S-MAC, sensor nodes in the proximity of the event generate reports simultaneously, causing unreliable and unpredictable performance during a brief but critical period of time when an event of interest occurs. MOSS is based on time division multiple access (TDMA) that avoids energy waste due to collisions, idle listening and overhearing and avoids unreliable behavior mentioned above. A …

Yearbook 2012, Brooklyn Law School

Brooklyn Law School Yearbooks

No abstract provided.

Expanding The Jazz Repertoire: Reimagining Modern Popular Music, Chad Edwin Mathis

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Egg Recognition And Cowbird Egg Ejection Behavior In The American Robin (Turdus Migratorius), Allison Karlien Lang

Masters Theses

American Robins (Turdus migratorius) typically eject parasitic cowbird eggs from their nests. In order to successfully remove parasitic eggs, robins must first be able to differentiate between their own and foreign eggs and then remove the unwanted egg(s). This study addressed these behaviors. A robin's ability to recognize its own eggs was tested by adding artificial cowbird eggs to robin nests at various parasite-tohost egg ratios which created three treatments: (1) a majority of robin eggs in the nest, (2) an equal number of robin and cowbird eggs, and (3) a majority of cowbird eggs. At 89% of nests (51 …

African American Male Student Leaders And Matriculation: A Qualitative Evaluation, Alexandra Leann Finley

Masters Theses

The current study was designed to identify the correlations between leadership, academic success, and matriculation within the African American male community at a predominantly White institution. Within separate one-on-one interviews, six participants were asked a set of pre-determined questions regarding their involvement and educational experiences at their university. Through coding and analyzing participant responses, five themes emerged, including: 1) academic success as an African American male student leader, (2) leadership skills learned and developed, (3) skills obtained for general success as an African American male student leader at a PWI, (4) the importance of mentoring on shaping an African American …

Effects Of Positive Bedtime Routines On Sleep In Toddlers, Mallory Osterloo

Masters Theses

Establishment of a consistent bedtime routine is often recommended to parents of toddlers. Few studies have investigated the efficacy of implementing a bedtime routine, without additional behavioral intervention. Sixty-one parents and their toddler (ages 18- 48 months, n = 61) were given written information regarding a positive bedtime routine to examine the effects on bedtime-resistance and improving parent mood. This study found that institution of a consistent nightly bedtime routine with non sleep-disordered toddlers may improve some aspects of bedtime resistance (i.e., calling out), increase sleep duration during the night, and improve parent's negative mood. However, there was no change …

Comparison Of Silver Carp Population Demographics In An Impounded And A Free Flowing River, Jason G. Stuck

Masters Theses

The silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, is an invasive species that has received increased attention due to the proximity of the population in the Illinois River to the economically important Great Lakes and the species ability to dominate the aquatic biomass of an ecosystem. We sought to assess the population demographics of silver carp on two different river ecosystems, the Illinois River and Wabash River. The Illinois River is channelized and dammed for commercial barges, whereas the Wabash River is the longest free flowing river east of the Mississippi River and is still connected to its natural flood plain. Silver carp …

Exploring Phenyl Embrace Interactions In Trityloxy And Tritylamino Aromatic Compounds, Premnath Basa

Masters Theses

The area of supramolecular chemistry seeks to understand the organization of molecular structures and the interactions that hold such assemblies together by non-covalent interactions such as electrostatic, hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking interactions, and hydrophobic or solvatophobic effects. One such example that comes under supramolecular chemistry is the phenyl embrace interaction. These interactions occur due to the cooperative participation of at least three or more neighboring phenyl groups arranged as an interlocking propeller configuration to give complementary edge-to-face or offset face-to-face interactions. In order to understand the effect of functional groups on the tendencies of organic compounds to form phenyl embrace …

Document Information Form For Smu Digital Repository, Smu Digital Repository Staff

SMU Scholar Administrative Documents

No abstract provided.

Smu Digital Repository December 2011 Newsletter, Jacob Brown

SMU Scholar Administrative Documents

No abstract provided.

School Psychologists’ Knowledge And Use Of Evidence-Based, Social-Emotional Learning Interventions, Brian Mckevitt

Psychology Faculty Publications

This article describes the results of a national survey pertaining to school psychologists’ knowledge and use of evidence-based, social-emotional learning (SEL) interventions. For the study, 331 school psychologists responded to a survey that listed (a) techniques for identifying SEL interventions, (b) 16 SEL programs that have been identified by more than one source as having strong evidence for their effectiveness, and (c) factors that school psychologists may use for deciding on a program to use in their schools. Participants in the survey were asked to rate their opinions about selecting and using SEL interventions, as well as their knowledge and …

Fostering Strategic Awareness At An Organization’S Boundary, Peter S. Davis, Joseph A. Allen, Clay Dibrell

Psychology Faculty Publications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of strategy messages emanating from both top and middle/supervisory managers regarding five different aspects of strategy on strategic awareness among boundary personnel.

Design/methodology/approach – The results come from a survey of bank tellers and customer service representatives within a single large regional bank.

Findings – The findings support a differential main effect on strategic awareness among boundary personnel depending on the source of messages, whether top management or middle management. More interestingly, there appears to be an interaction effect between the two sources regarding which will be the …

Photos From Journey Of Hope 2012, Esther Brown

Moratorium Advocacy

Photos from the 2012 Journey of Hope, a gathering in support of the Alabama execution moratorium. Included are photos of Esther Brown, Alabama death row exoneree Gary Drinkard, Alabama state legislator Hank Sanders, Bud Welch (father of an Oklahoma City bombing victim), Sue Norton, and Bo Corleran.

K-12 Online Teacher Beliefs: Relationships Among Intelligence, Confidence, Teacher-Student Interactions, And Student Outcomes, Ploeg Guadalupe Vander

Theses and Dissertations

The vigorous expansion of online learning in K-12 education is a recent change to the conceptualization of schooling that has been occurring for more than 10 years. However, methods used for recruiting, hiring, and preparing online teachers have not been altered beyond the current federal standard defined by No Child Left Behind of Highly Qualified Teachers in order to provide students with teachers demonstrating an orientation toward learning. Historically, educational theory and research suggest that teachers who are learners make a difference for student learning. Recently, social cognitive psychology and neuroscience research has demonstrated a key finding that beliefs about …

Predicting Success For Nontraditional Students In An Afternoon And Evening/Weekend Associate Degree In Nursing Program, Hernani Luison Ledesma

Theses and Dissertations

Mount St. Mary's College has offered a nontraditional Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Program since 1992. The program has an afternoon and evening/weekend format. There has been one previous research study published in 2005 that described the student population that Mount St. Mary's College serves. This present study will examine the student population since 2005 because of changes in admission requirements, the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) - Registered Nurse (RN) passing standard, and the persistent nursing shortage. The purpose of this research study is to predict success for nontraditional adult learners in an Afternoon and Evening/Weekend Associate Degree of …

Asilomar Leadership Skills Seminar: The Career Preparation, Advancement, And Enhancement Of Women In California Community College Leadership, Estella M. Castillo-Garrison

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods research study examined the effects on the career preparation, advancement, and enhancement of women from California community college leadership who participated in the Asilomar Leadership Skills Seminar (Asilomar) from 2005-2011. Data were collected during the 2011-2012 academic year and were gathered from the results of 67 respondents to an online 27-item survey and from 10 volunteer interviews. Eleven important findings resulted from analysis of study data. In the area of career preparation, Asilomar prompted participants to set personal and professional goals, encouraged and inspired them to prepare to take on leadership roles with increasing responsibility, and positively influenced …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Culturally Proficient Practices In An Elementary School, Pamela S. Simone

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was that leaders at an urban elementary school had not examined the implementation of culturally proficient practices, nor the challenges, barriers, or support needed for implementation. The purpose of the study was to inform instructional and leadership practices involving culturally proficient instruction. This was a mixed methods study with 24 teachers involving the examination of responses to 3 data collection instruments as well as document analysis of school policy, vision, mission, leadership team structures, and the teacher handbook. Three questions were answered through the study: (a) What culturally proficient instructional practices, if any, do …

Directed Blogging With Community College Esl Students: Its Effects On Awareness Of Language Acquisition Processes, Cathy Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

English as a Second Language (ESL) students often have problems progressing in their acquisition of the language and frequently do not know how to solve this dilemma. Many of them think of their second language studies as just another school subject that they must pass in order to move on to the next level, so few of them realize the metacognitive processes that are involved in learning another language. This dissertation focused on the use of blogs with intermediate community college ESL students to see if this could help them become more aware of these language learning processes by doing …

Transitioning Organizations For Sustainability: Exploring The Intersection Of Sustainability, Worldview, And Organization Development, Jessica Bartenhagen

Theses and Dissertations

Transitioning Organizations for Sustainability (TOS) is the practice of holistic organizational transformation in response to complex social, ecological, and economic challenges. This study examined the relationship between the worldview of organization development (OD) practitioners and their professional identity, particularly those practicing TOS. The study compared professional data with levels of agreement with the NEP Scale (Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig & Jones, 2000). Data were collected through a survey of Pepperdine University MSOD affiliates and interviews with TOS practitioners. Current TOS practice, a future desire for TOS practice, a Master's level education, and a future-oriented outlook were shown to have some …

A Needs-Assessment For The Development Of Out-Of-School Time Program For A Middle School, Samir Elmoghrabi

Theses and Dissertations

Communities that fall in the category of middle to low class economics are in critical need for Out-of-School Time (OST) programs to supervise students while parents are working; however, these numerous communities do not qualify for OST government funding. The purpose of this study is a needs-assessment for a middle school that does not qualify for government funding. Of 974 parents, 325 participated in a comprehensive survey. Eleven school personnel--including top administrators, teachers, and staff--and 6 community members including the city mayor, director of an OST program, president of school board of education, a business leader, and 2 library administrators …

Impact Of A High-Involvement Approach To Customer Satisfaction On Employees And Organizational Performance, Andrew G. Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impacts of high-involvement approaches to enhancing customer satisfaction within a professional services firm. The study identified supportive organizational factors and employee attitudes and behaviors. Employee, customer, and organizational impacts associated with the initiative also were identified. Ten employees were surveyed and six were interviewed. Survey data were neutral, meaning that the respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the items. Empowerment measures however, were significantly and positively correlated to organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and engagement. Organizational supports include direction, vision, allowance and recognition for these customer-focused behaviors, and having a return on investment from customer orientation. Supportive …

Standard Of Care For Forensic Personal Injury Evaluations, Laura Troolines

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the current practice procedures and recommendations for conducting forensic personal injury evaluations. This 2-pronged phenomenological approach examined current practice procedures for conducting personal injury evaluations via a literature review and recommendations from experts to gather information regarding their current practice procedures and recommendations for conducting personal injury evaluations. This dissertation was completed along with another study to explore the development of a standard of care in forensic psychological evaluations. Both studies discussed general issues related to the development of a standard of care in forensic psychological evaluation. However, each study also focused …

Exploring Relationship Awareness In Organizational Change Using The Strength Deployment Inventory, Angie Burwell Kerr

Theses and Dissertations

Most planned approaches to organizational change specify a set of steps intended to apply to most change efforts, without recognizing contextual factors impacting the approach or the individual changes required to achieve organizational results. The purpose of this study was to determine if increasing personal awareness of self and others through the Strength Deployment Inventory may affect planned change actions, as well as individual thinking and beliefs about change. The study contributes to a greater understanding of a relationship-centered change model. The case study was conducted in the Organizational Effectiveness department of an insurance corporation. Differences in wants and needs …

Factors Associated With Abstinence Among Older Opiate Users, Julie Ann Snyder

Theses and Dissertations

Factors associated with the achievement of abstinence were examined among 343 opiate addicted older adults (average age 56.5 years old) who were participants in longitudinal studies conducted by Anglin and colleagues. Participants' responses to survey questions on factors such as physical health status, mental health status, gender, social support, and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) involvement were investigated to examine their association with achievement of short-term abstinence (defined as no illicit substance use within the past 30 days) and long-term abstinence (defined as no illicit substance use within the past year). Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the nature and strength …

Transitioning Organizations For Sustainability: Exploring The Intersection Of Sustainability, Worldview, And Organization Development, Jessica Bartenhagen

Theses and Dissertations

Transitioning Organizations for Sustainability (TOS) is the practice of holistic organizational transformation in response to complex social, ecological, and economic challenges. This study examined the relationship between the worldview of organization development (OD) practitioners and their professional identity, particularly those practicing TOS. The study compared professional data with levels of agreement with the NEP Scale (Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig & Jones, 2000). Data were collected through a survey of Pepperdine University MSOD affiliates and interviews with TOS practitioners. Current TOS practice, a future desire for TOS practice, a Master's level education, and a future-oriented outlook were shown to have some …

An Examination Of An Intervention Program: The Sister Circle, Bobbi Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of an intervention program: The Sister Circle. The program was designed to address the specific needs of at-risk African American Female Adolescents (AAFA's) in a poor, urban high school. The study examined 2 years of field notes, school documents, interviews of student participants, staff and administrators at the high school. The program saw a 92% retention rate in participants and a 90% reduction in discipline referrals. Results of the study gleaned 4 factors as significant: 1. the presence of a caring adult, 2. a sisterhood to connect to 3. respect to give and to receive, …

Uplift: An Examination Of Six African American Female Educational Leaders During The Reconstruction, Segregation And Equal Opportunity Eras, Wanda Johnson Clemmons

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the history of slavery and its systemic effects on the education of African Americans, African American female educators heeded a clarion call to uplift their race. Their passion, devotion, and resilience in the face of insurmountable obstacles were heroic. This study will examine the leadership of 6 selected African American female educators during the Reconstruction, Segregation, and Equal Opportunity Eras from 1866 through 2010: Fanny Jackson Coppin, Dr. Anna Julia Cooper, Nannie Helen Burroughs, Charlotte Hawkins Brown, Dr. Mary Montel Bacon and Joan Faqir. Three areas of their life were examined: (a) their influences and motivations to move …

Engaging Global Service: Organizational Motivations For And Perceived Benefits Of Hosting International Volunteers, Erin Leslie Barnhart

Dissertations and Theses

An increasingly popular way for global citizens to contribute to communities around the world is through international volunteering. In tandem with this growing trend, academic research in the field has increased to explore the goals, motivations, and impacts of international service on volunteers, host communities, and volunteer-sending organizations. One of the larger gaps in our understanding of global civic engagement though is the specifics of how and why, as well as the overall impact of international service on, host organizations that seek and/or accept international volunteers. Using an exploratory research design to collect and analyze survey data and open-ended email …

Kicking The Can: Understanding The Financial Crisis Of 2008, John Arthur Rutter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This thesis explores the processes of producing and directing a documentary film about the 2008 financial crisis. The paper follows the development of the team project as individual group members researched the crisis in literature and in film, and then discusses the filmmaking process required to direct such a film.