Digital Commons Network^™

Increasing Student Engagement In The Middle School Classroom, Elisa V. Biancalana

Dissertations

There is a need to improve student engagement in the middle school classroom. This change plan seeks to determine the level of student engagement in the classroom using the Instructional Practices Inventory tool. Classroom walkthroughs will be conducted to determine the level of engagement in the classroom. The data collected during the walkthroughs will drive the professional development needed for teachers in order to be able to implement teaching strategies that increase the level of student engagement in the classroom. The effective implementation of this change plan will ensure that teachers will work collaboratively in order to design engaging instruction …

Chc-Tscm: A Trustworthy Service Composition Method Based On An Improved Chc Genetic Algorithm, Cao Buqing, Liu Jianxun, Xiaoqing Frank Liu, Li Bing, Zhou Dong

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Trustworthy service composition is an extremely important task when service composition becomes infeasible or even fails in an environment which is open, autonomic, uncertain and deceptive. This paper presents a trustworthy service composition method based on an improved Cross generation elitist selection, Heterogeneous recombination, Cataclysmic mutation (CHC) Trustworthy Service Composition Method (CHC-TSCM) genetic algorithm. CHC-TSCM firstly obtains the total trust degree of the individual service using a trust degree measurement and evaluation model proposed in previous research. Trust combination and computation then are performed according to the structural relation of the composite service. Finally, the optimal trustworthy service composition is …

Elementary Implantable Force Sensor For Smart Orthopaedic Implants, Rebecca A. Wachs, David Ellstein, John Drazan, Colleen P. Healey, Richard L. Uhl, Kenneth A. Connor, Eric H. Ledet

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Implementing implantable sensors which are robust enough to maintain long term functionality inside the body remains a significant challenge. The ideal implantable sensing system is one which is simple and robust; free from batteries, telemetry, and complex electronics. We have developed an elementary implantable sensor for orthopaedic smart implants. The sensor requires no telemetry and no batteries to communicate wirelessly. It has no on-board signal conditioning electronics. The sensor itself has no electrical connections and thus does not require a hermetic package. The sensor is an elementary L-C resonator which can function as a simple force transducer by using a …

Something To Talk About:Lessons Of Language And Literacy From A Tutorial Pilot Program, Joanna Neel

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article describes a study conducted to determine evidence of key variables of literacy development and language acquisition, based on tutor’s lessons focusing on books and conversations about books and tutee’s questions. During one semester, university students tutored students from third to fifth grade, creating learning communities incorporating language and literate conversations, discussions about learning, and thinking/ comprehension strategies into each tutorial session, based on the needs of each student, as determined by the homeroom teacher. Conversations about books and topics were determined by student interest. Tutors were prepared with eight preparation sessions. Tutors noted student literacy behaviors in journals, …

Segregation, Inequality, Demographic Change, And School Consolidation, William England, Edmund T. Hamann

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

We describe a rural/micropolitan example of the intertwining of school consolidation and demographic change with exacerbated segregation and inequality. To do this we consider Dawson County, Nebraska, which hosts the state's most Latino/a school district (Lexington) and which saw its number of schools decline from 37 to 19 during this century's first decade, and the number of local school districts lessened from 18 to 5. In particular, we call attention to the irony that consolidation was pursued with an explicit call for more equality in schooling in Dawson County (Swidler 2013) and yet population concentrations and variation in expenditures seemed …

Changes On Cran, Kurt Hornik, Achim Zeileis

The R Journal

New CRAN task views

New packages in CRAN task views

New contributed packages

Other changes

The R Journal (December 2013) 5(2): Complete Issue, The R Foundation

The R Journal

Editorial, Hadley Wickham

Contributed Research Articles

factorplot: Improving Presentation of Simple Contrasts in Generalized Linear Models, David A. Armstrong II

spMC: Modelling Spatial Random Fields with Continuous Lag Markov Chains, Luca Sartore

RNetCDF: A Package for Reading and Writing NetCDF Datasets, Pavel Michna and Milton Woods

Surface Melting Curve Analysis with R, Stefan Rödiger, Alexander Böhm and Ingolf Schimke

Performance Attribution for Equity Portfolios, Yang Lu and David Kane

ExactCIdiff: An R Package for Computing Exact Confidence Intervals for the Difference of Two Proportions, Guogen Shan and Weizhen Wang

rlme: An R Package for Rank-Based Estimation and Prediction in Random …

Positioning An Innovative Flame-Weeding Technology Into Crop Production, Strahinja V. Stepanovic

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Propane flaming has a potential to be utilized for effective PRE and POST weed control in both organic and conventional farming systems. Field studies were conducted at the Haskell Agricultural Laboratory of the University of Nebraska in 2010, 2011, and 2012 to: (1) describe dose–response curves for propane when flaming selected weed species at different growth stages, (2) determine corn and soybean tolerance to single and repeated flaming by utilizing the equipment designed to selectively flame weeds in row crops with torches positioned parallel to the crop row, and (3) determine the effectiveness of flaming and cultivation for weed control …

Salamander Colonization Of Chase Lake, Stutsman County, North Dakota, David M. Mushet, Kyle I. Mclean, Craig A. Stockwell

The Prairie Naturalist

Salt concentrations in lakes are dynamic. In the western United States, water diversions have caused significant declines in lake levels resulting in increased salinity, placing many aquatic species at risk (Galat and Robinson 1983, Beutel et al. 2001). Severe droughts can have similar effects on salt concentrations and aquatic communities (Swanson et al. 2003). Conversely, large inputs of water can dilute salt concentrations and contribute to community shifts (Euliss et al. 2004).

Chase Lake is a large, shallow, alkaline lake in east-central North Dakota most famously known for supporting one of the largest breeding colonies of the American white pelican …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Factors Leading Low Socioeconomic Status Urban Students To Enroll In A University, Luke D. Schultheis

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Low socioeconomic urban students do not attend universities at a rate proportional to other populations. This perpetuates a cycle of recurrence and diminished potential benefits associated with degree attainment. The commonly ascribed Theory of Student Choice (Hossler, Braxton & Coopersmith, 1989) does not apply to this population.

The purpose of this study was to identify factors which motivated low socioeconomic urban students to enroll in a university. Three interviews, each up to two hours, were conducted with students of this population. The participants identified why they chose to enroll in a university.

The participants were not motivated to attend a …

Using Resonance Raman Cross-Section Data To Estimate The Spin State Populations Of Cytochromes P450, Piotr J. Mak, Qianhong Zhu, James R. Kincaid

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

The cytochromes P450 (CYPs) are heme proteins responsible for the oxidation of xenobiotics and pharmaceuticals and the biosynthesis of essential steroid products. In all cases, substrate binding initiates the enzymatic cycle, converting ferric low-spin to high-spin state, with the efficiency of the conversion varying widely for different substrates, so documentation of this conversion for a given substrate is an important objective. Resonance Raman (rR) spectroscopy can effectively yield distinctive frequencies for the ν₃ ‘spin state marker’ bands. Here, employing a reference cytochrome P450 (CYP101), the intensities of the ν₃ modes (I_LS) and (I_{HS …}

A Study On Countermeasures Against Steganography: An Active Warden Approach, Qilin Qi

Department of Computer Electronics and Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Digital steganography is a method used for hiding information in digital images. It can be used for secure communication. There have been many robust digital steganography methods invented in recent decades. The steganographic message can be inserted in multimedia cover signal such as audio, image and video. However, this technique also may be used by malicious users to transmit dangerous information through the Internet beyond the control of security agencies. How to detect and/or block potentially dangerous information transmission on the Internet through billions of multimedia files while not affecting innocent multimedia communications becomes a challenging problem. Existing steganalysis methods …

What Factors Impact The Effectiveness Of International Non Governmental Organizations (Ingos) In Ethiopia, Ermias Abraham

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Since the 1970s Ethiopia has experienced a massive increase of International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) in its territory. The multiplication of these INGOs seems to be the result of the activities of both international donors and governments in Ethiopia. International donors considered INGOs as efficient, flexible or adoptive to the needs of the community and more trustworthy than government agencies in implementing development projects. International donors also believe that the proliferation of INGOs in Ethiopia will stimulate the growth of political democracy and trade liberalization. The government allowed the influx of these INGOs in order to tap the resources they bring …

Dehumanization: As It Is Present Within Bullying Behaviors In An Anti-Bullying Program, Katelyn Amos

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Bullying is an aggressive act performed repeatedly on another enacting a power differential. This thesis utilized data collected from The Anti-Bullying Prevention Pilot Program (ABPPP), which studied bullying within eleven schools in a large metropolitan area in southwestern United States. The program was aimed to increase positive school climate through the use of Operation Respect and Welcoming Schools programs.

Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) and mixed methods approaches were used in order to analyze interviews and questionnaires. Grounded Theory analysis procedures were used to code the information, and thick descriptions were utilized to illustrate the occurrence of dehumanization among across four …

Developing Ethical Competence: The Perspective Of Nurse Educators From Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Nursing Programs Accredited By The Commission On Collegiate Nursing Education, Jennifer Lee Bartlett

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nurses face ethically-charged situations every day, yet ethics education is not universally integrated into pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing programs. Like other forms of competence, ethical competence requires development. Nurse educators are poised to impact on the competence of their students, both defining the ethics content and designing students' exposure. The purpose of this study is to describe the concept of ethical competence from the perspective of baccalaureate nursing faculty and describe current methods of integration and evaluation of ethics education in pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing programs. This research will be conducted using a sequential (quantitative-qualitative) mixed method approach. The first phase of …

The Lived Experiences Of Acute-Care Bedside Registered Nurses Caring For Patients And Their Families With Limited English Proficiency, Jami-Sue Coleman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Approximately 8.6% of the total U.S. population is considered limited English proficient (LEP), a term that has been used by official US federal policy and will be used throughout this study. In a landmark report, the Institute of Medicine found that minorities received lower-quality health care than Caucasians even when insurance status, income, and other factors were equivalent. These differences were tied to issues such as bias, stereotypes and communication barriers between patients and their caregivers. In the hospital setting, registered nurses provide the most direct contact with patients and their families. Effective communication between patients and health care professionals …

Examining The Relationships Between Internalizing And Externalizing Problems And Academic Achievement, Lara Elizabeth Conrad

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The relationship between internalizing and externalizing problems and academic achievement for children and adolescents has been inconclusive. Particularly the relationship between the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2) reports of internalizing and externalizing problems and academic performance on the Woodcock-Johnson, Tests of Achievement, Third Edition (WJ-III:ACH). The current study examined the self and parent reports of internalizing and externalizing problems as measured by the BASC-2 and the relationship with academic skills as measured by the WJ-III:ACH. The referral source (private practice or school setting) was evaluated for severity of presenting internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Secondary data analysis was …

Investigating Potential Factors That Influence Recruitment For Parenting Skills Classes, Rachel Elizabeth Davis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Juvenile delinquency and child maltreatment are prevalent in the U.S., particularly among ethnic minority children. Although parent skills training is effective in preventing these problems, recruitment and retention rates of parents from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic minority groups are less than satisfactory. In a qualitative study of 13 high-risk African American mothers, Davis (2009) investigated the deterrents to recruitment and participation for parent skills training programs. The resulting theory, the Mothers Shouldn't Need Help Script, explicates the relationship between the beliefs reported by these mothers and participation in parenting skills classes. To build on these findings, the overarching purpose of …

Examining Household Identity Through Lithic Technology At The Harris Site, Justin Albert Demaio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Utilitarian technology is often studied by archaeologists to understand what specific functions and activities these items represent in a past population's daily life. However, it is important not to forget that technology manufacture, use, and discard is embedded in a social context. Flintknapping is a skill that requires close instruction and training so that the desired outcome can be achieved. This training requires daily mentoring from other individuals in the community, many times within one's own family. These daily interactions create learning frameworks through which craft knowledge is transmitted. Technological style and domestic processing activities can be used as an …

Second Language Gesture And Acculturation In Study Abroad Contexts, Christie Marie Gardner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Motivationis an integral part of learning; Gestures are an important aspect of human communication, and culture plays a significant role in shaping all of these human elements. This study explores the relationship betweensocial, cultural-historical activityand second language(L2) gesture acquisitionas student motivations both drive, and emanate from, the L2 learning process. Six American students participating in a study-abroad program in Chile were evaluated at three different levels of L2 proficiency (beginning, intermediate, and advanced) for L2 gesture articulations and motivational developments. During the semester-long investigation, three audio-video recorded interviews were conducted to observe L2 gestural behaviors, and two e-mail logs were …

Managerial Behavioral Complexity And The Collegiate Registrar, Katherine Jeanette Humphreys

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Colleges often put an emphasis on the student experience and the student as a "customer" that should be courted, tracked, and understood. Yet, there are few academic studies that address the administrative roles that oversee the offices with direct student contact. All colleges have a registrar's office, or an office responsible for much of the institution's infrastructure from enrollment to graduation. Gunn & Backes (1992) point out, "In a climate where schools are competing for the best students, something as simple as making the registration system run smoothly and efficiently for the student can have major impacts, providing services that …

The Other September 11th: El Mercurio Media Coverage After The Chilean Coup Of 1973, Valeria Andrea Gurr-Ovalle

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis provides an exploratory overview of the role the El Mercurio newspaper played along with the military after the Chilean coup of 1973. The study reviews the contents of the newspaper's front pages, including their coverage of the events during the coup. The thesis will show how the paper revisited its coverage each year on the anniversary -- September 11th and 12th -- beginning with the years dominated by the military government, from 1973 through 1990, and continuing through the transition to democracy, from 1991 through 2007. The primary method used in the course of this examination is a …

What Works In Suicide Bereavement: What Helps And What Hurts?, Quintin Hunt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Suicide is one of the most painful grief experiences that any family may experience. The suicide bereavement literature, though small, is replete with research that shows family and systemic impacts of suicide. The literature also includes constant calls for family- and systemic-based intervention as every part of society is impacted. Research in the field of marriage and family therapy, however, has ignored suicide and suicide bereavement almost entirely. The purpose of this qualitative study is to develop a more thorough understand of the grief that survivors of suicide experience and to systemically understand what helps and hurts the grieving process. …

3-D Oropharyngeal Airway Analysis Of Different Antero-Posterior And Vertical Craniofacial Skeletal Patterns In Children And Adolescents, Chi Kim Huynh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sleep apnea disorder has recently emerged as a significant public health issue. While the prevalence of obesity is on the rise among children, it is one of the main risk factors associated with apnea. Upper airway dimensions and morphology seem to be major components of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and can be affected by different craniofacial patterns. The purpose of this retrospective, cross-sectional pilot study is to correlate gender, Body Mass Index, risk for OSA, neck circumference, and 3-D oropharyngeal airway dimensions in children and adolescents with different antero-posterior (AP) and vertical craniofacial skeletal patterns. A total of 86 pre-orthodontic …

Examining The Inner Experience Of Four Individuals With Bipolar Disorder Using Descriptive Experience Sampling, Johanah Kang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Bipolar disorder is a lifelong mood disorder with diagnostic criteria that provide a description of expected experiences of individuals diagnosed with BD (e.g., elevated mood, sadness, difficulty concentrating). Despite these criteria, the inner experience of these individuals is largely unknown. Understanding the inner experience of individuals diagnosed with BD may prove essential in understanding and treating BD. The present study examined the inner experience of four individuals diagnosed with BD using the Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES) method (Hurlburt 1990, 1993, 2011). Results revealed all our participants had clear and prevalent experiences of sensory awareness. They also had difficulties apprehending and …

A Tale Of Two Pcs: An Evaluation Of Access Platforms For The Blind Utilizing The "Blackboard Learn" Learning Management System, Robert Lambert

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examined the usability of a learning management system with different access software for people who are blind or have low vision. Due to the versatility of an individual's position within the academic setting, both the student's and the instructor's roles within this environment were examined. Also, due to the versatility of accessible options to the user, multiple access environments were used in the study as well. The intended outcome was to determine what the usability is with various screen access solutions for users who are blind. The current landscape was explored, along with literature from other sources. The …

Effects Of A Social Story Intervention With A Modified Perspective Sentence On Preschool-Age Children With Autism, Delilah Krasch

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Young children with autism often experience delays in social skills and social competence. These delays result in poor relationships and decreased social interactions and engagement, and eventually, social isolation and withdrawal. Social skills deficits are also correlated to behavioral and emotional difficulties. Addressing these delays is critical to minimize not only delayed social development, but also detrimental effects on academic learning and performance. Ensuring young children are proficient in a variety of prosocial skills is critical for favorable long-term outcomes and school success.

The purpose of this study was to use a multiple baseline design to determine whether a Social …

Evaluation Of Alternative Project Delivery Methods In Water And Wastewater Projects, Ruiko Maharjan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The United States (U.S.) is facing significant challenges in addressing aging water infrastructure. Most of the drinking water infrastructure is reaching the end of their useful lives. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) estimated that it will cost about $1 trillion to repair or replace drinking water pipes. Over the next 20 years, it will cost about $298 billion to fix or expand pipes of the nation's wastewater and storm-water systems (AWWA, 2012). Owners, engineers, and contractors are using Alternative Project Delivery (APD) methods - e.g., Design-Build Construction Management-at-Risk Construction Management/General Contractor- to build water and wastewater projects in order …

Effects Of Pecs Phase Iii Application Training On Independent Mands In Young Children With Autism, Jessica June Love

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of PECS phase III application training on independent mands in young children with autism. Participants were five children with autism ranging from ages 2 to 4 years old. A multiple baseline across participants was used to evaluate acquisition of independent correct mands across baseline and treatment conditions during training with the PECS Phase III iPadTMapplication.

Data for Participant Four did not demonstrate experimental control directly, as he showed high levels of mands during baseline. The functional relationship for Participant One was questionable as she too likely learned to mand by …

Nonlinear Adaptive Diffusion Models For Image Denoising, Ajay Kumar Mandava

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Most of digital image applications demand on high image quality. Unfortunately, images often are degraded by noise during the formation, transmission, and recording processes. Hence, image denoising is an essential processing step preceding visual and automated analyses. Image denoising methods can reduce image contrast, create block or ring artifacts in the process of denoising. In this dissertation, we develop high performance non-linear diffusion based image denoising methods, capable to preserve edges and maintain high visual quality. This is attained by different approaches: First, a nonlinear diffusion is presented with robust M-estimators as diffusivity functions. Secondly, the knowledge of textons derived …