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2014

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Graphical Simulation For Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Mission, Alemayehu Gebremariam Jan 2014

Graphical Simulation For Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Mission, Alemayehu Gebremariam

Computer Science

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are automated flying planes currently focused on military and civilian applications. This work simulates the motion of UAV in the battlefield environment; making use of the theoretical conditions for the design of real systems. The design of the algorithm is scalable to specify the number of UAVs involving in the mission. The coordinated flights of the UAVs with each other enable them to arrive at the enemy target at the same time. The simulation is based on real flight conditions with some assumption. The snapshot of the results show the different scenarios when only one or …

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The Associations Between Student Perceptions Of The Classroom Psycho-Social Learning Environment And Motivation To Learn Chinese, Chongmin Ji Jan 2014

The Associations Between Student Perceptions Of The Classroom Psycho-Social Learning Environment And Motivation To Learn Chinese, Chongmin Ji

Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between students’ perception of their classroom psychosocial learning environment and motivation to learn Mandarin Chinese, which can support teachers in creating a good classroom environment. The students took two surveys (Likert scale and open-ended questions) that measured their perception of the classroom environment and the learning motivation. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, percentage) and inferential statistics (simple correlation, multiple regression, and two sample t-test) were used to analyze the quantitative data. The open-ended questions were coded and categorized based on the student responses. There were statistically significant associations between student …

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Decolonizing Instructional Design Through Auto/Ethnography, Carolyn Marie Delorme Jan 2014

Decolonizing Instructional Design Through Auto/Ethnography, Carolyn Marie Delorme

Education

Instructional design is the systematic process of planning and developing learning environments. In contemporary educational contexts, this has come to include also the intentional integration of digital and Internet technologies. Instructional design practitioners are trained to employ formal theoretical process models to guide their practices, roughly analogous to the ways in which a quilt maker may utilize a pattern and systematic process to guide making a quilt. There are few developed models of instructional design to be found in the literature that adequately attend to cultural orientation and none have been developed from within non-dominant cultural Indigenous education contexts. Furthermore, …

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Using Learning Modules For Instructor Neutrality In Ethical Quagmires: A Cross-Curricular Study In Academic Debate, Robert Lester Walsh Jan 2014

Using Learning Modules For Instructor Neutrality In Ethical Quagmires: A Cross-Curricular Study In Academic Debate, Robert Lester Walsh

Education

The purpose of this disquisition is to add to the body of educational research through practitioner, quantitative, and qualitative inquiry on the topic of academic debate. In a three-tiered study, the author conducted research for this dissertation with the intent to examine argumentation and debate in higher education. The settings for this research were a comprehensive regional university and a research-intensive university. Debate was implemented to introduce topics of controversy with the intent to spur discourse on such topics. The author examined the use of academic debate in undergraduate and graduate education. The results are reported in three articles. The …

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The Flipped Classroom: Shakespeare In The English Classroom, Anna Lynn Gross Jan 2014

The Flipped Classroom: Shakespeare In The English Classroom, Anna Lynn Gross

Education

Bergmann and Sams’ twenty-first century flipped classroom method was reviewed in depth to determine its effectiveness in improving student achievement and enjoyment of studying Hamlet by William Shakespeare, a text that is difficult to both read and comprehend. The flipped method was implemented into one of two 12th grade general English classes in rural Minnesota. The first section of 12th grade general English read the play aloud using the traditional read-aloud method and completed an in-depth passage analysis chart for homework. The second section, the intervention group, used the flipped method and read the play on their own with accompanying …

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Perceptions Of Secondary Mathematics Teachers Concerning Influences On Pedagogical Practices, Jamie Wirth Jan 2014

Perceptions Of Secondary Mathematics Teachers Concerning Influences On Pedagogical Practices, Jamie Wirth

Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of Secondary Math Teachers (SMTs) concerning the influences that affect teaching practices and also investigate the possible existence of pluralistic ignorance concerning the way SMTs perceive the effects of influences on their own teaching practices versus the way they perceive the effects of these same influences on the teaching practices of a typical SMT. While other studies have quantitatively analyzed teaching influences through the use of traditional surveys (Weiss, Pasley, Smith, Banilower, & Heck, 2003; Whittington, 2002; Banilower, Smith, Weiss, Malzahn, Campbell, & Weis, 2013; Smith, 2013), this study used …

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Controller As Business Manager, James Lindell Jan 2014

Controller As Business Manager, James Lindell

Guides, Handbooks and Manuals

No abstract provided.

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Factors Explaining The Risk Perception Of County Emergency Managers, Jared Jon Huibregtse Jan 2014

Factors Explaining The Risk Perception Of County Emergency Managers, Jared Jon Huibregtse

Emergency Management

This thesis attempted to explore how county emergency managers understand the risks most likely to manifest in their jurisdiction using an internet survey. This study addressed the following research questions: 1) What risks do county emergency managers perceive to be the most likely to manifest in their jurisdiction? 2) What factors explain their risk perceptions? Data were collected by internet survey which was sent to county emergency managers in FEMA Region V. When data collection ceased, 165 county emergency managers had completed the internet survey in full. Regression analysis revealed that a small amount of the variance in risk perception …

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Formation And Lifespans Of Emergent Recovery Groups In Post-Katrina New Orleans, Samantha Lea Montano Jan 2014

Formation And Lifespans Of Emergent Recovery Groups In Post-Katrina New Orleans, Samantha Lea Montano

Emergency Management

Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, numerous groups emerged to address recovery related needs in Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes. The phenomenon of emergent groups is widely noted in the disaster literature, but there has been little empirical research focusing on these groups. And, the existing literature discusses emergent groups primarily in the context of response. This study sought to explore the factors related to formation of emergent recovery groups (ERGs) and allow ERGs to have an extended lifespan. Data was gathered through in-depth interviews with founders of twenty ERGs that formed to work in Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes. It …

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A Comparative Study Of Nuclear Power Risk Perceptions With Selected Technological Hazards, David Edwin Duff Jan 2014

A Comparative Study Of Nuclear Power Risk Perceptions With Selected Technological Hazards, David Edwin Duff

Emergency Management

How people perceive risk or threats is important to many disciplines that seek to assist policy makers in developing policies, regulations and laws. Using the previous work of Slovic et al. (Fischhoff, Slovic, Lichtenstein, Read and Combs, 2000; Slovic P., 1992; Slovic, Fischhoff, and Lichtenstein, 2000) in development of the psychometric paradigm, a sample of residents (n=600) from a region with a large number of nuclear reactors was surveyed. The question set was expanded to include demographic questions to determine if they impact risk perception. Two aspects of risk perception were examined, perception of overall risk and perception of riskiness …

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Professional Development Programs: Making The Case For Investing In Support-Staff At A Private, Undergraduate Institution, Rebecca Lee Amundsen Jan 2014

Professional Development Programs: Making The Case For Investing In Support-Staff At A Private, Undergraduate Institution, Rebecca Lee Amundsen

Education

The purpose of this study was to determine whether support-staff at Concordia College feel valued by the institution and whether they perceive that workplace satisfaction will improve with the creation and implementation of a professional development program. A survey was conducted and responses were analyzed based on comparisons of the mean, frequency, and correlation, as well as an evaluation of written responses. There were no significant differences found between support-staff in academic departments and academic administrative offices in terms of level of satisfaction, feeling valued, or the perceived impact of a professional development program. Overall, support-staff perceived that a professional …

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Instructors' Attitudes Toward Online Visual Art Courses: Impact Of Technology Experience And Incentives, Misti D. Vogle Jan 2014

Instructors' Attitudes Toward Online Visual Art Courses: Impact Of Technology Experience And Incentives, Misti D. Vogle

Education

The general purpose of this quantitative study was to review university visual art instructor attitudes toward online visual art courses, instructor perspectives toward online education instructor incentives, and instructor experience with five main technologies in accredited higher education institutions in the United States. The general findings indicate that 1) respondents show a high percentage of visual art instructors have negative attitudes toward visual art online courses; 2) visual art instructors find instructor incentives to be an important aspect for visual art online courses; 3) visual art instructors have a high percentage of technology experience; 4) visual art instructors working full-time …

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The Impact Of Management Decisions And Their Effect On Reproductive Performance Of Beef Cattle, Mellissa Renee Schook Jan 2014

The Impact Of Management Decisions And Their Effect On Reproductive Performance Of Beef Cattle, Mellissa Renee Schook

Animal Sciences

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate two management decisions made by beef cattle producers and their impacts on reproduction. In experiment 1, growth, attainment of puberty, and pregnancy rates were evaluated in crossbred heifers originating from two different breeding systems: 1) cows only exposed to natural service herd bulls (NS), or 2) cows exposed to ovulation synchronization and fixed-time AI followed by natural-service bulls (TAI, fixed-time artificial insemination). Artificial insemination did not influence growth rate during the development phase, attainment of puberty, or pregnancy rates in heifer progeny. In experiment 2, pregnancy attainment and calving distribution of beef females administered …

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Retail Change: A Look At The Past, Present, And Future, Laura Mckee Jan 2014

Retail Change: A Look At The Past, Present, And Future, Laura Mckee

Apparel Design and Hospitality Management

The retail industry has evolved over time and has had constant change. Retailers adjust to accommodate with the changes, and those that are able to change with the times are more likely to be successful. The history of retail has adjusted with each major development of technology, from trains, cars, internet, to tablet computers today. Consumer behavior has also adjusted to the changes in retail and technology. This paper looks at the early history of retail to where we are today. Retailers that want to remain relevant in the future must adapt with the changes in technology and consumer behavior. …

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What Communities Want: Recognizing The Needs Of Hate Crime Targets, Barbara Perry Jan 2014

What Communities Want: Recognizing The Needs Of Hate Crime Targets, Barbara Perry

Journal of Hate Studies

The theme of the Third International Conference on Hate Studies, “The Pursuit of Justice: Understanding Hatred, Confronting Intolerance, Eliminating Inequality,” took me immediately to the subject matter of this article: Who is meant to be served by the subthemes of this conference, if not the targets or potential targets of hate crime? An equally important set of questions would ask: What justice looks like from the perspectives of those individuals and groups? What do hate crime victims want, and what do they need? And, what do vulnerable communities want and need?

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From Thrill To Defensive Hate Crimes: The Impact Of September 11, 2001, Jack Levin Jan 2014

From Thrill To Defensive Hate Crimes: The Impact Of September 11, 2001, Jack Levin

Journal of Hate Studies

For a period of time following the original usage of the term “hate crimes” in the late 1980s, there existed a gap in the literature of criminology and social science generally regarding important factors underlying the motivation of hate crime offenders. Researchers recognized that certain criminal behavior had its basis in hostility toward people who were different in socially significant ways from the perpetrator. Yet little was systematically articulated to connect various hate crimes with relevant sociological and social psychological explanatory variables. As a result, those practitioners who deal with hate crimes on a daily basis—for example, prosecu- tors and …

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Baptizing Nazism: An Analysis Of The Religious Roots Of American Neo-Nazism, Alon Milwicki Jan 2014

Baptizing Nazism: An Analysis Of The Religious Roots Of American Neo-Nazism, Alon Milwicki

Journal of Hate Studies

The years following the Second World War saw American religious leaders making fervent attempts to bridge the denominational gap and encourage peaceful cooperation among America’s three leading faiths: Protestantism, Catholicism, and Judaism. While the religious revival movement was largely successful, it was not as complete as historians have previously suggested. Scholars of the postwar religious awakening have neglected the darker, conflictual, and even violent strains of religious revival which developed alongside the optimistic, cooperative, and harmonious efforts that have taken center stage. Simply put, the development and propagation of Christian Identity, as propelled by Dr. Wesley Albert Swift, provided a …

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Fighting For The Right To Be White: A Case Study In White Racial Identity, Dianne Dentice, David Bugg Jan 2014

Fighting For The Right To Be White: A Case Study In White Racial Identity, Dianne Dentice, David Bugg

Journal of Hate Studies

Membership in extremist groups, such as White Revolution and the Ku Klux Klan, embody specific behavioral attributes. These attributes include practicing endogamy and exhibiting racial pride. There is general consensus among members as to what it means to be part of a socially constructed extremist group. There are also strong motivational factors that support maintaining in-group solidarity and dominant status. By adhering to the rules dictated by group membership, both the self and the group are uplifted based on white racial identity. The process of self-categorization for white racial activists accentuates their own physical similarities along with perceived negative physical …

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Uniting The Right: Anti-Immigration, Organizing, And The Legitimation Of Extreme Racist Organizations, Stanislav Vysotsky Jan 2014

Uniting The Right: Anti-Immigration, Organizing, And The Legitimation Of Extreme Racist Organizations, Stanislav Vysotsky

Journal of Hate Studies

This article analyzes the use of anti-immigration rhetoric and organizing efforts by extreme rightwing racist groups to present themselves as political actors. The authors analyze this process through a case study of the Keystone State Skinheads/Keystone United, a Pennsylvania-based hate group. The authors identify the manner in which this countercultural group uses anti-immigrant rhetoric to frame itself as a political organization. White racist organizations utilize issues such as the opposition to immigration to minimize stigma associated with their beliefs. This strategy has allowed them to participate at the forefront of anti-immigration organizing over the course of the last decade. By …

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Misogyny And Marginalization In Criminal Justice Systems: Women’S Experiences In Two Post-Conflict Societies, Erin Tunney Jan 2014

Misogyny And Marginalization In Criminal Justice Systems: Women’S Experiences In Two Post-Conflict Societies, Erin Tunney

Journal of Hate Studies

In Northern Ireland and South Africa, two countries that are attempting to rebuild their societies after extended periods of armed conflict, women who seek redress from gender-based violence through the criminal justice system encounter barriers to justice. Such barriers emerge from misogynistic attitudes toward women that prevent police from appropriately responding to reports of sexual and domestic violence, diminish the capacity of police and court officials to empathize with rather than blame victims, and impede judges from sentencing convicted perpetrators in proportion to their crimes. Despite the striking differences between these two countries, in each society women face similar patterns …

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Ph Responsive Capsules Containing Composite Coatings For Corrosion Inhibition In Metal Alloys, Kiran Bhat Kashi Jan 2014

Ph Responsive Capsules Containing Composite Coatings For Corrosion Inhibition In Metal Alloys, Kiran Bhat Kashi

Coatings and Polymeric Materials

Hexavalent chromes have be used as effective corrosion inhibitors due to their high inhibitor efficiency and low cost for the protection of several metal alloys. However, owing to their toxicity federal legislations restrict the use and distribution of these highly toxic materials. The need for an environmentally friendly yet effective alternative to the chrome based corrosion inhibitors has led to the investigation of rare earth metals as potential candidates. Cerium is one such rare earth metal that has received considerable attention as an alternative to hexavalent chromes. However, the high water solubility of some of the cerium salts makes it …

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Responsive Polymer-Based Colliods For Drug Delivery And Bioconversion, Olena Kudina Jan 2014

Responsive Polymer-Based Colliods For Drug Delivery And Bioconversion, Olena Kudina

Coatings and Polymeric Materials

Responsive polymer-based colloids (RPBC) are the colloidal structures containing responsive polymeric component which is able to adapt its physico-chemical properties to the environment by undergoing chemical and/or conformational changes. The goal of the dissertation is to develop and characterize several groups of RPBC with different morphological complexity and explore their potential in drug delivery and bioconversion. The role of RPBC morphology for these specific applications is discussed in details. Three groups of RPBC were fabricated: i. polymeric micelles; ii. mixed polymeric micelles; iii. hybrid polymer-inorganic particles. All fabricated RPBCs contain polymeric component in their structure. The dissertation investigates how the …

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The Girl, The Film, And The Wardrobe: A Study Of Texts, Tension, And Approachability In Punk Clothing And The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo, Gina Kruschek Jan 2014

The Girl, The Film, And The Wardrobe: A Study Of Texts, Tension, And Approachability In Punk Clothing And The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo, Gina Kruschek

English

The present study investigates how the modern re-authoring of Punk clothing styles through the character of Lisbeth Salander in Steig Larsson’s novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, its American film adaptation, and the subsequent H&M Dragon Tattoo collection works rhetorically within fiction and reality. A close reading of the novel and hybrid semiotic analysis of the film reveal a problematic characterization of Salander that overshadows the overwhelmingly positive response to her character from readers and viewers of the film. Conclusions from a rhetorical analysis of the original H&M press release and five articles that reported on the announcement, and …

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Writing (Dirty) New Media: Technorhetorical Opacity, Chimeras, And Dirty Ontology, Steven Reginald Hammer Jan 2014

Writing (Dirty) New Media: Technorhetorical Opacity, Chimeras, And Dirty Ontology, Steven Reginald Hammer

English

There is little doubt that emerging technologies are changing the way we act, interact, create, and consume. Yet despite increased access to these technologies, consumers of technology too seldom interrogate the politics, subjectivities, and limitations of these technologies and their interfaces. Instead, many consumers approach emerging technologies as objective tools to be consumed, and engage in creative processes uncritically. This disquisition, following the work of Hawisher, Selfe, and Selfe, seeks ways to approach the problem of a “rhetoric of technology” that uncritically praises new technologies by drawing on avant-garde art traditions and object-oriented ontology. I argue that, by following the …

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Inclusive Peer Review Activities In College Writing Classes: Autistic Students' Perspectives And Ways Of Participating, Cody Michael Kaser Jan 2014

Inclusive Peer Review Activities In College Writing Classes: Autistic Students' Perspectives And Ways Of Participating, Cody Michael Kaser

English

To date, no composition research exists involving autistic college students and peer review. The literature regarding autism suggests that autistic students are likely to experience, value, and participate in peer review differently than nonautistic students. The study compared survey responses from an experimental group, autistic students, and a demographic comparison group, nonautistic students. The data suggests that autistic and nonautistic participants experience, value, and participate in peer response activities in many similar ways, with some general and specific differences supported by autism research. Generally, fewer autistic participants indicated positive experiences of peer review than nonautistic students. Minor differences in the …

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