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2014

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Developed A Remote Technique To Assess The Effectiveness Of Thermal Insulation In Households In West Virginia, Prateek Vaish Jan 2014

Developed A Remote Technique To Assess The Effectiveness Of Thermal Insulation In Households In West Virginia, Prateek Vaish

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Physical energy audits and interventional methods cannot sustain the increasing demand of assessing the effectiveness of existing thermal insulation in households. As for now, there does not exist a sufficiently accurate remote technology or method to assess the efficiency of a thermal envelope. Usually, the energy bills and the age of the furnace are good indicators of the performance of insulation in houses. To overcome the lack of availability of a proper framework to calculate the effectiveness of the thermal envelope, a standard methodology using multiple linear regression and temperature data acquired from a house has been developed. The major …

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Predicting Opioid Prescribing Behaviors: Influence Of An Expert Opioid-Risk Evaluation, Alison M. Vargovich Jan 2014

Predicting Opioid Prescribing Behaviors: Influence Of An Expert Opioid-Risk Evaluation, Alison M. Vargovich

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Opioid analgesics have been shown to be effective for short-term pain reduction; however, chronic opioid therapy does not improve functioning, and may lead to problems with dependence and abuse. Physicians report having difficulty discerning substance abuse or drug diversion, which can lead to over- or under- prescribing, poor pain management, and may contribute to the growing number of opioid-related overdose deaths. The primary aim of this study was to determine if a psychological opioid risk evaluation influenced opioid prescribing in physicians at the West Virginia University (WVU) Family Medicine Clinic. For this retrospective study, participants were 151 (89 female) adult …

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Design Guidelines For An Apartments For Life Community, Sarah Elizabeth Walkup Jan 2014

Design Guidelines For An Apartments For Life Community, Sarah Elizabeth Walkup

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study pilots a process for programming and collecting data to inform the design of this type of elder housing community. The thesis follows that process to develop a list of user requirements and design recommendations, or design guidelines, for a prospective long-term elder housing community in Morgantown, West Virginia, inspired by the Apartments for Life model established in Rotterdam, Netherlands by Stichting Humanitas Rotterdam. This study uses design research and evidence-based design, with data collection from focus groups, interviews, and surveys, to develop a set of objectives and potential design solutions for an Apartments for Life community and facility, …

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Immunization Reminder For Caregivers Of Young Children, Jessica Scritchfield Wooten Jan 2014

Immunization Reminder For Caregivers Of Young Children, Jessica Scritchfield Wooten

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Vaccines are one of the most successful and easily accessible prevention tools available to clinical practitioners in the United States. Falling levels of immunity in the entire population amplify concern for increases in preventable childhood diseases, making improving vaccination rates an important goal for current clinical practitioners (Omer et al., 2009).;Purpose: The purpose of this intervention was to increase the percentage of vaccinated children 0-6 years of age by sending a reminder letter to parent/guardians of children who are unvaccinated and under-vaccinated per the CDC's current immunization recommendations at a rural health center in West Virginia.;Project: The project plan …

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Analysis Of Haul Truck- Related Fatalities And Injuries In Surface Coal Mining In West Virginia, Meng Zhang Jan 2014

Analysis Of Haul Truck- Related Fatalities And Injuries In Surface Coal Mining In West Virginia, Meng Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Trucks are the primary means of haulage in surface coal, metal, and nonmetal mining operations. The number of fatal accidents involving trucks is higher when compared to all other mining equipment. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reports that 137 fatalities were haul truck- related in the United States between 1995 and 2011. A total of 12 truck-related accidents, including 13 fatalities, were recorded in surface coal mining operations in West Virginia (WV) during this period. The objectives of this research were to (i) analyze the root causes of these accidents, and (ii) develop effective intervention strategies to eliminate …

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Plasmonic Gold Nanohole Arrays For Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering, Peng Zheng Jan 2014

Plasmonic Gold Nanohole Arrays For Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering, Peng Zheng

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Localized and periodic optical modes co-exist in plasmonic nanohole arrays leading to a unique mix of optical properties. In this thesis, a simultaneous experimental and theoretical investigation is used to investigate the origin of each optical mode, explaining the mix between extraordinary optical transmission, enhanced absorption, and local electromagnetic field concentration. Additionally, the hole array diameter, film thickness, and periodicity are systematically varied to explore the tuning and cross over between the multiple optical modes. The nanohole array to nanotriangle array transition is investigated, showing how the localized surface plasmon resonance evolves into the periodic surface plasmon polariton mode. These …

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Resource-Based Destination Competitiveness Evaluation Using Analytic Hierarchy Process (Ahp): The Case Study Of West Virginia, Yanhong Zhou Jan 2014

Resource-Based Destination Competitiveness Evaluation Using Analytic Hierarchy Process (Ahp): The Case Study Of West Virginia, Yanhong Zhou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study aimed to evaluate West Virginia's resource-based tourism competitiveness in relation to its neighboring competitors using analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The study also sought to investigate the utility of AHP in destination competitiveness evaluation. Ten executive directors from West Virginia's Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) and 891 visitors to West Virginia participated in this study. Findings revealed that West Virginia performed well on availability of adventure-based activities, nature-based activities, and had a competitive edge on hospitality and friendliness of residents, safety and security, and value for money in shopping items in relation to competing destinations. AHP was shown to …

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Raising Soviets On Imported Goods. Socialist Realism In Estonian Secondary Education, Helen Saask Jan 2014

Raising Soviets On Imported Goods. Socialist Realism In Estonian Secondary Education, Helen Saask

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines how the political leadership of the Soviet Union tried to cultivate its desired values and principles among the people of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. It illuminates one aspect of all the ideologically charged activities, and looks at Soviet Estonian schools through the lens of compulsory reading --- how were socialist realist cultural goods used to promote Sovietization in Estonian secondary schools? Moreover, the study tries to evaluate to what degree the propagandistic intention was realized in literature lessons. Emphasis lies on exploring traces of the so-called 'double-thinking,' the notion that Estonians had the tendency to separate …

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Burden Of Breast Cancer And Associated Health And Economic Outcomes In Elderly Women In West Virginia: Comparison With National Estimates, Ami Maulik Vyas Jan 2014

Burden Of Breast Cancer And Associated Health And Economic Outcomes In Elderly Women In West Virginia: Comparison With National Estimates, Ami Maulik Vyas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia (WV) which is the only state which lies entirely in Appalachia and which is predominantly rural and medically underserved region, has lower incidence of breast cancer (BC) but a higher BC-related mortality as compared to the national averages in elderly women age 65 and above. This may be due to lower mammography utilization in these rural elderly women, limited physical access to services, shortage of healthcare professionals and services, and untimely and/or inappropriate care. This is dearth of epidemiological studies that have focused on understanding the factors associated with these disparities among these rural and underserved population such …

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Form 1023-Ez And The Streamlined Process For The Federal Income Tax Exemption: Is The Irs Slashing Red Tape Or Opening Pandora's Box, Manoj Viswanathan Jan 2014

Form 1023-Ez And The Streamlined Process For The Federal Income Tax Exemption: Is The Irs Slashing Red Tape Or Opening Pandora's Box, Manoj Viswanathan

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

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Party Subordinance In Federal Litigation, Scott Dodson Jan 2014

Party Subordinance In Federal Litigation, Scott Dodson

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

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Mapping Supreme Court Doctrine: Civil Pleading, Scott Dodson, Colin Starger Jan 2014

Mapping Supreme Court Doctrine: Civil Pleading, Scott Dodson, Colin Starger

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

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What Is 'Financial Stability' -The Need For Some Common Language In International Financial Regulation, Hilary Allen Jan 2014

What Is 'Financial Stability' -The Need For Some Common Language In International Financial Regulation, Hilary Allen

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Post-Crisis international financial regulation is animated by the buzzwords 'financial stability, " but surprisingly little attention has been paid to what these buzzwords actually mean. This Article argues that there are many-largely unexplored- disagreements regarding the meaning of 'financial stability, " and that this lack of consensus has the potential to cause a host of problems. Chief amongst these is that disagreement about the meaning of "financial stability" can thwart harmonized national implementation of international financial stability regulation. To draw attention to this largely-ignored definitional problem, and to start the process of addressing it, this Article proposes a working definition …

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The Protection Of Geographical Indications In The Inter-American Convention, Christine Farley Jan 2014

The Protection Of Geographical Indications In The Inter-American Convention, Christine Farley

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

The international community is currently deeply divided over the appropriate level of protection for Geographical Indications (“GIs”). This conflict has recently come to a head in the negotiations over the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement (TTIP). GIs receive extensive protections within the European Union (EU) that go beyond international standards, while the United States is generally opposed to strengthening existing international GI protections. Given its current stance, it is remarkable that the US has since 1929 been bound by a little known international convention that ensures strong protection of GIs. Since that date, the US has been a member …

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Numerical Modeling Of Inertial Flows In Proppant-Reservoir Rock Interfaces, Abdulla Alkaabi Jan 2014

Numerical Modeling Of Inertial Flows In Proppant-Reservoir Rock Interfaces, Abdulla Alkaabi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Predicting accurate pressure drops in the reservoirs is essential for estimating the ultimate hydrocarbons recoveries and production rates. In hydraulically fractured wells, inertial flows can cause excessive pressure drops, beyond the predicted values form the Darcy equation. Therefore, predicting these excessive pressure drops through defining non-Darcy factors is of particular significance.;Excessive pressure drops in inertial flows are caused by acceleration/deceleration of fluids, which usually occur when fluids are moving from constricted areas to larger pores and vice versa. In the interface between the propped fracture and the reservoir rock, the pores in the latter are in connection with the former …

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Burden Of Illness Among Elderly Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Sandipan Bhattacharjee Jan 2014

Burden Of Illness Among Elderly Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Sandipan Bhattacharjee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease affecting an estimated one million individuals in the United States (U.S.) and five million individuals globally. With increasing age, the prevalence of PD also increases. Challenges of PD include high economic burden of formal care, informal caregiving burden, and also management of a chronic illness (e.g. type 2 diabetes mellitus) in the presence of PD. The purpose of this study was to use observational data from real-world settings to provide a comprehensive view of the burden of illness among elderly individuals with PD by assessing the formal economic burden, informal …

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A Performance Guide To "First Lines" For Flute And Piano, Pamela Murchison Jan 2014

A Performance Guide To "First Lines" For Flute And Piano, Pamela Murchison

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this document is to conduct an examination of Amy Williams' First Lines for flute and piano. The composition is a collection of eleven miniatures, each influenced by the first line of a different poem, which require both the flutist and pianist to perform extended techniques. The goal of this project is to create a document that will assist performers in presenting a comprehensive and informed interpretation of First Lines by collecting biographical and pedagogical information selected to help them understand artistic, practical, and theoretical aspects of the work.;The research document will begin with a detailed biography of …

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A Retrospective Clinical Study To Evaluate Treatment Outcomes Of Vital Pulp Therapy With Prorootrtm Mineral Trioxide Aggregate, Endosequencertm Root Repair Material, And Biodentine Rtm, Nathaniel T. Nicholson Jan 2014

A Retrospective Clinical Study To Evaluate Treatment Outcomes Of Vital Pulp Therapy With Prorootrtm Mineral Trioxide Aggregate, Endosequencertm Root Repair Material, And Biodentine Rtm, Nathaniel T. Nicholson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The aim of this study was to evaluate success rates of vital pulp therapy cases completed exclusively by endodontic residents at West Virginia University School of Dentistry with 3 different bioactive calcium silicate cements. The materials used were ProRootRTM Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) white, EndosequenceRTM Root Repair Material (ERRM), and BiodentineRTM. Failures were also examined to observe trends toward failure associated with multiple factors.;All follow-up examinations included a clinical and radiographic evaluation, which included multiple examiners that read each radiograph. Associations between procedure failure rates and the factors of interest were examined through non-parametric tests due to the small number …

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The Effects Of Hypnosis And Symptom Interpretation On Jurors' Perceptions Of Recovered Memories Of Child Sexual Abuse, Sarah Nunley Jan 2014

The Effects Of Hypnosis And Symptom Interpretation On Jurors' Perceptions Of Recovered Memories Of Child Sexual Abuse, Sarah Nunley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The current study examined mock jurors' perceptions of recovered memories of child sexual abuse. Participants were presented with one of four written vignettes of an adult female who recovers memories of child sexual abuse during therapy. Two variables in the vignettes were manipulated: the method of memory recovery (hypnosis informed vs. control uninformed) and presentation of psychological symptoms commonly related to history of sexual maltreatment (symptoms informed vs. symptoms uninformed). Participant mock jurors were asked to respond to questions regarding credibility, defendant guilt, and award of monetary damages. The continuous dependent variable analyses found significant results with regard to plaintiff …

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An Optimization Approach Coupling Rockfall Simulation And Slope Stability Analysis For New Rock Cut Profiles, Justin Pentz Jan 2014

An Optimization Approach Coupling Rockfall Simulation And Slope Stability Analysis For New Rock Cut Profiles, Justin Pentz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this report investigation and identification of the elements of bench cut bedrock slopes that affect the rockfall characteristics was performed in order to create alternatives for highway bedrock cut slope design for the state of West Virginia. The scope of this research was to determine what geometric and material parameters effect rockfall on bench cut bedrock slopes and present design suggestions for increasing rockfall retention. Additionally as a means developing alternative slope designs a new design methodology involving slope stability and rockfall behavior was established.;In order to analyze rockfall behavior in West Virginia geology, a three dimensional version of …

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Dynamics Of Defiance: Government Power And Rural Resistance In The Arkansas Ozarks, J. Blake Perkins Jan 2014

Dynamics Of Defiance: Government Power And Rural Resistance In The Arkansas Ozarks, J. Blake Perkins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores the dynamics of rural resistance against government interventions in the Ozark uplands of Arkansas during the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It employs microhistorical analysis to delve deep into the experiences and attitudes of rural folks as they encountered and interacted with different arms of government authority during this long period of change and transition for rural America. The findings question and complicate long-held assumptions about an "exceptional" rural hill culture that supposedly eluded change and remained isolated from mainstream American developments since the pioneer settlers of the Early Republic. In particular, this work's collection of case …

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Phosphorus Forms And Availability In Organicallymanaged Grasslands, Saraswati Poudel Acharya Jan 2014

Phosphorus Forms And Availability In Organicallymanaged Grasslands, Saraswati Poudel Acharya

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Phosphorus (P), an essential element for plants and animals, can be a limiting nutrient in organically-managed soils. To better understand P dynamics in organically-managed grasslands, P forms and availability in certified organic grasslands at the WVU Organic Research Farm were determined. The experimental design was a randomized complete block established in 2000 and has been maintained continuously with certified organic methods. We compared three Usage systems (Pasture, Buffer, and Hay) each at two levels of Fertility (High and Low). Phosphorus forms were determined by sequential fractionation with H2O, NaHCO3, NaOH and HCl. Extractable P was determined using several soil test …

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Mothers' Adaptation To Caring For A New Baby, Darcey N. Powell Jan 2014

Mothers' Adaptation To Caring For A New Baby, Darcey N. Powell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

To date, most research on parents' adjustment after adding a new baby to their family unit has focused on mothers' initial transition to parenthood. This past research has examined changes in mothers' marital satisfaction and perceived well-being across the transition, and has compared their prenatal expectations to their postnatal experiences. This project assessed first-time and experienced mothers' stress and satisfaction associated with parenting, their adjustment to competing demands, and their perceived well-being longitudinally before and after the birth of a baby. Additionally, how maternal and child-related variables influenced the trajectory of mothers' postnatal adaptation was assessed. These variables included mothers' …

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Sport Psychology "App"Lication: Ncaa Coaches' Preferences For A Mental Training Mobile App, Raymond F. Prior Jan 2014

Sport Psychology "App"Lication: Ncaa Coaches' Preferences For A Mental Training Mobile App, Raymond F. Prior

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study utilized a consumer marketing approach to investigate National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) head coaches' preferences for a mental training mobile application (mobile map) using a conjoint market analysis. Head coaches' preferences for a mental training mobile app were compared based on price, ability to track athlete use of the app, recommendation sources, the inclusion of daily functions, coaches' awareness of the app being used by other teams, and the credibility of the mobile app content creators. Price and tracking athlete use were the two most important characteristics to coaches. Considering all characteristics, coaches preferred mobile apps that cost …

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Control Design And Performance Analysis For Autonomous Formation Flight Experiments, Caleb M. Rice Jan 2014

Control Design And Performance Analysis For Autonomous Formation Flight Experiments, Caleb M. Rice

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Autonomous Formation Flight is a key approach for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and managing traffic in future high density airspace. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) have made it possible for the physical demonstration and validation of autonomous formation flight concepts inexpensively and eliminates the flight risk to human pilots. This thesis discusses the design, implementation, and flight testing of three different formation flight control methods, Proportional Integral and Derivative (PID); Fuzzy Logic (FL); and NonLinear Dynamic Inversion (NLDI), and their respective performance behavior. Experimental results show achievable autonomous formation flight and performance quality with a pair of low-cost unmanned research fixed …

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Development Of A Mechanical Vapor-Compression Distiller Incorporating Concentrated Solar Power, Garrett Tyler Rinker Jan 2014

Development Of A Mechanical Vapor-Compression Distiller Incorporating Concentrated Solar Power, Garrett Tyler Rinker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The demand for a reliable energy supply has promoted the development of the Marcellus Shale gas industry in the past few years. However, the produced water from hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking) poses a hazard to human and environmental health because of its dissolved solid, hydrocarbon, and heavy metal content. This research proposes to develop a portable solar power assisted water distiller which can process produced water on-site for natural gas wells.;The distillation technology developed is a small scale mechanical vapor-compression (MVC) distillation unit. The thermal energy for the evaporation of the water is provided by the solar energy, …

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Elucidation Of The Early Steps Of Ergot Alkaloid Synthesis By Pathway Reconstruction In Aspergillus Nidulans, Katy Ryan Jan 2014

Elucidation Of The Early Steps Of Ergot Alkaloid Synthesis By Pathway Reconstruction In Aspergillus Nidulans, Katy Ryan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ergot alkaloids are pharmaceutically and agriculturally important secondary metabolites produced by several species of fungi in the Clavicipitaceae (order Hypocreales) and Trichocomaceae (order Eurotiales). Ergot alkaloid pathways vary among producers due to genetic variation within ergot alkaloid synthesizing (eas) gene clusters. However, the early steps of the pathway leading to the formation of chanoclavine-I appear to be evolutionarily conserved among producers. Chanoclavine-I synthesis occurs in at least five steps, and knockout and heterologous expression studies have demonstrated that four genes, dmaW, easF, easE, and easC, are required for pathway steps prior to chanoclavine-I formation. It was unknown whether these genes …

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Low-Power And Programmable Analog Circuitry For Wireless Sensors, Brandon David Rumberg Jan 2014

Low-Power And Programmable Analog Circuitry For Wireless Sensors, Brandon David Rumberg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Embedding networks of secure, wirelessly-connected sensors and actuators will help us to conscientiously manage our local and extended environments. One major challenge for this vision is to create networks of wireless sensor devices that provide maximal knowledge of their environment while using only the energy that is available within that environment. In this work, it is argued that the energy constraints in wireless sensor design are best addressed by incorporating analog signal processors. The low power-consumption of an analog signal processor allows persistent monitoring of multiple sensors while the device's analog-to-digital converter, microcontroller, and transceiver are all in sleep mode. …

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"Busy Mischievous Ffellows": Imperial Agency In Pennsylvania During The Seven Years' War, Benjamin G. Scharff Jan 2014

"Busy Mischievous Ffellows": Imperial Agency In Pennsylvania During The Seven Years' War, Benjamin G. Scharff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project explores British colonial interaction with imperial authority in mid-eighteenth century Pennsylvania. The goal is to show that reactions to this authority proved much more complicated than previously identified. This has been done by examining the personal interactions of Pennsylvanians with Britons in political, economic, diplomatic and inter-colonial affairs. Upon examination of these exchanges, it becomes clear that Pennsylvanians differed greatly in their support of British authority depending on their personal place in society and the particular issues they were most personally connected to. By demonstrating the variety of reactions, this research highlights the importance of studying colonial opposition …

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Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of The Art Education Preparation Program In Kuwait, Ghadeer Alhaddad Jan 2014

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of The Art Education Preparation Program In Kuwait, Ghadeer Alhaddad

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was designed to investigate how pre-service, beginners, and advanced art teachers in Kuwait viewed their teacher preparation program by describing and evaluating its effectiveness. To examine the issues of art teacher training and current teaching, this study used quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The study included a qualitative document analysis and a quantitative survey questionnaire of pre-service art education teachers who have completed their classroom observation at the end of the fourth year at the College of Basic Education (CBE), beginning art education teachers who are teaching in the first of their second year at the Ministry of …

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