Digital Commons Network^™

Novice Science Teachers' Thinking About The Purpose Of Teachers' Questions, Gwyndolyn Crittenden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective teacher questioning during whole group instruction remains an important pedagogy in science education, especially the importance of helping novice teachers to guide student thinking using effective questions. This study examined how novice secondary science teachers’ understand the relationship between student thinking and teacher questioning. The sample was seven novice secondary science teachers’ enrolled in the University of Central Florida’s job embedded Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program (RTP3 ). All participants received instruction and guided practice with the use of questions to elicit, probe, and challenge student ideas in the secondary science pedagogy class. Participants completed a questionnaire describing their …

Textbook Cost-Lowering Initiatives: An Exploration Of Community College Faculty Experiences, Susan Dunn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Faculty have been identified as critical players in the implementation of textbook affordability efforts at community colleges. Furthermore, emerging lower-cost alternatives to traditional textbooks present a wide and growing range of options that may help further efforts. This study sought to examine more closely the role of faculty with respect to textbook cost-lowering initiatives. The researcher utilized in-depth interviews to gain a rich picture of the experiences, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of nine full-time community college faculty as they confronted textbook affordability efforts and textbook alternatives. The interview data were analyzed using a thematic analysis process. Five major themes and …

The Impact Of Job Experience Training On Executive Functioning Skills For Students With Language Impairments, Christopher Elliott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The collaborative efforts of families, educators, and policy makers have merged vocational training with special education services for students with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 introduced mandates for schools to provide transition services for students with disabilities based on three areas of need: a) education, b) employment, and independent living. This legislation has led to more work-based learning programs that meet the postsecondary needs for students with disabilities. Despite this increase in work-based learning programs many students with disabilities are still unable to make successful transitions into postsecondary outcomes. Using a mixed method design, this study …

Techniques For Characterization Of Third Order Optical Nonlinearities, Manuel Ferdinandus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes the development of novel techniques for characterization of nonlinear properties of materials. The dissertation is divided into two parts, a background and theory section and a technique development section. In the background and theory section we explain the origins of the nonlinear optical response of materials across many different spatial and temporal scales. The mechanisms that we are most interested in are the electronic nuclear and reorientational responses, which occur on the range of sub-femtosecond to several picoseconds. The electronic mechanism is due to the electrons of a material experiencing a non-parabolic potential well due a strong …

Driving Performance Adaptation Through Practice With And Without Distracters In A Simulated Environment, Marc Gentzler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A preponderance of research points to the detrimental effects of distraction on driving performance. An interesting question is whether practice can improve distracted driving. The results from the few longitudinal simulator-based research studies conducted on driving distraction have been inconclusive. This may be because practice effects could be confounded with participants adapting to driving in the simulator. Therefore, participants in the current studies were trained until performance reached a steady state prior to introducing the distracters. In this dissertation, two single-subject design studies were used to investigate the effects of training on distracted driving. The first study included two participants …

Examining Preservice Teachers' Performances And Pedagogies Of Practice In An Urban Classroom Through The Use Of A Simulated Learning Environment, Kelly Jennings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The failure to staff the nation’s classrooms with highly qualified teachers, especially those in disadvantaged schools, is a problem in American education. Novice teachers who begin teaching in urban, low-income, diverse schools leave the field of education at alarmingly high rates. Schools are not being provided with the teachers they deserve; new teachers are especially ill-prepared to meet the needs of students in high-need urban settings. In return, these lowincome schools are not retaining sufficient numbers of the teachers they do recruit. A teacher’s performance has a tremendous impact on a child’s learning and academic journey. Teacher preparation programs need …

The U.S. Environmental Movement 1890-2002: Discourse Divisions, Environmental Crisis Events, And Strategic Concessions, Wendi Kane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Environmental Movement is facing a paradox: increased mobilization over the last 100 years has not been entirely effective in halting environmental degradation. This research suggests that discourse divisions among environmental movement organizations constitute a fundamental obstacle to progressive change. The discourse divisions are evident in movement organizing patterns during periods of increased environmental crisis over the history of the modern environmental movement. In addition, evidence suggests that federal environmental policy is an outcome of increased organizing among movement organizations with more transformative visions of change. However, policy outcomes from increased pressure among transformative organizations are significantly correlated with …

Factors Associated With Information Literacy Competencies Of The Traditional Baccalaureate Nursing Student, Patricia Lafferty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nursing practice at all levels requires a nurse to use evidence-based nursing to improve the quality of patient care. Registered nurses need information literacy skills to practice evidence-based nursing, therefore, all nursing students need to be information literate upon graduation from nursing programs. There is no empirical research evidence on information literacy skills for students entering nursing programs in four-year colleges. Students seeking to attain a baccalaureate degree through a traditional nursing program, enter with differing demographic and educational factors that may affect their information literacy skills. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to examine information literacy skills of …

Effect Of Acute L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine (Sustamine) And Electrolyte Ingestion On Plasma Electrolytes, Physiologic Measures, And Neuromuscular Fatigue During Endurance Exercise, William Mccormack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of two dose levels of L-Alanyl-LGlutamine in a commercially available sports drink to the sports drink only on time to exhaustion, neuromuscular fatigue and physiological measures during prolonged endurance exercise. Twelve endurance-trained males (23.5±3.7 yrs; 175.5±5.4 cm; 70.7±7.6 kg) performed four trials, each consisting of 1 hr treadmill runs at 75% of VO2peak followed by a run to exhaustion at 90% of VO2peak. The trials differed in type of hydration. One trial consisted of no hydration (NHY), another required ingestion of only a sports drink (ET), and two trials required …

How High School Size Configuration Affects Student Achievement In The State Of Florida, Donald Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study was conducted to determine if there were any statistically significant differences in student achievement as measured by the 10th-grade Reading and Mathematics Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) at the school level between the configurations of high schools, controlling for the percentage of minority population and SES. A total of 259 large public high schools within Florida were used in the study; 149 traditional schools and 110 large schools using small learning communities. Because prior researchers have indicated that the number of low SES students and the percentage of minority students can have an effect on student achievement, these …

The Influence Of A Career Planning Stem Explorations Course On Vocational Maturity, Career Decidedness And Career Thoughts For Undergraduate Students, Diandra Prescod

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), innovation that accompanies careers in science, technology engineering, and math (STEM) create a driving force in the economy and the creation of jobs, yet many positions remain open due to the lack of qualified individuals to fill them (NAS, 2011). Continuing research and innovation proves to be important, yet not enough students graduate with STEM degrees and enter into STEM careers. Career planning courses for undergraduate students increase student confidence about their abilities to make career decisions (Grier-Reed & Skaar, 2010: Scott & Ciani 2008). Vocational maturity and career decision making skills …

Validation Of A Novel Hypothesis Of Generating Foam Cells By Its Use To Study Reverse Cholesterol Transport, Bhaswati Sengupta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Generation of foam cells, an essential step for reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) studies, uses the technique of receptor dependent macrophage loading with radiolabeled acetylated Low Density Lipoprotein (Ac-LDL). In this study, we used the ability of a biologically relevant detergent molecule, Lysophosphatidylcholine (Lyso PtdCho), to form mixed micelles with cholesterol or cholesteryl ester (CE) to generate macrophage foam cells. Fluorescent or radiolabelled cholesterol / Lyso PtdCho mixed micelles were prepared and incubated with RAW 264.7 or mouse peritoneal macrophages. Results showed that such micelles were quite stable at 4°C and retained the solubilized cholesterol during one month storage. Macrophages incubated …

Multimaterial Fibers And Tapers A Platform For Nonlinear Photonics And Nanotechnology, Soroush Shabahang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The development of optical sources and components suitable for the mid-infrared is crucial for applications in this spectral range to reach the maturity level of their counterparts in the visible and near-infrared spectral regimes. The recent commercialization of quantum cascade lasers is leading to further interest in this spectral range. Wideband mid-infrared coherent sources, such as supercontinuum generation, have yet to be fully developed. A mid-infrared supercontinuum source would allow for unique applications in spectroscopy and sensing. Over the last decade, it has been shown that high-index confinement in highly nonlinear fibers pumped with high-peak-power pulses is an excellent approach …

A Time-Course Analysis Of Behavioral Plasticity And Differential Gene Expression Patterns In Response To Density In Schistocerca Americana (Orthoptera: Acrididae), Steven Gotham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of the genotype to express alternative phenotypes in response to different environmental conditions and this is considered to be an adaptation in which a species can survive and persist in a rapidly changing environment. Some grasshoppers and locusts are capable of expressing an extreme form of density-dependent phenotypic plasticity, known as locust phase polyphenism. At low population density, the individuals typically have a cryptic coloration as nymphs, are less active, and only seek out conspecifics for reproductive purposes. At high density, however, they develop a drastically different phenotype in which they have a conspicuous coloration, …

Action Potentials As Indicators Of Metabolic Perturbations For Temporal Proteomic Analysis, Aditya Reddy Kolli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The single largest cause of compound attrition during drug development is due to inadequate tools capable of predicting and identifying protein interactions. Several tools have been developed to explore how a compound interferes with specific pathways. However, these tools lack the potential to chronically monitor the time dependent temporal changes in complex biochemical networks, thus limiting our ability to identify possible secondary signaling pathways that could lead to potential toxicity. To overcome this, we have developed an in silico neuronal-metabolic model by coupling the membrane electrical activity to intracellular biochemical pathways that would enable us to perform non-invasive temporal proteomics. …

Multifunctional And Responsive Polyelectrolyte Nanostructures, Astha Malhotra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A polyelectrolyte complex is formed by mixing two oppositely charged polyelectrolytes in a solution. The electrostatic interactions between partially charged polymeric chains lead to the formation of a stable complex while avoiding the use of covalent cross linkers. Since complex formation can improve the stability of polyelectrolyte and metal ions in polyelectrolyte can provide various functionalities, PECs incorporated with metal ions are promising candidates for manufacturing stable and multifunctional structures. While the coordination of metal ions and polyelectrolytes has been extensively investigated in solutions and multilayer films, to our knowledge, no research has been performed to study the effect of …

Chemical Differentiation Of Human Osseous, Non-Human Osseous, And Non-Osseous Materials Using Scanning Electron Microscopy - Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (Sem/Edx) And Multivariate Statistical Analysis, Cayli Meizel-Lambert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identification of osseous materials is generally established on gross anatomical factors; however, highly fragmented or taphonomically altered materials are often problematic and alternative methods, such as biological, histological, or chemical analysis, must be utilized. Recently, chemical methods have been proposed to sort unknown materials according to their Ca/P ratios. Ubelaker and colleagues (2002) proposed using SEM/EDX to achieve this distinction and Christensen and colleagues (2012) have validated X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF) for this application. An alternative method of analysis involves performing principal component analysis (PCA) on element spectra to classify unknown materials based on their trace element composition. Zimmerman (2013) …

Diet At Medieval Alytus, Lithuania: Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotope Analysis Of Bone And Dentin Collagen, Katie Whitmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Baltic region was a vibrant center of power and economic prosperity in medieval Europe; Lithuania in particular. Until now, little stable isotopic analysis has been utilized to assess diet in this region during this time period. The aim of this study was to undertake a preliminary assessment of the composition of diet at late medieval Alytus (late 14th to early 18th centuries) from bone (N=35) and dentin (N=38) collagen samples. The stable carbon isotopic data suggest a diet primarily comprised of C3 plants such as barley, rye, wheat, and flax, and animals consuming C3 plants. The stable nitrogen isotopic …

Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles: Their Phosphatase Activity And Its Control, Atul Dhall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cerium oxide nanoparticles are established scavengers of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. They have many potential biomedical applications that depend on their physicochemical properties and mode of preparation. Recent studies have found these nanoparticles possess phosphatase mimetic activity. Studying such catalytic activities will qualify their biomedical applications and render information on their bioavailability and potential toxicity. Two oxidation states of cerium exist in these nanoparticles (3+ or 4+). It is hypothesized that the oxidation state of cerium in the nanoparticles determines the amount of adsorbed water on the crystal lattices. This in turn governs their activity as phosphatases. Nanoparticles with …

Response Of Free-Living Nitrogen-Fixing Microorganisms To Land Use Change In The Amazon Rainforest, Babur S. Mirza, C. Potisap, K. Nusslein, B. Bohannan, J. L.M. Rodrigues

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The Amazon rainforest, the largest equatorial forest in the world, is being cleared for pasture and agricultural use at alarming rates. Tropical deforestation is known to cause alterations in microbial communities at taxonomic and phylogenetic levels, but it is unclear whether microbial functional groups are altered. We asked whether free-living nitrogen-fixing microorganisms (diazotrophs) respond to deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, using analysis of the marker gene nifH. Clone libraries were generated from soil samples collected from a primary forest, a 5-year-old pasture originally converted from primary forest, and a secondary forest established after pasture abandonment. Although diazotroph richness did not …

The Impact Of Slit And Detention Dams On Debris Flow Control Using Gstars 3.0, Leila Hassan-Esfahani, Mohammad Ebrahim Banihabib

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Sedimentation, Modeling, GSTARS3.0, Debris flow, Slit dam, Detention dam

The Influence Of Mesa Activities On Underrepresented Students Nsf Dr K-12 Proposal 1020019, C. Hailey, Chandra Austin Stallworth, Cameron Denson, Daniel L. Householder

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) outreach programs are partnerships between K-12 schools and higher education in nine states. MESA efforts introduce integrated experiences in science, mathematics and engineering to K-12 students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the STEM disciplines. This exploratory study examined the influence of selected MESA activities on students' self-efficacy, their perceptions of engineering, and their interest in engineering and other STEM fields. Field trips, guest lecturers, design competitions, hands-on activities and student career and academic advisement were of specific interest in this survey. The project also investigated the relationship between student engagement in MESA and …

United States V. Tarlow, Northern District Of California

Historical and Topical Legal Documents

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Computer-Based And Optical Face Recognition Paradigms, Abdulaziz A. Alorf

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The main objectives of this thesis are to validate an improved principal components analysis (IPCA) algorithm on images; designing and simulating a digital model for image compression, face recognition and image detection by using a principal components analysis (PCA) algorithm and the IPCA algorithm; designing and simulating an optical model for face recognition and object detection by using the joint transform correlator (JTC); establishing detection and recognition thresholds for each model; comparing between the performance of the PCA algorithm and the performance of the IPCA algorithm in compression, recognition and, detection; and comparing between the performance of the digital model …

Reclaiming Indigenous Narratives Through Critical Discourses And The Autonomy Of The Trickster, Robert D. Hunter

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

How do prevailing narratives about Native Americans, particularly in the medium of film, conspire to promote the perspective of the dominant culture? What makes the appropriation of Indigenous images so metaphorically popular? In the past hundred years, little has changed in the forms of representation favored by Hollywood. The introductory chapter elucidates the problem and outlines the scope of this study. As each subsequent chapter makes clear, the problem is as relevant today as it has been throughout the entire course of filmic history.

Chapter Two analyzes representational trends and defines each decade according to its favorite stereotype. The binary …

Factors Influencing Material Loss During Iron Ore Pellet Handling, Joseph A. Halt

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Iron ore concentrate pellets have the potential to fracture and abrade during transportation and handling, which produces unwanted fine particulates and dust. Consequently, pellet producers characterize the abrasion resistance of their pellets, using an Abrasion Index (AI), to indicate whether their products will produce unacceptable levels of fines. However, no one has ever investigated whether the AI correlates to pellet dustiness.

During the course of this research, we investigated the relationship between AI and iron ore concentrate pellet dustiness using a wide range of industrial and laboratory pellet samples. The results showed that, in general, AI can be used to …

Using Probabilistic Graphical Models To Draw Inferences In Sensor Networks With Tracking Applications, Lufeng Shi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Sensor networks have been an active research area in the past decade due to the variety of their applications. Many research studies have been conducted to solve the problems underlying the middleware services of sensor networks, such as self-deployment, self-localization, and synchronization. With the provided middleware services, sensor networks have grown into a mature technology to be used as a detection and surveillance paradigm for many real-world applications.

The individual sensors are small in size. Thus, they can be deployed in areas with limited space to make unobstructed measurements in locations where the traditional centralized systems would have trouble to …

Real Time Fuzzy Controller For Quadrotor Stability Control, Pranav S. Bhatkhande

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

In this report, we develop an intelligent adaptive neuro-fuzzy controller by using adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) techniques. We begin by starting with a standard proportional-derivative (PD) controller and use the PD controller data to train the ANFIS system to develop a fuzzy controller. We then propose and validate a method to implement this control strategy on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware.

An analysis is made into the choice of filters for attitude estimation. These choices are limited by the complexity of the filter and the computing ability and memory constraints of the micro-controller. Simplified Kalman filters are found to …

Design And Implementation Of Home Use Portable Smart Electronics, Liqiang Du

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The widespread of low cost embedded electronics makes it easier to implement the smart devices that can understand either the environment or the user behaviors. The main object of this project is to design and implement home use portable smart electronics, including the portable monitoring device for home and office security and the portable 3D mouse for convenient use. Both devices in this project use the MPU6050 which contains a 3 axis accelerometer and a 3 axis gyroscope to sense the inertial motion of the door or the human hands movement.

For the portable monitoring device for home and office …

Investigation Of Strategies To Promote Effective Teacher Professional Development Experiences In Earth Science, Carol A. Engelmann

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

This dissertation serves as a call to geoscientists to share responsibility with K-12 educators for increasing Earth science literacy. When partnerships are created among K-12 educators and geoscientists, the synergy created can promote Earth science literacy in students, teachers, and the broader community. The research described here resulted in development of tools that can support effective professional development for teachers. One tool is used during the planning stages to structure a professional development program, another set of tools supports measurement of the effectiveness of a development program, and the third tool supports sustainability of professional development programs. The Michigan Teacher …