Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Training On Intent, Ease, Self-Efficacy, Frequency, And Usefulness In Multimedia-Based Feedback For University-Level Instructors Using Canvas® Lms, Christopher Kent O'Leary

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how training and professional development effected university-level instructors’ perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, behavioral intent to use, perception of self-efficacy, and frequency of use of audio-, video-, and speech-to-text-recognition-based technologies associated with the feedback and assessment process in college-level teaching. Except for usefulness, each dependent variable was divided into two based on whether the item was multimedia or not: (a) use of technology with multimedia and (b) use of technology without multimedia. The convenience sample included 52 university-level instructors who had enrolled in either the Canvas® Essentials (a basics course) or …

Implementation And Strategies To Address Sensory Regulation Of Students With And Without Disabilities In Two Kindergarten Classrooms, Yvette Rosil Mere-Cook

Doctoral Dissertations

Results from previous research studies suggest that inclusive settings benefit all learners. However, general education teachers often do not have built in supports within the classroom to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Implementing a sensory diet curriculum (SDC) is one instructional practice that addresses needs of students with disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder, and could be applied widely for students without disabilities. Sensory regulation is defined as the body’s physiological process of adapting arousal or alertness levels to cope with sensory events and situational demands that occur throughout the day. The purpose of this study was to …

Building Communicative Competence: An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of An Intensive Japanese-Language Program, Yukiko Konishi

Doctoral Dissertations

Even though language-program evaluations provide educators with various types of information on teaching practices and the programs in which they work, insufficient literature discusses issues related to language-program evaluation. This mixed-methods study examined the effectiveness of a Japanese-language program offered at a government-sponsored Institute located in northern California on language-program evaluation and developing communicative competence at postsecondary schools.

Data comprised two sets of surveys, six individual interviews, and one group interview. Survey respondents were 35 former students of the institute and 12 Japanese instructors who are currently teaching Japanese or have taught Japanese at the Institute. Of the 35 students, …

Workplace Violence, Organizational Culture, And Registered Nurses' Incident Reporting Patterns In Acute Hospitals In California, Feodora Jacobsen

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of the reporting patterns of WPV Type II in acute hospital settings. Although some patients are abusive toward nurses, that the abuse is underreported to hospital administrators. Qualitative studies identified common themes for underreporting including fear of being blamed, abuse considered part of the job, and not having sufficient time to fill out a formal report. This study is the first quantitative study to explore the changes in mean scores of organizational-culture factors under two mutually exclusive conditions: registered nurses (RNs) who do not report hospital incidents and RNs who do …

War Torts: Accountability For Autonomous Weapons, Rebecca Crootof

Law Faculty Publications

Unlike conventional weapons or remotely operated drones, autonomous weapon systems can independently select and engage targets. As a result, they may take actions that look like war crimes—the sinking of a cruise ship, the destruction of a village, the downing of a passenger jet—without any individual acting intentionally or recklessly. Absent such willful action, no one can be held criminally liable under existing international law.

Criminal law aims to prohibit certain actions, and individual criminal liability allows for the evaluation of whether someone is guilty of a moral wrong. Given that a successful ban on autonomous weapon systems is unlikely …

Midi Electronic Wind Instrument: A Study Of The Instrument And Selected Works, Matthew J. Swallow

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The development of the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) electronic wind instrument (EWI) stemmed from earlier electronic instruments including analog/digital synthesizers, earlier control devices (Lyricon), and electronic instruments using a "blow tube trigger generator" (Yamaha WX) or breath controllers (Yamaha BC). Developing such devices began as early as the 1940s and were originally intended for compositional use instead of performance. However, the technology of electro-acoustic sounds continued to expand commercially from the 1950s through the 1970s, including more general access to sound synthesis and live performance. Various companies including Yamaha, Akai, Moog, Korg, and others would establish lines of synthesizers …

Situational Awareness Enhancement For Connected And Automated Vehicle Systems, Amin Tahmasbi Sarvestani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent developments in the area of Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) have boosted the interest in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs). While ITS is intended to resolve and mitigate serious traffic issues such as passenger and pedestrian fatalities, accidents, and traffic congestion; these goals are only achievable by vehicles that are fully aware of their situation and surroundings in real-time. Therefore, connected and automated vehicle systems heavily rely on communication technologies to create a real-time map of their surrounding environment and extend their range of situational awareness. In this dissertation, we propose novel approaches to enhance situational awareness, its applications, and …

Gender-Specific Motivators And Barriers To Adopting Healthful Diets And Losing Weight Among Middle-Aged West Virginians, Stephanie K. Thompson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gender-specific motivators and barriers to adopting healthful diets and losing weight among middle-aged West Virginians Stephanie K. Thompson Background: About 70% of West Virginia adults are overweight and obese. Diet is a modifiable determinant of weight-related conditions. Innovative interventions are needed to help overcome the barriers to prevent and delay chronic conditions. In order to implement an intervention that is needed, learning the motivators and barriers to healthful eating and weight loss is the first step.;Objective: To learn what helps or hinders healthful eating and weight loss among middle-aged adults in West Virginia.;Methods: Gender-specific focus groups were conducted among 45 …

Distribution And Habitat Use Of The Western Sand Darter (Ammocrypta Clara) And The Eastern Sand Darter (Ammocrypta Pellucida) In The Elk River, West Virginia, Patricia A. Thompson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines the distribution and habitat use of two sympatric sand darter species, the western sand darter (Ammocrypta clara) and the eastern sand darter (A. pellucida). This thesis includes three chapters: (1) an introduction and literature review on the western and eastern sand darters, habitat use, and species distribution models; (2) a substrate selection laboratory experiment; and, (3) an evaluation of sympatric sand darter habitat use at multiple scales in the Elk River. Sand darters are slender, sand-dwelling fishes that were once broadly distributed, but have since undergone range-wide population declines, presumably owing to habitat loss. Habitat use studies …

Using The Instructional Beliefs Model To Examine Instructional Feedback In The Classroom, Melissa F. Tindage

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the role that instructional feedback plays in student engagement using Weber, Martin, and Myers's (2001) Instructional Beliefs Model (IBM). The proposed IBM for this dissertation included first-order constructs (i.e., instructional feedback, course workload, course difficulty, and students' feedback orientation), a second-order construct (i.e., feedback self-efficacy), and a third-order construct (i.e., student engagement). As hypothesized, instructional feedback (i.e., developmental, fairness) is positively associated with feedback self-efficacy, while course workload and course difficulty are negatively associated with feedback self- efficacy. However, only two dimensions of students' feedback orientation (i.e., utility, retention) were positively associated …

The Effects Of Overprotective Parenting On Academic Self-Esteem: The Moderating Role Of Teachers, Brittany R. Valdez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Overprotective parenting, or "helicopter parenting" as it is known in the media, is characterized by high levels of behavioral and psychological control, and has been found by previous empirical studies to be linked to several maladaptive child outcomes (Wood, McLeod, Sigman, Hwang, & Chu, 2003). These outcomes include increased levels of anxiety, depression (Bayer, Sanson, & Hemphill, 2006; LeMoyne & Buchanan, 2011; Schiffrin, Liss, Miles-McLean, Geary, & Erchull 2013), and shyness (Bayer, et al., 2006; Rubin, Coplan, & Bowker, 2009) as well as decreased academic outcomes (Bernstein & Triger, 2010; Padilla-Walker & Nelson, 2012). However, much of the research regarding …

Autism Spectrum Disorders Among Adults: Burden Of Healthcare Services' Utilization And Expenditures, Rini Vohra

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Study 1.;Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have extensive comorbidities. The current literature lacks documentation of prevalence of different types of comorbidities and their association with healthcare utilization and expenditures among adults with ASD as compared to adults without ASD.;Aim: To determine: 1) the differences in prevalence of psychiatric, non-psychiatric comorbidities, other health conditions, healthcare utilization, and expenditures among adults with and without ASD; and 2) the association of type of comorbidity with healthcare utilization and expenditures of adults with ASD.;Method: A retrospective cohort study using claims data from three state Medicaid Analytic eXtract was conducted. Adults aged 22--64 …

Identification And Functional Predication Of Long Non-Coding Rnas In Rainbow Trout And Cattle, Jian Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The simplest definition of a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is an RNA transcript larger than 200 nucleotides that does not encode for a functional protein product. This definition distinguishes lncRNAs from small regulatory RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and other short RNAs. They have emerged as a new class of regulatory transcripts in recent years. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have opened a new horizon for the identification and annotation of this class of RNAs in many species. With the increasing evidence supporting important roles of lincRNAs in diverse processes, a systematic catalog …

Board Out Of Your Mind: Mapping Players' Mental Models Of Game Systems And Potentials For Systems-Thinking Instruction, Joe A. Wasserman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite evidence that game-based instruction is effective, and suggestive evidence that they are specifically effective for teaching systems thinking---the ability to think about complex systems---the mechanisms behind this learning are not well understood. One promising perspective on game-based learning is rooted in the development of mental models of game systems. Mental models are cognitive representations of the perceived entities and relationships between entities in a system. This study explores the entities and entity relationships in novice players' mental models of an analog game. Grounded, interpretive analysis of mental models externalized through cognitive mapping identified five categories of entities: formal game …

Nursing Knowledge Of Heart Failure, Beth Ann White

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Heart failure is a constellation of signs and symptoms reflecting a physiologic change in the hearts ability to keep up with demand. Heart failure is considered a global pandemic and is a complex disease that oftentimes is progressive. Heart failure is often associated with underlying coronary atherosclerosis, and its associated risks, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia. To slow the progression and improve quality of life patients should be educated about the disease and in most health care settings nurses provide this education. However, nurses may lack sufficient knowledge of the processes that lead to heart failure. The …

Multidimensional Coherent Spectroscopy Of Gaas Excitons And Quantum Microcavity Polaritons, Brian L. Wilmer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Light-matter interactions associated with excitons and exciton related complexes are explored in bulk GaAs and semiconductor microcavities using multidimensional coherent spectroscopy (MDCS). This approach provides rich spectra determining quantum excitation pathways, structural influences on the excitons, and coherence times.;Polarization, excitation density, and temperature-dependent MDCS is performed on excitons in strained bulk GaAs layers, probing the coherent response for differing amounts of strain. Biaxial tensile strain lifts the degeneracy of heavy-hole and light-hole valence states, leading to an observed splitting of the associated excitons at low temperature. Increasing the strain increases the magnitude of the heavy-/light- hole exciton peak splitting, induces …

Framing 2014 Hong Kong Protest, Liying Ye

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Numerous newspapers have documented the stories of the 2014 Hong Kong protest, but there was a void of systematic analysis of the protest coverage. To partially fill this gap, this study utilized the most five common news frames- conflict, human interest, responsibility attribution, morality, economic consequence- to probe how they were used in different newspapers within their media systems. The attitudes, or tone, towards the Hong Kong protest was also examined to gain an in-depth understanding in relation to different framing strategies. A total of 105 news article from China Daily (Mainland China), South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) and …

Two-Arm Randomized Pilot Intervention Trial To Decrease Sitting Time And Increase Sit-To-Stand Transitions In Working And Non-Working Older Adults., Jacqueline Kerr, Michelle Takemoto, Khalisa Bolling, Andrew Atkin, Jordan A. Carlson, Dori Rosenberg, Katie Crist, Suneeta Godbole, Brittany Lewars, Claudia Pena, Gina Merchant

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Excessive sitting has been linked to poor health. It is unknown whether reducing total sitting time or increasing brief sit-to-stand transitions is more beneficial. We conducted a randomized pilot study to assess whether it is feasible for working and non-working older adults to reduce these two different behavioral targets.

METHODS: Thirty adults (15 workers and 15 non-workers) age 50-70 years were randomized to one of two conditions (a 2-hour reduction in daily sitting or accumulating 30 additional brief sit-to-stand transitions per day). Sitting time, standing time, sit-to-stand transitions and stepping were assessed by a thigh worn inclinometer (activPAL). Participants …

Comparison Of Affect And Cardiorespiratory Training Responses Between Structured Gym Activities And Traditional Aerobic Exercise In Children., David A. White, S D. Rothenberger, L A. Hunt, F L. Goss

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Physical activities (PA) that are pleasurable are likely to be repeated. Structured gym activities (SGA) are defined as dodging, chasing, and fleeing games. Traditional aerobic exercises (TAE) are defined as treadmill, cycle ergometer, and elliptical exercise. The purpose of this investigation was to compare affect and cardiorespiratory training responses between SGA and TAE in children. Thirty-two participants (9.3±0.2) were randomized to either the SGA or TAE group. Exercise training was seven weeks, with two sessions per week, for 35 minutes per session. Affect was measured by the (+5 (pleasurable) to -5 (displeasurable)) feelings scale. Affect was recorded at the mid-point …

Reducing Overutilization Of Testing For Clostridium Difficile Infection In A Pediatric Hospital System: A Quality Improvement Initiative., J Michael Klatte, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Mary Anne Jackson, Angela Myers

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: Study objectives included addressing overuse of Clostridium difficile laboratory testing by decreasing submission rates of nondiarrheal stool specimens and specimens from children ≤12 months of age and determining resultant patient and laboratory cost savings associated with decreased testing.

METHODS: A multifaceted initiative was developed, and components included multiple provider education methods, computerized order entry modifications, and automatic declination from laboratory on testing stool specimens of nondiarrheal consistency and from children ≤12 months old. A run chart, demonstrating numbers of nondiarrheal plus infant stool specimens submitted over time, was developed to analyze the initiative's impact on clinicians' test-ordering practices. A …

Contraceptive Provision To Adolescent Females Prescribed Teratogenic Medications., Stephani L. Stancil, Melissa K. Miller, Holley Briggs, Daryl Lynch, Kathy Goggin, Gregory Kearns

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Rates of adult women receiving contraceptive provision when simultaneously prescribed a known teratogen are alarmingly low. The prevalence of this behavior among pediatric providers and their adolescent patients is unknown. The objective of this study was to describe pediatric provider behaviors for prescribing teratogens concurrently with counseling, referral, and/or prescribing of contraception (collectively called contraceptive provision) in the adolescent population.

METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted examining visits in 2008-2012 by adolescents aged 14 to 25 years in which a known teratogen (US Food and Drug Administration pregnancy risk category D or X) was prescribed. The electronic …

Slug Bug: Quality Improvement With Orchestrated Testing Leads To Nicu Clabsi Reduction., Anthony J. Piazza, Beverly Brozanski, Lloyd Provost, Theresa R. Grover, John Chuo, Joan R. Smith, Teresa Mingrone, Susan Moran, Lorna Morelli, Isabella Zaniletti, Eugenia K. Pallotto

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: Reduce central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates 15% over 12 months in children's hospital NICUs. Use orchestrated testing as an approach to identify important CLABSI prevention practices.

METHODS: Literature review, expert opinion, and benchmarking were used to develop clinical practice recommendations for central line care. Four existing CLABSI prevention strategies (tubing change technique, hub care monitoring, central venous catheter access limitation, and central venous catheter removal monitoring) were identified for study. We compared the change in CLABSI rates from baseline throughout the study period in 17 participating centers. Using orchestrated testing, centers were then placed into 1 of 8 …

Whole-Genome Sequencing And Disability In The Nicu: Exploring Practical And Ethical Challenges., Michael J. Deem

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Clinical whole-genome sequencing (WGS) promises to deliver faster diagnoses and lead to better management of care in the NICU. However,several disability rights advocates have expressed concern that clinical use of genetic technologies may reinforce and perpetuate stigmatization of and discrimination against disabled persons in medical and social contexts. There is growing need, then, for clinicians and bioethicists to consider how the clinical use of WGS in the newborn period might exacerbate such harms to persons with disabilities. This article explores ways to extend these concerns to clinical WGS in neonatal care. By considering these perspectives during the early phases of …

Please Do Whatever It Takes To End Our Daughter's Suffering!, Stéphan Clément De Cléty, Marie Friedel, A A Eduard Verhagen, John D. Lantos, Brian S. Carter

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

What is the best way to care for a child with severe neurologic impairment who seems to be dying and is in intractable pain? Can we give sedation as we remove life support? Is it ethically permissible to hasten death? In the United States, 5 states have legalized assisted suicide (although only for competent adults). In Belgium and the Netherlands, euthanasia is legal for children under some circumstances. We present a case in which parents and doctors face difficult decisions about palliative care. Experts from Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United States then discuss how they would respond to such …

The Arp2/3 Complex Is Essential At Multiple Stages Of Neural Development., Fu-Sheng Chou, Pei-Shan Wang

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

During development of the nervous system, radial glial cells perform self-renewing asymmetric divisions and give rise to intermediate progenitor cells (IPC) and neurons. The neuronally committed IPC subsequently undergo multiple rounds of transient amplification and migrate outwards to form cortical layers as they continue to differentiate into mature neurons. Maturing neurons extend protrusions on their cell surface to form neurites, a process called neuritogenesis. Neurite formation results in the establishment of dendrites and axons for synapse formation, which is essential for sensory and motor functions and even higher-level functioning including memory formation and cognitive function, as well as shaping of …

Policing Criminal Justice Data, Wayne Logan, Andrew Ferguson

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

This article addresses a matter of fundamental importance to the criminal justice system: the presence of erroneous information in government databases and the limited government accountability and legal remedies for the harm that it causes individuals. While a substantial literature exists on the liberty and privacy perils of large multi-source data assemblage, often termed "big data," this article addresses the risks associated with the collection, generation and use of "small data" (i.e., individual-level, discrete data points). Because small data provides the building blocks for all data-driven systems, enhancing its quality will have a significant positive effect on the criminal justice …

Effect Of Narrative Structure Of Animated Movies On Esl Learners' Recall And Comprehension Of Stories, Noriza Abu Hassan Shaari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study aimed at expanding the examination of a narrative structure by using short 2D short animated movies in an ESL learning (L2) environment. Employing an experimental design, this study investigated whether there was an effect of narrative structure that was sequenced in a linear, a simple non-linear and a complex non-linear manner on ESL learners' recall and comprehension of stories. The independent between-groups ANOVA yielded a statistically significant effect on recall and comprehension. As a summary, the result of this investigation found that there was an effect of narrative structure of animated movies on ESL learners' recall and comprehension …

A Computational Model For Thermal Management Of Battery Storage Systems, Mehmet Aygun

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fossil fuel based power generation causes air pollution and climate change. The consequences of these two factors are of at most importance for future generations. Thus, renewable energy sources can play a significant role by reducing the dependence on fossil fuels. However, if the energy storage problem is not solved renewable sources will not be useful. Sodium sulfur battery (NaS) is one of the practical solutions to store wind and solar energy. A NaS battery is comprised of two liquid electrodes and one solid electrolyte which operate between 300-350 °C. The molten sodium is in anode electrode, the molten sulfur …

Pe Teachers' Perceptions Of Technology-Related Learning Experiences: A Qualitative Investigation, Jun-Hyung Baek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background/Purpose: Educational organizations, such as National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), established technology-related standards indicating the knowledge and skills necessary for teachers to integrate technology. Such standards have challenged teacher education programs to restructure existing PETE program to prepare teachers to have knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for successful technology integration (Jones, Bulger, & Wyant, 2012). Yet, physical education (PE) teachers frequently reported that they still do not feel sufficiently prepared to incorporate technology into their classroom (Juniu, Shonfeld, & Ganot, 2013). Thus, the purpose of this study was to …

Safe Semi-Supervised Learning With Sparse Graphs, Prithish Banerjee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There has been substantial interest from both computer science and statistics in developing methods for graph-based semi-supervised learning. The attraction to the area involves several challenging applications brought forth from academia and industry where little data are available with training responses while lots of data are available overall. Ample evidence has demonstrated the value of several of these methods on real data applications, but it should be kept in mind that they heavily rely on some smoothness assumptions. The general frame- work for graph-based semi-supervised learning is to optimize a smooth function over the nodes of the proximity graph constructed …