Digital Commons Network^™

Cogenerative Dialogue's Communicative Effectiveness In Higher Education Entry-Level College Courses, Rachel Smith

Open Access Master's Theses

Cogenerative dialogue is defined as a form of structured discourse in which teachers and students engage in a collaborative effort to help identify and implement positive changes in a classroom’s teaching and learning practices (Martin, 2006, p. 694). For this thesis, cogenerative dialogue will be posited as the pedagogical practice that encourages instructors and students to share the responsibility in an active learning environment, thereby granting students in entry-level higher education courses a voice in their education. Analyzing the research data on cogenerative dialogue primarily in K-12 classrooms where significant research has been compiled, as well as focusing on texts …

Perceptions Of The Block Island Wind Farm Process: Perspectives From Those Involved, Joseph Dwyer

Open Access Master's Theses

Renewable energy technologies (RETs), such as offshore wind, are facing the dilemma of relatively strong national support, yet formidable local opposition, especially concerning siting decisions. This research uses the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF) as a case study example to analyze the public engagement process that led to the BIWF. This study attempts to find rationales for the public’s support or opposition of the project based on certain aspects of the process, rather than solely examining oppositional viewpoints. Through 19 in-person interviews, state officials, the private development team, and public stakeholders were asked about their expectations as they began the …

Situating Genre On Youtube: We Rant, We Laugh, We Conquer?, Emma Gabriele

Open Access Master's Theses

This body of research seeks to understand iterations of ranting manifest via YouTube video blogs through a rhetorical lens. I employ comparative theory to develop a description of the rant as a recurring typology, equipped with excremental metaphors inspired by Burke’s concept of catharsis. I then differentiate YouTube vlog ranting from ‘live’ ranting by applying Carolyn Miller’s theory of genre as social action. Using Miller’s paradigm, I turn to contemporary research in media studies and humor communication, in order to develop a methodology equipped to analyze YouTube vlog rants as generic texts. I contend that the meaning constructed in YouTube …

Account-Making By Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv), Robin A. James

Open Access Master's Theses

This research explores the published memoirs of six survivor’s accounts of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) utilizing Harvey, Orbuch, and Fink’s (1990a) Account-Making in Response to Severe Stress model with focus on the final stage of the model, Identity Change. The authors theorize that when the trauma survivor achieves this development, she will have fundamentally altered beliefs compared to when the abuse occurred. The consequence of failing to successfully engage in the final stage of Identity Change is Failure to Learn/Adapt, with the contention that the individual will repeat the stress and have a maladaptive response pattern.

This research was …

Aren’T I A Woman? Deconstructing Sex Discrimination And Freeing Transgender Women From Solitary Confinement, Faroat Andasheva

FIU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Frenulectomy: Summary, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Critically Appraised Topics

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of A Smartphone–Assisted Behavioral Weight Control Intervention For Adolescents: Pilot Study, Chad D. Jensen, Kristina M. Duncombe, Mark A. Lott, Sanita L. Hunsaker, Kara Mcrae Duraccio, Susan J. Woolford

Faculty Publications

Background: The efficacy of adolescent weight control treatments is modest, and effective treatments are costly and are not widely available. Smartphones may be an effective method for delivering critical components of behavioral weight control treatment including behavioral self-monitoring.

Objective: To examine the efficacy and acceptability of a smartphone assisted adolescent behavioral weight control intervention.

Methods: A total of 16 overweight or obese adolescents (mean age=14.29 years, standard deviation=1.12) received 12 weeks of combined treatment that consisted of weekly in-person group behavioral weight control treatment sessions plus smartphone self-monitoring and daily text messaging. Subsequently they received 12 weeks of electronic-only intervention, …

The National Exercise Referral Framework, Catherine B. Woods, Noel Mccaffrey, Brona Furlong, Lorraine Fitzsimons D'Arcy, Maire Murphy, Michael Harrison, Liam Glynn, John O'Riordan, Biddy O'Neill, Sinead Jennings, Caroline Peppard

Reports

A 2013 Review of the HSE funded GP Exercise Referral Programme (GPERP) highlighted the need for a new National Exercise Referral Framework (NERF). The evidence suggests that exercise referral is an effective targeted health intervention for specific patients and with the increasing prevalence of chronic disease it is imperative that we examine, design and progress the implementation of scalable, sustainable evidence-based, interventions, integrated across the health system to improve the health and wellbeing of the population. The development of this proposed National Exercise Referral Framework, commissioned by Health Promotion and Improvement, was led by DCU involving a multi-disciplinary Working Group …

Sibling Experiences: Living With Young Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Tina Dyches, Beth Ward, Brianna Smith Tanner, Barbara Mandleco, Donna Freeborn

Faculty Publications

Like other young people, those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an impact on siblings in both positive and negative ways. Research indicates positive attributes include maturity and responsibility; positive self-concept; less quarrelling and competition; admiration for the person with ASD; and satisfactory sibling relationships. Negative attributes include fear of frightening or violent behavior, decreased sibling intimacy, and social and emotional difficulties. However, most research relies on information from parents/teachers, rather than from siblings. Therefore, this qualitative descriptive study explored experiences of 11 brothers and 11 sisters living with a young person with ASD through audiorecorded semi-structured interviews. Analysis revealed …

Institutional Drivers And Barriers To Faculty Adoption Of Blended Learning In Higher Education, Wendy W. Porter, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

Relatively little research on blended learning (BL) addresses institutional adoption, although such research would benefit institutions of higher education in strategically adopting and implementing BL. In a prior study, the authors proposed a framework for institutional BL adoption, identifying three stages: (1) awareness/exploration, (2) adoption/early implementation, and (3) mature implementation/growth. The framework also identified key strategy, structure and support issues universities may address at each stage. The current study applies that framework as well as Rogers’ diffusion of innovations theory to determine the degree to which institutional strategy, structure and support decisions facilitate or impede BL adoption among higher education …

Comparing The Publication Process In Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, Psychology, And The Natural Sciences, David A. Wood

Faculty Publications

I present two types of data about the publication and review process in the accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, psychology, and natural science disciplines. First, I collect all articles published in 2012 in top tier journals of these disciplines and compare the articles based on word counts, figures and tables included in each article, the time it took to be published, citations, the number of co-authors, and submission fees. I then survey academics in each discipline. Survey questions were designed to evaluate overall perceptions of the review process; changes in the review process in the last 5 years; opinions about …

Learning By Teaching A Robot: The Case Of Handwriting, S Lemaignan, A Jacq, D Hood, Et Al

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Thomas (all children's names have been changed) is five and a half years old and has been diagnosed with visuoconstructive deficits. He is under the care of an occupational therapist and tries to work around his inability to draw letters in a consistent manner. Vincent is six and struggles at school with his poor handwriting and even poorer self-confidence. Whereas Thomas is lively and always quick at shifting his attention from one activity to another, Vincent is shy and poised. Two very different children, each one facing the same difficulty to write in a legible manner. Additionally, hidden beyond these …

W452-004d-03 - University College: Teaching And Learning Center: Various Records, University College

University Archives Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

W460-001a - Audio/Visual Collection: Audio-Only Format, Audio/Visual Collection

University Archives Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

W423.1-010j-01 - College Of Arts And Sciences: Department Of Psychology: Various Records, College Of Arts And Sciences

University Archives Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

W425-000-01 - Student Organizations: General Records: Constitutions And Bylaws, Student Organizations

University Archives Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

Building Expertise: The Toolkit In Ucla's Graduate Writing Center, Sarah Summers

The Writing Center Journal

No abstract provided.

Summing Up The Session: A Study Of Student, Faculty, And Tutor Attitudes Toward Tutor Notes, Melissa Bugdal, Kristina Reardon, Thomas Deans

The Writing Center Journal

No abstract provided.

"By Turns Pleased And Confounded": A Report On One Writing Center's Rad Assessments, Scott Pleasant, Luke Niiler, Keshav Jagannathan

The Writing Center Journal

No abstract provided.

Mental Imagery In Humanoid Robots, Kristsana Seepanomwan

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Mental imagery presents humans with the opportunity to predict prospective happenings based on own intended actions, to reminisce occurrences from the past and reproduce the perceptual experience. This cognitive capability is mandatory for human survival in this folding and changing world. By means of internal representation, mental imagery offers other cognitive functions (e.g., decision making, planning) the possibility to assess information on objects or events that are not being perceived. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that humans are able to employ this ability in the early stages of infancy. Although materialisation of humanoid robot employment in the future appears …

Examining The Factors To Knowledge Sharing Within An Organisational Context, Paul Mc Manus

Conference papers

Abstract

In a global economy, knowledge may be a company’s greatest competitive advantage (Davenport & Prusak 2000). As such, competition for this resource has driven an increased demand for “a conscious strategy [by organisations] of getting the right knowledge to the right people at the right time and helping people share and put information into action in ways that strive to improve organisational performance” (O’Dell et al. 1998). Thus, it is the aim of this paper to provide an investigative look at the factors influencing the willingness of employees to knowledge share (KS) within an organisational context. Separated into two …

Exploring The Role Of Entrepreneurship In The Growth And Development Of The Smaller State., Anthony Paul Buckley

Conference papers

The median sovereign state size in the world has a population of 6.2m with 73 per cent of the states having a population under 20m (World Bank, 2014). Despite this, the mainstream literatures in most academic disciplines have chosen to neglect the unique determinants of smaller state growth and development. The purpose of this exploratory paper is to investigate whether smaller developed states actually perform better than other states and why? More specifically it investigates the role that entrepreneurship plays in this performance. This paper utilises an exploratory ‘cross-case’ analytic approach (Yin, 2014) in attempting to identify cross case patterns …

Dodging Marshmallows: Simulations To Teach Ethics, Justin Weidman, Dawan Coombs

Faculty Publications

Students had just participated in an experiential learning exercise where they played dodgeball using marshmallows. But the unique context of the game introduced ethical dilemmas that integrated ethics education into a technical education classroom setting.

Research shows that “Engineering curriculum and activities at the K-12 level should be designed to expose students to [ethical considerations inherent in the practice of engineering], and as a result students should be aware of the importance of these issues in the field of engineering” (Moore, Glancy, Tank, Kersten, Smith, & Stohlmann, 2014). But how do STEM teachers teach students to think about ethical issues …

You've Got A Friend In Me: The Effects Of Peer Mentoring On The First Year Experience For Undergraduate Students, Naoise Webb, Damian Cox, Aiden Carthy

Student Success

The current study aimed to explore the effects of peer mentoring on perceived levels of academic anxiety for a sample of first year Irish undergraduate students. This study employed a structured self-report questionnaire to collect data from participants (n=156) from four subject backgrounds; horticulture, business, engineering and computing. Participants were assigned to student mentors from senior cycles in the college in a peer mentoring programme. Participants completed a questionnaire at the culmination of the programme which was designed to investigate students’ reported levels of anxiety, difficulty settling in and their appreciation of the mentoring programme. Results indicated that difficulty in …

Student Voices: What Students Say They Do To Be Successful, Alyson E. King

Student Success

Since a post-secondary education tends to lead to improved life chances and opportunities, understanding the ways in which students at all levels of university are able to succeed is important not only for individuals, but also for the nation. In spite of the success of targeted first- year retention programs, most universities in Ontario have much lower degree completion rates. Few existing studies of university persistence and success focus on what students themselves say about how and why they are successful at persisting to graduation. This pilot study compared the strategies for success at university used by self-identified visible minority …

Non-Traditional Students, Non-Traditional Teaching: Pathways To Academic Success Include Resourcefulness And Adaptation Skills, Ron Collis, Maureen Reed

Student Success

Today, students entering higher education are diverse and include many students who in previous generations did not attend higher education. Research shows that these non-traditional students (e.g., first generation students, students with disabilities, older students) often feel less prepared for higher education (Reed et al., 2006; Stebleton & Soria, 2012; Zafft, 2008). An option for non-traditional students seeking entry to university or professional programmes is to upgrade their academic skill through college pathway programmes. Regardless of how one might come to higher education, being prepared in higher education involves resourcefulness and resilience. Highly resourceful students use a number of self-management …

Integrating Work Experience Into The Digital Media Curriculum: A Case Study, Hugh Mccabe

Partnerships

We present a case study of the integration of a work experience component into an undergraduate degree in Creative Digital Media. This is a fully accredited academic module that immerses the student in a professional working environment for most of a semester. The aim is to facilitate the development of digital media skills by applying them within the workplace and to leverage the use of work-based learning in order to produce more competent, confident and employable graduates. Our case study is informed firstly by analysis of, and reflection on, our experiences of running the programme since its inception in 2010. …

Digital Literacy: Why It Matters, Allison Kavanagh, K.C. O'Rourke

Journal Articles

In the past two decades the internet, email, apps, mobile devices and all associated hardware and software have become firmly embedded in everyday life, to the extent that it often feels that we have had no control over this phenomenon. What are the implications for education?

Primary and secondary students today have grown up with the always-connected life which the internet has enabled. However, the credence given to the idea that this makes them fully comfortable and aware as "digital natives" is misguided. The social implications of the internet society – surveillance and the decline of privacy, cyberbullying and so …

Exploring The Student Experience Of The Final Year Of A Professionally-Oriented Undergraduate Degree In Education Studies, Julie Uí Choistealbha, Roisin Donnelly, Marian Fitzmaurice

Journal Articles

Within Higher Education there is growing expectations that graduates will enjoy smooth transitions into practice or further study and thus it is important to understand how higher education students’ experiences in university should be best organised and integrated to realise these purposes. This qualitative research study investigated the impact of the curriculum design of the final year on student experience, engagement and progression routes post-graduation in a new four year professionally-orientated degree for students in a BSc in Education Studies in an Irish education institution. This study involved 26 lecturers and 25 recent graduates from the programme. Students were required …

A Comparison Of The Mathematical Performance Of Mature Students And Traditional Students Over A 10-Year Period, Fiona Faulkner, Olivia Fitzmaurice, Olivia Hannigan

Journal Articles

Every student who enrols in a degree programme involving service mathematics in the University of Limerick in Ireland is given a mathematics diagnostic test. The diagnostic test was developed due to mathematics lecturers’ anxiety regarding students’ mathematical competency levels. Students receive the 40 question paper-based test in their first service mathematics lecture without prior notification. Initial analysis of students’ work revealed that many students were having difficulties with basic algebra and arithmetic in particular [Gill, O. 2006. “What Counts as Service Mathematics? An Investigation into the ‘Mathematics Problem’ in Ireland.” PhD diss., University of Limerick]. Further research highlighted the significant …