Digital Commons Network^™

Pixel: Building A Dyslexic Child's Mind, Aparna Natraj

Theses

One in five students, or 15-20% of the population, has a language based learning disability. Dyslexia is the most common of the language based learning disabilities. Dyslexia is mainly a problem with reading accurately and fluently — Accuracy being identified as Letter Recognition and Fluency as Word Recognition.

This thesis looked into various educational applications that help dyslexic children and identified that they rely heavily on intensive instruction in phonetic code and the learning method employed by these applications do not create a lasting impact. The proposed solution integrated the symbol mastery method of learning to create a new digital …

Investigating How Anticipation Of Object States Drives Event Comprehension, Kyra Krass

Master's Theses

Previous literature has suggested that, when given change of state events in a visual world paradigm task, individuals anticipate either the object that can be acted upon or the goal. This study investigated under what circumstances an individual anticipates one over the other. We used reversible action verbs (e.g. open/close), destruction verbs (e.g., eat), and creation verbs (e.g., knit) in the past and future tense to investigate how anticipation differs across these conditions. Individuals heard sentences such as "The woman will open the umbrella" while seeing four objects on a screen: the initial state (e.g., a closed umbrella), the end …

Gardner-Webb Asl Alumni Prepare Students For Interpreting Careers, Office Of University Communications, Mallory Moore

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the American Sign Language (ASL) program at Gardner-Webb University gives students the opportunity to learn and practice this language, develop useful communication and cultural skills, and prepare for careers as interpreters. The University began a program for Deaf students and offered the first sign language classes in the fall of 1977. Many alumni work in education, including three graduates who serve as teachers at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, N.C., in the two-year interpreter training program.

Mexican Working-Class Literature, Or The Work Of Literature In Mexico, Eugenio Di Stefano

Foreign Languages and Literature Faculty Publications

Working-class literature has never had a wide audience in Mexico, always overshadowed by other types of literature, such as the novel of the Mexican Revolution, the regionalist novel, and the indigenous novel. Nevertheless, there is no better place, as this chapter will suggest, to consider the status of literature and its relationship to history and ideology than from the genre of work and the worker. Approaching working-class literature as an evolving genre in relation to different modernization projects, this chapter will map out similarities and point to differences between various labor literatures—including proletarian literature in the 1930s, the testimonio (a …

Minutes From The December 13, 2017 Meeting Of The University Of Montana Faculty, University Of Montana--Missoula. Faculty

University of Montana Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes from the December 13, 2017 meeting of the University of Montana faculty.

Obesity And Diabetes: Evaluating The Impact Of Promotores As A Prevention And Intervention Strategy In The Latino Community, Jessica Castaneda

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper aims to examine obesity and diabetes among the Latino population as a health problem. As the largest minority racial group in the U.S, Latino rates of obesity and diabetes are greatly higher than whites. The prevalence of obesity in Latinos is 45% compared to that of whites at 34.5% (CDC, 2015). The disproportionate rates at which Latinos are affected by obesity and diabetes have prompted numerous programs to combat this health problem. Promotores or Latino community health workers have been able to provide the important piece of culturally and linguistically appropriate education for the population. Evidence shows Promotores …

Representativity And Complementarity In Tai Chi As Embodied Documentation, Joacim Hansson

Proceedings from the Document Academy

The aim of this paper is to investigate what happens if we leave the criteria of materiality and permanence behind in the study of documents. How far can we stretch the definition of a document or define a documentation process in a situation where neither the originary fact, or object, nor that by which this is represented is material or permanent? Empirically, the paper is constructed as a case study of the traditional Chinese practice of Tai Chi and presents a formulation of the Tai Chi form as an immaterial document and Tai Chi pratice as a doumentation process. The …

A Measure Of Perceived Chronic Social Adversity: Development And Validation, Jingqiu Zhang, Cody Ding, Yunglung Tang, Chunyu Zhang, Dong Yang

Education Sciences and Professional Programs Faculty Works

The goal of this study was to develop a measure that assesses negative daily social encounters. Specifically, we examined the concept of perceived chronic social adversity and its assessment, the Perceived Chronic Social Adversity Questionnaire (PCSAQ). The PCSAQ focused on the subjective processing of daily social experiences. Psychometric properties were examined within two non-clinical samples (N = 331 and N = 390) and one clinical sample (N = 86). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a three-factor model of the PCSAQ, which corresponds to three types of daily social stressors. The final 28-item PCSAQ was shown to be internally consistent, …

A Measure Of Perceived Chronic Social Adversity: Development And Validation, Jingqiu Zhang, Cody Ding, Yunglung Tang, Chunyu Zhang, Dong Yang

Education Sciences and Professional Programs Faculty Works

The goal of this study was to develop a measure that assesses negative daily social encounters. Specifically, we examined the concept of perceived chronic social adversity and its assessment, the Perceived Chronic Social Adversity Questionnaire (PCSAQ). The PCSAQ focused on the subjective processing of daily social experiences. Psychometric properties were examined within two non-clinical samples (N = 331 and N = 390) and one clinical sample (N = 86). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a three-factor model of the PCSAQ, which corresponds to three types of daily social stressors. The final 28-item PCSAQ was shown to be internally consistent, …

Academics: The Newsletter Of The Swosu College Of Arts And Sciences, Peter Grant

aCAdemicS: The Newsletter of the SWOSU College of Arts & Sciences

No abstract provided.

Substitute Salvation: An Online Classroom Resource, Rachel Callaly

Honors Theses

As a teacher, not having a plan for days when you are not in the classroom is not an option. Usually, a teacher can plan a few days in advance and be prepared for a substitute teacher to come in. However, more often than not, the substitute is not certified to teach in the subject they are covering, which becomes particularly difficult in a World Language class, such as Spanish. Additionally, some days there is no advanced notice for an absence, and a last-minute plan has to be made. That is where Substitute Salvation comes in. Substitute Salvation is a …

Fundations: A Systematic, Research-Based Program To Support Students With Dyslexia Through Tier 1 Instruction, Clarie C. Innocenti

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This study explored whether students with dyslexia can be supported through Tier 1 intervention in the general education setting. The school researched in this study chose to purchase a research-based program, FUNdations, which can be implemented at Tier 1, 2, or 3, to support students with language-based disabilities, including dyslexia. Students identified with dyslexia require explicit instruction in phonics and decoding skills. As the Dyslexia Center for Utah (2014) reports, dyslexia is a common language-based disability, affecting one in five learners. This study has examined teachers within the general education setting implementing FUNdations as a research-based intervention to address …

Ucc Minutes, December 12, 2017, University Curriculum Council

UCC Agendas/Minutes

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Arab American Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study, Haifa Alsayyari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A gap exists in the literature regarding the needs, concerns, and overall experiences of Arab American parents of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Al Khatib, 2017; Goforth, 2011; Haboush, 2007). This study explored the experiences of five Arab American mothers of children with ASD. A qualitative interview approach, utilizing in-depth interviews, was used in order to investigate Arab American parents’ experiences of caring for children with ASD, their cultural beliefs and understandings of their children’s ASD, and their concerns and needs regarding their children. Six themes emerged from the interview data, which offered insight into Arab American parents’ …

Vizcaínos: The Scourge Of The Empire And Uncomfortable Identities, Juan Gil-Osle

BOGA: Basque Studies Consortium Journal

What a Vizcaíno is in the literature of the 16^th and 17^th centuries has always been a puzzle due to the different uses given to the word. The connotation of the term Vizcaíno can go from an insult similar to “thief,” “traitor,” even “Portuguese,” to, in other cases, “stupid,” “gregarious,” or simply different. In other words, the Vizcaíno is a paradigmatic Other, which seems to have become an insider Other (nothing could be more enervating for some in Spain, or more nostalgic for others than the “insiderness” of this quintessential Other). And unfortunately, in this case, otherness has …

Subject — Not Only Object — Of Study: Basque Studies, Aitor Anduaga

BOGA: Basque Studies Consortium Journal

To establish a discipline implies a responsibility. Whose is it? As vascólogos (or experts in Basque studies) and vascófilos (or scholars of the Basque language), our first thought should be addressed to discern the Basque studies as an object of study or as a subject of study. This distinction is fundamental. The historical review of the condition of object and/or subject in these studies reveals a crucial feature that defines both us and the Basque studies: our renunciation of their status of subject. This paper suggests a double task to address this deficiency: instituting, not renouncing, Basque studies as a …

Defective Federalism And The Emergence Of Domestic Terrorism In Nigeria, Temitope Peter Ola

International Journal of African Development

The extremist Islamic sect Boko Haram is now feared for its ability to mount both low-scale and audacious attacks in Nigeria. This study attempts a consensual explanation of the defects of Nigerian federalism to facilitate the emergence of Boko Haram terrorism. The study is descriptive and data was obtained from secondary sources. It was found that the insurgence is a manifestation of frustration on account of the national political, religious and economic systems. The paper concludes that Boko Haram insurgence is part of the cycles and trends of unrest in Nigeria; responding to the same broad families of national fixations …

Vietnamese American Women’S Beliefs And Perceptions On Cervical Cancer, Cervical Cancer Screening, And Cancer Prevention Vaccines: A Community-Based Participatory Study, Connie Kim Yen Nguyen-Truong, Kim Quy Vo Nguyen, Thai Hien Nguyen, Tuong Vy Le, Anthony My Truong, Keara Rodela, Rachael Allan

Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal

Cervical cancer remains commonly diagnosed in Vietnamese American women. Despite efforts to increase cervical cancer screening among Vietnamese American women, participation rates are persistently lower than the national goal. The objective of this study is to explore beliefs of Vietnamese American women about cervical cancer, cervical cancer screening, and cancer prevention vaccines. A qualitative descriptive investigation captured group perceptions about meaning and beliefs of cervical cancer, screening, and cancer prevention vaccines, and participants’ stories using a community-based participatory research approach.

Forty Vietnamese American women were recruited from the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area into four focus groups. Using a process of …

A New Deal Approach To Statutory Interpretation: Selected Cases Authored By Justice Robert Jackson, Charles Patrick Thomas

Journal of Legislation

No abstract provided.

Understanding A Discourse Marker In Quito, Ecuador, Hannah Jesberger

Honors Projects

The present research project examines the possible factors to explain the word-final /f/ in Ecuadorian Spanish including but not limited to: where it is used, who uses it (gender, age ranges, social class), and with which words it is most commonly used. As the first extensive research study on the word-final /f/, the project may lead to other investigations of this phenomenon and other features of Ecuadorian Spanish. In addition, if there are other variations of the marker pues in the Spanish varieties spoken in different regions and/or countries, researchers can use this present study as basis to analyze the …

Constructing A Grammatically Enriched Children's Book, Rebecca Ebert

Honors Projects

The intended purpose of this book is to serve as a grammatically rich resource of the grammatical structure: third person singular present tense. It is targets preschool age children with or at risk for a specific language impairment (SLI). More specifically, this book can be used as a clinical tool by speech-language pathologists in order to assist those with language delays in acquiring this difficult structure. Third person singular present tense is a morpheme that is acquired later in child language development due to its complexity, rarity and acoustic factors. Creating a clinical resource with an abundance of third person …

Exploring The Vocabulary Teaching Strategies Used In Children’S Educational Television, Rebecca Wettstein

Honors Projects

The present study explored the extent to which vocabulary instructional strategies are used in the children’s educational television show Word Girl, and whether or not the occurrences of vocabulary instructional strategies changed over the time the show was aired. Instructional strategies included repetition of target words, labeling, defining/mislabeling, and onscreen print. A total of eighteen episodes between 2007 and 2015 were analyzed. The early time period included episodes aired from 2007-2009, the middle time period included episodes aired from 2010-2012, and the late time period included episodes aired from 2013-2015. Results revealed within episode variability for all vocabulary instructional …

Super-Diversity As A Methodological Approach: Re-Centering Power And Inequality, Sofya Aptekar

Publications and Research

Super-diversity as a methodological lens calls for a study of dynamics of new and diversified social groups that moves away from more traditional approaches focused on ethnicity. In examining the potential of super-diversity as a methodological lens, I identify a risk of downplaying the effect of “old” categories of difference that are likely to continue to shape social structures as well as space. I propose a re-centering of power and inequality in the study of super-diversity by situating its study within an urban culturalist approach, with sociological tools borrowed from ethnomethodology and symbolic interactionism. This proposal is illustrated through the …

Self-Esteem In Spanish-Speaking Latinos In Northwest Ohio, Mckenna Freeman

Honors Projects

Self-esteem is a widely-studied construct across many disciplines of social science. However, previous research regarding self-esteem and language barriers has focused primarily on children and adolescent populations, while much less research has examined this relationship among adults. The current study measures linguistic acculturation and self-esteem in both Latino and control adult samples. Hypothesis 1 states that participants in the Latino sample would report significantly lower self-esteem than the control sample. Hypothesis 2 states that linguistic acculturation levels in Spanish speaking Latinos would be positively correlated with self-esteem. Finally, a research question was addressed measuring the differences in self-esteem between foreign …

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, Graduate, December 9, 2017, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

Honorary Doctor of Engineering and Nursing - Patricia Flatley-Brennan

Impacts Of Prenatal And First-Year Brain Development, Jennifer Brown

The Compass

No abstract provided.

Our Digital Legacy: An Archival Perspective, Michael S. Moss, Tim J. Gollins

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

Our digital memories are threatened by archival hubris, technical misdirection, and simplistic application of rules to protect privacy rights. The obsession with the technical challenge of digital preservation has blinded much of the archival community to the challenges, created by the digital transition, to the other core principles of archival science - namely, appraisal (what to keep), sensitivity review (identifying material that cannot yet be disclosed for ethical or legal reasons) and access. The essay will draw on the considerations of appraisal and sensitivity review to project a vision of some aspects of access to the Digital Archive. This essay …

Do Archives Have A Future In The Digital Age?, Ivan Szekely

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

The rapid development of information and communication technologies pose significant challenges to archival theory and practice. The analysis of the dominant information operators of the archival institutions in the respective paradigms of archival history shows that today’s internet-based services can replicate all the main functions of the archival institutions, at least at the level of the fundamental information operators, on a mass scale. Despite these developments, the author argues that archives are under no direct threat of abolition or loss of function in the digital age, not only because of institutional inertia and traditions, but also their role in preserving …

Improving Communication For St. John Fisher Football, James Fiacchi

Sport Management Undergraduate

The reason for the study conducted relates back to working to improve the St John Fisher football teams communication with its main stakeholders .I worked for the St. John Fisher football team and noticed a communication issue between the team and its main stakeholders being the parents. It caused a lot of issues that were seen working while with team so a solution in order to help these things out was something that looked needed. The communication between the team and its stakeholders was not very good.

What was done to find the best way to improve the study was …

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, Baccalaureates, December 8, 2017, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

Outstnding Graduate - Alexis Drees; Honorary Doctor of Science - Andrew Hamilton; King O'Neal Scholars - Aneesa Ali, Andrew Apugliese, David Blanchard, Janet Diaz Montes, Mary Edwards, Shayna Gurvitz, Bonnie Hogan Lowlery, Ryan Kurtz, Robert Lockridge, Natalie Meyer, Rachel Moore, Ashley Nandrasy, Carlos Pena Duran, Brittany Raymond, Paul Rogers, Nicholas Romano, Khadijah Tiamiyu, Xamil Vega, Amy Whitehurst, George Wolf, and Alexander Zhideev