Digital Commons Network^™

Engl 254: Writing And Communities—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Rachael Wendler Shah

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This course portfolio analyzes a section of English 254: Writing and Communities, exploring how well the course met individual teaching goals and the departmental course goals for English 254, with a particular focus on how the new English Department mission statement priorities are actualized in the class and how well the class supported learning to communicate across difference. The portfolio includes an outline of institutional context, course outcomes, and student background, as well as a backwards planning chart that demonstrates alignment between outcomes, activities, and assessment strategy. Then, the portfolio examines student data from each of the three major assignments, …

Cive 463: Traffic Engineering—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, John Sangster

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This course portfolio documents the backward design of a senior-level design elective course in traffic engineering within the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Nebraska. An extensive discussion of stakeholder needs for the course is followed by an analysis of formative and summative feedback assessments that are designed to meet the needs of a heterogeneous group of students in the course. As a senior-level design elective, there is a wide variety of interest levels among participants in the course, varying from those who have experience with internships in the topic and offer letters to conduct work in this …

Edad 925: Law And Higher Education—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Stephanie Bondi

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio documents three learning outcomes of the EDAD925 Law and Higher Education course taught Spring 2017 in the Department of Educational Leadership. The learning outcomes include (a) understanding the role of the higher education administrator within the legal context, (b) using professional standards to inform decision-making, and (c) examining social justice concepts within professional practice in the legal context of higher education. The portfolio shows what was done and how students demonstrated learning on the outcomes. The portfolio includes suggestions of how to better address the three learning outcomes.

Teaching Is Damn Hard Work: Advice For Those Considering Education As A Career, Vincent A. Aleccia

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article is addressed to undergraduates considering teaching as a career. After explaining what personal indicators students should have when deciding whether to enter a teacher-preparation program and examining the complexity of intentional classroom teaching, the author lists some suggestions potential teachers can adopt to prepare for future classroom practice. The author closes with some final thoughts about choosing education as a career.

Changes In Appetite, Energy Intake, Body Composition And Circulating Ghrelin Constituents During An Incremental Trekking Ascent To High Altitude, Jamie Matu, John O'Hara, Neil Hill, Sarah B. Clarke, Christopher Boos, Caroline Newman, David Holdsworth, Theocharis Ispoglou, Lauren Duckworth, David Woods, Adrian Mellor, Kevin Deighton

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Disrupting The Dominant Narrative: Beginning English Teachers’ Use Of Young Adult Literature And Culturally Responsive Pedagogy., Elsie L. Olan, Kia Jane Richmond

Journal Articles

In this multiple case study that uses narrative research methodology, two beginning English teachers’ stories, their use of young adult literature, and their dialogic interactions with university mentors are examined through a lens of culturally responsive pedagogy. This study is focused on how teachers’ stories indicate the difficulties they have incorporating culturally relevant young adult literature into their secondary English classes, how they establish connections between the texts, their students’ lived experiences, and their own lived experiences, and why they struggle with the application of culturally responsive pedagogy. Findings indicate that beginning teachers’ stories (a) express uncertainty regarding the place …

The Us Presidential Election Of 2016 And The Political Socialization Of 8th-Graders, Derek L. Anderson, J Zyhowski

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Roots Of A Movement: Community Action And The Impact Of Urban Agriculture In Chicago, Maia Welbel

Pomona Senior Theses

Efforts to maintain a relationship to food pathways have been consistent throughout U.S. history despite the general evolution towards an increasingly industrialized food system. Urban agriculture serves as a means of reclaiming and furthering knowledge of where food comes from while also addressing larger social, economic, and environmental goals. This has been demonstrated in Chicago where urban farmers have worked to improve food access, increase employment, and revitalize communities all across the city. For many years, federal policies have promoted maximum production of commodity crops and kept supermarket prices low, allowing the government to ignore the impacts these policies are …

More Than Just A Glass Face: What Makes A "Green" Or "Sustainable" Building, Exactly?, Kelli Kokame

Pomona Senior Theses

Buildings are responsible for a wide range of environmental impacts. In response to this, several green building standards have been developed. Each standard uses different strategies and has different approaches to defining what features should make up a green building. This thesis uses the LEED, BREEAM, EEWH, and Living Building Challenge standards as a lens through which this question of what makes a green building is explored, with an emphasis on the distinction between greenness and sustainability in the built environment.

From Yosemite To A Global Market: How Patagonia, Inc. Has Created An Environmentally Sustainable And Socially Equitable Model Of Supply-Chain Management, Mary-Clare Bosco

Pomona Senior Theses

There is an urgent pressure of the time (2016) to re-evaluate our patterns of consumption to adapt to changing climates and reduce waste and pollution. Because an immediate restructuring of global production strategies is not likely any time soon, industrial innovators are finding new ways of redesigning supply-chain management in efforts to move towards environmentally sustainable business in which all manufacturing practices are transparent. Patagonia, Inc. is a testament to the often-debated question of economic value in green business practices, and this thesis acts as an outline as to how they arrived at such an impressive presence in the business …

Deconstructing “Deviance” And “Disorder” As Systems Of Domination: Chicago Public Schools As A Case Study Of The Effects Of Zero Tolerance Discipline Policies On Educational Outcomes In Us Schools, Maya Kaul

Pomona Senior Theses

The rise of “zero tolerance” discipline practices in US primary and secondary schools has become increasingly well documented by the media and empirical studies. Despite the extensive scholarship that has emerged from these conversations, many of these analyses are limited in their scope and do not connect the phenomena of zero tolerance in schools to the diverse, shifting forces at play within American politics and policy today. As such, the goal of this work is to synthesize ideas about zero tolerance across disciplines by integrating historical thought, philosophical frameworks of punishment, shifting policy goals within the US education system, the …

Coping With Acculturative Stress: Mdma Usage Among Asian American Young Adults In The Electronic Dance Music Scene, Michelle Stephanie Chan

Pomona Senior Theses

The intersection of Asian American identity and illicit substance use is greatly understudied in psychological literature, especially with matters of mental health and drug use being stigmatized by Asian cultural norms. However, with an increasingly alarming number of fatal drug overdoses by Asian Americans at electronic dance music (EDM) events, attention must be drawn to the needs of this unique population. The present study characterizes this community by drawing from data of 1,290 Asian American young adults who participate in the EDM scene. This study also hypothesizes the impact of acculturative stress and feelings of social belonging on MDMA usage …

From Dude To Dad: A Study On Prenatal Fatherhood And Its Representation In Theatre, Michael Nilsson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A man in the preparatory phase for parenthood with his first child can go through a lot of extreme emotional highs and lows, depending upon the man's economic, relationship, and physical status, as well as community pressures and support. In preparation to portray an array of prenatal fathers in a showcase of scenes, I have read an assortment of plays and scholarly sources. In reading a large sample of prenatal plays, I have extracted several possible emotional changes within a man's psyche. I also analyzed the social rationale behind these changes through the writings of sociologists and other scholarly sources. …

Women In White: My Journey Into Color, Madison Tarbox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In many religious circles white is a symbol for purity, cleanliness, and perfection. However, white is also synonymous with empty, blank, and colorless. Women in White: My journey into color is a project centralized around a personal study of the cultural pressures of "perfection" presented both in religious cultures and in the every-day life of a performer. Utilizing the catalyst of a cabaret-style performance, Women in White explores the struggles of nine different female characters in the musical theatre cannon and aims to draw a personal connection from their journey. Inspired by the wise words of my own mother, this …

Rebirth Of The Renaissance Man: Creating Actor Agency Through Ensemble Theatre, Kody Grassett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary models of educational and commercial theatres espouse the belief that theatre is the true collaborative art form: one in which artists of different talents, training programs, and experiences can come together to briefly create something more significant than themselves. However, as the theatre has moved into the twenty-first century, the ensemble nature that is so unique to theatrical performance is frequently abandoned for a streamlined top-down structure of theatre making, one in which monetary, scheduling, and efficiency concerns inhibit the true creation of an ensemble. For multi-faceted theatre artists who have interest and talents in more than one field …

Synaesthetics, Samantha Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Synaesthetics is a new philosophy of the arts. Expanding on its predecessors, aesthetics and its many branches of thought, Synaesthetics bridges the long-standing explanatory gap across the disciplines of science, spirituality, and art. The arts become the vehicle of exploring new ways to synthesize and study their cognitive effects and implications on aesthetes, be they audience or creators. The examination of a synthesis in color and sound, inspired by research in synaesthesia, is a model for explaining the new philosophy, as well as investigating its impact. Theatre is introduced as the most valuable art form with which to engage this …

Planting Seeds: Life Stories Of Awakening Self-Awareness, Aixa Mendez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using real-life stories written by female offenders, Planting seeds - Life Stories of Awakening Self-Awareness seeks to identify the systematic challenges these females may have faced, that in most cases, are the root-causes of their derailment from the societal norms of conduct. Applying the concepts of community and social justice and equality as a lens, this work will attempt to corroborate, as a universal postulate, that the process of sharing life stories can have transformative effects on the individuals and that theatre techniques, such as theatre games and scripting can help identify those impediments to restoring lives. Key to the …

Exploring Interactions Between Adult English Learners And Their Teachlive Digital Character Peers, Ting Yan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Peer interaction is an important part of language learning. The results of previous studies showed advantages and disadvantages of peer interaction between native speakers and English learners. Using the educational simulation platform TeachLivE as the interaction platform, this qualitative descriptive case study explored the possibilities of bridging the gap between classroom language practice and real-life second language communication. The study recruited eight participants for a task-based interaction project. Using conversation analysis, the study revealed details in communication between adult English learners and their digital character peers. During the interactions, the participants were actively involved and the most frequent communication patterns …

Identification Of Areas Of Patient Need Using The Cancer Support Source Program, Emily Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding, screening, and providing resources for quality of life factors and psychosocial distress have become an important area of focus in cancer care. Negative consequences of poor quality of life and psychosocial distress have been widely studied in oncological research. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network, or NCCN, defines "psychosocial distress" as extending on a continuum, "ranging from common normal feelings of vulnerability, sadness, and fears to problems that can become disabling, such as depression, anxiety, panic, social isolation, and existential and spiritual crisis" ("National Comprehensive Cancer Network," n.d.). Findings have indicated the significant impact of poor quality of life and …

Three Studies Examining The Effects Of Informal Management Control Systems And Incentive Compensation Schemes On Employees' Performance, Kazeem Akinyele

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is comprised of three studies investigating the effects of informal management control systems (MCS) and different types of incentive compensation schemes on employees' performance. Prior research describes informal MCS as implicit sets of structures that management adopts to encourage employees to act in a way that aligns with overall organizational goals (Berry et al. 2009). Management usually puts informal MCS in place to inspire self-regulation behaviors among employees; hence, management may not reward or penalize employee behavior that is consistent or inconsistent with this informal MCS (Berry et al. 2009; Christ et al. 2008). Informal controls are implied …

Three Studies Examining Accountability In Auditing, Amy Donnelly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is dissertation consists of three studies investigating accountability in auditing. It is aimed at gaining a better understanding of how auditors make decision in the presence of accountability pressure. The first study is a literature review of the experimental audit research on accountability. It provides a conceptual framework for organizing prior research on this topic and offers opportunities for future research. The second study experimentally investigates accountability as a potential mitigating mechanism for the performance declines caused by ego depletion. Auditors are shown to be susceptible to depletion, but research has yet to consider how a natural element of …

A Labor Of Love: Women's Perspectives On Gender And Identity In Informal Caregiving, Kirby O'Hara Hurd

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The elderly population (adults 65 and over) is larger than at any time in history, thanks to improved access to healthcare, advances in medical technology, and health services focused on addressing the needs of aging adults. However, support for this growing population remains insufficient; the costs of in-home and residential care are high, and consequently, family members often become providers of informal, unpaid care. Presently, there is inadequate literature regarding the academic study of family members providing informal caregiving, especially from a perspective that emphasizes sociological principles and theories. Existing studies of the family caregiver phenomenon show that middle-aged adult …

The Influence Of Historical Processes Of Haiti And Japan On The Effects Of The Earthquakes, Shoko Nakamura

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Looking at the societies of Haiti and Japan after the earthquakes, the effects of the disasters to each society are not the same. This research paper discusses that the effects of a disaster on society are the result of social conditions. Utilizing the theories of world-system perspective and risk society, this paper tries to understand how historical process contributes to contemporary social structure and how a holistic approach is important to the discussion of different experiences of the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan. As a method, comparative historical method is utilized with the focus of within-case method, and major sources …

Women’S Choice In College Stem Majors: Impact Of Ability Tilt On Women Students’ Educational Choice, Audie Jane Willis

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This quantitative study explored the impact of ability and ability tilt on the choice of an academic program in STEM majors for female college students who have not been identified as profoundly or highly gifted. A math tilt would be an ability tilt slanting toward math. The career development theory that provided a framework for this study was the Theory of Work Adjustment. Three bodies of literature were reviewed, (a) Self-efficacy as a variable in college major or career choice, (b) life-style preference, and (c) ability tilt and ability. A Chi Square Test of Independence determined that significantly more women …

Teaching In A Mixed Secondary Spanish Classroom: A Case Study Of Strategies And Successes Of Minnesota Teachers, Meredith Gunderson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The population of Spanish heritage language learners is increasing throughout the state of Minnesota. This change in demographics impacts schools in a variety of ways; one such consequence is the creation of classes for Spanish for Native Speakers in locations with high Latino populations. However, in most locations, such programs currently do not exist, resulting in Spanish heritage language learners enrolling in Spanish foreign language classes. These classrooms, called mixed classes due to the combination of second language learners and Spanish heritage language learners in the same classroom, pose a unique challenge to the foreign language instructors. This qualitative multiple …

Adhd In Elementary School Students: Impact Of Physical Activity On Adhd Symptoms, Jenny Wilcox

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore alternative treatment options to stimulant medication in reducing symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in elementary aged children. The goal was to understand whether implementing physical activity programs into elementary schools reduces characteristic symptoms of ADHD including, but not limited to hyperactivity, inattentiveness and impulsivity. Secondary data was used in this research to analyze the symptoms of ADHD and the benefits of physical activity as a behavior modification intervention for this disorder with children. The study addressed the research question, what are the most effective types of physical activity for children …

Perceptions Of Students With And Without Limited Formal Schooling, Sarah Schmidt De Carranza

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the perceptions that refugee and non-refugee English language learners hold of their academic performance and their perceived sense of membership in a school community. Students currently served in EL programs in grades 9-12 in a large urban school district were invited to participate in the study. Student perceptions were measured using the Morgan Jinks Student Efficacy Scale (MJSES) and Goodenow Pyschological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale.

Unexpectedly, the results indicated that differences of perceptions of student efficacy and school membership between the two groups of students were not statistically …

Food Insecurity In Higher Education: Awareness And Response, Rudy Correa

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

How many college students are food insecure? Studies show a wide array of responses to that question, but some of the factors that are consistent are student characteristics, such as living arrangements, parental status, economic status, and racial or ethnic background. Students are impacted in several physical and emotional ways with food insecurity. Colleges and universities are studying food insecurity and responding with campus pantries, educational workshops, and increasing awareness of the issues. How should students learn about the issues and the resources they can access? This paper outlines the research findings and proposes a specific learning module for one …

Understanding Arson Through Community Resilience, Rhena South

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over 40,000 arsons were reported in the 2014 Uniform Crime Report; however, this number is underestimated since there are no official arson trends reported by the FBI due to the lack of agencies reporting this offense. Arson is one of the most destructive and under researched crimes. This lack of research can be attributed to the dual definition of arson – that is, the destruction of one's own property or someone else's property – the opportunistic nature of arson, and the inability to determine a measurable rate. The current study uses data from the Chicago Police Department's Citizen Law Enforcement …

Early Childhood Preservice Teachers’ Passion, Beliefs, And Their Sense Of Teacher Efficacy, Hyunjin Kim

Human Development and Family Science Faculty Publications

This study examined whether passion for teaching and teaching beliefs predicts preservice teachers’ sense of teacher efficacy. A total of 212 pre-service teachers enrolled in early childhood teacher education programs in the Seoul metro area of South Korea participated in this study. The results of multiple hierarchical regression analyses revealed that across all sub-areas of teacher efficacy and overall teacher efficacy, preservice teachers’ constructivist teaching belief was the most significant predictor, followed by harmonious passion. Obsessive passion was a significant predictor of preservice teachers’ sense of teacher efficacy except for efficacy in instructional strategies. Traditional belief was not a positive …