Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating Faculty Across The Disciplines Perceptions And Practices Of Reflective Writing In Community Engaged Courses: A Comparative Study, Marcela Hebbard

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, research in composition studies and Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) has focused on understanding better how student reflective practices assist on their transfer of writing knowledge across contexts (Yancey et al., 2014; Taczak & Robertson, 2017, Lindenman et al., 2018). However, not much research has been done that investigates faculty beliefs and practices about reflective writing, how they use it to measure student outcomes and achievement in community engaged courses and the implications this might have for the transfer of knowledge and practice of writing. This study draws primarily on activity theory to better understand whether there is a …

Epistemic Violence In Beowulf, Joseph W. Krippel

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the more than two centuries of scholarship on Beowulf scholars have engaged in a consistent controversy in interpretation revolving around the issue of Christian versus pre-Christian content in the poem. While scholars largely agree that the understanding of the poem depends on understanding this content, scholars still widely disagree on what that understanding should be. The history of this problem is summarized, moving from viewing the poem as primarily pre-Christian, to general agreement that it is primarily Christian, to the current climate of viewing the text as hybridization. The thesis then proposes that, following the theories of Michel Foucault …

Healing And Resistance Through Humor: A Literary And Cultural Analysis Of Chicana And Latina Cultural Production, Victoria E. Valdez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes elements of humor used by Chicana cultural producers (poets, performance artists, stand up comediennes) to subvert negative stereotypes of Chicanas. Chicana humorists have challenged harmful images of Mexican American women through poetry, prose, performances, and stand-up comedy. While Américo Paredes created a scholarly foundation for the study of Chicano humor, it is evident that Chicanos and members of dominant society mock Chicanas with their brand of humor. I argue writers like Michele Serros and Lorna Dee Cervantes resist dichotomous Chicana imagery and instead create and add to Chicana representation with humor. This thesis examines performance artist Maria …

Predicting Speaking, Listening, And Reading Proficiency Gains During Study Abroad Using Social Network Metrics, Timothy James Hall

Theses and Dissertations

L2 proficiency gains during study abroad vary widely across individuals and programs, and much of the research in the study abroad literature attempts to identify the causes of this variance. Social network data has proven useful in explaining some of the variance in oral proficiency gains (Baker-Smemoe, Dewey, Bown, & Martinsen, 2014; Isabelli-García, 2006), and the current study builds on those findings by applying the same methodology to listening and reading proficiency in addition to speaking. Proficiency gains in listening, reading, and speaking were measured for 17 students from a US university studying abroad in Nanjing, China for one semester. …

Understanding What The 2% Know: A Mixed Methods Study On Grit, Growth Mindset And Vulnerability Among Thriving Community College Students, Mark Hartley

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Currently, the California Community College system is graduating 2.83% of its first-time freshmen from these two-year institutions in a two-year period of time (CCCCO, 2017). In addition, less than 40% of this same group are graduating in a six-year period of time. This study sought to find commonalities between the students who were in the 2.83%, as well as to learn if these thriving students’ experiences centered on possessing the skill sets of grit (Duckworth, 2007), growth mindset (Dweck, 2006), and vulnerability (Brown, 2006).

For this study, thriving students were defined as first-time college students during the fall of 2017, …

Early Formative Period Exchange, Crafting, And Subsistence: An Analysis Of La Consentida’S Chipped Stone Assemblage, Julian Eduardo Acuña

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The primary concern of this thesis is to quantify and analyze the lithic (chipped stone) assemblage previously excavated by Hepp (2015) and the La Consentida Archaeological Project (LCAP) at the archaeological site of La Consentida in the lower Río Verde Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico. The lithic assemblage is comprised of over 500 artifacts mainly of obsidian and chert. This research represents a study of all primary context lithic artifacts from La Consentida and focuses on obsidian, the material most used at the site. In the first part of this thesis I provide an analysis of all lithic artifacts of this primary …

Modeling Movement Decisions In Networks: A Discrete Choice Model Approach, Larry Lin Junjie

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In this dissertation, we address the subject of modeling and simulation of agents and their movement decision in a network environment. We emphasize the development of high quality agent-based simulation models as a prerequisite before utilization of the model as an evaluation tool for various recommender systems and policies. To achieve this, we propose a methodological framework for development of agent-based models, combining approaches such as discrete choice models and data-driven modeling.

The discrete choice model is widely used in the field of transportation, with a distinct utility function (e.g., demand or revenue-driven). Through discrete choice models, the movement decision …

Rhetoric, Legislation, And The Felony Offender, Cyrus Taylor

Master's Theses

Rhetoric is arguably of more importance than the message that is being overtly conveyed. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand how rhetoric can be utilized to convey one message while simultaneously transmitting another distinct message (Walter 2017). In this study, discourse analysis was conducted by examining the rhetoric associated with the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (VCCLE), through the use of legislative speeches and newspaper articles, to determine how language has effectively resulted in the relegation of felony offenders within a class-based society. Utilizing two theories, class structure theory and distributive justice theory, an understanding was …

The Song Style Of Antonio Carlos Jobim: An Analysis Of Four Songs, Rachel Rogers

Master's Theses

The songs of Antônio Carlos Jobim are a national treasure of Brazil, beloved around the world. Their beauty and subtle simplicity have enthralled audiences for the last 60 years, yet they often reveal some unusual construction. Following the lead of other Brazilian theorists, this study was commenced with the belief that applying rigorous theoretical analysis to bossa nova would show its qualityand enduring worth. Four songs were selected for analysis based on their importance in Jobim’s career and their centrality to the bossa nova genre, “Chega de Saudade,” “Corcovado,” “Insensatez,” and “Garota de Ipanema.” They are among the most recorded …

A Data Synthesis Of Melodic Intonation Therapy, Jacqueline Ulfers

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Baby Boomers, one of the largest (modern) generations, made of 76 million people, is entering the prime age to suffer a stroke, which often leads to aphasia. Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT)is a current rehabilitation strategy for aphasia. Determining whether MIT is an effective and efficient treatment is vital because millions are at risk to suffer a stroke and effective rehabilitation strategies must be established. This honors thesis was a systematic review of previous studies written on melodic intonation therapy. The articles reviewed were chosen based on criteria including age of the patient, type of stroke, and immediacy of therapy. …

Perspectives Of Asian/Pacific Islanders On Lung Cancer Screening In Philadelphia: A Qualitative Study, Melissa Chai, Kristine Pham, Mph, Rickie Brawer, Phd, Mph, Mches

Phase 1

Introduction: Even though rates of smoking, the leading cause of cancer, are lower in Asian/Pacific Islanders (API), the rates of lung cancer deaths are still one of the highest compared to those of other minority groups in the US. However, little is known about the beliefs and attitudes that influence lung cancer screening behaviors of APIs.

Objective: The objective of this study is to better understand the current beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge of APIs in Philadelphia towards lung cancer and lung cancer screening.

Methods: Six in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants, who all had extensive experience working with the …

Construction Of Efl Teacher Educators’ Knowledge Base In A Teacher Education Program In Nicaragua, Angel María Dávila

Dissertations

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand and describe the sources of Nicaraguan EFL teacher educators’ knowledge base, the types of knowledge and skills that constructed their knowledge base, and the relationship of this knowledge base and classroom practices in a teacher education program at a Nicaraguan University. This study presents a literature review on the sources of knowledge and knowledge base of EFL teacher educators in the field of language teacher education. I used a purposeful sampling technique to select both the research site and the six EFL teacher educators who …

Promoting Second Language Learning Through Oral Asynchronous Computer-Mediated Communication, Eric H. Young

Theses and Dissertations

Learning to speak a foreign language (L2) can be a challenging feat, made all the more challenging when done in only 50 minute, daily increments in class. Oral asynchronous computer-mediated communication (ACMC) provides learners with opportunities to practice spoken communication and evaluate their practice outside the classroom. In this dissertation, I explore methods for classroom integration of oral ACMC, linguistic traits developed in previous oral ACMC studies, methods for determining the effectiveness of oral ACMC, learner beliefs about the effectiveness of oral ACMC activities, and the effects of learners' deliberate practice in a series of oral ACMC activities on 3 …

The Effect Of Item Stem And Response Option Length On The Item Analysis Outcomes Of A Career And Technical Education Multiple Choice Assessment, Tina M. Koepf

Dissertations

Critical decisions in Career and Technical Education (CTE) can be based on assessment outcomes, requiring an essential focus on continuous improvement initiatives to provide increased multiple choice (MC) assessment validity. Previous research has determined that the presence of flawed test items negatively impacts student success; therefore, an MC taxonomy has been established and used in the assessment industry. While rigorous and successful Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that enroll high-level academic students exist, many CTE programs enroll students with a wide spectrum of academic ability. Because many CTE students often have inferior reading skills, it is necessary to take …

La Comunicación Lingüística En Español Y Sus Barreras En El Sistema De Salud De Los Estados Unidos, David Sánchez-Jiménez

Publications and Research

La enseñanza del español con fines médicos en los Estados Unidos ha experimentado un crecimiento exponencial en las dos últimas décadas. Sin embargo, los pacientes de origen hispano se encuentran desprotegidos ante las barreras lingüísticas que impone el sistema de salud estadounidense en muchos contextos monolingües y bilingües. Esta investigación descriptiva muestra como, por un lado, los malentendidos producidos por la comunicación ineficiente desarrollada por intérpretes e intermediarios (familiares, enfermeras con conocimientos de español, facultativos con una preparación lingüística deficiente, etc.) tienen serias repercusiones para la salud en el tratamiento de los casos. Por otro lado, el estudio da cuenta …

“I’Ve Always Identified With The Women:” How Appalachian Women Ballad Singers’ Repertoire Choices Reflect Their Gendered Concerns, Sara Lynch-Thomason

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how contemporary Appalachian women’s gendered experiences influence their choices of ballad repertoire. This inquiry is pursued through a feminist analysis of interviews with six women ballad singers from Madison County, North Carolina. In evaluating the women’s choices of ballads and their commentary on the songs, this thesis draws upon narratological theories as well as concepts from Appalachian traditional music studies.

This study finds that women’s repertoire preferences reveal contemporary female concerns for physical safety and political agency. The singers also extract hidden transcripts from ballad texts and use ballads to educate audiences about women’s historic oppression. However, …

An Investigation Into The Usability Of An Innovation Management Assessment Tool, Elizabeth Jane Westerlund Gendreau

All Theses

Two tools for assessing external knowledge absorption maturity were developed during Part 1 of this research based upon the work of a previous researcher. The first of these tools assesses the maturity of a single organization, or actor. The second tool assesses the maturity of the collaborative innovation network that actor is a part of. Each tool produces a maturity profile for that actor or network which can then be used to inform innovation strategy decision making. An actor maturity assessment tool had been developed in previous research, however it did not consider how important evaluation criteria were to the …

The Influence Of Task Type On Speech Production By Second Language Learners Of German: An Electropalatographic Study, Elizabeth Cope

Theses and Dissertations

Electropalatography (EPG) is a computer-based system that tracks and measures contact patterns between the tongue and palate during speech production. The present study is focused on how the lingua-palatal contact patterns of native English speakers learning German as a second language (L2) differ as a function of task type. The fricatives ich-Laut [ç] and ach-Laut [x] were used as the target sounds, placed in nonsense words, short sentences, and spontaneous speech. The productions of the fricatives in the varying speech tasks were gathered from 12 university students enrolled in their second semester of a university level course of German. Comparisons …

Negotiating Strategies: An Effective Way For Parents Of Children With Disabilities To Communicate For Services, Dorothea Cartwright

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to examine and explore negotiating strategies for parents with children with disabilities. The research showed there were insufficient materials for teaching negotiating strategies to parents to assist them in obtaining critical or basic services for their special needs children. Many families lack financial resources, have English-language barriers, and have educational challenges when facing school administrators that possess these vital resources. These circumstances mean that parents may feel intimidated and disempowered when meeting with school officials. By providing a simple and easy-to-use guide of Negotiating Strategies, parents can be empowered and encouraged to use their …

Cultivating Uncertainty Through A Multimodal Perspective On Process To Encourage Transfer, Ariel Zepeda

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This thesis considers the ways in which a multimodal approach to teaching writing process can help students better understand the choices available as they navigate first-year writing and beyond. Such an approach destabilizes their understanding of what counts as writing, beyond the strictly text-based practices they may normally associate with writing. This destabilization emphasizes the uncertainty of writing as a productive frame of mind, as it encourages a more critical approach for students as they develop and adapt their writing processes. A multimodal perspective on writing process encourages a more proactive approach to students’ development of a repertoire of writing …

Literature And Literature Studies In The Context Of Modern German Studies: Goals And Development Strategies(Literatur Und Literaturwissenschaft Im Kontext Moderner Auslandsgermanistik: Ziele Und Entwicklungsstrategien), Dirk Baldes

Journal of Letters

With a focus on topics related to the study of linguistics and literature, the academic field of German Studies in Germany has developed along traditional lines, independent of the needs of foreign language philology. In contrast to the domestic conception of German Studies, the academic design of the field abroad has resulted in distinct structures - shaped individually by every single country and university.German Studies abroad has therefore departed dramatically from its central concern for the study of linguistics and literature, moving instead toward the circumference of the field. Translation, tourism, and other career-related fields - that is to say, …

Approaches Of Cultural Studies In The Textbook Series Studio 21 (A1.1 - A2.1)(Landeskundliche Ansätze In Daf-Lehrwerksreihe Studio 21(A1.1 - A2.1)), Luu Trong Nam

Journal of Letters

A balanced teaching of cultural knowledge in foreign language teaching in general and in German lessons in particular is of great importance. To make this possible, some promising approaches have been developed to help learners in the reception of cultural knowledge. The aim of the German teacher is that his or her students acquire not only the linguistic, but also the cultural aspects of German culture. Therefore, much consideration is given to bringing cultural content into the classroom and how differentapproaches to the didactics of regional studies make this possible. Theories of Weinmann, Hösch, Pauldrach and Zeuner form the theoretical …

The Omission Of Verbs In Coordinate Ellipsis And Confusion Caused By Coordinate Structures(Einsparung Von Verben Innerhalbkoordinationsellipsen Und Zweifelsfälle Bei Koordinationen), Nguyen Thuy Linh

Journal of Letters

The concept of ellipsis is a controversial and much discussed subject within the field of linguistics. Ellipsis is a term that is used to describe the omission of words or phrases in a sentence. However, this kind of omission can lead to misunderstanding and confusion. This paper will focus on one particular type of ellipsis: ellipsis in coordinate structures, in which the similar constituents have been left out. The main aim of this study is to investigate the confusion caused by elided verbs in coordinate elliptical constructions, and provides an opportunity to enhance our understanding of this linguistic phenomenon. Data …

Conceptual Metaphors For "Refugees" In Online Newspapers: An Empirical Study In German And In Thai(Konzeptuelle Metaphern Zum Begriff „Flüchtlinge" In Online-Zeitungen: Eine Empirische Studie Im Deutschen Und Im Thai), Phongsakorn Jamjumrus

Journal of Letters

This research article investigates the comparative language usage of refugee metaphors in German and Thai in two selected online newspapers: Süddeutsche Zeitung and Thairath. According to Lakoff and Johnson's (1980) cognitive theory of the conceptual metaphor, metaphors exert a major influence on our thinking, perceptions and behaviour in everyday life. This study uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze data from a German and a Thai corpus. It was found that twelve source domains are used in German and Thai data. In both corpora, refugees were represented in six domains, namely as GOODS, ENEMIES, WATER, OBJECTS, GUESTS/VISITORS and VEHICLES. …

Synonymous Phraseologisms On The Topic Of "Fear" In German And Vietnamese Contrastives(Synonyme Phraseologismen Zum Thema „Angst" Im Deutschen Und Vietnamesischen Kontrastiv), Nguyen Lan Anh

Journal of Letters

Phraseologisms are essential to the understanding and use of language, providing performative range for communication and vocabulary, and for this reason they are considered part of the language system. In particular, they reflect the culture of a country and the mindset of its people, and can be thought of as units of language and culture. Therefore, by studying phraseologisms, one can gain understanding of the peculiarities of a culture, and when phraseologisms in one language are compared with those in another, differences and commonalities between the cultures and languages in question can be discerned. Synonymy plays an important role in …

Performance Assessment Of The Extended Gower Coefficient On Mixed Data With Varying Types Of Functional Data., Obed Koomson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Clustering is a widely used technique in data mining applications to source, manage, analyze and extract vital information from large amounts of data. Most clustering procedures are limited in their performance when it comes to data with mixed attributes. In recent times, mixed data have evolved to include directional and functional data. In this study, we will give an introduction to clustering with an eye towards the application of the extended Gower coefficient by Hendrickson (2014). We will conduct a simulation study to assess the performance of this coefficient on mixed data whose functional component has strictly-decreasing signal curves and …

Public Perceptions On Domestic Sex Trafficking And Domestic Sex Trafficking Victims: A Quantitative Analysis, Faith Browder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sex trafficking is a grossly misconstrued and increasing issue within the United States. The purpose of this study was to extend current knowledge regarding the public’s education on domestic sex trafficking and perceptions of domestic sex trafficking victims. The public’s awareness of domestic sex trafficking and perceptions of domestic sex trafficking victims were examined through the utilization of a 31 closed-ended question survey. The survey included questions about domestic sex trafficking and prostitution myths, domestic sex trafficking victim characteristics, domestic sex trafficking legislation, law enforcement’s involvement in domestic sex trafficking cases, and demographics. The sample consisted of 195 Criminal Justice …

Examining The Impact Of Hiv Medical And Social Case Management Program On Viral Load For Clients Living With Hiv/Aids In Nebraska, Abdulla Munir

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Abstract

Case management (CM) is one of the standard practices that has been implemented since 1990 to help people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the United States. The program is designed for low-income populations and it aims to address the barriers related to access to health care and improve the HIV outcomes. Previous studies identified a positive association with the provision of CM and improvement in viral outcomes. Increasing the viral suppression rates among HIV diagnosed individuals proved to reduce the risk of transmitting the infection, and disease incidence. Although CM program is provided to Nebraskans diagnosed with HIV, but …

The Gabriel Revelation (Hazon Gabriel): A Reused Masseba Forgery?, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

The Gabriel Revelation (Hazon Gabriel) is a large limestone stele that contains a lengthy Hebrew text in two columns. The smooth side of the stone with the composition known as the Gabriel Revelation has forty-seven horizontal guidelines, four vertical lines bordering the columns, and eighty-seven lines of writing in ink on stone. Much of the composition is incomplete or partially preserved. The Gabriel Revelation is of unknown provenance. Its current owner purchased the artifact from a Jordanian antiquities dealer around the year 2000.

Comparative Analysis Of Principals And Teachers' Perceptions Of Working Conditions, Brandy Sermons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Prior research on school climate has focused on relationships between teachers and students, peer relationships, order and discipline, student engagement, and academic support to create an environment where students can be academically successful. No universally accepted standard definition encompasses all facets of the school climate construct. Although teacher working conditions have a direct impact on the future of students, few studies exist on teacher and principal perceptions of this construct. This comparative analysis study used archival data from the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey (NCTWCS) to determine if differences existed between teacher and principal perceptions of the working environment. …