Digital Commons Network^™

Laytona Subdivision Storm Drain System, Tyler Roberts, Mitchell Wagner

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Laytona Subdivision, located in Layton, UT, currently uses traditional curb and gutter to transport storm runoff. This system is no longer adequate due to lack of slope and aging curb and gutter. Layton City will replace the current system with an underground storm drain system. Storm water runoff will be collected and transported to an existing detention pond.

• Alternatives Three other alternative storm drain systems were considered for this project.

• Cost Estimate The estimated cost of completion is $831,710.00.

• Design Software To complete this project ASE used AutoCAD Civil 3D, Excel, and Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis. …

Logan River Restoration (Downstream), Drew Bassett, Amanda Blair, Brooklyn Morgan, Dakota Sparks

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Historical projects by local landowners attempted to improve the passage of flood flows through the Logan River by channelizing the river. The removal of foliage in this process resulted in unforeseen bank erosion and channel scouring. This project analyzes existing river conditions and proposes changes to a section of the Logan River from the Crockett Diversion to Center Street to improve the floodplain, reduce river temperatures, and add recreation.

Mendon Historic Barn Restoration, Andrew Flake, Jaison Hardman, Kaleb Nelson, Taylor Reese

Civil and Environmental Engineering

The Hardman Family owns a historic barn located on the West side of Mendon City backed by the scenic Wellsville Mountains. The barn is currently in a dilapidated condition and is likely to collapse at any time. The Hardmans would like to evaluate the feasibility of reconstructing the barn with the goal of retaining the original barn’s aesthetic value. The reconstructed barn would serve as an events center that would be rented out as a source of income for the family.

Mill Race Diversion On The Weber River, Tyler Ashby, Carina Jones, Nick Langford, Jake Orton, Polo Su'a-Filo

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Trout Unlimited designated the Mill Race irrigation diversion located in Morgan, Utah, and shown in Figure 1, as problematic for fish passage and recreational usage. AAA Engineering was tasked with designing a replacement diversion structure to allow fish passage, recreational use, and provide flood control on the Weber River.

Along with the diversion, AAA Engineering was asked to design a pedestrian bridge that connects the community north of the Weber River to Morgan High School and athletic fields to the south.

Muddy Creek Pressurized Irrigation System, Smc (Sunderland, Mangum, Clark) Engineering

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Muddy Creek Irrigation Company (MCIC) has been providing irrigation water for farmers in and around Emery since the early 1800’s. Many of the original canals are still in use today. The earthen canals lose 35-40% of the water that is being delivered to infiltration. The purpose of this project is to replace the existing canal system with a water reservoir and a pressurized irrigation pipeline design. Figure 1 presents the existing canal system to be replaced.

Munition Storage Magazines (Msms), Matthew Endicott, Michael Garcia, Quinn Lythgoe

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Hill Air Force Base (HAFB) currently has two aging Munition Storage Magazines (MSMs) and is planning to replace these with modern MSMs. HAFB’s new project will implement five new MSMs to increase their capacity, see Fig 1. HHI Corporation, the client, has acquired the project and has decided to include QM² Engineering as a subcontractor.

QM² Engineering has worked on the site layout of the five MSMs, foundation design, retention pond, and access road. Portions of the MSMs are pre-designed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, but require a site specific foundation, see Fig 2. QM^{2 …}

Park Valley Livestock Water System, Calyn Arnold, Zachary Hulsey, Nathan Raine

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Western Skies Engineering proposed the installation of a livestock waterpipeline in Park Valley, Utah. A pipeline would be needed to provide waterfrom a recently drilled well to a series of troughs, providing water for 200head of cattle. The proposed pipelines would total about 1 mile in length,cross a major highway, and rise and fall with the regional topography. Anoff-grid energy system was proposed to sustain the well, and a pump houseproposed to protect the head of the well from the environment.

Storm Water Solutions: 1800 North 600 West Regional Detention Basin, Aaron Hall, Tucker Jorgensen, Sam Odd

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Storm Water Solutions was tasked by Logan City to design a storm water detention and treatment system that addressed the following tasks:

• Model storm events in drainage basin to determine storm water runoff volumes, especially the 90^th Percentile Storm.

• Remove storm water from irrigation conveyance system through design of storm diversion structure to eliminate crop flooding and system maintenance costs.

• Determine methods to reduce phosphorous entering Cutler Reservoir through a low maintenance, sustainable process.

• Retrofit existing storm water system to meet current Logan City design standards and budgetary constraints.

Tuni Grande Water Project, Tyler Daynes, Nathan Hall, Joe West

Civil and Environmental Engineering

• Tuni Grande is a small farming community in Pucara Peru with a population of 250 people

• Residents of Tuni Grande receive approximately 3 gallons of water per person per day

• The water is highly contaminated with arsenic. Concentrations reach as high as 50 μg/L

• The goal of this project was to provide the people of Tuni Grande a reliable and clean water source

Ussynthetic: Building 4, Simon Barth, Matt Graham, Jacob Luebke, Joseph Osguthorpe, Benjamin Story

Civil and Environmental Engineering

US Synthetic is a synthetic diamond manufacturing company located in Orem, Utah. Over the last ten years, US Synthetic has nearly doubled its employee count and annual revenue. In 2011, US Synthetic added a third building to its campus to increase its production of synthetic diamonds.

Building 3 was designed and built to be connected to a future building. With company growth continuing as expected, US Synthetic contracted Diamond Engineering to design Building 4.

Diamond Engineering’s design of Building 4 will offer the client nearly 40,000 square feet of additional administrative and production space. Building 4 will tie into Building …

Usu Steel Bridge Design, Jordan Browning, Ryan Devitt, Adam Lambert, Beau Petersen, Dallin Polson, Colin Steele, Taylor Vaughn

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Utah State University Steel Bridge (USSB) has designed a bridge to compete at the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Student Steel Bridge Competition. The design process involves the analysis of many bridge alternatives to determine the most cost-effective bridge design. USSB analyzed both an under-span and over-arch bridge design based on weight, number of members, ease of fabrication, ease of construction, and vertical deflection. USSB found the over-arch bridge design to be the recommended alternative because of the minimal deflection it experiences under load compared to an under-span bridge.

USSB completed in-depth analysis using RISA 3D to design two …

Developing Critical Thinking In Ot Education: Effectiveness Of A Fishbowl Approach, Stephanie L. De Sam Lazaro, Bonnie R. W. Riley

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This paper explores the effectiveness of peer assisted learning on developing critical thinking skills in an occupational therapy graduate course. The use of peer teaching strategies, including a Fishbowl discussion and case-based problem solving, were compared to a faculty-led lecture approach to determine which approach best prepared student critical thinking. Participants included 115 first year graduate occupational therapy students. No statistically significant differences were noted in student ability to express knowledge, comprehension, and application of information. However, statistically significant differences were noted on graduate student ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate using newly learned information when peer teaching strategies were …

Online Hybrid Vs. Face-To-Face Instruction In Applied Ot Theory, Brenda S. Howard

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Minimal evidence exists regarding online education in occupational therapy. This study explored entry-level occupational therapy (OT) student responses to two methods of instruction in an applied OT theory course. The investigator used a retrospective quasi-experimental, nonrandomized comparison group design with mixed methods to compare two cohorts of entry-level OT students. Data included midterm exam, final exam, and cumulative course grades, as well as qualitative data from a final exam essay question. Demographic data and cohort mean grade-point averages were collected at the program level. One cohort received face-to-face instruction, while the other received online hybrid and face-to-face instruction. The face-to-face …

Qualitative Analysis Of Peer Supervision Training Needs In A Student-Run Occupational Therapy Clinic, Anne Murphy-Hagan, Lauren E. Milton

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The philosophy behind occupational therapy (OT) education espouses the belief that students are dynamic actors in the teaching-learning process, participating in self-appraisal and professional identity development. Yet, best-practice guidelines have not been developed to support students acting in a supervisory role, or contrastingly, receiving supervision from a peer. This study took place at a student-run OT clinic at a large research university in the Midwest. Qualitative methods were employed to investigate the question: What educational and training supports are needed to assist OT students with peer supervision in a student-run clinic? Six OT students participated in a focus group and …

Using Technology Enhanced Learning To Promote The Acquisition Of Practical Skills In Occupational Therapy, Terri Grant

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This paper focuses on the use of game-based technology to effectively choose, prescribe, and safely use equipment, which are vital occupational therapy skills. A three-hour workshop was designed for 42 second year British occupational therapy students across two cohorts. The goal was for students to try out a variety of equipment ranging from small household and kitchen aids to elevating chairs and hoisting equipment. Students used the game-based technology during a class to encourage their engagement with practical aspects of equipment use and fitting. A short, optional survey indicated use of the game-based technology resulted in extremely high student engagement …

The Effect Of 3d Human Anatomy Software On Online Students’ Academic Performance, Reivian Berrios Barillas

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Understanding anatomy is vital to occupational therapy (OT) for clinical success. Anatomy requires comprehending three-dimensional (3D) human structure relationships and student age and learning style differences may affect this understanding. This study examined how 3D anatomy software influenced online OT students’ grades among different ages and learning styles. The intervention group had 17 students (mean age 33 ± 8 years) and the control group had 18 students (mean age 32 ± 6 years). Students were categorized above or below the age of 30 and completed a learning style questionnaire at the beginning of the course. To determine the usefulness of …

The Development Of A Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairments Seminar For Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Sara S. Ulfers, Christine Berg

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy practitioners are qualified to address the emergence of functional deficits from cancer-related cognitive impairments (CRCI); however, they have reported a need to address gaps in their knowledge of CRCI. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively design, disseminate and examine the impact of implementing a face-to-face continuing education seminar designed to enhance occupational therapy practitioners’ knowledge of CRCI in adults and older adults. After completing a needs assessment and designing the seminar, the seminar was piloted with occupational therapy students (n = 64) where student feedback guided modifications to the seminar’s content, design and evaluation. The …

Increasing Emotional Intelligence Through Self-Reflection Journals: Implications For Occupational Therapy Students As Emerging Clinicians, Natalie A. Perkins, Arlene A. Schmid

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy practitioners and students need skills associated with emotional intelligence (EI) as it is linked with therapeutic use of self. It is vital to train and educate occupational therapy students in self-awareness in order to prepare them to work effectively with future clients and co-workers. This study explored the use of self-reflection journals among graduate students during their spring semester of a full-time on-campus Master’s in Occupational Therapy program. Researchers aimed to understand the impact of self-reflection journals on trait EI. First year master level occupational therapy students (n=39) completed the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue). Quantitative data were …

Student Perceptions And Grade Comparisons After Exposure To Instructor-Made Skills Videos In A Kinesiology Course, Pamela Karp, Robert G. Gallagher

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this mixed method, descriptive case study was to determine whether the use of pre-recorded instructor-made videos (PRIMVs) in a kinesiology course, along with curricular design changes, facilitated increased conceptual and practical student learning. The study examined three student cohorts in one occupational therapy program. Two of the student cohorts had unrestricted access to the PRIMVs designed to support student learning of bone and muscle palpation and joint actions. Students from the two cohorts completed a survey about their experience of having access to the videos. Exam data from the student cohorts who had access to the videos …

Collaborative Learning In A Faculty-Led Occupational Therapy Level I Fieldwork: A Case Study, Karen M. Keptner, Susan Maureen Klein

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork experiences in occupational therapy are meant to bridge the gap between academic learning and clinical practice. Various formats for fieldwork experiences have been encouraged as sites become harder to find. A faculty-led fieldwork experience is one suggested format. Faculty-led initiatives using a collaborative learning model (CLM) allow faculty to supervise a group of students at one time. In order to understand more about using a CLM within Level I fieldwork, a case study approach was used to describe the experience of nine occupational therapy students. Results suggest that the students involved in this faculty-led Level I fieldwork experience in …

Use Of Case Studies To Promote Critical Thinking In Occupational Therapy Students, Denise D. Allen, Susan Toth-Cohen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Critical thinking is a necessary component of clinical reasoning that should be addressed as part of the graduate curriculum for occupational therapists. For students to apply critical thinking in practice they must also have confidence and minimal anxiety about their abilities. Case-based learning was chosen to address critical thinking skill development, increase confidence, and decrease anxiety. The purpose of this mixed methods pilot study was to evaluate progressively independent engagement with case-based learning on student performance, confidence, and anxiety in applying critical thinking skills in the clinical setting. Critical thinking was measured using a rubric to assess students’ performance in …

Critical Thinking And Transformational Learning: Using Case Studies As Narrative Frameworks For Threshold Concepts, Christine Berg, Rachel Philipp, Steven D. Taff

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Critical thinking is an essential component to the occupational therapy process that is a timely skill with the rapid pace of change in our healthcare system. Critical thinking exposes assumptions, biases, beliefs and points of view and challenges a shift in epistemology by asking, ‘how do we know what we believe to know?’ Case studies are a tool to engage the learner in critical thinking and are commonly employed in occupational therapy curricula. Social determinants of health (SDH) describe environmental circumstances that affect health. The authors propose that SDH, embedded in case studies, serve as a threshold concept. A threshold …

Metacognition Of First Year Occupational Therapy Students: A Comparison Of Entry-Level Degrees, Leah S. Dunn, Pamela Lewis-Kipkulei, Roy Bower

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to compare the metacognitive awareness among first year students in entry-level occupational therapy programs. The study investigated the similarities and differences in awareness of cognition and strategies used to regulate cognition in occupational therapy assistant (OTA), Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT), and Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) programs to inform teaching practices for the different educational demands and expected outcomes of each program. Thirty occupational therapy students (11 OTA, 10 MOT, and 9 OTD) completed the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) during their first semester of occupational therapy courses at two universities. Overall, the results indicated …

Proposing A Metacurriculum For Occupational Therapy Education In 2025 And Beyond, Quinn P. Tyminski, Amy Nguyen, Steven D. Taff

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The American healthcare system has undergone significant changes in the past few years due to government and corporate-level changes. As healthcare requirements continue to shift, occupational therapists must continue to assert their role or risk losing relevancy. Therefore, educational programs must prepare students to meet the populations’ shifting healthcare needs through agile curricula which focus less on isolated skills and more on broad areas of impact. To determine essential content comprising a ‘metacurriculum’ for occupational therapy education of the future, nine articles were analyzed using Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised) to code each document into knowledge, skills, and behaviors. Major themes were …

Accommodation Use By Individuals With Disabilities In Occupational Therapy Fieldwork, Rebecca Ozelie, Megan Delehoy, Sierra Jones, Erin Sykstus, Victoria Weil

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The number of individuals enrolling in postsecondary education with a diagnosed disability is rising. However, the literature reflects a gap between mandated institutional policies and the extent of accommodation use and success. This study examines the use, type, and prevalence of accommodations used by students with disabilities completing occupational therapy fieldwork rotations, as well as the common barriers to accommodation access. Snowball sampling methodology was utilized to send out a 26-item questionnaire to occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. Two hundred and ninety-two occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants answered the questionnaire to identify disability type, disclosure of disabilities, and …

Health Literacy In Student-Created Occupational Therapy Home Programs, Karen Flaherty, Sarah Foidel, Nancy E. Krusen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This single site case report examined student-designed client educational materials for integration of health literacy principles in occupational therapy education. Researchers analyzed 16 home programs from first and second year occupational therapy doctorate students using the Health Literacy Advisor (HLA) and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool – Printable (PEMAT-P). The HLA provides scores of readability indexes, including Fry, SMOG, Flesch-Kincaid, and Flesch Reading Ease. The PEMAT-P assesses understandability and actionability. Results indicated reading levels near recommended 6^th grade reading scores with some improvement from first to second year educational level, though not necessarily useable material. HLA difficult to …

Developing An International Cultural Learning Project: An Effort Towards Introducing Internationalization In The Classroom, Mary Zadnik, Pavlina Psychouli, Kayla Collins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In an increasingly diverse and global society, allied health professionals must be ready to meet the needs of clients with different cultural values, habits, and attitudes. Understanding how culture impacts decision making in healthcare is a fundamental skill. However, education and experiences to help prepare future practitioners to meet this need are often lacking in allied health. This paper highlights a call to develop methods to identify and overcome barriers in providing students with culturally diverse and immersive experiences both feasibly and efficiently. A pilot cross-cultural experience was created utilizing the technique of Internationalization at Home (IaH) and integrating technology …

Instructing Students How To Use Evidence-Based Technology Interventions With Older Adults, Michele L. Tilstra, Michelle L. Webb, Sandra E. Groger

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Current evidence supports the use of technology with older adults and the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education standards for entry-level occupational therapy programs mandate instruction on the use of technology to support occupational performance. The literature does not clearly define specific strategies to teach entry-level occupational therapy students how to implement technology interventions with older adults. The purpose of this paper is to provide OT educators with recommendations for teaching entry-level students to use evidence-based technology with older adults. The authors reviewed current literature. The recent evidence helped the authors define practical curriculum recommendations for instructing entry-level occupational therapy …

A Skills-Focused Approach To Improving Therapist Goniometry Accuracy Using A Simulation Laboratory, Miranda Yelvington, Beverly J. Spray

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Goniometric measurements are widely used in the field of occupational therapy to measure range of motion, define and describe movement, and predict the functional implications of joint limitations. These measurements are further used in documentation and as a means of justifying reimbursement. While goniometrics are a hallmark of our practice, therapist competency is rarely assessed. This study sought to evaluate whether a skill focused, simulation assisted training could lead to improvements in accuracy and consistency of goniometric measurements. Ten therapists at a single facility completed goniometric testing utilizing a simulation module to assess three joint motions (shoulder abduction, elbow flexion …

Design And Evaluation Of A Non-Contact Bed-Mounted Sensing Device For Automated In-Home Detection Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Pilot Study, Clara Mosquera-Lopez, Joseph Leitschuh, John Condon, Chad C. Hagen, Uma Rajhbeharrysingh, Cody Hanks, Peter Jacobs

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the accuracy of a custom built non-contact pressure-sensitive device in diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity as an alternative to in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG) and a Type 3 in-home sleep apnea test (HSAT). Fourteen patients completed PSG sleep studies for one night with simultaneous recording from our load-cell-based sensing device in the bed. Subjects subsequently installed pressure sensors in their bed at home and recorded signals for up to four nights. Machine learning models were optimized to classify sleep apnea severity using a standardized American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) scoring of the gold …