Digital Commons Network^™

The Culturally Capitalised Graduate: Toward A Wider Reading Experience For Undergraduate Students, Sue Norton

Books/Book Chapters

This essay considers higher education policy in Ireland that, in limited optional ways, is diversifying the undergraduate curriculum to incorporate wider reading across disciplines. Such policies, now gaining traction, aim to foster greater graduate employability, understood as the resilience and resourcefulness to secure positions in the workplace over time, and in fluctuating periods of supply and demand; they also support graduates to live more meaningfully in society. This essay’s three sections draw upon several sources including a business consultancy website, journal articles, and academic papers and reports. It extrapolates in particular from the research of Julia Preece and Anne-Marie Houghton …

Dust And Shadow, Anna Grant Dean

Graduate Theses

Dust and Shadow is an investigation into systems of order and chaos that exist within the natural and manmade worlds. Human constructs (such as grids) and manmade systems (such as social media) abide in a space that is tangential to the structures and systems that choreograph the functions of the natural world. Exploring how these two very different worlds weave in and out of human existence allows me to examine my relationship to the complex facets of this twenty-first century experience.

My research into chaos and entropy serves as a catalyst for this body of work. Examining the parallels between …

Mapping Of Velocity Variations To Investigate Seismicity In The Upper Crust Of The Central Virginia Seismic Zone, Virginia, Usa, S M Ariful Islam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Local earthquake tomography is used to investigate three dimensional velocity structure in the aftershock zone of the 2011 Mineral, VA, mainshock. A total of 5125 arrival times for 324 aftershocks recorded by 12 stations were used in the inversion. The inversion volume is small (22 x 20 x 16 km) with a block size of 1 x 1 x 1 km. Most of the aftershocks located at or below 2 km are associated with an NE trending, SE dipping anomalous velocity region with negative P-wave velocity (Vp) anomalies, positive S-wave velocity (Vs) anomalies, and Vp/Vs ratios as low as 1.54. …

Key Notes: The Newsletter Of The Department Of Music, Georgia Southern University

School of Music: News & Publications (2017-2023)

• Dr. David Murray WRUU-FM Radio Contemporary Classics with host Dave Lake

• Guest Artist Linda Antas

• National Association of Teachers of Singing 2020 Award Winners for Georgia Southern University

• STUDENT PERFORMANCES

Designing Clarity: Utilizing Graphic Design To Enhance Media Functionality For The Visually Impaired, Jeremy Curtis Ellison

Masters Theses

The designed purpose of this research is to help to bridge the gap between graphic design and those who suffer from color-blindness. By not only coming to a better understanding of color deficiencies but also rethinking how we approach our use of color within our designs, we may begin to create more inclusive designs, thus communicating more efficiently.

Modern Myths: Adding To America's Cultural Heritage, Kathryne E. Wood

Masters Theses

As children, we believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny. We cower in fear when our friends talk about the Boogeyman, or how they'll summon Bloody Mary in the mirror. We check our closets, in hopes of finding an entrance to Narnia at the back of them. The world is a mysterious place in which anything can happen, anything can exist. What makes these types of stories so special? How do they generate true belief? What propels a narrative from entertaining story to the status of myth, legend, or folktale? This thesis explores the enduring qualities …

The Power Of Gratitude (A Worship Service), Joe G. Wehunt

Masters Theses

“So then just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness”. The house of God should be overflowing with thankfulness. This overflow should begin in the parking lot and extend all the way inside the building. With the “Power of Gratitude” service, the plan is to outline a worship event that reminds God’s children of the blessings that He has given through His son, Jesus, and to provide a way for God’s children to worship …

Gamification Strategies For Music Educators: An Online Continuing Education Course, Luis Enrique Espinosa

Masters Theses

This curriculum project is designed to provide music educators in the public and private sector with introductory knowledge about the topic of gamification and game-based learning, framed within the scope of an online continuing education course. It is meant for adult learners who teach young musicians in the K-12 range. The course offers a set of strategies and step-based processes that help transform a traditional music lesson plan into an interactive and meaningful learning experience that leverages games. The games created by the students in the course can serve to motivate music students by incorporating a sense of competition and …

Be Still: A Pedagogical Analysis Of Mindfulness-Based Practices In Vocal Music Education, Hattie Hannah Elder

Masters Theses

Mindfulness and mindfulness-based practices improve productivity in general education and vocal settings and have the potential to revolutionize choral music education. The purpose of this research is to improve vocal music education, vocal pedagogy, and voice practice, through the study of mindfulness-based practices and their relevance in vocal practices. The essential question answered as part of this research is, how do mindfulness and mindfulness-based practices increase productivity in the choral classroom? Sub questions addressed in this research include: 1) What is mindfulness meditation?, 2) How is mindfulness already utilized in vocal settings?, and 3) How can mindfulness best be included …

Global Englishes: Variations Of A Single Language In All English Classrooms, Amanda Leigh Faulkenberry

Masters Theses

This study was conducted in order to develop a procedure for creating a globally recognized curriculum for teaching students and teachers about global variations of English. The study first sought to discover attitudes towards global variations of English of speakers in each of Kachru’s three-circles model of World Englishes. Once there was an understanding of the negative attitudes that exist towards variations that fall within all three circles, the next goal was to determine what was being done to change this negative attitude. This meant analyzing curriculum and studies to determine how students and teachers are being educated on the …

Detecting Hacker Threats: Performance Of Word And Sentence Embedding Models In Identifying Hacker Communications, Susan Mckeever, Brian Keegan, Andrei Quieroz

Conference papers

Abstract—Cyber security is striving to find new forms of protection against hacker attacks. An emerging approach nowadays is the investigation of security-related messages exchanged on deep/dark web and even surface web channels. This approach can be supported by the use of supervised machine learning models and text mining techniques. In our work, we compare a variety of machine learning algorithms, text representations and dimension reduction approaches for the detection accuracies of software-vulnerability-related communications. Given the imbalanced nature of the three public datasets used, we investigate appropriate sampling approaches to boost detection accuracies of our models. In addition, we examine how …

Language-Driven Region Pointer Advancement For Controllable Image Captioning, Annika Lindh, Robert J. Ross, John D. Kelleher

Conference papers

Controllable Image Captioning is a recent sub-field in the multi-modal task of Image Captioning wherein constraints are placed on which regions in an image should be described in the generated natural language caption. This puts a stronger focus on producing more detailed descriptions, and opens the door for more end-user control over results. A vital component of the Controllable Image Captioning architecture is the mechanism that decides the timing of attending to each region through the advancement of a region pointer. In this paper, we propose a novel method for predicting the timing of region pointer advancement by treating the …

The Bridging Language Between Diglossia Of Classical And Colloquial Arabic/ اللغة التجسيرية بين ازدواجية الفصحى والعامية, Hedaya Hedaya El-Sheikh Ali, Ameerah M.A Younes Dana

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

استهدف البحث الحالي تحديد أسباب الازدواجية، مثل: الأمية، وحصر القراءة والكتابة على النخبة، وتشكيل نمط لغوي يمثل الاستقلال والسيادة، وكذلك حصر أهم مشكلات الازدواجية، مثل: ضياع الهوية، وانقراض الفصحى، والتفكك الاجتماعي؛

Developing The Digital And Non-Digital (Arabic - Indonesian) Bilingual Dictionary To Improve The Vocabulary Proficiency Of Islamic Elementary School Students/ تطوير المعجم ثنائي اللغة (عربية – إندونيسية) الرقمي وغير الرقمي لتلاميذ المدرسة الابتدائية, Makiatul Madaniah, Nurul Murtadho, Nurhidayati Nurhidayati

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

يهدف هذا البحث إلى انتاج المعجم ثنائي اللغة الرقمي وغير الرقمي لتلاميذ المدرسة الابتدائية ومعرفة مدى صلاحيته ومدى فعاليته في تعليم اللغة العربية. و المفردات مصحوبة بالأمثلة في الجملة البسيطة والصورة الجذابة. المنهج ال

Web-Based Crossword Development To Improve Vocabulary Mastery Of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Islamiyah Sidoarjo Students/ تطوير الكلمات المتقاطعة على أساس ويب لترقية كفائة المفردات لدى طلبة المدرسة الابتدائية الإسلامية بسيدوارجو, Novi Ariyanti, Muhammad Lukman Arifianto, Mochammad Rizal Ramadhan

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

يهدف هذا البحث: (1) وصف تطوير الكلمات المتقاطعة على أساس ويب لترقية كفائة المفردات لدى طلبة المدرسة الابتدائية الإسلامية بسيدوارجو ، و(2) لوصف مدى صلاحيتها. يستخدم هذا البحث التطوير على نموذج Borg  و Gall بالتصرف عشرة

Designing The Arabic Crossword Puzzles For The First, Second, And Third Grade Of The “Mambaul Ulum” Islamic Elementary School Malang, Nurul Hidayati, Muhammad Lukman Arifianto, Mochammad Rizal Ramadhan

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

Crossword puzzle is a game whose gameplay is to fill in the empty spaces in a box with letters to form a word that matches the instructions. This game is one of the best ways to develop student’s ability to multiply vocabulary and they would feel enthu

Family Communication Patterns During Recovery Maintenance: Relapse Prevention For Alcoholics & Addicts, Adam Pyecha

Communication & Theatre Arts Theses

The following thesis is research into the Family Communication Patterns (FCP) (McLeod & Chaffee, 1972) of “alcoholics and drug addicts” (ADA) with long-term recovery stages III and IV. Improving relapse rates of ADA in early recovery stage I and stage II may require knowledge about the family communication environment and family type of those ADA with extended recovery time. This is an exploratory descriptive of FCP and family typology of 81 ADA identifying as Twelve-step fellowship (TSF) members recovering from the disease of addiction (Jellinek, 1947; 1960). Data was collected via online questionnaire with adapted scales; AWARE 3.0 relapse awareness …

The Path To Victory: A Comparative Analysis Of Mena Region Countries, Negar Moayed

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

During the “Arab Spring” the Arab world witnessed a wave of uprisings. As a result of these anti-government movements, four governments of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen were overthrown, three governments of Bahrain, Jordan, and to some points Saudi Arabia were faced with critical difficulties, and one government ,Syria, experienced domestic war. All these happened while some other Middle Eastern countries remained stable. Yet, the remaining questions are: how did these protests emerge? How was the collective identity which is essential for the social movements created? Why were some of these movements successful in overthrowing the regime while the others …

The Effects Of Security Framing, Time Pressure, And Brand Familiarity On Risky Mobile Application Downloads, Cody Parker

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The current study examined the effects of security system framing, time pressure, and brand familiarity on mobile application download behaviors, with an emphasis on risk taking. According to the Prospect Theory, people tend to engage in irrational decision making, and make qualitatively different decisions when information is framed in terms of gains and losses (i.e., the framing effect). Past research has used this framing effect to guide the design of a risk display for mobile applications (apps), with the purpose of communicating the potential risks and minimizing insecure app selections. Time pressure has been shown to influence the framing effect …

Addressing Lack Of Engagement With The Youth In Their Community, Mayte Lopez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Santa Cruz County Friday Night live Partnership (FNL) is a program that is youth led and driven, designed to prevent alcohol and drug use among youth. The capstone project focused on lack of engagement with youth in the community. This was addressed with a radio public service announcement (PSA). It was focused on a Positive underage drinking campaign done through chapter weekly activities. A radio public service announcement (PSA) was done by the youth to engage with their community. A timeline was calculated that showed the percentages of recruitment before, during, and after the video to show efficacy of the …

No-Cost Flu Clinics, Madyson Shands

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Thousands of people go each year without access to flu vaccinations. In consideration of the current pandemic, there was a need for vaccinations in order to limit the possibility of a double pandemic. The Visiting Nurses Association (VNA), Community services is a non-profit organization that provides services that range from immunization to wellness programs. The community service department strives to connect with the community and construct programs that will assess their needs. The project consists of no-cost flu clinics working with agencies within the Monterey community. Interim is a transitional housing center for adults with mental illnesses. There was a …

Casa Advocates Virtual Activities Capstone, Ana Guadalupe Borrayo-Garcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

CASA of Santa Cruz County's mission is to provide court-appointed volunteers and for every foster youth to receive the love and care that they deserve. The majority of the foster youth being served are Hispanic, but there are not enough bilingual volunteers, and this is a problem. One Contributing factors include a lack of awareness to become volunteers, cultural understanding of the role of a CASA volunteer, and that bilingual advocates need relevant outreach material to understand. Consequences include foster youth being on a waitlist, not enough advocates to serve the population in need, and a lack of support for …

English Discussion Group Curriculum, Cristina Rico

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The internship took place in the Monterey County Free Library in the Adult Literacy Program. Monterey County has the lowest literacy rate among adults. Monterey County residents are foreign-born who are residents with no or some English skills. The county has language barriers between the residents and businesses. The contributing factors of low literacy rates are foreign-born having no English skills, access to education to adults and parents, and learning disabilities. If the issue continues in the cycle, Individuals are who are illiterate will face low income or unemployment, which leads to the transmission of illiteracy, and low self-esteem and …

Any Is Too Many: Impaired Driving In Santa Cruz County, Karena Brewington

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Too many people operate vehicles under the influence in Santa Cruz County (SCC) because of recidivism. DUIs cost dearly in human and financial terms. Financial difficulties and stigma pose barriers to providing DUI services. Community Prevention Partners (CPP) resides under the Public Health umbrella of SCC’s Health Services Agency. This Capstone Project represents an integrated effort to increase CPP’s DUI secondary prevention efforts through its Alcohol Initiative workgroup. Through the Alcohol Initiative, CPP administers the DUI Resource Center (DUIRC), a community space to support DUI offenders around completion of their sentencing components. This project proposes to decrease the recidivism of …

Mpc Resource Webinar, Julianna Andrade

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) at the University Corporation of Monterey Bay mission statement aims to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. The educational issue for low-income students is the lack of accessibility to resources that assists with preparedness and success in post-secondary education. Students aren’t able to attend college due to poverty, lack of academic preparation and familial factors. Consequences consist of post-secondary dropout, financial debt and unpreparedness for college life. The barriers students and their families face include language barriers, structural barriers and …

Feeding Families And Our Students During Covid-19, Elyse Bryan

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This Capstone project is focused on providing families and students with meals during a pandemic. The majority of students in California are enrolled in a free or reduced breakfast and lunch program. Due to virtual learning it has become increasingly more difficult for students to be provided with school meals. Schools give opportunities to students to pick up their lunches but this is not beneficial for students with a lack of transportation or two working parents. Food security is important to allow students to focus in school and continue developing correctly both physically and mentally. Evidence shows that the number …

Pedestrian Safety, Karen Pacheco Silva

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Every year the number of pedestrians involved in a car accident unfortunately increases. In Monterey County this seems to be especially true. According to the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) in 2014, Monterey County ranked 17th out of 58 in the state of California for automobile crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists. As a result, the Monterey County Health Department received a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety to address this problem. The team leading these efforts is the Injury Prevention Program from the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Unit. The capstone project consists of educational materials for elementary school …

What Is This Feeling I Am Feeling?: Providing An Lgbtq+ Curriculum And School Environment, Joanna Rendon

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Full inclusion within classroom and school environments has been a topic within education for some time. Research has identified ways to make the general education classroom as inclusive as possible, while still continuing to provide the least restrictive way of educating students. However, the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning + perspectives and curriculum in public education has showed little to no improvement. An argument is made that when an inclusive LGBTQ+ curriculum and school environment is provided; students are more likely to succeed academically and feel safer while attending school. In order for all students to thrive …

Dor Awareness, Shannon Mortela

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Millions of adults with disabilities need better job opportunities or career advancements. The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) provides services for developing job training, achieving diplomas or degrees, assists with resume writing or interview skills, and support with a job coach. This department provides life changing skills that promote self-sufficiency and independence. Bringing awareness to the rehabilitation services will help to reduce stigma and increase civic engagement for people with disabilities by increasing autonomy and self-esteem. Each year the DOR celebrates National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The Roundtable discussion will go virtual for the first time and will bring …

Stigma Reduction Programming In Monterey County, Don Heading

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Mental illness-related stigma is a barrier to societal inclusion and productivity. With nearly one in five individuals being impacted by mental illness in the United States (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2019), there is a greater need for understanding through education to support those affected by mental illness. Stigma impacts those with mental illness in the realms of employment, housing, and incarceration. The Success Over Stigma Program located within the OMNI Resource Center in Salinas, California addresses the lack of education by offering contact-based community education delivered by those affected by mental illness. The project addressed the need …