The Transcorporeal South: Bodies And Ecologies In Twentieth-Century Southern Literature, Tiffany Morgan Messick

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation proposes that transcorporeality offers an alternative to Cartesian dualistic modes of embodiment in Walker Percy’s, The Moviegoer, Zora Neale Hurston’s, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Richard Wright’s, Native Son, and Carson McCullers’s The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Opposing the division between mind and body as theorized by René Descartes, transcorporeality advances the body’s porosity, maintaining that the individual is enmeshed within the material world and that this entanglement consubstantiates consciousness. Examining the works of Descartes, focusing especially on the ways that Cartesian ideas have been applied in Southern culture, I contend that a Cartesian definition of subjectivity, …

To Note Or Not To Note: Students' Conceptualizations Of Note Taking During Academic Reading In A Developmental Reading Course, Margaret J. O'Kerns

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This grounded theory research study investigated one active reading strategy, note taking, with a goal of creating student-centered, evidence-based curriculum for the developmental reading instructor. Sixteen students participated in a two-part session: a semi-structured interview and a think aloud of an assigned, academic text. The students were asked to discuss their attitudes regarding reading, both academically and for pleasure, and about any previous reading instruction. They were then observed reading their assigned text, an expository article, and queried as to their use (or not) of any note taking procedures or strategies. As an outcome of this study, it became apparent …

Self-Reported Multicultural Teaching Knowledge And Skills Of School Professionals, Julia Kedzior

Masters Theses

Diverse learners face a variety of challenges, such as achievement gaps, behavior problems, and absenteeism. Therefore, it is important for their educators to have both multicultural teaching knowledge and skills to address these challenges and work towards a successful school experience for all students. Although research has sought to measure the cultural competence of teachers, not many studies have examined cultural competence in other school professionals (administrators, school psychologists, social workers, interventionists, instructional assistants, and other individuals who directly work with students in the school environment). In the current study, 185 teachers and other school professionals completed an adapted version …

The Efficacy Of Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (Pals) With Hispanic English Language Learners In The 2nd Grade, Sonia Duran

Masters Theses

The present study examined the efficacy of a reading instruction, Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS), for Hispanic English Language Learners (ELL). Currently, the literature indicates that there is a surge in ELL students, most commonly Spanish-speaking ELL students, in the United States. This increase in ELL population created a need for academic support as many of these students are historically academically behind their non-ELL peers due to the negative impact of lack of exposure to the English language and cultural differences. The PALS program is a class-wide reading intervention where students engage in reading activities to promote reading skills; and …

Multimodal Human Group Behavior Analysis, Chongyang Bai

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Human behaviors in a group setting involve a complex mixture of multiple modalities: audio, visual, linguistic, and human interactions. With the rapid progress of AI, automatic prediction and understanding of these behaviors is no longer a dream. In a negotiation, discovering human relationships and identifying the dominant person can be useful for decision making. In security settings, detecting nervous behaviors can help law enforcement agents spot suspicious people. In adversarial settings such as national elections and court defense, identifying persuasive speakers is a critical task. It is beneficial to build accurate machine learning (ML) models to predict such human group …

Understanding Teacher Legal Literacy In Pre-Service Education Programs And How To Improve Teacher Legal Literacy Through Self-Efficacy Professional Development, Peter T. Kupfer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined the term legal literacy as it applies to education, the state of legal literacy in educators today, and how that might be improved through lens self-efficacy. This dissertation is organized into four separate papers. Paper 1 is a review of the literature about legal literacy in both the field of education and in the legal field. Having determined in Paper 1 that teachers possess a low legal literacy, Paper 2 examined the role of pre-service teacher programs in exposing teaching candidates to legal topics. Having found in Paper 2 that pre-service undergraduate programs in the US do …

Czec 361/Hist 361: Czech History And Culture, Hana Waisserova

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

The Benchmark Portfolio traces the process of rethinking my interdisciplinary course CZEC 361/HIST 361 “CZECH HISTORY AND CULTURE” taught for the first time in Spring 2021. The primary goal of the course was to provide students with understanding of the cultural history of the Czech(oslovak) and Central European region of the last two centuries. It explores the question of creating cultural history as a narrative to understand how the modern Czech national identity has been constructed since the times of national awakening, via the formation of Czechoslovakia, and in the course of the turbulent 20th century. In addition to main …

Exploring The Benefits Of Asynchronous Online Learning In Mngt 360: Foundations Of Organizational Behavior, Amy L. Bartels

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This peer review course portfolio describes the shift from in-person teaching to an online, asynchronous format for MNGT 360: Foundations of Organizational Behavior. This course is offered in the Department of Management within the College of Business at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. My goal was to embrace the opportunities and tackle the challenges associated with online learning to generate learning opportunities outside the traditional classroom setting while concurrently creating an interactive environment to allow the students to learn from each other. I redesigned the group project to ease the challenges with online group dynamics and communication as well as the …

A Benchmark Portfolio Evaluating The Fluency Disorders Components Of Slpa 967: Motor Aspects Of Verbal Communication, Naomi H. Rodgers

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

In Spring 2021, the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders deployed the first iteration of a co-taught course titled “Motor Aspects of Verbal Communication” (SLPA 967). The students enrolled in this course were graduate students working towards a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. Historically, the topics in this course were taught in three standalone courses: fluency disorders, voice disorders, and motor speech disorders. In this newly developed course, the three instructors of those courses combined their expertise to engage students in an integrated course to promote critical thinking and clinical problem-solving. This portfolio documents the teaching and learning that …

A Benchmark Course Portfolio For Slpa 453: Neurological Foundations Of Speech And Language, Yingying Wang Dr.

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark course portfolio reflects the iterative design process for SLPA 453: Neurological Foundations of Speech and Language. This course covers the foundational knowledge of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of the central and peripheral nervous system and the neurology of the human communication processes, and the classification of impairments based on the lesion sites in the human brain. I analyzed student learning through various activities that align with two main course goals: (1) demonstrate knowledge of the neurology of human communication processes; (2) demonstrate the ability to integrate information pertaining to normal and abnormal human development across the life span. Based …

Evaluating Quiz And Outline Assessments In Rhetorical Methods, Justin Kirk

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

In what follows, I lay out the structure and development of assessment design for one of the major methods courses in Communication Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. First, I describe the course including the goals of the course, the student learning outcomes for the course, a description of the course’s place in the context of the department and the university, demographics in the course, and other relevant details necessary to understand the pedagogical goals of research methods in communication studies. Second, I lay out the teaching methods, course materials, and outside activities used throughout the course and connect those …

Using Mind Mapping Activities To Promote Transparency And Engagement, Amanda W. Joyce

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

While instructors often have the benefit of years of experience, students, as novice learners, have a more “sparse and superficial” content knowledge that does not allow them to organize their thoughts as well. Yet, this organization is important for recall. One way of encouraging concept organization is through mind-mapping, a strategy that improves retention by allowing students to graphically depict their knowledge. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the effectiveness of a series of mind-mapping activities on a group of students who completed these exercises during the Spring 2020 semester.

Service-Provider Virtual Exchange As A Viable Alternative To Face-To-Face Speaking Practice: Data From Second- And Third-Year Russian Learners, Liudmila Klimanova, Valentina Vinokurova

Russian Language Journal

In the context of emergency remote language teaching during the pandemic, the biggest challenge for instructors has been to continue providing learners with opportunities to practice speaking and comprehension skills. Service provider virtual exchange (SPVE) platforms, such as Conversifi, Boomalang, TalkAbroad, iTalki, and LinguaMeeting have the potential to enrich the online learning experience by offering paid videoconferencing sessions with native-speaking language coaches at the students’ convenience. Research shows that regular videoconferencing with native-speaking peers may improve speaking ability (Saito and Akiyama 2017) and foster the development of intercultural competence (Tecedor and Vasseur 2020). This paper will discuss a pilot implementation …

Scaling Up: Renewable Energy On Aboriginal Lands In North West Australia, Brad Riley

Nulungu Research Papers

This paper examines renewable energy developments on Aboriginal lands in North-West Western Australia at three scales. It first examines the literature developing in relation to large scale renewable energy projects and the Native Title Act (1993)Cwlth. It then looks to the history of small community scale standalone systems. Finally, it examines locally adapted approaches to benefit sharing in remote utility owned networks. In doing so this paper foregrounds the importance of Aboriginal agency. It identifies Aboriginal decision making and economic inclusion as being key to policy and project development in the 'scaling up' of a transition to renewable energy …

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Pain Management, Nicolette A. Harris, Samar Long

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Pain is subjective, which makes its management a complicated task. The challenge of medical decision-making associated with pain often requires health care providers to rely heavily on their individual discretion and experience. This often creates an avenue for biases to play a role in the selection of the best available and most appropriate pain management interventions. Therefore, the overall purpose of this review is to summarize the current literature related to racial and ethnic disparities in pain management. Electronic searches of four databases revealed 2,112 articles; however, only six studies met criteria for inclusion in this review. Even when the …

The Impact Of Social Isolation And Cognitive Decline In Older Adults: A Systematic Literature Review, Jody L. Doll-Wilhelm

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, deaths of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and dementia patients surged. Increased social isolation and decreased activity levels in older adults have been suggested as contributing factors to accelerating AD and dementia. However, assessment tools to gauge interventions and outcomes of cognitive decline are variable among the literature.

Objective: Examine the impact of social engagement versus social isolation, like that experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic, on cognitive decline/dementia in older adults (greater than 60 years of age).

Method: A systematic search for studies evaluating the relationship between social isolation and social activity in cognitive …

Reducing Polypharmacy In Older Adults At End Of Life: The Outcome On Quality Of Life, Melissa Jenson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Background: Older adults at the end of life are commonly prescribed multiple medications which can lead to polypharmacy. Research has shown that optimizing medications through targeted deprescribing reduces inappropriate medications, reduces adverse effects and improves select outcomes. However, the impact of deprescribing remains uncertain--specifically whether this intervention improves quality of life (QOL). Objective: Explore polypharmacy in older adults at the end of life examining outcomes of deprescribing on the QOL. Methods: A systematic literature search using Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, Medline, JSTOR and Nursing and Allied Health Database was conducted between October 2020 to November 2020. Select articles …

Academic Writing Challenges Experienced By International Students In A Midwest U.S. University: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Padam B. Chauhan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The dissertation presents a research study designed using hermeneutic phenomenology to explore challenges of academic writing experienced by international undergraduate and graduate students admitted to a Midwest U.S. university. The study also explored the institutional level services, technological resources, and coping strategies employed by the participants to alleviate their academic writing challenges. Data were gathered from video-recorded Zoom interviews conducted with ten purposefully selected international undergraduate and graduate students, representing diverse linguistic, cultural, and academic backgrounds. The data were then analyzed following a thematic analysis approach. The study revealed that the international undergraduate students experienced academic writing challenges pertaining to …

Navigating Integration: A Grounded Theory Of Practicing Clinicians' Experiences Integrating Neuroscience In Their Mental Health Clinical Practice, Barbara K. Skodje-Mack

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to generate a grounded theory from practicing clinicians’ experiences integrating neuroscience in their mental health clinical practice. The research consisted of interviews with eight practicing clinicians across Minnesota. The qualitative study design relied upon the Corbin and Strauss (2015) Grounded Theory and theoretical sampling. Participants in this study described taking complex neuroscience information and translating it into user-friendly concepts and applying clinical interventions that affect the mind-body symbiotic relationship, providing a holistic way to address mental and physical health. The participants integrated neuroscience knowledge alongside other psychotherapy theories and utilized psychoeducation approaches to further …

The Impact Of Cultural Competency On The School Improvement Process: A Phenomenological Study, Michelle Dekam Palmieri

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Schools have undergone a multitude of reform in recent decades, most based on American educational accountability structures and policies. School improvement efforts have taken on a variety of forms. Despite the intensified pressure for improvement, there has not been an increase in our nation’s student achievement. In fact, racial inequities in academic performance continue to grow. As the students in our public educational systems continue to become racially, culturally and linguistically more diverse, educators need support and training to become culturally competent and racially conscious. Developing cultural competency is not a quick nor simple feat, yet there are countless research-based …

Social Work And Participation In The Digital Environment, Rafael Acebes Valentín

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this article, I present a set of communication strategies aimed at creating both online and offline communities based on an analysis of communication and participation in digital environments. These strategies seek to enhance convergence and congregation with the aim of achieving the best possible outcome from a thesis-antithesis-synthesis approach, a priority of digital social work.

Anti-Unionism And The Chicago Teachers Union, Paul Stromberg

Master's Theses

The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is one of the most influential political organizations in Illinois. Like other political organizations, the CTU influences policy through activism, advocacy, and endorsements. Unlike most political organizations, however, the CTU's 20,000 members are responsible for carrying out policy decisions through their roles as teachers, paraprofessionals, and clinicians in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). In response to this influence, anti-unionists have become increasingly adept at criticizing the CTU, using anti-union rhetoric to malign unionized teachers. Simultaneously, anti-unionists have utilized anti-union litigation to disable teacher unions, stripping them of guaranteed protections. Assisted by conflict theory, this study examines …

Devastation And Displacement: The Destruction Of Native Communities As A Result Of Specifically The Garrison Dam On The Missouri River In North Dakota And The Dalles Dams On The Columbia River In Oregon, Farryl Elisa Hunt

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

ABSTRACT MASTER’S THESIS

Devastation and Displacement: The Destruction of Native Communities as a Result of the Garrison Dam on the Missouri River in North Dakota and the Dams on the Columbia River in Oregon

By Farryl Elisa "Lisa" Hunt

This master's thesis in anthropology is a cross-cultural analysis that explores two intersecting yet distinct discourses of destruction and displacement for two groups of Native people in Oregon and North Dakota. The building of The Dalles Dam in Oregon and The Garrison Dam in North Dakota damaged thriving livelihoods due to the loss of irreplaceable flooded areas.

This thesis will utilize …

Appealingly Unpeeled: The Layered Lemons In Dutch Golden Age And Contemporary Art, Amanda Barr

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In seventeenth-century Dutch painting, the lemon holds a prominent visual, economical, socio-cultural, and moral position. This trend would then be repeated in contemporary art, beginning in roughly the 1970s. This thesis, in two parts, will explore the significance of the prevalence of the lemon and their recurrent presence in both Dutch Golden Age art and modern and contemporary artwork. This multivalent approach will look at lemons as not only a visual representation of fruit, but a symbol of larger concepts such as globalization, commercialism, colonialism, sexuality, religion, linguistics, mythology, and pop culture.

Lost In Translation, Amanda Barr

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Lost in Translation addresses the issues that trauma can create in communication; whether that be a physical trauma that damages ability to speak, think, or understand language, or mental and emotional trauma that significantly effects abilities to process, connect, and manage interpersonal relationships. My work is my voice, and a way to help others connect, to feel heard, and to even help them begin to communicate.

A Study On Family Engagement And Covid-19 Experiences At The Hsu Children's Center, Elizabeth Rice

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study surveyed the diverse families at the HSU Children’s Center who have children ranging in age from infancy to preschool. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the way the Children’s Center operates has changed in profound ways. The families are no longer able to enter the classrooms to drop off or pick up their children, thereby limiting the daily communication and interactions with staff on how their children are doing. Families opportunities to engage and interact with other families has also been altered, resulting in a sense of loss of community and support among parents.

The purpose of this study was …

Multimodality In Focus, Jonathan Abidari

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This project investigates how multimodality is taught and learned in the context of two sections of accelerated first-year composition (English 104) at Humboldt State University. The project sought to ascertain whether multimodality should be included as a learning outcome for the Composition and Rhetoric program by examining the reflective writing of students in both class sections and interviewing both instructors. The reflective writing and interview responses were then coded with responses being sorted into categories corresponding to the writing knowledge concepts that the students and teachers discussed. Those categories included genre, rhetoric, discourse, literacy, and multimodality. Once sorted, the coded …

Hózhó, “To Walk In Beauty And Balance”: Indigenous Writers Decolonize Theories Of Myth, Aaron Laughlin

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In this project, I argue for an Indigenous theory of myth in order to reconsider popular and academic paradigms about myth and its function. My goal is to articulate how Indigenous understandings might revise these paradigms by emphasizing myth as a means to foster ethical relationships of health and balance within ourselves and in the world. Inspired by the Indigenous writers Leslie Marmon Silko, Thomas King, and Gerald Vizenor, I outline how these authors think, write, and talk about the concept of myth. I explain prevailing academic paradigms, including the term’s long history of associations with old-fashioned, “primitive,” superstitious stories …

Applying Machine Learning Approaches To Suicide Prediction Using Healthcare Data: Overview And Future Directions, Edwin D Boudreaux, Elke Rundensteiner, Feifan Liu, Bo Wang, Celine Larkin, Emmanuel Agu, Samiran Ghosh, Joshua Semeter, Gregory Simon, Rachel E Davis-Martin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Early identification of individuals who are at risk for suicide is crucial in supporting suicide prevention. Machine learning is emerging as a promising approach to support this objective. Machine learning is broadly defined as a set of mathematical models and computational algorithms designed to automatically learn complex patterns between predictors and outcomes from example data, without being explicitly programmed to do so. The model's performance continuously improves over time by learning from newly available data.

Method: This concept paper explores how machine learning approaches applied to healthcare data obtained from electronic health records, including billing and claims data, can …

The Supreme Court Collegium And Transparency: A Non-Committal Relationship, Rangin Pallav Tripathy

Socio-Legal Review

The Supreme Court collegium in India, which is the determining authority for the appointment of judges to the higher judiciary, has often been derided for its secretive functioning and opaque practices. This paper provides an empirical assessment of the collegium’s commitment to transparency through an examination of its published resolutions. A study of all the published resolutions, over a period of more than three years, shows that the practice of information disclosure by the collegium cannot be attributed with the value of transparency. The collegium has systematically failed to disclose critical information essential to an enhanced understanding of its functioning. …