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The Undergraduate In The “New Urban University”: Recognizing The Role Of Agency And Its Correlates In The Student’S Academic Life Story, Karen Galea

Dissertations

According to the U.S. Department of Education (2016), only 36% of first time college students enrolled at broad-access institutions graduate within six years, compared to 60% at all universities. The vital role of academic agency is universally accepted; however, debate remains over a shared definition. The purpose of this study is to determine which combination of non-academic attributes generate, grow, and support academic agency for undergraduate students at a broad-access, minority-serving “New Urban University.” Three questions are examined:

1. Which attributes define academic agency, and how do they relate to conceptually similar variables?
2. Assuming academic agency exists along a continuum over …

Reasons For Their Departure: A Look At Undergraduate Women Who Abandon Stem Majors, Nicole S. Rombach

Masters Theses

Despite surpassing undergraduate men in degree completion, undergraduate women are still underrepresented in certain STEM majors and depart from these fields at higher rates. Much of the existing research on this topic, however, is quantitative in nature and conducted at large research institutions. This study sought to gain a better understanding of the reasons why undergraduate women switched from STEM to non-STEM majors at a large, Midwest liberal arts institution. A qualitative, phenomenological design was used to identify the reasons students identify as important in their decision to switch majors, the ways in which gender might have been tied to …

Fullerenes In Solar Energy Cells, Fletcher G. Griffitts

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This project involves controlling and characterizing the morphology of the active layer in a special type of organic photovoltaics (OPVs), consisting of porphyrin-fullerene composites, with emphasis on electron exchange interactions between the two components. The Vienna Ab Initio Simulation Package (VASP) is applied to model a variety of donor-acceptor complexes containing fullerene and porphyrin in terms of their stabilities as well as their geometric, electronic, and charge transfer features. The goal is to identify supramolecular chain structures with highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMOs) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMOs) that may serve as electron (hole) transfer channels in a photovoltaic …

Comparison Of Embedded Audio Signal Classification Methods Using Rule-Based Algorithms And Artificial Neural Networks, Bradley Wabbersen

2017 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Accurate and efficient audio classification algorithms have significant applications in the modern world. Song recognition and speech recognition apps rely on complex audio processing software. Recent research in this field has focused primarily on the application of artificially intelligent systems to solve difficult audio processing problems where strictly rule-based algorithms would be untenable. The problem to be investigated in this project is a much simpler binary classification scenario, but with a much smaller sample set than is typically used for neural network training as well as limited processing resources. It will be determined whether in such a scenario a neural …

Fractal Nature Of The Fibonomial Triangle Mod P For A General Rank Of Apparition, Michael Debellevue

2017 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Pascal’s Triangle forms the well-known Sierpinski Triangle fractal when divided by a prime number. The fibonomial triangle has been shown to exhibit similar behavior for certain primes. In this paper, we show that for primes p with one zero in the period of the Fibonacci sequence mod p,(n+ip∗pmk+j p∗pm) F ≡p (ij) (nk)F, and for primes with two zeroes in the period, (n+ip∗pm k+j p∗pm) F ≡p (−1) ij−nk (ij) (nk) F. This substantially increases the size of the collection of primes for which a fractal structure is proven to exist, and the remaining case can be handled using the …

Understanding College Preparedness Of First-Semester College Students, Kimberly Marie Florence

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The college preparedness of first-year, first-semester, undergraduate students was researched and analyzed in this study. The research entailed a purposeful selection of 10 first-year, first-semester, undergraduate student participants that transitioned into a four-year public university, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), from a Nevada public high school. Participants who graduated from a Nevada public high school were chosen because Nevada exhibits low-performing K-12 public education trends. Using qualitative methods (i.e., a phenomenological approach), students were interviewed using semi-structured and open-ended interview questions. The interviews were used to ascertain student participants’ perceptions of their academic lived experiences transitioning from high school …

The Sustainability Of Career And Technical Education Teacher Preparation Programs In Florida, Lisa Martino

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a historical trend of decline in available Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher Preparation programs and an increase in CTE course and program enrollments in Florida’s secondary school system. This contradiction in CTE teacher supply and demand raises an important question. What is going on? More specifically, what sustains the remaining programs in the face of this decline?

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore sustainability factors from past and present CTE teacher preparation program educators and administrators to gain a better understanding of this issue. The participant selection for this study was identified from four …

Pacific Review Spring 2017, Alumni Association Of The University Of The Pacific

Pacific Magazine and Pacific Review

No abstract provided.

How Do Undergraduate Stem Mentors Reflect Upon Their Mentoring Experiences In An Outreach Program Engaging K-8 Youth?, Kari L. Nelson, Jamie Sabel, Cory Forbes, Neal Grandgenett, William E. Tapprich, Christine E. Cutucache

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Many university students are becoming involved in mentoring programs, yet few studies describe the impact of mentoring on the mentor. Additionally, many studies report that students graduating from college are not prepared to enter the workforce in terms of key career skills and/or content knowledge. Herein, we examine the impact of our program, NE STEM 4U (Nebraska Science, Technology, Engineering and Math for You), in which undergraduate (UG) mentors engage K-8 youth in after-school STEM experiments. The UGs reflected upon their experiences using post-mentoring evaluations, 12- and 24-week interviews, and exit surveys. Many of the questions asked of …

How Do Undergraduate Stem Mentors Reflect Upon Their Mentoring Experiences In An Outreach Program Engaging K-8 Youth?, Kari Nelson, Jaime Sabel, Cory Forbes, Neal Grandgenett, William Tapprich, Christine E. Cutucache

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Background: Many university students are becoming involved in mentoring programs, yet few studies describe the impact of mentoring on the mentor. Additionally, many studies report that students graduating from college are not prepared to enter the workforce in terms of key career skills and/or content knowledge. Herein, we examine the impact of our program, NE STEM 4U (Nebraska Science, Technology, Engineering and Math for You), in which undergraduate (UG) mentors engage K-8 youth in after-school STEM experiments. The UGs reflected upon their experiences using post-mentoring evaluations, 12- and 24-week interviews, and exit surveys. Many of the questions asked of the …

Lincoln University Undergraduate Bulletin 2017-2019, Lincoln University, Jefferson City Missouri

Bulletins and Catalogs

The Lincoln University Undergraduate Bulletin is published every two years, effective from the beginning of a fall semester to the end of a summer session; and contains the academic regulations and degree requirements of the University. It also serves as a guide to the academic programs of the University and is intended to assist students in the selection of their programs of study. The information contained in this publication is current and accurate at the time of printing. However, because changes in economic conditions and/or student program needs may occur at any time within the two-year period, Lincoln University reserves …

Critical-Thinking Skills Of First-Year Athletic Training Students Enrolled In Professional Programs, Dana K. Bates

Faculty Publications - Department of Kinesiology

Context: The Examination of Professional Degree Level document presented to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Directors states that research in athletic training education has not investigated differences in the critical-thinking skills of professional athletic training students.

Objective: Investigate the differences in critical thinking and other demographic variables across first-year athletic training students enrolled in professional bachelor’s- and master’s-degree programs.

Design: Quantitative study.

Setting: District 10 athletic training programs.

Patients or Other Participants: Students (N ¼ 40) enrolled within their first 6 months of a professional athletic training program were asked to complete the California Critical Thinking Skills Test …

Why Future Physicians Should Study Math, David Chasteen-Boyd

Inquiro (undergraduate research journal)

pp. 14-16

https://www.uab.edu/inquiro/issues/past-issues/volume-10/why-future-physicians-should-study-math

Inquiro 10 (End Matter), Inquiro Staff

Inquiro (undergraduate research journal)

pp. 34-40

University Of Nebraska At Omaha 2017-2018 Course Catalog, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Graduate Catalogs

The University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) is a premier metropolitan university that combines the resources of a doctoral research institution with a thriving community in the heart of Omaha.

With a global reach and vision, UNO is large enough to provide opportunities students seek, yet personal enough to include the mentorship they need to achieve academic excellence, creativity, and engaged learningat competitive tuition rates.

UNO is committed to and engaged with the city surrounding it, allowing students unique hands-on opportunities, internships, service learning,applied research, and other collaborative activities that enhance time in the classroom.

This is the ”O” we want …

Inquiro 10 (Complete Issue), Inquiro Staff

Inquiro (undergraduate research journal)

https://www.uab.edu/inquiro/issues/past-issues/volume-10

Meng 3250: Mechanics Of Elastic Bodies—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Jinying Zhu

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio focuses on mechanics of materials (course title: Mechanics of Elastic Bodies), a sophomore level course taken primarily by civil engineering and architectural engineering majors on Omaha campus. It is a prerequisite for broad range of courses in mechanical, civil and agricultural engineering majors. This course studies the mechanics of solids with applications to science and engineering, including stress, strains and deformation in structural elements (axial, torsional and bending), shear and moment diagram for beams, and a brief introduction to material failure mechanisms.

This portfolio describes the teaching methods used to help students understand the fundamental knowledge about material …

Mindset, Academic Motivation, And Academic Self-Efficacy As Correlates Of Academic Achievement Among Undergraduate Students In Communication Sciences And Disorders Programs, Heather Loraine Ferguson

Dissertations

Problem

Higher education serves many stakeholders including students, parents, faculty, staff, university administrators, and other contributors. Those stakeholders are all linked with one purpose: the success of the student. That success or failure is most commonly measured by achievement through grade point average (GPA). The academic demands within the college/university setting is high. Limited academic achievement can result in academic failure, being placed on academic probation, even losing scholarships and grants. Students enter college, progress through college, and often graduate without having a real understanding for what it truly takes to be academically successful and what factors may contribute to …

Implementation Of A Flipped Classroom In A Non-Majors’ Biology Course, Leah Good

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Changes to teaching practices have been requested in almost every field of science and mathematics but their implementation can be daunting. The flipped classroom has become a popular method in K-16 education for integrating active learning in the classroom. Research on the implementation of flipped classrooms has been met with mixed results, however. I sought to determine the effectiveness of the flipped classroom while addressing methodology needs cited by past studies including: using both faculty and student demographic variables, addressing assessment performance using concept inventories, and studying faculty who are not experts in education. I found that flipped and non-flipped …

Comedy Of Politics: How Satire Affects The Attitudes Towards A Politician, Marcus Braymer

2016 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Throughout history, satirists have mocked politicians. However, in recent years politicians have involved themselves in satire, making appearances on shows like Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show. These appearances and the increasing interest in satire has led to one question, does satire affect the public opinion of politicians? In order to answer this question an experiment was designed by creating three original videos. The videos showed a fictional politician’s support of an issue, a satirist making fun of this politician, and the politician making an appearance with the satirist to make fun of himself. Participants watched these videos and …

Examining The Relationship Of Selected Pre-Service Teachers' Self-Efficacy And Their Praxis Scores, Doris H. Wheat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Despite the increasing number of motivated students enrolling into teacher education programs, teacher attrition continues to be high. Although teachers tend to perform best after five years of experience, nearly 50% of teachers entering the profession leave within the first five years. Consequently, it is important for researchers and practitioners to determine the factors that explain attrition and identify strategies that increase retention of teachers. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the impact of academic performance, licensure levels, and demographic characteristics on the self-efficacy of undergraduate pre-service teachers enrolled in a dual licensure program at a university …

Perceptions Of Active Learning Between Faculty And Undergraduates: Differing Views Among Departments, Lorelei E. Patrick, Leigh Ann Howell, William Wischusen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

There have been numerous calls recently to increase the use of active learning in university science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classrooms to more actively engage students and enhance student learning. However, few studies have investigated faculty and student perceptions regarding the effectiveness of active learning or the barriers to its implementation. Previous work surveying a single class in a single department has suggested that faculty and students have different perceptions of the effectiveness of active learning strategies and the barriers faculty face when implementing these teaching strategies. We expand on these previous findings by surveying a larger and more …

2016-2017 Catalog, College Of The Holy Cross

Course Catalogs

This catalog lists available courses for the 2016-2017 term.

The College Catalog is a document of record issued in August 2016. The Catalog contains current information regarding the College calendar, admissions, degree requirements, fees, regulations and course offerings

Becoming A Scientist: Using First-Year Undergraduate Science Courses To Promote Identification With Science Disciplines, Chloe Ruff, Brett D. Jones

Education Faculty Publications

In this qualitative study, we examined how two professors (a physicist and biochemist) of first year college students perceived their students’ development of identification in biochemistry or physics and how they actively supported this development. The professors described students who entered college with different levels of domain identification and different expectations for their college science experience depending upon whether they were in a biochemistry or physics major. Although neither professor was familiar with research related to the concept of domain identification, their beliefs about their students’ identification and academic support strategies generally aligned with the Osborne and Jones (2011) model …

Becoming A Scientist: Using First-Year Undergraduate Science Courses To Promote Identification With Science Disciplines, Chloe Ruff, Brett D. Jones

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

In this qualitative study, we examined how two professors (a physicist and biochemist) of first year college students perceived their students’ development of identification in biochemistry or physics and how they actively supported this development. The professors described students who entered college with different levels of domain identification and different expectations for their college science experience depending upon whether they were in a biochemistry or physics major. Although neither professor was familiar with research related to the concept of domain identification, their beliefs about their students’ identification and academic support strategies generally aligned with the Osborne and Jones (2011) model …

Professionalization Of Teaching In America: Two Case Studies Using Educational Research Experiences To Explore The Perceptions Of Preservice Teachers/Researchers, James E. Gentry, Credence Baker, Holly Lamb

Administrative Issues Journal

In 2013-2015, two faculty-led educational research studies were conducted, aided by five undergraduate preservice teachers/researchers (PSTR). Faculty-researchers designed a qualitative phenomenological-inquiry based methodology to examine the PSTR perceptions regarding their respective research experiences with faculty. Triangulation of the data was sought from narrative text interview transcripts and response essays by PSTR prior to and after each respective study. Using content analysis techniques and coding, five themes emerged. PSTR reported an interest in the educational research topic and the need for positive relationships with faculty research mentors to begin and remain active with a research study. The results indicated PSTR valued …

2016 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Commencement Program 2015 May Undergraduate, Gcsu Special Collections

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Commencement Program 2016 May Undergraduate, Gcsu Special Collections

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Systematically Shutting Doors: The Key Man System In Texas Grand Juries, David Austin Black

2016 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Grand juries, while currently not a central part of the American justice system, are still in use in many states. However, the regulation of state grand juries has been quite meager, to say the least. In Texas specifically, the use of the “key man” jury selection technique was used for grand juries until June 2015. This technique can be easily used to discriminate against minorities during the grand jury selection process, and has been shown to do just that for some time. Through analysis of court cases dealing with Texas’ use of the key man system, examination of the ways …