Digital Commons Network^™

Information Use In Design: What Should We Be Teaching?, Amy S. Van Epps

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Librarians are regularly working to understand how students make decisions around information use to inform the development of more relevant learning activities. The more relevant the activities when students are learning any new skill, the more likely they are to understand the task and incorporate the learning into future design decisions and writing. The need to build connections and understanding is critical in adoption of information literacy. In this study, the researcher analyzed the transcript from an end of semester focus group with students in a design class about their information use during the semester project. The transcript was analyzed …

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 …

Immunity: A Picture Of The Body’S Response To Virus In Cells, Ashley Lutz

2017 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Viruses are a major source of disease in the human population. During infection, viruses can hide inside the body’s cells and avoid detection and eradication by the host’s immune cells. However, the human body has developed several different methods of fighting infections within its cells. This thesis examines the different modes of defense used against viruses during cellular infection, as well as some of the methods viruses use to avoid or subvert the immune system. The literature on immunological defense against viruses was reviewed in order to determine the different methods of defense the human body most often exhibits. While …

Social Media Platforms: Reasons Why You Could Lose Your Job Through The Use Of Social Media, Chère Mason

2017 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The main problem: Employees are terminated/dismissed from their employers because of what they post or have posted on social media accounts. This thesis analyzes the reasons why people have lost their job through the inappropriate use of social media and the advantages and disadvantages of social media use. Social media is widely used not only by individuals, but also by major corporations in order to promote the products and services they deliver. Currently, there are plenty of articles on the internet that show and tell reasons why people were fired from their jobs and the social media policies and/or company …

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 …

Marketing Strategy: Autonomous Car Industry, Ryma Mahouch

2017 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

As autonomous cars begin their penetration into the consumer market, many consumers are uncertain of their implications for them and their safety. Numerous companies and services such as Tesla, Volvo, Uber, Google, and Apple are finding new ways to market their prototypes to an already established industry. Although sustainability and efficiency are key points to market concerning autonomous technologies, automakers need to strategize how they can better sell their evolving technologies in the established automobile industry. The central focus of this research is to analyze and provide recommendations on how to market autonomous cars to consumers, specifically regarding the safety. …

Technophobia And Colorblindness In Cinematic Science Fiction, Jade Harrison

2017 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Despite a long history of racism in the United States, many contemporary Americans believe racially-discriminatory attitudes and practices against minorities no longer exist and that we live in a post-racial era in which skin color does not determine an individual’s prosperity or social mobility. Indeed, today many white Americans do reject overtly racist behavior. However, although racism no longer presents itself in ways as obvious as during slavery or Jim Crow, racially-discriminatory attitudes and practices are still engrained in American society, but present themselves in new, obscure, and sophisticated ways. This tendency for racism to morph can be seen in …

Topaz Labs Cloud Image Processing Service, Ameera Khan

2017 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Cloud servers deliver a variety of services over the internet, and image processing software can provide users with multiple image editing capabilities. When a cloud server is paired with image processing software, images can be edited remotely without taking too much processing power from the user’s personal computer. To allow users to reap the benefits of cloud image processing, an open source Application Program Interface (API) and web application were created and tested. The Agile software methodology was used to complete each task. Open source image processing libraries were used during creation, and the cloud web server was installed at …

Developing An Auditing System For Cook Children’S Rehabilitation Services, Abira Syed

2017 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The Audiology Department at Cook Children’s Rehabilitation Services has an internal monthly auditing process that is skewing compliance rates. Since the selection of the patient charts for the audits are chosen subjectively, the audits have been discovered to be inaccurate and defeating the purpose of randomized audits. The objective of this project is to aid in the development of an accurate auditing system that brings value to the stakeholders at Cook Children’s. To accomplish the given task, the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) methodology will be used. DMAIC is a methodology utilized to solve business problems and ensures …

How Little Is Too Little? An Examination Of Information Literacy Instruction Duration For Freshmen, Dauterive Sarah, Bourgeois John, Sarah Simms

Faculty Publications

This study focuses on librarian-led classes within an introductory seminar course for first-year undergraduates and whether the length of information literacy sessions affects student learning. The authors question how much library interaction is actually beneficial for students? At what point do the returns plateau? With limited resources, what is the most efficient means of reaching students in-person?

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 …

Graduate Interprofessional Education And Collaborative Practice Experiences: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Jaime Sand

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare reform and the complexities of the healthcare system and chronic disease conditions call for collaborative interdisciplinary team-based care. To enhance these collaborative efforts, universities and facilities are promoting the need for students and professionals to learn and work with others from different healthcare disciplines in an interprofessional manner. Four graduates of undergraduate programs in health sciences, nursing, radiologic sciences, and respiratory care sat for multi-series interviews using a phenomenological approach to share their experiences in interprofessional education and collaborative practice. Participant responses were grouped into themes around the development of a professional identity through personal, educational, and professional healthcare …

Undergraduate Student Perceptions And Awareness Of Genetic Counseling, Amanda Gerard

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Genetic counseling (GC) is a rapidly expanding field, and the supply of certified genetic counselors is currently unable to keep up with job demand. Research is fairly limited regarding the awareness and perceptions potential genetic counseling program applicants have of the field and what factors most influence their interest in the field. This study aimed to examine some of these topics. The current study includes data collected from 1,389 undergraduate students in the sciences at 23 universities across the United States who were surveyed regarding information related to their awareness, perceptions, knowledge, and interest in GC. Data analysis was performed …

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.

Contact Point, Arthur A. Dugoni School Of Dentistry

Contact Point

No abstract provided.

Jared Ragsdale Senior Interior Design Exhibit 2017, Jared Ragsdale

Interior Design Senior Projects

“Inspiration for design comes from within. Without passion, a design is nothing but ordinary.”

-Jared Ragsdale

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 …

Sink Hollow Volume 3

Sink Hollow

It's difficult to believe that my time with this journal has come to a close. It has been one of the greatest experiences of my undergraduate career to be an integral part of its publication.

At the time of this writing, our previous issues have been read over 5,500 times, with this volume set to increase that number substantially. We have worked with undergraduates across the United States and from many other countries as well. A great thanks goes out to all our submitters. Without you there is no journal.

Though I'm moving on to other things, I trust the …

Looking Into The Future Of Life, Nicholas Bolin

Inquiro (undergraduate research journal)

pp. 10-11

https://www.uab.edu/inquiro/issues/past-issues/volume-10/looking-into-the-future-of-life

Central Projections Of Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells In The Macaque Monkey, J. A. Treffalls, K. Q. Chang, P. D. Gamlin

Inquiro (undergraduate research journal)

pp. 17-20

https://www.uab.edu/inquiro/issues/past-issues/volume-10/central-projections-of-intrinsically-photosensitive-retinal-ganglion-cells-in-the-macaque-monkey

Inquiro 10 (End Matter), Inquiro Staff

Inquiro (undergraduate research journal)

pp. 34-40

How Do Former Undergraduate Mentors Evaluate Their Mentoring Experience 3-Years Post-Mentoring: A Phenomenological Study, Kari L. Nelson, Christine E. Cutucache

Biology Faculty Publications

This phenomenological study involves a unique, longitudinal assessment of the lived experiences of former undergraduate mentors (n=7) in light of their current experiences (i.e., career or advanced schooling). The objective of a phenomenological study is to engage in in-depth probing of a representative number of participants. Specifically, we followed up with graduates of the Nebraska STEM 4U (NE STEM 4U) intervention 3 years post-program, with the overall goal of describing the mentors’ experiences using the lens of their current experiences. This type of longitudinal perspective of mentoring is greatly lacking in the current literature. At the time of the interviews, …

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 …