Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Harnessing The Power Of Student Voice: A Case Study Of Hybrid Proficiency-Based And Co-Created Curriculum And Assessment, Kaitlyn A. Seamons

Theses and Dissertations

Assessment has become a dirty word in arts education, because art is notoriously difficult to assess. Assessment, which is often disliked or even disavowed by arts educators, due to its history of incompatibility with the idiosyncratic nature of arts learning, should ideally be utilized as a means of measuring student progress and help teachers understand how to help students succeed. While assessment can also be used to evaluate programs and teachers and to compare student successes relative to those of other students, I will be focusing on measuring individual student progress for my thesis and building a curriculum to support …

Predicting Speaking Proficiency With Fluency Features Using Machine Learning, Ethan D. Erickson

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the interplay between temporal fluency measures, self-assessment, and language proficiency scores in novice- to intermediate- level language learners of Spanish and French. Analyzing data from 163 participants, the research employs both traditional linear regression and advanced XGBoost machine learning models. Findings demonstrate a moderate positive correlation between self-assessment and Oral Proficiency Interview by Computer (OPIc) scores, underscoring the dependable self-awareness of learners. Notably, XGBoost performs as well as linear regression in predicting OPIc scores and has more potential, underlining the efficacy of advanced methodologies. The study identifies Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) as a crucial predictor, highlighting …

Portuguese Language Use Among First Generation Brazilian Immigrants In Utah County: Some Considerations About Language And Ethnic Identity, Simone Pizzio

Theses and Dissertations

The current study presents an investigation of the Portuguese language use among first generation Brazilian immigrants in Utah County. The research was carried out with 54 first generation immigrants. Several studies have shown that ethnic identity is related to shared cultural characteristics such as practices, beliefs, and languages (Liebkind, 2010; Pennycook, 2010; Reyes, 2010; Souza, 2016). This study explores the relationship between language and ethnic identity by analyzing the attitudes toward the Portuguese language, the contexts and factors that influence language choice, and the purposes for which the Portuguese language has been used by this selected group of immigrants. The …

"How Could Anyone But A Madman Have Thought This Sleeping Girl Dead?": L.T. Meade's Approach To The "Buried Alive" Literary Tradition In Support Of Death Certification Reform, Shelby Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

A March 1866 issue of The Lancet observes, "If a newspaper were in want of a startling story with which to enliven a dull copy in the 'off season,' it could not do better than select one with the heading "'Buried Alive'"("Premature Interment" 295). Stories of being buried alive gave readers of all backgrounds a thrill. However, the stories frustrated the medical and scientific communities who were quick to dismiss the threat of live burial as a possibility in a modern world. Drawing on the literary history of "buried alive" stories and medical knowledge surrounding death signs and catalepsy, this …

One The Equal And Opposite Of The Other: More Humanity Than Christianity In "Our Sea Of Islands" And Tales Of The Tikongs, Drois Nadia Vi

Theses and Dissertations

Tongan scholar and author Epeli Hau'ofa's "Our Sea of Islands" is an influential essay in several fields including archipelagic studies, Pacific Islands studies, and transpacific studies. However, his poems and short stories have been overlooked as a parallel attempt to advocate for and influence Tongan people. The main purpose of his writings is to educate both Pacific Islanders and Westerners on the importance of putting a stop to viewing the Pacific as small, isolated, and poor. The short stories in his collection Tales of the Tikongs are both satirical and very humorous, yet these moments of satire are not just …

Digitization And Digital Preservation Of P.Herc. 817, Marissa Anne Bischoff

Theses and Dissertations

The large cache of scrolls from Herculaneum were opened to scholars in spite of and because of the destruction of the volcano and damaging unfurling techniques. The fragments inherited have been studied closely by scholars. Digitization and technological work on the Herculaneum papyri, including the important infrared imaging completed by BYU in the early 2000s, and the 3-D imaging and inchoate virtual unwrapping technology by EduceLab, have amplified and aided scholarship on the scrolls and will continue to do so. P.Herc. 817 is a unique Latin text within the collection that has been heavily studied by scholars due to its …

Revisiting Marshallese Causative Constructions Using Lexical Aspect, Damon Hatch Swain

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reexamines causative constructions found in Marshallese; an Austronesian language spoken in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Both Bender, Capelle & Pagotto (2016) and Willson (2008) hint that lexical aspect is a necessary predictor of causative behaviors in Marshallese, but offer no explanations. The primary focus of this thesis is to examine lexical aspect's influence on causative derivations. This project shows that Marshallese stative verbs display two distinct causative constructions: stative causatives and causative abstract nouns. The Marshallese causative prefix, ka-, tends to exhibit common crosslinguistic patterns of causative constructions as laid out by Dixon and Aikenvald (2000). …

Finding Words For God: Poetic Foraging In Louise Glück's The Wild Iris, Rachel Cardall

Theses and Dissertations

The primary speaker of Louise Glück's The Wild Iris is a wanderer in her own garden. She relentlessly searches for God among her foxgloves and daisies, straining to hear God's voice. Two other speakers, God and the collective plants of the garden, offer their perspectives without acknowledgement by the human speaker. Many critics read these two other speakers as, in fact, narcissistic projections of the human speaker, a God and a world made in her own image. In this thesis, I clarify that the kind of narcissistic projection that occurs in The Wild Iris is actually productive for genuine spiritual …

Drawing About Writing: Exploring Egyptian Middle School Students’ Writing Motivation And Perceptions, Maryam Elbayady

Theses and Dissertations

The principal aim of this study is to explore Egyptian middle school students’ perceptions of their writing experiences using artistic expression, specifically drawings. It also aims to understand their levels of writing motivation using the Self-Beliefs, Writing-Beliefs, and Attitude Survey (SWAS) (Wright et al., 2019). Finally, it examines the relationships among participants’ perceptions, motivation, and their narrative writing performance. The view that students’ voices are valuable to research geared towards school improvement has largely propelled this study (Bland, 2018; Zumbrunn et al., 2017). In addition, due to the limited literature about middle school students enrolled at private Egyptian schools, this …

A Finite-State Morphological Analyzer For Q'Eqchi' Using Helsinki Finite-State Technology (Hfst) And The Giellatekno Infrastructure, Cody Scott Christopherson

Theses and Dissertations

Finite-state morphological modeling has been used in natural language processing for many years particularly when dealing with lower resource languages. The present study details the development of an open-source finite-state morphological model for the Q'eqchi' Maya language using Helsinki Finite-State Technology (HFST) and the Giellatekno infrastructure. This project represents the first comprehensive morphological analyzer for Q'eqchi' and sets a foundation for future work in data annotation for this language. The resulting transducer consists of 4,439 lexemes, 2,610 states and 9,558 transitions and covers between 75% and 85% of tokens in a Q'eqchi' corpus. The success of this project lays the …

On The Duty Of Uncivil Disobedience: Thoreau's Action From Principle, Alan F. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the uncivil disobedience evident in some of Henry D. Thoreau’s work, which is often regarded as the birth and foundation of what is today known as “civil disobedience.” Using the nature of Thoreau’s subtle language and his philosophy of action from principle in his writings, including “Resistance to Civil Government” (1849), Walden (1854), “Life Without Principle” (1863), “A Plea for Captain John Brown" (1859), and some of his real life actions, this thesis will examine the antagonistic and, perhaps, uncivil nature of Thoreau’s so-called “civil disobedience.” This thesis will also incorporate Sophocles’ play Antigone (441 BBC), Candice …

The Quiet And Other Fantastical Tales, Emily Nicole Cerda

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis briefly discusses the genres and subgenres of speculative fiction—focusing on fantasy, horror, and science fiction—and is primarily a short story collection that also includes a few novel chapters. The critical introduction delves into the present and overly complex subgenre categorization methods, how and why new subgenres are created, and provides simple definitions for the main genres of speculative fiction and fantasy subgenres.

The subgenres that will be discussed through either a short story, novel chapter(s), or definition include, but are not limited to: fairytales, portal fantasy, paranormal romance, dark fantasy, historical fantasy, magical realism, epic fantasy, mythic fiction, …

The Wackiness Of Wacky World, Michael Dan Mccormick

Theses and Dissertations

This critical introduction takes a closer look at the situations presented in my manuscript “Wacky World” and offer insight on the actions seen from the main character. This insight is meant to clear confusion as to whether or not the character can be viewed as a heroic figure and explore his personality to draw conclusions. “Wacky World”, a full-length play, tells the story of a man with an obsession with a defunct theme park and the deranged actions that he takes in order to prevent its demolition.

I explore the topic on whether or not sympathy …

Electromagnetic Field Analysis, Materials Characterization, And Advanced Modeling Of Modern Guitar Pickups, Luis Alonso Villarreal

Theses and Dissertations

This Thesis establishes the foundations of modern guitar pickup theory, enhancing current pickup design by an increase in voltage output, reduction of DC resistance, and a reduction of production costs. This research investigates factors that have received insufficient attention, such as the performance of different magnetic materials, magnet geometry, bobbin geometry, metal effects, etc. An equation to calculate the output of guitar pickups is developed. Additionally, this work constructs a modern pickup using the techniques developed in this thesis incorporating theory and advanced modeling techniques to simulate changes in performance and interactions with different magnetic materials and geometries. The new …

Rhythmic Ritual: Hand Papermaking As A Transformative Process, Keatan Mckeever

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an exploration of the transformative processes of hand papermaking, both personally and materially, through various artworks situated between two- and three-dimensional forms. The conceptual motivations supporting my practice are informed by intuition, locally sourced materials, human connection, material structure, and low-tech approaches to the papermaking process. In the first portion of this thesis, I discuss how I chose paper as my artistic medium, and the transformational process of hand papermaking through a historical lens. The second half follows the experimentation and limitations that informed my practice, the content of my work regarding material and structural qualities, and …

Mano De Obra: Exploring Processes And Materiality In Artwork, Karla Gabriela De La Fuente

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis paper examines the theoretical derivatives and artistic influences that drive the artist’s ongoing series of works exploring the human experience of the working class in the border region of South Texas and beyond. Through the use of found objects, organic regional materials, adopted and adapted processes; the artist creates artwork that teeters on a tightrope between sweet, subtle naivety, and sudden, robust spoonfuls of truth. The artwork has an emphasis on the materiality, and the parallel between the “Mano de Obra” of the artist at work and that of the working class of our communities.

The Social & Economic Impact Of Two-Year And Community Colleges On African Americans In The Central Mississippi Region, Bryan Winfred Massey Sr

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the social and economic impact of two-year and community colleges on minorities particularly African Americans who are earning a certificate, transfer credits to a four-year institution, or an Associate of Arts or Science Degree. The proposed research is a qualitative case study investigating the social and economic impact of two-year junior institutions that award certificates of learning and community colleges that award Associated Degrees to African Americans in the Southern Mississippi Delta Region. The primary focus of this case study will be the alumni for community colleges in the central part of …

Navigating Complexity Of Serving Displaced Communities: A Study Of Yemeni Community-Based Organizations In Egypt, Alya Mohammed Al-Mahdi

Theses and Dissertations

Forced displacement is a global crisis that poses challenges for nations like Egypt. Despite international NGO support, escalating displaced individuals have overwhelmed existing capacities. Refugee Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) have emerged as a natural response from the communities themselves to bridge the gap between the state and NGOs and the refugee community. However, CBOs in Egypt face challenges that impact their operation and continuity. Through qualitative research, this study aims to explore the experience of the Yemeni CBOs. Through interviews with seven people from six CBOs conducted through field visits and online calls, this research uncovers the dynamics of Yemeni CBOs …

The Hangman, Not The Prince, Steve Hughes

Theses and Dissertations

For the first time, contemporary records of the 1870s, 1880s and 1890s, including interviews with George Maledon, have been used to document that George Maledon, known for almost 150 years as “The Prince of Hangmen,” was, despite his contentions, not the hangman for all of the murderers executed in Fort Smith, Arkansas, between 1873 and 1896. Rather, his legendary status came as a result of his manipulation of sensationalist reporters who came to Fort Smith to witness the hangings and whose stories were reprinted around the country.

Creative Insights On The Commissioning, Analysis, And Performance Of Four New Works For Saxophone, Andrew Joseph Hutchens

Theses and Dissertations

This document explores, in detail, four works for saxophone, which the author commissioned. These pieces were performed on the author’s degree recitals prior to the writing of this document. The selected works are At the Seams by Baljinder Singh Sekhon II, Intrepid by Russell Wharton, Unity Synonym by Michael Laurello, and Third Rail / Revelation by Stephen Karukas. This document focuses on the commissioning process, musical performance, and theoretical aspects of these four pieces. Interviews were conducted virtually via Zoom and then transcribed for inclusion in this document. There have been no previous studies that have explored these four works. …

Iowa Gothic, Caroline Bailey Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

Iowa Gothic deals with the stories that we tell ourselves, for better or worse, and is an interconnected short story collection set in the fictional town of Madison, Iowa. The stories are grounded in realism, but are also slightly off from the way we typically experience the world: a hoarder who tries to win a cooking contest by boiling a rabbit, a woman who recreates her neighbors' living rooms out of their yard sale items, a hypnotic rooster that starts a feud, residents who believe in ghosts, or at least the communal value of ghost stories. By asking the reader …

Bohuslav Martinů’S Eight Preludes For Piano H. 181: Style Analysis And Pedagogical Approaches In Piano Performance, Jinkyung Kim

Theses and Dissertations

This treatise delves into Bohuslav Martinů’s Eight Preludes for Piano H. 181, offering a comprehensive exploration of the twentieth-century Czech composer’s life; discussing his compositional significance; analyzing the style of his Eight Preludes using the framework of Sound, Harmony, Melody, Rhythm, and Growth (SHMRG); and suggesting pedagogical approaches for advanced piano learners. The study examines Martinů’s life and the socio-cultural influences that shaped his artistic language. His compositional journey, combining elements of Czech folk music with Parisian influences of impressionism, neoclassicism, and jazz, illustrates his versatility and ingenuity. Through the SHMRG framework by Jan LaRue, the style analysis of Eight …

Representaciones De La Violencia En El Cuerpo Femenino En María, Llena Eres De Gracia, El Despertar De Las Hormigas Y Cuando Las Flores Hablan, Catalina Lancheros Villa

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACTO Son muchas las mujeres que han aportado a la historia y a las luchas contra la violencia de género. Mujeres que han sido registradas en libros, documentales o películas y marcadas en hechos como heroínas del cambio y la transformación social (ej. Policarpa Salavarrieta Ríos / colombiana, Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo Calderón / mexicana, Manuela Sáenz/ ecuatoriana). Son estas mujeres fuertes y empoderadas las que han querido un mundo igualitario para todos desde la antigüedad hasta los tiempos modernos. Desde su capacidad intelectual descubrieron que podían mejorar las condiciones de vida, dejando un legado de transformación en un sistema …

Meditations On Modern America: The Ambiguous Worldview Of Transcendental Meditation, 1967-1979, Grant William Wong

Theses and Dissertations

Transcendental Meditation [TM], a form of silent mantra meditation pioneered by the Indian holy man Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1957, took the United States by storm as over two million Americans learned its meditative technique between 1968 and 1978. At once a spiritual movement and a lifestyle, TM was a countercultural movement that went mainstream. I argue that TM was appealing because of its ambiguity and consequent malleability, as its teachings and practice came to reflect the aspirations and anxieties of its followers. By tracing their varying interpretations of the practice across periodicals, movement literature, memoirs, and contemporary scholarship, I …

Revolting Motherhood: [De]Generative Breast Stories Transmuting Medical/Moral Paradigms In Britain During The Long Nineteenth Century, Leslie Rene Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

Eric Plemons writes in *The Look of A Woman* that “biological stories do more than describe biologies” (54). This dissertation explores what breast cancer stories do and how society creates meaning around the experience of breast cancer. I argue that, in the long nineteenth century in Britain, breast cancer was part of a two-sided medical/moral paradigm where medical diagnosis became enmeshed with morality. Health, then, became a result of proper domestic behavior, disease a result of straying from societal norms. Following the introductory chapter, chapter two traces the development of this paradigm as an outgrowth of the emergence of middle-class …

Eugene O’Neill Returns: Theatrical Modernization And O’Neill Adaptations In 1980s China, Shuying Chen

Theses and Dissertations

After nearly vanishing from the Chinese literary world map for thirty years from 1949 to 1979, Eugene O’Neill’s works underwent a reevaluation and resurgence in the reform era of the 1980s. This decade witnessed a wide range of introductions to, research on, translations, and productions of O’Neill’s play in the Chinese theatrical and cultural landscape. Chinese theater practitioners staged some thirty adaptations of O’Neill’s works in both domains of spoken drama and traditional opera, including productions by colleges, state-owned troupes, and independent theater groups. This dissertation contextualizes some of O’Neill adaptations in the socio-cultural context of the transitional period and …

Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy In The Choral Ensemble Rehearsal: A Guide For Secondary Educators, Luke Lee Browder

Theses and Dissertations

The field of contemporary commercial vocal pedagogy is relatively new, with serious academic study primarily taking place over the last twenty-five years. In that time, however, a growing body of research has shown that the function of the vocal mechanism operates in essentially the same manner across classical and contemporary commercial music (CCM) genres, but the application of vocal function is what differentiates classical and CCM singing. Since secondary music educators often represent the only vocal training their students will ever receive, it is helpful for them to know the differences in vocal techniques and how to effectively train singers …

The Impact Of Incorporating Self-Myofascial Release Into Voice Lessons: A Six-Week Study, Benjamin Patrick Stogner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the integration of Self Myofascial Release (SMR) techniques within voice lessons over six weeks; aiming to alleviate muscular tension, enhance vocal performance, and improve singers' overall well-being. The study employed a qualitative pre-test/post-test design. The data collected indicates that while SMR offers significant benefits, it is impractical to incorporate a comprehensive routine into applied lessons. However, using SMR techniques in vocal warm-up routines, and encouraging the student to use SMR techniques on their own, yielded promising results. Consistent SMR application led to improved posture, jaw mobility, and overall well-being, with older participants …

Truth And Knowledge In A Literary Text And Beyond: Lydia Chukovskaya’S Sofia Petrovna At The Intersections Between Selves, Culture, And Paratext, Angelina Rubina

Theses and Dissertations

Although Lydia Chukovskaya’s novella Sofia Petrovna (1965) is not considered to be an autobiographical work, the life story of its protagonist, Sofia Petrovna, and the life of Lydia Chukovskaya herself have certain parallels. Chukovskaya’s very own fate, which she described in the foreword to the novella and in her other biographical works, is often viewed inseparably from the novella. However, among the many connections between the fictional fate of Sofia Petrovna and the real fate of Lydia Chukovskaya, one aspect that has not been properly explored by the critics is the “dialogue” between the author and the protagonist with respect …

Illuminating The Ozarks: A View Of Ozark Mountain Culture Through The Lens Of Regional Craft, Jessica Erwin

Theses and Dissertations

The Ozarks Mountain region has a rich and lengthy cultural heritage. This heritage includes the creation of crafts with attributes unique to the Ozarks. In 1978 the Ozarks Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership, conducted a survey of crafts and craftsmen in the Ozarks. This thesis examines using digitized images of 35mm slides from the report Crafts: The Human Dimension to build a web exhibit about the history and culture of the Ozarks Mountain Region. The topics covered include geography, migration patterns, and craft items of the region.