Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Exploratory Study Of Fifth-Grade Students’ Reasoning About The Relationship Between Fractions And Decimals When Using Number Line-Based Virtual Manipulatives, Scott Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Understanding the relationship between fractions and decimals is an important step in developing an overall understanding of rational numbers. Research has demonstrated the feasibility of technology in the form of virtual manipulatives for facilitating students’ meaningful understanding of rational number concepts. This exploratory dissertation study was conducted for the two closely related purposes: first, to investigate a sample of fifth-grade students’ reasoning regarding the relationship between fractions and decimals for fractions with terminating decimal representations while using virtual manipulative incorporating parallel number lines; second, to investigate the affordances of the virtual manipulatives for supporting the students’ reasoning about the decimal-fraction …

Adolescent Relationship Concerns And Perceived Gains From A Relationship Education Course, Jenny Harris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was conducted with survey data drawn from a relationship education initiative in the state of Utah. Teenagers participated in the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) program (also known as How to Avoid Falling for a Jerk or Jerk-ette), a program designed for single individuals. They answered questions before and after the course, and I used their responses to answer two questions: (1) What concerns do middle-adolescents (ages 15-17) have about romantic relationships? (2) What do middle-adolescents gain from participation in PICK?

Data from 605 participants were combined and analyzed for themes. Teenage participants expressed concerns about …

The Inevitable Fusion: A Mixed-Methods Sociological Approach To Comprehensive Kodiak Bear Viewing Management, Jacqueline M. Keating

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge is home to one of the highest concentrations of brown bears in Alaska. As the public demand for bear viewing opportunities continues to increase, managers are faced with the challenge of accommodating this new kind of visitor use on a refuge that was traditionally managed for the sustainable hunting of bears. To inform the public use management planning process, the Kodiak Refuge allocated funding to support social science research that objectively assessed the current nature of bear viewing opportunities and the factors that influence the quality of those opportunities. Ecologist Aldo Leopold claimed that the …

Foreign Fighter Recruitment Messaging And The ‘Islamic State’, Jacob M. Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The so called ‘Islamic State,’ an Islamic extremist organization which currently controls large swaths of territory in the Middle East, has attracted foreign fighters to its insurgency in tens of thousands. Until just recently, foreign fighters were not well researched or understood separately from local fighters. David Malet (2013) argues that insurgencies recruit foreign fighters by persuading them to defend a ‘common group’ against a threatening enemy. This ‘defensive mobilization,’ he believed, was critical to recruiting foreign fighters throughout history. After preliminary analysis, the Islamic State presented evidence contrary to this theory, and it seemed dubious that they would use …

Utah Elementary School Principals’ Preparation As Technology Leaders, Nathan L. Esplin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The rapidly expanding use of technology in education has brought about the need for principals to be prepared as technology leaders. Although, there is a need for principals to be prepared as technology leaders, many currently are not prepared for this role. It is crucial that principals are prepared in order ability to lead their school in successful technology integration. The primary purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the perceived level of technology leadership preparation of Utah elementary principals using the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Administrators.

In addition to the study’s primary purpose, …

Transgenerational Patterns Of Communication Orientations And Depression Among Mothers And Adult Children, Timothy Curran, Jennifer A. Samp, Anastacia Janovec

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

This study investigated intergenerational transmissions of conversation orientations, conformity orientations, and depressive symptoms among 235 (N = 470) mother–child dyads. The analysis revealed that mothers’ reports of conformity orientation in her family of origin positively predicted her child’s report of conformity orientation and conversation orientation. Moreover, maternal depressive symptoms predicted child reports of family communication climates, which in turn predicted child depressive symptoms. A mediation analysis showed a significant indirect effect from maternal depressive symptoms to child depressive symptoms through child reports of conformity orientation. Implications for transgenerational patterns of family communication climates and depressive symptoms are discussed.

Moral Obligations And Tinfoil Hats: The Ethics Of Conspiracy, Rachel Robinson-Greene

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

On, March 4th, 2017, Donald Trump claimed, without evidence, that Barack Obama wiretapped the phones at Trump Tower during the presidential election. This is not the first baseless claim that Trump has made about the former president. As the American population is well aware, Trump was one of the most vocal participants in the birther movement. Even after Obama made his birth certificate public, proving that he was born in Hawaii in 1961, Trump said, in an interview with ABC News, ”Was it a birth certificate? You tell me. Some people say that was not his birth certificate. Maybe it …

Vegetarian/Vegan Nutrient Intake At Usu, Richard Thomas, Jesse Magliari, Rebecca Nelson

Student Research Symposium

This research study focuses on the vegetarian and vegan groups in our community, specifically undergraduates at USU. The specialized diets vegetarians and vegans follow can cause nutritional deficiency in iron and protein. Iron and protein are particularly difficult for vegetarians and vegans to obtain, especially for those new to the diet. Our research study seeks to identify whether on and off campus vegetarians and vegans obtain sufficient iron and protein levels according to the USDA’s recommended daily amounts. This was accomplished through participant 24 hour diet recalls. Data gathered from the 24hr diet recall included time of day, amount, type, …

Should We Avoid Or Engage Moral Dilemmas?, Rachel Robinson-Greene

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

It is common for parents to teach their children to avoid moral danger. Parental advice includes avoiding certain peer groups, adhering to a curfew, and ensuring that responsible adult supervision is always present. Parents tend to think that these kinds of policies make it more likely that their children won’t encounter situations in which they might make bad decisions.

Your Librarian: Breaking Down Barriers With Emotional Design, Britt A. Fagerheim, Alex J. Sundt

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

There can be many barriers between undergraduates and subject librarians: a poor web presence, lack of awareness, and crucially, reluctance to seek help. To reduce this friction, USU libraries have explored a web design concept that is more emotionally-engaging and presents librarians as friendly, capable partners in the research process.

Digital Strategies For Personalizing The Book-A-Librarian Process, Britt A. Fagerheim, Alex J. Sundt

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

On-demand consultations extend librarians beyond the classroom, supporting critical, one-on-one library instruction. But a successful consultation service requires more than a simple "build it and they will come" digital strategy, as users face numerous challenges in understanding their options, overcoming library anxiety, and finding the right expert to meet their needs. Following up on a prototype introduced last year, presenters will discuss research-informed design concepts and demonstrate a more engaging, friendlier interface for on-demand librarian consultations.

Accounting For Variability In Mother-Child Play, David F. Lancy

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

This paper highlights contrasting perspectives in the study of mother-child play. One contrast emerges as we look at the phenomenon using the lens offered by anthropology as opposed to the more commonly used lens of psychology. A second contrast is apparent from on-the-ground descriptions of childhood in the ethnographic record compared to observations of children in the upper strata of modern society. Psychologists and those public agents who adopt their perspective see mother-child play—from infancy—as both necessary for normal development and an unlimited good. Its self-evident value should be impressed upon those who are as yet, unenlightened. Anthropologists not only …

Marbles And Machiavelli: The Role Of Game Play In Children's Social Development, David F. Lancy, M. Annette Grove

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

The authors review several case studies of children engaged in rule-governed play and conclude that the process of learning rules—and of breaking them and making new ones—promotes what they call gamesmanship. They link the development of gamesmanship to the theory of Machiavellian intelligence, which considers social interaction primary in the evolution of human intelligence. They also question the benefits of adult-managed child play and assess the impact it may have on the ability of children to develop gamesmanship.

Marginalia No. 38, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University

Marginalia

• Library Welcomes New Employees, Page 2
• New Arrivals, Page 3
• Becker Utah Brews: The Untapped Story of Ogden's Becker Brewing and Malting Co., Page 5
• Librarians Leading Collaborative Faculty Assignment Re-Design, Page 7
• OER: Set Education Free, Page 8
• Research Week 2017, Page 9

The Role Of Anthropology In Promoting Diversity On A Public University Campus, Bonnie Glass-Coffin

Interfaith Initiative Research

We live in an era where xenophobia, Islamophobia, and dangerous “Othering” is gaining ground in our communities. If anthropology's purpose still is, as Ruth Benedict once said, “to make the world safe for human differences,” it is more important now than ever for colleges and universities to provide our students with the necessary tools to do so. This report documents how a new initiative is building capacity for positive interaction among all who orient around religion differently while building bridges of interfaith cooperation at Utah State University. After summarizing campus climate research that led to the initiative's emergence in 2014, …

Beyond The Publishing Social Contract: University Presses And The Institutional Repository, Dylan Burns

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

The last thirty years have been a period of marked crisis and promise in the world of scholarly publishing. On one hand the "serial crisis" has crushed the academic librarian budget to the point where cuts are more prevalent than new purchases, but on the other the promise of open access allows for new investigative playgrounds for scholars and students across the world that are often outside of these dwindling budgets. Citing these challenges Dan Cohen wonders about the “social contract” of scholarly publishing, or the larger agreement between authors and readers on quality and availability of academic work. In …

Getting Libguide Ux Just Right: Balancing Consistency, Nutrition, & Taste, Teagan Eastman, Alex J. Sundt

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Increasing Parenting Knowledge: A Pilot Study, Kandice Olson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Research shows that parenting interventions make a significant difference in the lives of children with behavioral and emotional problems (de Graaf et al., 2008a; de Graaf et al., 2008b; Phaneuf & McIntyre, 2011; Roberts et al., 2006; Whittingham, Sofronoff, Sheffield, & Sanders, 2009). However, not all parents need intensive interventions. There is little research that has evaluated the effectiveness of a brief parenting handout intervention on parenting knowledge. The goal of this study was to determine if a brief informational handout about parenting increased parenting knowledge in college students. Students were asked to complete the pre-intervention survey that measured their …

Has Society Created Social Injustice For Male Victims Of Domestic Violence?, Deborah Vernon

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

A contextual analysis was conducted of Utah domestic violence agency websites to determine if these agencies recognized and/or acknowledged male victims of domestic violence and if the provided similar services to male victims that are provided to female victims of domestic violence. A Google search was conducted to obtain a list of Utah domestic violence agencies and their web addresses. The search revealed sixteen (16) Utah domestic violence agencies across the state, however; only twelve (12) agencies had websites. All sixteen (16) agency names were used in the analysis to see if the agency(s) name itself implied exclusivity for a …

Developing Web Archiving Metadata Best Practices To Meet User Needs, Jackie M. Dooley, Karen Stoll Farrell, Tammi Kim, Jessica Venlet

Journal of Western Archives

The OCLC Research Library Partnership Web Archiving Metadata Working Group was established to meet a widely recognized need for best practices for descriptive metadata for archived websites. The Working Group recognizes that development of successful best practices intended to ensure discoverability requires an understanding of user needs and behavior. We have therefore conducted an extensive literature review to build our knowledge and will issue a white paper summarizing what we have learned. We are also studying existing and emerging approaches to descriptive metadata in this realm and will publish a second report recommending best practices. We will seek broad community …

Collaboration Made It Happen! The Kansas Archive-It Consortium, Cliff Hight, Ashley Todd-Diaz, Rebecca Schulte, Michael Church

Journal of Western Archives

This case study explores the formation, current membership, and future goals of the Kansas Archive-It Consortium (KAIC), one of the larger consortia contracting with the Web archiving service Archive-It. KAIC, which is composed of the state historical society and five public universities, has its foundation in a statewide culture of collaboration, and participants have agreed on an informal governance structure with a strong commitment to broadening accessible web resources for researchers. After establishing consortial consistency during its first two years, members have shared documentation with partners and are beginning to do collaborative collecting. In the future, the consortium will seek …

Using Rss To Improve Web Harvest Results For News Web Sites, Gina M. Jones, Michael Neubert

Journal of Western Archives

In the last several years, the Library of Congress Web archiving program has grown to include large sites that publish news–over more than a year we learned they present serious challenges. After thinking through the use cases for archived online news sites, we realized that completeness of harvest was paramount. As we developed our understanding of deficiencies in the completeness of these kinds of sites we began to test use of RSS feeds to build customized seed lists for shallow crawls as the primary way these sites are crawled. Over time we discovered that while completeness of harvest was greatly …

Case Study: Washington And Lee's First Year Using Archive-It, Alston B. Cobourn

Journal of Western Archives

This case study reviews the planning, methodology, and lessons learned during the first year of Washington and Lee University Library's web archiving program.

Introduction To The Special Issue On Web Archiving, Nicholas Taylor

Journal of Western Archives

This article serves as an introduction to the Journal of Western Archives Special Issue on Web Archiving. It provides a snapshot of and reflections on the state of the field, as well as an overview of the works that constitute the issue.

“The Room Where It Happens”: Teaching Diversity In The Classroom, Debra Jenson

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Universities across the nation have focused increasingly on promoting diversity, to the point of including this goal in their mission statements. Additionally, millennial students come to college anxious to learn about diversity. This paper presents a lesson plan built around the musical Hamilton. The activity teaches public relations students in a writing class persuasion and rhetoric skills. It has a dual purpose of introducing diversity, the topic of privilege and its role in American culture.

Take Off! How To Make Your College Course More Exciting, Andreas K. Wesemann

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

TAKE OFF!

How to make your college course more exciting

As many universities transition to online Learning Management Systems (LMS), many of the traditional techniques familiar and used by generations of professors are lost in the process. Utah State University has moved to the CANVAS LMS, and there are many methods to incorporate these former strategies, and new applications that online systems bring to keep millennial learners engaged, excited and entertained while maintaining the educational purpose of courses. But for some of the seasoned professors who haven’t yet made the leap, a few simple steps can have tremendous impact on …

Five Ways Consortia Can Catalyze Open Science, Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Karen S. Baker, Nicholas Berente, Courtney G. Flint, Gabriel Gershenfeld, Brandon Grant, Michael Haberman, John Leslie King, Christine Kirkpatrick, Barbara Lawrence, Spenser Lewis, W. Christopher Lenhardt, Matthew Mayernik, Charles Mcelroy, Barbara Mittleman, Namchul Shin, Shelley Stall, Susan Winter, Et Al

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

An analysis of more than 50 collaborations shows the secrets of success, write Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld and colleagues from the Stakeholder Alignment Collaborative.

Ghosts In The Ir: Integrating Student Folklore Into Our Online Collections, Dylan Burns, Alex J. Sundt

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

For decades, student folklorists have been collecting stories, jokes, and tall tales from their neighbors in our community. This is an integral part of research lives of students as well as an essential collection for those interested in American folklives. This poster explores the design of an online database and preservation process for this collection as well as ongoing digitization efforts to make this work available to larger scholarly communities.

How Should Societies Counteract Overpopulation?, Rachel Robinson-Greene

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

As the human population continues to grow, questions arise concerning how to deal with problems that are human in origin: problems like pollution and environmental degradation, resource depletion, and global food shortages. The global population, which currently sits at over 7 billion, is expected to reach 10.9 billion by the end of the century.

Delivering Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Weight Self-Stigma Through Guided Self-Help: Results From An Open Pilot Trial, Michael E. Levin, Sarah Potts, Jack Haegar, Jason Lillis

Psychology Faculty Publications

Weight self-stigma is a promising target for innovative interventions seeking to improve outcomes among overweight/obese individuals. Preliminary research suggests acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) may be an effective approach for reducing weight self-stigma, but a guided self-help version of this intervention may improve broad dissemination. This pilot open trial sought to evaluate the potential acceptability and efficacy of a guided self-help ACT intervention, included coaching and a self-help book, with a sample of 13 overweight/obese individuals high in weight self-stigma. Results indicated a high degree of program engagement (77% completed the intervention) and satisfaction. Participants improved on outcomes over time …