Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Constructing A New Game: J.K. Rowling’S Quidditch And Global Kid Culture, Terri Toles Patkin

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

As part of her wildly popular Harry Potter fantasy series, author J.K. Rowling created a setting of magical characters to populate magical towns, perform magical jobs, purchase magical products -- and play a magical game called Quidditch. This fast-paced team sport played on broomsticks is both a participant and a spectator sport, and forms a nucleus of leisure activity and discourse in the Harry Potter books. From preschoolers to professionals, wizards in Rowling's world incorporate this virtual sport into their everyday lives. Rowling's development of Quidditch -– some have suggested that Rowling's intense dislike of school hockey practices sparked the …

Third Year Evaluation Of Tennessee Charter Schools, 2005-2006, Steven M. Ross, Aaron J. Mcdonald, Linda Bol

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The purpose of the present evaluation study was to examine the progress made in program implementation, school climate, and student achievement by Tennessee charter schools. Six evaluation questions guided the methodology for this study. Student achievement results are addressed in a separate report. The following evaluation questions are addressed in this report: (1) What is the frequency of usage of various traditional and alternative instructional strategies in the charter schools and compared to national norms? (2) What is the school climate at the charter schools and how does the climate compare to national norms? (3) To what degree and levels …

You Need Love And Friendship For This Mission!: The Final Fantasy Series As Social Education For Japanese Youth, Ben Hourigan

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

From the mid to late 1990s, popular and academic discourse on video games, particularly in the United States, has focused on their supposed capacity to engender violent and otherwise anti-social behavior in youth. Much like ludologists' recent claims that video games are not a narrative medium, at least one reason for this is that commentators have too narrow an understanding of the diverse range of games that exist. In addition to this, game demonizers have demonstrated an inadequate understanding of the ways games are related to real life. In order to combat these misunderstandings, this chapter analyzes the role of …

Little Gods And Little Heroes: Hyperreal Ethics In God Games And Online Gaming, G. Christopher Williams

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

Media critics, notably Jean Baudrillard, have suggested that the environment of simulations are to be defined as something more real than the real, or, in his terms, hyperreal. If hyperrealities are indeed the way that we can define the environment of multimedia technologies like video games, what sorts of ethical considerations should exist in a place that gamers conceive as more real than the real? This essay considers what ethical considerations are worth contemplating as gamers begin to take on the roles of gods and heroes in multiplayer video games. The little gods and heroes whose identities gamers have begun …

Connecting Ethics To Action: An Introduction To Ethical Decision Making, Rory Patterson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Everyday Life Of Playing Cards, Ruralism, And The Case Of Russian Peasantry, Anna N. Kushkova

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

This chapter addresses the issue of card playing in the Russian village of the second half of the nineteenth century. The author challenges a widely spread stereotype that Russian peasants did not play in any other way that merely for fun or for entertainment, but rather shows that this view is inconsistent with historical reality, which places card play at the center of daily social life. Social changes of village life after peasants' emancipation (1861) brought about systematic contacts of rural and urban population in many provinces of the country. As a result, a number of city habits and practices …

The Playing Card’S Progress: A Brief History Of Cards And Card Games, Joyce Goggin

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

This article takes as its point of departure the fact that playing and tarot cards have generally been ignored as a topic for scholarly research, and suggests a number of reasons as to why this might be the case. While on the one hand cards are perceived as a trivial object, their long association with the occult and gambling further exacerbates the lack of serious interest taken in them. Moreover, because playing cards were imported into Europe from the East, they have been both directly and indirectly conceptualized as signifiers of oriental otherness and treated as a threat to the …

More Than Girlfriends, Geekettes, And Gladiatixes: Women, Feminism, And Fantasy Role-Playing Games, Rebecca Borah, Inez Schaechterle

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

The only function women have in D&D is to serve cookies. Gary Gygax, the most well known of the creators of Dungeons & Dragons, claims he did not make this remark (Gel214th). That he did or not is perhaps, some thirty years after the introduction of the first fantasy role-playing game, of concern only to him. The problematic position of women players is a secure feature of the RPG zeitgeist. While few male gamers may openly challenge the assumption that women can or should play fantasy role games such as Dungeons & Dragons, the function of …

The Horror Is Alive: Immersion, Spectatorship, And The Cinematics Of Fear In The Survival Horror Genre, Jay Mcroy

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

The video game genre known as survival horror resembles contemporary horror cinema in that both increasingly popular forms of entertainment allow audiences to experience fear resulting from the development of suspense coupled with the dread and shock of encountering monstrosity. One need only note the remarkable success of next generation video game franchises like Resident Evil (1996) and Silent Hill (1999) to realize that, more than ever before, game players in their late teens and beyond long to immerse themselves within interactive nightmares that offer the kind of thrills and chills once available exclusively through horror literature and films. However, …

The Postmodern Hoard: Rates Of Exchange In Role-Playing Games, Carlos Hernandez

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

What makes Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) unique among games is the way it merges storytelling with game mechanics. Before the invention of D&D, both acting/narrative-based games and strategy-based war games that made use of fantasy-genre elements existed, but the way D&D integrates both elements invented a whole new category of game, one in which the immersive draw of a plot proves just as important as good tactics or luck of the dice. This chapter explores the relationship between the qualitative and quantitative aspects of D&D. Specifically, it argues that the rules of the game provide quantitative corollaries to aspects of …

The Game's Afoot: Images Of Infinite Games In Samuel Delany's Trouble On Triton, Marc R. Zaldivar

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

Games are frequently used in speculative literature as a metaphor for real-world activities. In Trouble on Triton, Samuel Delany uses several sorts of games in order to explore complex systems of modeling and interrelationships between fiction and reality, extending a tradition in science fiction of placing games at the very center of social reality. Zaldivar's essay seeks to define some of the concepts of game theory that can be used to understand this complex novel and its representation of human social life. In particular, Zaldivar explores finite and infinite games and their uses within a deconstructive theoretical framework. A …

The Relationship Between Leadership Traits And Church Growth Among Pastors Of Free Churches In Germany, Edgar Machel

Dissertations

Problem. Many German Christian denominations have been losing members year by year for the past five decades. There are more and more voices that question the way pastors function as leaders. Therefore, this study looked at the differences of personality traits among pastors of Free Churches in Germany in the context of church growth. The leading research question was. What kind of leadership traits, behaviors, and attitudes are favorable to lead a church toward growth and to return stagnating churches to vibrancy?

Methodology. The “Business-focused Inventory of Personality” was sent out to 1,100 Pentecostal, Baptist, and Adventist pastors, of …

Is This A Mirror I See Before Me?: Adolescent Girls Use Imaginal Writing To Re-Vision Life Experience: A Dissertation, Cameron L. Marzelli

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This participant observer collective case study was an investigation of the ways in which an imaginal writing process might facilitate resilience in adolescent girls who had previously used writing to respond to challenging life experience.

Hearing Whiteness, Seeing Race: Women Leaders Give Visibility To Their White Identity: A Dissertation, Ann Moritz

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study investigates what it means for women leaders to identify as White. The purpose is to examine a sense of racial identity and how that identity affects a sense of self as a leader. Twelve women answered questions from a designed interview protocol in two settings that occurred approximately four weeks apart.

Relational Fathering: How Fathering Sons Affects Men's Relational Growth And Development: A Dissertation, Carol Watson-Philips

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore how fathering sons impacts men's relational growth and development. This qualitative study examines the meaning fathers make of their experience and describes their process of growth and development in connection with their sons. Twenty, mostly middle-class fathers, ages thirty-three to forty-six with sons ranging from one year to twelve years, were interviewed. Relational-Cultural Theory provides a theoretical framework. A grounded theory approach, a constructivist lens, and feminist analysis and research methods are employed. The data reveal that the fathers' connection with their sons and their perceptions of their sons' unconditional love …

Finding Voice: Exploring Possibilities Of Healing In Conversations On An Event Of Collective Mass Violence Between Self And Other - An Interaction Between Indian And Pakistani Youth On The 1947 Partition: A Dissertation, Meenakshi Chhabra

Educational Studies Dissertations

Are there alternatives to using violence between groups that have a history of collective mass violence between them? This is the underlying concern motivating the study: This concern is guided by my personal experience as a third generation Indian, growing up on stories of the 1947 India-Pakistan partition. The 1947 Partition was an event of collective mass violence between Hindus and Muslims. The two countries have since been "enemies." Despite the death and displacement of millions across the border, the event of partition, has been largely kept outside the public discourse. All that remains are personal stories of brutality about …

Center For Service-Learning Faculty Packet, Brevard Community College

Syllabi

Brevard Community College developed the Center for Service-Learning to systematically involve and support students in educational and important public service experiences. Since its inception in 1988, the Center has involved over 38,000 students who served about 1,400,000 hours. Today, the Center is recognized and respected as one of the best service-learning programs in the United States.

Parent-Adolescent Involvement: The Relative Influence Of Parent Gender And Residence, Daniel Hawkins, Paul R. Amato, Valarie King

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

The 1995 wave of the Add Health study is used to investigate the relative influence of parent gender and residence on patterns of parental involvement with adolescents. Adolescent reports (N = 17,330) of shared activities, shared communication, and relationship quality with both biological parents are utilized. A multidimensional scaling analysis reveals that parent gender explains most of the variance in parent-adolescent involvement, with residential status playing a secondary yet fundamental role in accounting for these patterns. Resident mothers who do not live with adolescents’ biological fathers engage in the broadest range of activities with their children. Unpartnered resident fathers display …

2006 Economic Analysis Example, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Publications

No abstract provided.

Democracy And Public Administration, Richard C. Box, Gary Marshall

Faculty Books and Monographs

Chapter 4, A Brief Tour of Public Organization Theory in the United States, authored by Gary S. Marshall, UNO faculty member.

The true measure of the successful practice of public service is its ability to remain faithful to the tenets of democratic society. This introductory text links the practice of public administration to the core concepts of American democracy. It covers the nuts and bolts of public administration in the context of delivering democracy in public service--providing what the public really wants as opposed to what self-serving bureaucracies may call for.

Chapters in Democracy and Public Administration discuss the functional …

Partnership Perspectives: Changing The Image Of Physical Therapy In Urban Neighborhoods Through Community Service Learning, Diane Fitzpatrick, Ann Golub-Victor, Susan Lowe, Elmer Freeman

Partnerships/Community

Anecdotally, residents of a local inner-city neighborhood have limited perception and understanding of the physical therapy profession. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a mixed design pilot study intended to investigate this community's perception of physical therapy and Lower Roxbury community members' assessment of Northeastem University's Department of Physical Therapy community service-learning (CSL) program. Community residents who have been exposed to physical therapy through CSL may have a better understanding and perception of the profession than residents who have not participated.

Out Of The Classroom And Into The Community: Service Learning Reinforces Classroom Instruction, Roy Bonnette

Project Summaries

Technology students successfully developed four complete sets of house plans including floor plans, framing plans, and elevations. Because Habitat relies on donations of doors, windows, and cabinets, detail drawings and schedules vary and were not included. Unskilled persons who volunteered time and labor for Habitat needed concise and unambiguous directions from supervisors. The students' drawings of floor and elevation plans provided these workers with a clear and graphic representation of the construction goals. As noted above, students were held to professional and technical accountability. This process was put in place to replicate real-world practices and to give students a sense …

The Idea Of Sustainable Development In Public Administration, John R. Bartle, Deniz Leunenberger

Public Administration Faculty Publications

This article introduces the Focus Issue on Sustainable Development by first discussing the environmental problems caused by unsustainable development and then the shortcomings caused by a piecemeal approach to policy development and implementation. The idea of sustainability appears to fit well with other core values of public administration, which is a consistent theme throughout each of the articles in this issue. Definitions of sustainability are discussed, followed by two relevant models. Finally, each article in the focus issue is introduced.

The Sustainable Development Of U.S. Air Transportation: The Promise And Challenge Of Institutional Reform, John R. Bartle

Public Administration Faculty Publications

Sustainable development is a concept that has had great influence on natural resource policy; however, to date, it has had limited influence on transportation. This article examines how well U.S. air transportation practice meets the goal of sustainability and finds current practice to be unsustainable. Forecasted trends suggest that this problem will get worse. Neither current pollution control policies nor technological progress are sufficient to solve the problem. One potential solution is reduced use of air travel, however, the goals of mobility and speed of travel would be inhibited. Taxes could reduce the external costs caused by air pollution, however, …

Sustainable Highways: Destination Or Mirage?, John R. Bartle, Jijesh Devan

Public Administration Faculty Publications

Highway travel is forecasted to increase steadily worldwide in the foreseeable future. However, this pattern is unsustainable environmentally, economically, financially, and socially. Federal legislation, in particular the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, has made progress toward the goal of sustainability, and technological improvements offer potential for reduced emissions, but both potentials have not been fully realized. Reduced use and redesigned taxes are unlikely possibilities. Ultimately, institutions will have to change. The European Union offers an example of how the institutional change can be implemented in a durable way. This change is important not just for environmental reasons but also for …

Service Learning Training & Curriculum Guide, Wayne-Westland Community Schools

Curriculum

Service-learning is a powerful teaching methodology wherein students perform service in the community to meet real needs as means of learning important subject matter. Service-learning is being widely practiced throughout the United States and internationally in K-12 schools. Having students learn important curricular objectives by providing service yields benefits for all involved.

4 Practical Resources For Linking Service Learning And The Florida Sunshine State Standards, Florida Learn & Serve

Curriculum

In the 1990s, the Florida Department of Education (FLDoE) and other state education agencies established and adopted education standards to cover major curricular areas in K-12 public education. Florida's standards are linked with statewide assessments in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. The statewide assessment, termed the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test, or FCAT, is a primary tool used to evaluate student and school performance. Student promotion and graduation are based partly on FCAT scores. In addition, schools receive a grade each year, from A-F, based on their students' FCA T performance and other weighted factors.

Service-Learning Designation: A Faculty Handbook, Deanna Anderson, Marlene Bacon, Josh Gold, Marianne Mcknight, Gail Jessen

Curriculum

Service-learning is a progressive and innovative pedagogy. It is both a creative and a diverse tool for teaching and learning. Service-learning is not merely community service and when structured correctly, service-learning will greatly impact student learning and enhance the typical classroom experience. It is also entirely up to the discretion of individual faculty members as to which pedagogies they will employ within their classroom. So why make the effort to formally designate your intentions to utilize service-learning?

Assessing The Need For Dual Diagnosis Training For Mental Health Workers Serving Youth In Michigan, Kathleen "Lucy" Mcgoron

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Dual diagnosis is the co-occurrence of substance use and another psychiatric disorder. Research has shown that people with dual diagnosis have worse outcomes than those with only substance use or another psychiatric disorder. A considerable amount of research has been conducted on training programs which help better serve adults with dual diagnosis, but there have been minimal efforts for training mental health workers who serve youths. This project examines the need for training in community mental health workers in Michigan who work with youths. Results indicate that a quarter of youths being seen for treatment need substance use services, however …

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 04

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 4.