Texas Digital Library
University of Houston-Clear Lake: UHCL Institutional RepositoryNot a member yet
4292 research outputs found
Sort by
College readiness variables for African American high school seniors
No full textThis sequential mixed methods study examined the variables of attendance, discipline, school feeder patterns, economically disadvantaged, and extracurricular activity participation on the college readiness of African American (AA) high school seniors. The data were analyzed to determine if there was a relationship between the five variables and college readiness of the seniors. A purposeful sample of AA high school seniors from a large diverse school district in Texas was utilized for the study. The data concerning AA high school seniors consisted of archived Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) data, survey of college ready AA high school seniors, and semi-structured interviews of college ready AA high school seniors. Descriptive analysis of Pearson’s moment correlation was used to analyze quantitative PEIMS data and Qualtrics survey data. The seniors’ perceptions of the five variables were analyzed using a thematic coding process. Triangulation of the archived PEIMS data, survey, and semi-structured interviews helped the researcher gain a comprehensive perspective of the AA high school seniors’ mindsets towards the variables to become college ready. Findings indicated that even though AA high school seniors were consistently behind academically compared to their Hispanic and White peers and faced discrimination and racial bias both in and out of the school, some AA high school seniors persevered and maintained a college ready mindset. Most of the college ready AA high school seniors commented that doing the right thing at all times was instilled in them by their parents (particularly mothers) and making goals and plans early in their school years aided their drive to be college ready
Finding Aid for the Harry T. Briggs Papers (HSF-68)
No full textThe Harry T. Briggs Papers is composed of personnel records, certificates, correspondence, training and operational manuals, handbooks, workbooks, specifications, reports, binders, plans, notes, documents, contracts, presentation slides, memorandums, handouts, booklets, brochures, telephone directories, and miscellaneous materials, documenting the entire career of quality assurance and control engineer and officer Harry T. Briggs at NASA Johnson Space Center largely between 1963 and 1991. Briggs worked as the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center quality control engineer at the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation in Bethpage, New York, for Grumman’s construction of the Lunar Excursion Module (later the Lunar Module) for the Apollo Program. Briggs also would become the one of the chief quality control engineers who worked for JSC on the development of the Space Shuttle orbiter in the 1970s and early 1980s. Eventually, Briggs became the chief of the Requirements and Compliance Branch of the Quality Assurance Division, specifically assigned to the Safety, Reliability, and Quality Assurance (SR&QA) Office in that Branch. He was the chief quality control officer partnering with West Germany on their Biostack experiments for Apollo 16, Apollo 17, and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in the 1970s. The bulk of the collection is composed of Briggs’ personal copies and drafts of quality assurance and quality control guidelines, manuals, contractor contracts, and other records, that he used in his role developing JSC’s quality control standards beginning with the Apollo Program through the initial design for the United States’ planned Space Station Freedom in the late 1980s. These records show the progression of quality control planning, standards, and design implemented by NASA and JSC as the various space programs developed from the 1960s through the 1980s. Briggs’ most important records are his copies of original manuals, handbooks, and other records, he created or used while assigned as NASA’s quality control engineer for the Lunar Module at Grumman Aircraft between 1963 and 1969. The other set of extremely important records in this collection are Briggs’ copies of the original West Germany Biostack experiment projects design, implementation, and report records—many in German
Measuring precalculus self-efficacy, grit, and achievement in university precalculus courses taught with an online flipped model
No full textThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among precalculus self-efficacy, grit, and achievement in university Precalculus classes taught with an Online Flipped Model (OFM). The researcher developed the Precalculus Self-Efficacy Survey (PCSES) to measure precalculus self-efficacy. For the purposes of validating the PCSES, at the same medium-sized university in the gulf coast region of Texas, 141 students were purposefully selected from every section of Precalculus offered in the 2020-2021 academic year (three in fall 2020 and two in spring 2021). To examine relationships among precalculus self-efficacy, grit, and achievement in Precalculus classes taught with an OFM, 81 students were purposefully selected from every section of Precalculus offered in fall 2020. All sections were taught with the same format by the same instructor. At the beginning and end of the semester, students’ precalculus self-efficacy was measured with the PCSES, and their grit was measured with the 12-item Grit Score (GS). A comprehensive final examination measured achievement at the end of the semester. Pretest and posttest PCSES and GS scores were analyzed using two-tailed paired t-tests to determine if there was a statistically significant mean difference by the end of the semester. Pearson correlations were used to determine the relationships between precalculus self-efficacy and achievement, as well as grit and achievement. Multiple regression techniques were used to determine if precalculus self-efficacy or grit could predict achievement; also, they were used to investigate if grit moderated the relationship between precalculus self-efficacy and achievement. Findings suggested that, although precalculus self-efficacy increased when an OFM was used, grit decreased. Furthermore, a positive relationship existed between self-efficacy and achievement, and a positive relationship existed between grit and achievement. Finally, precalculus self-efficacy was found to be a significant predictor of achievement, whereas grit was not. No statistically significant evidence was found to suggest grit moderated precalculus self-efficacy and achievement
The relationship between scientific literacy and science self-efficacy of undergraduates enrolled in select Biology classes
No full textScientific literacy and science self-efficacy have both been the focus of calls from educators and policymakers emphasizing the need to improve and reinforce them in order to improve science education. This study is aimed at examining the relationship between science self-efficacy and scientific literacy, two critical components of science education, to better understand specific correlations between the two. A correlation research design was employed to examine the relationship between undergraduate student science self-efficacy and scientific literacy. The researcher solicited a purposeful sample of students self-enrolled in various Biology courses from a large suburban public university to complete the SELDS and the TOSLS assessment in one sitting. Data were collected through online administration of the SELDS and TOSLS instruments through Qualtrics. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product-moment correlations, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). An analysis of the results of this study presented a statistically significant relationship between science self-efficacy and scientific literacy as well as between several specific components of science self-efficacy and scientific literacy. Another statistically significant relationship in this study was between self-efficacy for learning and understanding science topics and students'' ability to understand methods of inquiry to develop scientific knowledge. The results of the study can be beneficial to educators working with undergraduate students to help determine or develop their science literacy and science self-efficacy. Furthermore, they can be an important factor in the way that professors curate the learning experience for their students based on their science self-efficacy, self-efficacy to learning, and science literacy. The results of this study can be used to create a study on a larger scale to determine if the outcome was related to the narrow demographics of the participants. It is recommended to conduct this study on a larger scale, expanding to K-12 to develop a better understanding of the dynamics between components of science self-efficacy and scientific literacy
Cultural Competence for Health Care Providers: Undocumented Immigrant Latino/a Patients
No full textThe United States’ relationship with immigrants is complicated. Economically the country utilizes the labor and services many immigrants provide at an unethically reduced cost. Historically labor has been imported from other countries, with a heavy focus on Latin America in recent years, and foreign policy has been implemented to augment this approach. However, politically immigrants are often used as scapegoats for unemployment and crime, including human trafficking. Unfortunately, many Latino/a undocumented immigrants are forced into situations where their standard of living directly impacts their health. In the United States, healthcare is inaccessible to undocumented immigrants regardless of the cause of their ailments. Most of the United States has failed to address access to healthcare for undocumented immigrants, and the health care system has become so privatized that compassionate care and acute health services, which have access delegated by local governments, are the only option for undocumented immigrants.
The purpose of this project is not to prove that policy can be implemented to improve access to healthcare, nor is it to prove that the undocumented population is a burden to the system. Instead, it will focus on educating individual providers about how to better assess undocumented patients by understanding their culture and concerns. This project will present a handout informing providers of cultural considerations that help build rapport with Latino/a immigrant patients. It also includes an overview of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision (DSM-V-TR, APA, 2022) components that focus on cultural assessment
The Influence of Childhood Maltreatment and Trait Mindfulness on the Mental Health of Emerging Adults
No full textAccording to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (2020), over one million children are exposed to maltreatment annually (Norman, Hawkley, Ball, Bernston, & Cacioppo, 2013). Exposure to maltreatment in childhood is associated with multiple negative outcomes in adulthood, such as anxiety, depression, impairments in functioning, and lower levels of overall achievement. This study investigates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and its influence on depression, anxiety, and trait mindfulness. In this study, multiple regression analyses were used to determine if a moderating relationship exists between childhood maltreatment, trait mindfulness, and symptom severity of depression and anxiety in university students. Major findings can be used to inform clinical treatment and interventions used to meet the needs of this vulnerable population as they matriculate through college
Cultural Differences in Heart Rate Variability and Stress Response
No full textIt is well established that cultural values influence stress, however, very little research has investigated the psychophysiological underpinnings of these processes. The current study investigated whether differences due to individualist and collectivist culture traits (i.e., independence, interdependence) exist in psychophysiological processing (i.e., heart rate variability) and during the stress response. Aim 1 investigated whether there was a difference in resting heart rate and resting heart rate variability measurements between individualist and collectivist orientations. It was hypothesized that collectivists would display a decrease in heart rate variability measurements compared to their individualistic counterparts. Aim 2 investigated if there was a difference in the heart rate variability measurements between individualists and collectivists during an acute stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test. It was hypothesized that, when presented with an acute stressor, collectivists would display a decrease in heart rate variability. A sample of 28 healthy adults were included in these analyses. Participants completed the Self-Construal Scale (SCS) and were categorized into collectivist (N=11) or individualist (N=14) groups based on their scores. Beats-per-minute recordings were taken during a ten-minute baseline period prior to completion of the stressor and taken throughout the duration of the stressor. A significant difference was found between collectivist and individualist orientations at rest (i.e., during baseline measurements) for average heart rate and average R-R interval, with collectivists having higher heart rates but smaller R-R intervals as compared to individualists. A significant difference was also found between collectivist and individualist orientations for average heart rate and average R-R intervals during the acute stressor, however, there was no interaction between collectivistic/individualistic orientation and stress. These results suggest that cultural constructs of individualism and collectivism may affect heart rate and R-R intervals during resting and stressed conditions. This work highlights the importance of better understanding the effect of culture on psychophysiological processes within an individual
Finding Aid for the DATAMAN Wind Tunnel Test Reports (HSF-78)
Get PDFThe DATAMAN Wind Tunnel Test Reports collection is composed of 74 original wind tunnel test data reports generated during the NASA Space Shuttle Project for the Phase A and Phase B studies by the Chrysler Corporation Space Division at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. The reports are the results of the first two phases of the Space Shuttle Program that studied the feasibility of the Space Shuttle orbiter designs being considered in the late 1960s and early 1970s by NASA for their planned Shuttle Program. Phase A was Concept Feasibility Studies, and Phase B was Preliminary Design Studies.
The data in the reports was collected at multiple NASA centers and NASA contractor facilities across the United States; the data was compiled by the Chrysler Corporation Space Division at the Michoud Assembly Facility. The wind tunnel experiments were conducted from 1969 to 1972; the reports were published from 1970 to 1973. The collection is an incomplete set of the printed technical reports with data collected using Chrysler’s SADSAC automatic recording system and compiled by the DATAMAN data management system. The reports primarily focus on the aerodynamics and thermodynamics of the Delta Wing Orbiter and return boosters for the new orbiter design. Additionally, the reports contain photographic documentation of wind tunnel tests representing test processes before computer simulations were used by researchers. This is one of the largest publicly-available collection of the wind tunnel test reports from this NASA Shuttle project in the United States
The Tertiary Breath System: Inquiry into Achieving Autonomous Breath
Get PDFWhen considering the problems faced by astronauts, we find a wide gambit of opportunistic threats. Beyond standard Countermeasures, Human-countermeasures (H-CMS) – those countermeasures systems that are already engrained in our biology and can be trained or utilized through extraneous support technologies – offer unique, novel tools against these threats. One H-CMS is breath. Breath, or respiration, has a deep body of research to support numerous physiological and psychological (often creating a psychophysiological loop) response mechanisms that can have both acute and wide-ranging impacts on our human state. Further, the dualistic nature of breath (i.e., its ability to be both manually and automatically controlled) makes it the only human vital function that can be conditioned. This investigation explores the use of Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) as a display (i.e., stimulus delivery) technology, in attending to limitations of display landscapes (e.g., audio/visual environments are heavily polluted with data demands on a user). GVS uses electrical current to stimulate vestibular nuclei and has been demonstrated to be removed from self-motion commands at high-frequency.
The study showed clear stimulus control of the subject through the GVS cue (with correct, conditioned response rates of M = 97.1%, SD = 5.08) and showed a statistically significant effect on the reduction of breathing frequency, t(26) = 8.36, p<.001; d = 1.61– as is expected both by a) the presence of the deep slow breathing (DSB) behavior being cued, as well as via b) the cascading effects of parasympathetic nervous system engagement initiated by DSB design. While the study did also there was no support for the research hypothesis – that there would be a relationship between the idealized breath topography and the conditioned-gamified (i.e., distracted, conditioned) performance – for, both, duration, t(26) = 9.95, p<.001; d = 1.91, and depth, t(26) = 3.28, p = 0.003; d = 0.631, extended comparative assessments against the subject under load (i.e., gamified pacman, unconditioned) for duration, t(26) = 21.4, p<.001; d = 4.11, and depth, t(26) = 13.4, p<.001; d = 2.58, suggest that the executed breath is much more like the idealized breath than the subject’s nominal breath. Overall, while further trails/time could improve the topography of the skill, there is a clear opportunity present in conditioning breath.
Expansion of this work would enable increased respiration complexity and the creation of autonomous breath pathways to enhance human potential, especially in austere environments (i.e., allowing artificial intelligence to optimize breath protocols based on other missions, self, and environmental conditions or deltas)
Teacher Perceptions of Preparedness to Establish the Learning Environment
Get PDFNovice teachers are leaving the classroom within five years. Educator preparation programs are preparing teachers, but improvement is needed to meet the culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms of today. Transitioning from pre-service to in-service teacher can feel insurmountable while establishing the classroom environment, managing student behavior, and preserving well-being. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine novice teachers’ perceptions of their educator preparation program’s effectiveness to prepare them to establish the learning environment.
Overall, traditional certified teachers exhibit a higher sense of preparedness than alternative certified teachers due to instructional design incorporating deliberate practice in the field. Certification route influences the pre-service teacher’s preparedness to establish the learning environment. Race and ethnicity does influence preparedness to manage student behavior for both certification routes. In addition, there is a relationship between race and ethnicity and meeting behavioral needs of students with disabilities for the traditional and alternative certified teacher. Qualitive results indicated that the first-year is challenging and filled with harsh realities despite preparation route. Respondents also identified their misunderstanding with establishing a safe and accessible classroom. The most valuable experiences to aid in establishing the learning environment was student teaching, internships, and any time observing and practicing in the field. Teachers of color expressed inequitable practices but were motivated to teach because of special connections with students.
Based on the results of this study, policy makers should uniform the student teaching schedule requiring high impact experiences across all four domains in traditional programs and increase the field-based hours for alternative programs. EPPs must alter instructional design to close the gap in understanding of a safe and accessible classroom. District administrators must enact new teacher academies and mentoring across a three-year span. Campus administrators should implement a scaffolded approach to support novice teacher efficacy, practice, and well-being.