2671 research outputs found
Sort by
What are you drinking?
No full textIn light of recent healthcare events, concerns about infectious agents on different surfaces have been rising. Typically very few people clean off their gas station pop cans before drinking them. The focus of my research is to see if there is a need to take such actions. In my research, I will be identifying and quantifying bacterial growth found on pop cans. I will also be looking into the fungal growth found on the aluminum cans, as well. In order to take a closer look into this, I have sampled five cans from ten different gas stations in Scioto County. Aluminum does not typically sustain bacterial growth. However, my research shows that there are bacteria and fungi on these cans
An Exploration of Spherical Geometry
No full textIn geometry, there are many branches of geometry that have specific rules and conditions. Spherical geometry is a branch of geometry that is relatively unexplored; Euclidean geometry is the main branch of geometry that is learned in school mathematics. The goal of my senior research project was to explore spherical geometry and then compare it to the common facts that are accepted in Euclidean geometry. Through the use of a Lenart’s sphere and written labs, the rules of spherical geometry are investigated and reported through a combination of written out explanations and pictures of the experiments completed as a part of the labs. As spherical geometry was explored, Euclidean geometry was used to reason about and analyze the results. To integrate the results of the research for this capstone project, an analysis of the similarities and the difference of spherical geometry and Euclidean geometry was completed
November 22, 2024 Executive Committee Meeting
Get PDFMinutes of the November 22, 2024 Executive Committee meeting, Board of Trustees
Evaluating a Spatial Reasoning Test for Better Understanding Struggling Science Learners
No full textI would like to present the current state of my progress with a spatial reasoning test that is specifically to a particular conceptual domain. The Astronomy-Based Geometry Test (ABGT) has 21 items that are visually presented, in a multiple choice format, and are derived from the fundamental movements of the solar system that explain the day/night cycle, seasons, lunar phases, and eclipses. I will report on current reliability and validity of the scale, along with possible uses. With combined data from about 141 participants across smaller studies, norms for high- and low-scorers have been established. Validity of the scale appears to be good-to-strong, with several questions related to each key movement in the solar system. An exploratory factor analysis shows one factor with two subscales. The ABGT has modest but not strong overlap with a general spatial test, the Cube Comparison Test (r = 0.438), which shows it is both assessing thinking that is similar to and distinct from general spatial reasoning. In terms of reliability, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient shows evidence for internal consistency and one primary construct. Test-retest with a small sample (n = 24) is not high (r = .455), which is a concern, but more data needs to be collected. A distinct feature of this test is that it is not a general spatial reasoning test, but focuses on those particular spatial relationships that may be problematic for a student. Hence, this test can be used with other assessment data to generate a profile of strengths and weaknesses for struggling science learners. This element of validity—how well does performance on the ABGT connect to understanding basic astronomy—will be presented
Perspectives Regarding Gender Affirming Care
No full textThis presentation hopes to bridge a gap of understanding between Shawnee State University Faculty and students on select myths regarding gender-affirming care. My goal is to identify opportunities for education and to celebrate positive findings
Math Inventory and Success in Algebra 1
Get PDFStudents spend a lot of time being tested on what they have learned, when that time might be better spent on more learning. Because of the stakes attached to state end of year testing, many school districts have started requiring students to take additional benchmark assessments to help them figure out who will need more help in order to pass. One large school system in Virginia has recently begun to require students to take the Math Inventory test at least two times per year. Anecdotal data from teachers who gave it the first year suggested that there may be problems with the test, prompting this research. Data was collected from all Algebra 1 students at an ethnically diverse target high school within the aforementioned school district, including Math Inventory scores for fall and spring, SOL (Virginia Standards of Learning) scores, end of course grades, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. A linear regression model was found to be statistically significant in predicting spring SOL scores from fall Math Inventory scores. Also, a logistic regression model was found to be statistically significant in predicting a student’s success in Algebra 1 (passing both the class and the SOL) from a student’s fall Math Inventory score and ethnicity. However, inconsistencies were found between the spring Math Inventory scores and other spring data (SOL scores and end of course grades), suggesting that there may be a problem with the assumptions or perhaps the administration of the test. Recommendations are to use the Math Inventory in the fall to predict SOL scores and success in Algebra 1 at the target high school. It is not recommended that this model be used at other schools, as the target school is different from other schools in the area both ethnically and socioeconomically. However, this process could be used at other schools to create their own models to predict spring scores. Additionally, the results imply that either further research should be conducted on the spring administration of the Math Inventory (possible inconsistencies in how it is given, student and teacher motivation, etc.), or the spring administration of the Math Inventory should be discontinued
Math state test scores of high school students across video game preferences
Get PDFPlaying video games is one of the most popular ways for modern adolescents to spend their free time. Clearly, anything that takes up potentially hundreds or thousands of hours of a young person’s life is going to affect various aspects of that person’s development. Some video games are more cerebrally engaging than others, requiring logical reasoning and problem-solving skills, and yet only in recent years have researchers attempted to differentiate between video games based on their content. Experiential Learning Theory implies that spending time on more cognitively stimulating video games should positively impact the cognitive abilities of the player, but the displacement hypothesis suggests that video games are more harmful because they take away from time that would otherwise be spent on more directly beneficial activities. This study gathered survey and state test data from students at two very different high schools on opposite ends of the United States in early 2024, but after issues with parental consent forms, one school had to be excluded from the study. The data from 81 students were analyzed with descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and hierarchical linear regression analysis in order to determine if the types of video games that students spend the most time on affected their performance on the mathematics portion of their state tests, after controlling for self-reported gender and the amount of time they spend playing video games on average. None of the predictors – gender, time spent gaming, nor most played type of video game – were significant in either the ANOVA or the hierarchical linear regression, and effect sizes were very small. These results coincide with most prior video-game related research insofar as they indicate that if there is any impact of gaming on academic performance, it is either minimal or highly nuanced. Future research may reveal that some relationship does exist between gaming and academic performance, but such studies will need larger sample sizes than that of this study and/or tightly controlled experiments
Ethical Challenges Businesses Face Increasing Technology into the Workforce.
Get PDFAs technological advancements continue to reshape the business world, there has been a rise in automation and artificial intelligence causing ethical concerns about human involvement in the workforce. In recent years, businesses across different industries have begun replacing employees with automated systems and robots, limiting job opportunities and rising unemployment rates. This shift in the labor dynamic has increased the discussion of a businesses Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), emphasizing the ethical obligations they have to their stakeholders, including employees, and communities. Even though using automated systems does enhance the efficiency in the workplace, it brings ethical dilemmas of job security, and worker morale, impacting local economies. This has made it difficult for those in and entering the job market as asynchronous communication within the organization has furthermore made it difficult for potential employees to get their foot in the door making it harder to underdeveloped interpersonal skills with businesses. In this essay, it will explore the issues of CSR, highlighting the importance of maintaining a balance between technological advancements and the well-being of employees. It argues that encouraging meaningful human interactions are essential for businesses to thrive ethically and sustainably as these interactions can foster creativity, innovation and interpersonal relationships that technology alone cannot recreate, to ensure a successful and positive impact for a businesses future