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Exploring Demographic Patterns in Yellow Mud Turtles: Trade-Offs Between Survival and Reproduction
No full textUnderstanding demography is integral to understanding the ecology of any population. Given global concerns over declining turtle populations, having a better understanding of demography could have significant implications for the management and conservation of at-risk populations. Although demographic research has been increasing amongst turtles, we still lack an understanding of variation in demographic parameters amongst most turtle species. Without such an understanding, it becomes difficult to evaluate if a management strategy developed for one population or species could or should be applied to other populations or species. I explored patterns in survival and reproduction for yellow mud turtles (Kinosternon flavescens) by examining 6 populations in Texas from 2007-2018. I used age-structured regression from 3,132 captures of 1,973 individuals across the sites to produce survival estimates for each population and used x-rays to determine average clutch size and estimated both egg volume and clutch volume for each site. Annual survival varied from 62.2% to 87.6% across the 6 populations. Across 5 sites, clutch size ranged from 3.4 to 5.0, egg volume ranged from 3716 mm3 to 4388 mm3, and clutch volume ranged from 13991 mm3 to 17667 mm3. Variation in survival and reproduction did not appear to be related to a clinal gradient across the populations I examined. I detected no significant relationships between survival and reproduction within my populations. For both variables, within-site
differences in habitat might be more significant drivers of demography than among-site differences, and the observed variation suggests this species has adopted a bet-hedging strategy rather than a more traditional K-selected strategy. Continued data collection in these and other populations should help clarify these relationships. With the anticipated effects of climate change in the southwestern United States, continuation of this study could provide an interesting opportunity to explore adaptive shifts in demography in response to increased climate variability
What Data Has To Say About Pandemic Influence On Computer Science Education
No full textSwitch to online learning and then extensive use of online tools in education due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic did contribute to a change in how we perceive and deliver education. We have to find intuitive ways to get the non-verbal cues that we are missing in an online and masked-up environment. Now, there is much more data available that can possibly tell us the effectiveness of the tools we use and the effects of the change. We believe that data analytics-driven mechanisms have a big role to play in uncovering and understanding students’ learning patterns and how to influence them. We collected statistics about students' experience level before and after the class, students' claimed time spent every week working on a particular class, students' responsiveness to surveys, journals, forums, tests, labs, students' grades every week, and students' overall grades. We did so for several classes and for a group of students of at least 12 students through different classes over 3 semesters - before, during and after the switch to online classes. We are aware that we cannot draw meaningful conclusions as we don't have enough data before the pandemic and we have adjusted teaching as we have been looking at the data but the overall experience will hopefully spark some important discussions and lead towards better definition of the research problem.Topic:
Identifying factors of students' successful learning experiences and how we can influence it with available interactions/tools.
History:
Even though the data, idea and the work on the data has been leading the teaching experience, formalizing the research project has just started.
Data Collection Methodology:
For this research data was collected through students' WTClass access patterns, statistics from tests, lab assignments, journals, messages, forum posts, surveys and through analysis of said data.
Expected Findings:
The idea is that by identifying the factors of students' successful learning we are able to adjust to whatever external influences we face and quantify that adjustment
Prince-Archbishops and Local Liturgies in Late Seventeenth-Century Salzburg
No full textHistory:
This research is part of a book proposal that is currently under review with Routledge Press. I am also planning to propose a version of this research at the International Conference on Baroque Music this summer (June 2021).
Data Collection Methodology:
The sources are largely manuscripts and prints of musical compositions written by composers employed by various prince-archbishops in Salzburg in the second half of the seventeenth century. Other sources include liturgical books that were printed or collected by these rulers and secondary sources providing details regarding the legislative activity (or lack thereof!) of these prince-archbishops.
Expected Findings:
Trends shift from administration to administration in Salzburg, as one would expect. Guidobald (the earliest ruler) was all about advancing his own career and did not care much for cultivating music culture or spending much time in Salzburg since he was busy chasing his own imperial ambitions. Maximilian Gandolph took over and immediately set to work establishing Salzburg as a major center of Catholic culture north of the Alps. He did this with music, architecture, and heavy-handed pro-Catholic legislation. Johann Ernst, the final prince-archbishop of the seventeenth century, carried forth Maximilian's mission but with a greater focus on aligning Salzburg with the imperial practices and values emanating from Vienna. While Maximilian Gandolph seemed to want to set Salzburg apart as individual, Johann Ernst, it seems, looked to assimilate Salzburg within the Holy Roman Empire.Situated within the Holy Roman Empire the Archbishopric of Salzburg occupied a unique geopolitical position in the seventeenth century. A prince-archbishop who assumed both sacred and secular power ruled the individual principality, which was sandwiched between two powerful political entities in the early modern era: Bavaria and the Habsburg hereditary lands. Building on the existing scholarship regarding the role of music and governance in the Holy Roman Empire (Saunders 1995, Weaver 2012, Fisher 2014) this poster presents a diachronic overview of music produced under a series of late seventeenth-century prince-archbishops. Tracking the shifting nature of Salzburg’s local sacred traditions under each ruler richly augments our understanding of regional Catholic history, which begs for further exploration (Monson 2002, Ditchfield 1995, Ducreux 2011). Composers Heinrich Biber and Andreas Hofer served Salzburg prince-archbishops Guidobald von Thun (r. 1654–1668), Maximilian Gandolf von Kuenburg (r. 1668–1687) and Johann Ernst von Thun (r. 1687–1709) and left behind a robust repertory of sacred music that reflects local traditions. These compositions are each associated with a particular Catholic feast yet set non-liturgical texts: richly centonized amalgamations of prose, poetry, scripture, and hymn verses. The inventive repertoire cultivated by each patron, therefore, reflects the religious values of each individual prince archbishop, which were inherently political according to his position as both a sacred and secular ruler. These musical sources grant insight into each leader’s approach to negotiating the region’s unique capacity as an individual principality that was a constituent component of both the Holy Roman Empire and the Universal Catholic Church
NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS FROM INCORPORATED AND SURFACE-APPLIED DAIRY MANURE AFTER SIMULATED IRRIGATION EVENTS
No full textThe more than 300,000 dairy cows in the Texas Panhandle generate a considerable amount of manure. This manure is a valuable fertilizer, but growing concerns with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has prompted research into methods for reducing GHG from land-applied manure. The objectives of this research were to 1) quantify nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from surface-applied and incorporated dairy cattle manure, 2) determine how irrigation affects N2O emissions, and 3) determine the mechanism for N2O emissions. A laboratory study was conducted to compare N2O emissions from four treatments (TRT) consisting of commercial fertilizer (U, urea), surface-applied manure (MS), incorporated manure (MI), and soil alone (S, control). Soil and manure were placed into glass containers (4 reps per treatment) and monitored for a 14-day period, during which two simulated irrigation events were applied. Emissions were measured from each container once per hour using a multiplexer and real-time N2O analyzer. Nitrous oxide emissions were ranked (high to low): U, MI, MS, and S. While MI is often used as a best management practice to reduce ammonia emissions following land application, it produced higher N2O emissions than MS. Emissions of N2O increased immediately after simulated irrigation in all TRT. Based on initial and final soil nutrient concentrations, the N2O was most likely generated from the nitrification of ammonium to nitrate. Further research is warranted to quantify GHG emissions from land-applied dairy manure under field conditions
Local Direct Democracy and Ballot Roll-off in the Age of Trump: Untangling the November 2020 Amarillo Propositions
Get PDFIn November 2020, voters in Amarillo, Texas, were asked to decide three ballot propositions in addition to casting votes for President, members of Congress, and members of the Texas Legislature. The three propositions were a $275 million bond issue, a proposal to lengthen the terms of members of the city council from two years to four years, and to change the number of city council meetings required per year. Two of the propositions failed to gain majority support while one of the propositions was approved by voters. This paper examines the relationship among the vote for President, ballot roll-off, and the failure and success of the ballot propositions. The present research is the start of an investigation that will conclude with an examination of the cast ballot records when they become available to the public
AN ANALYSIS OF DUVERNAY’S “WHEN THEY SEE US” THROUGH THE LENS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY
No full textThe film series, When They See Us, has been the most popular four part mini-series on Netflix since its release in 2019. It was produced and directed by Ava DuVernay and it touches upon true events that happened in 1989 at Central Park. The series presents the story of five black and brown boys and their brutal experiences in the hands of the American justice system. Kevin Richardson, Korey Wise, Raymond Santana, Yusef Salam, and Antron McCray were all fourteen to sixteen years old when they were accused of raping and brutalizing Trisha Meili at Central Park. DuVernay crafts scenes that are raw and horrifying but points to the lived experiences of people of color in America. The purpose of this thesis was to explore Ava DuVernay’s movie, When They See Us and its portrayal of the bias nature of the criminal justice system in America against people of color. This study sought to explore the connection of microaggressions and racism to police brutality against people of color in the United States. By using both critical race theory and standpoint theory, the study analyzes the experiences of the men of color in the movie as it relates to racism and judicial inequality, and how this directly reflects the experiences of people of color within the American society. Through the analysis of the film, the study found that stereotypes and implicit bias lead to people of color being discriminated against and brutalized by the American justice system at a disproportionate rate. The study also touches on the importance of the unique voice of color and how important education is to people of color in fighting the racism and stereotypes against them in society
DEVELOPING A SEQUENCE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM: A DELPHI STUDY
No full textThis study asked questions pertaining to three separate areas involving middle school agriculture programs. The first purpose of this study was to determine a curriculum sequence to administer to middle school agriculture courses. The opportunities available or not available to middle school agricultural education, such as competitive events, were considered. Lastly, this study evaluated the needs of middle school agriculture teachers.
A few studies, Rayfield and Croom (2010), Golden, Parr, and Peake (2014), and Jones, Doss, and Rayfield (2020), have been previously conducted on this subject. With literature be limited to the three studies mentioned, additional research in this area could be beneficial. Texas House Bill 3 granted additional funding for Career and Technical Education programs Grade 6-12 (Texas Education Agency, 2019-b). Further planning for these programs is necessary in order to use that funding most appropriately.
A Delphi study allows researchers to select a panel of experts that are personally invested in the topic being studied (Akers, 2000). This study utilized the Delphi method to allow a target group of panelists to identify components that would help answer the questions in the purpose of this study. The panel was asked to answer three open-ended questions pertaining to middle school agriculture classroom content, outside-of-the-classroom opportunities, and resources for teachers. After the panel identified answers to the questions, they were able to reach consensus on what items should be included or offered to middle school agriculture programs. The study yielded 24 curriculum components, 23 opportunities, and 23 resources for middle school agriculture program success
A Statistical Analysis of the Effectiveness of Mathematics Standards Reform in Texas
Get PDFThe Texas Education Agency adopted a revised set of mathematics Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills in April 2012 in order to be more aligned with the Common Core State Standards. These standards were fully implemented for the 2014-2015 school year in Kindergarten through eighth-grade classrooms. This project aimed to determine if these new standards have made an impact on Texas students’ achievement in sixth and seventh grade mathematics. Using scores from the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) from the year prior to implementation (2014) and the most recent spring administration (2019) a linear regression analysis was conducted to determine how the scores have been impacted since the new standards have gone into effect. In this study, sixth and seventh grade STAAR scores served as the data set for a linear regression model. The data analysis shows that the state-wide average score has had a statistically significant increase after the new standards became the focus of mathematics education; additionally, there has been significant change in average scores for most of the examined subpopulations
Examining Self-efficacy and Goal Orientation as Mediators of the Relationship between Social Presence and Career Planning of MBA Students
Get PDFHistory:
This study was presented at the conference below: Ramos Salazar, L., Zhang, Y., Huntington, H., Khandelwal, P., & Joshi, P. (October 2020). Examining self-efficacy and goal orientation as mediators of the relationship between social presence and career planning of MBA students. Paper presented to the 84th annual International Association of Business Communication Virtual Conference, San Diego, CA.
Expected Findings:
We found that the self-efficacy (perceived and Internet) and goal orientation (intrinsic vs. extrinsic) variables mediated the positive relationship between social presence and career planning confidence of MBA students.This study examined Internet self-efficacy, perceived self-efficacy in an MBA program, and intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientation as mediators of the relationship between social presence and career planning confidence. This study found that the self-efficacy and goal orientation variables were significant mediators of social presence and career planning confidence among 292 MBA students. Implications can guide the online course preparation of educations in accredited MBA programs
Creating an OER for Texas History
No full textRecorded Link: https://ensemble.wtamu.edu/Watch/o8K3HwGf | I am creating an open Educational Resource for teaching Texas History at the college level. Currently there is none. I will be using the Handbook of Texas Online plus my own expertise. The result will be a textbook that draws upon the expertise of many that is freely available to students.I received a course reduction to work on this project