14878 research outputs found
Sort by
The Impact Of Auxiliary Support Systems In Improving Learner Outcomes In An Online School: A Qualitative Case Study
No full textThe purpose of this study was to examine the impact of auxiliary support systems in improving learner outcomes through a case study of one virtual school in a midwestern state. Mentor and teaching practices were researched and analyzed using the Community of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework. The research design was an evaluative case study where data were gathered from online teachers, mentors, and academic interventionists. The research sought to answer the questions, "Were online students more successful when they have an assigned mentor with whom to work?" and "How might we improve how we prepare our mentors (e.g. training, support, and professional development) to better serve our students?" The practices and beliefs of two mentors, one academic interventionist, one special needs teacher, and four online teachers were studied using interviews, observations, and document analysis. I used the CoI's three presences: social, cognitive, and teaching/mentor presence to examine mentors, interventionists, and online teachers in one K-12 public school district over the course of one semester. The location I selected has legislation that mandates that there is an assigned mentor for every student enrolled in an online class. Each staff member was asked to fill out surveys to gather pre and post semester data and participated in a sequence of interviews based on that information. The findings from the study showed causal relationships between students' need for skilled and effective mentors and success in their online classes. They provided advising tools and resources, offered daily support and encouragement, helped troubleshoot technology issues, motivated frustrated students, and helped them stay organized. However, while mentors were assigned to online students as required by legislature, each of the participants had been "voluntold" of their mentoring roles and were left to figure it out on their own. The lack of time to complete their normal job duties along with mentoring students resulted in negative feelings. As a result, there were inconsistencies as to the effectiveness of the mentors. Further research is needed to identify practices of K-12 fully online teachers for all subject areas and to verify the applicability of the K-12 Community of Inquiry framework
Harvesting Energy and Water from Fertilizer Osmosis
No full textThe potential for concentrated fertilizer to drive water treatment, nutrient recovery, and power generation has received increased attention. Large amounts of energy are wasted in agricultural systems each time concentrated fertilizers are diluted in water for fertigation, such as is common in hydroponic cultivation. This energy can be harnessed and converted to mechanical work or electricity to take a considerable load off specific farm subsystems, such as pumping and ventilation, or can directly drive desalination and filtration of non-potable waters such as seawater and wastewater. This thesis analyzes membrane processes for converting fertilizer energy to useful work. First, the novel concept of using fertilizer to generate power via pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) is introduced. Second, the concept of fertilizer PRO is experimentally validated, and power generation and energy recovery are shown for a range of common fertilizers. Third, the thermodynamic and practical limitations of recovering energy from fertilizer are established using a number of new analytical, numerical, and experimental methods. Finally, an alternative to energy recovery is examined, namely the possibility of using fertilizer to drive forward osmosis (FO) to recover clean irrigation water from wastewater feed sources. The limitations of fertilizer FO are also established, again using a number of new analytical, numerical, and experimental methods. Results indicate that up to 1200 l of water and 125 Wh of energy may theoretically be recovered per kg of fertilizer, when low-concentration municipal wastewater is available. Given typical nutrient requirements for hydroponic plant cultivation, such values approach nearly 500 of necessary irrigation water and 5 of the electricity consumed by a typical greenhouse. However, practical limitations and non-ideal transport dynamics reduce these values and must be overcome in future research, so that fertilizer energy can be economically deployed to farm systems. To conclude, other applications of fertilizer energy are introduced and pathways for future research and development are discussed. This research may contribute to the future of sustainable agriculture by opening up new possibilities for energy efficiency, water security, and food productivity
Precarious Manhood And Threat-Motivated Gun-Related Attitudes And Behavioral Intentions Among Men In The United States
No full textThe precarious manhood thesis posits that men are motivated to maintain attributes associated with societally accepted forms of masculinity. As a result, when men feel their manhood is threatened, they tend to respond with exaggerated displays of masculinity. Prior research indicates that guns are closely intertwined with masculinity and thus may be a tool through which men can demonstrate their manhood when feeling threatened. To empirically test this idea, the current research conducted two experimental studies examining the causal influence of masculinity threats on gun-related attitudes (Study 1) and behaviors (Study 2). It was hypothesized that men exposed to a masculinity threat would report more gun-supportive attitudes and have a greater likelihood of engaging in gun-related behaviors relative to men exposed to a gender affirmation— especially in a public context. Adult men residing in the United States (N = 381) completed assessments of demographics and adherence to masculine gender norms prior to their randomization into the masculinity threat and public display conditions. Following the manipulations, Study 1 participants (n = 184) completed measures of gun- related attitudes, while Study 2 participants (n = 197) also completed assessments of gun-related behaviors. Results generally did not support a causal association between the masculinity threat manipulation and gun-related constructs, resulting in retention of the null hypotheses. However, exploratory analyses revealed significant associations between adherence to masculine gender norms and demographic variables with gun-related outcomes. Together, these results suggest that masculinity threats do not have a causal influence on gun-related variables. Rather, gun-related attitudes and behaviors are partially explained by social, developmental, and cultural factors—including adherence to masculine gender norms
Implementation and Evaluation of an Evidence Based Handoff Tool for Use in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit at UPHS Marquette
No full textProviding a thorough handoff to another health care provider during transfer of care is an important task that all must share responsibility for. Handoff provides the opportunity to communicate important information, outcomes, and future interventions for a patient. During this critical time there is the potential for information to be missed and forgotten when providers are busy, stressed, or apathetic. Without the use of a tool to aid in this process, there is a higher chance that missed information will occur. Incorporating a handoff tool into practice has the potential to reduce these risks and also provide a more comprehensive handoff. The purpose of this DNP Project was to answer the following questions: (1) Does the incorporation of a handoff tool improve handoff quality? and (2) Does a handoff tool improve healthcare worker satisfaction?
Currently at Upper Peninsula Health System Marquette, there is no formal standardized handoff tool in use during transfer of care between providers in the anesthesia department and post anesthesia recovery unit. This paper describes a quality improvement project that employed a pretest/posttest design to answer the project questions. A pre-intervention and post-intervention survey was launched to gauge CRNA satisfaction with the handoff process, willingness to adopt a standardized handoff tool and preferences for characteristics to include in a handoff tool. Findings from this project revealed that satisfaction with the handoff process increased following implementation of the handoff tool (pre-intervention 9.1% agree/ strongly agree; post-intervention 87.6% agree/strongly agree). In addition, CRNAs reported that the new handoff process was less likely to lead to mistakes (pre-intervention 90.9 % agreed/strongly agreed; post-intervention 6.3%)
Client-and Designer-Based Linocut Relief Printing on Linoleum
No full textThis project assessed linocut printing as a viable design process in modern times through creating and comparing different qualities of linocut-based work. Learning the opinions of designers and the general public about these varying qualities of linocut work was essential to discover the possibility of reducing issues of budget and time that have made the once-popular method rare today. Minimizing these issues will enable graphic designers to reignite linocut for clients in their work and slow down to reconnect with their work and craft. Additionally, this project provided knowledge in the preferences of linocut types for various age groups and occupations, the perspectives of linocut designers, if the price and quality of linocut are negotiable, and if linocut is worth reviving.
This new knowledge will result in unique and quality prints, prints designers can include in their work, and a greater understanding of linocut for readers. Most importantly, designers will benefit from slowing down to reconnect with their work and craft; additionally, client priorities were examined to verify linocut is a feasible approach to commercial-based design work
A Case Study of Trust and the Relationships between White Teachers and Their Black Students
No full textThe purpose of this study was to examine whether White teachers’ trust in theirBlack students would stimulate positive teacher-student relationships. One question guided my research: How do White teachers build trust with their Black students? This study used interviews of 5 White middle school teachers and 3 Black middle school students for the data set. Semi-structured interviews and a focus group were conducted to fully understand the lived experience of teachers and students within a middle school setting. All of the teacher participants worked in middle schools where they taught core content classes. Each teacher and student interviewed had at least 1 year experience teaching or attending middle school. Each interview and focus group was recorded via ZOOM and transcribed as soon as possible for accuracy and review. Important statements were extracted from the interview and focus group transcripts resulting in three major themes. Theme one, students and teachers’ definition of trust, presented how students and teachers viewed trust in developing positive relationships within the classroom. Theme two, teacher-student relationships, presented how trust impacts the interactions of students and teachers to effectively build strong relationships. Theme three, racial tension, presented how race and White norms impacted teaching practices and the development of teacher-student relationships. The researcher concluded that the participants had a perceived trust as an enabling factor for building positive relationships. However, students explained that building relationships could be improved by the teachers’ ability to adapt to their students
Optimizing the Production of Taq Polymerase from E. coli
No full textProtein purification is an important biotechnological process used to induce the expression of a desired protein from host cells, isolate the protein using one or more established methods, and collect it in its purified form. Applications of such exist in pharmaceutical products, clinical research, and other medicinal areas. This process describes the execution and optimization of the protein purification of Taq polymerase, a DNA polymerase enzyme natively expressed by the bacterial species Thermus aquaticus. Introduction of the gene into the Escherichia coli host cells was completed using recombinant DNA technology, and expression of the desired Taq polymerase protein was induced via isopropyl-β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). Its isolation and collection were facilitated via cell lysing and ion-exchange column chromatography. The resulting Taq polymerase was successfully utilized as DNA polymerase in the polymerase chain reaction. Optimization of the process was achieved by maximizing protein yield and consolidating fraction collection into the smallest possible number of fractions. This occurred in the form of two parameter modifications: IPTG inducing concentration and chromatography flow rate. Five concentrations of IPTG were tested based on the standard protocol value of 0.335 mM, those being 0.08375 mM, 0.1675 mM, 0.335 mM, 0.5025 mM, and 0.67 mM. Three flow rates were tested using peristaltic pump settings, those being 0.5 mL/min, 1 mL/min, and 2.0 mL/min. It was found that an IPTG concentration of 0.1675 mM yielded the highest protein expression, and the flow rate of 2.0 mL/min resulted in the highest Taq polymerase expression concentrated in a single fraction. These results hold value for resource and time savings of large-scale protein purification processes, and can be replicated and applied to the purification of therapeutic proteins, clinical protein study, and other fields
