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Understanding The Role Of Confidence And Self-Efficacyin The Use Of Math Evidence-Based Practices In Middle School Inclusive Classrooms
No full textThis study examined the use of six math evidence-based practices (EBPs) for students in middle school with disabilities and sought to understand whether teachers’ use of these practices was related to their confidence in implementation of EBPs or math teaching self-efficacy. I also examined differences between general and special education teachers. Math teaching self-efficacy was measured by the Math Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI) and reported as two separate scores from two distinct subscales: Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy (PMTE) and Mathematics Teaching Outcome Expectancy (MTOE). The results indicated that both general and special education teachers used EBPs frequently, but that special education teachers had lower confidence in implementing these practices. Self-reported overall math teaching efficacy was low for both groups, but general educators had lower PMTE than special education teachers. Although confidence predicted reported use of EBPs, self-efficacy did not predict the use of EBPs. Years of experience was negatively correlated to the use of math EBPs and was a significant predictor in the regression analysis. Implications for policy, practice, and leadership are discussed.EducationDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.
Quantifying The Drivers Of Hypoxia Onset Variability In The Chesapeake Bay
No full textHypoxia, defined as low dissolved oxygen levels, is a widespread environmental issue affecting many coastal ecosystems, including the Chesapeake Bay. Exacerbated by global climate change and local anthropogenic stressors, hypoxia presents concern as it reduces suitable habitats for fish and shellfish, alters food webs and species distributions, and degrades the overall quality of the ecosystem. In the Chesapeake Bay, hypoxia has occurred annually for the past several decades, with the lowest oxygen concentrations occurring during the warm summer months. Despite its consistent yearly occurrence, long-term data analyses revealed substantial year-to-year variations in hypoxia onset timing, with hypoxia onset varying by over a month between years. Multiple environmental factors can contribute to this interannual variability, including wind patterns, air temperatures, and watershed inputs. While the general mechanisms of hypoxia development are understood, the complex and interconnected processes make it a challenge to discern the relative importance of individual factors and their underlying mechanisms as they drive annual hypoxia onset, especially as climate change continues to alter hypoxia timing. In addition, the semi-monthly resolution of the available monitoring data makes it difficult to discern onset variability from observations alone. Therefore, to address this knowledge gap, a 3-D fully coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical numerical modeling system was used to systematically modify key environmental factors to quantify their relative importance and to identify the critical time periods of greatest influence on hypoxia initiation. Sensitivity experiments involved modifying wind patterns (wind speed, direction, and waves), air temperatures, and terrestrial inputs (watershed loadings and freshwater discharge) individually to simulate realistic, short-term (i.e., monthly) events based on historical data. The magnitude of change for each factor was based on ±1 standard deviation calculated from a 25-year time series. The results reveal that hypoxia onset is most sensitive to month-long changes in May wind speeds, leading to a ~3-week range in onset timing. May air temperatures follow as the second most important factor, resulting in an onset range of ~1 week. While wind direction and waves also contribute to hypoxia development, their impact is relatively minor. Monthly changes in watershed runoff showed negligible effect on hypoxia onset, but displayed a substantial impact on the severity of total annually integrated hypoxic volume. High freshwater discharge, when isolated from changes in loadings, reduces the hypoxic volume due to enhanced estuarine circulation, despite the opposing effect of increased stratification. Overall, these findings provide new insights into the multiple factors that drive interannual variability in the temporal patterns of hypoxia. Understanding these dynamics is valuable for predicting and managing hypoxia, allowing for more targeted management and forecasting approaches.Virginia Institute of Marine ScienceMaster of Science (M.Sc.
“We catch them all!”: Discourse analysis of Trump’s and Biden’s stancetaking and legitimation practices on Twitter
No full textIn 2020, two African Americans—George Floyd and Breonna Taylor—were killed by police officers, and subsequently, there were nationwide protests demanding racial justice. With 2020 also being the year of the presidential election, race became a particularly salient topic in the political discourse (Hunnicut & Mason, 2020). This study examines Biden and Trump’s discursive practices on Twitter about the topics of the acts of police brutality and the protests. Specifically, I examine their stancetaking and legitimization practices (Kiesling, 2022; van Leeuwen, 2007; Reyes, 2011) by conducting a transitivity analysis (Halliday & Mathiessen, 2004) and a pronoun usage analysis (Mühlhäusler & Harré, 1990). The findings of this study show that Trump and Biden choose to focus on different topics with their stances, and they have different stance objects within these topics. Trump uses material process clauses to primarily delegitmize the violence that occurred during the protests, and to legitimize his own actions, using the exclusive we to do so. Biden, however, uses material process clauses to legitimize the the goals behind the protests, and he uses the inclusive we to include the American people as part of the action that changes the country. These findings are consistent with Trump’s previous discursive patterns, extending some of those findings to Twitter about this topic, and it provides new scholarship about Biden’s practices. Considering that in 2024, there is another presidential election in which Biden and Trump are candidates and a new set of nationwide protests, this study offers an opportunity for a critical analysis of Trump’s and Biden’s discursive practices this election. Keywords: Trump, Biden, discourse analysis, stancetaking, legitimation, transitivity analysis, pronoun usage, TwitterLinguisticsBachelors of Arts (BA
A Program Evaluation Of I-Ready Implementation In A North Carolina Middle School
No full textAurelius School District used Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready program, which was philosophically aligned to the science of reading and included i-Ready Diagnostic, i-Ready Instruction, and Teacher Toolbox, to improve Cole Middle School students’ reading achievement. Because of the high monetary cost of i-Ready, the school district was considering changing or ending this program. This pragmatic, mixed methods design, CIPP (Stufflebeam, 2003) program evaluation analyzed the fidelity of implementation of the i-Ready program through descriptive statistics (frequencies); assessed the effectiveness of the i-Ready program in increasing student achievement (on the Diagnostic, NC Check-Ins, and NC EOG) through descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and range), Repeated Measures ANOVA, and correlations analyses; and determined stakeholders’ perceptions of the value of the program to inform recommendations to continue, modify, or discontinue usage of the i-Ready program (through surveys and interviews prior to qualitative review using open and axial coding). Based on the review of related literature, the i-Ready program was a coherent and adaptive assessment system and an effective instructional intervention designed to increase adolescent literacy, which occurred in grade levels where the program was implemented with fidelity. Because it provided staff and students with timely, understandable, and helpful instruction and data that helped students grow, recover unfinished learning, and improve their achievement, the i-Ready program was valuable and worth its cost. As the implications for positive social change, it is recommended that the i-Ready program continues in its current form with a few adjustments to motivate and encourage teachers and students to result in increased usage and engagement.EducationDoctor of Education (Ed.D.
Resource monitoring for Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima) at the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind development site
No full textExcerpt from publication: "Development of offshore wind capacity along the East Coast of the United States continues to progress with plans for more than one thousand turbines planned coastwide over the next decade (BOEM 2022). In many instances, the construction and operation of turbines spatially overlap with other ocean uses, such as commercial fishing. While the impact on fishing is likely variable across regions and species, it is imperative to characterize these impacts across the spatiotemporal scale associated with the life cycle of the development. Located 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, Virginia, the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) 3,000-megawatt project will be built in water depths ranging from 18 to 42 meters (m), and the seafloor is primarily sandy benthic habitat. These bottom habitats are potentially suitable for Atlantic surfclams (Spisula solidissima solidissima) and have historically supported a commercial fishery in the area. Until recently, fishery efforts off the coast of Virginia along the southern edge of the surfclam range were low. However, commercial surfclam fishing efforts off Virginia resumed in 2021 with the fishery harvesting surfclams to the east of the CVOW site..."Virginia Institute of Marine Scienc
“Let’s Wait and See”: Canon Discourse in Online Fan Communities
No full textThe discourse around "canon" has undoubtedly shifted from its earlier meanings. In online fan spaces, canon ties into ideas of authority, storytelling, and dynamics between officials and fans. I argue, through a digital ethnography of the League of Legends fandom, this discourse demonstrates a reciprocal relationship which legitimizes official authority but also provides fan gifts. Dissatisfaction and complaints are integral to this reciprocal dynamic, rather than signs of instability or acrimony. I also argue that this dynamic cannot be changed by officials without replacing the reciprocal benefits fans receive from it. These themes of authority, legitimization, and popular consensus are not only important for understanding digital fan spaces, but also for understanding politics, ethnic identity, and postmodern theory in our digital age.AnthropologyBachelors of Arts (BA
Selected Faculty Members’ Perceptions Of Parental Involvement In The Lives Of Students At A Private, Baccalaureate Institution
No full textThe purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and beliefs of selected faculty members about parental involvement during students’ academic experiences at a private, baccalaureate college. The study asked a single research question, How do faculty members experience and understand parental involvement in their students’ academic lives? Scant research exists on the perceptions of faculty members on parental involvement in students’ collegiate experiences, yet we know that emerging adults are poised for developmental gains and parental involvement can both positively and negatively influence that development. Exploring this research question provides essential context for supporting college student development. This qualitative, phenomenological study interpreted data generated via surveys, individual interviews, and focus group interviews through an interpretivist paradigm and a theoretical framework grounded in Arnett’s (2000) theory of emerging adulthood and Chickering and Reisser’s (1993) identity development theory, with a particular focus on moving through autonomy towards interdependence. Participants shared a wide range of experiences and perceptions, sharing both their positive and negative experiences of direct and indirect parental involvement. The data showed that participants perceive parental support as positively related to student development and parental intervention as negatively related. This study provides a rich context for understanding parental involvement and its relationship to student development.EducationDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.
Dataset: Projected Flood Area in the Virginia Coastal Zone due to Sea Level Rise for 2055/2065 (NOAA Intermediate-High scenario)
No full textThis is a collection of GIS data in raster format which shows flooded area in 2055/2065 in the coastal zone of Virginia assuming the Intermediate-High sea level rise scenario from a NOAA publication (NOAA Technical Report NOS CO-OPS 083, Global and Regional Sea Level Rise Scenarios for the United States, 2017). The flooded areas include only areas with flood depth predicted to be greater than 0.5 feet (6 inches). All flooded areas are at projected mean high water levels.Virginia Institute of Marine Scienc
Strategies For Finding Inspiration
No full textInspiration is a process whereby a person recognizes an idea of intrinsic value and feels motivated to transmit that value through some creative activity. Inspiration is known to be a desirable state to experience in a person’s daily life, yet little is known about whether or how individuals can bring about their own inspiration states. The current research involves developing a measure of inspiration strategies and evaluating that measure on a sample of 439 undergraduate William and Mary students. We gathered data on strategy use and experiences of inspiration. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in three factors: reception, approach, and volition, representing key ways that people engage with inspiration strategies. Multiple regression analysis showed strategies labeled stimulation seeking, hearing, and channeling to be significant predictors of inspiration, indicating preliminary efficacy for those strategies. Future research will involve longitudinal designs which can determine if strategy use precedes inspiration states.PsychologyMaster of Science (M.Sc.
A God For All Places: Experiencing a Localized Mithraism
No full textThe time has come to implement a new approach to Mithras and his worship. This ancient Roman belief system, spread across three continents and enduring for more than three centuries, remains one of the least understood aspects of the ancient Roman world, yet has enormous potential to reveal the experiences and emotions of its people. In this honors thesis, I seek to rectify the challenges preventing a holistic reconstruction of Mithraism, offering a new methodology for understanding the establishment, development, and maintenance of Mithraic communities across the Roman Empire. I argue for a new approach in four parts. In Chapter 1, I introduce the diverse religious phenomenon of Mithras worship. In Chapter 2, I offer a brief overview and interpretation of archaeological and textual evidence and a short history of scholarship regarding Mithraism, establishing the hermeneutical problems inherent in past paradigms. In Chapter 3, I explore the ‘Ideal Mithraeum’ of Mithraic scholar Roger Beck, deconstructing his use of evidence and criticizing his generalizing conclusions about the astral meanings of this ancient belief system. Particularly important are Beck’s claims that all Mithraic temples mean the same. In Chapter 4, I present a new methodological approach to Mithraism based on "lived religion" techniques and focusing on human perception and agency in localized contexts. I argue that Mithras worship is best understood through the experiences and expressions of individuals, who adapted the diverse idioms of Mithraism to fit environmental and cultural panoramas across the Roman Empire. I demonstrate my approach through two case studies: the Močići Mithraeum (Konavle, Croatia) and the Mithraeum of Les Bolards (Nuits-Saint-Georges, France). The final conclusions of my thesis reveal that all Mithraic communities did not mean the same, but rather manipulated a broad set of symbolism to fit local circumstances, transforming understandings of Mithras from a static deity to a god for all places.Classical StudiesBachelors of Arts (BA