University at Albany, State University of New York
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Exploring Family Experiences In Supporting Children’S Literacy Development During The Coronavirus Pandemic
Get PDFIn March of 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, drastically changing teaching and learning. Children were immediately placed in emergency remote learning, and parents became facilitators of their children’s learning while children were in their virtual learning space. This study explored families\u27 experiences with literacy development for children in second to third grade during the Coronavirus pandemic to learn how changing school experiences influenced family functioning around in-school and out-of-school literacy engagement activities. The study addressed these research questions: How did families support their children\u27s changing and evolving school experiences during the Coronavirus pandemic? (a) In what ways did parents scaffold their children\u27s literacy engagement and learning in the home during online learning? (b) In what ways did families engage in activities and bridge literacy inside and outside of the school environment? (c) What practices supported family resilience as they engaged in literacy activities during the pandemic? Drawing upon the Family Resilience Model (Walsh, 1998) and the Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1977), a multiple-case study involving four families was conducted. A priori coding for inductive and deductive category development was used to analyze interviews, observations, and artifacts. Study findings revealed that families continued engaging in literacy practices according to family routines, perceived needs, and school requirements during the virtual learning context and in out-of-school engagements. Further, the findings show that some lines between in and out-of-school literacy practices were blurred due to the context of learning during the pandemic (virtual/remote learning). In contrast, in some areas, family out-of-school practices remained distinct from in-school practices. Study findings offer new knowledge of family engagement practices involving in-school and out-of-school literacy practices during the pandemic, which have important implications for teachers and parents. Out-of-school contexts play an important role in children’s literacy development because, in these contexts, children engage in out-of-school practices that build transferable skills to their in-school contexts. Through technology, parents support and bridge their children’s out-of-school engagements with in-school practices that enhance literacy development. These findings provide valuable insights into how educators can bridge in and out-of-school literacy, particularly regarding online learning
Toward A Trustworthy And Responsible Artificial Intelligence
Get PDFBeing trustworthy and responsible—particularly in terms of decisions and actions—in artificial agents is as crucial as it is in human agents. However, the dominant theories surrounding pertinent concepts such as trust, trustworthiness, moral responsibility, legal rights, etc., are primarily proposed, developed, and applied to human agents, not artificial ones. The absence of well-developed conceptualization and characterization of relevant concepts concerning critical agents continues to exacerbate the challenges and importance of these concepts in the realm of artificial intelligence. This void necessitates novel perspectives and approaches toward the metrics needed to foster genuinely trustworthy and responsive artificial intelligence systems. In this dissertation, I tackle various challenges associated with developing trustworthy and responsible artificial intelligence systems and propose a model for this purpose.In Chapter 1, I focus on the current conceptualization of trust in AI, the significance of trust/distrust in AI (as opposed to other technologies), and a typology of trust in human-machine interaction. In Chapter 2, I explore two major classes of technical and non-technical metrics of trustworthy AI as well as trust creators and destroyers in AI technology. I argue in Chapter 3 that current trust theories cannot accommodate trust related to AI, and propose an alternative counterfactual theory of trust, which accounts for the four major types of trust concerning AI. Chapter 4 delves into different types of current value-based challenges facing AI. In Chapter 5, I discuss two approaches—a priori and a posteriori—to integrating ethics in AI technology, argue against the ethics in design approach, and explain the necessity of embedding ethics to address current value-based challenges confronting AI. Finally, in Chapter 6, I present a version of embedded ethics for responsible AI systems (EE-RAIS). This model draws upon four platforms of embedded ethics: educational, cross-functional, developmental, and algorithmic. Moreover, it utilizes four imperative metrics: ethical intelligence, legal intelligence, social-emotional competency, and artificial wisdom
Constructing, Integrating, And Testing The Choice Set For Models Of Offender Decision-Making
Get PDFModels of offender decision-making are premised on a rational actor weighing the perceived options within their choice set. One will choose to engage in a behavioral option that provides them with the greatest benefits and fewest costs as compared to the other perceived options. Even though the choice set is the foundation from which offender decision-making is built, criminologists, and offender decision-making scholars specifically, have assumed the choice set without directly measuring it. Without appraising the choice set, a multi-step process of decision-making is collapsed into a single step. This precludes an understanding of the composition of the choice set, how it varies across individuals, how and why people perceive different options, and how perceiving different options impacts one’s chosen behavior. This dissertation addressed these issues and developed a more complete depiction of decision-making processes. In study one, I leveraged the fields of neuroscience and psychology in developing a validated measure of the choice set. In study two, I predicted one’s choice set and behavioral outcome from multiple theoretically-relevant neighborhood- and individual-level predictors. Study three then examined the direct influence of the choice set on one’s behavior, and the indirect effects of the aforementioned perceived neighborhood- and individual-level predictors on behavioral outcomes through one’s choice set. On the whole, I found support for my expanded theoretical model of offender decision-making. Scholars advancing the decision-making literature not only need to account for the choice set in their models, but they also must consider decision-making as a multi-phase process. This dissertation not only speaks to criminological theory broadly—and ways to expand our understanding of the process of decision-making specifically—but also to violence-reducing policy prescriptions centered on manipulating acceptable behavior
Cross-Layer Cryptography For Wireless Communication
Get PDFSpectrum access in the next-generation wireless networks will be congested, competitive, and vulnerable to malicious intents of strong adversaries. This motivates us to rethink secure wireless communication in a zero-trust electromagnetic environment. Classical cryptography is an add-on feature that provides semantic security between trusted partners at higherlayers. However, cryptography ignores cross-layer interaction with physical layer which is required to enhance the secrecy level of the transmitted waveform. Moreover, cryptographic schemes might no longer be secure in the quantum era. Physical layer security (PLS) is introduced as a complement to cryptography, where security is provided in the physical layer using the channel state information (CSI) between the trusted partners. Although PLS can theoretically provide perfect secrecy, it might be impractical in many scenarios due to the constraints imposed on adversary’s reception
Synergic concepts and lexical idiosyncrasies as means of reconceptualization to develop bilingual pragmatic competence : a study of sequential bilingual students in different sociocultural contexts
Get PDFThis dissertation uses the Conceptual Blending Hypothesis from the socio-cognitive method presented and refined by Kecskes (2002, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2020) to explain how the lexical choice of bilinguals differs across sociocultural situations. Quantitative (lexical density, lexical diversity, and lexical sophistication) and qualitative (lexical concepts) processes demonstrate this variance. Hence, the thesis shows the interplay between two aspects of the bilingual’s word choice, namely conceptualizing and selecting words in the linguistic system, which influence word choice in context (i.e. individual words via words used in essay writing). It is hypothesized that a conceptual blending of the sociocultural loads of the first language and those of the second language (L2) during the conceptualization process influences the formulation and selection of lexical items or words in a target context. 108 students participated in this study, including 72 sequential Chinese-English students from two parallel classrooms at institutions located in the Northeast of the United States and China. In addition, 36 English native-speaking students studying in the same program in the USA were recruited as a baseline group. Ten socio-culturally distinct concepts were selected for a conceptual elicitation task (containing [1] individual concept’s semantic elicitation, [2] pragmatic contextual and emotional elicitation, and [3] word associations) and an essay employing those concepts and their lexicalized words in English. Data analysis also shows that conceptual blending in synergic concepts can display varied degrees of blending that may affect on-time lexical selection in the actual situational context, which could result in a “third-space” conceptualization and deviational idiosyncratic word choices. The key findings are as follows: (1) during conceptualization (pre-verbal messages), conceptual blending in synergic concepts was detected in all experimental concepts, starting with domineering L1 socio-cultural conceptualization, through dominantly assimilating into L2 conceptualization to deviational conceptualization from both L1 and L2 conceptualization; (2) the locations where the conceptual socialization takes place (using English as a foreign language in native culture versus English as a second language in the target culture) weakly affects or does not affect the reconceptualization of a concept at all; (3) in formulation (formulator), under the influence of synergic concepts, the cognitive saliency of word sequences of two bilingual groups deviates from each other, and the monolingual groups; (4) at the phase of articulation (articulator) in essay writing, pre-verbal synergic concepts (conceptualizer and formulator) are lexicalized into natural collocations or lexical idiosyncrasies that are prominent in the conceptual socialization of bilinguals living in the target L2 culture. These idiosyncrasies are lexicalized from their synergic concepts and stronger conceptual blending when conceptually blending into the target culture. Indeed, bilinguals in the USA have statistically significantly more lexical idiosyncrasies than subjects in China. Furthermore, due to the fact that their lexical density, diversity, and sophistication are comparable to those of monolingual Americans, typical lexical complexities do not distinguish bilingual students in the United States from monolingual Americans, as they do in bilinguals living in China, while lexical idiosyncrasies could be included to help depict their lexical abilities. (5) Lastly, lexical density, diversity, and lexical idiosyncrasies may be utilized together to highlight lexical complexity and differentiate bilingual subjects in terms of their bilingual pragmatic competence, although text lengths and lexical sophistication cannot. Individual characteristics, such as metapragmatic awareness and holistic translanguaging in conceptualization and lexicalization, might guide bilingual students’ lexical choices towards a specific audience. The study provides novel insights into the dynamics involved in bilingual language usage and bilingual pragmatic competence, as demonstrated by the conceptual and linguistic evolution of bilingual learners’ vocabularies as represented by word selection. The pedagogical implications of the study are also addressed
The Hidden Curriculum In Social Work Graduate Programs: Implications For Professional Socialization And Practice
Get PDFThe professional socialization of master level social work students is an area of evolving research, and studies have found inconsistent results. Lack of empirical knowledge leaves the social work profession vulnerable to assumptions about the preparation of its practitioners and to unintentional socialization that might contradict the mission of social work. Using the framework of the hidden curriculum, i.e., unstated norms and values transmitted to students, sheds light on how faculty, staff, peers, and the implicit practices in MSW education influence students’ socialization. Twenty-second year MSW students from three different MSW programs participated in focus groups during their second year of study, and 16 of these students participated in individual interviews during the fall after they graduated. This qualitative study explores the covert processes of professional socialization and the roles that the explicit, implicit, and hidden curricula play in the socialization process. The findings indicate the presence of a hidden curriculum resulting in reproduction of status quo, conformity, lack of positive human interchange, and experiences of differential treatment of students, especially students of color, leading to lack of equality and equity. The findings further indicate a lack of focus on social change and social justice in master level social work programs. The research also includes indicators of strengths in the educational programs; indicators aligning with social work’s mission. Based on the study’s findings and the existence of the concept of a positive hidden curriculum, implications include the integration of a positive and explicit hidden curriculum into the EPAS stipulated implicit curriculum
The changing role of the judiciary in antebellum New York State
Get PDFAbstract From its first constitution adopted in 1777 in the midst of the Revolutionary War to the constitution adopted in 1846, New York State’s elected officials argued about the structure and role of the judiciary in state government and its application of the rule of law. Two constitutional conventions held in 1821 and in 1846 each produced a constitution that substantially reorganized the state judiciary. The delegates to these conventions debated what roles of the courts, the judges, and the legal profession and the rules of law that they applied would be appropriate to a republican form of government. These debates provide windows into the prevailing concerns and the changing attitudes toward the role of the judiciary and its appropriate political structure. The convention debates demonstrate that the arguments over fundamental principles, such as democratic control over the judiciary, the right of the majority to control each branch of government, and appropriate access of men of all social classes to the legal profession continued in New York State until the middle of the nineteenth century. The debates provide evidence that while some American political principles, such as separation of powers, were quickly adopted, the tension between the republican ideology that prevailed at the time of the first 1777 constitution and the more modern political theory, embodied the United States Constitution ratified in 1788 to 1789, of checks and balances, an independent judiciary, and limitations on the right of the majority to decide all aspects of public policy continued through the middle of the nineteenth century. Historians who contend that these debates were resolved in the 1780s or even the early nineteenth century underestimate the continuing nature of the struggles regarding the judiciary and the continued perceived need by the representatives of the public to assert the iii rights of the majority in response to a perceived “aristocracy” that attempted to control the judiciary and thus substantial government actions. The debates also show the growth of the legal profession and its increasing professionalization and solidarity, which moderated attempts to make the court system and legal rules simpler and more readily accessible to the general public. Forms and process were simplified in response to this pressure. However, major changes were defeated. The application of the common law was preserved and the courts and the legal profession retained control over admission to the practice of law and the available methods to resolve disputes. New York State, in 1846, implemented a system in which most judges were elected. This responded to and satisfied the demand that judges be held responsible to the voters. This completed efforts to make the judicial system more democratic, and an elected Court of Appeals, the highest court in New York, survived until the latter half of the twentieth century, when Court of Appeals judges were made appointive. It also allowed the courts to apply both the common law and the rules of equity in unified proceedings and blended the former court of chancery into the existing common law courts, creating a more stream-lined system. The elimination of the court of chancery removed one of the few remaining institutions that had operated during New York’s colonial period. The only judicial institution inherited from the British judicial system that was retained was the system of justices of the peace, which still are part of the New York judiciary
Value alignment in online reviews: a determinant of applicant attitudes and intentions
Get PDFOf interest in this study is the way organizational values communicated in online reviews are recognized and interpreted by job applicants in relation to their personal values, with this comparison potentially influencing their attitudes and intentions in relation to the organization. An ancillary research question is whether quantitative or qualitative reviews have a greater impact on applicant attitudes and intentions. Drawing on signaling theory, I employed an experimental vignette design to examine whether person-organization (PO) fit perceptions explain the relationship between value alignment and an applicant’s recommendation intentions and organizational attraction. The main effect of value alignment on PO fit was significant, as were the main effects of PO fit on organizational attraction and recommendation intentions for both the full sample (N = 274) and a reduced sample that passed the attention check (N = 170). The direct effects of value alignment on organizational attraction and recommendation intentions were not significant for both samples. Mediation model results indicated support for the indirect effect of value alignment on organizational attraction through PO fit and of value alignment on recommendation intentions via PO fit with the full sample; however, neither indirect effect was significant for the reduced sample. Additionally, preliminary evidence indicates that qualitative reviews may be more impactful for applicants than quantitative reviews. These results suggest that applicants are actively perceiving and interpreting signals about enacted organizational values communicated in online reviews and that those interpretations have ramifications for their experience of the recruitment process
Vibrational spectroscopy for the detection, identification, and differentiation of body fluids and fingermarks in forensic investigations
Get PDFThis thesis examines the recent literature that has explored the applications of vibrational spectroscopy in forensic science. Specifically, this thesis focuses on how vibrational spectroscopy has improved the detection, identification, and differentiation of body fluid and fingermark evidence in forensic investigations. It is here shown that novel, vibrational spectroscopic techniques have the potential to provide new insights to forensic investigators, and thus revolutionize the field of forensic science. This thesis has been adapted with permission from {Innovative Vibrational Spectroscopy Research for Forensic Application. Alexis Weber, Bailey Hoplight, Rhilynn Ogilvie, Claire Muro, Shelby R. Khandasammy, Luis Pérez-Almodóvar, Samuel Sears, and Igor K. Lednev. Analytical Chemistry 2023 95 (1), 167-205. DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05094}. Copyright (2023) American Chemical Society
Camouflaging And Identity Development Among Autistic Female And Gender Diverse Youth: A Qualitative Exploration
Get PDFAdolescence is a vulnerable developmental period for autistic female and gender diverse youth. Many autistic youths use camouflaging to combat social challenges, perceived differences, and stigmatization. Although adolescence is an integral time for identity development, integration of these topics remains understudied among autistic female and gender diverse youth. The present study seeks to qualitatively explore first-person, youth-perspectives on the topics of camouflaging and identity formation. Ten autistic female and gender diverse youth aged 11 to 16 years (M = 13.1, SD = 1.52) and their caregivers were enrolled in the present study. Youths completed semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Data was qualitatively analyzed and produced several prominent themes related to the following domains of investigation: (1) the nuts and bolts of camouflaging, (2) the aftermath of camouflaging, and (3) the role of autism. Emergent themes and subthemes are discussed in detail. Results demonstrated that autistic female and gender diverse youth employ complex camouflaging strategies, motivated and reinforced by their societal experiences, that have damaging consequences for their self-understanding and well-being. Youths’ relationship with and experience of camouflaging is dynamic, and camouflaging appears to be an adaptive social coping mechanism for autistic youth, closely integrated with youths’ self-identity. Significantly, youths’ camouflaging motivations and general discourse related to autism were highly influenced by pervasive societal perceptions and stereotypes. These findings reinforce the far-reaching and harmful implications of camouflaging on youths’ positive identity development as well as their mental health and well-being. Implications and future directions are discussed