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Cultivating students’ cross-cultural communicative competence: strategies for teaching college oral English in China
No full textA seminar paper presented to the graduate faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science – English EducationThis study explores the challenges faced in developing cross-cultural communicative competence (CCC) within China’s college oral English education based on academic frameworks by Hymes (1972) and Byram (1997). Findings show that although it is consistent with China’s College English Curriculum Requirements (Ministry of Education, 2007), systemic barriers such as exam-oriented assessments, insufficient teacher training, and decontextualized materials have hindered CCC development.
Through the analysis of the mixed approach to peer-reviewed studies, this paper puts forward feasible reform suggestions, including curriculum assimilation of authentic cultural content, technology-enhanced simulations (e.g., AI-driven VR), and international cooperation projects. Recommendations emphasize the requirement for standardized CCC assessment rubrics, teacher professional development programs, and partnerships with multinational organizations to bridge rural-urban resource disparities.
The study concludes that fostering CCC is not merely a linguistic goal but a strategic imperative for China’s global engagement. By prioritizing empathy, adaptability, and critical cultural reflexivity, educators can equip students to thrive in multicultural environments, ultimately contributing to a more interconnected and harmonious global society
Desegregation Policy Implementation in Austin, Texas: How Brown v. Board Made Educational Equality Improbable
No full textSenior Honors Thesis, Department of History, University of Wisconsin-MadisonSeventy years ago Brown v. The Board of Education was hailed as the solution to educational inequality yet there is still a large racial opportunity gap in American schools. I detail how Austin Independent School Districts 1970s Desegregation Policies impacted minority groups. My analysis uncovers how the interpersonal rather than structural understanding of inequality that Brown promoted hindered its potential to mold a more equitable educational landscape
Stogdale v. Baker (Superior Court, Suffolk County, Massaxhusetts 1885-1888)
No full textStogdale v. Baker involved an early use of a consent form. I was unable to locate the form. This book collects what I was able to discover about the case. This case was tried four times with a followup case on an alleged settlement agreement.Stogdale v. Baker involved an early use of a consent form. I was unable to locate the form. This book collects what I was able to discover about the case. This case was tried four times with a followup case on an alleged settlement agreement
Using Plants to Remediate PFAS from Soils
No full textMany non-stick cookware, water and stain repellent textiles, and fire-fighting foams all share one thing in common; they contain chemical compounds known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). While PFAS have made these products industrial staples in society, they are now among EPA’s list of emerging contaminants due to their adverse health effects. While efforts have been put in place to prevent further PFAS contamination, the physical and chemical properties that make them great for industrial applications lend them to being persistent in the environment. Therefore, investigations on remediation strategies and the influence of soil quality and the soil microbial community on remediation are needed. Phytoremediation, a process where plants sequester contaminants into their tissue, has been demonstrated for the removal of heavy metal and chlorinated contaminants from soils. Here, alfalfa and hemp were investigated as potential phytoremediators of PFAS given previous research that has shown both are successful at removal of heavy metals. Alfalfa is also widely grown throughout Wisconsin and hemp is an emerging specialty crop in the state and throughout the country. Alfalfa and hemp were grown in soil with and without the presence of PFAS contamination. After harvest, plants were dried, PFAS were extracted from the plant tissue, and the concentration of PFAS was quantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The microbial community was assessed using culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques. The results presented here highlight the influence of plant selection, soil chemistry, and microbial community on the uptake of PFAS as a function of its molecular size and chemical functionality.UW System Innovation Grant, UWSP Pathways Internship Program, WiscAMP, Wisconsin Hemp Farmers and Manufacturers Association, UWSP URSCA, Legacy Seed
Oral History Interview, Amber Steiger (2560)
No full textIn her 2025 interview with Edwin Thomas, Amber Steiger discusses her experience as a second-year PhD student in UW-Madison’s Gender & Women’s Studies (GWS) Department. To learn more about this oral history, download & review the index first (or transcript if available). It will help determine which audio file(s) to download & listen to.In her 2025 interview with Edwin Thomas, Amber Steiger discusses her experience as a second-year PhD student in UW-Madison’s Gender & Women’s Studies (GWS) Department. She mentions taking a gender studies class at a community college that sparked her interest in the field and discusses being a member of the final cohort to graduate from UW-Madison’s GWS Department’s master’s degree program. Steiger also touches on how current events have impacted how she teaches her classes and the importance of a GWS education. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the GWS @ 50 Oral History Project of the UW-Madison Archives & Records Management oral history collection
HOLDING ON: THE POLITICAL ECOLOGY OF AGRICULTURAL PERSISTENCE IN THE PINAL ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA
No full textFollowing the nineteenth century westward expansion of the United States,
Euro-American settlers sought to “make the desert bloom.” When proximal surface and groundwater resources proved insufficient to achieve this goal, American policy sought to tame the water of the West and concretely redirect it towards opportunities for capital accumulation, first through irrigation. Land within the Pinal Active-Management-Area (AMA) fits directly into this larger narrative, first primarily utilizing groundwater, then Colorado River water from the Central Arizona Project to stave off “water bankruptcy.” Although the CAP provided a fresh pool of water resources, restrictions from the 1980 Arizona Groundwater Management Act directed the Pinal AMA to “preserve existing agricultural economies in the Pinal AMA for as long as feasible,” balancing the needs of existing agricultural water demands with those of the
future–likely from municipal and industrial sources. This study finds that, despite vast human-created and natural pressures on agricultural producers within the Pinal AMA,
low-value/field crop agriculture remains the dominant land use of the region from 2008-2023. I also contend that agricultural persistence within the AMA is not only a product of private economic profitability, but also due to various, significant ways in which social, cultural, political, and economic power converge on the ground to diminish the true costs of making the desert bloom
From Bean to Border : The Interplay of Coffee Farming and Cyclical Migration in Costa Rica
No full textColor poster with text, maps, and photographs.At the Costa Rican-Panamanian border, Indigenous migration has historically supported both Costa Rica’s economy and the livelihoods of Indigenous populations throughout Central America. In this project, “From Bean to Border”, we examine cyclic migratory patterns of indigenous people and the role it plays in Costa Rican coffee production. This project was inspired by our Faculty-Led Immersion program, “Global Health in Costa Rica” in which our group spent ten days in Costa Rica learning about how migration, labor, and public health are all interconnected. By learning directly from small-scale coffee producers, we traced the journey of the coffee bean from cultivation and harvesting to processing and roasting. This provided insight into how labor-intensive coffee production can be for those who are a part of the industry. Our findings highlight the intricate connections between Indigenous migration, economic structures, and health outcomes, underscoring the need for a more equitable and sustainable coffee industry.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program
Exploring User Experiences with Amanita muscaria: A Thematic Analysis of Reddit Online Forum Discussions
No full textColor poster with text, charts, and graphs.Amanita muscaria, commonly known as fly agaric or fly amanita, is a mushroom renowned for its distinctive appearance and psychoactive properties attributed to its compounds, ibotenic acid, and muscimol. Contemporary interest in Amanita muscaria has surged, driven by anecdotal reports of perceived psychological and medicinal benefits. However, no clinical studies exist thus far. This study employs thematic analysis of discussions from the “r/AmanitaMuscaria” subreddit on Reddit to explore users’ reasons for its consumption and the positive and negative experiences associated with this mushroom. A total of 998 principal posts and their associated 9,542 comments were analyzed, revealing thematic trends in adverse effects, perceived positive outcomes, reasons for use, modes of consumption, and thought perceptions. Findings highlight that users experienced more positive than adverse effects, and adverse effects experienced were minimal and primarily self-limiting. These findings may be particularly salient in clinical settings, as medical providers might find it challenging to uncover Amanita muscaria use among their patients unless presented with severe adverse effects. Future research is recommended to investigate Amanita muscaria’s pharmacology further to inform patients and medical providers of safe practices. Finally, an innovative methodological strategy is warranted to examine Reddit posts in-depth to understand users’ perceptions and attitudes.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program
FLEXIBLE REPERTOIRES TO INTERGENERATIONAL EFFECTS: INFLUENCES OF THE FEMALE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT ON COURTSHIP BEHAVIORS IN ENCHENOPA TREEHOPPERS
No full textCurrently, research on courtship emphasizes the role of the behavior and traits of males in determining mate choice. While successful, this focus has led to misconceptions about the complexity of the role of females in assessing potential mates. Using Enchenopa binotata treehoppers as a model I challenge the misconceptions that (i) female interactions are simple; and (ii) that female mate choice is only informed by the cues of courting males. To make this case I present a series of experiments which exhibit how variation in a female’s social environment may lead to complexity in courtship and mate choice. Using live recordings of mixed-sex aggregations, I describe the complete repertoire of a member of the Enchenopa species complex. I find males use a flexible and much larger signal repertoire depending on the presence of males and/or females, and that females control the progression of courtship, elicit different desired behaviors from males under varied social conditions, and possess a novel signal which males require before attempting intromission. Through playback experiments and live trials, I present evidence of female competitiveness to secure mates in the presence of another unmated female. And finally, by manipulating the density of egg-laying aggregations in mated females, I present an intergenerational effect on male signals and female selectivity which corresponds to low densities
External and Internalized Weight Stigma: An Ecological Momentary Assessment
No full textWeight stigma has received attention as a harmful and prevalent form of discrimination against people based on their body size. Internalized weight stigma (IWS) consists of self-imposed beliefs about stereotypes and stigma. Weight stigma events and IWS have been shown to be linked to psychological health problems related to depression, mood, anxiety, body image, and self-esteem, potentially more than external weight stigma. Affect, or an observable expression of mood, has been linked to IWS and weight stigma as an outcome and mediator between health behaviors. The present study aimed to utilize a new hybrid ecological momentary assessment protocol to track real-world accounts of weight stigma, IWS, and affect reactivity. Twenty-four participants completed the entire protocol, where 29 total stigma events were reported from 13 participants. Repeated effects models indicated that positive affect was significantly higher in the morning compared to the evening, but was not related to the occurrence of stigma events. Negative affect was not significantly different between the morning and evening, but was significantly higher during a stigma event. Linear mixed models found that internalized weight stigma was not significantly different in the evening on a stigma event day, but was significantly higher in the morning following a stigma event day. This is the first study to utilize a hybrid EMA approach on weight stigma and IWS, and the first to showcase a potential lagged effect of stigma events on IWS scores