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El Salvador’s Cultural Memory and María de Baratta’s Piano Music: Kushkatan, Nahualismo, and the Representation of Indigeneity
No full textFollowing independence from the Viceroyalty of New Spain between 1821 and 1823, the United Provinces of Central America entered a period of cultural redefinition, as emerging national frameworks sought to integrate diverse ethnic and historical legacies. After a century, in early twentieth-century El Salvador, a revival of Kushkatan—a pre-Hispanic Indigenous territory within present-day El Salvador—gained symbolic traction among intellectual elites during a politically volatile era marked by social upheaval and cultural realignment. Within this historical context, Cuzcatlán Típico (1951) by María de Baratta, published by the Ministry of Culture, stands as the first ethnomusicological study dedicated to Indigenous music in El Salvador and a pioneering effort in shaping national musical discourse. Her work engaged dominant ethnomusicological methods of the period, including monodic transcription practices and the diffusionist pentatonic theory associated with Raoul and Marguerite d’Harcourt, while also attempting to classify musical materials collected from rural communities across the country. Baratta’s piano works Nahualismo (1934) and El Zafa Caite, Son Nacional Salvadoreño (1961) reflect a regional trend toward incorporating Indigenous heritage into nationalist expression. Combining musical devices—such as anhemitonic pentatonicism, harmonic minor scale gestures, and rhythmic ostinatos—with symbolic allusions to Indigenous worldviews, these works engage exoticist tropes historically linked to both Eastern and Indigenous cultures to shape a romanticized vision of otherness and national identity. Through sound and scholarship, Baratta positioned herself as a central figure in the movement to assimilate Indigenous heritage into El Salvador’s emerging national identity, actively shaping the cultural memory of the nation
Female Faithfulness Encouraged : Gendered Piety in Early American Print
Full text linkFollowing the American Revolution, membership in Baptist churches grew exponentially and the influence of the Baptist persuasion was significant. As one of the fastest growing Protestant denominations in early America, Baptists and their interests were often indicative of larger trends in religiosity. Conceptions of piety, including beliefs surrounding submission, faithfulness, and duty, were central to the structure of Baptist congregations and their proximate communities. This paper explores the role of gender in the discussion, presentation, and justification of Baptist notions of piety in their publications during the Early American Republic. To build on the work of historians exploring female autonomy in religious spaces, this paper will offer insights into the contrasting male perceptions of this dynamic. Through a rhetorical analysis of denominational print publications, I will identify the places where ideas of gender permeated the values of these communities as well as examine the tools used to form and disseminate gendered perceptions of piety. The Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Magazine and its equivalents in surrounding spheres will serve as my main primary source base, providing examples of published discourse that a large number of early American Baptists subscribed to. By analyzing the language used to set these standards, I will be able to highlight the congruence between Baptist values and male interests in 19th-century New England. The outcome of this was the deepening of ties between religiosity and gender structures in early America
Telling the Story: Finding Meaning in the Data
No full textLearn how to transform program assessment data into a compelling narrative that drives action and improvement. This session will explore strategies for interpreting data, identifying key insights, and effectively communicating findings to stakeholders in a meaningful and impactful way
Investigating the Influence of Experimental Parameters on the Formation of Gold Nanoparticles: A Green Synthesis and Design of Experiments Approach
No full textThis thesis examines the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using catechin, a naturally occurring plant-derived compound, as both a reducing and capping agent. The synthesis process was guided by a structured Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology to ensure systematic investigation and optimization. A two-phase experimental approach was adopted. First, a full factorial screening design was used to evaluate the effects of catechin concentration, NaOH concentration, and pre-reaction time. This was followed by an optimization phase using a face-centered composite design to identify conditions that produce nanoparticles with ideal characteristics. The nanoparticles were analyzed using UV-visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS), which provided data on surface plasmon resonance (SPR λmax), hydrodynamic diameter (Z-average), and polydispersity index (PDI).
The screening results identified NaOH concentration, along with its interaction with catechin concentration, as key variables influencing nanoparticle formation. Mechanistic interpretation suggested that higher alkalinity improves catechin’s effectiveness in reducing gold ions, thereby facilitating nanoparticle formation. These findings were confirmed in the optimization phase, where NaOH emerged as the most influential factor. The model also predicted optimal conditions that would produce small, uniform particles with low PDI values. However, these conditions have not yet been experimentally tested.
A comparison of two synthesis approaches, based on the order of reagent mixing, showed that adding catechin to NaOH before combining with the gold solution led to more reliable and stable nanoparticle formation. In contrast, the opposite sequence, introducing NaOH to the gold solution before adding catechin, often failed, especially at low concentrations. When a delay (pre-reaction time) was introduced to the alternative synthesis procedure, the results of the gold nanoparticles were larger-sized nanoparticles. This suggests that both reagent order and timing significantly affect the outcome.
In conclusion, the purpose of this study is to synthesize and optimize the production of gold nanoparticles using catechin and NaOH under environmentally friendly conditions through a combination of screening and optimization experimental designs. This study also highlights how both the chemical environment and mixing sequence impact nanoparticle quality
Evaluation of a Classroom Management Program for Improving Student-Teacher Relationships, Social Skills Instruction, and Teacher Self-Efficacy
Full text linkThis study tests the effectiveness of Well Managed Schools (WMS), an established classroom management program, for improving student-teacher relationship quality, teacher social skills instruction, and teacher self-efficacy. Participants were 415 Grade 1-5 teachers in 49 schools representing 24 school districts across six states in the United States. Teachers were assigned randomly to either the WMS condition (n = 210) or a usual classroom management practices control condition (n = 205). Data were collected via teacher surveys and classroom observations across five waves over two years. Results from analyses of covariance showed a significantly higher adjusted mean level of observed student-teacher relationship quality for WMS teachers (M = 4.12, SD = 0.04) compared to control teachers (M = 3.98, SD = 0.04) at Wave 2 (p \u3c .05). Compared to control teachers (M = 3.91, SD = 0.05), WMS teachers (M = 4.14, SD = 0.05) also had a significantly higher adjusted mean level of perceived classroom management self-efficacy at Wave 3 (p \u3c .05). Findings indicate WMS improves selected targeted teacher outcomes, suggesting the program may help schools offer effective Tier 1 supports for teachers and students
Finding Graduate Grants
No full textThis session offers a hands-on roadmap to identifying and applying for graduate grants, scholarships, and fellowships. We’ll explore effective search strategies, ways to interpret eligibility criteria, and methods for creating competitive applications. I’ll also highlight techniques for tracking deadlines, utilizing campus support, and customizing proposals to match funder priorities.
Register at https://unco.zoom.us/meeting/register/4G1kQQrMTWuJM392dZG1H
Investigating Undergraduate Students’ Statistical Literacy in Media Contexts
No full textAs the uses of data in society continue to expand, it is vital to prepare students to engage with data in meaningful and critical ways. Undergraduate introductory statistics courses provide an opportunity for students to develop important knowledge and skills for interpreting and questioning statistical information in social contexts. The purpose of this convergent mixed methods study was to use quantitative assessment data and qualitative interview data to investigate the statistical literacy of students in an undergraduate introductory statistics course in media contexts. This study defined statistical literacy using Watson and Callingham’s (2003) six-level construct. Specifically, this study investigated students’ statistical literacy in media contexts through the following research questions:
Q1 At what level of statistical literacy do students in an introductory statistics course apply statistical topics when critiquing statistics in the news media?
Q2 What relationship exists between students’ scores on non-media-based tasks and their levels of statistical literacy on media-based tasks?
Q3 What insights do the quantitative and qualitative results provide about the statistical literacy of students in an introductory statistics course?
Data were collected through a course-wide assessment and individual, task-based interviews. Quantitative analysis explored 123 participants’ scores on the assessment and the association between non-media and media-based task scores. Qualitative analysis involved coding five participant’s interview responses for statistical topics and level of statistical literacy according to Watson and Callingham’s construct. After separated analyses, data were brought together for integrated analysis, producing additional evidence and strengthening understanding of the initial findings. Responses on non-media tasks were not strongly associated with responses on media-based tasks. Participants demonstrated higher statistical literacy on sampling topics, but lower statistical literacy on topics such as inferential statistics and study design. Although participants exhibited a proclivity for skepticism in statistical claims, their questions and alternative explanations often relied more on intuition than statistical justification. The findings of this study suggest the need to incorporate media-based tasks into introductory statistics courses to provide students opportunities to practice applying skills in social contexts. The study also has implications for assessing statistical literacy using media-based tasks, including considerations for information to include, the task’s context, and prompts or instructions provided to elicit student thinking
A Moderation Analysis of the Relationships Between Burnout, Internalizing Symptoms, and Self-Care
No full textAmidst growing awareness of burnout among school psychologists, self-care has been suggested as an essential practice for managing the emotionally and psychologically taxing elements of the job. Indeed, self-care has been included in the American Psychological Association’s list of professional competencies for health service psychologists (HSPs) in training. Mitigating burnout is an important objective, however, the current conceptualization of burnout as a problem that can be managed by an individual alone is inaccurate. Rather, burnout is a product of an occupational system in which job demands outweigh job resources. Furthermore, burnout can exacerbate symptoms of anxiety and depression. While self-care may be a valuable personal resource for managing stressors, it should not be considered a sufficient single strategy to manage burnout. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between burnout, internalizing symptoms, and self-care. The following research questions were addressed in a moderation analysis of self-report data from school psychology graduate students (n = 299) across the United States of America:
Q1 How are burnout and depression and anxiety symptoms related?
Q2 Are burnout and self-care related?
Q3 Does self-care moderate the relationship between burnout and depression and anxiety?
Higher levels of burnout predicted higher symptoms of anxiety and depression. Additionally, higher self-care was associated with lower burnout. Finally, self-care moderated the relationship between burnout and depression symptoms but not between burnout and anxiety symptoms. Implications of these findings for trainers and trainees in school psychology and directions for further inquiry are discussed
Teacher Motivation to Implement Evidence-Based Interventions with Fidelity: Development and Testing of a New Psychometric Instrument
No full textThe purpose of the present research study is to develop and test a novel psychometric instrument designed to measure teacher motivation to implement evidence-based interventions with fidelity, termed the TMI E-BI. The study addresses four research questions. First, does the TMI E-BI have acceptable inter-item consistency and construct validity? Second, with respect to the TMI E-BI, does the best factor model for explaining teachers’ motivation to implement EBIs with fidelity consist of expectancy, task value, cost, and orientation towards fidelity as related but meaningfully distinct constructs? Third, does the TMI E-BI predict teachers’ self-reported treatment fidelity? Lastly, how do teachers’ perceptions of an intervention impact their motivation, as measured by the TMI E-BI? The study utilized structural equation modeling procedures to address each of these research questions, as well as a self-rating scale of teacher fidelity and three subscales adapted from the URP-IR. A total of 196 participants provided ratings of all primary research instruments, providing the data to answer the four research questions. The findings suggest the TMI-EBI has acceptable inter-item consistency and construct validity. Additionally, findings indicate the TMI-EBI is best represented by a model with the four main factors as related but meaningfully distinct constructs. The findings also indicate teachers’ self-reported fidelity is significantly and positively associated only with Expectancy and Orientation. Lastly, findings from four confirmatory factor models demonstrate significant associations between teacher perceptions and motivation
Supporting Cultural Capital In Undergraduate Biology: Instructor Roles and Practices
No full textUndergraduate biology students must navigate complex academic environments that require more than content mastery alone. Increasing evidence shows that students’ attitudes, beliefs, and values—such as motivation, confidence, and a sense of belonging—are critical to student engagement, persistence, and success, especially among first-generation college students and those from historically marginalized backgrounds. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation is to use cultural capital theory to explore how instructor practices in college biology classrooms support these non-content resources, framed as three forms of cultural capital: aspirational, navigational, and emotional capital for college biology.
To investigate this phenomenon, the dissertation integrates three complementary studies. Chapter II used primarily quantitative methods to identify specific instructor behaviors perceived as supportive across ten undergraduate biology courses. Student surveys and interviews were used to generate the Supportive Instructor Practices (SIP) codebook and to examine how perceptions of support varied across student identities and aligned with different forms of capital. Chapter III employed a case study approach with ethnographic elements to explore how instructor practices and classroom culture shaped capital transmission in a single course. Drawing on classroom observations, instructor interviews, and students’ open-ended survey responses, the analysis identified key cultural messages and instructional strategies that supported students’ capital. Chapter IV used quantitative survey data from over 300 students to integrate perceptions of capital support into structural models representing relationships among teaching practices, affective resources, and student outcomes.
Findings across the three studies demonstrate that biology instructors can play a pivotal role in supporting students’ cultural capital through consistent, relational, and capital-aligned practices. These practices include demystifying pathways to success, validating students\u27 experiences and contributions, fostering supportive relationships, and designing course structures that scaffold learning and reduce barriers. Importantly, the studies reveal that perceptions of capital support vary substantially across course contexts, underscoring the need for intentional, equity-focused instruction.
Together, these findings offer a field-specific extension of cultural capital theory and provide practical insights into how biology instructors can promote student success by fostering affective resources. This work contributes to broader efforts in inclusive STEM education and affirms the classroom as a powerful site of cultural capital development