Via Sapientiae: The Institutional Repository at DePaul University
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Trainee Perceptions of Structured On-the-Job Training (OJT): The Impact of Trainer Experience and Use of Structured OJT Guides
Get PDFThis research study investigated the influence of trainer experience on the trainer’s use of directive behaviors and communication clarity in structured on-the-job training (OJT) and how those variables, in turn, impacted trainee perceptions. It was predicted that trainer experience would be positively related to trainer characteristics (directive behaviors and communication clarity), and that the use of structured OJT guides would have a conditional impact on this relationship. It was also predicted that trainer characteristics would be positively related to trainee perceptions. Finally, it was predicted that the conditional relationship of trainer experience and use of structured OJT guides would influence trainee perceptions via trainer characteristics. To test the hypotheses, data were collected from 76 current and recent technical trainees and trainers at electrical utilities across the United States and Canada. Trainer experience was found to not have a significant relationship with either directive behaviors or communication clarity. The use of structured OJT guides did, however, emerge as having a significant independent influence on trainer characteristics. Lastly, trainer characteristics (directive behaviors and communication clarity) were positive predictors of perceptions of the trainer and the overall training effectiveness. This study demonstrated that while experience may not be the most important factor for an OJT trainer to possess in terms of influencing the training session and perceptions of the trainee, the use of structured OJT guides is important for creating a productive and effective training environment
Tort Claims for the Coverup of Child Sexual Abuse: Private Litigation, Corporate Accountability, and Institutional Reform
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Calculating and Comparing Bioaccessible Lead Concentrations in Soils from the Garfield Ridge, West Elsdon, and Lakeview Community Areas Using a PBET and a Mehlich-3 Digestion Method
Get PDFLead exposure through soil poses potential health risks to those in areas with higher soil-Pb levels, specifically urban areas. The soil-lead concentrations recommended by the EPA are based on measurement of total lead concentration, yet only a percentage of the total lead can actually be absorbed into the body. The percentage of lead in soil that can be absorbed into the blood through ingestion is reffered to as bioaccessible lead and can be a more accurate way of measuring potential dangers of lead in soils. This study measured the amount of bioaccessible lead in the community areas of West Elsdon, Garfield Ridge, and Lakeview through comparing a modified physiologically based extraction test (PBET) and Mehlich-3 digestion method. Both methods of digestion were compared based on potential accuracy, correlation, and procedural efficiency. Results showed that the Lakeview soils had statistically significantly higher bioaccessible lead content in ppm than Garfield Ridge and West Elsdon, regardless of extraction method (P \u3c .0001). No statistically significant difference was seen between Garfield Ridge/West Elsdon and Lakeview when looking at bioaccessible Pb percentage extracted (P = 0.409). Other results showed a statistically significant difference in bioaccessible Pb content extracted in both in ppm and bioaccessible Pb percentage between extraction methods (P = .0488 and \u3c .0001, respectively)
Aristotle on the concept of life
No full textThis dissertation addresses an interpretive problem in Aristotle’s ontology of life. Living things are the central focus of Aristotle’s ontology: they are “substances most of all”. Yet Aristotle also claims that “life” cannot be univocally defined: it is a homonymous term. One reason “life” does not admit of a single definition is that it encompasses both mortal forms of life and immortal, divine forms of life (in particular, the gods and the stars). Without a univocal definition, however, “life” seems to lack the conceptual unity required to explain its privileged ontological status. I argue against available interpretations which seek to unify the concept of life by reference to a core or focal case (i.e., the Prime Mover) or by reference to a common principle (i.e., the soul). On my account, the unity of life is grounded instead in the shared ontological structure of active self-constitution. Life is an identity-realizing activity by virtue of which living things have their substance and form. This underlying ontology accommodates all forms of life (both mortal and immortal) while also providing clear criteria for distinguishing living from nonliving things. Further, it unifies the concept of life by establishing a rigorous analogy between plants, animals, human beings, stars, and gods
The Prairie State: Using Ecological Niche Modeling to Predict Distributions of Early Land Plants
Get PDFBryophytes are environmentally and ecologically significant biological indicators, as their distribution is largely determined by the climate and the land features that shape these factors. Yet it is a challenge to track the ranges of these plants and even more so to predict their future distribution patterns due to their small size and sensitivity to environmental change. This study aims to model the potential distribution of selected bryophyte species in Illinois to investigate the potential impact of global warming and determine what environmental factors affect distribution patterns. Bryophyte occurrences post 1970 of some of the most common epiphytic species and genera were investigated. Over 12,000 georeferenced occurrence records were downloaded from a public biodiversity aggregator, cleaned, and validated. The environmental variables consisted of the WorldClim Bioclim variables and National Land Cover Database land use variables at approximately 1 km2 resolution. The occurrences and environmental variables were run through a MaxEnt model in R to generate heat maps of potential distribution. Statistical evaluation metrics and validation techniques were used to test model accuracy. Overall, current species models showed a higher level of confidence than the genera models, and all models were primarily reliant on the land use variables over the climate variables. Future models only showed consistent distribution changes across all three climate scenarios, suggesting the selected taxa could be valuable indicators. Attempting to quantify bryophyte-environment relationships and ecological niche modeling potentially provides a means of predicting how bryophytes might respond to environmental changes over time. Using such techniques enables us to test for significant differences in the characterization of niches between taxa. Successful models will represent real world distributions accurately, not only show support for utilizing bryophytes as climate change indicators, but also for this open-source methodology in the niche modeling for other organisms. Overall, these results will have important implications for species distribution patterns, conservation, land management and our understanding of ecological niche modeling using a poorly studied and overlooked group of plants
The Age of Connection: Interdependent Self-Construal Links Age and Prosociality
Get PDFTheories of aging have major implications for age differences in the self-concept across the adult lifespan that remain largely untested. Here, I propose a new perspective that draws from prominent aging theories to argue that people come to adopt a more interdependent self-construal with age as social environments become increasingly interdependent. Accordingly, I explain how ontogenetic development across the adult lifespan may emphasize interdependent social environments and subsequently encourage one to adopt a more interdependent self, explore how this perspective dovetails with prominent aging theories, and apply this perspective within the context of aging and prosocial behavior to support three studies (and one pilot study) within a Western cultural context to investigate the connection between aging, interdependence, and prosociality. In Study 1, I demonstrate within- and between-person age differences in the conduciveness of immediate social environments to the internalization of an interdependent self-construal. In Study 2, I replicate previous findings of an association between age and prosociality and interdependent self-construal and prosociality whilst demonstrating a positive relationship between age and interdependent self-construal. Lastly, in Studies 3a and 3b I validate and use a manipulation that makes participants experience some aspects of aging (using software that progresses the age of participants’ faces) and a novel manipulation of salience of interdependence to generate differences in interdependent self-construal, prosocial values, and actual prosocial behavior that are consistent with previously reported age differences in these constructs. Overall, these findings provide triangulating evidence across a variety of samples and methodologies to support a connection between aging, interdependence, and prosociality
Encounters with God: Rabbinic Stories and What We Can Learn from Them
Get PDFStorytelling skills are an indispensable way of teaching people lessons. Unlike case histories that are limited to facts, stories can stir emotions and arouse the audience\u27s passion. This may be why stories, even fiction, have been used to teach ethics/Mussar. The sages of the Talmud were not historians; they told stories—fascinating ones. The Rabbinic stories involving God are a clever device to teach various lessons about the Divine. Several of the above narratives demonstrate conclusively how the legal system based on the Torah is supposed to work. The stories are also designed to show that God cares about people and even spends His time as a matchmaker. God is very close to humanity in Talmudic stories and even laughs when they best Him; he is also a bit of a joker. He has incredible warmth for His creations and sometimes seeks advice and blessings from mortals. He appreciates a good discussion and allows angels and people to argue with him. The authors provide a Table to illustrate the characteristics, lessons, and ideas contained in each of the examined stories