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- Creator:
- Cortez, Nasser A.
- Description:
- This qualitative study explored how teachers of upper elementary school students with mild to moderate disabilities navigate the potentially competing demands of CCSS expectations and best practices for supporting students with learning disabilities in the areas of reading and writing. In total, 6 teachers participated in the study, 3 SDC and 3 RSP teachers. The methods used included interviews and observations. Observation notes and interview transcriptions helped unearth important findings. Key findings include that teachers viewed instructional level teaching as a best practice, time constraints and lack of resources and PD were viewed as challenges, there are more similarities in teachers’ perceived best practices compared to their perceived CCSS practices, and some teachers identified areas where CCSS practices and best practices align.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Educational Leadership
- Creator:
- Berg, John Sonje
- Description:
- The philosophy behind the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and its tenets of critical thought, creativity, and application of knowledge require a shift from a focus on content knowledge to how that knowledge is applied across the curriculum and why it forms the foundation of education. The problem now facing educators is that CCSS has changed expectations for students without providing adequate professional development (PD) to ensure the proper adjustment to instructional strategies to meet its requirements. The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine how teachers have adjusted their application of instructional strategies to target Common Core learning objectives in high school classrooms and to provide recommendations on how site and district administrators can better structure PD to facilitate teacher needs as they shift their instructional practices. Through quantitative survey data from high school teachers and administrators, the study was able to determine that, while education has seen a shift since the adoption of the CCSS, it has not necessarily translated into a shift of instruction throughout all classrooms. In addition, the majority of teachers indicate that the current structure of professional development they receive within their district, at their site, or from out-of-district training has had only limited impact on their instruction to meet the needs of the CCSS. This research indicates that teachers want to professionally learn from teacher-experts in a collaborative setting. To adjust instruction, teachers must first be knowledgeable about what they are being asked to teach, so they can design strategies for students to learn. Almost 97% of the teachers in this study claimed to have at least some knowledge of the CCSS; however, of the 97% almost 40% did not feel they had a good grasp of those standards, let alone expertise. There is a need, as indicated by the results of this study, to focus on both increasing the knowledge base of teachers and administrators on the CCSS and structuring PD in such a way that teachers can continue to grow as learners, meeting the needs of their students by adjusting instruction to meet the demands of the 21st century.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Educational Leadership
- Creator:
- Ramirez, Lizbeth
- Description:
- Second-generation Mexican-American millennials with parents of unauthorized status are understudied in the current literature compared to first-generation children and young adults who have unauthorized status in the United States. Although many second-generation Mexican-Americans in mixed-status households encounter hardships, some are able to surpass these adversities and excel in their adult lives, which is the main focus of this study. This study aims to examine the identity formation into adulthood of second-generation Mexican-Americans living with parents of unauthorized status and how they are influenced by their biculturalism, consisting of both American and Mexican heritage. In-depth interviews regarding their childhoods, family structures, parents’ motivations, the American Dream, and adult outcomes are used to explore the topic of identity formation and their pursuit of a better life.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Sociology
- Creator:
- Gonzales, Joseph
- Description:
- Running related injuries are related to foot strike pattern (FSP). Cross-sectional area (CSA), pennation angle (PA), and fascicle length (FL) of the lower limb musculature contribute to plantarflexion (PF)/dorsiflexion (DF) strength, and may influence FSP. the purpose of this investigation was to compare CSA, PA, and FL of the medial and lateral gastrocnemii (MG and LG, respectively) and tibialis anterior (TA) between forefoot (FF) and rearfoot (RF) strikers and to investigate associations between FSI, CSA, PA, and FL. 33 recreational runners (22 male/11 female; age = 22.26 ± 3.01 years; height = 1.72 ± .08 m; mass = 65.20 ± 8.97 kg) participated in this study. CSA, PA, and FL of the MG, LG, and TA were assessed using ultrasonography. PF and DF maximal strength values were obtained using handheld dynamometry. FSP was obtained using foot strike index (FSI), and 15 RF, 2 midfoot, 16 FF strikers were identified. Midfoot strikers were excluded from analysis. Spearman rho rank order correlation was used to evaluate the association between FSI and CSA, PA, FL, and strength; whereas Pearson product moment correlation (r) was used to evaluate relationships between strength and ultrasound measurements. ANCOVA analysis was used to compare dependent variables between groups. RF strikers demonstrated lesser TA EI, steeper TA PA, and lesser LG PA compared to RF strikers. There are lower limb muscle architectural and geometric differences that influence FSP, and are amenable to tailored interventions. These features should be considered when transitioning FSP in long distance runners.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Kinesiology
- Creator:
- Hue, Fong
- Description:
- Antibiotics are losing effectiveness as multidrug resistance among bacterial pathogens is spreading. Resistance enzymes, like AAC(6’)-Ib, allow bacteria to survive and proliferate in the presence of antibiotics. Conversely, discovery of new antibiotic compounds is decreasing; alternative strategies are needed to combat the rise and spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Studying the resistance enzymes can provide new insights into developing alternative strategies. This project set out to quantify the number of enzyme molecules within a cell and determine the relationship between the amount of enzyme molecules and the level of resistance granted by the number of molecules. E. coli strains carrying CRISPR-dCas9 genes and pFH3, a near-wild type plasmid expressing AAC(6’)-Ib, were created. Fluorescence assays were used to measure AAC(6’)-Ib tagged with an mMaple fluorophore. Resistance levels were determined using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests with amikacin Etest strips. It was found that the relationship between fluorescence and enzyme molecule number was linear. Additionally, resistance conferred by the enzyme was proportionally dependent on the number of enzyme molecules present within the measured range.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Creator:
- Meister, Chelsea Marie
- Description:
- Tourism is an informal way that developing countries are able to enter into the global economy. Ecotourism, the fastest growing sector of this industry, is an economic development tool that also seeks to achieve social development, and environmental preservation. the tourism industry in Panama is relatively new and therefore has significant potential for failure or success, in social and environmental terms, depending on whether or not it chooses to become sustainable. Proper planning for ecotourism as opposed to commercial tourism needs to happen before huge international investors take advantage of Panama’s efforts to become relevant in the global economy. Using geographical-spatial analysis and Panamanian government publications, I argue that Panama has considerable potential for ecotourism development. the components of successful ecotourism are identified and used to create a spatial analysis development tool as well as geographical maps. through these buffer analysis maps, I identify the best locations for future successful ecotourism development based on tourist convenience and proximity to existing amenities—transportation hubs, unique attractions inherent in nature reserves, and other resources. Because lax governmental standards and regulations have historically allowed for some unsustainable mass commercial developments, improved adherence to ecotourism standards, by developers and tourists alike, is important for future sustainability of the industry in the beautiful country of Panama.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Geography and the Environment
- Creator:
- Coombs, Kimberly Marie
- Description:
- Cryptic species can often cause problems for baseline and ecological studies as these species are not readily identified in the field. Lottia scabra and Lottia conus form a north/south cryptic species pair where they occupy the same habitat, but L. scabra is more abundant in northern California and L. conus is more abundant in at least the southern portions of southern California. Past El Niño events have resulted in prolonged anomalous warming of coastal seawater, which may be impacting the vertical and latitudinal distribution of these two species as has been documented for another north/south pair in California, L. austrodigitalis and L. digitalis. To monitor the current and potentially changing distribution of L. conus and L. scabra, quadrat sampling was performed at nine sites in California at various heights in the mid to high intertidal, collecting a subset of limpets to identify in the lab. A range refinement of L. conus has occurred with its previous documented northern limit being Point Conception to now its current northern limit being Jalama Beach, CA. A transition zone occurs from San Pedro to Jalama Beach where L. conus becomes less abundant and L. scabra becomes more abundant. With an established baseline, future studies may document whether this distribution changes in response to temperature variations from climate change or El Niño events. Susceptibility to temperature changes may make limpets good indicator species for detecting regional climate change effects in the intertidal as well as potential model species for future studies to use when observing rocky intertidal habitats.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Creator:
- Park, Sung Hwan
- Description:
- Gender peer effects on the educational production function are one of the most important determinants in choosing the most optimal sorting of males and female students into a school, grade and classroom. the Burkinablé Response to Improve Girls’ Chances to Succeed (BRIGHT) project created high-quality “girl-friendly” schools with the goal of increasing the number of female student enrollment and academic achievements for all students across the 10 lowest performing provinces. the BRIGHT project creates a unique opportunity to measure the impact of an increased proportion of female students on male students’ academic performance. I exploit the discontinuity that is created from the selection process of BRIGHT schools by employing a regression discontinuity design 1 year after implementation of the program. I find variation in math and French achievement for male students who are exposed to female students. the empirical results presented in this paper suggest that a higher female cohort composition has a positive effect on male students’ test scores.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Economics
- Creator:
- Oliverio, Ryan
- Description:
- Determining the reasons behind how and why evolutionary mechanisms that establish or remove genetic variations within a population is a fundamental question in evolutionary biology. by tying together, the origin, evolutionary patterns, molecular mechanisms, and functional outcomes of genotype to phenotype, we gain insight on how and why genes are conserved or changed. This methodology was followed to investigate the stress-inducible Hsp70 gene in humans (HSPA1A), a critical component of the cellular stress response, and whose modification has been associated with a variety of human diseases. My results indicate that the origin of the HSPA1A gene is in placental mammals. Additionally, a combination of purifying selection and genetic recombination with its closely-related paralog, HSPA1B, have conserved the amino acid sequence of this gene from possibly deleterious mutations in multiple mammalian species. This pattern can also be applied to human microevolution in how single-nucleotide polymorphisms are distributed for both HSPA1A and HSPA1B, in contrast to their closely-linked homolog HSPA1L. This finding is further supported by the fact that natural variants of HSPA1A, that were most likely to change function, only apply small changes to the primary function of HSPA1A and have very low allele frequencies within human populations. Altogether, my experimental observations show HSPA1A is subject to purifying selection and provide functional characterization of two positions, R36 and I480, that appear to have importance in the folding function of HSPA1A. Supplementary Tables 1 and 2 of extended mammalian evolutionary trends are provided.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Creator:
- Pullman, Herbert Patrick
- Description:
- In an effort to place motive in context, this essay addresses the issue of whether worldviews and histories that emphasize race and geography offer more distractions and less understanding than do studies that focus upon labor. through the narrative of the murder of whaling captain Isaac Bunker Hussey and the years leading up to his death (1847 to 1852), this work examines this problem in a way that connects historical actors with historians, and history with early historiography. Though not readily apparent in the nineteenth century or even after, labor offers an opportunity to understand the lives of those who sailed the Pacific in the 1800s. the failure of both Captain Hussey and the whaling industry to recognize his crew through their labors rather than by their race or place of origin contributed to his murder.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of History
- Creator:
- Hewawasam, Shehanie R.
- Description:
- There is growing interest in studying the role of protective factors in risk assessment and management. the goal of the present study was to explore the role of the strength and vulnerability items found on the Short-Term Assessment of Risk Treatability (START) and to determine how they work in conjunction with one another. the data was drawn from a sample of inpatients ( n = 527) from a maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospital. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the vulnerability scale was a better predictor of the clinician’s final risk rating on the START. Rule adherence, material resources, impulse control, and external triggers were found as significant predictors among the strength items; whereas, conduct, substance use, and social skills were found as significant predictors among the vulnerability items. Factor analysis was conducted to explore the underlying structure that exists among the 40 strength and vulnerability ratings and resulted in a three-factor solution. These newly identified factors were tested as predictors of final risk ratings, and while they were stronger than the original scales, they also did not account for a large degree of variance and only the factor comprised solely of vulnerability items was a significant predictor. Future research should focus on conceptualizing and improving upon definitions to the strength and vulnerability items to increase the effectiveness of predicting future violent outcomes.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Psychology
- Creator:
- Moldoveanu, Minodora M.
- Description:
- This qualitative study explored the meaning of education for stopped-out students. There has been no exploration of the meaning of education for students who have stopped out of college. Stopping out of college is defined as leaving college for a period of time and then returning. the problem this study addressed is the lack of knowledge of the meaning of education for stopped-out students. the purpose of this study was to understand the differences in the meaning of education for students who stopped out of college starting from the moment they first enrolled in college, to when they stopped out, to when they returned to school, and at the time of the interview. the study relied on personal interviews with 20 participants. the study used Viktor Frankl’s (2006) logotherapy as the main lens to study stopped-out students’ meaning of education. the results indicated that when first enrolling in higher education, students viewed education as a societal expectation and an obstacle to other priorities but also as an opportunity to gain more freedom. When leaving higher education, students described education as an obstacle to other priorities, an additional source of stress, and as worthless. by the time students were returning to college, they viewed education as a means to gain freedom, as meaningful in helping others, and as a badge of honor. At the time of the interview, students described education as a source of freedom, as meaningful in helping others, and as a source of self-improvement. Based on the themes that emerged, students are more likely to persist in higher education when they give education positive meanings.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Educational Leadership
- Creator:
- Leonard, Arielle L.
- Description:
- This thesis study investigated the experience and management of relational struggles and identity gaps in intrafaith romantic relationships. in total, 16 unmarried intrafaith partners (eight couples) participated. In-depth interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim, and the interview data were interpreted and analyzed. Guided by the assumptions of Solomon, Knobloch, Theiss, and McLaren’s (2016) Relational Turbulence Theory and Hecht, Warren, Jung, and Krieger’s (2005) Communication Theory of Identity, the interpretive analyses revealed identity-driven relational struggles that disrupted the development of the ideal synchronized intrafaith romantic relationship. Specifically, three major struggles were identified along the trajectory of intrafaith romantic relationship development: Relational Uncertainty vs. Longing for Certainty and Reassurance, Protecting the Vulnerable Heart: Intrafaith Relational Struggles on Intimacy Boundary Regulation, and Intrafaith Relational Dilemmas on Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual Intimacy Synchronization. Three types of identity gaps accompanied relational struggles: Communal vs. Personal Identity Gaps, Communal vs. Relational Identity Gaps , and a Perceived Intra-Relational Couple Identity Gap. Finally, intrapersonal and interpersonal communication management strategies included: Intrafaith Romantic Relationship Entry Strategies and Intrafaith Romantic Relationship Development Synchronization Strategies. Chapter 5 discusses this study’s theoretical and practical contributions, limitations, and directions for future research.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Communications
- Creator:
- Lynn, Justin T.
- Description:
- Previous research has documented that human females report a number of preference changes for sexual partners and sexual activity during the high- relative to low-fertility days of the ovulatory cycle. Less studied, however, are the effects of female fertility on their male partner’s perceptions, desires, and behaviors. the present work was designed to examine women’s reports of their partner’s mate retention tactics and sexual jealousy, as well as men’s self-reports of these behaviors, to determine predictable patterns in association between these behaviors and their partner’s cycle phase. in this study, 25 heterosexual couples (Mage = 22.9) participated. Each received a questionnaire containing measures to assess self- and partner-ratings of mate retention behaviors and sexual jealousy at high and low-fertility phases of the ovulatory cycle. It was hypothesized that (1) males in pair-bonded relationships should display changes in behavior that are contingent on the ovulatory phase of their partner’s menstrual cycle, specifically that (1a) males would employ more mate retention tactics during the high-fertility phase, (1b) males would report more sexual jealousy during high-fertility, and (2) these behavioral changes would be moderated by ratings of individual physical attractiveness.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Psychology
- Creator:
- Panah, Sadie S.
- Description:
- Individual differences in the perception of harmony between religious and American identity may moderate how these identities jointly relate to adjustment and may explain mixed findings on religious identity and adjustment for immigrants. Christian, Jewish, and Muslim immigrants (N = 232) living in the U.S. completed online surveys in English via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Religious-American identity predicted increased symptoms of anxiety and decreased satisfaction with life when immigrants perceived their religious and American identities to be neutral or conflictual, but not when they perceived those identities to be harmonious. Moreover, results revealed that Muslims are more likely than Christians and Jewish individuals to perceive low harmony between their religious and American identities. These findings are important in terms of expanding the results of previous research with perceived harmony between ethnic and host cultures to harmony between religion and host (American) culture and how these identities relate to adjustment.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Psychology
- Creator:
- Quinn, Brettni
- Description:
- Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged over the last few decades as a major nosocomial pathogen. Its ability to acquire genetic material and survive in extreme environments has positioned it as a paradigm of multidrug resistance. Horizontal genetic transfer, specifically natural transformation, has played a key role in its evolution. However, little is known about how competence for natural transformation is induced or regulated in A. baumannii and, therefore, our research focuses on identifying inducers of competence and characterizing genes involved in this process. to identify inducers of competence, A. baumannii cells were grown in the presence of host human products or antibiotics and transformation frequencies were assessed. Human serum albumin (HSA) was the only host human product that significantly increased transformation frequencies, suggesting that an albumin-specific mechanism exists in this species. in addition, all three antibiotics tested increased transformation frequencies, likely via different pathways. to better understand induction of competence, RNA sequencing was performed under HSA induction and 167 genes were identified as being significantly differentially expressed. Twenty-three genes were analyzed in depth, including putative transcriptional regulators and those associated with two component regulatory systems and type IV pili. This analysis led to the identification of a number of genes that were not explored before and whose roles in competence development are suitable for further analysis.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Creator:
- Hwang, Joey
- Description:
- The popular perception of the Gallipoli campaign, and the Great War as a whole, as the birthplace of Australia and New Zealand as distinct nations from Britain is not inaccurate. the stories of the ANZACs bravely storming the beaches in Turkey remain a sacred part of their national histories. While most historians recognize that the First World War shaped the two nations, the popular narratives of the war tend to come from a distinctly European perspective. the native peoples of both nations also had a major impact on the development of their national identities, as well as their views of each other. the exploits of the Maori at Gallipoli and the Western Front, as well as continued discrimination against Aboriginal Australians on the home front, had a much stronger influence on the national mythos of both nations than is commonly portrayed. Furthermore, the war’s impact eroded the “colonials’” opinion of Britain, the mother country, and served to only further exacerbate the growing divisions within the empire.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of History
- Creator:
- Pastarnak, Dmitriy
- Description:
- Over the years, the techniques used for the extraction of target compounds out of complex chemical matrices have been continuously improving due to rapidly evolving technologies. This thesis explores several sample preparation techniques. We evaluated solid phase extraction (SPE), solid phase microextraction (SPME), and headspace techniques by comparing them to the current silica gel column chromatography method for extracting two biomarker groups, terpanes and steranes, from bitumen (petroleum tar). We then ranked the methods according to their extraction/column chromatography capability and environmental impact. the extraction/column chromatography capability was evaluated using a gas chromatograph equipped with a single quadrupole mass spectrometer and assessed based on validation parameters. the method safety and the environmental impact were evaluated following the twelve principles of green chemistry. the headspace technique failed to concentrate the target compounds from bitumen during the developmental stage and thus was not included in the validation. the SPME method demonstrated superior selectivity, required the least cleanup and equipment maintenance, had the lowest impact on the environment, and offered an enhanced capability for air sampling. the SPE method was the simplest, quickest, and least expensive. It also yielded the most precise measurements.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Creator:
- Maiorca-nunez, Jessica
- Description:
- Evidence suggests preschool age students with disabilities (SWD) benefit from inclusive settings. Inclusive education has positive impacts on students’ social–emotional, language, and cognitive skills. Yet, preschool age SWD continue to have limited access to inclusive education, and research suggests numerous reasons, including teacher practice. the setting of this study, a K-12 school district in Southern California, had not met expectations related to the percentage of children participating in inclusive settings and the percentage of children demonstrating improved developmental growth. Relevant literature suggests that teacher attitudes and beliefs are the most frequently reported barriers to inclusion of preschool age SWD. to this end, this study examined the differences between early childhood education and early childhood special education teachers’ attitudes and beliefs and student growth outcomes across the special education program continuum, and it investigated whether teachers’ attitudes and beliefs about inclusion impact the social–emotional, language, and cognitive outcomes of their students. for this study, 39 teachers completed a survey that investigated their attitudes and beliefs related to social–emotional benefits, academic benefits, outcomes of inclusive practices, and implementation of inclusion. in addition to teacher surveys, student assessment data (using the Desired Results Developmental Profile, 2015) of 182 students were analyzed to determine student growth in one year. Mean comparisons and multilevel modeling were used to determine if teacher attitudes and beliefs influenced student assessment outcomes. the analysis revealed that early childhood special education teachers had more positive attitudes toward the social–emotional benefits of inclusion of SWD than did early childhood education teachers. They also had more positive attitudes toward the implementation of inclusive practices. SWD participating in coteaching, inclusive models demonstrated higher social–emotional, literacy and language, and cognitive development growth outcomes than SWD participating in self-contained models. There was a correlation between teachers’ attitudes and beliefs related to the social–emotional benefits and academic benefits of inclusion. Student participation in inclusion was a marginally significant predictor of higher social–emotional growth, and inclusion of students with speech and language impairments was a marginally significant predictor of higher cognitive growth.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Educational Leadership
- Creator:
- Reyes-osorio, Osmara
- Description:
- This qualitative dissertation looks at how first-generation college students (FGCS) experience the emotion of guilt as it relates to social capital within higher education. This study included 21 FGCS enrolled at two community colleges in Los Angeles County, California. the study found that guilt, along with other variables influence first-generation college students’ access to social capital. Themes included: positive experiences associated with being a FGCS, parental support, FGCS not working, guilt (associated with familial responsibilities), pride, resiliency through positive self-talk, and challenges accessing social capital. Implications for policy, practice, theory, and future research are discussed.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- Fullerton
- Department:
- Department of Educational Leadership