This applied research project investigates the use of culturally responsive teaching as a means of increasing students' knowledge and understanding in social studies, and provides a culturally responsive unit incorporating primary sources on the Japan . . .

In 2003 I came home to the United States after living in Europe for almost eight years. The week of my return was also the week that Colin Powell made his presentation to the United Nations regarding the American "proof' for war against Iraq. As I lef . . .

Today is difficult, there really aren't many things left that seem to be pure. I think love is pure. I think art is pure. And magic. Magic is everything we don't know ... Fritz Scholderl I have long been fascinated by the magic and power of objects an . . .

To become part of any literary tradition is to call upon the classics while inventing new and individual ideas and concepts. In my writing I strive to find a balance between the old and the new . I have been heavily influenced by authors in the litera . . .

Construct accessibility has been found to play an important role in the interpretation of social information. Even when a construct is primed implicitly it has been proven to have a temporary effect on person perception. The present experiment examine . . .

Hostile Takeover: A Love Story is a romantic comedy about Frannie O'Riley, an overgrown tom boy who has trouble opening up her heart to love and romance. Frannie works in her father's construction company, a company that had once been successful but i . . .

This study explores politics, Jim Crow, and the effect of white relationships on the survival of black politicos through the life and achievements of Louis J. Winston during the most controversial period of history experienced by the South. Born into . . .

In preparing this recital, I wanted to play a variety of clarinet music, including some that to my knowledge has never been performed outside of a teachers studio. I also included two standard works of the repertoire and two works of the twentieth cen . . .

Recently my work has moved from a lighter view of people in their daily encounters to an examination of people foundering in the ruins of their lives in homes built on shifting sands. As politics vacillate and our foundations quake, many cannot swim o . . .

Population growth in Southern California throughout the decade of the 1980s brought about a furtherance in the augmentation of an already dynamic urban fringe to the east of the city of Los Angeles, and a continuing diminishment of local agricultural . . .

The songs presented here, whether by well-known or obscure composers, are, for the most part, less familiar. However, each is intrinsically attractive, musically valid, and of more than just historical interest. Monteverdi's Scherzi Musicali (1632) co . . .

My thesis will focus on three of O'Brien's Vietnam War novels: The Things They Carried, Going After Cacciato, and In the Lake of the Woods. I will show how O'Brien develops these stories in terms of individual, social, cultural, and historical aspects . . .

This project examined the components of successful teacher induction programs, most specifically mentoring, support group meetings, and peer collegiality. The focus of this project was on assisting teachers with their incredibly diverse student popula . . .

Che dite, o miei pensieri by Antonio Caldara is a typical example of the chamber cantata form of the Middle Baroque period. It contains two da capo arias of contrasting character, each preceded by a recitative. The aria Meta di voi gua vadano from the . . .

My thesis exhibition, The Body: A Grotesque Discombobulation, deals with issues of the human condition. In my mixed media drawings I depict fragmented and damaged bodies or body parts to explore physical and psychological disintegration. By abstractin . . .

Cognitive workload theories typically assume linear additive impacts on performance as cognitive workload increases (O'Donnell & Eggemeier, 1986; Tsang & Wilson, 1997). Meanwhile, current trends suggest inclusion of variability analysis may be of bene . . .

This study was conducted to determine the effect of hand used and input task on input device selection. Forty-two right handed subjects were tested on both hands, across three input tasks: selection, position and orientation. Input device was used as . . .

To determine how trust is affected by an interface containing the anthropomorphic representation of an intelligent agent, 593 visitors to a popular automotive Web site were surveyed on their use of an online agent-like system. The type of Personificat . . .

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has long advocated the use of calculators at all levels of mathematics instruction. Research (Hembree, 1986; Dunham & Dick, 1994) has indicated that students using calculators possess a better attitude t . . .

The effect of database linking structure on complex search task performance was examined. Database structure was either hierarchical only or hierarchical with added relational links (mixed structure). Participants were asked to provide answers to five . . .

This study examined the effects of explicit warning salience on perceived risk. The design was a 4 X 6 mixed factorial. The between-subjects variable was warning label type. Its 4 levels were reactive pictogram plus text, proactive pictogram plus text . . .

This thesis explores the moral evolution of Joseph Conrad's protagonist, Marlow, in Heart of Darkness and Lord Jim. Marlow appears uniquely in literature as the omnipotence of cloistered Victorian moral ideals began to fade and just as the shattering . . .

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has long advocated the use of calculators at all levels of mathematics instruction. Research (Hembree, 1986; Dunham & Dick, 1994) has indicated that students using calculators possess a better attitude t . . .

The purpose of this study was to examine similarities and differences of Anglo students and recent Mexican immigrant students when they solved the checkerboard problem. Five pairs of Anglo students were video taped while determining the number of squa . . .

This project explores the use of video testimony as anecdotal evidence in documenting the deportation to Siberia, between 1941 and 1950, of more than 100, 000 Romanians from the ex-soviet republic of Moldova. They were among the millions of inhabitant . . .

This graduate project is a study unit designed to teach junior high students to write using the Bank Street Writer Plus word processing program. It develops the belief that word processors can facilitate many� of the activities that produce better qua . . .

Selecting music for Graduate recital can be as difficult as learning the music once it is chosen. My first thoughts about choice of literature were that no typical or standard procedure (e.g., works from each period, encompassing all languages) need n . . .

Research has indicated that many exceptional children, especially those with emotional disturbances, have social skill deficits and that these deficits are translated into their academic and personal lives. This research is reviewed and concludes that . . .

The Interactive Film Explorer ("IFE") is an interactive multimedia user friendly program, which incorporates a computer and a laser videodisc. It provides relevant information through various modes of instruction, such as text, graphics, animation, so . . .

Innocence is a meshing of the action/adventure and relationship film which follows Hannah, a socially detached career minded woman, whose notorious cold streak comes to an end with the reunification with her mentally challenged twin sister Wendy who a . . .

Understanding group dynamics is important in order to enhance and maintain performance of work-teams. The purpose of this thesis is to examine factors related to social loafing and social facilitation and how such factors hinder and promote teamwork. . . .

A pretest-posttest control group design was used to investigate whether participation in Challenger Baseball increases self-esteem in children with physical disabilities and mental retardation. Two experimental groups that consisted of physically disa . . .

There is very little literature available regarding the relationship between neuropsychological functioning of a patient with cognitive impairment and his/her caregiver's leyel of stress or burden. The purpose of the present study was to examine the b . . .

This Graduate Project examines the negative effects caused by thin ideal images of females in the media, on the self-esteem and body image of girls ages five to eight. It suggests that by being exposed to more varied images, positive role models and m . . .

The early identification of potential developmental problems in young children is a very crucial preliminary step in the prevention or minimizing of possible school failure. Traditional reliance on standardized developmental tests has sometimes result . . .

Women today are taught to believe that mothering is instinctual and that when they have children they are supposed to love taking care of them. This notion perplexes many women who give birth without immediately feeling kinship with their baby. Some, . . .

A study was conducted for the purpose of demonstrating the effects of sex of subject, sex of target person, attributes of the target person, and search stage on the order and amount of information accession during the impression formation process. Equ . . .

In October 1977, just weeks after Anastasio Somoza lifted a nearly three year state of siege, Nicaragua's Sandinista guerrillas resumed their military offensive by launching a countrywide assault against the dictator. Some 22 months later, on July 17, . . .

My creative instinct lies in capturing moments of mortality. I transform these moments into visceral embodiments that reveal some sort of physical and spiritual distress, mingling science with sentiment. The instances of metamorphosis I create tread a . . .

Two Trees explores writing from a post-modern, post-sturcturalist perspective and experiments with form. Some of the works include elements of conventional poetry and fiction. Other poems combine the two genres of writing to create a poetic-fiction th . . .

This thesis project sheds light on Mexican undocumented students who have pursued higher education after attending high school in Southern California. The audio documentary that is part of this project highlights the immigration experiences of eight u . . .

A teenage girl grows up in the early nineteen eighties. Her parents are divorced, she rarely sees her father, and she doesn't get along with her stepfather. She moves to a new town and makes friends with popular kids. She meets an older boy and has a . . .

To interpret a playscript for directing or designing, an organized systemic method of analysis is necessary to understand the script's signification and the playwright's intent. This type of analysis also helps maintain the script's integrity while pr . . .

Since gaining independence from the former Soviet Union, Armenian cinema has launched a revolution in the way Armenians see themselves and the world around them. With the onset of glasnost, the movie cameras broke through the barriers of the Brezhnev . . .

Ten years ago very few people had heard of a strange new life threatening condition known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Today there are few that would need an explanation or elaboration of its acronym, AIDS. Media coverage of AIDS was sporad . . .

The economy that once supported manufacturing in the U.S. is being replaced by service oriented businesses. This change has led to companies abandoning obsolete factories, often leaving behind large vacant parcels contaminated with toxic chemicals fro . . .

The research being presented is a case study about the peer support needs of young adults with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Research data was collected from a focus group comprised of members of an existing MS peer support group for young adults and from . . .

This research merged perspectives from feminist studies, cultural studies and popular culture in order to study marital advice books written by non-academic married women for married women over the past fifty years, and to view how women were being ad . . .

As a writer I have positioned myself within the framework of lesbian writing. The term 'lesbian writing', however, is varied and constantly in a state of definition. Yet, both in spite of, and because of this, I must construct a framework of lesbian w . . .

The purpose of the study was to investigate the status of Mexican choral literature in senior high choral music education programs of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Although forty-three choral music educators were invited to participate in t . . .

Fifty tenth-grade students were studied to investigate how motivational components -- intrinsic value, self-efficacy and goal orientation -- may be related to the use of self-regulated learning strategies of high achieving students, and to examine how . . .

A study was conducted to determine the effects of writing to help increase conceptual understanding of science concepts. Twenty boys and twenty girls from a fifth grade science class participated in the study for eight weeks. The ethnicities represent . . .

Past studies have shown mixed results in the effect of presenting information in visual and auditory modalities on students' learning. Some studies suggest that presenting information in visual and auditory modalities provides more resources to workin . . .

Although there are many opportunities for outdoor learning in Ventura County, knowledge of these resources was scattered and random. This thesis-project satisfies the need to have a central location on the World Wide Web that identifies and describes . . .

The primary objective in this project is to develop a clear background and establish a beginning foundation for understanding the complete process in the production of a child's picture book. My long term goal is to ultimately become published and rec . . .

This paper outlines an Art Education curriculum designed for and implemented with a group of elementary school-aged children. The project, which took place over a two-year period, emphasized the integration of various standards-based subject areas, in . . .

The fallowing report is a study of the factors that impact children's envirmm1ental health legislation in the state of California. It includes bills from the legislative year 1997-1998. Topics include the background experience of the legislator and th . . .

A model for the organization of conversational tum-taking was proposed in a landmark article by Sacks, Schegloff, and Jefferson (1974) with one aspect of the model expanded upon later by Jefferson (1984). These two studies of turn exchanges identified . . .

Annie Mather isn't sure what to do with herself when her career as a cookbook editor abruptly comes to an end. Then an opportunity presents itself to star in a reality show for the Home and Family Network. Annie thinks it will give her more time with . . .

Processes have always fascinated me. From the mystery of how the Incas erected those infinitely precise stone walls of Machu Picchu to the freedom and directness with which Morris Louis poured his acrylic washes. As a young girl I brought home reprodu . . .

This research involved the use of urban high school students of various ethnicities with ability levels ranging from Pre-Algebra to second year Algebra. Students performed simple and complex problem solving tasks individually and in pairs. In this stu . . .

Trauersinfone, by Richard Wagner and Symphonic Movement, by Vaclav Nelhybel, are two outstanding and yet diverse pieces of concert band literature. Trauersinfone, demands sensitivity with a romanticized concept. The rhythmic variation potential of thi . . .

A performer’s goal in planning a recital is to provide contrast and interest for both the academic and aesthetic listener. Short sets were used in this recital employing various languages and genres as well as contrasting vocal and instrumental timbre . . .

The diagnosis of autism occurs in 1 out of 150 individuals according to national studies performed by the CDC. With this increase of diagnosis, there will be increase in need for support services. Therefore, families will be seeking services that prov . . .

Interactive writing demonstrates concepts of print, early strategies, and how words work. This type of writing is used to assist children with their understanding the processes in reading and writing. Interactive writing integrates demonstrations of w . . .

Solo literature for trumpet belongs almost entirely to the baroque and modern periods. The program selected is divided equally between these two diverse style periods, with the intention of engaging at least one monumental work from each period. In th . . .

This graduate project illuminates the role of world music drumming in urban general music classrooms by examining why the implementation of drumming programs in urban schools, based on my experiences, has been met with such positive feedback, as well . . .

Effective early reading intervention relies on screening measures to identify children at risk for reading difficulties. To date early screens have been unable to achieve sufficient accuracy to both identify all children at risk and eliminate those no . . .

This evaluation focused on accessing word-processing functions by testing the efficiency of predetermined key combinations often called "accelerator-commands," "keyboard-equivalents," or "keyboard-shortcuts." Only the alpha-key component of accelerato . . .

The Concerto for Piano and Orchestra was written between February 1993 and March 1994. (See more in text.)

The plays of Lanford Wilson have interested scholars, critics and playgoers for more than three decades . Among other things, critics have focused on Wilson's use of language. Some assert that Wilson's evocative language has captured the voice of the . . .

Depictions of the femme fatale, the dangerous and seductive woman, have been around for centuries. Various artistic versions of her since the second millennium, such as those of the goddess Astarte and the biblical Salome, represent her as at once bea . . .

The goal of the present study wa'i to uncover interrelationships among sexual orientation, sex, attitudes toward women's roles in society, and level of dietary restraint. It was hypothesized that sexual orientation, attitudes toward traditional gender . . .

This thesis suggests that Bertolt Brecht's play, Round Heads and Pointed Heads, has been underserved both critically and theatrically. Although it evolved from a previous attempt Brecht made to adapt Shakespeare's play Measure for Measure, there has b . . .

This thesis explores the manifestation of closed and open consciousness in conventional rhetoric of persuasion and the rhetoric of the rhizome. The rational mode of the Western discursive tradition has determined a pragmatic mode of consciousness, whi . . .

This project is about a survey (Appendix A) given to one public school with a population of768 students having 10 percent of the school's population identified with multiple disabilities. The survey was place in the mailboxes of 35 general education t . . .

This thesis contains the first seven chapters of a novel in progress. The novel is set in the present. The protagonist and narrator is an engineer working at an aerospace company in the San Fernando Valley. The narrator is a remarkable figure in that . . .

Families that adopt children from other countries deal with unique challenges unlike domestic adoption. Challenges can include maneuvering the intercountry adoption process, lack of medical history, cost, illegal practices and the impact of institutio . . .

The thesis utilized the method of qualitative content analysis to analyze the press coverage of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the space industry from 1990 through 1999. Research data came from three weekly news magazines: Ti . . .

Human emotions are never more poignantly expressed than in the face and body language of a child at play. The emotions run the gamut of sensations; one sees ecstasy, frustration, concentration, disappointment, but most of all the pure excitement of in . . .

Domestic workers have long received attention from academia--research has been written about them through global, sociological, or historical perspectives. However, the innovative character of this study is that it focuses on the experiences of domest . . .

The responses of 10 mothers reported for child abuse, 12 reported for child neglect, and 12 comparison mothers, were compared on the Parenting Stress Index/Short Form (PSI/SF), the Expectations subscale of the Parent Behavior Checklist, and the Abuse . . .

In 1995, Delaine Eastin, State Superintendent of Public Instruction in California, launched an initiative to create "a garden i.'1 every school". "By encouraging and supporting a garden in every school, we create opportunities for children to make hea . . .

This study traces the use of credit and debt within the slave-based plantation economy of Natchez, Mississippi by looking at those suits filed in the Adams Circuit Court for unpaid debts in a single year, 1826. In that year, 345 individual collection . . .

Stress and burnout are evident in many professions, however, within the teaching profession, teachers of the seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) /behavior disordered (BD) students indicate the highest percentage of teacher burnout. Two major factors . . .

The explosive growth of Deaf Studies Programs in Schools and programs for the Deaf is a phenomenon of interest for educators, researchers and futurists. As an outgrowth that parallels development of other Minority Studies such as Black Studies and Chi . . .

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Positive Behavior Support (PBS) have been empirically proven to reduce challenging behaviors exhibited by students with disabilities. However, ABA-based interventions have not been frequently utilized in the general . . .

Gender inequality is a pervasive social construct that impacts everyone within society. Couples who experience infidelity are not exempt from this and infidelity may act as a mechanism to address gender inequality. By identifying signifiers of gender . . .

The purpose of this project is to acquaint the reader with the findings of Sign language Linguistics, to present in perspective, some of the descriptive elements of American Sign Language, and to offer suggestion as to how the discoveries of Sign Lang . . .

In the last century photography has been recognized as a media for recording visual stimuli. Photographers such as M. Brady (11), T. O'Sullivan (12), and D. Hill (17) have concentrated on taking pictures of social events or natural phenomenon. More re . . .

This graduate project explores two seemingly opposite disciplines; spiritual ecofeminism and martial arts, and how those two can enhance each other. Whether people recognize it or not, both feminists and martial artists have been claiming the same mot . . .

The rich historiography of Normandy goes back centuries. Recent scholarship, however, has many researching the formation and early existence of the medieval duchy. The idea of researching the surviving Carolingian and Norman annals along with the duca . . .

Individuation, the conscious realization of one's own part in the process of human growth, is a unique psychological reality, including strengths and limitations, which leads to the integration of the Self as a whole being. It is my hypothesis 'that b . . .

This study explores the merits of using career oriented programs to enable minority group students to enter economic mainstream as professionals in greater numbers. The core of this study is the Career Opportunities for Youth Programme (C.O.Y.) which . . .

This thesis is concerned with analyzing the characters of Harry Potter, Lord Voldemort, and Professor Severus Snape from the sensational children's book series, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling through the perspective of literary and critical theory. Alth . . .

This thesis brings together three shorter plays, "Reverse Intimidation," "Collectors," and "Chandra," each of which I've been working for some time. Each play explores the courage and the fragility of women. "Reverse Intimidation" is based on personal . . .

Abstract Art as a Tool for Communication: The Importance of Social Justice Art Curriculum By Charlene Hattier Master of Art in Art, Art Education The general question to be investigated is, “How do educators address difficult, controversial topics of . . .

In determining the scope interpretations of quantifiers, linguists follow the view that the one which is “leftmost” in the surface structure is interpreted to have the highest scope. Many linguists have posited left-right order as the determining fact . . .

This study represents an attempt to assess the relationship between unclear communication and deviant behavior. It was hypothesized that as stimuli became less discriminable, and the consequences of responses became less predictable, behavior would be . . .

Jean Cocteau (1889-1963) was a highly creative and artistically diverse individual. His talents were expressed in every field of art, and in each field he was successful. The diversity of his talent defies traditional categorization and makes it diffi . . .