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Description
Birds have unusually high plasma glucose concentrations compared to mammals of similar size despite their high metabolic rate. While birds use lipids as their main source of energy, it is still unclear how and why they maintain high plasma glucose concentrations. To investigate a potential underlying mechanism, this study looks at the role of lipolysis in glucose homeostasis. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of decreased glycerol availability (through inhibition of lipolysis) on plasma glucose concentrations in mourning doves. The hypothesis is that decreased availability of glycerol will result in decreased production of glucose through gluconeogenesis leading to reduced plasma glucose concentrations. In the morning of each experiment, mourning doves were collected at the Arizona State University Tempe campus, and randomized into either a control group (0.9% saline) or experimental group (acipimox, 50mg/kg BM). Blood samples were collected prior to treatment, and at 1, 2, and 3 hours post-treatment. At 3 hours, doves were euthanized, and tissue samples were collected for analysis. Acipimox treatment resulted in significant increases in blood glucose concentrations at 1 and 2 hours post- treatment as well as renal triglyceride concentrations at 3 hours post-treatment. Change in plasma free glycerol between 0h and 3h followed an increasing trend for the acipimox treated animals, and a decreasing trend in the saline treated animals. These results do not support the hypothesis that inhibition of lipolysis should decrease blood glycerol and blood glucose levels. Rather, the effects of acipimox in glucose homeostasis appear to differ significantly between birds and mammals suggesting differing mechanisms for glucose homeostasis.
ContributorsKouteib, Soukaina (Author) / Sweazea, Karen (Thesis director) / Deviche, Pierre (Committee member) / Chandler, Douglas (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a well-known non-remedial academic support program for high-risk courses, not students. The program offers regular SI study sessions open to all students, and attendance is voluntary. SI has been shown to decrease the number of failure and withdrawals and to increase students' grades by one half to a full letter grade. A recent study has shown that SI bridges the gap in achievement between students who enrolled in college with low prior achievement and students with high prior achievement. Another study has shown that students of different academic abilities can all benefit from SI. It is well established in the education literature that perceived self-efficacy is an accurate predictor of academic performance and retention in college. Many of these studies have defined perceived self-efficacy as the belief in one's ability to excel in a task or achieve a goal. While many studies tackle the effectiveness of SI and its benefits to SI attendees and SI leaders, no prior study has examined the role of SI in fostering self-efficacy. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between perceived self-efficacy, attendance to SI sessions and academic performance. The hypothesis of this study is that attendance to SI sessions will increase students' self-efficacy. The SI participants in the high attendance group had marginally significant changes in self-efficacy while the SI participants in the low attendance group and the non-SI participants did not have significant changes in self-efficacy. The results from this study showed promising outlook that SI might be fostering self-efficacy and enhancing students' academic achievement. Additional studies are required to provide deeper insights into the role of supplemental instruction in fostering self-efficacy.
ContributorsKouteib, Soukaina (Author) / Vanmali, Binaben (Thesis director) / Giannetto, Michael (Committee member) / Van de Sande, Carla (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
In recent education trends, an emphasis has been placed on teaching students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines. Many researchers have advocated for integrating Arts education as well, changing STEM education to STEAM (STEM + Arts) education. This paper describes an original 8th Grade physics curriculum integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). The curriculum was designed to teach core science concepts through inquiry and dance activities. The curriculum uses the 5E inquiry format, specifically using dance and movement activities to elaborate on the learned science content. The unit curriculum is designed to be implemented in an 8th Grade science classroom based on best practices in Science Instruction and Dance Education. The curriculum was not implemented as a research study this year, but is designed to support research in the future. The curriculum was however presented to Term 6 Pre-service Teachers in Mary Lou Fulton Teacher's College at ASU, whom evaluated the effectiveness of the lessons and offered feedback. This paper includes a review of current literature on STEAM education and dance integration, rationale for the curriculum's 5E Format and dance integration, the entire physics unit curriculum in 5E format, Pre-service Teacher feedback, and implications for a future research study with the unit curriculum.
ContributorsHarris, Carson Donald (Author) / Chen, Ying-Chih (Thesis director) / Atkinson, Laura (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
The college textbook is the most commonly required component of almost any college course, regardless of a student's academic discipline. Professors often expect students to have access to the textbook and to use it to complete assigned readings. Textbooks often contain features that are designed to facilitate active reading, or critical engagement with the information being read, to enhance learning of the material. However, students often do not read or prioritize reading the textbook. Students who do read, tend not to read the textbook as intended or use many of the features designed to promote active reading and enhanced learning of the material. Educational studies of textbooks tend to focus on aspects related to topics more relevant to publishers or professors with less research on aspects of the textbook applicable to students at the college level. The purpose of this study is to evaluate students' textbook use and their attitudes toward the textbook in an introductory biology course. Results of this study indicate students hold positive attitudes toward their textbook in an introductory biology course and majority of students do not use components meant to facilitate active learning. Although students report completing assigned readings, students may actually be reading select portions of what is assigned in using the textbook to prepare for exams. These results suggest that students may only be using their textbook to enhance their understanding of materials they expect to be tested on. The findings of this study help to understand the role of the textbook from the perspective of the student and provide insight for improving textbook design and use in science courses at the college level.
ContributorsRudolph, Alexia Marion (Author) / Vanmali, Binaben (Thesis director) / Chen, Ying-Chih (Committee member) / Yoho, Rachel (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This study addresses the problem of low-income, first-generation college students who are academically successful, but choose to leave college before finishing due to financial constraints. This study investigates their lived experiences as well as the effects of a peer mentorship program where incoming, first-year, low-income, first-generation college students are paired with a trained peer mentor from a similar background. Together the pair jointly explore available financial resources and troubleshoot barriers to access. This study draws on four primary theories: Social Cognitive Theory, Intersectionality, Community Cultural Wealth, and Critical Pedagogy. This mixed methods action research study uses multiple types of data: individual interviews, focus group, photo elicitation, demographic questionnaires, and pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Findings indicate increases in self-efficacy for and knowledge about accessing financial resources after participating in the program.
ContributorsBevins, Jennifer (Author) / Chen, Ying-Chih (Thesis advisor) / Carrillo, Juan (Committee member) / Morgan, Chad (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
This study addresses the dynamics of U.S. and international students studying together in the United States. This study investigates lived experiences as well as the effects of a first-year foundational course on the development of intercultural connections between students. The first-year foundational course hoped to provide the ideal conditions that allowed for prejudices to decrease and friendships to form. This study draws on four primary theories and perspectives: Acculturation, Intergroup Contact Theory, Transformative Learning and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy. This qualitative action research study uses multiple types of data: instructor journals, student journals, individual interviews, and photovoice. The themes identified include growth and development, independence, friendships, moments of similarities, prejudices and behaviors, superiority and apathy, and belonging to the majority or minority. The themes indicate that the research study provided a foundation for study participants to further explore how to incorporate intercultural experiences into their lives in the future and beyond.
ContributorsRoss, Andrew Dexter (Author) / Chen, Ying-Chih (Thesis advisor) / Ellis, Raquel (Committee member) / Madden, Meggan (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore improving first semester training practices for graduate teaching assistants (TAs) in the Spanish program at Arizona State University’s (ASU) Tempe Campus. Adding to research on TA training in higher education, a communities of practice (CoP) framework was combined with concrete suggestions on cultivating CoPs to implement a two-part CoP principled training program intervention. Specifically, a goal of the intervention was to address the problem of practice of improving first semester TA lesson planning, communicative language teaching, classroom management, and learning management system usage. Data was collected from interviews, surveys, journals, and training activities from five new TAs who teach Spanish. Data analysis included a multi-cycle qualitative coding process to examine participants’ novice-expert positionalities and the presence of core features of a CoP. Results suggest that regardless of previous experiences, TAs need time to assimilate to the ASU culture, standards, and community. Furthermore, the CoP principled training program showed instances of the necessary core features of a CoP such as joint enterprise and mutual engagement, but also a need for continued community development to address dysfunctions. Implications for these findings point to possible positive effects of continued training through a CoP framework, and a need for reorganization of training practices to allow TAs to legitimately participate in training activities supported by community coordinators as they adjust to the ASU context before beginning their in-service teaching.
ContributorsFlanagan, Steven Ray (Author) / Chen, Ying-Chih (Thesis advisor) / Tecedor Cabrero, Marta (Committee member) / Angus, Katie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
All high school students deserve access to experiences that will help shape their perspectives of post-secondary options. They also deserve adequate preparation for said experiences. Minimal consideration is given to how to prepare low-income Latinx high school students for success in internships. Thus, this mixed-methods action research study utilized a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) framework to investigate a semester-long internship preparation course. It explored how students recognize and develop navigational capital from the Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) framework as well as Career Decision Self-Efficacy (CDSE) while preparing for a subsequent internship. Data analysis and its triangulation were derived from participants’ interviews and a focus group, as well as surveys from the treatment group and control group. Results suggest that the intervention was successful in preparing participants for an internship and increasing their CDSE, but results were inconclusive on whether navigational capital was affected.
ContributorsMason, Nicole (Author) / Chen, Ying-Chih (Thesis advisor) / Ross, Lydia (Committee member) / Carrillo, Juan (Committee member) / Martinez, Robert (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
This study investigates Black male students' perceptions of their teachers' curricular expectations in mathematics classrooms. Curriculum in this study refers to what knowledge students are expected to learn, and the manner in which they are expected to learn it. The topic of this dissertation is in response to persisting and prevailing achievement disparities experienced by secondary Black male students in mathematics. These disparities exist at the school, district, state, and national level. Utilizing an action research methodology, multiple cycles of data collection led to the final iteration of the study, collecting strictly qualitative data and drawing from critical race methodology to address the three research questions.
The three research questions of this study seek to address how Black male students perceive their mathematics teachers’ curricular expectations, what practices they have found to be effective in meeting their teachers’ higher curricular expectations, and to determine how they view the reform practices as part of the intervention. Research questions were answered using one-on-one and focus group interviews, classroom observations, and student journals. An intervention was developed and delivered as part of the action research, which was an attempt at curriculum reform influenced by culturally relevant pedagogy, warm demander pedagogy, and youth participatory action research.
Findings from the qualitative methods, led to four assertions. The first assertion states, despite achievement disparities, Black male students care very much about their academic success. Second, a primary factor hindering Black male students’ academic success, as communicated by participants, is what they are learning and how they are learning it. Speaking to teachers’ expectations, participants believe their teachers want them to succeed and think highly of them. Additionally, participants preferred interactive, enthusiastic, and caring teachers, even if those teachers are academically demanding. Finally, participants found learning mathematics addressing a problem that affects them, while incorporating components that address their invisibility in the curriculum, increased relevance, interest, and academic self-awareness.
The three research questions of this study seek to address how Black male students perceive their mathematics teachers’ curricular expectations, what practices they have found to be effective in meeting their teachers’ higher curricular expectations, and to determine how they view the reform practices as part of the intervention. Research questions were answered using one-on-one and focus group interviews, classroom observations, and student journals. An intervention was developed and delivered as part of the action research, which was an attempt at curriculum reform influenced by culturally relevant pedagogy, warm demander pedagogy, and youth participatory action research.
Findings from the qualitative methods, led to four assertions. The first assertion states, despite achievement disparities, Black male students care very much about their academic success. Second, a primary factor hindering Black male students’ academic success, as communicated by participants, is what they are learning and how they are learning it. Speaking to teachers’ expectations, participants believe their teachers want them to succeed and think highly of them. Additionally, participants preferred interactive, enthusiastic, and caring teachers, even if those teachers are academically demanding. Finally, participants found learning mathematics addressing a problem that affects them, while incorporating components that address their invisibility in the curriculum, increased relevance, interest, and academic self-awareness.
ContributorsMichael, Junior (Author) / Chen, Ying-Chih (Thesis advisor) / Liou, Daniel Dinn-You (Committee member) / Sampson, Carrie (Committee member) / Bertrand, Melanie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
Colleges and universities have goals and strategies in place to fill their on-campus housing facilities with students. At Arizona State University (ASU), the goal is to fill every bedspace on campus. All first-year students are expected to live on campus their first year at ASU. In Barrett, the Honors College (BHC), students are expected to live on-campus their first and second year at ASU. This study explores the BHC upperdivision communities to better understand why students are not returning to live on campus beyond the two-year live-on expectation. In this study, the researcher created a website to better inform students of the renewal process and the benefits of living on-campus. More than 200 BHC upperdivision students participated in this study through interviews and surveys. Quantitative results of the study indicated a positive and significant correlation between students who believe it costs less to live on campus, enjoy living on campus, interact with faculty and staff outside of the classroom with intent to live on campus the next academic year. Students who felt their currently living situation had a positive impact on their overall emotional/mental wellbeing, feel a sense of community or connection to others, and feel more connected because they live on campus are more likely to intend to live on campus. Students who were surveyed after the implementation of the renewal website believed it cost less to live on campus than off campus, felt that it was easier to navigate the application, and felt that they had a better understanding of the renewal process. Qualitative results of the study indicated students were deciding to live off campus due to the limited room options and the cost of on-campus housing. Students did not feel that there was a sense of community in BHC upperdivision housing, but they did feel like living on-campus was convenient and opened opportunities to get involved. The renewal website did not have an effect on students’ behavior, knowledge and intent to renew housing, and the renewal process was easy to navigate for some of the participants and difficult to navigate for the other participants.
ContributorsLaRoche, Catherine-Ann Hiileilani (Author) / Chen, Ying-Chih (Thesis advisor) / Hermann, Kristen J (Committee member) / Staton, Shannon (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020