2023 Description of Sessions

Document listing the types of sessions to be held in 2023 Conferenc

Timing is Everything: State-by-State Analysis of the Collection of Lawfully Owed DNA from Offenders

The purpose of this thesis is to describe differences across states in the core elements of their statutes on the collection of DNA from suspects and convicted offenders and to analyze the influence of specific components of state statutes on the collection of lawfully owed DNA throughout the United States, the District of Columbia (D.C.), and the three united territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands). State legal data on the collection of DNA is coded for all 50 states, D.C. and three united territories, along with data on the total number of CODIS hits as of October of 2021. This thesis answers three research questions. What do state statutes require for the collection of lawfully owed DNA? The thesis answers this question with the systematic collection of data about state statutes and a descriptive analysis of the data. Second, do states enter fewer investigations aided into CODIS if their statute indicates DNA will be collected at both arrest and conviction? The hypothesis is that the collection of lawfully owed DNA by states at both arrest and conviction would have a negative relationship with the number of investigations aided as defined by the FBI in the National DNA Index System (NDIS). The study tests this relationship through an independent samples t-test analysis. Third, are aspects of state statutes related to the number of offender profiles within NDIS? The hypothesis is that the number of points at which lawfully owed DNA is collected during the conviction process would be correlated with the number of CODIS offender profiles. The thesis tests this relationship through an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test of five points in time. The results of these three analyses provide insights into the potential benefits of regulating components within state statutes. The study also presents policy recommendations that have the potential to reduce inconsistency with the collection of lawfully owed DNA

EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS WHO BEAT THE ODDS: A STUDY OF FACTORS RELATED TO ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS CLASSIFIED AS EBS

This study explored the relationship between Texas Emergent Bilingual (EB) students’ participation in an Advanced Placement (AP) exam and four predictor variables at the school district level. One year of archival data from 125 Texas school districts informed the study. The total number of students in these districts classified as EB or ELL was 795,330. Social Constructivism and Social Capital Theories framed the research design. Multiple regression was run to predict AP exam participation from percent Economically Disadvantaged, percent participation in a bilingual program, average students per teacher, and average teacher experience. Results from this study indicated that one of the four independent variables was statistically significant at the .05 level. The percentage of students classified as Economically Disadvantaged was the only statistically significant variable ( = -.350). The variable Percent Economically Disadvantaged (r = .29, p < .001) was positively correlated with the variable Percent Student Participation in a Bilingual Program. Furthermore, the variable Percent Economically Disadvantaged was negatively correlated with both AP Exam Participation (r = -.30, p < .001) and Average Teacher Experience (r = -.32, p < .001). The independent variables of Percent in Bilingual Program ( = .186), Average Student: Teacher Ratio ( = .138), and Average Teacher Experience ( = .933) did not have a statistically significant relationship with the dependent variable Percent [Emergent Bilingual students’] Participation in an AP Exam. v Discussion of these findings and recommendations for future research are offered. Implications for policy and practice include increased fidelity to best practices in bilingual education, particularly the program’s length and teacher qualifications. Other implications are improving EBs’ access to AP courses and continued efforts to mitigate poverty for all students. Future research may explore different variables, populations, and research designs. Data which includes reclassified EBs will be especially valuable

Differences in the Reading Performance of Texas Grade 4 Black Students as a Function of Their Gender and Economic Status: A Multiyear, Statewide Investigation

Purpose The overarching purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the extent to which Grade 4 Black students differed in their reading performance on the Texas state-mandated assessment by their gender and by their economic status. Specifically addressed was the degree to which differences were presented in their ability to understand and analyze a variety of texts across genres, in their ability to understand and to analyze literary texts, and in their ability to understand and to analyze informational texts. Also examined was their performance at the three different grade level performance standards (i.e., Approaches Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, and Masters Grade Level). The final purpose was to determine the extent to which trends were present in their reading performance across three school years (i.e., 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019). Method For these quantitative analyses, a causal-comparative research design was utilized. Texas statewide archival date from the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Reading assessment for Grade 4 students was requested and obtained from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years. Findings Black girls outperformed Black boys on the Texas state mandated reading assessment, STAAR, for all three years and in all reporting categories. More Black girls reached the Approaches Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, and Masters Grade Level standards than Black boys in all three years. Regarding reading achievement by economic status, Black boys who were poor had lower reading test scores than Black boys who were not poor in all three reporting categories in all three years. Lower percentages of Black boys who were poor met each grade level standard than Black boys who were not in poverty. Similarly, Black girls who were poor had lower reading test scores than Black girls who were not poor in all three reporting categories in all three school years. Lower percentages of Black girls who were poor met the three grade level standards than Black girls who were not poor. Results in all three articles were consistent with the existing research literature regarding poverty and reading achievement

Meanness and Affective Processing: A Meta-Analysis of EEG Findings on Emotional Face Processing in Individuals with Psychopathic Traits

The triarchic model (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) conceptualizes psychopathy as a multidimensional construct encompassing three biobehavioral dimensions: meanness, boldness, and disinhibition. The biological correlates of meanness, which encompasses low empathy, shallow affect, and lack of guilt or remorse, are currently less well elucidated than boldness or disinhibition (Patrick & Drislane, 2015). At the behavioral level, meanness is related to decreased accuracy on tasks involving facial and emotion recognition (Brislin et al., 2018). Emotional face processing can be examined on a neurophysiological level using event-related potentials (ERPs) such as N170, P200, and LPP (Shannon et al., 2013). Research indicates the magnitude of these responses may be modulated by psychopathic meanness (Clark et al., 2019); however, discrepant findings have also been reported. Therefore, the current study performed random-effects model meta-analyses of nine studies meeting study inclusion criteria to provide an overall effect size for the association between meanness and affective face processing ERPs across studies. Results of the meta-analysis indicated a significant effect for N170 amplitude and meanness when processing fearful faces (r = 0.18). Significant effects were not found for N170 amplitude when processing angry or happy faces, nor were significant effects found for LPP and P200 amplitudes when processing fearful faces. Meta-regression analyses indicated the type of facial stimuli utilized across studies was significant in explaining some between-study heterogeneity of the N170-fear meta-analysis model. Through examining physiological indicators of meanness, the current study contributes to ongoing research on the etiology of psychopathy and may guide future research in establishing a multi-domain framework for the measurement of psychopathy

Virtual Mosaic Knots

The study of knots and links is a main focus of the mathematical branch of topology. Classical knot theory studies knots embedded in 3-dimensional real space and has been a primary field of study since the 1960’s. Virtual knot theory, first introduced by Kauffman in 1999, studies knots embedded in thickened surfaces. Lomanoco and Kauffman introduced mosaic diagrams in order to build a quantum knot system in 2008. In 2009, Garduño extended these mosaic diagrams to include virtual knots. In order to represent knots on surfaces, Ganzell and Henrich introduced virtual mosaic knot theory in 2020 by placing knots onto × polygonal representations of surfaces. We extend the idea of virtual mosaic knot theory to include virtual rectangular mosaics, a placement of virtual knots onto × polygonal representations of surfaces, as well as row mosaics, a placement of virtual knots onto 1 × polygonal representations of surfaces. In this thesis, we introduce virtual rectangular mosaics and give two rectangular mosaic invariants called the tile number and row number. Included as an appendix, we give a complete row mosaic tabulation of knots with 8 or fewer crossings and virtual knots up to 4 crossings

Current Practices in Designing and Developing Effective Learning Center Spaces in Postsecondary Education

This qualitative case study was conducted to understand the process learning center administrators used in the creation or remodeling of a learning center space at a 2-year college system in the Midwest. Participants of the study were learning center directors, facilities, information technology, or administrator team members. Data were collected through interviews, which were transcribed and analyzed using first- and second-cycle coding to conduct a within-case analysis. The results of the within-case analysis were used to conduct a cross-case analysis. Themes emerged from the process used to create or remodel a learning center: which were needs assessment, coalition, implementation, and additional changes. The emergent themes from the extent to which learning center administrators considered pedagogy, space, and technology in their learning center designs were instructional, space, and technology considerations. Based on the findings of the study, implications for practice and recommendations for further research are shared

Inequities in the Number of Days Assigned to Girls to an Exclusionary Discipline Consequence as a Function of Ethnicity/Race, Economic Status, and At-Risk Status of Texas Middle School Girls: A Multiyear, Statewide Investigation

Purpose The overall purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the extent to which inequities were present in exclusionary discipline consequences assigned to middle school girls. In the first study, the purpose was to determine the degree to which inequities existed in the assignment of exclusionary consequences to middle school girls by their ethnicity/race. In the second study, the purpose was to ascertain the extent to which inequities were present in the assignment of exclusionary consequences to middle school girls by their economic status. In the third study, the purpose was to determine the degree to which inequities existed in the assignment of exclusionary consequences to middle school girls by their at-risk status. For each article, the presence of trends was addressed across the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020 school years. Method A causal-comparative research design was used in this analysis (Johnson & Christensen, 2020). Three independent variables were present: ethnicity/race, economic status, and at-risk status. Two dependent variables were present: assignment to an exclusionary discipline consequence and the number of days assigned to that consequence. These data were archival data obtained from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System. Findings Inferential statistical procedures revealed the presence of statistically significant differences in the assignment to an exclusionary discipline consequence and to more days, on the average, by the ethnicity/race of Grades 6, 7, and 8 girls. Black girls and Hispanic girls in all four school years were disproportionately assigned, in comparison to their enrollment and to White girls, to an in-school suspension. Moreover, when they were assigned to such a consequence, they were assigned to almost one day more than were White girls. High percentages of girls in poverty and girls who were at-risk were also assigned to an exclusionary discipline consequence and to more days, on the average, to such consequences. The disparities documented in this journal-ready dissertation in both the rate at which girls of color were assigned to an exclusionary discipline consequence and in the number of days they were assigned undoubtedly contribute to the existing achievement gaps

Differences in the Writing Performance of Texas Elementary School Students as a Function of their Economic Status, Gender, and Language Status: A Multiyear Statewide Investigation

The overarching purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the degree to which differences existed in Grade 4 STAAR Writing performance by student economic status, gender, and language status. In the first article, the purpose was to investigate the extent to which student economic status (i.e., Not Poor, Moderately Poor, Extremely Poor) affected their writing performance. In the second article, the purpose was to ascertain the degree to which boys and girls differed in their writing performance. In the third article, the purpose was to determine the extent to which student language status (i.e., Emergent Bilingual, non-Emergent Bilingual) influenced their writing performance. In each of these articles, the degree to which trends were present in student writing performance by their economic status, gender, and language status was addressed over a 3-year time period. For this quantitative study, a causal-comparative, non-experimental research design was utilized (Johnson & Christensen, 2020). An archival dataset of the Texas Grade 4 State of Texas Academic Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Writing test was obtained from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years.   After conducting the analysis of the data, Texas Grade 4 students who were Extremely Poor had statistically significantly lower writing scores than students who were Moderately Poor. Students who were Moderately Poor had statistically significantly lower writing scores than students who were Not Poor. A clear stair-step effect (Carpenter et al., 2006) was present in that the higher the degree of poverty, the lower the writing performance. With respect to gender, boys had statistically significantly lower writing test scores than girls. In all three Writing Reporting Categories and all Performance Standards, girls outperformed boys. Regarding language status, students who were Emergent Bilingual scored statistically significantly lower on the Grade 4 STAAR Writing than students who were non-Emergent Bilingual. In all three Writing Reporting Categories and all Performance Standards, students who were non-Emergent Bilingual outperformed students who were Emergent Bilingual. The effect size for the Writing Reporting Categories were small for all three school years

BRITISH SOLDIERS' LIFE HISTORIES: GLOBAL MOBILITY, ARMY REFORM, AND BRITISH IDENTITY IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

This thesis examines the memoirs of three British soldiers who served in the army during the nineteenth century, arguing that through their mobility around the world, their discussion of needs for army reform, and their deep identification as British soldiers, they served as agents of change that cultivated, nuanced, and strengthened the British empire. Scotsmen Joseph Donaldson, serving in the Peninsular War, William Douglas, participating in the Crimean War, and John Pindar, partaking primarily in the 1863 Umbeyla Campaign in India, all contributed to the imperial transformations that took place during the century. Through the pervasive influence of their published recollections, Donaldson, Douglas, and Pindar effected change, impacting the character of Britain. Donaldson instigated incipient shifts through his strong denunciations of army weakness and in his personal contrasts with the “other” in Spain. Douglas, while fully espousing his own uniqueness as a Scot, also layered English and Indian identities resulting from his travels throughout the east and embraced a proud British legacy as a Crimean War veteran. Pindar most thoroughly embodied the imperial soldier as he engaged in a broad-based journey throughout the British empire, cementing the empire’s multidimensional character, even as he challenged some late-century reforms. Spanning the century, these soldiers’ experiences combined to foster the transformation of empire geographically, in a reformed imperial army, and in the multicultural nature of both Britain at home and in the empire abroad during the nineteenth century