Teacher Merit Pay In A Rural Western North Carolina County: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Effects Of Student Characteristics On A Teacher’s Likelihood Of Receiving A Monetary Bonus In Math Or Reading In Grades Three - Eight

This quantitative work is an exploratory study examining the North Carolina bonus pay structure enacted in 2016-2017 for math and reading teachers in grades three through eight. The study used student data from a rural western North Carolina county from the 2017-2018 academic year. It analyzed the validity of the EVAAS tool used in North Carolina to identify the top 25% of teachers in the affected grade levels and subject areas. The study examined student characteristics to find correlations between teachers receiving the merit-based bonus and the composition of students in her classroom. The study identified that white, mixed-race and Asian students have a greater likelihood of sitting in a teacher’s classroom that received the reading bonus. Students with disabilities had a negative correlation to a teacher’s likelihood of receiving the reading bonus in grades three - five. In math, the study found a negative correlation between teachers receiving the bonus and students with disabilities and students identified as gifted learners. There was a positive correlation between math teacher bonuses and mixed-race, Hispanic and African-American students. The study might be used to help inform student classroom assignment practices in North Carolina

Personality and getting out the vote

Due in large part to the overlapping layers of federal, state, and local governments, the United States holds more elections than any other industrialized democracy in the world. Perhaps as a result, the U.S. also consistently has the lowest voter turnout of these countries. The importance of mobilizing supporters has long been recognized in conventional political wisdom, but until recently relatively little research had been done into which methods are actually effective at getting out the vote. The extant research tends to focus on the methods used to reach voters (e.g., doorto- door canvassing, direct mail, telephone calls, etc.) and has dealt with the message of the GOTV appeals only as an afterthought. As such, while good information is available regarding the efficacy of different modalities, the research on the effect of the GOTV message is often inconclusive. Likewise, political research has only recently begun to consider the role of individual differences, especially personality, as a predictor of political behavior. Traditionally, individual differences have been treated as “noise” in the context of political research. There are indications, however, that far from being noise, individual differences in general, and personality in particular, are vital considerations and effective predictors of civic engagement (Mondak, Hibbing, Canache, Seligson, & Anderson, 2010), partisanship (Mondak & Halperin, 2008), and political orientation (Verhulst, Hatemi, & Martin, 2010) among potential voters. The results of this study reveal that response to some types of GOTV messages can be modeled using variation in personality traits as a predictor. This is consistent with some earlier findings suggesting systematic variation in political behavior and affiliation associated with variation in personality traits. Furthermore, this study reveals that different types of appeal content do indeed differ significantly in their perceived effectiveness. The study has implications for how GOTV campaigns can be conducted in order to differentially benefit candidates of differing ideologies

Digital Storytelling: Ordinary Voices, Extraordinary Stories

This dissertation explores the perspectives of women enrolled in a developmental English class at a community college which utilized digital storytelling as a pedagogical tool. Building upon the many years of research of best practices in the field of developmental education, this qualitative narrative inquiry is motivated by three research questions: 1) How do the women use digital storytelling technology to create meaning? 2) What does the experience of the female storytellers reveal about women and the learning experience? 3) How do developmental education research-based best practices intersect with digital storytelling? The goals of the study are to contribute to the existing body of literature on developmental education best practices and women’s learning as well as merge the two with the 21st century technology of digital storytelling. Within the contemporary literature on digital storytelling, themes of identity formation, multiple literacies, and empowerment through emancipation are pervasive. This study offers insight into and advances the understanding of digital storytelling by including the field of developmental education with an exclusive focus on women’s ways of learning

Aluminum Sioux camps

Through painted compositions, the objective of this thesis is to provide an analysis of ethnicity, gender, race and social-domestic practices within a multitude of varying metaphorical signifiers embedded in the content, composition, schemes of color, execution of line and overall subject matter. To be more specific, the thesis exhibit consists of compositions on three painted, wooden structures that hang horizontally on an identified wall space in a gallery in the Cherokee Central School Performing Arts Center. The wooden structures vary in size from 5’x7’ to 6’x9’. The color execution of the compositions are delivered in the mediums of acrylic and enamel with a focus on regional class/cultural practices in the aspect of domestic social living arrangements. Pinpointing this identification within the compositions is the common element of the regional icon of the singlewide mobile home. Additionally, there are underlying icons of “Native ethnicity” present within the images. It is the intent for these icons to exist covertly within the composition; creating an establishment of image unencumbered by preconceived notions and icons that so commonly swirl around Native art. The Works Cited page highlights some of artistic influences that have driven the stylistic establishments of these particular compositions. A few of the influences cited in this thesis include, Fritz Scholder, Roy Lichtenstein, and Alex Katz

A Slippery Slope: A Hedonic Property Value Study Of Landslide Risk And Economic Costs In Watauga County

As the threat of climate change becomes more apparent, it is important to consider the local impacts on the environment, communities, and the economy. A significant impact of climate change for Watauga County is an increase in precipitation, and a subsequent increased prevalence of landslides. In order to quantify part of the costs of climate change to Watauga County, this thesis aims to measure the reduction in the value of residential properties from increased landslide risks through three distinct landslide risk measures: slope of a parcel, an instability index, and distance from the nearest landslide. This is achieved through the use of geographic information systems (GIS) and statistical analyses of data provided by the North Carolina Geological Survey (NCGS), the Watauga County tax office, and the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Using hedonic pricing methods, this thesis estimates the loss in residential property values due to increased landslide risks. The analysis shows mixed evidence with regards to slope and the instability index, but the distance from a landslide measure shows significant promise. The analysis suggests that landslides occurring within 0.50 miles of a home can reduce the selling price by between 5.0-5.7%. As landslides occur closer to these properties, this effect is even more prevalent

Relationship between plasma fibroblast growth factor-23 concentration and survival time in cats with chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor‐23 (FGF‐23) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) are commonly increased in cats with azotemic chronic kidney disease (CKD). Both are predictors of survival time in human patients, but these relationships have not previously been examined in the cat. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between plasma FGF‐23 and PTH concentrations at diagnosis of CKD in cats with survival time and with disease progression over 12 months. ANIMALS: 214 azotemic, client‐owned cats (≥9 years). METHODS: Retrospective study: Biochemical and urinary variables at diagnosis of azotemic CKD, including plasma FGF‐23 and PTH concentrations were assessed as predictors of survival time (all‐cause mortality) using Cox regression, and as predictors of CKD progression over 12 months using logistic regression. RESULTS: In the final multivariable Cox regression model, survival was negatively associated with plasma creatinine (P = .002) and FGF‐23 concentrations (P = .014), urine protein‐to‐creatinine ratio (P < .001) and age (P < .001). Survival was positively associated with PCV (P = .004). In the final multivariable logistic regression model, independent predictors of CKD progression included logFGF‐23 and age. Neither plasma phosphate nor PTH was found to be an independent predictor of survival time or of CKD progression. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Plasma FGF‐23 concentration is a novel prognostic indicator in cats with CKD, independent of other factors including plasma creatinine and phosphate concentrations. Further work is required to assess if FGF‐23 contributes directly to CKD progression, but regardless these findings may make FGF‐23 a useful biomarker for predicting poorer outcomes in cats with CKD

Form as process in selected works of Edgard Vare`se

The purpose of this study is to investigate structural procedure in selected works of Edgard Varese. As a point of departure, the study takes two statements of Varese concerning structure. First, Varese says that form, in his music, is the result of a process. Secondly, he draws an analogy between the formation of his works and the formation of crystal—i.e., that like crystal, his works evolve from a single idea, which is the basis of the internal structure. He also feels that, like crystal formations, possible musical forms are limitless. With these ideas in mind, the study analyzes three works: Integrals, Octandre, and Ionization. The result of analysis indicates that each work does have at its core a brief and compact musical idea which this paper calls the nucleus. The nucleus is then both fragmented and expanded, a process that results in all manner of geometrical shapes or designs.* These different manifestations of the nucleus are arranged in a series of episodic variations, which compose the body of the work

Applications of mosaic design for today's home

Architects are rediscovering the unique qualities that the ancient art of mosaic can contribute to modern architecture. They are including mosaics in the design of numerous public and private structures. However, the creation of mosaic is often a high-cost process and therefore, this art is usually limited to the more expensive buildings. This study was undertaken to explore the feasibility of creating mosaics suitable for use in multi-priced homes. Sources for mosaic supplies were located. Representative surface materials, bonding agents and backing materials were collected for experimentation in mosaic design. These materials were studied in relation to color, shape, compatibility with other materials, workability and design possibilities. Various construction methods and mosaic backings were examined. Different types of adhesives were applied and observed for setting time, holding power and coloration. The most expensive methods and materials were rejected. This investigative work effected the decision to limit this study to mosaics composed of hard tiles and stones. The decision was based on such factors as: accessibility, handling ease, moderate cost and personal preference of the author. Finally, four original designs were created, using methods and materials considered most effective in achieving the objectives of this study. Color photographs were taken and data pertaining to materials, techniques, cost and findings was recorded

Landscape and light

This thesis, "Landscape and Light," is an introduction to twelve landscape paintings. Each painting is named for a month of the year, nine months being represented. There is a brief survey of paintings by the Limbourg brothers and Pieter Brueghel, which also have seasonal reference. The painter compares these paintings to her own and expresses her preoccupation with the effects of light upon landscape. The body of the written thesis is an examination of each of these paintings as to its source of inspiration and the technical problems encountered. Many of these explanations are preceeded by a Japanese Haiku poem

A qualitative study of relationships between suggested guidelines and actual practices in collegiate evaluation of music performance

The purpose of this study was to investigate college applied music instruction practices, evaluation agencies’ criteria, and relationships between the instruction and the criteria. The study ascertained the nature and extent of existing applied music practices required of music education majors in those North Carolina colleges and universities which (a) offer the baccalaureate degree in music education and (b) have a music unit(department or school of music) independent from a general fine arts or humanities department. The three evaluation agencies used in the study were the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction (SDPI), and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)