RECOGNIZING THE WAR-TORN WIVES OF WEST’S RETURN OF THE SOLDIER AND WOOLF’S MRS. DALLOWAY

This thesis examines trauma experienced by wives of returned soldiers in Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and West’s The Return of the Soldier. Specifically, it considers how these women respond to their husbands returning from war shell-shocked. Critics and historians alike helped lift women’s wartime stories into cultural consciousness, but this attention neglects female trauma that occurs concurrently with a soldier’s shell-shock symptoms. Woolf and West both portray wives reacting to the symptoms of their husband’s traumatization; the women’s reactions resemble and often mirror symptoms of trauma. To explore how trauma manifests for these women, this thesis adopts frameworks established by Caruth, Herman, and Winnicott to assess how these traumatic narratives are told and what psychological experiences are being conveye

Breaking Out of the 'Textbox'- Increasing Outdoor Learning

The benefits of taking students outside the classroom to learn are plentiful and have been well documented for decades. Yet, engagement in outdoor learning remains limited in Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS). In my research project I sought to better understand this reality and consider solutions. Through a division wide survey and an action research group, I asked teachers what were the barriers holding them back and more importantly, what supports would help them to engage more fully in outdoor learning. There were 69 survey respondents who answered questions about their experiences teaching outside the classroom. The action research group consisted of 7 teachers with a range of elementary school experience, from preschool to grade 8. Through dialogue, the group generated many possible solutions for their respective challenges and over the course of 8 months, I provided the participants with as many of the supports they brainstormed as possible. The reflections of the participants on their experiences indicated that effective professional development in outdoor learning should be holistic, encompassing multi-faceted supports which involve content knowledge, action competency, supportive relationships, worldview and motivation. These findings mirrored the themes uncovered in the literature reviewed. Additionally, the participants recognized certain factors that support outdoor learning, such as communication, scaffolding student experiences, creating a classroom culture, the potential of nearby learning locations, and “thinking outside” first. Moreover, they expressed a desire for a database organized with simple, straightforward, outdoor learning resources. As a researcher, I found considerable interest in outdoor learning but acknowledged that teachers need support to actualize the integration of this teaching practice. Intrinsic motivation is a crucial variable but there are also systemic factors which limit the engagement of teachers such as teaching with under supported, large, complex classes. Overall, the project demonstrated the value in: experiential learning techniques, responsive programming reflective of participant struggles, and professional development with continuity. Finally, to further reconciliation and the decolonization of education, I recognized the importance of authentically including Indigenous knowledge, critical reflection and positionality, and believe that outdoor learning should be a stepping stone towards land-based learning. I also came to better understand my own limitations as a non-Indigenous person trying to support land-based learning, a pedagogy grounded by Indigenous epistemologies

Musical Expressions Curriculum Applied Study

There is an increasing need for a music curriculum that not only guides students in creating, analyzing, performing, and arranging musical ideas, but also integrates a biblical perspective connecting students to themselves and their environments. This applied study measured the effectiveness of the first two units of the curriculum “Musical Expressions” as a guide for students in upper elementary education as they developed, organized, analyzed, and composed their own musical ideas while understanding the biblical implications of music. Guided by Eisner’s model of arts-based research, this applied artistic creative research study yielded quantitative data to identify student achievement in their ability to compose a four-measure composition using a specific criterion in the curriculum and evaluated student achievement in the biblical perspectives of music collecting qualitative data from personal student journals. Perspectives on student cognitive, spiritual, and emotional development during their intermediate elementary years have emerged as themes through exploration of a small body of existing literature, personal interviews, and supporting quantitative data. The comparison of both data methods revealed strengths and weaknesses of the “Musical Expressions” curriculum. Overall, the data conveyed success in the curriculum’s ability to guide students in composing a four-measure composition and gather insights on music from a Biblical perspective according to God’s character, creation, mankind, moral order, and purpose. This research provided insight to educators, curriculum developers, and spiritual leaders while fulfilling the need for a comprehensive music curriculum for Christian Schools

Breaking the paradigm: Dr Insight empowers signature-free, enhanced drug repurposing

Motivation: Transcriptome-based computational drug repurposing has attracted considerable interest by bringing about faster and more cost-effective drug discovery. Nevertheless, key limitations of the current drug connectivity-mapping paradigm have been long overlooked, including the lack of effective means to determine optimal query gene signatures. Results: The novel approach Dr Insight implements a frame-breaking statistical model for the ‘hand-shake’ between disease and drug data. The genome-wide screening of concordantly expressed genes (CEGs) eliminates the need for subjective selection of query signatures, added to eliciting better proxy for potential disease-specific drug targets. Extensive comparisons on simulated and real cancer datasets have validated the superior performance of Dr Insight over several popular drug-repurposing methods to detect known cancer drugs and drug–target interactions. A proof-of-concept trial using the TCGA breast cancer dataset demonstrates the application of Dr Insight for a comprehensive analysis, from redirection of drug therapies, to a systematic construction of disease-specific drug-target networks

Examining the feasibility of an economic analysis of dyadic developmental psychotherapy for children with maltreatment associated psychiatric problems in the United Kingdom

Background: Children with maltreatment associated psychiatric problems are at increased risk of developing behavioural or mental health disorders. Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) was proposed as treatment for children with maltreatment histories in the USA, however, being new to the UK little is known of its effectiveness or cost-effectiveness. As part of an exploratory study, this paper explores the feasibility of undertaking economic analysis of DDP in the UK. Methods: Feasibility for economic analysis was determined by ensuring such analysis could meet key criteria for economic evaluation. Phone interviews were conducted with professionals (therapists trained and accredited or in the process of becoming accredited DDP practitioners). Three models were developed to represent alternative methods of DDP service delivery. Once appropriate comparators were determined, economic scenarios were constructed. Cost analyses were undertaken from a societal perspective. Finally, appropriate outcome measurement was explored through clinical opinion, literature and further discussions with clinical experts. Results: Three DDP models were constructed: DDP Full-Basic, DDP Home-Based and DDP Long-Term. Two potential comparator interventions were identified and defined as Consultation with Carers and Individual Psychotherapy. Costs of intervention completion per case were estimated to be: £6,700 (DDP Full-Basic), £7,100 (Consultations with Carers), £7,200 (DDP Home-Based), £11,400 (Individual Psychotherapy) and £14,500 (DDP Long-Term). None of the models of service delivery were found to currently measure effectiveness consistently. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was deemed an appropriate primary outcome measure, however, it does not cover all disorders DDP intends to treat and the SDQ is not a direct measure of health gain. Inclusion of quality of life measurement is required for comprehensive economic analysis. Conclusions: Economic analysis of DDP in the UK is feasible if vital next steps are taken to measure intervention outcomes consistently, ideally with a quality of life measurement. An economic analysis using the models constructed could determine the potential cost-effectiveness of DDP in the UK and identify the most efficient mode of service delivery

The feasibility of a randomised controlled trial of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy

Background: Maltreated children have significant and complex problems which clinicians find difficult to diagnose and treat. Previous US pilot work suggests that Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) may be effective; however, rigorous evidence from a randomised controlled trial (RCT) is lacking. The purpose of this study is to establish the feasibility of an RCT of DDP by exploring the ways that DDP is operating across different UK sites and the impacts of current practice on the potential set-up of an RCT. Methods: Qualitative methods (interviews, focus groups and teleconferences) were used to explore trial feasibility with therapists and service managers from teams implementing both DDP and possible control interventions. Data were analysed thematically and related to various aspects of trial design. Results: DDP was commonly regarded as having a particular congruence with the complexity of maltreatment-associated problems and a common operating model of DDP was evident across sites. A single control therapy was harder to establish, however, and it is likely to be a non-specific and context-dependent intervention/s offered within mainstream Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Because a ‘gold standard’ Treatment as Usual (TAU) does not currently exist, randomisation between DDP and TAU (CAMHS) therefore looks feasible and ethical. The nature of family change during DDP was regarded as multi-faceted, non-linear and relationship-based. Assessment tools need to be carefully considered in terms of their ability to capture change that covers both individual child and family-based functioning. Conclusions: An RCT of DDP is feasible and timely. This study has demonstrated widespread interest, support and engagement regarding an RCT and permissions have been gained from sites that have shown readiness to participate. As maltreated children are among the most vulnerable in society, and as there are currently no treatments with RCT evidence, such a trial would be a major advance in the field

A Content Analysis of Documentation of Nature Play in Early Childhood Teacher Education Programs in Australia

This study theoretically aligns with research that purports that nature play positively contributes to sustainability stewardship. Early childhood teachers can plan for and nurture children’s capabilities and dispositions for sustainability stewardship. Initial teacher education programs contribute to the professional learning of preservice early childhood teachers’ perceptions regarding nature play. This article details the findings of content analysis to explore and uncover the existence of nature play in online, publicly available documents representing twenty-two early childhood teacher qualifications. In what ways is nature play evidenced in early childhood initial teacher education programs in Australia? The findings highlight potential discrepancies between the values related to nature play in the early childhood field and the content in initial teacher education programming. The article concludes with implications for teacher education programs and proposed recommendations for ongoing research

Walleye (Sander vitreus) movement ecology in Lake Winnipeg, Canada

Identifying differences in movement behaviour and the variance in behavioural strategies that may exist across a single species occupying a heterogeneous landscape can provide valuable ecological and evolutionary insights; taking movement heterogeneity into account in management and conservation efforts may ultimately improve the sustainability of species with significant economic and ecological value, such as walleye (Sander vitreus). Lake Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada) supports the second largest commercial fishery for walleye in North America. The lake is divided into two relatively separate basins connected by an intermediate channel, which differ dramatically in both abiotic and biotic features. Despite this, little is known about whether (or how) walleye move or use variable habitats throughout the lake. Historical mark-recapture models from tagged walleye revealed low but measurable rates (0.3-1.2%) of movement annually between the north and south basins of Lake Winnipeg. Contemporary estimates using acoustic telemetry data detected a greater but comparably low rate of transition between the basins annually for walleye (7-8.5%). Both historical and current models revealed that movement was more likely to occur in a south to north direction. Additionally, annual survival across both basins of the lake was higher historically (54%) then it is currently (37%). To further investigate contemporary patterns of inter-basin movement, I assessed female walleye tagged across the south. I uncovered repeatable patterns of individual fish movement, where migratory walleye consistently travelled into the north basin for a period of time, and resident walleye remained within the south basin. I found that migrants significantly increased home (95%) and core (50%) ranges during the summer and fall associated with a northern shift in latitudinal distribution. Finally, putative repeat spawning in the year following tagging appeared to be greater for migrants (65%) compared to residents (40%). This thesis describes the first formal description of walleye movement in Lake Winnipeg, and suggests connections between movement patterns (i.e., migrants and residents) to potential differences in life history (i.e., differential probability of repeat spawning). Direct movement results presented here should prove useful to fisheries management and policy for both commercial and recreational activities across the separately managed basins of Lake Winnipeg

Tropical Arithmetics and Dot Product Representations of Graphs

In tropical algebras we substitute min or max for the typical addition and then substitute addition for multiplication. A dot product representation of a graph assigns each vertex of the graph a vector such that two edges are adjacent if and only if the dot product of their vectors is greater than some chosen threshold. The resultS of creating dot product representations of graphs using tropical algebras are examined. In particular we examine the tropical dot product dimensions of graphs and establish connections to threshold graphs and the threshold dimension of a graph