Assessing Conceptual Knowledge of Differential Equations

The differential equations and linear algebra math classes at Valparaiso University participate in an online tutoring survey consisting of conceptual questions from the field. The test was originally constructed by a team of math professors from San Diego State University. The questions are available in an online format and most questions provide scaffolding, or a tutoring set of questions when a primary question is answered incorrectly. This project analyzes the effectiveness of the scaffolding on a subset of questions with specific focus on areas of separable variables and Euler’s method. Special attention has been given to questions with multiple knowledge components, which may complicate the effectiveness of the scaffolding. In several questions, we have found that the scaffolding is not impacting student understanding of the subject area. We are also discovering surprising anomalies in students’ conceptions that the test creators did not predict. Thus, in some cases, it may be necessary to adapt the scaffolding or question wording to maximize test efficiency and overall student comprehension

Solemate: A Music App for Runners

Solemate is a mobile application designed to enhance the running experience through music. Our feed-forward algorithm sets the runner’s pace by playing music that varies in tempo. By encouraging the user to match their steps to the beat, our application cultivates a run that feels natural and inspires intrinsic motivation, especially for the beginner runner

Putting down roots : playing Irish and Newfoundland music in St. John’s

Publisher PD

A World of Apologies

A World of Apologies is a music video that was created in order to promote multiculturalism and foreign culture education. Within this video, twelve different languages are showcased to the tune of the world-wide pop music hit “Sorry” by Justin Bieber. The video includes multiple important aspects of culture such as music, language, art, and dance. The video was made in hopes to bring about culture appreciation and to bring people around the world together, especially since the current political and social climate in many countries nowadays are in turmoil. Not only does the video itself speak to this message, but so does the process behind the making of this video, which will be revealed within this paper. Also throughout this paper, I will discuss the music video that I have made that stresses the critical role of language and art in culture, the importance of understanding these different cultures, and examples of artists who have created pieces with a similar message to my own such as Dora de Larios, Akram Khan, and Rihanna

Community Care of North Carolina: Putting Health Reform Ideas Into Practice in Medicaid

Summarizes assessments of how an enhanced medical home model of care that involves local nonprofit community networks and emphasizes care coordination, disease and care management, and quality improvement has affected cost savings and quality of care

Combating Diabetes in Chittenden County: A Healthcare Provider Referral Campaign to Increase Patient Participation in the Vermont Diabetes Prevention Program

As of 2016, diabetes affects more than 29 million people in the United States and is the 7th leading cause of death nationwide. In Vermont, 1/10 people are diagnosed with either diabetes or prediabetes, with 6% of Vermonters affected by prediabetes and 5% of Chittenden Country affected by prediabetes. The public health burden of this chronic disease is immense: diabetes costs Vermont an estimated $543 million each year and is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputations, and adult-onset blindness. Prediabetes occurs when blood sugar is higher than normal but not at the diagnostic threshold of diabetes. Prediabetes does not definitely progress to type 2 diabetes if interventions are made, including healthier eating and physical activity to promote modest weight loss. The CDC has developed evidence-based curricula for lifestyle intervention in prediabetics with intensive individual counseling and motivational support on effective diet, exercise, and behavior modification. One of these curricula is currently run through the CDC-led National YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program (YDPP). Participation in this program reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% across all ethnic groups and sexes overall and by 71% in individuals over age 60. The Vermont YDPP had 325 participants in 2016, with only 21% (n=70) of those referrals to the program coming from healthcare providers. Healthcare providers have a unique role in the community of being the voices of health promotion. With the correct provider awareness of the YDPP and patient identification, awareness, and education, an increase in the percentage of YDPP-referring healthcare providers can increase the overall YDPP participation in Chittenden county. As of 2016, 60,038 people in Chittenden county have prediabetes, but only 8,026 are diagnosed, and an additional 52,012 people could be diagnosed with prediabetes by their healthcare professional and referred to the YDPP. This campaign intends to serve as a pilot project to create provider and patient awareness of the YDPP, identify patients with prediabetes, and ensure providers screen and refer prediabetic patients to the YDPP. Through exam room posters, panel query management, electronic medical record reprogramming, and targeted patient intervention, this study aims to increase YDPP patient participation via healthcare provider referral and refine the model for adaptation and implementation in other healthcare centers throughout Chittenden County.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fmclerk/1301/thumbnail.jp

Vertex arboricity of triangle-free graphs

Master's Project (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2016The vertex arboricity of a graph is the minimum number of colors needed to color the vertices so that the subgraph induced by each color class is a forest. In other words, the vertex arboricity of a graph is the fewest number of colors required in order to color a graph such that every cycle has at least two colors. Although not standard, we will refer to vertex arboricity simply as arboricity. In this paper, we discuss properties of chromatic number and k-defective chromatic number and how those properties relate to the arboricity of trianglefree graphs. In particular, we find bounds on the minimum order of a graph having arboricity three. Equivalently, we consider the largest possible vertex arboricity of triangle-free graphs of fixed order

Collaboration as an Essential Tool in Information Literacy Education 9-16: Context, Qualities and Implications

This article addresses the research question of how contemporary school librarians can best surmount the challenges of limited funding and high expectations. The author argues that in order to provide effective information literacy instruction, school librarians should increase collaboration with academic librarians. A review of the literature identifies numerous articles describing individual collaborations and lamenting information literacy skills gaps among college students. This article intends to serve as a call to action to school and academic librarians. This literature review explores the context for collaboration in libraries, discusses examples of school library collaborations, and examines the implications of various aspects of collaboration

"Congrats Class of 2017" posters

These posters were created by the Mugar Greene Scholars to celebrate the graduation of the class of 2017