Mapping, Fieldwork, and the Moravian Archives

Moravian maps are important representations of the way eighteenth-century Moravians navigated, lived, and how they understood space and place. To explore these connections, the author discusses the benefits and limitations of examining and georectifying historical maps by cartographers such as Andreas Hoeger, Philipp Christian Gottlieb Reuter, and Georg Wenzeslaus Golkowsky

Prehistoric Sites, Indigenous Voices, and Preserving Identities: Using Sound Mapping to Engage with Indigenous Sites in North America

Scattered along the Southeastern United States, thousands of stone wall and mound sites existed in the landscape long before explorers and subsequent settlers came to the area. These structures were formed by prehistoric indigenous people of the area and mark this area's cultural heritage and landscape as holding importance beyond the current development taking place.In this paper, I will explore the cultural landscape of Skeleton Mountain and the surrounding Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, USA. This site holds regional and national significance to the indigenous population's cultural heritage and the United States heritage. There have been ongoing development efforts with increasing human populations and changes in human development and settlement that pose a challenge to protecting and managing these cultural and historical sites. The use of sound mapping and place provides a way for us to communicate and educate others about the stories and histories of the indigenous peoples of North America and their imprint on the landscapes which still exist

The Development of Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy for Classroom and Behavior Management Across Multiple Field Experiences

Classroom and behaviour management difficulties are consistently reported among the top reasons given by both novice and experienced teachers for leaving the profession. In order to successfully prepare and retain teachers, it is imperative that we understand the factors related to issues of classroom and behaviour management that may influence their decision to remain in the field. This study explored the development of preservice special education teachers’ self-efficacy for classroom and behaviour management as they progressed through a four-semester professional development sequence. Findings indicated that although self-efficacy levels were variable across semesters, statistically significant changes in group self-efficacy levels were noted when compared to beginning levels. Despite noted increases in self-efficacy levels, participants continued to express a need for training in evidence-based practices and strategies for addressing extreme behaviours. Implications and limitations are discussed

The Origin of a New Sex Chromosome by Introgression between Two Stickleback Fishes.

Introgression is increasingly recognized as a source of genetic diversity that fuels adaptation. Its role in the evolution of sex chromosomes, however, is not well known. Here, we confirm the hypothesis that the Y chromosome in the ninespine stickleback, Pungitius pungitius, was established by introgression from the Amur stickleback, P. sinensis. Using whole genome resequencing, we identified a large region of Chr 12 in P. pungitius that is diverged between males and females. Within but not outside of this region, several lines of evidence show that the Y chromosome of P. pungitius shares a most recent common ancestor not with the X chromosome, but with the homologous chromosome in P. sinensis. Accumulation of repetitive elements and gene expression changes on the new Y are consistent with a young sex chromosome in early stages of degeneration, but other hallmarks of Y chromosomes have not yet appeared. Our findings indicate that porous species boundaries can trigger rapid sex chromosome evolution

Molecular Diversity of the West Nile Virus in Montana

West Nile virus (WNV) has been present in the United States since 1999 and like many RNA viruses, it is known to have high mutation rates. At Carroll College, a decade long project continues in which the state of Montana is surveyed for the presence of WNV. We have created and continue to refine a risk assessment map to predict where outbreaks will occur in a given year. The goal of this particular study was to assess and compare genetic variation of West Nile virus sequences found within geographically distinct mosquito populations across the state of Montana using the highly variable env gene. Two different primer sets were utilized to perform reverse transcription on the viral RNA, which was followed by gel electrophoresis to visualize the amplifications. Amplification has been achieved in a subset of samples, and sequencing of the amplified products was inconclusive. Knowledge about the evolution and diversification of the WNV in Montana will contribute to refinement of the risk assessment model, which should help in making better predictions of WNV outbreaks

A Study of the Inheritance and the Physiological Behaviour of Dwarfism Associated with an Eye Defect in Rats

Four dwarfed rats recently appeared in two separate closely related litters of an inbred strain of rats in our colony. There was associated with the dwarfed condition a marked opacity of the eyes apparently causing blindness

Exploratory Study of Students’ Creative Mindset, Perceived Values of Open Educational Resources, and Flow

As the awareness, benefits, and adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) in various fields have increased, so have efforts to conduct research on its impact on students learning behaviors, experience, and engagement. However, limited research has been conducted regarding the efficacy of using OER on students’ perceived enjoyment in learning and interactions with educational materials. This study aimed to examine the relationships between creative mindset, flow experience, and perceived values of OER among 88 online undergraduate students. First, results revealed that students who have a growth-oriented creative mindset are more likely to understand and embrace OER’s intrinsic worth. Their willingness to learn new things and creative thinking fit in nicely with the OER tenets of accessibility, cooperation, and ongoing development. In addition, students reporting higher flow levels—characterized by control, attention, curiosity, and intrinsic interest—perceived greater value in OER materials. This indicates that the design and implementation of OER should consider the content and how it interacts with users to maximize engagement and flow. These findings emphasize the importance of a strategic approach to OER integration for educators and institutions, focusing on both resource quality and pedagogical frameworks that support its use. Ensuring OER materials engage and foster creative, and growth mindsets can significantly enhance students’ learning experience and academic enjoyment

ChatGPT Unveiled: Unleashing AI Magic in Online Shopping and Digital Marketing

This research paper explores the use of AI, specifically ChatGPT, in interactive activities within online shopping and digital marketing. The paper examines the potential of AI-powered chatbots to enhance customer engagement, personalization, and marketing effectiveness. Through a literature review, case studies, and user feedback analysis, the research highlights the benefits of AI chatbots in providing real-time assistance, personalized recommendations, and improved customer experiences. The paper also addresses ethical and privacy concerns associated with AI implementation and discusses future research directions. The findings are expected to suggest that AI-powered chatbots have the potential to revolutionize online shopping and digital marketing by offering enhanced customer engagement, optimizing marketing strategies, and addressing customer needs. E-commerce preferences of human-mediated services to technologymediated ones regarding the application of AI in frontline services will be examined