Being Reasonable: Using Brainteasers to Develop Reasoning Ability in Humanistic Mathematics Courses

Developing reasoning ability is often cited as one of the principal justifications of a mathematics requirement for liberal arts undergraduates. Humanistic math courses have become recognized as a paradigm for liberal arts mathematics, but such courses may not provide the opportunity to develop reasoning ability. The author describes his procedure for using brainteasers to promote reasoning in a humanistic math course for liberal arts undergraduates

Liquid Liberalism: Environment, the State, and Society in Porfirian Mexico

In this thesis, I propose that Mexican water works during the Porfiriato influenced the development of modernity because of hydrology’s link between society and environment. These two canals in particular provide a window on the relationship between the state and environment that connects the two in the efforts of state formation. The Gran Canal and the Canal de la Viga both worked as tools for social and political construction for Mexicans to imagine modernity for themselves and for their country

The nesting chronology of mourning doves in Knox County, Tennessee

The nesting chronology of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) was investigated on a rural area in Knox County, Tennessee from 1 February to 31 October, 1979 and 1980. The proportion of annual recruitment occurring after 1 September and regional ecology in terms of habitat, nesting distribution, and productivity were investigated. The first nests were initiated 24 March 1979 and 22 March 1980. Nest initiation peaked in April in 1979 and 1980. The last nests were initiated 3 August 1979 and 5 September 1980. The first young fledged the nest 22 April 1979 and 26 April 1980. The proportion of young recruited after 1 September varied widely between years. In 1979 no young were produced after 1 September. In 1980, 5 young (33.3%) were recruited after 1 September. Six nests (35.3%) were successful in fledging at least 1 young in 1979 and 10 nests (32.3%) were successful in 1980. Mourning doves made 2.8 nest attempts per pair in 1979 and 3.9 nest attempts per pair in 1980. The fledgling production was 0.6 young per nest attempt and 1.7 young per breeding pair in 1979. In 1980, production was 0.5 young per nest attempt and 1.9 young per breeding pair. Most nests (41.7%) were located in wooded fencerows

Does It Make a Difference - Granting Public Employees the Right to Collectively Bargain

In Independence-National Education Ass\u27n v. Independence School District, the Missouri Supreme Court granted public employees the right to collectively bargain. This holding breathed new life into an argument more than sixty years old: that the Missouri Constitution grants both public and private sector employees the right to collectively bargain. However, a close reading of this seemingly landmark case shows that Missouri\u27s highest court smothered the numerous possibilities afforded by this holding before they could be tested by both public employers and public employees. This Note will argue that the Missouri Supreme Court\u27s holding was unnecessary and affords no new rights to employees, that the Court\u27s abrogation of the nondelegation doctrine is undermined by the Court\u27s own reliance on the doctrine, and that public employers may still be able to unilaterally change the terms of a collectively bargained for employment agreement

The Impact of Childhood Abuse on Moral Development

Moral development is a topic which has little research to accompany it. Although there is a lack of understanding of where and how children develop morals, there is clear evidence to support that abuse in any form against a child will impact the way they learn morality. Children who experience abuse will face the physical, emotional, and mental impacts which will all contribute to the way they develop. Children also learn behaviors and ideas from caretakers and when those who are supposed to protect them do not, children will become disordered on the ideas of right and wrong. Childhood is a unique and important time for the brain to absorb and form new ideas, but without a safe environment for children to grow and learn their brain will not mature to its full potential

A Math Therapy Exercise

Math anxiety prevents many liberal arts undergraduates from appreciating mathematics and realizing their potential in math courses and math-related endeavors. The author describes his development and use of a math therapy exercise that enables students to move beyond the paralyzing grip of math anxiety and cultivate a more positive relationship with mathematics

Does It Make a Difference - Granting Public Employees the Right to Collectively Bargain

In Independence-National Education Ass\u27n v. Independence School District, the Missouri Supreme Court granted public employees the right to collectively bargain. This holding breathed new life into an argument more than sixty years old: that the Missouri Constitution grants both public and private sector employees the right to collectively bargain. However, a close reading of this seemingly landmark case shows that Missouri\u27s highest court smothered the numerous possibilities afforded by this holding before they could be tested by both public employers and public employees. This Note will argue that the Missouri Supreme Court\u27s holding was unnecessary and affords no new rights to employees, that the Court\u27s abrogation of the nondelegation doctrine is undermined by the Court\u27s own reliance on the doctrine, and that public employers may still be able to unilaterally change the terms of a collectively bargained for employment agreement

Discrimination after Daugherty: Are Missouri Courts Contributing to or Motivated by the Number of Cases on the Discrimination Docket

For more than twenty years, Missouri courts have applied the federal McDonnell Douglas burden-shifting analysis to determine the outcome of a defendant\u27s motion for summary judgment in claims of employment discrimination. However, the Missouri Supreme Court recently abandoned the McDonnell Douglas framework in favor of a new method of analysis derived from a Missouri Approved Jury Instruction. This new analysis has become known as the contributing factor test. In the months since Daugherty, controversy has surrounded this standard. Many defense attorneys claim that the contributing factor test significantly lowers the bar that a discrimination plaintiff must meet in order to defeat a defendant\u27s motion for summary judgment. Pre-Daugherty, plaintiffs had to prove the unlawful discrimination was a motivating factor. , Among other procedural changes, plaintiffs in a post-Daugherty case must show the discrimination was a contributing factor in the challenged employment decision. Employers argue that this perceived change puts them at a great disadvantage. While it is true that the shift to a new method of analysis has lessened the burden on plaintiffs who are trying to keep their claim alive, whether the language of the test refers to contributing factors or motivating factors should be of little concern. This note will argue that the true concern with the Missouri Supreme Court\u27s decision in Daugherty lies in the fact that a plaintiff is no longer required to rebut a defendant\u27s reasons for the alleged discrimination in order to survive summary judgment. This significantly lessens the procedural burden placed on plaintiffs, which will likely result in more employment discrimination claims being heard in Missouri Courts