An Examination of the Practice of Instructional Design and the Use of Instructional Design Models

This dissertation in practice utilized a sequential mixed methods research design to investigate the performance or exclusion of instructional design activities commonly prescribed by instructional design models during a typical instructional design project. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of instructional design activities by practicing instructional designers with the performance of an experienced instructional designer to determine if instructional design models are being used to guide the practice of instructional design. In this study, quantitative data was collected from a sample of 224 instructional designers to determine the activities routinely performed and excluded from typical projects. Qualitative data was collected from a single case study of an instructional design project to assess whether or not the performance or exclusion of the same instructional design activities were identified in the work of an experienced instructional designer. Analysis of the data revealed the activities that are not routinely performed by instructional designers, reasons for the exclusion of activities, and possible factors for the decisions to exclude activities. The findings of this study indicate instructional designers may be sacrificing the quality and effectiveness of instruction in an attempt to increase the pace and reduce the cost of the instructional design process. The study concluded that instructional designers are not following the prescriptions of instructional design models during the practice of instructional design by routinely eliminating the fundamental activities involving the development of learner assessments, the performance of formative evaluations during the instructional design process, and summative evaluations after the implementation of the instruction

Testing the DRAMMA Model of Leisure and Subjective Wellbeing on College Students

Background: College students’ declining mental health is a growing concern among institutions of higher education. Although many campuses have provided additional mental health counselors, identifying other mechanisms that facilitate and enhance mental health and wellbeing is also justified. Aim: Using the DRAMMA model as a theoretical framework, this research examined how leisure influences college students’ subjective wellbeing. Methods: An online survey methodology was utilized to measure the psychological outcomes of leisure participation (DRAMMA), leisure satisfaction, and subjective wellbeing of 704 students attending a large 4-year Midwestern residential college. Results: This quantitative study found the five psychological mechanisms of the DRAMMA model (detachment-recovery, autonomy, mastery, meaning, and affiliation) influenced students’ leisure satisfaction and subjective wellbeing. Conclusion: The findings support the need for higher education professionals to create leisure experiences that provide meaning and affiliation to promote subjective wellbeing and improve mental health

An Investigation of Self-Efficacy in a Freshman Wilderness Experience Program

The purpose of this study was to further investigate the link(s) between wilderness programs and the development of self-efficacy in first-year college students. Self-efficacy in first year college students is important because in order for students to successfully complete college, they have to deal or cope with many challenges and stressors, and the higher one\u27s self-efficacy the more likely students are to actively cope with the challenges and stresses they face (Davenport & Lane, 2006). The study also explored how participants in the wilderness group were impacted in specific ways,in relation to their self-efficacy based on self-reported statements provided in their written essays. The researchers hoped to evaluate the benefits of this project for both practical implications and the comparison to self-efficacy theory

Influence of Fermentation Temperature and Nutrient Addition Schedules on Sensory and Chemical Characteristics of Traditional Honey Wine

Honey wine, also known as mead, is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages known to man. Made primarily from honey, water, and yeast, this beverage has recently been experiencing a resurgence in popularity. It is imperative that commercial producers focus on consistently creating quality products to differentiate themselves from competitors in the growing market. This study focused on the effect of three fermentation temperatures (12:8 ◦C, 18:3 ◦C and 23:9 ◦C) and four different nutrient addition schedules (no added nutrients; at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after pitch; 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 through fermentation; and a combination of both) on mead quality and fermentation parameters. Quantitative analysis of aroma compounds in the finished meads were determined using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GCMS). Sensory differences in the meads were determined using a trained panel evaluating the intensity of five aroma and five taste attributes. Significant differences were found for treatments receiving nutrients versus those receiving no nutrients. Additional fermentation rates were higher with those treatments that received nutrients and those fermented at warmer temperatures. Significant differences between treatments were found for pH, residual sugar, and yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN), but no significant differences were found between the treatments that all received nutrients. According to sensory analysis, only the treatment which received no nutrients and was fermented at the lowest temperature was significantly different from the other treatments, although certain trends were found based on fermentation temperature and nutrient addition schedule. Treatments at 12:8 ◦C were characterized by “warm” and “fruity” attributes, while treatments at 18:3 ◦C were characterized by the “floral”, “lemon”, and “sour” attributes and treatments at 23:9 ◦C were characterized by the “sweet” and “fresh” attributes. Treatments without nutrients were characterized by the “warm”, “fruity”, and “fresh” attributes while treatments receiving nutrients were characterized by the “lemon”, “floral”, and “honey aroma” attributes. Twenty-two aroma compounds were quantified. Ten compounds of these measured were significantly impacted by temperature, schedule, or an interaction between temperature and schedule. Six compounds were detected at levels exceeding their aroma thresholds: ethyl butyrate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, ethyl decanoate, linalool, and 3-methyl-1-pentanol. Differences for the meads were found for aroma analysis. Treatments exhibited significant separation based on fermentation temperature and nutrient schedule. In particular, the coolest fermentation temperature resulted in meads with greater amounts of esters. However, despite the fact that significant differences in aroma composition were found, these do not result in any large sensory differences, particularly for those ferments with nutrient additions. These results show that mead makers can use nutrient schedules and fermentation temperature to not only significantly reduce time-to-market but also potentially achieve sensory goals. Additional work is required to determine whether nutrient blends tailored to particular implementations can be applied using commonly-accepted nutrient schedules

Exploring the role of organic matter accumulation on delta evolution

We explore the role of plant matter accumulation in the sediment column in determining the response of fluvial-deltas to base-level rise and simple subsidence profiles. Making the assumption that delta building processes operate to preserve the geometry of the delta plain, we model organic sedimentation in terms of the plant matter accumulation and accommodation (space made for sediment deposition) rates. A spatial integration of the organic sedimentation, added to the known river sediment input, leads to a model of delta evolution that estimates the fraction of organic sediments preserved in the delta. The model predicts that the maximum organic fraction occurs when the organic matter accumulation rate matches the accommodation rate, a result consistent with field observations. The model also recovers the upper limit for coal accumulation previously reported in the coal literature. Further, when the model is extended to account for differences in plant matter accumulation between fresh and saline environments (i.e., methanogenesis versus sulfate reduction) we show that an abrupt shift in the location of the fresh-salt boundary can amplify the speed of shoreline retreat

Flux of organic carbon in a riverine mangrove wetland in the Florida Coastal Everglades

Short-term (daily) and seasonal variations in concentration and flux of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were examined over 15 tidal cycles in a riverine mangrove wetland along Shark River, Florida in 2003. Due to the influence of seasonal rainfall and wind patterns on Shark River’s hydrology, samplings were made to include wet, dry and transitional (Norte) seasons. We used a flume extending from a tidal creek to a basin forest to measure vertical (vegetated soil/water column) and horizontal (mangrove forest/tidal creek) flux of DOC. We found significant (p \u3c 0.05) variations in surface water temperature, salinity, conductivity, pH and mean concentration of DOC with season. Water temperature and salinity followed seasonal patterns of air temperature and rainfall, while mean DOC concentration was highest during the dry season (May), followed by the wet (October) and ‘Norte’ (December) seasons. This pattern of DOC concentration may be due to a combination of litter production and inundation pattern of the wetland. In contrast to daily (between tides) variation in DOC flux between the mangrove forest and tidal creek, daily variations of mean water quality were not significant. However, within-tide variation of DOC flux, dissolved oxygen content and salinity was observed. This indicated that the length of inundation and water source (freshwater vs. saltwater) variation across tidal cycles influenced water quality and DOC flux in the water column. Net DOC export was measured in October and December, suggesting the mangrove forest was a source of DOC to the adjacent tidal creek during these periods. Net annual export of DOC from the fringe mangrove to both the tidal creek and basin mangrove forest was 56 g C m−2 year−1. The seasonal pattern in our flux results indicates that DOC flux from this mangrove forest may be governed by both freshwater discharge and tidal range

Modelling spatial biodiversity in the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem-The Bangladesh Sundarbans: a baseline for conservation

Aim: Mangrove forests are among the most threatened and rapidly vanishing, but poorly understood ecosystems. We aim to uncover the variables driving mangrove biodiversity and produce baseline biodiversity maps for the Sundarbans world heritage site—the Earth's largest contiguous mangrove ecosystem. Location: The Bangladesh Sundarbans, South Asia. Methods: We collected species abundance, environmental and disturbance data from 110 permanent sample plots (PSPs) covering the entire Bangladesh Sundarbans (6,017 km2). We applied generalized additive models to determine the key variables shaping the spatial distributions of mangrove diversity and community composition. Biodiversity maps were constructed using covariate‐driven habitat models, and their predictive performances were compared with covariate‐free (i.e., direct interpolation) approaches to see whether the inclusion of habitat variables bolster spatial predictions of biodiversity or whether we can rely on direct interpolation approaches when environmental data are not available. Results: Historical forest exploitation, disease, siltation and soil alkalinity were the key stressors causing loss of alpha and gamma diversity in mangrove communities. Both alpha and gamma diversity increased along the downstream‐to‐upstream and riverbank‐to‐forest interior gradients. Mangrove communities subjected to intensive past tree harvesting, disease outbreaks and siltation were more homogeneous in species composition (beta diversity). In contrast, heterogeneity in species composition increased along decreasing salinity and downstream‐to‐upstream gradients. We find that the surviving biodiversity hotspots (comprising many globally endangered tree species) are located outside the established protected area network and hence open to human exploitation. We therefore suggest bringing them immediately under protected area management. Main Conclusions: We provide the first habitat‐based modelling and mapping of alpha, beta and gamma diversity in threatened mangrove communities. In general, habitat‐based models showed better predictive ability than the covariate‐free approach. Nevertheless, the small margin of differences between the approaches demonstrates the utility of direct interpolation approaches when environmental data are unavailable

Spatial variability of mangrove primary productivity in the neotropics

Mangroves are considered one of the most productive ecosystems in the world with significant contributions as carbon sinks in the biosphere. Yet few attempts have been made to assess global patterns in mangrove net primary productivity, except for a few assumptions relating litterfall rates to variation in latitude. We combined geophysical and climatic variables to predict mangrove litterfall rates at continental scale. On a per‐area basis, carbon flux in litterfall in the neotropics is estimated at 5 MgC·ha−1·yr−1, between 20% and 50% higher than previous estimates. Annual carbon fixed in mangrove litterfall in the neotropics is estimated at 11.5 TgC, which suggests that current global litterfall estimates extrapolated from mean reference values may have been underestimated by at least 5%. About 5.8 TgC of this total carbon fixed in the neotropics is exported to estuaries and coastal oceans, which is nearly 30% of global carbon export by tides. We provide the first attempt to quantify and map the spatial variability of carbon fixed in litterfall in mangrove forests at continental scale in response to geophysical and climatic environmental drivers. Our results strengthen the global carbon budget for coastal wetlands, providing blue carbon scientists and coastal policy makers with a more accurate representation of the potential of mangroves to offset carbon dioxide emissions