Software metrics are measures of software products and processes. Metrics are widely used by software organizations to help manage projects, improve product quality and increase efficiency of the software development process. However, metrics programs tend to have a high failure rate in organizations, and developer pushback is one of the sources…

Theatres provide artistic value to many people and generate revenue for communities, yet little research has been conducted to understand or support theatrical designers. Over 1,800 non-profit theatres and 3,522 theatre companies and dinner theatres operate in the United States. In 2008, 11 million people attended 1,587 Broadway shows for a total…

Although many leaders in evaluation advise evaluators to address the diverse needs of stakeholders, very little is known about how or if practicing evaluators address this injunction. Understanding how practicing evaluators address the needs of multiple stakeholders could inform evaluator training. The purpose of this qualitative study was to…

The purpose of this study was to investigate four attractor states in schools through the perceptions of formal leaders that engaged in and reflected upon school reform regarding the Millennial generation. The term attractor was used as a metaphor for a habitual pattern, gleaned from complexity science which informs of new ways in which to…

The incorporation of nanofluidic elements between microfluidic channels to form hybrid microfluidic/nanofluidic architectures allows the extension of microfluidic systems into the third dimension, thus removing the constraints imposed by planarity. Measuring and understanding the behavior of these devices creates new analytical challenges due to…

Electronics that can cover large areas, often referred to as macroelectronics, has received increasing attention over the past decade mainly due to it use in display systems, but increasingly due to certain forms of macroelectronics that can be integrated with thin plastic sheets or elastomeric substrates to yield mechanically flexible and…

Multibeam interference lithography is investigated as a manufacturing technique for three-dimensional photonic crystal templates. In this research, optimization of the optical setup and the photoresist initiation system leads to a significant improvement of the optical quality of the crystal, as characterized by normal incidence optical…

Urban middle schools have demonstrated low academic performance for many consecutive years. These schools "feed" students directly into urban high schools with high numbers academically under-performing. This contributes to the high drop-out rates within many city school systems throughout the state of California. Within five major urban school…

Research concerning rate and extent of tenderization has focused on beef or lamb. However, it is critical to understand these processes in pork, especially as retailers move towards minimally processed or non-enhanced product. The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the textural properties of pork (firmness and tenderness) by examining…

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the faculty performance appraisal programs at the participating institutions. Faculty perception, regarding the effectiveness of the faculty evaluation appraisal program at their institution can be an important part of assessing the program itself. The study attempted to identify whether…

In recent years, technology integration has become one of the top priorities at higher education institutions. Consequently, faculty members found themselves compelled to integrate computers and other technology into their teaching, research, and public service. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of some of the…

Achievement and the experiences of women in secondary school mathematics have been well documented in the research literature (e.g., Benbow & Stanley, 1980, 1983; Tartre & Fennema, 1995; Sherman, 1982; Ryckman & Peckham, 1987; Keller & Dauenheimer, 2003). With respect to achievement, the research literature primarily focuses on how women are…

This dissertation examines the construction of the label Muslim as an emerging racial and political signifier. I explore how students who identify as Muslim understand their own racial and religious construction, as well as their own subjectivity within the American social, political and cultural landscape. This dissertation asks: (1) How do…

The goal of my dissertation was to fine map the milk yield and composition quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapped to cattle chromosome 3 (BTA3) by Heyen et al. (1999) and to identify candidate genes affecting these traits. To accomplish this, the region between "BL41" and "TGLA263" was mapped to the cattle genome sequence assembly Btau 3.1 and a…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the actions of online language learners from an activity theoretical perspective. It also attempted to explain how the students' learning outcomes evolved from their online learning experiences. This explanation placed an emphasis on the learners' previous experiences, defining their activity…