Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/1139
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Item DISTRIBUTION AND DIVERSITY OF OCTOCORALS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO(11/11/2014) Etnoyer, Peter; T. C. ShirleyOctocorals are broadly distributed throughout the world’s oceans, from the shallow intertidal zone to deeper than 5800 meters. Fishermen refer to large colonies as ‘trees’. This is appropriate because colonies provide complex structural habitat for associated species, they are broadly distributed, and they are threatened by industrial practices, such as bottom trawling. Below the warm water layer (50 – 70 m deep), octocorals are presumed to be cosmopolitan in the West Atlantic, with a broadly homogenous distribution. This creates a problem for conservation and management because it is difficult to justify conservation of one place, if all others are the same. This dissertation tested the null hypothesis of no difference in octocoral assemblages at the three spatial scales (referred to as basin, region, and site scale) through meta-analysis of two large, original datasets. The first was 1881 records of octocoral occurrences in the Gulf of Mexico from cruise reports and museums. The second was 8495 seafloor images from six outer continental shelf banks, and one site between banks, in the northwestern Gulf region. Univariate, multivariate, and spatial analysis techniques were used to compare genera, depth zones, regions, and banks within a Geographic Information System framework.Octocoral assemblages in the Gulf of Mexico differed significantly between depth zones and regions, but there was no difference in diversity between depth zones less than 800 m, due to species replacement. Composition of octocoral assemblages varied significantly between sites, and hotspots for richness and abundance were evident within sites. Null hypotheses of no difference between banks, depth zones, and regions were rejected with confidence. The findings support the broad distribution of octocorals in the Gulf of Mexico, but not homogeneity of octocoral assemblages. Based on these results, place-based conservation of deep octocoral habitat is justified, because some sites have higher diversity and abundance of octocorals than others.Item Finding a voice in the digital classroom: The effects of asynchronous discussion on language acquisition and communication apprehension among secondary ESOL students in South Texas(2010) Hill, Laura A.; Sherritt, Caroline; Griffith, Brian; Kouzekanani, Kamiar; Lucido, FrankStudents who are classified as ESOL at the secondary level may face various factors that prevent participation in class thus inhibiting second language acquisition. The purpose of the study was to determine if asynchronous discussions (ASD) affected the second language acquisition of secondary ESOL students. The researcher examined the effects of ASD in an online ESOL language community (All English All the Time) on improving writing skills and communication apprehension of a non-probability sample of English Language Learners at the secondary level. The results of the study confirm the fact that ASD may encourage informal communication and that further study on various forms of computer assisted language learning may prove useful to the successful acquisition of a second language.Item Constructing voices through lived-experiences: a phenomenological study of novice reading teachers' personal understanding of pedagogical ownership and professional identity(2012-06-25) Durham, Patricia; Bryant GriffithIt is in the best interest of the American educational system that novice reading teachers be provided with the opportunity for ownership of their pedagogy and be enabled to forge an identity that legitimatize them as an integral part of the educational arena. Nurturing a teacher's critical self and critical pedagogy will address the needs of the novice reading teacher and increase our understanding of a reading teacher in the 21st century. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the ways in which five South, Southeast and West Texas reading teachers constructed personal understanding of their pedagogical development and professional identity from their experiences during their novice years of teaching. Findings from the rich and compelling stories of the participants uncovered six core themes commonly shared by the participants. Novice reading teachers experienced: (a) using prior lived-experiences to impact reading pedagogy, (b) concern for students' social, cultural, and academic well-being, (c) active reflection, (d) making pedagogical and professional connections through specific reading support systems which developed their philosophy for reading, (e) awareness of growth as a result of these systems, and (f) recognition of strengths attributing to their professional and pedagogical identity. The six themes have implications for the novice teacher, teacher education programs, and professional trainings and trainers. To aid in forming their reading teacher identity, novice reading teachers need to look inward at their biographical stories to first know themselves and the critical incidents that have made a positive or negative impact on their literacy lives. Teacher educators should continue to evolve reading teacher coursework by weaving in current components of teacher development theory into its curriculum to aid preservice teachers in becoming self aware of their growth and development. Professional training should be professional, not just something to attend arbitrarily. Professional trainers can learn from this study that training needs to be redesigned to treat the audience as active-thinking participants rather than passive receivers of knowledge. Suggestions for further research are included to help deepen the understanding of the 21st century reading teacher.Item A validation study of the Juhnke-Balkin Life Balance Inventory(2012-07-10) Davis, Randy; Richard BalkinLife balance was investigated as a unifying construct of wellness and found to be a significant, holistic concept among a variety of counseling professionals. The life balance construct is described as multifaceted and individually defined with elements of agency and autonomy. Assessment of the construct may yield information useful in supporting client change. Normative samples were drawn from both clinical and nonclinical settings (N = 346) and included both males (n = 178) and females (n = 168) with an age range of 18 to 67 (M = 30.28, SD = 10.64). Primary foci of this study included establishing initial evidence of validity of the internal structure of the Juhnke-Balkin Life Balance Inventory (JBLI), an instrument designed to assess life balance. The JBLI was tested for evidence of concurrent and discriminate validity with the OQ45.2 via multiple regression analysis and t tests of clinical and nonclinical samples. Using exploratory factor analysis (N = 346), 11 factors were retained accounting for 49% of variance in the model and corresponding scales were developed. Factors were identified based on factor loadings of .40 or greater. Reliability analysis was conducted on each scale, yielding adequate (.76) to high (.91) estimates of reliability for the 11 scales. Six of the 11 were identified as discriminant between clinical and nonclinical populations. Evidence of relationships to other variables was established between 9 of the JBLI scales and the three OQ45.2 scales. Post hoc analysis was conducted and the original factor structure was retained with an increase of 2% for a total of 51% of variance explained in the model. Results from the study serve as initial evidence of validity and reliability for an assessment instrument designed to measure life balance.Item History of standardization of English language arts: an analysis of the foundation and focus of English language arts(2012-07-10) Culbertson, Deborah Jean; Sherrye D GarrettThis dissertation analyzed English language arts standards for changes in the focus and foundation of English language arts content, which added a new dimension to existing research. The population of the study included primary and secondary documents, including nationally published standard documents for 9th - 12th grade, the setting is 1894 - 2010. Brief histories of the American high school and standardization are woven into the development of high school English. The research methodology includes a combination of interim analysis of the literature and the standards, and a content analysis of the foundational standards. A philosophical inquiry of key terms was included in the analysis because terms changed meaning as time passed. The researcher developed detailed semantic maps to demonstrate the changes in the standards. Through these maps and the amended setting, a foundation of standards became apparent. The implications of the foundation standard study are: Media standards should align to visual literacies instead of quick changing technologies; motivation in reading is from self selection which should be reflected in the standards; developmental reading and ways of reading should be defined in the standards; more research in grammar- current grammar instruction is consistently listed as invalid; and elaboration on the impact of political decisions on English language arts. English educators yearn for an answer to the dichotomy in their content; a look at the history may provide some basis for change.Item A comparison of silent reading comprehension and listening comprehension in fourth, sixth, and eighth grade students(2012-07-12) Verlaan, Wolfram; Daniel L. PearceThis study investigated the relationship between listening and reading comprehension to determine: (a) if there has been a change in the equalization age for these two modalities from what was theorized by Thomas Sticht; and (b) to determine if there are interrelationships between proficient reading and listening comprehension, gender, and/or SES. The study employed a cross-sectional correlational design to test the listening and reading comprehension of 945 participants in two South Texas school districts; 223 fourth-, 354 sixth-, and 368 eighth-grade students participated in the study. Students were administered the Reading Comprehension sub test of the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test Fourth Edition (GMRT-4) Forms S and T to measure both reading and listening comprehension. Mean reading scores significantly exceeded mean listening scores at the fourth-grade, t(222) = 6.13, p < .001, d = 0.41, sixth-grade, t(353) = 11.63, p < .001, d = 0.62, and eighth-grade levels t(367) = 17.19, p < .001, d = 0.90, indicating a possible change in the age at which reading and listening comprehension had previously been theorized to equalize. In addition, results indicated that reading comprehension and listening comprehension were highly correlated at each of these grade levels with correlation values ranging from .62 to .64. This study also found an even higher correlation between listening comprehension and reading comprehension for proficient readers (students reading at or above grade level) with correlation values ranging from .65 to .74. Proficient reading was related to gender at the sixth-grade level and to SES at the eighth-grade level. Because the relationship of proficient reading to either SES or gender did not extend across more than one grade level, no firm conclusions regarding these factors could be reached.Item The state of education for students of Mexican descent on the Texas/Mexico border: then and now(2012-07-12) Thompson, Wally D.; Evan Ortlieb; Sherrye GarrettMuch of the territory from the Sabine River, the border between present day Texas and Louisiana, to the Pacific Ocean was occupied by persons of Mexican descent long before it became part of the United States. There are still many persons of Mexican descent in that area, and it is the education of their children, as well as the education of students of Mexican descent in the entire United States, which is the focus of this investigation. There are two principal reasons for singling out this population. The first is that persons of Mexican descent compose a very large segment of the population of this country: just over ten percent of the population of the entire United States (Ennis, Rios-Vargas, & Albert, 2010, p. 2) and almost forty percent of the population of the state of Texas (Texas Quick Facts, 2010) are of Mexican descent. The second is that there is an extraordinary need. Nearly all indices of educational problems; absenteeism, retention, and attrition, to name but a few indicate that students of Mexican descent have greater difficulties than their Western European descent counterparts (Arias, 1986; Kohler & Lazarin, 2007; National Center for Educational Statistics, 2003). These obstacles possibly contribute to the discrepancy between the academic performance of students of Mexican descent, and students of other ethnicities (Hess, 2000; Matute-Bianche, 2008). To approach this problem, the researcher investigated the total educational milieu of students of Mexican descent of two periods of time which are separated by thirty years: 1975 and 2005. Researching documents, reading school board minutes, and talking to students from those eras developed a picture of the educational environment of those times and allowed for a comparison. The analysis of the assembled data revealed two significant findings. The first finding is that factors external to the Mexican-descent community, such as racism and segregation, have been affected by federal regulations, and no longer are present in the educational system to an ascertainable degree. The second finding is that several components of the community’s culture have survived and appear to be influencing the education of Mexican-descent students both positively and negatively. The primary societal value which is present in the interviews of all of the time periods which are included in this study is familism. It is this feature of the community which appears to have a lasting impact on education. These findings will benefit classroom teachers across America who teach students of Mexican descent. Knowing what aspects of the Mexican descent culture relate to their educational success, or lack thereof, is important and will contribute to teachers being better prepared to teach this large and growing population.Item Online counseling and online counselor preparation: a mixed methods investigation(2012-07-13) Flores, Serena Ann; Robert SmithThe purpose of this sequential mixed methods study was to examine the perceptions of counselor educators toward online counseling services, and the training of online counselors. Sixty-four counselor educators affiliated with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) were asked to complete a survey and demographic questionnaire. Participants’ attitudes toward online counseling were measured using the Online Counseling Attitudes Scale (OCAS). Data from the survey and a demographic questionnaire were obtained using an online survey program. In addition to obtaining and analyzing quantitative data, the researcher gathered in-depth qualitative data through a brief survey, semi-structured interviews with four purposefully selected subjects, and from the researcher’s journal. Four participants interviewed and surveyed were selected based on their familiarity with online counseling and online counselor training. Quantitative and qualitative findings from this study provided insight of the status of online counseling and online counselor preparation as seen by counselor educators. Significant results were found using a quantitative analysis investigating counselor educators’ value of online counseling and discomfort with online counseling. Qualitative findings revealed four major themes using interviews with current counselor educators. Discussion concluding awareness of online counseling, online counselor preparation, online counselor policy, and client accessibility to counseling via the internet as four areas of implications were uncovered.Item Perspectives and practices of successful teachers in diverse rural South Texas high-performing high-needs elementary schools(2012-07-27) Pate, Roberta Simnacher; Daniel Pearce; Evan T. OrtliebTexas rural schools, educating more than half a million students annually, and rural schools across the nation have been under scrutiny for the inability to provide quality education through course offerings, facilities, and qualified teachers. To address this issue, the investigator utilized Spradley’s (1980) seminal work, Participant Observation, as a guide to examine two third-grade and two fourth-grade effective teachers within two high-performing, high-needs rural South Texas elementary campuses. Data collection included interviews of principals and teachers as well as classroom observations focused on classroom management, instructional approach/style, reading/writing instruction, and assessment over a five-week period during reading and writing class instruction. The application of Spradley’s 12-step method, Developmental Research Sequence, revealed that effective rural reading/writing teachers used motivational techniques, scaffolded and extended lessons beyond the scripted curriculum prompting critical thinking skills, authentic reading/writing literature and experiences to promote student success, and data analysis and self-reflection to meet the diverse needs of their students while maintaining the place of community. Implications from the study are relevant to administrators, educators, and community members, as these successful rural schools with vested and effective teachers are models of how rural education can meet and exceed the needs of its students.Item The integration of spirituality issues in CACREP counselor preparation programs and accredited theological schools(2012-10-04) Pope, John-Nelson B.; Robert L. SmithThe study utilized a sequential, mixed methods design comparing how the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited counselor preparation programs and the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) accredited institutions understand, interpret, and implement spirituality concepts within their programs. There were 511 invitations sent to faculty/department heads to participate in the online survey in both CACREP (n = 250) and ATS (n = 261) graduate programs. Ninety-nine completed the survey. Eleven participants, selected from the survey, agreed to be interviewed during the qualitative phase of the study. Chi square test for independence was conducted to determine if there was a relationship between institution accreditation (ATS vs. CACREP) and incorporating training in spirituality into the curriculum. Results of this analysis revealed a significant relationship between the two. Cross tabulation analysis revealed that more ATS accredited programs (93.2%) were prepared to teach/train students in spirituality than CACREP (68.2%) accredited programs. There was strong agreement among respondents from both CACREP and ATS accredited institutions that spirituality concepts should be infused throughout the course of study, M = 4.15, SD =1.14. To a lesser degree, there was agreement among the respondents that spirituality concepts should be taught through infusion and specific courses in the counselor training process, (M = 3.97, SD = 1.16). Interviewed participants described the infusion of spirituality competencies into their teaching, either in terms of their own theoretical orientation, practice, and personhood or as a curriculum requirement, that is, in accreditation standards. Respondents from theological schools reported that they prepared themselves to teach spirituality through theological reflection and experiences within ecclesiastical settings and were supported by their departments. Respondents from secular programs reported they did not experience that same level of support, although they did not encounter hindrances. When asked about what most hindered their successful teaching of spirituality concepts, respondents stated their students were reluctant to examine their beliefs. Conversely, respondents stated that their greatest success of teaching spirituality concepts occurred when their students became more open and accepting of others' belief systems and who deepened their ability to reflect about spiritual issues. The majority of accredited programs incorporate training in spirituality into the curriculum. Faculty are trained properly regarding spirituality concepts and the common methods they use in the classroom, and had no plans to increase their coverage of such concepts in the near future. The religious and spiritual beliefs and religious affiliation of respondents who participated in the survey and interviews corresponded with the general population of the United States.Item The relative roles of salinity stratification and nutrient loading in seasonal hypoxia in Corpus Christi Bay, Texas(2012-10-09) Nelson, Kevin K.; Montagna, Paul A.Hypoxia (low dissolved oxygen concentration) is known to occur in the southeast corner of Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, USA each summer since its discovery in 1988. In 2006, ongoing field research discovered that the hypoxia area has a greater extent spatially and temporally than previously thought. Although it was known that hypoxia was associated with salinity stratification, it was not until 2007 that it was discovered that salty water from both Oso Bay and Laguna Madre were contributing to this stratification. This is interesting because there are three wastewater treatment plants that empty into Oso Creek and to Oso Bay, so there is a source of nutrients as well as salt. The purpose of the current study was to determine the spatial and temporal extent of hypoxia, to explore the role of nutrients and bay currents in the formation and frequency of hypoxia, to determine what, if any role small rain events play in the formation of hypoxia, and to test the feasibility of disseminating the data collected in this study and others to the public via the use of a standardized database schema and web services. Hypoxia was found to begin as early as the first week of June, and occur as late as the last week of August, i.e. stops when wind stops. Hypoxic conditions can extend from Ward Island to Shamrock Island, and area estimated to cover 80 km2. Nutrient concentrations are not at high levels however, ammonium levels are higher in the hypoxic zone, likely due to anaerobic remineralization of organic matter. Even small-scale rain events appear to flush nutrients from Oso Bay however, this does not appear to affect hypoxia in Corpus Christi Bay. Differences in acoustic opacity, current velocity, and current direction, and salinity between the bottom waters and those above may all be contributing to stratification, known to cause hypoxia. Hypoxia also appears to be influenced by the fortnightly lunar cycle, bathymetry, and bottom composition. Attempts to transform data from this project into a standard database schema were successful. However, not all of the complexities of biological nomenclature, multivariate data structures, and laboratory information requirements could be met with the system under study.Item Self-efficacy, stress, and acculturation as predictors of first year science success among Latinos at a South Texas university(2012-10-26) McNamara, Mark; Kamiar KouzekananiThe study tested the hypothesis that self-efficacy, stress, and acculturation are useful predictors of academic achievement in first year university science, independent of high school GPA and SAT scores, in a sample of Latino students at a South Texas Hispanic serving institution of higher education. The correlational study employed a mixed methods explanatory sequential model. The non-probability sample consisted of 98 university science and engineering students. The study participants had high science self-efficacy, low number of stressors, and were slightly Anglo-oriented bicultural to strongly Anglo-oriented. As expected, the control variables of SAT score and high school GPA were statistically significant predictors of the outcome measures. Together, they accounted for 19.80% of the variation in first year GPA, 13.80% of the variation in earned credit hours, and 11.30% of the variation in intent to remain in the science major. After controlling for SAT scores and high school GPAs, self-efficacy was a statistically significant predictor of credit hours earned and accounted for 5.60% of the variation; its unique contribution in explaining the variation in first year GPA and intent to remain in the science major was not statistically significant. Stress and acculturation were not statistically significant predictors of any of the outcome measures. Analysis of the qualitative data resulted in six themes (a) high science self-efficacy, (b) stressors, (c) positive role of stress, (d) Anglo-oriented, (e) bicultural, and (f) family. The quantitative and qualitative results were synthesized and practical implications were discussed.Item Quality of life changes in adult literacy learners: understanding the perceived impact of an adult literacy program in South Texas(2012-10-28) Gleason, Mary Viola; Daniel Pearce; Frank LucidoThe multiple-methods research study explored how adult-literacy learners perceive the impact of their literacy instruction and how it relates to outcomes in their lives. Maslow's hierarchy of motivation and needs guided the study. The non-probability sample consisted of 76 adult literacy and English learners in a community-based organization (CBO) who completed a questionnaire about how their lives had changed with regard to socioeconomic well-being, community involvement, and self-esteem. For the qualitative portion of the study, information was collected through three focus groups, two of which included learners who had completed the quantitative questionnaire, and another consisting of teachers, tutors, and staff of the CBO. Participants perceived changes in their lives in the areas under study. The salient finding was that participants experienced growth in independence and self-reliance. The study provides a way of understanding the perceived value of literacy instruction in the lives of adult learners.Item The role of vocational technical training in Texas Early College High Schools: a Delphi study(2012-11-02) Simonson, Elizabeth E; Kamiar KouzekananiThe study was conducted to document the role of vocational training programs in Early College High Schools (ECHS) and to identify the barriers which may hinder the implementation of robust vocational training programs in ECHS. The study was descriptive in nature, employing a mixed methods model. Specifically, the Exploratory Sequential Design: Instrument Development Variant was used. The researcher had hypothesized that in the context of ECHS, specific roles for vocational training programs as well as barriers which may hinder the implementation of such programs existed. On the basis of qualitative results, which were derived from a 3-round Delphi study, it is concluded that the hypothesis is tenable, as eight roles and fifteen barriers were identified. On the basis of quantitative results, it is concluded that the practitioners involved in ECHS tend to agree with the roles and barriers. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.Item The impact of a STEM program on academic achievement of eighth grade students in a South Texas middle school(2012-11-05) Olivarez, Norma; Kamiar KouzekananiThe primary purpose of the study was to examine the impact of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational program on academic achievement. The study was delimited to 8th graders and outcome measures of mathematics, science, and reading. An ex-post facto, causal-comparative research design was employed. The characteristic-present group consisted of 73 eighth grade students in a STEM academic program. The comparison group consisted of 103 eighth grade students in a non-STEM academic program. On the basis of the centroids, the STEM group outperformed the non-STEM group on all outcome measures. It is concluded that participation in a STEM academic program, where teachers use Project-Based Learning (PBL), collaborative learning, and hands-on strategies, positively impacted eighth grade students' academic achievement in mathematics, science, and reading.Item Staying power: the relationship of public school superintendent tenure to leadership frames(2012-11-05) Elliff, Doyne Scott; Raul PrezasThe study examined the types of leadership frames (human resource, structural, political, and symbolic) (Bolman & Deal, 1997) most often used by public school superintendents in Texas, the relationship of leadership frames to the length of superintendent tenure in a single school district, and the influence of school district size on the relationship of leadership frames to tenure. The non-probability sample included 212 superintendents from public school districts in nine Education Service Centers in Texas, representing small / rural, mid-sized, and large urban districts. The study was descriptive correlational in nature, utilizing a survey to generate quantitative data. Results revealed that the human resource frame was used most often by superintendents. The only frame statistically correlated to tenure in one district, however, was the political frame (r=.17, p<.05), and this relationship remained statistically significant when controlling for school district size, as measured by student population (r=.17, p<.05). Qualitative data were gathered from two open-response questions asking superintendents to identify factors related to 1) successful leadership of major change in a district and 2) ability to persist in the superintendent position. In response to the question regarding factors enabling leadership of major change in a district, theme analysis revealed overlapping associations to each of the four frames, with an emphasis on the human resource frame. Analysis of responses to the question regarding factors enabling superintendents to persist in their tenure in a school district revealed an emphasis on the human resource frame.Item Hyperspectral analysis of seagrass in Redfish Bay, Texas(2012-11-07) Wood, John S.; James Gibeaut; John W. TunnellRemote sensing using multi- and hyperspectral imaging and analysis has been used in resource management for quite some time, and for a variety of purposes. In the studies to follow, hyperspectral imagery of Redfish Bay is used to discriminate between species of seagrasses found below the water surface. Water attenuates and reflects light and energy from the electromagnetic spectrum, and as a result, subsurface analysis can be more complex than that performed in the terrestrial world. In the following studies, an iterative process is developed, using ENVI image processing software and ArcGIS software. Band selection was based on recommendations developed empirically in conjunction with ongoing research into depth corrections, which were applied to the imagery bands (a default depth of 65 cm was used). Polygons generated, classified and aggregated within ENVI are reclassified in ArcGIS using field site data that was randomly selected for that purpose. After the first iteration, polygons that remain classified as `Mixed' are subjected to another iteration of classification in ENVI, then brought into ArcGIS and reclassified. Finally, when that classification scheme is exhausted, a supervised classification is performed, using a `Maximum Likelihood' classification technique, which assigned the remaining polygons to the classification that was most like the training polygons, by digital number value. Producer's Accuracy by classification ranged from 23.33 % for the `MixedMono' class to 66.67% for the `Bare' class; User's Accuracy by classification ranged from 22.58% for the `MixedMono' class to 69.57% for the `Bare' classification. An overall accuracy of 37.93% was achieved. Producers and Users Accuracies for Halodule were 29% and 39%, respectively; for Thalassia, they were 46% and 40%. Cohen's Kappa Coefficient was calculated at .2988. We then returned to the field and collected spectral signatures of monotypic stands of seagrass at varying depths and at three sensor levels: above the water surface, just below the air/water interface, and at the canopy position, when it differed from the subsurface position. Analysis of plots of these spectral curves, after applying depth corrections and Multiplicative Scatter Correction, indicates that there are detectable spectral differences between Halodule and Thalassia species at all three positions. Further analysis indicated that only above-surface spectral signals could reliably be used to discriminate between species, because there was an overlap of the standard deviations in the other two positions. A recommendation for wavelengths that would produce increased accuracy in hyperspectral image analysis was made, based on areas where there is a significant amount of difference between the mean spectral signatures, and no overlap of the standard deviations in our samples. The original hyperspectral imagery was reprocessed, using the bands recommended from the research above (approximately 535, 600, 620, 638, and 656 nm). A depth raster was developed from various available sources, which was resampled and reclassified to reflect values for water absorption and water scattering, which were then applied to each band using the depth correction algorithm. Processing followed the iterative classification methods described above. Accuracy for this round of processing improved; overall accuracy increased from 38% to 57%. Improvements were noted in Producer's Accuracy, with the `Bare' vi classification increasing from 67% to 73%, Halodule increasing from 29% to 63%, Thalassia increasing slightly, from 46% to 50%, and `MixedMono' improving from 23% to 42%. User's Accuracy also improved, with the `Bare' class increasing from 69% to 70%, Halodule increasing from 39% to 67%, Thalassia increasing from 40% to 7%, and `MixedMono' increasing from 22.5% to 35%. A very recent report shows the mean percent cover of seagrasses in Redfish Bay and Corpus Christi Bay combined for all species at 68.6%, and individually by species: Halodule 39.8%, Thalassia 23.7%, Syringodium 4%, Ruppia 1% and Halophila 0.1%. Our study classifies 15% as `Bare', 23% Halodule, 18% Thalassia, and 2% Ruppia. In addition, we classify 5% as `Mixed', 22% as `MixedMono', 12% as `Bare/Halodule Mix', and 3% `Bare/Thalassia Mix'. Aggregating the `Bare' and `Bare/species' classes would equate to approximately 30%, very close to what this new study produces. Other classes are quite similar, when considering that their study includes no `Mixed' classifications. This series of research studies illustrates the application and utility of hyperspectral imagery and associated processing to mapping shallow benthic habitats. It also demonstrates that the technology is rapidly changing and adapting, which will lead to even further increases in accuracy. Future studies with hyperspectral imaging should include extensive spectral field collection, and the application of a depth correction.Item Middle school students' reading experiences and behaviors and their relationship to reading achievement and self-efficacy: a study of one rural middle school in South Texas(2012-11-10) Warren, Christie L; Daniel L. PearceThis doctoral study examined the relationship between middle school students' reading experiences and behaviors, reader self-perceptions, and reading achievement. This study also explored whether or not the characteristics of middle school readers differ because of gender or ethnicity. Participants attended a rural middle school, grades six through eight, in a South Texas farming community. Over half of the students believed reading was important and read at least once or twice a week. A majority of students also preferred to read text messages, magazines, websites, and fiction. A higher percentage of females than males enjoyed reading, read because they believed it was fun, and read realistic teen fiction. More Caucasian students than Hispanic students enjoyed reading and believed reading was important. A majority of students, regardless of gender or ethnicity, held positive reader self-perceptions and attained the passing standard on the TAKS. Statistical analyses revealed that students with more positive reader self-perceptions scored higher on their TAKS, as did female and Caucasian students. Students who enjoyed reading and read more frequently also scored statistically significantly higher on their TAKS. Females ranked higher than males in their enjoyment of reading and belief that they read enough; males ranked higher in their belief that reading is boring and that they do not read well. On the average, Caucasian students ranked higher than Hispanic students in their enjoyment of reading, number of books in their homes, and the belief that reading is important. The more teachers know about their students' experiences and interests, the more they can "tailor-fit" their instruction and locate reading materials that will promote interest and achievement in reading. Teachers who know their students' reader self-perceptions can work to maintain and improve them by creating a learning environment conducive to student success, which will foster students' feelings of competency with reading and transfer to the literacy tasks of their content area classes, as well as their reading outside of school. In addition, the achievement gaps between the genders and between the two predominant ethnicities confirm the need for teachers to be responsive to their students' individual needs and interests as learners.Item The beady eye of the professional development appraisal system: a Foucauldian cross-case analysis of the teacher evaluation system(2012-11-10) Torres, Dalia; Kakali BhattacharyaThe purpose of this deconstructive case study was to conduct a Foucauldian power/knowledge analysis constructed from the perceptions of three teachers at an intermediate school in South Texas regarding the role of the teacher evaluation process and its influence on instructional practices. Using Foucault's (1977a) work on power/knowledge, of special interest were issues of surveillance, binary relationships, discipline and punishment, and accommodations and resistance. Grounded in the history and politics of evaluation in public education, this study situates the role of Professional Development Appraisal System (PDAS), which is the teacher evaluation system in Texas on instructional practices. The findings indicate that PDAS has served to generate a strong oppressive network of power relations wherein the participants continually struggle between resisting and realigning themselves to the grand narrative of what it means to get the desired label assigned to them through the evaluation checklist system. The strength of the network has impacted the participants to the extent that they have become institutionalized in their instructional practices, disciplined themselves even when not needed, and surrendered their agency repeatedly. Consequently, the teachers became similar to each other in appearance, much like widgets. The implications for this study reflect the role various stakeholders and power relations can play in the teacher evaluation process, including teachers, administrators, teacher educators, and educational leaders.Item Dual enrollment programs: a comparative study of high school students' college academic achievement at different settings(2012-11-13) Flores, Agnes L; Randall Bowden; Kamier KouzekananiThe ex post facto causal-comparative study examined the academic achievement of high school students who took their dual credit English or mathematics college credit-bearing course in two different environments, namely, the college setting and the high school setting. Due to non-experimental nature of the study, no causal inferences were drawn. The non-probability sample consisted of 428 students who had taken the English dual credit course of which 342 were off-campus and 86 had taken the course on campus. There were 82 students who had taken the mathematics dual credit course of which 25 were off-campus students and 57 had taken the course on campus. The English and mathematics achievement grades were treated as ordinal data and Mann-Whitney U test showed that group differences on the basis of outcome measures were not statistically significant. The results suggest that when each setting adheres to the rigor of dual credit program standards, academic quality is maintained, academic achievement is comparable between students in the two settings, and college level learning is achieved.