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In this thesis, a framework was developed in order to analyze popular game characters and to find common grounds for their identifiability factors. A survey was also carried out in an effort to gain more data about game characters and identification. Gameplayer's own definitions of identification together with previous papers about identification were researched. The research concentrates on narrative, game logistics' and the connection to video game character identification.

This study utilized eye-tracking to investigate 63 intermediate-level university Chinese foreign language (CFL) learners' real-time radical preferences. Radicals are components of Chinese characters and give clues to the meanings and pronunciations of the character. This study aimed to answer the following research questions: (1) What type of radicals (semantic/phonetic) do CFL readers most rely on when reading characters? (2) Does reliance on one type of radical (semantic/phonetic) correlate with accuracy in character recognition? (3) Does awareness of semantic/phonetic radicals affect the accuracy of character recognition or reliance on radicals in real-time processing? The results found that participants demonstrated a phonetic bias in that they had more proportion of looks on phonetic over semantic radicals in real-time reading. Furthermore, participants' radical awareness and radical identification scores positively correlated with accurate character recognition. Pedagogical applications drawn from this study suggest that future instructors should explicitly teach radical identification to CFL learners to facilitate character decoding.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate selected psychometric characteristics of the Ethical Judgment Scale (EJS). Specifically, to determine (a) content validity, (b) internal consistency reliability, (c) correlations of the Likert-type, stage 5, and panel scoring methods; and, assess (d) the relationship of certain demographic factors of community college counselors and EJS scores. A survey research design, employing the EJS with modified instructions, requested an actual and ideal response for each of 25 hypothetical incidents that represented various ethical dilemmas in the counseling field. Ninety-one community college counselors in the state of Virginia participated in the final study. A nonrespondent survey also was completed. The results suggested that content validity of the EJS was supported by expert ratings of the hypothetical incidents; however, an evaluation of the response choices indicated that 20 of the incidents had at least two inappropriate response options. An examination of internal consistency reliability of the EJS, using Cronbach’s <b>alpha </b> and KR-20 statistical procedures, indicated unsatisfactory to lower than desirable correlations for the three scoring methods employed in this study. Similarly poor correlations were obtained for the relationships of the scoring methods. Scale discrepancies and the unreliable scoring methods prevented firm conclusions regarding the association of EJS scores and selected demographic characteristics of the study sample. Findings of the study suggested that a lack of confidence with the measurement instrument may be justified. Suggestions for further research were offered and included the further evaluation and possible revision of the scale. / Ed. D. / incomplete_metadata

The work presented in this thesis explores the possibility to integrate two dimensional drawings with three dimensional animated characters in 3D computer graphics. The goal was to preserve the effects of the cartoonish artistic style and produce a strong emotional and moving story without realistic animation feel. Inspiration of the storyboard was based on a true story from the Arab Spring events that occurred in several Arab countries, I focused my work on the context of Egypt. / Master of Fine Arts

This study determined whether there was a relationship between the responses of teachers to teacher competency tests, measures of self-concept, and locus of control. The study was designed to investigate the issue of student and cooperating teachers responses toward testing. Fifty-five student teachers from Old Dominion University and Virginia Wesleyan College were paired with cooperating teachers from the school systems of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake, Virginia. To determine their responses toward competency testing of teachers, a critiqued questionnaire was administered to this population. The Rotter Locus Of Control (1965) was given to determine if an individual viewed control of one's life from an internal or external perspective. In order to ascertain an individual's self-concept, the Tennessee Self Concept Scale was administered. The results from the instruments were analyzed using percentages and comparisons using the chi square test. Results indicated that there was no significant difference (< .05) in responses of teachers toward testing of teachers. No significant differences were found in how internals and externals viewed testing; nor were there significant differences found between those with high and low self concepts. Conclusions from the study indicate that student and cooperating teachers are not opposed to competency testing of teachers. The respondents felt that persons will not be encouraged or discouraged from entering the teaching profession because of their feelings about teacher testing or because of personality characteristics such as locus of control or self-concept. / Ed. D.

Among the factors affecting the quality of education in schools are characteristics of principals, characteristics of teachers and programs, and characteristics of families. In this study of 80 schools in Virginia, composite fourth-grade reading and math scores, calculated by taking the mean of total reading and math scores for three years (83-85), were regressed on three sets of variables representing these factors. Each set of variables was entered as a block, and all orders of entry were systematically explored. When characteristics of families were entered first, they accounted for 56 percent of the variance in reading scores and 35 percent of the variance in math scores. The change in R² was not significant when each of the remaining blocks were entered. Order of entry had no effect; characteristics of families were the only variables that produced a statistically significant R square, regardless of order. Both variables comprising characteristics of families produced significant partial regression coefficients. The coefficients for percentage of students in the school receiving free or reduced-price lunch were -.632 (<u>p</u>< .00) for reading and -.539 (<u>p</u> < .00) for math. The coefficients for percentage membership in the school‘s organization for parents were .077 (<u>p</u>< .05) for reading and .101 (<u>p</u> < .05) for math. Characteristics of principals and characteristics of teachers and programs, as measured in this study, did not have an effect on student achievement in reading or math above their combined effects with characteristics of families. Obviously, principals, teachers, and programs do have an effect on student achievement; however, the specific variables used in this study to measure these characteristics were unable to capture these effects. / Ed. D.

This thesis covers a biography and principal influence of Valle-Inclan, the Sonata novels, Carlist war novels, the Comedias Barbaras, and Flor de Santidad and Tirano Baderas.