It is often difficult to optimize strength qualities in-season due to the conflicting influences of extensive skill practices combined with frequent game play of the competition schedule. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two interventions on strength qualities and CMJ performance. Thirteen women volleyball players competing in NCAA Division I were tested before and after four weeks of an inseason strength training program with emphasis on heavy squatting (6-IORM), and then before and after three weeks of unloaded jump training. Dynamic squat strength, isometric squat strength, optimal power, CMJ, SJ and approach jump and reach were all tested before and after both cycles. There was a significant increase in both average 1RM squat strength (5%) and vertical jump (1%) following the strength cycle. Following the unloaded training, there was a significant increase in both peak power output (18%) and peak velocity (14%) in the CMJ. SJ performance significantly increased in both peak force (6%) and maximum height (10%). Throughout training, there were no decreases in maximal strength levels or post-test Vertec jump and reach. This study indicates that heavy squatting can improve vertical jump as well as 1RM squat despite a high volume in-season practice and competition schedule. Furthermore, unloaded training can improve the explosive qualities of athletes when used as a peaking cycle late in-season. Athletes maintained dynamic strength and jumping ability from pre-testing scores, while significantly increasing both peak velocity and power in the CMJ. / School of Physical Education

This thesis investigates five types of informal and self-built settlements in Panama City, Panama. The major part of the thesis focuses on precedents that are related to personal experiences encountered while researching a question developed during an independent study course at Ball State University. These experiences are germane to the place I have resided for virtually, my whole life, at the outskirts of an informal settlement in Panama City -- Barriada Nueve de Enero -- along with my personal relationship with Mrs. Emilia, my family's domestic worker for more than thirteen years. In addition, the study of the five settlements will be accompanied by a set of minor design interventions that address immediate and local needs encountered while investigating each area. In a country where already more than half the population (56%) resides in urban centers, and approximately sixty thousand people live in informal settlements, one might ask: What do rural immigrants bring with them to the informal settlements? And, what are the connections found that relate to their past lives in the rural areas? According to the UN-Habitat report of 2008, in the developing world there are approximately 5 million people making thier trek each month to urban centers, and most of them end up squatting and self-building in some informal settlement, making them, as stated by Robert Neuwirth in Shadow Cities, "the largest builders of the housing world." If it is in fact, the 'precaristas - informal builders' and 'invasores - inavders' of the world who are shaping our current and future cities, should we not be more interested in their knowledge, lifestyles, and building techniques? This thesis does not aim to answer all the questions about informal settlements in Panama, but it does try to expose a reality and hopefully generate an understanding towards one city, and at least one informal settler contributing to the fast-growing informal building phenonmenon of the world. / Department of Architecture

Incorporation of social media during a crisis provides many benefits for universities, including opening two- way communication with stakeholders, informing the public quickly with updated information, and reaching a wide range of audiences. This case study aimed to explore whether Ball State incorporates social media into their crisis planning and what are the main reasons of using social media. Also, this case study aimed to see whether the university differentiates between crisis management and an emergency response. The researcher incorporated an online survey, Interviews, and documents to obtain detailed information about using social media in Ball State University. The results found that Ball State incorporates social media especially Twitter in their crisis planning. The study found that Ball State differentiates between a crisis and an emergency. / Department of Journalism

The purpose of the study was to describe and understand how twelve participants in distance education reflected upon their learning of computer technology that was intended to enrich classroom teaching. The way in which the participants implemented the technology in their classrooms was also examined. The computer technology (QuizEditor JS, WebQuest Generator) was delivered to the participants via two different media: online and two-way audio video conferencing.Evidence was gathered from the participants' naturalistic settings such as the schools where they taught. Interviews, observations, and questionnaires were used to gather evidence. Interview transcripts and written classroom observations became the primary sources of evidence for analysis.Four categories of distance learners emerged from the study: the illiterates, the mentees, the context-bound, and the mentors. The illiterates were participants who viewed themselves as illiterates. They put little effort in understanding the many possibilities that computer technology could offer to them. The mentees were participants who frequently requested help from their mentors before mastering the software and integrating it into their instruction. The context-bound were participants who were salient in their internal or external context. The uniqueness of and the emphasis on the context in which participants operated characterized the context-bound. The mentors were participants who effectively applied the software into their professional activities, and were willing to assist others.The researcher used three perspectives to explore differences among categories of participants in their learning of computer technology: as continuum, as a web, and holistically. Using a distance education design model that emerged, the researcher recommended five steps for a successful distance education course offering. An implication for practice was an implementation of the five steps design of distance education.A suggestion for further research included a systematic development of categories of distance learners and their test of validity. Further examination of the culture surrounding the implementation of distance education could challenge educators to reexamine the assumptions surrounding technology and adult education not only with respect to the individual and his or her circumstances, but also with respect to race, gender, national origin, and ethnicity to broaden the scope of adult education. / Department of Educational Leadership

The purpose of this study was twofold. Primarily, the study was conducted to establish the extent to which the local public access television programs produced by the Wayne County Health Department, Richmond, Indiana had been an effective source of health information in helping raise health awareness for adult residents who have access to cable television. The secondary purpose of the study was to gather information for the department's future television programming. Five face-to-face interview participants and twenty-five telephone survey participants responded to seventeen questions. The questions concerned health information acquired by watching public access television programs, participants' preferences for certain health topics and formats for the television presentations, and whether they had taken any specific actions that were a result of the health related information gained through watching the public access television programs. In addition, the participants were asked about their respective demographic characteristics.The study produced two major findings regarding the adult participants' opinions or whether they obtained health information through public access television and how their demographic characteristics correlated to previous research done regarding viewing habits and the utilization of television as a source of health information.1. The majority of the Wayne County adults interviewed both in person and by telephone reported at least one piece of health information acquired by watching public access television health programs.2. The demographic findings were mixed as it pertained to some of the major research related to this study.The results of this study indicated that adult or public health educators may, where appropriate, consider the use of public access television as a method to help raise health awareness with adults. It is suggested that additional research should be done on this particular topic because of the dearth of previous research done on this specific topic. / Department of Educational Leadership

This study was an investigation into factors that influence the dropout rate of migrant students in central Indiana in May-June 2003. Migrant students are children of migratory workers who travel across school and district boundaries to obtain seasonal or temporary employment in agriculture. These students have been considered historically as educationally disadvantaged, with a migratory lifestyle that impedes educational achievement.The researcher developed two questionnaires: one for the students and the other for the parents. The researcher translated both questionnaires into Spanish. The purpose was to investigate how parental influence, mobility and lack of permanency, poverty, and the migrant/school relationship affected the dropout rate. The data were collected from 39 migrant students, ages 11-20, enrolled in central Indiana middle and high schools and 58 adult migrants who had children in school. Even though this study was quantitative, many conclusions were drawn from the informal conversations, in Spanish, that the researcher had with migrants sitting in front of their cabins in the camps. The researcher attended also parent meetings and cultural activities in the Migrant Centers. Many ideas, feelings and perceptions were shared during this time.The data collected were grouped in eight categories: Subject demographics, family educational influences, educational and career goals, migrant mobility, attitudes toward school, financial considerations, acceptance as migrants, role models, and dropping out of school. Seventy-six tables compared the results between the two groups, migrant parents and students. Conclusions and recommendations were made based on those results. Common trends were identified including several that disagreed with conventional common perceptions. Migrant parents and students have the same desires for a better lifestyle just like any other group in our society. Recommendations were made to promote instructional continuity, the importance of education, and the acceptance of migrants into mainstream society. Mobility, poverty, and language barriers were less to blame for migrant educational dropout than were parental and familial influence, lack of participation in extra-curricular activities, disassociation from school and society, severe discrepancies between career goals and educational preparedness, and a marked decline in the student perceived value of education as compared to the adult sample. / Department of Educational Leadership

This project focuses on the Incident Management System (IMS) and how it was used to manage the Oklahoma City, World Trade Center, and Lafayette, IN terrorism incidents. The Incident Management System is used by emergency response agencies to manage the scene of a disaster and consists of eight management components which are: Modular Organization, Integrated Communications, Common Terminology, Unified Command Structure, Consolidated Action Plans, Manageable Span of Control, Designated Incident Facilities, and Comprehensive Resource Management. Through journal articles and interviews, this project assesses observations that occurred during the response phase of each terrorism incident. These observations are then categorized under each of the IMS components to determine whether unique, or more complex procedures occurred with terrorism, as compared to other types of emergency disasters. This study further explores why the IMS is important to communities, and why a community's comprehensive plan should include goals and risk management studies that affect a community's ability to effectively respond to a terrorism incident. / Department of Urban Planning

The purpose of this study was to examine parents' achievement goal orientations, attitudes about winning, and game behaviors between a youth basketball league that kept score and a youth basketball league that did not keep score. Specifically, this study sought to answer four research hypotheses. First, this study hypothesized that parental achievement goal orientation would have a significant positive relationship with type of league. Second, parents' attitudes about winning would have a positive significant relationship with type of league. Third, a significant difference would emerge between attitudes about winning and achievement goal orientations in each league. Finally, it was hypothesized that the scoring league would demonstrate significantly more negative parental behaviors than parents in the non-scoring league.A sample of 69 parents/guardians in the non-scoring league, and 42 parents/guardians in the scoring league, participated in this study. Parents' behavior was observed and recorded over four games in each league. During the final games in each league, parents were given a series of questionnaires assessing descriptive information, achievement goals, and attitudes about winning.Results using Pearson Correlations (p<.05) suggested there was no relationship between parent's achievement goals and league type, but a significant relationship did exist between parents' attitudes about winning and league type. These results indicate that although both leagues were primarily task oriented, the scoring league parents valued the concept of winning more than the non-scoring league. Additionally, a 2 x 2 x 2 Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) revealed a significant main effect (F=7.836, p<.0001) between parents' attitudes about winning, achievement goals, and league, confirming a difference in parental responses between each league. Because the behaviors observed in both leagues was overwhelmingly positive, parental behavior in this study did not differ according to positive or negative behaviors. Parents in both leagues demonstrated overwhelmingly positive behaviors throughout the recording process. The non-scoring league, however, displayed significantly more positive nonverbal behaviors than the scoring league. From these results, it would appear that keeping score does matter in terms of its relationship to parents' values and behaviors. / School of Physical Education

The purpose of this case study, HRD—Leadership Training for Women on the Lower Rungs of the Organizational Ladder: A Qualitative Study, was to determine the responses of a group of women to a series of classes on leadership development and to perceive what they might have gained from this experience. These classes were modeled after those offered by the Academy for Community Leadership and offered to a group of workers who are not normally slated for this type of training. This study addressed the following research questions: 1. Given completion of an eight-week program introducing leadership skill enhancement opportunities, how did the participants describe this experience? 2. At the conclusion of the training, what types of leadership opportunities did participants express an interest in pursuing? 3. What barriers did participants note that might prevent them from pursuing their interests? 4. What unexpected outcomes emerged from providing the Academy for Community Leadership model of curriculum to women who typically do not have access to it? The participants in the study were Residential Assistants working in a group home setting for an organization that provides residential services for adults with intellectual disabilities/developmental disabilities in east central Indiana. The women in the study did not hold a designated leadership position. Through a series of eight two-hour classes the participants were introduced to various topics related to leadership such as leadership styles, teambuilding, workplace diversity, problem solving, communication and action plan development. The data collection methods included a weekly evaluation, journaling, non-participant observation and a post-session interview. The results revealed that the participants had increased their self confidence, and they felt better prepared to do their current job. They expressed aspirations to continue their education as well as to seek promotions. They came to understand the qualities of leadership that they already possessed as well as areas for improvement. The results of this qualitative study suggest that leadership training should be offered to groups such as CNAs, direct support professionals and others on the lower rungs of the organizational ladder who are not typically offered this type of training. / Department of Educational Studies

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