This research looks thoughtfully and deeply at the relationship between art education and signs, as defined by the French philosopher Gilles Deleuze (1964/1998). Signs, as articulated by Deleuze (1964/1998), are violent disruptions to our way of understanding the world, causing us to think again and/or re-consider what we once knew (or thought we knew). This study looks generatively at how these kinds of disruptive and disorienting moments might be mined for possibilities in art education and remind us of our own relationality. As a post-qualitative lived inquiry, it asks how might art education be-with apprenticeship to signs and what might art education do-with sign-encounters? Using the theoretical lens of transcendental empiricism and new materialism, this study considers how art educators might hold open the space of sign-encounters for oneself and one's students by turning towards the rhizomatic cut and staying with uncertainty. It is focused on the doing-with, making-with, and thinking-with of art, pedagogy, and philosophy/theory, investigating their deep entanglements in spaces of disruption and ultimately developing frame-works for engaging in this kind of work in the classroom. Drawing from Erin Manning and Brian Massumi's theory of research-creation, this research was experienced in an emergent, layered, and complex way over the last two years, including the construction of this dissertation presented as an assemblage all of its own.

In Johannine studies, the interpretation of σημεία is diverse. Traditionally, scholars tend to support that seven signs are chosen in John’s Gospel to structure Jesus’ public ministry (John 1:20—12:50). Some scholars, influenced by Bultmann’s hypothesis of a signs-source, scrutinize the underlying source, redaction, or traditions about the Johannine σημεία; others employ the literary narrative approach using either a Western or an ancient literary framework. Still others examine σημεία through a theological thematic lens chosen from John or the Old Testament. However, two fundamental questions remain unresolved: (1) Does John mean to include only seven signs to structure the public ministry when signs are claimed in the conclusion to be the theme of the Gospel (John 20:30-31)? (2) What among the many things Jesus does in the account qualify as signs for John? From a new perspective, this research points out that the Johannine σημεία, as specified in the text, refer to Jesus’ body as the new temple (his death and resurrection, John 2:18-22) and the provision of manna as the signs (John 6:30-35) forming the foundation for interpreting the use and selection of σημεῖα in John. This indicates a relationship between Jesus’ signs and the tabernacle signs which involve complex metaphors and associations including non-tabernacle signs in the OT in structuring the Gospel in its final form (John 20:30-31). Using a comparative method adapted from Hasan’s sociolinguistic theory of contextual configuration, I argue that Jesus’ signs represent the functions of the four tabernacle signs (a pot of manna, Aaron’s staff, the bronze altar cover, and the bronze serpent) along with other metaphors and associations in three phases (John 1-5; 6-12; 13-21) through which to reveal his grace and life-giving power and to authenticate his identity. Ultimately, through Jesus’ “all inclusive” σημεΐον in his Passion—the self-sacrificial crucifixion, resurrection, and appearances—his believers become the children of God and their faith is built not by seeing signs but by following Jesus’ words (i.e. loving one another and caring for other believers’ needs) to love him daily so that they have life in him. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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<p>Jean-Paul Sartre's central purpose in writing the Critique of Dialectical Reason was to render intelligible Karl Marx's principle that circumstances make people just as much as people make circumstances. With the intent of complementing Marx's work, Sartre sought to theoretically connect the marxist outline of social process with its constituting parts--individuals. He sought to do this without ascribing to circumstances a superorganic existence, and in terms of the general structure of individual action per se. In place of a super organic being he attributed unintended consequences to all individual action (as well as intended consequences). The actual influence of circumstances upon people he explained by the fact that. products bear some trace of the intentions of those who made them. The product becomes a sign, and people construct about them a world of signs.</p> <p>Within this world of signs people tend to become separated as mediations between constructed things. It is in this sense, that is, in explaining how social relations tend to occur indirectly through the products of praxis, that Sartre sought to justify a rejection of organicism by developing his interpretation of Marx's theory of fetishism.</p> / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

Measurement of traffic congestion and evaluation of highway capacity has become an important topic. Highway capacity depends on the operating speed of the traffic and the spacing of vehicles. The purpose of this thesis is two-fold: (a) to find a simple and inexpensive method which can measure both the speed and volume of traffic together, and (b) to use the analysis of the data collected in evaluating highway capacity. It is believed that the simple method developed would be able to differentiate between commercial and passenger traffic. The method used consisted of two standard pneumatic road tubes and a portable tape recorder. The clicking sounds of the traffic counters were recorded on the tape which was analyzed in the laboratory. The average speed of the traffic depends on lane density, provided all other factors such as geometric features of the roadway, traffic factors and miscellaneous conditions remain constant. At higher density, the standard deviation of velocities of vehicles drops off. Also at higher density, vehicles travel much closer for a given velocity. From headway determination of vehicles, it is possible to analyze bunching characteristics of the traffic. It was found that the traffic on the V. P. I. campus is increasing every year. Still, the roads of the campus are not running over capacity. The procedure developed in this study proved to be of sufficient accuracy to be useful in further research of traffic flow. / Master of Science

Signs are commonly used in the foodservice industry to portray food safety messages. However, many of these signs do not consider employee preferences or current needs in the industry. Employee perceptions can provide crucial information about the design of effective food safety messages. Surveys were conducted with meat and poultry processing employers in the mid-Atlantic region to determine food safety needs in the industry. Follow-up focus groups in both English (5) and Spanish (5) were conducted based on language availability and size. The most important food safety topics were hand washing (60.9%), cleaning/sanitizing (78.3%), and cross contamination (69.9%). Employees believe that color, text, and multiple language options could increase employee recognition and retention of intended messages. New, employee-driven hand washing signs were developed from the information in the focus groups. Signs were evaluated by video observation through five hand washing practice behaviors (soap use, complete wash, time to wash, complete rinse, and towel use) at two different poultry processing facilities in the mid-Atlantic at three different time points (baseline, short term, and long term). Soap use significantly increased at both facilities when baseline data was compared to short term and long term time periods. Facility B showed a significant increase in washing, time, and rinsing when baseline data was compared to short term, which indicates that a new sign could increase hand washing compliance. Sign color had a significant effect on behavior for washing and time of washing, while time had a significant effect on behavior for four of five variables tested. New signs could be a useful way to encourage compliance to food safety message for multicultural employees; however, they may need to be frequently changed as workers tend to refer back to old habits. / Ph. D.