Improvising Meaning in the Age of Humans

Bingham, Robert K ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Temple University 2017 해외박사(DDOD)

This dissertation is an ecological philosophy rooted in dance as a somatic mode of knowing and as a way of perceiving the world through and as movement. It is phenomenological, drawing meaning from a dedicated practice of improvisational dance and from extensive dialogue with dance and somatics artist/philosopher Sondra Horton Fraleigh. This emergent knowledge is integrated into discourses and practices addressing the relationship of the human and more than human world in the context of a deepening environmental crisis in the 21 st century. Employing both somatic and conceptual ways of knowing, I investigate dance as a tool for restoring a sense of ecological kinship with nonhuman co-habitants of planet Earth. The pretext for the dissertation is the emerging concept of the Anthropocene, a term introduced by Paul Crutzen in the early 2000s which defines human activity as the dominant geophysical force affecting the movements of the Earth system, including weather patterns and chemistries of soil, air and water. This concept, while subject to debate both in and out of the sciences, highlights the entanglement of humans and Earth and calls into question anthropocentric notions placing humans at the center of the universe of significance and meaning. In light of growing challenges associated with the Anthropocene, including climate change and mass extinction, the dissertation makes a case for greater inclusion of ecological and environmental contexts in dance studies scholarship as an epistemological move towards increasing reciprocity with Earth. I argue that environmental crisis, while daunting, presents an opportunity for radical creativity in re-thinking the interconnected movements of human bodies and planet Earth. In summer 2015, I conducted a one-month, fieldwork-based interview with Fraleigh, which included verbal dialog, dancing, and exploration of the landscape of southern Utah, where she lives following retirement from university teaching. Fraleigh, whom I had known personally and professionally for twelve years since studying with her as an MFA student in the early 2000s, is a dance artist, philosopher and somatic educator widely known within and outside the academic dance community for her writing and teaching in phenomenology, dance aesthetics, somatics, and butoh. Her decades of inquiry into the nature and meaning of dance and human embodiment have consistently included questions about the relationship of humans and nature, and she has argued that humans are ecological as well as cultural beings. Through collaborative somatic and intellectual processes, we extended questions we shared about the relationship of humans with Earth through its contextualization within the emerging paradigm of the geologic Age of Humans. The dissertation is organized into two parts. Part One describes the onto-epistemological context for the fieldwork I conducted in Utah and includes background literature on the subjects of body, perception, matter and environmental ethics, followed by an explanation of the research methodologies I employed. Part Two is a phenomenological account of the fieldwork, which spirals between thick description of specific experiences and theoretical reflections on emergent meanings. Through this format, I integrate somatic and conceptual ways of knowing and illuminate dance as a mode of meaning making and response to geologic transformations taking place on Earth. By engaging dance as a tool for thinking about and with the Anthropocene, I aim to promote more scholarly inquiry into ways that dance can and does transform, heal, revitalize and aestheticize human-Earth relations in the context of a planet in crisis.

Learning from heterogeneous experience: The internationalization of entrepreneurial firms

Bingham, Christopher B Stanford University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

While much research suggests that organizational processes are learned from experience, surprisingly little is known about what is learned and the developmental sequence by which this learning takes place. Using an inductive research logic and in-depth nested case studies, I explore the content of learning an organizational process and how that content forms over time from heterogeneous experience. The focal process is internationalization, and the setting is six entrepreneurial firms with headquarters in three culturally distinct countries (i.e., Finland, United States, Singapore). Results show that rather than emerge through pure experiential learning, processes begin as leaders seed experience with cognitive templates. These templates took the form of a few heuristics for capturing and executing opportunities and proved valuable even though they were often flawed in fundamental ways. Organizational processes continued to develop in several ways. Expectedly, leaders elaborated details of early heuristics as they gained more understanding about how to accomplish a task. But unexpectedly, leaders also added more sophisticated temporal heuristics like sequence, destination, and pacing as they uncovered insights about when and how often to accomplish it. Finally, organizational processes evolved by becoming less, not more, routine with experience. Executives mindfully created levels of abstraction in relevant heuristics rather than mindlessly repeating the same ones. As striking, they often kept rules purposefully simple rather than making them increasingly complex. Together, these findings contribute to the literature by suggesting that learning a strategically significant organizational process is about developing expertise, not creating a routine.

Purification and characterization of the actin-related protein Arp1

Bingham, James B., Jr The Johns Hopkins University 2000 해외박사(DDOD)

My thesis work included the purification of the actin-related protein Arp1 (centractin, Actin RPV) and analysis of its nucleotide binding and polymerization characteristics. I developed a new purification process for dynactin, the only known native source of Arp1. I also purified Arp1 from dynactin complex. I demonstrated that Arp1 can bind and hydrolyze ATP to both ADP and AMP. Arp1 depolymerizes into dimers in 1M Tris and Arp1 dimers polymerize rapidly at low concentrations with no apparent critical concentration. EM analysis shows that these filaments are slightly longer than dynactin but are shorter in length than conventional actin filaments and that Arp1 filaments have a helical twist slightly tighter than actin filaments. This behavior is unlike that of conventional actin and suggests a novel mode of polymerization. I discovered that the length of Arp1 filaments appears to be partially self-regulated. <italic> In vitro,</italic> an initial burst of polymerization forms short Arp1 polymers (52 nm), after which elongation appears to continue by the process of annealing. The mechanism for Arp1 length regulation <italic>in vivo</italic> remains unknown. The uniform length of the Arp1 filament in dynactin suggests that other dynactin subunits may function as a “ruler” to limit the length of the Arp1 polymer during assembly of the complex. I have initiated studies into dynactin assembly and the characterization of stable subcomplexes within dynactin. These studies have led to the discovery of two new dynactin subunits, including a new actin-related protein Arp11 (Eckley et al., J. Cell Biol., in press), that are part of a stable subcomplex that caps the pointed-end of the Arp1 filament within dynactin.

Coming to terms: Six mothers' experiences parenting infants and toddlers with disabilities

Bingham, Ann University of Florida 2003 해외박사(DDOD)

In this study of how 6 mothers learned about, came to understand, and responded to the evolving realities of having a child with disabilities, I collected information that can increase professionals' understanding of both successful and inadequate family-professional interactions. I selected mothers for this study because mothers typically assume the primary interface between a young child and developmental services. Each met the exclusionary criteria of being a mother of a child, birth through age 2, who was receiving early intervention services under the auspices of the state of Florida's Early Intervention Program, under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In interviews I investigated (a) receiving diagnoses, (b) employing coping mechanisms and accessing support systems, and (c) establishing parent-professional relationships. I conducted the study in a mid-sized rural district of Florida, interviewing 6 mothers three to five times in their homes. Additionally, I observed parent-professional interactions between participants and 7 service providers (occupational therapists, physical therapist, speech-language pathologists, and a developmental specialist). I then conducted interviews with the service providers investigating their perceptions of family-centered practices. Data revealed that all 6 mothers cycled through the sub-stages of (a) becoming aware of a child's diagnosis of disability; (b) discovering, seeking, and finding services; (c) enrolling in services; (d) learning the system; and (e) looking back. Each mother used at least one palliative coping technique, all used a combination of adaptive coping techniques including reframing, searching for information, and turning to religion. Mothers often experienced difficulty discovering available services and felt that medical professionals were reluctant to make referrals. Mothers expressed the most satisfaction with service providers who practiced family-centered methods. However, service providers said they received little training in this area. It does no good for agencies to have family-centered philosophies if policies and service providers do not consistently reflect and implement this approach. On going and pre-professional training are needed to cultivate understanding of family-centered methods.

Effects of computer-assisted instruction versus traditional instruction on adult GED student TABE scores

Bingham, Millard Juette The University of Southern Mississippi 2002 해외박사(DDOD)

This study examined the efficacy of using computer-assisted instruction (CAI) with adult students participating in the adult education/General Educational Development (GED) preparation programs provided by the Hattiesburg Public School District. Students in the program were assigned to either an experimental group that received CAI instruction or to a control group that received traditional instruction (TI). During a semester period each group received 20 hours of instruction. Pretest scores on the <italic>Tests of Adult Basic Education </italic> (<italic>TABE</italic>) served as covariates in determining differences in the two groups on the <italic>TABE</italic> posttests. No statistically significant differences were found between mean scores of the experimental and the control groups. Both methods were found to be equally effective with an adult GED student population. The researcher concluded that CAI can be of utility to adult educators, but is clearly no panacea when it comes to preparing students for the GED Tests. If program administrators are looking for a magical method of instruction that will surpass results from traditional teacher-provided instruction, they must continue to look beyond CAI for other innovative methods. CAI did however offer other benefits such as aiding with student retention and freeing up instructor time. The researcher concluded that CAI is of value when used to complement traditional instruction in the GED classroom. CAI bestows added confidence upon the adult learner and also aids the student in developing a degree of technological literacy, a skill that is of paramount importance in today's technologically driven world. CAI should not be viewed as a one-way ticket to successful learning outcomes in the GED preparation classroom, but it can be part of the journey. CAI was not found to be any more effective than the traditional educational program it complements.

The Lived Experience of Black American Women Who Were Teen Mothers and Their Pathway to Achieve Master’s Degrees and Higher

Bingham, Shuante S ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Brandman Universit 2020 해외박사(DDOD)

Purpose: The purpose of this heuristic phenomenological study is to examine the lived experiences of Black American women who were teen mothers and achieved master’s degrees and higher. Furthermore, this study seeks to describe the economic barriers and support resources that hinder and/or influence educational achievement as perceived by Black American women who were mothers.Methodology: This heuristic phenomenological study shares the personal experiences and commonalities of 16 Black American women who were teen mothers as the support resources perceived as impacting or encouraging their ability to achieve a master’s degree or higher.Findings: There were four overarching themes identified from the data collected in this study process. The four themes are patience, persistence, passion, and people. The identified themes provided a detailed explanation for how Black American women who were former teen mothers navigated the challenges of teen motherhood and achieved educational success through accomplishing a master’s degree or higher.Conclusions: There were several conclusions gained from the data collection of this qualitative study. The focus on background experiences, obstacles, support systems and resources outlined the framework used to identify a collection of themes and findings necessary to support future generations of teen mothers. The collection of Black American women who achieved academic success through obtaining a master’s degree presented ideas on how to encourage and motivate the next generation of teen mothers towards economic stability.Recommendations: Further research was recommended to boost the support of teen mothers seeking educational advancement. The recommendations focused on expanding the study to include a long-term, phenomenological case study of the pathway between teen motherhood and achieving master’s degrees, engaging in a phenomenological study that explores teen motherhood and the pathway to successful entrepreneurship, concentrating on research that identifies the pathways of teen fathers, exploring the cultural influences that limit communication about sexual intercourse, and examining a cross-sectional study on military service and the stability of former teen mothers.

Practicing Phonomimetic (Conducting-Like) Gestures Facilitates Vocal Performance of Typically Developing Children and Children with Autism: An Experimental Study

Bingham, Emelyne Marie ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Boston University 2021 해외박사(DDOD)

Every music teacher is likely to teach one or more children with autism, given that an average of one in 54 persons in the United States receives a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD persons often show tremendous interest in music, and some even become masterful performers; however, the combination of deficits and abilities associated with ASD can pose unique challenges for music teachers. This experimental study shows that phonomimetic (conducting-like) gestures can be used to teach the expressive qualities of music. Children were asked to watch video recordings of conducting-like gestures and produce vocal sounds to match the gestures. The empirical findings indicate that motor training can strengthen the visual to vocomotor couplings in both populations, suggesting that phonomimetic gesture may be a suitable approach for teaching musical expression in inclusive classrooms.

Fundamental and applied localized surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy studies from nanoparticle arrays to single nanoparticles

Bingham, Julia Marie Northwestern University 2010 해외박사(DDOD)

The overarching theme of this work is to understand how the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of metallic nanoparticles can be utilized for sensing applications. The work presented here describes the use of both nanoparticle arrays and single nanoparticles. Specifically, nanoparticle arrays demonstrate sensing capabilities for inhibin A, prostate specific antigen (PSA), gas and vapors, and the dye, Nile Red. A new wide-field imaging apparatus is developed to characterize multiple single nanoparticles simultaneously as well as correlate the nanoparticle structural details using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultimately to develop single nanoparticle sensors. From these studies, LSPR spectroscopy is shown to be a valuable tool for sensor development. In the studies utilizing nanoparticle arrays, LSPR spectroscopy proves to be a feasible technique to detect inhibin A and PSA using a sandwich assay format. However, binding constants are determined to be several orders of magnitude lower than expected for PSA. It is hypothesized that the method to immobilize the capture antibody affected the affinity for PSA. Using a high resolution LSPR spectrometer, gas and vapor sensing on the basis of small refractive index (RI) changes is demonstrated. Nile Red is used to investigate the interaction between the polarity-dependent dye absorbance and the RI dependent LSPR of Ag nanoparticles. A wide-field LSPR imaging method using a liquid crystal tunable filter is used to measure the scattering spectra of multiple Ag nanoparticles in parallel and the RI response of multiple single nanoparticles is determined. This method also provides the ability to characterize moving Ag nanoparticles by measuring the scattering spectra of the particles while simultaneously tracking their motion. Consequently, single particle diffusion coefficients are determined. As an example, several single Ag nanoprisms are tracked, the LSPR scattering spectrum of each moving particle is obtained, and the single particle diffusion coefficient is determined from its trajectory. Coupling diffusion information with spectral information in real time is a significant advance and addresses many scientific problems, fundamental and biological.

En(Gendering) Policy: Gender Policies in Former Soviet Republics

Bingham, Natasha Lachelle Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mech 2012 해외박사(DDOD)

This dissertation examines gender policies in former Soviet republics. Gender policies are depicted as traditional policies (including such policies as child support, spousal support, and inheritance rights), violence against women policies (domestic violence, marital rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment), and human trafficking policies. It builds upon previous works with a multi-methodological approach (content analysis, logistical regression, and qualitative survey analysis). The focus here is on the factors that influence adoption of formal policies in former Soviet republics from 1993-2008. I explore variance across both countries and policy areas, assessing whether (and why) certain post-Soviet states are more likely to adopt certain policies over others and examining the diversity among former Soviet republics in their adoption and response to particular policies. I pay particular attention to whether the provision of policies in one issue area is related to the provision of policies in another issue area—that is, the degree to which governments can be seen as promoting (or not promoting) these policies in general or whether government action across various issues areas seems unrelated.

Mediators and moderators of the effects of a children's heart health intervention

Bingham, Mona The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2002 해외박사(DDOD)

The outcomes of poor dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles are already being seen in adolescents with increased prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. The need for effective interventions focused on children and adolescents to establish lifelong habits and preferences is recognized, but no consensus on the best approach or most significant variable or behavior to target in children and adolescents exists. Schools provide an excellent environment to promote these behaviors. Yet, like adult interventions, primary outcomes for many school-based intervention studies have been disappointing and most have not reported success with changing behaviors for long-term outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine mediating and moderating variables of the long-term intervention effects of the Cardiovascular Health In Children study, a school-based intervention to improve cardiovascular health in elementary students. Little is known about mediators and moderators of intervention effects and few studies have explored mediators and moderators in school-based interventions. Such an examination of the intervention effects on mediators and moderators can provide better explanations of how, why and when interventions work or don't work and who responds best. Data from 985 students ages 8–10 in 12 schools in NC were used to examine whether the intervention effects of this school-based intervention at one-year after intervention were mediated by either increase in fitness level and/or decrease in obesity, and, whether gender, race, SES, and geographic location moderated these effects. The conceptual model with the hypothesized mediators and moderators was analyzed with structural equation modeling. The path analysis tested the strength and direction of the hypothesized pathways, providing information to evaluate direct, indirect, and total effects of the model. When indirect effects were calculated, the model supported evidence of partial mediation through cardiovascular fitness. In terms of moderating variables, this school-based intervention was more effective for rural children than for urban children for improving cardiovascular fitness and total cholesterol levels, and more effective for African American children than for Caucasian children in improving total cholesterol levels.