Student Research Conference

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Within Africa: Factors Influencing the Economic Development of Nigeria and The Democratic Republic of Congo
The purpose of this research project is to investigate the underlying causes of poverty in the developing world. This paper examines the economic development of Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), two countries with similar histories. Comparing the differences in development of two countries with similar histories gives an important reference point for determining why one country experiences poor economic development while the other experiences higher rates of growth. This comparison is important because it focuses on the economic growth of two countries with relatively similar backgrounds, rather than comparing countries with little resemblance. The insights gained from this comparison can help policy makers to develop better strategies for growth that incorporate unique attributes of developing countries rather than trying to copy the paths of developed countries that have significantly different histories and institutions from the developing world. Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo are African countries that in various ways model the typical African country. Nigeria has one of Africa’s fastest rising economies while the DRC remains the poorest country in the world. One may wonder why a gap of over $2000 in GDP per capita of countries that gained their independence in the same year exists? This research paper analyzes and compares the political, economic and social activities of both Nigeria and The Democratic Republic of Congo from 1800-2014. It addresses how events such as colonization, independence and inter/outer state wars have affected the political stability and economic growth of both countries. It looks into how the natural resources of these two resource rich countries have influenced the disposition of these countries over the decades, while examining the political and economic institutions present. Both countries have experienced a different range of government systems that have had almost similar but different influences on the state politically and economically. This research is based on the economic development work of economists Daron Acemoglu, James Robinson, Paul Collier and others and incorporates econometric analysis using data from international institutions including The World Bank and United Nations, along with economic theories of growth and development. This paper analyzes factors contributing to differences in economic growth between Nigeria and the DRC and explains how these factors have interacted with each other and contributed to these countries growing and failing economically. This research is significant to the field of economics because it gives policy makers in developing countries a different perspective of analysis and future policies to purse in attempt to stimulate growth. Rather than comparing these countries to the highly developed countries, we can analyze these countries internally and guide growth gradually and from within just like the developed world. This research shows how economic development can occur gradually and efficiently, preventing the excessive waste of resources. A look into the economic development of developing countries brings to center stage the economic growth and decline these countries have experienced whilst putting forth policies that have the ability to stimulate economic growth and place these countries in the realm of developed countries.
The Visualization of Big Data
Ever since the Internet age, companies and researchers have been looking for ways to evaluate and understand the large sets of data they collect. I am researching ways to efficiently and effectively display these large data sets visually. Our specific data set consists of research conference data attendees and topics that were discussed, and I will be working on writing software that displays these large data sets as well as the links between them. This topic is important because it can help others understand the links between large datasets. The challenge in sifting through big data is finding an effective way to visualize what you are analyzing. In our case, we will be looking at millions of inter-connected data records. Visualizing this data via software can be a quick and effective way to immediately see these connections. We intend to write a program that visualizes our dataset of research conference data. We will be using a Javascript library of visualization tools. Though these have already been written, they were not designed for large datasets. I will be researching ways to integrate these tools with large datasets so that they may be used to help people understand the links between large sets of data. I feel this project will be an important exercise in bringing data to life. It will allow us to view large datasets in a unique manner that could possibly allow for a greater understanding between links, as well as potentially uncovering unknown associations. Big datasets are common in almost every industry now, yet the technology that helps us understand them is just beginning to catch up. Visualization is an important and necessary technique for bringing data to life, and the effectiveness and efficiency is still being explored.
Teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) culture using digital stories
A big part of learning language is to learn the culture, which becomes easier with the help of online tools. As a former teacher of language in Vietnam, I saw students try to memorize cultural knowledge from lectures. Culture cannot be learned this way. Online tools give both teachers and students a more interactive way to gain and apply cultural knowledge. The use of online tools for Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is growing. However, more research is needed that incorporates the latest interactive programs, witness the popularity of Rosetta Stone. The development of new technologies allows much more interactive learning that can transform the way students apply cultural knowledge. My research shows ways the Google site and Edmodo can be integrated as pedagogical tools. Data was collected from a class of 24 ELLs, intermediate level, at Hanoi University via two surveys about students’ perceptions of using these tools. The class formed 6 groups to study the material in Google site, communicate via Edmodo to develop a digital story related to cultures of the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. The first survey defined the students’ level of competence in using technology tools. The second survey reported students’ feedback after the course. The findings show that incorporating new interactive technology into creating digital stories improved understanding of culture. Future research should be to compare face to face instruction with distance learning, which may have had adverse effects on this type of cultural project.
Student Socioeconomic Status and High-Stakes Test Anxiety Levels
The purpose of this mixed methods study is to explore the relationship between high-stakes testing on student test-anxiety levels. Specifically, the study will attempt to examine a lesser researched variable of socioeconomic status (SES) and the potential impact this variable has on student performance on standardizes tests and anxiety levels in students grades 3-5. Two cases studies were conducted at one high-SES Arlington Public School in North Arlington the other case study was conducted at a Title I school in South Arlington. This study will attempt to probe at the current climate and attitudes both of students and teachers. The overall prevalence of test anxiety appears to be increasing, due to the influx in testing in schools and pressures associated with this. Students are experiencing increased levels of test anxiety not only during the standardized testing season in the spring, but also due to the data-driven educational culture we find ourselves currently in. Meanwhile,our international counterparts in Finland and South Korea have shifted away from rote memorization and heavy testing, to the model the United States used to be renowned for, thinking outside the box and teaching to learn, not to pass a test. Further research to investigate the effects of potential bias in both standardized tests, quarterly benchmarks, and unit tests, should be conducted to assess potential bias regarding student information that could increase student test anxiety levels. Thus, having the potential to skew student data and tamper with the validity of these assessments we have become so reliant upon.
Stress and Connectedness to a University in African American and Caucasian College Students
The primary focus of this study was to examine the relationship between levels of stress and levels of connectedness to the university in African American and Caucasian college students. It was hypothesized that the racial identity of college students would be related to stress levels and levels of connectedness to the university, with Caucasian students reporting lower levels of stress and higher levels of connectedness to the university than African American students. It was also hypothesized that there would be no difference in the strength of a negative correlation between stress and connectedness due to race. A convenience sample of 20 African American college students and 20 Caucasian college students from Marymount their levels of academic stress, social stress, and connectedness to the university. The results showed that African American students had a significantly higher level of social stress than Caucasian students. For African American students there was a significant negative relationship between social stress and connectedness and for Caucasian students there was a marginally significant positive relationship between academic stress and social stress. This research will be helpful in revealing the mental states of all students at a university and allow universities to make changes in creating an environment that is conducive to all races, ethnicities, and cultures in order to ease any stress a student might experience.
Sociocultural and relational factors impacting the body image experience in young African American women
Across the United States, a great focus is on physical appearance and beauty. Although there is a considerable amount of literature emerging on body image perception, there is a lack of current literature addressing body image experiences and concerns within African American women. The present study aimed to describe the impact sociocultural and relational factors have on African American women’s body image perception. Twenty-two participants (aged 18-29) were interviewed using a phenomenological approach in order to have a better understanding of their shared experiences. This study describes the impact sociocultural and relational factors have on African American women’s body image perception. Several themes emerged from the interviews such as parents’ critical role in body image perception development, whitewashing of Black beauty, social media impacts body image ideals and behaviors, and greater and more complex body image experiences as a Black woman in Western society. Understanding the role these various factors have on African American women’s body image can provide a better conceptualization of the unique pressures they face within their culture and outside their culture. It also provides implications for counselors and others in the mental health profession when working with this population and areas for future research.
Should Decentralized Digital Currency be Regulated?
Should Decentralized Digital Currency be regulated? This Paper will touch on Decentralized Digital Currency as a whole but mostly reference Bitcoin which is the most popular of the Decentralized Digital Currency that is taking the world by storm. The author will present the reader with gathered information on the subject, leaving the reader to decide for themselves if this is a negative or positive influence within the world economy. Bitcoin is a potentially disruptive new crypto-currency based on a decentralized open source protocol which is gradually gaining popularity; perhaps the most important question that will affect Bitcoin’s success is whether or not it will be regulated. This Paper will give a brief overview of Decentralized Digital Currency, the Evolution of money and the Ethics of the field. As investors swoon over the digital currency Bitcoin, regulators deal with questions of whether it should, and how to regulate this new currency. This Presentation will focus on The Bitcoin a decentralized virtual currency that has been the topic of much debate over the past months. In 2011, Senator Chuck Schumer called the Bitcoin a form of money laundering, Ben Bernanke stated that the Federal Reserve has no plans to regulate or supervise “these innovations or the entities that provide them to the market.” More recently, officials at the Department of Justice and the Treasury Department have recognized the Bitcoin has legitimate and financially viable. Last August, when someone allegedly used the currency to run a Ponzi scam, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) successfully argued that Bitcoins are a legitimate currency. This ruling confirms that the Bitcoin may be deemed a viable currency, and thus subject to the regulations it has largely avoided. The SEC however, regulates transactions in securities and not currencies. Therefore, the future of regulatory oversight is likely in the hands of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) —a separate agency that governs futures contracts. This paper will work to find a middle ground to assist in resolving the problem.

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