http://hdl.handle.net/1957/3013 Search the Channel search http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/jspui/simple-search http://hdl.handle.net/1957/13409 Title: The Quest for Global Competence – Effects of Study Abroad Literature on Oregon State University Students<br/><br/>Authors: Machorro, Katrina R.<br/><br/>Abstract: This thesis explores the effects study abroad literature, specifically promotional Websites, have onOregon State University students when selecting a study abroad program and if the students’ choices reflectOSU’s International Degree and Education Abroad’s (IDEA) goal of global competency for students.To explore this, two online surveys were made; one for OSU students who have not yet studiedabroad (Potential Students) but are interested in doing so, and another of OSU students who have studiedabroad in the past five years (Returnees). Both surveys asked the student to review five study abroadprogram Websites and answer a variety of questions regarding each.The relationship between the students who have not yet studied abroad and the purpose of the studyis to examine how media – study abroad Websites – affect the students’ choices of a study abroad program.Prospective Students' reactions to Websites will be compared to those of students who have studied abroadto examine if the expectations – set by the study abroad literature – met the expectations of the educationalinstitution's goal of global competency.The findings indicate that students’ perspectives of study abroad Websites, vary significantlybetween those who have and have not studied abroad. Potential Students and Returnees responded to theWebsites in almost opposite ways. Potential Students reacted to visual elements of the Websites more sothan the information provided about the study abroad program when deciding likes and dislikes of aprogram. While the material reviewed was exactly the same for both participant populations, the perceivedmessages, the likes and dislikes, and the promotion of global competency was different in each population. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/12773 Title: Wind Energy: An Analysis and Comparison of Wind-Power Development in the United States and Spain<br/><br/>Authors: Wilhelmsen, Scott<br/><br/>Abstract: This essay seeks to analyze the wind-power policies of Spain, the United States and theworld in order to better understand the past, present and future potentials of the resource.The growing demand for energy, concerns about global warming, and the need forincreased energy security encourage societies to embrace domestic, renewable sources ofenergy. Thus, governments around the world understand the need to develop clean,domestic, and renewable sources of energy such as wind-power. Consequently the windpowerindustry is experiencing a lot of growth thanks to governments that embrace theresource through policy incentives. Currently, wind-power is the fastest growing sourceof energy in the world, and Spain, the leading producer of wind-power per capita in theworld is proving that wind-power can be a viable source of energy. The diverse policiesincentives for wind-power of Spain and the United States are analyzed and compared tobetter understand and predict the past, present and future viability of wind-power in thosenations. Overall, the renewable portfolio standards enacted by several US states currentlyrepresent the best legislation that the federal government should adopt to encouragefurther growth in renewable energy in the US. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/12772 Title: Childhood Obesity in France: Interventions Employed to Combat the Obesity Epidemic in French Elementary Schools<br/><br/>Authors: Ridinger, Tara R.<br/><br/>Abstract: The prevalence of childhood obesity and overweight has grown significantly in France in the past twenty years. Obesity is associated with many diseases such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, and depression. These diseases once confined to adults are increasingly being observed in children. Thus there are an increasing number of prevention programs being evaluated. Two such examples in France are Fleurbaix-Laventie Ville Santé (1992-present) and Ensemble, Prévenons L’Obésité Des Enfants (EPODE) (2004-present). Both programs emphasize prevention in elementary-school aged children by the creation of local programs involving schools, health professionals, community leaders and even businesses through the development and distribution of simplistic nutrition and physical activity messages. Fleurbaix-Laventie Ville Santé has been proven highly successful at decreasing the prevalence of childhood overweight from 17.5% to 8.8%. EPODE is a growing community-based preventative program currently in 167 French towns as well as pilot projects in both Belgium and Spain. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/12196 Title: Avian Community Assembly Following Volcanic Disturbance at Volcán Arenal, Costa Rica and Mount St. Helens, USA<br/><br/>Authors: Fairchild, Karl C.<br/><br/>Abstract: Volcanism is an agent of major disturbance in many parts of the world. While the effects ofvolcanic disturbance are fairly well-known among some groups of species, few studies havebeen performed in bird communities. Likewise, few studies have attempted to compare howcommunities in temperate and tropical biomes respond to volcanism. This study examines howbird communities inhabiting areas recently disturbed by volcanism differ at Mount St. Helens inthe United States, and Volcán Arenal in Costa Rica. I compare the two bird communities toevaluate patterns in species richness, species diversity and guild diversity and how thosepatterns fit with previously described differences in temperate and tropical bird communities.The two communities generally exhibited similarity in richness and diversity, although smallsample sizes at Arenal may have influenced ability to detect differences. Nevertheless, myresults suggest that the relatively low complexity of vegetation at these early successional studysites may explain the greater similarity than initially predicted. My results also suggest thegreatest difference between the temperate and tropical sites is in the most structurally complexsites. Additional surveys at these and other sites are needed to reveal the generality of myresults.