As the public becomes increasingly aware of the morality of wildlife institutions like zoos and aquariums, these places are now having to face possible negativity and lack of support from their communities. In light of this, these institutions are now focusing their goals and efforts towards conservation education and outreach programs in order to continue contributing to biodiversity conservation. Research has proven that wildlife institutions like zoos and aquariums are effective ways to teach the community about wildlife and conservation. To measure how effective aquariums are at educating their patrons on conservation, a short survey was administered to 100 patrons of the OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale, Arizona. The object of the survey was to assess which type of conservation messaging was preferred by the general public and if patrons of the aquarium were likely to engage in pro-conservation behaviors after their visit. It was found that the majority of respondents preferred interactive exhibits as their choice to learn about conservation and wildlife. In addition, almost all respondents agreed that they would continue practicing behaviors that supported pro-conservation actions after their visit to the aquarium. My results also showed that patrons of the aquarium were well educated about plastic pollution and the rehabilitation that OdySea accomplishes for the sea turtles due to their overexpression of mentioning plastic in their open-ended questions. My findings indicate that this aquarium is succeeding in promoting conservation and wildlife education as well as supporting cultivation within their patrons that will benefit the future health of this planet.

The British Empire began in the early seventeenth century and continued into the twentieth century. There have been many different answers to the question of what caused imperialism. One solution, proposed most famously by Vladimir Lenin, was that imperialism was a stage of capitalism, and as such developed from it. In this theory monopoly and finance play essential roles in controlling imperialism and are part of the developmental stages of capitalism which led to imperialism. Lenin’s work drew upon that of British economist John A. Hobson, who argued that sectional capitalist interests and under-consumption were what caused imperialism. These theories focus on new imperialism as an abrupt shift in the nature of imperialism. The goal of this thesis is to evaluate the accuracy of this theory of imperialism based on evidence from the British Empire. This thesis presents the details of Lenin’s and Hobson’s arguments to gain an understanding of the foundational ideas of the theory of imperialism as a stage of capitalism. Case studies of areas of the British Empire were done to find if there was evidence that expansion was directed by finance capital and if both political and social forces were controlled by economics in forwarding imperialism. From the data gathered, it was concluded that imperialism was not solely a consequence of capitalism, and imperialism was not a stage of capitalism.

The national parks are often considered to be one of America’s greatest achievements. Through a rich and sometimes tumultuous history, the national parks have been shaped from unwanted swaths of land into some of the most famous landscapes in the country. There are ultimately two conflicting goals of the national parks: provide enjoyment for the American people and protect the land. In recent years, increased popularity of the parks has made achieving these dual goals particularly difficult. Crowding in the parks leads to both ecological and social problems that threaten both goals of the national parks. Crowding is a multifaceted issue that must be explored from multiple perspectives.

Using Zion as a case study, the problems of crowding are explored and evaluated. First the history of the national parks is described to determine how the parks were created and popularized. After exploring the history of the parks, crowding in the national parks will be
discussed, including an overview of some of the significant social science literature exploring
crowding and its impact on visitor experience. This analysis will conclude with an examination
of visitor management strategies and an examination of the park-specific literature about the specific problems and decisions confronting managers at Zion National Park. A personal account of a visit to Zion during the peak season will provide a personal narrative about the meaning and purpose of the park experience.

The final section of this thesis will consider a range of opposing views on the philosophy of national parks and the park experience, centering around the ideas of Abbey, to address the deeper questions surrounding the goals of park management as we likely more toward an even more crowded park future. Ultimately the paper concludes that the parks has shifted irrevocably away from the ideals of Abbey, although his voice still provides inspiration to generations of park lovers. Additionally, while hard limits must eventually be set, in an era of increasing human influence, the park experience will need to be redefined to be more expansive and inclusive of all who wish to visit and enjoy.

Research indicates that social changes have resulted in children exercising much less than in the past. This is problematic since physical activity throughout the elementary school day is imperative, because exercise improves academic focus, boosts mood, and leads to a healthier lifestyle. Exercising is pivotal for all students but even more so for students in the Special Education classroom who may rely on physical activity as a way of regulating their emotions. Depending on the school, students may only exercise at recess and during their Physical Education electives. Lack of physical activity can be detrimental to the academic and physical success of a student.
This thesis explores the impact of physical activity--what I have chosen to call “moments of movement” -- inside the classroom throughout the elementary school day. Journal-based observations were made by a student teacher placed in a special education 4th-6th grade writing and reading resource classroom from August-December of 2018 and a fourth grade general education classroom from January-May of 2019. All observations were made at Adams Elementary School, a Title 1 school, in the Mesa, Arizona school district. At this K-6 grade school, many students live with the challenges of poverty, neglect, unstable family dynamics, and trauma. Because the teachers work tirelessly to cultivate a sense of home for the students, there is a strong emphasis on non-traditional teaching methods, including the AVID program and the Kagan, and Tribes strategies.
Ms. Norris (the special education teacher) and Ms. Foss (the fourth grade teacher) both have strong backgrounds in fitness and naturally incorporate physical activity in their classrooms, which is not something typically found at elementary schools. In this paper, physical activity strategies in classrooms of Ms. Norris and Ms. Foss are analyzed, as well as the benefits of implementing these strategies. The impact of these “moments of movement” on the whole class and individual students is discussed, and suggestions are made to help educators incorporate “moments of movement” into their own classrooms. Educators can use the strategies present at Adams Elementary School as a model for incorporating exercise in their own classrooms.

The purpose of this study was to examine how using flexible seating options and alternative seating arrangements within a classroom may benefit students. It also sought to identify current teachers’ perceptions of flexible seating as a teaching methodology. Flexible seating is defined as having multiple seating options within one’s classroom, often leading to include elements of student choice. Such seating options may include active seating where the seat allows for movement. Specifically, this study examined the behavior, academic, community, and sensory benefits that students may experience from interacting with a flexible classroom environment. Data were collected from current teachers via an online survey as well as an occupational therapist via an interview. The data supported existing literature indicating that there are behavior and sensory benefits to flexible seating options, however, additional research would need to be done in order to draw concrete connections between academic performance and classroom community with flexible seating options.

In December of 2015, I made my way to rural Peru for a few weeks, my first visit to South America. While I was there, I observed a devotion to family and leisure activity, topics that were not heavily prioritized in my experience in Arizona. Upon my return, I became more involved in leisure activities, particularly running, hiking, yoga, and climbing. These involvements noticeably benefitted my health and well-being. The way the Peruvians I met prioritized these subjects fascinated me, and I wanted to study this difference between Arizona and Peru. In July of 2017, I returned to Peru for a semester abroad with my bags packed and the following research questions: 1) Are differences in motivation for rock climbing between Arizona and Peruvian climbers associated with cultural values? 2) Do leisure activities and the amount of time spent on them have an effect on quality of life? 3) Does the degree of climbing specialization impact perceptions of well-being? 4) What characteristics impact perceptions of quality of life among climbers? Are these characteristics affected by country of origin? My prediction was that Peruvians had higher quality of life due to their emphasis on leisure. Through this study, I learned that this conclusion was not as simple as I anticipated.

Media and technology are integral parts of today’s society. Unlike in the past, most adults in the United States now have access to the internet via their own personal devices. Technology’s popularity does not stop with adults. The children of this generation are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to media and technology and are exposed to it at a very young age. This paper analyzes the effect that this exposure is having on early childhood development. The research shows that there are several benefits to children using technology at a young age. Some of these benefits include increased learning opportunities, preparation for future careers, and support for children with disabilities. However, there are also several challenges that technology can cause. Some of these challenges include increased violence, exposure to inappropriate content, sleep issues, and an increased chance of obesity. In addition to this paper, a resource website titled Toddlers and Technology was created. The purpose of this website is to give parents insight into the information that is available in regards to technology and child development. The website includes the benefits and challenges of children using technology, recommendations on how parents can combat the challenges, and a list of 10 educational apps for early childhood development.
Keywords: children, technology, media, apps, families

Cancer is a disease that has no bias based on race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, or religious beliefs. Millions upon millions of people are affected every day by this disease in many different ways. In order to show support and raise funds for these people to help with treatment costs, housing, and much more American Cancer Society created and event called Relay for Life. Relay for Life is an event that many people may describe as a walk-a-thon fundraiser, but to those who have had a personal experience with cancer they understand that Relay is much more. Relay for Life is more than a fundraiser; it is an event that brings hope, love, and care into a community. Many people across the country show up to a Relay event to hear the success stories of those who are in remission, show support for their family and friends who are still fighting, and simply volunteer in order to further remember those that they lost to cancer.
The impacts that Relay for Life supplies go beyond monetary value and branch into the world of emotional and mental value. The stories that you hear from cancer patients, caregivers, survivors, friends, and family all show the appreciation for this event even in the smallest of communities. Looking at the Relay for Life website you can see the thousands of submissions detailing exactly why that individual participates in this event. You can read stories of sorrow, drive, friendships that have formed, and hope that has sprouted because of Relay for Life. An event such as this that celebrates the fight and works to give the world more birthdays truly empowers its participants to make a difference and make a connection with each other.
In this project, I set out to reveal the importance of Relay for Life that can be seen and heard through everyone who participates across the nation. It is important to take both personal experience and monetary value into account when looking at how Relay has had a positive impact on the lives of those affected by cancer, but when looking at the broad picture it becomes obvious how this event means more than money.

Since 2001, PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) scores revealed that Finland has the most successful education system in the world, with their students consistently outranking global participants. These scores have granted Finland acknowledgement from educators across the world. Because of this, researchers have analyzed their system and classroom practices. Many of these researchers have focused on primary education and their implementation of play and discovery learning in the classroom. This paper contains a literature review that analyzed any current research written on the main attributes to the Finnish education system’s success. There appears to be a hole in the research in Finnish education regarding secondary education. For the study, research focused on secondary schools, with an emphasis on learning how educators foster student independence. It also defined the term “autonomous mindset,” which described students who have agency in their own education, in addition to being motivated and independent on a daily basis. The goal of the research was to interview secondary educators in Finland and interpret how American teachers can apply innovative strategies into their classroom that will result in students who have an autonomous mindset. Eleven teachers at Parhaat Secondary School were interviewed. These interviews were transcribed and organized into four main codes: Finnish culture, student teacher relationships, creative lesson planning, and personalized instruction. These codes were then expanded on as findings. The study revealed that, to cultivate student autonomy, teachers must get to know their students, build a mutual respect, and create student interest-driven lesson plans. These strategies were suggested to teachers who are interested in cultivating the autonomous mindset in their American classrooms.

Continue to Teach is a project motivated by the alarming rates of teacher attrition in Arizona and across the United States. The product is in the form of a website that gives current and future teachers resources in attempts to support them. The goal of providing these virtual resources is to positively influence teachers to stay in the profession. Each of the subsections of the website were thoughtfully selected based on extensive consideration of the research literature of the factors driving teachers' decisions to remain or leave the profession. I was personally motivated to complete this project because I am studying and practicing to become a teacher. Completing this research and project has compelled me to learn a great amount about the challenges surrounding this profession, and has assisted me in determining what I can do to stay personally motivated while helping others continue to teach as well.