The impact of balsamo (Myroxylon balsamum L. Harms) on coffee yield and household income in El Balsamar, El Salvador

El Balsamar is a community that relies upon coffee trees intercropped with the balsamo tree (Myroxylon balsamum L. Harms) for a substantial portion of household income. The balsamo tree is valued for its resin which is used as medicine in the community and sold commercially. Farmers believe that the shade from the balsamo tree decreases coffee yield compared to the shade from non balsamo species. Thirty coffee farms were studied, each set up as a paired plot. When cover type was balsamo, coffee yield was more likely to decrease. Plots with higher basal area were more likely to be balsamo cover type. As basal area increased, coffee yield decreased. Although coffee yield is lower under balsamo cover type, farmers still continue to plant and manage coffee under this cover type. Farmers accept a lower coffee yield because balsamo resin provides an important income source. Farmers rely on the community cooperative to provide them work to support their households. The cooperative relies on the farmers to provide the labor needed to harvest coffee and extract balsamo resin.

BUILDING A DISCOURSE: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN NEW MEDIA'S CONVERGENCE AND RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION'S MULTIMODALITY

My dissertation emphasizes the use of narrative structuralism and narrative theories about storytelling in order to build a discourse between the fields of New Media and Rhetoric and Composition. Propp's morphological analysis and the breaking down of stories into component pieces aides in the discussion of storytelling as it appears in and is mediated by digital and computer technologies. New Media and Rhetoric and Composition are aided by shared concerns for textual production and consumption. In using the notion of "kairotic reading" (KR), I show the interconnectedness and interdisciplinarity required in the development of pedagogy utilized to teach students to develop into reflective practitioners that are aware of their rhetorical surroundings and can made sound judgments concerning their own message generation and consumption in the workplace. KR is a transferable skill that is beneficial to students and teachers alike. The dissertation research utilizes theories of New Media and New Media-influenced practitioners, including Jenkins' theory of convergence, Bourdieu's notion of taste, Gee's term "semiotic domains," and Manovich's "modification." These theoretical pieces are combined in order to show how KR can be extended by convergent narrative practices. In order to build connections with New Media, the consideration and inclusion of Kress and van Leeuwen's multimodality, Selber's "reflective practitioners," and Selfe's definition of multimodal composing allow for a greater establishment of conversation order to create a richer conversation around the implications of metacognitive development and practitioner reflexivity with scholars in New Media. My research also includes analysis of two popular media franchises Deborah Harkness' A Discovery of Witches and Fox's Bones television series to show similarities and differences among convergence-linked and multimodal narratives. Lastly, I also provide example assignments that can be taken, further developed, and utilized in classrooms engaging in multimodal composing practices. This dissertation pushes consideration of New Media into the work already being performed by those in Rhetoric and Composition.

Sorghum Yield and Zai Holes in Goundi, Burkina Faso

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in sorghum yield between the Mossi zai hole and the Gourounsi zai hole, specifically examining the effects of manure and soil water conservation. A study field was created with six different treatments: (1) control with traditional management (no zai holes), (2) traditional management with manure, (3) Mossi zai holes with no manure, (4) Mossi zai holes with manure, (5) Gourounsi zai holes with no manure, and (6) Gourounsi zai holes with manure. Soil moisture readings were taken after each rainstorm (about weekly), soil properties were analyzed before planting and after harvest and above ground biomass was weighed at harvest. Manure was the only variable that significantly increased crop yield. This is different from the original hypothesis; zai holes were thought to be the main driver of increased crop yield in Sahelian West Africa. Zai holes did not have a significant effect on soil moisture.

Composing in words and images : a proposal for a tandem approach to written and visual composition pedagogy

This project proposes a module for teaching visual composition within the context of a written composition course. Drawing from process writing theory, critical pedagogy, and photo-elicitation, “Composing In Words And Images” gives composition teachers a module and direct instruction for the incorporation of critical visual composition studies in their writing classes.