Lori Lu Barnard, '13

Lori Lu Barnard, '13

Cohort

2012; 2013

Biography

Lori Lu Barnard, wife, mother, Registered Respiratory Therapist and former Marine Corps noncommissioned officer was born and raised in Florida. She is often found volunteering in her community with her family. Lori takes pride in mentoring other first generation students through tutoring, sharing information on higher education opportunities, and encouraging fellow students to follow their passions into a meaningful career. As an Accelerated Communication Sciences and Disorders student, Lori challenges herself with early graduate work as an undergraduate. Lori takes an active interest in her field through her student memberships with the Florida Association of Speech-Language Pathologists (FLASHA), National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA), as well as the University of Central Florida (UCF) chapter of NSSLHA. She is passionate about research that translates into best-practice therapy. Her daughter inspires her research on the effects peer mentoring has in early language acquisition. Lori is equally enthusiastic about working with medical scientific technology and novel therapies to aid persons with brain injury, especially her fellow veterans. Her previous research includes coding and meta-analysis, as well as educational and team-writing patient-driven protocols for pediatric patients. Lori purposes to earn her Ph.D. with a goal of teaching and actively researching clinical applications for her field to improve her community.

Undergraduate Major

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Future Plans

Communication Science and Disorders

Summer Research

Image Variability and Elementary Science Vocabulary Learning Conducted at the University of Arizona as part of the Summer Research Institute (SRI) and the UCF McNair Scholars Program. http://l4lab.arizona.edu/people/lori-barnard Mentor: Dr. Mary Alt, Director of the L4: Language, Learning, Literacy, Lexicon Lab, University of Arizona Abstract: Image Variability and Elementary Science Vocabulary Learning Elementary students are struggling in the sciences; two-thirds score below proficiency on standardized tests. Improving science vocabulary may improve science performance. Statistical learning is an implicit method of learning that uses the brain's natural ability to compare and contrast incoming data to recognize patterns. It may be helpful in teaching science vocabulary. Variability of input is a key factor in successful statistical learning of linguistic and nonlinguistic information. Variability of grammatical patterns has been studied, but not image variability as it relates to science vocabulary learning. Our research question is whether using high variability images increases science vocabulary learning for elementary students. To test this hypothesis, we created two equivalent sets of word s about the respiratory system for participants to learn. The words in the low variability set were paired with a single image, presented 20 times. The words in the high variability set were paired with 20 unique images, presented once each. Participants will be pre-tested to ensure that the words are novel to them. After training, participants will be post-tested for word recognition, where they must choose the correct image from a choice of 4 images. They will be tested on both trained items and novel exemplars. The prediction is that children will perform more accurately on the words in the high variability condition for novel exemplars than on words presented in the low variability condition. If the prediction is accurate, it will aid in our understanding of how statistical learning might be applied to science vocabulary instruction.

Summer Research Institution

University of Arizona

Disciplines

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Lori Lu Barnard, '13


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