Date of Award

Summer 6-1-2017

Level of Access Assigned by Author

Open-Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Sciences

Advisor

Len Kass

Second Committee Member

Kristy Townsend

Third Committee Member

Michelle Smith

Additional Committee Members

Danielle Levesque

Abstract

Visual Acuity (VA) examinations are one of the most commonly conducted medical assessment throughout the world. Recent advances in computer technology allows for new forms of visual assessment to be conducted. In Part I of this thesis I demonstrate the capability of an automated computer program named VISION to assess human visual acuities. Different color combinations of an object against a background emitted from a computer screen are used to examine a variety of human color vision acuities. Results indicated a large difference in acuity scores between human subjects tested with these different color combinations. A single human subject exhibits differences in their visual acuities obtained from different combinations of emitted colors that is almost unique to that specific subject.

In Part II of this thesis, I assess the characteristics and effectiveness of incorporating these VISION programmed studies in satisfying the Capstone course requirement at the University of Maine using the Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) assessment and interviews. In doing so, I propose a new theoretical set of guidelines for assessing all science-related Capstone experiences at any school and college.

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