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A Case Study On Teacher Perceptions Of The Wisconsin State Educator Effectiveness Requirement: Mandates And Results, Daniel Unertl

Dissertations (1934 -)

Teachers are the essential element in improving student learning in education. The State of Wisconsin requires public school teachers to participate in the Wisconsin Educator Effectiveness System. There is limited research on the links between required participation with the State of Wisconsin’s Educator Effectiveness System and on the experience of teachers and their outcomes for students (Dvorak et al., 2014; Jones, 2017). This qualitative case study explored, through semi-structured interviews, the experiences of Wisconsin educators who engaged with the EE System, teachers’ connections with EE and subsequent changes to their practice. The study addressed whether teachers’ felt the technical elements …

Eaat4-Dependent Effects On Glutamatergic Signaling In The Cerebellar Molecular Layer, Christopher Chen

Dissertations (1934 -)

Glutamatergic signaling is fundamental to human behavior and its dysfunction is implicated in a wide range of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Excitatory amino-acid transporters (EAATs) – of which four primary subtypes (EAAT1, EAAT2, EAAT3, and EAAT4) exist in the human brain – are primary regulators of glutamate signaling. Endogenously-expressed at either low (EAAT4-low) or high (EAAT4-high) concentration in cerebellar Purkinje cells, EAAT4 has been shown to regulate Purkinje cell activity in the cerebellar molecular layer. However, differences in glutamatergic signaling at the circuit and single-synaptic levels in EAAT4-low and EAAT4-high regions are poorly understood. To characterize EAAT4-specific effects on excitatory …

A Case Study On Teacher Perceptions Of The Wisconsin State Educator Effectiveness Requirement: Mandates And Results, Daniel Unertl

Dissertations (1934 -)

Teachers are the essential element in improving student learning in education. The State of Wisconsin requires public school teachers to participate in the Wisconsin Educator Effectiveness System. There is limited research on the links between required participation with the State of Wisconsin’s Educator Effectiveness System and on the experience of teachers and their outcomes for students (Dvorak et al., 2014; Jones, 2017). This qualitative case study explored, through semi-structured interviews, the experiences of Wisconsin educators who engaged with the EE System, teachers’ connections with EE and subsequent changes to their practice. The study addressed whether teachers’ felt the technical elements …

Understanding Factors That Influence Black Caregivers' Ongoing Engagement In Behavioral Parent Training Programs, Jennifer L. Tomlin

Dissertations (1934 -)

Despite the efficacy of behavioral parent training programs (BPTs) in reducing young children’s challenging behaviors, ongoing caregiver engagement in these skill- based programs is poor, particularly in low-income Black populations. The existing literature relied heavily on associating client demographic variables with treatment attendance and focused almost exclusively on BPTs with older children. Contemporary conceptualizations of engagement view it as a multidimensional construct comprised of cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral components, and prior research has called for continued investigation into the caregiver-therapist alliance and cultural relevance of these treatment programs when looking at ways to increase Black caregiver engagement. The purpose of …

A Clinical Problem-Solving Model For Identifying And Addressing Barriers To Learning In Skill-Acquisition Programs, Landon Scott Cowan

Dissertations (1934 -)

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other intellectual and developmental disabilities frequently involve teaching a variety of skills, such as those related to communication, daily-living, and safety. There is an extensive literature available demonstrating effective instructional procedures (e.g., discrete-trial teaching, prompt-fading strategies) as well as procedural or environmental modifications that clinicians can apply when teaching these skills; however, minimal literature exists to guide clinicians in applying these procedures when learners encounter a barrier to learning. Thus, it is unclear what systematic methods, if any, clinicians are using to determine efficacious and efficient instructional …

Becoming Hispanic-Serving Institutions (Hsis): Disrupting Institutional Whiteness, Jacqueline Black

Dissertations (1934 -)

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) educate disproportionately large percentages of Latinx and other underrepresented minority (URM) postsecondary students. But as most HSIs are also Historically White Colleges, whiteness permeates their campus structures, cultures, and practices. This study bridges gaps in our understanding around how legacies of historical whiteness on campuses that have recently become or are emerging as HSIs affect their efforts to serve Latinx/URM students. The project focuses on the perspectives of those faculty, staff, and administrators most intimately involved in “servingness” work on these campuses: HSI specialists. Employing a critical qualitative approach and guided by Critical Whiteness Studies and Omi …

Eaat4-Dependent Effects On Glutamatergic Signaling In The Cerebellar Molecular Layer, Christopher Chen

Dissertations (1934 -)

Glutamatergic signaling is fundamental to human behavior and its dysfunction is implicated in a wide range of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Excitatory amino-acid transporters (EAATs) – of which four primary subtypes (EAAT1, EAAT2, EAAT3, and EAAT4) exist in the human brain – are primary regulators of glutamate signaling. Endogenously-expressed at either low (EAAT4-low) or high (EAAT4-high) concentration in cerebellar Purkinje cells, EAAT4 has been shown to regulate Purkinje cell activity in the cerebellar molecular layer. However, differences in glutamatergic signaling at the circuit and single-synaptic levels in EAAT4-low and EAAT4-high regions are poorly understood. To characterize EAAT4-specific effects on excitatory …

The Beauty Of A Good Appetite In A Social Media Age, Megan Heeder

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation provides a theological response to eating disorders, disordered eating, and body dissatisfaction, particularly in light of social media’s influence on women and girls. Theologically, eating disorders may be thought of as conditions produced by a debased version of beauty, a self-transcending rather than self-negating conception of kenosis, and a distorted pursuit of goodness or “misguided moralism” that results. Paying particular attention to the feminine thin ideal and its influence on Western beauty standards, this dissertation engages Hans Urs von Balthasar’s theological aesthetics and presentation of kenosis alongside virtue ethics to respond to society’s impoverished vision of beauty and …

Toward A Continuum For Jesuit Education Founded Upon Cura Personalis And Magis, Jose Miguel Jaramillo

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation examines the principles and purposes of Jesuit education, renowned for integrating academic excellence with spiritual and civic values, in search of decision-making criteria. While Jesuit schools followed the 1599 Ratio studiorum, they now adhere to guidelines set by the International Commission for the Apostolate of Jesuit Education (ICAJE). Despite ICAJE's comprehensive framework, a gap exists in providing explicit criteria for educational decision-making beyond calling to discern. Employing a thematic qualitative content analysis method, this research analyzes ICAJE’s documents through a hermeneutic lens, drawing upon foundational Jesuit educational sources and significant contemporary studies. Key findings suggest that these principles …

An Evaluation Of Probabilistic Delay And Denial Training: Durability Against Treatment Relapse, Kendall Mae Kastner

Dissertations (1934 -)

Delay and Denial Teaching is a prevalent prescribed intervention following successful implementation of Functional Communication Training (FCT). Although there is strong empirical evidence in support of delay and denial teaching as an intervention to reach socially acceptable outcomes, there has yet to be systematic assessments of this intervention’s susceptibility to treatment relapse. The goal of this evaluation is to arrange treatment challenges which mimic the conditions that threaten treatment outcomes in the natural environment, specifically transferring treatment to a new environment or treatment integrity omission errors. Researchers replicated recent iterations of delay and denial teaching procedures (Hanley et al., 2014; …

Beyond Basic Vital Signs And Cultural Idiosyncrasies: Does Ai Shape Fast And Frugal Clinical Judgment?, Olga Kozlova

Dissertations (1934 -)

What motivates clinicians to trust Artificial Intelligence, even in the presence of well-adopted traditional information as an alternative? Should there be differences in the capacity to trust AI influenced by the state of market adoption and cultural phenomena? This study seeks to supply possible answers gained through an experiment with AI in clinical judgment in mature and emerging markets. It applies a well-established theory, heuristics-based decision-making, in demonstrating how the AI cue is recognized and utilized in clinical judgment, as compared to traditional cues such as basic vital signs. It tests the AI cue for dominance against traditional cues. To …

Situation Awareness Preparation And Prebriefing: Fostering The Cognitve Processes Of Thinking Like A Nurse In Simulation, Amanda Lynn Potter

Dissertations (1934 -)

Situation awareness (SA) is linked with actionable decision-making and clinical judgment in nursing practice. The cognitive processes used in developing SA, outlined in Endsley’s (1995) model, is the framework underpinning this study and are interwoven into the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (NCJMM). Cultivating these cognitive processes through prebriefing and simulation designed to intentionally develop SA, is a recommended practice currently seen in aviation and military training. There is a lack of vigorous research testing whether a specific intervention during clinical simulation can develop SA in nursing students. In addition, fostering SA in the …

Antibiotic Resistance In Urban Stormwater Runoff And Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Kassidy N. O'Malley

Dissertations (1934 -)

Antibiotic resistance in the environment poses significant risks to human health, especially through the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) via pathways like food and water. Urban stormwater runoff has been identified as a significant contributor to the release and transport of ARGs in the environment but has remained under-researched. This dissertation aimed to address this gap by investigating the fate of ARGs in urban stormwater runoff to guide future stormwater management decisions. Two phases were completed; the first sought to investigate extracellular antibiotic resistance genes (eARGs) in stormwater runoff, and the second focused on quantifying …

Arming The Naked Public Square: America’S Catholic Bishops Confront The Reagan Administration, 1980-1983, Brooke Tranten

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation examines 1983 pastoral on war and peace, The Challenge of Peace, from the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB). It analyzes in-depth the process of the ad hoc committee of the NCCB that wrote the pastoral alongside the simultaneous debates within the American Catholic community and the Reagan administration surrounding the pastoral. Special attention is given here to the interactions of the Reagan administration with the ad hoc committee, led by Archbishop Joseph Bernardin, and the role of American Catholic lay critics Michael Novak, Philip Lawler, and George Weigel. It also explicates the intrapersonal aspect of drafting process, …

The Mental Health Management Of Individuals In Sex Work, Bianca Tocci

Dissertations (1934 -)

ABSTRACT:

This dissertation examines the mental health implications and experiences of individuals engaged in sex work, employing a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore the nuanced realities of this marginalized population. Through in-depth interviews with sex workers, this study reveals the complex interplay of positive aspects (enjoyment and empowerment), and the negative (severe risks faced by individuals in this field, including verbal abuse, physical violence, and sexual assault). The findings underscore the critical need for a holistic and nuanced understanding of sex work, challenging prevalent stereotypes and emphasizing the importance of ongoing consent, communication, and respect for sex workers' boundaries. …

Understanding Factors That Influence Black Caregivers' Ongoing Engagement In Behavioral Parent Training Programs, Jennifer L. Tomlin

Dissertations (1934 -)

Despite the efficacy of behavioral parent training programs (BPTs) in reducing young children’s challenging behaviors, ongoing caregiver engagement in these skill- based programs is poor, particularly in low-income Black populations. The existing literature relied heavily on associating client demographic variables with treatment attendance and focused almost exclusively on BPTs with older children. Contemporary conceptualizations of engagement view it as a multidimensional construct comprised of cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral components, and prior research has called for continued investigation into the caregiver-therapist alliance and cultural relevance of these treatment programs when looking at ways to increase Black caregiver engagement. The purpose of …

The Role Of Membrane Porosity In Ion Removal By Ro/Nf Membranes And Development Of A Regenerable Pac-Loaded Membrane, Yizhi Hou

Dissertations (1934 -)

Reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes are widely used for water treatment applications. They are charged porous materials, in which size exclusion and charge exclusion work together to dictate solute transport. In this study, membrane porosity was primarily determined by pore size. Thicker, more porous membranes with smaller pores had higher NaCl removal and less permeate water flux. Higher porosity membranes have greater inner pore surface area available to support a greater number of functional groups, thereby rejecting ion flux and increasing ion removal. The Donnan steric pore model (DSPM) was used to determine that the contribution of diffusion …

More Than “Just A Friend”: Exploring The Therapeutic Needs Of Adult Survivors Of A Suicide Loss Of A Friend, Kat R. Mcconnell

Dissertations (1934 -)

Individuals who are bereaved by the suicide loss of a loved one (also known as “suicide survivors”) face high rates of complicated grief, mental illness, social isolation, experiences of stigma, and suicide attempts. While suicide loss therapy (or “postvention”) attracts many individuals grieving familial suicides, those impacted by the suicide loss of a close friend are underrepresented in both individual and group therapies, despite indications that friend suicide survivors are impacted at an equivalent level and frequency to family members. Using a constructivist grounded theory method, this study aimed to investigate the lived experiences and therapeutic needs of 8 adults …

A Public Policy Analysis Of An Allied Health Career Pathway Model At A Local Technical College, Rebecca A. Garcia Sanchez

Dissertations (1934 -)

Policymakers, philanthropists, and related stakeholders assert that education is “the civil rights issue of our generation” (The White House, n.d). In turn, a career-based business model where “career and technical education encourages employability” (Wilder, 2013) has been implemented, providing readily accessible post-secondary opportunities to address perpetual societal inequality. Many stakeholders perceive the two-year institution as helping bridge the perpetual equity gap by creating access streams needed to acquire good-paying jobs. Because of the diverse socioeconomic student narrative within the Midwestern technical college, a study inquiry was conducted to ascertain the institution’s ability to reproduce the desired results advertised by public …

Characterizing Allosteric Regulation And Conformational Dynamics In Staphylococcus Aureus Pyruvate Carboxylase, Amanda Joan Laseke

Dissertations (1934 -)

Pyruvate carboxylase (PC) produces oxaloacetate from pyruvate and bicarbonatein an ATP-dependent manner. The catalytic activity of PC places it at a pivotal intersection between catabolism and anabolism. Understanding the essential metabolic role of PC requires a more complete description of how its activity is regulated and how that regulation is manifested through changes in conformational dynamics. PC activity is regulated by the mutually exclusive binding of the allosteric activator, acetyl-CoA, and the allosteric inhibitor, L-aspartate. The binding site for acetyl- CoA has largely been identified, but the binding location for the acetyl moiety is unknown. Given that the acetyl moiety …

Metal Organic Frameworks (Mofs) Supported Single Atom Catalysts (Sacs) For Solar Fuel Conversion, Humphrey Chiromo

Dissertations (1934 -)

The continual reliance on non-renewable energy sources from fossil fuels to meet the world’s energy demand is causing serious environmental problems such as air pollution and global warming, hence there is a need of an alternative clean sustainable energy source. Exploration of clean sustainable renewable energies shows great promise to replace fossil fuels to meet global energy needs. Among the renewable energy sources, solar energy represents one of the most promising alternative energy sources due to its abundance and sustainability. However, the major challenge is the harvesting and storage of solar energy. One of the promising approaches to resolve these …

Magnetic Endothelialization Of Flow Diverters To Promote Rapid Healing Of Cerebral Aneurysms, Amanda Thome

Dissertations (1934 -)

Cerebral aneurysms are dilations of normal vasculature in the brain. When patients are diagnosed with a cerebral aneurysm there are many different treatment options, but one of the newest treatments is flow diversion. Flow diverters create a barrier over the neck of the aneurysm that restores flow to the parent vessel and away from the aneurysm. While these devices have high success rates thus far, they are still associated with some clinical issues such as in-stent thrombosis, delayed aneurysmal occlusion, and side brand occlusion. To mitigate this the current standard of treatment includes a dual anti-platelet therapy regimen which poses …

Application Of The Social Determinants Of Health To Geriatric Patients By Nurse Practitioner Students, Theresa Marie Gruenke Schnable

Dissertations (1934 -)

ABSTRACT APPLICATION OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH TO GERIATRIC PATIENTS BY NURSE PRACTITIONER STUDENTS Patient outcomes are influenced by the social determinants of health (SDOH), which influence differing exposures to opportunities or health risks. Holistic care of geriatric patients includes considering SDOH in patient assessment, diagnosis, and care delivery. Understanding how NP students care for geriatric patients using a SDOH lens provides insight into their practice behaviors and helps educators understand how to strengthen NP programs to achieve better patient outcomes and advance health equity for the geriatric population. The purpose of this study was to describe how NP …

Comparison Of A Patient-Specific Computed Tomography Organ Dose Software With Commercial Phantom-Based Tools, Bindu P. Bhat

Dissertations (1934 -)

Computed Tomography imaging is an important diagnostic tool but carries some risk due to radiation dose used to form the image. Currently, CT scanners report a measure of radiation dose for each scan that reflects the radiation emitted by the scanner, not the radiation dose absorbed by the patient. The radiation dose absorbed by organs, known as organ dose, is a more relevant metric that is important for risk assessment and CT protocol optimization. Tools for rapid organ-dose estimation are available but are limited to using general patient models. These publicly available tools are unable to model patient-specific anatomy and …

Tracking Formation Changes And Its Effects On Soccer Using Position Data, Jinho Kim

Dissertations (1934 -)

This study investigated the application of advanced machine learning methods, specifically k-means clustering, k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), and Support Vector Machines (SVM), to analyze player tracking data in soccer. The primary hypothesis posits that such data can yield a standalone, in-depth understanding of soccer matches. The study revealed that while k-means and spatial analysis are promising in analyzing player positions, kNN and SVM show limitations without additional variables. Spatial analysis examined each team’s convex hull and studied the correlation between team length, width, and surface area. Results showed team length and surface area have a strong positive correlation with a value …

Exemplar Trans-Affirmative Therapists: A Consensual Qualitative Research Study, Shannon Skaistis

Dissertations (1934 -)

The consensus approach for psychotherapy with transgender and nonbinary clients (TNB) has come to be known as trans-affirmative psychotherapy (TAP). TAP is influenced by a collection of guidelines and models (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2010; APA, 2015; Chang et al., 2017; Singh & dickey, 2017) and a small number of empirical studies related to psychotherapy with transgender clients (e.g., Elder, 2016; McCullough et al., 2017, Mizock & Lundquist, 2016, Morris et al., 2020). However, the limited empirical research and guidelines provide minimal direction to clinicians working in-session with TNB clients. This study sought to investigate the perceptions of exemplar clinicians’ …

Efficacy Of, And Preference For, A Modification To Differential Reinforcement Procedures, Carissa Basile

Dissertations (1934 -)

Tic disorders, such as Tourette’s Syndrome, are chronic, childhood-onset neurological conditions that involve sudden, repetitive, and involuntary motor movements and/or vocalizations. Individuals with tics often experience a premonitory urge, which is an aversive sensation that occurs right before a tic that may functionally influence tics. Previous research has suggested reinforced tic suppression can effectively reduce tics. Although effective, it may be useful to better understand the behavioral contingencies that most effectively lead to suppression. The purpose of the current study was to compare standard reinforced tic suppression with reinforced tic suppression that included an option for participant-initiated breaks using an …

The Effect Of Microstructural Defects And Geometrical Features On Fatigue Behavior Of Superelastic Nitinol Wires, Parisa Shabani Nezhad

Dissertations (1934 -)

Nitinol is an alloy of nickel and titanium, which exhibits outstanding functional properties, such as shape memory and superelastic behavior. Superelastic nitinol wires exhibit recoverable strains that are significantly greater than traditional alloys. In most of its applications, nitinol is exposed to cyclic loads, which results in functional and/or structural fatigue that ultimately leads to failure. The classical fatigue theories do not appropriately address the fatigue performance of superelastic nitinol due to the complex nature of the martensitic transformation. It has been shown that the main fatigue crack initiation sites, other than surfaces, are microstructural inhomogeneities such as voids and …

Why We Work: Exploring The Relationships Between Work Rewards, Burnout, And Intention To Leave For Professional Nurses, Jacqueline Christianson

Dissertations (1934 -)

Nurse burnout leads to attrition from hospital nursing positions and the nursing profession prior to typical retirement age. Yet some nurses choose to stay despite burnout. Previous research indicates that nurses stay due to the rewards they receive from work but the relationships between different types of work rewards, work-related burnout, and intention to leave are poorly described. The ability to implement or execute altruistic behaviors may also represent an under-recognized work reward. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between work rewards, work-related burnout, and intention to leave nursing positions and the nursing profession and …

Designing Human-Centered Algorithms For The Public Sector: A Case Study Of The U.S. Child Welfare System, Devansh Saxena

Dissertations (1934 -)

Public sector agencies in the United States are increasingly seeking to emulate business models of the private sector centered in efficiency, cost reduction, and innovation through the adoption of algorithmic systems. These data-driven systems purportedly improve decision-making; however, the public sector poses its own unique challenges where policies, practices, and organizational constraints mediate all decisions. Algorithms that do not account for these pertinent aspects of professional practice frustrate practitioners, diminish the quality of human discretionary work, and amplify biases in decision-making. A human-centered research agenda can help us develop algorithms centered in social-ecological theories that support the decision-making processes of …