Digital Commons Network^™

Transformational Leadership Training For Leaders, Kristie Gilliland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of transformational leadership training on improving a leader’s skills and knowledge in performing daily operations and interacting with frontline staff, decreasing attrition. Ineffective leadership contributes to staff dissatisfaction, poor performance, and attrition. The literature supports transformational leadership is effective in leading teams of nurses and contributes to staff autonomy, staff satisfaction, decreased attrition, and improved patient outcomes. A quasi-experimental research study was completed on a leadership team in a managed care organization. Fourteen leaders with anywhere from 1 to more than 6 years of leadership experience were evaluated. Lewin’s change …

Healthcare Workers’ Perceptions, Practices, And Knowledge Of Trauma-Informed Care In The Hospital Setting, Emily Gayle Tippens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Psychological trauma has become a pervasive term throughout the mental health field but has been slow to gain momentum in the healthcare field. Hospitals have always been a place where people with mental health concerns or psychosis seek help, but hospitals have historically not implemented a trauma-informed care (TIC) approach. As the mental health crisis continues to become more detrimental, trauma-informed care skills will become more valuable. This study measured the knowledge, opinions, perceptions healthcare professionals in West Texas have regarding trauma-informed care. This study hypothesized that healthcare workers in West Texas would benefit from TIC training. This study hypothesized …

The Front Lines Of Student Success: A Phenomenography Exploring The Background And Knowledge Of Primary Role Academic Advisors In Higher Education, Alicia N. Abney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenographic study was to understand the experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives of new, primary role academic advisors at four-year public institutions in the United States. Research on advising has provided insight into advising best practices and the student perceptions of academic advising; however, there is little research illustrating current primary role academic advisors and their experience, or perhaps lack thereof.

To receive highly coveted federal and state funding, higher education institutions must show growth in student success. Academic advisors are on the front lines of student success because they are tasked with the responsibility of retaining …

An Exploration Of Interdisciplinary Graduate Education And Training: Currently Available Information, Perspectives, And Beliefs, David D. Allen Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background and Objectives

Interdisciplinary research has come into the limelight over the last 30 years. Current literature identifies interdisciplinary research as having the potential to assist in solving complex contemporary problems or issues through the inclusion of multiple disciplinary perspectives to account for the systematic intricacies therein. This project served as an exploration of interdisciplinary graduate education, graduate interdisciplinary research training, and the practice of interdisciplinary research, using three primary objectives. We first sought to identify and present current information around interdisciplinary graduate education and research training. Second, study personnel aimed to explore opinions and beliefs on interdisciplinary education and …

Gamification Platform For Social Engineering Training And Awareness, Rui Xu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Almost every type of cybersecurity incident leverages one or more social engineering attacks. Nowadays social engineering attack is considered one of the most significant threats to individuals and organizations. It is an attacking technique that manipulates and deceives users to access or gain privileged information. Cybersecurity training is an effective defense method to enhance people's awareness of social engineering attacks, especially training through game playing or educational games. However, fewer tools can customize social engineering simulations based on user's characteristics and needs. Some social engineering training tools are lack motivation, engagement, and interaction.

Gamification is the use of game elements …

Deception Of Resistance And The Effects On Muscular Fitness And Perceived Exertion, Tyler Mchenry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Resistance training has been a popular tactic that individuals have used to increase muscular fitness for decades. Muscular fitness includes muscular endurance, strength, and power. However, limitations such as self-efficacy and the Central Governor Theory may influence individual maximal performance ability. One training tactic that has been rarely researched is the deception of resistance during exercise, which is assumed to increase performances in all aspects of muscular fitness and improvements in perceived effort. Inconsistent results have been concluded from previous studies that have examined the same topic. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of resistance …

Effect Of Single Vs Accumulated Bouts Of Exercise On Body Composition, Fitness, And Resting Metabolic Rate, Alexander Alvara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Obesity and physical inactivity are two factors that have been shown to be correlated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes. As people have increasingly busier schedules, they have less time to commit to exercise. Accumulating exercise in small bouts is a schedule-friendly alternative to longer continuous bouts of exercise and may protect against CVD and diabetes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of accumulated exercise compared to continuous exercise on body composition, fitness, and resting metabolic rate. Nine healthy male (n=4) and female (n = 5) volunteers were randomized into either an accumulated intervention group …

Attrition In A Holistic Job Skills Training Program: A Qualitative Study, Jeaniece Silas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Today thousands of individuals and families are unemployed or underemployed and are seeking ways to combat poverty and become employed. One way that individuals seek to gain employment is by attending job skills training and adult education programs. However, there are barriers that hinder those individuals from successfully completing the programs. The purpose of this study is to explore the experience of applicants of a nonprofit job skills training program called FaithWorks and explore the reasons why applicants were not able to continue and, or complete the program. This study was conducted, through qualitative interviewing of four participants (N=4) utilizing …

Implementing And Assessing The Use Of A New Strategy For Training Chemistry Graduate Teaching Assistants, Amanda Hyett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) largely contribute to undergraduate education but are often underprepared for their role as educators. Most graduate students attend graduate school to perform research and are then asked to teach for the first time without sufficient pedagogy training. To assist in increasing the GTAs pedagogical knowledge, a scenario-based activity series was developed and implemented for first- and second-year GTAs. Developing scenario-based scenarios from actual laboratory events provided GTAs with the opportunity to practice prior to engaging in the laboratory classroom. The Teaching Assistant Intervention Activities (TAIAs) included topics such as interpersonal skills and behaviors, group process, working …

Changes In Psychological, Morphological, And Performance Characteristics In Preparation For A National Weightlifting Competition, Donald Marsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary aim of this study was to examine the time course of change in muscle morphology and vertical jump performance in weightlifters preparing for a national competition. The secondary aim of this study is to examine how perceived recovery and stress state corresponds with alterations in training load leading up to competition. Eleven Olympic Training Site weightlifters completed a 4-week peaking phase for a national competition. Body mass, stress and recovery psychometric measures, and unloaded/loaded (20kg) squat jump height (SJH) were measured weekly and at the competition site. Vastus lateralis cross-sectional area (CSA), muscle thickness (MT) and pennation angle …

The Influence Of Strength In Load-Velocity Relationships In The Back Squat, Thaddeus Light

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Load-velocity relationships may vary between people of different strength levels and across different loads. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate how external loads influence the velocity characteristics of the back squat exercise, and the influence of strength on these variables. Healthy male students with a history of resistance training completed repetitions at specified intensities of their estimated one-repetition maximum (1RM) until they reached 1RM. Back squat 3D motion analysis was captured using four Vicon T010 cameras (Vicon Motion Systems Ltd.; Oxford, UK) and Vicon Nexus 1.8.5 software. Data were transported into R custom coding statistical analysis software (version …

Comprehensive Staff Education And Implementation Of A Checklist Tool To Increase Staff Adherence To Pitocin Titration Protocols, Tara N. Cassell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quality improvement project was designed to increase staff adherence to an existing Pitocin titration protocol used in a labor and delivery unit at a community hospital. In the current U.S. health care climate, safe patient care is paramount and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices identified Pitocin as a high-alert medication. Evidence-based practice recommends the use of a titration protocol to guide proper use of Pitocin. Prior research has shown improvements in patient outcomes when facilities implement Pitocin titration protocols, with staff adherence key to the successful implementation of evidence-based titration protocols, which may be improved with the use …

Substance Use Helpers: An Exploration Into The Relationship Between Professional Quality Of Life And Posttraumatic Growth, Denise Haggerty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been limited research on the potential for substance use helpers to have positive experiences as a result of their therapeutic work, previous research on the field of substance use treatment and the impact of working with individuals whom struggle with substance use disorders has been explored. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between substance use helpers’ professional quality of life (compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout) with posttraumatic growth. In addition, this study also sought to determine if a relationship exists between personal and professional characteristics of substance use helpers and …

Technology For The 21st Century Workforce: A Case Study Of A Rural East Tennessee Workforce Community, Kim Bolton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess technology use, on-the-job technology training, education levels, and salary ranges of employees in low-, middle-, and high- skill jobs in a rural county in East Tennessee to create an example of a small town workforce. For this study, technology included computers, robotics, and mobile technology. A survey determined the technology used, training provided, salaries, and job skill levels based on education obtained and required by major employers. The study identified the level of jobs requiring more technology skills and salaries or training related to these job skill levels. Participants included 336 persons …

Kentucky's Superintendent Induction Program : Participants' Perceptions Of Competency And Longevity., Robert L. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The position of the school superintendent in the United States, at both the state and local level, has evolved over the past 200 years in response to the needs of the profession, ever-changing communities, and political mandates (Kowalski et al., 2011). The role of superintendent has shifted in focus from teacher-scholar to manager to democratic leader to social scientist and, finally, to communicator (Callahan, 1966; Bjork, Browne-Ferrigno, & Kowalski, 2018). Generalizing the problems facing superintendents can be a challenging proposition. However, no two situations are the same. A number of factors, including school board size, district demographics, financial position, state …

Phase Specific Changes In Rate Of Force Development And Muscle Morphology Throughout A Block Periodized Training Cycle In Weightlifters, Dylan Guidetti Suarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinetic and morphological adaptations that occur during distinct phases of a block periodized training cycle in weightlifters. Monitoring data from nine experienced collegiate weightlifters was examined retrospectively. Isometric mid-thigh pull and ultrasonography results from pre and post three specific training phases within a macrocycle leading up to a competition were compared. Changes in isometric rate of force development and vastus lateralis cross-sectional area reflected the expected adaptations of each training phase.

Evaluation Of A Sexual Health Training For Child Welfare Workers, Katie Massey Comsb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Elevated rates of early pregnancy and parenting among youth in foster care (YFC) are well documented. Training child welfare workers to provide sexual health information and resources is stated throughout the extant literature as a pressing need in efforts to prevent unintended pregnancy among YFC. However, few child welfare agencies offer such training to their workers, and little is known about the extent to which conversations about sexual and reproductive health already occur between child welfare workers and youth. Thus, this study aimed to: a) assess baseline attitudes, knowledge, and communication among child welfare workers regarding sexual health of …

Evaluation Of Best Practices In Child Nutrition At Child Care Centers In Mississippi, Whitney Clara Black

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Results: Survey responses indicated that the majority of directors rated themselves as skilled at several key areas of best practices, especially in creating a clean, pleasant place for the children to eat and in using program nutrition requirements to ensure that food and nutrition needs of the children are met. Analysis of the center menus proved the latter to be true as the recommendations for Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, and iron were either met or exceeded for females 4-8 years-old, and males 4-8 years-old. A need for more training was also indicated, especially in writing food and nutrition procedures …

Cluster Set Loading In The Back Squat: Kinetic And Kinematic Implications, Alexander Wetmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinetic and kinematic implications of cluster loading as a resistance training programming tactic. Cluster loading involves introducing rest during a set which may allow athletes to train at higher absolute intensities. Eleven trained males were recruited for this study. Subjects completed two testing sessions consisting of three sets of five back squats at 80% of their one repetition maximum. Cluster loading included 30s of inter-repetition rest. All testing was done on dualforce plates with four linear position transducers. Paired sample t-tests were used to determine differences between conditions with Cohen’s d …

Training Adult Volunteers To Judge In Competitive, Non-Traditional Educational Environments Using Online Learning, Tod Traughber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the comparative change in reported self-efficacy between an experimental group using an interactive, online instructional module and a control group using a traditional handbook. Three research questions were addressed in the study:1. To what extent does completion of an interactive, online training module, as compared to completion of a training manual, affect the self-efficacy of potential volunteer first-time academic competition judges to fulfill their role as a judge after controlling for initial self-efficacy?2. To what extent does completion of an interactive, online training module, as compared to completion of a training …

A Journey Through Leadership Development Programs: A Qualitative Case Study, Jimmy Love

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the journey that leaders, specifically supervisors, experience in leadership development programs within an organization that specializes in distribution within the southeastern United States. The participants in this study were interviewed and observed in their working environment; during the interviews and observations, the researcher attempted to explore how the participants obtained and applied leadership skills learned within the training and development program that was provided by the organization. Data was obtained from the participants and four themes emerged: (1) pratical training, (2) relevant knowledge, (3) gauge progress, and (4) conducive learning …

Alternative Sexual Lifestyles: An Exploration Of Client Needs, Therapist Competencies, And Training., Jami Voss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sex is a fundamental aspect of human functioning but a topic that often involves myths, embarrassment, and silence, particularly related to alternative sexual behaviors, such as consensual paraphilias; bondage and discipline, domination and submission, sadism and masochism (BDSM); and polyamory. Because clients who live alternative sexual lifestyles seek mental health services, it is important for clinicians to be prepared to work with this population. This study used the Delphi Method to understand the needs of these clients from the perspective of those who currently work with this population as well as the competencies and training necessary to be a kink …

Supporting Simulation With Training: A Study Of Faculty Perspectives, Joseph Patrick Sweeney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Authentic learning is rooted in the idea that learning is situated within a real world context. The learning is then assessed through the performance of a skill or demonstration of applied knowledge (authentic assessment). Using simulation in healthcare education allows students to engage in authentic tasks, and in turn, develop the many skills they need in order to be successful healthcare practitioners. While simulation is not a new concept, advancements in Human Patient Simulators (HPSs) have furthered the possibilities available for the simulation experience, and the use of HPSs continues to grow. Professional development is an important support for undergraduate …

Mental Rotation: Can Familiarity Alleviate The Effects Of Complex Backgrounds?, Anthony Selkowitz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigated the effects of complex backgrounds on mental rotation. Stimulus familiarity and background familiarity were manipulated. It systematically explored how familiarizing participants to objects and complex backgrounds affects their performance on a mental rotation task involving complex backgrounds. This study had 113 participants recruited through the UCF Psychology SONA system. Participants were familiarized with a stimulus in a task where they were told to distinguish the stimulus from 3 other stimuli. A similar procedure was used to familiarize the backgrounds. The research design was a 2 stimulus familiarity (Familiarized with the Target Stimulus, not familiarized with the Target …

The Effect Of Videogame Play On Robotic Surgery Skill Acquisition, Alyssa Tanaka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Robotic surgery uses innovative technology to transcend a surgeon's skills when performing complex procedures. Currently, the only FDA approved robotic system is Intuitive's da Vinci Surgical System. While this system offers many advantages over other minimally invasive techniques, it also introduces a need for specialized training. Virtual reality simulators have emerged as valuable tools for standardized and objective robotic surgery skill training and assessments. In recent years, the idea of using video game technology in surgical education for laparoscopy has also been explored; however few have attempted to make a connection between video game experience and robotic surgical skills. Thus, …

Directing Stop Kiss By Diana Son Within A Nontraditional Training Model, Rebecca Dilks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the generally held view that the best way for a stage actor to give a strong theatrical performance is through a traditional training model, I hoped to develop a way for inexperienced actors to perform beyond expectation within the context of one production through a system of mentorship, expectation-setting, and tapping into young peoples' natural desire to identify with people and characters. I directed a production of Stop Kiss by Diana Son with a blend of experienced and inexperienced actors to see if I could make this work, with mixed results. This thesis is a reflection on the process …

Examining The Process Of The Development Of Multicultural Counselling Competencies In Therapist-Trainees, Beatriz R. Rubio Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Canada admits between 22,000 - 24,000 refugees each year (Beiser, 2005). Immigrants and visible minorities tend to underutilize mental health services. However, ensuring new settlers' physical and mental health is not only humane, but also crucial to enable them to achieve their social and economic potential in the host country. Fundamentally, the need for Multicultural Counselling Competencies (MCC) is due to diverging notions of mental health and healing between clients and therapists who are culturally different from each other. There is ample literature on Multicultural Counselling Competencies. However most of this body of research has been conducted using quantitative approaches. …

The Effect Of An Isometric Strength Training Protocol On Valgus Angle During A Drop-Jump Landing In Elite Female Volleyball Players, Kaitlin Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to a) strengthen the gluteal and hamstring muscles of 14 elite female volleyball players via a six week isometric strength training program to b) determine changes in peak knee valgus angle, c) determine any changes in tibial acceleration, and d) determine changes in vertical ground reaction forces at peak valgus angle during a drop-jump landing task. Significant strength increases were seen in hip extension (20.5%), abduction (27.5%), and knee flexion (23.5%) in the training group. No significant group changes were observed for knee valgus angle, tibial acceleration, or ground reaction forces. Notable significant individual …

The State Of The Anti-Union Address: A Rhetorical Critique Of Select Service Worker Training Methods, Richard Ries

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is an interdisciplinary master's level thesis that explores links among technical writing, training manuals, surveillance, and anti-union rhetoric used with service workers in select American chains and franchises. Brief histories are provided, including those of technical writing, the rise of unions in America, and how technical writing became inextricably linked with labor. A major shift occurred in the 20th century when workers began interacting less with products and more with the public. The research focuses on training manuals, techniques, and rehearsed dialogues of McDonald's, Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Panera, and Publix, though similar organizations are referenced. Service worker language, …

Examining The Effects Of Interactive Dynamic Multimedia And Direct Touch Input On Performance Of A Procedural Motor Task, Matthew Marraffino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ownership of mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones, has quickly risen in the last decade. Unsurprisingly, they are now being integrated into the training and classroom setting. Specifically, the U.S. Army has mapped out a plan in the Army Learning Model of 2015 to utilize mobile devices for training purposes. However, before these tools can be used effectively, it is important to identify how the tablets' unique properties can be leveraged. For this dissertation, the touch interface and the interactivity that tablets afford were investigated using a procedural-motor task. The procedural motor task was the disassembly procedures of a …