Digital Commons Network^™

Case Study: Nicosia Master Plan; Cooperation In The Midst Of Conflict, Doga Akinci

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Nicosia Master Plan reflects the courageous vision of Lellos Demetriades and Mustafa Akinci- the former Mayors, respectively, of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities of Nicosia. While both leaders looked forward to a common solution to the political crisis they believed that no time should be lost in dealing with the immediate problems of a divided city. They worked on a common sewage system that was a pressing need at that time on both sides of Nicosia.

This thesis examined the process that was used to develop the Nicosia Master Plan. The success of this cooperation was due …

Analysis Of Factors That Influence Member Turnover In A Health Insurance Plan, Sara Bennett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this research, we implement a multiple logistic regression model in which the coefficients of indicator variables are constrained to be zero or positive. By doing this, the contribution of each variable to the failure probability can be assessed. Due to this restriction on the coefficients, a Bayesian approach to parameter estimation--which assigns mixture priors to the coefficients--is taken. The data is provided by a large health insurance company in Western Pennsylvania and includes the enrollment status and corresponding values of the 84 predictor variables for 1,280,612 individuals. The insurer feels the analysis is needed to determine why its membership …

From Virtue To Sympathy: Perspectives In Eighteenth And Nineteenth Century British Literature On The Disintegration Of The Social Bond, Andrea Beranek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In general, developments in English literature of the mid-eighteenth century to the early nineteenth century tend to place increasing attention on individual experience and greater variety in characters' aims, motives, and desires. Along with this tendency, the literature reflects alterations in the conceptual understanding of benevolence and sympathy that coincide with other significant changes in perspective, particularly a shift in the general understanding of the construction of the world and society. That is, works of the earlier period reflect perspectives and values of a society motivated by similar goals and desires, while those later works tend to portray characters at …

A Proposed Algorithm Toward Uniform-Distribution Monotone Dnf Learning, Wenzhu Bi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 1984 Valiant introduced the distribution-independent model of Probably Approximately Correct (PAC) learning from random examples and brought up the problem of whether polynomial-size DNF functions are PAC learnable in polynomial time. It has been about twenty years that the DNF learning problem has been widely regarded as one of the most important ---and challenging --- open questions in Computational Learning Theory. We consider a related but simpler question: are polynomial-size monotone DNF functions PAC learnable in polynomial time if examples of the function are uniformly generated? Our research develops an algorithm that we hope to learn a monotone DNF …

Faith-Based Organizing And Partnerships In A Pittsburgh Neighborhood: A Look At East Liberty, Damon Bethea

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh has a fascinating blend of African American churches and racially integrated churches -- all within this African American neighborhood in Pittsburgh's East End. In this research project, I will explore how several East Liberty churches are working with other churches (or faith-based organizations [FBOs]) and organizations within the East Liberty neighborhood to provide various social services to those within this predominantly African American community. The research questions for this project are: 1) How does the racial composition of the church community affect their relationship with the residents of East Liberty whom they serve? 2) …

The Self-Perceptions Of Adolescents With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Patricia Bitar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which affects 3 -- 6% of school- aged children, is considered one of the most common behavioral disorders of childhood. Of those, up to 70% will continue to have symptoms into adolescence. Adolescence is a critical transitional period on the route to adulthood that has the building of self-identity as its chief developmental task. Adults with positive self-perceptions tend to be more productive members of society. Most of the studies directed at understanding the self-perceptions of those with ADHD have been done with children and those studies have yielded mixed results. There are practically no …

Reflections On Teaching In A Catholic High School: A Qualitative Case Study, Daniel Blout

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study participates in this ongoing scholarly conversation regarding the value of Catholic schools in the life ministry of the Catholic Church. By examining the understanding that lay teachers have of their responsibility to the Catholic identity and the faith formation of students in Catholic schools as articulated in the literature of leadership of the Catholic Church, this study examines some of the ways that lay teachers help maintain the Catholic identity of the school and how these teachers engage in the religious mission of Catholic schools. This qualitative study was purposely designed to engage and invite the 58 …

A Piecewise Linear Generalized Poisson Regression Approach To Modeling Longitudinal Frequency Data, Jennifer Borgesi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this research we consider experiments that generate longitudinal frequency data. Often times this data comes from two or more experimental groups. Experiments that yield such data are common in the medical field and are often designed with the purpose of ascertaining differences among

experimental groups. Standard modeling techniques, such as repeated measures ANOVA, are inadequate for application to longitudinal frequency data because they ignore the correlation between the measurements as well as the discrete nature of the data. We present a piecewise-linear, generalized Poisson regression model for longitudinal frequency data. Based on the generalized Poisson distribution, this model is …

Post-Conciliar Models Of Sin And Reconciliation: Towards A Contemporary Paradigm, James Cross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The central proposal of this dissertation is that now, in the wake of the Second Vatican Council (1962-5), official Roman Catholic teaching on sin and sacramental reconciliation is not, but ought to be, based upon a contemporary paradigm of sin and reconciliation--i.e. a paradigm which is concordant with, and adequate in light of, the teachings and goals of this Council. According to the author, an existing "liturgical-narrational" model of sin and reconciliation ought to be elevated to the status of such a paradigm or supermodel.

The author arrives at this conclusion after examining two critical post-Conciliar documents--the revised Rite of …

Comparing Perceptions Of Effective Characteristics Of Middle School Advisors From Administrators, Teachers, And Students, Kevin Deitrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study compared perceptions of effective characteristics of middle school advisors from administrators, teachers and students at Fort Couch Middle School, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The research questions for this study included the following:

1. What are the effective qualities that students value in an advisor?

2. What are the effective qualities that principals value in an advisor?

3. What are the effective qualities that teachers value in an advisor?

4. What is the comparison between student, principal and teacher perceptions of effective qualities in implementing an advisor program? This was a descriptive research study using quantitative (survey) and qualitative …

Duquesne University Idpel Cohorts: A Laboratory For Leadership?, Phillip Diller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative evaluation study examined the contribution of the Duquesne University Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program for Educational Leaders (IDPEL) cohort participation to the school leadership practices of IDPEL students. Participants in the research were members of the Pittsburgh IDPEL cohorts of 2000 and 2003, currently employed as school leaders, who changed jobs within one year of beginning their IDPEL coursework. In order to approximate longitudinal data regarding leadership behaviors, respondents were colleagues of the participants, both past and present. Respondents completed the Leadership Practices Inventory -- Observer (Kouzes and Posner, 2003) describing the participants' leadership behaviors. Responses from respondent colleagues were …

A Historical Study Of The Emergence Of Social Movements: Case Study Of The Sierra Leone Women's Forum In The 1990s, Agnes Mariama Farma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of the Women's Forum during the 1990's in Sierra Leone is analyzed using the political process model proposed by Douglas McAdam. The strength of the indigenous organizations, the political opportunities presented by the civil strife of the period and the emergence of insurgency consciousness on the part of the women of Sierra Leone were identified as significant in contributing to the success of the movement in bringing an end to the civil war and influencing the peace process to address women's issues, indicating the usefulness of this model in analyzing the emergence of social movements in the Sierra …

Thinking Outside Pandora's Box: Now That The Idea Of God Has Been Declared Dead, Has All Hope Been Lost For Philosophy And Humankind?, Mary Ann Fenicato

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I. Introduction

The time has come.

Now that the Idea of God has been declared dead, an egocentric action that opened Pandora's box, many evils plague humankind. Thus, human life has no meaning. Humanism has been devalued. Philosophy gets no respect. All Hope has been lost.

II. Statement of the Problem

Philosophy must investigate exactly who declared the death of that Idea and why, who must resurrect that Idea and why, or, perhaps not, and why.

III. Description of Procedure or Methods

A multifarious method will present a mystery.

First, it will differentiate between the Idea of God and God …

The Impact Of Traditional Shona Beliefs On Hiv/Aids Intervention Work In Zimbabwe, Brian Goercke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between secondary students in the rural and peri-urban areas of Mashonaland in Zimbabwe and their tendencies to agree or disagree with traditional Shona attitudes, beliefs and practices as they related to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. A convenience, cluster sample was used to identify the 482 students who participated in this study. A questionnaire composed of demographics, hypothetical and open-ended questions was administered to these students within the regular classrooms of their respective schools.

A notable finding in this study was that traditional Shona beliefs appear to be stronger in the rural areas. However, the students surveyed …

Effectiveness Of Staged Partner Training On Conversational Interactions Involving A Person With Severe Aphasia, Kelly M. Hanna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A single subject investigation measured the effects of staged partner communication training on conversational interactions between a familiar conversational partner and a participant with severe aphasia. Conversational variables were analyzed across four conditions: Condition A -- baseline; Condition B -- general aphasia communication strategies; Condition C -- augmented expression strategies; and Condition D -- augmented comprehension strategies. The instructional protocol (slideshow lecture, examples, roleplay, discussion) was implemented immediately before each experimental condition. Two, 5-minute conversations per condition were videotaped, transcribed and coded for the following dependent variables: number of exchanges per topic, percentage of facilitative communication acts, communication role and …

A Study Of The Principle Of Subsidiarity In Catholic Social Thought: Implications For Social Justice And Civil Society In Nigeria, Simeon Iber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the centrality of the principle of subsidiarity in Catholic social teaching, in bringing about social and moral reconstruction of society and in particular the Nigerian social context. The origin of this principle has been traced to the natural human inclination to build a healthy relationship between the individual and society, such that, the society will provide generous help and support to individuals to help themselves. Subsidiarity is a way of organizing individuals and social groups in community to help each other in pursuing their interests with common goals, the ultimate purpose being to assist one another and …

Application Of Symphonology Theory In Patient Decision-Making: Triangulation Of Quantitative And Qualitative Methods, Margaret Irwin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study tested the theory of Symphonology in two ways: 1) by determining if concepts in Symphonology were expressed in the experience of patients involved in health care decision-making, and 2) by testing the effect of an education/counseling intervention based on Symphonology, designed to facilitate decision-making. The study design was a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design. Demographic and disease-related variables, decision-making role preference and the Bioethical Decision Making Preference Scale for Patients/Families (BDMPSP) (Husted, 2001) were measured prior to the intervention. Demographic variables that were measured included age, gender, race, marital status, years and type of education and time since diagnosis. …

Environmental Equity: Gradient Measures Of Race And Social Class In The Areas Surrounding Pennsylvania Superfund Sites, Mark A. Jablonski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the socioeconomic and racial characteristics of the areas surrounding the 120 National Priority List Superfund hazardous waste sites in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Using three distinct concentric distance measures, the study uses 1990 census tract data to determine whether Nonwhite and low-income populations live in closest proximity to Pennsylvania's most toxic sites and consequently bear the brunt of the negative externalities associated with having Superfund sites nearby. The results of the study suggest that environmental inequities are not prevalent in the areas surrounding Pennsylvania Superfund sites. Rather, the areas between 1.667 and 3.333 miles away from the …

Using Vignettes To Develop Higher-Order Thinking And Academic Achievement In Adult Learners In An Online Environment, Maria Helen Zanoni Kish

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This case study investigated the use of vignettes as a teaching strategy and learning activity of the Generative Learning Model in a hybrid online course. The Generative Learning Model, which consists of five main components: attention, motivation, knowledge, generation, and metacognition (Wittrock, 2000) was incorporated when requiring students to answer teacher-generated vignettes and to generate their own vignettes. As a result of using vignettes within the Generative Learning Model in a hybrid online course, three outcomes were anticipated: 1) enhancement of academic achievement, 2) higher order thinking, and 3) preference of the use of vignettes as compared to other teaching …

Experiences Of Pain In Elderly Patients Having Total Knee Arthroplasty, Catherine Kleiner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Patients experiencing postoperative pain are at an increased risk for developing life-threatening complications. Effective interventions for pain relief exist, but are under- utilized. The reasons for the under use of interventions need to be identified so that changes in nursing practice can occur. The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of the postoperative pain experience following total knee arthroplasty from elderly patients' perspective. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used to guide this study. Fifteen patients, nine women and six men, who had total knee arthroplasty participated in this study. Ages ranged from 66 to 86 years. Purposeful suffering is …

A Comparison Of The Perceptions Of The Importance Of Formal Supervision Training Between Formally Trained Counselor Supervisors And Non-Formally Trained Counselor Supervisors, Maura Krushinski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A Comparison of the Perceptions of the Importance of Formal Supervision Training Between Formally Trained Counselor Supervisors and Non-Formally Trained Counselor Supervisors explores differences among and between doctoral student and field site professionals who provide supervision to master's level counselor trainees. All master's level counseling students in the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) programs participate in a practicum and internship as a requirement for completion of the master's program in counseling. The field experience occurs in a mental health agency or school, and requires the assistance and mentoring of an on-site supervisor. There is a …

An Analysis Of The Use Of Web-Based Instruction In The Physical Education And Related Departments In The Pennsylvania State System Of Higher Education, Joanne Leight

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of web-based instruction (WBI) in Physical Education and related Departments in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PSSHE) was studied by analyzing computer use, obstacles to WBI, factors supporting WBI, degree of WBI implementation, WBI for Physical Education majors versus non-majors, and types of courses that utilize WBI. The data were collected via an instrument returned by 57 of 148 faculty members surveyed. Data analysis indicated the following: primary obstacles to WBI utilization were lack of time to prepare and lack of adequate training; the primary factors supporting WBI utilization were software and hardware resources. Data indicated …

Assessing The Frequency And Influences Of Secondary Traumatic Stress Symptoms Among Crisis Intervention Workers, Mark F. Lepore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the differences in secondary traumatic stress symptomotology in crisis intervention workers by their field of work (job title), level of experience, level of participation in stress reducing activities, and perception of having received adequate training to meet the challenges of disaster and trauma work. The purpose of the study was to contribute to developing a better understanding of factors that influence crisis intervention workers' experience of secondary traumatic stress. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to study 206 crisis intervention workers drawn from four different crisis intervention fields (personal care/nurses' aides, disaster relief workers, police officers, and …

Measuring Educational Gains And Setting Consequences: Charter Schooling And The No Child Left Behind Policy, Erin Lyttle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The charter school movement and the federal legislation No Child Left Behind (2001) have put a process in motion through which parents and students can opt out of the established public education system. This thesis is an in-depth study of one Pittsburgh charter school within the context of a critique of public education in American history. Empirical data was collected through a triangulated research design, which included interviews, surveys, field observations, and content analysis.

Determining the features of a charter school that make classroom dynamics more or less effective than those in traditional public schools was the original micro-level focus …

The Baby Out With The Bathwater! Securitization Of Corruption And Its Impact On Human Security, Shabnam Mallick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the context of the president's rule in India in 1975, this paper looks at the intersection of political corruption and human security through the lens of the theory of securitization and desecuritization. In this, I study the deeper politics--i.e., the frame of reference of actors--behind the distortions in the civic and political institutions of India. I argue that the securitization of development led to its de-politicization, which in turn negatively impacted human security. In doing so, I arrive at some moral, social-psychological, and cognitive understanding of how not to securitize. The policy implications are towards employing securitization only as …

Searching For Mother: Chicana Writers Revise And Renew Malinche And Guadalupe, Diane L. Maldonado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chicana writers currently assume the role of border culturalists in order to present alternative views of female figures perpetuated by histories, chronicles, myths, and other narrations motivated by imperial ideology and patriarchy. Two such female figures in Mexican-American culture are La Virgen de Guadalupe and La Malinche, archetypes that emerged in Mexico during the Spanish conquest period and that traditionally became dichotomous constructions of virgin and whore, Virgin Mary and Eve, and protector and traitor, respectively. However, contemporary Chicana feminist writers, such as Gloria Anzaldúa, Ana Castillo, Sandra Cisneros and Pat Mora, not only revise traditional images of Malinche and …

The Later Heidegger And Contemporary Theology Of God, Daniel Martino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Martin Heidegger was a central figure in 20th century Western philosophy. In evaluating his work from the perspective of the early 21st century it is clear that his influence crossed disciplinary lines. This work aims to address one area where Heidegger's thinking has had tremendous impact -- theology. Specifically, Heidegger's later writings are selectively examined in order to determine the bearing they have on the issue of God.

The route to God, in a strict confessional sense, is neither easy nor direct in the Heideggerian corpus. As a result, the first methodological tack used throughout this study establishes Heidegger's abiding …

Examination Of The Growth And Development Of The Long Term Community Based Jazz Workshop Inc. Program, Anthony Mcbride

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study is to examine the growth and development of the long-term community based Jazz Workshop Inc. program. Within the context of examining the Jazz Workshop Inc. program, the impact of the program on its participants will also be explored. The Jazz Workshop Inc. program is located in Homewood in the City of Pittsburgh. The study utilized interviews and focus groups, which were recorded (audio and video) under consent of all parties. This study uses a qualitative design for the analysis of data gathered from 1) interviews with the Director, 2) several of the music instructors, …

Assessment Of Constructs Related To Childhood Aggression, Susan B. Mclaughlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study provides empirical support for the comprehensive theoretical model of aggression proposed by Meloy (2001) by examining characteristics of children who have a longstanding history of aggression across home and educational settings. The theoretical model first proposed by Meloy (2001) found attachment, anxiety, and attention difficulties in adults who evidenced severe aggression problems. The current study clarified how the adult model applies to children. That is, this study examined how attachment, anxiety, and attention are related to the overall functioning of children requiring treatment for aggression. Results are discussed in terms of child development issues, treatment selection, and intervention …

Up In Smoke: Evaluating Tobacco Use Among Native American Adolescents In Montana, Daria Meyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between culture, demographics, education, family structure, peer influence, and social isolation and the frequency of tobacco use among Native American adolescents in Montana. Peer influence and family structure were found to be the most influential factors regarding the frequency of tobacco use. Those who do not have close friends that smoke, believe smoking is wrong, do not believe they will smoke as an adult, have parents who believe smoking is wrong, have no older siblings at least not within close age proximity, have higher grades in school, are in a lower grade, and tend to …