Digital Commons Network^™

Performance Comparison Of Scanner And Camera-Acquired Data For Bangla Offline Handwriting Recognition, Nishatul Majid, Elisa H. Barney Smith

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper presents a comparison of offline handwriting recognition performance between two different image acquisition devices: scanner and cell-phone camera. Whereas a flat-bed scanner offers higher quality distortion free imaging, a cell-phone camera trumps on the convenience and ease of use. The aim of this research is to quantify how the extra quality obtained from a scanner impacts the offline handwriting recognition. This was evaluated with two classification framework: a segmentation-free offline Bangla handwriting transcription with sequential detection of characters/diacritics and a Bangla handwritten digit recognizer with an SVM classifier. The Boise State Bangla Handwriting dataset is used for the …

Law Library Blog (January 2019): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

A Skills-Focused Approach To Improving Therapist Goniometry Accuracy Using A Simulation Laboratory, Miranda Yelvington, Beverly J. Spray

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Goniometric measurements are widely used in the field of occupational therapy to measure range of motion, define and describe movement, and predict the functional implications of joint limitations. These measurements are further used in documentation and as a means of justifying reimbursement. While goniometrics are a hallmark of our practice, therapist competency is rarely assessed. This study sought to evaluate whether a skill focused, simulation assisted training could lead to improvements in accuracy and consistency of goniometric measurements. Ten therapists at a single facility completed goniometric testing utilizing a simulation module to assess three joint motions (shoulder abduction, elbow flexion …

The Effect Of Implementation Of A Nurse Manager Orientation Program On Nurse Manager Competency And Empowerment, Erin Coogan

DNP Projects

Background statement: Based on the role the nurse manager plays in improving quality outcomes, promoting staff and patient satisfaction, and creating the culture of the unit, it is vital that proper training is provided to new nurse managers to increase their competency and sense of empowerment.

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework: The theoretical/conceptual framework that provided the base for this study was Bandura’s theory of Self-Efficacy. A sense of accomplishment and overall well-being of a person is affected by a strong sense of efficacy.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a mandatory systemized nurse manager orientation …

Educación Financiera En Pymes De La Localidad De Ciudad Bolívar Como Programa De Mejoramiento Productivo, Ana María Molano Jara

Finanzas y Comercio Internacional

Por medio del presente documento se busca llegar más a fondo sobre la situación actual del manejo financiero y administrativo interno en las pymes en el sector de Ciudad Bolívar, ya que la educación financiera es un tema que puede generar un impacto tanto positivo como negativo en las empresas según sea su manejo. Posteriormente, al determinar y esclarecer mucho más esta tendencia, se desea lograr una propuesta efectiva de una herramienta para el mejoramiento productivo de las mismas y que finalmente sean varios los agentes beneficiados, éste objetivo se pretende llevar a cabo por medio de una caracterización de …

Using Short-Term Professional Development To Increase Science Teacher Confidence For Integrating The Ngss Engineering Standards, Janet Lalonde

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Teacher professional development has long been acknowledged as a useful tool to improve instructional methods and to increase the likelihood of successful implementation of new standards. The duration of the training is often identified as a factor that determines how successful professional development experiences can be, with the best options taking place over several days and for more than 40 hours. However, with serious limitations in time, funding, and substitute teachers, districts must often consider offering short-term professional development instead.

This case study followed a professional development experience of seven high school science teachers as they spent a day learning …

Improving Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity Knowledge In Convenient Care Clinics: A Toolkit And Competency Training For Caregivers, Elizabeth M. Gallagher

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

It is well documented that transgender individuals experience higher rates of discrimination than non-transgender, also known as cis-gender, individuals (Scandurra, Amodeo, Valerio, Bochicchio, & Frost, 2017). This discrimination extends into the healthcare system, a place where all individuals should be treated with dignity and respect (Bauer, Scheim, Deutsch, & Massarella, 2014). Over the last few decades, cultural humility has been promoted in health care professional training (Fisher-Borne, Cain, & Martin, 2015; Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998). However, transgender care is rarely included. This lack of training can lead to a decreased confidence in providing care to transgender individuals and poor experiences …

The Effects Of Eccentric Overload Bench Press Training On 1rm Performance And Emg Activity In Powerlifters, Lance Dakota Gruber

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

For powerlifters, bench press performance is directly related to success in competitions since it is one of the three main lifts performed during a powerlifting competition. For a powerlifter to be competitive, they must train efficiently, building strength as quickly and safely as possible. Research has shown that eccentric training elicits greater strength increases when compared to concentric training. Furthermore, previous research observed that eccentric overload training for the lower limbs resulted in not only significantly improved strength, but it also takes place at a faster rate than traditional training. However, there is a lack of research on whether the …

I Had Not Screwed Up, Ken Mick

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

An Army pilot survives a nerve-wracking mission in Vietnam by relying on his training.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Validity Of The Velocomp Powerpod Compared With The Verve Cycling Infocrank Power Meter, Paul F. J. Merkes, Paolo Menaspà, Chris R. Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose:

To determine the validity of the Velocomp PowerPod power meter in comparison with the Verve Cycling InfoCrank power meter.

Methods:

This research involved 2 separate studies. In study 1, 12 recreational male road cyclists completed 7 maximal cycling efforts of a known duration (2 times 5 s and 15, 30, 60, 240, and 600 s). In study 2, 4 elite male road cyclists completed 13 outdoor cycling sessions. In both studies, power output of cyclists was continuously measured using both the PowerPod and InfoCrank power meters. Maximal mean power output was calculated for durations of 1, 5, …

Training And Development In Small Professional Services Firms, Pattanee Susomrith, Alan Coetzer, Emmanuel Ampofo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examine whether participation in training and development (T&D) events is associated with employees’ affective commitment and propensity to enact innovative behaviours in small professional services firms. The study also investigates associations between both attitudes towards T&D and policy and practice supportive of T&D and levels of participation in T&D events.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 203 employees in small professional services firms employing 50 or fewer staff were analysed using regression analysis and PROCESS macro.

Findings

Only policy and practice supportive of T&D was associated with participation levels. Participation in T&D events was positively related to affective …

Using Virtual Reality To Train Athletes, Brian Christoffersen

Master of Arts in Sport Management

Training athletes is an ever-evolving part of sports that, with the growth of the use of technology in sports, has become increasingly complex. Organizations and teams are constantly looking for new ways to be at the forefront of training development. As the development of virtual reality has moved forward, so has the ability to adopt these new technologies to a wide variety of areas. There are multiple systems already in existence that use virtual reality to train athletes. This proposed study aims to shed light on this promising technology to help athletes learn more efficiently and effectively in a safe …

Strategies For Meeting Local Workforce Policy Requirements In Developing Countries, Gianandrea Manzoni

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Foreign companies operating in developing countries are losing competitive advantage due to local workforce policies and restrictions that governments issue to foster the development of indigenous businesses and people. Maintaining a competitive advantage is essential to foreign business owners long term sustainability. Based on Argyris and Schön's organizational learning theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies foreign company managers use to achieve profitable business performance while satisfying local workforce policy requirements. The population comprised of 5 foreign managers who implemented effective strategies to increase the profitability of their company while meeting local content requirements …

Antibullying Definition, Policy, Surveillance, Education, And Training In The Healthcare Field, Adlene Jones Mcelroy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace bullying in the healthcare field has contributed to decreasing productivity, decreasing employee morale, increasing workplace lawsuits, overall dissatisfaction in the workplace, and potentially compromising care to patients. Little, however, is known about how public policies related to workplace bullying impact the experiences of healthcare workers. Using Cornell and Limber's conceptualization of bullying, the purpose of this general qualitative study was to better understand the experiences of healthcare leaders and workers related to workplace bullying of a single health care facility. Data were principally collected from 9 participants representing three organizational leaders, three nurses, and three ancillary members staff. These …

Does A Brief Mindfulness Training Enhance Heartfulness In Students? Results Of A Pilot Study, Myriam Rudaz, Thomas Ledermann, Michael P. Twohig, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

(1) Background: There is robust evidence that mindfulness trainings enhance mindfulness as operationalized in Western psychology, but evidence about their effect on aspects of heartfulness is sparse. This study seeks to test whether a brief mindfulness training enhances heart qualities, including self-compassion, gratitude, and the generation of feelings of happiness.

(2) Methods: Eighteen students enrolled in a mindfulness training that was offered as part of an interdisciplinary class. The training consisted of five training sessions and four booster sessions of 45 minutes each over the course of nine weeks. Mindfulness was measured with the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF) …

Court Personnel Attitudes Towards Medication-Assisted Treatment: A Statewide Survey, Barbara Andraka-Christou, Meghan Gabriel, Jody L. Madeira, Rod D. Silverman

Articles by Maurer Faculty

Background: Despite its efficacy, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is rarely available in the criminal justice system in the United States, including in problem-solving courts or diversionary settings. Previous studies have demonstrated criminal justice administrators' hostility towards MAT, especially in prisons and jails. Yet, few studies have examined attitudes among court personnel or compared beliefs among different types of personnel. Also, few studies have explored the relationship between MAT education/training and attitudes. Finally, few studies have directly compared attitudes towards methadone, oral buprenorphine, and extended-release naltrexone in the criminal justice system.

Methods: We modified a survey by Matusow et al. (2013) to …

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 …

Predictors Of Perceived Multicultural Competence Among Neuropsychological Trainees, Hannah K. Greenbaum

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Multicultural competence is necessary to provide psychological services to an increasingly diverse population (Sue, 2001). It is established that multicultural competence is important for training in psychology (Bodin et al., 2014; Diaz-Santos & Hill, 2016). Despite increased interest in recent years, multicultural competence in neuropsychology has not progressed in parallel with the focus of multiculturalism in psychology broadly (Rivera Mindt, Byrd, Saez, & Manly, 2010). Little is known about multicultural assessment, and it is not yet known what factors in training contribute to perceived multicultural competence in neuropsychological trainees (Elbulok-Charape, Rabin, Spadaccini, & Barr, 2014). The primary purpose of this …

The Influence Of Pre- And Post Meal Exercise In Relation To Postprandial Blood Glucose Levels In Type Ii Diabetics, Jessica Johnson

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of pre and post evening meal exercise in relation to postprandial blood glucose levels in type II diabetics. Fifteen participants diagnosed with type II diabetes volunteered to participate in this 21 day study. During the first seven days, participants were told to change nothing about their daily routine. Throughout the study they were asked to track all food consumption in the MyFitnessPal application and to record their blood glucose levels fasting, before their evening meal, and 120 minutes after their evening meal. At the end of day seven, each participant’s …

Training Program Effectiveness In Building Workforce Agility And Resilience, Olya Taran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decades of qualitative case studies suggest that organizations must be able to deal with change effectively to compete and survive. Many researchers have linked higher workforce levels of agility and resilience to organizations' abilities to deal with change more successfully; however, there is a scarcity of empirical research addressing the efficacy of agility and resilience development in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine the development of workforce resilience and agility, as measured by FIT for Change assessment. The theory of planned behavior was the study's theoretical framework, theorizing that changing attitudes and beliefs about change …

A Case Study Of Crisis Management Training Needs: Saudi Airlines, Hussain Saad Alqahtani

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores crisis management policies, programs, and training in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s premier airliners, Saudi Arabian Airlines. Saudi Arabian Airlines is a domestic and international carrier with a major role in the transportation of millions of Muslim pilgrims to the Kingdom during the annual Hajj season. This event places enormous strains on the capacity of the carrier, the airport, ground support systems, and the societal infrastructure of country. There have been tireless efforts by the Airline’s staffers to serve millions of visitors including pilgrims in a timely, safe and appropriate manner. Crisis management for Saudi Arabian Airlines …

Can Brain Training Through Replicating A Three-Dimensional Object Improve Visuospatial Performance?, Rachael Rice

Senior Projects Spring 2019

Studies have shown that cognitive training improves brain function. There are many forms of training that have been used to improve brain function from recalling a list to improve memory, using aerobic exercise to increase brain activation, to increasing the ability to talk in nonverbal autistic children. Training the brain and focusing on one task can also improve untargeted areas of the brain. This study uses the understanding of how perceiving biological movement of hands and how working with one’s hands can activate the superior temporal sulcus to create a brain training task that will activate and improve participants visuospatial …

A Pediatric Spiritual Care Training Model Utilizing Volunteers At Children's Hospital In New Orleans, Louisiana, Allen L. Mitchell

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Children's Hospital—New Orleans is a regional medical center for children with a 247-bed capacity. The hospital is growing in size and scope. However, the number of quality spiritual care providers has not kept up with the growing needs of the institution. As a medical center continues to grow, more spiritual care providers are needed to meet the demand of our increasing patient population. Financial resources are limited and budgets do not favor hiring additional full-time staff chaplains.

Method

A spiritual care training manual was developed to increase the number of trained volunteers to provide spiritual care coverage. A 12-hour …

A Training Program For Members To Minister To Hiv/Aids Patients At The Nyagiki Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Kenya, Job Ogoti Getange

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

During my pastoral experience at Nyagiki, I observed that although HIV/AIDS was a big threat in the church and society, many of the church leaders were not involved in addressing this crisis. There were no intentional church training programs to warn the members about its danger. The church did not make a budget of time or money to address this pandemic. The root problem that caused this situation was lack of health information literacy on HIV/AIDS to equip these leaders with knowledge and skills to deal with this crisis.

Method

The Doctor of Ministry Research Project was conducted at …

The Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of A Preaching Discipleship Training Program For Church Members In The Knoxville First Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Marcus Alden Swearingen Bates

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The Knoxville First Seventh-day Adventist Church has members endowed with the spiritual gift of speaking (preaching). However, no training program was available for these gifted members to develop and practice their preaching skills. The senior pastor, associate pastor, and guest speakers handled the preaching responsibilities, while these members were not edifying the congregation through the exercise of their preaching gift. The absence of a preaching training program also revealed a neglect of the pastoral responsibility to disciple members in the area of preaching. This project was an effort to train gifted members in the preaching craft for a potential …

Stress And Support In Health Service Psychology Students : Predictors Of Burnout And Vigor, Dylan Alexander Corp

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Students in health service psychology (HSP) training programs (i.e., doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, or school psychology) have reported experiencing greater burnout (i.e., energetic exhaustion) and lower vigor (i.e., energetic arousal) than typical workers. Given that greater burnout and lower vigor are associated with negative outcomes like poor health and client care, the purpose of the present study was to understand burnout and vigor in HSP students. Specifically, the present study sought to test the Conservations of Resources theory of stress (CORT) by replicating previous findings that threatening work-related stress and the supervisory working alliance (SWA) predicted HSP students’ burnout …

Hog Board, Joe Maslanka

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A young Marine in training stands up to his drill instructors on behalf of his mother.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Assessing Cultural And Linguistic Competencies In Doctoral Clinical Psychology Students, Gloria Lainez

Theses and Dissertations

With an increase of Spanish-speakers residing in the United States, there is an increase in the need for Spanish-speaking mental health providers. Psychologists have to undergo years of education and extensive training in order to get licensed to provide services. However, little is known about the education and training of psychologists who are bilingual Spanish-English speakers providing mental health services to monolingual Spanish-speaking clients. This qualitative study gathered feedback via phone interviews from seven doctoral level psychology students who identified as bilingual Spanish-English. Feedback gathered was on the Spanish Language Assessment measure created by Dr. Rogelio Serrano in the hope …

An Exploration Of Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Experiences, Training Needs, And Interactions Related To Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kirsten Scheil Railey

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Although research confirms the effectiveness of training to improve law enforcement officers’ awareness and knowledge of people with intellectual disability, learning disabilities, and mental health disorders (Bailey, Barr, & Bunting, 2001; McAllister, Bailey, & Barr, 2002; Scantlebury et al., 2017; Wood & Watson, 2017), research related to the efficacy of autism-specific law enforcement training is limited. In order to provide up-to-date information regarding training for LEOs related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a systematic review of the literature was conducted for the first study. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Protocols 2015 (PRISMA), a …

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 …