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International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme: The Culture And Climate In Lower Performing High Schools During The Authorization Process, Daena Barrett Adams

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study is to analyze data around school culture and climate during the authorization process of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Data collected was analyzed to test the hypothesis that the authorization process serves as a "weeding out" of students by causing a significant difference to the culture and climate of the school. The study also tested the hypothesis that the school leader has an influence on the culture and climate of the school during this process. With this being the first study of its kind focusing on the differences in culture and climate of a …

Examining The Impact Of Web-Based Training Modules Among Special Educators And Paraprofessionals Who Support Students With Autism, May Ahn

Dissertations

Although researchers have clearly identified evidence-based ABA practices for children with autism, the research-to-practice gap in implementation continues to exist in schools. This may be due to lack of staff development and knowledge in specific instructional methods (Odom, Collet-Klingenberg, & Hatton, 2010). Moreover, the delivery of training may be a factor in staff development. For example, workshops are one of the most common ways professionals access training (Brock, Huber, Carter, Juarez, & Warren, 2014). However, workshops often have limited impact on implementation of new knowledge. Advances in technology have made online training more accessible for educators as a delivery option. …

Transfer Student Success: Latinx Students Overcoming Challenges At Two- And Four-Year Institutions Towards Baccalaureate Degree Attainment, Ajani Mcarthur Byrd

Dissertations

As the largest post-secondary educational system, community colleges enroll nearly 35% of all college students (American Association for Community Colleges, 2014). However, the vast majority of students attending two-year institutions aspiring to vertically transfer (from community college to four-year institution), fall short of their academic goals and do not obtain a baccalaureate degree (Student Success Score Card, 2013). To this end, the extant literature has illustrated students of color, especially Latinx and African American students, transfer and graduate at disproportionately lower rates than their white counterparts. Qualitative researchers have explored this phenomenon; yet, often fall short of highlighting the specific …

Applying A Cognitive-Behavioral Model To Conceptualize Burnout And Coping For Teachers In Urban Schools, Daniel Camacho

Dissertations

Teachers in urban schools, facing a myriad of daily stressors and oftentimes without sufficient knowledge and skills to manage the social and emotional needs of their students and themselves, experience stress and burnout at levels that cause them to leave the teaching profession at alarming rates. Research pertaining to teaching stress, burnout, and coping has largely been devoted to enumerating the stressors that teachers experience, the impact of burnout on teachers and their students, and relating type of coping strategies that teachers employ. This body of literature falls short of illuminating what makes the teaching profession so inherently stressful, the …

An Exploration Of African American Parents' Level Of Trust In Special Education Meetings, Kizin Burton-Fox

Dissertations

There is a plethora of research to suggest that there are a number of benefits to parent participation in a student's education, including improved education outcomes for students (Cheung & Pomerantz, 2012). However, there has been no real consensus on whether or not African American parents demonstrate appropriate involvement in their children's education since parent participation has typically been defined according to the norms of White middle class culture (Fields-Smith, 2005). Nevertheless, African American students have been found to demonstrate some of the lowest levels of academic achievement compared to their White counterparts, even when socioeconomic factors are taken into …

The Internalization Of The Model Minority Stereotype, Acculturative Stress, And Ethnic Identity On Academic Stress, Academic Performance, And Mental Health Among Asian American College Students, Hanna Yun-Han Chang

Dissertations

Previous studies in Asian American psychology literature on cultural factors of acculturation and ethnic identity have yielded mixed findings in its relation to psychological outcomes. Furthermore, there is a gap in the knowledge base regarding the internalization of the model minority stereotype and its impact on Asian Americans. Due to Asian Americans' tendency to value academic excellence as a result of socialization by cultural values and family upbringings, this study examined the effects acculturative stress, ethnic identity, and the internalization of model minority on academic stress, academic performance, and mental health.

Results of this study indicated that acculturative stress significantly …

Mutual Regulation Of Crp And N(Epsilon)-Lysine Acetylation In Escherichia Coli, Robert James Davis

Dissertations

Post-translational modifications, such as N(epsilon)-lysine acetylation, are known to alter the behavior of transcriptional regulators in eukaryotes, but very little is known about the consequences of acetylation on transcriptional regulation in bacteria. Here, I provide evidence that a global transcriptional regulator of carbon metabolism, cAMP Receptor Protein (CRP), promotes both enzymatic and non-enzymatic lysine acetylation in E. coli. Non-enzymatic lysine acetylation occurs when cells ferment acetate, such as during growth on high concentrations of glucose. Intriguingly, CRP can be non-enzymatically acetylated on several lysines, including lysine 100 (K100). I provide evidence that neutralization of the K100 positive charge, as would …

My Leadership Experiences With Peace Circles As A Restorative Practice, El-Roy Estes

Dissertations

Restorative practices emerged on the scene within the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) as of recent. In 2006, CPS revamped their Student Code of Misconduct handbook from a strict and stern "zero-tolerance" voice to a more sensitive and subtle "restorative talk" approach. With this transition in effect, the school's culture and climate are expected to positively improve and at the same time support the social and emotional and academic performance of the students. Peace Circles is one of the alternate solutions to address these issues by decreasing out-of-school suspensions and improving social and emotional and academic learning. This capstone self-study will …

Exploring The Implications For Educational Leadership: A Case Study Of Cristo Rey St. Martin College Preparatory High School, Julie Lynn Frey

Dissertations

This is a case study of Cristo Rey St. Martin High School, member of the Cristo Rey Network. Cristo Rey St. Martin has been able to make gains in closing the gap with regard to student entrance into college for low-income minority students, making it a unique and appropriate case to study. The purpose of this research was to study the formation of the leadership at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Preparatory High School.

The case study consisted of interviews, observations, shadowing of the principal, and document analysis.

Major finding include mission creation explicit to student achievement, a student centric …

An Examination Of Multicultural Competence And Racial Colorblindness Among School Psychologists, Sandy D. Flores

Dissertations

The field of school psychology has developed a strong commitment to culturally competent practice. However, there is a lack of literature examining multicultural competence among school psychologists. The present study sought to address this need using a two-pronged approach. First, the study expanded the research base for a self-report multicultural competence scale by administering the measure to a sample of practicing school psychologists. Second, the study investigated the relationship between racial colorblindness and self-perceived multicultural competence among school psychologists by administering an additional racial colorblindness measure. Given that similar fields have identified the negative impact of racial colorblindness on multicultural …

Social Support And Well-Being Among Foster Care Youth: Self-Concept As A Mediator, Anne Kathleen Fuller

Dissertations

Youth in the child welfare system frequently undergo a variety of adverse experiences, including maltreatment, living in poverty, placement changes, school changes, and relationship disruptions. As a group, these youth exhibit poorer psychosocial functioning (e.g., elevated rates of mental health difficulties, poorer social and academic competence) than their peers, yet there is also evidence that a number of youth in foster care are functioning relatively well and can be perceived as demonstrating resilience. The present study examined self-concept as a mediator of hypothesized associations between social support and four domains of psychosocial functioning: internalizing problems, externalizing problems, social competence, and …

Narrative Medicine And Health Care Ethics: Religious And Literary Approaches To Patient Identity And Clinical Practice, Tara Flanagan Tracy

Dissertations

This dissertation examines practices of narrative medicine and moral identity for end-of-life patients, with special attention given to Aristotle's Poetics and the work of Paul Ricoeur. While noting the genuine value of narrative medicine for clinicians, I examine the limits of self-narration for patients who are unable to offer a linear, coherent narrative of their lives due to cognitive deficits such as Alzheimer's disease. Nevertheless, the premise of narrative medicine, that being a close reader of texts can develop the ability to attend closely to patients, remains useful. When the sources used in narrative medicine are expanded to include those …

Simulation Using A Standardized Patient To Measure Perception And Congruency Of Spiritual Care For A Veteran From Three Perspectives To Inform Nursing Education And Practice, Mary E. Desmond

Dissertations

Spiritual care refers to a purposeful process of helping another find meaning and purpose

in life through a mutual connection. Providing spiritual care is a professional nursing mandate, yet nurses report barriers in education and practice. Veterans want spiritual care to promote quality of life, and to cope with military experiences and chronic conditions. Patients report receiving less than desired spiritual care and nurses report infrequent provision of spiritual care. It is also unclear how congruent patients and nurses are in their perceptions of spiritual care. A spiritual care simulation and performance checklist was developed using a review of the …

The Effects Of Teacher Self-Efficacy With The Inclusion Of Students With Autism In General Education Classrooms, Tekita Quashell Gordon

Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to rise at an astonishing rate. As many schools attempt to create an inclusive environment that is conducive for students with autism's academic success, it is important that we recognize the teacher's role in creating an inclusive classroom. Teachers with high self-efficacy have a positive impact on student achievement. Therefore, this qualitative study explores the effects of a teacher's self-efficacy with the inclusion of students with autism in a general education classroom.

Eleven general education teachers were interviewed in order to gain insight into their experience and perceptions on the inclusion of students with autism. …

An Exploration Of Elementary Teachers' Beliefs And Perceptions About Science Inquiry: A Mixed Methods Study, Linda Hamadeh

Dissertations

In order for science-based inquiry instruction to happen on a large scale in elementary classrooms across the country, evidence must be provided that implementing this reform can be realistic and practical, despite the challenges and obstacles teachers may face. This study sought to examine elementary teachers' knowledge and understanding of, attitudes toward, and overall perceptions of inquiry-based science instruction, and how these beliefs influenced their inquiry practice in the classroom. It offered a description and analysis of the approaches elementary science teachers in Islamic schools reported using to promote inquiry within the context of their science classrooms, and addressed the …

The Blackboard And The Colorline Madeline Morgan And The Alternative Black Curriculum In Chicago Schools 1941-1945, Michael Hines

Dissertations

On May 28, 1942, Chicago Public Schools adopted a new curriculum with the rather mundane title Supplementary Units for the Course of Study in Social Studies. Although the title was less than provocative, the content was revolutionary, both for Chicago and for the nation. The Supplementary Units marked one of the first times that a major American public school system had adopted African American history as part of its standard, citywide social studies curriculum. The story of the development, adoption, and implementation of this curriculum intersects issues of race, politics, history, and education. At its center are the efforts of …

Self-Serving Cognitive Distortions, Externalizing Behaviors, And School Exclusion Among Adolescents With Emotional Disturbance, Claudia Hernandez

Dissertations

Students of color and students with disabilities, especially those with Emotional Disturbance (ED), are at increased risk for exclusionary discipline and juvenile justice involvement (Skiba, Arredondo & Williams, 2014). Within exclusionary discipline research, students' behaviors and discipline referrals are examined, but students' maladaptive thinking patterns or cognitive distortions remain largely unexplored. Within juvenile justice research, however, the cognitive distortions of incarcerated youth have been widely studied. The overarching hypothesis for the current study was that students' self-serving cognitive distortions would be related to their externalizing behaviors, as measured by office discipline referrals (ODRs), and these ODRs would be related to …

Disordered Eating Treatment Programs For Adolescents And Emerging Adults: A Meta-Analytic Review Of Treatment Effectiveness And Moderators Of Treatment Success, Alexandra Kirsch

Dissertations

This meta-analysis systematically reviewed interventions for disordered eating in the adolescent and young adult population. A systematic search identified 30 interventions that could be compared to controls and 88 specific interventions that could be compared to other specific interventions. An in-depth analysis of the current state of the literature is provided. Results indicated that eating disorder interventions were effective overall when compared to control for both eating disorder and non-eating disorder outcomes, with differential effects across diagnoses, outcome categories, and outcome source, as well as some maintenance of effects at follow-up. Additionally, multiple moderators of treatment effectiveness for eating disorder …

Maintaining College Access In A Post Recession Era: A Multi-Level Competing Risks Model, Brendan Martin

Dissertations

Post-Great Recession budgets cuts and funding freezes have decreased the level of institutional resources available to recruit and retain undergraduate students. To optimize remaining expenditures in this challenging climate, new analytical approaches must be considered to evaluate and interpret pre-enrollment student data. To date, much of the higher education literature has focused on predicting enrollment using traditional fixed or mixed effects binary logistic models. While robust, these modeling approaches are constrained by standard statistical assumptions, do not account for the timing of students' enrollment decisions, and cannot efficiently incorporate censored data points or competitor information. This study applies a multi-level, …

Technology Integration In Context, Joanna Marshall

Dissertations

This study employed an ecological framework to examine how multiple contextual variables from the state biosphere, district biome, school habitat and classroom niche impact how teachers decide to integrate technology. It was an opportunity to observe how a teacher's Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge operates in a classroom in response to the building, district and state contexts. It was conducted in multiple classrooms in one school and with science teachers. It included a self-study component. It provided an opportunity to directly observe the interactions between students and teacher as distinct species in the classroom when technology integration occurred. This allowed me …

Sleep-Wake Disturbances In Adolescents With Spina Bifida: Prevalence And Associations With Bio-Neuropsychosocial Functioning, Caitlin Beth Murray

Dissertations

Sleep is a critical component of healthy development during adolescence, and when disrupted, has been linked to difficulties with physical status, psychological health, family functioning, neuropsychological symptoms, and academic performance. The overarching goal of this project was to examine sleep-wake disturbances in association with bio-neuropsychosocial functioning in a vulnerable pediatric population of adolescents with spina bifida (SB). Specifically, this study aimed to 1) examine sleep-wake patterns in adolescents with SB using a multimodal sleep assessment, 2) identify daily temporal associations between sleep and pain as well as sleep and mood, and 3) identify the relationship between sleep-wake disturbances and bio-neuropsychosocial …

Characterization Of Quorum-Quenching Lactonases And Plp-Dependent Aminotransferases: Structure, Mechanism And Alternative Turnover, Romila Nina Mascarenhas

Dissertations

Cell-to-cell communication by bacteria is essential for the regulation of gene expression important in colonization, biofilm formation, virulence and other processes. This communication is called "quorum-sensing" and is mediated by small molecules called autoinducers. One major class of autoinducers used by gram-negative bacteria is N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHL's). Enzymes capable of disrupting this communication are called "quorum-quenching" catalysts and have proven to be invaluable biochemical tools for understanding quorum-sensing pathways. Quorum-quenching enzymes hold promise for application in anti-biofouling, agriculture, aquaculture, bioremediation and other synthetic biology settings. However, the mechanisms that these enzymes use to recognize and process their substrates are …

Cruzando Fronteras: The Immigration Experiences Of Central American Women, Cecelia Quinn

Dissertations

The present study explores the immigration experiences of Central American women. As violence and poverty mounts in the Northern Triangle; Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, immigrants continue to migrate north. Immigrant women risk their lives seeking safety, opportunity, and reunions with loved ones. Central American women's immigration journeys are unique and they face the added dangers of gender-based violence. This exploratory, qualitative study guided by feminist standpoint theory allowed the women to tell their stories in their own language, as they saw fit. Twelve Central American Latinas shared their immigration experiences, responding to semi-structured interviews. Through interpretive phenomenological analysis and …

Love And Loyal Actions': Ritual Affect And Royal Authority, 1688-1760, Amy Oberlin

Dissertations

This project examines the changing emotional relationship between the English royal court and the public during the reigns of the last Stuarts (1688 - 1714) and the early Hanoverians (1714-1760), when the court was forced to abandon traditional representations of divine right. During this period, the rise of print, the growth of representative institutions and changing cultural attitudes to emotion created a new style of monarchy, one more emotionally accessible to its subjects. These changes signaled the death of rule by divine right and the birth of a modern monarchy. In essence, the monarch moved from heaven to earth, becoming …

Heterocycles Via The Pd-Catalyzed Heterofunctionalization Of Alkylidenecyclopropanes, Phillip Roman Lazzara

Dissertations

Natural compounds are often used as inspiration for novel chemical structures that provide medicinal benefits to human health. The unique 3-dimentional structures of these molecules make the majority of them synthetic challenges for organic chemists. While there is great diversity among these molecules, many of these carbon-based compounds exhibit similar key structural features. One of the most common features amongst biologically active molecules is a rigid carbon ring bearing nitrogen or oxygen atoms, which are known as heterocycles. The structural rigidity of heterocycles helps properly align key interactions of the molecule with those of a specific protein, which causes the …

Survival Under Oppression: The Puerto Rican And Allied Struggle For Representation In Chicago, 1950-1983, Marisol Violanda Rivera

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the how various Latino organizations spanning from 1950 to 1983, helped Latinos gain representation within Chicago. Social clubs, which brought opportunity to European ethnics, no longer functioned as a conduit to direct power as white ethnics solidified their positions in the city. Progressive Latino organizations under government oppression suffered destruction or evolved in effort to obtain better opportunities for Latinos. Oral histories show how members of the organizations develop their own narratives and reveal the creation of discourses regarding events that occurred as well as the impact they had within their lives and on the community.

Elevated Hydrostatic Pressure Selectively Enhances Matricellular Gene Expression In Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells, Jonathan Lautz

Dissertations

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a progressive optic neuropathy

characterized by loss of peripheral vision secondarily associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 is markedly elevated in the aqueous humor (AH) of patients with POAG. It has been previously shown that TGF-β2 increases IOP, in part, by inducing expression and release of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) within the trabecular meshwork (TM). ET-1 and CTGF may ultimately lead to increases in IOP by enhancing TM cell contractility and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Here we confirm that TGF-β2 enhances mRNA content of ET-1, CTGF, and …

Transport For Early Modern London: London's Transportation Environment And The Experience Of Movement, 1500-1800, Noah Paul Phelps

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates two closely related topics regarding London's transportation environment. The first was to determine the shape of early modern London's transportation infrastructure and determine who was responsible for its design, construction and maintenance. The second goal was to investigate the experiences of those moving about the city. In some cases, it was possible to find substantive information on London's transport milieu; for example, the number of gates and the size of the wall surrounding the city from Stow's 1598 Survey of London or the rules regarding street cleaning in London's Letter Books. In most cases, however, it was …

The Master And The Midwife: Levinas And Plato On Teaching, Rebecca Glenn Scott

Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examine the concept of teaching as it appears in the work of Emmanuel Levinas. In particular, I show how Levinas's notion of teaching arises out of both a retrieval and a critique of Platonic thought. On the one hand, Levinas embraces the transcendence of Platonism, but at the same time, he is often quite critical of Socratic education. I argue, contrary to Levinas, that Socratic education is, in fact, consonant with Levinas's philosophy, particularly when we recognize that Levinas's notion of a primordial teaching must involve a relation both with "absolute" alterity and with what he …

Forgetting How To Hate: The Evolution Of White Responses To Integration In Chicago, 1946-1987, Chris Ramsey

Dissertations

After the Supreme Court made restrictive covenants illegal in 1948, violence became the default response for numerous white communities across the South Side of Chicago when African Americans moved into €“ or just passed through €“ their neighborhoods. The civil rights movement's high-profile successes in the first half of the 1960s and the media attention Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s open housing marches on the Southwest Side of Chicago brought to segregation in the urban North made brute force unacceptable to the public at-large. White ethnic residents on Chicago's Southwest Side realized they could no longer resort to violent means …