Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Of Explicit Instruction Using Culturally Relevant Texts In Reading On Student Confidence, Wendy Harriford Platt

Theses and Dissertations

This paper describes an action research question focused on how explicit instruction in reading, coupled with culturally responsive teaching, can affect the confidence levels of African-American male ninth graders regarding their reading comprehension abilities. The research question seeks to illustrate the benefits of using explicit instruction in the context of materials seen as relevant by the student to unpack each step of the reading comprehension process thereby engaging students who otherwise view reading as a streamlined, passive process; it also uses teacher modeling to show how to increase reading comprehension, Also, classroom instruction on the secondary level makes use of …

An Evidence-Based Evaluation Tool To Assist Healthcare Providers In Their Assessment Of Effective Mhealth Applications For The Management Of Chronic Health Conditions, Sara Belle Donevant

Theses and Dissertations

Mobile health (mHealth) apps are considered a viable option to improve chronic disease management. Healthcare providers are now recommending mHealth apps for patient use to assist in managing chronic diseases. However, healthcare providers may have difficulty locating effective, evidence-based mHealth apps for patients as there are currently over 325,000 available health apps (Research2Guidance, 2017). Limited evaluation tools are available to assist healthcare providers in this process. Therefore, our goal was to develop an online mHealth evaluation tool to assist healthcare providers in the selection of evidence-based mHealth apps.

After creating a comprehensive pool of mHealth features, healthcare providers provided feedback …

Development Of A Supplier’S Delivery Time And Delivered Quality Performance Index And Assessment Of Alternative Decisions Regarding Underperforming Suppliers For The Aerospace Industry, Clint Saidy

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates current practices of supplier’s delivery assessment so that a comprehensive index and a cost function model could be properly developed. Following a thorough literature review, a framework was created based on a penalty cost function that integrates both suppliers’ ability to deliver on time, as well as suppliers’ capability to deliver good quality. Afterward, suppliers could then be ranked and placed either in good standing, or transversely on probation. Underperforming suppliers face three potential outcomes based on current literature: (1) switching supplier, (2) increase collaboration, (3) maintaining the status quo. The decision vis-à-vis failing suppliers is based …

Assessment Of Upper Cretaceous Strata For Offshore Co2 Storage: Southeastern United States, Khaled F. Almutairi

Theses and Dissertations

This is the first assessment of Upper Cretaceous strata for offshore CO2 storage resources in the southeastern United States outer continental shelf. This research focuses on Upper Cretaceous geological units using legacy industry 2-D seismic reflection and well data. It provides an integrated description and reliable subsurface evaluation of Upper Cretaceous potential storage reservoirs. In addition, it provides a detailed evaluation on how rock porosities and permeabilities are distributed across the Upper Cretaceous strata restricted to the South Georgia Embayment (SGE). Structure and thickness (isochore) maps were generated for the main potential reservoirs and seals on a regional and local …

A Mixed Method Feasibility Assessment Of A Youth Participatory Action Research Program To Promote Physical Activity: Evaluating Implementation Within Two Pre-Existing Aftercare Programs Serving Middle School Youth, Michelle Abraczinskas

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity interventions to date have had small effects, which may be due to youth disengagement. In youth participatory action research (YPAR), youth become involved in research to make changes that impact their lives. Thus, integrating YPAR into a physical activity intervention, like we do in the current study, is a novel strategy to engage youth and increase empowerment for health behavior change. YPAR is typically implemented with high school youth, standalone, and within elective classrooms or focused after school programs; yet, YPAR can benefit all youth, so we expanded its reach into pre-existing aftercare programs. Participating youth were predominantly minority, …

Assessment Of An Educational Intervention To Increase Knowledge And Intention To Take Hpv Vaccine And Cervical Cancer Screening In Nigeria, Chigozie Anastacia Nkwonta

Theses and Dissertations

Nigeria has some of the highest rates of cervical cancer morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Both the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) and cervical screening are effective prevention strategies against both HPV infection and cervical cancer. Lack of awareness, limited knowledge, limited decision-making agency, lack of spousal support and stigma are barriers to uptake of these preventive measures. Given patriarchal structures and norms through which men control family resources and dominate decisions, male involvement in initiatives aimed at improving sexual and reproductive health is necessary. Community-based health education is an effective intervention to improve knowledge and reduce stigma. The aim …