Digital Commons Network^™

An Investigation Into The Implementation Of The Instructional Consultation Team Model, Kathleen A. Senita

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004 made Response to Intervention (RtI) an acceptable alternative for identifying students with specific learning disabilities (SLD). The purpose of this study was to examine one particular problem-solving approach, Instructional Consultation (IC) teams within an RtI framework, to determine the knowledge, skills, and beliefs of teachers and administrators about this model and its effect in identifying and supporting students with learning disabilities between two elementary schools in one Michigan school district.

Interviews were done with a typical case sampling of interviewees from within both buildings. Interviewees were both participants …

Do Wetland Characteristics, Specifically Plant Communities, Surface Water, And Soils Play A Significant Role In Whooping Crane (Grus Americana) Site Selection?, Kristin Marie Bahleda

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

To examine the relationship of environmental conditions and their effect on Whooping crane (Grus americana) nest site selection; wetland soils, plant community structure and surface water quality were analyzed throughout nineteen established nest sites and twenty non-nesting wetland sites. Due to past fire management throughout the refuge, the effects of fire history were also investigated by comparing burned (n=17) and un-burned (n=22) areas.

A multi-dimensional scaling analysis did not detect significant differences in plant community structure between nest and non-nesting sites, but did find a significant difference with respect to time since last burn. Soil parameters were not …

A Mixed Methods Study Of The Beliefs And Attitudes Of Teachers Regarding The Developmental Appropriateness Of Technology In Early Childhood, Brandi-Lyn Mendham

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In this study, teacher self-efficacy regarding technology use was examined. Data from a sample of teachers were analyzed to determine the degree to which these educators felt comfortable and confident with the infusion of technology in their practice. Additionally, the beliefs and attitudes these educators held toward the developmental appropriateness of technology were analyzed to determine if the level of integration in their classrooms was impacted by these beliefs and attitudes. This study analyzed surveys from 41 teachers (preschool and kindergarten) along with interviews of six participating teachers in the West Shore Educational Service District region in Michigan. Four of …

Visual Attention Shifting In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Annette E. Richard

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Much research to date has been devoted to understanding the neurocognitive abnormalities characteristic of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Abnormalities in visual attention are particularly notable in ASD and have the potential to inform an understanding of the aberrant neural networks underlying this disorder. The current study utilized a model integrating components of both a two-stage model of perceptual binding and Posner's model of attention in order to provide a coherent account of previous findings of both enhanced and impaired visual attention abilities in ASD. To investigate a potential deficit in attention shifting underlying a variety of observed attentional abnormalities in …

Human Common Fragile Site Fra16d Flexibility Peak Is Not A Strong Mitotic: Recombination Hotspot In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Katina G. Kapellas

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Common fragile sites (CFS) are areas of the genome that tend to break when DNA replication is stressed or partially inhibited. Breaks at CFS can lead to gene deletions and amplifications that can result in the genesis of cancer cells. There is controversy about the mechanism of CFS instability. This study examines whether an AT-rich sequence called a flexibility peak from FRA16D can induce mitotic recombination events that lead to loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome III in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two experimental yeast strains containing flexibility peak Flex1-(AT)15 from FRA16D were compared to a control strain lacking the Flex1 …

The Impact Of Racial Identity On Perceived Microaggressions, Racial Socialization And Psychological Outcomes, Terrence Harper Ii

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The negative psychological consequences of racial prejudice and discrimination in the lives of African Americans have been well documented. Recently, researchers have investigated how racial identity status attitudes may influence the perception of discrimination (i.e., it has been suggested that racial identity may act as a buffer against experiencing negative affect as a consequence of exposure to racial discrimination). While this hypothesis has received increased attention in the literature of late, current studies testing said hypothesis have not examined this association by using the recent advances in the conceptualization of subtle discrimination (i.e., microaggressions). As such, the purpose of this …

Determination Of Thiamine In Solution By Uv-Visible Spectrophotometry: The Effect Of Interactions With Gold Nanoparticles, Michael Vincent Zielinski

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The method presented here provides the foundation for a simple and selective qualitative determination of thiamine in solution. Gold nanoparticles in the presence of thiamine results in the formation of a secondary peak in the absorbance spectrum of the mixture. This peak can be used as an indicator of thiamine, which is useful for the qualitative analysis of solutions, and may provide an alternative to other methods for evaluating thiamine in blood and other biological systems. This method uses gold nanoparticles of a size around 20 to 30 nm and involves their selective interaction with thiamine, compared to selected amino …

Design, Synthesis And Evaluation Of Small Molecules As Inhibitors Of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1, Darshani Avanthi Weerakoon

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) is a member of the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) superfamily. Excessive levels of PAI-1 inhibit urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), which regulates fibrinolysis as well as the development of different pathological diseases like obesity, metabolic syndrome, tumor invasion and metastasis, and coronary heart disease. Currently, there is no Food and Drug Administration approval for inactivating higher levels of PAI-1. Therefore, PAI-1 is considered an attractive drug target. Due to PAI-1’s different structural conformations and multiple binding domains, development of PAI-1 inhibitors is a challenging situation. In this research study, we describe …

Study Of Intuitive Eating Ratings And Self-Efficacy Differences In Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (Pcos), Meaghan Ormsby Schillinger

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder, which if left untreated can lead to infertility and diabetes.

Objective: To determine whether women with PCOS who practice intuitive eating skills are more confident in sustaining healthy lifestyle changes.

Methods: A web-based survey was completed by 120 women with PCOS. Bivariate associations between the self-efficacy and intuitive eating scales was investigated using scatterplots, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and a simple linear regression model. Ratings on the intuitive eating scale were dichotomized as high or low and self-efficacy ratings were compared.

Results: Of the 120 responses, 89% of …

The Influence Of Cumulative Risk Factors On The Cognitive Abilities Of Low-Income, African- American Preschool Children, Cassandra L. Esposito

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A large number of children are exposed to multiple risk factors within the first 3 years of life, resulting in poorer child developmental outcomes. Additionally, exposure to multiple risks is especially prevalent in low-income populations. Several studies have found that multiple maternal and biological risks such as maternal depression, physical health or illness, other sociodemographic risks, and low birth weight lead to poor child outcomes, such as lower cognitive achievement at preschool age. The current study investigated the influence of both maternal and infant biological risks in a cumulative risk model on predicting preschool children’s cognitive outcomes. Hierarchical multiple regression …

A Phallic Play: Examining 5Th Century Cultural References To Illuminate Aristophanes' Appeal For Peace To A Modern Audience, Gary Sean Pettit

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Aristophanes’ Lysistrata is a popular work for contemporary production. Written in 411 BCE, the work explores what happens when the females of Athens participate in a sex strike in order to coerce the males to end the Peloponnesian War. By exploring cultural references to symbols in Lysistrata, mainly the phallus, this article seeks to convey the vehemence with which Aristophanes was advocating for an end of the Peloponnesian war and to demonstrate to theatre practitioners that Lysistrata is unique in its rhetoric about war and its destructive force on society. By understanding these significant cultural references, a modern director …

Young Children's Enjoyment Of Physical Activity, Samantha Renae Hudson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Young children are currently understudied in the area of physical activity enjoyment. Since young children lack the cognitive skills which motivate many adults to participate in physical activity, they have a unique need for specialized intervention programs. The present study explores how enjoyment of physical activity in young children is related to their actual levels of physical activity. Modified versions of the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) were used to discover if such a relationship exists in kindergarten students from a multi-ethnic, suburban elementary school. While no significant correlation was found …

"For 'Tis Your Thoughts That Now Must Deck Our Kings": Affect In Shakespearean Performance, Elizabeth Dieterich

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Because Shakespeare’s plays have been performed consistently for four hundred years, Shakespearean performance is in an ideal position to demonstrate how performance transmits the meanings of texts. This thesis argues that performances of Shakespeare’s plays create meaning through the transmission of affect. Renaissance conventions of audience-actor engagement were based on character tropes and staging practices of medieval theater, to which audiences responded viscerally. To illustrate these responses, I draw upon 3 Henry VI and Richard III. I then examine Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It for their treatment of representation, empathy, and the power of …

A Comparative Study Of Commercially Available Comfort Fabrics, Melinda Elizabeth Finnie

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The comfort fabric market continues to grow and become more competitive. Consumers expect their active wear to deliver performance beyond simply being a barrier between their body and the environment. Textile manufacturers have taken notice, and there is a wide range of comfort fabrics on the market. This research tests fabric samples from leading comfort fabric technologies: phase change materials, nanotechnology, modified fiber structure and blends, as well as the original comfort fiber, cotton. The most widely recognized comfort fabric properties concern the thermal and moisture management of a fabric. Using a guarded sweating hot plate, standardized test methods, and …

Visuomotor Adaptation In Older Adults With And Without Cognitive Impairment, Jeffrey Schaffert

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Even in early stages, dementia can cause motor declines, hindering the ability to carry out tasks encountered in daily living. Error-driven learning processes are believed to be central to visuomotor adaptation. Research has shown that increasing error feedback may enhance adaptation in neurologically damaged participants. Some literature on dementia and motor learning has indicated that demented patients have a tendency to rely more on sensory feedback for movement control. This study examined augmentation of error feedback in elderly controls and cognitively impaired individuals. A center-out visuomotor adaptation task assessed motor learning in two experimental conditions: normal and enlarged error feedback. …

Connecting Teaching Practice To Student Efficacy In Undergraduate Mathematics, Sandra Becker

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Academic efficacy plays a critical role in student success in math learning at all levels due to its impact on persistence, motivation, and academic performance. This research aimed to connect student efficacy with key aspects of the instructional environment in six undergraduate math classes. Student surveys indicated significant differences in mean efficacy between classes, as well as significant differences in student perceptions of teacher behavior between the efficacy groups. Findings from observations of the classes revealed that key aspects of the instructional discourse varied by efficacy group. Instructors in higher efficacy classes tended to have more personal connections with students …

Assessment Of Users' Information Security Behavior In Smartphone Networks, Mohammadjafar Esmaeili

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

With the exponential growth of smartphone usage, providing information security has become one of the main challenges that researchers and information-security specialists must consider. In contrast to traditional mobile phones that only enable people to talk and text, smartphone networks give users a variety of convenient functions such as connection to the Internet, online shopping, e-mail and social media, data storage, global positioning systems, and many other applications. Providing security in smartphone networks is critical for the overall information security of individuals and businesses. Smartphone networks could become vulnerable to security breaches if users do not practice safe behaviors such …

Characterization Of Winter Microbial Communities In The Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia Purpurea), Reid Jeffrey Tornquist

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Carnivorous pitcher plants trap insects in cone-shaped leaves and digest them to gain vital nutrients. For digestion to occur, plants in the genus Sarracenia require mutualistic microorganisms living in their leaves. Few studies have examined how these communities change over time. This study specifically examines the bacterial composition in the most widely distributed species, Sarracenia purpurea, in the winter. The leaves of this plant species live for several years, and it is unknown whether microbes overwinter in pitcher fluid or if community structure must be reestablished each spring. This study aims to characterize the winter microbiome in two population …

Making Youth Matter: Exclusion And Its Impact On The School Lives Of African-American Students, Celeste L. Hawkins

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation study explored how exclusion and marginalization in schools impact the lives of low-income African-American students. The study focused on the perspectives of youth attending both middle and high schools in Michigan, and investigated how students who have experienced forms of exclusion in their K–12 schooling viewed their educational experiences. In addition to the voices of youth, the perspectives of parents, social workers, and coaches were presented and analyzed. Key themes that emerged from the study were lack of care, lack of belonging, disrupted education, debilitating discipline, the need for language diversity, and persistence and resilience. These themes …

Can Videogames Be Addicting? An Investigation Into The Specific Game Features And Personal Characteristics Associated With Problematic Videogame Playing, Gregory Pouliot

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The number of individuals who play videogames has increased dramatically in recent years. Unsurprisingly, the frequency with which patients seek psychotherapeutic services to help cope with problematic videogame playing (PVGP) behaviors has also risen. Thus, explorations into the specific characteristics of PVGP are essential now more than ever before. However, the current state of the literature primarily relies on comparisons between PVGP and pathological gambling, utilizing modified measures of the latter to assess the former. To date, no studies have attempted to adapt the diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder (SUD) in an effort to understand PVGP within the context …

Academic Service-Learning’S Impact On Students’ Social Capital, Megan Jean Anderson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines whether there is a relationship between social capital and participation in academic service-learning courses within higher education. Through designing, implementing, and analyzing a survey which was given to students enrolled in courses with an academic service-learning component at Eastern Michigan University (n=127), the role between these two variables was tested. Social capital was measured through the total number of relationships formed at participants’ academic service learning site, whether these relationships were strong or weak ties; the frequency of interaction with said ties; and individuals who could be used as a reference. Results suggest the number of individuals …

Voices Of Adolescents: A Phenomenological Study Of Relational Encounters And Their Significance Within The School Setting, Clayton Werner Hall

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored adolescent perceptions of affirming and disaffirming relational encounters within the school setting. The meanings students constructed about their interpersonal experiences with teachers, counselors, and support staff were examined in relation to Buber’s existential I-Thou relational encounter. In addition to the work of phenomenological philosopher Merleau-Ponty, existential educators Maxine Greene and Donald Vandenberg and the writings of relational- and care-oriented educators such as Nel Noddings also informed the conceptual framework of the study.

The voices of individual youth and how they perceive, attach meaning to, and integrate relational encounters into their understandings of the world around them …

The Impact Of Experiential Avoidance On The Relationships Among Military Sexual Trauma, Excessive Behaviors, And Health-Related Outcomes In Female Veterans, Natalie Kate Nugent

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) as defined in United States Public Law, refers to inappropriate sexual conduct, assault, or harassment experienced by a military service member during his or her course of active duty or active duty for training (38 U.S.C. § 1720D). MST has emerged as a distinct form of trauma, resulting in different and often more severe sequelae than other forms of civilian sexual assault and/or non-sexual trauma. This study sought to explore the potential moderating and mediating roles of experiential avoidance on the relationship between MST and health outcomes in an attempt to identify a unifying mechanism through …

Technological, Organizational, And Environmental Factors Affecting The Adoption Of Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (Erp) Systems, John Njenga Kinuthia

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences between organizations that adopted Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (Cloud ERP) systems and organizations that did not adopt Cloud ERP systems based on the Technological, Organizational, and Environmental (TOE) factors. Relevant technological factors were identified as relative advantage of Cloud ERP systems, compatibility of Cloud ERP systems, and security concern of Cloud ERP system environment. Organizational factors included top management support, organizational readiness, size of the organization, centralization, and formalization. External environment factors were identified as competitive pressure and vendor support.

A survey was developed using constructs from existing studies of …

Influence Of Athlete Heart Rate, Rate Of Perceived Exertion, And Anxiety In Rowing Practice And Competition, Katherine Skrlj Krengel

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a significant correlation between heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) in rowing, how athlete perception of pre-race anxiety relates to HR and RPE, and how these variables change between practice and competition. Four subjects were tested over the course of their rowing season for somatic and cognitive anxiety, self-confidence, HR, and RPE in three different 2000 meter racing conditions: indoor ergometer, on-water racing, and on-water practice. There was no correlation between HR and RPE, and only maximum HR showed a difference between trial types. Studying more …

Design, Synthesis, And Biological Evaluation Of Non-Symmetric Smal, Himabindu Anumala

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a member of the serpin family of proteins, a primary inhibitor of both tissue-type and urokinase-type plasminogen activators in plasma, and is a well-established risk factor in various disease conditions. Increased levels of active PAI-1 in plasma are correlated with the development of atherosclerosis, diabetes, stroke, and other maladies. In the present study, we describe the synthesis of two new series of compounds that aim to reduce physiologically active PAI-1 levels. These molecules are related to a series of bis-arylsulfonimides and arylsulfonamides connected by short linking diamines, and to a series of hydrazine-based analogues. These …

The Effectiveness Of St. Joseph Mercy Center For Diabetes Education Program At One And Two Years Post Education, Clisty Kinlin

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Diabetes is a disease of the endocrine system characterized by hyperglycemia, which can lead to multiple microvascular and macrovascular complications. Successful control of blood glucose levels can decrease associated complications.

Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of nutrition and lifestyle interventions in people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A retrospective study reviewed laboratory data of individuals that attended the St. Joseph Mercy Center for Diabetes education program. HbA1c and lipid value were evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the program.

Results: Baseline HbA1c for all groups was 8.33%. Post-Program HbA1c was 6.70%, showing a 1.63% (p<0.0001) reduction from Baseline to Post-Program. There was a significant reduction in HbA1c of 1.4% (p<0.0001) for all groups from Baseline to 2-years Post-Program. Lipid levels did not show a significant change from Baseline to Post-Program, however, lipid levels reached target levels and continued to improve through 2-years Post-Program.

Conclusion: This …

An Examination Of Ideology Among Selected K12 Christian School Superintendents, Jimmy Dolson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This research project focused on explaining the decision-making process of K12 Christian school superintendents who were members of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) organization. In spite of similar religious and philosophical beliefs, it was observed that ACSI K12 Christian school superintendents differed significantly in organizational decision-making.This dissertation investigated the construct of ideology as a possible explanation of this phenomenon. This project attempted to explain the ideology of selected Christian school superintendents, uncover the formation of ideology throughout life, and demonstrate usage ideology in organizational decision-making.

This study used a qualitative research methodology with narrative analysis in the phenomenological …

Physiological Measures Differentiate Distinct Domains Of Immanent Justice Reasoning, Reino L. Bruner

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Just-world theory research investigates how an individual's world-view influences his/her behavior when confronted with injustice. The purpose of the present study was to examine the utility of multiple continual physiological measurements as predictors of just-world motivated behavior such as immanent justice reasoning (IJR) in a replication of Callan, Ellard, and Nicol's (2006) study. Participants (N=109) were assigned to one of two narrative groups - either an adulterous scenario or a non-adulterous scenario. It was hypothesized that levels of IJR would be higher in the justice-threat than the non-threat condition, and that measures of physiological arousal would predict IJR. Results show …

The Damned, The Bad, And The Ugly: Our Society's Bad (And Occasionally Sinister) Habit Of Using Villains To Label, Deter, And Other, Lacey Danielle Hoffman

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

As the most dynamic characters within a plot, villains have the ability to initiate change. To demonstrate the effect a villain can have, I have chosen two very different villains of popular culture—Theodora of Oz the Great and Powerful and the Joker of The Dark Knight—because these characters have a wide reach among the American audience. Theodora is a onedimensional villain whose lack of depth fails to prompt the audience to think critically and perpetuates the patriarchal issues portrayed in the film. The Joker, however, is captivating because he is complex and pushes the reader to think critically …