Digital Commons Network^™

Are We Safe Yet? Re-Evaluation Of The Performance Diagnostic Checklist-Safety (Pdc-Safety), Nelmar Jacinto Cruz

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the utility of the Performance Diagnostic Checklist- Safety (PDC-Safety) (Martinez-Onstott, Wilder, & Sigurdsson, 2016) by comparing the effectiveness of a PDC-Safety indicated intervention with a PDC-Safety nonindicated intervention. The interventions targeted participants’ hand washing behavior at a clinic serving children with intellectual disabilities. Failure to wash hands at appropriate times could pose health risks to both behavior technicians and clients, so efforts should be made to increase the likelihood of hand washing. The results of the PDC-Safety suggested that the antecedents and information domain was most problematic. First, a non-indicated intervention, which included access to additional materials …

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 …

Teaching To Assess: An Evaluation Of Assessment Education For Secondary Teacher Candidates, Daniel M. Frederking

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the assessment instruction of a four-year undergraduate secondary education program and its alignment to the teaching standards and the summative teacher licensure assessment. Document analyses were conducted on the program’s syllabi as well as the assessment portions of the InTASC standards and the handbook of the edTPA. Results highlighted several areas of misalignment in the areas of categorical concurrence, depth of knowledge, and range of knowledge. Also of note, preservice teachers in different secondary subject areas are receiving different amounts of assessment instruction. Additionally, local edTPA data was examined to highlight areas of strength and weakness. Students …

A Curriculum Review Of A Construction Management Program For Consideration Of Accreditation By The American Council For Construction Education, Thomas Michael Leathem

Theses and Dissertations

The Building Construction Science program at Mississippi State University is undergoing a major curriculum review and revision process in preparation for accreditation by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE). This will be the program’s first attempt at accreditation in its 10-year history. None of the faculty in the program have ever been through an accreditation – making the process more challenging. What’s more, the accrediting body recently adopted an outcomes-based approach to curriculum review that hinges on programs demonstrating student achievement of 20 different student learning outcomes. These outcomes have been recognized by many as ambiguous and difficult to …

Performance Self-Appraisal Calibration Of Esl Students On A Proficiency Reading Test, Jodi Mikolajcik Petersen

Theses and Dissertations

Self-assessment as a placement measure or accurate assessment of skill has been scrutinized in previous research. Findings have shown a general human tendency towards overconfidence in performance (Kruger & Dunning, 1999). This study looks at performance self-appraisals in an ESL population, with participants from varying cultural backgrounds. Performance self-appraisal calibration is a measure of the relationship between an examinee's perceived skill (or confidence) and their actual skill (or ability) on a given exam item (Phakiti, 2016). Being well-calibrated is an indication that test takers know their strengths and weaknesses and thus the difference between confidence and ability is minimal, whereas …

Measuring The Reliability Of The Early Expository Comprehension Assessment, Revised 3rd Edition, Garrett Frane Wilkes

Theses and Dissertations

During the past several years, the Common Core State Standards has created a greater demand for students in public schools to comprehend and analyze expository text. In order to prepare students for work with expository text, beginning with kindergarten, more emphasis and standards have become prevalent in preschool classrooms as well. The Early Expository Comprehension Assessment, Revised 3rd Edition (EECA R-3) was developed to aid preschool teachers in determining what aspects of expository text a student understands, including recognition of different structure types. This study with the EECA R-3 extends previous studies using earlier iterations of the assessment. One hundred …

Looking Past The Spark To Find The Fuel Of The Arab Spring Fire, Luke M. Brantley

Theses and Dissertations

The field of statistical conflict prediction addresses region-wide analysis in eras of stable conflict and peace. This study improves upon those prediction rates in times of volatile conflict and peace seen during the Arab Spring of 2011 to 2015. During this time, higher rates of conflict transition in certain Middle Eastern and North African countries occurred than normally observed in previous studies. Due to the fact that previous prediction models decrease in accuracy during times of volatile conflict transition and since the proper strategy for handling the Arab Spring has been highly debated, this study considers alterations to previous studies …

Changes In Teacher Thinking And Action In Response To The Next Generation Science Standards, Angela R. Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the role of K-12 science teachers’ understandings and perceptions of the Next Generation Science Standards, implementation of the new standards in the classroom, and potential barriers to implementation as reform stakeholders had envisioned. Grounded in the relevant literature and working from the Teacher-Centered System Reform framework, this study employed a quantitative approach to data collection. The TCSR Model framed this study by linking teachers’ demographic and professional profile, teaching experience, professional development, district-level, school-level, and classroom-level contexts and illuminates the dynamic effect the factors have on teachers’ thinking and their practice. The study recognizes teachers’ knowledge and …

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 …

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 …

Student Evaluations Of Teaching: Perceptions Of Faculty Knowledge And Their Relation To Learning, Donald L. Gruendler Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The majority of student evaluations of teaching (SET) related studies repeatedly consider matters related to the creation and validity of an assessment tool, as well as the validity, and reliability of SET scores. Not only to determine the usefulness of teaching; but also, the possible sources of student biases related thereto as well (Hofman & Kremer, 1980; Abrami & Mizener, 1983; Tollefson et al., 1989). However, limited research studies have considered SET and their relation to student learning outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify what relationships, if any, exists between the grade undergraduate college students; predict …

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 …

Improving Accounting Education, Frances Ruth Woolfolk

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines and explores the potential of active teaching methods inside and outside the classroom. This literature review analyzes studies of accounting programs in different countries including the United States. The previous literature suggest that students perform better through active methods of teaching, rather than the traditional form of teaching in accounting programs. The findings also suggest that active teaching methods better prepare students for field work in accounting versus the traditional teaching methods. This analysis has two implications for accounting education. First, it provides a deeper understanding for the need of experiential learning in accounting degree programs. Second, …