Digital Commons Network^™

The Ongoing Search For Democracy: A Comparative Analysis Of Racial Equality In Cuba And The United States, Michael T. Siderio Jr.

Honors Student Research

This Capstone Project is structured as a comparative analysis of the fight for racial equality for Afro-Cubans in Cuba and how it compares to racial equality for African Americans in the United States, specifically focusing on contemporary issues relating to employment and economic opportunities, as well as police brutality. Historical background will be given on each topic within the scope of racial equality, and a comparative analysis on how they are similar and how they differ will also be provided. The overarching goal of the research on historical background and doing the comparative analysis is to synthesize both respective movements …

The International Academy Of Language And Culture: The Global (Pre)K-12 Charter School Network, Dree-El Simmons

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The International Academy of Language and Culture (IALC) is a charter school based on the original concept of charter schools by Ray Budde and Albert Shanker, as an academic environment dedicated and designed to improving the educational outcomes for its students through innovative pedagogy. Committed to American (and global) education reform, the IALC incorporates elements from higher education into the early childhood and adolescent settings. We accomplish this by utilizing an interdisciplinary approach in our language and culture-based program.

The IALC is a multilingual, full-immersion program. Food Studies (including culinary arts), the Arts, the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Martial Arts …

Addressing Systemic Inequities: A Psychoeducational Group For Advocating For African Americans, Jaree' Barnwell

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This paper will discuss and describe the development of an open psychoeducational group that will empower people of the community through education to advocate for African American/Black people within institutions that may perpetuate barriers. Acknowledging that one in four people struggle with mental health issues, it is imperative to consider an appropriate treatment modality that destigmatizes mental health and equips participants with information. This group is especially relevant as one in three African Americans, who struggle with mental health concerns, will never receive the appropriate care comparatively afforded to white populations. This thesis will concisely discuss the education system, the …

Badger State Nationalism: World War I, The Ku Klux Klan, And The Politics Of 'Americanism' In 1915-1930 Wisconsin, William Levi

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The Ku Klux Klan is most synonymous with racism and religious bigotry, especially during the revival period of the 1920s. What is often less understood is the aggressively nationalist nature of the Klan, which in some locales proved to be its most potent symbol and recruiting tool, epitomized by the use of the American flag and the ‘100% Americanism’ slogan. In Wisconsin, where entry into World War I was least popular in 1917, the following months saw a series of ‘loyalty struggles’ develop; many Wisconsinites regretted their early lack of support and sought to prove their loyalty and patriotism to …

Breaking The Cycle: An Analysis Of The Reduction Of Single Women In The Homeless Community, Luisa J. Lamagra

Honors Projects

An analysis of homelessness with particular attention to King County and a focus on single women. This paper aims to address gender disparities in housing prioritization and homeless reduction solutions while suggesting gender-conscious policies and programs. The current system of housing prioritization is aiming to be neutral; yet it falls to the side of white, cisgender, heterosexual men. Single women without children have specific needs that are not met because the absence of children in their lives makes them insignificant, which feeds into the cyclical nature of chronic homelessness. By analyzing the specific pathways that women take into homelessness, this …

A Correlational Investigation Of Black Females’ Education And Their Reproductive Health, Angela Marie Holliday

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Research supports that people who dropout of high school do substantially worse than those who graduate (Anderson & Pörtner, 2014) based upon research on the consequences of dropping out of high school. High school dropouts “earn less, report lower levels of happiness, commit more crimes, and suffer from poorer health” (Anderson & Pörtner, 2014, p. 113). Dropout rates have a massive impact on employment rates, individual earnings, and crime rates (thinkimpact.com, 2020, para. 7). Students who dropout of high school “face social stigma, fewer job opportunities, lower salaries, and higher probability of involvement with the criminal justice system” (Mass. Dept. …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of A Life-Skills Program In A Florida Prison Through A Social Bond And General Strain Theory Perspective, Danielle M. Thomas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prison programs have existed for decades; however, recent attention towards prison reform has raised awareness of the importance of correctional education. Research has shown that many of these programs are highly effective for incarcerated individuals in that program participation is likely to decrease recidivism and increase post-release employment success. Using in-depth interviews with 40 currently incarcerated men – 20 of whom participated in a 2-year prison program (the LIFERS program) and 20 who did not – and matched institutional records for visitation and disciplinary infractions, this study expands on the current research by assessing additional measures of program efficacy, including …

The Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Young Adults Who Have Transitioned Out Of State Or Other Care, Linda Rose Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOver 20,000 young adults are released from state care annually and 100,000 young adults are released from justice centers. Past studies have revealed that young adults 18-24 years of age transitioning out of care are not prepared for independent living and may face many adversities. The problem is that young adults have difficulties finding permanent housing once emancipated from state care, their biological homes, or juvenile justice centers. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of young adults 18-24 years of age and how their experiences and life skills helped on their journey to acquire …

When Punishment Doesn’T Work: The Ideology And Infrastructure Of Restorative Justice In Public Schools, Anna R. Schupack

Senior Projects Spring 2022

Using interview data collected over a span of three months, this project serves as a case study and critique of the recent orientation toward restorative justice as an alternative to a punitive orientation and as a means to address racially disproportionate suspension rates in schools. In this paper, I argue that the attempts we see today to address disproportionate suspension rates and opt for less punitive methods of governance, in general, do little to undo a history of punitive discipline which upholds racial, economic, and gendered hierarchies. I am less concerned with the individual intention of every actor within the …

Providers’ Perceptions Of Chiropractic Care In Treatment Of Opioid Addiction, Rebekah Jan Khan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fifteen hundred people in the United States die each week from opioid-related overdoses. In addition, the U.S. court system has been inundated with individuals facing legal proceedings, with opioid addiction, impacted competency, and recidivism. There has been a call for alternatives to address the crisis. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of (addiction) providers regarding chiropractic treatment in the management of opioid addiction. The health belief theory was used to guide the study. Interview data were collected from six participants via Zoom or phone. Thematic analysis resulted in four emergent themes: lack of knowledge of …

Secondary Students’ Perspective On Relationships And Belonging Within A High School Implementing Tier One Restorative Practice: A Secondary Data Analysis, Olivia L. Mauro

UVM Patrick Leahy Honors College Senior Theses

Restorative Approaches are a foundational mindset adopted in schools that focus on fostering relationships and building a unified community that, in turn, mitigates harmful and negative behavior. Restorative Practice is a positive, school-wide intervention system often implemented within K-12 schools fitted into multiple, fluid tiers for the purpose of providing increasing support throughout its levels. At its universal level, Restorative Practice aims to build a school-wide community. From a restorative perspective, this can be achieved through establishing high, consistent expectations, using affective language, and holding Community Building Circles. This secondary study and thesis aim to add to the literature by …

Cultural Competence And Motivation To Control Prejudiced Reactions Of Criminal Justice Students: A Survey Methods Approach, Carole Marguerite Byrd

Theses & Dissertations

Implicit bias and discrimination in the police department can lead to devastating effects for people of color in racially diverse urban and suburban areas. However, there is very little research on the racial attitudes and assumptions that aspiring police recruits and other criminal justice professionals have about people of color who reside in inner cities and diverse communities. This study focused on assessing cultural awareness and motivation to control prejudiced reactions in a self-selected group of criminal justice undergraduate college students to see what bias they may have prior to entering the police department. Students completed a survey that included …

Aceptación Del Docente Sobre El Uso Del Aprendizaje Móvil En Una Escuela Del Área Sur De Puerto Rico, Luis Adán Berríos Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

En Puerto Rico existe una implementación limitada del aprendizaje móvil como estrategia en las escuelas públicas. Existen factores que pueden afectar esta implementación como la utilidad percibida, la capacidad de auto prepararse, la intención de uso, la facilidad de uso, las actitudes del maestro, sus creencias constructivistas, las barreras tecnológicas y el apoyo de la institución. Estos criterios pueden establecer el nivel de aceptación por parte de los maestros y por qué la implementación del aprendizaje móvil como estrategia pedagógica es limitada en dichas escuelas. El propósito de este estudio consiste en determinar el nivel de aceptación del aprendizaje móvil …

The Mediating Effect Of Parental Involvement On Peer Influence And Belongingness On Adolescent Educational Aspirations, Thavy Van Garst

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Parental involvement has been found to be a significant influence in determining whether adolescents are more likely to succeed academically (Georgiou & Tourva, 2007). Amongst other influences, parental involvement has been shown to impact the ability to resist negative peer influence. Additionally, having a sense of belongingness influences the probability that an adolescent will aspire to achieve higher educational aspirations (Bouchard & Berg, 2017). However, researchers have yet to examine the combination of the importance of belongingness and the impact of positive peer influence on adolescents' educational aspirations. The present study aimed to investigate whether parental involvement had a significant …

Three Essays In Public Economics, Joylynn Michelle Pruitt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation presents three chapters related to each other in their application to public economics. In the study of how utility-maximizing or goal-seeking units achieve economic outcomes, this dissertation presents results for a diverse range of agents including prosecutors and liberal arts colleges. Co-authored with Dr. Bryan McCannon of West Virginia University, the first chapter examines an interesting feature of prosecutor elections, where the pool of potential challengers to an incumbent comes primarily from subordinates within the office. We develop a signaling model that analyzes whether entry into the political race by a subordinate provides voters with useful information. In …