Digital Commons Network^™

Growth Mindset: A Key To Motivating Students In Reading, Jenny M. Reid

Masters Theses

If students believe the possibilities for attaining knowledge are boundless, they will be capable of reaching those heights. However, if students feel as though they are restricted by what nature and genetics have gifted them, their learning will remain within those boundaries. This is what stands as the difference between a growth and fixed mindset, which affects will be analyzed pertaining to student progress and motivation in literacy. A third-grade class was observed over six weeks to explore what the teacher believes about her students’ reading abilities as well as what the students believe about their reading abilities. These beliefs …

Construct Validity Of The Behavior Assessment System For Children-Third Edition Teacher Rating Scales (Basc-3 Trs): Comparisons With The Adjustment Scales For Children And Adolescents (Asca), Shannon Burback

Masters Theses

The Behavior Assessment Scale for Children-Third Edition Teacher Rating Scale Child Form (BASC-3 TRS-C) and the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA) are both teacher rating scales which may be used by school psychologist to assess youth behavior problems. The BASC, BASC-2, and BASC-3 have limited replicated research of the studies reported in their respective manuals. Therefore, it was important to empirically compare the BASC-3 TRS-C with the ASCA to examine construct validity (convergent, discriminant, and divergent) as there were, at present, no published studies replicating BASC-3 Manual research. The present study analyzed BASC-3 TRS-C and ACSA ratings which …

Growing Pains: Self-Efficacy Development In Resident Assistants, Zachary King

Masters Theses

This qualitative study examined the perspectives of Resident Assistants’ (RAs) in terms of job responsibilities, the interplay between job tasks and self-efficacy, and mitigating factors that impact the RAs self-efficacy. Mastery experiences, verbal persuasions, and staff dynamic were perceived as the primary mitigating factors that positively and negatively impact a Resident Assistant’s self-efficacy. Although not shared by all the participants, other migrating factors included vicarious experiences and physiological/affective states. Student affairs professionals should focus on the impact of staff dynamic, the why and how tasks are completed, and placing a greater emphasis on recognizing the work of resident assistants. It …

Transitional Experiences Of Post-Secondary Students With Non-Disclosed Disabilities, Sierra E. Headrick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the transitional experiences of undergraduate students with non-disclosed disabilities and gain insight on the intentions of students choosing the route of non-disclosure in higher education. It was found that students with non-disclosed disabilities have significant challenges with managing their workloads and stress in their transition into college. Additionally, changes in support from high school to college have a significant influence on self-disclosure of disabilities. With parental guidance lacking from the participants’ support systems in post-secondary education, it was found that changes in support among the group’s transition into college may be a …

Single Sport Specialization: Ncaa Di Collegiate Student Athlete Perceptions, Jordyn Blood

Masters Theses

This study seeks to understand the experience and perception of current, NCAA DI athletes with regard to sport specialization. By learning more about their level of specialization prior to their life as an NCAA DI athlete, as well as their perception on the importance of specialization, this study seeks to contribute to the growing body of literature in sport specialization. Specifically, this study will help inform aspiring athletes, coaches and parents about the role and perceptions of sport specialization in today's elite level athlete. Using paper surveys, the perceptions of 138 current 2019-2020 season NCAA DI athletes at a mid-major …

Making The Dream Become A Reality: How Student Affairs Professionals Support Undocumented Students, Jacqueline R. Garcia

Masters Theses

There are complex challenges undocumented students in higher education face including the legal system, psychological stressors, campus climate, and financial assistance. This qualitative study was designed to look at how student affairs professionals support undocumented students and their critical role in supporting these students in navigating higher education. Four semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants whose professional position was specifically focused on working with undocumented students. From this study, the researcher identified the challenges undocumented students faced, beneficial resources that supported them, and additional needs that were not being met on these campuses. Recommendations for programs and services for student …

Social Media's Impact On College Student Activism: Senior Student Affairs Professional's Perspectives, Louis Soltysiak

Masters Theses

Activism has been an ever present on college campuses throughout history. The student activist has been a part of some of the biggest movements in American history, such as, the Anti-Vietnam War movement, the Civil Rights Movement, the Kent State Massacre, and the #MeToo movement. This study seeks to understand student activism on college campuses and how activism has changed in our new digital era. The internet’s social media platforms have created new meeting places and areas for idea sharing for college activists. These social media platforms mean that students can remotely plan, organize, and execute their protests, demonstrations, or …

Field Composition And Home Field Advantage In Ncaa Division 1 Men’S Soccer, Carlos Sendin Castelao

Masters Theses

Home Field Advantage (HFA) is a well-established and documented phenomenon at both the collegiate and professional levels. There are many factors that contribute to home field advantage such as crowd involvement, travel considerations, and environmental factors. This research explores a couple of basic underlying mechanisms of HFA by focusing on how important field composition is in determining HFA in NCAA Division I men’s soccer. Field composition is thought of here in terms of surface type (i.e., artificial turf v. natural grass) and field dimensions (i.e., field length, field width and overall size). This study analyzes the …

Creative Thesis Project: Handbook For Developing Trust With Gender And Sexual Minority Students In A Campus Health Care Clinic, Anne E. Pettit

Masters Theses

Trust is an important element in patient-provider relationships in the health care field. Patient trust in the provider is linked to higher satisfaction of care, better adherence to treatment plans, overall higher success in health care visits, and better likelihood of seeking out medical care in the future. Trust can be difficult for health care providers to establish with gender and sexual minority (GSM) patients due to health care’s well known history of harassment and discrimination against the GSM community. The Handbook for Developing Trust with Gender and Sexual Minority Students in a Campus Health Care Clinic addresses health care …

Do Shifts In Labor Shares In Productivity Growth Affect Poverty And Inequality? A Comparative Study Of Sub-Saharan Africa And Asia, Precious W. Allor

Masters Theses

This paper examines whether productivity growth induced by intersectoral labor movement affects inequality and poverty. To address this question a nonparametric shift-share decomposition technique is employed to decompose productivity growth into the structural change component; the component of productivity growth that is induced by the intersectoral labor movement, and the technological change component; the component of productivity growth that is induced by capital or improvements in productive efficiency. The paper then examines the long-run impact of structural change-induced productivity growth on poverty and inequality for a sample of 28 countries, and with a focus on Sub-saharan Africa and Asia. The …

Effect Of Religious Support And Perception Of Available Social Support On Seeking Formal Psychotherapy, Adaeze W. Akubueze

Masters Theses

This study sought to investigate the relationship between perceived availability of social support and religious support on willingness to seek professional mental health counseling. Sixty-five (41 females and 18 males, 6 gender unspecified) students at Eastern Illinois University completed measures of religiosity (the Duke University Religion Index; DUREL), perceived availability of social support (the Late Adolescent Social Support Inventory; LASSI), religious support (from God, from religious leaders, from fellow religious participants; the Multi-Faith Religious Support Scale; MFRSS) and willingness to seek counseling (Willingness to See a Counselor scale; WSC). Religiosity did not play a significant role in influencing the willingness …

Reinstated Students: The Experiences And Perceptions Of Academic Dismissal And Reinstatement, Kiona Webber

Masters Theses

The researcher used a qualitative method to study reinstated students who were previously on academic dismissal from the institution of research. Through the use of semi-structured, individual video calls, the researcher explored what academic and non-academic factors contributed to the participants being placed on academic dismissal, and their decisions to reinstate into the institution. The factors identified as contributing to their academic dismissal includes, challenging family cohesions; participants having to balancing work, school, and parenting; and lacking a supportive network. This study identified the participants biggest contributions to the persistence and motivation to reinstate were their family and support networks.

Developing Text-Based Writing And Working Through The Revision Process, Valerie Clark

Masters Theses

A narrative continuation is designed to assess a student’s ability to comprehend a text selection and use their own creativity to redesign the text’s conclusion. This study took a narrative continuation writing assessment and analyzed the process which 41 sixth grade students followed, specifically looking at the prewriting and revision procedures. The goal was to determine if the supports and resources provided were effective for the type of writing and student population. Throughout the process, students’ behaviors which indicated motivation levels were noted (participation in discussions, level of focus, attentiveness, and amount of redirection required). Student work was then reviewed …

A Study On Real-Time Database Technology And Its Applications, Geethmi Nimantha Dissanayake

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of The Immune Response To Posthodiplostomum Minimum Infection In Bluegills, Olamide S. Olayinka

Masters Theses

Bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) are common intermediate hosts for white grub (Posthodiplostomum minimum). They tolerate heavy infections with minimal effect on condition and continue to accumulate metacercariae as they age. This suggests that any immune response to this parasite might not be effective. This study was conducted to better understand the immune mechanisms underlying P. minimum infection in bluegills.

Infected organs (liver, kidney, and heart) were examined histologically, and serum from infected fish was tested for antibodies to white grub. Juvenile flukes were recovered from isolated metacercarial cysts. Polyclonal antibodies were produced in mice against white grub …

Monitoring Temporal Trends In Catostomidae Larvae In Large Sized River Tributaries, Kellie Nicole Hanser

Masters Theses

Large river ecosystems can support a complex network of tributaries that provide optimal habitat for fish reproduction. Anthropogenic alteration of rivers and tributaries has been shown to have adverse effects on river fish communities, but few studies have focused on the effects river regulation may have on the reproduction of native suckers (Family Catostomidae). In this study, I evaluated differences in biotic and abiotic factors associated with catostomid reproduction between tributaries of an altered and free-flowing river. I conducted ichthyoplankton sampling using drift nets and larval push nets in tributaries of the Illinois River, which is regulated for navigation, and …

A Pilot Study On The Effects Of Comparative Feedback And Performance On Students’ Self-Efficacy And Self-Esteem, Claire Schneider

Masters Theses

This study compared the effects that academic performance and comparative feedback have on student self-efficacy and self-esteem. Through mobile device polling, participants were able to complete in-class multiple-choice conceptual questions. Participants included 35 college students in two psychology classes assigned to a control and experimental group. For the control group, the class was shown a graph of student responses following each question and the experimental group was not shown how their peers performed. This allowed individuals in the control group to compare their own scores to peer scores while the experimental condition was not provided the comparative feedback. Data were …

Examining Diversity In The Monarch Award, Michele Mcdaniel

Masters Theses

This study explores the 2016 Monarch Award Master List as an educational resource for kindergarten through grade three teachers and librarians. It focuses this exploration by examining how diversity was represented in the text and illustrations of the books in the sample. The Monarch Award is Illinois’ K-3 Kids’ Choice award. Illinois’ children are increasingly diverse, and it is important that they have access to literature that reflects their diversity. The study revealed that diverse characters were portrayed with nuance and respect, but they were still underrepresented on the list. Additionally, diverse characters often had to display extraordinary characteristics to …

Growth Convergence Across Countries And Regions In The Long Run: An Empirical Study Using Panel Analysis (1980-2018), Portia Mensah

Masters Theses

With the emergence of new superpowers, the changing landscape of the global economy, and the heterogeneity of growth experiences being discovered in recent times, the concept of growth convergence must be revisited. This study examines whether developing countries are catching up with the advanced countries in terms of their per capita income. The study uses a panel analysis of 69 countries over a period of 39 years spanning from 1980 to 2018 to test for growth convergence (both absolute and conditional) among countries based on the Augmented Solow model. The countries were further divided into three regions namely, Europe, Asia, …

"There Is Nothing Else Like It": The Innovative Personality Of Lowney Turner Handy, Nathan Crews

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of Schools' Wellness Policies And Teachers’ Perspectives And Confidence In Teaching Nutrition In Elementary Schools In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Asma Yahya

Masters Theses

Nutrition education in school can provide students with the knowledge and skills to improve their eating behavior and overall health. This study aimed to evaluate the content of school wellness policies and understand teacher perspectives about teaching nutrition education at their schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In 2020, electronic surveys were used to evaluate the wellness policies in 11 elementary all-female government schools and teachers’ perspectives about the nutrition education offered in three elementary all-female government schools. Sixty-one teachers and eleven principals participated in this study. Fisher’s exact tests were used to test the differences between teachers’ perspectives and their …

Relationship Between One’S Motive For Curiosity And Meaning In Life, Charles Reither

Masters Theses

Meaning in life as a psychological construct has many demonstrated benefits for psychological well-being and optimal functioning (Steger, 2013), and the treatment of clinical populations (Thir & Batthyány, 2016). This study investigated in greater detail than is currently available in the psychological literature how meaning in life is related to curiosity. Meaning in life was explored using top-down (the presence of and the search for meaning) and bottom-up (the specific sources of meaning) approaches. Curiosity was examined in its two motivation-based forms: curiosity motivated by the anticipation and enjoyment of discovery (an appetitive interest-type of curiosity) and curiosity motivated by …

The Living Mission: Mission Statements Evidenced In The Student Experience, Darek D. Hollis

Masters Theses

Mission statements are thought to be documents that hold the core purposes of an organization. While several studies have examined the various aspects of higher education mission statements, few have explored how the themes within mission statements are transferred to those the institutions is serves, it’s students. This qualitative studied used semi-structured interviews with graduating senior students at a mid-sized, Midwest institution to examine whether or not the missional themes were evident in and valuable to the students’ experience. The result of the study found that the missional themes were in general present and valuable in the students’ experience. The …

A Cloning Strategy For Expression Of Fungal Hemicellulases In Plant Systems, Amer Alrudayan

Masters Theses

Lignocellulosic biomass is notoriously difficult to deconstruct into lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose fractions without the use of biochemical, chemical, and/or mechanical pretreatments. These pretreatment strategies add operational cost and in some cases produce hazardous waste that poses health and safety risks. Direct biological pretreatment from biomass-degrading bacteria and fungi may significantly reduce the costs and risks associated with these traditional strategies due to the innate ability of these organisms to modify plant cell walls. An additional measure that could further reduce the expenses associated with lignocellulosic biomass fractionation is genetic modification of the lignocellulosic feedstocks, which can be accomplished by …

Construct Validity Of The Teate Depression Inventory: Convergent And Discriminant Validity And Equivalence For Black/African American And White/Caucasian Samples, Dylin Coons

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to replicate the construct validity of a new measure of depression, the Teate Depression Inventory (TDI; Balsamo & Saggino, 2013), with the primary focus on Black/African American participants. Research has purported that Black/African Americans experience inequality in obtaining mental health care for internalizing disorders. This may partially be caused by errors in diagnosing these individuals with symptoms. Correctly diagnosing internalizing disorders is a critical step in obtaining appropriate treatment. More research on depression and anxiety is needed to enhance mental health practices by addressing the need for professionals to be culturally competent and conscious …

Teachers’ Use Of Diverse Praise: A Middle And High School Sample, Aubrey Toosley

Masters Theses

The current study examined teachers’ use of diverse praise or the use of verbal statements or gestures of approval that are delivered in a variety of distinguishable ways in response to desired student behavior. Verbatim general praise and behavior-specific praise data collected during the 2017-18 academic year were analyzed from a larger study where a total of 1,320 observed minutes were collected across 66 middle and high school classrooms. Teachers used an average of 1.7 total diverse praise categories per observation. Both middle and high school teachers used more general diverse praise categories compared to behavior-specific diverse praise categories. The …

Chm 2435, Clas

Executive Actions

No abstract provided.

The Cast Of A Giant's Shadow, Angela Kay Steineman

Masters Theses

Adapting fairy tales and folklore has been an ongoing endeavor by storytellers and artists since the very first story was repeated. The evidence can be seen in the many versions of fairy tales like those of the sleeping beauty, from Giambattista Basile’s “Sun, Moon, and Talia” to Walt Disney’s Maleficent. However, unlike their European counterparts, adaptations of American tales outside of children’s literature are not as ubiquitous. My writing rectifies this by adding to the resurging interest as seen in recent retellings like Matt Bell’s Appleseed: The Monstrous Birth (2019).

In an effort to reframe the American tall tale …

Daily Eastern News: December 06, 2019, Eastern Illinois University

December

No abstract provided.

Daily Eastern News: December 05, 2019, Eastern Illinois University

December

No abstract provided.