Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of University Students Who Self-Identify As Cyberbullies: A Phenomenological Study, Christine Osborne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of university students, aged 18 to 50, in a suburban Atlanta university who have self-identified as perpetrators of cyberbullying. The three research questions that guided this study sought to determine how students perceive their cyberbullying behavior impacts their peers, how students explain their motivation to cyberbully their peers, and how their experiences led to perpetrating acts of cyberbullying. Experiences were examined that may be contributing factors for cyberbullying. Bandura’s social cognitive theory and the concept of moral disengagement of cyberbullies was examined through the research questions as well. …

Pastoral Self-Care: Developing A Burnout-Resistant Approach To Life And Ministry, James Mcclanahan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

According to a recent Lifeway survey of 1500 Southern Baptist pastors, over half surveyed struggled with discouragement. Many pastors struggle to maintain emotional health while facing the challenges of their ministry. This project will reveal how practicing a balanced Christian life, developing intimate relationships, and implementing a theology of self-care can minimize the likelihood of burnout. The project will develop a theology for resisting burnout that can be used as a tool for a pastor’s personal edification, as a study between two pastors, or as a discussion in a pastor’s fellowship. Through a review of applicable biblical passages, current scholarly …

First, Let Me Take A Selfie: Should A Monkey Have Copyrights To His Own Selfie?, Stephen Schahrer

Liberty University Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Rose By Any Other Name: Copyright Infringement Or De Minimis Sampling, Levi D. Mauldin

Liberty University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Dissociative Identity Disorder: An In-Depth Look, Brittany Horchner

The Kabod

Dissociative Identity Disorder is a mental health disorder where there are two or more distinct people within one individual. These distinct people or personalities are also called alters. An alter is a fully distinct person, that carries on a whole different personality than the original person. That means that if a person has two distinct people within them one could be very smart and introverted, but the other one may not have as high of IQ and might be extraverted. The personalities of each alter are different and very distinct from one another. The alternative personality or personalities would also …

Theoretical Implementation Of A Police Officer Suicide Prevention Program, Abby Lokkesmoe

The Kabod

Since 1990, the Los Angeles Police Department has lost 52 of its valuable officers: 30 of these were killed in the line of duty, and a stunning 22 (42.31%) took their own lives. While the reasons why these officers ended their lives prematurely vary, the implications of their deaths remain the same; it is of paramount importance to take action to address this problem. This department has made efforts in recent years to decrease the number of police officer suicides, but the officers who have taken their own lives since then are a testament to the failure of those efforts. …

New Zealand Film Industry: Building Culture And Identity, Victoria Swart

The Kabod

Below Australia, as close to the bottom of the populated world as one can go, lies the small country of New Zealand, the true “land down-under.” New Zealand offers close to 103,500 square miles of picturesque and varied landscape, along with a population of less than 5 million, as of the 2016 census. Despite its isolated geography and small population, the country has made a large international presence, especially in the film industry. The development of the New Zealand film industry is unique, beginning soon after the birth of film itself but refraining from substantial growth until recent years. The …

From Maroons To Mardi Gras: The Role Of African Cultural Retention In The Development Of The Black Indian Culture Of New Orleans, Robin Ligon Williams

Masters Theses

After a three hundred year journey from the continent, African cultural retention remains at the core of the Black Indian masking tradition of New Orleans. Prior research from progenitors in anthropology and ethnomusicology, focusing on African cultural retention, include the ground-breaking ethnographies of Robert Farris Thompson, Gwendolyn Midlo Hall, Kalamu Ya Salaam, Michael P. Smith, Margaret Thompson Drewel, Stephen Wehmeyer, Jason Berry and others, have established a solid foundation for research on African influences and retentions in expressive folk cultures, laying a firm foundation for this project. The author’s insider experiences within the Black Indian tradition are underscored by several …

A Content Analysis Of Beginning Guitar, Electric Bass, And String Bass Method Books, Michele Berlin

Masters Theses

Guitar instruction is an integral part of 21st-century best music education practices. This quantitative study compares six beginning guitar method books to beginning electric bass and string bass books. The books in the sample are Essential Elements for Guitar by Will Schmid and Bob Morris, Mel Bay's Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 Expanded Edition, Alfred's Basic Guitar Method by Morty Manus and Ron Manus, FJH Young Beginner Guitar Method Lesson Book 1, Belwin 21st Century Guitar Method 1 (2nd edition) by Aaron Stang, and KJOS Guitar Sessions Book 1: A Comprehensive Method for Individual or Group Study by Kevin Daley. …

An Educational Intervention To Raise The Awareness Of Limited Health Literacy And The Need To Utilize Recommended Strategies And Interventions Among Healthcare Clinicians In A Program Of All-Inclusive Care For The Elderly Setting, Esther Carpenter

Doctoral Dissertations and Scholarly Projects

Health literacy is a complex, common, and challenging issue facing the United States and the world today. Occurring in the context of care delivery and significantly impacting the quality of care provided, health literacy is not simply a patient problem; but places a substantial burden on healthcare clinicians to ensure they are providing clear communication. Research suggests a lack of awareness and training among healthcare clinicians related to health literacy, resulting in clinicians being unaware of and unprepared to address this issue in practice. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to raise the awareness of limited health literacy …

Enhanced Depression Screening In The Cardiac Rehabilitation Setting An Evidence-Based Project, Heidi Winslow

Doctoral Dissertations and Scholarly Projects

Depression is common amongst patients with cardiovascular disease. This evidence-based project was designed to evaluate the impact of a practice improvement intervention for screening and referrals in cardiac patients with depression. The American Heart Association Advisory Council recommends depression screening, treatment, and support to provide adequate diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up to patients. Cardiacrehabilitation (CR) is a coordinated effort of structured treatments with physical, mental, and social components, to favorably influence cardiac healing and resume optimal functioning. The problem is current depression screening and referrals are not being documented electronically in the cardiac rehabilitation (CR) setting limiting real-time communication amongst the …

Deconstructing Dignity By Eradicating Shame: The Pernicious Heritage Of Alfred Kinsey, Judith A. Reisman Phd, Mary Mcalister

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Mbalax: Traces Of Tradition In Senegalese Hip-Hop, Mikayla Simeral

Masters Theses

What is mbalax and how is it adaptively transforming the modern-day culture of Dakar, Senegal? Throughout This this study, willI plan to provide a glimpse into the current hip-hop culture of Dakar, ultimately revealing how up-and-coming artists are implementing mbalax. The research for this study took place I was in Dakar, Senegal from January 26th - February 16th, and was completed my field research in both Washington D.C. and New York City from February 22nd-26th. During this time m, I was able to connect with multiple hip-hop artists, political activists/rappers, drummers, and sabar dancers were consulted. More knowledge was obtained …

Corporate Outsourcing To Take Advantage Of Cheap Labor In Developing Countries, Cecily Schenimann

Senior Honors Theses

Corporate outsourcing is a common practice for many large corporations, and a primary reason that corporations outsource is financial: production in other countries, especially those that are developing is significantly less expensive. There are various reasons corporations use outsourcing and this choice often results in subpar and unhealthy labor conditions for those individuals working in developing countries. Reviews of China, Bangladesh, and El Salvador reveal that operations in developing countries often result in harmful working atmospheres. A call for increased corporate responsibility and accountability for corporations who choose to take their manufacturing and production elsewhere, but specifically to developing nations, …

Secondary Teachers' Perceptions And Self-Efficacy Regarding Technology Integration: A Phenomenological Study, Christopher Brantley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine how teachers from various levels of technology self-efficacy perceive and implement technology within their specific classroom. Using a qualitative approach, I explored four public schools from a medium to large-sized school district in the Southeastern United States. The Technology Integration Confidence Scale (TICS) was used to purposively select 10 secondary teachers from the west side of Beach County (a pseudonym). The secondary teachers were placed into three groups based upon their individual self-efficacy level towards technology integration: (a) low, (b) average, and (c) high. Data was collected through the following methods: …

The Mind As A Weapon: A Phenomenological Exploration Of How Elementary Teachers Use Mental Imagery To Prepare For Active Shooter Events, Aaron Wheeler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to understand how teachers use aspects of mental imagery as a preparatory stress inoculation tool for potentially confronting active shooters at Truman Elementary School (pseudonym). The theory guiding this study was self-efficacy theory as theorized by Albert Bandura; self-efficacy theory rationalizes the way one views oneself will be the source of motivation in subsequent performance. In the context of this study, if teachers saw themselves as successful, then they were successful. Mental imagery was generally defined as visualization techniques that prepared teachers to mentally condition themselves to deal with active shooter events. …

Vendorgraphs - Data Visualization, Samuel Park

Masters Theses

Creating a data visualization solution for automotive dealers to enhance sales performance. As many auto dealers use over 20 vendors per store, it is very difficult to keep track of vendor performance. Therefore, auto dealers need a tool that explains vendor performance through visual charts and graphs. VendorGraphs will meet this need.

The Lyons Den - Creative Honors Thesis, Alex Bartz

Senior Honors Theses

Daniel is walking to Luke’s house as Luke's mom gives the keys to her 1980s pink

Cadillac to Luke. Luke is opposed to driving the Cadillac; however, Daniel is completely

for it. Luke reluctantly takes the keys, drives away, hides the car, and walks to school.

Rusty, the bully, approaches the boys, and banter starts. Angered, Luke starts to throw a

punch. The duo ends up in the principal’s office. Mrs. Francois lightly scolds the boys,

but they all leave with smiles. Logan, running for class president, smooth-talks students

into voting for him. However, Luke thinks he's up to something. …

Embracing Bacterial Cellulose As A Catalyst For Sustainable Fashion, Luis Quijano

Senior Honors Theses

Bacterial cellulose is a leather-like material produced during the production of Kombucha as a pellicle of bacterial cellulose (SCOBY) using Kombucha SCOBY, water, sugar, and green tea. Through an examination of the bacteria that produces the cellulose pellicle of the interface of the media and the air, currently named Komagataeibacter xylinus, an investigation of the growing process of bacterial cellulose and its uses, an analysis of bacterial cellulose’s properties, and a discussion of its prospects, one can fully grasp bacterial cellulose’s potential in becoming a catalyst for sustainable fashion. By laying the groundwork for further research to be conducted …

Potential Predictors That Influence Women To Undergo Cosmetic Surgery, Eun Jin Han

Senior Honors Theses

There may be relationships among collectivism, self-esteem, and religiousness in relation to individual acceptance of cosmetic surgery. This present study hypothesized that both self-esteem and religiousness would be negatively correlated with individual acceptance of cosmetic surgery. It was also hypothesized that an individual with higher levels of collectivism would be more likely to show higher levels of acceptance of cosmetic surgery. A multiple regression analysis expected self-esteem, collectivism, and religiousness to be the significant predictors of the acceptance of cosmetic surgery. Questionnaire data were collected from 565 female college students from a Christian university in the southeastern United States. Based …

Raising Sex Trafficking Awareness Among School Nurses, Johanna Mccollum

Senior Honors Theses

Sex trafficking, a type of human trafficking, has become a public health concern. Sex trafficking is taking place on a large scale in the United States. Children in the United States are at greatest risk. Raising the awareness of healthcare providers about sex trafficking is imperative. An unsung hero that may hold the keys to this awareness in the healthcare profession is the school nurse. The school nurse is trained in many areas, and upholds practice standards, but sex trafficking is not currently included in their repertoire. As nurses, they already hold a trusted position. With education, proper resources, and …

Unregulated Space: Text-Messaging Habits As A Predictor Of Punctuation Errors In The Academic Writing Of College Students, Robert Ryan Achuff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Most college-aged students use text messaging to communicate with others (Smith, 2011). Text messaging, though it requires a writer to be concise, makes allowances for “textese,” an informal register of English. At the same time, college students and college graduates are expected to be proficient in writing. Using a theoretical framework influenced by self-regulation (Bandura, 1986), memory (Bartholomae, 1980; Flower & Hayes, 1981; Hayes, 1996; Hayes & Chenoweth, 2006; Kellogg, 2006), and transfer (Perkins & Salomon, 1992; Salomon & Perkins, 1989), a correlational study was conducted to compare the participants’ text messaging habits to participants’ frequency of punctuation errors in …

A Study Of Fatherlessness In The African-American Community In Relationship To The Positive Role Of Christianity, Kevin Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The following study is a qualitative investigation into the issue of fatherlessness among African Americans and its relation to the positive role of Christianity. The primary objective of the study is to determine, understand, and describe the circumstances that brought about fatherlessness and what role Christians may play to help address the problem. Also, the study focuses on developing a deep understanding of the consequences of fatherlessness and what role Christians may play to help mitigate these consequences. The results of this research will reconnect, revitalize, recover trust, ease the pain, and implement healing for fathers, children, and all involved. …

The Effectiveness Of High Frequency Word List Instruction On Star Reading Test Scores, Michael Foster

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to test the theory of using high frequency word list (HFWL)-based instruction when teaching beginning reading instruction. This study compared the reading fluency changes of eight classes across three different grades containing 115 students over 5 months as measured by the Standardized Test for the Assessment in Reading (STAR) when intervention students are given identical instruction using different popular HFWLs. One control group received no such intervention. The Fry HFWL was used. The resulting scores were analyzed using an independent-samples t test. The comparisons determined the effectiveness of teaching beginning reading using …

An Examination Of Art In The American Evangelical Church For The Purpose Of Discipleship And Evangelism, Joshua Dugan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christianity, in previous eras, has been the foundation of the art community. But, it has surrendered that role over the past three centuries and with it a significant potion of its influence on culture. In addition the church is not effectively reaching an entire demographic of people, those who would define themselves as creatives and artists, because it has distanced itself from the arts. This paper will research the previous methods employed by the church and the current limitations of art within the American Evangelical church through applied academic research as well as interviews with church leaders and artists. The …

A Case Study Of Job-Embedded Professional Development For Implementation Of 21st Century Skills, Rhonda Stegall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand the successes, challenges, and lessons learned when secondary school administrators implement job-embedded professional development to change the teaching and learning of 21st century skills. The theories guiding this study were Lev Vygotsky’s social constructivist paradigm, Malcolm Knowles’ adult learning, Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) framework. Four Virginia secondary schools were studied. Based on the research questions, there were four data-gathering methods for this study: (a) focus groups, (b) individual semi-structured interviews, (c) documents, timelines, and budgets, and (d) researcher’s memos and journal. …

Science Instruction In A Culture Of High-Stakes Assessment: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Into The Experiences Of Missouri Elementary School Teachers In A Non-Assessed Grade Level, April Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the transcendental qualitative phenomenological research is to describe the characteristics and strategies of teachers who share the same experiences in teaching science, a non-assessed content, in a high-stakes assessment environment at the third and fourth grade levels. Teacher curriculum choices are dictated by the need to prepare students to take content area standardized assessments in the grade level taught. Science instruction that focuses on scientific reasoning may lead to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers for students. Teachers who elect to teach science at the elementary level in a manner that develops scientific reasoning are an …

Integrating Public, Private, And Homeschool Students Into A Cohesive Youth Ministry, Michael Cunningham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Parents make agonizing educational decisions for their children, and there are more options than ever before. Some opt to teach their children in the home; others pay handsomely to put their children in the best private schools money can buy. The remaining groups of parents select public, charter, or magnet schools based on those schools’ particular merits or because those schools represent their primary educational option. These subtle lifestyle decisions are building blocks upon which students develop their personality, intellectual ambition, extracurricular interests, and social networks. Neighborhoods, schools, and community activities are often as influential in the formation of a …

Achievement Gap In United States History End Of Course Assessment Scores In Ga High Schools, Kris Watkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation study, which employed a quantitative correlational research design, was to determine if the school-level variables of percentage of African American students, the percentage of economically disadvantaged students, and type of school scheduling significantly influence student performance on the Georgia Milestones U.S. History end-of-course assessments (EOCs) for the school years 2014-15 and 2015-16. The study utilized a sample of 163 high schools located in the Atlanta metropolitan statistical area (MSA). Results from simultaneous linear regression analyses showed that school-level percentage of economically disadvantaged students was significantly associated with school-level Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) U.S. History …

Comparing And Contrasting Special Education In The United States And Jamaica, Sarah Searle

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to define, compare and contrast special education services in the United States and Jamaica. Both the United States and Jamaica seeks to provide special education services and resources to students with disabilities. However, protective laws, training, and special services provided for citizens with disabilities range drastically between the countries. This thesis will define disabilities prevalent in the classroom and the services offered for the protection and provision of equal opportunity to all students. Recent laws and requirements for public schools have influenced the trajectory of special education in both countries. As this thesis progresses, …