Digital Commons Network^™

Teacher-Student Relationships And Student Achievement In Grades Six And Seven Math, Julia Britt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study analyzed the effect of teacher-student relationships on the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) math scores for grades six and seven. Data were studied to determine if an increase in student achievement was related to the often-overlooked interpersonal human relationships between teachers and students. The researcher expected to find a correlation between positive teacher-student relationships and an increase in standardized test scores. The researcher analyzed the data of student scores in rural middle school mathematics' class and teacher characteristics to determine if a relation existed between student achievement and positive teacher-student relationships. The American version of the Questionnaire on …

Life Inside The Spectacle: David Foster Wallace, George Saunders, And Storytelling In The Age Of Entertainment, John Hawkins

Masters Theses

This project explores George Saunders's In Persuasion Nation and David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest as interventionary literature. The thesis asserts that the two works confront the problems of isolation and dehumanization created by entertainment-based consumerism; they do so by depicting satirically exaggerated consumer societies and placing well-developed, sympathetic characters in those settings. The thesis includes a consideration of Jameson and deBord's theories of spectacle and Wallace's stated concerns with postmodern irony as an ineffective form of critique.

Certified Public Accountant Education And Ethical Decision-Making Preparedness: A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Connection, Vicki Bealman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was not to evaluate efficacy of ethical training for current accounting programs, but to understand the perceptions of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) for the influence of accounting ethical education requirements on their ethical decision-making preparedness. The study used pre-interview surveys, face-to-face interviews, and timeline drawings to acquire data in four principle areas: CPA ethical decision-making preparedness, accounting program ethics educational requirements, accounting program ethics learning activities, and CPA perceptions of necessary changes to accounting program ethics requirements. Results from Virginia CPA perceptions indicate the definition of ethical decision-making as doing the right thing at …

Social Mathworking: The Effects Of Online Reflection On Algebra I Students' Sense Of Community And Perceived Learning, Patricia Allanson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if online reflections through social networking affect students' sense of community and levels of perceived conceptual learning in Algebra I courses. Social constructivism, connectivism, and computer-mediated communication in relation to reflective practices form the theoretical and practical framework for the use of Web 2.0 technologies in this investigation. A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design was used to examine Algebra I students' sense of community as measured by the Sense of Classroom Community Index, and perceived learning as measured by Perceived Learning Instrument. The sample consisted of 27 Algebra I students at a …

Characteristics Of The Effective Online Teaching Faculty: Perspectives Of Online University Administrators, Dina Samora

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this explorative qualitative case study was to identify the characteristics online administrators reveal as existing in their most effective, and ineffective online teaching faculty (OTF). By identifying the characteristics of effective OTF, online administrators can develop practices to reduce and avoid the negative effects associated with ineffective OTF. Negative effects include increased transactional distance and student attrition. Analyzed were personal interviews of ten online administrators from eight different universities, a year of student surveys from six courses, and faculty handbooks. Interview questions sought the best approach to online facilitation, recommendations for retention of students, factors related to …

Academic College Readiness Indicators Of Seniors Enrolled In University-Model Schools® And Traditional, Comprehensive Christian Schools, Sharon Brobst

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This correlational study examined the relationship between type of high school a senior attends (University-Model School® (UMS®) or traditional, comprehensive Christian) and academic college readiness, when controlling for prior academic achievement and gender. The study compared archival data from Christian school graduates from six schools located near Dallas, TX. Each took the Stanford-10 in their seventh, eighth, or ninth-grade years, which controlled for prior academic achievement. SAT and ACT scores measured academic college readiness. Results of three sequential multiple regressions, controlling for confounding, showed that prior academic achievement was significant in predicting SAT Composite, SAT Writing, and ACT Composite scores. …

A Grounded Theory Study Investigating How Parents' Adolescent Experiences Influence Their Attitudes And Behaviors Toward Their Children's Middle School Education, Brenda Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to explore ways in which parents' past school experiences as adolescents influence their attitudes and behaviors toward their children's education. Three research questions related to parents' past experiences, current attitudes, and participation guided the study. Hope County School system (pseudonym), a suburban school system in the southeastern United States, was the setting for the study. Participants included 12 middle school parents. Three instruments were used for data collection: interviews, surveys, and reflective booklets. Data analysis was conducted using the grounded theory process of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. From …

04-30-13 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 30 Issue 22), Champion

2012 – 2013

No abstract provided.

04-23-13 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 30 Issue 21), Champion

2012 – 2013

No abstract provided.

Body Image And Disordered Eating Patterns In African-American College Women, Amazing Grace L. Danso

Senior Honors Theses

Currently, increasing scholarly attention is being given to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating. A bulk of the research on the issue has focused on Caucasian women. As a result, the body of research may be limited in its generalization to other racial and ethnic groups. This study, therefore, sought to study disordered eating among African-American college women. Two models based on research questions were tested. The first focused on how body mass index (BMI) impacted disordered eating, while the second focused on how the difference between perceived actual and ideal body image impacted disordered eating. …

Mexican Drug Cartels: Significance And Potential Impact On The United States, Andrew Couto

Senior Honors Theses

The power struggle in present-day Mexico between major rival cartel groups and the Mexican government has evaded the appropriate amount of media and government concern. Traced through history, the modern drug cartels that powerfully control regions of Mexico have their origins in the early twentieth century during Prohibition. This drug activity is detrimental to Mexico, and it should be worrisome to the U.S. The threat of violence and political anarchy spilling over from Mexico is a very real threat, and the United States should aid Mexico and lightly intervene where necessary. An analysis of different offered solutions is necessary, leading …

Effects Of Beta Amyloid On The Dna Methylation Status Of An In Vitro Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Noor Taher

Senior Honors Theses

Available evidence points toward an epigenetic process in Alzheimer’s disease. This thesis describes the research that was done to investigate changes in DNA methylation using an in vitro model of the disease. Although the results indicated no global changes in methylation levels after treating differentiated IMR-32 cells with beta amyloid, there were several regions of the genome that changed their methylation status. Gene ontology studies revealed that these regions are associated with neuronal differentiation and cell fate genes, thus providing a possible model for the contribution of beta amyloid to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. This study provides incentive to …

Inclusive Business: Using For-Profit Business Models To Address Global Poverty, Samuel James Conner

Senior Honors Theses

Due to the rise of globalization, modernization, and the Internet revolution, awareness of global poverty has expanded, making its eradication a chief goal of the global development community for the twenty-first century. Though corporations are often expected to participate in social and community development initiatives without regard for profits, this paper presents inclusive business as a way for businesses to profitably engage impoverished segments of society. Inclusive businesses seek to expand their consumer bases or strengthen their supply chains by moving into new markets among the poor that have limited access to global markets and remain largely untapped. The research …

Target Advertising Effects On Campaign Success, Anna Gaudio

Senior Honors Theses

Nearly every company and organization advertises to increase awareness, reach sales goals, and build brand loyalty. However, due to the pervasive nature of advertising, reaching an audience has become more difficult and less successful. An increasing number of marketers are relying on detailed, targeted advertising to reach the most likely consumer of a particular brand, service or idea.

First, past research and marketing information is analyzed and explained. Next, a study was conducted to determine how marketers utilize targeting methods and practices. Ten advertising professionals were asked open-ended questions regarding budget, direct marketing, technology and social media. The results showed …

Ignite: A Promotional Magazine For Liberty University, Rachel E. Deas

Senior Honors Theses

For my senior thesis I received special permission to do a project instead of a paper. I named my magazine Ignite, and it is a promotional magazine. The magazine target audience is primarily high school juniors and seniors who are interested in attending Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. I completely designed the magazine from beginning to end, with the exception of the photographs. The photographs used are ones approved by the Liberty University Marketing Department that the author has permission to reprint. This way, if Liberty University decides to add this publication to their line of products the school already …

Fashion As A Means Of Humanitarian Aid: A Resource For Prospective Entrepreneurs, Hannah Lynch

Senior Honors Theses

The following paper is intended to provide prospective entrepreneurs, who desire to incorporate humanitarian aid into fashion-oriented startup ventures, with information regarding current business models and prominent companies. A discussion of approaches to humanitarian relief and their effectiveness will assist prospective entrepreneurs as they assess the best manner in which their individual startups may serve people in need. Three commonly utilized models of aid to be discussed include employment-based, tangible goods-based, and monetary donation-based that exist with the intentions to provide relief for causes such as food, health, clean water, education, clothing, job creation, and freedom. Through the compilation of …

Pornography Addiction And Mental Health Disorders, Tabitha Cassidy

Senior Honors Theses

This study aims to understand the differences between mental health disorders in a sample of pornography users, addicts, and non-users. Participants in the study included males and females who visited a paraprofessional counseling center on a college campus (n=1048). Between non-users and users of pornography, one-way analysis of variance planned comparison results indicated that participants significantly differed in scores of Depression, Anxiety, and Global Severity Index as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI 18). Non-Suicidal Self-Injurious behaviors as measured by the Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory; and Grandiosity/Narcissism as measured by the Spiritual Assessment Inventory. Independent sample t-test scores indicated …

State Tuition Tax Credits: A School Choice Policy Recommendation, Andrew M. Butler

Senior Honors Theses

Public schools are afflicted by a litany of ailments ranging from the methodological to the practical. Public schools operate on a conflicted educational philosophy, are rife with inefficiencies, and result in educational monopolies. A state tuition tax credit system is the most advantageous policy option available in regards to education reform and school choice initiatives. This paper will examine some of the 11 state tuition tax credit programs currently in operation as well as other school choice options, and identify problems inherent in the public school system. State tuition tax credits are a superior educational policy option as compared with …

04-16-13 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 30 Issue 20), Champion

2012 – 2013

No abstract provided.

The Effectiveness Of Servant Leadership In Bringing About Change, Daniel R. Tureman

Senior Honors Theses

Servant Leadership is unique when compared to other styles of leadership. The idea that a leader should serve his followers is a paradoxical concept that confuses many people. Even so, when trying to produce change, servant leadership is still an effective way to motivate followers. Its unique emphasis on concern for people’s well-being can bolster its success for creating change and leave one’s followers changed professionally and personally. This paper seeks to demonstrate how servant leadership differs from other types of leadership as well as how to produce change within an organization and how a servant leader can be effective …

04-09-2013 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 30 Issue 19), Champion

2012 – 2013

No abstract provided.

Disease, War, And Famine In The Sudan And Haiti: A Crisis Noticed And A Crisis Ignored, Melissa Whalen

Masters Theses

The media acts as a gatekeeper and decides what material to cover and what not to cover. In order to better understand why one disaster receives media coverage and another crisis is virtually unnoticed by the media, the motives behind covering one story over another is analyzed in this study. Three major American newspaper articles concerning the Haitian earthquake and the crisis in Darfur are examined in order to discover the media's motives for covering Haiti over Darfur.

The Tweet's The Thing: Exploring The Intersection Of Social Media And Broadway, Hilary Sutton

Masters Theses

In 2009 the little known Broadway musical Next to Normal rose to fame through the aid of an unprecedented Twitter campaign conducted by Situation Interactive, a digital marketing agency. The Next to Normal Twitter account gathered over one million followers throughout a six-week campaign in which the Situation Interactive team joined forces with the book writer and lyricist of Next to Normal to recreate the plot in one hundred and forty-character snippets. By analyzing the data collected the researcher cultivates a collection of best practices for running a successful Twitter marketing campaign for a live experience.

The Story Of Your Life On A Single Page: Assessing The Narrative Coherence Of Life Storytelling Through Facebook's Timeline Profile Design, Joseph Marcus

Masters Theses

Facebook's transition to the Timeline profile design brought with it a new focus: Life storytelling. Walther Fisher posited the narrative paradigm as a way of understanding all communication in the form of stories. The paradigmatic component of coherence assesses the structural integrity of a narrative, the characters, and the encompassing themes found within. This study applies narrative coherence to the Timeline profile design to assess the coherence of life narratives told through individuals' Facebook Timelines. The researcher observed the Timeline profiles of 15 participants on the basis of three research questions. The researcher's observation yielded data suggesting that life narratives …

The Phenomenon Behind The Bite: Altercasting As It Applies To Apple Technology, Elizabeth Baldwin

Masters Theses

This paper investigates how the brand Apple markets their product so that consumers feel obligated to buy their product. By looking at five main categories of brand loyalty, environmentally friendly practices, being up-to-date with technology, pricing with value and customer service, this paper will rhetorically analyze how successful of a job it does. To get an inside look at what the public thought on the the way that Apple fulfilled their altercasting this paper analyzed what people said about Apple verses competing technology brands. By drawing overall conclusions, recording trends and making observations about the way that people had been …

The Challenges And Blessings Of Missionary Nursing In Africa, Jordan E. Woosley

Senior Honors Theses

Nursing is a popular career choice in the twenty-first century, and there are many opportunities within the profession to serve. An American nurse has the ability to utilize nursing skills in Africa and share knowledge with the locals. The American nurse may face challenges when adapting to the African culture and healthcare but also may be blessed by the work and ministering to the people. The American nurse faces specific challenges such as educational differences, lack of facilities and equipment, unique diseases, and poor sanitation. In spite of these challenges, the American missionary nurse is able to grow through this …

Patron-Driven Acquisition Optimization At Liberty University, Erin Crane, Lori Snyder

Faculty Publications and Presentations

In 2010 Liberty University began a Patron-Driven Acquisition pilot program with ebrary. Since then, the program has grown dramatically. The presenters describe how the library uses past usage data to create a predictive formula for ebook use. New ebook titles were added to the program based on formula selections. Success of the formula was evaluated, and overall the results are positive. The presenters also explain how the library handles the purchasing and cataloging of the ebooks.

An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of The Director Of National Intelligence (Dni) In Uniting The Intelligence Community, Bethany G. Pico

Senior Honors Theses

September 11, 2001 marks the date of the largest attack on American soil since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. This event not only changed the lives of individuals who suffered intense loss but changed the course of American history in several ways. This paper focuses specifically on the changes in the intelligence community since the attacks. The attacks that 9/11 presented flaws in the system created demonstrating weakness as a direct result of the immense destruction that occurred. The thesis of this paper is to analyze, assess, and draw conclusions on the effectiveness of the …

Children Of Today, Leaders Of Tomorrow: The Overlooked Generation Of Jihad, Alyson C. Daum

Senior Honors Theses

This paper proposes that the United States has a moral obligation to care for the children whose lives are affected by terrorism and to ensure that they do not grow up aligned with the radical ideology of Islamic Fundamentalism. This paper examines the American sentiment towards Islam, what hinders her, despite all her resources and provisions, from investing in the future of these children and providing them with foreign aid. It suggests that as America falls further from her Christian traditions, she becomes less equipped to fulfill these moral obligations. Examined are personal accounts of both child-survivors and child-soldiers, accounts …

Refresh. Create. Inspire. The Mission, Vision And Values Behind The Coca-Cola Company And The Digital Marketing Strategies Of The "Open Happiness" Campaign, Sara Svendsen

Masters Theses

Due to the influence of Coca-Cola on advertising, digital marketing, and marketing strategies, the present rhetorical analysis seeks to show the many aspects of digital media in the Company's present "Open Happiness" campaign. The study of the campaign seeks to show that the Company mission statement, Company values and the vision of The Coca-Cola Company are implemented into all of the different facets of the Open Happiness campaign, and in the context of Mood Management Theory, exude the overall theme of the campaign, happiness. The parts of the campaign that were analyzed were focused on the YouTube channels of The …