Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Relational Support On Educational Outcomes In An At-Risk Charter School In Florida, Eunice Casey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to explore how effectively a one-on-one mentoring relational support program would influence outcomes in attendance, academic achievement, and behavioral issues at an at-risk charter school in Florida. The majority of the students at the selected charter school are at-risk students, defined as such because their present level of academic achievement is significantly below that of their peers. At the selected charter school, students struggle with low attendance, low academic achievement, and a high number of behavioral infractions. More specifically, low attendance at this school is associated with low academic achievement. This includes failure …

The Effects Of Specific Behavioral Interventions On Vocal Stereotypy: A Systematic Review, Halee R. Royal

Theses and Dissertations

Vocal stereotypy is a pervasively interfering behavior for many children with autism spectrum disorders. This behavior interferes with acquisition of new skills, language development, and social development. Researchers in the field of applied behavior analysis have examined and identified a variety of antecedent-based interventions and consequence-based interventions to treat vocal stereotypy either in isolation or as a part of a larger treatment package. Systematic reviews are an effective tool practitioners can use to access a large body of research in a condensed version that present the most critical information in a concise way. By using this tool, practitioners can be …

A Study Of Factors Contributing To Acculturation Stress For International Graduate Students In A Small Non-Profit Graduate School, Nkenge Friday

Theses and Dissertations

The increase of international students studying in universities and colleges in the United States has led to the need for additional programming and resources on campuses that support the transitioning needs related to campus and community culture. Given the diverse cultural needs of international students and the metropolitan culture of Washington, DC, acculturation stress can be a common occurrence while attending the intensive graduate program.

In this study, international students attending a small graduate school in Washington, DC were interviewed while resources provided for transitioning and ongoing support for the students were examined. Factors related to areas of programming and …

From The Front Line To The Living Room: The Transition Of Female Veterans Back Into Civilian Life, Bretia Arrington Gordon

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was female veterans faced unique challenges during military service and even more difficult experiences when transitioning into civilian life. Women long served in the military and reported similar as well as different experiences than men, especially in relation to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). For example, female veterans reported a higher percentage of sexual harassment and gender discrimination than did male veterans. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues were also reported differently for female veterans than males. Women were found to be more likely to be diagnosed …

A Qualitative Study Of Federal Policies On Workplace Bullying, Cynthia Mary Reese

Theses and Dissertations

The problem that was explored in this qualitative narrative study is the prevalence of bullying in federal government offices. Bullying in the workplace has been on the rise for many years in the U.S. and globally, but research has been limited and under-researched. Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) released survey results from 2007, 2010, 2014, and 2017 confirming the existence of bullying in the workplace. Research on this phenomenon was conducted in the fields of medicine and education, but not in business. Laws and legislation have been neither developed nor enacted to address this phenomenon. Technology in the 21st century introduces …

The Effects Of Students With Disabilities Implementing Postsecondary Transition Plans, Joseph Daniel Rodgers

Theses and Dissertations

The Effects of Students with Disabilities Implementing Postsecondary Transition Plans. Joseph D. Rodgers, 2018: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. Keywords: educational planning, learning disabilities, individualized transition plans, community-based instruction (disabilities).

This applied dissertation was designed to examine whether or not students with disabilities (SWD) were prepared for the transition from high school to employment or to postsecondary education. Numerous reports had shown that SWD were being challenged with making the transition from postsecondary school to the next stage of their life, whether that is a full time job or attending college. To this end, …

Oer Adoption In Higher Education: A Case Study Of Stakeholders’ Perceptions At A Florida State College, Rebekah Elisabeth Wright

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to document stakeholders’ perceptions of adopting and integrating OER materials in higher education. Specifically, this study sought to understand the perceptions of institutional faculty, librarians, instructional designers, and students with the adoption and use of OER at a state college in east Florida. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with institutional faculty, librarians, and instructional designers. A survey was distributed to students enrolled in OER integrated courses during the Spring semester. Theoretical perspectives on the adoption and diffusion of OER as an innovation were grounded in Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation theory.

An analysis of the …

Adult Nursing Students’ Perceptions Of Social Presence In Facilitator-Created Subject- Specific Videos In An Online Nursing Course, Jamie Anne Marcus

Theses and Dissertations

The literature established that online instruction consists of cognitive, teaching, and social presence. Studies on the element of social presence linked text-based delivery of instruction with learners’ feelings of isolation and disengagement. This research findings prompted this facilitator creation of five-to-seven-minute companion videos that aligned and complemented weekly text-based learning modules to ascertain students’ perceptions of these videos as a medium for channeling social presence.

Post-video viewing surveys yielded responses to pragmatic and emotional questions. Pragmatic questions were aimed at the visual impact of professor’s delivery of information. Emotional questions gauged the students’ feelings of connectivity with the facilitator. Triangulated …

Self-Efficacy Of General And Special Education Teachers Regarding Inclusion, Karen P. Sims

Theses and Dissertations

This sequential mixed methods study was designed to compare the perceptions, attitudes, and self-efficacy of elementary and middle school general and special education teachers and administrators regarding inclusion. The study identified specific areas of needed support and training to improve these factors. The study took place at a kindergarten through 8 research site in the southeastern portion of the United States. The problem addressed was that school administrators are uncertain about the perceptions of general and special education teachers’ self-efficacy regarding effective instructional inclusion of students with special needs in the general education classroom.

Using quantitative survey inquiry and qualitative …

Evaluation Of An Adaptive Reading Program At A Title I Public Elementary School, Monica M. Gordon

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to evaluate the I-station adaptive reading program and determine its impact on reading proficiency of third-grade students. The school of study was a Title I school with proficiency rates for third-grade students of about 40% annually. The district recommendation for student usage mirrored the recommended minutes per week established by Imagination Station, the I-station parent company.

The program evaluation utilized the context-input-process-product model components, measuring process and product. There were two research questions underpinning the study: 1. Process: Is the I-station program being used with fidelity at the school of study to achieve program intended …

The Effect Of Organizational Culture On The Retention Of Millennial Employees, Charlene Bolton

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative research method study of the organizational culture preferred by physician assistant graduate students was designed to explore how organizational culture can affect the retention of Millennial employees. Millennials will make up approximately 50% of the global workforce by 2020, so it is important to understand how organizational culture can influence Millennials’ willingness to stay with an organization. The problem addressed involved the inability of organizations to retain Millennials beyond their 2 years of being hired, which occurs because the values of the organizations do not align with the work values of Millennials.

After extensive literature review on the …

Exploration Of The Perceived Success Factors And Barriers For Teen Mothers, Janet M. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

In 2015, there were 229,715 babies born to teens between the ages of 15-19 years of age. Over the past few years, teen births have decreased, however the United States still has the highest rate of teen pregnancies. There have been successful teen mothers who have completed high school and have proceeded to attend college and graduate with either a two or four-year degree. It is important to understand this study was not intended to justify research on teen pregnancy or condone teen pregnancy, but there needed to be an awareness made regarding adults who were teen mothers and how …

Factors Contributing To Juvenile Crime Leading To The Disparity Of The Risk Levels For Secure Detainment, Dawn Prystajko

Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this research was to explore the factors that contributed to juvenile crime which in turn caused disparity in secure detainment among juveniles. This was based upon the alternate hypothesis that there is a noticeable disparity with minority youths being more securely detained opposed to majority youths. Therefore, the research was designed to examine raw data obtained from the Juvenile Justice Services Planner/JDAI Coordinator of the excel database of juvenile arrests/detainment.

The findings revealed several key points. The finding revealed that useable data extracted from the excel database was not able to neither agree with nor support …

Motivators Impacting Employment After Disability Due To Injury Or Chronic Illness, Damion B. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Unemployment caused by the need to treat and recover from a disability due to injury or chronic illness is a common phenomenon. Research illustrates that absence from work damages organizational growth, employers, and employees. Employees often experience problems with their mental and physical health that affect their social identity and function. In the context of the recognized value of employment for human health and well being, policy-makers have implemented various programs and approaches to encourage re-employment of those unemployed due to required treatment and rehabilitation. Many of the approaches are driven by financial incentives to encourage individuals to rejoin the …

Impact Of A School-Based Obesity Intervention For Minority Female High School Students, Eric Hughes

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was developed to determine if seven motivational group sessions would improve minority female high school students’ perceptions toward and knowledge of healthy lifestyle behaviors. The target population for this study was 15 female minority students ages 15-18 who attended a large urban high school and had a body mass index greater than 30.

Participants completed the Healthy Lifestyle Beliefs Scale for Teens and maintained a personal food journal. Within their personal food journals, participants listed the types and amounts of both foods they ate and beverages they consumed over two three-day periods. Participants also were supposed to …

Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis: Exploring The Experiences Of Eye Bank Coordinators When Approaching Families Of Decedents For Eye Donation, Concetta Triglia

Health Sciences Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This dissertation was used to addresses a group of individuals who work as eye bank coordinators. These individuals call families and approach them for eye donations from a loved one who has just passed away. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to explain the lived experience of eye bank coordinators who call families for consent of eye tissue. The focus was to understand the dedication of the coordinators to giving the gift of sight and exploring the positive and negative experiences of eye bank coordinators. IPA is used for a keen understanding of eye bank coordinators, and the investigator …

Assessing Beliefs, Attitudes, And Perceived Risks Of Hiv As Predictors Of Hiv Testing Behavior Among Seniors In The Coachella Valley, California, Gillian Sealy

Health Sciences Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2017), at the end of 2014, approximately 428,724 people 50 years or older were diagnosed and living with HIV in the United States. A contributing factor to the high incidence of HIV in this population is unknown HIV/AIDS serostatus (Fenton, 2007). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018), terms serostatus as the state of having or not having detectable antibodies against a specific antigen (https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv-aids/glossary/1632/serostatus). Contributing to the lack of knowledge about HIV serostatus, is that those over 50 are less likely to be tested for HIV even …

Relationship Between Affordable Care Act And Emergency Department Visits, Dovison Kereri

Health Sciences Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed and implemented to expand insurance coverage, reduce health care cost, and improve the quality of care. The purpose of this dissertation study was to investigate whether the ACA insurance expansion correlates with the number of visits made to emergency departments (EDs). The quasi-experimental design interrupted time series was utilized in the analysis. The ED visits were compared using MANOVA to determine the relationship between ED visits and ACA and canonical correlation analysis to assess the strength of the relationship and the extent to which independent variables could predict the dependent variable. The hypothesis was …

Association Between Immunological Reactivity With Tetrabromobisphenol-A And Autoimmune Target Sites Of The Nervous System, Datis Kharrazian

Health Sciences Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) is the most widely used flame retardant. Flame retardants are sprayed on furniture, mattress beds, children’s pajamas, car seats, upholstery, carpets, and rugs in the United States. Chemical immune reactivity may play a role in the epidemic of autoimmune disease. The goal of this research is to investigate whether any correlation exists between immunological reactivity to TBBPA, a key chemical used in most flame retardants, and neurological autoimmune target sites that are associated with neurological autoimmune diseases with a diverse and specific list of antibodies that include myelin basic protein, myelin-associated glycoprotein, alpha-synuclein, aquaporin receptors, and S100B antibodies …

The Race Against The Clock: A New Bill Providing Hope For Children Fighting The Ultimate Battle, Nicholas M. Fiorello

Nova Law Review

Roughly forty-three children are diagnosed with cancer daily.. Approximately 1190 children are expected to die from pediatric cancer this year in the United States alone—as the disease is the leading cause of death in children and adolescents, ages 1U14, in the country.

Effects Of Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling Versus Cycling Only On Walking Performance And Quality Of Life In Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized, Clinical Pilot Study, Lori Hochman

Department of Physical Therapy Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) stimulates peripheral nerves via electrical current to evoke muscle contractions and when combined with lower extremity cycling (LE), creates patterned leg movements. Previous studies demonstrated FES cycling is safe and effective in the spinal cord injury and stroke populations with improvements seen in walking speed, muscle mass, and bone density. Few studies have applied FES cycling to a neurodegenerative disorder, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study is to assess the effect of an 8-week training program using FES cycling, compared to Cycling Only, in people with MS (PWMS). Methods: Using a …

Exploring Incivility Among Nursing And Health Science Students: A Descriptive Study, Diane Louise Smith

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Incivility has infiltrated our institutions of higher learning as well as the world of nursing. All too familiar in nursing is the phrase “eating their young,” which aptly describes how nurses treat other nurses, even though they should be nurturing and caring professionals.

The investigator explored nursing and health science students’ perceptions of student and faculty uncivil behaviors within the academic environment, seeking the levels and frequency of the problem. Bandura’s social learning theory presents a sound theoretical framework for this dissertation. The research methodology consisted of a quantitative descriptive approach. The Incivility in Higher Education-Revised (IHE-R) Survey was used …

Mystory: Scary Head…, Gonca Soyer, Mehmet Soyer

The Qualitative Report

This work is an example of critical autoethnographic study of the writer’s personal experiences. In this particular study, I share my experiences while wearing a headscarf in Turkey, and my desire to settle down in United States in order to pursue my academic career. Due to the political changes in Turkey and United States, my experiences while wearing a headscarf in academia and social environments triggered me to write a reflection about them. In this article, my goal is to deconstruct the symbolic meanings of the Muslim headscarf in social spaces. In addition, the piece will show my “double consciousness" …

Experiences Of Lnu Neophyte Teachers: Cues For A Viable Mentoring Program, Evelyn B. Aguirre, Solomon D. Faller Jr.

The Qualitative Report

The usefulness of teachers’ mentoring program cannot be underestimated. Some universities and colleges in the Philippines have been implementing this kind of program with different approaches, content, and scope. The extent of mentoring programs to improve teaching careers has been studied here and abroad. Results remain inconclusive. This case study with a phenomenological peg has explored the lived experiences of neophyte teachers through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Their experiences in the first years of teaching were characterized by uncertainties, anxieties, struggles, and difficulties emanating from their lack of expertise on various aspects related to teaching practice, lack of …

Aspirations Of The Out-Of-School Youth: Barangay Napara-An, Salcedo, Eastern Samar Perspective, Apolonio I. Machica Jr., Agnesia A. Machica

The Qualitative Report

Aspiration is an ingredient in achieving something in life. It makes or unmakes success. Aspirations differ among the youth. Rural youth aspire for education because through education they can fulfill their dreams in life (Tafere, 2015). The existence of the out-of-school youths, however, along the peripheries of educational institutions in Barangay Napara-an prompted this case study to explore the aspirations of these out-of-school youths of the rural barangay. Eight participants who were not enrolled in the Alternative Learning System (ALS) Program were selected through the assistance of ALS personnel. Data gathered from the participants through personal interview were compared with …

Including Rigor And Artistry In Case Study As A Strategic Qualitative Methodology, Prema Gaikwad

The Qualitative Report

Case study has emerged as a popular research design among the other variations of qualitative designs. This theoretical research study presents the nature of case study as a stand-alone qualitative research methodology, which has an in-built flexibility that is unique among the other qualitative approaches. Literature points to two approaches of case study within which criteria for rigor through clear and complete description of the research design can be applied. A qualitative case study also lends itself to creativity or artistry with a freedom to be multi-method in nature. Being simultaneously rigorous and artistic is possible in case study through …

Lived Experiences Of Battered Women In Ozamiz City, Philippines, Cynthia S. Superable

The Qualitative Report

Domestic violence is prevalent not only in the Philippines but also in other countries. This study explored how battered women viewed their experiences as victims using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach (van Manen, 2016). Using purposive sampling and snowball technique, the study identified six battered women who were interviewed using researcher-made guide questions. The responses generated from the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenology which aimed to understand the lived experiences of the participants. Four central themes were identified, namely recurrence of physical abuse, endurance to pain, disempowerment of women, and love for family. Battered women prefer to …

Impact Of English Language Training On Linguistic And Cultural Identity Of Call Center Employees, Mitima Jean-Paul Zagabe

The Qualitative Report

The Call Center Industry in the Philippines has been attracting employees from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Such industry requires employees to have a strong command of the English language. More specifically, American English serves as the model for English language requirements. The problem is that these requirements may have a negative impact on linguistic and cultural identity of Filipino employees. This study explored the Filipino English language trainers’ integration with the American culture and language and whether this has any influence on the way they teach the language. It also investigated whether the Call Center Industry training has any …

Addressing The Ten Commonly Asked Questions About Qualitative Research In The Philippines, Safary Wa-Mbaleka

The Qualitative Report

There is no doubt that the need for qualitative research has increased and has been felt all around the world. Once feared, detested, or even not much valued by some, qualitative research has now become the rare bird many people are trying to catch. Unfortunately, as more and more people and institutions try to embrace qualitative research, maybe more damage is being done in the process because of the lack of solid understanding of qualitative research. To pave a strong way to excellence in qualitative research conduct and dissemination, it is important to have an idea of the current state …

The Core Of Professional Growth In Work-Related Teacher Education, Leena Aarto-Pesonen, Päivi Tynjälä

The Qualitative Report

This paper presents a Glaserian grounded theory study of adult students’ holistic professional growth in a two-year tailored, work-related, teacher qualification program in physical education. The data consisted of reflective learning diaries, interviews and the written texts of 20 adult students. The data analysis followed the stages of Glaserian grounded theory analysis with substantive and theoretical coding processes carried out using the constant comparative method. The article presents the emotional core and its properties (criticality, ethicality and empowerment) of physical education teacher students’ professional growth. In addition, the article introduces a substantive theory of a process of adult students’ multifaceted …