Digital Commons Network^™

The Correlation Between The National Survey Of Student Engagement Indicators And First Year Student Achievement, Satisfaction, And Retention, Larry Peck

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the National Survey of Student Engagement indicators (NSSE), High-Impact Practices, demographic variables and non-involvement factors can significantly predict student achievement, satisfaction, and retention. The sample included data from 493 freshmen from a large public university in the Southeastern United States who participated in the National Survey of Student Engagement in 2015 and 2016. This study seeks to benefit instructional designers, educators, and educational institutions to maximize their resources and efforts to achieve maximum achievement, retention, and satisfaction.

The study concluded that achievement is highly correlated with higher-order learning, learning strategies, effective …

The Impact Of Help-Self And Help-Others Appeals Upon Participation In Clinical Research Trials, Susan Lewis Casey

Marketing Theses & Dissertations

The need for participants in medical research trials continues to grow yet the successful recruitment of volunteers remains a challenge. Much of the research regarding patient recruitment activities has been conducted in the social sciences. As such, the specific impact of advertising strategy to help recruit volunteers remains unclear. The proposed research is designed to help to fill this gap in the literature, generating insight for continuing academic research and helping practitioners gain efficiencies in developing new pharmaceuticals.

This research uses an experimental design to assess the impact of two variables upon clinical trial participation. These two variables were selected …

The Effects Of Delay And Probabilistic Discounting On Green Consumerism, Blake J. Bent

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

People have a tendency to discount outcomes that are delayed or probabilistic. In other words, people will sacrifice larger benefits for smaller benefits that are immediate or certain. For many environmentally-friendly (“green”) products, the financial benefits are both delayed and probabilistic. The current study examined how delay and probability, as well as frame and magnitude, influenced consumers’ decisions when comparing a conventional and green product. Participants were recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and completed one of two experiments. In each experiment participants chose between a conventional product (low initial cost, high operating cost) and green product (high initial cost, low …

Supervisor And Subordinate Perceptions Of Leader-Member Exchange: Examining Idiosyncratic Deals And Work-Family Experiences In A Moderated Mediation Model, Michael L. Litano

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The extant literature recognizes that subordinates in high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships experience the most favorable outcomes (Dulebohn, Bommer, Liden, Brouer, & Ferris, 2012). In exchange for their unwavering commitment and superior job performance, high LMX subordinates benefit from greater access to valuable resources (e.g., communication, support, and negotiating latitude; Gerstner & Day, 1997), which can then be used to combat job demands and facilitate accomplishment of the subordinates’ salient goals (Agarwal, Datta, Blake-Beard, & Bhargava, 2012; Hobfoll, 2001). Meta-analytic evidence suggests that LMX also has critical implications for work-family outcomes (Litano, Major, Streets, Landers, & Bass, 2016), however, the …

Assessing Learning Strategies With An Educational Video, David James Harrison

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Even though educational films and videos have been in used for a century, there remains insufficient research into efficacious learning strategies that can be used alongside them. This study sought to investigate active learning strategies as a method to improve learning from video. This true experimental study, supported and informed by qualitative data, examined three active learning strategies utilized within video-based instruction: Guided Notetaking, Personal Notetaking, and Guided Summaries. Outcome measures included three dimensions of learning (factual, conceptual, and procedural) on an immediate posttest, perceptions of extrinsic cognitive load, likelihood that participants would use the strategies again, how often participants …

The Trash Talk Is No Fantasy: The League As A Representation Of Trash Talk In Fantasy Sports, Michael Davis, Alysia Davis, Chang Wan Woo

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

The popular FX show The League demonstrates the ubiquity of fantasy sports and, more importantly, fantasy sports trash talk. Through the use of exaggerated and extreme examples of trash talk The League seeks to create a representation of fantasy sports and the chatter associated with it as standardized depictions of the subset of American sports dialogue known as fantasy sports. This essay seeks to explore the ways that representations of fiction fantasy competition and trash talk create normalized expectations of what "competitive fandom" looks like in an era dominated by fantasy sports. We examine the implications that fictional exaggerations of …

Review Of Fantasy Sports And The Changing Sports Media Industry: Media, Players, And Society, Andrew J. Ploeg

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

Fantasy Sports and the Changing Sports Media Industry: Media, Players, and Society is a volume of essays dedicated to fantasy sports, games that, in 2016, attracted 57.4 million participants in North America alone. Nicholas David Bowman (Associate Professor of Communication Studies at West Virginia University), John S. W. Spinda (Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Clemson University), and Jimmy Sanderson (Director of Marketing, Communications, and Faculty Relations for Clemson Online at Clemson University) serve as the volume's editors. Together they have gathered the most comprehensive single collection of essays published on fantasy sports to date.

Effects Of Light Intensity On Spatial Visualization Ability, Petros J. Katsioloudis ., Mildred Jones

STEMPS Faculty Publications

A plethora of technological advances have happened since artificial illumination was developed by Thomas Edison. Like technology has had an effect in many areas in the modern civilization it also made a difference in the classroom. Nowadays, students can have instruction in classrooms with no external windows, even during gloomy winter or rainy days, and virtually during any hour of the day. Several lightning devices are being used, ranging from energy efficient LEDs to fluorescent lighting. Some forms of lighting methods have been found to be inappropriate for prolonged exposure to the human eye such as various gas-discharge lamps that …

Diffusion Of Renewable Energy Policies, Khatera Alizada

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the global diffusion of renewable energy policies: feed-in tariffs (FIT) and renewable portfolio standards (RPS). Existing studies of policy diffusion have failed to differentiate between four possible mechanisms of policy diffusion: emulation, suasion, learning and competition. To test these competing explanations, the study uses a mixed-method research design that combines statistical analysis of time-series cross-sectional data with an agent-based model of diffusion processes. The findings of the statistical analysis show strong support for the suasion (European Union Membership, Clean Development Mechanisms) and emulation mechanisms (cultural similarity or common language) in the diffusion of FIT. In the diffusion …

The Treatment Of Ethnic Minorities In Democratizing Muslim Countries: The Securitization Of Kurds In Turkey Versus The Autonomization Of Acehnese In Indonesia, Maurizio Geri

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Samuel Huntington , almost half century ago, explained how the state capacity is fundamental to guarantee order in societies in transition. Francis Fukuyama , recently, recuperated this concept arguing that a strong effective state is fundamental for stability of democratizing countries. But strong institutions are not enough to make democracy and political order compatible: institutions need to be also inclusive, to foster participation and respect the freedom of all parts of society, including ethnic minorities.

The main question this study wants to answer is: what factors explain the differences in how democratizing Muslim countries treat their ethnic minorities? Studies of …

An Exploratory Factor Analysis Examining Experiences And Perceptions Of Campus Safety For International Students, Sonia H. Ramrakhiani

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Although international students make up a significant percentage of the college population and contribute to higher education institutions in multiple ways, a lack of attention is paid to their safety needs. This dissertation examined the experiences and perceptions of campus safety among international college/university students in the United States. The researcher sampled participants from different institutions around the country, who self-identified as international students. A researcher-developed 53-item Likert scale questionnaire, International Students’ Safety Questionnaire (ISSQ), was administered to the sample. Findings from the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) provided evidence for the four-factor solution for the 26-item ISSQ accounting for 48.65% …

Personality, Motivation, And Internet Gaming Disorder: Understanding The Addiction, Kristy L. Carlisle

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined the relationships among personality traits, motivation for play, and Internet gaming disorder in a diverse sample of Internet gamers, using a group correlational design and path analysis. The researcher sampled participants who self-identify as Internet gamers by posting invitations to participate in the study on Internet forums, as well as by accessing the gaming population at Pokémon Go hotspots. The study used valid and reliable instruments: The Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGD-10), the abbreviated form of the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), and the Motivation to Play Online Games Questionnaire (MPOGQ). Data analysis included descriptive statistics related …

The Role Of Self-Care And Hardiness In Moderating Burnout In Mental Health Counselors, Traci Danielle Richards

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the relationship between self-care, hardiness, and burnout in a sample of mental health counselors using a hierarchical multiple regression. Additionally, the relationship between hardiness, identity characteristics, and job factors was explored using a Pearson’s correlation and MANOVA. The study used valid and reliable instruments: the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to assess burnout and the Dispositional Resilience Scale (DRS) to assess hardiness. Results of a hierarchical multiple regression indicated that hardiness accounts for more of the variance in predicting burnout than self-care. Significant predictors of burnout include age, job satisfaction, self-care frequency, and hardiness. Data collected for this …

Sleep Disorders And Kidney Transplant Outcomes: Findings From An 18-Year (1997-2015) Historical Cohort Study, Margaret M. Lubas

Health Services Research Dissertations

A historic cohort study of kidney transplant recipients with a failed graft was conducted to examine the associations between sleep disorders and kidney transplant outcomes. Adult kidney transplant recipients who were transplanted and failed or died with a functioning graft during the designated study time period (January 1, 1997 to September 1, 2015, inclusive) were included (n=299). The primary independent variables, any sleep disorder and any sleep-disordered breathing disorders, were defined through a diagnosis in a subject’s medical record. Transplant outcomes included: death with a functioning graft, graft survival time, and patient survival time after graft failure.

Chi-square statistics were …

Unconditional Positive Regard, Tyler Beckett

English Theses & Dissertations

This collection of short stories brings together the work of Tyler Beckett for the first time, representing the breadth and depth of his skill in fiction. His stories largely focus on the small towns of the American South, and the identities that those towns' residents create for themselves. Through this investigation we see questions on community, belonging, outsiders, and the challenges of joining communities, as well as the question of whether those communities are worth joining. Throughout the collection, Mr. Beckett uses his clear, lucid prose to engage with his characters in a tender way, even as they commit their …

Sexuality And The Autism Spectrum: Implications For Individuals With The Broad Autism Phenotype, Lydia Ruth Qualls

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Many people who are not diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) nevertheless have some symptoms of the disorder. These people are classified as having the Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP) and have some of the same difficulties as people with ASD. People with greater levels of the BAP may have difficulty in expressing their sexuality and may experience more same-sex attraction, as is commonly found in individuals with ASD. Previously, differences between individuals with higher vs. lower BAP traits have been measured categorically. In this study, my goal was to use continuous measures of BAP traits, sexual experiences, and sexual orientation …

Intersexion, Cynthia Davis

English Theses & Dissertations

A combination of memoir, reportage, and opinion writing, Intersexion explores the realities of growing up intersex while also examining the conservative mindset that caused the narrator—a happily married suburban mother—to lose a tenure-track position at a Christian university for being unwilling to label Danny’s intersex condition as “repugnant” and “offensive to God.”

The Effect Of Device When Using Smartphones And Computers To Answer Multiple-Choice And Open-Response Questions In Distance Education, Thomas Royce Wilson

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Traditionally in higher education, online courses have been designed for computer users. However, the advent of mobile learning (m-learning) and the proliferation of smartphones have created two challenges for online students and instructional designers. First, instruction designed for a larger computer screen often loses its effectiveness when displayed on a smaller smartphone screen. Second, requiring students to write remains a hallmark of higher education, but miniature keyboards might restrict how thoroughly smartphone users respond to open- response test questions. The present study addressed both challenges by featuring m-learning’s greatest strength (multimedia) and by investigating its greatest weakness (text input).

The …

Exploring Culturally Relevant Leadership Practices: A Qualitative Case Study Of One Eastern Virginia High School, Donna Weingand

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

There is a need for equity in our schools—especially with respect to the impact of equity on student achievement—and it is important for educational leaders to not only identify issues of teachers’ cultural and ethnic biases in the classroom, but for educational leaders to feel comfortable tackling these issues in an effort to move toward a more socially just educational climate and culture. The purpose of this study was to not only identify how and to what extent culturally relevant instruction and leadership practices manifest in one Southeastern Virginia School, but also the ways that school leaders foster a culturally …

Understanding The Experiences Of Women With Anorexia Nervosa Who Complete An Exposure Therapy Protocol In A Naturalistic Setting, Gina B. Polychronopoulos

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a serious mental health concern in the United States, with the highest mortality rate of all mental disorders. Females comprise the vast majority of people with AN, although the number of males with the condition is rising. Anorexia Nervosa has a high relapse rate and is often enduring, which makes it challenging to treat successfully; therefore, the mental health profession is in need of innovative therapeutic approaches. Exposure therapy has a growing evidence base for the treatment of eating disorders, including AN; however, there are very few studies that explore body image/mirror exposure specifically in patients …

Learning While Leading: A Multiple Case Study Of Principals' Ways Of Knowing, Marsha Caudill Cale

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Excellent school leadership is undeniably linked to improved student achievement. Due to the impact administrators have on school and student success, it is critical that current and aspiring principals receive high-quality training and support. Superior principal preparation programs and ongoing training opportunities are fundamental to fulfilling the need and improving student outcomes nationwide. A phenomenological case study approach was used to explore the factors contributing to the success of public school principals and examine from the practitioners’ perspective how they learned their craft. Adult learning theory is situated within the context of social constructivism, and used to critically examine the …

Establishing The Psychometric Properties Of The Understanding Mental Health Scale: A Dissertation Study, Michael Thomas Kalkbrenner

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation study was to validate the Understanding Mental Health Scale (UMHS). The UMHS is a 50-item questionnaire that was designed to measure college students’ awareness of mental health issues. To test the psychometric properties of the UHMS, a principal axis factor (PAF) analysis with an oblique rotation was conducted using an existing data set of 350 college students. Results revealed a two-factor structure underlying college students’ understanding of mental health issues. The factors were named risk-factor awareness (familiarity with warning signs of mental health issues) and resource awareness (knowledge of resources for mental health issues). A …

An Investigation Into Perceived Productivity And Its Influence On The Relationship Between Organizational Climate And Affective Commitment, Kaitlynn Marie Castelle

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence of individually perceived productivity on the relationship between individually assessed organizational climate and affective commitment, from heterogeneous survey participant data. A theoretical framework is adopted to explain how organizational climate shapes employee perception and how this relationship is moderated by a perceived productivity. This is a relatively unexplored concept in the defined context and has been developed by the researcher. Perceived productivity was measured using an instrument developed in this research to gauge respondents’ perception of their productivity. The instrument, named the General Measure of Perceived Productivity (GMPP), was developed …

Planning And Team Shared Mental Models As Predictors Of Team Collaborative Processes, Zikai Zhou

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This study evaluates the role of team planning and the similarity of team shared mental models (TSMMs) as predictors of two types of collaborative behaviors that are known to contribute to team performance. A computer-based Networked Fire Chief (NFC) simulation task was used as a testing environment for emergent and dynamic situations. The relationships among team planning, similarity of task-focused team shared mental models (TASKTSMMs), similarity of team-focused team shared mental models (TEAMTSMMs), team backup behaviors, and implicit coordination were tested. This study provides evidence for the mediation effect of similarity of TASKTSMMs between team planning and team backup behaviors, …

Individual And Store Characteristics Associated With Brand Choices In Select Food Category Redemptions Among Wic Participants In Virginia, Qi Zhang, Chuanyi Tang, Patrick W. Mclaughlin, Leigh Diggs

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) often allows participants to redeem food benefits for various brands at different costs. To aid the program’s food cost containment efforts, it is important to understand the individual and store characteristics associated with brand choices. This study used the WIC Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) data for 239,062 Virginia WIC participants’ brand choices in infant fruits and vegetables (F&Vs) and whole grain bread in May 2014–February 2015, one of the first such data sets available in the U.S. for research purposes. Mixed effects logistic regression models were used to analyze …

Poster Session, Honors College, Odu

Undergraduate Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

2017 Undergraduate Research Symposium: Full Program, Honors College, Old Dominion University

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Full program with schedule and abstracts for the 2017 Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Moral Disengagement In Legal Judgments, Tess M. S. Neal, Robert J. Cramer

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

We investigated the role of moral disengagement in a legally-relevant judgment in this theoretically-driven empirical analysis. Moral disengagement is a social-cognitive phenomenon through which people reason their way toward harming others, presenting a useful framework for investigating legal judgments that often result in harming individuals for the good of society. We tested the role of moral disengagement in forensic psychologists' willingness to conduct the most ethically questionable clinical task in the criminal justice system: competence for execution evaluations. Our hypothesis that moral disengagement would function as mediator of participants' existing attitudes and their judgmentsa theoretical bridge between attitudes and judgmentswas …

The Social Income Inequality, Social Integration And Health Status Of Internal Migrants In China, Yanwei Lin, Qi Zhang, Wen Chen, Li Ling

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: To examine the interaction between social income inequality, social integration, and health status among internal migrants (IMs) who migrate between regions in China.

Methods: We used the data from the 2014 Internal Migrant Dynamic Monitoring Survey in China, which sampled 15,999 IMs in eight cities in China. The Gini coefficient at the city level was calculated to measure social income inequality and was categorized into low (0.2 < Gini <= 0.3), medium (0.3 < Gini <= 0.4), high (0.4 < x < = 0.5), and very high (Gini > 0.5). Health status was measured based upon self-reported health, subjective well-being, and perceptions of stress and mental health. Social integration was measured from four perspectives (acculturation and integration willingness, social insurance, economy, …

Immersive Telepresence And Student Perceptions Of Instructor Credibility And Immediacy, Miguel Ramlatchan

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

Immersive telepresence systems offer a new standard of high definition video, high resolution audio, life size displays, camera and microphone arrays that together create a new level of seamless video conferencing experiences. The result is a communication and learning environment that virtually recreates the immediacy of face-to-face group conversations. However, few quantitative research studies have been conducted to test the return on investment compared to the impact on students. This presentation presents the early findings of an experimental study that investigated the learning effectiveness and student perceptions of instructor credibility and immediacy. These results were compared to other online multimedia …