Digital Commons Network^™

An Empirical Analysis Of The Link Between Built Environment And Safety In Chicago’S Transit Station Areas, Ahoura Zandiatashbar, Agustina Laurito

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Considering that safety is a key environmental factor that promotes health, understanding the relationship between built environment features around transit station areas and crime may shed light on how to foster healthy communities. Yet, there is limited work that has examined how the combination of different built environment features around transit correlate with different crimes. We addressed this issue in this study using data from Chicago (IL). First, we used cluster analysis to classify stations in Chicago in a spectrum from transit-oriented development (TOD) to transit-adjacent development (TAD) categories depending on their built environment characteristics: …

Improving The Effectiveness Of Using Social Media In Vietnamese Academic Libraries, Thi Phuong Chi Duong

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In recent decades, social media has moved from a fringe activity to one that is considered as central for library outreach and promotion. This study aims to explore the current state of using social media and factors affecting the use, then to suggest solutions to improve social media use in Vietnamese academic libraries. In the present study, a mix research methodology was used to achieve the research objectives. The results showed that social media is a marketing communication tool for academic libraries to transmit news, announcements and events. Social media also helps them introduce library resources to users, and implement …

Dynamics Of Organisational Politics And Library Administration On The Motivation And Job Performance Of Library Staff, Omobolade Opeyemi Adeagbo Dr., Iwok Nnah Shabi Dr., Femi Zacch Oguntuase Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Organizational politics is present in every secular establishment including the library with its attendant pros and cons. The paper aims to describe the observed interplay between organizational politics, motivation, and job performance of academic library staff to achieve organizational goals and promote workplace peace and harmony. The study employed a qualitative approach based on personal observation by the researchers and interviews of library managers conveniently selected from four academic libraries in Nigeria; two from the south–south and two from the south–west geopolitical zones. The findings showed that organizational politics can negatively influence library staff's motivation and job performance and lead …

Postgraduate Students’ Use Of Electronic Resources For Research Output In Federal University Libraries In The Southeast, Nigeria: Challenges And Strategies For Interventions., Loveth Ogoegbunam Ekwueme, Augustina Chinyere Chime

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study is an empirical study that examined the challenges facing postgraduate students’ use of Electronic Information Resources [EIRs] for research output in federal university libraries in the southeast, Nigeria. It employed a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was registered postgraduate students in five universities libraries in 2017/2018 academic year comprising of 1,522 users. Yaro Yamane formula was used in calculating the sample size for each stratum in order to have proportional representation. A sample size of 421 postgraduate students was selected and used for the study. Instrument for data collection was questionnaire constructed on a four-point …

Library Research Support And Services: A Case Study Of Panjab University Library, Ritu Sharma, Khushi Rawat, Ankush Jasyal, Dr. Rupak Chakravarty

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This case study examines the research support services provided by the Panjab University Library (PUL), India, and presents a clear picture of its services. The study aims to identify research support service issues discussed in academic libraries' literature, evaluate the methods used to provide research support services at PUL, and develop strategies to accelerate the delivery of research support services based on best practices and lessons learned from other academic libraries. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 129 research scholars, examining their satisfaction and awareness of the library's research support services. Findings revealed that the majority of …

“It Feels Like A Cultural Shift": Parent School Selection And Experiences With School Choice At Title I Schools, Christina Lee Ballantyne

Dissertations

A neoliberal agenda to institute educational reform via school choice has created a school marketplace where parents and schools are connected in a supply-and-demand relationship. Rather than attend the neighborhood school, some parents can seek alternative school options for their children. Although purported to improve educational outcomes and desegregate schools, school choice has not demonstrated increased student academic achievement nor integrated school spaces. Instead, the school choice movement has been seen to contribute to and perpetuate racial and economic segregation. This study sought to understand the perspectives of parents who have selected their neighborhood Title I school and how they …

“The Issue Is Already There; Just Have The Conversation!”: Culturally Sustaining Reflection In The Student Teaching Triad, Hanna M. Asrat

Dissertations

There is a vast demographic mismatch between California’s public school teachers (who are majority White, mono-lingual English-speaking women) and California’s public school students. Though universities responsible for educating preservice teachers often include coursework that attempts to help address this demographic mismatch, such as instruction about Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, if preservice teachers do not get the chance to practice this pedagogy in their fieldwork placement, they tend to fall into to the two-worlds problem. The two-worlds problem posits that preservice teachers view constructivist and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies learned at the university as theoretical and incompatible with actual teaching, and so they …

Ethnic Studies Implementation In A K-8 District: Culture, Critical Consciousness And Collective Efficacy, Genvieve Dorsey

Dissertations

This research was a descriptive study in which the researcher explored the beginning phases of Ethnic Studies implementation in a Kindergarten through Eighth grade (K-8) school district in Northern California. Using a social justice lens, and through a review of Ethnic Studies, Collective Efficacy, Critical Consciousness, and School Culture constructs, the researcher attempted to capture and articulate a cultural profile of the school district and the degree to which it aligned to the cultural typologies articulated among Ethnic Studies scholars.The study included the collection of several types of data, including: (1) archival documents; (2) teacher focus groups; and (3) administrator …

How Can I Help You Today? How First-Generation Latinx/A/O Community College Students Perceive Counseling, Isaac Escoto

Dissertations

Latinx/a/o students make up almost half of the California Community College system’s population. However, Latinx/a/o students account for about 15% of three-year completion rates (certificate, degree, or transfer). In support of student success strategies, the literature describes the role of counselors and how they help students navigate the complexities of higher education. This mixed-methods study investigated how community college counseling practices and services are perceived by Latinx/a/o students; and which of those practices and services best supported the success of this student population. Key findings included the importance of counseling services, as well as preferred counseling appointment logistics and topics …

Never Too Young: The Existence, Impact, And Sustainability Of Ethnic Studies In Elementary School, Angela R. Guzmán

Dissertations

Ethnic Studies has existed in higher education for more than fifty years. In high school, critical education researchers have recognized Ethnic Studies as vital to improving attendance, lowering suspension rates, and boosting GPAs for BIPOC students. This has given rise to the recent K-12 Ethnic Studies model curriculum adoption by the State Board of Education, and the signing of Assembly Bill 101, making California the first state to require that all high school students complete a semester-long course in Ethnic Studies. Regrettably, Ethnic Studies continues to be mostly limited to higher education and grades 9-12 in public schools despite research …

The Effect Of Covid-19 On The Decision-Making Processes Of Local School Governing Boards With Regard To Considering And Enacting State And Federal Policies, J Jesus Contreras

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine and analyze the decision-making and policy development of local governing boards acting in response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered through open-ended items in a mixed-methods survey and through a focus group interview. This research sought to gather governing board members' perceptions about the effects that the COVID-19 crisis had on their decision-making processes with regard to enacting state, federal, and COVID-19 Relief Funds policies. The findings in the study indicate that governing board members’ understandings of state and federal policy were not nuanced enough …

Voice Of The Inaudible: Well-Being Of Chinese American Young Adults, Chinese American Parents’ Parenting Competency, And The Correlation Of The Two, Diana Huang

Dissertations

Violence against Asian Americans since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has become a national crisis in the United States. Racism against Asian Americans in the country, however, has been deep-rooted since the nineteenth century. Chinese American adolescents, who are susceptible to identity crisis as young adults and confront racial discrimination as a minority race, face distressing challenges. It is critical to inquire into their lived narratives and hear their voices. The author investigated the early life experiences of nine Chinese Americans and identified how racial identity is shaped at a young age with negative external inputs, as well as …

When She Speaks: A Black Feminist Autoethnography Exploring Joy And Positionality In Higher Education, Leslye M. Tinson

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the intersections of race, class, and gender of a Black woman as an educational leader and doctoral student. Through autoethnography, I explore self-meaning in cultural contexts and focus on how my positionality contributes to my attempts to find joy in academe. Chapter I discusses the gender and racial gaps in the American professoriate and introduces three research questions. Chapter II interprets extant literature and identifies a conceptual framework that utilizes Black feminist thought, critical race feminism, intersectionality theory, and multicultural feminist perspectives to analyze my lived experiences. Chapter III outlines the research methodology of autoethnography to address …

Measuring High School Counselor Beliefs On The Importance Of Mtmdss Universal Supports Since Covid-19, Ryan J. Carter

Dissertations

The U.S. onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought immediate and unprecedented disruption to California secondary education. High school students in California have endured varying degrees of uncertainty, hardship, and trauma, with the full extent of impacts on students not yet known. California high school counselors, faced with the dilemma of how to support student needs effectively and equitably during COVID-19, have looked to the state as well as professional organizations for guidance on best support practices. Multi-tiered support frameworks, such as MTSS and MTMDSS have emerged as prominent pandemic response recommendations and are being implemented throughout California. The …

Influencers Of The Institution: Millennial Women Of Color On Leadership As Classified Professionals In California Community Colleges, Marisol Quevedo

Dissertations

This study centers Millennial Women of Color (MWOC) California Community College Professionals as institutional influencers by understanding how their leadership practices support the success of marginalized, minoritized, and historically underrepresented students and equity-advancing institutional change. In this study I use the term “influencer” to reflect the impact that MWOC, working as classified professionals at a CCC who are committed to serving as leaders beyond their job duties have on their students and within their institutions. The use of “influencer” in this study addresses three different areas that summarize the study’s findings. First, the theme “Key-Makers not Gatekeepers'' addresses the ways …

“Can I Get Some Help, Please?”: Examining Contributing Factors To First-Generation Student Success In California Community Colleges, Tijan G. White

Dissertations

This study aimed to determine the percentage of first-generation college students enrolled at California Community Colleges and examine their experiences through a culturally engaging lens using a mixed-methods approach. The research was interested in determining what percentage of community college students hold first-generation college student status using the federal definition of the term, understanding to what extent those students found their campus environments to be culturally responsive and relevant to their needs and what insights some of these students could offer regarding their experiences. The researcher surveyed and facilitated a focus group discussion with students throughout the Bay Area geographic …

Factors Influencing Educational Equity In Online Instruction For Students During Covid-19, Sudha Krishnan

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This qualitative study examined special education teachers’ perceptions of student success in online instruction during the pandemic school closures to isolate the key determinants in the differential student outcomes reported by the teachers. Data were collected from 16 teachers using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic coding. The six themes that emerged from the data were that the key determinants of student outcomes were variables related to teacher, school administrator, district, student, parent, and pedagogy. The study showed that underlying deficit thinking in school professionals, lack of planned support for those parents and students needing the most support, and limited …

Just Go To The Office! An Intersectional Exploration Of The Role Of Race And Gender In Discipline Referral Reasons, Kamilah B. Legette, Yoli Anyon

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Educators’ differential selection of Black and Latine students for office discipline referrals is a significant driver of inequity in exclusionary outcomes. Using demographic data and discipline records for all students in one large urban school district, we use descriptive statistics and multilevel regression models to consider whether referral reasons are racialized and if these patterns intersect with gender. Our analyses indicate that educators are consistently more likely to refer Black students than White students to the office for several subjective reasons, including habitual disruption, that are purportedly race-neutral but privilege Whiteness. They are less likely to make referrals for Black …

Never Lose Your Ecg: A Novel Key Generation And Authentication Scheme For Implantable Medical Devices, Nima Karimian, Gokay Saldamli, Younghee Park, Victor Lui

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Implantable medical devices, such as pacemakers, cardiac defibrillators, and insulin pumps, play a crucial role in monitoring patients' vital signs within healthcare systems. However, these networked devices are susceptible to external attacks and breaches of trust, hindering the potential innovation and social benefits of eHealth services. To address these concerns, we propose a novel ECG-based key generation scheme and blockchain-based authentication protocol to build a trustworthy healthcare service under any situation. The key will be extracted in a single heartbeat using fiducial features. Compared with the existing works, the proposed key generation achieves the most efficient and secure method by …

Effect Of Scapular Retraction On Lower Trapezius, Infraspinatus, And Deltoid Muscle Electromyographic Activity During The Side-Lying Abduction Exercise, Masaaki Tsuruike, Todd S. Ellenbecker

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background The lower trapezius (LT) muscle, which stabilizes the scapula posteriorly during arm elevation, has been interesting to both clinicians and researchers for its importance in throwing-related shoulder rehabilitation and injury prevention. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the electromyographic activity of the LT and other relevant muscles during scapular and shoulder activities in the side-lying position. Methods Twenty collegiate baseball players volunteered to participate in this study. Electromyographic (EMG) output of the lower trapezius, infraspinatus, posterior deltoid, middle deltoid, serratus anterior, and upper trapezius muscles were collected. All the subjects performed isometric resistance exercises in four …

A Step-By-Step Hhl Algorithm Walkthrough To Enhance Understanding Of Critical Quantum Computing Concepts, Anika Zaman, Hector Jose Morrell, Hiu Yung Wong

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

After learning basic quantum computing concepts, it is desirable to reinforce the learning using an important and relatively complex algorithm through which students can observe and appreciate how qubits evolve and interact with each other. Harrow-Hassidim-Lloyd (HHL) quantum algorithm, which can solve linear system problems with exponential speed-up over the classical method and is the basis of many important quantum computing algorithms, is used to serve this purpose. The HHL algorithm is explained analytically followed by a 4-qubit numerical example in bra-ket notation. Matlab code corresponding to the numerical example is available for students to gain a deeper understanding of …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence In Detection And Mitigation Of Human Factor Errors In Nuclear Power Plants: A Review, Meenu Sethu, Bhavya Kotla, Darrell Russell, Mahboubeh Madadi, Nesar Ahmed Titu, Jamie Baalis Coble, Ronald L. Boring, Klaus Blache, Vivek Agarwal, Vaibhav Yadav, Anahita Khojandi

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Human factors and ergonomics have played an essential role in increasing the safety and performance of operators in the nuclear energy industry. In this critical review, we examine how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies can be leveraged to mitigate human errors, thereby improving the safety and performance of operators in nuclear power plants (NPPs). First, we discuss the various causes of human errors in NPPs. Next, we examine the ways in which AI has been introduced to and incorporated into different types of operator support systems to mitigate these human errors. We specifically examine (1) operator support systems, including decision support …

Image-Based Malware Classification On Noise Extraction, Venkata Sai Sathwik Nadella

Master's Projects

Any malicious software designed to cause harm or damage to a computer system can be termed as malware. One common form of malware is as executable files. Such files are often used as a delivery mechanism for malware since they can be easily disguised as legitimate software and can be executed without raising suspicion. They are often used to exploit vulnerabilities in software, allowing malware to bypass security measures and gain access to sensitive information.

There are several methods used to detect malware in executable files, including Signaturebased detection, Behavioral-based detection, Heuristic-based detection, Sandboxing, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). …

Predicting Lower Millennial Turnover Intentions: Examining Work Benefits Factors And Organizational Environment Factors As Sets, Lyric W. Fortson

Master's Theses

Millennials make up the majority of the working population now, however organizations are struggling to retain them, as they tend to turnover in their job roles after an average of just a few years. The purpose of this study was to examine what workplace variables could predict lower turnover intentions in Millennials. This study examined a set of two work benefits factors, satisfaction with salary and satisfaction with career advancement, and a set of three organizational environment factors, satisfaction with feedback, satisfaction with supervisor, and satisfaction with work-life balance, as predictors of lower turnover intentions in Millennials. A survey was …

Adaptive Windowed Sinc Filter For Image Interpolation, Dang Nguyen

Master's Theses

In this thesis, an image interpolation scheme using an adaptive windowed sinc, which varies in length and frequency response guided by the Laplacian operator, is proposed to improve quality and accuracy. First, an optimization is performed to minimize the squared error for each sliding window by sweeping a range of windowed sinc filters with varying filter lengths. The relationship between the windows, filter length, and edge intensity is analyzed to determine the optimal beta value and filter length. This analysis inspires an image interpolation approach that uses the Laplacian of each sliding window to choose the optimal beta and filter …

Where And Why Do Ecosystem-Based Adaption Projects Take Place In California?, Daniel K. Jacobson

Master's Theses

California is experiencing the harmful impacts of climate change and will continue to do so for generations. As a result, municipalities have been forced to turn to adaptation solutions to help local residents adjust to inevitable impacts such as sea level rise, extreme heat, and extreme weather. Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), the use of nature and ecosystem services to help human systems adapt to climate change impacts, is an increasingly popular, cost-effective, and multi-benefit adaptation strategy. While prior research has shown that other forms of adaptation, often referred to as ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ strategies, disproportionately benefit whiter and wealthier populations, there …

Beyond Social Emotional Learning: Toward A Humanizing And Transformative Teacher Sel, Ash Ray Busby

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to bring to life the experiences of how the development of a Social, Emotional and Cultural lens prepares teachers to meet their own social and emotional needs in the classroom and consequently be better prepared to meet their students’ social and emotional needs in ways that are culturally sustaining. This qualitative research study explored these phenomena through a series of three in-depth interviews and a classroom observation with four in-service teachers in a Northern California school district that prioritizes social emotional learning (SEL) for students and teachers. The insights from this research may inform …

Vehicle-Based Disconnected Data Distribution, Aditya Singhania

Master's Projects

The world today is highly connected and there is an immense dependency on this connectivity to accomplish basic everyday tasks. However much of the world lacks connectivity. Even in well-connected locations, natural disasters can cause infrastructure disruption. To combat these situations, Delay Tolerant Networks

(DTNs) employ to store and forward techniques along with intermittently connected transports to provide data connectivity. DTNs focus on intermittently connected networks however what if the regions are never connected? For example, Region A - is never connected to the internet, and Region B – has internet connectivity. Using a vehicle that travels between the two …

Application Of Knowledge Graph Techniques On Textbooks, Yutong Yao

Master's Projects

Textbooks are written and organized in a way that facilitates learning and understanding. Sections like glossary terms at the end of a textbook provide guidance on the topic of interest. However, it takes manual effort to create the index terms in the glossary that highlight the key referenced terminologies and related terms. Knowledge graphs, which have been used to represent and even reason over data and knowledge, can potentially capture textbook’s important terms, concepts, and their relations. Popular since the initial introduction by Google Knowledge Graphs (KGs), they combine graph and data to capture and model enormous amounts of relational …

A Novel Efficient Deep Learning Framework For Facial Inpainting - Face Reconstruction From Masked Images, Akshay Ravi

Master's Projects

The use of face masks due to the covid-19 pandemic has made surveillance of people very difficult. Since a mask covers most of the facial components, security cameras are rendered of little to no use in the identification of criminals. In order to realize what a face looks like behind a mask, we have to construct the facial features in the masked region. On a higher level, this falls under the field of image inpainting, i.e. filling missing regions of images or correcting irregularities in images. Current research on image inpainting shows promising results on images that have missing/incorrect patches …