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Effectiveness Of Cognitive Timed Up And Go Test In Assessing Fall Risk In The Older Adult, Cory Sailer

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Introduction: Falls are a common and devastating injury for the older adult. Fall programs, such as the Stepping On program, are used to educate, strengthen, and sequentially reduce the number of falls its participant's endure. The Stepping On program is a multifactorial fall prevention program that addresses: balance and strength exercises, visual impairments, home modifications, pharmacologic effects, and even assistive devices. One aspect that has been found to be influential on fall risk is cognition, in particular executive functioning during ambulation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to screen participants of the Stepping On program for unknown …

Evaluation Of Fall Risk, Functional Mobility And Quality Of Life Changes Of Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Parkinson's Disease Participating In A Community Exercise Program, Gabrielle Dahl, Elizabeth Hermanson, Laura Nelson, Kayla Selinger

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Purpose/Hypothesis: Falls are evident in the older population and are a common and disabling feature of Parkinson Disease (PO). The benefits of activity are well known to decrease balance deficits and increase overall quality of life in the older adult population. In addition highly challenging exercises have been suggested to increase neuroplasticity in individuals with PD. The effect of challenging exercises on clinical outcomes in a structured Physical Therapy setting is documented in literature; however, the effect of a community based program is not well documented. Our pilot study examined the effect of a community exercise program on improving …

Interdisciplinary Mental Health Approach To Equine Assisted Therapy For Veterans, Elizabeth Large, Brier Van Valin

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this program plan, Veteran Equine Therapy Services: An Interdisciplinary approach (VETS), is to provide an interdisciplinary, theory-driven structure to increase veterans’ occupational performance in the community using equines as a therapeutic medium.

Methods: A thorough literature review was completed focusing on current PTSD treatment options for veterans, beneficial effects of using animals and equines in treatment, and interdisciplinary team effectiveness. Scholarly articles were retrieved through databases found on the Harley E. French Library website located at the University Of North Dakota School Of Medicine and Health Sciences including PubMed, Google Scholar, Sociological Abstracts, CINAHL, and PsycInfo. …

Acute Retinal Necrosis: Early Diagnosis Is Key To Outcome, Kevin Davis

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Acute Retinal Necrosis (ARN) can have extremely devastating effects on the vision of both healthy and immunocompromised individuals. Many times the exact pathogen of ARN can remain a mystery due to its silent and sometimes sudden onset along with the loss of vision prior to vitreal biopsy. One of the known pathogens is the Herpes Zoster Virus (HZV).

• When Herpes Zoster Virus attack the retina, there are very devastating effects due to ARN including long term complications and blindness. A review of literature looked at the retrospective studies related to the incidence and prevalence of ARN caused by …

Occupational Therapy Feeding And Eating Interventions For Autism Spectrum Disorders And Pervasive Developmental Disorders: A Systematic Review, Jordan T. Adolf, Hana M. Mattern

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Due to the limited evidence and lack of methodological rigor regarding feeding and issues in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), clinicians who treat children with these diagnoses rely on the limited amount of information and many are not aware of evidence-based interventions (Ahearn, Castine, Nault, & Green, 2001; Marshall, Hill, & Dodrill, 2013). The purpose of this scholarly project is to gather, critique, and determine efficacy of occupational therapy feeding and eating interventions for children with ASD and PDD.

We systematically reviewed literature for higher-level evidence, as defined by Level III evidence or above, …

Instructors’ Perspectives Of Giving Audio And Video Feedback: Can You Hear Me Now?, Jane Marie Sims

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated university instructors’ perspectives, values and processes of giving assignment feedback to students using written, audio and video formats and examined samples of feedback in these formats for differences in amount of content, language complexity and tone of feedback. The instructors represented different campus disciplines and a variety of campus, online and hybrid environments, and their classes included undergraduate and graduate students and ranged from small to large class sizes. This qualitative study applied Media Naturalness Theory to a phenomenological and discourse analysis of instructor interviews and feedback samples. The interview data revealed intentionality in selecting different feedback …

Passing On The Legacy: How Rural Community College Senior Officers Prepare The Next Generation Of Leaders, Linda Thompson Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Given the significant projected percentages of retirements of community college senior officers, forecasted workforce shortages, and the difficulty of attracting employees to rural community colleges, a qualitative study was undertaken to understand the learning experiences of seven senior officers in developing the competencies to lead at a rural community college. Through the interviews, the senior officers redirected the conversations to describe how they develop the next generation of rural community college leaders. Findings included the descriptive concepts of (a) rural legacies, (b) developing pragmatic competence, and (c) reciprocal development. A grounded theory model provided guidance on preparing the next generation …

Not Your Business: Pedagogical Lessons Of Activist Resistance To Neoliberalism In Canadian Higher Education, Jorunn Thordarson

Theses and Dissertations

The growing power and permeation of neoliberal ideology across all facets of social life has been instrumental in promoting and orchestrating a shift among Canadian post-secondary institutions towards a reductive view of schooling at the expense of a more liberatory vision of education. The aim of this study was to examine the connections between power, education, and democracy in relation to the neoliberal restructuring of higher education in Canada, while simultaneously exploring discourses of resistance to neoliberal hegemony. Using critical discourse analysis, this study begins by establishing the promotion and naturalization of neoliberal ideology within the policy landscape of Canadian …

Teachers Transform: Developing New Understandings And Competencies Following The Implementation Of The Common Core Writing Standards, Jennifer Wallender Wallender

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how elementary teachers have transformed and developed new writing understandings and competencies following the implementation of the English Language Arts (ELA) Common Core State Standards (CCSS). This was done by understanding teachers’ perceptions and experiences, as well as how they have developed their understandings, with classroom writing. Participants were four elementary teachers from two public school districts in North Dakota—one single-school district and one multi-school district. Data were collected with interviews, observations, and artifacts throughout the school year. The data analysis was completed using the qualitative research program ATLAS.ti and …

The Explanatory Role Of Reproductive Planning On Single Mothers’ Demographic Trends And Financial Outcomes, Kenzie Yezzi

Theses and Dissertations

Academic studies of single-mother poverty to date largely focused on presenting and analyzing the correlation between single-mother poverty incidence and variables such as maternal age, education and employment. The previous literature strongly demonstrated that younger maternal age, lower education levels and reduced income are positively correlated with single mother status compared to married mothers (Bitler & Waller, 2008; Minnotte, 2012). Since previous studies have also shown that younger maternal age, lower educational attainment and weaker employment history greatly increase the risk of poverty among single mothers (Zhan & Pandey, 2004) I seek to further examine which background phenomena may be …

X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy Studies Of The Atomic Structure Of Zirconium-Doped Lithium Silicate Glasses And Glass-Ceramics, Zirconium-Doped Lithium Borate Glasses, And Vitreous Rare-Earth Phosphates, Changhyeon Yoo

Theses and Dissertations

In the first part of this work, the atomic-scale structure around rare-earth (RE = Pr, Nd, Eu, Dy, and Er) cations (RE3+) in rare-earth sodium ultraphosphate (REUP) glasses were investigated using RE LIII-edge (RE = Nd, Er, Dy, and Eu) and K-edge (RE = Pr and Dy) Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. (RE2O3)x(Na2O)y(P2O5)1-x-y glasses in the compositional range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.14 and 0.3 ≤ x + y ≤ 0.4 were studied. For the nearest oxygen shell, the RE-oxygen (RE-O) coordination number decreases from 10.8 to 6.5 with increasing RE content for Pr-, Nd-, Dy-, and Er-doped …

What Do The Numbers Really Mean? An Examination Of Learning Analytics Related To Online Courses And University Student Retention And Success, Austin Thomas Winger

Theses and Dissertations

University student retention and success are high priorities for colleges and universities. With the expansion of online learning, retention of students in online courses has become particularly important in modern higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that affect university student retention and success, with particular consideration for students who have taken online courses during their undergraduate career. The guiding research question for this qualitative study was: “How do demographic, internal, and external factors affect the retention and success of undergraduate students who take online courses?” Learning analytics (predictive analytics in educational settings) attempt to predict …

Theory Through Practice: An Action Research Study Of Learning To Teach In Elementary Music Methods, Rebecca Calvert Petrik

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to improve an elementary music methods course’s impact on preservice teachers’ learning to teach. The central problem was identified as weak connectivity between course learning at the beginning of the semester and application in practicum settings at the end of the course. Reconnaissance including self study and study of the field led to changes in the sequencing of course learning and practicum teaching. The course was restructured to support the preservice music teachers through a graduated progression of practicum experiences prescheduled across the entire sixteen-week semester. Each teaching experience was grounded with …

Thinking Like A Nurse: The Impact Of Simulation And Clinical Experiences On Clinical Judgment In Prelicensure Nursing Students, Carol Ann Reid

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The ability to make sound clinical judgments is essential to safe nursing practice. Clinical experiences allow nursing students to integrate theory and practice and demonstrate clinical judgment. Simulation is being used by nursing programs to replace clinical experiences. Limited research is published regarding the effectiveness of simulation in the development of clinical judgment. This study explored differences in clinical judgment among nursing students in a maternal-newborn clinical course participating in simulation or hospital-based clinical experiences.

Methods: This study used Lasater’s Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR), based on Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model, to evaluate nursing students’ clinical judgment following completion of …

The Impact Of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (Tavi) On Cognition: Evaluating The Relationship Between Changes In Cognitive Function, Cerebral Injury, Physical Ability, And Mood, Jaclyn Reckow

Theses and Dissertations

Aortic stenosis is a cardiovascular disease affecting 2 to 4% of U.S. adults over

age 65 years old (Freeman & Otto, 2006). Aortic stenosis causes angina and syncope

eventually leading to heart failure and death (Otto, 2006). Transcatheter aortic valve

implantation (TAVI) is an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with

high surgical mortality risk (Kappetein, 2013). The TAVI is associated with increased

cerebral injury, with silent ischemia reported in up to 90% of TAVI patients (Samim et

al., 2015). The present study examines the relationship between cerebral injury, cognitive

changes, and quality of life in TAVI patients. …

Vulnerability Indices For Waterbodies Impacted By Theoretical Hydraulic Fracturing Spills Modeled Utilizing Gis, Isaac Simon

Theses and Dissertations

Hydraulic fracturing is a method used to extract oil or natural gas from unconventional sources. Within western North Dakota it is largely used to extract oil from the Bakken Formation since the low permeability of the Bakken shale makes conventional methods of oil extraction difficult. Hydraulic fracturing utilizes large volumes of frack fluid and this frack fluid is toxic to humans, animals including livestock, and vegetation including crops. Research is needed to provide a greater understanding of where frack fluid would travel if spilled, how much frack fluid could infiltrate into the soil, and how much frack fluid could impact …

A Localized Autonomous Control Algorithm For Robots With Heterogeneous Capabilities In A Multi-Tier Architecture, Jeremy Straub

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation makes two contributions to the use of the Blackboard Architecture for command. The use of boundary nodes for data abstraction is introduced and the use of a solver-based blackboard system with pruning is proposed. It also makes contributions advancing the engineering design process in the area of command system selection for heterogeneous robotic systems. It presents and analyzes data informing decision making between centralized and distributed command systems and also characterizes the efficacy of pruning across different experimental scenarios, demonstrating when it is effective or not. Finally, it demonstrates the operations of the system, raising the technology readiness …

Contraceptive Self-Efficacy: Educational And Familial Influences, Jenelle Suzan Swenberger

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines educational and familial influences on contraceptive self-efficacy among young adults. Self-efficacy theory states that beliefs about personal efficacy constitute the key factor behind human agency. Contraceptive self-efficacy refers to the belief in one’s ability to utilize contraceptives in a sexual situation. Based on previous literature it is expected that young adults who have had comprehensive reproductive health education, report higher levels of individual educational attainment, and report higher levels of mothers’ and fathers’ educational attainment will report higher levels of contraceptive self-efficacy. To test these associations, data from a stratified random sample of undergraduate students enrolled at …

A Comparative Analysis Of Associate And Baccalaureate Degree Respiratory Therapy Programs' Preparation Of Graduates For Entry Into The Profession, Christine Sperle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of the factors that contribute to or detract from the educational preparation of graduates between associate (AD) and baccalaureate degree (BD) respiratory therapy programs through the use of graduate and employer survey ratings, Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credentialing success, and document analysis of various institutional and program mission, course content, and goals.

This study employed quantitative analyses to compare the perceptions of AD graduates and their employers with the perceptions of BD graduates and their employers regarding the educational program’s ability to prepare graduates for entry into the profession. Graduate …

Preparing Doctoral Students For The Professoriate: An Ethnographic Study Of Students’ Experiences In A Formal Preparatory Course, Mohammed Saleh Alkathiri

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of doctoral students relating to the factors that influence their understanding, preparation and attitude toward the professoriate. Participants were enrolled in a formal course that was designed to prepare them for the professoriate. Acquainted with critical realist ontology, the researcher argued that it was necessary to investigate the understanding and preparation of doctoral students in order to better clarify the complex experiences that underlie their practices of making meaning and maintaining balance and well-being in the professoriate. The study was conducted using an ethnographic case study approach with multiple data collection methods that …

Demand And Supply: College Faculty’S Perceptions Of Computer Aided Design (Cad) And Computer Aided Manufacture (Cam) In Jewelry Design And Production, Patrick Awotwe

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to explore perceptions of university faculty and jewelry industry professionals regarding the teaching of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) in a visual arts classroom. At the time of this study, there were mixed opinions about the teaching of CAD/CAM in the production of jewelry products, and there was limited literature available on this topic. With the use of CAD/CAM technologies, a jeweler emerges as potentially an artist and a design engineer who can apply creative and innovative principles to industrial design and manufacturing processes. Considering the impact of CAD/CAM …

Graphic Design Students’ Perceptions Of Using Apple Ipads To Create Sketches And Promote Idea Generation, Elizabeth Becker

Theses and Dissertations

Artists and designers typically utilize sketching during the early stages of the design process because it provides them with an opportunity to transfer ideas from their head onto paper, computer, or mobile device. Sketching is regarded by researchers in the field of design to be an essential part of the design process.

The existing research in this field is focused on comparing paper and pencil sketches with sketches completed on computers. There is a void in the literature examining sketching completed on mobile devices like the Apple iPad. Therefore, this study aimed to fill that void.

The purpose of this …

Experimental Super High Frequency Rectifier And Dc To Dc Converter For Application In Space Solar Power, Robert Bernaciak

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the continuous rise in the global energy demands, new sources of fuel and energy need to be explored. One area of research that is currently underdeveloped is the study and application of space solar power. Space solar power (SSP) is a broad topic that covers the idea of capturing and transmitting renewable solar energy from space to earth. There has been lots of research in the area of SSP, but there are yet any test platforms operating in space continuously to gather data for supporting the commercialization of SSP. This research document looks at the design of the …

Teachers' Of Students With Visual Impairments Perceptions And Experiences Of Teaching The Expanded Core Curriculum, Renae T. Bjorg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the qualitative research study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of teachers of students with visual impairments (TSVIs) in the state of North Dakota regarding the expanded core curriculum (ECC). This study included transcribed interviews from six TSVIs who taught in grades K-12.

The National Agenda for the Education of Children and Youths with Visual Impairments, Including Those with Multiple Disabilities was used to frame this study. Phenomenological methods were used to analyze the interviews into codes, categories, themes, and an assertion. Following were the seven themes supported by the data collected:

1. Teachers of students …

The Evolution Of Institutional Mission In Social And Historical Contexts At The University Of North Dakota: 1883 – 2016, Stacey Leigh Borboa-Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

The University of North Dakota, a liberal arts institution founded in 1883, has a mission statement that speaks directly to present-day societal needs and norms. While staying true to its founding object, the mission has specific focus on science, technology, health and diversity. These areas speak directly to national and global economic and societal needs. In order for public institutions to secure funding, they have to respond to legislators and taxpayers; they must respond to current trends. This research looks at the University of North Dakota’s evolving mission, from founding in 1883, to present-day 2016. The research focuses on institutional …

Examining Identity Of Novice Teacher Educators: A Self-Study, Laura Brudvik

Theses and Dissertations

Novice teacher educators can provide valuable insight into the question of professional identity and how it informs practice. Collaboration through interviews using self-study highlight how the experiences of their novice teacher educator years contribute to their identities. The self-study method provides an integrative approach, bridging research and practice, with the goal of ultimately improving practice. This self-study identifies specific qualities possessed by teacher educators who are former classroom teachers, and analyzes those qualities to determine possible benefits to teacher education. A corollary study is a self-study of my personal construction of professional identity as a novice teacher educator. The self-study …

How Distribution Of Commercial Satellite Payloads Between Different Launch Providers Affects The National Space Transportation Policy, Jerra Brown

Theses and Dissertations

How does the distribution of commercial satellite payloads affect the National Space Transportation Policy? Looking at the launch of commercial satellite payloads as a market, providing profit for private ventures, the question was analyzed by linking the economic benefits of the market to policy that it influences. Historical models are used to establish an economic variable and correlate its impact on policy change through time, using the 1994, 2004 and 2013 National Space Transportation Policies. The primary methods used were different comparative text analysis to baseline the changes of the evolving policies as applicable to a growing private space launch …

How Media Ownership Affects Community Journalism: A Case Study Of The Grand Forks Herald, Angela Sue Cary

Theses and Dissertations

Local print newspapers have experienced many fiscal challenges over the past decade resulting in the downsizing of personnel and the consolidation of other resources. This restructuring ultimately affects its readers who may not receive the level of local information they need to further the ideals of civic engagement and democracy within their community. This study examines the relationship between media ownership and the amount of local news found within one newspaper serving a mid-size Midwestern city. This research was conducted through comparisons of the number of articles, column inches, and local reporter data in the newspaper’s two primary news sections …

Measuring The Effect Of Vocabulary Instruction On Reading Comprehension: Comparing Students Of Lower And Higher Socioeconomic Status, Michelle Burns Burns

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of a lexicon enhancement program on students categorized as lower SES, determined by whether or not they qualified for the federal free or reduced lunch program. Specifically, the performance of lower SES students on measures of vocabulary learning and reading ability were compared to classmates who did not qualify for the federal program (higher SES). Forty-six 4th grade students from the Grand Forks Public School district participated in the study. Students from the lower SES and higher SES group were randomly assigned by classroom to be either in the intervention or the control group, with …

Novelty Detection And Cluster Analysis In Time Series Data Using Variational Autoencoder Feature Maps, Sophine Clachar

Theses and Dissertations

The identification of atypical events and anomalies in complex data systems is

an essential yet challenging task. The dynamic nature of these systems produces huge volumes of data that is often heterogeneous, and the failure to account for this will impede the detection of anomalies. Time series data encompass these issues and its high dimensional nature intensifies these challenges.

This research presents a framework for the identification of anomalies in temporal data. A comparative analysis of Centroid, Density and Neural Network-based clustering techniques was performed and their scalability was assessed. This facilitated the development of a new algorithm called the …