Digital Commons Network^™

That Was Then And This Is Now: The Changing Roles Of Veteran Special Education Teachers As A Result Of Response To Intervention, Tricia Kaye Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how the process of Response to Intervention (RTI) has changed the roles of three veteran special educators. The background knowledge of these teachers that helped make the initiative successful, as well as the "building blocks" that were present in the initial implementation of RTI models in their settings, were described. The essential components that contributed to successful RTI processes in K-12 settings were described by the participants. In addition, the successes, challenges, and recommendations of these veteran special educators for the future of RTI implementation were explored. The experiences of three veteran special education teachers who participated …

Literacy Coaching In The United States: Implications For Taiwan, Mei-Lan Lo

Theses and Dissertations

Literacy coaching has become a popular professional development approach in the United States over the last decade. To date, there has been little research on the different lived experiences and challenges of literacy coaches working in different contexts. Furthermore, research findings regarding the effectiveness of literacy coaching are inconclusive. To fill the gaps in the literature, this study was designed to explore the nature of literacy coaching in the United States and examine the relationship between literacy coaching and student literacy achievement, both from the perspective of literacy coaches and that of classroom teachers. An embedded mixed methods research design, …

An Epidemiological Study Of Injury Affecting Ncaa Division I Women's Intercollegiate Soccer Players, Elizabeth Ostrowski

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To study the nature and incidence rate of injuries that affect an NCAA division I Midwestern women's collegiate soccer team and to examine the relationship between injury rates and specific risk factors.

Background: Minimal research has been conducted on women's collegiate soccer injuries and specifically on the relationship of injury to the hamstring to quadriceps ratio (HQR). Past research reports that the HQR may be a risk factor for injury but it has not been tested at speeds considered more functional for soccer. Lower body agility and skin folds have not been examined as risk factors for women's soccer …

Reflected Appraisals And Racial And Sexual Identity Development In The Lives Of Black Lesbian And Bisexual Women, Konjit Vonetta Page

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a grounded theory about the relationship between racial identity statuses and the experience of reflected appraisals in the lives of Black lesbian and bisexual women. Black lesbian and bisexual women were specifically selected in this study due to the unique and multiple issues Black lesbian and bisexual women face as members of multiple marginalized and oppressed groups.

Participants in this study included 13 self-identified Black lesbian and bisexual women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant. In accordance with grounded theory approaches, follow-up interviews were conducted and enabled participants to provide …

Intonation Processing In Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Alanna Friedman

Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by the death of dopaminergic neurons in structures that make up the basal ganglia. Previous research has shown that damage to the basal ganglia can result in deficient (Cheang et al, 2004; Ma et al, 2007) production and perception of intonation in non-emotional (Cheang et al., 2004; Ma et al., 2007) and emotional (e.g., Breitenstein et al., 1998; Cancelliere & Kertesz, 1990) contexts. Studies on perception have shown evidence that individuals with Parkinson's disease have difficulty discriminating intonation patterns when compared to healthy controls, and that these difficulties are due to higher …

Delay Discounting Among American Indian And Non-Indian College Students, Angelique Gillis

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the concept of delay discounting among a total 200 participants (150 American Indian college students and 50 non-Indian college students) recruited from the University of North Dakota (UND), Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC), and Cankdeska Cikana (Little Hoop Community College. All participants completed the South Oaks Gambling Scale (SOGS), Gambling Functional Assessment (GFA), Sensation Seeking Scale-V (SSS-V), and a delay discounting questionnaire. American Indian participants completed an additional form-Northern Plains Biculturalism Inventory-revised (NPBI-R). It was hypothesized that American Indian participants from the reservation sample would have higher SOGS scores than participants …

Factors That Influence Program Completion: Predicting Kentucky Drug Court Completion Outcomes, Elizabeth R. Hagensen

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines data collected from Kentucky Drug Court to determine factors associated with program completion outcomes. Extant research on drug court completion outcomes is generally limited to individual drug courts and includes small numbers of observations. This research uses more than three thousand participant records spanning over three years from all Kentucky Drug Courts. Multiple logistic regression is used to determine which factors predict program completion. Participant characteristics, problem behaviors, and drug court variables are examined. Increase in age, earning at least a high school diploma, indicating methamphetamine or other stimulant as a drug of choice, and being married …

Pre-Service Teacher's Professional Knowledge Development Of Phonological Awareness Through Constructivist Learning Engagements, Ruth Marie Newton

Theses and Dissertations

phonemic awareness

phonics

An Epidemiological Study Of Collegiate Women's Basketball Injuries, Alexandria Fern Pulvermacher

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To study injuries that affect a women's collegiate basketball team and to examine the relationship between injury rates and specific risk factors. Method: Baseline data were collected on the basketball team through pre-participation physical, medical history questionnaires, and a balance measurement. The players were followed throughout their regular season and all injuries and exposure times were recorded. Results: Injury rates were 11.25/1000 hours (2011-12 season), and 14.34/1000 hours (2010-11 season). In the unadjusted Poisson regression analysis of injuries per 1000 hours exposure the following risk factors resulted in a significant effect: previous injury, weight lifting, center, and forward. Conclusion: …

Native American Secondary Female Students' Perspectives On School Success, Frances Ann Rodenburg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was twofold: (a) to gain an understanding of how students perceive their own academic successes, learning experiences, and factors that contribute to their success; and (b) to document oral stories students shared about their experiences through transcribed interviews. The information gathered was intended to support educators in understanding factors contributing to school success for Native American students. Students interviewed were eight female, Native American students in Grades 8 through 10, living in poverty, and scoring at proficient or advanced levels on their 2009-2010 state assessment in both reading and math.

Students attended various schools …

Professional Behaviors, Sense Of Belonging, And Professional Socialization Of Early Career Clinical Laboratory Scientists, Janna Marie Schill

Theses and Dissertations

Professional socialization is a process that individuals experience as members of a profession and consists of the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences that influence and shape their professional identity. The process of professional socialization has not been studied in the clinical laboratory science profession. Clinical laboratory science is an allied health profession that is faced by a workforce shortage that has been caused by a decrease in new graduates, decreased retention of qualified professionals, and increased retirements. Other allied health professions such as nursing, athletic training, and pharmacy have studied professional socialization as a way to identify factors that may influence …

Effects Of An Intervention To Promote Stair Use In A University Building, Bethany Anne Marie Brandvold

Theses and Dissertations

Wellness programs have been implemented by companies and other organizations for various reasons since before the 1970s, and many have focused on the promotion of physical activity as a health-promoting behavior. Promoting physical activity via stairwell prompting at the workplace has become very popular in recent years. This study tested an intervention based upon motivational signage placed in the stairwells of a University administrative building, as well as daily emails sent to the employees in the building. Key concepts from Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and a sub-theory of SDT, Organismic Integration Theory (OIT) were integrated into the messages of the posters …

Positioning For Elementary School Success: Charting The Journey Of Adopting And Leading School Reform, Nancy Jo Burke

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this longitudinal case study was to develop a process and structure for adopting and leading critical school reform initiatives within a rural North Dakota pre-kindergarten through fourth grade elementary school. Elementary principals can use this process and structure to benefit staff, and ultimately, to improve student academic achievement. This longitudinal case study identified factors that facilitated or hindered a rural practicing elementary principal, staff, and school while implementing federal, state, and local school reform initiatives beginning in the 2005-2006 school year.

This longitudinal case study utilized a qualitative, grounded theory and case study approach to identify: (a) …

Examining Perceptions Of Servant Leadership In Administration Of Selected Public Schools, Peggy Jane Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Servant Leadership in an organization using the following variables: valuing people, developing people, building community, displaying authenticity, providing leadership and sharing leadership. The study also examined whether or not a correlation existed between years of faculty service, education level, and faculty gender. The researcher administered the Organizational Leadership Assessment (OLA) designed by Dr. James Laub to three public schools; interviews were also conducted with three school leaders. This study suggests that a Servant Leader positively impacts an organization's overall success.

The Secondary Shuffle: Special Educators As Tutors, Teachers, Or Both, Amy L. Jacobson

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the perspectives and practices of six secondary special education teachers regarding role conflicts within their profession. Ideally, special education teachers are expected to work with students with disabilities in ways that promote the students' progress on individual learning goals as stated in their IEPs. In reality, special education teachers often spend the time set aside for working on IEP goals assisting the students with homework and tests that will allow the students to "pass" their required classes. Thus, students' IEP goals are often neglected. Three overarching assertions emerged from the data. The first assertion was providing support …

Communication Challenges Associated With Voyageurs National Park: A Discourse Analysis, Charlotte Lord Klesman

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation analyzed interviews conducted with three key people who described their personal connections to Voyageurs National Park and the adjoining communities. These ethnographic details add insights expressed in the voices of community members who have demonstrated interest in and commitment to the park through their association with the staff and their interactions with the park ecosystems. These insights are valuable because the park mandate requires public involvement in management decisions as part of the public land stewardship but engaging public involvement proved to be complex. After the park was established a rift developed between local community members and those …

Evaluation Of A Low Corrosion Method To Increase Mercury Oxidation And Scrubber Capture, Shuchita Sanjay Patwardhan

Theses and Dissertations

The taconite industry located in the Mesabi iron range has been identified as one of the major contributors of the atmospheric mercury in the Lake Superior basin by the Lake Superior Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP). Mercury is a leading concern among air toxic metals due to its volatility, persistence and bioaccumulation as methylmercury in the environment, and its neurological health impacts.

Previous research work performed at taconite processing plants by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) identified the taconite ore as the main source of mercury during the taconite processing. Magentite iron ore pellets are produced by balling moist concentrates …

Pilot-Scale Evaluation Of Advanced Solvents For Co2 Capture From Coal-Fired Utilities, Brandon Michael Pavlish

Theses and Dissertations

In 1992, international concern about climate change (a change to Earth's climate, especially those produced by global warming) led to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The ultimate objective of that convention was the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that mitigates anthropogenic interference with the climate system" (1). There has been a growing concern about global climate change which scientists believe is (arguably) caused mainly by anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. The overall goal of this work was to evaluate next generation solvents at a pilot scale …

The Impact Of Time Of Day, Sleep, And Nutrition On Age-Related Changes In Cognitive Performance, Jaclyn Reckow

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined how sleep, nutritional intake, and time of day moderate age-related cognitive changes. Research indicates there are cognitive changes associated with healthy aging. Many studies comparing young and older adults have tested participants at the same time of day. More recently, research has revealed certain cognitive tasks produce a synchrony effect, in which participants perform better during their preferred time of day. Older adults tend to prefer morning activities while younger adults prefer afternoon or evening. Forty-eight young adults, ages 18-35 (M = 20.7) and 25 older adults, ages 60-84 (M= 71.4) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality …

Analysis Of Preservice Teacher And Instructor Technology Uses And Beliefs, Adrienne M. Salentiny

Theses and Dissertations

In our technology-immersed society in which information is central to the economy, citizens should be fluent with technology and possess 21st century skills that support responsible and effective technology use (e.g., Lin, 2000; P21, 2009). Given the role of public education in creating citizenry with the skills society needs, these qualities should be developed at the K-12 level. This is best done if teachers integrate technology into their lessons (e.g., ISTE, 2008; NCES, 2002). However, research shows that inservice teachers are not integrating technology enough because of negative attitudes, poor confidence, inadequate education, a conflicted teaching philosophy, and other barriers …

Remediation Of Hydrocarbon Contamination In Downtown Mandan, North Dakota, Damien Hesse, Amanda Krieger, Alex Padgett, Derek Zander

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Does A Ketogenic Diet Infer Neuroprotection In A Rat Model Of Neurotrauma, Ryan Lange

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Fractured Literature, 21st-Century Consciousness, And Postmodern Exhaustion In The Novel, Joshua Brorby

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Ysce And Yscl On Yops Secretion In The Type Iii Secretion System Of Yersinia Pestis, Michael Harsche

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Intimate Relationships Of Adults Raised In Same-Sex Families, Thomas Roskos

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the close relationship experiences of adults raised by sexual minority parents. The study used a Grounded Theory (GT) method. Seven individuals that were either born to sexual minority parents or found out their parents were sexual minorities later in life participated in this present study. Each participant completed an over the phone, semi-structured interview. Specifically, questions were asked regarding their family history, relationships with their parents, peers, romantic partners, and others, their experiences with heterosexism, their experiences coming out, and their perspectives on sexuality and gender.

In accordance with GT, the data …

Mapping And Analyzing Conservation Reserve Program (Crp) Enrollment Patterns From 1991 To 2011 In Nelson County, North Dakota, Using Remote Sensing And Gis Techniques, Nicholas Lee Roehrdanz

Theses and Dissertations

Since its inception in 1985, the federally managed Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has contributed to land-use/land-cover change (LUCC) in areas throughout North Dakota. Concurrently, the Devils Lake Basin and surrounding Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) in North Dakota has experienced pervasive lake and wetland flooding. Unsurprisingly, a clustering of CRP enrollment in certain counties within the basin has occurred, seemingly coinciding with the flooding. Analysis of historical county-level CRP enrollment data pertaining to counties in North Dakota revealed that Nelson County, which is partially within the basin, has developed as a CRP hotspot in the state and has had the greatest …

An Investigation Of The Association Between Physical Self Perceptions, Autonomous Motivation, And Fitness Education Strategies, Andrea Paige Charlebois

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between relative autonomy (autonomous versus controlled motivation), engagement in physical activity in a physical education class, and health-related fitness test scores. Participants were a total of 300 students drawn from grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 from a local Midwestern high school. Motivation, perceived competence, and self-reported physical activity levels were assessed using appropriate questionnaires. Heart rate monitors were used to record adolescent's heart rate taken during technology enhanced physical education classes to obtain a quantifiable measure of physical activity. The use of Fitnessgram assessment included a variety of health-related …

The Scope And Limitations Of Transcyclopalladation Reactions On Silica Gel, Jessica Lamb

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Potential Health Effects Of Formaldehyde Exposure, Kaylee J. Redmann

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Level Of Violence And Defendant's Diagnosis Of Schizophrenia On Potential Jurors' Perceptions Of A Crime, Sarah A.M Scholler

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.