Digital Commons Network^™

Experiences Of Parents Of Children With Late-Onset Pompe Disease Diagnosed By Newborn Screening, Allison Marie Paltzer

Theses and Dissertations

Pompe disease is an autosomal recessive lysosomal and glycogen storage disorder. It is classified as either infantile-onset Pompe disease (IOPD), which is characterized by severe muscle weakness and enlarged heart shortly after birth, or late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD), which is characterized by more slowly progressive weakness without obvious symptoms at birth. Pompe disease was added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) for newborn screening (NBS) in 2015 as early treatment with enzyme replacement therapy is lifesaving for children with IOPD. However, most patients identified via newborn screening have LOPD, which does not require immediate treatment and may not present …

“It Looks Like The Future But Feels Like The Past”: Oral (Hi)Stories Of Appalachia As Covid-19 News Stories, Ashley Reid Mcgraw

Theses and Dissertations

Oral historians have often felt obligated to collect stories during disasters and crises, to preserve recollections of experiences and trauma of those affected. During the onset of COVID-19 in the United States, this surge was certainly present. Appalachia, although its boundaries are contested, has a strong association with oral histories, and thus was the focus of one project in particular: a collaboration with the Blue Ridge Public Radio and the Foxfire Appalachian Heritage Museum to collect, curate, publish, and broadcast oral histories of "local" individuals. But what does it mean to be local, in a region as broad as Appalachia? …

“Speak For Yourself”: Ovidian Women And The Suppression Of Voice And Complaint In Metamorphoses And Heroides, Grayson Elizabeth Newman

Theses and Dissertations

Ovid’s portrayal and attitude towards women is one that is particularly puzzling and contradictory throughout his Metamorphoses and Heroides. Recent scholarship on Ovidian literature is only divided on whether or not Ovid’s intentions within these two works were to sympathize with the Roman woman’s experience or to reinforce the lack of female representation in Roman society; however, I argue that Ovid fails to achieve empathy for the Roman woman. In Heroides, these women are pining and tragic, often meeting some terrible fate shortly after being abandoned by their suitors and putting forth a complaint. Conversely, women in Metamorphoses …

Deficit Thinking In Teacher Course Level Recommendations, Andrew Hogan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze teacher perceptions of the impact of deficit thinking in student course level placement to derive greater insight into the causes of the over-representation of students of color in lower-tracked classes. This study was conducted as a virtual focus group using Google Meet that took place across 3 meetings in which 6 teachers participated in activities designed to promote dialogue around the impact of deficit thinking in the placement of students into course levels.

This study found that teachers perceived deficit thinking in institutional deficiencies in meeting the needs of students and the …

The Effects Of Problem-Based Learning On Mathematics Motivation In A Flipped Classroom Instructional Environment, Joshua David Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

In response to decreasing motivation in high school math classrooms, teachers are transforming classrooms with various instructional techniques. Traditional math instruction relies on direct instruction and memorization of content, processes, and skills. Teachers are transitioning to more constructivist student-led approaches. Utilizing multiple instructional designs provides teachers more opportunities to access the major components of the ARCS Model: attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction.

Therefore, the purpose of this action research was examining problem-based learning in a flipped classroom instructional environment and measuring its effect on students’ motivation and achievement in Algebra 2. The study addressed the following research questions: 1) What …

Assessing The Gaps And Potential Solutions To Improve Access To Genetic Testing For Autistic Individuals, Nisha Dhiren Pandya

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to increase. Numerous genetic syndromes increase the risk of ASD. Professional organizations have published guidelines on the genetic testing recommended for Autistic individuals. However, healthcare providers do not unanimously offer genetic testing or refer for a genetics evaluation. Notably, parents of Autistic individuals express interest in learning about genetic testing as an option for their children.

This study aimed to identify gaps to improve access to genetic evaluations for Autistic individuals and their families. A survey was sent to healthcare providers across the United States that currently see Autistic individuals. We expected …

Understanding The Spectrum Of Cacna1a Related Disorders: An Analysis Of Genotypes And Phenotypes In 416 Individuals, Olivia Jane Wilmarth

Theses and Dissertations

Pathogenic variants in the CACNA1A gene disrupt a calcium channel expressed in the central nervous system, causing a variety of neurological and psychiatric features collectively known as CACNA1A-related disorders. Gain-offunction and loss-of-function of this channel are both well-established mechanisms of disease, but specific genotype-phenotype correlations have remained unclear. Previous research has been limited by small sample sizes, with some studies noting significant intrafamilial variation and reduced penetrance. This study aimed to collect and analyze genotypic and phenotypic data from a large sample of individuals with CACNA1A-related disorders published in the literature and in two patient cohorts. Using the …

Impact Of Virtual Models On Students’ Multilevel Understanding Of An Organic Reaction, Eli Martin

Theses and Dissertations

As the number of STEM opportunities and the need for a scientifically literate society increases, educators in STEM fields require tools that help support these needs. Chemistry is one STEM content area that would benefit from exploring educational technology that supports conceptual understanding. An action research study was conducted to understand how students engage with the content and virtual representation to develop their understanding of a chemical reaction. This convergent mixed methods study looked at the effect of dynamic virtual molecular representation on students' ability to understand a reaction mechanism at the symbolic and subparticulate level by measuring content knowledge …

Digital Literacy Integrated Into Academic Content Through The Collaboration Of A Librarian And A Core Content Teacher, Jeri Leann Jeffcoat

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to investigate the impact of collaborative teaching involving a school librarian and a social studies teacher on sixth-grade students’ unit projects, classroom engagement, and digital literacy skills. This study's innovation was twofold: academic content was infused with digital literacy skills instruction, and the librarian/researcher co-taught the unit with a regular academic content teacher. The study was designed to answer three research questions involving how instruction that integrates digital literacy and social studies content taught collaboratively by a librarian and social studies teacher influences sixth-grade social studies students’ performance on summative …

Electronic Portfolios In A High School Community Of Practice: Action Research Exploring Writing Experiences In An Advanced Placement Writing Course, Archibald Franklin Harrison Iv

Theses and Dissertations

The underlying assumption of this study is that writing as a process has profound implications for success and fulfillment both in and beyond the classroom. A second assumption is that electronic portfolios provide students a space to write, revise, reflect, share, and explore themselves as writers. Students who engage with and embrace the writing process to the point that they self-identify as writers may be more likely to not only succeed at academic writing tasks but to integrate writing into their future lives (Lengelle and Meijers, 2014). For writing to play a prolonged role in this level of academic, professional …

Face Validation Of A Spanish Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening Knowledge Scale, Kenya Michelle De Leon

Theses and Dissertations

Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) provides risk assessment for chromosome aneuploidy in pregnancy. Previous studies in the United Kingdom and United States have attempted to measure patient knowledge, decisional conflict, and informed choice in cohorts of English-speaking pregnant patients who elected NIPS (Griffin et al., 2023; Lewis et al., 2016). However, knowledge scales utilized in these studies have not been validated. The current study was conducted in order to assess face validity of a Spanish NIPS knowledge scale that was originally written in English. This scale was developed as part of a larger project to ultimately provide more validated research measures …

Projecting The Effects Of Climate Change And Urbanization On Longleaf Pine Stands In The Florida Flatwoods, Lilian Grace Hutchens

Theses and Dissertations

The southeastern United States once held millions of hectares of highly connected longleaf pine ecosystem. In a dramatic range reduction, longleaf pine now occupies less than 5% of its original extent, its remnant patches existing within a matrix of human-dominated land uses. Conservation planning for longleaf pine ecosystems is complicated given the ecosystem’s reliance on fire and the broad spatial and temporal scales at which longleaf pine management must operate. Planning timelines for longleaf pine management extend into the end of the 21st century, a period during which climate, fire regimes, and land cover are all expected to change, influencing …

Connecting Their Stories: Black Educators’ Experiences Within Cultural Heritage Institutions That Document The Long Arc Of The Civil Rights Movement, Constance Marie Caddell

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to examine Black educators’ experiences within cultural heritage institutions that are documenting topics that include the long arc of the American Civil Rights Movement. Black educators are powerful conduits of the African American story because they align with African American cultural heritage institution’s goals to foster equality, identity, pride, and honor in the community. These shared goals lead to Black educators using teaching methods that liberate, advocate, and empower students. This allows them to share new knowledge, strategies, techniques, and concepts on diverse topics. Considering their fundamental mission, it is essential to gain an awareness of the …

The Impact Of Opendyslexic Font On The Reading Comprehension Of Tier Ii And Tier Iii Reading Intervention Students, William David Whitmire

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods action research project measured the effect of OpenDyslexic font on the reading comprehension of MTSS Tier II and Tier III reading intervention students. A review of the literature revealed little research about OpenDyslexic font or its effect on reading comprehension. The study consisted of a 7-week period with 4^th grade Tier II and Tier III reading intervention students using OpenDyslexic font while reviewing previously taught comprehension strategies before end of the year testing. Results show positive growth for Tier II reading intervention students and results were inconclusive for Tier III students.

Vision Controlled Autonomous Stakebot For Driving Stakes And Its Digital-Twin, Corey Lee Leydig

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis a novel vision-based AI driven autonomous ‘StakeBot’ is proposed to serve the agricultural 4.0 industries of the future. In recent years supply, demand and production of vegetables that are harvested from plants with weak stems like bell pepper, tomato, eggplant has been significantly up by several fold. With growing demand and new green-house establishments across the country production of vegetables will require a tremendous number of labors which will be hard to supply soon. To overcome the issues in addition to the labor shortages, automation through robotics will be the only viable solution. Plants like bell peppers …

How Do They Do It: A Narrative Of Disabled Public School Instrumental Ensemble Conductors And Their Positive Working Relationships With Their Administrators, Lia Alexandria Patterson Snead

Theses and Dissertations

As the leader of the instrumental ensemble, the conductor’s role is important on and off the stage. Public school conductors have especially demanding jobs because they must act as a conduit between composer and ensemble as well as handle all administrative duties pertaining to running a music program. Subsequently, this results in a heavier workload than the average teacher. The demanding workload can add to any preexisting issues for disabled ensemble conductors who struggle at work due to insufficient support from their administrators. The lack of strong administrative support for disabled or impaired faculty and staff may be due to …

An Examination Of Celebrity Product Involvement And Endorsement Effectiveness, Eric Nichols

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate celebrity product involvement and its relationship with endorsement effectiveness. Due to the increased leverage in creating their own brands, celebrity athletes are increasingly engaging in entrepreneurial endeavors such as collaborations on product development, an investment relationship, and outright ownership and creation of a brand or product. This paper also studied the extent which parasocial interactions and athlete identification may moderate endorsement effectiveness in the form of brand attitudes as well as what role product congruence may play.

Participants were recruited to complete an online survey that exposed them to manipulations of narrative …

Fourth-Grade And Fifth-Grade Cover-Band Classes: An Action-Research Project Inspired By Popular Music Education And Music Learning Theory, Julia Turner

Theses and Dissertations

I facilitated “Fourth-Grade and Fifth-Grade Cover-Band Classes,” a popular music education-, informal music learning-, and music learning theory-inspired action-research project. The purpose of this action-research project was to examine the facilitation and learning processes used by my students and me when engaged with those music learning approaches and theory. The guiding questions for this study included: 1) How do I use and adapt principles from modern band (2023), Green (2008; 2014), and Gordon (2012; 2013) to prepare my facilitation of a popular music project for my fourth-grade and fifth-grade students? and 2) How do my fourth-grade and fifth-grade students engage …

Identity In Literacy Narratives: Toward Reflexive Pedagogy In First Year Writing, Laiken Elizabeth Harrigan

Theses and Dissertations

An ongoing discussion for composition pedagogues is the relation of individuals’ identities and discourse histories in relation to academic discourses. In this thesis, I argue that academic discourse cannot be entirely separated from personal discourse, as individuals are always in conversation with their discoursal histories and identities. In order to better understand how students perceive their relationships to academic discourse, I analyze how First Year Writing (FYW) students experience the discourse of FYW— where they either intertwine their identities or we see their personal identities collide with the academic space. I used open coding to conduct a textual analysis of …

Understanding Intergenerational Transmission And Frequency Of Ethnic-Racial Socialization Practices Among Racial Ethnic Minority Groups, Ryan Chantz Houston-Dial

Theses and Dissertations

Ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) is a multidimensional concept that can be defined as the transmission of attitudes, beliefs and messages about ethnic-racial group membership (Hughes et al., 2006). To counteract the negative effects of discriminatory experiences, ethnic minority parents proactively impart race-salient messages to their youth. Sociodemographic variables such as regional location has been shown to affect the frequency of ERS messages as well (Thornton et al., 1990). The current study examines ERS practices in 436 African American, Hispanic/Latinx and Asian American parents. This study also explores the concept of intergenerational transmission, in which parents pass on to their own children …

Mathematics Teachers’ Attitudes And Intentions Towards Instructional Videos As Part Of A Flipped Learning Model, Jessica Lee Lambert

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers’ attitudes and intentions play an integral role in the integration of technology into their lesson designs for mathematics. All K-8 students at the research site are now one to one with a device, either a tablet or laptop, depending on their grade level. It is up to teachers to determine how and when to integrate technology into their instructional design for mathematics. The purpose of this action research was to evaluate and describe mathematics teachers’ attitudes and intentions for integrating instructional videos as part of a flipped learning instructional model. The following questions served to guide this cycle of …

Implementing Meaningful Problem-Based Learning In A Middle School Science Classroom, Celestine Banks Pough

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to explore the impact of problem-based learning on science instruction in my eighth-grade college preparatory classroom. Constructivism was the framework for this study. Problem-based learning is based on constructivist principles, and it served as the instructional model for this study. PBL can foster the use of problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and communication skills, which are needed in the 21st century. This research study was centered around three research questions. The first question asked about the impact PBL has on students’ science achievement. The second question asked how does PBL impact students’ …

Planting Rhizomes: Roots And Rhizomes In Maryse Condé’S Traversée De La Mangrove And Calixthe Beyala’S Le Petit Prince De Belleville, Rume Kpadamrophe

Theses and Dissertations

For centuries, migration has played a crucial role in the development of human civilization, with the transplantation of cultures from one region to another shaping identities worldwide. The African diaspora, beginning with the Atlantic Slave Trade, saw the forced transportation of around 12 million Africans across the ocean, resulting in the creation of creole identities in the Antilles. Literature has long reflected the experiences of migrants. In Maryse Condé's Traversée de la Mangrove and Calixthe Beyala's Le Petit Prince de Belleville, the complexity of Antillean and Afro-French identities is explored. This thesis delves into how Condé's work highlights the …

The Impact Of The Flipped Classroom Model On Elementary Students’ Achievement And Motivation For Learning Geometry, Kimberly M. Smalls

Theses and Dissertations

National and state data show students in poverty perform lower on math standardized assessments than their peers who are not students in poverty. The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the implementation of the flipped classroom model on the achievement and motivation towards mathematics for fourth-grade students at an elementary school in the Southeast United States. Traditional teaching methods such as teacher-led modeling, the use of manipulatives, and small-group math instruction present barriers which have not led to overall academic improvement for these students. This study focused on three overarching questions: (1) Is there a difference in fourth-grade …

A Flood Of Information: Assessing The Effectiveness Of An Enhanced Flash Flood Warning Social Media Graphic, Christopher John Long

Theses and Dissertations

Flash flooding is the most frequent and damaging type of severe weather globally. In the United States, heat is the only weather-related cause of death more frequent than flooding. However, while the number of deaths associated with other types of severe weather has decreased since the 1950s, the number of flash flood-related deaths has remained steady. Therefore, there exists a need to improve flash flood warning communication.

In this project, it is hypothesized that improving the National Weather Service’s flash flood warning social media graphic by including areas that commonly flood may increase individuals’ perceived storm risk, their intended compliance …

Genetic Testing For Autism: The Autistic Adult Perspective, Thomas Scott Dent

Theses and Dissertations

Many professional medical organizations recommend some level of genetic testing as standard of care for those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. However, genetic testing related to the diagnosis of autism is seen as controversial by many in the autistic community. While opinions about genetic testing have been well-documented from the perspective of the parents of autistic children, our understanding of the autistic adult perspective remains limited. We implemented a descriptive, web-based survey of autistic adults to assess their awareness of, attitudes towards, and interests in genetic testing for autism (n = 145). Our data demonstrated that half of our participants …

The Impact Of Interactivity On Information Processing For Virtual Tourist Destinations, Hongxiao Yu

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid development of virtual reality (VR) platforms offers great potential for the widespread consumption of VR tourism offerings. This creation of tourism experiences through VR significantly impacts tourism marketing strategies. Nevertheless, unprecedented development presents research challenges to better understand the effectiveness of VR interactivity in providing dynamic virtual experiences and shaping consumers’ intention to visit actual tourism destinations. Moreover, destination marketing managers face challenges in designing interactive features to leverage VR technology to influence consumers’ decision-making. To address these challenges, this dissertation extends the heuristic-systematic model to investigate how VR interactivity influences visit intention through engaging experiences with technology …

The Impact Of Cognitive Coaching On High School English Teachers’ Implementation Of Metacognitve Reading Strategies, Charrai Hunter

Theses and Dissertations

The problem that this action research study addressed was the ineffective facilitation strategies used in professional development for teachers. The purpose of the study was to determine whether reflective practices impact teachers’ instructional decisions. The study used Cognitive Coaching, a reflective coaching model, as its intervention. To gather data the study used classroom observations, coaching conversations, and an eight-question structured survey administered at the end of the study. This qualitative case study included three high school English teachers as its participants and the study was conducted at two different high schools in a suburban school district in the Southeast. The …

Evaluating Health Awareness In Cancer Genetics Amongst The Black And African American Community In South Carolina, Annika Jaliya Gadson

Theses and Dissertations

Historically minoritized individuals are underrepresented in genomic research which limits the ability to fully understand genetic variation within the population (Sirugo et al., 2019). This creates bias that questions the effectiveness of guidelines for genetic testing, predictive risk values, and medical management. Disparities in cancer genetics may be attributed to historical events that have cultivated mistrust in research and medicine, institutional bias, provider skepticism in patient reporting of medical symptoms, and limited access to genetic testing (Saulsberry et al., 2013). More exploration is needed to better understand how to increase access and awareness of cancer genetic services to Black and …

A Qualitative Study On Mental Health Resource Utilization Of Enlisted Airmen During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hassahn Khali Wade

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative action research study examines the impact of COVID-19 on Airmen serving in the aircraft armament systems career field, while also studying the utilization of mental health resources among those same Airmen. Nine Airmen chose to participate in interviews, received an intervention in the form of a resource guide outlining mental health resources offered on-base, and received a second interview to measure any changes in attitude. Respondents found COVID-19 impacted their workload negatively, and adversely affected their personal lives. Culturally, there is an unenthusiastic viewpoint on mental health assistance, which leads many Airmen to suffer in silence and not …