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School Racial Climate And The Academic Achievement Of African American High School Students: The Mediating Role Of School Engagement, Charity Brown Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

African American students in K-12 education experience pervasive disparities in academic outcomes across all areas of the schooling experience. In order to understand the factors that promote academic achievement among individuals who face adversity, researchers have sought to examine how school environmental factors hold influence over students' academic adjustment. Drawing from an integrative model of development for ethnic minority children and a process model of engagement, this investigation explored whether three dimensions of school engagement, behavioral, emotional and cognitive, mediated relationships between school racial climate and academic performance and educational aspirations. These relationships were explored in a sample of 139 …

Food Insecurity And Physical Activity Among U.S. Populations, Quyen G. To

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Examine the association between food insecurity (FI) and physical activity (PA) in the U.S. population.

Methods: Accelerometry (PAM) and self-report PA (PAQ) data from NHANES 2003-2006 were used. Those aged less than six years or were older than 65 years, pregnant, with physical limitations, or with family income above 350% of the poverty line were excluded. FI was measured by the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module. Crude and adjusted odd ratios were calculated from logistic regression to identify the association between FI and adherence to the PA recommendation. Crude and adjusted coefficients were calculated from linear regression to …

The Use Of Social Media And The Impact Of Support On The Well-Being Of Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients, Margaret Anne Faust

Theses and Dissertations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common, life-limiting autosomal recessive condition disorder of Caucasians. CF is a chronic condition that requires daily treatment of symptoms, the stress of which can have mental health consequences. Due to the potential for cross contamination of bacterial infections, individuals with CF are discouraged from meeting in person and must find other venues to receive support. Social media provides the opportunity for individuals with CF to communicate and provide support. We hypothesized a positive correlation between the patients' health-related quality of life and the amount of time spent on CF-related social media sites. We expected …

Identifying Identity: An Archaeological Investigation Of The Intersection Of Place And Identity At An African American Lowcountry Site, Katherine Elisabeth Goldberg

Theses and Dissertations

African and African American communities have faced pressures of marginalization and racism in the South Carolina Lowcountry since their arrival with Europeans in the seventeenth century. These pressures have been felt physically, socially, economically, politically, and even academically, through misrepresentations in historical portrayals. The field of historic archaeology is uniquely situated with access to informative sources from both the past and the present, and as such exhibits great potential in taking strides to replace the limiting presentation of a static and homogenous single African American culture with views that instead emphasize a focus on unique cultures and identities. This thesis …

Arts Entrepreneurship: An Essential Sub-System Of The Artist's Meta-Praxis, Jonathan Gangi

Theses and Dissertations

As the field of Arts Entrepreneurship education continues to grow, the barriers it confronts prevent maximum vitality. Leading scholars and administrators indicate that program development and formal accreditation standards are important components supporting the field's growth. As such, this document explores next steps and examines how to move the field towards academic maturity.

First, notable Arts Entrepreneurship academic programs are compared and contrasted as a representative sample of existing curricular approaches. Second, issues of accreditation are analyzed as barriers preventing growth, followed by recommendations for removing these obstacles. Third, the Artist's Meta-Praxis conceptual framework is presented as a way to …

Leadership Practice Differences In Positive Climate Schools, Latoya Nicole Dixon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the leadership practice differences in positive climate schools when grouping for school size, poverty index, and gender of the principal. This study utilized Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Practice-Self inventories as a tool for measuring perceptions of leadership practice.

The researcher surveyed 47 South Carolina elementary principals to measure leadership practices in schools with documented positive climate. Principals self assessed their leadership practices on the inventories, measuring 30 behaviors on a ten point Likert scale. The 30 behaviors are categorized into five leadership practices: 1) Model the Way, 2) Inspire a Shared Vision, …

Smokers, Ajit Dhillon

Theses and Dissertations

Smokers is a multi-perspective surveillance spy thriller that juxtaposes the days leading up to the financial collapse with the days leading to the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. The first three chapters of book set up the multiple narrative point of view construct that will drive the narrative. Opening in New York, March 2007, a year before the financial collapse or the knowledge of the collapse and its implications becomes available to the public. We follow James, an administrative assistant at a hedge fund in the financial district. As the chapter unfolds we learn more about his home life. His …

The Contribution Of Status Lineages In The Rise Of The State: A New Theory Of State Formation, Yamilette Chacon

Theses and Dissertations

In social theory, ancient societies are frequently seen as `traditional' in the sense of being static. If static, there is a problem for theory for we know that, over time, societies have evolved to become more complex. This dissertation proposes a dynamic model for the social structure of the chiefdom based in a synthesis of anthropological and experimentally grounded sociological theory. Its purpose is to explain 1) why the chiefdom is an effective social structure in that it promotes collective action and 2) why the chiefdom becomes increasingly unstable over time. Because of that instability, the chiefdom may stand at …

Collaborative Costume Design, April Emily Andrew

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores my portfolio of graduate work as a costume designer, covering four diverse theatrical works. 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, a self proclaimed "Mississippi Delta Comedy" by Tennessee Williams examines the themes of domestic violence, isolation, and desire in rural America. Polaroid Stories, a modern poetic play by Naomi Iizuka, blends the harsh realities facing today's street youth with classical mythology to create a unique and theatrical world. Jeffrey Hatcher transported us back to the spectacle, scandal, and upheaval of King Charles II's English Restoration in Compleat Female Stage Beauty, following actor Edward Kynaston, who famed diarist Samuel …

The Aesthetic Which Is Not One: The Feminist (Un)Aesthetic In The Works Of Caryl Churchill And Suzan Lori-Parks, Kathren Martin

Theses and Dissertations

In the following essay I will establish a theatrical feminist (un)aesthetic that resists essentialism, which creates the dramaturgical space necessary to present a feminist (un)subject. The rejection of Ibsenite realism within the (un)aesthetic disrupts the male gaze as theorized by Laura Mulvey. This is achieved through a materialist feminist focus that highlights the constructive nature of gender difference anf disrupts the production of "woman" as sign. Through the use of Brechtian alienation techniques and theatrical formalism, the playwrights Caryl Churchill (Cloud Nine) and Suzan-Lori Parks (Venus) force the feminist goals of the (un)aesthetic to be considered beyond the context of …

Isolation Of Natural Nrf2 Activators From American Ginseng, Akrm Abdalrahman

Theses and Dissertations

Nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), a major transcription factor of the endogenous antioxidant defense system, has been proposed as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of various diseases. However, a small molecule-driven Nrf2 signaling therapeutic approach remains to be established. Herein, we report one such possibility discovered by the bioassay-based fractionation of American ginseng. Since crude extract of American ginseng was found to suppress the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-inflamed macrophages via activating Nrf2, we further fractioned the crude extract using solvents including hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water, and found …

An Experimental Investigation Of Reciprocity And Formal Controls With Labor Market Competition, Michael John Majerczyk

Theses and Dissertations

DISS_abstract> Most experimental research related to agency settings, such as participative budgeting, has examined how formal controls, such as audits and reviews, influence the behavior of managers. Alternatively, a growing literature in managerial accounting examines the effects of using informal social controls. Some of these studies have examined the ability of the gift-exchange model from economics, founded on reciprocity, to function as a suitable control. Within the social context of an experimental labor market, I examine the relationship between the type of control employers implement (i.e., reviews, a formal control versus reciprocity, an informal control) and the amount of budget …

Understanding Destination Choice From A Cultural Distance Perspective, Hongbo Liu

Theses and Dissertations

National cultural distance is an important factor of tourists' destination choice, yet the specific role it plays in destination decision process is not well understood. This paper attempts to fill this gap. Taking potential Chinese outbound tourists as a case, this study tries to explore the impact of perceived cultural distance on tourists' international destination choice through a conditional logit model. Familiarity, geographical distance, past international travel experience and novelty-seeking tendency were examined as moderators of the relationship between perceived cultural distance and destination choice. Results show that tourist are more likely to choose culturally similar countries as destinations; geographical …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Public K-8 And Middle Schools And Student Achievement In One South Carolina School District, Marc Gardner Zachary

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This study examined the impact of grade configuration on academic achievement. Specifically compared were 6-8 middle schools versus a K-8 school in one upstate South Carolina district. One purpose of this study was to determine if the performance, as indicated by the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) reading and math tests, was different for students enrolled in grades 6-8 in a certain school configuration. The other purpose was to determine if reading and math growth during the transition year from elementary to middle school is higher in 6-8 middle schools or K-8 schools. The researcher utilized data from 3 …

Measuring The Effectiveness Of Education For Sustainable Development Interventions For Effecting Change In Knowledge, Attitude And Behaviors Toward Sustainable Development, Christopher Robin Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The question addressed by this study is whether an intervention involving a brief, focused seminar providing Sustainability Fundamental education can affect change in sustainability-centric behavior via measured change in attitude toward sustainability and/or change knowledge of sustainability fundamentals.

This study focused on applying and extending lessons from a previous exploration of the relationships between sustainable behavior and both attitude toward sustainability and knowledge of sustainability. The test involved determining whether brief, science-based sustainability fundamentals seminars are an effective intervention for affecting the favorable sustainable behavior of practicing engineers, defined as professionals engaged in engineering post-completion of their formal studies, in …

High School Core-Subject Instructors’ Perceptions Of General Education Track Courses And The Associated Achievement Gap, Hope Reed

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to investigate teacher perceptions of students enrolled in low-level classes. The study will investigate how high school core-subject instructors of general education (low-level) track courses perceive academic tracking and the associated achievement gap; the expectations of high school core-subject instructors who teach general education (low-level) track courses regarding general education students; and how high school core-subject instructors who teach general education (low-level) track courses perceive their ability to teach general education students. Interview questions and classroom observations will be utilized to gather qualitative data in this single method case study. In addition, teacher lessons …

Efficacy Of Video Modeling For Treatment Of Selective Mutism In Children, Danielle Newberry Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

Selective mutism is an extremely rare socio-pragmatic communication disorder that affects less than 1% of the population. The treatment of selective mutism may be addressed via many different approaches, including drug therapies and behavioral approaches or combinations of both. Self-modeling is a behavioral approach and is similar to that of video modeling. Video modeling treatment is becoming a more popular approach to serve individuals with social and behavioral disorders. Video modeling has been documented to improve social and behavioral deficits in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Because selective mutism is a rare condition and because the effects of video modeling …

Best Practices In The Management Of Pediatric Obesity In Primary Care Clinics, Lori Moseley

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has nearly tripled since 1980. Children and adolescents are at risk for developing the comorbidities seen in obese and overweight adults such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and sleep apnea. Traditional treatment for obese and overweight children involved counseling children and their families. Current recommendations include a comprehensive staged approach to weight management that includes prevention plus structured weight management, comprehensive multidisciplinary intervention and tertiary care intervention. Unfortunately structured weight management programs have not been widely available, leaving the primary provider with limited options.

The purpose of this project was to analyze the literature …

The Impact Of Culture & Ethnicity On The Counseling Process: Perspectives Of Genetic Counselors From Minority Ethnic Groups, Brittanie Morris

Theses and Dissertations

In the genetic counseling profession, discussions about cross-cultural counseling and cultural competence emphasize the importance of patient culture as well as counselor culture in a counseling session. A culturally competent counselor should be aware of the influence of her own cultural values on interactions with patients and peers (Weil, 2000; & Uhlmann, Schuette, & Yashar, 2011). Focusing specifically on counselors from cultural/ethnic minorities, this mixed-methods study sought to empirically evaluate the influence of a counselor's cultural values and ethnic identity on the genetic counseling process. 162 genetic counselors, 58 of whom self-identified as being from an ethnic minority group, completed …

Teaching To Learn: Tapping The Rich Language Resources Of Three African American Preschool Boys, Virginia Akright Miller

Theses and Dissertations

The initial purpose of the study was to better understand the effect of book genre (fiction or informational) and text choice on the spontaneous language production of African American, preschool boys from low SES households. Its methodological approach was action research that consisted of teacher/child book sharing with three participants during one-on-one, 30 minute sessions over a period of 14 weeks. Discussion during these sessions centered on the participants' book choice and were audio recorded. The transcripts of these recordings became case studies that were analyzed for behavioral patterns of both participants and teacher. Discovery of such patterns revealed changes …

Structural And Psychological Empowerment In Healthcare: A Study Of Assess And Treat Programs In Respiratory Care, Ashley Y. Metcalf

Theses and Dissertations

Hospitals in the U.S. are under increasing pressure to reduce costs, streamline delivery of care, and increase value to patients (Young, 2012). In the operations management literature, Lean process improvement has been shown to be a valuable tool to reduce waste in healthcare (Womack, 2005). Lean process improvement involves, among other things, transitioning authority to frontline staff actually providing the value (De Treville & Antonakis, 2006; Liker, 2004). Similarly, Womack (2005) states that Lean process improvement is used to reshape healthcare processes for the delivery of patient care in order to increase value. On the other hand, Rubrich (2004) notes …

John Pecham On Life And Mind, Caleb G. Colley

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Birds And Beaches: The Affective Geographies And Sense Of Place Of Participants In The Coasst Citizen Science Program, Benjamin Kent Haywood

Theses and Dissertations

Participatory science research initiatives within the natural sciences like citizen science or crowd sourcing have enjoyed a recent explosion in popularity due to the efficient and expansive data collection processes they foster and the opportunities for general science outreach and education they provide. Now often the tool of choice among informal science outreach practitioners, Public Participation in Scientific Research (PPSR) programs are purported to expand knowledge and understanding of science and ecology, increase the relevancy of science for society, and cultivate more environmentally sustainable attitudes and behaviors. Despite such claims, the influence and impact of participatory science engagement is still …

Neighborhood Disorganization And Police Decision-Making In The New York City Police Department, Allison Carter

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the applicability of criminological theory to police decision-making during police-initiated encounters with suspects. Specifically, how indicators of social disorganization can be used to predict officers' use of coercive action (i.e., frisk, search, use of force, and arrest) during the street stop of suspects. I also investigate whether neighborhood disadvantage, as a moderator, impacts suspects' likelihood of receiving greater levels of coercive action when stopped for reasons listed in the New York City Police Departments' Unified Form 250 (UF-250) reports.

Three theoretical arguments connecting an officer's decision-making in a socially disorganized area are outlined. First, an area with …

The Daily Gamecock, Thursday, December 4, 2014, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

December

No abstract provided.

The Daily Gamecock, Friday, November 21, 2014, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

November

No abstract provided.

The Incidental Regulation Of Policing, Seth W. Stoughton

Faculty Publications

What do the laws governing municipal annexation, collective bargaining, and race-conscious employment decisions have in common? Each plays a significant and under-appreciated role in shaping local law enforcement practices even though each, on its face, has nothing to do with policing.

This Article explores the incidental regulation of policing, illustrating the concept with examples from different areas of state and federal law. Many legal decisions happen to include police as constituents of a broader regulatory ambit, and thus are not intended to have any particular effect on the unique functions of policing. Nevertheless, these laws have profound ramifications for police …

Recent Cases

The Journal of Law and Education

No abstract provided.

The Enemies Of All Humankind: The Fourth Circuit's Application Of Universal Jurisdiction In United States V. Shibin, Alicia A. Olive

South Carolina Journal of International Law and Business

No abstract provided.

Toward A Framework For Levels Of Robot Autonomy In Human-Robot Interaction, Jenay Beer, A. D. Fisk, W. A. Rogers

Faculty Publications

Autonomy is a critical construct related to human-robot interaction (HRI) and varies widely across robot platforms. Levels of robot autonomy (LORA), ranging from teleoperation to fully autonomous systems, influence the way in which humans and robots interact with one another. Thus, there is a need to understand HRI by identifying variables that influence—and are influenced by—robot autonomy. Our overarching goal is to develop a framework for LORA in HRI. To reach this goal, our framework draws links between HRI and human-automation interaction, a field with a long history of studying and understanding human-related variables. The construct of autonomy is reviewed …