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The Art Of Morals: A Study Of The Influence Of Musicopoetic Arts On Moral Development In Plato's Laws, Daniele Manni

Dissertations

This dissertation's primary goal is to give a detailed account of the employment of musicopoetic arts in the process of moral development in Plato's Laws. Its secondary objective is to propose an explanation for the different evaluations of musicopoetic arts at the end of the Republic and in the Laws.

To achieve the first goal I analyze the elements of the soul involved in the moral psychology of the Laws, as sketched in the famous image of the marionette; I maintain that the process of habit formation is the pivotal aspect of this moral psychology; I indicate that Plato restricts …

Family Relational Dialectics: A Systemic Model For Explaining Relational Factors Contributing To Adolescents' Faith Maturity, Life Values, And Commitment To Christ, Jasmine J. Fraser

Dissertations

Problem

Though widespread studies have been conducted on the psycho-socio-cultural effects of family systems functioning on individuals’ developmental outcomes, there is limited discussion on the direct correlations between family relational encounters and adolescents’ development of faith and life values. The effects of dialectical interplay within family systems are often missed, misinterpreted, or minimized. This study presumed that because familial relationships have far-reaching psycho-socio-cultural effects on individuals’ development outcomes, there are also likely effects on certain religious outcomes. Subsequently, certain parent-child relational encounters were examined to determine whether they have significant effects on adolescents’ faith maturity, life values, and commitment to …

A Quantitative Study Of Employees' Perceptions Of The Relationship Between The Organizational Culture Of A Toronto-Based Technology Company, And Their Job Satisfaction And Engagement, Donn Whitehall

Dissertations

Problem

There are gaps in the literature related to organizational culture, job satisfaction, and employee engagement. Researchers have noted that these variables, and the relationships amongst them, have not been studied enough and there exists a need for further research. The purpose of this study was to examine employees’ perceptions of the relationship between the organizational culture of a Toronto-based technology company, and their job satisfaction and engagement.

Method

This study utilized a quantitative, non-experimental, correlational method, while employing a cross-sectional approach with secondary data. This study used data collected by a Toronto-based technology company in June of 2016. The …

Barriers And Perceptions To Obtaining Palliative Care In The Emergency Department, Jacqueline Lucille Saucier

Dissertations

Background:

Purpose: This study explored barriers and perceptions of providing palliative care services while patients are in the emergency department (ED) in order to increase the>likelihood of caregivers to elicit palliative care methodologies for patients with chronic illness, who are not necessarily at the end of life, but rather who are identified through repeated visits to the ED.

Design and Methods: A mixed methods approach was used to explore the barriers and perceptions of providing palliative care services in the ED. By using a qualitative approach, evidenced by grounded theory, this study explored the barriers and perceptions of providing …

Worship Music As Spiritual Identity: An Examination Of Music In The Liturgy Among Black And White Adventists In The United States From 1840 To 1944, David A. Williams

Dissertations

The Topic

This study examined Black and White Seventh-day Adventist music in the liturgy in the United States from 1840 to 1944. Little scholarly attention has been given to the development of Adventist liturgical practice, the function of music in the liturgy, and the effect of music upon the spiritual identity. This study utilized liturgical history, ritual studies, musicology, and liturgical theology to derive and compare the spiritual identity fostered through music in the liturgy by these ethnic groups. This study considered both the shared and distinct spiritual identities of Black and White Adventists, as cultivated by the music in …

A Theory Base And Mission-Sending Model For The South American Division Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Silvano Barbosa

Dissertations

Problem

Effective missionary work depends on a combination of three preconditions, equally indispensable: (1) a body of committed and adaptable personnel who are prepared to transmit to another cultural group the relevance of the Christian message; (2) an organization that is equipped to recruit, train, fund, send, and care for such a missionary force; and (3) sustained access to international unreached areas. Throughout its history, the missionary movement has been based on these three factors and the absence of one or more of them has resulted in less than optimum achievement and has sometimes led to failure. In 2014 the …

The Influence Of Social Support And Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction On Student Academic Motivation At A Cameroonian University: Structural Equation Modeling, Samuel Adamou

Dissertations

Problem

The growing number of students at the university level in Cameroon created maladaptive behaviors including lack of behavior adaptation, interests, respect, happiness, self-esteem, which led to strikes, vandalism, academic failure and resulting in school dropout (Nwaimah, 2008). The Cameroonian government proposed a number of reforms to solve these issues. One of the major proposed reforms consisted of implementing the Bologna Model in higher education through borrowing and transferring of policies, ideas, and practices from a European higher education area (Eta, 2015; Mngo, 2011). Yet despite the surface progress, the question of how to enhance student learning and improve instruction …

Intercultural Proficiency Of Principals Leading Ib Schools In Urban America, Ahlam Bazzi Moughania

Dissertations

This study, based on the qualitatively rendered experiences and perceptions of racially or ethnically diverse school principals leading International Baccalaureate (IB) public schools in the urban America, argues that intercultural proficiency development and intersectionality of race/ethnicity and gender identity influence school leadership practice. To make this point, I draw on the intercultural competence theoretical framework, intersectionality, and culturally responsive school leadership. Through a qualitative methodology, a comparative three-case study is identified from a larger sample of IB schools reported to be favorably employing the Learner Profile, a learner framework fostering the development intercultural understanding. Interview with school principal and visuals …

Theology And The City In Africa: The Significance Of Contemporary African Urban Experience For Theological Reflection, Dominic Fungai Tomuseni

Dissertations

In African theology, experience is the leading source for theological reflection, ahead of scripture and Tradition. Since the last quarter of the 19th Century, colonialism has shaped African experience such that today, it is a major factor in theological reflections and other intellectual enterprises from the continent. Much African theology understands contemporary African experience as one of disruption of a "true" or pre-colonial African experience by European colonial forces. Hence, Contemporary African Theology has been about recognition and recovery of pre-colonial African experience or rehabilitation of Africa from effects of colonialism. However, such a view of colonial experience excludes and …

Shaping Black Boys: Exploring School Construction Of Masculinity And The Impact On Black Male Scholastic Perceptions Toward Academic Achievement And Schooling, Kisha V. Jenkins

Dissertations

African American boys face unique challenges. They are more likely to be suspended or expelled from school than any other racial group (Losen, 2015). Equally disturbing, African American male students are largely suspended for more subjective and ambiguous reasons such as appearing “threatening or disrespectful” (Verdugo, 2007, p. 60). Research on teacher bias in the classroom has indicated that “African American males are generally viewed as possessing characteristics incongruent with academic success (e.g., laziness), valuing athletics over academic accomplishments, and having a propensity toward aggression and violence” (Thomas & Stevenson, 2009, p. 162). These issues experienced by African American males …

Talking About Patients: Nurses' Language Use During Hand-Offs, Yvonne Barthel Ford

Dissertations

Miscommunication during end of shift hand-offs between hospital nurses has been implicated as a source of errors in patient care, yet little research evaluates the structure of language during communication in an attempt to understand potential communication errors. Although the functions and meaning of hand-offs for nurses has previously been examined, there is little information about the current state of the structure and language of hand-offs. This research begins to fill that gap in by using genre analysis of transcripts of 43 end-of-shift hand-offs between nurses at four hospitals in the Midwestern United States.

Two analytic techniques common in linguistics …

Latino Male College Students' Identities, Psychological Stress, And Coping Mechanisms, Ana E. Ramirez

Dissertations

Latino male college students’ identities impact their personal experiences, academic achievement, and well-being. This qualitative study uses a narrative inquiry approach to research Latino male college students’ racial and ethnic, gender, and academic identities and to investigate how these identities impact their psychological stress and the coping mechanisms they implement to manage their stress. Latino males undergo an identity development in which they engage in negotiating their gender identities in order to prioritize higher education academic requirements. When Latino males are determined to achieve a college degree, they are able to adjust their familism gender role expectations and shift their …

"Hinabing Ugnayan": Nature Of Caring Among Filipino Nurses Working With Children, Rudolf Cymorr Kirby P. Martinez

Dissertations

This study, rooted on the phenomenological philosophy, explored the nature of caring among Filipino nurses working with children. Seven (7) participants were gathered as co-researchers and were carefully chosen based on the following present criteria: They are willing to articulate, share, participate, and describe their lived experiences, and they are registered nurses, currently working at a pediatric hospital for at least two years. The experiences of the co-researchers were subsequently gathered and enriched via the following methods: Interview, Storytelling, Participant Observation, Art, Group Discussion, Immersion and Reflective Resonance. Subsequently, three levels of reflective analysis was done following the process developed …

Strategic Culture In Sub-Saharan Africa: The Divergent Paths Of Uganda And Tanzania, Kevin Frank

Dissertations

Strategic culture is a concept accepted by scholars and practitioners, but with problematic applicability to states newly independent or emerging from conflict. The elements that comprise strategic culture in the developed world are not always present in emerging states. This research addresses the pertinency of strategic culture in Uganda and Tanzania, and then tests the operationalization of the concept using the case of participation in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The African Union and the international community expected Uganda and Tanzania to contribute troops to AMISON in 2007. In the event, Uganda did and Tanzania chose another path. …

(Dis)Integrated Identities: Experiences Of Tenure- Track Engineering Faculty Who Identify As Sexual Minorities, Robyn Elisa Sandekian

Dissertations

This study was conducted to explore how full-time, tenure-track engineering faculty members who self-identify as sexual minorities have experienced working in Doctoral Universities. Literature reviewed for this study included the history of higher education and engineering education in the United States; a review of the differences between engineering and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields; and an overview of the history of discrimination against sexual minorities. Using a mixed-methods explanatory sequential methodology, the study included an anonymous web-based survey followed by semi-structured interviews of the participants who agreed to be contacted. During the interviews, participants shared photographs of their …

A Collaborative & Strategic Approach To Improve School Achievement Through Effective Attendance/Truancy Policies And Procedures, Hector Freytas

Dissertations

The purpose of this program evaluation was to review the current attendance/truancy policies and procedures of Mountain West High School (MWHS), identify gaps and concerns, analyze data, and make actionable recommendations that would foster improvement in academic achievement through attendance efforts. A growing body of research indicates that missing 10% or more of the school places students at risk of failing general education courses, having low grade point averages (GPA), and performing poorly on standardized testing in relation to peers with “good” attendance (i.e., 95% average daily attendance [ADA] or better). In addition, students who miss this much school time …

Developing A Partnership In Teacher Preparation Program Between Colleges, Universities And School Districts: A Policy Advocacy Document, Leah Gauthier

Dissertations

Teachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. Many are unprepared for the rigors of the job, and others become overwhelmed with new initiatives. This problem is due in part to school districts in Illinois not currently being a part of the teacher preparation accreditation process for colleges and universities. This policy advocates for creating that partnership. The findings indicate that doing so will build expertise for the new teachers and help them stay in the classrooms. This, in turn, will help improve student achievement.

Anna He Purnabramha: Deorukhe Women’S Agency In The Making Of Bodies, Cuisines, And Culture In Maharashtra, India, Gauri Anilkumar Pitale

Dissertations

The world is changing. India is changing. Food is changing. Bodies are changing. What does this mean for the women of Maharashtra, India? Globalization and modernity manifest in new and interesting ways the world over. As people establish networks of global commodity, capital, and human circulation, anthropologists raise pertinent concerns. While some are apprehensive about cultural loss and western cultural imperialism, others make a case for the rise of glocalization. While some espouse the positives of a free market economy, others are critical of the nutrition transition in developing countries and what this means for the health of the people …

The Pernicious Prophecy Of Diminished Academic Expectations, Stephen C. Foggatt

Dissertations

An ABSTRACT of the DISSERTATION of: Stephen C. Foggatt, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction, presented on November 3, 2017, at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois. TITLE: The Pernicious Prophecy of Diminished Academic Expectations MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. D. John McIntyre This study examines the relationship between academic expectations and achievement, particularly as it concerns minority students. I have often been troubled by the narrative surrounding the academic potential of minority students in America, and my research is intended to broaden the discussion of this issue by presenting a chronicle of thoughts collected from individuals who have …

The Lived Experiences Of Educators Using Co-Teaching To Meet The Needs Of Students With Disabilities In A Virtual Environment, Laura Elizabeth Ridings

Dissertations

Virtual education in the United States continues to be a popular option for K-12 students. The enrollment in full-time virtual schools not only represents typical learners but a growing number of students with disabilities, including low-incidence disabilities. In some states, this population exceeds the state-wide average percentage of students with disabilities enrolled in public education and is compelling virtual schools to focus their attention on the legal expectations of serving individual needs. A pilot study, Virtual K-12 Teachers’ Perspectives on the Provision of Inclusive Online Environments (Ridings, 2016), investigated the types of inclusive strategies used by teachers in the virtual …

Inclusive Education For Preschool Learners With Autism: A Program Evaluation, Rachel C. Morgan

Dissertations

This is an exploration of the perceptions and perspectives of early childhood leaders and practitioners with regards to preschool learners with autism engaged in inclusive educational settings. At a time when inclusive education is acknowledged as best practice, there is still a concern that many preschool learners with disabilities are receiving most of their supports in a segregated setting. Additional concerns noted in the current research relate directly to the beliefs, values, and attitudes towards inclusive education for learners with disabilities. No distinct study has been done with regards to this age group, nor to pinpoint the perceptions and perspectives …

A Conversation Centric Approach To Understanding And Supporting The Coordination Of Social Group-Activities, Richard P. Schuler

Dissertations

Despite the widespread and large variety of communication tools available to us such as, text messaging, Skype, email, twitter, Facebook, instant messaging, GroupMe, WhatsApp, Snapchat, etc., many people still routinely find coordinating activities with our friends to be a very frustrating experience. Everyone, has at least once, encountered the difficulties involved with deciding what to do as a group. Some friends may be busy, others may have already seen the movie that the others want to see, and some do not like Mexican food. It is a challenge everyone has faced and continue to face. This is a result of …

A Narrative Policy Analysis Of The Responses To Tennessee Promise And Plans For Transfer Receptivity By Six Tennessee Public Universities' Presidents And Provosts, Lori Elliott Buchanan

Dissertations

The Tennessee Promise scholarship and mentoring program broadened access and affordability to postsecondary education in Tennessee. This policy innovation increased the number of students seeking to engage in postsecondary education. It also shifted some of the state’s students to the more affordable community colleges and colleges of applied technology for their first two years of college. Equally important, Tennessee Promise incentivized the presidents and provosts of the six public universities under review to expand existing transfer receptivity efforts as their universities prepared to receive and support Tennessee Promise community college student transfers.

The purpose of this narrative policy analysis based …

The Impact Of First-Line Nurse Managers Leadership Development Training Program On Workgroup Climate And Performance, Reem Mabrouk Abd El Rahman

Dissertations

The uncertainty in the health care industry, particularly in nursing, makes the next millennium an important time for nurses to develop leadership skills. One of the greatest challenges faced in the nursing profession is developing future nurse leaders. A better understanding of what transformational leadership is, can improve our ability to provide effective leadership training programs and interventions. To respond to changing technological and social forces, new managerial responsibilities are placed on the nursing services requiring nurse administrators who are knowledgeable, skilled and competent in all aspects of leadership. To confront these expanding responsibilities and demands, the leader's role must …

Knowledge And Practices Of Faculty At Nasm Accredited Institutions In The Southeast Region Regarding Standards-Based Instruction, Jonathan Leon Nelson

Dissertations

In 1993, Congress passed the mandate Goals 2000: Educate America Act, which established standards for K-12 education that outlined the core benchmarks of student achievement for individuals who have mastered the core curricula required to earn a high school diploma (Mark, 1995). Unfortunately, these curricular requirements did not include any criteria for music education, nor did they consider the curricular implications for higher education in providing NSME Standards based training for music educators.

The aim of this study was to determine if and to what extent music education faculty engage in NSME Standards-based instruction within the higher education classroom. Questionnaires …

A Qualitative Study Investigating Facility Managers’ Perceptions Of The Classroom Learning Environment, Eric Shannon Parr

Dissertations

Facility managers have the challenge of adhering to community college policies and procedures while fulfilling requirements of administration, students, and teachers concerning specific needs of classroom aesthetics. The role of facility manager and how specific entities affect perceptions of the design and implementation of classroom aesthetics were presented in this study in an attempt to further clarify present classroom design practices and future aesthetic possibilities. The purpose of this study was to explore and compare a facility manager’s perceptions of classroom learning environments, and a student’s learning environment aesthetic needs. A qualitative research design was utilized within the theoretical framework …

The Prevalence Of Religious Service Attendance In America: A Review And Meta-Analysis, Chad S. Briggs

Dissertations

The Gallup Poll and General Social Survey have asked Americans about their religious service attendance since 1939 and 1972, respectively. With remarkable consistency, these two surveys have estimated that just over 40% of the American population regularly attends religious services. Yet, recent research has called this “gold standard” into question, citing three sources of bias in these estimates: (a) ambiguous item wording, (b) an ambiguously specified time frame; and (c) data collection methods that lend themselves to socially desirable responding. Several lines of research have developed to eliminate or minimize these sources of bias, but these efforts have yielded a …

The Experience Of Parents And Adolescents With The Medical Care For The Condition Of Cleft Lip And Palate: A Phenomenological Study., Sarah Breseke

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of adolescents born with cleft lip and/or palate and parents of adolescents with the condition. Individuals born with this condition experience extensive medical treatment from birth to late adolescence with impacts on both individuals and families. This study utilized a phenomenological design to explore and describe participants’ experiences of the impact of this condition, its medical treatment, as well as coping mechanisms utilized in adjusting to the condition. Criterion sampling was utilized to recruit adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 and parents of this age group, all …

The Impact Of A Community-Based College Access Program At A Midwestern Institution, Ryan Ronald Gonzaga Reed

Dissertations

Low-income, first-generation, urban students are typically underprepared academically for college-level course work and lack knowledge, which most non-first-generation students possess (Ward, Siegel, & Davenport, 2012). Success in higher education depends on students effectively navigating and transitioning into an institution (Pike & Kuh, 2005). Community-based nonprofit organizations support first-generation, low income, urban students as they navigate through the provision of college access/readiness programs (Smith, Benitez, Carter, & Melnick, 2012). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of one community-based college access program on the persistence, retention, and matriculation of its participants. Quantitative data included retention rates and grade …

Deadly Hostility: Feud, Violence, And Power In Early Anglo-Saxon England, David Ditucci

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the existence and political relevance of feud in Anglo-Saxon England from the fifth century migration to the opening of the Viking Age in 793. The central argument is that feud was a method that Anglo-Saxons used to understand and settle conflict, and that it was a tool kings used to enhance their power. The first part of this study examines the use of fæhð in Old English documents, including laws and Beowulf, to demonstrate that fæhð referred to feuds between parties marked by reciprocal acts of retaliation. This assertion is in opposition to Guy Halsall’s argument that …