Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Standardized Test Scores, Spatial Ability, And Interest In Math With The Introduction Of 3d Printers Into High School Math Classes, Charles Moore

Dissertations

Mathematics education faces significant challenges with declining ACT scores, national math proficiency rates, and a prevalent dislike for the subject among high school students. Spatial thinking ability, crucial for success in STEM fields, intersects with mathematical comprehension, suggesting a potential avenue for improvement. This study addresses these challenges by integrating 3D printing technology into secondary mathematics instruction. Employing a quasi-experimental quantitative research design, the study evaluates the impact of 3D printers on ACT math scores, spatial abilities, and attitudes toward mathematics. Results from ANOVA tests indicate marginal increases in spatial test scores and positive shifts in students' interest, self-confidence, and …

The Effectiveness Of Curriculum Assessment Literacy Training For Head Start Teachers On Teacher Fidelity Scores And Class Assessment Scores, Netice Rankin, Netice Danyell Rankin

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was threefold, first to assess teachers’ initial knowledge of The Curriculum Fidelity Assessment Tool among Head Start Teachers utilizing the self -assessment. Secondly, the purpose was to assess if an intensive curriculum assessment literacy training made a difference in teacher’s knowledge of the curriculum fidelity Use as measured by The Curriculum Fidelity Assessment Tool for Administrators as reported by ECD Coaches and PI at the pre-test and post-test level. Third, the purpose of this study was to assess if intensive assessment literacy training makes a difference in the variables of interest, namely, curriculum use, classroom …

Understanding Chain Dynamics And Conformation Of Conjugated Polymers In Films And Solutions, Guorong Ma

Dissertations

Significant efforts have been dedicated to the development of high-performance organic electronic materials, endowed with novel attributes that traditional inorganic silicon-based electronics cannot provide. Conjugated polymers stand out as the predominant class of organic semiconducting materials, offering a unique avenue to manufacture flexible, ductile, large-area, and customizable electronic devices through cost-effective solution processing. Despite the extensive array of processing methods, there remains a significant gap in our understanding of the dynamic and thermodynamic properties of conjugated polymer solutions and thin films. This dissertation endeavors to unravel the intricate structure-property-processing relationships of these materials by delving into their mechanical, dynamic, and …

The Saudi Government's Response To Covid-19: A Social Media Analysis, Raghad Sonbul

Dissertations

In 2020, COVID-19 invaded the world and caused massive losses, materially, morally, and psychologically. Countries worldwide tried to mitigate the damages by taking strict precautionary measures. The response of governments to this pandemic varied. This study explored the Saudi government’s response to the pandemic by examining its official Twitter accounts. Saudi Arabia holds an important position, economically, politically, and religiously. Thus, its response to COVID-19 affects its international image and reputation, as well as the tremendous number of people who visit the country annually during the Umrah and Hajj seasons. A qualitative content analysis was conducted, and 1,007 tweets posted …

Enhancing Cybersecurity In Wireless Sensor Networks: Machine Learning, Blockchain And Future Perspectives, Ilemona Solomon Atawodi

Dissertations

Security in the Industrial Internet of Things encounters various security issues but the main issues can be broken down into three core issues: Availability, Integrity, and Confidentiality. Security challenges generally tend to be caused by a failure of the system in one of these areas or cause a failure in one of these areas. Therefore researching scalable solutions to these security issues is prudent to explore methods that could be applied to large-scale industrial IIoT with tens to hundreds of devices as well as small-scale systems on a tiny factory floor comprising of just a few devices. In our research, …

Exploring The Influence Of Integrating Soft Skills Training Into The Undergraduate Stem Curriculum On The Stem Identity Of Students, Candace King

Dissertations

One of the major issues that STEM graduates face is overcoming Imposter Syndrome, and there is a consensus amongst STEM graduates and job recruiters that the current higher education system is missing some elements that could better prepare students for a successful STEM career. A solution to this issue results from recent research on the importance of “soft skills.” In general, “soft skills” or non-technical skills, include communication, critical thinking, and self-motivation. These skills complement “hard skills,” or technical skills, such as skills needed for performing laboratory experiments, like pipetting and Western blotting. The lack of soft skills among recent …

Advertising On Snapchat: Exploring The Influence Of Celebrities Among Young Women In Saudi Arabia, Hessah Alqahtani

Dissertations

This study explored the influence of Snapchat celebrities on the purchase decisions of young women in Saudi Arabia. Uses and Gratifications theory and Source Credibility theory were used to investigate motivations for and factors that affect engagement with Snapchat celebrities. An online survey was conducted among 467 social media users. It was found that most Saudi women (62.9%) were motivated to engage with Snapchat celebrities to seek information.They would likely to purchase products endorsed by celebrities who were deemed trustworthy, attractive, and experts in the field. They also responded more favorably to celebrities who they believe are a fit for …

A Mixed Methods Evaluation Of Three Quantitative Approaches For Examining Persistence, Angela J. Rockwell

Dissertations

Institutional researchers use skills from their diverse backgrounds to collect, analyze and report data about their institutions to stakeholders representing various interests and levels of data literacy. However, there is little research into how these professionals process data and none into what aspects are important to institutional researchers when planning and executing these analyses. Given the importance of student persistence in higher education, this study used mixed methods to examine the factors institutional researchers consider when selecting a quantitative approach to exploring persistence and how they apply to selecting a quantitative approach. Three approaches (proportions, logistic regression, and discrete time …

Enhancing Chinese Language Learning Through Problem-Solving Gameplay, Weihsuan Lo

Dissertations

Integrating 21st-century skills into language education faces challenges in providing meaningful, skills-based activities beyond traditional vocabulary and grammar instruction. This study addressed the need for updated curricula that aligned learning goals with 21st-century labor market demands, emphasizing the development of creative thinking, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills (P21 4C skills). Teacher-centered approaches in Chinese language education further complicate the adoption of student-centered pedagogies. To overcome these challenges, the study proposed using game-based learning to create an inclusive and dynamic learning environment that fostered language proficiency and P21 4C skills. The FIXIT card game was introduced as an educational tool …

California School Psychologists’ Assessment Practices With Cld Students: A Phenomenological Study, Hector Manuel Teran Jr.

Dissertations

School psychologists are tasked with assessing students to qualify them for special education, typically using standardized tests. Standardized testing, like IQ testing, routinely used in the psycho-educational process, serves to justify prejudices, as they often mark people of color as intellectually inferior to White people. A closer look at school psychologists’ assessment practices with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students is necessary, as these students have historically been placed in special education at a higher percentage, likely due to misperceptions related to their race, ethnicity, or linguistic background. While IQ tests are regarded as tools that identify the needs of …

Onboarding To Retention: First Year Experiences Of Faculty And Staff Of Color At A Predominantly White Institution, Paige Jones

Dissertations

Proactive onboarding is essential to a long-term retention strategy. Past research has highlighted the challenge of retaining diverse faculty and staff and how an unwelcoming climate affects the decisions of leaving or staying for faculty and staff of color differently than their White coworkers. Using Bauer’s Four Cs framework, this study explores the role of first-year onboarding experiences in the retention of faculty and staff of color at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) in higher education. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, and semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with nine faculty and staff of color at a PWI in Southern …

The Effect Of Altitude On Decomposition: Toward An Understanding Of The Postmortem Interval In The Rocky Mountain Region Of Colorado., Christiane Irene Baigent

Dissertations

The estimation of postmortem interval (PMI) is a critical component of medicolegal death investigation. An accurate PMI estimate has the potential to influence the allocation of investigative resources, establish the probative value of associated biological and material evidence, shape the analytical framework applied to skeletal analysis, and inform cause and manner of death. Forensic anthropologists are often tasked with PMI estimation throughout all stages of decomposition and typically rely on categorical phases of soft tissue and skeletal change purported to correspond to broad estimates of elapsed time. In an attempt to improve precision, Megyesi et al. (2005) developed the Total …

Essays On Economic Effects Of The Monetary Union Of The West African Monetary Zone, Collins Kelechukwu Anosike

Dissertations

It is now reasonably undebatable that monetary and fiscal policies have real effects on monetary union in WAMZ. What seems to prevent the meeting of convergence criteria that was set by the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), a counterpart of the European Monetary Union (EMU)has been explored. Consequently, this study examines the economic effect of monetary union in the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ). This research examines the economic convergence criteria and obstacles to achieving them for the six West African economies of Nigeria, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierraleone, Ghana, and Liberia. The study examines the exchange and inflation rates convergence …

An Attentionless Account Of The Attentional Blink, Matthew Stephen Junker

Dissertations

Theories of the attentional blink (AB) – a deficit in responding to the second of two temporally proximal stimuli (within 500 ms; Raymond et al., 1992) – generally explain the deficit as resulting from either the dynamics in top-down and bottom-up attentional process, or limitations in the capacity of the hypothesized attentional process. Extensive basic research has been conducted on the neural correlates of top-down and bottom-up attention as well as on the capacity limitations of attention; however, rather than leading to a single definition, the variety and complexity of results has led several taxonomies which differ systematically with the …

Resource Optimized Scheduling For Enhanced Power Efficiency And Throughput On Chip Multi Processor Platforms, Shivam Kundan

Dissertations

The parallel nature of process execution on Chip Multi-Processors (CMPs) has boosted levels of application performance far beyond the capabilities of erstwhile single-core designs. Generally, CMPs offer improved performance by integrating multiple simpler cores onto a single die that share certain computing resources among them such as last-level caches, data buses, and main memory. This ensures architectural simplicity while also boosting performance for multi-threaded applications. However, a major trade-off associated with this approach is that concurrently executing applications incur performance degradation if their collective resource requirements exceed the total amount of resources available to the system. If dynamic resource allocation …

Faculty Beliefs Toward Academic Accommodations For Prelicensure Nursing Students With Disabilities, Connie Harris

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore nurse educators’ beliefs using the conceptual framework of the theory of planned behavior to investigate faculty behavioral, normative, and control beliefs toward providing academic accommodations for prelicensure nursing students with disabilities. The theory of planned behavior served as the study’s framework to guide data collection and analysis. Semi-structured interviews from 13 study participants representing all regions of the United States were conducted. Nurse educators described their experiences providing academic accommodations to students with physical, sensory, learning, emotional/mental health, and medical disabilities in clinical, lab, and didactic learning environments. Data analysis employed the …

Evaluating Effective Communication Of Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Christine Brockway

Dissertations

Brockway, Christine. Evaluating Effective Communication of Baccalaureate Nursing Students. Published Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2024. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine how communication evaluation by clinical faculty compared in a clinical setting versus a simulation setting for Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students. Fifty (50) BSN students from three different schools of nursing were scored using the Interprofessional Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation Nurse to Physician Rubric in both clinical and simulation settings by seven nursing faculty. Scoring for each student occurred in both settings during one semester. Following the evaluation, students …

Child Sexual Abuse Disclosure: Non-Offending Fathers, Mckayla Marie Harrison

Dissertations

Rates of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) are difficult to track due to the taboo nature and stigma surrounding the topic (McElvaney & Nixon, 2020). To address this nationwide crisis, mental health clinicians are relied upon to educate, assess, and treat accordingly. Yet, despite the ubiquitous nature of CSA, existing research has not yet examined non-offending fathers’ experience, a major support system and means of healing for children. This qualitative phenomenological study sought to capture the descriptions of non-offending fathers with children that have disclosed sexual abuse in an effort to better understand the struggles and needs for these fathers, as …

Counseling Students’ Experiences Of Religious/Spiritual Transitions: A Narrative Inquiry, Lexi Gene Heringer Wimmer

Dissertations

Religious and spiritual (R/S) identities are not stagnant constructs, as may often be believed (Strawn, 2019). The landscape of religion and spirituality is shifting rapidly, and these changes point to individual experiences of R/S transition. One place these kinds of individual changes are occurring is within counselor training. Counselor training can be a transformative experience, and these transformations can include religious and spiritual changes (Nogueiras et al., 2019). Little research explores a broad understanding of religious/spiritual transition, and this gap widens when considering counselors-in-training (CITs) specifically. The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to more fully understand the narratives of …

Preservice Teachers And Game Development: Constructing Learning Experiences, Erin Catherine Wachter

Dissertations

Incorporating game-based learning and technology integration into teacher preparation programs through communities of practice can effectively bridge the gap between theory and practice. This approach involves creating simulations of real-life situations, enabling preservice teachers to prepare to co-construct knowledge and connect with learners on pedagogical and interpersonal levels. The purpose of this critical case study was to explore preservice teachers' experiences constructing game-based learning experiences by collaborating in groups to develop a content-based educational card game along with a lesson plan based on the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework. This study's epistemological view is the transformative learning theory, …

Reclaiming Flow: A Phenomenological Study Of Secondary School Counselors, Brett William Fedor

Dissertations

Contemporary research pertaining to the experiences of flow in education is scarce and that which does exist in the literature often focused on the teacher-student relationship. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive, phenomenological approach (IPA) study was to examine the lived experiences of secondary school counselors as related to occupational and team flow in one school district. Through the lenses of occupational and team flow, the developing rate of work-related burnout and overall job satisfaction were addressed by examining the lived experiences of five counselors across four Student Service departments. An IPA approach was implemented to approach the research questions. …

Practices, Curricula, And Perspectives: Creating Equitable And Inclusive Science Higher Education Classrooms, Victoria Lee Duncan

Dissertations

How can Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faculty create environments where students do not feel marginalized? Changes are necessary to address the historically exclusive climate, systemic oppressive classroom policies, and practices dominated by White, patriarchal, Eurocentric perspectives in many STEM classrooms. Faculty incorporating approaches and practices documented in the literature across time and multiple STEM disciplines can create equitable and inclusive (EI) classrooms. However, the challenge for faculty is consolidating the information to identify fundamental elements necessary for establishing EI classrooms. By synthesizing and cataloging components found in the literature, following a qualitative meta-synthesis framework, the purpose of Project …

A Narrative Inquiry Into The Perceptions Of Counseling Faculty Regarding The Use Of Humor In Clinical Supervision, Ryan Cheuk Ming Cheung

Dissertations

Cheung, Ryan Cheuk Ming. A narrative inquiry into the perceptions of counseling faculty regarding the use of humor in clinical supervision. Published Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2024. Students in counselor preparation programs are required to be clinically supervised by faculty when working with clients. Considering how to help supervisees and positively affect supervision outcomes, one method could be the use of humor by counseling supervisors. Research in the area of humor in counseling supervision is largely missing (Dantzler, 2017; Vereen et al., 2006). A key task in supervision is building a strong working alliance (Bordin, 1983) …

A Compendium Of Three Musical Works Inspired By The African American Experience: Recordings, Commentary, And Pedagogical Observations, Edward W. Hardy

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on three of my musical compositions inspired by Wade in the Water, Billie Holiday, and Margaret Walker respectively: Evolution (for solo violin, 2016), Strange Fruit (arranged for string quartet, 2020), and Born Free (for voice, violin, and piano, 2022). From the perspective of a classical composer-violinist, I created musical portraits that reflect America's pre-civil rights oppression, the celebration of the Harlem Renaissance, and the landscape of political, social, and economic experiences. This dissertation can also serve as a tool for various individuals: fellow violinists seeking modern techniques that bridge classical music to popular music, composers in search …

Exploring The Efficacy Of Using An Online Survey To Measure Functional Literacy Among College Students, Emily Jane Dever

Dissertations

This research study was conducted to examine the efficacy of using an online survey to assess the literacy proficiency of college students in an area of the United States with historically low socioeconomic status. Two research questions were written to guide the study:

R1. What is the factor structure of the Online Collegiate Literacy Scale?

R2. What relationship exists between literacy and college students from areas of the United States with a high concentration of poverty?

A literacy measure was created and evaluated in three steps: writing and pretest by subject matter experts; pilot test; and data collection and data …

Simulacra Alligoría Spílaio Socráti A Reconsideration Of The Allegory Of Socrates Cave: Game-Based Theory In Inclusive Higher Education, Barry Karrh

Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the use of Game Based Learning (GBL) and Game Based Pedagogy (GBP) implemented in higher education and considers what effects may be measured on retention and learning.

Using the allegory of Socrates Cave, a story which challenges how learners’ perspectives differ according to each individual’s unique understanding, this study considered how participants reacted in similar scenarios during ‘serious games’ implemented in college level classes to reinforce and review material before testing. This study used a pre- and post-test model to assess the difference games used as an intervention had on short-term retention. The final credential scores of …

Design, Synthesis, And Optimization Of Allosteric Inhibitors Of Hiv-1 Integrase, Krunal H. Patel

Dissertations

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection remains a global health crisis, necessitating the development of innovative antiviral strategies. During the integration step, HIV-1 integrase (IN) interacts with viral DNA and the cellular cofactor LEDGF/p75 to effectively integrate the reverse transcript into the host chromatin. Recently, a novel class of antiretroviral agents called Allosteric Inhibitors of HIV-1 Integrase (ALLINI) compounds has emerged as a promising avenue in the fight against HIV-1. While originally designed to inhibit IN-LEDGF/p75 interactions, these compounds have been shown to also impact late-stage viral maturation severely through IN multimerization. Induction of IN multimerization interferes with …

The Relationship Between Inclusive Leadership, Psychological Safety, And Job Embeddedness On Employees' Turnover Intent In A Post Crisis Environment, Jan Sims

Dissertations

Large-scale adverse events such as natural disasters and pandemics interrupt business services, initiating defining moments for organizations. The trend of people exiting the workforce compels organizations to examine turnover risk and search for factors that mitigate the impact of resignations. In response to the increase in voluntary turnover and retirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines four elements that have impacted the workplace since 2020–turnover intent, job embeddedness, psychological safety, and inclusive leadership.

This quantitative study examined the relationship between inclusive leadership, psychological safety, and job embeddedness on employees’ turnover intent. Professional and supervisory level employees of public sector …

Defining Experiential: Higher Education Educator Perspectives On Experiential Education Criteria And Experiential Learning Forms, Paul Gaszak

Dissertations

In the field of experiential education, there is a general understanding that concepts and definitions of experiential education and experiential learning differ by individuals, departments, organizations, and institutions. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive research study was to gather the perspectives of individual experiential educators across higher education (n = 121) on what they perceive to be experiential education’s criteria and what forms of educational methodologies qualify as experiential learning forms. The findings demonstrated inclusive perspectives regarding both criteria and forms, such as receptiveness to experiential education being able to occur within classrooms, in short durations, and without third-party participation. …

A Discrit Analysis Of Experiences Influencing Belonging For College Students With Disabilities, Paige Nichole Johnsen

Dissertations

Despite growing numbers of college students with disabilities and a call to offer support beyond disability service offices, earlier data demonstrate disproportionate barriers to disabled students’ academic success resulting from or in (a) limitations to existing accommodations, (b) worsening mental health, (c) academic achievement gaps, and (d) a privileged understanding of disability. Using disability critical race theory (DisCrit) as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this narrative case study was to discover the intersectional experiences impacting sense of belonging for college students with disabilities at a mid-sized regional institution (pseudonym: Mountain West University) in the United States. The study was …