Digital Commons Network^™

An Assessment Of Actual Evapotranspiration And Soil Moisture Functions Based On Local-Scale Data In Alabama, Lisa Lugo Kuzy

Dissertations

Large-scale models and remote technology are widely used for the estimation of the energy budget at a global scale. The interaction of energy fluxes and soil water at the vegetation root zone is the driving force that controls the evapotranspiration process. Although the importance of soil moisture, it can only be measured at a point scale, given the great heterogeneity of soil profile. Large-scale models struggle to capture the spatial heterogeneity of soils, and remote sensing can only observe the surface level soil moisture, omitting the root zone. Studies have shown evapotranspiration estimates (specifically from Remote Sensing) and can provide …

Extending Machine Learning Of Cyberattack Strategies With Continuous Transition Rates, Edwin Michael Bearss

Dissertations

Cyberattacks are a growing threat to organizations of all sizes and industries. By better understanding these attacks, better ways to defend against them can be developed. Petri Nets with Players, Strategies, and Costs (PNPSC) is an extension of Petri nets specifically designed to model cyberattacks. The PNPSC formalism includes a representation of the strategies used by the competing players, i.e., attacker and defender, to achieve their goals. This formalism has been the basis for a long-running research program consisting of several interconnected research projects. Projects within that program include automatically generating PNPSC nets from the MITRE Common Attack Pattern Enumeration …

Exploring Moral Distress Among Nurse Leaders, Preston H. Miller

Dissertations

Moral distress (MD) occurs when an individual knows the ethically correct action to take in a situation but institutional constraints prevent the individual from acting. MD is a well-documented phenomenon among nurses and occurs at a high frequency in the critical care setting. When MD is not adequately addressed and actions are not taken to mitigate precipitating factors within an organization, moral injury, moral residue, and burnout may consequentially result in nurses leaving their role or the profession. Nurse leaders are positioned to exemplify ethical leadership and provide support for their staff when MD is experienced; however, nurse leaders experience …

Measurements Of Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes, Gamma-Ray Glows, And A Direct Lightning Strike From Eight Flights Of The High Energy Lightning Emission Network (Helen), Christopher Helmerich

Dissertations

The High Energy Lightning Emission Network (HELEN) campaign involved 8 balloon flights into thunderstorm environments to measure high-energy radiation phenomena like gamma-ray glows and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs). Multiple flights detected elevated radiation levels providing evidence for theories on gamma-ray glow generation. Flight 7 measured multiple TGFs coincident spatially and temporally with lightning strikes, supporting theories of TGF origins in lightning leaders and/or return strokes. The same flight also sustained a direct lightning strike, enabling first-of-its-kind energetic radiation measurements during the propagation of the lightning strike. Radiation production was evident in both stepped leaders and return strokes, with higher flux …

Eye Tracking Technologies To Analyze And Visualize The Behavior Of Secure Coders, Daniel Kyle Davis

Dissertations

Secure coders' experiences and their proficiency vary greatly, and any overlooked software security flaws in code can lead to costly repercussions in deployed software applications. The techniques that secure coders utilize to analyze source code and develop mitigation strategies for security flaws are not well understood. Gaining a proper understanding of how coders approach finding and mitigating security flaws can help us efficiently and accurately discover and resolve such issues. One potentially beneficial technique is to collect, analyze, and visualize eye gazes that capture their coding patterns and behaviors. Our systematic literature survey focused on published methods for multiple types …

The Vulnerability Through Cyberattacks Related To Technological Differences Between Centralized, Server-Based And Ethereum Based Smart Home Systems, Friederike Johanna Haberl

Dissertations

Many people use the digital support of smart home systems to improve their homes' comfort, security, and efficiency (Komninos et al., 2011). However, with the growing number of users comes an increasing number of security challenges that must be addressed (Albany et al., 2022). To mitigate these concerns, the smart home industry is exploring new technologies beyond the traditional centralized server model. One promising technology is the Ethereum blockchain, a distributed database technology. However, it is unclear which concrete security advantages the use of this technology offers in the smart home area. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to …

Structural Impact Of Epstein-Barr Virus- Encoded Small Rna -1 On Its Transport And Function, Zubaida Hassan

Dissertations

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Encoded RNAs (EBERs) are two small, noncoding, structurally conserved transcripts that are expressed in millions of copies in all stages of EBV infection. Despite their abundant expression, the role of EBERs in EBV biology or pathogenesis is not well defined. However, they are associated with driving cell proliferation and improving intercellular communication via their secretion in exosomes. In spite of the pathogenic potentials of EBERs, the mechanisms involved in their transport and function remain to be elucidated. The aim of this PhD dissertation was to investigate the structural impact of EBER1 in its transport and function. The conserved …

“It Feels Like A Cultural Shift": Parent School Selection And Experiences With School Choice At Title I Schools, Christina Lee Ballantyne

Dissertations

A neoliberal agenda to institute educational reform via school choice has created a school marketplace where parents and schools are connected in a supply-and-demand relationship. Rather than attend the neighborhood school, some parents can seek alternative school options for their children. Although purported to improve educational outcomes and desegregate schools, school choice has not demonstrated increased student academic achievement nor integrated school spaces. Instead, the school choice movement has been seen to contribute to and perpetuate racial and economic segregation. This study sought to understand the perspectives of parents who have selected their neighborhood Title I school and how they …

“The Issue Is Already There; Just Have The Conversation!”: Culturally Sustaining Reflection In The Student Teaching Triad, Hanna M. Asrat

Dissertations

There is a vast demographic mismatch between California’s public school teachers (who are majority White, mono-lingual English-speaking women) and California’s public school students. Though universities responsible for educating preservice teachers often include coursework that attempts to help address this demographic mismatch, such as instruction about Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, if preservice teachers do not get the chance to practice this pedagogy in their fieldwork placement, they tend to fall into to the two-worlds problem. The two-worlds problem posits that preservice teachers view constructivist and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies learned at the university as theoretical and incompatible with actual teaching, and so they …

Ethnic Studies Implementation In A K-8 District: Culture, Critical Consciousness And Collective Efficacy, Genvieve Dorsey

Dissertations

This research was a descriptive study in which the researcher explored the beginning phases of Ethnic Studies implementation in a Kindergarten through Eighth grade (K-8) school district in Northern California. Using a social justice lens, and through a review of Ethnic Studies, Collective Efficacy, Critical Consciousness, and School Culture constructs, the researcher attempted to capture and articulate a cultural profile of the school district and the degree to which it aligned to the cultural typologies articulated among Ethnic Studies scholars.The study included the collection of several types of data, including: (1) archival documents; (2) teacher focus groups; and (3) administrator …

How Can I Help You Today? How First-Generation Latinx/A/O Community College Students Perceive Counseling, Isaac Escoto

Dissertations

Latinx/a/o students make up almost half of the California Community College system’s population. However, Latinx/a/o students account for about 15% of three-year completion rates (certificate, degree, or transfer). In support of student success strategies, the literature describes the role of counselors and how they help students navigate the complexities of higher education. This mixed-methods study investigated how community college counseling practices and services are perceived by Latinx/a/o students; and which of those practices and services best supported the success of this student population. Key findings included the importance of counseling services, as well as preferred counseling appointment logistics and topics …

The Effect Of Covid-19 On The Decision-Making Processes Of Local School Governing Boards With Regard To Considering And Enacting State And Federal Policies, J Jesus Contreras

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine and analyze the decision-making and policy development of local governing boards acting in response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered through open-ended items in a mixed-methods survey and through a focus group interview. This research sought to gather governing board members' perceptions about the effects that the COVID-19 crisis had on their decision-making processes with regard to enacting state, federal, and COVID-19 Relief Funds policies. The findings in the study indicate that governing board members’ understandings of state and federal policy were not nuanced enough …

When She Speaks: A Black Feminist Autoethnography Exploring Joy And Positionality In Higher Education, Leslye M. Tinson

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the intersections of race, class, and gender of a Black woman as an educational leader and doctoral student. Through autoethnography, I explore self-meaning in cultural contexts and focus on how my positionality contributes to my attempts to find joy in academe. Chapter I discusses the gender and racial gaps in the American professoriate and introduces three research questions. Chapter II interprets extant literature and identifies a conceptual framework that utilizes Black feminist thought, critical race feminism, intersectionality theory, and multicultural feminist perspectives to analyze my lived experiences. Chapter III outlines the research methodology of autoethnography to address …

Influencers Of The Institution: Millennial Women Of Color On Leadership As Classified Professionals In California Community Colleges, Marisol Quevedo

Dissertations

This study centers Millennial Women of Color (MWOC) California Community College Professionals as institutional influencers by understanding how their leadership practices support the success of marginalized, minoritized, and historically underrepresented students and equity-advancing institutional change. In this study I use the term “influencer” to reflect the impact that MWOC, working as classified professionals at a CCC who are committed to serving as leaders beyond their job duties have on their students and within their institutions. The use of “influencer” in this study addresses three different areas that summarize the study’s findings. First, the theme “Key-Makers not Gatekeepers'' addresses the ways …

“Can I Get Some Help, Please?”: Examining Contributing Factors To First-Generation Student Success In California Community Colleges, Tijan G. White

Dissertations

This study aimed to determine the percentage of first-generation college students enrolled at California Community Colleges and examine their experiences through a culturally engaging lens using a mixed-methods approach. The research was interested in determining what percentage of community college students hold first-generation college student status using the federal definition of the term, understanding to what extent those students found their campus environments to be culturally responsive and relevant to their needs and what insights some of these students could offer regarding their experiences. The researcher surveyed and facilitated a focus group discussion with students throughout the Bay Area geographic …

Divine Attachment: A Canonical Model For Discipleship And Religious Education, Kristina Marie Freed

Dissertations

Problem

Christianity is in decline in the United States and, with it, discipleship engagement. While several explanations and many remedies have been offered as solutions to the problem over the last half-century, demographic research shows that the decline continues. The problem addressed in this dissertation is the lack of a theological model to augment psychological models of religious attachment theory. The research sought to identify a canonical model of divine attachment which may contribute to the revitalization of personal discipleship and religious education by offering a new relational context. This model is based on an understanding of God as an …

Self-Regulation And Academic Motivation As Predictors Of Academic Achievement Of Undergraduate Students In An Online Learning Environment, Sonia Almwalad

Dissertations

Problem

Online learning is a form of distance education that occurs via the Internet (Adams, 2004; Carliner, 1999). The success of online learning depends on student-related factors such as acceptance, willingness, and motivation (Almaiah et al., 2019; Almaiah et al., 2020). When online learning systems are not utilized, students cannot realize the concomitant benefit of improved performance. Online learning has many positives, but it does present a problem when it comes to academic success. Motivation and self-regulation are two of the key factors for successful online learning given that students are subject to minimal supervision or guidance from teachers in …

Understanding Secularized People Of Metro Manila: A Case Study Approach For A Contextualized Urban Ministry Strategy, Ermela T. Dizon

Dissertations

Problem

Secularization shapes people's thinking, feeling, and behaving in the cities. Yearly, there is a rise in the number of de-religionized or secularized people in cities of the world who engage in pursuits of materialism and show declining interest in religion. Sociologists and missiologists postulate about the spectrum of secularity and the variety of secularism in different context. Since Metro Manila is one of the world's top highly urbanized and densely populated cities, the Seventh-day Adventist Church encounters challenges in reaching its secularized people. It is a new turf for the church. Pastors trained for rural settings may not understand …

The Correlation Between Childhood Sexual Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence, And Sexual Revictimization On North America Emerging Adult Females' Romantic Relationship Satisfaction With Spiritual Well-Being And Post-Traumatic Growth As Mediators, Sara C. Ward

Dissertations

Problem

Emerging adulthood is a time of great adjustment, in both personal and relational terms. One of emerging adulthood's most important developmental tasks includes the excitement of intimate romantic relationships (Shulman & Connolly, 2013). These intimate romantic relationships can involve sexual as well as emotional intimacy (Fisher, 2006). When there has been sexual abuse in childhood, the perception of self and others is maladaptive and damaging, increasing one's chance of experiencing sexual revictimization and intimate partner violence (Williams et al., 2010). This can greatly influence romantic relationship satisfaction. There are very few references to strength- based trauma mediators in the …

Religiosity, Family Sexual Communication & Gender As Predictors Of Attitudes Toward Oral Sex Among College/University Students In The United States, Antoinette Napier

Dissertations

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether religiosity, family sexual communication and gender were predictors of attitudes toward oral sex among college/university students in the United States.

Method

Participants completed several surveys, which measured participants' personal religiosity, family sexual communication, and attitudes toward oral sex. A path analysis model was used to analyze the relationship between the proposed variables.

Results

The path analysis hypothesized model resulted in a poor fit for the data. The model was respecified by removing three items which showed weak beta weights. The respecified model produced a good fit for the data. The …

Predictors Of Bullying Behaviors Among Adolescents In Saudi Arabia: The Role Of Self-Esteem, Emotional Intelligence And Moral Disengagement, Ayat Hamzah

Dissertations

Problem

Bullying issues are increasing among school-age children worldwide. Children and adolescents involved in bullying as victims, perpetrators, or both are likely to experience negative consequences on their emotional, social, and academic levels (Espelage & Holt, 2001). In spite of the increasing research on bullying in Saudi Arabia, there exists gaps in the literature, especially in the role of individual traits (self-esteem, emotional intelligence) and cognitive processes (moral disengagement) on bullying behavior. Additionally, using modeling analysis to understand the predictive factors affecting bullying involvement processes also filled in some of the gaps in the literature. The current study investigated the …

An Exploration Of Factors Contributing To Service Longevity At Asia-Pacific International University, Ritha Maidom

Dissertations

Problem

In educational institutions of higher learning, turnover is seen as a double-edged sword that brings both benefits and problems. While turnover allows the opportunity to bring in a new employee who may be able to benefit the institution more than the one being replaced, the process of finding a replacement tends to be costly in terms of time, energy, and financial resources. As a young institution, Asia-Pacific International University (AIU) found turnovers challenging in more than one way because of its lack of stability in areas such as finance and human power. It could benefit from a clearer understanding …

Beyond Social Emotional Learning: Toward A Humanizing And Transformative Teacher Sel, Ash Ray Busby

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to bring to life the experiences of how the development of a Social, Emotional and Cultural lens prepares teachers to meet their own social and emotional needs in the classroom and consequently be better prepared to meet their students’ social and emotional needs in ways that are culturally sustaining. This qualitative research study explored these phenomena through a series of three in-depth interviews and a classroom observation with four in-service teachers in a Northern California school district that prioritizes social emotional learning (SEL) for students and teachers. The insights from this research may inform …

Measuring The Effect Of An Intervention On Student Engagement And Reading Comprehension, Kaitlin Reichart

Dissertations

Students arrive at school each day with a great disparity in emotional and learning readiness. This is caused by a multitude of factors such as chronic stress, family separation, poverty, the COVID-19 pandemic, sexism, trauma, ACEs, racism, and lack of access to resources. Students need daily assistance in understanding and regulating their emotions. Schools have become the central place for supporting students' mental health, yet teachers are generally overworked and underprepared in the area of supporting mental health. The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the impact of a universal tier one self-regulation intervention on student engagement and reading …

Play On; Give Me Excess Of It: Intercorporeality And Musical Definitions, Abram Basil Soucy Capone

Dissertations

Philosophy of music, especially in the 20th and 21st centuries, presides over a relatively narrow range of field-specific ontological and metaphysical questions. I claim that a focus on classical music and a reliance on analogies to the plastic arts constitutes an unhelpful (but pervasive) methodology in philosophy of music, one that stands in tension with its purported aim of accurately accounting for “the ways we talk, think, and act” in relation to music and musical works (Rohrbaugh 2003, 179). While philosophers of music explicitly aim to describe praxis, a significant gap exists between existing theory and ordinary musical experiences. To …

A Social Ontological Account Of Alienation And Its Place In The History Of Alienation Theory, Philip William Bauchan

Dissertations

Alienation is a sociological term that has found itself severely out of favor as an analytical concept due to what are perceived as inextricable theoretical shortcomings despite having once enjoyed a time when it was taken to be essential for a robust and critical analysis of society. This dissertation looks to contribute to a revitalization of alienation theory by offering an understanding of alienation that is grounded in the framework of social ontology as forwarded in the works of John Searle. This social ontological account conceives of alienation as a fallout fact that arises when there is a performative contradiction …

Identification Of Conditions That Promote Biofilm Formation By Vibrio Fischeri And Elucidation Of The Underlying Signal Transduction Pathway, Courtney Noelle Dial

Dissertations

Biofilms are communities of microorganisms that have intrinsically antimicrobial properties and are difficult to treat in the clinical setting. The marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri efficiently colonizes its symbiotic squid host, Euprymna scolopes, by producing a transient biofilm dependent on the symbiosis polysaccharide (SYP), making it the perfect model system to study biofilm dynamics. In vitro, however, wild-type (WT) strain ES114 fails to form SYP – dependent biofilms. Instead, genetically engineered strains, such as those lacking the negative regulator BinK, have been developed to study SYP biofilms. Historically, V. fischeri has been grown using LBS, a complex medium containing tryptone and …

Simulation Psychological Safety Ecosystem: A Grounded Theory Study Of Nurses’ Experience With Psychological Safety In Prelicensure Simulation, Susan Eller

Dissertations

Over the past couple of decades, the utilization of simulation-based education in prelicensure nursing expanded in both frequency and functionality. Learning through simulation requires psychological safety where participants feel comfortable engaging to their fullest extent and can speak up or ask questions without fear of embarrassment to themselves or others. Professional simulation organizations provide recommendations for creating psychological safety, yet anecdotal stories from nurses report variability in their experiences ranging from positive to negative. Research regarding psychological safety in nursing education revealed some consistent themes of anxiety due to being observed or unfamiliar with simulation environments or expectations. The evolving …

An Examination Of Various Dimensions Associated With Nonprofit Board Member Diversity: The Significance Of Organizational Factors, Patrick Luke Decker-Tonnesen

Dissertations

This dissertation examined how leadership and organizational factors influence nonprofit board diversity. The goal of the research was to expand the data available in the social service sector associated with understanding the role of board member diversity within nonprofit organizations. Utilizing data from BoardSource’s Leading with Intent (2017) dataset, which included responses from 1,378 nonprofit Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), board racial, gender, and total diversity, along with several organizational factors, were included for descriptive and inferential analysis. Organizational factors included CEO racial and gender demographics, organization type, geographical location, revenue, personal contribution of board members, CEO perception of mission and …

Dungeons & Dragons & Dewey: Toward A Ludic Pedagogy Of Democratic Civic Life Through The Philosophy Of John Dewey And Tabletop Role-Playing Games, Susan Haarman

Dissertations

In this dissertation, which uses philosophical inquiry, I posit that tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) can provide an educative experience for democratic civic life in the Deweyan tradition. Tabletop RPGs present an invaluable resource for ongoing civic formation by encouraging deliberation and consensus building across shared goals and circumstances. Philosopher John Dewey emphasized that democracy is defined by the civic habits and collective action, not formal governance structures. The experience of playing tabletop RPGs can cultivate habitus and space for future and current citizens to practice democratic skills and commitments. Therefore, these games are a means that align with the ends …