Digital Commons Network^™

Teachers “Write” Video--A Case Study On The Processes And Participants Of A Video Composition Professional Development Program: A Utah Context, Nathan Smith Jones

Dissertations

In a media dominated world, where video composition (an integral media literacy pedagogy) has remained extremely limited in university teacher prep programs in states like Utah, this qualitative descriptive case study investigated the whys and hows of the processes, purposes, and marketing of an in-service Pedagogical Video Composition (PVC) teacher professional development program and the media literacy practices of the teachers it impacted. Participants were four staff members of Utah’s SHIFT Professional Development program, and four of its teacher participants The study’s data collection included artifacts, an observation, and (primarily) interviews during the first full school year of COVID-19 (Fall, …

Understanding Mother’S Perceptions On Assessment And Educational Programming For Their Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment, Melody Zagami Furze

Dissertations

Brain-based visual impairment is the leading cause of visual impairment in early childhood populations in the developed world and its contribution to childhood visual impairment is increasing (Bosch et al., 2014; Dutton & Bax, 2010; Hoyt, 2007; Kong et al., 2012; Kran et al., 2019). In order to meet the needs of this population, comprehensive assessment that includes information from families and caregivers, pediatric ophthalmologists, neurodevelopmental specialists, vision professionals, and education teams is crucial for academic and functional success (Lueck & Dutton, 2015). Family input during the special education process and the transfer of knowledge from the clinical to the …

Physical Education In Colorado: Status And Stakeholders’ Perceptions, Xiaoping Fan

Dissertations

This dissertation includes two studies, aiming to explore the status of physical education and stakeholders’ perceptions of physical education in Colorado. In study one, using the PE for All Colorado model policy as a guiding framework, the purpose of this study was to explore the status of physical education in Colorado. Research questions included: (a) what is the status of physical education in Colorado based on the PE for All model policy’s recommendations? and (b) what are the facilitators and barriers to implementing physical education in schools? A sequential explanatory mixed method design was utilized in this study consisting of …

Effects Of Exercise Training On Neutrophil Proliferation And Function In Cancer Patients, Nicholas Harman

Dissertations

Cancer and its treatments, namely chemotherapy and radiation, lead to negative physiological consequences. Neutrophils are the most abundant leukocytes in circulation with several studies pointing to the impact of cancer and its treatments lowering the count and function of this cell line. Exercise has been shown to positively impact to neutrophil count and function in the generally healthy population. However, this effect is less understood in the cancer population. The purpose of this study was to quantify and characterize neutrophil populations in cancer patients and examine the effects of a prescribed exercise intervention on neutrophil count and neutrophil function. It …

The Haitian Méringue Through Stylized Piano Compositions From 1880-1930, William Leroy Harned

Dissertations

This study primarily describes the Haitian méringue from a historical analysis and a collective musical analysis of digital editions published from 2016 to 2020 that include previously unavailable piano compositions from Haiti’s first composers. Secondarily, this study clarifies the performance practice of innovative rhythmic notations from Haiti and Puerto Rico to indicate a relaxed syncopation of the tresillo-based five-beat syncopated rhythm. The history of the development of the méringue involves the creolization of mainly European and African dances. Comparison with compositions of origin dances reveals common structures between them. The European salon style inspired these Haitian compositions that resemble Romantic …

Exploring That Fulbright Magic: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Fulbright-Mescyt Alumni Who Return To The Dominican Republic, Joshabel De La Cruz

Dissertations

International higher education graduates may experience challenges related to reentry to their home countries as their expectations upon returning home may not match their reality (Alandejani, 2013; Butcher, 2002, Gaw, 2000). This study utilizes a transcendental phenomenological approach to understand the lived experiences of seven Fulbright-MESCYT alumni who completed U.S. graduate degree programs and returned home to the Dominican Republic (DR) between 2015 and 2018. The Fulbright-MESCYT Program in the DR is a joint initiative of the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo and the Dominican Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCYT) and adds funding for up to 10 …

Integrating International Graduate Students On Campus: The Perspectives Of Student Affairs Professionals And Staff, Rachal Etshim

Dissertations

International graduate students are a unique population that face specific challenges that affect their campus integration (Arthur, 2017; Burdett & Crossman, 2012; Sharma, 2019). The role of student affairs professionals and staff includes developing and integrating all students, including international graduate students, on-campus (Di Maria, 2012; Braskamp, 2011; Kuh, 2009; Wilcox, et al., 2005). However, many student affairs professionals and staff feel unprepared to serve or work with international graduate students (Brandenburg, 2016; Cierra, 2004; Di Maria, 2012; Yakaboski & Perozzi, 2018). There has been little empirical research conducted on student affairs professionals and staff members’ perspectives about their role …

The Lived Experiences Of Latinx Parents And Their Perception Of Bilingual Programs: A Phenomenological Reflection, Manuel O. Adrianzen

Dissertations

The aim of this study is two-fold. First, to better understand and capture the lived experiences of Latinx parents as they navigate the registration/enrollment process at the school and select a language program for their Pre-kindergarten child. Second, to understand what lived experiences influence their perception about bilingual education programs. Using Van Manen’s (2016) concept of human sciences and phenomenology, data was collected through the use of conversational interviews. The responses provided by the parents and school clerk revealed five themes, fear & anxiousness, hope for things to come & for a brighter future, use of social networks to understand …

Supporting New Teacher Development Through A Quality Beginning Teacher Mentor Program, David Kostopoulos

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to evaluate the perceptions of beginning teachers and mentors to improve the components and supports provided to mentees through Birch Lake School District (BLSD) induction and mentoring practices. Qualitative data was collected through transcripts of 5 separate focus group sessions that included 9 mentees and 7 mentors. Quantitative data was collected through a survey that included 10 mentees and 13 mentors. Study results indicated that impactful components revolved around seven key themes: program set-up, materials, collaborative session dates/locations, assignments, activities observational coaching, mentor/mentee meetings/interactions, content of the sessions. Study results indicated that …

An Intergenerational Photo Exploration Of Self Care Actions In Self-Identifying Strong Black Women, Vanessa Patrice Goodar

Dissertations

The current study sought to expand upon the Giscombé Superwoman Schema (2010) specifically exploring the role of vulnerability resistance and help obligation as potential barriers to changing comprehensive self-care health commitments in self-identifying Strong Black Women (SBW). The Superwoman Schema characteristics of vulnerability resistance and help obligation along with socio-economic factors of income, religious affiliation and marital status were assessed in the project using a visual-ethnography approach to Photo Voice methods and five intergenerational focus groups of SBW's born between 1946 and 2002. The collective self-care knowledge of these eighteen participants was analyzed using a participatory action research discussion framework …

The Impact Of A K-8 Stem Program On Grades And Student Choice Of Stem And Advanced Mathematics And Science Coursework In High School, Astrid Rodrigues

Dissertations

The demands of today’s workforce call for schools to prepare their students to have problem-solving skills and be critical thinkers and collaborative colleagues. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning has been known to cultivate, excite, and promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students from an early age.

This study explored the high school course selection of students who had participated in a compulsory Kindergarten to 8^th grade (K-8) STEM program, called Project Lead the Way (PLTW), while in middle school. Specifically, the study compared the number of STEM and advanced mathematics and science courses that students who …

Intragroup Marginalization Among Latinx Migrant Farmworker College Students, Annette Calvario Perales

Dissertations

The Latinx population is the fastest-growing racial minority group in the United States (U.S.) (Passel et al., 2014). There are nearly 2 million migrant families in the U.S. (Tippett, 2020). Most migrant families live below the poverty level, and children often provide significant supplemental income to that of their parents’ (Zalaquett et al., 2007). Many migrant families are faced with various challenges, such as secluded living conditions, financial instability, physical and mental health barriers, and educational barriers (Dreby, 2015; Thompson et al., 2002; BPHC, 1995). In addition, migrant students frequently find themselves in a dilemma between providing financial assistance to …

Influences On Student Choice And Voice: Agency, Engagement, And Equity, Theresa L. Reali

Dissertations

Students at a suburban high school in the American Mountain West have been separated by race, linguistic ability, and socio-economic status for decades, and the research posits that the ways in which students have moved in cohorts throughout past decades has largely determined their academic pathways in high school. The researcher studied eight student perceptions of variable, heterogeneous grouping and democratic pedagogical practices on academic achievement, feelings of self-agency, and engagement in sophomore English Language Arts; two regular placement (non-advanced) sub-groups of Anglo and Latino/a students were included as student participants. Students were interviewed and observed during group work with …

Biochemical Ecology Of The Western Rattlesnakes: Venom Variation And Toxin Profiling Of The Crotalus Viridis/Oreganus/Scutulatus Complex, Cara Smith

Dissertations

Biochemical ecology examines the complex and dynamic relationships between organisms and their environment from a molecular perspective. This requires a holistic integration of ecology, evolution, and natural history with the fine-scale resolution of molecular biology and functional biochemistry. Venomous snakes have evolved a wide variety of extreme behavioral, physiological, and biochemical adaptations for prey capture, making them an ideal model for the study of predator trait evolution and protein adaptation. However, venoms must be understood from an ecological perspective in order to comprehend the evolutionary forces that shape the diversity of toxin families present in venoms. This holistic picture has …

Relationships Between Working Class, First Generation College Students And Their Parent(S)/Guardian(S): A Phenomenological Study On The Impacts Of Middle Class Socialization, Lindsay Ellen Mason

Dissertations

This constructionist phenomenological dissertation study explored stories from nine working class, first generation college students, specifically how middle class socialization on a four year university campus located in the Mountain West region of the United States impacts the relationships with their parent(s)/guardian(s). My primary research question was: How does attending college at a 4 year public university influence first generation, working class students’ relationships with the ir parent(s)/guardian(s)? My sub research questions were: What role does middle class socialization that occurs on a 4 year public university campus play in impacting this relationship? And what role does online learning/remote learning …

From Babysitting To Teaching—Latina Childcare Providers Acquiring Effective Teaching Strategies: A Grounded Theory Of Transformative Professional Development, Deborah Becker

Dissertations

Using theoretical sampling, focused on those who could best inform the theory, the participants in this study, all Latina women, consisted of two program Tías (Aunties), currently teaching and mentoring in the Abuelas Preparando a los Niños Para La Escuela [Grandmothers Preparing the Children for School], or APPLE program, and 14 past graduates. The only education the program graduates had before APPLE was in their home countries prior to immigrating to the United States. Beginning with a description of the type of care they provided to children before they participated in the APPLE program, the participants explained how the structure …

A Discipline In Search Of A Voice: A Corpus Linguistic Study Of Evaluation Scholarly Literature, Aaron Wilson Kates

Dissertations

Linguists use the concept of discourse community (DC) to describe the speech of groups of people associated by some extrinsic purpose or interest (Swales, 1990). One defining feature of a DC is a shared lexicon. Scriven (1994), in his discussion of evaluation as a discipline, addresses the need for evaluation to have a “core subject” which would then allow, among other things, the development of “concepts and language to deal with core problems,” while noting that there exists a definite lack of clarity of language among evaluators (p. 147). Christie and Rose (2003) suggest that the lack of clarification around …

Examining Online Fitness Program Participation Behavior During The Covid-19 Pandemic: An Application Of Theory Of Planned Behavior, Ran Wei

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine fitness participants’ online fitness program (OFP) participation intention and behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study utilized self-administered online survey which included three parts: Theory of Planed Behavior (TPB) measurement scale and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire version 2.0 (GPAQ-v2.0) plus demographic information. TPB was used to examine OFP participation behavior with four variables: Attitude toward the behavior (AB), subjective norm (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), and participation intention (PI). Role identity (RI) and past behavior (PB) were included as additional variables in the original TPB model. Fitness participants’ OFP participation behavior before …

School Principals’ Awareness Of Their Emotional Intelligence And Connections To Leadership, Lourdes M. Pimentel Soto

Dissertations

Leaders set the tone and mood of the organization through their attitudes and actions. This emotional climate set by the leader has been found to influence employee’s performance, including their sense of job satisfaction and commitment. In other words, what sets great leaders apart from their peers is their ability to drive the emotions of those they lead in the right direction. This ability to understand and manage one’s and other’s emotions is what is known as emotional intelligence (EI).

This qualitative study explored the perceptions of K-12 principals’ awareness of their EI in relation to how they lead, and …

Assigning Assessment Accommodations To English Learners: A Phenomenological Study, Heather May Villalobos Pavia

Dissertations

The English learner (EL) student population has grown steadily for the past 20 years. During this time, the use of standardized assessments has increased as well. Teacher understanding of assessment accommodations that best support ELs is low, despite the research that shows the unreliability of standardized achievement tests that measure the academic achievement of ELs. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to examine how 10 teachers engage in the assessment accommodation selection process. Teachers were intentionally selected from intermediate elementary grades where the most native (primary/home) language accommodations are available on state assessments. Data were collected through surveys, …

An Investigation Of Outsourcing Ticket Sales In Division I College Athletics, Kyle John Brannigan

Dissertations

Understanding the phenomenon of outsourcing ticket sales in collegiate athletics can help athletic departments make more informed ticketing decisions. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to help create new and emerging knowledge of outsourcing ticket sales in collegiate athletics from the interactions with the study’s participants. The study had 15 participants who experienced the decision-making process as well as the stakeholder impact of outsourcing ticket sales in collegiate athletics. After doing a thematic analysis of the data, eight final themes were used to help describe the phenomenon. It was clear that the importance of being able to …

Prominent Women Wind Conductors In Higher Education: Trials, Triumphs, And Recommendations For Improving Gender Equity In The Field, Jennifer Lee Grice

Dissertations

This study investigated the past and present status of gender equity in the wind band conducting profession in higher education. Eight of the most prominent women in wind band conducting were interviewed on specific questions regarding their trials, triumphs, and recommendations for upcoming women conductors in the field. Interviewees included Andrea Brown, Paula Crider, Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin, Emily Moss, Catherine Rand, Courtney Snyder, Emily Threinen, and LaToya Webb. Discussion topics included personal musical journeys, role models/mentors, equity in the profession, challenges faced in their careers, personal score study/rehearsal techniques, how to help future women in the field, and other pertinent information. …

English As A Foreign Language Preservice Teachers’ Technology Integration In Teaching Speaking Skills: A Study From Indonesia, I Putu Indra Kusuma

Dissertations

The novel coronavirus, namely COVID-19, has drastically forced schools and universities around the globe to implement emergency remote teaching (henceforth, ERT) in online forms. During this ERT, the personal computer, internet-accessible devices, and computer programs have expanded the opportunities of language learners to obtain more authentic materials and learning experiences. Moreover, technology enables students to record and store their speaking performance in digital forms, accommodating a new reform in English language teaching. Very little is known about how English as a foreign language (henceforth, EFL) preservice teachers, especially student teachers, implement technology in teaching speaking skills during their practice teaching. …

How Immigrant English Language Learners Used Internal Fortitude To Utilize Supports And Overcome Obstacles To Graduate From High School, Mark C. Peterson

Dissertations

Immigrants and English Language Learners (ELL) continue to receive attention in the research literature due in part to the continued immigration of families to the U.S. and the continued increasing number of students enrolled in U.S. schools under the ELL designation. The robust influx of immigrant’s school enrollment is reflected in schools across the country as classrooms are transformed from predominantly mono-cultural and mono-lingual environments to multi-cultural and multi-lingual ones. Unfortunately, the national average graduation rate for ELLs is a much lower than native-born students. The economic, social, and mental health ramifications for failing to graduate high school are dramatic; …

Blood Pressure Management And Factors Affecting Adherence To Antihypertensive Medications In The United Arab Emirates, Akshaya Srikanth Bhagavathula

Dissertations

Hypertension is a significant public health problem worldwide and is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The dynamics of guidelines-recommended blood pressure (BP) control and adherence to antihypertensive medications in incident hypertensives remain unclear. This dissertation aims to assess guidelines-recommended BP management, adherence to antihypertensive medications, and factors associated with poor BP control among newly diagnosed hypertensive patients in the UAE. A retrospective chart review of 5308 newly treated hypertensives across the emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE, in 2017 was conducted. These patients were diagnosed by the treating physician according to ambulatory (ABPM), or home-based BP monitoring (HBPM) …

Toward The Micro-Foundations Of Environmental Sustainability: Fostering Pro-Environmental Behavior Among Employees To Boost Corporate Environmental Performance In The United Arab Emirates, Tareq Zaal Al-Ali

Dissertations

Today, the world is still struggling to find ways to control pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. Consequently, environmental sustainability has become an essential concept in the global business environment. This study examined the factors that can influence the environmental sustainability performance of organizations. While previous studies have examined the role of regulatory frameworks, industry standards, innovation, and the use of clean technologies in achieving environmental sustainability, little attention has been paid to the role of employees in improving a company's environmental performance. This study examined how employees' pro-environmental beliefs and behaviors are triggered in the workplace. It then …

Student Engagement And Equitable Student Learning Outcomes, Douglas K. Harter

Dissertations

Student engagement is consistently shown by research to be a critical component of student learning. An opportunity to link variables of perceived student engagement, perceived student-teacher relationship and clarity, an in-person learning format, and a remote learning format presented itself when, in March of 2020, all Illinois public schools were mandated by Governor J.B. Pritzker to teach in a fully remote structure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Student survey data results were examined using Wagner et al’s (2006) 4 C’s model to determine if there were statistically significant differences among student engagement and student-teacher relationships when compared across in-person and …

Radical Inclusion: An Engagement Model For Accountability Redesign, Natalie Neris

Dissertations

To ensure that Chicago Public Schools’ school accountability policy is equitable and representative of the insights and perspectives of those most impacted, this study advocates for CPS to enact a Radically Inclusive Stakeholder Engagement (RISE) policy to enforce a more inclusive policy redesign process. This policy advocacy document examines the history of school accountability through five intersecting domains: education, economics, social context, political context and moral/ethical considerations. Reflecting on my experience as a third-generation CPS student, a CPS parent, former teacher and school leader, I challenge the reader to consider the intention and impact of school accountability on Chicago’s students …

Staff Perceptions Of Standards-Based Grading Prior To Implementation, Steven K. Perkins

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate the perceptions of a group of middle school teachers regarding changing to standards-based grading (SBG). Data were collected from the transcripts of two different focus groups and analyzed. Study results indicated that SBG measures were not well known by all staff, and many clear resistance points were present. Resistance points centered around five key themes: fear of loss of rigor, community pushback, lack of SBG practices knowledge, lack of supporting infrastructure, and extra time and work required. Recommendations that flow from these results are that, prior to implementing SBG, comprehensive data …

The Experience Of Nursing Care For Female Medicaid Recipients, Sara K. Kaylor

Dissertations

This phenomenological study is guided by a feminist-informed critical theory for the purpose of exploring the experiences of nursing care for female Medicaid recipients. The goals of this research were to understand how nurses' attitudes and behaviors towards female Medicaid recipients influence the ways in which these patients receive and act upon their health care, and to consider what those understandings suggest for nursing education. Semi-structured interviews with female Medicaid recipients were conducted to understand their experiences of nursing care, and a focus group interview with nurse educators was conducted to consider what those understandings suggest for nursing education.

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