Digital Commons Network^™

Implementing Social And Emotional Learning In Rural Colorado Schools: A Quantitative Study Of The Impact Of Impetuses And Challenges, Jimmie Robert Charles Phillips

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the circumstances of rural Colorado schools that impact SEL implementation. The research also sought to determine the relationship between impetus for implementation and levels of achieved implementation as well as the relationship between implementation challenges and achieved levels of implementation. A survey of 113 school leaders provided data about these relationships. The findings supported current literature about the difficulties of implementing SEL and about rural school challenges in general. The results indicate that leaders who observed best practices in SEL at the building-wide and classroom level also rated themselves as having higher …

Caring About More Than Grades And Test Scores: The Work Of Reputationally Caring Teachers, Gregory Max Chalfin

Dissertations

Using Nel Noddings’ definition of care as a theoretical framework (2005) alongside Elliot Eisner’s ecology of schooling (1988), this study examined how “reputationally caring” teachers approached assessment in their classrooms and their reasons for doing so. These topics were explored through interviewing and observing participants, in addition to analyzing documents related to their methods of assessment, utilizing the research methodology of educational criticism and connoisseurship. This qualitative study include four “reputationally caring” teachers. The term “reputational care” is of the author’s creation and refers to those teachers who are known by various school constituents: parents, students, colleagues, and administrators as …

The Influence Of Care: An Exploration Of Student And Teacher Experiences, Allison Marie Schnell

Dissertations

An exploration of caring relationships among students and teachers, what the relationships look like, and how the relationships impact teachers, students, and classroom culture is the focus of this portrayed case study. A constructivist epistemology and an interpretivist paradigm form the conceptual framework, both of which align with the theoretical frameworks of Attachment Theory, Care Theory, and Self-Determination Theory. The research questions focus on how care is enacted within the classroom setting, with a focus on one teacher and seven students within an alternative high school setting. Research questions guiding this research are: (a) What is the nature of caring …

Collective Protesting As Existential Communication: A Phenomenology Of Risk, Responsibility, And Ethical Attendance, L. Shelley Rawlins

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the experience of participating in collective protest. I performed an existential-phenomenological analysis of five participants’ in-depth accounts of their involvements participating in collective protest. I considered my interviewees’ discourse to be reflective of their lived, embodied experiences of being in protest with others. Participants each described distinct protesting experiences. I explored their accounts in relation to six basic aspects of existence: self, other, embodiment, time, space, and choice/freedom. From within these existential realms, participants’ accounts revealed five key existential themes of participating in collective protest: (1) Existential Crises and Activation; (2) Existential Magnification; (3) Existential Horizons; (4) …

An Analysis Of Select Illinois School Board Efficacy, And Board-Authorized Strategies Toward Greater Educational Equity Through A Framework Of Social Justice Advocacy And Change Theory, Perry Hill

Dissertations

The presence and prevalence of educational inequities within public education continue to foster structures that limit student opportunities for specific student subgroups. Such limitations negate the tenets of public education and conflict with a system that should embrace success for all. This study explored district leadership, in the form of school boards and governance teams within the frameworks of Change Theory and Social Justice Advocacy, to identify patterns in approaches that could initiate and sustain systemic reform toward greater educational equity.

An Investigation Of The Impacts Of Traditional, Virtual, And Hybrid Biological Laboratories On College Students’ Achievement And Motivation To Learn Biology, Shavonda Jackson

Dissertations

Virtual courses function in a different manner than traditional courses, therefore they require teaching methods and assessment techniques geared specifically to maximize this learning experience. Internet-based learning and distance-education are no longer new concepts in the science field. Because of this, many collegiate biology programs have created courses that can be taken virtual or hybrid. A number of experimental studies have had great influence in terms of the effects and impacts of educational technology in relation to virtual laboratories.

However, not many studies emphasize the impact of hybrid laboratories on student achievement or assess students’ motivation to learn in a …

The Role Of Emotional Intelligence On Occupational Stress And Longevity As Perceived By Special Education Teachers Who Teach Students In Special Day Classes With Moderate To Severe Disabilities, Chukwuka Bandele

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the perceived occupational stressors experienced by moderate to severe teachers of special day class (SDC) in Riverside and San Bernardino counties and how these stressors affect teacher longevity. An additional purpose of this study was to discover the perceptions of moderate to severe teachers of SDC setting on the importance of (EI) characteristics-self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management on their management of occupational stressors and longevity in the teaching profession.

Methodology: The study used a qualitative phenomenological research design to explore the occupational stressors of special education …

Cyber Security In Mental Health: An Assessment Of Current Practice And Behavioral Intent, Richard Hamilton Stotts

Dissertations

Mental health practitioners rely on digital systems to interact with and in some instances treat patients (Hydari, Telang, & Marella, 2015; Recupero, & Rainey, 2005). Yet, while widespread use of digital devices provides significant practical advantages, that same use exacerbates the possibility of a cyber breach (Guterman, 1999). This research describes mental health practitioners’ current cyber security practices and the factors influencing their behavioral intentions to implement cyber security within clinical mental health settings. Factors assessed included knowledge, self-efficacy, norms, threat awareness and penalties. Mental health practitioners (n = 210) from across the United States formed the sample population, received …

Emotional Intelligence: An Essential Ingredient For Principals To Successfully Implement The Big Picture Learning 10 Distinguishers, Amos Nugent Iii

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this mixed methods descriptive case study was to explore and describe the importance of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management EI characteristics as perceived by principals when implementing the 10 learning distinguishers of Big Picture Learning (BPL) schools’ conceptual framework in order to support the academic success of ninth- to 12th-grade students attending BPL alternative education schools in the Southwestern United States.

Methodology. This mixed methods research design used qualitative and quantitative data to analyze the research questions regarding the importance of EI characteristics when supporting student academic success according to alternative education principals. The …

Investigating Drivers Of Genetic Structure In Plants: Global, Regional And Local Scales, Diana Gamba-Moreno

Dissertations

Genetic structure within and among plant populations is a critical component of plant biodiversity, informing local adaptation, conservation, and incipient speciation. However, its drivers remain poorly understood, especially across different spatial scales. In my dissertation I examined factors that affect plant population genetic structure at global, regional, and local scales. At the global scale, I performed a literature review of population genetic differentiation (F_ST) in seed plants based on a 337-species dataset with data on F_ST and species traits. Using phylogenetic multiple regressions, I found that F_ST is higher for tropical, mixed-mating, non-woody species pollinated by …

Sedative And Neurotoxic Properties Of Brexanolone Compared To Midazolam In The Developing Rodent Brain, Jacob Huffman

Dissertations

The developing brain is susceptible to extensive neurotoxicity following exposure to sedative/anesthetic drugs (SADs). Every year hundreds of thousands of children around the world are exposed to SADs with no viable non-neurotoxic agents approved for clinical use. Allopregnanolone (AlloP) has well-established sedative effects in adults and neonates. AlloP and many SADs produce sedation/anesthesia through allosteric modulation of GABA_A receptors, which is one of two principal mechanisms behind SAD-induced neurotoxicity. Evidence suggests AlloP has the unique capacity to regulate key apoptotic factors in adults and is widely involved with critical stages of neurodevelopment, indicating this neurosteroid might serve as a …

Academic Field Influence On Acquisition Of Global Awareness In Undergraduate Study Abroad Students, Tim Schmalz

Dissertations

Very little comprehensive research has been done thus far examining the effects of academic discipline on study abroad outcomes. This study investigated potential differences between global awareness scores across different academic disciplines for students that participated in study abroad during their undergraduate academic programs. Five hundred and eight-five current and past university students took a short survey modified from a Chieffo & Griffiths 2004 study. Overall global awareness scores, as well as scores for four sub-characteristics: intercultural awareness, personal growth & development, awareness of global interdependence, and functional knowledge of world geography & languages – were compared across student majors …

A Multilevel Examination Of Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior Decision-Making: The Role Of Citizenship Pressure, Moral Disengagement, And Moral Intensity, William Bryant

Dissertations

Unethical pro-organizational behaviors (UPB) are unethical behaviors that are intended to benefit the organization or its members. Research on this type of behavior typically involves assessing attitudinal and dispositional predictors of UPB but has largely failed to understand the process through which UPB occurs. One potential elicitation process could be through a perceived obligation that an employee has to help their organization, or citizenship pressure. By adapting Rest’s four stage model of ethical decision-making and social exchange theory, the current study aimed to identify how organizational identification might increase perceptions of citizenship pressure, and how citizenship pressure might influence elements …

Congruency Between Parents' Actual And Desired Participation In The Care Of Their Hospitalized Child, Daria Katherine Romaniuk

Dissertations

Parents' participation in the care of their hospitalized child is an integral part of pediatric nursing practice and is considered to be beneficial for children and parents. However, parents may not discuss their participation with nurses and instead base their activities on their perceptions of nurses' assumptions and expectations regarding parents' participation in care. Nurses may assume a gate keeping role regarding parents' participation, deciding what parents will do and then monitoring these activities. Nurses' heavy workloads may preclude the teaching necessary for parents to participate in certain aspects of care. As a result, parents' actual participation in care may …

Quality Of Life Of Parental Caregivers Of Children (1-36 Months) With A Tracheostomy, Rachel Abraham Joseph

Dissertations

Children's health and well-being are invariably related to the health and well-being of their parents or caregivers. Many parents undertake home care of children with a tracheostomy who require highly complex and technology driven care that would have been formerly assumed by health care providers. Parents accept multiple responsibilities- that of an advocate, case manager, parent, nurse, and much more. A cross sectional descriptive study using survey method was conducted to gather data on stress, coping and quality of life in parents of children with a tracheostomy aged one month to 36 months.

Exploring Incivility Among Nursing And Health Science Students: A Descriptive Study, Diane Louise Smith

Dissertations

Incivility has infiltrated our institutions of higher learning as well as the world of nursing. All too familiar in nursing is the phrase ";eating their young,"; which aptly describes how nurses treat other nurses, even though they should be nurturing and caring professionals. The investigator explored nursing and health science students' perceptions of student and faculty uncivil behaviors within the academic environment, seeking the levels and frequency of the problem. Bandura's social learning theory presents a sound theoretical framework for this dissertation. The research methodology consisted of a quantitative descriptive approach. The Incivility in Higher Education-Revised (IHE-R) Survey was used …

An Educational Intervention To Develop Characteristics Of Transformational Leadership In Novice Nurse Managers, Mary Catherine Goetter

Dissertations

To support the development of characteristics of transformational leadership (TFL) in novice nurse managers/administrators (NNM) through use of a Journal Club as an educational intervention based on theories of educational psychology and nursing's unique patterns of knowing.

Does an educational intervention of a Journal Club increase NNM perceived knowledge of characteristics of transformational leadership? Does an educational intervention of a Journal Club increase NNM perceived ability of self to lead? How do NNM describe the effect of the intervention on their leadership knowledge and ability?

The Experience Of Faculty Transitioning From Traditional To Non-Traditional Methods In The Community College Classroom, Christina Calentine

Dissertations

There is documented success with the use of active learning strategies in community college classrooms, yet instructors lack the necessary skills and incentives to develop these strategies. While faculty members may have an expertise in a particular discipline they often lack the necessary skills to recognize the specific academic needs of a student and respond and/or adapt to those needs. Many specialized degrees do not include pedagogical training as part of the required curriculum but community colleges are typified by diversity in student backgrounds and learning styles. This has led to increased attention to the implementation of a diverse array …

Student Perceptions Regarding The Use Of Purposive English In A Spanish As A Foreign Language Classroom, Kacey Booth

Dissertations

In modern American society, diversity is both challenged and celebrated, and inclusion is imperative. This ideology begins in the classroom. Oftentimes, this celebration of diversity, more specifically linguistic diversity, is most visible in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) classes and similar bilingual educational programs. In TESOL programs, students’ international identities are highlighted and students are often instructed using multilingual educational resources to scaffold their acquisition of English. Historically, foreign language teaching also utilized dual-language instructional methodologies. Such archaic teaching methodologies have since been replaced by more modern and immersive sociopsycholinguistic approaches such as Communicative Language Teaching. Such …

A Focused Ethnography: Nursing Students' Perceptions Of Cultural Competence And Social Justice, Wanda Elizabeth Thuma-Mcdermond

Dissertations

Disparities in health care suggest a need for greater social justice in national and international health care systems. Nurses are uniquely involved with disparities since the nursing profession has emphasized social justice not only as a moral value but also as the foundation for social action. Social justice, however, may be difficult to conceptualize, especially for nursing students. Since cultural competence has been identified as an important aspect for decreasing disparities, it may be a vehicle or tool students could use for the social action necessary for social justice. A focused ethnographic design was selected for this study because of …

Nurses' Information Processing Related To Surveillance As An Intervention In The Care Of Stroke Patients, Lori Rhudy

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the nursing intervention of surveillance from an information processing framework. Research questions addressed how surveillance was expressed by nurses during the care of stroke patients and the relationship of cues identified to the focus of care.

Can Ratings Of Item Location Enhance Statistical Item Parameter Estimation? Extending The Feasibility Of Unfolding Irt Models, Michael Mckenna

Dissertations

Research and development of modern psychometric methods such as item response theory have drastically changed the way we understand and carry out the measurement of psychological constructs. Despite this, there has been relatively little adoption by psychological researchers to incorporate these methods into their research. While multiple explanations are surely valid, one oft stated reason is the large sample size requirements of these methods. The sample size requirements of item response theory are needed so that effective estimation of item parameters can be carried out. In an attempt to make these modern measurement methods more accessible and feasible to psychological …

The Effect Of A Work-Place Based Education Program On Moral Distress, Nancy Miller Powell

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if registered nurses (RNs) who attended a workplace-based educational program would have decreased intensity, frequency, and total moral distress, compared to nurses who did not attend the program. This educational program was operationalized using a framework published by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses' program entitled The 4A's to Rise Above Moral Distress (2005). Moral distress is an insidious problem affecting many registered nurses, directly and or indirectly, with potentially harmful consequences. A review of the literature revealed that the consequences of moral distress produce a significant negative effect on …

Parent Education Needs Of Infants With Complex Life-Threatening Illnesses, Jennifer Marie Wells

Dissertations

Infant morbidity and mortality continues to be a significant problem in the U. S. Preterm birth and/or low birth weight and congenital anomalies are primary causes of infant morbidity and mortality. Analysis of an existing study was done on data from a prospective longitudinal, case based, mixed-methods research study to examine learning needs of parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) whose infants were born with complex cardiac anomalies or born extremely premature. The principles of Knowles' Theory of Adult Learning were used to frame the study and findings. Systematic review of the parent and provider interview transcripts from …

The Effects Of Rocking Chair Motion On Postoperative Ileus Duration, Subjective Pain, Pain Medication Use And Time To Discharge Following Abdominal Surgery, Robert Lee Massey

Dissertations

Rocking motion may be useful in resolving postoperative ileus (POI) in cancer patients who have undergone abdominal surgery. Operations of the abdomen result in gastrointestinal dysmotility, to some extent, in all patients because abdominal surgical procedures to remove abdominal tumors require large abdominal incisions, extensive dissection, and manipulation of the bowel that initiates a surgical induced stress response commonly known as, postoperative ileus. In this study, the effects of a rocking chair motion as a moderator of the surgical stress response and mediator of the gas and distention effects of POI in abdominal surgery cancer patients compared to standard care …

Vertical Violence And The Student Nurse: Is This Toxic For Professional Identity Development?, Sherri Williams Cantey

Dissertations

This narrative inquiry centers on student nurses' stories of vertical violence perpetuated by clinical registered nursing staff and the meaning that students associate with this phenomenon. Student nurses are the very young and potentially impressionable members of our profession; therefore, a concern of this study was if vertical violence affects professional identity development for the student nurse. Additionally through stories revealed by these participants, this study attempted to explore whether perceptions of violence are believed to be a rite of passage into the profession. Students are the future of our profession, and it is important that this phenomenon be understood …

Non-Traditional Church Involvement As A Life-Course Turning Point: Qualitative Interviews With Religious Offenders, William Hunter Holt

Dissertations

This research project conducted and then analyzed qualitative interviews from former and current addicts and criminal offenders who are voluntarily participating in the Christian faith at the same non-traditional, Protestant church. An abridged case study of this church is also provided for background and context. Life-course theory and grounded theory are utilized.

Both the offenders and this church were chosen in an attempt to better understand how the offenders’ involvement at this house of worship, along with their faith in general, have impacted them. Obtaining the perspectives of the offender is essential for three reasons. First, qualitative research conducted in …

Team Creation Methods In Practice: Understanding The Potential Effects Of Nonverbal Communication In The Leadership Of Team Formation, Troy Allen Robertson

Dissertations

Teams require leadership, even if they are self-managed. The group of individuals who make up a team must be gathered in some form or another. For self managed teams to function successfully, the first step is the process of creating the team. Many aspects may factor into the creation process. Often time is of the essence and methods to quickly assess and form teams show merit. First impressions in general are based largely on nonverbal communication. The focus of this mixed-methods concurrent embedded study is to analyze the potential effects of nonverbal communication on influencing team creation. A group of …

Intersex Experiences, Activists’ Perspectives, And Counseling Implications, Cynthia J. Mulit

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Intersex people are born with sex development differences; for example, atypical genitals. The intersex community is the only sexual minority population subjected to medical treatments in infancy designed to make their bodies conform to cultural expectations for male and female bodies. Intersex activism to stop the medicalized treatments began in the late 1990s. No other qualitative study has focused on the experiences of intersex activists. Four leading activists were interviewed in depth regarding their personal, activist, and counseling experiences. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. A 3-stage intersex identity development model was formulated …

Evaporation Rate From Free Water Surface, Safa M. Aldarabseh

Dissertations

This work aims to perform an experiment in the laboratory and investigate the effect of the wave steepness, airflow velocity, air relative humidity, air temperature, and water surface temperature on the evaporation rate from still and wavy water surface. In this investigation, the experimental results are used to quantify an evaporation rate from a still and wavy water surface under different convection regimes that are free, mixed, and forced convection under turbulent airflow conditions. Empirical correlations are also derived using the experimental results based on modified Dalton’s law and Similarity method (analogy between mass and heat transfer equation). In this …