Digital Commons Network^™

Cross Language Information Transfer Between Modern Standard Arabic And Its Dialects – A Framework For Automatic Speech Recognition System Language Model, Tiba Zaki Abdulhameed

Dissertations

Significant advances have been made with Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) applications. Yet, dialectal conversation ASR is still trailing behind due to limited language resources. As is the case in most cultures, the formal Modern Standard Arabic language is not used in daily life. Instead, varieties of regional dialects are spoken, which creates a dire need to address dialect ASR systems. Processing MSA language naturally poses considerable challenges that are passed on to the processing of its derived dialects. In dialects, many words have gradually morphed from MSA pronunciations and at many times have different usages. Also, …

Efficient Hardware/Software Partitioning Techniques For A Cloud-Scale Cpu-Fpga Platform, Samah Ziyad Rahamneh

Dissertations

The diversity of workload characteristics has stimulated the deployment of heterogeneous architectures to accommodate workloads’ requirements disparity in cloud data centers. In heterogeneous computing, co-processors are utilized to support Central Processing Units (CPUs) in fulfilling workload demands. Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) have advantages over other accelerators because of their power, performance and re-configurability benefits. In order to achieve the most benefit of a heterogeneous platform, efficient partitioning of workload between the CPU and the FPGA is a crucial demand.

This dissertation first presents a design and implementation of cooperative CPU-FPGA execution techniques, which include code and data partitioning, of …

Our Shared Vision: Representations Of The Trans-Mississippi American West, Joshua D. Koenig

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role played by museums in shaping our understanding of the American West. The history of the American West holds a place in American popular culture, evidenced by music, movies and television shows, novels, art, architecture, clothing, and numerous other examples. However, such examples raise questions of authenticity depending on medium and setting, Representations of the American West depict certain images or beliefs held by society. At the same time, the United States houses nearly 1,500 historic sites and museums focusing on the American West. These museums and sites are found scattered throughout thirty-eight states, in addition …

Student Achievement And Teacher Efficacy In Multiage Team-Taught Versus Single-Age Classrooms, Troy A. Marnholtz

Dissertations

This study was conducted to compare the effects of classroom setting on student performance and teachers’ sense of efficacy. In this study, student performance on the Missouri Assessment Program grade-level assessments at the third and fourth-grade levels was utilized to compare the multiage team-taught classroom setting versus singleage classroom setting. The teachers’ sense of efficacy on the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) survey was also analyzed to compare multiage team-taught classroom setting and single-age classroom setting. The data were interpreted to support that students in multiage team-taught classroom settings outperformed similar age students in single-age classroom settings on the …

Assessing Response To Intervention By The Extent To Which Tier Ii Supports Impacted Student Growth: The Story Of Response To Intervention (Rti) Practices In One Urban School District, Tammy Saleem

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to evaluate Response to Intervention (RtI) Tier II data and to determine its impact on student growth. Following the Patton (2008) utilization focused program evaluation model, information learned about staff practices with data in Tier II became available to users. A staff survey, statistical analysis of Tier II data, and an RtI form evaluation informed the program evaluation. Based on the evaluation of Tier II data concerns for this level of support were raised around its impact on student growth. Finally, Tier II data may not have been attended to sufficiently with implications for …

District Solutions For Resource Effectiveness: A Local Education Agency Leadership Approach, Tammy Saleem

Dissertations

Decades of laser focused attention on student assessment score data had an adverse impact of stifling the development of data skill sets in one Local Education Agency (LEAs). Implementing one district resource daily throughout each school year for over three years had the potential to cultivate and yield higher data skills for staff compared to the effect of a one point in time report of yearly assessment scores. Monitoring district resources for effectiveness offered a solution oriented approach to advance staff data skill sets with implications for student growth. Adapting the federal education policy maker strategy of using a policy …

Program Evaluation Of A District’S Elementary School Wellness Curriculum To Improve Undergraduate Training, Katie Boyer

Dissertations

This doctoral research project examined elementary teachers’ preparation to teach health content (Emotional, Relationships, Growth and Development, Nutrition, Physical Activity, Hygiene, Safety, Substance Use/Misuse, Diseases, Environmental/Consumer/Community Health) within the framework for a state’s certification and qualifications. The study used a mixed-methods approach in a Midwest school district to discover components of undergraduate certifications, current teaching methods, and potential modifications to the curriculum. While all surveyed elementary teachers were licensed to teach the health content, many were not formally qualified to teach the material due to content gaps in their teacher preparation programs. The study concluded that undergraduate institutions preparing teachers …

High Performance And Machine Learning Algorithms For Brain Fmri Data, Taban Eslami

Dissertations

Brain disorders are very difficult to diagnose for reasons such as overlapping nature of symptoms, individual differences in brain structure, lack of medical tests and unknown causes of some disorders. The current psychiatric diagnostic process is based on behavioral observation and may be prone to misdiagnosis.

Noninvasive brain imaging technologies such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) make the process of understanding the structure and function of the brain easier. Quantitative analysis of brain imaging data using machine learning and data mining techniques can be advantageous not only to increase the accuracy of brain disorder …

A Functional Analysis Of Losses In A Risky Choice Procedure, David W. Sottile

Dissertations

Loss chasing is a maladaptive pattern of risky behavior in which the frequency of risky behavior temporarily increases after a loss. The conditions under which loss chasing occurs are not well understood. Conditioned reinforcement appears to play a role in loss chasing, but the consideration of antecedent variables is necessary for a complete account. The purpose of this study was to test the role of (1) a stimulus that indicated the number of trials left in the session (i.e., a trial counter), and (2) the effect of the ordinal value of a trial in a risky choice task on loss …

Saudi Arabian Science Teachers And Formative Assessment In The Gender Segregated Male School System, Khalid Abdullah Kariri

Dissertations

Formative assessment is a key pedagogical tool that allows teachers to make instructional assessments in real time for the improvement of student learning. It gives students the opportunity to provide evidence of their learning thus giving teachers assurances that their hard work is not in vain. Formative assessment is commonly practiced in Western schools, while most Saudi science classroom teachers rely on end-of-unit summative assessment. A review of the literature reveals that very little research has been done related to Saudi teachers’ use of formative assessment in science classrooms. The goal of this dissertation was to address this absence of …

Applications Of Image Processing Techniques And Spatial Data Analytics For Pressure Mapping Analysis, Joan Yamil Martinez

Dissertations

The technological advancements in sensors, monitoring systems, and tracking devices are changing how we study our environment; big data sets are becoming more and more prevalent due to the increase of information gathered with ease. One system benefiting from these technological improvements is pressure mapping technology, an easy-to-use and cost-effective solution for assessing contact pressure distributions.

Pressure mapping systems generally produce data sets of very large volume, especially when used for continuous tracking and monitoring, and are widely used for research in fields of ergonomics, sports, industries, and health disciplines. Pressure mapping systems are particularly important in the study of …

Computer Simulations Of Muscle Driven Undulatory Locomotion, Ye Luo

Dissertations

A novel muscle driven method is developed to mimic contracting and expanding of muscles, in a fish-like swimming body, which cause its body flapping in the transversal direction and create thrust force to push its body to cruise in the longitudinal direction. The muscle deformation is realized by using the RATTLE constraint algorithm. The turbulent fluids are treated by a multi-relaxation time lattice Boltzmann method with a large eddy simulation. The fish body is dealt with a lattice spring model and interactions between fluids and solid structures are handled by a direct-forcing immersed boundary method. Validations are conducted by comparing …

An Exploration Of Preschool Choice With Low-Income Families: The Critical Role Of Positive Attitudes, Behavioral Norms And Control Beliefs, Laurel E. Schmitt

Dissertations

Since the 1960s preschool has been seen as a potential equalizer for children of poverty as they enter kindergarten and long term studies of state and federal preschools have documented positive impacts, especially for low-income students. What has yet to be deeply explored is guardians’ decision-making processes to explain the lack of enrollment even when the stated barriers are eliminated (Obi, 2011; Payne, 1994; Swartz, 1996).

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and interpret, through a phenomenological lens, how low income parents and guardians made decisions to enroll their child or dependent in a preschool program. I …

Elevating The Response To Intervention Framework: Positioning Data To Forge Change Needed For Stronger Rti Practices, Tammy Saleem

Dissertations

The Change Plan study reflects an extended interest originating from the Saleem (2019) program evaluation study. The Saleem (2019) program evaluation revealed the absence of critical elements used to mobilize RtI supports and trigger adjustments to Tier II level interventions. Following the program evaluation were two meaningful action research activities including efforts of elevating the RtI framework and improving data collection forms. The plausibility of deep rooted factors continuing to exist in current RtI operations prompted research efforts of the Change Plan. Using Wagner’s 4C’s “As Is” and “To Be”diagnostic tools provided a lens into RtI orientations and sustained behaviors …

An Expansion Of Piccolo Trumpet Solo Repertoire: Transcriptions From The Romantic Period, Benjamin Matthew Mccarthy

Dissertations

The modern piccolo trumpet is a relatively new instrument in that its current form was fully developed in the last 60–70 years. Due to the late development of the instrument, and several other contributing factors, there is a lack of significant piccolo trumpet repertoire extending from the end of the Classical Period through the Romantic Period. This dissertation provides trumpeters, particularly developing students, with an expansion of repertoire drawn from the Romantic Period, for study and performance on the piccolo trumpet. This project includes transcriptions and arrangements of existing Romantic repertoire that are idiomatically suitable for piccolo trumpet. The repertoire …

Adopting Educational Technology: A Study Of Dominican Republic Higher Education Faculty Related To Their Classroom Usage, Attitudes, Barriers, And Motivations, Leipzig Elizabeth Guzmán Mena

Dissertations

Previous research has revealed that the integration of technology in education produces an improvement in the traditional teaching and learning process, but that there is a disconnect between faculty adoption of educational technology and the requirements of our current generation of students (Rhema & Miliszewska, 2014; Selwyn, 2009). While students are now fully immersed in technology, some faculty still do not give adequate significance to its adoption in their classes. This disconnect represents a problem for these students’ learning experiences.

The purpose of this study was to explore faculty experiences regarding the adoption of educational technology within a private HEI …

Assessment Of The Impact Of Climate Change On Land Use In The Emirate Of Abu Dhabi - An Environmental And Socio-Economic Perspective, Latifa Saeed Al Blooshi

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the impact of climate change on land use in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi – UAE. Climate change is a significant challenge resulting from natural and anthropogenic causes. Land use can stimulate changes in communities under climate change. The main objective of this dissertation is to assess the impact of climate change from an environmental and socio-economic perspective. In 2001, coastal sabkhas, mixed class and urbanized areas experienced an increase in temperature by (0.67, 1.14 and 1.16°C) respectively. In cities, urban areas are warmer than neighbouring rural areas. Unexpectedly, urbanization in desert areas in UAE led …

Activated Carbon Nanofibers From Renewable (Lignin) And Waste Resources (Recycled Pet) And Their Adsorption Capacity Of Refractory Sulfur Compounds From Fossil Fuels, Efstratios Svinterikos

Dissertations

Dementia is a condition in which higher mental functions are disrupted. It currently affects an estimated 57 million people throughout the world. Dementia diagnosis is difficult since neither anatomical indicator nor functional testing are currently sufficiently sensitive or specific. There remains a long list of outstanding issues that must be addressed. First, multimodal diagnosis has yet to be introduced into the early stages of dementia screening. Second, there is no accurate instrument for predicting the progression of pre-dementia. Third, non-invasive testing cannot be used to provide differential diagnoses. By creating ML models of normal and accelerated brain aging, we intend …

Short-Term Athletic Foreign Tours And Student Learning Outcomes: A Program Evaluation, April L. Elsbernd

Dissertations

Many studies have shown that the same student learning outcomes observed in long-term study abroad can be met during short-term programs, if executed correctly. Intercollegiate athletic foreign travel tours (AFTs) are similar to short-term study abroad programs, but little research has been done on these programs. By analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from surveys of student-athletes who recently participated in AFTs, as well as interviews with relevant staff members, I was able to determine strengths of the program and identify areas for growth. The evaluation process shaped organizational change recommendations, along with an institutional policy that will allow the AFT …

Attitudes And Beliefs Of Christian Denominations Toward Mental Health, Javier Velez

Dissertations

This empirical study assessed common attitudes and beliefs toward mental health services in the varying denominations of Christian churches. Specifically, the objective of this study was to identify the effects of Christian denomination on attitudes toward seeking mental health treatment and to identify whether there are racial and age differences that also impact those attitudes within the church. The study sought to answer the following questions: (a) What is the difference in attitudes and beliefs between different races toward mental health services in the church among Christians? (b) Is there an age difference in attitudes and beliefs toward mental health …

Female Superintendents’ Self-Sabotaging Behaviors And Their Journey To Reclaiming Their Power, Rebecca Pianta

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-methods study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female superintendents and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female superintendents to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study described the experiences of 11 female public school superintendents in Southern California. For the quantitative phase of the study, an online survey was designed to identify female superintendents’ most prevalent self-sabotaging behaviors and the impact they had on their career development. Following the quantitative phase, …

Characteristics Of Notes Taken During The Employment Interview And Their Impact On Organizational Outcomes, James T. Mundell

Dissertations

Note-taking during the interview process has been recommended by both academics and practitioners. However, little research on note-taking in employment interviews exists. Although the limited amount of research points to the benefits of note-taking, characteristics of the notes taken have not been studied in detail and in relation to many organizational outcomes. As such, this study examined characteristics of note-taking (including job relatedness, detail, and valence) and their impact on interview question scores, hiring recommendations, hiring decisions, employee performance, and turnover. Archival data from an organization was utilized and the notes taken during employment interviews were coded to better understand …

Political Styles And Strategies Of Suburban Unified School District Superintendents And Board Members: A Mixed Methods Study, Reginald Thompkins

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to understand the political styles of suburban unified school district superintendents and school board members as perceived by superintendents. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to identify and explain the political strategies suburban school district superintendents use to work with the different political styles of board members.

Methodology: This explanatory sequential mixed methods study served to identify political styles of suburban unified school district superintendents and board members. The collection and triangulation of data included digital survey responses, face-to-face interviews, artifacts and observations. The quantitative and …

Implementing A Standardized Nutrition Protocol To Enhance The Nutritional Health Of Pediatric Oncology Patients In The Ambulatory Care Setting, Jacqueline N. Arrison

Dissertations

It is estimated that 11,060 children in the United States, under the age of 15, will be diagnosed with cancer in 2019 (American Cancer Society, 2019). Malnutrition, a common consequence of the disease and its treatment, has shown to increase the risk of morbidity, mortality, early relapse, and a number of complications throughout cancer treatment.

Biomarker Circadian Rhythm Profiles In Critically Ill Mechanically Ventilated Patients, Mary Anne Vincent

Dissertations

To explore the natural trajectory of core body temperature (CBT) and cortisol (CORT) circadian rhythms in mechanically ventilated intensive care unit (MV ICU) patients.

Focus On Youth: Awakening Youth Voice & Engagement In Community Heritage Through The Implementation Of A Youth Participatory Empowerment Model, Amber T. Hurd

Dissertations

Citizen engagement in community and public life is vital to a healthy democracy. Young people have a unique place in community citizenry; they are often not yet able to vote or serve in powerful roles, but they have much at stake for the future. Youth can be powerful allies to a participatory culture. The purpose of this qualitative, action research study was to arm youth and youth mentors with a Youth Participatory Empowerment Model (YPEM) to identify and address a community heritage or social justice need. This study used interviews and observations with individuals and focus groups to observe and …

The Development And Validation Of A Tool To Measure Self-Confidence And Anxiety In Nursing Students While Making Clinical Decisions, Krista A. White

Dissertations

Clinical decision making (CDM) is a cornerstone skill for nurses. Self-confidence and anxiety are two affective influences that impact the learning and adeptness of CDM. Currently, no instruments exist that measure perceived self-confidence and anxiety level of undergraduate nursing students related to CDM. The purpose of this research was to develop, test, and establish psychometric properties for a quantitative instrument that measures the levels of self-confidence and anxiety experienced by undergraduate nursing students while making clinical decisions. The new tool is entitled the Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence with Clinical Decision Making (NASC-CDM) scale. The tool is a self-report, Likert-type instrument …

Music Education As A Strategy To Narrow The Achievement Gap: A Causal-Comparative Analysis Of Band And Choir Enrollment And Academic Achievement Of Low Socioeconomic Status Students, William Zwikelmaier

Dissertations

There is a gap in the knowledge pertaining to socioeconomic status as a variable in academic achievement among students those who enroll in band and/or choir in public high schools in America. Research has shown that students who engage in music study consistently show higher levels of academic achievement in other subjects compared to their non-music study peers. It is necessary to study those who typically do not perform at the same academic levels as their peers (low socioeconomic status (SES) students) and determine if the formal study of music alone can serve as a strategy to contribute to closing …

Phenomenological Study Of Military Veteran Ceos: The Transition Experience And Mentorship From The Battlefield To The Boardroom, Anthony Gagliardo

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the transitional and mentoring experiences as described by veterans who achieve civilian executive leadership positions within Fortune 500 companies.

Methodology: The participants in the study were 8 former military leaders who subsequently achieved senior executive positions within Fortune 500 companies. Participants answered questions about their experience as a military leader and mentee during the service to civilian transition, organizational enculturation, and promotion to a civilian leadership position. Interview transcripts and artifacts were reviewed for the emergence of major topics and themes.

Findings: The participants unanimously credited mentorship experiences …

A Phenomenological Study Of Teacher Perceptions Of Blended Learning: Definition, Adoption, And Professional Development, Gregory A. Katzin

Dissertations

Blended learning has become a popular alternative to traditional instruction. Professional development that supports teachers’ practice of the phenomenon continues to evolve (Shand & Glassett Farrelly, 2017). The purpose of this phenomenological, mixed method study was to investigate high school teachers’ perceptions, through the lens of Knowles’ adult learning theory (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2015), of the definition of blended learning, the impact previous professional development had in shaping definitional understanding and implementation of blended learning, and perceptions of future professional development needs. Few studies have focused on secondary blended learning professional development and the impact shared definitions of blended …