Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Creative Process Of Visual Artists: A Phenomenological Study, Filiberto Vargas

Dissertations

Creativity fuels problem solving and innovation, driving both economic growth and individual success. Yet, many schools and organizations fail to nurture it. Today, there is a decline in creativity scores among U.S. students. This is concerning since many of these students will be the future leaders of organizations and communities. For this reason, this dissertation explores the creative process of visual artists to better understand how creativity can be cultivated. Visual artists' perspectives and sense-and-meaning-making processes offer a unique view of innovation and creativity. However, there is limited research on the creative processes of contemporary visual artists from culturally diverse …

Best Practices In Developing Self-Efficacy: A Case Study In Preparing Rural, Predominantly Disadvantaged, High School Students For College And Career Readiness, Rudy Cardona

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this case study was to identify the best practices used by faculty and administrators at exemplary, rural, California high schools, with predominantly disadvantaged students, to develop self-efficacy in reaching college and career-readiness. A further purpose was to identify supports and barriers affecting student self-efficacy in stimulating expectations, interest, and choices in goals and actions toward college and career readiness.

Methodology: This case study examined the best practices for developing student self-efficacy in the top 13% of college- and career-ready, rural, socio-economically disadvantaged high schools in California. It also explored perceptions of supports and barriers to college …

Delphi Study Of Possible, Probable, And Desirable Futures For California Community Colleges By 2035, Christopher Frymire

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify and describe the educational changes to California Community Colleges that are possible and probable by 2035 as perceived by a panel of experts. In addition, the purpose was to determine the level of desirability of educational changes identified as probable by a panel of experts. Finally, the purpose was to describe the actions necessary to promote the desirable educational changes by 2035 as perceived by the expert panel.Methodology: This Delphi method was used to survey 18 community college experts from diverse disciplines. Four survey rounds gathered qualitative and quantitative data …

The Impact Of A Paid Work Experience On High School Students With Mild To Moderate Disabilities From The Parental Perspective, Lori Lee Schleinkofer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how the parents/guardians of high school students with mild/moderate disabilities in Southern California perceive the impact that working while in high school has on their students with respect to confidence, independence, motivation, responsibility, self-advocacy, self-esteem, and social skills. The central research question was “How do parents/guardians of high school students with mild/moderate disabilities perceive the impact that working while in high school has on their students?” Methodology: Interviews were conducted with 11 parents of participants in paid work experience programs. A qualitative interview question development matrix was used …

Administrator Leadership And Collective Efficacy: Enhancing Math Education In Public High Schools In California, Lina Ahmadieh

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative, multicase study was to determine challenges that high school administrators experience when they establish the elements of collective teacher efficacy (CTE) based on the elements of common purpose, collective teacher accountability practices, protocols for collective practices, and interventions in their mathematics department and to determine the strategies that high school administrators use when they establish CTE in their mathematics department.Methodology: In this qualitative, multicase study, five interviews were conducted with public high school administrators in California. The researcher employed qualitative methods to explain the challenges that high school administrators experience when they establish the …

Attracting Secondary Public School Teachers Through Servant Leadership In South Carolina, Chetara Lee

Dissertations

This study investigated the impact servant leader administrators have on the recruitment of secondary public-school teachers in South Carolina. The purpose of this study was to identify effective servant leadership behaviors that align with teacher recruitment. This research sought to enhance the existing body of knowledge on servant leadership in education by offering a comprehensive understanding of how school leaders can recruit career changers as teachers by aligning their servant leadership behaviors with the motivations of prospective educators for transitioning into teaching.

This research assessed 16 secondary public-school teachers and 3 school district HR personnel employed within various school districts …

Bookmarked: A Study Of Reading Engagement, Miranda W. Dickson

Dissertations

In many Science of Reading programs, the focus on foundational skills like phonics and fluency can overshadow the importance of reading engagement in elementary classrooms. This dissertation investigates the effects of a balanced literacy intervention designed to incorporate purposeful engagement strategies across 12 lessons for at-risk third-grade readers. The six-week intervention integrated skills instruction with reading engagement strategies in the subcategories of social, cognitive, affective, and behavioral engagement. Grounded in Engagement Theory (Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000), the study's instructional framework and literature review explore foundational theories of reading engagement within these subcategories: behavioral, cognitive, affective, and social. The research was …

The Salvation Of The Unevangelized: A Comparative Analysis Of The Views Of Clark H. Pinnock And Millard J. Erickson, Christopher R. Mwashinga

Dissertations

Problem and Purpose

This dissertation addresses the problem of the ongoing disagreement among evangelical theologians, as represented by Clark H. Pinnock and Millard J. Erickson, concerning the issue of the salvation of the unevangelized. This disagreement continued even though both scholars focused on special revelation and general revelation as sources for information leading people to receive salvation. This approach failed to resolve the disagreement even after decades of heated theological debates indicating a need for a different approach to this soteriological problem. While other researchers have documented Pinnock’s and Erickson’s views on the salvation of the unevangelized, their motivations and …

Returning To School After A Pandemic And The Lived Experiences Of 9-12 Grade Athletic Coaches On Student-Athlete Success, Louie Vallejo

Dissertations

Purpose: This phenomenological examination examines ninth-12th grade athletic coaches’ perceptions of the impact on athletes returning to athletic competition after being online during the pandemic for 2 years with regard to behavior, athletic achievement, attitude, and social connections.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed athletic coaches in the Tri-County Athletic Conference in Central California. Semi structured open-ended interview questions were the main source of data collection. Data were coded and the researcher analyzed the data for themes and patterns, and the results were validated through the interrater process by an experienced researcher.

Findings: After analyzing data, codes, and themes, the researcher …

The Contributions Of Patient Education And Home Visits To Reduce Post-Cesarean Hypertension Readmissions, Stephanie Armstead

Dissertations

Cesarean births in the United States (U.S.) have increased steadily over the last decade. Researchers have identified maternal hypertension/hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) as a comorbidity associated with the increase of cesarean births. Mothers who are diagnosed with HDP and undergo a cesarean birth have a dual diagnosis of high-risk pregnancy, and due to worsening conditions, are readmitted to the hospital more frequently than mothers who experience a vaginal birth. This study aimed to determine whether a patient discharge education intervention provided by a transition of care (ToC) team or interdisciplinary care team (IDT), combined with early follow-up care from …

The Effect Of Inclusive Leadership By Pastoral Leaders On Catholic Parish Vitality, Matthew F. Manion

Dissertations

Catholic parish life in the United States has passed the point of decline where minor changes will enable it to grow again. Church leaders need a new missionary culture and outward-focused approaches to reach people today with the timeless truths of the faith. The old mindset of putting all the responsibility on the shoulders of the clergy to solve problems no longer works. Since heterogeneous groups make better decisions than homogeneous groups in complex, adaptive situations, this study explores the hypothesis that inclusive leadership by Catholic parish leaders leads to more innovation and better solutions to the challenges of church …

A Phenomenological Study Of Success Despite Barriers: How Leaders With Disabilities Experience Supervisory Leadership Through The Lens Of Adaptive Leadership, Ashley Oberlander Townsend

Dissertations

People with disabilities experience unemployment and underemployment more frequently than those without disabilities and encounter obstacles to becoming supervisory leaders (Harlan & Robert, 1998; Krzeminska et al., 2019; Roberson et al., 2021). The American workforce is significantly impacted by this problem, as more than one in four people have a disability (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). This hermeneutic phenomenological research utilized interviews to collect data from three participants to answer the research question to explore the problem: what are leaders with disabilities’ lived experiences in overcoming barriers to achieving supervisory roles using an adaptive leadership lens? The research …

Patient Violence In The Emergency Department : The Potential Role Of Endogenous And Exogenous Factors, Laura Baker Graham

Dissertations

Patient Violence against nurses is a widespread problem resulting in both emotional and physical injury to the nurse. Emergency Department (ED) nurses are at an increased risk due to the volume and variety of the patients they serve, and the general chaotic environment of the ED; however, little research has been done examining the characteristics of patients who offend and the physical environment of the ED where the event happened. The aim of this three-article dissertation was to develop a more thorough understanding of the personal attributes (endogenous) of the individual patient and external (exogenous) factors of the emergency department …

Skip-Level Meetings: Perspectives Of Skipped First-Tier U.S. Tech Leaders, Samuel Blacher

Dissertations

Although significant research exists on numerous intersecting theories, such as adaptive leadership, leadership communication, and employee voice, and although they are discussed in business publications and widely yet inconsistently implemented in industry, skip-level meetings are little scholarly studied. Such meetings offer benefits for employees, direct (skipped) managers, and skip-level leaders, and through them, to organizations, yet they also hold risks and pitfalls, and are influenced by various contextual factors, such as stakeholders’ national culture and age. This exploratory qualitative study employed elements of interpretive phenomenology, followed by thematic analysis, to examine the experiences, perceptions, and emotions of a diverse set …

Predictors Of General Education Teachers' Self-Efficacy For Educating Autistic Students: Enactive Mastery Experiences, Vicarious Experiences, Verbal/Social Persuasions, And Physiological And Affective States, Renette Portecop-Prentice

Dissertations

Problem

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that presents challenges not only for autistic individuals, but also for their families, healthcare providers and school professionals. A significant number of children with autism spend most of their school day in general education classrooms with teachers who may lack autism-specific training and are unfamiliar with evidence-based practices for supporting autistic students. This lack of training or relevant resources specific to autism may impact teacher self-efficacy for educating autistic students, which in turn may affect instructional decisions and student outcomes. Guided by Bandura’s theoretical framework, this study examined the relationships among autism-specific training …

Shattering The Glass Ceiling, Navigating The Glass Cliffs: A Case Study Of Andrea Luxton As The First Woman President Of Andrews University (2016-2023), Maureen Sakshi Pakalahati

Dissertations

Problems

Research shows glass ceilings are thicker in faith-based institutions heavily governed by traditional beliefs and dominated by men. Research also shows singlism is on the rise in churches. There is limited research on the lived experiences of single, never married woman who reached the presidency (shattering the glass ceiling) in a faith-based institution. Leadership pundits predict a “great resignation”, which is an era of high presidential turnover, due to mounting challenges in the higher education presidency. Great resignation is a gender-neutral phenomenon, but women presidents are subject to stern criticism and penalties, leading to more disproportionate resignations. Furthermore, the …

The Impact On General Education Students’ Perceptions Of Their Peers With Special Needs When Implementing An Inclusive Buddy Club Program, Katherine Coker

Dissertations

The aim of this study is to explore the impact on general education students’ perceptions of their classmates with special needs after participating in a buddy club. By fostering peer interactions in structured, inclusive settings, the buddy club creates opportunities for students to interact and better understand the experiences of their peers with special needs. There is a lack of research regarding the positive or negative impact of partnering elementary-aged general education students with their special needs peers. Therefore, this study is framed by the following research questions: (1) What are general education students’ perceptions towards their classmates with special …

Lost In Translation: The Impact Of Intermediate Language Representations On Machine Learning Applications, Logan Cannan

Dissertations

Machine learning assisted binary analysis is an area of great interest in cybersecurity research. Training accurate machine learning models requires methods of binary lifting, which can require binaries to be translated through an intermediate language representation. This dissertation postulates that different intermediate language representations change the performance characteristics of these machine learning models. This dissertation takes a published machine learning frameworks as a control, modifies their input methodology to include different intermediate language representation transforms, and performs direct comparisons of model performance to ascertain bias in performance caused by different intermediate languages. This research enables the machine learning engineer, focused …

Increase Successful Outcomes With Technology-Driven Mergers And Acquisitions : Prioritize Post-Merger Integration Risk Mitigation, Kingsley Eromosele Usianeneh

Dissertations

In the post-COVID-19 era, accelerated engineering advances including Artificial Intelligence (AI) have increased firm’s reliance on technology-driven mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as an expedient strategy to bolster their technological innovation capabilities, retain competitive advantage and ensure sustainability. However, many M&As fail to achieve their strategic goals because of persistent challenges during post-merger integration (PMI). This dissertation adopts and integrates chapter 2 – chapter 4 to identify, theorize, and proactively mitigate the primary recurring PMI challenges that impede successful technology-driven M&A outcomes. Chapter 2 adopts PRISMA guidelines, conducts a systematic literature review, identifies, and synthesizes four persistent PMI risk categories: (1) …

Strategies To Support Students With Adhd During Self-Selected Reading: An Evaluation Of Token Economy And Self-Monitoring, Tora Henson

Dissertations

Students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often face challenges with attention and executive functioning, making it difficult to stay on task during self-selected reading (SSR). These difficulties can hinder academic progress. While research highlights the need for effective strategies to improve on-task behavior, limited studies have focused specifically on self-monitoring and token-economy interventions during SSR. This study investigated the impact of self-monitoring and token-economy strategies on the on-task behavior of students with ADHD during SSR. It aimed to answer the following questions: How do token economy systems and self-monitoring strategies impact on-task behavior for students with ADHD during self-selected reading? …

Middle-Level Teachers’ Attitudes On Disciplinary Literacy Instruction In The Non-Ela Classroom, Katherine E. Bowers

Dissertations

The persistent gaps in student achievement, particularly in the context of discipline-specific literacy skills, across public schools in the United States continue to widen. With a focus on South Carolina, this study investigates how professional development efforts have sought to address these gaps and enhance literacy instruction. Despite many initiatives, testing scores and teacher perceptions reveal limited progress in literacy outcomes. The study discusses a key challenge: the lack of substantial literacy instruction beyond English language arts (ELA) classes, resulting in a growing disparity between literacy mastery and the current reality. The research acknowledges the existence of literacy-focused professional development …

Healthcare Providers’ Lived Experiences During Pivotal Change, Lisa Raynelle Shelley

Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined healthcare providers’ lived experiences of psychological safety and administrative leader behaviors that influenced those experiences during pivotal change. While much research addressed psychological safety among frontline healthcare staff, a gap was noticed concerning providers. This study aimed to investigate the impact of psychological safety and administrative support on provider engagement, emotional response, and retention during periods of significant change. Data were collected via a survey containing multiple-choice and open-ended questions, followed by semi-structured interviews. Four findings emerged. First, the providers’ pivotal events generated themes of “workplace power dynamics,” “systemic and organizational change,” “transformational crisis,” and “physical …

Toward Measurable Explainable Ethical Ai: An Llm-Driven Data Analytics Study, Greg Bacon

Dissertations

Large Language Models (LLMs) have been a hot area for popular and research audiences. Users marvel subjectively at Artificial Intelligence (AI) outputs — so much that OpenAI delayed public release of Generative Pre-trained Transformer 2 (GPT-2) back in 2019, citing ``safety and security concerns.'' This research advances ethical and transparent AI through qualitative and quantitative measures between user intent and LLM responses in a way that aims to assist users with clear indications of good and poor alignment and of where to backtrack to minimize bias and hallucinations. The use case is recommending grant topics in a United States Department …

Understanding Pediatric Healthcare Access From A Black Parental Perspective : A Qualitative Study, Jessica A. Celestand

Dissertations

In the United States, healthcare access disparities have existed for several years in the African American/Black pediatric population. The District of Columbia ranks first nationally for health insurance coverage; however, African American/Black children have disproportionately experienced barriers to care compared to the District of Columbia’s pediatric population overall. There are current gaps in research that investigate African American/Black pediatric healthcare access from a parental perspective. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenology qualitative study was to explore research gaps by investigating barriers and facilitators to care, and the social determinants of health that impact pediatric healthcare access through the lens of …

Living In The Hyphen: Creating Puentes Through Encuentros And Pláticas With Latinx Cross-Cultural Kids, Jennifer Jane Daby

Dissertations

Latinx cross-cultural kids, or children of immigrants, are often faced with a feeling of not belonging to mainstream American culture nor their parents’ home culture(s) of origin. As such, they are viewed through a deficit lens and forced to negotiate their sense of identity and belonging through language and culture to fit in. By embracing the concept of educación, using culturally responsive methods of encuentros and pláticas with cross-cultural kids and their families, this study intends to find ways to foster a sense of belonging for this population in schools through participants’ testimonies. It aims to find ways to bridge …

The Ethical Theory Of Enrique Dussel: An Investigation Of Violence And Coercion In His Three Foundational Principles, Eric Antonio Del Valle Cruz

Dissertations

Problem

Enrique Dussel's ethics proposes addressing global inequality through legitimate coercion as a means of liberating the poor, contrasting it with the violence of the current system. However, the inclusion of life-threatening acts, such as armed revolution, as coercion raises practical challenges for the Christian community, including ethical-political dialogue, inclusion of opposing parties, and potential dehumanization, which need further exploration in light of Dussel’s use of Scripture in support of his proposals.

Purpose

This dissertation aims to assess Dussel's philosophical principles and their connection to coercion and violence, ultimately establishing a framework for a conservative Christian proposal that combines the …

Correlating Text With History: A Critique Of Method In Daniel 11: 2b-25, Sungjin Kim

Dissertations

The Topic

Daniel 11 is the most detailed and complex historical prophecy in the book of Daniel, inviting a wide range of interpretations. Based on the chapter’s complexity, scholars from different schools have developed divergent readings grounded in their own methodological approaches and theological presuppositions.

The Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the interpretive differences in Daniel 11 among three representative scholars—John J. Collins (preterist), J. Paul Tanner (futurist), and William H. Shea (historicist). It examines the methodological and presuppositional factors that contribute to these differences and proposes strategies for reducing interpretive divergence through more consistent and …

The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, And Anxiety Levels Among College Students In Saudi Arabia, Tahani Aljuaid

Dissertations

Problem

Anxiety is one of the most common psychological issues affecting youth globally and is particularly prevalent among Saudi adolescents and college students. Studies in Saudi Arabia have reported anxiety rates ranging from 48.9% to 66.2% among adolescents and high levels of generalized anxiety among university students, especially females (Aldosary et al., 2023; Alhabeeb et al., 2023). Poor emotion regulation has been identified as a key factor associated with anxiety and other mental health difficulties. In recent years, mindfulness has gained attention as a protective factor that promotes better emotion regulation and reduces anxiety symptoms. Despite this growing recognition, there …

From Devout Follower Of Muhammad To Committed Disciple Of Jesus: Principles And Methods Of Transition Phase Discipleship Among Adventist Believers From A Muslim Background In Ethiopia, Temesgen Bulti Besha

Dissertations

Islam is the second most dominant religion in Ethiopia commanding about 34 percent of the over one hundred ten million population of the country. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has not been successful, until recently, to effectively reach this large and growing Muslim population. In the last decade and half, hundreds of Ethiopian Muslims are coming to faith in Christ through the ministry of the Church. However, church members, leaders, and disciplers lack adequate understanding of the transition phase discipleship during which the new believers from Muslim background (BMBs) go through considerable challenges such as persecution, lack of social and economic …

War-Displaced International Students: A Qualitative Study Of Factors Influencing The Integration Of Ukrainians At A Midwestern Healthcare College, Ivan Riapolov

Dissertations

Problem

The war in Ukraine has disrupted the country’s higher education system, displacing Ukrainian students and affecting their mental well-being. These students encounter numerous challenges while adapting to new academic and cultural environments abroad. Higher education professionals must recognize and address the unique experiences and needs of international students by region of origin to better serve these populations. This study aimed to explore the factors that influence the social and academic integration of Ukrainian international students into a new culture and to inform institutions of the best practices for creating supportive environments for international students.

Method

The qualitative study explored …