Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Self-Determination Scores In Youth And Young Adults Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Kaitlyn Marie Millen

Dissertations

Self-determination is a potential predictor of in-school and post-school success, yet it has not previously been examined in youth and young adults who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). The purpose of this study utilizing a cross-sectional survey design was to (a) determine if the scores produced by the American Sign Language (ASL) version of the Self-Determination Inventory (ASL SDI:SR) are valid and reliable and (b) examine self-determination scores in youth and young adults who are DHH to determine typical areas of strength and need within the population and if scores vary by disability, communication mode, or educational setting. …

An Examination Of Current Leadership Practices In Earlychildhood And Early Childhood Special Education: A Mixed Methods Study, Sara Movahedazarhouligh

Dissertations

Leadership is a vital component of any thriving system. Effective leadership is widely regarded as pivotal to the vitality of organizations. In early childhood (EC) and early childhood special education (ECSE) programs, strong leadership is particularly critical because directors and service providers are the gatekeepers of quality. Developing leadership among EC and ECSE professionals has become increasingly important as investing in EC education has been regarded as a public and private, national and international priority. However, the fields of EC and ECSE continue to struggle with the challenges of being overlooked when it comes to the leadership potentials, qualities, and …

Design, Development And, Psychometric Assessment Of An Inventory On Concepts Pertinent To Developing Proficiency In Organic Reaction Mechanisms, Sachin Nedungadi

Dissertations

This three-phase study was conducted to design, develop, and psychometrically analyze the Reaction Mechanisms Concept Proficiency Inventory (RMCPI). In the first phase, open-ended interviews were conducted with organic chemistry instructors (N=11) to obtain their opinion on concepts pertinent to developing proficiency in organic reaction mechanisms. The results yielded 11 pertinent concepts. Additionally, participants believed that organic reaction mechanisms are essential for mastering organic chemistry and students have difficulty with understanding the meaning and utility of the curved-arrows. The difficulties that students have with reaction mechanisms could be due to a lack of understanding of fundamental general chemistry and organic chemistry …

Flow State Experiences In Second Semester General Chemistry, Kyle Glen Kemats

Dissertations

“Flow” is a mental state in which a person experiences an optimal performance of an activity, when they are completely immersed in it. The flow state is characterized by a feeling of confidence, and the activity seems to be effortless. A person enters a state of flow when their skills performing a task (activity) matches its level of difficulty. They perceive that the task is neither too easy nor too difficult. Flow state experiences have been connected to increased levels of performance in domains such as athletics and music, as well as in academic domains such as learning foreign language. …

Strengths-Based Assessment Of Students With Emotional Disturbance: Rater Variance Using Generalizability Theory, Kara Alison Loftin

Dissertations

Loftin, Kara Alison. Strengths-Based Assessment of Students with Emotional Disturbance: Rater Variance Using Generalizability Theory. Published Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2020. Under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004, free appropriate public education (FAPE) was guaranteed to all students ages 3 through 21 regardless of ability. For students with emotional disturbance (ED), one of the 13 disability categories served under IDEA, when appropriate special education programming and services were in place early, educators could deescalate the potential for more serious and ingrained behaviors that impacted the course of the …

Nursing Student Experience And Safety Awareness Using 360-Degree Immersive Video Simulation, John Arthur Nation

Dissertations

As the use of simulation in pre-licensure nursing education increases, it is important to evaluate new approaches to clinical simulation. A new technology called 360-degree immersive video has the potential to be used in nursing education but its use in nursing education has not been studied extensively. This study evaluated nursing student satisfaction and identification of risks to patient safety with 360-degree immersive video simulation when compared to conventional video simulation. In this quasi-experimental quantitative study, 91 final semester nursing students viewed either a 360-degree immersive video simulation depicting multiple risks to patient safety or a conventional video of the …

The Effects Of Resilience On Student Academic Success In Baccalaureate Nursing, Cassandra Frost

Dissertations

The current rise in nursing student attrition has impeded the future supply of registered nurses. With the shortages projected to continue, this growing problem needs to be addressed. Factors influencing nursing student success are diverse and multidimensional. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between resilience and student academic success. A descriptive, correlational design was utilized. The study was conducted in a private nursing college with 300 baccalaureate level nursing students. Based on correlational analysis, a weak positive relationship was found between academic success and resilience. Academic success also demonstrated relationships with cumulative grade point average, …

Implicit And Explicit Sexual Attitude Among United States Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Michael G. Murphy

Dissertations

Recognizing sexual minorities continue to experience discrimination and social, institutional, and health disparities, this study explored implicit and explicit sexual attitude among nursing students. Knowledge of these attitudes is an important step to improve the care provided to this vulnerable population. Yet, there remains little research of implicit sexual attitude among nurses and no research among nursing students. This study addressed this gap in the current literature by comparing measurements of implicit and explicit attitude and identifying demographic attributes that predict these attitudes. Critical cosmopolitan theory (Delanty, 2006), informed this non-experimental, descriptive, correlational study. Implicit attitude wasmeasured using the sexuality …

Implementing Digital Media As A Pedagogical Tool In University Physical Activity Courses, Dannon G. Cox

Dissertations

Technological advancements have influenced the way we teach, learn, and communicate in education. Higher educational institutions must continually adapt to emerging technologies by implementing a variety of technologies such as photographs, audio, video, and an endless array of online platforms. Specifically, university physical activity programs, which have existed in higher educational institutions for over a century, are encouraged to incorporate digital media as a means to effectively and efficiently communicate a variety of content areas (Cardinal, 2017; Casey, Goodyear, & Armour, 2017; Tiernan, 2015). The purpose of this case study was to explore the implementation of digital media as a …

Preparation Of Clinical Nurse Educators Using Simulation: Developing Competencies In Providing Feedback, Julie Susanne Fitzwater

Dissertations

Nursing students require a competent nurse educator to support and evaluate their performance in order to learn and grow. Frequently, nurses who enter into educator roles are not prepared to support and evaluate nursing students. An important competency for nurse educators is the ability to give effective formative feedback in a supportive learning environment. Nurse educators who are not prepared for the teaching role might negatively impact the educational experience and preparation of nursing students. Simulation could be an effective method for developing evidence-based teaching competencies in nurse educators but there is limited evidence about this topic in the literature. …

Bayesian Approach Of Joint Models Of Longitudinal Outcomes And Informative Time, Adbullah Ahmed Zaagan

Dissertations

Longitudinal studies are commonly encountered in a variety of research areas in which the scientific interest is in the pattern of change in a response variable over time. In longitudinal data analyses, a number of methods have been proposed. Most of the traditional longitudinal methods assume that the independent variables are the same across all subjects. It is commonly assumed that time intervals for collecting outcomes are predetermined and have no information regarding the measured variables. However, in practice, researchers might occasionally have irregular time intervals and informative time, which violate the above assumptions. Hence, if traditional statistical methods are …

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 …

Socio-Emotional And Socio-Cultural Perceptions Of Young Women And Their Interests In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics, Danielle Ann Riney

Dissertations

School districts across the United States have begun to focus on the holistic learning of their students. At the top of that focus is student learning in socio-emotional and socio-cultural areas, in addition to content areas. This dissertation utilized an explanatory sequential design mixed methodology to explore the socio-emotional competence and socio-cultural perspectives of middles school students in STEM. Through a Likert scale survey and open-ended question, responses of 137 students were gathered to complete factor analysis, compute descriptive analysis, and calculate statistical differences found between genders through the use of t-tests to quantitatively answer research questions one and two. …

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 …

An Activity Theory Approach To Examining The Implications Of Developmental Mathematics Reform At An Urban Community College, Jennifer Ruth Zakotnik-Gutierrez

Dissertations

Developmental mathematics courses, designed to provide remediation for students who are identified as having skills below the college level, have long been a mainstay in community colleges. These courses fill a need and effectively prepare some students for college level math courses, providing access to mathematics courses and college programs they otherwise would not have had. However, a large majority of students experience developmental mathematics as a gatekeeper, rather than a gateway, to higher courses. As such, the status quo of traditional developmental mathematics programs is inequitable, denying access to college-level courses. Recognizing this equity issue as necessitating institutional change, …

Comparative Host Response And Gene Regulation In Deer Mice And Syrian Golden Hamsters During Acute Infection With Modoc Virus, Tyler Sherman

Dissertations

Flaviviruses (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus) comprise a diverse group of globally-distributed viruses that may specifically infect vertebrates, invertebrates, or both. Of those that can replicate in both invertebrates (such as ticks and mosquitoes) as well as vertebrates (such as mammals), many represent important human pathogens. Examples of these include dengue virus (DENV), which may cause severe hemorrhagic fevers, West Nile virus (WNV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), and Zika virus (ZIKV), all of which may cause febrile illness with neurologic involvement, and yellow fever virus (YFV), which may induce hepatic dysfunction. Given that these viruses (among others) are carried and transmitted …

Coaching College Students To Thrive: Exploring Coaching Practices In Higher Education, Alicia Sepulveda

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how trained, four-year success coaches perceive their coaching practice with students in higher education, particularly in the context of their meetings. While coaching programs have proliferated, little is known about coaching as a practice in higher education and it is difficult to generalize findings because professionals are ‘coaching’ in different ways. Some academic coaches in the field have stated they were given a title, but they are not ‘coaching’ (Sepulveda, 2017). Little is known about coaching as a practice, and this study will help to fill this gap. Taking a narrative approach, …

Establishment Of Organoids From Gastric Stem Cells And Their Use To Study The Role Of Aryl-Hydrocarbon Receptors, Shakila Afroz Taleb

Dissertations

Stem cells are powerful tools in different aspects of biomedical and translational research, including disease modelling, drug testing, and tissue engineering for regenerative medicine. However, isolation and culture of organ-specific stem cells are challenging tasks. Therefore, the biological features of many adult stem cells are not well studied and their involvement in the development of cancer is still controversial. Some immortal stem cell lines have been established and used as an alternative to studying features of organ-specific stem cells. The ability to grow cells in a scaffold-free, three-dimensional (3D) model system that mimics in vivo conditions would help in revealing …

"We Don't Work For Free": Tenured Faculty Engagement In Assessment Initiatives On A Unionized Community College Campus, Lauren Kosrow

Dissertations

This case study, which included faculty and administrator interviews as well as an exploration of institutional documents and faculty meeting spaces, examined what influences a tenured faculty member’s decision to engage with assessment initiatives at Midwest Community College and what senior leaders can do to successfully engage tenured faculty in these efforts. Principal-agent theory (PAT) offers an important and helpful framework for considering how senior leadership can successfully engage tenured faculty in student learning outcomes assessment on this specific unionized community college campus. The findings of this study suggest that senior leaders must leverage both incentives and monitoring to successfully …

Consumer Assessment Of Healthcare Providers And Systems In A Psychiatry Practice, Treacy Williams

Dissertations

Problem: Patient-centered care improves healthcare. Patient surveys are instruments used to assess the patient’s experience and is essential to providing patient-centered care. The aim of this quality improvement initiative was to assess patient perceptions of care delivered by nurse practitioner (NP) providers in a psychiatric mental health practice.

Methods: An observational, descriptive design with a customized Consumer Assessment of Health Care Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey administered in an outpatient psychiatric mental health practice for six weeks. A structure, process, outcomes framework was used. The structure of study was care delivered by the NP, the process of interest was communication …

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 …

A Descriptive Phenomenological Study Of Body Art Patients And Their Health Care Experience, Lacee Kaufmann

Dissertations

This study aimed to update dated research by exploring the relationships between patients with body art (tattoos and body piercings) and their interaction with health care providers. This creates a current description of the body art patient’s health care experience. Previous research indicates that body art has been associated with risk taking and deviant behaviors and these behaviors have been used to justify why people with body art are negatively perceived. If the presence of body art and the associated behavior are viewed as a threat to normalcy, then Stangor and Crandall’s theory (2000) suggests that stigma may surround the …

Increasing Patient Adherence To Gestational Weight Gain Goals In Pregnancy, Annie Vining

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The inability to maintain healthy weight gain during pregnancy may contribute to multiple pregnancy-related complications. Nutritional education and support may improve nutrition and vitamin consumption, and recommendations for healthy gestational weight gains have been published. However, pregnant women have reported minimal advice regarding healthy weight gain during pregnancy. A personalized, nutritional counseling program was initiated in a Midwestern, suburban OB-GYN private practice.

Methods: A quality improvement descriptive, correlational design was used. A cohort of pregnant women first trimester through six-weeks postpartum received individual counseling and face-to-face interaction at an office visit each trimester.

Results: Twenty ( …

Emotional Intelligence Methods Utilized By Successful Major League Baseball Closers To Perform Successfully In High Pressure Situations, Joshua Rosenthal

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study is to understand the similarities that exist in the descriptions of emotional intelligence methods utilized by retired successful Major League Baseball closers to appraise, express, regulate, and utilize their emotions to perform successfully in high pressure situations.

Methodology: The dissertation was a qualitative case study. Twelve of the top 50 retired save leaders in Major League Baseball were interviewed to understand the similarities in the descriptions of emotional intelligence methods used to perform successfully in high pressure situations. This study attempted to understand what exactly elite closers did to utilize emotional intelligence …

Impact Of Meaningful Recognition On Work Environment Perception Of Critical Care Nurses, Kristin Meinershagen

Dissertations

Problem: Absence of nursing staff recognition can lead to compassion fatigue, burnout, job dissatisfaction, and increased turnover rate resulting in high costs for hospitals. Meaningful recognition has been found to decrease compassion fatigue and reduce burnout. A meaningful recognition program was implemented over a 3-month period for staff nurses in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a large midwestern, metropolitan hospital to determine its effect on nurse’s perception of work environment and turnover rate in the ICU.

Methods: This was an observational, descriptive, cohort design utilizing the AACN Healthy Work EnvironmentSurvey instrument for assessing results before and after implementation …

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 …

The Impact Of Nurse To Nurse Mentoring In Leadership Skills Development - Rnmentor2mentor, Linda Macera-Diclemente, Connie M. Smith

Dissertations

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (IOM, 2010), recommended an increase nursing presence in board service to address healthcare issues and influence change within the healthcare system. Thus, the purpose of the project was to create, design, implement, and evaluate a nurse-to-nurse mentoring program (RNmentor2mentor) for nurses in the state of Michigan aimed at increasing the number of nurses serving on boards.

Developing A Predictive Model For Prostate Cancer Screening Intent, Quentin E. Moore

Dissertations

African Americans bear a disproportionately high burden of cancer incidence and mortality in this country. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate factors associated with African-American men, who are incarcerated, making informed health decisions about participation in prostate cancer screening, as well as exploring factors that reduce modifiable risk factors for cancer. The United States incarcerates more people per capita than any country in the world and African American men are overrepresented in the U.S. prison system. This dissertation is composed of three manuscripts. The first paper reviews the current literature about the factors that influence African-American males in …

Variables Affecting Student Veterans’ And Student Service Members’ Success In Higher Education, Warren Ray Spadoni

Dissertations

The researcher recognized four independent variables identified as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, mild traumatic brain injury, and traumatic brain injury which influenced the educational attainment of student veterans and student service members in post-secondary education. There were six dependent variables identified as integration, transitioning, social learning, social cognition, quality of life, and perceived self-efficacy which were recognized by the researcher as having influenced the educational attainment of student veterans and student service members in post-secondary education. The researcher posited higher education institutions did not fully understand or acknowledge the combat or service-related independent variables organic to student service members or …