Community Schools In St. Louis Then And Now: Exploring The Influence Of Family, School, And Community Engagement On Student And Community Outcomes, Kimberly Ann Carothers

Dissertations

All children should have access to the American Dream by receiving a meaningful and equitable educational opportunity that prepares them to be successful in school and life thereafter. Today, many children are denied this dream over and over again. Minority and low-income children often face multiple barriers that stagnate their growth; resulting in equity and achievement gaps. Schools that implement the community schools strategy integrate resources and services from family, school, and community partners to prepare students for success in meeting the demands of the twenty-first century. Community schools are hubs with evening and weekend hours that bring together a …

The Role Of Bro Culture In Exploration Of Why Women Leave It, Ana Krasteva

Dissertations

The goal of this exploratory study is to investigate ways in which whether the phenomena called the ‘bro culture’ may influence on women in the information technology (IT) workforce. It specifically seeks to determine whether bro culture has an impact on why women in IT move from one IT company to another; leave IT for a non-technical field; or leave the workforce entirely.

Although there is a plethora of studies on why women leave positions in IT, less understood is the impact and influence of bro culture on the decision.

My findings suggest that bro culture in the workplace is …

The Impact Of Structural Supports On The Success Of Students Of Color In The K-16 Educational System, Brandis Jones, Sherry Holmes

Dissertations

Collective Abstract

This collective dissertation contains the efforts of two practitioners in the field of education who possess a shared vision for designing student experiences with the mission of preparing all students for success in secondary and post-secondary education. The researchers believed that by creating structural supports for students in underserved populations, these same students will increase their educational attainment and access to long-term career opportunities. With successful completion of postsecondary education and with increased career opportunities, students can improve their lives, their families’ lives and the lives of members of their community.

Many students struggled on their educational journeys …

A Comparative Study Analyzing Undergraduate Internship Participation And The Impact On Retention And Timely Degree Completion At A Four-Year, Private, Midwest Institution, Stefani Schuette

Dissertations

Declining enrollments, rising costs and increasing student debt have caused college administrators, potential students, and outside stakeholders to focus on certain student outcomes, including retention and timely degree completion. Colleges and universities are not only collecting data in these two areas, they are searching for strategies, which might have a positive effect. Research has provided a variety of factors, which contribute to retention and timely degree completion. High-impact practices, such as service learning, student faculty research and internships featured several characteristics that may contribute to retention and timely degree completion. Internships offer several advantages, such as preparation for future careers …

Implementation Of Oral Health Recommendations In Pediatric Primary Care, Kelly Lucash

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: Early childhood caries (ECC) is the most common chronic disease of childhood and fluoride is key to prevention. A major barrier to dental care for children is lack of access to a dental provider. Current practice recommendations include the application of fluoride varnish (FV) in the primary care setting. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to evaluate the number of FV applications in a Midwestern, suburban pediatric primary care practice.

Methods: An observational, descriptive design utilizing retrospective medical record reviews for children aged 12-, 18-, 24-, and 36-months who experienced well-child visits between April 1^{st …}

Impact Of A Web-Based Instructional Module Of Alzheimer’S Disease Within Seven Content Knowledge Domains, Joyce Haynie

Dissertations

Abstract

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has been classified as the most common form of dementia. Primary health care providers are usually the first clinicians to whom individuals present with symptoms of dementia. By 2050, it is expected that as many as 13.8 million Americans will be living with AD, and millions more will be placed in the challenging role of providing care for these individuals. However, studies continue to show that dementia is often underdiagnosed and under detected. The purpose of the study was to systematically inquire about the impact of AD education on level of knowledge about AD among primary …

An Exploration Of Contextual Factors Of Weight-Based Discrimination Against Business Leaders, Ellen Hermann Lynch

Dissertations

Two-thirds of the adult population of the United States are considered overweight (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2013) and are susceptible to weight-based discrimination in the workplace (Rudolph, Wells, Weller, & Baltes, 2009). The weight-based discrimination experienced by business leaders is relatively unknown. The present research used Leader Categorization Theory (Lord & Maher, 1991) as a framework to examine the extent to which a business leader’s weight is associated with their perceived leadership qualities and effectiveness in two studies. The first study isolated the relationship between the base rate of weight in an organization and the assumed weight of the …

Evaluating Controlled Substance Documentation In An Electronic Medical Record, Delora Brooks

Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) directives issued in 2016 gave guidelines for safely prescribing opiates; however, primary source discussions about methods used for documenting opioid and controlled substance monitoring within an electronic medical record (EMR) are limited (Hussain, Nelson, Polston & Zheng, 2019). This leaves individual providers to determine the appropriate way to document. Inconsistent documentation may not protect providers or organizations from regulatory, civil or criminal liability. As stated by Raveesh, Nayak & Kumbar (2016), “The best way to handle medico-legal issues is by preventing them”. Even with the advent and widespread use of EMRs, documentation …

Retention Relationships: Connecting Higher Education Employees To Students Through Student Organizations, Michelle Sanford

Dissertations

This mixed methods study investigated higher education employee involvement with student organizations to determine if a connection existed between an employee’s engagement with a student organization and the employee’s retention at the university. Research shows that student involvement in campus life and with student organizations increases student retention (Astin, 1984); however, few research studies have focused on the impact this type of involvement has on employee retention. In this study, the researcher explored the following research questions: How does employee engagement with student organizations impact employee retention? Why do employees choose to support student organizations? The researcher examined these questions …

Fathers' Experiences With Their Premature Infants Or Unhealthy Neonates, Lisa Cummings

Dissertations

Author: Lisa Cummings PhD RN

Fathers’ Experiences with Their Premature Infants or Unhealthy Neonates

Purpose and Background/Significance: Fifteen million babies worldwide are born prematurely each year, impacting a multitude of fathers. The importance of an early close father-infant relationship has been identified as central for the development of the child. Fathers influence on a child’s emotional and cognitive development and their physical well-being and health. Many times, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is the initial contact environment between a father and his premature infant. Studies have shown that the NICU can be a stressful environment for parents, producing emotional …

Perceptions Of Exemplary Special Education Teachers: Instructional And Management Strategies For Special Education Students, Shawna Dawn Gruben

Dissertations

Students with disabilities are to be educated alongside their peers to the maximum extent possible as required by federal and state regulations. Research suggests students with disabilities are more successful when placed with peers in the general education classroom with appropriate support. This study was conducted to examine specific bestpractice strategies used by exemplary special education teachers. The participants within this study have been identified as Clarissa Hug Teacher of the Year Award recipients by the Council for Exceptional Children and are considered to be exemplary in the field of special education. Three research questions guided the study using the …

An Examination Of The Use Of Social Media To Improve The Psychological Well-Being Of Saudi Arabia Women, Shoaa Ahmed Dardoum

Dissertations

Social media is used increasingly for different purposes, playing an important role in peoples’ lives. It has been reported that social media is involved with the mental health profession as it offers a way to communicate with mental health providers and peers who share similar concerns. People with mental illnesses who have utilized social media to share and find mental health information have reported positive outcomes related to their mental health status. However, additional research is needed in regard to the mental health status of general populations. As such, this quantitative study was intended to examine the use of shared …

Developing Moral Education To Combat Human Trafficking, Shima Rostami

Dissertations

Leaders are challenged daily to improve their organization's products and outcomes. “When the character of leaders is low, so are their standards” (Maxwell, 2010, p. 41), and accordingly the products and programs. No field or profession was exempt from this challenge at the leadership level. On this note, human trafficking as a humanitarian crisis was of particular interest for activists, but one that may still suffer from this same weakness at the leadership level. Consequently, having a concern for how to improve the character and standards of the leaders in the anti-human trafficking movement, the Investigator of this study questioned …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Perceptions Of Down Syndrome And Student Disabilities In A Suburban Midwest High School, Gregory Wagener

Dissertations

The researcher explored the perceptions of typically-developing students, teachers, and parents of students with Down syndrome and students with disabilities at a suburban Midwestern High School. In exploring these perceptions of students with Down syndrome and students with disabilities, this study intended to explore how to increase effective inclusion of students with Down syndrome and students with disabilities in the general education setting, but more so, to explore the stigmas surrounding students with Down syndrome and students with disabilities in order to better understand the character of typically-developing students, teachers, and parents regarding students with Down syndrome and students with …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of Applying Andragogical Practices To An Online Tesol Teacher Training Course At A Midwestern University, Daisy Anne Mary Skelly

Dissertations

Preservice teachers needed to be prepared to teach culturally and linguistically diverse learners, because English learners continued to enroll in new geographic areas. In response to the reauthorization of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, requirements for teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students were added to teacher certification programs at the state level. Universities offering teacher certification programs addressed new program requirements in different ways, including adding competencies to existing courses or creating new courses. The purpose of this mixedmethods study was to investigate the knowledge, pedagogical skill, and self-efficacy levels of preservice teachers and their perceptions of English …

Estimation Of Infectious Intestinal Disease Burden And Description Of The Infectious Disease Surveillance System In Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, Fatema Hamdan Saif Al Alkeem Al Zaabi

Dissertations

Introduction: Infectious disease (ID) is an ongoing problem worldwide. In order to manage this problem, it is important to have an integrated and effective surveillance system that can be used to estimate the burden of ID. There is a scarcity of studies published on the prevalence of IDs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), both in hospital settings and in the community. Infectious Intestinal Disease (IIDs) have been one of the most commonest IDs that have been studied in the community around the world, there are no studies on the prevalence of IIDs in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK). Furthermore, while …

An Investigation Into Knowledge Transfer From Expatriates To Uae Nationals: Organizational And Individual Factors Motivating Knowledge-Sharing Behaviour In Uae Organizations, Amna Khamis Alnakh

Dissertations

This study intends to identify the factors that influence knowledge sharing between individuals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) context, specifically knowledge sharing from expatriates to UAE citizens, at both an individual and organizational level. This research aims to highlight the determinants of knowledge-sharing behaviours and the role of interpersonal relations (social trust) in the knowledge transfer process. These factors can subsequently be considered by organizations and human resource (HR) practitioners to facilitate the successful implementation of knowledge-sharing behaviour and knowledge transfer in UAE organizations and support UAE’s Emiratization policies and processes. This, in turn, can lead to higher organizational …

A Black African Teacher’S Experiences In America: Examining The Lived Experiences Of A Black African Teacher Working In A Midwestern Public School, Valentine Malumbila

Dissertations

Using sociocultural theoretical approach, intersectionality of race, Critical Race Theory, and Bakhtin’s authoritative and persuasive discourse as a theoretical framework, this study explores the various diversities that I encountered as a Black African working and living in America. The diversity that I, like many other Black African immigrants in America, suffer results from culture shock due to lack of culture capital to comprehend and make sense of my surroundings. The lack of culture capital left me exposed to me some degrees of ethnic profiling, isolation and loneliness, and grieving due to loss of family and things that mattered the most …

Key Experiences And Non-Monetary Resources Impacting Stakeholder Satisfaction, Growth, And Effectiveness In Educational Settings, Michelle Farell, Claire Crapo, Skyler Wiseman

Dissertations

Ensuring stakeholder satisfaction and effective utilization of non-monetary assets is critical to the overall health of an educational institution (Berger, Alcalay, Torretti, & Millicie, 2011). This body of work encases three dissertations joined by a common theme: key factors impacting the effectiveness of current educational systems. The overarching question anchoring this theme is: What non-monetary resources and experiences provide maximum positive impact on educational stakeholders? The researchers developed a conceptual framework for the priorities needed to maximize existing resources in educational landscapes.

In these studies, the researchers investigated the resource utilization and academic outputs of two elementary schools, the experiences …

African Centered Education, The Maji Shujaa Online Academy: A Descriptive Case Study, Beverly Jackson

Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive case study framed by African centered theory, is to advance the knowledge about the online African centered educational programming, Maji Shujaa Academy. The researcher is the Chief Executive Officer( CEO) and lead teacher/lead developer of online educational media for the Academy. Considerable private African-centered educators with enterprenueural spirit have advanced and created online African centered global educational programming for the students of Africa and African Diaspora population groups today. Yet the available literature is shallow with regard to the workings of online African centered educational programming. This study explores in which the online Academy makes …

Interdisciplinary Collaboration In Exemplary Counseling-Enriched High School Programs: Integrating College & Career Readiness And Mental Health Wellness For Students With Emotional Disturbance, Amira S. Mostafa

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods multiple-case study was to describe how interdisciplinary collaborative teams support the college and career readiness and the mental health wellness of adolescents with emotional disturbance. A secondary purpose was to explore how team members describe and rate the importance of their interdisciplinary collaboration using the four essential elements (reflection, flexibility, newly created roles, and interdependence) based on the model established by Mellin (Mellin et al., 2010). Lastly, this study sought recommendations from team members on improved practices supporting adolescents with emotional disturbance.

Methodology: An explanatory sequential mixed methods multiple-case study design explored the …

Chemical Synthesis Of Oligosaccharides From Human Milk, Mithila Dulanjalee Bandara Weerasooriya Mudiyanselage

Dissertations

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are a family of structurally related glycans that are highly abundant in breast milk. Oligosaccharide fraction is the third largest solid component in human milk after lactose and lipids. There is an accumulating evidence that HMO can provide significant benefits to the breast-fed infants. However, understanding of the exact HMO functions is still incomplete due to the lack of individual compounds in sufficient quantities. Therefore, development of expeditious strategies for the chemical synthesis of HMO has been increasingly important. Among all the methods available for oligosaccharide synthesis, armed-disarmed strategy introduced by Fraser-Reid is based on chemoselective …

Factors Related To 30-Day Readmission Among Hispanics With Type 2 Diabetes, Athena Mohebbi

Dissertations

Background: Medicare spends $17 billion yearly on 30-day readmissions. Hispanic adults have a higher prevalence of diabetes (12.6%) compared to non-Hispanic whites (9.4%). Those with a diagnosis of diabetes have the 17% higher rate (14-23%) for 30-day readmission. Little research has been conducted on Hispanics with diabetes relative to 30-day readmissions. Aims: Among Hispanics with type 2 diabetes: 1) measure the incidence of 30-day readmission by sociodemographic, behavioral and clinical factors;2) identify independent factors associated with 30-day readmission among Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes accounting for potential covariates; 3) compare the ability of the Hispanic Diabetic Study Model plus …

A Computational Study Of Sleep And The Hemispheres Of The Brain, Tera Ashley Glaze

Dissertations

Sleep and sleep cycles have been studied for over a century, and scientists have worked on modeling sleep for nearly as long as computers have existed. Despite this extensive study, sleep still holds many mysteries. Larger and more extensive sleep-wake models have been developed, and the circadian drive has been depicted in numerous fashions, as well as incorporated into scores of studies. With the ever-growing knowledge of sleep comes the need to find more ways to examine, quantify, and define it in the context of the most complex part of the human anatomy – the brain. Presented here is the …

Students Of Black Or African American Ancestry In Grades 10th -12th Perceptions Of Their Schooling Experiences, Annette Renee Kennedy

Dissertations

California continues to tackle blatant racist acts within school systems across the state as recent headlines read, “Deeply offensive blackface video of California high school student sparks backlash” (Yancey-Bragg, Guynn, & Rhor, 2019, n.p.) and “Four teachers and their principal placed on leave after cheerfully posing for photo with noose” (Lunning, 2019, n.p.). Gaining a greater awareness of the non-headlining actions that take place on a day-to-day basis that have an equally powerful adverse effect on the school experiences of black learners was the focus of this study. Microaggressions are “subtle, stunning, often automatic, and non-verbal exchanges which are put …

Multi-Tiered System Of Support In California Rural School Settings, John P. Schilling

Dissertations

Rural schools face a different set of challenges that most urban school do not,

such as geographical proximity to qualified staffing, educational and student resources, budgets based upon a smaller student population, access technology and isolation. The purpose of the research was to examine how rural schools and rural school leaders are confronting the challenge of implementing MTSS with limited resources. The researcher used the lens of implementation science as a methodological framework for examining the implementation of MTSS. The researcher used a mixed method design to collect survey data from thirty-eight rural school educators and to collect data from …

Cultivating Civic Engagement At The Intersection Of Community College And Asian American Pacific Islanders: Understanding And Supporting Aapi Students’ Civic Learning At The Two-Year Institutions, Hyon Chu Chu Yi-Baker

Dissertations

Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) students are considered the fastest growing segment of college participants in the United States. AAPI students represent the majority racial demographic population in the California Community College campuses (Chang et al., 2007). Studies on youth and civic learning points to the benefits of early engagement as it can lead to greater participation in future civic activity well beyond their college years. However, literature on AAPI community college students and civic engagement is mostly absent. This single institutional study examined AAPI student’s civic engagement experience and investigated the factors that both support and hinder their motivation …

Superintendent Recruitment: Effects Of Superintendent Job Status, School Councils (Principal Selection Models), District Wealth, And Signing Bonus On Applicant Rating Of The Job, Mark Jeffery Martin

Dissertations

This nearly perfect replicated study (Millay, 2003) was a superintendent recruitment simulation with the purpose of investigating factors that influence recruiting qualified individuals to serve as district superintendents of public schools. The study was a factorial experiment involving a four-way 2 x 2 x 2 x (3 x S) fixed-factor betweenwithin analysis of variance (ANOVA) which yielded 24 cells. The participants in the study were Kentucky Superintendents (N = 72) and individuals in Kentucky certified to be a school superintendent (N = 72) but employed in another position.

The between-groups variables were superintendent job status (superintendent, certified), district wealth (high, …

Baseline Trauma Symptoms: Residential And Non-Residential Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence, Brooke R. Jacobs

Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a preventable public health problem that’s literature has documented the clinical presentations of those who have experienced IPV. These presentations include what is generally consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as a wide range of other symptoms including different medical comorbidities, defensiveness, difficulties in self-regulation, externalizing behavior, difficulties in relationships, withdrawal, and somatic preoccupations. These presentations are typically assumed to be symptoms of IPV but some argue that some of these, such as insecure attachment or trauma exposure, may be precursors to experiencing IPV. This has been discussed with great caution to avoid victim …

The Big Five Inventory, Substance Abuse History, And Academic Success Among Students Majoring In Substance Abuse Counseling, Christi D. Myers

Dissertations

Students pursuing careers in substance abuse counseling may have higher rates of substance abuse histories than the general student body Previous research has shown that substance abuse is negatively correlated with Conscientiousness, yet academic success is positively correlated with Conscientiousness. This may put them at risk for academic difficulties. There is no previous research that has investigated the links betwe en personality traits, substance abuse history, and academic success. This study investigated the correlations between personality, substance abuse history, and academic success with 103 participants from an addict ion counseling program at a community college in South Texas. The Big …