Digital Commons Network^™

The Digital Incorporated Worker Narrative: A Mixed Methods Study Of Digital Capital, Work Selection, And Outcomes In The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Tracie King

Dissertations

Digital technology permeates society and industry, making digital-ready workers necessary for firms of all sizes as a firm seeks competitiveness in the market (Bergson-Shilcock et al., 2023; de Ruyter et al., 2018; Gorski et al., 2022; Karaboğa, 2023; Kim et al., 2017; Qureshi Zia, 2019). Firms seeking digital-ready workers face a complex digital divide that creates a worker shortage (Bergson-Shilcock et al., 2023; Karaboğa, 2023; Qureshi Zia, 2019). This study aims to describe workers' work selection, work experience, and outcomes in a complex digital society.

Most digital divide research focuses on the individuals excluded from owning, accessing, and having skills …

Federal Telework Intensity, Perceived Organizational Support, And Perceived Supervisor Support As Predictors Of Affective Commitment In A Post-Pandemic Environment, Jamaris Moore

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many governments to transition to non-traditional work such as telework (Lunde et al., 2022). However, in a post-pandemic environment, federal agencies required their employees to return to the offices (Office of Management and Budget, 2021), which led employees to agency hop, looking for more accommodating work arrangements (The Committee on Oversight and Accountability, 2022). Therefore, the researcher sought to determine if telework intensity (TI), perceived organizational support (POS), and perceived supervisor support (PSS) predicted employee organizational commitment (OC). The researcher used a quantitative correlational cross-sectional survey to assess 202 federal employees from two Department of Defense …

Examining The Moderating Role Of Work Modality On Employees’ Engagement And Perceptions Of Inclusion, Eric Shapiro

Dissertations

In the evolving landscape of work, organizations increasingly adopt diverse modalities, including on-site, remote, and hybrid arrangements. This quantitative correlational study examines the relationship between work modalities, employee engagement, and perceived inclusion, with a focus on the moderating role of work modalities. Recognizing employee engagement as a key driver of organizational performance and perceived inclusion as essential for well-being and innovation, survey data were collected from 402 employees across multiple industries. Results revealed a strong, positive correlation between perceived inclusion and employee engagement (r = 0.789, p < .001). Work modality significantly moderated this relationship, with hybrid workers experiencing a weaker inclusion-engagement link, while remote workers showed no significant moderation effect. Additionally, on-site workers demonstrated a robust inclusion-engagement relationship. Hybrid workers reported higher perceived inclusion scores, though engagement levels remained consistent across modalities. These findings underscore the need for tailored inclusion strategies to optimize employee experiences and enhance organizational effectiveness. This study provides actionable insights for fostering inclusive workplace cultures and improving employee well-being in modality-diverse environments.

Exploration Of Disorienting Dilemmas New Registered Nurses Experience In Clinical Situations, Heidi Ritchie

Dissertations

The transition new graduate registered nurses (RNs) experience is difficult. New graduates feel pressure related to job expectations and high workload responsibilities. As nurses begin working in clinical practice, some experience a disorienting dilemma—a disconnect between what was learned in school and what is experienced in clinical practice. According to Mezirow (1981), this is the first step in a transformative experience. Yet, there is a gap in knowledge regarding disorienting dilemmas new RNs with less than two years of experience encounter.

The purpose of this study was to explore disorienting dilemmas new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) experience in the clinical …

The Impact On General Education Preschool Teachers Mainstreaming Children With Special Needs: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study That Aims To Explore General Education Preschool Teacher Experiences Regarding Challenges And Strategies When Mainstreaming Students With Special Needs In The General Education Preschool Classroom, Magdalena Tapia Lamas

Dissertations

Purpose: This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore general education preschool teacher experiences regarding challenges and strategies faced in differentiating instruction while engaging and supporting all students in learning based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession.Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological methodology was conducted using semistructured interview questions with 12 general education preschool teachers. Results of interviews and an artifact collection and review were used to analyze how general education preschool teachers described their experiences regarding challenges and strategies faced in differentiating instruction, based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP).

Findings: The findings from the study indicate …

Resiliency Training For Music Therapy Students During Fieldwork Experiences, Crystal Weaver

Dissertations

All music therapy undergraduate and equivalency students in the United States must complete 1,200 hours of fieldwork experience to obtain degree conferment from an accredited and approved higher education program (American Music Therapy Association, 2023b, p. 1). While engaging in fieldwork had several benefits for music therapy students, such as the opportunity to build practical experience and refine skills, the experience also involved several challenges (Forinash, 2019; Tien & Trang, 2020). A challenge not yet thoroughly examined by faculty and staff within higher education music therapy programs was student mental health. To date, researchers had not examined the prevalence of …

The Barriers Preventing Generational Diversity In The Workplace: A Design-Based Research Study On Generational Diversity In The Workplace, Bryan T. Benke

Dissertations

Generational diversity poses numerous challenges within organizations, primarily as workplaces can now encompass up to five generations (BasuMallick, 2020). The scholar-practitioner explored various facets of generational diversity, highlighting barriers that impact the work environment, employee behavior, communication, knowledge transfer, technology adoption, management decisions, employer obligations, and cultural disparities. Despite increasing recognition of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), entrenched biases persist, perpetuating stereotypes and marginalizing different generational cohorts (Fasbender & Gerpott, 2022; Gates, 2023; Renstrom, 2020; St. Aubin, 2019). Research revealed deficiencies in emotional intelligence (EI) among apprentices, particularly in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management, alongside challenges in achieving …

Temporal Dynamics In Spatial Random Field Theory: A Methodological Advance In Fmri Data Analysis, Theophilus Barnabas Kobina Acquah

Dissertations

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a noninvasive tool for studying neural correlates of cognition by measuring task-evoked brain activity. Accurate interpretation of fMRI data depends on modeling the hemodynamic response (HR), which varies across brain regions and conditions. Brain plasticity adds complexity as functional changes during development and aging affect cognition, emotion, and behavior. BOLD signals display complex temporal dynamics influenced by both neural and physiological factors, challenging conventional models. This highlights the need for adaptive frameworks that account for temporal dependencies and spatial heterogeneity in neural activity detection. This current study enhances fMRI data analysis by integrating temporal …

Nurturing Students: A Qualitative Case Study Analyzing The Perceived Impact Of Tiered Mental Health Support For Elementary Students, Mallori Victoria Sage

Dissertations

In this qualitative case study, I explored the perceived impact of providing tiered mental health support to elementary students. I developed Randall Elementary Nurtures, or The Nurture Program, a flexible yet structured initiative grounded in a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) model to provide intentional and scaffolded mental health support for elementary students. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine The Nurture Programs' perceived impact from the viewpoint of the program stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, administration, the school counselor, and the school’s MTSS team. To understand the program’s impact during the pilot program years of 2022-2023 …

College Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study Of Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Experiences, Laura K. Anderson

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the college experiences of students with intellectual and/or developmental disability (IDD) who are attending an inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) program in the United States. Inclusive post-secondary education program numbers have been increasing since 2008, when the Higher Education Opportunity Act passed and authorized federal student aid to students in IPSE programs. Most research on IPSE programs to date has been on their structure and employment outcomes, with scant research on what students experience during their time in an IPSE program.

Participants were 12 third or fourth year IPSE students with IDD …

Hispanic/Latinx Faculty Members’ Experiences Within Academia, Sarah Muñoz

Dissertations

This dissertation research was written and pursued to explore the experience of Hispanic/Latinx faculty within academia. A phenomenological, qualitative methodology was utilized to explore this phenomenon. The researcher used listservs, Facebook groups, and snowball sampling to recruit participants. Potential participants completed a prescreening questionnaire and were then contacted to participate in the interview portion of the study. Ten individuals thoroughly described their experiences holding a Hispanic/Latinx faculty identity within academia. The following six themes emerged from data analysis of the interviews: a) Impacts of the Lack of Representation of Diverse Faculty, b) Challenging Experiences of Hispanic/Latinx Faculty, c) Positive Experiences …

Perceptions Of Undergraduate Nurse Faculty Regarding Social Emotional Learning Within Nursing Academia, Nicole Claire York

Dissertations

The growing nursing shortage is a critical issue for healthcare systems worldwide. The demand for nurses and an urgent need for workforce stability require nursing students to be equipped with both knowledge and social and emotional skills for resiliency and coping before graduation. The social and emotional learning (SEL) framework provides specific competencies that emphasize the development of skills such as self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills. Incorporating SEL that emphasizes these skills into nursing education might provide the necessary tools not only for sustainability in the discipline, but academic and overall social-emotional competence.

The purpose of …

Understanding The Cybersecurity Knowledge And Cybercrime Experiences Of Older Adults Using A Learning Game, Richard Conrad West

Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was two-fold. First, it was intended to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching internet safety to older adults through a fun, internet-based learning game. Second, it was carried out to understand the experience of internet fraud on older adults so that fraud prevention techniques can be refined and tailored to the online threats they face. Five adults over 60 who were previously online fraud victims participated in this study, which was carried out over three phases.

First, participants played a learning game that assessed their understanding of key cybersecurity topics, provided lessons explaining the risks, …

Franz Schubert’S Composition Process Seen Through His Autograph Manuscripts, With A Focus On The “Arpeggione” Sonata, Ahmad Kandari

Dissertations

This scholarly inquiry provides an in-depth analysis of Franz Schubert’s distinctive approach to music composition, offering a nuanced understanding that emerges from a detailed examination of his manuscripts. By placing a special emphasis on the autographic evidence left behind by Schubert, this study contrasts his intuitive and rapid compositional style with the more methodical processes of his contemporaries, such as Ludwig van Beethoven.

Schubert’s manuscripts show a composer who often worked directly from mental concepts to full musical expressions with minimal reliance on detailed sketches or iterative revisions. This approach is starkly different from Beethoven’s, whose extant sketches display a …

Evaluating The Indirect Effect Of Microaffirmations On Intersecting Marginalized Identities And School Sense Of Belonging Among School Psychology Graduate Students, April Pratt

Dissertations

There is a discrepancy between the proportion of school psychologists identified as racially, ethnically, or linguistically diverse (REL) in the United States and the proportion of REL students they serve (Blake et al., 2016; Proctor & Owens, 2019). Current data estimates over 80% of school psychologists identify as white (Goforth et al., 2021), whereas more than 50% of U.S. public school students have non-white racial/ethnic identities (Irwin et al., 2024). In addition to increased recruitment of REL students to school psychology graduate programs, trainers in these programs must implement effective strategies to ensure retention. One method is to increase students’ …

A New Approach: Supporting Traditional Jazz Pedagogy Through Neuroscience, Christopher John Navarrete

Dissertations

Jazz musicians face a considerable learning curve in their performance endeavors. Numerous factors must be taken into account, including performance anxiety, memorization, active listening, ear training, mastery of musical techniques, and improvisation. Through the effective preparation of these skills, musicians tend to achieve success; however, this success fundamentally relies on the practice habits of the jazz musician.

A common approach in jazz pedagogy emphasizes the development of musical techniques such as scales and chords, modulating across various harmonic progressions. I will define this as a “traditional approach” used in jazz pedagogy. This method has been widely embraced by jazz musicians …

Implementation Of Holistic Admissions Review In Associate Degree Nursing Programs: An Interpretive Description, Alisha Loken

Dissertations

Holistic admissions review (HAR) is a mission-based approach to selecting applicants for higher education using a combination of experiences, attributes, and metrics. The purpose of HAR is to diversify the nursing workforce and promote health equity. The purpose of this interpretive description was to examine HAR practices in ADN programs from the perspective of deans and directors and develop recommendations for broader implementation. The following research questions guided this study:

Q1 How do deans and directors of associate degree in nursing programs describe holistic admissions review?

Q2 What, if anything, have deans and directors done to implement holistic admissions review …

Examining The Effects Of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation On Gut Immune Responses, Aspen Elizabeth King

Dissertations

Previous studies conducted in our laboratory suggest that activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation with the prototypical ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) initially suppresses both fecal and serum antigen-specific IgA responses, but fecal antigen-specific IgA levels recover from suppression while serum IgA levels do not. The purpose of the research detailed in this dissertation was to explore two potential mechanisms allowing for the more rapid recovery of antigen-specific IgA in the feces relative to the serum: (1) an increase in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) that enhance IgA antibody responses in intestinal tissues, and (2) an increase in the migration of …

A Tale Of Bohemians: A Comparative Analysis Of Leoncavallo’S And Puccini’S Treatments Of La Bohème, Mihye Kim

Dissertations

Giacomo Puccini’s opera, La Bohème, stands as an undisputed masterpiece of operatic literature. The opera was inspired by Henri Muger ’s 1851 novel Scènes de la vie de Bohème and premiered at the Teatro Regio in Turin in 1896. Puccini’s rival, Ruggero Leoncavallo, wrote his own version of La Bohème, inspired by the same source. Leoncavallo’s version premiered one year later in 1897 at La Fenice in Venice. Although virtually unknown now, Leoncavallo’s setting was received more with more favor than Puccini’s version at its premier. This research will explore the two operas to understand why one faded into obscurity, …

Reversing The Panopticon: Perspectives Of Previously Incarcerated Adults In Community College, Megan Friesen

Dissertations

The purpose of this critical case study was to better understand the experiences of previously incarcerated adults in a community college. This research was informed by critical criminology (Brown, 2009), especially the societal eye of the panopticon (Foucault, 1975/1977). Furthermore, I expanded on this with Paulo Freire’s (2005) work on oppression and education. This research was also informed by the existing literature on community college students in three areas: those who have been incarcerated, those in on-campus addiction recovery support, and those employed in work-study positions. Through semi-structured interviews, photo-elicitation interviews, and a review of the material data, four previously …

Lived Experiences Of Reintegration For Afghanistan Veterans Who Were Army Combat Medics, Matthew Argento

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences, strengths, and challenges of reintegrating into civilian life for GWOT Army veterans who were medics. Three veterans completed in-depth interviews about their reintegration experiences. Results were organized into domains, core ideas, and categories. This study added to the existing literature on both combat medics and military transitions and suggests new areas of future research on combat medics and their transitions post-military.

Participants expressed feeling nervous about their reintegration, primarily due to their familiarity with the structured military lifestyle, anxiety regarding how much or little their family would need them, …

Efficacy Of A Novel Role-Playing Based In-Class Simulation On Enhancing Clinical Judgment Skills In Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Melodie Jolly

Dissertations

Clinical judgment is a critical skill for nurses, directly impacting patient outcomes and quality of care. However, studies have shown that newly graduated nurses often lacked sufficient clinical judgment abilities to meet the demands of increasingly complex patient populations. This quasi-experimental study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a novel role-playing based in-class simulation designed to enhance clinical judgment skills among senior baccalaureate nursing students. The study employed a single-group pre-assessment and post-assessment design using Lasater’s Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR) as the primary measurement tool. Using a convenience sample, 37 senior nursing students who enrolled in a Term 4 clinical …

Effects Of Financial Literacy Education Intervention On Loan Borrowing And Debt Management Of Undergraduate Students In The Southeastern U.S.: An Experimental Investigation, Clement Yeboah

Dissertations

This mixed methods experimental pretest-posttest between-groups effect study examined the causal effects of financial literacy education on loan borrowing and debt management behaviors of undergraduate students in the southeast of the United States. Loan borrowing and debt management behaviors of undergraduate students are understudied. Therefore, this study aimed to fill the gap in the literature about experimental investigations of financial education interventions for university students and provided evidence-based recommendations for improving financial literacy programs in higher education. The study is theoretically grounded on the lens of Behavioral Economics, Planned Behavior, and Social Cognitive. This explanatory sequential mixed method study employed …

Here Be Dragons: The Barriers Of Korean American Female Leaders In Secondary Schools, Joyce A. Kim

Dissertations

In K-12 public schools, there is a shortage of Korean American women in school leadership roles at the secondary level. This phenomenological study explores the contributing factors to this lack of representation, how institutions can recruit and retain Korean American female leaders, and how school systems can better support them. This study examines the leadership experiences of eight Korean American women. It utilizes the socio-political contexts of Korean patriarchy, the Model Minority Myth, and mentorship to help frame the problem of existing barriers. This study explores the following questions: What factors hinder Korean American women in school leadership? What structural …

Useful Measures Of Adult Attachment And Object Relations In Psychotherapy, Matilde A. Torallas Huerta

Dissertations

This is a literature review of objective and projective measures of attachment and object relations in adults, with the objective of reviewing outstanding research to identify the key factors for adult attachment assessment considered within attachment and object relations theories, what measures of adult attachment styles and dysfunction work best, and to provide key themes of assistance in the measurement of attachment and object relations in adult clients in psychotherapy. Theoretical foundations of attachment and object relations theory are reviewed as well as objective and projective instruments grouped by format. The 10 themes found to be useful in the assessment …

Shades Of Families: Exploring Intersectionalities Of Cross-Cultural Parenting Experiences In The U.S., Shu-Han Huang

Dissertations

As multiracial and multicultural families continue to grow across the United States, parents must navigate evolving cultural identities, systemic inequities, and increasing social and emotional pressures. These realities underscore the need for parenting resources that are both culturally responsive and emotionally supportive. This transcendental phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 11 cross-cultural parents raising children in the U.S., with a focus on how intersecting identities and systemic forces shape parenting practices.

Guided by Critical Multiracial Theory and Intersectionality Theory, this study investigated parenting at the personal, familial, societal, and structural levels. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed …

Student Self-Assessment Of Learning To Foster Improved Self-Reflection Of Learning And Academic Achievement, Leann Renee Doerr

Dissertations

Throughout her career and most notably post-pandemic, the scholar practitioner observed an increase in students giving up when encountering rigorous academic content and assignments. During the research process, concepts of student agency and self-regulation of learning, which were new to the scholar practitioner, came to the forefront of skills her students either lacked or needed to improve upon. Empathy generators were gathered for participants at Context School #1, which led to Student agency and self-regulation of learning becoming the center of the intervention during the design thinking process. The Self-Assessment of Learning, created and modified during the design thinking phases, …

Unlocking Potential: How Disengagement And Reengagement Shape Performance And Well-Being, Asha Bradley

Dissertations

Task persistence can become problematic when individuals continue to perform challenging tasks unlikely to yield success. Instead, it may lead to frustration, burnout, and negative psychological outcomes. Recognizing when to disengage from these goals is essential for reallocating resources toward more attainable objectives by shifting focus to a new task rather than persisting on the same one. Ultimately, this promotes emotional well-being and resilience. No previous studies have experimentally examined the combined processes of disengagement and reengagement. This study investigates the temporal and causal effects of disengagement and subsequent reengagement with an alternative task, making it the first to experimentally …

The Examination Of Teacher Mentorship Design For Mentees, Cagla Cobek

Dissertations

Teacher stress has been documented as a problem for today’s educators. Improving teachers’ well-being through mentorship programs is promising in the literature. Therefore, this study examined a daily check-in mentorship program for teachers experiencing moderate stress. The researchers examined the changes in mentees’ daily stress levels, perceived stress, sense of self-efficacy, and use of proactive classroom management strategies. Mentees and mentors were also asked to complete ratings of the social validity of the mentorship program. Three mentees and mentor dyads working in an elementary and middle school in a Southeastern school district in the USA participated. A nonconcurrent Multiple Baseline …

Clinical Nurse Civility And Professional Identity Formation In Nursing Students, Janet Elaine Weeda

Dissertations

Professional identity (PI) formation is an essential objective for nursing education. In 2010, Benner et al. published a landmark document titled Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation, which included a transition from teaching roles and developing professionalism to professional identity formation. In 2018, a ‘Thank Tank’ meeting occurred at the University of Kansas to explore professional identity in nursing, which developed into the International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing (ISPIN; Brewington & Godfrey, 2020). The American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN, 2021) The Essentials included a core competency that called for the “formation and cultivation of a …