Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Human Fecal Pollution In Mississippi Coastal And Creek Waters Using Library Independent Markers, Christopher John Flood

Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine whether statistically valid correlations could be elucidated between standard indicator bacteria (enterococci and fecal coliforms) from coastal creek and marine samples and the presence of four library independent molecular markers that are human or sewage specific. Eight hundred and nineteen samples were collected between August 2007 and July 2010 to determine enterococcal and fecal coliform counts and the presence of genetic markers for sewage indicator organisms Methanobrevibacter smithii, human specific Bacteroides sp., Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, and Fecalibacterium sp. During the course of this study environmental parameters were measured and statistically analyzed to determine …

Will Implementing A Research Based Dese Approved Early Childhood Program Have An Effect On The School Readiness Of Prekindergarten Students, Stephanie Small

Dissertations

The purpose of this comparative study was to examine the connection between the implementation of a quality early childhood program and the kindergarten readiness of prekindergarten students as measured by the Developmental Indicators for Assessment of Learning-DIAL-3. The researcher analyzed historical data obtained from approximately 40 students in the Study Site School District in the prekindergarten programs at Woodbridge Elementary School for the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 school years. The researcher developed two research questions: a) What impact does a MODESE approved, research-based early childhood program have on the kindergarten readiness of prekindergarten students in the Study-Site School District as measured …

Factors Affecting Adoption And Diffusion Of Distance Education Among Health Education Faculty, James W. Ball

Dissertations

Background: In the past decade, distance education enrollment has become more common in colleges and universities, increasing from 1.6 million students in 1998 to an estimated 6.7 million in 2012. The purpose of this study was to identify which constructs in Rogers' (2003) diffusion of innovation theory are more likely to contribute to adoption and diffusion of distance education in health education. Health education instructors and faculty can use the information obtained from the results of this study if they want to implement distance education. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational survey design was used in this study. An …

Retrospective Evaluation Of Factors That Influence The Implementation Of C.A.T.C.H. In Southern Illinois Schools, Matthew Ryan Bice

Dissertations

This study is a retrospective evaluation of the Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH) coordinated school health program. An abundant amount of research has been conducted concerning CATCH, but no data exist that represents the characteristics and attitudes of individuals implementing the program. This study looked to examine organizational readiness, commitment to change, leadership, implementation barriers, innovation perceptions and their influence on the diffusion of CATCH. The primary purpose of this study is to describe and explain why schools in the same area that receive the same CATCH training result in different implementation practices. This study included a retrospective evaluation …

Alcoholism On The American Stage: De-Stigmatizing Socially Constructed Depictions Of The Alcoholic Through Performance, Thomas Michael Campbell

Dissertations

This dissertation seeks to address the societal problems associated with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency in relationship to problematic depictions that have appeared on the American stage. It examines plays that perpetuate stigmas as well as plays that seek to subvert stigmas and stereotypical depictions as a means of creating avenues for discourse. This study asks how we, as practitioners of the theatre, can use the theatre and the act of storytelling to initiate empathy and compassion toward what is still considered a marginalized topic of discussion. Cultural misconceptions regarding the development of and (mis)understandings of alcohol abuse/dependency are perpetuated …

Factors Influencing The Spatial And Temporal Structure Of A Carnivore Guild In The Central Hardwood Region, Damon B. Lesmeister

Dissertations

Ecological communities are most commonly structured by a mixture of bottom-up processes such as habitat or prey, competition within the same trophic level, and top-down forces from higher trophic levels. Carnivore guilds play a vital role in the broader ecological community by stabilizing or destabilizing food webs. Consequently, factors influencing the structure of carnivore guilds can be critical to patterns in ecosystems. Coyotes (Canis latrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus), gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) occur sympatrically throughout much of their geographic ranges in North America and overlap in resource use, …

Personal Protective Equipment And Laboratory Safety Training: The Roles Of Attitude, Subjective Norm, And Perceived Control, Ami A. Ruffing

Dissertations

Chemical and biological agents can cause serious adverse occupational health effects, and can adversely impact environmental health. Adverse incidents occur in laboratories using chemical, biological and radiologic agents, and laboratories pose a number of dangers to workers. Adverse incidents occur more frequently in teaching and research institutions when compared to industrial laboratories. Good laboratory safety practices, including the use of personal protective equipment, can reduce the number and severity of laboratory accidents, thus reducing the risk of chemical, biological and radiologic exposure for workers and for the public. Improving laboratory safety training should also result in fewer lab accidents. This …

Estimating Pre-Morbid Intellectual Functioning Using The Das-Naglieri: Cognitive Assessment System, Amy Christine Rhodes

Dissertations

Neurological evaluation often utilizes a comparison of current test performance and previous performance to note any changes in neurological functioning. Previous methods have utilized atheoretical assessment measures such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV as means of determining pre-morbid functioning. The purpose of this study was to develop pre-morbid intellectual functioning equations using the theoretical Das-Naglieri: Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) as a method to determine functioning prior to a neurological injury in children. Participants included the CAS Standardization sample (N= 2,791). The sample was randomly divided into two groups (90% comprising the development sample, the remaining 10% consisting …

Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Science In The Nursing Curricula, Jill Deanne Maroo

Dissertations

The nursing profession combines the art of caregiving with scientific concepts. Nursing students need to learn science in order to start in a nursing program. However, previous research showed that students left the nursing program, stating it included too much science (Andrew et al., 2008). Research has shown a correlation between students’ attitudes and their performance in a subject (Osborne, Simon, & Collins, 2003). However, little research exists on the overall attitude of nursing students toward science. At the time of my study there existed no large scale quantitative study on my topic. The purpose of my study was to …

Learner Retention Of Medical Vocabulary Based On Instructional Format And Success In Medical Coding, Madelon Reed Gruich

Dissertations

This quantitative research study explores the correlation between instructional formats and the measurement of knowledge retention, as well as subsequent course mastery and whether other factors such as age, ethnicity, gender, number of study hours, number of work hours, and family responsibilities influence learning outcomes. The healthcare data technology program attracts large numbers of individuals seeking training in this administrative healthcare field and was the focal area of the research for this study.

The participants in the study were the students enrolled in the healthcare data technology program of a southeastern community college, preparing for employment in the medical billing …

Through The Lens Of Perspective Transformation: The Impact Of Parent Education On The Parenting Styles Of Court-Ordered Participants, Mariann Baucum Taylor

Dissertations

Parenting is one of the most widespread developmental tasks of adulthood. Simply put, most adults are or eventually will be parents. Even though parenting is commonplace, it is nonetheless a complex and sometimes overwhelming process. Support for parents can be found in the form of parent education, a topic which has been extensively researched over the last several decades. This research consistently upholds the efficacy of parent education (Heath & Palm, 2009; Marienau & Segal, 2006; Miller & Sambell, 2002); however, there is far less research related to parent education for court-ordered parents. This study sought to fill that gap …

Teacher Attitudes Of Inclusion And Academic Performance Of Students With Disabilities, Jonathan Earl Sutton

Dissertations

Since the integration of the inclusion model, supported by the IDEA (1997), within public schools, teacher resistance and frustration has risen (Hardy, 1999). The climate of general education teachers’ classrooms furthermore, has not been the same (Liu & Meyer, 2005). Key elements ensuring success of inclusion and the implementation of inclusive education are the views, perspectives, and attitudes of the personnel who have the responsibility for implementing it; the teachers (Shade & Stewart, 2001). Avramidis and Norwich (2002) argued that successful implementation of any inclusive policy or programming is extremely dependent upon the educators being receptive and positive. Hines (2011) …

The Impact Of Technology Attitudes And Skills Of Rural Health Clinic Nurses On The Level Of Adoption Of Electronic Health Records In Mississippi, Jennifer Lynn Styron

Dissertations

The evolution of health information technology continues to reform the delivery of efficient, safe, and equitable healthcare in the United States. One such example is the emergence of electronic health records (EHRs) and the discerning emphasis placed on using this technology in meaningful ways. While the integration of EHRs into daily practice impacts all healthcare professionals, nurses remain a prominent driver in the successful adoption and usage of these systems. It is therefore imperative to understand the impact of nurses’ technology attitudes and skills on the level of EHR adoption in Mississippi.

This quantitative study examined the technology attitudes and …

Learning To Parent Again: An Investigation Of The Role Of Adult Education In The Phenomenon Of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Deborah Annette Stover

Dissertations

This study examined the readiness for self-direct learning of parenting grandmothers. The researcher investigated whether parental self-efficacy beliefs and addiction beliefs were significantly correlated to parenting grandmothers’ readiness for self-directed learning as measured by the Oddi Continuing Learning Instrument. Parental self-efficacy beliefs were investigated using the Parental Self-Efficacy Scale. Using the Addiction Belief Instrument, the researcher investigated the overall correlation of addiction belief to readiness for self-directed learning. The research also investigated whether the following beliefs significantly correlated to parenting grandmothers’ readiness for self-directed: people with substance abuse disorders are unable to control their using and are responsible for their …

Tweet, Tweet, And Repeat: How College Students And Social Media Bring You The News, Judith Penelope Roberts

Dissertations

This study examined what college students tweet about, how that information is presented, and if age and/or social media experience play a role in the tweets. The researcher followed 118 college student participants on Twitter in the fall of 2012 to determine if use the social media network to communicate news and found that the college students in the study did use Twitter to communicate news and receive the news. Their main topics of Twitter conversation included sports, politics, and arts and entertainment, and they tweeted more opinionated tweets than pure factual tweets. Additionally, the researcher found students in the …

The Impact Of Smaller Learning Communities On 9th Grade Mathematics Student Achievement And Graduation Rates, Keisha Burney Cook

Dissertations

Many problems in public education, ranging from low student achievement to high dropout rates, are being attributed to large schools, especially large high schools. While large high schools may provide more varied curriculums, they are also more impersonal. This can be especially problematic for ninth graders who are making the transition to high school. One solution that has been implemented as part of educational reform is organizing large high schools into small learning communities. The purpose of this study was to determine if the existence of a smaller learning community has an impact on ninth grade students’ achievement in Georgia …

Gamification In Science Education: The Relationship Of Educational Games To Motivation And Achievement, Kelly Elizabeth Rouse

Dissertations

Community colleges have become increasingly more important in America’s higher education system. Part of this emphasis has been directly due to President Obama’s 2010 directive to produce a competitive workforce in the United States by increasing the community college graduation rate by five million over the next decade (Madhani, 2010). Community colleges allow open admission for students which permits marginally prepared students to enter. These students may lack motivation, which contributes to student attrition (Williams, 2010). The focus of this study is to examine methods that may improve student learning and motivation, which could ultimately lead to higher graduation rates. …

Dialogue As A Tool For Meaning Making, Angela Suzanne Dudley Bruni

Dissertations

In order to empower citizens to analyze the effects, risk, and value of science, a knowledge of scientific concepts is necessary (Mejlgaard, 2009). The formal educational system plays a role in this endeavor (Gil-Perez & Vilches, 2005). One proposed constructivist practice is the use of social learning activities using verbalized, shared cognition among learners. In an effort to investigate the effects of verbally shared cognition, this project sought to determine if social learning opportunities affect the mastery of content in gateway biology courses and to identify the types of dialogue students engage in during cognitive collaboration. Fifty-seven students enrolled in …

Developing Social Capital: The Effect Of An Academic Service-Learning Component On The Civic Attitudes Of College Students, Joshua Paul Duplantis

Dissertations

Service-learning courses are credit-bearing educational experiences that deepen course content, meet identified community needs and use reflection to help students connect their service with the learning. These experiences give students an increased level of civic attitude and increased networks, which increases social and human capital. Research shows that the increase in capital developed through service-learning plays an important role in students’ job search success (D’Agostino, 2010). This heightened social capital is critical as the United States, specifically Mississippi, will deal with a projected increase in the need for college graduates who are prepared to navigate a job search and enter …

The Measurement Of Self-Directed Learning Among Postsecondary Disability Services Administrators, Lakeshia Marche Alexander

Dissertations

With increasing budget cuts, decreasing funds for training opportunities, and increasing demands for services for students with disabilities, there is a need for researchers to identify how DSAs prepare for and operate in their positions in disability services (Madaus, 1998). The researcher proposes that like many adults, DSAs may be engaging in self-directed study to gain the necessary knowledge and skills needed in order to perform their jobs effectively.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether a relationship existed between self-directed learner readiness and the number of learning projects completed by disability services administrators (DSAs) in the postsecondary …

Effects Of Food Dispersion On Dominance Related Behaviors In Garnett's Bushbaby (Otolemur Garnettii)?, Kyle Daniel Edens

Dissertations

Socio-ecological theorists tie primate social structure diversity to variations in habitats within which primate species reside. This premise permits laboratory researchers to investigate specific factors that influence or relate to social structure formation and maintenance. The focus of the current investigation was three fold. We first aimed to determine the relationships between traditional and non-traditional behavioral measures of dominance, then evidence for dominance hierarchy formation was examined, and various hypotheses were tested to discern if adjustments in the foraging context altered social behaviors in Garnett’s bushbaby (Otolemur garnettii). It was determined that animals likely to displace conspecifics were …

Interrelationships Between Testosterone, Aggression, And Parental Care Of A Temperate-Zone, Resident Songbird, The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis), Margaret Susan Devries

Dissertations

Interrelationships among testosterone (T), aggression, and parental care have received much investigative attention. Within birds, many studies have focused on examining such relationships using species characterized by relatively brief periods of territoriality and breeding. Few have investigated links between circulating T and reproductive behavior in birds that are year-round territorial residents and have lengthy breeding seasons, such as the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). The following six chapters report and discuss findings from this dissertation’s examination of aspects of T production and potential interconnections with circulating T, aggression, and parental care in male and female cardinals. This work suggests …

Toward A Model For Predicting Depression Among Veterans, Nita Aurora Magee-Cornelius

Dissertations

Major depression, identified as a leading cause of disability in the United States, is often first diagnosed by primary care providers. This disability is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and a lower quality of life. With approximately one in every three veteran diagnosed with depression and the rate of suicide increasing in the United States military (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2009), the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 items (PHQ-2) can be instrumental in identification and monitoring of depressive symptoms. The purposes of this retrospective study were to determine the prevalence of depression, as measured by the federally mandated PHQ-2 in the VA, …

A Bird In The Binoculars: Understanding Birdwatchers' Potential To Contribute To Sustainable Development And Biological Conservation, Sheri Lynn Glowinski

Dissertations

The three studies comprising this research drew from local economic development and environmental sociology to understand aspects of human dynamics that influence the conservation of birds. Using survey data collected from birdwatchers visiting coastal Alabama, the first study examined the local economic impact of birdwatching tourism and the factors that participants deemed important with respect to their recreation. Birdwatchers spent $103,305 during the four month study period. The total annual economic impact of this recreation on the area was estimated at $937,470, producing a multiplier of 1.48 and the equivalent of 20.3 full time jobs. Infrastructural variables (parking, bathrooms, site …

Perceptions Of Workplace Bullying Among Practicing Registered Nurses, Crystal Regina Threadgill

Dissertations

Workplace bullying (WPB) is a social and organizational problem. Within the health care arena, employees, particularly registered nurses, are at risk. WPB has several adverse effects and has been cited in the literature as closely associated with burnout and nurses leaving their positions. This quantitative study examined workplace bullying among practicing registered and its relationship with burnout and nurses’ intent to leave their current position.

The surveys utilized were the Negative Acts Questionnaires-Revised (NAQ-R), Maslach Burnout Inventory Survey, Intention to Turnover Scale and a demographic survey. Of the surveys distributed, a total of 185 were returned from one selected hospital …

Reporting Accuracy Of School Officials And Employees, Weston J. Finch

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Case Study Exploring Science Competence And Science Confidence Of Middle School Girls From Marginalized Backgrounds, Yeni Violeta García

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Academic Accommodations, Social Supports, And Academic Self-Efficacy: Predictors Of Academic Success For Postsecondary Students With Disabilities, Stefanie Marie Howe

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Transforming Hierarchical Relationships In Student Conduct Administration, Kelly A. Jacobson

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Early Childhood Teachers’ Reflective Practice, Karen Magee Koski

Dissertations

This collective case study was undertaken to discover if early childhood teachers could increase their reflective capacity after participating in professional development centered around reflection on their practice. Three professional development sessions were held with each participant: in the first session, a working definition of reflection was written; in the second session, participants were exposed to using reflection to examine multiple perspectives of a situation; and in the third session, participants used an issue in their practice and created an action plan after looking at multiple solutions and the consequences of each solution.

Four early childhood teachers from three types …