Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Information Visualization For Decision Making Support In An Emergency Department Information System., Quaneisha L. Jenkins-Penha

Dissertations

Emergency departments collect large amounts of data to make decisions regarding patient care. New technologies are used to support the decision-making process. Various information visualization (IV) techniques can be used to support healthcare professionals in visualizing patterns that can be helpful in the decision-making process. Implementation of decision support tools with IV techniques in EDIS is difficult to achieve and thus an evaluation of the techniques is needed. The purpose of this dissertation is to propose an evaluation framework to assess various IV techniques in EDIS and provide recommendations for developers. A comprehensive assessment framework was developed based on performance …

Can A Self Assessement Tool For Environmental Controls Which Has Been Informed By Users Be Of Benefit To Potential Users, Sean Loughran

Dissertations

This dissertation looks at the area of environmental control systems (ECS) also known as electronic aids for daily living for people with disabilities. These systems allow an individual with a disability to control devices such as a television, music player, telephone as well as a door, window or curtain controllers. A self-assessment tool was developed for potential users, which was informed by the feedback of (i) users who use or who have used environmental control systems, (ii) Enable Ireland staff who were involved in the service delivery of ECS and (iii) companies who install ECS for individuals with disabilities. These …

Testing Mobile Web Applications For W3c Best Practice Compliance, Sean Mee

Dissertations

Adherence to best practices and standards when developing mobile web applications is important to achieving a quality outcome. As smartphones and tablet PCs continue to proliferate in the consumer electronics market, businesses and individuals are increasingly turning from the native application paradigm to HTML 5-based web applications as a means of software development and distribution. With an everincreasing reliance by users on the correct functioning of such applications, the requirement for stringent and comprehensive quality assurance measures is also brought sharply into focus. This research investigates the increasing trend towards mobile web application development in the mobile software domain, and …

Biometric Alternatives To Captcha: Exploring Accessible Interface Options, Anita Foley

Dissertations

In the computing domain the relationship between accessibility and security is a complex and evolving one; accessibility attempts to ensure that as wide a range of individuals as possible are granted access to systems, whereas security attempts to restrict access only to individuals who are entitled to access those systems. A key security concern is to determine whether or not the system is being accessed by a software agent or a real human being, and a number of approaches have been developed to determine the answer to this question. This issue has been discussed throughout the history of computer science …

Investigation And Analysis Of Open Government Data In Ireland, And The Creation Of A Set Of Quality Guidelines To Aid Its Utility Within Mobile Application Development, Peadar Fitzpatrick

Dissertations

Governments are the custodians of vast amount of data. While some of this data may be sensitive in nature, in that it contains personal or confidential information, much of it is in the public interest. Recent years has seen the emergence of Open Government Data (OGD) where governments are now actively making their data available in open and electronically accessible formats. The motivation for the production of such data includes a desire to increase transparency but also a desire to realise the economic potential associated with re-use of this data. A key usage area for this data to date has …

The Effect Of Learning Styles And E-Learning Tools On The Training Of Ict To Digital Immigrants In Life Long Learning, Stephen Horan

Dissertations

The diversity of learners in the classroom has expanded significantly in the past twenty years, in a modern classroom it is unsurprising to see learners for whom English is not their first language, learners with specific learning difficulties, mature learners, learners attempting to return to work, etc., so much so that the 'typical' learner has become extinct. This research will look at the use of Information Communication Technology in Education by undertaking an investigation of how the use of ICT can aid learners, both digital natives and digital immigrants. The project will use learning styles at the core of an …

Towards Universally Designed Assistive Technology E-Learning, Karl O'Keeffe

Dissertations

The aim of this dissertation is to provide Assistive Technology (AT) professionals involved in the area of education and training with a set of reusable technological tools and techniques that will enable them to increase the reach, efficiency, effectiveness and accessibility of their training through online delivery. There are a number of broadly accepted reasons why an organisation in any field might choose to make training available online or partially online (blended) rather than relying on traditional face to face methods. Of the four considered here and mentioned above, accessibility is the biggest concern in the context of AT. It …

Global Stability And Traveling Wave Solutions For Some Epidemiological Models, Siroj Kansakar

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Elementary School Teachers' Reasons For Staying In Their Current Schools: A Comparison Study, Luzmila Beanira Adrianzen

Dissertations

This study examines elementary school teachers' reasons for staying in their current schools, specifically, comparing two schools, one from a low-income district and one from a high-income district. The researcher assesses similarities and differences among teacher's perceptions of these factors in these two schools.

The researcher reviews literature on factors that explain teacher turnover and retention. Furthermore, literature on theories of motivation, such as Herzberg's two-factor theory and Vroom's expectancy theory to motivation was reviewed and also used as a methodological approach to analyze the data.

To examine elementary school teachers' reasons for staying in their current schools a quantitative …

Building A Climate That Supports And Protects Mandated Reporters: School Principals And Their Perceived Roles And Policies And Procedures In K-8 Schools, Gina Bartucci

Dissertations

Schools are designed to be safe and healthy places for children to grow and learn, and principals are the instructional leader charged with creating this climate. The role of the mandated reporter, which is the role assigned to all individuals who work in schools, is intended to protect children. The mandated reporter is supposed to be the voice for children-not just for the child who actually speaks out against the individual who is perpetrating against them, but also for the child who does not have the words to report the abuse. A suspicion is all a mandated reporter needs to …

Cultural Competence--Does It Matter?: Lessons From A Mixed-Methods Study Of Wraparound Practice, Jennifer James Rose

Dissertations

This mixed methods study investigated whether caregivers' ratings of wraparound fidelity and satisfaction with the wraparound process differed based upon their facilitators' self-assessed cultural competence and caregivers' reported stress. An explanatory sequential design was used. The quantitative phase was completed first. Survey methodology was used to measure reported cultural competence, wraparound fidelity, satisfaction with the wraparound process, and parental stress. Facilitators (n=58) completed a self-assessment instrument, the Multicultural Counseling Knowledge and Awareness Scale (MCKAS; Ponterotto, 1997). The MCKAS survey yielded a 43% response rate. The MCKAS descriptive data found levels of reported cultural competence comparable to previously published studies. Telephone …

What We Can Learn From The Lived Experience Of Asperger's Syndrome, Craig Allen Talbot Edd

Dissertations

The overall purpose of this study was to survey the personal experiences of individuals with Asperger's Syndrome (AS), analyze and combine them into a shared lived experience in order to provide information pertinent to treatment and intervention, particularly in educational and extra-curricular settings. Those teaching, volunteering or working with individuals with AS must consider their behavioral propensities and natural inclinations in both characteristics and individual personality traits when guiding them in schooling, career preparation, life skills, social interactions and other responsibilities. The goal of the study was to identify common interventions, including technology interventions, or patterns of behavior used by …

Positive Emotions And Immune Respose To Influenza In Medically Stable Older Adults, Maryann J. Gierloff

Dissertations

Influenza results in substantial human suffering and health care costs. Evidence from psychoneuroimmunology suggests that emotions influence the immune system and may alter susceptibility to infectious diseases, like influenza. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of psychological factors, health behaviors, circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines and the development of influenza-like illness in older adults. Medically stable participants, 55 years of age and over, were enrolled from the general community and an elderly community. Psychological factors (emotions and perceived stress), health behaviors (sleep and physical activity) and plasma cytokine levels (IL-6 and IL-1B) were evaluated with respect …

The Locus Of Preparation And Privilege: College Choice And Social Reproduction, Daniel Allen

Dissertations

Despite the ostensible proposition of American higher education to create a level playing field and advance an individual's life opportunities, the history of access to higher education in the United States has demonstrated a lack of equality in enrollment patterns. This enrollment inequality appears most pronounced when considering family income and socioeconomic status. These differences are particularly notable when considering enrollment patterns of students who are academically qualified to succeed at a highly selective college or university, but who come from low income families. Such variations in enrollment at highly selective colleges and universities aligned with family income and not …

Examining Support That Exists For Social And Emotional Program Implementation In Elementary Charter Schools, Angela N. Brooks

Dissertations

This qualitative case study examines the perceptions of elementary charter school principals and teachers and the supports that exist for implementation of social and emotional learning programs. The experiences and perspectives of the participants in this research study will be significant to understanding the perceptions of what principals do to support social and emotional program implementation within a school.

The research questions in this research study are as follows:

1. According to the perceptions of elementary charter school principals, what do they do to support social and emotional learning program implementation in the school and in the classroom?

2. According …

Nietzsche's Theory Of Cognition: An Interpretation And Defense Of Perspectivism, Justin R. Marquis

Dissertations

Friedrich Nietzsche has long been recognized as a pivotal thinker in the history of moral philosophy, but until the last quarter century his importance for our understanding of the concepts of truth and knowledge had been largely ignored in English-language scholarship. In my dissertation, I add to the growing discussion on Nietzsche's theory of human cognition. While more attention has recently been given to this dimension of Nietzsche's thought, several key aspects have been largely ignored or insufficiently treated including the effects that the ethical or evaluative domain have on the way we cognize the world, the role that radical …

Preferred Dna Binding Orientation Of The Hyperthermophile Protein Sac7d, Gokul Krishna Turaga

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Relational Study Of The Knowledge Sharing Behavior And Organizational Commitment Of Engineers, Deborah Anne Howell

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Transcriptome Characterization Of The Ectomycorrhizal Fungus Laccaria Bicolor To Understand Metabolic Reprogramming During Symbiotic Interaction With Populus Tremuloides, Geetika Trivedi

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Synthesis And Characterization Of Biocompatible Pegylated Poly (A-Amino Acid) Random And Block Copolymers For Application To Solid Surfaces, Tracy L. Armstrong

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Toward A Holistic Interdisciplinary Model Of Human Being: A Hebraic-Christian Perspective Of The Human Observer And Its Beneficial Impact On The Theology-And-Science Dialogue, Society, And The Environment, Karen K. Abrahamson

Dissertations

Problem

A challenge faced by the theology-and-science dialogue is how to effectively communicate across disciplinary lines. The community assumes that there is a methodology or cluster of methodologies that allows for interdisciplinary conversation to take place. However, the community is not in agreement about how this process should occur or the hermeneutical principles that should guide it. Is it possible to surmount the problem of methodological compatibility and to generate mutually beneficial and fruitful dialogue through seeking a point of commonality between all the disciplines of the theology-and-science dialogue?

Purpose

The purpose of this dissertation is to discover a philosophical …

Descriptions Of Childhood Trauma, Effects Of The Trauma, And How Adults Moved Through The Trauma To Normalized Behavior, Alice Katherine Schaaf

Dissertations

Problem. People who are not able to overcome the effects of childhood trauma often waste their human potential on substance abuse and illegal and illicit lifestyles; they end up in prison, uneducated, or develop self-destructive behavior. They often struggle with poor learning and social skills and are not able to be successful in life. However, some individuals do succeed. This study interviewed eight individuals who suffered childhood trauma and developed ways of overcoming that trauma to live prosperous, productive, and, in many regards, full lives.

Method. This qualitative study used interviews to explore how adults traumatized as children described childhood …

The Emotional Intelligence Profiles And Cognitive Measures Of Nurse Anesthesia Students In The Southeastern United States, Shawn Bryant Collins

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this cross-sectional correlational study was to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and personal and academic factors of nurse anesthesia students at three points in a program: matriculation, at one year of study, and in the last semester of study and the relationship of these to clinical scores and national certification examination (NCE) scores.

Method. An ex-post-facto cross-sectional study design was used to gather data at three critical times in nurse anesthesia (NA) programs to explore the relationships between emotional intelligence scores, preadmission demographics, clinical scores, and NCE scores.

Results. Data from 216 nurse anesthesia students …

The Perceptions Of General Education Teachers About The Over-Representation Of Black Students In Special Education, David Roland Grice

Dissertations

Statement of the Problem: There is an over-representation of Black students in special education. Black students are typically referred for special education consideration by the end of the fourth grade. One effort to reduce the large number of referrals in Connecticut was Courageous Conversations About Race. Courageous Conversations About Race is designed to address what educators, families, and other community groups can do to improve teaching and learning across racial lines. It served as a strategy for educators to confront and deinstitutionalize racism. Courageous Conversations About Race is an effective means to address the issues of race in schools/districts where …

God And Integrity: A Case Study Of Walter C. Kaiser Jr. And Norman L. Geisler, Augustin Tchamba

Dissertations

The God of the Bible is sometimes portrayed as using and condoning deceit to achieve His purpose, especially when human life is at stake. Two evangelical scholars, Walter C. Kaiser Jr. and Norman L. Geisler, with a shared theological heritage, differ in their interpretation of Exod 1:15-21 and Josh 2:1-7 that addresses the ethical issue of lying to save life.

This dissertation not only refutes the claim that God uses and condones the use of deceit to achieve His purpose, but also clarifies biblical argument for His integrity. The study provides answers to a number of questions. First, what causes …

Environmental Literacy Of Seventh-Day Adventist Teachers In The Parochial Schools Of The Florida Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Michael Murdoch

Dissertations

Problem. In the United States, there is an environmental literacy problem. Americans possess limited knowledge about the environment and environmental issues, and they display limited positive action regarding the environment in which they live. Moreover, there is a debate whether a Christian’s interpretation of Gen 1:28 leads either to a lower or to a higher environmental literacy. Does the Seventh-day Adventist teaching community reflect these problems? These are the problems which this dissertation seeks to help solve.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to attempt to assess the environmental literacy of a group of teachers in Seventh-day …

Empirically Supported Treatment Interventions For Persons With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder And Comorbid Borderline Personality Disorder, Megan Seliga

Dissertations

The overall stigma- and gender-related controversies that surround the diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) present a unique ethical mandate to the practitioner. The relationship between trauma and the BPD diagnosis strengthens the need for carefully designed treatment interventions in order to secure the benefits of trauma-focused work, while minimizing the risk of undue regression. The complexity and risk of harm introduced by a diagnosis of comorbid BPD and PTSD urges the need for clarification of optimal treatment interventions to guide practitioners. Trauma-focused therapies, particularly EMDR, tend to be the treatment of choice for PTSD; however, comorbid borderline pathology has …

A Qualitative Exploration Of African American Men's Attitudes Toward Marriage, Rabiatu Barrie

Dissertations

The decline in the rate of marriage in the African American community has been documented in both the empirical literature and pop culture. Initially researchers postulated that the upward mobility of African American women had diminished their to marry, but studies found opposing evidence to that theory and so the focus switched to African American men. Early studies about African American men and marriage indicated that the sex-ratio imbalance, the educational disparity between African American men and women that leads to economic frailty was the major cause of the disparity in marriage (James et al 1999, Davis, Emerson, & Williams, …

Protective Factors Against Intergenerational Conflict In Chinese Immigrant Families: A Pilot Study, Xiaoyan Fan

Dissertations

This pilot study examined some potential protective factors which may mitigate the effects of the acculturation gap on intergenerational conflict in 23 Chinese immigrant families. Adolescents and one of their immigrant parents completed questionnaires assessing their acculturation. Adolescents also completed family conflict and parent attachment measures. Parents provided information on the use of social support and the communication on the cultural differences between American culture and Chinese culture in the family by completing related measures. It was expected that acculturation gap would predict parent-child conflicts in immigrant families, and the relationships between acculturation gap and parent-child conflict would be moderated …

The Relationship Between Infant Crying And Father Well-Being, Leslie Katch

Dissertations

Infant excessive crying and fussing has been linked to adverse maternal outcomes such as increased depression and stress, and decreased feelings of parenting self-efficacy. Infant crying has also been identified as the number one trigger caregivers report prior to an abusive action, placing infants who cry excessively at risk. Fathers and male caregivers have been identified as the primary offenders in the majority of infant abuse cases, suggesting a particular risk between fathers and infants who cry excessively. However, the relationship between excessive crying and fathers has not been explored to the same extent as mothers. In an effort to …