Digital Commons Network^™

A Methodology To Develop A Communication Protocol For Visualizing Simulations In A Collaborative Virtual Reality Environment, Lacey Suzanne Duckworth

Dissertations

In the technology field, simulations and collaborative virtual reality environments (CVREs) are not generally combined because it is complicated to develop large scale simulations within CVREs. The complexity of combining these two technologies in order to form a better form of visualization stems from the lack of a methodology to help derive these scalable simulations. Simulations require very complex calculations that the CVRE cannot perform as it is overloaded in calculations for the maintenance and stability of the environment itself. Since the simulation cannot be held within the CVRE, the solution is to move the simulation external to the CVRE …

Photopolymerized Thiol-Ene Networks For Gas Barrier And Membrane Applications, Luke Kwisnek

Dissertations

Gas transport and free volume properties of photopolymerized thiol-ene networks for various applications are reported. For basic, commercially-available thiol-ene formulations, oxygen permeation was strictly dependent on the difference between T_test (room temperature for this work) and network T_g. Networks with T_g near T_test demonstrated the lowest values of permeability, diffusivity, and solubility. A robust, high-barrier network was selected for further modification. New networks with embedded functionality were formed using a two-step approach. Thio-Michael addition of a tetrathiol to monofunctional acrylates formed new functional thiol monomers. These functional thiols were combined with an isocyanurate-based triene and …

The Oddity As Commodity: Television And The Modern Day Freak Show, Robin Marie Cecala

Dissertations

A new genre of documentary and reality program has appeared on cable television in recent years. Suddenly, little people, conjoined twins, the morbidly obese, Treeman and Mermaid Girl are the new stars of cable. This latest genre features people with medical conditions once exhibited in the turn of the century freak shows.

The goal of this dissertation is to argue that documentary programming on cable is becoming a modern version of the P.T. Barnum-style freak shows. The analysis uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to examine representations of race, culture and disability. The dissertation also discusses the history of the …

Mentoring During Adolescence And Adult Resilience, Pola Christina Jakacki

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between mentoring and adult resilience, specifically adults that were mentored as adolescents. The study sample comprised of 657 adults from various locations across the country. For this quantitative study, they completed a two-part questionnaire made up of the Resilience Scale-14 created by Gail M. Wagnild and Heather M. Young (1993) and author created questions regarding demographics and mentor relationships.

The responses were analyzed using frequencies, means, standard deviations, independent samples t tests, and a Pearson correlation. Results of the study showed that there was a significant …

The Relationship Between Readability Level Of Mississippi's Middle Schools' Websites And Seventh Grade Language Arts Mct2 Scores, Anna Marlene Graves Pickard

Dissertations

Today’s educators face the unprecedented challenge of increasing achievement for all students. One response has been to increase and improve parent involvement and school-to-home communication through the use of school websites. The quantitative section of this study analyzed the readability grade level of the website as it relates to state test scores. For the qualitative section of the study, a sample of middle school principals’ levels of interest and involvement with parents through the website and other methods of communication for student achievement were examined through the use of principal interviews.

Seventh grade Language Arts MCT2 scores from 205 Mississippi …

The Effects Of Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation On Lower-Body Hypertrophy-Type Resistance Exercise, Benjamin Mclean Carr

Dissertations

A number of studies have demonstrated the ergogenic effects of induced-alkalosis on high-intensity intermittent exercise performance. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) administration on a high-volume hypertrophy-type resistance exercise regimen for the lower body. Methods: In a double-blind counterbalanced manner, 12 resistance-trained male participants (mean ± SD; age = 20.3 ± 2 yr, mass = 88.3 ± 13.2 kg, height = 1.80 ± 0.07 m), with a minimum of two years of training experience, ingested either 0.3 g˙kg^-1 of NaHCO₃ or calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) …

The Effects Of Coping On The Psychological Well-Being Of Inidividuals Who Are Late-Deafened, Jill Marie Meyer

Dissertations

Abstract Recent research supports the application of the theory of adaptation to various groups of individuals with disabilities. The premise of the theory is that individuals with certain disabilities may have greater difficulty adapting to their newly acquired level of functioning (Diener, Lucas, & Scollon, 2006). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between disability factors and psychosocial outcomes, specifically psychological well-being, in a sample of individuals who lost their hearing after age 12. Coping was examined to determine if it was a mediator of the relationships between the disability factors (age of onset, severity of disability, …

The Impact Of A Saturday Enrichment Program With A University Partnership In An Urban Elementary School, Jenny Ellen Gray

Dissertations

The Saturday Enrichment Program (SEP) was an idea conceived by the faculty at a large university in partnership with a surrounding school district that is characterized as urban. The idea of the SEP was to create a whole extra day of learning for students that was a departure from the regular routine of Monday through Friday class. The SEP was designed to be a more relaxed, hands-on, student driven program that followed a Project Based Learning (PBL) philosophy. The teachers were pre-service teachers (PSTs) from the university. This study sought to answer the research question; what are the perceptions of …

Program Evaluation Of Universal Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports In Kentucky, Kelly S. Davis

Dissertations

The current study was undertaken to examine the impact of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation on schools in Kentucky. Research questions evaluated (a) whether schools in Kentucky implemented PBIS with fidelity and (b) how PBIS implementation impacted student outcomes. Results of the study indicated that elementary, middle, and high schools implemented PBIS with fidelity. Associations were noted between PBIS implementation and decreases in office discipline referrals, out-of-school suspensions, dropout rate, and student retention rate. Results suggested that the PBIS model of training and technical assistance used in Kentucky demonstrates a reliable model for schools to follow to implement …

Undoing Plessy: Charles Hamilton Houston, Race, Labor, And The Law, Gordon Andrews

Dissertations

Undoing Plessy: Charles Hamilton Houston, Race, Labor, and the Law, 1895--1950, explores the manner in which African Americans countered racialized impediments during the first half of the twentieth century by attacking their legal underpinnings. Specifically, this work explores the professional life of Charles Hamilton Houston, and the degree to which it informs our understanding of change in the pre-Brown era. There were a wide range of forces at work, from individuals, organizations, and institutions, to government in its various forms (local, state, and federal), complicating any strategy to reformulate the parameters of equality. Using both labor and education law as …

Students Of Indian Heritage And United States Citizen Students' Adaptation Of College, Opinions About Mental Illness And Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Counseling Help, Margaret Omotola Ajayi-Nabors

Dissertations

The present study replicated Baysden's (2002) multi-component model and tested its generalizability on a homogeneous demographic group. This study compared international college students from India (n 0 244) and U.S. student participants (n 0 393) on their adaptation to college, their opinions about mental illness, and their attitudes regarding their professional psychological help-seeking behavior. A structural regression model was utilized to examine if student origin influenced opinions about mental illness, student adaptation to college, and attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help. /// The findings of this project supported Baysden's (2002) multi-component model to understanding international students' use of counseling. More …

Implementation Of The 2009 Cacrep Standards Addiction Competencies, Tiffany K. Lee

Dissertations

Addiction issues have been and continue to be significant problems affecting the United States. Over the past few decades, substantial scholarly attention has been paid to the lack of addictions training in the counseling profession. The purposes of this mixed-method study were to examine the current status of addiction training among institutions that offer counselor education programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and determine how institutions plan to integrate the addiction-related competencies outlined in the 2009 CACREP standards.

The quantitative data were obtained from a 15-item online survey completed by 74 CACREP …

Comparisons Of Three Analytical Techniques For Measuring Absolute And Relative Temperature Changes During Ultrasound Treatment, Michael G. Miller

Dissertations

Ultrasound is a thermal modality that utilizes acoustic energy to promote heating. While there are many factors that affect heating of body tissues, the effects of skinfold thickness and skin temperature upon ultrasound heating have not been studied extensively. In addition, while temperature typically follows a linear trend, past research typically uses ANOVA or regression analysis to examine this relationship; but these models examine the within-subject effects (time) and between effects (usually groups) at the group level, not the individual level. Therefore, the purposes of this study are to determine if skin temperature and skinfold thickness are predictors for intramuscular …

A Statistical Comparison Of First Time Praxis Ii Pass Rates Between Homegrown 4 Year Students And Transfer Students Of A Medium Size Suburban University: A Six Year Study, Jason Edward Holmes Jr.

Dissertations

In order to meet the federal mandate specified by the No Child Left Behind Act to demonstrate content competency for teaching certification, students must pass a written examination. Missouri and 37 other states chose the Praxis II to satisfy requirements. Presently, schools of education advertise the passing rate of the Praxis II as 100%, since students can take the Praxis II until they pass. This study examined only the first time Praxis II pass rates for undergraduate students in a medium sized university over a six year period. The quantitative, predictive non-experimental research study statistically analyzed first time Praxis II …

Missouri Charter Schools And Educational Reform, Phillip James Guy

Dissertations

In 1998, Missouri‟s two largest school districts, St. Louis and Kansas City, had become, in the eyes of many, completely dysfunctional. In court-ordered attempts to end desegregation and improve academically, each district built costly and extravagant magnet schools; however, low test scores and high dropout rates continued. These problems, and others, would cause both districts to lose their state accreditations in the next ten years. In an effort to put the focus back on student learning and force these districts to improve, Missouri lawmakers passed Senate Bill 781. This bill allowed charter schools to open and operate within the Kansas …

Compassionate Care, The Patient Perspective, Lori Burnell Phd

Dissertations

Professional mandates call for nurses to respond with compassion (e.g., American Nurses Association [ANA] Code of Ethics, International Council of Nurses [ICN]) and countless hospital mission and vision statements prominently display compassion as their fundamental purpose. As a component of healthcare and nursing models, however, defining characteristics and standards are inconsistent. Compassion as a means of establishing a connection on a spiritual level abounds in the literature (Buck, 2006; Grant, 2004; O'Brien, 2008; Schultz et al., 2007) and is documented as a nursing requirement (e.g., ANA, ICN); however, it remains virtually uncharted from the lens of the patient. Through interpretive …

Fibromyalgia Self-Care Management: Use Of Essential Oils, Regina Ann Sacco Izu Phd

Dissertations

Fibromyalgia is a female dominant chronic syndrome of diffuse muscle pain on palpation of at least 11 of 18 syndrome-associated tender points present for 3 months or longer. There is no cure. Self-care management involving multimodal integrative medicine approaches may increase treatment involvement resulting in a sense of control and pain relief. This embedded, single case study explored 'how' and 'why' an informant with fibromyalgia chose to initiate and continue self-care management using essential oils over several years to treat symptoms within context reality. Orem's Self-Care Deficit Model and the Principles of Integrative Medicine from the University of Arizona formed …

Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Introduction Of Universal Secondary Education In St. Lucia, Verneta Lesforis

Dissertations

Developing countries are constantly trying to improve their educational systems because research suggests that increased education can have benefits for individuals and countries in terms of better health, higher wages and increased stability. The most recent change in educational policy in some of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) including St. Lucia is the implementation of Universal Secondary Education (USE) to provide secondary school access to all students. There has been little research on the perceptions of teachers from the various islands about the introduction of USE. This study sought to identify the perceptions of the secondary school teachers …

Investigating Smartboard Technology For Mathematics Education To Improve The Learning Of Digital Native Students, Amy Yvonne Spears

Dissertations

The SMARTBoard is a technology teaching tool that engages students in learning and enhances a mathematics curriculum. This study consisted of data from student and teacher surveys of technology items that are available and which can be used in the classroom, a personal self-interview conducted by the researcher to establish her technology journey, an item analysis of a diagnostic mathematics test to establish a base for measurement, and a seventh grade standarized mathematics test from the state of Missouri to complete a measurement of the effects of technology use on student achievement. The researcher compiled data from multiple sources, which …

The Socioeconomic Achievement Gap In Mathematics, Adam Meador

Dissertations

Currently in the United States a gap exists in the education of high and low socio-economic students. There is an education available for the socioeconomically challenged and a different system of education for those who live in a higher socioeconomic status. The purpose of this study was to explore the achievement gap in mathematics for elementary students. Specifically, the gap between the students’ scores who attended a school with a free and reduced price meal percentage below 25% and students’ scores who attended a school with a free and reduced price meal percentage above 75% was explored. Additionally, the focus …

Implementing A Summer Fitness Program To Enhance Fitness Test Scores, Keith A. Price

Dissertations

Presently, there is general disquiet about the poor fitness and obesity levels being displayed by young people in the USA. Given my concern about this as a Physical Education teacher, I conducted a qualitative action research project that involved running a six-week Summer Fitness Club for elementary students in Grades 1-5. The purpose was to see if this program could make a difference in the fitness test scores of the children and to monitor the implementation of that program. The course was designed to operate four days a week for six weeks with each session lasting two hours. Each session …

The Effects Of A Systematic Progress Monitoring Program On Sixth Grade Middle School Reading Scores And Teacher Perceptions, Jamie Alexander Smith

Dissertations

The development of quality educational programs, designed to meet the needs of all students, is a pivotal responsibility of educators and yet a considerable challenge due to the diverse needs in each school. Many consider the Response to Intervention (RtI) model to be one initiative with the greatest potential to improve education for all students (Tilly, 2006). RtI is a process that screens students for concerns, uses scientifically based strategies to teach, intervenes to address identified learning needs, assesses and charts progress, and ultimately adjusts the educational support to meet the varied needs of all learners (Dickman, 2006). A vast …

Relationship Between Self-Stigma And Personal Empowerment Among People Who Have Severe Mental Illness, Diane Fischer Hickman Phd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between self-stigma of mental illness and personal empowerment among people who have a severe mental illness. It had been hypothesized that self-stigma of mental illness and personal empowerment are at opposite end of a continuum. As such, individuals who perceive themselves in a stigmatized manner tend to reciprocally perceive themselves as being relatively powerless, rather than having a strong sense of personal empowerment. Likewise, individuals who perceive themselves as having a relatively strong sense of personal empowerment tend to experience a low degree of self-stigma. To test this hypothesis, a …

Examination Of Existing Strategies To Support State Physical Fitness Standards: A Case Study Of A Large Mid-Western Urban School District, Tyrone D. Smith

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify which Missouri Physical Education Fitness Assessment strategies were implemented by high schools in the Study School District to meet state physical fitness standards and to identify physical fitness personnel perceptions of district-provided support for physical education programs and their possible benefits to students involved. Results may increase reader awareness of fitness related health issues such as teen obesity and early onset diabetes. The secondary data used for this research study was obtained from the study school fitness assessment results. The researcher generated the Teacher Resource survey administered by the district. Responses to …

Board Of Trustees: The Whole Is Greater Than The Sum Of The Individual Parts, William M. Griffin

Dissertations

All eyes are on community and technical colleges as they lead the way through challenging economic times and provide educational opportunities to those in the communities they serve. Regulatory pressures, dwindling resources, calls for improved student outcomes and academic quality, and competition from for-profit institutions speak to the need for high-performing community college boards. Boards must wield their power and goodwill to do everything possible to enhance their ability to shape the institution‘s strategic directions as a collective whole that performs harmoniously. Trustees are obligated to represent both the community‘s interest and the welfare of the institution. Being well prepared …

Improving Diabetic Outcomes With Caring Communication: Identifying Communication Patterning For The Human Diabetic, James R. Kennett Phd

Dissertations

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of caring communication for people living with diabetes (PLD) and the relationship to diabetic outcomes. Caring communication has not been studied for improving diabetic outcomes. Randomized control trials (RCTs) direct care, however people do not do what they told, they need to be included in their care. PLD need a voice to establish what is important to them. Incorporating medical, communication, and nursing science as multidisciplinary approach within a theoretical framework can be predictive diabetic outcomes. Methods. A correlational cross sectional survey design study was done. A sample of …

An Analysis Of Attendance Policies And High School Attendance Rates, Dawn Michelle Brenner

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the relationship between the dependent variable, average daily attendance rate, and the independent variables, socio-economic status, student enrollment, and the type of attendance policy implemented in the 85 public high schools in southwest Missouri. The types of attendance policies were sorted into one of three pre-determined categories: punitive, reward, or affective. Data were collected for each of the independent and dependent variables. A percentage was calculated by dividing the number of policy types within each category by the total number of policy types. Then the data were organized based on the average …

A+Nywhere Learning System Comparative Analysis Of Direct Instruction And Online Learning Using The A+Nywhere Learning System In A Secondary Alternative High School, Patricia Mary Lee

Dissertations

In 2010, the problem of high school students dropping out of high school continues to plaque school districts across the United States. All students can learn when provided with opportunity, ample support systems, and encouragement to succeed. In this mixed methods study, the researcher investigated whether utilizing an online curriculum instead of direct instruction was an effective instructional tool for at-risk high school students attending an alternative high school. After the 2008–2009 school year, teaching methods at the participating high school were changed from direct instruction school to the A+nyWhere Learning System (A+LS) for communication arts, math, science, social studies, …

Spiritual Well-Being And Quality Of Life Among Persons With Paraplegia, Darlene Nelson Finocchiaro Phd, Msn, Rn, Crrn

Dissertations

With the advent of better emergency response and medical advances, the life expectancy of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) is about 85% to 90% compared to that of non-disabled persons. Since SCI survivors are living well into their 70s, quality of life (QOL) is a major concern. The purpose of this study, informed by Ferrell and Grant's Quality of Life Model, was to examine relationships between spiritual well-being (SWB), existential well-being (EWB), religious spiritual well-being (RWB), depression, length of injury, age, gender, ethnicity, and QOL while living with paraplegia one year and longer. A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design, with …

Modeling Of Equilibrium Point Trajectory Control In Human Arm Movements, Kai Chen

Dissertations

The underlying concept of the Equilibrium Point Hypothesis (EPH) is that the CNS provides a virtual trajectory of joint motion, representing spacing and timing, with actual movement dynamics being produced by interactions of limb inertia, muscle viscosity and speed/position feedback from muscle spindles. To counter criticisms of the EPH, investigators have proposed the use of complex virtual trajectories, non-linear damping, stiffness and time varying stiffness to the EPH model. While these features allow the EPH to adequately produce human joint velocities, they conflict with the EPH’s premise of simple pre-planned monotonic control of movement trajectory. As a result, this study …