Digital Commons Network^™

The Use Of Performance Based Funding In A Sport Organization: A Case Study Of The United States Olympic Committee, James Thomas Binns

Dissertations

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) changed their funding strategy after the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. The USOC moved to a performance based funding strategy to focus on the bottom line and medal podium performance. After eight years of claiming to be an organization focused on performance based funding principles, monetary gains have been made while continuing to focus on the development of Olympic medalists. Clearly performance based funding principles have helped the USOC accomplish its stated goals.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the USOC had embraced the fundamental principles of performance based funding …

Fantasy Sport Consumer Behavior: An Analysis Of Participant Attitudes And Behavioral Intentions, Brendan Dwyer

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Expanded Core Curriculum And Its Relationship To Postschool Outcomes For Youth Who Are Visually Impaired, Martin R. Monson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) for students who are visually impaired and postschool quality of life (QOL) outcomes. The study was an analysis of an existing dataset collected as part of the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2). Information from wave 1 of the respective teacher, program, and parent surveys was used to gather information related to the ECC areas, and information for the wave 3 parent or youth survey, the most recently available dataset, for only out of school youth was used to gather information related …

The Effect Of Music Education On Early Adolescents' Adaptive Skills, Health-Enhancing Behaviors, And Self-Efficacy, Kimberly Ann Root Wilson

Dissertations

The present study investigated the relationship between early adolescents' participation in middle school music programming and behavioral and emotional functioning. Specifically, the association between students' music involvement and the practice of certain healthy behaviors (diet, exercise, seatbelt use, helmet use, and sleep), adaptive skills (interpersonal relations, relationship with parents, self-esteem, and self-reliance) as well as levels of self-efficacy was examined. Based upon previous research demonstrating positive effects of participation in extracurricular activities on the above mentioned constructs, it was hypothesized that similar findings would emerge for those students involved in school-based music programs. The development of health behaviors, adaptive behaviors, …

Traditional And Nontraditional Preservice Elementary Teachers' Perceptions About Mathematics And Mathematics Teaching, Anna Marie Wheeler

Dissertations

In this qualitative dissertation, I examined six nontraditional (based on age) and six traditional preservice elementary teachers' beliefs and changes in beliefs about mathematics and mathematics teaching. These case study participants were enrolled in one of three mathematics content courses designed for preservice elementary teachers at a mid-sized doctoral granting university in the western United States. I selected the twelve participants based on the predetermined criteria of gender (female), age (less than 30 for traditional and at least 30 for nontraditional), mathematics instructor, preservice mathematics course, and group dynamics. Data collection consisted of two approximately 45-minute long interviews per preservice …

Nursing Faculty Experiences And Perceptions Of The Implementation Process To A Learner-Centered Teaching Philosophy: A Case Study, Sharon L. Colley

Dissertations

This study explores nursing faculty's experiences with and perceptions of, their school of nursing's change to a learner-centered teaching philosophy. The primary research goals are to determine faculty perceptions of what learner-centered approaches they are utilizing in their classes, what change conditions they perceive as significant to the implementation process, and how they perceive the overall faculty progress and unity toward the goal of adopting a learner-centered teaching philosophy. Using the theoretical frameworks of Carl Rogers and Donald Ely, a case study approach is used to examine the faculties' use of five key concepts associated with the learner-centered philosophy, as …

Assessing Recall, Conceptualization, And Transfer Capabilities Of Novice Biochemistry Students' Across Learning Style Preferences As Revealed By Self-Explanations, Jacqueline Hilsenbeck-Farjardo

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Level Of Traumatic Exposure, Perceived Stress, And Resilience With Salivary Cortisol And Salivary Alpha-Amylase Diurnal Rhythm In Palestinian Children 10-12 Years Exposed To Chronic War Violence, Mohammad R. Asia Phd, Rn

Dissertations

Political violence, war, and genocide exist across the world and often the innocent children and civilians become victims. War and long-term violence have potentially harmful psychological and physiological effects on children. There are limited studies on the effect of prolonged armed conflict on the child's physiologic and psychologic stress responses. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between level of trauma, stress and resilience with salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) diurnal patterns in Palestinian children, ages 10-12, living in a long standing war zone. Salivary cortisol, a surrogate marker of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) activity, and salivary …

Psychometric Testing Of The Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model Of Behavior Change Questionnaire In Mexican-Americans With Diabetes Type 2, Beverley Brownell Phd

Dissertations

Background: The most successful diabetes self-management (DSM) programs focus on changing previously established behavior patterns. To develop focused and culturally appropriate self-management programs, health care providers need valid and reliable assessment tools. Purpose: To test the reliability and content and construct validity of an instrument developed to assess diabetes knowledge, motivation, and adherence to medical regimes. The Information-Motivation-Behavioral (IMB) Skills Diabetes scale was tested with 83 Mexican-American adults with type 2 diabetes from a community in Orange County, CA. Methodology: A cross-sectional correlational study design was conducted with 64 female and 19 male Mexican-American adults diagnosed diabetes type 2 patients. …

Integration Of The Bscs 5e Instructional Method And Technology In An Anatomy And Physiology Lab, Tamilselvi Gopal

Dissertations

This research provides an understanding of how the 5E instructional method combined with educational technology tools can be used in teaching undergraduate college level anatomy and physiology laboratory classes. The 5E instructional model is the exemplary instructional model in teaching biology for high school students. The phases in the 5E learning cycle are Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. In every step of the learning cycle, the researcher used appropriate technology tools to enhance the teaching and learning processes. The researcher used the Dynamic Instructional Design model to identify the appropriate technology tools for instruction. The topics selected for modification …

A Psychometric Evaluation Of The Revised Optimism-Pessimism Scale Of The Mmpi-2, Ginger Burge Debrule

Dissertations

The present study tested the psychometric properties of the Revised Optimism-Pessimism Scale (PSM-R) of the MMPI-2. This scale purportedly measures the respondent's explanatory style on a dimension of optimism and pessimism. Participants included 92 college undergraduates and 2,729 participants from archived outpatient data. The PSM-R is a reliable measure, based on test-retest reliability and internal consistency. However, the construct validity of the measure is questionable. Evaluation of the PSM-R items suggests that the items are not all related to the optimism-pessimism construct. In addition, convergent validity of the PSM-R was assessed using measures of attributional style, dispositional optimism, hope, depression, …

Attachment Anxiety And Avoidance: Relationship To Body Image And Exercise Behavior, Kathryn Louise Brown

Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the role of attachment anxiety and avoidance in predicting persons' body image, body appreciation, and obligatory exercise behavior. Two hundred and twenty eight participants (100 men and 128 women) completed the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994), Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ; Cash, 2000), Body Appreciation Scale (BAS; Avalos et al., 2005), and Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire (OEQ; Pasman & Thompson, 1988). Results provided at least partial support for many of the hypotheses. The current study replicated results from previous research pertaining to the relationship between attachment and body image. However, the results …

The Relationship Between Calcium Intake, Obesity, And Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: The Jackson Heart Study, Marjuyua Lartey-Rowser

Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major health risk in the United States. Major indicators of CVD risk include obesity, blood lipids, and blood pressure. Modifiable risk factors associated with CVD include body composition (body mass index and waist circumference), serum lipids, and blood pressure. Data suggest calcium intake may play a role in regulation of weight, serum lipids, and blood pressure. The purpose of this study was to assess relationships of dietary calcium intake with weight status, and cardiovascular disease risks in African American population participating in the Jackson Heart Study.

The subjects included 4,267 African American adults ages 21-95 …

Does Change In Timbre Alter Stereotypy Movements Exhibited By Three Persons With Diagnoses Of Mental Retardation And Autism Spectrum Disorder: Three Case Studies, Kathy Wade Webb

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe and collect data while monitoring the responses of three individuals to recorded presentations of four folk songs. The individuals, or participants, were all residents of a state-run facility in the southern region of the United States. The participants were females diagnosed with mental retardation and autism spectrum disorder, and they all exhibited one or more stereotypy behaviors in some form or another. The primary purpose of the study was to see if change in timbre of the songs would alter the stereotypy movements exhibited by these participants as the songs were presented …

Effects Of Spritual Well-Being, Religious Coping, And Hardiness On Parenting Behaviors In Low Socioeconomic Status Families, Jane Elizabeth Schenck Varner

Dissertations

Children from low socioeconomic status families are at risk for poor academic, emotional, and behavioral outcomes (Owens & Shaw, 2003). Multiple variables have been associated with resiliency in such families (Walsh, 2003). Spiritual and religious constructs have demonstrated positive effects on quality of life (Perrone, Webb, Wright, Jackson, & Ksiazak, 2006), emotional well-being (Davis, Kerr, & Kurpius, 2003; Calicchia & Graham, 2006), and positive health outcomes (Edmondson et al., 2005) in various populations. Previous research has not examined the relationship between spiritual and religious variables and resiliency, nor has previous research considered how the religious, spiritual, and resiliency variables affect …

Factors Influencing The Environmental Quality Of The Bay Of Saint Louis, Mississippi And Implications For Evolving Coastal Management Policies, Pradnya Ankush Sawant

Dissertations

The Bay of St. Louis, MS is a small northern Gulf of Mexico estuary that has been identified by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) as an impaired waterbody for its designated uses, mainly due to the presence of pollutant pathogens. A systematic study of this estuary was important to understand the behavior and responses of the bay to several natural and anthropogenic forcing factors. A 14- month long study (bimonthly sampling) to evaluate its environmental quality was undertaken from April 2003 to May 2004. Environmental quality was defined as "the health of an ecosystem characterized in terms of …

The Effect Of Holland's Person-Environment Fit On Trait Anger, Interpersonal Conflict At Work, And Workplace Aggression, Aimee Chantelle Pseekos

Dissertations

This study examined the effect of Person-Environment fit, as defined by Holland's (1997) theory, on trait anger, interpersonal conflict at work, and workplace aggression in a sample of employees in the United States. Job satisfaction was also examined with regard to concurrent and discriminant validity information for this sample. Results indicated that there was not a statistically significant effect of Person- Environment fit on trait anger, interpersonal conflict at work, or workplace aggression. The concurrent and discriminant validity of findings was supported through relationships between job satisfaction, Person-Environment fit, and workplace aggression. Limitations and implications for further research related to …

Classroom Management: Teacher Training, Attitudes And Beliefs, And Intervention Practices, Margaret Catherine Davis Ladner

Dissertations

This study examined the factors that are associated with teacher classroom management with regard to training, attitudes and beliefs, and intervention practices of general and special education teachers in dealing with classroom control. These factors were examined in general and special education classrooms. The participants for this study were teachers of kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade and 3r grade students in three public school districts in a southeastern state. Participants were recruited through a convenience or voluntary sample selection.

The school districts chosen for this sample provide a good cross-section of schools; they were representative of buildings with different percentages …

Developmental Studies Courses And The Success Of Non-Traditional Students At A Major Public University In The Southeast, Charlotte Tagert Matthews

Dissertations

The main purpose of the study was to determine the effect of academic preparation in basic skills classes on the academic performance in subsequent collegelevel classes for non-traditional students. A secondary purpose was to determine if academic preparation in basic skills classes had a long-term effect on academic performance as measured by graduation GPA. A third purpose was to obtain the perspectives of non-traditional students about the effect of academic preparation in basic skills classes on academic performance in subsequent college-level classes.

Methodology included statistical comparisons of grade distributions and GPA using archival data from the Banner student record system, …

A Correlational Study: Parental Involvement To Student Achievement In Public Education, Brian Ray Wilson

Dissertations

The significance of parental involvement in their children’s education, according to literature, is unquestionable. In this study the author examined the correlation between student achievement and parental involvement in public education in grade levels two through twelve. The following research will present varied aspects of obstacles that stakeholders must hurdle in an attempt to overcome these barriers in their quest for student success. Additional focus will present quality models of parental involvement as stakeholders attempt to increase and sustain student achievement in this new era of accountability in education.

Comparison Of Grade Point Averages And Dropout Rates Of Students Who Participate In Extracurricular Activities And Students Who Do Not Participate, Timothy Carl Boatwright

Dissertations

In this study, the author examined the effects of participation in extracurricular activities on high school students’ grade point averages (GPA’S) and drop out rates. This study focused on high schools located in southwest Missouri. Students’ grade point averages and drop out rates were obtained from high school athletic directors and high school principals. The data were analyzed to determine if participation in these activities was beneficial to students or a hindrance in their quest for a quality education. Data were gathered and analyzed and it was determined using t-tests that students involved in extracurricular activities had higher grades and …

Teacher Compensation And The Academic Achievement Of Elementary Students, Doug Arnold

Dissertations

This study examined Missouri Assessment Program achievement scores and teacher salaries to determine if a correlation existed. Student achievement scores and teacher salaries were obtained from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the 2006-2007 school year. Analysis of the data indicated there was a significant correlation between student achievement as measured by the Missouri Assessment Program and teacher salaries. This study is part of a companion project. The researchers collaborated on the research portion of this study. The researchers shared common goals, defined their roles in the review of literature and coordinated efforts to produce this project. …

Exercise Motivation For Breast Cancer Risk Reduction, Maureen Elaine Wood

Dissertations

According to The International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC), 25% of worldwide breast cancer cases are due to having a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight or obese (2002). Unfortunately, less than 50% of women participate in physical activity as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American College of Sports Medicine and more than 25% do not participate in any physical activity at all (CDC, 2005). Perceptions of increased personal risk and self-efficacy have been shown to promote exercise participation, and as such, are key elements of protection motivation theory, used as the theoretical framework to guide …

Effects Of Positive Behavior Support Programs On Student Behaviors, Kenneth George Weissflug

Dissertations

This study was conducted in order to examine the effects of a positive behavior intervention program in a middle-school setting. Over the course of many years, Rogers Middle School has had chronic discipline problems as evidenced by the number of behavioral referrals by teachers to the principals’ offices. As discipline problems increased, student classroom performance seemed to decrease. In the school year 2002-03, Rogers Middle School implemented a program called Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) to address the discipline problems. The program objective was to improve student achievement by improving behaviors. This study allowed the researcher to examine the effectiveness …

Career Decision Making For Male Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Model Of Critical Factors Aiding In Transitional Efforts, Gregory B. Gray

Dissertations

This study is intended to reveal helpful information that will guide high school practitioners in serving students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) more effectively. ADHD is neurological in origin, making it invisible. This disorder makes people susceptible to distractibility, impulsivity, disorganization, frustration, anxiety, and moodiness (Janus, 1999). Fifteen percent or more of the U.S. population has ADHD. These individuals, who often are viewed by career counselors, teachers, and employers as frustrating or difficult, are uniquely vulnerable in high school and beyond. Because individuals with ADHD have invisible handicaps, their academic performance and social behaviors can be interpreted incorrectly. Thus, …

The Development And Application Of A Checklist For Evaluating E-Learning In Organizations, Anne-Marie Guidy-Oulai

Dissertations

In the last two decades, organizations have increasingly used computer-based instruction as a method to deliver training to employees and instruction to students. The e-learning market reached $50 billion in 2005 and is expected to double by 2010. A number of different evaluation models can and have been used to measure effectiveness and worth of programs. However, the literature indicates the evaluation of e-learning may need to develop new models for evaluation.

The purpose of this study is to develop a framework to enhance the process of elearning evaluation in organizations. The E-Learning Evaluation Checklist (ELEC)— which was developed and …

Test Procedures For Equality Of Two Variances In Delta Distributions, Jezaniah Kira Sarion Tena

Dissertations

Statistical literature on testing equality of variances is very broad, encompassing a great number of distributional variations. However, the case of a zero-inflated nonnegative continuous random variable has not yet been considered. Such distribution is specified by a positive probability that the variable assumes a true zero value, together with a conditional distribution for the positive values of the variable.

This study considers the special case, delta distribution, where the positive values come from the lognormal distribution. Test procedures were developed using a statistic based on Gini's Mean Difference. Since the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic was shown to …

Degrees Of Institutionalization: Family Planning Policies And Programs In Senegal, 1980-2005, Yazmine Michelle Watts

Dissertations

Senegal's population growth rate of 2.7% is greater than double that of the world average of 1.16%. The Government of Senegal acknowledges the population problem and has made efforts to address this issue. For over the past two decades the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has served as the predominant donor in Senegal's health sector and has been a strong supporter of Senegal's family planning program. The evolution of family planning in Senegal cannot be understood without considering the roles of culture, religion, decentralization and funding in the institutionalization process. This research addresses important questions concerning factors that …

Relationships Associated With Long-Term Stepgrandmother Role Behavior, Role Meaning, And Satisfaction, Mary-Catherine. Kane

Dissertations

Remarriage from the mid-1970s through the mid-1990s has resulted in a stepgrandmother role behavior and role meaning, satisfaction with the stepgrandchild relationship, custody arrangements of minor stepchildren, and demographic information. Multiple linear regression revealed significant associations between several dyadic relationships (stepgrandmother-adult stepchild closeness and biological grandmotheradult child closeness) and stepgrandmother role behavior, role meaning and relationship satisfaction. One-way ANOVA revealed a significant difference on stepgrandmother role meaning for stepgrandmothers who lived in shared residential arrangements with the middle generation as minors. Implications for clinical practice, policy, and research are offered. growing cohort of stepmothers transitioning into stepgrandmotherhood. The complexity of …

When Self-Pacing Goes Wrong: A Comparison Of Two Methods For Reducing Computer-Based Racing, Douglas A. Johnson

Dissertations

Self-pacing, although often seen as one of the primary benefits of computer-based instruction (CBI), can also result in an important problem, namely, computer-based racing. Computer-based racing is when learners respond so quickly within CBI that mistakes are made, even on well-known material. This study compared traditional CBI with two forms of CBI designed to reduce computer-based racing: incentives/disincentives and postfeedback delays. All three formats were evaluated in terms of both performance and satisfaction using a between group repeated measures design with pretest and posttest. Dependent measures included posttest scores, satisfaction questionnaire ratings, percentage correct during learning, and total training time. …