Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Effectiveness Of Dropout Prevention Practices And Their Implications For Intervention With Public School Students, Louisa Pollack

Dissertations

Schools face the dilemma of transforming both the trend of students dropping out of school and the associated negative socioeconomic outcomes into a positive path of persistence and school completion. Despite ongoing efforts of the federal and state government, as well as those of the local school districts, this problem continues to burden the educational system and society as a whole. The opinions of those with the experience of dropping out and returning to school are pertinent sources of information on educative practices that can help stem the dropout rate.

A survey was conducted to gather the opinions of students …

Emotional Maturity Of Adolescents And Adults In Ged Programs, Billy Joe Riffle

Dissertations

When discussing issues relating to students in General Educational Development (GED) Option and pre-GED programs with educators, the contention exists that it is possible to make reasonably accurate predictions on the success or failure of a student by observing a number of items. Looking at their cumulative records shows their academic and attendance history. Insight is gained by looking at their family dynamics and how they relate to adults. Much can be learned about them from their discipline reports and the nature of any infractions. One of the most intriguing aspects gained through experience and observation is the perception of …

The Relationship Between Leader Decision Making And Student Achievement At K-3 Title I And Reading First Elementary Schools, Emily Kathleen Richmond

Dissertations

This mixed methodology study investigated the relationship between administrator and teacher perceptions of leader decision making regarding five variables (reading training, reading curriculum, program evaluation, financial support, and student assessment) and student achievement (in the single content area, reading, at the 3rd grade level) in Title I K-3 schools receiving Reading First Grants (RFGs) and Title I K-3 schools not receiving RFGs, in four states (Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, and Oklahoma). Respondent data and district data regarding percentages of students achieving proficient and above on state third grade reading assessments were analyzed via Pearson Correlations, Multiple Regression Analysis, and a MANOVA. …

Stereo Matching Using A Modified Efficient Belief Propagation In A Level Set Framework, Stephen Goyer Rogers

Dissertations

Stereo matching determines correspondence between pixels in two or more images of the same scene taken from different angles; this can be handled either locally or globally. The two most common global approaches are belief propagation (BP) and graph cuts.

Efficient belief propagation (EBP), which is the most widely used BP approach, uses a multi-scale message passing strategy, an O(k) smoothness cost algorithm, and a bipartite message passing strategy to speed up the convergence of the standard BP approach. As in standard belief propagation, every pixel sends messages to and receives messages from its four neighboring pixels in EBP. Each …

Folate Receptor-Targeted Delivery Of Small Interfering Rna To Cancer Cells, Yilin Zhang

Dissertations

The vitamin folic acid (folate, FA) has been extensively explored as a targeting ligand to deliver a variety of diagnostic/prognostic/therapeutic agents into various tumors through the assistance of its receptor – the folate receptor (FR). FR is over-expressed in many types of human cancer and can mediate internalization of FA-conjugates through an endocytic pathway. The discovery of small interfering RNA (siRNA), which is cable of inducing potent gene silencing in a sequence-specific manner, provides an excellent molecular tool to suppress aberrant gene expression in malignancies, and therefore siRNA has the potential to revolutionize cancer therapeutics. Towards the goal of developing …

The Effect Of A Math Emporium Course Redesign In Developmental And Introductory Mathematics Courses On Student Achievement And Students' Attitudes Toward Mathematics At A Two-Year College, Amy Renée Bishop

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of computer-based instruction on student mathematics achievement and students' attitudes toward mathematics in developmental and introductory mathematics courses, namely Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, and College Algebra, at a community college. The researcher also examined the relationship between attitudes and achievement. The sample consisted of 112 students, and the study was conducted during the Spring 2010 semester at a community college in south Mississippi. The participants were enrolled in one of six classes taught by the researcher. The control group consisted of three classes (one Intermediate and two College Algebra sections) …

Study Of 3,3' Vs. 4,4' Dds Isomer Curatives On Physical Properties And Phenyl Ring Motions Of Dgeba Epoxy Via Molecular Dynamics, Deuterium Nmr, And Dielectric Spectroscopy, Samuel James Tucker

Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to develop a multiscale understanding of crosslinked amorphous matrices, connecting molecular level events to macroscopic properties. To accomplish this goal, our methodology was to identify network architectures that influence molecular level energy dissipation through mechanisms such as bond rotations, torsions, and ring flips and then relate those molecular motions to macroscopic properties. Studies were accomplished on two aerospace grade matrices: the epoxy, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) cured with two amines, 3,3’- diaminodiphenyl sulfone (33DDS) and 4,4’-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (44DDS). The 33DDS/DGEBA and 44DDS/DGEBA served both to provide a baseline for experimental testing of …

Synthesis And Electrical Properties Of Functional Block Copolymer/Inorganic Nanocomposite Materials, Hongying Chen

Dissertations

Sulfonated poly[styrene-b-ethylene-co-butylene-b-styrene] (sSEBS) block copolymers/inorganic nanocomposite materials were synthesized via in situ formation of inorganic fillers and characterized particularly for their dielectric properties and proton conductivities.

In preparation of sSEBS/SrTiO₃ nanocomposites, titanium (IV) isopropoxide [Ti(OPrⁱ)₄] complex was diffused into sSEBS film, followed by subsequent hydrolysis of [Ti(OPr i)4], diffusion of strontium cations in sSEBS domains, and in situ formation of crystalline SrTiO₃. sSEBS with sulfonation degree of 38.1% and 65.0% were employed, and relevant sSEBS/SrTiO₃ composites contain SrTiO₃ of 10-15 wt%. Elemental composition characterization with ESEM/EDX indicated uniform distribution of …

Teacher Attitude Toward Differentiated Instruction In Third Grade Language Arts, Vivian Marina Mclean

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher attitude toward differentiated instruction in third grade language arts in classrooms across a southern region of the United States. The researcher sought to answer four research questions “Does National Board Certification affect teacher attitude toward differentiated instruction,” “Does teacher education affect teacher attitude towards differentiated instruction?”, “Does teacher experience affect teacher attitude toward differentiated instruction?”, and “Does professional development affect teacher attitude toward differentiated instruction?”

The research findings supported the work of Tomlinson, McTighe, Webb, Wiggins, Vygotsky, and Gardner. Their literature served as a foundation in the identification of the variables …

The Effects Of Early Intervention On The Cognitive And Social Development Of Kindergarteners, Jennifer Foster Pope

Dissertations

Research has, for years, linked early intervention with student achievement. Students coming from an appropriate developmental preschool program are at an advantage and are readily able to face the rigor of elementary school (Campbell & Ramey, 1994). This study investigated whether there were statistically significant relationships among preschool attendance, gender, free/reduced status, and ethnicity and the cognitive development of kindergarten students as measured by AIMSweb Progress Monitoring and Response to Intervention System. This study also investigated the relationship between social skills competence and the cognitive development of kindergarten students as measured by the School-age Social and Emotional Adaptive Skills Inventory. …

The Relationship Among Mathematics Anxiety, Mathematical Self-Efficacy, Mathematical Teaching Self-Efficacy, And The Instructional Practices Of Elementary School Teachers, Lydia Joan Smith

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationships among the variables of mathematics anxiety, mathematical self-efficacy, mathematical teaching self-efficacy, and the instructional practice of elementary school teachers. The study included 320 practicing elementary teachers who teach mathematics to students in kindergarten through eighth grade. These teachers completed the Abbreviated Mathematics Anxiety Scale, the Mathematics Teaching and Mathematics Self-Efficacy survey, and the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Survey. Quantitative data analysis methods included descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Results indicated a statistically significant relationship between mathematical teaching self-efficacy (efficacy) and mastery approaches to instruction, as well as …

The Phenomenology Of The Bachelor Of Science In Hvac Engineering Technology From Ferris State University, Michael Feutz

Dissertations

Career and Technical Education (CTE) has evolved from industry-specific training to a more broad-based education that incorporates core academic learning objectives and prepares the student for work (Rothwell & Gerity, 2008; Uloa, 2006; Reese, 2002; Rojewski, 2002; Stone, 2002; Schmidli, 2001). Little is known about how well individual programs align with the industry for which graduates are prepared, (Zinser, 2003) or what CTE has meant to its graduates.

This research focused on graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Engineering Technology (HVAC-ET) at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. A phenomenological design was used …

Active Bundles For Protecting Confidentiality Of Sensitive Data Throughout Their Lifecycle, Lotfi Ben Othmane

Dissertations

Protecting confidentiality of shared sensitive data requires satisfying conflicting needs for disseminating data and preventing unauthorized data disclosures. We propose a solution named the active bundles scheme for protecting sensitive data from their disclosures to unauthorized parties during their dissemination. The scheme protects data throughout their entire lifecycle, from data creation through their dissemination to their evaporation or apoptosis (a partial or complete self-destruction, respectively).

An active bundle packages together sensitive data, metadata, and a virtual machine (VM) specific to the bundle. Metadata contain information related to the use of data, including data access control and dissemination policies. A VM …

Implementing A New Curriculum: Reflections Of A Physical Education Teacher, Matthew Daniel Madden

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Bemdec: An Adaptive And Robust Methodology For Digital Image Feature Extraction, Isaac Kueth Gang

Dissertations

The intriguing study of feature extraction, and edge detection in particular, has, as a result of the increased use of imagery, drawn even more attention not just from the field of computer science but also from a variety of scientific fields. However, various challenges surrounding the formulation of feature extraction operator, particularly of edges, which is capable of satisfying the necessary properties of low probability of error (i.e., failure of marking true edges), accuracy, and consistent response to a single edge, continue to persist. Moreover, it should be pointed out that most of the work in the area of feature …

Examining The Effect Of A Year Of Service In Americorps On Members' Attitudes Toward Attending College, Jessica Lucky Roberts

Dissertations

This study had two purposes. First, this study sought to determine how a year of service in the America Reads-Mississippi (ARM) AmeriCorps program impacted members’ perceptions and attitudes toward the non-monetary value of earning a college degree, the importance of earning a college degree in obtaining employment, and the influence of service in the ARM AmeriCorps program on members’ motivation to attend college. Second, this study sought to determine if a year of service in the ARM AmeriCorps program impacted members’ decisions to use the Segal Education Award they earn upon the successful completion of their year of service. Through …

A Comprehensive Uncertainty Analysis And Method Of Geometric Calibration For A Circular Scanning Airborne Lidar, Michael Oliver Gonsalves

Dissertations

This dissertation describes an automated technique for ascertaining the values of the geometric calibration parameters of an airborne lidar. A least squares approach is employed that adjusts the point cloud to a single planar surface which could be either a narrow airport runway or a dynamic sea surface. Going beyond the customary three boresight angles, the proposed adjustment can determine up to eleven calibration parameters to a precision that renders a negligible contribution to the point cloud’s positional uncertainty.

Presently under development is the Coastal Zone Mapping and Imaging Lidar (CZMIL), which, unlike most contemporary systems that use oscillating mirrors …

Proton Capture Reactions And Network Calculations On 46Ti, 64Zn, 114Sn And 116Sn Relevant To The Rp-Process, Ravin S. T. Kodikara

Dissertations

The rp-process makes an important contribution to the stellar nucleosynthesis by producing many of the light proton rich nuclei. Successive proton captures on seed nuclei followed by occasional β-decays and electron captures are the key features of this mechanism. For a detailed rp-process analysis, proton capture cross sections and reaction rates are essential. However, the lack of experimental data forces the researcher to largely depend on statistical model predictions.

This dissertation research is an attempt to investigate the proton captures of four particular nuclides; ⁴⁶Ti, ⁶⁴Zn, ¹¹⁴Sn and ¹¹⁶Sn. At Western Michigan University Van de Graaff …

The Impact Of Self-Efficacy And Motivation Characteristics On The Academic Achievement Of Upward Bound Participants, Brenda Leigh Brown

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of self-efficacy and motivation characteristics on the achievement of at-risk students. Seventy-nine Upward Bound program participants completed self-efficacy, motivation, and demographic questionnaires. The relationship between GPA and self-efficacy was significant, negative, and low in strength. High GPA was associated with high self-efficacy (as shown by lower numbers on the survey). Gender, length of time in the Upward Bound (UB) program, length of participation in the UB summer program, college sponsor (community or four-year college), self-efficacy characteristics, and motivation characteristics significantly predicted academic achievement as measured by GPA. The relationship between …

The Effects Of Higher Education Endowment Management Practices On Endowment Performance, Robert Louie Stanton Mcelhaney

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify college and university endowments valued from $100 million to $1 billion and to determine the relationship between the five-year investment performance and selected endowment management practices. Data on the five-year investment performance and endowment management practices were obtained by the use of a survey instrument. The survey instrument was sent to 293 colleges and universities. Usable responses were received from 56 institutions. The 56 participants provided data on endowment performance, endowment governance, investment policies, investment managers, and investment manager selection practices.

To determine the endowment management practices that would best explain the …

Using High-Powered, Frequency-Narrowed Lasers For Rb/129xe And Cs/129xe Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping To Achieve Improved Production Of Highly Spin-Polarized Xenon For Use In Magnetic Resonance Applications, Nicholas Whiting

Dissertations

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has been extensively used to investigate numerous systems of interest, ranging from collections of molecules to living organisms. However, NMR suffers from one key drawback: an inherent lack of detection sensitivity, as compared to other common forms of spectroscopy. This is due to the minute nuclear magnetic moments and low nuclear spin polarization levels at thermal equilibrium (~10-5 to 10-6), and thus necessitates the use of relatively large sample volumes. One way to overcome this low detection sensitivity is to introduce a species with highly non-equilibrium nuclear spin polarization, such as `hyperpolarized' xenon-129. Hyperpolarized xenon …

The Molecular Transport And Intercalation Of Guest Molecules Into Hydrogen–Bonded Metal-Organic Frameworks (Hmofs), Greg Anthony Hogan

Dissertations

The process of molecular transport and intercalation has been widely studied for many years, resulting in the discovery of molecular frameworks that are capable of hosting guest molecules or ions. Layered and porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been found to have applications in the field of catalysis, storage, separations, and ion-exchange. While MOFs are perhaps stronger materials, HMOFs have the advantage of being easily modifiable and more flexible. Because HMOFs have not been extensively studied for their ability to host molecules, and because their ability to withstand guest loss and guest exchange is essentially unknown, here we report the synthesis …

Factors Influencing Teacher Job Satisfaction And Their Alignment With Current District Practices In A Suburban School District, Kimberly Rae Dickens

Dissertations

School districts across the country make many decisions that impact teachers’ satisfaction both positively and negatively. With statistics reporting a significant number of teachers leaving the profession in the first 5 years of experience, determining the reasons for teacher dissatisfaction are important in shaping district practices to be more supportive and satisfying to teachers. The purpose of this research study was to (a) determine the satisfaction level of teachers in a specific school district, (b) determine the practices school principals have put into place and how they relate to the factors identified in the research as being contributive to teacher …

Factors Influencing Teacher Job Satisfaction And Their Alignment With Current District Practices In A Rural School District, Taneal Marie Wallace

Dissertations

School districts’ decisions across the country are influencing the satisfaction level of teachers, in both positive and negative ways. With statistics reporting as high as fifty percent of teachers leaving the profession in the first five years of experience (Ingersoll, 2003), determining the reasons for teacher dissatisfaction are important in correcting district practices to be more supportive and satisfying to teachers. The purpose of this research study was to (a) determine the satisfaction level of teachers in a specific school district, (b) determine the practices building-level administrators have put into place and how they relate to the factors identified in …

The Effect Of Enrollment In Middle School Challenge Courses On Advanced Placement Exams In Social Studies And Science, Katherine Glaude-Bolte

Dissertations

Educators seek to guide students through appropriate programs and courses that prepare them for future success, in more advanced coursework and in other challenges of life. Some middle schools offer Challenge, or honors, courses for students who have demonstrated high ability. High schools often offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which are taught at the college level. This study examined the correlation between enrollment in middle school Challenge courses and subsequent AP exam category scores in social studies and science in a suburban school district. The independent variables were the number of years of enrollment in middle school social studies or …

Evaluating Summer School Programs And The Effect On Student Achievement: The Correlation Between Stanford-10 Standardized Test Scores And Two Different Summer Programs, Brian J. Koop

Dissertations

School districts looking for ways to minimize summer learning loss have implemented a variety of programs to combat this problem. Since No Child Left Behind and the need for school districts to meet the goals of Adequate Yearly Progress, it is no longer enough to limit summer learning loss. Now school leaders find it necessary to use the summer months to increase student achievement and prepare students for rigorous learning in the coming school year. This collaborative, quantitative study is an examination of one district’s attempt to improve summer programming in order to meet the need for increased student achievement. …

Activation Of The Innate Immune Response By The Alzheimer's Amyloid Beta Protein Via Toll-Like Receptors, Udan Lourdes Maria

Dissertations

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegenerative disease characterized by the generation and deposition of amyloid beta plaques and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. A wealth of data now demonstrate that inflammation is a prominent feature in AD pathology and a potential therapeutic target for the treatment and prevention of the disease. The emergence of evidence linking amyloid beta protein (Aβ), the primary component of senile plaques, to inflammation has led to new insights into understanding AD pathology. Aβ, a protein fragment resulting from cleavage of human amyloid precursor protein (APP), primarily exists in two forms: a …

Student And Teacher Perspectives Of Technology Usage, Lori L. Elliott

Dissertations

This study examined the use of technology by eighth grade students and teachers and perceptions of students and teachers toward technology use in the classroom and home. A mixed design method was selected to collect and analyze the data. Face-to-face interviews, field notes, and national survey results were used to triangulate the data. Three themes emerged from the study in response to the research questions: communication is the focus of technology use, students consider themselves more knowledgeable about technology than teachers, and technology use in the classroom is primarily a visual tool, rather than an interactive resource. Implications for educators …

Development Of A Tool For Windfarm Site Analysis In Electrical Networks With High Levels Of Wind Power Generation, Edward Carroll, John Mcgrory

Dissertations

Controlling electrical networks that contain high levels of wind power will be a challenge facing many System Operators in the coming years. The intermittency and uncertainty of the power supplied by wind turbines create difficulties surrounding scheduling of plant, operating reserve and grid integration. The current process for windfarm selection is carried out by an individual stakeholder and lacks the consideration for all other stakeholders involved, which can create problems in the long term when the levels of wind power increase on the network. This paper proposes a collective approach to analysing potential windfarm sites using the key factors which …

A Comparison Of The Career And Technical Education Programs In A Us Community College And A Chinese Institution, Harry Hou

Dissertations

This research study explores and compares the career and technical education programs offered in a US community college and the vocational/career and technology education programs offered in a comparable Chinese postsecondary institution. The study sought to find positive transferable characteristics of the career and technical education programs in each country, which could be shared by similar institutions in China and the US.

Under the impact of globalization, international cooperation and collaboration between institutions and programs becomes more and more important, particularly considering there are many shared problems and thus the potential for shared solutions. This research offers insights and information …