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Microtonality As An Expressive Device: An 
Approach
 For 
The 
Contemporary 
Saxophonist, Seán Mac Erlaine

Dissertations

This dissertation provides a critical examination of the use of microtonality as an expressive tool for the improvising saxophonist and offers a new method for quarter-tone production drawing on cultural references from European art music, Arabic Maqam and Contemporary Jazz. The thesis is underpinned by an historical, musicological analysis of tuning systems and theory necessary for the performer of microtonal music. The dissertation is presented in three chapters. In Chapter One, a discussion of tuning theory and a history of temperament systems contextualises the current uses of equal temperament and extensions of it including the quarter-tone tempered system. Chapter Two …

Factors Influencing African American High School Students In Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy And Engineering-Related Goal Intentions, Chandra Yvette Austin

Dissertations

A current challenge in the United States is to increase African American pursuit of engineering careers. Minority students generally tend to be under-represented in such careers, as indicated by the National Academy of Engineering, in The Engineer of 2020-Visions of Engineering in the New Century. This study explores the career decision self-efficacy (Lent, Brown & Hackett, 1993) and Engineering related goal intentions of African American high school students. There are a variety of reasons explaining the lack of choice of engineering as a career, and these were investigated. This study assessed the effect of specific influences (ethnic identity, demographic factors, …

Engineering Problem Finding In High School Students, Benjamin James Franske

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the engineering problem finding ability of high school students at three high schools in Minnesota. Students at each of the three schools had differing backgrounds including pre-engineering coursework, traditional technology education coursework and advanced science coursework. Students were asked to find problems in two different engineering scenarios which were presented to them on a paper and pencil instrument. Responses were scored by a panel of judges based on measures of creativity (flexibility, fluency, originality and elaborateness) and analyzed based on demographic data including gender, prior coursework and school. In addition student responses …

Predictors Of Academic Success For High School Students: The Correlation Between Middle School Missouri Assessment Program Scores And Freshman Year Grade Point Average, Sherrie L. Wisdom

Dissertations

Educators lack an efficient means to predict academic success at the high school level. Analysis of assessment scores may provide prediction patterns to help districts raise the percentage of students who persist to graduation, provide support for students who exhibit characteristics of academic risk or giftedness, and move populations closer to meeting Adequate Yearly Progress. To consider assessment data as potential indicators of academic transition success from middle to high school, this study examined the correlation between middle school Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores and high school Grade Point Average (GPA). MAP Communication Arts and Mathematics were independent variables. The …

Effects Of Professional Development On Infusing Engineering Design Into High School Science, Technology, Engineering And Math (Stem) Curricula, Zanj Kano Avery

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of professional development (PD) on the infusion of engineering design into high school curricula. Four inservice teachers with backgrounds in physics, chemistry, industrial education, math, and electrical engineering participated in the 2006 National Center of Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE)-sponsored PD workshops at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) and provided three sources of data that were used to answer the research question, “What are the effects of PD on infusing engineering design into high school science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curricula”? Three major themes emerged from the data. …

Beliefs And Practices Of Expert Respiratory Care Faculty On Critical-Thinking Learning: A Case Study, James Leland Hulse

Dissertations

Problem. The development of critical-thinking skills during the professional training of respiratory therapists is imperative for good practice. Research evidence suggests that interactive instructional strategies are far more effective than traditional lectures. Missing from the literature are thick descriptions of how faculty organize the delivery of respiratory therapy curriculum to develop critical thinking. This case study describes the beliefs and practices of faculty members in an academically strong program in view of developing critical thinking.

Method. A qualitative, single case-study design was used to identify critical-thinking strategies and beliefs incorporated by the faculty. The program was nominated by expert members …

An Exploration Of Influences Affecting The Selection Of Leveled Readers For Early Literacy Instruction, William K. Morelan

Dissertations

Problem

Educators have substantive concerns about the quality of children’s literature in general and leveled readers in particular. Though thousands of titles are now available, educators appear to be searching for something better than the text and illustrations found in many of these books. But before educators, authors, and publishers can respond to this perceived need for better beginners’ books, they need a clearer understanding of influences affecting the selection of leveled readers for early literacy instruction.

Research Design

This qualitative study was based on a narrative inquiry approach. Nine participants were purposefully chosen to represent three distinct groups (university …

Empirical Development Of An Instructional Product And Its Impact On Mastery Of Geometry Concepts, Donaldson Williams

Dissertations

Problem

Relatively poor levels of mathematical thinking among American school children have been identified as a major issue over the past half century. Many efforts have been made to increase the mathematics performance of children in schools. Additionally, out-of-school-time programs have attempted to address this issue as well. Holistic development is one of the distinguishing features of Seventh-day Adventist instructional programs. Yet, as of 2007, the Pathfinder program, an informal educational program operated by the world-wide Seventh-day Adventist church, had no instructional product designed to foster participants’ cognitive development in mathematics. This study focused on the empirical development of an …

The Development Of An Instrument For K12 Coordinators Implementing Curriculum Videoconferencing And A Model To Predict Utilization Of Videoconferencing, Janine Monica Lim

Dissertations

Problem. The role of the coordinator and factors affecting their ability to support curriculum videoconferencing in relationship to the utilization of videoconferencing in the school have not been thoroughly studied. The focus of this study is the videoconference coordinatorand their influence on the utilization of videoconferencing.

Method. A measure of the usage of curriculum videoconferencing was developed and compared to a multidimensional conceptualization of factors influencing usage. The conceptualization included the development of a K12 Curriculum Videoconferencing Implementation Scale, as well as measures of educational service agency support, technical support, administrative support, and school and demographic variables. Multiple regression analysis …

The Stressors And Coping Strategies Of Women In Leadership Positions, Patricia Ann Bernard

Dissertations

Purpose

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) survey, 60% of employed women cited stress as their most serious problem at work. Working outside the home and balancing a family create conflicts between work and family obligations which become a likely cause of stress for women. While stress may be a problem among working women in general, it seems highly probable that women who function in leadership positions may experience additional stressors. Consequently, this study focused on investigating the stressors of women who currently function in leadership positions and the coping strategies they use to combat …

A Study Of The Leadership Of High-Poverty, High-Performing Schools Through The Lens Of Moral Leadership, Scott David Fech

Dissertations

This study examines the leadership of principals who work in schools which have been identified as having a large student population living in poverty and have a record of sustained academic success as measured on standardized tests. The goal of this study was to identify which sources of authority these principals demonstrate in these high-poverty, high-performing (HP HP) schools where students achieve at higher levels than expected. Another goal of this study was to identify commonalities in leadership style and traits, which would include the concepts of moral leadership, among these principals in HP HP schools. This study used Thomas …

Reading Skill Integration In High School Business Courses: Perceptions Of Business Teacher Educators In The United States, Frederick William Polkinghorne

Dissertations

The problem of this research was to determine (a) perceptions of business teacher educators regarding the nature of integrated reading skill instruction in high school business courses, (b) the professional development background of business teacher educators for integrated reading skill instruction, and (c) the influence of selected variables on business teacher educators' perceptions of reading skill integration in high school business courses. The study population included 188 business teacher educators in 36 states. Data were gathered through the use of a survey instrument that was validated by a panel of experts and pilot tested. Conclusions state that business teacher educators …

Accurate Cylindrical-Coordinate Numerical Models For The Analysis Of Hydrologic Tests, John Edward Keller

Dissertations

Analytical solutions to well hydraulic problems have restrictive assumptions that often do not match real world conditions. Although numerical models more closely match reality, they either ran too slowly to be practical or lacked accuracy because of coarse grid spacing and large time steps. Advances in computer power over the last few decades now allow for accurate, fast numerical models that handle complex flow systems. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop flexible and accurate numerical modeling codes for the simulation of hydrologic tests. One of these numerical modeling codes, the Slug Test Simulator (STS), was designed for the …

Mezirow's Transformational Learning Theory And Alternative Health Therapeutics Of Mind, Body, And Spirit, Lewis Edward Blackwell

Dissertations

An illness, like prostate cancer, brings crisis to our experience and confuses the structure of our reality as well as disturbs our meaning which is upheld by interpretive imagery. Hence, recovery involves a learning experience that consists of a reflective, educational, and spiritual process to rebuild and reconstruct meaning through the use and transformation of our images and themes to create meaning. The purpose of the research was to investigate the meaning of the illness experience through the lens of transformational learning theory. As such, one-on-one interviews were conducted with 10 African American men who lived in large metropolitan areas …

The Effects Of A Research-Based Intervention Program On Kindergarten Student Achievement, Melvin J. Bishop Jr.

Dissertations

The current system for identifying at-risk students, which employs the wait-and-see method, provides teachers no formal way of getting the necessary interventions needed in order for their students to be successful. The purpose of this study was to determine if the implementation of a research-based intervention program, Response To Intervention, would increase the academic performance of kindergarten students identified as at-risk.

Kindergarten students entering school for the first time were tested for basic knowledge of alphabetical letter recognition and letter sound recognition. Children who demonstrated a deficit were given a series of research-based reading interventions by an intervention specialist to …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Structural Analogs Of Escherichia Coli Lipid A For Application Towards Cd14-Targeting Glycotherapeutics, Aileen Fay Galos Bongat

Dissertations

Lipid A is a glucosamine-based phospholipid that anchors carbohydrate molecules to the outer membrane of most Gram-negative bacteria. During severe infection, this amphiphilic macromolecule invoke a strong and acute pro-inflammatory response that leads to sepsis and ultimately to septic shock, organ failure and death. Thus, following the convention that the best antidote is often a derivative of the parent agonistic molecule, researchers have actively pursued the idea of creating an analog of Lipid A that can block the cellular receptor for this molecule and thereby arrest the cascade of events that lead to sepsis. Consequently, we became interested in creating …

The Relationship Between The Maturity Level Of Professional Learning Communities (Plcs) And Student Achievement, Eric Brett Arbetter

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between schools' maturity as professional learning communities (PLCs) and student achievement in mathematics and communication arts. Teachers from all 333 public elementary schools in Missouri serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade were invited to participate by completing Hord's School Professional Staff as Learning Community Questionnaire. Each question was directly related to one of Hord's five critical dimensions of PLCs: "...supportive and shared leadership; a shared vision and values; collective learning and application of learning; shared personal practice; and supportive conditions" (Hord, 1997a, p. 6, passim). …

The Impact Of A Character Education Based Interactive Discipline Program On At-Risk Student Behavior In An Alternative School, Michael G. Hylen

Dissertations

Student problem behavior is incompatible with academic achievement and positive interpersonal relationships. It has become necessary for schools to develop codes of conduct to address inappropriate student behavior. But, current school disciplinary policies are ineffective instruments for effecting positive change in student problem behavior (Goodman, 2006). In response to this problem, public school districts are developing a wide variety of approaches to dealing with the needs of problem behavior students. One approach has been the development of alternative high school programs - school district initiatives specifically designed to meet the needs of students lacking success in the traditional high school …

Investigation Of The Interactions Of Cationic Polyelectrolytes With Anionic Surfactants: Effects Of Polymer, Surfactant And Solution Properties, Lisa Renee Huisinga

Dissertations

The intent of this research is to explore and understand the effects that a range of polymer, surfactant and solution parameters have on the interaction of oppositely-charged polymers and surfactants. Cationic polysaccharides were chosen for this research because they are known to interact with anionic surfactants, and they offer a wide range of adjustable polymer properties, including molecular weight, charge substitution, and backbone structure. Cationic poly(vinylpyridinium hydrochloride) polymers were chosen for these studies because they provide the opportunity to explore the effects of charge position on the interaction of cationic polymers with anionic surfactants and how this influences the mechanism …

Examination Of An Aloe Vera Galacturonate Polysaccharide Capable Of In Situ Gelation For The Controlled Release Of Protein Therapeutics, Shawn David Mcconaughy

Dissertations

A therapeutic delivery platform has been investigated with the ultimate goal of designing a sustained protein release matrix utilizing an in-situ gelling, acidic polysaccharide derived from the Aloe vera plant. The Aloe vera polysaccharide (AvP) has been examined in order to determine how chemical composition, structure, molecular weight and solution behavior affect gelation and protein/peptide delivery. Correlations are drawn between structural characteristics and solution behavior in order to determine the impact of polymer conformation and solvation on gel formation under conditions designed to simulate nasal applications. Steady state and dynamic rheology, classic and dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, pulse field …

Dispersion States And Surface Characteristics Of Physically Blended Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane/Polymer Hybrid Nanocomposites, Rahul Misra

Dissertations

Control of dispersion and segregation states of nanostructured additives is one of the biggest challenges in realizing the optimum potential of high-performance hybrid polymer nanocomposites. Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanostructured chemicals, with their hybrid organic-inorganic nature and flexible functionalization with a variety of organic substituents, yield possibilities to control dispersion and tune compatibility in a wide range of polymer systems. The overall goal of this research is to investigate the fundamental parameters that influence the dispersion and segregation states of POSS nanostructured chemicals and to understand chain dynamics and conformations in physically blended POSS hybrid polymer nanocomposites (HPNC's). Multiple structural …

Synthesis, Propagation Kinetics, And Characterization Of D,L-Lactide-Based Polyols And Polyurethanes Therefrom, Scott Joseph Moravek

Dissertations

In order to expand the usefulness of degradable polyesters, degradable polyurethanes were synthesized using a mixed polyol system including poly(D,L-lactideco- glycolide) (PLGA), a well-known degradable polyester. Two isocyanate systems, methyl 2,6-diisocyantocaproate (LDI) and dicyclohexylmethane-4,4'- diisocyanate(Hi2MDI), were studied in order to achieve optimal physical and thermal properties of the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) while maintaining degradablity. The LDI based systems had excellent physical properties as well as thermal properties that may make them suitable for biomedical devices. The H12MDI based TPUs also had excellent physical properties as well as a higher melting temperature. The aforementioned TPUs were synthesized in small batches. Another …

The Principal's Role In Teacher Retention, Sametra Danyal Chisolm

Dissertations

As efforts are made to identify factors contributing to teachers leaving or staying in the teaching profession, teacher retention continues to pose a challenge for school administrators. Factors such as principal behaviors, principal leadership, school climate/teacher morale, professional development opportunities, and teacher mentoring programs seem to positively impact teachers' decisions to remain in the profession.

The purpose of this study was to gather data to determine whether principal behaviors, principal leadership, school climate/teacher morale, professional development opportunities, and teacher mentoring programs affect teacher retention. A questionnaire, adapted from the Mecklenburg Citizens for Public Education (formally Charlotte Advocates for Education) research …

The Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of The Phoenix Alternative Program, Jason Dethor Laffitte

Dissertations

Many school districts throughout the United States utilize alternative schools for students who have not been successful in a traditional school setting. The Phoenix Program is a second chance alternative school in Mobile, Alabama that provides educational opportunities to students who are at risk of dropping out or school or under a long-term suspension from a regular school program.

This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of the effectiveness of the Phoenix Program on students who have been suspended from their assigned school for a long term. Participants in this study included 36 principals and assistant principals, 30 students, …

Factors That Contribute To A Successful Secondary Vocational Education Program In The State Of Mississippi, Erin Leigh Parker

Dissertations

This study was designed to assess and identify factors that make a vocational program successful. Using qualitative methods for collection and analysis of data, vocational instructors and students in programs identified to be successful were interviewed to better depict the classroom setting, teachers, methods, etc. of these successful programs. Participants included instructors of and students enrolled in secondary vocational programs in the state of Mississippi identified to be most successful according to C-PAS test scores in each of the following training areas: Building Trades (carpentry), Business and Computer Technology, Marketing Management Technology, and Allied Health. MS-CPAS test scores were analyzed …

The Relationship Between African American Students' Self-Beliefs And Beliefs About Teachers And Academic Outcomes And Disciplinary Referrals, James Matthew Thompson

Dissertations

This research study addressed a facet of the academic achievement gap regarding students' beliefs. The specific area that was examined is African American students' self-belief and beliefs about their teachers, while Caucasian students were used as a comparative group. The sample consisted of 34 African American and 65 Caucasian fifth-grade students from a southeastern public school district. The purpose of the study was to explore correlations between beliefs and African American students' academic outcomes. The theoretical foundations regarding beliefs, cultural context, and stereotype threat that were explored in this study addressed the variables located in Chapter III: Methodology. Additionally, these …

The Relationship Between Principals' Leadership Self-Efficacy, Student Achievement And School Performance, Robert Louis Williams

Dissertations

The two major components of school accountability, under the Mississippi Schools Accountability System, are growth expectation and school achievement. Mississippi schools are assigned a school performance classification based upon student achievement and whether schools did not meet, met, or exceeded their growth expectation. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if there is a statistically significant relationship between principals' ratings of self-efficacy, school performance, and school growth status. In addition, this study sought to determine if there is a statistically significant relationship between principals' ratings of delegatee performance, school performance and school growth status.

The participants for this …

Effectiveness Of Before And After-School Tutoring Programs As Measured By The Mississippi Curriculum Test, Patricia Marie Goyette

Dissertations

In the era of high-stakes testing and increased accountability, the state of Mississippi has implemented the Mississippi Curriculum Test (MCT) in alignment with No Child Left Behind. Students scoring basic or minimal on the MCT are considered to be working below grade level. In response, many districts have begun tutoring students before or after school in an attempt to increase student learning. The purpose of this study was to determine if students who participated in out-of-school tutoring programs during one school year exhibited significantly more growth, as defined in the Mississippi Student Achievement Act and the No Child Left Behind …

Factors Related To Nonacademic Adjustment Of Freshmen Students, Nykela Horne Jackson

Dissertations

Student retention remains a major concern of higher education institutions. With decreasing state funding, higher education institutions have implemented creative strategies and methods to recruit students. Once students are recruited it is critical that they be retained. Research has confirmed that student withdrawals can be attributed to the lack of successful transition and adjustment to the college environment. Numerous studies have focused on how demographic factors (socioeconomic status, race, employment, and parental education level) affect retention with the major focus on academic adjustment. Current research has shown that nonacademic adjustment (social adjustment, personal/emotional adjustment, and institutional attachment) plays a significant …

Are The Math Scores Of Students Who Are Taught Mathematics Utilizing The Methods Endorsed By The Alabama Math, Science, And Technology Initiative Affected?, Brenda Elise Jolly

Dissertations

Eighth-grade mathematics scores from 21 schools were compared pre-inception and post-inception of the Alabama Mathematics, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI). Only the scores from schools which had 80% of their mathematics and science teachers trained at one Summer Institute were used, as these were considered to be true AMSTI schools. Results found the effects of AMSTI to be not statistically significant.

The second part of this research was conducted based upon 256 surveys from teachers attending their second Summer Institute of ASMTI training. Results found many school systems may hamper teachers' ability to plan and execute AMSTI lessons due to …