Digital Commons Network^™

Providing Head Start Services Amid A Global Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Explanatory Study Of Capacity, Resources, And Support, Kelly L. Vigants

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic altered education in dramatic ways including immediate building closures and the implementation of virtual instruction. In March of 2020, Michigan faced a statewide shutdown on all non-essential travel as Michiganders were ordered to “Stay Home. Stay Safe.” Head Start began to provide remote services to families and students. Head Start lead teachers were charged with using virtual methods to teach their students. With little direction in the beginning and many unknowns, Head Start lead teachers used innovative methods to promote family engagement.

This study used a mixed method, explanatory sequential design to evaluate the most effective methods …

An Evaluation Of The Trauma-Informed Approach Implemented At A Title I Elementary School, Aleli Vazquez

Dissertations

An Evaluation of the Trauma-Informed Approach Implemented at a Title I Elementary School assesses the merits of the implementation of an intervention to support the social emotional ability and stability of students within elementary schools; called the Trauma Informed Approach. Many children attending elementary schools bring diverse and complex experiences to the classroom setting. Students with multiple adverse childhood experiences attend the educational system. Many students have a more difficult time concentrating and succeeding due to anxiety and lack of physiological needs being met. These needs must be met to secure positive learning gains for these students.

For data gathering …

A Program Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Fundations And Reading Strategies Professional Development, Cecile Amy Farino

Dissertations

This program evaluation focused on a research-based reading intervention program implemented in a public school district. It also considered the professional development provided in reading strategies and the use of the program to increase students’ reading achievement levels. A problem I identified with using a reading intervention program was it did not identify student deficiencies, and educators lacked the knowledge of basic reading foundational skills to help identify students’ deficiencies. In my research, I examined one elementary school and the administrative team members’ implementation of the reading intervention program. The literature I presented focused on two phases of reading: the …

Trust In Leadership To Develop Collaborative School Culture And Effective Implementation Of Professional Learning Communities, Kara Mieszanek

Dissertations

DISSERTATION: TRUST IN LEADERSHIP TO DEVELOP COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL CULTURE AND EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES

Kara N. Mieszanek National Louis University

ABSTRACT

In education, we are constantly working toward increasing student achievement. Often, we pursue technical elements such as implementing programs, data analysis, utilizing assessment tools, embedding evaluation systems, etc. However, there is another critical element that may all too often get overlooked—the culture. The purpose of this study was to strip away all the layers required to achieve systemic change by observing what is at the core of it all: trust. Through qualitative and quantitative research, I took …

African American Women Attaining And Maintaining The Position Of Superintendent, Twyla Harris

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

There is an underrepresentation of African American women in the position of school district superintendent. The purpose of this research was to uncover the barriers and challenges African American women face both as aspiring and sitting superintendents. To gain a lived experience perspective on the problem, five African American women superintendents were interviewed. The primary research question was: How have African American female superintendents attained and successfully held the superintendent position? Using narrative inquiry, interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded for the discovery of common themes. Findings include the value of networking for mentoring and support, accepting and bearing …

Applications Of Nanoporous Gold To Drug Release And Glycoscience, Dharmendra Neupane

Dissertations

Nanoporous gold (NPG) is a versatile material because of its three-dimensional nanoscale network, facile surface functionalization, biocompatibility, and potential usage in biotechnology applications. The field of glycoscience is growing in significance as the importance of glycans in human health and disease becomes more fully understood at the molecular level. NPG can be applied to several needs in the field of glycoscience. Our lab has applied NPG to applications in glycoscience including the capture and release of glycoproteins, and the detection of glycoprotein interactions by using either electrochemical methods or localized surface plasmon spectroscopy (LSPR). The capture of glycoproteins onto high …

Social Support Following Pregnancy Loss And Its Implications For Women’S Experiences Of Posttraumatic Growth, Agata Freedle

Dissertations

The available literature suggests that social support can contribute to individuals’ positive psychological changes following a traumatic event. However, the effects of the social milieu following pregnancy loss on women’s post-loss adjustment continues to be vastly unexplored. This dissertation explores a gap in the literature surrounding the relationship of interpersonal and intrapersonal social factors on women’s posttraumatic growth (PTG) after miscarriage or stillbirth via three studies. Specifically, the following factors were investigated in relation to PTG: 1) Adult attachment and women’s experiences of dyadic coping; 2) self-disclosure, positive social reactions and deliberate rumination; 3) empathy and prosocial behaviors. Women who …

A Quantitative Assessment Of The Effectiveness Of A Global Online Professional Development Course To Enhance 21st Century Skills In Stem Instructional Design, Chris Link

Dissertations

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines are becoming increasingly important in the 21st century workforce, but there is currently a shortage of STEM professionals around the world. Even when students graduate with STEM degrees, many lack basic interpersonal skills such as communication and problem solving that would position them for success in the marketplace. The New York Academy of Science developed the STEM Education Framework to help ensure that STEM curricula teach the Essential Skills that students need in order to thrive in the modern workplace. In order for educators to proficiently utilize the STEM Education Framework, they must …

Diet Behaviors, Physical Activity, And Sociodemographic Factors In A Sample Of Racially Diverse Adults: A Secondary Analysis Of Nhanes (2017-2018) Data, Fatemeh Choupani

Dissertations

Background: The prevalence of obesity is increasing among adults in the United States and is related to a high risk to health. Obesity has been linked to lifestyle behaviors such as diet behaviors and physical activity.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine if an association exits between foods prepared outside of the home, walking or biking, vigorous/moderate recreational activities, sociodemographic factors and the outcomes, body mass index, percentage of body fat, and waist circumference.

Method: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from 3942 adults from the U.S. aged 20 years, as recorded in the National Health …

Do User-Generated Ratings Affect Hotel Valuations? – An Analysis Of The Chicago Hotel Market, Shailesh Patel

Dissertations

Today’s travelers are increasingly relying on aggregated online opinions to make purchase decisions. One of the sectors most impacted by these online reviews is the hospitality industry, where consumer review websites such as TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Bookings.com play a critical role in influencing consumer's choice of hotel and the price they will pay for the room. Recently, there have been studies investigating the various aspects of user-generated online reviews and ratings. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of user-generated ratings on hotel valuations. Our paper does this using regression analysis to study the impact of TripAdvisor …

Help Seeking For Mental Health Problems In Mental Health Counselors: Prevalence, Barriers, And Predictors, Carol A. Miller

Dissertations

This study surveyed a sample of 255 mental health counselors in the United States and used descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression analysis to investigate the prevalence of mental health problems and help seeking, the perceived barriers to, and predictors of help seeking for mental health problems among mental health counselors. In this sample, 62.6% (n = 159) reported they had experienced a mental health problem during the time since licensure. Of those, 13.2% (n = 21) reported they had not received treatment. “Handling the problem on my own” was the most cited barrier to help seeking, …

A Mixed Methods Examination Of Generational Faculty Perceptions When Developing Online Courses, Jelena Fleming

Dissertations

As technology continues to change rapidly, online learning altered higher education. As a result, instructional designers and instructional technologists became more critical in supporting faculty in online course design. Transitioning courses to the online environment created external barriers, such as no training and support, primarily for faculty who never taught online. Instructional designers and instructional technologists helped address external barriers among full-time and adjunct faculty and provided a positive online course development experience. Therefore, the researcher conducted a mixed-methods examination of generational faculty perceptions experienced during online course development at a small Midwestern institution. The researcher investigated a difference between …

Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of Servant Leadership For Establishing A Culture Of High Performance As Perceived By Middle School Principals, Alison L. Wills

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe middle school principals' perceived impact of servant leadership constructs developed by Patterson (2003) for establishing a culture of high performance.

Methodology: This phenomenological qualitative study described the lived experiences of middle school principals' use of Patterson's (2003) seven servant leadership constructs for establishing a culture of high performance in Orange County, California. The researcher was part of a thematic team of eight peer researchers and two faculty advisors. Data collection included virtual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews using a protocol developed by the thematic team. Observations and artifacts for triangulation …

Searching For A “Home”: Examining The Experiences Of Confucian Asian College Students With Third Culture Kid Backgrounds, Yuima Mizutani

Dissertations

Third culture kids (TCKs) spend their childhood and adolescence outside of their home countries. Because of their unique backgrounds, TCKs and adult TCKs face challenges including identity development, low self-esteem, lack of connection with their home countries, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, adjustment disorder, and others. Although the number of TCKs is increasing due to globalization, this population has been understudied. Moreover, most existing research has focused on TCKs in Western countries. Few researchers have studied Confucian Asian adult TCKs; that is, adult TCKs from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and others. Confucian Asian countries have collectivistic cultures …

Racial Battle Fatigue And Black Male Higher Education Administrators, Joshua Walehwa

Dissertations

Racial Battle Fatigue was first coined by Dr. William A. Smith as a theory describing the burnout of African Americans in higher education institutions. While much of the current research focuses on the faculty and student experiences, in various formats, this provides an autoethnography capturing the various phases of a Black Male higher education administrators experience with experiencing and coping through Racial Battle Fatigue. The belief behind this approach focuses on the value of storytelling and autoethnography in particular in research, the interconnected nature of life experiences that impact professional life as well as the reverse, and a call to …

Design Thinking As A Common Language Between Higher Education And Employers, Johnna Denning-Smith

Dissertations

This qualitative study explores student skill preparedness for the work force through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with current college students, faculty members, and employers. Responses from study participants were transcribed, coded, and thematically organized into the following four categories of skills that employers seek in recent college graduates: critical thinking skills, resiliency, workplace skills, and discipline specific skills. The findings include participant perceptions of the importance of these skills and whether higher education effectively prepares recent graduates for the workforce. As part of this discussion, design thinking is presented as a bridge between these groups and as a solution …

Generational Diversity: Absenteeism Examined Through Perceptions Of Organizational Justice And Authentic Leadership, Ebony Lisa Spencer-Muldrow

Dissertations

This study explored the impact of authentic leadership (AL) on employee perception of organizational justice and employee propensity to engage in negligible absences—those that could be avoided by the employee but are not. The study sought an understanding into possible differences between the absence behaviors of the Millennial generation and Generation X. Data were collected from 214 participants primarily located in the Midwest United States. Participants were nearly equally distributed between the two target populations. Participants completed a comprehensive, web-based survey comprised of Colquitt’s (2001) Organizational Justice Measure (OJM) and the Walumbwa et al. (2008) Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ), along …

Empowering Nurses Of Minority In The Face Of Incivility And Bullying: Through The Lens Of Phenomenology, Corrine Floyd

Dissertations

Abstract

Up to 85% of nurses have reported exposure to incivility in the workplace (Hunt & Marini, 2012). The often-subtle nature of incivility toward nurses in a minority population may partially explain why it remains a problem. Healthcare organizations realize the need for civility to counter the high turnover rate, staff shortages, and low job satisfaction reported by nurses, but lack understanding of how nurses of a minority population perceive incivility and bullying. This study aimed to answer the research question how do nurses with minority representation experience incivility and bullying versus empowerment in the workplace? A descriptive phenomenological design …

Predictors Of Positive Outcomes In Treating Individuals Diagnosed With Idd And Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders, Jacob Omondi Wasonga

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the use of a new treatment protocol, the systemic treatment plan (STP) by identifying the predictors of positive treatment outcomes for individuals diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and comorbid mental health conditions. This study examined the relationship between challenging behaviors, psychiatric conditions, and positive treatment outcomes for individuals with IDD and co-occurring disorders, particularly those individuals whose treatment was driven by the STP. A linear regression analysis was conducted to determine which challenging behaviors and psychiatric disorders best predict positive outcomes in systemically engaged treatment. The results from this study …

Racial/Ethnic Identity Modeling: An Exploration Of The Effects Of Bilingualism On Racial/Ethnic Identity Expression And Self-Esteem In Multiple-Race Black/African American Adults, Tritia Miyako Finley

Dissertations

The psychological well-being and racial/ethnic identity expression of bilingual multiple-race individuals mixed with Black/African American and another minority racial/ethnic category are largely underrepresented topics in current scholarly literature despite their growing population in the United States. In the current study, the sociohistorical and political processes of colonialism and coloniality were discussed to provide context for the critical examination of familial foreign language ability (FLA), self-esteem (SE), and Black/African American racial/ethnic identity (BRI) expression among multiple-race Black/African American adults (N = 204). Using structural equation modeling, results indicated that higher levels of FLA were related to higher levels of SE. …

An Analysis Of Gothic Conventions In Abu Al-Reesh’S Umm Al-Duways And Saadawi’S Frankenstein In Baghdad, Amna Matar Khalfan Mohammed Al Neyadi

Dissertations

Gothic as a literary form first appeared in late eighteenth-century British literature, when Horace Walpole described the second edition of his novel, The Castle of Otranto (1764), as a Gothic story. From that time, and throughout the nineteenth century, Gothic continued to exist in English literature and other European nations’ works of literature. This dissertation aims at proposing and delineating the existence of Gothic elements in modern Arabic novels. In doing so, this research demonstrates that the Gothic genre is part of contemporary Arabic novels, even though Arab literary criticism pays less attention to this fact. This study focuses on …

Mindfulness And Social Emotional Learning: The Lived Experience Of Students Learning English As A Second Language, Lara Catherine Donnelly

Dissertations

In a phenomenological case study, the author sought to gain an awareness of the lived experiences of 4th and 5th grade ESL students, their parents, and their teachers who participated in the MindUp mindfulness curriculum. The author was interested in the relationship between the mindfulness curriculum and SEL based on the perspective of all three participant groups. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 3 students, at least one parent of each of those three students, and the two classroom teachers who conducted the MindUp lessons. Five main themes developed from coding of the raw data: (1) positive impact on students; (2) …

An Examination Of Optimal Level Of Ceo Narcissism: Why, How, And When Narcissism Impacts Firm Performance, Scott Boswell

Dissertations

Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) may have narcissistic tendencies that impact the firm and its performance. We explore the definition of narcissism, how it is measured, and when it might be optimal or harmful to the firm’s performance. Leaders exhibiting higher scores on one or more Dark Triad traits often are viewed negatively both inside and outside the firm. Should such negative perceptions disqualify a leader who displays a measure of a Dark Triad trait? This research answers the primary question, is there an optimal level of CEO narcissistic traits and if so, are there moderating factors that impact the level? …

Predictors Of Hiv/Aids Related Stigma And Discrimination Among Anglophone Caribbean Women, Kimberly A. Hires

Dissertations

The effects of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) global epidemic continue to emerge decades after the first wave of infection. One key aspect of the HIV epidemic that is significantly impacted by culture and knowledge of HIV transmission is stigma, specifically HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination (HASD). The Caribbean region has the second highest HIV prevalence rate in the world. In 2011, there were approximately 13,000 new infections and 10,000 AIDS related deaths among adults and children in the Caribbean. Three Anglophone nations significantly impacted by the HIV epidemic are Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. HASD has been identified …

Examining Health-Related Decision Making Patterns Of African Americans With Coronary Heart Disease: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Tiffany Ann Love

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the themes that affected the day-to-day health-related decision making of African Americans managing coronary heart disease (CHD). Understanding the lived experience of African Americans with CHD can offer health care providers additional strategies to improve disease management. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was utilized to explore: (1) what is the lived experience of managing CHD among older African Americans? (2) What is the essence of health-related decision making among older African Americans living with CHD? Two audio taped 30 to 60 minute open ended in-depth interviews per participant.

Donor Families’ Experiences From Initial Loss Forward: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Linda Sue Meeker

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the lives of those who have consented to organ donation at the time of an unexpected death of a loved one. The qualitative data illuminated participants’ experiences as members of donor families as they shared their observations and experiences from the initial loss forward. The participants in this study included eight women and one man who were the primary next-of-kin and the individual who provided consent to donate the organs. The results indicated that there are steps in the care of these families that could be improved, allowing for better care of …

The Impact Of Integrated Stem Education On Student Achievement In Magnet Schools, Holly Esquia Gerlach

Dissertations

In an ever-changing world, scientific advancement and innovation are critical in maintaining national security, economic competitiveness, and quality of life for our global society. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has been a priority within educational reforms for well over a decade. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of integrated STEM education on student achievement results in English language arts, mathematics, and science. The single overarching question of this program evaluation is: Does integrated STEM education impact the achievement outcomes in reading, mathematics, and science for students in fourth and fifth grades? Related research questions …

Geomechanical State Of Rocks With Depletion In Unconventional Coalbed Methane Reservoirs, Suman Saurabh

Dissertations

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OFSUMAN SAURABH, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Engineering Science, presented on August 30, 2019, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.TITLE: GEOMECHANICAL STATE OF ROCKS WITH DEPLETION IN UNCONVENTIONAL COALBED METHANE RESERVOIRSMAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Satya HarpalaniOne of the major reservoir types in the class of unconventional reservoirs is coalbed methane. Researchers have treated these reservoirs as isotropic when modeling stress and permeability, that is, mechanical properties in all directions are same. Furthermore, coal is a highly sorptive and stress- sensitive rock. The focus of this dissertation is to characterize the geomechanical aspects of these reservoirs, …

Content Variation In Jury Instructions For Fatal Police Use Of Force Trials Do Not Moderate The Effect Of Attitudes Toward Police On Verdicts, Chasity Lynn Ratliff

Dissertations

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OFChasity Ratliff, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychology, presented on June 22, 2020, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: CONTENT VARIATION IN JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR FATAL POLICE USE OF FORCE TRIALS DO NOT MODERATE THE EFFECT OF ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE ON VERDICTSMAJOR PROFESSOR: Liana C. Peter-HageneWhen police officers are charged with illegal use of force, jurors’ pre-existing attitudes toward the police can shape how jurors interpret trial evidence: Was the officer just doing his job under high amounts of pressure while fearing for his life? Or did the officer abuse his power with …

A Case Study On The Impact That The Meet & Teach Program Has On Youth Through Experiential Learning, Evan Brown

Dissertations

Millions of students continue to struggle academically throughout K-12, which can harm student access and retention in higher education. Also, with arts continually being removed throughout the K-12 education curricula, students have a lack of support toward enhancing their hidden talents and skillsets. This study describes the impact that the Meet & Teach program had on youth through experiential learning in relation to developing and enhancing their skillset in media arts. The two research questions that guide this study are: (a) How does the Meet & Teach program support skill development for higher education through experiential learning? (b) In what …