Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating The Usability Of The Laboratory Information System (Lis) In Coombe Hospital And Hail Hospital, Fahad Alanazi

Dissertations

Today, with the rapid evolution of technology, there has also been a rapid development of medical software and systems in hospitals. These systems and software are now being used globally in many hospitals by users of different languages and cultures. Governments and private hospitals pay large sums of money to utilise highly efficient technology. When systems are changed or updated, employees often find it difficult to deal with the characteristics of the new systems. Also, behavioral factors, such as the fear of committing simple errors, might affect system performance and prevent the full utilization of the staff potential. In this …

Investigating The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Tpack) And Technology Leadership Capacities Of K-12 Public School Principals, Randall Depew

Dissertations

It is understood that principals play a key role the integration of computer technology their schools, however there have been limited studies exploring the level of technology knowledge and technology leadership skills possessed by school principals and how these measures relate to each other. Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is a popular framework for understanding the teacher knowledge required for effective technology integration. This framework has been used to study a number of different populations including pre-service and in-service teachers in a variety of grade levels, subject areas, and pedagogical contexts. This is the first time this framework has been …

An Exploration Of The Perspectives Of Young Males With Regard To Their Experience Of Non-Heterosexual Sexuality Transitions And The Potential Influences On This Transition Within An Irish Context, Caroline Kelly

Dissertations

This research aimed to explore the perspectives of young males with regard to their experience of non-heterosexual sexuality transitions and the potential influences on this transition within an Irish context. A qualitative research approach was adopted, using semi-structured interviews with young males between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-two. This method allowed for the details of participants‟ lived experience and their individual perceptions to be captured. Key findings suggest that experiences of non-heterosexual sexuality transitions in both family and friendship contexts shaped how the transition was negotiated. Disclosure of sexual minority status to family members is still a significant issue …

The Impact Of College Campus Shooting Incidents: An Exploration Of Student Perceptions, Gary Scott Horton

Dissertations

Knowing the perceptions of college students regarding their safety on campus from an active school shooter can be valuable when campus police and security, college safety boards, and other members of the college community are designing policies and emergency plans to protect the college. However, few studies have been conducted to examine perceptions of students regarding fear of a school shooter on a university campus. To address this gap in the literature, this particular study was conducted to specifically inspect the perceptions of students regarding fear of a school shooter on a university campus in Missouri. This study resulted in …

An Exploration Of The Generalization Of Conversational Social Skills For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder Within A Self-Contained Educational Setting, Sara L. Parmeley

Dissertations

The researcher taught students with autism 14 years in a public school. For years, her students were part of a social language class and a recess playgroup with typical peers. Though the therapists facilitating those groups observed progress, the researcher witnessed no real-life application outside of class. Students with high-functioning autism had a diagnosis that included poor or lacking social skills and a language delay. Research stated that students on the autism spectrum must be taught social skills and could not be expected to ‘pick up’ skills through simple observation. In order for people to have relationships, go to college, …

Social Analytics For Health Integration, Intelligence, And Monitoring, Xiang Ji

Dissertations

Nowadays, patient-generated social health data are abundant and Healthcare is changing from the authoritative provider-centric model to collaborative and patient-oriented care. The aim of this dissertation is to provide a Social Health Analytics framework to utilize social data to solve the interdisciplinary research challenges of Big Data Science and Health Informatics. Specific research issues and objectives are described below.

The first objective is semantic integration of heterogeneous health data sources, which can vary from structured to unstructured and include patient-generated social data as well as authoritative data. An information seeker has to spend time selecting information from many websites and …

Investigation Of Infinite-Dimensional Dynamical System Models Applicable To Granular Flows, Hao Wu

Dissertations

Recently Blackmore, Samulyak and Rosato developed a class of infinite-dimensional dynamical systems in the form of integro-partial differential equations, which have been called the BSR models. The BSR models were originally derived to model granular flows, but they actually have many additional applications in a variety of fields. BSR models have already been proven to be completely integrable infinite-dimensional Hamiltonian dynamical systems for perfectly elastic interactions in the case of one space dimension, but the well-posedness question of these systems is at least partially answered for the first time here. In particular, dynamical systems of the BSR type are proven …

Loss, Hope, And Redemption: The Consequences Of Methamphetamine Use In A Sample Of Incarcerated Women, Mikhial Vincent Gunderman

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the consequences of methamphetamine use in a sample of 40 incarcerated women who were court-ordered to participate in a correctional drug and alcohol treatment program in Missouri. Using interview data from this sample, I examine their perceptions of the consequences of their methamphetamine use. The negative consequences I focus on include experiences of violence, damage to interpersonal relationships, and more personal consequences related to health, employment, housing, and the criminal justice system. In this pursuit, I explore the following research questions: 1) What is the relationship between the accumulation of negative consequences and continued and/or increased involvement …

The Role Of Arabidopsis Aminoalcoholphosphotransferase 1 And 2 In Plant Development And Oil Production And Transcriptional Regulation Of Seed Oil Accumulation By Glabra2, Yu Liu

Dissertations

Vegetable oils are important commodities as human foods, animal feeds, renewable industrial feedstocks, and biofuels. Many biochemical and regulation events are involved in seed oil formation, including phospholipids metabolism and transcriptional regulation. In this work, I investigated 1) the role of aminoalcoholphosphotransferases (AAPTs) in phospholipid synthesis and plant development, 2) the effects of AAPTs on seed storage lipid production in Arabidopsis and the emerging oil crop Camelina, and 3) the interaction of the lipid mediator phosphatidic acid (PA) with GLABRA2 (GL2), a negative regulator in seed oil production. AAPTs are the enzymes that produce phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The …

The Arts: Building A Foundation To Increase Science Literacy Skills For Urban Youth, Mildred Zimmerlyn Wigfall

Dissertations

This study examined issues related to the development of science literacy skills for urban youth, which affected school performance and achievement in science. Examined were historical and societal educational issues, identity and perception of place in society, perceived individual cultural advantages, self-efficacy, and future career interests in science. Strategies used to addrress these issues included culturally responsive approaches using hip-hop art forms, as an infusion into the urban middle school classroom. Middle school teachers and youth in large Midwest urban districts were surveyed to discover their attitudes about science education and to determine the students' level of science literacy. A …

Korean Migrant Youth Identity Work In The Transnational Social Field: A Link Between Identity, Transnationalism, And New Media Literacy, Sujin Kim

Dissertations

Informed by the new understandings of space, culture, and identity in the fast-changing world where communication technology connects and compresses multiple spaces, this qualitative study examines how Korean migrant youth understand, negotiate, and articulate their complex identities across and beyond various borders. The research questions were: (1) What are the contexts in which migrant youth negotiate their identities? (2) How do youth understand and negotiate their sense of belonging? (3) How do youth’s cultural and literacy practices, particularly in new media, inform and shape their identities? Using an ethnographic case study design, I collected data from 32 survey participants and …

Documentation Within The Anti-­‐Bias Approach: A Case Study Exploring Family And Practitioners’ Perceptions And Experiences, Stephanie Nicole Sagmoen Siqueira

Dissertations

Early childhood settings are diverse and challenging and building strong relationships between practitioners and families is vital. This research was framed around the aim to identify the factors influencing the perspectives and experiences of early childhood practitioners and families in relation to the use of pedagogical documentation within the Anti-Bias Approach. Additionally, the research aims to identify the benefits of using pedagogical documentation as a tool in the Anti-Bias Approach for building relationships. Nine semi-structured interviews with early childhood practitioners and parents/family members as well as a qualitative analysis of pedagogical documentation was conducted. Data analysis suggests five key factors …

How Sports Celebrities Handle Crisis: The Analysis Of Social, Traditional And Controlled Media, Nicole Renee Hendricks

Dissertations

Professional golfer Tiger Woods and former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong were both involved in cheating scandals beginning in 2009 and 2010, respectively. In 2009, allegations of Woods’ infidelity surfaced after Woods crashed his car and had an argument with his wife Elin outside their Orlando home. Woods remained quiet about the incident with his wife and about his alleged infidelity until a press conference was held months later. In the press conference, Woods apologized and admitted the cheating allegations were true.

Lance Armstrong was initially accused of doping and using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) by a French sports newspaper in 2005. …

Public Relations In Government-Based Public Health: Testing Contingency Theory During H1n1 Response, 2009-2010, Terri Lea Sasser

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study is to describe public relations programs in state and local government-based health departments nationwide. Using the H1N1 communications and public relations activities as a frame, or basis of comparison, this study will further seek to identify if Contingency Theory of public relations may be an apt descriptor of public relations activities during this particular response effort. This study uses Contingency Theory as a theoretical perspective to explain the strategic management of the organization-public relationships and add to the body of knowledge about Contingency Theory of public relations in the field of health communications. Contingency …

My Confidant, My Coworker: The Interpersonal Relationship Of Work Spouses, Shaunda Marie French

Dissertations

In the present study, participants described their relationship with their perceived work spouse. After completing a pre-qualifying survey to substantiate the assumed relationship, qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted. The thirty individuals answered questions relating to how they identify a work spouse relationship, the effects this relationship has on both inside and outside additional relationships and the reasons the relationship developed. After analyzing and transcribing the data, the qualitative software program Nvivo was utilized to discover themes and subthemes.

Work spouses were found to be an additional type of intimate relationship, which is both unique and yet relatable to other types …

Overcoming The Loss Of Nonverbal Cues Encountered By The Adventitiously Blind: Reconstructing Relationships And Identity, Vernon Floyd Humphrey

Dissertations

In this study, couples shared their experiences adjusting to one of the members loss of sight. Through interviews, their narratives expressed their values, actions, inactions, successes, failures, needs, obstacles, and feelings. Participants explained their standpoint/perspective about vision loss, when it happened, how it affected them, how they reacted and responded, through hindsight how they thought they should have responded, and how they reconstructed a shared interpersonal relationship. Narratives about situations and events after the loss of sight revealed descriptions of their relationships and interactions with each other and other people in their circle. Through constant comparative analysis the individual narratives …

Education Management And Design System: Use Of Internet Based Social Learning Network As A Tool To Support High School Teaching Staff In Kuwait, Ahmad Alfailakawi

Dissertations

In an attempt to explore better learning opportunities for students, research indicates that teachers must actively pursue their own professional development. With advanced social media options available, an affordable, accessible social learning tool such as Edmodo could be used for teachers’ professional development as well as communicating, motivating, and collaborating with students. Interactive online environments with their peers encourage educators to they can initiate evidence-based learning strategies. This study was designed to examine the relevance of web-based professional development for teachers. The study focused on evaluating how teachers’ professional development activities could be conducted through social networking sites, specifically Edmodo. …

Cybervictimization As A Predictor Of Aggression And Cyberbullying Among Adolescents: Examination Of Potential Risk And Protective Factors, Laura Ashley Cook

Dissertations

The current study examined how cybervictimization is related to aggression outcomes among adolescents. The current study also examined various potential risk and protective factors, including depressive symptoms, anger rumination, impulsivity, social support, and gender. It was hypothesized that the relation between cybervictimization and aggression or cyberbullying would be intensified when levels of depressive symptoms, impulsivity, and anger rumination were higher and that the relation between cybervictimization and aggression or cyberbullying would be attenuated when levels of social support were higher. Gender was examined as a research question, with no specific directionality hypothesized. The data for the current study were collected …

Trust, Safety, And Relationship Building: A Case Study Of Alternative School Education, Kermit Blakley

Dissertations

This paper involved researching and studying the social and emotional needs of all stakeholders in our educational system. It used qualitative methods of inquiry to gain knowledge based upon the experiences of children and adults in an alternative school setting. The Wire Academy staff and students experienced the short- and long-term impacts of relationship building and trust required for student achievement, as well as professional growth for the adults that serve children.

This study provides interviews and conversations that were genuine and qualitative, with respect to the climate and culture of the alternative school setting. In addition, it highlights the …

The Interrelationships Among Perceived Parenting Styles, Psychological Entitlement, And Subjective Well-Being, Emily A. Dreiling

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Examining The Impact Of Information Communication Technology On Social Skills And Total Likability, Aaron Lee Wallis

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Literacy Practices Among Migrant Teachers: Educator Perspectives And Critical Observations, Briana Asmus

Dissertations

This research builds upon scholarship that explores the unique needs of Latina/o migrant students and the teachers who serve them. Situated within the overlapping fields of migrant education, critical literacy, and Latina/o critical theory, this narrative examines the practices and perspectives of three teachers, each with more than a decade of experience teaching migrant students in a summer migrant education program (SMEP) in Michigan. The purpose of this study is to give educators, administrators, and community members who work with migrant students additional insight into the literacy acquisition process and unique challenges of working with this population.

Despite the aim …

An Examination Of Several Variables Influencing The Efficacy Of The Gateway In Street Sign Configuration On Motorist Yielding Behavior, Miles Bennett

Dissertations

This study contains five different experiments that examine the effects of several variables influencing the effectiveness of the In-Street sign and various In-Street sign configurations. Experiment 1 and 2 compared the effects of the Gateway configuration using R1-6 signs to blank fluorescent yellow-green signs arranged in the Gateway configuration on motorist yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks. The results showed that the blank signs produced an increase in yielding from 7% to 33%, while the addition of the message and symbols to the sign increased yielding to 78%. Experiment 1, 2, and 4 examined the effects of different configurations of the …

Assessing The Interpersonal Effectiveness Of The Dear-Man Skill Using A Social Psychology Paradigm, Matthew T. Jameson

Dissertations

For more than 50 years, social psychology has investigated persuasion techniques intended to facilitate influencing the behavior of others. This body of research has identified a variety of effective techniques and principles (see Cialdini, 2007). Over roughly the same period, clinical psychologists developed interventions targeting assertiveness, the ability to influence others in socially appropriate ways (see Long, Long, & Whitson, 2009) and the related construct “interpersonal effectiveness,” the ability to influence others without harming relationships or self-respect (Linehan, 2015, pp. 231-237). A literature review conducted by the author was unable to identify linkages between these two related areas of inquiry. …

Investigations Of Filarial Nematode Motility, Response To Drug Treatment, And Pathology, Charles Nutting

Dissertations

More than a billion people live at risk of chronic diseases caused by parasitic filarial nematodes. These diseases: lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, and loaisis cause significant morbidity, degrading the health, quality of life, and economic productivity of those who suffer from them. Though treatable, there is no cure to rid those infected of adult parasites. The parasites can modulate the immune system and live for 10-15 years. Testing of compounds against filarial nematodes is complicated due to a lack of an objective platform on which to analyze in vitro treatments. There is no published, immunocompetent laboratory model for lymphatic filariasis. This …

Ultrafast Charge Carrier Dynamics In Bare And Surface-Modified Semiconductor Nanoparticles, Jameel Abdul-Hadi Hasan

Dissertations

Charge-carrier relaxation dynamics in semiconductor nanoparticles has been in the forefront of research for last three decades both for their fundamental nature as well as for applications in light-harvesting, luminescent labels, light-emitting diodes and nonlinear optics. Significant research has focused on II-VI semiconductors with emphasis on CdS and CdSe that are toxic. On the other hand, ZnO and TiO2 semiconductor nanoparticles are less toxic and have enormous applications in photo-catalysis, water splitting, solar cells and optical sensors. However, the investigations of charge-carrier dynamics in these semiconductor nanomaterials compared to II-VI semiconductor quantum dots are quite limited. The knowledge of charge-carrier …

Behavior Analysis Program To Improve Habits Of Physical Activity, Eating, And Sleeping, Ivan Noe Martinez Salazar

Dissertations

An Internet-based five-week duration program to improve “health habits” using behavior analysis principles and eHealth technology was developed and evaluated. The “health habits” include recurring behaviors that impact health status such as eating, sleeping, and physical activity.

Ten adult participants were recruited online from Mexico. A multiple baseline design was used and participants were randomly assigned into two different groups (i.e., ABBAA and AABBA groups). Participants received online training using videos describing the characteristics of the program and its components. Each participant recorded selected health behaviors using a Microsoft Excel® tool designed specifically for this program’s goal achievements. Participants reported …

At-Risk High School Graduates: Succeeding Despite The Odds, Suzette Michele Luster

Dissertations

The high school dropout rate and the low skill set of high school graduates are of significant concern to stakeholders across the country. Based on a report released by the Education Research Center (2011), approximately 7,000 students drop out of school every day and of those students, a large percentage of them have only the basic skill sets that prevent them from accessing competitive vocational opportunities or successful entry into post-secondary education. Understanding the educational journey of students identified at risk could provide stakeholders with critical information with regard to educational reforms based on an early warning system and dropout …

Use Of Photography To Support The Learning Process Of Science Teachers Of Ninth Through Twelfth Grade In The Schools Of Kuwait, Abdulaziz Alenizi

Dissertations

The research utilized a descriptive quantitative research design. The number of participants was limited to an acceptable number in the range of 250-300. Data were collected through a questionnaire and analyses were conducted using various types of statistical designs for interpretation, specifically Spearman correlation analysis. The study revealed that visual media such as images and photographs made it easy for the students to understand the concepts of science subjects, specifically biology, physics, and chemistry. Visual media should be included in the curriculum to enhance the comprehension level of students. The government of Kuwaiti, therefore, should to encourage the use of …

Revenue Structure, Revenue Diversification, And Severe Economic Downturns: Using Ordered Response Models To Predict Public Research University Credit Ratings, Joshua Michael Cohen

Dissertations

No abstract provided.