Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Efficiency And Effectiveness Of Teacher Selection Tools: The Effects On The Total Group With A Focus On The Gender Sub-Groups, Sharon Lynn Ellerbrook

Dissertations

As schools struggle to meet federal testing requirements, the importance of having highly effective teachers in every classroom has never been greater, and, given the downward trend in the economy, there are more teaching applicants than ever. School districts would benefit from a streamlined process to interview and select only the most effective and highly-qualified teachers. The researcher’s purpose was to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of a unique and specific teacher selection process which included three Ventures for Excellence screening tools and one innovative instrument designed for this study, the performance rating scale. A collaborative correlational study involving three …

Exploring The Efficiency And Effectiveness Of Teacher Selection Tools: The Effects On The Total Group With A Focus On Elementary And Secondary Sub-Groups, Gregory Matthew Cicotte

Dissertations

As schools struggle to meet federal testing requirements, the importance of having highly effective teachers in every classroom has never been greater, and, given the current downward trend in the economy, there are more teaching applicants than ever. School districts would benefit from a streamlined process to interview and select only the most highly-qualified teachers. The researcher’s purpose in this study was to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of a unique and specific teacher selection process which included three Ventures for Excellence screening tools and one innovative instrument designed for this study, the performance rating scale. A collaborative correlational study …

Workforce Education And Development Curriculum Responsiveness To Culturally And Internationally Diverse Graduate Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Debra Sharon Ferdinand

Dissertations

This descriptive study used a mixed methods design and sought to examine students' perceptions on workforce education and development (WED) curriculum responsiveness to culturally and internationally diverse graduate students, at a Midwestern university on four dimensions: teaching strategies (to include delivery), curriculum inclusiveness, international responsiveness, and curriculum improvements. The research study design consisted of the mixed methods Follow-up Explanations Model (QUAN emphasized) complemented by the With-in Stage Mixed Model. A pragmatic paradigm guided the collection and analysis of the study's census data (survey and focus groups). A newly developed WED Curriculum Responsiveness Survey (.850 Cronbach's alpha index) containing closed- and …

The Relationship Between Web Accessibility Policy And Practice In Postsecondary Institutions, Michael Whitney

Dissertations

From computer workstations to the world of the web, statutes and policies have afforded students with disabilities the right to participate in postsecondary education in a non-discriminatory manner. Automatic doors and adjustable tables are a commonplace on campuses and represent prime examples of accessible policy adherence, but what affect do accessible website design policies have on practice? The answer is monumental for the students with disabilities that rely on the integration of electronic curb cuts into institutional websites. In 2006, Illinois Board of Higher Education required public postsecondary institutions to develop and implement a website policy, report on the accessibility …

Climate Change In The Changing Climate Of News Media: A Comparative Analysis Of Mainstream Media And Blog Coverage Of Climate Change In The United States And The People's Republic Of China, 2005-2008, Lei Xie

Dissertations

The social construction of climate change has been an enduring interest to media scholars. Extensive research has been done to explore how the mass media portrayed climate change and how the influence of their representations contributed to the social reality of climate change. However, most research focused on the news media in the United States and other developed countries and ignored China--the second largest greenhouse gases emitter in the world. This oversight has led to a sociological map of global climate change with the one of the biggest puzzle pieces missing. In addition, traditional news media were in the spotlight …

Correlates Of Teachers' Job Satisfaction: A Hierarchical Linear Model Study Using 2003-2004 Schools And Staffing Survey, Jeffrey M. Leslie

Dissertations

This study examines the correlates of teachers' job satisfaction. Based on the literature, it proposes that teacher satisfaction is a function of, among others, the following school process variables: (a) school influence, (b) classroom control, (c) student behavior, (d) parental support, (e) staff collegiality, (f) career/working conditions, (g) administrative communication, and (h) administrative support. The research first decomposed the amount of variance attributable to the teacher level and the school level. Since there was a significant amount of variance at the school level, the next step was to determine if and how the above school process variables were associated with …

Important Or Impotent? Radical Right Political Parties And Public Policy In Germany And Austria, Marcella J. Myers

Dissertations

Across Western Europe throughout the 1990s radical right political parties emerged and gained some electoral success. Since that time, particularly in the face of the popularity of the National Front in France and the Freedom Party in Austria, many studies have been conducted examining the voting behavior, party membership and ideologies of these parties, and what the parties mean to democratic governments. Largely unexamined are the effects of radical right political parties on public policy. This study attempts to evaluate the effect of radical right parties on public policy by using a most similar, case study research design, relying heavily …

The Ethnic Identity Of Returning Immigrants To A Pueblo In Yucatan, David Piacenti

Dissertations

This study seeks to understand: 1) motivations for leaving and, if applicable, racialized, segregated environment, which is represented by the returned cholo, whose "urban gangbanger" mentality confronts the traditional, rural ethnic identity. San Francisco also affects the overall perception of immigration and desire for permanent U.S. residence. Of the San Francisco cohort, 42% say immigration is "positive overall." Conversely, 62% of the Kalamazoo cohort says that immigration is "positive overall." Only 29% of the San Francisco cohort desire permanent residence in the U.S. while 54% of the Kalamazoo cohort desire permanent U.S. residence. Therefore, the suburban context of Kalamazoo may …

A Mixed Method Study Of Factors Associated With The Academic Achievement Of Latina/O College Students From Predominantly Mexican American Backgrounds: A Strengths-Based Approach, Laura Lara

Dissertations

Young adults from Latina/o backgrounds draw from cultural assets and wrestle with distinctive challenges as they enter into, study at, and graduate from institutions of higher education. In this investigation, I examined the perspectives of Latina/o college students with low and high academic achievement, focusing on their upbringing within families and their identification with their cultural heritage. A sequential mixed method study was implemented and the study was grounded in Margaret Spencer’s PVEST framework (1995, 2006), the development of ethnic identity (Umaña-Taylor, Yazedjian, & Bámaca-Gómez, 2004), and factors associated with the academic achievement of students from Latina/o backgrounds. Results suggest …

Exploring The Efficiency And Effectiveness Of Teacher Selection Tools: The Effects On The Total Group With A Focus On The Experience Sub-Groups, Kimberly Joyce Mckinley

Dissertations

As schools struggle to meet federal testing requirements, the importance of having highly effective teachers in every classroom has never been greater, and, given the downward trend in the economy, there are more teaching applicants than ever. School districts would benefit from a streamlined process to interview and select only the most effective and highly-qualified teachers. The researcher’s purpose was to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of a unique and specific teacher selection process which included three Ventures for Excellence screening tools and one innovative instrument designed for this study, the performance rating scale. A collaborative correlational study involving three …

Metaevaluation Of Hiv/Aids Prevention Intervention Evaluations In Sub Saharan Africa With A Specific Emphasis On Implications For Women And Girls, Tererai Mafukidze Trent

Dissertations

Despite numerous attempts by international agencies to halt the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), nowhere has the impact of HIV/AIDS been felt more acutely than among women and girls in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). SSA women account for 59% of adults over the age of 15 living with HIV/AIDS and 76% of those 15-24 who are infected (United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS [UNAIDS], 2007).

The evidence on gender disparities in infection rates is indisputable; there is an urgent need to identify what is missing in HIV/AIDS prevention interventions: What is the evidence based upon …

The Advanced Placement And International Baccalaureate Programs: The Graduates' Perspective, Shannon Saxby Smith

Dissertations

This study was designed to solicit the perspectives of AP and IB graduates who have completed at least one semester of postsecondary education about their experiences while in their respective programs. This study was also conducted to determine whether these IB graduates report that they were better prepared for postsecondary studies than students who participated in the AP program. The researcher was also able to determine whether AP and IB graduates believed they experienced any long-term benefits or detriments by having been in their programs and whether they believed their experiences were worthwhile. Lastly, the researcher was able to determine …

The Impact Of Multicultural Trade Books And An Intervention On Fourth Graders' Cultural Attitudes, Susan Herberger Whitcomb

Dissertations

As the United States population has become more diverse and the civil rights movement of the 1960s increased attentiveness to the change in population, the need for multicultural awareness has grown (Perry & Fraser, 1993). This study examined if teacher read alouds of multicultural trade books and a scripted instructional intervention could impact 187 fourth graders' cultural attitudes. The 10-session, 5-week study involved six reading teacher volunteers participating in one of the three group levels (treatment one: multicultural trade book read alouds, treatment two: multicultural trade books and a scripted instructional intervention, and treatment three: a control group). The mixed …

Source-Message-Receiver In Integrated Marketing Communication: A Study Of U.S. Institutional Advancement, Sharee Leblanc Broussard

Dissertations

Because integrated marketing communication (IMC) research has traditionally been problematic, this study used an existing scale to determine that higher educational institutional advancement (alumni, marketing-communications, development) is an appropriate venue to study the process model. Responses from practitioners representing every department within advancement, every regional accrediting body and each of the baccalaureate to doctoral Carnegie Classification levels indicated the IMC process model is both understood and its tenets practiced by practitioners at all sizes and levels of institution. The study was of interest to the practitioners as more than half of the respondents requested a copy of the results. Additionally, …

The Existence Of Implicit Racial Bias In Nursing Faculty, Kathleen A. Fitzsimmons

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Study Of Sponsorship Effectiveness Between On-Site And Web-Based Sponsorship Activities, Issadee Kutintara

Dissertations

Virtually no evidence exists that current sponsorship activities on sporting event Web sites enable corporations to achieve sponsorship objectives including, but not limited to, increasing sales, improving image, or increasing awareness. The purpose of this study was to determine if significant differences of sponsorship effectiveness measures (brand awareness, attitude toward sponsorship, and purchase intentions) existed among a sample of Generation Y participants exposed to various sponsorship activities (on-site, online, and both on-site and online). The study surveyed 228 participants (112 on-site fans, 56 online fans, and 60 both on-site and online fans) exposed to the ESPN Winter X Games 13. …

High School Sophomores' Perceptions Of The Role Of Extra-Curricular Activities As Preparation For College Admission, John Earl Wyble

Dissertations

While there is significant interest and emphasis on student participation in extra-curricular activities, limited research on such participation and the benefits it may possess toward preparing students for college admissions exists. A survey of 312 high school sophomores in a rural, southeastern Louisiana school district was conducted. Data were collected through the survey on the students' participation in extra-curricular activities and their perceived value of such participation toward gaining admission to a postsecondary institution. The purpose of the study was to analyze the relationship between participation in extra-curricular activity and the perceived value of such participation toward gaining admission to …

Transcript Analysis Of The Cso Operon And Characterization Of Two Sets Of Conserved Bacterial Microcompartment Genes In The Model Organism Halothiobacillus Neapolitanus, Fei Cai

Dissertations

This study was designed to achieve better understanding of (1) how carboxysome genes are regulated and expressed to yield with precise relative ratios and (2) the in vivo roles of two sets of conserved bacterial microcompartment genes, namely the three csoSl and two csoS4 genes of H. neapolitanus, in the biogenesis and function of the carboxysome. For the first goal, a detailed transcriptional profile of carboxysomal genes in H. neapolitanus was established using absolute quantification real-time RT-PCR and transcript ends analysis. This transcriptional profile revealed that a single promoter, denoted cso promoter, was located upstream from the clustered carboxysomal genes. …

A Performance Project With An Historical And Analytical Perspective On The Concerto For Alto Saxophone And Orchestra, Op. 31 By Peter Jona Korn, Brian Sanford Ransom

Dissertations

Peter Jona Korn (1922-1998) is not a name immediately recognized in American music circles, yet during the 1940s and '50s he led a successful career as an American composer. His Saxophone Concerto - composed in 1956 for the virtuoso Sigurd Rascher, and revised by Korn in 1982 - is an important contribution to the saxophone repertoire.

Many composers, including Glazounov, Ibert, and Larsson, wrote concertos for Sigurd Rascher. These works, once considered highly virtuosic, are now studied and performed by college level saxophonists. The original version of Korn's Concerto, among the most technically demanding works, has remained in obscurity for …

Study Of Thermal Frontal Polymerization Utilizing Reactive And Non-Reactive Additives, Veronika Grace Viner

Dissertations

Thermal frontal polymerization is a process that involves a propagating front travelling through a monomer/initiator solution and converting monomer into polymer. The effects of different reactive and non-reactive additives on front temperature, front velocity, and pot life were studied in a thermal frontal polymerization system of multifunctional acrylates. One issue with thermal frontal polymerization of acrylate monomers is the amount of smoke and fumes produced due to high front temperatures. The effect of thermally-expandable microspheres was studied utilizing a variety of monomers. Solid additives including fillers, inert phase changer materials, and high thermal conductive fillers were investigated. The addition of …

Sustainable Commercial Interior Design, Órla Keane

Dissertations

This dissertation looks at the environmental benefits of 3 key areas in relation to interior design: Energy, Water and Air; energy efficient lighting, water efficient plumbing fixtures and the effects of interior materials and finishes on indoor air quality.

Qualitative research methodology: Extensive literature review of texts available on these topics, and also of the relevant building codes and environmental legislation applicable to Irish interior designers and the built environment.

Quantitative research methodology: A comprehensive survey of then currently practicing Irish interior designers, and their use of sustainable design strategies (or lack thereof). The survey was conducted in conjunction with …

An Examination Of Body Objectification And Social Physique Anxiety In Women And Men: The Priming Effects Of Anticipating A Brief Social Interaction, Erin Renee Barnett

Dissertations

Body objectification occurs when individuals adopt an observer’s view of their body and treat their body as an object. This process has been linked to a host of harmful consequences, including appearance anxiety and shame, decreased awareness of internal bodily states, eating disorders, depression, and sexual dysfunction (see Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997, for a review). The current investigation is based on objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997), a sociocultural framework that describes the experiences and psychological risks of those who objectify their bodies. This study examined trait levels of self-objectification and social physique anxiety in women and men, as well …

Does Gender Impact On Career Progression In The Garda Síochána?, Goretti Sheridan

Dissertations

Little is generally known about the factors affecting the managerial advancement of women in police forces internationally. There is a dearth of research on women and policing in the Garda Síochána. Women are 50 years in policing in Ireland and would appear to have been totally restricted in their progression up until the last decade. The principle aim of this study is concerned with exploring the research question ‘Does Gender Impact on Career Progression in the Garda Síochána?’ It concentrates solely on policewomen. A comprehensive analysis of national and international literature is summarised in a literature review. An extensive examination …

Sexual And Reproductive Decisions And Experiences Of Women Living With Hiv/Aids In Abuja, Nigeria, Stella C. Iwuagwu

Dissertations

Over 60% of those living with HIV/AIDS are women, the majority of them in their sexual and reproductive years (UNAIDS, 2006). With antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, most of them are living longer and healthier to engage in sexual and reproductive activities (WHO, 2006). This study explored the sexual and reproductive decisions and experiences of women living with HIV/AIDS (WLWHA) in Abuja, Nigeria. Only those who became pregnant and had a child after being diagnosed with HIV participated in the study.

The study was an interview based qualitative research. The design of the interview guide was informed by the PEN-3 Model (Airhihenbuwa, …

An Exploration Of Manager’S Practices In And Attitudes Towards Staff Vetting In Children’S Residential Centres, Catherine Hanly

Dissertations

The aim of this study is to explore the practices of centre managers in vetting staff for employment in residential child care. The study also aims to explore the attitudes of these managers towards current vetting requirements. The study examined practices and attitudes of managers of children’s residential centres within the non-statutory sector only but on a national basis. The methodology utilised in this study is a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted and the data was subsequently analysed in order to develop a questionnaire. On development, sixty-nine anonymous self completion questionnaires were distributed …

What Do Young People Think Of The Gardaí?:An Examination Of Young Peoples Attitudes Toward And Experiences Of The Gardaí, Niamh Feeney

Dissertations

National strategies point toward the importance of young people being consulted in relation to services and policies that affect them. Interest in the attitudes of young people to police has increased in recent decades yet this has not yet been explored in Ireland. This thesis examines the attitudes of a sample of young people in the Garda Dublin Metropolitan Region North to the Gardaí as well as their experiences of contacts with members of An Garda Síochána. This is done mainly through the quantitative research method of a survey. One hundred and three young people aged 15-19 in four different …

Defining A Framework For Knowledge Sharing In A Dynamic Sales Oriented Organisation, Joern Hussock

Dissertations

The analysts of Datamonitor describe the knowledge management and collaboration as 2009 trends to watch. Why is collaboration and KM so important? It can be managed for unstructured business processes through sharing knowledge, best practices and experience on the business process context, soliciting feedback on problem resolution, seeking support from colleagues or communicating with other partner and customer communities. The challenge for organisations, especially for sales oriented teams is finding a way of structured managing and supporting the combination of the benefits based on the exchange of information in already existing unstructured activities in collaborative environments. This research aims to …

What Is The Optimal Structure For Organisations Representing Design And Designers On The Island Of Ireland?, Barry Sheehan

Dissertations

The research question addresses the issue of the structure of organisations that represent the interests of design and designers on the island of Ireland. The role of designers in Ireland is seen by society as marginal, rather than one central to the economic, social, and cultural well being of the island and those who live on it. This problem is exacerbated, as the organisational structures of those who play a key part are both confused and confusing. The answer to the question of what is an optimal structure lies in the literature that has been written on the subject and …

An Analysis And Evaluation Of Sit Stay Read: Is The Program Effective In Improving Student Engagement And Reading Outcomes?, Corinne Serra Smith

Dissertations

Sit Stay Read is a unique literacy intervention program that uses dogs in the classroom to improve student reading and writing outcomes in select, disadvantaged Chicago Public Schools. The goal of this research study was to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the Sit Stay Read program in improving student engagement and reading outcomes.

As evaluated during the 2008/2009 school year, through mixed methods research, the Sit Stay Read program was effective in improving second grade students’ oral reading fluency scores with students in the program group (N=152) gaining 8 words per minute more on average, but up to 14 …

Practical Localized Waves Generation, Mohamed Ahmed Salem

Dissertations

Since the early works on localized waves (LW), extensive results were published on this important subject, from both the theoretical and the experimental points of view. Nevertheless, those experimental techniques of LW generation suffer from several shortcomings. A major one is that only pulse peaks were accredited. Either the full profile of the generated pulse was not reported, or it was not closely matching the theoretical profile. Additionally, low resolutions of the generated LWs were reported in the acoustic X-Waves. The conductors of the experiment attributed this effect to the limited bandwidth of the excitation elements.

The interest in the …