Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Nursing Faculty Approachability On Student Engagement In The Clinical Setting, Kristin Lambert

Dissertations

Despite the emphasis on practice readiness in nursing education, new graduate nurses are still experiencing an education-practice gap with a lack of soft skills such as critical thinking, communication, time management, and collaboration within a team when they enter practice (Mirza et al., 2019). Nursing clinical faculty are in a prime position to decrease this gap and should strive to be approachable to foster a safe learning environment where students feel comfortable engaging in the practice of soft skills. While nursing faculty approachability and student engagement are both desirable in nursing education, no studies had previously been done connecting the …

Secondary Traumatic Stress And Post-Traumatic Growth: The Moderating Effects Of Cognitive Flexibility And Compassion Satisfaction On School Personnel, Breanna King

Dissertations

Many students enrolled in the K-12 school system in the United States have experienced at least one traumatic event. School personnel working with students who have experienced trauma are at risk of developing secondary traumatic stress (STS), with symptoms mirroring those of post-traumatic stress disorder. Among educators, STS has been correlated with negative mental health outcomes and intent to leave the profession, further exacerbating educator turnover and shortages across the country. However, some individuals experience positive life changes following indirect trauma exposure, known as post-traumatic growth (PTG). The nature of the relationship between STS and PTG is inconsistent in the …

The Effects Of Retrieval Practice On Knowledge Acquisition And Durable Learning In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Jessica Everritt Gay

Dissertations

Recent reports of unpreparedness and failure to rescue incidents among new graduate nurses are concerning for nurse educators and health care. New graduates must retrieve and apply learned knowledge to make sound clinical decisions, emphasizing the need for durable learning and knowledge acquisition. Durable learning, which involves understanding and recalling learned information days, weeks, or months later is crucial for clinical judgment. Nurse educators should facilitate durable learning through effective, evidence-based learning techniques such as retrieval practice (RP), which has shown promise in health professions education but is underutilized in nursing education.

This study explored the impact of RP on …

Is There A Relationship Between Motivation And Nursing Student Engagement? A Quantitative, Cross-Sectional, Correlational Study, Angela Coes

Dissertations

Nursing education is concerned with helping to alleviate the nursing shortage in the United States; this can be done by graduating safe competent novice nurses. Motivation and engagement levels in nursing students have been tied to better academic outcomes including graduation rates, transition to practice, and first time National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses pass rates. There was a gap in prelicensure nursing education research in the United States concerning the relationship among motivation, engagement, and possible influential variables.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motivation and academic engagement among prelicensure nursing students in …

Learning The Musical Elements From An Early Age Through The Use Of Traditional Folk And Popular Tunes In The Mother Tongue And A Compendium Of Music Resources In Spanish For General Music Classes, Román Orlando Carranza Zapata

Dissertations

This document intends to fulfill three primary purposes. One is to explore the principal characteristics of early music education methods regarding teaching and learning music from an early age through the mother tongue, also known as their native language. These methods may suggest other strategies such as: playing and singing children's games, singing traditional folk tunes, improvisation, dancing, or playing instruments for the general music classroom. The second purpose is to provide music educators with a compilation of various music resources written in Spanish, such as pedagogical books, workbooks, and online interactive musical platforms that can be used in the …

El Salvador’S Cultural Memory And María De Baratta’S Piano Music: Kushkatan, Nahualismo, And The Representation Of Indigeneity, Alejandro Jose Arroyo Alberto

Dissertations

Following independence from the Viceroyalty of New Spain between 1821 and 1823, the United Provinces of Central America entered a period of cultural redefinition, as emerging national frameworks sought to integrate diverse ethnic and historical legacies. After a century, in early twentieth-century El Salvador, a revival of Kushkatan—a pre-Hispanic Indigenous territory within present-day El Salvador—gained symbolic traction among intellectual elites during a politically volatile era marked by social upheaval and cultural realignment. Within this historical context, Cuzcatlán Típico (1951) by María de Baratta, published by the Ministry of Culture, stands as the first ethnomusicological study dedicated to Indigenous music in …

Creative Specialists: Exploring Creativity, Improvisation, And Jazz In Music Education, Stephen Oliver Vaughan

Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the process of musical creativity in musicians who are educators and improvisers specifically. Creativity takes on many forms; however, improvisational creativity has subjective-uniqueness that is valuable to many research areas, such as education, psychology, sports science, and leadership. The following research questions guided the study:

Q1 How do professional improvising music educators define creativity?

Q2 How does the creative process manifest itself within their performance and teaching?

Through purposeful sampling, four participants were selected and interviewed to collectively create 7-8 hours of narrative data producing 200 pages of data. Participants as creative specialists were selected …

A Randomized Clinical Trial Exploring Two Doses Of Cannabidiol Daily For Eight Weeks On Health And Stress, Ryland Emery Townsend

Dissertations

This study’s purpose was to explore whether a 60 or 30 mg dose of cannabidiol (CBD) consumed in a beverage further supplemented with L-theanine, vitamin E, and vitamin C would alter various measures on subjective measures of stress, health and fitness related outcomes, and objective measures of stress. This double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial recruited healthy, college-aged subjects for randomization into one of four treatment groups where they consumed daily a single 12 ounce beverage for eight weeks containing 1) 60 mg CBD (CBD60) plus L-theanine; 2) 30 mg CBD (CBD30) plus L-theanine; 3) no CBD (CBD0), L-theanine alone, and 4) …

Exploring The Utility Of A Behavior Assistant Position In One School District, Carolyn Christine Mitchell

Dissertations

Challenging student behavior is on the rise with increased verbal and physical aggression in schools. Some students who exhibit challenging behavior are identified with a disability and served under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 or Section 504 (U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 2022). Legal mandates required schools to implement positive and proactive behavior supports for students who exhibited challenging behavior; however, teachers were not adequately trained in such legal requirements or effective behavior management strategies. This lack of training resulted in an over-reliance on reactive disciplinary reactions such as suspension, expulsion, restraint, and seclusion. These …

New Nursing Faculty Perspectives On And Experiences With Group Mentoring, Kathryn Donna Kuskie

Dissertations

Nursing faculty are needed to teach the next generation of nurses. However, there is a current shortage of nursing faculty. The transition to nursing education from clinical practice is a difficult one, which has led many to leave education to return to nursing practice instead of successfully transitioning to the nurse educator role. Strategies are needed to support nurses in making the transition from practice to education. Mentoring has shown promise in aiding this transition. Many studies explored mentoring of new nursing faculty, but few studied group mentoring with this population. Limited research showed that group mentoring might have benefits …

The Role Of A Web-Based Collaborative Cloud Application As A Tool For Spanish Acquisition: College Students’ Attitudes And Perceptions In Language Courses, Gloria Mercedes Monzon

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine college students’ attitudes and perceptions toward using a web-based collaborative cloud application (Padlet) for aquiring the Spanish language. Conducted during the Fall 2024 semester, the study involved 53 college students from the Colorado Rocky Mountain region who engaged with Padlet in their Spanish language courses. A quantitative method was employed to address the following three research questions related to students’ perceptions of Padlet’s effectiveness in developing four essential skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing; their attitudes toward Padlet’s features; and their overall evaluation of Padlet as a language-learning tool.

Q1 What are …

Sexual And/Or Gender Minority (Sgm) Stigma Within Nursing Schools: The Relationship Between Stigmatic School Attributes, Minority Stressors, And Sgm Nursing Student Mental Health, Michelle Gee

Dissertations

Nursing education is heteronormative and cis-normative, which has been correlated to stigma and ignorance exhibited by nurses towards sexual and/or gender minorities (SGM). Minority Stress Theory (MST) states that circumstances in the environment that promote stigma related to minority identities lead to unique minority stressors, such as discrimination. These minority stressors subsequently affect mental health. While it is known that SGM patients experience mental health issues that relate to stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, nothing is known about SGM nursing students dealing with stigma and discrimination within nursing education. The aim of this descriptive correlational study was to inform …

Unschoolers In Higher Education: A Narrative Case Study Of Unschoolers’ Sense Of Belonging At University, Melissa Marie Carlson

Dissertations

Approximately 20% of families engaged in homeschooling have selected unschooling as their educational approach, with estimates suggesting this number may be even higher (Vesneski et al., 2022). Unschooling emphasizes the establishment of an environment where children can autonomously direct their learning by exploring their interests, unencumbered by traditional educational milestones or specific schedules (Arnall, 2018; Riley, 2020; Riley & Gray, 2015). Despite increasing public acceptance and recognition, research on the outcomes for unschoolers—particularly those pursuing higher education—is limited (Riley, 2020). The purpose of this study was to explore the importance of supporting unschoolers after they have matriculated, specifically fostering sense …

Production Pressure And Normalization Of Deviance: An Examination Of Their Prevalence Among Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists In Their Primary Clinical Practice Setting, Jeremy Stephen Carter

Dissertations

Normalization of deviance (NoD) occurs when an individual intentionally and repeatedly circumvents established standards of care, professional regulations, or institutional policies designed to maintain safety. Over time, these violations become incorporated into the individual’s routine until they are no longer viewed as safety threats but as acceptable means to achieving organizational goals. Production pressure (PP) occurs when an individual perceives pressure to maximize productivity—either from another individual or administrators within an organization. Production pressure is frequently cited as a leading cause of NoD within all industries. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of PP and NoD …

Ethnic Studies For Secondary Schooling: Collaborative Curricular Insights From A Working Collective, Kelly León

Dissertations

The rapid expansion of policy-mandated ethnic studies (ES) in U.S. schools suggests the need to reconceptualize the field of ES for the school curriculum. This exploratory case study sought to contribute to a better understanding of the ways in which secondary ES curricula can be negotiated and made by teachers and their collaborators, illuminating its future possibilities in public schools. The research explored how teachers, academics, and ES graduate students collaborated in a Collective to use and relate various knowledge resources, including local oral histories, to develop community-focused ES curricular guidance. Little is known about the type of knowledge work …

Coming Back To Life: Inner Work, Intentional Containers And Feminine Leadership For Social Change — A Phenomenological Case Study Of A Social Change-Oriented Organization And The Self, Maria Trias Arraut

Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the phenomenon of inner work within social change organizations through an in-depth case study of a nonprofit organization dedicated to women’s empowerment and transformation. Using a phenomenological approach and ethnographic methods, the research combines intensive 7-month fieldwork in 2016 with reflective analysis years later, shaped by my own evolving relationship with inner work practices, providing a unique perspective on how inner work lived experience shapes individuals, organizational culture, and social change efforts.

The findings reveal that the social change organization (SCO) operated through three distinct yet interconnected levels of inner work practice: tending to the personal …

Unlocking Potential: How Disengagement And Reengagement Shape Performance And Well-Being, Asha Bradley

Dissertations

Task persistence can become problematic when individuals continue to perform challenging tasks unlikely to yield success. Instead, it may lead to frustration, burnout, and negative psychological outcomes. Recognizing when to disengage from these goals is essential for reallocating resources toward more attainable objectives by shifting focus to a new task rather than persisting on the same one. Ultimately, this promotes emotional well-being and resilience. No previous studies have experimentally examined the combined processes of disengagement and reengagement. This study investigates the temporal and causal effects of disengagement and subsequent reengagement with an alternative task, making it the first to experimentally …

The Drawing Effect: Evaluating Drawing Method And Strategic Implementation On Recall Accuracy, Jacob M. Namias

Dissertations

Drawing images of to-be-remembered word’s reference often improves memory for the word relative to a control in which the word is written or read silently, a pattern dubbed the drawing effect. Drawing effects have been recorded in a variety of contexts and are generally more beneficial than other deep/elaborative encoding tasks. My dissertation compared recall for words that are drawn by copying a given image versus generating a drawn image without copying, and in study contexts in which the proportion of drawn items is disproportionally skewed. Experiment 1 gauged whether drawing effects differ relative to writing when participants draw an …

The Lived Experiences Of High School Students Serving As Peer Mentors, Heather S. Mitchell

Dissertations

Youth mentoring is an intervention that has demonstrated a tremendous amount of potential in mitigating a variety of struggles experienced by youth (DuBois & Rhodes, 2006; Grossman & Tierney, 1998; Herrera et al., 2008; “Impact Evaluation”, 2009; Karcher, 2009; Karcher, 2010; Kraus & Cleveland, 2016; Lerner et al., 2006; McQuillin et al., 2020). The exploration of the possible benefits to adolescents serving as mentors, especially nontraditional student mentors, has received little attention (Besnoy & McDaniel, 2016; Deane et al., 2018; James et al., 2014; Karcher, 2009; Karcher et al., 2010; Larson et al., 2020; Opara et al., 2023; Quimby et …

No Cheers, No Fears: Unpacking Non-Drinkers' Survival Tactics At Work-Related Drinking Events, Amanda Good

Dissertations

In certain workplace contexts, the organization may encourage alcohol consumption at work-sponsored events, such as happy hours and dinners. In these situations, being a non-drinker becomes a stigmatized but potentially concealable identity. This research explores antecedents, consequences, and moderators of the various identity management strategies used by non-drinkers in alcohol-centric, organizationally-sponsored events. Using hierarchical linear modeling, I examined how situational factors, including event type, supervisor presence, and psychological safety, influence nondrinkers' decisions to conceal or reveal their nondrinking identity. Findings indicate that felt social pressure significantly increases concealment behaviors and decreases disclosure behaviors. Additionally, psychological safety and supervisor presence emerged …

Electronic-Based Determinants Of Health Screening On An Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit, Anyaku O. Okpara

Dissertations

Problem: Approximately 14.1 million Americans are diagnosed with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI). These individuals experience death 10-20 years earlier compared to the general population, primarily due to chronic medical comorbidities and unmet health-related social needs (HRSNs). Mortality rates, increased healthcare utilization, and frequent readmissions in patients with multiple, unmet HRSNs are likely to remain high unless developments such as the incorporation of standardized, multi-domain, social determinants of health (SDOH) screenings into electronic health records (EHRs). The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project, guided by the Institute for Healthcare (IHI) model for change utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, was …

What Factors Impact Teachers’ Beliefs About The Likelihood To Which Their Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities Can Live On Campus, Jonathan Lidgus

Dissertations

After the Higher Education Opportunity Act was passed in 2008, inclusive postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disability (ID) have grown on campuses across the United States. These programs were designed to eliminate barriers that prevent students with intellectual disability from attending college in order to achieve positive employment outcomes and skills to increase independent living. While programs may be designed for those with intellectual disability, individuals may have multiple diagnoses, including intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The relationship between a student and their secondary teachers can positively impact their future or present a barrier. Using the data from the …

Unleashing Excellence: Strengthening It Leaders Through Executive Coaching, Tonya S. Rivers

Dissertations

This paper explores the impact of executive coaching on Information Technology (IT) leaders. Many organizations across different industries lack strong leadership, as exposed by COVID-19. Companies aim to keep exceptional leaders and establish upbeat workplaces to achieve success. Although previous research has examined leadership effectiveness, it is still unclear how best to manage employees' perceptions of effective leadership. The goal of this research is to provide new insights into what can improve perceptions of leadership effectiveness. I explored the role executive leadership coaching has on managers working in the Information Technology (IT) field. Current literature often mentions the need for …

Longitudinal Assessment Of Blast-Related Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi): Impact On Structural Neuroimaging Correlates, Working Memory, And Processing Speed, Carmen Velez

Dissertations

The conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq led to a significant surge in blast-related traumatic brain injuries (bTBIs). However, our understanding of their lasting neurological impacts remains incomplete. To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal study of its size to explore whether increasing levels of blast exposure predict neural atrophy or cognitive decline over time. We analyzed 149 baseline and follow-up data sets from service members categorized by blast exposure: blast naïve (n = 57), single blast (n = 70), and multiple blasts (n = 22). Participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neuropsychological assessment.

All data were drawn …

Getting The Unbanked, Banked: An Adult Education Intervention Program To Increase The Usage Of The Banking System By Low-Income Families, Orlando A. Smith

Dissertations

Financial literacy describes the skills, knowledge and tools consumers use to make informed financial decisions to meet their goals. The purpose of this study was to determine how many consumers utilize the resources offered by banks and credit unions and for those who do not, after participating in an intervention, will begin to do so. The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change served as the theoretical framework. It has been shown to be a useful model to examine adults’ change in financial behaviors. The sample consisted of 65 adults who lived within specific zip codes in a large metropolitan area in …

Never Fear, Hope Is Here: A Quantitative Analysis Of Public Accountants’ Hope During Busy Season, Katelynn Hopson

Dissertations

Never Fear, Hope is Here: A Quantitative Analysis of Public Accountants’ Hope During Busy Season

Retention has been a serious and ongoing concern within public accounting for decades, but most of the turnover research within the context of public accounting has heavily focused on the antecedents of turnover intentions with a negative lens. The goal of this study was to take an initial step toward examining the effects of a positive psychological factor—hope—on retention within public accounting firms. Specifically, the study investigated whether a public accountant’s level of hope impacted their turnover intentions via their appraisal of stress surrounding busy …

We Speak Life Into Their Language: Black Educators’ Approaches To Linguistic Justice In Urban Secondary Ela Classrooms, Lakeisha A. Davis

Dissertations

This study explores how Black educators navigate linguistic justice, deficit thinking, and stereotypes in urban secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classrooms. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, it examines how teachers affirm Black Language (BL) while balancing the demands of White Mainstream English (WME) in academic spaces. Findings reveal that although educators employ culturally affirming strategies, they face challenges from restrictive language policies and standardized assessments. To counteract these barriers, they adopt negotiation practices that support students’ linguistic and cultural identities. From these findings, the study proposes Dynamic Linguistic Uplift (DLU)—a new theoretical framework that illustrates how Black educators sustain BL …

Exploring The Impact Of Leadership Styles On Teacher Self-Efficacy: A Comparative Case Study Of Rural And Suburban High Schools, Stephanie Hill

Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how high school teachers in rural and suburban settings perceive their school leaders’ leadership styles, and how they influence teachers’ self-efficacy. Grounded in established leadership theories and research on teacher efficacy, this investigation aims to provide a nuanced, context-sensitive understanding of leadership dynamics within diverse educational environments. The study employs a comparative case study design, sampling from two high schools—Suburban Academy and Rural Tech High School. Data collection methods include semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire, offering multiple perspectives on leadership practices and their effects on teachers’ confidence and instructional decision-making. Ultimately, the results will contribute to …

Exploring Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions, Understanding, And Implementation Of Performance-Based Summative Assessments, Gregory A. Walkup

Dissertations

Performance-based summative assessments are increasingly emphasized as an alternative to traditional standardized testing, offering students opportunities to demonstrate learning through authentic, application-based tasks. However, there is limited research on how middle school teachers perceive and implement these assessments in their classrooms. This qualitative case study explored the perceptions and experiences of middle school teachers regarding performance-based summative assessments, investigating both their understanding and the reality of classroom implementation. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis to provide a comprehensive view of teacher perspectives and practices. Through thematic analysis, four major themes emerged: Teacher Confidence and Readiness, …

Trauma-Informed Gatekeeping In Counselor Education And Supervision: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Leslie E. Davis

Dissertations

Gatekeeping is a challenging ethical and legal obligation for counselor educators and supervisors. Many counseling students demonstrate some sort of problem of professional competence in their counseling programs, and it is critical that counselor educators utilize gatekeeping practices to prevent gateslipping (Brown-Rice & Furr, 2016a; Gaubatz & Vera, 2002; Kimball et al, 2019). According to The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2023), there is an increasing need to address trauma as a critical element of providing effective mental health services. Trauma-informed care and trauma-informed principles began to appear in the mental health literature in 2001, and the …