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Development And Validity Analysis Of The Pragmatic Assessment Of Role Transition And Onboarding For Midwives (Parto-M) Instrument: An Exploratory Study, Erin Mary Morelli

Dissertations

This exploratory study addressed the significant gap in research regarding the transition of newly qualified midwives to practice. The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to identify the areas of strength and domains of challenge for new graduate midwives in their role transition to independent practice. The study sought to answer the following research questions:

Q1 What is essential to measure in an instrument assessing what is necessary for a new midwife to successfully bridge from education to orientation and onward after evaluation by new graduate midwives and subject matter experts?

Q2 What is the calculated content …

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 …

Utilization Of Imidazolium Ionic Liquids For Enhanced Oil Recovery In Harsh Emirati Tight Carbonate Oil Reservoirs, Noran Hussein Mousa

Dissertations

In response to the increasing global demand for energy and the limitations of traditional chemical oil recovery methods, this study explores the potential of imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) as enhanced oil recovery (EOR) agents for Emirati tight oil reservoirs. Four ILs—C10mimCl, C12mimCl, C12mimBF4, and C16mimBr—were evaluated for their effects on the interfacial tension (IFT), wettability, emulsification, and rheological properties under reservoir conditions. Experiments conducted at varying salinities, temperatures (up to 110°C), and IL concentrations (500–3000 ppm) demonstrated that longer alkyl chain ILs, particularly C16mimBr, effectively reduced IFT by >99% and improved wettability by lowering contact angles down to 15.37°. Statistical …

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 …

Meet Them Where They Are: Itinerant Early Childhood Special Education Services In Community-Based Settings, Ashley Lindstrom

Dissertations

Preschoolers naturally learn and develop within their environments and communities. Itinerant early childhood special education (ECSE) services within community-based settings such as homes, childcare locations, and private preschool programs are used in some areas to provide inclusive services. Key collaborators to this model include families, ECSE professionals, and early childhood education (ECE) staff (Division for Early Childhood [DEC] & National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 2009). The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences and perspectives of adult collaborators in a single case of a Wisconsin district implementing itinerant ECSE services in community-based …

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 …

Writing Feedback For Middle Grades Students: Commentary That Is Timely And Impactful For Creating Self-Sufficient Writers, Kaitlin P. Lambert

Dissertations

This qualitative case study determined which pre-existing writing feedback models are most impactful and timely for creating self-sufficient student writers at the secondary level of schooling. The context is in an inner-city, Title 1 middle school, and the research focuses on honors English Language Arts students in seventh grade. The study follows nine participants during a consecutive 12-week time period while engaging in various writing tasks and practicing types of teacher feedback, peer feedback, and self-feedback. With teacher, peer, and self-feedback, students participated in written, spoken, and automated feedback strategies. The data types included an informal researcher journal, three semi-structured …

The Surge Of The Populist Radical Right: How Transnationalism And Party Systems Influence Populist Radical Right Success And Decline, Liucija Balciunaite

Dissertations

My dissertation examines the causes behind the slows and surges of the populist radical right (PRR) success. I attempt to answer the following question in the context of the growing global legitimacy of the populist radical right (PRR). What process contributes to the slows and surges of populist radical right (PRR) legitimacy? Previous explanations have narrowed the possible conditions influencing populist radical right success in two ways. First, the available literature often analyzes separately the structural and strategic conditions behind populist radical right success. This has created a gap in the literature, especially regarding the possible interaction between the structural …

Famílias Indigenas Entre Mundos: Standing In Pachakuti, Living In Chi’Xi Within The Constellation Of Their Comunidad De Saberes, Ymasumac Marañón Davis

Dissertations

To be Indigenous is to be la luz del mundo, to stand in your light and spread your sunrays, no matter winds or clouds of colonization that strive to dim you. This qualitative study explored ways Indigenous Latine families negotiate a sense of place within onto-epistemological realities and their home culture of learning and Western education. This research is desire-based (Eve Tuck, 2009), creating our own project of modernity, grounded in one Indigenous family’s experience within their Andean community. Drawing from Critical Latine Indigeneities Framework (Blackwell et al., 2017) and Chicana Feminist Epistemologies (Bernal, 1998), using an Entre Mundos methodology, …

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 …

Structural And Functional Characterization Of The Sos Pathway Genes (Sos1, Sos2, And Sos3) In Avicennia Marina: Insights Into Salinity Stress Tolerance, Mariam Obaid Alzaabi

Dissertations

Abiotic stress is a major challenge for agricultural productivity. Salinity stress is a vital environmental constraint that significantly limits plant growth and reduces crop yield worldwide. Halophytes, such as Avicennia marina, offer unique opportunities to dissect adaptive mechanisms underlying salt tolerance. This study focuses on the structural and functional characterization of the Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS) pathway genes (SOS1, SOS2, and SOS3) from A. marina. Full-length cDNAs of AmSOS1, AmSOS2, and AmSOS3 were cloned and characterized. The sequence analysis of these genes compared to the respective orthologs revealed high similarities and conservation of all …

Student Self-Assessment Of Learning To Foster Improved Self-Reflection Of Learning And Academic Achievement, Leann Renee Doerr

Dissertations

Throughout her career and most notably post-pandemic, the scholar practitioner observed an increase in students giving up when encountering rigorous academic content and assignments. During the research process, concepts of student agency and self-regulation of learning, which were new to the scholar practitioner, came to the forefront of skills her students either lacked or needed to improve upon. Empathy generators were gathered for participants at Context School #1, which led to Student agency and self-regulation of learning becoming the center of the intervention during the design thinking process. The Self-Assessment of Learning, created and modified during the design thinking phases, …

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 …

Reimagining Discipline: Elementary School Counselors’ Experiences Implementing And Advocating For Restorative Practices As An Alternative To Exclusionary Discipline, Kim Kelly

Dissertations

School counselors are positioned as leaders and advocates within their school communities, playing a critical role in promoting equitable practices and systemic change. Despite decades of research indicating the harmful effects of exclusionary discipline, this approach continues to be implemented in schools across the United States. Emerging literature has indicated restorative practices as an alternative discipline approach that promotes equity, reduces disproportionality in school discipline, and fosters a positive school climate. This research focused on the experience of elementary school counselors advocating for and implementing restorative practices as an alternative to exclusionary discipline. Through a hermeneutic phenomenological and social constructivist …