Digital Commons Network^™

Pathways To Success For African American Students At Predominately White Institutions: A Qualitative Study Exploring Academic Readiness, Jeffery Jackson

Dissertations

African American students’ completion of post-secondary education is among the lowest of any other subgroup in higher education (Banks & Dohy, 2019; Broom, 2018; Carter- Francique et al., 2015; Cokley et al., 2016; Dulabaum, 2016; Karkouti, 2016; Moragne-Patterson & Barnett, 2017; Strayhorn, 2017). This study focuses on addressing this problem by exploring the academic and social experiences of African American college students who persisted at a regional predominantly White institution (PWI) in the Midwest and secure information that can be used to improve their graduation rates.

To address this issue, this study is designed to explore initiatives and practices that …

The Effect Of A Specific Teaching Intervention On The Perceptions Of Self-Regulation In Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Students In Saudi Arabia, Zahra Alnasser

Dissertations

Self-regulation is an important aspect of learning. Students who are capable of self-regulation, plan self-monitoring at different points during the process of knowledge acquisition to increase their likelihood of success and knowledge retention. Using self-monitoring, self-instruction, and self-evaluation processes enables students to become decisive in their learning. Previous studies have confirmed that self-regulated students have great success in college courses, and provided evidence for the positive benefits of self-regulation interventions. Still, nursing education lacks empirical research that focuses on self-regulation quality. The current study explored individual differences in third and fourth-year nursing students' perceptions of self-regulation profiles in Saudi Arabia …

Career Mobility Among Immigrant Registered Nurses In Canada: Experiences Of Caribbean Women, Enid M. Collins

Dissertations

Since the late 1950s, the Canadian nursing workforce especially during periods of nursing shortage has added to its numbers through immigration. Changes in immigration laws since the 1960s have opened doors for increased numbers of immigrants from Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean coming to work in Canada. This qualitative research study investigated the experiences of immigrant women from the Caribbean who are registered nurses (RNs) in Canada. There has been no previously published studies that documented experiences of immigrant women of colour related to career mobility in nursing.

Factors Influencing The Adoption Of Smart-Home Appliances: Users' Perspectives, Prakash Shahi

Dissertations

Smart appliances will be a significant part of the annual $300 billion smart-home market by 2025. Their use is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 31% for the foreseeable future. Currently, 12-16% of households use smart-home products in the U.S., including thermostats, TVs, refrigerators, coffee machines, garage door openers, and vision-equipped doorbells. Smart appliances provide significant benefits to us over traditional appliances. Smart appliances simplify our lives by automating various tasks in our homes and allowing us to monitor and control them remotely from our offices, grocery stores, and wherever we may be.

Despite the usefulness …

Predicting The Nclex-Rn Pass Rate At An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Dawne Devoe Olbrych

Dissertations

The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) firsttime pass rate for an associate degree in nursing (ADN) program was below the national mean, presenting a problem for graduates who failed the NCLEX-RN and could not enter the workforce as registered nurses. Knowles's assumptions of adult learning, Ebbinghaus's forgetting curve, and Zull's neuroscience research served as the theoretical frameworks for this study. The purpose of this study was to identify which academic and time-lapse variables predict the graduate's first-time passage for the NCLEX-RN. Archived academic records and NCLEX-RN results for all 786 graduates from one ADN program who took …

An Examination Of The Influence Of Select Non-Cognitive Variables On The Intention Of Minority Baccalaureate Nursing Students To Complete A Baccalaureate Nursing Program, Dena B. Evans

Dissertations

On college and university campuses nationwide, understanding the phenomenon of student retention has become an institutional imperative. The loss of any student is costly to a college or university, resulting in considerable financial loss (Siedman, 2005). For some programs of study, such as nursing, retention is paramount, not only for the institution but for the communities which are served by its graduates. Moreover, retaining minority nursing students is of particular importance because it holds the key to the resolution of a long-standing absence of minority representation in the nursing profession, the nursing shortage and the elimination of health disparities among …

Life Matters, Marina Fischer

Dissertations

Problem: One of the challenges facing many primary care providers is managing hypertension. Hypertension contributes to cardiovascular disease events. Consequently, the high occurrence of hypertension related visits signifies a clinical practice gap in hypertension management resulting in substandard blood pressure outcomes. The purpose of this clinical scholarship project was to assess the difference of pre and post Quality of Life Scale (QOLS) scores in a hypertensive population.

Methods: This quality improvement project used a longitudinal, observational design with prospective data collection. The sample included newly diagnosed hypertensive adults ages 21 to 64 years old. The sample was administered the World …

An Investigation Of Anti-Intellectualism Among Nurses, Jamie Davis-Tubbs

Dissertations

Anti-intellectualism is often offered as an explanation for irrational actions, especially in the grips of uncertainty. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have uncovered the consequences of anti-intellectualism within the healthcare system. Nurses, the most identifiability trusted healthcare professionals, have been used to illustrate a healthcare paradox regarding COVID-19. The healthcare paradox presents nurses as highly trained healthcare professionals who do not believe in their own science and reject scientific expertise. Furthermore, nursing anti-intellectualism has been used to spread misinformation during a major health crisis. Yet, we do not know the depth in which anti-intellectualism exists within the nursing profession. …

From The Shadows Of Incarceration To Higher Education: Associated Invisible Identity Development Of College Students With Incarcerated Parents, Andrea Blake

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of college students who have experienced parental incarceration and explore how they make meaning of their associated invisible identity in the campus environment at four-year institutions in the U.S. Traditionally socio-historical events and messages about system-impacted individuals, their families, and children have contributed to the invisibility of this population in educational settings. This study employed a narrative inquiry approach. Also, it applied Bronfenbrenner’s (1977, 1979, 1993) ecological model to explore the college experiences of ACIPs while not excluding wider societal and environmental factors that could shape their associated invisible identity …

The Impact Of Juvenile Offender Race On Public Perception Of Crime Seriousness, Megan Whitaker

Dissertations

Public perception of crime is an important focus of research, especially when considering juvenile offenders. However, there is very limited research in this area. This study looked at how the public perceives crime seriousness and how race of the juvenile offender impacts the overall seriousness rating. An online survey that included 15 crime scenarios was completed by 176 participants. It was hypothesized that a crime would be rated as more severe when the juvenile offender is African American as compared to a Caucasian juvenile offender. Results found that participants overall rated the seriousness of offenses as significantly higher for Caucasian …

No One Can Whistle A Symphony: Analyzing Growth In Proficiency For English Learners In Coteaching, Debra Ann Cole

Dissertations

K-12 ELs in the U.S. are increasing in number and diversity (Park, et al., 2018), requiring schools to establish and grow language instruction education programs (LIEPs) that facilitate language acquisition for a wide range of learners, while also providing equitable opportunities to learn. The study used a quantitative, pretest-posttest, research design to address gaps in the literature noted by Takanishi & Menestrel (2017), regarding which LIEPs are most effective for various EL subgroups, and to explore the effects of Coteaching for ELs (COTEL) on growth in proficiency. Data from 723 ELs in two Midwestern districts was disaggregated three ways to …

An Exploration Of Factors That Impact Role Strain Among Undergraduate Clinical Instructors Teaching In Wisconsin Nursing Programs, Julie A. Astrella

Dissertations

The United States is in the midst of a nursing faculty shortage, particularly those that provide clinical instruction. Clinical instructors play an integral role in undergraduate nursing education by bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and nursing practice; this position is also the most difficult to recruit for and retain. The factors negatively impacting faculty retention are complex, but research finds that role strain is a prominent reason for job dissatisfaction and a contributor to faculty attrition.

Masculinity, Health Beliefs And Implications For Health Policy Among Men In Trinidad And Tobago, Oscar N. Ocho

Dissertations

Over the last three decades, men's health has emerged as an area of research interest. The relationship between male socialization, the performance of masculinity and health behaviour has been well established. Within the Caribbean, however, there is a gap in the literature on how masculinity affects health beliefs and behaviour.

This study explored men's accounts of "doing" masculinity and the implications for health beliefs and behaviours in order to make recommendations for developing male sensitive health services.

German Imperialism And Applied Orientalism: German Encounters With The Ottoman Empire, 1850-1918, Matthew David Penix

Dissertations

Edward Said’s influential treatise on culture and imperialism, Orientalism, specifically called out German scholars of the Islamic “Orient” as being different. The lack of a formal German empire in Muslim lands seemed to preclude a culture of Orientalism. This dissertation examines the lived experience of Germans who traveled and worked in the Ottoman Empire from 1850-1918. As German interests sought their “place in the sun” during the decades before 1914, the Ottoman Empire became a major field of business investment, military-to-military contact, and missionary endeavor for Germans acting at the behest of both state and private interests. Their experiences formed …

A Case Study Examining How Students In An Elementary, Early Childhood, And Exceptional Child Educator Preparation Program Acquire Technology Skills, Jana L. Gerard

Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined two sections of an educational technology class that was part of an elementary, early childhood, and exceptional child educator preparation program, to determine how students acquired educational technology skills for future teaching. As the ability to integrate educational technology skills into teaching and learning is vital to preservice educators, this study aimed to address possible changes needed in educator preparation programs to ensure preservice educators are ready to effectively teach with educational technology in their field experiences, student teaching, and future classrooms. In order to examine how students acquired educational technology skills, the researcher observed …

The Impact Of Hospital Nursing Resources On Postsurgical Outcomes For Patients With Opioid Use Disorder, Rachel E. French

Dissertations

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is common, with the rate of opioid-related hospitalizations doubling from 2006 to 2016. Surgical patients with OUD are at significantly higher risk of prolonged length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and readmission. Postoperative care for patients with OUD is particularly challenging for nurses whose responsibilities include pain and withdrawal management, care team coordination, patient assessment, and patient teaching. A large body of evidence suggests better outcomes for surgical patients when they are cared for in hospitals with strong nursing resources. This study sought to determine whether variations in nursing resources (i.e., education, staffing, and work environment) were …

Exemplary Latino School District Superintendents’ Use Of Emotional Intelligence As They Lead Their Organizations, Ivan Chaidez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the emotional intelligence strategies that exemplary Latino school district superintendents use as they respond to leadership challenges in their school organizations based on Goleman’s (1995) four domains of emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management). A secondary purpose of the study was for exemplary Latino superintendents to explain how their use of emotional intelligence strategies supported their success and tenure as they responded to leadership challenges in their school organizations.

Methodology: This multicase study was conducted through interviews of five exemplary Latino public school district superintendents in …

Examining The Cross-Cultural Competence Of United States Christian Missionaries Engaged In Developing Indigenous Leaders: A Mixed Methods Study, Craig W. Goodman

Dissertations

For the past two millennia, missionaries have crossed from one culture to another to bring the Christian message to all cultures of the world. Questions about the effectiveness of these mission efforts have been asked and researched by many; however, one key question remains unanswered: what personal attributes help a person to be more competent at crossing cultures as they interact with people from other cultures? Although cross-cultural competence has been studied in a variety of fields over the past 50 years, the models and assessments used have never been applied to Christian missionaries.

To address this deficiency, this parallel …

Helmets Off: An Exploratory Investigation Into The Philanthropic Activity Of Black Nfl Players, Eugena Anderson

Dissertations

The term philanthropist typically conjures up images of older, wealthy White males. When taking account of a more diverse population, the term generosity provides a more inclusive framework to understanding the experiences of those marginalized from the study and practice of philanthropy. Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach, this qualitative investigation explored one of several groups of individuals engaging in acts of generosity and brought the Black athlete experience into academic and philanthropic conversations. This research provided knowledge from real-life experiences of current and former Black NFL Players (BNPs) to inform various stakeholders who seek to support their activities. …

Gatekeeping Experiences Latina Superintendents Encountered As They Attained Their Superintendent Position, Julie Corona

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the career path progression and the gatekeeping experiences as Latinas advanced to a superintendent position. The second purpose of this study was to describe the gatekeeping experiences of Latina superintendents’ application and interview process of their superintendency. Additionally, this study described Latina superintendents’ gatekeeping experiences of gender and ethnicity. Last, this study examined the strategies that Latina superintendents used as they ascended to their superintendent positions. Methodology: This phenomenological multicase study was conducted through interviews of five Latina superintendents of California public schools. The researcher selected a qualitative method …

Reaching For The Stars: A Constructivist Investigation Of Astrology As A Tool For Self-Discovery In A New Age Of Leadership, Cameron Martin

Dissertations

To fully understand leadership in today’s world, we need a radical reconceptualization of the developmental process required to lead. Changing paradigms demands new perspectives on leadership; these new paradigms suggest leaders must turn inward and develop knowledge of their inner selves to realize their full potential as leaders.

Astrology is an ancient way of knowing and making sense of the world and one’s place in it that provides benefits to many people in our modern world, despite fervent academic, religious, and scientific criticism. Astrology is more than a divination tool. It is an entire epistemology of self in relation to …

Examining And Exploring Social Constructs, Conflict Management Style, And Workplace Conflict Among Workers In The United States, Keith Boyd

Dissertations

This mixed-methods study explored social constructs, conflict management style (CMS), and workplace conflict among workers in the United States. Workers do not understand the connections between social constructs, CMS, and workplace conflict. A lack of information on workers' experiences and representation in conflict literature supports the gap in understanding (Aquino, 2000; Bourdieu, 1986; Hayes, 2008; Herr & Anderson, 2005; Lin, 2001; Long, 2007; Meng et al., 2019; Mertens, 2003, 2009, 2018; Sosa, 2019). The study used a transformative-emancipatory explanatory sequential design focused on workers. There were 82 convenience sample participant surveys and 12 purposive sample low-level cooperativeness CMS participant interviews …

Constructing Roles And Discourse: Presidential Speech And European Union Accession In The Former Yugoslavia, 2000-2021, John Horner

Dissertations

Yugoslavia’s dissolution in the 1990s resulted in seven distinct nation-states vying for functional institutions, ethno-nationalistic coalescence, and external validation. To this end the European Union (EU) offered a pathway to nation-state building and membership via democratization, economic liberalization, and legal and civil improvements. However, to date only Slovenia (2004) and Croatia (2013) are EU member-states. Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia are candidate countries. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidates. What are the incentives for Western Balkan countries to reform and join the EU? Were motivations driven by rational, economic benefits of membership, or was the impetus identity-oriented to …

Developing "A Personal Knowing" - A Grounded Theory Study, Mark Davies

Dissertations

The past 30 years have seen rapid expansion in nursing roles, and the provision of education that supports them. However, the nature of the knowledge that characterises advanced practice, and the pedagogical strategies that are utilised in catalysing its development have yet to be extensively evaluated. Whilst a number of frameworks which purport to conceptualise this knowledge do exist, such structures remain somewhat provisional. Likewise, the pedagogical approaches employed in the development of knowledge for advanced practice are derived as much from teacher preference, organisational expedience, and external policy drivers as educational efficacy. The study presented within this thesis addresses …

What’S Religion Got To Do With It?: Differing Religiosity Domains’ Association With College Students’ Sexual Consent During First-Time Intercourse, Kaylee Richmond

Dissertations

Within the U.S., 36% of women and 17% of men report experiencing sexual assault (Smith et al., 2017). The absence of sexual consent is often regarded as a defining component of sexual assault (Beres, 2014); thus, a potential area to examine to decrease rates of perpetration and victimization. To date, there has been a lack of research on contextual factors that are likely related to sexual consent, with a general focus on external consent (i.e., verbal/behavioral indicators; Muehlenhard et al., 2016). The present study examined the role of a contextual factor, religiosity, on sexual consent processes during the context of …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study Of The Experiences Of Nurse Educators In Developing And Implementing Concurrent Enrollment Adn-Bsn Programs, Janice E. Hawkins

Dissertations

Nursing leaders have called for more bachelor-of-science-in-nursing-(BSN)-prepared nurses to meet workforce demands. There is limited capacity in BSN programs to meet the projected demand. Currently, associate degree in nursing (ADN) programs produce the majority of registered nurses. To increase the number of BSN graduates, nurse educators recommend innovative educational models for seamless progression from the ADN to the BSN. Concurrent enrollment ADN-BSN programs offer one potential model to produce more BSN graduates. The purpose of this study was to describe the process of developing and implementing concurrent enrollment ADN-BSN programs. The research question was as follows: What is the experience …

Grounded Leadership: Exploring Health And Wellness Strategies Of Company Grade Officers In The California Army National Guard, Greg Montanio

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to identify and describe what exemplary California Army National Guard (CA ARNG) company grade officers do to maintain their physical, emotional, intellectual, social, vocational, and spiritual health. Methodology: This study used a mixed methods approach relying on the collection of data to provide for a more flexible platform to triangulate multiple data sources and increase the validity of the study’s findings. The study used a quantitative survey to examine how exemplary company grade officers in the California Army National Guard rated their use of grounded leadership strategies along with follow-on …

An Historical Study Of Student Outcomes For School Improvement Grant Recipient Turnaround High Schools In The State Of Missouri With Emphasis On Ninth Grade Achievement, Attendance, Discipline, And Graduation Rates, Juanita Chambers

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the implementation of the School Improvement Grant using the Turnaround Model to improve student academics, by looking at attendance, and drop out and graduation rates on ninth-grade achievement in Missouri. In the United States, within our urban schools, high school drop-out has been a serious, national crisis, which effects the graduation rate. Dropping out of high school has many unfavorable results that have negative effects on the economy, such as employment, crime, personal earnings, and health, such as in the lack of insurance. Students exhibit problems before they enter high school. Thus, …

Outside And In: Social Support's Relationship With Support While Incarcerated, Phillip Michael Galli

Dissertations

Positive social support acts as a barrier against life events. Related to crime, positive social support may improve prison institutional behavior, reentry outcomes, and reduce recidivism. Conversely, negative support may create deleterious effects for individuals as they navigate life’s challenges. This dissertation explores the relationships between indicators of positive pre-prison social support (living as a family unit, marriage, financial help) and pre-cursors to negative social support pre-prison (caregiver substance use, family criminal history, growing up in foster care, receiving welfare, living in public housing and physical/sexual abuse) and three forms of carceral social support (visitation, making/receiving phone calls, and religious …

Gay Male K-12 School Leaders' Self-Sabotaging Behaviors And Their Journey To Reclaiming Their Power: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Study, John Mccarthy

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-method explanatory study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by California gay male K-12 school leaders to explore the impact these behaviors have had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by California gay male K-12 school leaders to overcome these self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This mixed-method sequential explanatory study explored the lived experiences of eight gay male K-12 school leaders who self-identified that they have experienced self-sabotaging behaviors throughout their career. Purposeful, convenience, snowball sampling was utilized to identify gay men who met …