Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

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 …

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 …

Warriors And Guardians: Police Recruit Role Orientation And Heterogeneity, Robert Boxerman

Dissertations

American police have experienced an expansion of duties over the last century, and their function has become increasingly diverse. As a result, researchers have developed role orientation typologies to understand how officers view themselves, their attitudes toward their work, and their responsibilities. One such typology is the warrior/guardian framework, where warrior-oriented officers see themselves as crime-fighting soldiers in conflict with criminals, while guardian-oriented officers view themselves as protectors of the community and providers of broader public services. Despite its popularity, there is limited empirical evidence supporting this framework. Further, little research examines how police recruits differentially view their role as …

Deadtime In The Vale Of Soul-Making: Hermeneutics, Humanization, And Higher Education In Prison, Dale Michael Brown

Dissertations

This body of work examines higher education with and for justice-involved people from a descriptive, theoretical, and empirical perspective—pulling together multiple disciplines and employing different methodologies from the humanities and social sciences. The investigation is written from a philosophical perspective via educational foundations and a social science perspective via qualitative research, including an examination of carceral higher education’s connections to teaching and experiential learning. This approach reflects the interdisciplinary nature of both the author’s degree program and the topic itself, which (as a field of academic inquiry) is part theoretical and part empirical (both qualitative and quantitative). The papers in …

A Multiple Case Study Of Four-Year Public, Non-Flagship Universities: Meeting Common Institutional Goals Of Increased Enrollment And Academic Profile, Alicia Kornowa

Dissertations

For several reasons, the number of students seeking and enrolling in a postsecondary education has started to decline in the United States (U.S.) and the decrease is expected to intensify for the foreseeable future. This trend is cause for concern among higher education enrollment leaders, especially those who serve at institutions not among the most elite universities or without a national brand—the campuses researchers project will have the greatest difficulty maintaining enrollment levels. Using strategic enrollment management (SEM) as an example of general systems theory and systems thinking, this multiple case study explored how four public, four-year, non-flagship institutions increased …

An Investigation Into The Effectiveness Of High School Models Of Instruction In English Language Arts For Exceptional Education Standard Diploma Students, Lori A. Rath Minton

Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of high school instructional models in English Language Arts (ELA) for Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students pursuing a standard diploma. The purpose was to compare self-contained and inclusion models within the framework of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), emphasizing Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The research was conducted in a medium-sized rural district high school.

The overarching research question was: Based on student test scores, ESSA data, surveys, and interviews with content area teachers, ESE teachers, paraprofessionals, support facilitators, and administrators, how effective are self-contained and …

Exploring Date Pomace As A Functional Ingredient In Bread: Nutritional And Functional Properties, Alaa Almoumen

Dissertations

This study investigated the incorporation of desugared date fruit pomace into wheat bread rolls and evaluated its effects on dough handling, bread quality, staling behavior, sensory acceptability, and nutritional composition. The research was conducted in three experimental phases: (i) development and characterization of a high-fiber dietary ingredient (HFDI) from date pomace, including its physicochemical and functional properties; (ii) bread fortification and quality assessment, where wheat flour was partially replaced with 0–20% HFDI to evaluate its effects on dough rheology, bread texture, color, moisture retention, shelf life, and consumer acceptance; and (iii) nutritional and physiological evaluation of the fortified breads, including …

Roses And Concrete: Black Teachers' Roles And Challenges In Marginalized Communities, Alyse N. Barry

Dissertations

Black educators play a vital role in schools that serve marginalized communities, yet their stories are often overlooked in academic research. This phenomenological study explores how Black teachers interpret their roles and navigate challenges within these spaces. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), I centered the voices of ten Black educators to better understand the emotional, cultural, and professional layers of their experience.

Through in-depth interviews, participants described themselves as more than just instructors. They saw themselves as cultural connectors, advocates, and protectors for their students. Their presence helps affirm student identities and bridge cultural divides, but they also carry significant …

Development Of Al Ain Flash Flood Risk Maps\ Utilizing High-Resolution And Accurate Remote Sensing Data, Khaled Khamis Al Arfati

Dissertations

Al Ain City has undergone significant land use transformations from 1992 to 2022, marked by a population increase of over 50% and extensive development activities. This period has seen the construction of new residential areas, infrastructure, and commercial establishments, as well as enhancements to green spaces. An analysis of the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) revealed an 83% alteration in the terrain due to urbanization and shifting sand dunes, with most elevation changes under 5 meters.

The primary aim of this dissertation is to develop accurate flash flood risk maps for

Al Ain using high-resolution remote sensing data. This research highlights …

Quadratic Stochastic Processes: Algebraic Structures And Their Applications, Taimun Saleh Qaisar

Dissertations

This research focuses on the algebraic structures of the Quadratic Stochastic Processes (𝑄𝑆𝑃𝑠). In this work, we first study 𝜉𝑎- Quadratic Stochastic Operators (𝑄𝑆𝑂𝑠) linked to the partition P3. We simultaneously discuss the dynamics of the obtained 𝑄𝑆𝑂𝑠. Moreover, algebraic structure of the associated genetic algebra is studied. Further, we build Quadratic Stochastic Processes (𝑄𝑆𝑃𝑠) using the given Markov processes. Consequently, we obtain an ordinary differential equation for the resultant Quadratic Stochastic Processes (𝑄𝑆𝑃𝑠). Besides, we apply the solution of this ordinary differential equation for the option pricing problem. Thereafter, we construct Quadratic Stochastic Processes (𝑄𝑆𝑃𝑠) in three-dimensional space by …

The Cellular Trafficking And Targeting Of Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme-2 (Ace2) And Neutral-Amino-Acid-Transporter (B0at1) Variants: Implications For The Pathogenesis Of Associated Diseases And Therapy, Nesreen Fayyad Alkhofash

Dissertations

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the neutral amino acid transporter B0AT1, encoded by SLC6A19, are membrane proteins with pivotal roles in human physiology. ACE2 is involved in regulating blood pressure and serves as the cellular entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2, while B0AT1 facilitates amino acid absorption in the intestine. The interplay between ACE2 and B0AT1, particularly their physical interaction and co-expression in the intestine, underscores their relevance in both normal physiology and disease. Dysregulation of these proteins has been implicated in conditions such as hypertension, and Hartnup disease and they have been usurped by SARS-CoV-2 to cause COVID-19. Despite their …

Refinement Of Megakaryocyte Lineage Commitment In Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cells During Postnatal And Adult Hematopoiesis, Ryan Michael Mack

Dissertations

Mammalian hematopoiesis ensures the continuous production of specialized blood cells, yet the mechanisms that govern megakaryocyte/erythroid (MK/E) bifurcation remain incompletely understood. While HSPCs sustain all blood lineages, how transient waves of progenitors arise and adapt from fetal to adult stages is less clear. This gap in knowledge limits our capacity to precisely manipulate platelet and red blood cell outputs in both developmental and therapeutic contexts. Using refined gating strategies and various bulk- and single-cell transcriptomics, we dissected the traditional “common myeloid progenitor” and Multipotent Progenitor (MPP) compartment into multiple functionally distinct subsets (C1, C2, C3). Within C1, an ESAM⁺ fraction …

Domino Effect: A Case Study On The Impact Of Education Legislation On The Emotions, Self-Efficacy, Job Satisfaction, And Retention Of English Language Arts Teachers In A Rural Middle School, Melinda Palmer

Dissertations

This multiple case study uses the appraisal theory of emotions to examine how Georgia education legislation, the Georgia Parents’ Bill of Rights and Senate Bill 226, impacted the emotional experiences, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction of ELA teachers in a rural middle school. This study also examines how this legislation impacted the retention of ELA teachers at the site school. The study highlights the experiences of 3 veteran teachers who were teaching ELA during the year immediately following the passage of the legislation. The findings indicate that the subsequent procedural changes initiated unpleasant emotional experiences: anger associated with the loss of …

High School Students' Mathematics Experiences And Mathematics Learner Identities In A Rural Georgia Town: A Qualitative Study Using Autophotography With Photo-Elicitation, Wesley Cooper

Dissertations

This study examines the mathematics experiences (MEs) and mathematics learner identities (MLIs) of high school students in a rural Georgia town, addressing the underrepresentation of rural perspectives in mathematics education through an asset-based lens. Using autophotography with photo-elicitation, ten participants captured images reflecting their MEs, MLIs, and recommendations for improvement. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups along with two mini-cases amplified participant voices, guided by the frameworks of Four Faces of Mathematics Learner Identity (4F), Content Learning and Identity Construction (CLIC), and Critical Rural Theory (CRuT). Findings highlight how rural students’ MEs and MLIs are shaped by both the strengths of …

A Phenomenological Study Of Southern California Charter School Leaders’ Perceptions Of Creating An Inclusive School Culture, Barbara Hale

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the culturally responsive leadership practices that charter school leaders use to create a culture of inclusiveness. A second purpose of the study was to identify and describe the supports and barriers charter school leaders perceive affect the development of a culture of inclusiveness for students. Methodology: This study identified and described the culturally responsive leadership practices implemented by charter school leaders to create a culture of inclusiveness and identify the supports and barriers the leaders perceived to affect the development of the inclusive culture. I interviewed 10 participants …

Assessing Psychologists’ Clinical Knowledge Of Geriatric Depression: A Validation Study Of The Later Life Depression Knowledge Questionnaire, Abigail J. Laine

Dissertations

Because the US population is rapidly aging, generalist clinicians will increasingly be called upon to provide mental health services to older adults. Unfortunately, most generalist clinicians do not possess the specialized knowledge to provide clinical services to this population and will require training. Professional training efforts are currently hindered by the lack of psychometrically supported scales of clinical disorders specific to aging. Without such scales, it is difficult to evaluate the impact of continuing education programs. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychometric properties and scale dimensionality of the Later Life Depression Knowledge Questionnaire (LLD-KQ), a …

The Impact Of Race And Gender On Benevolent Sexism Endorsement, Kelsey Berryman

Dissertations

Research investigating the influence of race and gender conjointly on sexism endorsement is limited. Much of this existing research exclusively focuses on difference between Black and White women and men or have focused on race and gender as separate entities. The goal of this study is to investigate gender and race difference in benevolent sexism (BS) endorsement while considering relevant cultural factors for each race-gender group. A mixed-method design examined differences in endorsement of BS for Asian, Black, Latina/o, and White women and men. A meditational model using each race-gender group as independent variables examined difference in BS as mediated …

The Utility Of The Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition For Children Suspected To Have Autism: Examining The Srs-2 In Light Of Children's Race And Ethnicity, Emma Healy

Dissertations

The shortage of autism specialists and lack of culturally sensitive autism assessment tools are helping to perpetuate racial and ethnic disparities in autism identification and treatment. Using DisCrit as a framework, this quantitative study examined the utility of one autism assessment tool, the Social Responsiveness Scale, second edition (SRS-2) for Black, Latine, and White students suspected of being autistic. Results suggest that there is low inter-rater agreement between parents and teachers on the SRS-2 and that the SRS-2 demonstrates low predictive validity across racial/ethnic groups. Implications for practice are provided highlighting the importance of culturally responsive approaches in addressing disparities …

Teaching Since 2020: Inhabiting Professionalization, Autonomy, And Classroom Teaching, Melissa Fisher

Dissertations

This study explores teacher professionalization Since 2020 by examining control over teachers’ work as constructed by classroom teachers. Using a conceptual framework combining the teacher disempowerment perspective, inhabited institutionalism, and professionalization, I focus on the question: Given the recent years of upheaval the profession of education has sustained, how are teachers inhabiting the role of "professional teacher," particularly regarding control over their own work? This qualitative study utilizes semi-structured interviews with fourteen teacher participants in an Indiana public school district. This study finds that participants are constructing a new Since 2020 teaching reality. Participants converged on professional challenges including disruptive …

Embodied Freedom: Nietzsche On Agency, Health, And Value, Nathan University Berthiaume

Dissertations

This study examines Nietzsche’s views on freedom to show how they inform a notion of human flourishing. I argue that while Nietzsche denies the existence of a metaphysical freedom in which the self is an unconditioned cause of events, he affirms an embodied freedom in which our consciousness can function as part of the causal explanation for action in virtue of its ability to alter the expression of bodily drives. However, I demonstrate that agential power in this sense can only function in conjunction with other causal factors that constitute constraints on freedom. As such, I argue that there is …

Discerning The Role Of Microtubule Acetylation During Hiv-1 Infection, Drew Michael Lichon

Dissertations

The host-pathogen interactions underlying Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection are complex and involve the exploitation of host cellular machinery. This thesis investigates the roles of dynein adaptors, microtubule acetylation, and TRIM69-mediated restriction in HIV-1 infection. Through a series of detailed experiments, we explore how HIV-1 utilizes multiple dynein adaptors, such as BICDR1 and Hook3, for intracellular transport, and reveal that these adaptors are critical for efficient viral trafficking. Conversely, the knockdown of Ninein surprisingly enhances HIV-1 infectivity, suggesting a nuanced regulatory role for this adaptor in viral transport. Further, this thesis challenges the prevailing paradigm that microtubule acetylation …

A Delphi Study Of Effective Strategies For Addressing The Most Significant Barriers That Prevent The Successful Implementation Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices As They Relate To Alleviating The Achievement Gap For African American Students, Candra Loftis

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to determine how expert fifth- to eighth-grade teachers who have demonstrated competence in the implementation of culturally responsive teaching practices for African American students identify and describe barriers they have observed that prevent the successful implementation of culturally responsive teaching practices, to rate the difficulty of overcoming those barriers, and to identify and describe strategies for overcoming the five most difficult barriers.

Methodology: This study is characterized as a Delphi normative study. An expert panel received three rounds of online surveys. The first round open-ended question asked, “How do expert teachers identify …

Leadership’S Impact On Employees’ Perception Of Their Safety Culture In A Public Transportation Organization, Paul Hadley

Dissertations

Purpose: This nonexperimental quantitative study aimed to examine the relationship between various leadership styles using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ; Bass & Avolio, 1995) and employees’ perceptions of their organization’s safety culture based on a developed Safety Perception Questionnaire (SPQ) within the context of a public transportation agency. Methodology: This study used a quantitative approach to collect data from employees in a public transportation agency. Leadership characteristics were assessed using the MLQ, which is a self-report tool designed to measure three distinct leadership styles. The employees’ MLQ scores were correlated with their results on the SPQ, which evaluates perceptions of …

Best Practices In Developing Self-Efficacy: A Case Study In Preparing Rural, Predominantly Disadvantaged, High School Students For College And Career Readiness, Rudy Cardona

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this case study was to identify the best practices used by faculty and administrators at exemplary, rural, California high schools, with predominantly disadvantaged students, to develop self-efficacy in reaching college and career-readiness. A further purpose was to identify supports and barriers affecting student self-efficacy in stimulating expectations, interest, and choices in goals and actions toward college and career readiness.

Methodology: This case study examined the best practices for developing student self-efficacy in the top 13% of college- and career-ready, rural, socio-economically disadvantaged high schools in California. It also explored perceptions of supports and barriers to college …

A Delphi Study On Strategic Behaviors From The Adaptive Leadership Framework Used By Successful Cxos For Business Agility In A Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, And Ambiguity Environment, Sevak Markarian

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the strategic leadership behaviors, as outlined in Heifetz et al.’s (2009) adaptive leadership framework, that CXOs use to develop agile and adaptive organizations that succeed in volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) change environments. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the effectiveness of these behaviors and determine specific actions that CXOs recommend for implementing them successfully.

Methodology: This mixed-method Delphi study collected data from 20 technology executives through surveys and interviews, using purposive, convenience, and expert sampling. In Round 1, participants identified strategic adaptive leadership behaviors from Heifetz et al.’s …

Skip-Level Meetings: Perspectives Of Skipped First-Tier U.S. Tech Leaders, Samuel Blacher

Dissertations

Although significant research exists on numerous intersecting theories, such as adaptive leadership, leadership communication, and employee voice, and although they are discussed in business publications and widely yet inconsistently implemented in industry, skip-level meetings are little scholarly studied. Such meetings offer benefits for employees, direct (skipped) managers, and skip-level leaders, and through them, to organizations, yet they also hold risks and pitfalls, and are influenced by various contextual factors, such as stakeholders’ national culture and age. This exploratory qualitative study employed elements of interpretive phenomenology, followed by thematic analysis, to examine the experiences, perceptions, and emotions of a diverse set …

The Impact Of A Paid Work Experience On High School Students With Mild To Moderate Disabilities From The Parental Perspective, Lori Lee Schleinkofer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how the parents/guardians of high school students with mild/moderate disabilities in Southern California perceive the impact that working while in high school has on their students with respect to confidence, independence, motivation, responsibility, self-advocacy, self-esteem, and social skills. The central research question was “How do parents/guardians of high school students with mild/moderate disabilities perceive the impact that working while in high school has on their students?” Methodology: Interviews were conducted with 11 parents of participants in paid work experience programs. A qualitative interview question development matrix was used …

They Do Not See What I Carry: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Male Educational Leaders And The Quiet Weight Of Imposter Syndrome, Malik A. Richard

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Black male educational leaders experience and cope with Impostor Syndrome (IS) as defined by Zorn’s (2005) nine elements—anxiety, lack of self-confidence, depression, perfectionism, procrastination, self-presentation, emotional exhaustion, fear of failure, and fear of success, within their organizational, social, and cultural contexts. Methodology: Guided by Moustakas’s (1994) phenomenological approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective journals from Black male leaders in K–12 educational settings in the Boston region. Purposeful sampling (Patton, 2014) ensured participants had significant leadership experience. Data were thematically coded, aligned with Zorn’s nine elements, and …

Breaking Barriers: A Delphi Study On Strategies Military Women Of Color Use To Advance Into Senior Leadership In The California Air National Guard, Michelle Leon Carrasco

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to determine what strategies military women of color (in ranks of E–8 and above or O–4 and above) used to overcome workplace barriers to advancement in the California Air National Guard (CAANG), to rate the importance of the strategies identified in Research Question 1, and to determine the methods by which they employed the top five most important strategies.Methodology: This study used a three-round Delphi method to collect data from women of color senior leaders in the CAANG. In Round 1, the expert panel identified strategies to overcome workplace barriers to advance …