Digital Commons Network^™

Eliciting A Syncopated Response From An Ensemble, Thomas Trautman

Dissertations

This dissertation began the process of aggregating available knowledge on the subject of eliciting a syncopated response from a musical ensemble from professors of conducting and conducting textbooks, searching for commonalities, and distilling them into several independent variables which can then be quantitatively tested in an experimental or quasi-experimental setting in future research.

Participants (n = 11) were Directors of Choral Activities, or any other job title with similar responsibilities, at universities which confer doctoral degrees in Choral Conducting. Each participant was required to have a different educational background than every other participant. Participants were given 15 examples of …

An Open Conversation: Deliberating Perceptions Of Power Through New Media, Abigail Barnes

Dissertations

This research aims to investigate aims to critically assess how mediated participants utilize new media spheres deliberate upon perceptions of power through rhetorical criticism and critical discourse analysis. Since the conception of social media, users have utilized the platforms to network, negotiate, and dissent from controversies through mediated public deliberation. The present study aims to nuance how Habermas’ original conception of deliberative rhetoric has transformed through new media deliberation. To exemplify this change in deliberative rhetoric, the present study will also critically evaluate online social movements through the case study of the AOC Tik Tok Challenge, responses to online controversies …

Einstein's Dream By Cindy Mctee: An Analysis And Transcription For Wind Ensemble, Kyle Aufderhar

Dissertations

Cindy McTee’s 2005 composition for strings, percussion, and computer music is an exploration in pluralism, combining newly composed music and computer-synthesized sounds with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Charles Ives. McTee’s initial use of Bach’s music comprises the complete harmonization of the chorale “Wir glauben all’ an einen Gott.” In later sections of the work, McTee creates entire textures from the chorale’s soprano line, subjecting it to a variety of treatments including augmentation, diminution, inversion, retrograde, and retrograde inversion. In addition to the inclusion of his music, McTee reiterates the importance of Bach through composition that relies on …

A Mixed Methods Evaluation Of Three Quantitative Approaches For Examining Persistence, Angela J. Rockwell

Dissertations

Institutional researchers use skills from their diverse backgrounds to collect, analyze and report data about their institutions to stakeholders representing various interests and levels of data literacy. However, there is little research into how these professionals process data and none into what aspects are important to institutional researchers when planning and executing these analyses. Given the importance of student persistence in higher education, this study used mixed methods to examine the factors institutional researchers consider when selecting a quantitative approach to exploring persistence and how they apply to selecting a quantitative approach. Three approaches (proportions, logistic regression, and discrete time …

Onboarding To Retention: First Year Experiences Of Faculty And Staff Of Color At A Predominantly White Institution, Paige Jones

Dissertations

Proactive onboarding is essential to a long-term retention strategy. Past research has highlighted the challenge of retaining diverse faculty and staff and how an unwelcoming climate affects the decisions of leaving or staying for faculty and staff of color differently than their White coworkers. Using Bauer’s Four Cs framework, this study explores the role of first-year onboarding experiences in the retention of faculty and staff of color at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) in higher education. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, and semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with nine faculty and staff of color at a PWI in Southern …

The Sonatine For Flute And Piano By Pierre Louis Joseph Boulez, And Its Contribution To Modern Day Flute Performance, Myles Roberts

Dissertations

Following the Second World War, Pierre Louis Joseph Boulez developed a less-than-ideal reputation for his strong views within the modernist movement, and the reaction to his Sonatine for flute and piano reflected these polarized feelings. The Sonatine was initially written for the French flutist Jean Pierre Rampal, who after a failed negotiation with Boulez, refused to premier it. The work was finally premiered by Jan Van Boterdael and Marcelle Mercenier in Brussels in 1947, and the first performance of the revised version was held in Darmstadt in July 1956, by the Italian flutist Saverio Gazzelloni. Gazzelloni’s performance had the audience …

Is The Grass Really Greener? A Narrative Study On What Has Drawn Student Affairs Professionals, Who Identify As Women, From Student Affairs To A Position In The Corporate World During The Coronavirus-19 Pandemic, Amanda Michele Davis Smith

Dissertations

Davis Smith, Amanda Michele. Is the grass really greener? A narrative study on what has drawn student affairs professionals, who identify as women, from student affairs to a position in the corporate world during the Coronavirus-19 Pandemic. Published Doctor of Philosophy. University of Northern Colorado, 2024 Capitalism shapes all aspects of Americans’ lives, particularly in their work lives. The nature of the Coronavirus-19 Pandemic changed the foundational model of the common workplace, which had been relatively unimpacted since the late 1920s. These changes have influenced many workers to reexamine their professional lives, thus leading to what has been referred to …

Counseling Students’ Experiences Of Religious/Spiritual Transitions: A Narrative Inquiry, Lexi Gene Heringer Wimmer

Dissertations

Religious and spiritual (R/S) identities are not stagnant constructs, as may often be believed (Strawn, 2019). The landscape of religion and spirituality is shifting rapidly, and these changes point to individual experiences of R/S transition. One place these kinds of individual changes are occurring is within counselor training. Counselor training can be a transformative experience, and these transformations can include religious and spiritual changes (Nogueiras et al., 2019). Little research explores a broad understanding of religious/spiritual transition, and this gap widens when considering counselors-in-training (CITs) specifically. The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to more fully understand the narratives of …

Practices, Curricula, And Perspectives: Creating Equitable And Inclusive Science Higher Education Classrooms, Victoria Lee Duncan

Dissertations

How can Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faculty create environments where students do not feel marginalized? Changes are necessary to address the historically exclusive climate, systemic oppressive classroom policies, and practices dominated by White, patriarchal, Eurocentric perspectives in many STEM classrooms. Faculty incorporating approaches and practices documented in the literature across time and multiple STEM disciplines can create equitable and inclusive (EI) classrooms. However, the challenge for faculty is consolidating the information to identify fundamental elements necessary for establishing EI classrooms. By synthesizing and cataloging components found in the literature, following a qualitative meta-synthesis framework, the purpose of Project …

A Narrative Inquiry Into The Perceptions Of Counseling Faculty Regarding The Use Of Humor In Clinical Supervision, Ryan Cheuk Ming Cheung

Dissertations

Cheung, Ryan Cheuk Ming. A narrative inquiry into the perceptions of counseling faculty regarding the use of humor in clinical supervision. Published Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2024. Students in counselor preparation programs are required to be clinically supervised by faculty when working with clients. Considering how to help supervisees and positively affect supervision outcomes, one method could be the use of humor by counseling supervisors. Research in the area of humor in counseling supervision is largely missing (Dantzler, 2017; Vereen et al., 2006). A key task in supervision is building a strong working alliance (Bordin, 1983) …

A Compendium Of Three Musical Works Inspired By The African American Experience: Recordings, Commentary, And Pedagogical Observations, Edward W. Hardy

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on three of my musical compositions inspired by Wade in the Water, Billie Holiday, and Margaret Walker respectively: Evolution (for solo violin, 2016), Strange Fruit (arranged for string quartet, 2020), and Born Free (for voice, violin, and piano, 2022). From the perspective of a classical composer-violinist, I created musical portraits that reflect America's pre-civil rights oppression, the celebration of the Harlem Renaissance, and the landscape of political, social, and economic experiences. This dissertation can also serve as a tool for various individuals: fellow violinists seeking modern techniques that bridge classical music to popular music, composers in search …

The Relationship Between Inclusive Leadership, Psychological Safety, And Job Embeddedness On Employees' Turnover Intent In A Post Crisis Environment, Jan Sims

Dissertations

Large-scale adverse events such as natural disasters and pandemics interrupt business services, initiating defining moments for organizations. The trend of people exiting the workforce compels organizations to examine turnover risk and search for factors that mitigate the impact of resignations. In response to the increase in voluntary turnover and retirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines four elements that have impacted the workplace since 2020–turnover intent, job embeddedness, psychological safety, and inclusive leadership.

This quantitative study examined the relationship between inclusive leadership, psychological safety, and job embeddedness on employees’ turnover intent. Professional and supervisory level employees of public sector …

Musical Inspirations From Tang Court Dance Nichang Yuyi In Liu Qing’S Fantasia Of Chinese Ancient Dance For Two Pianos, Yuan Li

Dissertations

Dr. Liu Qing’s Fantasia of Chinese Ancient Dance for two pianos (2011) stands as a notable contemporary Chinese piano composition that reinterprets the renowned court dance suite Nichang Yuyi (the dance of Rainbow-Colored Feather Garment) from the 8th century Tang Dynasty China. Drawing inspiration from the structure and the musical modal languages of the Tang court dance, as well as the descriptions from Tang poet Bai Juyi’s poem of Nichang, Liu Qing adeptly combined her knowledge of Chinese musical traditions with Western compositional techniques, introducing stylistic diversity to the piano duo scene through this captivating work of dance music. This …

Comparison Of Bayesian Versus Maximum Likelihood Estimation In The Case Of Unbalanced Panels With Count Data, Bryan Hudson

Dissertations

Commonly in applied research settings, investigators wish to study counts of some event of interest over time, such as number of infections, or absences from school. However, in many cases, investigators may only have access to data sets in which measurements with individuals are not available at each measurement timepoint. A foundational statistical method for the study of panel data is generalized linear mixed effect modeling, which typically uses the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to estimate parameters. However, Bayesian estimation (BE) offers an alternative approach. In this simulation study, data were generated with varying sample sizes, proportions of missing data, …

Community Of Practice As A Path To An Authentic Emancipatory Education, Rachel James Beckwith

Dissertations

Beckwith, Rachel James. Community of practice as a path to an authentic emancipatory education. Published Doctor of Education dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2024. Emphasized in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is belonging. It is identified as one of the most inherent human needs; we cannot survive without connection, without belonging. Yet our society seems to reject community values in lieu of rugged individualism. This hyper-fixation on liberty at the expense of social responsibility has not been without its consequences. Classrooms have been a prime breeding spot for the battle between “us” and “them;” the heavy emphasis on grades, contests, and …

Measuring Inclusive Leadership In Nonprofit Performing Arts Organizations, Thomas Abruzzo

Dissertations

Inclusive leadership is undoubtedly a practice to strive for, and few would argue against the value of leading inclusively. Yet, empirically, little is known about what constitutes effective inclusive leadership, especially in the context of nonprofit performing arts organizations. This sector is a particularly apt place to study and practice inclusive leadership because, in addition to the many benefits it provides, the nonprofit arts sector has problematic roots in terms of privileging a dominant social class by prioritizing certain art forms over others. For example, the popularity of the nonprofit form in the arts sector, when compared to for-profit or …

"My Longest Relationship Is With Food": Exploring Eating Related Behaviors Throughout The Gender Identity Journey Of Transgender Males, Angeles Polett Coss

Dissertations

This study sought to explore how transgender adult males have navigated the development of their eating behaviors throughout their gender identity trajectory. While recent research has focused on gender identity development and protective factors of the transgender community, this study explored and examined elements regarding the eating related behaviors of transgender males. Interviews were conducted with six participants within the United States during semi structured virtual sessions; the age range of participants was 19 to 35. Results of this research revealed identity management, Sociopolitical discourse, identity management and inter-relational identity affirmations as inter-multicultural segments that connected with eating related behaviors …

Factors Influencing Uae High School Chemistry Students' Learning Of Organic Qualitative Analysis: A Qualitative Study, Manal Abdullah Almahdawi

Dissertations

Chemistry is one of the five science subfields typically covered in secondary schools in the United Arab Emirates. Chemistry is a branch of science that studies substances' characteristics, components, and structures. Numerous subfields fall under the umbrella of chemistry, including inorganic, organic, analytical, and physical chemistry. One of the topics covered in chemistry classes is the analysis of chemical compounds, which is divided into two types: quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis. While qualitative analysis determines the kind of each element or group present in a given solution sample, quantitative analysis determines the quantity of each element or group present. Students' …

Phenolic Compounds In Date Fruits (Phoenix Dactylifera L.), Muneeba Zubair Alam

Dissertations

This study investigated the phenolic compounds in date fruits, mainly soluble and hydrolyzable compounds, and insoluble melanin. Soluble (27.5–54.0 mg/100 g FW) and hydrolyzable (24.0–78.5 mg/100g FW) phenolic compounds were determined in 18 cultivars using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Phenolic acids were predominant in both fractions while flavonoids were mainly present in the soluble phenolic fraction and the proanthocyanidin B1 and B2 were only present in the hydrolyzable fraction. Four total antioxidant activity assays (total phenolic content, ABTS, FRAP, and DPPH) gave different results for both the soluble and hydrolysable fractions of 26 date fruit cultivars, which …

Perovskite Materials For Optoelectronics Applications: Solar Cells And Photodetectors, Abdul Kareem Kalathil Soopy

Dissertations

Perovskite materials have emerged as promising candidates for optoelectronic applications, particularly in solar cells and photodetectors, due to their remarkable properties such as high carrier mobility, tunable bandgap, and low-cost fabrication. This thesis explores two novel approaches, namely monovalent doping and bulk as well as surface passivation, to enhance the performance and stability of perovskite-based devices.

The primary goal of this research is to enhance the properties of perovskite materials to improve their optoelectronic performance, aiming to broaden their use in solar cells and photodetector devices. Specifically, this study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of Cu doping and Zinc porphyrin …

Valorization Of Date Palm Waste For The Isolation, Characterization, And Surface Chemistry Modification Of Nanocellulose, Mohsin Raza

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the utilization of date palm waste, a lignocellulosic material, as a source for the extraction of nanocellulose (NC), a versatile biopolymer with applications in biodegradable composites, bioplastics, and food packaging. Conventional methods of NC production using mineral acids such as sulphuric and hydrochloric acid are reaching their limits of toxicity, so more environmentally friendly alternatives such as ionic liquids (ILs) are being explored. The research focuses on the characterization of different date palm wastes to evaluate their α−cellulose content, lignocellulosic character, and thermal stability. By comparing extraction methods with mineral acids and ILs, the study evaluates …

Mapping The Invisible: Machine Learning And Geovisualization Methods For Groundwater Management, Khalid Galal Elhaj

Dissertations

Groundwater is a vital global resource, yet mapping and managing aquifers remains challenging due to costs and complexities. This doctoral dissertation pioneers novel data-driven methodologies harnessing machine learning and hydrogeology domain knowledge to sustainably characterize and monitor aquifer systems. The overarching hypothesis investigated is that time series clustering of historical well hydrographs can enable low-cost delineation of aquifer boundaries by detecting response similarities between wells sharing the same aquifer. To test this, three interconnected studies were conducted. First, a specialized time series clustering framework was developed incorporating a global temporal alignment index and custom dissimilarity metrics tuned for hydrogeology. The …

Retrofit Prioritization Of Substandard Buildings For Earthquake Risk Management, Roshen John Joseph

Dissertations

Despite the pressing need for risk mitigation techniques for reinforced concrete (RC) structures designed without considering seismic design provisions, limited research has focused on selecting experimentally verified retrofit measures from various alternatives, particularly considering minimizing disruption to operating real-life buildings. Against this backdrop, this study is directed toward selecting reliable and costeffective retrofit techniques for improving the seismic performance of substandard RC buildings with different structural systems and heights common in medium seismicity regions. Contemporary retrofit approaches are investigated, including polyparaphenylene benzobisoxazole fiber-reinforced cementitious matrix (P-FRCM) composites, carbon FRCM (C-FRCM) composites, thin high-performance reinforced concrete (HPRC) jackets, and self-centering energy …

The Effect Of Altitude On Decomposition: Toward An Understanding Of The Postmortem Interval In The Rocky Mountain Region Of Colorado., Christiane Irene Baigent

Dissertations

The estimation of postmortem interval (PMI) is a critical component of medicolegal death investigation. An accurate PMI estimate has the potential to influence the allocation of investigative resources, establish the probative value of associated biological and material evidence, shape the analytical framework applied to skeletal analysis, and inform cause and manner of death. Forensic anthropologists are often tasked with PMI estimation throughout all stages of decomposition and typically rely on categorical phases of soft tissue and skeletal change purported to correspond to broad estimates of elapsed time. In an attempt to improve precision, Megyesi et al. (2005) developed the Total …

The Relationship Between Undergraduate Student Leadership Potential And Selfperceived Employability And The Moderating Role Of Student Engagement, Aizhan Shomotova

Dissertations

The employability of university graduates is increasingly crucial for economic development, particularly in the Arab region, where youth unemployment is escalating. This thesis examines the Self-Perceived Employability (SPE) among undergraduate students in the UAE, exploring its relationship with Leadership Potential (LP) and Higher Education Student Engagement (HESE). Previous studies underscore the importance of aligning higher education outcomes with labour market demands. Research in student leadership and student engagement emphasizes that proactive engagement and leadership development are pivotal in enhancing employability. This thesis builds on these findings, focusing on the unique context of the UAE. A quantitative methodology was used to …

Burnout And Work Fatigue In Contingent Faculty During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gina Dimartino

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic and immediate shift to remote learning had a major impact on faculty and students in higher education institutions (HEIs). As a result of the pandemic, many stakeholders in HEIs have experienced burnout and work fatigue, specifically, contingent/adjunct faculty. Contingent/adjunct faculty comprise a majority of faculty who serve students in colleges and universities across the country.

As the needs of students increased during the pandemic, contingent/adjunct faculty experienced increased workloads due to the additional support needed by diverse and challenged students. This further intensified the unique challenges faced by contingent faculty that existed prior to the pandemic in …

Millennial Latina Non-Profit Leaders: Exploring Self-Sabotaging Behaviors And Their Journey To Reclaiming Their Power, Tatiana Mendoza-Larreynaga

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by Millennial Latina nonprofit C-Suite leaders and explore the impact of these behaviors on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by Millennial Latina nonprofit leaders to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: Employing a mixed method sequential explanatory design, the research involved eight Millennial Latina nonprofit leaders, utilizing convenience and snowball sampling. Data collection included electronic Likert scales to quantify self-sabotaging behaviors and interviews to explore lived experiences. Analysis sought to identify prevalent behaviors and strategies for overcoming …

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, “If I Told You That A Flower Bloomed In A Dark Room, Would You Trust It?1”: A Case Study In English Language Arts Achievement, Anna E. Russell Ziegler

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the relationship between culturally responsive pedagogy and student achievement to showcase how teaching can build a more equitable learning community where all students thrive. Using a case study model, the author explores how one English teacher designed culturally responsive instructional practices to improve student performance. Analyzing data from student work, student interactions, and student conversations, I discovered instructional themes that improved learning for each student and can be transferred to classrooms across the country.

Convening The Counter-Conversation: Critical Participatory Action Research Against Real-Time Repression, Connor Maguire, Leo Jalipa, Anne Grass

Dissertations

This dissertation presents the anti-fascist Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) process of three doctoral student participants/co-researchers, all practicing educators, with varied experiences in public and private education at the middle school, high school, and collegiate level. This research examines the convergence of the participants/co-researchers in response to their shared concerns about ascendent authoritarianism and rising repression and the subsequent formation of this study’s in-process CPAR research collective organized to critically counter, rather than reiterate, this repression.

Enacting the theoretical/methodological frameworks of Critical Theory and Habermas’s Theory of Communicative Action, the participants/co-researchers dialogically determined contemporary fascism to be the focus of …

Self-Sabotaging Behaviors Of Female Chief Executive Officers Of Behavioral Health Organizations And Power Tactics Used To Leadhership, Jennifer Salgado

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential, explanatory mixed-methods study was to identify and describe personal power tactics that female Chief Executive Officers of behavioral health nonprofit organizations employ to overcome four identified self-sabotaging behaviors from the Self-Sabotaging Framework adapted from Lerner (2012) and Ryder and Briles (2003).

Methodology: This sequential mixed methods research study deployed a phenomenological approach to identify and describe the lived experiences of six female Chief Executive Officers of behavioral health nonprofit organizations in California. Data collection included interviews consisting of eight semistructured questions and 28 survey questions. Interviews were recorded and transcribed to support data analysis …