Digital Commons Network^™

Leading With An Intercultural Mindset: Leadership Development Programs For International Students, Keri A. Toma Loehrer

Dissertations

This mixed methods study explored co-curricular student leadership development programs that included intercultural learning and were designed for international students studying at higher education institutions in the United States. The study aimed to better understand: (a) common program characteristics; (b) program administrator perceptions; and (c) the international student experience. Data was collected in a two-phase explanatory sequential design, involving surveys and semi-structured interviews. Six main content areas across all programs were identified: (a) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); (b) global engagement; (c) intercultural learning; (d) leadership development; (e) personal and professional development; and (f) supporting the international community. Administrators generally …

Measuring Critical Mentoring: Understanding How Differences In Staff Beliefs Affect Peer Mentoring Implementation In The Csu, Lauren E. Reagan

Dissertations

Self-reported positive effects of peer mentoring for mentors and mentees have included enhanced academic performance, greater sense of belonging, and retention, among other widely accepted benefits of the intervention. However, minimal quantitative or mixed methods research has focused on mentoring staff who design, implement, and therefore heavily influence these programs. This mixed-methods study sought to articulate which factors relate to staff beliefs on peer mentoring in California’s largest public higher education system, the California State University. The first purpose of this study was to articulate which facets relate to or contribute to beliefs on a spectrum of mentoring perspectives, from …

Exploring Factors Influencing Health Promoting Behaviors Among Latino Immigrants, Martin J. Mikell

Dissertations

Latino immigrants may experience stress during acculturation to the U. S., which can influence their ability to engage in health-promoting behaviors, such as dietary intake and physical activity. Dietary intake and physical activity influence the prevention or development of pre-diabetes/Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM). The immigrant's ability to perform health-promoting behaviors can also be influenced by their perceptions of self-efficacy to engage in health-promoting behaviors. Limited information is available in the literature on effective strategies for decreasing stress during the acculturation process of Latino immigrants, while also increasing self-efficacy in health-promoting behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore the …

High-Fidelity Simulation: Methods To Decrease Stress And Anxiety In Prelicensure Nursing Students, Barbara L. Biddle

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation literature review was to discuss causes of and methods to reduce stress and anxiety among prelicensure student nurses before and during a simulation so that learning through simulation prepares students to care for patients safely. This literature review focused on the history of simulation in training, feelings of anxiety and stress among nursing students, theories pertinent to nursing simulation, prelicensure students' views and outcomes in simulations, and the research measures that helped reduce stress and anxiety during simulation training.

Sales Professional Preservation: Examining The Impact Of Incongruent Ideological Belief Systems On Intentions To Quit Among Sales Professionals, Brian Lee Morgan

Dissertations

Organizations that lead with ideologies of moral tradition, politics, and social economics are playing a losing game. The ideological belief system congruence within the organization between leaders and members creates a better atmosphere with less turnover and better recruitment. Sales professionals want an environment free of ideological incongruence. Without ideological alignment, they will defect from the organization. Leaders are miscalculating the negative impact on members’ intentions to quit when they are faced with leaders acting upon ideology changes that affect the member-customer ecosystem. In addition, leaders should be aware of the personal attributes that can exacerbate turnover and work to …

The Pedagogical Impact Of Injury Through The Experiences Of Three Professional Trombonists, Caleb Owenby

Dissertations

As the stigma surrounding performance-related injuries in the brass community is slowly lifting, more musicians are openly seeking assistance for injuries, more musicians are willing to share their experiences with injury, and the musical community is becoming more knowledgeable in the realm of musician health. This research is aimed at preventing future dysfunctions in brass players, offering avenues of recovery for musicians currently experiencing an injury, and examining the current state of trombone pedagogy through the experiences of three performing trombonists.

Megumi Kanda, Colin Williams, and David Vining are professional trombonists and educators who have experienced an embouchure dysfunction or …

Factors Influencing Teacher Retention In K-12 Public Schools In Rural Hawai’I As Perceived By K-12 Public School Teachers, Celeste Akiu

Dissertations

Purpose. This qualitative study aimed to identify and describe the factors influencing teacher retention in K-12 public schools in rural Hawai’i, as perceived by K-12 public school teachers examined within the framework of Mason and Matas’ (2015) conceptualization of four capital factors: human, social, structural, and positive psychological. Methodology. This qualitative study intended to identify factors that influenced teachers in rural Hawai’ian communities to remain in the profession. Convenience purposeful sampling was used to identify the nine teachers who participated in this study. The Four Capital Framework for Teacher Retention was used to guide the questions used in the interviews, …

Reading Comprehension Interventions For Students With Autism, Mary Andrews

Dissertations

Research focused on reading comprehension interventions for students with autism is limited. Available research focuses primarily on the impact of single intervention methods, whether teacher-led or technology-based. Research on intervention methods paired with technology is limited. The researcher conducted a survey of 51 special education teachers to identify what interventions, whether teacher-led or technology-based, are most frequently and effectively utilized within the classroom, as well as what methods teachers prefer to utilize within the classroom. The researcher also interviewed a sample of 5 teachers and conducted a thematic analysis to identify factors that teachers identify as most important in teaching …

Development And Evaluation Of An Instrument For Exploring Achievement Emotions Of General Chemistry Students: General Chemistry Achievement Emotions Questionnaire, Alexander Graves

Dissertations

General Chemistry, a course that is required for many STEM degree programs, is often perceived as a difficult and stress-inducing course by students. One aspect of a student’s course experiences that can be measured are achievement emotions. Emotions that students can experience that can affect and are affected by academic performance are called achievement emotions. Achievement emotions, such as anxiety, have been extensively studied in recent years in relation to student performance and retention in different courses. Instruments that have been developed to measure achievement emotions in broad academic settings. However, achievement emotions have been determined to be domain-specific, meaning …

Effects Of School-Based Physical Activity On Children’S Core Executive Function Abilities, Jessie Katelyn Johnston

Dissertations

Children in the United States are becoming increasingly sedentary, linked to detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. Introducing physical activity interventions in schools offers a promising approach to address this trend, while also enhancing children’s executive functioning abilities. Executive functioning abilities are crucial for social-emotional development and academic success. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore whether a 6-week physical activity intervention at moderate intensity was associated with increases in executive functioning among girls who are enrolled in third through fifth grade. It was hypothesized that executive functioning abilities (working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility) would …

Combating The Racial Discipline Gap: Does Diversity Training Mitigate Implicit Bias In The Discipline Decision- Making Process?, Bailey R. Reshel

Dissertations

The racial discipline gap between Black and White students has been pervasive for decades. To date, limited research has been conducted on the possible role that principals’ implicit racial biases may play in this gap. As such, the purpose of this study was to explore how high school principal’s implicit racial biases may influence the severity of consequences given to Black students during subjective discipline situations. A non-experimental quantitative approach was used to explore the possible impact of high school principals’ pro-White implicit racial biases during subjective disciplinary decisions with Black students. It additionally examined whether the number of hours …

Collegiate Esports Participation And Its Perceived Effects On Student Experience: A Phenomenological Study Of Collegiate Esports Teams, David Shimokawa

Dissertations

In an increasingly competitive higher education marketplace, institutions are seeking innovative strategies to grow or maintain their existing student populations. As student interests shift over time, institutions must stay informed of the rise and decline of various sporting activities and the impact those activities have on the student body. As more institutions look to utilize esports as a tool for recruiting and retaining students, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to create new knowledge on the phenomenon of collegiate esports participation and its perceived effects on student experience. This study had 11 participants who were active undergraduate …

Breaking Boundaries: A Qualitative Exploration Of Scientific Motivation And Persistance From The Perspectives Of Arab Women Undergradute Students In Stem In The Us, Fadwa Hamad

Dissertations

There is a lack of information regarding the motivational experiences of Arab women undergraduate students in STEM fields in the US and the factors that contribute to their engagement and persistence in this field. This is because of their categorization as white on census documents, which renders them invisible. Research has shown that motivational beliefs are effective predictors of students' persistence especially for women from minority groups. Thus, it is important to understand the motivational experiences of Arab women students as part of the minority women in STEM in the US. Using an intersectionality framework, and a multi-component motivational model, …

A Design Thinking Mixed Method Study On Social-Emotional Learning Lessons For Early Elementary Learners, Emily Woodall

Dissertations

Social emotional learning (SEL) had largely been absent from early elementary curriculum, despite research which indicated the need for specialized SEL curricula for unique groups, especially students identified as gifted and talented, exceptional students living in geographically isolated areas, and unidentified gifted students from historically disadvantaged minority groups, including African American, Latinx, and Native American. The researcher proposed an SEL pilot in early elementary grades, including pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, may create a scaffolded approach to SEL curricula throughout the students’ educational experiences with a focus on scaffolding to specific subgroups, such as gifted and talented students with unique SEL needs. …

Disrupting The Disconnect And Delving Deeper: A Study Exploring The Dimensions Of Black Male Educators, Terri Elaine Cole Brown

Dissertations

Nationwide, the role and impact of Black male educators and administrators in schools is a critical area of study. This research focuses on a predominantly Black, Catholic high school in the Midwest, where Black male educators and administrators comprise 40% of the staff, providing a unique setting for exploration. While numerous studies have examined Black male educators' experiences, motivations, and perspectives, this research seeks to understand the dynamics within a school where they are significantly represented. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of their influence through surveys, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups with Black male teachers, administrators, alumni, and parents. …

Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perceptions When Supporting Students With Dyslexia, Heather Campbell-Meyer Tellier

Dissertations

This study explored the rationale and significance of integrating speech-language pathologists (SLPs) into the assessment and remediation of dyslexia, traditionally the domain of general and special education teachers. Drawing on their unique qualifications in languagerelated areas, such as phonology, syntax, and semantics, SLPs have emerged as valuable assets in supporting students with dyslexia. American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) has recognized the value of SLPs working with students with dyslexia and has set specific guidelines for working with them. Despite these guidelines, recent data have indicated a gap between policy and practice, with only a fraction of SLPs (36%) actively …

Implicit Bias Toward Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And The Influential Role Of Teacher Self-Efficacy, Laurie Claire Landrieu

Dissertations

The current study observed the presence of implicit bias toward students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the classroom and the influential role of teacher self-efficacy. Teachers report a lack of readiness to work with students with diverse learning needs. Students with alternative learning needs, such as those with ADHD, report less social competency with adults and peers, and lower self-concept. The purpose of the study is to provide further information about the implicit biases held toward students with ADHD within the classroom and the influential role of teacher self-efficacy. Forty general education teachers were recruited. A paired samples t-test was …

Performance Of Shared Parameter Missing Data Models For Intensive Longitudinal Data, Justin Harding

Dissertations

Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) studies, also known as Intensive Longitudinal Data (ILD), involve participants that are intensively measured over time. Intermittent missing data tends to occur due to participants not responding when prompted. The high volume of assessments and intermittent nature of missingness have made some traditional longitudinal missing data methods unsuited to handle the missingness of EMA data. Two recent missing models intended for ecological momentary assessment missing data situations have emerged that jointly model the outcome and missingness, providing information about the latent trait of responding to prompts. Both models implement a shared parameter as a random effect …

Understanding The Acculturation Experiences Of Post-9/11 Student Veterans In The Higher Education Culture Of Civilian Postsecondary Educational Institutions, Jansen Sheridan Legreid

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the essence of the acculturation experiences of post-9/11 student veterans as they navigated within the dominant higher education culture of civilian postsecondary educational institutions (PEIs). Specifically, this study aimed to conceptualize the acculturation experiences of post-9/11 student veterans by simultaneously identifying the components of their military cultural identity that they decided to maintain or abandon in PEI settings as well as which components of the dominant higher education culture that they decided to adopt or reject. This study answered the following research questions: Q1 What are the acculturation experiences of post-9/11 student …

A Grounded Theory Exploration Of Learning To Read In The Montessori Early Childhood Classroom: Using Teacher Knowledge And Experience To Build A Model Of Reading Development And To Examine How Montessori Pedagogy Supports Reading Motivation, Sharra Weasler

Dissertations

Learning to read is one of the most important components of education and literacy skills in early childhood have a significant impact on later reading success. There is an abundance of quantitative research focused on reading, known as the science of reading. However, gaps and flaws have been identified in the research, indicating that an alternative approach is needed to supplement the current body of knowledge. The Montessori Method includes a comprehensive and effective approach for learning to read. Yet, no systematic research has been conducted to explore reading in this context. The purpose of this study was to explore …

Investigating Nature-Based Mindfulness In Nurse Anesthesia Students: A Pilot Study, Douglas Lovern

Dissertations

Across the country, the mental health crisis continues to rage. Varying degrees of depression, stress, and anxiety are commonly found in college-age students. The COVID-19 pandemic augmented this crisis, but the pandemic is not the sole culprit for the escalation of mental health disorders in the United States. Students across the globe suffer mental health disorders that include depression, anxiety, and stress. Research has shown that graduate students are six times more likely to develop anxiety and depression than the general population. Student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) are vulnerable to mental health disorders. SRNAs enter labor-intensive doctoral programs fraught with …

The Effects Of The Living Compass Group On Lpc Associates' Wellness And Self-Care, Jennifer Yarbrough

Dissertations

Counselors can only be effective if they engage in a healthy level of self-care. Counselors recognize the importance of self-care, but they often ignore the early warning signs when it is lacking (e.g., emotional shifts, changes in well-being, or altered behaviors). Self-care has been studied for many years and is emphasized in the ACA Code of Ethics 2014. However, counselors still need to work on establishing a self-care practice, especially considering that 50% of licensed professional counselor associates (LPC associates) do not make it through the licensure process. Researchers found that novice counselors experience a higher level of burnout. In …

Derogatory, Racist, And Discriminatory Speech (Drds) In Video Gaming, Sean Woodford

Dissertations

Video games have been examined for their effects on cognition, learning, health, and physiological arousal, yet research on social dynamics within video gaming is limited. Studies have documented the presence of derogation, racism, and discrimination in this anonymous medium. However, gamers‟ firsthand experiences are typically examined qualitatively. Thus, this study aimed to establish a quantitative baseline for the frequency of derogatory, racist, and discriminatory speech (DRDS) in gaming. DRDS frequency, sexual harassment, and hate speech measures were administered to 150 individuals from online forums and social media groups. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used to gauge which factors affected DRDS …

Understanding The Barriers And Contributions To Success Among African American Graduate Students Pursuing Doctorate Degrees In Clinical Or Counseling Psychology: A Comparative Analysis Of Predominantly White Institutions And Historically Black Colleges And Universities In The U.S., Chelle' Thomas

Dissertations

This study investigated the barriers encountered by African American students in earning doctorate degrees in clinical or counseling psychology at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) compared to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This study aims to elucidate the challenges encountered by African American graduate students in their pursuit of doctoral degrees in clinical or counseling psychology. The study focused on analyzing the obstacles and positive impacts experienced by African American graduate students as they strive to obtain doctorates in clinical or counseling psychology. Multiple challenges and contributions have been identified in this a phenomenological qualitative study. The qualitative results indicate …

The Association Between Social Media, Toxic Masculinity, And Depression In Young Adult Males, Anthony Warren

Dissertations

The world is shaped by diverse influences that significantly affect individuals’ internal landscapes, leading to both positive and negative effects with profound implications for society. Role models play a pivotal role in shaping the aspirations of young adult males by providing direct and indirect lessons that leave lasting impressions and influence their worldview. In recent years, social media use, toxic masculinity, and mental health have garnered significant attention in understanding the experiences of young adult males. The focus in this study was to examine the relationships between social media use, toxic masculinity, and depression in young adult males ranging in …

A Great War Requiem, Kaylene Cypret

Dissertations

The following dissertation is a researched music composition project that utilizes remembrance poetry from the Great War, also called the First World War or World War I, and the Requiem Mass tradition. The purpose of this study is to create a War Requiem composition that brings awareness to female narratives of the Great War by using Great War Poetry by women poets. The dissertation composition combines Requiem aeternam, Lux aeterna, and Requiescant in pace texts from the Requiem Mass.1 In addition, the composition uses Vera Brittain’s poem “Roundel,”2 Winifred Mabel Letts’s poem “Your Name,”3 Margaret Cole’s poems “Rest” and “Falling …

A Comparative Descriptive Study Exploring Undergraduate Versus Graduate Self-Regulated Learning In Online Nursing Courses, Monica Panaitisor

Dissertations

Preparation of new graduate nurses is more important now than ever given the current state of health care. The pandemic has caused online nursing education to be a permanent content delivery modality across all degree programs. Best practices for e-learning only address course organization, instructional materials, learner interaction, course technology, and support while having no regard for the unique learner needs of different degree levels. Online learning success could be determined by how well students are able to self-regulate their learning; however, these behaviors have rarely been measured and compared in nursing students at different degree levels taking online nursing …

A Pedagogical Approach To Cello Studies Influenced By The Eshkol-Wachman Movement Notation, Romina Monsanto Colina

Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to create visual and spatial cues for cello students to better learn the instrument through a notation system developed by the author. The research and notation are based on Noa Eshkol and Abraham Wachman's movement notation, which notates general body movement. The new movement notation, developed by the author, is directed to specific movements for cello players. Learning to play the cello by ear has been a primary pedagogical method. Students and professionals struggle to learn new music and techniques because they rely on hearing more than kinesthesia, the sense of movement. Musicians spend …

“I’M Stressed—You Have To Do Something To Help Me:” The Relationship Between Student Academic Entitlement, Academic Stress, And Satisfaction, Rebbecca L. Nemec

Dissertations

Concern over academic entitlement has grown in higher education in the last two decades. Academic entitlement, defined as unfounded expectations of academic success, undeserved services and unrealistic accommodations (McLellan & Jackson, 2017), in nursing students is an under investigated phenomena. The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of academic stress and general student satisfaction on academic entitlement beliefs in baccalaureate, junior, and senior level nursing students. In this correlational, cross-sectional study, the transactional theory of stress (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987), and Jeffreys’ (2022) nursing universal retention and success model were used to understand how academic stress and …

Exploring The Relationship Of The Noncognitive Variables Of Grit And Mindset In Baccalaureate Nursing Students And Their Impact On Academic Success, Alecia Hollis

Dissertations

The study aimed to evaluate how the noncognitive variables of grit and mindset could impact the academic success of baccalaureate nursing students. With the present and growing shortage of nurses, attrition within nursing programs is cause for concern. Attrition is a multifaceted problem; however, academic failure is one contributing factor. While cognitive factors, such as the standardized aptitude test (SAT), pre-nursing science GPA, pre-nursing GPA, and standardized entrance exams (Al-Alawi et al., 2020; Chisholm-Burns et al., 2021), have traditionally been used for admission criteria, increasing evidence suggests that noncognitive factors, like grit and mindset, play a crucial role in academic …