Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Of Disciplinary Literacy Pedagogy On Student Historical Content Learning: A Mixed Methods Research Study, Jeffrey Mayr

Dissertations

This study sought to assess if a disciplinary literacy (DL) teaching intervention could increase student historical content learning. The purpose of this study was to help make recommendations for usage of DL teaching strategies in the future. DL is a new and promising teaching strategy that has a multitude of research-backed benefits. However, DL adoption has been hampered by a lack of clarity on if DL can improve student content learning and test scores. This study used mixed methods methodology. Quantitative assessment was utilized for a quasi-experimental pre- and post-test design to assess the impact of a two-week DL teaching …

Comparing Student Outcomes Related To The Implementation Of The 3de Program, Amanda Burks

Dissertations

This study examines the impact of the 3DE program on ninth-grade student achievement in a Title I high school in Metro Atlanta. The 3DE program is a cohort-based model that utilizes interdisciplinary teaching paired with case study methodology; the program aims to support students as they make the difficult transition from middle to high school. This study focuses on two research questions, comparing the academic achievement of students in the 3DE program with those in the broader ninth grade population, measured by their scores on the Algebra I end of course (EOC) exam as well as the ninth-grade literature EOC. …

The Impact Of Verbal Discourse On General And Special Education Students In The Ninth Grade Algebra I Classroom, Lauren Raschen

Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to determine if there was a difference in using verbal discourse methods in the Foundations of Algebra/Algebra I for the general and special education population.  This study was done in the collaborative classroom where the results of general education and special education students were compared.  The researcher also compared the results of the verbal discourse formative assessments to determine which type of verbal discourse made the greatest impact of conceptual understanding of mathematical operations using a quantitative study.  The data was collected for two formative assessments and compared using the multiple linear regression …

High School Principals’ Experiences Implementing The Whole-Child Approach To Education, Elise Heaton

Dissertations

The prevalence of the whole-child approach to education has grown significantly as schools recognize that students' needs extend beyond academics to include their social, emotional, mental, and physical well-being. This approach emphasizes nurturing all aspects of a child's development to ensure they thrive in a diverse and ever-evolving world. This phenomenological qualitative case study explores the lived experiences of high school principals as they implement the whole-child approach to education. Through data collected via various methods, including interviews, document analysis, and site observations, this study provides an in-depth examination of how principals navigate the complex demands of addressing the multifaceted …

Expanding Capabilities: The Impact Of International Student Mobility On Peacebuilding, Kathleen Kirk

Dissertations

From the 2010s to 2020s international student enrollment decreased in the United States (IIE, 2024), leading to economic, intellectual, and social ramifications and notably affecting the country’s reputation as a place that fosters intercultural understanding and innovation (IIE, 2024; Song and Li, 2022; Laws and Ammigan, 2020).While international student mobility has increased since, ongoing issues such as political polarization exacerbate international education efforts to build intercultural understanding. Yet, it is such educational efforts that are crucial to nurturing peacebuilding (O’Hair and Woods, 2024; Reardon, 2001).

This dissertation employs a global survey and semi-structured interviews to investigate how international students leverage …

Improving Diabetes Self-Management Skills Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Through Weekly Education, Carthia Joachim

Dissertations

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is one of the major health issues worldwide, which has led to many health complications, such as cardiovascular disease, nerve damage that leads to limb amputation, kidney damage, and even death (Sameer et al., 2020). Lack of self-care management is one of the reasons diabetes is becoming such an issue in society. Studies have shown that T2DM outcomes can be improved by implementing diabetes self-management education (DSME) (Hailu et al., 2019). The study evaluated the effectiveness of DSME intervention in adult patients with T2DM over 12 weeks in Orlando, Florida. Using a structured education program, the …

Examining The Relationship Between Textbook Formats, Students’ Self-Efficacy And Academic Performance In Higher Education, Anthony Eya

Dissertations

Ideally, educators would have sufficient data to understand how textbook formats (Ebook and Pbook) can transform negative student behaviors resulting from low self-efficacy to improve their academic performance (Alegre, 2014; Masa’deh et al., 2022). The problem driving this study is the lack of empirical data on the relationship between textbook format, student self-efficacy, academic performance, and behavioral factors that undermine student success in a self-regulated learning environment (Masa’deh et al., 2022). Also, there is a need for data that could inform strategies for solutions to poor student self-efficacy regarding textbook type and low academic performance (Alegre, 2014). This study used …

Barriers To Effectively Integrating Technology Into The Classroom, Laura Beth Mccarty

Dissertations

This study examined barriers to integrating 1:1 technology into the post-Covid classroom, with an emphasis on determining whether student misuse of technology was a new barrier seen in schools across the United States of America. An online survey instrument was developed to examine existing barriers as well as student misuse of technology as a new barrier. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the relationships between these variables, and descriptive statistics were examined to determine which variables were barriers to the effective integration of technology into the classroom. When examining existing barriers, lack of technology training and support remained a …

The Nurse Faculty Compassion Instrument: A Methodological Study, Nancy Pritchard

Dissertations

As nursing shortages rise, nursing faculty have the important responsibility of increasing the number of nursing school graduates that enter the nursing profession. Unfortunately, attrition and retention continue to prevent nursing students from graduating on time or at all. Nursing faculty compassion has been identified as one important factor that could decrease nursing student attrition and increase nursing student retention and program completion. Compassion is a concept built upon the constructs of forming connections, empathetic behaviors, student suffering and faculty recognition of needs, and alleviation of suffering. No existing instruments measure all of these constructs. Some existing tools that measure …

The Role Of Mentorship In Teachers' Intent To Persist In P-12 Public Education, Collins Robinson

Dissertations

Soaring attrition rates among teachers in public education have led researchers to attempt to obtain more insight into teaching intent to persist in American, public P12 education. Mississippi schools are allowed to join the MDE Division of Educator Effectiveness. This single division focuses on enhancing specific areas: “Mentoring and Induction programs, Mississippi Professional Growth system, Mississippi Teacher Residency, and Recognition Programs.” (Steen, 2024). The purpose of the study was to determine if there exists a statistically significant relationship between Mississippi public education teachers’ mentorship experience, mentorship effectiveness, and intent to persist. Secondly, this study was expected to determine to what …

Going With The Flow: How Direct And Indirect Alterations To Streamflow Influence Headwater Fish Communities In The Southeast, Langston Haden

Dissertations

Streamflow has been deemed the “master variable” regulating riverine communities as it can influence the chemical, physical, and biological components of river systems. Anthropogenic changes have and will continue to alter streamflow through direct (e.g. road culverts) and indirect (e.g. climate change) processes. Understanding how these alterations impact riverine communities is essential for maintaining and restoring ecosystem properties like biodiversity. Our objective is to integrate ecological theory and conservation approaches to understand how direct and indirect alterations to streamflow influence freshwater fish communities within the biodiverse headwater streams of the southeastern U.S. In a test of a standardized barrier protocol …

Uncovering The Causal Configurations Of Successful Nonviolent Regime Change Movements: A Systems Thinking And Fuzzy Set Analysis, William Scott Hinson

Dissertations

Under what conditions do nonviolent regime change movements succeed? While the literature on nonviolent resistance has shown several variables to be highly correlative in affecting regime change, little research to date has shown which configuration of conditions leads to regime change in differing polities and repressive environments. In this dissertation, Systems Thinking (ST) and fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) are employed to analyze 25 randomly selected cases of nonviolent regime change movements drawn from the NAVCO 2.1 dataset. The principle of equifinality in ST and fsQCA directs the research to explore multiple sets of conditions that can lead to …

Teacher Perceptions Of Students With Disabilities And Their Ability To Meaningfully Participate In An Inquiry-Based Mathematics Model, Lori Luthy

Dissertations

This study focused on a school district in the Midwest region of the United States, which implemented a new inquiry-based math curriculum for all kindergarten through fifth-grade students during the 2021-2022 school year. The purpose of this study was to determine elementary general education and special education teachers’ perceptions of students with disabilities and their ability to learn mathematics at high levels from inquiry-based instruction. Also, the implications of deficit thinking were investigated. In addition, end-of-the-year progress results were compared to determine if implementing an inquiry-based model of mathematics increased student achievement. The population for this study consisted of educators …

A Phenomenological Study Of Social-Emotional Learning (Sel) Through Covid-19, Maria Iracema Da Rocha-Alvarez

Dissertations

Purpose: This phenomenological study aimed to identify and describe the social-emotional learning (SEL) strategies used by elementary teachers in California before and during the shift to distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also sought to determine which SEL strategies were most effective in supporting students’ emotional well-being in a virtual learning environment.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of elementary teachers who implemented SEL strategies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through 20 interview questions aligned with the research objectives to gain insight into effective SEL practices during virtual …

Relationship Of Stress, Family, And Social Support, And Job Satisfaction To Burnout Among Family Nurse Practitioners Employed In Primary Care Clinics In Mississippi, Laura-Jean Scott Brooks

Dissertations

In the realm of healthcare, burnout is the invisible monster that has infiltrated every facet of the industry with grossly visible results. From provider turnover to patient errors, burnout has lifelong effects on the healthcare provider and patient care. This researcher seeks to study variables and the relationship to burnout among Family Nurse Practitioners who practice in primary care in Mississippi. The Review of the Literature demonstrated a lack of findings in burnout among family nurse practitioners. Most of the literature reviewed focused on burnout among registered nurses. The guiding hypothesis of the research study was that social and family …

Impact Of Safety Training On Employee's Perceptions Of Organizational Safety Culture, Brooke Reid-Graves

Dissertations

Workplace safety and well-being are vital for all workers, regardless of their profession (Young et al., 2022). Studies show that providing employees with training focused on recognizing hazards and implementing safety practices is essential for reducing occupational risks (Namian et al., 2020; Rose & Rae, 2017). Research underscores the importance of fostering a positive organizational safety culture for risk reduction (Berry et al., 2020; Downey, 2019). Understanding the impact of safety training on shaping an organization’s safety culture is key to promoting safe working environments (Mahjoub, 2013).

This study utilized the perspectives of high school staff regarding safety training and …

Establishment Of Structure-Property-Processing Relationships For Design Of Sprayable Hydrogels And Amyloid/Peo Electrospun Composites, Xianjun Wang

Dissertations

The focus of this dissertation is the design, synthesis, characterization, and prototyping of bio-inspired materials to understand the role of structure, intermolecular interactions, and processing technique on the self-assembly, bioactive properties, and mechanical properties of the biomaterials. This work is divided into three research areas: 1) sprayable and adhesive glycopolymer based hydrogels; 2) decapeptide-based composite nanofiber mats; and 3) prototyping sutures and meshes via electrospinning. The established structure-property-processing relationships provide a foundation for designing biomaterials in the future.

The first chapter provides an introductory overview of the requirements necessary for the development of hydrogels, glycopolymers, and peptides, including relevant processing …

K-12 Education And The Covid-19 Pandemic, Candice Beasley

Dissertations

This quantitative study aimed to explore how schoolwide closures during the COVID-19 pandemic affected student academic performance in selected Mississippi school districts and to examine the instructional strategies schools used during these closures. While there has been global research on the pros and cons of different teaching methods during and after the pandemic, specific data for Mississippi is still limited.

The researcher collected publicly available data from the Mississippi Department of Education. Student performance results from the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) for the years 2019 to 2021 were analyzed to see if academic performance changed due to the pandemic …

The Relationship Between Task-Oriented Self-Efficacy, Openness To Experience And Internal & External Barriers To Social Work Educators To Teach Online Courses, Nancy Swindle

Dissertations

This study investigated the attitudes of social work faculty at accredited programs in the United States toward teaching online courses. An online survey was used to gather data on faculty members' internal and external barriers to teaching online, their openness to new experiences, and their confidence in creating and teaching online social work courses. Correlation and bivariate analyses were used to understand the relationships between these variables. The results showed positive relationships between years of teaching experience, faculty age, and self-efficacy scores, as well as between years of experience and professional training. However, these relationships were not statistically significant. Similar …

Academic Nurse Leaders’ Application Of Bolman And Deal’S Leadership Orientation Framework, Jasmine Bratton

Dissertations

While Academic Nurse Leaders (ANLs) are vital to the functioning and quality of nursing programs in academic settings, many enter their roles with limited or no prior academic leadership and management experience. The inadequate preparation and development of ANLs remains a critical concern. For this reason, ANLs positions can be challenging and hard to fill. Although ANLs can hold various titles and positions across different academic institutions, this study specifically focuses on Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs working in the New York State area. Bolman and Deal’s (2021) four-frame model of leadership offers a framework that can be used to …

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier De Saint-Georges' "Overture" From L'Amant Anonyme: A Transcription For Wind Ensemble, Lindsay H. Guilbeau

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to transcribe the orchestral Overture from Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges’ only opera with a surviving score, L’Amant Anonyme, for wind ensemble. Transcribing this portion of L’Amant Anonyme by a Black composer from the Classical era not only provides the opportunity to expose the wind band community to an underrepresented composer but also gives this work an additional medium to be performed in. Bologne was dubbed “Le Mozart Noir” or “Black Mozart” by French concertgoeres of the time, and the nickname has not yet disappeared. This title, whether or not intentional, pus him in …

The Price Of Precision: Significant Figures And The Student Experience, Ryan Michael Britt

Dissertations

For students pursuing careers in medicine and science, general chemistry is often viewed as a gatekeeper course. Students struggle with general chemistry for a variety of reasons, one of the most common being mathematical difficulties. Compared to other lower division STEM courses, mathematical computation in general chemistry represents a unique challenge for the student due to the special emphasis placed on reporting answers to the proper degree of precision using significant figure (SF) rules. Although these rules feature in nearly every undergraduate chemistry course, their impact on the student experience of learning chemistry has never before been studied.

The purpose …

Examining And Exploring Online Instructors' Professional Development Experiences, Attitudes, And Perceptions In A Post-Secondary Education System, Jena R. Hartley

Dissertations

Effective professional development for online instructors is critical to student and organizational success. The online instructors’ knowledge transfer on workplace performance outcomes positively or negatively impacts student and organizational success. This study explored online instructors’ professional development experiences, attitudes, and perceptions. The research questions guiding this study were: What are the online instructors’ experiences and attitudes about professional development? How do online instructors perceive the quality and impact of professional development experiences? How do the online instructors’ experiences, attitudes, and perceptions impact knowledge transfer and workplace performance outcomes? Participants in this study were from one post-secondary system in Mississippi. The …

Elucidating The Mechanism Of Interleukin-17a Signaling In The Pathogenesis Of West Nile Virus, Farzana Nazneen

Dissertations

West Nile Virus (WNV), a neurotropic flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes, is a leading cause of viral encephalitis in the United States and remains a significant public health concern. Unfortunately, no vaccine or therapeutic intervention is available against WNV infection. Previous studies, including ours, demonstrated that interleukin-17A (IL-17A) signaling increases the cytotoxic potential of CD8⁺ T cells to facilitate WNV and parasite clearance; however, the molecular mechanism is not understood. IL-17 receptor C (IL-17RC) is an obligatory co-receptor with IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) for signaling induced by IL-17A, IL-17A/F, and IL-17F. In this study, we found that IL-17RC deficient ( …

Investigation Of Polybenzoxazine Vitrimers Based On Dynamic Transesterification Exchange, Jaylen Davis

Dissertations

With the ever-increasing issue of plastic waste production, a greener approach to synthetic processes and increased sustainability in plastic materials is still a high demand. Thermosets, which find uses in applications such as coatings, adhesives, and aerospace composites account for 15% of global plastics production, are particularly problematic in this context, as covalent crosslinks within the material serve both as a source of high-performance stability during use and as a barrier to conventional recycling after use. Therefore, our efforts focus on the incorporation of dynamic transesterification exchange chemistry into polybenzoxazine thermosets, which allows these materials to undergo reprocessing. This investigation …

Conceptual Understanding, Engagement, And Optimal Learning Moments With Problem-Oriented Project Learning In High School Physics, Catherine A. Howell

Dissertations

This research explored the effect of Problem-Oriented Problem Based Learning (POPL) on concept attainment and engagement in a high school physics class. While physics education remains a vital component of STEM education, secondary physics enrollment trails chemistry and biology. Issues contributing to physics’ reputation as a complex subject include prior misconceptions and the formulaic nature of pedagogy. Prior research indicated that active learning can challenge misconceptions and mitigate the sameness of instruction. POPL resides firmly in the active learning methodology of Project-Based Learning (PjBL). This study expanded the research by combining Physics, POPL, concept attainment, multiple components of engagement, and …

Hypervalent Iodine Based Macrocycles And Their Supramolecular Interactions With Guests, Krishna Pandey

Dissertations

In this contribution, we successfully synthesize different variations of hypervalent iodine macrocycles (HIM) including novel phenylalanine base HIM. Next, this study explores the dynamic self-assembly and disassembly of hypervalent iodine-based macrocycles (HIMs) guided by secondary bonding interactions. The reversible disassembly and reassembly of HIMs are facilitated through anion binding via addition of tetrabutylammonium (TBA) salts or removal of the anion by addition of silver nitrate. The association constants for HIM monomers with TBA(Cl) and TBA(Br) are calculated and show a correlation with the strength of the iodine-anion bond. A unique tetracoordinate hypervalent iodine-based compound was identified as the disassembled monomer. …

Modulation Of Piezo Mechanosensors: Exploring The Effects Of Proteinogenic Sulfur-Containing Amino Acids And Propofol, Donggyeom Yu

Dissertations

Organisms are constantly subjected to mechanical stimuli originating from their environment or internal activities. To sense and properly handle such mechanical cues, the conversion of mechanical signals into electrochemical signals occurs continuously within the organisms. Mechanosensitive ion channels (MSCs) are pivotal participants in this process, being ready to open to allow the movement of ions across cellular membranes in response to mechanical stimulation. Piezo1 and Piezo2 mechanosensitive cation channels are evolutionarily conserved MSCs, taking part in various physiological processes, including bone formation and touch sensation. Mutations in Piezo1 or Piezo2 lead to pathological conditions and overexpression of the channels is …

Exploring The Interplay Among Effort, Motivation, And Self-Efficacy In High School Mathematics And Act Math Achievement, Katrina Lightsey

Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between high school students' attributions of effort, motivation, and self-efficacy as they relate to ACT math scores. Despite the important role of standardized tests in determining college admissions, there has been little research conducted to determine how students feel about these attributions and how they relate to math grades and ACT scores. A total of 52 juniors and seniors from local high schools participated in this study, which was conducted over the summer through voluntary participation following email invitations. The study was designed to measure students' self-reported effort, motivation, and self-efficacy using a survey instrument. …

The Impact Of Restorative Practice Implementation On Culturally Responsive Teaching And Student Behavior, Patrice Mccoy

Dissertations

American public schools uphold the policies, standards, and disciplinary practices that guide the belief systems of how students view fairness and deal with conflict. As teachers invest in student knowledge and seek to guide students in the right direction, the challenge is learning the appropriate methods of dealing with student behavior. Behavior management practices have evolved just as many student challenges and needs have changed. With these changes evolves the need to better understand students and families. Teachers gaining cultural responsiveness to student behavior challenges is a relatively new ideology to ensure students feel understood and more engaged in the …