Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Teacher Mentoring On Teacher Retention, Camesha Nichole Hill-Carter

Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine if mentoring plays an important role on new teachers staying in the field of education at the school to which the original position was given. The targeted school is an inner-city charter school in St. Louis, Missouri, where teacher attrition is typically high. Since charter schools do not offer the same three year contracts as traditional public schools, teachers are challenged with the fire at-will clause that is in many charter school contracts. Many new teachers are not secure in the position in which they have attained and often leave the charter school for …

Effects Of At-Home Reading Activities And Parental Involvement On Classroom Reading Scores: Focus On The Elementary School Level, Cynthia Warren

Dissertations

This dissertation was written collaboratively by Cynthia Warren, Linetta Carter, and George Edwards with the exception of chapter 4 which is the individual effort of the aforementioned researchers. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of athome reading activities and parental involvement on classroom reading scores with a focus on the elementary level. A total of 150 students from two inner city schools and one suburban school were chosen for the multi-method research. Students’ reading scores were evaluated, and their parents were interviewed. A collaborative study involving three investigators was conducted to determine if there was a …

Making The Significant Significant: A Discourse Analysis Examining The Teacher's Role In Negotiating Meaning Of Text With Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students, Keith Standiford Wheeler

Dissertations

This study reports data from a three-month discourse analysis of a fifth-grade teacher`s language used to negotiate meaning of text with linguistically and culturally diverse students. Specifically, I use Gee`s (2005) discourse analysis methodology to examine the teacher`s language-in-use for seven building tasks of language--significance, activities, identities, relationships, politics (the distribution of social goods), connections, and sign systems and knowledge--in a micro level analysis for eight teaching episodes covering reading and/or social studies instruction. In doing so, I conceptualize categories and subcategories of language use for each of the language building tasks. I find that the teacher used instructional language …

Assimilation, Rejection Or Convergence? The Role Of The Bilingual Press In San Antonio, Texas, Mary O'Donnell

Dissertations

A mixed methods study of the two leading bilingual news publications in San Antonio, Texas, in 2009 reveals that the editors and journalists who are responsible for the content and direction of the publications have adapted the role of their publications to fit the evolving composition of the U.S. Hispanic population in San Antonio. This study incorporated content analysis based on 24 issues of two bilingual news publications and seven in-depth interviews with editors and journalists at the two publications. The results were examined within the frame of recent models of ethnic media functions and their use of assimilation and …

An Exploration Of Corporate Social Responsibility And Machiavellianism In Future Health Care Professionals, Sandra K. Collins

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) orientations of future healthcare professionals and their relative viewpoint of CSR in terms of Socioeconomic or Classical. The study also sought to determine the nature and the strength of relationships between CSR orientations and Machiavellian tendencies. To conduct the study, 162 future health care professionals enrolled in varying healthcare- related programs at an accredited university were surveyed. Findings from the study indicated a linear relationship between an individual's CSR orientation, CSR viewpoint, and innate Machiavellian levels. The higher an individual's Machiavellian score, the more likely he or …

Shadowing Practices: Ethnographic Accounts Of Private Eyes As Entrepreneurs, Craig L. Engstrom

Dissertations

In recent years, entrepreneurship studies scholars have begun studying entrepreneurship from a process-oriented philosophy and with an interest in the prosaic, everyday practices of entrepreneurs. In keeping with these "new movement" approaches, I have tried to "catch" entrepreneurship as it is happening within the field of private investigations. An in-depth, two-year field study of private investigators engaged in the entwined practices of investigating and entrepreneuring was conducted. Methodologically, I shadowed five private investigators and interviewed an additional 25. Because shadowing is an emergent methodology, an in-depth discussion of conducting and writing shadowing research is provided. As noted in this discussion, …

Gene Regulation And Function Of Icp0 In Herpes Simplex Virus Infected Cells, Mingyu Liu

Dissertations

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a clinically important virus, whose life cycle alternates between productive replication and latency. Infected cell protein 0 (ICP0) is generally believed to play a key role in determining the outcome of HSV infections. Synthesis of ICP0 promotes the productive replication of HSV, whereas absence of ICP0 renders HSV prone to establish latent infections. In the first part of the dissertation, I attempt to address the question how is ICP0 gene regulated. To tackle this question, we constructed recombinant HSV that encodes GFP-tagged ICP0 so that the regulation of ICP0 gene can be visualized in real …

Effects Of Enrollment In Co-Teaching Classes On The Academic Performance Of High School Students Without Disabilities, Linda Elaine Buerck

Dissertations

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Linda Elaine Buerck, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction, presented on November 12, 2009, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: EFFECTS OF ENROLLMENT IN CO-TEACHING CLASSES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITHOUT DISABILITIES MAJOR PROFESSOR: D. John McIntyre, Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, Ed.D., University of Syracuse This study examined the impact of enrollment in co-teaching classes on the grades earned by high school students without disabilities. The study also included analyses of teacher responses to a survey regarding their experience with the co-teaching model at the …

Breeding Productivity, Nest Distribution, And Population Ecology Of Wood Ducks In Floodplain And Upland Forests Of Southern Illinois, Robert Gray Anderson

Dissertations

Wood ducks are thought to depend on mature hardwood forests juxtaposed with palustrine wetlands but these habitats have been continuously degraded or destroyed since European settlement. Wood ducks are adaptable and the use of marginal habitats and nest boxes has extended their range and probably was important to the recovery of wood duck populations. Until now no study has analyzed the contribution of upland nesting to local population growth and maintenance. I investigated predation effects on nest site selection using wood duck nests and simulated nests placed in natural cavities. Using demographic data collected on wood ducks in southern Illinois, …

The Modulation Of Covert Attention By Emotion: Automatic Processing Of Emotional Versus Neutral Valenced Cues In A Covert Attention Paradigm, Jonathan Hammersley

Dissertations

Selective attention has been studied extensively and it is shown, for example, that individuals with conditions such as anxiety show attention bias to threat-related stimuli. It has been proposed that humans are predisposed or that it is naturally adaptive to selectively attend to emotional stimuli (Lang, 2000). Similarly, LeDoux (1996) and others have proposed limbic brain networks allowing for quick and automatic, but sometimes inaccurate, processing of emotion which bypasses primary cortical areas. Along these lines, automatic attention bias to subliminal image cues in an adapted Posner Covert Attention Task was examined in the current study. A sample of 64 …

Assessing Michigan School Counselors' Preparedness To Meet The Needs Of Attractional/Sexual Minority Students, J. Frederick Bland

Dissertations

This study assessed the attitudes, skills, knowledge, graduate counseling training, and willingness to engage in professional development of Michigan school counselors regarding issues and concerns of students who identify as lesbian, gay, biattractional, transgender, and students who are questioning their attractional orientation (LGBTQ).

A total of 120 Michigan school counselors completed useable surveys either online or a paper-and-pencil version at a Michigan school counseling conference. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the demographic variables age, gender, ethnicity, attractional/sexual orientation, and professional characteristics such as years of school counseling experience, school level, and school location (urban, suburban, rural). One-way ANOVAs were used …

On Robustification Of Some Procedures Used In Analysis Of Covariance, Kuanwong Watcharotone

Dissertations

This study discusses robust procedures for the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models. These methods are based on rank-based (R) fitting procedures, which are quite analogous to the traditional ANCOVA methods based on least squares fits. Our initial empirical results show that the validity of R procedures is similar to the least squares procedures. In terms of power, there is a small loss in efficiency to least squares methods when the random errors have a normal distribution but the rank-based procedures are much more powerful for the heavy-tailed error distributions in our study.

Rank-based analogs are also developed for pick-a-point, adjusted …

Option Pricing And Stable Trading Strategies In The Presence Of Information Asymmetry, Anirban Dutta

Dissertations

Pricing derivatives is one of the central issues in mathematical finance. The seminal work of Black, Scholes and Merton has been the cornerstone of option pricing since their introduction in 1973. Their work influenced the pricing theory of other derivatives as well.

This derivative pricing theory has two primary shortcomings. Firstly, the theoretical pricing in such theories are not accompanied by a stable trading strategy. Secondly, they often assume that the market agents use a uniform model for the underlying instrument and that the market prices of the derivatives reveal all the information about the underlying instrument.

Theoreticians like Grossman …

Trial And Error, Delayed Prompting, And Reinforcement Of Prompted Responses In Teaching Receptive Identification Of Pictures, Kristen Lynn Gaisford

Dissertations

Three strategies to train receptive identification of pictures were compared: (a) trial and error, (b) delayed finger-point prompt followed by a reinforcer, and (c) delayed finger-point prompt followed by the spoken word, "good". These three strategies were compared using a multi-element design, assessing the performance of four children, ranging from two to four years of age, selected from a classroom that provides services to children with Early Childhood Developmental Delays (ECDD). Two children mastered the receptive identification of pictures at the same rate regardless of the strategy. For the remaining two participants, the rate of mastery was the same for …

Designing Molecular And Nanoscale Materials For Environmental Chemistry Processes, Wen Guo

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on fundamental studies to identify materials that detect and degrade common organic environmental pollutants. Chapter 1 represents the overview of two widespread ground water contaminants: organohalides and organophosphorous compounds. Due to continuous usage of these compounds as well as their toxicity, reliable and sensitive methods for their detection and degradation are urgently needed. In Chapter 2 a description of molecular sensors designed with high sensitivity and selectivity to detect and distinguish between three organophosphorus (OP) pesticides are described. These sensors provide dual optical and electrochemical signals for detection, which minimizes false-positives. The signal transduction occurs in real …

Modeling The Momentum And Mass Transfer Within A Micro-Scale Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell For Flows Within The Slip Flow Regime, Sean Tamarun Goudy

Dissertations

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems are heterogeneous catalytic systems. Although there are many computational models that describe the behavior of PEM fuel cells, few simulate the catalyst surface concentration of reactant gases at the catalyst layer-membrane layer inteface. Most PEM fuel cell models make no distinction between the bulk concentration of reactants and the catalyst surface concentration of reactants. It is the surface concentration that is key when studying PEM fuel cell systems: the reactions occur at the surface of the catalyst.

In addition, few model the dynamics within the non-continuum flow region near the solid surfaces of …

The Cognitive Load Impacts Of Assistive Technology Devices Used By Sighted Teachers In Training During Literary Braille Instruction, Charles Redden Farnsworth

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore differences in perceived cognitive load experienced by sighted teachers-in-training using manual or electronic braille assistive technology devices to learn literary braille. Ninety-four participants from 18 personnel preparation programs across the United States and Canada participated in this study. Data were collected between August 2008 and June 2009 using the NASA-Task Load Index, the National Literary Braille Competency Test, and semi-structured interviews.

There were no statistically significant differences found between the technology groups in the quantitative measures of cognitive load or in literary braille proficiency according to the National Literary Braille Competency Test …

Meaningful Learning Development In Student Nurses: The Traditional Nursing Care Plan Versus The Concept Map Care Plan Approach, Deborah Sue Karns

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Parental Involvement And Expectations Of Children's Academic Achievement Goals In Botswana: Parent's Perceptions, Keinyatse Kgosidialwa

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Factors That Promote Success In Large Enrollment General Chemistry Courses Taught With Clickers, James Richard Macarthur

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Meaningful Parental Involvement In The Migrant Education Program: A View Through The Lens Of Six Migrant Parents, Mary Ellen Good

Dissertations

Meaningful parental involvement is an important component of the academic success of all children; however, little is known about how this construct plays out in the lives of migrant farm worker families. To gain a deeper understanding of the research problem, a qualitative case study was conducted to address the primary research question: How do migrant parents understand and construct meaning in parental involvement? Grounded in an epistemological foundation built on constructionism, this inquiry was guided by a critical theory framework and was informed by case study and portraiture methodologies.

Participants were 6 migrant parents purposefully selected to include mothers …

Competing Formal And Informal Institutions In A Democratizing Setting: An Institutional Analysis Of Corruption In Romania, Mihaiela Ristei

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the interaction between formal institutions and the informal institution of corruption in Romania from 1997 until 2006. I argue that corruption is an informal institution that creates incentives incompatible with the formal rules, alters the effectiveness of formal institutions, undermines the rule of law, and threatens democratic consolidation. Specifically, I test the capacity of formal institutions to counteract the informal institution of corruption and thus to reduce corruption in four sectors: the judiciary, customs, health care, and public procurement. The research project investigates the methods to restructure incentives and increase the effectiveness of formal institutions, the factors …

Implementing An Asca-Informed School Counselor Supervision Model: A Qualitative Field-Based Study, Janet M. Glaes

Dissertations

The American School Counseling Association's (ASCA) National Model has been recognized in the field of professional school counseling as an effective framework for the training and supervision of school counselor interns. Despite this recommendation, school counselor supervision models which incorporate the ASCA model have until recently been rare and are still in the early stages of development. This qualitative study describes the supervision experiences of six pairs of school counselor supervisors and their interns (at the elementary, middle, and high school levels) as they employed an ASCA-based school counselor specific supervision model in their internship practices. The supervision model utilized …

Grade Point Average As A Predictor Of Timely Graduation From Associate Degree Registered Nursing Programs, Delores J. Jackson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if admission selection strategies that utilize cumulative and/or pre-requisite GPA are predictive of timely graduation for associate degree nursing (RN-AD) students. Data were obtained from de-identified records of 437 associate degree nursing students enrolled in three Midwest community colleges from 2003-2006. Of the total sample, only 44% of the students graduated on time (i.e., in four semesters or two years). Although a statistically significant difference was found for timely graduation rates between colleges (ranging from 29% in College B to 54% in College A), no relationship was found for cumulative GPA, pre-requisite …

The Effects Of An Inquiry-Based Earth Science Course On The Spatial Thinking Of Pre-Service Elementary Teacher Education Students, Kevin Douglas Weakley

Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of two geography courses at improving student spatial thinking skills. Spatial thinking is an important cognitive skill in the sciences and everyday life. A taxonomy of spatial thinking was constructed by Gersmehl (2008) in geography education which included core modes assessed in this study: comparison, region, transition, analogy, pattern, and association. Two additional modes related to space over time, change and movement, were also assessed. The central research question in this study is: What are the effects of a pre-service teacher education earth science content course (Geography 1900) that is conceptually designed and inquirybased on …

The Abortion Attitudes Of Counselor, Social Worker, And Nursing Trainees, Mary J. Ball

Dissertations

This study examined the similarities and dissimilarities in abortion attitudes among counselors (CTs, n = 51), social workers (SWTs, n = 42), and nurses in training (NTs, n = 78), based on profession, age, race, gender, and religion. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and standard multiple regression. It was predicted that profession, religion, age, gender, and race would predict the abortion attitudes of CTs, SWTs, and NTs in training. It was also predicted that the attitudes of CTs and SWTs would be most similar, and that both of these groups would hold more positive abortion attitudes than NTs. …

The Impact Of A Clinical Mentor Program On Patient Outcomes, Cynthia M. Steckel Phd

Dissertations

The increasing complexity of patient care requires an expert nurse to navigate the hospital stay, yet today's workforce brings a declining supply of seasoned nurses, creating a patient need/nurse expertise gap. The clinical mentor role was developed to bridge this gap and create a safety net, using expert nurses, relieved of a patient assignment, to provide oversight for quality patient care. Results reported elsewhere showed improvements in failure to rescue and pressure ulcers six months before and after implementation. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term impact of this new care model over the subsequent three years …

Libel In Mississippi, 1798-1832, Muriel Ann Everton

Dissertations

The Mississippi Territory officially became part of the United States in 1798. The territory was to be governed under the rules of the Northwest Ordinance, but those who went to govern the area found a culture that required the use of common law to settle the disputes arising from prior governments under other nations. With no precedents on which to rely, disputes led, at first, to dueling and then to libel cases. Both common law and common sense prevailed while many of the disagreements were aired publicly in newspapers. Mississippi’s first printer, Andrew Marschalk, using his First Amendment rights, wrote …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Grade Retention, Latrice Shontae Richardson

Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine elementary teachers’ perceptions of grade retention. Additionally, the study observed demographic data that explored the differences in elementary teachers’ perceptions by (a) geographical location, (b) years of experience, (c) grade level assignments, (d) age, (e) level of education, (f) ethnicity, and (g) influences on perceptions.

The participants included 164 elementary teachers from five rural (northern) and five suburban (southern) regions of Mississippi. Since teachers play such a huge role in the classroom, they also play a vital role in grade retention. Teacher decisions can create a successful educational experience for a …

Identifying Practices That Facilitate Effective Implementation And Sustainability Of Research-Based Professional Development Strategies, Emily Victoria Bryan Kibodeaux

Dissertations

This study was designed to determine whether significant differences existed in the level of implementation of a professional development strategy, the attitude of teachers toward this professional development strategy, and the knowledge of teachers regarding this professional development strategy. After teachers were trained on the professional development strategy, three treatments were utilized in the project: administrative observations and feedback, participation in a professional learning community (PLC), or training follow-up. Twenty-four teachers from four different schools in a school district in South Mississippi participated in the project over an 8 week time period. This quasi-experimental study collected pre- and post-treatment data …