Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Implementing A Development Program Using Mental Imagery On The Time To Master Psychomotor Skills, Randal Agee

Dissertations

Psychomotor skills development programs that use mental imagery have been demonstrated to help individuals acquire psychomotor skills (Anu et al., 2020; Seymore-Walsh et al., 2020; Toth et al., 2020). The commercial trucking industry is presently experiencing a global shortage of qualified truck drivers (American Trucking Association, 2019; Staats et al., 2017). One reason individuals are avoiding or leaving careers as commercial truck drivers is the time spent away from home (Staats et al., 2017). A couple logistical strategies have been developed to improve the situation (Mittal et al., 2018; Prime Inc, 2024); however, for the solutions to be sustainable, the …

Examining The Moderating Role Of Work Modality On Employees’ Engagement And Perceptions Of Inclusion, Eric Shapiro

Dissertations

In the evolving landscape of work, organizations increasingly adopt diverse modalities, including on-site, remote, and hybrid arrangements. This quantitative correlational study examines the relationship between work modalities, employee engagement, and perceived inclusion, with a focus on the moderating role of work modalities. Recognizing employee engagement as a key driver of organizational performance and perceived inclusion as essential for well-being and innovation, survey data were collected from 402 employees across multiple industries. Results revealed a strong, positive correlation between perceived inclusion and employee engagement (r = 0.789, p < .001). Work modality significantly moderated this relationship, with hybrid workers experiencing a weaker inclusion-engagement link, while remote workers showed no significant moderation effect. Additionally, on-site workers demonstrated a robust inclusion-engagement relationship. Hybrid workers reported higher perceived inclusion scores, though engagement levels remained consistent across modalities. These findings underscore the need for tailored inclusion strategies to optimize employee experiences and enhance organizational effectiveness. This study provides actionable insights for fostering inclusive workplace cultures and improving employee well-being in modality-diverse environments.

Exploration Of Disorienting Dilemmas New Registered Nurses Experience In Clinical Situations, Heidi Ritchie

Dissertations

The transition new graduate registered nurses (RNs) experience is difficult. New graduates feel pressure related to job expectations and high workload responsibilities. As nurses begin working in clinical practice, some experience a disorienting dilemma—a disconnect between what was learned in school and what is experienced in clinical practice. According to Mezirow (1981), this is the first step in a transformative experience. Yet, there is a gap in knowledge regarding disorienting dilemmas new RNs with less than two years of experience encounter.

The purpose of this study was to explore disorienting dilemmas new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) experience in the clinical …

Simulating Interactions Between (Remote) Internal Waves And The Background Flows And Topography Of The U.S. West Coast, Oladeji Siyanbola

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the simulation of remotely and locally generated semidiurnal internal tides (ITs) and near-inertial waves (NIWs), and how they interact with the California Current System (CCS) and the U.S. West Coast (USWC) topography. In Chapter II, we force Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) simulations of the CCS with tides and remote internal waves (IWs) originating from as far as Hawaii, using a realistic global HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) simulation. To allow for optimal wave energy influx and minimize boundary reflections from the interior of the domain, we conduct boundary sensitivity tests on tide and IW forcing …

The Impact On General Education Preschool Teachers Mainstreaming Children With Special Needs: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study That Aims To Explore General Education Preschool Teacher Experiences Regarding Challenges And Strategies When Mainstreaming Students With Special Needs In The General Education Preschool Classroom, Magdalena Tapia Lamas

Dissertations

Purpose: This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore general education preschool teacher experiences regarding challenges and strategies faced in differentiating instruction while engaging and supporting all students in learning based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession.Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological methodology was conducted using semistructured interview questions with 12 general education preschool teachers. Results of interviews and an artifact collection and review were used to analyze how general education preschool teachers described their experiences regarding challenges and strategies faced in differentiating instruction, based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP).

Findings: The findings from the study indicate …

A Mixed Methods Study Of The Process Of Commissioning New Music For Choirs, Kyle Justin Brazell

Dissertations

This study provided an in-depth look at the commissioning process for choral music. The pursuit of new music has a storied tradition in western culture, deeply connected with the Catholic church, starting in the medieval era. In modern times, there is a substantial amount of research on commissioning new music. However, most of the existing research is focused on band and orchestra ensembles, with very few exploring choral music commissions. Using a mixed methods design, this study identified a process for pursuing new music for choral ensembles and measured attitudes and perceptions of the director and composer during the commissioning …

Resiliency Training For Music Therapy Students During Fieldwork Experiences, Crystal Weaver

Dissertations

All music therapy undergraduate and equivalency students in the United States must complete 1,200 hours of fieldwork experience to obtain degree conferment from an accredited and approved higher education program (American Music Therapy Association, 2023b, p. 1). While engaging in fieldwork had several benefits for music therapy students, such as the opportunity to build practical experience and refine skills, the experience also involved several challenges (Forinash, 2019; Tien & Trang, 2020). A challenge not yet thoroughly examined by faculty and staff within higher education music therapy programs was student mental health. To date, researchers had not examined the prevalence of …

The Barriers Preventing Generational Diversity In The Workplace: A Design-Based Research Study On Generational Diversity In The Workplace, Bryan T. Benke

Dissertations

Generational diversity poses numerous challenges within organizations, primarily as workplaces can now encompass up to five generations (BasuMallick, 2020). The scholar-practitioner explored various facets of generational diversity, highlighting barriers that impact the work environment, employee behavior, communication, knowledge transfer, technology adoption, management decisions, employer obligations, and cultural disparities. Despite increasing recognition of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), entrenched biases persist, perpetuating stereotypes and marginalizing different generational cohorts (Fasbender & Gerpott, 2022; Gates, 2023; Renstrom, 2020; St. Aubin, 2019). Research revealed deficiencies in emotional intelligence (EI) among apprentices, particularly in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management, alongside challenges in achieving …

A Mixed Methods Study On Teacher Knowledge And Its Influence On Reducing Math Anxiety In Students, Shannon E. Cruz

Dissertations

Math anxiety has been a cause for concern in many people's lives before research commenced on its impact on math performance and learning. The dissertation in practice was focused on how a teacher’s lack of preparation and tools to support students with math anxiety could be changed in the field of education. Using a design thinking-based process, the student researcher identified a research question about how professional development about math anxiety helps teachers understand and support affected students while analyzing two null hypotheses regarding teacher understanding and ability to support students. Once the knowledge gap was identified, the student researcher …

Creating A Co-Teaching Plc To Help Find Practical Solutions For Problems In Co-Teaching At A Suburban Middle School, Rachel Siân Machens

Dissertations

The research focused on addressing equity and communication challenges in co-teaching through the implementation of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) and peer mentoring within a suburban middle school. The study took place in a predominantly white, lower-middle-class suburban school that utilized co-teaching across various subjects to provide students with disabilities greater access to the general education curriculum in the least restrictive environment. The primary objective was to establish a PLC composed of co-teachers from different disciplines, leveraging existing co-teacher training strategies to improve equity and communication within co-teaching partnerships. The PLC operated through an online forum, where the researcher, serving …

Coming Back To Life: Inner Work, Intentional Containers And Feminine Leadership For Social Change — A Phenomenological Case Study Of A Social Change-Oriented Organization And The Self, Maria Trias Arraut

Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the phenomenon of inner work within social change organizations through an in-depth case study of a nonprofit organization dedicated to women’s empowerment and transformation. Using a phenomenological approach and ethnographic methods, the research combines intensive 7-month fieldwork in 2016 with reflective analysis years later, shaped by my own evolving relationship with inner work practices, providing a unique perspective on how inner work lived experience shapes individuals, organizational culture, and social change efforts.

The findings reveal that the social change organization (SCO) operated through three distinct yet interconnected levels of inner work practice: tending to the personal …

Useful Measures Of Adult Attachment And Object Relations In Psychotherapy, Matilde A. Torallas Huerta

Dissertations

This is a literature review of objective and projective measures of attachment and object relations in adults, with the objective of reviewing outstanding research to identify the key factors for adult attachment assessment considered within attachment and object relations theories, what measures of adult attachment styles and dysfunction work best, and to provide key themes of assistance in the measurement of attachment and object relations in adult clients in psychotherapy. Theoretical foundations of attachment and object relations theory are reviewed as well as objective and projective instruments grouped by format. The 10 themes found to be useful in the assessment …

Shades Of Families: Exploring Intersectionalities Of Cross-Cultural Parenting Experiences In The U.S., Shu-Han Huang

Dissertations

As multiracial and multicultural families continue to grow across the United States, parents must navigate evolving cultural identities, systemic inequities, and increasing social and emotional pressures. These realities underscore the need for parenting resources that are both culturally responsive and emotionally supportive. This transcendental phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 11 cross-cultural parents raising children in the U.S., with a focus on how intersecting identities and systemic forces shape parenting practices.

Guided by Critical Multiracial Theory and Intersectionality Theory, this study investigated parenting at the personal, familial, societal, and structural levels. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed …

Famílias Indigenas Entre Mundos: Standing In Pachakuti, Living In Chi’Xi Within The Constellation Of Their Comunidad De Saberes, Ymasumac Marañón Davis

Dissertations

To be Indigenous is to be la luz del mundo, to stand in your light and spread your sunrays, no matter winds or clouds of colonization that strive to dim you. This qualitative study explored ways Indigenous Latine families negotiate a sense of place within onto-epistemological realities and their home culture of learning and Western education. This research is desire-based (Eve Tuck, 2009), creating our own project of modernity, grounded in one Indigenous family’s experience within their Andean community. Drawing from Critical Latine Indigeneities Framework (Blackwell et al., 2017) and Chicana Feminist Epistemologies (Bernal, 1998), using an Entre Mundos methodology, …

Ethnic Studies For Secondary Schooling: Collaborative Curricular Insights From A Working Collective, Kelly León

Dissertations

The rapid expansion of policy-mandated ethnic studies (ES) in U.S. schools suggests the need to reconceptualize the field of ES for the school curriculum. This exploratory case study sought to contribute to a better understanding of the ways in which secondary ES curricula can be negotiated and made by teachers and their collaborators, illuminating its future possibilities in public schools. The research explored how teachers, academics, and ES graduate students collaborated in a Collective to use and relate various knowledge resources, including local oral histories, to develop community-focused ES curricular guidance. Little is known about the type of knowledge work …

Does Universal Screening Increase The Proportion Of Culturally, Linguistically, And Economically Diverse Students In Gifted Education?, Leona Alexander

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the impact of implementing a universal cognitive screening tool on the proportional representation of culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse (CLED) first-grade students in Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programs. This study employed a comparative interrupted time series design utilizing a difference-in-differences (DiD) regression model along with additional statistical analyses (two-proportions z-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests) due to limitations in the sample sizes.

Participants included first-grade students (N=425) from two demographically and socioeconomically similar districts in a Rocky Mountain region. One district implemented the universal screener (intervention group n=368), and the other …

Temporal Dynamics In Spatial Random Field Theory: A Methodological Advance In Fmri Data Analysis, Theophilus Barnabas Kobina Acquah

Dissertations

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a noninvasive tool for studying neural correlates of cognition by measuring task-evoked brain activity. Accurate interpretation of fMRI data depends on modeling the hemodynamic response (HR), which varies across brain regions and conditions. Brain plasticity adds complexity as functional changes during development and aging affect cognition, emotion, and behavior. BOLD signals display complex temporal dynamics influenced by both neural and physiological factors, challenging conventional models. This highlights the need for adaptive frameworks that account for temporal dependencies and spatial heterogeneity in neural activity detection. This current study enhances fMRI data analysis by integrating temporal …

E-Learning In Developing Countries: Unveiling Faculty Digital Realities, Dauran Mcneil

Dissertations

Faculty in developing regions like the Caribbean play a crucial role in shaping education systems and the broader academic landscape. In this era of technology and e-learning, faculty encounter unique experiences, perceptions, and challenges that influence their roles, effectiveness, and the learning environment. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the perceptions, experiences, and challenges of e-learning among higher education faculty in developing countries, particularly in the English-speaking Caribbean region. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of 11 faculty members from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Jamacia, St. Lucia, and the Bahamas. These …

The Problem Of The Whiteness Of Wealth, Elizabeth Tharakan

Dissertations

In 2021, households with a White householder made up 65.3% of all U.S. households and held 80.0% of all wealth. Those with a Black householder made up 13.6% of all U.S. households but held only 4.7% of all wealth. And their median wealth ($24,520) was about one-tenth the median wealth of households with a White householder ($250,400). This disparity in Black wealth and White wealth is almost an order of magnitude. I seek to understand why the racial wealth gap exists and what people of any race can learn from a nuanced understanding of the interplay among culture, education, and …

Hispanic/Latinx Faculty Members’ Experiences Within Academia, Sarah Muñoz

Dissertations

This dissertation research was written and pursued to explore the experience of Hispanic/Latinx faculty within academia. A phenomenological, qualitative methodology was utilized to explore this phenomenon. The researcher used listservs, Facebook groups, and snowball sampling to recruit participants. Potential participants completed a prescreening questionnaire and were then contacted to participate in the interview portion of the study. Ten individuals thoroughly described their experiences holding a Hispanic/Latinx faculty identity within academia. The following six themes emerged from data analysis of the interviews: a) Impacts of the Lack of Representation of Diverse Faculty, b) Challenging Experiences of Hispanic/Latinx Faculty, c) Positive Experiences …

Perceptions Of Undergraduate Nurse Faculty Regarding Social Emotional Learning Within Nursing Academia, Nicole Claire York

Dissertations

The growing nursing shortage is a critical issue for healthcare systems worldwide. The demand for nurses and an urgent need for workforce stability require nursing students to be equipped with both knowledge and social and emotional skills for resiliency and coping before graduation. The social and emotional learning (SEL) framework provides specific competencies that emphasize the development of skills such as self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills. Incorporating SEL that emphasizes these skills into nursing education might provide the necessary tools not only for sustainability in the discipline, but academic and overall social-emotional competence.

The purpose of …

Understanding The Cybersecurity Knowledge And Cybercrime Experiences Of Older Adults Using A Learning Game, Richard Conrad West

Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was two-fold. First, it was intended to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching internet safety to older adults through a fun, internet-based learning game. Second, it was carried out to understand the experience of internet fraud on older adults so that fraud prevention techniques can be refined and tailored to the online threats they face. Five adults over 60 who were previously online fraud victims participated in this study, which was carried out over three phases.

First, participants played a learning game that assessed their understanding of key cybersecurity topics, provided lessons explaining the risks, …

Franz Schubert’S Composition Process Seen Through His Autograph Manuscripts, With A Focus On The “Arpeggione” Sonata, Ahmad Kandari

Dissertations

This scholarly inquiry provides an in-depth analysis of Franz Schubert’s distinctive approach to music composition, offering a nuanced understanding that emerges from a detailed examination of his manuscripts. By placing a special emphasis on the autographic evidence left behind by Schubert, this study contrasts his intuitive and rapid compositional style with the more methodical processes of his contemporaries, such as Ludwig van Beethoven.

Schubert’s manuscripts show a composer who often worked directly from mental concepts to full musical expressions with minimal reliance on detailed sketches or iterative revisions. This approach is starkly different from Beethoven’s, whose extant sketches display a …

The Paraprofessional-To-Teacher Experience: Moving From The Margins To Front And Center, Joanna Kerster Ross

Dissertations

This study outlined a qualitative case study research of paraprofessionals from marginalized communities. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the barriers that nontraditional students enrolled in the Metropolitan School of Teaching program experience when earning a teaching degree and working as a paraprofessional, as well as the sociocultural influence(s) that help them develop their teaching philosophy, with a focus on Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP). Paraprofessional hiring pools have tended to be more diverse than teacher hiring pools and changing demographics across the nation could highlight the importance of CRP approaches in education (U.S. Department of Education, 2023; …

Evaluating The Indirect Effect Of Microaffirmations On Intersecting Marginalized Identities And School Sense Of Belonging Among School Psychology Graduate Students, April Pratt

Dissertations

There is a discrepancy between the proportion of school psychologists identified as racially, ethnically, or linguistically diverse (REL) in the United States and the proportion of REL students they serve (Blake et al., 2016; Proctor & Owens, 2019). Current data estimates over 80% of school psychologists identify as white (Goforth et al., 2021), whereas more than 50% of U.S. public school students have non-white racial/ethnic identities (Irwin et al., 2024). In addition to increased recruitment of REL students to school psychology graduate programs, trainers in these programs must implement effective strategies to ensure retention. One method is to increase students’ …

Jazz Composition Approaches Of John Williams: A Film Score Analysis Of The Knight Bus From Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, Matthew Stuart Towsey

Dissertations

“The Knight Bus” scene is a jazz-infused comedic scene from the movie score of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). The scene’s musical cues, composed by John Williams, ingeniously blends elements of jazz within a predominantly cinematic framework tailored for the film.

This research explored how these elements harmoniously coexisted within a prototypical orchestra format, skillfully blending symphonic and jazz orchestration techniques. The analysis spotlighted the intricate jazz composition techniques, showcasing the utilization of bebop language and the seamless integration of quintessential jazz harmonies and rhythms throughout the composition.

The jazz cues from “The Knight Bus” scene contain …

A New Approach: Supporting Traditional Jazz Pedagogy Through Neuroscience, Christopher John Navarrete

Dissertations

Jazz musicians face a considerable learning curve in their performance endeavors. Numerous factors must be taken into account, including performance anxiety, memorization, active listening, ear training, mastery of musical techniques, and improvisation. Through the effective preparation of these skills, musicians tend to achieve success; however, this success fundamentally relies on the practice habits of the jazz musician.

A common approach in jazz pedagogy emphasizes the development of musical techniques such as scales and chords, modulating across various harmonic progressions. I will define this as a “traditional approach” used in jazz pedagogy. This method has been widely embraced by jazz musicians …

Implementation Of Holistic Admissions Review In Associate Degree Nursing Programs: An Interpretive Description, Alisha Loken

Dissertations

Holistic admissions review (HAR) is a mission-based approach to selecting applicants for higher education using a combination of experiences, attributes, and metrics. The purpose of HAR is to diversify the nursing workforce and promote health equity. The purpose of this interpretive description was to examine HAR practices in ADN programs from the perspective of deans and directors and develop recommendations for broader implementation. The following research questions guided this study:

Q1 How do deans and directors of associate degree in nursing programs describe holistic admissions review?

Q2 What, if anything, have deans and directors done to implement holistic admissions review …

Examining The Effects Of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation On Gut Immune Responses, Aspen Elizabeth King

Dissertations

Previous studies conducted in our laboratory suggest that activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation with the prototypical ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) initially suppresses both fecal and serum antigen-specific IgA responses, but fecal antigen-specific IgA levels recover from suppression while serum IgA levels do not. The purpose of the research detailed in this dissertation was to explore two potential mechanisms allowing for the more rapid recovery of antigen-specific IgA in the feces relative to the serum: (1) an increase in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) that enhance IgA antibody responses in intestinal tissues, and (2) an increase in the migration of …

A Tale Of Bohemians: A Comparative Analysis Of Leoncavallo’S And Puccini’S Treatments Of La Bohème, Mihye Kim

Dissertations

Giacomo Puccini’s opera, La Bohème, stands as an undisputed masterpiece of operatic literature. The opera was inspired by Henri Muger ’s 1851 novel Scènes de la vie de Bohème and premiered at the Teatro Regio in Turin in 1896. Puccini’s rival, Ruggero Leoncavallo, wrote his own version of La Bohème, inspired by the same source. Leoncavallo’s version premiered one year later in 1897 at La Fenice in Venice. Although virtually unknown now, Leoncavallo’s setting was received more with more favor than Puccini’s version at its premier. This research will explore the two operas to understand why one faded into obscurity, …