Digital Commons Network^™

Induction And Mentoring Programs: Pathways To New Teacher Retention And Success, Valerie Kim Seales

Dissertations and Theses

The pipeline of college students seeking teaching positions is shrinking. The teacher shortage makes finding and retaining new teachers even more challenging. The cost of replacing existing teachers who leave is tremendous, and new teachers leave the profession at an alarming rate. This dissertation explored the lived experiences of new teachers who recently completed their induction and mentoring program. The study addresses three primary research questions: (1) What are the perceived benefits and deficits of the induction program (2) What (if any) additional support do new teachers need to improve their work experience in our schools? Using a phenomenological research …

Multimodal Learning: Generating Precise Chest X-Ray Report On Thorax Abnormality, Gaurab Subedi

Dissertations and Theses

Chronic respiratory diseases, ranking as the third leading cause of death worldwide according to the 2017 World Health Organization (WHO) report, affect a staggering 544.9 million individuals. Compounding this public health challenge is the fact that over 80% of health systems grapple with shortages in their radiology departments, highlighting an urgent need for accessible and efficient diagnostic solutions. While various image classification models for analyzing thorax abnormalities have been developed, relying solely on one type of dataset (image data, for example) for thorax abnormality analysis is insufficient. Integrating texts with image data could provide more accuracy as well as analysis. …

Connected Government: An Exploration Of The Department Of Education And King And Stiver’S Theory Of Connected Government, Lilia Iokhvidov

Dissertations and Theses

The frameworks of democracy and bureaucracy are becoming increasingly important in the political landscape. Considering the changes in policy and practice, primarily in education, administrators must contemplate the opinions and suggestions of the population at large. The need arises to initiate alternative legislative activities so the public can become more active in the political scene. The public is willing to voice their views when the policy directly affects the people. The participation process involves direct communication with bureaucrats during meetings among the public, stakeholders, and agency officials. The public participates in politics by being involved in civic duty, the rights …

Surface-Engineered Mineral Particles For Gated Drug Delivery, Gene Transfer And Sunscreen Formulations, Mahadi Hasan

Dissertations and Theses

Surface-engineered nanomaterials have recently garnered wide attention for their huge biomedical applications. The surface functionalization of nanoparticles by desired chemical groups and coatings imparts unique properties to be used in therapeutic applications. Herein, we reported the biological and biomedical applications of three mineral particles: calcium carbonate nanoparticles, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and mesoporous silica nanoparticles. The ability of pristine and surface-modified calcium carbonate particles to scatter UV-light significantly depends on the particle’s size, its surface chemical composition, and can be close to the SPF values of commercial sunscreens. These nontoxic particles are a promising component of biocompatible sunscreens free of the traditional …

Multimodal Emotion Analysis With Focused Attention, Siddhi Kiran Bajracharya

Dissertations and Theses

Emotion analysis, a subset of sentiment analysis, involves the study of a wide array of emotional indicators. In contrast to sentiment analysis, which restricts its focus to positive and negative sentiments, emotion analysis extends beyond these limitations to a diverse spectrum of emotional cues. Contemporary trends in emotion analysis lean toward multimodal approaches that leverage audiovisual and text modalities. However, implementing multimodal strategies introduces its own set of challenges, marked by a rise in model complexity and an expansion of parameters, thereby creating a need for a larger volume of data. This thesis responds to this challenge by proposing a …

Patient Frailty: A Review, Lakshmi Sailaja Kodavati

Dissertations and Theses

According to Geriator (2011), frailty is a common clinical syndrome in older adults that carries an increased risk for poor health outcomes such as falls, incident disability, hospitalization, and mortality. An operational definition of frailty is the existence of at least three out of five observable criteria indicating compromised energetics: low grip strength; low energy; slowed walking speed; low physical activity; and unintentional weight loss (Fried, et al. 2001).

According to Dubois and Charpillet (2017), most transitions into frailty are due to unintentional weight loss which, in turn, impacts gait performance and subsequent general mobility. In this literature review, the …

The Impact Of Immersive Vr Verses Desktop Vr Technologies On Learning Attainment And Sense Of Presence, Haley Renee Hoffman

Dissertations and Theses

The study examined the influence of immersive technologies and sense of presence on learning outcomes while comparing different media formats (Immersive Virtual Reality and Desktop Virtual Reality). The experiment was conducted on N=68 students that experienced a biology lesson about the human cellular system and its related processes. The current literature suggests that Immersive technologies can a powerful impact to learning, but it is crucial to identify when and how these impacts emerge. The current assumption is that presence and educational outcomes stem from the amount of engagement with the material, which is suggested to depend on the level of …

Handwriting: A Qualitative Study Exploring Elementary Teachers’ Beliefs, Knowledge, Preparation, Practice And Influencing Factors In Handwriting Instruction, Lori Beth Fox

Dissertations and Theses

Handwriting instruction is often seen as less important in the curriculum, particularly due to pressures of passing high states assessments and the need to develop technology competencies, as technology in education and society has become commonplace. Current research shows that literacy skills are supported through the direct instruction of handwriting. Handwriting has also been associated with academic success, autoactivating the memory and processing portion of the brain, and is an important component in preparing the brain for phonics and reading acquisition. This has created a problem of a significant disconnect between research-based recommendations and current classroom practices in handwriting instruction. …

Drug Delivering Properties Of Novel Materials For Dentinal Desensitization, Abu Ahammadullah

Dissertations and Theses

This study focuses on the development of non-toxic dental materials that can adhere to dentin, occlude dentinal tubules, and release a drug with or without biological triggers. The properties of those materials are examined by SEM, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, and a fluoride-selective electrode. The study also investigates the surface modification of calcium carbonate surface with casein, which stabilizes its micro-and nanoparticles in aqueous suspensions, making them suitable for use in dentifrices. The results indicate that the morphology and composition of the particles affect their ability to hold and release eugenol, with the casein-coated calcium carbonate microspheres being the most acid-sensitive …

Mentoring Deep Learning Models For Mass Screening With Limited Data, Suprim Nakarmi

Dissertations and Theses

Deep Learning (DL) has an extensively rich state-of-the-art literature in medical imaging analysis. However, it requires large amount of data to begin training. This limits its usage in tackling future epidemics, as one might need to wait for months and even years to collect fully annotated data, raising a fundamental question: is it possible to deploy AI-driven tool earlier in epidemics to mass screen the infected cases? For such a context, human/Expert in the loop Machine Learning (ML), or Active Learning (AL), becomes imperative enabling machines to commence learning from the first day with minimum available labeled dataset. In an …

Factors Influencing Hard Running Distances In Ncaa Division I Female Soccer Players, Isaac A. Sam

Dissertations and Theses

As the total distances covered in soccer games have remained relatively constant, the hard running distances covered by players have shown varying changes due to the higher physical demands and dynamics of team running performances. Although factors affecting the total distances covered in a match are multifactorial, no study has specifically examined match performance indicators (MPI) that impact hard running distances (HRD). Consequently, the purpose of this study was to better understand how MPI (hard running efforts, turnovers, minutes played, duels won, duels lost, and pass completions) are associated with HRDs and to investigate how each variable contributes to HRDs …

The Educator’S Experience Incorporating Blended Learning In A Secondary Classroom, Kiki Nelsen

Dissertations and Theses

Blended learning is a teaching strategy that broadly consists of the use of multiple methods of delivery, often including face-to-face and technology-enhanced teaching. Research on the efficacy of blended learning programs has lacked focus in large part due to the ambiguity of the definition. Most existing blended learning research has been conducted in post-secondary environments and centers on the experience of the student. Research on motivation and engagement in technology-enhanced learning classrooms yields both positive and negative outcomes found in some studies to be correlated to the involvement of the teacher in the design and facilitation of the technology. Given …

Intentional Misdiagnosis And Ethical Considerations Of Mental Health Counselors Working With Managed Care, Emily Lake

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract Research has discussed ethical dilemmas for professional counselors working with managed care. Professional counselors are faced with the implications of providing a diagnosis to clients to receive reimbursement by managed care and to assist clients in receiving care. The purpose of the study is to better understand the counselor’s role in intentional misdiagnosis due to billing requirements from insurance companies. Furthermore, the researcher is interested in the personal and professional characteristics of counselors predictive of the decision to engage in intentional misdiagnosis. Participants in this study were asked to complete the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale and a researcher-created survey. …

Crossing The Goalline: Identifying The Success Of Black Football Players At A Predominantly White Institution, Mark Blackburn

Dissertations and Theses

The presence of Black football players in predominantly white institutions in athletic programs often highlights the racial disparities in college athletics. It is important to understand the dynamic discrepancies in the resources, support, and opportunities provided to Black football players to obtain success. This research examines the lived experiences of Black football players at a PWI located in the Midwest. Data was coded and analyzed into categories. There are six themes that emerged. 1. The attention to have academic focus. 2. The ability to maintain a connection and support from family and other important figures. 3. Constantly navigating microaggressions from …

Toward A Typology Of Internationalization Strategy: The Intersection Of External Environments With Universities’ Structures And Cultures, Eric D. Leise

Dissertations and Theses

This study explored the influence institutional cultures and structures have on a university’s internationalization strategy. It also accounted for the roles external forces, such as government policies and geopolitics, play in shaping internationalization strategies. The comparative case study between the United States, England, and Sweden were situated within the contextual framework of comprehensive internationalization developed by the American Council on Education (ACE) and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Applying neoinstitutionalist theory of isomorphism, the case study revealed three typologies of internationalization strategies: idealist, realist, and pragmatist. The study’s findings provide scholars and practitioners with new tools and insights to right-size …

A Phenomenological Study: Examining Resilience In Native American Women Who Witnessed Domestic Violence In Childhood And Experienced Domestic Violence In Adulthood, Arial T Swallow

Dissertations and Theses

Domestic violence has significant acute and long-lasting harmful effects on the well-being of women from all backgrounds with higher rates of psychological effects in ethnic minority populations. Native American women experience domestic violence at disproportionate rates and face unique barriers in overcoming challenges of healing from domestic violence. Even though the impact of domestic violence in children and adults is well-studied, research in rural and Native American populations is scarce. Women who have witnessed or experienced domestic violence in childhood have identified challenges and strengths and developed coping strategies to help them endure and adapt to surviving domestic violence in …

Correlation Of Motivations To View Facebook Video Advertisements With Willingness To View Future Advertisements, Mokhlisur Rahman

Dissertations and Theses

Most people are familiar with the concept of Facebook video ads. Facebook offers enormous features to place in-feed video ads to promote products. An online survey was conducted at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota. The survey looked for user motivations for viewing Facebook video ads. The conceptual framework for this study was chosen as the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Drawing on the UGT, the study uses a previously established and supported scale used in previous uses and gratification studies to measure the correlation among results. All the participants in this study were university students. The study …

Utilizing The Alternative Model Of Personality Disorders (Ampd) To Identify Sexual Aggression In Men, Ryan Patrick Van Fossen

Dissertations and Theses

The current study examined the validity of the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) in predicting sexually aggressive cognitions in men. Specifically, this study examined the role of maladaptive personality traits and personality functioning’s relationship with sexually aggressive beliefs in comparison to the Five-Factor Model (FFM). This study recruited 300 male participants, aged 18 and older, who identified as male for both sex and gender, and identified as heterosexual. Participants completed measures of personality functioning, several personality traits, views about sexual entitlement, gender roles, rape myths, and token resistance to sex. Multiple regression and semipartial correlation analyses were used to …

Developing Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle-Based Stimuli-Responsive Nanocarriers For Delivery Of Small Molecule Therapeutics Against Colon Cancer Cells, Nisitha Lakmal Wellala Wijewantha

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation delves into the innovative application of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for targeted drug delivery in colorectal cancer (CRC), one of the most prevalent and deadly forms of cancer worldwide. The initial focus of the research is on developing enzyme-responsive MSNs loaded with veratridine (VTD), an alkaloid derived from natural sources that demonstrates potent anticancer activity. The nanoparticles have been engineered to deliver VTD selectively to CRC cells, releasing the payload upon being exposed to specific enzymes primarily secreted by these cells. This strategy has dual advantages of amplifying the anticancer effects while minimizing potential side effects on healthy …

Of Transcription Factor And Transformation: Elucidating Gene Function In The Common Ice Plant, Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum, Chinenye Lilian Izuegbunam

Dissertations and Theses

Abiotic stresses negatively affect plant growth and development across the globe, which also affect the production of food, feed, biofuel, and fiber to meet the demands of a growing population. Thus, developing novel strategies to increase abiotic stress tolerance in crops is necessary. One of these strategies is exploring transcription factors (TFs) in Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) plants to improve plant abiotic stress tolerances. Therefore, the first objective of this dissertation determine the abiotic stress tolerance function of a CAM TF, McHB7opt in Arabidopsis. This study found that McHB7opt increased stress-responsive pathways related to seed germination and early seedling development. …

Analyzing Pulmonary Abnormality With Superpixel Based Graph Neural Networks In Chest X-Ray, Ronaj Pradhan

Dissertations and Theses

In recent years, the utilization of graph-based deep learning has gained prominence, yet its potential in the realm of medical diagnosis remains relatively unexplored. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has achieved state-of-the-art performance in areas such as computer vision, particularly for grid-like data such as images. However, they require a huge dataset to achieve top level of performance and challenge arises when learning from the inherent irregular/unordered nature of physiological data. In this thesis, the research primarily focuses on abnormality screening: classification of Chest X-Ray (CXR) as Tuberculosis positive or negative, using Graph Neural Networks (GNN) that uses Region Adjacency Graphs …

Reading Utopian Pedagogies: Discovering The Practical Here And Now Of Utopian Thinking, Carter Johnke

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis offers a way of reading texts for their utopian aims, a term I use to analyze utopian themes and ideas in a text while keeping the focus on practicality. Reading a text for its utopian aims discovers what a text hopes for but always reflects on how those hopes serve the here and now of the author and the reader. The idealistic conclusions of utopian thinking, the utopian visions, only play a role in the utopian aim. This project does not promote the ultimate or extreme ends of utopian visions; instead, it analyzes the educational effects of entertaining …

Designing Metal-Organic Supercontainers For Functional Applications: From Selective Anion Binding To Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering, Kriti Chitrakar

Dissertations and Theses

Synthetic container molecules that emulate biological structures and feature well-defined nanocavities have attracted tremendous interest among supramolecular chemists due to their promising potentials in ion recognition, catalysis, and chemical sensing. Our laboratory has developed a new class of container molecules, namely, metal-organic supercontainers (MOSCs), which feature both endo and exo cavities suitable for binding guest molecules. The overarching theme of this thesis was to use synthetic manipulations to modify the chemical structure and enhance the functional application of MOSCs in two specific areas, anion binding and chemical sensing. For the application of anion binding, we have designed and synthesized a …

Working Conditions, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, And Health Behaviors In Latino And Other Minoritized Groups Living In The United States, Tailisha M. Gonzalez

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM or ‘diabetes’) poses a significant public health challenge to the healthcare system, economy, and well-being of communities in the United States (U.S.). There are also substantial racial/ethnic and social disparities in diabetes incidence and control that have persisted for decades. For Latinos and other minoritized groups in the U.S., diabetes disparities may be linked to working conditions. Globally, work is considered a major determinant of health and yet studies in the U.S. tend to focus on legacy hazards, such as chemical, biological, and environmental factors. In recent years, occupational health scholars have argued …

Don't Say Gay: Love Language In Coriolanus, Patrick Lynch

Dissertations and Theses

Coriolanus is one of Shakespeare's Roman plays, a sub-genre which also includes Titus Andronicus, Julius Caesar, and Antony and Cleopatra. The one element these plays have in common is the ideal Roman hero, the civis romanus, who meets a tragic end. These heroes are not generally considered queer as no free Roman male could allow himself, per social indoctrination instilled since youth, to take on a submissive role. However, Caius Martius and the relationship he maintains with Tullus Aufidius could arguably be seen as homoerotic or even, possibly, homosexual. This paper takes a closer look at …

Carceral Form And Social Critique In Zadie Smith's Nw, Wesley Hackman

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Understanding Failure Mechanisms Using Multi-Scale Analyses To Improve The Performance Of Zinc Metal And Lithium-Ion Batteries, Brendan E. Hawkins

Dissertations and Theses

We are beginning a global transition away from the use of fossil fuels for our energy needs toward using renewable energy sources in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. One of the biggest challenges to this transition is that, unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy systems have inherent intermittency and require supporting energy storage systems to enable reliable power distribution and electrified transportation. Rechargeable batteries are an attractive energy storage option because of their high energy efficiency, versatility, modularity, and ease of use. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have dominated the rechargeable battery market for portable electronics for the past two …

The Incurable Fanny Price: Disabled Perspective And Resistance To The Cure Narrative In Jane Austen’S Mansfield Park, Aurora C. Soriano

Dissertations and Theses

Improvement and cure are frequently on the minds of the characters in Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. However, what happens when you introduce a chronically ill character like Fanny, who can’t ever be fully cured, into these curative plots? In order to better understand the ways Austen complicates curative discourse, this paper focuses on Fanny’s own perspective and embodied experience of chronic illness, in which she fatigues easily and experiences headaches and pain. Despite clear evidence in the novel of Fanny’s ill health, scholarship analyzing Fanny’s character has historically been fraught with ableist assumptions and subjective opinions. Ignoring the way …

Situating The Corrido In Diego Rivera’S Murals At The Ministry Of Public Education, Calla Flood Tardino

Dissertations and Theses

On the top floor of Diego Rivera’s colossal mural cycle at the Ministry of Public Education, the artist painted a matte red banner with the lyrics of revolutionary ballads, known as corridos. Although there is a great amount of scholarship surrounding Rivera and his murals at the Ministry of Public Education, there is a gap in literature about the inclusion of the corrido banner and its significance. By building on the scholarship from art historians (Mary Coffey, Dafne Cruz Porchini, Anna Indych-López), historians and ethnomusicologists (Cati de los Ríos, Maria Herrera-Sobek, Jose Limón, Américo Paredes, Michael Denning), and scholars …

The Dissonant History Of Tristan And Isolde, Amanda Persaud

Dissertations and Theses

This essay traces the historical evolution of the story of Tristan and Isolde through three distinct phases, highlighting the transformation of the story from a feudal version to a post-feudal rendition infused with courtly love doctrines and notions of Christian love. It examines the early versions of the story by Béroul and Gottfried von Strassburg and discusses the shift in the portrayal of the relationship between Tristan and Isolde from one that decries disloyalty to one that is more sympathetic to their love. The essay also analyzes Richard Wagner's opera version of the story, which celebrates individual desire over duty …