Digital Commons Network^™

The Psychological Constructs Of International Graduate Students Transitioning To A University In America: A Thematic Analysis, Umadevi Ramesh

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation employed a qualitative analysis methodology to explore the experiences of first-time international graduate students during their transition to university, focusing on initial adjustment, perceived support, perceived discrimination, and mental well-being. Previous studies about international student experience have mainly focused on undergraduate students. Furthermore, few have examined the initial transition period to university and factors involved in both positively and negatively impacting students’ adjustment process as well as overall psychological well-being. Nine participants qualified for inclusion in the present study and participated in semi-structured interviews, which the researcher analyzed using a thematic analysis framework. Participants expressed a strong need …

Adaptations To Family-Based Treatment For Medicaid-Insured Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa, Renee Borges

Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Family-based treatment (FBT) is the leading intervention for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN), however it is under researched in socioeconomically disadvantaged and racially diverse youth.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were completed with ten FBT clinicians who practice in publicly-funded settings. Interview questions were focused on implementation challenges, overall acceptability and appropriateness of FBT, and naturally-occurring treatment adaptations.

Results: Content analysis revealed common themes relating to the implementation of FBT in publicly-funded, community-based settings: acceptability and appropriateness, complexity and learnability, perceived core components of FBT, cultural adaptations, socioeconomic factors, logistical considerations, organizational and systemic barriers, training acceptability, participant’s self-efficacy, and telehealth …

Examining The Efficacy Of Dynamic Written Corrective Feedback (Dwcf) On Stabilized Grammatical Errors Among Adult Esl Learners In Writing, Mandana Abedini

Doctoral Dissertations

This study employed a quasi-experimental design to investigate the effectiveness of Dynamic Written Corrective Feedback (DWCF) in correcting stabilized grammatical errors among adult ESL learners. It examines the efficacy of Dynamic Written Corrective Feedback (DWCF) in addressing stabilized grammatical errors in adult ESL learners at the intermediate level of a writing course, focusing on a case study at a community college in the Bay Area, California. The research explores learners' perspectives on DWCF, examining its effectiveness in addressing stabilized grammatical errors and assessing the challenges and benefits of incorporating DWCF into English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction. The theoretical …

The Role Of A Lower Elementary Principal In Championing Co-Teaching As A Strategy To Promote Inclusive Education, Lauren Pigue Keen

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative autoethnographic study explores the role of a lower elementary principal in leading a co-teaching initiative to create a more inclusive educational environment for students with disabilities. Rooted in Lewin’s Change Theory, the study examines how personal experience, professional vision, and intentional leadership contributed to the implementation and expansion of co-teaching practices within an early childhood setting. The research focuses on the principal’s dual role as both a systems-level change agent and an insider experiencing the transformation firsthand. Data were collected through reflective narrative, stakeholder interviews, and document analysis to provide a comprehensive view of the leadership decisions, cultural …

Who Should Take Responsibility For Artificial Intelligence Actions And Outcomes? Perception Of Auditors As Users Of Ai Systems, Hanh Hoang Le

Doctoral Dissertations

As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become increasingly embedded in auditing processes, questions arise regarding how professional auditors perceive and allocate responsibility for AI-assisted decisions. This study investigates the effects of AI explainability and auditors’ perceived autonomy on perceived responsibility in the context of audit decision-making. Drawing on theories of moral responsibility and professional judgment, the study employs a 2x2 experimental design using hypothetical audit scenarios to manipulate levels of AI explainability and auditors’ autonomy. Hierarchical regression analysis reveals that perceived autonomy statistically significantly increases auditors’ perception of responsibility for AI-assisted decisionmaking, whereas AI explainability is not a significant predictor. Additionally, …

Defying Gravity: Representation Matters And The Leadership Experiences Of Black Leaders In The K-12 Educational Atmosphere, Jordan Washington-Smart

Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a qualitative interpretive phenomenological single case study of Black leaders in an urban, public school district in the southern region of the United States. In this school district, demographic disparities existed between the student population and the leadership. This study analyzed the work of Black leaders and better understand how their leadership experiences shape the school environment for faculty, administrators, students, and community stakeholders outside of traditionally numerical accountability measures. The study was guided by a tri-fold theoretical framework that included applied critical leadership, social justice leadership, and culturally responsive leadership. Twelve Black educational leaders were interviewed …

Decolonizing Education In The Post-Independent Madagascar By Utilizing Malagasy As The Primary Language Of Instruction In Schools, Patric R Razafimahafaly

Doctoral Dissertations

When the French colonial power structured the education system in Madagascar during colonization (1896-1960), they oriented it toward French needs and interests (Rosnes & Rakotoanosy, 2016). One of the relics of the French colonial influence that significantly affected Madagascar since its independence in 1960 is the choice of language of instruction in its domain of education. Even though Madagascar has its sole spoken and written language, “Malagasy,” that people use every day, it has decided to borrow French and utilize it as the language of instruction and administration for its people (Dahl, 2011; Rosie, 2012; McCaughey, 2020; Pirbay & Rosenboom, …

The Influence Of Market Pressures On The Discursive Construction Of Dei In Elite Independent Private Schools, Anthony R. Clemons

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines how elite independent private schools (EIPSs), traditionally associated with privilege, prestige, and exclusivity, articulate their commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within a highly competitive market. Using Critical Race Theory and Neoinstitutional Theory, this mixed-methods study employs critical discourse analysis (CDA) and corpus linguistics (CL) to explore underlying forces contributing to the observed disjuncture between the ostensive and performative aspects of EIPSs’ DEI efforts. Using the publicly available diversity statements of 31 Bay Area EIPSs, findings reveal that the DEI discourse among these elite schools often reflects market-oriented institutional logics. EIPSs tend to frame DEI as …

The Art Of Building Belonging Through Student Voice And Choice: Liberating Learning And Creating Community In Catholic Schools, Rich Hill

Doctoral Dissertations

This is a study of students’ voices, choices, and experiences. Its purpose is to examine the barriers and opportunities for building belonging in Catholic schools. The research is a contribution to the positive work of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging currently taking place in various Catholic school contexts. It is also a response to specific issues that continue to permeate students’ curricular experience, such as the silencing of voice, the lack of choice, untapped educational agency, and the exclusion of their authentic identities. The study is designed to learn directly from students’ own lived experiences, their testimonies, and their artwork. …

A Multi-Layered, Discourse-Oriented Exploration Of Learning Assistant-Student Interaction In Calculus I, Rebecca Butler

Doctoral Dissertations

Learning Assistants (LAs) are undergraduate near-peer tutors who aid in the instruction of collegiate courses in which they have previously been successful as students. It has been consistently shown that students in LA-supported STEM courses have more positive course outcomes than their peers without LA support. The benefits include improved retention, better scores on content assessments requiring higher-order reasoning, and a greater sense of belonging in STEM. Little is known about why students in LA-supported courses evidence this range of positive course outcomes, but it is conjectured that LAs facilitate these outcomes through their frequent and engaging interactions with students. …

If You Were A Sesame Street Character, Which One Would You Be? Natural Language Processing And Personality With Big Bird And Friends, Joseph Uran Meyer

Doctoral Dissertations

This paper examined and compared several natural language processing and machine learning techniques in predicting self-reported Big Five personality traits from text responses. The models were validated on the open-source 2019 SIOP Machine Learning Competition dataset (N = 1,689). The techniques evaluated included bag-of-words, Empath dictionary, LSTM networks, fine-tuning Transformer models, and stacked generalization. Results indicated that the present study’s models had lower error in four of the five constructs analyzed. Limitations of the study include use of an MTurk sample and small sample size. Future research should explore similar techniques on larger applicant samples. Practical implications and contributions to …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence Techniques To Improve Leadership Decision Making With Uncertainty, Michael David Parrish

Doctoral Dissertations

"Every good leader is a good manager, but not every good manager is a good leader. The difference between the leader and the manager is critical decision-making. Today’s decision-making environment is characterized as Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA). With the exponential increase in the technical capabilities of systems, the human has become the weakest link in the use of such systems. To remain relevant, good leaders must continuously adapt to new advances in technology and processes.

The research contributions of this work provide several unique and novel solutions for leaders to utilize artificial intelligence tools to improve and optimize …

Leveraging Deep Learning Models And Social Media Data For Enhanced Situation Awareness In Disaster Management, Ademola Abdulganiyu Adesokan

Doctoral Dissertations

"In recent years, social media has become a crucial source of real-time data for disaster management, supporting emergency responses when traditional channels like 911 are overcrowded and overwhelmed. It offers authorities valuable data for developing effective strategies, especially when swift actions are essential to save lives. However, the informal language, ambiguous meanings, and irrelevant content on social media pose challenges to accurate classification and hinder the efficient extraction of disaster-relevant information, leading to inefficiencies in emergency response efforts.

This research focuses on seven key questions: i) How can we detect, classify, and analyze hate and offensive tweet emotions during large-scale …

Parallel Algorithms For Large Scale Dynamic Graph Analysis, Arindam Khanda

Doctoral Dissertations

A complex system of interacting entities in contemporary scenarios, be it biological, technological, or social, can be represented using graphs. Dynamic graphs, unlike their static counterparts, are ones in which the underlying topology changes over time. These networks act as a model for numerous systems, from transportation to social interactions, capturing the ever-evolving nature of real-world phenomena. However, the inherent temporality of these networks presents a unique set of challenges and the traditional static graph algorithms often fall short in efficiency and applicability. In our research, we delve into the complexities presented by large dynamic networks and suggest various methodologies …

Tailoring Selected Aerogels To Targeted Applications, Stephen Yaw Owusu

Doctoral Dissertations

Aerogels are ultra-lightweight, porous solid materials characterized by a three-dimensional nanostructured network. Owing to their exceptional physical and chemical properties, aerogels have garnered considerable attention within the materials science community and were recognized by IUPAC in 2022 as one of the top ten emerging technologies in chemistry. Although numerous aerogels have been synthesized, only a few have been effectively tailored for specific applications. Optimizing the properties of known aerogels for targeted uses remains challenging. This dissertation investigates strategies for tailoring aerogels derived from isocyanate-benzoxazine, benzodiazine, and phenolic resins to meet the requirements of various advanced applications. The approaches employed include …

Navigating The Complexities Of Time: Innovative Approaches For Accurate And Resilient Time Series Modeling, Sepideh Koohfar

Doctoral Dissertations

The application of time series data has a rich history, and its relevance continues to expand due to recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems. These technological developments have driven the collection and utilization of time series data to new heights, propelling its significance to unparalleled levels. Deriving insights from time series data has become indispensable for effective decision-making in various domains, as it enables the identification of patterns, trends, and fluctuations that inform strategic actions and optimize outcomes. The core challenge lies in developing precise and reliable predictive models that effectively leverage the input data for accurate …

The Impact Of Compulsory Heterosexuality On The Sexual Identity Development Of Plurisexual Cisgender Women, Elizabeth Holden

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the impact of compulsory heterosexuality on the sexual identity development of plurisexual cisgender women by examining socio-cultural factors such as heterosexism, monosexism, and misogyny. Furthermore, this study considers the process of unlearning compulsory heterosexuality as an ongoing and nonlinear experience of self-discovery, which is characterized by fluidity and a reclaiming of agency. This study centers stories of plurisexual women, an under-researched group who experience complexities in their development trajectories due to the intersection of their gender identity, their gender expression, and their plurisexuality. Four participants participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). …

Women Strength: Using Photovoice To Explore Female Chinese International Students’ Experiences, Yue Cai

Doctoral Dissertations

Female Chinese international students face discrimination and stereotypes in Western academia based on race and gender, yet they possess unique “Women Strength” characterized by agency, resilience, and self-advocacy. This study explores how these students navigate cultural differences and develop their strengths while studying in the U.S. Drawing upon “Women Strength” as a theoretical framework, including Community Cultural Wealth, Critical Feminist Theory- Chinese feminism, decolonial feminism, and transnational feminism, transformative agency, resilience theory, and self-advocacy theory, this research employs a qualitative approach, including Photovoice and autoethnography. Three research questions guide the study: 1) What cultural differences do female Chinese international students …

Trauma-Informed Teaching With Adult English Language Learners: A Study In A Community-Based Organization, Elizabeth Eastman

Doctoral Dissertations

Often, immigrants in the United States have suffered traumatic experiences in their home country, on their journey to the U.S., and/or in their process of acculturation. In English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, symptoms of trauma can interfere with learning and acculturation. Trauma-Informed teaching can meet the needs of students who have been impacted by trauma but it is not often used in ESOL classes. This is due to a lack of teacher training, and a gap in the literature on the effects of the approach and studies that explore the perspectives of the students. Based in phenomenology …

Parent Strategies For Antiracist Parenting In Families Of Multiracial And Asian Descent, Matlida Tavares

Doctoral Dissertations

The Pew Research Center’s analysis of United States census data depicts and increasing number of individuals identifying as more than one race. From 2010 to 2020, the population had nearly doubled to 13.5 million. This is particularly evident in states with large populations of Asian American communities such as California, where nearly two million people identify as multiracial and people identifying as both White and Asian making up the largest portion of the 61% increase the state saw since 2010 (Henderson, 2022). Despite claims that an increase in multiracial individuals signifies an end of racism, multiracial children, navigating complex ethnic …

Resilient Af: Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Women Of Color Psychologists In Forensic Mental Health Settings, Carisse A. Cronquist

Doctoral Dissertations

This study explored the lived experiences of women of color psychologists who identify as ethnic-racial minorities. This qualitative study used interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to understand the narrative experience of the participants from their perspective. A total of four participants took part in this study. All participants identified as cisgender women psychologists currently working in a forensic mental health setting and identified as an ethnic-racial minority. In the lived experiences of the participants, three themes, and several subthemes, emerged: challenges, self-preservation, and strengths / resilience. The results showed that women of color psychologists working within forensic mental health settings face …

Supporting Mentors Of Color In Charter Schools Through Collaborative Practices In A Teacher Induction Program, Kanako T. Wong

Doctoral Dissertations

This study determined the impact of three professional collaborative practices in an existing mentor training course within a California Teacher Induction Program (TIP). Three research questions guided this study: How do collaborative methods shift mentors’ conceptualization of mentoring novice teachers? What is the relationship between conceptualizations of mentoring and conceptualization of organizational status and hierarchy? and To what extent do global forms of collaboration support mentors’ professional development?

A phenomenologically-inspired qualitative case study was used to explore how collaborative practices could facilitate reflective, critical, dialogic conversations among mentors in charter schools. A racialized lens of mentorship fueled the findings. Through …

What “Doing The Work” Is Taken To Mean: Higher Education Faculty’S Conceptualizations Of Deij Work, Denise Susanne Desrosiers

Doctoral Dissertations

Many U.S. higher education institutions invest significantly in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ)-oriented professional development (PD) to help faculty develop knowledge and skills for serving diverse student populations. However, evidence is mixed regarding the effectiveness of DEIJ PD in helping institutions make progress on educational equity issues. Little is known about why DEIJ PD efforts may not have the desired effects. This study examines one potential answer to this question, interrogating the role of “Therapeutics” in DEIJ learning experiences, a Western cultural pattern that emphasizes self-reflection and attention to individual dispositions and emotions, as opposed to community orientations. Thirty-two …

Exploring The Development Of Intercultural Competence Within Efl Teachers In Thailand, Chelsea Cullen-Tran

Doctoral Dissertations

English has become a significant element in Asian countries for many reasons. A few of these reasons derive from colonialism to wanting English for international exchanges. To start understanding the complexity of English and its specific role in Asia, one must analyze English’s functionality and significance. English in Thailand has and continues to play an important role. The acquisition of English has evolved from a way to resist colonialism to now being a mandatory class, starting as early as primary school, in an attempt to keep up the international demand and use of English. This shift has prompted Thailand to …

The Effects Of Online Mind Mapping On The Cognitive Outcomes Of Students And Their Perceptions In The Collaborative Prewriting Stage, Yen Thanh Hai Duong

Doctoral Dissertations

In language acquisition, writing is the most challenging skill that English learners must master. Students often struggle at the beginning of their writing process with idea generation. Due to students’ low academic achievement and their struggles, online mind mapping is suggested as a useful tool to support language students’ brainstorms and idea organization during the writing process. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to investigate how online mind mapping can help students collaboratively brainstorm and organize their ideas during the prewriting process. This study focused on the effects of online mind-mapping intervention on student academic writing performance and perceptions …

Examining Community-Based Esol Teachers’ And Tutors’ Conceptualization Of Culturally Responsive Teaching, Lynne S. Von Glahn

Doctoral Dissertations

Community-based organizations offer English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) support to community members due to a severe shortage of trained and certified Teaching English Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) teachers (Sutcher et al., 2019). Many of these organizations rely on volunteers to teach and tutor students enrolled in the programs they offer. Volunteers play an invaluable role in providing ESOL support and instruction, but many lack the necessary preparation and training (Henrichsen, 2010). Untrained and unprepared volunteers can ultimately result in cultural mismatches and ineffective instruction, adversely affecting learners (Durham & Kim, 2019). Training in culturally responsive teaching strategies can …

Exploring The Experiences Of Chinese Heritage Language Learners In California Public High Schools: A Mixed Methods Study, Min Chuan Jasmine Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to comprehend the motivations and learning experiences of Chinese Heritage Language Learners (CHLLs) who study in Chinese programs in California public high schools where Chinese American students are under-studied and their voices are not heard. The study used Gardner’s Socio-educational Model, Fishman’s Reversing Language Shift (RLS), and Asian Critical Theory (AsianCrit) as the theoretical frameworks for the investigation. The methodology of this study applied the mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, starting with an online survey data collection and following up with interviews with CHLLs and language teachers. The researcher then conducted classroom observations to support …

Accessible Technology For All: A Content Analysis Of Ux Design In Mobile Websites And Applications, Christine A. Franco

Doctoral Dissertations

More and more, digital technologies are becoming the fabric of everyday life, imbuing almost every aspect of modern society. With an increasing reliance on technology to complete essential tasks for school, work, communication, health, finance, and more, there remain barriers to accessing these tools. These barriers are not just represented by the digital divide, the haves and have-nots, but in the myriad ways in which the technologies we use every day are difficult to use, complex, or simply inaccessible. This research study investigates the factors that impact the accessibility of technology, specifically for individuals with either temporary, situational, or permanent …

Who Is "Women's Health" For? Lgbtq+ Inclusion In Sexual And Reproductive Health Care, Evan Thomas England

Doctoral Dissertations

Throughout modern Western history, access to fully affirming and supportive sexual and reproductive health care (SRH) has been denied to most women and sexual and gender minorities. Also, as demonstrated by the ubiquity of the term “women’s health,” SRH often reflects a cisgender heterosexual (cishet) women-centered approach, alienating transgender, non-binary, gender nonconforming, and sexual minority individuals who are not cishet women but are in equal need of the same life-saving screenings, treatments, and counseling services. Due to the operationalization and reproduction of gendered ideologies and unequal social hierarchies within SRH, inadequate access to quality sexual health education for youth, and …

What Role Do Parents And Acculturation Play In Chinese Female International High School Students’ Mental Health?, You Wu

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the challenges and mental health issues faced by Chinese female international students in private Catholic female high schools in the U.S. It explores three main areas: the types of acculturation challenges students face, the impact of these challenges on their mental health, and the role of parental communication in shaping students' and parents' perceptions of acculturation and mental health. Using qualitative methods, the research involved interviews with nine students and five parents from a girls' Catholic high school in California. Data were collected via narrative-inspired Zoom interviews, and analyzed using phenomenological principles, focusing on understanding the lived …