Digital Commons Network^™

The Making Of Jewish-American Progress In Gertrude Stein’S, The Making Of Americans: Being A History Of A Family’S Progress, Rochel L. Gasson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation provides a comprehensive reading of Gertrude Stein’s The Making of Americans (TMOA), situating the novel at the intersection of literary modernism, Jewish American identity, and feminist thought. It argues that Stein reconceives American progress not as linear advancement but as a recursive, relational, and culturally grounded process. Through experimental form, repetitive syntax, and a sustained present tense, TMOA dramatizes the psychological and social complexities of immigrant families navigating assimilation while maintaining heritage. Characters such as the Old Man, his son, and the Dehning and Herland families reveal generational tensions, moral labor, and the ambivalences of upward …

Likes For Love: Examining The Relationship Of Sociocultural Factors On Social Media Influences Of Instagram Use For Young Black Women, Cheria S. Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years there has been a push toward studying ethnic minority women related to the psychological implications of image and beauty, as historically the focus has been on the experiences of European women (Awad et al., 2015). Black women must process sexual development, attitudes, and behaviors through the lens of the sexual scripts and stereotypes of their ethnic group and must negotiate between mainstream and culture specific norms of sexuality (Daniels and Zurbriggen, 2016; Jerald et al., 2017). The presence of these scripts signifies a difference between Black women and other races about how they may internalize and react …

Charter School Counselor's Perceived Barriers To Implementing A Recognized Asca Model Program, Nadene P. Pomerico

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2003, the American School Counselor Association published its first edition of the ASCA National Model—a framework for school counselors to develop and implement comprehensive school counseling programming. This streamlined guidance supports school counselors in developing and implementing comprehensive school counseling programming that prioritizes services to students with systematic intentionality. In addition, the American School Counselor Association released the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) award. This distinction is awarded to school counseling programs that demonstrate the implementation of the ASCA National Model with fidelity, which includes using data to evaluate the impact of school counseling programming. Through the years, a …

An Ancient And Future Model Of Ecclesial Ministry: Exploring Insights From African Ecclesiology For A Revitalized Understanding Of The Catechist In The Amecea Region, Fortunatus Mugisha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ministry of the catechist has historically been an enduring and transformative ministry in the life of the Church in Africa, particularly in the AMECEA region. Within the AMECEA region (Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa), catechists have ministered not merely as transmitters of the faith but as the “unsung heroes and heroines” and vital agents of evangelization, pastoral care, and community leadership serving as the local face of the Church. This dissertation, relying on the insights from African ecclesiologies, proposes a renewed theological and pastoral understanding of the catechist as an ancient and future model of ecclesial …

Navigating The Digital Divide: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Digital Literacy Skills Of College Students Through The Lens Of Technological Self-Efficacy, Robert M. Spisak Jr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative dissertation addresses the digital literacy skills gap among college students and their ability to effectively use digital technologies in higher education. While many students arrive with technical skills, gaps exist in their ability to critically assess information, ethically engage with digital content, and apply these competencies across academic and professional contexts. Grounded in the framework of technological self-efficacy, which emphasizes the belief in one’s ability to perform digital tasks, this study examines both the digital literacy skills student bring from high school and their self-perceptions of those skills during college. This study was guided by the following research …

Child Care For Student Parents: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Policy And Politics In Nys, Elizabeth M. Starks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This policy analysis dissertation explores the complex and multifaceted challenges that exist within New York State’s early childhood care and education (ECCE) system by critically examining the amendment of one NYS social services law. Guided by Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis, this study examines two research questions (under one overarching question):

1. What language and arguments are effective in making change in Early Childhood policy in NYS?
   1. What is the policy discourse surrounding the amendment of subdivision 1 of section 410-w social services law in NYS?
   2. What is the political discourse surrounding the amendment of subdivision 1 of section 410-w social services …

Exploring The Potential Effects Of Read Naturally Live To Support Reading Fluency Development In Diverse Learners, Jovonne Tabb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ability to comprehend and apply knowledge learned through reading is fundamental for individuals to become successful and productive citizens in society. The inability to read fluently and accurately with appropriate pacing and expression significantly inhibits text comprehension. Research suggests that children who do not develop reading fluency are more likely to experience learning and comprehension difficulties throughout their academic careers (Lange, 2019). Computer-assisted interventions (CAI) have demonstrated effectiveness in advancing students' reading fluency, particularly for those at risk of developing reading disabilities or those already diagnosed with reading difficulties. However, a significant gap exists in research examining CAI effectiveness …

Limiting A Liberal Education: Exploring Technology Access And Equity Through Universal Design And Critical Disability Studies, Marisa R. Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative improvement study investigates how classroom technology policies impact equity, access, and alignment with liberal arts values at a small Catholic liberal arts college. The study arose from concerns regarding academic accommodations, where students needed to formally request access to digital tools that were widely available. The focus is on inconsistent and sometimes restrictive technology policies that create barriers for students relying on these resources.

Interpreted through the conceptual frameworks of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Critical Disability Studies (CDS), this study was guided by the following research questions:

1. What expectations do students have regarding access to technology …

An Examination Of The Types Of Support Beginning Teachers In Public K-12 Schools Identify As Most Effective For Overcoming The Challenges They Encounter, Matthew S. Heckmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study examines the types of support beginning teachers in public K-12 schools identify as most effective for overcoming the challenges they encounter. Self-Efficacy Theory (Bandura, 1977) serves as the theoretical framework guiding this research, aiming to understand how various types of support and challenges encountered impact the self-efficacy of beginning teachers. Through a qualitative phenomenological approach, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with five beginning elementary teachers in Western Pennsylvania to explore the two research questions of this study through their lived experiences:

RQ1: What challenges do beginning K-12 public school teachers encounter early in their careers?

RQ2: Which …

Not Always Welcomed, Lavaughn Wesley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This qualitative dissertation explores the systemic barriers faced by adjudicated and long-term suspended youth during their reentry into the public school system, focusing on a local urban community in Pennsylvania. Through the lens of Institutional Complexity Theory, this study examines how interagency disconnection, implicit bias, inequitable disciplinary practices, and inadequate support structures contribute to the marginalization of historically underserved students, particularly Black youth, students with disabilities, and those from low-income households.

The research is driven by two central questions:

(1) What are the barriers for adjudicated youth during the reentry process?

(2) How can the home school reentry process …

(Un)Intended Consequences Of Race In Medicine: The Ethics Of Race-Based Medical Practice And The Perpetuation Of Structural Racism, Allegra Merriweather

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation proposes that race-based medicine acts as a form of structural racism that is ethically indefensible. While it may be claimed to be a neutral diagnostic tool, the medical use of race as a biological proxy only further enforces the very hierarchies it purports to remediate, reinscribing inequity from conception to death. Building off Jacques Ellul’s work on Technique, we interpret race-based medicine as a self-perpetuating system that values procedural expediency over moral accountability. In nine chapters, the analysis follows the ways this technique is manifested in genetics and assisted reproduction, where commodified racial selection preserves social hierarchies; in …

Explainable A.I. For Analysis And Interpretation Of Heterogeneous Crime Data., Sadaf Ahmed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the problem of fragmented data in the context of crime and cybercrime analysis. While both domains generate substantial public data, these sources vary widely in format, structure, and coverage, making it difficult to perform consistent inference or develop reliable predictive models. To address these limitations, this work proposes a layered integration framework grounded in ontology-driven modeling and data fusion. The approach is applied to two distinct but related case studies, each focused on constructing a coherent representation of criminal activity from heterogeneous sources. The first case study explores the integration of drug and human trafficking data from …

“The Moment You Are Disabled; You Are Cut Off From Society.” Assessing The Experiences Of Disabled Ghanaians And The Rights Enshrined In The United Nations Convention On The Rights Of Persons With Disabilities (Crpd)., Solomon Sackey Amoatey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As Ghana continues to pursue inclusion and equality for disabled citizens, considerable tension remains between international human rights frameworks and local social, legal, and cultural practices. Guided by social constructionism and Critical Disability Theory (CDT), this qualitative, chapter-based study examined how disability is constructed through law, policy, and culture in Ghana. It also explored how these constructions influence the interpretation and implementation of disability rights. To achieve this, the study employed semi-structured interviews and document analysis to examine how law, policy, and cultural beliefs intersect to influence the implementation of the CRPD and lived experience of disabled Ghanaians.

Findings show …

Experiences Of Research Administrators With Faculty Researchers In Sponsored Project Compliance., Adrienne M. Lindsay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how central office research administrators perceive and describe their professional interactions with faculty researchers, and how those relationships may impact compliance with sponsored project requirements in United States higher education institutions. Cohen et al.’s (1972) organized anarchy theory and Schein’s (2010) organizational culture theory provided a foundational context for understanding research systems within higher education institutions and the social environment in which research administrators navigate potentially contentious roles, both facilitating research and stewarding compliance for the institution and the sponsor. Findings emerged around specific challenges faced by research administrators, which included role …

Impacts Of Biology Modeling Pedagogy On Student Cogitive And Non-Cognitive Elements Of Learning., Jessie K. Newhouse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation employed a quasi-experimental design used to investigate the use of a modeling pedagogy in high school biology. Modeling is a key element of the Science and Engineering Practices of the Next Generation Science Standards. While research of Model Based Pedagogy (MBP) in physics and chemistry is well established, the influence on biology instruction remains less understood. This research examined how MBP affected both cognitive and non-cognitive components of student learning compared to traditional biology instruction. Existing data collected by Dr. Kathy Malone in collaboration with Ohio State University (2016) were analyzed to study the effectiveness of the MBP. …

Risk And Protective Factors For Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors For Black Adolescent Males With Exposure To Adverse Experiences Post-Covid 19 Pandemic: Findings From The 2023 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey., Amanda Minogue

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents aged 10-24 in the United States. In 2022, 784 Black adolescent males died by suicide. Recent studies have found that traditionally common associations of risk factors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors are not experienced by Black adolescents, challenging how to determine and detect risk. This dissertation reviewed the variables in the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey that closely align with risk and protective factors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and the interaction between these and adverse experiences in Black adolescent males. Results of this study found that among the 9 …

The Role Of Fast-Food Consumption, Residential Fast-Food Exposures, And Urinary Essential Trace Heavy Metals In Colorectal Cancer (Crc) Outcomes., Jeevan Adhikari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a public health concern. Within the United States (US), fast-food consumption and environmental exposure to heavy metals have increased. The impact of fast-food consumption frequency from fast-food restaurants, residential fast-food exposures, and urinary essential trace heavy metals in relation to CRC outcomes have not yet been rigorously evaluated in the US. Methods: Within the LEAPS-CRC study, we used geographic information systems (GIS) and logistic regression to study the association of fast-food consumption, residential proximity to a fast-food outlet, and urinary essential trace metals with CRC incidence. Additionally, within Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR) CRC cases, the …

Genetic Identification Of A Rapidly-Adapting Low-Threshold Mechanoreceptor Innervating Fungiform Papillae., Thomas Alexander Myers Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mechanosensory innervation of the oral cavity enables us to detect the texture and location of the foods we consume. Our goal was to find a genetic identifier for a mechanoreceptive subtype. Toward this goal, we examined neurons expressing the neurotrophin receptor TrkC, parvalbumin (Pvalb), and the glutamate transporter Vglut3. Because different papilla types contribute to food detection in different ways, we examined the innervation patterns of these neuron subtypes. We found that Pvalb+ and Vglut3+ neurons were fungiform papilla specific, where TrkC innervated both papilla types. We examined the anatomy of the three genetic populations, finding that the Pvalb+ neurons …

Preparing Confident Elementary Mathematics Teachers: Addressing Anxiety, Building Fluency, And Strengthening Practice., Amber Diamond Pendleton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation, presented in three articles, examines how elementary preservice teachers (PSTs) experience and develop as mathematics learners and future educators when methods coursework deliberately integrates mathematical reasoning with affective supports. Collectively, the studies investigate how research-informed instructional design may help address mathematics anxiety (MA), mathematics teaching anxiety (MTA), procedural fluency, and instructional practice. The first article, written for practitioners and elementary mathematics teachers, illustrates how well-established instructional routines, such as number talks and student work analysis, can be facilitated to support procedural fluency in multiplication. Using classroom vignettes, this article highlights instructional moves that make structure visible, promote strategy …

Characterizing Hexavalent Chromium Neurotoxicity Across Laboratory Models., Samuel Thomas Vielee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and potent toxicant. Exposure to Cr(VI) in drinking water is primarily associated with cancers, inflammation, and hepatotoxicity; however, recent studies have identified Cr(VI) as a neurotoxicant in rodent and cell culture models. The literature suggest chromium accumulates in the brain, induces widespread neurodegeneration, and alters rodent behaviors. Despite these data, we lack a detailed and consistent assessments of Cr(VI) neurotoxicity across models, and interactions between aging and Cr(VI) neurotoxicity are not reported in the literature. In this dissertation, we characterize Cr(VI) neurotoxicity across 3 laboratory models: Sprague-Dawley rats, Caenorhabditis elegans, and …

Perceived Organizational Support Of High-Performance Support Staff Members In Professional Soccer Organizations., Erica B. Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore perceived organizational support among high-performance support staff (HPSS) within professional soccer organizations. Specifically, this study examined how HPSS define organizational support, identified factors that shape their perceptions, explored organizational challenges they experience, and analyzed how those challenges intersect with their perceptions of support. Organizational Support Theory (OST) and its central construct, Perceived Organizational Support (POS), served as the theoretical framework guiding this study. OST assumes employees form global beliefs about the extent to which their organization values their contributions and cares about their well-being. To address the study’s purpose, a basic interpretive …

Orientation Or Disorientation? A Critical Content Analysis Of Refugee Cultural Orientation Curriculum., Amanda Jean Lacey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cultural Orientation (CO) is a free, legally mandated, multi-session program intended to provide refugee newcomers ages 18-65 with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to integrate and achieve self-sufficiency in the United States. Despite occurring at a critical time in the resettlement process, there has been almost zero scholarship analyzing the content or efficacy of domestic CO curriculum. This dissertation addresses that gap by performing a Critical Content Analysis (CCA) on The Road Ahead (TRA), the de facto official CO curriculum promoted through the Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE). Framed by a postcolonial perspective and informed by the …

A Comparision Of Teachers' Ratings Of Published Versus Ai-Generated Descriptions Of Evidence Based Practices In Education., Lora T. Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The persistent gap between educational research and classroom practice continues to limit teachers’ use of evidence-based practices (EBPs), despite strong empirical support and federal mandates encouraging their implementation. A key barrier to closing this research-to-practice gap is the limited accessibility, usability, and perceived relevance of traditional research dissemination formats. With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools capable of summarizing and restructuring complex information, this study examined whether AI-generated practitioner-oriented descriptions of an EBP would be rated differently from a published practitioner article on the same practice. Using an experimental cross-sectional survey design, 70 in-service teachers were randomly assigned …

Further Characterization Of The Fungal Effector Mvlg-01732 In Planta And Heterologous Expression Of Fungal Effectors In Different Smut Fungi., Joseph Paul Ham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Host-pathogen interactions in smut fungi are characterized by effector proteins and their role in infection. The goal of this work is to better understand these interactions by further characterizing an effector from Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae and heterologously expressing this and other effectors in heterologous species to see if the range of these effectors can play a role in pathogenicity when expressed in distantly and closely related fungal species. These effectors have been attuned over time to their host plant but have homologous interactors in other plant species. In this study, Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae, Sporisorium reilianum, and Ustilago maydis, were all used …

Integrating Due Process Into Large Language Models., Joshua Paul Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the ability of large language models (LLMs) to recognize due process issues. Due process is a legal concept focused on the protection of the individual during interactions with government when life, liberty, or property are being impacted. Due process presents both substantive and procedural aspects that are challenging to incorporate into generative artificial intelligence. Through assessing model performance, creating benchmarking techniques, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and fine-tuning, this work seeks to measure due process recognition performance and improve performance in identifying due process issues. The results of evaluating larger parameter LLMs such as from Google, Meta, and OpenAI …

The Important Of Female Coaches: What Barriers They Face, Why They Stay, And What Can Be Done To Attract More., Hayley E. Yourous

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After the passage of Title IX, there has been an increase in the number of females participating in sports; however, the same cannot translate to women in coaching or leadership positions (Acosta & Carpenter, 2014; Hart et al., 1986; LaVoi & Baeth, 2018). The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of females who had served as head coaches in the high school setting with at least eight years of experience as a head coach. The NCAA (2022) reported in 2020 that female coaches accounted for 41.3% of female teams' head coaches, both intercollegiate and …

What Will It Take To Keep You? A Phenomenological Investigation Of Teacher Career Decisions In Title I Elementary Schools., Tonya Nicole Holt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the factors influencing teachers’ decisions to remain in or leave Title I elementary schools in Kentucky. Grounded in Herzberg’s Motivation–Hygiene Theory, the study examined the interplay of intrinsic motivators and extrinsic conditions that shape teacher satisfaction, commitment, and attrition. Twelve current Title I teachers participated in semi-structured interviews designed to capture their lived experiences and perceptions of work in high poverty contexts. Analysis revealed a balance of pull factors—such as purpose, relationships, and supportive leadership—and push factors—including workload, resource limitations, and inadequate administrative support. Leadership quality emerged as the central variable mediating these forces. Teachers …

Building Bridges: An Appreciative Inquiry Approach To The Development Of Professional Learning To Enhance Teacher–Student Relationships For Students With Emotional Behavioral Disorders., Renee Renz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Positive teacher-student relationships are essential to student success yet are often difficult to create and maintain with students identified with Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD). Students with EBD frequently struggle with emotional regulation and disruptive behaviors, making relationships and trust both essential and challenging. This study addressed the need for professional learning that equipped educators with strategies to build and maintain positive relationships with students with EBD in secondary school settings. Guided by a participatory action research design, this study used Appreciative Inquiry as a framework for engaging expert secondary teachers from Kentucky in co-constructing professional learning. Appreciative Inquiry focused on …

Reclaiming Bodily Autonomy Through Gullah Geechee Natural Healing, Tamaray Yvonne White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In today’s sociopolitical climate, restrictive reproductive laws continue to disproportionately target Black women, reinforcing historic patterns of racialized and gendered oppression. This thesis argues that Black women will recommence their usage of traditional herbal healing as both a survival strategy and an act of reclaiming bodily autonomy in defiance of hostile legal, financial, and medical systems. The Gullah Geechee community serves as a blueprint for this transition, offering cultural continuity, intergenerational knowledge, and a model for community-based healthcare and resistance. By tracing the historical necessity of herbal medicine among Gullah Geechee women, this study situates ancestral natural healing within contemporary …

Community College Faculty Members’ Perspectives On The Use Of State-Mandated Learning Outcomes, Tabetha J. Garman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

State-mandated learning outcomes (LOs) have become central to curriculum design and instructional policy in higher education, yet little is known about how faculty perceive, implement, and assess them, particularly in community college settings. This qualitative study investigates faculty experiences at a rural Southeastern community college through semi-structured interviews with full-time faculty across STEM, Humanities, and Behavioral and Social Sciences. I explored how instructors interpret outcomes, integrate them into courses, assess student achievement, and evaluate their effectiveness. Findings revealed notable disciplinary differences: Science faculty emphasized alignment and standardized assessment, while Humanities and Social Sciences prioritized flexibility and qualitative evaluation. Across all …