Digital Commons Network^™

Framed By Education: Labeling, Stigma, And The Behavioral Pathways Of Alternative School Students, Abigail Dempsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alternative education has emerged as a critical part of the education system, addressing the needs of students who face academic, behavioral, or personal challenges. However, concerns persist about their long-term effectiveness and the stigma associated with alternative school placements. This study examines how stigma tied to alternative school placements impacts delinquency outcomes among adolescents, utilizing labeling theory as a conceptual framework. Drawing on longitudinal data from the Pathways to Desistance dataset, this research explores the relationships between school placement, self-perception of success, and delinquent behaviors. It also serves to investigate whether labeling of an alternative school placement creates a self-fulfilling …

Attitudes And Motivation Of Saudi Students Learning Chinese As A Foreign Language In Saudi Arabia, Emad Hamuh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to examine the attitudes and motivation of Saudi learners toward learning Chinese as a foreign language (CFL), the effectiveness of Chinese teaching pedagogy, and the learners’ perceptions of Chinese culture and its impact on cross-cultural communication. This study is qualitative in nature, incorporating a qualitative instrument of data collection (in-depth interviews). The target population includes 8 Saudi CFL learners and 4 instructors at two universities in Saudi Arabia, namely King Abdulaziz University (KAU) and the University of Jeddah (UJ). The findings revealed that some Saudi CFL learners exhibited positive attitudes toward CFL learning, primarily influenced by their …

Motivating Students To Read, Lashonda Renee' Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied research study was conducted to motivate third-grade students to increase the amount of time that they read each day at school and at home to support further the passage of the Third-Grade Summative Assessment. In the study, I examined the implementation of the Accelerated Reader Program to establish student reading goals and to enhance the school’s reading culture. I used teacher interviews, teacher surveys, and parent surveys in this study. The findings revealed that students who passed the Mississippi Third-Grade Summative Assessment increased their reading proficiency. A positive impact was made on the students’ reading proficiency, attitudes, motivation, …

Hiding In The Shadows: The Growth Of The Coconut Sector In The Gold Coast, Ca.1874-1957, Abdul Kuba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation provides an analysis of the development of the coconut sector in Ghana during the colonial era. While previous scholarship on the export crop economy of this African society has grown impressively in recent years, little attention has so far been paid to the coconut sector. To fill this gap, this dissertation draws on previously unused archival material and on other sources dealing with the colonial economy of the Gold Coast, and it engages two of the many models used to evaluate the impact of colonialism in Africa: the vent for surplus and dependency models.

It is shown, on …

Opportunity Restored: Using Creative Measures To Provide Students With Academic Advancement Opportunities Lost During Covid-19, Randal Clint Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods action research study examines the Fast Track and Graduation Path (FTGP) programs—equity-focused interventions developed to offer opportunity to students who experienced academic disruption during COVID-19 emergency schooling (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2018). The programs targeted students retained due to socioeconomic status, learned helplessness, or the technology learning gap, rather than a lack of ability or low prior performance (Jenson, 2013; Maier & Seligman, 1976; Bower, 2019). FTGP provided structured academic pathways, daily facilitation, technology-based instruction, and character education to rebuild learner confidence and achievement (Reimer & Hill, 2022).

Quantitative data from the Edgenuity© learning platform revealed the program’s …

Optimizing Infill Density For Fabricating Novel Radio Frequency Devices Utilizing Additive Manufacturing, Bibek Kattel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, is revolutionizing radio frequency engineering. Along with rapid prototyping and fabricating complex structures, it enables varying substrate thickness and dielectric properties, which are highly beneficial for radio frequency research. However, despite its growing popularity, there’s a gap in understanding how 3D printing process parameters affect the electrical properties of the 3D printed structure. In radio frequency design, where device performance and characteristics heavily depend on electrical parameters such as relative permittivity, this hinders the consistency, repeatability, and reliability of 3D printed radio frequency devices.

This research addressed this gap by investigating the relationship …

Purple To Powder Blue: Exploring Interactions Between Military-Connected Students With Disabilities And Student Services At The University Of Mississippi, Maura Mollet-Hobbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the interactions between military-connected students with disabilities (MCS/D) and student services at the University of Mississippi. As the population of MCSs in higher education continues to grow, partly due to expanded federal education benefits like the Forever GI Bill, a subset of these students face challenges related to their disabilities. This study focuses on MCS/Ds and examines how institutional support and policies intersect with their complex identities.

The research employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate how MCS/Ds interact with student services at the University of Mississippi, considering the intersection of their military connection and disability status. By …

Storytelling In Context: How Resources Enable And Constrain The Stories Entrepreneurs Tell, John J. Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how entrepreneurial storytelling is shaped by and shapes its material and cultural context, extending the Theory of Cultural Entrepreneurship (TOCE). While TOCE highlights storytelling as a mechanism through which entrepreneurs construct legitimacy and secure resources by drawing on culturally resonant narratives, prior research has largely overlooked the constraining and enabling role of material resources in this process. This dissertation addresses this gap by examining how context functions, not merely as a backdrop but as a constitutive force in entrepreneurial storytelling. Using ethnographic methods, two studies were conducted at a regenerative farm and processing facility in rural Mississippi. …

An Evaluation Of A Collaborative Effort In High School Science Classes To Support Teaching And Learning Through Professional Development, Shalanda Saulsberry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to improve high school teachers’ instructional practices through professional learning. This applied research study, using program evaluation, sought to improve science instruction in building their capacity through instructional practices. Faculty interest was created from reviewing various school and district data sources, observing the practices of science teachers, and having informal conversations with students about learning. Although professional development was provided in the past, there was a need for content-specific science professional learning to change teachers’ instructional practices. Through targeted professional development sessions, as well as observation and feedback, there was a goal of increasing …

The Daily Choices And Personality Quiz: Designing And Testing A New Manipulation Of Masculinity Threat, Caitlin M. Shaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Boys receive unique messaging about their gender identity from an early age, including that they must avoid anything associated with femininity (Blakemore, 2003). Failure to follow this group norm is usually met with punishment or ridicule (Kane, 2006; Katz, 2020). Unsurprisingly, this socialization might teach boys that manhood is not guaranteed. Precarious manhood theory (Vandello & Bosson, 2013) argues that manhood–but not womanhood–is a status that must be socially earned, but can be revoked, making it “precarious.” Since the theory’s inception, researchers have explored ways to experimentally examine the consequences of “lost manhood” using masculinity threat paradigms which describe men …

1:1 Ipad Implementation & Standardized Testing, Kristen Lane Whitehead Zemek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the relationship between 1:1 iPad implementation and student performance on the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) standardized tests. As school districts increasingly adopt 1:1 technology initiatives, it is critical to understand their impact on key academic outcomes. This research examines the extent to which the consistent use of iPads in the learning environment influences student achievement in core subjects. By analyzing test score data from schools with established 1:1 iPad programs, this paper seeks to provide empirical evidence to inform educational stakeholders, administrators, and policymakers. The findings aim to contribute to the broader discourse on technology integration …

“Listen To The Angels Shouting”: Witnessing, Erasure, And The Legacy Of John Wesley Work Iii, Kennedy Uselton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Questions surrounding the relationship between erasure, music, and memory are deeply embedded within contemporary academic discourse. Music and its makers are continually remembered, forgotten, rediscovered, and lost. How we frame these conversations about memory is especially critical when considering the legacy and cultural remembrance of the Blues. This includes acknowledging that the truth of musical memory extends beyond the artists themselves—it includes those who document, study, and shape how the Blues is archived, interpreted, and narrated. This thesis addresses these questions of memory and erasure through a reconsideration of the figure of John Wesley Work III (1901–1967), a Black scholar, …

Academic Achievement Variables: Significance Devalued By Correlated Variables, Ray J. Yancy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This correlational study investigates the relationship between student academic achievement and various external factors, including funding, student attendance, school attributes, and family income, across 147 Tennessee K-12 public school districts. Using Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) and End-Of-Course (EOC) scores to define student achievement, the study analyzes data from over 1900 schools during the 2023-2024 school year. Employing the statistical analysis software - SPSS - for descriptive and correlation analysis, the study excludes schools with incomplete data. The findings reveal significant correlations between student achievement and 80% of the external variables, rejecting the null hypothesis in 12 of 15 cases …

Patient’S Willingness To Seek Help From Pharmacists In The Management Of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Omkar Nitin Ghodke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background

This study examined factors influencing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients' willingness to seek pharmacist-led disease management, using the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction (IMBP). Despite evidence supporting pharmacist interventions in improving outcomes, patient engagement remains low.

Methods

A mixed-methods design was employed. Semi-structured interviews with eight RA patients identified themes aligned with IMBP constructs. These findings informed a theory-driven survey distributed electronically to 509 RA patients via Qualtrics. Quantitative analyses (descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and multiple linear regression) were conducted using IBM SPSS and AMOS.

Results

Interviews revealed 13 themes across five IMBP constructs. Facilitators included positive attitudes (trust, reassurance), …

Careers On The Spectrum: Enhancing Higher Education Career Services For First-Generation Neurodivergent College Students, Shyra Jannay Lynch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the unique career service needs and experiences of first-generation neurodivergent college students (FGNCS) at the University of Mississippi. First-generation college students (FGCS), as the first in their families to attend college, often face distinct challenges in navigating higher education due to limited familial support and unfamiliarity with academic resources. Meanwhile, neurodivergent students, those with conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and various cognitive differences, encounter unique barriers related to sensory sensitivities, communication, and social integration within academic and career environments. At the intersection of these identities, FGNCS encounter distinct challenges in career services that may not …

Do College Students Delegate Over The Counter Product Choice To Pharmacists? A National Survey Experiment, Joanne Elizabeth Mansalay Canedo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: College students are known to have more frequent use for over-the-counter (OTC) cold products. Choice overload can lead to an increased burden of responsibility and dissatisfaction with one’s decision. The act of delegating to a pharmacist can prevent OTC product misuse and potential for abuse. The objective was to examine the effect of OTC choice difficulty and pharmacist accessibility on college students’ likelihood to delegate pharmacists for choosing OTC products for the common cold.

Methodology: An experimental within-subjects survey design was utilized on a national convenience sample of undergraduate students aged 18 years and older through Qualtrics market research …

Impact Of Minimally Processed Red Meat On Biomarkers Of Cognitive Decline, Saba Vaezi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of Early/Mid-Gestation Shearing On Umbilical Blood Flow And Lamb Birth Weight, Mara Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies outside the USA have reported that shearing pregnant ewes during mid to late gestation increases lamb birth weight. Our hypothesis was that shearing pregnant ewes on day 50 of gestation would increase umbilical blood flow (UBF), fetal size, lambing and placental weights. Twenty-eight Polypay ewes were randomly assigned to two treatments: shorn (S) and sham-shorn (Control, CON) and divided in singleton (S: n=4; CON: n=4), twins (S: n=5; CON: n=5) and triplets (S: n=5; CON: n=5). Umbilical BF and fetal and placental measurements were obtained via ultrasonography every 10 days from day 50 to 110 of gestation. Lamb birth …

Impact Of Parental Involvement On Children’S Mental Health, Syeda Tasnime Kabir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study estimates the causal effect of parental involvement on the mental health of primary school children in Bangladesh. Using an instrumental variables strategy that leverages local parental involvement norms, I find that increased parental involvement significantly reduces cognitive and emotional difficulties. Notably, I find that the protective effect of parental involvement varies by socio-economic context, showing weaker effects for children of mothers who married at an older age and those whose fathers live outside the household, but stronger effects in joint families. Furthermore, I identify two key mechanisms underlying these effects: accommodating parenting style and improved household hygiene practices. …

Isolation And Characterization Of Rhizobia Bacteria From Midwest Soils, Jr Loya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Symbiotic bacteria, known as rhizobia, can colonize the roots of legume plants and then convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form by the host through the process called biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). Many of these bacteria produce other plant-growth-promoting benefits, such as nutrient acquisition, phytohormone production, and the modification of plant stress responses. Agricultural inoculants made from these bacteria have helped reduce the need for man-made nitrogenous fertilizers, known causes of pollution and eutrophication. There are additional benefits in developing bacteria inoculants local to regional soils. The ability to survive and compete in Midwest soil and climates present an opportunity …

The Effects Of Timbre On Melodic Dictation In Advanced Placement Music Theory Students, William Thomas Ardrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of varying timbres on melodic dictation accuracy. Melodic dictation is used not only in collegiate music curricula but also in high school Advanced Placement Music Theory (APMT) courses. Studies examining the effects of varying timbres on dictation are limited (Gephardt, 1978; Gonzalez et al., 2015), and further investigation was needed. Subjects in this study (N = 52) were APMT students who completed melodic dictation tasks in four timbres: Bb clarinet, Bb trumpet, piano, and marimba. A repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant difference in melodic dictation accuracy across …

Here, There: Jewish Identities In The South Through The Lens Of Food, Charles George Pappas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the role that place performs in the creation of different Jewish identities in the South through the study of foodways practices. The first chapter provides a historical background of Jewish foodways and an analysis of two Jewish cookbooks and their recipes. These texts act as historical markers of the similarities and differences between varying diasporas across space and time and show how these elements impact Jewish culinary practices. Chapter two is centered around an oral history conducted with Jewish chef Laurence Faber and the places that have shaped his approach to the food served at his Knoxville …

A Sociolinguistic Study Of The Bani Malik Dialect In Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Mansour Almalki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My research aims to examine how the dialect of the Bani Malik community, a minority group in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, has been influenced by its contact with the urban dialect of Mecca. It also aims to record Bani Malik speakers’ attitudes toward their heritage dialect. Thirty-six Bani Malik speakers of different age groups, genders, and amounts of contact with Meccan speakers were interviewed for 30 minutes each. Quantitative data analysis was used to investigate the influence of the Meccan dialect on one Bani Malik morphological feature, the first-person singular possessive marker < -i:h>, and two phonological features, the diphthongs [ai] and …

Improving Teacher Effectiveness, Keith D. Powell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied action research with a program evaluation aimed to determine if the Improving Effectiveness Three (IE3) program which is composed of professional development on the Professional Growth System (PGS), engagement in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and participation in the New Teacher Academy (NTA) improves teacher effectiveness at North Panama High School (NPHS) as measured by the Mississippi Professional Growth System.

For the past five years, the United States has struggled to fully staff public schools with highly effective teachers. This struggle is increasingly difficult in several southern states. North Panama High School, surrounded by more affluent school districts, experiences …

Creating A Mentorship Program For Assistant Principals To Improve Instructional Leadership, Shadonica Sharee Scruggs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective instructional leadership is essential for strengthening teachers’ instructional capacity and improving student outcomes. However, many assistant principals often lack the mentorship and targeted professional development needed to thrive in this critical role. Providing them with the right support can bridge this gap, empowering them to become transformative leaders in their schools. In this study, I explored the development and implementation of a mentorship program designed to strengthen the instructional leadership skills of assistant principals with the ultimate goal of enhancing student learning outcomes. Using an applied research design, I collected data through surveys, focus groups, and interviews with assistant …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Non-Traditional Graduate Students About Their Experiences With Social Presence In Online Professional Degree Programs, Courtney Elizabeth Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rise of virtual learning has been significant in recent years, with the percentage of degree programs offered exclusively online increasing from 15.4% in 2019 to 60% in 2022. While online courses provide flexibility and convenience, concerns have emerged regarding student engagement, learning outcomes, and satisfaction. Due to limited interactions with peers and instructors, virtual students often struggle with motivation and experience higher levels of anxiety, stress, and isolation compared to their in-person counterparts.

A key factor influencing student success in online courses is social presence, defined as the extent to which learners feel connected and engaged with their instructor …

Framing Ncaa V. Alston: Amicus Briefs’ Competing Visions Of Student-Athlete Compensation, Stuart A. Sutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to examine how amici curiae frame policy preferences in amicus briefs submitted before the United States Supreme Court in NCAA v. Alston (2021). The questions addressed in this study were what dominant policy frames did interest groups use to frame policy preference in NCAA v. Alston (2021), and which (if any) policy frames in the amicus briefs emerged in the written opinions of the United States Supreme Court? This analysis indicates the complexities and intricacies of competing vision of student-athlete compensation within the persuasive lens of amicus briefs through interest groups. In …

Arithmetic Ramsey Theory In Algebraic Settings, Gauree Wathodkar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arithmetic Ramsey theory is an area of combinatorics that deals with finding structures in large subsets of integers, dating back to at least Hilbert (1892). One of the early results in this area is Schur’s theorem (1917) that pioneered the concept of partition regularity. In 1933, Schur’s student Rado generalized his theorem and proposed a conjecture for partition regular equations. This was settled by Deuber in 1973. The first part of this dissertation is to generalize this conjecture in infinite integral domains.

For non-partition regular equations Rado gave a Boundedness conjecture in the integers. While this conjecture is still open, …

The Moderating Role Of Engagement On Mindfulness, Sarah Rose Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the moderating role of engagement in a technology-based mindfulness intervention among college students. Drawing on archival data from a prior randomized controlled trial, the analysis focused on whether self-reported engagement influenced changes in mindfulness as measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Seventy-five participants in the mindfulness intervention group received brief psychoeducational and practice-based text messages over a 21-day period. A moderation analysis using PROCESS macro tested whether engagement moderated the relationship between pre- and post-intervention mindfulness scores. Results indicated that engagement did not significantly moderate changes in total FFMQ scores, providing no support for …

Testing The Effect Of Source And Environment On Native Seed Germination To Inform Seed-Based Restoration Of Grasslands, Brandon Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grasslands are one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet, and they provide a variety of important ecosystem services that people rely on. Losses of grasslands can be mitigated through restoration. Seed-based restoration is a regularly used practice due to its practicality and cost-effectiveness. Planting non-local seed that may not be suitable for its destination environment can have consequences in plant establishment and subsequent restoration success. This experiment tested the response (final germination and germination rate) of seed from 11 perennial tallgrass species sourced from 3 different locations to different germination temperature conditions. Seeds from three sources of each …