Digital Commons Network^™

Hopelessness And Despair: Alienation And Oppression In The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter By Carson Mccullers., Stacey Reece

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter thrust Carson McCullers onto the literary scene at the age of 23. The year was 1940, and anticapitalistic fervor was at its peak. McCullers, familiar with the writings of Karl Marx, expresses in this novel her concern for the exploited classes, her disdain for a materialistic society that keeps the masses oppressed, and her conviction that societal reform was desperately needed. Marxist theory is evident in every aspect of this novel, from the characters to the setting. Alienation, failure to communicate, poverty, and an atmosphere of despair permeate the work. A product of the …

Imprisoned And Empowered: The Women Of Edith Wharton's Supernatural Fiction., Tonya Faye Stansberry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

By focusing on the status and state of women as represented in selected supernatural fiction by Edith Wharton, we explore the socio-gender relationships, as well as the gender roles of women in general as they existed in the early part of the twentieth century. These associations are discussed, as is the influence Henry James may have had on Wharton’s writing style within the genre of the ghostly tale.

The conclusions made within this study lead the reader of the tales to believe that Wharton expressed different feminist perspectives based on how she was developing as a person and as a …

Journaling As A Tool To Improve Story Comprehension For Kindergarten Students., Carisa L. Carr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated story journaling to enhance story comprehension. Eighteen kindergarten children participated in this six-week study with the teacher reading a total of twenty-four stories to the class. The class was randomly divided into Group A and Group B, with 3 focus participants from each group retelling the story. The retelling was audio taped and analyzed using Morrow's (2001) procedures. Group B experienced the intervention of story journaling on the third week of the study and showed an improvement in story comprehension during the fifth and sixth weeks of story journaling. Group A did not experience the intervention of …

Southern Star., Shanda Schrae Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“Southern Star” follows protagonist Sally Gayle through the cycle of maturation. Complex family relationships and secrets hinder Sally as she searches for her identity in this bidungsroman set in a small, rural area of Southern Appalachia. Taking a minimalist, cinematic approach, “Southern Star” experiments with form and technique in an attempt to convey pure story to the reader. The work particularly focuses on character development, authentic dialogue, and a sense of place.

Jessie Ackerman, 'The Original World Citizen': Temperance Leader, Suffrage Pioneer, Feminist, Humanitarian., Jenny Rushing

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Jessie Ackerman was the second world missionary for the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Her fascinating life sheds light on the most important issues facing women during this time period. Most WCTU women have been dismissed by twentieth century scholars as being religiously fanatical and conservative. They have been overshadowed by suffragists and other women that we consider more radical by today’s standards. Only in recent years have some feminist historians begun to reexamine the contributions WCTU women made to the suffrage movement and to feminism.

The research for this thesis relies heavily on primary sources including Ackerman’s personal papers found …

Categorizing Non-Functional Requirements Using A Hierarchy In Uml., James David Moody

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Non-functional requirements (NFRs) are a subset of requirements, the means by which software system developers and clients communicate about the functionality of the system to be built. This paper has three main parts: first, an overview of how non-functional requirements relate to software engineering is given, along with a survey of NFRs in the software engineering literature. Second, a collection of 161 NFRs is diagrammed using the Unified Modelling Language, forming a tool with which developers may more easily identify and write additional NFRs. Third, a lesson plan is presented, a learning module intended for an undergraduate software engineering curriculum. …

Perceptions Of Seventh- And Eighth-Grade Girls Toward Coeducational Physical Education Classes In Five Middle Schools In East Tennessee., Shannon Clabo Sullivan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the participation, perceptions, and preferences of seventh- and eighth-grade girls in coeducational and gender-separated physical education classes in five schools in East Tennessee. The participants in this study were seventh- and eighth-grade girls attending public schools in two East Tennessee counties. Participants completed a questionnaire pertaining to their physical education classes. Although 465 students were invited to participate in this study, only 241 students returned the permission form. This resulted in a 50% response rate. The findings were descriptive in nature, although basic analyses were calculated to identify any relationships among the …

Retention And Motivation Of Veteran Teachers., Edith Anderson Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The workforce in the United States is aging. Teachers, like all other workers in the country, are also aging. The veteran teachers in our nation's public schools possess wisdom gained through their on-the-job experience. With looming teacher shortages in our public schools, it is imperative that we retain this wisdom. Administrators, school boards, and the community have an obligation to tap this wisdom for the benefit of children. This study was conducted, therefore, with the purpose of learning how to do that.

The data were collected through the process of one-on-one interviews with 21 veteran teachers in Knox County, Tennessee. …

Comparisons Of Reading Scores In Two Tennessee Elementary Schools Between Students Receiving And Not Receiving Specialized Training In Phonemic Awareness., Raymond Lee Hatfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phonemic awareness has been identified as an essential precursor to reading. Many children suffer from a condition called central auditory processing disorder. Students suffering from this disorder have difficulty distinguishing between phonemes. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness for developing phonemic awareness skills in early readers by using a computer program designed to enhance the phonemic awareness skills of students. During the 2001-2002 school year, students located at two Kingsport elementary schools were administered the Brigance Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills pretest and posttest. Based on the results of the pretest and posttest data, it was determined that …

Learning For A Lifetime: Motivations For Lifelong Learning In The Life Of Evelyn Mcqueen Cook., David James Timbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a growing population ventures forth into the 21^st century, people are living longer than ever before. Recent statistics indicate an ever-increasing adult population. With a larger and older population, communities will find themselves striving to ensure a high quality of life for these persons. Individuals, as well, will find themselves seeking out activities that will keep them actively involved and engaged in their post-retirement years.

The purpose of this biographical study was to explore the motivations for lifelong learning and engagement in the life of Evelyn McQueen Cook, a seventy-five year-old resident of Johnson County, Tennessee. Her life …

A Study Of Students Attending Tennessee Board Of Regents Universities Who Participated In High School Dual Enrollment Programs., Rubianna M. Porter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between college retention and completion and the number of college credit hours students earn before graduating high school. The number of credit hours a student earned was analyzed along with selected demographic characteristics and academic performance indicators to determine if any one of the variables was more of a predictor of retention and completion of college than the others. The data for the study (12,834 records) were obtained from the Student Information System from five Tennessee Board of Regents Universities.

An initial analysis of the data incorporated …

Collaboration Between Art Teachers And School Counselors Of The Johnson City Elementary Schools To Assist At-Risk Students: An Art Experiences Model., Caroline Dover Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Art has been used for centuries as a healing tool for adults and children; however, the use of art therapy in schools is a recent development. Art therapy, encompassing art, psychology, and therapy, is by nature interdisciplinary. Art experiences provided to students at risk of failing or dropping out of school may offer non-verbal communication that can be used effectively to satisfy a variety of developmental, social, or emotional needs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a curriculum-based art experiences model, combining the skills of art teachers and school counselors. Data were collected through a focus group …

Misguided Instructions: Do Jurors Accurately Understand The Law In Death Penalty Trials?, Chasity Anne Stoots-Fonberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees individuals’ right to trial by an impartial jury. However, empirical research indicates that the jury system is flawed, especially regarding judicial sentencing instructions. More specifically, jurors frequently misunderstand or misinterpret State patterned instructions. On a more encouraging note, there is evidence that comprehension of jury instructions can be improved. Thus, this research assessed improvement in juror comprehension using revised sentencing instructions. For the current investigation, participants included 201 volunteers called for jury duty in Western Tennessee. Data were generated via a questionnaire, which allowed for the collection of information relating to participants’ …

The Curricular Practices Of Early Childhood Teachers Working In Public Sschool Primary Grades., Elizabeth Ely Brading

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the curricular practices or thinking of early childhood teachers attempting to use developmentally appropriate practices in public school primary grades. The purpose of this study was to investigate four primary grade teachers' thoughts and classroom practices, through observation, interviews, and classroom schedules. Data were analyzed following the procedures for open, axial, and selective coding as explained by Strauss (1987). All four teachers exhibited common elements: educational beliefs consistent with those of the National Association for the Education of Young Children; frustration with their school's curriculum; and the combination of a rich pattern of guidance strategies in …

A Lighting Design Process For Twelfth Night, Erin Alberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The profession of theatrical lighting design is a relatively young one. For many years the responsibility of lighting the stage fell on the shoulders of directors or technicians. In this ever-changing world, lighting, like so many other jobs, has grown not just with technology but with the functions lighting executes. Requirements of lighting now include: special effects, revealing as well as hiding, and texture of the stage. The need for illumination of the stage is a given; the people and things on stage must be seen. It is the artistry and technology that now goes along with this field that …

The Formation Of A Leadership Team At The Canton Church Of Christ, Paul Alan Fike

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project/thesis concerns the formation of a leadership team at the Canton Church of Christ in Canton, Texas. Unhealthy leadership patterns have plagued this church resulting in poor staff relations, controlling leaders, and a church split. The elders of this church desired to have a more biblical and healthier approach to leadership in order that the church might flourish. The formation of this team, made up of elders, deacons, and the pulpit minister, is a response to this problem.

The Bilingual Motets Of The Old Corpus Of The Montpellier Codex., Kimberly Adelle Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The bilingual motets of the old corpus of the Montpellier Codex (Montpellier, Faculté de Médecine, H 196) are collected in the third fascicle of this thirteenth-century codex. These eleven motets provide a sample group for the study of interrelationships among the contents of a manuscript. Elements of the music, text, and tenor sources work together to unify each individual motet as well as the eleven motets in the fascicle.

While the motets of Mo have been studied in detail, this small collection has been neglected, perhaps because of its simultaneous presentation of sacred and erotic love. It is this trait, …

Tina Modotti And "Idols Behind Altars"., Andrea Jeanne Deetsch 1976-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of the transformation Tina Modotti's photography underwent because of the "Idols Behind Altars" project which she completed on an expedition with Edward Weston in 1926. The thesis begins with an introduction to Modotti's photography from 1923-1926, pre-expedition, exploring the conditions of the "Idols Behind Altars" trip, the issue of attribution of the "Idols Behind Altars" images, and Modotti's development of "indigenismo" as a life philosophy. The thesis uses art historical analysis based on research directed at a comparison of images to argue that the trip was the catalyst for Modotti's photographic transformation in late 1926. …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Integrated Learning System Use On Mathematics Achievement Of Elementary Students., Vicki Carpenter Kirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between time spent on an integrated learning system (ILS) entitled, SuccessMaker^®, as a supplement to traditional mathematics instruction on achievement as measured by standardized achievement tests of elementary students. The variables of grade-level, ability level, and gender were also considered. The population consisted of students who were second-, third-, and fourth-graders during the 1997-98 school year. Data were gathered that covered the three-year period beginning in 1997 and ending in 2000. The final sample consisted of 348 students who participated in Computer Curriculum Corporation^© mathematics instruction and …

A Study Of Students' Learning Styles In Itv Broadcast, Remote, And Traditional Classrooms At East Tennessee State University., Donna Sue Crabtree

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the learning styles of students enrolled in ITV sections and students enrolled in a traditional section of the same course, all taught by the same instructor, had any influence on the academic performance of the students enrolled in those courses.

A two-part survey was used to gather data for this study. The first part was designed by the researcher to gather demographic information about why each student selected the instructional form in which he or she was enrolled, as well as a student's preferences for classroom format. The second part of …

"And Gladly Wolde He Teche": Chaucer's Use Of Source Materials In The "Clerk's Tale.", Robert R. Brandon Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few of Chaucer’s works provoke such animosity as does his “Clerk’s Tale.” Modern critics are divided by the social and gender issues that to which the tale lends itself. However, the tale was immensely popular to Middle Age audiences and was one of the best loved of the Canterbury Tales. Therefore, to dismiss this tale’s literary values outright, as some critics have done, is a mistake. By examining the history of the Griselda story, Chaucer’s use of his source materials, and the tales placement within the Canterbury Tales, this thesis is an attempt to examine the tale in more …

Employability Of Individuals With Varying Disabilities And Costs Of Needed Workplace Accommodations., Bram Cassidy Bevins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the relationship between an individual's disability and needed workplace accommodations and employability. The participants for this study were businessmen and businesswomen in Southwestern Virginia who possessed the ability to hire employees. Results indicated that an individual with a physical disability was thought of as more employable and favorable than a nondisabled individual, a blind individual, and an obese individual. Results also indicated that a physically disabled individual would be hired before a blind individual and an obese individual when workplace accommodations were needed. One possible explanation for these findings is that it is desirable to hire …

The Relationship Between Participation In Goal Setting, Company Size And Performance, Commitment, Acceptance And Job Satisfaction In The United States And Macedonia., Kristin Michelle King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While some researchers have suggested that participative goal setting increases performance, acceptance, commitment, and satisfaction, others have suggested that it does not. Additionally, much research on goal setting has been done in the US while none has been done in Macedonia.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between participation in goal setting and company size on these variables and to determine if there are differences in the effects of participation in goal setting in the US and Macedonia. The independent variables were country, company size, and type of participation and dependent variables were performance, commitment, acceptance, …

Writing As Conversation: The Importance Of Communication In Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy., Christie Dawn Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy is a novel consumed with conversation. The conversations that the characters have with each other and the ongoing conversation between Tristram and the reader all address the importance of communication. This study examines the theme of communication as Sterne presents it in his novel. The first chapter explores the personalities of Walter and Toby Shandy with the assumption that an understanding of their eccentricities will illustrate the reasons for the difficulties they encounter when trying to communicate with others. The relationships between the sexes are the subject for the second chapter. Sterne recognized the opportunity that …

Bulgarian Contribution In Building The Byzantine Commonwealth In The Ninth And Tenth Centuries., Pavel Stoyanov Murdzhev

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines factors contributing to Bulgaria’s important role and involvement in the creation the Eastern European Orthodox Community under the cultural influence of Byzantine Empire from the middle of ninth century.

The study primarily uses original Greek and Latin sources translated either in Old Church Slavonic or in contemporary Bulgarian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian or English. The approach of this thesis places Bulgarian-Byzantine relations in the context of the creation of the Eastern European Orthodox Community, illustrating that adopting and interpreting of Byzantine culture by the Slavic nations is a process of mutual acculturation, with paramount importance for the creation of …

Phonological Awareness Training In A Preschool Classroom Of Typically Developing Children., Sara Phelps

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of phonological awareness (PA) training with typically developing preschool children in a classroom setting. The PA training incorporated a range of PA skills and the training outcomes were assessed along a broad spectrum of PA abilities, pre-literacy skills, and general language abilities.

This study consisted of 21 children (11 Experimental, 10 Control). The classroom PA training program was conducted with the Experimental class in one large group for 5 weeks with 20 minute sessions conducted three times a week. A variety of fun, play-based PA activities were used with …

Protection Of Pifithrin-Α And Melatonin Against Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity., Xuwan Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current studies were designed to explore the protective effects of pifithrin-α and melatonin against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Doxorubicin was injected at a dose of 22.5 mg/kg (i.p.) in mice to induce cardiotoxic effects. Meanwhile, doxorubicin caused a significant increase of cardiac cell apoptosis following injection (14.2 ± 1.1% for doxorubicin-5 d vs. 1.8 ± 0.12% for control, P < 0.01). Ribonuclease protection assays and Western blot analyses revealed that doxorubicin upregulated the p53-dependent genes Bax, BclxL, and MDM2 at least 2-fold. p53 was phosphorylated at Ser 15 in mouse hearts 1 h following doxorubicin injection, and p38 and ERK1/2 MAPKs mediated the phosphorylation of p53. In addition, caspases-3 and -9 were activated 24 h after doxorubicin injection. A p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-α, inhibited doxorubicin-induced apoptosis when administered at a dose of 2.2 mg/kg. Pifithrin-α abolished p53 transactivation activity, but did not influence doxorubicin-induced phosphorylation at Ser 15. By effectively inhibiting the expression of p53-dependent genes, pifithrin-α blocked doxorubicin-induced activation of caspases-3 and -9, thereby preventing cardiac apoptosis. In addition, pifithrin-α attenuated doxorubicin-induced structural and functional damages, without diminishing its anti-tumor efficacy on p53-null PC-3 cancer cells. The protective effects of melatonin and its metabolite 6-hydroxymelatonin on doxorubicin-induced cardiac dysfunction were evaluated in an isolated perfused mouse hearts and in vivo doxorubicin-treated mice. While perfusion of mouse hearts with 5 μM doxorubicin for 60 min resulted in a 50% suppression of HRxLVDP and a 50% reduction of coronary flow, pre-exposure of hearts to 1 μM melatonin or 6-hydroxymelatonin eased the cardiac …

The Influence Of Stigma On Help Seeking Attitudes For Depression, Margaret Jordan Halter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Major depression is a common, debilitating, and life threatening illness, and its treatment may be hampered by stigma. There have been a limited number of studies that link stigma and help seeking attitudes for depression. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to identify the relationship between stigmatizing attitudes and help seeking behavior. Also of interest was the impact of person-level variables that may be associated with a person's desire to seek help. Goffman's Stigma Theory and Weiner's Attribution Theory served as theoretical foundations. Data were collected by questionnaires distributed to patients (N = 117) waiting to be seen …

The Use Of Speech Disfluency As An Indicant Of Paradigm Development In Pharmacy's Academic Subdisciplines, Erin Renee Holmes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study compared speech disfluency rates within five subdisciplines of pharmacy to estimate their paradigm development, and identified alternative factors associated with differing rates. Rates were observed in randomly selected courses. Lecturers completed a modified version of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation survey and a self-rated anxiety measure. Ten percent of recordings were randomly selected for analysis by two judges to determine inter-reliability. An ANCOVA was conducted on the frequency of lecture disfluencies, with the frequency of interview disfluencies serving as the covariate. The overall mean disfluency rate in lectures was 2.11 disfluencies/minute. Average dislfuency rates among the five …

Nitrogen Metabolism In Iron-Respiring Bacteria, Ching (Tony) Lung Hsieh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen metabolism was investigated in three species of iron respiring bacteria Geobacter metallireducens, Geobacter sulfurreducens, and Sulfurospirillum barnesii. G. metallireducens and G. sulfurreducens were shown to grow in medium containing N2, NO3-, or NH4 but nitrite inhibited growth. BLAST analysis of the draft genomic sequence of G. metallireducens revealed only Nar, Nrf, and Nif homologues but no assimilatory genes (i.e., Nas). Two nar operons were identified, narCGHJIK1K2, and narCGHI. A putative CAP/CRP recognition binding site was found upstream and two molybdenum biosynthetic genes were found downstream of the large operon. Both operons contain a novel cytochrome c (NarC) that has …