Digital Commons Network^™

Principal Selection And The Stories Superintendents Tell., Linda L. Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In addition to licensure and certification, there are particular qualities and personal characteristics superintendents look for when hiring a principal. With fewer principal applicants and increased projected needs for principals, it was important to explore the superintendent's reasoning when hiring a principal.

A qualitative research method employing elite interviews was used to explore the criteria that superintendents employ in their process of selecting a principal. When talking about the hiring of principals, superintendents invariably began with the selection process. Teachers, community members, parents, former employers, and college professors gave input in formal or informal ways. Superintendents looked for experience both …

Electronic Books: An Overview Of The First Two Generations., Todd O. Doman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The electronic text reading device, or e-book, is an idea that has reached the implementation stage. Technology has only recently made possible the production of a device to challenge the printed book’s dominance as the media for information transmission. These microprocessor-based devices are attempts to exceed the limitations of printed texts while retaining their strengths. Two generations of these devices, and the companies that created them, have reached the marketplace.

This thesis provides a short history of electronic text readers and gives an overview of the first and second generations. The issues that will affect the adoption of the e-book …

Weaving Accessibility And Art In Marilou Awiakta's Selu: Seeking The Corn-Mother's Wisdom., James David Basinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Selu: Seeking the Corn-MotherÆs Wisdom, Awiakta enlists the reader to participate on the path to knowing Selu, Corn-Mother to us all. In particular, the book provides a reader with a text that blends ancient Cherokee teachings of the oral tale of Selu with contemporary Western, Appalachian-American thought and experience. Awiakta adopts and adapts Selu in order to capture and express the essence of the tale within a contemporary American aesthetic.

Though Awiakta's approach is didactic, it rises above mere teaching to achieve an aesthetic characterized by accessibility, simultaneity, and liminality. She purposely combines stories, poems, teachings, histories, and cultural …

Examining The Effects Of Deer Antler Velvet Supplementation On Muscular Strength, Performance, And Markers Of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness., Robyn Suzanne Percival

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To examine the effects of deer antler velvet on muscular strength, performance, and markers of delayed onset muscle soreness following a 10-week resistance training period.

Participants: 16 resistance-trained males (18-35) volunteered.

Measures: DEXA, 1-RM, a power test, and a 70% performance trial were measured. Creatine kinase and self-reported soreness levels were measured following an eccentric trial.

Results: No pre-experimental significant differences existed between the groups for any of the variables measured. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding body composition, strength, muscular performance, or improvements in creatine kinase and soreness levels from pre to post-intervention. Both groups …

Remembering The Forgotten Genocide: Armenia In The First World War., Dana Renee Smythe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Ottoman Empire was in serious decline by the late nineteenth century. Years of misrule, war, and oppression of its various nationalities had virtually driven the Turks from Europe, leaving the weakened Empire on the verge of collapse. By the 1870s the Armenians were the most troubling group, having gained international sympathy at the Congress of Berlin. As a result, violence against the Armenians had escalated dramatically by the turn of the century. They felt, however, that their fortune had changed when the liberal Young Turks seized power from the Sultan in 1908. Unfortunately, the Young Turks had a much …

Socioeconomic, Demographic, Attitudinal And Involvement Factors Associated With Math Achievement In Elementary School., Jennifer N. White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which socioeconomic factors, demographic factors, parent and student attitudes, and parent involvement were associated with math achievement. Students in Grade 5 were selected as the population for this study. Random sampling procedures were used to select the sample. Students in the sample completed a modified version of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales. Normal Curve Equivalent Scores (NCEs) from the math scales on the TerraNova Standardized Achievement Test were obtained for all students from the individual school records. Parents of the students also participated by answering questions pertaining to …

Oscar Wilde: Constructing The Self, Elisabeth Erin Pankl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines Oscar Wilde's construction of the self. Three major aspects of Wildean literary work serve as handles for this thesis examination. They are the Wildean interpretation of theoria, Wilde's literary technique and philosophical assertion of masks and poses and Wilde's favor of the social dandy.

In addition to these three aspects, this thesis utilizes four of Wilde's works as primary sources. These are The Pictureo f Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Earnest, "The Decay of Lying," and "The Critic as Artist."

Like most current critiques of Wilde, this thesis relies on many of the reading strategies of …

Frank O'Hara's Oranges : Poetry, Painters And Painting., Karen Ware 1973-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on twentieth-century poet Frank O'Hara and his relationship to painting and painters in New York in the 1950s. An examination of the concept of ekphrasis functions as a theoretical frame and substantiation for the discussion of O'Hara's life and poems. Painters Larry Rivers, Jane Freilicher, and Grace Hartigan had significant relationships with O'Hara, both personally and artistically. Michael Goldberg, Norman Bluhm, and Joe Brainard collaborated with him on several projects, each of which are discussed in terms of their combination of verbal and visual elements, of poet and painter working together or in tandem. Another example included …

Examining At-Risk Students Based On Their Attitudes Toward Educational Factors: Is There A Gender Difference In Identification Of At-Risk Students?, Cynthia Mae Tilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among four specific typologies of environmental factors and at-risk teenagers. The four typologies explored were influences by parents and peers, teachers, educational setting, and factors relating to school behavior.

Six research questions guided the study and six null hypotheses were formulated and tested at the .05 level of significance. The degree of relationship between the independent variables and the environmental factors was analyzed by using the Independent samples t-test and One Way ANOVA. The study sample consisted of 195 middle school students in three counties in Northwestern North Carolina and …

How Is A Child's Perception Of Self Affected By Retention?, Brenda S. Tweed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to inform educators of the impact of grade retention on a child's perception of self, and to provide recommendations and practical applications for educators in the future.

Although the long-term effects of grade retention are still unclear, the number of students being retained annually is steadily on the rise. Conflicting beliefs about the advantages and disadvantages of the retention experience make it difficult to clearly predict which students will benefit from being retained.

A large body of research reports the impact of grade retention on scholastic achievement. As retention has usually been considered to …

Eliza Haywood's Feigning Femmes Fatale: Desirous And Deceptive Women In "Fantomina," Love In Excess, And The History Of Miss Betsy Thoughtless., Emily Kathryn Booth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Within the pages of Eliza Haywood's novels, masquerade is often used by female characters as a means by which to gain control or power. More specifically, Haywood's female characters often misrepresent themselves as a means by which to achieve sexual power and even to obtain sexual gratification.

Haywood also explores the theme of women's uses of deception and even disguise as methods by which to skirt the confines of a male dominated society and as modes devoted to escaping the boundaries they inflict upon themselves in trying to maintain their virtue.

God In The Darkness: Mysticism And Paradox In The Poetry Of George Herbert And Henry Vaughan., Elizabeth Anne Acker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While aspects of mysticism appear in the poetry of both George Herbert and Henry Vaughan, the general consensus among critics has acknowledged the mysticism of Vaughan while ignoring its roots in Herbert's writings. Among the leading authorities on the poetry of Herbert, there has been a general tendency to dismiss, ignore, or explain away mystical elements. A study of representative works by prominent critics to ascertain their positions on this issue reveals not only what can be known for certain about Herbert's theology, but also the interpretations that have been offered for his most famous poems. While these interpretations are …

Why Volunteer And Is Volunteering Worth The Effort?, Patricia Avery Bellamy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes why people volunteer in two counties of East Tennessee. The study describes the concept of volunteering and its positive impact upon society on a regional and national level. The characteristics of people who volunteer, why people choose to volunteer, and the significance of their volunteering were assessed through a survey questionnaire. The survey questionnaire was administered in Carter County (Elizabethton) and Washington County (Johnson City) Tennessee to 13 charitable and non-charitable agencies that utilize volunteers aged 18 years and over. Out of 243 survey questionnaires distributed in Elizabethton and Johnson City, Tennessee, 124 individuals responded. Data collected …

Genetic Diversity And Camptothecin Variation In Camptotheca Decaisne, Yuiie Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Camptotheca Decaisne is the major source of the promising anti-cancer alkaloids camptothecins. The main objectives of this study are (1) to reveal the genetic diversity of Camptotheca and to identify taxa with RAPD markers; (2) to determine the camptothecin (CPT) variations within and among different populations and taxa, with tissues, season, and age; and (3) to determine the effects of environmental stress on the camptothecin production in Camptotheca. RAPD markers provide a powerful tool for the identification of some populations (particularly cultivars) and the detection of genetic variation within Camptotheca. Three primers (OPA02, OPA03, and OPA04), generating 44 polymorphic bands …

Artistic And Redemptive Uses Of Affliction In Anne Bradstreet's Personal Poems, Wilda Joell Head

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Attitudes And Behaviors Of Adolescents Toward Sunbathing And Sunscreen Use., Billie Hill Murray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the attitudes and behaviors of adolescents toward sunbathing and sunscreen use by employing the Theory of Alternative Behaviors (Jaccard, 1981) with adolescent participants and a respective parent co-participant.

Females were found to be more likely to engage in intentional suntanning efforts, to stay in the sun for a longer duration, and to be more likely to use sunscreen yet to report higher incidence of sunburns. Those with a healthy lifestyle attitude are as likely to engage in intentional tanning, although they are more likely to wear sunscreen. Self-report of tanning behavior was positively correlated to parent's observation …

Black Folk Medicine In Southern Appalachia., Steve Crowder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is an exploration of existing informal health care beliefs and practices of blacks in Southern Appalachia and how they compare with the majority white population. How regional black folk belief systems compare to those documented in other parts of the country is also examined. Thirty-five blacks selected opportunistically were interviewed with a structural questionnaire. Topics addressed during the interviews included: illnesses from childhood, adulthood, and old age; folk illnesses; ideas on religiosity in healing and healthcare, and views on folk medicine in light of biomedicine.

The collected data suggest that black folk medicine in the study region is …

Teaching The Arts Through The Appalachian Culture: A Proposal For A High-School Class., Valerie Renee Pitts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Because of a demonstrable need, there should be a course for the study of Appalachian art in the high school curriculum. This study is a proposal for the study of traditional Appalachian art and its importance to the promotion and preservation of the arts and crafts in the Appalachian region.

This course consists of background information on selected traditional Appalachian art, contact and interaction with local artists and craftspeople, and student hands-on experience in the art forms considered. Detailed unit and lesson plans are included in the following areas: Spinning and Weaving, Dyeing, Basketry, Quilting, Pottery, Woodcarving, Blacksmithing, Vernacular Architecture, …

The Description And Comparison Of Feature Retention Patterns For Children With Phonological Impairment Developmental Apraxia Of Speech And Typically Developing Children., Amanda N. Lambert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to compare feature retention patterns between children developing speech typically (TD) and children with phonological impairment (PI) and to discuss these findings in terms of characteristics, severity, and implication for the identification of developmental apraxia of speech (DAS). A second purpose was to determine if a relationship exists between phonological knowledge and feature retention.

This study consisted of a PI group and a TD group of children, ages four to six. A 245-item speech sample was collected from each subject. Feature retention percentages as well as percent correct underlying representation (PCUR) were calculated …

Isaac Bashevis Singer: Speak English, Think Yiddish-- Adaptation Versus Assimilation., Susan L. Gardberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Critics use the words "vanished culture" to describe Isaac Bashevis Singer's work for Polish Jewry had been destroyed. However, Singer's characters survive the travails of anti-Semitism and resettle in America. This study explores Singer's Polish Jews to determine whether they assimilate into their new culture; or maintain their strong Jewish traditions and adapt to the freedoms of America.

Singer's life is analyzed, including the people and places that have influenced his work. Two of Singer's works are examined in this thesis. Chapters Three and Four explicate an allegorical short story, "The Little Shoemakers." Singer writes a fairytale view of a …

Historical Linguistic Analysis Of Traditional English Christmas Carols., Tami Lynn Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through the process of historical linguistics it is possible to determine approximate dates of authorship and meaning that establish the conventions of a particular genre. To accomplish such a study, elements of phonology, morphology, and syntax are compared and the results create a field of descriptors representative of a style of writing of a period.

By using the method on eight well-known Christmas carols, four were determined to have been written prior to the dates previously speculated, possibly originating in the Middle Ages. The remaining four were written based on the conventions set by the earlier medieval carols.

"'Tis Hard To Dance With One Shoe": The Failure Of The Fathers In Walker's The Color Purple And Mccourt's Angela's Ashes., Gwendolyn Nicole Hale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In his story, “The Commitments,” Roddy Doyle identifies the Irish as "the blacks of Europe" (148). This sentiment typifies the oppression of the two cultures. The overwhelmingly oppressive society of the two aforementioned groups creates an atmosphere of failure, particularly for the fathers, who, for the most part, are supposed to be the heads of their families. Through Alice Walker’s The Color Purple and Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, the reader discovers the effects of these failures of the fathers due to tyrannical societies that impose dominance over such groups as the African-Americans and the Irish. The main characters, Celie and …

The "Jaded Traveller": John Jasper's Failed Psychic Quest In Charles Dickens's The Mystery Of Edwin Drood., Linda Poland Pridgen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a Jungian study of John Jasper, the central character in Charles Dickens's The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Jasper fails to achieve psychological wholeness because he suffers from what Carl G. Jung calls dissociation of consciousness, a malady that prevents Jasper from entering the process of individuation--a process of self-discovery. Jasper's boredom, self-alienation, hypocrisy, and secret double life impede his search for self.

Faced with projections of his anima and shadow self, Jasper has many opportunities for psychological and spiritual growth. But rather than integrate the aspects of his personality that each of the anima and shadow …

A Comparative Analysis Of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle And Emile Zola's Germinal., Mouhamedoul Amine Niang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to demonstrate that Upton Sinclair's The Jungle was modeled upon Emile Zola's Germinal. A comparative analysis of their novels is the method by which the latter statement is substantiated. A close reading of these works unveils their overlappings in terms of characterization, theme and narrative. Following the introduction, the second chapter focuses on both authors' character constructions with the purpose of tracing the modeling process. The third chapter is a discussion of their similar thematic issues. The penultimate chapter deals with the identical formats of the writers' plots. Authorial differences are also considered in this work, but …

Women At The Loom: Handweaving In Washington County, Tennessee, 1840-1860., Ann Cameron Macrae

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the evidence for handweaving in antebellum Washington County, Tennessee. The author examines probate inventories, wills, store ledgers, and census and tax materials to determine the identities of the weavers, the equipment and raw materials available to them, and the kinds of textiles that women wove. The author discusses the reasons many women continued to weave cloth at home although commercially woven textiles were available in local stores.

The author concludes that many of Washington County's antebellum weavers wove as a contribution to the country goods the family bartered at the local store. Others may have been responding …

An Investigation Into The Effects Of Prophylactic Ankle Bracing On The Lower Body Kinetics During Landing / By Kevin Douglas Ricks, Kevin Douglas Ricks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

America's Divided Mind / By Matthew David Ross, Matthew David Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Power In The Blood : Identity Construction And The Cherokee Tribe Of Northeast Alabama, Joshua S. Haynes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Pennsylvania German Iconography : A Common Language And Its Ephrata Variant, Rebekah Leigh Jacob

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Roman Analogy In Three Cold War Films : Ben-Hur, Spartacus, And The Fall Of The Roman Empire, Nathaniel Gee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.