Digital Commons Network^™

Patient Portal Use, Health Information Technology Self-Efficacy, Electronic Health Literacy, And Self-Management Among Patients With Heart Failure: A Cross Sectional Study, Pamel Kallmerten

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: By the year 2030, the prevalence of heart failure (HF) is anticipated to rise by 46%, impacting over 8 billion persons. Self-management of HF is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and quality of life. Yet many have sub-optimal self-management skills necessitating innovative strategies to enhance self-management. An innovative strategy to support the person with HF is the use of health information technology (HIT) such as a patient portal (PP). Additionally, self-efficacy and health literacy are important to self-management of HF. Further understanding is needed of the relationship between PP use, HIT self-efficacy (HIT SE), electronic health literacy …

Making Space And Place For African American Women At Predominately White Institutions, Nubia Hewitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study utilized a critical race studies approach to explore the lived experiences of African American women undergraduate students at a predominantly White institution. The purpose of this study is to investigate challenges experienced by African American women at these institutions, and the support they require in order to develop a sense of belonging at these institutions.

Five African American women undergraduate students from Incline University (pseudonym) were selected to participate in this research study using criterion sampling (Patton, 2002). Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed through an interruptive phenomenological approach (Creswell, 1998; Merriam & Associates, 2002; …

The Construction Of Identity Through Tattoos: A Semiotic And Performative Exploration Of Trauma, Erin Lionberger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this current historical moment, tattoos and tattooing have become a glorified cultural phenomenon that has been thousands of years in the making. The idea that tattoos can be used to express one’s identity is not a new concept — various fields, such as anthropology, cultural studies, and sociology, have studied the relationship between tattoos and identity. In this dissertation, I explore the signification and performative aspects of Auschwitz concentration camp tattoos and 9/11 memorial tattoos, while also considering the changes in meaning and interpretation that occur within and throughout space and time. Chapter one introduces the topic and provides …

Different Strokes: A Critical Race Discourse Analysis Of The Experiences Of Four Black Women Rowing For A Predominantly White Institution (Pwi), Carol Schoenecker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collegiate athletics has the remarkable ability to serve as a catalyst for positive and widespread social change and identity formation. For Black women, the formation of identity comes with the added intersections of race and gender in addition to sport. Collegiate rowing is one of the most heavily scholarshipped sports coming out of the passing of Title IX legislation in 1972 and requires no previous rowing experience for participation (Garran, 2012). Despite the opportunity for rowing to serve as an access point for innumerable young athletes to obtain financial and social support through a pathway to higher education, there remains …

School Choice Considerations Of Black Parents Of Students With Dis/Abilities, Jaleah Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Forty-four states and Washington, D.C. have passed legislation to expand school choice options for students and families (Cardine, 2019). In addition to a student’s assigned neighborhood school, one may enact choice by way of tax credits, charter schools, vouchers, relocation, and through other means, depending on where one lives. The act of choosing a school has been simplified by some to economic principles of competition and consumer satisfaction. What research has shown, however, is enacting school choice is much more complex and commonly intertwined with concepts of race, class, and ability (Ellison & Aloe, 2019). Academic quality (Mavrogordato & Stein, …

Development Of A Microfluidic Viscoelastic Hemostatic Assay For Real-Timeviscosity Measurements Of Blood, Shay Kent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Blood coagulation disorders are malfunctions in the body’s ability to control blood clotting. It can result in either insufficient clotting causing an increased risk of bleeding or excessive clotting obstructing blood flow. The rapid and accurate diagnosis of coagulopathies is an important, unmet need in the clinical setting. Rapidly identifying the source of bleeding, either acquired or inherited, is critical to reduce the risk of major blood loss and deliver personalized hemostatic therapies. Viscoelastic hemostatic assays, or VHAs, deliver an effective solution to the diagnosis of coagulopathies by evaluating global hemostatic function using whole blood rather than plasma. VHAs are …

Development Of A Combined Feedforward-Feedback Quality Control System For Extended-Release Granules Using A Quality By Design Approach, Yuxiang Zhao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objectives

For a fluid bed film coating process to consistently deliver quality products, its control system needs to be robust against the variability of input materials and environmental disturbances. Presently, limited studies have been reported to understand the effects and interactions of the material attributes, environmental variables, and process parameters on the product in vitro drug dissolution. A control system can be developed with a proper understanding of the coating process, by adjusting the process parameters in feedback and feedforward manners to compensate for the undesired effect caused by disturbances, and ensure consistent product quality.

Methods

The control system was …

Multivariate Cluster Analysis Of The Teacher Stress Inventory (Tsi) Prior To And During Covid-19, Berenice Saez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a negative situation with no precedents in the education system of the United States (U.S.). To mitigate the spread of the virus, many school closures occurred nationwide, and schools transitioned from face-to-face instruction to a mixture of self-directed guide home education or online teaching. These drastic changes could be causing teachers, as many other professionals exposed to sudden adjustments (e.g., medical doctors/firefighters), to express high levels of stress, emotional burden, and anxiety. The purpose of this study is to compare the profiles of the teacher stress inventory (TSI) before and during COVID-19. …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Perceptions Of Co-Teaching Through The Lens Of Special Education And General Education Teachers., Erin Seale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Co-teaching has become one of the most popular service-delivery models that school districts use to incorporate students with disabilities in the general education settings. This phenomenological study reports how special education teachers and general education teachers at one Central Kentucky high school describes their perceptions and experiences with co-teaching. This study uses semi-structured interview to explore general education and special education teachers’ perceptions of their experiences with co-teaching and being a part of a co-teaching team.

Is Being Respectable Enough?: A Critical Investigation Of Code-Switching And The Lived Experiences Of Black Leaders Who Work At Nonprofits In Bridgertown, Ramona Crawford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current literature on Black nonprofit leaders is scarce, causing little to be known about the experiences that they have encountered when navigating their roles and responsibilities. Even less literature is available on these Black leaders and their usage of code-switching strategies when attempting to navigate those same nonprofits. Based on themes uncovered during the literature review this study employs an in-depth narrative inquiry qualitative methodology. While using theories such as critical race theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 200; Ladson-Billings,1998), the politics of respectability (Higginbotham, 1993) and the theory of capital (Bourdieu, 1985; 1996) the researcher examines the leadership experiences of …

Developing Outpatient, Clinic-Based Education For Patients With Diabetes And Prediabetes, Ruth Ann Slayton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Education and support provided to the newly diagnosed prediabetic or Type 2 Diabetic are inadequate in the outpatient arena. In rural areas, instruction for diabetes is minimal to nonexistent, and patients are paying for this with their health and lives many times. The financial burden of diabetes in the United States is astronomical. The loss of life and life quality is significantly high as well. A systems-based approach to education in the rural health clinic would be of great benefit and has proven to be enough to reverse or avoid the progression of the disease. A clinic or field-based …

Evidence-Based Program Selection And Duration Of Implementation Of Social-Emotional Learning As Related To Student Growth And Non-Academic Outcomes, Colleen K. Weems

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative, nonexperimental study addressed the gap between research-established benefits and outcomes of social-emotional learning implementation as compared to actual instances of implementation. It has been suggested that social-emotional learning as a systemic initiative is necessary for school health (Elias et al., 2013). Additionally, most educators relay some confidence in the importance of social-emotional learning; however, around half report actual implementation within their school (Atwell & Bridgeland, 2019).

Focusing on social-emotional learning as a whole as well as the specificity of use of CASEL SELect programs, the research questions of this study explored differences between implementation and usage, length of …

Tennessee's Voluntary Prekindergarten (Vpk) Program And Kindergarten Achievement, Kindetta L. Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between Tennessee's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program and kindergarten achievement. I compared the academic growth of who attended a VPK program to students in Title 1 schools who did not attend a VPK program. Kindergarten gives the first easyCBM assessment in the second semester of school. I compared the easyCBM scores of the students who attended a VPK program to the ones who did not attend a VPK program. This could reveal if attending the VPK program is related to the students’ academic growth and the amount …

Missed Nursing Care: Accounting For Education, Experience, And Job Satisfaction In Registered Nurses, Jessica Bechard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aim. The aim of this study was to examine missed nursing care in the context of academic preparedness, years of experience, and job satisfaction and determine predictors of missed nursing care.

Background. Patient care that is omitted or delayed is known as missed nursing care. Failure to provide the necessary care interventions on time can lead to decreased patient outcomes. Academic preparation, the number of years of nursing experience, and job satisfaction can also play a pivotal role in patient outcomes. Limited studies have assessed academic preparedness and years of nursing experience on missed nursing care while also …

Perceptions Of Resilience-Informed Education In Postsecondary Instructors, Chelsea L. Robertson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many studies have noted the detrimental impact adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have on individuals’ developmental trajectories and, as a result, the utilization of trauma-informed practices has been of increasing interest within the field of education. Most research on trauma-informed pedagogy is derived from samples of children in grades K-12, whereas research on trauma-informed teaching practices within higher education is comparatively scarce. The specific aims of the current investigation are two-fold. The first aim is to explore the effect of postsecondary instructors’ disciplinary specialization (i.e., person-thing orientation) on their receptivity to compassionate teaching practices. The second aim is to implement …

Winter Suite., Timothy Amalavage-Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Winter Suite is a continuation of a larger piece entitled Four Seasons Suite. Four Seasons Suite consists of four movements representing each season: “Winter Suite,” “Spring Suite,” “Summer Suite,” and “Fall Suite.” Four sub-movements constitute each seasonal movement. So, Four Seasons Suite has four movements and sixteen sub-movements. Each movement is designed to be performable as a standalone piece but it is also acceptable to perform all of them during the same concert. Winter Suite takes its inspiration from images of the titular season and seeks to emulate various aspects of winter such as snowfall, blizzards, and ice along …

Vestiges And Dry-Erase Ghosts., Isaac Barzso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Work for 2 mezzo-sopranos and instrumental ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet (doubling bass clarinet), alto saxophone, horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion (2 players), electric guitar, piano, 2 violins, viola, cello and double bass).

Develop A Multi-Functional Green Pervious Concrete (Mgpc) Pavement With Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs) Removal Function., Hong Shang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stormwater runoff induced Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminant increasingly imperils the groundwater quality and the sustainable development of human society due to the potential carcinogenic risks. Pavement can be considered as the first line of defense for contaminant removal of the stormwater runoff. New construction materials with stormwater runoff quantity and quality control are in urgent demand for updating the existing pavement system. An innovative material called Multi-functional Green Pervious Concrete (MGPC) was developed in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of Louisville. This material uses organoclay as the amendment to enhance the PAHs removal capacity of …

Response To Intervention 2 Easycbm And Aimsweb Intervention Programs How They Relate To Student Growth, George T. Hopson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This researcher aimed to determine how data collected from computer-based assessment programs, specifically EasyCBM and AIMSweb, was used in data-driven instruction and used to identify risk levels in math and reading areas proficiency. Data from intervention programs were collected from six participating high schools. The data collection included math and reading universal screening scores and levels of risk indicators from Tier 2 and Tier 3 levels of their response to intervention (RTI) programs. Section A included math data within a baseline score and a risk indicator level. Section B had reading scores with a baseline score and a risk indicator …

Educator Perceptions Of The Organizational Change Experienced In The Shift From Traditional Grading To A Standards-Based System, Melinda Ford Rainey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine elementary education teacher perceptions of the change process that occurred in a public-school district during the four-year transition from a traditional grade reporting process to a standards-based system. The director of elementary education and a district leadership team provided oversight as the initial teacher cohort participated in a full school year of planning and designing the new standards-based report card for kindergarten and was executed the following school year. First-grade cohort teachers began their initial year of planning and design the same year kindergarten began implementation. The second-grade teacher cohort followed …

Early Photography In East Texas: An Exhibition, Jacob Austin Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Stone Fort Museum is a steward for much of the historical and cultural character of East Texas. A new exhibition, such as the “Early Photography in East Texas” project is in part representative of these same social values. The exhibition serves to look at East Texas specifically as a microcosm of the social ramifications of the introduction of photography. The museum presents this project as a commentary and celebration of the culture of the region while being objective enough to discuss both the high points and the low points. The thesis project itself displays the best and most current …

Manipulating Mindful Breathing Versus Mindful Eating: Examining The Effect Of Specific Mindfulness Mechanisms On Food Intake And Eating Disorder Symptoms., Irina Alexandrovna Vanzhula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background. Understanding which specific mindfulness practices contribute to improvements in ED symptoms, as well as the mechanisms of action by which this change occurs, may help improve MBTs for EDs. The current study aims to compare the effects of various brief mindfulness exercises on state ED symptoms and food intake and to test whether a reduction in state rumination and state difficulties in emotion dysregulation and an increase in awareness of hunger, fullness, and satiety cues mediate these effects. Methods. Two hundred and two undergraduate females participated in the experiment. Participants were randomized to listen to one of the four …

Imagination In Practice: Writing Studies And The Application Of Hospitality., Edward Alan English

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The question of how to ethically teach, learn, and engage in an evolving world remains one of the most longstanding investigations in writing studies scholarship. Examining some of the most foundational frameworks for writing pedagogy reveals that their underlying motivations share common concerns for how to learn from and empower students. This dissertation builds from this trend and foregrounds the observations, stories, and experiences of consultants and writers at the University of Louisville’s Writing Center through a qualitative study that is informed by case study methodology and collaborative action research. I draw on primary data collected from one focus group …

"When The Voices Of Children Are Heard": Evaluating The Biological Effects Of Socioeconomic Status On Children In Postmedieval London., Ashley R. Ezzo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the most vulnerable members of society, children (and their treatment) may reveal important sociocultural and socioeconomic praxes throughout human history. During the Postmedieval period, children, especially low socioeconomic status (SES) individuals, participated in the workforce. By examining the demographic distributions and paleopathological profiles of juvenile skeletal remains from high SES (St. Bride’s Crypt and Chelsea Old Church) and low SES (St. Bride’s Lower and Crossbones) Postmedieval (1700-1850 CE) London cemeteries, we can better understand how SES impacted the biological health and mortality of children. While results indicated higher mortality risk associated with low SES circumstances, most differences in pathological …

The Space Between: Listening Within Difference In Writing Center Consultations., Jessica S. B. Newman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Writing center consultations are built of writer and consultant relationships and differences. Listening is a stance that facilitates navigation of these differences, yet it has long been undervalued. I investigated the roles of listening in writing center consultations, exploring the perspectives of writer and consultant participants. For this mixed methods case study, I collected observations, surveys, interviews, and asynchronous responses to follow-up questions. I also synthesized three listening theories that attend to relations between self and other: dialogic listening, rhetorical listening, and listening otherwise. Listening’s connections with openness, understanding, and power have many implications for the writing center. Listening involves …

Engineering Performance And Teamwork Perceptions Shaped By Structured Learning Experiences In A Makerspace., Teresa Lee Tinnell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ability to work on teams is of critical importance to the field of engineering and a critical competency for future engineers. Fostering performance of effective teamwork through the education of engineers emphasizes the humanistic dimension of the engineering profession and engages future engineering professionals in complex and dynamic team experiences. Team performance and effectiveness of student teams is strongly influenced by individual student perceptions of teamwork as a learning mechanism for successful collective learning experiences. Initial perceptions of teamwork among first year engineering students are often negative due to prior adverse or unproductive team performance. Makerspace learning environments are …

Academy Student Ambassador Perceptions Of The Academy Model: The Successes And Areas For Growth., James Edward Mcmillin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When students see the relevance of their education, whether college-bound or career-bound, it can motivate them to seek out courses and experiences that will prepare them for life after high school (Plank, DeLuca, & Estacion, 2005). The experiences, accomplishments, and social influences a student has throughout their time in school creates meaning and helps inform how they identify career interests and make career choices (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994). This is especially true in high school where students begin to develop an awareness of their career interests and start thinking about their life after high school (Erikson, 1963). As the …

Non-Traditional Instruction: Examining The Interaction Effect Between Student Characteristics And Perceived Sense Of Connectedness In An Online Learning Environment., Kendra M, Nolan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The school setting also has an influence on students' sense of connectedness. Because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, schools across the United States and the world were forced to close in March 2020. The sampled district began the 2020-2021 school year with non-traditional instruction (NTI). With NTI, teachers and students continued academic instruction through an online communication platform such as Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. Researchers and school leaders are uncertain how effective online learning was. Furthermore, minimal research explores the interaction effect between student characteristics (grade level, gender, and race/ethnicity) and their perceived sense of connectedness in a …

Linking Social Media, Medical Literature, And Clinical Notes Using Deep Learning., Mohsen Asghari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Researchers analyze data, information, and knowledge through many sources, formats, and methods. The dominant data format includes text and images. In the healthcare industry, professionals generate a large quantity of unstructured data. The complexity of this data and the lack of computational power causes delays in analysis. However, with emerging deep learning algorithms and access to computational powers such as graphics processing unit (GPU) and tensor processing units (TPUs), processing text and images is becoming more accessible. Deep learning algorithms achieve remarkable results in natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision. In this study, we focus on NLP in the …

Git (Gender-Informed Trauma) In Black N Blue Boys / Broken Men: How Concepts Of Gender Restrict The Black Male Actor’S Creative Process And The Methods He Can Use For Creative Freedom., Tyler Tate

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how the black male actor’s creative process can be affected by historical and cultural constructions of masculinity connected to race, sexuality, and physical movement. My research on black men’s experience with gender identity finds that social and cultural forces lead black men to reproduce behaviors that mirror a prescribed masculine ideal through physical movement. This prescribed masculine behavior is typically coded in terms of stiffness or lack of expression. This study explores how self-imposed restrictions reiterated by social standards of masculine behavior limit the creative freedom in the black male actor’s creative process. Specifically, black male actors’ …