Digital Commons Network^™

Diversity Management And Organizational Resilience Among Midsized Cccu Institutions In Christian Higher Education, Kristopher M. Sutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative cross-case analysis was developed to investigate how diversity management strategies were implemented and whether they coexist with organizational resilience capabilities at three U.S. private, midsized Christian-affiliated institutions of higher education associated with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. The researcher collected data from a senior-level chief diversity officer at each institution to determine how their diversity strategy was managed and whether a mature diversity program was concurrently present with organizational resilience capabilities. Data were collected using two primary instruments: the Diversity Management Competencies Questionnaire and semistructured interviews focused on organizational resilience. The collected data were supplemented …

Implementation Of A Mobile-Based Mindfulness Intervention To Lower Perceived Stress Levels In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Wendy S. Carley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project analyzed the effect of the daily use of a mindfulness-based mobile application on associate degree nursing undergraduate prelicensure students’ perceived stress levels. Nursing students experience elevated stress levels that may be reduced through mindfulness behaviors. Undergraduate, prelicensure nursing students participated in establishing the impact of mindfulness on perceived stress levels in a quantitative pre/postintervention study. The evidenced-based studies chosen for this review consisted of randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, pre/posttest designs, systematic reviews, and quantitative and qualitative studies. The investigator collected presearch data using a pre/posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of a stress management program in reducing …

Parental View On Hpv Vaccination, Rebecca Elaine Rhodes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection widely seen in the United States. Millions of Americans are affected by it each year, especially those in their late teens and early 20s. Although most infections will resolve on their own, 1 in 10 will lead to health problems such as cancer. The HPV vaccine can prevent over 90% of associated precancers and cancers. However, uptake of the HPV vaccine and its completion among adolescents are significantly lower than other recommended adolescent immunizations, falling short of the Healthy People 2030 goal of 80% coverage. Understanding parental attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions …

Collective Case Study Career Critique Of Social Entrepreneurs Who Are Gifted Adults, Joi Lin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes a qualitative research study that grows our understanding of the career development experiences, supports, and barriers of social entrepreneurs who are gifted adults (SEGA) so that we may nurture the career development of future SEGA. Research questions for this study probed the career development experiences, supports, and barriers of SEGA and the shared social value they create. The conceptual frameworks for this study are the ecological model for human development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979); the theory of positive disintegration (Dąbrowski, 1964/2016); social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994); the perceived instructional arc (Uhrmacher et al., 2017); and …

Honoring Indigenous Worldview: Cultural (Un)Responsiveness In Gifted Education, Vicki Boley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many working understandings of giftedness exist within dominating Western frameworks, gatekeeping gifted education from students who do not “fit” inside such frameworks (Owens et al., 2018; Rinn et al., 2020; Sternberg et al., 2021). As a result, K- 12 Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students are underrepresented in gifted education programs (Sternberg et al., 2021) and overrepresented in special education programs (NCLD, 2023). When considering Indigenous students in particular, Western orientations surrounding giftedness perpetuate assimilation, dominance, and continued colonization (Battiste, 2013; Dunbar-Ortiz, 2014; Gentry & Gray, 2021a). Leveraging Positionality and The Pedagogy of Listening as conceptual frameworks, this …

Culturally Responsive Leadership For Newcomer Students: A Case Study Of An Elementary Newcomer Program School Leadership Team, Ahmad Fayaz Amiri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study focuses on the pivotal role of an urban elementary school leadership team with a newcomer program. It aims to uncover how school leadership decisions, practices, and policies address the diverse needs of newcomer students. Challenges faced by newcomers, including economic and social needs, cultural adjustments, and potential feelings of alienation despite academic success, are explored. The tension between preserving home culture and adapting to a new one adds complexity to newcomer students’ identity formation.

This study examines the practices of a newcomer school leader who addresses the diverse needs of vulnerable newcomer students. With schools being …

Digital Dialogue: Emancipatory Dialogical Practices In Virtual Collaborative Problem-Based Learning, Chelsie Ruge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Societal shifts increasingly demand that people work across social and geographic borders, often virtually, to solve complex problems in the areas of education, environment, healthcare, poverty, technology innovation and ethics, and more. This collaboration requires critical and emancipatory dialogue and problem-solving.

This qualitative multiple case study examined two online professional studies graduate-level courses that employed collaborative problem-based learning to engage with social-justice related themes, one that explored inclusive educational practices, and one that explored the negotiation of global environmental treaties. The purpose of this study was to investigate how students engaged in emancipatory dialogical practices and determine the factors that …

Culturally Responsive Coaching: Supervision With A Cultural Lens, Jouanna Crossland-Wells

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Culturally Responsive Practices (CRP) are a focal point for many districts across the country. The emphasis of CRP is on how the institution enacts policies and practices for the benefit of the students they serve. This study views CRP from a different lens. The focus of this study is to 1.) center the voice of Black teachers and 2.) explore culturally responsive practices for the support and edification of the teacher from their coach/supervisor. The eight Black teacher participants and their instructional coaches engaged in interviews discussing current coaching models and the dynamics of their coaching relationships.

The relevant findings …

Resisting The Historical And Geographical “Other”: The Role Of Expertise In Video Game Music, Tommy Dainko

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Video games create rich, virtual worlds for players to explore. Game developers have often utilized exoticism, allowing players to experience the “Other” from the comfort of home. Music is a powerful tool to evoke Otherness and can reinforce stereotypes about the past and different cultures. This thesis looks at recent games where developers have collaborated with expert musicians either from the culture depicted or with expertise in historical performance practices. I document two purposes these collaborations can serve. First, the use of expert musicians creates a veneer of authenticity allowing developers to market the games as “authentic” experiences. Second, these …

Ensemble Perception Of Emotion: Incidental Effects Of Social Identity, Spencer T. Dobbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research in vision science suggests that people possess a perceptual mechanism – ensemble perception - which enables them to rapidly identify the characteristics of groups (e.g., emotion, sex-ratio, race-ratio). This work examined whether ensemble perceptions of groups are driven by the characteristics of group members whose behavior is most likely to impact the perceiver. Specifically, we predicted that more self-relevant group members would be weighted more heavily in ensemble perceptions than less self-relevant group members. Study 1 (n = 83) found that young adult participants’ ensemble perceptions of emotion were biased in favor of more self-relevant (younger adult) group …

Paradoxes And Potential Of Tourism Development In Nicaragua, Cody J. Silveira

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research evaluates the successes and challenges of tourism integration and expansion as both a broad human development strategy and a catalyst for local populations to achieve greater economic and social opportunities. The country of Nicaragua serves as the primary case study for such an evaluation due to its relatively recent promotion and expansion of tourism through government led incentives and oversight. As a case study, Nicaragua is a country whose tourism industry remains nascent, yet commands great economic potential and influence, which can serve as an example for future tourism development initiatives for developing countries in the region …

Comparing The Preparation Of Youth Services Librarians To Their On-The-Ground Experiences: A Grounded Theory Study Incorporating Criticism And Connoisseurship, Anne Holland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to better understand the on-the-ground preparation of youth services librarians, in contrast to their professional training in Master’s of Library Science (MLIS) programs. Classic Grounded Theory was the predominant methodology for this qualitative study, and elements of Criticism and Connoisseurship were also utilized. Document review, interviews, and journaling activities with ten participants were the primary methods of data collection. Key findings from this dissertation include a grounded theory explaining the current state of preparation for youth services librarianship, and multiple avenues for further study.

The Foundations Of Civilian Supremacy: Civil-Military Relations During The American Civil War, Riley Callahan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American Civil War was the defining event that shaped civil-military relations in the United States. This master's thesis explores the multifaceted dynamics between civilian and military leadership during this crucial period in American history. It examines the relationship between civilian political authority and the military establishment, while incorporating the related roles of Congress, public opinion and international influences. The research explores the decision-making processes, the balance of power, and the impact of leadership styles and personalities on civil-military interactions during times of armed conflict.

This thesis explores in particular the significance of President Lincoln's leadership, his ability to manage …

Leadership In Extreme Contexts: An Emerging Typology, Ashley Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the relationship between leadership and extreme contexts through the lens of rural hospitals facing environmental jolts. Rural hospitals offer a unique setting for this research, given their inherent geographic isolation, lack of resources, and the critical role these facilities play in their communities. Through a qualitative analysis of interviews with Chief Executive Officers of rural hospitals, this research takes a grounded approach to build theory surrounding how leadership not only shapes but is shaped by extreme contexts and environmental jolts. The research results in four primary contributions. Namely, this study extends existing typologies on leadership in extreme …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Asian American Perception Of Mental Health, Emily Tseung

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study describes a qualitative study using a grounded theory, constructivist approach, which sampled (N = 6) Asian American college students who lived in the United States during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research shows that COVID significantly impacted the Asian American perception of mental health, including mental health help- seeking behaviors and discrimination experienced. The long-term effects of this are still largely unknown. In depth, semi-structured interviews were used to explore the lived experiences of these Asian Americans. Qualitative analysis revealed thematic differences for the following themes: (a) experience with mental illness, (b) mental health help- seeking …

A Geospatial And Machine Learning Framework For Forecasting Ground Level Ozone Pollution, William J. Keenan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The major detrimental health effects of ground-level ozone (GLO) pollution make it imperative that both policy makers and ordinary citizens have access to high accuracy, high-resolution forecasts of their local area. Recently, advancements in computing power have made it possible to apply artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to a variety of big data modelling problems, including GLO forecasting and estimation. Of these AI methods, deep neural networks (DNN) have demonstrated the highest accuracy due to their ability extract non-linear relationships from high dimensional, noisy data inputs.

This research effort uses novel data sources, namely NOAA’s High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) meteorology …

Institutional And Structural Evolution Of The U.S. Financial System 1945-2023: The Long-Wave Financial Cycle And The Role Of Thwarting Mechanisms, Shaun K. Brog

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis develops a theoretical framework that attempts to explain the dynamic interactions that lead to episodes of severe financial instability. Adapting Minsky’s Financial Instability Hypothesis to the specific characteristics of financial intermediaries and building on Ferri and Minsky’s ideas regarding the role of thwarting institutions, I propose that financial fragility is the result of a long-wave cycle in financial relations characterized by significant institutional and structural evolution within the U.S. financial system. This evolution results in a preponderance of financial activity undertaken outside the regulatory umbrella while margins-of-safety are eroded, newly innovated financial assets proliferate, and financial intermediaries become …

Incremental Quantities Based Permissive Overreaching Transfer Trip Scheme For Protecting Inverter-Based Renewable Resources, Osama Zangoti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The power generation landscape evolves, with the increase of inverter-based resources (IBRs) such as solar photovoltaics and wind turbines, providing sustainable and clean energy sources. The shift towards IBRs mitigates climate change, creating considerable challenges to traditional power system protection due to their low fault current. Conventional protection schemes are designed around the internal dynamic of synchronous generators where they can supply an elevated fault current. This thesis explores a protection scheme designed to enhance the security of IBRs. The incremental characteristics of voltage and current coupled with the Permissive Overreaching Transfer Trip scheme (POTT) provide a remarkable ability to …

Progressive Paradox In Political Rhetoric: The Hart-Celler Immigration Act Of 1965, Amanda Rolston Henderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the interplay between U.S. norms for inclusion, the embedded role of religion within these norms, and how political rhetoric challenges or sustains them. Using a historical lens, I outline key moments in U.S. history, unravel central ideologies entrenched in U.S. narratives, and illuminate the ideographic function of the key concepts land, family, and work. These terms serve as conduits for conveying complex systems of meaning, which are entrenched in societal assumptions and concretized through political discourse and action.

These dynamics are demonstrated in a case study of the discourse surrounding the Hart-Celler Immigration Act …

Understanding The Nuances Of Transit Accessibility: Temporal And Spatial Resolution, And Neoliberalism, Joe Chestnut

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores accessibility via public transit through several lenses. In doing so, some of the lesser known nuances of accessibility are better understood. These nuances are explored in several ways. First, various demographic variables and their relationship to accessibility to jobs via public transit are modeled at a fine spatial resolution in an exploratory analysis across several cities in the United States. Next, temporal and spatial resolution and their impacts on accessibility to jobs via public transit are analyzed and quantified in several cities across the United States. Finally, the relationship between neoliberalism and public transit accessibility is explored …

The Applications And Implications Of A (Re)Humanizing Praxis For Early Childhood Educational Contexts, Kristopher M. Tetzlaff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dehumanizing preschool policies and practices and a lack of access to affordable, (re)humanizing early childhood educative experiences threatens to exacerbate the opportunity gap and deleterious preschool-to-prison pipeline. The purpose of this study was threefold; foremost, it aspired to elevate the role and power of critical resource pedagogies in individual and collective liberation. Second, it aimed to identify vital pedagogical and programmatic assets that advance the pursuit of mutual humanization in early childhood educational settings. Third, it sought to discern and address the pedagogical and programmatic limitations and systemic barriers that otherwise impede access to high quality early childhood programming. In …

A Phenomenology Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Chinese International Students In The Us During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Linlin Wu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences of Chinese international students during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to delve into how these individuals articulate their experiences during the pandemic, with a particular focus on how their geographical location influenced their experiences. To achieve this, the study employs an innovative approach, integrating a phenomenological method with comparative analysis to elucidate the similarities and differences between students who remained in the US and those who returned to China.

The analysis identified four principal themes among students in the US: 1) Online Learning Challenges, (2) Social Life Adaptation, (3) …

Statistical Modeling Of Knee Morphology And Material Properties Considering Diverse Populations, Gabrielle Jeannine Kindy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is a widely performed surgical procedure aimed at alleviating pain and restoring function in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis. Despite its general success, disparities in postoperative outcomes have been observed across different racial and ethnic groups, with minority populations often experiencing less favorable results. One potential avenue for improving the generalizability of orthopaedic implants is using Statistical Shape and Intensity Models (SSIMs), which can be used to incorporate patient variability directly into the orthopaedic medical device development workflow through population-based finite element analysis.

This work aimed to construct an SSIM from a diverse subject set, incorporating …

The Aquatic Microbial Environment Shapes The Gut Microbiota, Brain, And Behavior Of Larval Amphibians, Kyle Emerson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microbial communities comprising bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protists live within and on the surfaces of animal hosts. These microbial communities exist in symbiosis with the host, and heavily influence host physiology, development, health, and fitness. Gut-dwelling microbes (i.e., gut microbiota) contribute to host neurodevelopment through a bidirectional Microbiota-Gut-Brain (MGB) axis. Evidence of the MGB axis has been primarily derived from studies that use germ-free (GF) models, which commonly display altered neurophysiology and behavior compared to conventionally raised counterparts. Almost all studies of the MGB axis have used mammalian models in a biomedical framework, leaving a knowledge gap regarding the role …

Technology Selection In A Rural School District: A Case Study, Stephnie J. Helton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the steps taken to select technology devices, applications, and websites to be used in the classroom during the Covid-19 pandemic. As schools shut down around the world and transitioned to alternative methods of educational delivery, there was an increased need to analyze the selection process educators used to select technology devices, applications, and websites. Literature indicates that teachers could be overwhelmed with the many technology hardware and software choices available and end up making less-than-sufficient selections. This case study investigated what the technology director, administrators, and teachers deemed important and necessary in selecting educational applications and devices …

Safety Project To Prevent Unintentional Retained Surgical Items, Sherri Bobo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Fifty million surgeries are performed annually in the United States with an estimated 5,000 patients affected by unintentionally retained surgical items (RSIs) due to errors in the operating room. Surgical items inadvertently left inside patients may include sponges, instruments, needles, or small miscellaneous parts. It is not well understood why the surgical counting process fails to prevent the incidence of unintentional RSIs. The proposed educational curriculum was intended to enhance the knowledge and self-efficacy of surgical nurses and technicians to minimize errors and eliminate RSIs. Evidence-based strategies to complement existing knowledge of unintentional RSIs were introduced through didactic and …

Using Self-Assessment Tools And Complementary Alternative Therapy For Chronic Migraines In Menopausal Women, Krystal Rachelle Bridwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Migraine headaches are ranked as one of the highest disabling conditions in the United States. Women who are in the perimenopausal transition phase have a higher prevalence of disabling migraines that can result in a decreased quality of life, loss of income, decreased productivity, and a higher risk for emotional difficulties. The gap in practice is the lack of education on complementary alternative medicine (CAM) and the use of a migraine diary to recognize individual symptoms as a substitute or cotherapy with pharmacologic treatments. The purpose of this scholarly project was to improve clinical practice and outcomes for perimenopausal …

Design, Synthesis, And Biological Evaluation Of Novel Heterocyclic Compounds For The Treatment Of Cancer And Neurodegenerative Disorders, Saloni Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that impairs memory and cognitive judgment, mostly in older people. It is the leading cause of dementia in late adult life. The hallmarks of AD include neuronal loss, neuroinflammation, a build-up of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, and extracellular neuritic plaques. Current treatment, although useful, is not adequate. Identification of therapeutic agents with the potential to alter the progress of AD is a high priority. Recent studies suggest that the Sigma-2 receptor is an attractive target for the development of disease-modifying AD drugs. Preventing the binding of Sigma-2 receptors …

Remembering The Civil War In Indian Territory: Conflict, Commemoration, And The Birth Of A State, 1861-1965, Sarah Elliott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project argues that the Civil War was the mechanism by which Indian Territory transformed into the white-dominated U.S. state of Oklahoma, both in population and identity. Factions of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole Nations in Indian Territory allied with the Confederacy at the outset of the war. During Reconstruction, the federal government used these alliances to justify harsh treaty terms that dissolved tribal sovereignty and dispossessed these nations of much of their land. Initially, the federal government resettled other forcibly removed Indigenous peoples on this confiscated land, but the late nineteenth century, the Dawes Allotment Act and …

Impact Of An Electronic Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Catch-Up Module For Women With Criminal-Legal System Involvement, Shawana Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Cervical cancer can often be prevented with targeted strategies such as Pap smear screenings and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, now also recommended for those aged 27-45 who have not received the vaccine previously. However, women involved in the criminal-legal system often miss out on primary and secondary prevention measures and are at increased risk for the development of cervical cancer caused by HPV. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of an electronic HPV catch-up module for women in the criminal-legal system aged 27-45. The study, guided by the Health Belief Model, …