Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 331 - 360 of 1225

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Do Olfactory Stimuli Increase Presence During Exposure Tasks: A Comparative Study, Benson Munyan Jan 2015

Do Olfactory Stimuli Increase Presence During Exposure Tasks: A Comparative Study, Benson Munyan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exposure therapy (ET) is an extensively studied and supported treatment for anxiety and trauma-related disorders. ET works by exposing the patient to the feared object or situation without any danger in order to overcome the related anxiety. Over the past few years, various technologies including head-mounted displays (HMDs), scent machines, and headphones have been used to augment the exposure therapy process by presenting multi-sensory cues (e.g., sights, smells, sounds) to increase the patient*s sense of presence. While studies have shown that scents can elicit emotionally charged memories, no prior research could be identified that examined the effect of olfactory stimuli …


The Effects Of The Marzano Observation System Training On The Self-Efficacy Of Teacher Observers, Samuel Ashley Jan 2015

The Effects Of The Marzano Observation System Training On The Self-Efficacy Of Teacher Observers, Samuel Ashley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research analyzed the effects of the Marzano Teacher Observation training on the self-efficacy of teacher observers. In this study, seventy-four teacher observers reported their self-efficacy in the areas of evaluating student engagement, evaluating classroom management, and evaluating instructional strategies in pre and post surveys. The results of the surveys were analyzed with a paired samples t-test. This study found that the Marzano Teacher Observation system increases the self-efficacy of teacher observers. This study was delimited to participants of a Marzano Teacher Observation training conducted in the fall of 2014. The findings of this study will inform executive school leaders …


A Study On The Relationships Between Participation In Tutoring And Accountability Measures In One Urban High School, Hector Maestre Jan 2015

A Study On The Relationships Between Participation In Tutoring And Accountability Measures In One Urban High School, Hector Maestre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify relationships between an urban high school*s student participation in an after-school tutoring program and its relationship to accountability measures on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Reading and End of Course (EOC) exams in the 2013-2014 school year. The research aimed to determine the influence of tutoring participation for urban high school students. Participants included students enrolled in one urban high school who participated in the FCAT Reading and EOC assessments and is was identified if they participated in the school tutoring program or not. Quantitative results revealed the relationship between students* …


The Forging Of Modern Broadway Sound Design Techniques Amid The Fires Of The Rock Musicals In The Late 1960s And 1970s., Timothy Tracey Jan 2015

The Forging Of Modern Broadway Sound Design Techniques Amid The Fires Of The Rock Musicals In The Late 1960s And 1970s., Timothy Tracey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From the ancient Greek theater, through the dawn of the Renaissance, beyond the development of Shakespearean theater, to the Broadway theater boon in the 1920s, sound reinforcement within the theater remained virtually unchanged. Through Broadway's Golden Age, directors and producers relied on architectural acoustics to carry sound throughout the theaters. This is not surprising given that most of the theaters were built in the early 1900s, before the invention of any electric sound reinforcement technology. Moreover, early attempts at amplification in the 1940s yielded dismal results. Eventually, the maturation of the integrated book musical and the invasion of the rock …


Writes Of Spring 2014: Fostering Creativity In Theatre, Education, And Leadership, Alexandra Hodson Jan 2015

Writes Of Spring 2014: Fostering Creativity In Theatre, Education, And Leadership, Alexandra Hodson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Creativity is valued in many fields. In theatre, creativity celebrates the imaginative power of a theatrical experience. In theatre for young audiences (TYA), creativity is extended from the stage to the classroom, where theatre empowers learning through creative and imaginative teaching. Teaching artists and theatre makers in the field of theatre for young audiences utilize creativity as a means of connecting artistic and educational value. Through professional development and qualitative research, this project demonstrates the importance of creativity and its role in the classroom and on stage. This study examines my role as Project Coordinator in Orlando Repertory Theatre's (The …


The Branding, Creation, And Promotion Of A Solo Comedienne, Anna Mccorison Jan 2015

The Branding, Creation, And Promotion Of A Solo Comedienne, Anna Mccorison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Comedy exists as a stronghold in American culture as a coping mechanism throughout history, but is often limited to the male headliner. From Charlie Chaplin to Jackie Gleason and Bill Cosby to Will Ferrell, men have kept us laughing from stages to screen throughout the last century. Thus, I inquire: who are the prominent women who rose to the top of this male-dominated industry and how did they create a brand for themselves that was distinguishable and celebrated? What is it about being a woman in the last century that made making a name in comedic entertainment more cumbersome, and …


Connections Between Voice And Design In Puppetry: A Case-Study, Ryan Skiles Jan 2015

Connections Between Voice And Design In Puppetry: A Case-Study, Ryan Skiles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Puppets have been entertaining, educating, and mesmerizing American audiences since the birth of our nation. Both in live theatrical events and TV/film, audiences have watched puppeteers bring their puppet characters to life with clever voice quality choices, unique characterizations, and vivid visual designs. This thesis is a case study that first borrows insight from cartoon character designers, animators, and voiceover actors to provide considerations for voice quality choices, characterizations, and design elements when creating a new puppet character. It then investigates the connections that exist between those three elements once a puppet is fully realized. In order to identify these …


Directing Stop Kiss By Diana Son Within A Nontraditional Training Model, Rebecca Dilks Jan 2015

Directing Stop Kiss By Diana Son Within A Nontraditional Training Model, Rebecca Dilks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the generally held view that the best way for a stage actor to give a strong theatrical performance is through a traditional training model, I hoped to develop a way for inexperienced actors to perform beyond expectation within the context of one production through a system of mentorship, expectation-setting, and tapping into young peoples' natural desire to identify with people and characters. I directed a production of Stop Kiss by Diana Son with a blend of experienced and inexperienced actors to see if I could make this work, with mixed results. This thesis is a reflection on the process …


Seeking A Vision, Finding A Voice: Exploring The Musicality Of Theatre Through Multidisciplinary Practice, Tara Kromer Jan 2015

Seeking A Vision, Finding A Voice: Exploring The Musicality Of Theatre Through Multidisciplinary Practice, Tara Kromer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In classrooms and textbooks the “Director's Vision” is often identified as the unifying concept for the production, and my goal in returning to graduate school was to explore my own vision as a director. In my own practice as a director, I tend to “hear” the play in my head before visualizing it. From my interpretation of the text, to the staging of the performers, to my collaboration with design team, my approach to the production of theatre stems from a place of musicality. Seeking a Vision, Finding a Voice explores my creative journey as multi-disciplinary theatre artist through a …


Providing Cultural Balance For Young Americans, Mark Nichols Jan 2015

Providing Cultural Balance For Young Americans, Mark Nichols

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children today are increasingly being introduced to tablets and other personal electronic devices at very young ages. Due in part to this, the entertainment industry now has a near ubiquitous presence in America compared to cultural arts. Its influence on the development of children is almost impossible to ignore. My thesis will study an approach to engaging young people by way of location-based projects that synthesize two or more art forms (e.g. theatre arts, literary arts, visual arts) in order to provide a unified effort for cultural arts and also provide balance to the influences of entertainment. Incorporating research, interviews …


When Oppressed Women Attack: Female-Enacted Violence Through Minority American Female Playwrights' Works, Kate Busselle Jan 2015

When Oppressed Women Attack: Female-Enacted Violence Through Minority American Female Playwrights' Works, Kate Busselle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As an Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, theatrical violence is something that has always captivated me. When a female combat instructor once told me that even though I throw a great punch I will never be able to use it because women are always on the receiving end of violence in theatre, I wondered if this was truly the case. After a thorough exploration of several works with theatrical violence, I am glad to say that it is not the case. When most scholars examine violence in theatre, the focus is either male-centric or specifically on …


The Artistry Of Accessibility: Creating Theatre With And For Students On The Autism Spectrum, Sara Brunow Jan 2015

The Artistry Of Accessibility: Creating Theatre With And For Students On The Autism Spectrum, Sara Brunow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Theatre is a place where all can come together and have an experience regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or ability. As a theatre maker and teaching artist, how do I create inclusion and augment social awareness by designing and implementing theatrical experiences for a specific audience? In this personal exploration of inclusive theatre practices (Sensory Friendly Theatre, Inclusive Arts Integration, and Multi-Sensory Theatre) I will examine my experience of creating and adapting theatre with and for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. My process has a three-pronged approach: adapting an established production using a Sensory Friendly model; adapting an arts integration …


Almost Mirror Image: Exploring The Similarities And Dissimilarities Of Identical Twins In Theatrical Solo Performance, Elizabeth Mignacca Jan 2015

Almost Mirror Image: Exploring The Similarities And Dissimilarities Of Identical Twins In Theatrical Solo Performance, Elizabeth Mignacca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Almost Mirror Image: Exploring the Similarities and Dissimilarities of Identical Twins in Theatrical Solo Performance Is an exploration of the psyche of identical twins within the context of devised solo performance. The author, an identical twin herself, has long been interested in twins' ability to cultivate both highly independent personalities as well as intensely co-dependent tendencies during development. What can twins tell us about the way we create close relationships and how is their upbringing radically different from the majority of the world that is born alone? Equally intrigued by society's growing technological dependence, the author would like to delve …


A Jew From Nebraska: An Actors Attempt At Stand-Up Comedy, Jeffrey Nathan Jan 2015

A Jew From Nebraska: An Actors Attempt At Stand-Up Comedy, Jeffrey Nathan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stand-up comedy has been a major influence on American culture and has given the "Everyman" the ability to laugh at ourselves. Stand-up comedians have been performing in nightclubs, bars, clubs, and, most importantly, theatres for the past 60 years. Stand-up comedy can take many forms: a monologue of entertaining incidents that form a story, or a string of one-liners, or a succession of jokes. This performance project and thesis is an examination and an attempt at the art form that we call stand-up comedy. It will answer the question of what is the best approach to writing comedy for an …


“Our Weapon Is The Wooden Spoon:” Motherhood, Racism, And War: The Diverse Roles Of Women In Nazi Germany, Cortney Nelson Dec 2014

“Our Weapon Is The Wooden Spoon:” Motherhood, Racism, And War: The Diverse Roles Of Women In Nazi Germany, Cortney Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The historiography of women in Nazi Germany attests to the various roles of women in the Third Reich. Although politically invisible, women were deeply involved in the Nazi regime, whether they supported the Party or not. During Nazi racial schemes, men formed and executed Nazi racial programs, but women participated in Nazi racism as students, nurses, and violent perpetrators. Early studies of German women during World War II focused on the lack of Nazi mobilization of women into the wartime labor force, but many women already held positions in the labor force before the war. Nazi mistreatment of lower-class working …


An Evaluation Of A Brief, Theatre-Based Intervention For The Prevention Of Adolescent Cyberbulllying And Suicide., Kathryn Laurel Hopkins Dec 2014

An Evaluation Of A Brief, Theatre-Based Intervention For The Prevention Of Adolescent Cyberbulllying And Suicide., Kathryn Laurel Hopkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Quality program evaluation investigates both the process and the outcomes of an intervention in order to accurately determine its effectiveness and impact. In the present study, the effectiveness of CHOICES, a brief, applied-theatre intervention that addresses cyberbullying and suicide was evaluated. The fidelity of implementation of the intervention was assessed to determine whether the delivery of CHOICES was consistent with the original goals of the program, as well as consistent across multiple deliveries. Investigation of the fidelity of implementation revealed that CHOICES was not implemented with high levels of fidelity. The study also determined whether exposure to CHOICES led to …


Globalizing Literacies And Identities : Translingual And Transcultural Literacy Practices Of Bhutanese Refugees In The U.S., Tika R. Lamsal Aug 2014

Globalizing Literacies And Identities : Translingual And Transcultural Literacy Practices Of Bhutanese Refugees In The U.S., Tika R. Lamsal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This critical ethnographic study explores how language and literacy shape the social identities and cultural practices of the Bhutanese refugees in the U.S., and how an understanding of their literate practices contributes to new conceptualizations of language and literacies research. Involving fifty-six Bhutanese refugees from a Midwest city, this study highlights linguistic and cultural resources utilized by the Bhutanese refugees at key literacy sites – such as an Elderly Care Center, mandatory ESL classes, weekly cultural and musical gatherings, men’s and women’s Kirtan (religious singing) groups, and youth online forums – for creating, changing, and transforming their linguistic, cultural, musical, …


Help-Seeking Behaviors Of South African Women After Sexual Offence Victimization : The Lived Experience., Sheila Young Steinbrenner Aug 2014

Help-Seeking Behaviors Of South African Women After Sexual Offence Victimization : The Lived Experience., Sheila Young Steinbrenner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is little known about South African women’s help-seeking behavior after sexual offence victimization. South Africa is estimated to have the highest rate of rape and sexual assault globally. However, only one in six women seek health services post victimization. The importance of medical and mental health care following victimization has been clearly established. Therefore understanding more about South African women’s help-seeking after victimization is profoundly important. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of help-seeking behaviors of South African women after sexual offence victimization. Hermeneutic phenomenology as applied by van Manen provided the philosophical underpinnings, …


The Healing Process : Finding Oneself Through Character., Jody-Ann Peta-Gay Henry Aug 2014

The Healing Process : Finding Oneself Through Character., Jody-Ann Peta-Gay Henry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines my journey as an artist. It chronicles my beginning as an actor and the development of my skills and gift as a performer and educator. It also represents how theatre has been a major part of my self-discovery and continues to foster my growth and development. I describe how I fell in love with theatre, and what inspired me to pursue a career as an actor. I highlight my life changing experience at the University of Louisville, where I was challenged not only as an actor, but also as an individual. I discuss my most challenging experience …


"My Watch Begins" : Identification And Procedural Rhetoric On Second Screens And Social Networks., K. Shannon Howard Aug 2014

"My Watch Begins" : Identification And Procedural Rhetoric On Second Screens And Social Networks., K. Shannon Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Digital rhetoric creates opportunities for examining rhetoric as it evolves daily. This evolution may be described in terms of network circulation and immediate opportunities for publishing and creating. This project analyzes mobile applications and live feeds used during television broadcasts, where rhetoric is closely tied to the work of identifying with another point of view. Producers and designers of dual-screen applications prompt us to answer how we would act if we assumed the role of protagonist and saw the world through her or his eyes. These questions support the idea that identification is not just a relative of empathy or …


Inclusion And Autism: General Education Teachers’ Perceptions, Deborah B. Hayes Mrs. May 2014

Inclusion And Autism: General Education Teachers’ Perceptions, Deborah B. Hayes Mrs.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate general education teachers’ perceptions of being prepared to work with students identified with autism, grade level assignments, time concerns, and the presence of an ancillary attendant in their classrooms. Participants in this study were located in one city school system in North East Tennessee. All data were collected through an online survey distributed to 230 teachers, of whom 79 responded. Four research questions were analyzed, 3 with single sample t tests and 1 with a one-way ANOVA. Results indicated no statistical significance regarding grade level assignments and general education teachers’ perceptions …


Year Of The Adopted Family: Selected Folktales For The Seasons Of Adoptee Personal And Cultural Identity, Rachel R. Hedman May 2014

Year Of The Adopted Family: Selected Folktales For The Seasons Of Adoptee Personal And Cultural Identity, Rachel R. Hedman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In a study of the application of storytelling to adoptive family bonding, sensemaking, and cultural adjustment, I selected 12 world folktales for adoptive families to use as oral storytelling activities. I designed and facilitated a workshop for 7 adoptive families focusing on how to select, to learn, and to tell stories as well as how to play story-based games with their children. Each adult told 1 of the 12 folktales, played 1 or 2 of 37 games (12 traditional games, 25 storybased games), and shared reactions and interactions of family members. Using the term “story talk” to describe conversational byplay …


Telling Tales As Oral Performance: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Storytelling In Ireland, Scotland And Southern Appalachia, Annalee Tull May 2014

Telling Tales As Oral Performance: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Storytelling In Ireland, Scotland And Southern Appalachia, Annalee Tull

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I sought to link, through this paper, cultural performances of identity through storytelling in Ireland, Scotland, and southern Appalachia. I evaluated storytelling practices, whether it was a public or private performance, using symbolic interactionism, dramatist theory, narrative paradigm, and performance theory. The author studied abroad in Ireland and Scotland through the East Tennessee State University Appalachian, Scottish, and Irish Studies Program and experienced an array of stories. She then evaluated her own experiences with storytelling from growing up in southern Appalachia and visited the International Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN. The research is rooted in grounded theory from ethnographies, with …


Not Dead At All, Martin Becerra May 2014

Not Dead At All, Martin Becerra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Not Dead At All is a nontraditional thesis, a creative product, the result of a combination of media production and social research. This paper is an attempt to explain the creative and production process behind the creation of an original media content, using the social research as a tool to increase the likeability of our characters and therefore increase the show’s chances of success.


Aerial Arial : A Lesson In Strength And Stamina., Ashley Elizabeth Smith May 2014

Aerial Arial : A Lesson In Strength And Stamina., Ashley Elizabeth Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis serves to argue the importance of skills related to strength and stamina in the field of theatre performance, particularly in regards to engaging young audiences by applying physical spectacle to classical theatre works. This thesis explores the physical theatre theories of Tadashi Suzuki, Mary Overlie, Rudolf Laban, and the theatrical style of Commedia dell’Arte as applied to my role as Ariel in The Tempest. It also reflects on the use of aerial silks in the same Shakespearean production, serving to prove that the skills required for such a strenuous physical activity are useful for actors as they attempt …


The Tempest Defending Prospera : The Ideation Of Spiritual Lineage And Practice In Performance For An Afro-Haitian American Actor., Iva-Kristi Maria Papailler May 2014

The Tempest Defending Prospera : The Ideation Of Spiritual Lineage And Practice In Performance For An Afro-Haitian American Actor., Iva-Kristi Maria Papailler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Imagine: William Shakespeare’s final hero, Prospero and all of his beautiful and majestic White, Italian maleness played by an Afro-Haitian American actress. Something changes. No longer does the audience see a traditional view of the character onstage. The audience sees a woman of African descent delivering lines written for a man of European descent. They may or may not question what they are seeing: certainly, I the actor, must. My Blackness brings an ancestral line to the production that makes a variety of traditional African religions part of Prospera’s spiritual lineage. My Blackness and gender also imbue Prospera with a …


Walking To My Death : An Actor's Journey., David Elliot Galloway 1987- May 2014

Walking To My Death : An Actor's Journey., David Elliot Galloway 1987-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the fall of 2011, I began a course of graduate theatrical training at the University of Louisville. Over my three years of study, I have developed a process for the creation of a well-rounded and emotionally interesting character. I call my process three-dimensional acting. This process is composed of: a keen and in-depth study of and adherence to the text, careful and thorough voice work, and well-rehearsed and executed physicality. This study shows, through its application to the character of Matthew Poncelet, in Dead Man Walking, that my process is succeeds in creating a character of emotional complexity that …


Public Art In Urban Parks., Taylor Crush, 1990- May 2014

Public Art In Urban Parks., Taylor Crush, 1990-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An analysis of contemporary public art in urban parks reveals challenges concerning the conservation of artworks and the stability of public interest. These issues have been relevant throughout history. Historical evidence reveals the transition of public art representing a ruling cultural or governmental power to art that represents visions of the public. Despite this change, the continuation of public interest remains a concern as art becomes neglected and misinterpreted. Efforts to properly educate, provide formal evaluations, and support daily maintenance of the art are a constant concern for arts organizations. After explicating public art in public spaces and art in …


We Are The Asteroid, Sloane Davis Jan 2014

We Are The Asteroid, Sloane Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We Are the Asteroid is a collection of personal essays concerned with the power of erasure and manipulation of chronology that comes with writing. It both acknowledges and participates in the fact that nonfiction writers become unstuck in time, whether they want to or not, traveling between ages, rearranging the order of events into the stories they tell. The collection centers on a few traumatic events in the narrator's life, and it explores the ways in which she deals with those events through her writing. The writer utilizes various structural techniques, such as the segmented form, to play with the …


Impact Of Students' Perception Of Safety On Academic Success, Daniel Gittins Jan 2014

Impact Of Students' Perception Of Safety On Academic Success, Daniel Gittins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A student's perception of safety in a school will impact his or her academic achievement. If a student does not feel safe in a school, he or she will be distracted, and will have a diminished concentration span, lack of focus and increased anxiety, all of which will negatively impact his or her achievement and academic potential. It is important for educational leaders, therefore, to create cultures that are safe, welcoming, and conducive to a student's academic growth. To do this, educational leaders, at all levels of the school district--from district administrators, to building administrators, to teachers and other staff …