Digital Commons Network^™

21st Century Community Learning Center Program: A Study To Evaluate The Success Of A Program In A Rural County In East Tennessee., Joy Collingsworth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The 21st Century Community Learning Center Program is a key component in the No Child Left Behind Act. It presents an opportunity for students and their families to continue to learn new skills after the regular school day has ended. The focus of the program is to provide expanded academic enrichment opportunities for children attending low performing schools. Tutorial services and academic activities are designed to help students meet local and state academic standards in subjects such as reading and math. In addition, programs provide youth development activities, drug and violence prevention programs, technology education programs, art, music, and recreational …

The Appalachian Other: Struggles Of Familial And Cultural Assimilation In Fred Chappell's Kirkman Tetralogy., Abbey Mabe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In his Kirkman tetralogy, Fred Chappell refutes ill-conceived Appalachian stereotypes via his refreshingly intelligent and sophisticated cast of mountaineer players. However, Chappell’s characters do not exist without flaws. Jess Kirkman, the tetralogy’s narrator, is a particularly tortured figure. Perpetually struggling to assimilate into his native mountain culture, Jess represents the Appalachian Other, an individual who is born into Southern Highland society, but who is, ironically, treated like an outsider by his peers. Throughout Chappell’s first novel, Jess’s inability to connect with his own family members becomes evident. In books two and three, readers see that, although several of Jess’s male …

Historical Study Of The Highlander Method: Honing Leadership For Social Justice., Joyce Denise Duncan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Waging war against economic, political and social inequity, Highlander, founded in 1932 in Monteagle, Tennessee, near Chattanooga, served as a community-training center for southern industrial labor and farmers’ unions and as a major gathering place for black and white civil rights activists, even in those days when such activity was illegal. Teachers at Highlander believed in the capacity of people to educate and to govern themselves. Humanitarians or communitarians, those working at Highlander were concerned with the interrelated systems of class and race, which, they felt, consistently enabled a small segment of the population to exploit, dominate and oppress others. …

Development Of An East Tennessee Tri-County Community Food Assessment Instrument To Aid In The Construction And Implementation Of A Working Food Model., Alison Suzanne Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the needs and relationships of high-risk community members in Cocke County Tennessee to food sources. Cocke County was chosen as the representative county in this pilot study due its high percentage of residents living at or below the poverty level, which can lead to hunger and food insecurities. A community food assessment was conducted among residents participating in a commodities disbursement program in Cocke County. Two hundred seven individuals participated in this survey. The results of the surveys were posted and analyzed using an online statistical analysis software program. With the needs …

Uncivil War: Memory And Identity In The Reconstruction Of The Civil Rights Movement., Joanne Sarah Barclay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Memory is constructed to solidify a certain version of the past in the collective identity. History and memory occupy a controversial role in the New South, with battles over the legacy of the Civil War and the reassertion of Confederate symbols in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement's challenge to the status quo.

Memory of the Civil Rights Movement is entering public conscious through cultural mediums such as films and museums, as well as through politically contentious debates over the continued display of the Confederate battle flag and the creation of a federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King …

A Qualitative Study: Gendered Perceptions Of Bullying Among Adolescents At A Boys And Girls Club., Beverly Small Chandley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bullying is a form of peer violence needing extensive research to help understand the differences in gender for the prevention of such behavior. Most research has been performed in school settings and in a quantitative manner. This study was conducted by six researchers in an after-school facility with a qualitative approach. A minimum of 15 hours per researcher was spent observing behaviors and 20 interviews were performed. A grounded theory approach was used for the analysis of data which tend to show more similarities than differences in the way children bully as well as their perceptions of bullying.

Graph Theory For The Secondary School Classroom., Dayna Brown Smithers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After recognizing the beauty and the utility of Graph Theory in solving a variety of problems, the author decided that it would be a good idea to make the subject available for students earlier in their educational experience. In this thesis, the author developed four units in Graph Theory, namely Vertex Coloring, Minimum Spanning Tree, Domination, and Hamiltonian Paths and Cycles, which are appropriate for high school level.

The Impact Of Prealbumin On Postoperative Length Of Stay In Elderly Orthopedic Patients., Brandy Paige Pennington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to evaluate whether serum prealbumin levels would serve as a predictor of hospital length of stay for elderly orthopedic patients who underwent hip replacement surgery. The study consisted of a set of 54 patients admitted to a hospital in Bristol, Tennessee. Patients with depleted prealbumin levels, low to low/normal prealbumin levels, or normal prealbumin levels were analyzed. Data collected from a retrospective chart review included: age, length of stay, serum glucose, sodium, potassium, hematocrit, hemoglobin, BUN, creatinine, WBC, prealbumin, and post operative diet consumption. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance for treatment effects. …

At-Risk Students' Perceptions Of The Impact Of Popular Culture And The Media On Their Lives., Rebecca Cupples Draper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study is comprised of indepth interviews with 16 at-risk high school students. The students were asked to give reasons for their discipline problems in high school. They were also asked to give their perspectives on various forms of popular culture. Questions regarding television, movies, music, video games, and sports were posed to determine the participants' interest level in each of the areas. The students were then asked to gauge how much these interests had taken away from their schoolwork. The students' perceptions and life experiences were explored in depth via the interview process.

In general, the lives of …

The Experiential Art And Crafts Preferences Of Senior Adults: A Preparatory Assessment For The Implementation Of The Project Senior Art Model., Charlynn Watson Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Project Senior Art was conceived in answer to the growing need for worthwhile directed activities in our community senior centers and to provide valuable community-based learning experiences for university art students. This intergenerational program recognizes the unique intellectual abilities of older adults and meets the educational needs of senior participants and college art students, providing both creative opportunities for personal growth. Fundamental to the successful development and implementation of the program, and the focus of this study, is ascertaining the experiential art and crafts preferences of the targeted senior adult population. Personal interviews, focus group discussions, and a survey instrument …

Revised History Of Fort Watauga., Brian Patrick Compton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The history of the Revolutionary War Fort Watauga located in present day Elizabethton, TN has yet to be completed.

The critique of several Tennessee historians including J. G. M. Ramsey, Lyman C. Draper, Samuel Cole Williams, and others uncovered discrepancies and errors in Fort Watauga’s written history. These problems forced a rethinking of the fort’s actual location, which raised questions as to the reliability of the archaeological excavation in 1974 as well as to the historians who wrote about the fort during the last 200+ years.

Evidence found pointed to new accounts of the fort’s history never before published as …

Teachers Or "Real" Police Officers?: A Study Of Dare Officers In Northeast Tennessee., Jennifer Lynne Commons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most studies of the Drug Awareness Resistance Education (DARE) program evaluate the program’s effectiveness; this thesis instead examines the police officers who implement the program. Based on interviews with 12 DARE officers in the Northeast region of Tennessee, the thesis explores how members of this special category of police officers identify themselves. The DARE officer interviews were compared with published literature on conventional police officers. All DARE officers interviewed defined themselves as police officers but did little to no actual police work, nor were they viewed by patrol officers as “real” police officers. Instead, DARE officers functioned primarily as educators. …

The Challenges Of Network Security Remediation At A Regional University., William R. Simons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes challenges encountered during a year-long effort to improve the security of the 3,300 node administrative computer network at East Tennessee State University. The key remediation strategies used included employing the vulnerability scanner Nessus to profile the network, analyzing the scan results, and attempting to remove the most critical vulnerabilities found. The project succeeded in decreasing known “high” criticality vulnerabilities on campus by 26.1%, and confirmed four standard observations about the challenges of network administration:

• Vulnerability scanning is a lengthy task best performed in parallel and supported by automated data analysis.
• Securing a network is like trying to …

Women In Leadership Positions In Tennessee Public Schools: A Qualitative Study Of Female Directors Of Schools., Joy O'Dell Yates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to determine the best methods for achieving key leadership roles in education. The problem was to define the qualities that are important in leadership positions and to determine how those qualities relate to the top-level positions in school systems across Tennessee.

Nineteen female directors of schools were interviewed. Directors also completed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (5X-Short). Characteristics of transformational and transactional leadership styles were included in the study. Most of the directors scored high on using the transformational factors (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration) of leadership and on using …

Survival Model And Estimation For Lung Cancer Patients., Xingchen Yuan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer is the most frequent fatal cancer in the United States. Following the notion in actuarial math analysis, we assume an exponential form for the baseline hazard function and combine Cox proportional hazard regression for the survival study of a group of lung cancer patients. The covariates in the hazard function are estimated by maximum likelihood estimation following the proportional hazards regression analysis. Although the proportional hazards model does not give an explicit baseline hazard function, the baseline hazard function can be estimated by fitting the data with a non-linear least square technique. The survival model is then examined …

Stereotypes Of Arab And Arab-Americans Presented In Hollywood Movies Released During 1994 To 2000., Yasmeen Elayan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stereotypes routinely appear within Hollywood films. This study focuses on films released from 1994-2000 that feature Arab/Arab-American characters. A literature analysis reviewed the use of stereotypes in other portrayals of Arab/Arab-American characters. A qualitative analysis of six movies examined specific characteristics that were displayed by Arab/Arab-American characters. These characteristics included speaking with an accent, traditional/native attire, acts of hostility and aggression, affiliation with terrorism, and whether they were depicted as victimizers or victims. These films were selected in order to demonstrate the frequent existence of negative portrayals in popular films prior to 9/11. A primary coder, the author, analyzed 108 …

A Comparative Study Of The Perceptions Of Elementary School Administrators, Teachers, And Students Regarding Recess And Free Play In The Public School., Amy Bennett Banner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to recent studies, the number of schools that have severely limited or eliminated recess and free-play opportunities is on the rise across the nation. School officials cite the increasing levels of state and federal pressure to perform on standardized tests as the primary reason for this shift away from the playground. The threat of lawsuits and safety concerns are also listed as factors in this change of policy.

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the perceptions of directors of schools, supervisors, principals, assistant principals, teachers, and students regarding recess and free play in three East …

Chronic Olanzapine Treatment Eliminates Cognitive Deficits Produced By Neonatal Quinpirole Treatment., Stephanie K. Thacker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the effects of chronic olanzapine treatment on cognitive performance and neurochemical function in a rodent model of schizophrenia. Animals were neonatally treated with quinpirole, a dopamine D₂ receptor agonist, or saline. Quinpirole treatment produces an increase of dopamine D₂ receptor sensitivity that extends into adulthood, known as D₂ receptor priming, similar to a phenomenon that occurs in schizophrenia. These same rats were treated in adulthood for 28 days with olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic, or saline. Dopamine D₂- primed rats demonstrated significant deficits on a cognitive task that were alleviated by olanzapine treatment. …

Mud And Ashes., Timothy Mcdonald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The artist discusses the work in Mud and Ashes, his Master of Fine Arts exhibition held at Slocumb Galleries, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, from March 28 to April 1, 2005. The exhibition marks a turning point in the artist’s work, occupying a beginning place as he completes his graduate career. The work consists of fifteen paintings and one sculptural installation. The paintings are on paper and employ local materials such as red clay, pollen, and beeswax along with traditional artist’s materials such as oil and charcoal. Fire and a power sander have also been used as …

Death At Elmira: George W. Jernigan, William Hoffman, And The Union Prison System., Thomas Watson Jernigan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the interaction between the Union Prison System led by William Hoffman and the Confederate prisoners-of-war, specifically those held at Elmira, New York. By focusing on Hoffman's actions and decisions in the last year of the war, the Confederate death toll can be better understood.

The treatise relies heavily on The War Of The Rebellion: A Compilation Of The Official Records Of The Union And Confederate Armies. Two studies were indispensable for this study: Hesseltine's Civil War Prisons: A Study In War Psychology, and Leslie's Hunter's Ph.D. Disseration, Warden For The Union: William Hoffman (1807-1884). …

Using Domination To Analyze Rna Structures., Travis Reves Coake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding RNA molecules is important to genomics research. Recently researchers at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences used graph theory to model RNA molecules and provided a database of trees representing possible secondary RNA structures. In this thesis we use domination parameters to predict which trees are more likely to exist in nature as RNA structures. This approach appears to have promise in graph theory applications in genomics research.

Casualty Of War : The Governorship Of Beriah Magoffin, 1859-1862., Robert William Goebel 1981-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to understand Beriah Magoffin as Governor of Kentucky. Adding to the work begun by Michael T. Dues and Lowell H. Harrison during the 1960s and 1970s, this thesis fleshes out a man little studied in history. It addresses several questions: Who was Governor Beriah Magoffin and what type of leader was he? Answering these questions, this thesis provides Magoffin as a mediocre leader who unsuccessfully tried to prevent civil war through compromise, neutrality, and obstruction. Moreover, Magoffin was a complex man with complex principles that guided his actions and eventually ruined his governorship. Magoffin believed in state's …

Survival Songs : How Refugee And Immigrant Women Experienced Violence., Judith C. Heitzman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An interest in privileging the voices of women who are marginalized in many parts of the world coupled with knowledge of the restorative properties of music cultivated this qualitative study. Seven women, ages 20-49 years of age, from three continents were asked the following grand tour questions: What was your experience of violence? What were the residual grief and loss issues that you faced? What, if any, role did music play in helping you cope with the stress of surviving violence? Participants were required to (a) be over 18 years old, (b) currently reside in the United States, (c) have …

Housing Tenure Choice Of Immigrants In The United States., Zhenfeng Pan 1974-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While housing tenure choice by the general population and minorities has been studied by a good number of researchers, current research on the tenure choice by immigrants has been limited and sporadic. This study provides further understanding of the immigrant households' housing tenure choice. Using Public Use Microdata files from the 2000 U.S. census, this study makes a number of methodological improvements to model the predictors of homeownership among the immigrants from 10 countries. The housing tenure choice predictors of immigrant households are also compared to those of the native-born counterparts to illustrate the differences in the factors affecting housing …

Business Faculty Recruitment : Effects Of Annual Salary And Health Benefits Plan., Glenn Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The topic addressed by this study was recruiting business professionals pursuing the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree to teach in business departments located at two-year community colleges. Recruitment is a task vital to organizational success and is becoming increasingly problematic for community colleges due to massive retirements among members of the post-World War II "baby-boomer" generation. The participants in this study were experienced business professionals (N = 187) completing MBA degrees at a university located in a major metropolitan area in the Midwest. The participants role-played as applicants for community college business faculty vacancies. Each participant rated six jobs …

Perceptions Of Efficacy Of Minority And Non-Minority School-Based Decision-Making Council Members In Kentucky's Region 1 And Region 2 School Systems., Anthony Ray Sanders

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Shortly after the implementation of Kentucky's school-based decision-making councils, it became obvious that minorities were severely underrepresented on these councils. As a result, the Kentucky legislature enacted Section 160.352(3)(f) by which schools having 8% or more minority student population had to increase the school-based council membership to include a minority parent and/or teacher, elected by the parents or the teachers respectively, if no minority member was elected in the initial voting. Though the law required minority representation on these councils, very little research has been conducted regarding minority participation. This study investigated the perceptions of school council members regarding their …

Design And Development Of A Mems-Based Capacitive Bending Strain Sensor And A Biocompatible Housing For A Telemetric Strain Monitoring System., Julia Marie Weyer Aebersold 1969-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lumbar arthrodesis or spinal fusion is usually performed to relieve back pain and regain functionality from ruptured discs, disc degenerative disease, trauma and scoliosis. Metal rods are often fixed to the spine with screws or hooks, while fusion develops on the affected vertebrae. Fusion is determined by visual examination of radiographic images (X-ray), computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), yet these inspection procedures are subjective methods of review. They do not objectively confirm the presence of spinal fusion, which can lead to exploratory surgery to determine if fusion has occurred. Therefore, a need has arisen to develop …

Fragmentation, Sprawl And Economic Development., Grigoriy V. Ardashev 1973-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fragmentation of governments and urban sprawl has been a subject of debate for a considerable time. The discussion often centers on whether space (sprawl) and politics (fragmentation) make a difference in the economic development of metropolitan areas. The hypothesis was set to follow the argument of polycentric school of thought on the organization of metropolitan governance. It was expected that competitive local public economies would be beneficial to the economic performance of the regions. Regarding the effect of sprawl, the study assumed that following the lines of free-market defense of sprawl it would be positively associated with economic performance of …

A Cross Sectional Analysis Of The Relationship Between Childhood Obesity And Craniofacial Dimensions In A Population Receiving Orthodontic Treatment., Daniel Mark Eves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if obesity impacts craniofacial dimensions in adolescent and teenage subjects. Twenty-one cephalometric measurements were selected as a basis for comparison between normal weight, overweight and obese children. The subjects were weighed, measured, and placed into one of the three groups based on their Body Mass Index (BMI). Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken, traced and digitized on all patients. The various measurements were analyzed to determine if there were any statistically significant differences between any of the measurements when compared on the basis of BMI. The following seven measurements showed a statistically significant …

The Alternatives To Detention Program : Assessment Of One Kentucky County's Efforts To Deinstitutionalize Status Offenders., Arthur Hayden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the beginning of the juvenile justice movement in the United States over a century ago, considerable debate has persisted among policymakers and practitioners concerning the causes of juvenile offending and the appropriate responses to control it. Although the juvenile justice system was conceived and developed to provide individualized, benevolent treatment to young offenders, the system has gradually shifted to resemble a more punitive, adult criminal justice model. While presently the system includes characteristics of both the juvenile and adult justice models, future directions are uncertain. This is problematic for young offenders who need and deserve more solicitous care in …