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Historical Realism And Stoic Heroes In The Work Of John Williams, Cameron Sepede Jun 2023

Historical Realism And Stoic Heroes In The Work Of John Williams, Cameron Sepede

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how John Williams’s three major works of fiction — Butcher’s Crossing, Stoner, and Augustus — are narratively structured around three main characters who embody the tenets of stoic and Emersonian transcendental philosophy, respectively. Williams uses these characters to promote and critique preconceived notions of heroic masculinity as structured within these philosophies. Through an analysis of form, this thesis will explore how Williams scaffolds his three main characters around the language and ideas present within each philosophical school. Williams’s portrayal of heroic masculinity, as seen through a feminist perspective, questions the ideal masculine hero, which will be …

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Fully Coupled Fluid Structure Interaction Simulation Of Bioprosthetic Heart Valves: A Numerical And Experimental Analysis, Masod Sadipour Jun 2023

Fully Coupled Fluid Structure Interaction Simulation Of Bioprosthetic Heart Valves: A Numerical And Experimental Analysis, Masod Sadipour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aortic stenosis impacts approximately 7% of the global population. In the past decade, the role of computational modeling has been becoming considerably important in the design of BHVs. To obtain reliable solutions in computational modeling, it is essential to consider accurate properties of bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs), such as density and mechanical properties. Previous computational studies assumed (bovine pericardium) BP used in BHVs density was comparable to water or blood. Yet, BP is subjected to multiple treatments like fixation and anti-calcification. In Chapter 2, I measured BP density and its effect on BHV leaflet stress and strain. In the second …

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Thermal, Magnetic, And Electrical Properties Of Thin Films And Nanostructures: From Magnetic Insulators To Organic Thermoelectrics, Michael J. M. Roos Jun 2023

Thermal, Magnetic, And Electrical Properties Of Thin Films And Nanostructures: From Magnetic Insulators To Organic Thermoelectrics, Michael J. M. Roos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Modern fabrication and growth techniques allow for the development of increasingly smaller and more complex solid state structures, the characterization of which require highly specialized measurement platforms. In this dissertation I present the development of techniques and instrumentation used in magnetic, thermal, and electrical property measurements of thin films and nanostructures. The understanding of trapped-flux induced artifacts in SQUID magnetometry of large paramagnetic substrates allows for the resolution of increasingly small moments. Using these methods, the antiferromagnetic coupling of the interface between a Y3Fe5O12 film and Gd3Ga5O12substrate is quantitatively …

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The Evolution Of Global Competition: The Creation Of A Soft Power Escalatory Dilemma, Hunter M. Willis Jun 2023

The Evolution Of Global Competition: The Creation Of A Soft Power Escalatory Dilemma, Hunter M. Willis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As relationships between actors have become much more important for security in a globalized world and raw capabilities have become less important, the security landscape has fundamentally changed. When looking at the modern competition between the United States and European Union against China, global infrastructure investment has become a new arena to compete within. When examining each actor’s global infrastructure initiatives, China with the Belt and Road Initiative, the European Union with its Global Gateway, and the United States heading the G7’s initiative dubbed the Build Back Better World initiative, competition is deemed to be present within the global system. …

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The Modernization Of Large Power Transformer Tanks, Babajide O. Williams Jun 2023

The Modernization Of Large Power Transformer Tanks, Babajide O. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the current demands placed on the power grid in terms of climate change, increasing urbanization, and terrorist attacks, the U.S. government in response to these demands, mandated that all the grid components be modernized in order to increase their reliability. As a critical component of the grid, Large Power Transformers (LPTs) play a key role in ensuring sustainable power generation and distribution. A literature search performed in this work and the analysis of data retrieved from the search showed that the tanks of these LPTs are critical to their durability, longevity, and reliability. Therefore, the reliability of LPTs …

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It’S Not What You (Don’T) Eat, It’S What Eats You: Countering The U.S. Eating Disorder Master Narrative, Kelsea V. Schoenbauer Jun 2023

It’S Not What You (Don’T) Eat, It’S What Eats You: Countering The U.S. Eating Disorder Master Narrative, Kelsea V. Schoenbauer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, affect approximately 20 million women in the United States (National Eating Disorders Association, 2022d). The dominant approach to studying eating disorders is based on the master narrative of biomedicine. The present dissertation examines the existing master narrative by investigating the meaning that women themselves ascribe to their eating disorder experiences. Drawing upon notions of embodiment, the present dissertation proposes narrative theorizing as an appropriate lens through which to view women’s narrative sense-making processes and employs narrative research methods. Using a modified version of McAdams’ (2008b) life story interview protocol, I …

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Design Of Hybrid Inverters Using Wideband Gap Semiconductors For Microgrid Application, Luca Gacy Jun 2023

Design Of Hybrid Inverters Using Wideband Gap Semiconductors For Microgrid Application, Luca Gacy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the world becomes more reliant on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, the need for high efficiency high power inverters connected to homes is more relevant than ever. Connecting these renewable energy sources (RES) coupled with an energy storage system (ESS) to the grid through a hybrid inverter, with the highest efficiency and grid stability, is quickly becoming a necessity for the near future. This thesis explores the integration of wide band gap semiconductors for the power stage in these systems, along with the analysis of hybrid inverter topologies and structures. The goal of this thesis …

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“Omg, I Think You May Have Just Changed My Life”: Binge Eating Disorder Recovery In Instagram Comment Sections, Caitlin Roe Jun 2023

“Omg, I Think You May Have Just Changed My Life”: Binge Eating Disorder Recovery In Instagram Comment Sections, Caitlin Roe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the internet and social media have become a more ingrained part of everyday life, online eating disorder pro-recovery communities have become a common topic of examination in the psychological sciences. However, there has been little focus on online binge eating disorder (BED) pro-recovery communities specifically. Additionally, there has not been much exploration into the use of comment sections as a part of pro-recovery communities. The current study used codebook thematic analysis to code ten BED pro-recovery Instagram comment sections to examine the interactive data present within this recovery community. Four themes were developed during analysis: detailed self-disclosure, sharing experiences …

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What’S Good: Sharing Food And Meaning-Making Among Commensals, Lucor Jordan Jun 2023

What’S Good: Sharing Food And Meaning-Making Among Commensals, Lucor Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To explore how systems of meaning are formed and reformed over an individual’s lifetime in the context of food, meals, and commensality, this research applies a critical phenomenological lens to food-centered life histories centered on the life experiences of childhood, adulthood and the diffusion of food knowledge within a food centric community between individuals within age cohorts and across generations. Through reflective interviewing community members within Denver metropolitan area anti-hunger organization, this research is able to provide insight into several secondary questions, including: Is childhood a formative space for the cementation of these systems of meaning and value and do …

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The Vigor Of Creative Materialism: Making The Hidden Stories Of Underrepresented Engineering Students Visible, Katherine A. Robert Jun 2023

The Vigor Of Creative Materialism: Making The Hidden Stories Of Underrepresented Engineering Students Visible, Katherine A. Robert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite decades of initiatives, engineering education continues to lack diversity. The proportion of women, BIPOC, LGBTQA+, low-income, first-generation, and disabled students in engineering education remains below national population levels. The culture of engineering is a barrier to increasing participation in engineering for students from these communities. The purpose of this dissertation study was to explore the experiences of underrepresented engineering students as they are socialized into the culture of engineering. I theorized a novel conceptual framework called creative materialism that combines culturally responsive methodologies, new materialist theory, and arts-based research methods. Two research questions were used to guide the study. …

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Novel Approach For Non-Invasive Prediction Of Body Shape And Habitus, Emma Young Jun 2023

Novel Approach For Non-Invasive Prediction Of Body Shape And Habitus, Emma Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While marker-based motion capture remains the gold standard in measuring human movement, accuracy is influenced by soft-tissue artifacts, particularly for subjects with high body mass index (BMI) where markers are not placed close to the underlying bone. Obesity influences joint loads and motion patterns, and BMI may not be sufficient to capture the distribution of a subject’s weight or to differentiate differences between subjects. Subjects in need of a joint replacement are more likely to have mobility issues or pain, which prevents exercise. Obesity also increases the likelihood of needing a total joint replacement. Accurate movement data for subjects with …

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The Rural Post-Graduation Plan Development Model: Advancing Student College Choice By Centering Rural Communities, Steve Jenks Jun 2023

The Rural Post-Graduation Plan Development Model: Advancing Student College Choice By Centering Rural Communities, Steve Jenks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

College choice models have been used since the 1980s to try and explain the processes and influences high school students use to decide if and which college to attend after graduation. These models focused solely on college attendance and lacked attention to the nuanced needs and resources found in rural communities. In this three-paper dissertation, a new, rural-centric model is proposed, tested, critiqued, and revised. The first paper proposes a new conceptual model of Rural Post-Graduation Plan Development using a critique and synthesis of prior college choice models, Critical Rural Theory, Funds of Knowledge, and socio-ecological models. The second paper …

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Patient Movement Monitoring Based On Imu And Deep Learning, Mohsen Sharifi Renani Jun 2023

Patient Movement Monitoring Based On Imu And Deep Learning, Mohsen Sharifi Renani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability among the aging population in the United States and is frequently treated by replacing deteriorated joints with metal and plastic components. Developing better quantitative measures of movement quality to track patients longitudinally in their own homes would enable personalized treatment plans and hasten the advancement of promising new interventions. Wearable sensors and machine learning used to quantify patient movement could revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders. The purpose of this dissertation was to overcome technical challenges associated with the use of wearable sensors, specifically Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), as a …

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Legitimacy In Conflict Contexts: Shifting Rebel Engagement In Sierra Leone And The Presence Of Private Contractors, Anne Lauder Jun 2023

Legitimacy In Conflict Contexts: Shifting Rebel Engagement In Sierra Leone And The Presence Of Private Contractors, Anne Lauder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The growth of non-state actors has significantly changed the nature of conflict. Rebel groups increasingly challenge state rule while private military and security companies (PMSCs) increasingly enter conflict spaces on behalf of a variety of actors, including states seeking to suppress insurgencies. This case study of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) during Sierra Leone’s civil war between 1991-2002 contributes to emerging work on rebel behavior by examining how rebel’s legitimacy-seeking behavior might evolve when PMSCs enter a conflict context. I explore the ways that PMSCs can shift perceived incentive structures surrounding insurgents’ interpretations of and engagements with legitimacy during conflict, …

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The Impact Of Brain Drain On Haiti's Rural Communities: The Case Of A Small Town In Central Haiti And Its Surroundings., Franst Choubert Rémy Jun 2023

The Impact Of Brain Drain On Haiti's Rural Communities: The Case Of A Small Town In Central Haiti And Its Surroundings., Franst Choubert Rémy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative participatory action research study investigated the causes and impacts of brain drain on Haiti’s rural communities, focusing on a small town in Central Haiti and its surrounding communities. Research shows that the brain drain has affected developing countries for many years. The pull factors from developed countries make the push factors in the home country more evident, leaving the latter depleted of educated human resources. It is particularly true in rural communities in Haiti. The researcher aimed to understand the causes through a community-based series of interviews, focus groups, and narratives. Participants expressed their views on the phenomenon …

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Morphosemantic Integration Of -Ing Anglicisms Into Russian And Kazakh In The Context Of Trilingual Code-Switching, Timur Akishev May 2023

Morphosemantic Integration Of -Ing Anglicisms Into Russian And Kazakh In The Context Of Trilingual Code-Switching, Timur Akishev

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current dissertation is an attempt to determine and describe the characteristics of the process of linguistic integration of English noun loans into Russian and Kazakh. One of the main objectives that my study was guided by was the analysis of the relationships between or across the linguistic and quantitative parameters of the loans based on the data drawn from the Russian National Corpus, an online database containing multiple examples of using the Russian language. Another important objective of the research conducted was to provide a holistic interpretation to the process of secondary adaptation of the nominal Anglicisms from Russian …

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An Analysis Of All-Cause Mortality On Patients With Sickle Cell Disease And Kidney Disease Using Propensity Score Matching, Adam Garrison May 2023

An Analysis Of All-Cause Mortality On Patients With Sickle Cell Disease And Kidney Disease Using Propensity Score Matching, Adam Garrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this work, we provide an overview of the Cox proportional hazards model for time to event or survival analysis and the notion of propensity score matching to deal with confounding factors. A full analysis is reported in Chapter 2 concerning mortality for in-center dialysis patients with sickle cell disease to demonstrate the application of a general analysis strategy that has some logistical benefits over more traditional approaches to accounting for confounding variables. We also provide some insight and discussions on the challenges and future research questions that will emerge when trying to implement this strategy as a monitoring tool …

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Blockchain Security: Double-Spending Attack And Prevention, William Henry Scott Iii May 2023

Blockchain Security: Double-Spending Attack And Prevention, William Henry Scott Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis shows that distributed consensus systems based on proof of work are vulnerable to hashrate-based double-spending attacks due to abuse of majority rule. Through building a private fork of Litecoin and executing a double-spending attack this thesis examines the mechanics and principles behind the attack. This thesis also conducts a survey of preventative measures used to deter double-spending attacks, concluding that a decentralized peer-to-peer network using proof of work is best protected by the addition of an observer system whether internal or external.

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Characterization Of Molecular Content, Cytotoxicity, And Anti-Inflammatory Activity Of Extractions From Eupatorium Serotinum, Jordy Sloan May 2023

Characterization Of Molecular Content, Cytotoxicity, And Anti-Inflammatory Activity Of Extractions From Eupatorium Serotinum, Jordy Sloan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inflammation is a complex and varied immune response which can be expressed chronically or as a temporary reaction to foreign invaders. Symptoms of inflammation include swelling, pain, soreness, and difficulty of motion. Recently, the effect of sesquiterpene lactones such as Helenalin from Arnica montana have been studied for their anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we identified and harvested samples of Eupatorium serotinum, a plant historically used by Native Americans to treat a variety of medical illnesses. Crude extracts of the leaves, flowers, roots, and stems were prepared by ethanol extraction. The cytotoxicity of the different extracts on HEK293 cells …

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Perception Of Alumni Of The Department Of Agriculture At Stephen F. Austin State University, Sherifat Rufai May 2023

Perception Of Alumni Of The Department Of Agriculture At Stephen F. Austin State University, Sherifat Rufai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

University alumni surveys have served various purposes since they were introduced in the 1930s in the United States. The Department of Agriculture at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) aimed to evaluate alumni perceptions between the Fall of 2010 and the Spring of 2022 to provide an opportunity to examine the relationship between degree fields and occupations and the agriculture curriculum, salaries, and demographic data for college graduates. This study's web-based survey was designed to include closed-ended and open-ended questions to collect individual opinions using Qualtrics Survey Software. The survey materials were made available on the alumni's social media accounts. …

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Making Malice Musical: Verdi’S Compositional Journey Through The Eyes Of Six Villains, Michael Chadwick May 2023

Making Malice Musical: Verdi’S Compositional Journey Through The Eyes Of Six Villains, Michael Chadwick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Giuseppe Verdi is a pillar of the operatic world and had a profound impact on the evolution of the art form. From a rudimentary beginning, he developed over time from a popular creator of operas in the solita forma style of 19th century Italy into a master craftsman of combining music, text, and theatrical drama. Verdi utilized the popular compositional formal convention of solita forma to begin his career. Over time he evolved beyond its boundaries and shifted his focus to the holistic theatrical presentation of the drama. Much has been written about this evolution through analysis of Verdi’s …

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The Great Unlearning, Catherine Mccrory Pears May 2023

The Great Unlearning, Catherine Mccrory Pears

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Great Unlearning is a conceptual exploration: sifting through experiences and objects to overcome psychological pain, expectations of society, individual upbringing, and outside influences in an ongoing quest for authenticity. To both embrace personal history and honor loved ones while letting go of lingering negativity is challenging. Using objects culled from my life, examining the past, and incorporating items gathered along my path through nature, the work seeks personal healing while promoting the power of all people to break from indoctrination, group think, and mob mentality to make better choices to live a satisfying and peaceful existence…hopefully in a democratic …

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Restrictions On Topological Symmetry Groups Of The 3-Rung Möbius Ladder On The Torus, Logan Willhoite May 2023

Restrictions On Topological Symmetry Groups Of The 3-Rung Möbius Ladder On The Torus, Logan Willhoite

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this work, we discuss properties of the 3-rung Möbius ladder embedded on the surface of a torus. We present proofs on restrictions of topological symmetry groups of the Möbius ladder with and without the assumption of preserving orientation. Specifically, we show that Z2 is the only possible non-trivial orientation-preserving topological symmetry groups, and also that Z2 and D2 are the only possible nontrivial topological symmetry groups.

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School Psychologists’ Knowledge And Perceived Competence Regarding Concussion Management In Schools, Braelyn Tracy May 2023

School Psychologists’ Knowledge And Perceived Competence Regarding Concussion Management In Schools, Braelyn Tracy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that can have a serious effect on a young, developing brain. Following a concussion, it is common for children and adolescents to experience difficulties in the school setting. Schools may be the ideal setting to address some of the problems children experience as schools employ some personnel with expertise and experience in assessment and intervention. If return to learn is put to the side, students experiencing concussion signs and symptoms could potentially have long-term cognitive problems. School psychologists play a key role in the prevention and assessment of, and intervention for …

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Examining The Effectiveness Of Using Video Modeling On Increasing Positive Social Interaction In Academic Settings In Students With Learning Disabilities In Saudi Arabia, Ayman Abdullah Alamri, Ayman Abdullah Alamri May 2023

Examining The Effectiveness Of Using Video Modeling On Increasing Positive Social Interaction In Academic Settings In Students With Learning Disabilities In Saudi Arabia, Ayman Abdullah Alamri, Ayman Abdullah Alamri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Video Modeling (VM) is a widely used intervention strategy to promote academic learning and positive social interactions in children with disabilities by watching a video clip modeled by a peer (peers) demonstrating the desired behavior. Limited research has been conducted on this topic to examine VM’s effectiveness on promoting positive social interactions in academic settings involving children with learning disabilities (LD). This study employed a single subject research design, specifically, a multiple baseline across participant design, to fill the void in the literature. The researcher invited three elementary students between 4th to 6th grade who met the inclusion …

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Assessing The Appropriateness Of Free-Roaming Cat Management Strategies Based On Resident Perspectives In A Small Pennsylvania Municipality, Brianna Marks May 2023

Assessing The Appropriateness Of Free-Roaming Cat Management Strategies Based On Resident Perspectives In A Small Pennsylvania Municipality, Brianna Marks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The popularity and mismanagement of free-roaming cats has resulted in invasive populations responsible for over-predation of birds and small mammals and increased disease transmission to humans and animals (Bies, 2014; Crowley et al., 2020). Management effectiveness fluctuates between communities due to varying opinions of free-roaming cats by governments and the public, which can influence management development and success (Deak et al., 2019). This research assesses the relationship between community perspectives of free-roaming cats and management. A survey of residents in a small Pennsylvania municipality was conducted with questions pertaining to free-roaming cats and management preferences in the community. Over 50% …

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Teaching Problem-Solving Skills As A Soft Skill For Employment To Individuals With Autism And Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities Using Video Modelling In A Virtual Learning Environment, Cliff Oliech May 2023

Teaching Problem-Solving Skills As A Soft Skill For Employment To Individuals With Autism And Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities Using Video Modelling In A Virtual Learning Environment, Cliff Oliech

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with Autism (ASD) and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) exhibit poor post-secondary education employment outcomes compared to their disabled and non-disabled peers (Shattuck et al., 2012; Taylor et al., 2015). In addition, due to the COVID-19 pandemic school closures, students with ASD and/or IDD in post-secondary transition programs may have lost crucial instruction time, possibly putting them at risk for unemployment and underemployment. Consequently, this research study sought to establish through multiple-baselines across participants design how effective VM can be in teaching problem-solving skills as a soft skill for employment to post-secondary transition education students with ASD and/or IDD …

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Rhetorical Privilege: Entitlement, Control, And The Disruption Of Shared Discourse, Marc Grandillo May 2023

Rhetorical Privilege: Entitlement, Control, And The Disruption Of Shared Discourse, Marc Grandillo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project seeks to explore a concept that I call rhetorical privilege, an occurrence that develops within a particular population of individuals who exhibit an elevated sense of self, demanding exclusive accommodation or recognition for unearned accomplishment. Commonly known as entitlement, this mentality is often associated with younger generations that have been raised in an environment that engenders an attitude of control. Equipped with the misguided notion that all aspects of their lives may be personally determined, individuals carry this same assumption into communicative encounters. My contention is that the contemporary rhetorical speaker-audience relationship, understood to be built upon “a …

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Evaluation Planning And Special Service Eligibility Decisions Of School Psychologists: Differences By Chronic Health Condition And Impairment Severity, Maria Tina Benno May 2023

Evaluation Planning And Special Service Eligibility Decisions Of School Psychologists: Differences By Chronic Health Condition And Impairment Severity, Maria Tina Benno

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School psychologists are expert practitioners who are well-versed in conducting comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations to address a wide range of students’ needs in schools. The increasing prevalence of pediatric chronic illnesses (CIs) and the presence of students with CIs attending school requires school psychologists to be knowledgeable of the educational and social-emotional impacts of CIs on students’ functioning. Moreover, organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and National Association for School Psychologists (NASP) encourage school psychologists to demonstrate competency in understanding the influence of CIs on students’ function in the classroom (APA, 1998; Schmitt et al., 2019). Comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations …

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Phronesis And Philosophical Hermeneutics In Rhetoric And Philosophy Of Communication Praxis: A Pastoral Implication, Nichodemus Okafor May 2023

Phronesis And Philosophical Hermeneutics In Rhetoric And Philosophy Of Communication Praxis: A Pastoral Implication, Nichodemus Okafor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overarching telos of this dissertation is walking the humanities into the marketplace. Its specific purpose is seeking how to enact the praxis of rhetoric and philosophy of communication. In keeping with Calvin Schrag’s “communicative praxis” and Ronald Arnett’s “responsive, learning rhetoric,” this research considers phronesis and philosophical hermeneutics as pragmatic tools of rhetoric and philosophy of communication praxis. It seeks the implication of rhetoric and philosophy of communication praxis in the pastoral field visualized as a marketplace, since the marketplace is not merely a place of capitalism, but a real world where people engage their concrete human condition/existence in …

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