Digital Commons Network^™

Performance Effects Of A Strength Training Program In Collegiate Runners, Alyssa Younker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that lower limb asymmetries can negatively impact performance and risk of injury. However, there is little research on the effects of lower limb asymmetry on running performance, nor the effects of strength training on lower limb asymmetry in runners. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between jumping ability and asymmetry and long distance running performance, as well as to determine the performance effects a strength training program has on collegiate runners. Data from athlete monitoring of 10 collegiate distance runners and 6 sprinters were analyzed. Athletes (Distance Runners n = 10, Sprinters n …

Educator And Administrator Perceptions Of Sheltered Instruction In Stem Courses, Tommy D. Duncan Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions held by educators and administrators regarding sheltered instruction of English Language Learners (ELLs) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms; relevant professional development; and the use of the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) within lesson plans. ELLs represent a subpopulation of students with significant achievement gaps in STEM, ultimately affecting student engagement and career interest in STEM. Ten STEM teachers and two administrators from a midsized middle school in west Texas participated in the study. Online semistructured one-on-one interviews and document analysis of submitted lesson plans from …

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

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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

A Qualitative Study Of Department Chairs’ Perceptions Regarding Job Role Transition In Christian Colleges, Tiniesha La'shae Menete

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the department chairs’ perceptions regarding their job role transition in Christian colleges and universities. Previous studies have focused on department chairs’ perceptions in public colleges and universities across the world. However, there were limited studies regarding the perceptions of department chairs in Christian colleges and universities. This study aimed to explore the department chairs’ perceptions in Christian colleges and universities to add to the body of knowledge. Exploring this problem was critical due to the immense potential department chairs have to negatively affect the future of their institution because of the number of responsibilities they hold …

First-Year Seminar And Its Impact On Retention At A Small Liberal Arts College In South Carolina, Michael A. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

First-Year Seminar (FYS) courses have been the foundational building blocks for academic and nonacademic success for first-year college freshman since the late 1970s. With the focus on improving retention and persistence, FYS courses have been viewed as the resource that connects freshmen to the faculty, staff, student, and campus environment. Therefore, it is vital to see the impact that it has had on students and how it can further develop persistence through graduation. The researcher conducted this basic qualitative study to look for emerging themes of sophomore experience in the FYS courses and how that impacted their persistence and retention …

The Use Of Medical Marijuana For The Relief Of Chronic Pain, Jacquelyn M. Paylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract For thousands of years, medical cannabis has been used for relief of chronic pain and personal ailments. It changes users’ mental capacities and perceptions while treating and providing relief from pain and muscle spasms. As a recreational and spiritual substance, this Schedule I drug requires special consideration and certification to administer. Increasing complaints of chronic pain have led doctors to prescribe opioids for pain relief. As prescriptions for opioids have increased, the number of opioid-related mortality and morbidity incidents have also risen. The high rates of opioid-related near deaths and overdoses have led policy makers, clinicians, pharmacists, and providers …

Servant Leadership And Conflict Adaptivity In Local Government Leaders, June F. Mighty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Government organizations’ focus on public service provides a fertile ground for conflict due to competing interests and goals. Conflicts exist and persist because of workplace pressures such as unstable political climates, budget restrictions, technological advances, a diverse workforce, disruptive change, and organizational transformation. Although typically risk-averse, these organizations need flexible and adaptive leaders who exhibit the appropriate behaviors in the best interests of the organization and the community. Servant-leaders seem likely to demonstrate conflict adaptivity due to their focus on serving the needs of followers and other stakeholders, which may require different conflict styles at different times and in different …

Student Perceptions Of The Effects Of The Modern Educational Reform Movement On The Concept Of The Whole Child, Edward Theodore Knight

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a robust public education system is critical to the future of the U.S. democracy, efforts to improve or reform education have been prominent since its inception. Unfortunately, recent strategies to improve academic achievement have not been successful, and unintended consequences were noted for both students and staff. A specific issue related to modern reform was the construct that the focus on the whole child was disappearing as educators focused solely on the cognitive aspects of their students. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of recently graduated high school students in an effort to determine if …

An Examination Of Female Officers’ Career Advancement In The U.S. Military, Glenda A. Gill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is little research about the gender-related barriers female military officers face when working to advance in the ranks even though there continues to be research about gender bias and discrimination when pursuing leadership and management positions. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of veteran female officers who advanced in rank in the U.S. military. Secondarily, the purpose was to: (a) determine if women experienced role congruity barriers, while advancing in rank and (b) determine if women experienced role congruity when they attempted to advance in rank to elite-level leadership positions. In this study, …

Clinician’S Perceptions Of Neurofeedback Application And Effectiveness, Heidi Newman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects children and adults alike. Finding an intervention that works for every individual is not an easy task. There is not a one size fits all strategy when considering interventions. Having multiple treatment options available to individuals is important for those diagnosed and affected by the disorder. Many parents are not aware of the attentive interventions available to their children, especially when that intervention is not medication. Dispersing valuable ADHD treatment information to educators and parents is a challenge that would benefit from further research and clinician engagement. In this study, clinicians that provide …

Positive Body Image And Cognitive Processing Style, Brittney Dumas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social media use among young people is ubiquitous and has been associated with body image concerns. Though prior work has overwhelmingly focused on “screen time,” increasing evidence highlights the role of subjective social media experiences in driving this association, rather than mere frequency of use. In the current study, body appreciation was tested as a trait-level variable that may protect women from the negative impact of appearance-focused fitspiration images, which have become common in social media platforms. Appearance schema activation and appearance-related self-discrepancy were examined as two social-cognitive processes in which self-protective tendencies may emerge. Fitspiration exposure predicted appearance schema …

Medication Versus Brain-Based Treatment: Evaluation Treatment Preferences Of Parents Of Children With Adhd, Rebecca Recio-Swift

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders across the world. Currently, treatment for ADHD mostly consists of either medication or behavioral therapy or a combination of both. However, research has shown that medication used as therapy for the treatment of ADHD has side effects which parents deem undesirable for their children. Therefore, recent research has focused on patient and parent preferences. Studies have found that behavioral or other treatment options may often be chosen over medications. These same studies have documented the characteristics of parents that prefer certain treatments for their children. The purpose of this …

Using Modified Cover-Copy-Compare To Increase Math Fact Fluency And Promote Generalization, Juan Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many elementary school students struggle with basic math fact fluency in the United States (Stickney et al., 2012). Cover-Copy-Compare (CCC) is a widely used intervention strategy that helps students who experience math fact fluency delays. This study aimed to modify CCC to improve four students’ math fact fluency. This study also aimed to modify CCC to generalize the target skill to more advanced skills. It was hypothesized that the intervention would increase participants’ target item fluency. It also hypothesized that the intervention would facilitate generalization to untrained target items and more difficult items. However, due to the impact of COVID-19, …

Analysis Of Disproportionality In Discipline And The Effects Of Positive Behavior Supports Within Special Education, Cutler T. Ruby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nationwide, school districts are required (IDEA, 2004) to implement positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) for all students receiving special education services. These PBIS are reported to reduce problem behaviors and increase prosocial behaviors when implemented with fidelity (Crone et al., 2015). With a reduction of problem behaviors an expected reduction of discipline referrals should follow along with a reduction in days spent in exclusionary discipline for students in special education. Reducing days in exclusionary discipline is desired due to a strong research base linking the practice to several negative outcomes (Marchbanks et al., 2015) along with data demonstrating these …

La Transtextualidad En El Mal Querer De Rosalía, Susan Shelton, Susan Shelton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

El álbum, El mal querer (2018), de la artista española, Rosalía, se basa en un romance medieval, El Roman de Flamenca, y cuenta la historia de una mujer que sufre violencia de género a manos de su esposo. Esta obra no solamente dialoga con Flamenca, sino que también conversa con una variedad de textos musicales y visuales. Usando primariamente la noción de la transtextualidad expresada por Gerard Genette en su obra, Palimpsestos (1982), esta tesis explora cómo las relaciones transtextuales en los aspectos literarios, musicales y visuales de El mal querer indaga el tema de la violencia de …

Hot Or Not? The Effects Of Fitspiration Images On Body Dysmorphic Concerns, Kayla Ramsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite positive intentions, research suggests that fitspiration causes a multitude of negative effects on body image. This study will expand on previous work by examining the effects of fitspiration on body dysmorphic concerns, appearance-based rejection sensitivity (appearance-RS), and intentions to exercise, as well as the differences in these effects by sex. The first hypothesis is that participants will report more body dysmorphic concerns and appearance-RS following exposure to fitspiration compared to travel images. Second, it was hypothesized that compared to males, females will be more prone to the negative impact that fitspiration images have on body dysmorphic concerns and appearance-RS. …

Exploring The Challenges And Barriers Of Professional Practice Experience In Health Information Management Education, Darla D. Branda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Professional practice experience in health information management education provides students with the opportunity to apply theory to practice and prepare for the workforce. Yet, problems exist with placing and precepting students at healthcare organizations. The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges and barriers that preceptors have with placing and precepting students at their organizations. For this action research study, a qualitative multicase study was carried out. Data were collected from six participants using pre-interview surveys and interviews. The sample population included credentialed health information professionals currently working in acute care hospital settings with a recent history of …

Policy Development: Stress Management And Critical Incident Debriefing, Karen Loraine Hasie Rowland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Workplace stress and associated disorders (occupational burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, critical incident stress, posttraumatic stress disorder, etc.) disproportionately affect healthcare workers, especially those working in critical care and emergency environments. The financial cost of stress related after-effects experienced by health care workers exceeds $191 billion each year and includes the cost of associated decreased quality of patient care, missed diagnoses, medical errors, and sentinel events leading to patient disablement or mortality. Mental health interventions such as stress management education and critical incident debriefings have been proven effective in reducing workplace stress and building personal resilience. A gap …

A Study Of The Association Of Teacher Efficacy And Students' Achievement In A North Texas School District, Ruth E. Schackmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The field of education places great importance on measurable student achievement and the role of teaching competencies for maximizing success. Whereas much focus has been given to professional development and improving teachers’ skills, this quantitative study examined whether teachers' self-efficacy and judgment about their skills and capabilities were significantly associated with improving student achievement in third grade reading. This dissertation involved a study of teacher self-efficacy using a sample group of third grade English/Language Arts teachers from one Texas urban school district. Targeted teachers were invited to complete a valid and reliable teacher efficacy survey, the Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy …

An Evaluation Of Programs And Leadership Practices For Effective Dropout Prevention, Nicole C. West

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This mixed-methods study explored a problem within dropout research which often fails to link characteristics of student subgroups with effective dropout interventions. Considering the characteristics identified in the literature of at-risk learners, the conceptual framework for this study combined the theory of self-efficacy and leadership with emphasis on servant leadership. The purpose of the study was to evaluate dropout intervention and prevention programs in two high schools by examining intervention and leadership practices for students at risk of dropping out of high school. Through causal-comparative and phenomenological approaches, this investigation focused on identifying dropout factors targeted in the intervention …

Molecular Dynamics Simulations Provide Insight Into Stability Of Hyperthermophilic Endoglucanases, Logan E. Sheffield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endoglucanases play a key role in the industrial production of bioethanol, but the most efficient method requires the utilization of high temperatures and is currently limited by the thermostability of endoglucanases. For this reason, it would be beneficial to discover more high-efficiency, thermostable enzymes to utilize in the hydrolytic process. In this study molecular dynamics simulations were performed on structurally similar endoglucanases with varying levels of thermostability to gain insight on what factors contribute to thermostability in endoglucanases. RMSD, RMSF, PCA, hydrogen bonding and salt bridges were analyzed. Finally, protein energy networks were constructed from nonbonded interaction potentials and analysis …

Mineralogical Restrictions On Porosity In The Taylor Sand Of The Cotton Valley Group, Northern Louisiana Salt Basin, Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, Kaleb C. Mcclain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Cotton Valley Group has been targeted for hydrocarbons since the 1940s. However, the reservoir was initially considered uneconomical to drill due to its low permeability and porosity. Since then, recent technological advances in hydraulic fracturing have allowed the Cotton Valley Sandstone members to become prolific, profitable plays, renewing interest in drilling and exploration across the northwest/northern Louisiana region.

In this research, mineralogical restrictions on the porosity in the Lower Taylor Sand of the Cotton Valley Group were studied from core (10,035’ft/3,059m -10,150’ft/3,094m) from Blackburn Field, northwest Claiborne Parish. Twelve samples were taken at intervals throughout the Taylor Sand, starting …

Precambrian Basement Influence On The Deposition Of The Upper Ordovician Utica Shale Play In East Central Ohio, William Kaleb Kirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Ordovician Utica shale play is a major oil and gas producing interval in the Appalachian Basin. The Utica shale play can be found as far as New York and Canada and to the south into Indiana and Kentucky. The play consists of the Trenton/Lexington limestones, Point Pleasant Formation, and Utica shale. The shallow marine fossiliferous limestones of the Trenton and shallow marine shaley limestones of the Lexington are overlain by an interbedded shale and limestone of the Point Pleasant Formation, which grade into the deeper marine interbedded shales and limey shales of the Utica. These formations are highly heterogeneous, …

Deposition And Diagenesis Of The Blossom Sand, Panola County, Texas, Hannah Chambers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Late Cretaceous Blossom Sand within the Austin Group is a historic gas reservoir in the East Texas basin, located at depths of approximately 2,000 ft below the surface. Since the discovery of the Carthage Field in 1918 in the East Texas Basin, the Blossom Sand has produced approximately 26 BCF of gas with minor amounts of oil. Despite its notoriety in the Carthage Field, there is very little research that has been conducted on this unit, although it crops out in northeast Texas and is found in the subsurface of southwest Arkansas, western Louisiana, and the East Texas Basin. …

Best Practices For Instructional Coaching Feedback Strategies As Perceived By Effective Principals Of High At-Risk Schools, Angela P. Steward

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High-poverty schools have historically been low-performing schools. However, with the right strategies and leadership, these schools can have improved student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to describe best practice instructional coaching feedback strategies as perceived by effective principals of high at-risk schools in Louisiana. This study was framed around the transformational leadership theory by principals who utilize instructional leadership methods in their respective schools. Participants in this case study included eight high school principals. All the principals had been on their respective campuses for a minimum of two years, including the last years that data …

Challenges Of Pastoral Leaders: Maintaining Resilience While Contemplating Transitioning Out Of Ministry, Benjamin A. Griffin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study was based upon 40 years of observation of pastoral leaders who faced challenges that tested their resilience to remain in or transition out of full-time ministry. Those who were fortunate to navigate their way through these challenges were resilient in ministry or were able to move forward by becoming bivocational. Some went back to school and got secular degrees and sought jobs outside of their calling. While facing career identity challenges, pastors feared their ministerial skills were less viable in a secular context and were reluctant to make a transition. This study aimed to understand their resilience …

Preparing Future Healthcare Professionals: The Relationship Between Resilience, Emotional Intelligence, And Age, Cindy Lee Mcguire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preparing students for a successful career should be the goal of any healthcare educational program. However, traditional approaches in healthcare education are primarily focused on the technical components and neglect the competencies needed to navigate the emotional labor associated with clinical practice. With increased stress and demands related to emotional labor, as evident in recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals are likely to encounter adverse events and emotionally challenging situations. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship among resilience, emotional intelligence (EI), and age in students enrolled in healthcare programs. Convenience sampling …

Use Of The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program For Substance Abuse Monitoring And Pain Management, Crystal P. Beddard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The United States is in an opioid epidemic. The comitant use of opiates and benzodiazepines can ultimately result in death. This project consisted of a quality improvement approach addressing the continued need to educate prescribers on coprescribing benzodiazepines and opioids to the adult population. A qualitative and quantitative descriptive analysis was utilized for data collection. The results will assist in determining if accessing the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) and utilizing evidence-based guidelines before prescribing treatment compared to the nonutilization of the PDMP and evidence-based guidelines aid in the reduction of mortality and overdose rates within a three-month period. …

Experiences That Support Persistence And Retention Of Latinx First-Generation College Students (Fgcs) At Community Colleges, Veronica Rios

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to describe experiences of successful Latinx first-generation college students that support persistence and retention toward graduation for Latinx first-generation college students at California community colleges. The study was framed using Tinto’s retention theory. Successful Latinx first-generation college students were defined as those who have attained graduation from a California community college. This study focused on Latinx first-generation college students not persisting toward graduation at California community colleges, a situation that extends to the national level. This case study included nine Latinx first-generation college students, and the researcher collected data through virtual semistructured …

Understanding The Barriers East Texas Community College Students Experience In Transferring To A Regional University, Kelly Leigh Coke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a plethora of research available on students and the barriers they face in transferring to a university, such as transfer processes, articulations, pathways, 2+2 plans, institutional agents, and financial issues. However, in rural areas of Texas, little research is available on the barriers students endure in transferring from community colleges to four-year universities. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to determine the transfer barriers faced by a community college student population and the support services needed for their successful transfers to four-year universities. The framework that guided this study was transfer student capital and transfer shock. …