Digital Commons Network^™

Safety In Stability: A Cdc-Guided Evaluation Of Hospital Fall Prevention Practices, Matthew C. Dougherty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hospital falls remain a persistent and preventable cause of patient harm, emphasizing the need for continuous evaluation of fall prevention practices. This project assessed the effectiveness of AdventHealth Orlando’s fall prevention policy using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Program Evaluation Framework. A mixed-methods design incorporated quantitative analysis of 12 months of fall data and qualitative feedback from frontline staff surveys and discussions. Results demonstrated a decrease in total falls from 549 in the previous year to 528 in the current year, indicating early progress despite the incomplete reporting period. Unit-level analysis showed a mean improvement of 16.9% …

Enhancing Provider Knowledge And Implementation Of Medication For Opioid Use Disorder (Moud) To Improve Treatment Outcomes: A Quality Improvement Project., Motunrayo Abigael Ibraheem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quality improvement project sought to enhance healthcare providers' knowledge and attitudes toward Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) at Galt Ocean Rehab Center to improve treatment outcomes for patients with opioid use disorder. Despite evidence supporting the efficacy of MOUD, significant knowledge gaps and stigmatizing attitudes among providers create barriers to optimal care. Sixteen healthcare providers participated in a comprehensive educational intervention grounded in Jean Watson's Theory of Transpersonal Caring and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Model for Improvement. The intervention consisted of a 4-hour workshop, six weekly reinforcement sessions, and the implementation of standardized buprenorphine management protocols. Pre- …

Enhancing Td Screening With The Aims Scale: A Quality Improvement Project, Dionne Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a persistent, often irreversible movement disorder associated with long-term use of dopamine receptor–blocking agents. Early identification is critical to prevent progression and minimize functional impairment; however, routine TD screening remains inconsistent in many clinical settings despite the availability of the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), the evidence-based gold-standard tool. This quality improvement project aimed to enhance TD screening in an outpatient psychiatric setting through an educational intervention designed to improve provider knowledge of risk factors, diagnostic criteria, and screening guidelines. Data were collected retrospectively and prospectively from patient encounters, with 33 pre-intervention and 35 post-interventions. AIMS …

Assembling Life From Death: Examining The Archaeological Fauna Of Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse’S Past To Preserve Biodiversity For The Future, Victoria Sherwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project utilizes an assemblage of faunal remains from a precontact midden at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse archaeological site in northern Palm Beach County, Florida. The assemblage was identified and analyzed through the lenses of resource use and paleoenvironmental changes. The Indigenous groups in the area heavily utilized estuarine resources such as fish and marine turtles. The archaeological assemblage was compared to a modern survey of species present at the site. The species identified in the precontact collection are present in the surrounding area today. The archaeological assemblage matching up with modern species speaks to the success of Loxahatchee River …

Persons With Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementias And Caregiver Burnout: A Quality Improvement Project, Reede A. Walke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) represented an escalating public health challenge, profoundly affecting individuals, families, and healthcare systems. As the number of individuals diagnosed with ADRD rises, the prevalence of caregiver burden and burnout among those providing care also increases. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the existing assessment processes for caregiver burnout and determine the effectiveness of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), a measurement which identifies caregivers’ levels of stress, at a memory disorder center in south Florida. Sixteen caregivers reported overall mild-to-moderate caregiver burden, with a mean ZBI score of 22.19 (SD = …

The Impact Of Career Development Education In Rural Communities: A Program Evaluation, Hayden S. Austin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of a regional career development education program using a post-test-only, exploratory descriptive design with middle and high school students from rural and urban school districts in West Central Texas. Students who participated in the Career and Education Outreach (CEO) program received four classroom sessions focused on labor market information, high-demand industries, employability skills, and career pathways. The purpose of this research was to explore whether students’ perceptions of the value of career development education differed based on geographic region, economic level, educational level, ethnic composition of the district, and the students’ own demographic characteristics. A …

Exploring Commuter Trio Students' Student Support Services At A Public University, Travis J. Batiste Edd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study explored the experiences and service needs of TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) commuter students at a public regional university in northern Louisiana. The literature review showed that while TRiO SSS programs have a demonstrated history of promoting academic success and retention for first-generation students, low-income students, and students with disabilities, little institutional research has been conducted to better understand how student residential status impacts learning outcomes and utilization of campus resources. Drawing on Astin’s theory of involvement, this study described the lived experiences of TRiO SSS commuter participants and the impact of commuting on their engagement, programmatic use, …

Principals’ Perceptions Of Their Preparedness To Facilitate And Support Technology Integration In Schools: A Case Study Of Four Rural Texas Principals, Christina J. Campbell Ed.D.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School administrators face the challenge of leading technology integration that provides meaningful learning opportunities to prepare students for 21st-century skills and careers. Research has shown that administrative leadership support, behaviors, assumptions, and policies impact technology integration in the classroom. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards include guidelines for education leaders and their role in supporting educators using technology. However, leaders underestimate the impact of their leadership on effective use in the classroom. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of South Texas rural public school principals working in Chapman Independent School District …

World On Fire: The Hunger Games And The Rhetoric Of Revolution, Rachel Olivares

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the decade between 2010 and 2020, more people participated in mass protests than at any other point in human history. From the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street and Hong Kong’s “umbrella movement,” street demonstrations exploded on a global scale. This period of global unrest coincided with another explosion: the dystopian young adult series The Hunger Games surged in popularity, quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon. Following the release of the book series and its subsequent film adaptations, The Hunger Games became a global symbol of grassroots resistance as social and political movements adopted the language and symbols of its …

Consequences Of Secondary Traumatic Stress On Individuals Without Formal Psychological Training Working With Trauma-Exposed Children, Juan F. Valdez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Literature has suggested that secondary traumatic stress could cause various adverse effects for individuals working with trauma-exposed populations. However, direct care workers performing in shelters designed to serve unaccompanied immigrant children are faced with the task of caring for these minors who may have been exposed to trauma in their home countries, while traveling to the United States, or after arriving in the country. This qualitative case study was conducted to understand and describe the experiences of 15 current employees and five ex-employees who have worked with unaccompanied children for at least a year. These individuals participated in in-depth personal …

Sex, Riots, And Holy Water: How Modern Society Desecrates And Reconsecrates The Sacred, Jodeyah J. Mills

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how modern societies desecrate and reconsecrate the sacred through rhetoric, ritual, and visual performance. Using three case studies, Nazi Germany’s transformation of Quedlinburg Abbey, the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, and Sabrina Carpenter’s controversial church music video, “Feather,” this project analyzes how sacred meaning is violated and restored in religious, civic, and popular contexts. Drawing on Kenneth Burke’s dramatistic cycle and postsecular theory, it argues that desecration and reconsecration are dialogic acts that expose competing moral vocabularies within culture. Each event demonstrates that even in a secular age, people respond to ruptures of ultimate meaning …

Exploring The Role Of Christian Religiosity In The Acceptance Or Rejection Of Ai Chatbot Use Among Faculty At Church Of Christ Universities, Amos Gutierrez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions are navigating the benefits and challenges of generative AI chatbot use and preparing faculty and students to engage with these tools ethically and responsibly. The problem is that there are many challenges and barriers to using these technologies in higher education, and Christian higher education institutions must also address context-specific considerations regarding mission and vision rooted in biblical faith and practice. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study using confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression through structural equation modeling was to examine faculty perceptions of AI chatbots and how Christian religiosity moderates acceptance. An online survey …

Leading With Strength: The Relationship Between Character Strength Awareness And Teacher Self-Efficacy, Ashton Lynn Knox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditional educational leadership practices have historically emphasized weakness-based approaches to leadership regarding teacher interventions. Emerging research grounded in positive psychology suggests that strength-based interventions may offer a more effective pathway for supporting educators. The purpose of this action research study was to examine the influence of character strength awareness on teacher self-efficacy. Guided by a strength-based leadership framework, the researcher investigated whether intentional character strength interventions could positively impact teachers’ perceptions of their instructional effectiveness. The study employed an action research design with 14 K–12 teachers from a rural public school district in Texas. Participants completed the Values in Action …

Predictive Factors Of Academic Success During Transition To Undergraduate Studies In Stem Programs In Kansas, Elizabeth L. Butler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In tThis dissertation the researcher exploreds the correlations between high school GPA, ACT Math, ACT cComposite scores, and first -semester GPA for first-time freshmen at a mid-sized university in the Midwest. This quantitative correlational study uses multiple regression analysis to discover correlations that may exist between these interval variables. Data for this study was collected through a request to the study site’s oOffice of pPlanning and aAnalysiss at the university and was all archival data at a record level for the students. Data had been collected through the admissions process and was stored in Banner and SLATE, both data management …

Community College Student Admissions Experiences, Jeremy D. Loy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Community college students have always faced barriers to going to college and getting their degrees. Much of the research centers on the completion of their degrees. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of community college students during enrollment. To understand how community college students experience the enrollment process, the study used phenomenology to hear the experiences of students through semistructured interviews. Findings showed that three broad themes emerged from this research. First, students felt both nervous and uncertain about college, but they also recognized the importance of college to improve their lives. Second, students …

A Qualitative Study On Black Women Leaders And Their Career Paths In Higher Education, Beatrice Porter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership roles within higher education, especially in the presidency at historically Black colleges and universities. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the career paths and challenges Black women faced through their lived experiences in leadership roles across higher education institutions within predominantly White institutions and HBCUs. Guided by Black Feminist Thought as the theoretical lens, the study examined the intersecting barriers of race and gender that shaped the participants’ leadership trajectories in higher education. Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires, allowing participants to reflect on systemic inequities, mentorship experiences, and leadership development. Findings revealed …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study On The Importance Of Principal Leadership On Title I Middle School Teachers’ Decisions To Remain Teaching In The School, Lebrandan Keshaun Jenkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative descriptive study examined the perspectives of novice middle school teachers with 0–5 years of experience who taught core academic subjects in Texas Title I school districts. I sought to understand how principal leadership or the building administrator to whom these teachers report influenced their decisions to remain in the teaching profession. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, I described how leadership functions as both a motivator and a hygiene factor in shaping job satisfaction and retention. Data collection involved semistructured interviews and an optional Likert scale survey to capture both narrative insights and measurable perceptions. The findings illuminated the …

Secondary Special Education Teachers: Perceptions On Burnout Since The Start Of Covid-19, Regina Perez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined burnout among secondary special education (SPED) teachers following the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly disrupted education and intensified teacher stress. Burnout, defined by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, has been linked to teacher attrition and decreased student achievement. The problem addressed was the increased levels of burnout and stress among SPED teachers and the lack of sufficient administrative support to mitigate these effects. The purpose was to explore SPED teachers’ perceptions of burnout since the pandemic and identify the supports needed to reduce it. Using a qualitative case study design grounded in Maslach’s burnout theory, the …

The 4-Day School Week: Impacts On Rural Texas School Districts, Geoffery Bowdoin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how school administrators, teachers, and parents in rural Texas districts view the effects of the 4-day school week. Across Texas, a growing number of districts have adopted shorter calendars to address teacher shortages, boost morale, and manage tight budgets. The goal of this research was to gain a clearer understanding of how this schedule shift influences student performance, district finances, and teacher recruitment and retention. The study followed a qualitative descriptive approach. Data were collected through two means. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 school administrators, while 29 teachers and 42 parents completed surveys. Research participants came …

Response To Intervention Implementation With Culturally Diverse Students, Alysia R. Chatman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative descriptive study examined how elementary educators implement response to intervention (RTI) and multitiered systems of support with culturally and linguistically diverse students. Drawing on self-determination theory and culturally relevant pedagogy, the researcher conducted semistructured interviews with five participants, three classroom teachers, one interventionist, and one campus administrator from three Title I elementary schools in a large suburban Texas district. Transcripts were analyzed through thematic coding. Four themes emerged: (1) training and preparedness for RTI implementation, (2) administrator support and follow-through, (3) understanding and application of culturally responsive teaching, and (4) RTI meeting structure and process. Participants reported a …

Hyperspectral Image Characterization Of Degraded Field Railroad Ballast Under Varying Fouling And Water Contents: Potentials For Reuse And Sustainability, Khin The The Aung

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Railroad ballast performance is affected by fouling materials that contain plastic and granular properties. The characterization of fouling materials are important factors in assessing track performance and maintenance requirements. This study presents the

hyperspectral reflectance characteristics of the degraded field railroad ballast under varying fouling contents (FCs) and water contents (WCs). The study involves experiments including material selections, preparation of railroad ballast samples, fouling materials, Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) data acquisition and calibration, methodology for regression using Gaussian Process Regression and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Regression, discussions, and conclusions. Gaussian and ANN Regression models are applied to generate the actual and …

Historical Context In Mathematics Education: Improving Student Engagement And Achievement, Colette Chilton-Carr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are many informational gaps in contemporary mathematics education. Students see the mathematical topics they are being taught as facts and procedures unrelated to each other or to themselves as mathematicians. Many ancient developments in the realm of mathematics are still relevant today, showcasing the needs that motivated their longstanding evolution. By including the stories behind the formulas in mathematics classrooms, students from diverse backgrounds can feel seen and connected to their education. The inclusion of the holistic background of mathematics cannot be nurtured in the classroom without buy-in on the parts of both students and instructors, as well as …

Digital Beginnings: Exploring The Impact Of Screen Exposure On Internalizing Behaviors During Toddlerhood, Nicole Sotolongo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines the relationship between screen exposure behaviors and toddler internalizing behaviors, with sleep behaviors being observed as a moderator. The study emphasizes the need for continued research to adapt to the ever-changing nature of the daily use of screens during toddlerhood and early childhood. Fifty-seven mothers of two-year-old children participated in one-on-one parent-report only, interviewer-based quantitative interviews discussing their child’s internalizing and sleep behaviors. Participants were also asked to fill out a questionnaire about their child’s screen exposure behaviors. It was hypothesized that (1) higher levels of screen exposure behaviors will result in increased internalizing behaviors, (2) …

Comparative Analysis Of 2d And 3d Gait Metrics From Video Using Deep Learning Techniques, Akhilesh Singh Kushwaha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a comparative evaluation of two deep learning-based methods for extracting 2D and 3D gait metrics from monocular video: a 2D-to-3D lifting approach combining AlphaPose for keypoint detection with MotionBERT for temporal 3D reconstruction, and a direct 3D estimation method using MeTRAbs. Videos of two healthy adults walking across a ProtoKinetics Zeno™ Walkway were captured laterally at 4K/60 fps using an iPhone 16. Ground-truth spatiotemporal gait parameters were obtained from the pressure-sensitive mat, enabling quantitative validation via Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Pearson correlation. MeTRAbs consistently outperformed the lifting pipeline, achieving MAE below 2% for temporal metrics (e.g., …

The Current Of Anxieties: Ghosts And Capital For The Liminal Bride In Hiroko Oyamada’S The Hole, Maliha Kabir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis offers a reading of Hiroko Oyamada’s The Hole as discourse surrounding modern neoliberalism’s dissolution and transformation of boundaries between socio-political domains, such as the public/private, and its consequent effects on individual subjectivity and interpersonal relationships. Within the novella’s depictions of the mundane, I also seek to argue that Oyamada’s employment of the liminal, through distortions of space and time, is used to depict the precarity of marginalization as an always present force due to the pervasiveness of capitalism, but purposefully hidden to maintain security in illusion.

Assessing The Hurricane Inland Wind Exposure Along The U.S. Coastal States, Naomi Von Bose

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs) are among the most destructive U.S. natural hazards, and recent storms show that damaging winds and flooding often extend far inland. This study examines inland TC wind exposure across coastal states from Texas to North Carolina using HURDAT2 data (1900–2024). Following Zhu et al. (2023), an exponential decay interpolation model and an Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) framework were applied to capture continuous variations in intensity and duration. Results show that TC winds can persist hundreds of kilometers inland, with States experiencing ACE levels comparable to some coastal counties. Incorporating storm structure through the radius of maximum …

Advanced Deep Neural Network Architectures For 3d Gait Assessment From Video In The Early Detection Of Alzheimers Disease, Abhishek Singh Kushwaha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents an advanced deep learning framework for markerless 3D gait assessment using monocular video, aimed at the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recognizing gait abnormalities as potential preclinical biomarkers, the study leverages video-based human pose estimation to derive detailed spatiotemporal gait parameters without the need for specialized laboratory equipment. The proposed system adapts the MeTRAbs (Metric-Scale Truncation-Robust Heatmaps for Absolute 3D Human Pose Estimation) architecture to reconstruct metric-scale 3D human joint coordinates from RGB video recordings. A complete processing pipeline is developed to extract stride length, cadence, stance and swing phases, and gait variability, validated against the …

Node-Attributed Spatial Graph Partitioning: A Kullback-Leibler Divergence Based Approach, Valentin Nechita

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a novel approach to node-attributed spatial graph partitioning (NSGP) that addresses limitations in existing homogeneity measures. We introduce a Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence-based formulation we name KLD that measures attribute similarity by comparing each node’s distribution to its subgraph centroid, providing a computationally efficient method of measuring homogeneity. Integrated within a multilevel graph partitioning framework and Fiduccia-Mattheyses refinement, our approach achieves approximately 90% runtime reduction compared to the baseline Clustering and Local Refinement (CLR) algorithm while maintaining comparable partition quality. Applied to COVID-19 infection data combined with American Community Survey demographics across U.S. FIPS codes, KLD successfully identifies …

Sampling Gear Performance And Elasmobranch Distributions In The Upper Florida Keys, Ethan L. Dewald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays) are vital marine predators, yet many populations are declining from overfishing and habitat loss. Marine protected areas like the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) can support recovery, but knowledge gaps remain in habitat-specific community structure and survey effectiveness. I surveyed inshore (seagrass, hardbottom) and offshore (patch reef, bank reef) habitats in the Upper Florida Keys using longlines, drumlines, baited remote underwater video (BRUVs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Inshore assemblages showed strong habitat-driven patterns, with Ginglymostoma cirratum dominating seagrass sites, whereas offshore reefs were more homogeneous. UAVs captured the highest inshore richness, and drumlines …

Analysis Of The Submergence, Landing, And Navigation Of An Autonomous Underwater Landing Vehicle, Theresa Wainwright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autonomous Underwater Landing Vehicles allow for seafloor data to be taken in multiple locations with little to no human intervention. The movement of these vehicles needs to be analyzed through simulated to ensure the correct programming of vehicle missions. This analysis includes the surface navigation, the drift experienced by the vehicle during descent, and the seafloor stability of the vehicle. The results then inform the limitations of this vehicle and the necessary adjustments to subsequent versions. Surface navigation allows understanding of vehicle movement between ascent locations, waypoints, and descent locations. Drift during descent allows for visual of the vehicle’s movements …