Digital Commons Network^™

“The Illusion Of Collaboration”: An Integrated Examination Of The Antecedents, Processes, And Consequences Of Online Group Work, Jill Cathleen Woods

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) presents postsecondary educators with a conundrum: how to design and support small-group activities without stifling deep and meaningful learning. The literature indicates that students are not consistently practicing higher-order cognitive activities, educators are not reliably designing or facilitating them, and/or researchers are not locating or identifying them where they are occurring. The aim of this dissertation is to explore these deficits by identifying the antecedent conditions that most affect collaboration. Specifically, I answer the question, how do learner’s prior knowledge, characteristics, and experiences manifest in their collaborative processes. Addressing a gap in the literature, this study …

Narrative Inquiry Of Early Career Teachers’ Experiences Teaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kinsey Ann Wright

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study utilized narrative inquiry to learn the stories of early career teachers of students with disabilities as they navigated teaching during a global pandemic. Five early career teachers participated in a series of three semi-structured virtual interviews. Interviews were transcribed then analyzed using a six-phase approach to thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Nine themes were identified: Teaching, Communication, Parents, Special Education, Workload, Resources, Training and professional development, job satisfaction, and teacher preparation. Themes were organized and presented to answer the research questions of the study. The findings contribute to understanding pandemic-related challenges faced by early career teachers of …

An Examination Of Fraud From Three Perspectives: The Perpetrator, The Whistleblower, And The Examiner, Ali Abdullah Alhasan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation is made up of three studies that look at fraud from three different perspectives. The first study looks at fraud from the perspective of the perpetrator. The second study examines fraud from the whistleblower’s perspective. The third study studies fraud from the perspective of the investigator (internal auditor).

Study one utilized an online experiment via Amazon Mechanical Turk (M-Turk) to look at whether technology has a psychological distancing effect on humans, and how that may affect individuals to commit fraud. In addition, the study also examines how one’s familiarity with technology, measured via iPhone screen time, can moderate …

Understanding Perceptions Of Vulnerable Roadway Users On Autonomous Vehicles, Md Tawhidur Rahman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Public perceptions have been playing an important role in the development of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology. Besides AV and non-AV users, the perceptions of vulnerable roadway users are critical, as AVs will become a part of multimodal transportation system. Pedestrians and bicyclists are among the vulnerable groups of roadway users, as they are relatively unprotected compared to the occupants of AVs or non-AVs. Although AV’s capability to monitor other vehicles has been documented in many studies, there are concerns about AV’s capability in monitoring pedestrians and bicyclists. The overarching goal of this dissertation is to investigate the perceptions of pedestrians …

The Bigger Picture: Wrongful Conviction Documentary Thematic Vs Episodic Framing, Alecsandra N. Vac

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

True crime documentaries have gained popularity in the past decade, but those focusing on wrongful conviction cases have been on the rise (Doughty, 2018). Advocates against wrongful conviction, such as the Innocence Project, have been utilizing entertainment media to increase awareness on the issues present in the criminal justice system. However, the framing of wrongful conviction causes and cases (ex: focusing on extreme accusations of police misconduct and intentional forensic evidence tampering) could lead to a bias in how the viewers understand how miscarriages of justice occur. The primary research question being investigated here is, how are these advocacy-recommended documentaries …

The Heart Of Everything In The Middle Of Nowhere: The Role Of Rural Identity In The Formation And Deployment Of Political Attitudes In Pennsylvania, Mikaela G. Zimmerman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The world of American politics continues to infiltrate households across the United States as technological advancement extends the reach of breaking news and government action. With this expanding reach, communities all over the country are digesting and contemplating their place in national politics more fervently than ever. At the crux of this discussion is the backbone of political engagement and action—identity and its resulting political attitudes. For decades, partisanship has been a point of contention amongst American citizens. Cities across the nation showcase protests, demonstrations, town hall meetings, and more illustrating citizens’ care for their democratized input in government affairs. …

Medicaid In The Orthodontic Community: Provider Trends And Perceptions, Miranda L. Fabrega

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background and Objectives: Medicaid is a federal and state insurance program aimed at helping economically disadvantaged individuals and families with gaining access to health care. Lack of provider participation in the Medicaid program leaves many Medicaid-eligible individuals with the inability to obtain certain medical services, such as orthodontic care. The objective of this study was to use an electronic survey to better understand the beliefs and behaviors of orthodontists in regard to participation in the Medicaid program, and to determine if differences exist between Medicaid providers and non-Medicaid providers. Experimental Design and Methods: Survey: Requests to participate in an electronic …

Critical Perspectives On Produce Prescription Programs & Us Federal Nutrition Policy, Alanna K. Higgins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Produce prescription programs, interventions operating at the intersection of food access and public health, are steadily increasing in number across the United States since 2010. I leverage key informant interviews, participant observations, and event ethnographies to form a four-year institutional ethnography of the implementation of produce prescriptions within West Virginia alongside a legal-policy archaeology methodology to understand how produce prescriptions have been institutionalized and funded within the US Farm Bill. While much of produce prescription program growth is attributed to an expansion of federal funding starting in 2014, this dissertation demonstrates that these programs and the federal legislation which has …

A Shock To The System: Analyzing Ethnocentric Populist Support Before And After Crises, Kyu Chul Shin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Using the question of what is driving the support for populists in the mid-late 2010s in Western Europe and the United States as the starting point, this dissertation attempts to answer a number of different questions related to populists: Were the reasons behind support for populists in countries that saw an increase in support for populisms similar to those that saw a decrease in support? Are the reasons for supporting right-wing populists different from more general ethnocentric populists? Are the reasons that Americans supported Donald Trump similar or different from the reasons behind support for Western European populists? Following migration-related …

The Lived Experiences Of Selected Choral Directors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Angela Berna Milliren

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The shift to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic found secondary choral teachers moving traditional performance-based courses to the online venue. The pedagogical changes needed include implementing technology and disseminating information through learning management systems. Relationships between teachers and students, and teachers and colleagues, were challenged with the physical distance of quarantines in the Spring of 2020. This dissertation research project examined the difficulties six teachers faced concerning technology and relationships. I sat down for semi-structured interviews with six colleagues where I asked about their backgrounds, relationships with students and fellow colleagues, and the changes the pandemic brought to their …

The Purpose And Process Of Commissioning New Music For Low Brass Instruments: A Guide, Michael Kennard Waddell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The euphonium, trombone, and tuba do not have the breath of solo and chamber music repertoire that other instruments such as the piano or violin do. The majority of works being written for these instruments today is being written via direct commissions and commission consortiums. This research analyzes the importance of expanding the repertoire of these instruments, along with detailed guidance on starting a consortium project and seeing it through to completion. The author, and interviewees Frank Gulino, Adam Frey, and George Alberti, detail their experiences working on consortium projects, and their views on the ethical importance of advancing the …

Appalachian Adolescents In An Out-Of-School-Time Program: Examining The Role Of Social Support From Family And Friends For Coping Skills And Intellectual Risk-Taking Outcomes, Summer Kuhn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Research on young adults has emphasized the importance of social support for generating positive physical, mental, and academic outcomes. This study aims to understand the impact of social support from family and friends on coping skills and intellectual risk-taking among high school seniors participating in an Out-of-School-Time (OST) program in Appalachia. Data from the program’s annual evaluation (2014-2018) was analyzed to measure associations between perceived social support from family and friends and students’ coping skills and intellectual risk-taking. Moreover, potential differences in these associations across genders were considered. Analyses found a significant association between family-based social support and coping skills, …

Network Slicing In 5g: Admission, Scheduling, And Security, Raneem Jassim Alghawi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the past few decades, there was an increase in the number of devices that have wireless capabilities such as phones, televisions, and home appliances. With the high demand for wireless networking, the fifth generation (5G) of mobile networks was designed to support the different services of new applications. In addition, one of the technical issues that 5G would evolve is the increase in traffic and the need to satisfy the user’s experience. With the evolution of wireless networking and 5G, Network Slicing has been introduced to accommodate the diverse requirements of the applications. Thus, network slicing is the concept …

Three Essays In Public Economics, Joylynn Michelle Pruitt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation presents three chapters related to each other in their application to public economics. In the study of how utility-maximizing or goal-seeking units achieve economic outcomes, this dissertation presents results for a diverse range of agents including prosecutors and liberal arts colleges. Co-authored with Dr. Bryan McCannon of West Virginia University, the first chapter examines an interesting feature of prosecutor elections, where the pool of potential challengers to an incumbent comes primarily from subordinates within the office. We develop a signaling model that analyzes whether entry into the political race by a subordinate provides voters with useful information. In …

Bone Marrow Stroma-Induced Transcriptome Signatures Of Multiple Myeloma As Modulated By Junb, Jasleen Kaur Gandhi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment acts as a breeding ground for drug resistance in multiple myeloma (MM). The interaction with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) confer environment-mediated drug resistance (EMDR) to multiple myeloma. We investigated BM stroma-induced transcriptome signatures of MM cells through a sophisticated analysis of gene expression. In particular, we defined transcription program modulated by JunB, an emerging regulator of MM pathogenesis and a member of the transcription factor superfamily activator protein 1 (AP-1), in response to BM stimulation. The data and results lay down a foundation for future studies to illustrate the regulatory role of JunB in …

Pathfinding Fast Radio Bursts Localizations Using Very Long Baseline Interferometry, Pranav Rohit Sanghavi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration, bright radio transients of extragalactic origin. The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) telescope’s CHIME/FRB instrument and other radio telescopes across the globe have detected hundreds of FRBs. Their origins are a mystery. Precise localization within the host is critical to distinguish between progenitor models. This can be achieved through Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). Until now, VLBI localizations have only been carried out in targeted follow-up observations of some repeating sources which comprise a small fraction of the FRBs.

For this work, an interferometric array of 6m dishes was constructed at the Green …

Short-Term International Sport For Development And Peace Programs: A Retrospective Analysis And Critique Informed By Stakeholders’ Perspectives In A Two-Year Follow-Up, Adam Hansell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) programs are a popular approach to promoting positive development throughout the world, spanning health, education, peace, and social issues. However, scholars have identified critical shortcomings of SDP work, including the potential to reinforce neoliberalist tendencies and values imposition from the Global North to the Global South. Deporte y Cambio Social was a short-term SDP program established through partnership between American and Mexican constituent groups with aims to empower girls and women through soccer. Through six semi-structured, two-year retrospective interviews, the purpose of the present study was to explore cross-cultural understandings of power and intercultural …

A Workflow For Unconventional Reservoirs Optimization Using Supervised Machine Learning In Conjunction With Orthorhombic Elasticity Modeling, Aymen Ab Ali Alhemdi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Due to the anisotropy and heterogeneous nature of unconventional reservoirs like shale, a comprehensive parametric study to optimize hydraulic fracture treatment for such reservoirs is a tough challenge, especially when natural fractures are present. Most of the current frac simulators do not consider the anisotropy of rock elasticity in the shales. Besides, using the fracture simulation linked with reservoir simulation for the parametric study to understand the impact of multiple different design parameters on fracture propagation and production is time expensive and low efficient. The study proposes a workflow including a new orthorhombic (OB) rock algorithm to interpret geomechanical properties …

What Is The Perceived Self-Efficacy Of Defined Job Competencies For West Virginia University Extension Faculty?, Lacey Dawn Seckman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The central mission of the Extension Service is to diffuse knowledge and resources developed by teaching and research experts at land grant universities to clientele within local communities (Cummings, et al., 2015; Hall & Broyles, 2016; Seevers & Graham, 2012). Making sure faculty are prepared to carry out their roles in all aspects to serve their clientele is key to quality Extension programs. Extension faculty can come from various backgrounds, interests, and expertise, all of which are influencers of self-efficacy. Having defined competencies for employees in Extension can help express what to expect in this job day-to-day. McClelland (1973) described …

Elucidating Biogeochemical Reactions Of Iron For Ammonium Removal And Nutrient Recovery From Wastewaters: Moving Toward Sustainable Wastewater Management, Rifat Anwar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Development and applications of anaerobic treatment technologies has been discussed as an effective alternative to conventional aerobic processes for removal of nitrogen from wastewaters. With abundance of iron and its high reduction potential, employing ferric reduction-based reaction pathways in engineering processes could be an effective strategy to promote energy efficiency of wastewater treatment. In particular, ferric reduction coupled to ammonium oxidation (Feammox), a novel microbial metabolic function recently found to occur under anaerobic/anoxic condition through iron dosing, can be used for nitrogen pollutant removal. Iron dosing for wastewater treatment could also promote other microbial and chemical reactions that facilitate nutrient …

“I Lost Everything I Owned… Now I’M Growing That Back”: Narratives Of Redemption After Meth Immersed Lives, Danielle M. Stoneberg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There is a lack of knowledge on how the process of desisting (i.e., maintaining abstinence) works for those leaving immersed drug lifestyles, leaving a need for a better understanding of the role and impact of identity in drug desistance. Through secondary analysis of interview data from a sample of 33 former methamphetamine manufacturers, this study examines the applicability of Maruna’s (2001) redemption narrative framework and identifies other aspects featured in their narratives that signaled identity change. Results found all participants discussed at least one component of the framework in their interviews. Their narrative identities changed over time to recognize that …

Gun Culture 3.0, Andrew Phillip Stover

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There exist a criminology of firearms and an epidemiology of firearms use, but little in the way of a sociology of U.S. firearm ownership. Most social science study of firearms concerns illicit gun use and the harm that use produces. Compared to this body of work, little has been done to explore the culture of legal gun ownership. A few social scientists have attempted to change this by contributing their own interpretations of what a sociology of U.S. gun ownership might look like. Professor David Yamane, in doing just this, has posited a cultural model of contemporary gun ownership he …

Development Of An Innovative Co-Treatment Technology For Produced Water And Blowdown Water: A Regional Approach Of Water Management For Energy Production, Golnoosh Khajouei

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Freshwater use for power generation represents the second-largest water use globally. In the United States, freshwater withdrawals for thermoelectric power accounted for 38% of the total freshwater withdrawals for all uses in 2010. Cooling systems are the most water-intensive part of the thermoelectric generation process. For instance, one 300 MW power generator required about 20,000 m³/h circulating cooling water. The cooling operation discharges a large volume of wastewater in the form of blowdown water (10-20% of the consumed water) that requires treatment for reuse or surface discharge. Produced water (PW), the fluid which returns to the surface from …

Choosing Not To Participate: Cyber Truancy And Special Education, Elizabeth A. Popielarcheck

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This qualitative study investigated facilitators and barriers to participation in online instruction for students in grades 9-12 with a high incidence disability from the perspective of the student and adult in the home (AIH). Three AIH-student dyads participated in questionnaires and an online interview. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then analyzed using the six phases described by Braun and Clarke (2006). Eight categories that aligned with barriers and facilitators to participation were identified: communication, instruction in the home, role of the AIH, attendance, grading, teacher provided student support, overall quality of online learning experience, and suggestions. Categories were …

Small And Micro Business Resources In The Post-Pandemic Period: A Perspective From Local Bridal Boutique Businesses In West Virginia, Ishtehar Sharif Swazan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In widely dispersed small communities, local and regional businesses dominate West Virginia, an eastern state of the United States in the Appalachian Mountains where small and micro businesses constitute 98.9% of all businesses and contributes 49.1% of the state’s total employment. These businesses create jobs, help build a strong financial position for the state, and promote community-building and social activities. These businesses are unique as they sustain themselves while competing with national and regional retail chains and carving out a customer for themselves. However, the damage caused by the spread of Covid-19 is having a devastating effect on the small …

U.S.-Ukraine Relations And The Concept Of Strategic Partnership, Khrystyna Pelchar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A strategic partnership has become particularly relevant in the wake of the Russian war in Ukraine. Most studies focus on the historical perspective of particular special relations leaning toward the long-standing nature and stability of those relations. Others describe interstate partnerships as dynamic developments rather than static phenomena. Conventionally, strategic partnerships are multifaceted, including the spheres of economic cooperation, military assistance and partnership, and democracy promotion. Scholars also single out cultural proximity as an important factor facilitating mutual trust and feasibility of strategic partnership.

This thesis will discuss the historical background of the U.S.-Ukraine economic, socio-political, and military cooperation and …

Chemical Characterization Of Clastic Cave Sediments And Insights Into Particle Transport And Storage In Karst Aquifers, Jill L. Riddell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

Chemical characterization of clastic cave sediments and insights into particle transport and storage in karst aquifers

Jill L. Riddell

Cave sediments can be divided into two groups: precipitates and clastics. Precipitates are speleothems, or lithologic or mineral features that are chemically precipitated in the cave environment. Clastic cave sediments are frequently described by depositional facies, sorting, and particle size (Bosch and White, 2004). Robust analytical chemical analyses of these sediments to quantify their physical and chemical components is rarely performed although some chemical characterization of mineralogy and paleomagnetism has become prevalent in recent years (Chess et al., 2010; Sasowsky …

Optimization And Analytics Of Decarbonized Forest And Biomass Supply Chains, Xufeng Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

First, a data-driven holistic analysis framework was developed to aid the industrial development of forest biomass for bioenergy to promote the regional bioeconomy. Leveraging the existing but fragmented multi-source data, four components of industrial bioenergy development were integrated into the framework including spatial statistical analysis of biomass feedstock and bioenergy production, machine learning-based suitability assessment, bioenergy plant sites identification and ranking, and socio-economic impacts assessment. A case study was conducted for forest biomass to pellet fuel in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. Our results indicate that the great potential of forest biomass with high variation at the county level is primarily …

The Impact Of Perceived Daily Racism And Racial Identity Development On Body Dissatisfaction Among Asian American Female College Students, Mary E. Burkhart Polk

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Eating disorders pose a significant health problem for a diverse group of people. However, knowledge regarding their origins and appropriate treatments has not expanded, more specifically for Asian Americans. This study aimed to increase the knowledge surrounding an essential component of disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and potential factors in its development. Specifically, the impact of experiences of daily racism and racial identity development on body dissatisfaction among Asian American college women were examined. Using a non-experimental, quantitative survey design, this study assessed the relationship between perceived daily racism and the racial identity schema Internalization on the endorsement of body dissatisfaction …

Athlete Attachment Style With Coaches As A Predictor Of Athlete Disordered Eating And Body Image Anxiety, Taylor Allen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The coach-athlete relationship has been established as an important and significant relationship within athletes’ lives (Davis & Jowett, 2010; Jowett, 2008). There is also literature that demonstrates the impact of the sport culture environment and the quality of the coach-athlete relationship on disordered eating and body image anxiety in athletes (Galli et al., 2011; Petrie & Greenleaf, 2012; Reel et al., 2010; Shanmugam et al., 2013). However, much of the current literature does not examine this significant coach-athlete relationship from an attachment framework. Current literature supports the significance of the coach-athlete relationship and more recent research supports viewing coaches as …