Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Perceived Discrimination And Stigma Consciousness On Connectedness, Trust, And Satisfaction In Healthcare Domains During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Devon Richardson

Master's Theses

This study will assess the relations between perceived experiences of discrimination within healthcare settings and connectedness, trust, and satisfaction with services in healthcare domains among African Americans. It will also examine if the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated this relationship. I predict that African Americans in the COVID-19 discrimination condition (versus the control condition) will report lower connectedness and trust with healthcare workers and lower satisfaction with healthcare services. I also predict that stigma consciousness will moderate this effect. For African Americans reporting lower levels of stigma consciousness, I expect there will be a negative relation between perceiving discrimination and connectedness, …

Andrews University’S Thought Leadership Communication On Linkedin: A Textual Analysis, Nana Ama O. Akoto-Boateng

Master's Theses

Thought leadership is fast becoming a powerful communication tool for most industries and sectors including higher education institutions (HEIs). This study employed textual analysis to determine how Andrews University's thought leadership on LinkedIn compares with four other top-ranking Adventist universities, namely Loma Linda University, Pacific Union College, Southern Adventist University and Walla Walla University. The text elements that were analyzed during the study were image posts and video posts on the respective LinkedIn pages of these institutions, spanning from January 2021 to June 2021. Among other findings, the results of the study revealed that Andrews University compares as the least …

Coordination Protocols For Verifiable Consistency In Distributed Storage Systems, Ashwin Ramaswamy

Master's Theses

Achieving consistency in a highly available distributed storage system has been formally proven to be an impossible task when the system faces network partitions and faulty processes. The complexity is exacerbated when the system allows concurrent processes to send transactions to all the other servers and coordinate the consistent commitment of different transactions. In the event of a partition, each server may allow clients to request updates involving the current state of the data, which makes achieving replicated consistency challenging. To solve the inconsistency problems, several consensus protocols are used, but have strict requirements in order to make progress and …

Motivational And Participatory Experiences Of Female Service Members In Crossfit, Nicole M. Levine

Master's Theses

CrossFit is a high-intensity exercise program that has expanded globally over the last several years. Its minimalistic approach targeted at multiple aerobic and muscular strength domains make it accessible and applicable to populations with limited space and equipment, such as overseas military installations. Despite several studies examining the motivational factors of individuals engaging in CrossFit, research is scant on the motivational factors of military professionals participating in CrossFit outside of their formalized operational training. Additionally, there is no specific literature on female military participation in CrossFit. This study qualitatively explored the participatory motivations of 15 female U.S. military service members …

Deformation History Of The Pasayten Fault Zone, North Cascades, Washington And British Columbia, Natasha Budimirovic

Master's Theses

The Pasayten fault extends ~250 km from Washington to British Columbia (BC), roughly following the controversial, paleomagnetically defined “Baja BC” boundary. This study investigated the deformation history of the Pasayten fault zone through mapping contacts, measuring orientations of foliations, lineations, and folds, and examining kinematic indicators in the northern segment in BC and in the southern projection of the fault in Washington. In the northern area, the ~110-105 Ma Pasayten fault separates the Jurassic-Cretaceous Methow basin from the Middle Jurassic to mid-Cretaceous Eagle Plutonic Complex and Permian Eastgate-Whipsaw metamorphic belt to the northeast. Structural orientations and kinematic indicators in outcrops …

"For Better Or Worse": Imagining Innovation In Smart City Municipal Design, Kevin M. Kochever

Master's Theses

The smart city concept recently (ca. 2010) emerged as a corporate-led system-as-a-service (SaaS) tool to meet city needs of accessibility and efficiency. I looked at three Western cities—Reykjavík, San José, and Toronto—to discover what it meant for city managers to meet municipal needs by embracing smart initiatives. Senior-level city managers, consultants, and technologists invoked vocabularies of smartness and innovation, adopting Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) as tools to facilitate human resource and service efficiency needs. I found persistent ambiguity in how city managers described and measured outcomes for city smartness. I also found stakeholders used smartness to …

Professionalism In Early Childhood Education, Kimberly R. Thai

Master's Theses

This grounded theory analysis uses participant interviews and document analysis to further understand the lived experiences of teachers and leaders in Early Child Education. The thesis was set out to explore the following research questions: How do ECE leaders and teachers understand teacher professionalism? What is the role of whiteness and gender in teacher professionalism? and What is the relationship between the ideas of professionalism and the local context in ECE? The study finds that insiders have strong notions of professional conduct but that exploring professionalism was a site of contention for the participants. Two responses to issues of professionalism …

The Effect Of Foreign Direct Investment On Colombia’S Economic Growth And The Role Of Human Capital: Does Foreign Direct Investment Foster Growth?, Jean K. Plantin

Master's Theses

Abstract: Since the pioneering work of John H. Dunning on the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the economic growth of the United Kingdom, many experts have debated the growth effect of FDI in an economy. This study investigated the impact of FDI on Colombia’s economic growth from 1990 to 2019. Moreover, it explored whether the Colombian economy has benefited from positive spillover from FDIs. Additionally, the paper examined how the stock level of human capital conditioned the effect of FDI on GDP per capita growth. To this end, the analysis separated tertiary enrollments from the human capital …

Entrepreneurialism As Precarity: American Bookkeepers And Technological Transformation, Melanie Maxwell Bailey

Master's Theses

This study documents how small, U.S. bookkeepers are coping with and adapting to changing accounting technology, revealing how larger social and economic processes shape those reactions. This ethnographic research was conducted through literature review, ethnographic fieldwork, and semi-structured interviews, which were then thematically coded and analyzed. New accounting technology is seen both a tool and a source of freedom for bookkeepers, enabling remote entrepreneurship (argued to be a manifestation of neoliberal ideals) for the White women who primarily make up the industry. However, a major consequence of these technological transformations is the increasing ability to automate tasks bookkeepers historically considered …

“It Made Me Question If I Was In The Right Hands”: Exploring Cancer Prognostic Conversations Between Providers And Latinx Patients, Yesenia Anabel Carrillo

Master's Theses

People of color are often confronted by barriers within the health-care system that white people are not likely to encounter. Latinx patients are among those who experience racial health disparities, typically due to the lack of health literacy support and limited resource access. Drawing on previous work that focuses on exploring patient, provider, and caregiver preferences for cancer prognostic conversations; this study explores perceptions of cancer prognostic conversations between providers and Latinx patients to better understand the degree of cultural competence among providers and opportunities for enhancing interpersonal communication with Latinx patients. Interviews with seven patients and five providers were …

The Influence Of Teleconnection Patterns On Renewable Energy Resources, John Kyle Bergerson

Master's Theses

Energy providers are shifting their supply from carbon based forms of energy to renewable sources in response to policy changes aimed at reducing pollution and anthropogenic influence on the environment. Wind and solar energies are notable sources that have been adopted around the globe and are increasing in installation and efficiency, but relying on weather-dependent sources of energy has limitations. Variability in energy supply and demand becomes further dependent on the state of the climate, and thus predictability of that state is critical. Climate modes are correlated with climate variables and are used to make mid-term (>10 days), seasonal, …

Hybridity And Habitation: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Interior Design In Live-Action Cyberpunk Films Through The Lens Of Posthumanism And Thing Theory, Sydney Ng

Master's Theses

Characterized by hyper-urban environments, extreme class division, and an abundance ofcorporate oversight, the cyberpunk subgenre of science-fiction is a prime candidate for scholarly research on speculative interior design and associated technologies. Using the theoretical frameworks of posthumanism, or the concept that humans will transcend their current biological form in the near future, and thing theory, or the worldview that objects are able to enact their autonomy on living subjects, interior design in three live-action films in the cyberpunk subgenre were analyzed in order to determine how depictions of future spaces reflect present ideations of our potential real future. Metaphor analysis …

Examining The Effects Of Power Posing On Stress Reactivity And Performance, Mitzi D. Ochoa

Master's Theses

Power posing is a concept that has garnered widespread attention due to claims thatan expansive powerful posture can improve self-perceptions of power, trigger changes in hormone levels, and improve behavioral outcomes including enhanced performance in social evaluative situations. Recently, these claims have been challenged by studies that failed to replicate the power boosting effects of expansive poses. This study aimed to address inconsistencies in the power posing literature and replicate original findings while controlling for potential effects of experimenter bias and touch. It was predicted that a high-power pose would reduce cortisol, increase perceptions of power, and improve performance. To …

The Filipino American Diet: Generational Comparison Of Acculturation, Health Literacy, And Dietary Patterns, Regina Reina

Master's Theses

There is evidence to suggest that Filipino Americans (FAs) are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic conditions when compared to other Asian American subgroups. However, research on possible risk factors for this group is limited as race classifications are seldomly disaggregated. Having limited health literacy is known to be a contributing factor in health disparities among immigrant populations, though it has largely been understudied among FAs. The comparison of dietary intake, acculturation, dietary acculturation, and health literacy between Philippine-born (PBs) FAs and U.S-born (UBs) FAs has not previously been described. PBs and UBs (n=140) from across the …

An Examination Of Factors Predicting Academic Engagement And Commitment Among Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Students: The Moderating Role Of Gender, Tasanee S. Thienpothong

Master's Theses

The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of gender on the relationships between the predictor variables (i.e., sense of belonging, grit, and support systems) and academic engagement and commitment to major among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students. Specifically, this study proposed that gender would act as a moderator of these relationships such that the relationships between the predictor variables and the outcome variables would be stronger for women than for men in STEM. A total of 254 undergraduates from a university in Northern California participated in an in-person survey. Although results did not show …

The Moderating Effect Of Locational Autonomy On The Relationship Between Remote Work And Counterproductive Work Behaviors, Alexandra Wong

Master's Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic intensified remote work, where many companies shifted their employees to working remotely with possibilities of adopting remote work permanently. The purpose of this study was to understand negative consequences of remote work intensity on employee behavior through counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs), and whether a lack of locational autonomy would strengthen this relationship. Locational autonomy was conceptualized as two constructs: choice and approval. Results of an online survey administered to 202 participants revealed no direct relationship between remote work intensity and CWBs and locational autonomy choice had no moderating effects. However, locational autonomy approval moderated the relationships between …

Medial And Lateral Tibiofemoral Contact Forces For Individuals With High Body Mass Index In Gait And Cycling Training, Reymil Fernandez

Master's Theses

The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease characterized by the degradation of articular cartilage, is correlated with the rise in obesity. The rising rates of obesity in children and adults highlight the need for identifying a sustainable physical activity that promotes fitness while mitigating initiation and progression of osteoarthritis. The objective of this study was to determine an effective rehabilitation and lifelong fitness sustainment exercise regimen that minimize risk of osteoarthritis in individuals with high body mass index (BMI). The aim was to examine knee medial and lateral contact forces in gait and cycling training. Gait at self-selected …

Composing A Comprehensive Music Education: Teacher And Student Experiences With The Role Of Songwriting In Elementary General Music, Tara Neeley

Master's Theses

Music education has for many years focused on the musical role of performance and teaching from the traditional canon of Western classical music. In recent years, it has been noted that just a small portion of students participate in music offerings in secondary schools. Yet, the mission of the music education profession is for all students to experience and make music. To reach more students, music education must be relevant to students’ real world, pragmatic for a lifetime of musical involvement, and must help students build their identities. Providing a comprehensive music education in which students experience all musical roles, …

Kaleidoscopic Katas: An Intercultural Somatic Curriculum For Holistic Health, Emily Seymour

Master's Theses

The intent of this research study was to combine three African and Eastern somatic movement practices into a modern dance curriculum. Few studies have investigated the therapeutic value of subtle body awareness in a dance class context. This integrative study combined psychological, physiological, and contemplative pedagogical approaches, which led to the development of a comprehensive five-part workshop with five adult participants. This ten-hour online class series involved learning a traditional Afro-Haitian serpent dance called the Yanvalou, the Tantric practice of Chakra Yoga, and the Five Animals qigong. The original curricular goal was to combine these three modalities into five sequential …

Balancing Increased Physical Demands: An Analysis Of Cross-Training Practices In Young Adult Ballet Dancers, Brooke Yuspeh

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to see what young adult ballet dancers knew about cross-training and if they found cross-training methods they practiced effective in supporting their dance technique and helping to prevent injuries. To uncover this information, the researcher used the following essential questions to guide this project: Q1: How do young adult ballet dancers practice cross-training? Q2: Which of these cross-training modalities are considered most effective? The research instruments used in this study included a survey consisting of multiple-choice, multiple-selection, and open-ended questions and an optional journal reflection consisting of open-ended questions. There were a total of …

Best Practices To Build Relationships Between Students With Exceptionalities And General Education Students In A Unified Dance Class, Charlotte Cook

Master's Theses

The goal of this study was to analyze various studies or curriculums, which included both general education students and students with exceptionalities to find best practices to build relationships in a unified dance class. For this study the researcher analyzed ten pieces of literature which focused on inclusive movement classes. These sources included five studies and five curriculums. More specifically, the researcher created the following essential questions to examine sources which included students with and without exceptionalities. Q1: What strategies and activities best foster growing relationships in a unified dance class? Q2: What creative dance content best fosters building of …

Reflection, Creation, Transformation: Fostering A Positive Body Image In Female High School Dancers Through A Creative Choreography Curriculum, Kelly Culver

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore whether a choreography curriculum based on body image for high school female dancers would help students increase their positive body image and find a new appreciation for their bodies. This study also focused on the impact that reflection and creation have in this transformative curriculum design, along with instructional strategies that could foster a more positive body image culture in the dance classroom. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to answer the four essential questions of this study. Q1 How can choreography be used as a transformative process to help female …

Competitive Dance: The Physiological And Psychological Effects From The Perspectives Of Current Versus Retired Dancers, Kristen Demaria

Master's Theses

The intent of this research study was to inform students, teachers, and parents of the advantages and disadvantages associated with participation in competitive dance. Through the use of an electronic survey and questionnaire, the researcher evaluated the responses of forty participants through quantitative and qualitative analysis. The participants provided detailed information regarding their personal experiences, both past and present, in regard to the physical, mental, and emotional impact competitive dance had on their life. The research questions addressed in this study were: Q1 What are the effects of competitive dance on a dancer’s physical body? Q2 What are the effects …

Community Perspective: How Participating In The Nutcracker Enhances Student Motivation And Growth In Socioeconomically Depressed Public Schools, Angelina Burleigh

Master's Theses

This research study exclusively focused on performing arts dance programs in socioeconomically depressed public schools. It is the belief of this researcher that providing dance within a framework of the dance standards affords students with the opportunity to truly experience the art of dance, since they not only received the chance to learn good technique from a highly qualified educator, but they are also provided with choreographic and performance opportunities which allow them to communicate a story, express feelings, or emotions through movement to discover their imaginative abilities. The goal of this study was to examine how dance education impacts …

Barriers To Dance Education: An Exploration Into The Beliefs Of Dance Educators And Non-Dance Familiars On Dance And Its Place In The Public-School System, Brianna Michelle Miller

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate differing views on the value of dance and its place within the public-education system. The researcher crafted three research questions to guide her research:

Q1 What barriers or objections exist when it comes to incorporating dance within the public-school setting? Q2 What discrepancies exist between the viewpoints of dance educators and non-dance familiars when it comes to dance and its value within the public education system? Q3 What specific steps can be taken to highlight the importance of dance education in the public-school setting?

Nine dance educators and twelve non-dance familiars completed …

Automated Design And Manufacturing Of Lowpass Filters, Evan W. Johnson

Master's Theses

Modern communications, radar, and other high frequency systems all include filters in their designs. Designers frequently benefit from custom filters with cutoff frequencies or other specifications not readily available in off-the-shelf products. Obtaining a custom filter from a filter manufacturer is typically expensive and time consuming. Each new design requires new engineering and tuning to obtain the desired performance.

This thesis proposes an industry-first automatic design and manufacturing process for stepped impedance low pass filters that eliminates the costly engineering and tuning used by legacy filter manufacturers, enabling low-cost, rapid turn around of custom filter designs. We develop custom modeling …

Real-Time Prediction-Driven Dynamics Simulation To Mitigate Frame Time Variation, Mackinnon A. Buck

Master's Theses

Real-time physics engines have seen recent performance improvements through techniques like hardware acceleration and artificial intelligence. However, state of the art physics simulation technology fails to account for the variation in simulation complexity over time. Sudden increases in contact frequency between simulated bodies can momentarily increase the processing time per frame. To solve this, we present a prediction-driven real-time dynamics method that uses a memory-efficient graph-based state buffer to minimize the cost of mispredictions. This buffer, which is generated by a separate thread running the physics pipeline, allows physics computation to temporarily run slower than real-time without affecting the frame …

Adapting Single-View View Synthesis With Multiplane Images For 3d Video Chat, Anurag Venkata Uppuluri

Master's Theses

Activities like one-on-one video chatting and video conferencing with multiple participants are more prevalent than ever today as we continue to tackle the pandemic. Bringing a 3D feel to video chat has always been a hot topic in Vision and Graphics communities. In this thesis, we have employed novel view synthesis in attempting to turn one-on-one video chatting into 3D. We have tuned the learning pipeline of Tucker and Snavely's single-view view synthesis paper — by retraining it on MannequinChallenge dataset — to better predict a layered representation of the scene viewed by either video chat participant at any given …

Causes Of Burnout Among K-12 Public School Dance Teachers: Preventative Strategies To Improve Teacher Retention In 21st Century Education, Roland Latson

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyze what contributing factors influence stress and burnout in K-12 public school dance teachers and collect information to analyze the ways in which teachers can minimize stress to prevent burnout. The research was conducted by current and former dance educators with a minimum of 3 years teaching experience in rural and urban school districts. Thirty-two dance teachers participated in the survey study. The purpose of this study was to examine the causes of burnout among K-12 public school dance teachers and preventative strategies to improve teacher retention in 21st century education. …

A New Curriculum: Supporting Social Emotional Learning Using Mindfulness Motivated Choreography In High School, Whitney Haslam Warner

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways in which a mindfulness-based curriculum would inform and effect creative, choreographic, and performance processes, as well as the effectiveness of serving as a social-emotional learning teaching tool in a high school dance classroom. Based on the results of this study, findings showed that implementing a mindfulness‑based curriculum, alongside connecting movement explorations, created an increase in the depth and breadth of student-created movement. Through this study, 37 student participants practiced mindfulness alongside correlating movement explorations to create movement for a culminating dance concert. Participants reported an increased sense of calm, focus, …