Digital Commons Network^™

The Value Of Student Services And Activities At A Large, Rural, Two-Year College In The Midwest, Andrea E. Bright

Masters Theses

In order to assist in the development and growth of students to reach their maximum potential research into what services and activities students perceive as valuable was conducted. The purpose was to explore student's relations between the perceived value of student services/activities and the knowledge, use, and value of student services and activities. The literature expresses that many factors affect a student's experience at college. Student involvement occurs through many facets, academics, socialization, and environment. Student satisfaction with these factors impact student success or failure. The research demonstrates that students need interactions with the college community in order to facilitate …

Technology Mediated Recruitment: An Exploration Of How Students Used Social Media To Choose College, Ashley Nicole Cooper

Masters Theses

This qualitative study explored the use of social media as a tool to recruit prospective college students. Social media was defined as any electronic media that serves as a networking tool with the ability to educate prospective and current college students about an institution of higher education (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, etc.). The researcher met with two focus groups comprised of current college students to discuss their use of social media during their college search process.

Recommendations were developed for student affairs professionals and for future research. General themes and categories from participant responses were evaluated. The findings suggest that …

The Relationship Between Professional Preparation Of Student Affairs Professionals And Community College Completion Rates, Jennifer D. Elliott

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to gather data and investigate what type of degree or degrees student affairs professionals hold at community colleges in Illinois, and how earned a degree in College Student Affairs or an equivalent degree. Then, to compare this data with existing graduation and retention data to see what, if any, correlation there might be. A survey was distributed to student affairs officers at each of the 48 Illinois community colleges, with the request the survey be forwarded to their student services professional staff. This data was then compared to recent graduation and retention rates at each school. …

Community Development Through Electronic Sociograms, Aubrie L. Piper

Masters Theses

As the expectations of assessing student development for student affairs professionals throughout higher education increases, the efforts of residence halls initiatives have been in the spotlight. To reflect upon the intentional means of developing each student, Eastern Illinois University's Housing & Dining Services department created the Panther Success Initiative. The Panther Success Initiative was designed with the expectation that RA staff interact with residents as frequent as possible to gain an understanding and of the residents' personal and academic needs for a successful collegiate experience. Through these interactions, the RA can then provide resources and advocate for the individual students …

Iron Bars Or Libraries: Which Will Reduce Crime More?, Kenneth Shepherd

Masters Theses

This study examines how government spending affects crime. Specifically, it is a longitudinal study of property crime in Illinois. The main model is: Property Crime = B1+B2(Deterrence spending)+B3(Other Social spending)+B4(Lagged Unemployment rate). Other Social Spending is Library spending, Hospital spending, and Higher Education spending by state and local governments in real per-capita form combined. Deterrence spending is the combined spending on police and corrections in real percapita form. The results from an OLS model on this equation showed Other Social spending was 50% more effective at reducing property crime than Deterrence spending. However, there was some multicollinearity and a time …

A Study In Micro Discourse Community Learning: The Subject-Driven Micro Discourse Community Session Model, Philip Brandon Gallagher

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the development and testing of a new collaborative learning model that uses new media informed practices to teach modem students who are familiar with today's digital learning environments. Often, modem students have difficulty learning from traditional classroom practices. The Subject-Driven Micro Discourse Community Session model is an answer to this problem for collaborative learning. The Micro Community Model, for short, engages participants in small, collaborative groups as experts that have valuable knowledge to contribute. By using organized role switching and knowledge recording techniques, the model draws on current new media attributes to appeal to student competencies and …

Genre Awareness: Effectively Teaching Composition Through Genre Awareness At A Community College, Ashley D. Klinginsmith

Masters Theses

This thesis outlines the history of rhetorical genre theory and how the evolving definition of genre has influenced current genre awareness pedagogies. The survey of literature examines implicit and explicit pedagogical approaches to teaching genre theory and closely examines genre awareness as an alternative approach. Through exploring genre awareness, the thesis highlights the specific scene of the community college writing classroom in comparison to the scene of the university ,:vriting classroom in order to detennine how to best instruct students. After a thorough examination of the scene, the study progresses into a useful guide for comm1mity college instmctors to gain …

Effect Of A Summer Bridge Program On Provisionally Admitted Students' Self-Efficacy, Merry Kathleen Lucas

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

African American Students' Perceptions Of Diversity, Inclusion, And Hate Speech, Andrea E. Grant

Masters Theses

African American students' perceptions of diversity, inclusion, and hate speech were explored to reveal implications for the efficacy of the university's mission and obligation to diversity. Using qualitative research methodology, six African American female undergraduate students were interviewed via a semi-structured interview protocol. Using constant-comparative analysis common categories were drawn revealing nine salient themes: Artificial Diversity between Races, Implicit Racial Lines, Efforts of Housing Staff, Missed Educational Opportunities, Encounters with Hate Speech, Subtle Acts of Hate Speech, Overcoming Stereotypes, Users of Hate Speech, and Speech Codes are Not the Solution. These findings provided African American students an opportunity to have …

African American Students' Perceptions Of The Campus Climate At Eastern Illinois University, Tynisa R. Collins

Masters Theses

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate African American undergraduate students' perceptions of the campus racial climate at Eastern Illinois University. Quantitative research was utilized through the use of the TOCAR Collaborative Campus Climate Survey. The survey addressed perceptions of campus climate, perceptions of campus racial climate, perceptions of academic experiences, and specific experiences that the students have undergone that have contributed to their overall perception of the campus climate.

Findings showed that African American undergraduates perceived the campus climate at Eastern Illinois University to be somewhat welcoming. The data revealed that African American students would like the …

Instructional Technology Resistance Levels Among University Faculty, Katie Glaze

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to contribute to a better understanding of resistance to instructional technology among university faculty. Siegel's (2008) Resistance to Instruction Technology questionnaire was employed to full-time faculty members working at a mid-west regional state university. Results from 226 respondents (37% of population) reported low levels of technology resistance. Further, respondents gave insight to their perceptions, attitudes, and actual use of instructional technology. Finally, recommendations for practitioners related resistance to instructional technology were discussed.

Modeling Forward Base Camps As Complex Adaptive Sociotechnical Systems, Lori Ann Miller

Masters Theses

Work for this thesis focuses on managing complexity within complex adaptive sociotechnical systems by using model based systems engineering and virtual engineering tools. The hypothesis of the work is that integrated virtual models can be used to increase the understanding of these complex adaptive sociotechnical systems, resulting in a reduction in the perceived complexity. This was tested by the use of a two factor survey given to experts of a system (the customer and members of the model design team) and to a target user-group. This group received a demonstration and had hands on experience with a preliminary model of …

Social Identity Theory In Campus Recreation: Examining Organizational And Exercise Identification Among Recreation Center Users, Kiel Emberton

Masters Theses

Social identity theory is often used in commercial settings to provide a basis for psychographic market segmentation. This usage has led to the development of organization identification in traditional business settings. Campus recreation is unique in that the primary product of consumption is exercise. In describing exercise behavior, social identity theory has been applied to explain the unique psychological attachments exercisers have to their exercise behavior. This application of social identity theory created the exercise identity construct. The purpose of this study was to examine social identity theory in campus recreation. Specifically, this study investigated the correlation between frequency of …

Transition In Conceptualizing The Transgender Experience: A Measure Of Counselor Attitudes, Rachel N. Rehbein

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine counseling practitioner attitudes regarding the diagnosis, conceptualization and treatment of trans gender clients, and to observe possible factors affecting counselor views of trans gender individuals and their presenting issues. The Counselor Attitude Survey (CAS) was designed to measure coonselor attitudes toward trans gender individuals. This measure was distributed to 1000 members of the American Counseling Association throughout the United States and United States territories, resulting in 66 total respondents. Support was found regarding the association between counselor attitudes toward the transgender population and religious and political affiliations. Much of the literature states …

Understanding French Foreign Policy After The Second World War, Christophe D. Amegan

Masters Theses

This thesis is about providing a general understanding of French foreign policy since the end of the Second World War as suggested by the existing literature on soft power, military interventions, and the promotion of democracy. Even though France came out of the war very weakened, the country over the years has found ways to remain influential on the international scene. France's preference for diplomacy, its reliance on an international institution such as Francophonie, its readiness to intervene militarily when needed, and its support to the promotion of democracy internationally, have all work to preserve France's standing as a middle …

Winning The Un-Winnable In Afghanistan? Counterinsurgency And Ethnic Strife, Joseph P. Bell

Masters Theses

After pursuing military actions in both Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States adopted a counterinsurgency policy to properly address these conflicts. After implementing this new strategy, it appears that the United States has been able to succeed against the insurgency, while losing more and more ground in Afghanistan. Upon examination, it was determined that the ethnic fractionalization in Afghanistan presented a unique challenge to the counterinsurgency effort that had not been present in Iraq.

The effects of this ethnic fractionalization were then analyzed on local counterinsurgency tactics and the overall nation building strategy in Afghanistan. Local counterinsurgency tactics had largely …

Impact Of Interruptions In White Collar Working Environment, Zafar Akhil Khan

Masters Theses

"An interruption is a randomly occurring, discrete event that breaks continuity of cognitive focuses on a primary task and typically requires immediate attention and insists on action. "White collar interruptions" are those that affect knowledge workers in professional, managerial, or administrative positions. Interruptions are often a common occurrence in the white collar workplace.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the effect of timing of an interruption on the overall performance of white collar workers. This study also analyzes the interruption sources (i.e. externally and internally generated) along with effect of different types of interruptions on both demanding and …

Disharmony And Matchless: Interpersonal Deception Theory In Online Dating, Lyndsey Wagner

Masters Theses

In recent years, computer-media dated communication has not only become extremely popular but has also begun to hold an important function in daily social interactions. This qualitative study investigates the communication phenomena of deception as it occurs in the online dating environment. The research study focused on four questions: (1) About what characteristics are online daters deceptive? (2) What motivation do online daters have for their deception of others in the online dating environment? (3) What perceptions do online daters have about other daters' deceit towards them in the online dating environment? (4) How does deception affect the romantic relationships …

Semiotics, Habitus And Music In The Transmission Of Tibetan Culture In Toronto, John Robertson

Masters Theses

This ethnographic study explores the role of music in cultural transmission in the Tibetan community of Toronto, Canada. Beginning with an integration of Peircian semiotics, Bourdieu's habitus and musical semiosis, I then identify certain non-Tibetan cultural elements being encountered by those in the Toronto community which are potentially creating cognitive structures foreign to those which have their generative principles in pre-exile Tibetan past, and the ways in which Tibetans are transmitting (to varying degrees) cognitive schemata which identify these non-Tibetan elements and protect against their appropriation. After exploring elements which are not Tibetan, I turn to those which are: a …

An Inquiry Into Contextualized Christian Expression In North India, M. J. Gracin

Masters Theses

The riches of India's ancient and diverse culture are proclaimed from the music that communicates the heart of Bharat Mata - Mother India. This sentiment resounds across the vast geographical area of India in songs from Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and Bollywood composers. The question of how Christians might express their faith in light of societal, historical and religious amalgamations is the topic of discussion for this project. The inquiry will focus on the music culture of North India, specifically as it is expressed in the city of B_____, Uttar Pradesh. A six week field study was conducted in …

Educating "Gentlemen And Accomplish'd Citizens": Establishment, Enlightenment, And Colonial Virginia's Collegiate Transformation, Joshua James Owens

Masters Theses

This project traces the shift of educational, and in many ways, intellectual, hegemony from the elite College of William and Mary in the Tidewater region, to those institutions founded in the western parts of the Commonwealth. As a result of diversified people groups, religious pluralism, and influences from scattered religious revivals, people formerly considered agrarian folk, found themselves in the midst of Virginia's intellectual and education transformation. Because of the school's unshakable connections to both the English monarchy and the Established Church in Virginia, the College of William and Mary failed to incorporate a more religiously tolerant agenda. With the …

Polar Opposites: A Look At The Role Of Biblical Values In Managing Dialectical Tensions In Marriage, Kimberly Dawn Borland

Masters Theses

The purpose of the current study was to determine what role biblical values play in the management of dialectical tensions and the resolution of conflict in Christian marriages. Specifically, the research questions guiding this study were what, if any, dialectical tensions exist in Christian marriages, do dialectical tensions lead to conflict in marriage, how are dialectical tensions and conflict managed in marriage, and what role do biblical values play in the management of dialectical tensions in Christian marriages? Transcripts from interviews of ten Christian married couples were analyzed using a Relational Dialectics lens. Results of analysis revealed that all six …

Social Tensions And Acculturation: Portrayals Of German Integration Discourse, Soeren Wendland

Masters Theses

This Master Thesis deals with the portrayal of social tensions and acculturation perceptions resulting from German integration discourse. Wester, Pleijter, and Renckstorf's (2004) model for interpretative content analysis was applied to examine the portrayal of migrants and integration from three German online magazines. Germany's struggle with its multicultural aspect is described, a history of Germany as a multicultural society is provided, acculturation theory is described, the meaning of integration in Germany is illustrated, perceptions of Germans and foreigners on life in Germany are explored, and the role of the media in the integration discourse is introduced. Results show magazine portrayals …

"One Man In His Time Plays Many Parts": The Causes And Effects Of Cognitive Dissonance Upon The Actor, Rachel Joy Blomquist

Masters Theses

Actors in general are passionate about their art. It is a constant balancing act for actors to keep their lives separate from the roles they play on the stage. This paper focuses upon role-play performance, cognitive dissonance, and self-concept development in theater education. The focus of this study is specifically upon the causes and effects of cognitive dissonance in female theater students from three colleges in the central Virginia area. Qualitative research was obtained through the use of interviews. Ten students were each asked a set of six questions based on the roles they played and performances they were a …

Confused Or Multicultural: A Phenomenological Analysis Of The Self-Perception Of Third Culture Kids With Regard To Their Cultural Identity, Andrea Marcilio Moore

Masters Theses

This study investigated whether Third Culture Kids, defined as people who lived in a country other than their passport country during their developmental years, perceived that their cross-cultural experiences during childhood produced in them a sense of confused cultural identity or a multicultural identity and whether they are able to successfully alternate between their two or more cultural identities and achieve intercultural communication competency in multiple cultures. Existing literature on TCKs focuses on the negative aspects of a life on the move and does not view TCKs in light of having a multicultural identity or multiple cultural identities. This study …

Analysis Of The Dutar Playing Technique Of Abdurehim Heyt, Michael Alan Kee

Masters Theses

Uyghur dutar player Abdurehim Heyt is hailed by many Uyghurs as the Dutar King, referring to his mastery of the instrument. This thesis examines several of Heyt's songs and compares them with songs from three other Uyghur dutar players in an attempt to isolate and define the unique characteristic of Heyt's dutar playing technique that sets him apart from other Uyghur dutar players.

This study presents a brief examination of the concept of music ornamentation as it has developed in the West. The Uyghur concept of music ornamentation - purakh - is then explained and compared with the Western concept …

Language And Identity In Postcolonial African Literature: A Case Study Of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, Abigail Guthrie

Masters Theses

Sociolinguists often research the development of language attitudes and the state of language within speech communities. Individual speakers reflect the status of their L1 language in both speaking and writing (Wa Thiong'o 1986, Showalter 2001), and the idea that writing can be used as a set of data that reflects an author's language attitude is the motivation for this research. Salikoko Mufwene (2001), one of the leading experts on creolization and the ecology of language, has argued that individual speakers of a language make daily choices that affect the future of their native tongue. Using the novel Things Fall Apart …

Islam Vs. Christianity: The Value And Sexuality Of Women In Islam Compared To The Value And Sexuality Of Women In The New Testament, Alane Marie Moore

Masters Theses

A central concern in the public square is the devaluation or subjugation of a people using the shield of religion. It has become an expedient and nonchalant tool to abuse a certain class of people in the name of a higher power. Islam is no exception. Throughout the holy books of Islam, women are subjected to a life of oppression, one that is approved by Allah. While many are apt to point to Christianity as an example of the same devaluation of women, there are incredible differences between these two religions, and the holy books that dictate the treatment of …

"There's Something Wrong About The Way You Look, There's Something Wrong With You": Memorable Messages Concerning Identity And Body Weight, Scott A. Richmond

Masters Theses

This thesis examined the body weight discourse through interviews concerning memorable messages received prior to and after a period of weight loss, along with messages' effects on individuals' identities. As the communication of messages concerning body weight and identity had yet to be thoroughly examined, this study worked to illuminate how the discourse is communicated.

Emergent themes were discussed, such as pre-weight loss messages communicating a separate social identity, less social desirability, and advice about body weight. Post-weight messages themes of acknowledging a change in appearance, positive valuation of the change, and questions on the weight change were also examined. …

Communication Disconnect: Generational Stereotypes Between Generation X/Y And Baby Boomers In American And Chinese Organizational Communication, Yuxiang Du

Masters Theses

This research explores organizational communication between Generation X/Y and the Baby Boomers within the American and Chinese groups using social identity theory. Twenty participants were interviewed about their opinions on this issue. Thematic analysis was used to examine themes in the responses. The themes were organized into six categories: outlining Generation X/Y, outlining Baby Boomers, generational communication, generational stereotypes, cultural influences, and favorable solutions. Two referent elements were used through the whole discussion, social identity and cultural characteristics. The study revealed a strong social identity with all the four generational groups, difficulties in communication and stereotypes because of the identities. …