Digital Commons Network^™

Rural And Urban North Carolina Parent-Child Feeding Behaviors, Kayla J. Brooks

Theses

This pilot study was conducted to describe parental feeding factors and explore the association between these factors and region of residence. Data was collected from 60 parents of children ages 2-11 in the form of a self-administered questionnaire. Thirty participants resided in a rural community and 30 resided in an urban community in North Carolina. Of the respondents, 87% were mothers, 50% were African Americans, 25% were Caucasians, and 20% were Hispanic Americans. This study’s findings indicated a significant difference in the frequency of consumption of home cooked meals (p=0.002). The intake of fruits (p=0.000), vegetables (p=0.001), meat, fish and …

Belonging, Believing, Being: A Journey Toward Social Justice, Stacey Lynn Williams

Theses

Using Participatory Action Research, this study examined the student and staff’s experience of exploring social justice at the University of San Diego’s Women’s Center. Looking specifically at how the Center shaped the way that we understand and take up social justice, the inquiry examines our understanding and approach to our learning. Through artistic expression and dialogue, the research utilized a participatory approach that offers learning for both those interested justice and those committed to collaborative research models. I offer reflections about my own practice as an educator while sharing insights from participants in terms of the work of pursuing a …

Skin Cancer - Education And Prevention: The Role Of Social Marketing, Tim Crowley

Theses

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland and worldwide. Skin cancer rates have been steadily rising in recent times. The high use of sunbeds in both Ireland and the UK is quite worrisome. Skin cancer is caused by over exposure to UV rays or through the use of sunbeds and as a result it is actually a highly preventable disease. It is estimated that 90-95% of all skin cancers are preventable. This thesis focuses on the use of social marketing in order to educate people on the dangers of skin cancer with the eventual aim of making recommendations …

On Que(E)Rying University Safe Spaces : Theory, Institution And Pedagogy, Nick Wilbourn

Theses

In the last two decades, efforts to create safe spaces for queer students on university campuses have taken what many consider a significant turn, largely because of work done by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Since GLSEN began its Safe Space campaign in the early 1990s, universities have had a model upon which to base their own campus programs to increase visibility of issues related to queer students. In this thesis I examine whether the concept of safe spaces is a productive way to theorize and discuss those places on university campuses where students can actually feel …

Virtual Team Performance : Effects Of Reflexivity, Transactive Memory, And Situation Awareness, Kristin Weger

Theses

Virtual teams often do not have the capability to develop well-functioning team cognitive processes in the initial stages of team development, leading to initial low performance in teams. The present experiment explored whether a general training procedure, a guided reflexivity intervention, could facilitate team cognitive development to improve team performance, and whether such an intervention could influence team communication. Participants (N = 160) assigned to teams of four received either a guided reflexivity intervention or no intervention, in a two scenario experiment. Virtual teams in the guided reflexivity condition were expected to develop a better transactive memory system, display higher …

Showups Vs. Lineups : Can Showups Be Reliable?, Alex R. Wooten

Theses

Showups (one-person identifications) have been declared less reliable than traditional lineups (six person group identifications) by the US Supreme Court and social science researchers. A 2 (Perpetrator: Absent vs. Present) x 2 (Retention Interval: Immediate versus Delayed) x 4 (showups, fair lineups, biased lineups, police lineups) between subjects factorial design was employed to determine differences in identification accuracy in each condition. Participants (N = 584) viewed a mock crime video, and then proceeded (immediately or 2 days later) to an identification task. We predicted retention interval to interact with type of identification procedure. Specifically, immediate showups were expected to perform …

A Thomistic Understanding Of Happiness, Christian Stephens

Theses

Imagine that extra-terrestrial researchers land on Earth with the mission of studying humanity. As part of their expedition they wish to sit in on one University Degree, but are unsure of which degree to choose. So they decide to carry out a survey, asking each individual human what it is they want in life. Based on the results, the aliens will then study the appropriate field. After conducting the survey and processing the data, they come to the conclusion that humans highly regard this thing called happiness.1 The Head Researchers unanimously decide that a ‘degree in happiness’ is in order. …

The Impact Of Domestic Violence Upon Default From Colposcopy Services, Rachael R. Collier

Theses

This thesis explores a possible mechanism by which the presence of domestic violence may lead to poorer health outcomes in women. Whilst the cost and impact of domestic violence in the literature has been well documented, it is less clear exactly ‘how’ domestic violence leads to the reported variety of adverse health outcomes. The key hypothesis in this thesis is that the health impact of domestic violence is partly mediated through failure of affected women to attend for treatment and follow up. This then results in their poorer health outcomes.

Queering The Mask: Performance And Fantasy In Michelle Cliff’S No Telephone To Heaven And Tahar Ben Jelloun’S Leaving Tangier, Kanika Bryant

Theses

This text juxtaposes Michelle Cliff's No Telephone to Heaven and Tahar Ben Jelloun's Leaving Tangier, examining the texts' cultural parallels to aid in an investigation and analysis of the queer protagonists in each text in order to show that because these protagonists self-consciously suppress part or all of their sexual identities, the act of temporary and permanent performance or passing becomes a central strategy utilized to navigate through their societal positions. The consciousness studies of both W.E.B. Du Bois and Frantz Fanon, as well as examinations of queer social identities as dictated by queer theory, will enhance the theoretical framework …

Factors That Determine Satisfaction Of Corporate Customers Of A Major Third Party Logistics (3pl) Company: A Case Study Of Unyson Logistics Usa, Claudia A. Rojas

Theses

The study of the service offered in 2010 by Unyson Logistics was consolidated within one customer survey as a need to promote organizational success by reaching customer satisfaction. The interest in satisfaction is due to the several advantages and benefits that offer the philosophy of excellence, among other things, increase the number of loyal customers, increasing the attraction of new clients, new opportunities to help development, improve the policy of reducing costs and optimize the company's image, and reach a higher level of satisfaction regarding the overall experience. This research will determine the main factors that will help Unyson Logistics …

Online Book-Buying Behavior, Carolina Ziegler

Theses

Generally speaking, the Internet is directly influencing the buying decision-making process of the consumer. More than ask relatives and friends' opinions, current customers tend now to acquire information about products on search engines, social networks, blogs, or websites. Therefore, this research was set to develop a better overall understanding about online buying behavior.

The e-commerce is growing every year and the number of consumers willing to spend money on virtual transactions follows this tendency. In order to better understand this trend, the market for academic books was chosen as a reference to appreciate how consumers behave when buying a specific …

Improving Usability: Evaluating The Effect Of Changing Environmental Factors On Cognitive Load, Robin J. Deegan

Theses

Mobile devices are now truly ubiquitous. Their pervasiveness in all facets of our lives brings many advantages. Principle to these advantages is the notion that mobile devices can be used “Anytime, Anywhere”. The size, portability, battery life and computational power of mobile devices mean that they can be used for a diverse range of uses in an equally diverse range of environments.

Usability is primarily concerned with “ease of use” and “learnability”. Mobile devices are challenging this notion of Usability as they are used in new ways. Firstly mobile devices arc used in complex distracting environments and these distractions interfere …

Creep-O-Meter: A Satirical Guide To Creepers, Alice Hallahan

Theses

The Creep-O-Meter app and book explore, and humorously exploit contemporary psychological and behavioral norms concerning the term "creeper." Together, the app and the book poke fun at people who practice awkward behavior, and humorously guide the user in the correct direction for both recognizing and handling potentially awkward social situations.

The end product is an interactive set of tools that can be used to educate, correct, or repel distasteful behavior.

For The Absent, Jae Hyung Lee

Theses

When faced with trauma we often do not recognize the importance of taking time to heal. The purpose of my work is to heal myself from my past. The process of making pieces can ease agony and create hope in my mind. My design concept will be developed through the creation of my work, and I hope to begin healing from the trauma of my father's death. I have reflected on the post-traumatic feelings that are associated with my father's death eight years ago. I realize that I still feel anger, sadness and grief. To confront this reality and work …

Mothering Values : An Exploration Of Generational Differences In Values, Beliefs And Attitudes, Marguerita Walsh

Theses

Maternal employment has led to an increase in the need for childcare (Horgan, 2001). In 2005, the most valuable source of childcare for children of primary school age was unpaid relatives (Share & Kerrins, 2009). 33% of grandparents are involved in childcare on a weekly basis (Jones, 2011). Therefore, childrearing tasks are shared, and children may be exposed to a variety of childrearing values.

Given the key-role grandparents, and in particular grandmothers play in childcare, this research focuses on exploring the parenting values, beliefs and roles of maternal grandmothers and mothers of children under the age of ten and how …

An Exploration Of The Past, Present And Future Of Nursing In Early Parenting Services In Australia, Elaine Bennett

Theses

Nursing has a long history of providing services to families and children over the past century and more within Early Parenting Services (EPS) in Australia. Much has been written on issues regarding the general nursing workforce and requirements for the future, but little is known about the role of nursing within the EPS area around Australia in the context of an interdisciplinary team.

The aim of this study was to describe how nursing has responded to the changing needs of EPS in Australia and to investigate nurses’ and allied professionals’ perceptions of the nursing role within an interdisciplinary team. This …

New Evangelization, Conversion And Catholic Education, Mark Tynan

Theses

Magisterial teaching since the Second Vatican Council has identified the need for a re-evangelization of Western cultures. Catholic teaching since Vatican II has continued to identify this need and exhort Christians to what Pope John Paul II termed a New Evangelization. This teaching had five significant thrusts. Firstly, it identified the need for the New Evangelization. Secondly, it discussed the essential role of the laity in this endeavor. Thirdly, it positioned conversion as the primary initial goal of this enterprise and defined what it conversion would look like experientially. Fourthly, the Holy Spirit was promoted as the initiator and primary …

Language Learning Strategies Of Efl Students In The University General Requirements Unit In The United Arab Emirates University, Ahmad Zuhair Al Khatib

Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the patterns of English language learning strategies used by Emirati EFL university students, and to examine the effects of gender and proficiency level on the use of these strategies.

This study was conducted at the United Arab Emirates University. The sample consisted of 190 EFL students at the University General Requirements Unit. Data was collected through administering an Arabic translation of Oxford's (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) and a demographic questionnaire.

The findings indicated that these EFL university students were medium range strategy users and that students favored using metacognitive …

Judgments Of Learning As Postdictors Of Accuracy, Michael C. Graham

Theses

This study is the first to assess the use of Judgments of Learning (JOLs) in an eyewitness identification paradigm. The type of identification task (showups versus lineups) as well as presence of target stimuli was manipulated. Correct and incorrect identifications were measured to determine the accuracy of participants' identifications. JOLs and confidence ratings were collected to determine if meta-cognitive judgments can be used as valid indicators of accuracy. The findings support research in the meta-cognitive and psychology and law literatures as JOL and confidence ratings significantly correlated with accuracy. It was found that confidence ratings were significantly better at predicting …

Job Satisfaction Of Primary School Leaders In Abu Dhabi Emirate In Light Of The New School Model Requirements. A Field Study, Khaula Khamis Al Kaabi

Theses

This study aimed at identifying the extent of job satisfaction among female primary school principals in Abu Dhabi in light of the New School Model requirements. Moreover, it highlighted the causes and obstacles that hindered job satisfaction among female school principals. The researcher used the descriptive analytical method to achieve the goals and reveal the effect of some of the variables like experience and the principals’ age on their job satisfaction. A researcher prepared 46-item survey that covered 7 areas related to the elements of job satisfaction. They are as follows:

(Satisfaction with the nature of their job as school …

Constraints To School Decision Making Process: The Perceptions Of School Principals Of Alain Education Office, Rowaya Saeed Al Humaidi Shaheen Al Ghafli

Theses

The purposes of this study were to identify the constraint faced by the school principals of Al Ain Educational Office in the school decision-making process, examine the most important type of constraints (personal, organizational, or social) for school decision- making. Also, identify the impact of the following variables (gender, age, educational qualification, and the number of experience years) to make decision and suggest how to overcome the constraints from the point of view of the study sample. The researcher used the descriptive method. Data for the study were collected through the use of a questionnaire. The population of the study …

The Pragmatic Role Of Code-Switching And Simultaneous Production During Play Contexts Of Bimodal Bilingual Hearing Children Of Deaf Parents, John R. Hanson

Theses

It is difficult, if not impossible to find another code-switching condition that allows for the production of "simultaneous" language use in communication like that which is found in bimodal bilingualism. In 2002, Bauer, Hall, and Kruth conducted a study that examined code-switching in a play context for a German/English bilingual child. Emmorey, Borinstein, and Thomson in 2005 investigated bimodal bilingualism in adults. However there has not been a study like these for hearing children using ASL/English who have Deaf parents. By applying Bauer, Hall, and Kruth's study as a template for research into code-switching and adapting some of the processes …

Study Of Particle Swarm For Optimal Power Flow In Ieee Benchmark Systems Including Wind Power Generators, Mohamed A. Abuella

Theses

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Mohamed A. Abuella, for the Master of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, presented on May 10, 2012, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE:STUDY OF PARTICLE SWARM FOR OPTIMAL POWER FLOW IN IEEE BENCHMARK SYSTEMS INCLUDING WIND POWER GENERATORS MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. C. Hatziadoniu, The aim of this thesis is the optimal economic dispatch of real power in systems that include wind power. The economic dispatch of wind power units is quite different of conventional thermal units. In addition, the consideration should take the intermittency nature of wind speed and operating constraints as …

An Actor's Journey Into The Mind Of A Sociopath, Kelsey Amann

Theses

In order to complete the requirements for a Master of Fine Arts at Lindenwood University, I was required to perform a leading role as part of my thesis project. I chose to play Neil LaBute's character, Evelyn, in his play, The Shape of Things. Evelyn is an incredibly complex character; there are muJtiple layers to her and for each layer I did extensive research. This paper will take the reader on a journey through the process as J experienced it, including the decisions I made to create Evelyn.

Maddy The Mathasaurus: An Interactive Math Game That Introduces The Concept And Properties Of Multiplication And Designed With Consideration For Children With Adhd, Mansi Vora

Theses

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is one of the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder in kids, and is estimated to affect about 8-10% of school-aged children. Research shows that out of these children about 26% particularly have Math learning disabilities. The cognitive ability to understand and solve complex mathematical problems requires high level of concentration over a longer duration of time. This ability is disrupted in certain children due to ADHD. Therefore these students are likely to receive lower grades or even failure in standardized measures. However, if an educational environment is created that is specifically targeted towards reducing the …

Logo Station: A Personal Logo Design Application On Multi-Touch Tablet Devices, Lan Shi

Theses

This decade has witnessed the rapid development of technology in the IT field. The importance of technology is undeniable. The increase of digital products in both quality and quantity is inevitable. As a result, numerous cutting-edge tablet applications have been developed. New applications have brought unprecedented convenience to the users in their daily lives. However, there is a lack of well-developed applications on tablet devices to allow people to design personal logos. It is common knowledge that professional design software is not consumer friendly for the non-designer. And for the average user, the professional design software might be easy to …

A Comparison Of Two Concurrent Think-Aloud Protocols: Categories And Relevancy Of Utterances, Katie Greiner

Theses

This paper discusses the results of an exploratory study that compared type and quality of participant verbalizations experienced from two concurrent think-aloud methods. The speech communication and traditional think-aloud methods were compared in terms of the number of participant utterances spoken and relevancy of those utterances in terms of further usability analysis. Though the speech communication method produced fewer utterances, it produced more relevant utterances than the traditional method. Participants preferred hearing the moderator's acknowledgment tokens in the speech communication condition to the moderator's silence in the traditional think-aloud method. There was a significant difference with how natural participants felt …

Knowing For: A New Path In Testimonial Justification, John Allan Scott Camacho

Theses

John Greco believes that any satisfactory theory of testimonial knowledge should explain its practical nature—how testimonial knowledge pervades across cases in a way that much of our knowledge is dependable. He offers six cases: children know from their mothers, teachers (simple), friends know from each other and citizens (tricky), job interviewers and interrogators know from interviewees (difficult). In §2, I consider Greco’s formulation of these cases into the Reasons and Trust (RT) Dilemma: reductionism is too demanding for simple cases and non-reductionism is too easy in difficult cases. In §3, I begin by reframing Greco’s RT Dilemma. I will argue …

Stirrings: Interactive Tableware, Lorianne Resch

Theses

The goal of this thesis project was to create an object or set of objects that would serve as an interaction point to foster reciprocal learning and perceptual exchange between children and adults. The underlying investigation dealt with the notion that the child's point of view can be quite insightful, but it is often forgotten or overlooked and replaced by a more `reasonable' and rational perspective as we age. The project's final form serves not only as a whimsical, functional set of dishes, but also as a language of anthropomorphic forms.

Cinch Furniture System, Betsy Barnhart

Theses

This thesis explores solutions to the problem young adults face when relocating on a budget. The target age range of 20 to 30 year-olds face multiple hurdles when it comes to their nomadic existence. On average this age group relocates once per year; they are a consumerist population often defining themselves by their possessions; and are often under tight budget constraints. Since nomadic cultures to the current day, relocation has allowed individuals access to better things and the essentials of life. The difference being that nomadic cultures had fewer possessions which were designed for easy packing and carrying, where as …