Digital Commons Network^™

An Analysis Of The Factors Affecting Training Transfer Within The Work Environment, Daniel J. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

A meta-analysis of 34 studies was performed to explore the magnitude in which work environment manipulates training transfer. The independent variables for this study included supervisor support, subordinate support, peer support, transfer climate, relapse prevention, goal setting, continuous learning culture, task constraints, and frequency of use. This study performed a moderator analysis to compare the effect these independent variables had on management and non-management training; and self-reporting versus supervisor or peer reporting; and training versus development. Results revealed that relapse prevention (.65) had the highest levels of correlation of all independent variables to training transfer. The results also showed that …

Electrically Steerable Diffraction Gratings For Hyperspectral Imaging: A Microelectromechanical System Design And Fabrication, Saban Atinc Delican

Theses and Dissertations

The current research is focused on the design and fabrication of an electrically programmable diffraction grating using standard micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The goal is to design a beam steering element required to build very small hyperspectral imaging (HSI) sensors. The diffraction grating will be used to perform beam-dispersion - a critical step in the imaging process. The proposed transmissive diffraction grating based approach will minimize the overall size and the number of components in the physical design of the hyperspectral imagers, thereby enabling us to exploit the traditional advantages of MEMS such as increased reliability, smaller size, …

Does Marriage And Relationship Education Improve Couples' Communication? A Meta-Analytic Study, Victoria Lael Blanchard

Theses and Dissertations

Using the results of 65 reports, this study examined the effect of marriage and relationship education (MRE) on couples' communication, and accounted for various moderators of this effect, including method of assessment and unit of analysis. This study is part of a comprehensive meta-analysis of MRE evaluation research conducted since 1975 (k = 124 codable reports). Overall, MRE produced modest but reliable effects on couples' communication. These effects were maintained at follow-up assessments and were not affected significantly by publication bias. No differences in effect were found for gender. Observational assessments did produce larger effects than self-report assessments. MRE produced …

Dairy Culture: Industry, Nature And Liminality In The Eighteenth-Century English Ornamental Dairy, Ashlee Whitaker

Theses and Dissertations

The vogue for installing dairies, often termed "fancy" or "polite" dairies, within the gardens of wealthy English estates arose during the latter half of the eighteenth century. These polite dairies were functional spaces in which aristocratic women engaged, to varying degrees, in bucolic tasks of skimming milk, churning and molding butter, and preparing creams. As dairy work became a mode of genteel activity, dairies were constructed and renovated in the stylish architectural modes of the day and expanded to serve as spaces of leisure and recreation. Dairies were often lavishly outfitted to create a delicate and clean atmosphere, a fancy …

Angels And Demons: Christina Rossetti’S Goblin Market As A Social Critique Of The Victorian Ideal Of The “Angel In The House” And The Pre-Raphaelites’ Response To That Ideal, Melissa Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Christina Rossetti’s poem Goblin Market presents a subversive critique on the socially constructed dichotomy of Angel versus Demon as depicted in Pre-Raphaelite artwork, Dante Gabriele Rossetti’s poetry, and Coventry Patmore’s poem Angel in the House. An analysis of Goblin Market in relation to Patmore’s poem and the Pre-Raphaelite paintings The Annunciation, Ophelia, Lady Lilith, Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses, and Sibylla Palmifera and Dante Gabriele Rossetti’s poems “Soul’s Beauty” and “Body’s Beauty” illustrate the ways in which Rossetti presents a counter-image that breaks down this socially constructed dichotomy. This is additionally supported by an exploration …

Building Strong Brands: An Examination Of The Ubt Brand Building Experience, Metihe Kastrati

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Gliotoxin Production In Aspergillus Fumigatus, Susan Musyimi

Theses and Dissertations

Aspergillus fumigalus is a ubiquitous fungus that causes an infection called aspergillosis in immune-compromised surgery patients (Latge, 2001, 384; Bok et al. 2006). Aspergillosis cases have increased in the past decade due to the increasing number of patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy and receiving organ transplants (Bok et al. 2006). Although there is still disagreement as to the causative agent of the symptoms accompanying aspergillosis, many scientists suspect that the compound, gliotoxin, plays a major role, hi this study, we compared the amounts of gliotoxin produced from clinical and environmental isolates of A. fumigatus. We hypothesized that the amount of gliotoxin …

The Mural As A Teaching Tool In Elementary Education, Mignon Hatton

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the idea that the mural is a valuable tool that teachers should be encouraged to use. The mural project combines co-operative group work, history lessons, review of current events, social changes, and self evaluation. These public art forms are easily accessible because they can be found on the walls of many public buildings as well as on the Internet. The creation of a mural involves cross curricular learning in math, science, and the language arts.

Criminal Histories Of Methamphetamine Users: A Rural Analysis, Israt Zohra

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined criminal histories of methamphetamine users in rural counties of Arkansas. More specifically, the study explored the difference between methamphetamine users with and without criminal histories. Although there are plenty of research on demographic characteristics, sociological attributes, and drug dependencies of methamphetamine users, there seems to be a gap in the literature focusing on why certain methamphetamine users have been arrested versus users who have not been arrested. A preliminary analysis of the data indicated 60 percent of the participants in the study had criminal histories, while 40 percent have never been arrested; therefore, this study explored potential …

Art Education In Arkansas: The Organizational History Of The Arkansas Art Educators From 1922 To The Present, Ronda Ramsey May

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of my research is to document the changes and advancements in art education in Arkansas through the written history of the art teacher organization, the Arkansas Art Educators (AAE). Chronicling the efforts of AAE's membership to advocate for art education will help preserve the history of AAE and connect it with the broader history of the educational developments in the state between 1922 and the present.

The Effects Of The Partnerships In Comprehensive Literacy Model In Narrowing The Achievement Gap For First Graders In A High Poverty School, Barbara M. Head

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of the Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy (PCL) school improvement model in narrowing the achievement gap for first graders in a high poverty school over a three-year period. The study compared the academic progress of first grade students from a PCL high poverty school with first grade students from a non-PCL high poverty school. A cross sectional study with quantitative data, analyzed with a parametric statistical test (ANOVA), was used to evaluate these factors. The research objectives focused on studying the effects of the Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy (PCL) model in …

Creating Leaders: A Correlational Study Of The Principal's Leadership Impacting An Innovation For Sustainability, Felicia L. Bell-Hobbs

Theses and Dissertations

Literacy reform is at the forefront of the accountability movement in the education arena today. School principals must tackle one of the most perplexing problems facing education reform: how to understand and change the culture of the school. Literacy instruction can become the catalyst for school change in the reform effort. Leadership for change can evolve within a professional learning community, in which school principals act as change facilitators, collaboratively leading the reform efforts in their schools. A person that is in the position to facilitate change within a system is considered a change facilitator. In schools, this may include …

The Rhetoric Of Leadership: A Look At Leadership Through The Rhetorical Triangle, Kathryn M. Oliverio

Theses and Dissertations

The rhetorical triangle (sender/message/receiver) applies to more than just writing papers and delivering speeches. It is applicable to effective leadership as well. This leadership triangle includes the leader, the message or the leader's goals, and the follower. In order for leaders to be effective, they must understand their strengths and weaknesses, because both help form a leader's morale character (ethos). Leaders must also analyze their audience. A leader's audience, referred to as followers in this Final Project, is made up of human beings and all humans are different. These differences can be analyzed by looking at differences in personality, needs, …

Taylor Field: A Diamond In The Rough, George A. Lea, Iii

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the construction of Taylor Field in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The facility was built by the Works Projects Administration. Construction began in 1939, the first year in which the field was used by the city's professional baseball club, and completed in 1940. In addition to covering the construction of the field, the first two seasons of baseball played at the field are examined. However, the field has had many uses over the years of its existence. For example, the Negro Leagues had about a dozen games at the field in 1940, there were three political rallies held at …

"Bat Boy: The Musical" Scene Design, Christopher Shane Dills

Theses and Dissertations

A. Environmental Facts

1. Geographical Location: The Exact Place Hope Falls. West Virginia, Population 500

2. Date: Year, Season, Time of Day. What is significant about the date? Present (2008), Fall at the beginning of the play and progresses into Spring by the beginning of act two and the revival. Time of day is generally midday except for the Christian Charity until the end of Dance with Me, Darling. During this portion of act one it is night time and it is storming, Hence the lightning flashes and power outages called for in the script and stage directions. The end …

Effect Of Thyroid Hormones On At1r Mrna Levels In Hek 293 Cells: Implications For Early-Onset Hypertension In Children Born Of Preeclamptic Women, Amanda Eddins

Theses and Dissertations

This experiment tested the effect of thyroid hormones, T3 or T4, on angiotensin II type 1 receptor mRNA levels in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK). Maternal preeclampsia is a prediction of higher ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in the exposed offspring. The mother's blood pressure affects the blood pressure of the fetus since the placenta mediates blood flow. Thyroid hormone can increase production of angiotensinogen, which is a part of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). RAS regulates blood pressure. Hypothesis: HEK 293 cells treated with T3 and T4 will have more angiotensin II type I receptors than those not treated with T3 …

"Motionless As An Idol": The Roles Of Art, Modernism, And Religion In William Faulkner's Construction Of Gender, Chelsea Bullock

Theses and Dissertations

William Faulkner's body of work addresses many specific issues and conditions specific to the South, but this project focuses on the place of Southern women in society and Faulkner's exploration of their subjugation through the language and images of art. I will analyze three of his texts: "A Rose for Emily," As I Lay Dying, and The Sound and the Fury with a particular focus on the main female characters and the art metaphors they are presented in association with and. often, as encapsulated within. I chose these three texts because they are best representative of my argument. In the …

Networks And Network Security, Michael Kuralt

Theses and Dissertations

In a world of ever-increasing security threats, companies have the difficult task of securing their networks from attack. One of the largest threats to a company is the users on its network. By educating its network administrators and employees about network threats, a company can lower its vulnerability to network attacks. Individual users also can benefit from understanding networks and network security by learning how to keep their computer and their information safe. Companies and users can stay safe by understanding how a network functions, what threats exist on the Internet, how to prevent and deal with attacks, and how …

The Influence Of Timed Reading Practices On Reading Gains And Comprehension Levels Of Third Grade Readers, Kristi D. Stuck

Theses and Dissertations

Since the signing of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) has been used by many schools to document students' reading gains. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of timed reading practices on the reading levels and comprehension scores of third grade students as they participated in literature discussion groups. Data collection included: reading levels from Developmental Reading Assessment, students' reading reflection logs, and transcriptions of language patterns during literature discussion groups. The findings revealed no statistical significance for students who participated in timed reading drills in …

Differences In Methamphetamine Users And Crack Cocaine Users, Kilby Erwin Raptopoulos

Theses and Dissertations

This research addresses basic differences between crack cocaine users and methamphetamine users. The sample consisted of stimulant users who tested positive for either crack cocaine and/or methamphetamine from three rural counties in eastern Arkansas. This study seeks to further existing knowledge concerning drug use by examining demographics, drug use patterns, criminal histories and parental substance abuse. The study used Respondent-Driven Sampling to accumulate a sample size of 211 participants. Data was obtained through self-reported demographic information, drug use, criminal histories, and parental substance abuse problems during individual interviews, which were also matched with the results from a urinary analysis to …

Multicultural Training In A Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program: A Template For Conducting A Cultural Audit, Angela F. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the multicultural training practices within Pepperdine University's PsyD program in clinical psychology and provided a template for other training programs attempting to conduct a cultural audit. Utilizing a bounded case study design, the current investigation gathered data from faculty in the PsyD program, currently enrolled doctoral students, course syllabi and prospective student recruitment materials. Research questions were: How do faculty members, full-time, adjunct and visiting, self-rate their overall competence in integrating multicultural issues in the classroom?; 2.) How do faculty members rate the multicultural training offered in Pepperdine's PsyD program?; 3.) How frequently are multicultural issues addressed …

Aggression And Spirituality Among Veterans With Chronic Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Lea M. Didion

Theses and Dissertations

Spirituality negatively correlates with aggression among the general population, but few studies have examined this relationship in the high-risk population of veterans with combat-related PTSD. Those that have found that incorporating spirituality into treatment may inversely relate to aggression; yet, most studies utilize single-item measures of spirituality. This project expands current research by using a multidimensional measure of spirituality to evaluate which dimensions best predict aggression. Scales were Daily Spiritual Experiences, Forgiveness, and Religious Support from the BMMRS. Participants were 472 male combat veterans in residential PTSD treatment. Aggression was best predicted by Forgiveness, with higher levels less likely to …

A Grounded Theory Study Of The Leadership Characteristics Of John F. Kennedy: A Leadership Model For Educational Leaders, Kanika D. Colvin-White

Theses and Dissertations

Adverse challenges in schools that distract from student learning have necessitated effective leadership more than ever before. These challenges include, but are not limited to, budget cuts, standardized testing, poorly trained teachers, poverty, and low parent participation. Every school year academic administrators approach the aforementioned challenges with the hope of improving student achievement. However, without effective practices to foster and sustain student achievement, often, their efforts are in vain. As school districts recruit and deploy leaders, it is critical to select those who have passion to foster positive change. It is equally important to hire administrators who possess those characteristics …

Civic Habits: A Predictive Model Of Volunteer Behavior, Susan G. White

Theses and Dissertations

The findings of this research indicate that volunteering is influenced by a number of factors, one of which is gender. The data used in this study reveal a different profile of the volunteer than is presented in much of the research on volunteering, which tends to profile the "most likely" volunteer as female, employed by the public sector, possessing a higher education and having children. The questions addressed in this research are: 1) What are the contextual effects of volunteering and 2) Is there a relationship of one or more of these effects to gender? The findings indicate men in …

Early Intervention, Research And Therapy Center For Children With Autism, Nicole Marie Caccavo

Theses and Dissertations

This book documents a design study and creative project undertaken toward the fulfillment of a Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Environments at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. This book documents a year long accumulation of study and research done toward the development of an early intervention, therapy and research center for children with autism. This creative project demonstrates how an environment can be a catalyst for social interaction, way finding, therapy, and intervention. The goal was to design a space that would be multi-functional and also benefit the surrounding community. This design study will explain how colors …

Frontal Plane Pelvic Drop In Runners: Causes And Clinical Implications, Evie Neff Burnet

Theses and Dissertations

Running is becoming an increasingly popular sport; however, runners have a high rate of injury and are therefore often treated in the orthopedic or sports medicine setting. One current focus of these patients' treatment is gluteus medius muscle (GM) strengthening and gait retraining, with the goal of decreasing frontal plane pelvic drop. Unfortunately, there is a research void assessing the role of GM function on pelvic drop, and the effect of an increased pelvic drop on running performance. The specific aims of this research were to investigate a link between frontal plane pelvic drop and (1) isometric GM torque, (2) …

A Comparison Of Five Radiographic Systems To D-Speed Film In The Detection Of Artificial Bone Lesions, David Lloyd Hadley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare three direct digital sensors (Kodak 6100, Schick CDR, and Dexis PerfectSize), a phosphor plate system (OpTime), and F-speed film to standard D-speed film in the detection of artificial bone lesions prepared in mandible bone sections. Multiple artificial bone lesions were prepared at varying depths in the cortical bone. Specimens were imaged with six different radiographic systems. Radiographs were randomly presented to nine different observers. A logistic regression analysis indicated that the ability of the different radiographic systems to detect the bone lesions was significantly different at the mean percentage of cortical bone …

Informal Caregivers Of Advanced Cancer Patients: The Impact Of Geographic Proximity On Social Support And Bereavement Adjustment, John Garland Cagle

Theses and Dissertations

This research explored the social and psychological needs of caregivers of advanced cancer patients, and their subsequent bereavement adjustment. The study focuses exclusively on informal caregivers who provide assistance to patients receiving hospice care for end-stage cancer. Those individuals living furthest from the dying care recipient, the long distance caregivers, were of particular interest. This study used a prospective design to explore how a caregiver's geographic proximity impacted their social support and bereavement adjustment. A 2 x 3 repeated measures design was used to gather data from caregivers before a patient's death (using a pre-death questionnaire) as well as after …

Faith-Based Organizations And Legislative Advocacy: A Qualitative Inquiry, M. Lori Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Since the early 1990s, religion and matters of faith and spirituality have become a focal point in numerous arenas beyond the individual and traditionally sacred. With President George W. Bush's White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives of 2001, the Charitable Choice provision of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act that preceded it in 1996, and the myriad of legal challenges that followed, matters of religion have become paramount in political discourse regarding social welfare. The viability of faith-based social service provision and the organizations providing the direct services have been the focus of speculation, debate, and …

Self-Appraisals, Perfectionism, And Academics In College Undergraduates, David Edward Canter

Theses and Dissertations

The influences on perfectionism and procrastination of race, gender, cognitive-affective and academic self-appraisals, and academic performance expectations were studied. The sample consisted of 155 Introductory Psychology students (57 African Americans, 41 Asian Americans, and 57 European Americans; 51.6% women) with a mean age of 19.4 years (SD = 3.6). Data were collected during the final week of the Fall 2007 semester. Consistent with previous research indicating that men are more likely to procrastinate than women, men were over-represented in this sample. Self-esteem, measured with the Rosenberg (1965) Self-Esteem Scale, was conceptualized as having two components: self-liking and self-competence (Tafarodi & …