Digital Commons Network^™

Teacher Attrition Rates In A Large Urban Elementary School In The Southeastern United States, Yvonne Joy Russ

Theses and Dissertations

Educational organizations were experiencing increasing teacher attrition rates, thereby impacting teacher self-efficacy, workplace continuity, and student achievement levels. With this national crisis unfolding, schools struggled to recruit and retain high-quality teachers necessary for organizational success and student mastery of standards-based instruction. The increasing levels of teacher attrition were affecting both novice and veteran schoolteachers. The purpose of this applied dissertation was to understand the experiences of teachers impacted by the problem of increasing teacher attrition, as well as identify retention strategies to employ. Scholarly research on the topic of teacher attrition highlighted factors and issues related to this dilemma; however, …

Exploring Challenges Of Undocumented Students In Their Pursuit Of Post-Secondary Education, Yveline Gaspard Dulis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the mindsets and challenges faced by undocumented Latino students who are pursuing a post-secondary education. The study sought to explain the challenges of the DREAM Act and DACA and its challenges for approval in Congress. This study also sought to examine how undocumented students pursue a college education without financial assistance. Understanding immigration laws helped shape Americans’ perception of undocumented Latino students’ status, struggles, and financial hardships. Three leading factors that contribute to undocumented students’ persistence were analyzed in this study: financial assistance, academic issues, and legal issues. This study was conducted …

Human Trafficking: The Impact Of Covid-19 On Labor Trafficking In The Us, Anthony A. Mottola

Theses and Dissertations

Human trafficking is a global phenomenon where traffickers prey upon their victims without discriminating against age, gender, ethnic background, or nationality. The United States (US) is not immune to the human rights violations of human trafficking. The victims of human trafficking are coerced into a life of exploitation through forced labor or sexual exploitation. Many victims are migrants from disadvantaged countries that travel to the US seeking employment but end up the victims of abuse, both physically and mentally, at the hands of traffickers. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the global economy, forcing quarantines, travel bans, and social distancing. …

A Mixed-Method Study On Social Media’S Role In The Health Decision-Making Practices Of Black Millennial Women In South Florida, Sashah Damier

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine health care decision-making practices of Black millennial women in South Florida, based on their social media use. The study contributed to understanding of how cultural components contribute to health care disparities for people of color because health care providers lacked information on how to reach Black millennial women with accurate and helpful information through social media.

The design for the study included a convergent parallel mixed-methods design using a web-based quantitative cross-sectional survey along with embedded qualitative telephone interviews and NVivo software. This mixed-methods methodology provided rich data and new understandings …

Improving The Quality Of Academic Advisors' Practices To Aid Distance Learners’ Retention, Kenyeta R. Pino

Theses and Dissertations

The popularity of distance learning has increased among higher education students owing to its flexibility and convenience, as it enables learning from any location and at any time. Despite the substantial number of enrollments, distance learners are experiencing high attrition rates, leading to low completion rates compared to students enrolled in traditional in-person courses.

Academic advising is a significant contributor to student retention and an effective intervention used to support students at-risk of dropping out; therefore, advisors must provide the same degree of support to their distance learners as they do to their face-to-face advisees. This applied dissertation was designed …

Examining The Impact Of Postsecondary Correctional Education Programs On Participant Self-Stigmatization: The Student Perspective, Christal M. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Legislators and correctional administrators are tasked with problem-solving current issues of mass incarceration and high criminal recidivism rates. Part of the solution is to implement successful rehabilitative initiatives through reentry programming. While Postsecondary Correctional Education programs are proven to reduce recidivism and assist formerly incarcerated persons in obtaining employment, little is known about the effects of obtaining a college degree in prison on individual self-stigmatization. Self-stigmatization can occur when a member of a marginalized group experiences poor self-concept. Those with mental illness, criminal histories, addiction, etc. are often viewed as undesirable by mainstream society. In an attempt to manage negative …

The Lived Experiences Of 911 Telecommunicators: Life Outside Of The Call Center, Mary's Dariela Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

911 operators are tasked with solving the caller's problem by promptly and efficiently decoding a cry for help, collecting pertinent information, quickly deciding its priority level, and dispatching the appropriate assistance. These employees are responsible for what happens on that line, internalizing their problems to solve those of the callers, which often result in stress disorders, trauma, and personal, professional, and social issues. Their job duties are extensive, the responsibility is vast, and the overall environment can be overwhelming. Aside from the environmental stressors, the details of each critical incident leave the employee susceptible to various risk factors and other …

Novice Teacher Experiences Of Online Reading Instruction During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Deyanira M. Echevarria Candales

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation documented novice teacher experiences providing online reading instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the researcher captured educators’ first-hand accounts of their experiences shifting to fully online reading instruction, adapting instructional materials that were designed for in-person instruction for online learning, confronting challenges and successes during this period of uncertainty, and transitioning back to in-person instruction amidst the then ongoing pandemic.

The following research questions were posed: 1. How do novice elementary reading teachers, in a large public school district in South Florida, describe their experiences teaching reading online during a global pandemic? 2. How do novice elementary …

Assessing Organizational Policy: Preferred Practices For Regulating Vaping In The Work Environment, Ayesha Temeka Kirk

Theses and Dissertations

Employee vaping negatively affects organizations in terms of costs, productivity, employee health, and workplace safety. The purpose of this qualitative dissertation study was to assess organizational policies to determine preferred practices to regulate vaping in the work environment. Open-ended questionnaires with 18 human resources administrators, combined with a literature review, yielded data on best practices for organizational policies regulating vaping in the work environment.The data collected in this qualitative dissertation study were extracted from a structured survey questionnaire comprising 16 questions about vaping and tobacco usage in the workplace. The findings demonstrated that vaping and the use of tobacco products …

Venezuelan Professional Educators’ Pursuit Of International Graduate Studies In Instructional Technology, Maria De Lourdes Acedo De Bueno

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study involved the motivations, the experiences of international students, and how these experiences affect the professional practices and personal lives of Venezuelan professional educators in the pursuit of international higher education studies. Although Venezuelan professionals were pursuing international higher education, perceptions regarding their motivations and experiences as international students had not been studied sufficiently.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the experiences of 28 Venezuelan professional educators who were seeking instructional technology degrees in international higher education. Further, the study analyzed their intentions to pursue international studies in instructional technology or related …

Perceptions Of Business Private Sector Employers On The Employability Of Distance-Only Institution Candidates In The United States: A Case Study, Tanacha Gaines

Theses and Dissertations

The applied dissertation was designed to understand the perceptions of private-sector employers regarding the selection of candidates from distance-only higher education institutions. Guided by signaling theory as a framework, the study explored the mismatch between institutional, student, and employer expectations of skills and readiness for the labor market. Research into the employability of students and the acceptability of their distance-only degrees in the business sector could be informative as to whether the investment of students and their families provided fruitful employment opportunities. The literature showed an increase in enrollment for online learning, legislative expectations of higher education with the lack …

The Lived Experiences Of Esl Nontraditional Rrts While Preparing To Challenge The National Board For Respiratory Care Clinical Simulation Exam, Jose A. Lammoglia

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide information to respiratory therapy graduates from two-year associate in science programs, faculty, and administrators about the cognitive and noncognitive strategies employed by graduates to prepare and pass the CSE. To date, no available information on the role played by the lived experiences of Rt graduates while preparing to challenge the CSE. The researcher developed a questionnaire to conduct a qualitative phenomenological descriptive lived experience survey of ESL Hispanic nontraditional graduates from associate of science programs in South Florida who took the NBRC national board examinations between January 2015 and March 2022. An analysis …

A Case Study Investigating The Strategies Used By Preclinical Osteopathic Medical Students To Successfully Transition To Their Clinical Years, Natacha Villedrouin

Theses and Dissertations

Osteopathic medical students experience academic challenges during their preclinical years of medical school due to the rigorous medical school curriculum. Prior research identified several challenges experienced by these students and the need to explore resilience strategies which can be employed to address those challenges.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and describe the specific strategies used by osteopathic medical students to navigate the academic and personal challenges faced during their preclinical years to persist and successfully transition into the clinical years of the medical program in a large medical school in South Florida. There is a …

Risk Factors Associated With Childhood Parental Violence Exposure: Child Abuse Potential And Other Adulthood Maladjustment Outcomes, Stephanie Joy Brezinski

Theses and Dissertations

Research consistently demonstrates childhood adversity is associated with a breadth of maladjustment outcomes. The present study sought to expand the current literature on the impact of witnessing parental violence (OPA) and childhood physical abuse (CPA) as distal risk factors for child abuse potential (CAP) when controlling for select proximal risk factors and other forms of adversity. Perpetration risk was assessed using an analog task. It was hypothesized co-occurring CPA and OPA would predict harsher parenting behaviors on the analog task, particularly among the men, and that select proximal risk factors would influence more severe parenting behaviors. It was also hypothesized …

The Predictiveness Of Gendered Racism On The Well-Being Of Women Of Color, Mallika Chakrabarti

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests a reduced sense of well-being in women of color who have been experiencing discrimination based on gender or race. Surprisingly, the intersectional discrimination of both gender and race, termed as Gendered Racism, on women of color has received much less attention than the individual variables. The present study seeks to fill a void in literature by offering to examine some effects of gendered racism on aspects of well-being in this population. This study examines the predictiveness of intersectional discrimination based on race and gender – called Gendered Racism - on the well-being of women of color. Well-being was …

A Deep Review Of Sustainable Approaches For Hydrogen Production For Energy Generation, Patrick Bernard Ferron

Theses and Dissertations

Fossil fuel energy sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas produce greenhouse gases upon combustion. Over time the greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere and cause global temperatures to continually increase. This continued rise in global temperatures has led to severe climate conditions that have resulted in increasing environmental, financial, social, and medical issues. To mitigate the rise in global temperatures, and the negative effects associated with it, the carbon intensity of our energy sources must be substantially reduced or eliminated where possible. In addition, alternate sources of carbon-free energy sources must be pursued and implemented. Hydrogen is …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence And Multi-Omics To Understand The Effect Of Heavy Metals Exposure On Human Health, Sonalika Singhal

Theses and Dissertations

IARC classified arsenic (iAs) as “carcinogenic to humans”, but despite the health consequences, there is no molecular signature available yet to predict when exposure may lead to the disease development. In this study, a three-step analysis was employed: (1) the gene expression profiles obtained from diverse arsenic-exposed populations were utilized to identify differentially expressed genes associated with arsenic exposure in human subjects, (2) the gene expression profiles induced by arsenic exposure in different myeloma cancer cell lines were used to define common genes and pathways altered by arsenic exposure,(3) the genetic profiles of human bladder cancer studies were used to …

Matlab-Based Simulation Of A Hybridized Tri-Generation Geothermal-Wind-Solar System In Bowman County, North Dakota, Moones Alamooti

Theses and Dissertations

Bowman County, North Dakota, currently relies on coal for over half of its electricity, contributing to significant greenhouse gas emissions. This study employs advanced MATLAB-based modeling to assess the feasibility of transitioning to a hybrid renewable energy system. The designed system includes capacities of 85.7 MW for wind, 24.4 MW for solar PV, 2.03 MW for geothermal, and 195 MWh for storage, tailored to meet the county's growing daily energy demands. Simulations confirm the system's ability to fulfill over 90% of projected daily loads by 2040, with a competitive levelized cost of $105.226/MWh over 15 years. This customized solution reduces …

Integrating Technology Into Wildlife Surveys, Sally E. Yannuzzi

Theses and Dissertations

Technology is rapidly improving and being incorporated into field biology, with survey methods such as machine learning and uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) headlining efforts. UAS paired with machine learning algorithms have been used to detect caribou, nesting waterfowl and seabirds, marine mammals, white-tailed deer, and more in over 19 studies within the last decade alone. Simultaneously, UAS and machine learning have also been implemented for infrastructure monitoring at wind energy facilities as wind energy construction and use has skyrocketed globally. As part of both pre-construction and regulatory compliance of newly constructed wind energy facilities, monitoring of impacts to wildlife is …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Advanced Materials, Mackenzie E. Short

Theses and Dissertations

In vivo bone tissue engineering is a highly complex process that involves the diffusion of osteoprogenitor cells throughout the scaffold, requiring that the scaffolds have interconnected pores of ~100 μm in diameter to allow for proper diffusion of oxygen and nutrients. For cell adhesion to occur, the scaffold must be made of a bioactive material and have strength that can support the growth and movement of tissue. This study continued the development and characterization of using solvent casting as a synthesis process for the manufacturing of porous scaffolds. The engineered scaffolds using NaCl as the pore former showed excellent porosity …

Buckling Behavior Of Metallic Thin-Walled Stiffened Cylindrical Shells Under Static Loading, Fnu Tabish

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to estimate and improve the buckling strength of the cylindrical storage tanks under static loadings. Initially, for the verification of the overall performance of the numerical modeling approach; a computational analysis was conducted to calculate the linear buckling behaviour of empty cylindrical shells with different H/D and D/t ratios using ANSYS workbench 2021. Results revealed that the FE models accurately predict static critical buckling stress which is mainly depends on the D/t ratio. The solution of the buckling analysis provides multiple buckling mode shapes and critically buckling load values. Those mode shapes (eigenvectors) can indicate the expected …

Hmong Parent Engagement: The Need To Provide Basic Needs Services In Hmong Charter Schools To Increase Parent Engagement, Kevin Xiong

Theses and Dissertations

The Hmong diaspora and settlement in the United States have a direct impact on how Hmong parents engage in their children’s academic journey. With the viewpoint of traditional Westernized parent engagement, Hmong parents may be perceived as engaging too little. However, in order for Hmong parents to be involved in their children’s educational journey as part of this Westernized concept, it is imperative that the families’ basic needs are met. Otherwise, they will primarily focus on meeting their fundamental basic needs rather than being engaged in their children’s academic progress. This research explored two Hmong charter schools in the Twin …

Indigenous Long-Term Supports And Services – Elders, Traditional Knowledge, And Tree Rings, Cole Allick

Theses and Dissertations

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Elders are rapidly aging and are a growing segment of Indian Country. Elders are critical to knowledge dissemination and enable the resiliency of Indigenous peoples through their teachings, wisdom, and guidance. There is a dire need to better understand and prepare for this rapidly aging population given that reliable data is limited or simply nonexistent. This dissertation in practice utilizes a framework inspired by Indigenous teachings of the Medicine Wheel and from the social ecological model to address the literature gap regarding Elders and healthy aging. This framework was created with intention that each …

Integrating Environmental Education Into Teacher Preparation Programs, Jenny Bladow

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (1978) suggests that every citizen has the right to receive environmental education. Compared to previous generations, children today spend less time outdoors interacting with nature and all it offers. The current leisure trends are encompassed in technology as it becomes more accessible to children in the form of social media platforms or streaming on-demand TV shows. Perhaps there is a way to bring back the importance of nature and intertwine environmental education concepts into teacher preparation programs. In that case, there is hope for future generations of children to reap the …

United States Coast Guard Aviation Safety Climate Assessment Instrument, James Robert Cooley

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) implemented an aviation safety survey prior to this research (ver. 0). Cooley (2019) uncovered opportunities to improve the survey’s validity, creating a psychometrically-sound safety climate instrument. Inconsistencies with what and how to measure safety climates still exist in the corpus of literature. More attention is needed on safety management systems’ (SMS) predictive metrics, particularly for Coast Guard aviation outfits throughout the world. This research study used an exploratory sequential mixed methods design followed by an additional phase of quantitative research methods. Extensive deliberation with USCG stakeholders produced survey research questions, guiding the survey design …

Religion-Justified Childhood Maltreatment And Adult Psychological Maladjustment, Hannah Doctor

Theses and Dissertations

The perpetrator of religion justified child abuse relies on spiritual beliefs (religious texts, context, or authority) to justify acts of maltreatment. This form of abuse can be manifested in many different contexts including infamous scandals of sexual abuse committed by catholic priests and the physical/sexual/emotional maltreatment occurring at Native American or other boarding schools for troubled youth. Parents and caretakers often claim "to spare the rod is to spoil the child”. Previous research has suggested that maladjustment outcomes after traumatic events are less severe among victims with strong religious beliefs. This study hypothesized that religious justified abuse would be associated …

Using Electroencephalographic (Eeg) Measures Of Working Memory In The Context Of Binge Drinking: Analyzing Theta/Gamma Ratios, Michelle Jeanne Duffy

Theses and Dissertations

Neuronal degeneration resulting from excessive alcohol use, such that occurs with binge drinking behavior, is proposed to be linked to both impairment in neuronal functioning and corresponding psychological deficits in executive functioning such as working memory. A total of 73 undergraduate students (mean age = 19) completed a series of questionnaires assessing drinking behaviors and mental health. Upon completion, subjects were assigned to one of two groups based on their reported drinking behavior. Subjects completed a series of psychomotor tasks that required working memory demands under temporal processing conditions from the Senaptec Sensory Station tablet as well as two traditional …

Soil Bacteria Composition In Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands Of The Great Plains, Lydia M. Kantonen

Theses and Dissertations

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a grassland restoration program that allows landowners to remove degraded land from crop production, seed it with a perennial seed mixture, and leave it fallow for the remainder of the contract, which usually ranges from 10-15 years. While some ecosystem functions quickly improve upon CRP enrollment, soil organic carbon is slow to return to pre-agricultural levels. One explanation is that particulate organic matter left by litter takes several years to degrade even with a full bacteria community. Alternatively, it is possible that different chemical components of organic matter require different bacteria communities for full …

The Impact Of The Authority Gradient Created By Rank Imbalance On The Role Effectiveness Of U.S. Coast Guard Safety Officers, James Bernard Mccormack

Theses and Dissertations

Coast Guard air station commands have three department heads referred to as the Tri-P, consisting of the safety officer, operations officer, and engineering officer. The safety officer is generally junior in rank to the other members of the Tri-P despite what is advertised as an equal position within the command structure. The purpose of this study was to explore rank imbalance for Coast Guard safety officers at air stations throughout the United States by examining their perceptions in a quantitative survey. All current Coast Guard safety officers were eligible for participation in the survey. The survey revealed that safety officers …

Exploring Organizational Recidivism With A Focus On Federal Environmental Crime, Isaac M. Mvula

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the recidivism rates of organizational offenders convicted of federal environmental crimes. Individual recidivism has received considerable attention from re-searchers over the years. This is not so with organization recidivism. This dissertation aims at put-ting greater light on this subject. The study focuses on environmental crime because of the critical need to preserve the earth’s ability to sustain life. Federal environmental criminal prosecution da-ta maintained by the EPA was the study population. The population included prosecutions of organizational offenders from 1994 to 2013. The total number of organizational prosecutions was 73625 and the total number of organizational offenders …