Digital Commons Network^™

When And Why Do Arabs Verify? Predicting Online News Verification Intention During The 2023 Gaza War, Menna Elhosary

Theses and Dissertations

Guided by the network gatekeeping and secondary gatekeeping theoretical frameworks, this study employed a 2 (news headlines: pro-Palestine/anti-Palestine) x 2 (news sources: the Times of Israel/Al-Jazeera English) experiment embedded in an online survey on a purposive sample of Arab social media users (N= 452), aiming to understand the antecedents of online news verification during the 2023 Gaza War1. The study investigated the motives that might have encouraged or discouraged Arabs from verifying the war-related news circulated on social media. A model was proposed to examine the role of confirmation bias in shaping perceptions about sources and messages, thereby impacting online …

The Consequences Of Civil-Military Relations On Civil Wars In The Middle East, Alaa Bahnasy

Theses and Dissertations

To unravel the complex dynamics surrounding the outbreak of civil wars in the aftermath of the Arab Spring uprisings, one of the first questions that come to mind is the reason why some Arab countries have witnessed civil wars whilst others have not. The civil-military relations play a significant role in the matter. While much of the existing literature on the causes of civil wars, there is a scarcity of papers that take into consideration the role of civil-military relations. This research focuses primarily on two variables independent variables, namely the civil-military relations and the diversified ethnicities alongside the dependent …

Segmental Error Gravity In L2 Arabic Speech Comprehensibility And Accentedness: L1 Consonant Age Of Acquisition As A Predictor, Mark Papai

Theses and Dissertations

Second language (L2) pronunciation studies have found that the intelligibility (i.e., listeners’ actual understanding) of L2 speech is most closely related to its comprehensibility (i.e., listeners' ease of understanding) rather than to its overall nativelike pronunciation. The segmental errors that are most detrimental to communication are predicted by phoneme Functional Load (FL): mispronouncing high FL segments affects speech comprehensibility more negatively than mispronouncing low FL ones. However, no data are available on the FL hierarchy of Arabic segments. On the other hand, FL correlates highly with consonant age of acquisition (CAoA) in languages that rely heavily on consonants to contrast …

Codeswitching In The Egyptian Arabic Movies: How Do Social Variables Trigger Codeswitching?, Randa Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This is a qualitative study designed to examine the growing linguistic practice of codeswitching in a sociolinguistic context. For this purpose, 7 Egyptian Arabic films were purposefully selected to investigate what social variables and contexts can be associated with codeswitching. Data was sampled in 43 experts from the 7 films. The data was analyzed in terms of the social variables of education, social class, identity, stance, and age, within the theoretical framework of the critical discourse analysis, the accommodation theory, and the social arena theory. Although the study started with these social variables in mind, data analysis revealed two …

Native Speakerism In Egypt: The Perceptions Of Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (Nnests) And Their Employability, Dina Bebars

Theses and Dissertations

Discriminatory hiring practices toward non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) have been researched, debated, and criticized globally. Yet, such recruitment practices are still prevalent in the TESOL field due to perceptions of the linguistic prowess of the native English-speaking teacher (NEST). Given the existence of such practices, this study aims to identify the criteria that employers look for when hiring English language teachers in Cairo, to examine how nativeness is ranked within these criteria, and to investigate if there is a connection between the perceptions of administrators, parents, and teachers regarding NNESTs and hiring practices. A mixed-methods research design was employed to …

Self-Assessment As A Learning Tool In Efl Writing Classrooms: Perceptions Of Egyptian Teachers And Adult Learners, Hazim Abdelaziz

Theses and Dissertations

The principal aim of this study is to examine the perceptions of adult Egyptian EFL learners and Egyptian EFL teachers on the use of self-assessment as an assessment-for-learning tool in adult EFL courses offered at a private language institution in Cairo, Egypt. It is centered around three main areas of investigation pertaining to the perceptions of adult Egyptian EFL learners and Egyptian EFL teachers on the usefulness of self-assessment, the challenges they face when using self-assessment in adult EFL writing classes, and the affordances that should be given to both groups to ensure the successful application of self-assessment in EFL …

Investigation Of Machine Learning Driven Adaptive Control Strategy For Heat Exchanger Under Varying Fouling Conditions, Reshma Madhu Pk

Theses and Dissertations

Fouling is an undesirable and inevitable phenomenon that affects Heat Exchanger (HE) dynamics, increases maintenance cost (>50%), and loss of production. Conventional fouling prediction and control techniques demand an in-depth understanding of the HE-specific fouling dynamics. Hence, machine learning emerges as an ideal tool for learning the fouling process from the available measurement dataset.

The proposed work aims to design a machine learning-driven adaptive control technique for an industrial HE, subjected to varying fouling conditions. Naphtha cooler, an industrial HE utilized in petroleum refineries, employs cooling water to lower Naphtha temperature, but the high impurities in the recycled cooling …

An Analysis Of Fathers’ And Toddlers’ Behaviors During Shared Book Reading, Caitlin Marie Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

Shared book reading interactions between parents and their children have been studied to draw correlations to a child’s vocabulary growth, language development, mathematical scores, and socioemotional skills. However, there is a lack of research regarding fathers’ and toddlers’ engagement and behaviors during shared book reading interactions. The current study investigated and analyzed father and toddler interactions during shared book reading. The data was collected from a larger longitudinal study. Seven father-child dyads participated in the study (Mage = 35 years; range = 30-43 years). The children included four males and two females, and up to two videos were collected for …

Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams In Middle School Classrooms With English Language Learners: Effects And Perceptions, Emily Joy Warburton

Theses and Dissertations

English language learners (ELL) and Latinx students are at an increased risk of difficulties that can lead to problem behaviors at school. Effective classroom management strategies may help these students remain on task despite these challenges, but teachers often feel they lack training in classroom management strategies. Class-wide Function-related Intervention Teams in Middle School (CW-FIT MS) is a research-based classroom management intervention that has helped teachers increase their students' on-task behavior through group contingency, reward, and praise. We investigated the efficacy of CW-FIT MS in classrooms with high proportions of Latinx ELL students. One middle school English teacher and her …

Open System Neural Networks, Bradley Hatch

Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in self-supervised learning have made it possible to reuse information-rich models that have been generally pre-trained on massive amounts of data for other downstream tasks. But the pre-training process can be drastically different from the fine-tuning training process, which can lead to inefficient learning. We address this disconnect in training dynamics by structuring the learning process like an open system in thermodynamics. Open systems can achieve a steady state when low-entropy inputs are converted to high-entropy outputs. We modify the the model and the learning process to mimic this behavior, and attend more to elements of the input …

Repeat After Me, Bonnie Morano

Theses and Dissertations

Bonnie Morano’s devotional abstract oil paintings are an offering of conviction reconciled with joy. Balancing spiritual zeal with geometric space, she creates mirrored compositions filled with gravitas and play. The sacred and domestic join together in maximal harmony, examining alternative arrangements of transcendental experience.

Recuerdos Efímeros, Karewith A. Casas

Theses and Dissertations

The following 12 poems were written in 2023 leading up to my MFA thesis exhibition at Hunter College. Each relate and were inspired by or inspired the visual works in the exhibition. My writing, the music I make, and the visual works I create are all intertwined and feed off of each other. The relationship between my works of art and poetry are not in the tradition of ekphrasis, but are instead extensions of each other. Each mark, material, color, or image are words, sounds, sentences, movements, and pauses. And vice versa as well. Moments on a picture plane or …

Routed Through Rubber: Ulises Carrión And Marginal Media (1972–1980), Mary-Elisabeth Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Directed by Aart van Barneveld with support from his partner Ulises Carrión, the Stempelplaats gallery (1976–1981) in Amsterdam developed out of larger trends in independent publishing and mail art, as artists on the margins of conceptual art explored the potential of rubber stamps toward various ends. The thesis examines the role the rubber stamp played in Ulises Carrión's early poetic book works and his later mail art activities: how it allowed him to draw out the sequential aspects of a book's structure and forged strong links through his network.

The Rise Of Domestic Travel Imagery During Isolation: Looking At The Seclusion Of Japan And England, Tiffany I. Kang

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis outlines the periods and conditions of isolation, of Japan and England, and how they have contributed to the rise of domestic travel imagery. The limited travel caused by isolation provided a time for interior thinking which resulted in distinct artistic genres central to the identity of both countries.

Lutz Bacher: 1975-2019, Jeremy Gloster

Theses and Dissertations

"Lutz Bacher: 1975-2019" is a monographic study of the artist Lutz Bacher (1943-2019), detailing the artist's trajectory from participant in the Bay Area photography scene of the mid-1970s to an established figure in the art world. Alongside this exposition, the thesis contends theoretically with Bacher's work, turning toward the theorist Peter Osborne's recent writings to examine Bacher's multifarious engagements with the photographic image and her own stagings of contemporaneity.

Individual Concepts And Personal Identity Judgement, Molly M. Ye

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research into personal identity judgments has yielded conflicting outcomes. This paper introduces an alternative argument, proposing that the concept PERSON and HUMAN BEING provide different ways of thinking about the identity of people. Two experiments in this study provide evidence for this claim.

Examining The Relationship Between Anger At The Self And Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) Symptoms, Dina M. Cottone

Theses and Dissertations

The emotion concept of "self-anger" is ill-defined and under-researched. While self-anger bears similarities to traditional anger ("other-anger"), it also retains features of shame and guilt. In addition, self-anger shares ruminative qualities and self-condemning thoughts with depression. As a result, self-anger can become maladaptive at persistent and unhealthy levels. Furthermore, individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be at an increased risk for dysfunctional self-anger, considering their proneness to increased anger and depressive tendencies compared to non-ADHD counterparts. However, the relationship between ADHD and self-anger has not yet been explored in the literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the …

Evaluation Of Cultural-Linguistic Factors In Speech-Language Testing With English Learners, Mayra Alejandra Reyes Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations

As the population of schools increases in diversity, school psychologists are challenged to provide equitable assessments for English Language Learners. However, due to lack of training in non-discriminatory assessment, inconsistent administration practices, and lack of knowledge of language development, in some districts, ELLs are overrepresented in Special Education, including Speech Language Impairment. For fair and a valid assessment, it is imperative that practitioners understand the cultural and linguistic development factors that affect ELL test performance. The Culture-Language Test Classifications, and Culture-Language Interpretive Matrix provide practitioners with information on the degree of cultural loading and linguistic demand required on a test, …

Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals Effect On Well-Being: A Systematic Review On Latino Recipients, Kimberly A. Mora

Theses and Dissertations

To many undocumented Latino immigrants, the United States of America is seen as the land of opportunity, a country that will be able to provide a better future for their family and their children, a place for the American dream. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals has been proof of America being the land of opportunity. Recipients are given the opportunity to do more for themselves, to build a better future than they would’ve had in their countries. Despite the controversies about immigration policies this program continues to stand; with its recipients showing their resilience to be in a country that …

Leadership In Two-Way Dual Language Programs: Administrative Decision Making In Elementary Two-Way Dual Language Programs, Ana R. Martínez-Fuentes

Theses and Dissertations

With an increase of English language learners in public schools across the United States, the importance of addressing the needs of students who require language access in their home language has resulted in an increase in the implementation of dual language programs. This increase continues to challenge educators to provide effective programs that provide quality instruction for English language learners. This has prompted schools to offer a two-way dual language program as an educational bilingual option to assist in meeting the needs of emergent bilingual students. In this qualitative case study, the researcher explored the extent to which school principals’ …

Application Of The Professional Standards For Educational Leaders And Disproportionality Of Students Identified For Special Education Placement And Services, Dennis J. Mcelheron

Theses and Dissertations

The issue of disproportionality, or the over-representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education, has long been a challenge for school districts. This issue predates the implementation of PL 94-192. School building administrators are seen as agents of change, responsible for setting expectations within their schools and leading the school community toward a shared vision. As administrators set forth to improve student achievement, they must also address the disparities in achievement between different student groups. The latest revision of the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) is founded on two core tenets: academic press and caring …

Classroom Communication Practices With Young English Learners In Mathematics, Shaoru Liang

Theses and Dissertations

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000) emphasizes the importance of communication in mathematics and mathematics education. Effective mathematical communication is essential in mathematics instruction, as it is a collaborative and social activity between teachers and students (Moschkovich, 2002; Khairunnisa et al., 2020). This qualitative case study aimed to investigate how elementary school teachers facilitated meaningful mathematical discourse among English learners (ELs) with diverse backgrounds and how they used purposeful questioning strategies to accommodate students with varying levels of linguistic proficiency in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. The study also explored teachers’ perceptions of supporting young ELs to enhance …

Frequency Of Irrational Beliefs In Popular Music Genres And The Relationship Between Irrational Belief Concepts In Musical Lyrics And Mental Health Outcomes, Nadia Kemp

Theses and Dissertations

A popular type of media that Americans consume across ages is music. Today’s youth and adults can easily search for and listen to music. Given the increased availability of streaming music and its potential impact on people’s emotional states, this study examined the irrationality of contemporary musical lyrics. The sample consisted of the most frequently streamed songs from the years 2006-2022. A total of 1700 “Hot 100” songs from Billboard.com were collected and analyzed for Irrational Belief (IB) concepts. Genre-specific data was collected from Billboard’s “Year End Charts” for Country (n=1197), R&B/Hip Hop (n=1223), and Alternative (n=656) music for a …

Transition Practices: Predictors Of Postsecondary Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Karen Gross

Theses and Dissertations

For school districts to adequately prepare students with disabilities for successful post-graduation life, it is essential to understand if various variables predict postsecondary outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between gender, race/ethnicity, participation in career technical education (CTE) programs, diploma type, grade point average (GPA), disability classification, and graduation year for students with disabilities self-reported post-graduation plan of employment. The study aims to determine if the independent variables predict postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities and to identify disparities that exist in subgroups when controlling for gender and race/ethnicity. Findings can assist educational leaders and …

Making Sense Of Chaos: Populism In The United States And The Crisis Of Modernity, Juan David Halberstadt-Velasco

Theses and Dissertations

In 2016, Donald Trump achieved a surprising victory in the general election, despite a series of scandals that would have ended any other politician’s career. In the aftermath of the election, Trump’s base has shown steady support and borderline devotion to the president despite scandals, criminal indictments, and a double impeachment. Why? This research seeks to elucidate the sources of Trump’s apparent political infallibility by using the theoretical framework generated by Eric Voegelin. Voegelin’s perspective allows the identification of two main sources of support for Trumpism: blue collar industrial workers who have seen a decline in their economic prospects due …

Developmental Differences In Disability Evaluations With English Learners: Are Psychologists Considering Them?, Erick Bienvenido Díaz

Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this pilot study was to explore the rate and extent to which school psychologists are considering different developmental, linguistic, and environmental factors of English Learners. The sample of this study included coding bilingual psychoeducational evaluations (N=120) for such factors using the D-STPGE scale as a guide to explore the consideration of each factor. The pool of reports included bilingual psychoeducational, educational, and neuropsychological evaluation for bilingual (Spanish) children between kindergarten and 6th grade. The procedures of this research include understanding the frequency of each reported construct paired with a chi-square legacy test to explore if the …

Connecticut Teachers’ Knowledge Of The Science Of Reading, Barbara Daly-Byrnes

Theses and Dissertations

Learning to read proficiently is an essential skill needed in both academics and life. Without this skill, one’s opportunities are limited socioeconomically, socially, and throughout all daily life. However, there is growing concern that the methodology currently used in many school systems is not preparing children for the rigors of reading in the 21st century. In some states, the situation has resulted in state departments of education mandating reading curricula based on the science of reading. This study explored Connecticut PreK–Grade 3 teachers’ knowledge of the science of reading and the Connecticut Right to Read Act through a socio-cultural lens. …

Equity Lens: Teachers’ Beliefs Of Culturally Responsive Teaching, Reading Instructional Practices, And Rti Tier 1 Practices In A High-Poverty School District, Catherine Cueva

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher self-efficacy has been shown to impact student’s achievement. This study examined teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs as it related to their ability to implement culturally responsive teaching and reading instructional practices as part of Response to Intervention Tier 1 practices in a high-poverty school district. The belief scores of 99 elementary school teachers were examined across one high-poverty school district in the northeast. The non-experimental study used a self-efficacy survey adapted from four surveys to determine teachers’ confidence in their ability to implement culturally responsive teaching, reading instructional practice, and RtI Tier 1 practices. The researcher also examined teachers’ general beliefs …

Bilingual School Counselors With Additional Mental Health Training And Diversity Sensitivity Form Stronger Connections With Diverse And At Risk Populations Which Increase Student Success And Overall Graduation Rate, Andrea Judge

Theses and Dissertations

This study will examine the relationship between school counselor and ELL student and see if at risk and diverse populations graduate on time when they have a relationship with their counselor. Also if the school counselors have additional training helps school counselors form relationships with their students. The researcher will inquire about additional certifications, such as mental health counseling, school counselors may have and if having additional certifications creates a connection and increase the graduation rate. Administrators that oversee counselors from Suffolk County high schools on Long Island will be asked to participate in the survey on ethnicity, certifications and …

An Examination Of The Cultural Competencies And Practices Of Preservice Teachers Enrolled In Nonurban Alternative Teacher Preparation Programs, Terrie L. Gyles

Theses and Dissertations

The critical shortage of qualified teachers in hard to staff urban schools has been a persistent issue in the U.S. for decades. Teachers and researchers have pointed to the inadequacy of teacher preparation programs to prepare teacher candidates to address the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students and special education students as the catalyst of the teacher shortage in urban schools. Urban school systems, like the New York City Department of Education, have had success in filling their teacher shortages through alternative teacher certification programs. Through these programs, teacher candidates are given a preservice teacher preparation that incorporates three …