Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Theses and Dissertations

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
File Type

Articles 991 - 1020 of 6010

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Being Your Own Religious Protagonist: The Ramifications Of Religious Guilt, Shame, And Abuse On Women’S Identities, Amanda Rose Farrell Jan 2023

Being Your Own Religious Protagonist: The Ramifications Of Religious Guilt, Shame, And Abuse On Women’S Identities, Amanda Rose Farrell

Theses and Dissertations

Through analysis of various literary texts, social media, and television, “Being Your Own Religious Protagonist: The Ramifications of Religious Guilt, Shame, and Abuse on Women’s Identities” will examine the different ways in which women experience religion as children and teenage girls, as well as how their individual and complex religious experiences affect their upbringing and eventual identities as adult women. I am particularly interested in looking at how these experiences affect not only their identities, but their decisions regarding faith and whether or not they wish to remain in the same religious organizations they grew up in. While many who …


Raising The Cyber Guard: Analyzing The Cost And Use Of The National Guard In Local Municipal And State Cyber Defense, Hunter Lacroix Jan 2023

Raising The Cyber Guard: Analyzing The Cost And Use Of The National Guard In Local Municipal And State Cyber Defense, Hunter Lacroix

Theses and Dissertations

Cybersecurity is a national priority for the Homeland Security enterprise. Yet, despite a prioritization at the federal level, municipal and state governments have struggled to incorporate the National Guard in cyber incident response. Cyber incidents strain municipalities and states, which have spent significant resources to mitigate cyber threats. The glaring gap in the National Guard’s role in municipal and state cyber incident response warrants two key questions as to why the National Guard isn’t more readily used. “Is it cost prohibitive to use National Guard assets when compared to private entities?” Or “is there an underlying sociological disconnect regarding the …


Exploring Teachers’ And Administrators’ Perceptions Of Steam Education In K-12 Schools And Its Implications On The Development Of Steam: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method Design, Royce J. Lopez Jan 2023

Exploring Teachers’ And Administrators’ Perceptions Of Steam Education In K-12 Schools And Its Implications On The Development Of Steam: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method Design, Royce J. Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed method design was to investigate, identify and document the similarities and differences in perceptions when implementing a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education between teachers and administrators at the K-12 level. Throughout this process, teachers’ and administrators’ beliefs and perceptions towards STEAM instruction were analyzed to determine how they perceived, interpreted, implemented and sustained this new initiative. The problem, however, is that studies have demonstrated that educators have a limited understanding of STEAM content knowledge (CK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), as well as low self-efficacy in teaching STEAM concepts, which results …


Help, Is It Worth It For Me(N)?: A Study Of Factors Affecting Black Men's Perception Of Resource Management Strategies In Community College, Bryce E. Tolbert Jan 2023

Help, Is It Worth It For Me(N)?: A Study Of Factors Affecting Black Men's Perception Of Resource Management Strategies In Community College, Bryce E. Tolbert

Theses and Dissertations

Nationally, men of color are graduating college at the lowest rates of all race gender subgroups. Prior research suggests this population faces unique obstacles as it relates to race and gender and these challenges are often invisible and difficult to resolve. Academic supports can help students overcome these obstacles; however, it is not clear that they are influencing Black men’s academic help-seeking behavior and, thus, their educational outcomes. Using the Motivated Learning Strategies Questionnaire and data from Knight Community College, two multiple regressions and three t-test were used to explore the relationship between value, expectancy, program participation and resource management …


African American Women Leaders In Higher Education: An Examination Of Job Satisfaction, Cheryl Chambers Jan 2023

African American Women Leaders In Higher Education: An Examination Of Job Satisfaction, Cheryl Chambers

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the increase of African American women on college campuses, African American women leaders in higher education administration in the United States are significantly underrepresented and under-retained. This lack of representation has lasting effects on leadership pipelines and how African American women leaders are perceived and valued in the workplace. A contributing factor to this disparity is job satisfaction experienced by African American women leaders in academia. Using Black Feminist Thought and Critical Race Theory (CRT) in Higher Education as theoretical frameworks, this critical narrative study described the experiences of eight African American women in higher education leadership to help …


Pre-College Access And Financial Literacy, Oriel C. Straker Jan 2023

Pre-College Access And Financial Literacy, Oriel C. Straker

Theses and Dissertations

Student loan debt within the United States has reached insurmountable default rates worth trillions of dollars. While the federal government debate lingers on student loan debt reauthorization legislation known as Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity Through Education Reform (PROSPER ACT), a vote must pass to finalize the provision for this legislative policy (Baime, 2018). Meanwhile the issue of high student default rates disproportionately affects minoritized, first-generation, low-income students attending public and private institutions of higher education. This exploratory qualitative case study research approach (Yin, 2009) of the Upward Bound Program, aims to examine the sense of awareness of financial …


Effects Of Pastoral Care On The Social Wellbeing And Academic Achievement Of Catholic High School Students: A Case Study, Fr. Jude C. Zimoha Jan 2023

Effects Of Pastoral Care On The Social Wellbeing And Academic Achievement Of Catholic High School Students: A Case Study, Fr. Jude C. Zimoha

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of pastoral care on the personal social wellbeing and academic achievement of high school students, as perceived by the staff and students in Catholic High schools. This study is a qualitative case study research design. Purposive sampling was used to select one Catholic private co-educational high school in a large metropolitan city in the northeastern United States. The population for this study comprises all students in the Catholic High Schools. The sample of this study was comprised of 21 participants who were purposely selected and included 12 students from 9th …


Nadezhda Krupskaya And The Reinvention Of Culture In Revolutionary Russia: Populism, Women, And Education In The New Socialist Society, Michael Anthony Iasilli Jan 2023

Nadezhda Krupskaya And The Reinvention Of Culture In Revolutionary Russia: Populism, Women, And Education In The New Socialist Society, Michael Anthony Iasilli

Theses and Dissertations

Most historiography of the Russian Revolution underestimates the impact of the populists of the nineteenth century in shaping political decision-making that led to early Soviet national development as well as the women brought up within the movement. Populism and the legacy of the narodniki is often a separate body of research, or explained within a distinct political category of its own. Likewise, most scholars see the socialist movement at the turn of the century as a divergence away from the populists. However, through the writings and legacy of Nadezhda Krupskaya, Lenin's wife, she demonstrates a political and cultural transcendence of …


The Value Of The Marketplace Of Ideas: Academic Freedom In The American Academy, Daniel J. Perrone Jan 2023

The Value Of The Marketplace Of Ideas: Academic Freedom In The American Academy, Daniel J. Perrone

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation surveys several landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases of academic freedom in the 20th and 21st century to argue for the value of a tolerant and liberal interpretation of unrestricted academic freedom. Central to its argument is a defense of Oliver Wendell Holmes 1919 ruling in Abrams that society is best served where all expressions are tested in a “marketplace of ideas,” a term first used by John Stuart Mill in his 1859 essay, “On Liberty.” In an era of increasing casualization of academic labor (the adjunct labor force) and political paranoia about terror, I conclude that the continual …


A Return To The Word: Decreasing Division And Creating Community Through Scriptural Poetics And Discourse, Justin Lerner Jan 2023

A Return To The Word: Decreasing Division And Creating Community Through Scriptural Poetics And Discourse, Justin Lerner

Theses and Dissertations

In this project, I seek to use models of thought by seventeenth century metaphysical poets to propose solutions to twenty-first century issues facing Christian faith communities. Biblical scholars, pastors, and theologians indicate pressing topics that affect people within faith communities and the perceptions that secular communities hold of faith communities: the perspective people of faith hold about science, the ways in which vulnerability, expression, and doubt are handled in the church, and the effects of misusing authority. Because of the scientific skepticism held by some believers, many assume faith communities are anti-science. Because people have been pushed away from faith …


Adapting Higher Education: Revamping Curricula For The Inclusion Of Theatre Students With Disabilities, Kevin Kemler Jan 2023

Adapting Higher Education: Revamping Curricula For The Inclusion Of Theatre Students With Disabilities, Kevin Kemler

Theses and Dissertations

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiatives in higher education have been largely driven by administrators who have little to no contact with the students for whom they are working for. This top-down approach negatively impacts marginalized students and disproportionately affects the quality of experience for students with Disabilities, an often-overlooked demographic. For Disabled students enrolled in performance programs, barriers to access and inclusion don’t just exist at the institutional level, they also exist in the traditional classroom or studio as well. Through a dismantling of ableist structures inherent within higher education (i.e., American grading practices, the Western and Theatrical Canons), I …


An Introduction To Theatrical Scent Design As Compared To Traditional Design Areas With A Consideration For The Scientifically Notated Physical And Emotional Effects On The Human Body As It Potentially Relates To Future Creative Endeavors: A Framework, Katherine R. Holland Jan 2023

An Introduction To Theatrical Scent Design As Compared To Traditional Design Areas With A Consideration For The Scientifically Notated Physical And Emotional Effects On The Human Body As It Potentially Relates To Future Creative Endeavors: A Framework, Katherine R. Holland

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional areas of theatrical design are established to the point of having a solid foundation for current and future designers to rely on as they strive to innovate. The same cannot be said for scent. I believe that art, like science, is a sector where the imagination is used to push the boundaries of what we currently know and can do. Artists are therefore entrusted with the responsibility to continue testing those boundaries, and that is what my topic lays the foundation for when it comes to scent. With my topic, I plan to look at the practical and ethical …


Behind The Gate: Syrian Women In Soap Operas - Perception Vs. Reality, Tasnim J. Rahimah Jan 2023

Behind The Gate: Syrian Women In Soap Operas - Perception Vs. Reality, Tasnim J. Rahimah

Theses and Dissertations

Syria has witnessed what is known as al-fawra al-drameya, an eruption of drama since 2000. Every year, especially during Ramadan, dozens of Syrian soap operas are aired across the Arab world and beyond, depicting Syrians’ historical struggles as they fought for liberation from the French mandate at the beginning of the 20th century. Although women of those days were a vital part of that liberation movement and had prominent societal roles, these historical fiction soap operas chose to portray only the demure and dismissive female figures and not mention the women who were independent, courageous, and active members of the …


“It's Just Not Enough”: Examining The Experiences Of School-Based Sexual Health Education And Conversation Engagement With Trusted Adults Among Black Boys In Richmond, Va, Sharyn A. Dougherty Jan 2023

“It's Just Not Enough”: Examining The Experiences Of School-Based Sexual Health Education And Conversation Engagement With Trusted Adults Among Black Boys In Richmond, Va, Sharyn A. Dougherty

Theses and Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that youth make up a quarter of the sexually active population, yet account for half of the 20 million new sexually transmitted infections in the United States.In 2021, youth age 15-19 living in Virginia’s central region, which includes the Richmond Metropolitan area, had the second highest number of chlamydia cases and fourth highest number of gonorrhea cases among all age groups, with the highest rates among Black youth. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of Black youth in Richmond, VA with school-based sexual health education (SHE) and their …


Integrating Historically Marginalized Students’ Funds Of Knowledge For Culturally Responsive Teaching And Learning, Martinique Ann Sealy Jan 2023

Integrating Historically Marginalized Students’ Funds Of Knowledge For Culturally Responsive Teaching And Learning, Martinique Ann Sealy

Theses and Dissertations

The United States historically has not always recognized the unique knowledge, or Funds of Knowledge (FoK; Moll et. al, 1992) that Black (and other historically marginalized) students’ have as assets to classroom learning and much of today’s mainstream curriculum represents White cultural norms as the basis (Sjursen, 2021). Because of this reality, marginalized students must navigate mainstream cultural norms alongside their own culture to be successful in the classroom. This three-paper dissertation includes 1. a systematic literature review of Black U.S. k-8 students language and identity in relation to achievement, 2. a qualitative case study centered on middle school urban …


Supporting Positive Mental Health Well Being In Indigenous Youth And Young Adults, Mona Zuffante Jan 2023

Supporting Positive Mental Health Well Being In Indigenous Youth And Young Adults, Mona Zuffante

Theses and Dissertations

American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) youth and young adults are the hope for Tribal Nations. In order to decrease the suicidal related behaviors among youth, age 12-24, engagement of this population is required. Historical trauma has impacted this generation, reducing Elders ability to share knowledge, which has resulted in a mental health crisis that is having a devastating effect on youth and young adults. The need to create prevention programs, informed by the youth, that increase positive mental health is needed. This dissertation in practice utilizes a framework grounded in Indigenous teachings and from the Social Ecological Model to …


The Cultural Diplomacy Of U.S. Peace Corps: Understanding The Role Of Peace Corps Volunteers As Strategic Geopolitical Assets, Corey B. Miles Jan 2023

The Cultural Diplomacy Of U.S. Peace Corps: Understanding The Role Of Peace Corps Volunteers As Strategic Geopolitical Assets, Corey B. Miles

Theses and Dissertations

Beginning in the Summer of 1961, the United States government has deployed volunteer humanitarians around the world to serve the mission of U.S. Peace Corps and has since contributed to communities in 143 partner countries while enjoying widespread popularity. Its mission of promoting world peace and friendship is pursued through three operational goals: technical training, cultural exportation, and cultural importation. Since 2016, with the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, and continuing through the Covid-19 pandemic, which produced the first global service interruption in agency history, the value of the Peace Corps service model has been fundamentally challenged. As a …


Impact Of Social Media On The Mental Health Of College Student Athletes, Maria Blasco Maurici Jan 2023

Impact Of Social Media On The Mental Health Of College Student Athletes, Maria Blasco Maurici

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the influence of social media on the mental health of college student-athletes. With the adoption of social media platforms and the challenges faced by college student-athletes, understanding the implications of social media usage becomes a priority. This study examines the potential positive and negative effects of social media on the mental health of collegiate student-athletes and considers the role of social media in shaping their self-perception and identity. By comparing with existing research and conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis, this thesis aims to find answers on the relationship between social media and the mental health of college …


Successfully Transitioning Executives During Times Of Multidimensional Change: A Delphi Study Examining Organizational Practices In Large Hospital Systems, Lilicia Bailey Jan 2023

Successfully Transitioning Executives During Times Of Multidimensional Change: A Delphi Study Examining Organizational Practices In Large Hospital Systems, Lilicia Bailey

Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare is the fastest growing industry in the United States and globally. Economists forecast that as the population grows and life expectancy increases, the healthcare sector will continue expanding to meet consumer needs domestically and globally. Population aging and the emergence of global pandemics has substantially increased the demand for healthcare services and has created volatile, complex, uncertain, and ambiguous conditions that ignite social, economic, and workforce shifts within and outside the organization. While these factors require growth and agility within healthcare organizations, high turnover in the healthcare workforce threatens these organizations’ ability to effectively fulfill their mission. The high …


Explore The Best Organizational Change Model For Chinese State-Owned Enterprises In The Financial Service Industry To Address Global Challenges, Chenyang Feng Jan 2023

Explore The Best Organizational Change Model For Chinese State-Owned Enterprises In The Financial Service Industry To Address Global Challenges, Chenyang Feng

Theses and Dissertations

Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOE) in the financial service industry has reached a tipping point of making changes to address incoming global competition. The unprecedented wave of policy shifts in the market will uncage powerful rivals worldwide and demand the SOEs to change. This study reviewed the best practices and unique challenges to the SOEs in the context of organizational change and strove to explore the best organizational change model for Chinese SOEs in addressing global challenges. This study began by reviewing the background and literature about Chinese SOE development and organizational change, then developed an instrument consisting of critical items …


Evaluating The Effects Of Organizational Culture On Post-Merger Integration, John M. Rose Jan 2023

Evaluating The Effects Of Organizational Culture On Post-Merger Integration, John M. Rose

Theses and Dissertations

This doctoral research project examines the impact of organizational culture on post-merger integration in the travel and travel services industry for acquisitions valued under $5B. The study uses a mixed-method research approach to determine whether culture plays a critical role in the success or failure of M&A deals. The research focuses on 50 M&A transactions that occurred between three and five years ago at the time of the study. Participants from both sides of the transactions completed an integration outcomes survey, reporting on financial, cultural, and overall success. In addition, each side had five participants who completed the Organizational Cultural …


Give And You May Receive: Examining Transparent Leadership Through The Lens Of Leader-Follower Relationships, Edward J. Piecek Jan 2023

Give And You May Receive: Examining Transparent Leadership Through The Lens Of Leader-Follower Relationships, Edward J. Piecek

Theses and Dissertations

Transparency is a term often used to describe a solution to many organizational problems and a fundamental quality that employees seek from their leaders, yet its definition and application to leadership theory remain unclear. This study adopted a grounded theory approach to examining transparent leadership, using semi-structured interviews to explore transparent leader behaviors across multiple contexts. The sample included 25 mid-level leaders working for six non-profit healthcare organizations in the western US. Based on analysis of interview responses, the results revealed a dynamic, reciprocal transparent leader-follower relationship distinct from existing leadership theories. As the first known empirical study of transparent …


Examining K-12 School Leadership Through A Complexity Theory Lens, Mandi Lehnherr Jan 2023

Examining K-12 School Leadership Through A Complexity Theory Lens, Mandi Lehnherr

Theses and Dissertations

Observing the connection between complexity theory and the K-12 education field, I conducted an extensive literature review to discover much research had already been undertaken. However, given the pervasive, wicked problems that still exist, there may be gaps in the operationalization of the findings. The purpose of this research is to determine how school leaders understand the complexity of their school system and if examining school leadership from a complexity lens may uncover practices that could create more effective school operations in dynamic environments. Ten school principals and leaders were interviewed. Five major themes were derived from the data: a) …


International Students’ Perception Of The Development Of Their Digital Academic Writing Identity Based On Their Participation In An Intensive English Language Program, Francesca L. Nesfield Jan 2023

International Students’ Perception Of The Development Of Their Digital Academic Writing Identity Based On Their Participation In An Intensive English Language Program, Francesca L. Nesfield

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. economy receives consistent and increasing benefits from international students in higher education, an estimated $41 billion during the 2018-2019 academic year. However, the existing research literature has failed to determine whether Intensive English Language Programs (IELP) adequately prepare these students for college-level composition in digital mediums. The objective of this study is to distinguish the perceptions of how academic digital composition and identity were developed among international students relative to their experiences in an IELP. This dissertation research sought to understand the cultural perspectives of international students around a) their digital writing identity, b) digital composition in academia, …


The Experiences Of Parents In A Christian Spiritual Parenting Program, Zili Wang Jan 2023

The Experiences Of Parents In A Christian Spiritual Parenting Program, Zili Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Christians face a rising problem in faith transmission to the next generation (Kinnaman & Hawkins, 2016). Research indicates that younger generations are less religious than their parents in many countries, especially in the U.S. (Pew Research Center, 2018b). Even though most American Christians say that faith is vital in their life, educating children in religion is critical because it provides moral guidance and appropriate values (American Enterprise Institute, 2019). However, most Christians find it challenging to perceive and articulate the relationship between faith and daily life even though they attend church regularly (Bunge, 2008). Also, many parent-child spiritual programs organized …


Marketization Without Marginalization? Approaches To Integration In A Dual Enrollment Magnet School, Shannon Mumolo Jan 2023

Marketization Without Marginalization? Approaches To Integration In A Dual Enrollment Magnet School, Shannon Mumolo

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the well-documented benefits of integration and Southern California’s racial, socioeconomic, and linguistic diversity, California and U.S. efforts to promote integrated magnet schools have been minimal and primarily driven by local districts. Attempts to evaluate magnet programs primarily focus on student outcomes, yet surprisingly few studies examine approaches used by school leaders to establish and achieve program outcomes. This study contributes to the knowledge and practice of magnet implementation by exploring one California high school’s efforts to establish a dual enrollment magnet program. An explanatory mixed methods case study design was used to understand how school leaders promoted student integration …


The Impact Of Covid-19 On Community Based-Organizations: A Case Study Of Jewish Organizations, Orit Zigmanlador Jan 2023

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Community Based-Organizations: A Case Study Of Jewish Organizations, Orit Zigmanlador

Theses and Dissertations

When COVID-19 started to spread in March 2020, no one could anticipate the impact it would have on the world. Social behavior is one key aspect that has changed dramatically as a result of the pandemic. Through restrictions that imposed social distancing, masks, and quarantines, feelings of loneliness, depression, and isolation increased. At the same time, there was also evidence of prosocial behavior, with the emergence of people helping those in need. As the pandemic turns endemic with restrictions lifting, the longstanding impact of the pandemic on people’s behavior is still unclear. One way to explore this phenomenon is through …


Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Post George Floyd And Covid-19: Reflections From Global Business Leaders On A Changing Paradigm, Charles Edward Bray Jr. Jan 2023

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Post George Floyd And Covid-19: Reflections From Global Business Leaders On A Changing Paradigm, Charles Edward Bray Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This global study of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), encompassing the lenses of sixteen corporate executives with multi-country influence, examines efforts to address marginalization in the workplace based on identity characteristics such as race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or ability. Othering is a global phenomenon. Corporations were awakened to the magnitude of othering, shocked into reality by the murder of George Floyd and other acts of political and social violence, including femicide, globally. The COVID-19 global pandemic further exposed the impact of marginalization seen through wide health disparities across communities. The Russian invasion of Ukraine further augmented the corporate …


A Preliminary Exploration Of The Workplace Expectations Of Generation Z Amidst Covid-19, Elizabeth Robertson Jan 2023

A Preliminary Exploration Of The Workplace Expectations Of Generation Z Amidst Covid-19, Elizabeth Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

For the first time in modern history, up to five generations are working side-by-side in the same organizations. The high number of generations working together can cause intergenerational conflict. Generation Z (Gen Z), born after 1995, is significantly different from previous generations due to the cultural realities that have shaped their development. Gen Z has their own attitudes, beliefs, and expectations about the workplace and the centrality of work. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the attitudes, beliefs, values, and expectations about work and toward leadership in the workplace and how those expectations may have been …


Examining How Entrepreneurial Educators’ Perspectives And Lived Experiences Have Shaped Their Pedagogical Approaches In Secondary Education, Latonya Wiley Jan 2023

Examining How Entrepreneurial Educators’ Perspectives And Lived Experiences Have Shaped Their Pedagogical Approaches In Secondary Education, Latonya Wiley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenology study is to explore the perspective of entrepreneurial educators in Southeast Louisiana who teach students in grades 9-12, related to how their entrepreneurial experiences have influenced their pedagogical approaches. There is a gap in our knowledge and understanding of how the lived experiences of entrepreneurs can affect teachers' instructional approaches to introduce the art of entrepreneurship in its many manifestations. The Constructivist learning approach and Kolb's experiential learning theory (1984) are influential in this dissertation. The theoretical framework for this study is an experiential learning theory which helps us understand the impact of the …