Digital Commons Network^™

Soil Moisture Regime Effects On Greenhouse Gas Emissions In A Native Tallgrass Prairie In The Ozark Highlands, Thomas William Dockery

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Ozark Highlands is an ecoregion in the mid-southern portion of the United States that is characterized by a mosaic of tallgrass prairies, oak (Quercus spp.) savannas, and oak-hickory (Carya spp.) forests, which represents a unique biophysical transition zone between the relatively dry grasslands of the west and the humid forests of the southeast. Quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, namely carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), from natural, undisturbed ecosystems is critical to understanding atmospheric warming and climate-change implications. The objective of this study was to simultaneously evaluate CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions in an aquic and …

Values And Posttraumatic Resilience: Assessing The Moderating Impact Of Cultural Context, Jeremy Brian Clift

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People commonly experience a traumatic event during their lives, and many effectively cope with the experience, demonstrating psychological resiliency. However, this is not always the case; others may develop psychopathology in the wake of a traumatic event, such as posttraumatic stress disorder. Why might some people experience clinically significant difficulty following a traumatic event while others do not? The current study examined this question by considering the role of values—cognitive representations of motivations that guide action—and testing predictions generated from the Contextual Model of Values-Based Responding to Traumatic Experiences (Clift & Veilleux, unpublished manuscript). It was predicted that greater growth …

Exploring Early Career Public General Education K–6 Teachers’ Experiences With Their Training For Teaching Special Education Students In Inclusive Classrooms, Alexandra E. Ray

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Although Canada is often regarded as a leader in inclusive education, reports note that many students’ needs remain unmet and inclusion is typically implemented by placing students in mainstream classrooms with individualized accommodations. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of seven early career K–6 public general education teachers in Ontario (1–4 years of practice) as they engaged in inclusive education and prepared to teach students with special needs. Participants reported that teacher preparation coursework presented inclusive models only superficially, professional development was fragmented and insufficient prompting self-directed learning and structural constraints in schools limited individualized support. Teachers described …

Synthetic Aperture Radar Ground Moving Target Imaging And Motion Parameter Estimation Using Minimum Entropy Optimization, Adam H. Cohen

Theses

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging of ground moving targets presents significant challenges due to motion-induced defocus and displacement in single-channel stripmap mode data.  This thesis introduces a novel algorithm for ground moving target imaging (GMTIm) and motion  parameter estimation using minimum entropy optimization. The algorithm begins by using a technique  called aperture lengthening to determine the target’s azimuth velocity (va). Next, particle swarm  optimization (PSO) iteratively minimizes image entropy by varying range velocity (vr ), range  acceleration (ar ), and azimuth acceleration (aa) to produce focused images. The algorithm outputs  the final focused image and the set of motion parameters …

Examining The Effects Of Interdependent Group Contingencies As A Classwide Intervention To Reduce Unsafe Behavior On The Playground, Elizabeth K. Linton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different class wide interdependent group contingencies on unsafe playground behavior and student preferences for each intervention. In Experiment 1, we assessed the effects of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) on unsafe behavior across three third-grade classes. The GBG effectively reduced unsafe playground behavior relative to baseline, though student-choice data indicated that students did not prefer the intervention. This finding prompted Experiment 2, in which we evaluated synchronous schedule of reinforcement (SSR) as a classwide interdependent group contingency and compared its effectiveness and preference to the GBG. Participants in Experiment …

Roots Or Resources?: Understanding Latino Student Leadership In Higher Education, Kelly Parra

Honors Theses

For the purpose of this study, Latino/a refers to individuals who are from Latin America or of Latin American descent. The term Latino/a is used because it captures individuals from a variety of Latino American cultural backgrounds and is not limited to a single national origin or ethnic subgroup (Pratt Institute Libraries, n.d).

Student leadership development is often fostered with involvement in student organizations, leadership programs, mentorship opportunities, and other institutional resources provided through higher education (Lebrón et al., 2017). However, for many students’ Latino/a leadership-related skills may begin developing long before entering college through family responsibilities, cultural experiences, and …

Social Complex Systems In Virtual Thirdspaces Of Global Education: Sites Of Structural Inequalities And Radical Pedagogical Possibilities, José Luis Jimenez-Figarotti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and Virtual Exchange (VE) are celebrated as democratizing tools fostering intercultural understanding, this techno-utopian narrative obscures a complex reality: the virtual classroom is a contested social field where global inequalities are reproduced and amplified. This dissertation interrogates this paradox, exploring how structural inequalities, digital divides, and epistemic hierarchies are negotiated within the Virtual Thirdspace of global education. Integrating Structural Inequalities (Galtung, 1969; Farmer, 2004; Tilly, 1998; and Young, 2008), Critical Environmental Justice (Pellow, 2018), Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989), World-Systems Analysis (Wallerstein, 1974), and Thirdspace theory (Soja, 1996), the study examines this terrain as both a …

Ka Lei No Kane: The Whole Libretto, Harvey Hess

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

Physical Activity Mediation In Perceived Emotional Support And Type 2 Diabetes Among African American Older Adults, Don Scott Mendes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Seamus Heaney And The “Mode Of Grief”: Three Elegies Of Field Work, Lucy Whitney

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In 1981, Seamus Heaney discussed the role of poetry as “more a mode for grief than grievance” (407). This essay is concerned with how Heaney used poetry to grieve suffering, death, and loss, especially within the context of “The Troubles” in Ireland from roughly 1965 to 1998. To better understand Heaney’s poetry, this essay will explore three elegies, “Casualty,” “The Strand at Lough Beg,” and “In Memoriam Francis Ledwidge.” These three grieving poems examine different facets of both the elegy and Irish history and conflict. Within them, Heaney creates modes of both mourning and healing for the many emotions associated …

Navigating Preparation: A Qualitative Exploration Of Special Education Teachers' Experiences Supporting Students With Disabilities In Transition To Post-School Life, Carrie Ann Friend

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transition-focused instruction is a critical component of special education services intended to prepare students with disabilities for postsecondary education, employment, and independent living. Although federal legislation such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires transition planning beginning in secondary school, prior research indicates that many special education teachers feel inadequately prepared to implement transition-focused instruction effectively. Existing literature has largely examined transition outcomes for students and programmatic compliance, while less attention has been given to teachers’ lived experiences implementing transition services within school contexts. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore how high school …

Environmental Tolerances And Habitat Association Of Three Endemic Crayfish Species In Texas, Andrew Walker

Biology Theses

Little is known about many of the 52 crayfish species in Texas. This thesis investigates physiological tolerances of three species endemic to the Jackson Vale ecoregion of Southeast Texas, the Bastrop crayfish (Procambarus texanus), Nueces crayfish (Procambarus nueces), and the Fayette’s crayfish (Procambarus fayettei) as well as the White River crayfish (Procambarus acutus), which is ubiquitous throughout East Texas. Thermal, hypoxia, and acidity tolerances were tested on wild caught individuals through laboratory assays. Findings from this study will inform wildlife managers of future conservation strategies relating to these endemic species.

Effective Strategies For Improving Communication In Organizations That Hr Leaders Use To Increase Employee Productivity, Susan Dean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Customer Engagement Strategies Among U.S. Food Service Leaders In The Postpandemic Digital Era, E'Yanna Yvette Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Examining The Impact Of Transformational Change To Modernize Federal Government Records, Michael Lloyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Role Of Staff Education In Improving Patient Medication Adherence To Reduce Crisis Recurrence Among Psychiatric Patients, Francine Wanjiku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Exploring Critical Limitations And The Sustainability Of Small- And Medium-Sized Enterprises, Uluocha Diamond Okojie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Medical Social Workers’ Knowledge Of Alzheimer’S Disease Screening And Treatment In Primary Care Settings, Amy Davis Cook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Lived Experiences Involving Body Dysmorphia In African American Women Who Actively Use Social Media, Janee Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Investigating Burnout Among Hospital Social Workers: A Qualitative Exploration, Crystal Marie Herring

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Teachers’ Experiences And Suggestions For Improving Parental Involvement In Low Socio-Economic Status Elementary Schools, Dennis Gamble

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

African Americans’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Aesthetic Environments As A Determinant Of Stress, Clarence Gardener

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Occupational Therapy’S Role And Impact In Cancer Prehabilitation: A Scoping Review, Abbey Rancour, Averi Haas, Emily Peckham, Kate Reimer, Kylie Mccaskill

Masters Projects

Background:

Oncology prehabilitation aims to optimize patients’ physical and psychosocial function before cancer treatment, yet the specific contributions of occupational therapy (OT) remain underexplored.

Objective:

This scoping review aims to map and synthesize the existing literature describing the role and reported benefits of OT within oncology prehabilitation programs.

Methodology:

Following Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) scoping review framework and guided by the PRISMA-ScR checklist, three databases (PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science) were searched. Search terms included preoperative exercise, prehabilitation, neoplasms, and cancer. Articles were screened by two independent reviewers, and data were charted and analyzed descriptively and thematically.

Results:

A …

Rural U.S. Midwestern Kindergarten Through Grade 5 Elementary Teachers’ Experiences With 3d Science Instruction, Janine L. Sankar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Meme Event: Memefication, Memory-Making And Political Resistance In The Biafra Digital Discourse, Chimaobi Dick Onwukwe

Theses - ALL

In this thesis, I examine the Biafran digital commemoration on May 30th every year—Biafra Commemoration Day. Specifically, I examine how the Biafran digital commemorative culture functions as memorialization and political action. Drawing on theoretical reserves from modern meme studies and performance studies, I propose a theory of “meme event”—a coordinated digital practice that encompasses not just memetic content but the larger ecology of its creation, circulation, strategic timing (May 30th), and strategic deployment. The rallying slogan “We don’t die, we multiply” serves as the anchor around which the meme event revolves, circulating both memetic content and non-meme posts. This theoretical …

Defending Southern Nationalism: The Investigations Of The Alabama Legislative Commission To Preserve The Peace, 1963-1975, Nola Aycock

Theses - ALL

The Alabama Legislative Commission to Preserve the Peace, also called the Peace Commission, was an investigative agency created by the Alabama state legislature in 1963. It was abolished in 1975. During its existence it investigated and created reports on a variety of targets engaged in civil rights activism, communism, or anything the Commission deemed “un-American.” In this thesis, I argue that the Peace Commission was an unusual example of a southern nationalist institution in the Cold War south because of the timing of its creation, the opposition it faced, its small size and budget, and its unsuccessful conflict with the …

Yardie Epistemologies: Queer Survival, Respectability, And Political Economy In Contemporary Jamaica, Nicole Hylton

Theses - ALL

This thesis examines how queer Jamaicans navigate, survive, and theorize life within a social order structured by colonial legacies, racialized class hierarchy, nationalist masculinity, Christian moral authority, and neoliberal austerity. Drawing on qualitative, narrative-centered research conducted between 2012 and 2014, with consistent return visits in subsequent years, the study employs grounded theory, critical ethnography, and Black feminist political economy to analyze how sexual citizenship is unevenly distributed across lines of color, class, gender expression, and access to resources. Participants include LGBTQ individuals, activists, academics, state actors, and community members whose narratives are treated not as illustrative data but as sites …

The Strange Case Of Family: How The Dual Character Is Represented In 2025 American Horror Films, Camila Flores

Theses - ALL

This thesis examines the representation of dual-role characters in contemporary American horror cinema through a qualitative textual analysis of three 2025 horror films: The Monkey (Osgood Perkins), Sinners (Ryan Coogler), and Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro). While dual or doubled characters have historically been analyzed through psychoanalytic frameworks centered on the ego, repression, and identity fragmentation, this study argues that recent horror films move beyond the traditional “double as self” narrative. Instead, these films position dual-role characters within broader social, cultural, and familial contexts, emphasizing how doubling reflects generational trauma, collective memory, and systems of oppression. Guided by Stuart Hall’s theory …

The Effect Of Narrative Advocacy Messaging On Perceived Csa Authenticity: The Mediating Role Of Narrative Transportation, Christine Eunseol Park

Theses - ALL

This study examines whether narrative advocacy messaging can enhance perceived authenticity in corporate social advocacy by increasing narrative transportation, and whether brand–issue justification strength affects this process. Using a 2 (advocacy message format: narrative vs. non-narrative) × 2 (brand–issue justification strength: strong vs. weak) between-subjects experiment with 198 U.S. adults, participants viewed a fictitious denim brand’s advocacy advertisement for immigrant rights. Narrative messaging increased transportation, transportation positively predicted perceived authenticity, and transportation mediated the effect of narrative format on authenticity. The results also revealed a competitive mediation pattern: narrative messaging produced a positive indirect effect through transportation but a negative …

From Hot Dog Soup To Wine Pairing: Exploring Taste & Palate Development Through America's Latchkey Generation, Gabrielle Reagan

Theses - ALL

This thesis interrogates how tastes and palates develop across a lifespan through the lens of America’s latchkey generation. As an analytic, this generation—raised amid a rising availability of ultra processed foods, declining culinary skill transfer, and an uptick in both divorce rates and women in the workforce—is crucial for understanding the palate as a site where corporate capture and individual agency intersect. It asks: What broadens palate development, what limits it, and what conditions support or hinder its evolution over time? How might the reintroduction of culinary literacy broaden palate development and how do gender and pleasure play a role …