Digital Commons Network^™

Qualitative Phenomenography: Sustaining Motivations Of Black Women Principals In Pk-5 Title I Schools, Kahliah C. Rachel

Dissertations

Black women principals remain underrepresented in educational leadership, yet they are disproportionately assigned to PK-5 Title I schools, where complex academic, social, and political demands converge. Limited research examines what sustains these leaders over time, particularly in roles marked by intersecting oppressions of race and gender. Grounded in Black feminist thought and intersectionality, this qualitative phenomenographic study explored the sustaining motivations of six Black women who currently served or had served as principals in a PK-5 Title I school in Georgia. The purpose of this study was to describe the different ways these principals understood and experienced the internal and …

Exploring Teachers’ Lived Experiences: The Impact Of Wellness On Student Engagement And Behavior In Third-Grade Classrooms, Tiffany L. Jackson

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored teachers' lived experiences implementing student wellness initiatives in the classroom and examined their views on how these initiatives affected student engagement and behavior. In this study, participants had the opportunity to express their views on implementing wellness practices in the classroom and on how these initiatives impacted student engagement and behavior. The research was guided by theoretical frameworks related to wellness, emotional and social intelligence, and relational perspectives. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were the primary data source, and interview notes will serve as secondary data. This study addressed three research questions: (1) What are teachers' lived …

Perceptions And Beliefs Of A High School Geometry Professional Learning Community During Initial Implementation Of Standards-Based Grading, Marcellyn E. Baker

Dissertations

Traditional grading systems in secondary schools often conflate behavior with achievement, obscure evidence of understanding, and constrain teachers’ ability to enact learning-centered beliefs. This qualitative case study examined how five experienced secondary mathematics teachers in a public high school geometry department experienced and interpreted a grassroots transition to standards-based grading (SBG) within collaborative professional learning communities (PLCs). Guided by a pragmatic and constructivist worldview, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, field observations, and questionnaires and analyzed using iterative open and axial coding with cross-group pattern analysis. Findings indicated that SBG did not fundamentally alter teachers’ beliefs about learning; …

First-Year Seminar’S Influence On Thriving In First-Year Students, Chelsea Miller

Dissertations

First-year students struggle with attrition. Prevention of attrition has various interventions on such first-year seminars. Typically, these interventions use academic outcomes to measure effectiveness. Prior research supports that students enrolled in first-year seminar benefit academically from the intervention. However, these outcomes do not fully capture all the possible benefits of this intervention. This leaves room for research on other possible outcomes. Thriving as a construct incorporates both academic and social elements. Thriving is a possible outcome that could capture the benefits of first-year seminars. This study examined how much of the variance in thriving was explained by participation in first-year …

Nomophobia In Early Adolescence: An Exploration Of Prevalence, Academic Performance, And School Policy In United States Middle School Students, Christopher Otero

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine nomophobia among middle school students, investigating its relationships with grade level, smartphone OS, school smartphone policy, and academic performance. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, the research utilized a sample of 85 U.S. middle school students to address three research questions:

Q1 What relationships exists between middle school students’ grade levels, smartphone operating systems, school smartphone policy, GPA, and nomophobia levels?

Q2 To what extent do middle school student’s grade level, smartphone operating system, and school smartphone policy predict nomophobia?

Q3 Is nomophobia a significant predictor of GPA in middle school students?

Findings …

Wrestling With Morality: A Study On Moral Identity And Social Behavior In Individual Sports, Julia Isabella Ybarra

Dissertations

The development of moral reasoning and social behavior in adolescents and young adults is critical to healthy functioning. Sport participation is frequently assumed to promote positive developmental outcomes; however, the moral implications of participation in combative sports such as wrestling remain debated. Wrestling differs from many team and individual sports due to its physically dominant and one-on-one competitive structure, raising questions regarding how involvement may relate to moral identity, moral disengagement, and social behavior. The purpose of this exploratory quantitative study was to examine associations among moral identity, moral disengagement, and prosocial and antisocial behavior in adolescent and young adult …

Applying The Job–Demands-Resources Model To Uncover Influences On Continuity Outcomes For Caregivers Of Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Nancy J. Potter

Dissertations

Home-based, shared living caregivers provide a vital safety net for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived job demands and job resources that influence continuity-related outcomes among caregivers supporting individuals with IDD within a shared living service model.

Three research questions guided this study:

Q1 How are job demands and caregiver outcomes related?

Q2 Do resources moderate the relationship between caregiver outcomes and job demands?

Q3 Does the moderating effect of resources on the relationship between job demands and caregiver outcomes differ by caregiver relationship type?

The study methodology examined …

Certified Orientation And Mobility Specialists’ Experiences Working With Students Who Have Cerebral Visual Impairment, Elise Nobuko Darrow

Dissertations

Certified orientation and mobility specialists (COMS) provide instruction to students who are blind or visually impaired on how to navigate safely and efficiently. Visual impairments can stem from eye-related conditions or neurological issues, such as cerebral visual impairment (CVI), which affects visual processing. Cerebral visual impairment is currently the leading cause of visual impairment in children in the United States and is often accompanied by comorbidities such as cerebral palsy, which is associated with additional disabilities. Orientation and mobility (O&M) instruction focuses on teaching safe and efficient travel skills and began as a rehabilitation service for blinded war veterans who …

The Paradox Of Twice-Exceptional Teacher Experience: A Narrative And Visual Inquiry, Michael Danielle Bell

Dissertations

Twice-exceptional (2e) individuals, those with high cognitive ability and concurrent disabilities, have been the primary focus in K-12 research, yet they largely disappeared from research as adults. This narrative inquiry examined the lived experiences of three 2e educators navigating the public school system. Grounded in the Neurodiversity Paradigm and the Social Model of Disability, the study utilized semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation to externalize the sensory and cognitive realities of 2e educators through an affirmative, strengths-based lens. Narrative analysis revealed a central synthesis of the paradox of 2e educator experiences that highlighted participants’ neurodivergent traits as simultaneously their greatest professional …

Exploring Predictors Of First-Time National Council Licensure Exam For Registered Nurses Next Generation Success In Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Program To Determine The Need For Remediation, Ashton Clarkson

Dissertations

Passing the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) on the first attempt is crucial not only for nursing students but also for nursing programs and employers. Nursing programs’ reputations rest on their first-time NCLEX pass rates for incoming students and for national accreditation (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 2023; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 2024; Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation, 2021). Also, the United States is experiencing a nursing shortage that could be alleviated by more nurses passing the NCLEX-RN on the first try. This quantitative study aimed to determine whether there is predictive ability between the …

Exploration Of The Intent To Remain In The Nursing Profession: Reasons New Nurse Graduates Remain At The Bedside, Amy Simons

Dissertations

Newly graduated nurses (NNGs) have been essential to sustaining the nursing workforce, yet up to 35.0% have left their initial positions within 2 years of licensure, contributing to persistent workforce instability (Kovner et al., 2016; Shatto & Lutz, 2017; Yu & Kang, 2016). Although factors influencing early turnover have been widely studied (Blegen et al., 2017; Fox & Abrahamsen, 2009; Kovner et al., 2016; Shatto & Lutz, 2017; Skillman & Toms, 2022; Wei et al., 2018; Yarbrough et al., 2017), less has been known about the determinants of NNGs’ intent to remain in the nursing profession. Guided by Herzberg’s Two-Factor …

Reconsidering The Undergraduate Viola Canon: A Skill Based Framework For Repertoire Expansion, Daniella Isabel Angulo Martinez

Dissertations

This research analyses the limitations of the standard undergraduate viola repertoire and proposes a structured, skill-based framework for its expansion. Within collegiate viola programs in the United States, training frequently focuses on a limited group of orchestra-accompanied works, particularly those by Telemann, Stamitz, Bruch, and Walton. While these works have a great pedagogical value, their dominance has contributed to a restricted repertoire that can limit students’ technical development, musical style knowledge, and artistic growth.

Based on the pedagogical standards of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), this research identifies five core performance domains - technique, rhythm, intonation, tone projection, and …

A Phenomenological Examination Of Value Recognition And Development In Mental Health Counselors-In-Training, Luke Erskine Steinman

Dissertations

The importance of values in therapy is well recognized and documented in the field of mental health counseling, despite this, the implementation of value-based instruction into formal training is often unclear and inconsistent. As such, the purpose of this study was to investigate how CITs recognized their personal and professional values; the impact those values have on their work and personal lives; how their values developed throughout the course of their training; and what factors influenced that development. This was done with the hopes of better understanding how these areas shape their professional practice. Research questions examined how CITs recognize …

Vinicio Meza And The Bassoon: A Study Of The Costa Rican Composer’S Chamber Music And Episodios For Bassoon And Orchestra, Bryan Valderrama Vega

Dissertations

Vinicio Meza (b.1968) has had a significant impact on Costa Rican bassoon music, contributing over sixty chamber works featuring the instrument and a work for bassoon and orchestra. Despite his successful career and professional recognition, only a small number of his compositions have been the subject of academic study, offering a mere glimpse of the composer’s artistry. The present dissertation responds to this gap by utilizing Meza’s bassoon works as a vehicle to delve into his life and artistic production, following a qualitative approach to answer questions about his career and musical style, the historical and compositional particularities of his …

Exploring The Evolution Of Preservice Elementary Teachers' Mathematics Identity And Possible Selves: A Multi-Case Study Approach, Christa R. Mawn

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study explores the nature of preservice elementary teachers’ mathematics identity and possible selves and identifies shifts in their mathematics identity or possible selves over the course of a place value unit during the semester during a course on mathematics content for elementary teachers. Drawing on narrative identity and possible selves theory, this qualitative multi-case study examined the mathematics identity and possible selves of preservice elementary teachers enrolled in a mathematics content course. Course assignments were used as data sources and included written narratives, future-oriented reflections, drawings, and course artifacts. Individual cases were analyzed, and were followed by a cross-cases …

Investigation Of Curing And Degradation Mechanisms In Lead White Oil Paint Systems: Impact Of Methyl Linoleate On Paint Matrix Formation And Solvent Extractability, Andrea Serrano Trujillo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Oil-based paints composed of drying oils and lead-containing pigments undergo complex chemical transformations during curing that influence long-term stability and degradation. Despite centuries of use, the molecular mechanisms governing oxidative polymerization and additive incorporation in lead white oil paint systems remain incompletely understood. This study investigates the role of methyl linoleate, a monoester analog of linoleic acid, in the curing and degradation pathways of lead carbonate and linseed oil paint films. A deep focus was placed on determining whether methyl linoleate becomes chemically integrated into the developing polymeric network or remains as an extractable and unbound component, as this distinction …

Discharge Process Improvement Initiative Using An N-By-T Strategy In A Progressive Care Unit In An Acute Care Setting, Sukhvir Walia

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background

Timely and efficient patient discharge processes are crucial for enhancing hospital throughput, reducing emergency department boarding, optimizing inpatient bed utilization, and ensuring safe transitions of care. Delayed hospital discharges contribute to prolonged hospitalizations, operational inefficiencies, increased healthcare expenditures, and decreased patient satisfaction. Progressive care units (PCU) are particularly vulnerable to discharge delays because patients frequently require multidisciplinary coordination before safe discharge can occur.

Purpose

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a structured discharge readiness checklist combined with an n-by-T discharge planning strategy during multidisciplinary patient progressive rounds (PPRs) to improve discharge …

Mental Health Representation And Audience Interpretation In Contemporary Streaming Media, Caitlyn Freeman

Communications and Digital Media Theses

This study looks at streaming television as a place where ideas about mental health are shaped and communicated. These shows communicate mental health through storytelling, rather than simply reflected. Instead of viewing series as realistic depictions of psychological struggle, this analysis focuses on different elements to understand how audiences understand mental illness. This study focuses on patterns in how mental health is presented to audiences, including whether it is shown as an emotional conflict, ongoing experience, or a moment of crisis within the story. Using a qualitative analysis, the research analyzes selected episodes from each series through a codebook with …

Intraday Cotton Futures Price Responses To World Agricultural Supply And Demand Estimates (Wasde) News, Owen Mclane Tyrone

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Price discovery in agricultural futures markets is augmented by information about supply and demand, leading markets to react when public reports are released. Effective price discovery in futures markets is vital to allocate physical commodities across time, synthesize information, and provide hedging tools. Price discovery in cotton markets is unique because it is less liquid than many other commodity markets. Therefore, our objective is to measure the initial price response in the cotton futures market to unanticipated ending stocks information in the WASDE report; then determine if markets continue to adjust after the initial price change. To meet our objective, …

Fret Studies On The Binding Of Fibroblast Growth Factor (Fgf) Proteins To The Hard Corona Of Cuins2-Based Quantum Dots, Colette Robinson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) has been shown to be an important protein in angiogenesis, which is critical in developmental biology and wound healing but has also been implicated in cancer metastasis. FGF interacts with an FGF Receptor (FGFR) to signal the onset of angiogenesis but the detailed mechanism of angiogenesis, and particularly its regulation, is still largely unknown. Imaging the interaction of FGF with FGFR in biologically-relevant environments, such as directly in cells, is key towards furthering this understanding and may eventually aid in the development of better cancer treatments. CuInS2/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) are an attractive fluorescent probe to …

Nadh Flim Reveals Cellular Bioenergetics And Mitochondrial Morphology During Drosophila Convergent Extension, Maria Espana Pena

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that can fragment or fuse to support different bioenergetic demands and cellular processes, although the role of mitochondrial fission and fusion during embryonic development is not well understood. Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) of the mitochondrial cofactor NADH can be used to visualize mitochondrial networks and infer aspects of cellular bioenergetics in a label-free manner. We used NADH FLIM to test whether germband cells undergo changes in cellular metabolism during Drosophila convergent extension (CE)––a process in which hundreds of epithelial cells undergo coordinated intercalation to elongate the embryo. Contrary to our expectations, we did not observe significant …

Exploring Agricultural Pathways: An Analysis Of Arkansas Community Colleges, Natasha Hightower

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As demand for a highly skilled agricultural workforce continues to grow, Arkansas must strengthen accessible and clearly defined academic and career pathways to prepare future agricultural professionals. Community colleges serve as a critical entry point into higher education, particularly for rural and first-generation students, and play a vital role in both workforce development and transfer preparation. However, information related to agricultural education offerings, transfer pathways, and faculty at Arkansas community colleges is often decentralized and difficult for students and stakeholders to locate. The purpose of this study was to examine agricultural education offerings at community colleges in Arkansas, specifically agricultural …

Arthur The Knight-King: Protector Of Land, Preserver Of Culture, John Anthony Edwards Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study of Arthurian literature has evolved and changed drastically over the past few centuries. The methodologies and research on King Arthur have taken a variety of approaches and covered all manner of topics, such as the Celtic roots of Arthuriana or discussion of ideals like chivalry. However, the discussion of Arthur’s character has stagnated due to the prevalence of discussing the ideology of kingship or the historical validity of a man called Arthur. A view of Arthur’s character as examined by the canon as a whole has yet to be explored. This thesis presents a new mode of interpretation, …

Assessing The Use Of Accelerometers For Measuring Static Balance Perturbations, Delaney Mcmanus

Anthropology

Falls among older adults are a leading cause of injury and loss of independence and have become an increasingly relevant public health issue as the elderly population continues to grow. Understanding the biomechanical factors that contribute to fall risk is essential in developing fall-prevention strategies and identifying individuals at risk. Force platforms are the gold-standard method for quantifying balance perturbations, but they are expensive and require dedicated lab space and support staff to operate. This research has three goals: (1) to test whether wearable accelerometers can provide similar discrimination of balance perturbations as a force plate, (2) to evaluate the …

Genomic Surveillance Of Guillain–Barré Syndrome-Associated Genes In Campylobacter Jejuni Across Human And Non-Human Reservoirs, Emma Doughty

Biological Sciences

Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of foodborne illness and a major trigger of Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS), an autoimmune neuropathy caused by molecular mimicry between bacterial lipooligosaccharides (LOS) and host nerve gangliosides. While prior genomic studies have focused primarily on human clinical isolates, the prevalence and distribution of GBS-associated genes in non-human reservoirs remain poorly characterized. This study used genomic datasets derived from analyses of human and non-human C. jejuni isolates to assess the distribution of GBS-associated genes, with a focus on the neuABC sialylation pathway. Results demonstrate that these genes are present in both host types, across multiple geographic …

Alternative Abl1 Isoform Expression In Oncogenic Translocations: Implications For Cancer Progression, Jessica Teague

Biological Sciences

Abstract (also on poster): Previous studies in our lab show that an alternate isoform of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase, BTK-C, is required for the survival of several epithelial-derived cancer cells. BTK-C is transcribed from an alternative promoter and includes a 34-amino-acid N- terminal extension with a palmitoylation sequence that alters its subcellular localization. Nine other human kinases have similar alternative N-termini (ANT), often producing palmitoylated or non-palmitoylated isoforms from different transcriptional start sites. Among these, ABL1 is a known oncogenic kinase and key drug target. Translocation mutations at the 5′ end of ABL1 are a major cause of adult leukemias. This …

Determinants Of Virtual Power Plant Enrollment: The Role Of Distributed Energy Resource Ownership Models, Emiliano Torlasco

Economics

The American electrical grid is one of the oldest, most complex, and most important systems in the country. For the first 100 years following its inception in 1883, the grid had primarily functioned as a one-way power provider, meaning that electrons flowed strictly from power plants to transmission lines to distribution lines and eventually to consumers. This system—often described as “unidirectional”—was built on the idea that electricity could not be stored in large quantities and that it therefore had to be produced as soon as it was demanded (Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure, 2017). Although it was the primary method …

Donor And Recipient Microbiome Interactions Determine Functional Outcomes Of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation For Clostridioides Difficile Infection, Sophie A. Millard

All Dissertations

Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea. Infection typically occurs after antibiotic treatment disrupts the gut microbiome, allowing C. difficile to colonize and produce toxins leading to disease (CDI). Standard antibiotic treatments can resolve acute infection but frequently lead to recurrence, highlighting the need for alternative strategies that restore the gut ecosystem. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), the transfer of stool from a healthy donor, has emerged as an effective therapy for recurrent C. difficile infection (rCDI). Understanding the mechanisms underlying the success of FMT for treatment of rCDI could lead to safer, more defined microbial mixtures.

This dissertation …

High Throughput Phenomics Pipeline For Pulse Crop Nutritional Breeding, Amod Udayanga Madurapperumage

All Dissertations

Dry pea (Pisum sativum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) are major pulse crops valued for their high nutritional composition and importance to global food systems. Pulses are rich in carbohydrates, protein, and essential minerals, making them ideal whole foods and critical contributors to food and nutrition security. Due to these advantages, pulse breeding programs are increasingly focusing on enhancing nutritional traits, such as protein quality, amino acid balance, and micronutrient density, through the process of biofortification. However, improvement of agronomic traits remains equally essential. Characteristics such as plant height, standability, stress tolerance, …

Investigation Of Low-Pressure Mercury Lamp System Configurations And Xenon Excimer Lamp System Development As Vacuum Ultraviolet Sources For Optimal Photolytic Degradation Of Poly-/Perfluoroalkyl Substances, Eman Zuhair Alhamdan

All Dissertations

PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals, with unique properties that enable them to easily enter and accumulate in water sources. Their public health impacts have raised concern and highlighted the need for effective treatment. Numerous techniques for PFAS removal from water have been studied, few have proven the ability of breaking down PFAS rather than separating and concentrating it. Many of these methods are chain-length dependent, showing slower degradation rate of short-chain PFAS and requiring substantial amounts of energy, and chemical agents that may produce byproducts.

Among available PFAS destruction methods, direct photolysis by high-energy UV with wavelength below 200 nm …