Digital Commons Network^™

December Graduation Ceremony

Law School Commencement / Hooding Programs, 1942-present

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Community College Students Who Participated In A Dual-Enrollment Program Prior To High School Graduation., April Boling Sell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of dual-enrollment participation on students' postsecondary achievement as measured by various factors. The researcher explored an approach to learning that allows students to navigate the invisible barriers between high school and college. The population consisted of 901 students in a community college in northeast Tennessee during the fall of 2007 following high school graduation the previous academic year. Data gathered from dual-enrollment participants were compared to data of peers of comparable ability level who chose not to participate in the program.

The major findings of the study included the following: …

The Relationship Between The Freshman Academy And Student Academic Success At Morristown-Hamblen High School East., Patricia Ann Sigler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not a significant relationship exists between the implementation of the Morristown-Hamblen High School East (MHHSE) Freshman Academy, student academic achievement, and the high school graduation rate at MHHSE.

The testing variables included GPA, attendance, number of core course failures, number of discipline referrals, English I End-of-Course test scores, and graduation rate. Grouping variables included 8^th grade (pretreatment) and 9^th grade (posttreatment) groups, preacademy and postacademy groups, socioeconomic status, and gender. Ten faculty members of the MHHSE Freshman Academy were interviewed to ascertain their perceptions about the smaller learning …

Relationship Between Nurse Educators' Cultural Competence And Ethnic Minority Nursing Students' Recruitment And Graduation., Pearl Ngozika Ume-Nwagbo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to measure the cultural competence of nurse educators in accredited baccalaureate (BSN) nursing programs in Tennessee (TN) and investigate the relationship, if any, between nurse educators' cultural competence and the percentage of minority nursing students recruited into and graduated from these schools in the previous 5 years.

With the rapid rise of the minority population in the United States, more minority healthcare providers, including nurses, are needed to provide culturally congruent care in underserved communities. Literature has implied that nurse educators' lack of cultural competence and sensitivity regarding minority nursing students' educational needs …

A Study Of Nontraditional Undergraduate Students At The University Of Memphis., Linda G. Wood-Wyatt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined nontraditional student engagement into the collegiate environment on the University of Memphis (U of M) campus, specifically services and programs in the University College. The sample surveyed included 4 nontraditional undergraduate students, 1 from each grade level, aged 25 years or older. The 4 nontraditional undergraduate study participants were admitted and enrolled at the U of M. Additionally, there was 1 alumnae member included in the study.

The study employed the use of multiple forms of data collection including interviews, personal and focus group, journaling, life stories, and an online campus climate survey. In order to analyze …

Inquire Within: The Connection Between Teacher Training In Inquiry Learning Methodology And Classroom Practice., Ariel Sky Ashe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study describes the effects of an 11 week training for 2 preschool teachers focusing on systematizing an inquiry learning approach inspired by the literature on Reggio Emilia inspired practices. This study uses a qualitative, multi-methodology approach including interviews, examination of classroom documentation, and examination of the Broderick and Hong Cycle of Inquiry (© revised 2007) planning forms. Qualitative coding and narratives describe each teacher's data taken at 3 intervals in the study and describe changes, challenges, and successes in teacher practices. Results indicate that these teachers learned successful inquiry learning strategies and grew in both their understanding of the …

The Characteristics Of School Culture That Influence College-Going Rate For High School Graduates In Northeast Tennessee., Annie Mbaire Kariuki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of school culture that influenced college-going rates for high school graduates in northeast Tennessee. The study involved one-toone interviews with selected high school teachers and principals. Six high schools in northeast Tennessee were used in the study.

The significance of this study was to generate a grounded theory that could be used to explain the characteristics of school cultures that were effective in supporting students' college-going rates. This knowledge could be used to inform high school principals, school boards, state legislatures and other government bodies, and colleges and universities.

Findings …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Perceived Parental Attachment And Coping Styles., Leslie C. Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Of all relational bonds, perhaps the strongest and most complex is the one between parent and child. The dynamics of this relationship potentially hold the key to understanding the future psychological adjustment of the child. The current study was conducted to assess the relationship between perceived parental attachment and coping styles. Undergraduate psychology students (n=300) were administered a survey to examine perceived parental attachment, coping style, and gender. In conflict with previous studies, results indicated that neither respondents' gender nor level of perceived parental attachment was significantly related to participants' reported coping style. Increased knowledge and understanding of parental attachment …

Faculty Perceptions About Instructional Technology In Eight Community Colleges In The Tennessee Board Of Regents Higher Education System., Nicole Cardwell-Hampton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine faculty members' perception of the status of technology support and services, their attitudes towards the incorporation of technology in general and with specific applications, and the barriers they perceive to technology use. Additionally, the study focused on the association among the predictor variables of faculty members' gender, age, professional status, years of higher education teaching experience, and tenure versus nontenure status with their degree of technology use.

An online survey was designed to collect data to address the research questions in the study. The survey consisted of 44 questions, including areas for …

Teacher Beliefs And The Instructional Practices Of National Board Certified High School English Teachers., Rebecca Lee Drinnon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study explored the instructional methods that accomplished high school English teachers use in their classrooms to improve understanding of how those methods are influenced by the teachers' beliefs. A survey regarding classroom practices and beliefs was sent to 313 National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in English Language Arts--Adolescence and Young Adulthood across the United States with a response rate of 50.8%. From these data, I analyzed the variety and frequency of practices experienced teachers use and the beliefs that influence teachers' instructional decisions. I then conducted follow-up interviews and classroom observations with selected survey participants from North Carolina, …

Adult Texting In Context : Exploring Norms For Mature Users Of Text-Messaging Technologies., Angela M. Barlow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An online survey exploring the patterns of adult text-message use was completed by 150 traditional college age young adults ages 18-24 and 171 adults ages 25-68. Because youth traditionally are among the first group to adopt new communication technologies, much research has been conducted among the adolescent and young adult population regarding the prevalence and importance of text-messaging; however, a research deficit exists regarding adult textmessage use. Data gathered from this survey were categorized and analyzed for emergent content regarding the use of text-messaging, what roll texting plays in adult's communication patterns, the sociological impact of text-messaging on survey respondents, …

An Examination Of Volunteerism: Teacher Expectations And Parent Involvement., Kenneth Carleton Lyon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this qualitative research was to learn from teachers and parents: to hear from teachers what they truly needed in the school with regard to parent involvement and to hear from parents the ways in which schools could extend a more effective welcome and the types of activities in which they were most willing to participate.

This qualitative study was conducted using interviews of parents and teachers from Title I elementary schools. The parents were interviewed to gain their perceptions of parent involvement and how effectively the school communicates parent involvement needs. Teachers were interviewed to determine their …

A Sociological Study Of Atheism And Naturalism As Minority Identities In Appalachia., Kelly E. Church-Hearl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study aims to provide a sociological understanding of people who hold minority beliefs about spirituality and religion and to improve our sociological and social-psychological understanding of a-religious and alternatively religious people. Data were collected through indepth interviews with 10 atheist and 11 naturalist respondents. The study examines the religious histories of the respondents, how they left mainstream religion, how they adopted a minority identity with regard to religion/spirituality, and their personal experiences living in a predominately Christian area. I hypothesized that atheists and naturalists would hold minority identities and feel subordinated or oppressed by the dominant group: Christians. …

Police Stress: An Examination Of The Effects Of Stress And Coping Strategies., Derrick Kenwright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

How police officers deal with stress greatly affects how they carry out their daily lives and how they treat family and friends. In this study 2 police departments were issued surveys to see how the police officers experienced stress. Questions on the survey asked the officers about the sources of stress, sources of support, and which methods they used to alleviate the stress. The surveys were given to the respective departments over a period of 2 months, and 132 surveys were returned. The statistical analysis performed showed danger was a factor when examining stress. Administration support was found to be …

Beauty Standards: Negotiations Of Social Life Among African American College Women, Sheena Kaori Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

The literature concerning the relationship between black women and beauty has revealed conflicting findings: some argue that black women are negatively affected by ‘white’ beauty ideals while others argue for the existence of an alternative ‘black’ beauty standard. The purpose of this research is to describe and analyze young African American women’s awareness of beauty standards and their perception of themselves with relation to these standards, examine whether beauty standards are negotiable, and explore how perceptions of self affect daily social interactions. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with black females between the ages of eighteen and twentyive that were …

Illinois State University, One Hundred And Forty-Ninth Annual Commencement, December 13, 2009, Illinois State University

Commencement Programs

Normal, Illinois
Illinois State University
One Hundred and Forty-Ninth Annual Commencement
December 13, 2008

The Perceptions Of Teachers And School Administrators Of School Effectiveness In 11 Schools In A Southern Mississippi School District, Bradford Lee Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of teachers and school administrators in a southern Mississippi school district that could predict the overall effectiveness of a school district. The 7 correlates of effective schools were used in the study and represented the dependent variables while teacher and school administrator demographic variables represented the predictor variables. The study addressed three research questions: (a) what are the descriptive perceptions of teachers and school administrators of school effectiveness of 11 schools in a south Mississippi school district as measured by the School Effectiveness Characteristics and Indicators Questionnaire (SECIQ) (b) which correlates …

The Spatial Demography Of Reported Crime: An Examination Of Urban-Rural Crime Articulation And Associated Spatio-Temporal Diffusion Processes, U.S. 1990 - 2000, Jeremy Reed Porter

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, increased attention has been given to the social and environmental context in which crimes occur (Wells & Weisheit 2004). This new interest in the human ecology of crime is largely demographic, both in terms of subject matter and increasingly in terms of the analytic methods used. Building on existing literature on the social ecology of crime, this study introduces a new approach to studying sub-county geographies of reported crime using existing census place and county definitions coupled with spatial demographic methods. Spatially decomposing counties into Census places and what Esselstyn (1953) earlier called “open country,” or non-places, allows for …

Social Capital Determinants Of Environmentalism In Spatial Context, Kim Marie Steil

Theses and Dissertations

Sociological studies of society-environment interactions are based on a premise that population well-being is dependent on the environment. Here, I argue that not only are people innately connected to the environment, but the environment also bonds people to one another. That is, people have a mutual obligation to one another to care for the environment. An often ignored factor is that individual participation toward protecting and improving the quality of the environment rests upon the local social and spatial context in which the individual is situated. The ability of individuals in a local environment to come together to identify issues, …

Predicting Compliance With Prescribed Organizational Information Security Protocols, Jordan Douglas Shropshire

Theses and Dissertations

Why do some employees go out of their way to follow prescribed information security protocols, while others all but ignore organizational information security measures? A body of research known as organizational citizenship behavior provides insight into this issue. Theories of organizational citizenship behavior draw mainly from the psychological and sociological disciplines. They are used to explain the behaviors of employees who act in the best interest of the company, even when they don’t have to. Examples of citizenship behaviors include information sharing, voluntary reduction of compensation, and relinquishment of power for the benefit of the organization (Nathanson & Becker 1973). …

County Extension Coordinators' Opinions On The Role Of County Extension Offices In The Civic Engagement Of A Land-Grant University, Denise L. Legvold

Theses and Dissertations

As universities enhance their civic engagement and build connections between campus and communities across the state, the county extension office and local staff have an opportunity to broker resources between the two entities. The question is not ‘if’ this needs to happen, but specifically what role Extension should play. County Extension Coordinators in Alabama have differing opinions about the role of their office and the value of specific engagement activities to the community. These differing opinions may make it difficult to achieve uniformity in what faculty can expect of a county extension office. Three different opinion groups were identified in …

A Study Of The Chronological Placement Of Selected Mississippian-Period Occupations Within The Ackerman Unit Of The Tombigbee National Forest, Andrew Mickens Triplett

Theses and Dissertations

The timing of Mississippian-period occupations in the North Central Hills physiographic region of Mississippi has been debated. Some researchers believe they occurred in conjunction with Late Woodland period occupations during the Early Mississippian period, while others assert they were later, in either the Late Mississippian or early Protohistoric periods. A program of systematic shovel testing, excavation and frequency seriation was used to delineate Mississippian-period occupations and test the cultural lineage between them and Late Woodland period occupations at nine sites on the Ackerman Unit of the Tombigbee National Forest.

Marital Instability In East Asian Societies: A Comparative Study Of China, Taiwan, And South Korea, Susan Lynne Rich

Theses and Dissertations

The rising trend in marital instability and divorce is a topic of discussion nearly world-wide. While divorce affects considerably fewer people in non-Western societies, its rising trend and impact are quite alarming. Given the well established findings in the West, it is useful to study divorce and marital instability in non-Western societies so that prior findings from the West can be scrutinized and validated cross-culturally. This study is necessary because the theories developed in the West may not be entirely applicable to non-Western societies and cultural factors may in some cases be more important than socio-economic factors. By using the …

Exploration Of The Genomes Of Two Diverse Conifers, Supaphan Thummasuwan

Theses and Dissertations

My research is focused on advancing understanding of the genomes of two important distantly related conifer species, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. var. distichum). Loblolly pine is the most commercially important tree crop in the United States, the major source of pulpwood for paper manufacturing, a source of quality lumber, a prime bioenergy feedstock, and an important part of the ecosystem of the southeastern U.S. Bald cypress is the dominant tree species in the aptly named ¡°cypress swamps¡± of the South.Its ecological importance to the wetlands of the southern U.S. is immeasurable. Moreover, …

A Study Of Statewide Transfer And Articulation Reporting System (Stars) Approved Courses Completed At An Alabama Community College, Khristy Gibson Large

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if students have earned more STARS articulated and transferrable hours since the creation of the STARS program than students did before the existence of the program in the state of Alabama. Study results revealed that the STARS program has had a significant impact on the amount of articulated credit hours students have earned since the creation of the STARS program. Additional variables such as ethnicity, gender, GPA, status, and student type were also used to determine if significant differences existed among these variables in students completing STARS-approved hours. Pre-existing data were …

On The Green Vol. 37 No. 46 December 12, 2008, Gallaudet University

2001-2010

On the Green is an internal publication of Gallaudet College, which later became Gallaudet University. It notified employees of updates around the campus and in the broader community, including new construction and the establishment of new academic programs. Running until 2010, it was supplanted by various forms of online mass communications across multiple audiences.

Reporter - December 12th 2008, Rit Reporter Staff

University Publications

No abstract provided.

2008 Fall Commencement Program: Winona State University, Winona State University

WSU Commencement Programs

This is the Winona State University Fall 2008 commencement program. Commencement was on Friday December 12, 2008.

Fall 2008 Commencement Program, University Of Alabama In Huntsville

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Daily Eastern News: December 12, 2008, Eastern Illinois University

December

No abstract provided.