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An Examination Of The Present And Future Selves Of Adolescents: Investigating Possible Selves And Self-Esteem In Relation To Gender And Attachment, Charlene Mcclelland

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Gender differences in self-esteem and possible selves have long been documented, in particular girls have been reported to have lower self-esteem and generate more interpersonally oriented possible selves than boys during adolescence. To explore these findings the current study wanted to look at gender differences and relationship factors i.e. attachment, in regards to possible selves. The study investigated the possible selves generated by 52 adolescents aged 13-16 years, as well as measuring their self-esteem and attachment patterns. As predicted the results supported previous findings on gender differences, with the addition of finding attachment differences. In particular insecure participants had lower …

The Effects Of Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Sports Drinks On Performance And Physiological Function During An 8km Cycle Time Trial, Jack Hornsby

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Background: Supplementation in the form of sports drinks has in latter years become an integral part of professional and amateur exercise. Currently much of the research is directed at carbohydrate-electrolyte (CE) drink supplementation for exercises lasting one hour or above and has been shown to improve performance. However the effects of supplementation prior to and during intense, short term exercise on performance is less understood. Therefore the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of ingesting different CE drinks prior and during exercise on an 8km time trial (TT) performance against a placebo. Methods: Fifteen male subjects …

Undergraduate Student To Postgraduate Teacher: Reflections From Both Sides Of The Coin, Daniel Zahra

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Guest Editorial from Dr Daniel Zahra

A Review In Overhydration Underlying Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia, Jahn Firth

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) is hyponatremia occurring during or up to 24 hours after prolonged physical activity. There is clear evidence that the primary cause of EAH is overconsumption of fluids relative to fluid losses. The electrolyte imbalance, in particular sodium triggered by overhydration is the aetiologic basis behind the illness. If untreated, hyponatremia causes cerebral and pulmonary edema resulting in seizures, coma and on occasion, death. Current understanding of overhydration underlying EAH is discussed. Aetiology, pathology, diagnosis, the role of sodium and preventive measures are key focal points in this review. The body of research spans more than two decades …

The Effect Of An Invasive Species On Predation Rates Upon Intertidal Barnacles, Rachel Linaker

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Non-indigenous species invasions are considered a large threat to native biota however the effects of which have been relatively understudied with respect to intertidal systems. Current literature surrounds the movement of species, however relatively little attempt has been made to quantify the effect. Using the invasive oyster drill Ocenebra erinacea and the native dogwhelk Nucella lapillus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of an invasive species‟ on predation rates over a one-week period feeding on the intertidal barnacle Chthamalus montagui. This was conducted by testing for the effects of increased conspecific density (abundance increase) and biodiversity (species number/identity) against …

Helping To Promote Psychological Well-Being At Work: The Role Of Work Engagement, Work Stress And Psychological Detachment Using The Job Demands-Resources Model, Emma White

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The job demands-resources model (JD-R model) underpinned the three main aims of this study: to provide support for the JD-R model‟s account of work engagement and work stress in relation to psychological well-being; to suggest the inclusion of the recovery process, psychological detachment as a theoretical refinement; and to produce comparative, predictive models of psychological well-being at work. 48 employees from an organisation that delivers: education; support and care services participated. The results provide strong support for the JD-R model; provide evidence for the inclusion of psychological detachment as a theoretical refinement; and show psychological detachment and work stress to …

The Cowl - V. 76 - N. 11 - Dec 1, 2011

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 76 - Number 11 - December 1, 2011. 40 pages.

An Analysis Of Literacy Instruction In Tennessee Reading First Schools With High Levels Of Proficiency In Reading/Language Arts Scores, James Herman

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Reading proficiency has been declining in the US schools. The Reading First (RF) program was designed to combat this trend. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons why some RF programs were successful and some were not. The study brings a Tennessee perceptive to the research of the relationship between literacy instruction implementation factors and school performance. In this study, reading proficiency assessment data were used to assign the included Tennessee RF schools to one of three categories: highly successful, moderately successful, and Unsuccessful. It was somewhat troubling to see that in some schools as many as …

Carrollian Language Arts & Rhetoric: Dodgson's Quest For Order & Meaning, With A Purpose, Madonna Farjado Kemp

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Lewis Carroll (Rev. Charles Dodgson) is a language specialist who has verifiably altered our lexicon and created fictional worlds that serve as commentary on our ability to effectively create meaning within our existing communicative systems. This ability to create language and illustrations of everyday language issues can be traced back to his personal quest for order and meaning; the logician and teacher has uncovered the accepted language and language practices that can result in verbal confusion and ineffective speech, as well as the accepted practices that can help us to avoid verbal confusion and social conflict—all of which reveals a …

College Student Reactions To Health Warning Labels: Sociodemographic And Psychosocial Factors Related To Perceived Effectiveness Of Different Approaches, Carla J. Berg, James F. Thrasher, J. Lee Westmaas, Taneisha Buchanan, Erika A. Pinsker, Jasjit S. Ahluwalia

Faculty Publications

Objective. To examine factors associated with perceiving different types of pictorial cigarette health warning labels as most effective in motivating smokers to quit or preventing smoking initiation among college students.

Method. We administered an online survey to 24,055 students attending six Southeast colleges in Fall, 2010. We obtained complete data for the current analysis from 2600.

Results. Current smoking prevalence was 23.5%. The largest majority (78.6%) consistently rated gruesome images as most effective, 19.5% rated testimonial images as most effective, and only a small proportion rated either standard (1.6%) or human suffering images (0.3%) as most effective. Subsequent analyses focused …

Validation Of A Self-Report Instrument To Assess Social And Emotional Development, Craig R. Seal, Kenneth L. Beauchamp, Krystal Miguel, Amy N. Scott, Stefanie E. Naumann, Qingwen Dong, Suzanne Galal

Eberhardt School of Business Faculty Articles

The current study, using a factor level analysis approach, validity of the Social Emotional Development Instrument (SED education. Although there are a multitude of models and measures that borrow from the premise of emotional intelligence (EI), very few current instruments focus exclusive developmental path of social emotional competenc prior validity studies with these measures fail to include a full spectrum of potential convergent and discriminant analyses assessed at the factor level. SED-I is a reliable, robust and comprehensive measurement for assessing college students’ social emotional competency changes. Limitation discussed.

The Reported Needs Of A Teacher Mentoring Program, Kimberly Myers Tillman

Dissertations

The following study was conducted in four public school districts in south Mississippi and involved a combination of 167 administrators, mentors, and novice teachers. The purpose of this study was to measure the reported needs of a teacher mentoring program as perceived by novice teachers, mentor teachers, and administrators. An additional purpose of the study was to examine administrators’ perceptions of how alternate route and traditional route teachers differ in their needs of a teacher mentoring program.

Two multivariate of analysis (MANOVA) tests were conducted to measure the differences among novice teachers, mentors, and administrators in their perception of what …

Teachers' Perceptions Toward Required And Self-Directed Professional Learning, Marla Kay Lambert Hutton

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in the opinions of elementary, middle, and high school teachers concerning teacher required or self-directed professional learning. Additionally, the study investigated differences in teaching experience, professional development in a series compared to in a single meeting, workshop, or conference, rather than ongoing professional learning, and whether the teachers’ perception for professional learning is similar to their administrators’ perception for teachers’ learning.

Research findings indicated there was a relationship between teachers’ preference for professional learning and their years of teaching experience and their level of teaching (elementary, middle, …

A Critical Analysis Of Job-Embedded Professional Learning Within A Distributed Leadership Framework, Ashley Jimerson Campoli

Dissertations

Leadership style and professional learning have been linked to student achievement. Studies have linked leadership styles such as distributed leadership to job-embedded professional learning. However, research is mixed when these two constructs are related to student achievement.

This study evaluated the relationship between distributed leadership and jobembedded professional learning. This study also evaluated relationships among jobembedded professional learning, distributed leadership, and third-grade achievement scores.

The study involved third grade mathematics teachers and school administrators in 46 elementary schools in the state of Georgia. Pearson’s bivariate correlation test was used to explore the relationship between job-embedded professional learning and distributed leadership. …

Correlations Among School Belonging And Self-Reported Factors Associated With Students' School Success, Stacey Mechelle Mcguire Lee

Dissertations

This study examined correlations among student sense of school belonging and the classroom learning climate, previous academic achievement, frequency of disciplinary sanctions, and participation in extracurricular activities. During August of the 2011-2012 school year, the Middle School Student Sense of Belonging Questionnaire was completed by a sample of 264 eighth grade students enrolled in three middle schools from three different school districts located in the coastal south. The sample.s mean school belonging score was 3.56 with a standard deviation of 0.81. Findings of this study suggest statistically significant positive correlations exist among student sense of school belonging and the learning …

The Relationship Between Attitude And Anxiety Toward Teaching Science In Pre-Service Elementary Teachers And The Use Of Science Olympiad Events, Allison Armstrong Downing

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the anxiety and attitudes of pre-service elementary teachers toward teaching science and the use of Science Olympiad events in an elementary science methods course. The participants were 34 pre-service elementary teachers enrolled in the Winter 2010 and Spring 2011 trimesters in the course Science in the Elementary School at a private university in south Mississippi. Attitude toward teaching science was measured using the Revised Science Attitude Scale. Anxiety was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y). Data collection involved participants taking pretests for attitude and state anxiety on …

Changes In Perceived Self-Efficacy And Attitude Toward Science And Teaching Science In Elementary School, Betsy Ann Sullivan

Dissertations

This study was developed in an effort to ascertain if a proposed biological laboratory curriculum as developed and modeled by the instructor would affect the attitudes and perceived self-efficacy towards science, science teaching and ability to learn science of pre-service elementary teachers. Self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies were incorporated as the variation. Attitudinal topics investigated were the perceived ability to learn science and to teach science.

Students in one biology for non-science majors' biology laboratory class at the University of Southern Mississippi participated in this case study. The group participated in the modified laboratory section which utilized SRL activities, including reflections …

The Effects Of Changing From A Traditional Mathematics Curriculum To An Integrated Mathematics Curriculum On Student Mathematics Learning In Georgia, Catherine Lynn Mallanda

Dissertations

In 2005, the state of Georgia adopted a new integrated mathematics curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), which included a task-based approach for instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine if the new Georgia Performance Standards for mathematics increased students’ mean mathematics Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) scores or induced changes in the distribution of students’ scores on the PSAT/NMSQT. In addition, it was determined whether the level of course the student took, the type of implementation of the GPS curriculum or the preparation for implementation affected the PSAT/NMSQT scores. The results of the study indicated …

Establishing Construct Validity Of The Biology I Subject Area Testing Program In Mississippi, Christy Michelle Hollis Philippoff

Dissertations

Science education has undergone many revisions since it was permanently embedded in the country's educational curriculum at the end of the 19th century. Some of these revisions occurred as a direct result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This legislation placed more accountability on schools than ever before by requiring that all students pass a series of standardized tests (USDE, 2010). High schools in Mississippi require four areas of standardized testing: English II, Algebra I, U.S. History, and Biology I (Wroten, 2008). The focus of this study is the Biology I Subject Area Test.

In an effort to …

Development Of An Instrument Measuring The Perceived Attributes Of Using A Healthy Diet Innovation, Holly Ann Federico Huye

Dissertations

The Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) is a rural region that is rich in agricultural resources but is one of the most impoverished areas in the US. Prior research has indicated LMD adults as having higher rates of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases as compared to US adults. While the need for dietary intervention in the LMD is evident, the first step in designing effective interventions is the assessment of one’s perceptions of dietary behaviors. The purpose of this research was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to assess individuals’ perceived attributes of using a healthy diet. Using the Diffusion …

A Quantitative Study Of Learning In The School Cafeteria Using Educational Placemats, Keshia Lasha Gaines

Dissertations

This study investigated if there was a difference in student achievement after participants were exposed to educational placemats in a school cafeteria for four days each (four different placemats). Also, the student’s gender and ability grouping was considered in relation to achievement. This study included 49 ability grouped third grade students in an elementary school in south Mississippi. Students were pre-tested with researcher-made math instruments before the educational placemats were introduced and post-tested afterwards. For research purposes, some placemats served as a control and did not relate to the pre-test and post-test content. Statistical measurements of the differences were derived …

Following The Principles: Case Studies In Operations Other Than War, 1945-1999, Kevin Joseph Dougherty

Dissertations

In the post-World War II-era, operations other than war (OOTW) were the types of conflict most commonly faced by the United States. This term for what had previously been called by such names as small wars and low intensity conflict was incorporated in the Army’s capstone manual, Field Manual (FM) 100-5, Operations, in 1993. Field Manual 100-5 also listed objective, unity of effort, legitimacy, perseverance, restraint, and security as the six principles of OOTW. An analysis of eight OOTWs that occurred between 1945 and 1999 indicates that the balanced application of these principles is a reliable predicator of the operation’s …

The Effects Of Simplified Schema-Based Instruction On Elementary Students' Mathematical Word Problem Solving Performance, Houbin Lewis Fang

Dissertations

This study is an evidence-based mathematical intervention in word problem solving for elementary students. One of the purposes of teaching mathematics is to help students apply mathematics to real life situations. As we know, teaching word problem solving is a very suitable format for this purpose. Schema-based instruction (SBI) is one of the most supported methods for teaching word problem solving. In the current literature, there are four steps in SBI: identifying the problem type, applying corresponding method, determining an operation, and solving the problem. The problem with the current SBI is that there are no agreed-upon definitions for word …

Behavioral Cues Associated With Lies Of Omission And Of Commission: An Experimental Investigation, Brianna Ratliff

Dissertations

Deception is a universal communication behavior across and within species. In humans, the purpose of verbal deception, or lying, is to intentionally mislead, and this behavior can be intuitively broken down into two unique categories based on the method used to mask the truth: omission and commission. Lies of omission involve the intentional exclusion of important information, whereas lies of commission involve the intentional generation of false information. Because these two types of deception involve contrasting methods of delivery, it is possible that lies of omission and lies of commission could result in differing behavioral presentations. Accordingly, the purpose of …

"Are You Talking To Me?": Evaluating Possible Cognitive Mediators On The Relation Between Narcissism And Aggressive Traits In Adolescents, Jessica Diane Pickard

Dissertations

Narcissistic personality characteristics (e.g., grandiosity, entitlement, exploitativeness, exhibitionism) are associated with various forms of problem behaviors in children or adolescents, including aggression. The aim of this study was to extend what is known about the relation between narcissism and aggression. Specifically, social-cognitive factors (i.e., hostile attributions, attitudes supporting the use of aggression) were hypothesized to mediate this relation. Two hundred nineteen (219) participants between the ages of 16 and 19 years (M = 16.83 yrs; SD = .80) were recruited for this study. Participants were of both sexes (85% male) and of Caucasian (62%), African American (37 %) and …

Investments In Leadership And Management Succession Planning At A Department Of Defense Organization In The Southeastern United States: A Review Of Strategic Implications, Richard Allen Jeffries

Dissertations

With the impending aging workforce retirement tidal wave, targeted investments are needed in leadership and management skills for new leader growth. Some organizations currently invest in leadership and management skill development. However, the impacts of the investments remain unknown in the organizations. A Department of Defense Organization in the Southeast United States (DODSE) serves as a scientific knowledge generating organization that supports the Department of Defense. At the DODSE, investments in leadership and management skills training began in 2007 with little understanding of how an increased investment in leadership and management training would be utilized within the organization. To create …

Continuity Of Operations Planning Preparedness Of Ncaa Division I Athletic Departments, Brandon Lane Allen

Dissertations

Collegiate athletic departments face the same threats of private and public businesses. Multiple disruptive events have caused havoc at various athletic events causing change of venues, loss of revenue, injuries, and deaths. Natural disasters and terrorism continue to pose serious threats on all types of organizations; therefore, athletic departments must become proactive in preparing for the unexpected (Wheatman, 2001).

The purpose of this study was to assess NCAA division 1 athletic departments’ continuity of operations planning preparedness. The population for this study was limited to athletic directors or facility directors responsible for continuity of operations planning (N=344). A total of …

The Impact Of The Mississippi Department Of Education's Dyslexia Grant Program On Third Grade Achievement, Cena Windham Holifield

Dissertations

Dyslexia is the most common reading disability and is non-discriminatory, affecting learners of all races and cultures (Shaywitz, 2003). Scientific data reveals dyslexia affects 70-80% of students with poor reading skills (Moats & Dakin, 2008).

The Mississippi Legislature appropriates funds yearly to support the Mississippi Department of Education, (MDE) Grant Pilot Program (MDE, 2009). The purpose of this dyslexia grant program is to support general education teachers in meeting the needs of regular education students who have been identified as having dyslexia and related disorders (MDE, 2009).

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the MDE …

The Instructional Practice Implications Of A School Reform Model Versus No School Reform Model On Reading Achievement, Adebimpe Adebisi Solaru Odunjo

Dissertations

School reform seems to be the answer to redeeming the US public school system, but as observed by Slavin (1989) the cycle of reform has been for schools to jump from one prescriptive fad to another without any real congealing of ideas. Plagued by earlier installments of school reform programs reading instructional practice has resembled a mass of ideas that differ greatly in varying theoretical approaches.

The NCLB Act of 2000 came under widespread criticism which has lately been revised under President Obama's initiative Blue Print for Reform. Over the years, the validity of NCLB measures have been doubted and …

A Comparative Study Of Teachers' Attitudes And Practices Regarding Homework In The Elementary, Middle, And High School Grades, Courtney Pisarich Peltier

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and practices of elementary, middle, and high school teachers regarding homework. In addition, the study sought to find if there was a relationship between the teachers’ attitudes and practices of homework, as well as finding the differences between the grade levels.

The questionnaire used for this study consisted of 18 items focused on teachers’ attitudes toward homework using a five-point Likert scale. In addition, six questions on the survey were asked regarding demographics, and there were eight questions pertaining to teacher homework practices. A Pearson Correlation was used to examine …