Digital Commons Network^™

Dr. Alfred J. Kahn, Nancy V. Kahn

Social Service Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

How Much Does The Distance In Distance Education Matter? Our Students Speak, Manoj Pardasani, Lauri Goldkind, Janna Heyman, Bronwyn Cross Denny

Social Service Faculty Publications

Distance learning programs in social work education have been growing exponentially throughout the United States. This study interviewed Master of Social Work (MSW) students enrolled in two synchronous distance-learning courses that employed a blended pedagogy, and evaluates their insights about the learning experience. For these two courses, material was presented via video conferencing and supplemented with online media at two campuses at a large school of social work. In order to give students a voice about their experiences, data were collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Common themes included: autonomy, emotional connectedness, technological challenges, and knowledge acquisition. Both the strengths and …

More Than The Sum Of Its Parts: An Innovative Organizational Collaboration Model, Lauri Goldkind, Manoj Pardasani

Social Service Faculty Publications

For at least the past decade, the social service sector has been pressed by external forces to develop models of interagency collaboration. While many organizations use strategic partnerships, joint service delivery models, and even mergers to remain viable in climates of competition, few agencies have explored the possible rewards of sharing development and fundraising tasks. This article examines an innovative collaborative fundraising entity forged by three child welfare organizations in the New York City area. The authors conducted structured interviews with key stakeholders at each of the three agencies to describe the model as implemented by the agencies as well …

Senior Centers And Policy Advocacy: Changing Public Perceptions, Manoj G. Pardasani, Lauri Goldkind

Social Service Faculty Publications

As critical components of the aging continuum of care, senior centers promote older adult health and well-being by providing opportunities for recreation, socialization, nutrition, health education, and access to vital social services. As the United States population ages rapidly, public funding, which is the primary source of support for a majority of senior center services, has remained stagnant. If senior centers are to continue to effectively serve older adults and meet their comprehensive needs, they need to demonstrate their relevance to the community and advocate for increased funding support. This paper explores the policy concerns of senior center administrators, investigates …

Automatic Document Classification In Small Environments, Jonathan David Mcelroy

Master's Theses

Document classification is used to sort and label documents. This gives users quicker access to relevant data. Users that work with large inflow of documents spend time filing and categorizing them to allow for easier procurement. The Automatic Classification and Document Filing (ACDF) system proposed here is designed to allow users working with files or documents to rely on the system to classify and store them with little manual attention. By using a system built on Hidden Markov Models, the documents in a smaller desktop environment are categorized with better results than the traditional Naive Bayes implementation of classification.

Technologies-That-Must-Not-Be-Named: Understanding And Implementing Advanced Search Technologies In E-Discovery, Jacob Tingen

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure were created to promote the “just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action and proceeding.” Unfortunately, in the world of e-discovery, case determinations are often anything but speedy and inexpensive. The manual review process is notoriously one of the most expensive parts of litigation. Beyond expense, the time and effort required to carry out large-scale manual review places an immense burden on parties, nearly destroying the possibility of assessing the merits of early settlement before expensive review has already been carried out.

Learning For Cambodian Women: Exploration Through Narrative Identity And Imagination, Alvina Marie Sheeley

Doctoral Dissertations

Research Topic

This study explains different ways of thinking about education that may improve the quality of life for women in Cambodia. The present inquiry portrays the personal histories, narratives and hopes of selected women to uncover possible ways in which government and non-government agencies may transform the lives of Cambodian women through education programs.

Theory and Protocol

This research is grounded in critical hermeneutic theory formulated by Paul Ricoeur (1992) and follows an interpretive approach to field research and data analysis (Herda 1999). This orientation places the researcher and participants in a collaborative relationship that exemplifies the power of …

De La Salle Christian Brothers' Experiences Of Catholic Identity In Higher Education In The United States, Scott Anthony Kier

Doctoral Dissertations

Catholic identity is considered to be the single most important issue facing Catholic higher education in the United States. Scholars (Burtchaell, 1998; Gallin, 1999; Gleason, 1995; Heft, 2003; Marsden, 1994; O'Brien, 1994) have suggested that sustaining Catholic identity and preventing secularization depends on the integration of the Catholic intellectual tradition with the sponsoring religious congregation. The Catholic identity often has been discussed in terms of the decreasing presence of various signs and symbols of Catholicity. Additionally, the number of Catholics among the student body, the number of required theology courses, and the role of the curriculum and faculty, have been …

The Image Of The Artist: A Content Analysis Of Authenticity, Ethnicity, And Quality In Young Adult Novels, Jeannine L. Jeffries

Doctoral Dissertations

There is little research on the image of the artist in general and no research was found incorporating the multicultural image of the artist in children's or YA books. Knowing that artists can be as culturally diverse as their artistic medium of choice raised the initial questions about the multicultural image of the artist. Even though there have been numerous novels published over the last 40 years with an artist character as part of the story, there was a lack of empirical research on how the image of the artist may be stereotyped and if these novels reflect today's contemporary …

Imagication = Imagination + Education: What Fifth Graders Think About Arts Integration In Public Elementary Schools, Lisa Edsall Giglio

Doctoral Dissertations

During the 2011-12 school year, a fifth grade class in a diverse San Francisco public elementary school collaborated with the Arts Resources In Action (ARIA) program of the San Francisco Opera's Education Department to create a teacher-guided opera. The students wrote the story, music and lyrics as well as designed and built the sets, props and costumes based on the American Revolution. The classroom teacher chose the topic of the American Revolution, and the students researched this historic event using literary, historical, visual, musical and theatrical methods of exploration and data gathering. Through the medium of opera, the program connected …

A Participatory Action Research Study With Bi-Ethnic Children In South Korea On Bi-Ethnic Identity Development, Jeong Min Lee

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore how bi-ethnic children in South Korea understand their identity using a participatory action research (PAR) method. The number of bi-ethnic/multicultural families and children is increasing in South Korea, matched with a rising xenophobia towards these groups. Thus, the need for research that captured the inner thoughts and feelings of children, through their own voices, seems of paramount importance for a more secure and authentic identity development. The findings from this research provided evidence through their own storybooks that bi-ethnic Korean children had individual identity experiences in different contexts through diverse development processes. …

Old Testament History, Steelman Library, Gerry A. White Dr.

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Principals Roles And Responsibilities In Technology Integration In Rural Georgia, Christie Dunham

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the elementary school principal’s roles and responsibilities in the use of technology for instructional purposes in Title I rural schools. Three principals, three technology coordinators and 8 teachers in the Southeastern area of Georgia participated in the study. Interview questions for the participants were created after a careful review of the literature on the subject and with input from leadership professors at Georgia Southern University. An analysis was conducted on data provided by the participants from the interview questionnaire and analyzed as separate entities to authenticate results.

Data from principals’ interviews …

An Analysis Of Secondary School Teachers' Perceptions Of Block Scheduling, Vern Mamon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method study was to examine the perceptions of public secondary school teachers regarding block scheduling and to identify the perceived advantages and disadvantages of using the block schedule in three secondary schools in one suburban school system in Georgia. Perceptions of teachers were obtained from data collected from a 23-item survey and three focus group discussions.

The study concluded that secondary teachers’ perceptions of block scheduling were generally favorable. However, some teachers did firmly support some statements on block scheduling. The study suggested there is not a significant difference in teachers’ perceptions based on grade …

An Exploratory Study Of Principals' And Teachers' Perceptions Of School Work Conditions In Sinclair County, Georgia, Veronica Lawrence

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This quantitative study investigated principals’ (n = 16) and teachers’ (n = 362) perceptions of five work conditions domains: Professional Development, Facilities and Resources, Leadership, Empowerment, and Use of Time. This quantitative study used two instruments: principal work conditions survey and teacher work conditions survey to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a factorial analysis of variance. Findings revealed observed differences in principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of school work conditions. The factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed statistically significant differences for domain scores of Facilities and Resources, Leadership, and Empowerment by type of school. No significant differences …

High School Administrators' Perception Of The Effectiveness Of Professional Development, Rodney J. Williams

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The importance of professional development has been emphasized in recent legislation and accountability acts. As Georgia competes for Race to the Top Funds, high school administrators are being required to attend various professional development activities. These may address the new teacher evaluation system, common core, and techniques on how to close the gap between high-achieving students and students with a learning disability. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to understand high school administrators’ perceptions of the effectiveness of professional development. This qualitative study used a case study design with purposive sampling. Participants included twelve high school administrators currently …

The Influence Of Federally Qualified Health Centers On Selected Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions In Georgia, Mary W. King Mathis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's Abstract: Ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) resulting in hospitalizations make up a substantial proportion of health care costs, but should not because these conditions are manageable in quality primary care settings that promote prevention in an effort to avoid exacerbations that can lead to hospitalization. The use of emergency departments (EDs) as a safety net for ACSCs has increased the burden on hospitals because patients who do not regularly utilize primary care often resort to the use of EDs for treatment of ACSCs. Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are designed to provide consistent, high-quality primary care to all people, …

Predictors Of Bullying In An Adolescent School Sample, Schell Hufstetler

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: Bullying is a pervasive problem in our society. Contributing to this problem is the fact that bullying is not well understood. This makes it difficult to design successful interventions. The current study aims to create a complete picture of bullying in order to increase understanding of this behavior. For this study, 59 adolescents completed a survey packet including measures of bullying behaviors and other variables expected to relate to bullying. The results revealed that bullying is a problem for both genders. Multivariate analyses revealed males to be more directly and indirectly aggressive, but there were no significant gender …

The Distribution Of Individual Stock Returns In A Modified Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model, Daniel Lee Richey

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: There have been many attempts to find a model that can accurately price options. These models are built on many assumptions, including which probability distribution stock returns follow. In this paper, we test several distributions to see which best fit the log returns of 20 different companies over a period between November 1, 2006 to October 31, 2011. If a "best" distribution is found, a modified Black-Scholes model will be defined by modifying the Weiner process. We use Monte Carlo simulations to generate estimated prices under specified parameters, and compare these prices to those simulated by the model …

Moments When The Weak Gained Ground: Viral Video As A Curriculum Of People, Michael J. Ryan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: The public school curriculum has devolved into merely being a political football for the forces of the dominant culture, no longer even attempting to serve the People of the community or the students that the school ostensibly should serve. In the absence of a curriculum that is meaningful to People, another curriculum has spontaneously appeared outside of school via shared online media between social networks. This new curriculum, identified by a relatively wide viewership and its challenge to social injustice, oppressive conventions or hegemonic forces, is a curriculum of viral videos shared because of their meaning and cogence …

"What Shall We Use To Fill The Empty Spaces?": Displacement In Frank Norris's Mcteague, Jennifer Bugna Lambeth

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: McTeague, Frank Norris's Naturalistc text written in 1899, depicts the corruption of a California couple due to influences outside of their control. In positioning Trina McTeague as a woman unable to identify with either of the two major feminine ideologies of the day, the Angel in the House and the New Woman, this paper examines her identity as conflicted because of this lack of autonomy. Her failure to identify herself leads to a mental break that is reflected in the domestic spaces she inhabits. The places she lives each become smaller and dirtier reflecting her diminished mental capacity. …

How Rural Low-Income Mothers Use Resources To Work Non-Standard Schedules, Laura E. Andrew

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study's aim was to determine the resources used by rural low-income mothers' working non-standard schedules to manage stress and keep their families from a chaotic state. The Double ABCX theory of family stress guided this study. Resources identified were strong mental well-being, parental confidence and skills and large social support network. Data were collected from 51 rural low-income mothers who worked non-standard schedules, by surveys and interviews three separate times. It was found that mothers who had the resources of strong mental well-beings, strong parental confidence and skills and large social support networks had lower stress levels when working …

Palmetto Area Council Boy Scouts Of America Records - Accession 213, Boy Scouts Of America, Palmetto Area Council

Manuscript Collection

The Palmetto Area Council Boy Scouts of America Records is a source of boy scouting records in the upstate area of South Carolina during the twentieth century. While the Palmetto Area Council was organized in 1935, records of boy scouting in the area begin earlier and continue until the late 1960s. The collection consists of a brief history of the council, newspaper clippings, photographs, certificate of election, minutes of an organizational meeting, annual reports, a trust fund brochure and program for 1938 testimonial dinner. These records give a brief overview of the history of the Palmetto Area Council. They are …

Is Tdr In Virginia Doa? A Study Of The State Of Transfer Of Development Rights Programs In Virginia, Alissa Akins

Theses and Dissertations

Transfer of development rights has been approved as a tool to manage growth in Virginia since 2006, yet it has not been widely employed. This tool can be used to direct growth and development at little or no cost to society while simultaneously preserving land for future generations. In an effort to understand the limited use of transfer of development rights programs in Virginia, this research collected information regarding obstacles and limitations to TDR program development and implementation, from every locality in the Commonwealth authorized to employ this tool. Based on findings of pertinent TDR literature, this research outlines the …

Development Of A Technique For Testing Of Tensile Properties With Miniature Size Specimens For Metal Additive Manufacturing, Sujitkumar Dongare

Masters Theses

"The study of mechanical properties of metals provides a basis to decide on the capability of a particular metal for a task and also to make predictions about its life. The concepts of stress, strain and strength of materials are employed in practically every engineering discipline. Mechanical properties such as stiffness, yield strength, tensile strength, ductility, toughness, impact resistance, creep resistance, fatigue resistance and others, influence the design, fabrication and service life of equipment. Therefore, more than one property is considered for the material selection process for an application. For complete understanding of any material and its feasibility for a …

Educating English Learners: Reconciling Bilingualism And Accountability, Rosemary C. Salomone

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

In late July 2011, an estimated 5,000 individuals converged on Washington, D.C., to protest the direction of state and federal education policy. Fueled by social media, the Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action was a grassroots effort organized largely by teachers, with principals, school board members, and activists lending support. Featured speakers included prominent education figures, like historian Diane Ravitch and Jonathan Kozol, a former teacher known for his writings on school inequalities. Specific points of contention focused on high stakes testing and test-based accountability, key elements in the Obama Administration’s Blueprint for Reform and Race …

Multilingualism And Multiculturalism: Transatlantic Discourses On Language, Identity, And Immigrant Schooling, Rosemary C. Salomone

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

In September 2010, an eye-catching article appeared on the front page of the New York Times “Arts” section. The headline read, “Cultures United to Honor Separatism.” Basque and Catalan nationalists, Sinn Fein leaders, and others were convening on the island of Corsica, not to chart out war strategies, as might have been expected, but rather to discuss cultural politics. As time would tell, pitched battles over sovereignty and independence seemed to be yielding to equally passionate calls for linguistic and cultural recognition. Facing the pressure of English as the global lingua franca, historically militant groups were placing their …

Five Mistakes For New Child-Welfare Lawyers To Avoid, Jennifer Baum

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

You’ve graduated, passed the bar, and started your first legal job working with children and families. Perhaps you work for an institutional provider of legal services for children or as a prosecutor of dependency cases, or perhaps you are defending such cases. Perhaps, still, you are in private practice, and this is your first pro bono experience working on a family or juvenile court matter. Whatever your role, your job is the same: to represent your client and seek as favorable an outcome as possible.

But you are new—you don’t know the ropes or who the players are, you …

Bringing Nuremberg Home: Justice Jackson's Path Back To Buffalo, October 4, 1946, John Q. Barrett

Faculty Publications

During one permanently consequential decade in the history of the United States and the world, United States Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson delivered three major lectures at the University of Buffalo. The last of these was Jackson's May 9, 1951, James McCormick Mitchell Lecture, "Wartime Security and Liberty under Law," which inaugurated this distinguished lecture series. Justice Jackson's first formal lecture at the University of Buffalo occurred on February 23, 1942, halfway through his first year as a Supreme Court Justice and just twelve weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. …

Against Theories Of Punishment: The Thought Of Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, Marc O. Degirolami

Faculty Publications

This paper reflects critically on what is the near-universal contemporary method of conceptualizing the tasks of the scholar of criminal punishment. It does so by the unusual route of considering the thought of Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, a towering figure in English law and political theory, one of its foremost historians of criminal law, and a prominent public intellectual of the late Victorian period. Notwithstanding Stephen's stature, there has as yet been no sustained effort to understand his views of criminal punishment. This article attempts to remedy this deficit. But its aims are not exclusively historical. Indeed, understanding Stephen's ideas …