Digital Commons Network^™

We Will Never Speak Of It: Evidence Of Hitler's Direct Responsibility For The Premeditation And Implementation Of The Nazi Final Solution, Kevin P. Sweeney

Constructing the Past

The “Intentionalist vs. Functionalist” debate has raged amongst academic historians for decades, centered on the question of whether Adolf Hitler personally premeditated and instigated the Final Solution, or whether the idea and its implementation developed more gradually out of a collaborative effort within the ranks of the Nazi bureaucracy. This paper seeks, through careful analysis of Nazi primary source materials, to establish an “Intentionalist” argument in favor of Hitler being directly responsible for the premeditation and implementation of the infamous Nazi attempt to systematically annihilate the entirety of Europe’s Jewish population.

Exploring High Risk Youth's Hiv-Related Knowledge, Cognitions, Sexual Behavior, And Condom Use, Mollie Blair Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This cross-sectional study characterizes a group of high-risk youth's HIV knowledge (Brief HIV-KQ) and cognitions (maladaptive, coping appraisal, and adaptive cognitions), as well as aspects of their sexual behavior and condom use. Descriptive statistics and regressions were used to analyze archival data collected from 794 youth (46.3% male and 53.7% female) ages 16–24 (M = 18.66; SD = 1.95) who attended an educational and vocational training program in a large urban area of the Mid-South. Results indicate that these youth were twice as sexually active as the national average yet used condoms more frequently. There were gender and age differences …

Personalised E-Learning: Facilitating Students' Understanding And Mastery Of New Concepts, Eileen O'Donnell, Victoria Macarthur, Mary Sharp

Other resources

Each individual perceives and experiences life and learning in their own unique way. Past experiences can influence our understanding and mastery of new concepts. Occasionally, learners meet obstacles in their learning experiences which they find difficult to surmount.Not all learners require the same learning experience to reach the required thresholds or basic units of understanding which are expected to succeed with their course of study. Threshold concepts are part of the fundamentals of a subject which one builds upon to eventually achieve the required learning outcomes. The provision of personalised e-learning resources to assist students to surmount their personal learning …

Young Men Consuming Newspaper Prostitution: A Discourse Analysis Of Responses To Irish Newspaper Coverage Of Prostitution., Joseph Fitzgerald, Brendan O'Rourke

Articles

In this article we look at how young men consume coverage of prostitution in Irish newspapers. This is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, because the media, and newspapers in particular, seem to be an important source of information for people (Meade, 2008). This is especially true in the case of prostitution, as the only contact the citizenry generally have with sex-workers is through the media (Hallgrimsdottir, Phillips and Benoit, 2006). In many Western countries consuming media is one of the main activities that people, particularly young people, engage in and therefore is the prism through which they view …

The Roddey Mcmillan Record - January 2012, Winthrop University

The RMR 2010-2019

The Roddey McMillan Record (RMR) is Winthrop’s monthly multicultural student publication. The RMR has been a significant voice of the minority population of the Winthrop community since its creation by Gail Harris in April 1986. It promotes awareness and understanding of issues concerning minorities for the prosperity of the entire Winthrop community. The purpose of the RMR is to shine light on the many diverse cultures at Winthrop, focusing on issues, concerns and happenings of those who represent the multicultural community on campus. The Roddey McMillan Record is named after Dr. Cynthia Roddey and Atty, Sheila McMillan. Cynthia Roddey was …

Serdar Somuncu: Reframing Integration Through A Transnational Politics Of Satire, Kathrin M. Bower

Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Faculty Publications

Founded by Şinasi Dikmen and Muhsin Omurcu in Ulm in 1985, Knobi-Bonbon is widely recognized as the first Turkish German cabaret in the Federal Republic. Dikmen and Omurcu focused on ethnic stereotypes, integration, and coexistence in their early programs, with an emphasis on the German misunderstanding of integration as cultural assimilation (Boran 202, 219). With a run of successful performances, Knobi-Bonbon established a momentum that has carried through to the present day, making Turkish German comedy a fixture on the German stage. Responding to the wave of nationalism and xenophobia that followed in the wake of unification, Knobi-Bonbon’s shows became …

Ergonomics Evaluation Of Task Demands Among Kitchen Staff, Jaqueline Pereira Da Silva

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the workplace demands faced by a group of kitchen staff at six dining centers and to survey musculoskeletal complaints among this sample of workers. The dining centers were located in six different public elementary and middle schools in a city in the south of Brazil. This research was developed following qualitative research design, and the researcher made use of the “Activity Oriented Ergonomics (AOE) methodology.

The AOE focuses on the work analysis that evaluates real work situations that allows a reassessment of work demands. In this case the chosen methodology was a …

Special Issues In Engaging And Collaborating With Families Of English Language Learners, Stephanie Allison Strouse

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Research demonstrates positive outcomes associated with family involvement (Fl), but little exists specific to English Language Learners' (ELLs) FI. Factors impacting FI are identified, but it is unclear which educators view as most significant and what practices are implemented to address them. This study utilized survey data to examine educators' attitudes within an Iowa Area Education Agency regarding FI of ELLs, current practices, perceptions of practices' effectiveness, and professional development (PD) related to ELLs. Participants reported positive relationships with families of ELLs and that ELL families value education, yet only moderate satisfaction with ELL FI. Results indicate incongruity between common …

The Role Of Animal-Assisted Therapy In Initial Psychotherapy Sessions With Adolescents, Erin B. Stromberg

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is defined as "a goal directed intervention in which an animal, meeting specific criteria, is an integral part of the treatment process" (Nebbe, 1995, p. 40). Since its first introduction into the scientific community in the 1960s, AAT has grown in both recognition and application. This is primarily attributable to the characteristics of AAT that allow it to be appropriate for a wide range of populations. These qualities are shown to be especially effective in research with children (Menzies Inc., 2003). Interventions that exercise the advantageous qualities of AAT, and its service in promoting the well being …

Feedback : Best Practices For Effectiveness, Hanne Elizabeth Wuertz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The focus of this paper is on the use of formative assessment in classrooms which is increasingly becoming a widespread practice in education today. More specifically, the paper examines the role feedback (a crucial element of formative assessment) plays in student achievement. Feedback and the way it is defined, delivered, and used impacts the effectiveness of formative assessment. In addition, decisions about, and changes in, instruction are often made based on what is communicated through feedback. Thus, this paper defines feedback, discusses best practices for effective feedback, and describes how school psychologists can encourage and help facilitate the use of …

Leadership Distinctions : The Impact Of Leadership On Teachers Of Second Chance Reading, Rebecca Sue Williams

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Second Chance Reading (SCR), an instructional framework that targets and supports struggling adolescent readers and determined to be a sound and viably researched framework, can assist teachers in building and supporting proficient and lifelong learners when implemented as intended. This study examined educators from five unique communities who recently implemented the program. Four key questions guided the research and became the focus during semi-structured purposive interviews. (1) What was the relationship between Second Chance Reading teachers and principal leadership? (2) What leadership qualities were necessary to support Second Chance Reading teachers? (3) What barriers were preventing teachers from accomplishing their …

Career Cruising Impact On The Self Efficacy Of Deciding Majors, Anthony William Smothers

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of Career Cruising© on self-efficacy of deciding majors in a university setting. The use of the self-assessment instrument, Career Cruising©, was used with measuring the career-decision making self-efficacy in a pre and post-test with deciding majors. The independent variables are the Career Cruising ©, self-assessment instrument, gender, age, ethnic background, year in college, GPA, generation of education, and involvement. The dependent variables are the levels of self-efficacy in the five subscales of pre and post-test results. Those subscales include Accurate Self-appraisal, Gathering Occupational Information, Goal Selection, Planning for …

Assistive Technology For Students With Disabilities: Resources And Challenges Encountered By Teachers, Dawn Larae Jacobsen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Assistive technology may be a solution for students with disabilities who are struggling to achieve academic growth; however, the consideration for assistive technology process is not prevalent in schools.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to take an in-depth look at the processes and factors that teachers of students with disabilities used in considering, adopting, and utilizing assistive technology to meet the needs of their students. Three teachers in one rural school shared the resources and challenges they encountered in the assistive technology process. Furthermore, using Rogers's Diffusion of Innovation Theory and Davis's Technology Acceptance Model as theoretical frameworks, …

Student-Centered Literacy Instruction: An Examination Of An Elementary Teacher's Experience, Carolyn Marie Wiezorek

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In this qualitative study, I examined and interpreted the literacy instruction of a fourth grade instructor who identified herself as a student-centered teacher. I sought to understand and interpret the beliefs and attitudes of my participant, Julie. Through seven unstructured interviews and five observations, I collected, and simultaneously interpreted, data. Julie freely shared her beliefs, successes, challenges, and frustrations regarding her literacy instruction.

Because of the contextual nature of the study I sought emerging themes through analysis and reflection. Four themes surfaced: attitude and philosophy, environment, instructional practices, and impact on students. Julie possessed an attitude that all students could …

Circulating And Organizational Testosterone And The Perception Of Dominance, Jon C. Pedersen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This project focused on the relationship between both circulating testosterone (T), prenatal exposure to T, and perception of emotions in the faces of others. Based on past research, Twas hypothesized to be related to the Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities, which are concerned with reading emotions and intentions of others. More specifically, T was hypothesized to be more strongly related to the perception of dominant emotions compared to the perception of non-dominant emotions. To test this idea, the Test of the Eyes was used, which measures the ability to correctly perceive emotions in pictures of faces (specifically, eyes). To date, …

Strategic Communication In Women's Rights Organizations: Tools, Challenges And Best Practices, Anastasia Kalinina

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Despite rapid globalization and tremendous expansion of the number of women's rights organizations, international attention to the issues of women and girls remains rather low. While some women's rights networks and organizations leap to prominence, others do not receive recognition and public support. I wanted to know why. I interviewed 13 directors and communication managers of women's rights non-governmental organizations to see how they manage communication. I used a convenience sample that included a wide range of geographical locations and sizes of NGOs. The interviews were held via Skype. I conducted a theme analysis of transcribed interviews. The participants indicated …

Self-Defeating Behaviors In Sexual Offenders: Exploring Factors Of Social Support And Motivation To Change, Cassie Rose Nieman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Sexual offenders often engage in self-defeating behaviors that affect their treatment progress. Self-defeating behaviors are those that are dynamic in nature and change over time throughout the course of treatment. Certain aspects of an offender's life may play a role in whether and how often these behaviors occur, such as the level of social support on which the offender can rely. A second factor is the degree of motivation an offender has to change his behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine if and how the factors of social support systems and motivation to change impact self-defeating behaviors. …

Development Of An Ankle Function Model, Kelli R. Snyder

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Lateral ankle sprains (LAS) represent the most common orthopedic injury treated by athletic trainers, yet there is no consensus regarding the measurement of the effectiveness of care (e.g. outcomes). Further compounding this problem is the repetitive nature of LAS, often referred to as "functional" or "chronic" ankle instability (FAI, CAI, respectively). Although a common entity in practice and research, FAI is inconsistently defined and assessed. Essentially, athletic trainers are neglecting to address one of the most important issues identified in their profession (outcomes) for the most common injury for which they provide care (LAS). Therefore, the purpose of this research …

Destination Attractiveness Of The Silos And Smokestacks National Heritage Area, Puyong Choi

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of destination attractiveness of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) in Iowa using the relative attractiveness and importance of the 15 attributes identified by Gearing, Swart, and Var's (1974) scale and 3 attributes identified by Hu and Ritchie (1993). These attributes represent the overall destination attractiveness of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) in Iowa. This study focused on the perspective of visitors and tourism experts.

Fishbein's (1967) multi-attribute model was used to determine the attitudes and preferences of the participants. The model is used to …

Baseball In The Heartland: Semi-Pro Baseball Survives In Iowa, Todd Michael Hospodarsky

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Baseball has been an important part of American popular culture for over one hundred years. In the early part of the twentieth century baseball was the nation's most pervasive sport and symbolized many values and attitudes that Americans held dear. During the late nineteenth century, adult baseball teams were formed within small towns across the nation. The team members were typically considered amateur athletes playing "town team" baseball. Over the years, as they were given opportunities to make money from their play, the term of semi-professional was applied to many of these players.

The decades following World War II were …

Disordered Eating Habits And Extreme Weight Loss Techniques In Collegiate Wrestlers: A Qualitative Analysis, Jaime Marie Mayer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Wrestlers have often been targeted as high-risk athletes for developing eating disorders. Research has found that wrestlers do practice extreme weight loss and disordered eating behaviors that are consistent with eating disorders. However, little evidence suggests that wrestlers also possess the psychological aspect that is required in order for a person to be diagnosed with an eating disorder according to the DSM (2000).

Many times researchers conclude that few wrestlers meet the criteria for eating disorders, but they participate in many behaviors that put them at risk of developing an eating disorder in the future. Very few if any researchers …

A Study Of Cultural Orientation And Attitudes And Meaning Toward Play: A Cross Cultural Investigation Among Emerging Adulthood In The People Republic Of China, Hong Kong, And United States, Winnie Wing-Sze Wong

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine play among emerging adults in the People Republic of China, Hong Kong, and the United States. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the respondents' perceptions of play and their personal cultural orientation. The study also explored the relationship between respondents' perceptions of play's importance and their cultural orientation. Respondents' frequency of play was also studied to determine whether there were relationships between frequency of play, countries of origin, and personal cultural orientation. Finally, the study considered the interactive effects among perceptions of play, play's importance, personal …

African-Centered Education In Middle Schools: The Decision-Making Process In A Parental Engagement Model, Latrice Nichol Hicks

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

AFRICAN-CENTERED EDUCATION IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS: THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IN A PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT MODEL

by

LATRICE N. HICKS DUNN

May 2012

Advisor: Dr. David Whitin

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Education

The ways in which key stakeholders influencing decision-making processes in African-centered schools in urban areas are qualitatively different from that of parental involvement in mainstream schools; these perceived differences influence decision-making in various ways. The purpose of this research is to investigate ways in which parents, teachers and administrators of African American middle-school student's talk about the decision-making aspect of parental engagement in African-centered school settings. Parental …

Understanding Social Integration And Student Involvement As Factors Of Self-Reported Gains For African American Undergraduate Women, Edna Jones Miller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diversity of student populations within higher education has considerably increased, particularly for women and minority populations, which is indicative of greater access to education toward a college degree. However, increased diversity of student populations has introduced a new set of challenges for higher education administrators in that it is becoming increasingly difficult for administrators to maintain current educational methods when considering the changing needs of matriculating students. As a result, higher education institutions are compelled to strategize beyond the "one-size-fits all" approach in the way teaching and support services are delivered in order to provide a more holistic approach to …

Multiple Intelligences In The Text: Examining The Presence Of Mi Tasks In The Annotated Teacher's Editions Of Four High School United States History Textbooks, Carey Mullican

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current state of the social studies classroom comprises one of uninspired students using unexciting textbooks as their guide for learning U.S. history (Hope, 1996; NCES, 1993; Banks, 1990; Wakefield, 2006). With multiple intelligences gaining popularity in education, renewed hope exists for social studies to produce quality textbooks with differentiated instruction to reach all learners. The purpose was to design a rubric for measuring the presence of multiple intelligences structured tasks in teacher's editions of four 11th grade U.S. history textbooks. Using 1995 to 2007 as a purposeful sample of consistent authorships and similar publications, the study looked at teacher's …

Defining Earth Smarts: A Construct Analysis For Socioecological Literacy Based On Justly Maintaining Quality Of Life, Bryan H. Nichols

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper describes the creation and validation of a new educational construct. Socioecological literacy, or earth smarts, describes the qualities we need to justly maintain or improve our quality of life in a changing world. It was created using construct analysis techniques and systems tools, drawing on an extensive, transdisciplinary body of literature. Concepts related to environmental, ecological and scientific literacy, sustainability and citizenship were combined with educational frameworks, new research in science education, and modern cognitive psychology. After the initial formulation, the results were considered by a variety of experts and professionals from the fields of ecology, environmental science …

Impact Of School Counselors' Use Of Deliberate Practice And Accountability Measures On Perceived Levels Of Self-Efficacy And Student Academic Success, Allison Paolini

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the degree and frequency to which school counselors' utilized accountability measures and deliberate practice and their impact on perceived levels of counselor self-efficacy, as well as, perceived levels of student academic success. This study attempted to answer several critical questions regarding school counselor accountability and deliberate practice. It assessed the relationship between receipt of formal training in the American School Counseling Association Model (ASCA) or another counseling model and likelihood of using ASCA principles, the relationship between years of work experience and use of accountability measures and deliberate practice, the relationship between use of accountability measures and …

Four English Language Learners' Experiences And Strategy Use In Learning Environments Of Multiliteracies, Ho Ryong Park

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

English language learners (ELLs) develop their reading by engaging in diverse literacy activities in the learning contexts of multiliteracies. I investigated ELLs' experiences and their use of strategies when they read computer-based texts at home and in school. In addition, I identified a variety of influential factors that affected the ELLs' use of reading strategies when they read computer-based texts in both research contexts.

This research was conducted at homes and at three public elementary schools. Participants were two fourth-grade and two fifth-grade ELLs, four parents, and five classroom teachers. The study included observations, interviews, verbal reports, documents, field notes, …

Quality Of Life In Adult Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: The Role Of Moderating And Mediating Variables, Brittany Belle Speisman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: This study examined the contribution of various aspects of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) on quality of life (QoL) in 102 adults with a principal diagnosis of OCD from an archival database. Method: Participants were assessed for DSM-IV diagnoses by trained clinicians using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule, 4th Edition (ADIS-IV), the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), and an unstructured interview. Further information was attained using the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory Revised (OCI-R) and the Medical Outcome Study-36 (MOS-36). Results: Results indicated that obsessive-compulsive symptom severity was positively correlated with diminished emotional health, social …

Cultivating An Engaged Workforce: The Roles Of Leader Personality, Motivation, And Leadership Style, Amy Marie Taylor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the links between leadership style, leader personality, and motivation to lead, with employee engagement. Transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and abusive supervision styles were examined in relation to levels of employee engagement via a sample of n=195 employees and n=130 managers. Consistent with findings from Christian, Garza, and Slaughter (2011), transformational leadership showed a positive link to employee engagement (r= .38, p< .05). On the opposite end, abusive supervision was negatively related to employee engagement (r= -.27, p< .05). Contingent reward leadership showed a positive link to employee engagement (r= .32, p< .05).

Relationships between personality and leadership style were framed according to the socioanalytic framework (Hogan & Shelton, 1998). This study did not find any significant differences in the relationships between the expected leadership behaviors and the traits …