Digital Commons Network^™

Risk, Vulnerability, And Hazards: The Industrial Canal And The Lower Ninth Ward, Jerry V. Graves Jr.

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify, analyze, and describe the social outcomes that may be affected by the environmental risks generated by infrastructure projects; to examine the ways in which vulnerability and exposure to hazards may increase risk in neighborhoods over time; and to examine the implications of addressing the exacerbation of exposure to natural hazards within the traditional environmental justice framework. The Industrial Canal and Lower Ninth Ward were selected as the subjects of this case study because the canal has existed on the perimeter of the neighborhood for nearly one century, isolating Lower Ninth Ward residents …

The Practical Side Of Culinary Arts Education: The Role Of Social Ability And Durable Knowledge In Culinary Arts Externships, William R. Thibodeaux

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

As externships evolved from their vocational education roots into the university setting, both the course purposes and the expectations of student changed toward deeper learning. While the students’ responsibility for gaining knowledge has increased, teaching methods designed by educators to prepare students for more critically evaluated outcomes has not evolved at the same pace. Educators still grapple over how educational design can combine the structured teacher-centered learning strategy used in university classrooms with the learner-centered approach students typically utilize in for-profit culinary workplaces.

This dissertation is about culinary externships in the urban environment. The study examined the roles, reasoning, and …

Factors That Shape Environmental Perceptions: The Role Of Health And Place, Elizabeth Langlois

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Risk perception is the judgment people make about the characteristics and severity of a risk. Numerous theories and models exist which have identified the factors that influence risk perception. Among these factors, location, health status, and demographic characteristics are known to shape risk perception. To measure the influence of these factors on environmental perception, a series of surveys conducted in four Louisiana communities between 2004 and 2005 describe community perceptions about environmental issues and health status. The objective of the study was to characterize and compare environmental concerns relative to location, health status, and demographic characteristics. Results indicate that location …

Jewish Cultural Aspirations, Ruth Weisberg

The Jewish Role in American Life: An Annual Review

In the late nineteenth century in Europe and to some extent in the United States, the Jewish upper middle class—particularly the more affluent families—began to enter the cultural spheres of public life, especially in major cities such as Vienna, Berlin, Paris, New York, and London. While many aspects of society were closed to them, theater, the visual arts, music, and art publication were far more inviting, especially if they involved challenging aspects of modernity that might be less attractive to Gentile society. Jews had far less to lose in embracing new forms of expression, and they were very attracted to …

Experiences Of Success By Minority Students Attending A Predominantly Caucasian Nursing Program, Staci M. Boruff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nursing educators have struggled for many years with the problem of student attrition in the minority population. Because there are so few minority students who choose nursing as a profession, educators strive to retain these students to graduation. Unfortunately, attrition rates of minority students continue to rise despite years of research into the problem. The majority of this research approaches the issue from the viewpoint of the failing student. What might happen if nursing research took a positive approach to the issue? The purpose of this study was to describe the influencing factors that led minority nursing students to be …

Support For Higher Education: Perceptions Of Selected University Administrators And Legislators In Tennessee, Deidre Lee Yowell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined the perceptions of selected university administrators and legislators concerning levels of support for Tennessee public higher education. The purpose of the study was to gain a greater understanding among the various constituents as to the needs and restraints facing higher education funding. The population targeted for this study was comprised of 132 members of the Tennessee General Assembly, the Executive Director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), the Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), the President of the University of Tennessee System, and 36 Chief Administrators at 9 state-supported universities. The principal investigator …

Teacher Morale In Rural Northeast Tennessee, Brenda Dishman Eggers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the factors that influence the morale levels of teachers in the public school systems of 3 contiguous counties in rural northeast Tennessee. The level of teacher morale was measured using the Purdue Teacher Opinionaire. Data associated with the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) teacher effect score, grade level taught, years of service, gender, and level of education were gathered. The morale score and the teacher effect score were then examined to ascertain if there was a relationship with the other factors. Data from this study were examined using the Statistical Process …

Uneasy Waters: The Night Riders At Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee, 1908, Jama Mcmurtery Grove

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On October 19, 1908, night riders at Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee kidnapped and murdered Captain Quentin Rankin, an attorney and shareholder in the West Tennessee Land Company. The murder made national news, with coverage emphasizing the night riders' demand for fishing rights. In response, Governor Malcolm Patterson called out the militia to suppress the uprising and advocated for state acquisition of the lake as a means to prevent further violence. In the accepted historical narrative, the uprising at Reelfoot Lake represents an example of rural resistance to the threat that modernization posed to traditional access rights but ignores much of the …

Public Perceptions Regarding Sex Offenders And Sex Offender Management, Jessica Duncan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was an observation of the public's knowledge and perceptions on sex offenders, sex offenses, and sex offender management policies. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 282 students at East Tennessee State University. Along with the basic demographic variables, respondent's field of study was measured as a main independent variable. For example, it was hypothesized that students studying within the criminal justice field would hold more accurate beliefs concerning the sex offender population. Overall, the study proved to be statistically insignificant. Multivariate analysis did show, however, that certain demographic variables were more predictive in determining an …

The Olympic Glory Of Jesse Owens: A Contribution To Civil Rights And Society, Casey Aaron Nash

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Jesse Owens was the star of the Berlin Olympics in 1936. His four gold medals in Hitler's Germany, as an African American, had far reaching implications back in the United States. Despite segregation and a social hierarchy that was an impasse to both black opportunity and achievement, Owens created a lasting legacy that drastically impacted race relations. The purpose of this thesis was to examine what the Olympic glory of Owens represented for society. Owens as an Olympian in 1936 manufactured a brand of social capital that tied people together in commonality—as Americans. As well, in both myth and deed, …

An Assessment Of Campus Police Departments Across Mississippi's Public Community And Junior Colleges, Brad D. Boggs

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to provide an assessment of campus police departments throughout the 15 public community and junior colleges in Mississippi. This research could provide Mississippi community and junior college administrators the opportunity to observe and appraise the overall safety of their respective campuses in comparison to safety practices of the other campus police departments in the state. This study will lay the foundation for further research of campus police departments and can assist administrators and boards of trustees of Mississippi’s public community and junior colleges with annual and long-range planning efforts. This study included campus police/security …

A Qualitative Assessment Of The Perceptions Of Teachers Concerning How Economically Disadvantaged Students At White Pine School Are Being Served, Samuel Mckinley Hollingshead

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess teacher perception of how economically disadvantaged students at White Pine School were being served. The results of this study may help educators at White Pine School determine how to support and improve learning conditions for economically disadvantaged students.

Data collection techniques included individual interviews, focus group interviews, and document review. The following conditions were discovered in relation to economically disadvantaged students: positive home-school relationships; desire to become a full-service school; limited parent-training opportunities with limited participation; limited professional development opportunities; limited poverty discussion in professional learning communities; underuse of college partnerships; …

Leadership Traits Of School Health Coordinators In Tennessee, Katherine Andrea Strickland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the leadership traits of the school health coordinators (SHCs) for the state of Tennessee and to determine if self-perceptions of the SHC leadership traits coincide with supervisor and colleague perceptions of SHC leadership traits. The health challenges facing young Americans today are different from those of past decades and child health is a major federal and state policy platform. SHCs work at the nexus of 2 highly regulated and political entities: healthcare and education. Thus, it is critical for SHCs to possess strong leadership traits to navigate through the issues and …

Organizationally Mandated Diversity Training: Participants’ Perceptions At A Southeastern State University, Michelle Lynn Hurley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An amplified emphasis on global competency and a projected demographic shift toward an increasingly diverse population necessitates that businesses and organizations prepare adequately to remain competitive and effective. Training to enhance employees' multicultural competence is often used by organizations to address these impending changes; however, there is little research documenting the degree to which these trainings are effective. Using archival training evaluation data, the purpose of this study was to examine participant estimations of the effectiveness of one such training and also to determine if participant demographic variables including gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and employee classification (faculty or staff) …

Adjusted Tools, Angelique Lynch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis supports the Master of Fine Arts exhibition, Adjusted Tools, at the Tipton Gallery, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, from August 3^rd thru August 29^th, 2012. The exhibition is comprised of eight sculptures, which are presented on pedestals and wall mounted.

The artist references her own investigation of social patterns associated with preconceived roles of gender and how those patterns relate to housework. The artist experiments with an array of different materials including wood, stone, steel, and bronze that are fashioned into forms such as irons, ironing boards, and clothes pins. Topics addressed …

Rural Appalachian Health Care Providers' Perceived Barriers To Intimate Partner Violence Screening In Primary Care, Jamie Tedder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a major problem in the United States. There are many health concerns associated with IPV (e.g. chronic pain, gynecological problems), leading researchers to examine the detection and management of IPV in primary care settings. However, a disproportionate amount of this research has focused on the detection and management of IPV in urban primary care clinics, with the detection and management of IPV in rural primary care being largely understudied. The current study addresses this gap in the literature by describing the screening practices and barriers to screening reported by rural providers as well as differences …

Bloodsport And The Michael Vick Dogfighting Case: A Critical Cultural Analysis, Wil Massey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After law enforcement officials in Virginia found evidence of a dogfighting operation, the owner, National Football League star Michael Vick, became one of the most vilified figures in America for supporting a bloodsport that inflicts debilitating bodily harm on dogs. This thesis examines that case in light of the long human history of breeding fighting dogs for war and competitive entertainment. A content analysis was performed on a sample of news reports and opinion pieces that were published in three media outlets. Reactions to the Vick case illuminated strong popular opposition to dogfighting. Findings explore how strong anti-dogfighting views appeared …

Withstanding Cruel Teasing: Does Dispositional Mindfulness Fortify Target Immunity?, Ruth Catherine Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cruel teasing can be pernicious for targets' psychological health. In this thesis I examined the extent to which trait mindfulness might mitigate the negative psychological effects associated with cruel teasing. Correlation results confirmed cruel teasing history related significantly and directly, and mindfulness inversely, to poorer psychological health. Moderated regression analyses confirmed that among targets of frequent cruel teasing those with high levels of mindfulness did not evidence the detrimental psychological effects as did those low in mindfulness. Subsequent moderated regression analyses with cruel teasing history, mindfulness, and sexual identity status suggest that when people are low in mindfulness cruel teasing …

Blogging In The Fatosphere: A Qualitative Study Of Perceptions Of Personal Risks And Benefits For Women Who Blog About Weight, Weight Loss, And Dieting Issues, Melissa Marie Sneed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the perceptions of the personal risks and benefits of women who blog about weight, weight loss, and dieting issues. Many overweight women use blogs as a tool during their weight loss journeys to garner support. The experiences of 5 women who blog about weight and dieting issues were collected through 45 minute in-depth interviews. The author's own experiences with blogging is analyzed as well. A qualitative approach was taken when analyzing the data. Eight emergent themes came from the research data. The benefits of this study are significant for current and future research regarding the influence of …

Novice Teachers Perceptions Of Prior Mentoring Experiences, Gloria Freels Mcelroy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More than 50% of novice educators leave the profession in the first 5 years of service. Novice educators were defined as educators with 5 or fewer years of teaching experience. The State of Tennessee has estimated the cost for that decision to around $28,000.00 per teacher for each local educational authority. Many researchers believe mentoring increases novice satisfaction in the classroom. Even though many enter the field of education, Freedman and Appleman (2009) found that teachers leave the profession in rates higher than other professions. Ingersoll and Merrill (2010) showed the annual turnover rate for teachers was higher than for …

Waging A Living In Casual Dining Restaurant Chains, Hannah Blythe Bower

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through in-depth interviews with 14 restaurant servers who worked in "casual dining" restaurant chains, this study explores service work and servers' perceptions of restaurant culture. Interactions between servers and customers are examined through the lens of servers' personal experiences. The analysis of interview data focus on how servers understand their role, how "casual dining" restaurant chains try to avoid the appearance of fast food outlets, and how "the customer is always right" slogan affects servers and customers. As a response to difficult and inflexible structural conditions present in restaurant work, servers establish short-lived camaraderie with each other through games, harassment, …

Illinois State University, One Hundred And Fifty-Third Annual Commencement, December 15, 2012, Illinois State University

Commencement Programs

Illinois State University
One Hundred and Fifty-Third Annual Commencement
December 15, 2012

The Relationship Between Religion And Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Philip B. Mason

Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that religious people have higher levels of self-control. Scientists also hypothesize that individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are less likely to participate in religious services which require long periods of attention and self discipline. However, little research has investigated the potential relationship between ADHD and religious participation. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study finds (1) mothers’ prayer frequency is marginally related to children’s ADHD symptoms and diagnosis although other religious indicators are not significantly related, (2) childhood religious involvement and affiliation are not significantly related to ADHD symptoms and diagnosis, …

Is It A Small World After All: An Examination Of Scientific Collaborations In Public Administration, James Earl Orr Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Peer reviewed journal articles are one way in which scholars communicate with each other and the public. Such publications create networks of collaboration. This study uses social network analysis techniques and theory to examine the network of collaborations that occur in public administration. Social network analysis is a perspective that takes into account the structure of relationships that can exist among individuals, organizations or other entities (Wellman, 2008). The small world theory is the specific theoretical framework that guides this study. The small world theory is based on the notion that despite a population being very large, individuals in that …

Gender Differences In Parenting Dimensions And Contraceptive Use At First Sexual Intercourse, Sherelle Cohen

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the gender differences in how parents exhibit parenting dimensions (control, monitoring, support and warmth) towards sons and daughters and how those dimensions influence contraceptive use. The data analysis uses the Add Health data and the sample includes 918 adolescents within two-parent homes. This study adds to the existing literature in three ways. First, this study investigates four different parenting dimensions whereas previous research focuses on control and communication. Second, this study looks at how each dimension influences contraceptive use. Third, this study examines how parents exhibit parenting dimensions differently towards sons and daughters and whether each dimension …

Factors That Influence The Participation Of Immigrant Latino Parents In The Special Education Process Of Their Children With Disabilities, Maria Isolina Ruiz

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act emphasized the importance of parents’ participation in all educational decisions concerning their children with disabilities. However, parents’ ability to actively participate in, and contribute to, their children’s special education process is influenced by a variety of parent and school related factors. For immigrant Latino parents, these factors may include additional issues related to cultural and linguistic diversity not experienced by most parents. This study examined the experiences of immigrant Latino parents when navigating the special education system as well as the impact that such experiences had on parents’ participation in the special education process …

Values-Based Leadership: A Shift In Attitude, Joseph Hester

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

To genuinely refer to leadership as “values-based,” a shift in attitude is required and the “ethics of care” must be embraced. This modification will ostensibly involve a subjective commitment to reason consistently and prudently, to care for others, and to dedicate oneself to reconsider his or her actions and behaviors.

Volume 48 - Issue 11 - Friday, December 14, 2012, Rose Thorn Staff

The Rose Thorn Archive

The Rose Thorn, Rose-Hulman's independent student newspaper.

2012 Fall Commencement Program: Winona State University, Winona State University

WSU Commencement Programs

This is the Winona State University Fall 2012 commencement program. Commencement was on Friday, December 14, 2012.

Viewpoints: Liberatory Ensemble And Character, Christopher Layton Clark

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation, submitted in article format, explores how the physical movement theories of Anne Bogart's Viewpoints may lead to a liberatory setting, one which echoes the theories of Paolo Freire, for college theatre students. It examines whether Viewpoints is effective in creating a studio classroom culture and whether the Viewpoints exercises can lead to a heightened clarity in individual performance, with a much more satisfying and involved learning experience for students of the theatrical arts. In addition, this dissertation applies the theory of Mead's symbolic interactionism to the discoveries that students make while using Viewpoints exercises. Research methods include autoethnography, …