Digital Commons Network^™

Population Structure, Size, And The Thermal Ecology Of Iowa Wood Turtles (Glyptemys Insculpta): A Comparison Between Suburban And Rural Populations, Samuel Wesley Berg

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Population structure, population size, and the thermal ecology of wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) was studied in a suburban population in Black Hawk County (BHC) and compared to a rural population in Butler County (BC), Iowa. In a suburban population of 35 wood turtles, 32 (91.4%) were adults distributed in a 1:1 sex ratio [16 (45.7%) females and 16 (45.7%) males], and 3 (8.6%) were juveniles. In the rural population, 60 (98.4% of the total population) adult turtles were distributed in a 3:2 sex ratio [36 (59.0%) females and 24 (39.3%) males], and one (1.7%) juvenile was located. Population structure was …

Investigating The Effectiveness Of A Professional Development Program For Secondary Physics Teachers, Meghan Reynolds

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

National studies have exposed a shortage of highly-qualified high school physics teachers, with over 25% of physics teaching vacancies in Iowa being very difficult to fill or unable to be filled. In an effort to improve the nation’s education system, there have been broad changes in the framework of what constitutes high-quality teaching which supports a trend away from traditional, lecture-based teaching methods and towards interactive, student-centered methods. This study analyzed the impact of a professional development program that aimed to prepare more high-quality high school physics teachers by building physics content knowledge through the use of reformed teaching techniques …

Instructors' Perceptions Of Their Own Effectiveness, Abdullah S. Al-Asmari

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of college instructors regarding the role of credibility and nonverbal immediacy in teacher’s effective behavior in the classroom. It seeks to understand instructors’ perceptions of the importance of nonverbal immediacy and its impact on their credibility. A qualitative method was used to examine the perceptions of instructors. A sample table and two graphs provide numeric indicators to illustrate the study’s results. Participants were selected based on a convenience sampling of twelve instructors from a communication department at a mid-sized Midwestern university. Although the sample is one of convenience, efforts were …

Education At Its Corp, Steven Michael Pals

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The Great Depression brought about a trial the likes of which the United States had never seen. People from all walks of life found themselves out of work, money, and hope. The depression effected all peoples but each group differently. The working class underwent deeper hardships then most. The New Deal was the brainchild of President Franklin Roosevelt designed to assist the country in getting out of the Great Depression. The New Deal programs included a number of public works programs, which created jobs for the unemployed, including the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was designed to employ unemployed …

Do Offenders' Life Goals Reflect Locus Of Control And Personality Traits?, Luci L. Dumas

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

According to the Good Lives Model (Ward, 2002) it is imperative that offenders in rehabilitation recognize which life goals are important to them and how they can achieve a ‘good life.’ Including the evaluation of life goals in treatment can be beneficial not only for the individuals being treated but for the community into which they are transitioning. Seventy-six male, residential offenders were assessed on type and perception of life goals during semi-structured interviews. They also completed a personality inventory, locus of control scale, and self-esteem scale. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses for types of goals and perception of goals were …

A Clustering Based Matrix For Selecting Optimal Tools And Techniques In Quality Management, Hassan A. Alsultan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this research was to explore a systematic pattern for selecting quality tools and techniques in the manufacturing and service industries. This study asked, “What are the best DMAIC tools and techniques concerning circumstances of quality dimensions of products and services?” To answer this question, this research developed innovative, diagnostic matrices by mimicking the contradiction matrix of the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). These innovative matrices are intended to help non-expert users to select the best sets of quality tools and techniques for solving different quality problems. By conducting a cluster analysis, the researcher uncovered homogeneous patterns …

Hero To Zero: Stress Perceptions Of The Public School Administrator And His Spouse, Steven L. Gray

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Fields (2005) reported stress on school administrators due to “uncontrollable demands on their time, the negative impact of the amount of time that the job required on their personal lives, their prospective staffs, and the amount of conflict encountered.” The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the impact of the lived experience of male public school administrators and their wives, specifically involving the experience of stress. Studies of crossover stress in relation to public school administration and their spouses have not been as plentiful as other service-oriented, high stress work domains, such as police officers, fire …

Professional Educators Of Iowa Member Perspectives About Iowa State Education Association And National Education Association Membership And Political Activities, Melissa Kay Reade

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As Moe (2011) contended, “The teachers unions have tremendous influence over the nation’s schools, yet they have been poorly studied” (p. 18). The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the attitudes, beliefs, and values of current Professional Educators of Iowa (PEI) members who either opted to join, discontinue, or bypass membership with Iowa State Education Association/National Education Association (ISEA/NEA). Specifically, this study aimed to understand the factors that influenced their membership decisions. Lastly, this study further explored the degree to which former ISEA/NEA members were aware, involved, and aligned with NEA political activities and how the political activities …

Superintendent Leadership: Comparing Superintendent And School Board President Perceptions Of Essential Leadership Characteristics And Capabilities Of The Superintendent In Today's Complex And Ever-Changing Educational Environment According To Mcrel's Superintendent Responsibilities And The Iowa Standards For School Leaders, Daniel J. Peterson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to identify and compare perceptions of superintendents and school board presidents in Iowa public schools regarding the essential leadership characteristics and capabilities of the superintendent in today’s complex and ever-changing educational environment. Iowa superintendents and school board presidents were invited to participate in an online survey where they were asked to indicate the importance of the Iowa Standards for School Leaders and the McRel Superintendent Responsibilities. Respondents to the survey included 54.6% of superintendents and 40.5% of school board presidents in Iowa. The survey in this study used a Likert scale for respondents to …

The Impact Of Digital Organization On Retention In College Algebra, Mary Benac Staniger

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examined the impact of digital organization for developmental mathematics students using technologically mediated tools in Beginning Algebra to increase retention for successful completion of College Algebra. The focus of the digital organization was student improvement in study skills and academic self-confidence throughout Beginning Algebra. These are two non-academic factors literature suggests are related to college students’ retention and performance. Study skills were measured by how students felt they could assess a mathematics problem, organize a solution and successfully complete assignments. Academic self-confidence was measured by student belief of the ability to perform well in mathematics. Mixed methods were …

An Analysis Of Use Of Automated Tools For Improving The Process Of Software Verification And Validation In A Midwestern Company, Darshak Dodiya

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As the use of electronics and software in the modern off road vehicles tend to increase, there is a huge challenge of getting the electronics and software tested before making it available for customer use. There are a lot of interactions between the hardware and software for the vehicle to function. And with the amount of interactions in the hardware and software come a lot of problems in verifying the functionality of the vehicle. If proper verification is neglected, the customer might end up getting an unsafe vehicle which can lead to serious consequences. To make these vehicles safe and …

Quench The Thirst: A Content Analysis Of The Persuasive Techniques Of Unicef's Tap Project, Rachel Chadalavada

Masters Theses

This study analyzes the persuasive techniques utilized by UNICEF's Tap Project. This water related campaign began in 2007 and since then has created four themes. These themes are: Dine out, Celebrity Tap, Facebook Push and Cellphone Challenge. The study finds that the videos employed by the Tap Project portray all six Facets of Effects. However, their usage was based on the message that was being delivered. That said, not all videos utilized all of the facets. This implies that an advertisement need not necessarily use all six Facets of Effects to be successful. The facet of association however, stood out …

Detective Fiction Reinvention And Didacticism In G. K. Chesterton's Father Brown, Clifford Stumme

Masters Theses

In the Father Brown stories, G. K. Chesterton reengineers the classic detective story so that it can be a vehicle for didactic messages. Through a rethinking of mysteries, a repurposing of secondary characters, and a subversion of Holmsean-type detectives, Chesterton is able to insert philosophic ideas into his stories while still entertaining readers. Differing from earlier detective stories, the Father Brown mysteries showcase an acceptance of the spiritual and a natural empathy for all characters whether criminal or no. In my research, I show how, through these stories, Chesterton posits messages that are new to the mystery genre and how …

Duck, Duck, Oops!: A Content Analysis Of The Crisis Surrounding Phil Robertson, Sarah Malinda

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to apply Benoit's theory of image restoration to apologetic discourse offered by those involved in the crisis surrounding Phil Robertson following his January 2014, GQ Magazine interview. This content analysis applied the theoretical framework to a collection of news segments, articles, and letters that contained apologetic discourse and analyzed them to identify the strategies of image restoration used. The results indicated that the most prevalent strategy used was transcendence- placing the act that caused offense in a different context. Robertson and those involved in his image restoration directed the audience's attention to higher moral …

Nyar Savannah Program 2014, National Youth-At-Risk Conference, Savannah

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

N/A

Association Between Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms (Fok1 And Bsm1) And Osteoporosis: A Systematic Review, Zahra Mohammadi, Fateme Fayyazbakhsh, Mehdi Ebrahimi, Mahsa M. Amoli, Patricia Khashayar, Mahboubeh Dini, Reza Nezam Zadeh, Abbasali Keshtkar, Hamid Reza Barikani

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Osteoporosis is a Health Concern Characterized by Reduced Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and Increased Risk of Fragility Fractures. Many Studies Have Investigated the Association between Genetic Variants and Osteoporosis. Polymorphism and Allelic Variations in the Vitamin D Receptor Gene (VDR) Have Been Found to Be Associated with Bone Mineral Density. However, Many Studies Have Not Been Able to Find This Association. Literature Review Was Conducted in Several Databases, Including MEDLINE/Pubmed, Scopus, EMBASE, Ebsco, Science Citation Index Expanded, Ovid, Google Scholar, Iran Medex, Magiran and Scientific Information Database (SID) for Papers Published between 2000 and 2013 Describing the Association between Fok1 …

The Success Of Character Education In Relation To Religion In A Public School District, Joseph Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The history of the United States demonstrates a complicated relationship between civil or national religion and the formation of the common schools. This dissertation uses purposive sampling, survey methodology and description research of a local, public school district with noted high scores on character education. The research uses a Likert scale to document educators' perception of success or failure of character education in relation to religion. In the school district, four schools were chosen for their high scores in character education implementation. A purposive sample of 100 participants was provided an email link to a secure, anonymous, online survey. The …

Articulation Agreements: Academic Success, Persistence And Graduation From Online And Face-To-Face Degree Completion Programs, Darnette Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study is to examine whether differences exist in the retention and persistence of articulation participants based on face-to-face or online degree completion. The study will determine the rate of completion of articulation participants who transfer from a North Carolina Community College to a state university in North Carolina and enroll in traditional face-to-face classes versus articulation participants who enroll in online degree completion. There is considerable literature on articulation from the perspective of student satisfaction and an administrator's perception. Substantial research on policies and procedures as well as comparison to native and transfer students. There …

Effects Of Information Delivery Type On Reading Comprehension And Reading Enjoyment Level In Male Seventh-Grade Disinterested Readers, Douglas Damon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this quantitative study, reading comprehension scores and reading enjoyment level of forty-two seventh-grade males (N = 42) from a Mid-Atlantic private school were examined to determine the effect of information delivery type. In this true-experimental posttest only control group design, forty-two participants self-identified as disinterested readers. The control group (n = 22) received a traditionally printed excerpt from a novel, while the treatment Group (n = 20) received the same excerpt enhanced with embedded digital links through QR (Quick Response) codes. Upon completion of the reading, participants took a reading comprehension test, and completed a reading enjoyment questionnaire. Data …

Exploring Intrinsic Value Of Educating Military Planners In Design Thinking: A Case Study, John Mangold

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative single instrumental, exploratory, theory-building, holistic researcher case study was to explore a novel approach to military transformation; a prototype of a problem solving methodology that accounts for an inescapable reality in the current and future operational environment: complexity and uncertainty. Design thinking was used as an essential component supporting a theoretical framework to explore the process of solving complex, ill-structured problems. Fifteen participants from a senior U.S. military service college were studied using observations, interviews, and site documents. The data analyzed used the systematic, analytic procedures of Stake (1995, 2008) and Merriam, (1998, 2009) whereby …

The Instruction Of Mindfulness: Developing Standards And Objectives For Mindfulness Training In Graduate Programs, Crystal Rofkahr

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness is an effective therapeutic tool for multiple disorders and

conditions. A set of standards, methods, assessments, and teacher characteristics had

not been formulated to effectively teach future mental health providers mindfulness.

This study utilized a Delphi Method to meet this need in the field. This methodology

was used to assemble a panel of experts to provide data on the best practices in teaching

mindfulness. The experts participated in three rounds of data collection. They provided

information pertaining to their ideal and real teaching standards, methods, and

assessments. They, then, narrowed down the concepts in each domain until consensus

was …

Application Of Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis To Determine Consumers' Preferences And Willingness To Pay For Grass Fed Beef In The United States, Franklin Fernando Vaca Moran

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

U.S. consumption of beef has declined during the last three decades. Consumer preferences have shifted toward products that are considered healthy, environmentally friendly and obtained through sustainable production methods. Because of the characteristics of grass-fed beef production, consumers are becoming more interested in grass-fed beef products than conventional beef products. A choice-based experiment was used to assess consumer’s preferences for grass-fed beef. A national online survey was conducted in May 2012 and the information from 4000 respondents was collected from the entire U.S. The respondents were divided in two groups of similar size: grass-fed beef eaters, comprised by the respondents …

Down By The Riverside: Recovery Efforts Of The Minot Community And School District After The Souris River Flood Of 2011, Mark Milton Vollmer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the flood recovery process for the Minot Public School District after the devastating Souris River Flood of 2011, and to provide a definitive study of the recovery of a school district after a natural disaster. This study identified the school community's processes involved with financial, emotional, and social aspects of recovery, and identified key players in the recovery process.

The research consisted of nine focus groups; three groups of teachers, three groups of parents, and three groups of community members. Formal interviews were also conducted with community leaders and subject matter …

The Impact Of A Freshmen-Year Seminar On Students' Second-Year Retention, Lori Henry Richard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated the impact a freshman-year seminar course, UNIV 101, had on students’ second-year retention. Retention was determined based on a student’s subsequent enrollment at the university, one year after their initial semester. In addition, this study explored the relationship between selected independent variables found in literature and second-year retention. Finally, the study sought to determine if selected variables, completion of UNIV 101, and final letter grade earned by students in UNIV 101 was able to predict the probability of retention. The target population for this study was all first-time freshmen enrolled in a small, public, regional institution in …

Adaptive Divergence And Speciation Across Depth In A Caribbean Candelabrum Coral, Carlos Andrés Prada Montoya

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Since Darwin, biologists wonder how organisms cope with environmental variation, why there are so many species, and how species form. In my dissertation, I explore how species of long-lived, clonal reef organisms originate across depth gradients. In Chapter 2, I evaluate the strength of depth to isolate populations by comparing the genes and morphologies of pairs of depth-segregated populations of the candelabrum coral Eunicea flexuosa across the Caribbean. Eunicea flexuosa is a long-lived clonal cnidarian that associates with an alga of the genus Symbiodinium. Genetic analysis revealed two depth-segregated lineages, each genetically well-mixed across the Caribbean. Survivorship data, combined with …

Damage Prediction Of Low-Rise Buildings Under Hurricane Winds, Fang Pan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Low-rise buildings are defined as the buildings with a mean roof height less than the least horizontal dimension and less than 18.3 m in ASCE 7-10. They represent the majority of commercial, residential, and industrial buildings. Approximate 90% of the existing low-rise residential buildings are constructed as wood light-frame buildings that are not fully engineered and thus more vulnerable to extreme wind pressures, wind borne debris and rain water intrusion. The resulting hurricane-induced economic loss is primarily attributed to the insufficient performance of building envelope instead of the catastrophic failure of their main structural system for Category 1 to 4 …

Three Essays On Digital Marketing, Xia Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is primarily interested in finding out how marketing can play a more strategic role in helping firms to improve performance in the Digital Age. It contains three essays on digital marketing. The unifying theme is figuring out how the marketing department can benefit from the informational value of (big) data and advanced analytics and thus improve customer and business performance. The first essay develops a scale for measuring marketing information capability. The scale has passed rigorous tests standards. The second essay empirically examines the antecedents, moderators and consequences of marketing information capability. The antecedents include cross-functional coopetition between …

On Matroid And Polymatroid Connectivity, Dennis Wayne Hall Ii

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Matroids were introduced in 1935 by Hassler Whitney to provide a way to abstractly capture the dependence properties common to graphs and matrices. One important class of matroids arises by taking as objects some finite collection of one-dimensional subspaces of a vector space. If, instead, one takes as objects some finite collection of subspaces of dimensions at most k in a vector space, one gets an example of a k-polymatroid.

Connectivity is a pivotal topic of study in the endeavor to understand the structure of matroids and polymatroids. In this dissertation, we study the notion of connectivity from several …

Affect Dysregulation As A Mediator Of The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma And Comorbid Substance Use Disorder And Bulimia Nervosa, Brianna Joelle Crawford

Theses and Dissertations

Eating disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening psychiatric disorders associated with a variety of negative medical, social, and psychological consequences. Comorbid mental disorders, such as substance use disorders, present an increasingly complex clinical picture. A significant body of research has been devoted to investigating the etiology of eating disorders and their comorbid conditions. One factor that has received research attention is that of childhood trauma experiences. Childhood trauma has been related to the development of both bulimia nervosa and substance use disorders, and more broadly, an impulsive, behaviorally dysregulated trajectory. Affect dysregulation is one factor proposed to play a role in …

The Self-Objectification Scale: A New Measure For Assessing Self-Objectification, Sarah Dahl

Theses and Dissertations

Many of the measures for self-objectification have theoretical or psychometric issues related to their use. For this reason, the development of a new measure addressing these concerns would be beneficial to the research on self-objectification. Towards this goal of developing and validating a new measure for self-objectification, the Self-Objectification Scale (SOS) was developed. The Self-Objectification Scale is the first scale to be created with two alternative forms for measuring trait and state self-objectification that have undergone analyses for reliability and validity with both men and women. A pilot study of 40 undergraduate men and women was conducted to check the …