Digital Commons Network^™

How University Department Heads Have Encountered And Overcome Adaptive Challenges In Student Persistence: An Application Of Critical Incident Technique, Kevin L. Flora

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

In the United States, the average attrition rate from freshmen to sophomore year for a 4-year university is 21.7%. After freshmen year, the dropout rate raises to 41% before graduation (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2014). As an administrative appointment, the department head is in a unique position to work with the university and college-level executives to lead faculty in better student persistence efforts. However scholarly inquiry on the relation of student persistence and department heads is lacking. Gmelch (2004) says “academic leaders may be the least studied and most misunderstood management position in the world” (p. 74).

The purpose …

The Sensemaking Experience Of Newly Appointed District Teacher Leader Coordinators: A Case Study, Jill L. Janes

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

In an effort to address diverse needs in K-12 education, policymakers have proposed initiatives to increase the leadership opportunities for classroom teachers. Although teachers have undertaken leadership roles in schools throughout history, the notion of teacher leadership spurred by policy is in the emergent stages. As educators and leaders in various roles implement teacher leadership policy, learning must ensue at both an individual and collective level to adapt schools to a new model of leadership.

This study examined how district-level teacher leader coordinators in one Iowa region came to understand their role as leaders. A case study approach illuminated the …

Fostering A School Culture And Climate Where Creativity Can Thrive: A Case Study Of An International School Principal, Rachel Allen

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The topic of creativity in schools is increasing in popularity with many recent initiatives taking place emphasizing 21^st century skills or the arts. Business literature has indicated the work environment influences worker creativity as well as identified managers as having influence over the work environment. While educational research supports the influence of the principal over the school environment, little research has specifically examined the role of the principal concerning creativity in schools.

The aim of the study was to illuminate the role of the principal in fostering creativity by examining the attributes and actions as self-reported by the principal …

How Feedback And Goal-Setting Impact Children's Recess Physical Activity, Ryann Koufoudakis, Heather Erwin, Aaron Beighle, Michelle L. Thornton

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

In recent years, schools desire to promote physical activity (PA) for their students but are restricted due to resources being expended in other areas of their curriculum, including standardized testing preparation. Recess/lunch periods have potential to contribute important amounts of PA to youth’s overall levels. Interventions to maximize PA during recess are warranted. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the impact of feedback and goal-setting on students’ PA during recess. A sample of 136 (67 females, 69 males) 4^th and 5^th grade students in the Southeast United States wore unsealed Walk4Life pedometers during recess for one …

Women In White: A Retrospective Look At Medical Education At One School Before Title Ix, Karen Clancy

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The Women in White generation of women physicians who graduated from American medical schools between World War II and the enactment of Title IX were trailblazers. They successfully pursued and achieved physician careers during a time when doctoring was still considered “man’s work.” They helped to clear a path to a modern medical student culture where women and men had more choices.

In a 2008 oral history interview, Dr. Jacqueline Noonan, world-renowned pediatric cardiologist, discoverer of the congenital heart condition known as “Noonan Syndrome,” and the first woman appointed to a chairman role at the University of Kentucky College of …

Measuring The Levels Of Athletic Identity And Identity Foreclosure Of National Association Of Intercollegiate Athletics (Naia) Student-Athletes, Gavin P. Washington

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

During a person’s college years they are beginning to form identities and develop a sense of self. One of the most salient identities that college student-athletes identify with is their athletic identity. Numerous research studies have been conducted on the saliency of a student-athlete’s athletic identity, however the vast majority of those research studies examined student-athletes participating at the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division I level. This study was designed to extend the previous investigation of athletic identity and identity foreclosure among college students by focusing on athletes participating at the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) level.

By …

Merit Aid As A Predictor Variable Of Undergraduate Student Enrollment, Joseph P. Bagnoli Jr.

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Merit-based financial aid has long been utilized by college and university enrollment managers to attract the most academically qualified applicants for admission. Considerable research has been done to illustrate the impact of state-based merit aid programs and other scholarly pursuits have drawn attention to the consequences of merit aid on institutional investments in need-based aid. Less is known about the efficacy of merit aid to achieve college student enrollment objectives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between merit aid values and the likelihood of undergraduate student enrollment yield on offers of admission. The primary research question …

Searching For Answers When Girls Don't Perform Well: Evaluating Classroom Discourse And Microculture In A Sixth Grade Science Classroom, Lauren E. Schwartz

Theses and Dissertations--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

This action research project examines the role classroom culture and discourse can play on student learning, with a focus on female students. A sixth grade science classroom was evaluated through analysis of two videotaped astronomy lessons. The classroom environment utilized qualitative methods to examine teacher and student interactions, student and student interactions, and classroom environment. The research project began in response to a previous research project which found that after completing an astronomy unit male students not only out preformed female students, but female students lost gains in several area. Findings suggested that there may be a connection between the …

A Debriefing Technique In High-Fidelity Patient Simulation And Competent Decision-Making Abilities Among Nursing Students, Trena Seago

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

Nursing faculty are utilizing high-fidelity patient simulation (HPS) with debriefing to help engage nursing students in making competent clinical decisions. This quasi-experimental study examined the use of HPS with debriefing and students’ ability to make nursing care decisions using standardized exams. The experimental group received debriefing after HPS and the control group did not receive debriefing after HPS. The pre- and post-test assessed participants’ ability to make clinical care decisions. The analysis of the pre-test and post-test HESI scores showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups.

The Role And Impact Of School Nurses And Intentions To Delegate Diabetes-Related Tasks Amidst Budget Cuts And Legislative Changes, Michelle J. Lineberry

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

As the percentage of school children with chronic conditions such as diabetes continues to rise, funding for school nurses to keep those students healthy and safe is decreasing. This dissertation includes three studies: (1) a systematic review of the literature on the role and impact of American elementary school nurses, (2) a focus group study that further examined the role of Kentucky school nurses and described their reaction to a new regulation that necessitates delegation of diabetes-related nursing tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), and (3) a quantitative study that examined Kentucky school nurses’ past behaviors and future intentions regarding …

Thoughts On American Legal Education: Past, Present And Future, Marc D. Falkoff

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

As a professor and administrator at a public law school, I have witnessed firsthand widespread changes in the legal market for our graduates, and I have observed how that transformation has affected how and what we teach our students. Some of the disruption in the legal market was undoubtedly hastened by the Great Recession. But the truth is that law firms had already turned to computer programs for document review, were increasingly relying on contract lawyers, and had begun outsourcing legal work to India and the Philippines well before the fall of Lehman Brothers in 2008. Moreover, innovations like Legal …

Linking Abusive Supervision To Employee Engagement And Exhaustion, Melinda L. Scheuer, James P. Burton, Larissa K. Barber, Lisa M. Finkelstein, Christopher P. Parker

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

This research extends the differentiated job demands-resource model by integrating the main propositions of the transactional theory of stress to examine how cognitive appraisal processes link employee perceptions of abusive supervision to engagement and exhaustion. Two studies were conducted using a broad sample of employees. Study 1 developed the abusive supervision demand appraisal measure (ABSDAM). Study 2 examined the role that challenge or hindrance demand appraisals play in employee reactions to perceptions of abusive supervision. Study 1 determined the ABSDAM was a valid means to measure how employees appraise abusive supervision as a challenge and/or hindrance demand. Study 2 found …

The Intersection Of Culture And Icf-Cy Personal And Environmental Factors For Alternative And Augmentative Communication, Danai Kasambira Fannin

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Clinicians facilitate successful use of Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC). The most clinically competent providers, however, address needs that extend beyond technical AAC use to help clients experience full participation. This can only be achieved for all clients by considering individual cultural factors that affect their participation. This article describes how Personal and Environmental Factors of the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Children & Youth Version (ICF-CY; WHO, 2007) encompass how cultural characteristics (e.g., family/ home, school, recreational, social, or spiritual) impact participation. The ICF-CY can provide a structured way for Speech-Language Pathologists to …

Exploring Organizational Resilience Asset And Its Antecedents For Effective Internal Crisis Communication, Young Kim

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Nowadays crises are omnipresent with daily news headlines as reminders. The public continues to see or experience many different crises that affect numerous individuals and organizations as well as society in general. Against this backdrop, corporate communication professionals, for effective crisis management, are expected to help the organizations and their leaders make decisions, as well as communicate clearly when crises arise. Considering a fast changing media environment, recent scholars have called for new approaches to crisis communication to enhance theoretical developments. They suggested that researchers should take a broader context beyond the dominant crisis communication research perspectives based on the …

A Critical Examination Of The Rehearsal Frame Model, Allison Elise Carroll

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the practical adequacy of Duke’s (1994) rehearsal frame model as a “middle ground” perspective sequential outline of rehearsal events that lead to positive musical change. Observation and video recording of three accomplished high school band directors’ rehearsals generated data that allowed for a comparison between the model and actual practice. Results suggested that all parts of the original model need not be present, nor must they occur in the originally stated order for rehearsal frames to take place and direct students toward positive musical change. An amended model of the rehearsal frame …

Class-Related Emotions In Physical Education: A Control-Value Theory Approach, Kelly L. Simonton

LSU Master's Theses

This study investigated a model of students’ control beliefs and task value in physical education (PE). Specifically, it examined relationships among students’ perceptions of their teachers’ communication and instructional clarity, control beliefs and values toward PE, and academic emotions. High school students (N= 529) completed valid and reliable instruments assessing perceptions of teacher characteristics, control, value, enjoyment, and boredom in PE. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and internal reliability estimates were calculated. A path analysis was used to test the hypothesis that teacher communication and clarity would be related to control-value appraisals which would in turn, positively predict enjoyment or boredom. …

Masculinity And Social Change: Exploring Generative Masculinity Development In Resident Assistant Men Through The Social Change Model Of Leadership Development, Joshua David Finch

LSU Master's Theses

In this study, men’s identity development among Resident Assistants (RAs) at Louisiana State University is investigated using a constructivist approach. Societal expectations of men tend to value hegemonic masculinity, which reinforces a drive for dominance, objectification, and high-risk behaviors (Edwards & Jones, 2009). Whereas, generative masculinity is characterized by a sense of responsibility, desire to give back, comfort with self, willingness to confront and break gender stereotypes, and the use of personal strengths to foster wellbeing (Badaszewski, 2014). Many characteristics of generative masculinity align with the Seven C’s of Social Change as described in the Social Change Model of Leadership …

Interrelationships Among Physical Health, Health Risk Factors, Psychosocial Characteristics, And Social Support In Individuals With Major Depressive Disorder Receiving Integrated Care In Community Mental Health Settings, Blaine Stewart Masinter

LSU Master's Theses

Integrated primary and behavioral health care (PBHC) programs in community mental health (CMH) settings is a topic of burgeoning interest in the current literature. These settings aim to counter the health discrepancies and inordinate mortality of persons with serious mental illness (SMI) and comorbid medical conditions. Within the SMI population, the most prevalent diagnosis is Major Depression (MDD). MDD has been well studied in the literature and has been associated with increased rates of physical health conditions. Research has correlated higher levels of social support to lower levels of psychological distress and increased physical health. This cross-sectional, descriptive study examines …

Succession In Family Owned Businesses: The Influence Of Succession Planning And Demographic Characteristics On Succession Success, Steven Thomas Perret

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence selected aspects of succession planning and selected demographic characteristics had on the level of success in the succession of family owned businesses (FOB¡¯s) in south Louisiana. To achieve this, the researcher designed a survey instrument to collect data. A total of 61 FOB¡¯s responded indicating they completed succession; however, only 23 or (38%) completed a planned succession to the next generation. An important finding was that having a high quality succession plan had a positive influence on the perceptions of family owned business owners and managers. Another important finding …

Black Girl Magic: How Black Women Administrators Navigate The Intersection Of Race And Gender In Workspace Silos At Predominantly White Institutions, Allison Michelle Smith

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In choosing to look at the impact of white racially homogeneous work environments, if any, in relation to Black women higher education administrators, this research was grounded in Patricia Hill Collins’ Black Feminist Thought. Utilizing Black Feminist Thought, rooted in intersectionality, provided a sturdy foundation for one interested in conducting research specific to Black women, whether the discourse is race, gender, and/or any other intersecting identities. Black Feminist Thought conveys the message that Black women have similar yet different experiences from White women and similar yet different experiences from Black men, while simultaneously having shared yet different experiences than other …

Relational Effects Of Person-Centered Comfort, Andrea Jean Vickery

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

When faced with stressful events, people seek the comfort of close others. The quality of support we receive from our friends, family members, and romantic partners, in turn, impacts our ability to cope. In addition, how we feel about our close relational partners seems intimately related to their abilities to foster appropriate, rather than maladaptive, coping. Surprisingly, however, the relational effects of support are largely ignored in literature. The two studies that comprise this dissertation incorporate tenets of two influential interpersonal communication theories, Person Centered Theory (PCT) and Relational Framing Theory (RFT), to investigate the relational effects of person-centered comfort. …

Effects Of Various Seating Arrangements On Disruptive Classroom Behavior, Natalie Marie Robichaux

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Both class-wide behavioral interventions and antecedent strategies are commonly used to target disruptive behavior problems and improve classroom management. Typically, antecedent strategies precede behavioral interventions due to their proactive nature. Antecedent strategies, such as altering the classroom seating arrangement, may be more desirable to teachers than behavior interventions due to their simplicity and ability to be easily incorporated into existing routines. Past research, though limited, has demonstrated that row and column seating arrangements are associated with lower disruptions during independent work activities compared to group seating arrangements. In the first study, a multi-element design was used to compare rates of …

Health Benefit Statements Affect Consumer Liking, Emotions, And Purchase Intent: A Case Of Gluten-Free, Sugar Reduced Banana Muffins, Amber Renee Jack

LSU Master's Theses

Product information given to consumers can be used to improve food choices; however, consumers may respond differently depending on the given information. Nutritional information can serve as an instrument to positively influence healthier food choices and purchase intent. The market for gluten-free products reached $5.5 billion in 2015; however, there is a need for development of acceptable gluten-free and sugar-free products driven by consumers who are nowadays more health conscious. Muffin, a high calorie baked-good product, is very popular among consumers and known for its pleasant aroma and sweet taste qualities. There are a number of commercial gluten-free muffin products, …

Testing The Asset-Based Theory Of American Social Welfare: Does A Future-Orientation Mediate The Relationship Between Asset-Ownership And Financial Responsibility?, Louie Fletcher Bickham Iii

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The ownership of financial assets protects American households from experiencing the struggles of income poverty. The asset-based theory of American social welfare, which was conceptualized by Professor Michael Sherraden in 1991 and amended in 2001 by other scholars, posited that social welfare programs diminish the prevalence of poverty by enabling households to save funds to purchase assets. This theory has been scantly tested—especially among American households—despite a great amount of funds being invested into programs designed to help low-income American households to build assets. The only previous study that examined the intermediary role of future-orientations on the effect of asset-ownership …

"I Listen To Their Story, They Listen To My Comments, And Then I Pocket My Fee:" Sherlock Holmes As Rhetorical Equipment For Living, Andrew Cessna Jones

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study argues that Sherlock Holmes serves as rhetorical equipment for living. Using Kenneth Burke’s theory of symbolic appeal and the critical tool proposed in the essay “Literature as Equipment for Living,” I explore how Holmes responds to the rhetorical situation of early nineteenth century England and consider why the Holmes symbol continues to appeal to audiences. I conclude that rhetoric is a necessary component of the Sherlock Holmes symbol and suggest that Holmes’s famous method is rhetorical rather than syllogistic.

Student Internalizing Behavior Screener And Student Externalizing Behavior Screener: An Analysis Of Reliability, Validity, And Usability In Elementary School Populations, Kelsey Lynn Hartman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Universal screening for emotional and behavioral risk in schools facilitates early identification and intervention for students as part of multitiered systems of support. Because early intervention has the potential to mitigate adverse outcomes of emotional and behavioral disorders and schools are prime locations to reach at-risk youth, research on the technical adequacy and usability of universal screeners to identify students for available school-based supports is vital. The purpose of this study was to extend existing research by Cook et al. (2011) and Cook, Volpe, and Gresham (2012) on the technical adequacy and usability of two universal screening measures, the Student …

National Alliance On Mental Illness (Nami) New Orleans Helpline Analysis, Deborah Ann De La Houssaye

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT This study built on prior research about helplines that focused on descriptive accounts of caller profiles (frequent callers, children callers, male/female, reason for calls, help seeking intentions/beliefs, attitudes and expectations of callers); counselor profiles (active listening skills, motivation, empathy, altruism, family peer advocates); and helpline profiles (advantages and limitations of telephone, chat rooms, emails, and texting). The intention of this study was to assess the needs of the organization in order to build a helpline that meets the needs of the clients. It assessed existing data from calls made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) New Orleans …

The Effect Of The Use Of The Students' First Language In Grammar Instruction: A Report On Student Preferences And Performance In The Target Language, Katherine Mickel

LSU Master's Theses

This study explores the effect of the use of the target language (TL) and the first language (L1) during grammar instruction in the foreign language classroom. There is limited evidence regarding the effect of language of instruction on TL acquisition (Tian & Macaro, 2012; Viakinnou-Brinson, Herron, Cole, & Haight, 2012; Antón & DiCamilla, 1999). However, this area warrants further research. As such, the present study investigates teacher language use (Spanish-only, English-only, or no restriction) during the explicit instruction of Spanish object pronouns (direct, indirect, and both combined) to measure the effect of each language condition on students’ object pronoun performance. …

From Ruins To Home The Exploration Of Shikumen’S Development, Xinye Zheng

LSU Master's Theses

The issue of Shikumen is the confliction between urban development and historical value preservation. And the historical value can be better understood with Chinese modern history behind, especially the concession part (an area ruled by foreign countries and don't have the independent rights on economy, politics and military (18, Li)). Because of the historic reason, the residents were made of three main streams, which were international stream, national stream and local movement. Those residences brought their culture into the concession and created a “melting pot”. This melting pot cultural phenomenon was shown in building design of Shikumen. However, with the …

An Ideal-Type Through Innovation Diffusion: Recording The Construction History Of Football Stadiums In The National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (Fbs), Patrick Michael Tutka

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Dr. John Bale (1984) argued sport scholars need to examine whether innovation diffusion occurred in sport. Rogers (1962, 2003) argued innovation diffusion process involves the following: 1) an innovation; 2) an available communication system(s); and occurs 3) over time; and 4) among members of a social system (p. 11). This project also adds geography as suggested by Bale (1984) and Hagerstrand (1952, 1953) to the study of innovation diffusion. The purpose of the current project is to examine whether innovation diffusion exists within the strong social system of college football. The study involves the collection of data on college football …