Digital Commons Network^™

How Progressive Communication Methods And Impactful Leadership Styles Led To Success And Growth In Emu's Honors College Student Fellow Program, Lauren Renou

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This research explored the communication methods and leadership styles that had emerged from participants in Eastern Michigan University's Honors College Student Fellow Program. Through a quantitative study, the researcher investigated current and past program participant's impressions of the communication methods and leadership styles that were developed within the Honors College Student Fellow Program. A literature review of other Honors College "Student Fellow" programs provided context for this study.

Multi-Scale Assessment Of Bone Mechanics And The Mineral Phase Of Intramuscular Bone Of Atlantic Herring Fish, Svetlana Zeveleva

Dissertations and Theses

Bone tissue is a complex composite structure made up of a soft organic phase consisting of collagen I and non-collagenous proteins, and a hard inorganic phase consisting of mineral nanoplatelets. Given it’s compositional properties, bone is a unique stiff, tough, and strong biomaterial, making it exceptionally difficult to synthesize ex vivo. While the complete hierarchical structure may change with age and population, the basic building block components of mineralized collagen fibrils, are preserved. This study uses a model of intramuscular bone of the Atlantic herring fish, which present a simple structure, and no process of remodeling.

A multi-scale approach …

The Data Framework: A Collaborative Tool For Assessment At The Unlv Libraries, Starr Hoffman, Ashley Hernandez-Hall

Library Faculty Research

Keeping track of the data that academic libraries capture is a massive task. The University of Nevada - Las Vegas (UNLV) University Libraries developed a data framework as a tracking tool for data points. This framework is both a data dictionary and a manual that records data-gathering procedures. This ensures that the data is continually gathered and reported in the same way, and also ensures that institutional memory of those procedures is preserved, regardless of staff turnover. Additionally, the revised Data Framework, and the revision process, transformed staff attitudes about data reporting and strengthened the libraries' culture of assessment.

Efficacy Of Collaborative Consulting Training Module, Brenda Stone

Theses and Dissertations

Code for America Fellowships pair technologists with local city governments to develop digital tools that support how governments provide service to their communities. The lack of project sustainability following these Fellowships has been a source of dissatisfaction for both Fellows and clients. Code for America supports each Fellow with technical training, but provides no training on consulting techniques that help clients sustain the changes or new technology being introduced. The purpose of this action research study was to determine the efficacy of a collaborative consultation module for the Fellows at Code for America. To gather data, surveys, interviews and analysis …

Exploring The Relationship Between Creativity Training And The Practice Of Pause For Leaders In A World Of Information Overload, Steven M. Ralph Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The exponential growth of technology is driving a pace of change that is consistently disrupting industries around the world. At the same time, creativity has been identified as a top quality future leaders need to possess to navigate these turbulent times (IBM, 2010; Walinga, Cunningham, & MacGregor, 2011). This qualitative phenomenological study explores the role of pause in enhancing personal creativity and creativity training experiences for leaders. While research studies in the fields of creativity, leadership development and information overload are plentiful, there is a lack of research in how the practice of pause might impact creativity training experiences or …

The Stereotypes And Biases That Plague Millennial Leaders: Best Practices And Strategies For Job Promotion, Linda M. Mckenzie

Theses and Dissertations

A dichotomy within U.S. organizations needs attention. Society has labeled millennials as a narcissistic people who have entitlement issues and lack the competencies necessary for globalization. Millennials are firing back with a desire for purposeful work. Meanwhile, the cohort is employed in the workforce with this stigma and experience challenges promoting into executive leadership roles. The purpose of this study is to understand the challenges that millennials face being promoted to executive leadership roles. The literature review explored the top U.S. organizations to discover what sets them apart in distinction. The findings determined that the most successful organizations followed three …

An Analysis Of The Readiness And Confidence Of High School Administrators To Provide Instructional Leadership In Digital School Environments, Andrew Shepherd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceived knowledge and confidence of high school administrators to lead in a digital school environment. This study utilized an exploratory mixed-methods case study analysis along with the 62-item Digital Instructional Leadership Readiness Instrument (DILRI)© to measure school administrators’ knowledge and confidence to lead in a digital school environment. High school administrators within the target school district were requested to complete the DILRI© at two separate points in time: September 2016 and June 2017. Based on these two administrations, this study’s six Research Questions were answered. Research Questions 1, 2, 3, 4, …

An Examination Of Post Implementation Adoption Of Business Intelligence Technologies And The Role Of Training Programs During This Process, Juliana Gully

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study sought to determine if there was any difference in the perception of training modality delivery between participants who attended a face-to-face (F2F) training session or participated in blended training that supported business intelligence (BI) technology adoption. There is minimal information available identifying how training can influence an individual's intention to fully adopt BI technology into daily work processes. Identification of key factors influencing training modalities' effect on technology adoption promotes strategies that allow trainers to better facilitate and develop content that can help organizations to integrating BI technologies into their workflow. This study analyzed survey responses that …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Second-Order Change Leadership Behaviors Of High School Administrators And Student Achievement From 2016-2017, Eugene Pringle Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of a relationship between second-order change leadership behaviors of high school administrators and changes in student achievement from the school year 2016 to 2017 on the Florida Standards Assessment English Language Arts/Reading component and the Algebra 1 End of Course examination in two large urban school districts. This study further sought to determine the leadership behaviors that high school administrators felt had the most impact on student achievement. As a mixed-method research study (N = 69), quantitative and qualitative data were collected for analyses. Quantitative data were collected via the …

Identifying Key Areas Of Worklife And Their Interactive Effect In Explaining Pakistani Nurses’ Burnout, Faisal Qadeer, Amnah Imtiaz, Imran Hameed

Management Faculty Publications

We examined the effect of incongruence in the areas of worklife (AWL) on burnout of nurses. Specifically, we were interested in identifying the most important AWL and interactions among AWL and psychological resilience in explaining nurses’ burnout. Incongruence in the worklife escalates burnout and resilience is a coping trait. The phenomenon needs to be studied in developing countries where entirely different health dilemmas exist. A cross sectional survey was conducted from 147 nurses. SEM through AMOS 21 and Process Macro of SPSS was used for data analysis. Two AWL namely control and reward, emerged out to be the most important …

The Effects Of Various High School Scheduling Models On Student Achievement In Michigan, Russell Edward Pickell

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study reviews research and data to determine whether student achievement is affected by the high school scheduling model, and whether changes in scheduling models result in statistically significant changes in student achievement, as measured by the ACT Composite, ACT English Language Arts, and ACT Math scores. The high school scheduling models included in this study are: six period semester (SPS), five period trimester (FPT), seven period semester (VPS), standard 4x4 block (SB), and alternate day block (ADB). Supportive and non-supportive research are discussed in regard to the impact of the student scheduling model on student achievement.

2017 Georgia Southern University Men's Soccer Media Guide, Georgia Southern University

Men's Soccer Records

• Georgia Southern 2017 Men's Soccer Media Guide & Record Book

Structure And Service Delivery Approach Of The Children’S Bureau’S Resource Centers And Implementation Centers, Tammy Richards, Michelle Graef, Kathy Deserly, Peter Watson, Mark Ells

Center on Children, Families, and the Law: Faculty Publications

The Children’s Bureau (CB) provides a system of training and technical assistance (T/TA) to build the capacity of state and tribal child welfare systems, with the goal of improving outcomes for children and families. During the time period of 2008-2014, this infrastructure included ten National Child Welfare Resource Centers (NRCs), five Child Welfare Implementation Centers (ICs), and a Training and Technical Assistance Coordination Center (TTACC). Individual ICs and NRCs differed in structure and content expertise, yet they served the same jurisdictions and at times provided services concurrently. To increase cohesion and consistency, the NRCs, ICs, TTACC, and CB worked together …

The Role Of Context In It Assimilation: A Multi-Method Study Of A Saas Platform In The Us Nonprofit Sector, Ryan T. Wright, Nicholas Roberts, David W. Wilson

Faculty Publications

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) operate in environments characterized by growing competition for resources and greater stakeholder demands for accountability, which makes deploying and maintaining information systems a struggle. In this competitive, resource-constrained environment, enterprise Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms offer NPOs a cost-effective way access reliable, low-maintenance information technology services. Thus, the extent to which NPOs assimilate SaaS is an important area of inquiry. Yet despite the wealth of research on organizational IT assimilation, we know little regarding whether, when, and how NPOs assimilate IT innovations. We further our understanding of NPO assimilation of SaaS by conducting a context-based study. To do so, …

The Development Of A New Comprehensive Measure Of School Climate And Associations With School Leadership, Christopher J. Maier

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

A positive school climate has been related to increase in student achievement, teacher satisfaction, and teacher retention. One of the most influential aspects of developing a positive school climate hinges on principal leadership style. The Development of a New Comprehensive Measure of School Climate assesses six key areas related to school climate and how principal leadership impacts teacher satisfaction.

From Technology Teacher To Technology Integration Specialist : Preparing For A Paradigm Shift, Jennifer Lynn Penry Dalrymple

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the effectiveness of a professional development program designed specifically to provide foundational knowledge and skills to Technology Teachers in preparation for a transition to a Technology Integration Specialist position. Specifically, it evaluates the Technology Teachers' changes in knowledge and beliefs as a result of the professional development. The program evaluation also looks at the Technology Teachers' perceptions of organizational support and their own abilities to fulfill the Technology Integration Specialist role. All aspects are surveyed prior to and at the conclusion of the professional development program to assess changes. Qualitative data from meeting notes, discussion boards, and …

Implementing Social And Emotional Learning Standards In A High School Setting : A Case Study, Kimberly Melton Lechner

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

A decade ago, Devaney, O'Brian, Resnik, Keister, and Weissberg defined social and emotional learning (SEL) as the process of acquiring skills to identify and manage thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, develop caring, respectful relationships, make responsible decisions, and effectively solve challenging problems. The purpose of this study was to: (a) explore how one high school district utilized existing educational frameworks and practices to implement SEL, (b) understand participants' perspectives regarding the process of SEL implementation as well as its impact, and (c) understand the perceived role of school counselors in SEL implementation. Findings are organized around four key areas: (a) curriculum, …

Influence Of School Librarians As Change Agents : Strategies Using The Power Of Digital Tools For Creating Change, Sara Meyer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated as to how the school librarian acts as a change agent for effective integration of technology in the school curriculum. Four teachers from a Midwestern junior high school participated in this project. The research was conducted as a case study using grounded theory methods for generating theory and analyzing data. To inform the study, Rogers' Diffusion Theory was also applied. The following research questions helped to guide the study: How is a school librarian a change agent for improving technology practices in a junior high school? What are strategies that allow the school librarian to act as …

Safety Mindfulness: The Incorporation Of Low-Dose Mindfulness As A Leading Edge Safety Intervention, Connell Nolan

Theses and Dissertations

With nearly 2.9 million work related injuries in the United States each year and nearly 5,000 work related deaths, opportunities exist to build on existing safety management interventions to improve workplace safety. In addition to the impact on worker’s lives related to workplace safety accidents, workplace related injuries and deaths account for nearly $200 billion in direct costs to U.S. organizations. Current research in the application of workplace mindfulness offers the potential for a leading edge intervention that can lead to increased attention and situational awareness, which could greatly enhance workplace safety. The current study explored the relationship that low-dose …

Planting Seeds: Life Stories Of Awakening Self-Awareness, Aixa Mendez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using real-life stories written by female offenders, Planting seeds - Life Stories of Awakening Self-Awareness seeks to identify the systematic challenges these females may have faced, that in most cases, are the root-causes of their derailment from the societal norms of conduct. Applying the concepts of community and social justice and equality as a lens, this work will attempt to corroborate, as a universal postulate, that the process of sharing life stories can have transformative effects on the individuals and that theatre techniques, such as theatre games and scripting can help identify those impediments to restoring lives. Key to the …

Strategies To Minimize The Effects Of Information Security Threats On Business Performance, Stella Ifeyinwa Okoye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders in Nigeria are concerned about the high rates of business failure and economic loss from security incidents and may not understand strategies for reducing the effects of information security threats on business performance. Guided by general systems theory and transformational leadership theory, the focus of this exploratory multiple case study was to explore the strategies small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) leaders use to minimize the effects of information security threats on business performance. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 5 SME leaders who worked in SME firms that support oil and gas industry sector in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, had …

The Andacollo's Mining Community: Ethnographic Work-Based Approach To Corporate Social Responsibility Policies And Practices, Ubirata De Oliveira

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This ethnographic study was designed to explore the phenomenon of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the mining industry. The research addressed the impacts of a problematic, systemic, and ethnocentric (top-down) CSR approach driven by a transnational mining company, and proposed a novel cultural relativist (bottom-up) CSR approach looking at the social needs of the community. Solving the problem stemming from the ethnocentric approach is important for both the mining company and the community affected by the CSR program, as it will alter dynamics between actors and mitigate social conflicts. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that improve …

Examining Nurse Satisfaction With A Bedside Handover Report Process, Imelda C. Principe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurses' job satisfaction affects work performance at the point of care in hospitals. The incoming nurses who are able to receive a comprehensive patient report at shift change are more prepared in comparison to incoming nurses who are not able to receive a comprehensive patient report to provide care that is safe. The purpose of this project, guided by the theory of organization change, was to explore whether the use of a bedside handover process impacts nurses' satisfaction in an adult postoperative orthopedic and spine unit. A post-implementation survey of the bedside handover process was conducted after one month and …

Exploring The Performance Of The Financial Service Cooperative Industry In Grenada, Rachael Annette Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The 2008 financial crisis impacted the Caribbean financial sector with declining liquidity and profitability, and return on assets falling to 0.7% from 2.6%. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that credit union executives in Grenada used to consistently maintain profitability. The targeted study population consisted of four credit union executives responsible for operations, administration, and regulations in the financial service cooperative industry in Grenada. The social influence of power theory was the conceptual framework that grounded this study. The data collection process included semistructured interviews and document (annual reports and cooperative society laws) review. Data …

Who Owns Human Capital?, Lily Kahng

Faculty Articles

This Article analyzes the tax law's capital income preference through the lens of intellectual capital, an increasingly important driver of economic productivity whose value derives primarily from workers' knowledge, experience and skills. The Article discusses how business owners increasingly are able to "propertize" labor into intellectual capital-to capture the returns on their workers' labor by embedding it in intellectual property and to restrict workers' ability to employ their skills and knowledge elsewhere. The Article then shows how the tax law provides significant subsidies to the process of propertization and thereby contributes to the inequitable distribution of returns between business owners …

Exploring A School Culture And Climate Where Students Can Flourish: Using Focus Group Methodology To Capture Key Stakeholder Perceptions About School Culture And Climate In An Alternative Education High School., Michael Lee Paynter

Dissertations

This study was a qualitative action research project that involved focus groups of key stakeholders at an alternative education high school including: students, teaching staff, classified staff, supervisors, families, and collaborative partners. A semi-structured interview guide was used to discover their perceptions of a school culture and climate where students FLOURISH. The word FLOURISH is used in this research to describe the optimal experience of thriving and growing as well as an acronym that contains the elements that a literature review found to be important for such environments serving the most vulnerable student populations. This type of research is especially …

Communication Strategies Used During Organizational Change In A Health Care Organization, Amber Rose Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than 4.9 million businesses exist in the United States, and leaders within these businesses have to acclimate to change. Clear and effective communication is vital to the success of an organization. According to scholars and health care leaders focusing on strategies to communicate change during organizational change is a critical aspect of sustainability and profitability. The conceptual framework of this study was communication theory. The purpose of this single case study was to explore successful strategies that some health care leaders used to communicate during organizational change in a health care organization in El Paso, Texas. The data collection …

Controlling Chronic Diseases Through Evidence-Based Decision Making: A Group-Randomized Trial, Ross C. Brownson, Peg Allen, Rebekah R. Jacob, Anna Deruyter, Meenakshi Lakshman, Rodrigo S. Reis, Yan Yan

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Calmodulin-Like Proteins Localized To The Conoid Regulate Motility And Cell Invasion By Toxoplasma Gondii, Shaojun Long, Kevin M. Brown, Lisa L. Drewry, Bryan Anthony, Isabelle Q. H. Phan, L. David Sibley

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Evidence-Based Diabetes And Chronic Disease Control Among Local Health Departments: A Multi-Phase Dissemination Study With A Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Trial Component, Renee G. Parks, Rachel G. Tabak, Peg Allen, Elizabeth A. Baker, Katherine A. Stamatakis, Allison R. Poehler, Yan Yan, Marshall H. Chin, Jenine K. Harris, Maureen Dobbins, Ross C. Brownson

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.