Digital Commons Network^™

Prove You Are Not A Dog: Fostering Social Presence In Online Learning, David J. Mulder

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Learning online can be isolating for students. Some students may prefer to be anonymous—on the outset, at least—until they feel comfortable participating in the course. Many instructors value interaction between students or between the student and the instructor, and without a sense of “presence” in the online classroom, some students will be reticent to participate. It is thus incumbent on instructors and instructional designers to create courses that foster interaction between users to develop this sense of being “a real person” online. This chapter examines the concept of social presence, articulates reasons high social presence is a desirable feature in …

Fluid Terror Threat: A Genealogy Of The Racialization Of Arab, Muslim, And South Asian Americans, Louise Cainkar

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Gendered Language And The Construction Of Jewish Identity In 2 Maccabees, Joshua Ezra Burns

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

The Unity Of The Virtues In A Missionary Key, Andrew J. Kim

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

The thesis of the unity of the virtues—one must possess all of the virtues to possess even one of them—was upheld in different forms by Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas. However, contemporary moralists almost universally decry this thesis as distorting the nature of virtue as it is materialized in the lives and actions of ordinary people. Unfortunately, academic discourse regarding the unity of the virtues has tended to be either entirely theoretical or narrowly limited to particular individuals or groups as “test cases” regarding the validity of the thesis. It is both significant and reinvigorating, therefore, that in his apostolic …

Pope Francis And Ecumenism, Susan K. Wood

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Zora Neale Hurston’S Moses, Man Of The Mountain And Biblical Studies, Deirdre Dempsey

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Filling The Gaps In Civil Society The Role Of The Catholic Church In Latin American Democratization, John Thiede, Matthew Carnes

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

In this paper, we seek to draw lessons about the roles that religious institutions can play in promoting democracy in deeply divided societies by examining the experience of the Catholic Church in Latin America. We focus on the cases of Chile and El Salvador, two countries where the Catholic Church played a decisive role in advancing democracy after autocratic military rule. These two cases illustrate where theology and action productively promoted social change in highly conflictual societies. We note challenges to democracy in the region, but also new opportunities in the era of the first Latin American pope, Francis.

The Continuing Duty In Reality: A Preliminary Empirical Look, David M. Siegel, Tigran W. Eldred

Faculty Scholarship

The continuing duty of criminal defense counsel to their former clients, even when those former clients bring post-conviction actions alleging ineffective assistance of counsel, has existed as a national practice standard in capital cases since at least 1987. In addition to its inclusion in the ABA’s Guidelines for the Appointment and Performance of Counsel in Death Penalty Cases since 1989, duties to former clients exist in state ethics rules as well as the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. The duty has been further operationalized in non-capital litigation through a 2010 ABA formal ethics opinion concerning disclosures by trial counsel …

Identifying Factors Contributing Towards Information Security Maturity In An Organization, Madhuri M. Edwards

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Information security capability maturity (ISCM) is a journey towards accurate alignment of business and security objectives, security systems, processes, and tasks integrated with business-enabled IT systems, security enabled organizational culture and decision making, and measurements and continuous improvements of controls and governance comprising security policies, processes, operating procedures, tasks, monitoring, and reporting. Information security capability maturity may be achieved in five levels: performing but ad-hoc, managed, defined, quantitatively governed, and optimized. These five levels need to be achieved in the capability areas of information integrity, information systems assurance, business enablement, security processes, security program management, competency of security team, security …

Assessing The Impact Of A Geospatial Information System For Improving Campus Emergency Decision-Making Of Novice Crisis Managers, Adam R. Albina

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

A significant increase in campus-based emergencies warrants the investigation into emergency management information systems that serve a novice crisis decision-maker. Institutions of higher education that are not large enough to have dedicated emergency management offices generally press novice decision-makers into emergency management roles. An investigation was conducted to assess the impact of an emergency management geospatial information system on the decision performance of novice crisis managers through the use of a scenario-based simulation. A mixed method sequential explanatory method was used to collect quasi-experimental data on decision time, decision accuracy and situational awareness. Qualitative analysis was conducted through interviews with …

Database Streaming Compression On Memory-Limited Machines, Damon F. Bruccoleri

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Dynamic Huffman compression algorithms operate on data-streams with a bounded symbol list. With these algorithms, the complete list of symbols must be contained in main memory or secondary storage. A horizontal format transaction database that is streaming can have a very large item list. Many nodes tax both the processing hardware primary memory size, and the processing time to dynamically maintain the tree. This research investigated Huffman compression of a transaction-streaming database with a very large symbol list, where each item in the transaction database schema’s item list is a symbol to compress. The constraint of a large symbol list …

Factors That Contribute To The Resistance To Cloud Computing Adoption By Tech Companies Vs. Non-Tech Companies, Zadok Hakim

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Cloud computing (CC) may be the most significant development in recent history for businesses seeking to utilize technology. However, the adoption of CC hinges on many factors, and can have a greater positive impact on organizational performance. This study examined the different factors that contribute to the resistance to CC adoption. Anchored in The Theory of Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE), the study used a qualitative, grounded theory approach to develop a theoretical model for the acceptance of CC across firms. CC can have significant effects on efficiency and productivity for firms, but these effects will only be realized if IT usage becomes …

An Operational Management Competency Model For Online Education Administrators, Fanniel Demarks

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Despite the steady rise in online education and increasingly empirical studies on related learning technologies and technology support, there is considerable evidence that the field has not kept the pace with studies related to online education administrators (OEAs). Further investigation was needed into OEAs’ practice of day-to-day administration of their programs. Therefore, this study examined OEAs’ perceptions of their areas of responsibility, tasks to be accomplished and skills and knowledge needed for them to get the job done. A three-round Delphi research technique was employed as a structured group communication method between five participants to answer three research questions. The …

Using Web Conferencing Technology To Foster Inclusive Course Experiences For Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Students, Elissa Weeden

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

A mainstream course has several components that deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students must reconcile. In class, components can include the instructor, projection display, whiteboard, interpreting, and real-time captioning. Outside the classroom, components can include materials from the instructor, notes generated by a note-taker, and a lecture transcript generated via real-time captioning. Web conferencing software can be harnessed to create inclusive experiences for DHH students. Such software can place all components of a class session on a single screen to create a composite screen solution that can be viewed by students in real-time and recorded for later, self-paced review. A composite …

A Developmental Research Of A Taxonomy For Employees’ Mobile Device Cyberslacking And Commitment To The Organization In The Context Of Productivity, Saleh Alharthi

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

While the introduction of the Internet facilitated the communication channels at the workplace to improve employees’ productivity, it also raised new challenges, such as Internet use for personal activities. Organizations face productivity losses due to employees’ involvement in counterproductive behaviors, such as cyberslacking. The frequency of mobile device cyberslacking is anticipated to increase due to continuous developments in online connectivity, applications, and the significant growth of mobile device usage worldwide. In addition, research has shown that employees’ commitment to their organization can encourage behaviors that positively influence productivity. Employee’s commitment is a crucial factor because it can benefit an organization …

Development, Implementation, And Assessment Of An Online Doctoral Student Orientation, Russell J. Garner

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

An examination of the recent literature revealed there are no established standards for orienting online doctoral students. To address this problem, the relevant literature was examined and suggested that doctoral students can be effectively oriented to their academic environment when provided with the requisite programmatic and institutional information, and factors that support socialization and self-efficacy.

A literature-based orientation was developed to examine its impact on students’ first semester success in terms of rates of retention and grade point averages (GPA). This was accomplished using a developmental study approach that included three primary phases: 1) development of a literature-based orientation; 2) …

Design And Development Of Simulation-Based Instruction On Meaningful Use And Interprofessionalism Core Competencies In A Healthcare Team-Based Learning Environment, Elizabeth Oviawe

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Policymakers and electronic health records (EHR) experts agree that healthcare professionals lack proficiency in meaningful use of EHRs. This competency gap can result in increased medical errors. It is essential for health professions graduates to acquire skill sets that are adaptable to any electronic health information technologies including the EHRs to facilitate work process and information access. Simulation as an instructional method to create transformative learning experiences has shown promise in the medical profession. In simulations, learners are able to engage in real-life scenarios and practice their cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills in a safe environment.

The goal was to …

The Impact Of Mindfulness On Non-Malicious Spillage Within Images On Social Networking Sites, Angela D. Landress

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Insider threat by employees in organizations is a problematic issue in today’s fast-paced, internet-driven society. Gone are the days when securing the perimeter of one’s network protected their business. Security threats are now mobile, and employees have the ability to share sensitive business data with hundreds of people instantaneously from mobile devices. While prior research has addressed social networking topics such as trust in relation to information systems, the use of social networking sites, social networking security, and social networking sharing, there is a lack of research in the mindfulness of users who spill sensitive data contained within images posted …

Knowledge Sharing Among Academics In Higher Education Institutions In Saudi Arabia, Fahad M. Alsaadi

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) in Saudi Arabia aims to move toward a knowledge-based economy and many knowledge management (KM) and knowledge sharing (KS) initiatives have been taken to accelerate the achievement of this goal. Despite the substantial body of research into KS in the business environment, research that investigates factors that promote KS practices among academics in higher education institutions (HEIs) is generally limited, but particularly in Saudi Arabia. To bridge this gap, the goal was to explore what individual and organizational factors contribute to a person’s willingness to share knowledge and develop a profile of the current …

Perceptions Of Female Cybersecurity Professionals Toward Factors That Encourage Females To The Cybersecurity Field, Kembley Kay Lingelbach

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Despite multiple national, educational, and industry initiatives, women continue to be underrepresented in the cybersecurity field. Only 11% of cybersecurity professionals, globally, are female. This contributes to the growing overall shortage of workers in the field. This research addressed the significant underrepresentation of females in the cybersecurity workforce. There are many practitioner and industry studies that suggest self-efficacy, discrimination and organizational culture play important roles in the low rate of women in the cybersecurity field. A limited number of scholarly studies identify causal factors; however, there is not a general consensus or framework to explain the problem thoroughly. Moreover, there …

The Influence Of Website Design On Online Trust In Electronic Commerce Retailing Environments, Dinesh Khialani

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

E-commerce retail sales continue to experience significant growth in the United States (U.S.) annually. However, the contribution of e-commerce retail sales towards total retail sales in the U.S. remains low. Furthermore, the growth of e-commerce retail sales from year to year as a percentage of total retail sales in the U.S. is also fractional. The lack of online trust by consumers has been cited as a significant barrier to transacting online and a possible cause of this slow-moving trend.

E-commerce retail sales are paramount to the success and profitability of online merchants. It remains critical to understand the underlying determinants …

Exploring Generational Differences In Text Messaging Usage And Habits, Daniel Wayne Long

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Members of society today embrace multiple communication media for various purposes and intents. Text messaging has been identified as the medium of choice for continual relationship maintenance and text messaging from mobile devices overshadows all other media forms for the support of social connections. Text messaging is changing everything from how operators market their plans to how advertisers and service providers reach consumers. But just as technology usage of social media and internet access are different across generational boundaries, text messaging usage and habits may also be different for various generational groups. The majority of peer-reviewed research regarding text messaging …

Development And Validation Of A Proof-Of-Concept Prototype For Analytics-Based Malicious Cybersecurity Insider Threat In A Real-Time Identification System, Angel L. Hueca

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Insider threat has continued to be one of the most difficult cybersecurity threat vectors detectable by contemporary technologies. Most organizations apply standard technology-based practices to detect unusual network activity. While there have been significant advances in intrusion detection systems (IDS) as well as security incident and event management solutions (SIEM), these technologies fail to take into consideration the human aspects of personality and emotion in computer use and network activity, since insider threats are human-initiated. External influencers impact how an end-user interacts with both colleagues and organizational resources. Taking into consideration external influencers, such as personality, changes in organizational polices …

Development Of A Client-Side Evil Twin Attack Detection System For Public Wi-Fi Hotspots Based On Design Science Approach, Liliana R. Horne

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Users and providers benefit considerably from public Wi-Fi hotspots. Users receive wireless Internet access and providers draw new prospective customers. While users are able to enjoy the ease of Wi-Fi Internet hotspot networks in public more conveniently, they are more susceptible to a particular type of fraud and identify theft, referred to as evil twin attack (ETA). Through setting up an ETA, an attacker can intercept sensitive data such as passwords or credit card information by snooping into the communication links. Since the objective of free open (unencrypted) public Wi-Fi hotspots is to provide ease of accessibility and to entice …

Sequential Analysis Of Affirmation And Disclosure In Couple Interaction: Associations With Relational Uncertainty And Relationship Distress, Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, Kelly Quirk

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

A Multicenter Examination And Strategic Revisions Of The Yale Global Tic Severity Scale, Joseph F. Mcguire, John Piacentini, Eric A. Storch, Tanya K. Murphy, Emily J. Ricketts, Douglas W. Woods, John T. Walkup, Alan L. Peterson, Sabine Wilhelm, Adam B. Lewin, James T. Mccracken, James F. Leckman, Lawrence Scahill

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective To examine the internal consistency and distribution of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) scores to inform modification of the measure.

Methods This cross-sectional study included 617 participants with a tic disorder (516 children and 101 adults), who completed an age-appropriate diagnostic interview and the YGTSS to evaluate tic symptom severity. The distributions of scores on YGTSS dimensions were evaluated for normality and skewness. For dimensions that were skewed across motor and phonic tics, a modified Delphi consensus process was used to revise selected anchor points.

Results Children and adults had similar clinical characteristics, including tic symptom severity. …

Stress And Quality Of Life Among Parents Of Children With Congenital Heart Disease Referred For Psychological Services, Astrida S. Kaugars, Clarissa Shields, Cheryl Brosig

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

The study examined parent stress and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) among families of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) referred for psychological services.

Methods

Parents of 54 children (85% boys) aged 3 to 13 (M_age = 7.48, SD = 2.38) completed measures to assess parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index – Short Form; Pediatric Inventory for Parents) and the PedsQL Family Impact Module. Medical information was retrieved from medical record review.

Results

Half of parents of children with single ventricle anatomy had clinically significant levels of parenting stress. Parents of children with single ventricle anatomy reported more …

Communication Of Military Couples During Deployment Predicting Generalized Anxiety Upon Reunion, Leanne K. Knobloch, Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, Jeremy B. Yorgason

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This study draws on the emotional cycle of deployment model (Pincus, House, Christenson, & Adler, 2001) to consider how the valence of communication between military personnel and at-home partners during deployment predicts their generalized anxiety upon reunion. Online survey data were collected from 555 military couples (N = 1,110 individuals) once per month for 8 consecutive months beginning at homecoming. Dyadic growth curve modeling results indicated that people’s anxiety declined across the transition. For at-home partners, constructive communication during deployment predicted a steeper decline in anxiety over time. For both returning service members and at-home partners, destructive communication during deployment …

Memory And Executive Functions In Alexithymia, Nicolas Vermeulen, Irena Domachowska, Kristy A. Nielson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

The Neuro Clinic: A Pilot Model To Facilitate Student Clinical Development Through In-Class Patient Experiences While Meeting Community Need, Rosanne M. Thomas, Jamie Bayliss

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: To detail the implementation and assessment of a pilot model the Neuro Clinic. This is one component of a Patient Experience Model (PEM) of embedded progressive in-class patient experiences (IcPE) in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program. The Patient Experience Model, an innovative model of experiential learning, was developed to bridge the gap between didactic coursework and clinical education, facilitate progressive patient experiences and assess developing student professional and skill competence.

Methods: The Neuro Clinic was held in laboratory classroom space for six weekly sessions with consistent student: patient triads. Overwhelming patient interest indicated a need in our community …