Digital Commons Network^™

Batterer Rehabilitation: A Needs Assessment Of Three Texas Counties, Grace Campbell

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Lasting Legacy: Local Activist Jose Villa Was A Driver For Positive, Lasting Change, Jose D. Villa

Jose D. Villa Archive

Published for local Metro Silicon Valley newspaper; authored by Gary Singh. August 1-7, 2018. Vol. 34 (21): 12.

Pondering Zeros: Uncovering Hidden Inequities Within A Decade Of Grades, Cassandra Paul

Faculty Publications

When assessing student work, graders will often find that some students will leave one or more problems blank on assessments. Since there is no work shown, the grader has no means to evaluate the student's understanding of a particular problem, and thus awards zero points. This practice punishes the student behavior of leaving a problem blank, but this zero is not necessarily an accurate assessment of student understanding of a particular topic. While some might argue that this grading practice is "fair" in that students know that they can't receive points for answers they don't submit, we share evidence that …

Investigating The Management Of Visitor Experiences In Recreational Boating, Geoffrey Koome Riungu

All Dissertations

Recreational boating is a popular activity on public waterways. Boaters enjoy a multitude of natural lakes and rivers, but these waterways are a limited natural resource. In some cases, crowding caused by high rates of boating participation has strained the capacity of this natural resource base, generating conflict between participants and environmental impacts. Therefore, waterway managers may develop regulations for the number or types of boats allowed at one time. This is often referred to as visitor capacity.

With many waterways in the U.S. located in protected areas (PAs), their management are guided by legal regulations or statutory frameworks such …

Persuasive Intelligence: On The Construction Of Rhetor-Ethical Cognitive Machines, Nathan D. Riggs

All Dissertations

This work concerns the rhetorical and moral agency of machines, offering paths forward in machine ethics as well as problematizing the issue through the development and use of an interdisciplinary framework informed by rhetoric, philosophy of mind, media studies and historical narrative. I argue that cognitive machines of the past as well as those today, such as rapidly improving autonomous vehicles, are unable to make moral decisions themselves foremost because a moral agent must first be a rhetorical agent, capable of persuading and of being persuaded. I show that current machines, artificially intelligent or otherwise, and especially digital computers, are …

Implementing The Green Dot Bystander Intervention Program To Promote Respectful Workplaces In The Construction Trades In Oregon, Maura Kelly, Lindsey Wilkinson

TREC Final Reports

Oregon, like all states across the U.S., has faced challenges in recruiting and retaining a diverse construction workforce. In 2011, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries and the Oregon Department of Transportation partnered to fund the BOLI/ODOT Highway Construction Workforce Development Program, which is intended to improve the stability and diversity of the highway construction workforce by promoting recruitment and retention of apprentices. One component of this program is the Green Dot Bystander Intervention Program for the construction trades in Oregon, which seeks to reduce job site harassment by training workers to intervene when they observe harassment on the …

My Nigeria: Navigating Narratives Of Disappointment And Hope, Jemima Suwa

Research Papers

This paper supplements a documentary film on life in Nigeria. The film features interviews from Nigerian women and men sharing their thoughts on the realities of daily life in the country. The filmmaker uses body movements and dance to navigate the complex feelings arising from the frustrating as well as hopeful stories provided by interviewees. This is the filmmaker’s attempt to reconnect with her home after being away for some time, while also sharing alternative perspectives of her home with the audience.

Look Again—Traditional Women As Nontraditional Students: A New Face In Higher Education, Candi Jones Newell

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the experiences of 13 culturally traditional women who returned to higher education as nontraditional students. An individual unstructured interview, with guiding questions, was held with each woman. This provided the opportunity for these women to articulate their experience. The interviews were transcribed and interpreted using a synthesis of qualitative methods based upon Kvale's method. Seven themes emerged: (a) participants would tell a woman considering a return to school to "do it!" (b) participants saw spousal support as significant in their ability to return to school, (c) participants saw their families as generally supportive of their return to …

What’S Happening During Home Visits? Exploring The Relationship Of Home Visiting Content And Dosage To Parenting Outcomes, Peggy Nygren, Beth Green, Katie Winters, Anna Rockhill

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research has documented modest positive impacts of early childhood home visiting programs. However, understanding more about what home visitors do during visits and how much time they spend on specific topics may provide insight into the variability in effectiveness of services. Methods Outcome data were collected via parent survey at program enrollment and 12 months from 123 women in three MIECHV-funded home visiting models. Home visitors completed weekly home visit content and activity logs. Results Families received an average of 28 visits during the study (3.1 visits per month). Of ten content areas, the three most often discussed were early …

Women's Education, Intergenerational Coresidence, And Household Decision-Making In China, Cheng Cheng

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

ObjectiveThis study examines how intergenerational coresidence modifies the association between women's education and their household decision‐making power in China.BackgroundPast research on how married women's education increases their decision‐making power at home has focused primarily on nuclear families. This article extends prior research by examining how this association varies by household structure. It compares women living with their husbands with those living with both their husbands and parents‐in‐law.MethodThis article used data from the China Family Panel Studies in 2010 and 2014. It employed marginal structural models to address the concern that certain characteristics selecting women of less power into coresidence with …

Collating Historic Weather Observations For The East Asian Region: Challenges, Solutions, And Reanalyses, Fiona Williamson, Rob Allan, Guoyu Ren, Tsz-Cheung Lee, Wing-Hong Lui, Hisayuki Kubota, Jun Matsumoto, Jurg Luterbacher, Clive Wilkinson, Kevin Wood

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Historic instrumental weather observations, made on land or at sea from as early as the 17th century (e.g., Camuffo etal., 2010), are integral to extending our understanding of the decadal and centennial variations of Earth’s climate and forcomparison with paleo-proxy data. The potential of such data is shown to best effect when used in dynamical 4D globalreanalyses to reconstruct climate patterns and fluctuations over more than 250 years, improving climate projections and con-tributing to climate change detection and attribution studies. This longer temporal dimension permits the resolution of morerealizations of decadal to multi-decadal climate variations (Bengtsson et al., 2007). The …

Building Bigness: Reputation, Prominence, And Social Capital In Rural South India, Eleanor A. Power, Elspeth Ready

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Anthropologists have long been concerned with how reputations help people gain the support of others. Here, we study the support ties among adult residents of two Tamil villages, asking how reputational standing in each village mediates access to social support. We find that a reputation for influence has the weakest effect on support ties with others, while a reputation for generosity has the strongest. Further, a reputation for influence is not associated with greater connections to people of “high position” outside the village. Given the weak effects of a reputation for influence, we turn to a network measure of social …

Policy Design And Non-Design: A Continuum Of Formulation Modalities, Michael Howlett, Ishani Mukherjee

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Public policies are the result of efforts made by governments to alter aspects of behavior—both that of their own agents and of society at large—in order to carry out some end or purpose. They are comprised of complex arrangements of policy goals and policy means matched through some decision-making process. These policymaking efforts can be more, or less, systematic in attempting to match ends and means in a logical fashion or can result from much less systematic or rational processes. ‘Policy design’ implies a knowledge-based process in which the choice of means or mechanisms through which policy goals are given …

Gauging Effectiveness: First And Second-Best Policy Design, Ishani Mukherjee, Michael Howlett

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The essence of policy design resides in the articulation of policy options expected to meet government goals. Not all policies are as well or as carefully formulated as they could be, however, and policy studies has been interested for several decades in understanding why policy alternatives are developed, why some are successfully adopted while others are not and how some policies emerge from carefully crafted formulation processes while others are more heavily influenced by other processes such as political, partisan or electoral or legislative bargaining ( Howlett, 2011 ). Why design occurs and how superior designs can be achieved—either all …

The Role Of Critical Literacy In Challenging The Status Quo In Twentieth Century English Children’S Literature, Rene Fleischbein

Dissertations

Although many children’s literature critics focus on the two divides between instruction and delight and between the fantastic and the realist, this dissertation focuses on the occurrences in twentieth century English children’s fantasy of critical literacy, a mode of reading that challenges the status quo of society and gives voice to underrepresented and marginalized groups. Twentieth century English children’s literature is especially concerned with narrative structure and good storytelling rather than with what lessons might be learned from the texts, but lessons are there nonetheless. I examine the works of four authors, E. Nesbit, C. S. Lewis, Diana Wynne Jones, …

Chbe 9130-A: Research Methods In Community And Behavioral Health, Joseph Telfair

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

General Course Description: This course introduces students to research methods in health science. Development and presentation of practicum and research proposals will be the focus of the course. Additional emphasis will be placed on writing skills that will contribute to research projects and grant applications.

Cohe 7234 – Community Health Analysis And Assessment, Moya L. Alfonso

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course familiarizes students with concepts and approaches for community health assessment and analysis. This includes discussion of social action, organizational development, policy advocacy, capacity building, community diagnosis (needs assessment), social networking and coalition formation to bring about health and quality of life improvement. Special focus will be placed on the application of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods and CBPR approaches for assessment.

Changes In Cultural Capital For Native English And Native Spanish-Speaking Families' Children Who Do And Do Not Participate In An Elementary Spanish Dual Immersion Program, Allen Smithee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study is framed in Bourdieu’s theory of capital, which asserts that the choices we make are usually designed to help us become better off economically; that economic capital is, to some degree, exchangeable with other types of capital (e.g., social and cultural); and that other types of capital can be exchanged for economic capital. The purpose of this study was to understand which forms of capital native English-speaking and native Spanish-speaking families believed they would acquire by choosing to participate in or not participate in Spanish dual language immersion.

In this study I interviewed four native Spanish-speaking students who …

Self-Reliance, Social Welfare, And Sacred Landscapes: Mormon Agricultural Spaces And Their Paradoxical Sense Of Place, Anthony Ross Garner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

What is the sense of place of Mormon agricultural landscapes? That is to say, what makes an LDS Church-owned welfare farm or a Mormon family garden meaningful to those who interact with it? In formulating a partial answer to this question, this thesis demonstrates how religious ideals of self-reliance and social welfare explicitly define Mormon agricultural landscapes, providing a sacred sense of their purpose to those who work and benefit from them. However, these sacred landscapes are complicated by developments of industrial agricultural equipment, corporate institutions, and urban demographics, which tend to isolate people from each other and the land …

Socioeconomic Status Influence On Mothers’ Interactions With Infants: Contributions To Early Infant Development, Krista L. Gurko

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children from different socioeconomic backgrounds often have different long-term outcomes in terms of school, language, and emotional wellbeing. At this time, no reasons for these differences have been agreed upon by experts across disciplines. Parents with different personal characteristics and life situations use different types and amounts of interactions with their infants. The social interactions infants experience during their first year of life provide the start of their developmental path in the areas of language and executive control while also guiding their expectations for interactions with people around them.

This study used previously unpublished data from a sample of 79 …

Humans As Sensors: The Influence Of Extreme Heat Vulnerability Factors On Risk Perceptions Across The Contiguous United States, Forrest Scott Schoessow

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Extreme heat events are the deadliest natural hazard in the United States and will continue to get worse in the coming years due to the effects of climate change. As a result, more people will experience deadly heat conditions. This highlights the need for decision-makers to develop better strategies for preventing future losses. How badly individuals are affected by extreme heat depends on many circumstances, such as how high temperatures actually are, weather conditions, and location. For example, a dry 90 °F day in Phoenix is probably more tolerable than a humid 90 °F day in New Orleans for most …

“[Taking] Responsibility For The Community”: Women Claiming Power And Legitimacy In Technical And Professional Communication In India, 1999-2016, Breeanne Matheson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Though the field of technical and professional communication has long been saturated with the narratives of Euro-Western males, technical and professional communication as a field has a responsibility to expand the lens of study to include the experiences of global and nontraditional practitioners. This study examines the experiences of Indian women working as practitioners, building power and legitimacy in a globalized economy. Drawing from interviews with 49 practitioners as well as an analysis of historical documents, this study examines the methods that Indian practitioners have used to build power and legitimacy by founding professional organizations, leveraging their educational opportunities, and …

Why Do They Do That? Understanding Factors Influencing Visitor Spatial Behavior In Parks And Protected Areas, Abigail M. Sisneros-Kidd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Visitors to parks and protected areas within the United States and worldwide often visit these areas with a particular destination in mind, such as seeing Old Faithful erupt in Yellowstone National Park or standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park. These visitor use destinations, and the pathways leading to them, such as trails and roadways, see high levels of use, and as a result, impacts to soil, vegetation, air, water, soundscapes, and night skies that result from this use. The field of recreation ecology studies these impacts to park and protected area resources resulting …

Nonstandard Employment And The Risk Of Divorce In South Korea, Donghyun Kim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite a persistent increase in South Korea’s divorce rate, our understanding of the economic determinants of divorce in South Korea is very limited. In particular, the relationship between nonstandard employment and divorce has received little attention, even though the number of nonstandard employees has rapidly increased in recent years. This paper examines the extent to which one’s employment type is associated with marital dissolution in South Korea, using nationally representative longitudinal data (the Korea Welfare Panel Study from 2007 to 2013). Results from discrete-time hazard models show that for men, the odds of divorce of nonstandard workers are estimated to …

Culture Matters: Career And Life Expectations And Outcomes Among Business School Alumni, Ace Beorchia

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Women have made great strides in narrowing the gender gap in professional fields. However, women are still significantly underrepresented and face substantial challenges in reaching top professional positions in business. Recently, in its Life and Leadership After HBS study, the Harvard Business School surveyed its graduate school alumni to better understand “gendered dimensions of life and career that [are] crucial to advancing women leaders” (Harvard Business School 2013). This groundbreaking study found that both men and women have similar career aspirations and expectations upon graduating from HBS, yet men are more likely than women to achieve their career goals.

My …

Contextual Factors In The Identity Development Of Native American And Latinx Undergraduates In Stem Fields, Angela Marie Enno

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study includes two papers that aimed to provide insights into the experiences of high-achieving Latinx and Native American college students studying science. We wanted to better understand factors that influence these students’ ability to develop a sense of identity that weaves together their hoped-for careers as scientists as well as their cultural identities. We looked at how they feel about working with mentors in science fields who were like them in a variety of ways. We found that many students (especially those with a stronger sense of cultural identity) valued working with mentors who were similar to them in …

Chronic Migraines And Couples: A Grounded Theory Of Adaptation To Chronic Migraines For Patients And Their Partners, Douglas P. Mcphee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was completed to better understand and treat couples wherein one partner suffers from chronic migraines. I interviewed eight couples about their experiences in dealing with migraines as a patient, as a partner, and together. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed by a team of seven researchers. We developed a theory that can be used to understand how patients and their partners adapt to chronic migraines. The theory was grounded in the experiences of the patients and partners who were interviewed. We found that patients and partners alike dealt with burdens and costs associated with chronic migraines. Coping, healthcare, …

The Relationship Between Self-Regulation And Perceived Autonomy Of Psychological Well-Being Among Fifth Grade Christian Private School Students, Benedetto Mongiovi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Increased anxiety, depression, and maladaptive ways of coping among children are evidence of an increase in poor psychological well-being. The purpose of this predictive correlational study was to examine the theory of self-determination that relates natural and intrinsic tendencies of students to behave in an effective and healthy autonomy-supportive way, by examining the predictive relationship of perceived autonomy-support, self-regulation, and psychological well-being of fifth grade Christian private school students. The criterion variable was defined as psychological well-being in this study. The predictor variables were perceived autonomy-support and self-regulation. Data were collected to facilitate this study from 124 fifth grade students …

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• The Georgia Educational Research Association opens call for proposals
• Georgia Southern announces '40 Under 40" Class of 2018
• Georgia Southern University Police Department's K9 Bear to get donation of body armor
• School psychology graduate student attends advocacy institute in Washington, D.C.

A Dual-Process Team Mood Framework Of Team Creativity, Sean Teck Hao Lee

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

While it has been recognized that mood can exert a substantive influence on an individual’s level of creativity, much of the creative needs of organizations today are being fulfilled by brainstorming teams rather than individual employees. As such, researchers have begun to examine the effects of mood on creativity in the context of teams. Existing findings, unfortunately, have not been consistent, such that positive mood has been shown to be beneficial towards team creativity at times (e.g., Grawitch, Munz, Elliott, & Mathis, 2003), while at other times being harmful towards team creativity (e.g., Tsai, Chi, Grandey, & Fung, 2012). Similarly, …