Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Cultural Awareness Training On Staff In Intergovernmental Service Agreement Facilities, Steven Alan Coffman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No system-wide diversity training exists at Immigration and Customs Enforcement Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) facilities. This study was conducted to determine if diversity training has a short-term effect on cultural awareness of staff in these facilities in the midwestern United States. This information is important to administrations in IGSA facilities when deciding to include diversity training in the annual required training of staff, as the efficacy and relevance have been unknowns. The theoretical foundation of this study is Smircich's organizational culture theory. A nonequivalent control group research design was utilized to collect survey data from 48 participants at 2 midwestern …

Facebook, Parent-Child Relationships, And Emotion Regulation In An Adolescent Sample, Lauren Nicole Crandall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social networking has become an integral part of daily communication and information sharing. Although researchers continue to explore the fields of social networking and emotion regulation separately, there is a lack of research bridging these areas of interest, particularly in the adolescent population. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive relationship between the environmental and social variables of Facebook use, online social connectedness, and quality of parent-child relationship with adolescent emotion regulation. Fogel's social process theory of emotion provided the framework for this study and allowed for examination of the social networking environment. Research questions addressed independent …

Effect Of Differentiated Instruction On Reading Comprehension Of Third Graders, Deborah Davidsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The performance measures from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study revealed no measurable growth in the U.S. average reading scores of 4th graders for the period between 2011 and 2016. Therefore, the diverse learning needs of students need to be customized if the education system is to accomplish its goal to graduate well-informed individuals capable of sustaining a lifestyle conducive to a democratic society. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of differentiated instruction on 3rd graders' reading comprehension. The theoretical foundation for this teaching approach was Vygotsky's zone of proximal development. The research question focused …

Leadership Strategies To Reduce Employees' Occupational Stress, Ransford George Davidson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Job-related aspects of the work environment, such as work pressure, workload, leadership, and management support cause occupational stress and increase costs to organizations. Grounded in the job demands-resources model theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies some bank managers use to reduce employees' occupational stress. The interview process included 5 managers employed at a bank in the Caribbean who successfully implemented strategies that reduced employees' occupational stress. The data collection and analysis process involved face-to-face, semistructured interviews and analysis of organizational documentation. Using the exploratory approach in data analysis, data were systematically integrated, evaluated, and …

A Program Evaluation Of Performing Arts Instruction Used To Improve Soft Skills, Robert Lawrence Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence derived from the 2012 and 2015 College Senior Surveys (CSS) noted showed that college seniors, at a historically Black university, graduated with little to average soft skills. Soft skills, such as personal characteristics and relations with others, are needed for students to succeed in postgraduate careers. The purpose of this study was to assess the level to which performing arts instruction (PAI) courses developed college-level students' soft skills. Kolb's experiential learning theory, which defines the learning process as knowledge and skills developed through experiences, and Stufflebeam's evaluation model, which uses context, input, process, and product, were used to guide …

Perceptions Of Word-Of-Mouth Referral Programs On Recruiting Clients, Jean Louise Goers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Word-of-mouth (WOM) personal referrals are more efficient and influential than other forms of advertising; however, there is a lack of information regarding the value of referral programs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of business owners, staff, and customers of alternative health care organizations in a Midwestern U.S. state about efficient referral strategies, measuring the effect of those strategies, and motivations of consumers to make referrals. Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory of motivation and customer decision-making theories provided the conceptual framework. The research questions addressed how industry leaders perceived and ranked referral strategies …

Phenomenological Study On Female Engineering Leaders In The New York Utility Industry, Shelanda Gonsalves

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the development of women with an engineering background who became leaders. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of female engineering leaders in the New York utility sector. The research problem was why few women with engineering degrees obtain leadership positions. Women comprise half the total working population, yet few hold leadership positions, especially in the utility sector. In this study, 28 women in the New York utility sector shared experiences on their progression from engineer to leadership. The conceptual framework was the Moustakas phenomenological approach, investigating the humanistic properties of …

A Phenomenological Analysis Of Military Personnel's Experiences Of Toxic Leadership, Nikeisha Sewell Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The existing quantitative literature on toxic leadership in the military has primarily explored negative outcomes, gendered military experience, and toxic leadership separately; however, relatively few studies have included all 3. The unidentified connection was critical in determining how toxic leadership varied and left a gap for further research to be conducted from a qualitative, phenomenological perspective. Therefore, this study addressed the manner in which encounters with toxic leadership differed across gender and military rank according to those experiencing it. Using a convenience sampling method, data were gathered through semi structured interviews with 12 Army veterans. Thematic analysis of the data …

Strategies To Retain Employees In The Health Care Industry, Francelia Luis Knight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care leaders who fail to apply effective retention strategies could negatively affect employee well-being, patient outcomes, and business performance. The purpose of this single case study was to explore effective strategies that leaders used to retain employees in a health care organization. Human capital theory was the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected via on-site semistructured interviews with 10 leaders of a Texas health care organization who had a history of retaining employees for a minimum of 2 years from the date of hire, and from the review of organizational documents pertaining to employee retention. Data were …

Texas Success Initiative Test Scores As A Predictor Of College Mathematics Success, Brooke Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Advisors use placement test scores as a means of predicting students' proficiency in mathematics; however, there is a debate about how accurately these scores predict students' success. This nonexperimental quantitative study focused on one test, the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). The purpose of the study was to determine whether the test is an accurate predictor of students' success in college algebra for students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors, and whether students who took the test continued pursuing a STEM major. The theoretical framework for this study was Tinto's theory of retention. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences …

Low-Income Households' Perceived Obstacles And Reactions In Obtaining Affordable Housing, K Mark Leonard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low-income affordable housing remains an issue for the town on Martha's Vineyard where this study was conducted, in which an estimated 54% of low-/moderate-income households spend more than 50% of monthly income on housing. Using Schneider and Ingram's work regarding the social construction of target populations as the foundation, the purpose of this qualitative research was to assess how the perceived social standing and political power contributed to determining the benefits and burdens allocated to the town's low-income households. Data for this study consisted of 14 individual semistructured interviews with members of low-income households who were seeking or in affordable …

Perceptions On The Essential Writing Skills Of Entering First-Year College Students, Jennifer Lloyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some students are entering college and graduating with the inability to write scholarly and professionally. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine the perceptions of college instructors and students about the essential writing skills of entering first-year college students within a Southwestern university. This study provided insight into strategies to engage students in the writing process, both before and after entering college. Vygotsky's social constructivism provided the framework for this study. The research questions included an examination of the perceptions of students' writing skills based on what instructors, students, and writing center personnel observed; what instructors and …

Enhancing The Nurse Aide Student's Knowledge Of Evidence-Based Geriatric Care Practices, Vivienne Mcdaniel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Certified nurse aides provide approximately 65% of care to more than 1.4 million older adults residing in nursing homes who have been diagnosed with 1 or more chronic illnesses or debilitating conditions. Licensed nurses rely on nurse aides to report potentially harmful status changes in geriatric residents. Nurse aides often receive limited education and do not have a structured care process to guide them in their practice in the geriatric population. The purpose of this educational quality improvement project was to develop a geriatric-specific nurse aide care process to increase the knowledge of student nurse aides regarding processes to identify …

Barriers To Oral Care Among African American Adolescents In Prince George's County, Maryland, Nkiruka Soribe Mcginnis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When adolescents forgo oral health treatment, factors that hinder them from obtaining these services put them at risk of detrimental consequences in their oral and overall health. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to identify the various barriers that adolescents encounter causing them to defer oral treatment. Through this study, public health officials, school health care providers, the state, and parents could be made aware of these factors and work together to implement programs and supplemental aid to help adolescents become more knowledgeable of the importance of oral care and encourage them to desire and seek treatment. The …

Teachers' Challenges In Implementing Personalized Learning In Content Areas, Angela Dawn Mosier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the national trend of assessments for gauging student mastery of prescribed curriculum standards which has placed assessment preparation at the forefront of classroom practices, teachers at a midwestern school promoting personalized learning for students, demonstrated inconsistency in implementation among content areas. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study based on expectancy-value theory was used to define the challenges that arise as teachers implemented personalized learning in their content area. The research questions addressed the implementation of 5 personalized learning elements in secondary content areas, how teachers implement each element, and teachers' challenges in implementing personalized learning in their classroom. The quantitative …

The Impact Of Performance Anxiety On Student Nurses In Simulation Settings, Vanessa Nichols

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The benefits of simulation in nursing education are well established. Yet, there is a paucity of literature on the psychological effects of the performance aspect of a student demonstrating skills in the simulation setting. Vocational nursing students may experience anxiety in the simulation setting that is distinctly different than in other testing settings and it can contribute to withdrawal from a nursing. The purpose of this study, guided by Lazarus' transactional model of stress and coping, was to understand if vocational nursing students experience performance anxiety while demonstrating clinical skills in the simulation setting versus other settings such as the …

Middle School Teachers' Technology Integration, Andrea Noonan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although school districts have invested heavily in technology for teachers and students, the problem of inconsistent technology integration permeated a local school district. In order to create a 21st century learning environment for students, teachers must integrate technology with curriculum and evidence-based teaching practices. The purpose of this case study was to investigate current middle school teachers' technology integration in a suburban school district in North Dakota, Midwest Public Schools (pseudonym). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) was used as a conceptual framework to guide the study. This study focused on exploration of current teacher practice in regard to technology integration …

Perspectives Of Primary Care Physicians On Adopting Electronic Medical Records In The Atlanta, Georgia Area, Chris U. Okoro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Slow adoption of electronic medical records (EMR) by primary care physicians in medical office practices has not facilitated the EMR adoption process. The problem is the slow pace of EMR adoption by primary care physicians in the Atlanta, Georgia area has become a public health concern. Research regarding the lived experiences of these physicians with EMR implementation and utilization may identify reasons for the slow adoption. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of primary care physicians, who practice in the Atlanta area, regarding their perception, successes, barriers, and urgency of adoption of EMR in …

Sustainable Leadership In Arts Education Using Alternative Resources In Pennsylvania Title I Schools, Stacy M. Potter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Budgetary constraints have led many educational leaders to limit arts education programming to students across the state of Pennsylvania. The purpose of this qualitative dissertation was to investigate how educational leaders sustain access to arts education programs using alternative budgetary resources for K-12 students in Pennsylvania Title I schools. This multiple case study provided analysis within and across Pennsylvania Title I schools to help fill a gap in the educational leadership literature regarding alternative budgeting strategies to meet programming needs. The conceptual framework integrated transformational leadership, principles of creativity, and budgetary strategies. Key research questions explored sustainability frameworks and the …

Emergency Medical Services First Responder Certification Level's Impact On Ambulance Scene Times, Devin Todd Price

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The foundation of modern-day emergency medical service (EMS) systems began in 1966, based on hospital medical care. Demand for evidence to support prehospital practices that have been in existence for the past half-century has continued to grow; yet, researchers have not adequately explored the relationship between the medical certification level of emergency first responders and the amount of time an ambulance spends on the scene. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine and compare ambulance scene times for emergency responses when basic life support (BLS) certified first responders or advanced life support (ALS) first responders are first on …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Mathematics Teachers' Formative Assessment Feedback, Ryan Rathje

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Formative assessment is supported by research as a process to enhance student learning. A vital aspect in the process is the role of feedback which, based on its use, can support or hinder student learning. The problem addressed in this study was based on the concern of a high school administrator that teachers in the school were not using formative feedback in a manner that supported student learning. The purpose of this instrumental qualitative case study was to explore and understand the assessment and feedback practices of mathematics teachers in a private high school setting. The conceptual framework for this …

A Grounded Theory Of Millennials Job-Hopping, Deborah L. Rivers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corporations are finding it challenging to attract and retain the top talented Millennials. Their frequent job-hopping is costing the U.S. economy $30.5 billion annually despite corporations' best efforts to retain them. The central research question concerns the decision-making process that Millennials use to decide whether to job-hop or stay with an organization. The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a theory that explains the Millennials' process for deciding whether to job-hop or stay with an organization. The conceptual framework for this grounded theory research is generational theory, Herzberg's hygiene and motivational factors, and psychological contract theory. The data …

A Causal Layered Analysis Of Assistive Technology For The Cognitively Impaired Elderly, Dariusz J. Ropiak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Assistive technology may delay cognitively impaired elders' need for long-term institutionalization, and the promote independence. Its use is on the rise, yet the gap between the needs of the cognitive impaired elderly and what developers of the assistive technologies design, manufacture, and implement, remains to be filled. Using Inayatullah's 6-pillar approach, as the guide to the future of assistive technology, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how assistive technologies may fulfill the daily functional needs of the cognitively impaired elderly with Alzheimer's or other dementia by 2037. Data were collected from a focus group of 10 seniors …

Data Use By Middle And Secondary Students In The Digital Age: A Status Report And Future Prospects, Victor R. Lee, Michelle H. Wilkerson

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

What it means to work with data has changed significantly since the preparation and publication of America’s Lab Report(Singer, Hilton, & Schweingruber, 2006)in ways that are impacting students, educators, and the very practice of science. This change is expressing itself most obviously in the abundance of data that can be collected and accessed by students and teachers. There are also notable changes in the types of data (e.g., GPS data, network data, qualitative/verbal data) that are now readily available, and the purposes for which data are collected and analyzed. These shifts have both generated enthusiasm and raised a number …

2018-2019 Undergraduate Bulletin, Rochester Institute Of Technology

RIT Digital Archives

No abstract provided.

Entire Issue Vol. 7 No. 5

internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny (internet Quarterly on Antitrust and Regulation)

vol 7(5)

A Review Of Unsupervised Statistical Learning And Visual Analytics Techniques Applied To Performance Analysis Of Non-Residential Buildings, Clayton Miller, Zoltán Nagy, Arno Schlueter

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Measured and simulated data sources from the built environment are increasing rapidly. It is becoming normal to analyze data from hundreds, or even thousands of buildings at once. Mechanistic, manual analysis of such data sets is time-consuming and not realistic using conventional techniques. Thus, a significant body of literature has been generated using unsupervised statistical learning techniques designed to uncover structure and information quickly with fewer input parameters or metadata about the buildings collected. Further, visual analytics techniques are developed as aids in this process for a human analyst to utilize and interpret the results. This paper reviews publications that …

Strengthening Of Reinforced Masonry Walls Subjected To Out-Of-Plane Pseudo-Static Cyclic Load Using Advanced Composite, Zuhair Al-Jaberi

Doctoral Dissertations

"A number of researchers have conducted experimental tests on unreinforced masonry walls (URM) strengthened with advanced composite materials. Consequently, the strengthening design guidelines are limited in their scope to URM. This research aimed to investigate the behavior of reinforced masonry walls strengthened with advanced composite and subjected to out-of-plane pseudo-static cyclic load. Experimental and analytical studies were conducted to evaluate the performance of different techniques such as near surface mounted (NSM) and externally bonded (EB) fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) with epoxy resin, in addition to NSM with cementitious adhesive and fiber reinforced cementitious material (FRCM). The experimental part included three …

Delineation Of A Coal Combustion Residue Landfill And Underlying Karst Subsurface In Southwest Missouri Using Ert And Masw Surveys, Ruobai Zhao

Doctoral Dissertations

"The safe containment of coal combustion residual (CCR) in landfills was addressed by the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) CCR rule published in 2015. The new rule affects new and existing U.S. based CCR landfills in terms of implementing safeguard systems for safe disposal and contamination control. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) data were acquired across and in proximity to a CCR landfill in southwest Missouri, USA, with the intent to identify potential karst features and seepage pathways.

Electrical resistivity tomography data were acquired using an automated 8-channel resistivity meter and multichannel analysis of …

Cleaning Up The Industry: Improving Protections For Precarious And Child Domestic Workers, Meredith Mcbride

Fordham International Law Journal

No abstract provided.