Digital Commons Network^™

Strongly Bonded Supervisory Relationships: Demystifying The Bond Aspect Of The Supervisory Working Alliance, Melissa Heinrich

Dissertations

The current study explores the bond aspect of the supervisory working alliance through the lens of relational-cultural theory (RCT). Previous research posits a quality supervisory relationship is important for effective supervision and clinical outcomes. The Supervisory Working Alliance (SWA; Bordin, 1983) is a pan-theoretical model for the growth process in supervision including (a) mutual agreement on goals for supervision, (b) mutual agreement on associated tasks for accomplishing the goals, and (c) the emotional bond in the supervisory relationship. The process for mutual agreement of goals and tasks seems clear, the bond aspect of the SWA seems less clear. Research concerning …

Color-Blind Racial Ideology, Social Justice Attitudes, And Cultural Competency In U.S. Medical Students And Resident Physicians, Jennifer G. Hahm

Dissertations

Health disparities disproportionately affect the lives of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2015; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services NHQR, 2013). Social conditions, social determinants, and structural inequities have been acknowledged as influential forces on minority health (Link & Phelan, 1995; World Health Organization, 2011). Focusing on eliminating environmental and social conditions affecting the health status of racial and ethnic minorities should be a prerogative for healthcare professionals in reducing health disparities. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between color-blind racial ideology and social justice attitudes …

Risk And Return Comparisons Of Pre-Harvest Marketing Strategies, John Leander Turner V

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper analyzes risk and returns associated with pre-harvest corn grain marketing strategies for the state of Arkansas. Farming is characterized by a volatile environment. Numerous risks are taken by producers in order to provide commodities that are bought and sold by various parties in the supply chain. Price, yield, and production costs vary daily and can have large variation between years. Risk and Return Comparisons of Pre-harvest Marketing Strategies examines the effectiveness of using pre-harvest marketing strategies to enhance returns and to mitigate inherent price risk in the Memphis cash corn market. Thirteen strategies are compared to the October …

Students' Perspective On The Key Elements And Effectiveness Of Problem-Based Learning Group Discussion, Chia-Hsuin Chang, Chiun Hsu, Chao-Chi Ho, Hsiu-Ying Wu, Ai-Tzu Li, Fen-Yu Tseng

Journal of Medical Education

Objective: To study students’ perspective on the key factors and effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) small-group discussions Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using participant observation and semi-structured interviews for data collection. The 4^(th)-year medical students from a Pathology and Pharmacology PBL Group Discussion course in 2016 were invited to join this study. The participants were chosen by purposive sampling and were interviewed after each class session. Results: A total of 17 medical students (eight men and nine women) were interviewed and included in the final analysis. The students considered that the key elements of PBL were motivation triggering, lesson …

A Novel School-Based Suicide Prevention Course For Undergraduate Students, Yi-Yin Lin, Chia-Yi Wu, Ming-Been Lee

Journal of Medical Education

Objective: Mental health problems impact nearly one in four to five college students in Taiwan. Those who developed suicide risks may not have enough educational sources to facilitate help-seeking on campus. Education is an important primary strategy in suicide prevention at schools. The study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a course in the general education field that designed to promote suicide and mental health literacy among college students, and to explore the students' motivations to take this course. Methods: The course contains weekly thematic lectures and group discussions, assignments, and term reports in a semester of eighteen weeks. The …

An Examination Of Physical Exercise And Its Impact On Augmenting Self-Determination Levels Of College-Aged Students, Kenneth William Kirsch Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated a positive link with motivation, physical exercise, and academic success. A current trend within higher education has been to increase student retention as well as deemphasize physical education. Students, who possess a higher degree of self-determined behavior, sustain greater overall success. Administrators have intensified efforts focusing on student retention; however, little research exists connecting physical exercise with self-determination and how these elements could provide solutions to address this problem. Motivation is an element, which drives people to accomplish a task and has the propensity to change when engaged in physical exercise. The motivational reasons why people participate …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between High School Seniors And High School Seniors Participating In A Multi-Year, Looping, School-Based Mentoring Program, Devon Alaine Lassetter

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have indicated that secondary school students were more likely to be truant than primary school students which lead to students dropping out of school and becoming less productive citizens as adults. Researchers have also shown that participation in a school-based mentoring program can positively influence the students and help them make better life decisions. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent a multi-year, looping, school-based mentoring program has on the attendance data, behavioral data, achievement data, and graduation rate of high school seniors at a rural high school in west Georgia. The researcher conducted a …

Barriers Faced By Nontraditional Black Female Students At A Historically Black College Or University, Denata Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers faced by nontraditional Black female students at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). There was an extensive amount of literature regarding barriers faced by nontraditional students; however, there was a limited amount of research and literature on the perceptions of nontraditional Black female students and faculty perceptions regarding these barriers. The study was conducted at a HBCU in the southern part of the United States. Participants in the study included five HBCU faculty and five nontraditional Black female students. In this qualitative descriptive case study, focus groups, surveys, and …

The Cardiovascular Demands Of Division I Sideline Cheerleaders During Training And Football Games, Mckenna Cornett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the autonomic balance and cardiovascular demands of collegiate sideline cheerleaders between practice and game settings, and throughout four quarters of a football game; and to evaluate the physical fitness of collegiate Division I cheerleaders. Eleven cheerleaders volunteered to participate (age; 18.9+0.8y, height; 163.2+4.3cm, and body mass; 64.9+8.7kg). Basic physical fitness was assessed by evaluating blood pressure, resting heart rate, grip strength, and body composition. Physiological data (maximal heart rate [HR], average HR, physiological intensity, physiological load, maximal activity, and average activity) were collected at four practices and four games using a Zephyr …

Effects Of Racial Microaggressions On Black Women’S Work Performance As Government Workers, Samantha-Rae Dickenson

All Theses And Dissertations

This study explored the connection between society’s perception of Black women and their experiences of racial microaggressions in a work environment, and further understand the effect these experiences have on their work performance. Despite federal regulations to eliminate workplace discrimination, there are still racially neutral workplace policies and a lack of inclusion in work environments. Work environments that do not actively account for diversity in formal policies can promote the occurrence of racial microaggressions. Black women’s unique experiences with racial microaggressions may affect their job performance. This study used Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality Theory, and Black Feminist Theory as a …

Special Area Teachers’ Perceptions Of Performance Evaluation Feedback And Professional Development Provided, Christy Isaacs

All Theses And Dissertations

There is significant research showing that teachers are motivated to grow intrinsically through the feedback and professional development opportunities they receive from their principals following the evaluation cycle. The quality of this feedback greatly influences their willingness to continuously improve their practices. However, limited research exists on whether special area teachers receive meaningful feedback and professional development opportunities from their principals, who may lack specialized content knowledge, following their evaluations.

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to explore special area teachers’ perceptions of the feedback and professional development opportunities their principals provided following the evaluation cycle. Participants included …

Superior Memory: An Example Of The Benefits Of Examining Individual Differences In Cognitive Psychology, Lawrence Patihis

Faculty Publications

Comments on an article by Robert Logie (see record 2018-64362-002). Author agrees with Logie that there is potentially much to be gained now from cognitive psychology research that investigates individual differences. Author would add the caveat, and Logie alludes to this too, that the traditional approach of comparing experimental conditions has been more productive than any other and has led to useful general theories (and descriptions of cognitive phenomena) in the areas of perception, attention, memory, and reasoning. Research with experimental-condition comparisons utilizing random assignment has revolutionized psychology and brought a well-rounded understanding of the mind that far surpassed …

The Purpose (And Limits) Of The University, John Inazu

Utah Law Review

Scholars of the university have produced volumes about growing pressures on the coherence and purpose of institutions of higher education. Meanwhile, legal scholars’ writing about the university has typically focused on its First Amendment dimensions. This Article links insights from these two groups of scholars to explore the purpose of the university and defend it against increasing technological, ideological, and cultural pressures. It argues that a better understanding of the relationship between the First Amendment and the university can help strengthen the coherence of the university’s purpose against these pressures. The connection between the First Amendment and institutional purpose is …

The Effects Of Common Core State-Mandated, High-Stakes Testing On Teacher Stress In School Districts In Ohio, Gary P. Wegley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to explore the relationship between Common Core state-mandated, high-stakes testing and the stress levels, as measured by the Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI), of a convenience sampling of 204 secondary teachers in southwest Ohio who were assigned to teach Common Core high-stakes testing subjects and teachers not assigned to teach Common Core high-stakes testing subjects. This study sought to determine whether the Common Core state-mandated, high-stakes testing in the state of Ohio impacted teacher stress. The primary instrument used was the Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI), which was available through an online survey platform. …

A Strategic Evangelism Project For The Youth Of The Newly Formed South Brooklyn Academy Sparklers: The Indiscriminate Distribution Of God's Four Everlasting Covenant Provisions, Courtney W. Wickham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

God’s prophetic word to Jeremiah (31:31-34) echoes God’s plan of redemption which was there, even before the foundation of the earth. In this prophecy, God declares that “He will write His law on the hearts of men”. God’s law is His Word, and this Word “became flesh and dwelt among men” (John 1:14). This Thesis Project focuses on the first stage of Evangelism, sowing. The membership of the South Brooklyn Academy Sparklers Pathfinder Club, represent the youth arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They are passionate about the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) and the Three Angels Messages (Rev. 14:6-12). However, …

Pastoral Burnout Of African American Pastors: Creating Healthy Support Systems And Balance, William E. Johnson Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pastoral self-care is critical in minimizing the symptoms of burnout in ministry. Caught up in the daily demands of ministry, pastors are under tremendous stress as they try to serve God’s people in multiple roles in ministry. Often, pastors are called upon to be counselors, preachers, project managers, students, social activists, and a moral compass for those they lead. Too often, pastors are expected to perform duties with superhuman perfection, life and ministry can get so crowded with obligations and emergencies that pastor’s maintenance of a healthy lifestyle can become unbalanced or cease to exist. This research study will complement …

A Phenomenological Study Of School Counselors' Experiences Following Student Suicide, Suzanne Lea Nichols

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of school counselors who have been impacted by the death of a student by suicide in the United States. The central question of the study was: How do school counselors describe their experiences following the death of a student by suicide? The three subquestions were: (a) How do school counselors describe their reactions when a student dies by suicide? (b) How do school counselors perceive their professional involvements in postvention activities following a student suicide? (c) How do school counselors cope after the death of a …

Comparative Analysis Of Principals And Teachers' Perceptions Of Working Conditions, Brandy Sermons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Prior research on school climate has focused on relationships between teachers and students, peer relationships, order and discipline, student engagement, and academic support to create an environment where students can be academically successful. No universally accepted standard definition encompasses all facets of the school climate construct. Although teacher working conditions have a direct impact on the future of students, few studies exist on teacher and principal perceptions of this construct. This comparative analysis study used archival data from the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey (NCTWCS) to determine if differences existed between teacher and principal perceptions of the working environment. …

A Logistic Regression Study Of How Pre-Enrollment Factors Predict Graduation At A Christian Historically Black University, Tara Laron Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this logistic regression study is to review the pre-admission factors through the lenses of multiple retention constructs and graduation rates at a Christian, Historically Black College or University (HBCU). A binary logistic regression is used to analyze the odds of graduation based on a set of pre-admission factors of first-time freshmen, as predictor variables. In particular, the predictor variables of interest are eligibility of academic support based on academic scholarships, gender, international status, and type of high school attended. The outcome variable of interest is graduation. This study is important because it contributes to the scholarship in …

School Suspension And Academic Achievement For Tenth And Eleventh Grade Male Students: A Correlational Study, Dante' L. Ferguson Sr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between absenteeism due to suspensions and math and reading scores from the 2016 – 2017 Georgia Milestones Test for tenth and eleventh grade regular education, male students. The focus of this study was on determining if math and reading scores on standardized tests could be predicted by the number of days missed from school due to suspensions using a bivariate regression. A total of 93 male high school students in grades ten and eleven who have received one or more out of school suspensions during the previous school term …

Breaking The Silence: A Phenomenological Study Of Introverted Undergraduate Students' Experiences In The Active Learning English Classroom, Richard Lee Green

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of introverted undergraduate students in the active learning English classroom in a community college setting in Florida. Eysenck’s Personality Theory, which provides knowledge about introverts’ preferred method of learning; and Experiential Learning Theory, which presents pertinent information concerning how individuals learn by experience, guided this study. The research questions were as follows: How do introverted undergraduate students describe their experience in an English course structured as an active learning classroom environment (ALC)? How do participants describe the academic atmosphere of the ALC? How do participants describe the effect …

Leadership Matters: The Process Of Leading A Declining Church To Revitalization Utilizing Early Church Principles, Jarvis Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of current literature that exist details the perpetual decline that is occurring in the local church. Nevertheless, the leadership a pastor provides must not be ignored, when there is an attempt to lead a church from decline to revitalization. The purpose of this project is to assist pastors who lead declining churches to revitalization by examining the principles of the early church, which was a church that was vibrant in the area of growth and spiritual life. Based on questionnaires sent to pastors and other ministry leaders, the project will reveal the need for a practical Biblical plan …

Secondary School Principals' Perceptions Of Inclusion For Students With Autism: A Causal-Comparative Study, Jason Brent Conaway

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A person’s perceptions define their reality, and behavior is based on what one believes to be real; therefore, perception is the path to belief, and one usually acts upon belief (Colaianni, 2015). According to Hallinger and Murphy (2012), “Today, we view instructional leadership as an influence process through which leaders identify direction for the school, motivate staff and coordinate school and classroom-based strategies aimed at improvements in teaching and learning” (p. 7). The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to contribute to a body of research surrounding the perceptions of secondary school principals toward the inclusion of students with …

A Phenomenological Study Of Professional Master's Athletic Training Graduates' Lived Clinical Experiences, Laura Ann Wamsley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the shared clinical experiences of post Spring 2014 graduates of CAATE-accredited professional master’s degree programs. The theories guiding this qualitative study were Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning theory as it theorizes that students learn best through experiences, such as clinical education (Witt, Colbert, & Kelly, 2013), and Astin’s (1999) student involvement theory that claims that the effectiveness of any educational policy or program is directly related to the capacity of that policy or practice to increase student involvement, meaning that a clinical education program that is designed to encourage student involvement will …

Increasing Registered Nurse Retention Using A Mentorship Program, Krystle Lynette Forlines

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

To address the nursing shortage, it is imperative that healthcare organizations understand the reasons for nurse turnover and develop programs to retain high quality nurses. A program that has been utilized by healthcare organizations is mentoring. Mentor programs have been found to improve job satisfaction thus improving nurse retention. In addition to focusing on orientation programs for new graduate nurses, mentorship programs can be utilized to assist with experienced nurse retention. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to pilot a three-month mentorship program with registered nurses with one to three years of experience.

Perceived Leadership Style And The Adequate Yearly Progress Status Of Title I Elementary Schools, Gennifer Lynn Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the correlation between perceived leadership style and academic achievement in Title I Virginia elementary schools as measured by Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status. The results of this study could provide education institutions and school districts with insight regarding education for school administration that would enhance characteristics that may increase academic achievement. The researcher examined the correlation between principals’ perceived leadership styles and the AYP status of Title I elementary schools in Virginia through the use of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and Virginia Report Cards, through a point-biserial correlation analysis. This study …

The Relationship Between Epistemological Beliefs And Attitudes Towards Science Of Undergraduate Elementary Education Majors, Renae Reimer Bullock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Much of the educational research that has investigated the attitudes of pre-service elementary educators towards science has seemed to show that their attitudes are negative towards science. Research also indicates that factors of gender, perceived competence, anxiety, perceived relation to their lives, and epistemological beliefs are related to pre-service elementary educators’ attitudes towards science. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between epistemological beliefs of undergraduate elementary education majors at a large, private, faith-based university in the southeastern United States and their attitudes towards science. Schraw et al.’s Epistemological Beliefs Inventory (EBI) (Schraw, Bendixen, & Dunkle, 2002) …

Student Perceptions Of The Online Customer Experience: A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Behavioral And Experiential Factors That Influence Online Student Retention, William Delaney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The acquisition of the accounts blended and online students experienced formed the foundation for this phenomenological investigation. Emanating from the foundation, the findings of the phenomenological investigation suggested both experiential and behavioral factors influenced the blended and online students’ customer experience. The phenomenological investigation concluded that the mechanics of the blended and online students’ customer, experience effected the blended and online students’ persistence to complete the online program.

Meeting “The One” At Midnight Is Your Destiny: The Role Of Yuan In Use Of The Taiwanese Social Network, Dcard, Wen-Yueh Shu

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examines how Taiwanese college students understand the traditional, culturally Chinese concept of Yuan and its role in their use of a new and distinctive Taiwanese social networking site—Dcard. Particular attention is paid to the Dcard’s unique friending mechanism, which provides users the opportunity to connect (or not) with one, seemingly random new friend each day at midnight. Through thematic analysis of 15 semi-structured long interviews, the study finds that Dcard users understand Yuan as a multi-faceted concept pertaining primarily to interpersonal relationships (relationalism). Users perceive Yuan to influence relationships in a predetermined, causal fashion (fatalism), but they still …

"I Just Got Out; I Need A Place To Live": A Business Plan For Transitional Housing, Walker Beverly V

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The United States has a serious epidemic of mass incarceration and high recidivism rates. The U. S. must act on these high recidivism rates by implementing social services programs that help the formerly incarcerated stop committing crimes. The formerly incarcerated are being oppressed by a historic process that has continued to incarcerate and control them, even after they had served their time for their crimes. This project attempts to assist in reducing the high recidivism rates by creating an education-based transitional housing facility with a plethora of supportive services that will be open to formerly incarcerated individuals. This project sheds …