Digital Commons Network^™

Climate Change And Big Business: The Endless Cycle, Angela Steele

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Climate change, as it stands, is a large topic. As it relates to business, it grows exponentially, yet relates to every single one of us. Before the nineteenth century, climate cycles were mostly naturally occurring. Unfortunately, in recent years anthropogenic (human) causes have been introduced. The largest problem is carbon dioxide, which is produced from numerous human activities but largely from the burning of fossil fuels, and leads to massive warming effects on our planet. That’s where business comes in: companies, such as those within the agriculture, fossil fuel, and sunscreen industries, seek multi-million dollar profits off of the warming …

Benefits Of Implementing Visual Arts For Elementary School Students, Desiree Conway

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Walking into an elementary classroom you might have observed that visual arts have been consistently disappearing from elementary school classrooms. Visual arts curriculum is especially important in elementary schools because it helps students to fully understand concepts in other areas of their academics. This senior capstone will focus and discuss the many benefits of implementing visual arts into an elementary school classroom. Through the use of a literature review and interviews with teachers. The findings reveal that when visual arts are implemented into elementary schools, they do indeed serve students well and have positive effects in all academic areas of …

Open Mind And Open Heart: You Matter And Together We Can Overcome Adolescent Mental Health, Susana Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is the importance of providing support that is easily accessible for all students who are faced with mental health challenges. This is an important issue for school districts because the number of students facing mental health challenges has been increasing and without adequate support students do not properly self care. It is argued that many students are currently challenged with mental health, but the support provided by schools is inadequate. Considerations of the issues, required obtaining the perspectives of stakeholders from local high schools, organizations, and families who are currently changed by …

Video Game Audio Techniques Applied To Board Game Companion Applications, Jaydon Osborn

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Video games have been one of the most popular forms of entertainment since the turn of the 20th century. Starting in pinball machines that developed into arcade games and now lovingly into virtual reality, console, and handheld gaming systems, video games have become a normal factor in people's lives. It is no mystery why they are so popular; games not only give us a sense of accomplishment beyond what our physical and mental limits could achieve, but also evoke our imaginations by drawing us into a new world that is magical or something we would never have seen before. Think …

Effects Of English Proficiency On Nursing Student Empowerment And Intent To Leave The Program, Nadja James

Dissertations

Individual (learner) empowerment plays an important role in the learning environment. A more empowered student is more likely to be academically successful and complete their program of study. The findings of this study showed nursing students who felt less empowered had a greater intent to leave their nursing program. Many prelicensure nursing programs struggle with high attrition rates, especially minority students, including students from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. Since effective communication is crucial in the learning environment, students with lower English proficiency tend to struggle in that area. Communication issues affect CALD students’ sense of empowerment and …

Phenomenological Curiosity, Ryan Russell Katz

Dissertations

This transcendental phenomenological study focused on the phenomenon of curiosity. The aim of this research was to explore the following research question with seven research participants: What does curiosity mean? Supported by semi-structured, one-on-one, in-depth phenomenological interviews as the research method, the findings revealed (a) curiosity as an energy for learning and (b) six Curiosity Archetypes defined by the way each gathers, connects, and/or utilizes data to expand consciousness and sense of meaning via creativity. Grappling with curiosity as an energy for learning presents at least three significant educational implications: (a) if curiosity is an energy for learning, then learning …

Elementary Special Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Using The Best Practices Of Video Modeling, Social Stories, And Peer Mediated Interventions To Teach Social Skills For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Naif Ahmed Aldawood

Dissertations

Statistical data from the Centers for Disease Control (2018) indicated autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 1 out of 59 children in American schools. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of special education teachers regarding teaching social skills for K-5 students with ASD; specifically, to see how teachers viewed the effective use of two promising practices (i.e., peer-mediated interventions and social stories) and one evidence-based intervention (i.e., video modeling). The experiences of special education teachers regarding teaching social skills to K-5 students with ASD were explored. Seven special education teachers from school districts in Colorado were interviewed …

Lived Experiences Of Counselors Providing Counseling To Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Jenna Annette Mack

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of counselors providing counseling to adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Eleven professional counselors participated in the study from various regions of the United States. Four themes and 10 subthemes were found. The resulting themes discuss the counselor reactions, previous experiences with ASD, approaches used in counseling, and counselor self-care. The findings exhibit new evidence in the literature such as counselors’ emotional reactions to working with adults with ASD, challenges in balancing adult clients with ASD and their family members, and professional emotional boundaries used as a self-care tool. …

Social Structure Of The Spiny-Tailed Iguana, Ctenosaura Similis, Ann-Elizabeth Nash

Dissertations

Animal social structure, the social connections and patterns of interactions, its personality, and its genetic relatedness can affect a variety of ecological process within a species, including dispersal, predator evasion, disease transmission, and mate acquisition. While animal social structure has been examined in many mammals, birds, fish, and insects, they have not been widely examined in reptiles. There are few studies that have looked at the social structure of lizards, despite the widespread importance of these species. The Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) is a common species throughout it range, from southern Mexico through Panama. In Palo Verde National Park, C. …

Persuasive Narrative: Examining Policy Actor Influences On Accreditation Reform Legislation, Rebecca Lynn Woulfe

Dissertations

Accreditation is an integral component of the higher education landscape. Regional accreditors accredit approximately 7,000 institutions of higher education in the United States. In the decade from 2008 to 2018, these accrediting agencies have been the recipients of significant criticism and demands for change. This study explored federal public policy narrative related to accreditation reform through the lens of Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) theory. The research was bounded by an embedded case study of legislation from the 115th U.S. Congress. The subcomponents identified within the case were two pieces of legislation written to reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA). The …

The Wounded Healer: A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Counselors-In-Training With Complex Trauma Histories, Jessica Leigh Manson

Dissertations

Thirty percent of the general population report one or more traumatic experiences (National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, 2019), and samples of mental health professionals report rates of traumatic experience as high as eighty percent (Pearlman & Mac Ian, 1995). Research on the neurobiological effects of trauma highlights the possibility of a trauma history uniquely impacting counselors-in-training (CITs) in their professional development and counseling work. This study focused on understanding the experiences of counselors-in-training (CITs) with complex trauma histories. Complex trauma is defined as a form of trauma that is chronic in nature and/or timing- specifically, an event perceived as …

Childhood Maltreatment And Working Memory: Considering The Influence Of Anxiety And Emotion Dysregulation, Mackenzie Ann Peake Pohja

Dissertations

This study investigated female college students with and without a history of childhood maltreatment and working memory ability on a traditional and an emotional working memory task. Individual difference variables of current anxiety and emotion dysregulation were also assessed. Some research reports a working memory deficit among individuals with a history of childhood maltreatment. However, some research has not found a relationship between maltreatment history and working memory. Both anxiety and emotion dysregulation are known to be associated with childhood maltreatment. Also, anxiety and emotion dysregulation are associated with poor working memory performance. Previous research has not considered the influence …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Experiences And Perceptions Of Counselor Education Students Who Have Completed An Intensive Social Justice Retreat, Aaron James Henderson

Dissertations

The intention of this phenomenology research study was to better understand the experiences and perceptions of counseling students who attend a weekend intensive social justice retreat. This examination may shed light on whether an intensive social justice experience is a valuable and worthy training modality to compliment the traditional classroom learning environment often found in counselor preparation programs. The data from two semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and research participant journals were utilized from 10 counseling students from CACREP accredited counseling programs in a mid-Western mountain state. Seven themes emerged from the data including: Increased Awareness, Desired for Prolonged Training, …

The Words Of Comparative Law, Olivier Moréteau

Journal Articles

While the word "comparative" refers to a cognitive and intellectual activity supposing that there are several elements to compare, the word "law" is used in the singular, as if law was to be compared to itself The whole phrase indicates that comparison takes place within the study of the law, but the use of the singular does not point to a pluralistic approach: what do we mean by law? Should we not talk about "comparing the laws" or "legal comparison"? With a reflection on the words of the law as a starting point, this paper visits the corpus of comparative …

A Mixed Methods Investigation Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports In A Midwest Middle School, Thomas Dittrich Jr.

Dissertations

The researcher investigated the difference between the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and student achievement scores and the number of failing grades in a Midwest United States suburban public middle school through a mixed methods research study. The collected and analyzed secondary data to complete quantitative research included numbers of office discipline referrals and failing grades, average daily attendance percentages, and percentages of students scoring proficient or advanced on the Missouri Assessment Program tests. Staff members, during the specified timeframe of the study, completed a Google Form survey and provided qualitative data. The z-test for difference in …

Millennial Generation College Students: Observations And Experiences Of Counseling Faculty At Selected California Community College Districts, Antoine Thomas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Higher education, specifically the California community colleges, is being inundated with a large new generation of students called millennials. They are the majority student group enrolled in record numbers at California Community Colleges. California community colleges continue to evolve in order to accommodate millennial generation college students. A phenomenological design was utilized, using face-to-face interviews. This research explores the phenomenon of “millennial college students (millennials)” through the lived experiences of California community college counseling faculty who interact with them. Their observations and experiences could prove to be informative and help advance the purpose of this research.

The following are the …

The Practice Of Self-Care Strategies Among Master Of Social Work Students, Gracie Romero

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined the different types of self-care strategies that Master of Social Work students practice. This study used the National Alliance on Mental Illness Self-Care Inventory, a survey which asks participants about commonly used methods of self-care. Engaging in self-care can bring better understanding and insights on how to prevent the signs of stress while also increasing an individual’s ability to regulate their emotional needs. All MSW students at the California university were invited to participate in the study. The surveys were administered via Qualtrics online survey software to the 68 part-time and o-time MSW students who agreed to …

The Dark Side Of Family Supportive Supervisor Behaviors: Is Getting Help With Family Needs Detrimental To Women's Careers?, Gino Howard

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focuses on the negative impact that family supportive supervisor behaviors may have on career advancement for women in addition to the positive impact of family supportive supervisor behaviors in reducing work-family conflict. Data was collected using an online questionnaire through a university research management system including student participants and snowball sampling through email and social media platforms for a combined sample of 154 participants. Our results showed that increases in family supportive supervisor behaviors is associated with decreases in work-family conflict in agreement with findings in the literature. More specifically, the study showed that family supportive supervisor behaviors …

Design And Development Of A Comprehensive And Interactive Diabetic Parameter Monitoring System - Betictrack, Nusrat Chowdhury

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A novel, interactive Android app has been developed that monitors the health of type 2 diabetic patients in real-time, providing patients and their physicians with real-time feedback on all relevant parameters of diabetes. The app includes modules for recording carbohydrate intake and blood glucose; for reminding patients about the need to take medications on schedule; and for tracking physical activity, using movement data via Bluetooth from a pair of wearable insole devices. Two machine learning models were developed to detect seven physical activities: sitting, standing, walking, running, stair ascent, stair descent and use of elliptical trainers. The SVM and decision …

A Possible Luxr Solo Type Regulator Of An Antibiotic-Like Compound From The Soil Bacterium Rhodococcus, Katelyn Sellick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rhodococcus, a species of bacteria commonly found in the soil, is an under-explored producer of small bioactive compounds including siderophores, pigments and antibiotics. MTM3W5.2 is a strain of Rhodococcus that was previously discovered to produce an antibiotic-like compound that has inhibitory effects on other Rhodococcus strains, including the veterinary pathogen, R. equi. The biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for production of the antibiotic has been identified, and a small gene, BTZ20_3964 at the start of the operon is believed to be a luxR solo regulator of the gene cluster. The goal of this project was to determine this gene’s …

Queer Students’ Perceptions Of Inclusion At Abc Community College: A Phenomenology, Francis Canedo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the lived experiences of Queer students at ABC Community College. Using phenomenology as its guiding framework, transcribed interviews were analyzed in order to seek the phenomenon of the experience. Examination of the literature suggested that Queer students’ experiences of discrimination could have a negative impact on academic achievement and that inclusive and affirming spaces have the opposite effect.

Further, Queer students search for affirming spaces from their faculty and peers, and the engagement these spaces provide may be good prognosticator academic achievement. When students are provided with inclusive spaces, they may be more likely to come …

Blaze, Meg Roussos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The photographer discusses her work in “BLAZE,” a Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibit held at the Tipton Gallery from September 16th through October 4th, 2019. The exhibition consists of 11 archival inkjet prints, two photographic artist books, a nine-channel video installation, representing the artist’s exploration of how to experience the landscape. Using non-traditional approaches to photographic imagery, experimental exhibition layout, the artist forms questions around themes of walking and landscape. The artist investigates sculptural land art installations represented through photographic documentation. A catalog of the exhibit is included at the end of this thesis.

Roussos examines formal and conceptual …

Validation Of The Positive Social Interdependence Readiness Scale For Cooperative Learning, Kung-Pei Tang, Mei-Ling Sheu, Yi-Hsin Elsa Hsu, Ya-Ting Yang, Ruei-Jen Chiou, Chien-Chih Wu, Chien-Yu Chen, Po-Fang Tsai

Journal of Medical Education

Purpose: Many instructional strategies for cooperative learning have been used in medical education, such as team-based education, inter-professional education, and problem-based learning. However, useful assessment tools for investigating students' readiness for cooperative learning are lacking. Therefore, the present study developed the Positive Social Interdependence Readiness Scale (PSIRS) questionnaire based on the cooperative learning theory. This paper presents the development and validation of the PSIRS for use with undergraduate health care students in the context of cooperative learning. Methods: A version of the PSIRS questionnaire was administered to 207 health care undergraduates who participated in cooperative learning activities under three models …

Examining Resiliency In Adolescent Refugees Through The Tree Of Life Activity, Marcella Stark, Brandy Quinn, Katharine Hennessey, Amanda Rutledge

Journal of Youth Development

Grounded in both resiliency science and positive youth development, the research team set out to understand the strengths and resources of adolescent refugees living in northeast Texas. In coordination with a local refugee services agency, members of the research team conducted the Tree of Life activity with 16 participants ranging in age from 13 to 20 years. Identifying 16 codes in the qualitative analyses of participants’ drawings, they organized these codes into 3 themes: self-efficacy, values, and relationships. The authors recommend the use of Tree of Life and other creative arts activities to facilitate the discovery of strengths and resources …

Guiding Principles For Reaching And Engaging Latinx Youth In Youth Development Programs, Fe Moncloa, Nancy Erbstein, Aarti Subramaniam, Claudia Diaz Carrasco

Journal of Youth Development

This qualitative study presents practices associated with sustained youth engagement at 13 Latinx-serving youth development programs located in 3 California counties: 1 rural, 1 suburban, and 1 urban. Empirical findings reflect 5 key dimensions of practice: (a) integrate extended understandings of positive youth development, (b) support positive ethnic identity development, (c) contend with physiological and social effects of discrimination, (d) respond to the ramifications of economic poverty, and (e) act upon the diversity of local and regional Latinx experience. Study findings translate into guiding principles that youth development programs are encouraged to operationalize based on local interests, needs, and resources.

Leisure Experiences And Social Support Systems Of Latino Students With Daca Status, Austin Langley, Gwynn Powell, Toni Liechty, William Haller

Journal of Youth Development

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the leisure experiences of undocumented Latino young adults with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status in order to note any potential links between leisure experience and success in reaching higher education. This population faces a unique set of challenges in their transition to adulthood and their pursuit of and access to higher education. Research suggests that 3 common factors among undocumented young adults who have been successful in reaching higher education are extra-familial mentors, positive social supports, and supplementary educational programming. This study used these 3 factors …

Cultural Immersion Camps And Development Of Ethnic Identity In Asian American Youth, Yi-Ju Wu, Corliss Outley, David Matarrita-Cascante

Journal of Youth Development

The purpose of this study was to explore camp outcomes specialized in ethnic identity among Asian American youth after they participated in a residential cultural immersion camp. In this study, the cultural immersion camp is viewed as a mediating factor that channels other influences in such a way as to guide Asian American youth to commit more expressly and more fully to their perception of ethnic identity. The results obtained from 3 cultural immersion camps located in the Western United States reveals that cultural immersion camp experiences significantly increase perceived levels of ethnic identity among Asian American youth. Implications of …

Community Youth Development Service-Learning: Trauma-Informed And Culturally Responsive, Philip Monte Verde, Marie Watkins, Donovan Enriquez, Shalym Nater-Vazquez

Journal of Youth Development

As the demographics of the United States change, it is important for youth workers to be able to adapt. Most established forms of youth services model the norms and values of the dominant Western culture. To best engage with a complete spectrum of youth, it is vital to take their backgrounds into account. This means being trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and mindful of serving the whole community. This article demonstrates how these salient frameworks informed a partnership between service-learning university students and Puerto Rican youth who were displaced by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Bridging Families And Schools To Prevent Youth From Running Away From Home, Monica Bixby Radu

Journal of Youth Development

Running away from home is a serious problem among American youth. It has been linked to numerous negative social, psychological, and behavioral outcomes. It is well established that family dysfunction is one reason that youth run away from home. However, less research focuses on how both families and schools influence youths’ likelihood of running away from home. Drawing from a sample of 4,546 youth from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, I examine how youths’ perceptions of their schools’ safety, experiences with bully victimization, and bonds with their families and their schools predict the likelihood of running away from …

Leisure Experiences And Social Support Systems Of Latino Students With Daca Status, Austin Langley, Gwynn Powell, Toni Liechty, William Haller

Journal of Youth Development

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the leisure experiences of undocumented Latino young adults with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status in order to note any potential links between leisure experience and success in reaching higher education. This population faces a unique set of challenges in their transition to adulthood and their pursuit of and access to higher education. Research suggests that 3 common factors among undocumented young adults who have been successful in reaching higher education are extra-familial mentors, positive social supports, and supplementary educational programming. This study used these 3 factors …