Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Stigma Associated With Firefighters Seeking Social Support After Experiencing A Traumatic Event, John Richard Tormos

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine stigma associated with firefighters seeking social support after experiencing a traumatic event. This quantitative study employed a survey approach with a cross-sectional design. The researcher self-selected 26 active career firefighters from a medium-sized fire department located in the southeastern United States to participate in the study. Firefighters responded to an array of emergency incidents and were repeatedly exposed to traumatic events. The Secondary Trauma Exposure Scale was employed to answer the first research question: What are the most frequent types of traumatic events that firefighters have experienced? The findings revealed that all of …

Using Video Modeling To Determine The Effects On Play Skills Of Elementary Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Carrietta L. Gaudio

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to enhance the play skills of elementary students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. The current social skills programs available at the writer’s school did not specifically target improving play skills and were not geared toward individuals with autism. The traditional teaching techniques used in the classroom to teach play skills were not adequate, as students continued to show minimal growth on quarterly progress reports and repeated yearly goals focusing on play skills on their individualized education plans.

The writer conducted a study that compared the effects of video modeling and video selfmodeling on play …

Older Adult Caregivers’ Lived Experiences With Debilitated Chronically Ill Relatives In A Rural Southern County, Nancy J. Dameron

Theses and Dissertations

By 2030, the last of the baby boomer generation will reach the age of 65, which will expand the older adult population to more than 70 million in the United States. Based on the inflated numbers of the older adult population and the noted decreased birth rate in the younger population, fewer health-care providers will be available to teach, prepare, train, and assist caregivers in the ongoing care of their ill relatives.

The problem investigated in the study involved the present upsurge of the older adult population living longer and contributing to a shortage of health-care providers for older adults. …

African-American Male Teachers: Examining The Insight, Encounters, And Best Teaching Practices, Brandon Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

The experiences students have in schools has a large effect not only on their career choices but also on the way they interact with other members of society in the future. Specifically, the K-12 education system has an objective of ensuring that all students are adequately prepared to become responsible and productive members of society. Unfortunately, research shows that African-American male students and teachers face comparatively high levels of societal challenges compared to their Caucasian counterparts. General demographic trends reveal a serious concern.

While the number of black students entering the education system is increasing, there is a reduction in …

The Deaf & Law Enforcement Listening Though Deaf Eyes: A Grounded Theory Approach, John L. Garner

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the perceived and practical schism between deaf society and the police when the deaf attempt to obtain police services. The paper challenges current police culture and operating procedures, which tend to marginalize deaf society and largely ignore the mandates contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This qualitative research project is focused upon perceived law enforcement practices and culture through a multi-layered study of police customs, law, policy, and standard operating procedures as experienced, perceived, and reported by deaf individuals.

A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to examine the way law enforcement is perceived by …

Utilization Efficacy Perceptions Of Telepractice For Speech-Language Pathologists And University Faculty And Administrators: A Qualitative Delphi Study, Cybele Wu

Theses and Dissertations

Telepractice (or telehealth, teletherapy, tele-rehabilitation) is becoming more common. Speech-language pathology entered the world of telemedicine later than other fields of medicine. With the increasing size of the aging population with the baby boomers, the need for speech-language pathology can be achieved through practitioners using telepractice. Despite the need, barriers such as reimbursement, licensing, privacy and confidentiality, technology and technology acceptance are hindering the adoption of telepractice. This study uses the Delphi methodology with qualitative data collection and analysis to come to a consensus on how to best regulate and operate telepractice with speech-language pathology so that it is more …

An Analysis Of Selected Clusters Of Fires In Florida (1996 - 2018), Thomas Riley Hall

Theses and Dissertations

Hidden within the day-to-day routine responses of fire departments are possible multiple fires set by individuals in a small area with an unusual frequency. These fires may be the initial announcement of an emerging serial offender who is declaring a wound, an intolerable life situation, or is triggered by unknown events. This study sought to predict incendiary fires within a known cluster by using observable variables, both prior to and after the cluster event. This was done to further our understanding of the characteristics of clusters of intentionally lit fires. This was accomplished by examining the Florida Fire Information Reports …

Evaluation Of Hospitality Curricula, Industry Skillset Expectations And Student Preparedness, Jennifer Aarons

Theses and Dissertations

Colleges and universities have been burdened with the task of preparing students for a successful career in the hospitality industry. As the industry expectations of hospitality and tourism management degree graduates’ change, postsecondary education institutions need to respond to the employment demands of the industry. Also, the global expansion of the hospitality and tourism industry requires that institutions evaluate their degree programs to ensure that graduates possess the essential skillsets to thrive in a global economy.

The purpose of this research is to determine if postsecondary institutions are adequately preparing hospitality and tourism management graduates with the necessary skillsets needed …

A Qualitative Study Exploring Motivation And Engagement Among Millennial Volunteers In Nonprofit Organizations, Joanne Quinones

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation focused on capturing the lived experiences of Millennials and explore their motivation and engagement for volunteering in a nonprofit organization. This study illustrates the importance of civic and social engagement in our society. The Millennials have been labeled as “Genme or the me generation” (Twenge, Campbell, Hoffman, & Lance, 2010, p. 1117; Twenge, 2006, p. 1), as they have been criticized for focusing on their own self-interest. While millennials have been considered as being technologically savvy, since they grew up with the internet. The millennials, have a social interest in offering support to a cause versus an …

Exploring The Impact Of Disaster Response Preparedness By The New York State Military Forces To The World Trade Center September 11, 2001, Terrorist Attacks, Robert L. Wolf

Theses and Dissertations

The problem identified in this study concerned the impact of disaster response preparedness (DRP) from the past, present, and future perspectives. The study explored the experiences of four survivors from the 1993 WTC bombing, the effectiveness of seven New York State Military Forces (NYSMF) deployed to Ground Zero (GZ), and perspectives of five Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals on DRP operations going forward from 9/11.

Following an explorative heuristic research approach, the study utilized a qualitative and content analysis methodology (both qualitative and quantitative aspects) to investigate the problem using published archival interviews from the informants. Minimally, hypothesis testing, and …

Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of An Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Program In Special Education In Jamaica, Keitha Ava Marie Osborne

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was that stakeholders (i.e., graduates, cooperating teachers, principals, and heads of special education departments) of a teacher preparation program in special education at a teachers’ college in western Jamaica had not been asked their perceptions of the effectiveness of the undergraduate program that was started in 2011.

The purpose of the study was to determine stakeholders’ perceptions of the preparedness and effectiveness of graduates of a teacher preparation program in special education at a teachers’ college in western Jamaica. The stakeholders were the recent fulltime graduates of the program, cooperating teachers, principals, and heads …

Competency-Based Clinical Supervision In Applied Behavior Analysis, Yulema Cruz

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation evaluated a new method that provided a systematic way of training and evaluating supervisors in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Using a single-case multiple- baseline across supervisors and supervisees research design, this study assessed the use of a modified behavioral skills protocol (BST) in the training of master’s and doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs/BCBA-Ds) in the supervision of DTT. Additionally, this study evaluated supervisee’s performances before and during the implementation of the modified BST protocol. Included in the new supervisor training curriculum outline (2.0) released by the BACB in 2019, BST is an evidence-based protocol whose efficacy …

Measuring Employee Job Satisfaction During Workplace Downsizing, Trina Sanders

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the effects of workplace downsizing on employee job satisfaction among men and women and employees of different age groups. Results from an employee survey conducted annually by the organizational site indicated that employees had high stress levels, low employee satisfaction and morale, negative attitudes, and a lack of trust of leadership following employee downsizing at the company. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effects of workplace downsizing on employee job satisfaction to determine any differences by gender or age group.

The study utilized a quantitative, descriptive, comparative methodology using …

A Qualitative Study Of The Factors Impacting The College Transfer Experience Of High Achieving Hispanic Graduates, Jennifer Bravo Candelaria

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to understand the factors impacting the college transfer experiences of high achieving Hispanic transfer graduates along their path to earning a bachelor’s degree in less than six years in the Florida Public Post-Secondary System. Existing higher education literature places emphasis on Mexican born and Mexican American students since they make up the largest Hispanic group represented in the United States. The Hispanic community will be the largest minority group in the United States by the year 2060. It is vital for the social mobility and economic progress of Hispanics to earn a post-secondary …

The Effect Of Training And Institutional Support On Title Ix Coordinators' Responses To Sexual Violence On College Campuses, Mercedes M. Pino

Theses and Dissertations

One out of five women in college are victims of sexual assault. The uptick in cases being brought before the US Department of Education for the mishandling of sexual assault cases on college campuses raises a question about the adequacy of the training and support being received by Title IX Coordinators. This study was designed to determine whether Title IX Coordinators are receiving adequate support and sufficient training necessary to adhere to the federal mandates regarding sexual assault on campus, as well as how the Title IX Coordinators’ years of experience relate to the challenges they face.

Using SurveyMonkey, a …

A Qualitative Study Of Common Faculty Perceptions Of Online Healthcare Graduate Students’ Writing Challenges, Latazia Stuart

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to understand and explore common faculty perceptions of why some faculty engage their online healthcare graduate students who are deficient in writing skills to improve and what interventions they used. This study utilized a case study qualitative approach to collect and analyze the data. This study explored online faculty perceptions of online graduate healthcare students writing deficiencies, exploring how they defined it, what beliefs and motivations underlie their decision to engage these students in the improvement of their writing skills, and what interventions they used to address this problem in an online learning environment.

The …

Doing The Math: Building A Foundation Of Joyful And Authentic Math Learning For All Students, 100kin10, Jeff Kennedy

Institute for School Partnership: Research & Publications

The report offers a fresh analysis of the issues surrounding foundational math - including a focus on the highest-leverage places for change - and spotlights models and immediate actions that offer clear strategies for equipping elementary teachers to enable authentic and joyful math learning for all students.

A strong grasp of math concepts at an early age is not only a foundational building block and a gateway to STEM learning, it’s also a major predictor of success later in school and in life. Teachers, proven to be the most important factor in a student’s in-school learning, are a critical lever …

Hate Crimes And Discrimination Against Jews: The Anti-Semitism Phenomenon In The 21st Century, Jon Zemke

Theses and Dissertations

Hate Crimes and Discrimination against Jews: The Anti-Semitism Phenomenon in the 21st Century. Jonathon Zemke, 2018: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. The purpose of this study is to compare the perceptions and opinions of Jewish and non-Jewish adult in Virginia Beach, Virginia regarding Jewish hate crimes, discrimination, the safety of the Jewish population, and general beliefs about the Jewish faith. The study set out to provide an evaluation of opinions regarding hate crimes, discrimination, personal safety, and anti-Semitic propensities among the Jewish population (n=77, 45.29%) compared to the non-Jewish respondents (n=93, 54.71%) examined in …

Kindergarten Parent Engagement And Student Reading Literacy In Title I Schools: A Systematic Literature Review And Meta-Synthesis, Stacy L. M. Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to systematically review research on the relationship between parent engagement and student reading outcomes in Title I schools at Kindergarten level. The following research questions guided this study:

1. What is the relationship between parent engagement and student reading literacy outcomes in low socioeconomic students in kindergarten? Findings show that parent engagement brings parents together with the school staff working with one another to promote a child’s reading literacy. Parent engagement includes the parent as an active member who shares responsibility for a child’s achievement. A need for teacher professional development for teachers on building …

How Do You Like Me Now? Social Media Bridging The Distance In Online Education, Lee Heller

Theses and Dissertations

Distance education has disrupted our educational norm, with students taking more online courses than ever before. Some research has assumed that online students experience a feeling of isolation, disconnect with their institution, and overall, have a diminished educational experience. During the last 10 years, another phenomenon, social media, has also experienced explosive growth, including the largest and most interwoven into modern society: Facebook.

With almost 92% of respondents in this study reporting they use Facebook daily, this study found there was statistical significance (1) between using Facebook for social use and the feelings of isolation; (2) between belonging and participating …

Respect And The Role It Plays In Explaining The Disproportionate Number Of African-Americans Incarcerated, Tina B. Craddock

Theses and Dissertations

This was a quantitative research study that examined the roles respect and self-esteem play within the African American population. There is no disagreement among social scientists that there is a disproportionate number of African Americans incarcerated. This study attempts to offer one possible explanation. This was a quasi-replication of a study conducted nearly two decades ago using African American adolescent males between the ages of 14 to 18. This research study identified a sample population consisting of African American males and females between the ages of 18 and 50. A cross-sectional analysis was utilized using convenience sampling. The research instruments …

Exploring Experiences Of Diverse Faculty With Diverse Students In Distance Education, Theresa West

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to explore faculty’s experiences regarding teaching methods and student-teacher interaction. The interaction between the majority groups and diverse (minority) groups on the college and university campuses needs to be addressed in order for colleges to achieve the universal goal of education for all (Akombo, 2013). Such interactions can be achieved through a curriculum that fosters cultural perspectives within the college communities (Akombo, 2013). Due to the diversity and pluralism of educational environments, academic faculty must be able to discuss multiple cultural perspectives in the classroom (Akombo, 2013). For this reason, the Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory will …

Implementation Of The Instructional Practices Inventory – Technology Process With Fidelity: The Impact On Technology Use And Student Cognitive Engagement, Mekca Rae Wallace-Spurgin

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to determine if students were using the recently purchased Chromebooks as well as if they were cognitively engaged when using the technology. Data collected using the IPI-T process suggested teachers were typically the users of the technology, students were often disengaged, and teachers were asking students to participate in lower-order surface activities. Missing from the process was the implementation of the faculty collaborative sessions.

The writer scheduled dates to collect data three times during the 2018-19 school year. In addition, faculty collaborative sessions were planned and facilitated within one week of collection data. Participating in …

Exploring Factors Related To Customer Service Representatives’ (Csrs) Performance In Call Centers., Ruth R. Jayson-Polk

Theses and Dissertations

This study provides critical research on individual change and its impact on individual performance using the ADKAR change management model. This applied dissertation was designed to research improvement in call monitoring performance scores between two groups of customer service representatives’ (CSRs): the experimental group receiving the ADKAR change management intervention, and the control group, who did not receive the ADKAR change management intervention. The ADKAR change management model (Hiatt, 2006) provided the theoretical framework for the study.

The literature review revealed that change management is a critical component of organizational change but is driven by individual change. The literature informs …

Optimizing Recommendations For Clustering Algorithms Using Meta-Learning, Adam Jilling

Open Access Master's Theses

The field of machine learning (ML) has seen explosive growth over the past decade, largely due to increases in technology and improvements of implementations. As powerful as ML solutions can be, they are still reliant on human input to select the optimal algorithms and parameters. This process is typically done by trial and error, as researchers will select a number of algorithms and choose whichever provides the most desirable result.

This study will use a process called meta-learning to evaluate and analyze datasets and extract a series of meta-features. These features can then be used to intelligently recommend an optimal …

The Relationship Between Personality Of Students In An Intergenerational Program And Attitudes Toward Older Adults, Maryam Marzban

Open Access Master's Theses

With the rapid aging of the population as well as increasing diversity in United State, research on ageism and intergenerational relationships is increasingly warranted. Ageism, or the prejudicial attitudes towards older adults, is seen as one of the most prevalent preconceived judgments that can cause poor treatment, and may even decrease levels of confidence, happiness, and health for older adults (Bishop, 2016). Intergenerational programs can provide many benefits for both younger and older adults, including developing positive changes in attitude towards aging (Wescott & Healy, 2011). Currently, the University of Rhode Island (URI) Engaging Generations: Cyber-Seniors program was developed to …

Data Analytics For Wearable Iot-Based Telemedicine, Rassoul Diouf

Open Access Master's Theses

Parkinson’s disease (PD, Parkinson’s) is a common neurodegenerative disease affecting over 10 million individuals worldwide. Its main marker is the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra, an area of the midbrain. The root cause of PD is currently unknown. Besides, the disease is progressive, and the symptoms worsen as the ones affected grow older. Motor symptoms such as tremors, slowness of movement, and muscular rigidity, along with other non-motor ones, such as trouble with sleep, may occur. The current solutions for PD are medication and, in cases when the disease does not respond to it as much as …

The Role And Function Of School Counselors In Charter Schools, Allison Grabias

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Charter schools have become a mainstream educational reform over the past two decades. Charter schools are public schools, but have autonomy to make decisions independent of local school boards. School counselors across the country use the American School Counselor Association National Model to create and evaluate their comprehensive school counseling programs. Charter schools are based on the idea of innovation and educational reform. Consequently, job roles are frequently redefined. Charter school counselors have been absent from the research. The purpose of this study was to explore the role and function of school counselors in charter schools and examine if their …

A Grounded Theory Approach To Studying Community College Retention And Success Initiatives In Tennessee, Duane D. Gregg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

With the introduction of the Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect, approximately 24 percent of the college student population in the fall of 2018 in Tennessee was made up of community college students. The community college retention and graduation rates need to increase significantly for Tennessee to meet its Drive to 55 goal for degree attainment. The purpose of this grounded theory research study was to identify and understand the different programs, initiatives, and strategies that have been utilized at the five Tennessee community colleges with the highest retention rates between fall 2015 and fall 2017. The theoretical framework for this …

Teachers' Evaluation Of Usefulness Of Professional Development Activities: Examining Roles Of Teacher Collaboration And Administrative Support, Joseph Grovogui

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This study uses a national sample of middle and high mathematics teachers from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) to predict the usefulness of professional development on mathematics reading instruction. We found that teacher collaboration is significantly related to teachers perception of useful professional development on mathematics reading instruction. Although administrative support is expected to provide incentives and opportunities for teachers to grow, this study found that it has no influence in teachers perception of useful professional development in any of the models of the study. With regards to the influence of teacher collaboration and administrative support, our findings showed …