Digital Commons Network^™

A Review Of The Association Between Vitamin D And Postpartum Depression, Christa Fernando

Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Research

Vitamin D (specifically vitamin D3) is a lipid soluble essential nutrient. It is found in few foods naturally but can be synthesized upon skin exposure to sunlight. Its intermediate structure in the blood is serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, also called calcidiol, and is formed in the liver. Vitamin D receptors have been found in numerous areas of the brain that are involved in mood-related hormone production. It has also been found to be protective against the brain degradation of Alzheimer’s. Numerous studies have found a significant relationship between vitamin D and major depressive disorder. This review summarizes research on the connection …

Comparison Of Hemodialysis And Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes In The Older Patient Population, Dane Rasmussen

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

The objective of this research and systematic literature review is to determine the dialysis modality of choice for elderly patients with end-stage renal disease. This literature review will compare the outcomes of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, which will be judged by morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. In this review, PubMed, Embase, and DynaMed were searched using a specific set of keywords and mesh headings. Results of the searches were then filtered to include human-only studies, patients over 65 years old, and published within the last ten years. There were 12 studies that met inclusion criteria and were selected for …

The Empower Action Model: A Framework For Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences By Promoting Health, Equity, And Well-Being Across The Life Span, Aditi Srivastav, Melissa Strompolis, Amy Moseley, Kelsay Shania Daniels

Faculty Publications

The empower action model addresses childhood adversity as a root cause of disease by building resilience across multiple levels of influence to promote health, equity, and well-being. The model builds on the current evidence around adverse childhood experiences and merges important frameworks within key areas of public health—the socio-ecological model, protective factors, race equity and inclusion, and the life course perspective. The socio-ecological model is used as the foundation for this model to highlight the multilevel approach needed for improvement in public health. Five key principles that build on the protective factors literature are developed to be applied at each …

Exploring How Primary School Teachers Integrate Children’S Ideas In Science During Teaching And Learning: A Case Of One Primary School In Arua District, Draleku John Jay Milsome

Master of Education

The focus of this study was to establish whether and how primary school teachers integrate children‟s ideas in science during science lessons. Primary pupils are motivated to learn if science lessons are connected to their experiences. World wide, there is a general trend of loss of interest in sciences among students, partly because teaching and learning processes are disconnected from the pupils‟ daily experiences. If planning and implementation of science lessons do not incorporate children‟s ideas in science, conceptual misunderstanding will continue, leading to poor results in sciences. In this study two teachers were selected by purposive sampling, and 12pupils …

Teaching Science For Conceptual Change, An Action Research Of One Primary School At Sumbawanga Municipal, Tanzania, Deusdedit Sabin

Master of Education

In 21st century, it is irrelevant to insist on the conventional method of teaching which perpetuates a teacher-centered approach and sees teaching as the transmission of knowledge instead of knowledge construction. Consequently, teachers are thinking about the strategies they should use to teach while in-cooperate pre-conception of learners in a lesson for learners to construct their own understanding. Therefore this Action research intends to look at the ways of helping teachers to teach science for a conceptual change in primary classes. Moreover, the reason for this study is manifested by the fact that most of the primary school teachers embrace …

Ict In The Classroom: An Examination Of The Use Of Ict’S Among Student Teachers With Visual Impairment (Vi) In One Teacher’S College, Calvin Francis

Master of Education

For the betterment of inclusive education practice for each and every available child, the presence and accessibility to ICT tools and resources must be ensured. This includes the inclusion on innovations and creations of ICT tools that accommodates the needs of special needs society. The innovated tools must be assistive in a way that, may help on reducing social gape between impaired and regular people. The study setup was descriptive qualitative methods which preferred purposive sampling concerning with VI. The data collection technique was interviews and observation and only one document analysis. The collected information was transcribed, coded and analysed …

Exploring The Challenges Faced By Teachers In The Teaching Of Mathematics In Large Classes: A Case Of A Secondary School In Kisumu County, Kisumu West Sub-County In Kenya, Benjamin Agalo Oyoo

Master of Education

It is unclear as to what specific number of learners in a particular classroom would qualify a class to be called a large class. The manner in which teachers handle classes that have few students may not be the same as how they would handle large classes. This implies that as the number of learners increase in a given class, the increase would in most cases come with challenges that may affect the quality of teaching and learning in such classrooms. Mathematics, being one of the most important subjects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) category of subjects, needs …

Investigation Of Wellbeing Of Preschoolers In Shared School Environment, Hamza Shabani

Master of Education

Tanzania as a member of the international community is in the implementation of various conversion which advocates for the wellbeing of children at home and the school environment. This study investigated the wellbeing of preschoolers in a shared school environment at Kiomboi district Singida- Tanzania. The study employed a qualitative approach and case study designed in which interview, observation and document analysis were used as a tool of data collections. Two primary schools were involved in this study where respondents were two preschool teachers, one quality assurer and two heads of school were interviewed during data collection. Data revealed that …

Key Competencies For Teacher Leadership Practice, Vivian Maikweki

Master of Education

The achievement of the organizational goals is significantly hinged on the competencies of its human resource. Schools therefore seek to have competent teachers who possess the right competencies to bring about school improvement as well as improved student outcomes. Teachers who successfully initiate school improvement take up leadership roles and possess the right competencies to execute their teacher leadership roles. This study sought to find out how the key competencies of teacher leadership practice are manifested. The study adopted a mixed methods approach where multiple tools were used to collect data using questionnaires from 118 teachers and 3 Interviews s, …

From Cast-Out To Community: Identifying Barriers In Design That Keep Lgbtq+ Youth From Accessing Homeless Shelters, Leah Przybylski

Theses

There is a gap in homeless youth services in the United States. A vulnerable population, LGBTQ+ individuals comprise nearly 40% of all homeless youth and are particularly susceptible to repeated victimization, trauma, and violence from their community. Current shelters re-traumatize and fail to address the needs of this unique population triggering an extreme aversion to the institutional design aesthetic that many of these services inhabit. LGBTQ+ youth enter a cycle of homelessness and disengagement that perpetuates into adulthood as a result. Why do existing shelters fail to meet the needs of LBGTQ+ homeless youth?

Utilizing a series of diverse theories …

The Creative Self And Creative Thinking: An Exploration Of Predictive Effects Using Bayes Factor Analyses, Richard W. Hass, Jen Katz-Buonincontro, Roni Reiter-Palmon

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present research explored the relationship between the creative self and creative performance. Based on prior research purporting that perceptions of the self can predict behavior, the authors predicted that beliefs about the creative self would predict creative performance. Participants completed two scales on beliefs about their creativity (creative self-efficacy; fixed and growth mindsets about creativity), and then completed two types of creativity tasks: three divergent thinking tasks and one creative-problem-solving scenario. Model comparisons based on constellations of predictors were performed using Bayesian analyses (Bayes factors and Bayesian regression). Results show that creative self-efficacy predicted fluency in divergent thinking but …

General Education Learning Outcomes And Demographic Correlates In University Students In Hong Kong, Lu Yu, Daniel T. L. Shek, Xiaoqin Zhu

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Although there are studies showing that higher education would benefit university students, empirical research that comprehensively assesses student general education learning outcomes and related demographic correlates based on longitudinal data is minimal, especially in the Chinese context. To address the research gaps, the present study was conducted to investigate learning outcomes amongst university students in one university in Hong Kong based on a four-year longitudinal design (N = 460). Four dimensions of student general education learning outcomes were measured, including effective reasoning and problem solving, leadership, moral character, and integration of learning. Results suggested a U-shaped pattern of student …

The Quest For Equal Dignity: Federal Statutory Protection Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination, Alec D. Guy

Missouri Law Review

Over one million Americans are married to someone of the same sex. Although the United States Supreme Court guaranteed the fundamental right of marriage to same-sex couples in 2015, these individuals can still be denied housing or fired from their dream job after getting legally married. For much of history, gay individuals have not been protected by the law, both statutorily and constitutionally. Private individuals are generally still free to discriminate against gay people today because federal statutes rarely prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. Consequently, many have argued that sexual orientation discrimination constitutes unlawful discrimination based on sex. Until …

Scoring Morphology In Measures Of Spelling And Written Morphological Awareness: A Scoping Review, Victor A. Lugo, Kimberly A. Murphy, Emily Diehm

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Experiencing Voice-Activated Artificial Intelligence Assistants In The Home: A Phenomenological Approach, Valerie K. Jones

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Voice-controlled artificial intelligence (AI) assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Assistant, serve as the gateway to the Internet of Things and connected home, executing the commands of its users, providing information, entertainment, utility, and convenience while enabling consumers to bypass the advertising they would typically see on a screen. This “screen-less” communication presents significant challenges for brands used to “pushing” messages to audiences in exchange for the content they seek. It also raises questions about data collection, usage, and privacy. Brands need to understand how and why audiences engage with AI assistants, as well as the risks with these …

Rearing The Collective: The Evolution Of Social Values And Practices In Soviet Schools, 1953–1968, Svetlana Rasmussen

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study examines the functioning of the Soviet school system and how the generation of Soviet children born from 1945 to 1952 internalized Soviet ideology in the school setting. The study argues that the knowledge, skill sets, and social networks Soviet schools provided the postwar generation were forged in the school collectives in the complex negotiation of suretyship relationships. Ideological and administrative agendas of the regional, city and district departments of education forced teachers and students to establish and maintain the relationships of poruka or mutual responsibility for the obligation imposed from above.

The study focuses on the administrative, teaching, …

Misdemeanors For All Purposes? Interpreting Proposition 47’S Ameliorative Scope In A New Era Of Criminal Justice Reform, Kayla Burchuk

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

In 2014, Proposition 47 reclassified seven low-level felonies to misdemeanors, demonstrating voters’ striking rejection of California’s historically punitive sentencing policies. This Note examines the recent wave of California Supreme Court jurisprudence interpreting Proposition 47 by exploring the court’s varied readings of the initiative’s ballot materials and statutory text. While the court has liberally construed relief for affected property crimes, it has responded ambivalently in more controversial areas such as drug offenses, mandatory parole periods, and automatic resentencing. This variation reveals ideological tensions between the goal of expanding ameliorative benefits to low-level offenders and anxiety regarding public safety. This Note analyzes …

William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, November 14-16, 2019, Theatre Arts Discipline

Theatre Programs

University of Minnesota Morris Theatre Discipline production of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare; directed by Ray Schultz.

Synopsis: Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is a tragedy following the conspiracy to assassinate the Roman leader, driven by fears of his growing ambition.

Staying Ahead Of Substance Abuse: The Changing Landscape Of Marijuana Use, Jennifer Smith, Pamela Ashley, Jeanette Harder

Reports

In their comprehensive report, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) (2017) concludes that the United States is in a pivotal time in the world of cannabis policy and research one in which “Shifting public sentiment, conflicting and impeded scientific research, and legislative battles have fueled the debate about what, if any, harms or benefits can be attributed to the use of cannabis or its derivatives” (p. 2).

Psychosocial Adjustment In Children Of Immigrants, Shaza A. Karam

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

For immigrants, assimilation into mainstream society is complex, with numerous layers and experiences across multiple settings (e.g., employment, education, healthcare). In addition, immigrant populations are underserved and under-resourced compared to native populations, with major systemic barriers that influence socioeconomic status as well as immigrant ability to maximize education and employment potential. In turn, these difficulties have an adverse impact on psychosocial wellbeing in immigrants broadly. Immigrant youth are a particularly vulnerable population facing an even more complex set of barriers and challenges in addition to the typical challenges associated with identity development in adolescence. However, multiple factors have been explored …

Graduate Student Professional Quality Of Life Impact Of Self-Compassion, Psychological Flexibility, And Aces, Heather L. Harris

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Traumatic childhood events have the potential to shape later life experiences and choices (Layne et al., 2014). Felitti et al. (1998) found that higher numbers of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) correlate to an increase in health risks and risky behaviors in adulthood. There is currently a lack of research regarding ACEs scores among graduate students in the helping profession. Thomas (2016) noted that graduate students in the helping profession have been overlooked in ACEs research although they tend to have higher rates of adverse childhood experiences than peers in comparable graduate programs. The current study sought to discover the rate …

Sexual Attitudes & Shame: Catholic Women’S Perspectives, Colleen Conklin

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Guilt, particularly around sexuality, is a concept commonly associated with those who practice Catholicism. Additionally, women in the United States (US) often navigate many mixed messages surrounding sexuality. Women who are raised in religious traditions that hold strong messages about the importance of one’s sexuality and its expression may have a particularly complicated relationship with their body and sexual experiences. Nonconsensual sexual experiences also further complicate one’s self image and self-esteem. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential correlations between one’s level of religiosity, shame, and sexual attitudes. These themes were investigated through the implementation of a …

Exploring Barriers That Higher Education Women Presidents And Chancellors Experience During The Centralized Search Process, Lori Sussman

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined emergent barriers revealed by analyzing data from job advertisements, structured survey results, and interviews with past and present women presidents and chancellors of public and private not-for-profit higher education institutions about their selection journey for these jobs. The purpose of this research was to engage women who were past and present presidents or chancellors of public or private nonprofit colleges and universities to explore their experiences with gender-bias during the president/chancellor recruitment, selection, and transition enactment. The first question was to study how gender-bias appears during the recruitment of women candidates for a higher education …

Cultural Competency, Recruitment, And Retention In The International School: A Symbiotic Relationship, Daniel Mullen

All Theses And Dissertations

This study was guided by the following two research questions: (1) How do current international school leaders acculturate new faculty with a specific focus on local host country culture to encourage retention of effective teachers in the international setting? (2) What specific practices do current international leaders use to integrate host country cultural competencies in the orientation and recruitment processes to acculturate new staff? Participation took place through a REDCap online survey distributed to 442 current Academy for International School Heads (AISH) members around the world, with ninety participant responses (20%) collected. Participants were asked specific geographic and demographic background …

Their Story: College Persistence Of Hispanic/Latino Students At Predominantly White Institutions, Zwisel M. Gandía

All Theses And Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study examined the Hispanic/Latino students’ college experiences at Predominantly White, 4-year institutions in an effort to better understand what these students perceived as contributing factors to their sense of belonging and persistence through their first year. Participants included individuals classified as first-year or second-year college students. Data was collected through individual interviews where personal stories were examined by using the student integration model and theory of mattering and marginality to identify reoccurring themes. Identifying these factors was the key motivating factor in determining success and persistence through their first year. From this study, four emergent themes shed …

Slow Law: Temporal Logics In Us Death Penalty Mitigation Investigations, Jesse Cheng

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

From arrest to sentencing, cases in which the defendant is charged with capital murder in the United States take substantially longer to resolve than homicide cases in which prosecutors choose not to seek the death penalty. One might reasonably attribute the slowness of capital trials to heightened procedural safeguards that attend the potential deprivation of life. In this article, I suggest that this explanation, straightforward as it is, glosses over more probing and analytically interesting truths about the complex temporal dimensions of death penalty trials. Based on my experiences as both a former defense advocate and an ethnographic researcher of …

Perseverance Of Gifted And Talented Graduates From International Baccalaureate Diploma Programmes: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jeannie Marie Steelreed

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the perseverance of gifted and talented graduates of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programmes. At this stage of the research, persevering factors are generally defined as characteristics such as academic rigor, family support, and community service, which lead to successful completion of the IBDP upon high school graduation (Atkas & Guven, 2015; Fitzgerald, 2015; Monreal, 2016; Ryan et al., 2014; Saavedra, 2016; Wright & Lee, 2014). Guiding this study was the social cognitive theory, by Albert Bandura, and the social development theory by Lev Vygotsky, as they relate the learning atmosphere to …

A Strategy For Building Healthy Local Churches In Jordan, Kwang Hu Hwang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Evangelical churches in Jordan have faced many challenges in maintaining healthy churches under the Islamic government. The churches in Jordan are not only important for local people, but also for people in the Middle East in fulfilling the Great Commission. This is because many Jordanians visit various Arab countries to have a job and a numerous number of Gulf countries’ people travel to Jordan. The purpose of this thesis is to create a strategy with this context to build healthy local churches in Jordan that can then be involved in fulfilling the Great Commission actively for the local and Arab …

The Relationship Between Teachers’ Understanding And Implementation Of Differentiated Reading Instruction And Third-Graders’ Reading Achievement Scores, Diedre L. Capers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to determine whether the predictor variables, teachers’ perceived understanding and implementation of differentiated instruction, as measured by the Understanding and Implementation of Differentiated Instruction survey, had a relationship to the criterion variable, third-grade students’ reading achievement, as measured by the mClass: Reading 3D Text Reading and Comprehension Test. Using convenience sampling, third grade teachers from six rural North Carolina counties were invited to participate in the study. Data from 54 third grade teachers who consented to participate were analyzed using a Pearson product moment correlation. The results of this study indicated that a …

Comparing Perceived College Persistence Between Students Taking Online Or Residential Dual Enrollment In High School, Dustin Joseph Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Dual enrollment and online education are two factors of education that have become prevalent over the past decade. This rapid growth has resulted in higher attendance rates, but also higher dropout rates. It is the students’ persistence to graduation that demands the attention of all stakeholders. There is an abundance of research showing the value of dual enrollment leading to student success at the collegiate level, but the purpose of this study is to differentiate between online and residential dual enrollment. This study used a causal comparative design to compare the two group means of first-year residential college students taking …