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Testing For All: An Exploration Of Disproportionality In The Georgia Alternate Assessments, Kelly D. Childers, Meagan Arrastia-Chisholm, Katharine S. Adams, Heather M. Kelley Ph.D.

Georgia Educational Researcher

Public schools use standardized testing to measure students’ academic achievement at the conclusion of each school year. Students with severe cognitive disabilities are evaluated through the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA). The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe the demographic characteristics of students who took the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) and students who took the Georgia Milestones End of Grade Assessment (EOG) in English/Language Arts using publicly available data from the 2014-2015 academic year. Additionally, the study investigated disproportionality of certain student groups who took the GAA and EOG in English/Language Arts. A series of chi-square analyses resulted in …

2019-2020 Georgia Southern University Basketball Media Guide, Georgia Southern University

Men's Basketball Records

• Georgia Southern 2019-20 Men's Basketball Media Guide

2019-2020 Georgia Southern University Women's Basketball Media Guide, Georgia Southern University

Women's Basketball Records

• Georgia Southern 2019-20 Women's Basketball Media Guide

2019-2020 Georgia Southern University Women's Basketball Roster, Georgia Southern University

Women's Basketball Records

• 2019-20 Women's Basketball Roster

Readiness To Train: Return To Baseline Strength And Velocity Following Strength Or Power Training, Alexander Vernon, Christopher Joyce, Harry G. Banyard

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

This study investigated the return to baseline of movement velocity and maximal strength following a strength-orientated session and power-orientated session in the free-weight back-squat performed with maximal concentric velocity. Fourteen strength-trained males completed a strength-orientated session (five sets of five repetitions @80% of a one-repetition maximum) and a power-orientated session (three sets of six repetitions @50% one-repetition maximum ) in a randomised order over two weeks (e.g. strength week 1, power week 2). The back-squat was then performed with loads of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 90% and 100% one-repetition maximum at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h following the strength …

Sprint Acceleration Force-Velocity-Power Characteristics In Drafted Vs Non-Drafted Junior Australian Football Players: Preliminary Results, Toby Edwards, Benjamin Piggott, Harry G. Banyard, G. Gregory Haff, Christopher Joyce

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

This investigation aimed to compare the maximal sprint acceleration profiles of drafted and non-drafted elite junior Australian football (AF) players. Nineteen players (10 drafted and 9 non-drafted) from an elite junior AF state team participated in this study. Instantaneous velocity was measured via radar gun during maximal 30 m sprints. The velocity-time data were analysed to derive individual force-velocity-power characteristics and sprint times. No significant differences existed between groups, however drafted players reached moderately faster maximum velocity (Hedges’ g = 0.70 [-0.08; 1.48] and theoretical maximum velocity (g = 0.65 [-0.13; 1.42]) than non-drafted players indicating a superior ability to …

Public Perception Of Different Planting Techniques Using Augmented Reality, Sultana Quader Tania

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study was to measure public perception of the different planting techniques (block and matrix), which are used at visitor information centers (VICs) and other rights of way (ROW) areas. The main factors that affect public perception of planting techniques were identified through an extensive literature review and qualitative survey from four welcome centers in the state of Georgia. The ranking of those indicators, based on public preferences, was discovered through a quantitative survey. During the first phase of the quantitative survey, images of block and matrix were used. An iOS-based user-friendly and cost-effective augmented reality (AR) …

An Investigation Of The Competitive Anxiety Experiences Of Adolescent Figure Skaters, Diane Benish

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Based on the three-factor hierarchical model of competitive anxiety (Jones, Mullen, & Hardy, 2019), the present study explored the relationship between competitive anxiety and performance among a sample of adolescent figure skaters. Participants included 47 figure skating athletes between the ages of 13 – 17 who were participating in a United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) sanctioned test session. Analyses revealed that the three higher order factors of the Three Factor Anxiety Inventory (TFAI; Jones et al., 2019) along with years of testing experience, test attempt number and months training for a test were not related and therefore were unable …

Representing The Holocaust: Bearing Witness In Levi, Wiesel, And Sebald, Marissa Capizzi

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Representing large-scale historical traumatic events can be problematic as accounts are often subjective and biased. It is difficult to determine if the subjective historical account is factually accurate or not. When discussing the Holocaust, representation is an important factor. How is the Holocaust represented? This paper shows how literature can fill in the gaps of historical representation. I focus on psychoanalyst Dori Laub’s three levels of the witness and their role in testimony in relation to Holocaust literature. For Laub, the first level witness is the primary account from the person who experienced the trauma. The second level witness is …

The Relationship Between Burnout And Personality Traits In Secondary School Athletic Trainers, Marissa Abbondanzio

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Research has found that 30% of Athletic Trainers (ATs) experience burnout in their career. Limited literature has found the effects of burnout on ATs in the secondary school setting, though they account for 18% of the population. Objective: The aim of this investigation was to determine the relationship between burnout and personality traits in secondary school ATs. Methods: Participants included 143 ATs working in the secondary school setting and members of National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used to measure level of burnout. The Big Five Inventory (BFI) was used to measure …

Knowledge And Willingness Of Academic Advisors And College Professors Regarding Concussion And Academic Accommodations, Loriann Tedder

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: A significant increase in the number of concussions has guided research to look beyond physical return to play but rather examine cognitive return to learn as an all-inclusive approach to concussion management. Part of the return to learn protocol incorporates academic accommodations within the classroom, which can be implemented by academic advisors and professors. However, their knowledge and willingness of this role is unclear. Purpose: To determine academic advisors and college professor’s knowledge of concussions and their willingness to provide academic accommodations to students recovering from a concussion. Hypothesis: H₁: Academic advisors and professors have a …

On Voyeurism: Being Seen On The Modern Stage, Megan M. Mobley

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

At the end of the nineteenth century, playwrights grew more interested in exploring the ramifications of the gaze, looking and being looked at. For existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre, the gaze causes a never-ending battle between our subjective selves, how we view ourselves, and our objective selves, or how others view us. The knowledge of the Other’s gaze allows us to self-reflect on our own existence. Sartre and Oscar Wilde each incorporate the gaze into their plays to explore the battle between our subjective and objective selves, gendered perception, differences in perception, and to undercut or demonstrates the dominant structures of seeing. …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Community Engagement And Military Spouse Marital Satisfaction, Alexandra N. Gilbert

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this research study is to assist in filling the gap in research on military spouses, beyond deployment and employment issues. Marital satisfaction is a known factor in service member retention and job performance, however very little research on what aspects may be related to military spouse marital satisfaction has been conducted. Military communities have been shown to be an important source of social support for military spouses, however few studies have considered spouses’ involvement in their larger communities. This study’s hypothesis states that a relationship between military spouses’ marital satisfaction and their community engagement off-base exists. The …

Differential Effects Of Reduced Foot Sole Sensitivity And Nerve Conduction Velocity On Postural Control And Functional Gait, Kelsey D. Lewis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral neuropathy is characterized by a loss of foot sole sensitivity and slowed nerve conduction velocity. Individuals with peripheral neuropathy have decreased postural control ability and functional gait performance. No research was found that differentiated the effects of the main symptoms of peripheral neuropathy on postural control and functional gait. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the differential effects of reduced foot sole sensitivity and slowed nerve conduction velocity on postural control and functional gait. METHODS: Two main clinical symptoms, H-index and foot sole sensitivity were evaluated among 35 participants. Outcome variables are the center of …

[P]Lace: Reinterpreting The Feminine, Nicole D. James

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This body of work, [P]lace: Reinterpreting the Feminine, explores the ideas of gender and the the common associations materials, colors, values, etc. have in relationship to the accepted feminine and masculine. Armed with knowledge of these assumptions, my lace sculpture and installation work aims to draw attention to the complications surrounding what we understand as feminine through material transformation. By changing select qualities of the material, I create analogies for assumptions commonly made about women. My ultimate goal is not only material manipulation, but to question some of the fundamental elements we associate with gender itself. I …

Alternatives: The Video Game. An Assessment Of Bias And Preferences In Uncertain Situations, Vincent Edwards

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Going against working assumptions of what is "natural", animals have been observed to "gamble" when choosing between a high-risk choice with a high reward, and a consistent alternative with a low reward that feeds them more over time. The Energy Budget Rule (EBR) claims that animals have a foraging goal they must reach to survive, and each attempt to forage has a cost; under certain conditions, a high risk "gamble" is the best option for survival. The present study attempts to observe human choice behavior in a task that tests EBR and assesses shifts in behavior over time as an …

Who Deserves To Be In Stem? How Threat And Confirmation Of The Gender Hierarchy Impact Helping Behavior Towards Prospective Stem Majors, Samantha A. Gnall

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Current events that either threaten or confirm the current gender hierarchy may impact people differently. This can depend upon one’s group membership and their attitudes towards a fair and just society. When people are asked to help others while facing uncertainty of the hierarchy, they may choose to help or lash out in an effort to re-establish the hierarchy or dismantle the hierarchy. STEM faculty were presented with information that either did not threaten the gender hierarchy (i.e., maintaining gender inequality) or that threatened the current gender hierarchy (i.e., reaching gender equality). Participants were then given an opportunity to offer …

Attitudes Toward The Hpv Vaccine Among University Students: Identifying Barriers To Vaccine Uptake, Kristina L. Harbaugh

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 32,000 cancers occur annually that can be directly attributable to the acquisition of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Gender specificity data posits that 21,000 of the annual cancer cases are female and the remaining 11,000 cases occur among males. However, because the implementation and trajectory of HPV vaccination and prevention programs have been historically aimed toward women, vaccination rates for men remain significantly lower. The purpose of this study was to assess gender differences in knowledge attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control about HPV …

Resources To Access Health Care For Low Socioeconomic Status Youth Athletes, Stephanie Walsh

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Approximately 60 million youth participate in organized sports, with 13.5 million receiving care for sports related injuries each year. Most youth sports organizations do not have readily accessible health care resources; relying on parents and guardians to manage injuries. However, a majority of parents and guardians are untrained in appropriate management of injuries, therefore there is a need for understanding the availability of health care resources within the community. Resources necessary to access health care include health services, health insurance, transportation, and communication. Barriers to these resources may affect lower socioeconomic status family’s accessibility to care. Purpose: Investigate the …

Maladaptive Grief: Irish And American Experiences Of Loss, Mourning, And Trauma, Abby Hey

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Literature that responds to loss and expresses mourning, a genre referred to as the elegy, traditionally follows an adaptive pattern in which a mourner reaches consolation and comfort. In the modern period, however, mourning transformed into destructive experiences that were notably private. With this phenomenon of greater social and emotional isolation, writers like Sylvia Plath, Samuel Beckett, and Elizabeth Bishop expressed rumination and irresolution. In contrast, before the twentieth century, elegies were not only more consolatory, but there was a greater emphasis on shared feeling, and this communal type of mourning is more often adaptive. By grieving together in the …

Athletic Identity And Intention To Report Concussions In High School Athletes, Natalie F. Cook

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Context: Lack of concussion reporting remains a problem as high school athletes report about fifty percent of all concussions. Purpose: The study sought to determine if there is a relationship between athletic identity and athlete’s intention to report concussions. Methods: The sample consisted of 78 high school athletes (m age = 16.19 + 0.88, 56 males, 22 females). Participants were administered the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) and Intention to Report Subscale which served as dependent measures. The presence of AI was determined by comparing AIMS score to previous norms. A linear regression was used to determine the relationship …

Racial Differences In Factors Influencing Childhood Overweight And Obesity In The Us, Brendan C. Ibe

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity in the US has persisted as a serious public health concern despite efforts to address it. Children today are now estimated to live shorter life expectancy than their parents due to the consequences of childhood overweight and obesity. The earlier focus on healthy diets and an increase in physical activity have proved inadequate in reversing the trend. Using the social ecologic model (SEM), this study assessed the ecological and behavioral influences on childhood overweight and obesity among Non-Hispanic white, Non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic children. Methods: The study data were derived from the 2016 National Survey …

Visual Feast, Makaili J. Taylor

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This body of work, Visual Feast, explores the infatuation we have with sweets. Throughout my thesis, I discuss how this universal shared experience contributes to the art world, explaining how our culture today has turned a simple requirement to survive into a source of entertainment. I use my work to show the absurdity of our desires to overindulge, and the ways we fetishize food. By creating a visual feast for the viewers, my goal is to challenge perceptions of what is acceptable and what is absurd.

Does Maga Affect Legal Decision Making In A Criminal Case?, Jaelyn M. Nixon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) slogan was embedded with underlying ideologies that are perceived by some individuals as promoting strict laws, policies, and punishments (Goldstein & Hall, 2017). Specifically, he is notorious for his support of capital punishment on more than one occasion (Richard, 2018). Punishment decision making can be influenced by an individual’s belonging to social categories that may have been formed based on political beliefs, gender, and other social criteria (Kahan et al., 2009). Additionally, racial disparities within the legal system persist and are known to be maintained through racially biased punishment decision making. Our research …

Does Dual Enrollment Impact Ctae, Robert J. Dollar

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was examine if legislation that greatly impacted the number of students taking dual enrollment courses in the state of Georgia was having an impact of CTAE programs in seven, rural school districts in southeast Georgia. This study employed a mixed methods research design. Quantitative data supplied by the Georgia Department of Education regarding enrollment numbers, as well as qualitative data gathered by the utilization of an open-ended questionnaire, were analyzed conjunctly to ascertain if an impact existed. This study focused on four overarching research questions regarding any potential impacts experienced with the implementation of the …

Standardized Knowledge And Behavior Of Food-Protection Staff To Help Reduce The Potential For Incidences Of Foodborne Illness, Joshua A. Dufresne

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Environmental public health has always been at the forefront of issues that affect the health and wellbeing of the general public when it comes to food safety. However, with the workforce moving from one of technological laggards toward faster progress toward new and improved systems in performing food service, the question becomes: What are the needs of the environmental health and food safety workforce, and how does one get there? Logically, another question follows: are our current training programs helping to make a difference in the number of foodborne-illness risk-factor violations being issued?

Purpose: This study was to …

Perceptions Of The Impact Mathematics Support Classes Have On Student Achievement, Cordaryl Charles Middleton

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Many students today struggle with mastering grade-level mathematics standards. School leaders have implemented mathematics support classes as a possible solution; however, not all students are showing significant improvement. The challenge is determining an effective mathematics support class that has the most positive impact on student achievement. As a result, the purpose of this research study was to examine the perceptions of principals, mathematics teachers, and mathematics support teachers on the impact mathematics support classes had on student achievement. This study employed a qualitative case study research design that consisted of one overarching research question and three sub-research questions that framed …

Prayer As A Potential Buffer Against Ego Depletion, Danielle Oehring

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Ego depletion is theorized as the loss of self-control after it has been exerted over a period of time, leading to loss of conscious regulation of behavior. Buffering against this loss is characterized by engaging in an activity that will help extent the use of self-control, helping to further regulate behaviors such as impulse control. We were interested in learning how prayer may act as a buffer against ego depletion and compared prayer against self-encouraging talk to find is there is a difference between how the two affect self-control. One hundred ten participants were randomly assigned to a video group: …

Smartphones, Stress, And The Reduction Of Cognitive Resources, Jenay R. Stone

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Smartphones are a ubiquitous part of daily life for most Americans. They offer an abundance of information, connectivity, and entertainment. Previous research suggests that smartphones are also responsible for cognitive costs in educational, public, private and professional settings when in use or audibly creating stimuli in the environment. Smartphones are also linked to an automatic attenuation of cognitive resources even when not in use and merely salient (Ward, Duke, Gneezy and Bos; Journal of the Association for Consumer Research; 2, 141, 154, 2017). The purpose of the present study was to experimentally test the effect of cell phone salience …

The Effect Of Patient And Hospital-Level Factors On 30-Day Readmission After Initial Hospitalization Due To Stroke, Emmanuel Akowuah

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Hospital readmissions account for a large part of healthcare costs, especially among stroke patients. Readmission is common among disabled stroke survivors because they often suffer some neurological deficits, functional impairment, and other preexisting cardiovascular conditions. Although previous studies have explored the relationship between hospital readmissions after initial hospitalization due to stroke and a set of predictors using various analytical models, it often remains uncertain which predictors are most influential or essential. This study aimed to assess the effect of patient and hospital-levels factors on 30-day readmission after initial hospitalization due to stroke using the Anderson model of healthcare …