Digital Commons Network^™

Catholic Elementary School Principals, The Transfer Of Marketing Knowledge, And The Diffusion Of School Marketing, Lisa A. Geosits

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite elementary Catholic schools engaging in school marketing for some years, the level of knowledge of the school leaders and the challenges related to school marketing and the implementation of a marketing framework is not known. The researcher focused this qualitative case study on identifying the key relationship marketing performance indicators and the diffusion of school marketing that contribute to a sustainable organization after the implementation of marketing and culture change. The research questions explored the main knowledge, skills, and abilities related to marketing and leadership that can be used to aid the elementary Catholic school leaders to assist in …

Professional Learning Community: Perspectives Of Rural School Teachers And Leaders, Brenda Olivia Martinez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study addressed rural school administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions about the implementation and participation in professional learning communities (PLC) to impact teacher growth, increase student achievement, and improve instructional practices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of rural administrators and teachers about PLCs within a rural West Texas school district. Research protocols were polished through a pilot study group that provided input to refine the survey and interview questions. The researcher administered a survey for all participants, conducted a one-on-one interview with administrators, and interviewed teachers in focus groups. Findings indicated that collaboration, implementation factors, and …

Qualitative Study Of Collaboration Between Independent Reading Specialists And Elementary Classroom Teachers, Lindsay Lee Hawbaker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The failure of educators to meet the needs of elementary students who require separated, differentiated, and intensive reading interventions (Tier 3) has been attributed to the scarcity of administrative resources and a lack of effective collaboration between reading specialists and classroom teachers. Experts opine that common barriers to effective collegial collaboration between institutional reading specialists, who are employed by the school, and classroom teachers include: an unsupportive school culture, the classroom teachers’ fear of losing pedagogical autonomy, the absence of mutual trust and interdependence between the reading specialists and their students’ classroom teachers, and the inability of reading specialists …

The Effect Of Servant Leadership On Nonprofit Workplace Conflict, Lorena M. Freeborough

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Workplace conflict depletes nonprofit organizations of valuable time and energy. Organizations spend millions of dollars because of the financial and human cost of unresolved interpersonal conflict in the workplace that stem from ineffective leadership behaviors. A leader’s ineffective behaviors have been linked to the organizational pressures that can cause and spread counterproductive workplace behavior, which results in interpersonal conflict and great financial cost. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine the relationship between servant leadership behaviors and interpersonal workplace conflict in nonprofit organizational settings in the United States. Specifically, the intended goal of this research was to …

The Impact Of Social Media Body Challenges On Youths' Body Image, Kerrie Caitlin Leonard

Human Development and Family Science

Body challenges are an unresearched trend where an individual checks if their body can look a certain way to pass the specific challenge (e.g., the A4 paper challenge; seeing if one’s waist is smaller than an 8x11 vertical piece of paper). We asked 147 girls and gender-expansive youth open-ended questions about trying a body challenge, opinions, and feelings towards their body as a result of these challenges. Qualitative analyses revealed that 79.59% of youth have never tried a body challenge. Youth thought body challenges were negative, with themes of toxic, ridiculous, unhealthy, anti-feminist/social commentary, and the need for body positivity. …

Some Studies On Reliability Analysis Of Complex Cyber-Physical Systems, Alex Vicente Davila Frias

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs), a term coined in 2006 refers to the integration of computation with physical processes. Particularly, modern critical infrastructures are examples of CPSs, like smart electric power grids, intelligent water distribution networks, and intelligent transportation systems. CPSs provide critical services that have great impact in nation’s economy, security, and health. Therefore, reliability is a primary metric. Nevertheless, the study of complex CPSs reliability demands understanding the joint dynamics of physical processes, hardware, software, and networks. In the present research, a series of studies is proposed to contribute to the challenging reliability analysis of CPSs by considering the reliability …

A Review Of Wheat Gluten-Based Bioplastics Processing And Their Applications, Md Abdullah-Al-Rahim

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Bioplastics produced from agricultural resources are gaining attraction in recent years because of their sustainability and potential biodegradability. Wheat gluten (a wheat protein) is among the potential feedstocks, which stands out because of its availability, low price, good biodegradability, and good viscoelastic properties. This paper provides state-of-art information on the processing of wheat-based bioplastics with their potential applications. It gives an overview of the structure of wheat gluten, its manufacturing processes (casting, thermoforming, extrusion, compression molding, injection molding), thermal-mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break, young’s modulus, water vapor pressure, gas permeability, etc.) of processed plastic films and rigid products, …

Alexander Wilder: Eclectic, Platonist, And Master Of The Arcane, John Haller Jr

Alexander Wilder: Eclectic, Platonist, and Master of the Arcane

No abstract provided.

William Walker Atkinson: An Intellectual Biography, John Haller Jr

William Walker Atkinson: An Intellectual Biography

No abstract provided.

Sharing Library And Information Resources During A Global Pandemic Introduction From The Guest Editor, Beth Posner

Publications and Research

Written in the summer and fall of 2020, and revised and published in 2021, the articles in this special issue of Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery and Electronic Reserve offer examples of how the library community has been meeting local and global needs for information during this pandemic. They highlight the challenges and issues that have regrettably, but understandably, limited information sharing, as well as some best practices that have emerged. They also report on local activities and details for which there is not yet a consensus. This journal issue is not the first word on the subject; we …

Differences In Perceived Patient Mobility Barriers Among Nurses From Various Departments And Location Work-Sites, Nathaniel Nickerson, Elena Crooks, Brandon Clem, Teresa Bigand, Tiffanie Rampley, Crystal Billings, Danell Stengem, Jennifer Hoople

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Using Student-Generated Problems (Sgp) As An Instructional Strategy To Enhance Undergraduate Engineering Students’ Knowledge Application Ability And Problem-Solving Skills, Sameera Algarni

Theses and Dissertations

The Student-Generated Problems (SGP) instructional strategy represents an exclusive area of real-world practice used by some educators to give powerful support and responsibility to college students for their learning experience (Mestre, 2002; Zurcher, Coppola, & McNeil, 2016). Undergraduate Engineering students often have difficulty applying gained knowledge in real-world settings and are reportedly underprepared for workplace challenges (Luo et al., 2015; Negro et al. 2019). This study examined the effects of the SGP instructional strategy used in an undergraduate Electrical Engineering course to determine students’ abilities to apply conceptual knowledge and problem-solving skills in real problem lab activities. The need for …

System Modeling: An Exploratory Study Of Engineering Students’ Conceptual Knowledge And Problem-Solving Skills, Ademola Amida

Theses and Dissertations

System modeling (SM) instructional strategy, an application of system thinking (ST), canbe used as an instructional approach to help students develop SM skills and deepen their understanding of subject matter (Hung, 2009). Mechanical engineering students have difficulty applying gained knowledge in real-world contexts and are reportedly underprepared for workplace challenges (Kirkpatrick et al., 2011; Warsame, 2017). This study explored the efficacy of system modeling (SM) instructional strategy in a mechanical engineering course. Specifically, the study sought to understand students’ perceptions and experiences with the use of system modeling in enhancing their conceptual knowledge and problem-solving skills. This study employed a …

Saudi Arabia’S Reputation From The Point Of View Of The American People In The United States Compared To That Of The Islamic Republic Of Iran And Turkey, Hamed Ateeq Alghamdi

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The reputation of a country has a significant influence on competitiveness, public diplomacy, international perception, and international relations. The aim of this research was to investigate Saudi Arabia's reputation from the point of view of the American people in The United States, compared with American perception of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey. Method: A sample of 378 participants completed the 33-item questionnaire using a 7-point Likert scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics utilizing SPSS Version 26 were used to analyze the data. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-tests revealed significant differences in the perception of Saudi Arabia …

Mental Health Impact Of Forced Marriages, Neha Batool

Theses and Dissertations

To address the mental health impact of forced marriage in the United States, this study examined the lived experiences of nine women who were forced to marry between the ages of 10 and 25. Semi structured interviews, Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), and Feminist Standpoint theory were utilized to explore their experiences prior to, during, and after their forced marriage, with a particular focus on their psychological wellbeing, coping mechanisms, help seeking behaviors, barriers, and needs. A total of eight superordinate themes emerged that highlighted the role of gender socialization, intergenerational violence and trauma, and adverse childhood experiences in forced marriages, …

Monolayer Sorption Isotherm Model For Surface Tension Of Aqueous Surfactant Solutions Containing Electrolytes And Organic Mixtures, Kaiser Ahmed Bhuiyan

Theses and Dissertations

The surface tensions and compositions of aqueous aerosols dictate surface-mediated processes, especially the growth of aerosol particles into cloud nuclei and interfacial chemical reactions. Surface tension is also an indirect proxy for the partitioning of organics to the surface due to enhanced organic activity, driven by a reduction in solubility. Model predictions are generally not available for most surfactant-laden multi-component aqueous solutions, despite the importance of surface tension. Our recent multi-component surface tension model uses competitive adsorption at the interface, but these results are not consistent with salting out.1 We have now applied these techniques to surfactants in pure water …

By A Thread: Adapting And Understanding The Literary Past Through Contemporary Costume, Sherry Bollero

Theses and Dissertations

For over four hundred years, Shakespeare’s plays have been adapted from text to the visual realizations on the stage and later the screen. Scholarship has attended to the playscript and the performance, but it has largely neglected the position of the costume as a bridge between the literary past and contemporary adaptation. This project contends that costumes as adaptations themselves play a significant role in contemporary constructions of the literary past. In particular, the project attends to the contribution of costumes in the visualization of Shakespeare’s histories on screen. To explore this topic, the project considers several aspects. Specifically, the …

Narratological Limitations Of Telling Trauma: A Case Study Of Lorena Bobbitt And Sexual Assault, Brittney Christy

Theses and Dissertations

There are many barriers that women face when they tell their stories of sexual assault, namely—that they will not be believed. A number of factors hinder believability, many of them related to the broader relationship that narrative plays in our lives. Narrative expectation, cultivated by the texts we consume, shapes what we find believable or “tellable” in the words of scholar Amy Shuman. Difficult narratives are often rendered “untellable” because they contain unfamiliar patterns or because they fall outside recognizable frameworks of understanding. Sexual assault narratives are rendered untellable for many reasons, including social misunderstanding of the problem and the …

Educators’ Perceptions Of Youth Behavioral Health Training In Schools Across North Dakota, Elisa Laura Diederich

Theses and Dissertations

During the 2019 North Dakota legislative session (the 66th Legislative Assembly), Senate Bill 2149 was introduced to amend the North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) at Title 15.1 Elementary and Secondary Education, Chapter 07 School Districts, Section 34, which addresses behavioral health (including mental health) in an educational setting. This bill was enacted.The purpose of this flexible design qualitative study was to investigate experiences teachers, principals, and school counselors have had related to their students’ mental and behavioral health. Furthermore, this study investigated the perceptions North Dakota educators have had related to professional development on student behavioral health. Finally, this study …

Building Active Intersectional Allyship In Middle School Youth, Maura Ferguson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how an understanding of concepts of the framework of intersectionality may build resilience and increase ability for middle schoolers to learn to be active, effective allies for one another. Allyship is discussed as a necessary skill to learn and not a label one can self-select. A literature review is presented with a specific focus on intersectionality; trauma, resilience, and long-term impact of childhood trauma; and active allyship. These concepts are then framed through a social work lens, focusing on micro, mezzo, and macro levels. As human connection is critical for psychosocial health, this thesis then presents a …

North Dakota's New Frontier: Unmanned Aircraft, Matthew D. Dunlevy

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned Aircraft, or drones, represent a modern-day frontier, one that is, as yet, neither fully explored nor fully developed. The state of North Dakota has moved into the frontier and is deeply involved in its exploration and development. The state has invested tens of millions of dollars in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) industry, an investment that has helped to attract tens of millions of additional dollars from military sources and from private business firms. The University of North Dakota’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, long-recognized as among the leading aviation schools in the nation, is at the …

Remote Sensing Of Piping Plover (Charadrius Melodus) And Least Tern (Sternula Antillatum) Habitat: An Automated Methodology, Kane Hammond

Theses and Dissertations

Lake Sakakawea, located in central North Dakota, is a 286-kilometer-long reservoir with over 2,462 kilometers of shoreline (Garrison Power Plant, 2011). This reservoir is maintained by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Each summer, the USACE employs a crew of approximately 12 individuals to monitor the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus, hereafter; plover) and Least Tern (Sternula antillarum, hereafter; tern) at this location. Given that these species frequently return to the same breeding areas, monitoring efforts are largely focused on those areas. However, this is a dynamic system and amount of available habitat can change in response to precipitation. …

Criterion-Referenced Cut-Points In Cardiorespiratory Fitness Associated With Metabolic Syndrome In Adult Americans, Nicholas Gabriel Kavadas

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To identify criterion-referenced cut-points in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a nationally-representative sample of young- and middle-aged American adults. Methods: The analytic sample comprised 3302 Americans aged 20–49 years who participated in the 1999–2000, 2001–2002, and 2003–2004 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. CRF was assessed by a submaximal run/walk test on a treadmill. MetS was determined using American Heart Association criteria, measured as the presence of three or more risk factors (high waist circumference, high blood pressure, high fasting triglycerides, high fasting glucose, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Receiver operating characteristic …

Eating Disorder Symptoms On Female Collegiate-Level Athletes And Non-Athletes, Kennedy Victoria Kidd

Theses and Dissertations

In previous research, it found that the risk of developing an eating disorder (ED) is much higher in females compared to males (Dunca, Ziobrowski & Nicol, 2017; Raevuori, Keski-Rahkonen, & Hoek, 2014; Lewinsohn, Seeley, Moerk, & Striegel-Moore, 2002). Similarly, research has shown that the prevalence of EDs is much higher in female athletes compared to male athletes (Johnson, Powers, & Dick, 1999). Despite the risk of developing an ED being higher in females, research has not provided a strong understanding of the prevalence of EDs comparing female student-athletes and female student non-athletes. There is research that shows that athletes may …

Effects Of Hiv-1 Gp120 On Intracellular Levels Of Iron And Reactive Oxygen Species: Implications For Lysosomal Stress, Koffi L. Lakpa

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S.A are living with HIV-1. The development of antiretroviral therapeutics has increased the life expectancy of people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). Yet, there is a growing concern for aging HIV-positive individuals because about 50% of PLWH develop neurological impairments, termed HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). There are no treatments for HAND and the mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis remain unclear. Several factors are implicated in HAND pathogenesis, such as HIV-1 coat protein gp120, endolysosome and mitochondrial dysfunction, and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Endolysosomes are acidic organelles that contain readily releasable stores of cations, …

North Dakota Elementary School Counseling Programs: Implications For Policy And Practice, Holly Larson

Theses and Dissertations

The study’s purpose was to explore social emotional supports in place at the time of this study through North Dakota public elementary school counseling programs, to give attention to the North Dakota Multi-Tiered System of Supports in Social Emotional Learning (NDMTSS-SEL) initiative’s implementation, and to understand perspectives on early social emotional learning needs and interventions. Education in North Dakota is guided by the North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) Title 15.1 statutes. In October of 2019, the North Dakota Legislative Interim Education Committee discussed a need to review and revise these statutes (North Dakota Legislative Branch, 2019). Within the North Dakota …

Girls In Stem, Carrie Leopold

Theses and Dissertations

The recruitment and retention of women in STEM have historically been a struggle. Several causes, such as social factors, stereotypes, and classroom environments, all play a role (Blackburn, 2017). Recruitment efforts are often focused on middle school students. Nevertheless, research shows that children as young as kindergarten already have a preconceived notion about math (Ceci et al., 2014), such as it is too difficult or girls are not 'smart enough' to be successful. By the time some of these girls enter middle school, it can be challenging to change their mindset. Therefore, we need to focus not only on the …

Test Of A Partial Sexual Minority Stress Model With Bisexual Adolescents, Marisa Mango

Theses and Dissertations

Research conducted on sexual minority stress for adolescents has contributed to bisexual invisibility by collectively sampling and analyzing data from lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations, despite recent studies acknowledging statistical differences between bisexual and lesbian/gay experiences (Conlin et al., 2017; Frost et al., 2015; Mason & Lewis, 2016; Mohr & Sarno, 2016). We examined the temporal relations within Meyers (2003) Sexual Minority Stress model of sexual minority processes related to proximal and distal stressors in a sample of 306 bisexual adolescents. They completed measures of sexual minority stress, LGB specific coping, anxiety, and depression. Using path analytic analyses, the findings …

An Examination Of Rural Help-Seeking Behaviors Related To Sexual Violence And Mental Health And Well-Being Outcomes, Dacia Kay Oberhelman

Theses and Dissertations

Those who experience sexual violence face numerous barriers in gaining access to resources. Additionally, choosing to seek help following an unwanted sexual experience is a difficult decision that is impacted by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. The Theory of Planned Behavior addresses how these variables can help explain one’s intent to seek help following an unwanted sexual experience. Seeking help following an unwanted sexual experience has also been suggested to be increasingly difficult for those in rural communities due to additional barriers such as: fear of community and family backlash, lack of anonymity, fear of perpetrator(s) discovering services …

The Relationship Between Digit Ratio (2d:4d) And Muscular Fitness: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Brooke Pasanen

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Digit ratio (2D:4D), a marker of prenatal testosterone exposure, is a weak negative correlate of sports/athletic/fitness performance. While numerous studies have examined the relationship between 2D:4D and physical fitness, there has never been a comprehensive study that has synthesized studies examining relationships between 2D:4D and muscular fitness. Objectives: To systematically review and meta-analyze the relationship between 2D:4D and muscular fitness measured as handgrip strength (HGS). Methods: This study systematically searched five electronic databases, reference lists, topical systematic reviews/meta-analyses, and personal libraries in November 2020. Peer-reviewed, cross-sectional studies that reported Pearson’s correlation coefficients between objectively measured 2D:4D and HGS were …