Digital Commons Network^™

A Relational Analysis Of The Writing Cafe: Social Learning, Participant Experiences And Tensions In Higher Education, Christie Pritchard

Plymouth Institute of Education Theses

The Writing Café is a social learning space designed to support the development of academic writers within one Higher Education institution. The relationship between learning, space and practices is an emerging area for researchers and this thesis makes a productive contribution to knowledge by using Bourdieu’s relational framework to explore the game from the perspective of the players. The story of the Writing Café connects the practices within a particular sub-field to the wider institutional field and explores the pedagogical possibilities. Considering the Writing Cafe from a micro, social and cultural perspective contributes to the ambition of achieving a social …

Environmental Controls On The Skeletal Mineralogy Of Marine Calcifiers, Kilian Eichenseer

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Calcifying organisms secrete skeletons consisting of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The two principle CaCO3 polymorphs used by marine calcifiers are aragonite and calcite. In the abiotic precipitation of CaCO3, the Mg/Ca ratio and the temperature are established controls of polymorph formation, but the importance of other factors, for example salinity, remains uncertain. The first objective of this thesis was to clarify the role of salinity in abiotic CaCO3 precipitation (Chapter 2). Experiments at salinities of 20, 35 and 50 and a Mg/Ca ratio of 2 resulted in co-precipitation of aragonite and calcite in all experiments, and no significant salinity influence on …

Rare Metal Resources In Polymetallic Nodules From The Eastern Equatorial Pacific Ocean, Wycliff Tupiti

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

The Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone (CCFZ) in the eastern equatorial Pacific is the area with the greatest interest in terms of metal resources in polymetallic nodules. The nodules are enriched (relative to crustal composition) in economically important metals such as Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, and so-called critical metals such as Co, Rare Earth Elements and Y (REYs). This project involves the geochemical and mineralogical investigation of nodules from five box cores from the UK claim area in the CCFZ. Bulk geochemical analysis shows that the nodules formed from both hydrogenetic (precipitation from bottom oxic seawater) and diagenetic (precipitation from oxic/suboxic sediment …

Optimising Oak Woodland Establishment Into Uk Upland Pastures In The Context Of Climate Change; And The Role Of Oak Woodland In Soil Hydrological Recovery For Natural Flood Management, Thomas Murphy

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Increases in the magnitude and extremity of upland (>250-300m a.s.l.) precipitation associated with anthropogenic climate change (ACC) and coinciding with soil compaction leave downstream communities at elevated flood risk. The study examines changes in upland precipitation and the impact of upland ‘Atlantic’ oak (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea) woodland establishment on the recovery of soils for natural flood management (NFM). The soil moisture, livestock grazing and dispersal constraints for potential oak woodland expansion in upland pastures are assessed. The study is located within Dartmoor National Park (DNP) and finds greater increases in precipitation in upland areas than the lowland site, …

Evaluating The Emerging Environmental Risks Of Mycotoxins In Freshwater Ecosystems., Emily Eagles

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) are two of the prominent mycotoxins which regularly contaminate food, both of these natural toxins are produced by fungi within the Fusarium genus. With the known widespread occurrence of these toxins in cereal crops there has been rising interest into the potential transference into freshwaters. Multiple reports of mycotoxin occurrence in freshwater samples have led to their consideration as natural chemicals of emerging concern, particularly with ZON seen to act in an oestrogenic nature, yet the ecotoxicological data to support analysis of risk to freshwater ecosystems is lacking. The main aim of this work was …

The Holistic Assessment And Care Planning In Partnership (Happi) Study A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study Of A Nurse-Led Intervention For Older People Who Live With Frailty, Helen Lyndon

School of Nursing and Midwifery Theses

Aim. This mixed-methods feasibility study aimed to identify and to develop consensus on the components of a holistic assessment and care planning intervention for frail older people in primary care and to conduct a feasibility cluster randomised, controlled trial with an embedded qualitative study to assess potential trial methods for a definitive trial.Background. Frailty is a serious but not inevitable consequence of ageing that can be managed as a long-tern condition. Frail older people are more at risk to adverse health outcomes than the non-frail, yet many do not receive evidence based management including a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA); a …

Lithological And Climatic Controls On Fluvial Landscape Evolution Of A Post-Orogenic Dryland Mountain Belt, Jesse Ruben Zondervan

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Many mountain ranges in the world are in post-orogenic decay, a stage in which erosion is dominant over crustal thickening. The dominance of regional isostatic and mantle controls on rock uplift over localised fault uplift means climatic changes and intrinsic properties such as drainage capture and lithological variations are principal drivers of landscape evolution. In addition, dryland conditions in low to mid-latitude settings with negligible glacial ice cover result in fluvial processes forming a primary agent of erosion. This thesis investigates the lithological and structural control on long-term fluvial mountain landscape evolution, using a synthesis of detailed field observations and …

Across The River: Ferries As A Vehicle For Exploring Riverborderscapes, Eva Mcgrath

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

This thesis uses the concept of the riverborderscape to provide new understandings of watery geographies, borders and landscape. This is a spatial and conceptual term used to explore the space of the river through a holistic approach, focusing upon the materialities, experiences and narratives that shape, emerge within and construct this space. These ideas are applied in relation to three rivers that form an everyday border between places at different scales in the South West of England: the River Tamar (regional), River Torridge (district) and Helford River (parish). Research is situated on and across the river, through the routes of …

Visual Anthropological Methods In Earthquake Risk Communication: A Transdisciplinary Approach, Johanna Ickert

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Increases in disaster losses, in combination with emerging cascading crises, are provoking a fundamental rethinking of prevailing disaster risk reduction measures, including risk communication principles and practices. The resulting paradigm shift towards participation, action, and prevention is firmly outlined in the Sendai Framework’s call for (1) more people-centred approaches and (2) the broader use of innovative information and communication technology (ICT). However, this call raises many epistemological and methodological challenges and open questions about how hazard scientists will translate these novel requirements into their daily research practice. This thesis presents a practice-led enquiry dedicated to exploring the potential of audiovisual …

Extreme Sea Level Variability Dominates Coastal Flood Risk Changes At Decadal Time Scales, M M. Rashid, T Wahl, D P. Chambers

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Coastal flood risk assessments typically ignore interannual to multidecadal variability stemming from mean sea level, storm surges, and long period tides (i.e. 4.4 year perigean and 18.6 year nodal cycles), although combined these can lead to significant variations in extreme sea levels (ESL). Here, we examine the effects of ESL variability on the amplification of flood frequencies and risks for 17 major U.S. coastal cities. We also quantify the relative importance of ESL variability compared to long-term relative sea level rise (RSLR). Results show that, depending on the region, observed ESL variability can lead to amplification factors of up to …

The Struggles With Self-Confidence And Self-Belief Whilst In Education, Hannah Dymond

Plymouth Law Review

No abstract provided.

The ‘Justice Files’ Film Project: A Brief Account, Hugo De Rijke

Plymouth Law Review

No abstract provided.

Starting A New Anti-Seizure Medication In Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Add-On Or Substitute?, Mubeen Janmohamed, Nicholas Lawn, Katrina Spilsbury, Josephine Chan, John Dunne

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: Randomized studies in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) typically involve addition of a new anti-seizure medication (ASM). However, in clinical practice, if the patient is already taking multiple ASMs, then substitution of one of the current ASMs commonly occurs, despite little evidence supporting this approach.

Methods: Longitudinal prospective study of seizure outcome after commencing a previously untried ASM in patients with DRE. Multivariable time-to-event and logistic regression models were used to evaluate outcomes by whether the new ASM was introduced by addition or substitution.

Results: A total of 816 ASM changes in 436 adult patients with DRE between 2010 and 2018 …

Parent Carer Quality Of Life And Night-Time Attendance In Non-Ambulant Youth With Neuromuscular Disorders, Vivienne Travlos, Shane Patman, Jenny Downs, Dana Hince, Andrew C. Wilson

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: To describe and explore carer quality of life (QoL) and night-time attendance to their child in parents of non-ambulant youth with Neuromuscular Disorders.

Methods: A cross-sectional population-based, comprehensive survey including the Adult Carer QoL (ACQoL) questionnaire, measures of social context and youths’ physical status. Associations between carerQoL or frequency of parents’ night-time attendance with independent variables were explored using linear and logistic regression models, respectively.

Results: Parents’ perceived lower carer-QoL (mean 76.5/120, SD 18.5) when they attended to their child twice a night or more (n = 17/35) and with shorter time since their child was prescribed noninvasive ventilation …

Systematic Review Of Medical Education On Spirituality, John Wenham, Megan Best, David Kissane

IES Papers and Journal Articles

Background

Spirituality is a fundamental dimension of our human nature that impacts on medical care and yet is relatively neglected by medical education courses in Australia.

Aim

This systematic review was conducted to assess the curriculum content currently used to develop medical student understanding of, and engagement with, spirituality in the context of patient care.

Methods

Studies published in English from 2010 to the review date were included in order to focus on the most recent curricula. Studies included medical students in undergraduate or postgraduate programmes, doctors in resident training programmes and registrars. Interventions considered for inclusion were curriculum modules …

Employability As Sustainable Balance Of Stakeholder Expectations - Towards A Model For The Health Professions, Martin Cake, Melinda Bell, Liz Mossop, Caroline F. Mansfield

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

The conceptual complexity of employability remains a barrier for its integration into discipline-based curricula. In the health professions, a particular challenge lies in integrating employability with the dominant paradigms of competency and professionalism. In this study, we explore these contextual challenges, and present the rationale and conceptual basis for a potential re-framing of employability within the context of this discipline group. We propose a novel definition and a conceptual model of employability better aligned to the needs of health professions. While employability has proven difficult to define broadly, it is framed around the expectations of both the employer and employee, …

Turning Participation Into Power: A Water Justice Case Study, Jaime Alison Lee

All Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Factors Influencing Early Outcome Following Liver Resection, Matthew Wiggans

Peninsula Medical School Theses

Introduction The primary aim was to investigate factors associated with post-operative morbidity and mortality following liver resection. A secondary aim was to analyse the outcome of liver resection for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) to identify factors associated with tumour recurrence and survival. Methods A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing liver resection between 2005 and 2012 was performed. Results and Conclusions Over a seven-year period 504 liver resections were performed. Liver resection for CRLM was performed less frequently among the most socioeconomically deprived population. However, socioeconomic deprivation was not associated with tumour recurrence (P=0.867). The major …

Unaccompanied Youth In Our Public Schools And Our Opportunity To Lead For Emancipatory Practices (Jóvenes No Acompañados En Nuestras Escuelas Públicas Y Nuestra Oportunidad Para Liderar Prácticas Emancipatorias), Leyda W. Garcia

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Unaccompanied youth are migrant children who travel by themselves to the United States, mostly from Central America and Mexico. Since 2014, more than 200,000 unaccompanied youth have entered the United States, with approximately 28,000 residing in Los Angeles, California (U.S. Customs and Border Protection [CBP], CBP 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021a, 2021b). Hundreds of these young migrants have enrolled in public schools (Pierce, 2016). Schools seek adequate and effective ways to support these students’ complex needs and aspirations. Within the body of research about this sub-group of immigrants there is a significant absence of the voices of unaccompanied youth themselves, which …

Understanding Catholic School Attrition: Catholic Elementary School Students’ And Parents’ Perceptions And Matriculation Decisions, Thomas Gasper

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study shed light on the issue of attrition within Catholic education and points to opportunities for leaders to improve the effectiveness of elementary and secondary schools as well as identify barriers impacting access to poor and vulnerable populations. The purpose was to: describe factors eighth-grade Catholic school students and their parents consider in choosing a high school; determine correlations between degree of satisfaction with Catholic elementary schools and perceptions of programs in Catholic high schools; and understand the extent students’ and parents’ identified attributes corresponded to their high school selection.

Quantitative data was generated from surveys of …

Social Justice Leadership In Catholic Secondary Schools: A Critical Examination Of Social Justice Orientation And Praxis, Linda Nguyễn

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to understand the impact of a leader’s social justice orientation on their praxis of social justice. The study also sought to discover the successes and challenges associated with enacting social justice. Nine Catholic secondary school leaders in the California Archdiocese participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis were used to understand how social justice orientation affects social justice praxis. The data analysis indicates that the social justice outcomes of a school site are greatly impacted by the school leader’s justice-orientation. Findings revealed that justice-orientation is dependent on two factors: the self-efficacy of the leader and …

The Local-Executive Governance Model In Catholic Parochial Elementary Schools: Understanding Pastors’ Perspectives, Armando Luiz Carvalho

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Catholic parochial elementary schools in the United states are normally governed by the pastor of the local parish and under a local-executive governance model. Despite pastors’ paramount role in the governance of Catholic parochial elementary schools they often lack the training, interest, or time to fulfill their roles. This qualitative study explored pastors’ perspectives on the local-executive governance model, where governance of the school is local and the pastor is the sole executive of the school. This dissertation included interviews with nine pastors in a diocese on the west coast of the United States. The study explored how pastors’ view …

Building An Ignatian Ummah: The Experience Of Muslim International Students At An American Jesuit University, Csilla V. Samay

LMU Theses and Dissertations

In 2020, over a million international students enrolled at universities in the United States. A significant percent come from Muslim-majority countries whose governments sponsor their education abroad. As overall international enrollments decrease, recruiting this population remains attractive to U.S. institutions. International students face the challenge of entering higher education in a foreign country and culture, navigating their education during a time of political battles over immigration and issues of diversity. Muslim students face prejudice and exclusion due to Islamophobia in the U.S. Universities have a responsibility to understand and fully support students from whom they benefit financially.

This study examined …

African American Superintendent Perceptions And Experiences With The Recruitment, Selection And Promotion Process, Dennis Perry

LMU Theses and Dissertations

The underrepresentation of African Americans in the superintendency and lack of equitable access to the superintendency in K-12 public school districts across the United States is a problem of significant concern. This qualitative study explores the perceptions of 17 African American superintendents with the recruitment, selection, and promotion process to the superintendency while examining how the role of race, racism, sexism, and discrimination contribute to the underrepresentation of African American superintendents. The career and employment experiences of African American superintendents via semi-structured interviews is how this study extrapolates data to answer the research question. Thematic analysis based on narrative inquiry …

Student Self-Harm: The Impact On An Elementary School Principal's Leadership, Jason Daniel Rose

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Research on self-harm and children tends to focus on adolescent children (12 years of age and above). There is limited available information about self-harm in children ages 11 years and younger. This study utilized autoethnography as the methodology to provide a rich description of the professional experiences and practices of an elementary school principal who worked with self-harming primary-aged students. Based on an autoethnographical analysis, this study proposes future research and makes recommendations for school leaders implementing trauma-informed practices, educators working with self-harming students, and districts committed to proactive support.

In The Principal’S Office: Testimonios Of Chicanas And Latinas Leading Urban High Schools, Nova Star Meza

LMU Theses and Dissertations

The number of Chicanx and Latinx students in U.S. public school settings increased significantly at the close of the last century and continues to increase well into the 21st century. The numbers of Chicanx and Latinx, and more specifically Chicana and Latina, high school principals, however, have remained disproportionately low. Studies that focus on leadership identities of Chicana/Latina school leaders are few. Testimonios in this study shine a light on voices of six Chicana/Latina high school principals; these leaders described their background and schooling, their career journeys, and their leadership paths. This study is informed by two theoretical frameworks: Chicana …

Testimonios Of Latin@ Leaders In Large Urban School Systems: Educación, Lenguaje Y Cultura, Hilda L. Maldonado

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Across the nation, Latina/o educational leaders who serve large urban school systems face the challenges of educating historically marginalized Latinx student populations, many of whom represent a diverse group of English Learners (ELs) in school systems designed for monolingual English speakers. This study is an exploratory, qualitative, multiple case study, using testimonio methodology to document the experiences of seven Latina/o leaders across the nation to arrive at new understandings of their practices. The review of the literature focused on the sociopolitical history of Latina/o education, linguistic hegemony in schooling, and theories of leaders of color. These concepts were used were …

Different Ways Of Knowing And Growing: A Case Study Of An Arts-Integrated Pedagogy At An Urban Elementary Charter School, Amarpal Khanna

LMU Theses and Dissertations

An arts equity gap exists in K–12 grade education. African American and Latinx students have fewer opportunities for access to arts education than do White students. In California, charter schools have an opportunity to address the equity gap for students in those demographic groups. The goal of this qualitative case study was to observe how Kahlo Charter Elementary School, an urban charter elementary school in Los Angeles County, implemented an arts integrated curriculum and to identify benefits and challenges for fourth and fifth grade students of color enrolled at the school. Aesthetic learning (Bose, 2008; Denaway, 2013; Greene, 1978, 1995, …

Muchos Somos Más Fuertes: Testimonios Of Latina Parent Leaders In The Local Control And Accountability Plan Process, Sylvia J. Hodge

LMU Theses and Dissertations

English Learners represent 18.6% of the entire California public school population or 1.1 million students; 81.4% speak Spanish (California Department of Education [CDE], 2021b). Historically, English Learners have experienced inequitable educational opportunities when compared to their English-only counterparts in California (Gándara & Contreras, 2010; Gándara et al., 2003; Perez Huber et al., 2015; Rumberger & Gándara, 2004), which has led to low educational achievement CDE, 2019a; Gándara & Mordechay, 2017; Olsen, 2010). To address underserved students’ inequitable educational opportunities throughout California, then-Governor Edmund G. Brown signed into law the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) in 2013. The LCFF provides equitable …

Senegalese Parent, Family, And Community Engagement In Education: An Ubuntu-Inspired Inquiry, Nikysha D. Gilliam

LMU Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between families and schools, and the importance of parents and families to a child’s academic success is well documented internationally. However, the development of frameworks, theories, policies, and programs has not resulted in an increase in parent or family engagement in public schools, nor has it remedied the historical alienation and marginalization of families of color in the United States; positive comprehensive programs in communities of color at the middle and high school levels often seem to be missing. Because of African American families’ cultural connection to countries in Africa resulting from the Atlantic Slave Trade, I used …