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Patient, Referring Physician, And Radiologist Opinions Over Time On Providing Patients Access To Radiology Reports: A Systematic Review, Mohammad Alarifi, M. Courtney Hughes, Abdulrahman M. Jabour, Yazeed Alashban, Erin Vernon

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Objective: Patients increasingly have access to their radiology reports. This systematic review examined the opinions of patients, referring physicians, and radiologists over time on providing patients full access to their radiology reports.

Methods: A systematic review examining quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42023466502). Our search was conducted through September 30, 2023, and spanned five databases (CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, ProQuest, PubMed, and Scopus). The studies included were peer-reviewed journal articles about the opinions of patients, referring physicians, or radiologists regarding giving patients unrestricted access to their …

University Biology Classrooms As Spaces For Anti-Racist Work: Instructor Motivations For Incorporating Race, Racism, And Racial Equity Content., Nicole L. Scheuermann, Candice Idlebird, Sayali Kukday, Vance J. Mccracken, Rachel E. Bradley, Heather E. Bergan-Roller

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Science is often portrayed as a meritocratic endeavor, but university biology programs exhibit high rates of student attrition, particularly among students of Color, despite similar interest and aptitude for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as White students. Culturally relevant pedagogy is associated with student persistence in STEM. One way to practice culturally relevant pedagogy in biology courses is to engage students in discussions of race, racism, or racial equity. Guidance exists to help instructors incorporate race-related topics into the biology curriculum, but the reasoning behind the decision of whether to adopt this practice is not well characterized. Understanding instructors’ …

Us Hospices’ Approach To Racial/ Ethnic Minority Inclusion: A Qualitative Study, M. Courtney Hughes, Erin Vernon, Monica Kowalczyk, Marlon Basco-Rodillas

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Objective: To examine hospices’ approaches to improving the current racial/ethnic hospice utilisation disparity.

Methods: During June and July 2020, we conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with 22 hospice leaders from across the USA. The interviews focused on inclusive strategy approaches. We analysed the data using qualitative methods.

Results: Multiple themes emerged about racial/ ethnic minority inclusion strategies: (1) hospices tailor strategies to the local communities they serve; (2) improvement involves addressing social determinants of health that extend beyond end-of-life care; (3) costs of strategies are not a primary concern and the benefits are worth the costs; and (4) hospices want to …

Investigating The Impact Of Leaderboards, Badges, And Ebucks On High School English Language Learners’ Cognitive Engagement, Self-Efficacy And Intrinsic Motivation Toward Reading In English, Omar J. Almamoori

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

This study examines the impact of gamification elements, in particular leaderboards, badges, and eBucks, on the cognitive engagement (CE), intrinsic motivation (IM), and self-efficacy (SE) of English Language Learners (ELLs) at a high school in the Southeastern United States. The investigation, conducted during optional weekly readings, utilizes a mixed methods design to investigate the effects of gamification on ELLs' learning experiences. Through pre-post surveys and semi-structured interviews, data was collected to assess the gamified intervention's impact. Utilizing a one-way covariate analysis (ANCOVA) in IBM SPSS Statistics (version 29), the study evaluates the effect of gamification while controlling for grade, gender, …

Functions Of Translanguaging Practices And Teachers’ And Students’ Perceptions Of Translanguaging In Esl Universities, Dongyang Yuan

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

Integrating research on both linguistic and semiotic resources of translanguaging practices, this research was carried out using a case study design to understand how translanguaging was used by both ESL teachers and adult language learners in the ESL setting, what functions translanguaging performs, and how teachers and students understand their translanguaging practice. Nine adult ESL learners at the intermediate level and an ESL teacher participated in this research. Data sources included observations, interviews, field notes, and reflective journals. Discourse analysis was used to analyze the transcription of observations and interviews. Results showed that participants used various forms of translanguaging, including …

Enrollment Management Leadership Response To System Changes: Case Study, Christopher R. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

While the impact of government funding for institutions of higher education has been researched extensively, little research looks at the impact of students as a funding source. This is important because students are one of the greatest contributors to higher education budgets. Within the Commonwealth of Kentucky, there has been a decline in high school graduates as well as state funding since the Great Recession in 2008.

This study uses systems theory as a theoretical framework to help understand the dynamic relationship between the external environment and institutions of higher education, as well as frame how leadership at regional institutions …

Onboarding New Administrators At Noblesville Schools, Janae Mobley

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

While many organizations invest in their leaders when onboarding them for their new role; oftentimes this process can be overlooked in the K-12 school setting when it comes to school administrators. As a result, this study focuses on analyzing the needs of new school administrators and how to better support them in their role when transitioning to a new district or from the classroom. This study utilizes Mixed-Methods Action Research methodology to assess and address the needs of new school administrators at Noblesville Schools, a K-12 public school district in Hamilton County, Indiana.

Leadership Strategies And Multi-Frame Thinking Of Rural School Superintendents’ During Periods Of Crisis, Steven J. Moses

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This dissertation examined the leadership strategies used by rural, public-school superintendents in the Central Appalachian region of Eastern Kentucky during and following the flood of 2022 that was considered a natural disaster. The context of this study was framed by a 1 in 1000-year flooding event that devastated school districts and communities in Eastern Kentucky. The geographic boundaries of this study were limited to school districts that were part of counties identified as “Appalachian” by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). In addition, school districts in this study were also identified as rural by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) …

The Influence Of Independent Secondary School Heads On Shaping Organizational Culture, Ian D. Macphail

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This dissertation examined the experiences and connections between head of school leadership and culture in small, independent boarding schools in New England. This study was the result of the participation of eight heads of school from eight separate institutions, engaging in semi-structured interviews. All of the schools were secular in their practice, all-gender, and had a formal dormitory-based boarding program. Each school enrolled 400 or fewer students, focusing the impact of these leaders on a tighter, interactional lens. This study explored a relatively under-researched area of K-12 education and used exploratory, qualitative methods to gather the stories of these formal …

Mc Means Mentor The Child: Examining School-Based Hip-Hop Clubs For Youth Empowerment, Leadership Development, And Capacity For Change, Daniel Wolford

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This dissertation examined the relationship between students in a school-based hip-hop club and their ability to develop leadership capabilities through club activities. This study followed a hip-hop club at an urban high school in the Midwest to better understand how hip-hop spaces impact youth participants. The participants included four current members of the club and three alums, all of whom were African American. This study used qualitative methods through heuristic inquiry to understand the phenomenon of hip-hop clubs. Data collection methods included session notes, musical creations, semi-structured interviews, and a Microsoft Teams group chat. Additional heuristic data was collected through …

Answering The Call Of Late Registration, Brooke Justice

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

The topic of late registration in higher education is a term that must be clearly defined to properly compare and contrast academic success metrics. A standard definition for late registration has yet to be agreed upon. For the purposes of this mixed methods action research study, late registration is enrollment in a course 10 days preceding the beginning of the course.

Review of registration data at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College uncovered a disparity between student academic performance of those who registered on time and those who registered late. The institution’s heightened focus on academic performance reflects the performance-based …

Distributed Leadership In International Schools Across The Asia Pacific: A Sequential Explanatory Study, Robert A. Appino

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This explanatory study examined how distributed leadership is practiced in international schools. This included looking at principals’ readiness to practice a distributed perspective of leadership, how they practice leadership, the opportunities for teacher leadership, and the relationship between distributed leadership practices and school innovation and improvement. Principals have increasingly adopted distributed leadership, sharing responsibilities with others, in response to COVID-19 (Azorin, Harris, & Jones, 2020). However, this response was not by design but to survive (Harris & Jones, 2020). The demands of the pandemic left leaders stretched more than ever, and adopting distributed leadership practices was essential (Harris & Jones, …

The Co-Curriculum Of College Student Employment: Perspectives From Supervising Practitioners, Brittany Begley Wildman

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

College student employees are not only serving the overall mission of their institutions, but also developing career readiness skills through daily interactions while at work. In this study, I explore the perceptions of the supervisors of student employees as both managers and student affairs professionals. Through one-on-one interviews with supervisors, discussing their interactions with students, I explore the implicit and explicit curricula they provide to their students using a curriculum analysis framework. I then compare the resulting learning outcomes against those identified in industry standards. The supervisors described supporting student employees' personal development during the student employment experience as well …

An Evaluation Of Statistical Approaches Within A Higher Education Research Framework: How Does Online Distance Learning Impact Student Outcomes?, Nathaniel P. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Appropriate methodology choices are of the utmost importance in research, particularly in measurement and education research. When higher education administrators and researchers study topics related to student outcomes, choosing a statistical approach that produces unbiased estimates is of primary concern. Additionally, studying student outcomes in the context of nationally representative samples provides valuable insights into the state of higher education in the U.S. When examining these data, it is critical that the nested structure be taken into consideration prior to making methodological decisions.

The purpose of the following manuscripts is to demonstrate how education researchers can develop, implement and evaluate …

Effects Of Unilateral Lower Limb Suspension On Quadriceps’ Structure And Contractile Function, Eve N. Elmore

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

BACKGROUND: Muscle unloading such as bed rest or space flight decreases strength and cross-sectional area concomitant with a slow-to-fast fiber type shift, of anti-gravitational muscles such as the quadriceps. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) quantifies tissue anisotropic properties such as Fractional Anisotropy, Mean Diffusivity, Axial Diffusivity, and Radial Diffusivity, as well as muscle volume, fascicle length, and physiological cross-sectional area, and has recently been adapted to assess skeletal muscle structure. In skeletal muscle, anisotropic properties correlate with muscle fiber type and contractile function and may be responsive to unloading-induced atrophy.

PURPOSE: To assess the changes in quadriceps’ size, anisotropy, and contractile …

The Psychosocial Aspects Of Rest, Morgan Findley

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Past research in sport sciences has focused primarily on “rest” from a physical perspective, while giving limited focus to the psychosocial perspective (Eccles & Riley, 2014; Eccles et al., 2022). One major development on psychosocial rest emerged with the pioneering model introduced by Eccles and Kazmier (2019); however, further research is needed to test this proposed model with other sport/performance populations. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the model's generalizability and investigate the perceived frequency of psychosocial rest by athletes throughout their season. To accomplish this, 67 female university athletes completed an online survey comprised of questions representative of the …

Increasing Physical Activity: Parenting Style, Parental Perceptions, And Teacher Use And Self-Efficacy, Kendra Hansen

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

This dissertation consists of three papers aimed at varied ways to increase physical activity for youth. The first paper reviews research on hyper-parenting and its effects on physical activity. The systematic literature review revealed that little is known about hyper-parenting effects on physical activity, but limited evidence suggests a negative relationship between the two variables.

The second manuscript examines parents’ perceptions of physical activity and its effect on their children’s academics. Results showed some minor differences between ethnic groups and those whose children are more active. Although parents tended to agree that physical activity was important, most did not seem …

Physical Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Pre-Service Teacher Education, Gunay Sen

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Physical education plays a crucial role in fostering lifelong physical activity and contributing to the overall education of children. Effective PE teaching requires well-planned teacher education programs that align with contemporary educational standards and practices (Morgan & Bourke, 2005; Lu & Lorusso, 2016). This study addresses the gap between theoretical training and real-world teaching demands, emphasizing the need for ongoing professional development and alignment with current educational standards (Tinning, 2002; Siedentop, 1994). This dissertation explores the perceptions of physical education (PE) teachers regarding their pre-service teacher education (PETE) across four countries: Australia, England, the USA, and Türkiye. The aim is …

Dialogue Over Data: An Interview Study Of Evaluators At Institutions Accredited By Aaqep, Laura Mirochna

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The university supervisor’s role is to evaluate student teachers during the field experience process. The processes for onboarding and evaluation of university supervisors vary widely at universities in the United States but are determined, in part, by the data collection requirements of the programmatic accreditation process. An interview study was done to show how different schools are onboarding and evaluating their university supervisors and collecting evaluation data for AAQEP as the programmatic accreditor. The overarching research question is: RQ1: What is the process for onboarding and evaluating university supervisors, if any is used? The study's results indicate that AAQEP does …

The Effect Of Visual Signaling On Psychomotor Learning: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Study In Physical Therapy Education, Julie Pfeiffer

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The signaling principle states that people learn better when cues are used to highlight important information in a multimedia presentation. Prior research has shown that visual signaling improves learning by directing the learner’s attention to the relevant information of the instruction, improving the learner’s ability to select essential words and pictures. While the visual signaling principle has been applied to learning in the cognitive domain, the effect of visual signaling on learning within the psychomotor domain is limited. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the signaling principle on learning psychomotor skills from multimedia instruction, specifically …

Poc@Fwcd: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Black@ Instagram In K-12 Independent Schools, Chaka Cummings

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The summer of 2020 saw many aspects of American society deal with the racial reckoning that arose in the wake of the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. Their murders sparked outrage, protests, and calls for action and change in the United States through a critical examination of race relations across numerous facets of society. Structures such as educational institutions were called to perform this critical examination much in the same way that cities and industries were. A catalyst in the calls for change came from students through their utilization of social media platforms.

This study is …

De Aquí, Y De Allá: Education, Culture, And Identity Development Of Transnational Latinas, Elizabeth Harris-Medina

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

De Aquí, y De Allá: Education, Culture, and Identity Development of Transnational Latinas This ethnographic case study examines the experiences of three transnational Latina women, descendants of families from Degollado, Jalisco, Mexico, exploring how their migration history and educational backgrounds influence their life trajectories. Focusing on these three women, the study aims to better understand their challenges and inform the development of resources to support their success in the U.S. education system. Using ethnographic interviews and Ecological Systems Theory, the research highlights how places and social systems shape views and life paths, offering insights into how best to support these …

Data In Higher Education: Exploring The Collection, Interpretation, And Utilization Of Information For Institutional Decision-Making Around Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion, Terri Berkley

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This study investigates how higher education institutions in the Appalachian region collect, assess, and utilize data to inform diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and broader institutional transformations. It focuses on understanding how data influences policy reforms, operational practices, and cultural shifts within these institutions. Through a mixed-methods approach—comprising surveys, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups—the study examines the perspectives of key stakeholders, including DEI administrators, non-DEI administrators, and executive-level leaders.

The research identifies how institutional roles and positionality shape stakeholders' engagement with data and their ability to implement DEI-informed strategies. Key findings highlight discrepancies in data access, interpretation, and application, …

Black Girl Wisdom: A Black Feminist Analysis Of Success Strategies Of Professional African American Women At Predominately White Higher Education Institutions, Teasia Jordan

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This phenomenological study examines the success strategies employed by professional African American women (AAW) at predominately white higher education institutions (PWIs). Grounded in Black Feminist Thought (BFT), the “Outsider Within” framework (Collins, 1986), and the concept of “failed citizenship” (Banks, 2017), it explores how AAW navigate and redefine success within environments shaped by exclusionary white patriarchal norms. Through interviews with ten co-laborers, two themes emerged: liberation from unsupportive environments and negotiation strategies to define success.

Findings reveal that AAW’s success strategies center on identity, self-awareness, and rejecting institutional oppression. Co-laborers articulated their liberation by naming the environment as oppressed, fostering …

Effect Of On-Duty Resistance Training On Neuromuscular Function In Structural Firefighters, Jamal L. Thruston

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Participation in on-duty exercise is critical to enhance firefighter safety and readiness. However, these sessions are often interrupted with emergency responses and require firefighters to work in a fatigued state that may increase injury risk. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the impact of on-duty resistance training on neuromuscular function. A sample of 18 firefighters (Age: 38.8±8.0yr; Body fat: 24.9±7.0%) completed 3 testing sessions, separated by at least 72 hr to compare the effects of circuit (CT) versus heavy resistance training (HRT) fatigue on neuromuscular function. During Session 1, anthropometrics and familiarization trials of balance and neuromuscular …

Correlates Of Transactional Sex Among Black Men And Women Who Misuse Opioids, Shemeka Thorpe, Paige Orphé, Gabriella Pitcher, Kendall Mccleod, Natalie Malone, Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

The rise in opioid misuse coincides with increased sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV incidence. Transactional sex is an under-researched phenomenon among Black Americans who misuse opioids, and may increase their risk of STI or HIV transmission. Given the disproportionate impact of the opioid epidemic on Black Americans and the risks associated with opioid misuse, the current study aims to investigate sociostructural factors, history of violence, and sexual risk factors associated with transactional sex among Black men and women. A sample of n = 375 Black adult Kentuckians reporting opioid misuse completed a survey including transactional sex, sociostructural, violence history, …

Exploring Elementary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Propensity For Teaching Stem, Ashley Wilkirson

Theses and Dissertations--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

The following research is conducted in the interest in exploring self-efficacy (or the lack of) in pre- and in-service elementary school teachers when it comes to teaching STEM. In order to explore the issue of self-efficacy for STEM in elementary schools, it comes to defining what STEM education is and what self-efficacy is. These definitions guide research collected in building these future and current teachers’ self-efficacy, with factors ranging from resources available, pre-service training, professional development, content area knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, perceptions of teaching STEM, and opportunities to collaborate with other teachers were listed as some of the reasons. These …

Examining High School Mathematics Teachers' Research-Based Instructional Practices And Their Relationship To Students' Learning Outcomes: A Convergent Parallel Mixed-Method Study, Isiaka Busari

Theses and Dissertations--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

This convergent parallel mixed-methods study examines the relationship between high school mathematics teachers' research-based instructional practices and students' learning outcomes in Algebra 1 classrooms at a high school in a central region of a Southern U.S. State. The research addresses improving mathematics proficiency in the United States, where national performance remains below average. Guided by psychological and social constructivism, the study involved three Algebra 1 teachers and 171 students. Data were collected through classroom observations using the Mathematics Classroom Observation Protocol for Practices (MCOP²), teacher interviews, and student pre-and post-tests. Quantitative data from tests and MCOP² were …

Incorporating Uas Traffic Management Into Wildland Firefighting Operations: Initial Findings Of Subject Matter Expert Interviews, Deborah L. Bakowski, Lynne Martin, Gil Dustin, Chris Mariano

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UASs) are being utilized throughout the disaster and emergency response domain, including in wildland firefighting operations. While UASs can offer safety benefits in comparison to crewed aircraft, such as removing the human pilot from the vehicle so that they are not exposed to the same risks and the ability to operate in low-visibility conditions, they are not without tradeoffs. For example, it can be challenging for UAS pilots (UASPs) to build situation awareness of the airspace in which their UAS is operating. In order to address some of the challenges associated with using UASs and provide greater …

Improving Field Education For Social Work In Vietnam: Intern Supervisors’ Perspectives Of The Current State And Potential Solutions, Megan Aikawa, Meekyung Han, Trang T. Nguyen, Linh Dinh, Minh Thanh Bui

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Research has identified challenges associated with the implementation of competency-based social work field education in Vietnam. However, there is limited information available from intern supervisors, who have unique perspectives at the crux of social work training and service delivery. An exploratory phenomenological qualitative approach was used to explore their experiences and perceptions through online interviews. Four categories were identified: diverse implementation of a common framework, rudimentary expectations and activities, challenges to implementation, and opportunities for improvement. These findings suggest that a multidimensional approach is needed, including improved collaborations between field agencies and universities to empower students, intern supervisors, and faculty.