Digital Commons Network^™

Supporting At-Risk Students Through The Interconnected Systems Framework: Perspectives Of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel, Luis Angel Sandoval

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The number of students with mental health challenges has increased significantly in public schools during the past 10 years. Despite school and community efforts many students remain underserved, specifically at-risk populations. At-risk youth are more likely to experience adverse life outcomes such as performing poorly in school, dropping out of school, acting violently, and facing higher instances of mental health challenges when compared to peers with fewer risk factors. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine specialized instructional support personnel’s attitudes and willingness to implement a change model, ISF, to support at-risk youth in the public school system. …

Divided Crowns: An Ideological Criticism Of Self-Black Determination And Conflicting Visions Of Wakanda In Black Panther, Alaya E. Hubbard

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Using an ideological criticism of Hollywood’s Black Panther (2018), this paper analyzes the differing portrayals of the self-Black determination of the film’s main characters, T’Challa and Killmonger, as it relates to their backgrounds, cultural connections, racial identities, power dynamics, and their fights for social justice. Aspects of the film that were analyzed included characters’ actions, dialogue, lore, and presence. Digging deeper into the film’s story once key themes were revealed. This examination included parallels to the real-world, including locations, social movements, and social reformation leaders. The goal of the paper is to show how the film offers insights into broader …

An Examination Of High School Principals And The Influences That Supported Their Leadership Capacity, Jodiann Beeson

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that high school principals play a crucial role in a school’s success by shaping its culture, influencing teacher retention, and impacting student attendance and academic performance. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the phenomenon of the lived experiences of high school principals, understand their perceptions of the influences that supported developing their leadership capacity, and identify the barriers that prevented them from developing their capacity to lead. This study investigated the experiences of eight high school principals in California to understand their perceptions of the influences that factored into developing and sustaining their leadership …

Close To The Pain: Alternative Education And The Unheard Voices Of Young Adults’ Transformative Learning Experiences, Vicki Lynn Lock

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on amplifying the voices of marginalized students in alternative education, with an emphasis on the positive impact of resilience on their outcomes. The study addresses the challenges these students face, particularly those from BIPOC communities, in navigating educational systems that have historically marginalized them. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the experiences of BIPOC students in a Central Valley alternative education program, highlighting how nurturing relationships, resilience, and the fulfillment of basic needs contribute to their academic success and personal growth. Utilizing a framework that incorporates theories of resilience, educational equity, and transformative leadership, …

Softening And Cross-Susceptibility: Exposure To Heat And Desiccation Reduces Future Stress Tolerance In An Insect, Lauren Harter

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The frequency and duration of environmental stressors, such as heat waves and drought, will continue to grow due to ongoing climate change, thereby increasing the likelihood that organisms will experience stressors consecutively. Exposure to one stressor can improve or impair future tolerance to the same stressor (i.e., hardening or softening, respectively), or enhance or reduce future tolerance to a different stressor (i.e., cross-protection or cross-susceptibility, respectively). Understanding whether stress improves or impairs animals’ abilities to withstand future stressors is critical for determining the physiological sensitivity of animals to ongoing climate change. Here, I evaluated the responses to consecutive heat and …

Volume 15, Connor Thompson, Emily Steffenhagen, Emily Robertson, Luis Fernando Dos Reis, Emily Farmer, Samuel Villa, Robert Allison, Zachary Chessor, Megan Borden, Austin Burnett, Larry W. Grant Jr., Tristan Marowski, Emma Moore, Pearl Siff

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Artist’s Statement Connor Thompson

On Mentorship Dr. John Miller

The Meat of the Matter: Alien, Human, and Animal in Terry Bisson’s “They’re Made Out of Meat” by Emily Steffenhagen

“Please REBLOG!”: An Ethical Analysis of Doxxing, Internet Vigilantism and Racists Getting Fired by Emily Robertson

Journaling: Paper Has More Patience Than People by Luis Fernando Dos Reis

The Effects of Climate Change on the Archaeological World by Emily Farmer

Lowered Seat Height Does Not Impair Wingate Performance in Untrained Cyclists by Samuel Villa, Robert Allison, …

Deconstruction Of Body Representation Of The Back In Healthy Back Pain-Free Individuals And People With Chronic Low Back Pain, Simon Pratt

Theses

Changes in various body representations have been increasingly investigated and subsequently posited to be potentially important factors in the development and maintenance of chronic low back pain. Three main domains of body representation are considered here: body model, body schema (comprising superficial and postural schema), and body image. Most studies informing our contemporary understanding of these body representations have been undertaken in areas such as the hand and forearm, with a comparative dearth of studies performed on the low back. Consequently, this thesis consists of a comprehensive investigation of body representation initially in healthy back pain-free individuals and then in …

Analysing The Prevalence Of Servant Leadership Characteristics And Cultural Values In A Uae-Based Multinational And Multicultural Workforce, Richard John Atkinson

Theses

In an increasingly virtual, pandemic-affected working environment, cross-cultural and people-centric leadership approaches are needed. Scholars have explored leadership effectiveness under different conditions and influences. However, in the body of leadership literature, there is scant attention to the variance across cultures for servant leadership to manage workers effectively.

This mixed-methods study explores whether servant leadership relates to cultural characteristics across three different nationalities in a UAE-based multinational organisation, providing a more comprehensive understanding of these relationships and differences and employees' perceptions. The quantitative method is examined using context-specific knowledge and the qualitative method explores the nuances of participant responses making the …

The Perception Of Year 11 Students In Catholic Secondary Schools Towards Christian Service-Learning, Salvatore Pietro De Luca

Theses

The purpose of this research was to firstly, explore the perceptions of Year 11 students in four Catholic secondary schools in Western Australia towards Christian Service-Learning (CSL), and secondly to assist improvement in the delivery of CSL programs through an understanding of the students’ perceptions. The study explored Year 11 student perceptions regarding their understandings of CSL, as well what they perceived to be the benefits, challenges, and impacts of participating in a CSL program. A key informant (KI) from each school provided contextual understanding about the CSL program within their school and how the program is delivered within the …

Ngala Kaditjiny ’Our Culture’, Barbara Bynder

Theses

In this study I explored some of the key components of Noongar cultural practice that remain embedded within Noongar society today yet have adapted, changed, and evolved over time and demonstrate that there remains a sense of duty and commitment among Noongar women to follow cultural values and value systems that determine rights, responsibility, and obligation during the practice of disputes.

The target group for this inquiry is Noongar women, The target group is made up of nine Noongar women who shared their personal story, a group of senior Noongar women called the Kookaburra Club who guided me through the …

Deterring The Digital Dragon, Bryn Lacey

Theses

Australia’s 21st century has been heavily influenced by a growing number of cyber incidents ranging from individuals causing extraordinary damage to state-based attacks from adversary states such as China. Focusing on state actors in the cyber domain, this thesis investigates Martin Libicki’s cyber-deterrence framework, with a specific emphasis on the employment of deterrence by punishment, and applies this concept to the case study of the relationship between Australia and China.

In recent years, Australia has been consistently targeted by sophisticated state-based cyber actors and the Australian Government has appeared increasingly prepared to publicly criticise Beijing as a key security challenge. …

Design-Build Discussions: Coordination Practices In Design-Build Education Projects, Michael James Phillips

Theses

Design-build projects involve guiding a group of participants through the collaborative process of designing and constructing an architectural outcome while offering relevant learning opportunities. Guidance is often delivered intuitively through discussions between coordinators and participants, which integrate learning opportunities with activities that advance the development of the outcome. This study explores the discussion-based guidance practices of experienced coordinators, to address a gap in the literature on coordination practices.

As a step towards providing a more diverse range and detailed accounts of designbuild coordination practices, this study examines how experienced coordinators make sense of the design-build process and share their understanding …

Lived Experiences Of Former Secondary School Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Phenomenological Study, Dinoshi Sajivini Keiper

Theses

This study was an exploration of the lived experiences of students with ADHD in the Australian secondary school classroom in identifying factors influencing their learning outcomes. Students with ADHD face short-term issues, such as strained relationships with teachers, peers, and parents, a lack of relatedness and engagement with school, late arrival and absenteeism, and high drop-out rates, leading to poor academic outcomes (Dembo et al., 2016; Fried et al., 2016). In the long-term, their poor academic achievements have led to many other negative outcomes including psychological conditions, under-employment, substance abuse, criminality, and an overall poorer quality of life, causing significant …

First Nations Children: Investigating Elements For A Successful Education Model, Frances Mccarthy

Theses

This study was undertaken at the request of and in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, community members and families, and educators. These First Nations participants allowed the study to explore what might contribute to the creation of a successful model of education for First Nations children to lead them to be successful contributing members of the community.

The cultural interface theory is the theoretical framework used in the design of this research project. Through the implementation of the phenomenographic methodology, knowledge was gathered through semi-structured interviews with participants. By listening and questioning, a picture of the educational …

Uncovering The Link Between Diabetes And Pulmonary Hypertension, Nishant Nundlall

Theses

Background

Diabetes is a common disorder in the general population with most studies focusing on its role on the left ventricle and coronary artery disease, however it effects on pulmonary hypertension (PH) have not been fully studied. There is a pressing need to more completely explore the cardiovascular impacts of diabetes. The impact of diabetes might vary according to the various forms of PH, their predominant contribution is likely to be in PH due to left heart disease (group II, the most common form of PH).

Thus far, most studies have offered a focussed perspective with data from specialised referral …

Teachers’ Perspectives And Practices For Ameliorating Dysregulation In School-Aged Children Through Trauma-Informed Education Practice, Linda Lane

Theses

The research investigates Western Australian (WA) teachers’ understanding of the impact of trauma-informed education practice. The main research question, which forms the basis of the study, is How do the trauma-informed education practices, currently being used in Western Australian public schools, impact the capacity of children to self-regulate their behaviour? The literature examines the impact of unresolved trauma on the developing child and reviews the trauma-informed education practices that are designed to ameliorate the negative effects of trauma. The research also investigates the trauma-informed practices that are currently being used in WA public school classrooms, as described by teachers, and …

"Where You Do Not Wish To Go": Petrine Ministry Between Charism And Institution, In The Thought Of Erich Przywara And Hans Urs Von Balthasar, Daniel Uremovic

Theses

Since the First Vatican Council’s solemn definition of papal primacy and infallibility, the Catholic ecclesial consciousness has been shaped by a unique form of devotion to the office of the Supreme Pontiff. While the scope of these charisms had been clearly defined and delimited, a sentiment described as “creeping infallibility” has nevertheless complicated the proper understanding of the Petrine office and its demands on the faithful. Before the episcopal college, local church communities, the laity at large, and the individual churchman, this office has been regularly viewed in tensions that feel the prerogatives either of institution or charism threated. Even …

Challenging The Myth Of Consensus: Irish Australian Voices In Perth During The Great War Conscription Referendums, Alexander Mcclure

Theses

The controversial conscription referendums of 1916 and 1917 in Australia saw a resurgence of religious sectarianism and a perceived entanglement with the aftermath of political violence in Ireland. Examining the voting outcomes in all the Australian states for the referendums may suggest that Western Australia stood against the nationwide trend of rejecting Prime Minister William Hughes’s proposals for compulsory military service. Analysis over the last thirty years has challenged this idea, which is that Western Australia showed a unique, widespread consensus during the Great War period. A greater understanding has developed with the increasing digital accessibility of wartime primary sources, …

The Impact Of Service-Learning On The Development Of Servant Leadership In An Ignatian Context, Antony Sindone

Theses

This thesis investigates the impact of domestic and international service-learning on servant leadership development. Utilising mixed methods, the case study extends the current literature, which has relied largely on quantitative or qualitative data. The research comprises three Sydney Jesuit institutions and seven service-learning experiences of differing lengths and locations. The quantitative phase surveyed 60 participants using the Servant Leadership Behaviour Scale (Sendjaya et al., 2008) to capture statistically significant growth in servant leader attributes, including: voluntary subordination, covenantal relationships, authentic self, responsible morality, transforming influence and transcendental spirituality. The second phase involved 62 individual interviews with leaders and volunteers to …

The Cumulative Incidence And Site Of Recurrent Metastatic Breast Cancer And Post-Metastasis Survival Of Females With An Initial Diagnosis Of Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer In New South Wales, Sarah Jane Lord

Theses

This dissertation aimed to investigate the population-level incidence, site, and survival of recurrent metastatic breast cancer (rMBC) occurring after stage I−III breast cancer, and changes over time. Breast cancer mortality has declined over the last 30 years due to advances in screening, diagnosis, and treatment. However, the impact of improved cancer care on rMBC is not yet well understood because cancer registries do not routinely report on cancer recurrence (Chapter 1). A systematic review of 20 population-based studies provided evidence of improvements in survival for people with de novo metastatic breast cancer (stage IV at diagnosis) since 1995 in high-income …

Optimising Care For Musculoskeletal Conditions To Reduce Burden On Hospital Emergency Department And Orthopaedic Services, Piers Truter

Theses

Worldwide health care systems are under increasing pressure due to aging amongst ever growing populations with increasing co-morbidity and treatment options (WA DoH, 2019). Furthermore, how people choose to engage with health care and access and literacy for health information is also changing, as is understanding of the factors associated with good health outcomes. These changes are driving evolution in health care delivery. There is a need for high quality and sustainable models of care accompanied by judicious evaluation of impact in terms of health services deliverables and the consumer experience of care. This thesis explores the feasibility and applicability …

An Investigation Into The Nature Of The Knee Pain Experience In People With Knee Osteoarthritis, Gemma Mary Orange

Theses

Knee osteoarthritis poses a substantial and escalating socioeconomic burden globally, exacerbated by demographic trends towards an aging population, sedentary lifestyles and increasing obesity rates. Defined by knee pain and functional limitations (Wood et al., 2023; Zhang, Doherty, et al., 2010), traditional approaches have viewed knee OA related pain and disability primarily through a biomedical lens, linking symptoms directly to structural damage and advocating surgical interventions such as total knee arthroplasty to address presumed causative pathology (Bunzli et al., 2019; Darlow et al., 2018). Despite the capacity of surgery to ameliorate structural pathology, patient centred outcomes vary considerably. Up to 30% …

Access, Security, And Trust: Balancing Agencies' Need-To-Access Encrypted Data With Digital Security And Public Trust In Australian Government's Policy Approaches To Law Enforcement And National Security, Stephen Anthony Haydon

Theses

In the 21st Century, governments around the world are confronted by the challenges of policing against serious crime, terrorism, and other malicious-actor threats in an increasingly complex and convoluted digital landscape. Accelerating social changes and advances in secure and anonymising technologies (including end-to-end encryption) are providing regular frustrations to law enforcement and intelligence organisations. These agencies must detect, deter, and disrupt the threats to lives, public safety, and national security posed by malicious foreign and domestic actors who are utilising such technologies to communicate securely and ‘go dark’ online. Accessing encrypted data to identify and investigate these threats frequently requires …

The Impact Of Treatment Dosage On Cognitive-Linguistic Outcomes Of Patients With Aphasia: An Investigation Of Three Service Delivery Models, Adele J. Derendinger

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study addresses the gap in literature by directly comparing the effectiveness of Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programs (ICAPs) and modified ICAPs (mICAPs) to usual care service delivery models for people with aphasia. Through a prospective study design, cognitive-linguistic function change scores across different service delivery models were examined. The findings reveal significant within-group improvements in cognitive-linguistic function for participants in ICAPs, with some improvement seen in mICAPs and usual care conditions. Intensive models demonstrated greater improvement compared to non-intensive usual care models, particularly evident in the Western Aphasia Battery – Revised and the Boston Naming Test – Second Edition. …

Sweetbriar: I Wound To Heal, Megan Foster

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This work questions the societal disconnect between the readiness of human emotion and the restraint with which we discuss it. As the well-to-do ladies of the Victorian era would gather flowers to create tussie-mussies and nosegays to adorn themselves and send messages, the pieces of the MFA thesis exhibition Sweetbriar: I Wound to Heal divulge intense realities through the palatability and presentability of a flower’s beauty. The flowers in this work (as with Victorian Flower Language) act as signifiers for greater emotional concepts. Harebells for grief. Peonies for shame. Gorse for anger. Each flower/emotion in this exhibition is connected directly …

The Effects Of Beaver Dam Anaolgs On Linked Aquatic-Terrestrial Communities In Western Headwater Streams, Michelle Elyse Fillion, Benjamin P. Colman, Rachel L. Malison

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In response to stream degradation resulting from the near eradication of American Beavers (Castor canadensis), managers of freshwater systems have turned to using beaver dam analogs (BDAs) as one means of restoring waterways from stream and riparian degradation. Though BDAs have been shown to restore physical traits of riparian areas, their influence on macroinvertebrates and linked aquatic-terrestrial systems is not well understood. To examine how BDAs influence aquatic habitats, macroinvertebrate communities, and riparian insectivores, we compared unrestored reference stream segments to BDA-restored segments with 7-14 BDAs in three western Montana headwater streams. We collected physical stream measurements and quantitative samples …

Exploring Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies And Solutions Of International Students In Academic Environments With Consideration To Communication Accommodation Theory, Wendy K. Yeboah

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

ABSTRACT

Yeboah, Wendy, M.A., Spring 2024 Communication Studies

Exploring Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies and Solutions of International Students in Academic Environments with Consideration to Communication Accommodation

Chairperson: Dr. Greg Larson

This study, exploring the communication challenges of international students within academic spaces may be particularly helpful due to the constant interaction that happens within the academic space. Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) was used as a guiding framework to ask eleven international students what their communication challenges are and subsequently what are the communication strategies they use to help alleviate these challenges. Analyses were conducted thematically, and international students' responses on what …

Structural And Functional Analysis Of Glun2a-Selective Negative Allosteric Modulators, James Scott Lotti

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

NMDA-type ionotropic glutamate receptors are widely expressed throughout the central nervous system and are critically involved in many healthy neuronal processes. Dysregulation of NMDA receptor activity underlies many disease pathologies, several of which benefit from treatment with antagonists, such as the FDA-approved channel blockers ketamine, memantine, and adamantine. NMDA receptors are composed of two glycine-binding GluN1 subunits and two glutamate-binding GluN2A-D subunits. The GluN2A-D subunits display distinct regional and developmental expression patterns, enabling region- or cell type-specific targeting of NMDA receptors through subunit-selective pharmacological intervention. There are several classes of subunit-selective negative allosteric NMDA receptor modulators, but the mechanisms of …

Wildfire-Specific Fine Particulate Matter Exposure Impacts On Influenza Across The Western United States, Ava Shulin Orr

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Background: In recent years, air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5) originating from wildfire smoke, has surged despite declining anthropogenic emissions. This trend has led to concerning adverse health effects across many different morbidity and mortality outcomes. Still, many gaps remain in understanding of how wildfire-specific smoke impacts our health, including how to isolate the contribution of wildfire-originating PM2.5 within the total ambient or background PM2.5, as well as how and when delayed wildfire smoke exposure will impact certain disease outcomes, and relevant to this dissertation, particularly for communicable respiratory infections, such as influenza.

Purpose: The purpose of this research …

Cultivating Access: The Benefits And Challenges Of Using Community Land Trusts To Preserve Farmland And Support Farmers., Meghan Daly

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Agricultural land protected by community land trusts (CLTs) is more likely to remain in active production due to the CLT’s ability to enforce land use practices and select tenants committed to farming. While land tenure approaches vary among CLTs, protected agricultural lands typically utilize long-term leases with affordable rents (Ela and Rosenberg, 2020). Such leasing arrangements enable farmers to access land at prices unaffected by escalating land values (Schwartz et al., 2013). The CLT model not only safeguards farmland but also promotes active agricultural production, thereby ensuring local food supply and providing economic opportunities for farmers.

Despite the promising potential …