Digital Commons Network^™

In Virtual Proximity: Choosing Community Over Solitude, Deea Deb

RhetTech

Is it possible that all writers are introverts? Or are most writers simply terrified of collaborating, sharing their work with a group (read: exposing their writerly vulnerabilities, their “is this good enough” selves)? We can’t all be introverts, but most of us likely struggle with fear for our “is this good enough” selves. But why fear collaboration? I can think of two reasons: what we discover through, say, a peer review session may change not only our relationship between ourselves and our writing, but our relationship with others, our audience, and what they think of our writing: we fear being …

I Bet You Don’T Know What’S Really In Black Cake: The Rhetorics Of Trinidadian Black Cake And Recipe, Jessica Lappin

RhetTech

In a food blog-style post, I reflect on my own connection to black cake – a liquor soaked fruit cake born from the enslavement of African people in the Caribbean – while examining the cultural and food rhetorics around this delicacy to understand how the tragic meaning of black cake has evolved into a joyous one: for eating and sharing with family during the holiday season. Using the historical context as a footing for my exploration, I draw on additional scholarship and a short story to note how food intersects with identity and power. From black cake’s rhetorically ironic ingredients …

Liturgical Practices For Full Participation: Creating Opportunities For Engagement In Corporate Worship For People Living With Intellectual Disabilities At The Mooroolbark Salvation Army, Catherine Jane Spiller

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The Mooroolbark Salvation Army is a place of welcome and acceptance for people with disabilities. However, people with intellectual disabilities often have limited opportunities for engagement in corporate worship. The act of worship is a practice everyone should be able to participate in, but barriers often limit engagement for people with disabilities. This project thesis explored and sought to address these barriers and create opportunities for full participation for people with intellectual disabilities. A small diverse group of people from the Mooroolbark Salvation Army came together for ten weeks commencing in February 2022 to consider how to attend to engagement …

The Constitutionality Of Brain Searches, Wayne Unger

UC Law Constitutional Quarterly

If technology could read your mind and capture your thoughts as storable and processable data, would that frighten you? Recent advancements in brain-computer interfaces will likely make mind-reading a reality, and if it does, it presents the last stand or final frontier in the battle for privacy protections. It is well established that an individual must be able to retreat into their home and be free from government intrusion. But if an individual cannot retreat into their own mind free from government intrusion, then true solitude will become extinct. In a future state where braincomputer interfaces can actively decode an …

Factors That Predict Viewer Engagement During Educational Youtube Videos, Tyler Tarver

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine factors influencing user engagement when watching educational videos. Specifically, this study explored the extent to which video length and video style predict the percentage watch time, number of likes, number of comments, and number of shares of educational YouTube videos. The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning served as the theoretical framework for this investigation. YouTube Creator Studio was used to select a convenience sample of 683 videos created between 2008 and 2021 and uploaded to the Tarver Academy YouTube channel. Simultaneous entry ordinary least square multiple regression and negative binomial regression models …

Predictive Effects Of Athletics, Social Clubs, Race, And Sex On Academic Performance At A Private University, John Mark Warnick

College of Education Dissertations

Understanding what aids or hinders student success and the nuances found in a private institution may yield opportunities for improved retention, graduation, and satisfaction rates. Therefore, this study examined the predictive effects of athletic participation, social club membership, race, and sex on college students’ academic performance at a private university, as measured by grade point average (GPA), hours earned, and graduation status. The study utilized Alexander Astin’s theory of student involvement as a framework. This quantitative study collected 7 years of data from a university’s student information system and then analyzed using two multiple regressions and a linear regression. Social …

Effects Of An Arkansas Better Chance Prekindergarten Program On Academic Achievement Of Fourth-Grade Students, Samuel H. Slott Iii

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate and determine if a difference exists between students who attended an Arkansas Better Chance program and those who did not participate in a program on English, reading, science, and mathematics achievement for fourth grade students. Scores chosen for this study were from the 2019 4th-grade students in eight Arkansas school districts. The samples were chosen from eight school districts participating in the ABC prekindergarten program. A 2 x 2 factorial ANOVA was used to determine if a statistical difference existed. ACT Aspire Summative Assessment scores from 388 students was used to provide …

Drs Annual Report 2022, Design Research Society

Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Healthcare Experiences By Race, Sex, And Weight Status In A Sample Of Low Wage Workers Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michael Ampofo

Honors Scholar Theses

There is longstanding evidence of racial, sex-based, weight-based, and socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in the quality of healthcare. These disparities can result from provider bias and discrimination in the healthcare system and can contribute to disparities in health outcomes. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated differential treatment in healthcare due to the strain it placed on the healthcare system. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. healthcare experiences among low SES non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White patients. This secondary analysis utilized survey measures from 225 low-wage workers, ages …

Probabilistic Machine Learning For Battery State Of Health Prognostics, Charli Zaretsky

Honors Scholar Theses

The ability to understand and predict the state of health (SOH) of lithium-ion batteries is an integral component of their widespread commercial use. There are various methods through which SOH can be analyzed and predicted, and this paper discusses these different methods, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. This paper also details an analysis of lithium-ion battery SOH through two data-driven machine learning methods: XGBoost and Gaussian process regression. A comparison is made between each method’s accuracy in predicting next-cycle discharge capacity using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) readings and battery charge and discharge rates, from a dataset given in …

On The Brink Of Transformation : Becoming Ones True Self, Jordan Lee Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It brings me great joy to share with you the story of my journey through Academia. This thesis will cover some of the milestones I’ve reached throughout my studies here at the University of Arkansas, which led me to be able to attain an MFA in Theatre with an Acting Emphasis. You’ll be granted an all access pass into some of the works I’ve been able to produce while studying here at the U of A Including my one person show, statement of artistry, a link to my website, and information on my career as a professional stand-up comedian

Genre Discovery 2.0, Katie Rose Guest Pryal

Barry Law Review

Ten years ago, I proposed the “genre discovery approach” for teaching new legal writers how to write any legal document, even ones they had never encountered before. Using the genre discovery approach, a writer studies samples of a genre to identify the genre’s conventions so that they can write the genre. From the seed of Genre Discovery 1.0, the approach’s potential has blossomed into a robust pedagogical system: Genre Discovery 2.0. Genre Discovery 2.0 is more effective than Genre Discovery 1.0 because it more explicitly integrates metacognition into its pedagogy.

Metacognition, “the concept that individuals can monitor and regulate their …

2023-May-01-Empowering The Next Generation Of Innovators, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY – East Tennessee State University’s Entrepreneurship Program is partnering with FoundersForge, a leading local entrepreneur center, and the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce, to host the inaugural High School Entrepreneur’s Boot Camp. This four-day summer camp runs June 26-29, and is open to students in grades 8-12, including home-schooled students at the equivalent grade level. 

  

The High School Entrepreneur’s Boot Camp happens on the ETSU campus from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. daily. This program aims to instill valuable life skills, innovative thinking and leadership qualities in participating students while providing them with the tools and resources to develop their …

2023-May-01-Etsu Board Of Trustees To Hold Special Called Meeting, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

East Tennessee State University’s Board of Trustees will hold a special called meeting on Friday, May 19 at 11 a.m. to discuss the budget for 2023-24 and other business as necessary.

The meeting will be conducted permitting participation by electronic or other means of communication if necessary. A livestream of the meeting will be available at etsu.edu/trustees/livestream.php.

When they become available, the agenda and accompanying materials for the meeting will be posted at etsu.edu/trustees under “Meeting Schedule & Materials.”

For more information, call 423-439-4317.  For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.

2023-May-01-Leaders In Primary Care, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine made a significant jump in this year’s U.S. News & World Report ranking of “Medical Schools: Primary Care,” moving from 65 in 2022 to 38 this year.

Quillen College of Medicine also ranked among the top-10 “Medical Schools with the Most Graduates Practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas,” and was ranked 39^th in “Medical Schools with the Most Graduates Practicing in Primary Care.”

Among schools ranked in the “Medical Schools: Primary Care” category, ETSU ranked second in Tennessee and seventh in the Southeast. Schools are ranked based on faculty resources, academic …

Quinlan Brogdon Honors Portfolio, Quinlan Brogdon

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Quinlan Brogdon's honors portfolio captured in May 2023.

Logan Kuskie Honors Portfolio, Logan Kuskie

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Logan Kuskie's honors portfolio captured in May 2023.

2023-May-01-Level Up- Discover The Future Of Gaming, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

ETSU Esports is forging a path in the collegiate gaming community, striving to come out on top as a leader in the industry. 

Esports is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and by embracing this new modern athlete, ETSU is going beyond what was thought possible in the gaming industry. The esports team is focused on providing students with opportunities that will accelerate them in their future careers by allowing them to gain leadership, marketing, broadcasting, video editing and production experience.  

“Working in the esports industry and the general, online video production industry is something that I …

2023-May-01-Quillen College Of Medicine Graduates 70 Students, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine celebrated commencement on Friday with 70 students being awarded their Doctor of Medicine degree.

This summer, the Class of 2023 will disperse to their residencies across 20 states and the District of Columbia. The Class of 2023 matched into 15 different specialties and enjoyed a 100% match rate for the second straight year.

“While many members of the Class of 2023 will spread out across the nation to complete their residency training, we know they will represent Quillen well wherever they end up,” said Dr. Bill Block, ETSU vice president for clinical …

2023-May-01-Tony Treadway Appointed To Etsu Board Of Trustees, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has appointed Tony Treadway, president and CEO of The Creative Energy Group Inc., to the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Board of Trustees.

Treadway, a native of Erwin and an ETSU graduate, brings to the board a rich and varied background as a journalist, brand marketing strategist and community leader. In his capacity as founder of a top advertising agency based in Johnson City, Treadway has continuously championed ETSU, employing many of its graduates and contributing to significant university initiatives, including the creation of the William B. Greene Jr. Stadium.

Tony Treadway

"Tony’s deep roots …

Connecting The Cerebral And Heartfelt: Integrating Creative Problem Solving And Design Thinking, Kirsten Lindquist Campana

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This paper reviews scholarly resources and industry articles exploring the challenges of understanding and implementing design thinking. Drawing upon these findings, I will develop a novel framework that connects the cerebral and heartfelt aspects of Creative Problem Solving with the more empathetic design thinking methodology. The purpose of this endeavor is twofold: first, to capture my understanding of the intellectual and emotional experiences encountered during a creative problem-solving journey, and second, to establish a unique human-centered design thinking framework that works to integrate elements of Creative Problem Solving, the Thinking Skills Model, providing a fresh perspective to tackle frequent …

Building Resilience: A Mixed Methods Exploration Of Head Start Teachers Coping During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ehichoya Edokhamhen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the resiliency of Head Start teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study explored the role social support (as an external factor of resilience) and self-efficacy (as an internal factor of resilience) played in the resilience of Head Start teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study employed a sequential explanatory mixed methods design involving two phases: a quantitative and a qualitative phase. Participants in this study were 99 teachers in rural eastern Tennessee and some rural parts of Virginia, North Carolina, and New Mexico, who were Head Start teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. …

Teacher Instructional Strategies Impacting Rural, High-Poverty Student Academic Outcomes, Erin Kinney Burt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an abundant amount of interest among educators surrounding what actions can be taken by the government, local representatives, school boards, administrators, and teachers to assist rural, high-poverty students flourish academically. An uninspiring truth related to this subject is many times, a student receives the education the state and local communities are able to provide based on the quality of teachers they are able to retain and the resources available. Instructional strategies teachers implement could influence the quality of education students receive and could leave a community in a constant cycle of dependency and hardship. The purpose of this …

Building Comprehension: A Causal Comparative Study Of Factors Contributing To The Oral Reading Fluency Of First Graders, Kimberly Michelle Shaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers are charged with the task of reaching all students academically in hopes all students will become proficient readers by third grade. Oral reading fluency is a predictor in academic success since fluency reflects comprehension. Students often come to school unprepared in their earliest years due to a lack of opportunity and/or early literacy experiences, creating an achievement gap, a disparity in academic performance between groups of students. This study identifies the correlation between socioeconomic status, race, gender, and preschool enrollment and the oral reading fluency of first-grade readers as indicated by the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills …

Leadership Development In Education For Sustainable Development: Evaluation Of Higher Education Students In Sustainable Development Programs, Michelle Dzurenda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) has been working decades towards reaching Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to create peace and prosperity for people and the planet. The 2030 Agenda was created as an urgent call to action, a global partnership, and a comprehensive plan to work towards the 17 SDGs. For this study, the focus is on Goal 4- quality education and the impact of leadership on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Leadership on ESD has been a more recent topic and under researched. By making advancements in leadership on ESD there will be positive …

Teaching Students With A Mild Intellectual Disability How To Respond To Strangers Using Computer-Based Video Instruction, Chelsey Rae Simmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computer-based video instruction (CBVI) has been effective in teaching students with disabilities various health, community, and safety skills. Research suggests that CBVI is often used in conjunction with community-based instruction (CBI). Frequently, students with severe disabilities or students who are of high school age participate in CBI and/or CBVI and its accompanying research. This study investigated the effectiveness of CBVI to teach students with a mild ID, ages 11-13, appropriate responses to lures from strangers. A single-case, multiple probe across participants design was used to examine the impact of CBVI on one dependent variable, a correct two-step response (verbal and …

Creating Unicorns: Teaching Iep Literacy And Accommodation Self-Advocacy Through Asynchronous Interactive Video Modules, Kathleen M. C. Dorr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Data indicate that individuals who disclose their disability status to self-advocate for accommodations at the postsecondary level may be as rare as the mythical unicorn. During the 2019–20 school year in the United States, 7.3 million public education students aged 3–21 years received some form of special education services. These students account for 14% of the nation’s public school enrollment (Irwin et al., 2021). In one study, only 20% of high school students reported having received any instruction on reading and understanding their own Individualized Education Program (IEP; Agran & Hughes, 2008). In another study, only 19% of postsecondary students …

Ableism, Ableist Microaggressions, And Psychological Thriving: A Mixed-Methods Study Of College Students With Physical Disabilities, Tonya Barnhill Dawsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microaggressions are daily insults to individuals that communicate messages of exclusion, inferiority, and abnormality. The term microaggression was originally used to explain the experiences of racial minorities. This term has also been used to explain the experiences of other individuals with oppressed identities. More recently, the term ableist microaggression has been used to describe these types of experiences for individuals with disabilities. Like other oppressed groups, individuals with disabilities experience ableism through interpersonal discrimination which is often delivered in a subtle, ambiguous, and unintentional manner that is difficult to address. Qualitative studies in the field of education and disability studies …

Investigating The Most Valued Components Of The South Carolina Teaching Fellows Program By Graduates Who Have Remained In The Education Profession, Amanda Jane Darden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The vision of every elementary, middle, and high school in the United States is to deliver an excellent educational setting to each and every student who enters their school building. Educational research overwhelmingly demonstrates that a primary factor contributing to an “excellent educational setting” is having highly qualified and effective teachers (Rice, 2003). However, the teacher supply and demand issues currently facing our nation is significantly compromising the ideal of providing excellent educational settings in our schools. Teacher attrition is a problem that faces schools throughout the United States. The number of teachers leaving their positions to pursue other careers …

Adaptability: Its Professional Capital And Influence On Secondary Science Teacher Job Satisfaction, Kristy A. Floyd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Following a 15-year decline, the United States is experiencing the lowest educator job satisfaction ever recorded amidst a critical teacher shortage. Discussions of how to retain teachers are part of everyday conversations in education. Although much research has been conducted on the many factors influencing job satisfaction, one factor that has yet to be thoroughly studied is teacher adaptability. Everyday challenges such as new curricula, policy changes, and the COVID-19 pandemic require teachers to be adaptable. This study analyzed the results of a teacher survey that examined the elements of professional capital to determine how they affected teacher adaptability and …