Digital Commons Network^™

On The Solutions Of Difference Equations Of The Volterra Type, Hakan Adigüzel

Turkish Journal of Mathematics

In this paper, we conduct a thorough analysis of the qualitative behavior of solutions to three different types of difference equations of the Volterra type. Utilizing the principles of discrete calculus and various well-known inequalities, we have presented our findings. To conclude our theoretical findings, we provide several examples that illustrate full alignment with the findings.

Reasons For Former Teachers To Change Employment Or To Depart The Profession, Vicki Renfroe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher turnover adversely affects students’ academic performance and the educational community. The problem that was addressed through study is the approximately 18% teacher turnover at a local Title I school district in southeast Texas. This purpose of this study was to explore why teachers within a local souteast Texas Title I school district left their positions. The conceptual framework was Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The study was guided by a research question centered on recurring reasons for teachers considering retiring, leaving the profession, or changing locations. A basic qualitative study employing semistructured interviews with 14 former teachers who had left …

Usa V. Joseph Cammarata

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Understanding Educators' Experiences Facilitating The Psychological Needs Of Twice-Exceptional Learners: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jennifer L. Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of gifted and special educators as they facilitate the psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness in twice-exceptional learners in schools with gifted and special education programming within the United States. The theory that guided this study was the self-determination theory, which offered a framework to explore teachers' experiences supporting 2e students. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of gifted and special educators as they facilitate the psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness for twice-exceptional students? This question was studied using transcendental …

Design And Investigation Of Triarylamine Functionalized Luminophores For Multi-Functional And Stimuli-Responsive Applications, Sasikala R

Theses and Dissertations

Organic solid-state fluorescent materials have garnered attention over many decades in virtue of their contribution in the development of LED devices and biomedical applications. Nevertheless, the potential of fluorescent molecules in device applications was underused due to aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect. The ACQ effect commonly quenches the organic molecules fluorescence intensity in the aggregated or condensed state, which can significantly influence their performance in practical applications.

The organic polyaromatic fluorophores exhibit strong fluorescence in the solution state. After culmination of years of work, Prof. Tang’s research group discovered a new phenomenon of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) in the fluorescence molecules constructed …

Expanding The Role Of Embodiment And Teacher Noticing In Units Coordination And Construction, Claudia Bertolone-Smith, Jonathan Troup, Liza Bondurant, Diana Moss, Hortensia Soto

Publications

We aim to expand units coordination and construction assessment by examining the significance of embodiment and teacher noticing, especially in relation to recent developments in equitable mathematics teacher noticing research. We outline our approach as mathematics teacher educators with a wide range of expertise, wherein we investigated how prospective elementary mathematics teachers (PTs) notice students' units construction and coordination through embodied actions and the impact of incorporating a focus on embodiment in assessment. We also address how expanding the understanding of units coordination and construction assessment through embodied noticings can create more equitable classroom spaces. The study emphasizes the need …

Service-Learning At The Meso-Level: Integrating A Course On Sustainable Development With National Service Requirements, Mark Anthony D. Abenir, Helena Roxanne A. Indigne

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Higher education institutions have been leveraging service learning (SL) to enhance the effectiveness of sustainable development education within their curriculum and pedagogical practices.

Performance Analysis Of University Wifi Using 802.11e Information Elements, Douglas Christopher Hales

Theses and Dissertations

Wireless networks, including IEEE 802.11 (WiFi), continue to become more important for many uses, including university classrooms. Factors that impact the performance of these networks have changed greatly over time, with increased scale at which they are used, and growing dependence of latency sensitive applications. In order to better understand the performance of current WiFi networks, a methodology was created to capture and analyze beacon frames with optional 802.11e information elements (IE), using Quality of Service enhanced Basic Service Set or QBSS load (channel utilization) and station count. This methodology is able to collect channel use more frequently than many …

Policy-Based Redactable Set Signatures, Zachary A. Kissel

Computer and Data Science Faculty Publications

A redactable set signature scheme is a signature scheme that allows a redactor, without possessing the signing key, to convert a signature on set S to a signature on set S' if S' ⊂ S. This paper introduces a new form of redactable set signature scheme called a policy-based redactable set signature scheme. These redactable set signatures allow for a signer to provide a redaction policy at signing time that limits the possible redactions that can be made by a redactor. In particular, a signature on set S can only be redacted to a signature on if S' ⊂ …

2025-02-25 Executive Council Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Focus, 2025, Spring, Andrews University

Focus

FOCUS (ISSN 1077-9345) is published quarterly, free of charge, for alumni and friends of Andrews University, an institution owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Turning Data Into Guardrails-Decoding Financial Vulnerability Through Behavioural Signs, Debanwita Hajra

Master’s Dissertations

This report presents the work I did during my internship at Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), Kolkata. As a financial institution, the strength of the bank is fundamentally rooted in the behavior and reliability of its customers. Understanding this behavior is not only desirable; it is essential for the security, risk mitigation and future strategic planning of the bank. To do this, banks must invest in a thorough analysis of the financial behavior of their customers to detect early signs of risk and act accordingly. I worked in the Finance Support Team within the Data and Analytics division, where …

Multivariable Optimal Control For Hemodialysis: A Physiologically-Grounded Simulation Study, Redemtus Heru Tjahjana, Ratna Herdiana, Zani Anjani H.S.M. Rafsanjani, Yogi Ahmad Erlangga

All Works

This study introduces a novel multivariable optimal control framework for hemodialysis, which uniquely integrates five physiological states (blood urea concentration, fluid volume, blood pressure, electrolytes, and hemoglobin) with three clinically adjustable inputs (ultrafiltration rate, blood flow, and dialysate composition). By employing the limited-memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno-B (L-BFGS-B) algorithm with patient-specific box constraints, the model enforces patient-specific physiological safety limits while dynamically balancing clinical targets. Numerical simulations demonstrate the stabilization of key parameters within ±5% of clinical benchmarks (e.g., KDIGO guidelines), though deviations in the hemodynamic responses underscore the need for adaptive control in real-world scenarios. Urea clearance trajectories align with efficacy patterns …

Alignment Of Perceptual Similarity Metrics With Human Perception, Abhijay Ghildyal

Dissertations and Theses

Perceptual similarity metrics are used for quantitatively evaluating the similarity between two images as it would appear to human perception. These metrics aim to mimic the human visual system, providing a more accurate assessment of visual similarity. Such visual assessments are considered to be more advanced than simple pixel-wise comparisons such as ℓ_p norm distances. Thus, a human-like assessment of visual similarity, makes the metrics valuable for applications in image compression, restoration, and enhancement, where evaluating perceptual quality is crucial. Perceptual similarity metrics have progressively become more correlated with human judgments on perceptual similarity; however, despite recent advances, the …

Incorporating Industry-Standard Technical Writing Into A Materials Testing Laboratory, Caleb Levi Head

Theses and Dissertations

The fluid analysis and materials testing laboratories are crucial for engineering students to learn experimental procedures and data interpretation. Engineers spend a significant portion of their workday on report writing, yet many feel their undergraduate education did not adequately prepare them for this task. At the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, students were given an industry-influenced lab report template to expand their knowledge of the necessary information required in technical writing, thereby teaching and improving their technical writing skills actively. These reports were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively against previous submissions over two semesters in the mechanical engineering fluids and …

Does Digital Finance Move Together With Technology Innovation In China?, Zhu Wenhui, Zhang Jiajie, Hu Chuanxia, Dong Hanwei

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

Existing academic research has predominantly examined the unidirectional impact of digital finance on technological innovation, thereby neglecting the reciprocal interplay between these two domains. This study fills this gap by investigating the long-term bidirectional cointegrated relationship between digital finance and technological innovation. Using panel cointegration estimation methods on panel data from 286 Chinese cities during 2011–2020, empirical results reveal a long-term co-movement between digital finance and technological innovation. Pooled Mean Group estimation demonstrates that digital finance makes significant contributions to technological innovation in both long-term and short-term contexts. However, sub-sample analyses show that digital finance consistently boosts technological innovation in …

Investigating The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Academic Performance Among Non-Traditionally Aged Undergraduate Students, Joseph Anthony Giandonato Iv

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine a relationship between physical activity (PA) participation and academic performance (AP) among non-traditionally aged undergraduate students (NTAS), aged 25 and older, which represents one of the fastest growing enrollment segments at higher education institutions within the US. The sample (n = 167) was constituted of undergraduate students aged 25 and older enrolled at a large private university located in the Southeastern US for two consecutive academic terms. Data collection was comprised of disseminating a modified version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) accompanied by a brief demographic …

Marketing Culture Of Award-Winning Secondary School Librarians: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Cynthia Martin Schmidt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences developing, understanding, and implementing marketing culture for award-winning secondary school librarians in the United States. The conceptual framework guiding this study was marketing culture, which explores the context of marketing attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of organizations, purportedly leading to organizational success. This study used a phenomenological approach with secondary school librarians who had won an award for their work as a school librarian. Data collection consisted of individual semi-structured interviews, artifact analysis, and reflective journal prompts. Data analysis consisted of a hermeneutic epoché-reduction followed by a manual …

Examining The Relationship Between Tolerance Of Student Behavior, Teachers' Race, Teaching Experience, And Teachers' Multicultural Self-Efficacy: A Multiple Regression Study, Sherise N. Waterman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational predictive study was to investigate whether teachers’ tolerance of student behaviors is predicted by the combination of teachers’ race, teachers’ years of teaching experience, and teachers’ multicultural efficacy. Understanding the significance of the relationship between teacher tolerance of student behaviors, teacher race, teacher years of experience, and multicultural efficacy is necessary if educators want clearer insight to address inequitable discipline practices. The study consisted of 110 high school teachers in an urban district in southern Texas. A correlational study was conducted utilizing the Social Behavior Survival Inventory of Teacher Social Behavior (SBS) and Expectations …

Exploring The Impact Of Professional Development On Teachers As They Implement New English Language Arts Curriculum In Secondary Schools In The Southeast: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study, Sara A. Ancrum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study is to explore the implementation of a new state-adopted ELA curriculum for English teachers at secondary schools in the Southeast United States. At this stage in the research, sustained professional development will be generally defined as multiple touchpoints at regular intervals that build capacity and efficacy with the new curriculum. The theory guiding this study is Bandura's theory of self-efficacy. Understanding the impact of professional development on teachers as they implement a new curriculum is essential to the success of teachers' classroom practices. High-quality professional development that keeps teachers at the heart of …

The Effect Of Stem Professional Development On Self-Efficacy In K-12 Sub-Saharan Educators: A Quantitative, Experimental Study, Erin J. Bergen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, experimental study is to determine if there is a significant difference in self-efficacy in K-12 Christian educators across sub-Saharan Africa because of STEM professional development. This research will help determine if professional development leads to a sense of feeling equipped in STEM integration. The sample of participants is comprised of overseas educators across three sub-Saharan African schools. The number of participants in this experimental study is 81. The Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument STEBI (Form A) was used to record the self-efficacy of the participating in-service educators for posttest-only control group evaluation. After completing descriptive …

Thermally Tunable Mid-Infrared Nanocavity Resonance Of Coupled Surface Plasmon-Phonon Polaritons, Satya R. Kachiraju, Zachary M. Brown, Sundar Kunwar, Long Chang, Imtiaz Ahmad, Pinku Roy, Vladimir Kuryatkov, Yejin Kwon, Ayrton A. Bernussi, Chase T. Ellis

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Phase-change materials (PCMs) are essential for achieving tunability of metasurfaces. However, they frequently face limitations in the long-wave infrared range because of their lossy behavior. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a thermally tunable mid-infrared nanocavity resonance from coupled surface plasmon-phonon polaritons that are supported within a trilayer structure of metal-PCM layer-polar dielectric (Au-VO2-SiC). The top metal structures configure the Fabry-Perot cavity resonance near 840 cm−1 (11.9 µm), which is sensitively tunable and reversible with small changes in the VO2 refractive index ∆n near below its insulator-to-metal phase transition temperature where the loss is small. The maximum resonance shift of 7.7 cm−1 …

If We Must, We Must: A Better Way To Utilize Placement Exams, Samantha Bravo

Masters Theses (Archived)

College placement exams have been part of a student’s continuing education journey for many years. In a state like Texas, who has had a very extensive and dynamic history in regard to education assessment, students wishing to enter into college must take a state specific college placement exam. Is this state specific placement instrument helping its students? Texas pioneered a shift to a college and career ready focused state curriculum, so does this focused curriculum prepare students for the state college placement exam? How can this potentially be used in a way that can better serve its students? By analyzing …

Digital Identity Management As A Critical Criminal Justice And Homeland Security Legal Issue: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Reasonable Person Factors Involved In Court Decisions, William H. Nicholson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative applied study is to define and explain through analysis the reasonable person standard as it relates to prosecution and sentencing computer crime cases involving digital identities while addressing the problem of digital anonymity. This has been done by analyzing computer crime cases with the advent of current and planned technologies, and surveying potential jurors to understand the current state of knowledge of digital attribution. This descriptive qualitative research method analyzed the problem through the use of criminological theories of control and social learning theory to better understand the reasonable person standard in computer crime …

Exploring Higher Education Faculty Experiences With Artificial Intelligence: A Case Study, Keisha Pierre-Stephen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of higher education educators integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, in curriculum work conducted within a university setting, focusing specifically on faculty members. The theory guiding this study was the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework, which presented a window for understanding the integration of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge in educational practices. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences and perceptions of higher education faculty members at an urban university on the West Coast of the United States regarding students' use …

Iowa Test Scores Before And After Covid-19 In Early Adolescents, Carmel F. W. Ontoy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This paper addresses past research that examined the effects of COVID-19 on academics and presents a study further examining an area of academics before and after COVID-19. Research relating to COVID-19 has varied, studying correlations and effects on factors such as mental health and relationships. Researchers and educators projected various degrees of learning loss, and while some studies have revealed some loss, others have revealed little to no change. Further research is needed to continue developing researchers’ and educators’ understanding of how COVID-19 and the shift to online learning may have been related to learning and academics of young adolescents. …

Exploring Teachers’ Experiences With Augmented Reality (Ar) Implementation: A Phenomenological Study, Sulaimon Aremu Jimoh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to investigate public secondary school teachers’ incorporating (AR) into their teaching practices. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of public secondary school teachers using AR in the classroom? The research leveraged for this study was found through social networks, including LinkedIn and Teacher Social Network to specifically target and recruited 10 public secondary school teachers who have proven experience in incorporating augmented reality. These platforms offered me a unique opportunity to access a diverse pool of teachers across the United States. LinkedIn, as a professional networking platform, provides …

In Defense Of Play: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology Exploring Preschool Directors' Beliefs, Education, Experiences, And Perceived Barriers To Implementing A Play-Based Pedagogy, Dusti Nikole Whitfield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to describe and interpret the beliefs, education, experiences, and perceived barriers to implementing play-based pedagogy in preschool programs among preschool directors. Froebel’s theory on play and Dewey’s experiential learning theory guided this study. The central research question was: What are the beliefs, education, and experiences of preschool directors in implementing play-based curricula in preschool programs? The design of this study employed a hermeneutical phenomenological approach. Therefore, criterion sampling was used to select participants. The sample consisted of 12 current and previous preschool directors who currently work in or have worked in childcare …

Using Statistical Modeling To Help Improve The Work Environment For Nurses, Malcolm S. Demery

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study aims to investigate if statistical modeling can help to improve the nurse’s work environment by identifying and solving basic workplace stresses. The major problem addressed is the stressful situation of burnout and high turnover levels for nurses, which affects the patient and the quality of care. Therefore, this research is important since it can enhance nurse job satisfaction and retention which subsequently can result in better healthcare outcomes, lower operational costs, and better patient safety. The central research questions guiding this study are: (1) How can statistical modeling aid in the discovery and correction of underlying factors that …

A Phenomenological Study Of African American Males In Education Doctoral Programs, Byron L. Kelly

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to interpret the lived experiences of African American males in education doctoral programs at three universities in the southern region of the United States. The theory guiding this study was Tinto’s retention theory on integration, as it explained how academic and social integration help to retain students and ultimately assist them in graduating. This hermeneutical phenomenological study was designed to allow the researcher to interpret the lived experiences of individuals. Ten African American males enrolled in or graduated from education doctoral programs from three universities in the Southern region of the United States …