Digital Commons Network^™

Flight Training For Commercial Remote Pilots, Michael Walach

Theses and Dissertations

A remote pilot training program, part of an sUAS course, were studied to determine the effectiveness and portability of the training curriculum. Students in a university unmanned aircraft systems course were the subjects, and multiple data points were collected over the 15 week program. No differences were found in student performance on the metrics used to assess the students regardless of who the students had as a flight instructor. Males scored higher than females on prior flight experience upon entering the course; however, neither gender nor prior aviation experience were significant contributing factors in student success either academically (written tests) …

Characteristics Of School Success As Identified By School Leaders, Dave Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how school leaders in the state of North Dakota define success in their schools or districts without using test scores as a measurement. The information shared by these school leaders will be shared with other school leaders in North Dakota with the intent that test data becomes less of a driving force in schools and student engagement, while positive climate and culture become more emphasized for school and district leadership.

This study’s purpose was to diminish the emphasis on state assessment as a singular resource that defines success in schools. Communities, staff …

Participatory Action Research: Managing Smartphones In The Secondary Classroom, Andrea Simon

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores potential benefits and challenges associated with smartphone use amongst students in the high school classroom and policy considerations for the management of these devices. Managing student usage of smartphones in the classroom can be a complex challenge. Outside influences have infiltrated the learning space like never before, and student access to resources and distractions multiplies daily. Students need support and guidance in learning how to effectively manage their devices as they face life in the age of technology. Likewise, teachers need support in creating and applying effective policies and strategies to manage these devices in the classroom. …

Transcriptomic And Pharmacological Characterization Of A Murine Line Harboring An Antidepressant-Insensitive Serotonin Transporter, Meghan Alicia Rodriquez

Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal depression is a complex mood disorder often treated with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, which block the serotonin transporter (SERT) and alter synaptic serotonin concentrations. The serotonergic system is highly plastic and serotonin regulates the growth and maturation of neurons and signaling systems from conception through end of life. Notably, interference with serotonin levels during an SSRI sensitive window (SSW) of development in humans and rodents has been linked to neurovegetative effects which increase susceptibility for the manifestation of anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors and can be persistent throughout life. We hypothesize the persistent behavioral perturbations resulting from acute …

Military Combat Veterans, Sentencing Reform, And Problem-Solving Courts, Andrea Sivanich

Theses and Dissertations

Military veterans involved with the criminal justice system may have unique behavioral health and physical needs, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI), and could benefit from sentence mitigation that emphasizes rehabilitation. This research is related to sentencing reform and how it may support problem-solving court sentencing, as a subset of community-based treatment options within the criminal justice system. This research is important in that it attempts to determine whether the law distinguishes veteran offenders, as a specific population, from other offenders with treatment needs. To do that, this dissertation examines the role of legal texts in …

The Impact Of Latent Print Processing On Firing Pin And Breechface Impressions During Firearm Examination, Brittany B. Harrington

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Latent prints can be a valuable source of forensic evidence when solving a crime. They can verify if a person was at a specific scene, identify unknown individuals to connect them to a scene, and help to corroborate eyewitness accounts. Latent prints, however, are not always visible until they have undergone enhancement or visualization techniques. When fired cartridge cases are suspected of containing latent prints, they are brought in for latent print processing before any firearm analysis is performed. As a result, these cartridges are often coated in various residues or dyes when they arrive for firearm examination. In response, …

Identification And Optimization Of Mirna Biomarkers For Body Mass Index (Bmi) Estimation In Forensic Samples, Jennifer J. Shealy

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

DNA profiles do not provide as much evidentiary value when either all known samples can be excluded or when there is no known suspect. DNA phenotyping is a technique used for investigative purposes to predict externally visible characteristics (EVCs) based on specific markers found in the genome. Most phenotyping panels are currently restricted to markers stable over a lifetime within an individual and are not able to predict environmental or metabolic impacts on EVCs. It is known that miRNA expression levels change due to environmental and metabolic factors, such as BMI, and research has proven associations between circulating plasma miRNAs …

Perceived Social Status And Gender Role Beliefs Impact On Self-Efficacy And Quality Of Life Of Women Of Color, Dependent Visa Holders In The United States, Surjya Bajpayee

Theses and Dissertations

A large body of literature evaluates the impact of acculturation on immigrants in the U.S. but fails to capture the conditions of their spouses (F2/H4 visas). The gendered immigration policies restrict the spouses who are predominantly women from employment, higher education, and any privileges that come with it. To analyze what variable might impact their psychological health, this paper evaluates gender and class factors. The study also explored show much these women are involved in household decision making process. Independent t tests and correlational analysis is used to assess the impact of perceived social status and gender role beliefs on …

Perspectives Of Beginning Teachers From Generation Z: A Narrative Study, Troy Bartman

Theses and Dissertations

A wide range of ages in teachers exist in the field of education. New teachers from Generation Z is one specific category that has received little attention. Who are these new teachers? What experiences have they grown up with being from this generation? What might we learn about them that can help us offer better support, training, and guidance to ultimately create better learning environments for students? The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the perspectives that new teachers from Generation Z have on teaching, learning, and teacher development. As the newest generation entering the …

Gender Differences In Social Presence In Gender-Segregated And Blended Learning Environments In Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Eid Alotaibi

Theses and Dissertations

The present study aimed to achieve one of the goals of the Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, which is the improvement of the quality of teaching approaches and learning outcomes. Additionally, the vision strives for equality among students in all educational institutions, including equality among men and women, who are mostly segregated in all aspects of life (e.g., education). One of the major issues in the online portion of blended learning environments is the lack of social presence. Therefore, the present study used a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design to investigate the influence of gender on the perception of social presence levels …

Career Aspirations Of Collegiate Aviation Students, Shayne A. Daku

Theses and Dissertations

Three studies in this dissertation examined the career aspirations of collegiate aviation students: student motivation with respect to career aspirations, military aviation career aspirations, and student perceptions of career pathway programs. Findings from each of these studies are valuable to students pursuing careers in aviation and industry partners seeking to fill pilot positions. Each of these reports highlights the desire of current collegiate aviation students to have a career that supports their values of remaining close and connected to their family and friends. In the first research, aviation graduates report crew base and hourly pay as the most important factors …

Literacy As A Means Of Stress Relief In A Domestic Violence Homeless Shelter: Listening To Childrens' Voices, Vonda L. Dahl

Theses and Dissertations

It is well-documented that children who experience housing insecurities, transience and homelessness, whether short or long term, may suffer from anxiety and/or chronic stress (Perry, 1997, 2004; Jensen, 2009). What is less known, or researched, are ways to address that anxiety through the efforts of volunteers and other non-custodial persons and the simple act of reading a book together. This study is social science in nature with a focus on phenomenological research with children that explores the affective value that a literacy event may have on a child’s perceptions of their own level of stress. Participants were recruited from a …

Sexual Gratification As A Motive And Distal Predictor Of Sexual Violence, Frances Grace Eby

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine the role of sexual motives as a predictor of sexual violence, considering impersonal sex as a key component in developing intervention and prevention programs. In doing so, this study will fill a gap in the literature by prioritizing sexual motives. Method: Data from two hundred and seven male college students will be analyzed. Participants were analyzed as those who endorsed perpetration and those who did not endorse perpetration and those who endorsed attempted rape and rape. Participants responded to the Sexual Experiences Survey, Revised Conflict Tactic Scales, the Illinois Rape Myth …

The Southern Hospitals Report, Elizabeth Reiner Platt, Katherine M. Franke, Candace Bond-Theriault, Amy Littlefield

Faculty Scholarship

When research for this report was first initiated, it was intended to answer a narrow question: is abortion care restricted at historically Protestant hospitals in the U.S. South? Strict limits on access to abortion at Catholic hospitals — and the ways in which this can obstruct and delay even emergency medical care — are already well documented in legal and medical literature and news media. In contrast, restrictions at Protestant hospitals have not been extensively studied and are not well understood. Our research sought to fill this gap in knowledge. We focused on the U.S. South because Catholic hospitals are …

A Cross-Sectional Comparison Study Of The Frequency Of Terminal Care Medication Prescriptions During The Final 48 Hours Of Life In Inpatients Of A Tertiary Acute Hospital With An End Of Life Care Pathway Compared To A Tertiary Acute Hospital Without An End Of Life Care Pathway And A Hospice, Shawna Koh

Theses

The care towards the end of life is an important aspect of patient management. There is a recognised need to support healthcare providers in caring for dying patients in the acute hospital.(1-5) The Liverpool Care Pathway was originally designed to provide guidance in the delivery of comprehensive palliative care in the last days of life. However, there are no robust clinical data supporting the use of the Liverpool Care Pathway despite its widespread implementation worldwide.(6, 7)

This study investigated whether implementation of an end of life care pathway, adapted from the Liverpool Care Pathway, increases the frequency of prescriptions of …

Procedural Fairness Requirements In Decision-Making: Legal Issues And Challenges For Government Secondary School Principals In New South Wales, Tryon Francis

Theses

The application of the rules of procedural fairness, which is an element of administrative law, is an area of law that has not been previously examined in the context of government (public) secondary school principals in New South Wales (‘NSW’). Using a basic qualitative case study design, this study sought to discover the processes that these principals undertook in applying the rules of procedural fairness when managing student discipline, special education and industrial relations. The study examined to what extent New South Wales government (public) secondary school principals were equipped to make decisions that are consistent with the administrative law …

Material Engagement Theory And Extensive Enactivism Within The 4e Cognitive Debate: A Phenomenological Approach To Material Agency And Application To Current Technology, Israel Quirit

Theses

4E Cognition is a fairly new field of study within cognitive science, cognitive psychology, and cognitive philosophy. The various approaches to cognition namely embodied, embedded, extended and enacted cognition; provide multi-faceted approaches to cognition. A common claim of these approaches is that cognition may have various contributing factors such as the role of the brain, body and its environments. Thus challenges the traditional idea that cognition exists purely mentally within the confines of the brain and skull. However, even within the 4E Cognition family, some nuanced arguments are hotly debated, particularly among the proponents of Embedded Theories (EmT) and Extended …

Disability Admin: The Invisible Costs Of Being Disabled, Elizabeth F. Emens

Faculty Scholarship

This Essay comes in five parts. After this Introduction, Part I begins by briefly sketching the concept of life admin and setting out the understanding of disability that informs the ADA. Part II demonstrates the special burdens that admin places on people with disabilities and uses this argument to refine the social model of disability and clarify its implications. This theoretical insight lays the groundwork for Part III to fill a gap in the analysis of “reasonable” accommodation under Title I. This Part shows that, although courts have set out a cost-benefit analysis as the framework for determining the “reasonableness” …

Automating Fairness? Artificial Intelligence In The Chinese Court, Rachel E. Stern, Benjamin L. Liebman, Margaret Roberts, Alice Z. Wang

Faculty Scholarship

How will surging global interest in data analytics and artificial intelligence transform the day-to-day operations of courts, and what are the implications for judicial power? In the last five years, Chinese courts have come to lead the world in their efforts to deploy automated pattern analysis to monitor judges, standardize decision-making, and observe trends in society. This Article chronicles how and why Chinese courts came to embrace artificial intelligence, making public tens of millions of court judgments in the process. Although technology is certainly being used to strengthen social control and boost the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party, examining …

Strengthened Bonds: Abolishing The Child Welfare System And Re-Envisioning Child Well-Being, Nancy D. Polikoff, Jane M. Spinak

Faculty Scholarship

The 2001 book, Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare, by Dorothy Roberts, called out the racism of the child welfare system and the harms that system perpetrates on families and communities. Twenty years later, despite numerous reform efforts, the racism and profound harms endure. It is time for transformative change. In this foreword to the symposium Strengthened Bonds: Abolishing the Child Welfare System and Re-Envisioning Child Well-Being, honoring the 20th anniversary of Shattered Bonds, we highlight Professor Roberts’ articulation of her development as a family policing abolitionist and summarize the articles and comments contributed from scholars …

Mine The Gap: Using Racial Disparities To Expose And Eradicate Racism, James S. Liebman, Kayla C. Butler, Ian Buksunski

Faculty Scholarship

For decades, lawyers and legal scholars have disagreed over how much resource redistribution to expect from federal courts and Congress in satisfaction of the Fourteenth Amendment's promise of equal protection. Of particular importance to this debate and to the nation given its kaleidoscopic history of inequality, is the question of racial redistribution of resources. A key dimension of that question is whether to accept the Supreme Court's limitation of equal protection to public actors' disparate treatment of members of different races or instead demand constitutional remedies for the racially disparate impact of public action.

For a substantial segment of the …

A Ringing Endorsement Of Lawyers, And The Most Important Development In Child Protection Law, Joshua Gupta-Kagan

Faculty Scholarship

Two empirical studies demonstrating the impact of vigorous family defense legal work on child protection cases bookended the 2010s. In 2012, Mark Courtney and Jennifer Hook found that cases in which a specialized interdisciplinary law office (ILO) represented parents had faster reunifications, guardianships, and adoptions than similar cases with different parental representation, though it did not explore how those results were obtained. In 2019, Lucas Gerber, Yuk Pang, Timothy Ross, Martin Guggenheim, Peter Pecora, and Joel Miller found that, compared to solo and small office practitioners, ILOs in New York City hastened reunification and guardianships for their clients, leading to …

Adjusting, Appeasing, And Rearranging: How Agriculture Teachers Reconcile The Demands Of The Profession, Haley Q. Traini, Becky Haddad, Josh Stewart, Jonathan J. Velez

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

A teacher shortage continues to plague the SBAE profession. While this shortage has been quantified and explored from the perspective of individual teachers, little research has taken a systemic approach to the problem of the SBAE teacher shortage. We posit the teacher shortage problem as inextricably linked to a convoluted job description and growing list of competencies required to be a successful agriculture teacher. The teachers in this qualitative study shared their navigation of the process of reconciliation within their landscapes of practice and regimes of competence. Using hermeneutic phenomenology, themes of adjusting, rearranging, and appeasing emerged as the key …

Theory-Driven Approaches To Targeting Socially Responsible Leadership In Emerging Adults: Consciousness Of Self, Lindsay J. Hastings, Hannah Sunderman

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

The purpose of the current paper is to present a theory-driven approach to developing Consciousness of Self, an individual value of the Social Change Model of Leadership, among emerging adults. Specifically, we discuss the development and execution of an intervention involving a large-group retreat with interactive activities and an emphasis on discussion. Grounded in theory, the intervention focused on identifying values, describing strengths, and practicing mindfulness and was evaluated based on the learning objectives. Program evaluation efforts revealed notable participant gains in all targeted objectives six months after the intervention. By providing a theoretical framework, in-depth description of the intervention, …

Law Enforcement Organization Relationships With Prosecutors, Daniel C. Richman

Faculty Scholarship

Although police departments and prosecutor’s o􀁽ces must closely collaborate, their organizational roles and networks, and the distinctive perspectives of their personnel, will inevitably and regularly lead to forceful dialogue and disruptive friction. Such friction can occasionally undermine thoughtful deliberation about public safety, the rule of law, and community values. Viewed more broadly, however, these interactions promote just such deliberation, which will become even healthier when the dialogue breaks out of the closed world of criminal justice bureaucracies and includes the public to which these bureaucracies are ultimately responsible. This chapter explores such organizational interactions and their value.

Noncognitive Attributes As A Measure For College Admission: Exploring The Relationship Between Cognitive And Noncognitive Factors In First-Year College Student Success, Amanda E. Craddock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive factors, such as standardized test scores and high school grade point average, have historically been used to predict college success. Many colleges and universities place great importance on these cognitive factors when making admissions decisions. However, enrollment leaders question the predictive validity of these factors due to recent studies advocating for the use of noncognitive assessments. The purpose of this study was to examine the role that noncognitive attributes have in predicting college student success and whether their predictive power is greater than that of standardized test scores and high school grade point average. This study employed a quantitative …

Establishing The Minimally Important Clinical Difference For The Oral Health Impact Profile In Malaysians Provided With Removable Partial Dentures, Siti Fauzza Ahmad

Student Works (2020-2029)

Future demand for a removable partial denture (RPD) remains as more adults retain their natural teeth into old age. Partial tooth loss often leads to masticatory function disturbances and negatively affects the quality of life (QoL). Prosthodontic rehabilitation with RPD improves QoL; however, the statistically significant change with many Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQOL) instruments, may not be clinically meaningful. The Malaysian version of Oral Health Impact Profile, OHIP(M)-45 questionnaires has been validated and adapted; however, its clinical interpretability has not been established. The smallest change in OHRQoL score perceived by a patient as beneficial, following an intervention, is …

Illness Perception And Social Support Among Cardiac Patients Attending Rehabilitation Programme And Their Experiences, Sukhbeer Kaur Darsin Singh

Student Works (2020-2029)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) have emerged as the leading causes of death in Malaysia. In developed countries, heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in Europe, CHD accounts for an estimated 1.95 million deaths each year. In Europe, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO 2012), it is recorded that 42 percent of deaths were caused by CVD and 41 percent was by CHD which was 2,655,364 people has died. Secondary prevention through cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a key component of the ongoing care of these patients, immediately following discharge from …

Parental Report Of The Association Between Screen Time And Social Emotional Development Of Children Aged 18 And 36 Months Old In The District Of Gombak, Malaysia, Catherine Thamarai Thamarai

Student Works (2020-2029)

The increasing popularity of screen-based media has raised public health concern on potential effects of their excessive usage among developing children. The World Health Organization (WHO) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) call for limitation of screen time to one hour per day for children aged two to five years old and children below the age of two are encouraged for screen time avoidance. This study is aimed to determine the influence of screen-based media on early childhood social emotional development from an ecological techno-subsystem perspective. Divided into two phases, the first phase of study involves translation into Malay language …

Validation Of The Malay Version Of The Anticipatory And Consummatory Interpersonal Pleasure Scale (Acips): Comparison Between Schizophrenia Patients And Healthy Subjects, Kohini C Balasingam

Student Works (2020-2029)

Background The reduced capacity for social and interpersonal interactions, or social anhedonia, is regarded as an important facet of various psychiatric disorders. Its recognition has many important implications in the clinical setting. Though there are several measures to assess anhedonia, there are very few which specifically target the social aspect. A more recent scale is the Anticipatory and Consummatory Interpersonal Pleasure Scale (ACIPS). The goal of the present study was to validate the Malay version of the ACIPS for use in the Malaysian context. Method The study was cross-sectional in design and consisted of 95 schizophrenia patients and 300 healthy …