Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of Students’ And Teachers’ Beliefs About Learning English As A Second Language In Hindi Medium Schools In India, Samir Toppo

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study is an exploration of beliefs about learning English held by English as a second Language (ESL) students and teachers from Jharkhand, India. The basic premise of the study is that the learners’ and the instructors’ beliefs about learning a language affect the learning approach, learning strategy use, personal motivation, the choice of instructional material and the instructional method. Thus, beliefs indirectly affect language learning. The assumption of this study is also that the participants in this study hold debilitative beliefs about English language learning. A mixed method research approach was used in this study. The quantitative data …

The Measuring Of Assortativeness In Marriage, Pierre-André Chiappori, Monica Costa-Dias, Costas Meghir

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Measuring the extent to which assortative matching
differs between two economies is challenging when the marginal distributions of the characteristic along which sorting takes place (e.g. education) also changes for either or both sexes. Drawing from the statistics literature we define simple conditions that any index has to satisfy to provide a measure of change in sorting that is not distorted by changes in the marginal distributions of the characteristic. While our characterisation of indices of assortativeness is not complete, and hence cannot exclude the possibility of multiple indices providing contradictory results, in an empirical application to US data we …

The Invisible Language: Unintentional Patronage And Missions Practice In Contemporary Thailand, Samuel Burton Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Patronage-clientelism is a current and important topic of discussion among the anthropological and missiological community. The effects of unintended patronage by Western missionaries in the context of Thai culture, however, are underexplored in academic research. In this study, I analyzed the effects of unintentional patronage among Western missionaries in a Thai cross-cultural ministry context. To do this I utilized a multiple case study method in which I compared four cases and analyzed for examples of how unintentional patronage is generated. I discovered that unintentional patronage was likely a result of insufficient missionary education regarding patronage-clientelism, as well as a lack …

The Human Right To Water And Sanitation: Using Natural Language Processing To Uncover Patterns In Academic Publishing, Christopher Michael Faulkner, Joshua Earl Lambert, Bruce M. Wilson, Matthew Steven Faulkner

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

After years of advocacy and international negotiation, the General Assembly of the United Nations voted to officially recognize a stand-alone human right to water and sanitation on 28 July 2010. Since, academic scholarship has continued to grow in an effort to understand the implications of the codification of this human right. Yet, with this growth, it has become impractical if not impossible for scholars to keep up with the advancement of academic knowledge or to make sense of it in a systematic way. In short, to date, we know very little about the trends in the literature as they have …

Norm Contestation And Its Effects On Emergence Of A New Norm, Khadijeh Salimi

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study is to propose a theoretical model to investigate the mechanism by which contesting of a harmful legal norm by powerless individual actors results in the emergence of a new norm. While much work has been done on norm contestation at the “actor level” in the field, the structural conditions under which contesting of harmful norms by powerless individual actors lead to emergence of a new norm have been insufficiently studied, especially in the non-democratic cultural context. I developed a model that combine existing causal theories in one frame to reproduce observe conditions in the real …

The Influence Of Demographic Information On Public Attitudes Towards Individuals Who Commit Sexual Offenses, Emily Bogdan

Student Theses

Research exploring the factors that shape public attitudes towards individuals who commit sexual offenses is needed to inform policy and reduce stigma that these individuals face as they reenter society. Prior research has explored demographic factors of those who offend and have been victimized, but few have studied how these variables may interact with one another to shape attitudes toward people who commit sexual offenses. The current study explores whether offender gender, victim gender, and victim age shape the public’s attitudes towards these individuals. Participants were presented with a vignette describing the offense and then they were asked to respond …

Do Loneliness And Social Isolation Predict Mortality Because Of Hazardous Drinking?, Jussi Tanskanen, Sarah N. Arpin, Cynthia D. Mohr

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Subjective feelings of loneliness and objective social isolation have been consistently connected with ill-health and mortality, though little work has empirically examined the mechanisms explaining the adverse effects. This study examines whether alcohol consumption explains the connection of loneliness and social isolation on mortality in different age and gender groups.

Methods: The sample comprised a representative 1994 Finnish sample (n = 8,650) matched with 22-year follow-up mortality data. A multigroup path analysis with discrete survival time analyses was conducted.

Results: There were unique differences in the associations between loneliness, social isolation, alcohol consumption, and mortality based on age and …

Undergraduate Classroom Incivility From The Faculty Perspective, Erin M. Bunton

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Classroom disruption, more recently referred to as civility, changes the in-person classroom experience. This study investigated the impact of gender, race, age, and teaching experience on faculty perceptions of classroom incivility.

Faculty at a large, public institution in the Southeastern United States participated in the research for this study. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to understand the relationship between the demographic variables of the participants and their perception of classroom incivility.

Study findings yielded significant results, with positive relationships between the demographic variables and perception of classroom incivility. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 120, Issue 3 of Michigan Law Review

Complex Predicates In Southern Turkmen: A Role And Reference Grammar Analysis, Nathaniel Andrew Shaver

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses the concepts of nexus and juncture, as articulated by Role and Reference Grammar, to examine complex verbal constructions found in four collected texts. These texts were collected from four Southern Turkmen (or Turkmen of Afghanistan) speakers. Through transcribing, glossing, and analyzing these texts, a number of complex predicates were identified. These were then described according to their various nexus juncture types. Three nexus juncture varieties were represented in the collected texts. These include clausal coordination, clausal subordination, and core cosubordination. Although not represented in the texts, it was possible to elicit three other provisional nexus juncture varieties. …

A Study Of Support For The Bereaved In The Local Congregation, Ngoy Nadine Ilunga

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The bereaved often face the ongoing challenges of grief with little support from the Church. This study aimed to resource the Church with practical methodologies to help congregants cope with grief. The study examined the troubling issues the bereaved experience after the death of a loved one. Survey data was collected from ten United Methodist members and had lost an immediate family member within the past five years. The measure consisted of interviews and questionnaires. An email and a verbal announcement during church worship service built the sample. Findings reveal that approximately 90% of participants experienced grief and emotional effects …

Teaching Intentional Discipleship In An Age Of Moral Relativism, David Cruz Martinez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teaching Intentional Discipleship in an Age of Moral Relativism is essential to counteracting the downward trend of morality, religious affiliation, and church growth in America. In the church where discipleship and fulfilling the Great Commission is becoming more of an option versus a necessity, the fruit of unintentional discipleship has contributed to the transformation of America into an age of moral relativism with no end in sight unless the church reverts to its first love of the Great Commission. The project will accentuate the statistics that demonstrate the current statistical decline of church attendance in the western world and explain …

Allure Of The Supernatural: South Korean Realities And The French Interest In The Private Lives Of Plants And The Vegetarian [L’Attrait Du Surnaturel : Les Réalités Sud-Coréennes Et L’Intérêt Des Français Pour La Vie Rêvée Des Plantes Et La Végétarienne], Adelaide Choi

Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses

Since establishing diplomatic relations in the nineteenth century, South Korea and France have seen excellent bilateral ties and cultural exchanges through the present day. The vibrant nature of this exchange reveals itself in the translation of French literature into Korean and in the increasing demand for Korean literature in France, where occidental and francophone influences have traditionally flourished. In this thesis I interrogate the French interest in Korean culture, using translated novels as vehicles of exploration: Lee Seung-u’s The Private Lives of Plants and Han Kang’s The Vegetarian. I propose three analytical lenses through which to examine the appeal …

The Philosophy Of Outliers: Reintegrating Rare Events Into Biological Science, Chelsea N. Cook, Angela R. Freeman, James C. Liao, Lisa A. Mangiamele

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Individual variation in morphology, physiology, and behavior has been a topic of great interest in the biological sciences. While scientists realize the importance of understanding diversity in individual phenotypes, historically the “minority” results (I.e., outlier observations or rare events) of any given experiment have been dismissed from further analysis. We need to reframe how we view “outliers” to improve our understanding of biology. These rare events are often treated as problematic or spurious, when they can be real rare events or individuals driving evolution in a population. It is our perspective that to understand what outliers can tell us in …

New Urban Liturgy: Making A Lane For Hip-Hop In Multicultural Worship, Caleb Thomas Kudlo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The urban environments of American cities are home to diverse cultures and subcultures. If God created humanity in His image, and if the gospel of Jesus Christ has transcending power, then urban churches are poised to become worship communities that reflect His creativity and redemption. However, the ideal of unity in diversity strives against the currents of homogenization in American history, church traditions, and human nature. This project brings attention to a subculture that makes its home in the urban environments of American cities but not in its churches: hip-hop should be counted among the diverse cultures that can uniquely …

Analysis Of Texas Collegiate Mariachi Ensembles: Standard Repertoire And Genres, Angela Michelle Morgan-Thornton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A standard prescribed music list exists for band, orchestra, and choral music ensembles in Texas K-12 music education. Presently, no prescribed music list exists for mariachi ensembles or degree plans in Texas at the collegiate level. This study used explanatory sequential mixed methods to examine the differences in seven Texas collegiate mariachi programs’ standard teaching and performance repertoire. The study explored the commonalities and differences in repertoire and balance of mariachi genres in instruction. The repertoire of diverse genres reflects influences associated with European, Caribbean, and Indigenous cultures and musical forms. Related issues of this study included music literacy, college …

Bullying Victimization In Middle Schools: A Quantitative Correlational Study, Corey Centwane Calhoun Sr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Bullying victimization is a very common, complex and potentially damaging form of violence among children and adolescents. Bullying is defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior, which involves a real or perceived social power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time (therefore, the definition excludes occasional or minor incidents). Bullying victimization in schools is not only alarming, but it has now become a persuasive concern, one that should be evaluated closely by educators, parents, and policymakers in all school systems. In public schools, 1 in 10 reports at least a case of serious violent crime, …

Relationship Between Mothers’/Caregivers’ Reported Learning Difficulty And Internalizing Symptoms (Anxiety And Depression) Of Children Aged 5–17 Years In Ghana, Queen Angela Norman, Nutifafa Eugene Yaw Dey, Kenneth Owusu Ansah, Francis Arthur-Holmes, Henry Ofori Duah, Pascal Agbadi

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Studies have reported different factors associated with anxiety and depression among children and adolescents. However, studies examining the relationship between learning difficulties and internalizing symptoms of Ghanaian children is scarce. The only study available found that 152 students with learning difficulties who visited a psychology clinic for psychological assessment had high levels of stress and anxiety (Asare & Danquah, 2016). While the study provided preliminary evidence of the relationship between learning difficulties and internalizing symptoms, it had some methodological challenges. For instance, the study used a relatively smaller sample size and subsampled children in Accra. Our study used a nationally …

Termite Phenomena (Its Effects On Buildings & Prevention Techniques)., Ahmed Mohammed Shehata

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This research is concerned with the termite phenomena and its extents in our region. It highlights this inseet behavior and its biological and sociological profile. Where does it usually come from? How does it affect buildings and how much damage it can cause to structures? Moreover, it introduces a guide lines to local Authorities and owners to protect new buildings from termite invasion. It also discusses the available treatments to clean infected buildings. It also discusses the side effect of each of these treatments on environment. Finally, the research concludes a set of recommendations to protect new and existing buildings …

Òpera, Diversitat, Inclusió: Una Reflexió A Partir D'Una Estrena A Nova York, Antoni Pizà

Publications and Research

La inauguració de la temporada d’òpera a qualsevol ciutat important sol ser un gran esdeveniment i el Metropolitan Opera de Nova York (MET) no és cap excepció. És, lògicament, una nit de gala i tots els rituals de le grande monde es despleguen amb rigor litúrgic. Hi ha autoritats polítiques, naturalment, però sobretot lluminàries del món de les altes finances, la cultura i la ciència. Hi ha, també, sectors de la societat que no s’ho voldrien perdre per res del món: un petit univers d’estudiants de música tan ambiciosos com pobres i alguns grups com, el col·lectiu LGBTI+, molt discrets …

“Coronavirus Changed The Rules On Everything”: Parent Perspectives On How The Covid‐19 Pandemic Influenced Family Routines, Relationships And Technology Use In Families With Infants, Rebecca Hood, Juliana Zabatiero, Desiree Silva, Stephen R. Zubrick, Leon Straker

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study explores how the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic influenced family routines, relationships and technology use (smartphones and tablet computers) among families with infants. Infancy is known to be an important period for attachment security and future child development, and a time of being susceptible to changes within and outside of the family unit. A qualitative design using convenience sampling was employed. A total of 30 mothers in Perth, Western Australia participated in semi‐structured interviews by audio or video call. All mothers were parents of infants aged 9 to 15 months old. Interviews were audio‐recorded and transcribed, and …

An Enabling Environment For Asset Management Through Public Policy: The Benefits Of Standardization And Application To The Water Sector, Tiffany Batac, Kerry Brown, Rita Salgado Brito, Iain Cranston, Tetsuya Mizutani

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Water services—including urban water supply, wastewater, and stormwater services—are essential to society and critical for protecting human health and the well-being of communities. Goal 6 of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognizes this importance and aims to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” Despite progress, the UN reports billions of people still lack water and sanitation services. Many governments around the world face the challenge of balancing between investment in new assets, programs, and services and providing the required funding for repair and replacement of existing water assets. This paper argues infrastructure …

Sex Or Sexual Assault? Critical Media Literacy As A Tool For Consent Education, Riana S. Pella

Doctoral Dissertations

Most children’s exposure to media begins in infancy and increases into adulthood. Even programming produced for children is rife with sexist and racist messaging (Harris, 2018). Because of its seductive imagery, media act as a highly influential form of sex education. Problematically, media habitually portray nonconsensual behavior as sexy and consent-seeking as unsexy (Katz, 2019). Black women are routinely devalued, hypersexualized, and exoticized in movies and television (Donovan, 2007). The result of such media exposure is that young people often misunderstand what constitutes sexual assault (Edwards, 2015). Logically, when individuals do not clearly understand the differences between consensual sex and …

The Emergence Of A Texas Collaboration To Improve Well-Being In Learning Health Systems, Toi B Harris, Anil Nanda, Lilit A Sargsyan, Wei-Jung A Chen, Jennifer G Christner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Prior models of well-being have focused on resolving issues at different levels within a single institution. Changes over time in medicine have resulted in massive turnover and reduced clinical hours that portray a deficit-oriented system. As developments to improve purpose and professional satisfaction emerge, the Texas Medical Association Committee on Physician Health and Wellness (PHW) is committed to providing the vehicle for a statewide collaboration and illuminating the path forward.To describe the existing health and wellness resources in Texas academic medical centers and understand the gaps in resources and strategies for addressing the health and wellness needs in the medical …

Social Media Influencers (Smis) In Context: A Literature Review, Charles Alves De Castro, Isobel O'Reilly Dr, Aiden Carthy

Articles

This review focused on three main areas, "Social Media Influencers (SMIs) in Context, The Impact of SMIs on Adolescents, and Consumer Behaviour in a Digital Era – Generation Z in Perspective". This article aims to further the overall understanding of SMIs and outlines the impact of SMIs on adolescents‘ lives. Thus, the main objective of this literature review is to raise awareness within the marketing field about the influence of social media influencers on adolescents and how brands promote their products and content through social media influencers. The review comprised a regular search using electronic journal databases and secondary data …

Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy & Support Among Secondary Early-Career Teachers And Their Principals During The Covid-19 Pandemic, James A. Martinez, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Frances E. Anderson, Frederick L. Uy

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

In response to challenges faced by middle and high school educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, a study was conducted in the Spring of 2021 involving 33 early-career mathematics teachers and eight supervising school principals in the State of California. These participants completed detailed surveys which provided demographic information, as well as perceptions of support, efficacy and job satisfaction. Findings show a variety of associations among teacher perceptions of support and their efficacy and job satisfaction in the face of challenging circumstances. As it related to principal support and recognition, principal participants expressed confidence in their ability to support teachers as …

A Whole New World: Prek-12 Teachers' Perceptions Of Instruction During A Pandemic, Frances A. Hamilton, Dana L. Skelley, Kimberly A. Hile

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

This manuscript explores educators’ perceptions about professional and personal challenges and successes with virtual instruction, along with their concerns about the impact on students and student learning in a virtual environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers from seventeen school systems in Tennessee and Alabama were invited to participate in the study with sixty-seven participants completing surveys. A phenomenology design model was used, and In Vivo Coding was conducted to analyze the data. Results revealed four main themes related to teachers’ experiences with virtual learning: personal perceptions, instruction, impact on students, and communication. Discussion of the results and their implications are …

Keeping The End In Mind: Re-Centering Jesuit Pedagogy For Preservice Teacher Preparation, Margaret Schauer

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Jesuit Universities embody a mission to prepare students to be men and women for and with others. Serving people on the margins and working with them to dismantle systems of oppression is infused in academic majors and core curricula. Jesuit pedagogy seeks to engage students in contexts, experiences, reflections, actions and evaluations that develop the whole person for the common good. Jesuit teacher education programs (TEP) are in a unique position where pedagogy is critical to the development of university students who then implement pedagogy with students in K-12 schools as preservice teachers. TEPs are charged with demonstrating ways program …

Justiciability Of All Human Rights: Scottish Independence As Redress For British Human Rights Abuses, Ann M. Piccard

Florida Journal of International Law

On September 18, 2014, an overwhelming number of Scottish residents turned out to vote on one simple question: Should Scotland be an independent country? The deceptively simple yes or no question on the ballot could not begin to reflect the complex underlying issues. If the Independence Referendum had been approved—meaning a “yes” vote, the goal of Independence proponents and of the Scottish National Party (SNP)—every facet of life for the Nation and its citizens could have been affected. The presence of nuclear weapons; membership in the European Union; the very nature and name of the currency used in every transaction …

The Women Organizations And Activism In Combating Domestic Violence In The North Caucasus, Saida Sirazhudinova

Journal of International Women's Studies

There are a wide range of forms of domestic violence in the North Caucasus. Recent years have shown the scale of its spread and the complexity of the fight against domestic violence in the region. The spread of domestic violence in the region is facilitated by the residents themselves, traditional institutions, and religious structures that increase their influence. In addition, the authorities are not interested in solving the problems of domestic violence, and they hinder the work of human rights organizations and activists in every possible way. This article describes the features of the fight against domestic violence in the …