School Interventionists Fy 2015-2020, Lindsey Wylie, Erin Wasserburger, Anne M. Hobbs, Juvenile Justice Institute, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Reports

School Interventionists identify and coordinate behavioral or academic intervention for a student. Youth can be referred to the School Interventionist for attendance issues, poor grades, lack of engagement, and/or behavior issues. The intervention process includes clearly identifying the problem, selecting a strategy to address the problem, and measuring the effectiveness of the strategy. The intervention can include other supports for the youth within the school or community. In interviewing School Interventionists, they are often responsible for addressing a range of school and home issues, and often use a range of activities to do so. These activities fall within three identified …

Justifying Violence: Discourses About Homelessness In San Antonio During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gabriella Garriga

Sociology and Anthropology Honors Theses

In my analysis, I show that social power (proximity to policy change) is the most important determinant of how those involved in this research thought about homelessness and the resources needed to address the unhoused community’s experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic. Those closest to high levels of social power demonstrate discourses of hierarchy of trauma and control most often to justify their actions. Those with low levels of social power invoked the superhero discourse. Most notably both groups exhibit benign neglect to explain the response (or lack of response) in aiding unhoused people during the pandemic. Though the discourses are …

Description Of Job Embeddedness In Arkansas County Extension Agents, Anika Parks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Cooperative Extension System (CES) has had a long-standing problem with the retention of its county Extension agents (CEAs), who are in charge of running various programs in over 3,000 counties within the United States. When a CEA leaves a county, voluntarily or involuntarily, the community members are left without that leader, and their needs go unmet, which was proposed to increase voluntary turnover among CEAs even further. Arkansas CES has had its problems with turnover, and studying this issue through the lens of Job Embeddedness Theory was identified as a gap in the literature.

Job Embeddedness Theory is a …

Considerations For Acquiring Excess Military Equipment By Police Leaders, Michael P. Mendenhall

Dissertations

Police departments across the United States have been able to acquire excess military equipment from the 1033 program since 1997. Although several studies have examined police militarization, including the 1033 program, this is the first study that has surveyed police leaders at the local level to understand the determinants of 1033 acquisitions in Michigan. Using an open systems framework, this dissertation will examine both the internal and external factors that contribute to police leaders’ decisions to acquire or not acquire equipment for their departments. These determinants include internal factors such as budgetary considerations, perceptions of the profession, and knowledge of …

The Impact Of The Advisor-Advisee Relationship Among Black And Latino/A/X Stem Graduate Students At Predominantly White Institutions, Tasia C. Bryson

Dissertations

An advisor is often the most central and powerful person influencing a student’s trajectory through graduate school (Barnes & Austin, 2009). This dissertation consisted of three articles that focused on the impact of the advisor-advisee relationship among Black and Latino/a/x students in STEM graduate programs at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) from the student perspective. Two frameworks were used to analyze data and guide the research: Black Feminist Thought (BFT) and Critical Race Theory (CRT). BFT was used to explore Black women’s experiences at Predominately White institutions as it provides an in-depth understanding of Black women’s perspectives. CRT was used when …

Role Of Social Media In Facilitating Organizational Socialization Effectiveness Among New Hires, Oluwatunmise Olaoluwa Okufuwa

Theses (2016-Present)

Texas Southern University, 2021 Professor Maurice Odine, Advisor ABSTRACT

Organizational Socialization is the process of inculcating corporate core values and culture in new hires (Jablin,1982). Notably, and contingent upon an organization's vision and aims, integration communication strategies can either be conventional or unconventional, structured, or unstructured. New hires get familiarized, incorporated, and adapted into an organization via a set of corporate procedures. To ease and ensure quick realignment, institutions craft guidelines, tools, structures, and offer mentorships. The processes and assigned support are made promptly accessible to new hires through the transition from pre-entry to entry and post-entry. The transition period …

The Use Of Team-Based Learning To Improve Unit Test Scores Of Adult Learners In Introduction To Programming Courses In A Small Southwest Georgia University, Karen Streetman Cook

Theses and Dissertations

Low success rates in the introduction to programming course at a small southwest Georgia state university have led to a low retention rate in the computer science degree program. The instructional strategy used to teach the course could contribute to the low success rates of the students in the course. Andragogy, the adult learning theory, was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine if differences existed in the numerical unit test scores between students who took introduction to programming using a traditional lecture and lab-based class format and students …

The Underlying Implications Of Chronic Poverty: Investigating The Exponential Increase In Suicides From 2001-2017 Among African American Female Teenagers, Kevin Adarell Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to investigate and ascribe meaning to the lived experiences of African American females and examine plausible circumstances that could cause an exponential increase in suicides among teenagers from 2001-2017. The theories that guided this study were Albert Bandura’s (2018) social cognitive theory (SCT) and Icek Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior (TPB). TPB is a model used to predict and explain behaviors based on an individual’s attitude and intentions toward the behavior. When TPB is interwoven with SCT, the theories helped interpret influences that explained the participants’ perspectives, thoughts, and behavior that could …

New Believers: Committing To Faith To Sustain The Life Of The Christian Church, Allen Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis's objective was to implement a more robust integrated program that would result in fewer people joining Cedar Crest Church and then leaving. Jesus mandates in Matthew 28:18-20 that man is given the authority to make disciples throughout the world by baptizing in the name of the Trinity, teaching them to observe everything that he had commanded while believing that he would be with them at all times. One way of validating this mandate's fulfillment is found in Hebrews 10:25 by not abandoning the opportunity to assemble with other believers through encouragement until the day of Jesus' return. To …

Into The College Classroom, Another Tour Of Duty: A Guide For Instructors Of Veteran Students In Higher Education, Steven Dewalden

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Concepts found in organizational socialization and culturally responsive pedagogy, were used in this project. The focus was on the veteran population who are leaving the unique organizations of the military to transition into higher education. Differences in socialization techniques used by the military and higher education are vastly different and contribute to unique outcomes for the new members. In this project, veterans were represented as a unique culture to consider in the classrooms of higher education as instructors prepare to use a culturally responsive approach to teaching. This project was created using an autoethnographic process using self-reflection through a narrative …

Integrating Faith In Social Work, Omar Elhanafy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Religion and Spirituality are concepts rarely spoken about in social work programs. Many social work students have expressed that they have not received a proper education on integration of faith into social work practice in their programs. Evidence is given to support this claim and this Proposal will discuss this concept, its importance, and highlight the need for this education. This exploratory study will use a qualitative design which will explore the experiences of participants on how comfortable they feel in using faith in social work practice. The proposal will continue to further explore the validity to this claim through …

The Effects Of Perceived Racism And Discrimination On The Mental Health Of Mexican And Mexican American Social Work Students, Karina Duque Sierra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research has shown that experiencing discrimination and racism can have significant and negative effects on people’s mental health. Among those affected are Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a relationship with self-reported mental health of Mexican/Mexican American social work students and self-reported experiences with racism and discrimination. This quantitative study surveyed 101 participants who (a) identified as Mexican and or Mexican American, (b) were 18 years or older (c) enrolled in college, and (d) identified as either a BASW or MSW student. This study utilized a Qualtrics …

The Need For Financial Literacy In Social Work Education: A Descriptive Study, Tara Mchenry, Belinda Pacheco

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Although extensively researched over the last twenty years, financial literacy is yet to make its way into mainstream social work curricula. This is puzzling because social workers, in general, work with a clientele that consists predominantly of poor and low-income populations. The profession of social work has the unique opportunity to equip its members with tools to educate and assist clients around topics of personal finance and financial insecurity. Using a purposive sampling method, this study explored the need for a financial literacy course as part of the social work curriculum among 102 undergraduate and graduate students in a large, …

Type Of Immigrant Discrimination And Their Copying Strategies, Sarabjit Gill

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to shed some light on the different types of discrimination that Hispanic and Latinx individuals experience in the United States. Does education level play a role in the kind of discrimination the Hispanic/ Latinx population experiences? Further studies must be conducted to determine the role of education level and immigrant status in Hispanic/Latinx discrimination. The researcher used the Quantitative method for this study by designing a Qualtrics survey sent to all the participants. A Qualtrics survey was also sent to students in the School of Social, via email by the Administrative Support Coordinator. …

Analysis Of Immigration Trends In The U.S. To Discover Patterns And Make Better Policy Decisions, Amita Tandon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Immigration is one of the most hotly debated topics in the US. Merely taking a look at the types of immigrant and non-immigrant visas issued by the US government, one can realize the complexity of the law governing the numerous intricacies involved with the issue of immigration (Golash-Boza, 2009). With the ever-increasing population of immigrants in the US, a good understanding of immigration’s impact on the US society is more important than ever before. The objective of this project was to increase our understanding of immigration’s impact on the US society by investigating the general trends in Visa Applications, employers, …

The Relationships Of Perceived Parental Social Support To Vigilance And Resilience Among Lgbtq And Straight Cisgender Adults, Brady Dodds

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of parental support to resilience and vigilance in LGBTQ and straight, cisgender adults as the majority of research has examined these relationships in LGBTQ and straight, cisgender children and teens. It was hypothesized that greater parental support would be correlated with higher resilience and lower vigilance. Also, it was hypothesized that the relationships would be stronger for LGBTQ participants than for straight, cisgender participants. Participants who were recruited via Prolific Academic completed an online questionnaire that included measures of maternal and paternal support, resilience, and vigilance. Results indicated that participants …

Human Trafficking And The T Visa Process: Insights From Legal Representatives Working With Victims From Latin Ameria, Elisha A. Novak, Teresa C. Kulig, Cristián Doña-Reveco

Latino/Latin American Studies Reports

Human trafficking occurs when traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to compel individuals to provide labor or services—broadly known as labor or sex trafficking. Traffickers often take advantage of individuals who are perceived as vulnerable, including those lacking immigration status. In response, the United States Congress created a T nonimmigrant status (also referred to as a T visa) in October 2000 to protect immigrant victims and to strengthen law enforcement’s ability to investigate these crimes. The current study sought to examine the trafficking experiences of foreign national victims from Latin America specifically by interviewing legal representatives who assist these individuals …

Already An Archaeobotany, Sydney Britsch

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Steven Universe once sang, “I learned to stay true to myself/ by watching myself die.” This is precisely the natural journey we must all embark upon in this life; our self continually returning, remembering that which we can trust our bodies have known all along: we are not actually separate from this thing we’ve called nature. This ever-opening landscape necessitates fluidity and the recognition of other modes of knowledge and connection, sometimes only sound or space as our guide. A place where self-healing and self-sacrifice is simultaneously enacted. Each of these moments reverberates and affects the universal voice. The earth …

First-Generation Students, Belongingness, And Climate In An Academic Unit Of Study, Kelly Christine Scott Raisley

Dissertations

To capture the essence of the sense of belonging for first-generation students (FGS) within an academic unit of study in higher education, this qualitative inquiry used portraiture to provide answers to four research questions. Q1 How do FGS make meaning of belongingness in an academic unit? Q2 How do FGS describe the academic unit’s climate which contributes to their sense of belonging? Q3 According to participants, how do social interactions within the academic unit contribute to belongingness? Q4 How do FGS interpret symbols that create a sense of belongingness? Through the theoretical frame of symbolic interactionism, this research offered a …

Leadership In High Achieving Blended Learning Schools, Benjamin Wyatt Alexander

Dissertations

The use of blended learning in kindergarten–12 (K–12) schools in the past decade has seen a dramatic increase, but the research on the effectiveness of blended learning has shown mixed results. However, some schools use blended learning that would be considered successful. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of principals in high-performing schools that use blended learning. A post-intentional phenomenological methodology was used to explore the lived experience of the principals in this study. The primary source of data collection was semi-structured interviews of 12 school principals. The principals in this study had common experiences …

Dissolving Realities: An Endless Domestic Landscape, Hanzang Lai, Phang Lim

Architecture Senior Theses

This thesis explores how the exponential growth in communication technology is changing the way we interact with the tangible and intangible spaces. The invasion of the public into the private, the collective into the domestic, the work into the leisure, and the ability to be constantly connected wirelessly have caused a dissolution of the physical domestic space. The domestic space has lost its value of privacy and intimacy and the boundary between the binaries will be no more. The gap between “the control” and “controlled” has widened and productive workers will be oppressed to be even more productive under the …

Premises And Problems: Essays On World Literature And Cinema, Luiza Moreira

Monographs and Open Access Books

World literature, many have stressed, is a systematic category. Both literary scholars and social scientists have argued that the prestige of the major literary languages is key to establishing the shape of the overall system. In order to critically interrogate world literature and cinema, Premises and Problems approaches this system from the perspective of languages and film traditions that do not hold a hegemonic position. This perspective raises new questions about the nature of literary hegemony and the structure of world literature: How is hegemony established? What are the costs of losing it? What does hegemony mask? How is it …

“Lawyers’ Work”: Does The Court Have A Legitimacy Crisis?, Lackland Bloom

St. Mary's Law Journal

Talk of the Supreme Court’s legitimacy is pervasive. It can’t be avoided by anyone paying attention. The question this article addresses is does the Supreme Court have a legitimacy crisis. The title “Lawyers’ Work” is taken from Justice Scalia’s dissenting opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey in which he declared that as long as the Court decides cases by engaging in “Lawyers’ Work” the public will leave it alone. This article concludes that Justice Scalia was partially though not entirely correct.

The article begins by considering the concept of judicial legitimacy as developed and studied by political scientists. Next it …

How Wildlife Respond To Natural Noise, Dylan G. E. Gomes

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Animal sensory systems have evolved in a natural din of noise since the evolution of sensory organs. Anthropogenic noise is a recent addition to the environment, which has had demonstrable, largely negative, effects on wildlife. Yet, we know relatively little about how animals respond to natural sources of noise, which can differ substantially in acoustic characteristics from human-caused noise. Here we review the noise literature and suggest an evolutionary approach for framing the study of novel, anthropogenic sources of noise. We also push for a more quantitative approach to acoustic ecology research.

To build a better foundation around the effects …

Adolescent Substance Use: Risk And Protective Factors Of Family, School, Peer, And Leisure, Tara Woodward

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND

Adolescent substance use has long been a global public health issue. In this study, we explored developmental contexts that correspond with protective and risk factors associated with adolescent substance use. The developmental contexts of interest are the family domain, the school domain, the peer domain, and the structured and unstructured leisure domains. The leisure domain is of particular interest as it often corresponds with protective and risk factors different from those associated with the other domains. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the identified domains are associated with adolescent alcohol use and cannabis use.

METHODS

This …

Performance And Economics Of Solar Inverters And Module Level Power Electronics In A 1 Mw Photovoltaic System, Maxwell Criswell

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Photovoltaic solar panels convert sunlight to electricity in the form of direct current; therefore, a necessary component of every photovoltaic system is an inverter to convert the electricity to usable alternating current. There are various commercially available inverter technologies manufactured today such as microinverters, string inverters, and central inverters, as well as module level power electronic devices such as DC optimizers that are capable of improving system performance in string and central inverter systems. This thesis compares the performance and economics of five different inverter and module level power electronic systems through model simulation using Helioscope software. The five alternatives …

Impact Of The Order Of Eac And Sos During Instruction On Ratios, Josephine Marlene Derrick

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, a set of instructional materials surrounding proportional reasoning with ratios (particularly the understanding of the multiplicative relationship between the quantities within the ratio, referred to as functional reasoning throughout this thesis) were created using the free online tool, Desmos, with a goal of determining the impact of the lesson materials on student understanding. The second goal was to explore the impact of the order in which two instructional strategies, Explicit Attention to Concepts (EAC) and Students’ Opportunity to Struggle (SOS), had on student understanding. The lesson materials consisted of 5 lessons. These …

Developing A Food Assistance Informational Graphic And Implementation Plan Based On Consumer Evaluation, Mckenna Cunningham

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Food insecurity refers to the uncertainty of having or acquiring enough food to sustain all members of a household. In 2019, 10.5% of households in the United States reported being food insecure. Of that number, 4.1% of households reported ‘very low food security,” meaning that there were additional periods of time in which one or more household members restricted or forfeited their food intake due to lack of money or other resources (USDA, 2020). Without access to proper nutrition, the health of both adults and children are put at risk for illness including anxiety, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other …

The Effect Of Perceived Justice And Organizational Embeddedness On Employee Morale And Voluntary Turnover Rate After Layoffs In The Hospitality Industry, Jungjoo Bae

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that reduce the detrimental impact of layoffs. This research found that damaged employee morale and increased turnover intention of survivors after layoffs can cause more adverse impact on companies where layoffs were conducted. Also, it was found that perceived justice and organizational embeddedness can reduce the possibility of having destructive outcomes after layoffs. Additionally, the moderating impact of organizational embeddedness on the effect of perceived justice on employee morale and turnover intention was researched. Data were gathered from junior and senior undergraduate students majoring in hospitality management with at least …

Treatment And Perceptions Of Lgbtqia+ Persons, Emily Bolshazy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In school districts across the country, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQIA+) young adults are being bullied at alarming rates. These experiences have longterm implications for quality of life, employment opportunities, and justice system interactions. Yet, very little research is dedicated to understanding their experiences. This project includes qualitative triangulation analysis to compare common themes throughout three data sources. Research questions this project seeks to answer are 1) How do people who are anti-LGBTQIA+ policy perceive LGBTQIA+ young adults? and 2) What are the experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals? The overall goal of this research project is to be able …