Digital Commons Network^™

Does Federal Funding Address Fundamentals? Examining The Equity Effects Of Title I On Student Achievement, Veda Hudge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This dissertation examines the equity effects of Title I funding on student achievement in Broward County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the United States. Title I, established under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, aims to address educational disparities by providing financial resources to schools that serve economically disadvantaged students. Despite over five decades of federal intervention, significant achievement gaps persist, particularly among marginalized populations. This study investigates the effectiveness of Title I funding in improving student outcomes in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics during the period 2016–2020.

Using a quantitative research …

Enhancing Seaport Resiliency With Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Traci Ann Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Seaports are essential for international commerce as they facilitate movement of cargo through global trade networks. Failure of a seaport to remain operational during a disruptive event, such as a natural disaster or security threat, not only affects that seaport and the economy it supplies but can have far reaching impacts on supply chains worldwide. Enhancing seaport resiliency is essential to maintaining functionality in the event of crises that pose a threat to trade continuity and economic stability. This research explores the efficacy of using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to enhance resiliency building efforts in three case studies representing different …

Exploring Mindfulness, Mindful Self-Care, And Perceived Burnout Among Professional Counselors: A Latent Profile Analysis, Sheria Kwok

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Promoting counselor well-being and burnout prevention through research efforts is necessary. This study explored the findings (emerging unobserved profiles) from a latent profile analysis (LPA) examining mindfulness, mindful self-care behaviors, and perceived burnout among licensed professional counselors and supervisors in Ohio (N = 328). The study evaluated the differences in individual demographic variables across the identified latent profile memberships derived from the LPA. As a result, we found two latent profile memberships: Low Mindfulness/Mindful Self-Care and High Burnout Group (n = 146; 44.5%), and High Mindfulness/Mindful Self-Care and Low Burnout Group (n = 182; 55.5%). Based …

A Study On Sentence-Level Argument Identification In Imbalanced Student Essay Corpora, Rishabh Lingam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Writing is an essential skill that affects success in nearly every academic subject and professional field. For undergraduate students, strong writing helps them organize ideas, communicate clearly, and perform better in both written assignments and overall coursework. Good writing also supports critical thinking, which is key to problem-solving and academic growth. Beyond school, writing continues to be important in the workplace, where it is used for emails, reports, presentations, and formal documents. Yet, despite its importance, many students and graduates do not have strong writing skills, and this gap is noticed by employers. A recent survey by Ashley Finley [1] …

Conversion Of Orange Waste To Chemically Modified Activated Carbon Adsorbent Materials For Aqueous Phase Phosphate Removal, Sierra Mugan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Phosphorus pollution in surface waters drives harmful algal blooms, creating ecological, public health, and economic risks. This study examined citrus processing waste as a sustainable, low-cost precursor for producing chemically modified adsorbents for phosphorus removal. Orange waste was pyrolyzed, resulting in a carbon-rich material with low ash content, as confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis. The material was modified using lanthanum chloride, iron (III) chloride, and calcium chloride at varying mass ratios and screened under standard conditions (1 mg P/L, 1 g/L dosage, 24-hour contact time). Lanthanum- and iron-modified samples demonstrated the best removal efficiencies and underwent further evaluation. The lanthanum-modified sample …

Is Infant Fear Related To An Increase In Maternal Stress?, Janairis F. Munoz-Perez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The impact of infant fear responses on mother stress throughout the first year of life was investigated in this study. Between six and fourteen months, thirty mother-infant pairs were examined at three different time intervals. Maternal responses from the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R) and behavioral observations made during standardized lab tasks were used to evaluate infant fear. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to measure maternal stress at all time points, and behavioral stress was coded during the first session. The findings showed no overall significant correlation between the mother's subjective stress and the behavioral fear of her infant. …

Exploiting Undulating Fin Kinematics For Multi-Directional Swimming Control, Omar S. Odeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The Black Ghost Knifefish achieves remarkable swimming gait transition by leveraging the distinctive morphology and kinematics of a single, elongated undular fin. Alongside bi-directional swimming, complex maneuvers incorporating vertical movement and pitch control can also be attained. Inspired by the Knifefish, we explore a novel propulsive and directional control method for an undulating membrane affixed to a robotic vessel utilizing counter-propagating waveforms in tandem with a sigmoidal spatiotemporal pattern to control forward, backward, and turning of the vessel. The proposed actuation supplied the propulsion necessary for the robotic vessel to swim bi-directionally with heading control under varying flow speed conditions. …

Wellness Among Bipoc Counselors-In-Training: Mediation Impact On Stress And Burnout, Javier E. Ponce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The purpose of this research study was to gather data on stress, wellness, and burnout levels from counselors-in-training (CITs) who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to compare them to norm groups and assess the mediating effect of wellness on the association between stress and burnout. The researcher conducted this study to aid counselor educators in incorporating wellness into interventions that can help BIPOC CITs not only reduce their stress and burnout levels but also augment their overall wellness. The final sample consisted of 118 BIPOC CITs who thoroughly completed a demographic questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale-10, Five …

Importance Of Social Support: Buffer To Social Identity Threat In Institutions, Kaylah J. Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Due to the minority status non-white students face in higher education, they are susceptible to social identity threat (Steele & Aronson, 1996), which may lead to psychological distress. However, social support, particularly from in-groups, offsets related distress consequences, e.g., self-esteem, anxiety, and depression (Haslam et al., 2021). This study investigates social support, through collective racial socialization, as a buffer for social identity threats to minority college students. I investigated Hispanics and Black undergraduates' self-esteem, using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1979), before and after stereotype threat, with participants in minority-centered organizations as the moderator. Results revealed that there was a …

Examining The Relationships Among Land Surface Temperature, Surface Urban Heat Islands, Land Cover, And Societal Impacts In The Miami Metropolitan Statistical Area, Alanna D. Shapiro

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Surface Urban Heat Islands (SUHI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) are important to study because they can have large impacts on human and environmental health and well-being. The research described in this dissertation includes three separate but related studies of SUHI and LST. The first study evaluates historic LST trends in a multiscalar view and examines the impact of environmental and socioeconomic explanatory variables on LST. Results show that NDVI and impervious surfaces are significant explanatory variables for the dependent variable LST. The rate of change (RoC) of each of the regression models ranges between 0.29oC/decade and 1.56oC/decade. The second …

Sleep Quality, Volumetric Brain Biomarkers For Ad, Executive Function, & Cognitive Decline In Older Adults, Layaly Shihadeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Objective: Our aims were to examine differences in sleep quality sub scores and total scores across diagnostic groups cross-sectionally and longitudinally, correlate executive function scores and volumetric biomarkers of AD (prefrontal cortical and hippocampal volumes) with sleep quality scores, and explore how demographic variables may serve to moderate how sleep quality effects diagnosis. Method: 381 participants were classified into 3 diagnostic groups (Cognitively normal (CN), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia) based on the CDR global score. Prefrontal cortical volume, hippocampal volume, and PSQI total and sub scores were used as predictors of progression status. Daytime dysfunction, sleep duration, and …

Institutional Learning And International Student Enrollment: A Case Study Of Perceptions Of Practice, Debra Szabo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This dissertation examines the application of Peter Senge’s Learning Organization Theory at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), focusing on administrators' perceptions of institutional learning amid increasing international student enrollment. Higher education institutions must balance market-driven behaviors with collaborative learning environments as they navigate a competitive global landscape.

The study stresses the need to investigate institutional learning outcomes and the impact of rising international student enrollment on university policies, procedures, and organizational learning. It explores the relationship between espoused theories, strategic goals designated by FAU, and theories-in-action, which reflect actual practices in recruiting and supporting international students. By integrating Argyris and Schön's …

The Impact Of The Imsd Mentorship Program On Stem Doctoral Graduation Rates: An Application Of Elite Theory, Kristen Alexandria Walden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Disparities in doctoral STEM completion rates among underrepresented groups raise questions about institutional power and access in higher education. This dissertation investigates graduation rates among minority doctoral students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, comparing results at public and private universities through the lens of elite theory. Elite theory asserts that power is concentrated within small groups or institutions that influence national and institutional outcomes. Although public administration literature addresses elite power structures in universities, less research has examined how these dynamics influence graduation for underrepresented groups in doctoral STEM disciplines.

This study applies elite theory to explore …

Manteño Landscape In Construction: Geoarchaeology In The Cloud Forest, Coastal Ecuador, Janny Mauricio Velasco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This research explores archaeological soil micromorphology as an experimental method for studying the effects of intensive landscape transformation in the Manteño inland urban clusters of the Las Tusas River Valley of Rio Blanco, Manabi, Ecuador. Specifically, during this period, the Manteño society expanded its influence along the Ecuadorian littoral, incorporating the cloud forest of the Chongón Colonche cordillera as part of its settlement strategy. Micromorphology could provide detailed information about the cultural processes that formed the soil structure of the archaeological midden of N4C4-044. This work presents the results of soil micromorphology in a Neotropical Forest of Central Coastal Ecuador, …

Does Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration And Quality Affect Maternal Sensitivity: Fear Vs. Normative Situations, Camila Herrera Zamora

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The present study examined whether exclusive breastfeeding duration and perceived breastfeeding quality predict maternal sensitivity across emotionally challenging versus normative caregiving contexts in infancy. Twenty-four mother–infant dyads participated in three laboratory visits during which maternal sensitivity was assessed across interaction conditions. It was hypothesized that (1) longer breastfeeding duration would be associated with greater sensitivity during fear-inducing contexts, (2) breastfeeding duration and quality would interact to predict sensitivity, and (3) sensitivity would be higher during fear-inducing situations. Contrary to expectations, maternal sensitivity was highest in the normative/free-play condition and increased over time, peaking at 14 to 16 months. Exclusive breastfeeding …

Biodiversity Conservation And The Ever-Expanding Web Of Federal Laws Regulating Nonfederal Lands: Time For Something Completely Differenct?, J.B. Ruhl

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

Death By Design: A Biological Approach To Container Security, Alexander Hunter Moomaw

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Microservice architectures are central to modern cloud computing and have become the dominant design pattern for scalable, distributed applications. Kubernetes is often the tool used for rapid deployment and orchestration of microservices. A known issue for large networks clusters is a malicious actor can compromise a vulnerable cluster in minutes. Their ability to quickly compromise vulnerable clusters highlights the urgent need for stronger security. This project views cluster defense through a preemptive security lens, introducing the Cluster Life cycle Management System (CLMS). Inspired by the biological process of apoptosis, CLMS systematically replaces aging containers and services to prevent exploitation of …

Parallel Inquiries: Investigation Of Social Resource Use In Early Career Stem Teachers And Impacts Of Metal Pollution On Fingernail Clam Microbiome, Emily Hamada

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

Pseudo-Vampires In The Nineteenth-Century English Vampire Canon: Draining Life Force By Class, Matt Tanner

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

Identifying And Validating Momentum Shifts In The Nfl A Data-Driven Approach To Predicting Short-Term Team Success, Sean M. Zahller

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

This thesis aims to demonstrate that momentum in professional NFL games is real, measurable, and leads to short-term success. Using play-by-play data from over ten NFL seasons, a custom momentum score system was developed by combining engineered features and changes in win probability for key events. Momentum is defined conceptually and operationally to ensure consistent measurement across games. Different predictive models were then trained to identify momentum shifts, and an event-based validation strategy was implemented to verify the momentum shifts led to successful events. The findings indicate that the momentum score system captures shifts in game control and differs from …

Multi-Objective Bike Routing Problem: A Survey And Comparative Evaluation, Dominic Peter Macisaac

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Multi-objective routing has been studied for over forty years, yet its application to the bike routing problem is a relatively recent development. The Multi-Objective Bike Routing Problem (MOBRP) seeks to optimize a set of bike routes from a single source to a single destination, given multiple cost criteria. This paper makes two primary contributions. First, it consolidates existing research on the MOBRP, including the criteria chosen and associated cost functions, the search algorithms used, and the testing setups and metrics used for evaluation. Second, it implements the most promising search algorithms and evaluates these approaches through comprehensive cross-testing, a topic …

Bridging Prairie Restoration And Regenerative Agriculture With Compost Tea / The Rocket Incident: Post-Fire Soil Microbe Recovery On The Eastern Washington University Restoration Site, April Hersey

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Inland Pacific Northwest prairie is an endangered ecosystem that has been reduced by conversion to agriculture. There is growing interest in the role of soil microorganisms in prairie ecosystems, which may be crucial for restoration of the plant community through interspecies interactions within the rhizosphere. One method for improving soil microorganism community composition is compost tea: enriched liquid compost extract. Compost tea is used in regenerative agriculture to improve crop yields and protect against pathogens. While research has supported compost tea application in regenerative agriculture, it has not been widely studied in the context of ecosystem restoration. After beginning a …

Vcu And The 2025 Virginia Course Materials Survey, Abbey Childs

Scholarship about Open Education

In 2025, VIVA distributed an updated Virginia Course Materials Survey. Its goal was to build on the first iteration of the survey, providing updated data for the areas explored in the original survey, along with new data to address the changing open and affordable landscape in Virginia. The 2025 survey aimed to answer the following questions:

1. What is the impact of course material costs on educational equity among Virginia students?

2. What course content materials do students find to be most beneficial to their learning?

3. What barriers are presented to students due to course material costs and how can those barriers …

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Lex Ex Machina: Forging A New Ethical Framework For Ai And Technology In The Law, Joseph Regalia

Scholarly Works

The rise of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) offers the legal profession a chance to reevaluate and reshape its ethical standards. This article argues that GAI's potential demands a more detailed approach to legal ethics, especially concerning technology use. While current ethics rules provide a general foundation, they do not fully address the unique challenges and opportunities of GAI and similar advanced technologies.

By reviewing historical contexts of legal technology ethics and recent GAI regulations, this article suggests a new model for technology ethics in law. It calls for the inclusion of detailed, flexible standards in ethical guidelines, moving beyond the …

A Faster Way To Yes: Re-Balancing American Asylum Procedures, Michael Kagan

Scholarly Works

The United States asylum system, like many other asylum systems, is under immense pressure to process asylum applications faster. The primary response to this pressure is negative, namely to deny asylum claims quickly by categorizing them as manifestly unfounded. In the United States, this is done through the “credible fear” process. This negative orientation leads to a structural imbalance in which denials can be fast and easy for the system, but approvals take time and extensive effort. Using domestic and international comparative examples, this Article proposes re-balancing the asylum system by establishing a process for expedited approvals of clearly eligible …

Presumed Guilt: Epistemic Closure In Pregnancy Prosecutions, M. Eve Hanan

Scholarly Works

Criminal law and reproductive justice scholars are calling attention to the increase in prosecutions for pregnancy outcomes in the United States. Trace amounts of controlled substances in newborns are prosecuted as child abuse. Miscarriages are prosecuted as illegal abortions or homicides. This area of criminal law existed side-by-side with Roe v. Wade for late-term pregnancy outcomes. The Dobbs decision has further emboldened these prosecutions by removing the protections of the Due Process Clause from the pre-viability phase of the pregnancy.

Using a case study of a woman who was pressured to plead guilty to manslaughter and sentenced to eight years …

Unpunishment Purposes, Meredith B. Esser

Scholarly Works

Sentencing scholarship often begins by exploring the traditional purposes of punishment: deterrence, retribution, incapacitation, and rehabilitation. However, little scholarship exists addressing how these four punishment purposes apply in the post sentencing or second-look contexts. Further, abstract theories of sentencing can often seem sterile and disconnected from the realities of how violent, disproportionate, and dehumanizing the actual experience of incarceration is for many people, and tend to downplay the impact of incarceration on the families and communities of those who are incarcerated. This Article attempts to reconceptualize the traditional purposes of punishment to meet the current historical moment, and it does …

Copyright, Ebooks, And The Future Of Digital Lending, Mary Lafrance

Scholarly Works

Public libraries face a digital lending crisis. Even as library patrons demand greater access to digital materials, eBook publishers have subjected libraries to onerous licensing terms. These include prices substantially higher than those charged to the general public, as well as stringent constraints on license duration and/or loan volume, forcing many libraries to repurchase their eBooks every one or two years. Some publishers are releasing new books only in digital formats, making it even more costly for libraries to maintain robust collections. eBook publishers also compel libraries to use specific digital lending platforms which pose risks to patron privacy. At …

Ecarrots: Prison Control And Profits From Correctional Tablets, Justin Iverson

Scholarly Works

In recent years, tablets have gained tremendous popularity behind bars for their ability to expand access to educational and rehabilitative services for people in prison. However, there are downsides to tablet implementation, including high costs at the expense of a captive population and shifting power dynamics resulting in possible volatility. This Article examines the use of correctional tablets in jails and prisons as mechanisms for administrative control and profit-making in an era of beleaguered correctional budgets. It also considers legal and policy implications related to the disproportionately negative impact of the introduction of tablets on people in poverty, increased dependency …

Fighting The Hypothetical: Why Law Firms Should Rethink The Billable Hour In The Generative Ai Era, Nancy B. Rapoport, Joseph R. Tiano Jr.

Scholarly Works

“Fighting the Hypothetical: Why Law Firms Should Rethink the Billable Hour in the Generative AI Era” analyzes how the emergence and adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) will fundamentally disrupt the traditional billable hour model that has dominated the industry since the 1960s. Professor Rapoport and Mr. Tiano contend that GenAI’s ability to perform routine legal tasks quickly and accurately will force law firms to shift away from billing structures based primarily on time spent (or inputs) and toward models that better reflect client value (or outputs).

The authors interviewed law firm leaders to gain an “in the trenches” view …