Digital Commons Network^™

Transgressive Desire And Women’S Liberation In The British Strike Bildungsroman, Carl Clinton Sweat

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the intersection of gender and class identity in British proletarian Bildungsromane set during the General Strike of 1926 and the Miners’ Strike of 1984/5, referred to collectively as “Strike Bildungsromane.” These prolonged industrial conflicts temporarily disrupted the gender division of labor that had hitherto been a defining aspect of pit village life. This development encouraged proletarian writers of the interwar and post-war periods to consider coalfield women as political agents, capable of subverting their preordained roles within the private sphere. These moments of subtle subversion are critical to the General Strike novels explored in this study, …

The Integration Of Traditon And Innovation: An Analytical Study Of Hindemith’S Piano Sonata No. 2, Yi-Ting Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Twentieth-century German composer Paul Hindemith was influenced by music of the classical period. While music in the twentieth century is often associated with atonality and irregular structures, various compositional trends emerged during this period. Hindemith was recognized as part of the neoclassical movement. His three piano sonatas, composed in 1936, not only incorporate classical elements but also integrate 20^th-century techniques. This document examines how Hindemith blends classical and post-tonal techniques in his Piano Sonata No. 2.

This study provides an analytical exploration of Hindemith’s Piano Sonata No. 2 and is structured into five chapters. Chapter One introduces the …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Child-Centered Play Therapy Facilitated Through A Virtual Playroom On Disruptive Behaviors: A Single-Case Research Design, Keeland Kelley Lodato

Theses and Dissertations

This multi-manuscript dissertation comprises two interconnected articles that collectively explore facilitating Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) through telemental health (TMH) using a virtual playroom. Chapter Three includes a qualitative manuscript using thematic analysis to understand the experiences of eight counseling students who participated in a training where they learned how to create and utilize a virtual playroom, followed by a virtual play session with elementary-aged children. The results from this study provided six emergent themes and subthemes. Chapter Four includes a quantitative manuscript using a single-case research design. More specifically, this study used a reversal design to investigate the impact of …

Reactivity Of Redox-Active Carboranyl Diphosphines And Carboranyl Diphosphoniums: Metal-Free Pathways For Small Molecule Activations And Transformations, Amanda Lynn Humphries

Theses and Dissertations

Transition metal catalysis has been an integral part of synthetic chemistry for its ability to selectively activate strong substrate bonds, promoting numerous crucial transformations. Despite their utility, the precious metals that are often employed in these catalytic reactions suffer from several drawbacks (including high toxicity, low natural abundance, high costs, and low sustainability), increasing the motivation to design suitable metal-free alternatives. Towards this end, several ambiphilic main-group systems have been devised to show metal-like reactivity, such as carbenes, borylenes, and Frustrated Lewis Pairs. This manuscript will describe the ambiphilic reactivity of carborane-based phosphorus compounds, highlighting the unique metallomimetic reactivity that …

Characterizing Dissolved Organic Matter Composition In A Southeastern United States Watershed, Gwendolyn Marcelette Hopper

Theses and Dissertations

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) has important roles in many biogeochemical cycles. DOM is primarily composed of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen, and phosphorus, and the processing of DOM is important for nutrient regulation and carbon cycling. In the coastal plains of the southeastern United States, there are many rivers and streams known as “blackwaters” with exceptionally high concentrations of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) leached from terrestrial soils, coinciding with a region experiencing some of the nation’s highest rates of development. As changes in land use and climate continue to occur, DOM composition from natural to anthropogenically impacted systems can …

The Dialogic Self: Persius Satires 4 And Oikeiosis In Stoic Philosophy, William Michael Dodd

Theses and Dissertations

Though acknowledging that Persius alludes to Horace so frequently that he creates a dialogue with his elder, many commentators fail to see that Persius would challenge his predecessor. Especially evident in Satire 4, Persius' challenge to Horace stems from the younger poet's Stoicism, which philosophy he sees Horace as lampooning throughout the elder poet's Satires. Persius not only defends his Stoicism in Satires 4 but also engages with perceived weaknesses in the Epicureanism he finds in Horace. For instance, instead of the Epicurean version of natural law Persius finds in Horace, which conceives of human ties as contractual, the younger …

Determination Of Structure-Function Relationships In Hybrid Catalysts On Metal Oxide Supports, Joseph John Kuchta

Theses and Dissertations

Transition metal catalysis has revolutionized chemical synthesis, enabling efficient and selective transformations critical to the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and materials industries. However, traditional methods often rely on expensive, non-sustainable metals and harsh reaction conditions that generate significant waste. This dissertation explores a series of innovations aimed at bridging the gap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis through the development of hybrid catalysts. These systems combine the molecular precision of homogeneous catalysts with the stability and practicality of heterogeneous supports, offering a pathway to more sustainable and scalable catalytic processes.

The first area of focus investigates nickel-based hybrid catalysts as a cost-effective and …

What We Don’T Know Can Hurt Them: An Examination Of Culture-Centered Pedagogy In A Diverse Elementary School, Kelly Dale Hogan

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative action research study examined a growing cultural divide at an elementary school with a significant teacher diversity gap, best described as a discrepancy between the number of White educators compared to the number of students of color within an educational setting. Surveys were utilized to understand teachers’ cultural competency, and then all participants engaged in a book study intervention focused on culture-centered pedagogy. The study concluded with exit interviews between participants and the researcher to gauge how perceptions of working with diverse student populations progressed throughout the study. Survey responses, book study field notes, and interview transcripts were …

‘If You Design For The Future To Treat Of Witches:' Diabolic Service Magicians, Astrologers, And Witchcraft In John Dunton's Athenian Mercury, 1690-1697, Lauren Rebecca Rowe

Theses and Dissertations

Originating in the print stands of seventeenth-century London, the Athenian Mercury enjoyed a nearly miraculous seven-year run time as the most well-known and successful anonymous question and answer periodical of its time. Conceptualized and produced by bookseller John Dunton, the Mercury existed as an interface for intellectual discourse readily accessible to men and women. Kept entirely anonymous on the part of the author and reader, the intellectually curious could write questions to the Mercury and receive answers in turn on a vast variety of subjects twice a week. Aside from the more expected queries on science, love, mathematics, and religion, …

Rapid Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries: Structure, Morphology, And Methodology, Sean Cade Wechsler

Theses and Dissertations

The initial commercialization and subsequent development of the lithium-ion battery (LIB) in 1991 has revolutionized the way that humans power devices, cars, and homes and led to the advent of many technologies that seemed impossible just half a century ago. As LIBs are integrated into more of daily life through handheld devices, wearable medical devices, transportation, and grid-level energy storage, the demand for fast charging and high energy density increases rapidly. To design a battery with these favorable qualities, an understanding of the effect of electrode crystal structure and electrode morphology on the ionic/electronic transport and failure modes must be …

Hybrid Penstemon Flowers: Colors, Pigments, And Detectability & Experimental Teaching: Evaluating The Impact Of Active Learning, Josh Thomas Edward Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

Shifts to different primary pollinators are often accompanied by changes in suites of floral traits. Understanding how and why these floral adaptations evolve is a central goal in evolutionary biology. Within the genus Penstemon, the transition from bee-pollinated to hummingbird-pollinated flowers is a common evolutionary pattern. These pollinator shifts have caused several closely related species to exhibit distinct pollination syndromes. One example of this evolutionary phenomenon can be seen within the sister species P. eatonii (hummingbird-pollinated) and P. laevis (bee-pollinated). These two species form several hybrid zones, in which hybrid individuals exhibit colors resembling both parental species, along with a …

Democracy’S Sanctuary: Highlander Folk School’S Campaign For Justice From The Labor Movement To The Civil Rights Movement, 1932-1962, Alexandra Elizabeth Bethlenfalvy

Theses and Dissertations

A sanctuary for political democracy, the Highlander Folk School was established in 1932 as a center for community activism, serving as the leading labor union organizing site in rural Tennessee during the Great Depression. With social unrest swelling in the 1930s, Highlander empowered workers, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to demand improved conditions and union representation across the anti-labor South. During World War II, however, as ranks of organized labor grew and civil rights activism in the South accelerated, Highlander convened interracial workshops, beginning in 1944, at a time when racial segregation was enforced by law and …

Irish Teachers’ Perceptions Of Immigrant Students: Exploring How Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Affects Biases, Metacognition, And Inclusive Teaching Practices, Dorothy Widener Alton

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to describe a qualitative, reflective action research study that examined if learning and reflecting on culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) affected Irish post-primary teachers’ perceptions of immigrant students, metacognition of biases, teaching practices, and inclusivity of these marginalized students. Qualitative data consisted of administering an online survey to post-primary teachers across Ireland, chosen by convenience sampling. In addition, I conducted an in-depth reflective survey before, during, and after providing CRP literature to four select participants, selected by purposive and snowball sampling. Data was analyzed by coding and observing emerging patterns to identify overarching themes …

Investigating The Impact Of Cross-Loadings On Model Fit And Mediation Inferences In The Latent Mediator Model, Qiulin Lu

Theses and Dissertations

Cross-loadings are a common phenomenon in psychological research. Extant studies have focused primarily on measurement models, like confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and have shown that omitted cross-loadings can bias the inter-factor correlation. These results suggest that omitted cross-loadings might likewise bias structural paths in other structural equation models (SEMs), but this area remains under-investigated. Such an effect could impact the evaluation of third variable effects, like mediation, when estimated in a SEM framework.

This study addresses this gap by examining the effects of cross-loadings in single, latent mediator model in a simulation study. The performances of conventional SEM and Bayesian …

Moderation Amid Resistance: African American Advocacy, Educational Equity, And School Desegregation In Botetourt County, Virginia, Katherine Blanton

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the historical and social dynamics surrounding African American education in Botetourt County, Virginia preceding, during, and following court ordered desegregation. Using historiography, the researcher incorporated archival resources, interviews, and oral histories to examine the African American leadership of the County Wide League and their steadfast commitment to provide equal educational opportunities for African American children in Botetourt County. Set against the history of southern segregation, white school boards, and massive resistance to the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision to desegregate in Brown v. Board of Education, the historiography represents the moderate stance of the County in …

Birth Of Inspiration: York County, South Carolina, The Setting That Inspired The Clansman, Zachary Alan Lemhouse

Theses and Dissertations

In 1905, Thomas Dixon, Jr., published his controversial novel The Clansman. Monopolizing on racist sentiments held by white southerners, Dixon’s narrative contributed significantly to the perception of the Lost Cause myth and defense of white supremacy in America. The novel, and its subsequent adaptations as a play and the film Birth of a Nation, was inspired by actual events that occurred in Dixon’s ancestral home of York County, South Carolina. Located in the northernmost region of South Carolina’s Piedmont, York County played host to a struggle for civil rights during the Reconstruction Era that garnered national and international …

A Study Of Ci3t Implementation: Middle School Ela Teachers' Perceptions Of Tier 1 Academic Practices On Student Performance, Martha Kathryn Jenkinson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to understand teachers’ perceptions of Ci3T tier 1 academic practices following the first year of implementation. Tier 1 instruction, delivered primarily by classroom teachers, is meant to meet the needs of a majority of students. Understanding teachers’ perceptions of program implementation, as well as reviewing student data to seek impacts of Ci3T on student learning, are important considerations when deciding how to improve the system. This study focused on the experiences and perceptions of English Language Arts teachers and Special Education teachers who work in ELA classes.

Data were gathered …

Utilizing Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices In The Classroom, Lindsey Nicole Finley

Theses and Dissertations

This research study aimed to address the impact of teaching concepts of culturally responsive pedagogy on teachers’ understanding of their implicit biases. Additionally, it examined the impact that professional development training utilizing culturally responsive teaching (CRT) methods have on teachers working with multilingual learners (MLs). The research questions were: (1) What is the impact of teaching concepts of culturally responsive pedagogy on teachers' understanding of their implicit biases? and (2) What is the impact of intentional, ongoing professional development utilizing CRT methods for teachers working with multilingual learners? This study used a theoretical framework of culture centered pedagogies such as …

The Intersection Of Rurality And Wellness: A Multi-Manuscript Investigation Into Rural Well-Being, Lucas Perez

Theses and Dissertations

Rural communities face unique mental health and wellness challenges, including geographic isolation, provider shortages, and stigma surrounding help-seeking. This dissertation explores rural wellness through three interrelated studies, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods to examine disparities, perceptions of rurality, and demographic influences on well-being. The first study utilized the Five Factor Wellness Inventory (5F-WEL) to compare wellness scores between rural and non-rural individuals. The second study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore rural definitions of wellness, as well as barriers and strengths related to mental health. The third study examined how perceptions of rurality and demographic factors predict wellness …

Latinx Parent Acculturation And Acculturative Stress: Impact On Family Functioning And Youth Well-Being, Julie Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated that acculturation and acculturative stress can influence family dynamics and Latinx youth well-being. Guided by the Family Stress Model, the current study aimed to assess a latent measurement model of acculturation and examine the relationship between acculturation and acculturative stress and how acculturative stress is related to family processes and youth adjustment. Data included 898 youth and 630 parents from the SOL Youth study. Structural equation modeling was used to assess a latent two-factor measurement model of acculturation and its relation to parental acculturative stress as well as how parental acculturative stress is related to family functioning …

Aesthetic Judgment: Considering A Contemporary Standard Of Taste, Lydia Margaret Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Originally published in 1757 as part of his Four Dissertations essay collection, David Hume’s essay, “Of the Standard of Taste,” occupies a prominent place in Enlightenment aesthetic studies. Due to an oversaturation of print materials being produced, eighteenth century society was concerned with evaluating and ranking the massive quantities of art being produced. Philosophers such as David Hume attempted to define criteria for determining a standard of taste, aiming to hierarchically rank works of art based on aesthetic experience. For centuries, critics such as Timothy Costelloe, Noel Carroll, David Marshall, Jonathan Friday, James Shelley, and many others have engaged in …

Exploring The Sense Of Community And Perceived Professional Learning Of Multigrade Teachers In Cohort-Based Online Community Of Practice Sessions: An Action Research, Paola Franco-Oudri

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to explore the influence of cohort-based, online Community of Practice sessions on the sense of community and perceived professional learning of multigrade teachers in a faith-based, private school system in North America. Approximately 25% of teachers in the Seventh-day Adventist school system are multigrade elementary teachers and teach three or more grade levels in the same classroom. Multigrade teachers often have limited access to traditional professional development (PD) options because of distance, cost, and staffing limitations, but furthermore, traditional PD programs do not address the needs and realities of small, multigrade schools. Additionally, …

Hardware Accelerated Simulation Of Buck Converters Using Physics-Informed Neural Networks, James Clayton Crews

Theses and Dissertations

Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) are an emerging machine learning method for learning the behavior of physical systems described by governing differential equations. Dc-dc power-electronic converters are used in a variety of industry applications such as motor drives or power supplies where real-time simulation is critical for control and safety. This thesis investigates physics-informed machine learning as an approach to develop a real-time digital twin for dc-dc power converters. Traditional numerical integration methods are used to approximate discretized behavior, and the results are compared with a trained PINN model. Modern ML frameworks (such as PyTorch and TensorFlow/Keras) are used to quickly …

A Mixed Methods Study Exploring The Lived Experience Of Shared Trauma In Psychiatric Nurses During Covid-19, April Lynne Hutto

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Psychiatric nurses (PNs) had a unique lived experience of shared trauma (ST) during the COVID-19 pandemic. These nurses experienced the same traumatic event, COVID-19, with associated trauma symptoms as their patients. This mixed methods study aims to triangulate data on ST in PNs using a quantitative and qualitative study. Methods: PN (N=24) completed a semi-structured interview during the summer and fall of 2024. A quantitative study PN (N=552) in spring 2023, using the Shared Trauma and Professional Posttraumatic Growth (STPPG) inventory, was completed with descriptive and inferential statistics using SAS 9.4. A thematic analysis of the interviews was completed …

Strain And Redox Engineering For Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance In Transition Metal Oxide Thin Films, Mohammad Jamal El Loubani

Theses and Dissertations

The discovery of highly efficient and cost-effective thermoelectric (TE) materials is essential to envision high-performance TE power generators that enable the direct conversion of waste heat into electricity. Transition metal oxides (TMOs) are considered promising candidates for high-temperature TE applications due to their excellent thermal stability and low cost. However, their maximum power output (power factor, PF = σ•S2) is constrained by the intrinsic trade-off between thermopower (S) and electrical conductivity (σ), both of which are inversely related to carrier concentration. This trade-off poses a significant barrier to improving the performance of TE devices. Among various strategies to overcome this …

A Spatial Examination Of Colonial Anglican Landscapes In The South Carolina Lowcountry, Madeleine Paige Blaze

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project will focus on the early colonial landscape of the South Carolina Lowcountry to analyze the placement of Anglican churches that were built between 1700 and 1730. My research will expand on previous analysis of the Anglican landscape to incorporate additional components that will aid in a better understanding of regional organization. To do so, I will incorporate a landscape archaeology theoretical frame that will allow my research questions to be explored. This project will also include GIS analysis to examine spatial visualizations, navigation paths, and colonial relationships to understand the Church’s early interactions with and on the …

A Mixed Methods Examination Of Interdisciplinary Strategies For Addressing Trauma And Chronic Pain In Group Therapy, Kara Marceil Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic pain and trauma are distinct yet interconnected public health concerns, each significantly affecting physical, psychological, and social well-being. The comorbidity of these conditions highlights a critical need for integrated treatment approaches. This dissertation explores interdisciplinary strategies that merge group counseling and physical therapy to address trauma symptomology and chronic pain within a group therapy setting. Grounded in the biopsychosocial model, somatic therapy principles, and the gate control theory of pain, this multi-manuscript dissertation employs a mixed methods design to examine counselor experiences, intervention feasibility, and participant outcomes.

Help-Seeking, Motivation, And Partner Interactions In Couples Affected By Tramatic Brain Injury, Violet Hodge

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects individuals and their romantic relationships, creating barriers to help-seeking and impacting relational health. Despite evidence supporting the benefits of couples counseling and relationship education, stigma and motivational factors influence engagement in these services. This dissertation examines the interdependent processes of help-seeking, motivation, and relationship satisfaction in couples where one partner has experienced a TBI. Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM), two studies explore (1) the role of self-stigma in help-seeking and motivation for completing a relationship education program, and (2) the influence of self-stigma for help-seeking on motivation in couples services, particularly in the context …

The Impact Of Social Emotional Learning (Sel) Lessons On Students’ Mental Health Surrounding Standardized Testing, Margaret Denning

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative action research examined the emotional impacts of standardized testing on 4th and 5th graders and the effects of targeted social-emotional learning lessons in a Title 1 school. Pre- and post-intervention data were gathered through surveys (Children’s Test Anxiety Scale) and focus group interviews. By employing thematic and narrative analysis, findings revealed significant initial cognitive anxiety, physical symptoms, and difficulties in self-regulation. Following the SEL intervention, the data indicated that students exhibited improved emotional resilience, reduced anxiety symptoms, and enhanced coping skills. Although the SEL interventions enhanced overall emotional well-being, anxiety was not fully eliminated. This study highlights the …

Explorations In Extremal Combinatorics: Graph Spectra, Codegree Squared Sum Of Hypergraphs And Lin-Lu-Yau Ricci Curvature, George Henry Brooks

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores a variety of extremal problems in spectral graph theory, hypergraph Tur\'an theory in the $\ell_2$-norm, and Lin-Lu-Yau Ricci curvature. We begin by studying the maximization of linear combinations of eigenvalues in relation to the adjacency matrix of a graph. For a graph $G$ on $n$ vertices, we order its eigenvalues $\lambda_1 \geq \dots \geq \lambda_n$. First, we study a generalization of the maximum spread. Specifically, we consider the $(i,j)$-spread, defined as $\lambda_{i+1}-\lambda_{n-j}$, and aim to maximize that quantity over all simple graphs on $n$ vertices. We establish asymptotic bounds for all $i,j\geq 0$ and identify infinitely many …