Digital Commons Network^™

An Exploration Into The Experiences Of Women Student Veterans And Their Campus Support Utilization: A Phenomenological Study, Alyssa C. Baldwin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of women student veterans and the role of self-efficacy in their utilization of campus support services. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s self-efficacy theory as it relates to the influences of the utilization of campus support by women student veterans. Drawing on this theory, this study sought to answer the following central research question: How do women student veterans describe their experiences using academic, administrative, and health support services on campus? This qualitative study employed a hermeneutic phenomenological approach using purposeful sampling techniques, namely maximal variation and …

Cumberland County Adult Treatment Court Comparing Opioid Participants’ Successful And Unsuccessful Completion, Lisa Matteson Harrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, retrospective, causal comparative study was to determine if differences existed between opioid-addicted participants who successfully completed or failed to complete the Cumberland County Adult Treatment Court. The current study was formulated on the theoretical framework of therapeutic jurisprudence and structural ritualization. The research questions were developed to determine whether there were differences in the demographics (age, gender, and education level) and treatment services utilized between participants who successfully completed and failed to complete the program. The study sample comprised 105 opioid addicted participants including 55 who successfully completed and 50 who unsuccessfully completed the program …

A Model Of Evangelism For A Bilingual Worship Community, Dorkham Donovan See

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to develop a model of evangelism for the Lahu-English bilingual worship community at Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester, Minnesota. This study claims that the Lahu-English bilingual worship community has not emphasized evangelism—to share the gospel beyond this group—due to the decline of Christian influence in general and the cultural and language barriers that first and second- generation Lahu Christians encounter. Most ethnic worship communities tend to congregate and remain in their sphere of social and worship gatherings as a haven and belonging. While this is not intrinsically wrong, it ignores …

The Impact Of Juvenile Drug Court On Recidivism, Mallory Noelle Watkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The number of youths entering the juvenile justice system is a viable concern throughout the United States. A gap in the existing literature surrounding juvenile justice is recidivism rates among young offenders who are incarcerated or sanctioned to a community-based level of supervision after committing a transgression of a law. Federal juvenile justice practitioners, such as the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), and others, in addition to individual states and localities throughout the United States, have taken various approaches to …

The Emergence Of Radical Christianity: The Mystical Dunkers, Its Antecedence, Hermetical Founding, Germanic Diaspora, And Its Apogee On The Frontier Of Colonial America, Daniel Jason Geyer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Dunker Sect, a radical Christian fellowship founded by Alexander Mack and Ernst Christoph Hochmann von Hochenau, grew from the endless conflict and radicalization of Christianity that emerged in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century in what is now Germany and Switzerland. These men were guided by Christian leaders such as Jakob Spener, August Hermann Franke, and other radicals in Eastern Germany. Both Hochmann and Mack were separatists, in that they wanted nothing to do with what they considered the corrupted Church of the Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed denominations. The term “separatist” however, only describes their removal from the …

The Role Of Military Chaplains And Effective Spiritual Care For Strengthening Military Marriages During Deployments, Carl Michael Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military chaplains provide spiritual support and counseling to the military populations alongside conducting religious services. As a military process, chaplaincy operates as a liaison between military personnel, mental health professionals, and clinical marriage counselors. In this context, the military population is extensive and consists of military personnel, military chaplains, and their civilian families. It must be acknowledged that various service-motivated challenges confront these individuals. For instance, military marriages are threatened by lengthy deployment and family separations. Therefore, it is significant to contextualize military marriages’ coping, survival, and strengthening as most contemporary researchers have focused on this subject. Most studies have …

Student Perceptions Of Learning Loss Following Traumatic Multi-Event School Closures: A Phenomenological Study, Robert Todd Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of students who suffered learning loss due to multiple school closures during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 academic years while attending Bay District Schools (BDS) in Bay County, Florida. The theoretical framework utilized in this study was Weiner’s Attribution Theory (AT). Weiner (1974) posited that the pursuit of understanding the motivation of an individual’s behavior requires attributing one or more causes to the behavior. Using attribution, I engaged participants in their personal narratives in order to understand and interpret their experience, motivation, and dimension of behavior regarding the …

Determining The Impact Of Nurse Residency Programs To Increase Retention Rate Among New Nurse Graduates: An Integrative Review, Guiselly Astrid Erazo-Romero

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

New nurse graduates account for the largest group entering the profession, but they also have the lowest retention rates among all nursing staff. Due to the nursing shortage, newly licensed nurses undergo a shorter orientation to meet the complex needs of healthcare. Newly licensed nurses often report feelings of unpreparedness, lack of competence, and lack of confidence as they are expected to care for patients with complex needs. In response to the concern over low retention rates and the preparation-practice gap among new graduate nurses, Nurse Residency Programs (NRPs) were implemented. This program further eases the transition from the student …

Effective Communication In The Virtual Environment, Michael Binda

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Technology has helped change the way we communicate. The onset of COVID-19 has accelerated the use of technology to communicate. The virtual environment has allowed organizations and stakeholders to communicate utilizing technology regardless of proximity, time, and distance to continue moving the organization forward. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand effective communication strategies for organizations to adopt and share in order to gain support and engagement from a growing audience of those attending virtual meetings. Organizations and leaders when communicating with consistency, clear, transparent, and authentic communication were the drivers on what leaders and subordinates feel constitutes …

American Indian/Alaska Native Learners' Experiences With Embodied Cultural Capital In Alaska's Public Postsecondary Institutions: A Phenomenological Study, Victoria Jolene Solis Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) learners’ experiences with embodied cultural capital while pursuing a higher education degree in Alaska’s public postsecondary institutions. The theory guiding this study is Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital concerning AI/AN adult learners’ degree attainment. The sample population for this study was AI/AN adult learners enrolled in or who recently graduated from public postsecondary institutions in Alaska. The central research question guiding this study was: What is AI/AN learners’ experiences with culture in postsecondary institutions? The research design included semi-structured interviews triangulated with …

The Texas Reading Academies And The Experiences Of Teachers Who Instruct Students With Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study, Suzanne S. Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

To build today's students' reading skills, teachers must know effective instructional reading practices. Therefore, the purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the experiences with learning and incorporating the elements of the Texas Reading Academies with a focus on language comprehension by teachers who instruct students with disabilities in Texas. The Texas Reading Academies' goal is to provide teachers with reading instructional practices grounded in the science of reading. The theory guiding this study was Malcolm Knowles' adult learning theory, with the central research question asking what the experiences of teachers who instruct students with disabilities were with …

Best Practice Spiritual Formation Models In The Christian Hybrid Church, Crystal Deneene Stalling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore best practice spiritual formation models and the perceived effectiveness of spiritual formation in the hybrid church community brick-and-mortar and online church settings for individuals in Christian hybrid churches. The concern was whether the churches effectively implemented best practice models through their traditional brick-and-mortar locations and digital platforms that would cause individuals within the Christian community to experience spiritual formation. Spiritual formation is generally defined as “the holistic work of God in a believer’s life whereby systematic change renders the individual continually closer to the image and actions of Jesus Christ” (Pettit, …

Increased Prevalence Of Suicide In The Adolescent Population Within The Lgbtq+ Community Compared To Adolescents In The Heterosexual Population: An Integrative Review, Natasha Denese Causey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

According to research, young Americans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more (LGBTQ+) are currently experiencing a mental health crisis. Suicide ideations reportedly begin sooner in LGBQ+ adolescents, 13 to 18 years of age. Suicide ideation is defined by the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), as having serious thoughts about suicide with a plan. This involves LGBTQ+ adolescents shifting from suicidal ideation to planning more quickly than their heterosexual (straight) peers. Adolescents who identify as LGBTQ+ showed a higher lifetime risk of suicide thoughts than their heterosexual peers (26.1 percent to 13 percent, respectively). Additionally, 5.4 …

Unpacking The Upper Echelon’S Cognitive Black Box: A Qualitative Study Of Selective Attention And Decision Making In Senior Executives, Jon Matthew Hart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world, senior executives face a myriad of difficult decisions. These decisions are often accompanied by a barrage of stimuli, which can complicate decision-making processes. To traverse these challenges, those in the upper echelons of leadership must manage their selective attention well, make clear sense of unfolding events, and act upon them in ways that maximize organization outcomes. However, there is a gap in research around how the upper echelons of leadership manage their selective attention in high-stimuli decision scenarios. This qualitative grounded theory research addresses this gap by studying the cognitive processes used …

A Quantitative Study Comparing Student Engagement And Student Achievement For Non-Traditional Graduate Students In Blended Synchronous Or Asynchronous Online Learning, Heather Marie Shellabarger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Enrollment in online learning has continued to grow; different types of learning environments are being utilized because of the flexibility they provide. Higher education instructors must understand how to effectively develop asynchronous and blended synchronous environments to maximize student engagement and achievement. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to investigate the possible cause-and-effect relationship between the learning environment and student engagement and achievement at a free-standing seminary. A convenience sample of 144 non-traditional seminary students between the ages of 35-and 70 years attending classes in two different learning modalities, blended synchronous and asynchronous online were utilized in this …

Postsecondary Experiences Of Title I High School Graduates Who Were At-Risk Students Of Low Socioeconomic Status: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Raquel Anya Grindley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of high school graduates who were at-risk students (ARS) of low socioeconomic status (SES) who completed the state standards-based college and career readiness (CCR) curriculum at Title I high schools. For the purposes of this study, ARS of low SES were generally defined as students of low-income households with at least one parents failing to complete high school or a postsecondary degree program. CCR is defined as the level of preparedness for postsecondary schools and workforce settings. A Title I school is defined as a school that …

Changing An Individualistic Cultural Identity Into A Christocentric Identity At Community Alliance Church Of The Christian And Missionary Alliance In Towanda, Pennsylvania, Jacob Samuel Howard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Jesus instituted a new way of doing community which would transcend all cultural backgrounds and creates a new belonging and identity. This thesis aimed to engage a small group of men from Community Alliance Church in a covenant community, establishing a christocentric identity. The small group of five men, including the facilitator, met for eight weeks to practice several spiritual disciplines together, including confession and accountability, to know what God says about whom they are in Christ, and how to live out that identity in every circle of influence. This mixed-method action research project included both entry and exit surveys …

The Impact Of The Absent Father On African American Women: A Phenomenological Study, Abishag Israel Douglas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study focused on the challenges and hardships African American females have endured through their lived experiences of not having a father present when growing up. The lived experiences of the female participants were analyzed using qualitative phenomenological methodology. The participants were made up of African American women that did not have their fathers present in their lives growing up. Virtual interviews using Facetime and Zoom technology, as well as written interviews were the platforms utilized to collect data. The analyzation process used the six stages of phenomenological methods (Holroyd, 2021). This study provided insight into the lived experiences of …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of Surgical Technology Graduates Who Achieved Transformative Learning, Anna Danielle Campbell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of successful surgical technology graduates who achieved transformative learning during their CAAHEP accredited surgical technology program while encountering risk factors for failure. The study’s central research question is: What experiences of successful surgical technology graduates contributed to transformative learning? The theory guiding this study is Mezirow’s (1981) theory of transformative learning. Mezirow’s theory relates to this study as it requires individuals to find meaning in learning in order, through a disorienting dilemma, to acquire new perspectives on their subject matter. The setting of this study is Commission on …

Teamstepps And Organizational Culture, Amelia Arca Quinto

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Patient safety issues remain despite several strategies developed for their deterrence. While many safety initiatives bring about improvement, they are repeatedly unsustainable and short-lived. The index hospital’s goal was to build an organizational culture within a groundwork that improves teamwork and continuing healthcare team engagement. Teamwork influences the efficiency of patient care, patient safety, and clinical outcomes, as it has been identified as an approach for enhancing collaboration, decreasing medical errors, and building a culture of safety in healthcare. The facility implemented Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS), an evidence-based framework which was used for …

Success Vs. Survival: The Challenges Of Teaching K-12 School Music In South Metro Atlanta, Davion Rashad Battle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Music education has been an essential part of American education and society. Since the earliest beginning of our nation's founding, many proponents of music education successfully advocated for musicians to teach music as a curricular discipline within the core of academics. Still, changes continue to occur with governmental reform and educational policies. Coupled with the demographic changes within our society, successful and influential music education has become a difficult challenge for many educators who teach within communities with limited resources. Many teacher-educator preparation programs across the nation modify curriculums to meet the concerns of an ever-changing society, including socioeconomic status, …

Neural Mechanisms Of Language Development In Infancy, Scott Huberty, Christian O'Reilly, Virginia Carter Leno, Mandy Steiman, Sara J. Webb, Mayada Elsabbagh, The Basis Team

Publications

Understanding the neural processes underpinning individual differences in early language development is of increasing interest, as it is known to vary in typical development and to be quite heterogeneous in neurodevelopmental conditions. However, few studies to date have tested whether early brain measures are indicative of the developmental trajectory of language, as opposed to language outcomes at specific ages. We combined recordings from two longitudinal studies, including typically developing infants without a family history of autism, and infants with increased likelihood of developing autism (infant-siblings) (N = 191). Electroencephalograms (EEG) were recorded at 6 months, and behavioral assessments at …

Visualizing The Recovery Of Patients In Critical Care Units, L Stuart, C Haynes, K Tantam, R Gardner, Ma Palomino

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

This paper presents a detailed case study of the application of techniques from Information Visualization to data collected in Critical Care Units (CCUs). This data is heterogeneous and sometimes incomplete due to the pressures on staff in the environment. Thus, it can be difficult to use conventional means to visualize it meaningfully. The paper presents the software tool called CCViews. It was developed to support visualization of CCU data. It enables clinicians to view the trajectory of patient recovery and track the effectiveness of different interventions such as physiotherapy. Note that this work is underpinned by the world-famous information seeking …

An Interview With Alemante Gebre-Selassie, Alemante Gebre-Selassie, Gongyu (Jerry) Zhang

All Oral Histories

"So when I came here, I wrote back that experience of Law and Development as an important subject... We have to study the actual realities of a country, their culture, their geography, their history, their economic conditions, their social conditions before you propose some kind of recommendation to them." -- Alemante Gebre-Selassie

------------------------------------

The interview starts with Professor Selassie’s background and family. He was educated first as a law student at University of Haile Selassie in the 1960s, followed by a J.D. in UW-Madison. He discusses life prior to teaching at W&M and about his home country.

Professor Selassie emphasizes …

Spartan Daily, March 21, 2023, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2023

Volume 160, Issue 23

An Advanced Deep Learning Models-Based Plant Disease Detection: A Review Of Recent Research, Muhammad Shoaib, Babar Shah, Shaker Ei-Sappagh, Akhtar Ali, Asad Ullah, Fayadh Alenezi, Tsanko Gechev, Tariq Hussain, Farman Ali

All Works

Plants play a crucial role in supplying food globally. Various environmental factors lead to plant diseases which results in significant production losses. However, manual detection of plant diseases is a time-consuming and error-prone process. It can be an unreliable method of identifying and preventing the spread of plant diseases. Adopting advanced technologies such as Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) can help to overcome these challenges by enabling early identification of plant diseases. In this paper, the recent advancements in the use of ML and DL techniques for the identification of plant diseases are explored. The research focuses on …

Carle Health Partners With Illinois Wesleyan On Student Health Services, Illinois Wesleyan University

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

A Case Of Obstructed Left Diaphragmatic Hernia, Shikha Agarwal Dr.

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Diaphragmatic hernia is protrusion of abdominal viscera into the chest cavity. Most commonly seen due to congenital defects in the diaphragm, hence causing herniation of abdominal contents including stomach, bowel, pancreas, omentum. Acquired diaphragmatic hernia can be secondary to injury to diaphragm. Patient presents with respiratory distress, due to reduced lung expansion. Early correlation with radiological scans is required for appropriate timely management, to prevent further deterioration of condition.

Acupuncture Treatment For Post-Stroke Depression: Intestinal Microbiota And Its Role, Hailun Jiang, Shizhe Deng, Jieying Zhang, Junjie Chen, Boxuan Li, Weiming Zhu, Menglong Zhang, Chao Zhang, Zhihong Meng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Stroke-induced depression is a common complication and an important risk factor for disability. Besides psychiatric symptoms, depressed patients may also exhibit a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, and even take gastrointestinal symptoms as the primary reason for medical treatment. It is well documented that stress may disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome in patients suffering from post-stroke depression (PSD), and that disruption of the gut microbiome is closely related to the severity of the condition in depressed patients. Therefore, maintaining the balance of intestinal microbiota can be the focus of research on the mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of …

American Policy And Actions Surrounding The Baghdad Pact, 1955-1959, Caitlin Curtis

Masters Theses

The Middle East would come closest to collective security with the West in 1955 when Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, and Great Britain agreed to create the Baghdad Pact, and although the United States never officially joined, American policymakers provided resources and strategic conditions in order to take a very active role in the pact’s development. The Baghdad Pact is not a well-known organization, but this work argues that it was not a complete failure due to the positive civil advancements that took place. It is evident that, while limited, the U.S. role in the Baghdad Pact still provided member nations …