Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Unlocking Lean Construction: Decoding The Root Causes Of Initial Implementation Failures, Adam Hoots

All Theses

In recent years, the construction industry has increasingly adopted lean construction methodologies, with the aim of enhancing project efficiencies, eliminating waste, and delivering projects that exceed all project owner expectations. With this as the industry’s focus, many projects struggle with the initial implementation of lean principles, leading to disrespect of people and resources, cost overruns, schedule delays, stakeholder misalignment, and compromised quality. This research investigates the reasons behind initial failures and how they influence the broader industry's perception of lean construction.

Drawing from a comprehensive case study of a higher education dormitory and dining facility project, this research study explores …

A Report Summarizing Hsc Faculty Participants: Ithaka S+R Coordinated Study Making Ai Generative For Higher Education, Laura J. Hall, Robyn Gleasner

Publications

This report presents findings from the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center’s (HSC) participation in the ITHAKA S+R study Making AI Generative for Higher Education. Seven faculty members from HSC disciplines including internal medicine, pathology, psychiatry, nursing, radiology, and population health were interviewed to explore their perspectives on generative AI (GenAI) in teaching and learning, research and scholarship, and institutional support. A unique theme of “practice” emerged, reflecting how GenAI is influencing clinical care, bench-to-bedside translation, and the preparation of students for future professional practice. The report highlights faculty experiences, ethical concerns, and support needs, offering insight into how …

Cognitive Interviewing Within A Mixed Methods Practice: Utilization And Methodological Exploration Of Cognitive Interviewing, Jack Riley Hebner

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Cognitive interviewing (CI) is a memory-enhancing technique used to extract more valid data from participants by addressing cognitive needs. Present research applied CI to program evaluation, theorizing that more quality data would be retrieved, especially when utilizing a mixed methods approach. The program chosen to further explore this technique and provide potentially invaluable evaluation data was the Educational Psychology Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (EDPS). The sample consisted of 32 individuals, consisting of graduate students and faculty across all programs.

The overall evaluation focused on inter-program and inner program understanding which is operationalized as the ability to relay how …

Chronic Absenteeism: The Journey Toward Improved Attendance And Achievement In A Rural Elementary School, Charla S. Brant

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This study examined a school’s improvement efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism in a rural, high-poverty elementary school. Through improvement science, it analyzed the effects of attendance interventions on attendance improvement. It is well known that students who do not regularly attend school will also struggle with adequate progress and growth in multiple subject areas. This study aimed to use Multi- Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to conduct specific attendance-based interventions and then evaluate their effectiveness in one rural high-poverty elementary school. It also analyzed the effect of attendance on literacy achievement measured by Acadience data. How can an elementary school …

Local Rural Knowledge And Early Childhood Informal Science Education In Rural Nebraska, Sarah Michelle Paulos

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This study aims to discover the existing experiences that lead to local rural knowledge (LRK) of specific rural Northeast Nebraska communities. This information will assist in understanding the impact that LRK has on young children’s science knowledge in rural communities. By engaging in hands-on experiences and interactions, science learning goals for children may be achieved and developed through science outreach programs. During Phase 1 of this study, adults in the selected rural communities participated in an online survey indicating their knowledge of various common rural phrases with the option to share personal stories of experiences and family history. This information …

A Search For Self Through Allyship And Advocacy ‘About, With, And As’ Multilingual Learners: An Autoethnographic Study, Molly Heeren

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This autoethnographic study uses personal memoirs to explore the author’s allyship and advocacy efforts throughout the past 24 years in the language teaching profession. Through the process of self-reflexivity and introspection, “turning points” are investigated to understand more about what influences the actions and behaviors of allyship or advocacy ‘about, with, and as’ multilingual learners. As a district level instructional coach and teacher of multilingual learners in both elementary and adult settings, the author’s revelations in teaching identity, influences of Empire, misalignment of the ‘sense of language,’ and legitimate peripheral participation in communities of practice become salient issues. The dynamics …

When Language Policy And Planning Is A Missed Opportunity: Lessons Learned From A Proposed But Not Implemented Dual Language Bilingual Education Program, Jessica Mitchell-Mccollough

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

When populations undergo demographic shift, as in Nebraska in recent decades, educational practices can establish or reinforce hegemonic practices through denial or legitimization of language, culture, and identity, or they can be counterhegemonic. The demographic changes in Nebraska have been defined by a growth in Latinx populations (Morales, et al., in press). As a result, there have been various efforts to explore dynamic shifts in educational programs offered to support students’ unique language acquisition needs, including growth in dual language bilingual education (DLBE). However, not all communities have responded uniformly. During a recent strategic planning process Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) …

The Impact Of Tier 1 Pbis Implementation Fidelity On Education Outcomes For Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Rebecca Anne (Wright) Overfield

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation study aimed to examine the relationship between Tier 1 Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) implementation fidelity and the academic (e.g., MAP Growth scores) and behavioral outcomes (e.g., major office discipline referrals, suspensions). High quality PBIS implementation fidelity has been linked with improved standardized test scores and decreased instances of major office discipline referrals, in-school suspensions, and out-of-school suspensions for students with and without behavioral difficulties. However, no research has been done on the impact of PBIS implementation fidelity on students with ADHD. It is estimated that at least 40% of students with ADHD require at least one …

Investigating The Impact Of An Elaborative Conversation Strategies (Ecs) Intervention On Parent-Child Interactions And Preschool Children's Science Learning Using A Single-Case Experimental Design, Yao Yao

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the elaborative conversation strategies (ECS) intervention in improving the quality of parents' science talk during everyday home learning interactions using a single-case experimental design. Specifically, the study explored whether training parents in ECS could increase their use of these high-quality conversation strategies and enhance the quality of their science talk when engaging their children in science activities. The study also investigated how the ECS intervention impacted children's science knowledge, skills, and interest, as well as parents' attitudes toward supporting their children's science learning.

Participants included five typically developing …

Community Engagement Newsletter, December 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Community Engagement.

Community Engagement Newsletter

Contents:

--- Holiday Volunteers Needed
--- Board of Directors Match Program
--- Spring Service-Learning Institute: Save the Date, May 27-28
--- Service-Learning Course Designation
--- Service-Learning Institute - Winter Session Online
--- New Spring Programming: Nonprofit Explore-a-Ganza
--- New Spring Programming: Learn & Serve Bus Tour
--- Seed Coalition Annual Awards Nominations
--- National Survey - Call for Participation

Notes For The Stalled, V17n04, December 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. Rod Library.

Rod Library newsletter: Notes for the Stalled

Contents:

--- Stacks on Stacks
--- DeStress Days
--- Exhibits
--- Extended Hours

Social Justice In Dance: The Exploration Of Dance As A Tool For Promoting, Recognizing And Influencing Change, Michelle O'Konis Linnehan

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to prove that dance could be used as a platform for representation and to foster change within the community and beyond. This purpose aligned with the goal, which was to measure the impact of a structured choreographic curriculum on student engagement with social justice topics. The goal of this study was to answer the following research questions:

Q1 Can dance be a tool in promoting social justice?

Q2 How will students in the classroom respond to an integrated social justice theme through dance and production components?

Q3 How will these topics be interpreted to …

It’S So Liberating To Do The Work: Education In Archives Creates Space For People With Disabilities, Jen Hoyer, Julia Pelaez

Publications and Research

What are the barriers and possibilities archives education presents to the disabilities community? More specifically, how can archives education and teaching with primary sources provide opportunities for disabled students that they might not find in mainstream education settings? What matters when working with students with disabilities in archives, and what does it feel like to be a disabled educator in an archive? How can education in archives provide opportunities for vulnerability, connection, and liberation? Sharing a passion for the possibilities of education work in archives and special collections, Jen Hoyer and Julia Pelaez sat down for a conversation about these …

A Word From The Writing Team (December 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Publication Spotlight
• Enter the Annual Theresa and Charles Yeo Writing Prize by December 31, 2024
• Sign up for the December 6th Writing Retreat (Online)
• Write that Baby in 9 Weeks
• The OPWPC Canvas Page offers helpful tools

Understanding Levels Of Perceived Racism And Discrimination When Utilizing Perinatal Care, Alexandria S. Evans

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Social and structural determinants of health, grounded in historical racism and discrimination, significantly influence maternal health outcomes. Because of this, communities of color experience a higher burden of maternal health disparities. In the last several decades, there has been an increased awareness of the need to integrate critical race theory into public health research to address maternal health disparities in the context of perinatal care delivery, policy, and funding decisions.

This three-manuscript dissertation utilized mixed methods to examine the ways in which systemic racism and discrimination are perceived and how it impacts the utilization of perinatal care services in historically …

Effect Of Epistemic Cognition And Self-Regulation On The Evaluation Of Online Information, Devin T. Foschi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

While research has shown that epistemic cognition plays an important role in self-regulation, the way in which it does so in online contexts needs further research. The objective of this dissertation was to examine the relationship between Internet-specific epistemic cognition and Internet-specific self-regulated learning, and to use a mixed-methods approach in order to expand upon the way learners undergo the evaluation of information in online spaces beyond the traditional method of only using self-report measures and other common quantitative techniques. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, Phase 1 (N = 117) used quantitative methods to first look at the relationship …

Creating A Space For Relaxation And Wellbeing At The University Of South Alabama, Mary Wolf

Honors Theses

A program to provide supplementary support for the mental health and wellness of students at a midsize Southern University by providing a centrally located “relaxation space” for students on campus during the last two weeks of the semester is proposed and tested. A central location was found on campus to host the space. The researcher also developed an online survey for students to review the space. The trial was run for two weeks, and participants were able to access the online survey throughout those weeks. The results of the survey were analyzed to better understand the students’ responses to the …

Barriers In Reporting Sexual Violence On College Campuses, Amber Hartman

Honors Theses

This thesis is designed to examine the underreporting of sexual violence on college campuses by exploring the systemic, cultural, and logistical barriers that hinder victims from disclosing their assault. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the research identifies three overarching influences for non-reporting. Fear, shame, and lack of resources are presented as the basis of the decision that victims make to not report. Meta-analysis of the research concludes that there is a profound impact of internalized victim-blaming narratives, fear of repercussions and institutional deficiencies in providing accessible support. Recommendations for solutions emphasize creating trauma-informed policies, improving communication and accessibility of …

Leadership Ways Of The Three Fires Anishinaabek, Grace Boda

Dissertations

Leadership has often been viewed through a narrow lens that primarily reflects Western perspectives, while Indigenous knowledge has been overlooked, marginalized, or excluded, perpetuating colonial systems. This study aims to restore Indigenous knowledge within the Three Fires Anishinaabek community and to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of leadership. Employing an Indigenous research methodology, the study centers relational and wholistic ways of knowing. This approach adheres to Indigenous ethics of relational accountability and utilizes a collaborative strategy for knowledge gathering (data collection) through conversational interviews.

As knowledge contributors (participants), members of the Three Fires Anishinaabek community engaged in discussions that …

From Pages To Pixels: Library Workers’ Perceptions Of Power In The Digital Era, Sean Gaffney

Dissertations

This work explores how library workers experience power during the era of digital transformation. As libraries transition from traditional knowledge repositories to dynamic, technology-driven information centers, power structures within these institutions are undergoing significant change. Despite the extensive implementation of digital transformation initiatives, there is a critical gap in understanding how digitalization is impacting employees’ experiences of power within the library context.

Drawing on French and Raven’s Bases of Social Power model, this study investigates how digital tools, platforms, and processes influence how power is perceived among library workers and its distribution and sources. A qualitative survey study was conducted …

Early Career Teachers' Perceptions And Preparedness For Culturally Responsive Teaching When Teaching Black Youths With Behavior Challenges., Erica Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In my study, I explore the perceptions and preparedness of early career teachers in the context of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) when instructing Black youth with behavior challenges. Early career teachers play a vital role in shaping the educational experiences of their students. Their beliefs and readiness to employ CRT practices are critical factors in addressing the unique needs of Black youth, particularly those facing behavioral difficulties. I investigated the perceptions of early career teachers regarding the importance of CRT and its effect on the learning environment. I examined how these teachers perceive the value of cultural responsiveness in managing …

Examining The Use Of Problem Transformation Methods In Multi-Target Regression, Bradley Ryan Smith

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Although the impact of machine learning methods in the educational sciences has been limited, recent opportunities have emerged that can benefit from these flexible methods capable of predicting both linear and non-linear relationships. One emerging area of interest, multi-target regression (MTR), is concerned with the simultaneous prediction of multiple, continuous target variables and is an extension of traditional supervised learning. Problem transformation methods are a subset of MTR methods that seek to exploit the dependencies amongst targets using stacking, chaining, ensembles, or combinations of the three by expanding the Single-Target approach. This is accomplished by using one or more base-learners, …

"Maybe Something More Insidious": A Critical Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Authentic Leadership In Student Affairs Leaders With Intersecting Minoritized Identities, Kara Brant

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This critical interpretative phenomenological analysis explored the experiences of four female-identified mid-level student affairs leaders with intersecting minoritized identities, highlighting the aspirational nature of authentic leadership theory. The study examined their experiences with relational transparency, or attempting to lead while presenting their authentic self without distortion and minimizing the display of inappropriate emotions. The findings indicated participants face complex dynamics when navigating daily interactions in student affairs work, often resulting in the performance of emotional labor. The exploration of their experiences outlines a case for why scholars must look to advancing a new, more inclusive definition of authentic leadership theory. …

Building On Strengths: A Collaborative, Asset-Focused Approach To Teaching Critical Information Literacy Skills, Rebecca B. Penrose, Kristi J. Chavez

Communications in Information Literacy

This article showcases an instructor–librarian collaborative model for teaching critical information literacy (CIL) skills in a higher education course by incorporating interactive workshops into a sequence of required course assignments. Using an asset-focused design, this assignment sequence allows students to first demonstrate their existing research strategies and then evaluate those strategies during workshop activities, applying the CIL principles they are learning. In this way, the approach recognizes students’ existing strengths and builds upon them, while emphasizing self-reflection opportunities and an intentional research focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and representation. Results from our one-year study are also highlighted. The suggested instructional …

A Faculty Workshop On Developing Students As Discipline-Situated Researchers, William Badke, Elizabeth Kreiter, Qinqin Zhang

Communications in Information Literacy

The reference librarians of Trinity Western University have a strong mission-driven commitment to teach information literacy, but there is a significant contrast between the amount of instruction they can provide and the demanding task of developing all students as skilled researchers. The growing teach-the-teacher model suggested an option to enlist faculty in providing a larger portion of information literacy instruction themselves. With strong support from academic administration, three librarians devised an initial faculty workshop as part of the university’s faculty professional development series, followed by four detailed weekly sessions. They based their activities on several factors: first, faculty members would …

A031: Design And Practice Of Ai-Powered Precision Teaching Model For Public Physical Education Courses In Universities, Dongxiao Liu, Xuankun Sun, Aowei Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Five major teaching pain points often occur in the teaching of public physical education courses in universities: (1) First pain point is easy to have deviations in movement cognition and self-practice. (2) It is difficult to accurately grasp the intensity and density of exercise. (3) Lack of process and phased teaching evaluations can inhibit the cultivation of autonomous exercise drive. (4) Unhealthy aesthetics have a negative impact, leading to a deviation in aesthetic perception among students. (5) Students lack autonomous learning ability and have difficulty cultivating post-class exercise habits. How to resolve these "pain points" are now the key …

A040: The Effect Of Blended Online And Offline Physical Education On The Health-Related Indexes Of Undergraduates, Shijun Gong, Aowei Zhang, Dongxiao Liu, Yanxin Liu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: With the explosive development of artificial intelligence, many scholars have carried out research around the combination of online and offline physical education courses. Current research has focused on developing the application of information technology in the classroom teaching of physical education. The main purpose addressed in this study was to investigate the possible effects of implementing such a blended online and offline physical education at home on the health-related indices of students.

Method: Totally 14,708 college students participated, including 6,125 males and 8,583 females. In the analysis approach, research was adopted using SPSS 26.0, specifically the paired-samples T test …

A046: Recreational Skiing Injury Rate: A Case Study Of A Ski Resort In Central New York, Hongwei Guan, David Guan, Xiaoran Li

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: More people in China are participating in snow sports, especially after the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Despite health benefits, skiing and snowboarding are associated with injury risk. Ski safety and injury prevention are essential for sustainable operation of ski resorts with the rapid development of snow sports in China. The purpose of this study was to examine the injury rate at a popular medium-sized ski resort in Central New York and compare it with that of similar ski resorts in Northeastern China.

Method: Direct ski patrol observation and injury incident reports of three seasons from 2020-21 to 2022-23 were …

A049: Associations Between 24-Hour Accelerometer-Derived Novel Metrics With Health-Related Physical Fitness In Chinese Adolescents, Yanping Qiu, Lijuan Wang, Huan Chen, Xiaoqing Li

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Time-use estimates are commonly utilized for describing 24-hour movement behaviors. Nonetheless, the average acceleration (AvAcc), intensity gradient (IG) and the most active X minutes (MX metrics) have been proposed as 24-hour movement behaviors novel metrics describing the volume of activity, the intensity distribution and the most active time periods of the 24-h cycle. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine associations between 24-h accelerometer-derived metrics and health-related physical fitness in Chinese adolescents.

Methods: This study recruited 240 students aged 12-18 (143 males, 97 females) from a middle school in Haizhu District, Guangzhou City. The data collection period was from March …

A052: Construction Of Ski Instructors' Competency Evaluation Index System Based On O*Net Working Analysis, Juan Ran, Hongyan Wang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Skiing has emerged as a preeminent activity in ice and snow tourism, with ski resorts significantly bolstering the winter tourism economy. However, the burgeoning demand for instructors, coupled with the increasing number of enthusiasts, poses critical challenges for the sport's development. To address these issues, we have undertaken a comprehensive competency assessment to inform the training and retraining of instructors. This evaluation is also pertinent for selecting unlicensed instructors.

Method: The study involved 12 experts and 250 ski instructors from Jilin Province. Research was conducted using keywords such as 'competency model' and 'instructor quality'. The O*NET questionnaire and a …