6834 research outputs found
Sort by
School reintegration following hospitalization in rural communities.
No full textSchool reentry following hospitalization is a critical transition period for children and adolescents. Despite the critical role that school professionals play in facilitating successful hospital-to-school transitions, their experiences in rural schools have been largely underexplored in the existing literature. Given how geographic isolation and limited resources can compound problems in rural communities, this study addressed a significant gap in the reentry literature.
The study used a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach to examine how rural school staff experience the hospital-to-school reentry process, the services and supports they provide, and the challenges they face. An electronic questionnaire was developed which examined rural school staff members’ school reentry policies and services, perceptions of communication, and reentry training. The questionnaire was distributed to school professionals across one southwestern state of the United States (n = 166). Interviews were conducted with a purposive subsample of questionnaire participants (n = 11). Interviews addressed the experiences and challenges that school staff in rural school districts face when supporting students transitioning back to school following hospitalization.
Results from the questionnaire indicate that use of a formal or informal reentry protocol enhances the provision of reentry supports. Furthermore, evidence provides preliminary support for the hypothesis that utilizing a transition liaison increases communication between stakeholders. Based on interviews, rural school staff experienced challenges communicating with hospitals, relied on families for information, and expressed a need for clearer protocols. Rural school personnel often must make do with limited community resources and minimal guidance. Although the rural setting presented unique barriers for returning students, school staff emphasized that their close-knit communities provided a strong support network for students and their families.
The study provided stakeholder insights into the challenges and successes of hospital-to-school reentry in rural communities. Persistent systemic barriers (i.e., barriers to care access, limited training, and inconsistent communication) are identified. Implications for school staff, families, students, and care providers present suggestions and potential strategies to improve the transition process. Limitations and future directions are discussed
How shall they believe? a mixed methods analysis on the impact of a regula vitae on parental spiritual formation within the household.
No full textIn an era of declining participation, busy parents, and conflicting priorities, many Christian leaders are asking, “How can we ensure the transmission of the faith to the next generation in the face of the secular age?” This author argues that the way forward might be found in addressing the lack of discipleship and faith lived out loud by parents through the introduction of a rule of life. One of the great pulls of the secular age is its ability to influence not only individuals’ perceptions of time but also their priorities. As a result, many parents find themselves caught in a never-ending rat race to keep up with the times and prioritize the things this world says are important. This project argues that the answer to both the problem of time for parents and their lack of discipleship of their children can be found through the use of a rule of life. As this thesis will demonstrate, a rule of life is uniquely able to challenge the narratives of the secular age by addressing a few of the root causes, and specifically, creating initiation within the life of the parent, empowering them to live out confidently their faith through public and private Christian practices, and addressing their affections which steer and power many of the decisions made by parents on a day-to-day basis
Lasting notes : why Louis Armstrong endured and Harry James faded.
No full textThis thesis explores the divergent legacies of two trumpet titans of the 20th century: Louis Armstrong and Harry James. Both emerged during the swing era as technical virtuosos and cultural icons, yet Armstrong remains a household name while James has faded from mainstream recognition. Through detailed biographical and historical analysis, this study argues that Armstrong’s enduring legacy stems not only from his musical innovation but also from his remarkable adaptability across changing media, audience tastes, and cultural moments. By contrast, James maintained a more rigid artistic identity, achieving enormous success during his peak but failing to evolve with post-war musical trends. The thesis situates both artists within the broader shifts of American music, media, and race relations, demonstrating how cultural longevity is shaped not just by talent but by strategic reinvention and cultural relevance. In doing so, it offers insight into how memory, identity, and entertainment intersect in American musical history
Comfort and condemnation : historical context and rhetorical strategy in Julian of Norwich’s "Revelations of divine love."
No full textIn this thesis, I intend to closely examine the rhetorical strategies and historical context of Julian of Norwich in her mystical writing Revelations of Divine Love. By unpacking Julian’s historical context of the Bubonic Plague, I will explore historically recorded reactions to this widespread disease, namely in religious populations external to monastic practices. Through developing an understanding of historical context and reactions to the Bubonic Plague being tied to apocalyptic attitudes, I will then turn to rhetorical analysis of Julian’s Revelations of Divine Love in two distinct ways. Firstly, I will analyze Julian’s rhetorical strategies through the lens of her historical context– namely, I will focus on Julian’s attentiveness to description of the suffering of Christ with imagery that echoes the plague, and her extreme emphasis on comfort throughout Revelations. Beyond these historical comparisons, however, I will analyze Julian’s rhetorical strategies in direct comparison and conversation with her predecessors and contemporaries to explore the ways that Revelations of Divine Love is distinct in its style and form. By placing Revelations in conversation with predecessors of the mystic tradition such as Bernard Clairvaux’s On Loving God, I will analyze which strategies Julian echoed versus which she chose to lean away from. Similarly, by comparing and contrasting Revelations to contemporary mystical literature such as Richard Rolle’s The Fire of Love, I will analyze which of Julian’s rhetorical strategies were unique to her writings, allowing her to surpass obstacles such as gender or the solitude of anchoritic life to gain popularity and agency in the fourteenth century and beyond
Wonder in Plato and Aristotle : the beginning and end of philosophy.
No full textWonder is a common yet mysterious facet of life. We begin our lives with a sense of child-like wonder, but somewhere along the way we lose it. Not completely gone, however, wonder seems to strike us in our adult lives in various ways and in response to different objects. Sometimes it is wonder before a puzzling new question, the terrain of which we are unfamiliar with but desire to explore. Other times it is wonder as awe, a moment in which the truth, beauty, and/or goodness of life, in whatever form it may take, comes to us and we are overwhelmed by its presence. The beginning and end of philosophy seem to take the same shape in these moments of wonder, and in this thesis I argue that wonder is indeed present at both the beginning and end of the philosophical quest, both when one lacks an answer and when one finds it. Plato was the first to claim that wonder is the beginning of philosophy and thus I start with him, demonstrating how his dialectic form of elenchus incites wonder, a simultaneously destructive and creative force in the philosophical life of his interlocutors. I then move to the end of philosophy, theōria and contemplation, examining the accounts of this end in both Plato and Aristotle and the fate of wonder in each of their accounts. In tracing this journey of wonder in philosophy, I explain the necessary conditions and virtues that a life and philosophy of persistent wonder both require and sustain
The recognition of Oikos : a historically-based rhetorical-poetic reading of the Anagnôrismoi in Homer’s "Odyssey."
Get PDFThis thesis, presents a historically-based rhetorical-poetic reading of the anagnôrismoi (recognition scenes) in the second half of Homer’s Odyssey. Ultimately, I propose that, through these scenes, Homer is showing his audience what is essential for a complete homecoming (nostos) and a complete household (oikos). This type of reading is done through an analysis of rhetorical layers. One layer focuses on the persuasive purposes of the characters inside the narrative. A second layer of consideration is that of the author, where the question arises regarding what is being revealed to the audience through this persuasive activity. Using this type of reading, I analyze three of the anagnôrismoi–those of Telemachus, Eurycleia, and Penelope–in order to show three characteristics that Homer is showing about the nature of a good oikos: namely, that it is led by Divine Wisdom, composed of faithful and knowing servants, and finds its highest good in marriage of a specific character. The epic implies that only in the context of such a household is the homecoming complete
Parent-teacher trust in Central Texas public high schools : an exploration using reflective structured dialogue.
No full textWith the steady decline of social trust in recent years, relationships between parents and educators have become increasingly strained. In order to identify and address the causes of distrust among parents and teachers, this case study examines the responses and experiences of parents and teachers affiliated with Central Texas Public High Schools. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was employed to collect feedback from a small group of two parents and five teachers, most of whom were parents as well. Participants engaged in reflective structured dialogue on the topic of parent-teacher trust, completing surveys on the perceived trustworthiness of their counterparts before and after the discussion. Select participants were then invited to expand upon their responses in qualitative interviews. While perceptions of trustworthiness in parents and teachers varied among participants, feedback revealed a general increase in trust as a product of the facilitated dialogue event. This finding coincides with repeated calls by participants for improved quality and frequency of communication among parents and teachers. Therefore, this paper optimistically recommends further research on the potential of reflective structured dialogue to improve trust among parents and teachers affiliated with public schools generally
A quantitative examination of Champion's Health Belief Model and screening mammography frequency among Hispanic women in South Texas.
No full textGlobally, breast cancer poses a significant health burden, particularly among Hispanic women in South Texas, where disparities in screening mammography contribute to later-stage breast cancer diagnoses and higher mortality rates. This study, grounded in Champion's Health Belief Model (CHBM), aimed to examine differences in CHBM constructs (i.e., susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, cues to action, and motivation) and screening mammography frequency among South Texas Hispanic women over 40. Furthermore, it explored differences in CHBM constructs between United States-born and foreign-born individuals. I collected data for this quantitative comparative survey using Che Mohamed et al.'s (2019) CHBM survey. Using independent samples t-tests and Mood's median tests to examine group differences, I found no statistically significant differences in CHBM constructs between women adhering to mammography guidelines and those who did not, except for motivation and benefits (mammography). Additionally, I discovered that participants who adhered to mammography guidelines rated motivation higher (Mdn = 8.70; Range: 6.00-10.00) than participants who did not (Mdn = 7.80; Range, 4.80-10.00), and participants who adhered to mammography guidelines rated benefits (mammogram) higher (Mdn = 9.00; Range: 5.40–10.00) than participants who had not (Mdn = 8.00; Range: 6.40-10.00). Motivation and benefits (mammograms) differences were statistically significant (p = .05) and had moderate (r = .63) effect sizes, while self-efficacy (mammograms) did not yield a statistically significant result but had a moderate effect size (r = .46). Lastly, I found no statistically significant disparities (p > .05) between United States-born and foreign-born participants. All constructs had negligible/small effect sizes, except motivation, which had a small/moderate effect size (r = .34). The study highlighted the need for targeted interventions to empower South Texas Hispanic women, emphasizing motivation and benefits of mammography. I recommended culturally tailored educational initiatives and collaborations with advocacy organizations. I proposed strategies to engage key decision-makers, including South Texas Hispanic women, medical providers, and cancer center leaders, to drive positive change in healthcare. By disseminating actionable interventions and embracing a community-centered approach, this study aimed to improve breast cancer prevention services and reduce ethnic disparities, considering socioeconomic, socio-psychological, and cultural factors influencing prevention behavior
How can you be what you can’t see? : a multiple case study exploring Black women’s experiences in senior leadership positions in higher education and the strategies they use to combat systemic barriers.
No full textBlack women in the United States face compounded challenges at the intersection of race and gender, a phenomenon that has led to the continued underrepresentation of Black women in senior-level leadership positions in higher education, particularly at predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Despite comprising the largest demographic among non-White women and achieving notable progress in higher education degree attainment, Black women hold only 7% of leadership roles in higher education. As the landscape of higher education continues to diversify and change, it is imperative that higher education leadership reflects the diversity of the student body.
This qualitative multiple case study explored the experiences of six Black women senior-level leaders in higher education and uncovered strategies they used to combat and overcome systemic barriers. Patricia Hill Collins’s (1986) three seminal tenets of Black feminist thought—self-definition and self-valuation, the interlocking nature of oppression, and the importance of Black women’s culture— guided this study. Data collection included personal life timelines, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group.
This study resulted in four key findings: (1) Black women in senior-level leadership positions in higher education describe themselves as authentic, valuable changemakers who define their worth; (2) Black women in senior-level leadership positions in higher education face compounded, persistent, and undermining oppression; (3) Black women in senior-level leadership positions in higher education utilize their culture of resiliency and creative approaches to build community, find mentorship, and foster generational support, and (4) Black women in senior-level leadership positions in higher education use allyship, continual learning, mentoring, and networking as strategies to combat systemic barriers and empower change. This study provides actionable recommendations for key decision makers, including PWI administrators and leadership search committees, higher education associations and conference leadership, current Black women senior-level leaders in higher education, and Black women interested in senior-level leadership positions in higher education. These recommendations include equitable recruitment practices, accessible professional development opportunities, mentorship programs, and increased institutional investment in Black women’s leadership pathways. The findings highlight the urgent need to dismantle systemic inequities in higher education leadership and to ensure that leadership structures reflect the diversity of the student population
An integrative and systems biology approach to interpreting, prioritizing, and analyzing the genetics of complex disorders.
No full textSubstance use disorders (SUD) are a significant societal burden. Even with modern high-throughput technological advances, the underlying genetic architecture of SUDs is not fully comprehended, which is due to the substantial number of genes implicated, underpowered studies, and sparse association data. Hence, highly scalable graph algorithms, which combine features among all aspects of omics data, are leveraged to investigate the genomic underpinnings of this complex and multifactorial disorder. Described in these studies is an investigation of classes of SUDs, namely alcohol, cocaine, nicotine, and opium, through exploiting network representation learning. A method for generating high-fidelity functional networks is outlined, and further, it is used for the quantification of genetic distances between classes of SUDs and cardiovascular disease. Multi-omics and multi-species graphs are integrated to prioritize SUD-associated genes. Combined, these approaches yield techniques in which to compare, comprehend, and confirm genes involved in the complex genetic structure of SUDs