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A crisis of opportunity : a holistic single case study exploring the need for the effective communication of leaders at a higher education institution during a crisis.
No full textThe COVID-19 global pandemic highlighted the dire need for institutional leaders to implement robust crisis communication strategies. Institutions risk damaging their reputation and relationships with constituents if their communication falters during a crisis. The purpose of this holistic single case study was to explore the appearance of the four elements of the discourse of renewal theory in the communication strategy of one university's leadership team during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 global pandemic. This study examined the crisis communication tactics utilized by Baylor University during the unprecedented COVID-19 global pandemic, aiming to identify and explain the most effective practices. The study used Sellnow et al.'s (2022) discourse of renewal theoretical framework and involved collecting and analyzing data from archival email communications, participant interviews, and social media videos. The archival email communications, participant interviews, and social media videos represented five Baylor University leaders' communications and communication strategies during the lockdown phase from March through August 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found the critical role of well-prepared and proficient leaders in steering crisis communication. These leaders played a vital role in safeguarding an institution's hard-earned reputation and maintaining the trust placed in it by its constituents. The university leadership was dedicated to ensuring clear and effective communication, with the president serving as the primary spokesperson. The leadership team actively disseminated strategic initiatives throughout the challenging COVID-19 global pandemic, using engaging videos to foster optimism and unity among the university community. The findings demonstrated the critical importance of communication strategy in crisis leadership, involving the collaboration of the marketing and communication teams. Based on the findings, key recommendations include, the essential role of faculty and staff in exhibiting strong leadership qualities and aligning with official university communications during difficult times. The findings demonstrated student well-being and ensured compliance with any necessary operational changes
Breaking barriers, building strong leaders : the transformative role of executive coaching for Black women principals.
No full textBlack women remain underrepresented in school leadership, often navigating systemic barriers, racial and gender biases, and limited access to professional development opportunities. Executive coaching has emerged as a promising leadership development tool, yet little research explores its impact on Black women principals. This qualitative single instrumental case study examined the lived experiences of Black women principals who participated in an executive coaching program to understand how it shaped their leadership development, decision-making, and ability to navigate challenges within their school communities.
The study was conducted across multiple Texas school districts and included semi-structured interviews with Black women principals who engaged in executive coaching as part of a broader leadership development initiative. Data analysis identified three key themes: (1) navigating systemic challenges and barriers; (2) professional leadership development and growth; and (3) transformative learning through executive coaching.
Findings revealed that executive coaching provided Black women principals with personalized support, strategic leadership tools, and a space for self-reflection, which empowered them to lead with confidence and resilience. Participants credited coaching with improving stakeholder engagement, equity-focused decision-making, and their ability to sustain high-performing school environments despite challenges. Additionally, the study highlighted the importance of mentorship, representation, and culturally responsive coaching in fostering leadership growth for Black women in educational leadership roles. The study contributes to existing research by confirming the benefits of executive coaching in school leadership, extending the literature by focusing on Black women principals, and identifying areas for future research on long-term coaching effects and recommendations. The findings have implications for school districts and leadership development programs emphasizing the need to integrate executive coaching into leadership preparation and support systems. By addressing systemic barriers and fostering equitable leadership development, executive coaching can serve as a catalyst for increasing representation, retention, and success among Black women in educational leadership
Academic self-efficacy and twice-exceptionality : exploring patterns amongst different learning profiles to help recognize characteristics.
No full textThe recent developments within the education field have enhanced the understanding of interventions and policies; particularly in areas like special education services mandated through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and gifted programming. Learning profiles have become significantly varied throughout education, influenced by individual exceptionalities such as learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and autism as well as the accelerated development of gifted and talented students. However, the unique learning needs of students who are educationally gifted and have a disability (known as twice-exceptional), often receive insufficient consideration. There are many different learning needs related to school-aged children, including academic self-efficacy, which is an individual's belief in their capability to succeed in a specific academic task (Bong & Shaalvik, 2003). Academic self-efficacy is a key factor in the educational outcomes of students with diverse learning abilities (Schunk & Pajares, 2002). Previous empirical findings emphasize that twice-exceptional students present multifaceted challenges. This current study identified patterns of academic self-efficacy amongst middle school students labeled twice-exceptional and compared the patterns to students with different learning profiles. Using a nationally represented dataset (ECLS-K) to analyze, the results indicated that gifted students reported significantly higher levels of self-efficacy than all other groups, while students with disabilities reported significantly lower levels of academic self-efficacy. Twice-exceptional students reported a non-significantly higher academic self-efficacy than the general education population. Demographically, the results found a significant increase in academic self-efficacy as SES increased. Female students also reported significantly higher levels of academic self-efficacy. Additionally, the only racial/ethnic category with significant differences was the Black/African American group who reported higher levels of academic self-efficacy. These results helped determine how this behavioral characteristic may be used for educational considerations in the future
Interpersonal communication, relationships, and collaboration among construction specialty contractor project management professionals : a single case study.
No full textIneffective interpersonal communication skills stifle healthy relationships and collaborative exchanges among project management professionals working in a construction project environment. Construction projects are complex, temporary social environments that rely on the effective exchange of information between project management professionals to organize project activities related to cost, scope, schedule, and quality. The construction industry recognizes the significant value of interpersonal communication on relationship development and collaborative outcomes to achieve project goals. Despite valuing interpersonal communication skills, the industry remains fixated on hard skills (e.g., scheduling, financial management, quality management) while relegating soft skills (e.g., interpersonal communication, relationship development, collaboration) to a secondary role. This fixation then perpetuates the cycle of revenue loss and risk exposure driven by ineffective communication skills. In this qualitative single case study, I explored the relationship between interpersonal communication and relationships and collaboration.
Guided by social network theory in construction (Pryke et al, 2017), I conducted a qualitative single case study. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the experiences of specialty contractor project management professionals and their perceptions of interpersonal communication, relationships, and collaboration. This study utilized two data sources, semi-structured interviews and direct observations, with observation debriefings. Four specialty contractor project management professionals participated in this study, providing rich and descriptive accounts of their experiences.
This study had three key findings. The first finding was that construction management professionals stressed the importance of developing positive cycles of dialogue through face-to-face interactions. The second finding was that construction management professionals emphasized that social behaviors were integral to creating strong interactions within their social networks. The final finding was that construction project management professionals described project partnerships that were built on collaborative problem solving and shared task completion goals. The findings from this study provided insight into the experiences of specialty contractor project management professionals’ perception of interpersonal communications, relationships, and collaboration. The study has implications for construction professional associations, higher education construction management programs, and the building trades and registered apprenticeship programs, suggesting the implementation of soft skills curriculum and coursework into existing programs to enhance construction project outcomes
Perceptions of tobacco smoking among American Druze.
No full textThe Druze faith originates in the Levant region of the Middle East, where tobacco smoking is culturally pervasive. American Druze, often with limited access to the esoteric teachings of their religion, find themselves at a unique crossroads between the cultural norms surrounding tobacco use in the United States and those within the Druze community. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the factors that shape American Druze beliefs about smoking, and the various ways individuals rationalize tobacco use in relation to their religious identity. Employing an autoethnographic, mixed-methods approach, this study analyzes how identity, religiosity, cultural transmission, and generational status inform smoking behaviors among American Druze. The study consisted of a digital survey (n=198) and semi-structured interviews (n=19). Survey responses were analyzed using linear and logistic regression in R, while themes extracted from interviews were used to contextualize and interpret the quantitative findings
Poncelet's Theorem for triangles.
No full textPoncelet’s Theorem for triangles states the following: Given an ellipse E entirely contained in a second ellipse F, if it is possible to find one triangle that is simultaneously inscribed in F and circumscribed about E, then each point of F is a vertex of one such triangle. Using the text Finding Ellipses as a guide, we examine this theorem from several perspectives: complex analysis, projective geometry, and linear algebra. We begin with complex functions called Blaschke products, denoted B(z). Here, we will see that the lines joining the solutions to B(z) = λ are tangent to a particular ellipse (the Blaschke ellipse) whose foci are the two nontrivial zeros of B. Before relating this to Poncelet’s theorem, we first examine the theorem in the context of the real projective plane, proving some classical results from projective geometry along the way. Lastly, from the linear algebra perspective, we will examine matrices of the form A = ( a p 1 − |a| 2 | p 1 − |b| 2 0 b ) with a, b ∈ D. We show that W(A) is bounded by a Poncelet 3-ellipse, and that the vertices of the circumscribing triangles are the zeros of a particular Blaschke produc
Characterizing nutrition transition and the dual burden of malnutrition among Indigenous Amazonian children using machine learning classification.
No full textMany low- and middle-income countries are experiencing rapid lifestyle transformations, including market integration (MI), nutrition transition, and the dual burden of malnutrition, with implications for children9s growth and metabolic health outcomes. Here, we investigate this phenomenon among the Shuar, an Indigenous Amazonian group in Ecuador experiencing wide variation in MI, steady rates of stunting, and emerging risk for obesity. Validating the FFQ as a surveillance tool for risk of stunting and overweight status could help communities target households for nutritional interventions. Data were collected through the Shuar Health and Life History Project from 2009-2017. Consumption estimates for 18 nutrients were generated from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) administered to 178 households. Principal component analysis of FFQ data loaded onto 5 components, and food groups were constructed based on results. Children9s (N = 409, aged 0-12 y) stunted status and overweight status were determined using WHO standards. RIDGE selected Logistic Mixed Effects models, Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification models, and Random Forest (RF) classification models were each fit to three sets of predictors derived from our FFQ data (whole foods, nutrient estimates, and PCA food groups), resulting in 9 stunting classification models and 9 overweight classification models. Models for each outcome variable were compared over a range of performance criteria, and when applicable, coefficients were interpreted. Our best performing model (AUC-ROC = 0.710) to determine stunted status based on diet, region, and income was Random Forest model fit to our whole food predictor set, while the best performing model to determine overweight status (AUC-ROC = 0.763) was the RIDGE selected mixed effects model using whole foods as predictors. Our best model for stunting demonstrated potential to serve as a surveillance tool for identifying risk among Shuar households in low stakes settings, while our best model to predict overweight status did not. Coefficients and importance metrics consistently indicated limited significance and explanatory power of any single predictor, suggesting that stunting and overweight in this community may be due to other information such as variation in genetics and pathogen load
Mental health education in the media : an overview of how to effectively communicate young adult mental health information via social media.
No full textThis thesis aims to create a series of Tik Tok designed for adolescents and young adults that share accurate information that will promote help-seeking behaviors amongst those struggling with poor mental health. The DSM-5 and a clinical psychologist were consistently consulted during the creation of social media-style videos to disseminate the diagnostic criteria used by clinicians to the public. Various research was conducted regarding the prevalence and incidence of different mental health topics to narrow the scope of the information included in the videos. Information in the thesis essay portion includes general health information and diagnostic criteria for commonly diagnosed mental health disorders among teens and young adults, as well as information on how social media affects mental health. While there is tons of information surrounding the negative effects social media has on mental health, the goal of this thesis is to create several platforms that demonstrate how the mental health community can use social media as a tool for spreading awareness. 10 videos were crafted on topics including ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, Suicide Ideation, and general mental health information and resources, and were posted on three different social media platforms: TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube
Are God of the gap arguments legitimate in light of naturalism?
Get PDFIn light of naturalistic explanations for the events around us, is it appropriate to evoke a God of the gap argument? Could it ever outcompete a naturalistic argument’s explanation for the same phenomenon? My thesis seeks to understand where it may be appropriate to evoke God as the causal agent for the occurrence of a phenomenon. I first define arguments generally and explain how a God of the gap argument is an inference to the best explanation. I then list and explain the criteria that I use to judge the strength of inferences to the best explanation. I then juxtapose the strengths of a God of the gap argument to naturalistic arguments for four phenomena: biological evolution, wind fluctuation, the existence of the universe, and the origin of life. I use peer-reviewed scientific literature, philosophical traditions, and historical texts throughout my thesis. Through the juxtaposition of each criterion explained in the first chapter, I reasoned to the strength (or lack thereof) of positing a God of the gap argument. I used the cases of biological evolution and wind fluctuation as examples of poor God of the gap arguments. The existence of the universe served as an example of a strong God of the gap argument. I used the case of prebiotic evolution to provide an example of when a God of the gap argument does not wholly fail as it did in the first two case studies. I conclude with the claim that a God of the gap argument depends on the gaps in question; not all gaps are created equal
Bringing forth good from evil : Edith Stein and Holocaust-era resistance.
Get PDFEdith Stein was born into a German Jewish family, just decades before the Nazi Party began their systematic annihilation of the European Jewry. Stein converted to Catholicism as an adult and later became a Carmelite nun. Like so many other converted Jews, Stein was murdered by the Nazis, who scapegoated the Jewish population in their race for possession of land and food. Stein’s own death is examined in relationship to Holocaust-era resistance, as her arrest and deportation were triggered by an act of political resistance. An examination of which qualities predisposed individuals to engage in political resistance and the costs of such resistance are integral to the discussion. The Dutch Interchurch Consultation protest, intending to halt the deportation of thousands of Jews from the Netherlands, triggered an even greater retaliatory deportation scheme, this time targeting Catholic Jews. Among them was Edith Stein. The Nazis intended for her, and all their other victims, to suffer anonymous, meaningless deaths, but Stein viewed her own death as a vehicle for grace. For Stein, ultimately, most efficacious form of resistance to evil is that which conforms one more ardently to Christ. For Stein herself, this was the quiet life in the monastery, culminating in a personal martyrdom at the hands of the Nazis. Stein’s personal writings and spiritual will provide insight into Stein’s conception of resistance, which may or may not include political resistance, but is best summarized as the course of action that accepts and channels God’s own grace, the power which overcomes all evil. The Catholic Church has declared Stein a martyr and a confessor, though challenges to the validity of her martyrial status did arise. Ultimately, her martyrdom is a testament to the fact that God, while never willing evil, may yet bring forth good from evil. This thesis affirms both to the unimaginable horror of the time and also the discernment of God’s work through Stein