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Beyond affordability : a single case study exploring international undergraduate students' experiences with open educational resources in college.
No full textHigher education institutions in the United States are experiencing a paradigm shift in two areas. First, in response to the high prices of textbooks, there is a shift from traditional textbooks to Open Educational Resources (OERs). Second, the growing presence of International Undergraduate Students (IUSs) on college campuses is shifting the traditional undergraduate student demographics. The nexus between OER usage and students' learning experiences is critical due to the financial burden IUSs experience from the high cost of textbooks. The goal of the study was to explore the experiences of IUSs with OERs in college using a single case study design. The Inclusive Pedagogy Framework (IPF) also provided the lens to understand OER as a pedagogical tool. The study recruited four international undergraduate students (IUSs) at a four-year public university. I explored the IUSs' experiences through individual semi-structured interviews, focus group sessions, and a document review of OER materials. I identified four key findings in the study. First, the findings supported affordability and accessibility as two popular benefits of OERs. Second, the findings pointed to OERs as inclusive pedagogical components that enhance the learning experiences of students from diverse background. Third, the findings showed that financial and social challenges hindered IUSs successful learning and integration in college. Fourth, the results demonstrated a lack of awareness and understanding of OERs. Based on these findings, I recommended increasing OER awareness and training support for undergraduate students, faculty, librarians, and other support offices such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) on college campuses. In addition, higher education institutions should adopt OERs as an inclusive pedagogical tool to create a more meaningful and welcoming learning experience for IUSs in college. Another recommendation is for IUSs to form student groups that advocate for inclusive policies such as OERs adoption to reduce their financial burden and inclusiveness in college. Overall, the study concluded that OERs have inclusive properties beyond its inherent cost saving ability
Asteroseismology of the Pulsating White Dwarf Stars in the Cataclysmic Variables GW Lib and V386 Ser.
No full textWhite dwarf stars (WDs) are the final stage of evolution for approximately 98 % of all stars in the universe in which they are cooling. As WDs cool, they cross instability strips where they are observed to pulsate. WDs are found both in isolation and in binary systems. Cataclysmic Variables (CVs) are interacting binary systems in which the WD accretes matter from a companion star, resulting in an accretion disk around the WD. To date, there are 18 CVs with pulsating WDs. Pulsations were first detected in the WDs in the CVs GW Lib and V386 Ser in 1997 and 2004, respectively, making these the most well-studied systems. I used the published pulsation periods of these WDs to determine their independent modes to probe the internal structure of these stars through asteroseismology. I compared these observed modes to theoretical modes calculated using the White Dwarf Evolution Code (WDEC). I used external mass determinations to guide my searches for the most likely structure of these two stars. My study provides insights on the masses of hydrogen and helium for the WDs in GW Lib and V386 Ser, showing that they are most likely thin. As of the publication of this thesis, our study is one of the first attempts at asteroseismology of WDs in CVs
Cultivating leadership : an explanatory sequential mixed methods study of a leadership course's Influence on students' behavior management and leadership skills.
Get PDFDiscipline referrals and behavior problems cause issues for schools and their students. Students who are displaced from the classroom miss instructional time that is valuable for their success (Wilkerson & Afacan, 2022). Discipline referrals lead to detention, in school suspension, out of school suspension, or alternative school placements, which affect students in a multitude of ways. One major ramification of increased discipline referrals and missing class is decreased performance academically (Whisman & Hammer, 2014; Morris & Perry, 2016; Lacoe & Steinberg, 2018). Leaving this problem unaddressed will negatively affect schools and their students. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study sought to describe and analyze the impact and effects of a leadership course on students' perceptions of their leadership skills and understanding of its impact on discipline behaviors at the end of the term at Telegram High School (THS). I used purposeful sampling to gather 36 quantitative participants who took the Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Survey: Inventory, 2.0 at the beginning and end of a leadership course (Shankman, Allen, & Miguel, 2015). I collected qualitative data through criterion sampling of four students and the teacher of the course who I interviewed at the beginning and end of the leadership course. The results of the study were not statistically significant quantitatively when I tested the difference between the scores from the beginning to the end of the course. Qualitatively, participants demonstrated a positive perception of the leadership courses' impact on students' leadership skills and the impact on discipline behaviors. Students who grew the most in their leadership skills throughout the course believed that their leadership, behavior management, and decision-making skills improved. This study found the teacher to perceive the course had an impact positively on students leadership and discipline skills. Upon integration of the results, the qualitative results could not fully explain the quantitative results as I only interviewed the students who grew the most from their pre- to post-surveys. The findings of this study suggest a need for educational systems to consider the requirement of leadership courses for students during their time in high school. Schools can benefit from developing their students leadership skills especially as it relates to discipline and behavior management. The impact of this study should lead to the analysis of the benefits of leadership courses within the school system
At ease! : letting go of the rank, responsibility, and regalia : a case study of U.S. Marines and their tenuous transition to civilian life.
No full textMarines face a difficult decision to separate from the Marine Corps or to continue in their career when they reach the end of their first contract. The decision for U.S. Marines to continue their career means enduring the demanding schedules, stressful training regimens, and time away from family. Leaving the Marine Corps means starting a whole new career while trying to match the compensation level of military service. Career transition is a crossroad every Marine faces, but many find themselves remorseful of their decision to leave. Therefore, it is critical to explore the issues and decisions made by U.S. Marines during their transitional time and discover the reasons that guided them back to military service. This single case study explored the stories of six U.S. Marines after they decided to rejoin military service after leaving active duty. Their stories are unique, and their reasons for returning to the military vary. Every participant shared their story through a series of questionnaires and a video conference call. The participants' stories are essential to study so future Marines can contextualize their options as they will one day have to separate from the Marine Corps. This study used Schlossberg's 4S model theory of adults in transition as a theoretical framework to explore the insights and perspectives of the six participants. Participants held several roles in the Marine Corps and varied in their backgrounds as well as their current family situations. Most participants indicated they experienced financial hardships in supporting their families, and the overwhelming cost of health insurance exacerbated the struggle. Other participants found their loss of the military culture too much and chose to return to military service. The study found that military service members would benefit from more extended coverage in health insurance after their service time ends. This study also showed that the military separation courses would be more effective by expanding to include a more significant number of challenges the military servicemembers will face upon separating from the military
Singular integral operators and boundary problems on weighted Morrey spaces and their pre-duals.
No full textThis dissertation is an expanded version of the monograph Weighted Morrey Spaces: Singular Integrals and Boundary Problems, which is scheduled to appear in DeGruyter's Studies in Mathematics series, by Marcus Laurel and Marius Mitrea [74]. The principal aim of this thesis is to solve a variety of boundary value problems for weakly elliptic systems in rough domains with boundary datum in Muckenhoupt-weighted Morrey spaces as well as their pre-duals. This is a multifaceted problem which requires tools from a myriad of mathematical disciplines including geometric measure theory, harmonic analysis, and functional analysis. We build a functional analytic framework for Muckenhoupt-weighted Morrey spaces on Ahlfors regular sets and notably prove an extrapolation result involving this scale of spaces. This leads to the development of a Calderón-Zygmund theory involving this brand of Morrey space. In addition to identifying weighted Block spaces as the pre-dual of a weighted Morrey space, we also build from the ground up a Calderón-Zygmund theory for these Block spaces. An important feature which goes beyond the standard Calderón-Zygmund theory is small-norm estimates involving the BMO seminorm of the outward unit normal for Calderón-Zygmund operators that have an integral kernel with a chord-dot-normal structure. Such small-norm estimates become relevant as we use the method of layer potentials to solve our boundary problems. The crux of this method relies on solving an integral equation, which can be done by inverting a particular operator via a Neumann series, something that requires a sufficiently small operator norm for the boundary-to-boundary double layer. We obtain well-posedness results for the Dirichlet, Neumann, (homogeneous and inhomogeneous) Regularity Problem, and the Transmission Problem in the class of δ-AR flat domains for weakly elliptic, second-order, homogeneous, constant coefficient systems that can be written in a way so that their double layer potential has a chord-dot-normal structure
Bloom into you : a director's approach to Joan Ackermann's "Ice Glen".
No full textJoan Ackermann's play Ice Glen tells the story of the reclusive poet Sarah Harding. Sarah lives in seclusion in a Berkshire cottage called Stonegate, located in the hills of western Massachusetts. When the literary editor Peter Woodburn visits Stonegate intent on publishing Sarah's poems, the two set off a series of events which forever change the lives of everyone living there. This thesis documents the analytical, design, and rehearsal processes as well as the overall directorial approach to Ice Glen performed at Baylor University in the fall of 2018
The invisible purple sheep : a multiple case study exploring the invisibility of Black women leaders in research administration in higher education.
No full textThe invisibility of Black women in higher education leadership and research administration is a critical issue, leading many to consider leaving the field. In academia, Black women are underrepresented, especially in leadership roles. This problem has roots in feminist writings, with authors like hooks, Davis, King, and Bell contributing to the discourse on Black women's invisibility. Research by Sesko and Biernat underscores that Black women's experiences of invisibility are unique. McKinsey & Company's reports on women in the workplace also highlight the challenges women face. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore how Black women in research administration leadership describe their experiences with invisibility in the workspace and how they disrupt invisibility in the workspace. The data sources for this study included a questionnaire and two one-on-one, semi-structured interviews. The data analysis followed a systematic five-step process, including managing and organizing data, coding using open coding, generating descriptions and themes, and ensuring participant voices were retained. I uncovered five findings. First, Black women in research administration described their experiences with invisibility as having an unrecognized and undervalued voice, which negatively impacted their sense of belonging. Second, Black women in research administration leadership revealed that workplace invisibility negatively impacted their sense of self, particularly related to their intersectionality. Third, Black women in research administration leadership strategically combated invisibility through active ally advocacy and affinity group participation, addressing structural and interpersonal domains. Fourth, Black women in research administration leadership shared the pivotal role of support systems and networks in navigating the challenges of workspace invisibility. Finally, Black women in research administration leadership shared their strategies for emotional self-regulation while grappling with workplace invisibility, including techniques like controlled breathing, temporary disengagement, pausing discussions, and recognizing the need for emotional breaks. This study has implications for Black women in research administration and higher education leaders and colleagues. By amplifying the voices and experiences of Black women leaders, this study contributes to the ongoing conversation on diversity, equity, and inclusion within academia
Cardiovascular disease risk and Covid-19 related PTSD in healthcare workers : the effects of moderate-intensity exercise and curcumin supplementation.
No full textPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been linked to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and, associatively, poor markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial function. Healthcare workers are at greater risk for PTSD development, particularly during pandemics. Curcumin is a bioactive compound sourced from spice turmeric that exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in humans. Chronic moderate-intensity exercise is also known to trigger anti-inflammatory and antioxidant processes. Pathways that are detrimentally affected by PTSD are affected in the opposite direction by both moderate-intensity exercise and curcumin, meaning each may act as an effective way to mitigate cardiovascular risk caused by PTSD. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential effects of moderate-intensity exercise and curcumin on inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial function in healthcare workers. Twenty-four healthcare workers were divided in a randomized, double-blind fashion into three treatment groups: curcumin/exercise (CE), curcumin/no exercise (CNE), and placebo/no exercise (PNE). They participated in their given treatment for 6 weeks. Regardless of the treatment, all groups significantly improved the Impact of Event Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (p < 0.05). Improvement in the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale neared but did not reach a statistical significance (p = 0.053). Regardless of the treatment, all groups had an increase in fat mass (p = 0.027). There were no statistically significant changes in the inflammatory markers, including TNF-a, IL-6, and IL-8 or the oxidative stress markers, SOD and GPx (p < 0.05). In conclusion, claims that curcumin, with or without exercise, could improve oxidative stress, inflammation, or PTSD symptomology were not substantiated by this study. This may be due to the specific subject population, healthcare workers, in the current study and uncontrollable factors such as the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic
The EPR-Bohm paradox and Kent's one-world solution.
No full textIn this dissertation, I will consider in detail the EPR-Bohm paradox and the mysterious correlations that it exhibits, and I will explain why the EPR-Bohm paradox can lead one to think that our best physics suggests a many-worlds picture of reality. I will thus consider the many-worlds interpretation in some detail and explain why it is so attractive. But ultimately, my goal is not to endorse the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics, but rather it is to argue that the reasons for endorsing the many- worlds interpretation are not compelling. My argument relies on a recent interpretation of quantum physics by the physicist Adrian Kent. Kent's interpretation shares several features with the many-worlds interpretation that make it seem attractive, yet in Kent's interpretation, there is only one world
Ethical Considerations For Pediatric Genetic Testing : Evaluating the Perspectives of Patients, Families, and Medical Professionals for Predisposition vs. Predictive Diagnosis.
No full textThe field of genetics erupted after the completion of the Human Genome Project, resulting in the advent and spread of genetic testing for numerous conditions. Alongside this new technology comes a host of ethical considerations, including access to testing, clinical utility of results, and psychosocial implications of this knowledge. Huntington's Disease, a neurodegenerative disorder with no cure, and Lynch Syndrome, a cancer predisposition syndrome, are genetic conditions caused by a mutation in a single gene with onset in adulthood. Neither condition possesses clinical intervention or preventive measures during childhood, so is it ethical to test children at risk for these conditions before they can participate in the decision-making process? Utilizing a framework of principlism, I assess the perspectives of medical professionals, families, and pediatric patients to determine whether or not it is ethical to test children for Huntington's Disease and Huntington's Disease in childhood. Based on the principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice, barring extenuating circumstances in which clinical utility may arise, it is recommended that genetic testing ought to be delayed until the adolescent can participate fully in discussions about testing to minimize psychosocial burdens and preserve the child's future autonomy