Middle Tennessee State University
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Bridging Support: Examining the Effectiveness of Online Peer Mentors in an Adult Learner Precollege Program
No full textAs the adult learner population in higher education continues to increase, there has been a renewed focus on how to best serve this student population in recent years. While adult learners are more likely to take online classes and to enroll part-time, engagement and retention efforts have not heavily focused on part-time online adult learners, particularly when it comes to how best to engage these learners virtually. Utilizing retrospective data from an adult learner corporate partnership program at a four-year public research university, this study examines the effectiveness of online peer mentoring on course completion among part-time adult learners in an online precollege program. Part-time adult learners who received online peer mentoring in a precollege program for corporate partnership students were compared to part-time adult learners who did not receive online peer mentoring in a precollege program for corporate partnership students. Chi-square analyses were performed to determine the association between online peer mentoring and course completion for part-time adult learners overall as well as for part-time adult learners of color and male and female part-time adult learners. Results indicate that there is a statistically significant association between online peer mentoring for part-time adult learners, part-time adult learners of color, and male part-time adult learners. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that institutions consider ways to further engage part-time online adult learners to better meet and support their specific learning needs.Ed.D
He Said, She Said: Søren Kierkegaard and Simone De Beauvoir's Divergence on Existentialism and Feminism's Role in Abortion
No full textIn an attempt to strengthen the right to privacy regarding abortion as
outlined in Roe (1973), Casey (1992) significantly eroded its core principles.
Ultimately, the recent Dobbs (2022) decision overruled both cases. While both
Søren Kierkegaard and Simone de Beauvoir were existentialist philosophers, their
writings diverge when applied to Dobbs (2022). Although initial examination of
Kierkegaard’s consistent push towards human subjectivity and personal choice
leans toward a legitimate right to privacy, further analysis shows that he viewed
women as incapable of making decisions regarding abortion. Women are likely to
remain within the aesthetic arena, and valid choices are only made within the
ethical stage. So, the immediate choices they make in the aesthetic are null and
void. De Beauvoir decried such a perspective on women. She critiqued women’s
otherness relative to men in society, pushed for female autonomy, and rejected
gender norms. When their philosophies are applied to the majority, concurring,
and dissenting opinions in Dobbs (2022), they arrive at different conclusions
Teen Pregnancy and Its Association with Education Completion and Depression
No full textKEYWORDS: teen pregnancy; depression; educatio
Forensic Identification of Red Dyes on Fabric Fibers Using Raman Microscopy and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering via Microwave Assisted Microextraction
No full textImproving the reliability of methods for fiber analysis is crucial toward the ability of forensic examiners to establish the association of the perpetrator with a crime scene or a victim. This interest has led to the development of analytical methods including various forms of mass spectrometry, infrared microscopy, UV-vis microspectrophotometry, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and Raman microscopy. The imaging capability of Raman microscopy and the analytical sensitivity of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) coupled with its ability to overcome fluorescence have been demonstrated for the identification of textile fibers through its polymeric composition and dyes. In this study, Raman microscopy has been evaluated in forensic examination of fibers with different polymer composition and visually similar red dyes. The experimental conditions of laser power, excitation wavelength, and spectral processing techniques were investigated for their influence on the discriminating power of the Raman technique. Furthermore, a novel approach based on the use of colloidal silver solution for microwave-assisted microextraction of dyes has been used to discriminate similar dyes extracted from single strands of sub-milligram fiber samples followed by SERS analysis. This new method allows identification of fluorescent and non-fluorescent dyes on fiber. Special efforts are devoted to the acquisition of distinctive spectra for each unique combination of dye and the polymer substrate. The development of a customized Raman spectral database and evaluation of criteria relevant to spectral search algorithm are explored for facilitating the identification and classification of dyes on fiber.M.S
Are Catapult One GPS Metrics Associated with Soccer Field Test Performance in Female Collegiate Soccer Players?
No full textBACKGROUND & PURPOSE: Global positioning systems (GPS) are becoming increasingly popular in field-based sports such as soccer, with many soccer programs, clubs, and teams utilizing this technology to optimize training and athletic performance. One of the primary uses of this technology is for monitoring player load; however, it is unknown if GPS performance metrics are associated with soccer player athletic performance assessed by common soccer fitness tests. The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of the Catapult One Sports GPS tracking system (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation; Melbourne, Australia) in the assessment and monitoring of collegiate women’s soccer players’ athletic performance by exploring associations between Catapult One metrics (accelerations, power score, power plays) and common field assessments of soccer fitness (Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1, 300-yard shuttle test, repeated sprint test). METHODS: Thirty-one female National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 soccer players (20.6 ±1.5 years) were analyzed for this study. Data collection took place over two weeks during the preseason. The Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR-1) was performed as the very first action of the official preseason followed by the 300-yard shuttle and then the repeated sprint ability test with five days between fitness tests. Each player wore a vest with a GPS pod placed between the scapulae. Accelerations are actions where the player accelerates at 3 m/s/s for at least one second. The power score is the total count of the athlete’s accelerations, decelerations, and sprints. A power play is an explosive action where the power output exceeds 20 W/kg for over one second. Pearson product-moment correlations were used to explore the strength of associations between Catapult metrics and field-based fitness tests. Correlation coefficients were defined as small (r = .1-.29), medium (r = .3-.49), and large (r =.5-1). Statistical significance was set at p .05). CONCLUSION: Catapult GPS metrics were largely associated with the Yo-Yo IR-1 and 300-yard shuttle test performances with power plays demonstrating the strongest relationship with women’s soccer fitness. These data suggest that soccer athlete fitness can be monitored using the power play metric from the Catapult GPS tracking system. Future research should consider exploring these relationships across a regular season when changes in fitness typically occur.M.S
The Six Senses: Analyzing Triggers Within Women's Jails in Middle Tennessee and How Trauma-Informed Care Can Alleviate Retraumatization
No full textKEYWORDS: Trauma; women offenders; trauma-informed care; criminal justice; sense
Mexican Drug Cartel Strategy: The Evolving Dynamics of the Illicit Drug Trade
No full textThis research investigates the extent to which Mexican Drug Cartels are diversifying their operations. At this aim, a Hidden Markov Model is employed to analyze drug seizure data and introduce a marijuana legalization index as a covariate to consider the broader impacts of marijuana policy changes on demand structure. The empirical findings suggest a transition in drug trafficking patterns, indicative of the Cartels' diversification efforts. Concurrently, a rational choice model is considered that explores how product composition and law enforcement efforts influence the operational strategy within illicit drug markets; of particular interest is the introduction of fentanyl into the drug portfolio of Mexican Drug Cartels. Given fentanyl's low production cost and high potency, enabling adulteration, it is posited that the Cartel can sustain or expand drug supply even when faced with substantial drug seizures, thereby negating the cost imposed by law enforcement interdiction efforts. Comparative statics are employed to analyze the qualitative effects of variations in drug seizures on the Drug Cartel's strategic decisions. Through an empirical analysis and theoretical framework, this study comments on the evolving dynamics of the illicit drug trade peddled by Mexican Drug Cartels.M.A
Instructor Perceptions of Student Example Use and Understanding in an Introduction to Proof Course
No full textAs students transition from the calculus sequence to upper-level mathematics classes, many struggle to understand the purpose of proofs and how to produce them on their own. One tool students and mathematicians alike frequently use is examples to aid their understanding and production of proof. Using examples productively has been argued to be beneficial to the development of deductive reasoning used in proving mathematical claims. Although much research exists on how students use examples and why they choose the examples to be used, there is little research on how to help instructors aid their students in the productive use of examples. This study seeks to answer this lack of research by asking the research question: How do instructors perceive the example-use of their students in an introduction to proof course?
Instructors of introduction to proof courses from across the southeastern United States were interviewed and shown samples of student work with varying degrees of effectiveness in using examples to answer two different questions. Participants of the interview later categorized the sample student work and finally ranked the student responses for how well they believed the students gave a proof of the problem presented. Qualitative analysis of the interviews indicated instructors commonly ranked and categorized the student responses in alignment with mathematics education research related to example-use. Although most participants recommended students perceived as struggling with the task use examples to help build intuition to solve the problems, participants were split on whether students commonly ranked at the top should include examples in the formal written work presented in class.
Other findings indicated participants typically suggested their students use examples along a continuum of example-use rather than jump straight to formal proof excluding examples. Common instructional responses to students at varying levels of example-use were again aligned with mathematics education research and aimed to help students advance in understanding along a continuum of responses. Finally, a lesson was developed to implement the research findings discussed in the first part of this dissertation in an introduction to proof course with the goal of highlighting the benefits of examples to both students and instructors.Ph.D
Genuine support or not: How different publics perceive performative brand allyship for Black Lives Matter Movement
No full textThis research aimed to investigate how various publics interpret companies’ showcasing of support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement through performative allyship. The study used the situational theory of public to categorize publics according to their level of problem recognition, constraint recognition, and involvement in the racial injustice debate. It also examined whether various publics have varying opinions on how genuine a brand is and how much they trust it. Businesses should ensure their social justice efforts are open and will make a difference. The findings of this research were helpful for BLM activists as they devise campaigns and try to get brand support.M.S
The Effects of Smartphone Screen Time on Behavioral Variability
No full textIndividuals diagnosed with conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and depressive disorders tend to display levels of variable behavior disparate from their peers. Previous research has shown that variable behavior can be enhanced or reduced through reinforcement; however, the factors contributing to behavioral variability are poorly understood. Screen time has been hypothesized as a factor that may influence behavioral variability. The present study aimed to explore the possible relationship between smartphone screen time, behavioral variability, and self-reported ADHD, ASD, and depressive symptoms. To explore this relationship, participants attended a session where they reported their screen time use through a smartphone app. Next, participants completed a computer-based behavioral variability task, during which they drew rectangles on the screen. Points were given only for rectangles that were sufficiently different from those previously made (i.e., variable responding). Finally, participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Autism Spectrum Quotient-10 (AQ-10), and Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1). We found weak correlations between scores on the AQ-10 and ASRS-v1.1 and between the ASRS-v1.1 and the BDI-II. There were also moderate correlations between different measures of behavioral variability and between objective and subjective screen time scores, showing consistency in these assessments. However, no systematic relation between screen time and behavioral variability was observed.M.A