This quantitative study explored the connection between the use of a private social networking website during the graduate admissions process at a law school in the southeastern United States and the decision to matriculate or withdraw from the program. A theoretical model of persistence over time within the graduate admissions process was…

In the ever-evolving landscape of the natural world, change is the only constant. Investigating how life accommodates that change can provide valuable insights into the biological, ecological and geological history of our planet. The fossil record is replete with examples of organisms which failed to survive in the wake of ongoing environmental…

Nursing schools design their clinical simulation labs based upon faculty's perception of the optimal environment to meet the students' learning needs, other programs' success with integrating high-tech clinical simulation, and the funds available. No research has been conducted on nursing faculty presence during a summative…

Globalization, rapid technological changes, and competitive pressures have resulted in company leaders' worldwide adopting of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to improve productivity and business operations and reduce costs in the post-implementation phase. The research addressed organizational leaders' inability to optimize…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the comprehension of questions beginning with different wh- question words presented in two referential conditions to individuals with intellectual disability (ID). Thirty-nine school-age participants completed a battery of who, what, where, when, why, and how questions with and without a picture…

This study examined the relationship between fifth-grade students' out-ofschool reading habits and measures of their reading comprehension and writing abilities. The sample was composed of forty-two students attending an urban school in Northeastern Massachusetts. Each morning, for fifteen consecutive weeks, students recorded an approximation…

In the last two decades protected area management approaches have experienced a shift from top-down management models to more diverse governance approaches that involve various forms and degrees of participation from local populations. These new participatory approaches seek to reaffirm cultural values, maintain cultural landscapes, recognize the…

Current methods for measuring quantity and intensity of physical activity based on accelerometer output have been studied and validated in youth. These methods have been applied to youth with Down syndrome (DS) with no empirical research done to validate these measures. Similarly, individuals with DS have unique body proportions not represented by…

This mixed-methods case study examined the effectiveness of a new first-year experience (FYE) curriculum for selected Choose Ohio First Scholars in the College of Allied Health Sciences (CAHS) and compared it with the effectiveness of the traditional FYE curriculum in CAHS. The quantitative phase of the study involved the collection and analysis…

This dissertation examines three recent first-year composition textbooks' treatments of new media. These textbooks treat new media as equivalent to print media; I offer "media equivalency" to describe the problem. This concept suggests that one medium is understood by the same methods as another. I argue that the media equivalency…

This grounded theory study was designed to understand the process for midcareer women to stay or exit their career. Midcareer women are an understudied population and this study was meant to provide theory that will begin to fill the gap. The literature suggests that, historically, career development studies have been based on men's…

There were two purposes of this descriptive research design. The first purpose of the study was to investigate family literacy activities with preschool-aged children and parental expectations of their children's development and future school success as reported by Asian immigrant families. The second purpose was to observe the interactive…

This mixed methods study employed quantitative and qualitative methods as means of evaluating the Kansas Autism Waiver's first three years of implementation. The study was guided by the components of a quality assurance analysis and, to the extent possible, considered the fidelity of implementation of the waiver procedures. Data sources…

Most colleges and universities in the US offer at least some classes online, and a significant number of colleges and universities offer degree programs either all online or predominantly online. Many of the distance learning courses and programs emerge from traditional courses and programs; however, in the past decade we have seen the emergence…

This dissertation undertook an investigation of school culture and achievement in the high school setting. The national data set ELS:2002 was used as the pool of variables because it allows for a complete picture of school culture comprising students, parents, administrators, and teachers. The data were selected based on current literature and…