No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

<p><h1>Abstract</h1></p> <p><strong>Succeeding in Level 1 of a BScN Program: A Grounded Theory Inquiry</strong></p> <p>This research is an inquiry into the journey of student success as experienced by Level 1 nursing students in a BScN program. It is a qualitative study using a constructivist grounded theory methodology that looks at the psychosocial processes that are integral to the nursing student’s experience of Level 1. Fifty 1 to 1 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Level 1and Level 2 nursing students, experienced level 1 faculty and academic advisors (n=46). Participants were asked to define student success, and discuss their experience of success. The constant comparison method and theoretical sampling informed the findings. The result was an emerging substantive theory for student success entitled: <em>Succeeding in Level 1 of a BScN Program (Succeeding Substantive Theory or SST).</em> There are four conceptual processes that make up the <em>SST</em>: Learning, Balancing, Connecting and Becoming. Each concept has several categories that summarize the codes reflected in the data. The <em>SST</em> offers a fresh and novel perspective on student success as it reflects the processes involved in a comprehensive and integrated way. The insights and understanding that result from the <em>SST</em> can be used to direct policy and resources for student success, inform curricular revision, and suggest further research.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Using grounded theory methodology, the purpose of the study was to examine the transition experiences of older workers who retired from their long-term careers and who were working in bridge jobs. After interviewing 24 participants, a theory emerged that describes the decision to seek a bridge job, the strategies used, the problems faced, and the benefits received. The decision to retire is connected with the decision to seek a bridge job. Participants planned but mainly focused on their finances; no participant sought help from a career counseling professional. They faced challenges such as age discrimination and problems switching to a new position. Participants reported that they live a more balanced life and enjoy their bridge job. The core theme from the study is bridge employment redefines retirement. / Ph. D.

Industrial Design in China seldom addresses the issue of sustainability in mass production. Failure to incorporate sustainable design as a core principle will result in long term environmental and economic loss for both business and society. This research studies the current Industrial Design educational system in Mainland China and proposes a new educational framework to engage sustainability as a design objective. This study adopts the philosophical perspectives of constructivism, sustainable design theory, critical pedagogy, and systems thinking. Literature related to sustainability is collected and organized and overlaid with educational constraints identified through the interviews with educators, students, and practitioners of Industrial Design in four major cities of Mainland China. Using the grounded theory approach, from these two sources a new educational framework is proposed. The educational framework categorizes courses in a four year undergraduate Industrial Design educational program into four domains: ecological literacy, artistic, technological, and professional. Suggestions for the appropriate timeline, content, and pedagogical approaches for curriculum are also provided. The proposed framework was then critically reviewed Chinese educators that served as feedback for the final proposition. / Ph. D.

As evidenced by a large body of research within the engineering education community, those individuals who do not maintain a sense of belonging, identify with engineering groups, or perceive themselves as engineers are more likely to leave the profession. However, little is known about the ways in which engineering students construct or develop their personal and professional identities as influenced by the disciplinary values, behaviors, and practices learned during the undergraduate education experience. In order to deepen the understanding of professional identity formation within the engineering disciplines, a grounded theory study was conducted to explore the experiences of 31 sophomore, junior, and senior level undergraduate students enrolled in a civil engineering program. Upon conducting an iterative process of data collection and analysis, a theory of professional identity negotiation emerged from interviews depicting participants' experiences. This theory titled Negotiating Equilibrium: Advancing from Outsider to Insider or the AOI Model, captures the identities negotiated by students as they iteratively define, adjust, and readjust definitions of self and profession to maintain a balance between their personal self and the learned disciplinary identity of the civil engineering profession. As participants gained this balance, they began to see themselves as professionals and advance from an outsider (i.e., one not belonging to the civil engineering profession) to an insider (i.e., one belonging to the civil engineering profession). The AOI Model provides a framework for researchers to further explore professional identity formation, promotes the development of identity-influencing coursework and instructor teaching approaches, and inspires future research trajectories in engineering and civil engineering education. / Ph. D.

In December 2015, the United States' Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, issued a directive that each branch of military avail every position to women (Pellerin, 2015). Given this and the dearth of literature on women's leader development in military environments, it was imperative to research if and how these environments shape and influence leadership development among college aged women. Specifically, this study sought to reveal women's view of self as leader in the context of a military training environment at a senior military college. The Leadership Identity Development (LID) model developed by Komives, Owen, Longerbeam, Mainella, and Osteen (2005) served as a framework for this study that utilized constructivist grounded theory methods for data collection and analysis as described by Charmaz (2014). The participants in this study were 21 college students who identified as women participating in a 24-hour military training program between the ages of 19 to 23 and agreed to participate in individual face-to-face interviews. Through interviews and analysis of the data, eight themes emerged from the women's experiences that revealed how they developed as leaders in the environment, and conditions that both promoted and inhibited their leader development. These themes are leadership defined, internal dialogue, strategies for managing influences, practicing leadership, context for learning leadership, external influences, internal influences, and experiences. These findings have implications for future research and practice. / Doctor of Philosophy / It is important to understand how college aged women develop a leadership identity in a military training environment that has historically been male-dominated. This study sought to better understand the experiences of 21 women who learned leadership in a military training environment that was a 24-hour live in experience on a campus of higher education. The women agreed to meet for a face-to-face interview that lasted approximately one hour to share their experiences. Constructivist grounded theory methods for data collection and analysis (Charmaz, 2014) were utilized in this study, and the Leadership Identity Development (LID) model developed by Komives, Owen, Longerbeam, Mainella, and Osteen (2005) served as a framework. I share the findings of this study and implications for future research and practice.

Although subclinical eating disorders are more common than clinical eating disorders, they have received significantly less empirical attention. Subclinical symptoms of eating disorders often surface during adolescence and young adulthood and are far more common among females than males. Despite knowledge that the larger sociocultural context may contribute to the development of eating disorders, few studies have examined feminist-informed factors that may serve as protective mechanisms for young women who are influenced by Western capitalist culture and exhibit some symptomology, but do not develop clinically disordered eating. Using the feminist-relational model (feminist-relational Model (Jordan, 1997; Maine and Bunnell, 2008; Surrey, 1991) as a guide, this study sought to fill this gap. Informed by feminist grounded theory methodology, this study qualitatively examined socio-relational and socio-political contexts as potential protective factors for young women ages 18-25 whose subclinical eating disorder symptoms had not yet developed into a clinical eating disorder. Using constructivist grounded theory methodology, an emerging model was developed which demonstrates how participants spoke of their eating disorder symptoms in an externalized way. This was termed the "eating disorder voice." Findings highlight how feminist-informed protective factors helped participants resolve the tension between their genuine voice and eating disorder voice, and act in accordance with their preferred values. Participants were then more likely to be open about their symptoms and invest in their relationships. The main protective factors that emerged included, support people who provide emotional and tangible support, support people who challenge the eating disorder, a personal sense of agency, and community activism and involvement. The present study adds to the feminist theory and the feminist-relational model by providing a conceptualization of the symbiotic relationship between feminist-informed protective factors, suggesting through supportive relationships, individuals experience increased empowerment and agency. Clinical findings indicate that protecting symptoms, misperceptions regarding subclinical symptoms, and stigma served as barriers to seeking treatment. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. / Ph. D.