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Yes / Recent years have seen the increasing concern for the flourish of shadow banking in China and India. In this paper, we aim to get a better understanding of the differences in trends and investigate the factors leading to the rise of shadow banking in these two major emerging economies. We find that financial exclusion is a common factor leading to the rise of shadow banking in China and India. While financial reform has taken place in India, financial repressive policies still prevail in China. Although several regulatory measures have been adopted in India and China, the size of the shadow banking in these two countries remains underestimated. Thus, streamlining and enhancing data collection is a key priority for both India and China. We also argue that the regulation in both countries should be more activity focused rather than sector or entity based, and it should be at par with banks. As shadow banks provide last mile connectivity and enhance financial inclusion, a balanced approach is required keeping in view both benefits and costs of the shadow banking system.

Scholarship on occupational gender segregation has almost exclusively focused on women’s experiences (e.g., as targets of discrimination in masculine domains), yet understanding factors that perpetuate men’s underrepresentation in traditionally feminine occupations is equally important. In my dissertation, I examine a consequential dynamic early in the job search process in which individuals come to learn that an occupation that fits them is perceived as stereotypically feminine versus masculine. Specifically, I develop and test the prediction that the perceived femininity or masculinity of occupations will exert a stronger impact on men’s (versus women’s) interest in them, such that men will be less interested in gender-atypical occupations than women. Across six studies (N = 4,914), I consistently observed robust evidence for this prediction among diverse samples, including high school students, unemployed job seekers, US adults, and undergraduates, and using experimental and archival methods. I observed this asymmetry after controlling for alternative accounts related to economic factors (e.g., expected salary), suggesting that they alone cannot fully explain men’s lack of interest in feminine occupations, as previously discussed in the literature. Further, I consistently observed that men, compared to women, show heightened sensitivity to gender-based occupational status, and men’s greater sensitivity to gender-based occupational segregation explains men’s (versus women’s) reduced interest in gender-atypical occupations. Notably, an intervention aimed at addressing men’s sensitivity to gender-based occupational status effectively increased their interest in a traditionally feminine occupation. Though past scholarship suggests that increasing pay is key to stoking men’s interest in feminine occupations, this research suggests that targeting men’s sensitivity to gender-based occupational status may be an underappreciated pathway to reducing gender segregation.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the instructional conditions and practices described as successful for teachers in the Algebra I inclusive classroom. In the southeastern suburban school district used for this study, students who began their freshman year of high school in fiscal year 2000 faced new mathematics requirements for high school graduation, including taking Algebra I and passing an Algebra I end-of-course standards-based test. The new mathematics requirements presented a daunting challenge to general and special educators as increasing numbers of students with disabilities began to receive their instruction in the general education classroom. This school district targeted schools based on student performance on standards-based end-of-course tests and provided extra support and resources to enhance teaching and learning; however, other schools in the district had to reach the same goal -- improved student achievement -- without the extra resources. Based on a comparative case study of three separate inclusive classrooms from three separate schools, findings were presented through a discussion of the theoretical framework. The theoretical framework for this study included theories from Skinner (1953) and Gagné (1985). Data were collected through interviews with teachers and their students with and without disabilities, through observations in classrooms, and by review of student data. Four major domains were addressed in this study. Those domains included instructional conditions, climate and planning, and instructional interventions, the use of time and teacher adaptations and accommodations. This study supported the notion that an affective classroom climate coupled with collaborative planning among team teachers, general educators and special educators who co-teach in the inclusive classroom, promotes an instructional environment conducive to learning. The effective use of time along with teacher adaptations and accommodations appeared to keep students engaged in the learning process. However, other influences, including insufficient teacher training, negative student behaviors, and inappropriate student placement, were found to affect student achievement in the inclusive classroom. / Ed. D.

The impact of co-teaching in the inclusion setting is essential to improving the academic achievement of students with disabilities. With the emergence of federal and state mandates, standards-based accountability is compelling schools to place students with disabilities in the inclusion setting to receive the same content as their nondisabled peers. This research study aimed to identify the factors impacting the effectiveness of co-teaching in the inclusion setting within K-12 schools. The research questions for this study included: What factors do co-teaching teams identify as essential for effective co-teaching? What factors do co-teachers perceive as obstacles or problems that hinder effective co-teaching? and What administrative support is needed to carry out co-teaching responsibilities effectively? The design methodology for this study was qualitative and consisted of three co-teaching teams in Virginia. Semi-structured interviews with co-teachers from model demonstration sites were used to collect data. Data analysis occurred through hand-coding of the transcribed interview questions. Model co-teaching teams identified twelve factors that impact effective co-teaching, including positive relationships, consistent behavioral expectations, defined roles and responsibilities, pairing, professional development, parity, co-teaching models, administrators' expectations, co-teaching best practices, consistent co-planning time, professional expertise, and building co-teaching capacity. The research should provide practitioners with strategies and approaches for effective co-teaching in the inclusion setting with K-12 schools. / Doctor of Education / The impact of co-teaching in the inclusion setting is essential to improving the academic achievement of students with disabilities. This study represents the researcher's effort to understand the factors that are essential for effective co-teaching in the inclusion setting with K12 schools. This research is a qualitative study, and the researcher completed interviews with three model co-teaching teams from the Virginia Department of Education Excellence in Co-teaching Initiative. Model co-teaching teams identified twelve factors that impact effective co-teaching, including positive relationships, consistent behavioral expectations, defined roles and responsibilities, pairing, professional development, parity, co-teaching models, administrators' expectations, co-teaching best practices, consistent co-planning time, professional expertise, and building co-teaching capacity. The research should provide practitioners with strategies and approaches for effective co-teaching in the inclusion setting with K-12 schools.

This thesis investigates culturally responsive teaching in the context of environmental education (EE) and is composed of an introduction (Chapter 1), one study intended for eventual publication (Chapter 2), and a personal reflection (Chapter 3). The introduction provides a brief overview of EE and explains why the topics of study included in this thesis are important to address. For Chapter 2, I conducted interviews to understand how environmental educators characterize culturally responsive EE, how they practice it, and what they identify are the key catalysts and challenges to providing culturally responsive EE. The results of this study indicate the importance of a multifaceted approach that incorporates EE content, educator practices, organizational practices, and a critically reflexive mindset. In Chapter 3, my personal reflection considers themes that were woven throughout the work, time, and thought spent on this project and as a master's student at Virginia Tech. This work is meant to provide ideas and guidance for EE practitioners as they seek out approaches for increasing relevance in EE programs, uplift equitable practices in the EE field, and progress along their journeys to awareness and action. / Master of Science / This study explores the framework for culturally responsive teaching in the context of environmental education (EE). Recognizing that the field has fallen short of providing relevant EE programming for students from communities who have been historically excluded from nature, practitioners seek education strategies that resonate with these groups. Terms such as culturally relevant and culturally responsive are touted as methods for reaching diverse learners on EE programs, but the field lacks clearly defined practices for implementing these approaches. This study examines culturally responsive teaching with the objective of identifying culturally responsive practices to increase the relevance and meaning of EE programs for the diversity of youth across the United States. We conducted interviews with EE educators and managers to answer main research questions: (1) How do EE practitioners characterize culturally responsive EE; (2) How do practitioners practice culturally responsive EE; and (3) What are key catalysts and challenges to being culturally responsive in EE? These questions seek to understand how EE practitioners achieve relevance and extend inclusion for more equitable EE programs. We explored ways that culturally responsive EE may be considered, integrated, and supported at the program content level, program delivery level, and the organizational level. This paper builds off of important work being done in EE research and by EE practitioners in the field to develop more inclusive programs and practices that reflect diverse experiences of learners.

U.S. demographic shifts are not being reflected in higher education institutions (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.; U.S. Department of Education, 2013). While institutions recruit underrepresented students and faculty, retention of these populations continues to be an issue in part due to a lack of sense of belonging (Booker, 2007; Hurtado and Carter, 1997), poor institutional climate (Hurtado, Alvarez, Guillermo-Wann, Cuellar, and Arellano, 2012; Rhee, 2008), and institutional racism (Stanley, 2006). Organizational culture theory offers a lens to examine the underlying structural problems preventing organizations from permanently adopting diversity and inclusion initiatives throughout the institution. This qualitative study examines how faculty members describe organizational culture of diversity and inclusion at a research university with a high degree of student diversity. The conceptual framework was Schein's (2010) organizational culture model. Participants included 19 faculty members who identified as Caucasian/White, African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Asian/Pacific Islander. Of all participants, 12 were male and seven female. In-person interviews were conducted to gather data. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Five themes emerged: forming culture, describing diversity and inclusion within the culture, learning impacted by diversity, feeling the culture, and directing culture. Unique findings from this study reveal that participants believed there is a shifting organizational culture of diversity and inclusion at the selected institution due to newly acquired designations, causing redefinition of existing assumptions. Additionally, faculty members (a) held different definitions for diversity and inclusion, which affected how they understood the university's responsibilities; (b) relied on localized diversity initiatives over university-wide ones; (c) believed in the unique needs of a highly diverse student body; and (d) were concerned with gaining diversity and inclusion at all ranks of the institution. Findings suggest that faculty at this institution viewed the organizational culture of diversity and inclusion to be welcoming for students. However, participants' perspectives were mixed about this same culture being welcoming to all faculty members. The study has implications for administrators and faculty members seeking to create more diverse and inclusive organizational cultures. Findings also have implications for future research on organizational culture, faculty, diversity, and inclusion. / Ph. D.

Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis (sIBM) is an inflammatory muscle disease that strikes individuals at random and accounts for approximately 1/3 of all idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. It is characterized by progressive weakness of distal and proximal muscles and is the most common muscle disorder in individuals over 50 years of age. Currently, there is no known cause, cure, or enduring treatment for sIBM, although a number of theories as to its cause have been proposed. One theory proposes that activation of the inflammatory/ immune response is the primary trigger resulting in muscle degeneration and protein abnormalities, while an alternative theory suggests that sIBM is a degenerative muscle disease with abnormal pathogenic protein accumulation, in particular Abeta, being a primary cause that triggers an inflammatory/ immune response. Mitochondrial abnormalities have been observed in skeletal muscle from patients diagnosed with the disease, however the role of the mitochondria in disease pathology is still unclear. The aim of this dissertation was to evaluate: 1) the role of the mitochondria in the development of sIBM and 2) the role of amyloid beta on mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle. A better understanding of the role of the mitochondria in the development of sIBM may help to identify novel prevention and/ or treatment strategies. / Ph. D.

H2O and CO2 concentrations of the glass phase in melt inclusions (MI) are commonly used both as a barometer and to track magma degassing behavior during ascent due to the strong pressure dependence of H2O and CO2 solubilities in silicate melts. A requirement for this method to be valid is that the glass phase in the MI must represent the composition of the melt that was originally trapped. However, melt inclusions commonly contain a vapor bubble that formed after trapping. Such bubbles may contain CO2 that was originally dissolved in the melt. In this study, we determined the contribution of CO2 in the vapor bubble to the overall CO2 content of MI based on quantitative Raman analysis of the vapor bubbles in MI from the 1959 Kilauea Iki, 1960 Kapoho, 1974 Fuego volcano, and 1977 Seguam Island eruptions. The bubbles contain up to 90% or more of the total CO2 in some MI. Reconstructing the original CO2 content by adding the CO2 in the bubble back into the melt results in an increase in CO2 concentration by as much an order of magnitude (1000s of ppm), corresponding to trapping pressures that are significantly greater (by 1 to >3 kbars) than one would predict based on analysis of the volatiles in the glass alone. Many MI also showed the presence of a carbonate mineral phase; failure to include its contained CO2 when reconstructing the CO2 content of the originally trapped melt may introduce significant errors in the calculated volatile budget. / Master of Science