The purpose of this study was to investigate and report teacher perceptions during a renovation project. A quantitative analysis of six demographic variables and a 24 item survey questionnaire provided information related to school renovation, school leadership, student academic achievement, and teacher morale. This phenomenological study included survey responses from 74 out of a possible 76 teachers who were present during one of the two almost identical high school renovation projects in a rural school division in Virginia. These two high schools had the same renovation timeline, floor plan, architectural design team, and construction company. Independent sample t-tests and one-way Analysis of Variances (ANOVA) were used to determine differences in teacher satisfaction, schools, or demographic variables. The first major finding found overall teacher satisfaction was minimally affected by the renovation project (satisfied 36.5%, neutral 59.5%, and dissatisfied 4%). Factors that may have affected this finding include: lapse in teacher memory due to collection of data 10 months after the completion of the project, a feeling of ambivalence by the teachers, or the fact that the principal of one of the schools was also the researcher which may have caused survey responses to be more neutral. Both males and females felt satisfied but the females were less satisfied regarding safety, cleanliness, job satisfaction, and school rating. Differences between satisfied and dissatisfied teachers involving cleanliness, considering relocating during the project, seeking a transfer to avoid another project, and room temperature were found to have significance and moderate effect sizes. The schools had differences in overall satisfaction levels with one school having more satisfied teachers versus more teachers coded as neutral at the other school. While teachers at both schools felt safe during the renovation project and odor had an effect on satisfaction, satisfaction levels were different at each school. The last finding was a difference in job satisfaction levels between the age categories of 21-25 and 26-35 which could affect teacher retention. This study also concludes the need for doctoral and principal preparation programs to include information regarding the leadership role during a renovation project and how decisions may affect teacher satisfaction. / Ed. D.

This study developed and tested a new typology for use in Marriage and Family Therapy. The typology was created by integrating two already established typologies currently in use in MFT, the attachment style typology and the Enneagram typology. The attachment typology is based on attachment theory, a theory of human development that focuses on how infants and adults establish, monitor and repair attachment bonds. Differences in attachment style are associated with different kinds of relationship problems. The Enneagram typology categorizes people according to differences in attention processes. These differences in attention processes are also associated with different kinds of relationship problems, but also with different kinds of spiritual problems and talents. Support was found for both the internal and external validity of the integrated typology. The results were discussed in terms of relationship satisfaction and attachment based therapy. Implications for using the integrated typology to address spirituality in MFT were also discussed. / Ph. D.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relative effectiveness of two different ways of operationalizing a mastery experience in an e-mail based fitness walking program. Mastery experiences are considered the best way to increase exercise self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997), which is strongly associated with regular physical activity, but little research has systematically explored how effective mastery experiences can be developed. Fifty-nine sedentary adult women were randomly assigned to a mastery experience group (n=29) that operationalized mastery experiences in a manner consistent with Bandura's social cognitive theory, or to a standard care group (n=30) that operationalized mastery experiences in a manner consistent with standard care. Both intervention conditions received the same physical activity prescription and were designed to promote equivalent levels of contact with the experimenter over the 12-week program. The effects of the program were examined on overall adherence to the program, one-mile walk test times, estimated VO2max, social cognitive outcomes, and program evaluation ratings. Both the mastery experience group and the standard care group had similar levels of adherence to the program. The mastery experience group demonstrated a significantly greater improvement in one-mile walk test time than the standard care group. Although the mastery experience group also showed a larger increase in estimated VO2max than the standard care group, this difference did not reach significance. The mastery experience group had significantly greater increases in goal-setting relative to the standard care group, but the intervention did not show any differences between the two groups on three measures of self-efficacy. In program evaluation ratings, the mastery experience group demonstrated greater satisfaction with the program than the standard care group. / Ph. D.

The COVID-19 pandemic sparked rapid shifts to engineering education, causing changes to course formats and student experiences. The culture of undergraduate engineering programs undoubtably affected this transition online and affected how students interpreted their experiences. To date, research on engineering culture has explored the values, beliefs, and underlying ideologies of the culture. However, what we know about engineering culture was captured predominantly during periods of stability. Because COVID-19 provides an opportunity to either challenge or uphold aspects of engineering culture, it was imperative to capture the experiences of students undergoing an engineering education during this time. In order to understand what facets of engineering culture were salient in students' interpretations of their classroom experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, I conducted a multiple case study exploring mechanical engineering students' constructions of their experiences taking second and third year courses during the pandemic. I compared two mechanical engineering programs – one in the United States and one in South Africa – by conducting semi-structured interviews with 10 to 11 mechanical engineering undergraduate students at each site as well as 1 to 2 key informants. My analysis identified the following cultural features that emerged as salient from students' perspectives during the pandemic at both sites: intrinsic hardness, differential access to resources, and application and design. Additionally, my analysis identified the following cultural features that emerged as salient at only one site: seeking help, job market, and scientific way of thinking. The key difference between sites appeared with respect to differential access to resources. This study captures and reports critical data about students' constructions of their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. By investigating engineering culture during a time of stress, this research identifies the most salient features of engineering culture that remained constant through the pandemic as well as the features that changed due to the pandemic. Further, the global comparative aspect of this work highlights which features of engineering culture are universal and which are influenced by national context. Overall, this research aims to inform future educational responses to disasters as well as future change efforts in engineering. / Doctor of Philosophy / The COVID-19 pandemic sparked rapid shifts to engineering education, sending students home and shifting classes online. The beliefs and values that engineering instructors and students have about how engineering should be taught and learned impacted this shift online in ways that could either help or hinder student learning. The pandemic provides an opportunity to understand which beliefs and values in engineering were stickiest and the most important to how students described their experiences. In order to understand how students described their experiences taking classes online during the pandemic, I interviewed 10 to 11 mechanical engineering students at two universities – one university in the United States and one in South Africa. I asked students to share stories about taking classes during the pandemic. I then analyzed their responses and looked for commonalities across their stories. I found that students talked about six common features of their experiences. First, students felt like their classes were hard, and they felt their classes should have been hard because that was part of what it means to study engineering. Second, students noticed that having a laptop and Wi-Fi became very important when all teaching and learning was happening online, and not having that access made learning more challenging. Third, students missed their in-person laboratory classes, which they also saw as central to engineering. Fourth, students at the university in South Africa talked about challenges with getting help with their classes because virtual learning made accessing instructor and peer help more difficult. Fifth, students at the university in the United States had concerns about finding jobs because the pandemic was impacting the economy and their ability to obtain internships. Sixth, students at the university in the United States were frustrated that the response to the pandemic wasn't more rooted in science. This study captures and reports students' stories about their experiences during the pandemic. By looking at how students talked about their experiences during the pandemic, this research identifies the stickiest features of engineering culture that remained constant through the pandemic as well as the features that changed due to the pandemic. Further, by comparing two countries, this work highlights which beliefs and values in engineering are widespread and which are not. Overall, this research aims to inform future educational responses to disasters as well as future change efforts in engineering.

Transformative tourism is investigated as a potential solution to the challenges currently facing the tourism industry. Tourism is facing a defining time as societies are attempting to manage the effect of fast path globalization and are confronted with the pressing issues of climate change that push us to implement fast and drastic changes in the way that we consume services and interact with others. Transformative tourism proposes to design travel experiences in which travelers are encouraged to self-reflect, become more tolerant of cultural differences, and are eager to become agents of change in their community by fostering social empowerment and taking concrete actions to promote a sustainable way of life. The dissertation takes on a three-manuscript approach, each investigating a facet of transformative tourism in terms of outcomes and strategies. The first article is based on in-depth interviews with tourism practitioners and investigate their use of glocalization strategies as a way to create partnerships with local community members and foster loyalty from travelers. The second article examines the development of a scale to measure the transformative process in travelers. The third article uses a multi-method approach to study the symbols and narratives present in the transformative travelers' experience with the objective of using those to develop marketing content. / Doctor of Philosophy / The dissertation focuses on transformative tourism which encourages travelers to become more tolerant of other cultures. Travelers' transformation occurs through the design of activities that push the travelers out of their comfort zone (e.g.; home stay, visit place where tragedy has occurred), encourage self-reflection and meaningful interactions between travelers and residents (e.g.; mediation, theatre, or art based activities). The dissertation is divided into three studies. The first study investigates how tour operators can design successful activities in their tour to foster transformation. The second one examines the creation of scale to measure the degree of transformation in travelers. The last study aims at understanding the symbols and images present in the transformative travelers' narrative.

Six women participated in a qualitative study to understand women's experiences with abortion. The women ranged in age from 52 to 26, and were at least five years post-abortion. A questionnaire was developed using a stress and coping model as a guide to answer the following: relevant primary and reappraisal processes; problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies; resources; and personal and environmental constraints. The results give the women's individual experiences as well as the themes that were consistent for the participants. The women all appraised the situation of an unplanned pregnancy as stressful. All of the participants viewed having the child as a threat to their education, career, or relationship with family. Although all of the women thought some part of the procedure was more stressful than they had anticipated, all found ways to cope with differing levels of stress. The women saw their friends, family, ob-gyn physicians, priest, and clinic staff as resources during the experience. The women most often reported that religious beliefs constrained their abilities to cope. They also reported a lack of information about the abortion procedure and possible physical and emotional effects as environmental constraints. Overall, all but one participant would make the same decision, and all viewed themselves as coping well with a stressful life event. / Master of Science

ABSTRAKT Bakgrund: Den resistenta bakterien MRSA- Meticillinresistent Staphylococcus Aureus har kommit att bli ett globalt problem. Studier har påvisat att individer med MRSA som vårdas i isolering upplever förvirring över sitt sjukdomstillstånd då informationen om infektionen är bristfällig, som bland annat kan ge uttryck i rädsla samt oro hos patienter.   Syfte: Syftet med litteraturstudien är att belysa hur isolering upplevs av personer med MRSA.     Metod: Denna litteraturstudie baserades på tio vetenskapliga artiklar med kvalitativ ansats. Resultaten har analyserats och sammanställts till ett resultat.   Resultat: Det analyserade materialet presenteras i tre huvudkategorier och tio underkategorier. Huvudkategorierna omfattar: Att lida i utanförskap, Att leva i fångenskap och Att hantera sin situation.   Konklusion: Övervägande i resultatet var de negativa känslorna hos patienterna. Patienterna upplevde till stor del tristess, ensamhet och en känsla av fångenskap, medan ett fåtal föredrog att vara ensam och uppskattade isoleringen. För patienter kan deras upplevelse förbättras om det från deras perspektiv kommer fram fler studier om hur det är att vara isolerad med MRSA. Det är viktigt för patienternas välbefinnande att belysa kunskapsluckor som finns och att bedriva mer forskning med utgångspunkt hos patienterna. / ABSTRACT Background: The resistant bacterium MRSA Metacillinresistent Staphylococcus aureus has become a globalproblem. Studies have shown that individuals with MRSA who have been treated in isolation experiencing confusion over their illness when the information on the infection is poor, and it can express fear and anxiety in patients.   Aim: The purpose of this study is to explore how the isolation experienced by people with MRSA.   Method: This study was based on ten scientific articles with qualitative approach. The results have been analyzed and compiled to a result.   Results: Data is presented in three main categories and ten subcategories. Main categories include: Suffering in isolation, To live in captivity and To cope with the situation.     Conclusion:  Predominant in the results was the negative emotions of patients. Patients experienced largely boredom, loneliness and a sense of imprisonment, while a few preferred to be alone and appreciated the insulation. Patients can improve their experience of it from their perspective appears more studies on how it is to be insulated with MRSA. It is important for the patients well-being to highlight knowledge gaps and to conduct more research on the basis of the patients.

Teachers want to be in schools where their identities are authentically affirmed. However, some educators in predominantly Black schools perceive that they are not always afforded the same level of value and respect as their colleagues in mostly White or mixed schools. Instead, teachers in predominantly Black schools seem to have experiences associated with frustrations that often go unheard of or dismissed for various reasons. Schools with predominantly Black student populations are often associated with challenges in retaining teachers, commonly referred to as teacher retention or teacher turnover. This turnover can have an impact on the academic progress of the students due to a lack of consistency in keeping qualified teachers. After working in a predominantly Black school for 3 years, I began to question the influence of teacher experiences in these areas and how they relate to the retention rate. Conversations with fellow staff members about perceived inequities and muted concerns prompted an interest in this study. There is a commonly held belief that schools with predominantly Black student populations face challenges in achieving consistent academic success compared to their counterparts. This study will examine the factors that influence teacher retention in predominantly Black schools by reviewing the experiences of those who teach in these schools. I used Narrative Inquiry to help understand the factors that play a role in encouraging or discouraging teachers from predominately Black areas.

Bakgrund: Kronisk obstruktiv lungsjukdom (KOL) är en av de vanligaste dödsorsakerna i världen. KOL är en kronisk sjukdom som är icke reversibel och orsakas främst av tobaksrökning. En vanlig komplikation vid KOL är exacerbationer. Detta försämringstillstånd ger tilltagande symtom och kan orsaka ökat vårdbehov. Syfte: Att sammanställa och beskriva upplevelser av exacerbationer för personer med KOL. Metod: En litteraturstudie med deskriptiv design. Genom databasen PubMed identifierades 12 vetenskapliga artiklar som bemötte litteraturstudiens inklusionskriterier och användes i studiens resultat. Huvudresultat: I resultatet framkom två huvudteman: ”Upplevelser av symtom” och ”Hantering”. Deltagare från valda studier framhävde olika upplevelser, hanteringsstrategier och påverkan av exacerbationer. Slutsats: KOL-exacerbationer har en negativ inverkan på den fysiska och psykiska förmågan samt sociala relationer. Personer som drabbats av exacerbationer tvingades anpassa sin vardag efter sjukdomens progression. Upplevelserna påverkades av deltagares kunskapsnivå om KOL generellt och vikten av att utföra egenvård. Individerna använde sig av olika strategier för att förebygga och hantera symtom som uppkom vid exacerbationer. Tankar som uppkom under exacerbationerna medförde en ökad motivation till livsstilsförändringar. Fortsatt forskning och utbildning om personers upplevelser av KOL-exacerbationer bidrar till ökad kunskap. Den grundutbildade sjuksköterskan kan genom ökad kunskap lättare anpassa sitt bemötande och utforma omvårdnaden efter personens individuella behov. / Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common causes of death in the world. COPD is a chronic disease that is irreversible and is mainly caused by tobacco smoking. A common complication of COPD is exacerbations. This state of deterioration causes increasing symptoms and can cause an enhanced need for care. Purpose: To compile and describe the experiences of exacerbations by people’s with COPD. Method: A literature study with a descriptive design. By using the PubMed database, 12 articles were identified that met the literature study's inclusion criteria’s and were used in the study's result. Main results: In the results, two main categories emerged: "Experiences of symptoms" and "Management". Participants from selected studies described different experiences, coping strategies and impact of exacerbations. Conclusion: COPD exacerbations have a negative impact on physical and mental ability as well as social relationships. People that are affected by exacerbations were forced to adapt their everyday life to the progression of the disease. The experiences were influenced by participants' level of knowledge about COPD in general and the importance of performing self-care. Individuals used different strategies to prevent and manage symptoms that occurred during exacerbations. Thoughts that came during the exacerbations led to an increased motivation for lifestyle changes. Continued research and education about people's experiences of exacerbations can contribute to increased knowledge. Through increased knowledge, nurses can more easily adapt the treatment and design the care to the person's individual needs.

The engineering profession requires engineers who have not only deep technical knowledge but also broad professional competencies necessary to address complex challenges that impact individuals and communities. While engineering students often develop necessary technical competencies during their undergraduate education, professional competencies are often lacking in graduates. This lack of professional development can lead to graduates who are not prepared for the engineering profession and lead to fewer people, particularly individuals from groups historically underrepresented in engineering such as women, entering and continuing in these fields. Due to the rigidity of the engineering curriculum, out-of-class experiences, such as living-learning communities (LLCs), have become important sites for this professional development and can help women explore engineering and learn professional competencies. However, little is known about how these programs support students, particularly in regard to professional development. To further our understanding of these programs, a phenomenographic study was conducted to explore the experiences of 20 students who participated in an LLC for women in engineering. This study examined women's views of professional development in engineering and the experiences within the LLC that could support this development. Following an iterative analysis of interviews, two models were developed: the PD² Model captures women's views of the professional competencies relevant in engineering; and the LEEPD Model captures features of beneficial professional development experiences within the LLC. Combined, these models serve as useful resources for creating beneficial experiences to support women's professional development in engineering education contexts. The PD² Model can help educators intentionally identify outcomes of professional experiences, and the LEEPD Model can help in the design of a variety of experiences that are beneficial for students. / Ph. D. / In the engineering profession, engineers must develop both technical and professional skills in order to address complex challenges that impact individuals and communities. While undergraduate engineering programs tend to focus on the development of technical skills, engineering graduates often lack necessary professional skills. This lack of professional development can lead to graduates who are not prepared for the engineering profession and can lead to fewer people, particularly individuals from groups underrepresented in engineering such as women, entering and continuing in engineering. Due to the rigidity of the engineering curriculum, living-learning communities (LLCs), a type of out-of-class experience, have become important sites for this professional development. However, little is known about how these experiences support students, particularly in regards to professional development. To further our understanding of these out-of-class experiences, 20 students who participated in an LLC designed for women in engineering were interviewed. During interviews, students described their views of professional development in engineering and the experiences within the LLC that could support professional development. Interviews were analyzed and two models were developed: the PD² Model captures women’s views of the professional development in engineering and the LEEPD Model captures features of beneficial LLC experiences. Combined, these models can help educators create beneficial experiences to support women’s professional development in engineering education contexts. The PD² Model can help educators identify specific outcomes of professional experiences, and the LEEPD Model can help in the design of professional development experiences.