Research and Scholarship Repository
The Research and Scholarship Institutional Repository collects, preserves, and showcases the scholarly achievements of Texas State University's academic community. It provides open access to the diverse array of research and scholarship materials created at Texas State including articles, presentations, posters, electronic theses and dissertations, capstones, multimedia presentations, and more.
More information: https://guides.library.txstate.edu/institutional-repository
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- Research centers and institutes supporting scholarly and creative activities across the university.
- Research, creative, and scholarly works created by the university community organized by college.
- Texas State University divisions, offices, and other interdisciplinary teams across campuses.
- Academic publications and conference proceedings from members of the university community.
- Electronic theses and dissertations, and graduate and undergraduate Capstones and Directed Research.
Recent Submissions
Sistas Vibin': A Critical Embodied Perspective of Educational Leadership Through the Lens of Black Women Music Educators
(2024-05) Glover, Kelley T.; Martinez, Melissa A.; Alston, Judy; Davis, Dionne; Guajardo, Miguel A.; Koschoreck, James W.
The purpose of this research was to highlight another dimension of education that values the body as a place where learning and self-efficacy take place. Traditionally, the arts are kept separate from the core subjects, and the mind is kept separate from the body in education. This dual way of thinking also creates culturally hegemonic systems where Black bodies are seen as “the other.” This study was grounded in a phenomenological theoretical framework employing the methods of endarkened feminism (Dillard, 2000), the daughter of Black feminism. The following questions framed the study: How do Black women music educators describe their schooling and work experiences? How do Black women music educators use critical embodied pedagogies? How do Black women music educators use decolonizing and equity work both in and outside of the music classroom? What conditions invite the full presence of Black women music educators? How does this work and the women in it sustain their spirit and work? I used kitchen table talks with seven Black women music educators to understand their experiences in and outside of the music classroom. Toliver’s (2021) endarkened storywork’s data analysis steps revealed the themes of (re)member/(dis)member, (re)vitalize, (re)late, and (re)imagine. Implications for future research include body-informed leadership using cultural somatics (Menakem, 2017) for PK–20 educational leaders and future research in cymatics in relation to music therapists and music educators.
Spatial Association Between Maternal and Early Life Exposure to Aire Pollution and Acute Respiratory Infection among Children in Nigeria
(2024-05) Anyanwu, Chijioke I.; Zhan, F. Benjamin; Lu, Yongmei; Chow, Edwin; Perkins, Harold
Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are one of the leading causes of childhood morbidity and mortality in Nigeria and are often triggered by exposure to ambient air pollution. Due to their higher breathing rates, smaller airways, and developing lungs and immune systems, children are more susceptible to adverse health impacts from air pollution. While concerted efforts have been directed towards tackling the disease, it remains a major public health concern. There are currently no studies on maternal and early life exposure to air pollution and the risks of ARIs among Nigerian children.
This dissertation had three main objectives: 1) to evaluate the spatial relationship between prenatal and early life exposure to air pollution, and childhood ARIs in Nigerian children under the age of 5 years, 2) To identify and analyze multi-level risk factors of childhood ARIs, and 3) To examine spatial variations and clustering of the disease. The study deploys a case-control epidemiological analysis to examine the environmental, socioeconomic, cultural, and lifestyle risk factors of childhood ARIs. We used remote sensing air pollution data from the Giovanni earth science data information systems, and health data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS, 2018) which includes 1,692 cases and 28,915 controls selected for this study.
We analyzed three exposure periods: maternal exposure, and early-life exposure, and combined both maternal and early-life exposure for a wider assessment. For the maternal exposure assessment, NO2 showed the strongest association with childhood ARI in offspring. In contrast, PM2.5 showed the strongest association with childhood ARI for both the early life and the combined exposure assessment studies. We found that educational attainment, socioeconomic status, building quality, and lifestyle factors were significant risk factors for ARI among Nigerian children. The study identified disease clusters using a new hybrid hotspot analysis and spatial clustering analysis (spatial scan statistics). We observed a spatial overlap between childhood ARI clusters and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. In conclusion, this study provided novel insights into the linkages between air pollution as well as multi-level risk factors, and incidences of childhood ARIs in Nigeria while detecting disease clusters and locations of the most vulnerable populations. This could provide invaluable information for a targeted approach to ARI prevention and reducing child mortality.
Developing an Immersive Virtual Reality Game for Increasing the Awareness of Focus-Four Construction Hazards
(2024-05) Snosi, Omar Saber Sayed; Kisi, Krishna P.; Spencer, BJ; Talley, Kimberly Grau
This study focuses on the use of VR in enhancing safety training within the construction industry, specifically targeting OSHA’s Focus-Four construction Hazards, which are Fall, Electrocution, Caught-In/Between, and Struck-By Hazards. The study has passed through two stages.
The first phase was to gamify only one out of the OSHA Focus-Four Hazards, which was the Fall hazard. Based on construction industry professionals' perception of VR, a gamification for Fall Hazard training was developed and tested by CSM students at Texas State University. The students acted as construction workers, choosing the right ladder to reach the next floor and get a glass of water from one of three water stations. The water stations were located in such a way that by choosing the safest water station they score the highest. The study's first stage results showed that more than 60% of participants found the VR game to be user-friendly and engaging in learning about OSHA Fall Hazard safety standards.
The second phase was to extend the scope of construction safety training to encompass the rest of the OSHA Focus-Four Hazards: Electrocution, Caught-In/Between, and Struck-By Hazards.
This study assessed how immersive environments influence hazard recognition and decision-making abilities by developing a VR game for construction science students. Findings indicate a notable enhancement in participants' skills to identify and respond to Hazards, evidenced by pre-to post- game test score improvement. The results underscore the effectiveness of VR in OSHA construction safety training, suggesting its capacity to link theoretical understanding with practical skills. This study calls for expanded research to assess VR training's efficacy across various demographic and experience levels, aiming to innovate and refine safety education in the construction sector.
Social Demands and Geospatial Distributions of Urban Green Spaces and Blue Spaces
(2024-05) Jamil, Raihan; Julian, Jason; Jensen, Jennifer; Meitzen, Kimberly; Steele, Meredith
Green spaces and blue spaces in cities provide a wealth of benefits (or ecosystem services) to the urban social-ecological system. But with increasing urban populations and development, concerns about human wellbeing have also grown, especially in relation to the management of overstressed green and blue spaces. The management of blue and green spaces within urban landscapes can benefit from advanced mapping techniques to explore their spatial and functional distribution at different spatial scales. By integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and LiDAR data, I adopted a multidimensional exploration of blue and green spaces in central Texas that addresses three key issues: the carrying capacity of a riverine social-ecological system, the connectivity of urban green spaces for biodiversity enhancement, and the complex multi-scale spatial distribution of vegetation. I calculated the recreational carrying capacity of the upper San Marcos River by including primary and secondary data on biophysical properties, environmental quality, and social demand. My findings illustrate a heuristic approach to evaluating potential user density, river user experience, and resource protection. My investigation into urban greenspace networks in San Marcos underscored the importance of private semi-natural areas, with 60% of the proposed greenspace networks traversing through private parcels. Throughout the Austin metropolitan area, from Georgetown to San Marcos, I observed significant multi-scale variations in vegetation structure and distribution between ecoregions, among cities, and across neighborhoods. Clustering and hierarchical analyses confirmed the presence of vegetation clusters that were related to parcel characteristics such as parcel size, home age, market value, and distance to city center. One interesting finding was that vegetation characteristics at the parcel-scale were more similar for parcels within the same neighborhood than neighborhood-scale comparisons of adjacent neighborhoods. The overall results from this dissertation research can be used to better manage green and blue spaces, as well as to target new areas for resource protection.
An Evaluative Study of a Dropout Prevention Program on African American Male Students in Central Texas High Schools
(2024-05) Williams, Crosville D.; Mora, Sherri; Vindis, Miha; Brown, Christopher
High school dropouts are a major concern for many states. It is known that male students drop out at higher rates than female students. In Texas, Black males have been identified as having the highest four-year dropout rates among all ethnic groups at 11.8%, followed by American Indians at 9.7%, then Hispanics at 9.4%. Several factors contribute to dropping out of high school. The literature suggests that dropping out is a process with many push and pull factors influencing Black males to drop out. This study presents not only those influential factors but also identifies dropout prevention programs known to lower dropout rates among Black males. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the Communities in Schools (CIS) dropout prevention program was able to lower the dropout rate among Black males or increase the four-year graduation rate. The results indicate that the CIS program was able to increase the graduation rates among Black male students using key components known to lower Black male dropout. Finally, the research highlights a key area of improvement for the program as well as the future directions that future research should prioritize in the study of at-risk Black male students.