Theses and Dissertations from UMD
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2
New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.
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Item A Sequential Mixed Methods Approach to Identifying and Understanding Indigenous Ways of Evaluating Physical Activity Programs(2015) Roberts, Erica Blue; Green, Kerry M; Public and Community Health; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Physical activity has been identified as a strategy for addressing the disproportionate prevalence of diabetes and obesity among American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Despite the importance of evaluation to improve programs, there is a lack of evaluation among AI/AN physical activity programs. While the absence of evaluation broadly in Indian Country has been attributed to the disconnect between Western and Indigenous ways of knowing and the negative history of research among AI/ANs, barriers to and experiences with evaluation have not been explored in the context of physical activity. To address this gap, this dissertation used an exploratory sequential mixed methods design to explore AI/AN physical activity program evaluation. In-depth interviews were conducted with staff at AI/AN organizations conducting externally funded AI/AN physical activity programs (n=17), transcripts were thematically analyzed, and the findings were used to create and pilot test a survey designed to assess the prevalence of the qualitative findings among the target population. Through the interviews, the following themes emerged regarding barriers to evaluation: (1) measuring desired physical activity related constructs in ways that are scientifically and culturally sound is a challenge; (2) a lack of resources and support prevents AI/AN organizations from evaluating their physical activity programs; (3) collecting evaluation data is challenging due to the unique culture and experiences of AI/ANs and the context of physical activity programs; and (4) the lack of alignment between the evaluation requirements set by the external funding source and the evaluation desired by the AI/AN organization and community being served creates a barrier to meaningful evaluation. The following themes emerged explaining the perception of and interest in Indigenous evaluation: (1) Indigenous approaches to evaluating AI/AN physical activity programs are perceived as narrative and holistic; (2) Indigenous knowledge is used in AI/AN physical activity program decision-making but sometimes is not acknowledged as evaluation; and (3) there is not a universally desired way to evaluate AI/AN physical activity programs. Findings from this study contribute to the knowledge base of physical activity program evaluation in the context of AI/AN programming, and informs the practice of culturally responsive evaluation with AI/AN communities.Item Removing the college involvement "research asterisk": Identifying and rethinking predictors of American Indian college student involvement(2010) Garland, John L.; Komives, Susan R; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to identify campus environmental predictors of American Indian college student involvement. The American Indian research asterisk, or not including American Indian data, has prevailed over student development research for decades. As a result, student affairs professionals have been limited in their ability to develop evidence-based student development interventions for American Indian student involvement. This study addressed the research asterisk related to American Indian college student involvement through a quantitative multi-institutional study of 99 campuses with a total of 1,931 American Indian respondents. This study confirms many prior research study findings with American Indian college students that were limited in scope and context and where findings lacked transferability. Several key findings emerged from this research study including the importance of pre-college involvement in high school academic clubs and holding leadership positions as significant predictors of college student involvement. Mentor relationships with faculty and student affairs staff were also significant predictors of American Indian student involvement indicating the importance of these types of interactions for this population. Most importantly, a sense of belonging for American Indian students was quantitatively confirmed as a significant predictor of American Indian student involvement. The concept of involvement, however, should not be limited by its historical on-campus context and should be viewed as a dynamic process whereby American Indian students are provided an opportunity to shape an involvement experience that helps to maintain their sense of self and identity while promoting a sense of belonging and collegiate success.Item Culture | Community | Place : Sustaining cultural values: Past, Present, & Future(2009) Kunkel, Joseph F.; Wortham-Galvin, Ph.D., B. D.; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)It is fundamental that culture is embedded within the act of communication and social interaction. This thesis will examine how architecture has embodied and reinforced a tribe's central notions about their society. A focus will be placed on past architectural traditions and continued changes in built forms. This will become the framework for a process where traditions are re_Introduced, re_Defined, and re_Interpreted in a contemporary context. Through analysis and interaction with the American Indian I will seek to understand how architecture(s) can play a role in culture and the definition of a community environment. With this research, I am looking for a deeper understanding of the built environment of the Northern Cheyenne through the context of the culture, community, and place. The focus here will be to explore the community as it relates to an "Indian's" definition of living and interaction within society. Design proposals will attempt to identify and clarify the ways in which the American Indian lives and operates in a world, seen and inhabited by Euro-American ideologies. The research and data presented will challenge the thesis to understand "Dwelling" as it relates to the physical environment, built environment, and the correlation between the two.