NU Masters and Dissertations (Open Access)
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This collection contains open access National University student dissertations and master's culminating work, including work by students who graduated from National University, Northcentral University, and John F. Kennedy University.
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Item DACA: Deferred Actions For Childhood Arrivals: A Life Changing Experience For Undocumented Immigrants(2022-04-30) Donat, BrandonCurrent immigration policies that reflect the United States ideals of a safe and secure nation also bring continued political battles amongst the government and their political struggles to safely battle the influx of immigrants that flood our borders. Hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants have made the treacherous journey to leave their past of political corruption, the uncertainty of job stability, and in some cases poverty stricken and gang controlled neighborhoods in order to gain entrance into the United States in hopes of a new beginning. The Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a federal government assistance program that offers undocumented immigrants the opportunity to apply for healthcare and educational benefits while gaining a temporary residential status and not be targeted for detainee or deportation operations. The educational and healthcare benefits that are afforded under different immigration policies towards immigrants in comparison to DACA portrays a much different view, such as a façade, and a displacement of position the federal government conveys to its nation. With the survey conducted in this research project the results were expected and varied as well. It adds to the ideal that DACA does give undocumented immigrants hope and the possibility of a better life.Item Harmony in Healing: The Impact of Music on Trauma-Informed Social-Emotional Learning(2025-04-21) Olsen, Katie JoAbstract This mixed-methods action research study examined the impact of music-based Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) interventions on emotional regulation and executive functioning in a kindergarten classroom at a Title I elementary school in Cache Valley, Utah. The participating students, many of whom faced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), economic hardship, and neurodevelopmental challenges, engaged in music-integrated routines designed to support self-regulation, task initiation, and impulse control. Data was collected through behavioral tracking, educator surveys, and post-intervention interviews with teachers and aides. Findings indicated significant reductions in disruptive behaviors and marked improvements in students’ use of emotion-regulation strategies, attention, and classroom engagement. Educators observed students independently applying calming tools such as humming, listening to music, or singing a class-created song during moments of distress. These results suggest that developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive music-based interventions can enhance SEL outcomes, particularly for young learners navigating trauma or neurodiversity, by strengthening core executive functioning skills.Item Metaphors as Effective, Efficient, Accurate and Consistent Implements for Organizational Communication(2015-11) Yeager, ChrisThis is a qualitative study to form a grounded theory on how metaphor can be used by organizational leaders to communicate effectively, efficiently, accurately and consistently. While metaphor is used in most forms of human communication whether artistic, scholastic, religious, or secular, metaphors in organizational theory are often used to describe how to conceptualize the organization as a whole. However, as a linguistic device, metaphor can be very useful to transfer meaning from one object to another to increase understanding of and accessibility to complexity in the object being described. Because of its common use in human language, metaphor is in use at the organizational level, both by leaders and organizational members. Yet if the leader and the organizational members do not have the same understanding of the metaphors in place or have different metaphors they use to conceptualize the organization, communication within the organization is difficult. This study attempts to assess characteristics of metaphors in use by organizational leaders to determine what can make them effective, efficient, accurate, and consistent, specifically in organizational communication.Item San Diego County Single Family Residential Home Solar Model(2018) Jaggi, ArjunSan Diego County residents have been subjected to rate increases from the energy distributorSDG&E (San Diego Gas & Electric). In order to balance the financial situation, San Diegans areseeking alternative ways to reduce the cost of electricity bills. Solar photovoltaic systems (PV) arean effective solution with tremendous financial benefits. Although many have heard about solarpower for several years, they know very little about technical and financial feasibility of theavailable systems, associated costs, and its life-cycle costs. In addition, the lack of information onavailable systems, their associated costs, and the complex assessment of various financialmethods in acquiring a system reduces the customer confidence in selecting the right system. Theobjective of the hypothesis is analyzed through the research data provided by GRID Alternatives,a non-profit organization that has installed over 200 PV panel systems within San Diego Countysince 2016. The model developed based on EXCEL takes into account independent variables suchas geographical location, insolation, roof size, panel and inverter efficiency, and average energyconsumption. The model analyzes dependent variables such as specification requirements, panelsneeded per roof area and produces a purposeful configuration based on the data analyzed andpresents a financial analysis model to conduct a cost benefit analysis. Based on model outputs, acomparative analysis can be made to determine whether single-family residential homeowners inSan Diego County will financially benefit from the installation of a PV system. The applicability ofthe developed model using a CHI Square test was conducted by comparing five randomlyselected GRID Alternatives project sites indicates that the model is valid with 90% accuracy.