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Vtext is Valdosta State University's institutional repository, providing open access to the scholarly, creative, and administrative works of the University community. It also houses digitized materials from the VSU Archives and Special Collections.
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Item Effects of Alternative Work Schedule Preferences on Job Performance, Satisfaction and Morale: Evidence from Community Colleges(2026-01-23)Amid the government-mandated shutdowns and work-from-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses have been forced to scramble to find ways to immediately cut costs and sustain productivity while being denied access to their facilities. Many industries, including education, were forced into alternative work schedules (AWS; telecommuting and compressed time) to prevent in-person contact and the potential spreading of the virus. Other businesses and organizations were forced into AWS to immediately cut operation costs to save the business. However, there is little research on the benefits and drawbacks of the shift to AWS. This study aimed to fill that gap in understanding the effects of an unanticipated forced shift to specific AWS: teleworking and flextime within the community college setting as employees bring with them their unique perceptions of and preferences for AWS. The population comprised employees and supervisors at three State of Alabama community colleges. The basic research design for the study was a cross-sectional survey of employees and supervisors about their experience with the benefits and drawbacks of alternative work schedules. Multiple linear regression and factor analysis were used for the data analysis. This research specifically examined the effect of a forced shift to AWS and employees’ preferences for AWS on employee job satisfaction, performance, and morale. Using data collected from employee surveys, each variable (job, satisfaction, performance, and morale) was measured individually and collectively to determine the impact on each resulting from the AWS shift. The results of this research will be beneficial to any community college system and may help to provide leaders of other organizations, government agencies, private businesses, or educational institutions with knowledge and insights into potential outcomes for their own institutions if they realize a need to use AWS to immediately cut cost or are faced with another government-mandated shutdown.Item Parental Stress and Parents' Perceptions of Preschoolers' Behaviors Across Home and School(2026-01-20)This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the relationship between parental stress and preschoolers’ externalizing behaviors across home and school contexts. Phase I employed quantitative methods to investigate the extent to which parental stress predicted parental satisfaction and perceived loss of control using the Parental Stress Scale (Berry & Jones, 1995). Participants included 153 parents of preschool-aged children enrolled in early learning programs in South Georgia. Regression analyses revealed that higher levels of parental stress were significantly associated with lower satisfaction (R² = .32) and greater loss of control (R² = .50). The most frequently reported stressors included balancing work and parenting (33.8%), lack of time for self-care (30.5%), and managing child behavior (30.7%). Phase II utilized semi-structured interviews with nine parents to explore how stress and coping are experienced in daily life. Thematic analysis produced three overarching themes: navigating caregiver overwhelm, behavioral duality (home as a safe haven), and conscious parenting evolution. Parents described the interplay between emotional regulation, environmental context, and support systems in shaping stress and parenting responses. Triangulation of quantitative and qualitative findings demonstrated that stress operates as a dynamic process influenced by family systems and coping resources. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping, and Bandura’s social learning theory, this study highlights the importance of parental self-regulation, support networks, and intentional coping in promoting family well-being and healthy child development.Item In Vitro Assay Development to Screen Early and Late Leaf Spot Pathogens for SDHI, DMI, and QoI Resistance Management(2026-01-20)ABSTRACTFungicide resistance in plant pathogens poses a significant threat to global food security. Early leaf spot, caused by Passalora arachidicola, and late leaf spot, caused by Nothopassalora personata, are major diseases of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea). In vitro studies of these slow growing pathogens have been limited. This study optimized two assays: a microtiter plate assay for measuring biomass in liquid medium and a resazurin assay for detecting fungal metabolism, with a focus on incubation periods and inoculum concentrations. We performed a fungicide resistance study comparing germination assays, biomass inhibition assays on solid media, and optimized assays. Isolates were exposed to various concentrations of SDHI, QoI, and DMI, and the effects of different inoculum types (conidia and homogenate) on biomass inhibition assays were examined. Our optimization study revealed that for the microtiter plate assay, the ideal incubation periods were 6 days for P. arachidicola and 8 days for N. personata. In the resazurin assay, optimal incubation was 2 days for P. arachidicola and 3 days for N. personata. In the assay comparison study, the assays generally did not differ in their ability to detect sensitivity to effective fungicides (P ≥ 0.59), except for N. personata with pydiflumetofen (P = 0.033). Significant differences were found between assays for ineffective fungicides (P ≤ 0.006), except for P. arachidicola with azoxystrobin (P = 0.239). Four out of six cases for effective fungicides showed that the inoculum did not affect results, while three out of five instances indicated it did matter for ineffective fungicides. Consequently, the choice of in vitro assay and inoculum can impact conclusions. The resazurin assay is more sensitive in detecting resistance than the other assays, while the homogenate shows more resistance than the conidia.Item Exploring the Impact of Student Success Centers in Georgia: A Narrative Inquiry Approach(2026-01-20)This dissertation explores the multifaceted nature of student success (defined as retention, progression, and graduation) in higher education through the lens of narrative inquiry and the framework of Vincent Tinto’s Theory of Student Departure. The data collection consisted of a survey and semi-structured interviews. Purposeful criterion sampling was employed to select administrators, and the snowball method was utilized to select the student participants from public institutions in Georgia. The findings aligned with Tinto’s Dimensions and Commitments, with the following student themes shaping success: (1) Comprehensive Student Support Ecosystem; (2) Comprehensive Academic Support and Aspirations; (3) Student Journey and Development in Higher Education; (4) Holistic Student Support, Wellbeing, and Engagement Spectrum. Additionally, there were three themes to emerge for administrators: (1) Holistic Approach to Student Success and Support Systems; (2) Strategic Academic Innovation; (3) Comprehensive Student Success and Wellbeing. The implications for institutions to consider include investing in communications, student-driven programming, focusing on mental health, and supporting student identities. Implications for administrators include sharing their personal journey, creating a welcoming environment, and partnering with faculty to balance rigor with support. Implications for students include being proactive in seeking assistance, focusing on peer connections, identifying a professional path, focusing on mental well-being, and seeking support options. Future researchers may consider expanding this study to include the long-term impact of COVID learning loss and a longitudinal study on student success services for pre-enrolled students until their graduation.Item The Relationship Between Sustained Attention and Rapid Automatized Naming Tasks(2026-01-20)Rapid automatized naming (RAN) tasks are potent predictors of reading abilities, butthere is minimal evidence regarding what they specifically measure. In addition, attention is a critical component to cognitive processing and automaticity, factors which are crucial to reading ability. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sustained attention and rapid automatized naming tasks, which was measured through the administration of assessments of word reading efficiency, phonological processing, sustained attention to response, and rapid automatized naming to 1st -3rd grade participants. Rapid automatized naming performance was predicted by phonological decoding and “GO” sustained attention to response accuracy performance. These results support the idea that sustained attention contributes to what RAN measures, identifying another factor in reading ability that can be targeted for testing and intervention.