Digital Commons Network^™

Plan C, Dereck Daschke

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of PLAN C (2023), directed by Tracy Droz Tragos.

Perceived Quality Of Senior Care In An Assisted Living Facility Following The Outbreak Of Covid-19, Kaylie Hill

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a monumental obstacle to the healthcare field in terms of severely reducing the number of healthcare workers. Among the many industries affected by staffing shortages are assisted living facilities (ALFs), in which residents are dependent on care staff for daily assistance. This study sought to investigate whether long-term residents of ALFs perceive a difference in the quality of their care under the circumstances of the pandemic as opposed to those of pre-pandemic times. Semi-structured interviews were facilitated with 10 long-term residents who have been residing in an Omaha ALF since prior to the outbreak of …

Perceived School Fairness And Willingness To Report Bias-Based Bullying Among Youth During Covid-19 Pandemic, Isak Kim, Deanna L. Burgess, Seriashia J. Chatters

Counseling Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND

As COVID-19 has let many students into remote learning environments and exacerbated inequality among marginalized individuals, there is a growing concern about Bias-Based Bullying (BBB) in online spaces among school-aged youths. Learning modality and perceived school fairness may affect youth's likelihood of reporting BBB.

METHODS

Data were collected as part of “No Place For Hate” (NPFH) project, which was conducted by an equity office of a school district. A sample of middle and high school students (N = 1117) in the school district was used as an analytic sample. We conducted a series of independent samples t tests and …

The Content Of Covid-19 Information Searches And Vaccination Intention: An Implication For Risk Communication, Ayokunle A. Olagoke, Brenikki Floyd, Comfort T. Adebayo, Ayomide Owoyemi, Ashley M. Hughes

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Objective:

The main objective of this study was to examine the association between COVID-19 information search activities and vaccination intention.

Methods:

Cross-sectional data were collected using online surveys. Independent variables included COVID-19 information search on the (1) science of viral effects of COVID-19 on the body, (2) origin of COVID-19, (3) symptoms and outcomes, (4) transmission and prevention, (5) future outbreak, and (6) policies/procedures to follow. The outcome variable was vaccination intention. A multivariable regression analysis was conducted.

Results:

Participants (N = 501) had a mean age of 32.44 ± 11.94 years, were 55.3% female, and 67.9% were white. Most …

Uncertainty And Unrest: A Collaborative Pedagogical Response To Pandemics, Protests, And Policy, Jodi Benenson, Tara Kolar Bryan, Carol Ebdon, Theresa Glanz, James Harrold, Thomas Jamieson, Njoki Mwarumba

Public Administration Faculty Publications

This article presents the pedagogical, observational, and empirical findings from a social equity centered team-taught course that served as an effective learning approach for both students and faculty during a time of great uncertainty and unrest in 2020. The article begins by describing the context for why this course was offered, outlining the need to use a collaborative teaching approach that centers social equity and interdisciplinary expertise when issues such as a global pandemic and racial injustice arise. The authors then describe the methodology and findings associated with surveying students and faculty members who were engaged with the course and …

Factors Affecting Student Educational Choices Regarding Oer Material In Computer Science, Anastasia Angelopoulou, Rania Hodhod, Alfredo J. Perez

Computer Science Faculty Publications

The use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in course settings provides a solution to reduce the textbook barrier. Several published studies have concluded that high textbook costs may influence students' educational choices. However, there are other student characteristics that may be relevant to OER. In this work, we study various factors that may influence students' educational choices regarding OER and their impact on a student’s perspectives on OER use and quality. More specifically, we investigate whether there are significant differences in the frequency of use and perceived quality of the OER textbook based on gender, prior academic achievements, income, seniority, …

The Juvenile Reentry Mentoring Project: Adaptations During Covid-19, Anne M. Hobbs, Marta Dzieniszewska

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Delinquent youths oft en do not receive the opportunity to be mentored. Th is is especially true for youths who have committed serious law violations or are detained for multiple law violations. In the United States, youths with the most serious off enses are oft en committed to detention, or rehabilitation, or treatment centers. Since 2011, the Juvenile Reentry Mentoring Project (JRMP) has matched mentors to youths detained in Nebraska Detention, and Treatment Facilities. Th e Nebraska Youth Rehabilitation, and Treatment Centers (YRTCs), specifi cally, are for youths with the highest level of needs and who have exhausted all other …

Remembering The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Missouri Education Policy And Lessons For Covid-19, Phi Nguyen

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Amid the disruptions of COVID-19 are opportunities to reimagine schooling and education. Taking a historical perspective, this article analyzes education policy following an earlier pandemic, the influenza pandemic of 1918-19, to explore if and how educational change might be possible. Drawing on primary source analysis of Missouri education policy, I argue that influenza-related policy talk was practically non-existent, and the talk that was present mainly focused on how the flu disrupted, but not changed, school operations. Without policy talk advocating for change, policy action the years following the influenza pandemic continued along the lines of Progressive reforms that were already …

The Covid-19 Impact On Induction Support, Christina L. Wilcoxen

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

For beginning teachers, Fall 2020 provided an unforgettable first year. The previous spring had brought abrupt and unexpected changes to teaching. Schools closed without notice, student teaching experiences stopped midway through, and teachers were thrown into situations they had never been trained to address. This led to difficult decisions and new obstacles as the world fought to manage COVID-19 and the associated fallout. Teacher candidates graduated with incomplete student teaching experiences and gaps in understanding. Induction programs support beginning teachers as they transition into their own classroom and provide guidance in meeting performance standards. As a result, seven local school …

Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy & Support Among Secondary Early-Career Teachers And Their Principals During The Covid-19 Pandemic, James A. Martinez, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Frances E. Anderson, Frederick L. Uy

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

In response to challenges faced by middle and high school educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, a study was conducted in the Spring of 2021 involving 33 early-career mathematics teachers and eight supervising school principals in the State of California. These participants completed detailed surveys which provided demographic information, as well as perceptions of support, efficacy and job satisfaction. Findings show a variety of associations among teacher perceptions of support and their efficacy and job satisfaction in the face of challenging circumstances. As it related to principal support and recognition, principal participants expressed confidence in their ability to support teachers as …

Early Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Promotion Of Infant Activity, Strength And Communication: A Qualitative Exploration, Kailey Snyder, Priyanka Chaudhary, Angela Pereira, Kimberly Masuda, Jessica Niski, Danae Dinkel

Journal Articles

Introduction

Fostering physical activity, muscle strengthening and communication skills in diverse environments are vital to ensuring healthy infant development; however, promotion of these skills may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore healthcare workers, parents and childcare providers' perceptions of the pandemic's influence on how they engage with infants to promote physical activity, muscle strength and communication.

Methods

37 subjects (12 = parents; 12 = childcare providers, 13 = healthcare workers) participated in a semi-structured interview. Data were analyzed via an inductive content analysis.

Results

The majority of caregivers identified concerns related …

Recent Advances In Wearable Sensing Technologies, Alfredo J. Perez, Sherali Zeadally

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Wearable sensing technologies are having a worldwide impact on the creation of novel business opportunities and application services that are benefiting the common citizen. By using these technologies, people have transformed the way they live, interact with each other and their surroundings, their daily routines, and how they monitor their health conditions. We review recent advances in the area of wearable sensing technologies, focusing on aspects such as sensor technologies, communication infrastructures, service infrastructures, security, and privacy. We also review the use of consumer wearables during the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus …

Blindspotting And Covid: The Gentrification Of Racism, Ashley Starr-Morris

Journal of Religion & Film

The novel Coronavirus is not only exposing old patterns of racism and systemic inequalities, but deepening them as well. The notion of blindspotting, as described in the film by the same name, is used to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the “spiritual emergency” or crisis of racism in America. "Blindspotting" is an image or situation that can be interpreted in two ways but is understood by some in only one way, thereby producing a blind spot. In 2020 and 2021, we see segments of American society, from politics to white Christian nationalism, upholding a sacred canopy of exceptionalism by …

Do Masks Matter? Consumer Perceptions Of Social Media Influencers Who Wear Face Masks Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sona Klucarova

Marketing & Entrepreneurship Faculty Publications

The rapid spread of COVID-19 brought about an increased use of face masks among the general public. Focusing on disposable surgical masks in particular, this article examines consumer perceptions of and intentions toward social media influencers who wear such masks amid the pandemic. Drawing on the theory of product symbolism, this research experimentally demonstrates that masked (vs. unmasked) influencers remind consumers of highly competent healthcare professionals, leading in turn to greater competence inferences about and more favorable behavioral intentions toward these influencers. Additional analysis demonstrates that this effect might not hold for other groups of professionals who are considered relatively …

Exploring And Promoting Diagnostic Transparency And Explainability In Online Symptom Checkers, Chun-Hua Tsai, Yue You, Xinning Gui, Yubo Kou, John M. Carroll

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

Online symptom checkers (OSC) are widely used intelligent systems in health contexts such as primary care, remote healthcare, and epidemic control. OSCs use algorithms such as machine learning to facilitate self-diagnosis and triage based on symptoms input by healthcare consumers. However, intelligent systems’ lack of transparency and comprehensibility could lead to unintended consequences such as misleading users, especially in high-stakes areas such as healthcare. In this paper, we attempt to enhance diagnostic transparency by augmenting OSCs with explanations. We first conducted an interview study (N=25) to specify user needs for explanations from users of existing OSCs. Then, we designed a …

Covid-19’S Impact Of Social Isolation On Seniors In An Assisted Living Facility, Mary Mclaughlin

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study explores the impact of social distancing precautions in response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic by resident seniors in an assisted living facility. Previous studies describe how social distancing regulations can amplify feelings of loneliness in all age groups. However, pandemic-related lockdowns and social distancing measures disproportionately affect vulnerable older populations. Resident seniors in an assisted living facility in Omaha, NE participated in a semi-structured interview focused on the perceived impact of COVID-19 safety precautions. Participants reported a temporal dimension of impact, specifically, an increased level of loneliness in the evening, but also discussed the importance of encouragement …

Effect Of The Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic On Assistive And Interactive Technology Use: In- Person Versus Distanced Communication, Alexandra Swanson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

COVID-19 risk-reduction efforts have protected high-risk individuals but have significantly altered life; persons now face reduced socialization. Advancing technologies (e.g., video-chat) may be useful in alleviating consequences of these efforts, potentially mitigating loneliness, and isolation by improving access to alternative communication. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between communicative technology use and individual characteristics, as technology use may contribute to well-being among adults during COVID-19 and future isolating events. This is especially relevant to older populations. Participants (N=645) aged 19+ completed a questionnaire via Amazon Mechanical Turk; demographic, socialization, and technology-use data were collected. Data were …

Genetic Counselors’ Attitudes Towards Telegenetics: The Good, The Bad, The In-Between, Madison Badje

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Given that the global coronavirus pandemic has necessitated a quick and vast transition to telehealth, the purpose of this study is to explore these changes in the field of genetic counseling. To examine the perceived effectiveness of telegenetics from the perspective of genetic counselors, I conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with two genetic counselors in which each participant was asked six questions. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed using standard thematic analysis techniques for qualitative data analysis. The analysis revealed two main themes: benefits and drawbacks of telegenetics, with two sub-themes under each. The major benefits are increased patient …

Examining Physical Activity In Users Of Campus Recreation During Campus Closure Due To Covid-19. Journal Of Kinesiology And Wellness, Katie Burcal, Michaela Schenkelberg, Jeanne Surface, Danae Dinkel

Journal Articles

Burcal K., et. al. Campus recreation facilities are a critical resource to encourage physical activity at universities. COVID-19 closures in 2020 led to the shutdown of many campuses, which included campus recreation facilities. Little is known about how the closures impacted the physical activity levels of students, faculty, and staff who relied on campus recreation for physical activity opportunities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if individuals who were users of campus recreation prior to campus closure continued to be physically active when campus closed. The survey was completed by 282 previous users (students, faculty, and staff) …

Creativity As A Means To Well-Being In Times Of Covid-19: Results Of A Cross-Cultural Study, Min Tang, Sebastian Hofreiter, Roni Reiter-Palmon, Xinwen Bai, Vignesh Murugavel

Psychology Faculty Publications

he coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought about unprecedented uncertainty and challenges to the worldwide economy and people’s everyday life. Anecdotal and scientific evidence has documented the existence of a positive relationship between the experience of crisis and creativity. Though this appears to be ubiquitous, the crisis-creativity-well-being relationship has not been sufficiently examined across countries and using a working adult sample. The current study drew on a sample consisting of 1,420 employees from China (n = 489, 40% females), Germany (n = 599, 47% females), and the United States (n = 332, 43% females) to examine whether creativity can …

The Immediate And Long-Term Effects Of Covid-19 Stay-At-Home Orders On Domestic Violence Calls For Service Across Six U.S. Jurisdictions, Justin Nix, Tara N. Richards

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

We assessed immediate and long-term trends in calls for police service regarding domestic violence following COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Using open data from the Police Data Initiative, we performed interrupted time-series analyses of weekly calls for service for domestic violence in New Orleans (LA), Cincinnati (OH), Seattle (WA), Salt Lake City (UT), Montgomery County (MD), and Phoenix (AZ). Results indicate that five of the six jurisdictions experienced an immediate, significant spike in domestic violence calls for service (Cincinnati being the lone exception). As stay-at-home orders were lifted throughout the remainder of 2020, domestic violence calls for service declined in every jurisdiction …

What Does The Public Want Police To Do During Pandemics? A National Experiment, Justin Nix, Stefan Ivanov, Justin T. Pickett

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

We administered a survey experiment to a national sample of 1,068 US adults in April 2020 to determine the factors that shape support for various policing tactics in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents were sharply divided in their views about pandemic policing tactics, and were least supportive of policies that might limit public access to officers or reduce crime deterrence. Information about the health risks to officers, but not to inmates, significantly increased support for “precautionary” policing, but not for “social distance” policing. The information effect was modest, but may be larger if the information came from official …

Comparing 911 And Emergency Hotline Calls For Domestic Violence In Seven Cities: What Happened When People Started Staying Home Due To Covid-19?, Tara N. Richards, Justin Nix, Scott Mourtgos, Ian Adams

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

We examine changes in help-seeking for domestic violence (DV) in seven U.S. cities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Bayesian structural time-series modeling with daily data to construct a synthetic counterfactual, we test whether calls to police and/or emergency hotlines varied in 2020 as people stayed home due to COVID-19. Across this sample, we estimate there were approximately 1,030 more calls to police and 1,671 more calls to emergency hotlines than would have occurred absent the pandemic.Inter-agency data analysis holds great promise for better understanding localized trends in DV in real time. Research-practitioner partnerships can help DV coordinated community response teams …

Social Isolation, Anxiety, And Stress Among Vrs/Vri Sign Language Interpreters During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kolten Schnack

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in increased Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) and increased remote working for interpreters who work in Video Relay Services (VRS) as many have received temporary permission to work from home rather than a central call center. While certain occupational health risks such as stress and burnout for sign language interpreters who work in VRS have been studied, no one has studied general mental health among VRS sign language interpreters under the current pandemic (Dean et al., 2010; Schwenke, 2015; Wessling & Shaw, 2014). This study aimed to collect data on sign language interpreters’ experiences of social …

Intention To Vaccinate Against The Novel 2019 Coronavirus Disease: The Role Of Health Locus Of Control And Religiosity, Ayokunle Olagoke, Olakanmi Olagoke, Ashley M. Hughes

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

The urgency to develop a vaccine against the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) has waxed stronger in speed, scale, and scope. However, wisdom dictates that we take a vantage position and start to examine the demographic predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The objective of this study was to examine the role of health locus of control (HLOC) in the relationship between religiosity and COVID-19 vaccination intention. In a cross-sectional survey (N = 501), we found a significantly negative association between religiosity and COVID-19 vaccination intention. This relationship was partially mediated by external HLOC. Collaborative efforts with religious institutions may influence COVID-19 vaccine …

Experiencing The Transition To Remote Teaching And Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Chun-Hua Tsai, Guillermo Romera Rodriguez, Na Li, Jenay Robert, Alex Serpi, John Millar Carroll

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

The sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted universities around the world. In the two weeks following a shelter–in-place order, all the actors of the educational system were forced to transition to remote education. This shift required a new reliance upon technologies that these individuals might never have adopted at all, often with significant difficulties. In this paper, we present a qualitative study on a university-wide survey dataset describing student and faculty experiences of abruptly transitioning to remote teaching and learning during the spring 2020 semester at the Pennsylvania State University. We performed an inductive thematic analysis to identify …

“Go Hard, Go Early”: Preliminary Lessons From New Zealand’S Response To Covid-19, Thomas Jamieson

Public Administration Faculty Publications

Although the full impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is yet to be realized, New Zealand has suffered comparatively less than other countries, and there were no active cases in the country by June 8, 2020. Building from best practices in emergency management research, several preliminary lessons emerge from the country’s response to the crisis that could be adapted for other settings. In particular, the government acted early and decisively, developed national unity to combat the virus, communicated effectively with the public, and adapted to changing circumstances, especially to address shortcomings in the response. These preliminary lessons provide some …