Digital Commons Network^™

Family-Centered Support Through Storytelling: A Children’S Book For Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, Alissa Cooper

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Doctoral Projects

Family-Centered Support Through Storytelling: A Children’s Book For Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Interventions To Improve Medication Management In The Aging Population: An Evidence-Based Practice Project, Carrie Ashland, Grace Grommesh, Josephine Marchant, Katherine Mrozek, Reilee Schepper, Brandi Steinbach, Alexandra Stellmach, Sara Teske

Graduate Occupational Therapy Research and Projects

The overall focus of each of case scenarios are related to assessment or interventions that are related to Choosing Wisely Campaign® items 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10. Case scenarios were developed related to each initiative with clientele and conditions across the lifespan in various practice settings. Practice settings included school district, outpatient pediatric, primary care, skilled nursing facility, work rehabilitation, and acute care.

Sensory Based Interventions For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Evidence-Based Practice Project, Jenna Bartunek, Kaitlyn Dittloff,, Laura Gerdts, Angela Huepfel,, William Sievert, Victoria Walczynski, Athena Yang

Graduate Occupational Therapy Research and Projects

The overall focus of each of case scenarios are related to assessment or interventions that are related to Choosing Wisely Campaign items 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10. Case scenarios were developed related to each initiative with clientele and conditions across the lifespan in various practice settings. Practice settings included school district, outpatient pediatric, primary care, skilled nursing facility, work rehabilitation, and acute care.

Early Mobilization For Critically Ill Adults In The Intensive Care Unit: An Evidence-Based Practice Project, Tori Brown, Jessica Jenny, Kalley Kadlec, Karis Knoff, Chloe Lantz, Bryana Leverentz, Madeline Prosser, Sophie Willems

Graduate Occupational Therapy Research and Projects

The overall focus of each of case scenarios are related to assessment or interventions that are related to Choosing Wisely Campaign items 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10. Case scenarios were developed related to each initiative with clientele and conditions across the lifespan in various practice settings. Practice settings included school district, outpatient pediatric, primary care, skilled nursing facility, work rehabilitation, and acute care.

Gross Motor Interventions Support Play Engagement In Children With Developmental Delays: An Evidence-Based Practice Project, Olivia Beaulieu, Olivia Dains, Carlena Ebersole, Brooke Heaney, Chase Lees, Taylor Lennartson, Greta Silvernagel, Sara Stuckey, Amanda Way, Hinako Yokokura

Graduate Occupational Therapy Research and Projects

The overall focus of each of case scenarios are related to assessment or interventions that are related to Choosing Wisely Campaign items 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10. Case scenarios were developed related to each initiative with clientele and conditions across the lifespan in various practice settings. Practice settings included school district, outpatient pediatric, primary care, skilled nursing facility, work rehabilitation, and acute care.

Purposeful Interventions For Older Adults Post-Joint Replacement Surgery: An Evidence-Based Project, Julia Christianson, Mallorie Corey, Erin Crouch, Juliann Felter, Ellen Gross, Mariah Hedner Beckius, Aimee Lutz, Monique Touchet

Graduate Occupational Therapy Research and Projects

The overall focus of each of case scenarios are related to assessment or interventions that are related to Choosing Wisely Campaign items 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10. Case scenarios were developed related to each initiative with clientele and conditions across the lifespan in various practice settings. Practice settings included school district, outpatient pediatric, primary care, skilled nursing facility, work rehabilitation, and acute care.

Addressing Personal And Social Identity With Recovery High School Students: A Pilot Curriculum, Maggie Hiniker

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Doctoral Projects

Addressing personal and social identity with recovery high school students: A pilot curriculum.

Proximity And Preparation: The Keys To Engagement In Secondary Montessori Literature Seminars, Metta M. King

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy defines education as an aid to life. Given the appropriate prepared environment, young people will construct themselves and become strong, resilient, holistic humans, willing to share their gifts to benefit the common good. The developmental needs at each phase, articulated by Montessori’s Four Planes of Development serves as an essential guide to the teaching and learning. This research looks at the effects of two developmentally appropriate interventions on engagement within peer-led literature seminars in a secondary Montessori classroom. The first intervention included a low stakes way to increase proximity or a way to create a sense …

Improving Toddlers' Transition To A New Classroom: Using Attachment Theory, Yoonju Um

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research sought to answer "What impact does a teacher's insight about transition and attachment theory (Bowlby, 1982) have on a toddler's transition into a new school?" The research was conducted in a Montessori school in Connecticut with 4 teachers, 11 new toddlers, and 11 parents. The researcher intervened with a teacher focus group examining their belief about transition. The data tools included teacher surveys and focus groups, parent checklists, observations on transition behavior, and interactions and program structures section of the infant toddler environment rating scale (ITERS). The findings showed that the intervention enhanced teachers' confidence and positive …

Impacts Of Early Childhood Professional Development On Educator Practice And Subsequent Student Experience In The Outdoor Environment, Hannah Mohr

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to study the impact of professional development on early childhood educator practice and its subsequent effects on toddlers’ experiences with Risky Play in the outdoor environment. The setting of this project was a toddler classroom within a Montessori school in Missouri. The population for this action research study was three adult assistant guides with varying levels of experience with Montessori and early childhood education and 10 students in a Montessori toddler classroom between the ages of 17 and 32 months. The intervention consisted of a professional development workshop related to Montessori philosophy and benefits …

Fostering Emotion Regulation In Lower Elementary Children Through Practical Life Exercises, Doris En-Chia Lin

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research investigated how integrating practical life exercises and self-regulation lessons could foster emotion regulation in lower elementary children. Twenty First and Second grade students in a public Montessori school participated in this four-week study. Quantitative data tools included students’ feelings self assessments, parent questionnaire, feelings check-in, and tallies of student behavior. Qualitative tools included students’ feeling journals, my observation journal, and children’s practical life reflection. Data analysis indicated that teaching children to identify their feelings and offering choices of calm down activities in the practical life area gave children the tools to recalibrate themselves. By the end of …

The Effects Of Student Constructed Formative Assessment In The Elementary Classroom, Jessica Burgwald

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project studied how student-created formative assessments in mathematics would affect student confidence and perceived math ability. Students participated in a four-week study. The researcher conducted this study in September and October of 2021. The seven participating students were from an Upper Elementary classroom in a private Southern California Montessori school. The intervention consisted of a student-constructed survey taken weekly and a group analysis of the anonymized data collected from the said survey. Additional data sources included parent surveys, end-of-intervention student surveys, and classwork observational tally sheets. This study found that students gained further awareness of their work …

Sustaining Teacher Resilience For Montessori Education, Rebecca Britt

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research self-study was to determine the effects of a sustainable self-care practice on the resilience of an unemployed, mid-career Montessori early childhood teacher. This 4-week intervention consisted of twenty 20-minute sessions with meditation, yoga, and/or inspirational readings. Data was measured using a pre- and post-resilience survey, a daily adjective checklist, and a daily reflective journal. An increase in resilience was demonstrated by the resilience survey and self-assessed in journal entries, suggesting that taking time each day for personal self-care can positively impact resilience. Further research should include a larger and diverse study group of full-time …

"Developing Creative Thinking With Intentional Teaching Practices In Academic Subjects For Early Childhood Classrooms", Rebecca Appleby

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research was conducted in an early childhood Montessori Primary classroom using intentional teaching practices with core curriculum materials to engage students in creative thinking. In the form of questions or suggestions, an open-ended inquiry was given to the ten participants, aged three to six years old, as they worked with Montessori materials in academic areas, including science, math, and language. The research utilized mixed methods of collection in the forms of quantitative and qualitative data and demonstrated successful intervention with a steady increase in work times of the students. A longitudinal study would contribute to this theory and …

Evidence On Use Of Pams With Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy: An Evidence-Based Practice Project, Natalie Cerchio, Kat Hillstrom, Anna Restemayer, Karla Scherber, Emenet Sime, Grace Smith, Olivia St. Martin, And Kyia Wu

Graduate Occupational Therapy Research and Projects

The overall focus of each of case scenarios are related to assessment or interventions that are related to Choosing Wisely Campaign items 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10. Case scenarios were developed related to each initiative with clientele and conditions across the lifespan in various practice settings. Practice settings included school district, outpatient pediatric, primary care, skilled nursing facility, work rehabilitation, and acute care.

Leading With Stage Fright: Female-Identifying Leaders Navigating Imposter Feelings In The For-Profit Sector, Keeley Norton

Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership Theses

Abstract

The imposter phenomenon refers to one’s persistent feelings of self-doubt, despite any external evidence of success, and fear of being discovered as a fraud (Clance & Imes, 1978). Research shows women experience imposter feelings more frequently than men, and experiences with imposter feelings can have a negative impact on job performance, career trajectories, and mental well-being (Hirschfeld, 1985; McGregor et al., 2008; Kumar & Jagacinski, 2005; Cusack et al., 2013; Neureiter & Traut-Mattausch, 2016). However, few studies attempt to understand the full impact of imposter feelings on leaders or how leaders manage these feelings in order to effectively lead. …

Educating Health Care Students On Health Literacy Best Practices In Primary Care, Seng Vang

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Doctoral Projects

Educating health care students on health literacy best practices in primary care.

‘One Of The Guys’: Women Leaders And Tokenism In Male-Dominated Environments, Beth Duyvejonck

Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership Theses

Abstract

The percentage of women in corporate leadership has been on a slow rise over the previous decades and the statistical representation of women in top management and executive positions continues to change at a very slow rate. Researchers on gender and organizational development are observing a shift towards interventions focused on improving the gender-balance inside organizations and systems (Burke, 2017). My research contributes to the understanding of women leader’s experiences with gender and corporate culture in male-dominated environments with a specific focus on how organizational diversity initiatives affect the working experience of woman leaders. Using qualitative research methods, I …

Advancing Pay Equity In Nonprofits Through Feminist Leaders, Emily Anderson

Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership Theses

Abstract

Low wages in nonprofits have led to a focus on pay equity as a major concern for sector leaders. Some hypothesize that the low wages result from the sector’s association with “women’s work.” As such, the undervaluing of nonprofit labor reflects the lack of value placed on women’s labor. There are major gaps in the literature about feminist leadership and about how nonprofits can address pay equity. This qualitative study explored how feminist leaders are advancing pay equity in nonprofits through semi-structured interviews with five self-identified feminist leaders with experience leading nonprofit pay equity efforts. Acker’s (2006) inequality regimes …

Tibetan American Women Leaders: Constructing Their Own Cultural Paradigms For Leadership, Tenzin Lhamo Banari

Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership Theses

Abstract

Tibetan women as household leaders are not a new notion; however, in the public form, Tibetan women leaders are a recent concept. This study explores Tibetan American women leaders and how they navigate and experience their held leadership positions. The significance of the findings lies in Tibetan American women leaders' passion for leadership, which in this study was described as serving the Tibetan communities where they live. There is solid evidence that Tibetan cultural gender expectations and stereotypical views about Tibetan women have tremendously impeded and will impede those still climbing to the top. What is apparent is Tibetan …

I See You, I Feel Me: Journaling For Confidence, Value, And Collective Efficacy Among Partner Teachers, Laura L. Asher

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research sought to determine whether implementing a journaling practice that combined observation with self-reflection would improve the collective efficacy of an educational team. The research took place over one month in the single, early childhood classroom of a private Montessori school in the Midwest. Four partner teachers participated in the study: owner, director, and assistants. The project began with team-building exercises emphasizing open communication. The intervention required participants to record daily observations of partner teachers with corresponding reactions into personal I See You, I Feel Me journals. Data was collected through weekly attitude assessments, pre- and post-intervention focus …

“Of The Utmost Importance” A Study Of Followers And Followership, Jennifer L. Thorson

Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership Theses

Abstract

In most research, scholarly writings, and popular literature about leadership, it is presented as a given that there must be followership to achieve leadership outcomes. However, followership scholarship significantly trails its leadership counterparts; what does exist either attempts to define or describe followership or discusses it only in relation to leadership outcomes. Very little centers on how the person in the follower role experiences followership and even less on defining a theory of followership. The purpose of this research is to add to the knowledge of followership as an intentional act that can build skills and create opportunities. A …

Feed Safe: Functional Eating Education For Family Caregivers Of Children With Disabilities In Lusaka, Zambia, Kate S. Fairchild

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Doctoral Projects

FEED Safe: Functional Eating EDucation for Family Caregivers of Children with Disabilities in Lusaka, Zambia.

“I Know Who I Am”: Asian American Women Leaders In The Nonprofit Sector On The Quest Toward Authenticity, Amanda Steepleton

Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership Theses

Abstract

This study sought to answer the research question, “How do Asian American women navigate others’ stereotypes of their intersectional racialized and gendered identity to lead in the nonprofit sector?” Participants identified stereotypes that they’ve encountered in their own work and leadership – most notably drawing from the model minority stereotype of being quiet, passive, submissive, and hardworking. They also identified these stereotypes as presenting barriers to being seen as leaders in their organizations. These findings affirm what is already well documented in the literature. Unfortunately, little has changed since the model minority stereotype first rose to prominence in the …

Access To Education: Increasing Accessibility For Postsecondary Students With Mental Health Conditions, Danielle Sioui Nation

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Doctoral Projects

Access to Education: Increasing Accessibility for Postsecondary Students with Mental Health Conditions.

Mental Health Advocacy In The Hmong Community, Tiffany Vang

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Doctoral Projects

Mental Health Advocacy in the Hmong Community.

Providing Trauma Informed Care With An Emphasis On Sexual Trauma: A Pilot Education Program To Students Providing Care To Latinx Patients In A Free Primary Care Clinic, Sydney Busker

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Doctoral Projects

Providing Trauma Informed Care with an Emphasis on Sexual Trauma: A Pilot Education Program to Students Providing Care to Latinx Patients in a Free Primary Care Clinic.

How Gender Composition Affects Collaborative Small Group Work And Female’S Attitudes Towards Stem At The Upper-Elementary School Level, Karee Smith

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze three different gender groups' interest and confidence in STEM as well as their perception of their group work experience (and how that impacts their views of STEM) over the course of a three-day integrated STEM unit. This action research followed three different small groups of various gender compositions: an all-girl group (GGG), a group of two girls, and one boy (GGB), and a group of one girl and two boys (GBB). Data was collected over the course of the STEM unit through pre- and post-surveys, video footage, and exit tickets. …

The Effects Of Structured Student Interactions On Musical Ability In A High School Orchestra Setting, Kate E. Kowalkoski

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project looked at the potential effects of structured student interactions, such as peer-assisted learning and reciprocal peer tutoring, on student musical ability and understanding in a high school instrumental ensemble classroom. The study took place at a suburban high school in the Midwestern United States and included 45 students enrolled in a non-audition string orchestra. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected during three units that occurred in hybrid, online, and in-person learning settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative data was obtained through scores on teacher-made pre- and post-assessments, while qualitative data was collected through field notes and …

Effective Interventions To Support Struggling Readers In Upper Elementary Grades, Rebecca Nilsson

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to identify and implement strategies and interventions for non proficient readers in upper elementary grades that can be integrated into the general education classroom. Beginning in middle school, students receive limited direct literacy instruction and support even if it is still needed. Many secondary students read several years below grade level which prohibits them from succeeding in courses, college, and careers. This study consisted of a focus group including 5 fourth grade students that were identified as struggling readers through a series of diagnostic screening tests. The students engaged in three targeted reading interventions …