Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Visual Supports On The Acquisition Of Guitar Chords, Cole S. Jahna

Thesis Projects

There is a current literature gap in applied behavior analysis (ABA) and music-based leisure activities. This study utilized a multiple-probe design to evaluate the effects of visual supports on the guitar fretboard combined with behavioral skills training (BST) to teach correct strumming and finger placement of three guitar chords (i.e., E, C, and G) to a neurodivergent adult. By using a task analysis, the strum and each individual finger placement were scored as correct or incorrect during each chord trial. Three chords that were under 50% accuracy in baseline were selected for the intervention. The intervention was introduced sequentially to …

Engaging Spiritual Growth Across The Generational Divides Using Cross-Generational Co-Mentorship, David F. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis examined the problem of the tendency for older adults to slow down in spiritual growth. The project instituted relationships between older and younger individuals in a Cross-Generational Co-Mentorship system, which allowed two individuals from different generations to engage in spiritual disciplines in a one-on-one format in a small church context. The purpose of this study was to foster spiritual growth and wellness through individual interactions and to enhance their engagement in various ministry opportunities. The study created intergenerational relationships that fostered spiritual growth in both the older and younger participants. The study engaged various types of literature on …

Intergenerational Apologetics: A Strategy For Careful Confidence, Thomas C. Farley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a subtle confusion between the objectives of evangelism and apologetics, leaving Open Door Baptist Church (ODBC) seniors unknowingly ill-equipped and intimidated to defend their Christian values. The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry research was to address that intimidation by training seniors in a dedicated faith-values curriculum to become confident apologetic communicators. The intervention leveraged the process of intergenerational values-sharing while training stakeholders to develop their own faith narratives by seamlessly integrating biblical values with relevant apologetic particulars into personal stories to be shared with their grandchildren. In this environment, participants could develop a personal faith narrative that …

Innovator - Summer 2024

Innovator

06 - A Message from the President

10 - Time Machine

16 - The Nexus

32 - Our History

38 - Weaving a Legacy of Excellence

40 - Bridging the Gaps

44 - Harnessing the Qualities That Create Healthcare Heroes

48 - Question & Innovate

52 - Alumni Impact

54 - Ram Roundup

58 - Be Kind

62 - Class Notes

68 - In Memory

70 - Trivia

Clergy Prayer Life And Vocational Satisfaction, Zoraida C. Kelly

Great Commission Research Journal

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experience of clergy concerning their prayer life as part of their spiritual renewal and vocational satisfaction. The central research question is “How do clergy describe the relationship between their prayer life, vocational satisfaction, and spiritual renewal?” This study used Michael Gemignani’s (2002) Spiritual Renewal Theory and Super’s (1953) Theory of Vocational Development as lenses. The research design consisted of semi-formal interviews with open-ended questions. The investigation shed light on the lived experience of prayer as part of spiritual renewal and its potential positive effect on vocational satisfaction. This study included five participants who …

Do Not Sit Or Quit: From Marginalized To Mobilized In The Third Stage Of Life: A Theological And Pastoral Response To The Rebirth Of Purpose, Dignity, And Calling Among Aging Believers, Brent M. Nordan

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This project examines how senior citizens can rediscover purpose, productivity, and spiritual vitality in the third stage of life through intentional pastoral engagement and church-based ministry models. The study addresses the growing demographic of aging adults who often face social marginalization and spiritual neglect within local congregations. Using a qualitative research approach, this project incorporates biblical and theological reflection, case study analysis, and ministry fieldwork conducted within an active church context. Grounded in the biblical doctrine of the imago Dei, the research affirms that senior adults retain divine purpose and value regardless of age. Key passages of Scripture form the …

Aging In The Shadows: Szekler Cemeteries And The Case For Recognizing Elderly Populations In Bioarchaeology, Katie M. Mcgrath

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The study of aging in past populations lies at the intersection of bioarchaeology and paleodemography, offering insight into both biological processes and lived social experience. Despite this potential, older adults are often rendered “invisible” in skeletal assemblages due to methodological and cultural biases. This thesis addresses this gap through a rare, community-based study of aging among the Székely population of Transylvania. By integrating osteological analysis of individuals (11th–19th centuries) from the archaeological Papdomb church cemetery with demographic data derived from the modern cemetery headstones (ca.1850–present), this research examines patterns of aging, longevity, and elder visibility across a culturally and spatially …

Daily Coping Strategies, Unmet Needs And Daily Health Outcomes Among Family Caregivers Of Persons Living With Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias, Henrietta Armah Bennett

ETDs from 2020-2029

Providing care for an individual with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) is considered the most stressful type of family caregiving that impacts caregivers’ health. More than one in five ADRD family caregivers report their overall health as poor to fair. These adverse health outcomes are often exacerbated when caregivers’ emotional, informational, and practical needs remain unmet throughout the caregiving trajectory. Numerous studies have shown that the ways in which caregivers cope to caregiving-related stressors significantly shape their health outcomes. Despite this evidence, a clear and consistent understanding of caregivers’ own appraisals of their unmet needs, coping strategies and mental …

Finding Meaning And Value In Old Age, Jane Nell Morgan

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project addressed finding meaning and value in old age. The research conducted explored barriers to achieving meaning and value and how to overcome those obstacles. The research specifically focused on senior adults who reside in a Christian-based assisted living home located in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. In response to this problem, the researcher studied the lives of three older biblical characters, Jacob, the author of Psalm 71, and Anna, and reviewed relevant literature on barriers senior citizens face today. In addition, research included the damaging effects older adults face when they fail to find meaning in their lives and …

An Academic Civilization?, Inbar Gotlib-Rivkin, Uri Cohen

Comparative Civilizations Review

Can institutions of higher education be defined as constituting a civilization that has emerged from modern civilization? This theoretical study defines a new concept of academic civilization and demonstrates how prominent characteristics that define the collective identity of modern civilization are manifested in institutions of higher education. The study focuses on six specific characteristics: expansion, flexibility and diversification, center-periphery relations, academic culture, autonomy and academic freedom, and the monopolization of professional training and the professional middle class. The conceptual analysis presented here provides a significant addition to sociological discourse, offering a refined conceptualization of civilizations. The goal is to expand …

Parental Incarceration As A Root Cause Of Food Insecurity: A Faith-Based Inquiry Into Grandparent-Led Households, Jennifer L. Eckert

Doctor of Leadership

Parental incarceration is often seen solely in terms of crime and punishment, overlooking the profound disruption that can destabilize entire households. Grandparents who step in to raise children are frequently left to bear the burden of the collateral damage with limited or fixed incomes, increasing the risk for food insecurity while facing stigma and emotional strain.

Although incarceration and food insecurity are often treated as separate issues, this project, Standing in the Gap: Exploring Family Stability through Immersive Learning, recognizes their connection, particularly when the circumstances stem from parental incarceration. At the same time, many faith communities remain on …

Aging With Mercy, Thriving In Place, Emma Layne Katzman, Karen Weis, Jennifer Rugletic Washko

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Occupational engagement, spirituality, and quality of life are recognized as important dimensions of aging, however, these factors remain underexplored among older adults residing within faith-based communal living environments. This doctoral capstone experience, Aging with Mercy, Thriving in Place, consisted of two distinct but complementary components: an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved mixed methods research study and a quality improvement initiative. The purpose of the research study was to explore occupational engagement, occupational role transitions, spirituality, identity, and perceived quality of life among older adults residing within a faith-based communal living environment. Quantitative data were collected using the World Health Organization Quality …

Promises Fulfilled: 114-Year-Old Alelia Murphy’S Life Of Faith And Resilience, Jacqueline B. Koonce

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

Alelia Murphy was the oldest living person in the United States, turning 114 in July 2019 until her death in November 2019. She and her family credit her longevity to her faith in God. This premise is explored through her words as she stated she had not seen everyone she needed to see and compared that statement to Simeon from the Bible who did not die until he saw the Messiah. Alelia Murphy also had not seen everything. She was seeing the relative success of her much admired, former President Barack Obama, and she had just met me, her great …

A Biographic-Narrative Of The Masquerade Collections Of Alhassan Mahamudu Saliga: Reechoing The Textile Art Future, Kweku Safo-Ankama, Enock Swanzy-Impraim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study explores the biographical narratives of Alhassan Mahamudu Saliga’s masquerade collections. It examines his innovative textile art practices and their integration into Winneba masquerade culture. An in-depth narrative analysis was employed to interpret and construct his life story, facilitating an understanding of biographical data. The researchers employed interviews, observations, and document reviews as data collection instruments. The interviews focused on four key aspects: design concepts, construction techniques, material selection, and the benefits of using recycled materials. The findings revealed that Alhassan Mahamudu Saliga has been a prominent masquerade costume designer from 1984 to 2025. It was discovered that the …

Gender Differences In Japanese Elderly Learning Motivation, Yesy Tri Cahyani, Kurniawaty Iskandar, I Ketut Surajaya, Kosuke Mizuno, Jumanto Jumanto, Emila Ligia

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Ageing is likely to become a 'gender issue' with a big number of women surviving into very old age in almost all the countries of the world. Japanese women have longer longevity than Japanese men. What is the secret behind the higher lifespan of Japanese women compared to Japanese men? Is it related to their ikigai? In this qualitative approach research, we chose the subjects as elderly men and women who participated in Easy English Conversation Courses in Kitakyushu Nenchousha Daigakkou (Kitakyushu Elder University). We assumed that to participate in Easy English Conversation Courses may change their life and …

From Function To Culture: Exploring Senior-Centered Design Principles In Korean Context, Sujin Song, Miso Kim, Min Ju Kang, Ye In An, Soojin Jun

IASDR Conference Series

South Korea, as the fastest-aging country in the world, occupies a critical position in aging research. Designing for older adults requires a multidimensional understanding; however, existing studies on design principles for aging have tended to adopt functionalist approaches focused primarily on physical and cognitive decline. In response, this study proposes design principles that center on values systems rather than offering directly prescriptive or procedural guidance. Specifically, we introduce culturally responsive principles grounded in Korea’s unique socio cultural context. Drawing on a co-design workshop with Korean older adults and caregivers, our analysis engages narratives through the lenses of Korea’s rapid industrialization, …

A Study On The Current Status Of Technology Application And Learning Models In Senior Citizens' Participation In Ceramic Craft Experience Activities, Tien-Li Chen, Ting-Yu Hsu, Rui Zhu

IASDR Conference Series

Global population aging has brought increasing attention to the quality of later life and physical and mental health. Relevant studies have shown that craft-based art activities can enhance well-being and fine motor skills, and provide older adults with a means of non-verbal communication. In addition, as technology has become integrated into daily life, its impact on elderly learning has also drawn interest. This study aims to explore the actual situations and effects of technology use during older adults’ participation in ceramic craft experience activities, further understanding how elderly learners access learning resources, their level of acceptance toward technological tools, and …

Exploration Of Enhancing Sitting Experience For Residents With Dementia In Uk Care Homes By Emotion-Centred Seating Product Design, Jingnan Bian, Yuanyuan Yin, Shan Wang

IASDR Conference Series

This study investigates the emotional limitations of current seating products in care home common areas and proposes an emotion-centred design framework to enhance the sitting experience of residents with dementia (RwDs). Drawing from a review of relevant literatures, the study identifies four key limitations in existing seating design: 1) a lack of emotional safety and sensory comfort, 2) insufficient support for interpersonal interaction, 3) failure to evoke familiarity and personal memory, and 4) poor integration within communal spaces and care routines. These limitations contribute to distress, social withdrawal, and environmental disconnection among RwDs, undermining their overall well-being. In response, the …

Ageism, Loneliness, And The Built Environment: Shaping Older Women's Play In Public Housing Estates, Yi Izzy Jian, Tian Cheng, Wei Xuan Chen, Ka Him Mo

IASDR Conference Series

Play in later life is more than leisure—it is an act of autonomy, resistance, and identity negotiation, especially for older women navigating marginal ity in public housing. Yet, conventional urban design and social programming often fail to recognize its significance. This study investigates how play is interpreted and practiced by 39 female older adults, using semi-structured interviews and network analysis. Findings indicate that socially-driven, self-organized activities such as chatting and volunteering form the core of meaningful play, while procedural barriers and spatial limitations hinder participation in more structured, passive forms. Ageism, loneliness, and dissatisfaction with the built environment further restrict …

Toward Robot-Driven Elderly Care Home Services And Systems In Hong Kong: An Ecosystem Perspective, Sanqi Yang, Jaehyun Park, Ting Han

IASDR Conference Series

In previous studies, researchers have highlighted the potential of robots and gerontechnologies to address the current caregiver shortage and enhance elderly care home services and systems. Yet most established robot-driven elderly care services and systems often fail to deliver value in actual service environments. Therefore, our study explores design features of robot-driven elderly care home services and systems from a service ecosystem perspective. To address this, we adopted an ecosystem theory incorporating economic, environmental, cultural, and social systems, and conducted multiple field observations in four care homes in Hong Kong. Surprisingly, we found most robot services and systems were overlooked …

Let's Explore Food: Designing Interactions For People With Dementia To Express Food Choices, Rising Lai, Niels Hendriks, Andrea Wilkinson, Sara Laureen Bartels

IASDR Conference Series

This study demonstrates how participatory socio-material design can enable people with dementia (PwD) to articulate food preferences. Grounded in Furst et al.’s (1996) food choice process model, an action research methodology involving thirteen sessions with eight residents in a Flemish dementia care home developed and tested engaging materials across two phases: group interactions to assess material appropriateness and individual sessions to refine facilitation strategies across varying verbal communication capacities. Interactions and materials were evaluated on two interdependent dimensions: socio-material function (how artefacts co-constitute meaning) and validity and feasibility (intention-outcome alignment and interpret ability). Findings yield three design principles: contextual conciseness, …

Enhancing Cooperative Game Experience: A Comparative Study Of Emotion Perception Modalities Through Emojis And Real-Time Video, Yin Lu, Zhang He, He Renke

IASDR Conference Series

Purpose: This study investigates how distinct emotion perception modalities influence player experience in cooperative multiplayer games, aiming to provide actionable insights for emotion-aware Methods: We designed a collaborative pinball game incorporating three experimental conditions: 1) Normal mode (no emotional cues), 2) Emoji mode (real-time emojis reflecting teammates' facial expressions), and 3) Video mode (live facial video stream). Seventy-two participants (grouped in pairs) engaged in all three modes under randomized order. Subjective evaluations (Game Experience Questionnaire and NASA Task Load Index) and objective facial expression data (captured via Py-Feat) were analysed to assess immersion, cognitive load, and emotional states. Results: Emoji …

Beyond Functional Support: Rethinking Ai For Social-Emotional Connectedness In Informal Older Adult Caregiving, Lusi Ruth Wang, Sang-Won Leigh

IASDR Conference Series

As global populations age, informal caregiving by family and community members plays an increasingly vital role in supporting older adults. This paper investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) can foster socio-emotional connectedness among older adults, informal caregivers, and their broader social networks. We conducted a two-phase ethnographic study with older adult–caregiver pairs in their home environments. Phase one employed contextual inquiry to explore social-emotional dynamics, relational boundaries, and caregiving challenges. Phase two used metaphor-driven probes to examine AI’s potential to mediate emotional connectedness and address relational barriers. Our findings reveal a deep yearning among older adults for emotional connectedness, alongside nuanced …

Social Support-Informed Inclusive Design: Research On Assistive System Design For Individuals With Social Anxiety Disorder, Xuefei Lu, Ming Cao

IASDR Conference Series

This research presents an intelligent approach to designing an inclusive social assistance systemy. The study employs a combination of literature analysis, in-depth interviews, and quantitative surveys to explore user needs. First, the KANO model was used to identify three attributes—essential, expected, and delightful—which are mapped onto five dimensions of social support: contextual and subjective, emotional and cultural, tools, information, and evaluation support. Second, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to quantify and rank these needs, thereby leading to the development of a social support system architecture informed by social support theory and generating design strategies. This study proposes a …

Designing Virtual Reality Grocery Shopping Services For Older Adults: An Exploratory Study, Yuanyuan Yin, Xiao Wei, Yimeng Li, Shunyu Yao, Jingnan Bian, Jiangpan Niu, Lian Pan

IASDR Conference Series

This study investigates older adults' perceptions, expectations, and concerns regarding Virtual Reality (VR)-based grocery shopping, with the intention of exploring both barriers and opportunities within virtual retail environments and obtaining design insights towards an age-friendly VR shopping platform. Using a mixed-method approach, that includes VR trials, interviews, observations, and focus groups, this study identifies key opportunities and limitations of VR shopping for aged 65+ customers. Findings suggest several benefits of VR shopping, including enhanced mobility, immersive realism, reduced decision fatigue, and cognitive and sensory engagement. Participants responded positively to intuitive spatial navigation, interactive product handling, and familiar supermarket elements, which …

Lenses On Later Life: Photovoice As A Creative Method For Socially Impactful Design Practice, Yuanyuan Yin, Spela Mocnik, Saddaf Naaz Akhtar, Athina Vlachantoni

IASDR Conference Series

This paper examines the use of photovoice, a participatory visual method, within a qualitative study exploring financial planning and pension engagement among mid-life and older adults from ethnic minority communities in the United Kingdom. Situated at the intersection of social research and design practice, the study invited participants to express their experiences of financial insecurity, ageing and the future through photography and narrative. The paper focuses not only on what was revealed but on how the creative method enabled participant-led storytelling and the translation of research into public and educational design outputs. Two key design outcomes emerged from the process: …

Bridging The Gap: A Youth-Centered Co-Design Inquiry Into Intergenerational Empathy, Luhua Chen, Yuruo Zhang, Rui Qi, Wanlin Zhang, Xueliang Li, Mirna Zordan

IASDR Conference Series

In this paper, we present a co-design workshop exploring challenges and design opportunities for intergenerational empathy building. A 4-hour design workshop was conducted with 23 participants aged between 20 and 41 years old. A range of design activities was conducted to allow young participants to empathize with the elderly, brainstorm existing challenges, and collectively elicit design ideas for intergenerational empathy building. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data collected from the study reports on the perceived challenges and design opportunities by the younger cohorts envisaged from early brainstorming, group discussion, and more refined storyboards. These insights reflect perspectives and attitudes of …

Design Considerations For Ethics Of Care Of Intimate Care Services In Elderly Nursing Homes: Transparency, Boundaries And Discipline, Yunhe Du, Yu Hin Brian Lee, Kin Wai Michael Siu

IASDR Conference Series

Eldercare is one of the wicked problems with social-economic-cultural threefold that is also one of the themes that we designers are eager to respond to, through our design intervention, especially in the era of technical innovations. However, is there something we are missing when exploring the technological development? Thus, questioning the direction of how we designers as outsiders respond to the complexity of eldercare service, the researcher conducted the ethnographic fieldwork with care workers in the local context of Hong Kong. After that, this study identifies the series of conflicts with ethical dimensions embedded in everyday intimate care services and …

Wellbeing-Based Service Design Pattern For Elderly Wellness Tourism In Taiwan's Aging Society, Su-Shin Low, Chia-Han Yang

IASDR Conference Series

This study explores a service design model for elderly wellness tourism in Taiwan through the lens of well-being. Amidst rapid population aging in Asia, particularly in Chinese societies, wellness tourism is gaining relevance for promoting seniors’ physical and mental health. Beyond providing relaxation, such experiences can alleviate chronic conditions and serve as a means for intergenerational bonding and expressions of filial piety. While previous research has examined the link between wellness tourism and well-being, gaps remain in understanding elderly users’ perspectives within specific cultural contexts. To address this gap, the study adopts a well-being framework—integrating both hedonic and eudaimonic dimensions—to …

Exergaming For Older Adults In China: A Systematic Review Of Reviews (2010–2024), Yangyang Pan, Yi Izzy Jian, Yu Liu, Peter Hasdell

IASDR Conference Series

The global demographic shift towards an aging society presents significant challenges to public health and social care systems. Ageing-related physiological decline compromises balance and mobility in older adults, whilst physical inactivity remains prevalent. These challenges demand innovative interventions to maintain independence and quality of life for older individuals. Exergaming, combining physical activity with digital entertainment, has emerged as a promising approach to overcome traditional exercise barriers among older adults. This systematic review of reviews examines research from 2010 to 2024 on exergames' health-promoting effects for older adults in China, focusing on environmental design factors influencing adoption and efficacy, and artificial …