Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Dei-Related Course Syllabi To Assess A College Library Collection: A Case Study, Amy P. Eklund, Joye Cauthen, Andres Cardona

Georgia Library Quarterly

This library collection development project identified courses in the college curriculum that had diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)-related components and analyzed those courses' syllabi. The results of the project led to the addition of books to the collection that aligned with the library’s collection development policy and funding parameters. Other important outcomes included enhancements to catalog records and strengthened relationships with faculty. This strategy can be replicated to target other areas of study and help continuously develop a library collection.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Food Access, Housing, Religious Community, And Health Care Access Reflection, Celene Philip, Michaela Kizy, Haley Montgomery, Akash Dantuluri, Josh Hailo, Abdel Kareem Hilo, Shadi Charara, Sarah Schenck

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Show And Tell: Integrating The Arts Into Transdisciplinary Public Health And Community Organizing Education, Bree L. Hemingway, Margaret Hawkins

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This field note examines the integration of arts-based pedagogy into a transdisciplinary graduate course that brings together students from public health, medicine, the social sciences, humanities, education, technology, and the arts. Central to the course is the Show and Tell assignment, in which students select and present a work of art connected to a social movement. Over three years and 42 student submissions, this assignment has served as an accessible entry point for exploring how artistic expression shapes activism, fosters community, and deepens understanding of justice-oriented work. Through an inductive content analysis of student-selected artworks and presentations, five major thematic …

Fiesta De Día De Muertos: Integrating Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, And Cultural Heritage In An Elementary School Celebration, Mayra Urbina, Linda Judith Palafox

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This field note documents a transdisciplinary Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) festival organized at Colegio México, an elementary school, in La colonia El Tapatío, San Pedro Tlaquepaque, Guadalajara, Mexico. The event integrated visual arts through decorative tomb-building and altar construction, literary arts through student-authored calaveritas literarias, and performing arts through dance choreography and theatrical performance, all in connection with social studies content on Mexican cultural heritage. Approximately 30 students across grades 1–6 (ages 6–12) participated as performers, writers, and artists, while parents and community members also actively contributed, including through participation in a theatrical skit, …

The Team In Steam: Integrating Disciplinary Practices Into Project-Based Experiences, Margaret L. Borden, Meghan Raftery, David Reese, Michelle Richter

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on integrating science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) education into the curriculum to enhance student engagement and prepare them for success in an evolving global society. Project-Based Learning (PBL) has emerged as a powerful pedagogical approach to address these goals, offering opportunities for rigorous, collaborative, and authentic learning experiences. Drawing from literature and practical examples, the article discusses the implementation of PBL in STEAM curriculum development, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world connections. Additionally, the article provides insights into the GRASP framework as a tool for infusing …

Icare Compassionately: An Innovative Approach To Improving Nursing Education, Lori M. Brodie

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Historically, compassionate care has been briefly introduced in nursing education, without a sustained focus throughout nursing programs. Compassionate care models define the essential qualities needed to deliver meaningful care. Many of the traditional compassionate care models rely on high-level concepts that can be difficult to operationalize in academia. Further, current compassionate care models are typically limited to specific settings and are taught separately from other parts of the nursing curriculum. To address these concerns, a single purpose nursing college created and implemented the iCare Compassionately Model, which emphasizes both measurable behaviors and concepts related to compassion. As a result of …

Establishing Nurse Innovator Competencies: A Collaborative Initiative, Lori M. Brodie, Susan B. Patton, Dara Lanman, Ismail Dilek, Noah R. Zanville, Tracy A. Ortelli

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Rapid advancements in augmented and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping health care, necessitating a strategic approach to integrating innovation into nursing education and practice. This article details a collaborative initiative between academic and practice partners aimed at the initial steps towards establishing the required knowledge, skills, and abilities for nurses to lead change through the creation of Nurse Innovator Competencies.

Methods

After an extensive review of literature, the team identified the absence of established Nurse Innovator Competencies. Through a collaborative and iterative process involving subject matter experts (SMEs) in both innovation and academia, key domains for the competencies, including …

Ai- Ready Assignments: Using Infographics To Translate Pedagogy Into, Kim Nehls

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

I developed an AI teaching infographic assignment in a doctoral-level Seminar in College Teaching (EDH 780) that requires students to design their own original course assignment for any course that meaningfully integrates AI, and then they communicate the assignment visually through an infographic.

Catalyzing Learner-Centered Ecosystems In Pennsylvania For A Future Of Human Thriving, Danielle S. Shylit

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

School-centric education has failed to produce equitable outcomes for Pennsylvania's learners. Declining student engagement, widening opportunity gaps, and the demoralization of educators and leaders escalate an urgent need to shift systems, mindsets, and praxis from a school-centric to a learner-centric paradigm. This action research dissertation elevates what is learned at individual, group, and system levels through disciplined inquiry with aligned district public education leaders in Pennsylvania willing to co-create learner-centered ecosystems with community stakeholders for a future of human thriving. Grounded in Education Reimagined's definition of Learner-Centered Ecosystems, and the theoretical frameworks of Bryk et al.'s Networked Improvement Communities and …

Digital Toolkit: Making Room For Partnership In Information Literacy Instruction, Samantha Legrand, Rachel Fundator

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This digital toolkit provides reflective and practical exercises, examples, and resources to explore how Students as Partners (SaP) pedagogy (Cook-Sather et al., 2014) can transform information literacy (IL) instruction. The toolkit was designed to accompany a workshop presented at LOEX 2026, but can be implemented independently, as well. This approach to IL pedagogy draws on a conceptual model integrating SaP with the Framework for Information Literacy (LeGrand, 2025). The toolkit guides the reader through practical design exercises to engage students’ knowledge and goals within the Frames. Reimagine instruction with asset-based, relational language and design learning for …

Culturally Responsive Tent: An Architectural Journey, Marcos Amado Petroli, Elmira Ebadi

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Culturally responsive teaching in architecture encourages students to connect design thinking with identity, culture, and lived experience. This studio assignment introduced the tent as an archetypal architectural form and weaving as a generative tectonic strategy, allowing students to explore how lightweight structures can respond to social needs, cultural narratives, and material expression.

Using “Ticket Out” To Create A Continuous Feedback Loop For Student Learning, Jacob D. Skousen

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

This presentation highlights the use of a brief end-of-class “Ticket Out” to create a continuous feedback loop for student learning. Students reflect on learning targets and provide feedback on the class experience, which is then analyzed and used to guide instructor response, follow-up communication, and instructional adjustments. The practice supports reflective teaching, student voice, and timely, responsive instruction.

Preparing Dental Students To Lead Teledentistry Programs Addressing Oral Health Inequities: An Evidence-Informed Teaching Practice Grounded In Multi-Theory Model (Mtm) & Social Cognitive Theory (Sct), Asma Awan, Christina Demopoulos, Manoj Sharma

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The rapid expansion of telehealth and teledentistry demands dental professionals proficient in remote care delivery, digital communication, and community-based service models. This practice prepares students to lead and implement teledentistry programs addressing oral health inequities among underserved and rural populations in Nevada and beyond

Predicting Middle School Students’ Attitude Towards Mathematics By Race And Biological Sex After Participating In Open Up Resources Mathematics Curriculum: A Quantitative Study, Sharonna Laquenette Howell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative predictive correlational design study was to examine how well race/ethnicity and biological sex predict students’ attitudes toward mathematics among middle school students following participation in the Open Up Resources mathematics curriculum. By conducting this study, the researchers filled a gap in the literature by determining whether the use of the Open Up Resources mathematics curriculum, race, and biological sex predicted students' attitudes toward mathematics. Research on the impact of K-12 Open Education Resources curricula on students’ attitudes toward mathematics was lacking. Participants in this study included middle school students in a North Carolina school district. …

Teacher Candidates’ Reflective Practices Of Mathematics Curriculum From The Lens Of Universal Design For Learning, Weichen Zhao

Journal of Practitioner Research

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework encourages educators to proactively remove barriers in curriculum and instruction to increase accessibility for all learners. While UDL is often applied during lesson planning, it can also serve as a powerful tool for critically examining and revising existing mathematics curricula. Drawing on qualitative data from teacher candidates’ reflective journals and curriculum artifacts collected over two semesters, this study examines how guided reflection supported teacher candidates in identifying barriers, proposing inclusive adaptations, and deepening their understanding of equity-oriented mathematics instructional design. As a self-study grounded in participatory action research, the findings also informed the …

Providing Individualized Support For Students With Adhd, Jeremy Scott Clymer

Masters Projects

Many general education teachers lack sufficient skills to successfully serve students with special needs. This project aims to provide professional development materials for pre-service and in-service educators which will provide them with information to help them achieve better outcomes for students with ADHD. Based on existing research about how ADHD can affect students differently and how to best account for those learning differences, the project provides background information about the different subtypes of ADHD, best practices for curriculum design, common accommodations for students with ADHD, and types of interventions that can help students with ADHD succeed. It includes a slide …

Interpreting Mandates Through A Bilingual Lens: Dual Language Immersion Teachers’ Experiences With Georgia’S Structured Literacy Law: A Mixed Methods Study Of Policy Implementation In Georgia Dual Language Programs, Grethel Pedroarena

Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.) Dissertations

This qualitative-dominant mixed methods study investigates how Georgia’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) teachers interpret and implement state literacy mandates, specifically House Bill 307 (HB 307). The research addresses a critical gap in policy-to-practice understanding, as current structured literacy requirements are primarily grounded in monolingual English frameworks that often overlook the instructional realities of bilingual classrooms. The study is theoretically anchored in Translanguaging Pedagogy, Sociocultural Theory, and Teacher Agency Theory.

Data were collected through a statewide survey of 38 DLI teachers and five in-depth phenomenological interviews. Findings reveal that teachers’ interpretations of the mandate are shaped less by the legislative text …

Exploring The Dual Advising System For Students’ Success: A Developmental Advising Model, Louisa Godwyll, Eugene Kwarteng-Nantwi, Pious Jojo Adu-Akoh

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

This qualitative study explored the dual advising system for student success at a U.S. higher education institution. Research has indicated that approximately 40–60% of students enrolled in doctoral programs do not complete their doctoral degrees. High attrition rates have led some institutions to adopt a dual advising system, a form of developmental advising, to support doctoral students’ success. Creamer and Creamer’s (1994) developmental advising model served as the conceptual framework of the study. The model defines the first stage of advising as defining task, where advisors engage in teaching and utilize strategies to help students attain educational, career, and individual …

Didactic Aspects Of Education Of Primary Teachers With A Focus On Strengthening Their Media Literacy And Fighting Disinformation. Experience From The Czech Republic, Kamil Kopecký, Veronika Krejčí

Journal of Media Literacy Education

The paper describes specific experiences with educational activities aimed at strengthening media literacy in the field of combating disinformation among primary and secondary school teachers, which were implemented in 2022-2023 through the Central European Digital Media Observatory. A total of 3633 primary and secondary school teachers from all over the Czech Republic participated in the education and evaluated the educational events. The article presents examples of specific educational activities oriented to the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes of students through teaching in primary or secondary school.

Leveraging Critical Social Media Literacy To Safeguard Youth Against Violent Radicalization And Extremism, Muhammad Akram, Adeela Arshad-Ayaz, Muhammad Ayaz Naseem

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Social media is inundated with radical and extreme propaganda. Such information is often left unfiltered due to platform algorithms that are economically driven and socially unethical in design. It puts social media users, mostly youth, in danger of becoming radicalized and vulnerable to supporting and engaging with extremist beliefs. When young people lack sufficient critical social media literacy (CSML), radical and extremist information impacts their perspectives, affecting behavior in the real world. A PRISMA-guided systematic review of the Web of Science core collections and the Scopus database was used to find peer-reviewed articles about how CSML skills can be used …

From Consumers To Creators: Social Media Information Literacy Of University Students., Thuy Thanh Bui, Quyen Trang Mai Nguyen, Tu Thi Thanh Nguyen, Minh Cao Luu

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Social Media Information Literacy (SMIL) is increasingly important as social media platforms evolve. SMIL includes skills for navigating, evaluating, managing, creating, and engaging with social media content, aimed at effective information use and critical thinking. Using Heiss, Nanz and Matthes (2023) framework, this study surveyed 410 students via a self-assessment on a 5-point Likert scale. Results indicate students rated their SMIL as average, with the highest scores in appraisal and comprehension, and the lowest in digital creation. Female and senior students, as well as those in Education majors, rated themselves higher. Longer internet usage correlated with better SMIL, especially in …

From Y To Z: A Cross-Generational Examination Of New Media Literacy And Online Information Searching Strategy, Taibe Kulaksız, Ali Geriş, Sena Özşirin

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study aims to explore the relationship between new media literacy (NML) and online information searching strategy (OISS), focusing on the comparative analysis of Generation Y and Z in terms of gender, educational level, daily internet usage and the most used social media platforms. This research was designed as a cross-sectional survey study. Using a convenience sample method, the participants were composed of Turkish adults representing Generation Y and Z. Demographic Information Form, New Media Literacy Scale, and Online Information Searching Strategy Inventory were conducted. Two-way MANOVA was utilized for analysis. The results indicate the main effects of generation on …

Teacher Reflections On Media And Information Literacy In Vietnamese K-12 Schools: Current Practices, Challenges, And Pathways For Improvement, Tinh T.T Le, Minh Tran, Anh Dương, Huong T. Pham, Vy Tran, Daniel Jackson

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Media and Information Literacy (MIL) education is widely recognized as essential, yet its adoption in Vietnamese K-12 schools is still at the early stages. This study examines the current state of MIL education in Vietnam from the perspective of teachers. Drawing on insights from a trial online MIL teacher training program, which includes teachers’ learning journals, lesson plans, and an open survey using SWOT forms, we explore the approaches they use, the challenges they face, and the opportunities in promoting MIL education in their school setting. Additionally, the findings highlight specific professional development needs to enhance teachers’ MIL instruction quality. …

The Creative Participation Pedagogical Approach To Media Literacy Education, Amanda Levido

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Approaches to media literacy education have developed over time in response to cultural understandings and the development of new media digital technologies. One approach that extends on current Media Arts approaches to media literacy is the Creative Participation approach. Underpinning this approach is an emphasis on how young people work together to make meaning through the process of production. The Creative Participation approach draws on the theory of Communities of Practice (Wenger, 1998) and the concept of participatory culture (Jenkins, 2006) to support the assertion that young people, through shared practices, the generation of meaning through media artworks, and through …

Productive Disruptions: An Equityoriented Framework For Civic Media Literacy In The Digital Era, Carlos Jimenez, Lynn Schofield Clark, Johnny Ramirez

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This article introduces Productive Disruptions as a framework for civic media literacy that centers equity and social justice. Past scholarship has emphasized understanding media content and gaining competence in media production. To center equity as a structural concern beyond individual behaviors, we argue for media literacy interventions that support disrupting racism in content, production, and digital media distribution systems themselves. Drawing on an ethnographic case study with young people experiencing marginalization, we examine how youth productively disrupted instances of systemic racism via TikTok and Instagram. We identify three distinct modes of intervention: creating counter-narratives that disrupt racist discourses, subverting adult-led …

Don’T Tell Me How To Fact-Check; Show Me, And Let Me Try! A Media Literacy Intervention With Sixth-Graders, Thomas Nygren, Carl-Anton Werner Axelsson

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study examines how different educational approaches related to "Fria Ordets Dag" (Free Speech Day), a media literacy program by the Swedish public service, affect the ability of 859 sixth-graders to evaluate news and misinformation. Findings indicate that verbal instructions from a professional fact-checker and animations to model online fact-checking were less effective than demonstrative, authentic video tutorials. Feedback and practice were also important. The intervention yielded mixed outcomes on students’ attitudes towards credible news sources, pointing to the necessity for educational designs that bolster fact-checking and source trust. The research emphasizes how large-scale school interventions to promote students’ navigation …

Promoting News Literacy With Epistemological Beliefs, Ifla Checklist And Ai: Insights From A Teacher Training Program In Italy, Flavio Manganello

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study examines the integration of epistemological beliefs, the IFLA checklist for evaluating news credibility, and the News Verifier, an AI tool powered by GPT-4, within a teacher training program aimed at enhancing news literacy. It explores the relationship between educators’ epistemological profiles and their ability to classify news using the IFLA checklist. The study also evaluates alignment between human classifications and those generated by the News Verifier, examining the potential of AI as a complementary resource for supporting practice and reflection in news literacy education. Results indicate that consistent application of the checklist improves alignment with AI outputs, although …

Student Perspectives On Grading In Higher Education Stem Courses, Christopher Sean Burns, Daniela D.S. Digiacomo, Jennifer Pusateri, Katherine Ritchie, Christine Wusylko

Information Science Faculty Publications

Purpose

Despite a growing awareness of instructional practices that support student learning and well-being, higher education classrooms tend to still be dominated by the use of rigid approaches to assessment and course design. This study aims to understand the experiences of students in courses that implement a universal design for learning (UDL) pedagogical approach and an ungrading assessment approach. Design/methodology/approach

Leveraging a qualitative methodological approach, authors interviewed 13 graduate students in two library and information science technology courses and 11 undergraduate students in a computer science course in discrete mathematics about their experiences with ungrading within the context of UDL-designed …

Implementing A Nutrition Screening, Education, And Risk Reduction Framework In Optometric Care To Prevent Diabetic Retinopathy In Adults With T2dm, Juliana M. Varanelli

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of preventable vision loss among adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), driven largely by chronic hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Despite strong evidence supporting the role of nutrition in modifying these risk factors, nutrition screening and counseling are not routinely integrated into optometric care. This project aimed to develop a practical, evidence-based framework to incorporate nutrition screening, patient education, and referral pathways into comprehensive optometric practice to support prevention and reduce the onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy.

This project involved a literature review of peer-reviewed research and clinical guidelines related to …

Navigating Feedback In Collaborative Writing: The Impact Of Student Backgrounds And Expectations On Transitions To New Academic And Social Spaces, Lindsey Gruber, María Fernández–Agüero

Journal of Response to Writing

This article examines how international students navigate feedback from a supervisor while working on a group writing project in a diverse English medium of instruction (EMI) bachelor’s program at a public university in Denmark, where no formalized writing or language support resources are offered in the students’ first year of instruction. Data were collected in qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 11 students who were identified through a survey of a first-year bachelor of arts cohort. Results from the survey showed that despite using a supervision model of education, few students perceived changes in feedback compared to their secondary school experiences, and …