Digital Commons Network^™

Characterizing Negative Academic Experiences, Danae M. Gaytan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

According to the 2024 National College Health Assessment, roughly one in five college students experience serious psychological distress (ACHA, 2024). High levels of psychological distress among college students are well-documented (Emmerton et al., 2024; Eisenberg et al., 2013; Bewick et al., 2010), yet less is known about the specific experiences that contribute to this distress. Grounded in multiple theoretical frameworks, this study examines students’ negative academic experiences, their perceived causes, and associated outcomes. Using an online crowdsourcing platform, current higher education students (N = 215) described their most negative academic experience (NAE) and then answered questions about their reactions and …

Introducing Mindfulness In The First Grade Classroom, Isabel Zuchelli

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Curriculum on mindfulness is often absent for young elementary school children. Without skills in practicing mindfulness, young children may miss out on the benefits of mindfulness and struggle with emotional and behavioral self-regulation. When educators support children with a curriculum that teaches mindfulness, children can increase their focus, enhance impulse control, and improve peer relations as they progress in elementary school. Therefore, I have created a two-day lesson plan that implements activities to teach mindfulness to a first grade classroom at Santa Rosa Academic Academy in Atascadero, California.

Immigration Related Stress As A Social Determinants Of Health Among Immigrants In Santa Cruz County, Jose Manuel Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Immigration related stress is a major public health issue for undocumented immigrants and mixed status families. That is linked towards the social determinants of health associated with mental health, stress, and disparities. This capstone project was implemented at Santa Cruz County Immigration Project, a program within the Community Action Board in Watsonville, California, that provides legal assistance and support towards the community. The purpose of this project was to evaluate & analyze collected data from clients feedback through bilingual surveys & intake forms that were distributed in person, email, text, and QR code. A total of 50 surveys were collected, …

Reducing Vulnerability To Burnout Among Family Caregivers, Stephen J. Alvarado

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Family caregivers experience high levels of burnout and stress, which can negatively affect their well-being and the quality of care they provide. This capstone project was implemented at Health Projects Center in Salinas within the Del Mar Caregiver Resource Center program. Del Mar Caregiver Resource Center serves a diverse community of family caregivers, predominantly Caucasian, Hispanic, and Latino individuals caring for loved ones with a neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer’s or memory impairment. The purpose of this project was to improve caregivers’ knowledge, confidence, awareness, and intention regarding self-care strategies to reduce their vulnerability to burnout related to caregiving. The project …

Early Stem Engagement For Kindergartners, Ashley G. Rocha Rocha

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

There is a lack of age-appropriate exposure to STEM subjects among most children within the same age range; moreover, they don’t have any age-appropriate hands-on exposure, which could lead to learning these subjects. Without this kind of lookout in students, they can potentially lose their interest in learning these things as they enter new years of school every year. These kinds of learning experiences in the early years of education are important as they help students develop skills related to their curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking as it begins expanding, which are essential aspects required for their future developmental phase. …

Developing Empathy And Social Awareness Through Anti-Bullying Education, Alma Garcia-Peralta

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Children in Elementary School have not yet developed effective emotional awareness and social skills. Bullying behavior often occurs when a child cannot clearly express their feelings, does not understand others perspective, and interacts with others in a disrespectful way. Children who have not been taught these skills may have difficulty recognizing how their behavior affects others or responding appropriately in social situations. When children are taught about their emotions and are given opportunities to develop and practice social skills, they are more likely to demonstrate empathy, build positive peer relationships, and reduce the likelihood of engaging in bullying behaviors. To …

Cultivating Connection: A Culturally Responsive Mental Wellbeing Curriculum For Latine Youth In Santa Cruz County, Suzzy Landeros

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Latine adolescents experience high rates of stress, depression, and stigma surrounding mental health, in part due to limited access to culturally responsive support and safe spaces for connection. The purpose of this internship project was to develop and implement a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, mental wellbeing curriculum to address barriers related to stigma, limited culturally responsive support, and disconnection, while supporting emotional awareness, connection, and use of grounding strategies among youth. The project was implemented through United Way Santa Cruz County in partnership with Watsonville High School and Soquel High School and served high school-aged youth. Development of the curriculum included …

Benefits Of Being Bilingual On The Academic Success Of The Spanish-Speaking English Language Learners, Shary Vaca

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Reframing bilingualism as an academic asset rather than a limitation, this senior capstone research project examines how bilingualism supports the academic success of Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs) in early education within California’s diverse and growing Hispanic student population. Using a combination of literature reviews, teacher interviews, and surveys from former English language learners, the findings indicate that bilingualism is one of three key benefits for English language learners: enhancing communication skills, strengthening critical thinking, and increasing language competence. In addition, bilingual students demonstrate a unique ability to collaborate effectively, think flexibly across languages, and transfer linguistic knowledge to support …

Empowering English Language Learners For Academic Success, Tiger L. Rendon

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone explores how future educators in California can best support English Language Learners, who make up a large portion of the student population that strives for academic success. Despite ELL students being common in elementary school classrooms, the strategies that service teachers use are based on their own knowledge and experience, which, although beneficial, can be difficult to adapt in an ever-changing environment. This research was conducted to help future educators understand that, even without resources, many classroom strategies can empower ELL students and promote success. Through a literature review, an anonymous survey, and interviews with seven elementary school …

Reimagining The Canon: A Paired-Text Framework For Student Engagement In Secondary Ela Classrooms, Jannelle Christine Kay Brawner

Masters Projects

Literary engagement correlates to academic success, yet many schools across the nation struggle to engage their scholars meaningfully with traditionally taught canonical literature. The classrooms impacted most by this concern are secondary language arts classrooms. This disengagement can be attributed to a lack of student autonomy in selecting texts, low-interest topics, and an absence of relevance to student identity. As a result, schools are reporting underdeveloped reading comprehension skills, motivation, academic achievement on a variety of classroom and state-mandated assessments, and a sharp decline in critical thinking skills. This project emphasizes the importance of using high-interest paired-text lessons built into …

A Guided Curriculum Approach To Supporting Critical Thinking And Mathematical Readiness In Ib Physics, Samantha Killeen

Masters Projects

The purpose of this project is to address the problem that many students lack the critical thinking and mathematical reasoning skills required to be successful in rigorous STEM courses like IB Physics. While students may perform well in mathematics courses, they often struggle to transfer those skills into physics contexts that require conceptual understanding and problem-solving. These challenges have been intensified by academic tracking in mathematics pathways, post-pandemic learning loss, and increased dependence on technology, which have reduced the opportunities for productive struggle in the classroom. As a result, students frequently enter IB Physics unprepared for the pace and rigor …

International Panther Monthly, May 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of International Engagement.

Office of International Engagement newsletter

Contents:

--- From the Director's Desk
--- Last Month With OIE
--- Student Spotlight
--- UNI's World Window
--- Did You Know?
--- Behind the Scenes
--- Next Month's Activities
--- Additional Opportunities
--- Find Connection at OIE
--- Get Involved

Ai Institute Summer Camp Webinar Summary, Dora Nguyen

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This report summarizes the AI Institute Summer Camp informational webinar hosted by the Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute (PEAAII) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The webinar introduced the structure, curriculum, learning objectives, and student outcomes associated with the 2026 AI Institute Summer Camp. In addition to summarizing the webinar content, this report analyzes participant questions, engagement trends, and areas of audience interest. Findings indicate strong interest in coding accessibility, mentorship opportunities, student outcomes, research experiences, and program flexibility. The report also identifies opportunities for improving future webinar delivery, including expanded eligibility guidance, pre-camp learning resources, enhanced presentation of …

Effects Of Training And Self-Monitoring On Paraeducators' Use Of Behavior Specific Praise, Camille J. Lopez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Paraeducators support students with disabilities in special education classrooms but often receive limited training in effective behavior support strategies. This study examined whether training combined with self-monitoring increased paraeducators’ use of positive, specific praise and reduced the use of reprimands during instruction. Paraeducators were trained to use and track their own praise while working with students. Results showed increased use of positive praise and decreased reprimands following the intervention. These findings suggest that brief, low-cost training and self-monitoring can improve paraeducator instructional practices and support positive classroom environments for students with disabilities.

An Analysis Of The War On Terror In Textbooks, Kason Kendall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study analyzes how the War on Terror is presented in history textbooks used in the United States and Brazil. Textbooks play an important role in shaping how students understand major global events, including wars, national security, and international relations. However, these materials do not simply present facts, they also reflect specific perspectives and priorities.

The purpose of this study is to analyze how key topics related to the War on Terror, such as the justification for the Iraq War, domestic security policies, treatment of prisoners, and public dissent are portrayed in textbooks from other countries. By comparing these narratives, …

Factors Affecting Mathematics Teachers’ Instructional Decision-Making: An Ecological Systems Theory Multiple-Case Study, Camille M. Lund

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Though research on effective mathematics instructional strategies is robust, there remains a gap between research and the instruction that takes place in mathematics classrooms. One such effective instructional practice—mathematical student discourse (MSD)—has been extensively researched, but little research has looked holistically at the ecological factors that interact to influence teacher decision-making for this practice. In this qualitative multiple-case dissertation study using Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory as a theoretical lens, I conducted semi-structured interviews with three elementary teachers who teach mathematics in districts across northern Utah. These interviews utilized the researcher-created Ecological Factors Map to explore how teachers described the …

Technology-Supported Literacy Instruction In Elementary Classrooms (K-5): Perspectives Of Student Teachers In Western Kentucky, Ila B. Shirrell

Honors College Theses

The use of technology in elementary classrooms (kindergarten–fifth grade) has increased significantly with the goal of enhancing instruction. Additionally, educational technology is being used to improve literacy skills, reading recovery, and comprehension. This study examined how technology supports literacy development and instruction in elementary classrooms by drawing upon the perspectives of current student teachers. Student teachers from Murray State University, placed in third through fifth grade classrooms in Western Kentucky, were interviewed. The interviews assessed how technology was used for literacy instruction, including the extent of its effectiveness and potential challenges. Responses were transcribed and analyzed. The themes of evidence-based …

An Autohistoria-Teoría Of A Pasifika Neptantlera, Belinda 'Ofakihevahanoa Fotu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study was an autohistoria-teoría, a type of autoethnography, where I focused on my writing process as a Pasifika researcher creating a middle- grade fiction. As the researcher, my questions delved into how I engage in writing for a majority-culture dominated publication house in a Western-world writing genre while maintaining the cultural significance of the ancient Pasifika mythologies I reproduced and recontextualized in the novel. The research site was my writing process, and the data gathered came from the variety of ways I navigated cultural stimuli specific to writing the novel. The outcome engaged with the specific way Pasifika (and …

A New Approach To Generate Combinatorial Patterns In Logical Analysis Of Data And Its Application To Predict College Retention, Salihah Ahmed E. Jaafari

Theses and Dissertations

Student retention and degree completion remain central challenges for higher-education institutions, with significant implications for student success, institutional effectiveness, and public accountability. While advances in predictive analytics have enabled earlier identification of students at risk of withdrawal, many commonly used machine learning approaches suffer from limited interpretability, constraining their practical usefulness for advising, intervention, and policy decision making. This dissertation addresses the problem of predicting student persistence by developing and evaluating optimization based, interpretable classification models within the Logical Analysis of Data (LAD) framework. Building on existing LAD formulations, this research introduces two novel pattern generation models, the Best Term …

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, …

Mita Y Mita: Bilingualism Beyond Identity Borders, Belén S. Yudess

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

“Mita Mita” asks audiences to reflect on the often discordant nature of identity development and how language, culture, and community impact this understanding. This piece is inspired by Gloria Anzaldua’s creation of the “mita y mita” framework in relation to border identity and politics theory as a way to conceptualize the doubling of identity that occurs between binaries. Through this lens, I attempt to dismantle the borders I have constructed around my identities by analyzing how reclaiming my name has begun to mend my sociocultural insecurities. As you engage with this material, I encourage you to let down your guard …

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 …

It’S Been A Great Career: Legendary Labor Attorney Reflects On 50 Years Of Change In Academic Collective Bargaining, Karen Stubaus

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

Nick DiGiovanni, legendary labor and employment attorney, reflected on over 50 years of academic labor relations and collective bargaining work in a recent conversation with Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy Co-Editor Karen Stubaus, as he prepared to retire from Morgan, Brown & Joy. Nick’s son and colleague Damien DiGiovanni, also a partner at the firm, joined in the conversation to bring his perspective to some of the issues currently confronting the field.

Strategies In Bargaining Faculty Retrenchment Provisions: Insights From Cases Of Implementing Contract Language, Gary Rhoades

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

In this article on faculty (and professional staff) retrenchment, based on my recent national analysis of 506 collective bargaining agreements, I delineate four strategies to negotiating the topic found in contract provisions (with more than one strategy often found in the same contract). The strategies are: Procedural (focused on due process); consultative (addressing employee involvement in deliberations); conditional (defining pre-conditions of retrenchment); and re-alignment (speaking to reversing the decades-long relative disinvestment in academic and student facing professional staff). In exploring four cases of institutions—two community colleges and two universities—experiencing retrenchment, I consider how the contract provisions have played out in …

Novel Strategies To Optimize Individual Performance On The In-Service Training Exam: A Case Series, Julie Zemaitis Decesare, Christina Deangelis, Ana I. Decesare, Elizabeth Teets

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Obstetrics and gynecology residents in the United States take the Council on Residency Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology (CREOG) in-service training exam on an annual basis. Performance on the exam is essential to assess any deficits in a resident’s knowledge as well as to evaluate the probability of passing the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) qualifying board exam. Given the substantial number of residents who experience performance issues during the exam, residency programs and individual learners benefit from the development of personalized learning plans to ensure trainee success. Test-taking anxiety is a big part of these performance …

Lost In The Fine Print: A Phenomenological Inquiry Of Adhd, Student Loans, And Scarcity, Gaurav R. Sinha, Lakshya Kadiyan, Leon Banks, Kannappa V. Shetty

Journal of Student Financial Aid

The primary objective of this phenomenological study was to explore the cognitive and affective challenges faced by individuals experiencing ADHD and their student loans, particularly through the lens of “scarcity theory”. We analyzed 250 posts (~86 pages/67,000 words) from an online community on Reddit, where individuals experiencing ADHD shared experiences related to student debt. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes in these posts. Four key themes emerged: (1) ADHD and baseline mental bandwidth, highlighting preexisting executive functioning challenges that limit cognitive and affective capacity; (2) demands of student loan debt, which intensify stress through complex repayment systems and …

Exploring Interventions And Policies To Boost Financial Aid Application Completion Rates: An Integrative Review, Stephanie M. Haines

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid can be a significant hurdle for students who want to attain a college degree. This integrative literature review synthesizes recent studies that explore interventions and policies that seek to increase financial aid application completion rates and related student outcomes. A thematic analysis suggests that interventions can be successful at the individual level, especially for students with marginalized identities, under certain conditions; however, policy shifts are necessary for structural change. Limitations and suggestions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.

Some Promises Are Worth More Than Others: How “Free Community College” Programs Impact Postsecondary Participation, Destinations, And Degree Completion, David Monaghan, Elizabeth Hawke

Journal of Student Financial Aid

“Free college” programs are widespread in American higher education.  They are discussed as addressing college access, affordability, inequality, and skills shortages.  Many are last-dollar tuition guarantees restricted to use at single community colleges.  Using student-level data spanning the transition to college, we investigate how two similar local community college tuition guarantees in Pennsylvania affected college-going outcomes.  We estimate that the Morgan Success Scholarship has large impacts on any college enrollment, community college attendance and associate degree attainment, but also diverts students from four-year colleges and reduces bachelor’s attainment. Meanwhile, we find scant evidence that the Community College of Philadelphia’s 50 …

A Practical Guide For Teaching With Generative Ai In Sport Management, Geoffre Sherman, David Pierce

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping how sport management educators design assignments, evaluate student work, and develop professional competencies. This article presents a practical pedagogical framework that integrates GenAI tools within the Design Council's Double Diamond process—Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver—to scaffold student thinking across project-based courses. Rather than positioning GenAI as a replacement for student reasoning, the model treats it as a collaborator in roles such as a research assistant, clarifier, creative teammate, and editor. Fluency in prompt engineering is developed progressively through structured exercises that emphasize verification, iteration, and critical evaluation of model outputs. Two complementary assessments—the Prompt …

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.