Digital Commons Network^™

From Courseroom To Competency: Are Ai-Reliant Graduates Truly Prepared?, Rebecca J. Armstrong, David Hart Jr

FDLA Journal

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a form of technology that has become a significant component in all our lives, especially those of students and instructors. AI serves as an automated, robotic entity that simulates human learning; it is able to rely on basic input to generate outlines and ideas for papers meant to satisfy any academic requirement and is seen as a helpful addition to the modern classroom. However, instead of relying on AI to enhance critical analysis and ethical reasoning, this artificial language model is frequently used to complete entire academic projects with little input on the part of the …

Implications For Digital Leadership In Higher Education In The Dominican Republic / A Bibliometric Approach, Pedro J. Tavarez-Dacosta Dr.

FDLA Journal

Abstract This work involves the use of bibliometric techniques to evaluate the metadata of the literature on digital leadership published during the last decade (2015-2025), with documents relevant to the analysis from our campus, the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, and specifically from the School of Languages, our area of teaching and research activity. A research database on digital leadership in higher education in the field of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) was established, both in the Dominican Republic and in other countries. Bibliometric techniques allow us to summarize descriptive trends, uncover underlying intellectual and academic structures, and identify …

Addressing The Absence Of Formal Curriculum In Dual Language Immersion Program, Janet Roque

FDLA Journal

This strategic research project (SRP) was designed to provide a comprehensive, actionable solution to the critical challenge of inconsistent instruction resulting from the absence of a formal, aligned curriculum within the district’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program. This gap had previously led to instructional variability, disparate student outcomes, and increased teacher frustration due to a lack of shared resources and pedagogical direction. The project’s central objective was to develop, implement, and evaluate a vertically and horizontally aligned DLI curriculum framework designed to ensure instructional fidelity, promote sustained academic achievement, and guarantee equitable opportunities for biliteracy development across all participating grade …

Implications For Digital Leadership In Higher Education In The Dominican Republic / A Bibliometric Approach, Pedro J. Tavarez-Dacosta Dr.

FDLA Journal

Abstract This work involves the use of bibliometric techniques to evaluate the metadata of the literature on digital leadership published during the last decade (2015-2025), with documents relevant to the analysis from our campus, the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, and specifically from the School of Languages, our area of teaching and research activity. A research database on digital leadership in higher education in the field of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) was established, both in the Dominican Republic and in other countries. Bibliometric techniques allow us to summarize descriptive trends, uncover underlying intellectual and academic structures, and identify …

A Strategic Perspective Examining The Misconceptions Surrounding Alternative Certification Programs, Sacorya Ferguson

FDLA Journal

This strategic research project was designed to provide insight into the misconceptions associated with alternative certification programs. The researcher investigates specific problems within an organization or other setting. Within this organization, the researcher holds many roles, including ELAR teacher, ESL teacher, and LPAC chair. George Washington Carver 6th Grade STEM Learning Center is a transitional campus in Lancaster, Texas with two consecutive years of low performance on state exams, placing the organization at risk of state intervention. A SWOT analysis of the organization analyzed the internal and external factors affecting the organization. Upon completion of the SWOT analysis, the problem …

How Texas Early Childhood Teachers Collaborate To Support Students With Disabilities, Anna Weathers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was it was not known how Texas early childhood special education (EGSE) teachers and early childhood general education (ECGE) teachers use collaboration to identify, place, and support students with disabilities (SWDs). Framed by Colby’s collaboration theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of Texas ECSE and ECGE teachers when collaborating regarding identification, placement, and support for SWDs. Data were collected in semstructured interviews with 11 ECSE and 11 ECGE teachers who taught in Texas early childhood settings. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis with open coding, leading to …

Multimodal Digital Libraries: A Response To Culturally And Linguistically Sustaining Classrooms, Abigail Lopez

Masters Projects

Poorly represented minority groups fail to connect reader identity backgrounds

with the characters in texts due to curriculum traditionally relying on English dominant

translations. This system challenge deficit fails students by placing limitations on the

exposure of rich vocabulary, cultural awareness and sets up lack of engagement. This

project is grounded in Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Pedagogy, Sociocultural

Theory, Constructing Reader Identities and Engagement theories that transforms

student diversity into an instructional practice that empowers multilingual learners.

To empower students, this digital culturally relevant library optimizes educator

planning time. This digital library provides immediate access to multicultural books

alongside a …

Mitigation Of The Seductive Details Effect In Children, Allison S. Dobuler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The present thesis examines if interspersing guiding questions between sections of an expository text can mitigate the seductive details effect, in which the addition of interesting but tangentially related information to the base text may hinder the ability to learn the essential material, for typically developing children. Participants were given two passages to read, one with seductive details and one without. They either had no guiding questions for both passages or guiding questions interspersed between the text of both passages. They were given retention and comprehension assessments for both passages. While the guiding questions did not mitigate the seductive details …

Measuring The Empathy Of Nutrition And Dietetics Students With The Jefferson Scale Of Empathy – Health Professions Student Version: A Pilot Study, Sara Tamsukhin, Youn Seon Lim

Journal of Dietetic Education

The purpose of this study was to learn about undergraduate nutrition and dietetics students’ empathy scores. The study was a descriptive quantitative design with a web-based, cross-sectional survey. Participants were undergraduate nutrition and dietetics students from two universities who completed a survey with demographic questions, clinical experience questions, and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Health Professions Student version (JSE-HPS©). Seventy-one nutrition and dietetics students completed the survey. Most respondents were female, white, and non-Hispanic. The mean total empathy score was 114.69 (SD=11.09) with a range of 81 to 137. Welch’s t-test did not show significant differences by gender, ethnicity, …

Assessing And Addressing Cultural Competence And Cultural Humility In Dietetic Education, Zoe Duran, Nicholas Slagel, Lisa Caldwell, Katie Kage

Journal of Dietetic Education

Limited theory-informed, dietetic-specific resources are available to guide the development, evaluation, and refinement of culturally competent (CC) curricula. This pilot study used a mixed-methods, theory-informed approach to evaluate CC integration within an undergraduate dietetics curriculum and examine the applicability of existing CC self-assessment tools for dietetic students. A senior-level undergraduate community nutrition curriculum was evaluated using the Tool for Assessing Cultural Competence Training (TACCT), guided by the Campinha-Bacote Model of Cultural Competence in Healthcare Delivery. James Banks’ Model of Multicultural Curriculum Reform was then applied to refine curricular content and learning activities. In addition, 74 students enrolled in a didactic …

Cross-Curricular Project-Based Learning As An Answer To Disengagement In Middle School Students, Jessica Blauwkamp

Masters Projects

Students are often disengaged with traditional classroom teaching practices and experience decreased academic and social emotional outcomes at school as a result. This project offers a solution to student disengagement at the middle school level by providing teachers tools to build cross-curricular project-based learning units that follow standards set by the state of Michigan while also giving students the opportunity to learn in more authentic ways. Authenticity, voice and choice, and collaboration are the cornerstones of the cross-curricular project-based learning model designed in this project. In addition to the tools provided to help teachers build their own project-based learning units, …

From Curriculum To Career: A Grounded Theory Of Ai-Driven Employability In Higher Education, Sandra Baroudi, Christina Davison, Maryam Juma

All Works

This study examines how undergraduate students navigate employability within an AI-driven labor market, highlighting the role of digital social capital, personal branding, and multicultural identity management in a rapidly modernizing, culturally diverse setting. Employing a constructivist grounded theory approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 undergraduates across STEM and humanities disciplines. Data were coded iteratively using constant comparative methods until theoretical saturation. Five major categories emerged: experiential learning, professional networking, digital self-promotion, cultural identity tensions, and technological adaptability. The study proposes an ‘AI-Driven Employability Framework’ that integrates Human, Social, and Cultural Capital theories and develops two context-specific extensions: digital social …

Rethinking Teacher Education Programs: (Mis)Understanding Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Among Teacher Candidates, Shirley M. Sommers

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article draws from a study conducted on pre-service teachers enrolled in a teacher education program. The study examines students’ understanding and misunderstanding of what constitutes culturally responsive teaching. This is a mixed methods study. A Likert-type survey and qualitative questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze survey data, and a thematic coding method was used for analysis of qualitative data. The results of the study show that pre-service teachers are aware and knowledgeable of the term culturally responsive teaching as the term is widely used in the teacher education program in which they were …

Parks Coble, Jr., Unl History; Chinese Nationalists & Business, Chinese-Japanese Relations, Mark A. Griep, Parks M. Coble Jr.

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Dr. Parks Coble, Jr. was awarded the ORCA in 2005. He was born in Waterloo, South Carolina in 1946 but he grew up in Columbia. He earned his bachelor’s in history at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Next, he traveled 740 miles northwest to earn his doctorate at the University of Illinois in Champaign. In 1976, he became an assistant professor of history at the University of Nebraska, where he quickly rose through the ranks. His early work focused on the relationship between Chinese business elites and leaders of the Chinese National Government movement during a very interesting …

Evaluating Gender Equity In The Berenstain Bears Picture Books, Christy Tisnawijaya, Geni Kurniati

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

Picture books serve as a foundational medium in early childhood education, utilizing interrelated visual and verbal elements to foster linguistic, cognitive, and social development. Despite their pedagogical utility, certain literary works inadvertently perpetuate traditional gender roles, constraining children's conceptualizations of identity. This study evaluates gender representation within eleven selected titles of The Berenstain Bears series. Employing a qualitative multimodal content analysis, the study integrates Butler's gender performativity framework (1990), Callow's multimodal narrative approach (2020), and Adam and Harper's evaluative criteria (2021) to examine how domestic, social, and recreational roles are constructed. This study offers novelty by establishing a dual-lens multimodal …

Eksplorasi Pemanfaatan Aplikasi Miraa Berbasis Transkripsi Ai Dalam Pembelajaran Menyimak Bahasa Mandarin, Dewi Permatasari Mulyono, Aiga Ventivani, Iwa Sobara, Aisyah Yasmin, Aulia Miftahul Jannah, Keiza Jasmine Aprilanadja

Journal of Language, Literature, and Arts

This study explores the use of Miraa, an AI-based transcription application, in Mandarin listening instruction and students’ responses to its use in a Chinese Comprehensive 2 course. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed involving 21 students from the Mandarin Language Education Program at Universitas Negeri Malang. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with 10 purposively selected students, documentation, and exercise scores as supporting data. The data were analyzed through data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification, supported by source and technique triangulation. The findings indicate that Miraa was used as multimodal scaffolding by integrating audio, automatic …

Preparing Inclusive Educators: The Impact Of Fieldwork Experience On Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge, Skills, And Confidence In Working With Students With Disabilities, Adrian Jung

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This study examined preservice teachers’ confidence in working with students with disabilities across Elementary (n = 44), Secondary (n = 43), and Special Education (n = 52) programs. Using a quantitative pretest–posttest survey design, participants completed an adapted version of the Special Needs Confidence Scale before and after student teaching. Descriptive statistics and Tukey post hoc analyses were conducted. Results indicated overall increases in confidence following fieldwork, with Special Education preservice teachers reporting consistently higher confidence than Elementary and Secondary peers. Findings highlight the role of targeted preparation and field-based experiences in supporting inclusive teaching readiness.

Navigating Digital Transformation: Students’ And Lecturers’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Online Teaching In South African Higher Education, Precious Dube, Yolisa Madolo

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The digital transformation of higher education has reshaped teaching and learning practices, but experiences in South African universities remain diverse because of differences in technological access, digital readiness and institutional support. This systematic literature review aimed to examine students' and lecturers’ perceptions and experiences of online teaching and learning in South African tertiary institutions. The review employed studies retrieved from Google Scholar, ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science. A total of 1253 studies from across the globe were identified and screened using Covidence, resulting in 21 South African studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The selected studies were analysed thematically to …

Slang In Tiktok Videos: A Study Of Linguistics And Its Implications On Bipa Informal Vocabulary Learning, Rahma Indri Cahya Havilah, Nuny Sulistiany Idris, Ida Widia

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Mastery of informal vocabulary is one of the main challenges for Indonesian as a Foreign Language (BIPA) learners, since slang on social media. Unfortunately, contextual and relevant teaching materials that cover slang for BIPA learners are limited. This study aims to identify the linguistic forms of slang language in TikTok videos, analyze their usage, and examine their implications for informal vocabulary learning in BIPA. The present study is descriptive-analytical with a linguistic approach, including phonological, morphological, pragmatic, and semantic analyses. Data were collected through observation and documentation of TikTok videos. This study reveals two particular linguistic forms, namely phonological and …

#Narctalk: Analysis Of Perceptions Of Personality Disorders In Tiktok Content, Amanda C. Dediego, Auna Nelson, Feven Seifu, Amanda D. Tracy, Madeline Grubb, R.J. Schoen

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

No abstract provided.

Generative Artificial Intelligence In Counselor Development: Examining Systemic Influences On Training, Lauren Dollarhide, Leo Gonzalez Jr., Rachel M. Smith

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

The use of large language models (LLMs) and generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (e.g., ChatGPT, AI-assisted supervision platforms, and AI-powered role-play simulations) in counselor education is changing the way counselors-in-training (CITs) are trained and has both risks and benefits for the field. This conceptual article applied Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory to evaluate the impact of these technologies at multiple levels within the counseling training environment. The microsystem is described as the interactions between CITs and the AI they use to support their training experiences (e.g., AI-based learning tools, role-playing simulations). The mesosystem refers to the movement of AI across different …

Depictions Of Girls With Adhd In Contemporary Picturebooks: A Critical Content Analysis, Madison Briann Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how girls with ADHD are depicted in contemporary picturebooks through the theoretical framework of critical disability studies (CDS). While research has increasingly explored disability representation in children's literature, depictions of girls with ADHD remain underexamined despite the ways in which ADHD manifests in female populations and the historical underdiagnosis of females with the condition. Using critical content analysis (CCA), six contemporary picturebooks featuring female protagonists with ADHD were analyzed for their visual and textual representations of neurodiversity. Findings were organized into two overarching themes: strength-based and deficit-based depictions. Strength-based portrayals emphasized creativity, identity formation through adult mentors, …

Leveraging School Leadership To Strengthen Teacher Retention In Urban High-Needs Schools, Sharri Zachary

Education Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study, supported by descriptive quantitative data, examined the leadership practices that principals in urban high-needs schools use to influence teacher retention while leading their schools and navigating external conditions and educational policies. The study was grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development and reframed the traditional focus on family and social development to examine principal-teacher interactions within school environments. The study addressed the lack of clarity regarding how teacher retention is defined, measured, and interpreted, particularly in relation to principals’ efforts to recruit, develop, and support teachers under shifting conditions and accountability expectations. Descriptive quantitative data provided …

Developing Confidence And Motivation In Writing Through Authentic And Collaborative Writing Approaches, Sara J. Weeks

Masters Projects

Writing is an expressive and complex process that takes time to develop, yet writing in middle school classrooms is primarily used as a way to demonstrate mastery of content rather than develop writers. Writing instruction is limited or used inefficiently in today’s classrooms, which gives students fewer opportunities to engage in authentic writing experiences. As a consequence, middle school students report a lack of confidence and motivation to write. These conditions contribute to stagnant writing achievement for middle school students. Research suggests that improving student writing outcomes requires writing environments that provide authentic, collaborative, and process-oriented writing experiences. However, these …

Persepsi Mahasiswa Terhadap Penggunaan Tiktok Sebagai Media Pembelajaran Kosakata Bahasa Mandarin Secara Mandiri, Agnes Meliana, Lukluk Ul Muyassaroh, Sawitri Retnantiti

Journal of Language, Literature, and Arts

This study aims to describe students' perceptions of using TikTok videos as a medium for independent Mandarin vocabulary learning, including the types of accounts used, the benefits obtained, and the challenges encountered. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach involving 27 students from the 2023 cohort of the Undergraduate Mandarin Language Education Program at Universitas Negeri Malang. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and analysed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model, consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that students generally hold positive perceptions of TikTok as a medium for Mandarin vocabulary learning. The …

Ábreme La Puerta Y Entraré: Utilizing Hip Hop Pedagogy To Build Community For English Learners With Disabilities, Ebony Nicole Perez, Georgina Rivera-Singletary

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

English Language Learners (ELL) with disabilities face complex educational experiences due to their limited English-speaking ability, coupled with their unique learning challenges. Often, they are viewed from a deficit rather than an asset perspective, leading them to feelings of isolation and marginalization. Providing opportunities to engage in transformative learning experiences, ELL students with disabilities can experience a sense of belonging and empowerment in educational endeavors. Hip-hop can offer dynamic opportunities for ELL students with disabilities by creating an inclusive, affirming space that validates diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Through Hip-hop cyphers, rap battles, and collaborative songwriting, students can grasp new …

Flows That Teach: Multimodal Hip-Hop Pedagogy For Equity In Special Education, Camille O'Quin, Sara Jozwik

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

Hip-Hop can be more than a soundtrack played at home, it can be a bridge between culture, language, and learning at school. This article shows how Hip-Hop pedagogy, translanguaging, and code-meshing can support students with disabilities, especially those who speak African American Vernacular English (AAVE), in the classroom setting. Grounded in culturally relevant pedagogy and translanguaging theory, the approach uses rhythm, storytelling, and performance to build narrative fluency, language awareness, and confidence. Examples include students drafting rap verses about personal experiences, holding structured cypher circles to practice turn-taking and self-expression, and blending AAVE with Mainstream American English in writing for …

Focus Daily: Jase Special Issue On Hip-Hop, Disability, And The Continuing Evolution Of Arts-Based Pedagogy In Special Education (Side B), Jonte C. Taylor

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

Hip-hop has long served as an educational tradition, emerging from the Bronx as a cultural response to systemic inequities that fostered identity, critical consciousness, creativity, and community through its core elements of emceeing, DJing, breaking, graffiti, and knowledge of self. In this second special hip-hop issue of the Journal of the Arts in Special Education (JASE) and building on the initial 2025 JASE special issue, this collection advances hip-hop pedagogy beyond an engagement strategy by positioning it as a culturally inclusive framework that supports academic achievement, identity affirmation, and meaningful participation for students with disabilities. The contributing scholars explore how …

We Are All In This Together Now: Exploring Community Based Partnerships Focusing On Hip-Hop Based Education, William C. Hunter, Tarol Page Clements, Gregory Washington

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

This article explores a community-based collaborative partnership between three Hip-Hop educational nonprofits, Upward Light Community Cyphers, Project STAND (Social-Emotional, Transition, Academic and Network Developing), and the Center for the Advancement of Youth Development (CAYD), all focused on mental health support for youth, and a public-school program that has serves students with and without exceptionalities. The goal shared by all organizations involved is enhanced educational access and engagement for students with and without exceptionalities. Rooted in the core elements of Hip-Hop — emceeing, DJing/music production, breakdancing, and graffiti art, the collaborative partnership has offered culturally sustaining, arts-integrated instruction that supports both …

Developing Flow Theory For Black Girl Genius: A Conceptual Framework Grounded In Discrit, Endarkened Feminist Epistemology, And Hip-Hop Pedagogy, Keishana L. Barnes, William C. Hunter

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

Twice exceptional Black girls, those who are both intellectually gifted and identified with a disability, navigate classrooms shaped by racism, ableism, and sexism. These overlapping systems often render their brilliance illegible, leading to misidentification, exclusion, and under-support in both gifted and special education. This conceptual essay introduces Flow Theory for Black Girl Genius, a liberatory framework that considers Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit), Endarkened Feminist Epistemology, and Hip-Hop Pedagogy. DisCrit helps uncover the structural barriers that marginalize students at the intersection of race and disability. Endarkened Feminist Epistemology centers ancestral, embodied, and spiritual ways of knowing rooted in Black …