Lanthorn, Vol. 60, No. 01, August 4, 2025, Grand Valley State University

Volume 60, August 4, 2025 – April 20, 2026

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Farming With Data: Tracing Critical Tensions Using Data Science For Food Justice, Marc Sager, Maximilan Sherard, Anthony Petrosino

Publications

In this manuscript, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and equitable learning in higher education, focusing on data science as a subset of AI and social justice as the core theme of equity. Our investigation sheds light on the nuanced tensions inherent in employing data science for social justice. Rooted in situated perspectives of learning and consequential learning, our study employs an instrumental case-study methodology and analysis techniques from interaction and conversation analysis. Collaborating with three undergraduate students and an urban farm, the students used data science practices to highlight inequities surrounding food justice and access to food. …

Polymathy: The Foundational Source Of Creativity And Innovation., Michael Araki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In an era of mounting complexity and a growing need to transcend siloed thinking, this dissertation advances polymathy as a critical yet underexplored construct in the management and behavioral sciences. Polymathy is framed as an expansive approach to the pursuit, development, and application of knowledge, marked by the conjunction of breadth, depth, and integration. Building on a thought lineage that stretches from Ancient Greece through the Renaissance to the present day, this work shows that polymathy is neither a relic of the past nor an achievement reserved for a few—but a mode of being, thinking, and acting in the world …

Engaging In Movement At Work: Exploring Engagement And Physical Activity., Spencer A. Cavan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High levels of employee engagement provide organizations competitive advantages such as increased customer satisfaction, profits, and employee productivity. Despite potential benefits, the number of engaged employees is declining and organizations need to find innovative ways to enhance engagement. Emerging evidence suggests workplace physical activity may generate organizational benefits extending beyond health improvement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of engagement among employees participating in a physical activity intervention at work. A qualitative design, guided by phenomenology, examined perceptions of workplace physical activity and perceived levels of engagement, as well as constraints related to involvement among university …

Implementing A Modified Schedule Program In South Carolina Schools: An Alternative Method To Graduate Students, Alexander J. Velasquez Escalona

All Dissertations

This study starts by exploring the impact and implementation process of the Express Lane program. This program is a modified schedule initiative developed at Excellent High School in South Carolina to tackle declining graduation rates. The research investigates whether structured, real-time communication protocols and self-pacing learning can help students improve credit completion in order to help students who have the opportunity of graduating high school on time. This investigation is in response to a persistent drop of graduation rates from 90% in 2020 to an alarming 84.3% in 2023-2024. The Express Lane program creates a student-centered learning environment that combines …

Uni Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications And Featured Awards Newsletter, V3i2, 2024, Rod Library. Research & Sponsored Programs. Uni Foundation. University Of Northern Iowa.

UNI Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications and Featured Awards Newsletter

Highlights the scholarship, research, and other scholarly work produced by University of Northern Iowa faculty, students, and staff.

This issue covers the period of July - December 2024.

2025 Annual Report Of The Nominating Committee, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

University Nominating Committee report including committee memberships, produced by the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

Participatory Community Archiving To Preserve And Sustain North Georgia Appalachia’S Language, Literacy Practices, And Histories, Leah Panther Dr., Lindsey Walker, Presley Dyer, Tyler Osborn, Kerri Abernathy

Georgia Library Quarterly

This case study presents Swappin’ Stories, a community-based archiving event that serves as a model for public and participatory archiving. The event aimed to address gaps and misrepresentations of southern Appalachia by gathering the voices, artifacts, and stories of Towns County residents. By centering local narratives, it sought to foster a sense of community identity and offer an authentic portrayal of North Georgia, distinct from the narratives shaped by popular media and political figures. This case highlights the potential of community-driven archives to reclaim and reshape regional histories.

Impact Of Three Professional Development Models (Online, Face-To-Face, And Hybrid) On Bhutanese Inservice Science Teachers' Conceptions Of Aspects Of Nature Of Science (Nos) With Reports Of Translation Of Nos Content Into Classroom Teaching Practices, Pabi Maya Das

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Having a scientifically literate citizenry is an asset nationally and globally, and knowledge of the nature of science (NOS) is a crucial element in such literacy. Science teachers are a vital link if students are to understand key elements of the NOS, yet teachers themselves often lack knowledge of NOS and how to integrate NOS content into science lessons. Investigating the impact of a series of inservice professional development experiences using three distinct delivery modes (face-to-face, hybrid, online) for teachers in my home country of Bhutan is the overarching goal of the study reported here. The study used a mixed-methods …

Black Belt Football Players' Perceptions Of Their Football And Academic Environments, Paul David Kadle Jr.

College of Education

The achievement gap between rural and non-rural schools is persistent. This study examines the achievement gap problem by analyzing two groups of rural schools to better understand their ecologies and the inner workings of rural schools. Ecological Systems Theory is the framework from which this study operates while looking at the mesosystemic relationship between the microsystems of high school football teams and classrooms in the Black Belt and otherwise rural areas of Alabama and Mississippi. A non-experimental quantitative survey design was used to answer research questions that focused on the achievement gap between Black Belt and non-Black Belt rural schools …

Enhancing The Value Of Satellite Earth Observations For Coastal Management: Tools For Collaboration And Co-Development, Nicole Dejeet Bartlett

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Despite unprecedented satellite Earth observation (EO) capabilities and free data availability, widespread adoption in coastal management remains limited due to persistent communication barriers between satellite experts and coastal practitioners. This dissertation addresses the fundamental challenge of translating satellite EO technical capabilities into management-relevant applications. Through synthesis of literature, stakeholder interviews, and two multi-year co-development case studies in Virginia's Middle Peninsula and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, this research identifies systematic barriers to satellite EO adoption and develops innovative frameworks for overcoming them.

The work argues for a common language between satellite product developers and coastal managers, identifying communication barriers spanning technical, institutional, …

Administrator Perceptions Of Title I Parent And Family Engagement Practices And Policies During Covid-19, Rebekah Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine Title I administrator perceptions of facilitating parent and family engagement practices and policies prior to, during, and post Covid-19. The literature shows one of the leading factors in a child’s academic learning is family engagement (Henderson & Mapp, 2002). The Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships highlights ways in which administrators and school staff can be successful in engaging families and building strong partnerships by meeting four different capacity skills. Data collection strategies included semi-structured, one-on-one interviews, via Zoom video or audio interview, observation, document review, and field notes. Analysis of data …

The Earliest University Of Nebraska Graduate Degrees, 1886-1909, Mark A. Griep

Mark A. Griep Publications

This list of the earliest graduate degrees awarded by the University of Nebraska (NU) in Lincoln was assembled to learn about the university’s research activity that preceded its admission to the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) in 1909.

Internal Funding Newsletter, Academic Year 2024-2025, Office Of Research And Creative Activity, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Internal Funding Newsletters

The University of Nebraska at Omaha is committed to educating people of the world and the Office of Research and Creative Activity is proud to contribute to UNO?s exceptional education, groundbreaking research, and the life-long success of students and alumni. UNO innovates for the public good through pragmatic and impactful research and discovery. This year's programs provided over $750,000 in awards for students and faculty. These projects included recording a new album of music for a saxophone, flute, and piano trio, understanding college campus bicycle theft, studying student perceptions of the difficulty of organic chemistry concepts, evaluating a therapy program …

Are They Ready? Impacting Kindergarten Readiness Through The Science Of Reading, Traci T. Boyles

All Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate how Science of Reading (SOR) professional development for preschool teachers, implemented through collaborative teaching and assessment cycles, influences the kindergarten readiness of preschool students.

Students from impoverished families start kindergarten at a considerable disadvantage regarding literacy. Literacy-focused curricula and professional development for teachers strongly affect reading outcomes. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) provides a systemic framework for data-based problem solving and decision-making. The MTSS framework aligns literacy interventions with tiered supports to ensure all students receive the assistance they need to achieve reading proficiency.

The South Carolina Child Early Reading Development …

Teacher Leadership In Social Studies: The Search For Meaning And Identity, Zachary F. Lawson

Dissertations

This qualitative research study brings together social studies education and teacher leadership. Social studies lacks study in the teacher leader literature. This study aimed to understand whether the disciplinary nature of social studies education influenced the enactment of teacher leadership. This study sought an answer to the central research question: What does it mean to be a social studies teacher leader? Using a hermeneutic phenomenology research design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews across two groups of participants. Seven social studies teacher leaders made up one group, and five social studies teachers without leadership roles comprised the other. Findings indicated …

Conceptions Of Climate Change Skepticism: A Phenomenographic Investigation On Perspectives From Climate Scientists And Climate Activists, Candace L. Penrod

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study addresses how climate change denial is understood by climate scientists and climate activists. This research also investigates what communication strategies addressing climate change denial are used by climate scientists and climate activists. Phenomenography was selected as a methodology to address the qualitative and quantitative aspects of this inquiry. Pre-recorded data from interviews with six climate scientists and six climate activists living in the Intermountain West were used as the data source. Interview transcripts were read, marked, and coded to identify how climate scientists and climate activists understood climate change denial. Five conceptions of climate change skepticism were identified …

Rhetorics Of Encounter: Toward A Biocentric Theory Of Discourse, Matthew D. Whitaker

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Encounters with more-than-human identities are transformative moments that stand to affect dispositional and bodily change in individuals. From close brushes with wild animals in National Parks to everyday interactions with local ecologies, encounters invite us to feel and think differently about the nature of our realities. In Rhetorics of Encounter: Toward a Biocentric Theory of Discourse, I draw from interdisciplinary perspectives to disrupt the idea of rhetoric as a representational medium, arguing that rhetoric occurs not just through textual exchanges of words and symbols, but through embodied moments of contact with other responsive beings. Invoking George Kennedy’s theory …

Improving Reading Proficiency Through A Structured Mtss Framework: Bridging The Gap Between Evidence And Practice, Meghan N. Greer

All Dissertations

This dissertation, Improving Reading Proficiency Through a Structured MTSS Framework: Bridging the Gap Between Evidence and Practice, investigates the efficacy of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) in enhancing reading proficiency among students. Despite extensive research supporting the effectiveness of targeted reading interventions, a gap remains between these findings and their practical implementation in diverse classroom settings. The Reading Wars—a longstanding debate between whole language, balanced literacy, and phonics-based instruction—have significantly influenced reading instruction in the United States. A growing body of research supports explicit, systematic phonics instruction as a critical component of early reading development (Foorman et al., 2016; …

Improving Rural Students’ Career Readiness Through Implementation Of A Work-Based Learning Career Mentoring Program, Celeste D. Bearden

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This Improvement Science research study examined the implementation of a Work-Based Learning (WBL) Career Mentoring Program designed to improve career readiness and career decision self-efficacy among high school seniors in a rural South Carolina school. Rural students often face barriers such as limited exposure to career pathways and fewer employment and training opportunities (Klar & Huggins, 2020). These challenges can negatively impact students’ career decision self-efficacy and preparation for post-secondary life.

Guided by Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory, this intervention used the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model to design and assess a program that included individual, small group, and whole group mentoring and …

A Convergent Mixed Methods Study Of The Social Studies Academy In South Carolina Middle Schools, Audie Cherry

All Dissertations

There is a global labor shortage in the agricultural industry and middle school is a critical time to get students serious about career decision making. The Studies of Occupations, Culture, and Innovations toward Agricultural Literacy (SOCIAL) Studies Academy is a high impact professional development program in South Carolina that provides experiences and for middle school social studies teachers (N = 12) to become more suited to teach their standards associated with the agricultural sciences with hopes of encouraging more students to pursue agricultural careers. This study was a mixed-methods convergent parallel design that examined 1) Academy Fellows (n = 4) …

Reimagining Education With Ai, Margherita Pagani, Steven M. Miller, Jerry Wind

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This chapter examines AI’s transformative potential in education, focusing on Generative AI (GenAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) while at the same time emphasizing the importance of grounding and guiding AI efforts with learning science and education research findings. It synthesizes analyses and expert recommendations, highlighting opportunities like personalized learning and enhanced teacher productivity, alongside challenges such as over-reliance on AI. Practical steps for instructors include adopting a question-first approach, utilizing AI for personalized feedback, designing AI-enhanced learning experiences, fostering critical thinking, and ensuring ethical AI use. The chapter concludes with strategic recommendations for leveraging AI to sustainably improve educational …

Funds Of Knowledge And The Transition To School: A Scoping Review, Amelia Ruscoe, Leanne Lavina, Lennie Barblett, Fiona Boylan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children's funds of knowledge (FoK) were recognised in the initial iteration of the Australian Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) in 2009, the mandated framework for educator decision-making, and their significance was further emphasised in EYLF 2.0 in 2022. However, a unified understanding of children as knowledgeable individuals and how to effectively incorporate their diverse knowledges into early childhood education is still evolving. Recent evidence highlights the link between engaging with children's FoK and supporting successful transitions to formal schooling. Given that childhood is experienced differently across cultures and contexts, achieving consensus on the nature and value of FoK remains a …

Effectiveness Of Geo Fun Thinkers Digital Learning Media On Student Understanding, Nur Halimah Silviatus Zahra, Budi Handoyo, I Komang Astina, Wan Ibrahim Wan Ahmad

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study aims to develop and test the effectiveness of Digital Geo Fun Thinkers learning media on student understanding of the material on the utilization of natural resources and their problems. The research used the Research and Development (R&D) method with the ADDIE model (Analysis-Design-Development-Implementation-Evaluation) which was carried out at Almaarif Singosari Islamic High School with the subject of 27 students in class XI IPS 1. Digital Geo Fun Thinkers media was developed based on digital technology by raising the contextual phenomenon of natural resources at the foot of Mount Arjuno, especially in Sumber Brantas and Toyomarto villages. This media …

'Managed Hearts’ In Helper-Education: Gender Non-Binary Helper-Educators’ Experiences Of Emotional Labor, Jordan Pearce

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The unique experiences of people who identify with a gender beyond the binary paradigm dominant in the Global West are not well understood. The literature provides little insight into the experiences and perspectives of these individuals in a variety of contexts, including in their workplaces. As various social movements collide, they bring amplified attention to the mental health of marginalized communities and to workers, as well as the dynamics of modern work environments, and the specific needs of certain individuals doing certain types of work. The current study explored the experiences of gender non-binary individuals (GNI) working as helper-educators engaged …

Revisiting The Post-Tsunami Aceh School: A Community-Based Evaluation Framework For Improving Build Back Better Projects, Muhammad Naufal Fadhil, Aji Sofiana Putri, Muhammad Fadli Muslimin

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

This study proposes a community-based evaluation framework to assess and improve the existing conditions of post-tsunami schools based on the occupants’ evaluations. Rapid, donor-driven reconstruction often defaults to ‘fit-for-all’ solutions that bypass community needs, resulting in facilities that are misaligned with local contexts. This project focused on Lampageu State Elementary School in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, which was reconstructed in 2009 by a German NGO after the 2004 tsunami. The project began by observing the school’s physical condition through the community engagement team, followed by a review and exploration of the school’s design needs with the school community. The community-based evaluation …

Toxicological And Environmental Assessment Of Trace And Heavy Metals In Harnoi Coal Deposits, Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, Muhammad Sajid, Shaukat Khan, Muhammad Kashif, Khan Amir Khan, Muhammad Junaid

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

Mining and burning of coal release various toxic substances that can contaminate both surface and groundwater, thereby posing significant risks to human health, especially for households located near mines, coal deposits, or coal-fired power stations. This research examines the environmental effects of coal mining in the Harnoi Region of Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Four mining sites were randomly selected within the study area, and eight coal samples were collected and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry to determine the concentrations of trace and heavy metals. The findings indicate that Harnoi coal contains elevated concentrations of arsenic, zinc, lead, cadmium, nickel, cobalt, …

Beyond Memorization: Developing Three-Dimensional Assessments For Earth Science Through The Carbon Cycle Unit, Stephanie Kay

Masters Projects

This Master's project addresses the critical need for improved assessment strategies in science education, particularly within the context of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Traditional summative assessments, often relying on multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank questions, frequently fail to evaluate students' higher-level thinking and comprehensive understanding as required by the NGSS's three-dimensional learning framework (science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas). This disconnect can hinder accurate student knowledge evaluation and limit the development of essential 21st-century skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. The project aims to enhance effective assessment by developing a high school Earth Science unit …

Making The Macc: Communities Of Practice And Cultural Citizenship In Austin, Texas, Cassie Lynn Smith

Anthropology ETDs

Meaningful community engagement is a challenge for local governments without a thorough understanding of constituents’ histories and their relationship with City government. This dissertation investigates the City of Austin’s (COA) Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) in Austin, Texas, to understand how this culture and arts institution engages with and is influenced by its patrons. This study analyzes the role of the MACC’s community of practice (Lave and Wenger 1991)—an evolving group of educators, activists, artists, and COA staff—in shaping public policy and educational programming as well as creating places of belonging for marginalized people in the city. …

Disinformation Awareness Via Sms? Exploring A New Modality For Boosting Adult Media Literacy, Jannie Lilja, Ester Tottie, Niklas Eklund, Tobias Lindé, Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Given a rapidly evolving disinformation environment, many initiatives are currently being developed to counter the harmful impacts of disinformation. The aim of this study is to explore how an SMS intervention, as a hitherto untested modality for raising awareness of disinformation with promising potential and wide reach, could boost media literacy among adults. We probe the effects on a national sample of adult Swedish respondents (N = 2536). An initial survey is followed by a five-week text messaging intervention and concluded with a second survey. Respondents’ objective ability to identify false information, and their subjective perceptions of attitude and …