Digital Commons Network^™

Printing Press Renewal, Ashley Mcguire, Margaret Wood Balch, Anna Kaetz, Timothy M. Wick

Libraries Professional Work

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Libraries are home to a Chandler & Price printing press, originally built in 1885. Unfortunately, this press was not whole or fully operational when it was acquired by the UAB Libraries in the 1970s. Among its defects, the press lacked the treadle, Pittman arm, and crankshaft to power the press, a functioning rotating ink plate, a chase for holding the type in place, and the pin that keeps the large wheel turning in time with the gears that lead the machine to function. Members from the UAB Libraries Historical Collections and Reference and …

Exploring Ninth–12th Grade Teachers’ Experiences And Supports Needed When Using Trauma-Informed Practices, Kimberly C. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Success In Student Leadership: An Appreciative Inquiry Approach To A Student Leader Program, Ana M. Tayeb

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the strengths and successes of a Student Leader Program within a Physician Assistant (PA) program at a large southeastern university, using an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) framework to understand how the program positions students for success. The program, established to support leadership development, academic engagement, and professional growth, includes elected student roles such as class president, vice president, wellness champion, volunteer liaison, and class liaisons. Through semi‑structured interviews with faculty, administrators, current Student Leaders, non‑leader students, and a Student Leader alumnus, the study examined lived experiences and perceptions of the program’s impact. Guided by the AI 4‑D cycle, …

Beyond Autonomy: An Actor-Network Theory Study Of A Solo Exhibition In Indonesia, Rendy Pandita Bastari, Patra Aditia, Ganesha Puspa Nabila

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

In many exhibition artists are often perceived as singular and autonomous actors. Departing from the critique of this tendency, this study examines the solo exhibition Toyscapes, After Us by Indonesian artist Hilman Hendarsyah (November 2025) as a case study through the lens of Actor-Network Theory (ANT), in order to understand art exhibition as relational and socio-material practices. This study traces how exhibitions are produced through interaction between human and non-human actors within heterogeneous network. The analysis was conducted by following the actors and mapping processes of problematization, translation, and network stabilization. The findings elucidates that solo exhibition cannot be understood …

Emergency Action Plan: Home, Family, Pets, And Livestock, Kristin Black, Michael Pate, Callahan K. Adams

All Current Publications

This document is an emergency family action plan designed to help your entire household prepare for emergencies. It aligns with the Youth Emergency Preparedness and Animal Project Safety Program available through Utah State University (USU). It can be taught by FFA teachers, 4-H leaders, Extension faculty/staff, and afterschool program educators. The Emergency Action Plan is intended for youth to bring home, lead their families in completing the sections, and guide them in preparing for and practicing emergency preparedness.

Preparing Preservice Teachers: Developing Skills For Working With Students With Disabilities In The Social Studies Classroom, Melissa Waugh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was aimed towards investigating the extant research, best practices, and teacher preparation standards related to working with students with disabilities in the social studies classroom. The study was guided using three research questions: Are students with disabilities’ learning needs reflected in the National Council for Social Studies National Standards for the Preparation of Social Studies Teachers?; How do preservice social studies teacher programs prepare their candidates for teaching students with disabilities as evidenced by Social Science Education methods course syllabi?; and, What might a college-level course aimed towards social studies teaching methods centering around students with disabilities’ learning …

English Language Arts Teachers’ Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence, Andrew J. Hookie, James P. Concannon

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

We explored secondary English Language Arts teachers’ perceptions of Artificial Intelligence in the classroom. Using a mixed methods research design process, one hundred and forty-one secondary teachers were surveyed from several urban and suburban school districts in the state of Missouri. Respondents were comprised of forty-three English Language Arts teachers and ninety-seven non-English Language Arts teachers. Data were collected using a Qualtrics survey, focusing on three variables: Experience, Knowledge, and Awareness of AI (EKA); Perceived Outcomes of Using AI (PO); and Perceived Ability and Self-Efficacy with AI (PA). Independent t-tests were conducted and revealed a statistically significant difference in AI …

Toward A Metric For Disciplinary Learning In The Age Of Ai: The Unblooms™ Metacognitive Awareness Scale And Discernment Rate In Ai-Mediated Learning, Tina R. Austin

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

Telling students to “reflect on their own thinking” has become insufficient in AI-mediated learning environments. When students are rewarded for polished outputs, cognitive offloading to AI tools becomes rational, and traditional snapshot assessments (single-moment evaluations of task completion) produce false signals about whether durable learning has occurred. This problem is sharpened by the broader shift in AI learning tools toward Socratic tutors, study modes, Khan Academy's Khanmigo, and agentic systems that can shape the learner’s process over time. Lodge and Loble (2026) distinguish beneficial cognitive offloading, which frees working memory for intrinsic learning, from detrimental outsourcing, which bypasses the cognitive …

Metacognition As Disciplinary Infrastructure In Ai-Mediated Learning, Tina R. Austin, Jason Gulya, Nick Potkalitsky

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

Metacognition is often presented as a response to generative AI’s disruption of teaching and learning, yet the term has become too generalized to guide practice. In AI-mediated environments, asking students merely to “reflect on your thinking” is insufficient. Because AI tools can redistribute cognitive labor, their educational value depends on how students use them and whether that use supports disciplinary forms of reasoning. This essay argues that metacognition must be understood as disciplinary infrastructure: students cannot effectively monitor their thinking without understanding the epistemological and ontological demands of the field in which they are working. Classrooms therefore become sites where …

Ai As A Creative Collaborator In Music: Exploring Human-Centered Innovation In Large Musical Contexts, Nicholas Caluori, Noah D. Taylor

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

AI-driven audio tools are reshaping musical creation, yet the most consequential shift is not automation of artistry but reconfiguration of collaboration, metacognition, and quality control within large ensembles. This paper examines how generative audio models, vocal synthesis platforms, and stem-splitting technologies can function as creative partners in music arranging and composition workflows, particularly in musical contexts where artistic coordination and interpretive judgment remain paramount. We position AI in music creation as analogous to the calculator in mathematics: widely available, efficiency-enhancing, and therefore unavoidable, while still requiring disciplined human oversight to preserve intent, style, and accountability. The paper surveys practical implementation …

Law Or Flaw: A Double – Blind Study Comparing Student Comprehension Of Real And Ai Generated Legal Case Briefs, Grant Shostak, Nick Wintz, Melissa A. Petkovsek

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

In recent years, the U.S. legal system has seen an increase of legal filings using fictitious court cases or legal propositions generated by artificial intelligence (AI) (Stokel-Walker, 2026). Rules of professional responsibility require that lawyers review filings in which AI was used to ensure their accuracy (Missouri Bar, Office of Legal Ethics Counsel, 2024, Opinion No. 2024‑11) Despite this mandate, filings with fictitious cases and incorrect statements of law are being filed. Besides posing a threat to the parties to an action, such filings may set an unwarranted precedent for future cases. They also tie up court resources searching for …

Faculty Engagement Practices With Building A Community Of Care, Cathryn Walker, Richard Penny, Lynne Orr, Kathleen Norris, Judith Blakely

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Faculty in a virtual online university benefited from employing elements of the community of care, community of inquiry, and social determinants of health frameworks to strengthen a sense of connection and to develop a community of care in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article presents an overview of practices at one university related to the design, implementation, and benefits accruing from employing strategies anchored in these frameworks. During 2022, two years after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, university leaders approached a team of faculty members to facilitate a dialogue series to enhance relationships among faculty, given the …

Front Matter

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Needs And Practices Of Cut Flower Growers In Louisiana, Jessie M. Hoover

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The specialty cut flower industry is expanding nationwide, including southeastern states such as Louisiana. Existing studies and market analyses focus on national trends of other regions with established floriculture networks, leaving a critical gap in understanding the unique challenges and opportunities faced by growers in Louisiana. This lack of data limits the ability of extension professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to develop targeted strategies that support local production and market development. This study used qualitative case study methods to investigate the practices, challenges, and needs of 13 specialty cut flower growers in Louisiana. The study utilized Urie Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 1986) …

Enhancing Emotional Support For Advanced Placement Students, Laine Mckay Nesbitt

Theses and Dissertations

Although they may struggle with their emotional well-being, academically accelerated students are underrepresented in the research literature. Teachers are in a position to influence students' emotional well-being. Minimal qualitative research with student voices has been conducted. This study highlights the perspectives of students who have participated in an academically accelerated program. Students were interviewed about what their teachers do to help or hinder their emotional well-being and what they wish that teachers could do to support their emotional well-being. A total of 14 high school students were interviewed using the critical incident technique (CIT). The participants emphasized the importance of …

Maternal Perspectives On Support Needs: Insights From The Fonofale Model, Sara Lani Ditto

Theses and Dissertations

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) explored the lived experiences of parents raising children with disabilities in American Samoa. Five participants across two focus groups shared their perspectives on navigating educational, healthcare, and community systems while supporting their children with disabilities. Using the fonofale model as a cultural framework, the study incorporated culturally responsive methodology including card sort activities to facilitate dialogue on potentially sensitive topics. Analysis followed the Nizza et al. (2021) IPA approach, progressing from exploratory notes to experiential statements, clustered themes, and finally overarching themes. Findings revealed four major themes: systemic burden on parents, structural and service gaps, …

Practical Implementation Of Ethnomathematics To Increase The Engagement, Math Self-Efficacy, And Hawaiian Cultural Identity Of HawaiʻI Algebra 2 Students, Kamalani George Mamatuki Kaluhiokalani

Theses and Dissertations

The underrepresentation of Hawaiian cultural practices in mathematics education has contributed to a disconnect between students' cultural identities and their academic experiences, resulting in diminished engagement among Native Hawaiian learners. This design-based research examines the integration of ethnomathematics into high school mathematics curricula, with a focus on Hawaiian cultural practices as frameworks for teaching mathematical concepts. Participants include approximately 100 students in Hawaiʻi from a public school and a private school, as well as two mathematics teachers with varying degrees of experience in culturally responsive pedagogy and ethnomathematics. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study collects data through classroom observations, teacher …

This One's For The Girls: Co-Creating A Social Confidence Group Intervention For Autistic Adolescent Girls, Kendra Noelle Zitzman

Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies have been completed regarding social confidence-building interventions for individuals with autism. However few studies have studied autistic females' experience with social confidence and targeted interventions for their unique needs. The purpose of this study was to co-create a social confidence curriculum with adolescent and young adult autistic females based on their experiences, perceived strengths and weaknesses, and goals. We analyzed first-person experiences and perceptions about social confidence-building interventions and supports. We used pre- and post-group interviews of the adolescent autistic participants (n =11) and college-aged mentors (n = 4), pre- and post-group measures with the Social Responsiveness Scale, …

Beyond The Bell Curve: Understanding Native American Academic Placements, Sarah-Margaret Clark

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined biases regarding the referrals that teachers make regarding student placement recommendations for Native American students. Special education teachers (n = 97) from around the United States completed a digital card sort task involving 24 fictitious student record cards. The student record cards contained subtle information about the ethnicity of the student, as indicated through the use of racial identification (Native American, Asian, or White) on the student records and the use of student names that may be associated with these three categories. Academic information was equal among each of these three groups. Each group contained identical male …

Urban Indian Parents' Occupational Perceptions Of Play And Governance Of Children's Excessive Screen Time Preferences And Behaviours In This Digital Era, Joanna Priyadarshini Udaykumar, Tony Sam George

International Journal of Playwork Practice

Abstract

Children’s innate urge to engage in joyous, self-directed, meaningful, iterative activities embodies their unique play experiences and facilitates their holistic development. However, the exponential growth of digital technology in an urbanized world has transformed their social landscape by offering them a plethora of novel play opportunities that ‘pushes children away from the outdoors and pulls them indoors’. Moreover, the radical transition from nature-based recreation to media-centric activity insinuates the surge of a global pandemic characterized by low physical activity, sleep deprivation and sedentary, lifestyle diseases. This emerging trend reflects children’s predilection for videophilia over biophilia due to the dominance …

Exploring Generative Artificial Intelligence Perceptions And Information Retrieval Behaviors Among Students: An Investigation Of Google Search And Chatgpt Queries, Annie Kiele Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Generative AI tools are rapidly reshaping how undergraduate students seek and engage with academic information, yet empirical understanding of what drives adoption and how students behave when using these tools relative to traditional search engines remains limited. This study examined undergraduate students’ information-retrieval behaviors and perceptions when using ChatGPT compared to Google Search, using the technology acceptance model (TAM; Davis, 1989) extended to include trust (Gefen et al., 2003) as the guiding framework. An embedded mixed-methods design was employed, in which Likert-scale perception ratings provided a structured quantitative signal and thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, structured information-retrieval tasks, and concurrent …

Unlocking Potential: Teachers' Perspectives On 504 Accommodations For Students With Adhd, Haley Stubbs

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined high school teachers' perspectives on the development, implementation, and effectiveness of Section 504 accommodations for students with ADHD. Five secondary teachers from a public high school participated in a focus group, and data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Findings indicate that teachers report limited understanding of the 504 process, minimal involvement in eligibility decisions, and little training on how to implement accommodations. Teachers describe accommodations as vague and difficult to apply consistently within the constraints of secondary classrooms, often relying on universal classroom practices and student self-advocacy to meet student needs. Teachers also question whether accommodations …

Effects Of A Peer Mentoring Program For Adolescent Newcomers On Feelings Of Peer Connectedness And School Belonging, Eden Elizabeth Moon Barnhill

Theses and Dissertations

There is a significant lack of empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of peer mentoring to support newcomer students, particularly for refugee populations. This study evaluated the effects of a peer mentor program for newcomer students on their feelings of peer connectedness and school belonging in a high school setting. Participants were made up of 15 newcomer student mentees across three high schools. Measures were administered pre- and post-intervention, and participants were also interviewed about their experience. Results indicated no quantitative findings of significance but did yield a small positive effect size for peer connectedness. According to qualitative data, many participants …

Service Providers' Descriptions Of Survivors' Experiences With Mental Health Treatment, Melanie Gonzales Puente

Theses and Dissertations

Human trafficking survivors experience significant mental health challenges and barriers that limit their engagement towards treatment. A qualitative study was conducted that included semi-structured interviews of 33 professionals working with survivors of human trafficking in the United States. Findings indicate that survivors' engagement in treatment is limited by mistrust of providers, stigma, and a lack of access to services. Providers emphasize that addressing basic needs (e.g., safety and housing) must occur before engaging in trauma-focused therapy. Positive outcomes are associated with strong therapeutic relationships, autonomy, trauma-informed, individualized care, and offering comprehensive services. Furthermore, mental health providers should have certain abilities …

The Efficacy Of Open Educational Resources On Achievement Outcomes In Higher Education Institutions, Charles Trevor Alder

Theses and Dissertations

Achievement gaps remain a concern in higher education, reflected in differences in academic performance, retention, and persistence. These gaps often affect students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and underserved populations. Open educational resources (OER) have been suggested to reduce financial barriers and support student success. This study examined whether student-level and institutional-level factors predict academic performance in a business management course using OER. Average quiz scores were collected from students across 12 higher education institutions and analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. Colleges were included in the analysis to determine whether outcomes differed based on the proportion of minority and Pell-eligible students. …

The Influence Of Leadership Styles On Teacher Motivation And School Climate In Urban Schools From Three South-Central Region States, Jennifer L. Thomas

Student Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored how leadership styles influenced teacher motivation and school climate across three Southern South-Central region states. Through an analysis of 15 interviews, the research explored teachers' lived experiences and interactions with administrators that shaped their motivation, work efficacy, sense of value, and emotional well-being. Three states served as the data pool for the study: Arkansas, Texas, and Tennessee. Seven themes emerged related to motivation and school climate: Teacher Voice, Support, Empowerment, Relational Confidence, Feeling Valued, Emotional Safety, and Building Community. These themes illuminated how leadership behaviors can either strengthen or hinder teachers’ professional commitment, instructional effectiveness, and …

Integration Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies In High School Science Classes, Pamela Chanell Williams

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigated the integration of culturally responsive teaching strategies in high school science classes. The problem addressed in this study is that teachers are underprepared to employ culturally responsive teaching strategies to facilitate academic success in science courses for culturally and linguistically diverse students. By investigating the integration of culturally responsive teaching strategies during instruction, improvements can be made to the effectiveness of professional development centered on culturally responsive teaching strategies found in the Ready for Rigor framework. The conceptual framework that served as the foundation for this study was Hammond’s (2015) Ready for Rigor framework. Questionnaires, …

African American Genealogists And Family Historians: Perceptions, Motivations, And Learning Experiences, Vernita A. Morgan

Student Theses and Dissertations

In this qualitative phenomenological study, the motivations, learning experiences, challenges, and triumphs of African American genealogists and family historians will be revealed. The purpose of this study is to bridge the existing gap in the literature regarding the experiences of these individuals. The interconnectedness of self-directed learning and self-determination theory will demonstrate how these genealogists approach researching their ancestors, who were both enslaved and free people of color. Themes that arise from feedback from interviews will be used to offer answers to the research questions.

If It Doesn't Hurt You Aren't Working Hard Enough: An Examination Of Coach Experience In High School Debate, Rosie Valdez Block

Student Theses and Dissertations

High school debate coaching constitutes a uniquely demanding educational role, defined by emotional labor, extended work hours, institutional precarity, and systemic inequities. Despite their significant contributions to students’ intellectual and personal growth, the professional sustainability of debate coaches remains underexamined. This dissertation investigates the conditions contributing to burnout among high school debate coaches through the theoretical lenses of Maslach’s Burnout Theory, as contemporized by Edú-Valsania et al. (2022), and teacher self-efficacy theory, to understand how emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished professional confidence emerge in this context. The study is further guided by constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2014), enabling a bottom-up, …

Using Phenomenology To Investigate Digital Experience: An Empathic-Somatic Approach, Bismark Wiafe Bimpong, William Kesse Bimpong, Mercy Egyir Kwakye

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

This conceptual paper proposes the Empathic-Somatic Approach as a methodological contribution for conducting phenomenological research on digital technology experiences. The Empathic-Somatic Approach does not replace existing phenomenological methods but enriches them by operationalizing the insight that we understand others through our own bodies as instruments of empathy. The paper first establishes the essential philosophical and methodological foundations of phenomenology needed to situate this contribution, then develops the Empathic-Somatic Approach in detail, and finally provides practical guidance for its implementation in digital technology research. This approach offers researchers in fields such as human-computer interaction, digital health, and information systems a principled …