Digital Commons Network^™

Fostering Interprofessional Collaboration In Community College Mental Health Centers: A Quality Improvement Project, Sara Jane Hamilton

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background The worsening mental health rates among college students in the United States highlight the critical need for campuses to have high-quality comprehensive mental health centers (MHC). This necessity is particularly urgent in community college MHCs, which often lack these attributes. Local Problem An MHC within a large California community college recently introduced telepsychiatry services and is considering integrating a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) into their team. However, knowledge gaps and limited interprofessional education (IPE) may hinder effective collaboration within the team. Methods A comprehensive literature review was conducted to assess current research on IPE, community college mental …

Using An Interrupted Case Study To Engage Undergraduates’ Critical Thinking Style And Enhance Content Knowledge, Kelsey Hall, Katherine Starzec

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this article here.

The interrupted case study is a structured way to engage students in active learning. Interruptions, or pauses for reflection and discussion scheduled within the case-study presentation, provide students with a chance to collaborate and engage in critical thinking. Critical thinking style, which is a measure of how one tends to think critically, provides insight into how one tackles problem solving. This article describes a pilot project that combined critical-thinking style and an interrupted case study, delivered over a two-class-period time frame, to four college courses. The project’s goals were to assess …

Simultaneous Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy And Deceased Donor Liver Transplant In A Pediatric Patient With Cirrhosis And Class 3 Obesity, Lakshmi Kunam, Voytek Slowik, Brooke Sweeney, Ryan T. Fischer, Jason D. Fraser, Bhargava Mullapudi, Richard J. Hendrickson

Research Days

Background: Liver transplantation is a life saving procedure for children with end-stage liver disease with the goal of returning to a normal healthy life. Obesity and weight gain can lead to post-transplant steatosis and contribute to patient morbidity and mortality. In patients with obesity, simultaneous bariatric surgery can lead to reduced body mass index (BMI) and decrease allograft steatosis and patient metabolic syndrome.

Methods: After obtaining patient and family assent/consent, patient records were reviewed and analyzed.

Results: The patient was initially evaluated at 8 years of age for right upper quadrant pain. Imaging consistent with cirrhosis and portal hypertension prompted …

The Experience Of University Academics With Emergency Remote Teaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic Of 2020: A Phenomenological Study, Judith M. Peterson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of academics at the university level with emergency remote teaching during the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic. The theory guiding this study was Milheim, K. L. (2012) application of Maslow, A. H. (1943) hierarchy of needs. The central research question was: How did academics at the university level experience transitioning their course and teaching online during emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2021? Eleven lecture academics were selected from six universities from the University of Wisconsin System who transitioned their residence courses to online during the pandemic. I …

“We Have To Fight For Change”: Intersecting And Ongoing Crises Amongst Farmworker Families Along The Monterey Bay Central Coast, Mikayla S. Feliciano

Master's Projects and Capstones

This study examines the crises farmworkers are experiencing along the Monterey Bay Central Coast. It analyzes and reviews housing insecurity, deficit to basic needs, and the environmental impact of storms and pesticides exposure. In January of 2023, the central coast experienced an immense amount of rain, atmospheric rivers, and a levee break that the Salinas and Pajaro Valley communities' infrastructure could not handle. These storms caused even more financial and economic peril for the already struggling farmworkers and their children. This research aims to highlight the importance of farmworking families in the community and what social barriers they face. Information …

Reframing Latine & Indigenous Newcomer Students As Policymakers: Addressing Barriers To Attendance Through Ypar, Amanda Monique Vivanco

Master's Theses

This youth participatory action research investigates the barriers to attendance that recently immigrated Latine/Indigenous-identifying emergent multilingual high school students aged 18- 21 face. This action research aims to restore power to this population by providing the opportunity to participate as co-researchers, sharing their perspectives, opinions, and solutions to the issues that directly affect them. A group of six students from a small continuation school participated as co-researchers in a single session student-led focus group designed to elicit student perspectives, including their attitudes towards school attendance policies, experiences with attendance, and ideas for improvement. The first chapter explains the problem, demonstrating …

Myths Economic And Civic. A Book Review Of The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy, Kelly Swope

Democracy & Education

I review historian Jon Shelton's 2023 book, The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy. First, I summarize the book's main claim that a pernicious myth about public schooling's role in developing human capital is the root of our current educational problems. Second, I provide a chapter-by-chapter summary of the book's contents. Finally, I analyze the book's accomplishments and suggest that there is one powerful education myth about public schools' relationship to American democracy that the author omits from this valuable new study.

The Enzymatic Regulation Of Contraction-Induced Toll-Like Receptor 4 Shedding From C2c12 Myotubes, Rebekah C. Gridley

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Stimulated contractions are shown to increase toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) release from C2C12 myotubes in vitro. The purpose of this study was to determine if the release of TLR4 from myotubes is controlled by proteolytic membrane cleavage. A broad-spectrum metalloprotease inhibitor was used to test this hypothesis in a C2C12 cell culture model, and TLR4 concentrations in the cell culture supernatant were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) following stimulated myotube contractions.

ELISA analysis revealed TLR4 concentrations below the sensitivity threshold of the ELISA kit for all experimental conditions. In confirming the effectiveness of the electrical pulse stimulation (EPS) treatment, …

Expanded Food And Nutrition Education Program Generates Economic Value Through Body Mass Index Improvement: A Cost-Benefit Analysis, Andrea Leschewski, M. Catalina Aragon, Dave Weatherspoon, Karen Barale, Garry Auld, Richard Acquah-Sarpong, Susan S. Baker

Journal of Extension

Prior economic evaluations of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) perform cost-benefit analyses (CBA) reliant on self-reported behavioral data and unvalidated criteria for disease prevention. This study aims to conduct a CBA of Colorado and Washington EFNEP using an objective biomarker, Body Mass Index, to monetize program benefits. A longitudinal study of a convenience sample of EFNEP participants was conducted utilizing a single-group pretest-posttest design. Results indicate Colorado and Washington EFNEP generates $9.23 of benefits per $1.00 of costs and demonstrate the feasibility and value of using biomarkers in economic evaluations of nutrition education interventions delivered through Extension.

Teens Teach Nutrition Virtually To Youth During Covid-19: Improved Leadership Skills And Health Behaviors, Wendy S. Wolfe, Jacqueline Davis-Manigaulte, Dana M. Wheeler, Emma R. Dhimitri, Josie G. Ford, Kieu A. Phan, Dylan G. Ratnarajah

Journal of Extension

The Choose Health Action Teens (CHAT) program of Cornell Cooperative Extension engages teens to teach a nutrition curriculum to younger youth, with the goal of enhancing the leadership skills and health behaviors of the teen teachers. Due to COVID-19, an in-person CHAT program in New York City was converted to virtual and implemented online during Summer 2020. Twelve teens, mentored by eight college interns, taught youth virtually in their homes. Quantitative and qualitative assessments demonstrated improvement in teen leadership and facilitation skills and health behaviors, and suggest that converting this type of programming to a virtual environment can be successful.

Navigating Early Literacy Instruction: An Autoethnographic Exploration, Turquoise Martin

Masters Theses (Archived)

This autoethnography explores early literacy instruction through the lens of a Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) teacher in a high-quality Pre-K program in South Central Texas. The author highlights the benefits and challenges associated with explicit and systematic early literacy instruction using critical reflections, anecdotal stories, and content analysis. The research examines instances in which curriculum interpretation led to less effective lesson planning and a desire for early literacy resources. The study shares the impact of teacher collaboration, instructional support, and misinterpretation of a used curriculum, shedding light on the experiences of teaching early literacy instruction.

The Impact Of School-Based Education Program On Body Image In Middle School Students, Elizabeth Hendon

Honors Theses

Body dissatisfaction is an emerging public health concern and carries significant health-related consequences. These implications encompass mental health challenges, eating disorders, unhealthy weight management practices, adverse effects on self-esteem, and potential physical health consequences. Because adolescence is a critical period for healthy body image development due to age-related transitions occurring at this time, it is essential to implement an education program to promote positive body image. Educational programs focused on protective factors designed to enhance self-compassion can potentially improve body image, eating attitudes, and body satisfaction. School-based body image education programs aim to provide adolescents with the knowledge, skills, and …

Serving Children Experiencing Parental Substance Misuse In The Elementary Classroom: Training Modules For Pre-Service Teachers, Lauren Biando

Honors Theses

The purpose of this capstone is to explore how the needs of children whose parents misuse substances are often left unmet and to develop training modules for pre-service teachers. The need for teacher training on how to identify and intervene to meet students’ basic needs is essential as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explains that children cannot build self-esteem, reach self-actualization, and focus on learning if their basic needs are not met. This capstone reviews the literature on the impacts that parental substance misuse has on children and the interventions that have been tried to help these children cope with the …

Are We Ready: Envisioning An Inclusive Higher Education Program For Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities At The University Of Mississippi, Bailey Beaird

Honors Theses

An inclusive higher education program (IHEP) exists for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DDs) to foster academic success, employment equipping, interpersonal skill development, and active participation and value validation in the community. Establishing an IHEP can benefit current university students, faculty, and staff, and individuals with I/DDs and their families to create a more informed, inclusive environment. The University of Mississippi (UM) does not currently have an IHEP. Therefore, my advocacy initiative seeks to provide an opportunity for individuals with I/DDs to receive a college education and experience at UM. For two and a half years, I independently researched …

Contributing Factors To Special Education Teacher Burnout And Retention, Amy Schulz

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Teacher burnout is an increasing concern as Minnesota state data indicates more teachers leaving the profession in the first five years of their career and fewer individuals emerging from teacher preparation programs. The area of special education continues to be an area of need as the state continues to report special education licenses as areas of deficit to meet the need across the state. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between burnout and attrition in special education teachers and to analyze the factors contributing to these issues. A voluntary questionnaire was emailed to …

A Phenomenographical Study Of One School’S Efforts To Improve Student Reading Skills And Parent Literacy Support, Karey L. Williams

Dissertations

Providing early literacy training for children is a vital part of establishing the foundation for the learning they will do for the rest of their lives, so it is important that we do the right work from the start. Unfortunately, too many children are still reading below grade level by third grade, and instead of reading to learn new materials, they are still trying to learn to read. At Van Buren Elementary School, there are many challenges for students and teachers. The school’s Free and Reduced lunch rate is over 86%, the students receiving English to Speakers of Other Languages …

Thoughts, Conflicts, And Feelings Of Ela Teachers’ Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Matthew Osborn

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced many complications and challenges for educators. There is a need to document and describe teacher experiences during this time to determine common themes that may inform future educational practice. This study utilized narrative inquiry to examine the lived experiences of five secondary ELA teachers during the different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three themes concerning how teachers perceived their students, work demands, and self were identified through several rounds of coding and thematic analysis. The findings and conclusions of this study contribute to developing a shared understanding of what happened in secondary education during the various …

Female Medical Students’ Lived Experiences Of Financial Stress And Coping, Untara Shaikh, Dr. Kimberlee Bonura

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Conference

Financial stress is a pervasive concern among medical students, with documented associations with adverse physical health, psychological morbidity, and ineffective coping. This study focuses on understanding the financial stressors female medical students face and the coping strategies they employ. While financial stress and coping mechanisms have been explored in the literature, a notable gap exists in understanding these dynamics among female students.

The study employed a phenomenological research approach to obtain data from the respondents, where data collection involved face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The Adaptation Model of Nursing, complemented by Lazarus and Folkman's Coping Theory, was a comprehensive framework for analyzing …

Understanding How Cte Educators Perceive That Professional Development Supports Educational Practices And Retention, Neyla Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Career and technical education (CTE) educators are inconsistently supported with professional development (PD). The inconsistent support may limit advancing teaching and learning, serving the students, and retaining CTE educators in the field. How supported CTE teachers feel with PD to implement instructional practices that serve students and encourage teachers to remain in the field was explored in this study. A basic qualitative approach was used along with the theoretical foundation of the social cognitive career theory, specifically, the interest and choice model. Semistructured interviews were conducted with ten CTE educators nationwide, and MAXQDA was used for data analysis. The data …

Breaking Barriers And Cultivating Collaborative Partnerships For The Torero Renaissance Scholars Program, Ti'shaun Allen

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

There is a high global demand for institutions to implement and maintain supportive programming for system-impacted students. System-impacted students are those who identify as former foster youth, homeless or at risk for homelessness, emancipated minors, or students in legal guardianships. My action research aimed to understand how to improve the Torero Renaissance Scholars (TRS) program model, delivery, and infrastructure to increase student engagement, program awareness, and partner collaboration at the University of San Diego (USD). TRS is a supportive program that assists students who are system-impacted. Findings from qualitative semi-structured 1:1 interviews, group conversations, and focus groups suggested increased employment …

Primary School Teachers’ Perspectives On Parent-Teacher Engagement In A Rural Title I Charter School District In The Southeast, Deena K. Eberhardt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children learn more effectively when parent-teacher engagement is high and home-school communication and collaboration are optimal. The problem addressed in this study was a lack of parent-teacher engagement in two Title I primary schools within a charter school system located in a rural area of the Southeast. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore primary teachers’ perspectives on parent-teacher engagement in a rural Title I charter school system in the Southeast. Epstein’s parental involvement model and Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory formed the conceptual framework. Research questions focused on teachers’ perspectives on parent-teacher engagement and strategies encourage this. …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Early Educator Retention And Within-Year Turnover, Elizabeth Ann Dupin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs are experiencing high turnover, resulting in lower teacher retention rates. High turnover hinders program quality, creates financial strain, and adversely affects program sustainability. Despite efforts to increase educator retention, a rural midwestern ECEC program’s administrative team continues to experience declining retention and high within-year turnover. This study aims to explore early educators’ perceptions of the organizational factors that contribute to teacher retention and within-year turnover in the selected ECEC site. The research study explores organizational factors using Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation. The qualitative data collected from current and previous early educators employed …

Closed For Storm: Open For Opportunity Revitalizing New Orleans At The Six Flags Site, Jackson Crow

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

New Orleans, a city known for its rich culture and historical significance, has faced its fair share of challenges, including natural disasters and economic struggles. One notable symbol of these struggles is the abandoned Six Flags theme park. This thesis proposal aims to explore the potential of revitalizing the old Six Flags site as a means to revive the city, while at the same time giving back to the community by enhancing its economic, cultural, and recreational offerings. The site will also double down as a safe center if another catastrophic hurricane hits the city.

School Social Workers Conducting Home Visits: Practice And Perceptions, Sadie K. Kinnarney

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

School districts are serving populations of students being faced with more multiplex sets of individual, school, family, and community level risk factors (Berzin & O’Connor, 2010; Boske & Benavente-McEnery, 2010; Frey et al., 2012; Kelly et al., 2010). Many children are unable to respond effectively to the school setting due to the stress in their family’s lives and the stressors in their home environment (Openshaw, 2008). There is knowledge that social and environmental constraints can negatively affect a child’s role in an educational setting and a student’s capability to learn tends to be challenged if their emotional and physical needs …

Credentialing Exam Hesitancy In Dietary Management Certificate Program Graduates: A First Look At Perceived Barriers, Sona Donayan

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Certified dietary managers (CDMs) lead their food services team by ensuring food quality, safety, and palatability while applying nutrition principles to food purchasing, storage, preparation, and service. Despite labor shortages and forecasted growth in both healthcare and food services management jobs, approximately 30% of credentialing exam candidates forego their exam within the first year after completing a didactic career technical education program approved by the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals. Moreover, very few return to pursue their exam after the first year. This study explored, through the lens of the theory of planned behavior, the perceived obstacles contributing to …

The Matthew Effect Within South Side Chicago Public Schools, Jazmin S. Hollingsworth

Honors Capstones

The Matthew Effect was first developed by sociologist Robert Merton (1968) to describe a phenomenon they observed whereby wealth and credit is distributed to individuals based on the wealth or credit they already possess. Keith Stanovich further developed this theory around poverty and effects on students, their learning, and in particular reading (1986). The name Matthew Effect comes from the Bible book of Matthew chapter 25: verse 29. "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath." The dynamics of poverty …

Facilitators And Barriers To Implementing Effective Interprofessional Education: A Mixed Methods Study Of Academic Health Institutions With Centralized Interprofessional Education Administrative Structures, Liliana Bronner

Theses & Dissertations

Interprofessional education (IPE) is pivotal in preparing future healthcare professionals for collaborative practice, yet its effective implementation remains challenging. The purpose of this mixed methods study of multiple academic health institution cases was to explore and understand how early and late IPE adopters perceive effective IPE implementation in academic health institutions. Combining frameworks for complex innovation implementation and curriculum development with surveys and interviews reveals the facilitators and barriers of effective IPE implementation. Consistent with the framework for complex innovation implementation, leadership and administrative support, resource allocation, logistical planning, and program evaluation emerged as key facilitators of effective IPE implementation. …

Beating The Heat: The Use Of Coral-Benefitting Bacteria For Heat-Stressed Anemones And Inspiring Future Biologists, Navah Eshraghi

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The warming of ocean temperatures has caused mass coral-bleaching events characterized by the expulsion of vital algal symbionts from coral tissues. However, the possibility of algal reuptake and existence of bacteria that support coral-algal symbiosis are two avenues of potential restoration efforts. Using the sea anemone Exaiptasia diaphana as a model for corals, I tested whether the coral-benefitting bacterium Endozoicomonas montiporae could enhance algal uptake under ambient (27°C) and heat-stressed (32°C) conditions. I then turned acquired results into an article modeled after National Geographic Kids to introduce the experiment to younger ages. While temperature was a larger determinant of algal-uptake …

Prevalence Of The Attributes Of The Female Athlete Triad In Competitive Nigerian Female Athletes, J Akinyemi, N Williams, A Salamunes, M De Souza

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

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Nutritional Knowledge Of Division Ii Female Athletes In Team Vs Individual Sports, C Allie, M Miltenberger, S Davis Facsm, B Snyder, K Nester

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

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