Digital Commons Network^™

Teacher Mental Health And Student Success: Examining The Impact Of Educator Well-Being On Classroom Outcomes, Caleb Stiles

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between teacher mental health and student success through a review of current and foundational research. The purpose of the study was to explore how teacher stress, burnout, and emotional well-being influence student outcomes across academic, behavioral, and social-emotional domains. The literature revealed that teacher burnout negatively affects instructional quality, classroom climate, and teacher-student relationships, all of which are essential to student achievement and engagement. Research also showed that teachers with higher self-efficacy and stronger emotional regulation skills are better equipped to manage stress and create supportive learning environments. Organizational factors such as leadership support, workload …

2026 Oer Deep Dive, Caterina B. Azzarello, Cassendra Bergstrom, Kirsten Gilderhus

About OER

The Affordable & Open Educational Resources (AOER) Committee at UNC, in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Higher Education, UNC’s Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, and the University Libraries, hosted an in-person OER Deep Dive professional development workshop on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. This full-day event was created for faculty and staff interested in learning more about Open Educational Resources (OER) and exploring ways to incorporate them into their instructional practices.

Throughout the workshop, participants examined the foundations of OER, discussed distinctions between openly licensed and freely available materials, and explored the role of affordable course content …

Sainik Vol 1 Issue 2, Sastra Deemed To Be University

SAINIK

No abstract provided.

Program Evaluation: A Study To Evaluate A Traditional Suspension Program Versus An Alternate Suspension Program, Ruth Desronvil

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, millions of students face out-of-school suspensions from public schools each year. Black and Hispanic students, in particular, are suspended at higher rates than their white peers (Cobb-Clark et al., 2015). Students miss class time and valuable learning, which widens the achievement gap between Black, Hispanic, and White students. Suspended students also face additional consequences, such as social alienation from schools and a higher likelihood of engagement in delinquency. Several programs seek to improve the effects of suspensions on students’ outcomes. In this dissertation response, I examine the effectiveness of one such program: an alternative suspension educational …

Machine-Learning- And Iot-Based Approach For Predicting Water Quality Using Data Classification And Explainable Ai Technique, M. Samir Abou El-Seoud, Omar H. Karam 2, Hosam El-Sofany 3

Computer Science

Maintaining water quality is crucial for both public health and environmental sustainability. This study proposes a machine-learning- (ML-) and Internet-of-Things- (IoT-) based approach to water quality prediction that utilizes explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) and data classification techniques. The proposed approach integrates IoT devices to enhance real-time data collection, facilitating continuous monitoring and early anomaly detection. Ten different ML classifiers—Decision Trees, K-Nearest Neighbors, XGBoost, Naïve Bayes, Logistic Regression, AdaBoost, Random Forests, Support Vector Machines, Voting, and Multi-Layer Perceptron—were evaluated to find out which one works best for predicting water quality. We used three distinct approaches for feature selection: analysis of variance …

A Case Study Of California Postsecondary Faculty Collaboration On Rubric Development To Foster Student Learning, Emmanuel Kwadwo Frimpong

Dissertations

Although perceived as the ‘gold standard’ strategy for conquering complex problems, collaboration can be ignored by intellectuals who prefer to work independently. This oversight may occur even in the face of challenging problems such as assessment of scholarships, institutional effectiveness, strategizing, and even the crafting of effective rubrics for assessing student learning. The scholarly literature clearly reveals that real difficulties often refuse to respond to routine assignments or common bureaucratic patterns. Additionally, 21st century conflicts may require creative solutions involving interdependence, joining of forces and brains, or vision sharing. Effective assessment of student learning within higher education may reflect just …

Transformative Paths: Advancing Inclusive Healthcare Education, Morgan Young

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Transgender individuals continue to experience significant healthcare disparities, provider bias, discrimination, and barriers to accessing affirming healthcare services (White Hughto et al., 2015; World Professional Association for Transgender Health [WPATH], 2022). Despite increasing awareness of these disparities, healthcare education often lacks comprehensive training related to gender-affirming care (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2021; Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [ODPHP], n.d.; White Hughto et al., 2015). A concurrent scoping review was conducted to answer the research question: Among healthcare providers, how do educational strategies grounded in transgender perspectives and lived experiences affect provider competence in transgender healthcare? The review …

Balancing Inquiry Based Learning And Direct Instruction, Sharon Liu , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Sustainable Justice: A Critical Contemplative Approach To Sustainability In Higher Education, Jessica A. Reneau

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The field of sustainability studies increasingly asks students to confront ecological crises alongside considerations of power, privilege, and unequal environmental harm. This work can be emotionally challenging as well as intellectually complex. Contemplative practices, such as meditation and yoga, may offer meaningful pedagogical support, helping students cultivate the attention, reflection, and emotional capacity needed to stay engaged with justice-centered sustainability learning. Although the use of contemplative pedagogies is growing in higher education, little research has examined how these practices shape justice-orientated learning outcomes in sustainability education. This dissertation addresses that gap by exploring how both student and instructor experience contemplative …

Visual Aids And Numeracy In Healthcare: Leveraging The Drawing Effect, Zephyr J. Markley

Capstone Showcase

Healthcare decisions often require patients to interpret numerical risk information under stress, yet many struggle with low numeracy, which can distort comprehension and undermine informed consent. Well-designed visual aids can improve diagnostic inference, calibrate confidence, and support better choices, especially for patients with limited numeracy, but their impact depends on whether users can actually interpret the format accurately. Drawing may further enhance these tools by adding a tactile, generative layer that engages visual, semantic, and motoric processing while helping patients organize information into concrete models.

Passive visual aids appear useful but limited because they often position patients as observers rather …

Co-Curricular Science Experiences Support Undergraduate Students' Science Gpa, Degree Completion, Workforce Entry, And Motivation, Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia, Tony Perez, Stacy J. Priniski, Sharlyn Ferguson-Johnson, John Keane, Alexandra Lee, Kristy A. Robinson, You-Kyung Lee, Goun Choi, Matthew J. Schell, Danielle N. Berry, Rochelle Schwatz-Bloom

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Science co-curricular experiences (SciXP)-such as research experiences and internships-are a common, yet understudied, strategy to enhance undergraduates' science career pursuit. Using a doubly robust method to account for initial differences in science motivation, academic readiness, and career intentions, we investigated whether SciXP participation across four years of college predicted undergraduates' (N = 1984) science achievement, career persistence, and motivation at the end of college and after graduation. Participation in science co-curricular experiences was positively associated with science GPA, earning a science degree, being in a more science-intensive career one to two years post-graduation, and viewing science as important and useful …

From Curiosity To Code: Using Ai As A Tool For Phenomenon-Based Chemistry Teaching, Allie M. Chambers

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on integrating phenomena-based learning into science classrooms. This instructional approach engages students with real-world events that make scientific concepts more understandable and gives the students a personal connection to their education. However, implementing phenomena-based instruction proves to be a challenge to novice and veteran educators alike.

This project explores, through the lens of an education student, the struggle of implementing phenomena events. Starting with reflections on how lessons can be revised/ constructed to involve a phenomena event and a personal comparison of the difficulty of integrating these events without and with …

Proceedings Of The Eleventh Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Stem Journeys, William S. Walker Iii, S. Selcen Guzey

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Indiana STEM Education Conference are edited by the Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST, https://www.education.purdue.edu/catalyst/) at Purdue University. The theme for the 2026 conference is STEM Journeys, celebrating the multiple pathways and experiences that advance student learning in STEM education.

Transforming Florida Chemistry Education: Exploring Information Literacy Strategies From Singapore, Han N. Le

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study explores the applicability of Singapore’s information literacy (IL) strategies within Central Floridian higher education environments. Singapore’s national IL framework, supported by its Ministry of Education, integrates information and communication technology (ICT), professional development, and lifelong learning initiatives through a standardized, systemwide approach. In contrast, IL instruction in the United States is largely decentralized, often limited to one-time sessions or elective courses. To investigate the feasibility of adapting Singapore’s practices, surveys were distributed to faculty and librarians across Florida’s twelve public universities, yielding responses that highlighted varying levels of IL integration, limited institutional support, and minimal professional training related …

Exploring The Role Of Dialogue In Student Development And Knowledge Generation, Alison Warren

Indiana STEM Education Conference

In classrooms where students are given the space to engage in dialogue, ask questions, and negotiate ideas, science learning comes to life. Providing opportunities for students to negotiate ideas publicly, through dialogue, then privately, through writing has the potential to maximize student idea generation. Although dialogue is widely recognized as important for engagement and communicating ideas, it has also been framed as an epistemic tool. However, the role of dialogue as a sense-making process or epistemic tool, and its relationship to other forms of language, remains under-explored. This study addresses this gap by investigating the role of dialogue and how …

Phonics And Friends: A Critical Multimodal Discourse Analysis Of Popular Teacher Influencers' Content, Zachary T. Milford

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

This critical multimodal discourse analysis examined how five teacher-influencers aligned with the Science of Reading (SoR) movement performed authority, constructed discourses, and used affective and semiotic resources in viral TikTok videos about reading instruction. Drawing on Kress and van Leeuwen's (2001) multimodal social semiotics, Fairclough's (1992) critical discourse analysis, Foucault's (1977, 1982) theorizations of power, Papacharissi's (2014) theory of affective publics, Ong's (1982) secondary orality, and Taussig's (1993) mimesis and alterity, this interpretive, qualitative, multiple-case study analyzed fifty viral TikTok videos and four semi-structured interviews with teacher-influencers. Data were analyzed through within-case and within-mode coding, cross-modal analysis, and cross-case analysis …

Updates To Version 1.0 Of The Four‐Dimensional Ecology Education Framework Create Version 1.1., Christopher W. Beck, Loren B. Byrne, Jennifer Doherty, Amanda E. Sorensen, Et Al.

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Since its introduction in 2018, the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) Framework has advanced ecology education. Yet, ecology educators have had different understandings of aspects of the Framework. Here, we describe the updates to the original Framework that aim to provide more clarity. Specifically, we describe higher-level changes in how the Framework is presented on the 4DEE website, changes to some of the elements within the dimensions, mostly in the Human–Environment Interactions dimension, and perhaps most substantively, replacing the lists of subelements with more descriptive paragraphs that explain the intent of the elements. We hope that these updates will promote the …

Evaluating The Comparison Of Different Body Locations For Data Collection Using Galvanic Skin Response Of Forensic Chemistry Students When In Lecture And Laboratory Environments, Elisa Guerrero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Anxiety is the response that humans can have when exposed to a stimulus. It can be caused by a multitude of factors, such as psychological, biological, or physiological stimuli. Anxiety can be presented as a state or as a trait in a person. Trait anxiety is typically seen as a more stable personality trait, whereas state anxiety is a more intense temporary emotional state. In our study, anxiety was regarded as a more state-like characteristic. A galvanic skin response (GSR) Shimmer3+ device can measure skin electro-conductance changes following stimulation. In a situation where a participant is experiencing anxiety, levels of …

Gamification For Learning At Wvu Tech: Examples From Engineering And Biology, Tamara Floyd-Smith, Aida Elisabet Jiménez-Esquilín

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

At WVU Tech, gamification is intentionally implemented by many faculty as a broad, multi-modal instructional approach rather than a single tool or activity. Faculty employ a range of gamification strategies, including the digital platform Kahoot but also analog, hands-on games (e.g., discipline-specific board games). These approaches are used for multiple instructional purposes, including supporting students in checking their understanding, practicing recall, working through challenging concepts, and developing problem-solving skills. Here we present applications of gamification for learning in engineering and biology courses at WVU Tech. Student feedback was collected regarding the use of Kahoot quizzes as a valuable and enjoyable …

Ai-Resistant Activities For Online And Large Enrollment Courses, Jason Bock, Eric Lemley

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Concurrent Session Papers

The rapid adoption of generative AI tools has fundamentally challenged traditional assessments in higher education, particularly in large-enrollment and fully asynchronous online courses where instructor presence and grading time are constrained. While many instructors have responded by restricting AI use or adopting detection tools, research increasingly shows that detection-based approaches are unreliable and labor-intensive. We propose a design-centered alternative: reshaping assessments so that AI use becomes insufficient, rather than prohibited.

Drawing on a systematic process of testing proposed and original assessment ideas directly against multiple generative AI models (using both simple and advanced prompting strategies), we present a curated playbook …

Interacting With Ideas: How To Engage Stem Students In Active Learning Of Theory Using Technology, Jessica Elizabeth Whitney, Keith Brian Morris

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Concurrent Session Papers

STEM education in the modern age has been subject to much reform – from the integration of technology to an emphasis on student-centered teaching strategies, such as active learning. However, in the wake of virtual and blended-learning environments, student engagement and teacher assessment of student success have been challenged. Tools such as KAHOOT! and iClicker have been promoted to foster an active learning environment while sometimes falling short in regards to student retention of course material. In light of this technological educational revolution, instructors need to be able to determine the most effective tools for their discipline to aid in …

Research In Progress: Using Pdsa Cycles To Support Faculty Teaching Development, Aida Elisabet Jimenez Esquilin

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

Primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) are rich environments for faculty-driven instructional innovation where instructors routinely engage in informal, embedded formative assessment as part of everyday teaching practice. In these settings, faculty may notice recurring themes in student explanations, misconceptions, and questions as instruction unfolds and make in-the-moment instructional adjustments. Faculty also frequently implement active learning strategies; however, the evidence generated through these practices is not always systematically captured, analyzed, or documented to inform subsequent instructional decisions. This project builds on these existing practices by applying an improvement science framework using Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles-to support faculty by providing a structured approach to …

Bringing Real Research Into Large-Enrollment Biology Labs, Katrina Klugh Stewart, Mathilda Corbett

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

Hundreds of WVU students in a large-enrollment introductory biology laboratory course (BIOL 115L) participated in an authentic research experience through the Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment (PARE) Project. This national crowdsourced research initiative engages students in generating environmental DNA data to identify potential antibiotic resistance hotspots. For the Fall 2025 semester, we designed a multi-week lab module to implement a cost-effective, scalable version of the PARE model suitable for a course serving approximately 900 students annually.

The three-week sequence integrates core scientific practices, including hypothesis generation, field sampling, DNA extraction, PCR amplification of antibiotic resistance genes, gel electrophoresis, …

Techniques For Inclusive College Mathematics Classrooms, Christopher Anderson Davis, Josh Hiller, Anil Venkatesh

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Creating a welcoming and inclusive mathematics classroom is an important responsibility for all college mathematics faculty. But where do we begin? In this paper we present several techniques based on White’s (2024) building inclusive classrooms strategies framework, which the authors have found to be successful in making their own classrooms more inclusive. The techniques include the inclusion of contemporary diverse voices, exploring the history of applications of mathematical concepts, elevating the diverse intellectual history of mathematics, bringing diverse guest speakers into the classroom, and mentoring students as they engage in doing research. For each strategy we provide narrative comments based …

Connections Between Mathematics And Chemistry: An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Curricular Initiative, George Ashline, Bret Findley

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

In this article, we describe an undergraduate curricular initiative involving mathematics and chemistry faculty and students. Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program, a program designed to encourage the study of and connections between quantitative fields and life sciences, this interdisciplinary collaboration features undergraduate student research and involves the development of curricular connections between mathematics and chemistry. Through this initiative, we have created activities for calculus courses featuring chemistry applications as well as activities for chemistry courses showcasing mathematical concepts. After the implementation of these curricular enhancements, we gathered student …

Full Issue

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

Guidebook For Artificial Intelligence Integration Into The University Environment, Mark J. Uline, Tarek Shazly, Grace Cosby

Reports

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not a peripheral or speculative technology in the university setting, it is rather a rapidly evolving transformational force that will reshape research, teaching, and administrative operations. Recent systematic reviews conclude that generative AI tools are already being widely used by students and instructors and can positively affect learning outcomes and academic performance when thoughtfully integrated into instruction (Hon, 2025; Qian, 2025).

At the same time, case studies warn that unmanaged or poorly governed AI use can undermine academic integrity, exacerbate inequities, and create new institutional risks (Mangundu, 2025; Şen et al., 2026). AI adoption brings unparalleled …

Improving Blood Pressure Control Through Lifestyle Modification In African Americans Adults With Uncontrolled Hypertension, Tasha Leonard

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

African American adults have the highest incidence of uncontrolled hypertension (HTN), leading to premature cardiovascular death in Texas and worldwide. In a South Texas cardiac clinic, over 90% of African American adults with HTN also have obesity, compared with 55% of their Caucasian counterparts. The most prevalent factor affecting this group is poor understanding of blood pressure management, which leads to nonadherence to dietary and exercise recommendations, medication regimens, and blood pressure monitoring. The objective was to determine whether lifestyle modification using a hypertensive bundle would improve blood pressure management among African American adults in the clinical setting. The initiative …

Dataset: The Impact Of External Resource Use On The Validity Of Score Interpretation For A Biology Concept Assessment Administered Out-Of-Class, Tiffany J. Burgess, Crystal Uminski, Gia Alicea, Brian A. Couch

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Instructors use concept assessments to gauge student knowledge and guide course improvement. Many instructors experience time and logistical constraints around administering these assessments in class. For this reason, administering concept assessments outside of class can help increase feasibility. While previous studies have cautioned that the use of external resources (e.g., internet, course notes, peers) in the out-of-class setting may inflate assessment scores, the extent to which undergraduate students access various resources when completing concept assessments is unknown. The current study uses two survey question formats to better understand whether students engage with external resources when taking a biology concept assessment …

Dataset: Participation Versus Points: Examining The Impact Of Grading Conditions On Student Resource Use During An Out-Of-Class Biology Concept Assessment, Tiffany J. Burgess, Crystal Uminski, Brian A. Couch

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Instructors use concept assessments to collect diagnostic information regarding student learning and to inform decisions surrounding instructional interventions and course modifications. Administering concept assessments out-of-class helps preserve already limited instructional time, but instructors still must consider whether to apply a lower-stakes (i.e., participation) versus higher-stakes (i.e., correctness) grading scheme. An increase in stakes is likely to prompt additional effort, but it may also increase undesired behaviors and inadvertently prompt external resource use, such as students leveraging their notes, the internet, or their peers. In the present study, we compared student self-reported resource use on a biology concept assessment administered under …