Digital Commons Network^™

Cognitive Diagnosis Of Media And Digital Literacy Knowledge Schema In Mexican High School Students, Janneth Trejo-Quintana, Guadalupe E. Morales-Martinez, Betsabe Hernandez-Alvarez

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This research explored the mental representation of media and digital literacy (MDL) in 242 Mexican high school students through a definitional task based on the natural semantic networks technique. The participants defined ten target concepts related to MDL, using verbs, nouns, and adjectives as definers, and then they rated each definer with a scale from 1 to 10. The smaller the number, the lower the quality of the definer to conceptualize the target, while the higher the rating, the higher the quality of the definer to define it. The participants showed a beginner level in MDL despite their daily navigation …

2025 Otterbein University Honors Convocation Program, Otterbein University

Honors Convocation

No abstract provided.

Writing Confidence: Tutoring, Identity, And Race—A Mixed-Methods Approach, Daniel Messier, Hadi Riad Banat

The Writing Center Journal

This mixed-methods study sought to better understand how confidence in writing and race interact as factors within writing centers. Students utilizing our writing center were asked to provide data about racial identity and writing confidence both when registering with the writing center and when completing postsession surveys. From this data, we interviewed a racially representative pool of respondents to better understand their definitions of confidence and the identity factors that have shaped their confidence in writing. Our survey data showed that students’ confidence increased significantly as a result of a writing center session, replicating previous writing center research. Furthermore, we …

Teachers’ Experiences With The Reduction Of Play And Its Impact On Social-Emotional Development And Behavior In The Preschool Setting., Jacqueline Renee Smith

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, phenomenological study explored teachers’ experiences with the reduction of play in the preschool setting and its impact on social-emotional development and behavior in the preschool classroom. The problem addressed was the decreasing amount of time spent on play in early childhood education. While play is a developmentally appropriate way for children to develop social-emotional, physical, and cognitive skills, the teachers in East Tennessee are experiencing a decline in play. Deficits in social-emotional skills and behavior affect not only the child but also schools, early childhood centers, teachers, administrators, and other students in the classroom. There are long-term ramifications …

Central Habits Of Highly Effective Tutors: Hospitable Practice, Rhetorical Listening, And Emotional Validation In The Writing Center, Edward A. English

The Writing Center Journal

This article explores hospitality as a theoretical framework for valuing emotional engagement and rhetorical listening in writing center consultations, challenging traditional views that prioritize rationality and detachment. Anchored in a university writing center, the study investigates how writing tutors engage with writers, adopting hospitality as a core principle. Semi-structured postconsultation interviews and a focus group allowed tutors to reflect collaboratively on their application of the hospitality framework. Thematic analysis with in vivo coding ensured participants’ voices remained central to the findings. By examining the lived experiences of tutors, the study highlights the dynamic relationship between emotional and rational responses in …

April 22, 2025 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Young Learners With Special Needs: Implementation Of The Resilience Based Interaction Model, Laura Knotts

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

No abstract provided.

College Sojourners' Reentry Experiences After Studying Abroad, Samantha Rose Maiolo

Honors Scholar Theses

When people think of studying abroad, they often think the experience ends when a study abroad participant returns home, but the reentry experience back home can be just as significant as the experience in the host country. In this study, I explored the following questions: (1) What emotional, social, and academic transitions do students experience when returning home from studying abroad? and (2) In what ways do the experiences students have abroad change their perspective of their life in the home culture? We interviewed 10 and surveyed 3 recent study abroad returnees from a large state university in New England. …

Promoting College And Career Ready Readers And Writers: A Guide For English, Science, And Social Studies Teachers To Support Instruction Of Sat Reading And Writing Skills, David Fitzpatrick

Masters Projects

In Michigan and across the United States, student scores on the Evidence Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT have been steadily declining. This project responds to this decline by developing a set of resources for skills-based literacy instruction that English language arts, social studies, and science teachers can use to revise their approaches to teaching literacy skills. Highly effective curriculum design and literacy instruction strategies were reviewed to design guides, templates, and models for practicing high school teachers at all grade levels to adapt in order to improve literacy instruction in their classrooms. By scaffolding literacy skills across …

Youth Fiction And Trans Representation, D. Perez-Sornia, Emmanuel Te

International Journal of Human Rights Education

Tom Sandercock begins Youth Fiction and Trans Representation asserting that this is the first book to catalog and trace transgender and gender variant representation across various forms of media (Sandercock, p. i). Sandercock presents a compelling collection of transgender representation case studies, with an intended audience of transgender studies scholars, LGBTQ+ and allied educators seeking to add meaningful gender-explorative literature to their curriculum, and transgender people interested in a gender retrospective view of their childhood or adolescent media. Examining not only mere representation of young transgender and gender variant people, Sandercock explores the intersections of gender and various vertices of …

Literacies Of The Rainbow Corn Mother: A Queer Indigenous Eye For Dei, Paul David Terry, Jamal Epperson

International Journal of Human Rights Education

The landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work is currently undergoing a critical evaluation and facing attacks, revealing the limitations of performative initiatives entrenched in colonial frameworks. These initiatives often fail to acknowledge and address the erasure of Indigenous and queer identities, alongside the need for genuine representation within institutional settings. This approach may lead to creating inclusivity shaped by colonial law rather than fostering the true inclusivity and belonging that communities seek.

Advocates are calling for a shift towards a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to DEI work, urging organizations to move beyond performative gestures and toward meaningful …

Citizenship Education For Trans Inclusion, Jac Bastian, Hans Svennevig

International Journal of Human Rights Education

Amidst a backdrop of rising hate crimes and hostility towards the trans community, educational institutions have emerged as an area of contestation. How can educators navigate this to create rights respecting classrooms that empower active citizens who advocate for trans equality? This piece provides a community-based commentary that considers the legal responsibilities and duties of teachers to safeguard children and young people. It informs us on opportunities for the consideration of educators’ duties through the lens of Yogyakarta Principles+10 and the UNCRC.

Categories Are Made To Be Broken: Uncovering Strategies And Pedagogies Of Blaqueer Resistance, Femi Higgins

International Journal of Human Rights Education

This article explores the liberatory praxis and spaces of BlaQueer (Black & Queer) and Trans communities, focusing on educational settings that promote the rights and well-being of Black LGBTQ+ people and how these BlaQueer/Trans educational projects disrupt asymmetrical citizenship and violence. The analysis of BlaQueer/Trans educational projects, ranging from ballroom houses to community-based education programs, reveals core competencies that align with human rights education (HRE) and principles of ballroom culture. These include critical thinking and analysis of power structures and embodied resistance pedagogies that interrogate identity and unequal citizenship while building power to dismantle interlocking oppressive systems. The article contends …

Introduction: Queering Human Rights Education: Research, Praxis And Liberation For Lgbtqia2s+, David Donahue, Lori Selke, Maria Autrey Noriega, Mauro Sifuentes

International Journal of Human Rights Education

No abstract provided.

Ijhre Vol. 9: Queering Human Rights Education: Research, Praxis And Liberation For Lgbtqia2s+, David Donahue, Lori Selke, Maria Autrey Noriega, Mauro Sifuentes

International Journal of Human Rights Education

This special issue of the International Journal of Human Rights Education, Queering Human Rights Education: Research, Praxis and Liberation for LGBTQIA2S+, presents research, reflection on practice, and reviews of new scholarship that highlight the experience of LGBTQIA2S+ students, educators, and activists through a human rights lens. The articles draw on diverse methodologies, perspectives, and intersecting identities to reimagine not just schools but all spaces of learning, from ballrooms to the internet, as sites for LGBTQ+ joy and liberation. The scholarship in this issue is “queer” not only in its focus on LGBTQ+ stakeholders in education but also in the …

Pathways And Persistence: Analyzing Kentucky's Special Education Teacher Shortage, Stacy Marie Onderdonk Liguori

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Stacy Marie Onderdonk Liguori on April 21, 2025.

Organismal Classification And The Phylogenetic Tree: Improving Its Teaching Using Decision-Based Learning, Melissa Cavan

Theses and Dissertations

For a lot of students, learning biology is like learning a new language. There are new terms and concepts that a lot of new students have never heard of. Evolution is the cornerstone for understanding biology, yet it is one of the more misunderstood topics. In combination with learning new terms and concepts some students come in with preconceived ideas about evolution or misunderstandings about how evolution and the phylogenetic tree work. The research indicates instructors attempting active learning techniques to increase understanding of the phylogenetic tree with mixed results, where there appears to be some improvement but nothing significant. …

Utilization Of Zinc As A Supplemental Treatment To Prostate Cancer, Cony Cs Chow, Vishal Ahuja, Luis Mangiafico

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Prostate cancer remains as a significant contributor to mortality among men worldwide, and despite advancements in treatment, there is still a need for adjunct therapies that could assist in mitigating the progression of this disease. Zinc is an essential trace element which plays a crucial role in the function of the prostate and has shown signs of influencing the development of prostate cancer. This prospective study will aim to evaluate the effects of zinc supplementation on the progression of prostate cancer through a controlled experimental design. Participants will include patients who are diagnosed with prostate cancer (stages 1-3) and will …

2025 Undergraduate Research Competition Program, Coastal Carolina University

Undergraduate Research Symposium Programs

16th Annual Undergraduate Research Competition, April 15-16, 2025.

The 2025 CCU Undergraduate Research Symposium included 168 oral and poster presentations (51 oral presentations and 117 poster presentations) and an additional 20 team pitch presentations composed of 57 students who participated in the inaugural year of the Wall College’s Chant’s Tank Pitch Competition.

Presentations at the Undergraduate Research Symposium were judged by over 80 faculty and staff, and prizes are awarded in three categories: Best Oral Presentation, Best Poster Presentation, and Best Chant’s Tank Pitch Presentation. Here are the following award winners in their respective categories:

Best Oral Presentation:

• 1st Place: …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 100, No. 3, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Magazine edition of the College Heights Herald for the period February 17 - April 20, 2025.

• Wilborn, Price. You Matter & You Are Not Alone
• Smith, Kane. Peggy Crowe Reflects on Counseling Center in Face of Staff Shortages
• Stafford, Hallie. Help with Horses – New Beginnings Therapeutic Horse Riding
• Hawkins, Kaylee. How a WKU Professor Helps Improve Student Mental Health – Jay Gabbard, National Alliance on Mental Illness Recovery Support Group
• McMahon, Jake. More Than a Coach – Brent Chumbley, Track & Field
• Simpson, Libby. WKU’s American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Brings Mental Health Into the Light
• Hardesty, Emma. Trans …

Enhancing The Development Of Critical Thinking Skills Through The Implementation Of Trauma-Informed Project-Based Learning, Megan E. Coleman

Masters Projects

Many students struggle to develop critical thinking skills, which are considered essential skills in life. While research supports the need for the development of these skills in young adults, many educators struggle to be successful in helping students develop these skills. Project-based learning (PBL) has been shown to be a successful tool in navigating the development of these skills, but research over the years has shown that teachers face many barriers in its implementation. In addition to the challenges of curriculum, students also face barriers in their development of these skills due to the exposure of trauma. Because of the …

Teacher Stress, Resilience, And Experience: A Correlational Study, Kelsey D. Valente

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The teaching profession is one of the most critical, yet challenging occupations. The purpose of this dissertation was to identify and articulate the importance of the study exploring the teaching occupation and stress. Specifically, the purpose of the quantitative study was to explore the relationship between self-report educator stress, self-report of resilience, and years of teaching experience. The minimum sample size, determined by a priori power analysis, was 67; however, there were 68 participants in the study. Participants included current, public school educators ages 18 and older licensed to teach in South Carolina. Data collection was completed through three self-report …

Navigating Gender And Equity In Education: Challenges, Personal Experiences, And Pathways For Change, Chloe Ballow

Honors Projects

This project examines how gender stereotypes influence the educational experiences of high school girls, focusing on the combined effects of gender, race, and socio-economic status. Using sources from feminist theory, educational research, and real-world examples, this study explores how societal expectations shape girls’ behavior in the classroom, their academic self-image, and their future goals. Special attention is given to African American girls and students from low-income backgrounds, who often face additional challenges due to both racial and gender biases.

The research draws on a mix of scholarly articles, reports from organizations like UNESCO and the OECD, and insights from a …

Investigating Faculty, Students, And Diversity Officers' Attitudes Towards Cultural Diversity: A Causal-Comparative Study, Kerry Simmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study is to investigate the difference in cultural competence scores among students, faculty, and diversity officers who participated in cultural competence training and those who did not. Research on diversity has seldom examined the effectiveness of cultural competence training on attitudes toward cultural diversity. The study participants (n = 411) were undergraduate students, n = 148, faculty, n = 129, and diversity officers, n = 134) from 4-year private non-profit universities in the Northeastern United States. The present study employed critical race theory to explore the effectiveness of cultural competence training programs and assess …

The Relationship Of Christian Spirituality And Sustained Recovery From Trauma-Related Substance Addiction, Carol Beatrice Bradley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation contains information regarding research that has been done on integrating spirituality into addiction recovery and trauma recovery. Research shows a strong relationship between addiction and trauma experiences and that when recovery counselors integrate spirituality into recovery the chances of relapse decrease. There is a need for additional research and education for recovery counselors and the support systems that help people to recover from addiction. This can help lead people to a life with purpose to prevent further addiction, relapse, overdose, and death. There has been some research that shows that integrating Christianity into recovery can help increase the …

English As A Second Language Nurse Experiences With Collaborative Learning During Pre-Licensure, Baccalaureate Nursing Education: A Phenomenological Study, Candice Tart Phillips

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand how ESL nurses experienced collaborative learning with their native English-speaking peers in traditional baccalaureate-accredited nursing programs across the United States. The theories guiding this study were the Social Learning Theory (SLT) of Academic Self-Efficacy (ASE) by Albert Bandura and the Sociocultural Theory of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) by Lev Vygotsky. The central investigative research question was: What are the lived experiences of novice ESL nurses who participated in collaborative learning with their native English-speaking peers during baccalaureate nursing education? Sampling methods used included a purposive and a snowball sample …

The Ability Of Algebra Final Grades And Teas Scores To Predict Undergraduate Nursing Student Grade Point Averages: A Quantitative, Non-Experimental, Predictive Correlational Study, Jeanna L. Kerchner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A major concern for many nursing programs is student completion rates. This is due in large part to the demands and rigor of curriculum in accredited nursing programs. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, predictive correlational study was to determine if final nursing program GPA can be predicted by the linear combination of college algebra final grades and TEAS scores in an undergraduate nursing program at a private university. A quantitative, non-experimental research design was used to address the proposed study’s purpose. The study’s sample of participants was purposive and convenient in nature, and was accessed using an existing, archival …

The Lived Experiences Of Elementary Teachers' Use Of Positive Behavior Intervention Supports And Social-Emotional Learning With Emotionally Disturbed And Behaviorally Challenged Students: A Phenomenological Study, Chandra Yvette Madden

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of elementary teachers' use of PBIS and SEL with students with emotional behavioral needs and to gain insight into what supports are needed for teachers in a school district in the southern United States. There is a need to examine elementary teachers' implementation of PBIS and SEL with students who have emotional and behavioral needs to understand what supports are needed. A positive academic environment for students and teachers is generally defined as such. The theory that guided this study was the social constructivist theory (Vygotsky,1978). …

Exploring Lived Experiences Of Teachers Fostering Student Engagement In Classrooms In Government Secondary Schools In The Southwest Region Of Cameroon: A Phenomenological Study, Susan Etchu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of teachers fostering student engagement in classrooms in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. The theory guiding this study was Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of cognitive development as it emphasizes the role of social interaction, cultural context, and language in shaping cognitive development. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of teachers fostering student engagement in their classrooms in the Southwest Region of Cameroon? Data was collected from 13 teachers through interviews, focus groups, and observations. Seven major themes emerged: Impact of Sociopolitical Crisis, Academic …

A Quasi-Experimental Non-Equivalent Control Group Study Of The Efficacy Of An Academic Habits Course On Middle School Students’ Executive Function, Leslie Anne M Mccoy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest-post-test control group study was to examine the efficacy of executive function training through scaffolded instruction on the executive function skillset between sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students enrolled in an academic habits course versus those who are not enrolled in an academic habits course at a middle school located in the southeastern United States. While former studies contributed to the literature on the trainability of the executive function skills of middle school students within the clinical setting, this study contributes to the current literature on the trainability of the executive function skills of …