Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Educational And Career Transition Points Among A Diverse, Virtual Mentoring Network, Erika L Thompson, Toufeeq Ahmed Syed, Zainab Latif, Katie Stinson, Damaris Javier, Gabrielle Saleh, Jamboor K Vishwanatha

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Given the differences in trajectory for under-represented minorities in biomedical careers, we sought to explore how a virtual mentoring program, the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), and its platform (MyNRMN), may facilitate transitions in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) pipeline. The purpose of this study was to describe how the size of an MyNRMN member’s mentoring network and level of engagement correlate with academic and career transitions. We examined MyNRMN platform user data from March 2020 to May 2021 (n = 2993). Logistic regression estimated the odds of a career or academic transition related to NRMN …

Incorporation Of Citizen Science In Classrooms To Enrich Learning, Ryan Moellendick

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper explores the use of citizen science experiences as a method of enriching content in middle school and high school science classrooms. This article explores my own experiences working with the Dynamic Eclipse Broadcast (DEB) Initiative and the application of available citizen science experiences in the classroom in alignment with Ohio's Learning Standard's for Science.

Understanding The Impact Of Foster Care On Child Development, Catherine Pleska

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project aims to explore the developmental impact of the foster care system on children, focusing on how early trauma and systemic factors influence emotional, social, and cognitive development. Through a systematic literature review, the project will highlight the unique experiences foster children face, examining how early adversity shapes their long-term outcomes. The project will emphasize the importance of trauma-informed care in educational environments, advocating for strategies that create supportive and empathetic classrooms. The objectives include identifying key challenges for foster children and offering recommendations for teachers and school administrators to effectively engage students impacted by trauma. The study also …

Explorations Of Social-Emotional Learning In The Arts, Lydia Boyer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this Honors Research Project was to explore social-emotional learning as a practice, to find effective applications for schools, to highlight the connections between the arts and social-emotional learning, and to provide useful methods for the actual implementation. There is a focus on the five main competencies of social-emotional learning which are self- awareness, social-awareness, self-management, relationship-building, and responsible decision- making skills which are translated into various class practices and art projects. Social-emotional learning is a mindset rather than merely a practice and has been practiced latently in education. Art education and social-emotional learning share congruencies in standards, …

African American Vernacular English: A Qualitative Study On Its Use In American Foreign Language Classrooms, Rickkay L. T. King

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study examines how foreign language (FL) instructors perceive Black students' use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in the classroom. Historically, negative connotations of AAVE have colored the perspectives of the general public and educators alike. This collective case study of FL instructors gathered in-depth data through semi-structured interview questions. These research findings have the potential to impact world language curriculums in America positively, particularly those tailored to students with home language backgrounds different from Standard American English (SAE). Despite increasing overall college enrollment and bachelor’s degree attainment, Black students continue to have some of the lowest …

Purpose-Driven Curriculum For 9th-12th Grades For Adulthood Careers & Life Gratification, Destiny Krystle Chioma Nnadozie

Theses and Dissertations

A purpose-driven or purpose-based curriculum is not the standard required for high schools in the United States. Students in grades 9th-12th are educated based on a curriculum that covers mathematics, English, science, and social studies (De Roux & Riehl, 2022; Xiao et al., 2018). The unique individual purpose of each student, realized while in high school, is not considered a priority, leaving students to enter their adult careers lacking true career fulfillment due to this misalignment (Baroudi et al., 2017; S. Lyons et al., 2015; H. Wu, 2024).  Using a qualitative systematic review research design, this study aimed to explore …

The Influence Of Fictional Storytelling On The Student Experience In A Gamified Classroom, Arrash Jaffarzadeh

Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory case study evaluated how the use of gamification and game-based learning (GBL) with the added element of storytelling affected engagement and attitudes of children ages 9 to 13 as they participated in quests to complete their learning objectives.  Archived artifacts of a computer technology class in a northern California private school using the Applied Computer Technology Education (ACTE) framework taught to grade 4-8 provided the data for the study.  Each quest was comprised of a fictional story that tied to the lesson. These stories involved the three archetypes of the warrior (herald), healer (ally), and mage (trickster) on …

Upskilling California’S Public Health: An Assessment Of An Online Data Science Program, Michelle Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical gaps in public health workforce data capabilities, prompting increased investment in data science training. This instrumental case study examined the effectiveness of University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health's online data science training program, developed in partnership with the California Department of Public Health to strengthen the state's public health workforce. The study analyzed program artifacts collected between October 2023 and September 2024, including Course Analytics Reports documenting enrollment patterns and Course Evaluation Reports structured according to considering the first two levels of Kirkpatrick's Four-Level Training Evaluation Model (1994). Analysis of nine courses revealed …

Lifelong Learning And Perceived Quality Of Life: An Exploratory Study Of Older Adult Learners In Southern California, Guadalupe Salgado-Shower

Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study examines the impact of lifelong learning programs (LLPs) on the perceived quality of life among older adults (OAs) against a global demographic shift towards an aging population (Narushima et al., 2018). With the number of people aged 60 and above projected to nearly double by 2050, understanding and enhancing the well-being of OAs has become imperative (United Nations, 2019). Lifelong learning (LL), involving the continuous acquisition of knowledge and skills irrespective of age, emerges as a promising avenue for improving cognitive functioning, social engagement, and emotional well-being among OAs (Longworth & Davies, 2017). This exploratory study adopts …

Student Success, Suicide Rates: A Correlational Study Of Pressures On, And Expectations For High School Students In The United States, Matthew Baham

Theses and Dissertations

Suicide among high school students has become a growing health crisis, with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation increasing at an alarming rate. The purpose of this quantitative research is to explore the correlation between high school graduation requirements, pressures associated with college applications, and rising suicide rates among high school aged students in grades 9 through 12. With the increase in academic demands, standardized tests, extracurricular activities and a competitive college admissions process, has created an enormously high-pressure environment in high school education. These stressors are shown to have an intense impact on high school …

Teacher Stress, Well-Being, And Adaptation To Innovation, Amanda Leanore Pelloth

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers face many sources of stress; however, a consistent source is prompted by the need to cope with change as districts adapt to shifting paradigms. This study intended to fill Rogers’ (2003) KAP gap and the failure of innovations by infusing the study of well-being and emotion into the narrative by incorporating the transactional relationship between technostress and implementation efforts into the technochange process. The study investigated teachers’ cognitive appraisals of technochange (primary appraisal) and their adaptational coping processes (secondary appraisal) to understand how implementation impacts teachers’ well-being and their adaptive processes. A parallel convergent mixed methods approach with an …

R&D Efficiency Of Drug Development At Universities, John Aylworth

Theses and Dissertations

Research and development (R&D) efficiency in the pharmaceutical industry is a measure of the relative value of new and novel products cast against the costs required to make them. For six decades, the R&D efficiency of large pharmaceutical companies has declined to critical levels. Most recently, nearly half of the companies studied were experiencing negative R&D efficiency, or products whose costs to bring to market outweigh the value they offer both commercially as well as to the health and well-being of society (Schuhmacher et al., 2023). One of the most prominent consequences of the inefficiencies plaguing the drug development industry …

Designing For Neurodiversity In Web Spaces, Kelly Getz, Kimberly Shotick

Faculty Books & Book Chapters

In this chapter, we share how we carried out library website usability studies with neurodivergent students. The research is situated within the Social Model of Disability and places value on students' experiences challenges. Through usability studies and inclusive web service redesign plans, we center the opinions and expectations of neurodivergent student users in ways neurotypical users have been centered and designed around in the past. The chapter will share methods and best practices for conducting usability studies with neurodivergent individuals as well as findings from our own study.

Proceedings Of The Tenth Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Generational Advances Through Stem Education, William S. Walker Iii, Lynn A. Bryan, S Selcen Guzey

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Proceedings of the Tenth 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 2025 conference is Generational Advances through STEM Education. This year’s conference provides opportunities to learn about effective STEM education strategies, curriculum, and resources to engage students by considering the advances and impact of STEM.

Investigating The Psychometric Properties Of A Set Of Local Stem Literacy Instruments In Rasch Model, Lijun Shen

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This study investigates the psychometric features of the See Blue STEM literacy inventories (SBSTEMs, including the elementary version SB-E and the middle school version SB-M) to determine their validity in measuring STEM literacy. Using data from elementary and middle school students participating in the See Blue STEM camp in 2019 and 2021-22, this research employed the Rasch Partial Credit Model (PCM) to analyze item-level performance and identify DIF items across various demographic subgroups (race, gender, free-lunch status, and potential first-generation status) and camp delivery modes (online versus in-person). Results indicated that both the elementary (SB-E) and middle school (SB-M) versions …

Lives And Lessons Of Zoo Animals, Nicole Emlen

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This project was an interdisciplinary museum exhibit that was displayed at the Montana Natural History Center between April 4 and May 12, 2025. It displays my photographs that I took of some of the animals I worked with during my summer 2024 internship at ZooMontana. In this project, I educate the public about three main functions of zoos--rescue, conservation, and education--through the stories and lives of four species. These animals all have unique stories that are important to share to improve public knowledge of why zoos are important and how we can improve relationships between humans and wildlife. Photography is …

Diversifying Ecology Education For Everyone Through More Inclusive, Interdisciplinary, And Accessible Teaching, Loren B. Byrne, Emily S. J. Rauschert, Vikki L. Rodgers, Gillian Bowser, Et Al.

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Educating more students about ecology and its beneficial applications to societal issues is urgent yet challenging. To address this challenge, diversifying ecology education is a key way to make ecology more inclusive, accessible, and interdisciplinary for more people than ever. Advancing this goal requires ecology educators to develop a more expansive view of (1) how to engage more diverse undergraduate students in ecology courses, especially those from historically underrepresented groups and non-majors, (2) the interdisciplinarity of content in those courses, and (3) the learner-centered pedagogies used to engage students. We suggest ways that ecologists can advance “ecology education for everyone” …

Exploring The Stem Career Identity Development Of Black Women Across Their Lifespan, Veronica Hurd

Theses and Dissertations

Although STEM is the fastest-growing career sector, Black women are grossly underrepresented as they account for 2.5% of the workforce. Research highlights that this underrepresentation is due to racialized structures in K-12, postsecondary, and career settings that restrict Black girls’ and women’s STEM opportunities. While macrosystems such as hegemonic ideologies, attitudes, and social conditions shape Black girls’ and women’s opportunities in STEM, they continue to persist and achieve their career goals. To explore these barriers and Black women’s persistence in this industry, this study draws from the autobiographical memories of 10 Black women in the field or formerly in the …

Florida’S Gifted Education Program: Exploring The Nexus Between Giftedness And Choice Of College Major, Sterlin L. Bass

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Florida’s Gifted Education Program (FGEP) is a K-12 educational program in Florida’s public education system through which gifted students are identified and supported through individualized educational plans promoting intellectual development. The intent of this study is to explore the influence Florida’s Gifted Education Program has on the choice of major of a student and mental health outcomes. Current data revolving around different definitions of “giftedness” such as high ACT scores, SAT scores, and GPA, show a connection between negative mental health outcomes produced by the development of perfectionism. FGEP presents challenges in addressing these concerns due to non-standardized curricula across …

Cultural Competence In Pre-Medical Education: Examining Preparedness For Cross-Cultural Care, Fiza N. Khan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As the U.S. population continues to grow more diverse, there is an urgent need for future healthcare providers to develop strong cultural competence. This study investigates undergraduate pre-medical students’ knowledge, attitudes, and comfort levels toward caring for diverse patient populations, including immigrants, refugees, and individuals from varied cultural backgrounds. The goal was to assess how well students are prepared to provide culturally responsive care before entering medical school. Recognizing that the foundation for medical training begins at the undergraduate level, this study aims to identify specific gaps in readiness that may hinder equitable patient care in the future.

A modified …

“Regression To The Mean”: The Confluence Of Eugenics And Statistics In The 19th And 20th Centuries, Emrys G. King

Pomona Senior Theses

The work of this thesis is twofold — first, qualitatively characterizing the confluence between the British eugenics and statistics movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and second, quantitatively analyzing the effect of this foundation on pedagogical materials in the growing field of statistics between 1880 and 1970. Towards the first goal, the history of the method of least squares, state statistics, and positive and negative eugenics are outlined, followed by a close reading of the foundational texts authored by Francis Galton and Karl Pearson that introduced linear regression. Towards the latter goal, English-language statistics textbooks published between …

Analysis Of Early Interventions To Retain Underrepresented Students In Computer Science, Michael Conti

Open Access Dissertations

Computer science, like many STEM disciplines, faces persistent challenges in recruiting and retaining women and individuals from racially and ethnically minoritized backgrounds. This study examines whether targeted interventions can produce sustained improvements in academic performance and sense of belonging among these underrepresented groups. By analyzing longitudinal data, this research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions in promoting equity and persistence in computer science education.

Using An Ecological And Cultural Lens To Examine The 1st Year Persistence And Science Identity Development Of At-Risk Biology Students Experiencing Multiple Equity-Minded High Impact Practices, Aura Fajardo Grandidge

Open Access Dissertations

In this study, I used an ecological and a cultural perspective to examine the first-year experiences of two cohorts of biology students exposed to multiple equity-minded High Impact Practices (HIPs) designed to promote their persistence and science identity development.

In chapter 1, I applied Graham et al.’s Persistence Framework (2013) and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1977) to investigate the bridges and barriers to persistence that biology students face while experiencing either an equity minded learning community, a first-year seminar, a course-based research experience, and/or an active learning introductory biology course. Using a mixed methods approach that focused on phenomenology, I …

Leadership And Management In Action Program (L-Map) Supplement: Case Studies For Humanities And Social Sciences, Giovanna Bonadonna Ph.D., Kevin Kadowaki Ph.D., A. Patricia Mendoza Ph.D., Matthew Thompson Ph.D., Shirl Yang Ph.D.

Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

The Leadership and Management in Action Program (L-MAP) Workbook and Facilitator Guide are authored by Erin Heckler, Ph.D., Jessica A. Hutchins, Ph.D., Molly Grisham, M.A., and Elizabeth Luckman, Ph.D., M.B.A. The L-MAP Project was supported by a Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) Career Guidance for Trainees grant to Washington University in St. Louis, 2019-2021 (co-principal investigators: Erin Heckler, Ph.D., and Jessica Hutchins, Ph.D.).

This Supplement does not (nor does it intend to) replace the L-MAP curriculum. The case studies in this document are designed to accompany the theory in the L-MAP curriculum applying it to discipline-specific situations in the humanities and …

The Impacts Of Mentorship On An Asian American Female Pk-12 School Leader: An Autoethnography, Jessica Proctor

Education Dissertations

Asian American women remain significantly underrepresented in PK-12 school leadership roles in the United States, despite the rapid growth of the Asian American population. Existing research on women of color in educational leadership has primarily focused on Black and Latina women, leaving Asian American women’s experiences largely unexplored. This autoethnographic dissertation examines the experiences of an Asian American female leader in PK-12 education, with a particular focus on the role of mentorship in career progression and identity development. By analyzing personal experiences through the lens of historical and contemporary barriers, including racism, sexism, and limited access to networks, this study …

The Everyday Scientist: Down In The Weeds In The Heart Of The South, Pamela Zendt

Master's Projects

The Everyday Scientist: Down in the Weeds in the Heart of the South is a creative nonfiction capstone project that was released as a book. The narrative documents my two-year journey as a community scientist and explores how ordinary people contribute meaningfully to scientific research in the natural world. Rooted in my desire to connect my passion for the outdoors with the goals of the Master of Arts in Professional Writing program, this project illustrates that environmental science is not only for trained professionals. Instead, it thrives on the curiosity, dedication, and participation of volunteers who follow established protocols, collect …

Uncovering Graduate Student Achievement At Virginia Commonwealth University: An Exploration Of Academic Advising & Administrative Processes, Kenzel Hill, Elizabeth Howley, Madeline Schutt, Michelle Blackwell

Doctor of Education Capstones

Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) Graduate School submitted a Request for Partnership, with the problem being a lack of consistency and formal advising standards for graduate students across various academic units at VCU. As a result, the Graduate School observed an impact on student success, including retention and graduation of graduate students. A capstone team was constructed to determine, through focus group interviews, surveying, and document analysis what the best practices for graduate student advising are and what the administrative processes and challenges that program directors, support staff, and faculty face in administering their graduate programs and advising. Findings suggest that …

Innovative Secondary School Scheduling Practices To Positively Impact Student Outcomes In West Point Public Schools, Jessica Burdette, Sydney B. Lilly, Mark A. Strickler

Doctor of Education Capstones

Utilizing the principles of improvement science through a critical pragmatic approach, this study aimed to promote West Point Public School (WPPS) student success through researching secondary school scheduling practices. The primary theory of change for this study stated that if instructional time is maximized, all WPPS students will be given the opportunity to experience academic success and increase achievement. Three key research questions emerged as we analyzed the problem of practice: How can WPPS structure a secondary school day schedule to ensure every student has the best opportunity to succeed within the system? How can WPPS incorporate research-based strategies for …

Greenhouse Management For The Smaller Structure--Educational And Hobby, Stacy A. Adams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Greenhouses used for teaching or by hobbyist are smaller than those used for commercial production or found in the retail environment. Structural materials, covering, mechanical equipment, and control systems often are packaged as a kit made available through greenhouse suppliers. Supplier construction services may not be available, in which buyers must use local contractors to complete the installation. Greenhouses are unique structures that differ greatly from sheds or other outbuildings. They have coverings that allow maximum light transmittance, protected from UV degradation, and can handle wide inside to outside temperature extremes. This extension circular provides valuable information on the character, …

Exploring Pre-Kindergarten Teachers' Experiences With Engaging Black Boys In Literacy Instruction, Airreia Faith Pierce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent studies convey the critical need for teachers to use culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) to engage Black boys in literacy instruction. The problem was that in the Sunshine School District (SSD: a pseudonym), pre-kindergarten (pre-K) teachers found it challenging to engage Black boys in literacy instruction. Framed by Ladson-Billings’s CRP, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how pre-K teachers engaged Black boys in literacy instruction and how teachers’ instructional practices aligned with CRP. To collect data, a purposeful sample of 11 pre-K teachers from SSD participated in semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis, using open coding, was applied …