Digital Commons Network^™

Teaching In The Ai Era: Studying Faculty Course Redesign, Visible Thinking, And Sustainable Implementation, Sierra Adare-Tasiwoopa Api

AI in the Classroom: A Virtual Summit

How can faculty development move beyond generic AI guidance toward redesigns that make student thinking visible, clarify AI expectations, and remain feasible for teaching-intensive institutions? This presentation shares the design and emerging findings from Nevada State University’s AI & Accessibility Academy study, which follows faculty from a summer course redesign academy into fall implementation. The study examines changes in faculty self-efficacy around AI-era pedagogy and accessibility, the redesign practices faculty implement, how course artifacts reflect process-focused assessment and accessible design, and what factors support or constrain sustained implementation.

The session describes the study’s mixed-methods design, including faculty pre/post/follow-up surveys, artifact …

Becoming Anything: Stem Cells And The Power Of Analogy, Sarah O’Leary-Driscoll, Dr. Jessica Amacher, Academics

Professional Learning Day

How does a single cell become a heart, a neuron, or skin? In this session, we will explore stem cells and cell differentiation through analogy-based modeling. No prior knowledge necessary! Participants will work through a hands-on analogy that makes gene expression familiar and concrete. Then we will discuss other examples, and consider what makes analogies effective and where they break down. Come to learn the fascinating science of how we each develop; leave with a powerful teaching strategy you can use in any discipline.

Ai Beyond The Screen: Exploring Physical Ai, Tami Armstrong, Public Affairs, Dr. Ashwin Mohan, Ai Center

Professional Learning Day

What happens when AI moves beyond the screen and interacts with the physical world? Last year, Dr. Ashwin Mohan worked with a group of IMSA sophomores to explore Physical AI and develop hands-on activities using simple, low-cost tools. In this interactive session, participants will experience their work firsthand and learn how AI can learn from feedback and adapt. No coding or technical background is required: Just curiosity about AI, student innovation, and hands-on learning.

Artifacts Inquiry For Social Studies And Science Classrooms, Tina Valenzuela, Jaime L. Coyne

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

Artifacts offer opportunities for students to move beyond reading about the past to investigating evidence from it. In this article, we describe a museum-based artifact inquiry activity developed with teacher candidates and offers practical ways to adapt the activity for K–12 interdisciplinary classrooms. Beginning with a single artifact, learners make careful observations, distinguish observation from inference, develop compelling and supporting questions, investigate additional sources, construct evidence-based claims, and consider perspectives and limitations of the available evidence. The activity aligns with the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework Inquiry Arc and connects with the Georgia Standards of Excellence in social …

Launching With Intent: How Three Simple Classroom Modifications Raised Assessment Scores By 10%, Arren Swift

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

This action research study evaluated the impact of three targeted instructional modifications designed to address a 9% decline in proficient and distinguished student performance on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment in High School U.S. History. Building upon district leadership initiatives, an instructional team implemented a triad of evidence-based interventions across 15 units: (a) transitioning from digital assessment platforms to traditional paper-and-pencil testing to protect academic integrity, (b) implementing "Launching with Intent" vocabulary bell-ringers utilizing Frayer models and interactive word walls, and (c) embedding weekly 10-item formative unit quizzes to leverage retrieval practice and memory reconsolidation. Comparative data analysis demonstrated …

Grandma's Hands, Eric Rand

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

The purpose of this collaborative community based cookbook project is to archive personal memories, recipes, and experiences that contribute to the story of America. Educators are positioning students to become local historians by interacting with elders in their families or communities retrieving lost or unknown narratives regarding the different dishes. This manuscript provides educators with detailed teacher notes through 4 phases to help them and students work through the semester on the project building on additional knowledge learned through traditional course work. Students will use technology like voice recorders, and graphic design platforms to ground their finished product. Moreover educators …

Harassment Risks, Reporting Decisions And Institutional Responses During Hospitality Internships In Ghana, Ebenezer Junior Afful, Yaa Akubia

ICHRIE Research Reports

Hospitality internships can expose students to sexual harassment while leaving them uncertain whether reporting will bring protection or further risk. This study examined exposure, reporting decisions and perceived institutional response among hospitality students in Ghana. It combined a survey of 277 students from three technical universities with follow-up interviews involving 13 participants. Among valid responses, 27.0% reported personally experiencing harassment, while 30.4% reported witnessing it during placement. Only 43.2% of personal incidents and 38.3% of witnessed incidents were reported. Interviews showed that silence was shaped by normalised conduct, customer-service expectations, supervisory power, fear of consequences, unclear reporting routes, and distrust …

Occupational Therapy Student Perceptions Of Sexuality And Intimacy Education: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jennifer H. Barnett, Amanda K. Giles

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Sexuality and intimacy are meaningful activities within the scope of occupational therapy (OT), encompassing valued roles and occupations that contribute significantly to a person’s health, well-being, and identity. Despite acknowledgement of their importance, many occupational therapists overlook these areas during routine assessment and intervention because of feelings of insufficient knowledge, comfort, and confidence. This study used a cross-sectional design to electronically survey 149 occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) students across their first, second, or third year of education to determine their perceptions of sexuality and intimacy education. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analyzed via codebook …

School-Based Executive Function Guideline (Sb-Efg): A Practice Guideline For Executive Function Assessment And Intervention In School-Based Practice, Ida Koraitem, Amanda Sarafian, Lenin Grajo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Executive functioning (EF) is comprised of various cognitive skills, such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility, which monitor and guide goal-directed behavior and set a foundation on which healthy development may occur. Although the impact of EF skills on school participation has increasingly been recognized over the years, there are limited occupational therapy models that help occupational therapists integrate EF intervention into school-based practice. Children with limitations in EF have unique needs and challenges that impact school participation; therefore, it is imperative that occupational therapists address EF in school-based practice. This author- developed practice guideline discusses essential elements …

Promoting The Well-Being Of Refugee Students Through A Kawa-Guided Occupational Therapy Intervention: A Mixed-Methods Study, Suzanne Brederson, Heidi Baist, Jennifer E. Lape

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Refugee students newly enrolled in U.S. schools encounter academic, socialization, and mental health challenges because of trauma, language barriers, and cultural differences. Many have had limited or interrupted access to formal education in their home country. This study aimed to gain the perspectives of refugee students on their lived experiences and explore the impact of an occupational therapy intervention guided by the Kawa model on the well-being of this student population.

Methods: The researchers employed a convergent mixed-methods design. Refugee students (n = 8) created Kawa models, which provided rich, qualitative data. Participants completed pre and posttest surveys. Quantitative …

Creating Student-Generated Infographics To Foster Civic Engagement Research In A First-Year Seminar, Carlton A. Usher

eJournal of Public Affairs

Infographics, visual tools like charts or diagrams, simplify complex data into accessible formats. This study explores how student-generated infographics foster civic engagement in a first-year seminar. Survey data from first-year students (N=29) revealed 85% rated the project highly valuable, and 87% reported improved retention of societal issues. While research was the least favored aspect, students praised the project’s creativity and peer-sharing potential, with 40% emphasizing its value for visual learning. Most expressed confidence in sharing their work publicly. These findings support the use of infographics as a pedagogical tool for enhancing civic engagement among first-year students navigating academic transitions. Future …

The Use Of Case-Based Experiential Learning With First-Year Occupational Therapy Students: A Two-Year Pilot Study, Michelle Jackson

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Background: Understanding and applying biomechanical principles to participation in functional activities is vital to occupational therapy (OT) education. Exposure to such principles underlying prosthetic use and occupational engagement related to lower extremity (LE) limb loss provides opportunities to better understand these concepts as well as the role of OT with this population.

Method: An experiential learning framework was used to develop a three-phase, case-study-based pilot project, completed with first-year graduate-level OT students from two cohorts (n = 26, n = 31).  At the conclusion of the project, an anonymous Likert-style survey and a reflection assignment were completed by all students. …

Outcomes Of An Interprofessional Education Event On Aac And Co-Teaching, Annelise Yost, John W. Mccarthy

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This study explored the outcomes of an Interprofessional Education (IPE) event between preprofessional speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and special educators aimed at identifying the outcomes of IPE on preprofessional teachers’ and SLPs’ knowledge of co-teaching and classroom-based models to support students who use AAC. Students at a midwestern university completed an IPE session as part of their coursework. A pre-post assessment exploring knowledge of co-teaching and classroom-based services was utilized. A focus group with preprofessional SLPs and special educators was run to identify perceptions and practicality of classroom-based models to support AAC users. Results demonstrated the ability for a short, focused …

A Quantitative Predictive Correlational Study Of The Transformational Leadership Practice Of Individualized Consideration And The Emotional Exhaustion Aspect Of Burnout Among Educators In Urban Primary Schools, Mark Vital

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study investigated the relationship between the transformational leadership practice of individualized consideration and levels of burnout among educators in urban primary school settings. Grounded in transformational leadership theory and the principles of self-determination theory, the study explored whether leaders who demonstrated individualized support and mentorship could effectively mitigate burnout symptoms among their teaching staff. This correlational study collected data from teachers in an urban primary school using validated instruments that measured perceived leadership behaviors and burnout levels. Data were collected through the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Educators Survey, which were distributed via email. Statistical …

A Discipleship Framework Of Godly Leadership For Coaches And Athletes, Matthew Page

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a systemic lack of deliberate discipleship in Christian athletics, specifically observed in the wrestling program at Trinity Christian Academy. Despite professed faith, coaches and athletes lacked a systematic, theologically viable method for integrating biblical truth into training, competition, and team leadership. This project created and implemented the Game Plan for Godly Leadership handbook, a resource integrating Scripture, mentorship protocols, leadership principles, and assessment tools for the wrestling context. The handbook was developed as part of a strategic plan designed for implementation across two academic years and two wrestling seasons; however, the documented implementation and assessment period occurred from …

Marginalized Parental Experiences In Relation To Inclusive School Practices For Studnets With Significant Cognitive Disabilites: A Qualitative Transcendental Phenomenology Study, Taylor Lee Krueger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand lived experiences in advocacy for inclusive school practices for parents with students with significant cognitive disabilities at rural primary schools in a southeastern state. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s social cognitive theory as the interconnected components of the theory are used to understand parental experiences. The central research question was, “What are the lived experiences advocating for inclusive education practices of parents of students with significant cognitive disabilities at K-5 schools in a rural southeastern state?” A literature review was conducted to understand current research related to inclusive …

Cultivating A Culturally Relevant And Inclusive Elementary Music Classroom, Elisabeth Virginia Marie Buzzell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

While programs such as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Act (DEI) and the practice of Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) existed for much of the last decade, representation of marginalized and intersectional identities in traditional music education is often limited to world culture units, rather than being consistently integrated throughout the curriculum. The social understanding of CRE and DEI often limits their purpose to racial diversity; however, these philosophies affirm people from any marginalized class, including those based on gender, disability, race, culture, community, orientation, socioeconomics, or simply bringing one’s lived experiences into a valued perspective. The lack of integration happens …

Examining The Predictive Relationship Between Overparenting And Student Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction, Benjamin C. Carlisle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study is to determine the relationship between overparenting (helicopter parenting) and basic psychological need satisfaction informed by self-determination theory among emerging adult college students. This study fills a gap in the literature and expands upon existing research by examining this relationship. The target population was residential emerging adult students ages 18–25 at a southern, private university. Using convenience sampling, the researcher distributed surveys within courses and through flyers, resulting in 176 responses. Out of the 176 respondents who began the survey, there was a completion rate of 84.7% giving the sample size of N …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study: How Female Student-Athletes Diagnosed With Adhd Leverage Athletics To Mitigate Challenges With Self-Regulation Throughout Their Academic Careers, Alyssa J. Knight

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the lived experience of participation in athletics for female student-athletes with ADHD in the United States. The theory guiding this study was Zimmerman’s social cognitive theory of self-regulated learning, which posits that goal setting and self-reflection are necessary for developing self-regulation skills. The central research question was, “How do female student-athletes diagnosed with ADHD leverage athletics to mitigate challenges with self-regulation in their academic careers?” This study employed hermeneutic phenomenology, as outlined by van Manen, to interpret data and understand lived experience within the academic context. The sample consisted of …

The Lead, Mid-Fall, 2026, Lindenwood University

The Lead

Newsletter from the Lindenwood University College of Education and Human Services.

Lean Thinking Tools And Their Effect On Rural Faculty Motivation In Assessment, Bliss Adkison

College of Education

Faculty engagement in academic program assessment remains difficult in rural higher education institutions because limited resources and multiple responsibilities can make assessment feel like an isolated compliance task. Grounded in self-determination theory, this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined whether faculty participation in a rapid improvement event (RIE) (lean thinking-based intervention) was associated with faculty members’ perceived enjoyment, effort, and competence in program assessment. Faculty from two rural institutions participated in a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest non-equivalent-groups design. Forty-seven faculty completed the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) pretest, and 45 faculty completed the posttest. Six faculty were also interviewed. Analysis of covariance was used …

A Quantitative Causal-Comparative Exploration Of The Influence Of Culturally Responsive Professional Development And Years Of Teaching Service On Culturally Responsive Teaching Scores, Brandon N. Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal-comparative study compared the relationship between culturally responsive professional development and culturally responsive teaching scores against years of teaching service, and culturally responsive teaching scores. The significance of the study is that it increased our understanding of the interactions between the variables, towards increased efficacy of interventions implemented to reduce exclusionary educational policies and practices. A convenience sample of 200 K-12 in-service teachers practicing within the United States were administered the Culturally Responsive Teacher Preparedness Scale to measure the teaching scores after facilitating a comparison among those who participated in professional development or not; and novice, mid-career and …

A Phenomenological Study Of Career And Technical Agricultural Education Instructors’ Lived Experiences Teaching Students With Disabilities: A Qualitative Study, Evelyn Renae Newton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Career and Technical Agricultural Education instructors at the secondary level as they taught and supported students with disabilities in Career and Technical Agricultural Education programs in the eastern-central Georgia region. At this stage of the research, the phenomenon was defined as understanding the skills and actions teachers used to help students with disabilities succeed in Career and Technical Agricultural Education programs. Disability theory informed this research because it addressed the societal barriers to disability that hindered the participation of individuals with disabilities in educational settings. The …

Middle School Teachers' Lived Experiences Using Culturally Responsive Pedagogy To Promote Equity: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Doris A. Dapaah

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of using culturally responsive pedagogy to promote equity among students of color for middle school teachers in an inner-city school district in New York. The theory guiding this study was culturally responsive pedagogy, as it emphasized recognizing learners’ diverse backgrounds and experiences to promote academic achievement for all students in schools with diverse populations. The central research question was: What were the lived experiences of middle school teachers as they engaged in using culturally responsive pedagogy in their classrooms? The study included 10 middle school teachers …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Career Maturity In Young Adults And Early College Students In Career And Technical Education Programs, Meghan P. Paquette

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to examine differences in career maturity between young adult and high school students enrolled in Career and Technical Education District programs at a rural community college in Arizona. Grounded in Social Learning Theory and Career Construction Theory, the study explored how early exposure to Career and Technical Education influences career maturity. The sample included 196 students, half high school Career and Technical Education District students and half young adults aged 18 to 24 participating in Career and Technical Education. Career maturity was measured using the Career Maturity Inventory Form C, which assessed …

Building Students’ Self-Efficacy Through Cross-Age Mentorship Focused On Stem Growth Mindset: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Heidi J. Reid

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the self-efficacious experiences through a cross-age mentorship program between sixth-grade and Kindergarten students for parents at Seven Maples Elementary School in the Southeastern United States. The theory guiding this study is Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, which describes how building confidence influences a person’s self-efficacy. This study employed a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology and gathered data through interviews, physical artifacts, and focus groups with parents whose students participated in the Kindergarten Buddy Program, a cross-age mentor program between sixth-grade and kindergarten students. The interviews, physical artifacts, and focus group responses were recorded and …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Self-Efficacy In Certificate And Degree Programs At The Community College Level Upon Graduation, Stephen Wakefield Phelps

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal-comparative study investigated whether student-perceived occupational self-efficacy differs between graduates of community college certificate programs and those completing Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees. The research also addresses a gap in the literature regarding how award type influences occupational self-efficacy among students in automotive, diesel, manufacturing, and welding programs. The study employed a causal-comparative research design, examining the relationship between the categorical independent variable of award type (certificate or AAS degree) and the quantitative dependent variable of occupational self-efficacy. Participants (N=209) were students in their graduating term from community colleges in a Northwestern state who were completing one …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Gun Violence On Psychological Functioning And Perceived Psychosocial Supports In St. Louis’S Marginalized And Underserved Communities, Desirae Mecole Martinez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies gun violence as a leading public health concern in the United States. Marginalized and underserved communities are disproportionately impacted by poverty and crime, including firearm violence. Gun violence exposure has been linked to complex trauma, anxiety, substance use disorders, and depression. St. Louis, Missouri, has one of the highest rates of gun violence and mortality in the nation; however, research lacks an understanding of the psychological toll. Limited phenomenological research has examined how adults residing in marginalized and underserved communities experience gun violence exposure psychologically and perceive psychosocial supports. This study …

Inclusive Or Self-Contained: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of Parents’ Lived Experiences With Classroom Placements For Students With Disabilities In The Mid-Atlantic United States, Nicole M. Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of students with disabilities in self-contained and inclusive classrooms for families at K-12 schools in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The theory that guided this study was person-environment fit theory. The central research question that guided this study was: What are the lived experiences of families who have students with disabilities placed in self-contained and inclusive classrooms in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States? This study employed a structured qualitative data collection approach incorporating document analysis, individual interviews, and letter writing. Findings from all …

Sixth-Grade Inclusive Chorus Curriculum, Lauren Rancourt Eubanks

Masters Theses

This curriculum is an eighteen week block plan for sixth-grade inclusive chorus. Emphasizing adaptive activities and specific strategies for students with disabilities, this curriculum can be used with any middle school repertoire concert plan. Through visual aids and color coding, students with disabilities can participate effectively in the performance of melodic contour, rhythm, and repertoire. This curriculum is for a sixth-grade chorus that is preparing for a concert, in which students rehearse two to three times weekly. Drawing from the Orff approach and Dalcroze techniques, this curriculum has adaptions to activities in which students can demonstrate their understanding of musical …