Digital Commons Network^™

Learning Values-Based Leadership Through Practice, Jenny Guan

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

This essay explores how values-based leadership can be developed through leadership practice in real-world contexts. Drawing on a Servant Leadership book project involving global contributors, it adopts the Values Clarity Model™ as a reflective lens and uses a practice-based approach informed by observation, imitation, and reflection to examine how leadership values are enacted in authentic settings. By analyzing the project in relation to what I learned in the Principles of Business Leadership course at business school, this essay reflects on how leadership values are understood, practiced, and internalized in real-world settings.

This reflection suggests that values-based leadership is not formed …

Student Perspectives On Professionalism In The Academic Classroom: Examining Instructor Traits And Student Preferences At A U.S. Service Academy, Jason Lackey, Justin White

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

At the US Air Force Academy, student developmental paths occur under both military and academic components. The academic component includes the typical collegiate coursework taught by a combination of civilian and military instructors. In this study, we explored student values of instructor leadership traits and practices that influence the classroom culture. We found that overall, the instructor’s degree of academic knowledge (distinguished from military knowledge), their ability to clearly communicate class content, and ability to inspire student participation ranked highest. Conversely, the instructor clearly communicating military responsibilities, their professional etiquette, and providing constructive feedback pertaining to military bearing ranked least, …

The Philosophical Aspect Of Spirituality And Entrepreneurial Leadership In The Indian Knowledge System, Nidhi Kaushal

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

Entrepreneurs have an obligation to conserve their literature, art, and culture in any format because it helps to fortify their cultural heritage and memories. In the context of entrepreneurship, a useful and insightful examination of the ancient Indian knowledge framework has proposed the growth of culture-based enterprises, which reflects the magnificent integration of human values with traditional wisdom-based work ethics. The nature of today's modern entrepreneurship is an adjusted specification based on innovative context, which is different from the ancient fundamental policies and practices. This study introduces cultural entrepreneurship and its originality through the traditional and indigenous art and skill …

Values-Based Leadership In Public Discourse: How University Leaders Frame Character And Commitment, Heather Carroll, Jeff Fritz, Sarah Williams, Cheryl A. Maurana

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

Public leadership speech is a consequential site of ethical positioning where institutional values are named, contested, and interpreted under pressure, and where the choice of virtue language shapes where attention is directed. Analyzing published quotations from university leaders during the first 100 days of the second Trump administration, we examine how virtue language functioned as a public act of values-based leadership through a socio-ecological framework for flourishing that treats character as dynamic and relational. We find that leaders constructed ethical stances by anchoring commitment to moral virtues that named goods, intellectual virtues that narrated deliberative process, and occasionally pairing both …

Factors Influencing Student Satisfaction With Blended Learning In Pedagogical Skills Training In Vietnam, Pham Thi Binh, Vu Thi Mai Huong, Nguyen Thi Bich, Kieu Phuong Thuy

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study investigates the structural determinants of student satisfaction with blended learning (BL) within pedagogical professional development modules at a Vietnamese university of education. Utilizing a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach, with a large sample of 1,121 pre-service teachers, the research evaluates the relative influence of five key factors: instructional quality, learner agency and professional awareness, technological infrastructure, course content, and institutional support services. Results indicate a high overall level of student satisfaction. The structural model explains 63% of the variance in satisfaction (R2 = 0.63), with instructional quality identified as the most significant determinant, …

Mental Health Self-Perceptions And Resource Utilization In Undergraduate Students At Binghamton University, Nicole J. Dreznin, Sarah Marcus

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Undergraduate students face increasing rates of mental health challenges, however discrepancies in mental health literacy and utilization of resources may exist across student populations. This study examined the perceptions of mental health in undergraduate students at Binghamton University and if they differed among STEM vs non-STEM, man vs. women, and first-generation vs. continuing generation undergraduate students. A 20-question survey, containing 5 demographic questions and 15 mental health related questions was distributed through Qualtrics to 9 undergraduate classes. The available response choices were based on the Likert scale. A total of 1266 students participated.  Chi square tests of independence were done …

20260706: Grad Council And Grad School Materials, 1937-2001, Graduate College

Guides to University Archives

These items include materials from the office of the Graduate School at Marshall University from 1937-2001. Items were received sometime in the 1990s and were processed in 2026 and include notable materials from or about Graduate Council in the 1970s and 1980s, grad school comprehensive exams for various majors, hooding ceremony procedures and programs, and some graduate lists. Please download the finding aid for a full list of contents.

Applying The Ottawa Charter To Evaluate Health Literacy Outcomes Of The Little Aussie Bugs Course For Australian Early Childhood Educators, Amelia Ruscoe, Elizabeth J. Cook, Eleanor K. O'Brien, Leesa N. Costello, Gillian Kirk, Ros Sambell, Theresa Rayfield, Amanda Devine, Ruth M. Wallace

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Early childhood offers an important opportunity to lay the foundations for lifelong health literacy. The Little Aussie Bugs (LAB) dialogic book series and online professional development (PD) course were designed to support Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators to embed health literacy concepts, including hygiene, healthy eating, and oral health, into everyday learning routines. This mixed methods study evaluated the course pilot and examined its contribution through the lens of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion—a framework comprising five interrelated action areas: building healthy public policy; creating supportive environments; strengthening community action; developing personal skills; and reorienting health services. …

Gender-Based Analysis Of Critical Thinking Skills Through The Problem-Based Learning Model Assisted By Instagram Greenpeaceid, Nabila Nirwasita Chairunnisa, Sumarmi Sumarmi, Tuti Mutia, Ilham Adenan Hidayatullah

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Environmental degradation requires students to possess critical thinking skills. However, the prevalence of conventional teaching methods is considered ineffective in honing these skills. Furthermore, gender differences that influence students’ learning styles are often not adequately accommodated. This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the impact of the Problem-Based Learning model assisted by the Instagram account Greenpeaceid on students’ critical thinking skills based on gender. The present study employs a quasi-experimental method using a posttest-only control group design implemented as a 2×2 treatment-by-level design. Data were collected via written tests and analyzed using a Two-Way ANOVA. The results of …

Ai-Resistant And Ai-Resilient Assessment In Higher Education: A Systematic Review Of Validity-Grounded Strategies, Institutional Frameworks, And Equity Implications, Asrat Genet Amnie

Publications and Research

The emergence of large language models has precipitated a fun damental disruption to higher education assessment. Conventional instruments are susceptible to AI-assisted completion, threatening construct validity across disciplines and institutional contexts. When submitted work reflects AI capability rather than student competency, the inferential chain from performance to qualifica tion is invalidated – a problem of design rather than detection. This systematic review makes two contributions. First, it theorises and grounds the distinction between AI-resistant assessment, which seeks to prevent or impede AI access through containment, and AI-resilient assessment, which assesses genuine human cogni tive performance of intrinsic educational value regardless …

A Differential Equation–Based Epidemiological Model Of Post-Operative Chronic Pain In Scoliosis Patients With Data-Driven Analysis, Paige Zhu, Padmanabhan Seshaiyer

CODEE Journal

Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) is a common and often overlooked complication following surgical correction of idiopathic scoliosis, impacting long-term patient wellbeing despite improvements in surgical outcomes. This project introduces a novel epidemiological framework to model the progression of CPSP using a compartmental structure. By applying a coupled system of nonlinear differential equations, we simulate pain trajectories over time and assess the effectiveness of surgical interventions. The model is implemented for a single-cohort population and extended to a two-cohort design to compare outcomes between Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSIF) and Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT) procedures. Further stratification by patient age enables us …

Navigating Loss: Policy & Practice Within Student Affairs Support Of Bereaved Students, Jessica Renee Brown

Dissertations

This study examines how student affairs professionals interact with and support bereaved students through policy and practice. Suffering the loss of a family member or loved one while enrolled in college can have adverse effects on a student’s ability to persists through their studies and various student affairs offices and officers are charged with providing care and support to this unique population as they navigate their grief journey. While some studies exist on the prevalence of grief among students on college campuses and the effects that loss can have their academics and mental health, there is little research on how …

The Role Of The Student-Teacher Relationship In The Behavioral And Academic Outcomes Of Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Samantha Warren

Graduate Teacher Education

For students with or at risk of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD), achieving success in school is challenged by a continuous cycle of behavioral and academic challenges. This literature review examined the role of student-teacher relationships in influencing both behavioral and academic outcomes for this student population. This review synthesized the findings of 15 peer-reviewed, original research studies that utilized qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches to capture behavioral metrics and participant perspectives. The studies highlighted how distinct relational dynamics served as either a primary catalyst or a significant barrier to student improvement through day-to-day classroom interactions. Targeted praise-to-reprimand ratios and …

Managing Elderly Patients With Dementia Using Evidence-Based Non-Pharmacological Interventions In The Ed Setting, Rita Anue Cho

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Persons with dementia frequent emergency departments (EDs), but ED staff lack understanding of cognitive impairment and evidence-base management of these symptoms, which sometimes results to unsafe encounters, aggression, agitation and assault with or without injuries. As a result, staff may resort to physical or chemical restraints to maintain safety for patients, staff, and the milieu. It is essential for staff in the ED to understand the disease process, recognize behavioral triggers, and apply evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions. The purpose of this project was to provide education to ED staff to enhance their understanding of cognitive disorders and dementia in the elderly …

Peer-Peer Mentoring In Undergraduate Medical Education (Ume): Scoping Review Of Us-Based Medical Schools, Sakshi Sehgal, Jordon Brinkley, Andrea Kadima, Sydney Wright, Nicole Winston Ms, Pharmd, Edd

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Mentorship plays a formative role in undergraduate medical education (UME) From shaping professional outcomes to developing longitudinal personal relationships, various forms of mentorship can influence student progress meaningfully, particularly for students from underrepresented or marginalized backgrounds. Though faculty-student mentorship has been readily investigated, limited knowledge exists regarding peer-peer mentorship structures, particularly within UME in the American medical education model. This scoping review sought to investigate existing peer-peer mentorship models, as well as report on the need for further mentorship within this realm in UME.

Methods: This scoping review employed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. We conducted a systematic and comprehensive …

Examining Alternative Principal Licensure In Ohio: How Licensure Pathway And Poverty Level Explain Variance In Student Performance, Chris Willis, Christy Galletta Horner, Todd Cramer, Paul Johnson, Bradley Contat

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

The rise of alternative principal licensure raises questions about the effectiveness of leaders that are less rigorously prepared. In Ohio, the alternative principal pathway consists of six credit hours of coursework and three years of on-the-job practice; far less formal coursework than traditional licensure (which also requires on-the-job experience) In this cross-sectional study using publicly available data (N=3189), we used weighted least squares regression to examine the role of principal licensure pathways in explaining variance in student outcomes while accounting for poverty level. Principal licensure pathways accounted for a small amount of variance in student outcomes (performance index) over and …

“Pride Runs Through Our Veins”: A Qualitative Investigation Of Black Parents’ Ethnic-Racial Socialization Practices Among Black Youth With Disabilities, Nicole A. Telfer, Danielle J. Allen, Noreen Yazejian, Iheoma U. Iruka

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

While ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) practices are crucial in Black/African American families, little is known about ERS practices in Black families of Black children with disabilities. In the current study, we investigated ERS practices among Black/African American parents’ who are raising children with disabilities and how this may influence children’s outcomes. A total of N = 8 Black/African American parents were invited for semi-structured interviews to explore more deeply their ERS practices among their children with disabilities. Several themes emerged from the data, which highlights ERS practices from a DisCrit lens, as well as the overall experiences of parents and their …

Staying The Course: A Mixed-Method Exploration Of Social And Emotional Learning Skills For First-Year College Student Retention, Verna Henry

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Across the nation, thousands of first-year college students begin their journey full of hope, yet far too many do not reach their second year. Only 74% of full-time students continue, and fewer than seven in 10 remain at the same college. For many, the struggle is not simply academic. It is emotional, social, and deeply personal. Students who face challenges with time management, stress, and self-regulation are often overwhelmed, uncertain, and at risk of dropping out before achieving their goals. To help ease this transition, many colleges offer first-year experience courses that connect students to tutoring, counseling, and campus resources. …

Working Out Loud Resilience In Cooperative Extension: Results From An Internal Pilot Program, Lyndi M. Buckingham-Schutt, Debra Sellers, Barbara Dunn Swanson, Jody Catherine Gatewood

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This study evaluates Working Out Loud (WOL) Resilience, a program designed to enhance resilience through peer-to-peer learning, targeting social isolation and self-determination. The WOL Resilience pilot program, delivered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach facilitators, included 29 participants and 5 facilitators over 8 weeks. Participants engaged in weekly sessions focusing on 8 resilience attributes. Evaluation included baseline, midpoint, and post surveys; facilitator feedback forms; and interviews. Results showed improvements in resilience attributes from baseline to post-program and indicated high program acceptability and positive behavioral changes. The peer-to-peer learning model proved beneficial for participants and feasible for delivery through Extension …

Building Community Leadership Capacity Through Extension Partnerships: An Evaluation Case Study, Paul A. Hill, Lendel K. Narine

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This evaluation study examines the effectiveness of the Leadership Dixie program in enhancing leadership capacity among participants in Washington County, Utah. As a program partner, Utah State University (USU) Extension conducted the evaluation on the program’s 25th class, comprising 27 participants (N = 27). The program, characterized by 10 monthly “Challenge Day” field tours, was evaluated using two instruments to collect data on participant learning and satisfaction levels, overall program experience, demographics, and impacts on social capital, interpersonal leadership skills, community engagement, and volunteerism. Results indicate strong positive outcomes in social capital, community engagement, and volunteerism while highlighting areas for …

Perspectives Of Scholars, Families, And Advisors On 360-Degree Video Technology In Graduate Education, Oluwatobi A. Mogbojuri, Bridget A. Walsh, Matthew Aguirre

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This study explored the experiences of scholars in creating and sharing 360-degree videos, as well as the perspectives of families and advisors who viewed the videos. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted online using a videoconferencing platform. Perspectives from 20 participants (15 scholars, three advisors, and two family members) were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three primary themes were identified: (1) barriers to 360-degree video use, (2) perspective shifts and limited change, and (3) storytelling and scholar visibility. Findings suggest that 360-degree video technology may be an innovative tool for enhancing recruitment and retention, especially for historically marginalized groups, through …

Reflections On Participation In Collective Impact Initiatives: Through The Lens Of Extension Practitioners, Omolola A. Adedokun, Marian Jaitto-Jeffrey, Jacqueline Corum

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Collective Impact (CI) continues to gain recognition as a useful model for guiding the development, implementation, and evaluation of cross-sectoral efforts addressing complex social issues, including substance use recovery and workforce development. However, application of CI in Extension is very scant, and evaluation of its implementation, process, and outcomes remains a persistent challenge. Hence, the need for rigorous process and outcome evaluations of CI initiatives to build the literature base. Using a mix of focus group and survey methods, this process evaluation study examined Extension professionals’ experiences in two CI initiatives, with a specific focus on their perceptions of the …

Culturally Responsive Evaluation In Extension Programs For Indigenous Youth, Sara M. Tomis, J.C. Bunch, Amy Harder, T. Grady Roberts

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Indigenous communities, deserving and in need of salient Extension services, experience disparity in programming and culturally responsive evaluation because of historic and current social and financial barriers. An exploration of culturally responsive evaluation practices in Extension programs serving Indigenous youth audiences is warranted to identify areas for improvement. A focus group of Extension professionals was conducted to investigate evaluation practice within a federally funded Extension program. Findings indicated that Extension professionals were committed to operating and evaluating in ways that respected Indigenous culture, but improvements in culturally responsive practice are needed among both university and federal partners.

Trauma-Informed And Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices To Support Multilingual Learners In K-12 Classrooms, Emily Johnson

Graduate Teacher Education

This Capstone paper examined how trauma-informed (TI) and culturally responsive (CR) belonging of multilingual learners (MLs) in K-12 classrooms. This study evaluated the intersection of TI education and CR teaching as a framework to support MLs. With MLs representing approximately 10% of the U.S. student population (NCES, 2024), schools faced an urgent need to address the academic, linguistic, and social-emotional challenges due to adverse childhood experiences, migration-related stress, displacement, and cultural adjustment. The literature review included qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, and intervention-based studies examining MLs, refugee-background students, teacher perceptions, professional development, school-based interventions, and CR instructional practices. This paper explored how …

Female Athletes With Differences Of Sex Development (Dsd): A Christian Perspective On Fairness And Compassion, Angela M. Robles

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

One of the most significant controversies in elite women’s sport relates to the participation of female athletes with differences of sex development (DSD), as demonstrated by recent Olympic debates surrounding athletes like Imane Khelif and Caster Semenya. Today, a complex challenge continues to evolve at the intersection of DSD and competitive sports, and it requires careful consideration. The central argument of this paper is that DSD athletes are worthy of compassionate treatment grounded in their inherent dignity, and is founded on the understanding of what it means for humans to be created in the image of God (imago Dei). The …

A Holistic Christian Perspective On Wellness For College Students - A Qualitative Analysis, Shari L. Jurgens, Deb Majewski, Jessica Clevering

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Aim: This study sought to explore the impact of a Christ-centered, holistic wellness course on college-aged students’ understanding of key wellness principles. The goal was to gain insight into how students comprehend and apply these principles considering their spiritual and personal development.

Background: Wellness education for undergraduate students is both timely and essential, especially within Christian higher education, where nurturing the whole person is a core value. A common misconception is that wellness pertains only to physical and mental health. However, Scripture affirms that human flourishing involves a harmony of body, mind, and spirit. A holistic, biblically informed approach to …

The Virtue Of Hope In Sports Through Spe Salvi And Its Role In Faith, Resilience, And Character Formation In Student-Athletes, Hansson G. Labisig, Arvin D. Eballo

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Pope Benedict XVI, in Spe Salvi, presents hope as a transformative and redemptive virtue that enables believers to live and suffer differently, rooted in faith in God. He writes, “The one who has hope lives differently.” This study develops a theological-pastoral framework for integrating the virtue of hope into the faith formation of student-athletes within Catholic educational institutions, positioning sport as a genuine locus theologicus for Religious Education and evangelization. Employing the See–Judge–Act methodology, it draws from Spe Salvi, Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae, and the Vatican document Giving the Best of Yourself, in dialogue with C. R. Snyder’s psychological theory …

Why Are Western Australian Girls Less Motivated Than Boys To Study Senior Secondary Higher-Level Mathematics Courses? Relationships Between Gender, Prior Achievement, And Mathematics Course Aspirations, Jane Kirkham, Elaine Chapman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Secondary school students, and particularly girls, may avoid enrolling in higher-level mathematics courses despite having the competence to succeed in these courses. Understanding the reasons behind these choices is essential to addressing this concern. In this study, the teachers of Western Australian Year 10 students (n=886) nominated the mathematics course in which they believed each participating student could succeed in Year 11 with participants grouped into four achievement cohorts on this basis. Then each teacher course nomination was compared to participants’ own course selection with participants classified as either aspiring below or at/above their judged potential achievement level. We then …

Improving The Implementation Of Response To Intervention Through Structured Professional Learning Communitiies, Amanda Southerland

Education Theses and Dissertations

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice examined how the current Response to Intervention (RTI) framework supported math achievement for fifth-and-sixth grade students at a rural intermediate campus in Northeast Texas. Although Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports were in place, many students continued to struggle to demonstrate meaningful growth in mathematics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current RTI framework, identify barriers affecting its implementation, and implement an improvement strategy based on the findings. A mixed-methods approach was used to analyze district benchmark and STAAR data, teacher surveys, and focus group interviews. Findings from the evaluation identified …

State-Mandated Principal Mentoring And Its Relationship To Leadership Efficacy, Working Conditions, And Student Achievement Across Contexts, Ellen Willoughby

Education Theses and Dissertations

Although principal mentoring has been widely studied, far less is known about whether state-level mentoring mandates function as effective policy levers for improving principal or student outcomes. This sequential explanatory mixed-methods study examined the relationship between state mentoring mandates in principal preparation programs and four outcomes: principal leadership efficacy, occupational stress, pay satisfaction, and student achievement. Phase 1 employed multiple linear regression with state-level data from the 2020–2021 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), and 2023 Education Commission of the States mentoring mandate classifications. Phase 2 used semi-structured interviews with four practicing principals …