Digital Commons Network^™

The Phoenix Project: A Self-Regulation Approach To Improving Credit Recovery Outcomes, Janice Smith

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Graduation from high school is a critical milestone that leads to better job opportunities, higher education, and a lifetime of economic stability, which is why improving graduation rates is a critically important focus. However, many students who attend alternative schools face significant barriers to graduation, including inconsistent attendance, academic deficits, and personal challenges. The purpose of this creative project is to develop a self-determination intervention to support students when working on credit recovery. This creative project includes (1) a description of relevant research used to inform this project, (2) a description of the intervention and how it worked for students, …

Implementation Of Udl In Secondary Classrooms: A Capstone Project, Livia J. Mortensen

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

In today’s classrooms, students come from various backgrounds and may benefit from a variety of instructional approaches to meet their unique learning needs. Regardless of the need to tailor instruction for students, traditional teaching methods continue in classrooms but often fail to accommodate all the needs of our students. Many students, including students with disabilities, may struggle to engage with the standard curriculum that does not provide sufficient flexibility in instruction to reach all types of learners (Smith, 2012). Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework that seeks to address this specific issue by promoting inclusive teaching practices, …

Turning Me Into We: A Workbook To Improve Relational Communication, Megan N. Charchenko

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Communication is a key factor that contributes to relational satisfaction, yet many couples struggle with communication. I wrote a set of workbooks for couples intended to teach healthy communication skills to help couples overcome their communication barriers. The workbooks cover topics of identity, expectations, boundaries, and physical intimacy. Each chapter utilizes theories and research to educate individuals on communication skills and then guides them through the application of the skills. I wrote a workbook for the individuals and one for the couple to work on together. Together, the workbooks will help couples improve communication and implement healthy communication behaviors regarding …

Check-In/Check-Out Implementation Across Grade Levels For Improving Unexcused Absences In A High School Setting, Otis C. Bitsuie

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Chronic absenteeism may contribute to declining graduation rates for many students with disabilities. Students with disabilities face challenges with academic and emotional behaviors. Chronic absenteeism causes students to fall behind with classroom materials, and they are unable to utilize instructional supports, emotional supports, or assistance with transitions. Students with disabilities who miss class often tend to drop out of school, which leads to difficulties with navigating post-high school life. Students who do not obtain a school diploma often experience high unemployment rates, homelessness, and incarceration. Students facing chronic absenteeism need interventions that will improve problem behaviors amongst students. I will …

Piloting A Pediatric Screener For Assessing Emergent Literacy With Preschool Children, Nafia Sarhadi

Poster Presentations

From infancy, children develop literacy knowledge, which provides them with the needed skills for reading in primary school (Castillo-Rabanal &Heitmayer, 2025). Before children start to read, they develop skills that involve increasing their rhyming, alphabet, and vocabulary knowledge. Literacy is considered a social determinant of health as it plays a role in one's physical, social, and emotional maturity (Lesauxet. al, 2007). The Bay Area Women Coalition, (BAWC) Inc. has partnered with the Autism, Pediatric Language & Literacy (APLL) Lab to implement PEEL, following modifications identified by the community. The current pre-to-posttest assessment is unsuitable for community participation. An efficient method …

Self-Determination, Campus Involvement, And Disability Awareness Of Young Adults With Intellectual Disability, Zoe Bloecher

Honors Theses

This quantitative and qualitative study examined self-esteem; self-efficacy; self-determination; and disability awareness at the beginning and end of the semester in a sample of young adults with intellectual disability enrolled in a post-secondary education program. Participants’ weekly campus engagement in extracurricular activities during the semester was also tracked. The first goal of this study was to observe changes in self-determination satisfaction and frustration, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and disability awareness after one semester of enrollment in the program. There were 16 participants in the study who varied in their length of participation in the program. Dependent t-tests revealed a statistically significant decrease …

Comparing Two Emergent Literacy Screeners: The Reading House And Star Early Literacy In A Florida Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (Vpk) Program, Jaime D. Swenbeck

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Ce Spotlight:, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This source highlights on-demand continuing education courses provided by the MDA to help dental professionals meet state relicensure requirements. Featured topics include diagnosing trigeminal neuropathy, identifying human trafficking warning signs, ethics and dental jurisprudence, and 2026 updates for infection control. The courses are designed to be convenient and are counted toward specific Michigan Board of Dentistry requirements, such as pain management and delegation of duties.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence Into Academic Writing: Development Of A Student-Centered Ethical Toolkit, Matteo Landais

Theses

The rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence in higher education has introduced new challenges surrounding authorship, academic integrity, and the role of writing in student learning. While institutional responses have often focused on restriction, surveillance, and AI detection, students continue to incorporate AI tools into their writing practices in increasingly normalized ways. This project argues that the issue is not simply whether students use AI, but how they use it and whether that use supports meaningful engagement with the writing process.

This applied project proposes a process-oriented and student-centered framework for the ethical integration of AI into academic writing. Learning …

Small College Registrars As Leaders: A Multiple Case Study Of Shared Leadership, Kyle John Wigboldy

Dissertations

This study investigates the leadership relationship between the small college registrar and the people with whom they work most closely. The college registrar is not structured to be a strategic leader within the small college, but their leadership contributions across the campus are constantly felt. This research uses a qualitative case study approach to explore how three college registrars lead and participate with coworkers.

This investigation used a multiple case study design where data collection involved exploring three small colleges of fewer than 1,000 students. The study used semi-structured interviews with the registrar at each of the three colleges, and …

The Impact Of Community On Professional Identity In Computer Science Education, Ian A. Kollipara

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis explores the application of Communities of Practice (CoPs) in Computer Science Education. The work consists of two qualitative studies examining related but distinct populations: (1) K–12 CS teachers and (2) undergraduate CS students. The first study presents a retrospective analysis of conneCTION, an online CoP for K–12 CS educators, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and design considerations that inform future platform development. The second study investigates how participation in a CoP can mitigate negative and exclusionary stereotypes in CS. This study was conducted in an under-explored context: a small, private, religious, Midwestern university, and examines an existing community, the Programming …

Library Services 2024-2025 Report, Leah Rosenmiller, Lauren Miesner

Library Services

Lindenwood University Library Services report for 2024-2025.

National Assessment Program – Ict Literacy 2025. Technical Report., Kate O'Malley, Steven Kambouris, Dulce Lay, Amira Mahmood, Frances Eveleigh, Jorge Fallas

ICT - Digital Literacy

The primary purpose of the NAP–ICT Literacy 2025 technical report is to detail the technical aspects of the assessment. It outlines the key activities undertaken in the design, sampling, data collection, analysis, and reporting phases of the national sample assessment. The 2025 cycle marks the seventh national assessment of ICT literacy. Notably, the 2025 assessment was administered in May, a shift of 5 months from previous cycles, which were held in October. For this reason, changes in achievement between 2025 and previous cycles of the NAP–ICT Literacy assessment should be interpreted with some caution. The NAP–ICT Literacy 2025 assessment was …

National Assessment Program – Ict Literacy 2025. Public Report, Tim Friedman, Kate O'Malley, Frances Eveleigh, Wolfram Schulz

ICT - Digital Literacy

This report presents the findings from the seventh National Assessment Program – Information and Communication Technology Literacy (NAP–ICT Literacy) assessment cycle. The assessment was conducted in May 2025 with representative samples of Year 6 and Year 10 students across Australia. The report includes comparisons, where appropriate, with findings from previous NAP–ICT Literacy assessment cycles. NAP–ICT Literacy assesses students’ ability to use ICT and digital tools appropriately, safely and effectively across a range of real-world contexts. The assessment evaluates a broad range of skills, including: accessing, managing and evaluating information, developing new understandings, applying computational, design and systems thinking, communicating and …

Flipping The Format: A Comparative Analysis Of Pedagogy’S Performance On Comprehension In Introductory Financial Accounting Education, Allison Drozd

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Education is an ever-evolving field, and accounting education is no different. Introductory financial accounting is a required business course at universities that is characterized by high failure rates (Kealey et al., 2005). Evidence suggests that active learning and constructivist approaches improve comprehension of introductory financial accounting concepts as measured by exam performance. All methods studied produced statistically significant positive results on comprehension learning outcomes. Many professors' experiences support the studies' sentiment that active learning is important for teaching course concepts. The evidence reviewed in this thesis supports positive learning outcomes for comprehension of accounting concepts through active learning and constructivist …

Having Our Say: A Sociological Examination Of English Instruction In Urban High Schools And Effects On Black And Latino Identities, Jena Marie Escareno

Dissertations

This interdisciplinary study integrates a macro‑sociological perspective on language bias with an examination of English language instructional policies and practices that shape the identities of Black and Latino former urban high school students. Its purpose is to apply a sociological framework capable of illuminating the intersections of language, race, and social justice. By bridging linguistic, sociological, and educational theories, the study seeks to explain why current approaches to language instruction remain ineffective for urban learners and may inadvertently harm minority cultural identities.

Persistent disparities in urban academic achievement often highlight race and ethnicity as explanatory factors without acknowledging how these …

Bridge Building In Professional Development For Educators Working With Latinx Families: An Action Research Approach Leading To Equitable Family Engagement, Nicole Deanna Bell

Theses & Dissertations

Latinx students represent a growing population in public schools, and research highlights the importance of focusing on collectivist family engagement strategies to align with their cultural ideals. However, there is limited research on how school systems, beginning with teachers and administrators, can shift their definitions and practices to embed more collectivist-oriented strategies that foster more welcoming and inclusive spaces for Latinx families. This action-research study explored whether an asset-based lens introduced through a one-day professional development workshop could serve as a catalyst for such change. The workshop centered on participants’ storytelling, building understanding of the collectivist-individualist dichotomy, and presenting strategies …

Gme As A Healthcare And Economic Driver In Southern Nevada, Tripp Umbach

Policy Briefs and Reports

In early 2025, the Nevada Health and Bioscience Corporation (NHBC) commissioned Tripp Umbach to conduct a comprehensive study examining the current state and future expansion of physician training and retention in Southern Nevada. The approach recommended in this report is rooted in strategic partnerships among medical institutions, proven funding approaches, and needed policy changes. Tripp Umbach, a nationally renowned private consultancy specializing in medical education expansion strategies, reviewed data, conducted interviews, and developed recommendations to expand GME, highlighting its profound economic impact in Southern Nevada.

Volume Cxlv, Number 20, May 1, 2026, Lawrence University

The Lawrentian

No abstract provided.

Inequity In Education Through The Lens Of Social Studies Curriculum Using Studies Weekly, Emma Roy

Honors Theses

This study examines the representation of the Civil Rights Movement within the Studies Weekly elementary social studies curriculum and evaluates its alignment with culturally relevant pedagogy, critical race theory, and civic education frameworks. Through a qualitative content analysis of twelve assessment questions and accompanying lesson materials, the findings reveal consistent patterns of oversimplification, limited historical nuance, and an overreliance on factual recall. Key themes including systemic racism, collective activist, and diverse historical perspectives are minimized or omitted altogether. These omissions contribute to what scholars identify as curriculum bias, where dominant narratives are privileged while marginalized voices are unheard. The results …

Skill Growth And Development In An Honors Experiential Learning Course, Julia D. Lyashevskiy

Honors Theses

Problem-solving skills are crucial for students in both schoolwork and the workforce as they help individuals and groups work through obstacles and come up with solutions to a problem. To help prepare students, the Innovation in Honors Lab at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a hands-on, interdisciplinary course that provides an experiential learning opportunity to practice skills while working directly with community partners to find and solve a local issue. This research tracks the development of six specific skills that students use throughout the class. The skills included communication, creative thinking, decision making, problem solving, conflict resolution, and …

The Effect Of Chronic Aerobic Exercise On Working Memory: A Study On Young Adults, Alexandria J. Morris

Honors Theses

Physical activity is essential for optimal health. Cognitive function is a major part of that, and can be evaluated through working memory (WM). This thesis examines the impact of physical activity on WM in young adult college students. It reviews existing research on exercise and WM, highlights gaps in the literature focused on this demographic, and explores the importance of chronic and moderate to high-intensity exercise to WM. There is existing research that examines the correlation of WM and physical activity for both acute and chronic exercise, as well as for children, adults, and older adults. Acute aerobic exercise shows …

Exploring The Alignment Between Medical School Outcomes With Residency Competencies: A Modified Delphi Study, Sally A. Santen, Luan Lawson, Jose A. Negrete Manriquez, Marjorie Westerveld, Laurah Turner, Anita Wilson, Phd, Yoon Soo Park, Eric S. Holmboe, Michael S. Ryan, Medical School Outcomes Milestone Study Group

JeffMD Academic Affairs

PURPOSE: Facilitation of competency-based medical education adoption would benefit from alignment between medical school (undergraduate medical education [UME]) and residency (graduate medical education [GME]) assessments. This study explores the strength of an a priori alignment of medical school assessments with residency competency domains to guide programmatic assessment and research.

METHOD: In fall 2023, the authors (US faculty with UME and GME expertise) used a 2-phase Delphi consensus approach (9 participants in phase 1 and 16 in phase 2) to independently map medical school assessments to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competency domains (0, no association; 1, some or …

A Creative Climate Framework For Developing Leaders Who Can Navigate Complexity, Uncertainty, And Change Now And Over Time, Christa M. Heydt-Hernandez

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

As organizational environments grow increasingly volatile and complex, leaders face a widening gap in the skills hardest to cultivate in adults: creative thinking, systems thinking, and human-centered design thinking. Yet leadership development has prioritized culture over climate, overlooking a more direct lever for change. This project argues the gap is fundamentally developmental: the skills most demanded of today's leaders are best introduced across childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood—long before the workplace—through what the author terms the Long Game of Leadership Development. In response, this project introduces the Creativity Steward™ framework, a longitudinal model grounded in developmental psychology, creative climate research, …

Techno-Imagination: Elevating Creativity Through Xr And Ai, Christopher Spitzer

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Techno-Imagination: Elevating Creativity Through XR and AI explores the history of creativity and computing technology, supported by research and academic literature, and looks at the possibilities of a convergence between the two. In parallel, a brief biographical story of the author shares how a passion for creativity emerged, along with a growing interest in science and technology—specifically extended reality—which ultimately came together in the creation of this master’s project. The project also highlights how the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process was used alongside AI bots and twenty research-based creative thinking skills in developing the business model canvas. Finally, the outcome …

Leading The Choreography: Preserving Creative Agency In Ai-Supported Problem-Solving, Mikhaila Ackerbauer

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly present in creative and problem-solving contexts, a critical question emerges: how can users engage with AI in ways that preserve rather than erode their own creative capacity? This project explores that question through research synthesis, practitioner conversations, coursework, international conference presentations, and the development of custom AI chatbots trained in the Creative Problem-Solving process. The central finding is a theoretical triangle comprising three interdependent capacities: autonomy, creative self-efficacy, and critical thinking. Grounded in Rhodes' (1961) Four P's framework, the triangle sits within the Person dimension. Convergent themes across the literature, practitioner conversations, and direct …

Designing The Future Of School Leadership: Cultivating Creative Capacity In Leadership Preparation Programs, Nicole Wagner

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Education systems are increasingly expected to prepare students with skills such as creativity, adaptability, collaboration, and problem solving to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.  However, educational leadership preparation programs often provide limited explicit instruction in creativity and creative leadership.  This project examines how creativity is currently incorporated within educational leadership programs and explores ways creative problem solving and creative leadership competencies can be more intentionally integrated into leadership preparation.

Drawing upon scholarship in creativity, Creative Problem Solving (CPS), leadership, and educational change, this project includes three outcomes: (a) a comparative analysis of educational leadership preparation programs; (b) …

Systemic Barriers To Educational And Employment Attainment Among Individuals With Substance Use Disorders, Mollie B. Mccann Poblocki

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Substance use disorders (SUDs) and opioid use disorder (OUD) represent one of the most pressing yet poorly understood public health crises in the United States. Despite decades of clinical intervention, recovery outcomes remain deeply unequal, not because individuals lack motivation, but because the structural systems surrounding them are fundamentally broken. This project explored that reality through a comprehensive literature review examining how systemic barriers across educational systems, labor markets, poverty dynamics, and healthcare infrastructure shape vulnerability, treatment access, and recovery outcomes for individuals with SUDs. Major findings revealed a consistent socioeconomic gradient of harm: individuals with lower educational attainment, unstable …

The Impact Of Sensory Processing Disorder On Elementary-Aged Students In The Classroom And Proper Teacher Responses, Sophia Slater

Senior Honors Theses

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is when an individual cannot correctly process an incoming stimulus from the surrounding environment. This is prevalent in young children as they are beginning to learn about the world around them. Their inability to properly process information through their senses affects their daily lives and creates a challenge for them. There are also co-occurrences of SPD with both autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Since most of a child’s time is spent in the classroom, it is imperative that teachers understand the disorder and proper strategies to assist these students as they learn. Occupational …

Conceptualizing A Responsive Design Pedagogy To Support Teachers' Responsiveness To Students' Mathematical Ideas Through Making, Denish Ogweno Akuom

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study develops Responsive Design Pedagogy (RDP), a conceptual and analytic model of teacher responsiveness in design-based environments, to account for how responsiveness emerges through interactions among students, tools, and tasks. Although responsiveness has been widely studied in mathematics education, limited attention has been given to responsiveness within mathematical design activity and to how teachers attend to the multiple modes through which students express their mathematical ideas. Addressing these gaps, this qualitative study examined one teacher’s enactment of responsiveness in a Learning-by-Design classroom where students designed and used 3D-printed mathematical tools. Data sources included classroom video, student design artifacts, teacher …