Digital Commons Network^™

The Devil Is In The Det[Ai]Ls: Ai Agents, Ghost Students, And The Crisis Of Verified Presence In An Agentic Ai World, Aras Bozkurt, Helen Crompton, Caroline Fell Kurban

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The transition from reactive Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to agentic AI systems marks a categorical shift in digital education, moving beyond simple content generation to goal-oriented, autonomous execution. This paper explores the emergence of the “ghost student”: a digital surrogate created by the coupling of Large Language Models (the “mind”) and agentic AI browsers (the “body”). These entities are capable of navigating Learning Management Systems (LMS), engaging with content, and completing assessments with human-like mimicry, often rendering the actual learner’s presence optional. We argue that this phenomenon creates a verification gap that traditional proctoring and detection tools are structurally unable …

Instructional Designers' Reflections On Generative Ai Use For Scenario-Based And Performance-Centered Learning: A Collective Autoethnography, Nour El Houda Maache, Dan V. Dao, Jiyoon Jung, Jayanth Nadheri, Nari Kim, Chikezie Ozuzu, Xinyue Ren

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This study examines how instructional designer-instructors (IDIs) use and evaluate generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) when designing scenario-based and performance-centered authentic learning in higher education. Using a collective autoethnography (CAE) approach, the study draws on semi-structured interviews and reflective narratives from five IDIs with varied professional experience. Findings indicate that GenAI enhanced design capacity by accelerating scenario development, translating complex content, and supporting scenario-based and performance-based task construction. At the same time, participants reported limitations related to contextual misalignment, output unreliability, and the cognitive demands of prompt refinement. Across cases, effective integration depended on sustained human oversight, disciplinary judgment, and ethical …

Chatgpt In Secondary English Language Learning: Educators' And Students' Literacy, Perceptions, And Experiences, Victoria Brenes, Sierra Outerbridge, Xinyue Ren

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has shown the potential of transforming teaching and learning practices in various educational settings, such as in English language learning (ELL). As English language learners (ELLs) often experience many challenges and barriers in schools in the United States, it is urgent to leverage the educational affordances of GenAI in fostering the effectiveness of ELL. Given the limited research investigating GenAI adoption, especially ChatGPT literacy within K-12 ELL, this convergent mixed methods research aims to investigate students' and teachers’ perceptions of using ChatGPT and their ChatGPT literacy in secondary ELL contexts. We will …

Governing Generative Ai In Higher Education: A Global Delphi Study On Policy And Practice, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke, Christine Nickel, Aras Bozkurt, Fengchun Miao, Mike Sharples, Jeffrey Alan Greene, David Parsons, Lucy Gill-Simmen, Adam Edmett, Mark Pegrum, Inge De Waard, Curtis J. Bonk, Manuel B. Garcia, John H. Curry, Leeann Lindsey, Mohan Yang, Stephen Marshall, Maha Bali, Nellie Deutsch, Suzaan Le Roux, Mourad Benali, Mohd Ali Bin Samsudin, Hasan Tinmaz, Matthew L. Bernacki, Mari Van Wyk, Lenandlar Singh, Agnes Chigona, Lance Eaton, Junhong Xiao, Johanna Velander, Jinhee Kim, Francisco Bellas, R. Rajalakshmi, Andréia De Bem Machado, Agnieszka Palalas, Sean Yu

STEMPS Faculty Publications

As GenAI technologies become more pervasive in higher education (HE), scholars call for guidance on AI governance. To meet this need, a Delphi technique and collective writing was used in gathering expert perspectives from across 22 countries/locations and six continents. This resulted in the development of a HE GenAI policy/guidelines framework with eight core areas: (1) academic integrity, (2) ethical use and responsible use, (3) privacy and protection, (4) equitable access, (5) GenAI literacy, (6) integration strategy, (7) human oversight and accountability, and (8) institutional support and infrastructure. In addition, a six-part framework was developed to ensure that policies remain …

Peacock Competency Model For Online Library Instruction, Rebeca Peacock

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Academic librarians are an integral part of academia offering niche expertise that benefits faculty and students alike. But they often lack specific guidance on developing competencies for the online teaching that is increasingly expected of them. This article addresses the lack of field specific guidance for academic librarians' online teaching by proposing a competency model grounded in expert practice. The study used semi-structured interviews with 18 academic librarians to address this gap asking: what knowledge, skills, and attitudes are needed for academic librarians to be successful in providing effective online library instruction?

2026 Jan Term Course Catalog, Saint Mary's College Of California

Jan Term Course Catalog

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Student And School Technology Adoption On Student Reading Achievement In The United States: The Case Of Pisa 2018, Mikah J. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

This study examined the relationship between student and school-level information and communication technology (ICT) factors and reading achievement using data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 in the United States. In an increasingly digital world, reading and information literacy are essential skills, yet significant gaps in digital competencies persist. This study investigated how ICT access, use, and perceptions relate to reading achievement in the context of student and school background factors.

A two-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) framework was employed to account for the nested structure of students within schools. The sample included approximately 4,000 students across …

From Perfect Victim To Resilient Upstander: How Educators Can Help Middle-School Students With Asd Thrive Despite Peer Aggression, Julie R. Johnson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are more likely to be bullied by peers (46-94%), bullied by siblings, and chronically bullied than typically developing students (30.5%). Some victims become bullies, particularly when impulsivity and hostility are high or perseverance or prudence are low. Students with ASD are more likely to become bully-victims, especially if they have certain comorbidities. This literature review explores how educators can mitigate this cycle. Schools need a multi-tiered system of supports to support victims with ASD so they do not become bullies: Tier One needs clear policies, anti-bullying programs, and neurodiversity-affirming classrooms. Tiers Two and Three …

Impact Of Trauma-Informed Models In Schools, Amber R. Clinton

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores trauma-informed models in schools and the impact on students in different educational settings. Trauma-informed models are systemic changes that support all students in school, but it is especially important for students who have experienced trauma. This model helps them feel safe in the school environment. This paper reviews literature on how trauma-informed models impact student behaviors, academics, and learning within traditional educational approaches and special education settings. The research also reviews gaps, for instance it is unclear what parts of trauma-informed models contribute to positive outcomes for students in school. The gaps also revealed the need for …

Physical Activity And Cognitive Function Among Youth: Implications And Recommendations For Increasing Physical Activity Participation, Allison C. Ims

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Physical activity is extensively recognized as an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. For children, it is important for the development of their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being. Nationally, there are physical activity recommendations for youth; however, most children and adolescents do not meet these recommendations. It’s recommended that youth participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. However, many youth are not achieving this recommendation due to physical, environmental, and social barriers. The purpose of this thesis was to look at the relationship between physical activity, executive functioning, and academic performance among youth. …

Disproportionality: The Impact Identifying Students For Special Education, John M. Bradford

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the topic of disproportionality as it relates to the special education population. Disproportionality is an area of interest for this researcher, who wanted to explore and learn more about disproportionality, the true numbers behind it, the consequences of overrepresentation, and the consequences of our current system for addressing it. Some populations of students have been seemingly overidentified for special education, and current thinking suggests that these services may have negative consequences for the groups that are overidentified. Disproportionality data were reexamined, along with the concept of whether proportional representation in special education should be expected. Additionally, …

How Do Teacher-Student Relationships Affect Behavior Outcomes In Students With Disabilities?, Charles E. Linder

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teacher-student relationships are an essential part of schooling for all students. For students with disabilities, it may be more important. The reasoning behind this could be that creating positive relationships with teachers is crucial for students who have deficits in their social, emotional, and behavioral skills. By creating positive relationships, students with disabilities can see an increase in academic achievement, better behavioral outcomes, and an increase in the well-being of the student. Teachers can achieve this by creating an environment that welcomes engagement and inclusion of all students and offering praise, especially to students with disabilities. When positive relationships are …

Predictability, Flexibility, And Relationship-Building In Trauma-Informed Middle School Ebd Classrooms, Julie Tong

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in middle school often experience significant challenges with regulation and engagement, frequently rooted in trauma and adverse childhood experiences. This literature review examined the guiding research question: How do predictability, flexibility, and relationship-building within trauma-informed middle school EBD classrooms impact student regulation and engagement? Synthesis of the literature revealed that predictability reduces uncertainty and supports safety, flexibility allows teachers to respond to dysregulation without escalation, and relationship-building fosters the trust students need to accept correction and engage in learning. Together, these practices create a structured, responsive, and relationally safe classroom. Implications include the …

An Examination Of The Impact Of Behavioral Frameworks And Practices On Neurodivergent Students, Megan A. Salmon

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Elementary schools commonly use behavioral frameworks to promote positive academic, behavioral, and social outcomes. As behavioral practices have become widely implemented and elementary classrooms have become increasingly diverse, it is important to examine how these practices affect neurodivergent students. This literature review examined how behavioral frameworks and practices affect neurodivergent students in elementary schools. This review reviewed and synthesized current peer-reviewed literature on behavioral frameworks, behavioral practices, and neurodiversity. The literature indicates that behavioral frameworks provide significant academic, behavioral, and organizational benefits; however, their effectiveness for neurodivergent students depends largely on implementation. Findings suggest that refining implementation through increased educator …

Light & Faith: January 2026, Taylor University

Light & Faith

No abstract provided.

Intentional Reflection Of Student Experiences During Graduate Nursing Education, Laura Gray Phd, Steven Busby, Aine O'Connor, Julie Honey

Funded Scholarship

Background: Nurse practitioners can help fill needs for primary care providers but first must successfully transition from registered nurse through graduate education, which presents challenges and opportunities for growth.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe experiences of nurses during the first semester of graduate school. Methods: Reflections of 23 students were analyzed by nursing faculty using qualitative descriptive methods.

Results: Five main concepts were identified by students: Academic performance, Challenges, Emotions, Linking coursework to future role, and Support.

Conclusion: Reflective journaling may help students process and adapt to challenges of graduate school.

Artificial Intelligence (Ai) In Educating Next Generation Of Engineering Technology Students, Adel El-Shahat, Murat Kuzlu, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Katherine Smith, Abdullah Al Mamun, Otilia Popescu

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming education, particularly for electrical engineering technology (EET) students, by presenting adaptive learning, immediate responses, and unconventional tools. Therefore, this paper proposes investigating modern learning to employ AI in educating future electrical engineering technology students. Firstly, the paper explores how to shape AI knowledge for EET students, supplying them with hands-on skills in AI tasks, clarifying coding, data analysis, and AI ethical usage. Then, as educators, what are the efficient AI tools to utilize in teaching, such as tailored tutoring, automated code assessment, AI-driven design/simulation, lecture dictation, and smart content creation? Key tools, for instance, Google …

A Methodological Framework For Modernizing Engineering Course Content With Large Language Models, Katherine Smith, Dalya Ismael, Otilia Popescu, Murat Kuzlu, Adel El-Shahat, Vukica M. Jovanovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The rapid evolution of technology presents challenges for engineering educators. While the core engineering methods often remain relevant over time, course materials rapidly become outdated in presentation and pedagogical approach. This paper presents a methodological framework for using large-language models (LLMs) to modernize engineering course content with a case study in an advanced technical analysis course.

The methodology follows a phased approach that is designed to be repeatable and verify the accuracy and completeness of course content. During the first phase, an LLM is used to map outdated text-heavy content to a modern format using a LaTeX template. The second …

The Complex Decision-Making Processes Of Rural Emerging Adults: Counseling Beyond Dualism, Donna M. San Antonio Dr.

Faculty Scholarship

Rural adolescents approach the transition out of high school with individual concerns about making an emotionally or financially expensive “mistake,” family concerns about young people leaving home, and national and local concerns about declining rural economies and out-migration. The literature concerning this topic considers factors that influence youth aspirations in rural areas, such as economic barriers, the way higher education is valued, and perceptions of rural places as lacking in opportunity. However, there has been little study of the myriad interpersonal, emotional, and self-identity inputs that are part of the decision-making processes of rural emerging adults, and little is known …

Academic Outcomes Of Associate Degree Transfer Students From Selected Two-Year Campuses To A Public Urban Research University In The Northeast U.S: An Empirical Analysis Using Administrative Unit Record Data, Michelle Bianchi

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This study examined academic outcomes for associate degree transfer students at an urban, public research university in the Northeast United States. In particular, this study examined differences in rates of retention, rates of graduation, and cumulative upper-division grade point average (GPA) at graduation between associate degree transfers and direct-entry undergraduates at the same institution, taking into account the two-year college attended. This approach provides a lens into campus effects, considering the profiles of associate degree transfers from identified two-year colleges to search for similarities and differences in academic outcomes for transfers by two-year college attended.

The study relied on student-level …

Disability And Self-Identity: Examining Their Relationship And Impact On First-Year Students’ College Transition, Caroline A. Mcpartlin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

As students with disabilities enroll in college at increasing rates, higher education institutions (HEIs) are challenged to consider students with disabilities’ unique needs. Student development theory informs higher education policy and practice but lacks disability perspectives. As such, this study was designed to narrow gaps in disability literature and supplement student development theory with a needed disability perspective. Through an examination of how participants categorized their self-identities and identities as college students, this study investigated students with disabilities’ identity development and its impact on their college transition.

Utilizing qualitative interviews, 12 students with disabilities (SWDs) were prompted to share their …

Student Codes Of Conduct, Institutional Isomorphism, And Restorative Justice: Practice And Implementation In The State University Of New York (Suny) System, Alexandra Athens

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The student conduct field constantly must balance the legal requirements of the federal and state governments with providing an educational environment for students to learn and develop valuable skills in conflict management, problem solving, and communication. Each higher education institution has a student code of conduct detailing the policies and procedures by which students are expected to abide. These codes of conduct carefully combine the legal requirements and educational goals of each institution’s conduct office. This study analyzed the prevalence of restorative justice practices and other common practices in the codes of conduct at 4-year institutions in the State University …

Models Of Emulation: Representations Of Foreign, Indigenous, And Accented Speech In Early American Literature, Elaina A. Frulla

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

“Models of Emulation: Representations of Foreign, Indigenous, and Accented Speech in Early American Literature” explores how American writers used depictions of “nonstandard” English and accented English language speech, traditionally described as “literary dialect,” as a way to negotiate identity, power, and political belonging in the formative years of nation building after the American Revolution. Beginning with Noah Webster’s mission to establish a standardized pronunciation of the English language that would simplify and purify spoken American-English and definitively differentiate it from what he saw as the corrupted, cosmopolitan British-English model, each of the three chapters examines literary representations of nonstandard emulated …

An Exploratory Mixed-Method Study Of Systems For Adhd Accommodation Implementation In New York State Middle Schools, Stacie Fenn Smith

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This mixed-method study examined organizational structures for ADHD accommodation implementation in New York State middle schools. While extensive research documents the effectiveness of specific ADHD accommodations, limited scholarly attention has focused on how educators organize themselves to deliver these supports consistently across multiple classroom settings. This study addressed that gap by investigating how educational leaders, teachers, and support staff structure systems for accommodation implementation. Grounded in Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) and Organizational Behavior Theory (Robbins & Judge, 2017), the study examined implementation across three organizational levels: building leaders, coordinators, and classroom teachers and support staff.

Data collection included a …

The Role Of The Coach In Student-Athlete Engagement, Christina Cobb

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Student engagement has long been recognized as a key indicator of student success in higher education, but limited research has examined engagement within the context of intercollegiate athletics. This qualitative case study explored how college coaches influence student-athlete engagement and how student-athletes utilize athletic department support services designed to promote engagement practices. Guided by Kuh et al.’s (2006) theory of student engagement, this study examined engagement through the lens of time and effort invested in educationally purposeful activities and the institutional environments that support or constrain participation.

Participants included six student-athletes, four coaches, and two athletic department administrators at a …

Initial Development Of Contextualized Social-Emotional Learning Assessment Tool For The Indonesian School, Nisrina Nurika Agustin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

As social-emotional learning (SEL) becomes increasingly integrated into the Indonesian national curriculum, a significant gap remains regarding culturally grounded tools to measure student progress. Current assessments often rely on Western-centric frameworks that prioritize individualistic traits over the collectivist values—such as communal harmony and the 5S tradition—prevalent in Indonesian schools. This study aimed to develop and provide initial item generation for a localized SEL assessment tool for primary school students (Grades 1–3). Utilizing a Deductive Qualitative Analysis (DQA) design, the research drew upon the CASEL framework for structural alignment while employing inductive methods to ensure cultural relevance. Data were collected through …

Understanding Support And Success: A Cross-Group Analysis Of Student Support Services And Nontraditional Graduate Student Experience, Erica Shudt

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This study explored how nontraditional graduate students perceive their experiences with student support services within a Research 1, public university. The purpose of this study was to understand how these services impact their overall academic experience. Findings from semi-structured interviews with nontraditional graduate students and student support staff using a qualitative approach revealed four themes. These themes included (1) a shared emphasis on connection and belonging, (2) flexibility as a foundation for support and success, (3) individualized student-centered support, and (4) the acknowledgement of nontraditional student support identity. Both groups identify that meaningful support is within relationships with faculty and …

The Effect Of Education On Green Growth And Carbon Emissions, 1990–2022, Soojeong Ahn

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The question of whether education promotes economic growth has long been a central topic in development research, and education has been linked to economic outcomes through macro-level pathways such as human capital accumulation, productivity growth, and technological diffusion. More recently, this discussion has expanded beyond economic growth to consider whether education contributes to environmentally sustainable development, particularly green growth. Green growth emphasizes the possibility of sustaining economic expansion while reducing environmental pressure (OECD, 2011; UNEP, 2011), and this study therefore examines how education is related to green growth and carbon emissions at the macro level.

At the macro level, existing …

School Leaders’ And Teachers’ Sensemaking Of Performance-Based Learning And Assessment Reform Initiatives, Kate Jarrard

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Educational leaders occupy a difficult position in the landscape of reform, as they are at times charged with initiatives that conflict with existing guidance and core instructional work. Effective change requires more than program redesign; it demands shifts in people’s behavior. For school leaders, the challenge is not simply understanding a new initiative, but making personal sense of it and then communicating it coherently to staff in ways that generate genuine commitment, all while navigating the gap between standard and innovative practice, bridging from policy intent to classroom-level implementation.

In the case of school performance, standardized testing has long anchored …

From Written Curriculum To Classroom Practice: Teacher Supplementation In The Teaching Of American Slavery In Florida And New York, Matthew T. Maloof

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This study examined how K–12 public school teachers in Florida and New York perceived the adequacy of curriculum standards and instructional materials for teaching American slavery, how they responded when those materials were perceived as limited, and how the standards and materials aligned with Shuster’s (2018) Ten Key Concepts for Teaching American slavery. Using a qualitative multi-method design, the study combined qualitative survey research with document analysis. Teachers’ open-ended survey responses were analyzed through a Modified Grounded Theory approach, while curriculum standards and instructional materials were analyzed in relation to Shuster’s framework. The final sample included 41 teachers, including 20 …