Digital Commons Network^™

Accounts Of Student Financial Aid Counselors: Identifying And Reducing Obstacles In Their Counseling Roles And Responsibilities, Andrew Joshua Marx

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

In the financial aid office, student financial aid counselor positions are held by professionals often new to the field of financial aid. Their work supports students’ access to financial aid through routine updates to students’ accounts, counseling students on navigating the financial aid process, and guiding students on petitions for exceptions. Their ability to resolve the financial aid concerns of students may be constrained by obstacles that result from financial aid policy, challenging work conditions, or resource limitations. Their attitudes, behaviors, and conduct not only shape how financial aid policy is implemented but, crucially, place it in the context of …

Artificial Intelligence In Healthcare: Ethical Frameworks, Challenges, And Global Approaches To Responsible Implementation: A Perspective, Vikas Vaibhav, Arwinder Singh, Yashpal S, Raviprakash Meshram, Varun Chandran A, Kshitiza Sharma

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Major advancements in domains like diagnosis and personalised treatment will be seen because of the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. But this shift additionally presents significant ethical concerns that need to be carefully considered at every stage of AI's research, use, and impact on society in medical settings.

This review summarises the findings of multiple systematic and scoping reviews, as well as studies of specific AI applications published between 2013 and 2025. Additionally, it examines ethical norms from different countries and international organisations objectively. Consistent ethical challenges identified include the "black box" problem (lack of transparency and …

Knowledge And Perception Of Patients Regarding A Postpartum Standardized Hypertensive Disorder Educational Program, Arin Everett, Niranjana Balu, Santiago Ortiz Barragan, Marly Azzi, Sanela Potchileev, Courtney Bisson, Ariel Mueller, Lea Runesha, Sajid Shahul, Sarosh Rana

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a major contributor to rising maternal mortality in the United States. The postpartum period represents a critical window to provide education aimed at reducing the risks of complications. This study evaluates the patients’ understanding of HDP and their retention of key education concepts during the first six weeks postpartum after participation in a structured quality improvement program.

Methods. Prospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with HDP were enrolled in the remote blood pressure monitoring program (RPM) and delivered between June 2023 and January 2024. Baseline surveys were administered prior to discharge and repeated …

Examining The Use Of Digital Journal Entries In A Special Education Course To Build Understanding Of Global Competence, Lema Kabashi, Leslie Rogers

Journal of Global Awareness

Teacher education programs increasingly emphasize the development of global competence (GC), particularly within experience-based learning contexts such as study abroad. This mixed-methods study examined teacher candidates’ (TCs) development of GC during a four-week study abroad experience by analyzing evidence from digital reflective journal entries and changes in self-reported perceptions across three time points. Data were collected from teacher candidates across two four-week summer sessions using digital journals and a Global Competence Self-Evaluation Survey. Qualitative content analysis was employed to identify the frequency with which three global competency areas were evidenced in the journal entries, while quantitative analyses examined changes in …

Reclamando Corazón Y Voz: Latinas Speak Their Truth Through Plática As Resistance In California Community College Learning Disabilities Assessments, Maricela Becerra

Dissertations

Although California Community Colleges (CCCs) offer learning disability (LD) assessments to determine eligibility for academic accommodations, for Latina students navigating converging forces of race, gender, language, citizenship, and ableism, these assessments often surface unspoken histories of harm. This study advanced Chicana feminista DisCrit (CFDC), extending disability critical race theory through Chicana spirituality and cultural intuition to examine possibilities when an educadora situates assessments in a plática grounded in consideración—respectful, relational, and unhurried care.

Rooted in Chicana feminist pláticas methodology and authored from the positionality of a disabled Latina scholar–practitioner, this qualitative decolonial dissertation explored how Latina students reflected on …

Generative Ai And Student Engagement, Motivation, And Learning: Exploring The Use Of Generative Ai In Higher Education Online Courses, Jeffrey L. Simmons

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The rapid emergence of Generative AI (GenAI) large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT in higher education has left many institutions unprepared to assess their potential benefits and risks. This mixed-methods study examined how ChatGPT and Google’s NotebookLM were integrated into online course development and delivery at a small private nonprofit university in California, and assessed their perceived impact on student engagement, motivation, and learning.

Data were collected from post-course Likert-scale surveys completed by students across three online master’s-level courses and from pre-course prediction surveys by instructors in the two NotebookLM courses. Quantitative analyses included one-sample t-tests against a …

So Much More Than Greenacre, Christine Rollins

The Journal of Law Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.

Second Annual Advances In Business Education Conference 2026 Proceedings, Kelsey Metz

Advances in Business Education (ABE) Conference Proceedings

Conference Overview: The Second Annual Advances in Business Education (ABE) Conference was held on May 21–22, 2026, at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Hosted by the LMU School of Business, the ABE Conference exists to promote teaching excellence, scholarly inquiry, and regional engagement through innovation and collaboration in business education.

With a focus on fostering meaningful dialogue among educators, researchers, students, and industry professionals, the conference welcomed more than 70 attendees representing 11 institutions from across the Appalachian region and beyond.

The event was structured around four key tracks:

Pedagogy and Teaching Excellence: Showcasing innovative teaching methods, instructional technologies, …

An Editorial: If I Should Fall, Patrick Otto, David Weir

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Abstract

The future of Christian higher education will be determined by whether today’s leaders can identify and train successors who are called to the mission and vision of each institution. The task of transitioning to a new generation of leaders has become more complicated as research shows that the church in America is in decline. The increased use of adjuncts adds to the dilemma because it takes time and a single-minded focus to prepare high-level leaders.

We are at a critical time finding the right people to replace the Baby Boomer generation, which has led well past retirement age. As …

Faculty And Student Perspectives On Course Collaborations Within Communication Sciences And Disorders, Shanna R. Callewaert, Sarah M. Ginsberg

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The collaborative course (re)design (CCRD) process provides faculty and students with an opportunity to collaborate in partnership to redesign a course that the faculty teaches and that the student has previously taken. This process amplifies student voices and allows faculty to increase their understanding of students’ learning and experiences. However, barriers of CCRD, such as faculty members’ desires to retain decision-making control, students’ hesitations to share feedback, and logistical concerns, prevent many faculty and students from taking part in the process. This qualitative study sought to gain insight into the perspectives held by students and faculty in the communication sciences …

Crisis Preparedness And Confidence Levels In Faculty & Staff At Rowan University, Paige Bathurst

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined faculty and staff confidence and preparedness in responding to crisis situations at Rowan University. As higher education institutions face an increasing range of emergencies, understanding how employees perceive their readiness is essential for strengthening institutional crisis management efforts. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected through an anonymous online survey distributed to all faculty and staff. The survey measured participants’ confidence across multiple crisis scenarios, perceptions of preparedness and response competency, and participation in crisis-related training. A total of 135 participants completed the survey, and descriptive statistics, including mean confidence and agreement scores, were used to …

Looking For Inclusivity In Higher Ed? Start In The Classroom!, Michelle Carpenter

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

The Purdue Rising Scholars Experience: Exploring Student Success, Robert M. Stwalley Iii, Carol S. Stwalley, Roger Tormoehlen

Purdue University Press Books

Many intelligent low-socioeconomic status high school students correctly view STEM majors as a way out of poverty, but the challenges to ultimate success are plentiful. For those who applied but did not initially gain admittance into an engineering department, the Rising Scholars program at Purdue University offered these undergraduates a pathway through college that brought them into contact with a network of professional mentors, including university professors, staff, and graduate students. Program participants were also provided opportunities to engage in team-building activities and teaching seminars that involved writing research papers focused on postgraduate careers. Although no longer in operation, the …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Influencing The Trajectory Of Black Women Mid-Level Managers Into Senior-Level Administration At Predominantly White Institutions, Christine Hampton Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experiences of Black women in mid-level, non-faculty management roles at public Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) in the Southeastern United States, with a focus on how these experiences influence their pathway into senior-level administrative positions. Grounded in Black Feminist Thought, the research utilized narrative inquiry to center the voices of Black women, recognizing their lived experiences as valuable and often underrepresented sources of knowledge in higher education leadership literature. Three research questions guided the study: (1) What experiences do Black women consider the most significant in their trajectory from mid-level manager to senior-level administrator at Predominantly …

The Role Of Math Anxiety – And Associated Support Mechanisms And Strategies – In The Academic Success Of Stem College Students, William Jacob Tschume

Theses and Dissertations

Math anxiety has been widely documented as a barrier to student success, yet its role within institutional student success frameworks – particularly in gateway STEM courses – remains underexamined. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between math anxiety, academic support mechanisms, and academic performance among undergraduate STEM students enrolled in a gateway mathematics course at a large, public, research-intensive university. Guided by the Debilitating Anxiety Model, student success frameworks, Social Cognitive Career Theory, and equity-oriented perspectives, this study addressed three research questions: (1) how student demographic characteristics relate to levels of math anxiety, (2) the …

Ai Shell, Jacqueline Roebuck Sakho

Books

An AI Configuration Shell to train and deploy an Argumentation Coach. Presented and distributed to the UNC Commons Collective in May 2026.

Oer Review For Intermediate Microeconomics: An Open Resource, Naveen Sunders

Open Educational Resources Publications

This paper reviews Intermediate Microeconomics: An Open Resource, a freely accessible, instructor-developed textbook created over six years of teaching at Bentley University. Designed primarily for undergraduate business students, the resource integrates core topics such as consumer and producer theory, cost analysis, market structures, game theory, and welfare economics, balancing mathematical rigor with applied intuition. Built from evolving course materials, it is paired with a comprehensive suite of supporting resources, including lecture slides, videos, problem sets, quizzes, and interactive visualizations, forming a cohesive instructional package. The textbook’s modular structure allows flexibility in sequencing and adaptation across diverse instructional contexts, although …

Evaluating Sources In The Age Of Ai And Misinformation: Practical Routines For Social Studies Classrooms, Viloshinee Murugan Ph.D

The Great Lakes Social Studies Journal

As students encounter information through search engines, social media, and AI-generated content, evaluating sources has become more complex and essential in social studies classrooms. Research shows that students struggle to judge credibility, trace claims to evidence, and recognize how context, authorship, and purpose shape information. This article argues that these challenges are not the result of student apathy or inability, but of limited opportunities to practice evaluative reasoning as a routine disciplinary habit. Drawing on scholarship in disciplinary literacy and civic reasoning, as well as nearly three decades of practitioner experience, the article presents practical instructional routines, sample mini-lessons, and …

First-Generation Student Success: An Analysis Of Institutional And Student-Led Support In Select Private Four-Year Liberal Arts Colleges, Jasmine D. Rodriguez

Whittier Scholars Program

Today, about one third of college students are characterized as first-generation (Bloomberg 2024, 3). Despite this rise in first-generation students seeking higher education, academic institutions continue to fall short of supporting this specific group of students. This project investigates the experiences of first-generation students at selected private, four-year, liberal arts colleges in the United States to better understand these students’ experiences as well as discuss the challenges academic institutions face as they aim to support their first-generation student population. Using Whittier College and some comparison schools as a case study, my project will investigate the resources currently offered to first-generation …

Building Ai Literacy Through Assessment Practices In Physical Education Teacher Education, Rebekah A. Johnson

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

The classroom resource presented provides an instructional approach designed to enhance both course outcomes and artificial intelligence (AI) literacy in undergraduate physical education preservice teachers. Implemented in a full-semester, in-person Assessment in Physical Education course, the project engaged students in learning to develop effective AI prompts, critically analyze AI-generated outputs, and apply these tools to design a standards-based assessment plan. Designed for undergraduate students with foundational knowledge of assessment and pedagogy, the project incorporated scaffolded tasks, guided discussions, and structured reflections to support AI integration through experiential learning. In approximately 30 minutes per week throughout the semester, students explored how …

The Grizzly, May 7, 2026, Renee Washart, Sidney Belleroche, Dylan Mchugh, Andrew Mihniak, Adam Denn, Cassidy Denning

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Ursinus College Announces Shifts to Berman Museum • Ursinus Food Pantry: Coming Soon? • Students Learn From MLS Senior Director of Social Media Dan Stelly • Theater Department Presents Independent Capstone Production • Renee Washart Signing Off! • Adam Denn Signing On! • Sidney Belleroche Signing On! • AI: Humanity's Silent Killer • UC Sports Network Returns In Full Force • Ursinus Baseball's Miracle Run Comes to a Close

Exploring The Impact Of Ungrading On Student Engagement And Motivation In A First-Year Composition Class, Mary B. Gruis

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This study investigated the association between student engagement, motivation, and self-efficacy in college-level writing-intensive courses using an ungraded approach. Motivated by disillusionment with traditional grading methods and inspired by texts on equitable grading and culturally responsive teaching, the researcher explored how ungrading could foster deeper learning and equitable educational practices. Grounded in Bandura’s (1997) self-efficacy framework, this qualitative case study examined the lived experiences of first-year composition students at a two-year institution. Data collection included student interviews, student reflections, and an instructor interview. The analysis revealed themes aligned with self-efficacy, engagement, and motivation, suggesting that ungrading positively impacted students' perceptions …

Teaching And Technology: Diagnostic Abilities Of Chatgpt For English Article Usage Errors In Turkish Esl University Students’ Academic Writing, Daniela Hong

Senior Honors Theses

This study examines how the large language model (LLM) ChatGPT can support teachers of Turkish learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) in addressing one of the most persistent cross-linguistic challenges in academic writing: the misuse of the definite article “the.” Because Turkish lacks a grammatical article system entirely, Turkish learners frequently omit or misapply the definite article in ways that reflect deeper structural differences between English and Turkish rather than simple errors. Writing samples were elicited from two proficiency levels of English in Turkish university English courses and analyzed through ChatGPT to determine whether AI could accurately diagnose …

Not An Afterthought: Addressing The Academic And Social Challenges That Create Barriers To Belonging For Transfer Students, Brooke Jankowsky

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the academic and social barriers to belonging for transfer students at four-year institutions, with particular attention to the University of Mississippi. The goal is to bring attention to the issues that surround transfer student populations in general by identifying some of the most pressing structural and interpersonal challenges that shape their experiences. A qualitative approach was used, drawing on existing literature, prior unpublished research at the community college level, and reflective analysis to explore themes such as transfer shock, creating and maintaining social networks, and gaps in institutional support. Findings suggest that transfer students often face a …

The Brain And Becoming: Integrating Play And Performance-Based Learning In The Community College Classroom, Hannah M. Green

English

Instruction in the community college classroom is in need of a shift, according to neuroscientific, pedagogical, and demographic data. Primarily, students in today’s community college classrooms are instructed in the form of lectures (Nilson 106), but research has shown that game-based learning would be the way to enhance learning experiences for these adult learners. Game-based learning specifically takes form in student learning through games, interactive reading activities such as performance pedagogy, discussions, and small group work. While research shows that play-based learning at the community college level is neurologically beneficial for students, there is a gap in implementing play-based learning …

Leading While Black: An Examination Of The Black Supervisor Experience Overseeing White Subordinates In Higher Education, Colette Marie Tobias

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This study examines how systemic racism and social capital hierarchies shape the supervisory experiences of Black supervisors. While existing literature has explored leadership and race, it has not fully examined how systemic racism shape Black supervisors’ experiences or how social capital hierarchies play into the behavioral responses of white subordinates. This study addresses that gap by centering the lived experiences of Black supervisors within higher education.

Grounded in narrative inquiry, this research focuses on how participants make meaning of their experiences through their stories. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective journals with 19 Black supervisors who had at …

A Retrospective Look At Self-Reported Mental Health Prevalence In Division Iii Student-Athletes, Jacob F. Neri

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Mental health concerns among collegiate athletes have gained increased attention, but there has been limited research focus on Division III student-athletes. This study aimed to examine the self-reported prevalence of anxiety, depression, anger, stalking/harassment, abuse/assault, alcohol/substance abuse, self-harm, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt to identify contributing factors amongst this population. A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted looking at data collected from the student-athlete mental health history & well-being questionnaire that was administered as part of their pre-participation exam (PPE) prior to the beginning of each academic year. A total of 554 Division III student-athletes were included in the study. Results …

Assessing The Risk Of Low Energy Availability In Ncaa Division Iii Female Soccer Players, Emma C. Sturts

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Low Energy Availability (LEA) can occur when an athlete’s energy intake is insufficient to meet the physiological demands of training as well as normal physiological functions. Female soccer players may be at an increased risk of developing LEA due to the high exercise energy expenditure paired with decreased energy intake. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of LEA among Division III female soccer players. Division III female soccer players (n = 11) completed the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q). 45.5% (n = 5) of the participants were classified as “At Risk” for LEA. Of …

Investigating The Prevalence Of Eating Disorder Risk And Body Image Dissatisfaction Among Division Iii Track And Field Athletes, Ravyn S. Goodson

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Context: Eating disorder (ED) risk, and body image dissatisfaction (BID) are increasingly recognized concerns in collegiate athletes due to sport-specific and sociocultural pressures. However, limited research has looked at these factors within NCAA Division III track and field athletes.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of eating disorder risk and body image dissatisfaction among division III track and field athletes and explore differences based on gender and event group Design A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design

Setting: NCAA division III athletic program within the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), during the 2025-2026 competitive season.

Participants: A total of 32 NCAA Division III track …

From Confidence To Competence: Embedding Critical Genai Literacy In Physician Associate Education, Chanceeth Chandrakanthan, Amy H. Donaldson-Perrott Mrs, Jane Secker, Julie Voce, Tamara S. Ritsema

Journal Of Indian Physician Associates

Background: Generative artificial intelligence is now embedded in how many healthcare students learn. Tools provide rapid explanations, summaries and practice questions, but use does not equal AI literacy, particularly where accuracy, medicines safety and guideline alignment matter.

Objective: To describe current use of generative AI by Physician Associate students and outline a practical approach to teaching critical AI literacy.

Methods: Educational evaluation using three activities: (1) baseline survey of students about use and attitudes, (2) an embedded compare and critique session in applied pharmacology where small groups assessed AI answers against trusted UK sources, including BNF and NICE guidance, followed …