Digital Commons Network^™

What Is Alive? Students’ Conceptions Of The Traits That Unite Living Organisms, Jeremy L. Hsu, Meredith A. Dorner, Kate Hill

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Biology is the study of life, but students often hold misconceptions about what it means to be alive, with children often associating life with movement. These misconceptions can lead to biases in what students think is alive, with younger children often not thinking of plants as living given their lack of discernable movement. Despite this past work, there have been no prior studies that we are aware of that have examined how students in introductory biology conceptualize what it means to be alive. Here, we draw upon a fortuitous dataset collected from an in-class activity done on the first day …

From Pen To Prompt: A Professional Learning Guide For Ai-Assisted Writing In Secondary Classrooms, Tracy Parks

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Tracy Parks on March 30, 2026.

The Minutes Of The Marshall University Graduate Council Meeting, March 27, 2026, Marshall University Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Interview With Orca Award Winner David Hage, Unl Chemistry; Drug-Protein Interactions, Mark Griep, David Hage

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Prof. David Hage was awarded the ORCA in 2018. He was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and earned a bachelor’s in chemistry at the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse. Next, he earned a doctorate from Iowa State University and did postdoctoral work at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In 1989, he joined UNL as an assistant professor of chemistry and quickly rose through the ranks. He has won many awards and, for the past 13 years, has been the James Hewet University Professor of Chemistry. Allow me to share some remarkable facts about Dave before we get into …

Image Generation Tools For Teaching And Communication, Evan Rusch, Nat Gustafson-Sundell

Library Services Publications

Image generation tools can be very handy to create images suited to purpose quickly. We’ve previously presented to librarian audiences our experiments using image generation tools for data illustration – as a supplement to data visualization, such as charts. Recently, we were asked to consider how image generation tools could support open educational resource creation. Although we have tended to focus on data communication, our broad interest has been to explore visual metaphors as a means to capture interest and illuminate concepts. We will demonstrate tools, use cases, prompting, and illustration types. We’ll consider how images can be developed as …

March 26, 2026 Minutes, Swosu Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

2026-03-26 Faculty Senate Newsletter, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate newsletter from March 26, 2026.

Silent Detonations: Redirecting Focus, Preserving Identity, And Leading Under The Weight Of Microaggressions, Ray Lavan

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

African American educational leaders consistently navigate racial microaggressions that challenge their focus, identity, and well-being. This study explores how these leaders deploy attention to manage the emotional weight of microaggressions in K-12 public school settings. Using Gross’s emotion regulation theory and Sue’s taxonomy of racial microaggressions, this qualitative phenomenological study examines how attentional deployment serves as both a shield and constraint. Data from the African American leaders reveal that silence, background processing, selective focus, and redirection to professional goals are common strategies to sustain composure. These strategies protect leaders in the moment but create emotional strain, identity conflict, and cumulative …

Fierce Leadership-Perspectives Of Black Women Educational Leaders: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Janice Taylor, Dianne Reed

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

The authors of this transcendental phenomenological study aimed to describe the lived experiences of Black women based on their perceptions, values, and beliefs about the complexities of leadership and the kind of leadership required to succeed in their respective roles, as educational leaders. This study was framed by the adaptive leadership theory. Adaptive leadership recognizes the need for leaders to stay flexible and resilient in fast-paced environments (Nelson & Squires, 2017). The three Black women leaders in this study were fierce adaptive leaders. The information acquired from this study is significant and highlights how Black women educational leaders developed the …

Being-Their-Ship: A Presence-Based Model Of Human-Centered Leadership, Ricky J. Martinez

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

Being-Their-Ship describes a presence-based approach to leadership grounded in lived experience rather than positional status. Developed over years of service in rural education, the framework highlights leadership as a relational practice grounded in steadiness, quiet support, and a willingness to take responsibility for others. Drawing from autoethnography and narrative inquiry, the framework articulates four interconnected dimensions: Caring-Ship, Loving-Ship, Load-Ship, and Being-There-Ship, that define leadership not through authority but through consistent action and cultural trust. Each dimension reflects how leadership emerges when individuals become a stabilizing presence, absorb burdens that others would otherwise carry, and remain committed to a community through …

The Impact Of The Two-Way Immersion Model On Hispanic Pre-Service And In-Service Teachers’ Understanding Of Curriculum Implementation In Early Childhood Field Placements, Omar J. Vigo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Dual language education, also known as Two-Way Immersion (TWI), is a teaching method that puts native English speakers and native speakers of another language in the same classroom. This helps both groups become bilingual and biliterate (Christian, 1996; Lindholm-Leary, 2001). The TWI approach highlights several benefits, including bilingualism and biliteracy, academic achievement, cross-cultural competence, cognitive improvements, and equity and accessibility (Lindholm-Leary, 2001). Research on the TWI model in adults is limited, although it has demonstrated effectiveness in supporting Hispanic teacher candidates, unlike studies conducted in primary education. This demonstrates that the TWI methodology benefits students (Van Booven, 2012). This …

Beyond The Survey: Performance Assessments For Higher-Order Sustainability Literacy In Higher Education, Gregory Vincent Massara, Courtney B. Ryan, Mary Ellen Mallia

Educational Policy & Leadership Other Graduate Student Scholarship

Purpose This study explores how a performance-based assessment measures students’ higher-order sustainability competencies in ways that multiple-choice or scaled-survey tools, common ways to assess sustainability literacy, may not.

Design/Methodology/Approach This exploratory case study created a performance task for a first-year honors writing and critical inquiry course. Students (n=9) analyzed a scenario across environmental, social, and economic domains. A rubric measured students’ abilities to address all three domains and articulate a feasible and balanced solution supported by credible evidence.

Findings Students demonstrated proficiency in defining the three sustainability domains but tended to struggle to balance them. Choosing scenarios in familiar local …

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, March 23, 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting minutes from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

Choosing Slow: The Enduring Case For Residential Higher Education, Eric J. Tudor

Staff Work

"Modern life is designed to compress time and eliminate inefficiency, but healthy formation is stubbornly resistant to that logic."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­appreciating unhurried moments from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

Choosing Slow

Examining The Effects Of Success Coaching At West Kentucky Community And Technical College: A Quantitative Analysis Of Academic Performance, Retention, And Credential Completion, Sanci E. Teague

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Sanci E. Teague on March 20, 2026.

Nerves (Neurology Education Research And Observership Summer Program): A Pilot Fellowship Program Targeting Neurophobia In Pre-Clerkship Medical Students, Arlinda Deng, Daniela Fishbein, James Martindale, Elizabeth Bradley, William Alexander Dalrymple, Ryan Cappa

Journal of Innovation in Health Sciences Education

Introduction: Neurophobia has contributed to the shortage of neurologists nationally, especially given the lack of integration between basic neural sciences and clinical neurology. Neurophobia may be highest after the pre-clerkship course, and there is evidence to suggest that early and broad clinical neurology exposure and mentorship are the leading factors in choosing the field of neurology. The goal of this study was to develop a fellowship for pre-clerkship medical students to increase early exposure to diverse clinical settings and socialization in neurology and assess whether there was change in neurophobia.

Methods: A two-week long pilot summer fellowship was designed …

Implementation Of Sustainable Development Goals In Higher Education, Adam Mehmet Kilic

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that higher education institutions play a critical role in advancing the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs), yet limited research offers guidance on how institutions can implement the SDGs through systems-oriented strategic planning. Guided by Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and Senge’s systems thinking, the purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the integration of SDGs into its policies and practices to inform effective, transformative approaches at a private Texas university. For this case study design, data were collected through 11 semistructured interviews, a focus group with five administrators and faculty, and …

"Hey, I Need Help": Student-Survivor Perceptions Of Engagement With Title Ix., Rachel J. Voth Schrag, Jennifer Thompson, Alexandra Jacobs, Christine Highfill, Leila Wood

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Interpersonal violence on college campuses disrupts academic experiences and impacts outcomes for students. This study sought to understand the experiences of students in the United States engaging with Title IX offices, within the context of additional state mandates. Interviews were conducted with 24 students and analyzed through inductive content analysis. Students described negative impacts such as challenges with the organizational processes, impacts to institutional trust, frustration with ineffective protections, and high personal and academic costs. Positive outcomes expressed included feeling more empowered to engage in self-advocacy and finding validation of their experience. Recommendations for promising university violence response practices are …

2026 March 17 - Medical Student Education Committee Minutes, Medical Student Education Committee, East Tennessee State University

Medical Student Education Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Fulfilling Higher Education’S Responsibility To Students And Democracy In A Challenging Political Environment, Abraham Goldberg, Dena Pastor, Kayla Dixon

International Journal on Responsibility

The American Association of Colleges and Universities and more than 70 higher education organizations have expressed their shared commitment to making civic inquiry and democratic engagement central to undergraduate education. A framework emphasizing the development of skills to address public issues through courses and practical experiences accompanied their prominent call. Yet, campuses currently are facing increases in educational gag orders and institutional policies aimed at limiting discussion of DEI topics and political protests. Although attacks on free speech would seem to conflict with efforts to prepare students for democracy, there has been little scholarly attention on what students know about …

A Brief Case Report About Mentored Self-Reflection In A Communication Disorders Survey Course, Paul W. Cascella

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This report describes and analyzes a 4 ½ hour experiential learning module for entry-level undergraduates majoring in communication sciences and disorders. The module emphasizes the importance of self-reflection to future audiologists and speech-language pathologists. It illustrates the curriculum planning process (i.e., content and self-rating tools) and introduces a mentored forum grounded in personalized and constructivist learning to foster three outcomes; foundational knowledge, caring, and the human dimension (Fink, 2021; 2001). As a result, students stated they learned about why self-reflection matters and how their own dispositions could be aligned with the professions’ expectations. Students found the activities engaging, interesting, and …

Vigilante Justice: A Study On The Causes, Christina Tackett

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Caudill College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Christina Tackett on March 13, 2026.

Rethinking Legal Education: Demystifying Neurodiversity And Building An Inclusive Future, Jennifer Kindred Mitchell, Charlie Amiot

The Journal of Law Teaching and Learning

This article contributes significantly to the discourse on legal education by arguing that embracing neurodiversity not only enhances the learning environment for all students but also cultivates a legal profession that is truly reflective of societal diversity. Ultimately, neurodiversity should be embraced as an asset. By adopting inclusive practices, legal education can nurture the promise of ND students and improve outcomes for all. This article seeks to inspire a new paradigm that celebrates neurocognitive diversity’s contributions to the legal profession.

Neurodivergent (ND) students comprise approximately a quarter of the law school population, yet traditional legal education often fails to meet …

The Suite Sixteen: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Exploration Of Underfunded Student Services & Programs At 1890 Hbcu Land-Grant Institutions, Eloise Andrews-Lott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of college students at 1890 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) land-grant institutions, and how the lack of funding from the Second Morrill Act is impacting the student support services on these campuses. A novel theoretical framework by combining Jeffrey Pfeffer and Gerald R. Salancik’s theory of resource dependence coupled with Derrick Bell’s critical race theory was used in guiding the study to bring validity to the assumptions and ideas of the lived experiences of the participants. This research contributes to the field of education as it …

The Lived Experiences Of Higher Education Leaders Participating In Leadership Training Programs: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Study, Rashida Dunn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the experiences of higher education leaders who participated in cohort leadership development training programs in the United States. The theory guiding this study was Mezirow’s transformative learning theory as it was used to explore higher education leaders’ lived experiences of leaders participating in a cohort training program. Transformative learning theory posits concepts by comparing and connecting them to individuals understanding existing principles. The central research question was what are the lived experiences of higher education leaders participating in leadership training programs. The qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology research introduced by van Manen …

2026-03-10 University Graduate Committee - Minor Curriculum Proposal - M.A. In Counseling, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., University Graduate Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Minor curriculum change proposal for M.A. in Counseling: School Counseling Concentration as submitted to the University Graduate Committee on February 4, 2026 and approved on March 10, 2026.

2026-03-10 University Graduate Committee - Minor Curriculum Change Proposal - M.A. In Counseling, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., University Graduate Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Minor curriculum change proposal for M.A. in Counseling: Counseling Concentration as submitted to the University Graduate Committee on February 4, 2026 and approved on March 10, 2026.

2026-03-10 University Graduate Committee - Course Proposal For Soc 631, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., University Graduate Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Course proposal for SOC 631 Health Structures and Behavior submitted to the University Graduate Committee on February 6, 2026 and approved on March 10, 2026.

Building A Better Landscape For Research Dissemination, Scott Horowitz

Chemistry and Biochemistry: Faculty Scholarship

Let’s take a moment to think about where we’ve come to in scientific publishing. Once upon a time, journals and their publishers played an absolutely critical role in science’s growth and successes.  Many journal publishers are for-profit enterprises, and they still want to make profits even if they no longer serve an important purpose. By controlling the information, they can still force people to pay for services that are obsolete and manipulate the system in ways that stymie progress to maintain their market. Open access did not have the power to change this. Altogether, things are in bad shape. I …

Examining Academics’ Decision-Making Processes And Implementation Challenges Of Blended Learning Models For Future Higher Education, Devrim Akgunduz, Aysegul Kinik Topalsan

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Blended learning has gained increasing attention in higher education as a hybrid approach that integrates face-to-face and online modalities. This study investigates academics’ decision-making processes and challenges in implementing blended learning models to inform future educational practices.

Methods: An exploratory case study design was employed. Data were obtained from academics representing multiple faculties who participated in a professional development program on technological approaches and learning models. Participants completed the Blended Learning Sub-Model Preparation Form, which was analyzed to identify preferences and challenges in adopting blended learning.

Results: Findings reveal a clear preference for sub-models such as the flipped classroom, …