Digital Commons Network^™

Designing Social-Ecological Programs To Support Extension Participants In Civic Engagement, Angela S. Gupta, Nathan Meyer, Michelle Prysby, Shelly A. Johnson, Gail Epping Overholt

Journal of Extension

To address a need to support volunteer and citizen engagement with decision-makers in addressing social-ecological challenges, we designed and tested a “flipped classroom” training to teach civic engagement processes in the context of invasive species management. We pilot-tested the curriculum in seven states. Using results from in-course and delayed surveys, we demonstrate that participants increased their capabilities for engaging decision-makers and took civic engagement actions related to invasive species issues. Although participant recruitment and retention were lower than expected, the overall results suggest that the training approach is an effective design for satisfying participant needs and achieving learning outcomes.

2024-04-11 Faculty Welfare & Concerns Committee Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., Faculty Welfare & Concerns Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Meeting minutes from the Faculty Welfare & Concerns Committee for April 11, 2024.

Tools For Capturing Outcomes In Virtual Educational Programs, Leyla Marandi, Eleanor Haworth, Vikram Koundinya, Katherine Webb-Martinez, Kit Alviz

Journal of Extension

During the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations increased virtual programming and adoption of online technologies. This article outlines the [University redacted] assessment of tools for gathering data on participant learning outcomes from virtual educational programs. After assessing colleagues’ experiences and searching for new web applications, a central repository was created. [University redacted] team will use this information to assist extension professionals in collecting program planning and evaluation data. We believe that these tools can help other extension programs nationally and globally with similar efforts, as more virtual programming is likely to increase in the future.

New Faculty Integration: A Organizational Socialization Approach, Catherine L. Tackett

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 Catherine L. Tackett on April 10, 2024.

The Minutes Of The Marshall University Board Of Governors Meeting, April 10, 2024, Marshall University Board Of Governors

Board of Governors Minutes

No abstract provided.

April 10, 2024 Greenmail, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

GreenMail (student newsletter through 2024)

No abstract provided.

Glacial Resource Analysis – Castner Glacier, Alaska, Logan Erichsen

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Glaciers cover much of the 49th U.S. state of Alaska. While many of these are deep blues, just as many are “rock” glaciers which means the glacier is covered in sediment. This sediment can be transported many miles through the mountain ranges. With the current climate melting these glaciers they are receding. Sediment and rock samples can now be safely collected from different locations where glaciers have released sediment that was locked in the ice for an untold number of years. Much of the USGS data comes from the 1940’s through 1960’s due to the size and remoteness of Alaska. …

Volcanic Ash In Lincoln County, Kansas, Logan Erichsen

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This report outlines the analysis of Pearlette volcanic ash in Lincoln County Kansas. Both field and lab methods were used to compile this report. Fort Hays State University alumni Dr. Ron Whitmer allowed use of his property on which the ash is found. Auguring was utilized as the main form of field work which allowed mapping of the subsurface ash layer. The ash was analyzed by UMKC using their scanning electron microscope (SEM). At Fort Hays, the SEM reports were compared to thin sections of the ash using plane and cross polarized light in petrographic microscopes. The ash is comprised …

Frontier Lab For Ai Readiness (Flair) Project, Cj Gibson, Magdalene Moy

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The Department of Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies (TILT) at Fort Hays State University aims to establish the “Frontier Lab for AI Readiness” (FLAIR) to harness innovative artificial intelligence methods for the growth and development of Northwest Kansas. This initiative would position FHSU as the epicenter for AI training, education, and advancement on the Great Plains. FLAIR's objectives are threefold: First, it will offer educational opportunities to FHSU students and the Northwest Kansas community, including certificates, badges, and apprenticeships, through genuine interdisciplinary collaborations. This lab will equip learners for an AI-focused workforce. Second, FLAIR would connect with the community to …

Cognitive Fusion, Self- And Other-Blame, And College Adjustment Outcomes, Olivia Tipton, Stephanie Weigel

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

A significant portion of college enrollees drop out of college before their degree is awarded, and college persistence is lower in students from challenging backgrounds. The college environment can bring increased academic workload, financial stress, and social stress for first-time enrollees. Several factors may contribute to difficulties in emotion regulation during this time, making it more difficult for college students to respond adaptively to novel stressors. Cognitive fusion is a concept proposed by acceptance and commitment therapy to describe a state in which one believes the literal content of their thoughts, even when those thoughts may be irrational or emotionally …

Climatology Of Tornadoes In Kansas, John P. Wasinger, Todd Moore

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Recent studies report changes to the climatology of tornadoes in the United States (US). Changes with the most supporting evidence include an increase in the intra- and inter-annual variability, increased concentration of tornadoes in bigger outbreaks, and a geographic shift of the densest tornado activity away from Tornado Alley in the Great Plains and toward the Great Lakes and Southeast regions of the US. Broad, national-level changes are valuable, but they can mask changes occurring at the state and sub-state levels where mitigation efforts are most effective. Kansas is of interest due to its reputation as a hotbed of tornado …

Analysis Of Body Material For Electric Car, Alan L. Parker Jr.

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The FHSU electric vehicle design team is nearing the completion of a new car

build to be raced in upcoming electro rally races. One of the final tasks associated

with the new car build is determining the best material to use for the body of the

car. The aim of this research was to determine the most suitable material for use in

an electric race car among six commonly used materials: ABS, PVC, carbon fiber,

fiberglass, 2024 aluminum, and 304 stainless steel. The team chose to perform an

analysis of the characteristics of these materials to determine the best material …

Boeing Bats Baseline Survey In Wichita, Ks, Samantha Zimmerman, Lorelei E. Patrick

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Collecting baseline data on species or taxa of interest is crucial prior to conducting targeted restoration or management activities to determine if such actions had the desired outcomes. The purpose of this project was to acoustically identify the species of bats present at the former Emery Landfill site in Wichita Kansas. Data collected will serve as a baseline for future monitoring and restoration activities at the site. Three SM4Bat acoustic detectors were deployed at the site from June-October, 2023. The recorded bat calls were analyzed using Kaleidoscope Pro software and will be compared to the acoustic data collected in 2021-2022 …

2023-2024 Online Student Survey Of Priority Issues, Heather D. Flick

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The purpose of the 2023-2024 Online Student Survey is to provide research backed priorities for the incoming elected senate for the 2024-2025 academic year. Each year the survey is revised based on newly obtained knowledge from coursework as an FHSU Online student as well as past years survey results.

The survey intended to gain insight on what issues are priorities to Fort Hays State University (FHSU) Online students to allow the Online Student Government Association (OSGA) to focus on the most important issues FHSU Online students experience. This is an annual survey which has been evolving each year to best …

Computational Modeling Of Retinal Damage Thresholds, Payton Hoffman, Eos Shapland, Alan Enriquez

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The Scalable Effects Simulation Environment(SESE), is the computational Biophysics software contracted by Nanohmics we used for our research. The goal was to find the minimum energy necessary to damage the retina from 2 laser sources, a 532 nm He-Ne source, and Supercontinuum Laser(SCL) source at 400-1400nm. We needed a 10 times damage ratio for significance. Our data did not show this trend.

Economically Affordable And Ecologically Sustainable Oil Spill Treatments: Review Of Recent Literature, Yue Fan, Jeanne Sumrall

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Devastating impacts on organisms and the environment are brought by marine oil spills.

Superhydrophobic foams, sponges, aerogels, and biomass materials have been used as absorbents for oil spill treatment.  Among all, Polydimethylsiloxane multi-walled carbon nanotubes Polyaniline Polypropylene felt (Referred to as p-CNT/PANI@PP felt in the following parts) exhibits high absorption selectivity and capability, along with the ability to conduct in harsh environments and the ability to make use of solar/Joule-heating in absorbing a wide span of oil types with high viscosity.

Thus, p-CNT/PANI@PP should be considered as a potentially effective way to address the problem of marine oil spills.

Games To Grades: Evaluation Of Psychological Capital, Emotional Intelligence, And Virtual Team Performance Among Project Teams, Ryan Will, Brent J. Goertzen, Magdalene Moy

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Group projects are frequently used in higher education courses to facilitate collaboration; however, group effectiveness can vary greatly, resulting in individual stress and poor academic performance. To alleviate this, some instructors utilize peer evaluation. While instructors are well intentioned these rubrics rarely, if ever, are grounded in the constructs of collaboration that they wish to foster. This research poster reports on an ongoing project to develop a self and peer evaluation grounded in psychological capital and emotional intelligence, the EQ-PSY Evaluation. These constructs were selected based on their dimensions for individual and social capacities to capture effective teamwork.

This poster …

Acoustic Measures In Parkinson’S Disease Before And After Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation: A Case Study, Morgan Hampleton, Jersey Garoutte, Jaspreet Kaur, Bailey Ross

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) has been reported to be effective in reorganizing the neural network in the central nervous system and improving the flexibility and movement of the laryngeal muscles.This case study aimed to investigate the effect of tVNS on the speech of one participant diagnosed with hypokinetic dysarthria secondary to Parkinson’s disease.The preliminary results observed increased fundamental frequency and vocal loudness and decreased perturbations manifested in jitter and shimmer. Clinical application of tVNS was implied as an adjuvant treatment in speech and voice disorders.

An Exploratory Study On The Use Of Artificial Intelligence For Tourism Marketing In The Midwest, Callyn Anderson, Marisol Banda, Katie Hale

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Rural tourism plays a significant role in fostering economic development, preserving cultural heritage and promoting sustainable practices. It creates employment opportunities for local residents, both directly in the tourism sector and indirectly in supporting industries. Marketing tourism in rural communities requires a strategic approach that highlights the unique aspects of the area, promotes sustainable practices, and engages potential visitors. A strong understanding of marketing tools and techniques are critical in the usage of marketing ("); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; background-size: 5px; font-size: 18pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", "Book Antiqua_EmbeddedFont", "Book Antiqua_MSFontService", "Book Antiqua_MSFontService", Calibri, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px; font-kerning: normal; line-height: 6px; …

Art Mindfulness Initiative, Margaret Dunn

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The Art Mindfulness Initiative was a student-led 4 week workshop focusing on providing other students with affordable ways to use art to destress, center oneself, and take a break from the hecticness of life. Each week, students gathered to learn about psychology and mental health from the NAMI and Psych Club then learned a new craft from art students. At the end of the workshop, everyone’s work was put together to make a conjoined piece to be displayed in the April Art Walk.

The Art Of Motion, Audrey Caleb, Selina Shang

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Animation is an integral part of our daily lives. From entertainment, to advertisements, to medical visualizations and everything in between, it permeates our world. But what makes animation so compelling? Why do we connect with it so well? And what makes it visually appealing?

Humans are story driven creatures, and so we gravitate towards time-based media—it’s the perfect vehicle for telling stories. Our goal was to explore the variety of styles and tools used in animation, research the 12 principles, understand the process of creating a work from start to finish, and successfully demonstrate the science and art of animation.

Kinetic Controlled-Growth Synthesis Of Cadmium Selenide Nanocrystal Quantum Dots, Aiden Gideon, Maverick Flax

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

A kinetic controlled growth method has been used to synthesize cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanocrystals. Nanocrystal structures are consistent with that of a quantum dot. Ligand passivation on the surface of the micelle is best carried out using trioctylphosphine (TOP). This allows one to tune the particle surface chemistry. Quantum dots intersperse as colloids within the 1-octadecene solvent matrix. The color gradient observed among the samples is indicative of its dependence on particle size which is consistent with the “particle-in-a-box” model theory. Results also indicate that the particle size of these nanocrystals is dependent on reaction time and maybe dependent on …

Perceptions Of Social Belonging Within Higher Education Students, Sydney Hicks, Magdalene Moy

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The purpose of this research was to investigate the efficacy of a student-centered social media platform for higher education students. Social belonging significantly influences educational success, as heightened feelings of belonging among students correlate with increased motivation to stay engaged and learn (Marler et al., 2021). The conceptual framework for this study uses the intersection of social presence and social capital as resulting in social belonging. Social capital refers to the networks students build through interactions with others that could prove to be valuable resources (Lefebrve et al., 2016). Social presence looks at the interaction and relational aspects of these …

Will More Creative Freedom Increase Student Buy-In?, Loren Mcqueeny

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Certain subjects in school allow students to display their creative freedom while others stick to strict guidelines and requirements. Art is one of those subjects that give students an opportunity to express themselves however they choose. While creative freedom is a word that gets thrown around quite often, how much can it influence a student's learning? Typically, choices that are given to students are mediated by adults in some capacity (Ramsey et al. 2010).

In this study, I aim to decide at what level of freedom student participation increases. While the study has not yet been completed, the methods and …

Adaptive Sports And Fitness Night, Kendra Clary, Drew Gannon

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

In Health and Human Performance, an overarching objective is to address the obstacles that restrict physical activity in daily lifestyles. At Fort Hays, we are dedicated to expanding community inclusion and reaching diverse populations, promoting our commitment to diversity and inclusion excellence.

Mission Statement:

Empowering Community Through Inclusive Movement

Vision Statement:

Our adaptive sports and fitness night cultivates community engagement, builds relationships, fosters motor and skill development, and promotes health and well-being for individuals of all abilities.

A recent systematic review found that only 9% of adults with ID meet the minimum requirement of 150 min of moderate to vigorous …

My Story Is In The Structure: An Autoethnographic Study By An Instructional Designer Working In A Centralized Academic Reporting Line, Pamela Williams

Dissertations

Although not officially named in the shared governance of an institution, instructional designers play an important role as they collaborate with administrators and faculty to create high quality, regulatory-compliant courses for enrolled students. Instructional designers working in centralized, academic reporting units may be well-positioned to advance the work of institutions to maintain good standing with the industry and regulatory bodies. To illustrate the challenges, opportunities, and strategies employed by an instructional designer working in such a position, an autoethnographic study was conducted to elucidate how shared governance influences, empowers, and disempowers an instructional designer’s ability to lead and collaborate on …

Breaking Barriers: Enhancing Accessibility For Latin American Students In U.S. Higher Education, Maria Caceres

Whittier Scholars Program

In the dynamic realm of higher education, the pursuit of inclusivity and accessibility stands as a central endeavor. This research project delves into the hurdles faced by Latin American students aspiring to pursue opportunities in the United States, aiming to unravel the complexities of admission requirements and immigration processes. Against the backdrop of the evolving educational landscape post-COVID-19, the study seeks to redefine the higher education sector's approach, fostering an environment that transcends barriers and embraces a more inclusive ethos.

The research holds significance in its mission to illuminate the academic achievements of international students, particularly those from Latin America, …

The Perceptions Of Appalachian Region Doctor Of Physical Therapy Admissions Faculty On The Holistic Nature Of Their Program’S Admissions Processes And Requirements, Kwaku Kankam

Ed.D. Dissertations

Researchers have extensively investigated the quantitative relationship between various admissions requirements and their predictive capability for academic success in DPT programs; however, limited investigators have examined the perceptions of these requirements by admissions faculty. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of Doctor of Physical Therapy faculty in the Appalachian region regarding their programs’ admissions processes and requirements. I investigated the Appalachian region due to its economic differences from other parts of the United States. Considering this region was more rural and impoverished, these factors could have affected students’ access to higher education. How admissions criteria …

Spectrum, Volume 52, Issue 9, Sacred Heart University

Newspapers (Obelisk & Spectrum)

Highlights include: New Dorms Named After Michael McGivney and Catherine of Siena -- New Chosen Name Policy -- The First Lady of Sacred Heart, Dr. Sabina Petillo -- Women’s Lacrosse Unveils 2023 NEC Championship Banner -- The Total Eclipse of the (Sacred) Heart

We Can Walk Together: Motivational Interviewing In Helping Professions, Nathan E. Purdue

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Psychotherapists and researchers alike reasonably express ambivalence in the extant literature concerning its effectiveness. On one hand, psychotherapists can feel relief that the more than 500 theoretical paradigms that exist are statistically effective in their treatment. On the other hand, research consistently indicates that the existence of evidence-based treatments have not decreased the prevalence of common psychological problems such as major depressive disorder. Barriers to treatment abound, and motivation/adherence to treatment protocols may be a difficult process for a patient suffering through a psychosocial quandary. Additionally, psychological disorders inherently have perpetuating behaviors that may impede or attenuate treatment progress. Motivational …