Digital Commons Network^™

Why Are Parents Choosing Forest Preschool? A Look Into Parent Choice And Outcome Expectations In A Forest Preschool Setting., Victoria M. Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As interest in alternative early childhood education settings continues to grow, Forest Preschools—programs emphasizing immersive outdoor, nature-based learning—have gained increasing attention from parents across the United States. This qualitative research study explores the underlying motivations and decision-making processes that lead families to choose Forest Preschool settings. Guided by Kurt Lewin’s Field Theory, which examines behavior as a function of person and environment, the study investigates the dynamic interplay of personal beliefs, social influences, and contextual factors that shape parental choice. Specifically, this study addresses four key research questions: (1) How do families who choose Forest Preschools gain information about preschool …

Truth, Resilience, And Healing: Deepen Understanding Of Native American Federal Boarding School Histories, Toya D. Holiday

Dissertations

Indigenous communities have endured the long-standing impacts of U.S. Federal Indian boarding school policy. The history of Indigenous boarding school policies and the underlying intent to enact cultural genocide is unknown and unacknowledged. The perspectives of Indigenous Peoples have been excluded from dominant narratives, and until recently, from heritage site programming, leading to intergenerational trauma, fragmented identities, and the misrepresentation of Indigenous cultures and experiences. This basic qualitative study asked the question: When the four-truth framework, developed by the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, is applied to U.S. Federal Indian boarding school policy, Native American boarding school history, and …

Legacy Of Learning: The Journey Of Males Of Color And The Sustaining Power Of Community Cultural Wealth, Marvin Espinoza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This phenomenological study explores how males of color in South Los Angeles utilize Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) to navigate educational pathways from high school through community college and university. Grounded in Yosso’s (2005) CCW framework—which includes aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistance capital—this study centers the voices of ten first-generation African American and Latino/Latinx males from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Using a mixed methods design, the research combined participant intake surveys, structured questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews to capture how these students persist in the face of systemic barriers. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis, while survey responses …

Let’S Talk About Quality: How Equitable Funding And Program Structure Impact Academic And Social Outcomes In Supplemental Education Programs, Inayah Ansari

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Although many studies have highlighted how high–quality supplemental education programs (early childhood education and after-school programs) help children and adolescents reach developmental milestones faster, very few studies focus on how programs are structured to create the quality that produces positive outcomes. In this paper, I define quality as equitable funding and program structure and interrogate how this conception of quality determines cognitive and social-emotional benefits, particularly for programs in New York City. Using fiscal data and study reviews, I illuminated the impact of budget cuts on programs and the importance of funding. Using a thematic analysis of six interviews conducted …

An Evaluation Of Health Rocks! With A Control Group, Dan Wang, Yunqi Wang, Maria R. De Guzman, Yan R. Xia, Kieu-Anh T. Do, Zhenqiao Yang

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Youth substance use challenges their health and well-being. There is research and practical need for rigorous evaluation of substance use prevention programs in prompting positive youth development. This study examined the program effectiveness of Health Rocks!, a youth substance use prevention program, with a quasi-experimental two-factor mixed evaluation design. We gathered data from 584 participants (i.e., 475 youth in the treatment group and 109 youth in the control group) and conducted paired-sample t-tests for each group to compare youth substance use-related outcomes before and after the training. Results showed that youth in the treatment group reported significant increases in substance …

Understanding Extension-Library Partnerships: Results From A Three-State Survey, Noah Lenstra, Gary Deziel

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

When attending to community needs, collaboration across community organizations yields outcomes that are dynamic and sustaining. Given the interest in collaboration across organizations, and the desire to understand how these partnerships occur, this study sought to explore the collaborative efforts of Extension and public libraries in three states: Kentucky, North Carolina, and Vermont. Foundational information was gathered regarding programming within this partnership, alignment of efforts, and the experiences of partnering from the perspectives of both Extension and library staff, including successes and challenges. Most considered collaboration an expansion to their reach and determined that results included enhanced engagement through cooperation, …

How To Build Community Networks And Resources Necessary For A Successful 4-H Program, Daniel P. Collins, K. S. U. Jayaratne, Shannon Mccollum

Journal of Extension

The purpose of this research was to explore the strategies effective in building community networks and pooling the resources necessary for laying the foundation to develop a successful county 4-H Extension program in early careers of Extension agents. We conducted this three-round Delphi study with a panel of specially selected 24 successful 4-H Extension agents. The Delphi research process led to identify seven strategies effective in building community networks and six strategies effective in building the necessary resources for the development of an effective county 4-H Extension program. We made practical recommendations based on these findings.

Community Policing And Meta-Stereotypes: Improving Citizenry-Police Relations In A Large, Multicultural Urban Area, Through A Participatory Action Research Community Safety Workshop, Cornelius Darnell Davis

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The Term Policing and its surrounding themes are complex and deserve adequate attention. Since the early 1900’s, citizenry and police have had mistrustful relationships. Over the span of three eras, both positive and negative citizenry-police relations have been highlighted. In more recent years, the timely capturing of videos of over-policing and excessive use of deadly force incidents (mainly in BIPOC communities) have exacerbated negative citizenry-police relations, resulting in the lack of procedural justice and police legitimacy. Excessive policing and the seemingly constant deaths of unarmed African Americans undoubtedly contribute to the lack of confidence in police to effectively ensure all …

Playful Progress: A Parent's Guide To Growth And Development, Gabriella N. Lawrey

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis presents a creative project aimed at empowering parents to recognize developmental achievements, as well as address potential developmental delays in their children. Grounded in the principles of child development, this project focuses on creating age-appropriate activities that facilitate the identification of developmental milestones. By utilizing foundational resources in the field of child development, this toolkit of engaging activities has been curated to support parental understanding and observation. The primary objective of this applied knowledge project is to better equip parents with the vocabulary and tools to facilitate their child’s development. Throughout these activities, parents are encouraged to engage …

Rethinking The Mentor/Mentee Relationship: The Critical Mentoring Approach In A North Carolina Middle School, Kendra P. Alexander, Brianna Mccullough, Nikaizha Davis, Patrick Clifford

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

In this session, undergraduate and graduate students from North Carolina A&T State University describe the genesis and evolution of an internship-based, community-academic partnership grounded in the concept of critical mentoring. As mentors with the Nia Project, interns support middle school students in critical exploration of post-high school pathways. Along with the supervising instructor, students identify key concepts and prerequisites for successful implementation.

Familismo And Familial Support On The Psychological Effects Of Traumatic Event Exposure In Latinx Populations In The Midwest, Elizabeth Miller

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Embedded within Latinx culture is Familismo, which serves as a source of strength and support for family members, while also shedding light on how familial support influences mental health. This study explores how Familismo and familial support impact the psychological effects of traumatic event exposure among Latinx populations in the Midwest. Analyzing data from 80 Latinx residents, I examined the relationship between familial support, traumatic event exposure, and mental health outcomes, focusing on depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Results indicated a negative association between familial support and PTSD symptoms, indicating that higher support levels correlated with reduced PTSD …

Understanding The Role Of Out Of School Time (Ost) Providers In Urban School Systems In A Post-Covid Context, David Naff, Rachel Hale, Jamelle Simmons, Alicia Gaston, Latonja Y. Wright, Kiana Bradford, Crystal R. Bell, Jill Flynn, Chuck Creasy, Yadira Guerrero, Rory Dunn, Pamela Weaver

MERC Publications

This research and policy brief by the Institute for Collaborative Research and Evaluation and the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Richmond focuses on the role of out-of-school time (OST) providers in urban school settings in a post COVID-19 context. It is structured to explore the following questions: 1) What are out-of-school time providers and what role do they play in urban school contexts? 2) What policies guide out-of-school time programming at the federal, state, and division level? 3) How have trends and outcomes related to out-of-school time programming changed relative to …

A Descriptive Study Of Louisiana 4-H 8th Through 12th Graders' Perceptions Of Career And College Readiness, Carrie M. Lane

LSU Master's Theses

As youth leave primary education and enter college or a career path, preparing those youth to ensure success has fallen, in large part, upon formal and non-formal youth educators. Encouraging students to apply and complete college has been a focus of education professionals for many years. Historically, gauging college and career readiness (CCR), academic institutions have relied on academic performance in areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics (Mattern, et. al, 2014). The use of academic focused measures instead of student-based evaluation had its drawbacks. While core education is important, measuring soft skills needed for the workforce and college environment …

Exploring Academic Opportunities For Military-Connected Students: A Systems Theory Approach, Georgia Mckown

All Dissertations

Military-connected children experience frequent disruptions to their daily lives as a result of military lifestyle demands like frequent relocations and service-related separations from their service member parent. These disruptions impact all areas of their lives including their homes and schools. While the body of research concerning military-connected children’s experiences at school has grown over recent decades, little is known about specific individual and contextual factors that may serve as assets or constraints. Knowing more about specific factors that influence school experiences for military-connected youth is a critical step in promoting and scaling home- and school-based interventions.

This three-paper dissertation begins …

The Moderating Role Of Socioeconomic Status For The Link Between Parent-Teacher Communication And Children's Academic Achievement, Haley Withuhn

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Parent-teacher communication plays a vital role in children’s educational success and has been positively linked to academic achievement. Family socioeconomic status has been shown to play a significant role in how we understand parent-teacher communication. The purpose of the current study is to explore the role of socioeconomic status for the link between parent-teacher communication and children’s academic achievement. A socioeconomically diverse sample of approximately 174 early elementary school students was used to explore links between parent- teacher communication, academic achievement, and household socioeconomic status (SES). Teachers report on students’ reading and mathematics achievement according to the Nebraska State Standards. …

High-Risk Sexual Behavior In Nebraska Adolescents; History, Risk Factors, And Mediation, Kiya Hudson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

High-risk sexual behavior is a public health crisis that impacts adolescents at staggering rates. In Nebraska, rates of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases have been on the rise over the last four years. The problem this paper addresses is the need to fill in the gaps in knowledge surrounding high-risk sexual behavior in Nebraska adolescents. It is important to address these gaps in knowledge because currently, we are failing our adolescents when it comes to providing them with all of the necessary skills, information, and tools to lead a healthy life. When we know how …

A Call For Digital Citizenship Curriculum In Early Childhood Education, Jenna K. Ladd, Joel J. Traver

Essays in Education

Accessibility of information (factual or fabricated), social interconnectedness, and more of our daily lives being lived in the digital world has created challenges and opportunities for children and families around the world. As a result, there exists an emerging need for families with children aged birth-to-five to receive education and support through standards-based digital citizenship curriculum to navigate living online. Several models of digital citizenship curriculum have been created for the K-12 education to provide education and guidance for teachers, administrators, and parents of older children. Thus, we call for the development and implementation of standards-based digital citizenship curriculum in …

Annual Report Of Externally Funded Grants And Contracts July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023, Office Of Research And Sponsored Programs. Morehead State University.

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Reports and Publications

Annual Report of Externally Funded Grants and Contracts July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023.

The Impact Of The Belgian Colonization In The Democratic Republic Of Congo, Priscilla Lebesse

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The “Belgian Congo” is a country full of rich minerals, land, and agriculture. The same country that has never fully healed from the enslavement of its own people in their protected homes. The Belgian colonization of the Democratic Republic of Congo orchestrated by King Leopold II, has had a lasting impact on the country. Hindering its future advancements even after the departure of King Leopold II. This paper aims to analyze the lasting impact of the Belgian colonization in the DRC. In terms of the country’s economy, and overall culture. What is the DRC today? Through peer review articles and …

Organizational Original Design: Parental Responsibility For Christian Education And Faith Development In The Home, Brandi L. Ginty

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This study will focus on biblical texts and Hebrew cultural evidence to assert that Christian education in the home was mandated by God as a function of parental leadership (Anthony, 2006; Birch, 1983; Bunge, 2008; Cox, 2006; French, 2013; Hall, 1981; Van Niekerk & Breed, 2018). An examination of the biblical text will support the claim that faith development was intended to begin with the relationship between parents and their children (Gaebelein, 1976; Walton, 2001; Knight, 2006). By considering the role of the parents and the educational environment of the home as the original organizational design for equipping the next …

Transforming Afterschool Programs Into "Engines Of Development": A Policy Analysis Of The Federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Jane Quinn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Although schools receive most of the attention in discussions of and research about educational policy, an equally important—and under-investigated—arena is the non-school hours. American students spend more time outside of school than in school, and a host of studies have shown that the ways young people spend their discretionary time can greatly influence their short-term and long-term outcomes. Issues of educational equity are deeply embedded in the topic because opportunities to participate in high quality out-of-school learning experiences are not evenly distributed in American society. The single most important policy target in this aspect of student life is the federal …

Nebline, August/September 2022

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Nutrition Security: A New National Focus by Emily Gratopp

Recipe of the Month: Starwberry Smoothie and Freezer Pop by Emily Gratopp

Harvesting & Drying Herbs by Sarah Browning

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Water Play Fun by Hayley Jackson

Controlling Poison Hemlock by Melissa Bartels

Summer Brings Singing Cicadas by Kait Chapman

4-H Announcements for Enrolled 4-H'ers or 4-H Volunteers

Lancaster County Super Fair, July 28-Aug. 6, 2022

4-H Will Livestream from the Fair! YouTube

Join 4-H!

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Sonja Moore and Lancaster County Engineering Department

4-H Teen Council Invites New Members

4-H Council Golf …

Embracing A Pedagogy Of Care In The Infant And Toddler Classroom, Paige D. Wernick

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Care is a universal concept which connects us all as humans. Everyone comes into this world needing care and most of us will exit this world in need of care. Care is necessary throughout the span of our lives and should be considered a human right. Everyone is entitled to quality care, no matter their age or social status. The U.S. society has been entrenched in a decades long division between education and care which has historically prioritized education over care. This division has contributed to care being hidden and undervalued within the context of early childhood (EC) as a …

Relational Trust In Group Coaching With First-Grade Teachers: A Single Case Study, Jentry Stoneman Barrett

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Coaching has become a prominent professional development tool for helping early childhood teachers implement curriculum and research-based practices in their classrooms. One of the coaching strategies found to create positive changes in teacher practice and child outcomes is building trust between the coach and teacher(s). Despite what is known in terms of the benefits of these positive relationships, there is limited understanding of the nature of trust-building between coach and teachers, in general, and particularly in group coaching configurations. There is also scant literature exploring the nature of trust between teachers participating in group coaching sessions. Researchers call these two …

The Combined And Unique Roles Of Ptsd And Polyvictimization In Predicting Delinquency Among Adolescents, Joana Reyes

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

As a supplement to previous research understanding the relationship of polyvictimization to delinquent behaviors, these analyze question the mediating role of PTSS between the two factors. A cascade model was used to understand the factors relationship, in which they influence each other independently and as a group. Therefore, it has been found that polyvictimization leads to an increase in the likelihood of delinquent behavior, PTSS was also expected to play a role in this cascade model. Analyzes found that PTSS does influence delinquency, yet not in each Wave of data.

Bars To Bridges: Culturally Responsive Education Advocacy, Micaella Flores, Christine Otto

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

We'll explore tangible ways to advocate for BIPOC students who've experienced educational disruptions. We’ll discuss the methods and model The Bars to Bridges Program uses to successfully transition justice involved youth into their academic settings and maintain engagement in education.

Sticky Situations: Understanding The Law And Life, Krystal Banks

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Law and life go hand in hand. Understanding the law and how it connects to life can be an effective tool in teaching youth and adults the value of making good decisions when it comes to life and the law. Sticky Situations places real-world situations in the context of learning how to apply the law and effectively respond to life's sticky situations.

Annual Report Of Externally Funded Grants And Contracts July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022, Office Of Research And Sponsored Programs. Morehead State University.

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Reports and Publications

Annual Report of Externally Funded Grants and Contracts July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022.

Using Communities Of Practice To Support At-Home Gospel Learning From A Release Time Seminary Classroom, Nicholas A. Davis

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This mixed-methods action research study examines the effect of communities of practice on the development of home-centered gospel learning activities from the perspective of twelve release-time Seminary teachers for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from October—December 2021. Beginning in 2019, leaders of Seminaries and Institutes began to implement a Churchwide initiative to encourage home-centered, Church-supported gospel learning. Although Seminary leaders have made several systemwide adjustments, teachers have commonly made minimal adjustments to support this approach. Throughout the mixed-methods study, participants learned about the importance of this home-centered gospel learning approach, in addition to principles of design thinking …

The Relation Between Childhood Maltreatment And Marriage Quality In Adulthood, Melanie Wagner

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Childhood maltreatment poses the potential for lasting effects on survivors as they enter adulthood. Research lacks investigations into these potential effects, such as the impact on interpersonal relations. This study investigates the correlation between different types of childhood maltreatment and overall quality of marriage, as well as aims to identify which type of childhood maltreatment may be the strongest relative predictor of marital quality. Analyses on a newlywed dataset from Lancaster County, NE yielded results of a strong negative association between measures of childhood maltreatment and marital quality through the application of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Quality of …