Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating Instructional Technology Into A Teacher Education Program: A Three-Tiered Approach, Elizabeth Truesdell, Rebecca Birch

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This project description examines how a teacher education program integrated new instructional technology through the creation of a Technology Facilitator position in the department. The project proceeded through a three-tiered system of learning literacy to establish a knowledge base amongst faculty members, augmenting required courses to model the use of instructional technology, and finally the transformation of the credential program where the activity of learning can only be accomplished through leveraging technology. As a professional program housed in a liberal arts institution, this project combines aspects of the essential learning outcomes of the 21st century with the professional skills required …

Clinical Reasoning In The Use Of Slings For Patients With Shoulder Subluxation After Stroke: A Glimpse Of The Practice Phenomenon In California, Kitsum Li, Naoko Murai, Simon Chi

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Literature reports the frequent use of shoulder slings by occupational therapists for the management of post-stroke shoulder subluxation despite the low evidence for its efficacy. To understand the clinical context that defies current research evidence, a survey was distributed among California occupational therapists. One hundred and sixty-eight participants responded to the survey, answering questions regarding the occurrences and clinical reasoning in the use of shoulder sling with patients post stroke. 81.5% of the respondents reported the use of shoulder sling. However, the actual sling prescription was limited to 28.4% of their patients. Slings were primarily prescribed for upper extremity management …

Sellout Crowd Greets Malcolm Gladwell At Leadership Lecture Series, Sarah Gardner, Dave Albee

Press Releases

The author of the Tipping Point: How Little Things Make a Big Difference; Blink: the Power of Thinking without Thinking; and Outliers, Gladwell presented his latest book, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants.

Pre-Med Students Selected For 2013 Scholars/Mentors Program, Sarah Gardner, Dave Albee

Press Releases

The students met their Kaiser mentors on October 2, 2013 during a reception dinner on the Dominican campus. They spent the remainder of the first semester observing emergency room procedures in four-hour shifts at Kaiser. During the second semester, they shadowed doctors who specialize in specific fields of medicine.

Dominican Urges Student Voting Via Turbovote, Sarah Gardner, Dave Albee

Press Releases

Nationwide, 73 colleges and universities are working with TurboVote to encourage students to register to vote and stay informed about upcoming local, state, and national elections.

Dominican Student's Photo At World Affairs Council Exhibit, Sarah Gardner, Dave Albee

Press Releases

A double major in international studies and political science in the Honors Program, the Dominican junior has joined clubs, committed to projects, sought scholarships and traveled afar beginning with a life-changing trip to Uganda following her freshman year that yielded a chance meeting and an incredible eye-catching photograph she snapped. The photo – which Fitipaldi labeled “Pray” – was accepted for the World Affairs Council’s juried "Global Visions 2013" exhibition, which began October 2 in San Francisco.

Research Links Cadmium To Breast Cancer Cell Growth, Sarah Gardner, Dave Albee

Press Releases

The study shows exposure to cadmium for prolonged periods of time can promote the development of aggressive cancer characteristics, including increased cell growth and an increased ability for the breast cancer cells to migrate and invade.

Chronic Cadmium Exposure Stimulates Sdf-1 Expression In An Erα Dependent Manner, Esmeralda Ponce, Natalie B. Aquino, Maggie Louie

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Cadmium is an omnipotent environmental contaminant associated with the development of breast cancer. Studies suggest that cadmium functions as an endocrine disruptor, mimicking the actions of estrogen in breast cancer cells and activating the receptor to promote cell growth. Although acute cadmium exposure is known to promote estrogen receptor-mediated gene expression associated with growth, the consequence of chronic cadmium exposure is unclear. Since heavy metals are known to bioaccumulate, it is necessary to understand the effects of prolonged cadmium exposure. This study aims to investigate the effects of chronic cadmium exposure on breast cancer progression. A MCF7 breast cancer cell …

Prognostic Value Of Heart Rate Turbulence For Risk Assessment In Patients With Unstable Angina And Non-St Elevation Myocardial Infarction, Patricia R.E. Harris, Phyllis K. Stein, Gordon L. Fung, Barbara J. Drew

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Background: We sought to examine the prognostic value of heart rate turbulence derived from electrocardiographic recordings initiated in the emergency department for patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or unstable angina.

Methods: Twenty-four-hour Holter recordings were started in patients with cardiac symptoms approximately 45 minutes after arrival in the emergency department. Patients subsequently diagnosed with NSTEMI or unstable angina who had recordings with ≥18 hours of sinus rhythm and sufficient data to compute Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk scores were chosen for analysis (n = 166). Endpoints were emergent re-entry to the cardiac emergency department and/or death at …

Economic Analysis Of Lean Wastes: Case Studies Of Textile And Garment Industries In Ethiopia, Tsegay Tesfay Mezgebe, Hadush Berhe Asgedom, Asayehgn Desta

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

In today's competitive world, customers are demanding better quality products with fast and reliable deliveries. To meet this demand, new manufacturing technologies are developing rapidly, resulting in new products and improvements in manufacturing processes. As part of this effort, lean production principles have been established and are in use in developed countries to minimize and/or remove wastes.

The purpose of this study is to identify and analyse lean wastes surfacing in production lines of four textile and garment industries. The information will make it possible for them to minimize or eliminate lean wastes using recommended tools and techniques. As a …

From Afghanistan 1979 To Afghanistan 2001: How Three Current High School History Textbooks Frame The Origins Of The “War On Terror” Historical Analysis And Interviews With William Blum, Noam Chomsky And James Loewen, Michael Shawn Galli

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This work examines how three current eleventh grade U.S. high school history textbooks report on the origins of the “war on terror.” The researcher chose one textbook from each of the three leading publishing houses that supply the high school market: Holt McDougal, Prentice Hall, and McGraw-Hill. The scope of the researcher’s inquiry covers the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to the U.S. invasion in 2001. The nomenclature of the “war on terror,” Reagan’s “war on terror,” U.S. support for the Afghan Mujahideen, the Persian Gulf War, and the decision to invade Afghanistan are examined. Interviews with authors William Blum, …

"What Stopped Me" Photo Exhibit Opens At Dominican, Sarah Gardner, Dave Albee

Press Releases

Featuring the works of photographers Elaine Bachelder, Marilyn Bagshaw, Charles Blackhall, Yolanda Lew, Anna Pope, Susan Stoddard and Phillip Ziegler, the exhibit is on display through January 27 during normal science center hours. For information about the building’s hours of operation, call 415-257-0118.

[Review] Stories From The Street: A Theology Of Homelessness. David Nixon, Laura Stivers

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

David Nixon in his book Stories from the Street: A Theology of Homelessness places stories of people who are homeless in dialogue with Christian scriptures, Church tradition, and particular theologies to construct a “theology of homelessness” (7). Drawing on liberation theology, Nixon argues that stories told by poor people can offer a deeper sense of the meaning of God and relationship, can reinvigorate the Christian story, and can in fact, change the world. Nixon shares a number of life histories of homeless people and teases out biographical and emotional themes from their stories in relation to spirituality. He also recounts …

Prevalence And Prognostic Significance Of Long Qt Interval Among Patients With Chest Pain: Selecting An Optimum Qt Rate Correction Formula, Amer A. Hasanien, Barbara J. Drew, Jill Howie-Esquivel, Gordon Fung, Patricia Harris

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Background: Little is known about the prevalence and prognostic significance of long QT interval among patients with chest pain during the acute phase of suspected cardiovascular injury.

Objectives: Our aim was to investigate the prevalence and prognostic significance of long QT interval among patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain using an optimum QT rate correction formula.

Methods: We performed secondary analysis on data obtained from the IMMEDIATE AIM trial (N, 145). Data included 24-hour 12-lead Holter electrocardiographic recordings that were stored for offline computer analysis. The QT interval was measured automatically and rate corrected using seven …

Political Scientist Examines National Identity Through Art, Sarah Gardner, Dave Albee

Press Releases

One of the biggest challenges following the adoption of the Constitution was establishing credibility and legitimacy of the newly-created republic, Howard notes. Citizens at the time were often more likely to think of themselves as citizens of a state, rather than citizens of the United States.

Dean Of School Of Business And Leadership Announced, Sarah Gardner, Dave Albee

Press Releases

Beldona has served as associate dean of the Graduate School of Business at Bryant University in Rhode Island since 2011. He served as chair of Bryant University’s Department of Management from 2007-2011. An expert in international business and corporate strategy, Beldona has lectured, consulted, studied, and taught in the Americas, Asia, and Europe.

Expanding Access To Malaria Diagnosis Through Retail Shops In Western Kenya: What Do Shop Workers Think?, Andria Rusk, Catherine Goodman, Violet Naanyu, Beatrice Koech, Andrew Obala, Wendy Prudhomme O'Meara

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Background. The common symptoms of malaria reduce the specificity of clinical diagnosis. Presumptive treatment is conventional but can lead to overdiagnosis of malaria, delay of appropriate treatment, overprescription of antimalarials, and drug resistance. Routine use of diagnostic tests can address many of these concerns. Though treatment is often procured from retailers, there is low availability of rapid diagnostic tests for malaria (MRDTs), a simple, inexpensive, and accurate diagnostic solution. We know little about the challenges to expanding access to diagnostics through these outlets. Methods. To understand the perceptions of the benefits and challenges to selling rapid diagnostic tests for malaria, …

Increasing Fall Self-Efficacy And Awareness Of Fall Risks Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Dona Diane Andersen, Brian Edwin Dinozo, Heather Vengco Enrile, Brittany Anne Hutchison

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a modified version of the Stepping On fall prevention program in increasing fall self-efficacy and awareness of fall risks in community-dwelling older adults.

Method: This research study utilized a quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest-posttest singlegroup design with a qualitative element. The fall prevention program was the intervention of this study. The Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES) was a pre and post measurement tool. The Timed Up & Go Test (TUG), the Romberg test, and the Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination (SLUMS) were screening tools. Fourteen older adults aged 75 …

Decreasing Fall Risk In Older Adults With Serious Mental Illness, Reynaldo Joseph Ballesteros Jr., Kellie Ann Hislop, Chanita Mary Panchasarp

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This thesis project was created to help promote fall risk awareness in older adults who are living in the community with a serious mental illness. This project consisted of a 3-part multifactorial intervention plan that focused on increasing fall risk awareness and promoting participation in healthy lifestyles. Environmental modifications were made to the facility to create a safe environment and minimize the risk of falls. An exercise video was created and piloted with the residents of a facility for people with serious mental illness. The video included strength and balance exercises which minimize the risks of falling. An inservice was …

Kindergarten Readiness: The Impact Of Sensory Integration On Preschool Children's Readiness For The Transition To Kindergarten, Laura Alexandria Boyd, Shannon Logan Sobieraj

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The goal of this quantitative, descriptive pilot study was to identify the frequency of sensory processing disorders (SPD) in preschool students who are preparing for the transition into kindergarten. The research also explored the relationship between preschool teachers' perspectives of challenging classroom behavior and parents' reports of sensory processing in the home. Researchers distributed the Sensory Processing Measure for Preschoolers (SPM-P) assessment to parents and a behavioral questionnaire to teachers in three northern California preschools. Thirty-two SPM-P assessments were distributed to parents and 15 (47%) were accurately completed and returned. Of this sample, 2 (13%) student scores on the SPM-P …

In Desperate Need Of Sleep: Teenagers And School Start Times, Cristin Marie Allen

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

School start times have the potential to be damaging to students academically. Several studies have linked sleep to the transfer of knowledge into long term memory, while others show how the lack of sleep is disruptive to learning. If school start times truly have an impact on the functionality of the teenage brain, educators should be doing everything in their power to make sure schools begin at a proper hour. The purpose of this study was to extend research done in other parts of the country, traditionally in urban areas, that attempted to show a link between student achievement and …

Factors That Impact A Child On The Autism Spectrum In The General Education Classroom, Ashley Meredith Davis

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

General education teachers currently have children in their classrooms who are on the autism spectrum. These teachers have had little to no training in either their teacher preparation nor-school based professional development programs in teaching children on the spectrum. The purpose of this paper is to explore teaching strategies that are successful for these children and can be easily implemented in the classroom. The research literature reveals little on this topic. There is information on early intervention with preschool students as well as environmental, communication, and social supports. Educators from general and special education were interviewed for their ideas and …

Mood Congruency Effect On Academic Content Retention For Emotionally Disturbed High School Students, Lara M. Corkrey

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The effect of mood on the encoding and recall of memories is crucial to create more affective classroom environments conducive to retention of academic content. The current study hypothesized that emotionally disturbed (ED) students encode less academic content then their peers due to their pervasive negative mood. In three separate conditions, 73 participants were shown a 5 min video clip to either induce a positive or negative mood or to neutralize mood. Subjects were asked to rate their mood before and after the film clip. Finally, participants were instructed to recall as many words as they could from a presented …

Mandarin Chinese Immersion Program For Preschool Children In An Urban Private School In California: A Case Study, Yuan Cao

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This study enlisted language immersion practitioners in highlighting and exploring the issues and challenges that accompany language immersion education. Comprehensive focused personal interviews of preschool Mandarin Chinese language immersion educators in a private school provided the basis of the study. The research literature reviewed indicated that when young children learn a new language it benefits them later in their education. These students have increased competency in their second language compared to children who do not received language instruction in early childhood. Four professionals who are bilingual in English and Mandarin, and one expert in immersion program were interviewed; all four …

Examining The Role Of Corporate Sponsorship In The Public School System: Appropriate Pathways, Maria Potter

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

To compensate for declining public school budgets, an increasing number of local public education organizations are soliciting and accepting financial support from U.S. corporations. There is considerable debate as to whether corporate involvement ultimately aids or hampers students’ academic achievement, and there are many conflicting opinions as to the sorts of problems that corporate involvement creates. This study is aimed at determining what types of cooperative efforts between corporations and educational institutions are currently functioning across the spectrum of school-business partnerships, and what type of oversight is needed to make them work better. A qualitative method was applied as the …

Effective Practices In Science Instruction In An All Girls School, Holly Hoyt Posner

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Girls can be successful in science education depending on their learning environment. This paper studies factors such as curriculum and instructional strategies that facilitate student success in learning science. The problem is that as girls get older, they shy away from science instruction. They allow boys to monopolize the science activities, and they appear to lose interest in science. Their grades slip, and they tend not to pursue science in higher education or in their career. The purpose of this research is to explore factors that can lead to girls’ success in learning science. Teachers were interviewed at a school …

The Effect Of Small Learning Communities On The High School Experience For At-Risk Students, Chelsea Tina Springer

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

From elementary schools to universities, small learning communities (SLCs) are cropping up all over the place. While SLCs sound like a good idea, there is little viable research to support their implementation at the high school level. There seems to be an inherent assumption that collaboration between teachers is good, and that a more personalized environment will enrich the learning experience. Despite the optimism of these presumptions, there is a dearth of program evaluation research to support the effectiveness of SLCs in the high school setting. In order to establish and maintain these programs, teachers, parents and administrators will rightly …

Impact Of Reading Ability On Academic Performance At The Primary Level, Caleb Bartholet Cimmiyotti

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The present study examined the correlation between academic performance in reading and academic performance in mathematics at the primary level. The data included 95 student performances from grades two, three, four, and five. The reading performance was based on three assessment components which included comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary. The mathematics performance was based on summative assessments conducted at intervals during the 2011-2012 academic year as well as the results from the STAR test. Results indicated that a correlation did exist between reading and mathematics performance at the early elementary level when including grades two through five. Examining each grade level …

Imagining Jazzocracy: Notes Toward A New Democratic Subject, Mario Tofano

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

What does participatory democracy look like? This essay finds an answer in the indigenous art form of the United States—jazz. Political engagement in America must learn from the jazz aesthetic which realizes the communal projects of individuals in concert. After a brief survey of the biological, historical, and cultural formations that construct our political environment this essay advances equaliberty as the foundational concept for the Jazzocrat, the new political subject for tomorrow’s participatory democracy.

Genetic Mechanisms Responsible For Dietary Restriction Dependent Lifespan Extension In Drosophila Melanogaster: A Role For Muscle Tissue, Jennika Krisa

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Dietary Restriction (DR) is a robust intervention that is known to extend lifespan and increase spontaneous activity in multiple species. Whether activity increase plays a causal role in mediating the health protective benefits of DR remains unknown. To investigate this relationship, nutritional manipulations and laboratory selection for lifespan were simultaneously applied. Three physiological outputs were used for the screening and characterization of genes that may mediate the effects of DR: starvation resistance, spontaneous activity levels, and lifespan. The physiologic changes that occur are partially mediated by the nutrient sensing TOR pathway and its downstream signaling components, specifically the translational repressor, …