Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Institutional Features On Student Retention Rates Using Regression And Random Forest Modeling, Grayson Tvrdik

Honors Projects

Student retention is a focus for higher education institutions aiming to improve student outcomes and institutional success. While previous research has often relied on qualitative assessments of college related factors, this project applies quantitative techniques at a national scale. Random forest and beta regression models were used to predict retention rates for public colleges based on institutional characteristics such as financial variables, enrollment patterns, and demographic metrics. The random forest models demonstrated higher accuracy than the beta regression models, leading us to find that financial variables and student integration factors are significant predictors of retention. Beta regression models, though less …

Joining The Sapphic Tradition: A Contemporary Approach To Translating Sappho And Catullus, Rebekah Shively

Honors Projects

This project explores the accessibility and emotional resonance of ancient lyric poetry by creatively reimagining selected works of Sappho and Catullus through the integration of slang. Beginning with my personal discovery of Sappho in high school and later academic encounters with both poets, I trace the development of my interest from an informal, online fascination to formal research, while also recognizing how many existing resources felt outdated, inaccessible, or disconnected from a modern audience. After providing substantial background information on the two poets, I examine their popular culture presence before moving to similarities between their work, focusing primarily on Catullus' …

Toledo Private High Schools: An Analysis Of Marketing Strategies, Tegan Ruttencutter

Honors Projects

Having a better understanding of private education is vital in a country where research on private schools outside of school choice literature is limited. This research aims to gain a deeper understanding of the marketing strategies employed by Toledo private high schools, thereby enhancing our comprehension of the local education market and its broader implications. This study will delve into the websites of three prominent Toledo private high schools: one Catholic, one Christian/Religious, and one secular school. To better understand these websites and schools, marketing and education-related literature regarding marketing strategies and private education is reviewed. Additionally, to better understand …

The Diegetic Purpose Of Humor In Superhero Media, Ella Ramsey

Honors Projects

Superheroes draw fans in with their fantastic powers, but also their humanizing personalities. Humor is one such trait often used to endear viewers of superhero media to the title characters. However, why do these characters maintain their witty personas and cheerful nature as they fight against evil? This question may seem to have a few simple answers, but there is a lack of research explaining the in-depth psychological reasoning for humor in the context of a superhero’s reality. This study investigates the multiple roles humor can play in a hero’s development as a human being. By studying the psychology of …

Creative Ties: Using Design To Build Connections And Reduce Loneliness, Madelyn Arnold

Honors Projects

While loneliness is a universal infliction, there are specific demographics that are disproportionately affected by this experience. The older adult population is at a much higher risk of experiencing feelings of loneliness and the negative health risks that come from extended periods of isolation. The severity of loneliness within the older adult population cannot be overstated. Art therapy techniques have been studied as a potential tool to reduce these feelings and side effects in this vulnerable population.

Moved by the profound effects and high rates of loneliness for older adults, this project seeks to create a tool to alleviate these …

Using Social Emotional Learning To Connect Social Awareness And Classic Literature, Erin Anderson

Honors Projects

The following case study explores how social-emotional learning (SEL) teaching strategies enhance seventh-grade students’ engagement with classic literature during English Language Arts (ELA) class. Using S.E. Hinton’s classic novella The Outsiders as a foundation for this research, this study examines whether SEL-based lesson plans help adolescents make deeper connections between literature and their own lives. Two groups of students were compared in the study: one group received traditional, comprehension-based instruction, while the other participated in SEL-based assessments, encouraging perspective-taking and personal reflection. This study utilizes qualitative assessments like character analysis, reflection, and surveys to affirm that students who are exposed …

The Analysis Of Reference Standard Storage Failures Through The Use Of Ibuprofen, Hope Vonder Brink

Honors Projects

Reference standards are commonly used in drug chemistry. They are used to calibrate the instruments and serve as a known point of reference for analysts’ ability to compare unknowns. Drugs can degrade over time or through environmental factors, causing contaminants to be present. In the event of environmental degradation while in storage, such as the exposure to high heat, it would be beneficial to have a database of known breakdown products in common drug reference standards for analysts’ reference. Using ibuprofen as an exemplar drug, this study attempted to identify the thermal breakdown products of ibuprofen and introduce the proposed …

Efficiency Versus Quality: A Reflection On Making A Children’S Book, Elizabeth Diehl

Honors Projects

When first looking at a children’s book, it appears to be a simple creative project. However, when one finds out the components that go into making one, it becomes clear that simplicity is deceiving. Research, ideation, rough drafts, and scripts are just a few of the necessary components for the finished product, and each one of these components can take multiple days or weeks to complete. This essay is a reflection on my experience of creating a picture book in one semester as I attempt to answer the questions “What if the most efficient process for creating a children's picture …

Teaching About Bodily Autonomy In The Early Childhood Classroom, Alaina Foster

Honors Projects

Research and evidence-based practices for the need to implement instructional materials in regard to elementary bodily autonomy and childhood sexual assault prevention education in the general education classroom.

Analyzing Northwest Ohio Industries And Utilizing The Shape Program To Increase Sustainable Practices, Abigail Stucker

Honors Projects

The purpose of this project is to dive deeper into the corporate perspective on sustainability and why manufacturing companies should take action on such an important topic. Is there a true balance for businesses between increasing profits and reducing waste? Why should businesses care about being branded as a sustainable company? What efforts do companies need to take to truly be branded as “sustainable?” These are questions that drove the research and development of this project. After looking into these guiding questions, this project develops a program to help monitor and measure the successful sustainability practices that various Northwest Ohio …

The Impact Of Mindfulness-Based Journaling On Psychological Well-Being, Jonah Guthrie

Honors Projects

This study investigated the effects of mindfulness-based journaling compared to free-form journaling on perceived stress, emotion regulation, and mindfulness in undergraduate students. Participants (N = 43) were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness-based journaling group or a free-form journaling group. Both groups journaled daily for two weeks and completed pre- and post-intervention assessments using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ).

A series of 2 × 2 mixed-design repeated measures ANOVAs revealed a significant main effect of time for perceived stress, F(1, 7) = 28.38, p = .003, …

Navigating Gender And Equity In Education: Challenges, Personal Experiences, And Pathways For Change, Chloe Ballow

Honors Projects

This project examines how gender stereotypes influence the educational experiences of high school girls, focusing on the combined effects of gender, race, and socio-economic status. Using sources from feminist theory, educational research, and real-world examples, this study explores how societal expectations shape girls’ behavior in the classroom, their academic self-image, and their future goals. Special attention is given to African American girls and students from low-income backgrounds, who often face additional challenges due to both racial and gender biases.

The research draws on a mix of scholarly articles, reports from organizations like UNESCO and the OECD, and insights from a …

An Evaluation Of Pregnant And Parenting Student Accommodations On Bowling Green State University's Campus, Taylor Reinhart

Honors Projects

Pregnant and parenting students face many obstacles on a daily basis. These students balance responsibilities including classes, homework, parenting, and more, so what are universities doing to improve accessibility for this population? The purpose of this project was to evaluate accommodations in place by Bowling Green State University (BGSU) to support pregnant and parenting students. In this study, I first compiled research about what types of accommodations pregnant and parenting students require on a college campus. Next, I reviewed BGSU's accommodation policies and compared them to those of other institutions in order to evaluate the accessibility of BGSU's campus. Finally, …

Analysis Of Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Initiatives In Environmental Education In Wisconsin, Jody Bauer, Robert Hougham, Sarah Burgess

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

This research aims to identify the quantity, quality, and condition of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in environmental education in Wisconsin. Researchers surveyed environmental education organizations across the state to collect and disseminate data related to the status and needs of these initiatives, and to identify areas of strength, improvement, or future staff learning opportunities. Some of the current DEI concerns in environmental education focus on the lack of diversity represented by staffing, achievement gaps represented by marginalized students, and a lack of overall accessibility to the outdoors or outdoor education for diverse communities. Findings from this study reinforce …

The Bg News April 2, 2025, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. April 02, 2025. Volume 104-Issue 23.

Improving The User Experience Of Joining Bowling Green State University’S Intramural Sports Program, Emily Piekenbrock

Honors Projects

This project, completed as part of the Honors and VCT Synthesis coursework at Bowling Green State University, focuses on improving the user experience of joining and participating in the university’s intramural sports program. Despite the program's popularity and impact on student life, usability issues within its IMLeagues platform and inconsistent or missing rulebooks have created barriers to entry and engagement. To address these challenges, the project involved the design and development of a standardized, user-friendly set of rulebooks for all intramural sports, a how-to guide for purchasing IM passes, and a quick-reference card for flag football referees. Grounded in research …

Implementing Biomimetic Technology In Today’S Architectural World, Emily Behm

Honors Projects

An interdisciplinary project exploring the correlation between nature and the built environment. This project provides a comprehensive overview of biomimicry principles and their application to architecture. D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson, the pioneer of mathematical biology, will emerge as a central research figure in the exploration of biomimetic technology. With inspiration drawn from Thompson’s accomplishments, contemporary architects have been more thoroughly integrating these approaches into their own architectural designs. The following research addresses a fundamental limitation in contemporary architectural practice: the insufficient integration of biomimetic principles into architectural design approaches. This project proposes a systematic methodology to more effectively integrate biomimetic technology …

Survey Of 800 Ohio Registered Voters 18+, April 2025 Tabs, Robert Alexander, Melissa K. Miller, David J. Jackson, Joshua Boston

Democracy and Public Policy Network Polls

No abstract provided.

Survey Of 800 Ohio Registered Voters 18+, April 2025 Toplines, Robert Alexander, Melissa K. Miller, David J. Jackson, Joshua Boston

Democracy and Public Policy Network Polls

No abstract provided.

Democracy And Public Policy Network Expert Analysis On 'First 100 Days' Poll, Robert Alexander, Melissa K. Miller, David J. Jackson, Joshua Boston

Democracy and Public Policy Network Polls

No abstract provided.

Workplace Stress For Licensed Practical Nurses And Registered Nurses In The Hospital Setting: A Quantitative Review, Dakota Zerman

Honors Projects

Nurses often work in stressful environments. These stressors can have many causes and may vary between specialties. Some examples of stressors are death and dying, conflict with others, and workload. One scale that analyzes these stressful factors is the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS). This survey uses the ENSS to examine stressors experienced by Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses who work in a hospital setting and continues by asking nurses if these factors cause continued stress at home. A survey was distributed online through social media to nurses who reside within the United States. The survey used a Likert …

Employment Outcomes For Postsecondary Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: A Secondary Analysis, Eric J. Anderson, Andrew Buck, Jessie Green, Diane Weinbrandt, Margo Izzo, Amy Shuman

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Individuals with disabilities do not access postsecondary education at the same rate as their peers without disabilities. This gap is unfortunate, as research shows that when students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) participate in postsecondary education, they have improved physical, social, and employment outcomes. To address these issues, colleges and universities have created postsecondary programs for students with IDD. While research on employment outcomes of these programs has been positive, there are conflicting results when analyzing which aspects of those programs are associated with positive employment outcomes. In this study we analyze data from 92 students enrolled in nine …

A Case Study On Institutional Response To Strike Activity And Its Relationship To Strike Length, Autumn Kearney

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Between 2022 and 2023, labor union and strike activity on college campuses increased to represent over 35,000 new workers, with many of these workers being graduate students (Herbert, 2023). As strike activity has continued into 2024 and beyond, it is necessary to understand how institutions responded to strikes to consider how their response may impact strike length. In this paper, I utilize the University of Michigan’s (U-M) response to the Graduate Employees organization strike of 2023 as an instrumental case study to explore the relationship between institutional response to strike activity and strike length. I use Cohen and colleagues (1991) …

The Bg News March 26, 2025, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. March 26, 2025. Volume 104-Issue 22.

Juggling Coursework, Student Teaching, And Personal Lives: Bgsu Pre-Service Teachers’ Experiences And Pre-Conceptions On Teacher Burnout, Iris Faria

Honors Projects

Teacher burnout is a hot topic in today's media, as teachers' responsibilities expand and retention rates in the education field falter. While this is a desperate issue, the specific topic of this study is pre-service teachers' experiences of and ideas about the three dimensions of burnout. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), these dimensions are: "feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy." Participants involved in this study completed a survey involving seven multiple-choice questions aligned with the dimensions of burnout …

Nuanced Relationships Between Teacher Collaboration And Job Satisfaction, Olha Ketsman, Todd Reeves

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

This explanatory correlational study examined nuanced relationships between teacher collaboration and teacher job satisfaction in two school districts in Illinois. A total of N=231 K-12 teachers responded to established measures of teacher job satisfaction and teacher collaboration from the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). Structural equation modeling revealed a small positive relationship between one form of collaboration among teachers—professional collaboration in lessons—and job satisfaction with the profession specifically. However, two other forms of collaboration, namely teacher exchange and coordination and professional learning community collaboration, were statistically unrelated to teachers’ satisfaction with both the workplace and the profession …

The Bg News March 19, 2025, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. March 19, 2025. Volume 104-Issue 21.

Construct Validity, Test-Retest Reliability, And Inter-Rater Objectivity Of The Swimming Competence Assessment Scale (Scas), Jon Sundan, Håvard Lorås, Monika Haga

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study aimed to investigate the construct validity, test-retest reliability, and inter-rater reliability of a newly developed and comprehensive instrument for assessment of children’s swimming competence. The Swimming Competence Assessment Scale (SCAS) consists of six consecutive test items (entry, swim on front, surface dive, float, swim on back and exit) that aligns with the Norwegian curricular standard of swimming competence. The exploratory factor analysis retained a unidimensional model, supporting one underlaying statistical dimension with acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.79). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between test and retest ranged from .84 to .98, and .97 for the total score. Strong …

"Feel For The Water": What Is It, Really?, Robert Keig Stallman, Kristine De Martelaer

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The phrase, 'feel for the water,' is commonly used. But what does it really mean? The traditional idea of this 'feel' focuses on the sensation of touch and use of the hands to produce propulsion. But what about water resistance? Mastering a feel for how to reduce resistance is equally important as the unique relationship between aquatic propulsion and resistance is of great importance. While being in the water, the effects of gravity and buoyancy also need to be perceived by the learner and taught by the instructor. Reflection on the effects on propulsion-resistance and gravity-buoyancy requires relevant exercises to …

Water Orientation Skills And Basic Safety And Swimming Skills Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kelle L. Murphy, Min Liu

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is the leading cause of death among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study examined water orientation (i.e., comfort level), water safety, and beginning swimming skills of individuals with ASD of ages ranging from 3 to 13 years using the Aquatic Orientation Checklist (AOC) (Kilian et al., 1984). Data were collected during consecutive Fall and Spring semesters. A total of 23 children (n = 15 boys; n = 8 girls) volunteered for the study. Lessons were conducted twice a week for 10 weeks continuously and each lesson was 45 minutes in length. Overall, the swimming program had …