Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Cognitive And Social Demands On Linguistic Production For People With Moderate, Mild, Or No Aphasia, Tyson G. Harmon, Emily Mcdonald, Kyle Steele

Faculty Publications

Background

Most everyday communication occurs in situations where cognitive and social demands are present. These types of situations may compound language deficits for people with aphasia (PWA). An understanding of the language interference that may occur from cognitive and social demands is an important precursor for assessment and intervention that addresses everyday communication situations.

Aims

To determine how cognitively and socially demanding conditions affect micro- and macrolinguistic production for people with moderate, mild, or no aphasia during narrative discourse and to compare effects among groups.

Method

Thirty participants with mild (n = 9), moderate (n = 9), or no (n …

In Memoriam: Fred R. Gowans (1936-2023), Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Historian, Jay H. Buckley

Faculty Publications

Fred R. Gowans is the proverbial American original – or, better yet, Western American original. Fred talked and wrote convincingly about the American West and the fur trade because he spent so much time in it, exploring or retracing old trails. Fred made no pretenses. He dressed for class, public talks, or academic presentations the same way he dressed for working with his horses: Western hat, Western shirt, Levis, cowboy boots, and on the rare occasion a sport coat and bolo tie. He lived with his wife Gloria in a log home that he and his father Floyd had built …

The Role Of Trauma-Informed Care In Sustaining The Well-Being Of Refugee Entrepreneurs, Arielle Badger Newman, Lisa Jones Christensen

Faculty Publications

Many international aid organisations encourage refugees to engage in entrepreneurship after relocation to a new host country. Yet, this encouragement may be based on data about entrepreneurship from non-refugee populations, particularly those who do not experience the common traumas of forced relocation. This chapter addresses the topic of trauma and refugee entrepreneurship by asking the following question: How can support organisations encourage well-being (or mitigate ill-being) for entrepreneurial refugees? In doing so, we propose how organisations supporting refugee entrepreneurship can incorporate trauma-informed practices. Specifically, there are four “Rs” to being trauma-informed, which correspond to: realisation, recognition, response, and resistance to …

Student Interaction With Generative Ai: An Exploration Of An Emergent Information-Search Process, Ryan M. Schuetzler, Justin Scott Giboney, Taylor M. Wells, Benjamin Richardson, Tom Meservy, Cole Sutton, Clay Posey, Jacob Steffen, Amanda Lee Hughes

Faculty Publications

ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence, is one of the fastest-adopted tools in history and has quickly become a valued tool in education. This study seeks to understand how generative artificial intelligence has changed the information search process. We collected prompts submitted to ChatGPT and thoughts about ChatGPT responses through a survey of 455 students at a US university. Using thematic analysis, we identified ways that ChatGPT changes the information search process of students by supporting diverse information needs, allowing cycling of prompt adjustments, and promoting easy adoption of results.

An Integrated Model For Information Adoption & Trust In Mobile Social Commerce, Fulya Acikgoz, Abdelsalam Busalim, James Gaskin, Shahla Asadi

Faculty Publications

Despite the growing importance of mobile social commerce (ms-commerce), little research has been conducted on the effects of informational and social factors on users’ post-adoption behavior. We, therefore, build on the understanding of mobile social commerce in the UK market and how it affects users’ post-adoption behaviors. Our theoretical model leverages the information adoption model, social support theory, and social influence theory. Data was gathered from 377 ms-commerce users from the UK and analyzed via Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM). The research findings show that both informational and social factors have a positive impact on information adoption in ms-commerce apps. Furthermore, …

Risk Perception, Cooperation, And Emotional Distress During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Exploring Adaptive Risk Perception, Haiping Liao, Rebecca L. Monk, James Gaskin, Jin-Liang Wang

Faculty Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, while risk perception may promote public cooperation with pandemic prevention, it may also increase emotional distress and thus endanger mental health. This study aimed to examine whether there is an adaptive risk perception pattern that fits both needs of pandemic control and mental health protection. Two waves of Chinese participants (N sample 1 = 1633, N sample 2 = 1899) completed the Scale of Pandemic Risk Perception, the Scale of Public Cooperation with Pandemic Prevention, the Epidemic Worry Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affective Schedule during Feb 3rd to 5th, and during Feb 18th to …

Intermittent Digital Fasting: The Mental Health Benefits Of A One-Hour Daily Social Media Hiatus, Austin Lahue, James Gaskin, Kennedy Daniel

Faculty Publications

In an era where social media ubiquity persists, concerns over its impact on mental health have escalated. This preliminary study investigates the effects of a one-hour daily social media hiatus on the mental wellbeing of 60 college students over two weeks. Unlike common interventions demanding prolonged abstinence, this research explores a more feasible, short-term avoidance approach. The experimental design, including treatment and control groups, illuminates the potential mental health benefits of brief, yet regular, digital disengagements. Preliminary results suggest that even minimal breaks from social media can yield significant improvements in users' mental health. Interestingly, these benefits come not from …

Understanding Product Interest Through Mouse-Cursor Tracking Analysis, Christopher Coors, Jeffrey Jenkins, Joseph S. Valacich, Markus Weinmann

Faculty Publications

With third-party cookies being banned, alternative methods to assess users’ interests online are necessary. We propose that analyzing mouse cursor movements can help address this need. Based on the response activation model, we hypothesize that interest in a product will decrease the user’s movement speed and increase the number of submovements. We conducted an online study that monitored users’ mouse movements while they were presented with several products and navigated to a button to indicate purchase intention (yes/no). Following this, participants ranked their interest in each product. Contrary to our prediction, we found that product interest increased speed and decreased …

Detecting Social Desirability Bias With Human-Computer Interaction: A Mouse-Tracking Study, Paul A. Weisgarber, Joseph S. Valacich, Jeffrey L. Jenkins, David Kim, Manasvi Kumar

Faculty Publications

Social desirability bias undermines self-report accuracy, necessitating novel approaches to detect and mitigate its impact. This study aimed to investigate the influence of social desirability on questionnaire responses by analyzing mouse cursor movements and answering behaviors. Respondents (n=238) completed a health and wellness questionnaire while their mouse cursor data was recorded. The results revealed that individuals under a higher social desirability treatment exhibited significantly longer response times and slower mouse cursor speeds, supporting the hypothesis that they may engage in more cautious and deliberate responding. However, no significant differences were found in terms of mouse cursor deviations or answer switches …

Religion And Lgbtq Suicidality: A Systematic Review, Michael A. Goodman

Faculty Publications

Studies have consistently shown that LGBTQ individuals are at increased risk for several mental and physical health challenges including suicidality. The relationship between religion and LGBTQ wellbeing in general and LGBTQ suicidality in specific has increasingly been the subject of scholarly investigation. This systematic review examines all peer-reviewed articles included in the EBSCO PsychInfo database since 2000 (49 studies in all). These studies reveal a complex relationship which is both nuanced and at times contradictory. The majority of studies (65%) found at least one religiosity related predictor to be a risk factor for LGBTQ suicidality, 53% found at least one …

Characterization Of Magnetically Stabilized Hinges For Origami-Inspired Mechanisms, Larry L. Howell, H T. Pruett, Philip Klocke, Spencer Magleby

Faculty Publications

Origami-inspired mechanisms provide opportunities for deployable systems, including reflectarray antennas. There is a need for approaches to deploy and stabilize such arrays. Magnetic mechanisms show promise for meeting those needs and methods for modeling their behavior would facilitate their design and analysis. We demonstrate the existence of bistability in select configurations of magnetically stabilized hinges and characterize their equilibrium positions as a function of parameters estimated from simulation data for these mechanisms. Other relevant information such as potential energy, axial force data, angular position of unstable equilibria, and transition values from bistability to monostability are also modeled. The results are …

Leveraging Compliance To Design A Minimally Invasive, Expandable Interbody Cage Capable Of Customized Anatomical Fit For Spinal Fusion Surgery, Larry L. Howell, Daniel J. Orr, Anton E. Bowden, Christian Payne, Hailey Jones, Bruce M. Frankel, James Anderson, Alek Sperry, Brandon Sargent

Faculty Publications

As spinal fusion surgery continues to transition to less invasive techniques, there remains an unmet need for ever smaller and more complex interbody cages to meet the unique needs of this difficult surgery. This work focuses on the hypothesis that this need can be met using the inherent advantages of compliant mechanisms in a way no previous device has. Deployable Euler Spiral Connectors optimized using a gradient based optimization algorithm were used as the foundation for a device that can stow to a very small size for device insertion then bilaterally deploy to a substantially larger device footprint. Additionally, a …

Review Of Terry Warner's Presentation, Jacob Tubbs

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Research Summaries: Food Insecurity, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Food Insecurity And Solutions: Full Issue, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

What I Think I Learned, Andrew S. Gibbons Iii

Faculty Publications

A retrospective review of fifty years of research and development experience showing the connectedness of the author’s theoretical ideas to practical application. An effort to show designers how over the span of a career new ideas begin as work-related insights and discoveries that by problem solving flow together to create a unique personal view of design and designing. Encouragement for individual designers to be willing to experiment with new ideas that may step beyond received practice and to learn from those experiences, even to the extent of testing and adopting new worldviews that may differ from the general view. Encouragement …

General View Of The Merits & Application Of Audio Recording For Higher Intellectual Productivity, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Learning, Teaching, & Researching Optimization

This article discuss the general features of audio recording including its merits. This 8 page material gives you an overview of this recording system.

In Theory: Дезинформация, Sidney Eric Dement

Russian Language Journal

This essay explains the debates and theoretical insights of the emerging transdisciplinary field of Disinformation Studies as a potential set of tools for designing and implementing curricula that include new media or other discussions of propaganda and censorship in the Russian language classroom. I argue that the terminology elucidated in Disinformation Studies can provide both an engaging lesson in Russian language as well as a pedagogically strategic focus on concepts that can motivate students to continue the study of Russian language and Russia-related disciplines. Section 2 provides a summary overview of representative works in the field of Disinformation Studies that …

Building Social Media Literacy In The Russian Language Classroom, Kelly Knickmeier Cummings

Russian Language Journal

This article presents ways to teach media literacy (ML) skills in Russian language classrooms with particular focus on developing proficiencies to navigate social media (SM) where information disorder is a critical concern. Because of its numerous configurations and applications, SM is understood broadly as “the creation and exchange of user-generated content.” After outlining critical concerns surrounding SM use, the discussion focuses on three conditions that affect the development of ML skills when trying to engage meaningfully online: cognitive vulnerabilities, unreliable narrators, and populist rhetoric. Developing an awareness of how these three conditions on SM impact decision-making and behavior online equips …

Russian Authoritarian Discourse Of The 20th And 21st Centuries As A Subject Of Study In The University Classroom, Yulia Denisova

Russian Language Journal

The ability of students to recognize and interpret various forms of propagandist speech within the context of authoritarian discourse is crucial for effective information literacy education. This article emphasizes the need to introduce a specialized section within university courses on Russian cultural history for foreign students learning Russian. We propose naming this section “Russian Authoritarian Discourse: Features of Propaganda Language.” Focusing on the relationship between language and social structures and exploring the typology of linguistic situations shaped by social factors, the proposed section is grounded in a sociolinguistic approach. The article presents practical tools for analyzing real-life and immediately relevant …

Tracking Current Events In The Russian-Language Classroom, Cori Anderson, Daniel Brooks

Russian Language Journal

Given weaponized disinformation about recent US elections and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, media literacy has become an essential part of a 21st-century liberal arts education, in line with the AAC&U’s Essential Learning Outcomes. By including news media in the language classroom, instructors can introduce students to the products and practices of the target culture and enhance their comprehension of Russian-language texts. We describe a current events blog project, appropriate at any level of instruction, with specific examples from second- and sixth-semester university-level Russian-language courses. Students follow current events in the Russian-speaking world on a topic of their choosing, …

Teaching Critical Media Literacy In An Advanced-Level Classroom Through The Eyes Of Journalism As A Profession, Alexandra Shapiro

Russian Language Journal

This paper presents an approach to promoting social media literacy in a Russian language class. The instruction was conducted within a university setting for Flagship students in their third year of Russian studies. The course focused on teaching professional Russian to students at the Intermediate Mid to Advanced levels. It is modular and covers several topics, including journalism, law, and human rights, among others. The overall aim of the course was to help students develop critical thinking skills, expose them to Russian language and culture, and enable them to stay informed about current events while discussing a wide range of …

Constructing A Course On Russian Media Analysis For Learners At Ilr 3+/4 Proficiency, Olga Mukhortova

Russian Language Journal

The proficiency movement of the 1980s and ‘90s in foreign language teaching and learning demonstrated that U. S. students can attain Intermediate-level proficiency by the end of a four-year post-secondary course of study. Language programs can now pay more attention to enabling students to reach the Advanced1 and Superior levels (ACTFL, 2012; Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR); Martin, 2020, p. 43). One can observe the particular demand for ILR 3/4 speakers from the U. S. government in the diversity of state-sponsored initiatives in foreign languages aiming for Superior-level (ILR 3/3+) and higher proficiency. Understandably, the need for speakers of Russian at …

Digital Dissidence: Russian Foreign Agents And The Media Of Opposition, Matthew Mangold

Russian Language Journal

Over the last ten years the Russian state has veered steadily toward authoritarianism, passing new socially repressive laws and harnessing television and radio to state propaganda and disinformation about Ukraine and the west. At the same time, platforms like Vimeo and Youtube have made uploading, sharing, and viewing digital content in high-quality formats more accessible to author-producers and viewers globally. These social changes have been followed by a movement of independent, fact-grounded digital storytelling built on documentary forms and deft investigative reporting that reveals the Russian state’s negligence, corruption, and efforts at social control. This article addresses the digital environment …

Book Review: Task-Based Instruction For Teaching Russian As A Foreign Language, Izolda Savenkova

Russian Language Journal

Svetlana V. Nuss' and Wendy Whitehead Martelle's (editors) Task-Based Instruction for Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language stands as an invaluable resource, offering task-based practices beneficial for both novice and experienced instructors of Russian as a second and foreign language. The contributing authors provide excellent examples of classroom activities supplemented with suggestions on how to design task-based syllabi. It is noteworthy that the team of authors is extraordinarily diverse, encompassing educators from various kinds of educational institutions and engaged in different language teaching formats. This work is of great interest not only to practical teachers, but also to researchers in …

Book Review: Любимые Советские Фильмы На Уроке Рки, Ekaterina Talalakina

Russian Language Journal

Любимые советские фильмы на уроке РКИ is the perfect example of the material for the linguo-cultural approach to language learning. The book is designed for Russian as foreign language students at the Advanced Low level of language proficiency and above. The book is built around the exploration of ten popular Soviet movies in the entertainment genre. Each movie is covered in a separate chapter, including the necessary language and culture-related details to promote language acquisition and facilitate comprehension of the cultural references.

Overview Of Global Food Insecurity And Solutions, Lakell S. Archer, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Exploring The Relationship Between Nonprofit Management Education Programs And Their Local Nonprofit Sector, Elise L. Kieffer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This study sought to explore the relationship between nonprofit management education programs at institutions of higher education with nonprofit organizations in their local communities. Using a pragmatism methodology, I conducted interviews with directors of nonprofit management education programs and with corresponding nonprofit partners in their local communities. While research exists exploring the impacts and influences of nonprofit academic centers on their local sector - specifically regarding the training of practitioners - there is much less available in published literature exploring the actual effects of nonprofit management education programs on their local communities. This study begins what must be a more …

An Integrated Model For Teaching Information, Media, And Language Literacy, Maria Shardakova

Russian Language Journal

This paper explores the connection between the rise of critical approaches to teaching media in Russian language classrooms and the political events of the last decade, during which Russia has increasingly positioned itself as an adversary to the Western world. The Russian state’s systematic weaponization of its media, severe restrictions on freedom of speech, and suppression of independent voices have created an environment where propaganda permeates all forms of social and public expression. This saturation has led information consumers to dismiss media content as manipulation, sometimes overlooking voices of resistance. As a result, it is crucial to equip students with …