Digital Commons Network^™

Leaving The Lectern: Building Collaborative, Inclusive, And Reflective Undergraduate Learners With The Five Cs Model, Gwen Scott Ruttencutter, Kate Warner

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

This session presents the authors’ model – the Five Cs – for building collaboration, inclusion, and reflection with undergraduate learners. The Five Cs model of Climate, Course Design, Co-Facilitation, Collaborative Assessment, and Critical Self-Reflection repositions the instructor from behind the lectern to within a circle of learning with others as a facilitator.

Drawing on principles of adult learning, learners are repositioned from passive receivers of information (Peters & Armstrong, 1998) to active co-constructors with the facilitator in shaping the learning environment course’s climate, as well as the course’s design, facilitation, assessment, and reflection.

In this …

Developing Metacognitive Awareness In Teacher Candidates: A Study Of Curriculum And Planning In An Mat Program, Annemarie Bazzo Kaczmarczyk, Karyn Allee

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

This study examines the development of metacognitive awareness among teacher candidates enrolled in an accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. Drawing on Scales, Wolsey, and Parsons’ Becoming a Metacognitive Teacher and the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory for Teachers (MAIT), the study investigates how teacher candidates engage with metacognitive practices while completing a course on curriculum and planning. Participants (n ≈ 20) completed the MAIT survey at the beginning and end of the eight-week course, and engaged in structured reflection activities designed to support awareness of their own decision-making in lesson planning and instructional design. Data collection includes paired pre- …

Balancing Play And Policy: Navigating Joyful Learning In A High-Stakes Third Grade Classroom, Ashley P. Osier, Andrew N. Sutton, Marcus T. Wilson, Johna A. Wright, Karyn A. Allee

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

This qualitative case study explores how a third-grade teacher in a Southeastern US state integrates active, playful learning in a high-stakes accountability environment. Despite increasing political and curricular restrictions—including mandatory retention policies, banned books, and high-stakes standardized testing—this teacher designs and implements learning experiences that center student engagement, voice, and joy. Drawing on classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and instructional artifacts, the study investigates how she navigates formal and informal policies while maintaining developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive instruction.

Early findings suggest that playful pedagogies can not only coexist with accountability mandates but may also serve as a stabilizing force for …

From Transition To Transformation: Helping Learners Shape Their Educational Legacy, Kate Warner, Gwen Ruttencutter

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

For many students, beginning college is more than an academic transition—it can be a deeply personal transformation. At Valdosta State University, the STRIDES (Students Together Reaching Individual Developmental and Educational Success) course supports this transition by blending active learning with guided self-reflection. A central element of the course, the legacy statement exercise, invites students to identify their core values, clarify their goals, and articulate the deeper “why” that sustains them through challenges.

Using an extensive set of value cards, students narrow 100 possible values into a “top five” and craft a single-sentence legacy statement that captures the impact they hope …

Modeling What We Expect: Co-Teaching As Practice-Based Preparation For Stem Education, Luminita C. Hartle, Sumitra Himangshu-Pennybacker

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

This presentation highlights the collaborative teaching partnership between two teacher education faculty members, one teaching a mathematics education course and the other teaching a science education course, in an undergraduate elementary program. Situated within a teacher preparation program at a regional university, this interdisciplinary model seeks to bridge the often-siloed approaches to math and science instruction by modeling inquiry, problem solving, and cross-disciplinary connections. Through a co-teaching framework, the faculty members intentionally designed learning experiences that emphasized real-world applications, learner-centered pedagogy, and the integration of literacy and technology to support diverse learners.

Drawing from teacher candidates' reflections and surveys, focus …

Spirituality Informed Teaching Practices For Cultivating Belonging, Meaning-Making, And Relational Being And Becoming, Shannon Perry, Jieun You, Matthew J. Smith, Jamie L. Workman

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

Spirituality impacts learners’ growth and development, including in value formation, problem-solving, critical reflection, interpersonal collaboration, self-efficacy, belongingness, and the search for purposeful and meaningful life and work. Despite increasing scholarly interest, spirituality remains underexplored in higher education, often due to concerns about proselytizing and the fluidity of the concept across multiple framings.

Recent research positions spirituality as a cross-cultural concept encompassing holistic human growth and development. This perspective underscores the need for further investigation into how spirituality, beyond formal religious practices and affiliations, can be integrated into educational practices. Starting from an integrative participatory framing of spirituality as experiences of …

Supporting Mothering Students In Doctoral Programs, Keisha M. Brown, Janie Copple, Caroline Chubb

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

Women with children are significantly less likely to complete doctoral programs than their male or non-mothering peers (National Science Foundation [NSF], 2023). This gap underscores the urgency of addressing higher attrition rates for doctoral mothers and the unique challenges that contribute to their departure from the academy. In 2022-2023, women earned approximately 58% of all doctoral degrees (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2024). In 2021, the NSF (2021a) estimated the median age of women in research doctoral programs at 31.7, with a median time to completion of 5.8 years (NSF, 2021b). A 2023 National Health Statistics Report further noted …

Research Misconduct Policy

Research & Economic Development Policies

This policy defines research misconduct and provides a process in conformity with federal regulations to provide for the reporting of allegations of research misconduct and the evaluation of those allegations to determine if a finding of research misconduct is appropriate.

The Mosaic, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.

The George-Anne Daily, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.

The George-Anne Daily, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.

The George-Anne Daily, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.

The George-Anne Daily, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.

Leveraging Wastewater Resource Recovery To Reduce Landfill Organic Loading: Process Modeling, Environmental, And Economic Impact Assessment, Ahmed I. Yunus, Arjun T. Ramshankar, Zainab O. Akinsemoyin, Thomas Igou, Ameet Pinto, George Fu, Yongsheng Chen, Joe F. Bozeman Iii

Civil Engineering & Construction: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

When You Can't Get A One-Shot, Try A One Off, Chereeka Garner, Katy Miller, Renee Cole Montgomery

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

One of the challenges facing librarians is getting exposure to students to teach information literacy skills. Faculty engagement with the library can vary greatly, with many faculty simply not having available class time to allow librarians in the classroom. As a possible alternative means of connecting with students, an Extra Credit Hub was created. This hub is an easily located, visible resource for faculty to share potential extra credit activities with students.

The Hub, which is a standalone Canvas course, includes a number of activities related to key information literacy skills, such as:

• Recognizing bias, misinformation, and disinformation
• Critical thinking …

2026 Conference Program, Georgia Southern University

SoTL Commons Conference

No abstract provided.

Perinatal Inflammation And Oxidative Stress Alter Adult Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) Motor Behavior, Alexander Young

Honors College Theses

Recent evidence in comparative animal models suggests that early life exposure to elevated inflammation (via LPS exposure) and oxidative stress (via acetaminophen exposure) may synergistically interact to alter typical neurodevelopmental trajectories, resulting in lasting effects on both behavior and gut-brain neurochemistry. The current study observed emotional and motor behaviors and collected fecal-boli to measure Tyrosine (TE) levels in male and female Long-Evans (Rattus norvegicus) rats. Subjects were either treated with [1] saline [2] lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to introduce an inflammatory state, [3] acetaminophen (APAP) to introduce oxidative stress, or [4] a dual-hit of both LPS + APAP on postnatal day (PD) …

Exploring The Effects Of Mindset And Mood On Cognitive Performance, Pamela Kplivi

Honors College Theses

Individual and situational factors such as mindset and mood can shape performance on creative problem solving tasks. This study examined the potential effects of mindset (growth vs. fixed) and mood (positive, neutral, negative) on performance. Performance was measured using a shortened 60-item version of the Compound Remote Associates Task (CRAT; Bowden & Jung- Beeman, 2003). 92 undergraduate students completed self report measures of mindset (ITIS; Dweck, 1999) and self-efficacy (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995). Participants were randomly assigned to a video-based mood induction condition and completed a self-reported mood survey (PANAS; Watson et al., 1988). Manipulation checks confirmed the effectiveness of …

What Is The Evolving Role Of Nurses In Telehealth As Future Healthcare Professionals?, Emma G. Lowry

Honors College Theses

Telehealth has evolved into an essential component of healthcare delivery in today's world, something that occurred alongside the COVID-19 pandemic. As healthcare professionals, nurses must be adequately prepared and equipped to use the tools for telehealth. This paper examines the evolving role of nurses in telehealth by assessing undergraduate nursing students’ and practicing nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceived competencies. Data will be collected through a Qualtrics survey utilizing the Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Skills (AKAS) Scale for Telemedicine, supplemented by interviews with telehealth practitioners to provide qualitative context. It is expected that variations in proficiency and attitudes, from previous biased …

The Role Of Mentorship In Reducing Burnout In New Nurses And Nursing Students, Omari Andry

Honors College Theses

Burnout among new nurses and nursing students is a consistent issue affecting the healthcare system by adding to early career turnover, emotional exhaustion, and decreased quality of patient care. Structured mentorship programs have emerged as a promising intervention to alleviate burnout by giving emotional support, professional development, and coping strategies. This proposal explores the role of mentorship in reducing burnout symptoms, improving job satisfaction, and promoting emotional resilience among new nurses and nursing students alike. Based on existing scholarly articles, the project will investigate how structured versus informal mentorship affects burnout rates, the qualities of effective mentors, and the outcomes …

The Relationship Between U.S. Presidents And Governors From Opposing Political Parties: Policy Implementation And Crisis Management, Adam Richey

Honors College Theses

This thesis studies the impact of partisan divisions between U.S. presidents and state governors in regard to policy implementation and crisis management of the American federal system. While previous research has mainly addressed congressional polarization, executive relationships across different levels of government have received comparatively less scholarly focus.  Particularism theory argues that electoral incentives shape executive behavior, and this study finds that political alignment significantly affects cooperation, coordination, and responsiveness during times of crises. Focusing on qualitative comparative case study methods, the analysis examines Hurricane Katrina (2005) and the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021). The results show that partisan division most often …

Short Time, Lasting Impact: Teaching Pediatric End-Of-Life Care In One Day, Mckenzie Taliaferro

Honors College Theses

Background: Pediatric nurses working in specialties that experience terminal diagnoses, death, and post-mortem care, often feel unprepared for the emotional toll and lack adequate support systems (Camera et al., 2024). Nurses report feeling under prepared due to a lack of hands-on opportunities before graduation (Richoux, et al., 2022). Pediatric death is a traumatic experience for families and nurses. Previous studies have shown that hands-on education increases nurses' confidence in caring for patients at the end of their lives (Cole & Foito, 2019; Noyes et al., 2023). Method: A one-day, hands-on multidisciplinary workshop on pediatric end-of-life (EOL) was created and offered …

Development Of Tunable Rose Bengal Based-Nanogumbos As Potential Selective Chemotherapeutic Agents, William J.A. Russell

Honors College Theses

As cancer remains one of the greatest threats to the global population, the development of chemotherapeutic agents that are selective and tunable is of critical importance. Herein, a series of Rose Bengal (RB)-based GUMBOS, a group of uniform materials based on organic salts, were synthesized via counterion exchange between [Na]₂[RB] and three organic cations: tetrabutylphosphonium bromide [TBP][Br], tetraphenylphosphonium chloride [TPP][Cl], and 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [C₁₂MIm][Cl]. The resulting GUMBOS were characterized through FT-IR, ESI-MS, NMR, and UV-Vis Spectroscopy. Partition coefficient studies indicated all GUMBOS exhibited hydrophobic physiochemical characteristics. These hydrophobic RB-based GUMBOS …

Preventing Coccus Longulus Infestation, Nicholas Wellls

Honors College Theses

In the Armstrong greenhouse, the Coccus longulus scale insect is a prevalent problem on a specific species of Begonia known as Begonia ‘Richmondensis’. Inside the greenhouse there are several types of begonias with very similar characteristics to the Richmondensis begonia. However, none of these other begonias are infested by C. longulus, despite similar leaf thickness and environmental conditions such as humidity and light. This project examined whether differences in the chemical composition of the Begonia leaves can explain this pattern. Results were not statistically significant, but they showed that the chemicals had a noticeable impact on the scale, and …

The Open Secret: Drugs And Fishing In Georgia, Makala L. Collins

Honors College Theses

Substance use and overdose deaths have been disproportionally disrupting families and communities in rural America. Increasing rates of drug use in these areas can be traced to the outsourcing of blue-collar work to outside of the United States, which economically restructured these areas by decreasing the profitability of generational industries. This is the story playing out in Georgia’s commercial shrimping industry and the communities it used to support. This research uses qualitative data collected over the past ten years to understand the perceptions and impacts of drug use on Georgia’s shrimping community. Using a lens of critical medical anthropology, environmental …

How Is The Use Of Ai Impacting Nursing Students Education?, Lorna H. Strain

Honors College Theses

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education is rapidly increasing and reshaping how nursing students learn and engage with content. This thesis proposal looks at the impact of AI on the education of nursing students and explores students' perceptions of its use in their learning and education. As AI becomes more prevalent, many students are using it for study aids and content personalization, while schools are using it in simulations and textbook platforms. Many recognize its benefits, such as enhanced critical thinking, improved accessibility of materials, and more immersive learning. Concerns persist around ethical use, academic integrity, and the …

Validity Assessment Of Resting Heart Rate Variability From The Garmin Health Snapshot, Kayla M. Porter, Andrew Flatt

Honors College Theses

Purpose: To assess the agreement between the Garmin Forerunner 265 (a commercially available sports watch) and a single-channel electrocardiographic (ECG) chest strap for determining resting heart rate variability (HRV). Secondary aims were to assess the impact of skin tone and body position on measurement accuracy.

Methods: Young adults (n = 30, 57% women) aged 18–39 years without known cardiovascular conditions and without tattooing or scarring on the dorsal left wrist were recruited. HRV was recorded simultaneously using ECG and the Forerunner 265’s optical sensor during Garmin’s 2-minute “Health Snapshot.” Measurements were obtained in three standardized positions: supine, seated, and standing. …

The Sting Of The Women Airforce Service Pilots: The Fight For Militarization And Recognition, Cassandra Cates

Honors College Theses

The Women Airforce Service Pilots, commonly known as the WASPs, were the first women to fly military planes for the United States. Serving during World War II, the main goal of the WASPs was to relieve the men flying planes domestically, so the men could serve overseas. But despite their dedicated wartime service, negative press and an unfavorable Congressional investigation prevented the WASPs from being fully recognized in 1944, and consequently militarized. Once they were disbanded near war’s end, the WASPs returned to civilian life. Not until the 1970s did the WASPs start to speak out about their service and …

Perception Of Bsn Nursing Students On Theory-Practice Gap, Emmalyn G. Siclare

Honors College Theses

Nursing students obtain valuable experience and are greatly influenced by their clinical experience in nursing school. The continuity and translation of lecture content learned in nursing school to the clinical part of nursing school is known as the theory-practice gap, and it is a vital part of nursing students’ education that is suffering. A perceivable theory-practice gap has a profound effect on students’ readiness for entering the nursing profession. This study examines how the theory-practice gap is understood by Bachelor of Science in Nursing students, and solutions for how it can be remedied. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted to …

Exploring Academic Burnout In Georgia Southern University Nursing Students, Gwyneth A. Green

Honors College Theses

This project aims to explore the burnout that nursing students experience while going through nursing school. There are plenty of stressors that affect nursing students and their performance in the classroom, so the goal is to identify these stressors and find ways to cope with them to improve classroom performance and decrease the number of students who quit while in school. Finding ways to make nursing school a better experience overall will help improve the outcomes coming out of school and starting to work. A survey was given to research multiple cohorts in the Georgia Southern University Nursing program to …