Digital Commons Network^™

2022-09-09, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

2022-09-08, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Interpersonal Consequences Of Adverse Childhood Experiences In College Students, Jessica Criddle, Thomas B. Sease, Esther Malm

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

The Interpersonal Process Model of Intimacy characterizes intimacy as dyadic interpersonal interactions in which vulnerable behaviors are displayed and reinforced by suitable listeners. We posited that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) would foster avoidance of vulnerable speaker behaviors in dyadic exchanges, as seen in self-concealment, and that lower levels of ACEs would be associated with more self-disclosure. Correspondingly, we examined whether self-concealment and self-disclosure simultaneously mediated the relationship between ACEs and relationship closeness in college students. Results revealed that ACEs were significantly associated with more self-concealment only. After removing self-disclosure from the model, self-concealment mediated the relationship between ACEs and relationship …

Sugar Shenanigans: Curbing The Added Sugar Epidemic In Children And Adolescents, Amy Krazl, Tonia Mailow

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Background: The consumption of added sugar is one of the most dangerous problems regarding the health of society’s youngest generation. Children today consume added sugar at an alarming rate, on average surpassing the daily limit recommended by the American Heart Association. This study aims to educate and empower the child and adolescent population for the purpose of increasing knowledge and improving dietary practices. Methods: An educational program, entitled “Sugar Shenanigans” was delivered to groups of children between the ages of 8 and 13. Data was gathered from pre- and post-tests and “Impact Level Questionnaire” surveys for both participants and parents/guardians …

The Unintended Effects Of Tamper-Evident Food Closures, Marissa Orlowski, Sarah Lefebvre, Laura Boman

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Restaurant-to-consumer food delivery has experienced disruption with the growth of third-party services such as DoorDash and Uber Eats. However, this platform-to-consumer delivery method introduces increased opportunities for food tampering and contamination due to additional touchpoints in the delivery process. To mitigate these concerns, more restaurants are implementing tamper-evident closures such as seals attached to the food containers used for delivery items. Drawing on signaling theory, we examine the effect of tamper-evident closures in the third-party delivery context through two experimental studies and a focus group. Our results revealed a negative effect of tamper-evident seals on willingness to pay through lowered …

Thinking Outside The Bottle: Effects Of Alternative Wine Packaging, Marissa Orlowski, Sarah Lefebvre, Robin M. Back

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Packaging communicates intrinsic product attributes to consumers, which can influence consumer response and decision-making; however, little is known about the impact of non-traditional packaging formats. The current research aims to bridge this gap. Across five studies, we demonstrate that non-traditional packaging negatively influenced purchase intention of a complex product, wine, through product appeal and taste perceptions (Study 1A)/expectations (Studies 1B–4). We also demonstrate that the consumer response to non-traditional packaging is a function of individual differences (desire for unique products) and label attributes (eco-friendly labels).

Exploring The Self-Care Practices And Needs Of Entry-Level Nursing Students: A Pilot Project, Nancy Armstrong, Kristin M. Reid, Dana Todd

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Self-care is often lacking in nursing students worldwide. The objectives for this study were to discover the current self-care practices of one group of entry level undergraduate nursing students, the students’ understanding of self-care, and the students’ preferences for self-care interventions aimed at improving self-care. Quantitative and quantitative measures were used to measure the students’ current self-care practices, needs, and recommendations for interventions to be used in future semesters to improve nursing student self-care. The students were found to generally be deficient in areas related to nutrition, obtaining healthcare information or guidance, pacing themselves to avoid exhaustion, and performing relaxation …

2022-08-11, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Using Theory To Guide Exploratory Network Analyses, Duncan Jordan, Alisson N. S. Lass, E. Samuel Winer

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

The use of exploratory network analysis has increased in psychopathology research over the past decade. A benefit of exploratory network analysis is the wealth of information it can provide; however, a single analysis may generate more inferences than what can be discussed in one manuscript (e.g., centrality indices of each node). This necessitates that authors choose which results to discuss in further detail and which to omit. Without a guide for this process, the likelihood of a biased interpretation is high. We propose that the integration of theory throughout the research process makes the interpretation of exploratory networks more manageable …

The Importance Of Teaching Personal Finance, Ryan Brewer

Honors College Theses

This research project will consider the impact of a personal finance course being taught in an organized non-profit setting. A community church offers a finance course to their congregants on an annual basis that is designed to teach short- and long-term personal finance concepts to individuals and families to learn adequate budgeting and investment practices. Typically, anywhere from 5 to 15 people will sign-up for this course. This specific project will evaluate the participants skillset and confidence in their financial goals before and after they are involved with the course. The data of study will be collected from a pre- …

Dps 2.0: On The Road To A Cashless Society, Nwamaka A. Anaza, Delancy H.S. Bennett, Yana Andonova, Emeka Anaza

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

While cash will eventually become a thing of the past, marketing researchers have given little attention to the rise of cashless markets and the obstacles and opportunities they present. In fact, research that addresses the strategic approach to planning, coordinating, and executing the cashless adoption and experience for consumers is scant. To stimulate discussion and scholarly investigations into marketing’s contribution toward the evolution of cashless economies, this Idea Corner presents a research agenda that delineates the role of DPS 2.0, a new era of digital payment systems, in fueling the demonetization process. We offer that, compared to traditional payment systems …

7 Hands-On Strategies For Struggling Readers, Elise Murray, Stacey Murray

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Struggling readers are found in almost every classroom across the world. With differing learning styles and abilities, teachers are encouraged now, more than ever, to be innovative when teaching foundational reading strategies. Within this article, readers are provided with a literature review of research and educational literature that discusses how multisensory, hands-on activities promote engagement and active learning for all students. The recommended seven hands-on learning strategies that can promote learning and support for struggling readers during literacy instruction include Build the Words, Feel the Words, Whole Body Letters, Five Finger Retell, Sight Word BINGO, …

De Bono's Six Hats Thinking Strategy For All Content Areas, Jamie Mahoney, Lynn Patterson, Carol Hall

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Problem-solving and collaboration require people to compromise, negotiate, and brainstorm to understand, create, manage, judge, and be intuitive and remain positive and calm while working as a team to address problems. Teachers can teach students to collaborate and problem-solve in any content area using de Bono's Six Thinking Hats Strategy. Using de Bono's strategy, university students in this study explored learning hats and ways to apply learning hat properties to collaborate and problem solve in group activities. Researchers employed a mixed-method study enlisting both general education and special education pre-service undergraduate and in-service graduate teachers to discover personal thinking hat …

Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions And Knowledge Of Response To Intervention/Multitiered Systems Of Support, Alexandra J. Taylor, Tommy Wells, Amy E. Lein

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

There has been considerable research that establishes the need to improve teachers’ knowledge of and ability to effectively implement response to intervention (RtI)/multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), and there is a scarcity of research examining interventions addressing these concerns. In a mixed methods study, we examined the perceptions and knowledge of the RtI/MTSS frameworks of undergraduate preservice teaching candidates enrolled in a dual certification program at a small, private Catholic university in Kentucky, before and after participating in a semester-long, experiential learning project. The project involved monitoring both the reading and mathematics progress of struggling elementary or middle school-aged students …

Teacher Perspectives Of Professional Development Needs On Trauma-Informed Practices, Tommy Wells, Madeline Chimka, Vanessa Gee

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Trauma-informed approaches and practices are becoming increasingly more common in schools. The lack of standardized content of trauma-informed practices presents challenges for schools and school districts on deciding both what content to provide and how to provide it. This study reviews the Culturally Responsive, Trauma-informed Educator Identity framework, as well as a framework for effective professional development, by surveying in-service teachers enrolled in a master’s program on trauma-informed practices who describe their professional development needs.

2022-06-03, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

2022-05-26, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Mahaila Pinchot-Rickman Portfolio, Mahaila Pinchot

Professional Practices (ART 399)

The work I create is experimental, and stylized. I like to use certain art making processes such as photography or ceramics to work through different events or emotions that are currently going on in my day to day activities.The concept of taking something common and turning it into tangible art is a topic I am passionate about and continuously exploring.

Images help document the ordinary moments that go on in life that oftentimes humans forget, unless they are photographed or revisited at another time. Throughout my work I am constantly finding myself dealing with the surface area of an object …

Proceed With Caution, Rebecca Potts

B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498)

Throughout my childhood, my parents often took me out into nature to go hiking, camping, and just explore. Now when I am in nature, I am reminded of my childhood and reflect on the memories of safety and comfort that I experienced, but through the lens of the person that I am today. As I have learned about and engaged with people in my community, I realized that their experiences and views of being outdoors and in the environments that I grew up feeling comfortable in are much different than mine. These different experiences are based on factors such as …

Michael Crabtree Art399 Portfolio, Michael Crabtree

Professional Practices (ART 399)

Storytelling inspires much of my art, whether from personal experience or from literature. I have always loved illustration and creating scenes where there is an implied narrative. I often try to make mysterious settings and strange structures or figures, but many of them are based on my memories of places or things that I have seen. My wife and daughter and our dog pop up again and again in my work but typically in unusual scenarios. I have painted our dog guiding a ship with a lantern and I have placed my wife and daughter in the background of a …

Esalger_Art399_Portfolio, Emma Salger

Professional Practices (ART 399)

In artwork, there is much joy to be found in using patterns, figures, and contrast. A lot of the subject matter is related to the female body, whether that be the entire feminine form, or just parts of the female body. Presenting the feminine figure in many different ways is an inclusive way of showing young females that every body is beautiful. A lot of young girls (myself included) have to rely on their education to learn about their own body and have a hard time accepting and understanding the complexities of their body. Art may not deeply teach the …

Does Tax Curriculum Or Vita Participation Correlate With Improved Reg Section Cpa Exam Scores?, Sunshine Coombs, Sunshine Coombs

Honors College Theses

Abstract

Students who graduate with an accounting degree often take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam to increase their earning potential and gain prestige within the accounting profession. The Regulation (REG) section of this exam exemplifies a student's knowledge in the United States’ tax filing system and makes up a quarter of the total exam. Accounting students often participate in Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs which may provide an avenue of preparation for the REG section of the CPA exam. This research aims to identify if there is a connection between universities that offer a VITA program and their …

Proceed With Caution - Rebecca Potts, Rebecca Potts

Professional Practices (ART 399)

Throughout my childhood, my parents often took me out into nature to go hiking, camping, and just explore. Now when I am in nature, I am reminded of my childhood and reflect on the memories of safety and comfort that I experienced, but through the lens of the person that I am today. As I have learned about and engaged with people in my community, I realized that their experiences and views of being outdoors and in the environments that I grew up feeling comfortable in are much different than mine. These different experiences are based on factors such as …

Art 399 Portfolio, Olivia Swaidner

Professional Practices (ART 399)

Olivia Swaidner

Artist Statement

Most of my inspiration for my art comes from one of two things: Impression of nature or personal struggles. Biology isn’t something that particularly shows up in my work in an obvious way, but my fascination and impression with science and nature inspires what I create. The mediums that I typically work in the most are painting and photography. My more recent series of film photographs featured multiple images of twisted, exposed roots on the bank of a creek bed. The intention of many of my photographs is to show hidden aspects of nature that I …

The Use Of Nebulizer Medications As A Possible Treatment For Covid-19, Jacob Kaufman

Honors College Theses

For the past few years, the COVID-19 pandemic has been the focal point in healthcare and research. This disease has permanently changed daily life and left a historic impact on the world. Most people have felt the effects of this pandemic either directly, via infection, or indirectly, via change in workflow, financial impact, etc. The main question for this virus still remains today; how do we treat this illness effectively? While many ideas are being tested and suggested, a definite answer has yet to be procured. Vaccine rates are climbing on a daily basis, serving as the first and most …

Hipersexualización E Infrarrepresentación: La Representación De Las Latinas En Jane The Virgin Y Modern Family, Laura Zarate

Honors College Theses

The Latinx community is one of the fastest growing groups in the United States and accounted for half of the total population growth from 2010-2019. Despite the increasing numbers, the statistics for Latinx representation in the media continue to be low. Numbers for Latinx writers, producers, and actors are significantly lower than their non-Latinx counterparts and Latinas, in specific, are one of the most underrepresented groups on television and often being portrayed as hypersexual in comparison to other groups of the same gender. While this underrepresentation has been researched in relation to women, there is limited discussion regarding the lack …

Blue Zones: Unlocking Key Themes In The Centenarian's Life, Grace Beer, Grace O. Beer

Honors College Theses

Longevity has been sought after in certain areas of the world, and there are specific regions where this has been achieved. There is an American average life expectancy of 72 years old, but individuals in “Blue Zones” here in America and other areas of the world are expected to and have proven to live well beyond 100. The areas of Okinawa, Sardinia, Nicoya, Ikaria, and Loma Linda are classified as Blue Zones, and there could be more of an understanding of how these people live the way they do to have such healthy physical outcomes. To deeply understand the strategy …

The Relationship Between People And The Tegu: A Review Of The Literature, Jordan Haley

Honors College Theses

This thesis will explore the relationship humans have had with tegu lizards and how it has evolved over time, from their historical use as a source of leather and bushmeat in South America to their more recent rise in the pet trade and consequential establishment as an invasive species in the United States.

The Butterfly Effect Of Fractals, Cody Watkins

Honors College Theses

This thesis applies concepts in fractal geometry to the relatively new field of mathematics known as chaos theory, with emphasis on the underlying foundation of the field: the butterfly effect. We begin by reviewing concepts useful for an introduction to chaos theory by defining terms such as fractals, transformations, affine transformations, and contraction mappings, as well as proving and demonstrating the contraction mapping theorem. We also show that each fractal produced by the contraction mapping theorem is unique in its fractal dimension, another term we define. We then show and demonstrate iterated function systems and take a closer look at …

Data And Algorithmic Modeling Approaches To Count Data, Andraya Hack

Honors College Theses

Various techniques are used to create predictions based on count data. This type of data takes the form of a non-negative integers such as the number of claims an insurance policy holder may make. These predictions can allow people to prepare for likely outcomes. Thus, it is important to know how accurate the predictions are. Traditional statistical approaches for predicting count data include Poisson regression as well as negative binomial regression. Both methods also have a zero-inflated version that can be used when the data has an overabundance of zeros. Another procedure is to use computer algorithms, also known as …