Digital Commons Network^™

Are You Your Expert's Keeper? Assessing The Impact Of Generative Ai And Expert Testimony, Hon. John G. Browning

Nova Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Ai Trap: How Over-Reliance On Generative Ai Undermines Professional Development For Law Students And Young Attorneys, Jane E. Cross

Nova Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Divide Of Women’S Health: Systematic Thinking Of Women, Tasfia T. Howlader

Honors Theses

Women’s health has constantly been changing- from public health infrastructure to health policies, and even medical advancements. Yet, the struggles are persistent within the gaps present in women’s health. The Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) explains interactions between different levels of relationships, which result in health outcomes that vary from individual factors to environmental factors. Applying the SEM to describe health disparities can help explain how the relationships an individual has influenced their health. This project serves to exemplify these different levels while discussing the tailoring of services to the needs and the importance of populations based on their experiences. Specifically, adhering …

Mosaics: An Artist’S Thesis Of Identity Through Memory And Belonging, Sofia I. Menco

Honors Theses

Conceptually, this thesis engages visually with Magical Realism as pioneered by Colombian writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, as well as the symbolic color fields of Colombian painter Alejandro Obregon, and the narrative portraiture of Spanish illustrator, David de las Heras, by situating my personal narratives within broader themes of memory, color symbolism and faith-based art. Having this visual research in mind, I drew a lot of inspiration from Colombian Artisan Practices such as Mochilas Wayuu and the folkloric colors of such. At the same time, I explored the sociological and religious lens coming from a theoretical approach of George Hebert Mead’s …

Paradise Lost And Character Motivation: Sinful Behavior Or Inferiority Complex?, Esperanza Barrios

Honors Theses

Sin is a concept that is always viewed through a religious perspective. But, through Paradise Lost, John Milton was able to bring further understanding towards human nature and one’s own sense of committing what’s perceived as sinful behavior without the veil of religion glazing over academics' understanding. In religious terms, sinful behavior is the idea of defying God’s commandments, but for this research, sinful behavior may be described as abnormal behavior that damages our best interests and relationships, usually for selfish gains. Each of Milton’s main characters, Satan, Adam, and Eve, fell from grace because all three damaged their relationship …

The Effects Of Vestibular Dysfunction On Cognition, Sai Puneeth Kothuru

Honors Theses

Virtual Reality (VR) systems are being used more in education, entertainment, and research, but can produce motion sickness that could temporarily disrupt cognitive functioning. This study examined whether exposure to a VR roller coaster experience leads to short-term changes in cognitive flexibility, attention, spatial orientation awareness, and anxiety compared to a control condition. Participants were randomly assigned to a VR condition or a computer-based 2D viewing condition with identical roller coaster visual content. Participants completed three testing blocks: baseline, after exposure, and after a 10-minute recovery period. Cognitive flexibility and attention were assessed using the Trail Making Test (TMT), and …

Contributor Biographies

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

The Lady Of My Dreams, Thaily Jeanty

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Metacognition On College Readiness And Persistence, Michael L. Fitzgerald

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined the influence that metacognition has on college readiness and its most traditionally used metrics: performance-based outcomes and persistence. Specifically, this study addressed to what degree underlying metacognitive structures differ between college students’ successful metrics of performance and persistence compared to a more general sample of college students.

The research characterized metacognition along three domains of analysis: (a) selfefficacy/ motivation, (b) soft skills/psychological capital (Psycap), and (c) expected value of control (EVC). The quantitative study included 54 college students and a crosssectional design. Participants completed a four-part Likert-style survey, where their responses were measured along the three …

Effect Of Employees’ Breakfast Choices On Energy Levels In The Hispanic Population Working In Healthcare In South Florida, Jennifer Rivas

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the effect of employees’ breakfast choices on perceived energy levels among Hispanic healthcare workers in South Florida. As breakfast consumption has been widely associated with cognitive function, productivity, and metabolic stability, this research focused on understanding how specific breakfast patterns influence daily energy in a population that plays a critical role in regional healthcare delivery.

A qualitative survey was developed by the researcher and was used to collect data from Hispanic employees working in a variety of healthcare settings. Participants completed a structured survey assessing breakfast habits, nutritional quality, frequency of consumption, and …

Instructional Systems Design In Lesson Planning For Substance Use Treatment Groups: A Mixed Methods Exploratory Study, Michelle Robin Gould

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored lesson planning for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment groups, investigating the presence of components from the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) instructional systems design (ISD) process in routine facilitator lesson planning practices. Using an exploratory mixed-methods convergent parallel design, data were collected via an online survey featuring closed- and open-ended questions regarding self-reported planning activities and perceived effectiveness. Quantitative analysis confirmed that SUD facilitators perform tasks associated with all five ADDIE phases. Qualitative findings showed that facilitators perceive themselves as effective planners despite logistical and organizational constraints. However, facilitators do not appear to conceptually link instructional …

The Interaction Between Academic Self-Efficacy And Social Support: Exploring Moderation Effects On Academic Performance And Emotional Well-Being During The Transition To Secondary School, Luis Josué Ortiz Martes

Theses and Dissertations

The transition to secondary school can intensify academic demands and emotional strain, making it a critical context for examining students’ psychological and social resources. This applied dissertation examined whether perceived social support (SS) moderates the association among academic self-efficacy (ASE), academic performance (AP) and emotional well-being (EWB) among seventh-grade students at a private, multilingual school in Puerto Rico. Using a time-lagged, nonexperimental correlational design, 14 students completed the academic subscale of the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (SEQ-C) and the Social Support Appraisals Scale (SS-A) at the start of the academic year; EWB was assessed at midyear with the Negative and …

Screen Time Use, Reading Achievement, And Thinking Maps: A Correlational Study Of Fifth-Grade Students, Morgan Brooke Unger

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was the fixation of screen time among fifth-grade students at a kindergarten to Grade 12 private school in South Florida. By the time children reach age 12, 69% of adolescents own a smartphone. The purpose of this study was designed to determine (a) the relationship between screen time use and reading achievement among fifth graders, (b) the relationship between parents’ awareness of their child’s screen time use and their child’s actual screen time use, and (c) how well fifth-grade students’ Thinking Maps illustrate the problems associated with screen time fixation at a kindergarten to …

Why Educators In South Florida Are Leaving The Profession, Keyona Burnes

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide better access to current information for the students and staff in a middle school. The printed materials located in the school’s media center were outdated, scarce, or inadequate. Electronic databases were available in the media center for online searching and information retrieval. However, the students did not know how to use databases as a source for completing class assignments or how to browse within these online services to find additional information. Teachers also did not know how to use electronic information to enrich their lessons.

The researcher developed lesson plans and strategies to …

A Case Study Of Employees’ Perception Of Leadership Styles In Law Firms, Naylet M. Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation explored employees' perceptions of their supervisors’ leadership styles and how those perceptions shape their job performance and satisfaction within a mid-sized personal injury law firm operating across multiple offices in the Southeastern United States. The effectiveness of leadership styles in law firms significantly influences employee performance, productivity, and organizational success, yet the unique contextual factors of legal practice environments have remained substantially underexplored in the leadership literature. Much of the existing research has focused on general organizational settings rather than the knowledge-intensive, hierarchical, and high-pressure dynamics that characterize law firms. This applied dissertation was designed to address …

Balancing Care And Chaos: A Phenomenological Study On The Emotional And Mental Health Challenges Of Emergency Department Nurses, Shantilee Green

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of emergency department nurses related to emotional and mental health challenges, coping with stress, and ways to provide them with better workplace support. Emergency department nurses are required to work 12-hour shifts in a high-stress environment with a significant patient load and an inadequate patient-to-nurse ratio. Emergency department nurses are exposed daily to patient events that can be traumatic and affect their mental and emotional health, and nurses may find it challenging to cope with the resultant stress.

The researcher created an interview protocol of 14 questions to …

El Estrés Laboral Como Factor De Riesgo En El Rendimiento De Los Docentes De Una Institución Privada De Educación Superior En Puerto Rico, Sarahi Alvarado Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

Los seres humanos en diferentes momentos de su vida han experimentado lo que es el estrés, y las organizaciones de una forma u otra han buscado disminuir o eliminarlo dentro del entorno laboral. El estrés laboral es un factor determinante en el desempeño laboral, las enfermedades y la estabilidad emocional de los recursos humanos en las organizaciones. Este trabajo se enmarca en un enfoque cualitativo a través de un estudio fenomenológico.

El propósito de este estudio fue valorar la incidencia del estrés laboral como factor de riesgo en el rendimiento de los Docentes de una Institución Privada de Educación Superior …

Impact Of Job Demands On Performance, Satisfaction, And Environment, Michelle Chin Loy

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined the relationships between job resources, job demands, work engagement, perceived stress, and job satisfaction among university employees. The target participants for the study were employees at an academic institution in the South Florida area. The researcher e-mailed two surveys to the employees, and a response rate of 20% was achieved. One survey was conducted to assess the psychosocial work environment factors, and the impact on the employees’ well-being. The sub-scales used were Job Resources, Job Demands, Well-being outcomes, and Stress. The other survey measured the work engagement, the employees’ well-being, and how they experience enthusiasm, commitment, …

The Effectiveness Of Behavioral Skills Training In Enhancing Teachers’ Ability To Write Specific, Measurable, And Individualized Iep Goals Targeting Quality-Of-Life Skills, Emilia Endean

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation sought to assess the effectiveness of a behavior skills training (BST) protocol in improving teacher behaviors for writing high-quality individualized education plan (IEP) goals that target quality-of-life (QoL) domains. High-quality IEP goals that target both academic and functional repertoires are required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) and are essential for students with disabilities to achieve meaningful outcomes. BST is an effective intervention for teaching a variety of skills. No prior research has explicitly examined the application of BST for teacher professional development in writing IEP goals.

This single-subject study used a time-lagged multiple probe …

Teachers’ Experiences Implementing An Ai-Supported Reading Program In Kindergarten Through Grade 2: A Generic Qualitative Study, Janet Harrell

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was completed to explore kindergarten through grade 2 teachers’ experiences implementing an artificial intelligence (AI)-supported reading program during literacy instruction. Guided by a generic qualitative design, the study was designed to examine how teachers prepared to use the program, integrated it into daily literacy instruction, used AI-generated data to inform instructional decision-making, and experienced the instructional and contextual conditions that supported or hindered implementation. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 10 kindergarten through grade 2 teachers with experience using Amira Learning. Data were collected through semi structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Four themes emerged from …

General And Special Education Teachers’ Collaboration And Co-Teaching Experience In Inclusive High School Classrooms, Pascale Atouriste

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative descriptive study explored the collaboration and co-teaching experiences of general and special education high school teachers in inclusive high school classrooms in Florida. Guided by Pratt's achieving symbiosis theory, the study addressed three re-search questions concerning teachers' perceptions of (a) the benefits of co-teaching and collaboration, (b) the challenges they encounter, and (c) the strategies they find most helpful. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 general and special education teachers at a public high school in Florida and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-step reflexive thematic analysis procedure.

Six themes emerged from the data. For RQ1, …

Estudio De Necesidades De Formación Continua Del Maestro En Las Áreas De Matemáticas Y Lectoescritura Para La Enseñanza De Estudiantes De Preescolar En Head Start, Briseida Benítez González

Theses and Dissertations

La presente disertación aplicada fue diseñada con el propósito de identificar las necesidades de formación continua del maestro preescolar en la enseñanza de matemáticas y lectoescritura en el programa Head Start en el Municipio de Humacao en Puerto Rico. La investigación respondió a tres preguntas de investigación donde se identificaron los componentes metodológicos de alfabetización temprana, así como en matemáticas, necesarios para mejorar la calidad de la enseñanza en preescolar. Para el diseño de esta investigación se utilizó el método cuantitativo con un enfoque descriptivo experimental de carácter exploratorio transversal. La muestra estuvo constituida por 33 educadores y los datos …

Does Integrating Parental Involvement In Therapy Improve Behavior In Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?, Pamela Lassiter

Theses and Dissertations

The research problem was the lower success rate of interventions for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) because of the exclusion of parents in the counseling process. The purpose of the research was to explore if integrating parent involvement in therapy improved the behaviors in children with ADHD. The study occurred at a private mental health facility that used cognitive behavior therapy and behavior interventions with the children.

The study was guided by the phenomenological qualitative research design. Ten single parents of male children, ages 4 to 10 with ADHD, participated in this study. Parents were selected using a …

Fairness: Examining Support And Resources Available To Respondents In Title Ix Cases, Emanuel Jerome Oliver

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored how higher education institutions develop Title IX procedures to ensure respondents receive fair treatment from the outset of the adjudication process. It also examined how colleges and universities provide resources and support to respondents throughout the Title IX process. The study used semi structured interviews with Title IX Coordinators at various higher education institutions to understand how they have developed practices to support respondents.

Findings revealed that higher education institutions have developed various methods to support respondents in the Title IX process. The goal of the Title IX process is to ensure that respondents receive the …

Human Resources Professionals’ Perceptions About Employment And Retention Of Women With A Substance Abuse History: A Qualitative Study, Mary Harris

Theses and Dissertations

This study was an exploration of human resources professionals’ (HRP) perceptions about employment and retention of women with a substance abuse disorder history. Job embeddedness was used as a critical lens to understand HRPs’ motivations for their actions and to gain insight into their choices.

A generic qualitative methodology was used to understand the complexity of HRPs’ experiences in employing and retaining women with substance use disorder history. The data-collection method consisted of semi structured interviews of 10 HRPs from midsize organizations in the Southeast Florida region.

The results of the thematic analysis revealed 10 themes that addressed the research …

The Influence Of Haitian Immigrants’ Culture On Academic Outcomes At Elementary Level, Tonnette Samuels

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how teachers, parents, and administrators perceived the influence of Haitian cultural values and practices on the organizational culture and academic outcomes of elementary students in a southern United States county. Guided by the resource-based view theory, which frames culture as an intangible organizational asset, the study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to examine the lived experiences of five participants, including three teachers, one parent, and one school administrator. Data were collected through semi structured interviews and analyzed to develop personal experiential themes for each participant and group experiential themes across cases.

The study’s findings generated four group …

Perceptions Of Black And African American Nurses On Leadership And Access To Professional Opportunities In Healthcare Within A Multicultural Workplace And How This May Impact Their Decision Making: A Phenomenological Study, Saeeka S. Richards

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation is designed to provide a more compelling understanding of the perceptions of leadership and access to professional opportunities in healthcare within a multicultural workplace among Black and African American nurses. It is designed to explore their feelings and actions in dealing within a multicultural workplace as these relate to how they view leadership and how they perceive professional opportunities in their field. It will highlight how they manage themselves and cope with feelings of cultural dissonance when aspects of their own culture may collide with characteristics of other cultures. This research aims to bring awareness to the …

Crisis In Care: A Qualitative Study To Understand The Factors That Influence High Turnover Among Florida’S Child Welfare Case Managers, Latasha R. Harris

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation explores the factors influencing child welfare case manager turnover in Florida and how child welfare case managers are addressing those factors. National data has underscored the severity of this issue highlighting high turnover and low staff retention are attributed to work demand instability, chronic stressors and undermine the effectiveness of child welfare services.

This qualitative study investigates child welfare case managers’ perspectives on key influencing factors that determine child welfare case manager retention or influence their decision to leave. Guided by Motivation and Resiliency Theories, this qualitative descriptive study investigates child welfare case manager perspectives of why …

True Love, Thaily Jeanty

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.