Digital Commons Network^™

Online Trolling, Harassment, Misinformation: The Psychological Predictors Of Dark Participation, Randy Kim

Master's Theses

This study aims to examine the reasons why certain individuals engage in “dark participation”, antisocial social participation online involving behavior such as trolling, hate speech, harassment, and spreading disinformation. Online toxicity has increasingly destabilized our ability to engage in socially important discourse online, and trolling has such a strong effect on our environment to the point where the 2016 presidential election was, in part, influenced by online trolls. We theorize that dark participation (DP) will be predicted by high levels of moral disengagement (MD), need for chaos (NFC), and meaninglessness in life (MLN) and self concept clarity (SCC). A series …

Deep-Learning Approaches To Predict Remaining Useful Life Of Hard Disks, Rohan Mohapatra

Master's Theses

On a daily basis, data centers process huge volumes of data using inexpensive hard disks. Data stored in these disks serve a range of critical functional needs from financial, and healthcare to aerospace. As such, premature disk failure and consequent loss of data can be catastrophic. To mitigate the risk of failures, cloud storage providers perform condition-based monitoring and replace hard disks before they fail. By estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of hard disk drives, one can predict the time-to-failure of a particular device and replace it at the right time, ensuring maximum utilization whilst reducing operational costs. We …

Self-Efficacy’S Mediating Role On The Relationship Between Personality And Depression In The Unemployed, Christina Tran

Master's Theses

Depression affects 1 in 5 unemployed individuals, holding rank as one of the most prevalent negative effects of unemployment in the United States. Personality is often considered a predictor of the development of depressive symptoms during unemployment however, there is little research to explain the relationship between personality and depression. The purpose of this study was to expand on the relationship between personality and depressive symptoms in the American unemployed population by testing self-efficacy’s mediating effect between personality and depressive symptoms in the American unemployed population. A sample of 121 participants, who were either currently or recently unemployed, completed an …

Confronting The Myths Of “Classical” Keyboard Improvisation: A Historical Evaluation, Examination, And Re-Incorporation Of Improvisation In Contemporary Piano Education And Performance, Kiefer Taylor

Master's Theses

Improvisation has been a highly valued skill in all periods of Western keyboard music. Many composers were also famous as keyboard improvisers and demonstrate the importance of improvisation as a tradition in “classical” keyboard performance. Strangely, today’s pianists, who perform the canonical eighteenth- and nineteenth-century works of these composers, no longer practice or incorporate improvisation into performance and instead play “only from the score.” Improvisation has also disappeared from the modern education of “classical” piano performers. Since improvisation was central to the performance practice of past keyboard repertoire, why does modern piano education not teach improvisation as a standard part …

History Education: Learning History From Community College Students’ Perspectives, Mylinh V. Pham

Dissertations

Given the current political climate of division, the study of history is important now more than ever, but the value of the study of history has been marginalized. This study used student focus groups to understand ways in which history could be taught in such a way that its importance is emphasized through relevance and connection to current social and political issues and through student-centered learning. This study also determined how history could help students evaluate and think critically about historical content. This study drew on the experiences of community college students who have taken a higher education history course …

Leading With An Intercultural Mindset: Leadership Development Programs For International Students, Keri A. Toma Loehrer

Dissertations

This mixed methods study explored co-curricular student leadership development programs that included intercultural learning and were designed for international students studying at higher education institutions in the United States. The study aimed to better understand: (a) common program characteristics; (b) program administrator perceptions; and (c) the international student experience. Data was collected in a two-phase explanatory sequential design, involving surveys and semi-structured interviews. Six main content areas across all programs were identified: (a) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); (b) global engagement; (c) intercultural learning; (d) leadership development; (e) personal and professional development; and (f) supporting the international community. Administrators generally …

Teacher And Student Perspectives Of Technology Use In Elementary School Classrooms, Anthony Oskar Alvarado

Dissertations

This study explored student and teacher perspectives of technology use at Franklin Elementary School in South San José, CA, using qualitative, quantitative, and observational methods, including interviews, observations, and surveys. Thirteen teachers responded to a survey on educational technology use. Among this group, eleven provided interviews, and nine invited classroom observations from 1st through 6th grades. Additionally, sixty-nine 3rd to 6th-grade students were surveyed about their views on technology use. The study found that technology use in teaching is widespread and integral, not just an add-on. Observations and teacher interviews showed high engagement and interest in technology tools, primarily supporting …

What Can We Do To Help? Understanding Policies And Practices Of Schools Related To Unexcused Absences, Shelly K. Masur

Dissertations

School absences figure prominently in student success. It makes sense that students who are in school have a better chance of learning and growing and when they aren’t there, they don’t benefit from what schools have to offer. But when absences are marked unexcused the consequences could be significant, further hindering school success for students. Looking at racial dimensions of attendance could provide an important element to our understanding. This study reviews the literature on student attendance, the history of attendance policy, racial and ethnic dimensions of student attendance policy and how it is applied, and the impact of leadership …

Con Respeto Y Dignidad: Transforming Educational Experiences For Students Of Color By Addressing Disproportionate Discipline Practices, Selene Munoz

Dissertations

Discipline practices wield significant influence over the social dynamics within educational settings and profoundly impact students’ ability to attain academic and social gains crucial for their success. The racialization of school discipline has been linked to negative effects on student’s academic trajectories and life outcomes. Consequently, school administrators can play a crucial role in effecting cultural change within their organizations to support disciplinary practices that uphold students’ educational dignity. This study looked at the strategies employed by secondary level administrators to shift their school cultures aimed at addressing disproportionate disciplinary practices. Using a mixed methods approach, this study draws upon …

An Exploration Of Dimensionality Reduction Of Dynamics On Lie Groups Via Structure-Aware Canonical Correlation Analysis, Wooyoung Chung

Master's Theses

Incorporating prior knowledge into a data-driven modeling problem can drastically improve performance, reliability, and generalization outside of the training sample. The stronger the structural properties, the more effective these improvements become. Manifolds are a powerful nonlinear generalization of Euclidean space for modeling finite dimensions. When additionally assuming that the manifold carries (Lie) group structure, this imposes a drastically stricter global constraint. The range of their applications is very wide and includes the important case of robotic tasks. We apply this idea to Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA). In traditional CCA one constructs a hierarchical sequence of maximal correlations of up to …

Seasonal Dynamics Of The Introduced Sponge Hymeniacidon Perlevis In The Elkhorn Slough, California, Usa, Jackson Hoeke

Master's Theses

Hymeniacidon perlevis is a cosmopolitan sponge with a seasonal life cycle We investigated seasonal and interannual dynamics of H. perlevis in Elkhorn Slough estuary, where it is an introduced species, and explored correlations between sponge cover and environmental conditions. We used sponge cover to estimate the potential effects H. perlevis on its environment and how those could vary across its seasonal life cycle. We found that successful recruitment is currently restricted to the upper estuary and while it varies annually, the frequency and density of sponge recruits have generally increased from 2007 to 2023. A seasonal life cycle was confirmed …

“Lovely Is The Hillside” An Ecocritical Analysis Of The Narrative Function Of Setting Elements In Njal’S Saga, Michelle Fae Jones

Master's Theses

This paper uses an ecocritical lens to examine the portrayal of Iceland’s physical environment in Njal’s Saga. Drawing on historical and scientific context, this paper applies the ecocritical lens using an interdisciplinary approach to explore how the author crafted a narrative that idealizes Iceland’s Saga Age, selectively highlighting aspects of the environment that align with a vision of the land’s fertility and the people’s honor. This paper seeks to uncover the nuances of the author’s portrayal through a comparative analysis of four English translations of the saga. Applying the ecocritical lens allows for a deeper discussion of the implications for …

Furman, Burford J., San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

Stanford University, Mechanical Engineering, Ph.D. 1991

University of California, Davis ‐ Mechanical Engineering, M.S. 1982

University of California, Davis ‐ Mechanical Engineering, B.S. 1980

Drabble, Laurie A., San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

University of California, Berkeley, Social Welfare, 2001 PhD

University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health 1998 MPH

California State University, Long Beach, Social Work 1993 M.S.W.

California State University, Los Angeles, Social Work 1985 B.A.

Stuenkel, Diane, San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

• University Of San Francisco, Ed.D. 2002
• CSU-San Jose, California, Nursing Education, United States, M.S. 1994
• Valparaiso University, Indiana, United States, Nursing, B.S. 1977

Awareness And Use Of Open Access (Oa) Initiatives In Ensuring Free Access To Information Among Librarians In Academic Libraries In Nigeria, Glory Edet, Millie Nne Horsfall

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study was carried out to investigate the Awareness and Use of Open Access Initiatives in Ensuring Free Access to Information in Academic Libraries in Nigeria. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study. Five research objectives and five research questions were formulated to guide the study. The population of this study comprised librarians in academic libraries in South-South, Nigeria. Data for the study was collected using a structured questionnaire developed by the researcher and was administered online using Google forms. 62 forms were filled and submitted from the professional platforms. The study used frequency counts and percentages …

Hendrick, Timothy, San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

Brigham Young University, M.A. 1982

California State University, Northridge, Psychology, B.A. 1971

Salsburg Institute, (Salsburg, Austria), Fellow

Lindholm-Leary, Kathryn J., San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

University of California, Los Angeles ,Psychology, Ph.D. 1981

University of California, Los Angeles, Psychology, M.A. 1977

University of California, Santa Barbara, Psychology, B.A, 1976

Mckee, Alison L., San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Film, Ph.D 2003

University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of English, M.A. 1985

University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of English, B.A. 1983

Kauppila, Paul (1960-2022), San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

University of Texas at Austin, Graduate School of Library & Information Science, MLIS, 1993

San Francisco State University, Broadcast Communication Arts, BA 1989

Kendall, Susan L., San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, History, 1980 M.A.

University of Denver, Library Science, 1972 M.A.

St. Louis University, History, 1969 B.A.

Automated Fuel Vending Machine, Kush Desai

Student RSCA

This paper introduced an Automated Fuel Vending Machine system meticulously designed to address fuel dispensing challenges in developing countries. Traditional vending machines entail significant yearly installation costs and substantially burden economies with limited resources. This system emerged as a practical solution to alleviate long queues at petrol pumps, particularly in densely populated regions such as India. The system reduced labor costs and simplified fuel dispensing by eliminating the need for a salesperson. The design focused on creating a cost-effective and easily installable solution, meeting the modern demand for efficient and rapid service. The automated system proved a feasible alternative, offering …

Liu, Mengxiong, San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, School of Informational & Library Studies, Ph.D., 1990

University of Denver, Denver, CO, Graduate School of Librarianship & Information Management, M.L.S., 1983

International Studies University, Shanghai, China, English Department, B.A., 1968

Unlocking Icu Barriers: Investigating The Challenges Of Early Progressive Mobility, Leslie S. Bigler

Doctoral Projects

Approximately 800,000 patients in the United States annually are admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to critical illnesses and prolonged immobility contributes to poor patient outcomes. While existing data demonstrates early and progressive mobility helps improve outcomes, adherence remains inconsistent for a variety of reasons such as safety concerns, staffing, and lack of knowledge and confidence of mobilization techniques. This quality improvement project, conducted in a 20-bed Medical Intensive Care Unit, asked staff to identify barriers to adherence to mobility protocols. Nurse managers and clinical educators play a crucial role in addressing these issues using strategies such as …

Smart City Community Watch—Camera-Based Community Watch For Traffic And Illegal Dumping, Nupur Pathak, Gangotri Biswal, Megha Goushal, Vraj Mistry, Palak Shah, Fenglian Li, Jerry Gao

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Highlights: What are the main findings? The smart city community watch program developed using YOLOv5 for object detection and DeepSORT for multi-object tracking achieves 97% accuracy in detecting illegal dumping. The web-based application integrates person detection, trash detection, license plate detection and extraction, and a decision algorithm aiding government agencies to monitor and effectively manage illegal dumping. What are the implications of the main findings? With the 97% detection accuracy and real-time detection capabilities of the YOLOv5- and DeepSORT-based solution, this solution can help in saving government expenditure to clean up illegal dumping. The solution can be integrated with smart …

Digitization Of Photo Archives As An Effort To Preserve Information At The Library And Archives Service Of Bantul, Yogyakarta - Indonesia, Yeni Rahmawati, Dwi Ridho Aulianto

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Photo archives are valuable sources of information with historical and cultural significance and, therefore, need to be preserved. However, the fragile and vulnerable physical condition of photo archives and the limited adequate storage facilities pose particular challenges for regional archival institutions like the Library and Archives Service of Bantul Regency (DISPUSIP Bantul). To address this issue, DISPUSIP Bantul has undertaken efforts to digitize photo archives to preserve the information they contain. This research aims to understand the process of digitizing photo archives undertaken by DISPUSIP Bantul. The research method used is descriptive qualitative, with data collection techniques through interviews and …

Ai And Lifelong Learning: Examining Ai’S Role In Lifelong Learning And Professional Development., Victor Omeiza Jatto, Oluwadamisola Modupe Olayemi, Morakinyo Sunday Fakunle

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed educational paradigms and professional development, altering how knowledge is acquired, refined, and applied throughout an individual's life. This paper explores the pivotal role(s) of AI in facilitating lifelong learning—a continuous, voluntary pursuit of knowledge driven by individual and professional motivations. AI's capability to personalize learning experiences, provide real-time feedback, and predict future learning needs is fundamental to this transformation. Key applications of AI in education include intelligent coaching systems, adaptive learning platforms, and AI-powered tools such as virtual tutors and chatbots. These technologies have confirmed significant potential in enhancing learning outcomes, reducing …

Ultrathin Boron Growth Onto Nanodiamond Surfaces Via Electrophilic Boron Precursors, Krishna Govindaraju, Tyanna Supreme, Daniel N. Labunsky, Nicole Martin, Juan Miguel Del Rosario, Alana Washington, Ezhioghode O. Uwadiale, Solomon Adjei, Sandra Ladjadj, Cynthia V. Melendrez, Sang Jun Lee, Maria V. Altoe, Avery Green, Sebastian Riano, Sami Sainio, Dennis Nordlund, Abraham Wolcott

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Diamond as a templating substrate is largely unexplored, and the unique properties of diamond, including its large bandgap, thermal conductance, and lack of cytotoxicity, makes it versatile in emergent technologies in medicine and quantum sensing. Surface termination of an inert diamond substrate and its chemical reactivity are key in generating new bonds for nucleation and growth of an overlayer material. Oxidized high-pressure high temperature (HPHT) nanodiamonds (NDs) are largely terminated by alcohols that act as nucleophiles to initiate covalent bond formation when an electrophilic reactant is available. In this work, we demonstrate a templated synthesis of ultrathin boron on ND …

Moving Towards The Electrification Of Medium- And Heavy-Duty Vehicles In The Inland Empire, Kimberly Collins, Raffi Der Wartanian, Francisca Beer, Yunfei Hou

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report investigates the transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MDHD) within California’s Inland Empire (IE), emphasizing the significance of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and opportunity charging strategies in facilitating sustainable transportation. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach that combines a systematic literature review, geospatial and big data analytics, and thematic analysis of expert interviews, the study explores the multifaceted challenges and opportunities of electrification. The literature review assesses policies at various governance levels, while geospatial analysis identifies regional traffic patterns and infrastructure needs. Big data analytics examine vehicle movements, complemented by insights from interviews with 16 regional experts, offering a …

Threat And Hazard Identification And Risk Assessment (Thira) Guidance For Railroads, Frances L. Edwards, Daniel C. Goodrich

Mineta Transportation Institute

Climate change creates new challenges for all critical transportation infrastructure, especially for railroads with an open system that is continuously exposed to the elements. A Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) is a necessary first step for an organization to understand the challenges and develop strategies for adaptation to them. In many cases, the railroad sector is uniquely positioned to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions through mitigation steps. This guide will assist railroad risk managers and emergency managers to evaluate the risks and determine how best to respond to them through preparation, mitigation, or adaptation. The THIRA is the …