Digital Commons Network^™

Visual Narratives Of Forced Displacement, Schooling, And Re-Settlement Among Refugee And Asylum-Seeking Students In Grand Forks, Nd, Pempho Chinkondenji, Giovanni Whyte

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

This study examines how school-aged refugee and asylum-seeking students, most of them girls from the "Global South," experience schooling, resettlement, and belonging within the Grand Forks community and the broader U.S. education system. Using a two-phase visual/arts-based participatory design, the research team engaged 34 co-researchers from various countries including Somalia, Afghanistan, Liberia, Burundi, Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico, and Guinea Conakry. In the first phase, 20 co-researchers aged 14 to 20 took part in a photovoice study, using photography, focus groups, and interviews to document their lived experiences. A subsequent arts-based Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project extended this work through comics, …

Rosier, Donelly Fuglseth

Floodwall Magazine

No abstract provided.

Drumming In Spring, Mary Moroney-Fernandez

The Cicadian

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Emotional Dysregulation In Anorexia, Grace Larson

Psychology Student Publications

An examination of the role of emotional dysregulation in the development and maintenance of Anorexia Nervosa. Discusses the overlapping factors including emotional awareness and regulation, social threat attention biases, perfectionistic personality traits, and childhood trauma.

Supporting Occupational Competence Among American Indian/ Alaska Native Students, Adam Nadeau

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) students face significant systemic barriers in higher education, resulting in the lowest enrollment and graduation rates of any student cohort (Dabdoub et al., 2025; McMillan et al., 2025). Challenges such as cultural discontinuity and a lack of supportive “counterspaces” often led to occupational alienation and deprivation (Buckingham et al., 2023; Fetter et al., 2024; McMillan et al., 2025; Reitz & Graham, 2019). There is a critical need for culturally grounded interventions that address the unique needs of these students to foster a sense of belonging (Delgado-Guerrero & Gloria, 2025; Kuchynka et al., 2025). …

A Survey Of Student Opinions About A Haiku Writing Assignment, Manish Rami

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications

This study examined the instructional value of a haiku writing assignment (HWA) from the graduate students’ perspective via a survey of their opinions. Fifty-eight students wrote and submitted haiku over the course of a semester. A 10-item survey instrument was used to elicit students’ opinions about the assignment. The probability of responses to each of the items on the survey was compared to chance occurrence. Chi-Square tests found that students enjoyed the assignment and the example haiku; they believed that the assignment helped them grasp concepts and be more engaged with the course content; and recommended the use of such …

Identity Formation Through The Lived Experiences Of Immigrant Muslim High School Students, Badera Muhanna

Theses and Dissertations

The growing number of Muslim students enrolled in U.S. public schools necessitates a more comprehensive understanding of their unique experiences within their educational environments. This phenomenological qualitative study investigated Muslim students' perceptions of their lived experiences in a high school in the Northern Great Plains of the United States. Six Muslim students in their junior and senior years were selected to participate in semi-structured interviews. Through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study aimed to deepen understanding of how Muslim students develop their sense of identity and the factors that contribute to this development. The findings revealed that …

Toward An Anthropological Ecocriticism, Grant Mcmillan

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental storytelling has increasingly reckoned with concepts and assumptions about (N/a)ture inherited from the Western intellectual tradition. The late 2010s and early 2020s in particular have seen an explosion of fiction that interrogates the limits of these past ideas. Relatedly, ecocriticism of this period has entered a self-reflexive mode that has sought to deal with its own limitations while offering insights that may prove generative for a more general audience of environmentally minded readers. This project adds to ongoing ecocritical discourse by tracing a series of implicit affinities between the broad traditions of anthropology and environmental fiction through their shared …

Looking At Teacher Knowledge, Skills, And Dispositions To Create School-Wide English Learning, Grace Elizabeth Allely

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation-in-practice addresses the gap between teacher preparation and the rapidly growing multilingual learner population in U.S. public schools, where one in four students is classified as an English Learner yet only half of states mandate specialized teacher training for this population. Grounded in sociocultural learning theory, the know-do gap framework, and implementation science principles, this qualitative study investigates how the School-Wide English Learning (SWEL) peer coaching model bridges the divide between educators' theoretical knowledge and classroom application. Through focus group interviews with eleven general education teachers who participated in SWEL coaching for at least six months in Minnesota District …

Understanding Ai Literacy: Implications For Practice​, Devon Olson, Janet Anderson, Sara Westall

Librarian Publications

Presentation from the 2025 Mountain Plains Library Association Tri-Conference, held in Grand Forks, ND. This presentation provides an overview of basic AI concepts and frameworks for AI literacy, discussing the impact of different patron and learner demographics on learner needs, competencies, and instructional strategies.

Anishinaabe Nibiing: Anishinaabe Waterscapes And Canoe Building As Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Jeremy Kingsbury

The Cicadian

This paper explores the cultural, ecological, and technological significance of birch bark canoe (wiigwaasi-jiimaan) building among the Anishinaabe people, emphasizing their identity as an inland maritime society. Drawing on historical accounts, oral traditions, and personal experience as a park ranger, the author examines the intricate process of harvesting materials and constructing canoes, highlighting the deep environmental knowledge and gendered labor involved. The canoe served not only as a vital means of transportation and subsistence—facilitating fishing, wild rice harvesting, and seasonal migration—but also as a symbol of familial and spiritual connection. Through detailed descriptions of material selection and craftsmanship, …

Potential Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On The Practice And Profession Of Speech-Language Pathology: A Working Paper, Manish Rami

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications

This paper explores the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the profession of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP). AI is widely recognized as a transformative force, presenting opportunities across both service delivery and professional practice in SLP. This paper examines how AI may partially or fully automate and augment key tasks such as screening, assessment, and treatment. It also addresses associated challenges, including data bias and the “black box” problem while advocating for proactive engagement with AI technologies. Finally, the paper posits that AI will reshape the field, serving as a collaborative partner for SLPs, enhancing efficiency, and expanding access to …

Quality Improvement Of Technical Training Program For Mls/Mlt Hires, Bethany E. Johnson, Allison Waswick, Heather Langerud

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

As a pinnacle of clinical support services, the laboratory department plays a crucial role in diagnostic medicine. Given the highly technical and regulated nature of clinical laboratories, training, education and competency are important. Meta analysis was conducted to review several important aspects of a quality training program. These aspects include barriers to effective training and competency programs, laboratory regulatory requirements, current processes for clinical training, continuing education and good laboratory practices. Research into these aspects will help learn how to improve the overall initial training and competency for new laboratory professionals. There is a need to reduce patient safety errors …

The Psychology Of Lying And Deception, Ariah Mcclintic

Psychology Student Publications

This paper inspects the psychology behind the human behavior of lying and deception, the motivations behind why people lie, the mental effort involved, and the challenges of detecting deception. It explores the social influences, gender differences, and high-stakes situations, as well as the limitations of popular lie detection methods. This paper emphasizes the complexities of accurately identifying deception and lies, specifically highlighting truth biases and individual differences, which further challenge detection.

University Faculty Research Competence: A Systematic Literature Review Of Core Components, Distinctions, And Measures, Muhammad Salahuddin, Robert H. Stupnisky

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

Recent studies identified that faculty research productivity increased when they felt competent in conducting research. Faculty level of research competency varies due to academic training, context, country, discipline, and experiences; however, what is faculty research competency? The core competencies of faculty research are unclear; thus, the current study systematically reviewed the literature. Researchers used Boolean searches of four popular databases to identify 553 articles for first-level screening. These yielded 46 peer-reviewed journal articles for full-text analysis, six of which focused on faculty populations (40 on non-faculty). Six core components of faculty research proficiency were identified: finding and reviewing literature, planning …

Volume Viii, Fall 2025, International Anchoritic Society

International Anchoritic Society Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Life Is Just A Classroom: Student Perceptions Of Courses Incorporating Popular Culture, Virginia Clinton-Lisell

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

Some faculty design and teach college courses that incorporate popular culture, presumably to engage and spark interest in students. The purpose of this study is to examine student perceptions of courses that incorporate popular culture. College students (N = 464) were randomly assigned to read a course description and learning objectives that incorporated popular culture in general, the specific popular cultural celebrity Taylor Swift, or no mention of popular culture (control). Incorporating popular culture generally or specific to Taylor Swift had no overall effects on topic interest in the course or likelihood to enroll. However, students with greater interest in …

Practical Necromancy For Beginners: A Short Incomplete Opinionated Introduction To Artificial Intelligence For Archaeology And History Students, Shawn Graham

Digital Press Books

Many feel bewildered and quietly embarrassed that they don’t know more about how AI technology works, where it came from, or even how to get started. Start here.

Practical Necromancy represents Shawn Graham’s vision for how we should treat large language model (LLM) artificial intelligence applications. Graham advocates approaching these technologies as a necromancer. In antiquity, the figure of the necromancer lay outside the boundaries of official religion, talking not with gods but with the mournful echoes of ghosts. Practical Necromancy explores ways of surfacing the ghosts that lurk in AI technology. Graham suggests that the most useful thing we …

Exploring The Concepts Of Rematriation And The Sugpiaq/Alutiiq People’S Traditional Values And Ways Of Being To Address Historical Trauma: A Qualitative Study, Tara Lynn Christiansen-Stiller

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a collaborative exploration of the intersection of traditional Sugpiaq/Alutiiq values, historical trauma, and the process of rematriation. It aims to understand how these elements contribute to healing, resilience, and identity restoration within the Sugpiaq/Alutiiq community. Utilizing a qualitative research approach grounded in Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study engages in in-depth interviews with Alutiiq elders, cultural leaders, and community members. Their lived experiences and perceptions are integral to the research process. The study seeks to uncover how Sugpiaq/Alutiiq cultural values, such as community solidarity, connection to land, and spirituality, protect against the impacts of historical trauma. Additionally, …

An Archaeology Of The Red River Of The North, Michael G. Michlovic

Digital Press Books

An Archaeology of the Red River of the North offers an expansive survey of the indigenous cultures and peoples in the region of the Red River from the recession of Lake Agassiz around 9000 years ago to the intrusion of the Europeans. Beginning with an overview of the practice of regional archaeology and a justification for its pursuit, Michael Michlovic uses a traditional culture-historical sequence as a framework to incorporate archaeological studies from the late nineteenth century to the present time. Relevant research in fields such as ethnohistory, ethnography, radiometric dating, paleoecology, and geomorphology are used throughout the presentation. Dozens …

Benefits Of Nature-Based Play For Children: An Educational Resource For Parents, Kaitlyn Peterson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: In recent years, children’s use of technology has increased, decreasing the time they spend playing in natural contexts and time spent building the parent-child relationship. The lack of time spent in outdoor contexts has negative influences on the child’s overall health and well-being. The time a child spends with their parent is vitally important for a child’s development, view of the world, and sense of belonging. Parents assist children throughout development by supporting their understanding of themselves and the world, along with supporting the child’s ability to communicate with their parents. Interactions with technology, particularly overuse, can influence a …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Motivations, Persistence And Challenges Of African Immigrant Adult Learners In Community Colleges In Minnesota, Saah Jackson Delu Kpakar

Theses and Dissertations

African Immigrant Adult Learners (AIAL) are considered an exclusive demographic group who left Africa and obtained permanent residency in the United States. They experience a wide range of challenges in their quest for postsecondary education, which impact their access, persistence, and academic success. The purpose of this qualitative study based on a phenomenological approach was to explore the factors that motivate African Immigrant Adult Learners and enable them to persist and remain resilient in their pursuit of higher education at community colleges in Minnesota. The theories that guided this research are the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (STT). …

Cultural Competency Of The Interprofessional Team In Burn Care Through An Occupational Therapy Model, Brooklyn Wiest

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Burn injuries are considered one of the most devastating injuries globally (Farzan et al., 2023). Those suffering from serious burns are likely to be affected in all areas of life (physical, social, mental, emotional, spiritual, environmental, intellectual, and psychological) (Abrams et al., 2016). Some of these impacts include changes in appearance, social isolation, stress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, employment, financial burden, and family problems. These are devastating outcomes are seen throughout diverse populations (Nair & Adetayo, 2019). As diverse populations are rising, an increase in equitable medical care is needed (Peters et al., 2022). Education and increasing awareness of culturally …

Caregiver Education In Early Intervention, Payton Schilke

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Early intervention services are provided for children ages birth to three years who have identified developmental delays (North Dakota Health and Human Services, n.d.). Services that are provided in early intervention include home visits, consultations, and parent coaching from a multidisciplinary team (North Dakota Health and Human Services, n.d.). The health-related practices of parents during the first two years of their children’s lives plays an important role in terms of influencing children’s health and development (Boelsma et al., 2021). It is the responsibility of the caregivers to utilize the information that is provided and implement within the child’s daily …

Congolese Refugee Narratives Of Belonging, Grief, And Cultural Continuity In Appalachia, Kayla Davis

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the communicative challenges that Congolese refugees face after resettlement, particularly as they strive to reconstruct a sense of belonging in the United States that reflects their experiences in either their home country or secondary countries where they endured protracted displacement in refugee camps. Narrative qualitative research methods were used to conduct interviews with five Congolese refugees in Appalachia. Through qualitative thematic and lexical analysis derived from the interviews, the study reveals patterns of linguistic isolation, community continuity, and emotional displacement. A key finding is that participants often conceptualize community not as a geographic entity, but as an …

Understanding Provider Perspectives To Strengthen Materal Care In North Dakota: 2025 Non Birthing Facility Provider Survey Report, Juliana Antwi, Andrew Williams

Public Health Faculty Publications

A survey-based snapshot of provider experiences, gaps, and opportunities in prenatal and postpartum care -- informing the path toward better outcomes for facilities and mothers.

Measuring The Clinical Effectiveness Of Telenutrition Medical Nutrition Therapy Among American Indian And Alaska Native Adults Newly Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes, Charisse Lindsey Holiday

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 global pandemic was the impetus of the transition from in-person medical nutrition therapy (MNT) visits to telephone MNT. This occurred without evaluation of its clinical effectiveness, especially for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). It is known that in-person MNT is clinically effective at lowering hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and that people with diabetes who experience food insecurity have poorer health. However, research characterizing food insecurity among AI/ANs is limited. This retrospective observational analytical study was conducted at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center (PIMC) in Phoenix, Arizona to assess the clinical effectiveness of telephone delivered MNT services by a …

Exploring Refugee Students’ Experiences In Midwest Higher Education Environments: Culturally Responsive Practices For Educators, Rohana De Silva

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the teaching and learning strategies used by highereducation faculty to support refugee students at a Midwestern university. Recognizing that refugee students bring diverse cultural, linguistic, and experiential backgrounds to academic environments, this research examined how instructional practices can either promote or hinder their educational success. Traditional teaching methods often fall short in addressing the complex needs of this student population. Using Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth Framework, Bourdieu’s Theory of Cultural Capital, and Resilience Theory, this study analyzed the narratives of refugee students to uncover how their lived experiences influenced their educational journeys. Findings revealed that refugee …

Visible, Invisible: (Levantine) Arab American Men On Mental Health, Nesreen Jaber

Theses and Dissertations

To address the dearth in psychological research and practice in regards to Arab American men, this study examined the lived experiences of seven Levantine (Belad Al Sham) Arab American men with origins in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. Semi-structured interviews, Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), and a Liberation Psychology framework were utilized to explore their definitions of mental health, their experiences of stigma, their experiences with mental health therapy, and their attitudes towards psychology and therapy. A total of seven superordinate themes emerged that highlighted the roles of gendered stigma, cultural incongruence in therapeutic praxis, Eurocentric norms in psychology, and conceptualizations of …

Mental Health Stigma Among Latiné Adolescents: Help-Seeking Intentions And Recommendations, Brenda D. Barragan

Theses and Dissertations

Latiné adolescents in the United States face increasing mental health challenges, including elevated rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and emotional distress, particularly in underserved regions such as the Midwest. Despite these needs, Latiné adolescents remain underrepresented in mental health research, particularly with respect to how cultural values and intersecting identities—such as gender, immigrant status, and perceived socioeconomic status—influence stigma and help-seeking behaviors. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study explored how mental health stigma and cultural factors shape help-seeking intentions and recommendations among 95 self-identified Latiné adolescents in North Dakota and Minnesota. The study examined two primary …