Digital Commons Network^™

If We Only Had A Wheelbarrow: Asset-Based Pedagogy In The Elementary Classroom, Elizabeth Bedell

Theses and Dissertations

The challenges facing today’s educators are much and many. Among them ranks the persistent underachievement of students from racially and culturally diverse backgrounds. Attempts to remedy this have historically taken a deficit approach, one that attempts to “fix” students by melding them to the norms of the dominant culture, ultimately diminishing their cultural ways of knowing and being and perpetuating inequity. Although educators want to do better, most have simply not been provided with the professional learning that would support their centering students’ voices and experiences as essential to learning

With a focus on asset-based pedagogy, this convergent mixed methods …

Impact Of A Mathematics Review On Students' Chemistry Self-Efficacy And Problem-Solving Skills In An Undergraduate Chemistry Course, Antoinette Marie Gayle

Theses and Dissertations

Mathematics is an integral part of chemistry courses, and the application of arithmetic and algebraic knowledge is important for solving calculation-based problems in undergraduate general chemistry. Students begin undergraduate chemistry with varying levels of mathematics skills and experience which may impact their ability to solve problems and understand the content in chemistry courses. Utilizing a convergent mixed methodology, this action research study evaluated the impact of an in-class mathematics review intervention on students’ chemistry self-efficacy and problem-solving abilities in general chemistry. Mathematics review sessions were conducted in undergraduate general chemistry classes with 40 first-year students at a small university college …

Incorporating Digital Tools In A Social Studies Course: An Action Research To Support High School Students’ Critical Thinking And Collaboration Skills, Tara Grant

Theses and Dissertations

Digital tools have the potential and ability to develop and support critical thinking skills in high school students, as they provide interactive and engaging platforms for learning. The purpose of this action research was to implement digital tools for student collaboration in two high school Social Studies classrooms, to evaluate the tools’ potential impact on students' critical thinking skills, and to assess the participant’s perceptions of the impact and use of digital tools for collaboration in the classroom. This study focused on two overarching questions: (1) How, and to what extent, does the use of digital tools for student collaboration …

Increasing Engagement And Self-Efficacy Levels In Underachieving 5Th Grade Students: A Qualitative Study, Raney Altman

Theses and Dissertations

Student achievement and mastery of content taught in reading is measured each year in the state of South Carolina. A pattern of low achievement was identified, but more specifically, there were patterns of low engagement and self-efficacy levels in 5th grade students in this study. Because reading is a critical tool needed to participate in all life necessities such as finding work and experiencing interviews, paying bills, and following simple everyday directions, it was evident in student behavior in the classroom that adjustments needed to be made instructionally to ensure success for all students in school and in future endeavors. …

Music Production And Girls: A Phenomenological Study Of The High School Music Technology Classroom, Mary Angel Cleary

Theses and Dissertations

Female representation in public spheres and organizations is a continuing topic in American research. Females have historically been left out of all aspects of computer technology and the technical sides of the music industry. In upper echelons of music making, from composition to production, they remain vastly under-represented. People begin forming ideas about who they are, their abilities, and their future career interests in high school, especially in elective courses like music technology that are geared towards allowing students to explore their creative skill sets to determine if these elective experiences are something for which they have a life-long passion. …

Keep Your Friends Close And Your Enemies Closer A Theory Of Welfare Provision In Authoritarian Regimes, Sanghoon Park

Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation examines the determinants and dynamics of welfare provision in authoritarian regimes and the influence of welfare provision on autocrat’s survival. It argues that the social and class-based explanations for welfare in democracies can also apply to autocracies, though the specific challenges faced by autocrats can lead to different outcomes.

Nurturing Multiracial Identity: A Community Of Practice Approach To Developing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy And Seeking Curriculum Justice For Multiracial Learners, Laura Althea Mosman Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This action research dissertation examines the impact of participation in a community of practice on teachers' beliefs and behaviors regarding the selection of representative curriculum and building culturally responsive pedagogy, especially when considering the growing population of multiracial learners in U.S. classrooms. The study involved 4 English Language Arts teachers in an Upper Elementary School engaging in a comprehensive text audit followed by the application of the critical redesign cycle to modify the curriculum, aiming to better address the needs of multiracial learners. Data was collected through surveys, interviews, and observations over six Community of Practice meetings to assess changes …

Pedagogical Relationship Between Written And Taught Curriculum In Private Schools, Melissa Andrews

Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive study explores the impact of teacher-selected instructional strategies on the implementation of a standardized written curriculum across different academic levels for 11th grade students at Bishop Thomas Academy, an all-boys Catholic school in Rhode Island. The aim was to better understand how teachers' instructional autonomy impacts the successes or challenges in delivering curriculum. Grounded in Social Constructivist theories and aligned with Bishop Thomas Academy’s school mission, the research aimed to determine how the written English curriculum defines and measures desired student outcomes; how the taught curriculum aligns with or deviates from the written curriculum; and how instructional strategies …

Teacher Perception Of International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Implementation, Lorene Michelle Lloyd-Peay

Theses and Dissertations

The rural, Title I, underperforming, priority schools in the study encounter several challenges when implementing the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP) framework. Successful implementation is contingent on how the teachers perceive these challenges. This research aims to understand how teachers' perspective on the IBMYP affects programme implementation. Understanding the experiences and perspectives of teachers increased my and the school district’s ability to support the effective implementation of the IBMYP framework. The research questions focused on gathering data to determine teacher perspectives about the IBMYP, how those perspectives affect programme implementation, and the factors that appear to enhance or impede …

The Impact Of Pbis Programs On Discipline Referrals In A Secondary School, Tameika Shantrelle Valentine

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on discipline within a secondary school setting. PBIS is a proactive approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students to achieve social, emotional, and academic success. The research focuses on a comprehensive analysis of disciplinary records before and after the implementation of PBIS, comparing metrics including the number of disciplinary referrals, suspensions, and expulsions. Additionally, qualitative data from teacher surveys provided insights into changes in school climate and perceptions of behavior management. Preliminary findings suggest that the adoption of PBIS impacted a significant …

Utilizing Project-Based Learning To Improve Statistical Literacy, Edward Sabat

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examined the impact of Project-Based Learning (PBL) on statistical literacy among community college students enrolled in introductory statistics courses. The study addressed the challenge students face in interpreting statistical results in real-world contexts, despite achieving correct numerical answers. Utilizing a PBL approach during the hypothesis testing unit, the study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, incorporating a pretest and posttest using the Reasoning and Literacy Instrument (REALI), followed by structured interviews. Quantitative results demonstrated improvement in statistical literacy in all areas assessed on the REALI, particularly in the area of hypothesis testing and p-values. Qualitative …

Why Are We Reading In This Class? A Qualitative Action Research Study On Implementing Critical Historical Literacy In A Humanities Classroom, Jerry Allman Goodnight

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to investigate the barriers to the acquisition of, and examine the impact of implementing, critical historical literacy in a middle school “humanities” classroom. This classroom, the first of its kind within the school district, blended the teaching of both 8th Grade Social Studies and 8th Grade English/Language Arts. Three research questions served as the foundational points of inquiry: 1) What are students’ perceptions of critical historical literacy practices in social studies? 2) What barriers prevent middle school students from acquiring historical literacy and critical literacy skills? and 3) In what ways …

Why He Sings: An Action Research Study Using Counternarratives To Affect The Deficit Narratives Attributed To Students Of Color, Tiffany Jones Early

Theses and Dissertations

There is ample research that shows that students of color are less likely to graduate from college than their White peers. Meanwhile, the demographics of students who enroll in college continue to be more diverse than previous generations. As universities struggle to understand retention disparities, the voices of the students are often eliminated from the discussion. Many university staff members, instead, opt for a deficit narrative to blame what they believe students of color lack that inhibits them from persisting in college until graduation. The purpose of this study is to use narrative inquiry to better understand the educational experiences …

In Situ Assembly Enabling Adhesive-Free Bonding Of Large Area Electronic Sensors To Concrete For Structural Health Monitoring, Emmanuel Ogunniyi, Han Liu, Austin Downey, Simon Laflamme, Caroline Bennett, William Collins, Hongki Jo, Paul Ziehl

Faculty Publications

Cracks developed in concrete infrastructure are one of the primary mechanisms that degrade their structural integrity, which may result in structural failures. Previous research on soft elastomeric capacitors (SEC) has shown their viability for structural health monitoring of structural materials, including concrete, steel, and fiberglass composites. The SEC, or its derivative version with a corrugated geometry termed corrugated SEC or cSEC, is a parallel plate capacitor. Prior work demonstrated that it was possible to directly paint the electrode interfacing with the structural material onto the structure and adhere the rest of the pre-fabricated sensor onto the wet interface, thereby eliminating …

Accurate Crystal Structure Prediction Of New 2d Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Perovskites, Nima Karimitari, William J. Baldwin, Evan W. Muller, Zachary J.L. Bare, W. Joshua Kennedy, Gábor Csányi, Christopher Sutton

Faculty Publications

Low-dimensional hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) are promising electronically active materials for light absorption and emission. The design space of HOIPs is extremely large, as a variety of organic cations can be combined with different inorganic frameworks. This not only allows for tunable electronic and mechanical properties but also necessitates the development of new tools for in silico high throughput analysis of candidate materials. In this work, we present an accurate, efficient, and widely applicable machine learning interatomic potential (MLIP) trained on 86 diverse experimentally reported HOIP materials. This MLIP was tested on 73 experimentally reported perovskite compositions and achieves a …

Comparing The Health Information Practices Of Sapphic People By Age Group And Generation, Vanessa Lynn Kitzie

Faculty Publications

This qualitative research examines how sapphic people (i.e., umbrella term inclusive of lesbian, bisexual, and pansexual trans femmes, mascs, nonbinary people, and ciswomen) in South Carolina navigate informational barriers within healthcare systems. An information practices lens that examines how sapphic people create, seek, use, and share information to achieve desired healthcare outcomes describes such navigation. The research focuses on how intersectional identities, with a particular emphasis on age and considerations of race/ethnicity, geography, and gender, mediate these practices and their outcomes. The research uses participant data from semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 34 sapphic people about their health information …

Uncovering The Complexity Of Perinatal Polysubstance Use Disclosure Patterns On X: Mixed Methods Study, Dezhi Wu, Hannah Shead, Yang Ren, Phyllis Raynor Phd, Aprn, Pmhnp-Bc, Youyou Tao, Harvey Villanueva, Peiyin Hung, Xiaoming Li, Robert G. Brookshire, Kacey Eichelberger, Constance Guille, Alain H. Litwin, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D.

Publications

BACKGROUND: According to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, polysubstance use among pregnant women is prevalent, with 38.2% of those who consume alcohol also engaging in the use of one or more additional substances. However, the underlying mechanisms, contexts, and experiences of polysubstance use are unclear. Organic information is abundant on social media such as X (formerly Twitter). Traditional quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as natural language processing techniques, can be jointly used to derive insights into public opinions, sentiments, and clinical and public health policy implications. OBJECTIVE: Based on perinatal polysubstance use (PPU) data that we extracted on …

I Don't Know How To Live Real Life Sober'-Identifying Needed Supports Through The Voices Of Pregnant And Parenting People Seeking Recovery, Phyllis Raynor, Cynthia F. Corbett, Delia West, Constance Guille, Kacey Eichelberger, Alain Litwin, Ron Prinz

Publications

Pregnant and parenting people (PPP) experience complex challenges when seeking recovery from substance use disorders (SUD). Using a community-based participatory research approach, researchers partnered with PPP seeking recovery from SUD to explore supports needed in their communities. Findings are reported in adherence with the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research. Thirty PPP were recruited from a residential drug recovery facility in the Southeastern United States. Participant interviews were conducted in-person or virtually. PPP were asked to identify existing and needed parenting and recovery supports in their communities. Interviews were transcribed, verified for accuracy and coded using NVIVO software. Thematic analysis …

Exploring Barriers To Effective Covid-19 Risk Mitigation, Recovery, And Chronic Disease Self-Management: A Qualitative Multilevel Perspective, Gayenell S. Magwood Phd, Rn, Faha, Faan, Charles Ellis, Chanita Hughes Halbert, Ebony Allen Toussaint, Jewel Scott Phd, Rn, Fnp-C, Lynne S. Nemeth

Publications

INTRODUCTION: Many research activities have focused on SARS-CoV-2 infection and subsequent COVID-19 respiratory illness during the pandemic. However, significant racial inequities emerged months after the COVID-19 pandemic began. The similarity between racial/ ethnic disparities in COVID-19 and those for other diseases raised awareness about the context for risk exposure and healthcare access. The purpose of this study is to examine social and structural determinants of health among COVID-19 survivors, carepartners, and the perspectives of healthcare stakeholders who experienced disruption during the early pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A purposive sample of interviews (n=9) and focus groups (n=10) were used to collect …

Exploring Barriers To Effective Covid-19 Risk Mitigation, Recovery, And Chronic Disease Self-Management: A Qualitative Multilevel Perspective, Gayenell S. Magwood Phd, Rn, Faha, Faan, Charles Ellis Jr, Chanita Hughes Halbert, Ebony Allen Toussaint, Jewel Scott Phd, Rn, Fnp-C, Lynne S. Nemeth

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Many research activities have focused on SARS-CoV-2 infection and subsequent COVID-19 respiratory illness during the pandemic. However, significant racial inequities emerged months after the COVID-19 pandemic began. The similarity between racial/ ethnic disparities in COVID-19 and those for other diseases raised awareness about the context for risk exposure and healthcare access. The purpose of this study is to examine social and structural determinants of health among COVID-19 survivors, carepartners, and the perspectives of healthcare stakeholders who experienced disruption during the early pandemic.
Material and methods: A purposive sample of interviews (n=9) and focus groups (n=10) were used to collect …

The Daily Gamecock, September 2024, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

September

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Analysis Of Chemotherapeutic Administrations In Inhibiting Glioblastoma Multiforme Cellular Growth Utilizing An Integration Of Differentiation-Based Growth Models And Pharmacokinetic Equations, Anagha Chethan Gowda

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Glioblastoma multiforme, a disease of grade IV astrocytoma, accounts for 60-70% of malignant brain tumors.¹ Despite its low survival rate, little is known about GBM and its treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the comparative effectiveness of the most common drugs (temozolomide, carmustine, bevacizumab) in reducing tumor growth within GBM chemotherapy. It was hypothesized that due to their properties as alkylating agents inhibiting growth genes within GBM, temozolomide and carmustine would provide the most reduction in cellular growth mathematically.² VisualPDE simulations were used to model administration of temozolomide, carmustine, bevacizumab, and none in chemotherapy and provide the …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Synergistic Antibacterial Effects Of Ulva Lactuca And Fucus Vesiculosus Extracts On The Growth Of Staphylococcus Epidermidis, Bryan Lee

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

This study investigates the antibacterial properties of extracts from marine macroalgae, Ulva lactuca (green algae) and Fucus vesiculosus (brown algae), individually and in combination, with a focus on combating antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The escalating challenge of antibiotic resistance requires the exploration of alternative antimicrobial agents derived from natural sources. Utilizing the agar well diffusion method, the study evaluates the inhibitory effects of the algae extracts on Staphylococcus epidermidis. Chloramphenicol serves as the positive control, while 5% dimethyl sulfoxide acts as the negative control. The combination of Ulva lactuca and Fucus vesiculosus extracts did not exhibit a significantly greater antibacterial effect than …

The Effect Of Different Vegetable Oils (Macadamia Nut Oil And Walnut Oil) On The Coefficient Of Friction As A Finish For Oak Wood, Lee Dillon

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Slipping due to insufficient friction with flooring can cause fatal injuries in workplaces and homes. Oak wood flooring is commonly used in construction to build these environments. In the manufacturing process, wood finishing is conducted at the end of the process to strengthen the properties and longevity of the wood, although it could impact the coefficient of friction (COF) causing slip falls. Vegetable oils, such as macadamia nut and walnut oils, used as wood finishes have gained prominence due to their beneficial aspects to the environment. However, little is known about their effectiveness as a safe coating for wood floors. …

A Comparative Study To Predict Ovarian Cancer, Binadie Wickramasinghe, Gloria Regisford

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Ovarian cancer is considered the fifth most common cancer type among females in the United States. Furthermore, ovarian cancer accounts for 25% of all gynecologic cancers, and usually, this cancer is diagnosed at a late stage. A patient can live at least five years longer if ovarian cancer is diagnosed early. Therefore, the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is essential. This study aims to classify ovarian cancer using biomarkers such as ovarian cancer antigen (CA125), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), and anti-TP53 antibodies. Rising or persistent CA125 blood levels provide a highly …

Comparing Vitamin C And Vitamin E In Improving The Photostability Of A Retinol Serum Exposed To Heat Degradation, Isra Siddique

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Retinol, a form of Vitamin A, is a popular ingredient in skincare products for its anti-aging effects. However, in most cosmetic formulations, retinol destabilizes quickly, due to exposure to heat, light, oxygen and pH. To combat retinol degradation, many preservatives have been examined, including antioxidants like Vitamin C and E. Still, studies investigating the supplementation of Vitamin C and E in retinol formulations have mostly focused on stabilizing retinol against UV light alone and have yet to explore the effects of adding these vitamins on other stressors, such as heat. The purpose of this study was to compare the abilities …

Cortisol And Alpha-Synuclein Stability In Saliva Under Varying Storage And Handling Conditions, Mo Zheng, Sujata Srikanth, Jeremiah Carpenter, Delphine Dean

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments and non-motor symptoms, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. Currently, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the primary biofluid used for PD biomarker studies, notably α-synuclein, despite the invasive nature of lumbar puncture procedures. Recent work has shown that some of these PD biomarkers have been measured in saliva. As an alternative to CSF, saliva can be non-invasively self-collected by patients repeatedly over time to monitor biomarker levels. However, the stability of these biomarkers in saliva needs to be evaluated before saliva can be considered for patient self-collection studies. Therefore, …

Neuro-Symbolic Ai For Deep Analysis Of Social Media Big Data, Vedant Khandelwal, Manas Gaur, Ugur Kursuncu, Valerie Shalin, Amit P. Sheth

Faculty Publications

This tutorial introduces a neuro-symbolic AI framework to analyze big data from social media platforms. Integrating human-curated knowledge through symbolic AI with the pattern recognition capabilities of neural networks enhances the adaptability and efficiency of traditional neural network approaches. Knowledge-guided zero-shot learning techniques enable swift adaption to new linguistic contexts and emerging events [6]. Participants will explore how to design, develop, and utilize these models in specific domains, such as public health surveillance, that require dynamic adaptation to new terminologies. This session The tutorial aims to equip attendees with practical skills and a deep understanding of how to apply neuro-symbolic …

Neurosymbolic Cognitive Methods For Enhancing Foundation Model-Based Reasoning, Kaushik Roy, Siyu Wu, Alessandro Oltramari

Faculty Publications

Foundation models have emerged as powerful tools, exhibiting extraordinary performance across various tasks, such as language processing, visual recognition, code generation, and human-centered engagement. However, recent studies have highlighted their limitations when grounded, abstract, and generalized reasoning capabilities are required. Complex tasks often involve multiple hierarchical reasoning steps, which are typical features of human thinking processes. In fact, in this chapter we claim that cognitively-inspired computational models, such as the so-called Common Model of Cognition, are key to enable complex reasoning within foundation model-based artificial intelligence (AI) systems. We investigate neurosymbolic approaches for mapping AI system components to those of …