Digital Commons Network^™

Introduction, Eliana Elkhoury, Jako Olivier, Travis N. Thurston

Open Educational Resources For and As Assessment

The need to rethink assessment in higher education has become increasingly urgent due to the shift to remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent introduction of various generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools. Globally, instructors are called to redesign their assessment practices to make them more innovative, authentic, and empowering.

9. By The Faculty, For The Faculty: A Grassroots Effort To Define And Support Teaching Excellence, Virginia Stormer, Elisabeth Schussler, Chris Kilgore, Caroline Wienhold, Jordan Shipley, Ferlin Mcgaskey

Documenting Teaching Excellence

In 2022, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville launched a process to establish a university-wide set of principles guiding teaching excellence and rooted these efforts in the process of shared governance. After a meticulously inclusive feedback process and iterative revisions, we arrived at a set of four principles that we now call UT’s Principles of Excellence in Teaching (UT PoET), which reflect the specific values around teaching at our R1 (doctoral university with very high research activity), flagship, land-grant institution. This chapter will detail the process by which we arrived at these principles. In so doing, we hope to provide a …

10. The Language Of Teaching Excellence: Describing Pedagogical Expertise Through A Framework Of Care, Beth Buyserie

Documenting Teaching Excellence

During my 20 years of college-level teaching, I have engaged in countless conversations where instructors communicate their passion for teaching, their commitment to student learning, the depth of their disciplinary expertise, their continued pedagogical innovations, and their thoughtful reflective practices. Yet often these same teachers confide that they find it quite challenging (sometimes nearly impossible) to write about their teaching for promotion—not because they are not strong teachers, but because the language expectations for documenting teaching accomplishments can be formidable. For example, at my particular institution, teaching-centered instructors are specifically directed in our role statements to “demonstrate excellence” in our …

11. Me-Search Research: The Use Of A Self-Study Methodological Approach To Teaching Documentation, Cynthia Korpan

Documenting Teaching Excellence

As teaching in higher education becomes increasingly complex (De Courcy, 2015), documenting one’s teaching practice requires instructors1 to take a more nuanced approach. The diversity associated with teaching today, impacted by COVID (Scholkmann et al., 2024), the various teaching modalities now available (McManus et al., 2024), and the introduction of artificial intelligence into academia (Li, 2025; Sok & Heng, 2024), has created a concoction of elements available to each instructor. This means that every instructor, bringing their own philosophical and ontological approach to teaching, has a myriad of decisions to make about how to best teach each course to students. …

12. Teaching Excellence Plus: The Teaching Philosophy Statement As Creative Platform For Strategic Self-Promotion, Miranda Yaggi Rodak, Gabrielle Stecher Woodward

Documenting Teaching Excellence

Theoretically, the teaching philosophy statement (TPS) is a self-reflective document that articulates your core beliefs as an instructor about teaching and learning and explains your values, goals, and strategies for fostering student success. But let’s face it: the TPS can feel like the most awkward and performative of professional documents—an uncomfortable hurdle to jump with every application, annual review, and promotion, which makes many instructors, regardless of rank, dread writing (and rewriting) it. At its best, the TPS captures your authentic voice and professional identity, and it paints a clear picture of how you approach the classroom. Yet, in practice, …

Contributors, Karin Dejonge-Kannan, Travis N. Thurston, Amanda Deliman, Amanda Morris, Anna Kuthy, Anne Cook, Beth Buyserie, Bethany B. Stone, Caroline Wienhold, Casandra E. Harper, Chris Kilgore, Cynthia Korpan, Elisabeth Schussler, Ferlin Mcgaskey, Gabrielle Stecher Woodward, Hannah Mae Lewis, James Agutter, Janette R. Hill, Jeff Spears, Jim Lamuth, Jordan Shipley, Kate Tregloan, Kim Hales, Letizia Guglielmo, Melissa E. Ko, Michael Morrone, Miranda Yaggi Rodak, Peggy Brickman, Raoul A. Mulder, Shannon M. Sipes, Sharon Lyman, Shihua Brazill, Stephen A. Klien, T. Adam Halstrom, Terri A. Dunbar, Victoria Mondelli, Vijay R. Kannan, Virginia Stormer

Documenting Teaching Excellence

No abstract provided.

Praise For Documenting Teaching Excellence, Paul J. Barr

Documenting Teaching Excellence

No abstract provided.

1. The Teaching Dossier As Genre: A Sotl-Informed Approach To Documenting Teaching Excellence, Shannon M. Sipes, Michael Morrone

Documenting Teaching Excellence

This chapter argues a teaching dossier (the primary outlet for documenting teaching effectiveness) is its own genre of academic writing and that the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) provides the most effective cross-disciplinary lens in which to engage with this genre. Salient defining characteristics of the genre are its purpose–to evaluate teaching quality, stakeholders–the faculty member who writes and complies the dossier and evaluating readers, and sub-genres such as teaching philosophy statements and curricula vitae. The genre’s core purpose, to evaluate teaching quality, also serves as a core purpose of SoTL, with peer review making the evaluations “akin to …

8. Many Stories Matter, So Let Us Make Them Accessible: Transforming Student Literature And Essays To Open Anthologies, James Thibeault

Open Educational Resources For and As Assessment

This chapter delves into the concept of open literature, emphasizing the importance of creating accessible and diverse literary works through open pedagogy. It explores the definition of open literature, distinguishing it from analytical and instructional resources, and highlights current examples of open literature initiatives. Throughout the chapter, it outlines methods for designing open literature anthologies through classroom assignments, including the integration of auxiliary works and the selection of appropriate open licenses. Finally, it discusses various open publication options for these anthologies. Overall, the chapter aims to foster a more inclusive and representative literary landscape that benefits both current and future …

Series Information, Karin Dejonge-Kannan, Travis N. Thurston

Documenting Teaching Excellence

No abstract provided.

Usu Extension Sustainability Permaculture Initiative: 2025 Impact Report, Natalia Bustos, Roslynn Brain Mccann, Jake Powell

Extension Research

• Permaculture Statistics
• Harvest Donations (Organic)
• Participant Response
• 2025 Monthly Educational Events
• Publications
• USU Extension Workshops & Events

General Catalog 2025-2026, Utah State University

University Catalogs

This catalog contains information on the Academic Departments and Programs as well as Course Descriptions for the above school year at Utah State University.

From Walking To Parkour: A Structured Survey Of Rl For Dynamic Skills In Legged Robots, Christopher Allred, Chandler Justice, Rosario Scalise, Yan Gu, Jonathan Clark, Mario Harper, Jason Pusey

Computer Science Student Research

This survey reviews recent advances in applying reinforcement learning (RL) to enable dynamic and ballistic motions in legged robots, including running, jumping, stair climbing, and parkour. Focusing on high-agility behaviors that challenge traditional control frameworks, we categorize foundational locomotion tasks and highlight the RL methods, such as Proximal Policy Optimization, curriculum learning, and hybrid model-based strategies that have proven effective. We discuss the key challenges in transferring learned policies to real-world robots, managing uncertainty, and integrating perception and proprioception. Drawing from over 150 recent works, we provide a structured taxonomy of objectives, algorithms, and platforms, and identify trends in simulation …

Potential Of Using Trembling Aspen To Make Structural Engineered Wood Products, Dawei Wang

Aspen Bibliography

Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) is abundant in Canada but is widely considered an underutilized species. This study was aimed at evaluating the potential of using aspen lumber to produce cross-laminated timber (CLT), glued-laminated timber (glulam), and wood I-joists. The key mechanical properties of these engineered wood products, which were fabricated using a modified grading criterion, were examined. It was found that 1) The mean effective bending stiffness and characteristic bending moment resistance of 5-layer CLT specimens in the major-strength direction were 5,069x10⁹ N·mm²/m and 97.65x10⁶ N·mm/m; 2) The mean apparent MOE and characteristic modulus …

Immersive Modeling Of Water Banking Elicits Local Knowledge To Explore Strategies To Get More Water To Great Salt Lake, Hadia Akbar, David E. Rosenberg

Civil and Environmental Engineering Student Research

This study used immersive online collaborative modeling of water banking to explore strategies to get more water to the declining Great Salt Lake (GSL). In a model session, each collaborator immersed in a water user role. They articulated a strategy to consume and bank water. Then they adapted their strategy in response to their available water, others’ choices, and the real-time discussion of choices. Collaborators included 29 farmers, ranchers, practitioners, and experts. Collaborators who personified agricultural users had the most varied strategies. They balanced economic viability, long-term sustainability, and land preservation. Pricing water was challenging, with prices ranging from $15 …

Phase Change Cells And Verification Of Gallium As Thermal Calibration Reference In Space, Harri Latvakoski, T. Shane Topham, Gail Bingham, Mike Watson, Igor Podolski

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

• Phase change cell introduction

• Design and ground testing of on-orbit phase cells

• ISS phase cell flight experiment

Radiometric Sensor Level Calibration For Remote Sensing (Planning, Testing, And Operation), Joe Tansock

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Contents

• What is Calibration and Why is it Important (example) 
• Remote Sensor Calibration Approaches
• Typical Space-based Sensor Lifecycle and Calibration Efforts at SDL
• EO Calibration Applications (example) 
• Example Calibrations at SDL
• Calibration Testing at SDL and example Calibration Equipment
• Calibration is Multi-Path
• Student Employment/Projects to Support SDL Calibration

Calibration For Small Satellite Payloads, Jason Knudsen, Christian Conkle, Alex Allgrunn, Deron Scott

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL Presentation on Calibration for Small Satellite Payloads

Rbi Ground Calibration, Harri Latvakoski, Greg Cantwell, James Peterson, Joel Cardon

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

• RBI overview

• Ground calibration objectives

• Calibration configurations & chamber setup

• Calibration tests & equipment

Small Satellite Payload Calibration, Deron Scott, Cole Miller, Eli Salay, Shane Canfield, Scott Hansen, Matt Berghout, Jan Kunzler, Duane Miles

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SmallSat missions have cost, time, and scale limitations. Calibration methods can be optimized to enable mission success at a low cost by providing customers the best “bang for their buck.”

Multi-Layered Security Approaches For A Modular Open Network Architecture-Based Satellite, Brandon Shirley, Quinn Young, Peter Wegner, Jacob Christensen, Jeffrey Janicik

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Overview

• Introduction
• Open System Architecture (OSA) and Modular Open Network Architecture (MONA) background
• Security Challenges
• Security Principles
• Solutions

The Atmospheric Waves Experiment (Awe), Ludger Scherliess, Yucheng Zhao, Pierre-Dominique Pautet

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Modern theory and modeling indicate vertically propagating Gravity Waves (GWs), waves generated primarily by severe weather disturbances, have profound effects on the variability and mean state of the Ionosphere-Thermosphere-Mesosphere (ITM) system, and can significantly impact space-based communications, navigation, and tracking.

Generalized Reference Targeting For Spacecraft, David Geller, David Woffinden, Collin York

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

For spaceflight programs to achieve some of the aggressive exploration initiatives such as visiting and landing on other celestial bodies, rendezvousing with other orbiting vehicles, and ultimately returning crew safely to Earth, an assortment of targeting algorithms to compute the necessary burns to strategically maneuver a spacecraft to a variety of destinations are required. Numerous examples exist, but rather than creating and implementing multiple targeting solutions, is it possible to have a general targeting model that can accommodate a variety of applications? Originally motivated for mission design and analysis purposes, this paper outlines a generalized reference targeting algorithm for spaceflight …

Monograph Available: Urban Coyotes As A Source Of Conflict With Humans: An Evaluation Of Common Management Practices

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is an announcement about the published monograph titled "Urban Coyotes as a Source of Conflict with Humans: An Evaluation of Common Management Practices." This publication, part of the HWI Monograph Series, is online and open access.

Factors Influencing The Discovery And Use Of Carrion By Vertebrate Scavengers From Human-Induced Mass-Mortality Events, Samantha J. Leivers, Michael J. Bodenchuk, Tyler A. Campbell, John M. Tomeček

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Scavengers play critical roles in ecosystem health and stability, and both biotic and abiotic factors can influence scavenger guild dynamics. Carrion is often limited both temporally and spatially on the landscape, but mass mortality events (MMEs)—in which there is an influx of carrion biomass on the landscape—may result in different scavenger community dynamics compared to when carrion is scarcely distributed. In this study, we investigated factors affecting the discovery and use of carrion by a natural, unharrassed scavenger guild during wild pig (Sus scrofa) MMEs conducted at East Foundation’s San Antonio Viejo Ranch in South Texas, USA. We …

Bird Strikes During Climb And Approach: A Need For Innovative Management Strategies, Richard A. Dolbeer, Michael J. Begier

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wildlife Hazard Management Plans at civil airports in the United States cannot directly address threats posed by birds moving through aircraft climb and approach paths unrelated to nearby bird-attractant habitats such as landfills. As an iconic example, an Airbus 320 departing LaGuardia Airport (New York, USA) on January 15, 2009, struck a flock of migratory Canada geese (Branta canadensis) 8 km out at 884 m above ground level (AGL) that resulted in a water landing now known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.” We documented 1,841 and 458 strikes from 2009 to 2023 involving large (≥1.8 kg) and …

Analyzing The Portrayal Of The Atomic Bombs Dropped On Hiroshima And Nagasaki In Textbooks And Non-Profit Curriculum Sources, Kason Kendall

Teacher Education and Leadership Student Research

Some veteran history teachers I have met over the years have explained that early in their careers they were encouraged to teach from the textbook. One teacher indicated this has been the dominant mode of teaching for the large portion of her career (J. Baker, personal communication, July 11, 2023). This can be problematic if textbooks do not contain multiple perspectives of events. Keith Crawford and Stuart Foster (2007) write that nations often do not tell the full truth about themselves. U.S. History curriculum is often missing a complete and accurate representation of historical events (Anyon, 1979). Textbooks often support …

Racial-Ethnic Differences In The Associations Between Functional Disabilities And Subsequent Depression Among Community-Dwelling Midlife And Older Adults In The Us, Debasree Das Gupta, Uma Kelekar, Kallol Kumar Bhattacharyya, Sidney Carl Turner

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Background: The intersection of race/ethnicity with disability is a critical dimension of mental health outcomes in later ages that remains under-investigated.

Objective: We examined the role of race-ethnicity in moderating the associations between functional disabilities and subsequent depression among Americans 51 and older and stratified into the two age-groups of midlife (51-64) and older adults (≥65).

Methods: Using a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling Americans (≥51; n=7,475) in the 2016-2018 Health and Retirement Study, we conducted bivariate and multivariable regression analyses. Racial-ethnic groups included non-Hispanic (NH) Black, Hispanic, and NH White and a binary (0/1) outcome defined subsequent depression in …

Software, Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Agenda

• Workflow
• Version Control
• Reviews
• Testing
• Constraints
• Concepts
• Assurance

Test And Integration Facilities And Equipment Eat, Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Agenda

• Hardware Protection

• Why, When and How

• Hardware protection breakdown

• ESD

• Cleanrooms

• Procedures

• Training

• Hardware Handling

• School Equipment Guidance

• Training References