Digital Commons Network^™

Mirror Neurons In Art Education, Ashley Murawa

Masters Theses

In the following thesis, I will introduce the discovery of mirror neurons and explain why understanding mirror neurons is vital for student and teacher interactions as well as student and teacher mental health and engagement in the classroom. Understanding mirror neurons and the connections that teachers have with their students in terms of empathy, observational learning, aesthetic connections when viewing art and empathetic connections in regard to stress and emotional contagion can prove to be very beneficial in art classrooms and can influence the way teachers teach, the relationships that teachers have with their students and the type of classroom …

Compositions For 0 Or 1 Performers, Rodrigo Valente Pascale

Masters Theses

This thesis includes a collection of pieces composed for 0 or 1 performers – unaccompanied solo, solo and electronics or fixed media. The compositions for solo instruments include “Unnest” for bassoon solo, premièred by Ariane Petri during the V Congress of Music and Mathematics in 2020, and “Assemblage” for baritone saxophone solo, premièred by Erin Rogers in 2020. “Reizantwort” is a composition for viola and electronics which was first recorded by Laura Parra in summer 2020. Finally, "Discontinuous Mediation I" and "Discontinuous Mediation II" are fixed media compositions that were composed in Summer 2020 and Spring 2021, respectively. This collection …

Analysis And Critique In The Secondary Art Classroom, Sarah Nott

Masters Theses

This paper is a study of analysis and critique in the secondary visual art classroom setting. I begin by examining the purposes these two practices can serve, and then document some of the positive outcomes of analysis and critique as well as their inherent flaws. The flaws are subcategorized into examinations of the risks of formal analysis or Formalism, the unintended emotional impacts critique and analysis can have, effects of teacher behavior, a survey of critique-caused trauma and notes on implicit bias. For the purposes of my literature review, I analyze analysis and critique through phases and writing exercises specifically, …

Extreme Cold Event Perception And Preparedness Of Western Michigan University Students, Connor J. Landeck

Masters Theses

Preparing for disasters at universities differs throughout the country but taking preventative measures is the first step in reducing loss of life and recovery measures. This research examined differences among undergraduate students regarding perceptions when it comes to extreme cold events at Western Michigan University (WMU). The main focus of the thesis was to determine if there is a lack of awareness and/or preparation measures of extreme cold events. Data were collected online using a specially designed questionnaire through Qualtrics. Survey questions were coded and analyzed using SPSS software using standard univariate descriptive statistics and/or multivariate statistical tests deemed appropriate. …

Applied Microeconomics And Business Intelligence In The Digital Age, Thomas J. Weinandy

Dissertations

The Digital Age is defined by advances in big data, low-cost computing, and modern analytical methods. In three chapters, I apply microeconomic thought to the influence these digital technologies have on business and consumer decision-making.

Chapter One considers how Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft impact the relationship between the quantity of car service trips and fuel prices. I find that a single day 1% increase in fuel prices is associated with a 0.367 to 0.486% decrease in the number of TNC trips and a 0.033 to 0.088% increase in the number of taxi trips, even though the …

Reframing National Women's History Month: Practicalities And Consequences, Skylar Bre’Z

Dissertations

This study evaluates the practicalities and consequences of designating one month (March) out of the calendar year for the commemoration of women’s history. In the 1970s and 1980s, national women’s organizations such as the Women’s Action Alliance (WAA) collaborated with the Smithsonian Institute and the Women’s History Program at Sarah Lawrence College to build programs to increase awareness of women’s history. Using an interdisciplinary approach grounded in feminist theory, media studies, and historical memory studies, this project contextualizes the commemoration through its connection to 1970s women’s activism, explores its usefulness as a tool for building educational equity, and questions its …

Exploring The Perception Of Sponsored Posts On Instagram, Mahek Verma

Honors Theses

Influencer marketing has grown immensely, and consumers are now frequently interacting with and making decisions based on content published by influencers on social media. This thesis explores how different types of endorsed influencer posts are perceived along with how the type of endorsed post can impact a consumer’s perception of the product and brand being endorsed. Using self-administered questionnaires, semi-structured interviews a simulated influencer content browsing experience, this research examines differences between influencer endorsements officially sponsored by a company, endorsements of products merely gifted by the company, and endorsements of products with no company involvement. Research findings identified a lack …

Building Institutional Knowledge Into Student Leaders: A Repository Of Student-Led Climate Change Initiatives At Wmu, Aida Amirul Bahri

Honors Theses

Students and registered student organizations (RSO) at Western Michigan University (WMU) have increasingly shown interest in climate change and environmental issues. However, student leadership roles are often held short-term due to the rapid displacement cycle of student bodies caused by graduation, institution transfers and other factors. New leaders often struggle with picking up where former students left off and advancing previously established efforts. WMU student groups lack an effective system of maintaining institutional knowledge, including student-led campaigns and accomplishments, to support a smoother transition that would empower student leaders and build upon prior progress. The goal of this project is …

“Graduating Presentation: Sunday”, Lauren Smith

Honors Theses

This portfolio fulfills the requirements for both my Department of Dance senior capstone, DANC 4800: Graduating Presentation, titled sunday, and my honors thesis for the Lee Honors College. DANC 4800 requires the senior BFA dance students to collaborate and produce a dance concert, usually held in-person, but was hosted virtually this year due to COVID-19. This capstone is designed for the students to create a portfolio worthy of sharing with the public and to aid in their career post-graduation. Responsibilities during this process include the choreographing an original work, managing production elements, promoting the concert, and coordinating with any personnel …

Graduating Presentation: Stones Beneath A River, Lauren Desmedt

Honors Theses

Stones Beneath a River is an eight-minute collaborative staged work through the eyes of a soloist who is exploring the concept that you are the product of the five people you surround yourself with. The soloist realizes the ebbs and flows of relationships and how to let go of relationships that no longer serve the individual. The graduating presentation is a culminating project of everything I have learned in the past four years. This includes collaboration, performance, choreography, production, conceptualization, costuming, and much more. My final portfolio consists of my dance and headshot, artistic statement, biography, resume, proposal application, essay, …

Media, Marketing, And More – How Social Technology Is Changing The Face Of Small Business, Lily Reynolds

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to identify the ways in which social media and marketing technology advances are affecting small retail businesses. A total of three interviews were conducted with working professionals in different areas along the fashion supply chain, and were contacted based on common acquaintances. Each interview was conducted over the phone, and lasted between ten minutes and half an hour, with guided and supplemental questions focusing on their experiences with technology in their fields. The results showed that each area was affected in numerous ways, from superficial business changes to advancements at the cores of their …

Pain Response Of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation To Different Grades Of Knee Osteoarthritis, Emily Beer

Honors Theses

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is diagnosed worldwide and affects nearly 250 million people (Wallace et al., 2017, pg. 1). Additionally, people who are 45 years and over are prone to this degrative disease (Wallace et al., 2017, pg. 1). Knee OA can be graded into five categories (0-4) levels associated with the Kellgren-Lawrence grading scales (Kellgren & Lawrence, 1957, pg. 494). Symptoms will develop overtime; thus, it is important to find non-pharmacological ways to help alleviate pain for individuals affected. A non-pharmacological modality of interest is the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) units, which can be tailored to a patient’s specific …

Xenophobia In The Covid-19 Era, Joanne Jeya

Honors Theses

COVID-19 has altered people's daily lives across the globe and heightened tensions in response to changing economic, social, and political conditions. In the United States, xenophobia has seemingly escalated in the COVID-19 era, particularly towards Asians and people of Asian descent. The assumed reasoning for this rise in anti-Asian sentiment is tied to the presumed origins of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome‐Coronavirus‐2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, first detected in Wuhan, China, prompting some to initially call the disease the Wuhan or Chinese virus, among other racialized terms like the "Kung-flu." It remains to be seen if xenophobic acts have increased throughout the …

Temperature Scale Influence On Perceptions Of Climate Risk, Chelsea Spaman

Honors Theses

This study explored how the use of the temperature scales Fahrenheit and Celsius in climate science communication affects climate change concern. The study specifically targeted Americans due to their familiarity with the Fahrenheit scale, which is not the primary temperature scale used in scientific communication. The study employed a survey, in which the anonymous participants read a short introduction about climate change and temperature rise and then answered a series of questions regarding levels of climate change concern. These questions covered concerns about climate change in general and its potential to harm individual survey participants, flora and fauna, future generations, …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session April 22, 2021, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda – Chen-Zhang
• Approval of the Minutes (March 18, 2021 Meeting) – Chen-Zhang
• Remarks by the Chair – Chen-Zhang
• Remarks by the President – Montgomery
• Comments by the Faculty Senate President – Kritzman
• Comments by the Western Student Association President – West
• Comments by the Graduate Student Association President – Morris
• Presentation – Discovering a Pathway to Purpose – Montgomery
• Public Comments Regarding Action Items – Schuemann

Action Items – Chen-Zhang

• Undergraduate Tuition Simplification Strategy – Bott
• WMUK-FM COVID-19 Relief Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan – Bott

Consent Items – Chen-Zhang

• Curriculum Proposals
• Personnel Report
• General Public …

“Police Perceptions Amid The Black Lives Matter Movement”, Eadoin Grim

Honors Theses

In 2014, following the police-involved deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, researchers focused their attention on the existence of a “Ferguson Effect,” such that rising homicide rates could be attributed to a reduction in proactive policing due to concerns over heightened public scrutiny. While UCR data would eventually refute the existence of such an Effect, previous research has found that there does appear to be evidence of a perceptual belief in the Ferguson Effect among municipal officers. To date, very little research concerning officer perceptions or experiences has been conducted with campus police departments, creating a substantial gap in …

Accounting And Sustainability: Cost And Benefit, Emma Smith

Honors Theses

In today’s busy, complex, and technically advanced world, it is too easy to get caught up in day to day activities that distract from what needs to be accomplished and conserved. Therefore, there is a needed emphasis on sustainability in all industries, more specifically in the realm of accounting with respect to protecting the environment and citizens. Whether it be material, information, or human capital sustainability, appropriate practices are important and require attention (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board). This thesis will (a) document information regarding the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, (b) discuss sustainability practices businesses can take to benefit the environment …

The Influence Of Japanese Immigration Policies On The Duration Of Foreign Nationals' Residency In Japan, Jeremy R. Byma

Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Anti-Police Movement Survey, Julia Peisker

Honors Theses

Due to many highly publicized instances of excessive use of force by the police, namely those associated with George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, law enforcement agencies have recently come under much public watch and criticism. Although anti-police movements have existed since long ago, there has been a new wind of them since these events. This backlash and outrage that have come as a result from these instances of police excessive use of force have led to many changes within police departments across the country, which has likely had far-reaching effects on police officers. Through the use of an online, anonymous …

Velocity Electric Mobility Platform, Austin Gilbert

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to develop an IOT connected micro mobility platform to be used in electric personal transportation devices such as scooters and longboards. This initial platform will be used as a starting off point for Velocity Research to continue with future development.

The first main requirement of the design is that it must be able to control two independent three phase brushless DC motors using field oriented control. These motors must be controlled based on input from the user via a handheld remote control. The second main requirement is that the device must also send and …

Life Repurposed: Finding A New Calling Through Meaningful Occupation, Jennifer K. Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Kelly Allen, an occupational therapist and artist based in Grand Rapids, MI, provided the cover art for the Spring 2021 edition of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Follow” is a 16” x 20” painting made from oil on panel. The painting, which features a coati from Central America, is from Kelly’s Animal Totem series. After more than 2 decades as a fine artist and educator, she began searching for a career change. Kelly’s background in fine art and her desire to help others prepared her for a career in occupational therapy. Certain events in Kelly’s life aligned not …

Occupational Therapy And Health Promotion For Families Experiencing Homelessness: A Community-Wide Approach, Aster Gallus, Laura Schmelzer

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Families experiencing homelessness often face poor mental and physical health outcomes. Some scholars and service providers partially attribute family health outcomes to the negative impact of the social determinants of health. The social determinants of health emerge from a variety of factors in the socioecological model, a tiered model outlining the hierarchy of public health systems, making the social determinants difficult to address. To explore occupational therapy’s potential contribution to addressing these poor health outcomes, the authors centered a doctoral capstone around the question of what occupational therapy’s role would be in addressing the needs of families experiencing homelessness. A …

Understanding Therapists’ Perceptions Of Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders Using The Model Of Human Occupation Screening Tool, Jaimie K. Estreet, Christine Privott

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The need for a more community-based occupational therapy approach to clients’ addiction recovery is supported by Killeen et al. (2015), who concluded that U.S. health care reform will require the delivery of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment by providers who specifically address addiction as a comorbidity. Stoffel (2013) argued this a few years earlier with a call to action for occupational therapists in behavioral health treatment and recovery. For this study, the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool (MOHOST) was used to explore therapists’ perceptions of competence working with patients diagnosed with co-occurring SUDs. Prior research supports concepts …

Assessment Of Modified Patient Education Materials For People With Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Jennifer Fortuna, Anne Riddering, Linda Shuster, Cassie Lopez-Jeng

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Existing research on health literacy identifies a disconnect between the readability of patient education materials (PEMs) and the reading abilities of American adults. For people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), central vision loss creates an additional barrier to health literacy. This study explored how evidence-based guidelines for creating easy-to-understand written materials influenced the usability of PEMs in people with AMD.

Methods: Evidence-based guidelines were applied to modify one PEM. Standardized tools quantified differences in readability and suitability between the original and modified PEM. Twelve people with AMD rated the comprehensibility (design quality) and shared personal preferences during semi-structured interviews. …

A Qualitative Study Investigating Stroke Survivors’ Perceptions Of Their Psychosocial Needs Being Met During Rehabilitation, Robin A. Wenzel, Emily A. Zgoda, Mia C. St. Clair, Lisa J. Knecht-Sabres

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Depression and anxiety can negatively impact one’s recovery, outcomes, and quality of life. Even though therapists consider the mental health needs of their clients to be a priority, they are dissatisfied with their ability to completely address these needs. The purpose of this study was to examine the client’s perspective regarding the extent to which health care professionals addressed their psychosocial needs after a stroke.

Method: A phenomenological research design was used to collect data from six participants. Interviews and focus group were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed. Member checks, peer-review, multiple coders, triangulation, and expert …

Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Chhs Students, Macey Seal

Honors Theses

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has impacted students in various ways. Students around the world / in the U.S have been impacted in financial, emotional, mental, and physical ways as COVID-19 continues to change the way the world is navigated. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the feelings and vulnerabilities of students at the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) building during the 2020 Pandemic. In order to succeed in school, students need to feel financially stable, physically stable and mentally stable. While many students have struggled with this balance in the past, the effect of COVID-19 has …

Envisioning Ourselves As Educators: Practices For Student Affairs, Vicki Wise

Assessment in Action Conference

NASPA and ACPA collectively created seven Principles of Good Practice for Student Affairs (1997) as a framework for how student affairs can put student learning at the heart of its work. In this session, we will explore these seven principles for student affairs and uncover ways to move from theory to action through learning about backward design and development of a learning syllabus.

Using Data Visualization For Continuous Improvement, Ciji Heiser, Evan Heiser, Ewa Urban

Assessment in Action Conference

This session will identify key principles and recommendations for building effective visualizations and dashboards in higher education. Presenters will address the core aspects of the process for dashboard development, the benefits of using dashboards, and the ways in which dashboards support continuous improvement. Participants will engage in conversations about metrics they can focus on while building department and/or institutional dashboards. Presenters will share examples of several dashboards used for continuous improvement at WMU, including a dashboard for advancing equity, student success services, WMU Signature, and post-graduation outcomes reporting.

Western Michigan University Magazine, Spring 2021, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Magazine (1997-present)

• Persisting through the pandemic
• Student well-being
• Redefining normal
• Groundbreaking research
• Designing a bright future
• Centering on resilience
• Pandemic impacts on teaching
• University News
• Alumni Profile
• Expert Insights
• Classnotes
• In Memoriam
• In Tempo

The Solution Within The Work: A Scoping Review On Vicarious Resilience, Bridget Sova

Capstone Projects

The occurrence of burnout amongst healthcare workers and other helping professionals is a persistent problem, despite efforts made by individuals and organizations to prevent countertransference and the accompanying negative personal experiences. Vicarious resilience is a relatively new concept, highlighting the benefits one may experience from professional encounters with those who have survived trauma or other difficult life circumstances. Previous research detailing the personal effects of trauma work is predominantly negative, warning of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue. This scoping review examines emerging evidence on vicarious resilience, featuring a more hopeful outlook for helping professionals. Recommendations from the …