Digital Commons Network^™

Teacher Perceptions On Technology Integration And Its Impact On Student Writing Skills In High School English/Language Arts Classrooms, Brittany Tischmak

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The rapid integration of technology in educational settings has transformed the landscape of teaching and learning, raising questions about its impact on foundational skills such as student writing. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceptions of high school English/Language Arts teachers with over ten years of experience regarding technology’s influence on student writing. Guided by the Technology, Pedagogy, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, semi-structured interviews were conducted to capture educators’ lived experiences and understand their perceptions of how their pedagogical, content, and technological knowledge intersect in the classroom. Findings revealed that while technology offers tools that can enhance efficiency, educators …

The Implementation Of The Therapeutic Alliance In Aphasia Rehabilitation Research: A Narrative Review, Shelby Swiercz

Honors Theses

Background: The therapeutic alliance (TA), defined as the collaborative relationship between clinician and client, is widely recognized as a key factor influencing rehabilitation outcomes. However, within aphasia rehabilitation, its role remains underexplored and inconsistently measured

Methods: This narrative review examined peer-reviewed studies published between 1990 and 2025 that focused on adult aphasia rehabilitation and addressed the client-clinician relationship. Studies were identified through database searches, including PubMed, CINAHL, ComDisDome, EBSCO, and Google Scholar, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Most of the studies employed qualitative methodologies, particularly thematic analysis and semi-structured interviews, to explore patient and clinician perspectives. The therapeutic alliance …

Exploring Skill-Based Art Therapy Through Textile Arts For Adolescents, Phoebe Medeiros

Expressive Therapies Theses

This qualitative study explored how building textile art skills and learning techniques can help adolescents explore identity, improve self-esteem, and build resilience through art therapy. Two students engaged in individual sessions to explore an art therapy directive that asked them to upcycle an item of clothing using appliqué, patchwork, embroidery, embellishment, or modification to express an experience, strength, goal, or aspect of identity. Through this process, the students created a vest and an appliqué patch for an existing vest. The goal of this intervention was to explore identity, improve self-esteem, and build resilience. After analyzing the observations of the individual …

“…You Lost Your Way On That River As You Would In A Desert…”: Spec Ops: The Line As A Post-Imperialist Adaptation And Response To Heart Of Darkness, Logan Grime

Honors Projects

As an adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the military shooter video game Spec Ops: The Line grapples with adapting the themes and the narrative of an imperialist work into a modern post-imperialist context. By swapping England in Africa for America in the Middle East, the game criticizes America’s conduct of war in the Middle East by showing its similarities to the novella’s imperialism. Furthermore, Spec Ops: The Line focuses on America’s imperialism by adapting Heart of Darkness to an interactive format. “The horror” of violent imperialist action is placed upon the player as Spec Ops: The Line …

The Effect Of Burnout On Intention To Resign Among Adult Protective Services Investigators, Derek Frank Wachter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adult Protective Services (APS) workers play a crucial role in providing care, support, and services to older and adult clients with special needs. There was a lack of empirical data on the long-term retention of APS investigators and on how burnout affects their intentions to resign. Departments consistently rely on a cycle of using newer, less experienced investigators who may not know about community and state services or department policies and procedures to connect clients. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between personal, work-related, and client-related burnout and APS investigators’ intention to resign. Data …

Public Policy Design In Georgia Child Support And Fatherhood, Troy Gathers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child support policy in the United States has been widely studied as a method to ensure financial responsibility; however, existing research has identified concerns regarding enforcement practices and their disproportionate impact on African American noncustodial fathers in Georgia. Limited qualitative research examined how Georgia fathers experience and interprets these policies, creating a gap in understanding how policy implementation influences paternal engagement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how African American noncustodial fathers in Georgia perceived the child support process and to explore how modernization of enforcement policies might improve paternal engagement. Guided by policy feedback theory, this …

Staff Education To Improve Knowledge Of Evidence-Based Engagement Strategies To Reduce No-Show Rates, Jerrica Luster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High no-show rates in outpatient mental health settings remain a persistent barrier to effective care delivery, negatively affecting continuity of care, patient outcomes, and access to services. In the identified practice setting, inconsistent use of evidence-based engagement strategies beyond standard reminder practices contributed to missed appointments. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to evaluate whether a structured staff education intervention on evidence-based engagement strategies would improve staff knowledge as a foundation for enhancing appointment adherence. A quantitative pre- and posttest design was used to evaluate knowledge change following the intervention. Participants included outpatient mental health clinic …

K–8 Teachers' Perceptions Of The Barriers To Educating Chronically Absent Homeless Youth, Daniel James Pangrazio

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract The problem that was addressed through this study is that kindergarten through eighth-grade homeless students experience higher rates of chronic absenteeism and lower educational outcomes than their housed peers in California. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the purpose of this study was to explore K–8 teachers’ perceptions of the barriers they face in educating chronically absent homeless youth. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 K–8 teachers from one California school district. Creswell and Guetterman’s five-stage coding process was used for data analysis. Four themes emerged: Teachers discussed (a) barriers to addressing student academic …

Perceptions Of Fourth-Year Undergraduate College Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder On Academic Success, Olympia Shante Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is the low graduation rate of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across the United States. Guided by Mezirow’s transformative learning theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of fourth-year undergraduate college students with ADHD on the academic support or methods that contributed to their perseverance in college. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 undergraduate college students who self-reported a diagnosis of ADHD and had successfully completed the first 3 years of their education. Through thematic analysis and open, inductive coding, the following …

Investigating The Relationship Amongst Nursing Students’ Academic Self-Efficacy And Mindfulness, Joshua Josey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Undergraduate nursing education presents ongoing challenges related to student stress and persistence, and the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated these existing challenges for many students and programs. In this quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional study, the relationships among state mindfulness, trait mindfulness, and academic self-efficacy in undergraduate nursing students were examined and whether state and trait mindfulness predicted academic self-efficacy was tested. Participants were recruited through nursing student Facebook groups and completed an anonymous SurveyMonkey questionnaire that included the State Mindfulness Scale, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Academic Behavioral Confidence Scale, and demographic items. Data were collected over 6 weeks ending August …

Male Teachers' Experiences On The Gender Imbalance In Early Education, Erika White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diversity in the ECE workforce has been shown to have a positive social and academic influence on children and families within the ECE setting. The problem addressed in this study was that in an urban eastern school district (UESD), there was an educator gender imbalance in early childhood education (ECE). Grounded in Smith’s rational choice theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of male preschool and kindergarten (P—K) teachers in UESD. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 13 male P—K teachers working in the UESD. Thematic analysis using inductive coding indicated male educators: …

Women Veterans’ Experiences Applying For Veterans Affairs Compensation For Military Sexual Trauma-Related Ptsd, Bridget Strong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Military sexual trauma (MST)—sexual harassment or assault during military service—is more common among women and is a leading cause of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans Affairs (VA) disability for MST-related PTSD offers financial support, free healthcare, and validation, but women face barriers and uneven access to supports (veteran service organizations, trained advocates, trauma-informed clinicians), reducing their chances of favorable decisions. In this generic qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 purposively sampled women veterans representing diverse service eras, branches, and adjudication outcomes. Analysis was guided by feminist theory to shift focus from individual blame to structural factors, including how …

Development Of A Preclinical Model That Can Be Used To Test Novel Therapeutics For The Treatment Of Mild And Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury, Hayden Anderson

Honors Theses

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when a foreign object induces damage to the skull and brain through a forceful blow or whiplash. It is one of the most frequent injuries in the United States, with approximately 250,000 cases of different levels occurring annually. It is well known that severe TBIs can result in persistent physical, cognitive, and socioeconomic consequences and the timing of treatment following this injury can play a critical role in the ultimate outcome. It would be beneficial to develop a safe therapeutic that could be administered rapidly after impact and improve the recovery of the patient. However, …

Assessing Usability Gaps And Implementing User-Centered Practices In Nonprofit Web Applications, Mackenzie R. Swain

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Nonprofit organizations increasingly rely on web applications to coordinate volunteers, yet many such systems lack the usability necessary to support diverse user populations. This study evaluates and redesigns the Gwyneth’s Gift Volunteer Management System using established human–computer interaction principles and user-centered design methodologies. A systematic assessment identified four major usability gaps—menu navigation, form structure, breadcrumb trails, and selection‑bar behavior—each contributing to user confusion, inefficiency, or error. High‑fidelity prototypes were developed to address these issues, emphasizing consistency, reduced cognitive load, transparent navigation, and improved interaction flow. These prototypes informed the implementation of redesigned interface components, including streamlined menus, multi‑step registration forms …

The Pam-1 Aminopeptidase Does Not Protect Against Ptl-1 Mediated Neurodegeneration In C. Elegans., Ethan E. Schuff

Honors College Theses

Debilitating neurodegenerative conditions are increasingly prevalent in our aging population, yet treatment options remain limited. Though neurodegenerative diseases vary in pathophysiology and clinical manifestations, these diseases are related to one another in that many involve misfolded proteins. Tau is a member of the microtubule-stabilizing MAPT/MAP2/MAP4 family, and misfolded tau proteins form the neurotoxic aggregates called neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Designing a study to elucidate the neurotoxic role of tau is difficult because other MAPs may have compensatory mechanisms which confound study data. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) …

Analysis Toolkit For Potential Lunar Landing Zones, Jacobo Matallana

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Engineering Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Jacobo Matallana on April 24, 2026.

How Additive Manufacturing Is Changing The Automotive Industry, Gavin B. Schumacher

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Words That Work: Healthcare Providers’ Acceptability Of Aba Terminology, Marisa A. Hurlock

Thesis Projects

Effective collaboration between behavior analysts and healthcare providers depends on a shared understanding. This study explored how healthcare professionals perceive technical versus plain-language ABA terminology. Healthcare providers (n = 44) rated 10 common ABA terms and their plain-language counterparts across clarity, acceptability, comfort, and likelihood of use. In addition, participants completed a paired-choice procedure in which they selected their preferred terminology for each term pair. Plain-language terminology was generally rated more favorably across all four dimensions and was preferred by approximately 70.6% of respondents. However, this pattern was not consistent across all terms, as several technical terms (e.g., negative …

Opioid Use And Multimodal Interventions In Mechanically Ventilated Icu Patients: A Systematized Review, James William Graham

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Design And Fabrication Of Composite Wheels For Uah Moonbuggy, Madilyn Krieger, Erissa Morin, Yoned Galarza

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Physics-Based Simulation Of A Small-Scale Remote Controlled Rover, Grant Robert Morrison

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Analyzing Data From Space Telescopes To Model Exoplanet Systems, John Michael Rice

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Health Literacy And Heart Failure Outcomes, Cheyann Grace Townley

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Genetic Algorithms With Psychological Tension Analysis For Music (Gaptam), Andrew Bowman

Theses

This work investigates a structurally grounded approach to algorithmic music composition using a stochastic Context Free Grammar (CFG) evolved through a genetic algorithm. While existing systems such as live-coding environments, DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations), and statistical models generate musical material, they typically lack explicit hierarchical organization, despite evidence that listeners perceive music sequentially and structurally. In this framework, derivation trees generated from an CFG serve as compositional candidates, which are evolved using subtree-based crossover and mutation. Fitness evaluation combines prior melodic heuristics with tension-based insights from music cognition research, introducing musically informed structure into the evolutionary process. A genetic system …

Staff Education On Person-Centered Care Planning To Improve Cahps Scores, Raishonda Jefferson-Lampton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurse care managers (NCMs) play a central role in shaping patient experience, yet care plans are often developed based on clinical expertise and assessment data without a structured framework to ensure person‑centeredness. This doctoral project addressed the practice problem of inconsistent person‑centered care planning by implementing an educational intervention for NCMs within a managed care organization. Guided by the practice‑focused question—for NCMs in a managed care setting, does education in person‑centered care increase knowledge toward the goal of improving Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey scores?—the project evaluated changes in NCM knowledge following a targeted training session. …

Repurposing An Old Pc Into A Self-Hosted Cloud And Media Server, Riley Biggins

Honors Theses

Commercial cloud platforms rely heavily on subscription models, so everyday users fall into a "cloud trap" summarized by perpetual fees, forfeited privacy, and a lack of true asset ownership. At the same time, functioning consumer electronics get discarded as e-waste when they fail to meet the hardware requirements of modern operating systems. This project presents a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to both issues by repurposing a 2017 HP Pavilion laptop into a personal cloud and media server.

Despite severe hardware constraints, my software architecture rivals the utility of paid services. By replacing Windows with a headless installation of Ubuntu Server, …

Cultivating The Future: The Similarities Between Thomas Jefferson And Voltaire's Candide, Natalie Craft

Honors Theses

Thomas Jefferson and Voltaire’s character Candide (the main character in his 1759 novella, Candide), possessed striking similarities in both their lives and their characters, and the understanding of one man is ultimately enhanced by studying the other. This thesis analyzes three of these similarities in three separate sections, which includes internal conflict, utopia, and gardening.

Jefferson and Candide both battled an internal conflict, represented by the head and the heart for Jefferson and pessimism and optimism for Candide, but their responses in the midst of it were the same as well, most notably when they both acted impulsively in their …

Navigating Study Abroad: Improving Western Michigan University Students' Understanding Of University-Approved Provider Programs Through A Website Redesign, Gillian Gold

Honors Theses

Study abroad is a valuable opportunity for students' personal and professional development and is offered in various study abroad models and frameworks, including university-run or externally-run. Western Michigan University offers various options, including Faculty-Led Programs, WMU Exchange Programs, Partner Study Abroad Programs, University-Approved Provider Programs, International Internships, and Independent Study Abroad Opportunities. The University-Approved Provider Programs option at WMU allows students to study abroad through a provider that could more directly meet their interests and goals due to the personalized options available. Despite the benefits of the University-Approved Provider Programs, participation in these programs is low. The information about this …

How Mindfulness And Yoga Practices Are Implemented In Occupational Therapy, Madeline Roberts

Honors Theses

The application of yoga and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in occupational therapy (OT) and their effects on occupational, cognitive, emotional, and physical outcomes are examined in this literature review. Occupational therapy is a comprehensive, client-based field that helps people engage in everyday activities to improve overall well-being, health, and independence. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in using mindfulness-based interventions in occupational therapy, as they align with OT's focus on well-being and quality of life. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, WMU Library Search, and ScienceDirect to identify peer-reviewed research on mindfulness-based interventions, yoga, and occupational …

Nonprofit Foodbank Social Media Marketing, Grace Mulock

Honors Theses

This social media marketing plan was developed for Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes (KLF), a nonprofit food bank in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The purpose of this plan is to strengthen the organization’s social media presence and utilization through strategic integration, expanded organizational reach, and consistent branding. The plan includes a situation analysis, SWOT analysis, social media audit, audience analysis, evaluation of KLF’s current social media presence via Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, analysis of audience demographics, and the development of a Social Media Big Idea that outlines strategic changes. Although established with strong community partnerships and positive reputation, opportunities exist to increase awareness …