Digital Commons Network^™

Apache Science Team, Denise L. Jameson

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

Sanger High school has the unique opportunity to offer a wide array of classes and pathways for students to take so that they can meet their educational goals of graduation the move on to higher education or starting a career right out of high school. Students have all these opportunities and benefits to have a strong start out of high school, but ultimately students are unaware of what jobs are related to those choices or pathways that they have decided to take part in. Apache Science Team allows for students to experience and learn about many different careers and opportunities …

Understanding Differences In Underrepresented Minorities And First-Generation Student Perceptions In The Introductory Biology Classroom, Jacob Jantzer, Thomas W. Kirkman, Katherine L. Furniss

Biology Faculty Publications

We used quantitative methods to better understand the perceptions of students in an introductory biology course (Biology 101) at a small, liberal arts college (SLAC) that is also a primarily white institution (PWI). In pre/post surveys, we asked students questions related to their attitudes and beliefs about their professor, classmates, and Biology 101. We were especially interested in the responses and outcomes of underrepresented minorities (URM) and first-generation (FG) students. Our findings suggest URM and FG students have a decreased sense of belonging and increased perceptions of exclusion and differential treatment due to race. These findings can explain, in part, …

Book Review: Is Law Computable?: Critical Perspectives On Law And Artificial Intelligence, F. Tim Knight

Librarian Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

Gospel Impact And Stewardship Tool (Gist): Visual Mapping To Discover Gospel Imperatives For Strategic Ministry Decisions, Martin Edward Lee

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Lee, Martin Edward “Gospel Impact and Stewardship Tool: Visual Mapping to Discover Gospel Imperatives for Strategic Ministry Decisions.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2021. 260 pp.

This research project and the resulting Gospel Impact and Stewardship Tool (“GIST”) addresses congregational stewardship deficits from a systems perspective, with a shared-stewardship imperative for all leaders and members of a congregation, instead of focusing stewardship on the individual. The GIST Ministry Map provides a visual picture of how individual ministries are interconnected. This project illustrates how a learning environment, and the GIST visual ministry mapping process, help improve strategic decision-making …

Equipping Lay Elders With The Spiritual Care Skills Of Active Listening, Sharing Scripture, Offering Prayer, And Providing Follow Up At St. Paul Lutheran Church In Wood River, Il, David Martin Arthur Schultz

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Schultz, David, MA. “Equipping lay elders with the spiritual care skills of active listening, sharing scripture, offering prayer, and providing follow up at St. Paul Lutheran Church Wood River, IL.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2022. 122 pp.

Spiritual care is vitally important for all people. Unfortunately, too often those who are commissioned to provide spiritual care lack the necessary skills to help others. This MAP explores how a lay elder seminar might equip the lay elders of a congregation with the spiritual care skills of active listening, sharing scripture, offering prayer, and providing follow up. This …

Students' Definitions Of Academic Success, Brent Kelderman

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Academic success has not been well defined consistently, and when definitions have been proposed (e.g. Kuh, Kinzie, Buckley, Bridges, & Hayek, 2006 ; York, Gibson, & Rankin, 2015), they are not always measured consistently. Is it good grades (Parker, Summerfeldt, Hogan, & Majeski, 2004), and if so, what constitutes a good grade and what should be graded? Is it understanding the material, and if so, is understanding shown by simply completing the academic tasks (Choi, 2005)? Is it perseverance and grit (Tang, Wang, Guo, & Salmela-Aro, 2019), and if so, why do many other definitions and views focus so much …

When Coaching Becomes Criminal, Amanda J. Peters

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Quantification Of Magnitude In The Writing Of James Baldwin: A Digital Recovery Work, Robert Tate Morrison

English Theses - Archive

This thesis seeks to utilize a distant reading of seventeen essays written by James Baldwin alongside sustained close readings of three topics within those essays in order to understand why Baldwin has maintained increased popularity when the original historical context of the essays resulted in fame and critical acclaim, but not major literary awards. The author ran these seventeen essays through topic modeling software, and then engaged with critical and scholarly close readings to establish qualitative and quantitative explanations of patterns that exist in Baldwin’s work. By connecting the findings of work under both the digital humanities as well as …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development: A Narrative Inquiry Examining Insights From Middle School Teachers, Julie Hatling

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout their careers, teachers seek professional growth opportunities to continually improve their craft. This quest has resulted in various learning experiences for teachers that have impacted their practice in differing ways. Bayar (2014) writes that schools traditionally provide training for teachers, professional development (PD), to help in-service teachers grow as professionals. To gain further insight into the topic of teacher PD, this narrative inquiry sought to obtain a better understanding of PD based on teachers’ perceptions of their past PD experiences and how those experiences impacted their professional practice. This study was guided by a central question and sub-questions. The …

Show Me The Money! A Review Of Current Issues In The New Nil Era, Windy Dees, Beth Cianfrone, Damon Andrew

Journal of Applied Sport Management

On July 1^st, 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) approved an interim policy that would allow college athletes in every state to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL). This meant student-athletes could accept money for sponsorships and endorsements and maintain their eligibility, which was previously prohibited by the intercollegiate sports governing body (The Athletic Staff, 2021). The change is positive for student-athletes and the brands looking to market through them and their active social media platforms, but it does not come without issues or challenges. The purpose of this study is to, (a) review the theory …

Hidden Consequences: Examining The Impact Of Nil On Athlete Well-Being, Hailey Harris, Natasha T. Brison, Marlene A. Dixon

Journal of Applied Sport Management

With the NCAA's NIL policy changes, many athletes will likely need to solve the issue of brand management, with many of them assuming the role themselves. Taking on this role will likely lead to even more investment in their athlete identity (i.e., role engulfment), which has negative consequences for the athlete (Hatteberg, 2020). Guided by the literature on role engulfment, this article investigates the hidden effects NIL may have on collegiate athletes and their well-being, along with various branding and legal implications.

The Comparison Of Data Collection Methods In Evaluating Drivers’ Responses To Speed Message Signs, Abigail Musser

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Exploring Thermal State In Mixed Immersive Virtual Environments, Sanaz Saeidi, Girish Rentala, Tracey Rizzuto, Tianzhen Hong, Neil Johannsen, Yimin Zhu

Faculty Publications

Combining immersive virtual environment (IVE) with a controlled environment is a potential solution for analyzing human thermal experience during building design. Existing studies in this field have not adequately analyzed scenarios involving stabilized comfortable and uncomfortable temperature conditions using both thermal state votes and physiological responses, or the influence of the seasons. By combining IVE with a climate chamber, called mixed IVE (MIVE) in this study, experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that participants' virtual experience did not significantly alter their thermal experience compared to their in-situ experience. Response variables were the control temperature distribution, the thermal state vote …

I Know You Are Trying To Help Me, But …”: Complexity In Supporting Immigrant Youth And Communities Through Schooling, Ramona Fruja, Evelyn Baca

Faculty Contributions to Books

No abstract provided.

Through Critique And Beyond: Speculative Fiction As A Tool Of Critical Pedagogy, Syd Thorne

Master's Projects and Capstones

This field projects centers around the issue of hopelessness among teachers and students and examines the genre of speculative fiction as a potential tool for cultivating critical hope in the classroom and as an asset to critical pedagogy. Utopian pedagogy and critical pedagogy make up the theoretical framework of this research and project development. The research explores the use of speculative fiction in three areas: activism and identity, student engagement, and utopian performance. The review of the literature demonstrates that the use of speculative fiction in the classroom has the potential to engage students in conversations about social justice and …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Self-Management For People With Epilepsy And A History Of Negative Health Events (Smart) Targeting Rural And Underserved People With Epilepsy: A Methodologic Report, Farren Briggs, Kristin Cassidy, Carol Blixen, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Many people living with epilepsy (PLWE) reside in rural communities, and epilepsy self-management may help address some of the gaps in epilepsy care for these communities. A prior randomized control trial of a remotely delivered, Web-based group format 12-week self-management program (SMART) conducted in Northeast Ohio, a primarily urban and suburban community, demonstrated improved outcomes in negative health events such as depression symptoms and quality of life. However, there is a paucity of research addressing the needs of PLWE in rural settings. Methods: The present study leverages collaboration between investigators from 2 mid-western US states (Ohio and Iowa) to …

School District Leadership And Racial Justice: Examining The Use Of A Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Framework To Advance Equity Between Black And White Student Populations Within New York State Public Education, Diane M. Wynne

Education Doctoral

The current climate in the United States reflects a heightened focus on examining and challenging systemic inequities that have long impacted Black individuals. Culturally responsive education efforts have increased as schools experience increasingly diverse populations. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how district leaders are implementing the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CR-S) Education Framework in advancing equity between their Black and White student populations. Challenges and barriers experienced in the implementation of this framework, and approaches and strategies needed to overcome these were also explored. Interviews with six school district leaders …

The Effects Of Cost, Level Of Safety, And Severity Of Injury On Manager Decisions To Implement A Safety Solution, Jonathan M. Hochmuth

Dissertations

Workplace injuries continue to be a source of substantial human and financial costs each year. Behavioral safety processes have been effective in reducing workplace injuries by increasing safety-related behaviors. In recent years, the focus in behavioral safety has shifted towards the role of managers in establishing and maintaining safe behaviors and conditions in the workplace. Understanding how managers make decisions to allocate resources is critical to improving safety. The field of behavioral economics has developed methods for studying decision-making. While there have been calls to apply these methods to occupational safety, there are only two empirical studies which have done …

Informing Cognitive Screening In The Young Adult Population, Samantha L. Mcdaniel

Dissertations

The clock drawing test (CDT) is a cognitive screening measure with sound psychometric properties which has been well researched over the past century. The CDT is a popular tool for many healthcare professionals to administer independently or as part of a more thorough cognitive evaluation. Given the drastic technological and social developments over the years since the CDT was developed as well as the persistent research focus on older adult populations, a gap in the CDT literature presented for young adults, who may have difficulty drawing an analog clock. Identifying cognitive impairment can improve health outcomes. The young adult population …

In An Era Of Soft Skills: Investigating Teamwork Skills In The Geosciences, Samuel Cornelius Nyarko

Dissertations

Geoscience employers have increasingly called for student competency in three sets of skills – technical, field and soft skills. One major soft skill identified by employers is teamwork, which is critical in laboratory and field-based activities. At the same time, educators seek to inculcate in students a stronger focus on the development of teamwork skills as they are useful for knowledge sharing and problem solving. This interconnected value of teamwork in both the workforce and academia means students’ preparation should include learning teamwork in the geoscience. However, before educators can design strategies that help students learn critical teamwork skills, we …

Refugee Social Relations: The Development Of Social Ties Among Burmese And Congolese Refugees In West Michigan, Diane M. Roushangar

Dissertations

Refugee resettlement has been studied extensively in the academic realm. Yet, an area that is less understood is among Burmese and Congolese refugees and their adaptation processes in the United States. This study focuses on the development of social relations within these two groups as they navigate interactions within their ethnic group and with the native-born community. Examining the process of how social relations are constructed, this study reveals the nuances of how Burmese and Congolese form close social ties by focusing on four distinct social domains. Illuminating how social relations are formed and maintained within the ethnic community, church …

Connected And Automated Vehicles: Their Implication On Capacity Of A Basic Freeway Section And Impacts On Walkway Safety, Sia Macmillan Lyimo

Dissertations

Autonomous vehicles have recently gained the attention of researchers due to their expected potential benefits on highway traffic streams, such as improving roadway capacity, among others. It is imperative to investigate how these expected benefits can be leveraged in the transportation sector. Understanding the safety and operational benefits helps the concerned transportation agencies and other key stakeholders to make necessary infrastructural and policy adjustments to accommodate such future traffic operation changes. The main goal of this dissertation is to study the impact of connected and automated vehicles on freeway capacity. The simulated environment was created to emulate autonomous vehicle behaviors, …

How Training And Feedback In On-Campus Jobs Increase Systems Thinking Skills For Generation Z Student Employees, Kim Fisher

Leadership Education Capstones

Generation Z is less prepared than any generation before to enter the professional world after college graduation. This study focuses on how training and feedback can be used in on-campus jobs to develop the systems thinking skills that employers seek in our Generation Z college students.

A Human-Centric System For Symbolic Reasoning About Code, Megan Fowler

All Dissertations

While testing and tracing on specific input values are useful starting points for students to understand program behavior, ultimately students need to be able to reason rigorously and logically about the correctness of their code on all inputs without having to run the code. Symbolic reasoning is reasoning abstractly about code using arbitrary symbolic input values, as opposed to specific concrete inputs.

The overarching goal of this research is to help students learn symbolic reasoning, beginning with code containing simple assertions as a foundation and proceeding to code involving data abstractions and loop invariants. Toward achieving this goal, this research …

Drones And Civilians: Emerging Evidence Of The Terrorizing Effects Of The U.S. Drone Programs, Keenan, Patrick J.

Santa Clara Journal of International Law

The Biden Administration, in one of its first consequential foreign policy decisions, announced that it would undertake a comprehensive review of the United States drone program. Officials promised that this review would consider all available evidence. This article shows that the U.S. drone program violates international law because of the ways it terrorizes civilian populations. U.S. officials from both parties have argued that drones are an effective part of the U.S. counterterrorism strategy. However, effectiveness is not the legal standard. The law requires that the program not unduly harm civilians. For as long as the U.S. has been using drones, …

Feasibility Analysis Of Smart Home Devices - A Domestic Consumer Perspective, A Vittaleswar

Manipal Journal of Science and Technology

The internet of things (IoT) is a relatively new technology that establishes a global network of machines and devices capable of communicating and exchanging data over the internet. However, IoT and the internet are not the same things. IoT generates, analyzes, and makes decisions about connected objects; in other words, the IoT is smarter than the internet. One of the most common applications that make use of the IoT infrastructure to connect multiple sensors is the smart home. The sensors can detect and collect information from the environment, which is then used to control various home systems such as lighting …

A Case Study Of Teacher Candidates’ Experiences: Writing The Pilot Math Proficiency Test In Ontario, Canada, Ardavan Eizadirad, Jennifer Holm, Steve Sider

Education Faculty Publications

The focus of this article is on the introduction, justification, and enactment of the Mathematics Proficiency Test (MPT) by the provincial government in Ontario, Canada as a mandatory certification requirement for newly certified teachers. This article contextualizes the socio-political factors leading to the enactment of a MPT for newly certified teachers, developed and administered by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), which was ostensibly to mitigate the trend of declining math scores in elementary schools. It then shifts to examine the experiences of the first cohort of teacher candidates from a Canadian university who participated in writing the pilot …

Exploring Health And Fitness In Cannabis And Cannabidiol Users, Blake Butler

Master's Theses

Cannabis has been reported to decrease fatigue symptoms and aide in sleep quality, among other use cases. It is unclear whether cannabis is linked to alterations in physical activity and fitness. Cannabidiol, an active compound in cannabis, has also been reported to decrease fatigue symptoms and aide in sleep. Cannabidiol has been reported to aide in recovery from physical activity, but there is no clear connection between cannabidiol use and the likelihood of engaging in physical activity. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore fatigue, sleep, physical activity, fitness markers, and fitness outcomes in cannabis and cannabidiol users. …

Identifying Gaps And Providing Recommendations To Address Shortcomings In The Investigation Of Acne Sequelae By The Personalising Acne: Consensus Of Experts Panel, Alison Layton, Andrew Alexis, Hilary Baldwin, Stefan Beissert, Vincenzo Bettoli, James Del Rosso, Brigitte Dréno, Linda F. Stein Gold, Julie Harper, Charles Lynde, Diane Thiboutot, Jonathan Weiss, Jerry Tan

Dermatology Articles

Background: The physical sequelae of acne include erythema, hyperpigmentation, and scarring, which are highly burdensome for patients. Early, effective treatment can potentially limit and prevent sequelae development, but there is a need for guidance for and evidence of prevention-oriented management to improve patient outcomes.

Objective: To identify unmet needs of acne sequelae and generate expert recommendations to address gaps in clinical guidance.

Methods: The Personalizing Acne: Consensus of Experts panel of 13 dermatologists used a modified Delphi approach to achieve a consensus on the clinical aspects of acne sequelae. A consensus was defined as ≥75% of the dermatologists voting "agree" …

Complexity, Resources And Text Borrowing In State Legislatures, Eric Hansen, Joshua M. Jansa

Political Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Do states copy or reinvent language from complex policies as they diffuse, and does this depend on legislative resources? We argue that states will more frequently reinvent more complex policies, but that states with high-resource legislatures will reinvent more than their low-resource counterparts for more complex policies. We test the theory using the bill texts from 18 policies that diffused across the 50 states from 1983-2014, measuring reinvention and complexity using text analysis tools. In line with expectations, we find that complex policies are reinvented more than simple policies and that high-resource legislatures reinvent bills more than low-resource legislatures on …