Digital Commons Network^™

Introduction To Social Work: A Look Across The Profession, James Langford, Craig Keaton

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

This book takes students on a journey through many but not all of the different possibilities in social work. Social work is a profession focused on helping people live their best lives by working with people individually, at the family level, in groups and communities. Help may be in the form of connecting people to resources to address challenges, providing therapy, and advocating for changes in laws that affect individuals', couples', families' and communities' well-being. Students will learn the profession's exciting history and ways we help today. [Visit the books' Pressbooks page to download the OER in other formats or …

Strategies For Success In Nursing School: From Start To Finish, Leslie Ann Jennings, Raeanna Jeffers, Laura Haygood, Craig Keaton

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

This textbook was created for nursing intended students to provide a single resource for the most fundamental tools for success. The chapters and activities provide keys for success both inside and outside of the classroom, starting with time management and moving through study and test taking strategies. Self-care is a focus to help students identify how to care for their best self, which will carry on through the nursing profession to avoid burn out. Using the library is foundational for students to be successful with their coursework and evidence based practice in the future. Finally, there is a section on …

Volume 44: Full Issue

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations: Teaching in the Wake of Trump. Volume 44.

Physiotherapy For Pain And Disability In Adults With Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (Crps) Types I And Ii, Keith M. Smart, Michael C. Ferraro, Benedict M. Wand, Neil E. O'Connell

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful and disabling condition that usually manifests in response to trauma or surgery and is associated with significant pain and disability. CRPS can be classified into two types: type I (CRPS I) in which a specific nerve lesion has not been identified and type II (CRPS II) where there is an identifiable nerve lesion. Guidelines recommend the inclusion of a variety of physiotherapy interventions as part of the multimodal treatment of people with CRPS. This is the first update of the review originally published in Issue 2, 2016

Objectives: To determine the …

An Honors Lifetime Love Of Learning, Eric W. Miller

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

As part of the National Collegiate Honors Council’s (2022) collection of essays about the value of honors to its graduates (1967–2019), the author reflects on the personal and professional impacts of the honors experience.

I t was the welcome letter from the Honors program director that drew me in. I was hesitant to attend a large school, and West Virginia University was a big place. Even though being a Mountaineer ran deep in my family, I was drawn to smaller settings, with a desire for a more intimate education and close colleagues to converse and grow with. I wanted to …

The Impact Of Father Involvement And Socioeconomic Status On Child Behavior Problems, Delaney Hansen

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Research has indicated that child behavior is highly influenced by both the quantity and quality of father involvement. Despite the awareness of the important role father’s play, many parenting studies fail to focus on the father-child relationship. Furthermore, lower income families are especially important to examine due to the increased risk of lower father involvement. Identifying sources of resilience in low-income communities is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between father involvement, socioeconomic status and child behavior outcomes. The data was derived from a sample of 52 parent-child dyads recruited from an urban Head …

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) And Substance Use: A Review Of The Literature, Alexandra Scott

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that happen in a child’s life. These experiences can cause multiple negative outcomes for the child even into their adult life. In the United States, roughly one in ten children have experienced three or more ACEs, and nearly half of all children in the United States have experienced at least one ACE. These problems can be physical, mental, personal and social. Of these outcomes, the individual could develop alcoholism or addiction to substances. Substance abuse is the overindulgence or dependence on substances that are addictive, mainly drugs or alcohol. The relevance substance …

Music, Identity, And Expectation: An Exploration Of Authentic Identity In The Midst Of A Pandemic, Olivia R. Barnaclo

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the author's beliefs, attitudes, and emotions related to performing a recital during a pandemic. This study focuses on the phenomenon of emotion around a senior recital which is a pivotal moment in a student's experiences. Data were collected from journal entries. These data were analyzed to answer the research question, "what are my feelings about the process of planning a recital given a pandemic?" This arts-based, heuristic inquiry utilized reflective writing, dance, and collage as iterative cycles. Three key themes emerged: falling short of expectations, the inability to accept acknowledgement, and navigating …

Guiding Students Through Choppy Creative Waters: Collaborative Pedagogy To Empower Ethical Creators, Kelsey Sheaffer, Jessica Kohout-Tailor

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2019

No abstract provided.

From Credit Course To Tag Partnership: Delivering Customized Information Literacy Instruction, Julie Feighery, Vincci Kwong

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2022

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Information Sharing To Improve Case Management In Child Welfare, Sarah J. Beal, Paul Demott, Rich Bowlen, Mary V. Greiner

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

Congress enacted the Adoption and Safe Families Act to improve outcomes concerning the permanency, safety, and wellbeing of children in the care of child welfare agencies. However, achieving its goals for the more than 700,000 children who spend time in the custody of child protective services (CPS) every year in the United States is made more difficult by their poorer health compared to the general population.¹ Common health concerns among children in CPS custody include developmental delay (e.g., intellectual delay or disability, gross or fine motor delay, speech delay), infections diseases, mental and behavioral health concerns, and medical concerns. …

Timely Permanency For Children In Foster Care: Revisiting Core Assumptions About Children’S Options And Outcomes, Sarah A. Font, Lindsey Palmer

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA, 1997) represented an emerging consensus that foster care should not be a long-term solution for children. Foster care is intended to provide a temporary living arrangement until permanency can be achieved, but, at the time ASFA was passed, some children were spending large proportions of their childhoods in temporary homes. In many cases, these children had a permanency plan of reunification that had little chance of being realized. Thus, the overarching goals of ASFA were to reduce the amount of time children spent “in limbo” and to promote permanency, while maintaining explicit preferences …

On “The Alt-Right Movement And Us National Security”, Charles J. Dunlap Jr.

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Bridgewater Magazine, Volume 32, Number 1, Spring 2022, Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater Magazine

From the hall of Congress, to cutting-edge tech companies, to the world of music, BSU alumni are leaders in many sectors and industries. This issue focuses on alumni who have found their careers and passion in public service, alumni who have found their careers through music and in the tech field. Highlighted is Mary (Mel) Donahue, class of 1970, who was one of the first female Air Force pilots. a story on BSU's Archives & Special Collections is also highlighted in the issue.

Bridgewater Magazine, Volume 32, Number 2, Fall 2022, Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater Magazine

This issue highlights stories about Bridgewater students, alumni, and faculty. Included are articles on alumni helping to preserve the memory of veterans; praise for the landmark program at BSU offering free tuition to homeless students; the establishment of a "micro food pantry" by a BSU student; free speech endeavors; STEM initiatives; faculty initiatives; and artist Greg Wyatt and and the Greg and Fay Wyatt Sculpture Garden at BSU.

Tools For Skills Development For Youth Workers In Digital Youth Work, Burcu Kiper, Guldan Kalem

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

West Chester University Collection Development Policy, Anne Larrivee

University Libraries Personnel and Library History

No abstract provided.

The Expression Of Satanist Identity: Does Visible Identification Of Satanism Predict Discrimination And Depression?, Allyson Dudley

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The current research examines the relationship between visible expression of religion, identification within Satanism, experiences of discrimination, and depression in a sample of modern Satanists (n = 1,272). Historically, Satanism has been scrutinized as immoral and a threat to public safety. The current research attempts to challenge that viewpoint by employing culturally competent methods and understanding of modern Satanism. Findings indicate a negative relationship between expression of Satanism and discrimination, expression of Satanism and depressive symptoms, in-group ties and discrimination, and identification (in-group ties and in-group affect) and depressive symptoms. Results show a positive relationship between identification with Satanism and …

Houdini Poetry Workshop, Elisabeth Daumer

Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Challenges Faced By Recently Emancipated Youth, Williams Peña, Jerry Walter Butkiewicz Iii

Communication Senior Capstones

In this academic research paper, we will be exploring the challenges faced by recently emancipated youth. We chose this topic because of the fact that this is not often spoken about or taught to the general public. This lack of attention to these issues creates hurdles when attempting to solve these sensitive issues. Considering this, we thought it would be a strong choice for further research and review. We explored many obstacles these new adults face. One such issue that we would like to touch on is the unstable housing situation of these recently emancipated individuals. Another prudent example is …

Violating Human Rights: Chicago Law Enforcement’S Excessive Force Against Black Lives Matter Activists And Human Rights Defenders, Sarah Dávila A., Et Al.

Faculty White Papers

No abstract provided.

Ecological Development Of Purpose Among Graduating College Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Alexis Mccarthy

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This mixed methods study explored ecological purpose development among graduating college students at a large, public university in the Mid-Atlantic, focusing on the influence of college and familial contexts. Using Bronfenbrenner and Morris’ (2007) Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model as a framework, I undertook an explanatory sequential design (Creswell & Plano Clark 2017), assigning more weight to qualitative results (quan à QUAL). I collected quantitative survey data from 110 graduating students a college of liberal arts (consisting of Art and Design, Communication and Media, English, History, Languages and Cultures, Philosophy, Theatre and Dance, and Women’s and Gender Studies majors) and then purposefully …

Yoga, Stress, And College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Study, Lori Klein

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

College students have experienced exponential increases in stress and mental health concerns that continued to rise during the global coronavirus pandemic. Yoga is a popular, well-regarded method for improving psychological wellbeing, and this study explored how students’ perceived stress improved during a semester-long introductory yoga course upon returning to in-person instruction after a period of remote learning as a result of coronavirus restrictions. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed method design to first measure perceived stress scores and then compare this data to student-reports of wellbeing. College students (n = 121) enrolled in 8 sections of Yoga 1 completed …

The Impact Of Collegiate Marching Band On The Intra- And Interpersonal Competencies And Capacities Of Alumni: A Qualitative Case Study, Adam Gumble

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This qualitative study examines how participation in collegiate marching band impacted alumni’s social and emotional development. Specifically, this study examines (1) how the intra- and interpersonal domains and related competencies of former marching band members (now alumni) developed during their time in a nationally recognized collegiate marching band and (2) how those competencies and capacities are deployed in their post-graduation professional settings. Semi-structured hour-long interviews with marching band alumni (N = 9) who graduated from a medium-sized university in the Mid-Atlantic region (Mid-Atlantic University) were conducted between 2019 and 2021. Participants described the impact of participating in a nationally recognized …

Career Longevity In Student Affairs: Implications For New Professionals From A Qualitative Study, Diane R. D'Arcangelo

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Over the past several decades, the retention of new professionals in student affairs has been a concern. Many newcomers leave the profession before completing five years in the field. This qualitative study explored factors contributing to career longevity in student affairs professionals through semi-structured interviews. I interviewed eight participants working at Mid-Atlantic University for more than five years. The semi-structured interviews were set up with a dual focus. The first half of the interview focused on the participants' experience as new professionals, followed by questions that explored their perspectives on supervising new professionals. Seasoned professionals who remained in the field …

Online Student Course Engagement In A Developmental Summer Bridge Program: A Mixed Methods Study, Kaitlyn Machcinski

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Does virtual learning impact student engagement in developmental education? This convergent mixed methods study measures student experience and perceptions during one such bridge program forced online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the Online Student Engagement Scale (OSE), I measured students’ perceived engagement levels in the online course (Dixson, 2015). Drawing from self-reflecting journal entries and observations, I measured students’ experience of participation and engagement. Understood through Astin’s (1999) Theory of Student Involvement, the findings of this study showed high perceived and demonstrated engagement in the developmental reading and study skills course. In addition, students struggled with their perceived study skills …

Centering Critical Vibes Through Community Immersion: A Mixed Methods Study Of Early Grades Teacher Candidates’ Critical Consciousness, Ashley Rowe

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Educator preparation programs draw from national and state standards to develop teacher candidates at universities across the United States. This study investigated an alternative competency, critical consciousness, as part of the undergraduate curriculum in an Early Grades major at a predominantly white institution (PWI) in Pennsylvania. By contrasting teacher candidates who engage in a semester-long community immersive experience with those who participate in a traditional program, this study compared cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral dimensions of critical consciousness. The study used a convergent mixed methods design grounded in a theoretical framework consisting of humanizing pedagogy theorized through abolitionist teaching and community-engaged …

The Pandemic Dilemma: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Student-Centered Science Education In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jennifer Slavick

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to determine how student-centered instruction shifted and what dilemmas teachers experienced in enacting science instruction as they worked through the COVID-19 pandemic. A modified Draw-A-Science-Teacher-Test was used to examine teachers’ perceived instruction during the Fall of 2019, Fall of 2020, and Fall of 2021. Scores on this modified checklist were compared to determine differences in instruction year-to-year, across grade-bands, and to find trends in instruction concerning student demographics. Interviews were conducted with a subset of teachers in the study to learn more about the dilemmas they faced as their attempted science …

Community Bonding For Ex-Offenders: The Importance Of Recreational Social Activities On The Post-Incarceration Reentry Process, Mfon-Obong Edet

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Examining different factors that causes an individual, particularly an ex-offender, to re-engage in criminal activities (also known as recidivism) is a recurring topic when discussing the U.S. criminal justice system. Within the field of criminology, an individual's engagement in criminal activities could be due to biological, psychological, or sociological factors. For the purpose of this study, understanding the sociological factors related to criminal activity was further explored. This exploration focused on the importance of community building and how bonding with others can create a better reentry process for the ex-offender, post-incarceration. Additionally, with a better reentry process, ex-offenders’ may be …

From The Shadows To The Spotlight: Centering The Experiences Of Faculty With (Invisible) Disabilities, Tiffany Gray

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The absence of research around the experiences of faculty with (invisible) disabilities is critically needed within the academy. Often (invisible) disabilities remain in the shadows because they are non-apparent until publicly disclosed. Equitable access, sustainable resources, and university communications around (invisible) disabilities can impact disclosure decisions.

This social justice mixed methods inquiry used an explanatory sequential design to explore factors that contributed to faculty disclosure and/or non-disclosure of their (invisible) disability(ies). For some faculty, the “choice” around disclosure was non-negotiable as a result of a myriad of reasons, one being their access needs. The overall process, navigation, and decision making …