Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Critical Media Literacies In Youth Media Production: Tackling Falsehoods Through Media Creation, Oluwadara Abimbade

All Dissertations

This Mixed Method Research (MMR) study, using a convergent parallel design, explores the practices of middle school students as creators and consumers of false information-free media. It investigates their ability to identify falsehoods, explores the impact of false information on various aspects of their lives, and introduces an innovative media production boot camp to foster awareness, detection, and prevention of false information dissemination in their media creations. The research, conducted with six participants, employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, including video and in-person observations, interviews, surveys, and artifacts. Integrating quantitative and qualitative data enables a comprehensive …

Cementing Success: The Impact That Mentoring Has On Women Of Color Business Owners In The Construction Industry, Nneka Bell

Education Doctoral

The number of women of color entrepreneurs in the construction industry lags significantly behind that of their White women and male counterparts. The construction industry is one of the most gender-segregated industries in the world. Women of color entrepreneurs have encountered barriers to forming mentoring relationships, impacting their success in entrepreneurial endeavors. This qualitative phenomenological study examines how women of color entrepreneurs perceive the professional mentoring experience. This study examines women of color entrepreneurs’ experience of professional mentoring and whether it contributed to their success. This study identified successful professional mentoring elements for women of color entrepreneurs and assessed professional …

Navigating The Stem Landscape: Exploring The Challenges And Opportunities For Latinas In Pursuit Of Representation And Inclusion, Ana B. Mendieta

Education Doctoral

This phenomenological study delves into the underrepresentation that Latinas experience in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) industry, a notable disparity given their increased enrollment in higher education, revealing a significant concern within the STEM educational pipeline. Utilizing the core components of the STEM identity framework (competence, performance, and recognition) in conjunction with the cultural value of familismo, which emphasizes strong familial bonds, the research seeks to illuminate the complexities Latinas navigate as they strive to carve a pathway within the STEM education to workforce pipeline. Using a qualitative approach, the study identifies that the timing of participants' initial …

The Mindful Way: An Explorative Case Study Of The Transformative Effects Of Afro Flow Yoga A Culturally Adapted Mindfulness Intervention On The Health And Well-Being Of Black Women, Danielle A. Jones

Education Doctoral

This qualitative phenomenological exploratory case study explored Afro Flow Yoga to evaluate its potential as a culturally adaptable mindfulness-based intervention for enhancing the health and well-being of Black women while addressing the historical ills and adverse effects of intersectionality. From its beginning, the United States has discriminated against and defeminized Black women while profiting from all aspects of their lives. To be Black and female in America is to experience perpetual racism, sexism, and other "isms" as forms of harm and oppression. Therefore, culturally adapted mindfulness interventions are essential to cater to the unique needs of Black women. The mindfulness …

Black And Latiné College Student Expectations And Perceptions Of A College Leadership’S Responses To Nationally Known, Racially Biased Incidents, Grace Maxon-Clarke

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to understand Black and Latiné students’ expectations and perceptions of their college leaderships’ responses to nationally known, biased incidents. Through a qualitative, descriptive phenomenological design, 11 participants, within one institution, across three focus groups, shared their expectations and perspectives. The data analysis was done using open-ended coding to determine the major themes and codes across all focus groups.

Themes for student expectations were (a) no expectation: first-year student, COVID restrictions, primarily White institutions; (b) expectations met: met the needs of the White majority, public institution; and (c) expected different: expected more, …

Dying With Dignity: An Exploration Into The Lived Experiences Of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Facilitating End-Of-Life Care, Dianna Lewis-Brewster

Education Doctoral

This study explored the lived experiences of advanced practice registered nurses caring for dying patients in the acute care hospital setting and how they perceive their role in the discharge process to allow for patient and family autonomy. It explored transitioning patients from the hospital to the community with an interdisciplinary team and the utilization of care homes in the community. The methodology used was a qualitative descriptive phenomenological research design. The study utilized the caring framework theories of Jean Watson’s caritas processes. The study included nine licensed advanced practice registered nurse participants from upstate New York, actively working in …

Marss: Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning For Satellite Swarms, Nicholas J. Yielding

Theses and Dissertations

Multi-agent systems and swarms in spacecraft formation flying are of ever-increasing importance in a contested space environment—use of multiple spacecraft to contribute to a cooperative mission potentially increases positive outcomes on orbit, while autonomy becomes an ever more important requirement to reduce reaction time in dynamic situations and lower the burden on space operators. This research explores difficult swarm Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) scenarios using Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL). DRL polices are trained to provide guidance inputs to agents in multi-agent swarm environments for completing complex, teamwork focused objectives in geosynchronous orbit. An example scenario is explored for a …

Goostly Coumforte In God: The Rhetoric Of Mysticism In The Cloud Of Unknowing, Clinton M. Sensat

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In this paper I analyze the rhetoric of the Cloud of Unknowing by an anonymous fourteenth-century English Catholic mystic. First, I situate the Cloud in its tradition, both spiritual and rhetorical. Then, after analyzing the linguistic arts employed, I engage in a sustained examination of the Cloud’s rhetorical technique. Ultimately, I conclude that the author of the Cloud succeeds in his rhetorical goals, even if some of his strategies are less successful than he perhaps believes, and that he does so through the use of concrete language and an appeal to the ethos of Christian monastic friendship.

Using Explicit Instruction And Frequency Building To A Performance Criterion To Teach Writing To College Students With Disabilities, Alyssa R. Mcelroy

Dissertations

Proficient writing skills are critical for academic, vocational, and social outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). However, many individuals struggle to develop proficient writing repertoires. Explicit Instruction (EI) and Frequency Building to a Performance Criterion (FPBC) are two effective teaching strategies. EI is comprised of clear, direct instructions and scaffolding to support a gradual release of responsibility from teacher to student, and follows a model, lead, test format. Once a skill is mastered, it should be built to fluency. FBPC is method that uses timed practice and feedback to build skills to …

Influence Of A Multicultural Counseling And Psychology Course On Counseling Psychology And Counselor Education Master’S Students Color-Blind Ideologies And Ethnic Identity, Rebecca Tuinstra

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether ethnic identity awareness mediates the relationship between completion of a Multicultural Counseling and Psychology Course and color-blind ideology endorsement. The participants included 93 master’s level counseling psychology and counselor education trainees attending a predominantly White university in the Midwest region of the United States. The study used a quantitative, pre- and post-test descriptive research design. Using mediation analysis, this study estimated the influence of completing a Multicultural Counseling and Psychology Course on awareness of ethnic identity and use of color-blind ideology while controlling for social desirability among master’s level counseling …

Traumatic Consequences In Native Hawaiians After Colonization, Andrea Morland-Tellez, Elizabeth Drummond

Honors Thesis

The Native Hawaiian population is a marginalized group that has endured cultural trauma due, in part, to their history of colonization by Europe in 1778. This colonization has contributed to the Native Hawaiian’s loss of cultural identity, land, native language, and their way of life. As a result, many Native Hawaiians are left questioning their cultural identity. This project sought to better understand the impact of colonization on the Native Hawaiian people, specifically on their experience of homelessness, substance use, and overall disempowerment over time. A systematic review of multiple literary and anecdotal sources was conducted including peer- reviewed articles …

Instilling Growth Mindset To Promote Students' English Learning Behaviors And Oral Communication Learning Achievement, Ratchadaporn Janudom

PASAA

This study aimed to (1) investigate students’ mindsets before and after the growth mindset is instilled on them, (2) examine effects of growth mindset-based instruction on students’ English learning behaviors, (3) explore effectiveness of growth mindset-based instruction on students’ oral communication learning achievement, and (4) investigate students’ attitudes towards their learning experiences through growth mindsetbased instruction. The study was conducted with a sample group of 42 English majored undergraduate students who were enrolled in the English Discovery Course in the first semester of the academic year 2022 at Prince of Songkla University, Surat Thani Campus. The experiment was carried out …

Vocational High School Students’ Metacognitive Reading Strategy And Volition In Language Learning: A Correlational Study, Erina Andriani

PASAA

Volition helps students who are in the reading process to achieve their objectives. It converts their motivation into actual actions they need to undergo to reach the predetermined goals. Such actions may include the use of strategies, whether to manage their cognition, emotions, or distractions, that may elevate their reading comprehension and ultimately the desired achievements in conducting such activity. Metacognitive reading strategies can be beneficial to assist students in regulating those aspects. Therefore, students’ volition may predict the use of metacognitive reading strategies, as volition drives students to use strategies in general. However, previous studies rarely investigate the correlation …

Captain America: The Delicate Masculinity Of An American Icon, Lauren Rezac

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

What makes a good man? For this research, I examine the ways that Captain America, also known as Steve Rogers, portrays masculinity in the highest grossing movie franchise of all time — The Marvel Cinematic Universe. I propose that the ways in which an American icon who represents the ideal man behaves reflects larger cultural expectations of masculinity, specifically the expectations for white men. In addition to holding up a mirror to society’s expectations for a ‘good man’, the social messaging about masculinity in these films should be examined to understand what American men of every generation are idolizing. I …

Of Corpses And Persons: Examining A Cadaver As An Object And Subject Of Rights, Arseny Shevelev, Georgy Shevelev

Louisiana Law Review

No abstract provided.

Lindenwood Magazine, Fall 2023, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Magazine (2017- )

Lindenwood University news magazine.

Facilitating Artistic Growth In Athletically Trained Contemporary Dancers: Using Brain-Compatible Dance Education And Flow State Psychology To Promote Autonomous Movement Choices In Contemporary Movement Practice, Paige Alexis St John

Master's Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of a curriculum based on Brain-Compatible Dance Education (BCDE) and Flow State Psychology to influence and inform the training of artistry within athletically and competitively trained contemporary dancers – specifically the collegiate dance athlete population. Through this study, participants worked to understand how to texturize and deepen their movement through guided improvisation exercises and contemporary movement practice. Lesson plans were developed within the framework of Gilbert’s BCDE, primarily following her inspiration from Bartenieff Fundamentals and Laban movement concepts. Based on conclusions drawn from journal reflections, survey results, and researcher …

Putting Dance In Triple Threat: Confidence And Knowledge Of Dancing In Middle School Actors, Miranda Taylor

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to alleviate feelings of inadequacy in middle school musical theater actors through gained dance knowledge and confidence. The researcher evaluated middle school actors throughout the rehearsal process of a musical. The goal was to answer these three essential questions: Q1 Does feeling confident on stage as an actor/singer correlate with being a confident dancer? Q2 How can dance and choreography be used to increase confidence? Q3 How does previous dance experience effect confidence during a musical? Pre and post questionnaires were given to students who were cast in the show. The data suggested that …

Making It Stick: Exploring Teaching Tools For Choreography Retention In High School Musicals, Katie Arjona

Master's Theses

Dancers often perform pieces that linger in their brains and bodies long after they are danced on stage. For some dancers, the use of unique pieces of music, unusual technical elements, or an emotional connection to the movement has imprinted choreography in the dancer’s body and mind. In preparation for musicals done at the high school level, dancers are often asked to learn choreography to multiple songs within a short span of time and often have little dance training. This creates a unique position for the high school choreographer who will not only have to teach the actors the steps …

A Comparison Of The Perceived Effects Of Injury On Collegiate Dancers And Athletes, Megan Chiles

Master's Theses

This research study focused on sustained injuries to collegiate dancers and athletes and the physical and mental effects that followed the sustained injuries. The researcher used an electronic survey to gather quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data included average weekly hours of practice and conditioning, if an injury was sustained during participation of their activity, where the injury was sustained, and if medical treatment was provided to them through their universities. Qualitative data included whether the injured participants ever felt pressured to continue participation after an injury was sustained. This research study demonstrated that both collegiate dancers and athletes sustain …

Beaches, Bumps, And Milkshakes: A Humanizing, Open, And Dialogic, Postformal Autoethnographic Study Of An Experiential Learning Academy, Eric Anthony Karahalis

Theses & Dissertations

The dominant educational paradigm is rooted in a Platonic, Cartesian, and Piagetian mind-supremacist epistemology that subordinates the body and experience to the mind, ideas, and objective concepts. This reduces students to cognitive receptors of information in a detached, decontextualized, and dehumanizing classroom, i.e., the banking educational model (Freire, 2018; hooks,1994). Students are forced to sit at desks for several hours a day and expected to open their minds and ignore the body’s needs. This educational model is dehumanizing because it only approaches students and learning through one epistemological lens and separates learning from the world. On the other hand, experiential …

Fostering Resilience In Nurse Practitioner Practice: Development And Validation Of A Guide, Robyn L. Heiser

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are a significant part of the U.S. healthcare system providing high quality, safe, consistent care often in low access and rural settings. Nurse practitioners are increasing in demand due to a growing physician shortage and a changing patient demographic of aging patients and patients with increasing complex, chronic illnesses. Nurse practitioners experience chronic work stress from layered demands of their work and role. This challenges their resilience and, if not appropriately managed, could lead to negative consequences for patient outcomes, the well-being of the NP, and overall healthcare system. Applying interventions that could effectively and efficiently foster …

Program Development And Expansion Of A Clinician-Driven Wound Care Program At An Outpatient Wound Care Center, Zhenhai Niu

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Problem. Patients with chronic wounds often present with additional physical and emotional problems because healing of chronic wounds may require months to resolve. Practitioners develop treatment plans based on their own training and clinical expertise, but unfortunately, there are no universal guidelines to inform the management of chronic wounds. Expanding multi-factorial assessments and interventions could improve patient outcomes. The purpose of this project was to implement a wound care protocol for outpatient wound care clients based on a nutritional and psychological self-assessment. Methods. A patient-completed checklist, done on arrival to the clinic, triggered clinician-driven protocol interventions addressing mental health and …

A Quality Improvement Project To Screen For Food Insecurity In Adults With Anxiety Or Depression, Kelsie Evelyn Kroll

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Background Food insecurity is the limited availability and inconsistent accessibility of healthy foods (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2022a). Food insecurity contributes to mental health problems. Individuals with food insecurity have greater odds of screening positive for depression and anxiety (Wolfson et al., 2021). The Hunger Vital Sign™ screening tool is a 2-questions evidence-based tool used to identify food insecurity (Hager et al., 2010). Purpose. Implement the Hunger Vital Sign™ tool at a non-profit behavior health clinic to identify food insecurity in adults who screened positive for anxiety or depression, offer resources for them to obtain nutritious food, and provide additional information …

Implementation Of The Mood Disorder Questionnaire In A Psychiatric Inpatient Facility, Sandy Ann Harris

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Background. Bipolar disorder is a combination of multiple mood disorders associated with high suicide rates. The mood disorder questionnaire is a reliable, cost-effective, and time-effective screening tool to aid in diagnosing bipolar disorder (Carvalho et al., 2015; Miller & Black, 2020). Purpose. To implement the mood disorder questionnaire during admission to improve the accuracy of diagnosing bipolar disorder among providers in patients without a history of bipolar disorder. Goal. To increase the utilization of the mood disorder questionnaire thereby increasing bipolar disorder diagnosis accuracy. Objectives. 100% of the team will attend an in-service on the project; 60% of patients without …

Barriers In Immigrant Mental Healthcare: Women, Children And Fathers, Alisa Pickett

Honors Theses

The American Psychological Association has identified immigrant families as a vulnerable population, whose access to mental healthcare is impacted by numerous barriers (DeAngelis, 2023). Within these communities there is a need for mental health resources, but due to the many barriers these communities face they are often left without care. In this literature review, I will identify the mental health needs, and the barriers that each member of the family (e.g., mothers, children, and fathers) uniquely faces. The discussion will review how these barriers are currently being addressed, specifically looking at changes within practices, use of logotherapy, and changing the …

The Current State Of Abortion Law In Virginia Leaves Victims Of Domestic And Sexual Violence Vulnerable To Abuse: Why Virginia Should Codify The Right To Abortion In The State Constitution†, Courtenay Schwartz

University of Richmond Law Review

All people must have access to safe and legal reproductive health care—especially victims of sexual and domestic violence who can and do become pregnant because of the violence they experience. This year, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. In doing so, the Supreme Court held that the Constitution does not protect the right to an abortion. Though abortion access is currently protected in Virginia, this could change with each new General Assembly session. To guard against the danger that this poses to …

Educator Perceptions Of The Care And Instruction Of Trauma Exposed Students In A Small, Urban, Christian School., Mitzi L. Phelan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is the endeavor of this research project to investigate how a gap in understanding and communication of an advisory program’s fundamental purpose could potentially impact the thoughts and beliefs of teachers in shaping their perceptions of an advisory program’s efficacy. To this end, the purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of twelve teacher-advisors in two high schools in Shelby County, Kentucky to understand their concepts of an advisory program’s efficacy. Using convenience sampling, twelve teacher-advisors participated in semi-structured interviews, providing insight into three research questions regarding teachers’ beliefs, intentionality, and challenges of implementing a …

A Study Of Group Effectiveness In A Virtual Reality Environment., Dalton Clay Sparks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Virtual Reality (VR) technology has revolutionized the study of team effectiveness, yet many studies in this domain lack a comprehensive approach, focusing narrowly on performance metrics. This thesis investigates VR team effectiveness by integrating traditional Team Effectiveness frameworks with VR-specific dynamics. Utilizing Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Group Style Inventory (GSI), this study assesses teams within a VR environment, specifically a multiplayer submarine simulation game, IronWolfVR. Fifteen groups, totaling 45 participants, were observed for their collaborative gameplay, incorporating physiological measures (Heart Rate and Electrodermal Activity), team coordination dynamics, and various survey-based assessments (demographics, System Usability Scale, Simulator Sickness Questionnaire, and …

Autobiographical Traces In Chantal Akerman’S Jeanne Dielman And Meetings With Anna, Stephen Carruthers

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

This article explores two seminal films Akerman wrote and directed early in her career, Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) and Les Rendez-vous d’Anna (Meetings with Anna) (1978), in the context of her later autobiographical writings, Une famille à Bruxelles (1998) and Ma mère rit (2013) (My Mother Laughs). While scripted many years earlier, the two films address themes later developed in Ma mère rit and Une famille à Bruxelles, notably Akerman’s intense relationship with her mother and the trauma of the Shoah. The article outlines the key elements of the two films and autobiographical works and …