Digital Commons Network^™

“I Desire The Road. . . [But] [R]Oads Were Made For Young Men, Not Middle-Aged Women”: Ista’S Journey From Dowager To Paladin, Robin Anne Reid

Mythcon

Scholarship on Ista, Dowager Royina of Chalion, was minimal until the most recent anthology on Bujold’s work was published with four essays (out of 14, 28%) that focus on Ista, either as the primary focus of the essay (Yung Lee, Herington,), or as one of two characters analyzed (Palmer-Patel, MacDonald). These essay focus on queer and/or feminist readings of Ista (Yung Lee, MacDonald, Herington), and on analyzing the paradox of free will and fate in the Chalion duology (Palmer-Patel). In “I desire the road,” (Bujold’s emphasis), I build on these essays, all of which I consider convincing and strongly argued) …

Middles And Centers In Chinese Translations Of Tolkien, Eric Reinders

Mythcon

How do Chinese translators of Tolkien translate the name “Middle-earth” without confusing it with China itself (Zhongguo, or “central kingdom”)? China is a nation which named itself the center of the world, and centrality is never a neutral or apolitical claim. “Middle/central kingdom” signifies a traditional conception of geopolitical power in concentric rings: from emperor, to capital city, to zones nearer to or further from the capital. This paper borrows from the tradition within Religious Studies of theorizing claims to centrality (Eliade, J. Z. Smith) and centrality in Chinese political symbolism (Meyer, Wheatley, Wu Hung, Walsh). Here I primarily consider …

The Middle People Of Middle-Earth: Dwarven Displacement And Reconciliation In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Andrew Hickman

Mythcon

J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved Dwarves evidence “middleness,” or a consistent state of being in flux or consistent change, as evidenced by their historical development, foreignness to other races, and displacement from their homes. The Dwarven race, from their first references in Tolkien’s works, are considered to be a race at odds with the other races of Ilúvatar. Tolkien’s Dwarves are initially seen as a politically neutral or an outright evil group, neither aligning themselves with followers of Manwë nor of Melkor. Additionally, they are described numerous times as more akin to the Orcish race than of the other Free Folk. While …

The Intersection Of Lgbtq+ Identity And Disability: A Need For School Based Support, Jospeh A. Hogan

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Grounded in intersectional theory, this article explores the experience of LGBTQ+ students with disabilities. LGBTQ+ students with disabilities experience higher levels of bullying, harassment, suicidal ideation and other challenges in school. Post-school outcomes also reveal negative realities. Schools need to ensure that support is provided to students living at the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and disability. Implications for school leaders, educational professionals, and educator preparation programs are discussed with recommendations for improving outcomes.

Uproar, Alcuzas And Espadrilles: Arabisms In The Inquisitorial Case Of Lucrecia De Leon, 16th Century, Eva Nunez Mendez

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

Based on Lucrecia de León’s oneiric records, this study focuses on three words of Arab origin in the Inquisition manuscripts of her persecution and imprisonment. The written documents of this young woman’s dreams, collected and conserved by scribes and inquisitors at the end of the sixteenth century, comprises 415 narrative fragments, dated between 1587 and 1590. The main goal of this article is to analyze the following three Arabisms: alboroto, alcuzas and alpargatas, as examples of the Arabic influence on the Castilian vocabulary of the time.

It Was Difficult To Understand The System: Developing A Coordinator Role To Support International Nursing Students- A Qualitative Study, Nick Gibson, Amanda Graf, Tania Beament, Neil Ferguson, Esther Adama, Deborah Kirk, Joyce Muge-Sugutt, Kylie Mccullough

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

International students are an important component of the host country and universities bringing economic, social, and community contributions. International students are the most vulnerable students with challenges related to academic expectations, language proficiency, and socio-cultural integration. This study explores the challenges of international students in a Western Australian School of Nursing and Midwifery. An exploratory questionnaire (n=10), three focus groups (n=15) and a quality improvement survey (n=80) informed this study. Four themes emerged: stress in the first weeks, incorrect and/or late enrolments, lack of guidance and support, and system navigation nightmares. Other issues included: accommodation, culture shock, financial concerns, information …

Dyslexia And Proofreading: Examining Error Detection And Cognitive Compensation, Gillian Glasser

Theses and Dissertations

Little is currently known about how well dyslexic readers can recognize written errors in English as compared to typical readers. The current study asked adult monolingual English-speakers (97 typical and 81 dyslexic) to detect spelling errors in isolated words and single-sentence contexts. Outcomes and possible dyslexic compensatory mechanisms are discussed.

Increasing Breast Cancer Screening Rates Among Women Ages 40 To 74 In An Urban Safety Net Primary Care Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project, Wilder Pinnock

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Background and Problem Description: Breast cancer continues to be the most common and second most lethal form of cancer among women in the U.S. Although there have been improvements in breast cancer screening in the US, major disparities persist. The national breast cancer screening rate for the year 2021 was 75.6%; the rate for the underserved and minority population was 54%. This QI project took place at a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides medical care to medically underserved and vulnerable populations.

Purpose and Aim: This project aimed to increase breast cancer screening at the proposed site to optimize early …

Postsecondary Arabic-Speaking English As A Foreign Language Learners’ Perceptions Of Learning English Sentence Structure, Mohammad Hamed Adam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Writing proper English sentences poses a significant challenge for Arabic-speaking postsecondary students studying English as a Foreign Language (EFL) due to substantial differences between Arabic and English syntactic structures. This basic qualitative study explored the perceptions of Arabic-speaking EFL learners at an Arabian university regarding the challenges they faced in mastering English sentence structure, especially after analyzing errors in their written assignments. The conceptual framework for the study used Corder’s error analysis model and Selinker’s interlingual theory to guide students in revising their errors. The research questions focused on students’ perceptions of learning English sentence structure and identifying syntactic errors …

The Effect Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication Devices On Preschool-Aged Children With Disabilities, Jocelyn N. Fox

Masters Projects

Speech and language needs are not being met effectively in preschool-aged children. These skills are incredibly important, as speech and language skills affect all other areas of development (Greenwood et al., 2013). To help solve this problem, professionals who work with this population of students need to have effective practices in place to address the needs of these students. This project aims to provide preschool-aged children who have speech and language needs the access to communication they deserve. Through Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, many speech and language needs can be addressed. This project will provide training on AAC …

Staff Perspectives Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing College Students’ Alcohol Use, Christine L. Gannon, Theresa H. Gibble, Retta Evans

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

A predominant health issue at colleges and universities is alcohol use. This is also true for deaf and hard of hearing college students. Key stakeholders who observe and witness this alcohol dynamic are staff. Researchers used a semi-structured qualitative guide to interview Gallaudet University staff (N = 26) to learn about their perspectives on and experiences with student alcohol use. Through thematic analysis, they identified several dominant themes that were then grouped into the three levels of the social-ecological model. First, they identified intrapersonal factors, including fear of missing out and coping strategies. Second, they identified interpersonal factors such …

Strategies To Improve The Achievement Of Multilingual Learners, Breanna Marie Mason

Masters Projects

With the increase of the number of multilingual (ML) students in schools today, more strategies and practices are being researched and published. However, the achievement of these students continues to fall significantly below the achievement of their non-ML peers. Although teachers are receiving some training about culturally-relevant teaching practices, they are rarely given time to adjust these strategies based on the needs of their students to support a productive implementation. Teachers need more support and time to do so. This project focuses on both the strategies teachers and school staff should be implementing, along with a guide for implementation. Without …

Nodding As A Catalyst For Improving Attitudes And Purchase Intentions In Online Context, Yusu Lee, Jinhee Choi

Asia Marketing Journal

This study investigates the influences of the head movement (nodding vs. head shaking vs. nothing) on consumer attitude and purchase intention toward the product in an online shopping context and introduces the consumer motivation (need vs. want) as a moderating factor for this relationship. Through two studies, this article finds that nodding, as opposed to head shaking or no movement, leads to more positive attitudes and higher purchase intentions toward the product, and this effect is strengthened when the shopping is pursued with a need compared to a want motivation. The effect is found specifically in the fashion industry, where …

The Effect Of Ewom On Movie Sales Considering Competition And Culture, Jungwon Lee, Cheol Park

Asia Marketing Journal

This paper aims to empirically analyze how competitive and cultural factors moderate the relationship between electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) characteristics and sales in the US and Korean film industries. A conceptual model was developed based on the cue utilization theory (CUT) to analyze the role of cultural and competitive factors that moderate the relationship between three characteristics of eWOM (volume, valence, and variance) and movie sales. Data of 45 days of 163 films released in Korea and the US were collected and a total of 7,335 samples were analyzed by panel regression. As results, competitive factors enhanced the influence of the …

Study Abroad Impact In The Mid-Term: Influence On Professional Development In Japan, Alex Kerns

Capstone Collection

This mixed methods research study explores the impacts of studying abroad for Japanese individuals and examines how these experiences shape their professional development in the mid-term. This research also investigates whether there are any discernible generational differences in these impacts between older millennials and younger millennials. Data collection consists of a survey with seventeen participants and in-depth interviews with four participants. The findings suggest that participants reported that studying abroad had a transformative impact on both older millennials and younger millennials through the development of skills, including cross-cultural communication, cultural competence, global understanding, and language, and had a relatively positive …

Increasing Access To Marginalized African Languages Through Historical Dictionaries, Daren Ray, Jim Law, Earl Brown

BYU Research Development Office Research Networking Conference

Areas of Interest: Linguistics, East African History, Dictionary and other language learning corpora, Religious History (in Africa)

The Effect Of Phonomotor Treatment In A Telepractice Model: An Experimental Study, Jessica Mulch

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study provides an investigation into the effectiveness of a modified version of Phonomotor Treatment (PMT) for treating apraxia of speech (AOS) in a telepractice model. A single-subject design was utilized to provide treatment to a participant with post-stroke apraxia of speech and aphasia. Treatment occurred two hours a day, five days a week, for four weeks. Targets were selected specifically for the participant after initial probing and testing. Data was taken to measure the chosen targets for acquisition, maintenance, and generalization. The data collected includes pre-treatment (before starting treatment), post-treatment (directly after treatment), and follow-up (10 weeks after the …

The Footnotes: A Love Practice, Larissa Cheryl Ramey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

the footnotes: a love practice delves into the intersection of archival methods, fashion, black style and aesthetic, communal thinking, and transformative experiences to unveil a unique narrative of historical significance and contemporary relevance. Through an interdisciplinary approach, my research explores how Black culture, fashion, and style are deeply intertwined and influence our communities' cultural and social evolution, specifically examining the role of transportation and clothing, as systems or conduits for style diffusion and expression becoming their own unique modes of transporting. I investigate a wide array of archival resources, including vintage fashion magazines, photographs, books and both individual and communal …

Self-Reflections: A Journey Of Practice In Art Education, Lucienne R. Cape

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This self-study explores the convergence of Culturally Sustaining Teaching within the realm of art education, focusing on the author’s journey as a white, middle-aged, cisgender, southern American woman teaching art in a parochial school environment. The study investigates the dynamics between cultural responsiveness and the acknowledgement of material agency in art classrooms. By integrating principles of culturally sustaining teaching into the art curriculum, the author aims to honor students’ cultural backgrounds while fostering critical consciousness and earthly sustainability awareness. The research questions delve into the connections between culturally sustaining teaching and how the author’s personal identity impacts choice in …

Fog To Pyre: The Impact Of Supreme Court Judgment Complexity On Dowry Deaths, Abhinav Anand, Sanchit Jain, Jalaj Pathak, Sheetal Sekhri

Working Papers

We use Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to examine if judgments’ complexity in Supreme Court cases influences dowry deaths in India.Leveraging the quasi-random assignment of judges to cases, we find that aone-unit increase in the complexity of judgments captured by the Fog Index ina state year increases dowry deaths by 2% in the subsequent period. Based onestimates of the Value of Statistical Life (VSL), this increase in dowry-relatedhomicides of women costs $1.83 million in a state year or 51 million USD forthe country annually. In otherwise similar judgments, very high complexity increases the incidence of future dowry deaths by 15%. …

Centering The People’S Voice In Teaching And Learning First-Year Criminal Law, Fareed Nassor Hayat

Criminal Law Practitioner

This article proposes a people-centered approach to teaching first-year criminal law that elevates the people’s voice by using rap music to understand complex legal concepts. Incorporating rap music transforms the classroom and the practice of law to include those it has previously excluded and provides a people-centered means to expand legal education more broadly.

Breaking Boundaries: A Qualitative Exploration Of Scientific Motivation And Persistance From The Perspectives Of Arab Women Undergradute Students In Stem In The Us, Fadwa Hamad

Dissertations

There is a lack of information regarding the motivational experiences of Arab women undergraduate students in STEM fields in the US and the factors that contribute to their engagement and persistence in this field. This is because of their categorization as white on census documents, which renders them invisible. Research has shown that motivational beliefs are effective predictors of students' persistence especially for women from minority groups. Thus, it is important to understand the motivational experiences of Arab women students as part of the minority women in STEM in the US. Using an intersectionality framework, and a multi-component motivational model, …

Assessment Of Inquiry-Based Learning Practice In Response To The Science Achievement Gap Of City Schools, Lexus K. Baxendale,

Masters Theses

Over the past few decades, many city schools have seen a decline in graduation rates, attendance, rates, and standardized test scores. Once high achieving schools, are now struggling to get students to attend school let alone graduate. One specific area that has experienced this decline is K-12 science education. As a secondary science educator working within a city district, I have witnessed firsthand the substantial gaps in knowledge that many students exhibit even as they transition into high school. These gaps are often profound and can be traced back to the early stages of their education, where foundational scientific concepts …

A Design Thinking Mixed Method Study On Social-Emotional Learning Lessons For Early Elementary Learners, Emily Woodall

Dissertations

Social emotional learning (SEL) had largely been absent from early elementary curriculum, despite research which indicated the need for specialized SEL curricula for unique groups, especially students identified as gifted and talented, exceptional students living in geographically isolated areas, and unidentified gifted students from historically disadvantaged minority groups, including African American, Latinx, and Native American. The researcher proposed an SEL pilot in early elementary grades, including pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, may create a scaffolded approach to SEL curricula throughout the students’ educational experiences with a focus on scaffolding to specific subgroups, such as gifted and talented students with unique SEL needs. …

Unveiling Key Features: A Comparative Study Of Machine Learning Models For Alzheimer's Detection, Cailean Bushnell

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis rigorously evaluates the application of an array of natural language processing (NLP) techniques and machine learning models to identify linguistic signatures indicative of dementia, as sourced from the DementiaBank Pitt corpus. Utilizing a binary classification paradigm, this study meticulously integrates sophisticated embedding methods—including Doc2Vec, Word2Vec, GloVe, and BERT—with traditional machine learning algorithms such as Random Forest, Multinomial Naïve Bayes, ADA boost, KNN classifier, and Logistic Regression, alongside deep learning architectures like LSTM, Bi-LSTM, and CNN-LSTM. The efficacy of these methodologies is evaluated based on their capacity to differentiate between transcribed speech impacted by dementia and that from control …

The Educational, Living, And Social Conditions Of Farmworker Families Residing In A California Migrant Housing Center, Anna Santana

Social Justice in Educational Leadership EdD Dissertations

Every year, thousands of agricultural workers and their families migrate across states and countries, playing a vital role in global food production, especially in California, home to the largest population of farmworkers in the U.S. Historically, migrant families lived in inadequate housing, but today the state offers 24 seasonal rental housing centers with approximately 1,883 units across 15 counties. However, this type of subsidized housing requires that families live outside a 50-mile radius from these centers for at least three months during the off-season, often forcing children to change schools multiple times a year, disrupting their education. This study explores …

Cultural Humility As A Mechanism For Building Working Alliance With International Counseling Supervisees, Alexandra Ioakeimidou

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The counseling field constitutes a choice of study for many international students pursuing graduate studies in the United States. A critical training aspect of the counseling field is clinical supervision. It is documented in the literature that international counseling supervisees encounter many challenges in the context of supervision. The field of mental health and, in particular, the counseling field often emphasize the concept of cultural competence as a critical component in providing effective cross-cultural supervision. However, scholars have pointed out some negative aspects of cultural competence. The present study stipulated that the emphasis of supervisors on cultural competence could be …

El Centro Newsletter (Aug 2024), Bryan Ramirez, Araceli Hernández-Laroche Ph.D.

Newsletters & Reports

Welcome to the second edition of El Centro’s monthly newsletter! Thank you for coming back to read our alumni, faculty, and student spotlights, recruitment updates, El Centro Scholarship story, and news. Please share your suggestions for our September newsletter. Know someone who is joining USC Upstate? Introduce them to El Centro!

Table of contents:

• A day trip to La Vila-Joiosa, Spain, page 1
• Faculty Spotlight, Dr. Refika Turgut (education), page 2
• Student Spotlight, Mariana Bakhoum (biology) pictured with Ms. Whittany Evans, page 2
• Avanzando recruits 6^th cohort, page 3
• Alumni Spotlight: Itzel Tello Lennon (communications studies), page 3
• New …

Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perceptions When Supporting Students With Dyslexia, Heather Campbell-Meyer Tellier

Dissertations

This study explored the rationale and significance of integrating speech-language pathologists (SLPs) into the assessment and remediation of dyslexia, traditionally the domain of general and special education teachers. Drawing on their unique qualifications in languagerelated areas, such as phonology, syntax, and semantics, SLPs have emerged as valuable assets in supporting students with dyslexia. American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) has recognized the value of SLPs working with students with dyslexia and has set specific guidelines for working with them. Despite these guidelines, recent data have indicated a gap between policy and practice, with only a fraction of SLPs (36%) actively …

Teaching To The Heart: A Grounded Theory Exploration Of Elementary Educators’ Journey Toward Teaching Mathematics For Social Justice, Breána Victoria-Delgado

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The current sociopolitical context of the United States has created a divide among the nation which has transpired into Kindergarten-12th grade public school settings. Throughout the United States school boards of education have banned books and Critical Race Theory while attacking social justice teaching pedagogies. Presently, there is growing empirical research on teaching mathematics for social justice in public elementary schools. This study explored the ways in which public elementary educators experience teaching mathematics for social justice in their classrooms across Southern California. Through qualitative research, this study utilized constructivist grounded theory methodology and methods to gain insight of the …