Digital Commons Network^™

Improve Mentorship Through Meaningful Feedback And Coaching, Molly Montavon

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Mentoring within a school setting has been formalized and researched; however, there is minimal research surrounding mentoring in early childhood education settings. Students attending a community college for early childhood education are sent to centers that do not offer mentoring training to support the students through their education journey. This results in the students having inconsistent experiences that could lead to them exiting the program and field. The lack of formalized mentor training catalyzes this school improvement plan for a local community college. The mentors have experience and education while presenting best practices within early childhood education. This plan will …

Improving Reading Interventions: A School Improvement Plan, Ivy Leitch

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This school improvement plan was driven by the researcher’s interest in improving literacy interventions due to an ineffective literacy curriculum. This plan focuses on the essential components of literacy interventions, which research found are phonics, phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and the science of reading. These components will increase literacy skills in all elementary grades and potentially increase FAST scores. As the district purchases a new literacy curriculum in 2026, these components should be at the forefront of their decision.

Exploring Barriers To Recruitment And Retention In Cancer Clinical Trials Among Underrepresented Populations: Perspectives Of Clinical Trial Research Coordinating Staff, Sumbul Yousafi

Health Science Doctoral Thesis

Background: Clinical trials are crucial in advancing scientific knowledge and interventions and exploring more efficient and safe treatments to improve patient care and health outcomes. The active participation of patients and researchers has made it feasible to conduct clinical trials that have been ground-breaking and become the standardized practice of care; however, the participation of underrepresented populations in clinical trials has been identified to be low. This issue can impact the generalizability of findings from clinical trials and efforts to promote health equity. Appropriate representation from underrepresented populations in clinical trials is vital; it will contribute to equitable healthcare for …

Researcher Access To Social Media Data: Lessons From Clinical Trial Data Sharing, Christopher J. Morten, Gabriel Nicholas, Salomé Viljoen

Faculty Scholarship

For years, social media companies have sparred with lawmakers over how much independent access to platform data they should provide researchers. Sharing data with researchers allows the public to better understand the risks and harms associated with social media, including areas such as misinformation, child safety, and political polarization. Yet researcher access is controversial. Privacy advocates and companies raise the potential privacy threats of researchers using such data irresponsibly. In addition, social media companies raise concerns over trade secrecy: the data these companies hold and the algorithms powered by that data are secretive sources of competitive advantage. This Article shows …

Cuir I Queer Afro-Cuhan And Xicanx Transnational Encounters, Patricia Herrera, Mariela Méndez

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

"We were walking in Old Havana on a hot, umbrella-less, rainy day when someone randomly stopped us to give us a small leaflet of the exhibition opening of Dualidad: Todas las partes de mi ser. at the tattoo parlor La Marca. The opening was delayed because of the rain. Since we were soaked and desperately needed a moment to dry off, we head~d to the exhibition. Little did we know what we were walking into. If our arrival at La Marca on May 18, 2018, was haphazard, Debora Kuetzpal Vasquez's exhibition certainly was not. As a Xicanx queer multimedia artist, …

In Tune With Cultural Sensitivity: A Systematic Review Of The Effectiveness Of Culturally Tailored Music Therapy Interventions For Children Coping With Trauma, Reiana K. Thomas

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Music Therapy, guided by a board-certified music therapist, utilizes musical elements, techniques, and clinical strategies to facilitate interventions tailored to individual client needs, concentrating on achieving therapeutic objectives that address cognitive, communicative, emotional, physiological, psychosocial, and spiritual domains. Within this framework, cultural sensitivity and competence are crucial for a music therapist, as it is one of the first steps in fostering a positive developmental journey for a client. Specifically, for children coping with trauma, music therapy can cultivate a more structured environment of treatment and regimen. Magnifying the scope of trauma through the lens of racial, environmental, and interpersonal influences …

The Influence Of Texting On Perceived Warmth: The Role Of Punctuation And Emoji, Elizabeth Mathews

Senior Honors Theses

Technology Mediated Communication (TMC) has become an essential part of interpersonal communication. Punctuation and emoji are major vessels of nonverbal communication in texting. The impact of punctuation and emoji use on perceptions of warmth was tested with 291 residential undergraduate students at Liberty University who were at least 18 years old. Through an online questionnaire, participants read a series of text messages with a randomly assigned condition of having either punctuation and emoji, punctuation and no emoji, no punctuation and emoji, or no punctuation and no emoji. Results indicated a significant main effect for the presence of emoji on perceived …

Conflict In The Congo: A Critical Assessment Of Section 1502 Of The Dodd-Frank Act, Rodney Ford

Senior Honors Theses

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the poorest and most troubled nations in the world. With a convoluted and often tragic history, a significant cause of economic underdevelopment and political instability in the Congo has been the illicit expropriation of the country’s vast reserves of high-value minerals. In the early 2010s, Congress attempted to address the “conflict minerals” dilemma through the enactment of Section 1502 of the Dodd Frank Act. The conflict minerals rule aimed to break the supposed link between the illegal exploitation of minerals and the perpetuation of violence. Drawing upon books, journal articles, research …

Artificial General Intelligence And The Mind-Body Problem: Exploring The Computability Of Simulated Human Intelligence In Light Of The Immaterial Mind, Caleb Parks

Senior Honors Theses

In this thesis I explore whether achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) through simulating the human brain is theoretically possible. Because of the scientific community’s predominantly physicalist outlook on the mind-body problem, AGI research may be limited by erroneous foundational presuppositions. Arguments from linguistics and mathematics demonstrate that the human intellect is partially immaterial, opening the door for novel analysis of the mind’s simulability. I categorize mind-body problem philosophies in a manner relevant to computer science based upon state transitions, and determine their ramifications on mind-simulation. Finally, I demonstrate how classical architectures cannot resolve so-called Gödel statements, discuss why this inability …

From Authenticity To Abandonment: A Case Study On The Decline Of Bereal, Blake Bollinger

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Dispelling Delusion And Seeing Nature: A Comparative Analysis Of Lucretius’ _De Rerum Natura_ And Hui-Neng’S _Platform Sutra_, Isaac Raymond

Honors Theses

Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura and Hui-neng’s Platform Sutra have never been compared in a scholarly context; as such, this paper builds a new bridge between Western and Eastern philosophical literature, examining language, narrative, ethics, teleology, theology, and departures from orthodox philosophies in order to synthesize a clear and complete view of the two works in dialogue. De Rerum Natura, or On the Nature of Things, is a first-century BC epic poem composed in Latin by Titus Lucretius Carus which explains Epicurean philosophy in great detail through verse. The Platform Sutra is an eighth-century AD Chinese Zen (Ch’an) Buddhist sermon, …

Short-Term Transformative Impacts Of A Service-Learning Study Abroad Program, Caroline Cully Garbers, Dale W. Pracht, T. Grady Roberts

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Universities are increasingly working to better prepare students for success in the workforce and increasingly advocating high-impact learning experiences. This case study explores the short-term impacts on students who participated in a short-term service-learning study abroad program in Ireland through a lens of Transformative Learning Theory. Data collection consisted of (a) a pre-participation interview, (b) a follow-up interview, and (c) participant observation. We found evidence of all four tenets of Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory: (a) refining meaning schema, (b) learning new schema, (c) transforming schemes, and (d) transforming perspectives. Emergent subthemes related to service-learning or personal growth were discovered within …

How Is Technology Shaping The Future Of Study?, Steve M. Baule, Laura Beasley, Hanh Bergerson, Danilo Lj. Bojic, Erin Carter, Jennie Danneman, Christopher Dufault, Matt Flugum, Sadie R. Gunnink, Megan L.M. Hansen, Matthew G. Howard, Matthew P. Huettl, Martha G. Haugerud, Jenna K. Ladd, Dillon Martinez, Jordan O'Connell, Nick Pocius, Lindsey Reishus, Mitchell Schank, Rebecca Simataa, Kelli Snyder, Ixchell L. Tolentino

Education Doctorate Books

The book How is Technology Shaping the Future of Study? delves into the potential benefits and drawbacks of technological advancements in education. The book is a collection of graduate student writings from the 2023 summer Education Doctorate Residency at Winona State University.

Improving Provider Ordered Annual Breast Cancer Screening In Primary Care, Alexis Manzella

DNP Projects

Significance and Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women throughout the United States. Specifically, the state of Connecticut has one of the highest rates of breast cancer in the country. Multiple evidence-based organizations have developed specific guidelines for screening in clinical practice. These guidelines specify when a woman should be screened and how frequently. A project was put in place at a FQHC in Connecticut to increase the number of breast cancer screenings ordered, based on clinical guidelines. Evidence supported the use of provider education to increase the number of mammograms ordered (Marks,2022).

Purpose: Increase the number …

Graduate Studies Newsletter (Spring 2024), Csusb - Office Graduate Studies

Graduate Studies Newsletter

No abstract provided.

(Bi)Lingüe, (Bi)Cultural Y El Espacio Intermedio, Emma Sempsrott

Research Honors

In this research project, I am investigating the differences in the US education system in regard to Spanish bilingual education. This research is rooted in the political and policy debate surrounding Dual Language Programs and Transitional Bilingual Programs, which blossomed during the Reagan administration in the 1980’s. More specifically, I am researching the differences between these two programs and their individual cognitive benefits. In order to examine these differences, I will compare them using two different populations: Bloomington, IL and Saint Charles, IL. Both of these areas have different populations as well as different offerings of bilingual support and education. …

Enlivened Worship With The Divine: Evaluation And Innovative Application Of The Liturgical Arts For Worship Renewal, Nicole Sikora Gray

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

Liturgical arts are meaningful resources and vessels for reclaiming and renewing the storytelling abilities of dynamic worship. This thesis explores a strategic evaluation of liturgical arts through the foundational and relational subjects of theology, ritual studies, and liturgical theology. Through the Holy Spirit, liturgical arts have formative powers that lead congregations into a deeper meeting with God—sending them forth as renewed signposts of Christ’s transcendence. They provide the space where pain and brokenness meet hope and grace for the renewal of the world.

This thesis examines those powers in combination with a foundational and contextual evaluation to restore and apply …

Mission As Life Awakening In Africa And Beyond: Revisiting The Theology Of Life Of Engelbert Mveng (1930-1995), Mondohong Mouzou

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

The study aims to reimagine the Christian mission in sub-Saharan Africa through the lens of Engelbert Mveng's theology of life. Faced with deplorable conditions and threats to life in sub-Saharan Africa, the study navigates between critical analysis, comparative theology, constructive theology, and interpretive analyses of Mveng's artistic works to develop a new way of doing mission. lt shapes what could be labeled Mission as Life Awakening, which seeks to break with life-diminishing narratives, structures, and mortal spaces and reconstruct new arenas where life can be nurtured and affirmed spiritually and actively in all dimensions.

The critical analysis begins by examining …

“What Line Can’T Be Measured With A Ruler?” Riddles And Concept-Formation In Mathematics And Aesthetics, William H. Brenner, Samuel J. Wheeler

Philosophy Faculty Publications

We analyze two problems in mathematics – the first (stated in our title) is extracted from Wittgenstein’s “Philosophy for Mathematicians”; the second (“What set of numbers is non-denumerable?”) is taken from Cantor. We then consider, by way of comparison, a problem in musical aesthetics concerning a Brahms variation on a theme by Haydn. Our aim is twofold: first, to bring out and elucidate the essentially riddle-like character of these problems; second, to show that the comparison with riddles does not reduce their solution to an exercise in bare subjectivity

Mapping Collaboration: Examining State-Government Alliance In Addressing Specific Child Sexual Offenses, Allison R. Lair

Honors College Theses

Amidst our society, a harrowing reality persists: one in ten children bear the burden of enduring sexual abuse before reaching the tender age of eighteen. Alas, this issue often remains hidden from the societal spotlight due to limitations in offense-specific statistical crime data. Since 1930, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Report (UCR) has been the primary resource for annual state-level law enforcement data collection. However, the voluntary nature of participation and the mass categorization of offenses within the UCR methodology, lead to the exclusion of crucial data concerning child sexual offenses. This research explores the dynamics of state …

Bearing The Benefit: An Evolution Of Passing To Trespassing & How We Got Here, Kennedi J. Williams

Honors College Theses

In recent years, we have seen a shift in the social treatment of white people in America. The desire to be politically correct at all times, in hopes of avoiding becoming the next viral “Karen” or racist has become imperative. The following thesis will explore the latest trend of white women buying racial capital by producing mixed-race children. At first glance, this idea can be a bit problematic. How can we assume the reasoning behind a woman choosing to bear a child? With this in mind, I would like to emphasize that individuals do not have to consciously be racist …

From The Editors: Mobilizing New Sources Of Data: Opportunities And Recommendations, Denis A. Gregoire, Anne L. J. Ter Wal, Laura M. Little, Sekou Bermiss, Reddi Kotha, Marc Gruber

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In June 2008, the U.S.-based website Glassdoor.com began posting anonymous company reviews and salary data from current and former employees of various organizations. Doing so not only brought to the world information that had hitherto been restricted to private circles, it spontaneously prompted some organizations to alter their workplace practices (Dineen & Allen, 2016; Dube & Zhu, 2021). At the same time, Glassdoor’s very activities gave rise to a completely new source of data for exploring a wealth of management and organizational phenomena (e.g., Bermiss & McDonald, 2018; Rhee, 2024). As this example illustrates, new data sources can not only …

Importance Of Nonprofit Board Training On One Organization’S Efforts To Raise Funding Through Foundations, Marsha Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Large Language Model For Vulnerability Detection: Emerging Results And Future Directions, Xin Zhou, Ting Zhang, David Lo

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Previous learning-based vulnerability detection methods relied on either medium-sized pre-trained models or smaller neural networks from scratch. Recent advancements in Large Pre-Trained Language Models (LLMs) have showcased remarkable few-shot learning capabilities in various tasks. However, the effectiveness of LLMs in detecting software vulnerabilities is largely unexplored. This paper aims to bridge this gap by exploring how LLMs perform with various prompts, particularly focusing on two state-of-the-art LLMs: GPT-3.5 and GPT-4. Our experimental results showed that GPT-3.5 achieves competitive performance with the prior state-of-the-art vulnerability detection approach and GPT-4 consistently outperformed the state-of-the-art.

Sticks And Stones May Break My Bones, But Words Will Never Hurt Me. Or Will They? The Eleventh Circuit Expands The “Extreme Cruelty” Definition In 8 U.S.C. §1229b(B)(2) To Encompass Mental And Physical Abuse In Ruiz V. United States Attorney General, Sydnie N. Winter

Mercer Law Review

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), originally passed in 1994, was the first federal legislation acknowledging domestic violence as a crime. As part of this Act, Congress enacted 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)(2), a rule that allows battered spouses (or children) who are not citizens or nationals of the United States of America to seek the discretionary cancellation of the government’s removal of them from the country. The VAWA special-rule was enacted as a way to enable abuse victims to obtain discretionary deportation relief, allowing them to leave their abusers without fear of deportation or other immigration-related consequences. ...

The United …

Examining Elementary English Language Teachers’ Professional Development Of Dispositions, Knowledge, And Skills, Jessica Reese

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine how professional development contributed to the dispositions, knowledge, and skills of elementary English language (EL) teachers. Historically, EL teachers received little professional development and ongoing support within their discipline of English as a Second Language, which led to inconsistencies with how EL teachers perceived their role as a language development expert. Although the literature review identified the necessary dispositions, knowledge, and skills of EL teachers, there was little research about how EL teachers accessed professional development to engage in continuous growth in their field. As part of the study, professional …

Factors Influencing Multilingual Families’ Decisions To Accept Or Waive English Language Services, Emily Mattson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the factors influencing multilingual families’ decisions to accept or waive English language (EL) services. The number of multilingual learners in the United States has increased by half a million over the past ten years (National Center for Education Statistics, 2021). This growing population of students requires teachers with specialized knowledge and training in specific areas of second language acquisition, culturally relevant teaching practices, and targeted language instruction to participate fully in classroom content (Cadiero-Kaplan, 2010; Olsen, 2010). However, not all multilingual families choose for their children to receive targeted language instruction and decide to waive English language …

Teachers’ Perspectives On The Transition Of Dual Language Spanish Immersion Students To Middle School, Myriam Castro-Franco

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

How do Dual Language Immersion (DLI) educators envision a well-implemented program that supports their students’ transition from elementary DLI to middle school? This research is intended to amplify teachers’ voices in shaping elementary students’ transition to middle school. Results are focused on aligning teachers’ perspectives with the Guided Principles for Dual Language Instruction (Howard et al., 2018). Educators’ visions for a well-implemented immersion program can provide insight into the best ways to support students transitioning from elementary to middle school. This study intends to provide perspective into developing the program for a successful transition. This understanding can help inform policy, …

Communicating Across The Divide: Using Critical Communication Pedagogy As A Lens To Reimagine The Mediated Basic Communication Course As A Space Of Activism, Margaret Baker

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly influenced teaching and learning in mediated spaces, highlighting the challenges many historically excluded learners face in virtual environments. While previous research suggests that well-designed online courses can effectively support these students, communication education as a field has been slow to adopt virtual learning. This resistance has left many educators underprepared to develop equitable and impactful online coursework. Previous work has demonstrated the success of critical communication pedagogy (CCP) - which centers the experiences of traditionally underserved students and promotes collaborative learning - within face-to-face communication coursework (Fassett & Warren, 2007). As such, this dissertation investigates how …

How Local Government Can Protect Workers’ Rights Even When States Do Not Want Them To: Opportunities For Local Creativity And Persistence Despite Double Preemption, Terri Gerstein, Lijia Gong

Fordham Urban Law Journal

No abstract provided.