Digital Commons Network^™

Introducing Generative Artificial Intelligence Into The Msw Curriculum: A Proposal For The 2029 Educational Policy And Accreditation Standards, Maria Rodriguez, Lauri Goldkind, Bryan Victor, Barb Hilz, Brian Perron

Social Service Faculty Publications

The most recent Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) demands that social workers develop competence in the ethical and professional deployment of technology. Arguably, artificial intelligence has become a critical element in the technological landscape, most recently with the advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Beginning in late 2022, there has been an explosion of interest in GenAI, along with a massive and ongoing rollout of GenAI tools for personal and professional use, such as ChatGPT. While GenAI will undoubtedly affect social work practice, scholars and ethicists have raised crucial concerns about GenAI, its potential …

Engaging With Culturally Relevant Curriculum Development Practice In First-Year Writing Courses Through A Community Of Practice, Mitchell Dallas Herring

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative action research study provides a case study of a community of practice (CoP) comprised of six faculty who teach first-year writing at Southern Technical College (pseudonym) as they engaged with culturally relevant teaching to review their curriculum development practices. The guiding question of this study was: How does engagement with culturally relevant pedagogy within a community of practice impact faculty who teach first-year writing's curriculum development practice, especially given their perceptions of students' needs and literacies? The study used a case study research design to document the faculty's experiences discussing and reflecting on their practice and perceptions of …

Systems Check: A Qualitative Case Study Of Educators And Parent-Educators Supporting Adolescent Readers From An Ecological Systems Perspective, Kristi Nicole Grooms

Theses and Dissertations

In spite of decades of research and an abundance of well-intentioned intervention efforts, supporting adolescent readers, particularly at the middle level, remains a significant area of concern for educators in the United States. The struggles are present for educators working to help underperforming readers reach grade-level and keep advanced readers motivated and engaged. At home, parents and guardians experience similar challenges. Data on adolescent comprehension performance continues to be frustrating in terms of producing consistent positive results. This qualitative action research study investigated the ongoing challenge of supporting adolescent readers, specifically within the context of 7th grade, through a systems …

The Inclusion Of Metacognition In Source Evaluation Instruction, Anthony Tardiff

Foley Library Scholarship

Though the ACRL Framework holds metacognition as crucial to exercising information literacy, its emphasis was reduced from prominence in early drafts to a single mention in the final document. At the same time, few of the frequently-taught sets of source evaluation criteria include a step for self-awareness. This raises the question: do librarians explicitly teach metacognitive concepts when they teach source evaluation? Online library guides about source evaluation from various colleges and universities in Washington state were analyzed, and librarians who taught source evaluation were surveyed to determine whether and to what extent metacognitive concepts were included as part of …

Rose Nourish To Flourish Obesity Prevention Program Targeting Children At Risk For Food Insecurity In Jacksonville, Florida, Jamie Marchio

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Nourish to Flourish study aimed to decrease the prevalence of obesity among food insecure children in Jacksonville, FL. Specifically, the program focused on nutrition education and access to healthy foods. The study consisted of a 4-week nutrition education series emphasizing the major determinants of healthy weight known as 5-2-1-0! This includes expanding knowledge of fruit and vegetable intake to achieve a target intake of five servings a day, screen time reduction to no more than two hours a day, achieving a physical activity goal of one hour a day outside of school hours, and limiting sugar sweetened beverage consumption …

Turtlegrass (Thalassia Testudinum) Undergoes A Coordinated Hypersensitive Response When Challenged With Pathogenic Labyrinthula Sp., Ava Vasile Larson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Infection of the subtropical seagrass Thalassia testudinum Banks ex König by pathogenic Labyrinthula sp. was found to induce lesion progression, alterations to the host’s oxidative metabolism, and production of defense metabolites over the early stages of infection (monitored over a 72-hr time course). By 48-hrs post-infection, host oxygen consumption, internal reactive oxygen concentrations, and caspase-3 proteolytic activity reached their highest levels. The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) were detected in T. testudinum lesions by use of redox-sensitive probes/substrates and fluorescent imaging. To our knowledge, this work represents the first time NO has been detected in …

Talking Scents: Copyrightability Of Fragrance & Intellectual Property Protection In The Perfume Industry, Margaret M. Donnelly

University of Richmond Law Review

Designer fashion brands are well-known for their aggressive brand protection techniques and unwavering commitment to protecting the exclusivity of their products. After all, it is this exclusivity that drives demand for luxury products in the first place. Additionally, a new trend of duplicate or “dupe” products that are more accessible, noncounterfeited replicas of high-end goods presents a new problem for these luxury brands. Despite high-end brands’ best efforts, the luxury goods industry is still plagued by counterfeiting and piracy issues, as well as the emerging threat of replicated dupe products that drive luxury sales down. From notorious counterfeit marketplaces like …

Feelin' Like A Criminal: Fiona Apple And The Lolita Effect, Astrid Burns

Dean James E. McLeod Freshman Writing Prize

From music to novels, the sexualization of young girls and women permeates our media. Many magazine models and actresses are posed in ways that transform them into sexual objects, even without their knowledge or consent. Miley Cyrus was fifteen when she posed seminude for Vanity Fair. Fiona Apple was only nineteen when pressured to strip on camera for her first music video. This phenomena of perpetuated sexualization of women in media is referred to as the Lolita effect, coined by media studies scholar M. Gigi Durham. With a focus on Fiona Apple’s “Criminal” music video, this research paper explores the …

A (Review) Bomb Representation Of A Post-Apocalyptic Queer Romance, Lydia Pita

Dean James E. McLeod Freshman Writing Prize

The zombie apocalypse genre has historically reinforced white, hypermasculine survivalist narratives, often marginalizing or erasing queer identities. However, HBO’s The Last of Us (2023) disrupts these conventions through its critically acclaimed third episode, Long, Long Time. This paper examines how the episode subverts traditional apocalyptic tropes by portraying a queer romance that challenges stereotypical masculinity. Through Bill’s transformation from a self-sufficient survivalist to an emotionally vulnerable partner, the narrative deconstructs the “transcendent white hypermasculine body” trope and offers a narrative in which queer love thrives despite the dystopian setting. This analysis explores the episode’s unique casting choices, portrayal of queer …

Gender Representation In Modern Children’S Media: The Disguised Damsel In Distress, Alex Bonham Walsh

Dean James E. McLeod Freshman Writing Prize

This paper examines the influence that children’s media has on the formation of gender identity in young children. Through an analysis of the psychology behind children’s formation of gender, coupled with Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity and history acts, this paper delves into the media’s perpetuation of gender roles and highlights the its critical role in providing children with examples about how to consider and embody one’s gender. Children’s media still possesses gender stereotypes and traditional associations, despite modern movies’ attempts to shift away from harmful narratives. Research demonstrates that children absorb these cues, adopting gendered behaviors and societal …

Increasing Pediatric Vaccination Rates Through Parental Education At A Federally Qualified Community Health Center: An Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Project, Dayna Dicola

Master's Theses and Capstones

Background: Childhood immunization rates for children aged 2 years and under at a community health center were assessed and determined to be below optimal levels. Immunizations protect against preventable diseases (Hill, 2023). The project assessed the microsystem to understand low immunization rates and to guide strategies for improvement.

Methods: The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model was used. In the planning phase, key stakeholders were consulted to assess current rates and barriers contributing to immunization rates. The chosen intervention was placed simplified immunization schedules in pediatric exam rooms to educate parents and promote adherence.

Intervention: A visual guide detailing the recommended vaccination schedule …

Carceral Care In Kentucky: The Case Of A School Safety Plan, Kaitlyn Selman, Hannah Carson Baggett, Lakendrick Richardson

Faculty Publications - College of Education

In this case study, we analyze commentary made in school board meetings by both board members and community members over a period of five years in Jefferson County Public Schools, Kentucky, as a school safety reform around school policing took shape. We review meeting minutes, public commentary, and policy documents to illustrate how carceral ideas shaped stakeholders’ views about safety, security, and what should happen in schools regarding police and students. We conclude with abolitionist perspectives about repair and investment in communities.

Children's Nature Play: Access To The Outdoors And Interactions With Biodiversity, Allison Antink-Meyer, Anthony W. Lorsbach, Ryan A. Brown

Faculty Publications - College of Education

In the U.S. and elsewhere, the nature play and outdoor time that is important to childhood development is not accessible to many. Children’s interactions with elements of nature, including biodiversity, are important. This study explored community-based affordances, using a nature play continuum, to examine the wildness in specific space types. To investigate children’s access and uncover how they interacted with nature in specific types of outdoor spaces, two iterations of household surveys for 489 families were used in the study. Underlying associations between types of outdoor space and children’s access were found. Direct and intentional interactions with biodiversity were related …

Loosely Defined: Neoliberalism, Democracy, And Discursive Contestation In Post-Brown Education Reform, Laura E. Kalmes

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This critical policy analysis examines how U.S. education reform in the post-Brown v.Board of Education era co-opted civil rights language to advance neoliberal and White supremacist agendas. By tracing the evolution of key terms like equality, freedom, and choice in influential policy texts from 1954 to 1965, the paper illuminates discursive strategies used to naturalize market-based reforms and deflect attention from structural racism. While focused on the U.S. context, the analysis has broad international relevance, as similar processes of rearticulating civil rights language to serve neoliberal ends can be observed in education reforms globally. The analytical framework developed here can …

The Benefits Of Prenatal Education Via Virtual And Mobile Applications Before, During, And After Pregnancy: A Quality Improvement Project, Lindsay Farland

Master's Theses and Capstones

Background: The advancements of technology has led to a substantial increase in the use of pregnancy applications among expecting parents. Studies indicate that a majority of pregnant individuals utilize virtual education platforms for various purposes, including accessing information on nutrition, exercise, baby development, and pregnancy symptoms. Despite the potential benefits, participation in these platforms remains low, emphasizing a need for enhanced resources and engagement strategies. Research shows that engagement with antenatal education through mobile applications can lead to improved maternal and fetal outcomes, such as reduced rates of caesarean births and fewer complications related to hypertension or preeclampsia.

Methods: …

Incorporating Educational Interventions To Improve Nursing Adoption Of Electronic Medical Record Technology: A Quality Improvement Project, Andrew Oratovsky

Master's Theses and Capstones

Background: Use of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) has become the standard for medical information management and exchange amongst acute care hospitals in the United States. The Epic® electronic medical record has been identified as a popular EMR software for adoption by many healthcare organizations. Associated with the adoption of this technology is a large investment in training medical professionals on its specific processes.

Local Problem: In the outpatient, primary care setting of a hospital in New England, the adoption of Epic® has come with much fear and resistance regarding the ability of nursing staff to efficiently learn and …

Utilizing Gsk3beta And Integrin Inhibitors To Target Stat3 Activity In Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Emily Anne Pratt

Master's Theses and Capstones

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer associated with poor prognosis and characterized by increased rates of proliferation and metastasis. TNBC gets its name due to the lack of the three receptors commonly found in other breast cancer types: estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Breast tumors expressing these receptors can be treated with hormonal therapies, but TNBC tumors will not respond to such treatments and are therefore more difficult to treat. To circumvent this, targeted therapies that inhibit proliferation and migration are of great research …

Educational Interventions To Improve Icu Nurses’ Knowledge And Confidence Related To Pressure Injuries: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Benjamin R. Maltais

Master's Theses and Capstones

Background: The prevalence of pressure injuries (PI) in critical care is highest amongst inpatient units, and are associated with significant complications, decreased quality of life, increased cost of hospitalization, and poor patient care (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2019; Cox et al., 2022; Gorecki et al., 2014; Mervis & Phillips, 2019). Similarly, many PI are considered to be avoidable (Pittman et al., 2019). Despite an increase in focus on PI awareness and prevention, there still remains a challenge for patients in critical care units. In addition, research has indicated that nurses’ lack of basic knowledge of PI (risk assessment, …

Improving The Affirmative Disclosure Of Agency Legal Materials, Bernard W. Bell, Cary Coglianese, Michael E. Herz, Margaret B. Kwoka, Orly Lobel

Articles

It is axiomatic that in a democratic society the law must be broadly accessible. Administrative agencies produce a plethora of materials imposing legal obligations on commercial or individual actors in the private sector. Other materials bind the agencies themselves in ways that affect the rights or interests of private parties. Still other materials provide the public with information about how agencies interpret and apply the statutes and rules they administer, or how agencies seek to deploy their discretion or take other actions that can affect private individuals or organizations. This Article focuses on improving the public availability of all of …

Colorful Lizards And The Conflict Of Collection, Colin M. Goodman, Natalie M. Claunch, Zachary T. Steele, Diane J. E. Sturgeon, Christina M. Romagosa

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Invasive species threaten biodiversity, and their management is economically burdensome. Research on the indirect effects of introduced species are often focused on indirect ecological effects, with little focus on the more difficult to capture but critically important societal impacts. Often understated are the social costs of invasive species such as conflicts between invasive species managers and public stakeholders. Chameleons (Chamaeleonidae) are popular in the pet trade and have been introduced throughout Florida, USA, and their presence often attracts private collectors. After locating a population of panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis) within a suburban neighborhood in central Florida, we administered …

Ethics In Literature: A Case Study Of Hades And Persephone, Mckenzie A. Howard

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The increased ethical scrutiny on art in the modern era places an emphasis on how those art forms are being taught in the classroom. This thesis seeks to answer the question: how do we teach ethics, if we should at all, when we teach literature to a modern audience? This thesis explores this question by looking at how modern adaptations of an ancient text, the “Hymn to Demeter,” change the ethical issues in the original text, to show the relevance of these issues in the source text and the modern adaptations. Through an argument that the ethical concerns are often …

Spatial Predictors Of Human–Black Bear Interactions In Nova Scotia, Canada, Jason I. Airst, Tricia B. Fleming

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The increased global frequency of human–wildlife conflict with large, wild carnivores and omnivores negatively impacts human, wildlife, and ecosystem health. The goal of this study was to determine what landscape characteristics best predicted where human–black bear (Ursus americanus) interactions occurred in Nova Scotia, Canada, to support management efforts. We compared the location of 3,278 human–bear conflict reports and 867 non-conflict reports collected between 2017 and 2021 to 12,000 randomly generated locations. Data were analyzed using logistic additive mixed models. We found that interactions (conflict and non-conflict reports) occurred near roads and farther from forests and surface water features. …

The Ban On Trophy Hunting In Botswana: Local Communities’ Perceptions, Lelokwane Lockie Mokgalo, Peet Van Der Merwe

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Economic pressures on rural livelihoods in Botswana are ever-increasing, especially for peripheral areas where resources harnessed for tourism purposes are prevalent. One of the avenues to achieve this balancing act is the Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) program of Botswana, which devolved management of resources to local communities to incentivise conservation through hunting tourism. However, due to questions over hunting sustainability as a conservation tool by conservation non-governmental organizations and animal rights groups, trophy hunting was banned in Botswana in 2014. The resultant impacts were felt not only by the hunting industry but also by communities through the loss of …

Religious Iconography, Expressionist Lighting, And The Antihero's Spiritual Journey In Marvel's Daredevil, Savannah L. Pruett

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In Marvel’s Daredevil (2015), Matthew Murdock undergoes different phases of an antiheroic spiritual journey as his faith in the judicial system and his Maker is tested by evil in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. This thesis will dig deeper to reveal how the Daredevil series uses purposefully designed religious iconography and expressionist lighting to tell the story of Matthew Murdock’s antiheroic spiritual journey across three seasons. This thesis aims to prove that Daredevil is a complex and thought-provoking franchise that analyzes what it means to be an antihero, including the moral and ethical lines one is willing to cross to …

Snake Translocation Policies And Practices Within The United States, Robin E. Bedard, Megan Rottenborn, Emily Taylor

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Human–wildlife conflict with nuisance snakes (Serpentes) is rapidly increasing with human population growth and development rates. Translocation of nuisance snakes has become a widespread practice, aided by social media pages connecting people to volunteer and for-profit snake translocators. However, translocators often struggle to find information and resources from wildlife agencies about the policies required, and some may unintentionally use translocation procedures that disregard the health and survival of the snakes. The goals of this study were to (1) obtain data on policies, permitting, and training required for translocating nuisance snakes in each U.S. state that has snakes and (2) compare …

Exploring Police K-9 Deaths, Their Causes, And Possible Remedies, John Wise

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Police K-9s face daily dangers due to their work. Data collected by the Officer Down Memorial Page from 2000-2023 on K-9 deaths (N = 405) shows that of K-9s that die in the line of duty, many fall victim to heat stroke. Research was conducted comparing heat stroke to all other causes of death. Through an exploration into the history of mankind’s use of working dogs, the unique capabilities of both dogs and K-9 specific dog breeds and applying Routine Activity Theory and Lifestyle Routine Activity Theory to police K-9s, this study’s objective is to bring awareness to, and …

The U.S. Southern Mothers Perspective On Affection, Destiny M. Rose

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative research study utilizes Murray Bowen’s Family Systems Theory and Kimberlé Crenshaw’s Intersectionality Theory to examine how ten mothers residing in what is identified as the U.S. Deep South (Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina) perceive affection shown to their children by adults outside of their nuclear family. Additionally, this study considers the influence social class plays in how parents in the Deep South navigate and negotiate social and cultural norms when it comes to affection displays shown to their children. Data was collected using thematic analysis to describe how parents in parts of the Deep South perceive affection shown …

Training Underrepresented Minority Students For Careers In Public Health Leadership – Public Health Leaders Fellowship Program, Jigsa Tola

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Shortage and lack of diversity in the United States public health workforce is well documented and remains a challenge to meaningfully improving the health of the population. Although the diversity of the public health workforce has implications for access, care quality, and career opportunities in low-income communities, there is no strong mechanism by which minorities are trained to replenish the workforce. Morehouse College’s Public Health Leaders Fellowship Program (MC-PHLFP) is a cooperative program with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to train undergraduate students for careers in public health leadership.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is …

Scattering Of Electromagnetic Radiation By Bianisotropic Spheres, Maxwell A. Wallace

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Modern developments in materials science have led to the increased demand for the ability to control electromagnetic radiation at scales smaller than ever. One of the most important areas of research for controlling the manipulation of electromagnetic radiation, has been the studying of novel optical metamaterials, including the most general and complex form, bianisotropic metamaterials (BAMs). With modern developments in nano- engineering, paired with the advancement of more robust theoretical studies of BAMs, the demand for more novel BAM technologies has increased. With the advent of research of unbounded BAM media, as well as the recent extensions of Mie theory …

Always A Dreamer, Liz Walker

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This is the story of my life in the form of a memoir. You might ask, why is my life a relevant subject for a dissertation? As Celeste Snowber, the scholar, author and performer recently said to me, “I think it would be wonderful to write a memoir.... You clearly have an extraordinary life, with art, soul and the depths of wisdom marinating all you do” (2023, personal communication). I was flattered by her comments and her confidence in me gave me the inspiration I needed to tell my story. There is also the meaning of ‘lived experience’ in …