Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Culturally Informed Approaches To Book Read-Aloud With Young Children, Raquel Plotka

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

Early childhood is a critical period for language and literacy development. One-way adults introduce children to the world of books is through picture books read-aloud. Adults from different cultural background engage in this activity differently, and to date, the early childhood field has emphasized a constructivist approach to book reading typical in individualistic cultures. Other approaches to reading books that are common in collectivist cultures have not been explored. The present study investigated the reading styles teachers (n = 40) use in naturalistic settings and compared the advantages of using individualistic versus collectivist styles related to children participation and …

Centering Black Girl Love: Unearthing Black Girls’ Truths In A Predominantly White, Loveless Elementary School, Tyana R. Velazquez-Smith

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

This study examines the transformative power of literacy as a tool for healing, resistance, and revolutionary love in the lives of BLACK girls navigating predominantly white elementary school spaces. Revolutionary love is conceptualized as practices of care, affirmation, and joy that challenge systemic oppression while fostering belonging and possibility. Conducted in an elementary school in upstate New York, this research follows eleven participants from kindergarten through fourth grade, exploring their lived experiences and literacy practices during English Language Arts (ELA) instruction.

Drawing on Brian Street’s (1984) assertion that literacy is a social practice shaped by cultural and power dynamics, this …

Renewable Energy Federalism 2.0, Danielle Stokes

Minnesota Law Review Vols. 106:2 onward (2021-present)

Much like climate change, the clean energy transition presents a “super wicked” problem that is further complicated by prioritizing justice. History has taught us that government regulation, industry innovation, and community engagement are the catalysts of effective transitions. Similarly, the just energy transition requires the support of these interconnected networks. This Essay offers sustainable collaborative governance as a theoretical framework through which decision-makers may filter their assessments, industry can model its metrics, and community can develop language to articulate its needs. Sustainable collaborative governance is also a means of navigating the complexities of renewable energy siting and regulation while fostering …

Catching Nutients In A Net: Collective Action, Institutional Impediments, And The Mississippi River Watershed, Jonathan Rosenbloom

Minnesota Law Review Vols. 106:2 onward (2021-present)

Thousands of local governments in the Mississippi River watershed possess regulatory land use authority. From a narrow law and economics standpoint, when these entities extract from, add to, or pollute the watershed, it may appear as a classic tragedy of the commons problem. The tragedy sounds something like this: local governments act “rationally” to avoid regulating in a way that reduces pollution in the waterway because such regulation would increase costs. Further, local governments avoid paying the costs associated with treating or reducing the level of contaminants in the water before ushering them downstream. While this analysis might partially explain …

Our Lady Of Peace: John Joseph Lynch’S Pilgrimage To Niagara Falls, Amelia Gallagher

Vincentian Studies

This article relates how John Joseph Lynch established Niagara Falls as a pilgrimage site, which he envisioned as being the first such site in the United States. In the nineteenth century, Niagara was viewed as such a spectacular natural wonder that it frequently inspired religious devotion, a history that Lynch encouraged and continued. The evolution of nineteenth- and twentieth-century views of Niagara and of pilgrimage in general are discussed. Niagara's role in American history is also explored.

An Exploratory Study On University Students’ Perceptions Of Flagship Species: Implications For Sustainable Tourism, Tairan Huang, Chuan Hu, Minzhi Xia, Ziyu Liu, Weishan Zhou, Robert Charles Capistrano

Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

This research explores the perceptions of university students in relation to flagship species in Hainan, China, and its implications for sustainable tourism. The province has an enormous wealth of biodiversity with great development potential and value for tourism. However, there is little or no empirical evidence about Chinese students’ interest in flagship species, their conservation, or their contribution to sustainable tourism in general. The study utilized a mixed method approach through an explanatory sequential design, beginning with a self-administered survey among university students in Hainan, recruiting 531 participants, followed by individual interviews with 14 students. The results have implications for …

Dynamics Of Development Of The Main Areas Of Cooperation Between Kazakhstan And Japan: Comparative Analysis And Assessment Of Prospects, Laila Nurseitova, Zhanar Ashinova, Shioya Akifumi, Aliya Rymbekova

Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

The importance of the study is defined by the need for a complete assessment of the existing situation and the potential for further growth of major sectors of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Japan in the context of increasing global instability. The purpose of the study is to assess the current state and outline prospects for further intensification of political dialogue, trade, economic ties, and humanitarian contacts, considering the national interests of the parties. Historical-genetic and comparative-historical methods, methods of typologisation, analysis, and comparative and statistical analysis are used to assess the dynamics of the development of bilateral relations. The steady …

Interview With Robert Cliver, Jacey Terrill

What Happened Here

This is a transcript of an oral history interview with Robert Cliver, a professor of History at Cal Poly Humboldt for eighteen years. He is highly critical of the administration’s choices during the protest and greatly supports the protesters, not only in their right to protest but in their messaging. He explains his negative views on the Israeli government, while also emphasizing that the protesters did not act from antisemitic sentiments. Much of his interview comes from the perspective of a historian, and knowing this document may be used by historians in the future, he extensively explains his reasoning. He …

Media Education: Growth And Controversy

Communication Research Trends

Media education has come a long way since 1977 when UNESCO made the first international survey. In industrialised countries of the West, media education is increasingly accepted as part of primary and secondary school education. In Australia and Britain, for example, it is now offered as an optional course, and in other countries it is taught as part of social studies, art or language/literature curricula. In regions such as Latin America there are programmes for working-class women in poor neighbourhoods or for rural families. There has been a boom in textbooks, teaching packs and audiovisual materials. Teacher training has long …

Full Issue: Volume 6, Issue 2, Editorial Board

Swarthmore Undergraduate History Journal

The second issue in the sixth volume of the Swarthmore Undergraduate History Journal.

Korean Pioneers: The History, Identity, And Legacy Of The First Korean Americans, Evan Gravdahl

Swarthmore Undergraduate History Journal

In examining Korean American history, the starting date for their arrival is conventionally recognized as 1903, when roughly 7,000 laborers migrated to Hawaii. This first wave consisted primarily of young men, many of whom didn’t plan to stay in the US. However, as their stays continued and other Koreans continued migrating, they began developing a unique cultural identity within the United States. This paper aims to determine the unique identities that developed during this first wave of immigration between 1903 and 1945, how they assimilated, and how they interacted with other ethnic minorities and later waves of Korean immigrants.

The …

The Evolution Of Global Gold And Copper Trade Networks, Oleksandr Hulianskyi

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

Gold and copper have emerged as two of the most vital commodities in global trade. Despite serving distinct purposes, their international trade networks reveal interconnected patterns, critical to understanding the dynamics of global economics. This paper studies these attributes and their evolution during the last 36 years for both metals and finds correlations between them. The first part of the research is focused on the sustainability of networks through efficiency and robustness indexes; the second part is dedicated to interconnectedness – the Louvain and Bayesian SBM algorithms, partition, and modularity instruments are used. Community detection algorithms provide valuable insights into …

Quality Improvement Project Educating Family Of Patients Dealing With Substance Use Disorder, Emmanuella Edekobi

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) creates significant hardships for individuals and their families. Although families play a vital role in recovery, they may not know how to provide effective support. To address this, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project introduced a structured educational program for non-professional caregivers at an outpatient psychiatric clinic. The goal was to enhance caregivers' confidence and readiness to support their loved ones during recovery (Filiz & Polat, 2022). Participants completed the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) before and after the intervention. Statistical analysis showed a significant improvement in confidence (t(9) = -26.00, p < .001, Cohen's d = 8.22), supported by the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test (z = -2.88, p = .004) (Rezaie et al., 2022). The project was grounded in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, using observational learning, reinforcement, and real-life examples. Caregivers gained practical strategies, emotional support, and a clearer understanding of their role (Mardani et al., 2023). Initial uncertainty gave way to increased comfort through group support. These findings suggest that even low-cost, brief interventions can strengthen caregiver self-efficacy. Incorporating family education into addiction treatment may improve outcomes in outpatient mental health settings (Kellar & Kelvin, 2020).

Perception Of Florida Political Actions By Higher Education, Matt Vanover Vanover

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This qualitative dissertation examines the impact of recent political actions in Florida on higher education, specifically exploring how these developments have influenced tenured, public university professors' teaching practices, student interactions, and research agendas. Guided by the theoretical framework of social constructionism and employing narrative inquiry as the methodological approach, the study captures the lived experiences of six tenured faculty members at public universities across the state. The findings indicate that Florida’s political actions of Governor Ron DeSantis and a Republican-led legislature may have led to changes in the academic landscape. Professors report self-censorship in the classroom, limited discussions of controversial …

Voices From The Highlands: Advocacy Efforts Of Cordilleran Indigenous People Activists Against Large-Scale Mining, Ashley Margarette R. Soliba, Laarnie M. Tininggal, Shifra Yumi C. Peralta, Jodelyn B. Thomas, Angeli Veniss N. Montano

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

Abstract: While much attention has been given to the effects of development projects on Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the Cordillera region, limited research focuses specifically on large-scale mining and the advocacy efforts of IP activists resisting these destructive operations. This study addresses this gap by examining the motivations, methods of advocacy, and impacts of IP activism against large-scale mining in the Cordillera. The research aims to understand the factors surrounding IP activism against large-scale mining, including environmental, health, economic, and cultural concerns. Using a qualitative approach, data was collected through in-depth interviews with IP activists and analyzed thematically. The study …

Beyond The Swipe: Understanding Observers’ Perceptions Of The Motivations And Behaviors Of Online Dating Users, Sarah Maxine A. Lucero, Maria Nicole C. Moreno, Calvine Felice T. Santiago, Ma. Liezl R. Astudillo

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

This study explores how observers—individuals who observe but do not engage in online dating—perceive the motivations and behaviors of dating app users. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), it captures how observers construct meaning around online relationships within the Philippine cultural context. Interviews with young adults elicited that observers generally perceive online dating as convenience-driven and less genuine than conventional relationships. Notably, participants compared app-based connections to culturally established rituals such as panliligaw, linking the former with less effort, fleeting intentions, and weaker commitment. Media depiction and secondhand accounts also figured in such perceptions, tending to reinforce stigmas of superficiality …

Geo-Historical Analysis Of Earthquakes In Palestine: Spatial Distribution And Risk Exploration To Enhance Contribution To Decision-Making, Yacoub Al-Qasasfeh

Journal of the Arab American University مجلة الجامعة العربية الامريكية للبحوث

This study examines the historical evolution of earthquakes in Palestine from 760 BCE to 2023 CE. The aim is to comprehend and provide insights for decision-makers regarding the seismic nature of the region. The study traces the movement of tectonic plates across various geological eras, analyzing the resulting changes in the geology of Palestine and their role in shaping its current morphology. Using a descriptive, historical, and analytical approach, the study relies on relevant reports and studies. The seismic movements, including medium, strong, and violent earthquakes, were tracked over an extended period. The study calculated the periodic average for each …

Urban Sprawl On Agricultural Lands In Marj Ibn Amer Plain (1973-2022) - Palestine (Using Modern Geographical Techniques), Mustafa Jarrar

Journal of the Arab American University مجلة الجامعة العربية الامريكية للبحوث

This study aims at the spatial analysis of urban expansion in the plain of Marj Ibn Amer at the expense of agricultural lands in the period between 1973 to 2022, using geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing RS, Depending on the Landsat satellite image, which were processed, improved, classified and analyzed, and then quantitative calculations were made for urban expansion , It has been shown by the results obtained that the volume of urban sprawl on agricultural lands in the Marj Ibn Amer plain has evolved from 53.59 km2 in 1973 to 164.22 km2 in 2022 , and the …

Harnessing Generative Ai And Large Language Models For Revolutionizing Cybersecurity In The Internet Of Things: Ethical And Privacy Implications, Harsha Sammangi, Aditya Jagatha, Jun Liu

Research & Publications

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) have in- troduced transformative capabilities in cybersecurity, particularly in securing Internet of Things (IoT) environments. These technologies can synthesize vast datasets, support real-time anomaly detection, and generate predictive insights through simple prompts. However, their deployment also presents ethical and privacy-related concerns, including algorithmic bias, data leakage, and misuse for malicious content creation. This paper conducts a systematic literature review to evaluate how LLMs and generative AI contribute to IoT cybersecurity. We propose an ethical AI-IoT security framework, examine key challenges, and offer recommendations for integrating responsible AI governance. We aim to …

The Revolving Door Of Epilepsy Emergencies: A Mixed Methods Cross-Sectional Study Of Healthcare Professionals’ Perspectives, Sarah Lennard, Lisa Bunn, Rosi Raine, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

BackgroundReattendance rates at UK Emergency Departments (ED) of people with epilepsy (PWE), is higher than other chronic conditions. This is due to a myriad of seizure, biological, psychological and social factors. The aim of this study is to understand these influencers from the perspective of healthcare professionals working in the frontline specifically to reduce seizure related ED re-attendance.MethodsA cross-sectional online mixed methodology survey of 20 closed and free-text questions was conducted of relevant healthcare professional groups. Eligibility was based on those that came into contact with PWE in emergency as part of their role. A non-discriminatory exponential snowballing technique of …

Pedagogies In The Meantime: Reflections On Adr And Restorative Justice In U.S. And Canadian Legal Education, Amy J. Cohen, Daniel Del Gobbo

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

First Insight On The Genesis Of Iron Oxide-Hydroxide Biospeleothems In Rancho Chico Lava Tube, Mexico, Rafael López-Martínez, Elizabeth Solleiro-Rebolledo, Rocio Alcántara-Hernández, Teresa Pi Puig, Sergey Sedov, Daisy Valera Fernández, M. Nayeli Luis-Vargas, Yasmany Lima Vera, Jesús Solé, Ramon Espinasa-Pereña

International Journal of Speleology

Iron is a common element in lava tube systems, typically observed as thin crusts or inferred from the reddish coloration of secondary mineral deposits. In this study, we describe iron oxide-hydroxide biospeleothems discovered in the Rancho Chico Lava Tube, located within the Xalapa Monogenetic Volcanic Field in Mexico. We adopt an integrative approach combining petrography, soil micromorphology, scanning electron microscopy, mineralogy, and 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. DNA sequencing reveals the presence of microorganisms such as Acidithiobacillus, Gallionella, and members of the Leptospirillaceae family, which may be involved in the oxidation of Fe²⁺ within the lava tube. The source …

The Critical Definitions For Measuring Homelessness: Implication For Homeless Policy Formulation From Developed Countries To Thailand, Surasak Wongsa

Journal of Demography

Homelessness phenomenon is facing in countries. In the past, the definition of homelessness was based on a materialistic mindset or the principle of objectivity, which viewed problems as tangible and visible objects. Looking at social problems based on objectivity leads to a definition of homelessness that includes only those who are sleeping on the streets and people living in government shelters by identifying the causal factors of homelessness at the individual level, especially mental illness, crime, and drug use. Defining homelessness objectively also involves counting methods that measure the characteristics of homelessness using street counts from the locations where homeless …

Compensation Challenges In Early Childhood Education: An Analysis Of Mississippi’S Child Care Workforce, Katerina Sergi, John Stephen Mccown, Mary Rebecca Read-Wahidi, Ismail H. Yigit, Callie Poole, Heather Hanna

Publications

The early childhood workforce in the U.S. faces significant challenges, including low wages, high turnover, and inadequate support, affecting the quality of education and care for children. The existing research on early childhood education typically identifies low wages as an issue, but lacks advanced analysis of rural–urban pay disparities and how educational qualifications interact with location to affect compensation. This leaves a significant gap in understanding wage compression across the early childhood education (ECE) field. Utilizing the framework of wage compression, which posits that higher qualifications may not equate to higher pay, this study uses data from the 2023 Mississippi …

A Modern Approach To Classifying Medieval Latin Scripts, Robert L. Lane Jr, Rafia Mirza, Robert Slater

SMU Data Science Review

Paleography, the study of historical handwriting, is essential for preserving societal understanding of cultural, social, and legal frameworks from the past. Medieval manuscripts, often exhibiting refined craftsmanship, present unique challenges to modern readers due to differences in handwriting conventions and the absence of standardized punctuation and spaces. These texts hold valuable insights into the evolution of written communication, literacy, and language development. However, interpreting them requires specialized knowledge and technological solutions. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) can be leveraged to classify scripts, an important step in Historical Document analysis. These models extract and analyze hierarchical features from images, addressing inconsistencies in …

The Enigmatic Samuel Aughey: Nebraska’S Pastor Naturalist, Hugh H. Genoways, Margaret R. Bolick, Mary Anne Andrei

Zea E-Books Collection

Samuel Aughey at age 39 became the first Professor of Natural Science at the new University of Nebraska in Lincoln, serving from 1871 to 1883. He was an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, with an addendum degree from Pennsylvania College (now Gettysburg College) in 1856 and an A.M. degree two years later. His early pastoral work was in Pennsylvania, but in 1864 he became a home missionary to a church in Dakota City, Nebraska. Aughey’s career at the university was marked with successes and honors, but also criticism and questions about his basic knowledge of the sciences. While …

A Comprehensive Systematic Review Of Machine Learning Applications In Assessing Land Use/Cover Dynamics And Their Impact On Land Surface Temperatures, Rasool Vahid, Mohamed Aly

Environmental Dynamics Faculty Publications and Presentations

In a world experiencing rapid urbanization, the phenomenon of land surface temperature (LST) variation has invited substantial attention due to its profound impact on the environment and human well-being. Changes in land use and land cover (LULC) within urban areas significantly influence the dynamics of LST and are a major driver of urban eco-environmental change. The complex connections between LULC dynamics, LST, and climate change are investigated in this systematic review, with a focus on the combined effects of these variables and the use of Machine Learning (ML) techniques. The data in this study, based on peer-reviewed publications from the …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Black Women Leaders In U.S. Higher Education Institutions: Challenges And Opportunities, Jacqueline S. Haire

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Black women leaders in U.S. higher education institutions from the lens of Black feminist theory and intersectionality and to provide implications for HRD research and practice. Given the limited empirical research on Black women leaders in higher education and the existing gap in the literature regarding their experiences, this study aimed to understand the challenges and opportunities that Black women leaders encounter in U.S. higher education institutions.

Using a basic qualitative research design (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), I conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Black women leaders holding executive …

Comparison Of Ageing-Friendly Supporting Facilities Between Self-Financed And Government-Subsidized Residential Care Homes: Evidence From China, Yueran Li, Mei-Yung Leung

CIB Conferences

Ageing-friendly supporting facilities are commonly implemented in residential care homes for older people. These facilities not only support the daily activities of older people but also affect their physical and psychological health. However, the development of ageing-friendly supporting facilities usually varies among homes due to differences in construction and operational funding. In order to better accommodate older residents, it is essential to compare the ageing-friendly supporting facilities across different residential care homes and identify the key variances. A total of 69 samples were collected from two primary categories of residential care homes in China, namely self-financed homes and government-subsidized homes. …

Blue-Green Sustainability Framework For Building Assessment Based Multifunctional Analysis Of Regions Through Input-Output (Mario), Pedro Maximiliano Cortez Prof., Anna Vinciguerra Prof., Lorenzo Rinaldi Prof., Matteo Vincenzo Rocco Prof., Benjamin Sanchez Prof

CIB Conferences

The concepts of building and construction are central in the development of national economies all over the world. Along with this growth in national economies, however, there is increasing concern over the high environmental impact caused by the building industry. A growing body of published work provides evidence that buildings globally contribute to 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, 50% of energy and consumption, and 15% of drinking water usage. To date, there is a current lack of studies of evidence-based literature specifically relating to the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) extended Multi Region Input-Output (MRIO) approach for building sustainability …