Digital Commons Network^™

From Jugaad To Generative Ai: A Framework For Culturally Responsive Human-Centered Ai, Nidhi Singh Rathore, Shreya Thakkar

IASDR Conference Series

Contemporary generative AI tools exhibit systematic biases rooted in their Anglo-American development context and training data, prioritizing Global North perspectives in design and implementation. Drawing on jugaad—an Indian approach to resourceful problem-solving—this paper critically evaluates how AI solutions disconnected from local contexts perpetuate technological Through a mixed-methods study involving 52 participants across workshops, systematic AI testing with over 300 images, and expert discussions, the authors compare human and AI responses to identical problem-solving scenarios. Our findings reveal stark differences: 100% of human solutions considered environmental and cultural contexts while 90% of AI solutions ignored these factors. Human participants demonstrated contextual …

From Research Subjects To Active Players: Playful Active Mastery Research For Value Co-Creation On C2c Platforms, Koki Kusano, Kyosuke Sakakura, Naruki Kurokawa

IASDR Conference Series

Customer-to-Customer (C2C) platforms have the potential to foster "sharing cultures" — diverse social practices emphasizing cooperation and relational values —, yet their capacity to harness users' creativity in value co-creation remains largely under explored. This paper introduces "Playful Active Mastery Research (PAMR)," a novel design research methodology specifically developed to investigate how C2C platforms can effectively support value co-creation rooted in users' everyday sharing practices. PAMR distinctively positions users as active, agentic "players" who playfully "master" existing platforms to devise novel, culturally resonant applications. Through a case study involving the C2C marketplace "Mercari," workshops were conducted where participants actively engaged …

Bridge Builders: A Comparative Study Of Arm's Length Bodies' Strategic Role In Design Education-To-Employment Gaps In Asia And Europe, Po-Yu Chen, Tang-Ling Kuo

IASDR Conference Series

This comparative study examines how Arm's-Length Bodies (ALBs) in Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Denmark address the persistent gap between design education and industry employment needs. By analyzing regional contexts and the institutional logics, methods, and intermediation roles of five representative organizations, the study reveals both shared concerns and divergent approaches. While the education-to-employment gap is a universal issue, all organizations emphasize designer upskilling, the development of design learning platforms, and engagement in research and policy advocacy. ALBs in Asia tend to adopt government-led strategies that prioritize transdisciplinary education, industry-academia collaboration, and skills upgrading, particularly in response to …

Integrating Cultural Touchpoints In Service Design: Insights From Culturally Embedded Marathons, Yijia Jiang, Xia Bi, Kin Wai Michael Siu, Keren Zhang, Wanchun Ye, Huiyi Zhang

IASDR Conference Series

This study explores service design strategies for Culturally Embedded Marathons (CEMs), proposing a research perspective that integrates cultural memory formation mechanisms (symbol is ation, ritual is ation, and institutional is ation) to examine service design frameworks. Through a case study of the representative 2025 Kyoto Marathon, we identified 26 cultural touch points within its service design system. Using Python, we scraped and analysed 2,689 user-generated posts from social media platforms documenting the 2025 Kyoto Marathon, comprising 13,345 images. Computer vision analysis was employed to assess the distribution, frequency, and key combinations of these cultural touch points. The findings reveal that …

Designing Participatory Placemaking: An Image-Based Co-Creation Approach In Ichigaya, Hsinyi Yang, Mengyao Lu, Koichi Wakasugi

IASDR Conference Series

This paper explores the application of image-based approaches in a co-creation context for constructing and communicating place images, addressing the regional revitalization policy undergone in Japan for new community identity and sustainability strategies. While image-based methods are methodologically recognized, their practical applications in collaborative placemaking remain under explored. Through a case study of the Editorial Club, an industry-academia initiative in Ichigaya, Tokyo, this research adopts a practice-oriented and image-centered perspective. The study investigates the collaborative image-based practices, including photo observation fieldwork, photo-eli citation group discussions, and the negotiation of creating collective creative output, which is various kinds of postcards. Findings …

Reflections On Participation In Fragile Urban Contexts: The Case Of Città-In Research Project, Nour Bergaoui, Laura Galluzzo

IASDR Conference Series

This paper shares insights from the Città-IN project, a one-year participatory research initiative in San Siro, Milan, a diverse and fragile public housing neighbourhood. The project explored how families with migratory backgrounds, especially mothers, access school-related public services. Being situated in Off Campus San Siro, a living lab of Polite cnico di Milano, we engaged with community members, informal women’s groups, service providers, and local actors. Using both formal and informal methods, we uncovered barriers such as language, digital systems, and bureaucratic complexity. We reflect on the challenges of working in over-researched areas, the emotional and ethical tensions we faced, …

Challenges And Opportunities Of Teaching Sustainable Interaction Design, Jonas Frich, Nicola Besana, Eli Blevis, Davide Spallazo, Amna Qureshi, Jonna Häkkilä, Peter Gall Krogh, Marianne Graves Petersen

IASDR Conference Series

This paper explores the challenges and opportunities of teaching Sustainable Interaction Design within higher education. Focusing on the integration of sustainability aspects into interaction design curricula, the paper examines the pedagogical approaches used to educate students as well as the students experience of having taken part in sustainability-related courses. Through a combination of interviews about student experiences, educator reflections, and analysis of students’ design projects, the study outlines key insights like the importance of students’ personal awareness and difficulty in moving from theory to practice. We consider how these insights can represent both challenges and opportunities and end by proposing …

Examining The Boundary Infrastructures Around 'Fair Food': The Sustainable Transition Approach Of Postane, Cagri G. Varli, Betül Şahin

IASDR Conference Series

In response to the growing sense of distrust in mainstream food systems, Alternative Food Networks have gained traction by prioritizing ecological, ethical, and participatory principles. One such alternative initiative is the ‘fair food’ ecosystem developed by the urban hub Postane Istanbul, which this study explores as a case. Postane brings together food-related practices, infrastructures, and actors around the idea of fair food. The study focuses on how fair food can act as a boundary object that mediates between diverse actors, values, and practices. Data were collected through site visits, document analysis, and long-term participant observation, offering insights into Postane’s fair …

Co-Designing Futures: Vernacular Knowledge In Kibera's Educational Infrastructure, Pak Wai Ling, Peter Winston Ferretto, Man Yan Lam, Ziwei Liu

IASDR Conference Series

This paper explores how participatory design can reshape educational infrastructure in Kibera’s informal settlement by centering local knowledge and challenging top-down architectural expertise. It documents Condition_Lab collaboration with Amani Kibera and Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI) to co- create a community library and textile workshop. Through hands-on workshops with children, residents, and local stakeholders — using methods like model-making, storytelling, and material prototyping — the project redefined design hierarchies, transforming community members into co- designers. The study reveals how such collaborations not only produce culturally rooted infrastructure but also redefine design processes themselves. By bridging professional standards with informal practices, the …

Sustaining Community Health Through Impactful Snap-Ed Initiatives In Utah, Lacee Jimenez, Kristi Strongo, Lea Palmer, Lendel K. Narine, Heidi Leblanc

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Create Better Health (CBH), Utah’s SNAP-Ed program, addresses food insecurity and chronic disease prevention through nutrition education, policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) initiatives, and social media marketing. From 2024 to 2025, CBH reached over 13,500 Utahns through direct education and 81,000 through community interventions. Evaluation results showed significant improvements in nutrition behaviors, including increased fruit and vegetable intake, food resource management, and label use. Follow-up surveys showed sustained behavior change. CBH’s comprehensive approach demonstrates measurable public health impact and points to the importance of continued investment in nutrition education and food access programs to build healthier, food-secure communities.

1st Annual Partners Meeting Of The Joint Action Research Program On Fgm In The Horn Of Africa, Population Council Kenya, Population Council

Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Choices

Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the first Annual Partners Meeting of the Joint Action Research Programme on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the Horn of Africa was convened from December 9-11, 2025 by the Population Council-led FGM Data Hub in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting brought together universities and civil society organisations (CSOs) from Ethiopia, Somalia, Somaliland and Sudan to strengthen university-led action research to improve overall efforts to prevent and respond to FGM, gender-based violence (GBV) and/or related gender inequalities.

Educational Methods For Fostering Sustainability Competencies: A Toolkit For Integration Of Sustainable Education In Engineering, Clara Hallgarth

Master's Theses

This thesis proposes a framework to assist in developing educational activities targeting the longitudinal growth of sustainability skills, knowledge, and attitudes (cumulatively known as competencies), contextualized in a Toolkit for engineering educators. This framework is applied to three civil engineering classes in a teaching-oriented university to demonstrate potential applications and limitations. Sustainability integration in higher education institutions has been recognized as increasingly important as complex sustainability challenges continue to develop and arise. Sustainable education, a pedagogical framework and collection of educational methods, has been shown to produce students with the key sustainability competencies needed to address sustainability challenges and promote …

Beyond Baseball: A Case Study On The Multipurpose Venue Management Practices Of Giants Enterprises, Collette Grace Madden

Experience Industry Management

The success of sports organizations no longer relies on team performance and game attendance. Giants Enterprises utilizes many guest engagement and destination development strategies to expand the brand reach of the San Francisco Giants. The purpose of this study was to examine how Giants Enterprises has positioned Oracle Park and Mission Rock as premier event destinations beyond baseball, with a focus on best practices in event diversification, experience design, and placemaking. A case study was conducted on Giants Enterprises to analyze what event diversification, experience design, and placemaking tactics were utilized as well as their effectiveness. The results of this …

Building Community Resilience For Disasters In The Wabash Valley, Nathan Myers

2025 Fall Reports (Terre Haute)

As part of the 2025 Indiana State University Sustainable Cities Initiative, we worked on two interconnected research projects: conducting a community needs assessment (as requested by Catholic Charities) and developing a climate-related disaster plan for the City of Terre Haute, Indiana. To complete this work, a student research team examined current statistical information for the Wabash Valley region (including Vigo, Clay, Parke, Vermillion, and Sullivan counties), as well as conducting and analyzing interviews, focus groups, and survey data to determine strengths, challenges, opportunities, and threats related to community resilience in the area. This same information, in conjunction with information from …

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Living Learning Communities On Student Success, Retention, And Belonging, Jason D. Harville

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This project of practice evaluated the impact of Living Learning Communities (LLCs) on student success, retention, and sense of belonging at a regional public university. The program evaluation includes quantitative data comparing GPA and retention rates of LLC and non-LLC students, a sense of belonging scale, and qualitative data gathered from interviews and surveys with LLC participants and program partners. Findings indicate that LLC participation positively correlates with increased student retention and a stronger sense of community, though academic performance differences were not statistically significant. Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews revealed that intentional faculty-student interaction, tailored academic support, and early …

Enhancing Pediatric Sun Safety: A Parent-Focused Intervention In El Dorado County, Ashley Riley, Calvin Nauer, Alaina Godwin

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

Background:

Childhood ultraviolet (UV) exposure is the most significant modifiable risk factor for skin cancer, yet proper sun protection remains inconsistently practiced by parents. In El Dorado County, California, where high altitude and intense sun exposure amplify UV risk, knowledge gaps and misinformation persist despite resource availability. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to strengthen parental knowledge, confidence, and modeling of sun-safe behaviors for their children through an evidence-based community education program.

Aim:
The goal of this QI initiative was to improve parental attitudes, self-efficacy, and photoprotective behaviors by implementing a three-part, nursing-led educational intervention focused on UV risk awareness, …

More Than Words: A Parent-Led Approach To Triqui Language Revitalization At Home, Monica Andrade

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Preserving indigenous languages is crucial for maintaining cultural identity, strengthening family bonds, and promoting the healthy development of children. For many immigrant Triqui families, the shift to using dominant languages like English or Spanish can lead to language attrition, a gradual loss of their native language when it is no longer spoken regularly at home (McCarty, 2003). To help Triqui parents actively preserve and promote their heritage language, I conducted a workshop specifically for a group of Triqui mothers at the Greenfield Community Center. The workshop provided practical strategies to engage children in everyday Triqui conversations, strengthen intergenerational connections, foster …

Proceedings Of The 25th International Symposium On Adapted Physical Activity, Catherine Carty, Gerard Masdeu Yelamos

Publications

This volume presents the Proceedings of the 25th International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity (ISAPA 2025), hosted by Munster Technological University under the Patronage of UNESCO. It is intended as a permanent scholarly record of the symposium, its themes, and its contributions across research, practice, policy, culture, and inclusion in line with CoARA principles.

“Tag, You’Re It!”: Catalyzing Latino Success Through A Latino-Centered College Access Program In Boston, Ilyitch Nahiely Tábora

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This mixed-methods case study examined the impact on Latino students of a Latino-centered college access program, the Talented and Gifted (TAG) Latino Program, based at Boston’s only public university (the University of Massachusetts Boston). Centering on the experiences of predominantly—but not exclusively—Latino alumni, the study triangulated quantitative survey data from 127 participants, qualitative data from 27 “Cafecito" focus groups involving a total of 120 alumni, and content analysis of 27 documents developed collaboratively during Cafecitos. Through this approach, the study amplified alumni voices to define the TAG program’s impact on their academic, social, personal, and professional advancement, illuminating the characteristics …

Multi-Cater Pack Heat Sealer, Ivan Medina-Zepeda, Laurent Hirakata, Donovan Furtado, Cody Ngan

Mechanical Engineering

The Multi-Cater Pack Heat Sealer was developed to support Achievement House, a non-profit organization that employs adults with intellectual and physical disabilities and is facing increasing demand for sealed cater packs. Existing single-pack sealers limited both throughput and accessibility, which led to the creation of a 3D printed attachment for a 40-inch impulse heat sealer. The attachment allows nine packs to be sealed at the same time and includes a tray-style trapdoor that allows for quick unloading. The need for accessibility and usability guided the design throughout the process. Alignment guides improve placement consistency, and the ergonomic layout accommodates both …

Do You Feel The Power? Affinity Spaces For Black Male Principals, Wallace Cobbs

All Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the experiences of Black male principals by examining how affinity spaces provide essential support in facing the challenges of school leadership. Using semi-structured interviews and a focus group, the research investigates how these spaces influence principals’ self-efficacy as they manage racial microaggressions, systemic barriers, and professional isolation. The findings show that affinity spaces help build confidence, encourage professional growth, and support personal well-being. By connecting self-efficacy theory to the real-life experiences of Black male principals, this study adds to the conversation on equity in education and the need for meaningful, culturally-relevant support systems.

Mountain Communities During A Time Of War: A Case Study Of The Hutsul Region In The Carpathian Mountains Of Ukraine, Pavlo Rybaruk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the ethno-ecological technologies employed by the Hutsul people within the highland agrarian economy of the Carpathian Mountains. Over centuries, the Hutsuls have developed ethno-ecological technologies that maintain ecological integrity while supporting community livelihoods.

The study addresses three primary research questions: What are the most important ethno-ecological technologies of the Hutsul highland economy? How might these traditional ethno-ecological practices be applied to economic, agricultural, and tourism development in the Hutsul region? How might these traditional ethno-ecological practices be combined with contemporary approaches to encourage sustainable development in the region?

The research explores the devastating impact of the Russian …

Evaluating The Housing Disparities Surrounding 1890 Land-Grant Universities And 1862 Land-Grant Universities In The South, Jimmy Henry

All Dissertations

This dissertation investigated the disparities in housing and economic development surrounding 1890 and 1862 land-grant universities in the southern United States, highlighting the differences between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) established by the 1890 Morrill Act, and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) established under the 1862 Morrill Act. These Morrill Acts established the first federal support for higher education in agriculture and mechanical arts, granting land and, in the case of 1862 institutions, financial resources:

This dissertation was guided by six research questions, applied by both the Hedonic Price Model and comparative analysis: (1) How do housing structure types differ …

Selected For Death: A Bioarchaeological Study Of The Biocultural Profiles Of Human Sacrifices At El Pollo, Moche Valley, Peru, Rachel Witt

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Research

Human sacrifice is a form of ritual violence used by empires to generate images of coercion and demonstrate the immutable power of those staging the event. Although lethal wounds provide physical evidence of sacrifice, a lifetime of experiences are inscribed on the sacrificed body. This chapter presents the results of a bioarchaeological analysis of human sacrifices from the site of El Pollo (AD 1300-1550) outside the Chimú capital city Chan Chan in the Moche valley, Huanchaco, on the north coast of Perú. The goal of this paper is to reconstruct the life histories of El Pollo sacrificial victims using biocultural …

Adaptive Reuse Of Underutilized Strip Malls: Creating Mixed-Use Continuum Care Campuses For Seniors, Julie Le Nguyen

Theses

As suburban commercial landscapes continue to decline, underutilized strip malls present an opportunity to reimagine aging-supportive environments through adaptive reuse. This thesis investigates how these sites can be transformed into mixed-use senior housing and continuum-care campuses through adaptive reuse strategies. Using a comparative case study methodology, the research examines a range of precedents—including senior housing retrofits, dementia villages, and community-based mixed-use developments—to identify key spatial, programmatic, and environmental principles that support aging populations. A five-part evaluative framework assesses project performance across site integration and green space, social and intergenerational engagement, programmatic and service integration, mixed-use activation, and cognitive and environmental …

"Oxygen Is Not For The Dead": Critical And Radical Social Work In Palestine, Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, Stephanie Wahab, Abeer Musleh

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Palestinian poet and novelist Hiba Abu Nada, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on October 20, 2023, at the age of 32, taught us that “Oxygen is not for the dead.” Hiba Abu Nada’s (2017) poem, entitled “Our Loneliness,”1 recognizes survivance (Vizenor, 2010)—that is, the active sense of presence and presencing as an endeavor of creating the future (Simpson, 2017)—and asserts Palestinian embodied connections (Shalhoub-Kevorkian, 2024) to land/life (Khoury, 2019 [2016]):

Influence Of Rec-Connect On Youth Physical Activity: A Multi-Year Look At Behavior Change, Cailyn A. Van Camp, Bree Bode, Jocelyn Hayward, Lauryn Lin, Nicole Jess, Marci Scott

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Background: Physical activity (PA) engagement in youth is associated with numerous health benefits. However, youth PA behaviors are influenced by a complex set of factors including school and community environments and broader societal influences. Rec-Connect^TM is a community-based intervention that aims to impact PA behavior in youth. Purpose: To assess changes in youth PA behavior across multiple years of Rec-Connect^TM implementation. Methods: SNAP-eligible youth [aged 8 to 17 (n=261, matched)] who participated in Rec-Connect^TM completed a pre and post survey to assess PA knowledge and behavior change. Educators completed implementation fidelity logs. Descriptives were conducted to examine …

Art As Relational Freedom: Lifelong Learning Through Creativity, Community, And Critical Hope, Linda J. Helmick

International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education

No abstract provided.

Addressing Gaps In Breastfeeding Education Among Pediatric Nurses, Bethany Stokes, Shannon Abbott

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: Breastfeeding is a modifiable health-related behavior widely recognized for its short-and long-term health benefits (Standish, 2022). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding for at least two years or as long as mutually desired (Meek, 2022). Despite this guidance, pediatric nurses outside of neonatal units often receive minimal breastfeeding education, creating a gap in care for breastfeeding families admitted to other areas of the hospital. This project aimed to assess the breastfeeding knowledge needs of pediatric nursing staff across two hospital campuses. A lack of standardized breastfeeding education was identified. To quantify this gap, …