Digital Commons Network^™

Educator Perceptions Of Crisis Frequency And Levels Of Preparedness In Rural Schools, Misty C. Duncan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Recent national trends, particularly in rural education, highlight the urgent need for enhanced crisis prevention and intervention strategies. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of crisis frequency and preparedness among rural educators. Through a survey, data were collected on participants' perceptions of crisis frequency and preparedness across various crisis areas. Preliminary findings revealed a significant gap between the perceived level of preparedness and the actual needs for school safety. Despite some training, the quantity and quality of training received by rural educators varied widely, impacting their preparedness to respond to crises. Moreover, an alarming percentage of educators reported not …

Artificial Intelligence In Science And Society: The Vision Of Usern, Tommaso Dorigo, Gary D. Brown, Carlo Casonato, Artemi Cerda, Joseph Ciarrochi, Mauro Da Lio, Nicole D'Souza, Nicolas R. Gauger, Steven C. Hayes, Stefan G. Hofmann, Robert Johansson, Marcus Liwicki, Fabien Lotte, Juan J. Nieto, Giulia Olivato, Peter Parnes, George Perry, Alice Plebe, Idupulapati M. Rao, Nima Rezaei, Fredrik Sandin, Andrey Ustyuzhanin, Giorgio Vallortigara, Pietro Vischia, Niloufar Yazdanpanah

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The recent rise in relevance and diffusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based systems and the increasing number and power of applications of AI methods invites a profound reflection on the impact of these innovative systems on scientific research and society at large. The Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), an organization that promotes initiatives to support interdisciplinary science and education across borders and actively works to improve science policy, collects here the vision of its Advisory Board members, together with a selection of AI experts, to summarize how we see developments in this exciting technology impacting science and society in …

Academic Procrastination And Health Behaviors Among University Students, Shelley D. Sadler

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Sixty-eight percent of college and university students have indicated that procrastination is their greatest challenge to academic accomplishment. Academic procrastination has been associated with suboptimal health behaviors such as lack of sleep and poor diet due to increased stress and anxiety levels from this academic procrastination. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice Quality Improvement Project was to provide evidence-based online modules to help university students lessen academic procrastination while increasing healthy behaviors. Participants included students in their first through fourth semesters at a regional mid-South university. The Academic Procrastination Scale (APS) and the Wellness Behavior Inventory (WBI) …

Cultural Competence Training: A Pilot Project For Improving Culturally Competent Care, Praveena Berlin

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Studies have shown that when healthcare providers lack cultural competence, there is a subsequent negative impact on the quality, safety, and cost of patient care. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based cultural competence intervention that includes provider and staff training, development of several toolkits for staff, providers, and African American patients, in order to increase patient satisfaction rates among African American patients. The project was an exploratory quantitative study that used a pre-post-survey design and was implemented in a Mental Health Clinic. Two validated survey tools were utilized, the CCA and CCSS-29. The study results showed …

A Framework For Tailored Organisational Cyber Security Training, Zinnar Ghasem

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Zinnar Ahmed Ghasem A framework for tailored organisational cyber security training AbstractSociety is increasingly becoming dependent on cyberspace; in such it is becoming an integral part of every-day life of most people in both work and home context. This dependency spans across individuals, businesses, and organisations including governments who are relying on cyberspace for various services, ranging from email to social networking, and from cloud computing to ecommerce and financial automated process and transactions. These services are vulnerable and face sophisticated cyber threats, risks and attacks, and potentially can result in financial losses and compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability …

Long-Term Health-Related Quality Of Life In Kawasaki Disease-Related Coronary Artery Aneurysm: A Large Single-Center Assessment In Nanjing, China, Yun Zhou, Mei Chen, Wenting Gao, Yu Chen, Ying Meng

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

BACKGROUND: The impact of coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) caused by Kawasaki disease (KD) on long-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children has not been well documented.

METHODS: This study investigated long-term HRQOL in a large sample of children diagnosed with KD-related CAAs. A case-control, retrospective study included 66 patients with KD-related CAAs. A total of 98 hospitalized patients were matched as controls based on age and sex: 49 patients were allocated to a group with pneumonia and 49 patients were allocated to a group with arterio-arterial fistula. Both child-reported and parent-proxy-reported Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory surveys were collected. …

Exploration Of Color Patterns For Improving Work Zone Safety And Perception, Hongyue Wu, Ze Wang, Yunfeng Chen, Jiansong Zhang, James L. Jenkins

JTRP Technical Reports

Work zone safety remains a persistent concern in the United States. Color patterns are an effective way to provide visual information for drivers. Existing studies explored the colors of work zone elements, while how the color patterns impact the drivers’ perception and overall safety in work zones is missing. Therefore, this study aims to systematically investigate color patterns based on human information processing theory to improve the overall safety and perception of Indiana work zones. Methodology of this study includes: (1) A literature review to summarize the current efforts; (2) Crash data analysis to identify the representative work zones; (3) …

Research Support To Indot On I-465 Southeast Variable Speed Limit And Ramp Meter Project, Jairaj Desai, Christopher Gartner, Rahul Suryakant Sakhare, Edward D. Cox, James Sturdevant, Darcy M. Bullock

JTRP Technical Reports

Traditionally, crash data, crash risk models, video recordings and user surveys have been utilized by agencies to measure the safety benefits of ramp metering technology. Connected vehicle data can now provide an agile evaluation alternative for quantifying impact of ramp meter deployments. Furthermore, in contrast to crash data, connected vehicle near miss events occur much more frequently, so the before-after evaluation can be conducted over a much shorter time period consisting of a few months, or perhaps even a few weeks.

Indiana deployed ramp meters on the southeast section of I-465 around Indianapolis, on or around May 14, 2024, which …

Exploring Associations Between Health And Fitness Measures And Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors In Rural Firefighters, Isaiah Mews

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study investigates the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and muscular fitness measures in career rural firefighters. MetS is a cluster of conditions that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), a leading cause of death among firefighters. Previous research has shown that cardiorespiratory fitness is inversely related to MetS, but the role of muscular fitness variables remains unclear. This study aims to determine if fitness measures, such as cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and muscular power, can give insight into MetS in firefighters. Participants were recruited from a Southeastern rural fire department and underwent assessments of muscular fitness, …

“Stay Afloat, Stay Alive”: Stories Of The Challenges And Perseverance Of Foster Care Alumni In Higher Education, Marshall S. Parrent

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this critical narrative inquiry was to collect the stories of foster care alumni (FCA) in higher education, and so that we may better understand how FCA describe their experiences and what colleges and universities can do to help FCA achieve their goal of degree completion. This study highlights the need for a culturally responsive and sustaining curriculum in order to create an environment supportive of FCA needs. Undergraduate FCA are considered one of the most underserved student populations in higher education (Johnson, 2021). While 70-84% of FCA wish to attend college and earn a two- or four-year …

Correlates Of Body Image And Physical Self-Concept, Rashuna Middleton

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The growing overlap between social media and celebrity culture has played a significant role in shaping individuals' perceptions of body image and self-worth. This study explored the relationship between celebrity worship, problematic social media use, narcissism, physical self-concept, and body image among undergraduate psychology students. This study utilized the Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS), the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), the Maladaptive Covert Narcissism Scale (MCNS), the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), the Body Influence Assessment Inventory (BIAI), the Self-Objectification Questionnaire (SOQ), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). Findings indicated that vulnerable narcissism positively correlated with body image, whereas grandiose narcissism …

Roadmaps And Blueprints: Ecofeminism In The American Novel, Maegan Bishop

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The theory of ecofeminism in literature combines ecocriticism and feminism to articulate the overlap of environmental concerns and the subjugation of women and other vulnerable populations. In American Literature, the application of ecofeminist theory is a tool used to expose cultural anxieties throughout time by emphasizing the roles of women and the importance of their connection to the environment during moments of national progression. Current scholarship surrounding ecofeminism in American literature addresses this trend as it applies specifically to texts written by women writers of the 19th and 20th centuries, but does not extend further to legitimize ecofeminism as it …

Unmasked, Unbroken, And Transgressional: A Womanist Approach To Black Female Educators' Experiences With Intersectionality And Their Quest To Teach For Educational Liberation, Ty-Ria S. Jenkins

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the experiences of six Black female educators committed to educational liberation, using Baszile’s (2006) Black Self and Beauboeuf-Lafontant’s (2008) politicized mothering as frameworks. Grounded in Black feminist thought (Hill Collins, 2000) and womanist pedagogy (Walker,1983), it explores how these educators navigate race, gender, and systemic barriers in education. Through qualitative interviews and sista circles (Johnson, 2015), participants shared their journeys of self-realization, political clarity, and transgressional teaching practices.

Findings reveal that Black female educators embody three layers of the Black Self—emergence, absence “invisibility” and self-awareness—while also engaging in politicized mothering through maternal care, political clarity, and …

Artificial Intelligence For Digital Deception: A Study On Detection, Generation, And Evaluation, Tasnim Akter Onisha

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has significantly influenced digital media, enabling both the detection and generation of synthetic content. This thesis, titled Artificial Intelligence for digital deception: A Study on Detection, Generation, and Evaluation, explores AI’s role in digital deception through three distinct studies focused on facial expression analysis for deepfake detection, machine learning-based spam classification on cloud platforms, and the evaluation of generative AI state-of-the-art text to video models. The first study investigates the effectiveness of facial expression analysis in distinguishing between deepfake and genuine videos. Using Noldus FaceReader 7, participant’s emotional responses were analyzed while viewing deep-fake …

Comparative Analysis Of Eye-Metric Algorithms For Code Comprehension In Introductory Cs Course, Noushin Gauhar

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Eye-tracking technology offers a non-intrusive way to study cognitive processes by tracking where and how long individuals look. In computer science education, it provides valuable insights into how students understand source code—a task that requires intense visual and mental effort. This study investigates how eye-tracking can reveal differences in code comprehension strategies among students in an Introductory Programming course. By analyzing three key metrics—dwell time, gaze entropy, and the K coefficient—the research explores how students engage with code. Dwell time indicates cognitive focus on specific code elements, the K coefficient measures attentional shifts between scanning and focused reading, and gaze …

Perceptions Of Agricultural Careers In African American School-Age Students Implications For Public Health Workforce, Brittany M. Prince

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study evaluated a six-week enriched agricultural education curriculum on African American students’ knowledge and perceptions of agriculture and agricultural careers in two selected populations. The study aimed to expand awareness about agriculture and diverse agricultural career opportunities in an effort to reduce perceived stereotypes. The study employed a pre-post-test design, implemented at one middle school and one high school that were intentionally selected based on their population demographics. Participants included 108 students across both schools, with the majority identifying as African American. Data analysis included paired-sample t-tests and One-Way ANOVAs and revealed statistically significant increases in knowledge for middle …

Enhancing Adhd Diagnosis In College Students Using Multimodal Integration Of Nicats And Iva-2 Tools, Rushmila Shabneen

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study explores enhanced methods for accurately identifying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) indicators in college students. ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder, impacts attention, impulse control, and emotional regulation, often leading to academic and social difficulties. Many students remain undiagnosed due to symptom overlap with stress and other factors. Traditional tools like the IVA-2 assess behavioral responses but may not fully capture ADHD complexity. This research integrates IVA-2 data with multimodal metrics from the Non-Intrusive Classroom Attention Tracking System (NiCATS), which monitors facial expressions, eye movements, and computer interactions. Preliminary results show that combining these tools improves ADHD detection, reduces false …

An Infrared Thermography Assessment For Monitoring Aging Mse Walls, Charles Lawal

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls play a vital role in ensuring the stability of transportation infrastructure, yet traditional inspection techniques often struggle to detect subsurface defects and demand significant labor. This research explores the application of Infrared Thermography (IRT) as a non-destructive, cost-effective approach for inspecting MSE walls across Southeast Georgia. By capturing thermal images under diverse environmental and operational conditions, the study aims to identify potential issues, including cracks, voids, delamination, and honeycombing, which can undermine integrity over time. Utilizing advanced image processing tools, the research implements specialized software to enhance the accuracy of defect detection, facilitating the generation …

Effects Of Perinatal Exposure To Lipopolysaccharide And Acetaminophen On Learning In Adult Long-Evans Rats, Lucy A. Sivils

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The present study investigated the individual and combined effects of elevated perinatal inflammation, oxidative stress caused by acetaminophen (APAP) exposure, or elevated inflammation and oxidative stress on adult learning behaviors in Long-Evans rats. While prior studies have examined these factors independently, the combined effects of inflammation and oxidative stress via APAP exposure during early development on learning-related behaviors remain unexplored. The present research aimed to address this gap by the analysis of potential long-term neurodevelopmental consequences of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation and APAP-induced oxidative stress. LPS, APAP, or LPS + APAP was administered during the perinatal period: postnatal days (PD) 9, …

Using Accelerometry To Determine Loss Of Active Eccentric Control During The Nordic Hamstring Exercise, Makenna Kulzer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Hamstring strain injuries are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries in sports with high recurrence rates. The Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) is a commonly used eccentric exercise intervention to reduce injury risk but has generated controversy regarding its utility due to limited sport specificity. Research examining how NHE performance affects its efficacy remains scarce. Therefore, this study investigated whether accelerometry data could describe the loss of active eccentric control (Q2) and if there is an interaction between leg preference and repetition on time to Q2. METHODS: Thirty college-aged students with >3 months of resistance training experience (1-2x/week). were recruited. Participants …

The Affordable Care Act And The For-Profit Congregate Care Industry: How Good Policy Intent Turned A Fringe Industry Into A Taxpayer-Funded Multi Billion Dollar Industry, Erin Viehmann

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The Affordable Care Act significantly transformed the for-profit congregate care (FPCC) industry, which provides residential treatment for adolescents with behavioral and mental health issues. This study analyzes financial records from Universal Health Services (UHS), the largest provider in the industry, to examine how healthcare policy changes and economic conditions affected the industry's growth and funding structure. Through analysis of SEC Form 10-K filings from 2006-2016, the research documents how the ACA's mental health coverage mandates created new revenue streams that enabled dramatic industry expansion. Findings show that following ACA passage in 2010, UHS more than doubled its behavioral health capacity …

Temporal Analysis Of Construction Safety Incidents In Southeastern U.S. Using Machine Learning Techniques, Mayowa O. Oladele

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Construction safety incidents remain a significant concern, particularly in the Southeastern U.S. due to the high-risk nature of the industry. Analyzing patterns in these incidents can help improve safety practices and reduce accidents. Machine learning (ML) techniques were employed in this study to identify temporal patterns in construction safety incidents, aiming to enhance proactive safety management. The machine learning methods used in this research included logistic regression, decision trees, random forest, support vector machine (SVM), and K nearest neighbors (KNN).

The objective of the study was to analyze temporal trends in safety incidents and identify the most effective machine learningtechnique …

What Is Reasonable? Effects Of Different Jury Instructions In A Fatal Police Use Of Force Case, Katherine M. Kaylor

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Since the Supreme Court case Graham v. Connor, police officers charged with misusing force on duty are judged against a hypothetical reasonable officer. Graham focuses on split-second decisions police officers must make and states police should not be judged with the benefit of hindsight. California goes beyond the subjective language of Graham and instructs jurors to look at the totality of circumstances, meaning they must consider all events and actions of an officer and citizen when assessing cases. The current study investigated whether type of instruction (Graham vs. California) affected mock jurors’ verdicts. Participants in the California condition …

It’S A Slippery Slope: A Journey Of Questioning Religion And Building Homeplace, Emily Richardson-Dion

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Homeplace (Whitlock, 2007) describes the place where we live most comfortably. It is not confined to a physical place, but is constructed by the culture, customs, beliefs, and messages, implicit and explicit, that we absorb over the course of our lives. In this study, I utilize the method of currere, a method of self-study established and then reimagined by Pinar (2023), and Critical Race Feminist Currere introduced by Baszile (2015) to examine my educational experiences and more fully understand what has contributed to my personal construction of homeplace. My experience, like that of Baszile (2015), reflects the need to examine …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of First-Generation African American Students To Improve Retention Rates, Jaleesa Porter

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Colleges and universities play an important role in maintaining high retention rates and getting students from matriculation to graduation. There are several studies related to the reasons and barriers that result in low retention rates. This qualitative study examined how one university in southeast Georgia can improve retention rates among first-generation African American students by enhancing its practices. The findings from this study the revealed lived experiences of college students that resulted in a range of emotions, resources and barriers, and communication. Discussion and implications of the findings provide recommendations for practice and future research.

Fresh Eyes: Viewing Education Through A Critical Lens, Glennda Shealey-Griffiths

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation confronts neoliberal ideology in public education, where standardized testing and market-driven accountability systematically undermine teacher autonomy and creative learning. Moving beyond critique to action, this study develops a practical pedagogical framework empowering educators to resist these dehumanizing forces and cultivate democratic learning spaces through arts-integrated professional learning as critical aesthetic pedagogy. Drawing on Henry Giroux, Maxine Greene, Paolo Freire, and Jacques Rancière, this qualitative case study examines a professional learning initiative with public school teachers through interviews, classroom observations, and analysis of participants' photographic projects. These visual works function not merely as documentation but as catalysts for Giroux's …

Bringing A Missing Minority Into Focus: Foster Parents’ Voices And Their Impact On Foster Children’S Academic Experiences, Clair Rutherford

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Foster children face persistent educational inequities shaped by trauma, frequent placement changes, and systemic barrierswithin schools. This dissertation investigates how foster parents perceive and influence the educational experiences of the children in their care, emphasizing the intersection of advocacy, trauma-informed teaching, and institutional response. Grounded in trauma-informed pedagogy, critical ecology and curriculum studies, the study interrogates how schools both support and constrain foster children’s educational opportunities. An arts-based methodology was employed, combining fictionalized portraiture and digital ethnography. Data sources included foster parent social media posts, reflexive journalling, and researcher positionality as both teacher and foster parent. Composite narratives were constructed …

Exploring The Impact Of Covid-19 And The Role Of The Church On African Americans’ Mental Well-Being In South Georgia, Adrian D. Lewis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The emergence of COVID-19 in 2020 disrupted the social dynamics of communities in the United States. Furthermore, public health mandates led to closures that changed how populations access faith. Historically, African Americans have utilized the church to cope with societal stressors. This study will explore the history of church utilization in the African American community, assess how COVID-19 public health mandates led to church closures for the first time in recent history and impacted this marginalized population, and provide a qualitative perspective on the quality of life during the closures and what changed after the closures for African Americans in …

A Comparative Study Of Rfid System Performance In Large-Scale Network Planning Facility, Ali Abdulqader Al Qisi, Azli Bin Nawawi, Adel Muhsin Elewe

Mesopotamian Journal of Big Data

Big data in manufacturing fields present several challenges leads to reduce profitability and missed opportunity for innovation. One of the used strategies is the use of radio frequency identification system.  considered a business strategy to increase productivity, speed up decision-making, and enhance production monitoring and control while preserving the structure and integrity of current manufacturing systems. The present research compares five artificial inelegant algorithms based on RFID system in facility layout design to investigate the fitness of each algorithm in manufacturing big data processing. The objective functions have been used are the minimum number of required readers, minimum readers overlap, …

Heartbeat Sound Classification Using Mel-Spectrogram And Cnn Optimized By Frilled Lizard Algorithm For Cardiovascular Disease Detection, Ahmed T. Alhasani, Zainab H. Albakaa, Shahad A. Alabidi, Osamah Qasim Abd Zaid Gburi, Ammar Kadi, Irina Potoroko

Mesopotamian Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the predominant cause of mortality globally, underscoring the critical necessity for prompt and precise diagnostic techniques.  This paper introduces an innovative machine learning framework for categorizing heartbeat sounds into four classifications—normal, murmur, additional heart sound, and artifact—utilizing audio recordings from the PhysioNet/CinC Challenge 2016 dataset.  The methodology employs Mel-Spectrograms and Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) for feature extraction, converting raw heart sound data into comprehensive time-frequency representations.  A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is utilized for classification, with its hyperparameters refined by the recently developed Frilled Lizard Optimization (FLO) method, a bio-inspired metaheuristic that emulates the …