Digital Commons Network^™

The First Home : A Pedagogical Exploration Of Architecture’S Mythical Origins, Witinan Watanasap, Chittawadi Chitrabongs

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

This research article proposes the idea of the "First Home" as a pedagogical model for architectural design studios in Thailand. The objective is to foster a more humanistic approach to the foundation of architecture education by integrating histories and theories of architecture, architectural representation, and architectural design studio courses. The "First Home" investigates the mythical origins of architecture—the cave, post-and-lintel structure, and tent—as well as the roles of language and art, framed as the processes of “remembering” and “forgetting.” The literature review for this study is based on architectural texts and diagrams focusing on spatial composition, written by architects who …

Inclusive Education In Thailand : Exploring Gaps And Opportunities Across Urban And Rural Contexts Through Topic Modeling Analysis And Systematic Review, Chanisa Tantixalerm, Piyawan Visessuvanapoom, Chanakida Thummanond, Siripreeya Chaiboonma, Sayamol Charoenratana, Ruttiya Bhula-Or, Kanessha Sirisak

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

This study addressed knowledge gaps in Thai inclusive education research and proposed strategies for improvement, with three key objectives: (1) synthesize and compare research on inclusive education across urban and rural universities; (2) analyze the topic trends in international inclusive education research; and (3) propose strategic guidelines for promoting inclusive education in Thailand. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study was conducted in two phases. Phase one involved a systematic review of Thai university theses, guided by the framework and PRISMA 2020 protocol, alongside topic modeling analysis of global studies (2020–2024). Phase two utilized focus group discussions with 13 experts to …

Where And Why Do Timorese Workers Migrate? Evidence From An Augmented Gravity Model And A South Korea Case Study, Olivia Da Costa Alves Barreto, Jinhwan Oh

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

This study investigates the factors that influence international labor migration from Timor-Leste, with a focus on South Korea under the Employment Permit System. An extended gravity model was employed using bilateral migration data for 29 destination countries from 2000 to 2024 to assess the impact of economic size, geographic distance, trade relations, and migration policy regimes on migration flows. Migration is significantly influenced by political factors, such as formal recruitment channels and visa availability, and a positive correlation is observed between migration arrangements and bilateral exports. Furthermore, primary survey data of 250 Timor-Leste migrant workers in South Korea provide micro-level …

Sustainable Architecture Practice In Indonesia : Navigating Global Standards And Local Knowledge, Dyah Kusuma Wardhani, Himasari Hanan, Firmansyah -

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

This study investigates how Indonesian architects navigate between global green building rating tools (GBRTs) and context-specific design strategies across different project types and scales. Using a comparative analysis of sixteen award-winning projects by six Indonesian architects, the research combines semi-structured interviews with document review and inductive coding to map design logics against core GBRT categories. The analysis is around six themes used by GBRTs—energy efficiency, material resources and cycles, water conservation, sustainable site development, indoor health and comfort, and building resilience and adaptability—and identifies two additional themes central to Indonesian practice yet largely absent from GBRT assessment—social collaboration in the …

Body Wonder: Helping Women Discover The Wonder Of God In Their Female Forms, Kristin Marie Antil

Doctor of Ministry

This project works to address the following need/problem/opportunity (NPO): Christian women in my contexts are hindered from having a positive relationship with their bodies which undermines potential and diminishes self-worth. I observed this problem in the students I counsel in my work as a mental health therapist at Bethel University, but I also noticed a tendency for women in my church and community settings to disregard, disdain, or despise their bodies as well. The research over these three years has helped me see the complexities of the factors that contribute to the negative postures that women hold towards their bodies …

The Reconnection Experience: A Black Pastor's Journey Back To God And Self, Lindsay Mcghee Alexander

Doctor of Ministry

NPO

The Need/Problem/Opportunity (NPO) statement guiding this project is: Pastors in the 8th Episcopal District of the AME Church feel disconnected from God and themselves.

Key Insights

The research revealed that pastoral disconnection is driven less by lack of skill and more by identity loss, performance pressure, and the absence of safe spaces for vulnerability. Spiritual formation remains largely absent from Black pastors' lives and churches. Cultural and denominational expectations reward quantitative data over spiritual growth. Self-care and inner work are not recognized as integral to ministry success or effectiveness. Many pastors operate from “doing” rather than “being,” leading to …

Equip: Developing Confident, Christ-Centered Volunteers, Alyssa Mclaughlin

Doctor of Ministry

NPO statement: Volunteers within Cedar Hills Church feel unsure of what we believe, unclear on their purpose, and unprepared to disciple others in their specific ministry contexts. Without intentional training and equipping, these barriers keep capable people on the sidelines instead of stepping confidently into the mission of Jesus.

Key benefits or insights that emerged: Research and early implementation showed that volunteers engage more when equipping is relational, practical, and connected to real life. Adults were more willing to participate when they could share from their own experiences and practice their faith, rather than sit through content-heavy teaching. Participants gained …

Renewed: A Journey Toward Resilient And Relational Leadership, Molly Bradley Lacroix

Doctor of Ministry

Adverse religious experiences cause spiritual, emotional, and relational wounds. Research on spiritual harm locates its origins in the misuse of power. High-control religious environments are preoccupied with authority, submission, silencing dissent, and shaming those who question or doubt. Clearly, the nature of leadership is key in addressing and preventing harm. Spiritually safe leaders empower people, lead with humility, seek feedback, and take accountability for mistakes. Research on the role of clergy reveals complex roles, relentless demands, burnout, and the impact of secondary trauma on clergy well-being. Additionally, clergy are often expected to operate beyond their areas of competence and report …

The Sabbath Journey: An Invitation For Pastors And Spiritual Leaders To Find Rest In God, Cody Daniel Ragland

Doctor of Ministry

In the fast-paced ministry of today, non-denominational evangelical pastors in the United States often strive to serve their congregations while neglecting God’s gift of Sabbath rest. Though the Sabbath is deeply rooted in Scripture, it is often misunderstood, minimized, or neglected in the lives of pastors. My NPO seeks to address:

This doctoral project introduces The Sabbath Journey: An invitation for Pastors and Spiritual Leaders to find rest in God. It is a year-long cohort program designed for pastors and ministry leaders to cultivate deep personal relationships and accountability as they develop a weekly Sabbath practice. Through intentional community, …

Empowering Pre-Service Ecse Teachers Through Ai Simulation: Strengthening Family-Centered Iep Facilitation, Jody L. Shong

Essays in Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping instructional practice across educational contexts, yet its role in preparing early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers for complex relational work remains underexplored. Facilitating Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings requires educators to integrate legal knowledge, developmental data, interdisciplinary collaboration, and family priorities within emotionally nuanced conversations. Many pre-service teachers enter the profession without structured opportunities to rehearse these responsibilities.

This article argues that AI-supported simulation represents a practical and equity-oriented approach to strengthening teacher preparation. Grounded in family–professional partnership theory, anti-bias education, and practice-based pedagogy, this manuscript examines how simulation can support relational competence while …

Maternal Opioid Use Disorder And Hepatitis C Infection In Pregnancy Reshape The Peripheral Immune Landscape At Term, Brianna M. Doratt, Heather E. True, Sheridan B. Wagner, Delphine C. Malherbe, Zachary M. Reynolds, Cynthia Cockerham, John O'Brien, Ilhem Messaoudi

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Background: Pregnancy requires precisely timed immune adaptations to maintain foetal tolerance while enabling timely initiation of labour, a process often conceptualised as the ‘immune clock’ of pregnancy. Disruption of this immune clock contributes to adverse obstetric outcomes. While maternal opioid use disorder (OUD) is a recognised risk factor for poor maternal and neonatal health, its impact on maternal immune landscape at delivery remains poorly understood.

Methods: We analysed peripheral blood collected from pregnant individuals with and without OUD at time of admission for delivery before the onset of active labour. We employed multiparameter flow cytometry, cytokine profiling, and single-cell-RNA sequencing …

The Vagabond Way: A Qualitative Study Of Intentional Non-Participation In Structured Society, Lorena E. Black

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study analyzes intentional vagabondage as both a philosophical position and a lived critique of structured society. Using qualitative fieldwork conducted at Fairlawn Family Church in Fort Pierce, Florida—including ten semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and grounded theory analysis—the study examines how individuals who voluntarily disengage from formal systems of housing, labor, and legality construct meaning, identity, and stability beyond institutional boundaries. The analysis identifies three central themes: rhythm, referring to the patterned routines that sustain mobility; reciprocity, which characterizes social exchange and support networks; and refusal, expressed as a deliberate rejection of societal expectations. While many participants describe their paths …

Participatory Barriers And Single-Member Districts In Planning For Latino Demographics: A Spatial Analysis Of Osceola County, Florida, Amy Garcia Paniagua

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This mixed-methods case study on Osceola County, Florida examines how participatory barriers shape planning outcomes for Latino communities within single member district systems. Demographic transformation has shaped Osceola into one of three Hispanic/Latino majority counties. For Latinos, unique barriers to civic access exist, with the potential for exclusion in planning processes. The research bridges participatory planning theory with theories supporting single-member district electoral representation by evaluating whether district-level governance mitigates inequities where civic engagement is constrained. Methods integrate GIS-based spatial analysis with an institutional review of district-level actions to assess relationships between Hispanic civic accessibility and planning equity. Two composite …

Affordability And Serving Accuracy Of A Publicly Available Dash Meal Plan For Women Using Snap Benefits, Kendra Oonorasak, Mansura Shahad Bawa, Nadia Ayesha Sesay, Emma Smith, Taylor Emerson, Jayden Brewer, Brandi M. White

Health and Clinical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: This regional case study evaluated the affordability and serving accuracy of a publicly available one-week DASH meal plan for single-woman households using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in central Kentucky.

Methods: For each food item in the one-week plan, total grocery costs and per-serving costs were calculated using January 2025 prices from two national grocery chains commonly patronized in an urban area in central Kentucky. Calculated costs were compared to the average weekly food cost for women aged 20–50 years in a single household based on the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP). Servings for food groups and categories were …

Moral Distress Of The Professional Adn Gatekeeper During Early Covid-19: An Interpretivist Qualitative Study, Kimberly Triche

Dissertations of Practice

MORAL DISTRESS OF THE PROFESSIONAL ADN GATEKEEPER DURING EARLY COVID-19: AN INTERPRETIVIST QUALITATIVE STUDY

This interpretivist qualitative study examines the experiences of Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) faculty at two-year institutions in Illinois navigating the “Regulatory Pincer,” the intersection of state-mandated lockdowns and rigid licensure requirements, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research illustrates how the sudden transition to online modality and the abrupt dismantling of the traditional “gatekeeper” model forced faculty to navigate high stress environments with negligible preparation. The findings reveal that the necessity of maintaining instructional continuity while stripped of tactile verification tools created a profound state of “moral …

"You're All Thrown Into The Fire At Once And Have To Help Each Other Survive": Teacher Residency Programs As Communities Of Practice, Kelli Danielski

Dissertations of Practice

The focus of this case study was to understand the experience of completers of teacher residency programs. Four themes emerged from the research: a) teacher residency programs as communities of practice, b) importance of mentor matches, c) program structure and gradual release, and d) the challenges of the profession. Recommendations that emerged from this study include the importance of identifying mentor teachers, creation of programs that include cohort- based learning, and inclusion of administrative support for teacher candidates.

“Don’T Let Your Disability Be Your Weakness, Let It Be Your Greatest Strength”: A Phenomenological Study Of Nursing Students Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Randa Melms

Dissertations of Practice

This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of nursing students who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) as they navigated nursing education and the clinical learning environment. Using critical disability theory (CDT) as a guiding framework, the study explored how participants understood, negotiated, and redefined their identities within a profession historically shaped by hearing norms. Four essential themes emerged: reframing disability as expertise, navigating institutional supports and structural barriers, negotiating clinical spaces designed around hearing bodies, and drawing strength from relational networks. These findings can inform more inclusive practices among higher education professionals and clinical educators, helping reduce disparities …

Fiscal Illusion And Property Tax Porportionality, Cathy Lynn Johnson

Dissertations of Practice

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) has become a widely utilized economic development tool, allowing municipalities to capture future increases in property tax revenue within designated redevelopment areas.

The study’s purpose was to examine how TIF districts in Illinois affect the proportional distribution of property tax burdens and the allocation of property tax revenues to public school districts. Guided by Resource Allocation Theory, Public Choice Theory, and Fiscal Illusion, the study investigated how the exclusion of incremental EAV alters tax rate calculations and redistributes tax responsibility among taxpayers both within and outside of TIF boundaries. A quantitative analytical framework was developed and …

Grades And Grading Practices And Their Associations To Student Motivation, Rob Tesmond Iii

Dissertations of Practice

This study’s purposes are to understand how students perceive grades and their impact on their motivation to learn, how students perceive different grading practices, and how students who typically experience academic success respond compared to how students who typically do not experience academic success respond. Utilizing qualitative research methods, two rounds of focus groups were conducted. The first round consisted of five focus group sessions made up of a total of nineteen students who typically experience high academic success, including an overwhelming representation of students who take honors and AP classes. The second round consisted of three focus group sessions …

Beyond Discipline: Creating Academic Structural Systems To Foster Success For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Richard Jasch

Dissertations of Practice

Students diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) face profound challenges in traditional educational environments, often exhibiting significant underdevelopment in critical social and emotional learning skills. To support this vulnerable population, many school districts rely on specialized programs, such as the “affective learning center” (ALC), designed to stabilize behavior and foster growth. This qualitative dissertation of practice examines the ALC within a mid-sized K–12 district in the Rocky Mountain region to define its core characteristics and evaluate educators' perceptions of its effectiveness. Furthermore, the study investigates the alignment or misalignment between stakeholder perceptions, daily classroom practices, and overarching district policies. …

Survey Measures On Perinatal Cannabis Use, Aaditya Balasubramaniyan, Jacquelyn Reiss, Amy Donley

Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS)

No abstract provided.

Waterville Estates Village District Annual Report 2025, Waterville Estates Village District Representatives

Waterville Estates Village District of Campton & Thornton, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a Village District in the state of New Hampshire.

2026 Annual Report To The Public, Reporting Period July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025, Tennessee Early Intervention System, Tennessee. Department Of Disability And Aging

Reports to the Public

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires states to provide an annual report to the public about the performance of early intervention service (EIS programs) compared to the state’s performance on indicator targets.

Making Sense Of East Asian Languages, Keiko Konoeda, Linh Hoang, Geizuo Mahai, Nary Phon, Georgia Green, Ana Grieve, James Soifer

Open Educational Resources

In Winter 2026, the Bates College Asian Studies course “Making Sense of East Asian Languages” launched this open collection of supplementary readings. This collection helps students of Chinese and Japanese explore the histories behind the languages they study. Often, language courses focus on mastering a "standard" version without looking at its context. These readings bridge that gap.

Each entry investigates how certain language varieties became the national standard and what happened to other varieties and languages that were left out. By looking at these historical and colonial contexts, the collection helps students understand the power dynamics that shape language today. …

Conflict Analysis With Chatgpt, Yeju Choi

Open Educational Resources

This assignment asks students to apply the conflict mapping method to a conflict of their choice and evaluate appropriate resolution processes and strategies. Students use ChatGPT as a structured “peer” to generate alternative perspectives, then compare AI-generated recommendations with their own analysis grounded in course concepts. By designing intentional prompts and critically assessing areas of agreement and disagreement, students evaluate the usefulness and limitations of AI in conflict analysis while reinforcing analytical, evaluative, and reflective skills central to conflict resolution practice.

Examination Of An Article On Cultural Racism In Light Of Covid-19, Mengia Tschalär

Open Educational Resources

This final exam requires students to critically analyze Qian Julie Wang’s New York Times article, “Anti-Asian Racism Isn’t New,” through the lens of American Cultural Pluralism and the Law. Students will examine how the COVID-19 pandemic intensified anti-Asian racism in the United States by drawing on key course concepts, including cultural racism, racialization, borders, belonging, citizenship, identity formation, and white dominance. The assignment includes two components: a visual mind map that organizes theoretical frameworks and evidence, and a structured 800-word essay that integrates at least three peer-reviewed in-class readings using APA citation style. Through this process, students will demonstrate their …

Transgender Women In Sports: A Test Case For State Legislative Protections, Payal Doctor

City University of New York Law Review

For decades, transgender people have been fighting for the right to participate in sports leagues consistent with their gender identity. Much of this fight has played out on the federal stage, but recently both the federal government and federal courts have become hostile to transgender rights broadly, and transgender rights in sports in particular. This Comment examines an alternate but increasingly promising avenue for the vindication of transgender rights in sports: state law. Using a New York lawsuit brought by a women’s roller derby team, Long Island Roller Rebels v. County of Nassau, as a case study, this Comment …

Theory Of Mind: Effects Of Ecological Syntactic Training In Children With And Without Autism, Jill De Villiers, Stephanie Durrleman

Linguistics: Faculty Publications

Complement clauses, such as Mary says that Santa exists, are complex linguistic structures that have been argued to help children grasp others’ beliefs when those beliefs do not align with reality. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) tend to have difficulties with Theory of Mind (ToM), which might be helped by enhancing understanding of complements. The study investigates whether an ecological approach to training, using children's books containing false complement clauses, can improve false belief reasoning in children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children. The goal is to assess if structured dialogic reading at home, led by parents, …

Judging Art: Copyright, Creativity, And The Meaning Of Art In The Eyes Of The Law, Scott J. Sholder

Marquette Intellectual Property & Innovation Law Review

This Article examines how copyright law defines creativity and authorship in an era of rapidly evolving artistic expression, with particular emphasis on generative artificial intelligence. Tracing the development of U.S. copyright law from its constitutional foundations through modern case law, the author explores the legal standards governing originality, fixation, human authorship, and the idea-expression dichotomy. The Article analyzes how these principles have been applied to both traditional and emerging forms of art, including conceptual, performance, appropriation, digital, and AI-generated works. It also examines recent guidance from the U.S. Copyright Office and evolving judicial decisions addressing the copyrightability of AI-assisted and …

Why We Stayed, Why We Left: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of Hispanic/Latino Child Welfare Professionals’ Experiences Of Organizational And Safety Culture, Cynthia Franco

Theses and Dissertations

This hermeneutic phenomenological study examines the lived experiences of Hispanic/Latino child welfare professionals who were formerly employed at a large urban public child welfare agency. Despite the growing representation of Hispanic/Latino children and families in child welfare systems and the strong vocational commitment of Hispanic/Latino professionals, this group remains underrepresented in the workforce and experiences notable patterns of early attrition. Grounded in safety science and psychological safety frameworks, this study explores how organizational culture, leadership practices, and identity-related dynamics shape professional meaning-making, well-being, and decisions to remain in or leave the field.

Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and …