Digital Commons Network^™

Peculiarities Of Religious Communication In The Digital Environment: Ukrainian Experience, Olena Svysiuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A comprehensive analysis of the digitalization processes affecting the religious sphere in Ukraine in the context of the society global informatization and the full-scale war. The study outlines current approaches to understanding digitalization and the concept of Digital Religion, which is based on the interaction between the online and offline dimensions of religious life. Digital technologies do not replace traditional forms of religious activity, rather, they expand the possibilities for their implementation by creating new models of spiritual communication, pastoral ministry, religious education, and the formation of religious communities. The paper analyzes main areas of digital religious practices in Ukraine, …

Framing Addiction In The Age Of Vaping: A Journalism-Focused Reporting Toolkit, Jessica L. Riley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project addresses a critical gap in journalism practice: the lack of accessible, evidence-based guidance for reporting on addiction. Particularly as it relates to nicotine, tobacco and vaping. Journalists play a key role in shaping public understanding of substance use, yet existing resources often focus on opioids, lack specificity, or fail to keep pace with rapidly evolving nicotine products and scientific research. As a result, reporters may struggle with inconsistent terminology, unclear risk communication and the potential for unintentionally stigmatizing language.

Grounded in media effects theory, health communication and stigma research, this project examines how journalistic language and framing influence …

Bangladeshi Students' Experiences With Formative Feedback At West Virginia University, Habiba Jahan Seam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines how Bangladeshi international graduate students at West Virginia University experience, interpret, and utilize written formative feedback within higher education in the United States. It explores how students' prior educational and cultural experiences in Bangladesh shape their engagement with feedback in a different academic context. I used a qualitative approach to collect data through two rounds of semi-structured interviews and three focus group discussions with Bangladeshi graduate students to better understand how individuals make sense of formative feedback throughout their academic journey. Findings indicate that prior educational experiences play a meaningful role in shaping how students interpret and …

Shaping Occupational Self-Efficacy In Complex Jobs: Cognitive Flexibility, Role Stressors, And The Workplace, Carolyn Henn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Career advancement in many professions requires employees to move beyond a single specialized role and perform effectively across different responsibilities. These complex jobs often combine technical work, project oversight, client interaction, financial accountability, and coordination with others. Successfully managing these overlapping responsibilities requires strong occupational self-efficacy, but not much is known about the factors that shape employees’ confidence in their ability to perform in complex jobs, particularly under role stress. This study uses cross-sectional survey data from 132 full-time professionals working in complex, multi-role jobs across a range of industries to examine how cognitive flexibility, role stressors, and job demands …

A Survey Of Disability-Inclusive K-12 Public School Music Programs In The United States Where Best Buddies Friendship Programs Have Been Established, Geena Louise Jeffries Mattox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the presence and structural characteristics of disability-inclusive band, orchestra, and choir programs serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) in K-12 public schools across the United States that implement the Best Buddies School Friendship Program. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is defined as group of chronic, lifelong conditions that originate before age 22, affecting physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. Despite federal legislation, peer reviewed scholarship specifically addressing access to performance-based music ensembles for students with IDDs remain comparatively limited. Employing a survey distributed nationwide within a defined population of schools implementing Best Buddies Programs, administered via …

Examining Moral Susceptibility In Ai Vs. Human-Assisted Decision-Making, Seth James Fogle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are increasingly integrated into decision-making contexts, yet their influence on ethical judgment remains unclear. This study examines whether advice from an AI advisor, compared to a human advisor, affects moral susceptibility in a consumer decision-making scenario. Using a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design (advisor type × price condition), this research tests whether personal agency, perceived objectivity, and diffusion of responsibility operate as psychological mechanisms underlying ethical decision-making.

Results indicate that advisor type did not significantly influence moral susceptibility, nor did it significantly affect the proposed mediators. Additionally, the price condition did not moderate these relationships. …

The Hidden Process Of Student Placements: Perspectives From Slp, Ot, And Pt Coordinators, Almara Jane Sidney Hutchinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This comparative multi-case study examined the unseen processes behind clinical placement planning in allied health education. Clinical placements are essential to preparing students in speech-language pathology (SLP), occupational therapy (OT), and physical therapy (PT); however, little research has explored how Directors and Coordinators of Clinical Education (DCE/CCEs) navigate the complex decision-making involved in planning these experiences. Guided by Greco and Myers’ (2024) framework conceptualizing placement planning as an interaction between process and experience, this study explored how coordinators described their planning processes and the role of student-centeredness within them.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 DCEs/CCEs representing SLP, OT, and …

Low Energy Availability And Dietary Factors In High School Runners, Natalie E. Allik

All Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

LOW ENERGY AVAILABILITY AND DIETARY FACTORS IN HIGH SCHOOL RUNNERS

By

Natalie Elizabeth Allik

June 2026

Context: Low energy availability (LEA) is associated with adverse health and performance outcomes in athletes and may be particularly concerning during adolescence when growth and bone development are ongoing. Although inadequate carbohydrate (CHO) intake has been proposed as a contributor to LEA, limited research has examined this relationship in adolescent endurance athletes. Objective: To examine dietary intake, bone mineral density (BMD), and eating disorder (ED) risk in adolescent distance runners with and without LEA. Methods: Eighteen adolescent distance runners (15.7 ± 1.2 years; …

Contesting Conservatism: Neoconservatives, Evangelicals, And Foreign Policy In The Reagan Era, Emily B. Kissel

All Master's Theses

This thesis explores how foreign policy shaped and destabilized the conservative coalition during the Reagan era. Although historians often portray the conservative movement of the 1980s as unified by anti-communism, this study argues that foreign policy debates exposed significant ideological divisions between neoconservatives, evangelical Christians, and the broader conservative base. These groups shared common goals but disagreed over the moral and strategic direction of American foreign policy. Neoconservatives and evangelical Christians wanted the same muscular assertion of American power abroad, but the factions framed foreign policy differently to appeal to their supporters. These policies and aggressive anti-Soviet rhetoric struck widespread …

Contesting Conservatism: Neoconservatives, Evangelicals, And Foreign Policy In The Reagan Era, Emily B. Kissel

All Master's Theses

This thesis explores how foreign policy shaped and destabilized the conservative coalition during the Reagan era. Although historians often portray the conservative movement of the 1980s as unified by anti-communism, this study argues that foreign policy debates exposed significant ideological divisions between neoconservatives, evangelical Christians, and the broader conservative base. These groups shared common goals but disagreed over the moral and strategic direction of American foreign policy. Neoconservatives and evangelical Christians wanted the same muscular assertion of American power abroad, but the factions framed foreign policy differently to appeal to their supporters. These policies and aggressive anti-Soviet rhetoric struck widespread …

Forecasting The Emotional Cost Of Online Dehumanization, Reyhaneh Bagherian Shamir

All Master's Theses

The use of social media platforms to share, view, and communicate information is now ubiquitous (Crockett, 2017). Given the prevalence of problematic content found on social media (e.g., prejudice, misinformation), this research examines how accurately people predict their responses to such content. Kawakami et al. (2009) found that individuals overestimate their emotional distress and behavior in response to discriminatory actions (i.e., racism) in-person predicting they would be more upset, and more likely to reject a racist confederate than individuals who experienced the incident actually were. In the current research, we built upon the work of Kawakami et al. (2009) to …

Exploring Students' Perceptions Of Active Learning Practices And Their Role In Critical Thinking Development In Undergraduate Biology Education, Kwame Kyeremah

All Master's Theses

As the global landscape becomes increasingly complex and undergoes more rapid changes than ever before, critical thinking has become an indispensable skill for addressing challenges in society, science, and the workplace. Despite its widespread adoption in undergraduate STEM education, active learning remains poorly understood from the student's perspective. This study investigated how undergraduate biology students perceived active learning in a ten-week biostatistics course (BIOL 213) at Central Washington University, and whether those perceptions aligned with critical thinking gains measured by the California Critical Thinking Skills Test with Numeracy (CCTST-N). A convergent mixed-methods design integrated student perception and mindset survey data …

Ultrasound-Derived Liver Composition And Metabolic Flexibility Under Exercise Stress, Rhodes Van Houten

All Master's Theses

Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is characterized by abnormal liver fat accumulation in conjunction with metabolic syndromes. MAFLD affects 33% of individuals worldwide, though little is known about how increased liver fat impacts physiological responses to exercise. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between liver composition and metabolic flexibility during a graded exercise test.  Body composition was analyzed via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Liver ultrasound was evaluated for echogenicity, where elevated mean gray volume (MGV) indicates abnormal liver tissue. Rates of fat (FATox) and carbohydrate (CHOox) oxidation (g/min), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and blood lactate concentrations ([LA^-], …

Examining The Effects Of Virtual Nature Exposure And Video Immersion On State Hope With Nature Relatedness As A Covariate, Zachary Arneson

All Master's Theses

Previous work in the field of environmental psychology has shown that virtual nature exposure can produce many psychological benefits for the viewer. Within this literature, however, there has been no examination of the effects of virtual nature exposure on levels of state hope, a goal-directed positive psychological construct made up of two types of thought: agency and pathways. Additionally, there has been no direct examination of the effect of immersion level of the virtual nature exposure on psychological measures. To fill this gap in the literature, the current study examined the effects of virtual nature exposure and video immersion on …

Religion, Death, And Journalism In The Christian Science Monitor, 1908-1918, Natalie Hammill

All Master's Theses

The Christian Science Monitor was created in 1908 by the Christian Science Church and its founder, Mary Baker Eddy, with the goal to “injure no man, but to bless all mankind.” The question arises, how does a religion that does not believe in physical reality produce a newspaper, and how does that newspaper treat subjects like sin, sickness, and death, subjects Christian Science teaches its adherents to ignore? This thesis argues that the Christian Science Monitor used the inherent flexibility of Christian Science beliefs around physical reality in combination with popular ideas about non-sensationalism and “clean journalism” as the basis …

Low Energy Availability And Dietary Factors In High School Runners, Natalie E. Allik

All Master's Theses

Context: Low energy availability (LEA) is associated with adverse health and performance outcomes in athletes and may be particularly concerning during adolescence when growth and bone development are ongoing. Although inadequate carbohydrate (CHO) intake has been proposed as a contributor to LEA, limited research has examined this relationship in adolescent endurance athletes. Objective: To examine dietary intake, bone mineral density (BMD), and eating disorder (ED) risk in adolescent distance runners with and without LEA. Methods: Eighteen adolescent distance runners (15.7 ± 1.2 years; 7 males, 11 females) completed baseline assessments including anthropometrics, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a 24-hour dietary recall, …

Music-Based Smart Digital Interventions For Health : A Scoping Review, Jin Hyung Lee, Juri Yun

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This scoping review systematically maps and synthesizes empirical research on smart, digital technology-delivered music interventions for health. Following Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines, a comprehensive search of six electronic databases yielded 30 included studies spanning four clinical domains: psychological and mental health, neurological and motor rehabilitation, aging and cognitive care, and acute care and symptom management. Studies employed four primary technology categories: mobile applications, artificial intelligence and machine learning systems, wearable biosensors, and alternative interface platforms. Findings demonstrate that smart digital music interventions are broadly feasible and acceptable, with preliminary efficacy across diverse populations. The field …

Traditional Music Kongkil : The Meaning Of Philosophy And The Challenges Of Contemporary Life, Harpang Yudha Karyawanto, Moh Sarjoko, Heri Murbiyantoro

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Traditional Kongkil music from Bungkal Village, Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia, constitutes a form of local cultural heritage imbued with philosophical and social meaning. As a bamboo-based musical tradition employing slendro and pelog scales, Kongkil reflects the relationship between humans and nature while articulating values of social harmony within the community. This study aims to examine the philosophical meanings embedded in Kongkil music and to analyze its transformation in response to contemporary social and cultural change. The research employs a descriptive qualitative method, with data collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and literature review. The data were analyzed comparatively to identify patterns …

Beyond The Headlines : Investigating Media Framing Of Malaysian Human Trafficking In Southeast Asia During Covid-19, Muhammad Asim Imran, Kah Choon Ng, Cheng Kin Meng

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of human trafficking involving Malaysians in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Employing a systematic review approach based on the PRISMA methodology, the study examines 63 news records from The Star, covering the period from March to September 2022. The findings reveal a notable increase in media coverage during this time, signaling heightened awareness of Malaysian human trafficking issues. The COVID-19 pandemic emerges as a critical factor exacerbating vulnerabilities and contributing to a surge in trafficking incidents. Malaysians were identified as victims of forced labor in diverse industries, including …

The Subjectivity And Conformity Issues In Contemporary Practices Of Algorithmic Creativity, Tetiana Sovhyra, Larisa Babushka, Tetiana Andrushchenko, Olena Onischenko, Mykola Brovko

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This article examines the issue of subjectivity and conformism in algorithmic cultural practices (robotic performances and neurocomputer installations “A3 K3 Dragan Ilic," “Alone Together," “NOOR” and “AIBO”). The focus is on the technological features of algorithmic creativity, which is based on machine learning, stylistic imitation and computational data processing. In this context, ethical and legal issues related to copyright and the recognition of artistic works created by artificial intelligence are analyzed. In particular, mechanized artistic practices create the illusion of autonomous creativity, whilst retaining the decisive role of human subjectivity in the organization and interpretation of cultural processes. Algorithmic creativity …

Critical Participatory Action Research For Revitalizing Local Music And Performing Arts In The Post-Pandemic Transition Of Salaya, Nantida Chandransu, Chanokchakul Surasi

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This study employs Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) to examine the adaptive revitalization of local music and performing arts in Salaya's post-pandemic transition. Through the Collaborative Cultural Action Network (CCAN – comprising artists, academics, administrators, and citizens – the research facilitates a collaborative ecosystem for cultural asset co-creation. Implementation operates across two levels: strategic management of intersubjective agreements, and artistic creativity via a dual-track strategy. This strategy combines active conservation of phleng lae, phleng ruea, lakhon chatri, likay, and trae wong with creative deconstruction, specifically the luk thung song “Yu Yen Pen Suk Na Salaya” and the Kanlapaphruek project. Findings …

Destandardization Of Art At Flash Mob Performance In Public Space : A Case Study Of Beksan Wanara From The Yogyakarta Court, Indonesia, R. M. Pramutomo, Sriyadi Sriyadi, Supriyanto Supriyanto

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Flash mob performances in Indonesia emerge in response to urban affluence. Flash mobs, as an activity, explore unconventional performance spaces. The goal of this article is not only to address previous research gaps but also to explain how flash mob art performances have challenged aesthetic standards. Information about traditional dance flash mobs is widely discussed on various social media platforms. Data were collected through an intensive literature study, including desk review and document analysis. The findings suggest that flash mob articles are successful in engaging people of all ages as participants in public space dance performances. Visually, flash mobs provide …

Art In Health : Angklung Musical-Based Interventions For Older Adults In Southeast Asia, Muhammad Asyraf Mohd Bakri, Mohammad Kamal Mohd Sabran, Asrenee Ab Razak

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Arts in healthcare can support emotional, cognitive, and social well-being among older adults. Angklung, a traditional Indonesian bamboo instrument recognized by UNESCO, has potential as a culturally grounded, music-based intervention in older adult care. This systematic review, guided by the PRISMA framework, examined Angklung-based interventions for older adults in Southeast Asia. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, with the final search completed on 19 November 2024. English-language studies published between 2010 and 2024 were included if they focused on Angklung-based or Angklung-related interventions involving older adults and reported outcomes related to well-being, cognition, emotion, social engagement, motor …

Developing A Sustainability Framework For Enhancing Public Art Projects In Nigeria Toward Urban Regeneration, Peter Oluwagbenga Odewole, Olanrewaju Timothy Dada

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This study examines the role of public art towards urban regeneration, cultural preservation, and socio-economic development, addressing critical challenges in the Nigerian public art sector. It adopts a qualitative research design based on literature review, and Eisenhardt’s theory-building approach, drawing on secondary data to generate insights from case-based analysis. Two contemporary Nigerian public art initiatives were examined using within-case and cross-case thematic analysis. The study integrates placemaking, cultural economics, social capital, place attachment, and regulatory theories to develop a sustainability framework for enhancing public art practice and administration in Nigeria. The study’s findings indicate that sustainable public art interventions for …

Creative Urban Care For Older Adults In Thailand : Drama Therapy And An Innovative Expressive Arts Framework For Better Urban Ageing, Dovrat Harel, Nisara Jaroenkajornkij, Bussakorn Binson, Meytal Fogel Simhony

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This article examines drama therapy with older adults across three institutional contexts in Thailand: Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society; Kwong Siew Foundation Hospital; and Sawangkanives Housing, Thai Red Cross Society. Drawing on a practice-based qualitative study involving 60 older adults, facilitator observations, semi-structured interviews, reflective writings, and institutional descriptions, the article explores how drama therapy was adapted across medical, chronic-care, and senior residential settings. The findings suggest that drama therapy supported memory sharing, emotional expression, social connection, belonging, and quality of life among participants. The article argues that drama therapy should be understood not merely as entertainment or supplementary …

Humanizing Education Through Subject-Centered Instruction: A Mixed Methods Case Study Of Engagement And Achievement In An Exploring Hip-Hop As Literature English Elective, Alicia Hyman-Peters

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how humanizing education through relationally-driven, subject-centered teaching affects student engagement, literacy, and achievement in an Exploring Hip-Hop as Literature English elective at a diverse high school in Northeast Florida. Drawing on Freire’s concept of humanization, Noddings’ Ethic of Care, Palmer’s focus on subject-centered learning, and the culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogies of Ladson-Billings, Paris, and Alim, the research investigated how humanized education restores meaning and connection to learning. Using a Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Design, data from thirty students were gathered through surveys, participation and assignment records, standardized assessments, interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations. Quantitative findings …

The Impact Of Censorship On Curriculum And Black Women Secondary English Language Arts Teachers In Florida, Crystal Parker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the instructional, curricular, and school climate impacts of book censorship on Black women secondary English Language Arts teachers, exploring how they navigate and/or resist content restrictions. Using educational criticism and portraiture, this qualitative study captures the nuanced narratives of these educators. Grounded in Bourdieu’s Field Theory, along with Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Historically Responsive Literacy, Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors, and Cognitive Pluralism, the research addresses the following questions: How do Black women teachers describe the influence of recent book bans on their curriculum choices? In what ways do their identities shape their responses to censorship? Data …

Association Between A Lifestyle Medicine Score And Stroke In U.S. Adults With Hyperglycemia: 2007- 2010 Nhanes, Swarnima Naithani

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between glycemic control and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well- established, however, lifestyle modifications to prevent CVD warrant further investigation. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between adherence to the six lifestyle medicine pillars promoted by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and stroke in U.S. adults with hyperglycemia. A lifestyle medicine composite score (LMS) was developed to quantify adherence with the hypothesis that a higher LMS (greater adherence to lifestyle recommendations) correlates with lower odds of stroke in adults with hyperglycemia. Methods: The study sample (n=2,079) included adult (≥ 40 years of age) participants in the …

Availability And Utilization Of School Library Resources And Its Impacts On The Academic Excellence Of Secondary School Students In Edo State., Iyobosa Ewere Mrs., Ben Asuquo, Glory Mbah Mrs.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examines availability, and utilization of school library resources and its impacts on the academic excellence in secondary school libraries in Edo state. The descriptive survey research was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 2162 senior secondary school students from Idia Girls’ College, Boiling Point Academy and UNIBEN Demonstration Secondary School. The sampling techniques used for the study was Random Sampling Technique, a total of 216 respondents was used as the sample size representing 10% of the total population. A well structured questionnaire was designed and distributed to respondents .A total of 216 copies of …

Trialing A Novel Method Of Skin Mucus Sampling To Measure Stress And Reproductive Steroid Hormones In Mobula Species Mobula Alfredi And Mobula Munkiana, Bethany Faulkner

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Anthropogenic pressures, exacerbated by exceptionally slow population growth, have led to all mobulid species being listed on the IUCN Red List. Understanding stress and reproductive physiology is essential for improving mobulid conservation strategies. However, few studies have investigated the hormonal processes that underlie stress responses and reproductive physiology in mobulids. Studies on fish species have identified positive correlations between steroid hormone concentrations in blood and skin mucus, the collection of the latter being a much less invasive technique. This pilot study examined the feasibility of using skin mucus as a non-invasive matrix for detecting steroid hormones in two mobulid species. …