Digital Commons Network^™

Ethnicizing Europe: Hate And Violence After Versailles, Éva Kovács, Raul Cârstocea, Gábor Egry

Central European Studies

Ethnicizing Europe focuses on the dynamics of interethnic violence in Europe between the two world wars. The new international system that was enshrined by the Versailles peace treaties after World War I did not bring stability to East-Central Europe. Rather, it resulted in a host of conditions like self-determination, international oversight, revolutionary political ideas, and democratic processes, which eventually gave new meaning to already established conflicts, as well as igniting new conflicts in the region. This book opens with a discussion of the theoretical scholarship on ethnicity before proceeding to specific case studies investigating the different ways in which ethnicity …

Taking Kinship Into The Classroom By Indigenous Knowing: We Are All Related Somehow, Charlton Long

Journal of Indigenous Research

This article explores the integration of Indigenous knowledge into the classroom. It has been claimed that studies which do not promote revitalization of Indigenous communities should not be conducted. However, this article's intent is to support Indigenous communities and our way of knowing. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate thinking within Indigenous educational communities about the possibilities of incorporating kinship within students’ and teachers’ interactions for successful educational purposes. An alternative approach to how teachers and students interact in the classroom. This topic will also demonstrate the importance of Indigenous epistemologies with a theory that permits Indigenous scholars …

From Novice To Expert: Preparing Your Peer Review, Diana M Proctor, Rachy Abraham, Shannon Esher Righi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Peer review is the process by which the quality of scholarly work is assessed prior to being published, presented, or funded. The consequences of flawed research entering the public domain in the "post-truth" era highlight the need to improve peer review quality, which we believe can be achieved by standardizing training. Here, we aim to enhance the quality of published literature by presenting a systematic guide to train new reviewers (and aid experienced ones) in the art of peer reviewing the rigor of scientific manuscripts.

An Action Research Study On Ai Video Vs. Written Feedback: Enhancing Undergraduate Academic Writing And Critical Thinking, Sandra Baroudi, Nida Mubeen, Suha Karaki

All Works

This action research explores how AI-assisted feedback formats influence students’ academic writing and critical thinking, a gap particularly relevant in the digital learning landscape. This study involved 40 undergraduate Emirati students divided into two groups, receiving either AI-generated video or written feedback across three assignments. Using a quantitative design, data were gathered using standardized critical thinking and academic writing skills rubrics. Additionally, students completed post-surveys to capture their perceptions, engagement levels and use of AI tools in the learning process. Results showed written feedback significantly improvemed critical thinking (M = 2.80, SD = 0.75) compared to video feedback (M = …

Immersive Philosophical Thought Experiments Through Virtual Reality, Gordon Carlson Ph.D., Sammuel (Rob) Byer Ph.D.

Informatics Faculty Publications

Virtual reality (VR) is transforming higher education by providing immersive and interactive learning environments that enhance traditional pedagogical methods. While disciplines such as medicine and engineering have been early adopters of VR for skill development and simulation training, its potential in the humanities, particularly Philosophy, is only beginning to be explored. Philosophy courses often challenge students to grapple with abstract concepts and complex ethical dilemmas which can feel disconnected from real-world applications. VR offers a unique opportunity to bridge this gap by allowing students to experience these scenarios in lifelike, immersive settings. This study examines the use of VR in …

Action Research To Explore The Use Of Augmented Reality To Support High School Students In Understanding And Creating Art Work In A Drawing Course, Alicia Joanne Cobler

Theses and Dissertations

High school students in Drawing 1 at a high school in South Carolina struggle to understand meaning or make personal connections to their own artwork. The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the implementation of immersive reality technology, specifically augmented reality (AR), in art for high school Drawing 1 students to help them understand meaning in art and create their own meaningful artwork. Creating personally meaningful symbolic works of art is one of the first Visual Art National Core Standards (National Core Visual Art Standards, 2014). Creating meaning in artwork allows students to understand society, provide an opportunity …

Gmos And Public Perception: College Students’ Opinions And Knowledge Of Genetic Engineering, Serene M. Cheng

RURALS: Review of Undergraduate Research in Agricultural and Life Sciences

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be developed and implemented to address significant global challenges, including nutrient deficiencies, climate change, and crop disease. However, widespread opposition has prevented the success of GMOs. We believe this opposition is strongly connected to a lack of understanding about genetics in general, which has been reflected by previous studies.

In this study, we considered the relationship between GMO support and genetics knowledge by comparing results from a brief quiz and responses to prompts relating to GMOs. Using a survey of college students, we found that support for GMOs and general knowledge of genetics are positively …

Leaning In: Diversity, Dialogue, And Whiteness At A Quaker Independent School, Mauricio Thomas Torres

Dissertations - ALL

Diversity has emerged as a hallmark of institutional excellence in several fields. At the same time, it has been vilified and maligned by conservative pundits and politicians as Donald Trump has worked to frame diversity as un-American and unmeritocratic. This tension makes diversity worthy of sociological analysis. Though there is an emerging critical sociology of diversity, much of that work has been primarily concerned with the discursive, ideological, and symbolic dimensions of diversity. In contrast, this dissertation examines how diversity moves through and is contested and supported within the organization and cultural context of Friends Prep (FP), a progressive Quaker …

Quality Improvement Project Reducing Pediatric Anesthesia In Magnetic Resonance Imaging: The Role Of Preparedness And Education, Rachel Turner

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Pediatric hematology-oncology patients undergo general anesthesia (GA) for various medical procedures, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Overexposure to GA increases the potential for long-term neurocognitive effects in pediatric patients. Despite the growing research literature on GA-related neurotoxicity and the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) warnings, advanced practice providers (APP) often lack the knowledge to advocate for and support reductions in pediatric GA use. The Doctor of Nurse Practice (DNP) quality improvement (QI) project aimed to reduce unnecessary GA in pediatric hematology-oncology patients undergoing MRI scans by addressing the primary clinic APPs' knowledge deficits through interprofessional education (IPE). Structured in …

Review: Rain Reign, Janice Delong, Rachel Schwedt

Ages 10-12

Caring, Coping, Determination, Encouragement, Fear, Family love, Generosity, Hope, Kindness, Knowledge, Patience, Responsibility, Understanding

Review: Project Mulberry, Janice Delong, Rachel Schwedt

Ages 10-12

Appreciation of Nature, Competitiveness, Cooperation, Coping, Creativity, Curiosity, Dependability, Determination, Devotion, Diligence, Diversity, Enthusiasm, Forgiveness, Friendship, Ingenuity, Initiative, Neighborliness, Obedience, Patience, Respect, Responsibility, Sharing, Trust, Work ethic

Cultivating Resilience In The Anthropocene: Evaluating A Gssw Ecological Justice Curriculum, Windy Selig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Dissertation in Practice evaluated the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) Ecological Justice Pathway to examine how resilience is conceptualized and cultivated within the curriculum. Grounded in a constructivist paradigm and guided by an ecological justice framework, this evaluation explored the pedagogical and curricular strategies designed to prepare social work students for the emotional, ethical, and professional demands of practicing in the Anthropocene—a time marked by ecological degradation, climate crisis, and compounding social inequities.

Through qualitative methods, including faculty interviews and curriculum document analysis, the evaluation identified both explicit and implicit components that foster student resilience. …

What's So Funny About Theatre Of The Oppressed?, Jennifer Schaupp

Spect-actor: A Journal of Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed

This article examines my 2023 Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed Conference virtual workshop within the framework of comedy and embodiment. It considers the activities I facilitated and their origins along with my perception of participant reaction for other educators and facilitators to adapt for their own educational experiences.

Dairy-To-Go: An Informal And Formal Education Model On Milking Dairy Cattle, Elizabeth Ann Marie Kostalnick

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

Within California, 360 schools have FFA programs; however, there are still over 2,000 high schools within the state. This equates to only 18% of California high schools having access to FFA. That number may be greater than 10%, however, access to agricultural curriculum is still limited. Considering US crop production is concentrated predominantly in California and the Midwest (USDA-ERS 2017), high schools in California, regardless of location and proximity to a farm, should have access to an agricultural curriculum. The purpose of this project was to create a curriculum where middle school and high school educators can show the process …

Consumers' Perspectives On The Design Of A New Digital Frailty Education Course, ‘Focus On Frailty’: A Qualitative Co-Design Study, Kristiana Ludlow, Benignus Logan, Jhalak Arora, Sarah Martin, Elizabeth Miller, Ruth E. Hubbard, Nicola Warren, Olivia Gallagher, Rosemary Saunders

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Frailty-focused care in hospitals is hindered by systemic barriers, ageism and stereotypes about older adults and frailty. There is a need for frailty education to increase healthcare professionals' and students' understanding of frailty. Objective: As part of a larger study to co-design a new digital frailty education course, ‘Focus on Frailty’, this study aimed to explore consumers' and caregivers' perspectives on (i) how frailty and older adults should be represented in frailty education and (ii) what healthcare professionals should be taught about caring for older adults and people who are frail in hospitals. Design: This was a qualitative co-design …

Sociology: Culture, Marcia Morrison

Open Educational Resources

This work examine culture. It begins by examining the foundations of culture to include norms, values, language, symbols and knowledge. In looking at each, it breaks down the implication of each to the development of ourselves as well as the person in the environment. It moves on to look at contexts of culture such as dominant cultures juxtapose to competing cultural systems, and how the various elements of culture can serve to either promote or minimize the various cultural constructs within society.

Artificial Intelligence Use In Medical Education: Best Practices And Future Directions, Rasheed A. M. Thompson, Yash B. Shah, Francisco Aguirre, Courtney Stewart, Costas D. Lallas, Mihir S. Shah

Department of Urology Faculty Papers

PURPOSEOF REVIEW: This review examines the various ways artificial intelligence (AI) has been utilized in medical education (MedEd)and presents ideas that will ethically and effectively leverage AI in enhancing the learning experience of medical trainees.

RECENT FINDINGS: AI has improved accessibility to learning material in a manner that engages the wider population. It has utility as a reference tool and can assist academic writing by generating outlines, summaries and identifying relevant reference articles. As AI is increasingly integrated into MedEd and practice, its regulation should become a priority to prevent drawbacks to the education of trainees. By involving physicians in …

Cultural Competence Among Nursing Faculty And Staff Utilizing An Educational Course To Promote Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Individually And Within The Baccalaureate Nursing Program, Jessica Shippee

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

Nurse educators play a pivotal role in fostering cultural competence among nursing students. The purpose of this quasi-experimental project was to provide an educational course to help nursing faculty and staff identify implicit bias, develop cultural competence, and recognize the importance of incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into practice. A pretest-posttest design collecting demographic data and the Healthcare Provider Cultural Competence Instrument (HPCCI) was given to 21 participants, the course was six-hours and delivered over two days. Participants were asked the day of, before the intervention, to complete the instrument and immediately after the intervention on the second day. Varying …

Decolonizing Education In The Post-Independent Madagascar By Utilizing Malagasy As The Primary Language Of Instruction In Schools, Patric R Razafimahafaly

Doctoral Dissertations

When the French colonial power structured the education system in Madagascar during colonization (1896-1960), they oriented it toward French needs and interests (Rosnes & Rakotoanosy, 2016). One of the relics of the French colonial influence that significantly affected Madagascar since its independence in 1960 is the choice of language of instruction in its domain of education. Even though Madagascar has its sole spoken and written language, “Malagasy,” that people use every day, it has decided to borrow French and utilize it as the language of instruction and administration for its people (Dahl, 2011; Rosie, 2012; McCaughey, 2020; Pirbay & Rosenboom, …

Breaking Barriers: How Reusable Menstrual Products Can Enhance School Attendance And Education For Girls In Kenya, Talia Jacobson

Master's Theses

In Kenya, statistics show that at least one in ten girls who are of the age of puberty miss school during their menstruation hindering their ability to finish schooling, secure a stable employment, and live independently. This thesis aims to highlight the issue of girls missing school due to their menstrual cycle, a problem that persists globally despite being solvable. The primary focus is on how reusable sanitary products, such as reusable pads, can aid girls to stay in school longer by addressing affordability and accessibility issues associated with commercial products, while also offering environmental benefits. The question guiding my …

Ableism And Museum Art Education: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study Of Museum-Based Visual Studio Art Teachers, Elizabeth W. Buck

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

All people, including individuals with disabilities, who participate in hands-on visual art can experience various benefits. However, visual studio art teachers, especially museum-based teachers, have various backgrounds that do not always include education or training in serving individuals with disabilities. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how museum-based visual studio art teachers perceived that their training and preparation informed their awareness of ableism and ability to serve students with disabilities in art museums in the New England region of the United States. Twelve museum-based, visual studio art teachers participated in this study through semi-structured interviews. Through …

Swine Solutions: Enhancing Ffa Supervised Agricultural Experience Projects, Hannah M. Daily, Dr. John Michael Mehaffey, Dr. Candis Scallan, Dr. Amy Mehaffey, Dr. Joe Mask

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) is a portion of the three-circle model of agriculture education, providing experiential learning opportunities for students. The immersion SAE encourages students to build upon foundational learning components in a real-world application. A popular area of the immersion SAE includes ownership of market swine being raised for exhibition. This study serves as a pilot mentorship program for agricultural science educators and students, creating an educational resource encouraging record-keeping techniques and skill development, leading to eventual independence from the student’s standpoint. The model for the Swine Solutions Program includes utilization of the provided handbook, completion of daily observation …

Benefits And Applications Of Learning With Virtual Reality, Michael W. Timm

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Education is a fundamental pillar of society. It equips students for employment and interpersonal relations. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a transformative technology in the field of education. The aim of this paper is to synthesize existing research in order to determine the benefits of utilizing virtual reality in a variety of education settings, such as K-12 classrooms, universities, and workplace training. This paper observes significant benefits of virtual reality in constructivist and experiential learning, gamified learning, and tailored practice. This analysis also finds that virtual reality is advantageous for educational accessibility, particularly for absentee students and impoverished students. …

Character Education: Morning Meetings On Responsibility And Citizenship; A Curriculum Development, Kelsie Fike

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

This project explores character education, morning meeting, and social emotional learning (SEL). It highlights a need for the curriculum being created and how it can be accomplished in a morning meeting format. It also highlights interactive read alouds, reflective writing, interactive discussion, and interactive drama. The purpose of this capstone project is to create a curriculum that educates on the character education traits of responsibility and citizenship. The curriculum is supported by Ohio’s SEL standards. It is also research supported. The project’s aim is to create a curriculum that can be differentiated and adapted to fit the various needs of …

Pathways To Possibilities : Montessori, Re-Imagined And Expanded - For Every Path In Life, Melanie Nin

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Pathways to Possibilities explores the importance of establishing a Montessori pre-k through 8th grade school for a large population of children, highlighting the unique challenges they face in accessing an education that meets their fundamental needs. The Montessori model can be expanded to serve more children by adapting its principles to a large school structure. Incorporating Montessori design principles and learning theories will create an inclusive, supporting environment that fosters self-directed learning, creativity, and social engagement. By scaling the Montessori model, this thesis aims to create a more accessible and innovative multi-sensory environment that supports the diverse learning needs of …

Using Scaffolding, Gamification, And Self Awareness To Create Responsive Ux/Ui In Cad Software To Nurture Metacognition In Novice Users, Obed Ibrahim Gonzalez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Computer-aided Design (CAD) software represents a significant shift from manual and analog design processes to digital workflows, offering substantial utility, accuracy, and productivity benefits. However, CAD software often presents a steep learning curve, particularly for novice users who are new to the software or possess only basic knowledge. Traditional CAD curricula have predominantly focused on technical problem-solving—teaching tools and systems—while often neglecting strategic knowledge that encompasses reflection, planning, and refining, which are essential components of metacognition. Metacognition is crucial for transforming novices into experts who use fewer and more complex commands, employ sophisticated planning, and achieve their goals more efficiently. …

Affective Teacher Tok: A Sociomaterial Analysis Of Teachers’ Digital Literacy Practices On Social Media., Jessica Nicole Gottbrath

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mass media often depicts teachers in oversimplified terms, as heroic saviors or dangerous agents of indoctrination, flattening the complex realities of their daily work and lived experiences. This polarization contributes to the ongoing deprofessionalization of teaching, where educators’ expertise is increasingly questioned and politicized. In response to these reductive portrayals and the everyday pressures of the profession, some teachers have turned to short-form social media videos as a creative outlet to share personal and professional insights. To explore how teachers reclaim agency through their digital literacy practices, this study employs mixed-methods research to investigate how educators use networked microvideos to …

Understanding The Need For Gender Inclusiveness: A Case Study In Kolkata, India, Nilasree Dutta

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research focuses on examining the status of women in the selected Wards of Kolkata, India: Ward 59, 64, 65, 66, and 69. Three indicators are used to evaluate the status of women: education, nutrition, and religion. Data for this study was collected with the help of a Kolkata-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) named Ek Tara. A complete questionnaire with open-ended and closed-ended questions was followed to conduct the survey. 353 households were interviewed to obtain the data. Several statistical analyses have been conducted using STATA software to address research hypotheses. To assess the nutritional status of women, hand grip strength …

Sensory Awareness In Architectural Design And Construction: A Guide To Inclusion And Hospitality For All, Morgan Harwell

Honors Theses

Modern approaches to architectural design and construction have gravitated toward elegance, glossiness, and over exaggeration of a bright environment through materials such as marble, glass, white paint, and fluorescent lighting. While these choices can be alluring, their impact on individuals with disabilities and sensory processing disorders is typically dismissed. This study explores the intersection of architectural elements — such as lighting, noise, scent, and spatial organization — and sensory overload in disabled individuals. Through a detailed literature review, education of architectural principles, and incorporation of building techniques, this study proposes a computer-generated three-dimensional model of a shopping center. The primary …

The Benefits Of Experiential Outdoor Learning For Elementary School Students, Jillian R. Witt

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project aims to delve deeper into the benefits of experiential outdoor learning that contributes to the growing body of knowledge and practical applications of this dynamic educational approach of elementary school students. Through the use of literature review, interviews with program workers and school administrators and survey with educators and past students, the result findings indicated that experiential outdoor learning benefits elementary school students despite some cost challenges, but provided them with more opportunities to learn from outdoor activities to increase their academic achievement, improve their cognition, and enhance their social skills with a deeper sense …