Digital Commons Network^™

Educating Boldly: Enhancing The Social Studies Classroom With Real-World Examples And Safeguarding From Negative Indoctrination, Micah Brown

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this research is to describe the tradeoffs teachers face using current events and politics as examples in middle school history, government, and civics classrooms. It will discuss strategies to implement current events into the classroom and the careful balance we face in guarding against indoctrination, while also having students learn potentially politically-charged topics from a professional instead of through media or peers who might not be as well informed.

Teacher Candidate Perceptions Of Stem Following An Informal Learning Experience, Megan Rismiller

Honors Projects

In this study, six teacher candidates are interviewed to discover their perceptions of teaching integrated STEM following an informal learning experience. As team leaders at a summer STEM camp, teacher candidates make observations and connections to STEM content areas and practices. Teacher candidates reflect on the behaviors of themselves and their students throughout the process, and note their discoveries about STEM in the classroom setting. They report these findings through a series of questions during a semi-structured interview. Findings show teacher candidates perceive STEM education as a method for engaging learning experiences, as a route to engage students in social-emotional …

Mathematics Teacher Preparation Reimagined: The Exploration Of Preservice Teachers Planning Culturally Responsive Mathematics Lessons Using Culturally Relevant Mathematics Tasks, Lakesia L. Dupree

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Equipping teachers with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions deemed necessary to work with students from diverse populations is a documented need that plagues teacher education. Furthermore, the influx of students from diverse backgrounds enrolled in United States schools intensifies the need to prepare the future generation of teachers to be equipped to provide learning opportunities for each and every student in their classroom. This paper highlights the importance of culture and the integral place it holds when supporting current and future teachers with planning and subsequently enacting culturally responsive mathematics and culturally relevant mathematics tasks in their middle grades mathematics …

Censorship Of Lgbtq+ Books: Causes And Consequences, Merrick Glass

Honors Projects

Censorship in the United States of America has accelerated over the past four years. LGBTQ+ books are specifically being targeted and banned within high school classrooms. Banned books are nothing new--court cases today are influenced by Island Trees School District v. Pico (1982) plurality decision on censorship. Students and professionals alike have power in their rights and voices. In the framework of bell hooks, the classroom can be perceived as a site of resistance in order to take power back into students' hands. Without a diversity of books, students will lack cognitive development and community.

Is Dual Language Immersion Inclusive? Insights From Enrollment Data, Autistic Student Experiences, And Developmental Screening, Dakin Fjeldsted Stovall

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid expansion of Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs, now offered in over 300 Utah schools, necessitates a detailed investigation into how these programs accommodate diverse student populations, particularly those with developmental differences. A comprehensive three-part approach was employed for this evaluation. The first study evaluated DLI enrollment patterns by surveying over 300 Utah parents. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used to uncover factors influencing enrollment decisions and characteristics of students participating in DLI programs. This study revealed that developmental ability, socioeconomic need, and parent value toward DLI immersion significantly predicted enrollment; practical recommendations are provided to improve the accessibility …

Assessing Socioeconomic Patterns Of Excessive Alcohol Consumption In Ohio: A County-Level Analysis, Tate Barney, Dev Patel

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Background: Excessive alcohol consumption poses significant public health challenges, with complex socioeconomic factors influencing drinking behaviors. Understanding the relationship between socioeconomic determinants and excessive drinking patterns at the state and county levels is crucial for informing targeted interventions. Objective: To investigate the associations between excessive drinking (binge or heavy drinking) and socioeconomic factors, including median household income, mental health provider availability, health insurance coverage, educational attainment, and unemployment rates across counties in Ohio. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2023 County Health Rankings for 88 counties in Ohio. Spearman correlations were used to assess associations between excessive drinking and socioeconomic …

The Changing Nature Of Education In Youth Justice Centres In New South Wales (Australia), Laura Metcalfe, Cathy Little Dr, Garner Clancey Dr, David Evans Dr

Journal of Prison Education Research

Education is an important protective factor in preventing involvement in crime. For those young people that enter the youth justice system, and especially youth justice centres, education is a critical, but infrequently explored part of their time in custody following generally disrupted schooling experiences. There are currently six youth justice centres in New South Wales, Australia. Each of these centres have an Education and Training Unit which are schools funded by and staffed with Department of Education personnel. There is evidence that young people accessing these schools regard them very positively. However, this article, drawing on publicly available information, raises …

Exploring The Longitudinal Effects: Non-Traditional Pedagogies And Practical Learning On Biology Education And Medical Understanding, Thomas Ziebro

Honors Projects

Medical disinformation is becoming a rampant problem in the United States, and the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted it. There have been attempts to fight the problem at the source through fact verification. These attempts have been unsuccessful. This paper investigates the efficacy of non-traditional pedagogies and the correlation between them and an individual perceived and practical ability to understand their primary care provider. The purpose of this research was to establish whether non-traditional pedagogies at the secondary and post-secondary level are more effective than traditional lecture-based instruction. The research was conducted through an anonymous cross-sectional survey which included questions about educational …

The Lived Experiences Of Student Nurses During Simulation Of Perinatal Loss, Paloma Alejandra Peña

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate nursing students in providing care following a perinatal loss simulation. The theories that guided this study included Malcolm Knowles’ Theory of Andragogy and the National League for Nursing Jeffries Simulation. The selected theories provide structure for adult learners’ need to experience situational learning activities that are relevant to their job while building upon the foundation of students’ knowledge. Incorporation of Knowles’ and Jeffries’ theories guides the qualitative study of the simulation of a perinatal loss and the experiences of nursing students in providing care during …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study On The Common Core State Standards Implementation And The Influence On Academic Motivation Of Students In Middle School English Classes, Susan Diane Wright

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of English teachers and determine how implementing Common Core State Standards has influenced student motivation for middle school language arts students at Smith Middle School. Since the implementation of increased testing, changes in curriculum, and mandated instructional strategies, student motivation has declined in secondary students. The theory guiding this study was Dewey’s theory of experience which explains that students should have individualized, challenging, real-world learning opportunities. Dewey’s theory connected to this study of how the Common Core State Standards have changed the school’s instructional model. The sample …

Exploring The Role Of Curricular Engagement In The Secondary English Classroom: A Case Study, Kelsey Leah Baldwin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Educational engagement is an issue that has become problematic due to the many changes that have occurred since COVID, including technological dependency and teacher burnout. Teachers may need more skills to manage and implement engagement strategies in the classroom setting. Understanding educators’ experiences with classroom engagement in a variety of secondary English classrooms is the setting of this case study. The central research question explores how educators experience student engagement in their classrooms. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s social cognitive theory, as I utilize the theory to examine behaviors affected by people and the classroom environment. This research …

Generational Poverty And Education: Breaking The Cycle Of Ignorance, Leland Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Generational poverty is a problem that is not limited by race, gender, geography, or any other demographic. It is widespread and found in every state and city in the United States. Currently, over 17% of the population of the United States lives in poverty, based on a 2019 study. Of those, the vast majority are at least second-generation poverty dwellers. There seems to be no shortage of opinions on why a person lives below the poverty line, and many are willing to share them with those they know and those living in poverty. It is not unusual for one living …

Empowering Educators: Enhancing Technology Integration For Engaging Learning Experiences, Jed Roelofs

Masters Projects

This project highlights the pivotal role of administrators in supporting teachers to effectively integrate technology into classroom instruction. Grounded in the Technology, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPCK) and Replacement, Amplify, and Transformative, (RAT) frameworks, administrators provide targeted professional development to enhance teachers' confidence and skills in utilizing technology. By fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, administrators enable teachers to engage in meaningful learning experiences and practice new technological approaches. The ultimate objective is to equip educators with the necessary resources and support to cultivate innovative teaching practices and optimize student learning outcomes in today's digital landscape.

The Relationship Between Holistic Admissions Criteria And Program Ranking Among Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Programs, Kristian Taylor, Cat-Tien Nguyen, Jenny Grant, Mary B. Brewster, Mary A. Barrett, Teal Benevides, Sharon M. Cosper

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Holistic admissions criteria are one strategy to be more inclusive of students with a variety of experiences, cultures, and beliefs. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between holistic admissions criteria and occupational therapy program ranking. We used a retrospective cross-sectional cohort descriptive study design of occupational therapy programs in the United States to understand whether top performing programs employ holistic admissions criteria. Secondary descriptive analysis from the top and bottom 50 ranked occupational therapy programs in 2020 U.S. News & World Report (Morse et al., 2020) was completed. We used a nominal scale to classify programs …

Barriers That Affect Equity In The Occupational Therapy Admissions Process: Student And Faculty Perspectives, Quinn P. Tyminski, Lenin Grajo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The use of holistic admissions in higher education has been demonstrated to increase the diversity of incoming student classes; yet, in occupational therapy (OT) research, admissions processes remain under-explored. This phenomenological study aimed to explore the process of OT admissions from the perspective of students, faculty, and staff at a single OT program with the goal to create a more inclusive, equitable, and holistic process. Focus groups were conducted with first-year students, and an online survey was sent to faculty to explore perspectives on the admissions process, necessary qualities for an OT graduate student, and suggestions for increasing inclusion and …

Professional Development Strategies For Treating People With Idd And Mental Health Needs, Jennifer L. Mclaren, Elizabeth Grosso, Karen L. Weigle

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience significant health and mental health inequities and difficulties accessing care. There are few initiatives that train mental health professionals to care and advocate for the health and mental health care needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

We developed a Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Professional Learning Community (PLC) with Clinical Education Teams (CET) training components through The National Center for START (Systemic-Therapeutic-Assessment-Resources-Treatment) Services^® to further educate providers in the United States. The National Center for START Services^® utilizes multiple training and collaboration forums to build the …

Occupational Therapy's Role In Addressing Health Disparities In Transgender/ Gender Diverse Youth, Samantha Ryan

MOT Student Capstones

This study investigated the effectiveness of an educational module in improving occupational therapists' knowledge and skills regarding transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth. The research builds upon existing literature demonstrating positive outcomes when integrating TGD population needs into healthcare education programs. The study employs a pre-test/post-test design to assess participants' understanding of critical areas, including culturally affirming care, legal and ethical considerations, social determinants of health and health disparities, developmental stages related to gender identity, and safety considerations for TGD youth. Participant< ; who completed the module demonstrated significant improvements in several key areas. They displayed a firmer grasp of culturally affirming care principles and how to 4 implement them in practice. Additionally, their understanding of legal and ethical considerations surrounding TGD healthcare provision deepened. The study also revealed increased knowledge of social determinants of health and the impact of TGD identities on access to equitable healthcare. Participants better understood how developmental stages relate to gender identity and its influence on occupational engagement. Finally, they demonstrated increased knowledge of safety considerations and protective factors for TGD youth in occupational therapy settings. Findings reveal measurable improvements in participants' knowledge and ability to deliver affirming occupational therapy for TGD youth. The results suggest that the educational module promotes culturally competent and ethical care. Furthermore, these findings suggest that integrating TOD-specific education into occupational therapy curricula can significantly enhance practitioners' ability to provide affirming and effective care for TGD youth.

African American Women’S Perceptions Of A Group Based, Diabetic Medical Nutritional Therapy Intervention: A Qualitative Study, Megan Mcmahon, Laura Gray

DNP Projects

Background: African American women exhibit lower rates of attaining recommended diabetes management goals such as optimal blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure numbers compared to other racial and gender groups. As a result, they bear a disproportionate burden of the adverse outcomes associated with poorly managed type 2 diabetes, including increased complications and mortality rates compared to other demographic groups. Despite favorable qualitative findings regarding group-based interventions for African American women with other chronic diseases, a notable gap in the literature exists regarding the women’s perceptions of a group-based medical nutritional therapy tailored to type 2 diabetes. Purpose: This scholarly …

Improving Parent And Daycare Staff Confidence In Monitoring Developmental Milestones Through Education Of Pediatric Development, Reagin Hunter

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

The most effective approach to identifying developmental delays involves a combination of developmental monitoring by all caregivers involved in the child’s life, ongoing communication among caregivers, and the administration of formal developmental screenings. This quality improvement capstone project focused on enhancing the education and resources available to daycare teachers regarding developmental milestones, recognizing red flags in development, communicating with parents, and determining appropriate next steps if milestones are missed or therapy services are required. A resource binder was created for each daycare classroom alongside a presentation given to educate staff on developmental topics by age. Evaluation of daycare staff perception …

Validating Boyness: How Art Education Allows Male Adolescent Students A Space For Authenticity, Vulnerability, Empathy, And Connection, Stephanie Behlke-Mcfarland

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines societal norms and unwritten rules for boys as they mature. It is hypothesized that most boys deal with emotional suppression or dissociation in varying degrees of severity due to traumas during their developmental years. This dissociation creates an inability to express their own emotions adequately and therefore affects their ability to empathize with others. A lack of vulnerability may also be a common challenge among boys society still considers vulnerability weakness. This pattern continues into adulthood and is then perpetuated through posterity and future generations. This thesis explores through a qualitative case study how using art integration …

Evaluation Of Seizure Recognition And First Aid Training Course And Improving Self-Efficacy Related To Medical Emergencies In Mississippi, Anna Katherine Herrington, Collin Earl Wayne Crawson, Daniel Robert Zuckerman

Honors Theses

Within recent years, there has been increased attention to the growing physician shortage across the United States. This shortage has placed substantial strain upon regions of lower healthcare access, particularly those of rural regions such as much of the state of Mississippi. As rural healthcare providers are placed under more strenuous conditions, they encounter issues of increased patient volume, lack of a trauma team, or adequate transportation to higher-level care facilities. These issues may exacerbate the present inequities in cost of living, access to adequate healthcare, and the distress caused by these concerns. Individuals with epilepsy are one cohort with …

Development And Evaluation Of Trauma Informed Care Education For Licensed Nurses, Kristina O'Meara

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Trauma informed care nursing education is crucial. Trauma informed care is a method of providing health care which understands the likelihood of past and present traumatic events in patients and families. The experience of past or present trauma often led to chronic diseases, substance abuse disorder, fragmented health care, fears surrounding health care, chronic stress, and other negative health consequences. The purpose of this project is to increase licensed nurses’ awareness and ability to practice trauma informed care in clinical practice, as well as promote policy initiation within the health care facilities. Method planning integrated the Knowledge to Action Cycle. …

Health Literacy And Diabetes Outcomes In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes In Southwest Virginia, Casandra Reyes Arellano

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Purpose: To determine if a quality improvement project involving individualized, one-on-one Diabetes education will improve health literacy and Diabetes outcomes in adults with Type 2 Diabetes in a rural primary care clinic. Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting the United States with 9.6% of Virginia’s population living with Diabetes.

Aims: To improve patient’s Diabetes literacy scores, BMI, and Hemoglobin A1c levels through Diabetes education.

Processes: There are pre- and post-education phases. Data to be collected at the end of both phases consist of DNT15 scores, BMI, and A1c. In the pre-education phase, BMI was obtained, DNT15 was administered, and Diabetes …

Education And Advocacy For Universal Design And Accessibility In Housing, Apisara Vairojanakich, Amy Lyons-Brown, Molly Wuebker

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

In the United States, there is a lack of adequate numbers of universally designed and accessible houses in the housing market for the older population and people with disabilities. Many barriers, such as financial support and lack of knowledge for housing-related professionals, can prevent this population from participating in home occupations. The project developed educational products, including the universal design housing experience booklet, universal design housing checklist, and universal design blueprints. These products were delivered through the blog post on Uncurbed LinkedIn website. The needs assessment was conducted to provide the guidelines for the chapters in the booklet and checklist. …

Arts Integration In The Middle School Mathematics Classroom, Cameron Willis

Honors Projects

In this project, we explore the question "How can arts integration techniques be used in the middle school mathematics classroom to heighten student engagement and interest while also developing deeper conceptual understanding?" Through completing a lesson study over incorporating structured improvisation into a simple probability unit, seventh grade students were able to share their thoughts and feelings about using theatre to teach mathematics.

“Everything Is Not What It Seems”: Discovering Public Relations In Business Sectors In Vietnam, Ba-Anh-Tu Truong

LSU Master's Theses

Vietnam is a shining star in emerging markets, with an annual economic growth rate of 6-7%. Its abundant labor supply, stable political climate, and geographic proximity to major global supply chains make it an ideal candidate for manufacturer planning in advanced economies such as the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, China, and Korea. Investing in public relations and communication management, especially understanding the Vietnamese market, effectively prepares multinational corporations for future business expansion. This mission is difficult for academia and industrial professionals since Vietnam is a “silent country” in public relations research. To fill the gap, this thesis employs the …

Perspectives On The Implementation Of Health Informatics Curricula Frameworks, Zerina Lokmic-Tomkins, Kalpana Raghunathan, Helen Almond, Richard G. Booth, Susan Mcbride, Mari Tietze, Michelle Honey, Paula Procter, Monica Peddle, Lisa Mckenna

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the necessity of equipping health professionals with knowledge and skills to effectively use digital technology for healthcare delivery. However, questions persist about the best approach to effectively educate future health professionals for this. A workshop at the 15th Nursing Informatics International Congress explored this issue.

Objective: To report findings from an international participatory workshop exploring pre-registration informatics implementation experiences. Methods: A virtual workshop was held using whole and small group interactive methods aiming to 1) showcase international examples of incorporating health informatics into pre-registration education; 2) highlight essential elements and considerations for integrating health informatics …

Learning Law In Elementary And High School: Innovating Civics Education For A More Empowered Citizenry, Ariel Liberman, Michael Broyde

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

A principal objective of the public school system in a democracy is to promote societal cohesion by way of preparing students for civic engagement. There exists a founding belief that a democratic nation ought to be composed of educated activists, run by innovators, and kept in check by involved citizens. For, indisputably, the democratic experiment—our values, our institutions—can only be upheld anew with each generation on the backs of critique, reinvention, and reinvigoration. But, as so many have mentioned when discussing the civics education paradigm, the increase in educational opportunities and the marked expansion of our school system has not …

Navigating The Post-Pandemic Educator Crisis: Evaluating Effective Educational Leadership Styles For Improved Retention And Job Satisfaction (Capstone Project)., Charlotte R. Holt

M.S. in Leadership

This mixed-methods study sought to identify the best practices for educational leaders to promote job satisfaction and retention in the post-pandemic educational landscape. The study utilized both qualitative and quantitative methodologies using data from a unique survey and an

in-depth literature review on effective leadership skills. The analysis of survey data, combined with insights from the literature review, offered a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between teacher retention and educational leadership. The study concluded that there is a correlation between effective leadership skills and job satisfaction and found that Democratic-Transformational and Autocratic-Transformational leadership styles are preferred of the six styles …

Between Exclusion And Empathy: Knowledge And Sentiments Of Jewish Youth In Buenos Aires About The “Jewish Community” In Argentina’S Collective Memory Of The Dictatorship (1976-1983), Rachel Colson

International Studies Honors Projects

Argentina has been considered a vanguard in engaging collective memory to confront violations of human rights during the 1976-1983 dictatorship. However, this memory often omits the experience of the Jewish community during these years, although its members faced increased persecution in military detention centers. Conflicting perspectives from within the Jewish community as well as the recent politics of President Javier Milei further complicate contemporary memory. Given these dynamics, how do current Jewish youth in Buenos Aires understand and relate to collective memory? What do they perceive as the most important aspects and outcomes of different forms of remembering? Semi-structured qualitative …