Digital Commons Network^™

To Read Or Not To Read: How Book Censorship Affects Students And Undermines Different Worldviews, Jordyn L. Bailey

Honors Theses

The past five years have seen an unprecedented growth in book challenges across the nation. The American Library Association announced in March 2024 that 2023 saw a ninety-two percent increase in challenged titles, making it a record year for book bans and challenges (American Library Association 2024). States are seeing increased government inference into these issues. Namely, Florida remains a leader in book challenges with over forty percent of all book bans in the 2022-2023 school year (Meehan 2023). This project examines the effect of book challenges and bans on adolescent readers, with an emphasis on how frequently challenged books, …

Understanding How Social Media Influences Student Engagement Within The Classroom: Middle Grades Students' Perspectives., Anthony Dawyne Myrks-Brewer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigated the concept of student engagement and participation through the lens of middle school students. Studies and research show that overall student engagement amongst middle school-aged students is the most unengaged period throughout students' K-12 educational journey. Today's students live in a completely different generation from their guardians and parents due to the technology component, including smartphones making the element of social media more accessible. Social media is a platform that helps people communicate through various applications, and middle school students engage and participate in various social media applications daily. Student engagement is a critical component within education …

Effects Of Parent Involvement In Academic Achievement Of Upper Elementary School Student, Joseph Guzman

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project focuses on how parental involvement can affect academic achievement in upper elementary school students. Understanding the various factors of parental involvement is crucial to gaining insight into its impact on students, parents, teachers, and principals. Through the use of literature review, interviews with four teachers, one principal, and anonymous surveys of one classroom of 26 fourth-grade students, the result findings indicated that parental involvement is a vital component of students' academics and is essential for their positive progress. Effective communication among teachers, principals, and parents regarding class and schoolwork significantly impacts students' academic achievement. In …

Training In Ecological Thinking: Narrative Practices For Educational Professional, Cristina Trovato

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Since the 1970s, the issue of environmental education has assumed relevance in the context of a theory of training towards new forms of sustainability education. Literary ecology, a discipline born from the contamination of ecology and literature, proposes itself as a critical response to environmental distress, enhancing the implicit dialogue and interconnections between the text and the circumstances of the environment. The literary heritage constitutes a precious resource for promoting, in educational contexts from early childhood, dimensions that range from the cognitive to the emotional and for activating sustainable processes, through ecological paths that develop a civic conscience, capable of …

Where And How Are Undergraduate Students Developing Dispositions Needed For The Geoscience Workforce?, Kaelyn Lagerwall

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Dispositions, such as the desire to learn, work ethic, initiative, and organization, are defined as internal attributes, attitudes, or values that stimulate action. Rather than being intrinsic traits, dispositions can be learned and are considered a dynamic and evolving arrangement of interconnected components. Dispositions are highly desired and valuable to the workforce, playing a critical role in gaining and maintaining employment; they are frequently mentioned in job advertisements for bachelor-level geoscientists. Therefore, it is important to understand where and how geoscience students are developing these dispositions as part of their degree programs. We surveyed faculty in geoscience departments at two …

Before Ministry, Education Is Important (Bmei): A Comprehensive Enquiry About The Impact Of Education On Ministry, Mcclintock Acsmhour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ministry has a variety of fields ranging from churches, social nonprofit organizations, and government ministries in agriculture, health, education, lands, and many more. While this study did not focus on other ministries apart from Christian non profit ministries like church, to some extent, all leaders in these ministries avow that one requires some level of education to be in leading positions in these ministries. In other words, the qualified individual must have been trained in a particular field within the ministry of interest. This indicates the importance of education in ministry. Therefore, this study was conducted to uncover the impact …

From Preparation To Practice: How Principals Engage Families In Diverse School Settings, Morgan Garner

Ed.D. Dissertations

Rural, urban, and suburban school principals faced distinct challenges in engaging families and fostering positive school climates. Recognizing the need for tailored leadership strategies, it was essential for principal preparation programs to provide context-specific training. The purpose of basic interpretive qualitative study was to explore the relationship between principals’ approaches to school management in rural, urban, and suburban schools and how their preparation programs facilitated the development of these approaches. Forty-six principals participated in the study, and I collected data through a questionnaire based on a parental involvement framework. The analysis revealed key differences in strategies; rural principals emphasized community …

Fiscal Deficit And Human Development: Empirical Evidence From Nigeria, Elijah O. Akanni Dr

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This study investigates the effects of fiscal deficits on human development in Nigeria from 1990 to 2021, employing standard econometric and machine learning approaches. Specifically, the paper applies autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) models to examine linear relationships, and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) to capture linear and nonlinear interactions among key variables influencing human development. Results from the ARDL analysis reveal that fiscal deficit does not significantly impact human development in Nigeria both in the short- and long run. However, MARS results indicate that fiscal deficits only enhance human development when kept below 1.34% of GDP but become detrimental beyond …

Increasing Teacher-Ot Collaboration In A School-Based Setting, Shayla Ransome, L. Brook Sawyer, Angela Labrie Blackwell

Fall 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Pre-service PreK-4 teachers receive little to no education about SBOT practice, which hinders not only collaboration opportunities but also potentially impacts student performance and participation outcomes negatively. This capstone seeks to develop an interprofessional educational unit to increase collaboration between pre-service PreK-4 teachers and pre-OT practitioners, which will promote positive student performance and participation outcomes.

The Impacts Of Using Geogebra On Students’ Perceptions And Achievement In Learning Trigonometric Ratios, Robert Carlos Trejo

Theses and Dissertations

GeoGebra, a dynamic mathematics software, was used to study high school students’ perceptions and achievements in learning trigonometric ratios. The study addresses a critical gap in the literature concerning the use of GeoGebra for understanding trigonometric concepts, particularly in fostering conceptual clarity and problem-solving skills. Rooted in a constructivist pedagogical framework, the research examines how GeoGebra facilitates interactive and exploratory learning environments that encourage active student engagement and deeper comprehension of trigonometric ratio principles.

The study employed a quantitative approach to evaluate the efficacy of GeoGebra. Quantitative data focused on student achievement in solving trigonometric ratio problems through pre- and …

Beyond Charity: The Development Of The Mission Of The Daughters Of Charity In Sub-Saharan Africa, Theresa Eke

Vincentian Studies

Theresa Eke recounts the history of the Daughters of Charity’s service in Africa and explains the evolution of their approach to poverty alleviation there. The Daughters learned the importance of knowing the cultures and languages of those they served. At first, they addressed poverty with donations of material goods, but later they empowered the poor, teaching them skills and helping them establish farms and businesses, particularly through helping them to purchase equipment. They learned to listen to what the poor themselves said would help them. They supported high school and university education, especially for women and girls. The Daughters also …

The Impact Of Mindfulness On Student Engagement: During And After The Covid-19 Global Pandemic, Michelle Mendiola

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of educational leaders who incorporated mindfulness practices (MFP) student engagement (SE) in their classrooms during and after the COVID-19 global pandemic, utilizing hermeneutic phenomenology and bracketing as research methodologies. The study aimed to understand how these leaders' use of mindfulness impacted student engagement in both online and in-person learning environments. Drawing on semi-structured qualitative interviews, the research examined how mindfulness practices were adapted in response to the unique challenges posed by remote education during the pandemic and how these adaptations have persisted or evolved in post-pandemic teaching. Key findings reveal that mindfulness not …

African American Males In Rural Elementary Schools During The Pandemic: Experiences, Challenges, And Strategies For Success, Jessica Lewis

All Dissertations

The present study experimentally examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elementary African American males living in rural areas. The qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to examine students' perspectives, as understood by the parents and educators (N=10). Using semi-structured interviews and thematic coding, the researcher suggested strategies for successfully closing instructional gaps and meeting the needs of this population moving forward.

The theoretical frameworks that triggered this exploration were Intersectionality, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and Conflict Theory. The researcher used the theories as a lens to answer the following research questions: (1) How much has COVID-19 revealed the …

Is That Controversial Or Is It Just Me?, Joseph D. Cochran

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The purposes of this study were to explore the decision-making process behind delineating issues as controversial or not, identify the risks considered by administrators when faced with potentially controversial issues, and provide recommendations for educators to consider in their own deliberations. I interviewed seven charter school principals and used thematic analysis to explore the influence of contained risk-taking on administrator decision-making concerning controversial issues. The findings of this study suggest that administrators generally consider the same risks their teacher counterparts do but often prioritize larger-scale solutions that ensure equity for the entire school. The products of this process emphasize a …

Roger Williams University 2024 President's Report: A Message From President Miaoulis, Roger Williams University

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Communicating Development For Adults With Developmental Disabilities, Ruby Mandujano

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) often face significant communication barriers that hinder their ability to express needs, access essential services, and engage fully in social, vocational, and healthcare settings. This paper explores how American Sign Language (ASL) can effectively reduce these communication barriers and promote self-advocacy among adults with developmental disabilities. The Gateway Center of Monterey County, an agency serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities aged 18 and over, provides a model of communication support by incorporating ASL into its programs. Although Gateway serves only a tiny percentage of the larger population of adults with intellectual and …

Benefits Of Teaching Pre-Literacy In Waldorf Education In Early Childhood, April Guerrero

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project examines the benefits of teaching pre-literacy in Waldorf education in early childhood. In Waldorf Education, literacy development incorporates differentiated instructions that fosters cognitive and social emotional learning of their students. Through the use of literature review and several teachers in various grades of Waldorf schools, the result findings revealed that pedagogical practices around literacy instructions promote critical thinking skills, nurtures children’s creative expression, and imagination. Literacy curriculum in Waldorf schools allows students to create tangible evidence of self-expressions and communication skills. Given its emphasis on holistic curriculum, it allows teachers to engage with their diverse …

The Impact Of Single Parent Households On Middle School Students, Erik Puga

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This research explores the influence of single-parent households on the academic achievement of middle school students in Salinas, CA, with a particular focus on East Salinas, an area marked by economic challenges. Grounded in my personal experience growing up in a single-parent household in Salinas and shaped by my journey through the Alisal district pipeline, this study seeks to uncover the specific barriers and strengths that middle school students from single-parent families encounter. By examining socioeconomic pressures, parental involvement, and emotional well-being, I aim to identify how family structure affects students’ educational trajectories within the community. This research strives to …

Plato's Republic: The Role Of Education In Democracy, Darlene Marie B. Berberabe

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

This paper will take a closer look at how Plato’s Republic is relevant in today’s world, specifically to education and de mocracy, and how his very philosophy as represented by dia lectic is the essential method of education that will enable and empower the people for a democracy. The ability to engage in Socratic elenchus, to stand up to the test of the dialectic, was intended as an exercise in the art of investigating truth, rather than to inculcate any particular set of principles, doctrines, or opinions. For democracy to work, the people in whose hands the power of the …

Saan A Maymaysat' Aldaw: Education In Democracy, Social Justice, And Inclusion In Ilokano Life, Aurelio S. Agcaoili

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

The essay argues that there has been a cognitive dissonance between the country’s formal education system (adal) and the Ilokano people’s vocation to knowledge (sursuro). Unless this dissonance is addressed, fundamental problems relative to education in democracy, social justice, and inclusion will never be solved. The Ilokano people’s sense of education—sursuro—shows us the way to correct that dissonance.

Blue Bahay: More Than A Place To Play, Damien Roiland

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

How can we enable disadvantaged youth, whose past and present are unstructured, to (re)build themselves and start thinking about their future? The incredibly effective solution developed by the Delépine Foundation is to let them play! Playing is most often downgraded to a mere form of entertainment. However, it has proven to be essential for education. With a limited budget, the Delépine Foundation (through Aurore Prudent-Roiland) created Blue Bahay, a play center for street and slum children in the Philippines. Through play, young people heal their psychological wounds and increase their resilience. They discover the joy of learning with results that …

Neurohospitalist Core Competencies, Jana J Wold, Jetter Robertson, Jerome A Jeevarajan, Molly G Knox, Prateek Thatikunta, Guillermo E Solorzano, Kristin Galetta, Shefali Dujari, Tarini Goyal, Matthew E Ehrlich, Jonathan P Donnelly, Elizabeth Marriott, Vishal A Mandge, Roshni S Dhoot, Matthew W Luedke, Matthew B Maas, Margaret Y Yu, Michel Toledano, Rafid Mustafa, Jamie L Palaganas, Kathryn Kvam, Rachelle Dugue, Ethan Meltzer, Lahoud Touma, Maulik P Shah, Vanja C Douglas, Karen Orjuela, Brian J Scott, Joshua P Klein, David J Likosky, Jennifer R Simpson, Megan B Richie, Carolin Dohle, Jane G Morris, Carl A Gold

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Neurohospitalist Core Competencies comprise a set of competency-based learning objectives that encapsulate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of neurohospitalitists who specialize in the care of hospitalized patients with neurologic conditions. These competencies serve to characterize the rapidly expanding field of neurohospitalist medicine. The 27 chapters are divided into 3 sections entitled: neurological conditions, clinical interventions and interpretation of ancillary studies, and neurohospitalist role in the healthcare system. Each individual learning objective in the chapters describes a specific concept with an action verb to illustrate the behavior that the neurohospitalist exhibits. The individual neurohospitalist may not exhibit mastery in each …

Harmon, Stephen, Collection, 1960-2020, Special Collections, Leonard H. Axe Library

Finding Aids

The Stephen Harmon Collection consists of the career and professorial works of Stephen Harmon consisting of his papers, classes, bibliographies, journals, magazines, leading up to his career at Pittsburg State University.

Stephen A. Harmon was born on June 15, 1945 in St. Louis, MO to Jim and Alice Harmon. In 1968, after marrying Fritzi Drosten, Harmon and Drosten moved to San Francisco. Dr. Stephen Harmon received his B.A. from San Francisco State University in the Spring of 1979 and he received his Master’s degree in June 1981. At SFSU, he spent a year in Madrid, Spain, studying at the Complutense …

A Python Pipeline For Rapid Inversion Of Gravity Data Aimed At Early Career Researchers: Application To The Lost River Fault, Idaho, Bradford C. Mack

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gravity data and modeling can be used to create a 3D view of basin and fault geometries, a valuable tool for seismic hazard assessment. Additionally, access to a high-speed, easy-to-use modeling workflow will enable more researchers to supplement their work with a new method and allow students to be exposed to modeling earlier in their academic careers. The primary goals of this work are to create a widely usable 3D gravity and basin model, to create an introduction to modeling teaching module for undergraduate geology students, and to apply the model to the northernmost two segments of the Lost River …

Moral Of The Story: Secondary Language Arts Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students’ Moral Intelligence, Sadia Fauzia Zaman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The literature review reveals a gap in secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers’ perception of students’ moral intelligence (MI). While many character education studies examine the student perspective, this study contributes to the limited research on secondary ELA teachers’ perceptions of students’ moral intelligence and how it can be cultivated. This dissertation addresses that gap by collecting and analyzing ELA teachers’ lived experiences and perceptions of students’ MI, as well as exploring how ELA teachers and schools can support students’ moral development by integrating moral and ethical topics into instructional practices. This qualitative study used narrative inquiry to gather interview …

Ophthopods: An Analysis Of The Educational Content And Changes Of Ophthalmology Podcasts, Isaiah I. Greene, Fradah E. Gold, Nicholas E. Tan, Alexander H. Fang, Nickisa M. Hodgson

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Objective

Podcasts are a novel modality for digitally disseminating ophthalmic knowledge, yet minimal information exists on their offerings. This study sought to describe the growth of ophthalmology podcasts, characterize their features, and analyze clinically pertinent content trends.

Materials and Methods

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Google Search were queried for English-language shows relating primarily to ophthalmology. Ninety-six podcasts and 3,594 episodes were analyzed.

Results

Of the 48 currently active shows, most cover general ophthalmology topics (n = 25, 52.1%) and are run by multiple hosts (n = 29, 60.4%) in both academics and private practice. The majority of podcasts …

English Literacy Rates Across The United States, Hailey Reisinger

Masters Theses

Literacy rates among students in the United States have been at an all-time low for the last several years. There have been many factors to this including but not limited to, the COVID-19 pandemic, technology, teacher shortages, and chronic absenteeism. This study looks into the literacy rate decline, the mentioned factors, and what is being done to improve the literacy proficiency among students across the country. This study also looks at what is specifically being done for school divisions across the Commonwealth of Virginia, focusing on one school in particular, Culpeper Middle School.

The Relationship Between Moral Courage And Professional Confidence And Academic Achievement Among Precertification Radiologic Sciences Students In The United States: A Cross-Sectional Quantitative Study, Kristin M. Beinschroth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Moral courage and professional confidence are traits that benefit healthcare professionals and students in practice but have yet to be explored in the radiologic science population. This study aimed to discern if relationships exist among moral courage, professional confidence, and academic achievement factors in pre-certification radiologic sciences students in the United States. This cross-sectional, nonexperimental quantitative study employed correlation and regression analyses using abridged versions of the Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale (NMCS) (Numminen et al., 2019) and the Confidence in Managing Challenging Situations Scale (CMCS) (Walsh et al., 2021). Participants exhibited high moral courage and high professional confidence, and both …

Law School News: Rwu Receives $750,000 Gift From Hassenfeld Family Foundation To Strengthen Law School's Regional Impact And Reputation 11-13-2024, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Safe, Empowered Tech For Adolescents: A Framework For Research And Action, Miriam Temin, Evalin Karijo

Adolescents and Young People

No abstract provided.