Digital Commons Network^™

All Under One Roof: An Ethnographic Commons In The Missoula Public Library, Caitlin Ervin

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In 2021 the Missoula Public Library opened in a new state-of-the-art building to include a science museum, a research facility, a family resource center, and a media resource center in addition to the library facilities, all providing free and low-cost programs to the public. This establishment, internally dubbed All Under One Roof (AUOR), offers a window into the culture of Missoula and provides the community myriad resources in one, co-located model that has never been seen in the United States. Using ethnographic methods, this study provides insight into AUOR and the significance of its culture house model as the future …

Colonial Legacy, Education, And Employment Opportunities: The Case Of Cameroon, Frantz Batoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe history of colonialism is one of the most powerful factors affecting the development of newly independent African states and limiting their chances for successful evolution. This research involved Cameroon and employment and educational issues associated with colonialism. The division between France and Britain contributed to the establishment of bilingualism within its territories, which is a source of multiple problems today. The study involved investigating the current situation in Cameroon through the lens of colonialism and its influence on countries. Theoretical foundations for this study were the colonial and postcolonial theory, neocolonialism, and concept of postcolony. They are used to …

Is This Antiracist?: An Autoethnographic Evaluation Of Professional Development, Allison Nava-Holstein

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Communities of color have been fighting for equal rights in society throughout history, resulting in the development of different social movements. In 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement was founded and protests erupted across America as Black lives were lost at the hands of law enforcement. In the summer of 2020, the protests continued, serving as a catalyst for schools to begin interrogating their practices and curricula, moving towards efforts to be pro-Black and antiracist.

Grounded in Critical Social Theory and Critical Race Theory, this autoethnographic study explores the experiences of me, a Latinx teacher in diversity, equity and inclusion …

Concluding The (In)Glorious Journey, Keren Dali, Kim M. Thompson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Brain Breaks On Student Academic Performance And Behaviors In The K-12 School Setting; A Meta-Analysis, Jesse Singh

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The purpose of this meta-analysis is to examine the effect of brain breaks on academic performance and in-class behaviors in the K-12 educational setting. Also, to conduct subgroup (moderator) analyzes to determine if Brain Breaks were more effective for specific (school and student) population characteristics. Standard meta-analytical procedures were used to determine inclusion criteria, article searches in electronic databases, coding procedures, and statistical methods to synthesize data. Moderator and outcome variables were assessed using coding procedures to understand if Brain Breaks were effective or not. The brain break interventions researched in this study have shown to produce variable results in …

Leadership Integrity In Kenya : The Best Leadership Practices That Promote Leadership Integrity Among Leaders In Christian Institutions Of Higher Learning In Kenya, Mike Mulwa Mutua

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Generic Qualitative Study Of District, School, And Teacher Leader Experiences With Increasing Reading And Writing Achievement, Jennifer Fowler

Theses and Dissertations

English Language Arts (ELA) test scores have declined since the 2020 COVID-19 virus caused schools and districts in the United States and around the world to shut down for substantial periods of time. School and district leaders and teachers across the country are working to increase ELA achievement.

In this generic qualitative research study, local district, school, and teacher leaders were interviewed and asked questions about their experiences with increasing reading and writing achievement using semi-structured interview protocols.

Four research questions were addressed. They concerned the challenges, successes, supports, guidance, mandates, and advice offered by district, school, and teacher leaders …

A Qualitative Case Study On Perceived Readiness For The Diffusion Of Blended Learning In Tvet Institutions In Jamaica, Roxanne M. Hinds

Theses and Dissertations

Blended learning is seen as a promising innovative instructional approach for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to reduce costs, increase flexibility, and reach marginalized learners in developing countries. However, lack of understanding about how key stakeholders who are expected to adopt and implement the innovation perceive readiness for the innovation can make it difficult for institutions to maximize its benefits. This qualitative case study sought to understand the perceptions of students, instructors, and administrators about the readiness of the key stakeholder groups, institutions, and the organization for blended learning and the role of readiness in the diffusion process. …

Sustained Increases In Immune Transcripts And Immune Cell Trafficking During The Recovery Of Experimental Brain Ischemia, Munish Saini, Eshan Sengupta, Madanjit Singh, Harnoor Singh, Jaswinder Singh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are at the forefront of government initiatives across the world. The SDGs are primarily concerned with promoting sustainable growth via ensuring wellbeing, economic growth, environmental legislation, and academic advancement. One of the most prominent goals of the SDG is to provide learners with high-quality education (SDG 4). This paper aims to look at the perspectives of the Sustainable Development Goals improvised to provide quality education. We also analyze the existing state of multiple initiatives implemented by the Indian government in the pathway to achieving objectives of quality education (SDG 4). Additionally, a case study is considered …

Public Policy Education In India: Promises And Pitfalls Of An Emerging Disciplinary Identity, Ishani Mukherjee, Dayashankar Maurya

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Despite the surge in global demand over the last few decades, the supply and design of public policy education has been notably concentrated within western and developed country contexts. The same era has not seen a comparable rise in public policy education and accreditation emerging from developing countries that are still unable to fully meet the existing domestic needs for these skills. In India, core public policy education is in its emerging, albeit promising stages. Drawing on several rounds of discussions with academic and administrative Heads of the Department for public policy in tertiary education institutes of India, this paper …

Instructional Design With A Language Lens: Preparing Educators For Multilingual Classrooms, Amy J. Heineke, Wenjin Guo, Luke Carman, Mctighe & Associates

Education: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works

Classrooms are more diverse than ever before with increasing numbers of multilingual students who are developing English proficiency while simultaneously being expected to learn and perform in English in literacy and the content areas. In the context of the United States, previous efforts to prepare teachers for the heterogeneous population of students have led to simplified curriculum that limits children’s equitable access to rigorous disciplinary learning. This chapter probes one project’s efforts to build capacity in schools by holistically preparing educators across grades and disciplines to provide equitable instruction for students labeled as English learners. Using a framework that added …

Novice Teacher Experiences Of Online Reading Instruction During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Deyanira M. Echevarria Candales

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation documented novice teacher experiences providing online reading instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the researcher captured educators’ first-hand accounts of their experiences shifting to fully online reading instruction, adapting instructional materials that were designed for in-person instruction for online learning, confronting challenges and successes during this period of uncertainty, and transitioning back to in-person instruction amidst the then ongoing pandemic.

The following research questions were posed: 1. How do novice elementary reading teachers, in a large public school district in South Florida, describe their experiences teaching reading online during a global pandemic? 2. How do novice elementary …

Improving Reliability In Assessing Integrative Learning Using Rubrics: Does Group Norming Help?, Lanah Stafford, Erin Cousins, Linda Bol, Megan Mize

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Integrative learning is an important outcome for graduates of higher education. Therefore, it should be well-defined and assessed reliably. The American Association of Colleges & Universities has developed a rubric to define and assess integrative learning, but it has low reliability. This pilot study examines whether this rubric's reliability can be improved by training users on how to use the rubric in a group setting rather than individually. Twelve faculty were trained to score undergraduate ePortfolios using the Integrative and Applied Learning VALUE Rubric. Half of the faculty were trained in an individual setting and half in a group setting …

Divergent Representations Of Africa: A Qualitative Analysis Of Georgia Social Studies Textbooks, Bailey A. Brown, Amber R. Reed

Georgia Educational Researcher

The Georgia Department of Education has clearly defined standards for learning about Africa in the seventh grade. However, there exists great variation in how textbooks present this material and address these standards. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, we assess the presentation of Africa in three widely used Georgia social studies textbooks. We document and analyze coverage of Africa across Georgia’s seventh grade world studies learning domains. Our research demonstrates: 1) that, despite widespread calls for decolonization of education and strengthening of multicultural education, Euro-American perspectives on Africa are still prevalent; 2) textbooks vary widely on how they choose to …

Implementing Education For Maternity Nurses To Improve Nurses’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Regarding Postpartum Depression: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Haley Merrill

Master's Theses and Capstones

BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common complication of childbirth, but often goes undiagnosed. Adequate patient education on PPD increases the patient’s knowledge and supports enhanced communication between patients and provider. Maternity nurses have continued interaction with new mothers and are in a vital position to educate patients regarding PPD. However, maternity nurses may lack confidence in delivering the appropriate education and resources for PPD to postpartum women.

LOCAL PROBLEM: Within the given microsystem, there was currently a gap that existed between PPD education for nurses and the delivery of PPD patient education.

METHODS: Utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act model, a …

Innovating Teaching Practice Through Professional Learning Communities: Determining Knowledge Sharing And Program Value, Andrew M. Clark, Monica Zhan, Justin T. Dellinger, Peggy Semingson

SAGE Open Access Agreement Publications-Archive

The Professional Learning Community (PLC) model has been used to help faculty develop innovative teaching practices and diffuse effective strategies and resources throughout K-12 schools. Yet, whether and how PLCs influence research-focused higher education institutions remain unknown. Drawing on existing research on PLCs and the social network theory, this mixed-methods study investigated how participants shared what they learned during their time in the program to build greater capacity and the perceived benefits and weaknesses of the PLC model. We conducted semi-structured interviews (n�=�8) and a survey (n'�='�77) among current PLC fellows and alumni at a large research university. The results …

[Preview Of] How To Solve A Problem: Insights For Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving, And Success In College, Kelling J. Donald

Bookshelf

This concise and accessible resource offers new college students, especially those in science degree programs, guidance on engaging successfully with the classroom experience and skillfully tackling technical or scientific questions. The author provides insights on identifying, from the outset, individual markers for what success in college will look like for students, how to think about the engagement with professors as a partnership, and how to function effectively in that partnership toward achieving their pre-defined goals or markers of success. It is an ideal companion for science degree prospects and first-generation students seeking insight into the college experience.

• Offers transferable …

Writing As Transformation: An Action Research Study On Trauma-Informed Curriculum, Nena L. Weinsteiger Guzman

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Trauma exposure is endemic, and this study seeks to address childhood trauma in a compassionate and restorative manner. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are serious childhood traumas that manifest as toxic stress which can damage the developing brain of a child and affect overall health. The implications are expressed dualistically: academic performance of youth is subdued & diminished, and behavioral interactions can range from unreceptive to erratic and aggressive. Trauma exposure is a predictor of adverse outcomes, which range from higher rates of suspension, expulsion, and incarceration, to dire outcomes, such as lower life expectancy and quality of life. Streamlining trauma-informed …

The Effects Of Aquatic Programs On Students With Disabilities Fitness And Skill-Based Outcomes; A Meta-Analysis, Delaney Hughes

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The purpose of the meta-analysis was to determine the impact of aquatic-based interventions on health-related fitness and skill-based outcomes for children with disabilities. PRISMA guidelines were used to complete the procedures of the meta-analysis. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria and results indicate that overall, aquatic programming likely positively affects students with disabilities and health-related fitness outcomes. Recommendations provide direction for future studies to help improve intervention results.

Addressing Training Gaps: A Competency-Based, Telehealth Training Initiative For Community Health Workers, Laura Porterfield, Victoria Warren, Vanessa Schick, Shannon Gulliot-Wright, Jeff R Temple, Elizabeth M Vaughan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: To overcome vast variations in Community Health Worker (CHW) training, investigators for the CHW Core Consensus Project (CCCP) derived three types of CHW (Category 1, 2, 3) and established competencies for each category. However, studies are needed that implement these competencies in real-world settings.

OBJECTIVE: Using the six competency domains of the CCCP as a theoretical backbone, we developed and evaluated a training for

METHODS: We developed five telehealth-based, bilingual (Spanish/English) training sessions and implemented them among

RESULTS: All (18/18) CHWs achieved at least 70% on the posttest (mean: 93.7%; range 73.3-100%). Training attendance was 98.9%. Using a six-point …

“Building The Roots”: A Delphi Study Examining The Aims Of A Multicultural Competency Graduate Course In Sport And Exercise Psychology, Matthew Paul Gonzalez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Historically, opportunities to develop cultural competency in sport and exercise psychology graduate programs have been limited (Lee, 2015). Recently, major sport psychology organizations across the world have started to require cultural competency in their credentialing requirements. While this represents progress, these requirements can be met with a single course, which falls below the ideal of integrated cultural competency education (Martens et al., 2000). The present study investigated how to maximize the quality of a single course by coming to agreement on a proposed set of impactful and feasible learning outcomes and assessments in that proposed single course related to cultural …

A Need For Further Education On Buprenorphine In Pain Medicine, Jamal Hasoon, Anvinh Nguyen, Ivan Urits, Christopher Robinson, Omar Viswanath, Alan D Kaye

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

With the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States there has been a strong transition towards utilizing multi-modal analgesia, interventional procedures, and non-opioid medications when managing acute and chronic pain. There has also been an increased interest in utilizing buprenorphine. Buprenorphine is a novel long-acting analgesic with partial mu-opioid agonist activity that can be utilized for analgesia as well as opioid use disorder. Buprenorphine also has a unique set of side effects as well pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties that require special attention, especially if these patients require future surgical interventions. Given the increased interest in this medication we believe that …

Impact On Retention For Students Participating In Supplemental Instruction At A Community College, Jacqueline Ann Larry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractTitle III Strengthening Institutions Program is a supplemental grant that was designed to help eligible higher education institutions improve and strengthen academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability of eligible institutions. A community college in the Midsouth region was the focus of this quantitative study. Graduation and retention rates have steadily declined, and there are significant achievement gaps in terms of ethnicity and race, program completion, and failure rates in high-enrolled courses among first-year students. Using the retention model, this study involved examining the impact on retention for students participating in supplemental instruction upon entering college during their freshman year. …

The Effect Of An Afterschool Makerspace Program On Academic Achievement Of Sixth-Eighth Grade Students, Teresa Lampe

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of participation in an afterschool makerspace program on middle school students' academic achievement, grades, and school attendance. An experimental group of 237 sixth-eighth grade students participated in an afterschool makerspace program during the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 school years. A control group was selected using stratified random sampling of students from the same schools, grades, and special education designation who did not participate. The data included science and math NWEA scores, science and math grades, program attendance, school attendance, and gender. The data were analyzed using an independent t test with a 95% confidence …

Losing My Religion: Contextualizing Continental Catholic Seminaries In The Elizabethan Reformation, 1558-1603, Cole Volman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines the impact and influence of a portion of the early modern Jesuit seminary network within the narrative of the Counter Reformation. Following the rise of Elizabeth I, a significant number of Catholic recusants fled England to take up residence in a series of schools spread across Europe with the intention of completing their education and later contributing to the efforts to preserve Catholicism in their homeland. This dissertation argues that these schools played a significant role in the course of the “English Mission,” contributing to its conception, escalation, and eventual collapse in the late sixteenth century. Despite …

Digital Literacy: A Review Of Literature, Lennie Barblett, Raisa Akifeva, Leanne Lavina, Fiona Boylan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This report describes the main themes of collected literature to examine and explain the information in relation to making best practice recommendations for using digital technologies with children, and their families using Better Beginnings programs. These themes include:

• definitions of literacy,
• digital literacy in the context of childhood and children’s rights,
• dimensions of children’s digital literacy,
• digital technology, children and families,
• digital divide and diversity,
• eSafety, privacy, protection,
• children’s digital literacy learning, and
• librarian staff as digital literacy mentors and advocates.

The early childhood phase of childhood (particularly birth to age five) is one of the most under - researched …

Climate Change As A Social Determinant Of Health: An Interactive Case-Based Learning Activity, Arindam Sarkar, Nital P Appelbaum, Rathi Asaithambi, Connie Tran, Doris Lin, Anjali Aggarwal, Stephanie Nguyen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Despite consensus on climate change's impact on humans, medical schools have not widely adopted inclusion of environmental topics into their mandatory curriculum. This educational activity explicitly addresses climate change as one of the environmental determinants of health (EDH).

METHODS: We developed a required, 1-hour module for all first-year medical students. This interactive, case-based, small-group activity was incorporated into a curriculum within an advising program but could be run independently. Before and after the session, participants completed evaluations assessing knowledge gains and attitude shifts.

RESULTS: Of 183 first-year students, 155 completed both pre- and postmodule surveys. Participants' rating increased on …

Demographics Of Skin Cancer Knowledge Among Middle And High Schoolers In Texas, Dina H Zamil, Shangyi Fu, Zahra Majd, Emily Powell, Jenna H Zamil, Zeena Y Nawas, Ida F Orengo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Adolescents, an age group that can reduce sun exposure early, may benefit from school-based skin cancer education programs. Literature regarding the demographics of melanoma knowledge is sparse.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate melanoma knowledge among students in Texas viewing John Wayne Cancer Foundation Block the Blaze (JWCFBTB) presentations and identify group differences with regard to sociodemographic factors.

METHODS: Before JWCFBTB presentations delivered in Houston and Dallas by health professions students, a pre-presentation melanoma knowledge quiz was distributed. This survey was adapted from a 2000 study evaluating melanoma knowledge in middle and high schoolers in Houston and Dallas. Respondents …

Reaching Out Through The Universal: The Powerful And Positive Role Of A Jesuit Catholic Law School On The Secular Line, Judith A. Mcmorrow

Touro Law Review

There are multiple ways in which Catholic law schools can provide an education that supports and reflects a Catholic vision. Some schools align more closely to an orthodox view in which text and doctrine are the starting lens. Catholic law schools closer to the secular end of the spectrum play a powerful role by actively building bridges with the secular world. These schools, either implicitly or explicitly, start with values framed in more universal terms -- a moral or ethical worldview that can implement the common good in the secular world. A Catholic law school that emphasizes the universal generally …

Colonial Legacy, Education, And Employment Opportunities: The Case Of Cameroon, Frantz Batoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe history of colonialism is one of the most powerful factors affecting the development of newly independent African states and limiting their chances for successful evolution. This research involved Cameroon and employment and educational issues associated with colonialism. The division between France and Britain contributed to the establishment of bilingualism within its territories, which is a source of multiple problems today. The study involved investigating the current situation in Cameroon through the lens of colonialism and its influence on countries. Theoretical foundations for this study were the colonial and postcolonial theory, neocolonialism, and concept of postcolony. They are used to …