Digital Commons Network^™

Black Fatherhood: A Critical Component For Urban African American Student Success, Cameron Steel

Honor’s College Freeman Research Journal

A multitude of studies express that father involvement has an impact on student achievement and learning outcomes for urban African American students (Palm & Fagan, 2008). Although biological fathers are extremely vital to our community, a biological connection between a parental figure and their student is not essential to these correlational outcomes. The absence of fathers in the urban African American community has had a negative impact on students' self-esteem, academic efficacy, and general livelihood. Realistically, it is not a viable solution to place fathers in homes or force them to stay and remain active participants in their child's K-12 …

Juan Crow: A Discriminatory Past With Contemporary Consequences Against Mexican Americans, Alicia Delaney

Honors Program Theses and Projects

This paper will focus on the past and contemporary systemic discrimination of the Mexican and Mexican American communities in Texas and California. I will first discuss how, despite being considered citizens at the federal level since the enactment Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, Mexicans and their descendants were subject to de facto segregation policies, discriminatory economic and social practices at the local and State levels, and numerous acts of violence. They were racialized as “others” in terms of language, customs, and supposed inferior morality. In addition, I will explain the numerous factors that have, in the past and present, …

The First Surs World Congress Of Robotic Surgery At Mount Sinai Hospital In New York City: A Tribute To The Past And The Future Of Robotic Urologic Surgery, Raghav Gupta, Deepak Chopra, Ashok K. Hemal, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Craig G. Rogers, Chandru P. Sundaram, Ashutosh K. Tewari

Urology Articles

No abstract provided.

Training Program For Occupational Therapists Working With Skilled Caregivers In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Lovegifty Dudero, Mai Huynh, Ridhee Patel

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Dementia impairs one’s ability to live independently and participate in everyday activities (CDC, 2019). Individuals with dementia (IwD) are often referred to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for around-the-clock care to receive support for their everyday challenges brought on by dementia symptoms. Although certified nursing assistants (CNAs) help IwD with everyday self-care tasks, they frequently lack specialized dementia care training. Consequently, CNAs experience low self-efficacy when providing care and managing challenging behaviors IwD may have. OTs have expertise and understanding regarding the stages of dementia and how the symptoms of dementia impact participation in daily occupations. OTs working in SNFs are …

Design And Development Of A Virtual Reality Training Platform For Fiber-Reinforced Composite Manufacturing, Taufiq Rahman

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Theses - Archive

This study presents the design and development of a virtual reality (VR) training platform for manufacturing fiber-reinforced composites, a sophisticated and high-demand material in various industries. Due to the high costs and safety concerns associated with compression molding machines - essential equipment for this manufacturing process, the VR platform offers a promising alternative for training to educational institutions and manufacturing industries. The platform provides an immersive, interactive training and cost-efficient learning environment, allowing users to gain practical experience without the risks and expenses of physical training. The VR training module was developed using the Unity game engine and deployed on …

Utilizing Edtpa As A Student Teaching Tool To Ensure Future Teaching Success, Matthew Aspinwall

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) is an educator preparatory program that students complete at the end of their pre-professional experience. This assessment is often met with fear and apprehension for pre-service teachers leading up to its completion. With edTPA being completed during the student teaching experience, it can become a large burden on the student. This thesis will outline how changing your perspective of the edTPA process from an extensive assessment into using edTPA to make student teaching a more meaningful experience that expands your impact on your school and community. With that, the research question asks: How can student …

A Comparison Of Approaches To Closing The Achievement Gap In Public, Charter, And Catholic Urban High Schools In New York State, Kiante' Eli Jones

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Throughout the history of the United States there have existed gaps in the educational achievement outcomes of different groups of students. One of the most well-known and persistent achievement gaps is seen in the academic performance of Black versus White students, which is also known as the Black-White student achievement gap (BWSAG). The BWSAG is manifest in data such as grades, standardized test scores, course selection, school dropout rates, and college completion. This study examines how three schools with significant Black student populations, including an urban traditional public school, a Catholic school, and a charter school narrow the BWSAG among …

The Impact Of A Tailored Nutrition Education Program On Maximal Oxygen Consumption And Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors In Adolescent Male Hockey Players, Kerianne M. Shine

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

During adolescence, athletes are at risk of failing to meet dietary recommendations due to their bodies' demand for additional energy during physical activity. For adolescent athletes, data on sport nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) are limited, especially when studied collectively. This project analyzed the impact of nutrition education on KAB of adolescent male hockey players with the incorporation of measurement of maximal oxygen consumption. A single arm trial was conducted with participants and parents/guardians from the Team Alaska 16U and 18U hockey teams. Pre intervention, the participants completed a demographics survey, the Abridged Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire (A-NSKQ), …

Passive Education, Passive Users: A Research-Informed Elementary Curriculum For Media Literacy, Surveillance, And Technology Engagement, Jocelyn Elizabeth Brooks

Communication Honors Theses

While media scholars have established that media literacy is imperative to strengthen media’s positive effects and limit its negative effects, elementary-aged children continue to be underserved in current and relevant media literacy education. To address this disparity, this thesis created an age-appropriate media literacy curriculum for children aged seven to nine, bolstered by a comprehensive review of the current literature, which was then taught to a second-grade class at a San Antonio charter school. Results found that students’ current knowledge of contemporary media literacy concepts is minimal, but students made significant improvements through implementation of the proposed curriculum. This project …

Improving Breastfeeding Rates In A Rural And Medically Underserved Community, Kaylie D. Waters

Masters Projects

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports national breastfeeding rates that are inconsistent with the recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life (CDC, 2020). The rate of infants receiving any breastmilk by six months of age in a rural Midwest County is only 16% in contrast to 55% nationally (CDC, 2020; XXXXX, 2021). This discrepancy was addressed by evaluating breastfeeding status in that Midwest community followed by strategies to improve breastfeeding rates.

Methods: A multi-intervention quality improvement project was implemented using the SEIPS framework. The project evaluated the effectiveness of documenting breastfeeding status in …

Education, Beliefs, And Health Literacy Of Care Providers On Mouth Care Of Older Adults, Molly Lakin

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Oral health is important to one’s overall health and quality of life as it can lead to chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and neurodegenerative disorders (Haumschild et al. 2021). In long-term care facilities, it is important that dependent older adults are provided mouth care to maintain their oral health and decrease their chances of developing a chronic illness; however, there are barriers affecting the level, quality, and quantity of mouth care being provided in these facilities. A survey was developed to look at the education, beliefs, and health literacy of care providers on providing mouth care in hopes …

An Assessment Of Dietetics And Nutrition Graduate Program Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Regarding The Subject Of Microplastics, Gabrielle M. Arnes

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

Microplastics exist in every aspect of our lives, from the ground and ocean to food and clothing. It is becoming more and more evident that microplastics can have negative effects on the environment, human health and food safety. This study examined Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited graduate program (GP) students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards microplastics. An electronic survey was sent to ACEND GP program directors (n = 56) to forward to their GP students. Among the 30 students who completed the full survey, 83.3% had previously heard of microplastics. Although almost all participants had …

Preoperative Pain Management Education And Narcotic Use: A Quality Improvement Project, Sarah Scheller

DNP Projects

Introduction: Comprehensive preoperative education is an important aspect of pain management and helps empower patients prior to their surgery. Evidence supports the use of a combination of the teach-back method, videos, and pamphlets to educate patients prior to their surgery. A quality improvement project was initiated for patients having total shoulder arthroplasty surgery with an orthopedic surgeon in Connecticut.

Methods: An educational video and handout were created, and preoperative education sessions using the teach-back methods were performed. Postoperative phone calls were placed at 24 and 72 hours to assess the patient’s use of narcotic pain medication, alternative pain management medication …

Investigating Students’ Lived Experience With Prebriefing Structure And Elements In Nursing Simulation Education, Meghan Liebzeit

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Prebriefing is a growing body of knowledge in nursing simulation education. It is recognized as an important factor in the simulation experience, however the practice of prebriefing varies widely making it difficult to understand what methods best prepare students for the simulation scenario. While research over the last decade has identified prebriefing increases confidence, skills, and clinical judgment, what content is important to include in prebriefing, or how it promotes the achievement of outcomes is under recognized.Implementing an intervention based on a pedagogically sound eight-week simulation clinical course, developed with the theoretical underpinnings of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, Kolb’s …

Development And Initial Validation Of The Mindful Self-Regulated Learning Scale (M-Srls), Sarah Wolff

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Modern mindfulness is a catch-all term. Just exactly what it looks like within the context of education and how it is taught vastly varies. As such, program fidelity and integrity is questioned. Here a definition of mindful self-regulated learning is proposed and the Mindful Self-Regulated Learning Scale (m-SRLS) is developed. This includes item generation and development, systematic testing of item performance, scale dimensionality, convergent and divergent validity, measurement invariance across groups and subgroups, and scale reliability over a series of five pilot studies and five primary studies using independent samples. The resulting m-SRLS is a context specific measurement tool that …

Systematic Barriers To Success: The Impact Of Redlining On Modern Educational Outcomes In Omaha Public Schools, Sarah Sedivy

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The systemic denial of mortgages, loans, and other financial services to specific neighborhoods on the basis of race, a practice known as redlining, has continued to have a disproportionately negative effect on communities of color since its inception in the 1930s. The contemporary impacts of redlining can be seen in ongoing disparities in household income, property values, generational wealth, and more. This paper uses a three-pronged approach to extensively examine the history, application, and implications of redlining, with an emphasis on how the practice affects modern educational outcomes in Omaha public schools. The paper analyzes statistical data from the Nebraska …

Peer Perceptions Of Parent-Students Seeking Higher Education, Alexandria M. Wall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With a growing number of parents pursuing academia, it is imperative that researchers understand the social environment in which parent-students function. Stereotypes of parent-students may be held by peers, faculty, and other educational supervisors. Across two previous independent studies, evidence and rationale were provided to suggest that both positive and negative perceptions of parent-students exist, with noted differences between gender. The purpose of the current 2x2x2 between-subjects study was to analyze the social perceptions of students enrolled in higher education as varied by parenthood status, age, and gender. The social perceptions included measures accounting for perceptions of intelligence and academic …

Nurse Practitioner-Led Hepatitis C Virus Education In A Central Valley Opioid Treatment Program, Nikiesha Thomas Redus

Doctoral Projects

Introduction Viral hepatitis has been classified as a worldwide public health threat and it is estimated that 130-150 million people worldwide are infected with viral hepatitis. In the United States, increases in hepatitis C infections can be attributed to intravenous drug use and associated behaviors. Many people who inject drugs are unaware of their serostatus and access to accurate hepatitis C virus (HCV) information and education is limited. However, opioid treatment programs are well positioned to fill hepatitis C services gap among people who inject drugs by providing education, to raise hepatitis C awareness and lead to services and treatment …

English Language Arts (Ela) Textbooks In School Districts And Charter Schools, Tennessee. Comptroller Of The Treasury.

Office of Research and Education Accountability

No abstract provided.

The Influences Of The Public Health Care System And Education System On The Economic Growth Of Swaziland, Grace Greer

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Kingdom of Eswatini, also known as Swaziland, has one of the youngest populations in the world with over 70% of citizens being under the age of 18 years old. This creates a substantial opportunity for economic, social, and educational growth in a country previously plagued with diseases such as HIV/AIDS, poor health care infrastructure cutting off thousands from basic care, and an educational system with a very low attendance rate and an even lower graduation rate. By evaluating the root causes of such issues dating back to the colonial era there is an opportunity to reprioritize health care and …

The Past Close Behind Us: A Comparison Of Anti-Integrationists’ Rhetoric From The 1960’S With Anti-Critical Race Theory Rhetoric Today, Te'keyra Shelton

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research study is to analyze whether there are similarities and differences between how conservative organizations and leaders against integration in the 1960’s and Critical Race Theory today discussed and reacted to these advances for civil rights. While there are drastic differences in the context of both eras, arguments used to justify segregation are still used to justify banning Critical Race Theory. Through research on social movements, rhetorical framing, and white racial and conservative ideology, I was able to understand how these movements are structured to best gain success. And, through a comparative, content analysis of rhetorical …

Understanding Romania's Poverty: A Historical Overview Of Economics And Politics And Their Implications On Poverty Today, Benjamin Bucur

Senior Honors Theses

Romania is a country with a high-income economy that is experiencing considerable growth following its economic reforms of earlier decades. With growth, tendencies for an unequal society are prevalent. Therefore, appropriate economic policies that are specifically targeted toward bottlenecks are essential. This thesis seeks to outline the major types of poverty in Romania while also offering actionable entrepreneurial and educational insights that practically combat poverty at its roots.

A Scoping Literature Review Of Workforce Development Strategies To Increase Indigenous Birth Workers, Danielle A. Thies

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Objective/Aim: To review the literature on workforce development to increase Indigenous birth workers to improve birth outcomes in Indigenous populations.

Design: A systematic scoping review.

Data Sources: The following databases were accessed: PubMED, Embase, and CINAHL. Support relating to key words and appropriate databases was provided by a university librarian.

Review Methods: Search terms across databases were sourced identifying a total of 152 papers. Title/abstract searches were screened against the inclusion/exclusion criteria, resulting in 55 papers reaching full-text review. Of the 55 papers reviewed, 26 were eligible for inclusion in the final review.

Results/Findings: Thematic …

Attention To Attendance At Marina Vista, Jaylord Gapol

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Marina Vista Arts Elementary school has a high rate of absenteeism among students, which is negatively affecting their education. Problems associated with chronic absenteeism include illness, communication issues between schools and parents, and socioeconomic status. Consequences of chronic absenteeism include being at an academic disadvantage, increased risk of not graduating, and potential involvement with the criminal justice system. The capstone project created an educational flier that standardized the expectations for student attendance and highlights the negative consequences of chronic absenteeism. A database of 50 students were selected for the project with their attendance inputted into a database for tracking. Results …

The Relationship Between South Texas Principals’ School Climate, Leadership Style And The Use Of Communication Through Social Media And Other Methods, Alberto R. Canales Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between principals’ school climate (supportive, directive, engaged, frustrated, and intimate behaviors), leadership style, and frequency of communication with teachers. In doing so, a test of significance was carried out using an F-distribution, an alpha level of .05, and a multiple linear regression analysis as the statistical method. School climate, the dependent variable, was tested to find which independent variables, leadership style and frequency of communication, were related and to what amount these variables contributed to the total variance in school climate.

The results revealed that supportive behavior in school climate …

Health Disparities Across High School Students, Yadira Bonilla

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone examines health disparities among high school students that attend Central Coast High School, a continuation high school that serves only 11th and 12th graders in Seaside, California that are not in line to graduate due to the lack of credits and are below a 2.0 grade point average. The primary purpose of this project is to bring resources to the most vulnerable students and create awareness on the importance of being healthy. The wellness fair brought aide and resources for problems like addiction, alcohol abuse, depression, suicide, and birth control due to the increasing numbers of students …

Effective Inclusive Strategies For Students With Disabilities: Guides For General Education Teachers, Lynda Hawkins

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The Disability Education Act 2004 (IDEA) and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) had given students with disabilities the right to be included in the general education classroom. With that comes a challenge for teachers as they must find ways to reach every student. The purpose of this project is to provide a way of achieving that goal.. The Buddy System, for example, is a supportive method for teachers. General education students are paired up with students that need assistance. These students take on the role of assistant teacher/mentor to help guide their peers through classroom activities and assignments. With everyone …

The Impact Of Color Evasiveness On Black Males In The K-12 Setting, John Richmond

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In terms of scholastic success, African American males have historically lagged below their White counterparts, and this trend continues today. This phenomenological qualitative study looked at how African American male students perceived themselves after they graduated from high school and how color-evasive ideas in the K–12 environment affected their academic performance. In an effort to ascertain if the deliberate avoidance of substantial debates on race, perceived prejudices, and unequal application of exclusionary punishment influence student involvement and performance, the lived experiences of this minority population are gathered. Ten African American guys from one Southern California school district participated in this …

Enhancing Stem Education For East Tennessee In A Post-Covid World, Jennifer L. Lauer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I have identified a need for an analysis of the middle and high school STEM education curricula in the East Tennessee Region which does not effectively integrate technology into their current instruction, which results in low student engagement, motivation, and achievement in the instruction and learning of algebra and geometry. I propose a program to identify specific applications and methods to be integrated into these programs which will improve the abilities of teachers to positively impact their students' understanding and mastery of algebra and geometry. Using emerging and novel STEM subject instruction, teaching, and engagement methods, and focusing on the …

Program Evaluation Of Teen Parent Support Group, Brianne Yvonne Irene Brophy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study used qualitative methods to identify the specific components of a teen mother support group that participants found most helpful. The purpose of this research was to highlight the support group's unique traits that attribute to their success in aiding teen mothers in graduating from high school, obtaining higher education, obtaining stable employment, and achieving their parenting goals. The study is composed of one-on-one interviews with three teen mothers who have been connected to the support group for over eight years. The responses suggest that four components of the support group help teen mothers in achieving success in …