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Analyzing Environmental Education In Northern Mississippi And Its Impact On Student Outcomes, Vishnu S. Gadepalli

Honors Theses

This thesis examines environmental education in public high schools in northern Mississippi, investigating how educators describe its presence, delivery, and institutional support in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harm. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with high school teachers across four northern Mississippi schools, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through iterative thematic coding under Institutional Review Board approval. Five themes emerged: opportunistic curricular integration, time and standards as overriding structural constraints, passive institutional support, student receptivity tempered by limited awareness, and significant variation across school contexts with one magnet school as a clear outlier. The study concludes that environmental education in these …

Gimmick Leadership, George Padilla

Faculty Publications

In the 1960’s, “Gypsy,” a musical movie classic premiered about a domineering mother who sought self-glorification by pushing her young daughter into stripping. The young daughter, Gypsy, learned the trick of the trade from veteran strippers in a song—“You Gotta Have A Gimmick.”

While education has always been filled with fads and slogans, today, educational leaders loudly proclaim, “College Ready”/”College Started”/”College Complete”/Career Ready.” For many educational leaders, these are gimmick slogans because academic achievement remains low and many students are arriving at college academically unprepared—but, now, possibly with hollow college credits and at greater risk of failing. Our nation …

Fostering Meaningful Relationships In Middle School Music Ensembles And The Impact On Student Retention, Michael Andrew Murphy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although participation in music ensembles varies from school to school in the United States, many directors struggle to retain, let alone grow, the number of members that comprise their performance ensembles. This is often the result of scheduling, time constraints, financial obligations, and understanding the needs of student engagement. The purpose of this qualitative, ethnological study is to explore the impact of fostering meaningful relationships in middle school music ensembles and what role those relationships play in the retention of students. This study also investigates how students and teachers determine the meaningfulness of their relationships, the importance of those relationships …

Re-Education On Chlorhexidine (Chg) Bathing Protocol Affects Patient Chg Bathing Compliance And Surgical Site Infection (Ssi) Rates, Mary Samantha Ross

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Surgical site infections (SSI) are considered a hospital-acquired infection, leading to increased hospital length of stay (LOS), readmission rates, increased cost, morbidity, mortality rates, and poor postoperative outcomes. The literature review demonstrated the benefits of preoperative Chlorhexidine (CHG) bathing, but called for standardized protocols, improved education, and patient compliance. Research and clinical experience supported the need for improved patient compliance with CHG bathing. Consistent SSI rates even after protocol changes called for re-education of nursing staff in addition to addressing patient compliance issues. Therefore, providing re-education on the updated protocol, which addresses patient compliance issues, can lead to a reduction …

The Perceived Benefit Of A Degree Requirement In Emergency Medical Services Education And Success, Joseph H. Wood

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: This study sought to assess how graduates of Wallace Community College's paramedic program impacted their readiness for the NREMT Paramedic examination and entering the workforce, specifically comparing those who completed an associate degree to those who completed the certificate program. Methods: This qualitative study analyzed the perspectives of graduates from the paramedic program using a phenomenological approach. Using a purposive sampling technique, nine graduates were chosen for one-on-one interviews, and six were selected for a focus group. Results: Analysis of participant responses revealed three main themes: the perceived value of a degree, student preparedness for the NREMT exam and …

The Difficulty In Defining The Construct Of Perseverance, Davon W. Ferrara, Linda W. Jones

Papers

Perseverance is a character virtue necessary for flourishing in the STEM disciplines; however, there are competing definitions of perseverance in scientific literature, which makes measuring the trait and researching its impact difficult. This work provides a review of the definitions of construct found within the literature and compares it to conflated terms such as grit, persistence, resilience, and self-efficacy that have related, but distinct meanings. Finally, we summarize the role of perseverance in STEM and what factors may influence its formation.

The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Belmont Formation Collaborative and the Formation Scholars Cohort for Character Research and …

The Difficulty In Defining The Construct Of Perseverance, Davon W. Ferrara, Linda Jones

Posters

Perseverance is a character virtue necessary for flourishing in the STEM disciplines; however, there are competing definitions of perseverance in scientific literature, which makes measuring the trait and researching its impact difficult. This work provides a review of the definitions of construct found within the literature and compares it to conflated terms such as grit, persistence, resilience, and self-efficacy that have related, but distinct meanings. Finally, we summarize the role of perseverance in STEM and what factors may influence its formation.

The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Belmont Formation Collaborative and the Formation Scholars Cohort for Character Research and …

The Calculus Of Difference: Pluralism And Integration Through Education In India, Deepa Srikantaiah

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This paper introduces a calculus-based conceptual framework to examine how India sustains pluralistic integration across its extraordinary religious, linguistic, and cultural diversity. Drawing on mathematical principles of integration, continuity, and the Infinity Principle, the analysis demonstrates how social cohesion emerges from sustained attention to the infinitesimal: the localized communities, languages, and practices that constitute India's complex social fabric. The framework positions education as the primary integrative mechanism, functioning analogously to the mathematical process of integration by decomposing social complexity into comprehensible parts and reassembling them into collective understanding.

Through historical analysis spanning from the Indus Valley Civilization to contemporary India, …

Editors’ Introduction, Kathleen R. Kesson Dr., Susan H. Edgerton, Jing Lin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This is the introduction to the Special Issue

Stem Afterschool Enrichment Programs On Post-Secondary Minority Students In Southern California And Their Educational And Professional Pathway: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Lavar Jamaall Watkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of ethnically and racially minority students who participated in STEM afterschool enrichment programs at middle schools in Southern California. Guided by social cognitive career theory (SCCT), this phenomenological study addressed how participation in STEM supplemental programming served as a predictive motivator that encouraged ethnically and racially minority students to pursue careers in STEM professions. SCCT provided the theoretical framework for understanding how self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and contextual influences shaped students’ perceptions, motivations, and career decision-making related to STEM. The central research question guiding this inquiry was: What …

Building Engaged Readers: Fostering Students Engagement And Motivation, Breanna R. Gierak

Masters Projects

Student engagement and motivation are essential components of literacy development and academic achievement in elementary classrooms. However, research indicates that many elementary students are becoming disengaged due to a variety of factors, including increased technology use, decreased motivation, limited family involvement, and fewer opportunities for meaningful interactions around literacy. This masters project is grounded in research that examines the importance of fostering engagement and motivation in elementary literacy and synthesizes current research on the instructional practices that promote positive reading experiences. The literature highlights the influence of supportive classroom environments, teacher-student relationships, collaborative learning, purposeful technology integration, and storing family-school …

The Educational Experiences Of College Students Who Were Formerly Involved In The Juvenile Justice System, Nicole-Jasmin T. Clark

Doctoral Dissertations

In the United States, juvenile offending, reentry, and recidivism continue to be serious concerns for public and institutional policy making. Due to historical and current policies of both the education and juvenile justice system, youth of color (YOC) and youth with disabilities and diagnosed with mental health disorders have been overly disciplined by schools and disproportionately adjudicated by the juvenile justice system. In their annual Statistical Briefing Book, The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has consistently reported YOC, particularly Black youth, are arrested, adjudicated, and detained at much higher rates when compared to their white peers. Research …

The Application Of Knowledge Graphs In Education: A Bibliometric Analysis, Rui Yin, Jundi Teng, Ningwei Sun, Huimin Li, Ting Cheng

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies such as ChatGPT, the use of knowledge graphs (KGs) has increased substantially in educational applications. As a technology for knowledge representation and management in AI, KGs play a pivotal role in personalized learning, educational resource integration and management, and learning performance prediction. Their scalability and semantic interpretability were particularly evident in online education during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, systematic reviews of their application in education remain limited.

To address this gap, our study analyzed data from the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection (high-quality Social Sciences Citation Index …

Measuring Administrative Hiring Confidence Of Music Teachers In The Context Of Shallow Hiring Pools, Aaron M. Strum

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and measure the confidence of K-12 administrators in hiring music faculty. This study also aimed to analyze administrators’ perspectives and confidence in key stages of the hiring process, including defining job expectations, posting, advertising, interviewing, and selecting highly specialized music teachers in K-12 settings. Confidence of K-12 administrators can be gauged through their understanding of how well an applicant aligns with the specific needs of the school’s program. Three research questions guided this investigation: (1a) How confident are K-12 administrators in their understanding of music teaching pedagogy when interviewing music teacher candidates …

Increasing General Education Teacher Effectiveness When Working With Students Receiving Special Education Services, Taylor Watson

All Dissertations

Although the number of students identified as having disabilities (SWD) continues to increase, general education teachers continue to demonstrate difficulty adequately supporting these students. At one South Carolina school in particular, SWD demonstrate decreased academic achievement and increased rate of discipline referrals when compared to non-SWD. This study utilized an improvement science approach in order to implement targeted instruction on high-leverage practices (HLPs) and its impact on general education teacher effectiveness.

Preliminary findings of the intervention trended positive. Teacher participants demonstrated increased understanding of HLPs following intervention, although this increased knowledge did not necessarily correlate with increased application. Students whose …

Asm And A Culture Of Sharing, Caring, And Fun In Education, David J. Westenberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

One doesn't always equate a professional scientific society with sharing, caring, and fun, but in this age of public distrust, public engagement with science and active student learning are ways to regain trust. ASM holds a leadership position in promoting and recognizing the value of education in the future of our profession and is there to support your educational journey. From K12 outreach and public engagement, to professional development, to presenting and publishing scholarship of teaching and learning, ASM has been at the forefront of biology education. Under the leadership of visionary directors such as Amy Chang and now Irene …

The Impact Of Using History On Learning In Physics Laboratory Settings, Patrick W. Clouse

Dissertations

Integrating History of Science (HOS) into science courses has many benefits. Students demonstrate improved scientific content knowledge, develop their understanding of Nature of Science (NOS), and improve their attitudes towards science. However, barriers prevent instructors from effectively incorporating history into their teaching. The traditions and culture of science instruction, individual teacher attitudes and skills, existing institutional frameworks, and prevailing curricular materials all prevent HOS integration. Preservice teachers may never be exposed to HOS in their science or education courses, meaning they lack experience and knowledge surrounding the benefits of HOS. Therefore, alternative avenues for effective integration should be considered to …

Class Struggle And The Socialist Economic Calculation Debate, Tiago Camarinha Lopes

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

The socialist economic calculation debate is often portrayed as a sharp and straightforward conflict between two opposing sides. While this characterization is valid given the ideological clash between defenders of capitalism and proponents of socialism, this paper offers a more nuanced perspective on the interaction between the main schools of economic thought involved in the debate, the Marxist and the Austrian. Drawing on the humanist approach of critical pedagogy developed by Brazilian philosopher Paulo Freire (1921–1997), the paper argues that the debate over socialist economic calculation is not only a clear expression of class struggle within economics. It also involves …

Differentiating And Accommodating Ocd And Anxiety In Mathematical Contexts, Madeline F. Gavares

Interdivisional Studies Summer Fellows

Students in mathematics classrooms may experience emotional and cognitive challenges that affect how they engage with coursework and assessments. While math anxiety has been widely documented, less attention has been given to how obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), particularly checking behaviors, may influence students’ experiences in math settings. This study explores how students who report math anxiety and those who report OCD symptoms describe their engagement with math tasks and test-taking. Drawing on survey and interview data from students and teachers, this study examines how these experiences are articulated and perceived in academic math contexts, rather than evaluating ability or outcomes. By …

From Learner To Leader: Exploring Principals' Perspectives On Professional Learning, Development, And Mentoring, Eric William Kausch

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This purpose of this qualitative study was to examine veteran secondary school principals’ engagement in professional learning, development, and mentoring for the improvement of their leadership skills. While previous literature provides insight into administrative preparation programs, mentoring of novice leaders, and succession planning for those advancing their careers, there are fewer studies that discuss enhancing experienced principals’ leadership development. The study was guided by three research questions: (1) How do principals describe their experiences participating in professional learning and development? (2) What types of leadership experiences do principals engage in to improve their leadership skills? and (3) How does engaging …

Polarized Truth Decay & The Role Of Education In A Democracy, Sonja Varbelow, William Yaworsky

Anthropology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this paper is to delineate the causes and dangers of truth decay for a democracy, the role education has played in the process, and how education can present a resistance to this dangerous trend. Truth decay has been characterized as an increase in quantity of opinion over fact, divergent views on what constitutes a fact, and decreased confidence of traditional sources of information. We agree that truth decay is a serious problem but would characterize it somewhat differently. Opinions, divergent views, and decreased confidence in traditional sources of information are not detrimental by themselves. Instead, we see …

The Open Wiki Of Electrochemical Methods (Owem): A Community-Driven Educational Resource, Anderson Fuller, Devin Rappleye

Reviews, Analyses, and Instructional Studies in Electrochemistry (RAISE)

The traditional resources for learning electrochemical methods—textbooks, academic literature, and university coursework—remain essential but are limited in accessibility, update frequency, and practical usability. This paper introduces the Open Wiki of Electrochemical Methods (OWEM), an open-access, community-driven platform designed to complement these resources. OWEM organizes content into equations, definitions, methods, tutorials, and supplementary articles, with a heavy emphasis on experimental relevance. A case study on cyclic voltammetry demonstrates how OWEM consolidates foundational theory, lesser-known results, and practical guidance within a continuously maintainable framework to benefit the broader electrochemistry community.

Afakasi: An Ambiguous Space In A Monolithic Education System, Jacqueline F. Buckley

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Throughout American history, examinations of ethnicity have mainly focused on a binary of Black and White (White, 2007, p. 339). Little study has been conducted on the nation's ethnic minorities, including Arabs, Jews, Asians, Micronesians, Melanesians, and Polynesians. The White race has effectively become the nation's default race (Khoshneviss, 2018, p. 19). Furthermore, research on the experiences of individuals of mixed ethnicity, particularly in education, remains limited. This study will uncover the mixed-ethnic Afakasi (half Samoan and half White) experience of myself as an educator who lived through and taught within the American K-12 system, experiencing the status quo curriculum …

The Relationship Between Musical Aptitude And Multiple Intelligences In High School Music Students, Rachel Connor

Masters Theses

This quantitative correlational study examines the relationship between musical aptitude, measured by Edwin Gordon’s GIA assessments, and students’ predominant multiple intelligences (MIs), as defined by Howard Gardner. Although MI has been widely researched, little is known about how intelligence strengths relate specifically to musically adept students. High school music students at Fayetteville Christian School in Fayetteville, NC, were first assessed using the GIA to identify those demonstrating musical aptitude. Eligible students then completed the AMI R/ARCH Profile to determine their strongest MI. A correlational analysis examined whether specific intelligence strengths are commonly associated with musical aptitude. Grounded in Gardner’s MI …

Optimistic And Ambivalent Attitudes Toward Clinical Artificial Intelligence, Sevi̇l Uygun İli̇khan, Si̇nem Ülke, Mahmut Özer, Matjaž Perc, Yavuz Ayhan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being integrated into healthcare systems; however, healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding AI remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to evaluate healthcare professionals’ perceptions of AI in clinical practice.

Materials and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 260 healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and healthcare technicians working at a tertiary public hospital in Türkiye. Participants completed the Healthcare Professionals and Artificial Intelligence Questionnaire, which assessed demographic characteristics, AI knowledge, workplace AI use, attitudes toward AI applications, ethical and legal concerns, perceived professional impact, and educational needs.

Results: Most participants reported limited AI knowledge; …

Innovation Hubs In Mountain West Cities, 2025, Cason Noll, Sean Curry, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet presents data on 20 innovation-dense Mountain West cities across Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The CommercialCafe report, “Santa Clara, Berkeley & Tempe Lead Among Western Innovation Hubs,”  uses 15 indicators to rank 63 western cities for innovation hub activity across three categories: employment and talent, education, and business activity.

Nurturing Engaged Citizenship In Kindergarten: An Exploration Of Teacher Beliefs And Practices, Daria Smirnova, Ilene R. Berson, Michael J. Berson

Democracy & Education

This study explores how kindergarten teachers foster civic engagement in young learners as part of a larger multi-case study on civic education in kindergarten classrooms serving low-income students in the Southeastern United States. Five teachers were interviewed using video elicitation techniques, which involved using video clips to prompt discussion and reflection. Findings indicate that teachers educate for civic engagement within the personally responsible and participatory paradigms of good citizenship (Westheimer & Kahne, 2004) and intuitively align their beliefs and practices with the Educating for American Democracy principles (EAD, 2021). Their efforts include modeling citizenship, fostering collaborative learning and community building, …

Affective Alignment And Hidden Conflicts: Political Emotions In Blended Spaces Of Democratic Education Classrooms, Sonja Helkala

Democracy & Education

The interaction between emotions and politics is evident in democratic education settings. This study contributes to the literature on the role of political emotions in democratic education by shedding light on the significance that the new digital and social media environments have for the manifestation of political emotions in educational contexts. In Finnish schools, political issues are incorporated into the curriculum, and political questions are addressed as part of democratic education and political identities are formed. However, there has been relatively little research on political emotions in schools. This article explores political emotions in democratic education practice through an empirical …

Making A Phrenological America: How The Science Of The Skull Influenced Reform Movements In The United States, Nathan C. Tamkin

History Undergraduate Senior Theses

No abstract provided.

Course Portfolio: Elements Of Physics Phys 151, Evan A. Rich

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This course portfolio documents the instructional design, teaching methods, and ongoing assessment efforts for PHYS 151: Elements of Physics, an algebra-based introductory physics course at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The course serves a broad undergraduate population, including architecture, construction management, and life science majors. The portfolio describes the teaching framework that integrates pre-lecture video preparation, active in-class engagement through iClicker questions, and collaborative weekly recitation sections, all unified around a structured six-step problem-solving approach. A central concern of the course is building students’ self-efficacy in physics, particularly among those with math anxiety or limited preparation. Two assessments are reported: a …