Digital Commons Network^™

Rethinking Legal Education: Demystifying Neurodiversity And Building An Inclusive Future, Jennifer Kindred Mitchell, Charlie Amiot

The Journal of Law Teaching and Learning

This article contributes significantly to the discourse on legal education by arguing that embracing neurodiversity not only enhances the learning environment for all students but also cultivates a legal profession that is truly reflective of societal diversity. Ultimately, neurodiversity should be embraced as an asset. By adopting inclusive practices, legal education can nurture the promise of ND students and improve outcomes for all. This article seeks to inspire a new paradigm that celebrates neurocognitive diversity’s contributions to the legal profession.

Neurodivergent (ND) students comprise approximately a quarter of the law school population, yet traditional legal education often fails to meet …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Teachers’ Responses And Adaptation To How They Transitioned From Traditional Classrooms To Partial Or Full Virtual Learning Environments Post Covid-19, Kaprice L. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the responses and adaptation process for public school teachers in a southern state that transitioned from traditional classrooms to full or partial online learning environments post-COVID-19. The theory that guided this study was the Theory of Adaptation of Educators Teaching Technology-Based Courses, which theorizes that educators experience phases of transformation visioning, learning, rationalizing and doing, and modernizing that foster resilience and adaptability within evolving educational landscapes (Pinatil & Ramos, 2023). Guided by the social constructivist paradigm, the study examined how teachers adjusted instructional strategies, demonstrated emotional resilience, and integrated technology …

Predicting Income Satisfaction From Artists’ Annual Income And Collegiate Embedded Entrepreneurial Knowledge And Skills, Joy Albert Quarmout

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study was to determine how accurately income satisfaction could be predicted from a linear combination of annual income and inclusion of entrepreneurial knowledge and skills curricula in liberal arts education programs among public college graduates within the past ten years. A purposive sample of 87 graduates was drawn from universities with established art programs who graduated one to ten years ago. The planned behavior theory formed the logic model that guided the thought process, attitude, and reasoning behind this study. The research instrument, The Strategic National Arts Alumni Project: Survey Questionnaire, served as …

Towards Socially Legitimized Trust In Ai-Learning Systems, Sanket Patole, Rob E. Carpenter, Reed M. Milewicz, Rose M. Baker, John R. Turner

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

AI-enabled learning technologies are rapidly becoming institutional infrastructure. In this context, “trust” cannot be treated as a simple user attitude or a byproduct of technical performance. We argue that durable trust in AI-enabled learning systems is fundamentally a legitimacy outcome: stakeholders must judge AI-mediated practices as appropriate, credible, and defensible within the normative and governance structures of learning environments. Building on socio-technical systems scholarship and institutional legitimacy theory, we introduce Socially Legitimized Trust (SLT), a framework that helps us understand adoption stability and contestation through alignment among three foundations: technocratic validation (credible evidence of capability, limits, and reliability), social validation …

Tempest-Tossed: 50 Years Later, Carl P. Fictorie

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

Beyond Equality To Belonging: The Missing Value In Equal Protection Law Involving Education, Danieli Evans

Washington Law Review

Belonging is a fundamental need without which people cannot function optimally. Accordingly, school belonging—students’ perceptions of mattering or feeling cared about, accepted, respected and valued by faculty, staff, and peers—impacts students’ well-being, academic motivation and outcomes.

Equal Protection jurisprudence governing education largely overlooks the value of school belonging. Instead, it centers on a formal conception of equality, or an “anti-classification” principle, which essentially prohibits purposeful discrimination based on a fixed set of suspect traits. This formalistic “anti-classification” approach permits many policies and practices that undermine students’ sense of school belonging and inhibits schools from taking certain measures to foster belonging. …

Feedback In Digital Game-Based Learning: A Taxonomy And The Design And Empirical Evaluation Of A Feedback System In A Mathematics Serious Game, André Almo

Dissertations

Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) is an active, student-centred pedagogical approach in which feedback plays a central role by informing learners’ actions, guiding decision-making and shaping motivation and engagement. Despite its importance, feedback in serious games is often described inconsistently and insufficiently in research, limiting comparability across studies and the accumulation of design knowledge, particularly for children. This thesis addresses these gaps through two complementary contributions: the development of a taxonomy for feedback design in digital serious games and the empirical evaluation of a taxonomy-informed feedback system in a mathematics game for primary school students. First, this work introduces the Taxonomy …

The Urban Talented Tenth: Race, Higher Education, And The Law Of Opportunity, Walter A. Jean-Jacques

Marquette Benefits and Social Welfare Law Review

This Article reexamines W.E.B. Du Bois’s theory of the “Talented Tenth” through the lens of contemporary African American males in urban educational contexts. Drawing on historical origins, critical race theory, and modern jurisprudence surrounding higher education, it argues that law and policy have systematically overlooked those who form what this Article terms the “Urban Talented Tenth.” These students, often lacking traditional markers of privilege, navigate structural inequities while achieving academic excellence. By situating their experiences against the backdrop of landmark Supreme Court cases such as Brown v. Board of Education, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, Grutter v. …

Latinos In Massachusetts: Puerto Ricans, Phillip Granberry, Florita Coto Tristán, Melissa Colón

Gastón Institute Publications

As part of the Gastón Institute’s 2025 Latinos in Massachusetts series, we present here a profile of Puerto Ricans, the largest Latino population in the state. This report analyzes Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS), conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Our descriptive analysis uses both household- and individual-level data to estimate population size and percentages and to compare Puerto Ricans to Other Latinos and Non-Latinos in the state.

Meeting The Challenge Of Civic Education In Hyperpolarized Times, Linda C. Mcclain

Faculty Scholarship

What role can civic education play in polarized times? That is the pressing question posed by Civic Education in Polarized Times, edited by Elizabeth Beaumont and Eric Beerbohm.1 As Beaumont’s introduction explains, “as political polarization has intensified across the world, civic education seems more urgent, but it has also become more challenging.” (P. 1.) The volume brings together an eminent group of education scholars, legal scholars, political theorists, and philosophers to consider challenging questions about how to carry out civic education “in a polarized era” and “for a polarized era.” (P. 2.)

Changing Minds And Lives: A Substance Use Awareness Campaign, Alyssa Collins, Claire Wolfer-Jenkins, Rachel Isaac

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Introduction: In 2024, 48.4million Americans experienced a substance use disorder (SUD),with opioid use disorder representing a significant concern. In 2024, an estimated 8 million individuals misused opioids, contributing to 54,743 fatal overdoses. College students are particularly vulnerable, with 20% reporting illicit substance use within the past month, highlighting the urgent need for focused interventions in this population.

Project Overview: Boiler Substance Awareness Network (BSAN) is a campus initiative funded by the Lead Forward Fellowship grant. BSAN educates the Purdue community about SUD to reduce stigma and foster a recovery-friendly environment. The focus is on two objectives: preparing students to respond …

Understanding School Board Members' Perspectives On Governance, Policymaking, And Training In Florida: A Phenomenological Study, Jacqueline Rosario

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This hermeneutic phenomenology study was conducted to explore Florida school board members’ perspectives on onboarding and ongoing training in governance and policymaking, emphasizing reflective interpretation to analyze participants' life experiences. The guiding theory for this study was Bass's theory of transformational leadership, which was relevant to school board governance and policymaking as it provided insights into democratic principles and leadership in public education. The central research question was: What were the lived experiences of school board members with onboarding and ongoing training in preparation for governance and policymaking in Florida? The data collection methods used triangulation through a questionnaire, an …

Expanding Access To Justice Through Legal Tech Innovation And Education: Aals Panel Discussions, Miguel Willis, April Dawson, Antonio Coronado, Diego Alcalá Laboy, Mark Williams, Margaret Hagan, Leighanne Thompson, Drew Amerson, Dan Jackson, Andrew Perlman

Seattle University Law Review Online

The 2025 AALS Annual Meeting featured a half-day AALS Symposium entitled, “Expanding Access to Justice Through Legal Tech Innovation and Education." Panel One was moderated by Miguel Willis and featured three panelists: April Dawson, Antonio Coronado, and Diego Alcalá Laboy. Panel Two was moderated by Mark Williams and featured two panelists: Margaret Hagan and LeighAnne Thompson. Panel Three was moderated by LeighAnne Thompson and featured four panelists: Drew Amerson, Dan Jackson, Andrew Perlman, and Miguel Willis. This article features transcripts from all three panels, edited for clarity and readability.

The Impact Of Targeted Professional Development On Principals’ Instructional Leadership And The Cultivation Of Positive School Culture, Anastasia M. Opahle

Dissertations

Effective principal leadership is the cornerstone of effective schools, as it has been shown to increase student success. In the State of Wisconsin, there is currently no requirement for ongoing professional development for principals. This study examined the impact of professional development targeted at principal leadership on student achievement and school culture. Using a mixed methods approach, results showed principals who participated in a yearlong principal cohort indicated their leadership skills improved. The qualitative data showed the participating principals believed the targeted professional development was collaborative, reflective, relevant, and actionable. This research indicates that sustained, targeted professional development is crucial …

Reflection On ‘Adolescence’ And Mental Health, Souraha Longo

Introduction to Public Health

A brief summary & reflection of the Netflix Drama Adolescence (from a Public Health perspective).

Beyond The City Limits: Representations Of Rurality And Lgbtqia+ Youth In Young Adult Literature, Michelle L. Page

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

Narratives of flight from rural to urban areas predominate in research related to LGBTQIA+ communities. Thus, rural LGBTQIA+ young people rarely see representations of themselves or their environments, especially positive portrayals. Such representations are important in that they are productive of identities, not just reflective of them. This study examines a collection of young adult literature with LGBTQIA characters and rural settings, analyzing the portrayals of place (rurality) and identity (LGBTQIA+). In this paper I will demonstrate how current LGBTQIA+ young adult literature reinforces dominant narratives that privilege urbanity and I assert that counternarratives to the rural flight story are …

Brief Of Amici Curiae The Notre Dame Law Education Project And Utah Education Fits All In Support Of Appellants, Tyler R. Green, Nicole Stelle Garnett

Court Briefs

No. 20250512-SC
Derek Brown, Attorney General v. Kevin Labresh

From the Argument

No one doubts the significant public interest in K-12 education. Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483, 493 (1954) (“[E]ducation is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments.”). And, for centuries, the critical responsibility for educating young people has been borne in significant part by private schools. Indeed, for many decades, private schools were essentially the only source of childhood education in the United States. It is a role those schools served—and continue to serve—well. While in Utah, as elsewhere, public schools are …

Perceived Educational Value Of Different Types Of Simulation In Occupational Therapy Education: A Mixed-Methods Study, Marie-Eve Bolduc, Barbara Shankland, Bernadette Nedelec

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Simulation is an important instructional method in occupational therapy (OT) programs. However, it remains unclear if the various types of simulation hold the same educational value. The objective of this study was to determine the perceived educational value of three different types of simulations (role-play between students, live scenarios with simulated patients [SPs] and tele-simulation with SPs) and the factors that contributed to a higher educational value. This cross-sectional study used a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. An online questionnaire was used, and two focus groups were conducted to develop a richer understanding of the answers obtained in the questionnaire. Forty-two …

Preferences Of Health Professions Learners: A Scoping Review Of The Use And Role Of Dces In Health Professions Education, Sarah O'Neal, Natalie Smith, Jan Ostermann Ph.D., Binbin Zheng, Laiton Steele, Chris Gillette

Faculty Publications

While discrete choice experiments (DCE), have increasingly been used in the medical literature, little is known about the use of these methods for eliciting preferences from and about students and trainees in health professions. The objectives of this scoping review are to (1) describe the extent to which DCEs have been used in health professions’ education, (2) identify which health professionals have been studied, and (3) identify thematic areas of research in which these methods have been used thematic areas. Between June and September 2024, we conducted a scoping review of the PubMed/Medline, EconLit, Web of Science, and Global Index …

High School Dropout Rates Among Latin Students In The United States, Taryn T. Marriott

Student Works

An ongoing concern of educators and community members is the disproportionately high amounts of Latinx students dropping out of high school in the United States. Although there has been notable research done and action taken, the problem still remains. Lack of familial support, discrimination, and residence in low-income areas all contribute to the low retention rates of Latinx youth on track to graduate high school. As a result, youth who do not complete their education and set their sights on career goals have a harder time with employment, communicating in their society, and tend to show higher levels of engagement …

Conducting A Qualitative Umbrella Review For Novice Researchers: A Critical Reflection Of Primary Documents, Mónica Fontana, Celia Camilli Trujillo

The Qualitative Report

The need for scientific evidence in education has accelerated systematic reviews. However, the practice of conducting umbrella reviews is not yet common in education. Among the possible reasons for the scarce number of umbrella reviews in education is the lack of knowledge of the steps required to conduct them and the specific challenges of this method. Their usefulness in the educational context lies in their ability to offer new findings of great scope and transferability based on evidence from multiple systematic reviews in an efficient and in-depth manner. This study provides a critical reflection on the methodological implications of conducting …

Pathways, Outputs And Impact Of Nih-Supported Bioinformatics And Genomics Graduate Trainees In Africa, Daudi Jjingo, Andrew Walakira, Suhaila Hashim, Cisse Cheickna, Ronald Galiwango, Caleb Kibet, Florence N Kivunike, Gerald Mboowa, Fredrick Elishama Kakembo, Babajide Ayodele, Jean-Baka Domelevo Entfellner, Santie De Villiers, Karen Wambui, Segun Fatumo, Tinashe Chikowore, John Mukisa, Alfred Ssekagiri, Nicholas Bbosa, Julius Mulindwa, Samuel Kyobe, Mike Nsubuga, Grace Kebirungi, Eric Katagirya, Savannah Mwesigwa, Ibra Lujumba, Rogers Kamulegeya, Samuel Kirimunda, Stephen Kanyerezi, Shahiid Kiyaga, Ivan Sserwadda, Davis Kiberu, Bernard S Bagaya, Julius Okwir, Patricia Nabisubi, Grace Nabakooza, Mugume Twinamatsiko Atwine, Ricard Sserunjogi, Rolanda Julius, Mariam Quiñones, Meghan Mccarthy, Phillip Cruz, Karlynn Noble, Christopher J Whalen, Darrell Hurt, Maria Y Giovanni, Michael Tartakovsky, Deogratius Ssemwanga, John M Kitayimbwa, Steven J Reynolds, Christopher C Whalen, Andrew Kambugu, Neil A Hanchard, Li Jian, Peter Amoako-Yirenkyi, Graeme Mardon, I King Jordan, Samson Pandam Salifu, Mamadou Wele, Ezekiel Adebiyi, Jeffrey G Shaffer, Seydou Doumbia, David Patrick Kateete, Michelle Skelton, Nicola Mulder, Jonathan K Kayondo, Daniel Masiga, H3africa Consortium

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Global biomedical and health research is increasingly relying on genomic and computational approaches, largely driven by the increasing volumes of nucleic acid sequencing. Concurrently, epidemiological studies and clinical records are generating enormous amounts of data amenable to disease modeling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence techniques. Bioinformatics and data science expertise is therefore essential for improved population health. Accordingly, in 2012, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) in partnership with the Wellcome Trust, and with support from the African Society for Human Genetics, initiated the H3Africa (Human Heredity and Health in Africa) consortium. One of its key goals was to …

Investigating The Viability Of Fully Online Asynchronous Physics Instruction In Formal Education, Clifton W. Massey-Noel

Physics Dissertations

In this dissertation we present results from two consecutive investigations into the fully online asynchronous modality in Physics Education. We first discuss the efficacy of a fully online asynchronous section of Modern Physics held in Fall 2024. The asynchronous section is compared with four prior partially-flipped sections of the same class, two of which were held in-person, and two of which were held synchronously online. Results suggest that all three modalities can be made to be about equally as effective. We also discuss the efficacy of a fully online asynchronous section of Calculus-Based Introductory Mechanics held in Fall 2025. The …

Reading Wars, Don Herzog

Books

Once again, we’re fighting wars over reading. Who gets to read? What do they get to read? These days, the right is obsessed with removing LGBTQ books from school and public library shelves and ensuring students read only the Correct version of American history. The left is obsessed with eradicating right-wing fantasies, not to mention outright lies, from the internet, and with airbrushing or even purging racist texts. You don’t have to stoop to whataboutery to notice a suspicious resemblance. But once again is wrong. We’ve always fought these wars, even if the enemies come and go. In this book, …

Uae Traditional Folklore Through Modern Media And Its Educational Potential: The Case Of Freej, Shahad Imad Mostafa

Theses

This mixed‑methods study examined how the Emirati animated series Freej preserves traditional folklore through vernacular language, dialect, and idiomatic expressions, and evaluated its educational potential. Guided by four questions on folklore representation, dialect/idiom use, the role of the characters, and curricular applicability, the research combined content analysis of selected episodes, interviews coding and a survey of 100 Emirati participants; survey data were summarized with descriptive statistics to triangulate qualitative insights.

Findings indicated that audiences overwhelmingly perceived Freej as linguistically and culturally authentic: 95% rated the dialect as very/somewhat authentic, 94% said it reflects elders’ speech, and 89% felt the series …

How We Failed Our Children By Failing Them: A Legal Analysis Of Scrapping Of No-Detention Policy In India, Debargha Roy, Sarthak Sahoo

National Law School of India Review

The ratification of the Convention of the Rights of the Child by India in 1992 obligated her towards developing legislation and interpreting laws in harmony with the convention in a child-centred manner to protect the best interests of the child. With the reading of right to education as a part of Right to Life under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution by the Supreme Court, followed by the insertion of Article 21A by the Parliament that guaranteed the right to free and compulsory education to children from the age of six to fourteen, there was a need to introduce a …

Fiscal Illusion And Property Tax Porportionality, Cathy Lynn Johnson

Dissertations of Practice

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) has become a widely utilized economic development tool, allowing municipalities to capture future increases in property tax revenue within designated redevelopment areas.

The study’s purpose was to examine how TIF districts in Illinois affect the proportional distribution of property tax burdens and the allocation of property tax revenues to public school districts. Guided by Resource Allocation Theory, Public Choice Theory, and Fiscal Illusion, the study investigated how the exclusion of incremental EAV alters tax rate calculations and redistributes tax responsibility among taxpayers both within and outside of TIF boundaries. A quantitative analytical framework was developed and …

Noongar Culture, Arts Learning, And Wellbeing Literacy In Early Childhood: A Case Study Of The Song Room’S Deadly Arts Early Years Program In Western Australia Government Primary Schools, Jason Goopy, Narelle Lemon, Megan Mcpherson, Libby Jackson-Barrett, Jacqueline West

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This report presents findings from a case study examining how The Song Room's Deadly Arts Early Years program supports wellbeing literacy in early childhood education through engagement with Noongar culture, arts, and storytelling at Western Australia government primary schools. Conducted on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar at Huntingdale Primary School and Orelia Primary School, the research was co-designed with Indigenous and non-Indigenous teaching artists, school communities, and The Song Room.

The study adopted wellbeing literacy — the capability to understand and intentionally use language about and for wellbeing across contexts — as its theoretical framework. Creative arts-based methods, including draw and tell …

Integrated Incubators: A Novel Framework For Technology-Based Creative Arts Education, Brad Phelps Nisbet

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis investigates the development and impact of an educational framework designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry within the media and entertainment sector. It addresses the prevalent "skills mismatch" where graduates often lack the specific technical competencies, foundational knowledge, practical experience, or soft skills required for entry-level positions in a rapidly evolving landscape influenced by advancements like virtual production, real-time VFX, immersive media, and Al. Grounded in both theoretical and practical insights, the framework aims to foster student creativity, technical proficiency, industry readiness, transferable skills, and adaptability, prioritising a transformative, student-centric learning experience.

The research employed a …

Who Cares? A Critique Of Digital Classrooms In K–12 Education And What It Means For Students And Teachers, Jade R. Mccobb-Pratt

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis presents a critical analysis of digital classrooms, i.e., pre-made digital curriculum modules being used in in-person K–12 schools as a replacement for face-to-face instruction. By applying Martin Heidegger’s critique of modern technology, I will demonstrate that digital classrooms fundamentally alter the traditional classroom structure, centering it around domination and exploitation. I will expand Heidegger’s critique by drawing on Albert Borgman’s work to explain how digital classrooms commodify education, thus removing the possibility of a meaningful and enriching educational experience. These critiques run parallel to Michel Foucault’s critiques of discipline in schools. I will recount Foucault’s critiques, apply them …