Digital Commons Network^™

The Influence Of Undergraduate Research Assistant Experiences On Future Nursing Roles, Kelsy Mitchell, Julie Rekiere, Jane S. Grassley

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Undergraduate nursing students have difficulty comprehending the relevance of research to their future as nurses. Working as an undergraduate research assistant may provide opportunities to develop an appreciation of research. The purpose of this study was to explore former undergraduate research assistants' perceptions of their experience and its effects on their practice as professional nurses. This study used a qualitative descriptive design. Seven former undergraduate research assistants were interviewed. Interview transcripts were analyzed for themes using content analysis. Data analysis yielded three main themes: immersion in the research process, empowered to practice evidence-based nursing, and future …

Mirrors Of Our Own: Multiracial Representation In Children’S Picture Books, Kiana Foster-Mauro

Honors Scholar Theses

The United States multiracial population is a fast-growing portion of our population. As the multiracial population grows, so does the need for multiracial representation within books. This study analyzed the representation of multiracial individuals in children’s picture books for ages newborn-8. I identified 75 board and picture books published in the United States between the years 2009 and 2019 that feature mixed race characters. The identified texts were analyzed in a critical content analysis using a framework based upon Critical Race Theory. Through this framework, I examined how multiracial characters in the texts are portrayed, the power dynamics, and what …

Correcting Student Motivation In A Mathematics Classroom, Joshua Mcpheron

Honors Projects

The intentions of this action research study are to analyze the motivational components of students in a classroom and test which forms of encouragement will create the most motivation. Utilizing the Motivational Systems Theory of Martin E. Ford, students will be measured quantitatively and qualitatively for their classroom motivation and which component of the theory causes them to lack it. The results will reveal how each type of student responds to different teaching styles, and how they will be motivated as a result.

Finding Voice From The Inside: How Postsecondary Education Impacted Perceptions Of Higher Education For Long-Term Incarcerated Juveniles, Gregory Barraza

Education (PhD) Dissertations

There is a gap in the literature with regard to postsecondary opportunities for incarcerated youth. Minimal research and curriculum design are rarely available for the purpose of improving juvenile postsecondary correctional education thereby limiting recidivism rates of students in the juvenile justice system. The pilot program in this study attempted to provide a complete and comprehensive university program for long-term incarcerated juveniles to get them on track to obtain a bachelor’s degree. This dissertation addresses the high school experiences, including the School to Prison Pipeline and the academic experience to provide background information, justifying the importance of creating postsecondary academic …

College Student Changing Attitudes And Beliefs About The Nature Of And Teaching Of Mathematics And Science, Stephen R. Skinner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With an estimated 17.3 million STEM jobs in the US, there exists a need for a STEMready workforce that is science literate with positive attitudes and beliefs toward the learning and teaching of mathematics and science (Graf, Fry, & Funk, 2018). However, the US has seen a steady decline in the number of high school students interested in STEM-related fields with only 16% of interested students with proven proficiency in mathematics and science and are ready to enroll in college STEM programs (ACT, 2017; Osborne & Dillon, 2008; Stake & Mares, 2001). With the decline in student interest, the US …

The Incorporation And Effect Of Movement In The Elementary Classroom, Caroline L. Rhett

Honors Theses

The main purpose of this thesis project was to examine the incorporation of movement in preschool and elementary classrooms and identify its effects. A review of methodology from musicians/educators such as Zoltán Kodály, Carl Orff, and Emile Jacques-Dalcroze provided a foundation for the research topic. Other factors surrounding music and movement included the physical, mental, and developmental aspects. These factors were studied through the lens of authors and researchers such as Howard Gardner.

The practice used was primarily observation, which took place in local music classrooms as well as at a Carl Orff Workshop. Observation led to the conclusion that …

Employing Empathy: Using Video Simulations As An Intervention To Educate Social Work Students, Charles Adam Laffiteau

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A video simulation featuring a Master of Social Work (MSW) student assessing a fictional client, portrayed by a professionally trained student actor, dealing with suicidal ideations was developed to model empathetic and reflective techniques. The video simulation was filmed in collaboration with University of Arkansas Global Campus and is part of an interdisciplinary educational pilot program. This pilot program builds upon traditional role-play scenarios by incorporating experiential learning within the creation of cost-effective simulated interactions that employ student actors as standardized clients. Combining social learning theory and constructivism allows Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students to observe and analyze the …

Tiny Tusks: Breastfeeding And Infant Support Internship Review, Blair Wilhelm

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks: Breastfeeding and Infant Support is a tent and lactation room at University of Arkansas athletic events such as men's basketball and football games that allows moms that are breastfeeding a comfortable and private area. Tiny Tusks aims to empower and educate moms about the benefits of breastfeeding and decrease the stigma behind it. The tent offers comfortable chairs, a changing table, arts and crafts for younger kids and educational pamphlets and brochures. Tiny Tusks is run by certified lactation consultants, BSN honors students and Eleanor Mann School of Nursing faculty. Participants were asked to fill out a survey …

Integrating An Action Plan Into The Standard Entrepreneurial Higher Education Curriculum, Blakely Broder

Honors College Theses

In these increasingly complex times, entrepreneurship has become a common tool for innovative, economic, and social growth. Its adaptability has made it a prime instrument for addressing market failures and facilitating innovation (as cited in McMullen & Cahoon, 1979). Due to entrepreneurship’s crucial role in our modern, innovation-based economy, there has been a particular interest in the efficacy of current entrepreneurial education curriculums and instruction methods.

Discussion has risen about how to design the most effective entrepreneurial higher education curriculum. An effective curriculum in this context would be defined as one that yields the most value creation (Bruyat & Julien …

Learning To Leave: Filipino Families And The Making Of The Global Filipino Nurse, Yasmin Y. Ortiga

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This chapter investigates how this process of reconfiguring the “social” plays out in the context of the Philippines’ labor export system and pervasive culture of emigration. Focusing on the case of Filipino nursing graduates seeking to work overseas, this chapter discusses how the success of the Philippines’ labor-brokering process relies on individuals who can take on the responsibility of transforming themselves, mainly through education and training, into desirable workers for future employers. While the migration literature had largely framed emigration as an individual aspiration and project, this chapter demonstrates how families subsidize the Philippine state’s labor export system by taking …

Social Support As A Risk Factor Of Postpartum Depression Among Women Of Various Ethnicity, Jingle Xu

MSN Capstone Projects

Postpartum depression is considered the most important mental disorder after delivery because of the high prevalence and the serious negative mother-baby outcomes. Education and support of mothers for postpartum depression are deeply held values of nursing care during pregnancy and the postpartum period (Ladewig, London & Davidson, 2014). Risk factors are the common target of these interventions, among which social support is one of the most popular factors in research currently. Social support is composed of instrumental, informational, and emotional support given by a social network to maintain an individual’s mental health status when they are faced with significant or …

The Implementation Of A Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prevention And Awareness Pamphlet In The Daycare Setting, Kaylie Marie Humphreys

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the number one cause of bronchiolitis in children under five years of age and regretfully the number one cause of hospitalization in the first year of life. RSV leads to over three million hospitalizations, two million outpatient visits, and 200,000 deaths in the pediatric population globally each year. While no vaccine is currently available to prevent the spread of RSV, efforts must be shown in spreading awareness of strategies utilized in infection prevention such as hand hygiene and properly covering a cough or sneeze.

This project aimed to present this education to a target population …

Soil Quality Tests For Classroom Use, Kathleen Thompson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Soil analysis can traditionally be carried out by professional labs for a certain price, but this price adds up quickly when running many samples—as is often the case when pursuing a research question. Price is of particular concern in the classroom setting, where funding for student research can be limited.

This project examines several commercially produced soil test kits that are capable of testing a soil’s pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; parameters which are of primary importance for plant growth. The project provides an overview of each kit’s contents and properties, a scientific assessment of their precision and accuracy, and …

“Contact” Sports: Competitive Athletic Experience, Racial Attitudes, And Intergroup Contact, Savana Nawojski

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Allport’s (1954) Intergroup Contact hypothesis suggests that interaction among people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds can reduce prejudice, particularly in situations that involve cooperation and common goals. Although participation in competitive sports may provide opportunities for cooperative interaction among people from different racial backgrounds, and athletic teams tend to be more diverse at higher levels (NCAA 2019), relatively little work has examined the contact hypothesis in this context. Using a national representative data set (N = 966), we examine whether respondents’ levels of competitive athletic experience are related to their attitudes toward African Americans. We find no bivariate relationship …

Bangladesh: Covid-19 Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices And Needs, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

No abstract provided.

The True Capabilities Of American Education Policy, Mirren Galway

Political Science

This paper is an analysis of today’s American education system, how it has come to be, and why it seems to consistently fall behind when compared to other countries. Beginning with an evaluation of American education today, this paper follows the implementation of recent policy, the deep issues facing the education system and what can be done to address them. Specifically, it explores why, despite such bipartisan legislation like the No Child Left Behind Act, many students and teachers are still being left behind, and why common arguments about education policy continue to fail students. I argue that, although new …

The Development Of A Culturally-Informed Cervical Cancer Screening And Prevention Mhealth Intervention For African American Women., Ariel Washington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Significant strides have been made in reducing the burden of cervical cancer and HPV. Between pap smear screenings and HPV vaccinations, there has been a reduction in cervical cancer incidence in the United States. Unfortunately, those reductions have not been experienced by all ethnic groups. Cervical cancer disparities are a threat to the health of African American women, and innovation in education and the healthcare experience is needed to eliminate this threat. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a culturally tailored intervention using mHealth services to improve cervical cancer and HPV knowledge. Methods: The development and evaluation of …

A Review Of The Population Council Community Of Practice’S Theory Of Change: Why Investments In Girls Should Be Prioritized In Human Security, Economic, And Social Inclusion Initiatives—Slide Deck, Judith Bruce, Sophie Soares

Adolescents and Young People

No abstract provided.

Globalization: A Blessing Or A Curse For Women In Developing Countries, Magaly Denisse Carrillo Terriquez

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Countries have been able to exchange goods and services as well as intellectual property. However, they have not addressed how these changes affect those that are considered a vulnerable population, women. The feminization of poverty is a real problem in our globalized society, where women form 70% of the world’s poor. This paper investigates globalization’s impact on women empowerment by focusing on maternal mortality and female primary education in eighty-seven developing countries. The literature suggests that an increase of globalization leads to a decrease in maternal death and to an increase in female primary education. The pooled data set was …

Introducing Science Education In Early Childhood, Marissa M. Arciniega

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The increasing focus on literacy development and kindergarten readiness in preschool has created a lack of science education in early childhood education. In recent research, Head Start found that of the four academic readiness domains for preschoolers (i.e., language, literacy, math, and science), science is the lowest-performing area amongst students in their program (Bustamante, White, & Greenfield, 2018). Research is showing that declining performance in science is partly due to the lack of science education in classrooms. Lack of science is not only affecting school performance down the road, but it also limits children in receiving the benefits of early …

Math Acquisition Skills And Sensory Play In Toddlerhood, Anisa Dunkley

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Young children lack early math exposure. Even young children within educational institutions prior to kindergarten lack math instruction in comparison to literacy instruction. Early math skills are one of the best predictors of later math skills. The following project works to address this need with a two day lesson plan for students age 12 months to 36 months in regards to shapes, colors, and application skills.

Rescuing An Eradicated Subject: How One Elementary School Is Using California State Funding And Resources For Visual Art, Riley K. Rosette

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this research project was to determine if an elementary school in California, was getting the resources and funding needed to integrate visual art into curriculum. It was found that California had increased funding for the arts and arts organizations.To encourage art-integration, The California Board of Education created Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Common Core Standards, which encompassed a broad range of art disciplines at the k-5 level. Although VAPA standards were strongly encouraged, local school boards determined their inclusion. Even though there had been a push to include the arts, California was found to be behind in …

Teachers Collaboration With Gear Up Extra College Readiness Resource For Students, Brenda Monroy

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project was implemented for the Gear Up and college preparedness program located at the local Seaside High School. Gear Up serves 10th grade students at seaside high school. Most of the students served come from low-income families, from minority groups and are considered first generation college students. The problem addressed by the capstone is that too many Seaside High students are not applying for Community College, CSUs and UC’s. The project consisted of collaborating with Seaside High staff including teachers, administration and counselors to include college preparedness instruction as part of the existing curriculum to increase the number …

Too Much Homework, Diana Aguirre

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone examines the correct amount of homework to give Kindergarten to 2^nd-grade students. The primary concern was finding the ideal amount of homework to have the best benefits to students without any harmful effects on students. Some research indicated that students’ grade levels should determine the amount of homework given to students. Some studies explained the negative consequences to family and students when too much homework is required. However, other research proposed that the quality of homework mattered; that busy work was inappropriate to give students. We also examined some of the educational practices of different countries.

Inclusive Ensembles: Differentiating For The Singer On The Autism Spectrum, Natalie Wilkins, Natalie A. Wilkins

Honors College Theses

Exceptional children belong in music classrooms. Music ensemble directors need to overcome complex challenges to meet the goal of inclusion, because ensembles often include a mixture of ages, grades, social and intellectual development stages, musical skills, and a wide variety of diverse learning needs. This study focuses on how a choral ensemble director may create an inclusive environment for students on the Autism Spectrum.

This study reviewed the current research on inclusive rehearsal environments. Analysis revealed varied methods for differentiation that allows students with special needs to thrive in a music classroom and also revealed that music can be a …

4d'S Of Spiritual Growth : The Local Church's Role In Spiritual Growth And Discipleship, Christopher M. Johnson

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Benefits For Integrating Physical Activity Into The Classroom, Danielle Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Engaging in physical activity is essential to one’s well-being, especially for a child since their body is still in the developing stages. This senior capstone research project examines the benefits of integrating physical activity in the classroom. Since there is less emphasis on being physically active, the value of physical activity decreases over time. For the time being, since sedentary lifestyles have been promoted, this put many children at a disadvantage. Not only do these lifestyles change in children’s lives, they also affect their academic performance as well. The results indicate that when students are encouraged to be more physically …

The Power Of Pursuing Lifelong Learning, Natalina Decker

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This study examined student’s access to advanced education and how parents, school personnel, and community members could prepare students for life beyond K-12 education. Due to the CO-VID Pandemic, this study was limited to a literature review of multiple scholarly and peer-reviewed articles. Analyzation of these articles revealed several trends in the opportunity gap, the importance of school-family-community partnerships, and the benefit of resources that assist future high school graduates with the necessary knowledge and tools needed to apply for undergraduate or vocational programs. Findings also indicate that academic preparation and support for young scholars throughout their K-12 education are …

The History Of Learning Disabilities And The Hidden Stories Of Students, Parents, And Teachers: How Traditional Classrooms Can Improve, Gabriella G. Catania

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This research will differentiate between the various learning disabilities and their history of when they were first discovered. This research reveals how classrooms have improved and what needs to be changed in order to guarantee every student can receive an equal education despite their learning disability. This paper is constructed through research and interviews with parents, teachers, and students about why the education system needs to move against conformity and standardization. This research demonstrates each learning disability and its effect on students learning. The main focus is on what issues need to be improved in the traditional education system to …

An Investigation Of The Impacts Of Traditional, Virtual, And Hybrid Biological Laboratories On College Students’ Achievement And Motivation To Learn Biology, Shavonda Jackson

Dissertations

Virtual courses function in a different manner than traditional courses, therefore they require teaching methods and assessment techniques geared specifically to maximize this learning experience. Internet-based learning and distance-education are no longer new concepts in the science field. Because of this, many collegiate biology programs have created courses that can be taken virtual or hybrid. A number of experimental studies have had great influence in terms of the effects and impacts of educational technology in relation to virtual laboratories.

However, not many studies emphasize the impact of hybrid laboratories on student achievement or assess students’ motivation to learn in a …