Digital Commons Network^™

The Divine Comedy: A Work Of Medieval Mythology, Jamie Alexander

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Prior to The Divine Comedy (1308-1321), ideas about Purgatory were in the early stages of development. Purgatory had loose rituals surrounding its existence and it lacked depiction in written works. Yet in the following centuries, the fear of Purgatory and the practices of penance and indulgences reached a fever pitch, ultimately leading to the Protestant Reformation. Purgatory as a celestial location, and not just the “purgatorial fires” of the Bible, only began to develop in the twelfth century, but its fearful description and imagery in The Divine Comedy not only solidified previously nebulous understandings of Purgatory, but also increased anxiety …

Creative Writing Pedagogy: Building Curriculum For High School Students, Elizabeth Lengel

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis serves as a rationale for the creative writing pedagogy I use and how it serves my high school creative writing class. As my school district made the decision to overhaul our English curriculum, the English department decided to add Creative Writing as an English class elective.

The work for planning these new classes was spread around the English Department, and I was assigned to design the curriculum for the new Creative Writing class. Designing an entire class from scratch leaves a lot of room for creativity and innovation. However, as excited for this new course as I was, …

An Interdisciplinary Lesson Plan Of Social Studies And English Language Arts For Third Graders, Sidney L. Yant

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

My name is Sidney Yant and I am a current senior honors student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I am majoring in Elementary Education. For my honors senior project, I have created a four-week-long unit lesson plan that focuses on English Language Arts and Social Studies. This unit starts off with two weeks of separate lesson plans for English Language Arts and Social Studies and then the last two weeks the lessons are completely integrated together into one plan.

Data Driven Instruction In Teaching Poetry Analysis To Advanced Placement Literature And Composition Seniors, Andrea Reyes

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The goal of the poetry unit was to enhance students’ written ability by analyzing a variety of poetic literature to answer advanced placements practice prompts. I used the following research-based instructional strategies: homework and practice, nonlinguistic representations, and cooperative learning. I used the following research-based assessment strategies: essay writing, Quizizz, exit ticket, and topic, evidence, and analysis responses. The standards that the unit addressed are: LA.12.RP.2 Analyze the development and interaction of literary elements such as characterization, setting, and plot, and how they contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole, LA.12.V.2 Interpret an author’s use of figurative, …

My Little Poetic/Prose Book Of Words, Sayings, And Stories In Broken Spanish And A Little Bit Of German / Mi Libro Chiquito De Poética / Prosa De Palabras, Dichos, Y Historias Español Fracturado Y Un Poquetito Alemán, Sharon Ann Lucero

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I would like to thank Jonathan Taylor and Sarah Thompson for the wonderful job they did in providing me with feedback. I took into consideration all their comments. Their comments aligned with Dr. Powers, and I really took a deeper look into my Spanish/English translations on whether I should have them or not. I found a happy medium for all of it. I also went back and looked at the rest of the class’s comments and made sure that I did not miss any of the details that were pointed out to me the first time …

Lincoln's Carnegie Library: A History Of Community And Philanthropy, Emily Blomstedt

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Nebraska received 69 Carnegie libraries from the Carnegie foundation between 1899 and 1922. The first and most expensive Nebraska Carnegie library was granted to Lincoln in December 1899, after a fire destroyed Lincoln’s previous library. Lincoln’s main Carnegie library served the community between 1902 and 1960 before it was torn down in 1961 to build the present-day Bennett Martin library. This thesis explores the 60-year history of Lincoln’s Carnegie library, how it connects to national trends surrounding Carnegie libraries, and the role community and philanthropy played in the development of Lincoln’s public library system. These themes are examined through a …

The Good, The Bad, And The In Between: The Effects Of Covid19 & Remote Learning, Samantha Rivera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This Capstone Project delves into the perspectives of Bay High School teachers regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning on students' education. Through a thorough analysis of interviews and the relevant research literature, the study offers suggestions for addressing the learning setbacks experienced by students during this challenging period. It is argued that the implementation of effective tutoring programs is a promising approach that will help to bridge the education gap and support students in their academic recovery. By recognizing the unique challenges faced by students and educators, this project emphasizes the importance of informed interventions and …

Food Literacy And Applying Learnings Towards English Literacy, Andrew Wirtz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Food Literacy promotes the way people should consciously think about the food we ingest on a day-to-day basis. This paper explores how teachers can positively teach students how to be literate when it comes to food and how students can apply these learnings towards their English subject matter skills. This paper also explores how children from all economic backgrounds seek out highly processed foods (such as fast food) which are filled with various chemicals and additives, which in turn, can affect students' performance within the classroom in an negative manner.

Uganda Humanitarian Violence Against Children And Youth Survey, 2022: Summary Report, Francis Obare Onyango, George Odwe, Peter Kisaakye, Stephen Kizito, Yohannes Dibaba Wado, Francis Annor, Laura Chiang, Greta Massetti, Stella Muthuri, Gloria Seruwagi, Darlson Kusasira, Charles Bafaki, Katie Ogwang, Chi-Chi Undie

Humanitarian Task Force

Violence Against Children (VAC) refers to all forms of abuse or maltreatment of people under the age of 18 years. The Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS), led by national governments with technical assistance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of the Together for Girls partnership, have documented the magnitude and prevalence of physical, emotional, and sexual violence against children in more than 20 low- and middle-income countries, with a view to informing national prevention and response programs. Despite the precedent for understanding the extent of VAC from the perspectives of adolescents and …

Data-To-Action Workshop Report: Uganda Humanitarian Violence Against Children And Youth Survey (Hvacs), 2022, Chi-Chi Undie, Stella Muthuri, George Odwe, Gloria Seruwagi, Francis Obare Onyango, Peter Kisaakye, Stephen Kizito, Yohannes Dibaba Wado, Andres Villaveces, Michelle Hynes, Begona Fernandez, Constanza Ginestra, Darlson Kusasira, Charles Bafaki, Lydia Wasula, Katie Ogwang

Humanitarian Task Force

The Government of Uganda, civil society organisations, and international partners participated in a Data-to-Action (D2A) workshop in Kampala, Uganda, June 14–16, 2023. The workshop was co-convened by the Office of the Prime Minister’s Department of Refugees and the Baobab Research Programme Consortium, with support from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development; UNHCR; and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters staff. The Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (HVACS) D2A workshop supports countries in creating violence prevention priorities directly informed by HVACS data. These priorities are created by linking HVACS data to the suite of evidenced-based …

Grandparents As Custodians Of Arabic As A Heritage Language In The United Kingdom, Fatma F.S. Said

All Works

The phenomenon of three-generation households is typical in many homes across the world, though perhaps less so in North America and Western Europe. When multigeneration families share the same physical space and take part in the same activities, the dynamics of parenting, eating, how time is spent and allocated, and relationships differ from families in which only parents and their children live together. One of the main (relevant) differences is that in these multilingual families there is easy access to the learning of heritage languages and socialisation into and through them. As the article will demonstrate shortly, such ease is …

Preparing The Ground To Influence Humanitarian Sector Policies, Guidelines, And Strategies In Uganda: Case Study Two, The Baobab Research Programme Consortium

Humanitarian Task Force

This case study describes the pathway by which the Baobab Research Programme Consortium's efforts have created a platform that is primed for influencing humanitarian sector policies, guidelines, and strategies with evidence and evidence-based approaches.

Influencing Programme Plans, Practices, Actions, And Investments In Humanitarian Settings: Case Study One, The Baobab Research Programme Consortium

Humanitarian Task Force

This case study describes the Baobab Research Programme Consortium's pathway to influencing programme plans, practices, actions, and investments in refugee contexts in Uganda, and the efforts which culminated in the collaborative piloting of a Para-Social Worker-driven intervention in Kiryandongo Settlement by Baobab and Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, with support from the Department of Refugees.

Investigating Parental Roles In Developing Preschool-Aged Children's Emergent Literacy In English, Their Second Language, Through Storybook Reading In A Sample Of Kuwaiti Homes, Fajr M. Alkouz

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Using a convergent mixed methods design, this study explored home emergent literacy environments actualized by six mothers of young preschool-aged children living in Kuwait. It investigated the role of these Kuwaiti mothers in developing their bilingual preschool-aged children’s print knowledge, oral language, and phonological awareness, as three areas associated with emergent literacy (EL). In particular, the study explored the influence of parental storybook reading on the development of bilingual children’s EL skills in English, their second language (L2). Using purposive sampling, this case study obtained statistical quantitative results from parents who responded to a questionnaire about their home literacy experiences …

Explore Pathways To Climate Justice With The Council’S Population, Environmental Risks, And The Climate Crisis (Percc) Initiative, Population Council

Climate and Environmental Changes

No abstract provided.

Neo-Noir Investigations: The Art Of Directing And Writing An Interactive Experience, James Phillip Koehler Jr.

Honors Projects

This project intends to explore the process behind writing and directing for an interactive experience; video games, specifically. A team, including artists, programmers, and a musician, was organized to work toward the completion of a playable demo. Included in this project is a video of the playable demo, alongside various other completed materials that were unable to be included.

Exploring The Role Of Curricular Engagement In The Secondary English Classroom: A Case Study, Kelsey Leah Baldwin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Educational engagement is an issue that has become problematic due to the many changes that have occurred since COVID, including technological dependency and teacher burnout. Teachers may need more skills to manage and implement engagement strategies in the classroom setting. Understanding educators’ experiences with classroom engagement in a variety of secondary English classrooms is the setting of this case study. The central research question explores how educators experience student engagement in their classrooms. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s social cognitive theory, as I utilize the theory to examine behaviors affected by people and the classroom environment. This research …

Program Review: English Department, Michelle Beissel Heath, Megan Hartman, Marguerite Tassi

Academic Program Reviews

No abstract provided.

Irotas 2024, Xander Auman, Kat Beekman, Elizabeth Benfield, Jessica Grafe, Jed Nelson, Kate Nissen, Drake Onyx, Alex Peachey, Benjamin Rayburn, Mandie Schmidt, Kelly Stelzer, Kylie White, Jayde Yeates, Larissa Lopez, Alayna Majkrzak, Ashleigh Campbell, Alysen Endres, Lucy Severson, Kiera Norman, Samantha Bird, Keaton Riebel, Jaden Fleshner, Jaydon Wilson, Ian Mckinzie, Rachel Marzahn, Riker Weiler, Mushfiq Kabir, Taya Peterson, Mawatta Dukuly, Mal Bowman, Grace Guertin, Samantha Dischinger, Kieran Lombard, Ian Mckinzie, Grace Westphel

Irotas

Irotas is an annual student journal of the arts created and published by Winona State University students. Irotas is a sibling journal to the Satori Student Literary Magazine. This is the inaugural issue of Irotas (2024).

Student Editors: Xander Auman, Kat Beekman, Elizabeth Benfield, Jessica Grafe, Jed Nelson, Kate Nissen, Drake Onyx, Alex Peachey, Benjamin Rayburn, Mandie Schmidt, Kelly Stelzer, Kylie White, and Jayde Yeates.

Faculty advisor: Dr. Liberty Kohn

Satori 2024, Draconian Onyx, Xander Auman, Elizabeth Benfield, Samantha Bird, Elysia Beynon, Ashleigh Campbell, Lydia Domaille, Mawatta Dukuly, Alysen Endres, Jessica Grafe, Grace Guertin, Mushfiq Kabir, Nathan Kronbeck, Alayna Majkrzak, Rachel Marzahn, Noelle Mckinney, Ian Douglas Mckinzie, Dorothy Moore, Jack Mulvaney, Kaylee Nickisch, Kiera Norman, Alex Peachy, Sophia Porter, Sydney Porter, Keaton Riebel, Sophia Sailer, Lucy Severson, Kelly Steltzer, Celia Stern, Willow Swinbank, Jackie Velishek, Allen Wedekind, Riker Weiler, Jaydon Wilson

Satori Literary Magazine

The Satori is a student literary publication that expresses the artistic spirit of the students of Winona State University. Student poetry, prose, and graphic art are published in the Satori every spring since 1970.

The Satori 2024 editors are:

Design and Technical Editor: Draconian Onyx;
Fiction Editors: Elizabeth Benfield, Jed, Nelson, Kate Nissen, Mandie Schmidt, Kylie White, Jayde Yeates;
Poetry Editors: Xander Auman, Kat Beekman, Alex Peachey, Kelly Stelzer;
Art Editors: Jessica Grafe, Draconian Onyx Benjamin Rayburn.
The Satori 2024 faculty advisor is Dr. Liberty Kohn, Professor of English.

Persuasive Essay Assignment For Freshman Composition, Danny Katch

Open Educational Resources

A persuasive essay is a piece of writing that aims to get people to agree with your point of view. Your task for this assignment is to write an essay of 500-750 words that aims to convince others to change a policy or take an action around an issue related to the politics of language.

Neh Oral History Seminar Lesson Plan, Composition I: An Introduction To Composition And Research / Accelerated Composition I, Kelly I. Aliano

Open Educational Resources

In English 101, we begin developing an academic voice for writing and learn how to conduct research. For this project, we thought about those topics in relation to Oral History: How do we tell our own stories? What do we gain from telling our own stories? What might be the problems with everyone’s own story? This project involved writing a personal narrative essay, developing questions for an interview, conducting an interview, summarizing an interview, and writing an essay comparing the interview to the personal narrative essay.

Spring 2024, The Vehicle

The Vehicle

Vol. 64, Iss. 1

Adolescent Girls Initiative–Kenya: Testing For Scale—Recommendations Report, Karen Austrian, Eva Ireri Muluve, Ruth Nanjekho, John A. Maluccio, Erica Soler-Hampejsek

Adolescents and Young People

The Adolescent Girls Initiative-Kenya, a randomized trial implemented between 2015 and 2021, was designed to test the short- and longer-term effects of two-year multisectoral and multilevel “cash plus” programs for adolescent girls aged 11–14 years. It was implemented in two marginalized areas of Kenya: Kibera, an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, and Wajir, a pastoralist rural county. Results showed that a multisectoral approach was an effective way to create positive change across a range of well-being factors for young adolescent girls, including education, health, and economic outcomes. The program had long-term sustainable effects. Throughout the testing for scale phase, PC-Kenya …

Cementing Key Partnerships To Foster The Use Of Evidence In Humanitarian Settings: Baobab Case Study Three, The Baobab Research Programme Consortium

Humanitarian Task Force

The Population Council leads the Baobab Research Programme Consortium (RPC) in partnership with Population Council–Kenya and the African Population and Health Research Center. Situated in the East and Horn of Africa (EHA), this Africa-based and African-led consortium focuses on filling critical evidence gaps to reduce inequities in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SHRH) among vulnerable populations in humanitarian settings. Baobab produces policy and program-relevant evidence to address critical SHRH concerns among vulnerable refugee populations in the EHA region. Baobab’s approach to developing partnerships includes a commitment to connection and complementarity; building trust and listening to partners; maintaining respect, patience, …

Violence Against Children And Youth In Refugee Settings In Uganda: Factsheet, Baobab Research Programme Consortium

Humanitarian Task Force

This factsheet presents key findings from the first-ever Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey conducted in refugee settlements across Uganda.

Investigating Parental Roles In Developing Preschool-Aged Children’S Emergent Literacy In English, Their Second Language, Through Storybook Reading In A Sample Of Kuwaiti Homes, Fajr M. Alkouz

Dissertations

Using a convergent mixed methods design, this study explored home emergent literacy environments actualized by six mothers of young preschool-aged children living in Kuwait. It investigated the role of these Kuwaiti mothers in developing their bilingual preschool-aged children’s print knowledge, oral language, and phonological awareness, as three areas associated with Emergent Literacy (EL). In particular, the study explored the influence of parental storybook reading on the development of bilingual children’s EL skills in English, their Second Language (L2). Employing purposive sampling, this case study obtained statistical quantitative results from parents who responded to a questionnaire about their home literacy experiences …

The Girl Agenda Cannot Wait! Collaboration And Multi-Dimensional Investments Needed For Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment, Evalin Karijo, Karen Austrian

Adolescents and Young People

No abstract provided.

A Turning Point In Mexican Law: Insights Into The Supreme Court Orders To Decriminalize Abortion At The Federal Level, Ricardo Regules, Camila Riva Palacio

Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Choices

No abstract provided.

Girls Deliver Workshop On The Sidelines Of Csw68, Population Council

Girl Innovation, Research, and Learning (GIRL) Center

No abstract provided.