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Fort Hays State University Tiger Weekly, May 12, 2023, University Relations

Tiger Weekly Newsletters

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Don't Forget Me: A Discussion On Social Memory And Commemoration, Anfernee Murray

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis examines the relationship between social memory and social identity development among groups who share contested interpretations of their shared social memory. With social memories being a collaborative process that requires consensus and compromise, there arises conflict when groups are divided in deciding on what event of their shared history is relevant to remember - for it is these memories that influence and shape how a group identifies itself.

For Black Americans, this contention arises in the conversations surrounding the difficult and traumatic histories of their enslaved ancestors by the ancestors of their white counterparts. This is further complicated …

Leadership And Project Management In Engineering: Baja Tube Bender, Maysyn Tm Sorensen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Typical coursework for Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering students does not deeply focus on project management and leadership. Detailed in the following documentation is review of my Mechanical Engineering Senior Design capstone project as well as analysis of final presentations of other capstone projects. The Senior Design capstone projects spanned both semesters of the ‘22-’23 academic school year. After the first semester of my project I produced a post-mortem report to analyze the project’s progress and suggest improvements for the project, design, and team interaction. These improvements were compiled into an action plan and implemented in the spring semester. When the project …

U-No: U-Shaped Neural Operators, Md Ashiqur Rahman, Zachary E Ross, Kamyar Azizzadenesheli

Department of Computer Science Faculty Publications

Neural operators generalize classical neural networks to maps between infinite-dimensional spaces, e.g., function spaces. Prior works on neural operators proposed a series of novel methods to learn such maps and demonstrated unprecedented success in learning solution operators of partial differential equations. Due to their close proximity to fully connected architectures, these models mainly suffer from high memory usage and are generally limited to shallow deep learning models. In this paper, we propose U-shaped Neural Operator (U-NO), a U-shaped memory enhanced architecture that allows for deeper neural operators. U-NOs exploit the problem structures in function predictions and demonstrate fast training, data …

Impacting Student Self-Efficacy In English/Language Arts: Using Student-Generated Questions In Small Group Discussions, Heather Johnson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Student engagement in the classroom can be a struggle for many teachers. Research shows that student engagement can be impacted by student self-efficacy in the classroom, and student engagement increases when participating in small group discussions and inquiry-based activities. This qualitative study aimed to understand the impact using student-generated questions in small group discussions had on student self-efficacy in the high school English/language arts classroom. A survey was created and given to 21 twelfth-grade student participants prior to and after using student-generated questions in three separate small group discussions in an elective English/language arts class. Qualitative data were also collected …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Into International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Teachers' Lived Experience Of Professional Growth, Rosamund Whaley

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program provides an inquiry- and concept-driven approach to teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools around the world. This educational philosophy is often different to teachers’ previous training and experience, yet little research has been done into how continuing professional development addresses the challenge of understanding and implementing the IB program. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the professional learning experiences of IB Diploma Programme (DP) teachers in international schools. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven teachers from five different schools and all six IB subject groups who had severalyears’ experience …

How Do Faculty And Staff Perceive The Effectiveness Of Student Support Systems That Promote The Retention Of First-Generation College Students?, David Shawn Wolff Dr.

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Research showed faculty-student interactions impact student engagement and was a primary factor to student retention (Kuh & Hu, 2001; Means & Pyne, 2017; Swecker et al., 2013; Tinto, 1987). The literature revealed while retention may be an issue for many institutions, there is a greater need to address retention specifically related to first-generation college students (FGCS). Students often seek advice from faculty and staff when faced with questions about their academic progress. Faculty and staff voices need to be collected regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of the support systems used within an institution that promote retention for FGCS. This …

Throwing Away The Late Work Penalty, Anthony Orttel

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

This 2023 study examines the academic effects of a penalty-free late work policy. The study focuses on whether taking away penalties for late work significantly decreases the number of missing assignments at the end of an academic quarter. During the third quarter of the 2022/2023 academic school year, students will not receive point deductions for turning in late work. This research took place in South Florida and included approximately 50 10^th grade biology students. Data and results from the study will follow.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Medication Psychoeducation For Adults With Social Anxiety: Training For Mental Health Professionals, Rachel Mathis

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Social anxiety is characterized by considerable anxiety or fear in social situations where one could be negatively perceived by others (5th ed., text rev.; DSM-5-TR; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2022). Social anxiety has two subtypes which include complex and speaking subtypes (Sareen et al., 2006). SAD is often undiagnosed as well as untreated, and interventions do not work for 30-40% of individuals with social anxiety (Stein & Stein, 2008). Social anxiety is related to reduced quality of life, quality of friendship, employment, socioeconomic status, efficiency at work, and welfare (APA, 2022). At present, mental health of people in the United …

Mental Health Literacy Training For Elementary Educators, Anna Joyce

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Young school children struggle with mental illness at a high rate, but often do not receive treatment or referral to mental health resources (Paula et al., 2014). Because of their age, their support systems are the first line of defense toward recognizing and reporting concerning symptoms of mental illness. Educators act as one of these support systems, but research shows mental health education for teachers is lacking in comprehension and adequacy (Dix et al., 2019). This literature review and training focuses on Mental Health Literacy (MHL), which promotes positive mental health education and literacy through encouraging help-seeking, recognition of mental …

Child-Parent Psychotherapy Training For Mental Health Agencies To Address Symptoms Of Ptsd In Trauma-Exposed Children In Early Childhood, Emily Josephine Bochman

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Approaches for working with trauma-exposed populations have been critical in addressing the widespread prevalence and impact of trauma across the lifespan (Young et al., 2011). With early intervention being critical for reducing the impact of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms persisting throughout the lifespan (Buss et al., 2015), approaches for early childhood populations are essential. One such approach, Child Parent Psychotherapy, has been shown to be one of the most effective approaches for working with trauma-exposed populations under five years old (Lieberman et al., 2015). This literature review and training manual explores the current research and implementation of Child Parent Psychotherapy …

A Comparison Of Two Approaches To Promote Multiplication Fact Fluency In Fifth Grade, Jordyn Berger

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Fifth grade students are expected to be fluent in basic multiplication facts by the start of fifth grade, however many are not (Minnesota Department of Education, 2007). When fifth grade students are not fluent in basic multiplication facts, they struggle to understand and master grade level skills and standards (Allen-Lyall, 2018; Burns et al., 2012; Ok & Bryant, 2016; The Math Learning Center, 2017; Wong & Evans, 2007). This quantitative research study compared two classwide approaches to promote multiplication fact fluency in fifth grade. Throughout the research phase, one fifth grade math class practiced multiplication facts for ten minutes each …

Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy To Treat Anxiety In A School-Based Setting, Max Skatrud

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Anxiety disorders are the most common disorder found among all school-aged children. Adults working in the education field need to be made aware of symptoms and treatments for their students when they’re having these heightened feelings of anxiety. According to Hirshfeld-Becker et al. (2010), research has shown that cognitive behavioral therapy is the most commonly implemented and effective source of therapy. It has also been shown to be the most clinically effective way to intervene and decrease anxiety disorders among children as young as four (Hirshfeld-Becker et al., 2010). This literature review examines the prevalence of anxiety among school-aged children …

School Counselors Treating Anxiety In Public School Settings: A Group Manual, Sarah Dyann Voss

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

As anxiety becomes more prevalent in children and adolescents, the demand for mental health resources has also increased. School counselors are highly trained mental health professionals who could be one of the answers to help close the gap of the demand for mental health resources. This review aims to analyze the benefits and effectiveness of school counselors treating anxiety in public school settings by utilizing small group interventions. Most public school settings have school counselors available for students, which is an opportunity for school counselors to provide mental health services. Several research studies have been conducted on this topic, showing …

Ambiguous Loss And Grief Group Intervention For Youth In Foster Care, Courtenay Anne Miedema

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Over the past ten years in the United States, there has been an average of 414,000 youth in the foster care system each year (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020). Youth in foster care are an at-risk population for behavioral, emotional, and relational issues that are often perceived or diagnosed as dysfunctional symptoms. Common presenting symptoms reported by this population relate to ambiguous loss experiences and can be conceptualized by ambiguous loss theory. Ambiguous loss theory has been developed through research with well-defined concepts, assessments, and treatment goals. However, there is a gap in the research on ambiguous …

The Effects Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy On Adolescent Anxiety: A Training For School Staff And Administration, Michael Millard

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Adolescent anxiety is an issue that continues to negatively affect many students. The following literature review and training material have been corroborated to provide school staff members with a basic understanding of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and its effectiveness in a school counseling setting with anxious adolescents. The training may also be relevant for parents, guardians, and other school counselors. The material provides data about the problem of anxiety, different CBT modalities, and considerations for school staff. The training also provides an opportunity for school counselors and other staff members to communicate and acknowledge barriers that are often inherent between …

A Phenomenological Study Of International Students’ Sense Of Belonging At A Rural, Midwestern University, Danielle Smith

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Each year, hundreds of thousands of international students seek academic opportunities in the United States (U.S.). For international students, studying abroad can provide opportunities to build or enhance their English language skills, experience new cultures, study under different education models, and create long lasting friendships. However, if institutions lack appropriate services and resources, these opportunities can quickly become barriers. If campuses do not take the necessary measures to create inclusive and supportive learning environments which enhance opportunities for a sense of belonging, they are at risk of losing these valuable student populations.

Research around the experiences of international students is …

Trauma-Informed Training For Educators, Kristin White

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The occurrence of childhood trauma in the school setting is an ongoing and pervasive issue. Students impacted by trauma frequently display challenging and problematic behavior, and educators lack the trauma-informed care needed to help them heal. These students often go untreated, and their trauma continues to impact them and those around them. This project aims to review the current literature on childhood trauma and how educators can better support students affected by trauma. The trauma-informed training associated with this project will offer tools, curricula, and resources that educators can implement on their campuses.

Mental Health Counseling Advocacy In K-12 Special Education A Training And Resource Manual For Mental Health Counselors, Teni Ebsen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This literature review is an examination of effective strategies for clinical mental health counselors to participate within the special education process on behalf of their clients. Mental health disorders among children are on the rise (Osagiede et al., 2018). Within special education, schools are seeing more children requiring social/emotional and behavioral services. When a student is referred by either guardians or school staff for special education services, an initial evaluation is completed (Berger et al., 2022). This is often a cumbersome process that may be overwhelming and confusing for families to navigate (Hott et al., 2015) If a student qualifies …

Anxiety Reduction Within The School Setting: What Known Anxiety Reducing Interventions Are Most Effective In Schools?, Cole Walters

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Students in our schools are experiencing anxiety. This anxiety can be disruptive to the educational experience of students and can make for an uncomfortable learning environment. Educators and school systems oftentimes have the goal of creating an equitable environment for all of their learners. Addressing the effects of anxiety in the classroom should be no different. This quantitative study examined the effectiveness of three different anxiety-reducing interventions in the classroom. Students participated in a testing anxiety intervention, a journaling intervention, and a mindful breathing intervention. Students shared their level of anxiety by completing a survey to understand the effects of …

The College Search Process Of Rural, First-Generation Students, Tia Miles

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

First-generation college students (FGCS) continue to be one of the largest growing groups of students across higher education. Being a FGCS comes with a unique set of challenges when facing the choice of a college or university. This research aims to identify barriers that FGCS face in the college search process to provide student support professionals with information and recommendations on how to effectively support FGCS in the college search process. Previous research has often focused on the matriculation, retention, and graduation of FGCS. It is important to understand how FGCS select an institution of higher education to improve retention …

The Effects Of Orthographic Mapping In Student Spelling Performance, Kelli Simpson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The ability to accurately and automatically spell words shows a deep understanding of phonemes, graphemes, phonological context, morphology, and an understanding of language of origin. One approach to spelling instruction is through the explicit teaching of grapheme-phoneme correspondences. This 2023 study focused on the impact of orthographic mapping on student spelling performance of third grade students. Students completed a spelling pre-assessment. Then, students received orthographic mapping spelling instruction using sound boxes. At the conclusion of the study, students completed a spelling post-assessment. Student data was analyzed to gauge the effectiveness of orthographic mapping as a method of spelling instruction.

Overcoming Language Barriers With Parents Of English Learners, Anissa Elkjer

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this literature review was to determine the most effective ways to build relationships with parents of English Language Learner (ELL) students and how to overcome the language barrier when creating these relationships. A literature review was done to answer the following research questions: In what ways can English Language teachers build relationships with parents of English Learners? How can the language barrier be overcome between educators and English Language Learner’s families? The results were used to create a presentation to inform other educators what was learned. The presentation provides explanatory information about initiating effective communication using translators …

Educator Self-Reflection: Parent Communication Methods In Special Education, Katie Hosch

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Communication between educators and parents/guardians increases positive relationships as well as provides opportunities for collaboration. Purposeful and intentional planning for the communication allows for positive moments, thoughts, ideas, and concerns regarding a students’ educational progress (academics, services, social/emotional) to be shared. West and Pirtle (2014) found that parents feel the essential qualities for special education teachers to possess include understanding, training, and effective communication. They felt it was important that their child’s special education teacher was able to effectively communicate with the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team; this included seeing the educator/parent or guardian relationship as a ‘partnership.’

When students …

The Effects Of Social-Emotional Learning, Classroom Relationships, And Collaborative Learning On Students’ Emotional Intelligence And Academic Achievement, Slade Simpson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Within educational settings, people are quick to blame intellectual development, or a lack thereof, for students’ shortcomings. However, in recent years, there has been a significant increase in issues related to students’ mental health and emotional well-being that have been detrimental to their academic progress. This quasi-experimental study investigated whether or not development of emotional intelligence through the use of social-emotional learning, relationship development, and collaborative learning has a positive impact on a students’ academic achievement. The results of this study were used to help determine if an educational focus on emotional intelligence can provide a viable option to combat …

A Training For Counselors To Work With Dual Diagnosis Of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder And Intellectual Developmental Disorder, Justin Sawatzke

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Individuals with intellectual developmental disorder (IDD), also called intellectual disability, have received little attention when it comes to counseling research. Though there has been a push for increasing amounts of multicultural counseling within the field in recent years, this demographic has not been examined with very much scrutiny. This is especially true when considering individuals who have a diagnosis of IDD alongside a diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), despite a high prevalence of co-occurring disorders of IDD and PTSD. The purpose of the proceeding literature is to provide a training program that can be utilized by counseling …

Addressing Self-Esteem: A Counseling Group Manual For Upper Elementary Students, Alexis Lee Wanner

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

An individual’s self-esteem is the lens through which that person views themselves in all aspects of their life. Self-esteem is present throughout the lifespan but generally fluctuates and is impacted by various internal and external factors. The self-esteem of children and adolescents, however, is especially critical because it sets the foundation for self-esteem throughout adulthood and is related to both positive and negative life outcomes. Counseling interventions from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, positive psychology and mindfulness have been shown to be effective for improving self-esteem in this population (Zhong et al., 2021; Su & Swank, 2019; Larking & Thyer, 1999; Wisner …

Student Perceptions Of Co-Teaching, Megan Berg

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to attain information on middle school students’ perspectives of co-teaching based on their experiences in co-taught classrooms. Co-teaching is a commonly used practice, generally between a special education and general education teacher, to support and meet the needs of all learners in a diverse classroom. Because inclusive classrooms are composed of students with and without disabilities, the individual expertise of general and special educators is essential in constructing a harmonious co-teaching partnership (Jurkowski & Muller, 2018; Ritter et al., 2020). According to Kirkpatrick et al. (2020), when co-teachers work together to share their knowledge …

Barriers That Impact International/Foreign-Born Practical Nursing Students’ Completion Rate In A Diploma Program Located In A Community College In The Midwestern United States, Joy Seymour

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Thousands of international students leave their countries of origin each year to pursue higher education in the United States. These students left their homelands to pursue higher education, which helped change the trajectory of their lives and the lives of their families. Although some of these students have high hopes and aspirations of completing their programs of studies, the literature review showed that they experienced barriers, such as English language, financial, culture shock, and unfamiliar teaching and learning pedagogies. This qualitative phenomenological research study aimed to identify self-reported barriers that impacted the completion rate of international/foreign-born students pursuing the Practical …

A Phenomenological Study On Single Parents’ Experiences And Engagement As Their Child Attends Elementary School, Samantha Gort

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The popularity of parental involvement in school systems has risen since the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) came into effect. However, there is a lack of research on how single parents navigate parental involvement and the struggles they face juggling jobs, multiple children, and stress with a lack of support. This research is guided by the following questions: What are the perceptions and beliefs of parental involvement for single parents with their child attending elementary school? How do single parents experience this first year? What support do single parents receive from the school system?

A phenomenological study using a construct …