Digital Commons Network^™

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence And Its Impact On Student Learning, Ranging From Understanding, Originality, Motivation, Problem-Solving, And Resilience, Joseph Whelan

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming education, challenging traditional notions of how learning should be structured in schools. Although research on educational AI remains limited, its influence on student learning is already evident. On a daily basis, educators observe the impact artificial intelligence has on five specific areas of student learning: being, understanding, originality, motivation, problem-solving. and resilience. Using a mixed-methods approach, with descriptive research using surveys with free-response questions, the study aimed to examine how the five student characteristics are affected in the classroom daily through the integration of artificial intelligence into student learning. Teachers participated in a survey …

Hope As Affect: Engaging With Crisis And Collapse Through Collaborative Performance Making, Bronte Frances

Theses : Honours

The project is interested in how hope can operate as an affective, embodied force within collaborative performance-making processes. In this specific context it was to see how, where and why the concept of hope was possible in the collaborative making of a new and original full length theatre work that was addressing themes of crisis and collapse. Invoking key theorists – Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone (2022), Donna Haraway (2016), Kathleen Stewart (2007), Jonathan Lear (2006), and Rebecca Solnit (2016) – the research investigated how hope can be consistently enacted. Centred on investigating hope as affect experienced in the present …

The Effect Of Institutional Reputation On Clerkship Grades, Jerry Speight Grimes

Western Journal of Orthopaedics

Background: Clinical rotation scores have been reported to predict resident performance. However, the reporting of clerkship grades varies widely across institutions. The authors explored the correlation of an institution’s reputation and the percentage of students receiving honors. Methods: During the review of applicants for orthopaedic residency, the percentage of students receiving the highest grade in the surgery and internal medicine clerkships was recorded for each institution. The authors then compared published institutional rankings with the proportion of students awarded honors in these clerkships. Results: One hundred nineteen institutions were reviewed. There was poor correlation between the institutional rankings by U.S. …

Exploring The Interaction Between Cranial Nerves V And Vii In Chronic Eyelid Myokymia: A Case Report, Karina Miramontes, Adam Walsh, Tomas Tafoya

Western Journal of Orthopaedics

Eyelid myokymia involves involuntary contractions of the orbicularis oculi muscle and is commonly associated with stress, fatigue, and craniocervical factors. Emerging evidence suggests that altered trigeminocervical interactions and craniomandibular muscle tension may contribute to symptom persistence; however, the condition remains underrecognized in physical therapy. This report describes a 65-year-old woman with chronic benign eyelid myokymia and cervical pain who completed 12 physical therapy sessions that included suboccipital functional dry needling, temporomandibular soft-tissue mobilization (STM), and cervical stabilization exercises. A reduction in eyelid myokymia was first observed at the fifth visit, coinciding with the initiation of temporomandibular STM. These findings suggest …

Compassion In Crisis: A Study Of Compassion Fatigue Among Nurses Working In The Emergency Department At A Western Australian Metropolitan Tertiary Hospital, Sonu Susamma Sam

Theses

Compassion fatigue (CF) is defined as the emotional depletion caused by ongoing involvement in caring for another individuals experiencing trauma or hardship, pain, distress, and critical incidents. It is characterised by a decline in emotional capacity, reduced ability to empathise, and feelings of helplessness, that could potentially lead to burnout and secondary traumatic stress. While CF affects many healthcare providers including physicians, social service professionals, mental health practitioners, but nursing staff are particularly vulnerable due to their close and continuous engagement with patients.

Compassion fatigue has been extensively examined in oncology, palliative care, and intensive care, where exposure to patient …

Conveyor System For Portable Industrial Robot (Astorino), Preston R. Pinkelman

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This Project focused on the design and development of a portable conveyor system intended to integrate with the Astorino educational robot used by Kawasaki Motors. The goal of the system was to create an interactive demonstration capable of showcasing fundamental manufacturing processes involving robotic automation. The system was designed to transport aluminum pucks along a conveyor belt, allowing the robot to detect, pick, and reposition in a controlled sequence.

The design process involved mechanical, electrical, and programming considerations. A modular frame using 80/20 extruded aluminum was selected to ensure structural integrity while maintaining portability. Multiple iterations of rollers, brackets, and …

Facial Expression With Type Of Eye Opening Associates With Multi-Organ Failure: An Observational Prospective Icu Cohort Study, Talal Ibrahim Mostafa Hagag

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Title Facial expression with the type of eye opening associates with multi-organ failure: an Observational prospective ICU cohort study Background Accurate prognostication in the intensive care unit (ICU) remains a challenging task. Conventional severity scores such as the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) quantify physiological derangement but overlook real-time neurological and affective responsiveness. Behavioral indicators—particularly facial expressivity and eye-opening response—may reflect cortical and brainstem integrity, offering a simple, non-invasive adjunct for bedside mortality prediction. Methods In this single-center, prospective observational study, 210 adult patients in the ICU were assessed within 24 hours of admission. Two blinded …

“I Love What I Do, I Just Don't Love Where I Do It,”: An Exploration Of Job-Related Tension And Well-Being Of Professional Academic Advisors, Cynthia Cruger

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the intersection of job-related tension and workplace well-being among professional academic advisors through the lens of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. The purpose of the study is to address a gap in advising scholarship by exploring job demands and resources in advisors’ experiences in different advising models and institution types. A scoping literature review addresses advising as a profession, positive organizational psychology frameworks such as the PERMA model, and job-related tension concepts like role overload and ambiguity. Existing research indicates advisors have high job satisfaction despite job tension, and the JD-R theory is used to set a …

Unbundling 17 U.S.C. § 1202: Construing The Law’S Scope In Light Of Its Text, Purpose, And Remedies, Samuelson, Pamela, Stallman, Erik, Urban, Jennifer M.

Santa Clara Law Review

The Ninth Circuit will soon decide if five anonymous programmers can claim as much as $9 billion in statutory damages from OpenAI and GitHub for violations of an obscure law outlawing infringement-enabling removal or alteration of “copyright management information” (CMI). This Article closely analyzes that law, which is codified as §1202 of Title 17 of the U.S. Code. The law is remarkable in several respects. Statutory damages available for §1202 violations far exceed those available for actual copyright infringement. Copyright infringement need not be alleged, let alone found, for liability under §1202 to attach. Indeed, it is not even necessary …

Racial Disparities In Maternal Mortality: The Role Of Explicit And Implicit Bias In U.S. Healthcare, Lailah Allen

Capstone Showcase

Maternal mortality in the United States remains a critical public health crisis, with disproportionately high rates among Black and other minority women. Despite advances in obstetric medicine, racial disparities in pregnancy-related deaths persist due to structural inequities, implicit bias in healthcare delivery, unequal access to prenatal and postpartum care, and broader social determinants of health. Nationally, Black women are significantly more likely to experience severe maternal morbidity and mortality compared to White women, reflecting longstanding inequities embedded within the healthcare system. This paper examines the relationship between race, healthcare access, and maternal outcomes through a focused case study of and …

America’S Spectacle: The Business Of Female Beauty In Professional Cheerleading, Marlene Adelman

Capstone Showcase

The National Football League (NFL) is built on values that also represent the deep rooted patriarchal structures within the country it exists in. The NFL is more than a game; it’s a mirror of America’s powerful subjugation of its women. Using one of the most recognizable cheerleading teams, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, this thesis aims to illustrate how gender is constructed and commodified in professional sports media, which reinforces the male gaze, furthers racial and gender inequalities, and contributes to women’s mental health and body image issues. This paper uses several theories, including male gaze, gender, and intersectionality, along with …

Visual Aids And Numeracy In Healthcare: Leveraging The Drawing Effect, Zephyr J. Markley

Capstone Showcase

Healthcare decisions often require patients to interpret numerical risk information under stress, yet many struggle with low numeracy, which can distort comprehension and undermine informed consent. Well-designed visual aids can improve diagnostic inference, calibrate confidence, and support better choices, especially for patients with limited numeracy, but their impact depends on whether users can actually interpret the format accurately. Drawing may further enhance these tools by adding a tactile, generative layer that engages visual, semantic, and motoric processing while helping patients organize information into concrete models.

Passive visual aids appear useful but limited because they often position patients as observers rather …

Effect On C5 Myotome Distribution After Cervical Spinal Surgery: A Case Report On Early Neuromuscular Re-Education, Nicole Eder Asebias

Capstone Showcase

Background and Purpose: Postoperative C5 palsy is a known problem after cervical spinal surgery and is characterized by upper extremity weakness that can significantly limit the ability to perform daily tasks. Despite its clinical relevance, limited literature describes physical rehabilitation-focused interventions strategies for this condition. The purpose of this case report is to describe the presentation, physical therapy intervention, and outcomes of a patient with postoperative C5 palsy managed with neuromuscular re-education.

Case Description: The patient is an adult who developed left upper extremity weakness consistent with C5 palsy following cervical spinal surgery. Primary impairments included decreased shoulder abductor and …

Roll The Dice: Do Fostered Youth Stand A Chance In Juvenile Justice?, Marina Rios

Capstone Showcase

Foster youth remain dramatically overrepresented in the juvenile justice system, accounting for up to almost a quarter of system-involved youth despite comprising less than 5% of the general population. Prior research on this subject indicates that foster youth tend to face disproportionately punitive responses, systemic challenges linked to trauma, placement, and instability, as well as limited access to diversion programs. This project aims to examine the disparities that foster youth face that result in juvenile justice involvement, as well as focusing on how structural barriers influence detention rates, sentencing outcomes, and opportunities for rehabilitation. Through an analysis of current literature, …

From County To Commonwealth: A Study Of Kentucky County Election Office Websites And Collaborative Solutions For Strengthened Voter Information Accessibility, Marissa A. Robinson, Marina E. Smart

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

In 2022, the League of Women Voters discovered inconsistencies across Kentucky county clerk websites in how they offer voter information and in website accessibility and clarity. County clerk websites serve as an important source of accessible voting procedural information, trusted by constituents. Through an audit of county clerk websites and interviews with county clerks, this project identifies how county election office websites can better provide equitable, accurate, comprehensive, and consistent voting information. Recommendations based on the findings include linking the Kentucky State Board of Elections Voter Information Portal universally, adding website training, and state-established website guidelines.

The Political Economy Of Pfas Treatment And Water Regionalization In Harrison County, Kentucky, Jackson S. Patru, Rajan Sampat

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The discovery of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the water supply of Harrison County, Kentucky has prompted an urgent reevaluation of local treatment infrastructure. This situation has exposed a complex political economy between the City of Cynthiana, which owns and operates the municipal water plant, and the Harrison County Water Association (HCWA), which represents the majority of the ratepayers supplied by the plant. Using a qualitative research design grounded in inductive thematic analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with leadership from both Cynthiana and HCWA, as well as operators at the treatment plant, to evaluate two proposed solutions: a $14 …

Kentucky Space Futures: Defining The Driving And Limiting Factors Of Growth In The State Aerospace Industry, Ashley M. Grospitch, Isabella A. Sibold

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Kentucky’s aerospace industry has quietly become one of the state’s most significant economic drivers, generating almost $19 billion in exports in 2024 and ranking third nationally in aerospace exports in 2023 (Mattingly, 2025; Babbage & Hartsough, 2024). Despite this, Kentucky remains largely invisible as an aerospace state, both to Kentuckians and national audiences. This work was conducted on behalf of our client, Kentucky Space Futures, to identify the factors shaping the growth of Kentucky’s aerospace industry, including its driving and limiting factors, and provide actionable guidance for policymakers and industry leaders.

Using a qualitative research design, this study triangulated findings …

Narrowing The K-12 Excellence Gap In Kentucky Schools: Lessons On High Achievement From High Achievers, Jimmy M. W. Bartlett, Johnathan K. Hurley

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Disparities in high-level academic achievement – known as excellence gaps – remain a persistent equity challenge in K–12 education, particularly in access to advanced mathematics learning. This study examines school-level practices associated with narrower excellence gaps in Kentucky public schools. Principals of schools demonstrating higher-than-expected advanced achievement and relatively small gaps by gender and economic status were invited to semi-structured interviews. The interviews cover seven schools, spanning grade levels and other characteristics. Guided by the Excellence Gap Intervention Model, a hybrid inductive–deductive thematic analysis reveals that narrower excellence gaps are not driven by isolated programs or policy mandates, but by …

Protecting The Vulnerable: Elderly Population Change In Kentucky & Nursing Home Floodplain Proximity, David M. Stevens, Austin Matthew Mullen, Nicklaus P. Hammond

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This study explores Kentucky’s changing vulnerability to flooding. Relying on America Community Survey (ACS) survey data estimates for 2019 and 2024, we illustrate how Kentucky’s elderly population has changed over this five-year period. Using nursing home data and floodplain spatial data, provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and FEMA respectively, we identify all 269 facilities and their proximity to floodplains across Kentucky. To narrow the scope of our study, we highlight counties that (a) have seen the largest percentage increase in elderly residents and (b) have a large total elderly population. Using a quartile ranking system, we …

Why Physical Environment Matters: The Cognitive Effects In Elementary Classrooms, Amanda Cavender

Integrated Studies

All physical elements, such as color, lights, acoustics, and furniture must work cohesively with the layout and space to create a welcoming, calm, and inclusive classroom.  This paper reviews the data surrounding these physical elements and their correlation with academic success.  Academic success in this case is defined as scores students achieve, the speed at which they can complete work, the accuracy of completed work, and attention spans.  The quality of school building plays a crucial role here; Temperature control, adequate space, and insulation are crucial to be able to properly control the environment.  Regarding lighting, studies have shown that …

Patient-Centered End-Of-Life Care: Balancing Ethics, Communication, And Quality Of Life, Alexis N. Courtney

Integrated Studies

Abstract

End-of-life care is not just a medical treatment, but can be the turning point in someone’s life to end unnecessary suffering and honor their wishes to have quality over quantity in life. This paper will discuss end-of-life care from the perspectives of patient autonomy, communication, ethical decision making, and system influences. It will explore the impact of honoring patient preference. Not to mention how speaking honestly and compassionately may affect enhancing the quality of life of patients experiencing terminal or life-limiting illnesses.

One of the key aspects of this paper is the significance of communication in end-of-life care. Specifically, …

Substance Abuse: Causes, Effects, And Treatment Approaches, Ambrea A. Watkins

Integrated Studies

Abstract

Substance abuse continues to be one of the most significant public health and social challenges facing the United States. Substance use disorders affect millions of individuals each year and have serious consequences for families, communities, and public systems such as healthcare and criminal justice. Addiction is widely recognized as a chronic brain disease that can alter behavior, decision making, and impulse control. Many individuals who struggle with substance abuse also experience related issues such as mental illness, homelessness, poverty, and involvement in the criminal justice system.

This research paper examines the causes, impacts, and treatment approaches related to substance …

The Impact Of Inclusive Education On Early Childhood Development And Learning Outcomes, Courtney A. Hardin She

Integrated Studies

The importance of inclusive education in early childhood cannot be overstated. Inclusive practices impact all areas of a child’s development, including academic achievement, social interaction, and emotional well-being. This paper explores the relationship between inclusive education practices and positive developmental outcomes for children with diverse learning needs. The topic is in response to the ongoing need to create equitable learning environments where all students can fully participate and succeed. This research paper examines how inclusion, early intervention, and effective instructional strategies support student development. Research supports that inclusive education, when paired with strong teacher preparation and systemic support, is essential …

Supporting Students With Learning Differences: A Dyslexia Educator’S Perspective, Hailey S. Mason

Integrated Studies

Dyslexia is a common neurobiological learning difference that affects reading, writing, and language processing skills, often despite average or above-average intelligence. This project examines dyslexia from an educator’s perspective, focusing on its characteristics, impact on student learning, and effective strategies for support. A review of current scholarly literature highlights the importance of early identification and intervention in improving academic outcomes and reducing negative emotional effects such as low self-esteem and anxiety. The findings emphasize that dyslexia extends beyond reading difficulties, influencing writing, comprehension, and overall academic performance. Evidence-based instructional approaches, particularly structured literacy and multisensory teaching strategies, are identified as …

Kentucky Probation And Parole: Recognizing The Need For A Larger Workforce, Brent T. Burgess

Integrated Studies

Abstract

Kentucky’s Department of Probation and Parole needs additional officers. While officers are being added, caseloads continue to rise and officers in Kentucky are feeling exhausted. This research project focuses on examining some of the main issues behind the cause and effects that probation and parole officers are facing in Kentucky. The research lists the different aspects of both probation and parole and the dissentions between state and federal probation, since parole was abolished by the federal system 1987. The project includes new legislative reform movements taking place in attempts to reduce the high populations of Kentucky’s jails and prisons …

The Kawa Model Of Occupational Therapy And Disability, Benjamin A. Siress

Integrated Studies

The Kawa Model of occupational therapy offers a culturally responsive, holistic framework for OT that benefits individuals within the disabled community profoundly. By integrating the individuals’ relationship with their environment and social context, the Kawa model challenges Western, task-oriented approaches and promotes better inclusion, resilience, and meaningful participation by aligning individualized therapy with each person’s life experiences and cultural identity.

Keywords: Kawa Model, occupational therapy, disability, cultural responsiveness, holistic care, client-centered care, social context, inclusion, meaningful participation, rehabilitation

"As A Woman I Have No Country": Patriarchy And Patriotism In Virginia Woolf's Interwar Fiction, Katherine S. Cole

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper examines the evolving ways in which the ideological framework of Virginia Woolf's political essay Three Guineas manifests in her fiction, as well as how it is shaped by both world wars. In analyses of Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando, The Years, and Between the Acts, I examine Woolf’s critiques of the masculine-patriotic-imperial value system that structures English society, its interdependence with the patriarchal tyranny of the domestic sphere, and how these critiques are complicated by a fraught relationship to Englishness that often balances sentimentality, personal attachment, and the fear of identity loss with the fiercely critical feminist-pacifist perspective articulated in …

The Split Child: Fragmented Temporalities And Selves In Post-Francoist Horror Cinema, Harper A. Denniston

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis interrogates the prolific figure of the spectral child in post-dictatorial horror cinema in Spain. During the renaissance wave of the horror boom (a period between the late 1990s and early 2000s that experienced a surge in horror films), narratives of haunting often presented the ghost in child form, blending childhood and horror. This thesis examines the spectral child as depicted in the seminal horror films The Devil’s Backbone (2001) and The Orphanage (2007). First, I establish the historical context behind these films, exploring the traumatic history of children during the Spanish Civil War and Franco dictatorship, Spain’s cultural …

Climate Change In An Educational Context: A Model Addressing Psychological Distance, Hope, And Concern, Brooke E. Kasl-Godley

Scripps Senior Theses

As the threat of climate change becomes more urgent, educators should focus on fostering climate concern and action instead of simply providing climate information. These studies present a novel model of climate education where locally-framed and action-oriented curriculum increases students’ environmental concern through the mechanisms of psychological distance and hope. This curriculum was taught over two years to sixth-grade students at a school in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. Study 1 examines students’ environmental concern and sense of responsibility before and after delivery of the curriculum. Study 2 is a proposed follow-up study, that will address limitations of Study 1 …

Identity Development And Resonance With Cultural Sounds: A Study Of Undergraduate Women Of Mexican Descent, Manuela S. Flores

Scripps Senior Theses

Undergraduates of Mexican descent are not a monolith; their experiences vary based on positionality and lived experiences within academia in the United States. This study explored the lived experiences of seven women of Mexican descent, ages 18 to 25, to examine how they experience and make meaning of music while developing their identities in college. A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews to explore participant’s lived experiences in relation to music. Identity development was contextualized in relation to cultural values, musical experiences, and participant positionalities. Interview questions addressed music engagement, conceptualizations of Chicanx culture, and the values participants …