Digital Commons Network^™

English-Spanish Bilingual Speech Language Pathologists’ Experiences Evaluating English Language Learner Students: Incorporating Conceptual Scoring, Barbara De Jesus Rivera, Raul Prezas

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

The number of multilingual/bilingual students has increased across schools in the United States. Assessment in both the native language and English is considered the standard for evaluating bilingual children referred for language testing. Conceptual Scoring is an evaluation approach for bilingual students that considers the students’ responses in both languages to obtain an overall language score; however, there is variability among practitioners on best practices for multilingual assessment.

Purpose: The current study (a) sought to explore the decision-making process of bilingual SLPs when evaluating bilingual students, (b) to gain a deeper understanding of how bilingual SLPs incorporate conceptual scoring in …

Ccfan Brochure 2025, Joy Gagnon

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

2025 Ccfan Accomplishments, Mikayla Cerney

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Supporting Discharge Preparation For Children With Medical Complexity: A Scoping Review, Emily Moore, Mia Waldron, Darlene Acorda, Cara Gallegos, Barbie Giambra, Stacee M. Lerret, Christine R. Platt, Danielle A. Sarik, Zara Sajwani-Merchant, Nesibe Sumeyye Kutahyalioglu, Pamela Gampetro, Susan Groshong, Marianne Weiss, Teri L. Hernandez, Sandra Staveski

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background

The transition from hospital to home is a critical period for children with medical complexity (CMC) and their caregivers, often associated with increased risks and stress. Both registered nurses and advanced practice nurses play a pivotal role in facilitating this transition through discharge preparation, including planning, coordination, and teaching. However, best practices for optimizing discharge processes for CMC remain unclear. The need for a comprehensive understanding of hospital discharge during this crucial time is apparent as adverse events following discharge are common and are often attributed to insufficient preparation and communication. This scoping review aims to identify key nursing …

Growing South Dakota (Fall 2025), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 2 Mesonet at SDState: A benefit to every South Dakotan
[Page] 6 Governor’s Ag Ambassador — Glenn Muller
[Page] 8 Precision agriculture cooperative agreement signed with University of Debrecen
[Page] 10 Students experience international agriculture, culture in Vietnam, New Zealand
[Page] 12 Legen-dairy! SDSU students claim national judging awards
[Page] 13 SDSU Rodeo Team continues storied rodeo tradition at nationals
[Page] 14 SDSU wheat breeders helping feed the world
[Page] 20 SDSU drone holds promise for soil, leaf sampling
[Page] 22 Don't be a fish out of water
[Page] 24 A passion for academic advising
[Page] 25 One takeaway …

Documents From The October 1, 2025 Meeting Of The Associated Students Of The University Of Montana (Asum), Associated Students Of The University Of Montana, Kate Austin Payne

Senate Meeting Agendas and Minutes, 2007-Present

Agenda and meeting minutes from the October 1, 2025 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM).

News You Need: How Many Of These Ada/Mda Practice Resources Are You Using?

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This October, MDA offers updates and resources including support for human resources, ongoing education, and professional tools. Michigan was selected for the Medicaid Oral Health Workforce Implementation Learning Series to enhance access to care. The MDA launched HERM-E, an AI-powered digital assistant providing 24/7 access to resources and quick answers. Supporting chairside advocacy for community water fluoridation, the News reports that a national survey indicates 81% of Americans support or are neutral about water fluoridation. Applications are now open for the 2026 MDA LEAD Program, and nominations are being accepted for MDA awards and leadership positions. The News column further …

J Mich Dent Assoc October 2025

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association delivers news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200+ members. It remains the main publication reaching Michigan dentists and is available worldwide through ADACommons. The October 2025 (Volume 107, No. 10) issue of the Journal is published in a digital-only format to provide updates and insights for Michigan's oral health community and MDA members. Print editions will resume in November. The October issue highlights the critical importance of advocacy through the MDA Dental Political Action Committee (PAC) and provides practical, management-focused information …

The Construction Of Mathematical Reasoning As A Pedagogical Object, Nick Pratt, Julie Alderton

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper explores how policy aims in mathematics curricula appear in classrooms and, crucially, how the resulting pedagogical practice affects the nature of mathematics itself. Whereas there have been many studies of policy and its relationship with teachers’ practices, few have examined epistemological effects; what mathematics becomes as it is translated from an educational, and political, intention into classroom activity. To focus the study, we examine reasoning as a central idea in mathematics, in the English primary (5-11 years) context. Rather than concentrating on best practice, as an objective account of how to teach reasoning, we adopt a post-structural theoretical …

Hire And Hope: An Exploration Of Principal Turnover, Jessica D. True

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is designed to investigate the possible relationships between principal turnover within K-12 public schools in the State of Texas, and demographic characteristics of school location, principal’s ethnicity, principal’s gender, and principal’s level of post-secondary degree. Data for participating schools was gathered from state-reported educator information specifically for the 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023, and 2023/2024 school years. The longitudinal study reviewed K-12 non-charter public schools in Education Service Center (ESC) 11, which encompasses all public schools in the Fort Worth metroplex of North Texas, allowing this study to analyze a robust and inclusive dataset. The Chi-Square Test of …

Utilizing Mathematical Software For The Teaching And Learning Of Mathematics In Malaysia, Naiim Fatimi Che Mansor, Saufianim Jana Aksah, Nor Aziyatul Izni, Khairul Huda Yusof, M. N. Mohammed

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

The paper examines the effects of mathematical software on the academic performance of secondary school students, along with its roles in facilitating technological adaptation among the students in mathematics education. The study is motivated by persistent challenges in students’ mathematics achievement and the limited integration of technology in classroom practices, despite the increasing availability of digital tools in schools. Two main objectives guided the research are to evaluate the effectiveness of mathematical software in improving students’ comprehension of mathematics, and to measure the extent of technology integration among students in mathematics learning. A quantitative research design was employed, involving 100 …

Sustainable Crisis Management Framework For Suicide Response In The University Setting, Jonathan D. Maliwat

Journal Article

This study evaluates suicide response protocols at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) through a round table discussion involving 21 participants, including university officials, law enforcement officers, and campus security personnel. Utilizing the Rensis Likert method and agree-disagree questions, the study examines key concerns such as reporting suicide threats, police involvement in weapon-related incidents, and the establishment of guidelines for suicide-related deaths. Findings reveal gaps in protocol clarity, interagency coordination, and response efficiency. Based on these insights, the study recommends the development of well- defined policies, mandatory crisis response training, and strengthened multi-sectoral partnerships to enhance suicide prevention …

Corporate Governance And Tax Compliance Of Publicly Listed Companies In The Philippines, Hans Theo S. Ramirez, Jhulliane Kiss A. Mijares, Alyson Jane D. Constantino, Marwel B. Toledo, Jacob Marius L. Tolentino, Elma L. Mallorca

Journal Article

Corporate tax compliance is the key to the development of the economy. Annual effective tax rate is applied in this study to identify what corporate governance mechanisms—shareholders, management, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy—are responsible for inducing tax compliance. A panel regression analysis of 20 listed companies in the Philippines from 2012-2023 has shown that the sole determinant of corporate tax compliance is CSR strategy. Effective CSR practices help firms to minimize tax avoidance by paying the appropriate corporation tax rate mandated by law. This is an example of how CSR can enhance ethical financial behavior. This study integrates stakeholder, …

Enhancing Llm Code Generation: A Systematic Evaluation Of Multi-Agent Collaboration And Runtime Debugging For Improving Accuracy, Reliability, And Latency, Nazmus Ashrafi

Theses

The use of large language models (LLMs) for automated code generation has emerged as a significant focus within AI research. As these pretrained models continue to evolve, their ability to understand and generate complex code structures has opened up new possibilities for automating intricate programming tasks with greater accuracy. Although contemporary foundational models demonstrate promising results, researchers continue to explore optimal post-training strategies to enhance code quality. These include supervised fine-tuning, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), debugging, and many others. In this thesis, I combine two such widely used post training approaches—namely (1) multi agent collaboration and (2) runtime execution of information-based …

Rare Presentation Of Parasitic Leiomyomata In The Fallopian Tube And Ovarian Ligament: Clinical, Histopathologic, And Imaging Insights, Atef M. Darwish, Dina Darwish, Shatha Ali, Amani Omar

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Fallopian tube leiomyomas are exceptionally rare parasitic tumours, usually identified incidentally during laparoscopic or open surgery. This report describes a 30-year-old woman who presented in 2025 to Al Emadi Hospital in Doha, Qatar with chronic pelvic pain and acute exacerbations. The diagnosis of fallopian tube leiomyoma was made through preoperative clinical and imaging findings, intraoperative observations, and histopathological analysis. In addition, this case includes the first documented instance of a parasitic leiomyoma of the ovarian ligament, lending support to the theory of metaplasia in its pathogenesis. Parasitic leiomyomas should be considered whenever a leiomyoma is detected outside the myometrium on …

The Impact Of Project-Based Learning On Future First Generation College Students’ Oral Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Confidence Levels, And College And Career Readiness, Mandana Marashi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the impact of a project-based learning innovation course on high school students’ oral communication, presentation skills, confidence levels, and college and career readiness in a college and career readiness program housed at a university in the Mid-Atlantic region. Effective oral communication and presentation skills have been continuously emphasized by national organizations and employers to be critical skills for success in students’ academic and professional lives. However, teaching oral communication and presentation skills to high school students has been neglected, which has negatively affected students’ college and career readiness, particularly for students …

Journey To Proficiency: The Impact Of Explicit Problem-Solving Instruction In A Fifth-Grade Math Classroom, Brittany J. Terry

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examined the impact of explicit problem-solving instruction on fifth-grade students’ mathematics proficiency and attitudes across skill levels. At the outset, students relied on rote procedures rather than conceptual reasoning, limiting their ability to apply skills in new contexts or understand why procedures work. Grounded in constructivist and sociocultural learning theories, the study aimed to move students beyond procedural fluency through explicit instruction of problem-solving strategies, modeling, guided practice, collaboration, and reflection. Over 8 weeks, 32 students participated in daily lessons. Findings from pre–post assessments, interviews, and portfolios indicate that explicit problem-solving instruction supported measurable growth in …

Enhancing Teacher Self-Efficacy In Ngss Storyline Implementation: A Mixed Methods Action Research Study On Professional Development In Middle School Science Education, Dena Spickard Fender

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods action research study examined how professional development (PD) influences middle school science teachers’ self-efficacy in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Storyline curriculum. The study also explored which aspects of PD are most effective in supporting teachers at different career stages. Teacher self-efficacy is a critical factor in the successful adoption of reform-based science instruction, yet limited research has investigated how PD can be differentiated to address the needs of novice, intermediate, and veteran educators in underperforming schools.

A convergent mixed-methods design was employed to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument-A …

The Processing Of Emotional Prosody And Semantics In Native And Non-Native Chinese Speakers, Cheng Xiao

Theses and Dissertations

Emotional information in spoken language is conveyed through both semantic and prosodic cues. While listeners interpret the meaning of utterances (what is said), they also detect the speaker’s emotional prosody (how it is said). For non-native speakers, processing these two types of information simultaneously can be challenging, particularly in a tonal language such as Mandarin Chinese, where the same acoustic feature (i.e., pitch) encodes both lexical semantics and emotional prosody. This dissertation reports a series of behavioral and fMRI experiments investigating how native and non-native Chinese speakers perceive and process emotional prosody and semantics in words and sentences. Behaviorally, results …

Improving District Targeted Support For Schools With Low Student Achievement By Implementing Assistance Relationships With School Leaders, Mary Ashley Gaskins

Theses and Dissertations

Riverbend School District faced a challenge: the lack of a formalized structure for providing schools with targeted support that meets their unique needs and increases student achievement. This study explored how the district-level instructional team could customize support to improve English Language Arts and Math performance at schools with low student achievement. The theory of improvement posited that district instructional leaders engaging in assistance relationships – through modeling instructional leadership and providing conceptual and practical tools – would enhance school leaders' capacity, ultimately improving teaching and learning. A key action of the improvement team was the creation and implementation of …

Developing A Comprehensive Schoolwide Discipline Plan In Title 1 Southern Schools, Rose Clark Kebe

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored how teachers in Title I schools across the southern United States perceived and experienced school discipline practices. The study addressed the problem of inconsistent implementation of restorative and preventive frameworks, which has contributed to inequitable outcomes, teacher frustration, and lost instructional time. Although initiatives such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) are mandated across many districts, inconsistent use and limited fidelity have restricted their effectiveness in improving equitable discipline and school climate.

The purpose of the study was to examine teacher perspectives to inform the development of a culturally responsive, schoolwide behavioral system grounded …

Food Insecurity And Social Connection Of Nicaraguan Refugees And Asylum Seekers In Costa Rica: A Qualitative Study, Keren Herran

Theses and Dissertations

Background

Given the physical and mental health consequences of food insecurity, solutions should be evidence-based and seek to prioritize vulnerable populations. This qualitative study adds to limited literature on how refugees and asylum seekers use their social connections to mitigate food insecurity by investigating how Nicaraguan refugees and asylum seekers in Costa Rica foster social connections and use these connections to acquire and manage food.

Methods

In fall 2024, 35 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in San José, Costa Rica. Participants were recruited through six migrant-serving nonprofit organizations. For study inclusion, participants had to: 1) be 18 or older; 2) …

Towards Accurate First-Principles Modeling In Heterogenous Catalysis: Ethane Dehydrogenation And Hydrogenolysis Over Pt Catalysts, Mubarak Ayo Bello

Theses and Dissertations

First-principles modeling has become central to heterogeneous catalysis research, offering mechanistic insight and guiding catalyst design, yet conventional approaches often struggle to accurately describe complex catalytic systems due to methodological uncertainties, simplified assumptions, and the structural diversity of nanoparticle catalysts. This dissertation addresses these challenges using ethane dehydrogenation (EDH) and hydrogenolysis (EH) over platinum catalysts as model systems. The first study benchmarks density functional theory (DFT) functionals against the random phase approximation (RPA) for the EDH network on Pt(111), identifying cost-effective functionals and demonstrating the efficiency of BEEF-vdW ensembles for capturing functional uncertainty. The second study (addressed in prior work) …

Identifying And Understanding The Barriers To Sexual Health Information Seeking Experienced By Young Adults (Ages 18-26) Using Social Media, Alexander Nicolas Vera

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation uses a qualitative, constructionist approach to examine the sociotechnical and cultural dynamics that shape digital sexual health-seeking practices of young adults. Guided by information practices and affordance theory, the research draws on semi-structured interviews and digital walkthroughs with 20 young adults (ages 18–26) from a convenience sample of young adults residing in South Carolina. Participants described how they use platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit not only to locate information but to assess its trustworthiness, inclusivity, and personal relevance in real time. Through in-depth accounts and screen-based demonstrations via digital walkthroughs, the study examines how participants engage in …

Spectral Modeling Of Electromagnetic Radiation From Power Converters, Regan A. Varner

Theses and Dissertations

Switching power converters are increasingly utilized in contemporary electronics. They are becoming more compact and operate at higher frequencies, which contributes to radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI). This EMI is important to quantify for electromagnetic compatibility of the converters with other nearby systems. In this thesis, analytical models have been developed for both ideal and non-ideal switching waveforms, employing piecewise functions to describe time-domain waveforms, with their corresponding frequency spectra derived and compared to empirical spectra. The results demonstrate that the comparisons with measured frequency data exhibit agreement with the analytical models up to approximately 25 MHz. Additionally, our analysis indicates …

Calculating Surface Current Velocities From Video Generated From A Near Forward-Facing Camera, Colby James Weeks

Theses and Dissertations

This work presents a camera system for estimating surface currents. A combined camera and IMU system provide high resolution images and high precision orientation information, respectively. This eliminates the need for leveling and enables forward looking operation. The hardware stack includes a Lucid Vision Triton TRT162S monochrome camera, an SBG Ellipse D with dual antenna GNSS for precise pose, and an Nvidia Jetson Orin for acquisition and processing. The Ellipse D provides a hardware trigger at 10 Hz to time stamp each frame and to synchronize images with inertial measurements.

A camera calibration step estimates the intrinsic camera parameters and …

Towards Robust Bmocz Schemes For Non-Coherent Wireless Communication, Anthony Joseph Perre

Theses and Dissertations

Non-coherent communication has emerged as a promising approach to address several challenges at the physical layer. A particular scheme called binary modulation on conjugate-reciprocal zeros (BMOCZ) uses the zeros (i.e, roots) of a polynomial to convey information bits. In this thesis, we strive to improve the reliability of BMOCZ in various scenarios. In particular, we utilize machine learning (ML) methods to determine the parameters for BMOCZ and improve upon the decoding performance. Moreover, we introduce a smooshed BMOCZ variant to combat typical impairments encountered within wireless communications, including timing offsets (TOs) for noncoherent orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). Through numerical …

A Qualitative Study Of Middle School Teachers’ Experiences Integrating Computer Coding Into Mathematics Classrooms, George William Austin Iii

Theses and Dissertations

As computers become more accessible in schools nationwide, teachers are embracing them to impact achievement positively (Brudno, 2013; Cetin, 2016). As a result, computer coding instruction has gained attention as a strategy for providing students with skills that will serve them both pre and post-graduation (Burke & Kafai, 2013; Yadav et al., 2016; Ng, 2017). Computer coding is the process of providing instructions for a computer to follow. In 2017, the South Carolina State Board of Education approved Computer Science and Digital Literacy standards for all K-8 public schools in the state of South Carolina (South Carolina Department of Education, …

Rate-Dependent Interlaminar Shear Characterization In Solid-State Extruded Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene Film Composites, Frank David Thomas Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) cross-ply [0o/90o] thin film composites are emerging as an effective material for impact applications due to their high axial strength-to-weight ratio and favorable delamination properties. Mode-II interlaminar shear (ILS) fracture-driven delamination has been shown to be a significant energy absorption mechanism. Therefore, accurately characterizing ILS behavior as a function of strain rate in these composites is essential to inform computational models. Since these composites are significantly thinner and weaker in both interlaminar shear and transverse tension than traditional carbon fiber epoxy composites, standard ILS Mode II test methods/specimens such as end-notched flexure (ENF) are expected …

Ursinus Magazine, Fall 2025, Gundolf Graml, Steve Thomas, Jennifer L. Post-Whisted, Alyssa Kratz, Brad Drexler, Connor Donohue, Michelle Yurko

Ursinus Magazine, 1995–Present

Introducing Interim President Gundolf Graml • Transfer agreement signed with DCCC • New Native American and Indigenous Studies minor • Students get front-row seat to optical innovation • Study abroad expands in Ireland • Alumna earns fellowship from French government • Softball roots, Phillies dreams • New Spirit Store now open • Ursinus' youngest student: Making headlines worldwide • Alumna earns Fulbright award • Ursinus, America250PA support PA scholars • Alumni join Ursinus Board of Trustees • When generosity meets vision • Ursinus named to Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll • Field hockey team explores South Africa • Rankings …