Digital Commons Network^™

College Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study Of Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Experiences, Laura K. Anderson

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the college experiences of students with intellectual and/or developmental disability (IDD) who are attending an inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) program in the United States. Inclusive post-secondary education program numbers have been increasing since 2008, when the Higher Education Opportunity Act passed and authorized federal student aid to students in IPSE programs. Most research on IPSE programs to date has been on their structure and employment outcomes, with scant research on what students experience during their time in an IPSE program.

Participants were 12 third or fourth year IPSE students with IDD …

Exploring Principals' Equity Mindset As It Applies To Their Practice Within A Mexican-U.S. Border Community, Sonia D. Aguilar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The study's aimed to explore principals' equity mindset to respond to the research question: How do principals' lived experiences, identity, beliefs, attitudes, and values construct their understanding of equity, and how does it impact their practice within the school communities they serve? The study employed narrative inquiry as a methodology to gain knowledge and understanding of principals' conceptualization of equity and how equity emerges in their practice. These principals' rich descriptive narratives showed that their understanding and embodiment of equity are reflected within their practice. Their inherent values, beliefs, attitudes, and overall sense of self and upbringing are at the …

Level Of Fidelity Adaptation Of Structural Models To Support In-Space Servicing, Assembly, And Manufacturing (Isam), Maximilian Manuel Rothblatt

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) operations increasingly rely on digital twin technology to perform predictive structural analysis in resource-constrained environments. A key challenge in deploying structural finite element analysis (FEA) within a digital twin lies in determining mesh fidelity settings that balance simulation accuracy with computational efficiency. This thesis presents the development of a MATLAB-based adaptive mesh refinement framework designed to identify optimal FEA mesh parameters prior to integration into a digital twin system.

The tool iteratively refines mesh resolution across faces, edges, and vertices based on von Mises stress distribution and convergence behavior. Termination criteria are governed by …

Student Perceptions Of Ai In University Studies, John Robert Fisher, Louis K. Falk, Margaret Mittelman

Communication Faculty Publications

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education is transforming students’ learning experiences, decision-making, and academic efficiency. This study explores student perceptions of AI’s benefits, challenges, and its role across academic disciplines. Findings indicate that while students recognize AI as a valuable educational tool, they also express concerns regarding privacy, reliance, and the need for improved AI training. Statistically significant differences were observed in AI’s impact on learning efficiency, decision-making, and academic engagement, supporting the hypothesis that AI enhances education but presents notable challenges. The study also highlights the necessity for balanced AI integration, ensuring that AI complements rather …

Despair Against Boredom: Hyperstitional Narrativization In The International Relations Of Populist States, Rayna Summerfield

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Academic scholarship on populism in the digital age, thus far, has focused heavily on radicalization, social reorganization, and other ways the internet and social media facilitate the rise of populist movements, rather than the impacts of the internet on the actual desires of the citizenry. In this theoretical piece, I argue that modern populists engage in a contract with their supporters to create an “entertaining” political environment closely mimicking online dynamics. Next, I use the lens of hyperstition, a concept devised by the Cybernetic Culture Research Unit, to explain the means by which the patterns of human interaction found more …

I Am (Me)Dicine: An Analysis On The Influence Of Humanities Courses Within The Construction Of Internal And External Identities Within Pre-Med Students At Uno, Alix Barnes

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The purpose of this project is to investigate how arts and humanities coursework may enhance the development of internal and external identities for premedical students beyond their traditional scientific coursework. A literature review shows positive findings on identity development and the influence of arts and humanities coursework on medical education. This investigation will take place through a mixed-method survey distributed to UNO premedical students and will explore themes of self-reflection, personal and professional growth, and understanding of external perspectives. An optional question prompts respondents to reflect further on their work within arts and humanities courses and their impact on these …

Evaluating Emotional Responsiveness In Large Language Models: Plutchik’S Emotions As A Framework, Sridivya Pirisingula

Interdisciplinary Informatics Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

This thesis combines two complementary research efforts examining how artificial intelligence, specifically OpenAI’s ChatGPT, interacts with and processes human emotions. The first paper explores ChatGPT’s emotional adaptability, investigating whether the model’s responses vary in tone, style, or empathy when exposed to emotionally charged prompts. The study uses sentiment analysis tools, readability scoring, and emotional congruence matching to assess how the model interprets emotional cues embedded in the text. Drawing from theories in affective computing, psychology, and language modeling, this research aims to understand whether ChatGPT can simulate emotional awareness and adapt its communication style based on perceived human sentiment. These …

The Documented Relationship Between Sexual Health Knowledge, Attitudes, And Impact On Sex Behaviors For Students In The United States, Rivers M. Nicholas

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Purpose: To determine whether there is a documented relationship between sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and sex behaviors in students in the US.

Methods: This study conducted an expanded literature review. Multiple databases were utilized including EBSCO host academic complete search, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Searches included the following phrases: “sexual health education”, “united states”, “sexual health knowledge”, “sex behavior”, “risk seeking behavior”, and “sex attitudes or perceptions or opinions.” Studies were included based on relevance to topic, geographical location, age group, and recency.

Result: 40 peer-reviewed articles were reviewed. The majority of students failed in knowledge based assessments on sexual …

Creating Resilient Social Workers: A Pilot Study On Implementing Resilience-Building Skills With Social Work Students, Andrea Sparrow

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

Social work students in Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited programs are expected to develop competencies in working with individuals, groups, and communities. However, limited research exists on their preparedness with resilience-building skills to navigate occupational challenges. This mixed-methods exploratory study examined the relationship between completing online resilience-building modules and students’ knowledge of resilience strategies. A pre-and post-assessment measured knowledge uptake among undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Louisville’s Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science. The study explored two key questions: (1) What is the relationship between completing resilience-building modules and students’ knowledge …

Protein Intake And The Wellbeing Of Postmenopausal Women: Investigating Sleep, Mood, And Quality Of Life, Aleesha Imran

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Postmenopausal women commonly experience declines in sleep quality, mood, and overall wellbeing, with limited non-pharmacological options available to address these concerns. This randomized controlled trial investigated whether daily beef consumption as part of a higher-protein diet could improve sleep, mood, and quality of life over four weeks. Participants were randomized to either a standard protein intake control group or a treatment group consuming a high-protein diet with daily lean beef.

The treatment group showed modest improvements in subjective sleep quality and perceived health compared to controls, although these changes were not statistically significant. Fatigue, however, significantly decreased in the treatment …

The Effect Of Antemortem Tooth Loss On Craniofacial Shape In Apes And Humans, Ashley R. Laster

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Antemortem tooth loss (AMTL) (i.e., defined as tooth loss occurring before death) is common among humans and many primates, and several studies have examined AMTL across various primate groups. Some research indicates that AMTL can influence masticatory function and diet; however, the effects of AMTL on craniofacial shape and biomechanics have not been extensively analyzed. We assessed craniofacial and mandibular shape in relation to AMTL, anticipating that individuals with at least one tooth lost antemortem would display significant differences in cranial and/or mandibular shape compared to those without AMTL. AMTL rates were evaluated in three primate species: wild-caught samples of …

The Relationship Between Oxidative Stress And Partner Opposition In Conflict Resolution, Jenna Thomas

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Given the inevitability of conflict in romantic relationships, understanding its biological impact is crucial for developing conflict resolution strategies that promote physical health. While many studies highlight relationship conflict’s negative effects on bodily systems, few examine how specific facets of conflict, such as opposition, impact the body. Partner opposition may contribute to oxidative stress, a biological marker associated with poor physical health, by activating the amygdala. This study investigated the association between partner opposition and oxidative stress in 126 couples expecting their first child. Participants attended a lab session where problem-solving discussions were recorded to assess oppositional behavior and urine …

Occupational Therapy Fellowship Curriculum Design: A Framework And Curriculum Mapping, Sydney Mitchell

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Innovations in OT Symposium: Transforming Possibilities into Practice

Objective. There is little published research on occupational therapy (OT) fellowships and varying levels of understanding around fellowships. The purposes of this IRB-exempt capstone were to identify stakeholder perception of OT fellowships, create a neurologic OT fellowship to bridge the gap in access to this training in the Southeast, and apply a conceptual framework during development. Methods. Anonymous surveys and semi-structured interviews were used to identify stakeholder needs for the curriculum. Methods focused on curriculum outline, development of one educational lesson, and incorporating formative and summative assessments. Five volunteers rated the module on usability and overall experience. The curriculum was …

Adélie Penguin Vocalizations Reflect Breeding Phenology, Danielle Therese Fradet

Master's Theses and Capstones

Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) are bellwethers for Antarctic climate change because their breeding phenology is closely linked to sea-ice extent. Researchers need long-term, large-scale phenology data to make informed Antarctic climate and conservation insights. However, traditional breeding phenology data collection is resource intensive, limiting research to small colonies located near research stations. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is a low-disturbance, easily scalable method which facilitates large-scale data collection and has been successfully applied at multiple seabird colonies to collect breeding phenology data. In this thesis, I provide a framework to implement a custom BirdNET wind detector to identify wind distorted recordings, …

Good Vibrations: Low-Frequency Anthropogenic Sound And Blue Mussel Recruitment, Kyrie Elise Newby

Master's Theses and Capstones

Anthropogenic noise pollution is increasing in the world’s oceans, particularly along urbanized coastlines and global shipping routes. Many human activities, such as vessel traffic, pile driving, drilling, and other construction projects, produce loud low-frequency noise (Duarte et al. 2021). Marine invertebrates, including the blue mussel Mytilus edulis, sense sound through particle motion and may use acoustic signals as informational cues. While excessive noise has been shown to have negative physiological effects on adult and larval shellfish, Mytilidae larvae have also demonstrated a positive settlement response to some types of low-frequency anthropogenic noise (Solé et al. 2023). During the summer of …

Effects Of Winter Severity On Regional Variability In The Timing Of Tree Green-Up Across Eastern North America, Dylan Joseph Smith

Master's Theses and Capstones

Climate change is altering the depth and duration of winter across eastern North America, with implications for ecological processes dependent on the coldness and seasonality provided by it. Tree green-up is a critical ecosystem transition point being affected by changing climatic conditions. This study investigates how winter season severity- the cumulative depth and duration of the winter season- affects the timing of spring green-up across a dynamically changing region. Using site-level linear trend analysis, meta-analysis, and mixed-effects linear regression, I assessed spatio-temporal changes in winter severity and green-up timing, employing a precipitation-based winter season severity index and PhenoCam remote sensing …

High Frequency Analysis Of The Carbon Dioxide Linkage Between Terrestrial And Aquatic Ecosystems, Amanda G. Theall

Master's Theses and Capstones

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a potent greenhouse gas, and surface water concentrations are often supersaturated relative to the atmosphere. To fully quantify CO2 dynamics in stream ecosystems, it is critical to understand sources of stream CO2, particularly the link between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It is unclear how soil CO2 enters streams and to what magnitude. To address this knowledge gap, I analyzed high-frequency CO2 time-series of soil and stream water sensor data to understand source-sink dynamics and time lags between the two pools. I used seven years of hourly sensor data from three soil depths with upscaled 15-minute stream …

Deciphering Tragedy: Understanding Student-Teacher Ratio's Impact On School Shooting Outcomes, Samantha Sutton

Master's Theses and Capstones

Increasingly fatal school shootings present an urgent challenge for researchers. Apart from issues surrounding firearms, factors that can reduce outcomes from school shootings events are increasingly sought after. Student-teacher ratios are associated with outcomes of school based juvenile delinquency and deviance, where more ideal ratios are linked to lower outcomes and less ideal ratios are linked to higher outcomes. Using this background knowledge, this paper tests for associations between student-teacher ratios and the outcomes, in terms of both casualties and fatalities, of school shooting events. Two different theoretical frameworks are tested to determine which better predicts results: social disorganization theory …

Flexibly Changing Resource Allocation In Individuals With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (Mtbi), Alyssa Walker

Master's Theses and Capstones

Introduction: The current study examined how individuals with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) can shift their attentional efforts in real-time. These abilities were examined within a dual-task, during which individuals had to perform two tasks simultaneously. The first research question compared the performance of healthy controls and concussion participants on individual subtasks of the dual-task. The second research question explored how effective healthy controls versus concussion participants were in shifting their attentional resources. The final research question examined the effect of fatigue, specifically whether concussion participants would demonstrate a greater fatigue effect and have more difficulty at the end of …

The Effects Of Connected Phonation On Nonsense Word Reading, Rachel Stoneking

Special Education and Communication Disorders Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

This study investigates the impact of connected phonation as an intervention strategy for improving nonsense word reading fluency in a third-grade student with an Intellectual Disability and a Speech Language Impairment. The student exhibited significant challenges in decoding and comprehension, which negatively affected academic performance in English Language Arts (ELA). Drawing on evidence-based practices, connected phonation—defined as the continuous blending of phonemes without pausing—was implemented over six weeks in a special education setting. The intervention was delivered through structured one-on-one sessions, incorporating manipulatives and scaffolded instruction.

Progress was monitored weekly using the DIBELS Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) assessments. Although initial …

Promoting Safe Firearm Storage Through Media-Based Interventions, Abigail Bordelon

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Given the ongoing phenomenon of unintentional pediatric firearm deaths, this project seeks to examine how the mainstream media reports on these events and how media frames could be altered to better promote public health prevention efforts.

The Relationship Of Peer Recovery Support Specialists And Recovery Of Perinatal Women With A Substance Use Disorder, Mary C. Talbot

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: Substance use in pregnant and postpartum women is a growing issue in the United States. Drug use while pregnant can lead to birth defects, stillbirths, and problems providing positive parenting to their children. Many women with substance use disorders (SUD) feel extreme shame and stigma related to their substance use and have trouble accessing recovery-related treatment and other services. Peer recovery support treatment uses the lived experiences of individuals in current recovery from SUD to facilitate and support recovery in others. Purpose: The purpose of this review was to evaluate the impact of peer recovery support specialists on the …

The Effect Of Maternal Anxiety On Breastfeeding Exclusivity And Duration, Zoe E. Treat

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: The postpartum period, especially during the first year, presents a heightened risk for maternal anxiety. Research suggests a potential negative relationship between maternal anxiety and breastfeeding duration, though there is currently a gap in the existing literature regarding how maternal mental health impacts breastfeeding outcomes.

Purpose: This study seeks to investigate the influence of postpartum anxiety on both the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding, crucial knowledge required to support and implement targeted interventions. We expected that maternal anxiety would predict shorter exclusive and total breastfeeding durations.

Methodology: To explore the relationship between postpartum anxiety and breastfeeding behaviors, we distributed …

Interpretation Challenges In Healthcare Settings As Experienced By Refugees And Healthcare Providers In The United States, Lydia H. Samoff

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Language and interpretation barriers are significant challenges for refugees receiving healthcare in the United States. Both providers and refugee patients associate effective communication with a positive healthcare experience. Therefore, it is important to identify themes in interpretation barriers to promote productive communication between providers and refugee patients.

Purpose: To identify themes in literature surrounding interpretation challenges between refugees and healthcare workers in the United States and compare them to lived experience in a clinic in Northwest Arkansas.

Methods: Several databases were searched, including CINAHL, Medline, HealthSource, and Google Scholar, and articles were chosen with the inclusion criteria being research …

The Politics Of Influencing: The Demand For Political Transparency In The Digital Age, Riley N. Chapman

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

The goal of this research is to examine the relationship between influencers, party affiliation, and the desire for political disclosure. A desire for political disclosure is the preference for social media influencers to convey their political opinions to their audience to achieve connectedness. To research this, I examined the social media use of Generation Z students, as well as the uses and gratifications of their social media use. Two hundred and sixty-five students completed a Qualtrics survey assessing these variables. Results demonstrated that Gen Z feels indifferent about knowing the political views of the influencers that they follow. However, Democratic …

Predicting Steroid Concern Through Tiktok Use And Self-Esteem, Adam Lorio, Brandon C. Bouchillon, Sisi Hu, Jennifer Mortensen

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examined student perceptions of steroid use through a survey of 154 participants. While self-esteem did not directly predict steroid concerns, specific TikTok engagement patterns revealed complex relationships. Using TikTok to pass time correlated with viewing steroids as a public health issue, whereas surveillance-based use was associated with lower self-esteem. Using the platform to interact was positively related to self-esteem, highlighting how different modes of engagement can shape perceptions about individual and collective health.

Food Security In Mauritius, Luke Hubbard

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Located over 600 miles off the East coast of Madagascar, Mauritius is an island nation with a population of over 1.2 million people. In the summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to travel to Mauritius and conduct a representative food insecurity survey alongside other University of Arkansas and University of Mauritius students and professors. With more than 400 surveys in over 80 locations, we gathered data in every district on the primary island of Mauritius. The group used a survey based on the standard USDA question list and compiled the results to find that the population of Mauritius had …

May 2025 Library & Learning Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library & Learning Dean’S Office Communications Team

Library & Learning Newsletters

PDF version of the May 2025 (Volume 3, Issue 7) Library & Learning Newsletter.

Beyond The Flow: A Critical Examination Of Engagement And Learning Outcomes In Game-Based Learning Through Bibliometric And Manual Literature Analysis, Daniel Ray Singletary

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the role of flow in game‐based learning and compares the effects of continuous flow states with those produced by structured cognitive interruptions. The research combines a bibliometric analysis of 2,466 peer‐reviewed articles (2004–2024) with a manual review of 106 studies using a custom Flow‐Impact Analysis Framework (FIAF). This framework was developed specifically for the review and may assist future investigations into flow in game‐based learning. FIAF categorizes studies based on how they define flow, the instruments used for its measurement, and the links between flow and cognitive, affective, and behavioral learning outcomes.

Findings show that most research …

Rectifying The Tephrostratigraphic Record Of The Pacific Northwest, Casey J. Crawford

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (~17-14Ma) marks the last time that Earth’s atmospheric CO₂ concentrations were as high as modern levels, correlating to a peak of significant warming during an otherwise cooling trend through the Cenozoic. To understand how modern ecological systems may respond to CO₂ -induced climate change, paleontologists are studying how plant type and diversity changed with the rise and fall of CO₂ concentrations over the ~3Ma interval, and utilize intercalated tephras amenable to radioisotope geochronology to bracket fossiliferous horizons in time. The legacy model for tephrostratigraphy in the Pacific Northwest utilized Fe and Ca concentrations …