Digital Commons Network^™

A Genre-Based Approach To Teaching Employment Interview English For Adult English Learners In The United States, Caitlin Schueler

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Employment interviews represent high-stakes communicative events that can present particular challenges for adult English learners (AELs). Despite this, existing interview preparation materials often emphasize rehearsal of common questions, memorization of responses, and adherence to cultural norms instead of an intentional focus on the linguistic resources characteristic of employment interview discourse. This capstone project addresses that gap through the design of an eight-week curriculum for intermediate-level AELs. The curriculum is informed by Systemic Functional Linguistics, the Sydney School approach to genre pedagogy, Interactional Sociolinguistics, the Teaching and Learning Cycle, and Understanding by Design. Together, these frameworks guided the development of a …

Ntegrating Digital Tools Into English Instruction For Fulbright English Teaching Assistants In Taiwan, Alexandra Rankin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project examines how digital tools can be integrated into elementary-level English instruction by Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) in Taiwan. The project was guided by two questions: How can Fulbright English Teaching Assistants effectively integrate digital tools into elementary school level English instruction, and what are the perceived benefits and challenges for teachers using these tools? A review of literature on the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program, Taiwan’s Bilingual 2030 policy, and technology integration in English language instruction informed the development of a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Advisor professional development workshop for ETAs and their Local …

From Pages To Parks: Connecting Children’S Literature And Place-Based Learning For Family Environmental Education In Minnesota State Parks, Taylor Kasprzak

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Place-based environmental education offers rich opportunities for family engagement, yet children’s literature remains an underutilized tool in supporting these outdoor experiences. Grounded in Vygotsky’s social constructivism theory and place-based pedagogy, this research capstone examines how children’s literature and place-based learning experiences can support environmental education for families visiting Minnesota State Parks. To address the gap, this project presents a ten-unit family guide focused on specific state parks, with introductory information for new visitors. Utilizing Minnesota Department of Natural Resources materials and local library collections, this project combines purposeful family activities with meaningful anchor texts. Each unit includes a guiding environmental …

Not Just A Pediatric Condition: Down Syndrome Across The Lifespan., Emily Haury, Jacqueline Kitchen, Brenda Rogers

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

With increasing life expectancy for individuals with Down Syndrome (DS), there are growing numbers of adult DS patients needing care from primary care physicians who are knowledgeable regarding their health needs and risks. The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GDSF) Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome identify important areas of focus: mental health, dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis, atlantoaxial instability, hypothyroidism and celiac disease. Additionally, there are unique considerations regarding cancer risk and screenings, as well as vaccination. Young adults with DS should have a structured transition from pediatric to adult care like any patient with chronic illness …

The Contested Contingent Constitution: Plutocrats, Right-Wing Populists, And Labor Rights In The U.S., Kate Andrias

Faculty Scholarship

Constitutional labor rights have long been negligible in the United States. Now, with the ascendance of Donald Trump’s right-wing authoritarianism, even statutory labor rights are under threat. Yet there is an apparent paradox: While the Trump Administration seeks to declare the NLRB unconstitutional and has decimated federal workers’ rights, Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement rose to power in part by invoking the plight of the American worker. The more populist wing of the American Right does not expressly challenge the constitutionality of labor law. Indeed, some right-wing populists urge an expansion of labor rights, emphasizing such goals as …

Understanding The Experiences Of Faculty Members Who Teach Case Conceptualization, Asianna Harris

Dissertations (1934 -)

Competence in case conceptualization (CC) is a core skill in clinical training. However, many graduate programs lack a structured process for teaching this complex and dynamic clinical skill. While most research focuses on students’ perspectives on learning CC, there is a distinct gap in research on faculty experiences, successful teaching methods, and the assessment of teaching practices. Therefore, this study addressed the gap in extant literature by exploring how doctoral programs’ faculty taught transtheoretical CC and how they evaluated the effectiveness of their instruction. A Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) design was employed to deeply examine the experiences of 13 faculty …

How Wounded Healer Trainees Develop Self-Awareness Of Their Wounds And Use This Self-Awareness In Clinical Work, Nishi Ravi

Dissertations (1934 -)

The wounded healer, a concept originally introduced by Carl Jung (1951), characterizes individuals who, having undergone personal struggles or ‘wounding,’ feel inclined to alleviate the suffering of others. Extant literature attests to the prevalence of woundedness among counseling professionals and to the potential benefits and risks their wounds pose in clinical practice. Despite its widespread use across the literature, the wounded healer concept has yet to be formally and empirically operationalized, and this study addresses that gap by offering a concrete, empirically grounded definition of the construct. Yet, while wounded healers are increasingly recognized across counseling training contexts, little research …

Coping With Uncertainty In Everyday Situations (Cues©): The U.S. Pilot Study, Sarah Lehman

Dissertations (1934 -)

Autistic youth experience anxiety at an increased rate compared to their neurotypical counterparts. The presence of anxiety often amplifies the social and functional difficulties faced by autistic youth, which can exacerbate poor outcomes. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), defined as negative beliefs and reactions to unpredictable or ambiguous situations, has been identified as a key factor to the manifestation of anxiety in autistic populations. The current study aimed to replicate the protocol and results from Rodgers et al. (2023) by conducting the first U.S. pilot study examining the feasibility and efficacy of Coping with Uncertainty in Everyday Situations (CUES©); an 8-week …

Pragmatic Conceptualism, Public Nuisance, And The American Opioid Litigation, Benjamin C. Zipursky

Washington and Lee Law Review

Public nuisance as a part of American tort law has been as high profile in the first decades of this century as products liability law was in the last several decades of the twentieth century. The American opioid litigation over the past decades is a spectacular example, filling headlines and generating billions of dollars of settlements. There is a plausible argument, however, that the doctrinal core of the opioid litigation is meritless because there simply is no “interference with public right” as required by public nuisance law. The first aim of this Article is to articulate and assess that argument. …

Gold & Blue, Summer 2026, St. Mary's University - San Antonio, Texas

Gold & Blue

This is the Summer 2026 edition of Gold & Blue, which is St. Mary’s University's official alumni magazine.

Color Shift: A Graphic Design Process Book Exploring How Color And Motion Influence Emotional Perception And Brand Connection In Affordable Women's Fashion Jewelry, Elizabeth Voight

Theses

This study examines how manipulating color and motion within a single brand identity system influences consumer emotional response and brand consistency. Using a fictional modern jewelry brand, Quanta & Co., the research isolates color as the primary variable by applying nine distinct mid-range color palettes to identical layouts, logos, and structures across both print and digital touchpoints. These collateral assets include jewelry packaging, vehicle wraps, digital advertisements, and an animated logo. A quantitative survey was executed to capture real-time audience impressions regarding brand traits, perceived quality, and the overall alignment of each color variation with the brand's identity.

The findings …

Dataset To Analyzing Energy Use In 2 & 3d Imaging Systems And Workflows, Michael J. Bennett

Published Works

Analyzing Energy Use in 2D & 3D Imaging Systems and Workflows Dataset

CONTENTS: Z-WaveReportingProfiles; SessionInput; DroneFlights; SessionsComputed; Types; ByType; GrossSummaryUnweighted; WeightingSummary; Raw Sampling History Data

Analysis Of Physicians Who Trained And Remain At Lehigh Valley Healthnetwork, Partof Jefferson Health: Factors Influencing Satisfaction And Retention, Michela Biondi, Terri Vian, Joseph E. Patruno Md

Research Scholars

No abstract provided.

Assessing Language Access Barriers In Medical Settings, Ashley Cardona-Carrillo, Joumana De Santiago, Janiris Sanchez

Research Scholars

No abstract provided.

It's All In The (Exponential) Family: An Equivalence Between Maximum Likelihood Estimation And Control Variates For Sketching Algorithms, Keegan Kang, Kerong Wang, Ding Zhang, Rameshwar Pratap, Bhisham Dev Verma, Benedict Wong

Faculty Conference Papers and Presentations

Maximum likelihood estimators (MLE) and control variate estimators (CVE) have been used in conjunction with known information across sketching algorithms and applications in machine learning. We prove that under certain conditions in an exponential family, an optimal CVE will achieve the same asymptotic variance as the MLE, giving a fixed point algorithm for the MLE. Experiments show the fixed point algorithm is faster and numerically stable compared to other root finding algorithms for the MLE for the bivariate Normal distribution, and we expect this to hold across distributions satisfying these conditions. We show how this algorithm leads to reproducibility for …

Managing Risks Under Nuclear Power Plant Projects: A Latent Similarity-Guided Contract Customization, Mariam Elazhary, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Global energy is transforming, with nuclear power emerging as a pivotal player in achieving sustainable and low-carbon energy goals. The nature of nuclear technology introduces unique challenges, such as stringent safety and environmental requirements. Existing studies focus on general risk identification, such as supply chain delays, cost overruns, and public perception issues. However, these studies fail to address integrating these risks into tailored contractual provisions, which are critical for navigating the unique challenges of nuclear projects. The goal of this paper is to examine how standard construction contracts can be tailored to better accommodate the risks inherent in nuclear power …

Digital Twin-Assisted Optimization Of 6g Wireless Networks: Ensuring Deterministic Communication, Yingpu Nian, Bo Yi, Xingwei Wang, Sajal K. Das

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

With the rapid advancement of 6G technology and the increasing use of smart devices, Deterministic 6G Wireless Networks (D6WN) have emerged to meet the growing network transmission demands. In particular, applications such as autonomous vehicles, remote surgery, and industrial automation require extremely low transmission latency to function effectively, highlighting the critical need for D6WN in supporting these time-sensitive use cases. Yet, the conventional TCP/IP framework lacks effective unified traffic and congestion control scheduling, aggravating latency and uncertainty, posing a challenge to ensuring reliable real-time critical applications. To address the challenges of deterministic transmission in D6WN, this paper integrates Digital Twin …

Nbc Peacock North Summer 2026 Newsletter, Peacock North Staff

NBC Peacock North Newsletter

Highlights include: What's Now! Advice to the Class of 2026 -- Peacock Family -- Spring Luncheon Photo Gallery -- Tributes to Silent Microphones

Urb-Poiesis: A New Terminology Between Theorisation And Practice In Sustainable Urban Development, Lubna Raheem Al-Azzawi

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Urb-poiesis is a new term formed from the two words `urban' and `poiesis', which refer to the autopoietic and allopoietic phenomena of urban systems, as defined in relation to SUD. The research developed a new theory to investigate the typology of city system behaviour. Thus, a new model of theoretical relationships based on the Urb-poiesis definition is proposed to create a dual association with identity as the driving force behind the city. The methodology followed a logical, stepwise approach to transforming qualitative data into quantitative data, using a semantic differential scale (SDS) of Urb-poiesis represented by identity from the flow …

The Impact Of Perceived Sustainable Design Characteristics On Enhancing Well-Being In Residential Environments: An Empirical Study, Zainab Ibrahim Abass

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Creating a sustainable living environment is crucial to improving well-being and reducing stress among urban populations, particularly through architecture, urban planning, and public health research. The growing importance of environmental sustainability for human health is limited by current empirical research on the impact of sustainable housing on well-being, due to insufficient conceptualisation and assessment of the perceived attributes of the residential environment. This study aims to examine the potential impact of perceived sustainable design characteristics on well-being using both quantitative and qualitative indicators to establish criteria for examining residents' views on sustainability attributes. Data were collected from high-density housing areas …

Multi-Parameter Assessment Of Land Degradation Vulnerability In Ranya And Pshdar Regions Using Geospatial Techniques, Kaifi Chomani

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Land degradation poses a significant threat to the stability of the ecological and socio-environmental characteristics of the Ranya and Pshdar (RP) region in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The fragile environmental and physical dynamics of the RP regions make it considerably vulnerable to land degradation. This study integrates remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to address this issue, as these techniques provide a robust framework for mapping land degradation vulnerability in the RP regions of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Ten critical environmental and physical parameters were analyzed and considered to model …

The Effect Of Morphological Transformations On The Emergence Of Complex Urban Systems: The Historical Karkh Urban Systems In Baghdad Is A Ase Study, Sara Abdul Aalie Rasheed, Wahda Shuker Al-Hinkawi

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Cities emerge as multi-component urban systems that exhibit complexity and synergy and are shaped by morphological transformations in their structural composition. From here, the research idea was launched to demonstrate the role of morphological transformations in the emergence of urban systems with multiple characteristics and their integration to form the complex urban system. The research aims to demonstrate the impact of transformations on the emergence of the complex urban system, a fundamental characteristic of the city's growth and development, which comprises different urban structures that arise over time. The research adopted a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach and applied it to a …

Integrating Business Process Reengineering (Bpr) With Interior Design: An Innovative Approach For Bisb Bank Design, Maroa Salim Khalfan Al Abri, Mohamed Faisal Al-Kazee

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

The demand for Business Process Reengineering (BPR) has grown, prompting efforts to integrate BPR with interior design to address key needs such as spatial layout, organizational processes, user collaboration, and workflow. The research examines BPR from an academic perspective, emphasizing its integration with interior design and illustrating the project's design stages in an advanced interior design studio. It highlights a designer's role in offering practical solutions for BPR in bank interiors. The study describes the BisB Bank design as an innovative project in the Interior Design II Studio and identifies 13 principles for the integration approach. These principles encompass spatial …

The Impact Of The Design Characteristics Of Media Architecture On The Activation Of Urban Space, Hanan Dhiyaa Hussein, Inaam A. Al-Bazzaz, Ammar Salim Dawood

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

The research explores the relationship between the design characteristics of media architecture and their impact on activating urban space, focusing on the role of interactive technologies and the extent to which they enhance visual comfort and stimulate social interaction. The research problem was represented by (the lack of a clear conception of the impact of the design characteristics of media architecture on activating urban space). The research objective was to develop an integrated theoretical model to identify indicators of how media architecture's design characteristics influence the activation of urban space. The research relied on a descriptive-analytical-comparative approach to compare selected …

Advanced Glass Between Technology & Ideology, Enas Salim Abdulahaad, Oday Abaas Abood

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Advances in glass technology have radically transformed contemporary architecture, highlighting the research problem of ``The Ambiguity of Advanced Glass' Position in Twenty-First-Century Architecture.'' The research aims to uncover the transformation of advanced glass from a technological to an ideological dimension. The research hypothesizes that ``contemporary architecture has reshaped its relationship with humans, society, and nature through its use of advanced glass.'' The research adopts a descriptive and analytical methodology based on specialized literature and global and regional architectural practices, revealing the technical characteristics and symbolic meanings inherent in glass applications. The research concludes that contemporary architecture has redefined its relationship …

Metaphysics Of Parallel Heritage In The Formulation Of The Contemporary Cityscape, Ban Mohammed Sultan, Abbas Ali Hamza Al Greiza

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

In the contemporary globalized world, the metaphysical texts of parallel heritage play a vital role in preserving the identity and privacy of cities with historical cores by conveying both the authenticity of the past and the spirit of the age in architectural production. The research problem addresses a cognitive deficiency in reading the metaphysics of parallel heritage within the urban landscape of Haifa Street, proposing it as a text that mediates between heritage and contemporaneity. The research hypothesizes that these metaphysical texts contain a creative core that functions as a future-oriented cognitive model. Using a descriptive–analytical approach, the study analyzes …

Posthuman Architecture And The Machine: A Theoretical Approach To The Impacts Of Artificial Intelligence On Architecture, Waleed Joudah Nassar Alsaadi, Ibrahim Jawad Kadhim Al-Yousif

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Posthumanist philosophy shifts the focus away from independent, human-centred thinking toward diverse, pluralistic modes of knowledge. It adopts the idea that human agency is interconnected with a broad network of other actors, such as contemporary intelligent machines, most prominently embodied in artificial intelligence. This research discusses the relationship and interconnection between architecture in its posthuman form and technology, selecting artificial intelligence as a model of this technology, as it represents the most significant technical and intellectual revolution at present. The study examines posthumanism as a radical theoretical model that seeks to transcend the limitations of human thought and anthropocentrism. The …

Conceptual And Formal Levels In The Digital Computational Architectural Design Process, Maysaa Izyara Mohammed, Amjad Mahmoud Albadry

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

This research examines the evolution of digital-computational design in architecture, from early Computer-Aided Architectural Design (CAAD) to contemporary practices. It distinguishes between digital design (DD), which treats digital tools as drawing instruments, and computational design (CD), which employs algorithms for deduction, induction, and abstraction. Three levels of design are identified: the Formation Level (pre-conceived forms), the Generation Level (emergent forms without preconception), and the Evolutionary Level (nature-inspired, performance-optimised forms). A critical threshold is explored where design transcends representation, embracing dynamic, algorithmic, and data-driven processes. Using analytical frameworks, literature reviews, and case studies of firms such as Gehry Partners and Zaha …

Understanding Bim Users' Perspectives On Ar-Bim In 3d Visualization And Modeling Reviews In Jordanian Aec Firms, Sadeer Hel Ajmi Al-Dhaimesh, Nooriati Taib, Syafizal Shahruddin, Zarik Jahan Boghossian

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

This study examines the perspectives of BIM users in Jordanian AEC firms on integrating Augmented Reality (AR) with Building Information Modeling (BIM) to improve 3D visualization and model review. A quantitative approach was employed through a structured questionnaire distributed to 37 BIM firms, which included 394 practitioners in Amman. The survey explored perceptions of AR-BIM benefits, focusing on spatial understanding, collaboration, and error reduction. Statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between user categories and their views, suggesting that experience influences perceived value. Results highlight that AR-BIM integration enhances project efficiency and streamlines review workflows. The findings provide empirical evidence for …

Urban Stigmergy: A Traceability Approach Towards The Development Of Baghdad, Nada Abdulmueen Hasan, Shireen K. Zedan

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Interdisciplinary urban research has pointed to finite attempts to the fact apply and develop stigmergic approaches the concept has not gained widespread acceptance in the field of urban design despite paving the way for significant opportunities and possibilities for city development, thus the research framework represent the concept of stigmergy within a specific approach to traceability impact which stimulates stigmergic behavior in the urban environment, and results in the generation of a set of urban development mechanisms the research objective focuses on exploring the mechanisms of the traceability approach within urban stigmergy scenarios and their role in the development of …