Digital Commons Network^™

Equipping Secondary Teachers In Trauma-Informed Practice, Lisa Andrewjeski

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in the capstone is, “How can new teachers be equipped to navigate the behavioral, developmental, and academic challenges of children and teens impacted by trauma?” The foundational paper explores the escalating volume and intensity of the impact of trauma on children and teens, specifically the impact of trauma on the brain and learning. The lack of teacher training in Trauma-Informed Practice nationally is also evaluated within the body of literature. The review of the literature informed the development of a year-long teacher mentorship professional development program aimed at Early Career Teachers (ECT) and their veteran peers. …

Best Practices For Improving Early Literacy Outcomes For Dual Language Learners, Kelsie Tyrrell

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project focuses on the question, What are the best practices for improving early literacy outcomes for dual language learners? The project is a three-part professional development series that is focused on supporting early childhood educators. The project emphasizes the importance of early literacy, equity, culturally responsive teaching practices, and partnering with parents. Early literacy plays an important role in developing foundation skills for children. Not only does early literacy support learning to read and write, it also is connected with a child's ability to critically engage with the world around them. Empowering families to support early literacy skills …

Strategies To Combat Plagiarism And Ai Misuse In The Online School, Brian Isles

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Since ChatGPT became available to the public in November 2022, students learned to use the website to plagiarize written assignments. Educators scrambled to determine the best solution, and through trial and error, systems formed to combat this new phenomenon. Unfortunately, online schools experienced a heightened version of this problem that researchers have not fully articulated. This capstone project navigates the question: What proactive and reactive strategies can be utilized by teachers, administrators, and caretakers to prevent plagiarism and AI misuse in the online environment where resources like ChatGPT and Brainly can readily provide responses for students without their active participation? …

Implementation Of Storylines In Science Education, Jacob Cooper

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

State standards are constantly changing and it is the job of the teacher to keep up with those changes. Science standards have recently gone through a major change, shifting toward storyline based education models. This had led to confusion among educators. This research and subsequent professional development sessions seek to answer the research questions: Why are we moving to the storylining model? How is the storylining model best implemented in the classroom? The literature review covers the where and why surrounding the origins of storyline based education models, both within traditional education settings and within indigenous communities. It then analyzes …

Supporting Independent Readers In The Middle School English Classroom By Visiting Their Local Library, Jennifer Murray

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

When students engage in independent reading, which is reading a book of your choice for pleasure, they do better in school. Many studies have positively correlated independent reading with higher grades, higher graduation rates, and more advanced reading and writing skills. The challenge for teachers is to nurture joy in reading, as this does not come naturally for all students. Some of the proven ways to foster independent reading for students, specifically middle school students, is to teach them about different types of books, give them a variety of books to choose from for independent reading, give them time to …

Enhancing School-Home Communication Through High-Quality Translations For Somali Parents With Lep, Abdiqadir Dahir

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The central research question guiding my capstone project is: How can professional development for school translators be enhanced to improve the quality of translated communications from schools to Somali parents with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)? This study explores how professional development for school translators can be enhanced to improve the quality of translated communications delivered to Somali parents with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Effective communication between schools and families is essential for fostering student success, yet language barriers often lead to misunderstandings and disengagement. This project draws on best practices in translation training, cultural responsiveness, and meaning-based communication. It develops …

Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge Systems In Environmental Education: Creating Culturally Responsive Curriculum To Foster A More Inclusive And Holistic Approach To Science Learning, Emilie Potocki

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project explores how elementary science curriculum can be adapted to become more culturally responsive (CR), with a particular focus on integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into 4th-grade instruction. Grounded in the belief that many Indigenous cultures have long held deep ecological knowledge and sustainable practices, the curriculum seeks to challenge the dominant, Eurocentric framework of traditional science education. Research highlights that culturally responsive teaching not only affirms students’ identities but also improves engagement, academic achievement, and long-term retention of scientific concepts. However, few curricular models at the elementary level meaningfully incorporate Indigenous perspectives in ways that are respectful, authentic, …

The Importance Of Gender Inclusive Language In Spanish And English Dual-Language School Settings, Rachel Schmitt

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Trans activist and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights trailblazer Marsha P. Johnson famously said, “no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.” One crucial step on this journey to liberation that Marsha P. Johnson spoke of is gender inclusive language, or speaking and writing in a way that does not discriminate against a particular sex, social gender or gender identity, and does not perpetuate gender stereotypes (United Nations, n.d.). Language is constantly changing and evolving, and it is up to educators to reflect these changes and model gender inclusive language when working with students. This paper seeks to identify …

How Can Teachers Effectively Integrate Social-Emotional Learning In A Third-Grade Classroom?, Hilary Turpin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project presents a thoughtfully developed professional development course to facilitate the effective integration of social-emotional learning (SEL) within educational environments. By emphasizing the importance of social and emotional competencies, this initiative seeks to enhance the overall educational experience and foster an inclusive and productive atmosphere that benefits educators and students alike. Each session is carefully structured to establish a solid foundation for educators, empowering them to weave SEL strategies into their teaching practices seamlessly. The project underscores the importance of social-emotional learning for students and educators, acknowledging that nurturing these skills in teachers is crucial for them to …

Best Practices For Integrating Technology Into The Classroom For Kindergarten Through Second Grade Multilingual Learners, Shawna Nielson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this capstone project is: “How can educators better integrate technology into in-person instruction for K-2nd grade multilingual learners?” This paper and project was inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting transition to distance learning and its effect on multilingual learners (MLs). This document looks at the ways in which MLs have dealt with systemic barriers to learning, and effective pedagogical practices to combat those barriers. It then explores how educators can effectively use digital learning resources to enhance in-person learning. A website was created to present these findings for any stakeholder to gather information …

You Can Never Have Too Many Flowers: Nature As A Support For Survivors Of Genocide, War, And Conflict, Adam Hettler

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

One in five children around the world are surviving war or other violent conflicts. The trauma of disruptions to community, safety, and loss of friends, family, and home can have wide-ranging and life-long impacts on children who survive. While impacts will vary from individual to individual, the trauma can impact mental health, feelings of safety, relationships, ability to learn, and many other aspects of their lives. Many educators in the US and globally are working with refugee students or other students who are navigating the impacts on their brains and bodies of different traumas. This project seeks to answer the …

What's Love (And Belonging) Got To Do With It? Negative And Positive Conative Elements Underlying Gritty Faith, Maria Waggoner

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

The Mediating Effects Of Disability Impact, Job Satisfaction, And Social Support In The Relationship Between Core Self-Evaluations And Life Satisfaction In Employed People With Disabilities, Rachel Friefeld Kesselmayer, Alexandra M. Kriofske Mainella, Susan Miller Smedema, Paola Cátala Villanueva

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a mediation model of the relationship of core self-evaluations (CSEs) and life satisfaction in employed individuals with disabilities. This was a quantitative descriptive design using Hayes’s (2012) PROCESS macro for SPSS and multiple regression analysis. Two-hundred fifty-nine employed individuals with disabilities were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and completed an online survey. Job satisfaction and social support were found to partially mediate the relationship between CSE and life satisfaction. The direct effect of CSE on life satisfaction remained significant after controlling for the effects of the mediators. Functional disability was not a …

The Use Of A Four-Day School Week To Recruit And Retain Teachers In A Rural District, Liz Hollingworth, Brian P. An

The Rural Educator

The purpose of the study was to explore the implementation of a four-day school week policy in a rural district. The research questions driving the study were: (a) How does the transition to a four-day school week affect the well-being of the school district teachers, students, and parents, and (b) how does the four-day school week affect teacher recruitment and retention in the school district? The researchers conducted a mixed-method case study with school administrators, parents, and teachers. The researchers compiled survey results and examined publicly available teacher retention and turnover rates from 2017–2024. Results suggest the new policy had …

Rooted Writing: The Role Of Place In Rural Writing Identities, Layne Elise Ilderton

The Rural Educator

This article investigates the intricate dynamics of writing relationships among rural students, highlighting the profound impact of place and identity on their writing experiences. Using a mixed methods approach, the study explores how rural settings influence students’ self-perceptions, apprehensions, and preferences in writing, as observed through a survey administered in three rural high schools. Central to the findings is the observation that students demonstrate a notable decrease in writing apprehension when engaging with topics rooted in their personal and rural experiences. They also have auditory and social preferences for writing environment and feel restricted with stringent grammar requirements in writing. …

April 2025 Faculty Senate Packet, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Packets

No abstract provided.

Accountability And Transparency Arrangements In The Primary Health Care Systems Of Latin American And Caribbean Countries: An Evidence Gap Map, Tariro Pedzi, Elise Lankiewicz, Wolfgang Munar

GW Research Showcase 2021-2026

No abstract provided.

Faculty List

Missouri Law Review

No abstract provided.

Ceremonia De Graduación - 2025, Governors State University

Commencement Documents and Videos

17 de mayo de 2025
10:00 h

Estudiante ponente: Sra. Catherine Miles

Facultad de Educación y Desarrollo Humano
Facultad de Salud y Servicios Humanos

17 de mayo de 2025
16:00 h

Estudiante ponente: Sra. Kaylie Dahms

Facultad de Administración de Empresas
Facultad de Artes y Ciencias

Commencement Program: 2025, Governors State University

Commencement Documents and Videos

May 17, 2025
10 a.m.

Student Speaker: Ms. Catherine Miles

College of Education and Human Development
College of Health and Human Services

May 17, 2025

4 p.m.

Student Speaker: Ms. Kaylie Dahms

College of Business
College of Arts and Sciences

Interview With Bill And Kathy Rades, Bailie Jansons

Gordon and Dorothy Carlson Commemoration

No abstract provided.

Mapping Trends In Gender-Inclusive Legal Language Between Circuit Courts In The United States, Juliette M. Rhinow

Student Publications

This study examines the use of gender-inclusive legal language in federal circuit court opinions in the United States between 2020 and 2024, with a focus on how judicial political ideology influences linguistic behaviors. Drawing on postmodern feminist theory and utilizing content analysis, the research compares six federal circuit courts by coding 46 court opinions for inclusive and exclusive linguistic practices related to transgender and non-binary individuals. Inclusive practices included the use of self-identified names and pronouns, affirming decisions, and acknowledgment of transgender identities, while exclusive practices involved misgendering, outdated terminology, and restrictive rulings. Results show that progressive circuits demonstrated significantly …

El Penacho De Moctezuma Or Kopilli Ketzalli?: A Study Of Colonialism & Featherwork, Natalie Heiland

Student Publications

This paper focuses on an object with many titles: Moctezuma’s Headdress, El Penacho or Kopilli Ketzalli. These names, in English, Spanish and Nahuatl, perfectly highlight the way colonialism has affected the discourse around it. The piece was initially taken during the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century and shipped to Vienna, where it has remained ever since. Through analysis of historical sources and modern discussions, I will address how this object has been treated poorly throughout history, from the initial seizure, to its time in storage where it was improperly researched and labeled, the many conservations it …

Cash Or Credit: A Collection Of Short Essays About Economic Philosophy And The Trajectory Of Political Economy, Jackson C. Dusart

Student Publications

From John Locke to Herbert Marcuse, discussions about economics and societies have dominated the philosophical battleground. While Adam Smith waged a war against mercantilism, men like Karl Marx and John Stuart Mill, two ideological enemies, were both writing to address the same problems they saw in society. Each one of these men has contributed to a different part of the discussion. In understanding their differences, and their common ground, these essays examine a hypothetical four-hundred-dollar jacket, stolen from the author at Gettysburg College. Each one of these philosophers, each writing at different times and in different circumstances, will attempt to …

Reporting On The Dark Continent: The Albert Chance Collection As An American Representation Of Africa, Devon Szczepkowicz

Student Publications

For Americans in the throes of World War II, the international world was a complex and uncertain place. The news media, which offered reports from the war fronts, helped to ground Americans in this world. Another source which supplemented these reports, and which has been overlooked in the historiography, was the letters of soldiers stationed abroad. In writing on their surroundings, soldiers acted as journalists, supplying their audiences with intimate insights into foreign locations. Albert Chance (1903-1990), stationed in North Africa and in Italy, was one such soldier. His letters from North Africa provide a glimpse into the ways in …

The Effect Of A M-Health Application Compared To Standard Of Care On Adherence To Preoperative Fasting Instructions Among Adult Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Study, Ivy Njeri Wanyoike

Master of Medicine in Anaesthesiology

Background: Preoperative fasting has been a pillar of the practice of anaesthesiology with the main aim of enhancing patient safety by reducing the risk of aspiration. Current clinical guidelines on preoperative fasting guidelines encourage shorter durations of fasting in keeping with current evidence that shows better patient outcomes while maintaining patient safety. Despite this, adherence to preoperative fasting instructions remains universally poor, with patients enduring long fasting periods. Advances in mobile technology, improving internet access and the widespread availability of smartphones have made mobile health a useful tool in patient care. mHealth applications are being increasingly used in perioperative …

Turnitin To Improve Your Written English, Valerie Hascoet

Case studies: Digital Education

Irish Cultural Studies is a 5 credits module offered by Language Studies to all Erasmus and exchange students in TU Dublin. One assessment consists of a portfolio of reviews that students write about places they have visited and about activities that they have elected to do during their stay in Ireland. This work includes background research and short readings of their choice. Most students are not native speakers of English, but not all want to follow a traditional English class. Irish Cultural Studies allows them to practise their English skills without specific language-focused evaluation.

An Interoperability Framework Across Legacy Emr Systems, Sheena Rogers

Translational Projects (Open Access)

The 21st Century Cures Act (H.R.34 – 114th Congress, 2016) specifies that patients and authorized providers must be able to receive copies of their medical records with standard medical history details upon request. While the data archival system, DRIS (Data Retention Interoperability Solution), has comprehensive patient summary reports centralizing over 100 legacy electronic health records (EHR) with broad data elements, it is not 100% compliant with the upcoming 21st Century Cures Act’s interoperability standards. As a result, patients and providers are not receiving copies of their medical records with all of the required medical history and fields in this new …

The Ebony Edge: A Qualitative Exploration Of Math Success Among Black College Women, April Ruiz

Dissertations

Historically, women have been underrepresented as leaders in STEM. However, according to the National Science Foundation (2022), women accounted for a little more than half of the college-educated workforce and underrepresented minority women increased in broad science and engineering occupational categories. This promising upturn underscores the importance—if progress is to continue—of better understanding why some African American women succeed in and persist with their study of college mathematics.

This study aimed to explore the experiences of Black college women attending a predominantly White institution in the Midwest, to better understand what reasons Black college women ascribe to their success in …

Unveiling Narrative In Liszt’S Dante Sonata Through Topical Analysis, Jasmine Olivia Harry

Theses and Dissertations

Narrative theory and its application in music have increasingly captured the interest of musicologists. Despite this growing attention, the analytical model remains relatively new compared to more established methods. Continued exploration and application are necessary to demonstrate its value alongside traditional theoretical frameworks. This dissertation employs narrative theory to examine the ironic comedy archetype in Franz Liszt’s Dante sonata, utilizing a bottom-up approach to construct a detailed musical narrative across three analytical tiers. Chapter two, representing the primary level, analyzes the sonata-fantasy macro-structure, uncovering key themes and the dynamic interplay between contrasting dichotomies. Chapter three, the secondary level, investigates semiotics, …