Digital Commons Network^™

Expanding Access To Equine-Assisted Occupational Therapy: Integrating Clinical Application And Program Development, Deanna Rietveld

Capstone Projects

This capstone project explored the role of hippotherapy in occupational therapy through enhanced clinical practice skills as well as supporting program development through community education and funding accumulation for the capstone site organization. Guided by a needs assessment drawn from literature, site mentor input, and other local organizations providing similar services, it was determined that occupational therapy using equine movement provides more impactful results while simultaneously addressing deficits in a variety of areas, but lack of financial resources, community participation, and therapy scholarships threaten the opportunity to expand programs and provide access to individuals who would benefit from services. In …

Practical Exploration Of The Role Of Occupational Therapy In A Nature-Based School Setting, Emma Campbell

Capstone Projects

School-based occupational therapy (OT) plays a critical role in supporting children’s participation, development, and engagement in educational environments. However, non-traditional school settings often lack therapeutic supports, such as OT services. The purpose of this doctoral capstone experience (DCE) is to explore and expand the role of occupational therapy within a non-traditional academic setting, specifically a nature-based preschool program. Sunflower Farm’s preschool program provides a unique learning environment that supports children’s development through farm-based learning. While this setting offers rich opportunities for exploration and growth, additional supports are needed to facilitate students’ sensory processing, self-regulation, and participation.

The objectives of this …

Implementing Population Health Management (Phm) Across An Integrated Care System In England, Using Action Learning Sets And An Embedded, Formative Process Evaluation., Julian Elston, Sheena Asthana, Felix Gradinger

Peninsula Medical School

AbstractIntroduction: Population Health Management (PHM) is a UK priority for Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), aiming to deliver proactive, preventative, person-centred care using integrated health and care datasets. However, evidence on implementation in primary care remains limited.Methods: This comparative case study used embedded researchers, ethnography, interviews, and observations to formatively evaluate a 24-month PHM programme across 31 Primary Care Networks in one ICS. Data were thematically analysed using Excel and NVivo, with findings fed back to participants to guide programme delivery.Results: Around 200 stakeholders participated in Action Learning Sets, fostering cross-sector collaboration within four localities. Few innovations, developed using integrated datasets, …

Critical Perspectives On Refugee And Migrant Integration In Education: Grassroots Narratives From Multiregional Settings, Karen Paul

International Journal of Human Rights Education

In Critical Perspectives on Refugee and Migrant Integration in Education: Grassroots Narratives from Multiregional Settings, edited by Marcus Otto and Tania Saeed (2025), integration is not treated as a neutral educational goal but as a contested, politically loaded term shaped by displacement, migration, and social division. Developed within the Peace and Human Rights Education series, through the Georg Arnhold Program, the volume brings scholars and practitioners into dialogue. The contributors include university-based researchers, educator-scholars, and practice-based professionals working in education and related fields. Together, they explore how education operates simultaneously as a space of possibility and exclusion. Rather than …

Pushing The Boundaries Of Human Rights Education: Concepts, Challenges And Contexts, Gabriela Rojas-Martinez

International Journal of Human Rights Education

Pushing the Boundaries of Human Rights Education is an edited collection of chapters that seeks to challenge conventional approaches to human rights education (HRE). The volume argues that teaching human rights as neutral, universal, or primarily legal concepts is insufficient given contemporary global realities, including widening inequality, climate crisis, and enduring colonial power relations. The editors and contributors, who work at the intersections of HRE, global citizenship education (GCE), and participatory education, collectively push beyond HRE as curriculum delivery toward a critically engaged, justice-oriented pedagogy grounded in lived realities. Across the collection, the authors contend that dominant HRE frameworks often …

Healing In Brave Spaces, Brian Arao, Michiko Kealoha, Jose Napoles

International Journal of Human Rights Education

This article explores the evolution of the "brave space" framework, moving beyond its original application in social justice education to purposefully integrate a human rights-based approach to healing and community repair. Amidst increasing global divisiveness and legislative volatility, the authors argue that access to community healing is an intrinsic human right and a critical state of mental and social well-being. By centering the concept of "transformative agency," the paper illustrates how educators and administrators can utilize brave space praxis to analyze systemic trauma, foster interconnectedness, and restore human dignity.

The authors draw upon personal narratives and professional experiences in higher …

Research In Action: Building Bridges Between Human Rights Education And Community-Engaged Research. Reflections From The Field, Lawrence Legaspi, Amy M. Argenal

International Journal of Human Rights Education

This paper shares reflections from a community-engaged research project conducted in partnership with a local organization, aiming to understand community perspectives on policing and LGBTQ+ inclusion. The project was initiated in the classroom and speaks to the importance of engaged learning and research when understanding human rights struggles. My experience working with a local nonprofit, particularly in social justice and higher education contexts, informed my approach to this project. Through this role, I learned the importance of amplifying community voices, creating collaboration, and integrating higher educational learning into advocacy work. These reflections highlight the ethical responsibilities inherent in conducting research …

From Exclusion To Agency: Human Rights Education And Social Reintegration Through The Escola Dos Meninos E Meninas Do Parque (Brasília, Brazil), Welder De Oliveira Araujo

International Journal of Human Rights Education

This article presents a reflection on the praxis of Human Rights Education (HRE) at the Escola dos Meninos e Meninas do Parque in Brasília, Brazil, a public school that serves street children, young people, and adults. The article examines how flexible, participatory and student-centred pedagogical strategies promote autonomy, dignity and social reintegration among marginalized learners. By analyzing everyday practices, challenges and institutional strategies, the study highlights the transformative potential of HRE in contexts of social exclusion and offers insights for educators and policymakers seeking inclusive and rights-based educational approaches.

Crimmigration Pedagogy In An Age Of State Violence: Reclaiming Human Rights Education In Public Health And Social Work, Juan Carlos Ruiz Malagon, Belinda Marie Hernandez-Arriaga, Alonso R. Reyna Rivarola

International Journal of Human Rights Education

This essay calls for a transformative shift in public health and social work education to confront the racialized violence embedded in U.S. immigration enforcement, especially intensified during the second Trump administration (2025 -2029). Policies and enforcement events like the reinstated Remain in Mexico program and the widespread ICE raids in Los Angeles are part of a troubling rise of "crimmigration," which blends immigration and criminal law. This merging has normalized cruelty, heightened legal insecurity, and fostered fear within immigrant communities, leading to a sharp increase in mass detentions and deportations. Despite the sociopolitical reality, many public health and social work …

Human Rights Education And Humanitarian Constraints: The Case Of Education In The Unrwa Schools, Anthi Pantazi, Zina Nimeh

International Journal of Human Rights Education

This study explores the implementation of UNRWA’s Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Tolerance (HRCRT) education program. It examines the extent to which the program achieved its stated objectives, shedding light on the challenges it faces and how these might be addressed. Drawing on policy documents, program materials, and expert interviews with UNRWA stakeholders and human rights educators, the results show that while HRCRT has improved students’ theoretical understanding of human rights, its purported transformative potential is limited by political constraints, donor influence, and insufficient inclusion of refugee voices. The program’s most successful element is the school parliament system which showcases …

From Bars To Bytes: Ai, Digital Dignity, And The Fight For Incarcerated Youth’S Futures, Karima M. Almazroui

International Journal of Human Rights Education

Over 1.4 million youth enter detention annually, confronting what scholars term a digital death sentence, exclusion from the literacies and infrastructures that underpin education, employment, and civic participation. This empirically grounded mixed-methods study investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) in carceral education either reinforces surveillance or enables rehabilitation, demonstrating that outcomes depend less on algorithmic sophistication than on the ethical, pedagogical, and governance contexts in which AI is deployed.

Drawing on comparative data from the United States, Japan, Norway, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the research integrates cross-national policy analysis, 78 semi-structured interviews, quantitative outcome measures, and participatory action research …

Human Rights Education, Racism And Early Childhood Education In Brazil: A Systematic Review, Ana Tereza Ramos De Jesus Ferreira, Juliene Madureira Ferreira

International Journal of Human Rights Education

Brazil was the last country in South America to put an end to the 388-year slave trade. To justify the trade of people from Africa, a series of actions were taken to dehumanize the Black  population, namely racism. Thus, the culture, religion, clothes, and phenotypical characteristics of Black people were considered inferior to those of the White race, and this continues to impact the lives of the Black population, which suffers from social inequality, low-quality education, and low-paid jobs up to this day. Therefore, this review aims to investigate Brazilian literature on activities in early childhood education (ECE) to fight …

‘Sprung From The Land Itself’: Rooted Human Rights Education As Critical Global Citizenship Praxis, Monisha Bajaj, David A. Tow

International Journal of Human Rights Education

This article discusses the field of Human Rights Education (HRE) and its intersections with the field of Global Citizenship Education (GCE), both now more than 60 years into their existence as discourse and practice communities. We trace the emergence of transformative, critical, and decolonial forms of HRE and offer a new conceptual framework for Rooted HRE. Rooted HRE offers a transformative approach to fostering critical global citizenship (CGC) by embedding global frameworks within the immediacy of local struggles. It draws on critical perspectives of global citizenship (Andreotti, 2011; Gaudelli, 2016), Transformative Human Rights Education (THRED) (Bajaj et al., 2016), and …

Volume 10, Monisha Bajaj, Jazzmin C. Gota, David A. Tow

International Journal of Human Rights Education

No abstract provided.

Pelaksanaan Paten Oleh Pemerintah Dan Penyesuaiannya Dengan Trips, Ibrahim Idham

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

Navigating Hunger And Academic Success: College Students’ Experiences With Food Insecurity And Campus Food Pantries, Casey Weaver

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Food insecurity is a growing issue faced by many college students, and there is an increasing call for more qualitative research examining food insecurity on college campuses. It may be posited that students who experience food insecurity but have access to resources are more likely to succeed academically than those without access to such resources. This research examined how the resources provided to college students experiencing food insecurity influenced their academic success at a university in the United States. This study explored the experience of four students who identified as food insecure and utilized campus resources to address this issue. …

Using Molecular Techniques To Determine The Different Echinostoma Species Found In The Diving Ducks And Dabbling Ducks Of Wisconsin, Emma R. Davis, Jaelyn Then, Sam T. Emery, Mackenzie L. Kastner, Ellie Sampson

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Echinostoma species are zoonotic intestinal trematodes that infect vertebrates through the consumption of infected aquatic intermediate hosts. Echinostomiasis in waterfowl can cause intestinal damage, weight loss, poor condition, reduce survival, and reproduction. The differences in the feeding habits of dabbling and diving ducks may impact their diet, so it can be assumed that these differences would impact the Echinostoma species that they harbor. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the dabbling ducks and diving ducks in Wisconsin host the same Echinostoma species, using molecular techniques. We compared one Gadwall (Maraca strepera) a dabbling duck from Trempealeau, WI, …

The Impact Of Social Emotional Learning Interventions On Students, Kaiya J. Nelson

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has become increasingly prevalent in schools, with 83% of schools nationwide implementing SEL curricula or programs as of 2024, compared to 46% in 2018. In Minnesota, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework identifies five core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making—as foundational to student development. SEL supports students in managing emotions, building relationships, and making responsible choices, while fostering a positive and inclusive school climate. Despite growing adoption, challenges such as limited instructional time, the need for culturally responsive practices, adequate mental health staffing, and strong family …

Does Improved Reaction Time Correlate With Improvements In Sport Performance? A 10-Week Smart Reaction Training Intervention In Division Ii Collegiate Football Athletes, Caleb M. Forst, Christopher C. Mayer

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Introduction: Neurocognitive reaction time plays a critical role in football performance by influencing perceptual processing speed, decision-making, and motor execution. Slower reaction time has been associated with increased injury risk and reduced neuromuscular control, yet limited longitudinal research exists within Division II collegiate football populations. This study examined whether a 10-week smart reaction training program improves reaction time and whether these improvements are associated with performance outcomes, measured by the number of accurate hits. Methods: Thirty-one athletes from the Winona State Football team began the intervention and were divided into position groups (QB, WR, DL, OL); 19 completed the study. …

A Balaam-Modified Approach To Largo-Like Parkinson’S Trials: Efficient Estimation Of Rasagiline Effects Under Motor Fluctuations, Purbasha Biswas, Jing X. Kersey, Karl E. Peace

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

The LARGO trial established rasagiline (1 mg/day) as an effective adjunct to levodopa in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients with motor fluctuations, demonstrating clinically meaningful reductions in daily “off-time” (poor or absent motor function) and improvements in Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)/Clinical Global Improvement (CGI) endpoints compared with placebo. Building on this evidence base, we propose a design strategy that re-uses LARGO-like assumptions while improving statistical efficiency for future PD evaluations of rasagiline versus placebo. Methodologically, we leverage key results emphasizing the Balaam 4-sequence, 2-period design (AA, AB, BA, BB). Under the standard crossover model with direct and carryover effects, …

How The Social Determinants Of Health Shaped The Covid-19 Pandemic, Grace K. Tjossem

Research & Creative Achievement Day

The social determinants of health (SDOH) are non-medical factors that significantly impact health outcomes, well-being, and quality of life. They play a critical role in population health and contribute to widespread health disparities and inequities. The primary objective of this review was to evaluate the extent to which the SDOH were associated with COVID-19 health outcomes and assess the strength of the relationship if one existed. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine the role social determinants played during and after the pandemic. Findings from the review indicate that a significant portion of health outcomes are determined by the …

Predicting The Probability Of Having Diabetes Using Machine Learning, Logan C. Stewart

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Each year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) distribute the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) telephone surveys to acquire nationwide data about US residents' health. This survey collects data on hundreds of health-related variables from hundreds of thousands of participants. It is a powerful tool for building health promotion and has even influenced and supported health-related state legislation. This study uses that data to predict an individual's probability of having diabetes based on dietary, demographic, health, and economic factors. Diabetes is a group of diseases that causes the body to use insulin ineffectively, and one in four …

Fifteen Years Of The Abc-Ahp-Ncnpr Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program: What Have We Learned?, Stefan Gafner, Roy Upton, Mark Blumenthal, Ikhlas Khan

Oxford ICSB

Initiated in 2011, the Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program (BAPP) was created as a partnership between the American Botanical Council, the 2American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP), and the National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR) at the University of Mississippi to educate the herbal dietary supplement industry, regulators, and scientists in academia about adulteration of botanical ingredients. The ultimate goal of the Program was to improve the authenticity and quality of herbal dietary supplements to the consumer. Since its inception, the Program has published 100 peer-reviewed documents. Despite herbal ingredient suppliers’ and dietary supplement manufacturers’ implementation of changes in quality control specifications, …

Assessment Of Airborne Cultural Fungi Indoors And Outdoors In A Rural Veterinary Clinic, Elena Ortez, Oluwatosin Jegede, Dorothy Seybold, Daeshjea Mcgee, Atin Adhikari, Ally Holmes

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Background and Objectives: Veterinary clinics can inadvertently release and propagate bacteria through several mechanisms, primarily due to contaminated surfaces, insufficient cleaning protocols, and, in some instances, direct transmission from infected animals or staff. Given that these clinics are high-traffic environments, they can serve as hotspots for clinic-acquired infections if rigorous hygiene practices are not upheld. This study evaluated airborne bacterial concentrations in different areas of a veterinary clinic compared to outdoor ambient air by calculating the indoor-to-outdoor ratios.

Methods: Airborne culturable bacterial samples were collected using a Biostage Impactor across eight internal zones including waiting areas, treatment rooms, and wards …

Effects Of Exercise And Neuromuscular Stimulation On Neuroplasticity And Inflammation In Those With Dementia Risk, Kaitlyn J. Tanner, Collis D. Grace, Morgan A. Gragg, Lisa B. Niles-Meunier, Nicholas J. Siekirk

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

BACKGROUND: Cognitive decline, prevalent in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD), heightens fall risk. Exercise interventions can reduce fall risk by slowing or delaying cognitive decline. Use of multi-waveform neuromuscular electrical stimulation (MWF-NMES) as an exercise adjunct may enhance neuroplasticity in areas associated with postural control. Whether NMES can improve postural control outcomes is not well-documented. Therefore, we will examine the effect of multi-waveform NMES on postural control in adults at risk for ADRD. METHODS: Participants will be recruited from an assisted living community in Southeast Georgia. Interested participants who meet the inclusion criterion will be stratified by sex …

Determinants Of Infant Birth Weight In Georgia: An Analysis Of The Prams 2016–2020 Study, Purbasha Biswas, Jing Kersey

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

The Georgia PRAMS 2016–2020 data were used to assess whether maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with infant birth weight among singleton live births while accounting for key sociodemographic factors. Birth weight recorded in 250-gram midpoints was converted to a continuous gram measure and analyzed with maternal smoking status, age group, education, and marital status. A complete-case strategy was used because missingness was < 10%, yielding an analytic sample of 3,175 observations. We fit an ordinary least squares multiple linear regression with categorical predictors represented by indicator variables. After adjustment, infants born to non-smoking mothers weighed, on average, 163.5 g more than infants born to mothers who smoked (SE=66.2; p = 0.0136). Infants of mothers who were not married weighed 150.4 g less than those of married mothers (SE=30.9; p < 0.001). The maternal age group was not statistically significant in the adjusted model. Education showed a non-monotone pattern, with one notable contrast indicating lower birth weight for 12 years of education compared with 0–8 years (mean=−190.3 g; SE=76.3; p = 0.0127), suggesting education may be acting as a proxy for heterogeneous social, behavioral, and healthcare pathways rather than a purely linear gradient. Model diagnostics indicated acceptable linear model assumptions and minimal multicollinearity (adjusted variance Inflation Factor (VIF) near 1), though the overall explained variance was modest (R² ≈ 0.02). These findings are consistent with fetal growth restriction linked to prenatal tobacco exposure and broader social disadvantage. From a public health perspective, even modest average shifts in birth weight can meaningfully affect the population burden of low birth weight. Results support reinforcing prenatal smoking-cessation interventions and pairing them with strategies that address upstream determinants (e.g., stress, support, and access to care). Future work should incorporate survey weights and additional clinical covariates (gestational age, parity, comorbidities, prenatal care) to strengthen causal and population-level inference.

The Night Ministry Internship Experience, William J. Schroering

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

The Night Ministry has three pillars (Human Connection, Housing, and Healthcare). I shared some of the work I completed and what I learned. I explained the housing first, harm reduction models, along with the Chicago Continuum of Care program,

Method Development Of Extraction And Measurement Of Heavy Metals From Chicago Industrial Corridor Soil Samples, Abigail Stacy, Lizzy Bruening

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Heavy metal pollution threatens environmental and human health, particularly in urban areas with long industrial histories. This study explored soil analysis methods for heavy metal detection, comparing acid digestion with nitric acid and acid washing with citric and oxalic acid. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) was used to quantify copper, cadmium, chromium, and lead in soil samples. While acid washing is a greener method, the results were less consistent than the acid digestion method. By identifying the most effective procedure for assessing heavy metal contamination, this research enhances environmental assessments and contributes to improved mitigation strategies to address pollution.

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) On The Development Of Reckless Behavior In Adulthood, Cheyenne Harvey

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Current literature suggests that there is a correlation between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and behaviors in adulthood (e.g., substance use, crime). Research also shows that childhood trauma can lead to increased risk-taking or reckless behavior later in life. A study by Assini-Meytin et al. (2021) found that having a higher number of ACEs is linked to more risky behaviors in adulthood. These risky behaviors are often ways to deal with emotional problems caused by early stress. Anda et al. (2006) points out that these experiences can cause lasting changes in brain development, especially in areas that handle impulse control. The …

Faculty Masthead, Georgia State University College Of Law

Georgia State University Law Review

No abstract provided.