Digital Commons Network^™

Digital Maker Education In Project-Based Learning Through Design For English As A Second Language Skills Development, Pratima Rani Banick

Journal of Research Initiatives

This study investigated the effectiveness of integrating a Maker Education (ME) approach within the PLT design, assisted by Computer-Mediated Tools (CMT), in enhancing the reading skills of Grade 10 ESL learners (aged 15–16) in an online ELT setting. Motivated by the growing need to foster creative and critical thinking and to address learners' lack of interest in traditional approaches to teaching academic reading, the study adopts an experimental design. Students were divided into two groups—a control group (n = 10) and an experimental group (n = 10)—using random sampling. The control group received instruction using the conventional teaching approach, while …

Creating Inclusive Educational Environments For Students With And Without Disabilities: Examining Dual Credential Pathways In California, Nat Hansuvadha, Andrew Wall, Meghan Cosier, Kaylie Holke, Audri Sandoval Gomez, Marquita Grenot-Scheyer, Linda Blanton

Thompson Policy Institute on Disability Policy Reports

"In this report, we examined system-level alignment in educator preparation policy, with a particular focus on California’s efforts to prepare teachers to support inclusive PK–12 environments. Central to this analysis was the state’s 'Common Trunk' approach to teacher credentialing. Adopted in 2016 by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), the Common Trunk establishes a unified set of teaching performance expectations (TPEs) that apply across multiple subject, single subject, and education specialist credential pathways. This policy reflects a deliberate shift toward a shared professional foundation for all teachers that emphasizes competencies related to supporting diverse learners, fosters inclusive and culturally …

Embrace-Ing Cultural Diversity In Educational Service Delivery: A Framework For Building And Sustaining Equitable Learning Environments, Miguelina Zapata, Devon Dee-Mbappe, Brandan Persaud

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This paper explores the importance of collaboration in educational service delivery by exploring culturally responsive classroom management practices for education professionals. Educators must understand and critically reflect on their own biases that could impact their interactions with students, families, and colleagues. This is essential not for providing inclusive learning opportunities that address the unique needs of each student. This could lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations of student behaviors, further complicating effective management and service delivery. Ultimately, the paper argues that through the use of the EMBRACE (Evaluate, Mentor, Build, Reflect, Adapt, Collaborate, and Empower) framework smooth collaboration between and amongst …

Substance Use Stigma: Examining The Role Of Social Work Education., Eboni Burton

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

This study explored the extent of substance use related stigma among social work students and professionals (i.e., BSW, MSW, PHD and DSW) and its relationship to specialized education/training in substance use and professional practice with people who use drugs (PWUD)/live with a substance use disorder (PWSUD). Stigma was measured using the Opening Minds Provider Attitudes Toward Opioid Use Scale and the Medical Condition Regard Scale. The final sample size was 263. Results indicate that current enrollment in a social work program, post degree or non-curriculum related substance use related training, and personal and professional experience with substance use specifically, mitigate …

Emergency Department Boarding For Psychiatric Care: The Effect Of Pointclickcare Integration., Chris Rowan

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

Emergency Department Boarding for Psychiatric Care: The Effect of PointClickCare Integration

Abstract

For many individuals in psychiatric crisis, the emergency department has become the first place to seek help, highlighting gaps in how behavioral health care is accessed and coordinated. In Massachusetts, PointClickCare's Behavioral Health Treatment and Referral Platform (BH TRP) was implemented to centralize and streamline referrals between emergency departments and inpatient psychiatric facilities. This capstone evaluates whether implementation of the BH TRP was associated with changes in psychiatric boarding time at a community hospital emergency department. Using a mixed-methods program evaluation design, this study analyzed de-identified electronic medical …

Antecedents And Consequences Of Cognitive And Affective Trust In Wealth Management: Impacts On Wealth Manager Selection And Asset Under Management (Aum) Growth, Ting Hsi Chen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Trust is key to wealth management decision-making; there is little empirical clarity on the relationships between different dimensions of trust and client behavior at each stage of the relationship. Previous works differentiated Cognitive trust, based on perceived competence, and Affective trust, based on relational and emotional connections. Nevertheless, the mechanisms under which these trust dimensions act during the pre- and post-account-opening phases have not yet been thoroughly studied. This research addresses this gap by exploring the stage-dependent influence of Cognitive and Affective trust on the central behavioral outcomes in wealth management.

The approach is a quantitative research based on a …

Scoping Review: Facilitators, Barriers, And Cultural Adaptations In The Caregiver Skills Training Program For Children With Developmental Concerns, Cecilia Montiel-Nava, Maria C. Montenegro, Ana C. Ramirez, Victoria Villarreal, Lucia Murillo Chacko, Pamela Dixon, Sarah Dababnah

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Autism interventions are predominantly developed in high-income countries, limiting access for families in low- and middle-income countries due to systemic, cultural, and logistical barriers. The Caregiver Skills Training program aims to address this disparity by equipping caregivers with practical skills. This scoping review examines the cultural adaptations, facilitators, and barriers to the implementation of Caregiver Skills Training, focusing on its accessibility, feasibility, and acceptability. A comprehensive search of ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science identified eligible studies that reported cultural or linguistic adaptations of Caregiver Skills Training. Forward searches and manual reference checks supplemented the review. Data were extracted …

How Does Communication Breakdown Impact Group Cohesion Over The Lifespan Of A Team?, Hannah Dyche

University Honors Theses

Communication is one of the main determinants of whether a team or group achieves a successful outcome; when it starts to erode, the team's overall goal often erodes with it. Communication breakdown within teams directly impacts group cohesion, causing small misunderstandings to escalate into larger conflicts. Every team experiences ups and downs, but maintaining a strong foundation of communication and continually strengthening it will prevent this breakdown.

Most of the existing research on team dynamics focuses on corporate environments. By shifting the focus to a short-term academic team, this thesis shows how communication breakdown impacts group cohesion over the lifespan …

Chicana Professionalism: Embracing Greñas, Glitter & Boots, Luz E. Herrera

Fordham Law Review

No abstract provided.

Designing Visibility: Addressing The Hidden Curriculum For First-Generation Cal Poly Students Through Graphic Communication, Issac Enrique Cervantes

Graphic Communication

First-generation college students often encounter invisible barriers in higher education, including unspoken terminology, institutional practices, cultural norms, and academic expectations that are rarely made explicit but are essential for student success. While this information is frequently transmitted informally through family networks or prior exposure to higher education, first-generation students, particularly those from historically marginalized communities, often lack access to these channels. As a result, students may experience confusion, a reduced sense of belonging, and inequitable academic outcomes.

This senior project investigates and addresses this gap using inclusive graphic communication and user experience (UX) design principles. Through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders …

Seeking Traditional Health Practitioners And Use Of Complementary/Alternative Medicines In The Management Of Movement Disorders In Africa: A Multicenter Continental Study, Ali Shalash, Tamer Roushdy, Samia Sassi, Oluwadamilola Ojo, Yusuf Jamnagerwalla, Ahmed Sheikh, Yasser Mecheri, Maouly Fall, Juzar Hooker, Dilraj Sokhi

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background Traditional health practitioners (THP) and complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) play a well-recognized role in Africa. However, their role in treating movement disorders (MD) remains poorly studied.

Objective This large multicenter continental study aimed to investigate the prevalence of seeking and consulting THPs and using CAMs among people with MDs in different African countries and the associated factors of their use.

Methods This study involved 12 sites within 11 African countries. We developed and distributed a structured questionnaire that documented frequency, attitudes, beliefs, and factors related to patients' engagement with THPs and use of CAMs.

Results We surveyed 1158 …

Hegemonial Nationalism And The Role Of Religion: A View From The Perspective Of The Western Balkans, Semir Halilović, Tomislav Tadic

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper points to the problem of hegemonic nationalism, with an emphasis on the role of religion, in the context of a social understanding of the situation in the Western Balkans (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Croatia). The question of the “Eastern and Western models of nationalism” is articulated, and the social role of religion in their construction is examined. In relation to this framework, the possibilities for applying the thesis of the Eastern model of the nation are considered in light of the current war situation between Russia and Ukraine. The paper highlights some of the theoretical configurations …

Artificial Intelligence Capabilities, Generational Involvement, And Competitive Performance: Case Of Tunisian Family Businesses, Rim Gafsi

Journal of Global Business Insights

Anchored in Dynamic Capabilities Theory, this study examines the effect of Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities on the competitive performance of family firms and the moderating role of generational involvement. Using survey data from 120 Tunisian family firms adopting AI between 2021 and 2024 and applying confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, the findings show that AI capabilities significantly enhance firm performance, while generational involvement has no moderating effect. This challenges the assumption that intergenerational transitions inherently drive innovation and provides novel evidence from Tunisia that performance gains stem primarily from the strategic integration of AI rather than generational dynamics. …

Undergraduate Health And Wellbeing Course And Study Away Program To Alaska, Lorraine S. Wallace, Steven J. Mousetes, Jennifer Bickley

Journal of Global Education and Research

High-impact practices, such as diversity/global education, have been shown to positively contribute to student development, engagement, and success. As the US is both culturally and linguistically diverse, domestic study away programs can offer students impactful multicultural educational experiences without leaving the country. The purpose of this study was to describe the design of a health and well-being academic course and accompanying study away program to Alaska for undergraduates at The Ohio State University (OSU). The authors (1) describe the application of the backward design process in guiding ELOs development, (2) provide a sample of course assignments and student responses, and …

Text Corpus Combined Method And Tools For Music Textual Analysis, Yuwei Lu

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

While there has been a great deal of research conducted on how to search images and video using text, there has been less focus on how to retrieve music using multiple facets such as mood and lyrical content. or its features This is due in part to the historical lack of available musical corpuses. A musical corpus is a specialized text corpus specifically designed to capture information about music. Recently, several musical corpora for music information retrieval have been built and made available. However, these corpora and the tools designed to exploit them are typically designed to facilitate only one …

Information Extraction From Clinical Notes: Are We Ready To Switch To Large Language Models?, Yan Hu, Xu Zuo, Yujia Zhou, Xueqing Peng, Jimin Huang, Vipina K Keloth, Vincent J Zhang, Ruey-Ling Weng, Cathy Shyr, Qingyu Chen, Xiaoqian Jiang, Kirk E Roberts, Hua Xu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: To assess the performance, generalizability, and computational efficiency of instruction-tuned Large Language Model Meta AI (LLaMA)-2 and LLaMA-3 models compared to bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) for clinical information extraction (IE) tasks, specifically named entity recognition (NER) and relation extraction (RE).

Materials and methods: We developed a comprehensive annotated corpus of 1588 clinical notes from 4 data sources-UT Physicians (UTP) (1342 notes), Transcribed Medical Transcription Sample Reports and Examples (MTSamples) (146), Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-III (50), and Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) (50), capturing 4 clinical entities (problems, tests, medications, other treatments) …

Frontotemporal Network Interactions Causally Support Rapid Concreteness Judgments During Reading, Elliot Murphy, Oscar Woolnough, Cale W Morse, Xavier Scherschligt, Nitin Tandon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neurobiological models of conceptual processing have been limited in spatiotemporal resolution, and uncertainty remains about the causal role of specific regions in concept representation. We utilized intracranial recordings in human neurosurgical patients with epilepsy (n = 19) during a concreteness judgement paradigm of single word reading. Concrete concepts showed greater high-frequency activation across a frontal and ventrotemporal network, while greater activation for abstract words was found in lateral posterior middle temporal cortex. Intercortical communications, measured by high-frequency partial direct coherence, revealed bidirectional frontal and ventral plus lateral temporal interactions. Words occupying the middle range of the concreteness scale (e.g., "profit") …

Large Language Models For Bioinformatics, Wei Ruan, Yanjun Lyu, Jing Zhang, Jiazhang Cai, Peng Shu, Yang Ge, Yao Lu, Shang Gao, Yue Wang, Peilong Wang, Lin Zhao, Tao Wang, Yufang Liu, Luyang Fang, Ziyu Liu, Zhengliang Liu, Yiwei Li, Zihao Wu, Junhao Chen, Hanqi Jiang, Yi Pan, Zhenyuan Yang, Jingyuan Chen, Shizhe Liang, Wei Zhang, Terry Ma, Yuan Dou, Jianli Zhang, Xinyu Gong, Qi Gan, Yusong Zou, Zebang Chen, Yuanxin Qian, Shuo Yu, Jin Lu, Kenan Song, Xianqiao Wang, Andrea Sikora, Gang Li, Xiang Li, Quanzheng Li, Yingfeng Wang, Lu Zhang, Yohannes Abate, Lifang He, Wenxuan Zhong, Rongjie Liu, Chao Huang, Wei Liu, Ye Shen, Ping Ma, Hongtu Zhu, Yajun Yan, Dajiang Zhu, Tianming Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

With the rapid advancements in large language model technology and the emergence of bioinformatics-specific language models (BioLMs), there is a growing need for a comprehensive analysis of the current landscape, computational characteristics, and diverse applications. This survey aims to address this need by providing a thorough review of BioLMs, focusing on their evolution, classification, and distinguishing features, alongside a detailed examination of training methodologies, datasets, and evaluation frameworks. We explore the wide-ranging applications of BioLMs in critical areas such as disease diagnosis, drug discovery, and vaccine development, highlighting their impact and transformative potential in bioinformatics. We identify key challenges and …

Promoting Maternal Health Through Community-Based Education: A Quality Improvement Initiative On Hypertension And Pregnancy Complications In An Outpatient Setting, Areli Mendez

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background

Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy remain one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal complications worldwide, particularly among underserved and minority populations. Spanish-speaking women often experience barriers related to language, limited health literacy, and reduced access to culturally appropriate education, which may delay the recognition of warning signs associated with pregnancy complications. Early education and awareness are essential to improve maternal outcomes and promote timely medical intervention.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally tailored educational intervention designed to improve maternal knowledge regarding hypertension during pregnancy …

The Lived Experiences Of Deaf People In Carceral Spaces, Grace E. Lester, Gabriel Lomas, Deb S. Guthmann Dr.

JADARA

This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to examine the experiences of formerly incarcerated deaf people in the carceral system. The examination of lived experiences in this research offers a context to the belief that the carceral system is structurally unqualified to address the significant, but nuanced needs of deaf people. This study counters the neglect of the intersectional experiences of incarcerated deaf people that exists in research literature by providing them the opportunity to share their stories in their own words through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Five previously incarcerated deaf adults were interviewed using a digital video platform. Using phenomenological methods, …

Study Summary: Exploring Safe & Effective Interpreter Output Ofyoga Concepts In Asl, Dixie Schexnaildre Dhsc

JADARA

Yoga can support mental health, recovery, and provide positive coping strategies. Where language inequities impede access for Deaf individuals, interpreters are thought to facilitate communication. However, the percentage of interpreters trained in safe, effective, or non-triggering yoga interpretation is unknown. Using background and frequency data, this précis of a lengthy descriptive project highlights barriers to yoga programming for the Deaf community. A central finding is only 33% (n = 7) of interpreters had training to ensure emotional and physical safety to yoga participants. While results are assessed cautiously, lack of interpreter training may add to health and recovery programming inequities.

Diagnostic Trends And Service Enhancements In Deaf Mental Health: A Longitudinal Analysis, Kent Schafer, Steve Hamerdinger, Frank Wu, Rie Sakai Bizmark, Charlene Crump

JADARA

A longitudinal study investigated mental health diagnostic trends and patterns among Deaf and Hearing individuals using a comprehensive dataset from Alabama Department of Mental Health spanning 2004-2024 (Deaf=4,547; Hearing=2,056,188). Chi-square analysis revealed significant proportional differences in diagnoses between the groups. Deaf individuals showed significantly higher proportions of psychotic (12.93% vs. 8.33% Hearing), mood (20.76% vs. 18.84% Hearing), and personality (0.58% vs. 0.43% Hearing) disorders. These findings suggest that increased access to specialized and competent mental health services for individuals who are Deaf, particularly following the increase of staffing patterns for the Office of Deaf Services in 2015,contributed to more accurate …

Texas Secondary Spanish Teachers’ Perceptions Of Factors Influencing Instructional Self- Efficacy, Satisfaction, And Effectiveness, Tana Verlane Palafox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ongoing shortages of certified world language teachers and declining enrollment in secondary language programs have intensified concerns about teacher burnout, professional isolation, and instructional quality. Research has indicated that collaboration, targeted professional development, and supportive leadership influence teachers’ instructional self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and instructional effectiveness. However, limited research has examined how secondary Spanish teachers in Texas experience these issues. This qualitative collective case study explored how Texas secondary school Spanish teachers perceive the impact of their professional experiences on instructional self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and instructional effectiveness. Grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Vygotsky’s social constructivism, the study examined how …

When Stress Matters Most: Developmental Timing And Socio-Ecological Stressors Among Mexican-Origin Adolescents From Low-Income Immigrant Families, Ka I Ip, Wen Wen, Sujin Lee, Wei Xiang Sim, Su Yeong Kim

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This study investigates the dynamic, time-varying associations between multiple socio-ecological stressors and internalizing symptoms among Mexican-origin youth from low-income immigrant families. Grounded in a socioecological framework and employing time-varying effect modeling (TVEM), we examine how stressors at the interpersonal, family, and neighborhood levels differentially influence anxiety and depressive symptoms across early adolescence (ages 11–13), middle adolescence (ages 14–17), and late adolescence/emerging adulthood (ages 18–20). Participants included 604 Mexican-origin adolescents (54% female) from low-income immigrant families, assessed across three waves spanning nine years. Five distinct stressors were identified: discrimination, foreigner stress, economic stress, language brokering stress, and neighborhood violence/non-safety. Results from …

The Pay-To-Train Paradigm: How Private Settlements Are Rewriting Generative Ai Copyright Law, Kevin Afiesh

UC Law Journal

The legal landscape for generative artificial intelligence (AI) and copyright is now shaped more by private settlements that overwhelmingly favor copyright holders than by courts or legislators. As AI companies rely on copyrighted materials to train their models, content owners have filed lawsuits challenging these practices. However, instead of clarifying fair use limits in court, most disputes are resolved through private settlements. These agreements impose licensing fees, content restrictions, and compliance requirements, creating a shadow regulatory system that governs how AI companies access and use training data. Although courts and agencies have begun to weigh in, their interventions offer only …

Breaking Barriers, Transforming Digital Literacy, And Creating Immersive Learning Environments In The 21st Century, Romero D'Souza

Journal of Research Initiatives

This paper explores the future of educational technologies with a focus on breaking systemic barriers, enhancing digital literacy, and fostering immersive learning environments. Using Maharashtra, India as a case study, it examines disparities in infrastructure, internet access, and teacher readiness across government and private institutions. Local challenges are analyzed alongside initiatives like the Digital India Mission, while national policies and international best practices are reviewed for broader context. Cross-cutting themes of equity, access, and professional development highlight the need for inclusive technological integration. The pedagogical implications of emerging technologies—particularly AI and AR/VR—are assessed alongside ethical concerns around data privacy and …

Supporting English Language Learners: A Comprehensive Guide For Long-Term Success, Yana Shifrina-Piljovin

Journal of English Learner Education

Abstract

This literature review provides a thorough examination of the various multifaceted challenges encountered by Long-Term English Language Learners (LTELLs) in educational settings. It critically analyzes the effectiveness of current support systems and instructional strategies, synthesizes relevant recent research findings, and offers targeted recommendations aimed for educators and policymakers striving to improve educational outcomes for LTELLs. The review evaluates the efficacy of existing support frameworks and teaching methodologies, synthesizes contemporary research findings, and presents actionable recommendations for educators and legislators to enhance the learning outcomes of these students.

Supporting English Language Learners LTELLs) in classroom settings requires a deep understanding …

Are Testing Accommodations Helping Or Not? A Review Of English Learner (El) Accommodations On Standardized Tests, Cole Forbes

Journal of English Learner Education

This paper examines and critiques English Learner (EL) testing accommodation policies. They have been ineffective at increasing test scores and accessibility. The policies have mandated that EL students participate in high-stakes assessments with accommodations, and sometimes without them. The purpose of the accommodation is to create an even playing field for all test-takers, so that no subgroup is put at a disadvantage, which would compromise their scores and lead to misclassification of students. Laws and Acts such as the Bilingual Education Act of 1968, No Child Left Behind, and the Every Student Succeeds Act have updated and mandated a more …

Differentiated Instruction For Multilingual Learners: A Thematic Analysis Of Research And Practice, Mohsine Bensaid, Jiayuan Jiang

Journal of English Learner Education

Differentiated instruction (DI) is widely promoted as a means of supporting diverse learners, yet its enactment for multilingual learners (MLs) remains uneven and under-theorized in mainstream classrooms. This study examines how DI is conceptualized and implemented to support MLs by attending to learners’ linguistic, cultural, and academic profiles. Using reflexive thematic analysis, this qualitative synthesis examines 20 peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2010 and 2024 in English-medium K–12 contexts in the United States, with particular attention to elementary settings when specified. Analytic interpretation was supported by practitioner-based reflection functioning as an interpretive lens rather than a separate data source. Four …

A Quasi-Experimental Study On The Effectiveness Of Achieve3000 On The Reading Comprehension Scores Of Ells With Ld, Paula P. Fields

Journal of English Learner Education

The purpose of this quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study was to determine if a significant difference existed in the comprehension scores of secondary English Language Learners with learning disabilities after treatment. The problem addressed is that a significant correlation exists between English language learners and learning-disabled students’ low reading proficiency scores and student achievement, leading to decreased graduation rates. Schema theory served as the theoretical foundation of this research because when the appropriate schema is activated, it helps increase comprehension. The research question guiding this study was: Is there a significant difference between the reading comprehension scores of high school English language …