Digital Commons Network^™

Pace Project: Language, Identity, And Mental Health—Building Voice Through Conversation And Analysis, Brian Kapustka

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Informed by the theoretical foundations articulated in the accompanying PACE theory paper, this application project presents a complete instructional unit designed for upper-beginner to lower-intermediate Spanish learners in a community college context. Centered on the grammatical structure sentirse + adjective and the theme of mental health and well-being, the unit applies the PACE sequence to guide students from global interpretation of an authentic Spanish-language public health text (MedlinePlus Revista) to meaningful interpersonal and presentational communication. The project demonstrates backward design, with clear alignment among objectives, instruction, formative assessment, and a summative performance-based task. Special attention is given to accessibility, neurodiversity, …

Women Made By Oscar Wilde, Lia Fowler

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This analysis examines Lady Windermere’s Fan and An Ideal Husband, arguing that Oscar Wilde categorizes women within restrictive moral binaries of “good” and “bad.” Both plays depict women navigating social expectations, private honor, and the idea of a pure marriage; however, despite their central roles, female characters are not portrayed as empowered with appropriate agency. Wilde renders the women as contradictory, dangerous, shifty figures if they try to operate outside of marital bounds. While Wilde’s plays foreground women in prominent positions, they largely reinforce, rather than challenge, the gendered stereotypes of late Victorian society.

Ai-Assisted Literary Analysis In A Flipped Classroom Model: Fostering Critical Engagement, Tizziana Valdivieso, Jules Lemus Gonzalez

Teaching Repository of AI-Infused Learning

The activity was structured into four phases: in the preparation phase, students built a common knowledge base by reading about Salvadoran social issues through literature. During the controlled and free tasks phase, students used GenAI tools to generate outlines, compare them with their own analyses, and refine their essays through brainstorming, drafting, and peer review. Finally, in the evaluation phase, students presented their work in a mock conference and reflected critically on AI’s usefulness, limitations, and ethical implications while demonstrating ownership of their interpretations.

Reflect: Glmc Building On 10-Years Of Global Leadership Mentoring Experience, Ellen B. Buckner, Tanya F. Lott, Brenda Owusu, Karen Morin, Khalilah M. Mccants

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: Sigma members reflect a caring culture to show desired change. Following Sigma’s initiation of Global Regions in 2011, a group of visionary Sigma leaders established the Global Leadership Mentoring Community (GLMC).¹

Purpose: The GLMC mentor-mentee relationships broaden nurses ability to reflect on personal and professional leadership growth. The vision of the GLMC is through successful mentoring, participants will enhance their confidence in their global nursing leadership, gaining greater cultural awareness of the issues challenging professional nursing and be personally enriched. This unique mentoring opportunity has demonstrated that global leadership mentoring can strengthen nurses in all settings and help …

How To Describe A Massacre? A Collaborative Metadata Justice Project, Bailey Hoffner, Eugene Albin, Jennifer Watson, Jay Shorten, Jacquelyn Slater Reese, Todd Fuller, Karie Antell

Collaborative Librarianship

Throughout the summer of 2020 and into the following fall, a cross-unit working group at the University of Oklahoma Libraries (OU Libraries) collaborated to compile and submit a proposal to change the Library of Congress Subject Heading (LCSH) Tulsa Race Riot, Tulsa, Okla., 1921 to Tulsa Race Massacre, Tulsa, Okla., 1921. The working group members situated this project in the context of the metadata justice movement, which seeks to correct problematic descriptions. They also see this proposal as part of the broader work undertaken over many decades by Tulsa activists and community leaders. This successful proposal required working group …

The Interplay Of Morphology, Syntax, And Semantics In Kuria Verb Extensions Within The Mara Region, Mary Charwi

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Verb extension morphological affixes that significantly alter verb meaning are a defining characteristic of Bantu languages. This paper investigates the morphosyntactic behaviour, semantic implications, and functional roles of extensions within Kuria, a Bantu language of Tanzania. The study adopts Hyman’s morphocentric approach, specifically the CARP template (Causative-Applicative-Reciprocal-Passive), as its foundational framework to test whether Kuria adheres to this pan-Bantu default ordering. The data were collected in Tarime District (2014-2015) using a mixed methods approach, comprising questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and video stimuli with 13 rural and urban speakers, and text analysis (the Kuria Bible). Through rigorous morphosyntactic parsing, the analysis reveals …

The Syntax And Semantics Of Reciprocal Constructions In Chibarwe: A Lexical Mapping Account, Tendai Chirimaunga

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Bantu languages have a robust structure, which is usually stated to be agglutinative, accommodates affixations of a wide range of morphemes both as prefixes (to the left of the root), as well suffixes (to the right of the root) before placing the terminal vowel. In their verbal morphology, the reciprocal is one of the many derivational affixes that have, however, not gained similar prominence as the study of the applicative and the causative construction. The thrust of this study is to investigate the syntax and semantics of reciprocal constructions in ChiBarwe, a marginalised cross-border language spoken in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. …

Interdependence In Practice: U.S. Travel Advisories And Turkey’S Economic Resilience, Matthew Michael Mccall

Honors Theses

This study examines the U.S. Travel Advisory and its economic impact on foreign nations, with a focus on Turkey between 2016 and 2024. Grounded in the theories of functional and asymmetrical interdependence, this approach employs a mixed-methods design, combining quantitative analysis of tourism revenue, GDP, and GNI with qualitative examination of geopolitical events that may raise or lower the Travel Advisory rating. Rather than assuming the advisory acts as a tool of coercive foreign policy, this study tests whether advisory changes meaningfully shape Turkey’s economic performance or whether they simply reflect moments of instability inside the country. The findings support …

Bicultural Identity, Work-Life Balance And Mental Health Outcomes In Swana Students, Julie M. Salama

Master's Theses

Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) college students navigate academic demands alongside immigration-salient stressors that may shape their mental health and academic performance. This study examined generational status (Gen 1 vs. Gen 2+), identity conflict, ethnic identity, and work–life balance (WLB) in overall GPA and major GPA, and mental health outcomes of depression (PHQ-9), and anxiety (GAD-7) among SWANA students (N = 35). Two one-way MANOVAs found no generational differences for academics (overall/major GPA) or mental health (PHQ-9/GAD-7). Identity conflict was unrelated to GPA or symptoms but was positively associated with ethnic identity, while WLB was negatively correlated with depression …

The Policy Project: Translating Menstrual Equity Resources, Ashley Jackman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This creative project focuses on translating key materials from The Period Project, a campaign by the Utah nonprofit The Policy Project that tackles menstrual inequity by pushing for free period products in schools and public spaces. Their educational toolkits guide students and parents toward menstrual resources and outline compliance requirements for school administrators. However, a significant portion of Utah’s population speaks Spanish at home, and current toolkits are not readily available in Spanish. As a Spanish translation major, I saw this as an opportunity to use my skills in a real-world setting, as the translated toolkit will be immediately electronically …

Are We Leaving Donors Behind? An Evaluation Of Accessibility Of Higher Education Donor Webpages And Leadership Priorities, Lauren E. Baldwin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the web accessibility and readability of U.S.-based nonprofit higher education institutions (HEIs) across the Foundation home, donation, and contact pages of selected websites. Utilizing a combination of manual verification and computer-automated analysis techniques, this study analyzes (n=101) institutional websites. Quantitative analysis reveals these webpages frequently contain WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility error types that are likely to affect the perceivability, operability, and understandability of the user’s experience, especially for individuals with disabilities or limited English proficiency. Further, these tests reveal significant differences by sector across multiple WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility error types, indicating that …

Suprasegmentals And Small Talk Skills: An Adult Esl/Efl Teacher Training And Curriculum Design, Katya Davida Landau

Master's Projects and Capstones

There is inadequate education and training for Adult ESL teachers on how to teach pronunciation, especially the essential suprasegmental feature of intonation. This leads to the perpetuated issue of lowered intelligibility amongst ESOL learners, which limits their opportunities in English-speaking settings. Through the provision of innovative curriculum and teacher training videos that share pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) on the subject of suprasegmental phonemes, these issues can be addressed.

Any curriculum developed to teach suprasegmentals must consider the role of creative and engaging activities to inspire learners, comprehensibility and intelligibility, embodied pronunciation techniques, and the impact of explicit, communicative, and task-based …

Represent: Glmc Bringing Sigma’S Global Regions Together, Viji George, Dorette Sugg Welk, Juana Mercedes Gutierrez Valverde, Elizabeth Wescott

Biennial Convention (CONV)

As professional nurses and Sigma members, the Global Leadership Mentoring Community (GLMC), with its outreach, connects Sigma’s vast diversity and capability of representing global nurses, a Sigma Call to Action (2023-2025).¹

Purpose: To understand the impact of GLMC on serving as ambassadors of Sigma, coming together through mentoring relationships to build a cross-cultural leadership platform, and seeking collective solutions for global healthcare issues.

Background: Sigma brings nursing expertise across the globe and emphasizes how nurses play key role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDM),² Global nurse leaders impact healthcare and cost-effectiveness on quality, safety, and outcomes.³ Mentorship …

Respect: Glmc Forming Cross Cultural Values And Relationships, Yeow Chye Ng, Kylie Patricia Russell, Intima Alrimawi, Krista A. White, Sylvia Oger Ofosu Dwamena, Jennifer Bail, Beth Tigges, Wendy Sergeant, Maureen P. Lall, Jennifer J. Miller, Miriam Wagoro

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: In leadership, the mentor-mentee relationship fosters professional growth and development. Central to this dynamic is the principle of respect, which serves as the foundation for effective cross-cultural communication, trust, and empowerment.^1,2

Purpose: This paper explores the significance of respect in mentor-mentee interactions within the fifth cohort of the Global Leadership Mentoring Community (GLMC), which spans from 2023 to 2025 and includes participants from six continents across Sigma Theta Tau International’s Global Regions. Through real-life examples, we will illustrate the profound impact of respect on mentoring relationships and leadership development.

Implications: Throughout this program, we have learned that …

Respond: Glmc Investing In Nursing Leadership To Address Global Health Challenges, Elizabeth Rosser, Julie Grady, Sylvia Waweru, Beth Chiatti, Katherine Chike-Harris

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: Responding to the global challenges of investing in nursing leadership and the demands of modern nursing care is a key aspect of the Sigma Call to Action.¹ The World Health Organization² and the International Council of Nurses³ both recognize the health, economic, social, and emotional benefits of investing in nursing leadership to the individual, the workforce, and the wider community and, by being more culturally aware,⁴ influence health more widely.⁵ Sigma’s Global Leadership Mentoring Community is one strategy that responds to this challenge.^6,7

Purpose: To present insights into participants’ expectations and short-term achievements …

Cv: Joanna Maravilla (Literacy), Joanna Maravilla

Education Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Looking At Labels, Examining Values: Knowledge, Narrative, And Multilingualism In American Art Museums, Mary Mitchell

Masters Theses

Object labels are key components of the knowledge production networks in American museums. But despite their sustained use in the Western museum field since the late nineteenth century, museum labels are not frequently regarded as valuable sources in scholarship on museum history and practices. In this thesis, I reposition labels in art museums as objects of value that should be studied for their important role in producing and disseminating knowledge. What can we learn about art museums by looking closely at their labels—specifically about those institutions’ values? How do labels reveal the hierarchies of value that art museums construct between …

Strategies To Streamline Patient Appointments In Specialty Outpatient Care, Adama Drammeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Outpatient addiction treatment centers face significant challenges from inefficient appointment scheduling systems that contribute to high no-show rates, delayed care, and weakened organizational performance. These barriers affect more than daily operations; they disrupt the flow of treatment, increase patient disengagement, and place additional strain on limited healthcare resources. For patients navigating substance use disorders, a missed appointment may jeopardize continuity of care and undermine recovery efforts. This integrative review explored strategies to improve scheduling efficiency and enhance patient engagement in outpatient addiction care. A systematic search of recent U.S. studies was conducted and appraised using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based …

Language Attrition As A Social Process, Or Barzilay

Master's Projects and Capstones

Language attrition is a process in which the gradual decline in proficiency of a language occurs when another language becomes more prominent among individuals, families, and broader societies. This shift often occurs not by choice but by necessity, as speakers are expected to adapt to the other language in educational settings, for employment, and to conform to societal pressures in their new environments. Although language attrition is often described as an individual loss of proficiency, contemporary research reveals a far more complex picture—one shaped by factors that determine which languages are valued and which fade into obscurity. These forces collectively …

From Fear To Familiar: Alleviating Technology Anxiety In Older Adults Through A Community-Based Mentorship Program, Inyoung Jang

Master's Projects and Capstones

This quality improvement project was implemented in a senior residential facility in Richmond, California, catering to older low-income adults who frequently experience elevated levels of technology anxiety. Aim This project aims to reduce the mean modified technology-anxiety score among residents aged 65 and older by at least 25% from baseline by November 5, 2025. Methods The Abbreviated Technology Anxiety Scale (MTAS) was modified to consider the cognitive, linguistic, and experiential differences among target population. The original 11-item instrument, which was validated primarily within college-aged populations, used terms and repeated items irrelevant to older people. The adapted tool included five simplified …

Lost In Translation: Navigating Cultural And Linguistic Barriers For Indian Learners In Tesol Classrooms, Shivam Jaynarayanbhai Gohel

Master's Projects and Capstones

ABSTRACT

This thesis examines the cultural, linguistic and emotional issues of the Indian multilingual students in the U.S. TESOL classroom and explains the value of decolonized and culturally responsive pedagogies to ameliorate foreign language anxiety and create equitable education. Based on the frameworks of Culturally Responsive/Sustaining Pedagogy and Affective Filter Theory, the study integrates existing and existing research to investigate the role of colonial heritage in influencing TESOL practice, the undermining effect of anxiety on academic achievement and the empowering effect of instructions that are inclusive and responsive. Chapter I presents the problem, including how multilingual and multicultural identities of …

What We Can Learn From Comenius About Why We Educate, David I. Smith

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

As we wrangle repeatedly over the purposes of schooling and who gets to define them, what might we gain by taking a moment to listen to a thoughtful voice from a place and time not defined by our own mix of prejudices? I invite you to listen to such a voice, one speaking from a different era amid different anxieties and in a different idiom yet addressing questions that remain pressing. It is a voice shaped by a lifetime of educational engagement and reflection in the constant shadow of violence, yet, to the last, invested in the pursuit of delight. …

Building From The Ground Up: Informing Inclusive Curriculum Design Through Qualitative Inquiry: Development Of An Early Childhood Curriculum For Children In Mississippi, Alicia Deaver

Theses and Dissertations

Curriculum is a vital component of high-quality early care and education programs. Barriers such as cost, limited education and training, and restricted access to materials often make it difficult for many programs to adopt or implement developmentally appropriate curricula. Effective curriculum implementation relies on individualization and cultural responsiveness to be fully inclusive of children of all abilities. This study addressed the formative and summative processes of the My Mississippi Adventures project, a curriculum developed for use by early childhood educators throughout the state. The curriculum was designed with direct input from early childhood educators to address the unique challenges faced …

Optimizing Military Fighter Jet Selection: A Decision Analysis Approach For Nuclear-Capable Aircraft, Eni Kelechi Ofong

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the strategic decision-making process involved in selecting a nuclear-capable fighter aircraft for NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) nations in Europe. In adaptation to the continuously changing technology landscape and the necessity for enhanced deterrence capabilities, this study evaluates three potential aircraft: the legacy Panavia Tornado (PA-200), the widely deployed F-16 Fighting Falcon (F-16), and the advanced F-35 Lightning II (F-35). Each platform presents distinct advantages and limitations regarding operational performance, mission adaptability, cost-effectiveness, and long-term sustainability. To systematically assess these alternatives, the study employs various decision analysis frameworks, including Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), single dimensional value function …

Advancing Equity In Adolescent Mental Health: A Literature Review And Telehealth Program Design For School-Based Access, Renatta Lindsey

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents in the United States (U.S.) are experiencing a mental health crisis, with disproportionately high prevalence rates among marginalized youth. Approximately 1 in 5 adolescents are diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or behavioral condition (Panchal, 2024; Sappenfield et al., 2024). Yet, an estimated 40% (1.8 million) of adolescents aged 12-17 who experience a major depressive episode did not receive treatment (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, 2024). This project examines existing barriers that hinder access to care for this population. While schools are the most common settings for adolescent mental health supports, more than half report difficulties with meeting …

The Social In The Spiritual: Non-Theistic Spirituality In 12-Step Addiction Recovery, Steph Jacobs

Theses and Dissertations

To investigate whether Western-raised Narcotics Anonymous (NA) members engage in non-theistic spirituality and non-humanist modes of sociality with non-human beings, I conducted six qualitative interviews and a small-scale survey within a Vancouver NA community. The majority of participants practice non-theist spirituality, and three interviewees relate to non-humans in ways not accounted for by Western humanism. Findings suggest that connection and sociality are intrinsically woven into recovery and well-being. This research opens conversations about non-theistic spirituality in NA recovery, non-human sociality and healing, processes of ontological negotiation, and the entanglement of spirituality, sociality, and well-being. Through daily practices of exploration and …

Relationship Between Working Memory And Reading Comprehension: A Secondary Meta-Analysis, Gennadi Mikhailik

Doctoral Dissertations

Although working memory (WM) capacity has been highlighted in many theories of first-language (L1) and second-language (L2) reading comprehension, some scholars argue that its importance may be overstated and that existing findings are still inconclusive. Even with extensive research since 1995, the literature has lacked a thorough quantitative review of these results. This study shows that WM capacity is positively related to reading comprehension. The current secondary meta-analysis examined the relationship between WM capacity and reading comprehension in both L1 and L2, using two authoritative meta-analytic datasets: Daneman and Merikle’s (1996) for L1 and Jeon and Yamashita’s (2022) for L2. …

More Than Just A Criminal: Talking Back As A Critical Autoethnographic Journey, Anakin Rivera Ramirez

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article explores the experiences of doctoral students with criminal records navigating higher education, using a critical theoretical framework to highlight the unique challenges and triumphs I faced. Drawing upon decoloniality and critical race theory perspectives and activism, I define my critical scholarship as challenging the dominant oppression through thoughts and actions. Through autoethnographic and self-reflective narratives, I reflect on how my lived experiences as a Latino who has experienced criminalization. I have shaped my academic pursuits and critical consciousness. The autoethnography discusses systemic barriers such as stigma, discrimination, and institutional biases, showing how these obstacles have informed the author’s …

2022u_Approved_Lac154_Pm_Ba-English-Curricular-Update, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2023u_Approved_Ebs16_Nc_Mled-4306-Residency-Ii-Middle-Level-Education-Internship-Rev1, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.