Using Community Circles To Build A Sense Of Belonging In Kindergarten, Andrea J. D’Aiuto

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice explored how implementing daily community circles in kindergarten classrooms equipped teachers with strategies to support dysregulated students. The participants for this study consisted of three kindergarten teachers. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods research design, the practitioner investigated the impact of delivering five Professional Learning Series (PLS) sessions and implementing community circles on students' behaviors and sense of belonging. The practitioner merged quantitative data comprising pre- and post-survey results from the Community Circles Teacher Survey and prosocial and antisocial frequency student behavior data with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews to answer the proposed research questions. …

An Improvement Science In Practice: Empowering Paraeducators Working With Students With Disabilities In Supporting Student Engagement And Self-Regulation, Carol Anne Barnes

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Paraeducators play a vital role in supporting students with disabilities, contributing to their academic, social, and emotional success in both special education and general education classrooms. This ISDiP study employed a convergent mixed methods design and action research methodology to implement a tiered model of professional development aimed at increasing paraeducators’ feelings of self-efficacy in applying skills and knowledge to support students with disabilities. The tiered model of professional development incorporated didactic instruction, modeling, coaching, and feedback. As part of the intervention, paraeducators completed pre-and post-surveys, attended at least two of four training sessions, and provided qualitative feedback through exit …

The Integrated Teacher: A Mixed Methods Study On How Professional Development In Comprehensive Wellbeing Practices Affect Special Education Teacher Stress And Efficacy, Katlyn Hagley

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) sought to examine the effects of mindfulness-based and trauma-informed instruction on special education teachers' (SETs’) perceived levels of stress and self-efficacy to improve teacher wellbeing, reduce attrition, and foster a stronger sense of school community. This study was conducted in a large, urban public school district in the Northeastern United States using a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design within a participatory action research framework. The research addressed the following questions: Does participating in an eight-week virtual training in mindfulness exercises positively influence the perceived levels of jobrelated stress among SETs? Does participating in an …

Protecting The Dignity Of The Child: A Study In Trauma-Sensitive Practices And Collective Efficacy In An Alternative Educational Setting, Erin Dessureau-O'Hara

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This dissertation addresses the issue of ineffective proactive approaches to students' emotional regulation by educational staff, which contributes to a high incidence of punitive discipline. The study aims to increase teachers' trauma-sensitive approaches to students' emotional needs to reduce the use of punitive and exclusionary discipline practices. Using a convergent mixedmethods research design, data were collected through interviews, exit tickets, classroom observations, focus group discussions, student behavior data, and pre-and post-assessments of collective efficacy. Participants included elementary teachers, support staff, and behavioral staff. The findings demonstrate that professional learning focused on trauma-sensitive approaches, the science of emotions and the brain, …

Strengthening Educators' Metacognitive Instructional And Assessment Practices To Support The Academic Achievement Of Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth, Meredith G. Kennedy

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This mixed methods Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) explored the impact of strengthening educators’ use of metacognitive instructional and assessment practices on lesson planning and delivery to support the academic achievement of juvenile-justice involved youth (JJ youth) in a Juvenile Detention Center School (JDC). During an eight-week intervention, the teaching staff of the JDC participated in professional development (PD) sessions, individual coaching, and classroom observations. The resulting data included exit slips following PD sessions, researcher field notes, the metacognitive observation support rubric, and feedback from a focus group. The results indicate that the JDC educators strengthened their capacity to …

Climate Change In An Urban Catholic School: Taking The Temperature With A Three-Pronged Sel Intervention, Christa Marie Chodkowski

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice examines the impact of a 10-week social-emotional learning (SEL) intervention on school climate at Newberry Catholic Academy, an urban Catholic school with high teacher turnover. The intervention, combining a book study, daily gratitude journaling, and common planning time, aimed to improve collaboration, collegiality, and belongingness among faculty. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, the study assessed changes in teacher perceptions and the effectiveness of each component. Quantitative analysis via the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test revealed significant declines in Professional Learning (p=.01), Feedback and Coaching (p=.03), and School Leadership (p=.01), highlighting a need for further inquiry. Qualitative …

Investigation Of Anhedonia: A Literature Review, Austin G. Littlejohn

Honors Capstones

"Investigation of Anhedonia" serves as an independent study where a Literature Review was conducted to research different aspects and elements of the psychological phenomenon known as Anhedonia. With the support of psychology mentors and utilization of the library's resources, the research investigated what Anhedonia is and how it is connected to stress and trauma, the trajectory or progression of Anhedonia and its symptoms, the connection to more well known psychological disorders like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, and Anhedonia's status of a stress response and whether or not it could be considered a separate disorder. The significance of the literature in …

Public Health And Crime Rates In Sioux Falls, Sd, Samuel D. Stukel

Honors Thesis

Sioux Falls, South Dakota is a rapidly growing city that has an emerging public health concern. While the city boasts high ranks in quality-of-life metrics, crime remains a significant concern as it does with most growing cities. This thesis aims at exploring the relationship between public health and crime for the city of Sioux Falls. It emphasizes how social determinants such as poverty, housing insecurity, mental illness, and systemic inequality contribute to crime rates. Through a public health framework, the study proposes a three-tiered approach, primary, secondary, and tertiary preventions. Each of these preventions will address both the root causes …

Reviving Baybayin: The Pre-Hispanic Writing System Of The Philippines, And Raising Awareness In The United States, Richana K. Stone

Honors Thesis

Baybayin is an Indigenous system of writing in the Philippines that has been preserved, but has seen rapid decline in usage throughout the centuries. This paper explores the history of Baybayin and the methods of reviving the written script that have been suggested and used to reimplement Baybayin into the daily lives of Filipinos. Furthermore, this paper will look at how Lakota and Peruvian recording systems, the winter count and the khipu, respectively, have been preserved and used in modern times. Viewing the history of these groups and how they preserved these writing systems sparks a potential for the adoption …

Health Professional Perspectives On Sudden Unexpected Infant Death In Arkansas, Laura Hansen, Bart Hammig

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Arkansas has one of the highest Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) rates in the nation, with 173.6 deaths for every 100,000 live births (CDC, 2024). This is much higher than the national rate, indicating a significant need for prevention education. Sudden Unexpected Infant Death is an umbrella term used to categorize Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), unknown death causes, and accidental suffocation in bed. SUID rate reduction can be achieved by following infant-safe sleeping guidelines, which include crib use, flat and firm mattresses, no blankets, and putting babies on their backs. In this proposed study, health care professionals across Arkansas …

Dual-Task Cost Of Gait Measures In Individuals With And Without Parkinson's Disease, Addison G. Miller

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Parkinson’s disease (PD), estimated to affect over one million people by 2030, is a neurodegenerative disease that damages the dopaminergic neurons located in the brain. Losing these neurons cause individuals with PD to experience impairments in basic motor and cognitive functions. Symptoms of PD often include bodily shaking, muscle stiffness, and abnormalities in gait and posture. Individuals with PD can also experience impairment when walking and performing secondary tasks, such as walking while talking, known as dual tasking. Dual tasking can lead to increased risk of falling or losing balance, as well as the inability to move freely while carrying …

Ideology Is Brat: Popular Music As Discourse In The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, Austin Ulmer

Communications Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

This thesis examines how popular music served as an ideological and hegemonic instrument during the 2024 United States presidential election. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Antonio Gramsci (cultural hegemony), Louis Althusser (ideology and interpellation), Lawrence Grossberg (the duality of music), Michel Foucault (discourse and power), and Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer (popular culture as mass deception), this study explores how political campaigns utilized music to construct, reinforce, and challenge dominant ideological narratives.

The analysis begins with Kamala Harris’s entry into the race following Charli XCX’s viral “Kamala is Brat” tweet, signaling a cultural repositioning. It traces the use of …

The Associations Of Mental Health With Academic And Exercise Procrastination, Casey L. Dang

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examines the relationship between exercise procrastination and academic procrastination with symptoms of depression and anxiety among college students. Procrastination is commonly studied in academic settings, but limited research has looked at how various types of procrastination can impact mental health. In this study we specifically look at exercise and academic procrastination. A total of 109 undergraduate students participated by completing surveys measuring their levels of academic and exercise procrastination, as well as their symptoms of depression and anxiety. The results showed that higher levels of both academic and exercise procrastination were significantly associated with higher levels of depression …

Rewriting The School Calendar: A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Four-Day School Week Implementation In Arkansas, Kate Barnes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The four-day school week (4DSW) has gained traction across the United States, particularly in rural districts seeking innovative responses to mounting challenges. Despite its expanding adoption, key questions remain regarding the motivations for implementing 4DSW schedules and their implications for teacher well-being and student achievement. This dissertation examines the emergence and effects of the 4DSW in Arkansas, where adoption has increased rapidly in recent years, offering a unique context shaped by state-level policy and rural dynamics. Employing a mixed-methods, this dissertation investigates (1) why and how districts adopt the 4DSW, (2) whether the policy alleviates teacher burnout, and (3) how …

Breaking The Black Box: The Impact Of The 2023 Changes To The Japanese Penal Code On Rape, Lee Smith

Washington International Law Journal

In 2017, the Japanese penal code was amended to broaden protections for victims of sexual assault. However, pressure mounted for further protections after several decisions on cases involving rape shocked the nation in 2019. In 2023, the penal code was amended again including to raise the age of consent to 16 and broaden the definition of rape to include nonconsensual sexual acts. This comment examines the history of rape law in Japan, introduces challenges that victims of sexual assault face when trying to seek justice, and analyzes the first cases determined under the amended code. Finally, it looks to the …

Mirrors Of Learning: Amplifying Engagement And Retention With Culturally Relevant Teaching In 21st-Century Education, Britney Buckner

Honors College Theses

This research investigates the impact of Culturally Relevant Teaching (CRT) on student engagement and information retention, in alignment with 21st-century learning objectives. CRT, which incorporates educational content reflecting the diverse identities of students, fosters a deeper connection to the material and aligns with the fundamental purpose of education in preparing students for societal and global contexts. By mirroring their realities in the curriculum, students are motivated to learn and retain information, recognizing its relevance to their lives. This increased retention is essential for accurately assessing student knowledge against state and national benchmarks, indicative of successful 21st-century education. Furthermore, CRT supports …

How Music Is Used To Facilitate Communication In Speech-Language And Music Therapy For Children With A Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anna Mcgreevy

Honors College Theses

The goal of this research was to determine how music is being used in speech and music therapy sessions for children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, to discover the most common targets of these therapy sessions, and to examine the anatomical and physiological constructs that support the inclusion of music. This study was a review of literature, and included research from a variety of articles, several written in the past 25 years. Overall, results showed that music-based speech interventions such as Melodic Based Communication Therapy and Developmental Speech and Language Training, as well as music therapy interventions, are …

Maximal Independent Set Algorithms Within Procedural Planar Maps: A Large-Scale Evaluation, Chaucer Ihrig

Honors College Theses

Analysis of a childhood game has led us to the problem of maximum independent sets in planar graphs. We wrote a graph creation utility using R to generate a random planar map and its dual graph. This utility then finds a graph’s maximal independent set using a variety of six algorithms. We investigate statistical connections between graph structure, colorability, and the maximal independent sets found using these algorithms over an incredibly large and procedurally generated dataset. We find one can always win the coloring game if the resultant graph is two-colorable. The algorithms perform statistically and practically significantly better on …

The Ethics And Legality Of Artificial Intelligence Artwork: A Vulnerability Theory Analysis, Gayatri Rajamony

Computer Science Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Deep Dive Into Integrals: From Riemann, Stieltjes, Lebesgue To Henstock–Kurzweil, Sydney C. Johnston

Math Honors Theses

Integration theory is broadly concerned with the existence of solutions to definite integrals over closed subintervals of the real line, and its power lies in the various techniques of integration, which enable integration of successively broader classes of functions. In this work, we establish a self–contained theory of integration in the sense of Riemann, Riemann–Stieltjes, Lebesgue, and Henstock–Kurzweil. Notably, our work utilizes the theory of Lebesgue integration developed by P. J. Daniell, which does not rely on measure theory and thus remains accessible at the undergraduate level. Our incentive for such an approach is to improve equitable access to advanced …

Do Sports Events Affect Public Education? Evidence From Omaha, Nebraska, Wes Wasserburger

Economics Honors Theses

Omaha, Nebraska, hosted the United States Olympic Swimming Trials for the first time in 2008. This paper investigates the impact of this local stimulus on educational quality, as measured by expenditures per student and the pupil-teacher ratio. A two way fixed effects estimator, an event study regression, and a synthetic control estimator are used to demonstrate that hosting the Olympic Trials reduced educational quality in Omaha. Potential mechanisms and alternative explanations for this educational impact are discussed. This paper proves that a local economic stimulus, particularly a large-scale sporting event, does not enhance educational quality. More broadly, these results illuminate …

Spring 2025, Georgia Library Quarterly

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

The Language Of Space: Rhetorical Insights Into Academic Library Design And Redesign, Jessica L. Swaringen, Kelli Anne Gecawich

Georgia Library Quarterly

Spaces are arguably an academic library’s most important physical resource. As more coursework and published materials move online, students are seeking out academic libraries for where they can study and be successful, not only for what concrete resources the library can offer them. With that knowledge in mind, academic librarians are called to, as Spencer & Watstein (2017) write, “understand and appreciate that spaces not only inspire creativity, reflection, exploration and innovation but also impact learning” (p. 389). It is with this thought in mind that a couple of academic library professionals in southeast Georgia sought to research what our …

“It’S What Scares Me To Death In The Industry Right Now:” Contextualizing The Impacts Of Climate Change On Out-Of-School Time Programs, Kathleen Thurson

All Dissertations

This dissertation examines the impacts of climate change on out-of-school time (OST) programs in the U.S., focusing on summer camps. As climate change poses increasing risks to these programs, many OST settings lack the resources or preparedness to address them. This dissertation is structured into three studies, each contributing to an understanding of how climate change affects OST programs and informing strategies for adaptation. The first study explores the portrayal of climate change and related events in the media, analyzing over 14,000 news articles published between 2022 and 2024. Through the identification of three core themes: Crisis & Response, Pop …

The Sound Of Young America/The Soul Of Young America: A Sonic Rhetoric Inquiry Into 1965 And The Music Defining A Generation In Crisis, Jessica Dyche

All Dissertations

The Sound of Young America/The Soul of Young America: A Sonic Rhetoric Inquiry into 1965 and the Music Defining a Generation In Crisis builds a case for sonic rhetoric theory that sees sonic rhetoric move outside of pedagogy, becoming a valuable tool for rhetorical analysis outside the classroom. To this end, The Sound of Young America/The Soul of Young America employs sonic rhetoric concepts and methodology grounded in cultural rhetorics, social history, and sociomusicology to inquire into the cultural and social relevancy of rock music, specifically to this project, in 1965. Sonic rhetoric sees sound and music as underexplored, but …

Grossly Misunderstood: How Two Low Socioeconomic Black Parents In The Rural South Perceive Their Involvement In Their Children's Education, Diana Carver

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of low-socioeconomic Black parents living in the rural South regarding education. The study was designed to amplify the voice a marginalized community that is misunderstood regarding their children’s education. Using a detailed narrative design, I interviewed two single-parent families living in a Section 8 apartment complex to capture their perceptions of their children’s education.

In this study, the participants were single mothers who expressed their desires and goals for their children. In addition, these mothers shared their backgrounds and experiences growing up and attending school, which shaped and molded …

Development Of Mixed O/S-Donor Imidazole Thione Ligands For Trivalent Lanthanide/Actinide Separations, Rhianna Wolsleger

All Dissertations

Separation of lanthanides and actinides is difficult due to their very similar size and charge. Increasing selectivity for actinides over lanthanides is possible by incorporating a softer, more polarizable donor atom into a chelating ligand, since the softer donor atom is capable of greater orbital overlap with the 5f orbitals of the actinides vs the 4f orbitals of the lanthanides. Sulfur-containing imidazole thione chelating ligands have not been investigated for this purpose but possess a resonance structure that puts significant negative charge on the sulfur, enabling it to form strong metal-sulfur bonds compared to other sulfur-containing ligands such as thioethers …

Sidewindings, Jeff Marvel

Graduate Thesis Collection

A memoir cataloguing the impacts of my late-onset Type 1 diabetes diagnosis at the age of 26, in which I attempt to realize the ways in which my sense of self, and sense of the world around me, has been altered or disfigured by this hardly-visible disease.

Evaluation Of Escherichia Coli Lithium Binding Properties, David Andrew Gonzalez

Theses (2016-Present)

Lithium is a commonly used element in everyday items such as batteries, electronics and industrial applications. With the common use of lithium comes the problem of what to do with lithium waste. This problem calls for the need of an efficient environmentally friendly recovery process. This study investigates the potential of Escherichia coli for lithium biosorption in aqueous solutions. Although the roles of copper and Bacillus coagulans were initially explored for comparative biosorption potential, they were not used in experimental trials. This study explores the potential of E. coli and its potential for lithium biosorption in water solutions. Lithium chloride …

Nurturing Students: A Qualitative Case Study Analyzing The Perceived Impact Of Tiered Mental Health Support For Elementary Students, Mallori Victoria Sage

Dissertations

In this qualitative case study, I explored the perceived impact of providing tiered mental health support to elementary students. I developed Randall Elementary Nurtures, or The Nurture Program, a flexible yet structured initiative grounded in a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) model to provide intentional and scaffolded mental health support for elementary students. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine The Nurture Programs' perceived impact from the viewpoint of the program stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, administration, the school counselor, and the school’s MTSS team. To understand the program’s impact during the pilot program years of 2022-2023 …