Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond Behavior Control: Teacher Identity And Relationship-Based Classroom Management In Elementary Classrooms, Alayna Marrero

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Classroom management is one of the most challenging responsibilities teachers face, yet many educators enter the classroom feeling underprepared to address complex student behaviors while also creating supportive learning environments. This capstone explored the question: How can professional development focused on teacher identity and relationship-based classroom management support elementary teachers in creating supportive, consistent, and positive classroom environments? Through a review of current literature, this project examines the connections between teacher identity, student-teacher relationships, classroom climate, social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, and effective professional development. Influential scholars including Beauchamp and Thomas, Jennings and Greenberg, Hamre and Pianta, Gregory et al., Perry …

Supporting Student Decision-Making In Extracurricular Participation: A Resource-Based Approach To Supporting Informed Engagement, Erik Knutsen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The benefits of extracurricular activities have been extensively researched and confirmed, yet participation is not guaranteed. While schools may offer extracurricular opportunities, students and families are often expected to make decisions about participation without fully understanding the benefits, commitment, or context within their own situation. This capstone project explores the question: How do students come to understand the value of participating in extracurricular activities, and how can schools help support students and families as they evaluate extracurricular opportunities? Through a review of existing literature, this capstone examines the documented benefits of extracurricular participation; student engagement, motivation, and perceptions; student and …

Fostering The Success Of Indigenous Students: How Educators Can Address Systemic Barriers In Schools, Samantha Hamlin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This qualitative study sought to gain information into the connection that Indigenous students have with education and the ways that educators can work to make education more accessible. The study gave background knowledge as to the history of Indigenous people and the greater implications of colonization. It explores ways that educators could incorporate Indigenous knowledge into curriculum to uplift and engage Indigenous students. The accompanying project is a compilation of ideas for lesson plans across subject areas that teach through an Indigenous lens, rather than a white centered one. In the conclusion, implications and limitations of the study are discussed …

Advanced Mathematics In The Elementary School: Supporting Teachers And Students Through A Resource Compilation, Abigail Friedel

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Addressing the needs of every student within an elementary mathematics classroom is a difficult and time-consuming task that educators are charged with. The range of abilities in a general education classroom can span multiple grade levels, especially in upper elementary. Teachers are often encouraged to focus on students that are below grade level, which can lead to higher ability students being bored and disengaged when they are in the classroom (Livers et al., 2018). To address this issue, this capstone project seeks to answer the question of how can elementary classroom teachers best support their advanced learners in math after …

Banning Books In America: Exploring The Impact And Implications Of Censorship In Education, Mackenzie Carrane

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project, written and constructed by Mackenzie Carrane is entitled, “Banning Books in America: Exploring the Impact and Implications of Censorship in Education.” The purpose of this project was to research the causes and impacts of the book banning practice across America in the 21st century. The research question: why are books banned and challenged, and how does this censorship impact schools and communities they serve? stemmed from a childhood love for books. In particular, one book which was later banned in many schools. Research has shown that while book banning is often done under the guise of protecting …

Framing Schools As A Second Home For Children, Christian Duncan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone explores how a structured professional development program can create greater unity and mutual understanding among educators by framing the school as a “second home” comparable to a parent household. The project developed from observations of division, dissatisfaction, and strained relationships among educators and considers how these dynamics can influence school culture and the stability students experience. Key influences included research on child development, home and school stability, teacher well-being, professional relationships, and effective professional development. Research from Darling-Hammond and Cook-Harvey (2018) emphasized the importance of emotional and physical safety, supportive adult relationships, and belonging for student development, while …

Effective And Appropriate Reading Interventions For Upper Elementary Students, Casey Orr

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

With more students falling behind in their reading skill development, and staying behind as they continue into older grades, this project was created to answer the question; what reading interventions are most appropriate and effective for upper elementary students? Recently, reading instruction has shifted to follow the body of research known as the science of reading. Much of the literature surrounding this topic centers around students in kindergarten through second grade, leaving teachers and reading specialists of upper elementary students without the same information or support for their students. This project reviews the existing literature on the history of reading …

Rooted In Wonder: Cultivating A Connection To The Environment Through Nature-Based Learning In Central Mexico, Mikaela Tennis

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Children are spending less time outdoors and feeling increasingly disconnected from the natural world. This reduced exposure and lack of interaction limits opportunities to form early connections with nature, which have lasting benefits into adulthood. Nature-based learning approaches have been proven to increase a sense of nature connectedness, which in turn strengthens one’s environmental attitudes and behaviors while supporting mental health and well-being. To address limited access to nature-based learning experiences in Central Mexico, this capstone draws from research on nature connectedness, nature-based learning, and nature center design to answer the question, How can a nature-based learning center be designed …

Encouraging Pollinator Friendly Behaviors Among Urban Residents, Addison Motta

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Pollinator decline is a significant issue which threatens biodiversity, global food systems, and the stability of ecosystems. There are numerous resources available that address pollinator friendly behaviors, but many assume that the audience has access to private land in a suburban or rural area. The recommendations in these resources may be inaccessible to apartment dwellers, renters, and other urban residents with limited control over outdoor spaces. This capstone explores the guiding question: how can an interactive pollinator education kit increase awareness and encourage pollinator-friendly behaviors among urban residents. A review of literature related to pollinator ecology, urban ecosystems, environmental education, …

Upporting Residential Camp Counselors: “Wellness Workshops” To Mitigate Staff Stress, Aimee Doyle

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research has demonstrated that residential camping holds tremendous value in the life of a young person. A child’s participation in the “Radical Utopian Experience” provided by a typical summer camp has been shown to increase independence, confidence, perseverance, responsibility, empathy, compassion, and an affinity for nature, often with life-long effects. Yet, while camps focus heavily on the growth and development of campers, the needs of counseling staff are sometimes overlooked. Young counselors themselves are still developing emotionally and socially, while they often shoulder significant responsibilities throughout the summer. This capstone project focused on the wellness needs of residential camp counselors …

Praying For The Past—A Jewish Response: From Metaphysics To Ethics, Noam Oren

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

On The (Libertarian) Freedom Of The Trinity, Slater Simek

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

Karmic Theodicies, Justin Mooney

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

The Gravity Of The Ukraine War: Measuring Conflict Impacts On European Grain Trade, Stefan Bonchis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the heterogeneous structural disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine on the European Union’s agricultural trade architecture, focusing on three critical commodities: wheat, maize, and sunflower seeds. Employing a structural gravity model framework across all 27 EU Member States, the study evaluates two conflict episodes, the 2014 Crimea annexation and the 2022 full-scale invasion, to identify the net beneficiaries and heavily impacted nations within the EU agricultural trade network. The empirical strategy utilizes a dual-test design to capture the full scope of the disruption. Test A (Ukraine towards the EU trade) reveals a distinct geographic logic in …

Understanding The Experiences Of Faculty Members Who Teach Case Conceptualization, Asianna Harris

Dissertations (1934 -)

Competence in case conceptualization (CC) is a core skill in clinical training. However, many graduate programs lack a structured process for teaching this complex and dynamic clinical skill. While most research focuses on students’ perspectives on learning CC, there is a distinct gap in research on faculty experiences, successful teaching methods, and the assessment of teaching practices. Therefore, this study addressed the gap in extant literature by exploring how doctoral programs’ faculty taught transtheoretical CC and how they evaluated the effectiveness of their instruction. A Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) design was employed to deeply examine the experiences of 13 faculty …

How Wounded Healer Trainees Develop Self-Awareness Of Their Wounds And Use This Self-Awareness In Clinical Work, Nishi Ravi

Dissertations (1934 -)

The wounded healer, a concept originally introduced by Carl Jung (1951), characterizes individuals who, having undergone personal struggles or ‘wounding,’ feel inclined to alleviate the suffering of others. Extant literature attests to the prevalence of woundedness among counseling professionals and to the potential benefits and risks their wounds pose in clinical practice. Despite its widespread use across the literature, the wounded healer concept has yet to be formally and empirically operationalized, and this study addresses that gap by offering a concrete, empirically grounded definition of the construct. Yet, while wounded healers are increasingly recognized across counseling training contexts, little research …

Latina Representation In Children’S Literature: A Content Analysis Approach., Vanessa Varela

Dissertations (1934 -)

This quantitative content analysis investigates the representation of Latina girls and women in children’s books across two distinct publishing periods. Drawing on foundational scholarship in gender and racial representation in children’s literature (Casey, 2021; Hamilton et al., 2006; Leslie, 2021; Pérez Huber, 2018; Paynter, 2011; Weitzman et al., 1972), and informed by the emergence of multiracial feminism in the 1990s, the study examines a total of forty books, using the book as the unit of analysis (20 published in 1995 and 20 in 2025). A comprehensive 60-item coding instrument was used to generate descriptive statistics, conduct inferential testing, and support …

Coping With Uncertainty In Everyday Situations (Cues©): The U.S. Pilot Study, Sarah Lehman

Dissertations (1934 -)

Autistic youth experience anxiety at an increased rate compared to their neurotypical counterparts. The presence of anxiety often amplifies the social and functional difficulties faced by autistic youth, which can exacerbate poor outcomes. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), defined as negative beliefs and reactions to unpredictable or ambiguous situations, has been identified as a key factor to the manifestation of anxiety in autistic populations. The current study aimed to replicate the protocol and results from Rodgers et al. (2023) by conducting the first U.S. pilot study examining the feasibility and efficacy of Coping with Uncertainty in Everyday Situations (CUES©); an 8-week …

Color Shift: A Graphic Design Process Book Exploring How Color And Motion Influence Emotional Perception And Brand Connection In Affordable Women's Fashion Jewelry, Elizabeth Voight

Theses

This study examines how manipulating color and motion within a single brand identity system influences consumer emotional response and brand consistency. Using a fictional modern jewelry brand, Quanta & Co., the research isolates color as the primary variable by applying nine distinct mid-range color palettes to identical layouts, logos, and structures across both print and digital touchpoints. These collateral assets include jewelry packaging, vehicle wraps, digital advertisements, and an animated logo. A quantitative survey was executed to capture real-time audience impressions regarding brand traits, perceived quality, and the overall alignment of each color variation with the brand's identity.

The findings …

Assessing Natural Lighting In Historic School Buildings In Algeria: A Simulation-Based Design Perspective, Nesma Fercha, Akila Benbouaziz, Djamel Alkama

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

This study evaluates daylighting performance in a primary school classroom in Ain M'lila, Algeria, combining field measurements with advanced simulation. A representative classroom was modeled in DIVA-for-Rhino using accurate geometric, material, and climatic data. Illuminance measurements were taken on 28 March 2022 at 09:30, 11:30, and 14:30, and the results were compared with simulation results. The comparison showed good agreement, with minor discrepancies in shaded areas, confirming model reliability through mean squared error (MSE) and root mean squared error (RMSE) analyses. Five design scenarios were tested to enhance daylight performance by varying glazing type, louvre geometry, and surface reflectance. Spatial …

The Impact Of Perceived Sustainable Design Characteristics On Enhancing Well-Being In Residential Environments: An Empirical Study, Zainab Ibrahim Abass

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Creating a sustainable living environment is crucial to improving well-being and reducing stress among urban populations, particularly through architecture, urban planning, and public health research. The growing importance of environmental sustainability for human health is limited by current empirical research on the impact of sustainable housing on well-being, due to insufficient conceptualisation and assessment of the perceived attributes of the residential environment. This study aims to examine the potential impact of perceived sustainable design characteristics on well-being using both quantitative and qualitative indicators to establish criteria for examining residents' views on sustainability attributes. Data were collected from high-density housing areas …

The Impacts Of Urbanisation On Housing And Infrastructure In Nigeria: Implications For Environmental Sustainability, Nathan Udoinyang, Reuben Daniel, Johnson Aborivwighre Iteku, Edna Abibetu Abidde, Salami Hope E, Violet Abieyuwa Imariagbontua, Okose Faith Nneka

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to collect and analyse data on urbanisation and its impact on housing and infrastructure in Nigeria. A survey of 400 households in urban areas of Nigeria was conducted, and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including government officials, urban planners, and community leaders, were held. Secondary data were also obtained from existing sources, such as the National Bureau of Statistics and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. The study found that urbanisation has led to a housing shortage, increased housing costs, and inadequate infrastructure development in Nigeria. It also …

Integrating Business Process Reengineering (Bpr) With Interior Design: An Innovative Approach For Bisb Bank Design, Maroa Salim Khalfan Al Abri, Mohamed Faisal Al-Kazee

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

The demand for Business Process Reengineering (BPR) has grown, prompting efforts to integrate BPR with interior design to address key needs such as spatial layout, organizational processes, user collaboration, and workflow. The research examines BPR from an academic perspective, emphasizing its integration with interior design and illustrating the project's design stages in an advanced interior design studio. It highlights a designer's role in offering practical solutions for BPR in bank interiors. The study describes the BisB Bank design as an innovative project in the Interior Design II Studio and identifies 13 principles for the integration approach. These principles encompass spatial …

Advanced Glass Between Technology & Ideology, Enas Salim Abdulahaad, Oday Abaas Abood

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Advances in glass technology have radically transformed contemporary architecture, highlighting the research problem of ``The Ambiguity of Advanced Glass' Position in Twenty-First-Century Architecture.'' The research aims to uncover the transformation of advanced glass from a technological to an ideological dimension. The research hypothesizes that ``contemporary architecture has reshaped its relationship with humans, society, and nature through its use of advanced glass.'' The research adopts a descriptive and analytical methodology based on specialized literature and global and regional architectural practices, revealing the technical characteristics and symbolic meanings inherent in glass applications. The research concludes that contemporary architecture has redefined its relationship …

Metaphysics Of Parallel Heritage In The Formulation Of The Contemporary Cityscape, Ban Mohammed Sultan, Abbas Ali Hamza Al Greiza

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

In the contemporary globalized world, the metaphysical texts of parallel heritage play a vital role in preserving the identity and privacy of cities with historical cores by conveying both the authenticity of the past and the spirit of the age in architectural production. The research problem addresses a cognitive deficiency in reading the metaphysics of parallel heritage within the urban landscape of Haifa Street, proposing it as a text that mediates between heritage and contemporaneity. The research hypothesizes that these metaphysical texts contain a creative core that functions as a future-oriented cognitive model. Using a descriptive–analytical approach, the study analyzes …

Innovations In Child-Friendly Walkway Design: A Comparative Study Of Urban Parks In Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, And Duhok, Ashna Abdulqader Hussein, Ameer Sulaiman Mohammed

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

The Urban Park walkways design significantly influences children's access, engagement, and safety in public parks, where design practices usually prioritize physical form over user experience. This study addresses the absence of a contextually informed framework for evaluating child-friendly walkway innovations in three urban parks: Sami Abdulrahman Park (Erbil), Azadi Park (Sulaymaniyah), and Azadi Park (Duhok). Using field observations, feature mapping, and interviews, the research evaluates walkways based on accessibility, engagement, and spatial design efficiency. Findings indicate that Erbil presents a multifunctional design, though it lacks tactile cues; Sulaymaniyah offers a natural aesthetic but limited engagement opportunities, and Duhok features smaller-scale …

Understanding Bim Users' Perspectives On Ar-Bim In 3d Visualization And Modeling Reviews In Jordanian Aec Firms, Sadeer Hel Ajmi Al-Dhaimesh, Nooriati Taib, Syafizal Shahruddin, Zarik Jahan Boghossian

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

This study examines the perspectives of BIM users in Jordanian AEC firms on integrating Augmented Reality (AR) with Building Information Modeling (BIM) to improve 3D visualization and model review. A quantitative approach was employed through a structured questionnaire distributed to 37 BIM firms, which included 394 practitioners in Amman. The survey explored perceptions of AR-BIM benefits, focusing on spatial understanding, collaboration, and error reduction. Statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between user categories and their views, suggesting that experience influences perceived value. Results highlight that AR-BIM integration enhances project efficiency and streamlines review workflows. The findings provide empirical evidence for …

Spatial Integration, Human Density, And Land-Use Dynamics In Traditional Urban Areas: A Space Syntax Analysis Of Old Rusafa, Baghdad, Aya F. Alobaydi, Dhirgham Alobaydi, Sally F. Abdullah

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Urban morphology is a key aspect in the development of socially sustainable environments, especially in traditional areas, whereby it is directly related to cultural identity. `Old Rusafa' is a traditional area where this investigation will be implemented. It addresses issues of population density and land-use transformation. The research aims to address a research gap by quantitatively evaluating the interrelationships among spatial configuration, human density, and land-use heterogeneity in heritage-based settings. The study is methodologically based on the application of Space Syntax (DepthmapX and QGIS) and statistical analysis using SPSS. Integrated values were calculated at the global (R = n) and …

Budget Fy 2026 - 2027, Swosu Administration

SWOSU Fiscal Year Budgets

No abstract provided.

Examining The Relationship Between Trauma-Informed Safety Drill Practices And School-Level Chronic Absenteeism In Maine Secondary Schools, Tina Nightingale

Dissertations

School safety practices can influence students' perceptions of safety, emotional well-being, and engagement in the educational environment; however, limited research has examined whether trauma-informed safety drill practices are associated with measurable educational outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study was to examine the relationship between trauma-informed safety drill practices and school-level chronic absenteeism in Maine middle and high schools. Guided by trauma-informed care, adolescent neurodevelopment, and Protection Motivation Theory, the study investigated whether higher levels of trauma-informed implementation of safety drills, as measured by the Trauma-Informed Safety Drill Practices Index (TISDPI), were associated with lower rates of chronic …