Digital Commons Network^™

Teacher Retention Programs: Intrinsic And Extrinsic Factors That Contribute To Higher Teacher Retention And Overall Pride In The Profession, A Community Approach, Kim Whittaker

Community Engagement Student Work

Teacher turnover and attrition is a significant issue in the education system and if it persists, it is likely that education will not be sustainable. This capstone features areas of research that highlight the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to teachers leaving the profession and analyzes current teacher retention programs to rate the effectiveness of their programs and incentives as it relates to theory. This research implicates that level of participation, job commitment, working conditions, professional development, incentives, and job satisfaction play a role in maintaining teachers if these criteria are directly addressed and teachers feel supported in these …

Unlocking The Potential Of The Lawrence Math & Science Program (Lmsp): A Deep Dive Into Stem Education, Community Engagement, And Service Learning To Foster Volunteer Engagement And Empower Student-Led Learning, Alysha Letendre

Community Engagement Student Work

The Lawrence Math and Science Program (LMSP) Strategic Plan focuses on enhancing volunteer and participant engagement to promote STEM education in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Through qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, including previous LMSP coordinators, faculty members, volunteers, and middle school teachers, insights were gathered to inform strategic planning efforts. The research topic addressed the need to sustain and grow the LMSP volunteer base while adapting the program to meet the changing needs of Lawrence middle school students. The population studied individuals directly involved in LMSP and its implementation. Methods involved qualitative data collection through one-on-one Zoom interviews, which were analyzed to …

Navigating Gentrification: Exploring The Relationship Around Immigrant Integration, Sense Of Belonging, Social Capital, And Success, Patricia Stocker

Community Engagement Student Work

Gentrification and its impact on immigrant communities are complex and evolving phenomena deeply intertwined with the racial and immigrant histories specific to each city. Hwang (2015) argues that gentrification perpetuates racial and ethnic inequality across urban landscapes, highlighting the need for comprehensive approaches to address its effects on immigrant populations. This study examines the intersection of gentrification, immigrant entrepreneurship, and community development, emphasizing the significance of fostering a sense of belonging and social capital within immigrant communities. Building on existing research, this capstone proposes a community project aimed at welcoming immigrants, integrating them into local communities, and facilitating their success …

Empowering Students Of Color To Study Abroad: Effective Approaches For Predominantly White Institutions, A'Mari Bing-Way

Community Engagement Student Work

Traditionally studying abroad is an opportunity afforded to college students. For many, it is perceived as a desirable and essential component to the college experience. Initially developed by a white professor for white students at a predominantly white institution (PWI) to immerse themselves in European culture. The study abroad model in higher education was not designed with inclusivity in mind. However, research suggests that access to such opportunities depends on a student’s network to include: social, cultural, and financial capital as well as the university’s investment in empowering students to participate in study abroad programs. Historically, government funded initiatives have …

Burnout For General Surgeons, Luke Edwards, Lindsay Mckelvey

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: In the healthcare sector, burnout among surgeons has emerged as a critical issue, impacting both the well-being of medical professionals and the quality outcomes of patient care. Research has consistently shown that long hours, high workloads, demanding results, and mental fatigue make physicians more vulnerable to experiencing burnout than others. Studies have revealed alarming statistical rates, with a significant percentage of surgeons reporting physical exhaustion and mental health repercussions. This trend is further enhanced by the demanding nature of the medical environment, where work-related stress and burnout have become common concerns.

Purpose of the Study: The negative effects of …

On The Brink: Unveiling The Crisis Of Burnout Among Va Clinic Physicians, Aaron Clarke

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: This study investigates the significant challenge of burnout among physicians at Veterans Affairs (VA) clinics. Characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, physician burnout is a growing concern that compromises the well-being of the doctors and the quality of healthcare they provide. Recent studies have shown an alarming increase in burnout symptoms among healthcare providers, reflecting systemic issues that adversely affect patient care and the operational efficacy of healthcare institutions.

Purpose of the Study: The research aimed to dissect the intricate effects of physician burnout on medical outcomes within the VA healthcare system’s outpatient settings. …

"Living Its Strange Life" A Literary Biography Of Margery Latimer From The Archives In 18 Scenes, Leo Egger

Kaplan Senior Essay Prize for Use of Library Special Collections

Portage, Wisconsin is a place defined by passing through it. It was once a major hub of passage, via river and canal, from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River. Today, the town, home to just over 10,000 people, is little more than a distant suburb of the state capital, Madison, 35 miles to the south. On the drive up 91-North, billboards advertise Ho-Chunk casinos, water parks in the Wisconsin Dells, and the world’s largest Culver’s, a fast-food chain famous for its frozen custard. There are numerous roadside attractions: outside a gas station, a life-sized statue of a pink elephant …

Factors That Inhibit And Support The Work Of School-Based Mental Health Providers, David B. Naff, Jennifer Murphy, Alexandra Javna, Wyatt Aldrich, Erin Standish, Jeen Joy, Ciana Cross, Sandra Saji

MERC Publications

This research brief comes from the MERC Supporting Mental Health in Schools study. Launched in 2021 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study explores research-based strategies for supporting mental health in PK-12 school settings, as well as the emotional and professional capacity of PK-12 faculty and staff in the MERC region to support the social and emotional wellness of their students. This brief shares takeaways from a systematic literature review that highlight the factors that inhibit and support the work of school-based mental health providers, including school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists. It outlines the roles …

Understanding The Role Of Out Of School Time (Ost) Providers In Urban School Systems In A Post-Covid Context, David Naff, Rachel Hale, Jamelle Simmons, Alicia Gaston, Latonja Y. Wright, Kiana Bradford, Crystal R. Bell, Jill Flynn, Chuck Creasy, Yadira Guerrero, Rory Dunn, Pamela Weaver

MERC Publications

This research and policy brief by the Institute for Collaborative Research and Evaluation and the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Richmond focuses on the role of out-of-school time (OST) providers in urban school settings in a post COVID-19 context. It is structured to explore the following questions: 1) What are out-of-school time providers and what role do they play in urban school contexts? 2) What policies guide out-of-school time programming at the federal, state, and division level? 3) How have trends and outcomes related to out-of-school time programming changed relative to …

‘We Don’T Need The Nakedness And All The Other Stuff’: Maus, Graphic History, And School Board Excuses, Chase Gregory

Faculty Conference Papers and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Odu Department Of English Newsletter (2024-2025 - Issue No. 2), Veronica Watson, Don Rodrigues, Cristina Rodriguez Velez, Aliya Head, Amy Wilson, Ashley Jones, Bridget Dolan, Devin Hickey, Katherine Barnett

Department of English Newsletter

ODU English Department's 2024-2025 Annual Newsletter. The newsletter covers new courses, events, awards, students & faculty news and much more.

Lifelines Winter 2024, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Spring 2023 issue of Lifelines contains articles on an alumni spotlight, department events, biology and allied health graduates, and Ann Foster.

Gender Dysphoria And The Americans With Disabilities Act: The Shameful Wall Of Exclusion, Victoria Lynn Smith

Duquesne Law Review

On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA') and celebrated the moment that the "shameful wall of exclusion finally [came] tumbling down."¹ At that moment, the President promised that this legislation was a proverbial sledgehammer marking the end of discrimination in America.² Nevertheless, over thirty years later, individuals at the intersection of disability rights and transgender rights are still struggling against exclusion as they attempt to receive the promised protections of the ADA.³

Does Intimate Partner Violence Affect A Child's Developing Brain, Betsy Calloway

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

The Magic Of Mentoring, Allessandra Vitrano

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Mobile Technology Interventions With Older Adults Diagnosed With A Cognitive Deficit, Emily Funk, Adam Nadeau, Savannah Ullyott

Critically Appraised Topics

This critically appraised topic (CAT) paper focuses on the impact of technology-based interventions in occupational therapy in daily functioning within older adults with cognitive deficits. When considering the components of this CAT, the theoretical framework was described, then a description of the population paired with a description of cognition and its components, followed by the types and use of technology-based interventions with adults, and the impact cognitive conditions and symptoms have on occupational performance.

An Unexpected Educational Assistant: Using Gpt-4 To Generate Response-Specific Elaboration Feedback For Students And Parents/Caregivers, Miles Baldwin

NERA Conference Proceedings 2024

GPT-4 is used to generate two forms of response-specific feedback for multiple-choice questions—student feedback and parent/caregiver feedback—and its accuracy and effectiveness is evaluated with a small study. Results suggest that AI can make important contributions to feedback generation and that the approach taken in this study shows promise.

Workplace Implications For Female Leaders: Exploration Of Stereotype Threat Within Video Conferencing., Roisin Donnelly, Anthony Ryan

Journal Articles

A significant body of research has documented the effect to which stereotype threat can be triggered by both the physical environment and by the use of various technology media. However, there is a dearth of research exploring the relationship between stereotype threat, defined here as “the concrete, real-time threat of being judged and treated poorly in settings where a negative stereotype about one’s group applies” (Steele, Spencer & Aronson, 2002, p.385), and video conferencing software features - specifically virtual backgrounds. This literature review suggested that this feature might, in certain circumstances, negatively affect the performance of groups not stereotypically associated …

Urinformed Spring 2024, Urinformed

URInformed: The URI Employees' Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Urinformed Fall 2024, Urinformed

URInformed: The URI Employees' Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Digital Clock Drawing As An Alzheimer's Disease Susceptibility Biomarker: Associations With Genetic Risk Score And Apoe In Older Adults, L I Thompson, M Cummings, S Emrani, David J. Libon, A Ang, C Karjadi, R Au, C Liu

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in older adults, but most people are not diagnosed until significant neuronal loss has likely occurred along with a decline in cognition. Non-invasive and cost-effective digital biomarkers for AD have the potential to improve early detection.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the validity of DCTclockTM (a digitized clock drawing task) as an AD susceptibility biomarker.

DESIGN: We used two primary independent variables, Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele carrier status and polygenic risk score (PRS). We examined APOE and PRS associations with DCTclockTM composite scores as dependent measures.

SETTING: We used existing data …

Editorial: Emotional Intelligence In Applied Settings: Approaches To Its Theoretical Model, Measurement, And Application, Cody Ding, Melissa Ramdas, Marcello Mortillaro

Education Sciences and Professional Programs Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents, Vol. 18

Undergraduate Review

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of In-School Support For Lgbtq+ Students, Sara Barry

Undergraduate Review

Research suggests that LGBTQ+ students experience higher rates of bullying and harassment due to their gender identity in school. Therefore, the need for schools to create a positive school climate and provide interventions for these students is imperative. This study aimed to understand the effectiveness of these interventions from the perspective of adjustment counselors. This study followed Moustakas's methods of transcendental phenomenology and used semi-structured interviews to collect data. The sample consisted of seven adjustment counselors interviewed on their usage and perceived effectiveness of in-school supportive interventions for LGBTQ+ students. Five themes surfaced: an open and accepting climate, policies, professional …

Social Media’S Impact On Journalism And News: Nbcuniversal's Strategies And Utilization, Meghan Lotti

Undergraduate Review

As NBCUniversal has traditional roots in the broadcasting industry, it must evolve and adapt to stay relevant and popular among newer generations. To do so, NBCU must utilize social media. The purpose of this case study is to analyze NBCU’s social media methods to identify what strategies are effective for themselves and others in the journalism industry.

The Consequences Of Colonization: A Meaningful Convergence Of Identity, Reality, And Nature In Wide Sargasso Sea, Alyssa Aguiar

Undergraduate Review

Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea provides insight into the consequences of colonization through a fractured narrative that details the life of Antoinette Conway, a multicultural white Creole woman. Antoinette is the protagonist of the tale, but rifts in her account become increasingly severe as Antoinette’s sense of self begins to dissolve. As an adolescent, she remains an outcast in the social hierarchy of Jamaica, subsequently growing up surrounded by the effects of colonialism, but belonging to no specific group. This displacement becomes deeply ingrained in Antoinette, worsening as she grows older and loses those closest to her. When Antoinette marries, …

Food Accessibility Struggles For College Students With Dietary Restrictions, Ella Schleuning

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

College is a time when many students experience independence for the first time in their lives. This is the first time they have had to do their laundry on their own, keep their room clean, and maybe most importantly, they are responsible for figuring out where they are going to eat every day, for every meal. The focus of this study is on food accessibility struggles for college students, specifically looking at Western Kentucky University’s (WKU) food on-campus, as well as students with dietary restrictions.

Since college is the first-time students are responsible for their own meals, it can often …

Purpose Makes Practice: Testing The Efficacy Of A Proposed Framework For Teaching Self-Regulation Skills In The Violin Lesson, Hannah Kabrick

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Development of self-regulatory (SR) skills in musicians is crucial for the self- examination necessary for successful practice. Teaching methods that facilitate SR skills can help musicians become independent in the practice room. The first aim of this study was to design a framework for teaching that includes a five-step thinking-action sequence that will allow participants to evaluate their own playing during practice and equips them to enact necessary changes to their technique to bring their playing closer to a more proficient result. The second aim of this study was to use microanalysis with a cross-case comparative design to test the …

Mental Health Portrayals In Video Games And Their Impacts: Horror Games And Their Reliance On The Mentally Ill, Jordan Hightower

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis seeks to address the representation of mental illnesses within the video game genre, specifically within horror video games. Horror video games have a history of relying on the mentally ill to increase the “fear factor” of games, though often do not seem to do proper research, as the portrayals often rely on stigmas and misconstruals on the mental illness being portrayed. This can lead to those who play aforementioned video games to develop subconscious stigmas and biases towards those who are mentally ill. Through a literary analysis of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Omori, examples of negative and …

I Am Gay And Catholic: An Analysis Of Identity Integration In Lgbtq+ Members Converting To Catholicism, Maria Julian

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This article examines the negotiation of sexual and religious identities among Catholic members of the LGBTQ+ community. I explore context-specific identity negotiation to determine how and why, in a time of “cultural warfare” within the Catholic Church surrounding the acceptance of LGBTQ+ participants, LGBTQ+ members choose to convert to Catholicism. Through semi-structured interviews conducted with members of the LGBTQ+ community, I identify and discuss several themes based on the identity integration process of these individuals: (1) Experiencing “The Call” (the initial interest in Catholicism), (2) Encountering the Religious “Other” (association with a welcoming and enduring Catholic LGBTQ+ Community), (3) Immersion …