Digital Commons Network^™

Classification Of Instructional Activities In Classroom Videos Using Neural Networks, Jonathan K. Foster, Matthew Korban, Peter Youngs, Ginger S. Watson, Scott T. Acton

VMASC Publications

Classroom videos have become an integral part of classroom observation and instructional quality studies. Researchers encounter substantial financial and time-consuming costs gathering trained personnel to catalogue and analyze a large quantity (i.e., hundreds of hours) of classroom videos. In this chapter, we argue that deep-learning neural networks have potential to help with these tasks by detecting features of instruction in videos. We evaluated the performance of three neural networks in detecting instructional activities in classroom videos. The video dataset included a total of forty-six hours, which was evenly split between elementary mathematics and English language arts lesson recordings. Results showed …

Changing The Communication For A Changing Climate: Effects Of Climate Change Communication On Identity, Emotions, And Mobilization, Liam Schwartz

Departmental Honors Projects

What are the most constructive emotions to evoke in climate change communication for diverse groups of people in a way that encourages pro-environmental behavior? A specific communication style and subsequent emotional response may best mobilize people interested in efforts to address climate change compared to people who are less invested in the issue. In this study, 927 valid participants surveyed were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a “fear” condition, a “hope” condition, and a control condition. All participants were asked a series of questions about their demographics, identities, perceptions, values, and environmental attitudes. Following these experimental tasks, they …

The Quest For The Political Incorporation Of Hmong And Somali American Candidates, Sadiq A. Abdirahman

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the experiences of Hmong and Somali American candidates with the overarching goal of identifying strategies to enhance their opportunities for securing elected offices, especially in anticipation of demographic shifts in Minnesota. The state's rapid growth in its minority population and persistent racial disparities underscore the need for focused initiatives across social, economic, and political domains. However, a comprehensive understanding of political incorporation strategies for refugee groups, including Hmong and Somali Americans, remains lacking in current literature. Expanding access to leadership circles, this research aims to empower individuals from underrepresented communities to pursue public service, thereby incorporating …

Leadership Challenges With Mental Health Literacy And Cultural Stigma In The Hmong Community, Yeng J. Vang

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

It has been nearly 50 years since Hmong refugees started arriving here in the United States, as a result of the Vietnam War. Currently, the Minneapolis-St. Paul area is home to the largest concentration of Hmong Americans here in the states, approximately 81,000 (Pew Research, 2019). Because of the war atrocities that many Hmong refugees experienced, scholars and researchers conducted diagnostic assessments during early resettlement, but the data was disaggregated and combined all Southeast Asian refugees together. This made it difficult to determine mental health needs among the different Southeast Asian ethnicities, specifically Hmong Americans. Many years later, the Wilder …

If Held Holds: Held V. Montana And The Future Of Constitutional Environmental Litigation, Leonora Owsley

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

The State of Montana is one of three states whose constitutions presently contain a “green amendment[.]” These amendments, enshrined in their respective Bills of Rights, protect a citizen’s fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment, ideally ensuring that the state’s government cannot infringe upon that right. However, following the green amendment’s adoption in 1972, Montana’s law still prioritized its extractive energy and hard rock mining industries over its citizens’ environmental rights. Now, that landscape is beginning to change. In 2011, Montana adopted an amended State Energy Policy Act, which expressly forbade its agencies from considering the effects of climate …

Lift Every Voice: Engaging Black Adolescents In Social Justice Service-Learning To Promote Mental Health And Educational Equity, Sonya Mathies Dinizulu, Gabriel M. Velez, Mirinda Morency, Kristen Jacobson, Kelsey Moore, Nichole Carter, Stacy L. Frazier

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

This study reports on the feasibility and acceptability of a social justice infused service-learning (S-L) program to promote Black adolescent mental health and educational equity. We convened a community advisory board to help adapt and pilot test, via open trial mixed method design, an evidence-based service-learning program for Black middle school adolescents (n = 21) attending summer camp at a faith-based setting. We describe a S-L curriculum, with a focus on the achievement gap, and training for church staff and assess staff and youth reports of feasibility, acceptability, and promise to (a) improve/engage psychological engagement targets, and (b) improve …

Psychological Factors Associated With Chinese International Students’ Well-Being In The United States, Zizhou Yin, Lee Za Ong, Ming Qiao

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

Chinese international students’ well-being is an important part to notice with the rapid number of Chinese international students in the U.S and the increasing number of depressions in college. This article systematically reviews support for the diverse psychological factors related to Chinese international students in the U.S. with mental health problems. A systematic review of articles using analytical method were conducted followed PRISMA guideline. 1600 studies were initially reviewed from EBSCO, ProQuest, etc. After examining inclusive and exclusive criteria, 30 studies were included in the full review.19 psychological factors associated with Chinese international students’ well-being were found and the positive …

Cura Communitatis In The Time Of Coronavirus, Jeffrey Labelle

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

This study conceptualizes cura communitatis as a contemporary bridge between cura personalis and cura apostolica for Jesuit higher educational institutions. A review of related literature suggests this concept as a possible means for Jesuit IHEs to respond to the realities of the coronavirus pandemic and the psychological, social, spiritual, and economic challenges which have resulted from dealing with this global health crisis. The author surfaces the shared desire in AJCU institutions to care for one another and our shared relationships as pilgrims during a global phenomenon that has demanded physical distancing. The study explores the ways in which this desire …

Patient Satisfaction Informs Improvement Strategies In Emergency Department, Esmat Swallmeh

Doctoral

Recently, patient satisfaction has become one of the key performance indicators used to measure the performance of healthcare institutions and has emerged as a primary strategic indicator of quality and efficacy within the healthcare system. Inadequate care of patient experience in acute hospitals may negatively impact patients’ adherence, readmission rates and mortality. This dissertation critically evaluates over 2,000 peer-reviewed papers relevant to patient satisfaction within the emergency department (ED) environment. It describes the theories, tools, determinants, and methods to increase patient satisfaction. Despite growing attention to patient satisfaction, the academic literature still lacks a comprehensive overview. In addition, the literature …

Rethinking Behavior - Winter 2024, Midwest Symposium For Leadership In Behavior Disorders

ReThinking Behavior Magazine

A magazine for professionals serving children and youth with behavioral needs.

Winter 2024, Volume 7, Issue 2

Neither Here Nor There: Redefining “Presence” For A Virtual Criminal Justice System, Brandon M. Draper

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

The coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic dramatically altered how the criminal justice system operated by adding virtual options to traditionally in-person proceedings. The impact of the criminal justice system’s failure to include virtual jury trials among these options was shocking, but not surprising: jury trial rates across the country dropped close to zero percent and several in-custody defendants died from COVID-19 before a jury could determine their guilt or innocence. After the pandemic, criminal courts across the country made many of these virtual options permanent, but only for non-evidentiary proceedings and other non-jury trial settings. The failure to include criminal jury trials …

Illegitimate Families, Susan Hazeldean

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Not Just Bony Fish: All Nonmammalian And Nonavian Animals Are Neglected In Both Welfare And General Research, Jennifer A. Mather Ph.D.

Animal Sentience

The lack of research on fish welfare highlighted by Oldfield & Bonano (2024) is only part of a more general problem: a relative neglect of animals other than mammals and birds. The causes are our lack of knowledge, our negative view of what we consider to be “lower” animals and our underestimation of their intelligence and sensitivity. Our estimation will increase as our knowledge increases. As a broader view spreads to the public through the media, it should gradually increase the demand to expand both research and welfare, especially beyond mammals and birds.

Acting In Self-Defense: The Creation Of An Online Systematic Review Tutorial To Assist Librarian Consultations, Sally Smith, Karen Burton, Shelby Carroll

Publications

Clemson University Libraries provides expert research services and has experienced a growing number of requests for guidance regarding evidence synthesis projects. In response, a team of three early-career science librarians sought to create a comprehensive online tutorial on the systematic review process. The tutorial outsources introductory education and features learning objects and assessments for each step. The tutorial streamlines consultations, freeing librarians to focus on project specifics. Accompanying participation guidelines clarify roles and responsibilities, timely completion of reviews, and authorship expectations. This asynchronous tutorial supports an equitable service model, benefiting researchers across all fields.

Reintegration Of Street-Connected Children In Kenya: Evaluation Of Agape Children's Ministry's Family Strengthening Programme, Johanna K. P. Greeson, John Gyourko, Sarah Wasch, Christopher Page

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

In Kenya, the number of street-involved children continues to grow each decade, with most recent estimates as high as 250,000 to 300,000. Despite efforts by local government, nongovernmental organizations, and community-based organizations to address this problem, most children who receive services end up returning to the streets. Since 2021, Agape Children's Ministry has provided time-limited, crisis-oriented services to families recently reintegrated through its Family Strengthening Programme (FSP). We conducted an exploratory programme evaluation of Agape's FSP to ascertain whether it is achieving the intended outcomes. Thirty families (n = 30 children; n = 38 caregivers) were enrolled in the …

The Impact Of Instructional Modality On Student Course Evaluations: A Comparative Analysis, Matthew R. Aldeman, Celeste M. Calkins, Theodore J. Branoff

Faculty Publications – Technology

The fall semester of 2020 brought a range of instructional modalities to university classrooms. Instructors at a large, public institution in the Midwest were allowed to choose between face-to-face, hybrid, online-synchronous, and online-asynchronous formats. The purpose of this study is to examine how students rated the effectiveness of courses using each of these different course instructional modalities. This investigation uses the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test to examine how the distribution of student ratings changed for courses in the fall 2020 semester by using the fall 2019 semester as a baseline. The results show that online-synchronous and online-asynchronous courses received lower …

Examining Variability In And Contextual Predictors Of College Student Belonging, Yangyue Li

Honors Theses

The purpose of the study is to examine disparities in belonging and whether contextual factors predict a higher sense of belonging among fourth-year undergraduate students at UR. My findings suggest that 1) underrepresented students (with racial/ethnic minority, low-income, and first-generation identities) reported lower belonging compared to their majority peers, 2) inclusive campus climate and contact with peers from different backgrounds predicted greater belonging, and 3) first-generation status moderated the association between contact with diverse peers and sense of belonging.

Opioid Policy Solutions: Administrative Law, Legislation, And Constitutional Reform, Trevin Stevens

Honors Theses

I have written three separate policy briefs addressing issues in the pharmaceutical industry that allowed for the opioid epidemic to reach the magnitude that it has in the last three decades. I examined public policy regarding labeling, drug diversion, and misuse, as well as marketing. By studying existing policies, I was able to provide insight into possible reforms, while accounting for potential obstacles to systematic reform, such as constitutional concerns regarding free speech.

Exploring The Impact Of Public Health Messaging On Maternal Health Engagement In The Us: A Focus On Racial Disparities And Persuasive Evidence; By Shelby Mokricky; April 29, 2024, Shelby A. Mokricky

Honors Theses

With the current rise of maternal mortality rates in the United States, particularly among Black women, this project aimed to understand more about how the content of maternal health campaigns affects participants' desire to create action and change. We examined two factors, the type of persuasive evidence presented, anecdotal stories or statistical information, and whether the message discussed the racial disparities in maternal mortality or not. Using Cloud Research’s Connect Platform 500 survey participants were randomly assigned to read one of four public health campaigns, then asked to complete a series of questions relating to their support of combating maternal …

Examining The Link Between Autistic Personality Traits And Processing Of Metonymy, Miranda Moe

Honors Theses

Previous research has investigated the real-time processing and offline interpretation of metonyms. This work has generally shown that readers experience longer processing times for metonyms versus control nouns because of the extra time needed to access the figurative sense of a metonym. Recent research has also demonstrated different processing patterns on nonliteral language for individuals with autism spectrum disorder compared to typically developing participants. The current study was designed to explore whether previous findings on the processing of metonymy are modulated by individual differences in autistic personality traits. Through an eye-tracking during reading experiment, participants read sentences in which factors …

Capital Punishment In Context: Kenneth Smith And The Eight Amendment, Elizabeth Stamper

Public Interest Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

Coercion, Control, And Criminal Law: Rethinking Accomplice Liability And Duress For Intimate Partner Violence Survivor-Defendants, Rachel Still

Public Interest Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

Dental Students’ Psychological Stress: A Comprehensive Investigation Of Stress Inducing Factors At Mohammed Vi University Of Sciences And Health, Latifa El Mouden, Elmehdi Fettach

Health Sciences

Dental students are significantly confronted with mental health problems. We conducted a prospective recruitment of students at the Faculty of Dentistry of the Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health to investigate the determinants of stress specific to this population in order to find solutions to improve their quality of life. In our study, 410 students responded to the survey, the average age of the students was 21.51 ± 2.102 years, 70% were female, 30% were in their 6th year, and 60% of the students were from Casablanca. The average MSP-25B score was 101.94 ± 33.035. In our study, there …

The Strategic Planning Process: A Mixed Methods Examination Of The Process As An Antidote To Promote Sustainability And Prevent The Extinction Of Startup Nonprofits, Charrisse Somme

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The nonprofit sector plays an intricate role in today’s economy and communities nationwide. Nonprofits employ over 12 million people in the United States and provide over $800 million in salaries and benefits, which equates to adding $1 trillion to the national economy. These contributions affirm the necessity for nonprofit existence. There is a sense of urgency to address this problem, as nonprofit dissolution has been increasing steadily since the pandemic began and spiked 30% during January 2022 compared to January 2021 (Delaney & O’Leary, 2022). “While competition amongst and the resulting exit of for-profit businesses have been studied, the exit …

Students With Learning Disabilities Lived Experiences, Barbara Wucherpfennig, Shannon Sparks, Hannah Kivalahuna-Uddin, Amanda Bentley

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

No abstract provided.

Hannaford Center For Safety, Innovation & Simulation 2023 Annual Report, Mainehealth

Annual Reports

In this 2023 Annual Report, you will see that combination of cutting-edge technology, a talented team, and the shared drive to improve health care for patients makes the Sim Center a fantastic resource for our system.

Impact Of Asl Exposure On Spoken Phonemic Discrimination In Adult Ci Users: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study Open Access, S. Nematova, Benjamin Zinszer, T. Morlet, G. Morini, L.-A. Petitto, K. K. Jasińska

Psychology Faculty Works

We examined the impact of exposure to a signed language (American Sign Language, or ASL) at different ages on the neural systems that support spoken language phonemic discrimination in deaf individuals with cochlear implants (CIs). Deaf CI users (N = 18, age = 18–24 yrs) who were exposed to a signed language at different ages and hearing individuals (N = 18, age = 18–21 yrs) completed a phonemic discrimination task in a spoken native (English) and non-native (Hindi) language while undergoing functional near-infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging. Behaviorally, deaf CI users who received a CI early versus later in life …

Time-Travel And Teleology: Morality, Society, And The Life Of Lucas Bishop, Justin Martin

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

The paper focuses on a rarely analyzed superhero within the X-Men universe: the time-traveling mutant and law enforcement officer Lucas Bishop. Through highlighting core narrative themes consistent throughout his various depictions in comics and animation through the lens of a constructivist approach to sociomoral development (Social Cognitive Domain Theory; SCDT), the author contends that the character’s complexity and multifaceted nature potentially has implications for understanding superheroes like Bishop as subjects worthy of scholarly and pedagogical inquiry. The narrative themes examined in support of this argument pertain to (1) how different dystopian social orders or arrangements potentially inform his morally relevant …

Online Friendships And The Bird’S Nest Drawing In The Age Of The Internet, Ian Wong

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This study was a qualitative exploration of friendships facilitated through the internet and online video games. The goal was to investigate how online friendships compare to in-person friendships in terms of quality. Three English-speaking participants who played an online video game and had an online friendship provided unique case studies describing the differences between an online and in-person friendship. The Bird Nest Drawing art assessment by Kaiser (1996; 2016) revealed themes of attachment security which helped explain the variations in the friendships. The findings of this study opened the topic of online friendships for further exploration in the field of …

Fantasia On A Theme Of Purpose: Using A Music-Guided Scribble Technique To Support Meaning-Making In Older Adult Retiree Musicians, Sophia R. Smith

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Within the population of older adults, overall well-being corresponds with the ability to self-actualize and seek meaning, but age-related changes combined with ageism and isolation can negatively impact this capacity to maintain a sense of purpose, especially following retirement. It may be that retired musicians are especially vulnerable to this experience later in life due to a loss of the primary method of creative engagement and community that is facilitated by musical performance in a group setting. Integrating phenomenological and ethnographic approaches, this study utilized a qualitative design to understand how music-guided art-making incorporating the scribble technique could support a …