Digital Commons Network^™

Preparedness And Engagement Of Rehabilitation Professionals In Disaster Management: A Cross-Sectional Survey Of Ots, Pts, And Slps In Florida, Rebecca I. Estes, Shari Rone-Adams

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Allied health professionals, specifically, physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs), and speech-language pathologists (SLPs), are under-recognized and underutilized in disaster management. The purpose of this study was to investigate awareness, prevalence of engagement, interest level, roles, perceptions, and training of rehabilitation professionals in the disaster management cycle. Method: The Healthcare Practitioner Disaster Management Questionnaire, an anonymous quantitative survey, was deployed to OTs, PTs, and SLPs, licensed in Florida, a convenience sample. Descriptive analysis and Spearman Rho correlation were used to understand the data. Results: Respondents believe that licensed clinicians have a role in disaster management. Respondents had little familiarity, …

A Cross-Sectional Study On Teenage Pregnancy And Its Associated Factors In A District Of Eastern India, Ashifa Sultana, Jayita Pal, Purnashree Mandal, Manoj Ghosh

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: Teenage pregnancy is a global public health concern with wide-ranging consequences for adolescent mothers, their families, and society at large. By investigating sociodemographic factors, contraceptive knowledge, and family dynamics, this study aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to teenage pregnancy in Nadia district, West Bengal, India.

Materials & method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 232 pregnant women of Chakdaha block. The study participants were selected by simple random sampling from the line list available at the sub-centres. The Chakdaha block of Nadia district was chosen by multistage sampling. All the pregnant women thus included …

An Overview Of The Health And Fitness Benefits From Sauna Exposure, Nicholas Smith, Ashley Wilson, Danica Buse, Alessandra Mondelli, Steven Vish, Morey J. Kolber

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

This review provides an overview of the health and fitness benefits attributed to sauna exposure. The specific focus explores muscle performance and flexibility, heat acclimation for performance, cardiovascular and respiratory health parameters, all-cause mortality, endocrine response, inflammatory modulators, and exercise recovery. The overarching mechanisms underpinning the health and fitness benefits attributed to sauna use stem from hyperthermia, which activates thermoregulatory cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and cytoprotective responses that promote homeostasis and adaptation to stress. Muscle performance improvements are attributed to plasma volume expansion, enhanced thermoregulatory efficiency, and upregulation of heat shock proteins. These adaptations enhance muscle contractility, strength, and rate of force …

Printing The Future: A Collaborative Approach To Integrating 3d Printing In Physical Therapy Education, Amanda L. Thomas, Teresa Munecas, Andreina Lander, Amber Sivalls, Abigail Tong, Tyler Turner, Lauren Butler

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Integrating 3D printing into healthcare education presents an opportunity to enhance learning, foster innovation, and address challenges in patient care. This study explores a collaborative approach to incorporating 3D printing into a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program through interdisciplinary partnerships with biomedical engineering, architecture, and immersive studio technologies. The study's primary aim was to provide DPT students with hands-on experience in designing and creating 3D printed adaptive devices for individuals with unique healthcare needs while encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration to enhance innovation and problem-solving. The initiative was structured around a series of pilot projects embedded in the DPT curriculum, focusing …

Concussion Management In Equestrian Athletes: A Cross Sectional Survey Of Scat6 Data, Nicole Scarpino, Kerstin Palombaro, Annette M. Willgens

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe concussion symptomatology, frequency, and management by equestrian athletes. Although the International Equestrian Federation (FEI.org) and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF.org) have implemented new Return to Sport Strategies, it is unknown how equestrian athletes manage concussion symptoms and whether more robust recommendations are warranted. Methods: A Qualtrics survey was used to collect data from January 1 to February 1, 2025. It was posted on equestrian Facebook groups to target athletes who practiced their sport more than 3 times per week in 1 of 3 disciplines. Respondents reported falls from a horse …

From The Arctic To Australia: Four Perspectives On Forest Sentience, John Charles Ryan, Francis Joy, Åsa Andersson Martti, Janne Sirniö

Talking Heads Seminar Series

Can forests sense, communicate and remember? How can we engage with trees as sentient subjects with wisdom to share with humankind in ecologically troubled times? Our collaborative presentation will bring together the expertise of four speakers on the subject of forest sentience. John Ryan (Turtle Island), Francis Joy (Rovaniemi, northern Finland), Åsa Andersson Martti (Swedish Sápmi) and Janne Sirniö (Swedish Sápmi) will share their perspectives on—and experiences of—the sentience of trees, forests and ecological communities with a focus on Sápmi, the homeland of the Sámi people of Northern Europe. After short presentations on forest sentience from scientific, artistic, and Indigenous …

Review Of Ai Needs You: How We Can Change Ai’S Future And Save Our Own, Tracy A. Fernandez Rysavy

Feminist Pedagogy

AI Needs You: How We Can Change AI’s Future and Save Our Own urges citizens to band together now, while A.I. is still in its nascent stages, to head off its potentially destructive repercussions and ensure that the technology serves more than just a wealthy few. While such efforts might seem out of reach in our polarized society, author Verity Harding points to three cases from history where policy was heavily influenced by multistakeholder collaborations. This review encourages educators to use the book as a way to study business ethics; out-of-the-box thinking; and intersectional, inclusive consensus-building over a top-down approach.

Creating Feminist Icons, Engaging With Feminist Concepts Via Ai, Regina M. Luttrell Ph.D., Carrie T. Welch M.A.

Feminist Pedagogy

The authors describe an undergraduate media diversity course assignment that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) to explore gender representation in media. Students engage in an activity where they use AI text-to-image generators to create fictional feminist icon characters. This activity is designed to complement discussions on AI bias and gender norms in media, prompting students to critically examine how AI tools reinforce or challenge stereotypes. By linking their experiences with AI-generated images to feminist theory, students gain a deeper understanding of intersectionality, representation, and media bias. The assignment is part of a class that traces feminist movements through pop culture media …

Exposing Bias In Ai Art: A Hands-On Feminist Pedagogy Activity, Sheri-Lynn Kurisu, Emely Yanagida

Feminist Pedagogy

This Original Teaching Activity (OTA) introduces students to the biases embedded in AI-generated art, drawing from feminist critiques of the male gaze (Mulvey, 1975) and Emanuele Arielli’s artificial gaze (2024). AI technologies, often assumed to be neutral, frequently reproduce and amplify societal inequalities related to gender, race, and class. This activity engages students in a hands-on exploration of these biases by prompting AI art generators, analyzing the results, and reflecting on the implications of algorithmic bias. Through structured exercises, students compare their expectations with AI-generated images, identifying patterns of stereotyping and erasure. Classroom discussions focus on how AI’s aesthetic choices …

Prompting For Refusal: Teaching Against And Without Ai, Kate Maddalena, Aline Zara, Dan Guadagnolo

Feminist Pedagogy

This Original Teaching Activity describes two modules that enact feminist pedagogy to teach AI refusal, a set of lectures and associated activities which we developed for first-year courses during the 2023-2024 academic year. These activities invite students to refuse AI while also understanding its function and deployment. They explore the consolidations of power which make generative AI technologies both possible and harmful. Instead of presuming the inevitability of AI to replace working and learning or change the world, these activities offer students a materialist framework to refuse the hype, grounding their understanding of generative AI in its techno-political origins and …

Viewing Ai From The Bottom: A Feminist Political Economic Critique Of A Technocentric Pedagogy, Micky Lee, Benita Dederichs

Feminist Pedagogy

A feminist political economic (FPE) perspective has a more profound concern than cheating: it argues that AI is not a neutral tool. AI constitutes social relations that prevent certain populations from fully participating in political, economic, and civic lives while obscuring unbalanced power relations produced and reproduced in a capitalistic society. This commentary first points out how AI may reinforce gender- and race-biased job stratification in the high-tech industry; and how AI disempowers women of color by locking them in a passive position. It offers some advice of what feminist educators could do to empower students.

Embracing Uncertainty And Resisting Suspicion In The Faculty-Student Relationship, Natalia Rybas

Feminist Pedagogy

This critical essay discusses the suspicion and distrust appearing when educators think that students can (mis)use generative AI tools. The essay argues that education is rife with relations of inequality, reminds us that technologies are never neutral, and explores using uncertainty as a method of resistance to suspicion about students. The suspicion grows from the relations embedded in higher education because power, privilege, and oppression shape the experience of teaching and learning. Technological innovations, such as AI, carry power relations embedded in their designs and assumed uses, making all participants of the learning process vulnerable and disrupting the process itself. …

Keep Searching For Stories: The Importance Of Student Historical Research In The Ai Era, Emily Westkaemper

Feminist Pedagogy

This critical commentary interprets the risk that increased reliance on AI will disrupt student researchers’ direct engagement with historical primary sources. Close analysis of primary source details supports feminist history and digital history approaches, helping researchers contextualize histories of marginalization and interrogate scholarly and popular narratives about the past. Search engines and databases can promote access to digitized documents. By contrast, large language models reflect contemporary biases and communication patterns, manufacturing general declarations about historical significance that do not prioritize digitized primary source materials. I experimented with AI queries about participants in the 1977 National Women’s Conference (NWC), a topic …

Teaching Oppositional Resistance To The Weaponization Of Artificial Intelligence In Acts Of Gendered Violence, Lili R. Romann, Elizab​Eth A. Hintz

Feminist Pedagogy

Meeting the aims of this special issue to take a uniquely feminist approach to understanding AI in higher education, we offer a critical commentary to help other scholars apply a critical feminist lens when teaching about the promise of artificial intelligence in the classroom. Specifically, we center pornographic deepfakes as a primal, contemporary, and disastrous example of the gendered weaponization of artificial intelligence. This critical commentary has staying power – equipping future teachers with feminist tools to tackle AI (as well as the inevitable future of AI to come) in pedagogical practice.

The Public Parks Paradox: Look But Don't Touch, Michael Sheridan, Claire Babbott-Bryan

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

Buenos Aires, Argentina is one of the least green cities in the world, with estimates of 1.5 - 6m² of green space per person – far below the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum of 15m². Neoliberal policies continue to fragment and privatize the city’s green spaces, posing serious threats to public health. The remaining parks in Buenos Aires employ physical barriers to preserve the park’s green elements, including metal gates (often painted green), restricted gardens and quads, and signs that prohibit stepping on the grass. These barriers deprive opportunities for sensory engagement, reducing park users’ interactions to passive visual and …

Va Dent J October 2025

Virginia Dental Journal

This issue introduces Dr. Marlon Goad as the new VDA President, detailing his journey, goals, and vision for addressing workforce shortages, reimbursement challenges, and increasing membership among young dentists. It also features the opening of the Dr. Roger Wood Special Care Clinic at VCU School of Dentistry, aimed at providing specialized care for adults with disabilities and training future oral health professionals.

The journal includes updates on legislative advocacy, such as the VDA PAC's fundraising progress and the 20th anniversary of Virginia’s Medicaid Dental Program. It explores the integration of artificial intelligence into dental practices, emphasizing accessible tools for patient …

The Battle Of Fluoride Vs. America, Gary Thomas Dmd

Virginia Dental Journal

The article discusses the controversy surrounding fluoride in community water systems, highlighting its proven benefits in reducing tooth decay and minimal risks at recommended levels. Despite being a top public health achievement, fluoride removal is debated due to concerns about neurotoxicity and fluorosis. The ADA advocates for maintaining fluoridation to promote public health and equity.

Virginia Board Of Dentistry Meeting Notes September 12, 2025, Ursula Klostermyer Dds, Phd

Virginia Dental Journal

The document contains meeting notes from the Virginia Board of Dentistry, detailing discussions on board member introductions, regulatory updates, disciplinary reports, and upcoming conferences related to dental practices.

Remembering Dennis P. Gallagher, Laura Givens

Virginia Dental Journal

Dennis P. Gallagher, a dedicated advocate for dentistry, served the Virginia Dental Association (VDA) for nearly two decades. His expertise, commitment, and mentorship shaped significant legislative victories and inspired colleagues. Remembered for his integrity and personal touch, Denny’s legacy continues to influence the VDA’s advocacy efforts and the dental profession.

Virginia’S Medicaid Dental Program Celebrates 20 Years, Laura Givens

Virginia Dental Journal

Virginia’s Cardinal Care Smiles Dental Program celebrated its 20th anniversary, highlighting its evolution from pediatric care to comprehensive dental benefits for adults and pregnant members. Key contributors, including Dr. Terry Dickinson and Mr. Patrick Finnerty, were honored. The program’s success relies on advocacy, provider participation, fee adjustments, and patient education initiatives.

Vda Pac Update, Laura Givens

Virginia Dental Journal

The VDA PAC aims to raise $375,000 by 2025, with $213,233 collected so far. Southside Dental Society exceeded its goal, but other components need support to meet the $166,767 shortfall. Members are urged to contribute via www.vadental.org/vda-pac. Election Day is November 4th; visit https://www.elections.virginia.gov/ for voting information.

Why I Chose To Lead: A Journey Of Family, Resilience, And Service To Dentistry, Marlon Goad Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

Dr. Marlon Goad, President of the Virginia Dental Association (VDA), reflects on his unconventional journey into dentistry, shaped by resilience, family, and mentorship. He highlights key challenges facing the profession, including declining membership among young dentists, workforce shortages, rising education costs, and the growing influence of corporate practices. Dr. Goad emphasizes the importance of VDA membership in fostering community, advocacy, and professional growth. As president, he is dedicated to addressing these issues, supporting young professionals, and ensuring the future of dentistry in Virginia remains patient-centered and united.

Solidaristic Perspectives On School Choice And Public Partitioning. A Review Of Unsettling Choice: Race, Rights, And The Partitioning Of Public Education, Tatiana Geron

Democracy & Education

This review of Ujju Aggarwal’s Unsettling Choice: Race, Rights, and the Partitioning of Public Education (University of Minnesota Press, 2024) overviews the author’s focus on the critical geography, history, and ethnography of school choice in the Manhattan Valley neighborhood of New York City. The review focuses on the author’s solidaristic approach and perspective as a community organizer in the neighborhood, as well as the book’s conception of “partitioned publics” as a mechanism for racial and class segregation in post-Recession school politics.

Rethinking Civic Education. A Review Of Education For Liberal Democracy: Using Classroom Discussion To Build Knowledge And Voice, Jordan Garner, Colton Morton, Palak Shah

Democracy & Education

In his book Education for Liberal Democracy: Using Classroom Discussion to Build Knowledge and Voice, Walter Parker (2023) takes a centrist approach to redesigning civic education. Throughout the book, Parker provides valuable strategies teachers can implement into the K–12 social studies classroom to teach for democracy. While we believe Parker's instructional strategies lay the groundwork for reshaping civic education, we contend that the book does not adequately address issues of inequality and inequity. We would also challenge Parker to think about how teachers can educate for democracy outside of the social studies curriculum in the United States and globally. …

Democratic Education In The Literature Classroom: Integrating Political Literacy And Political Emotions Into Agonistic Literary Discussions. A Response To “Agonism In A Classroom Discussion On Strindberg’S Miss Julie”, Baptiste Roucau

Democracy & Education

In an era of rising polarization and populism, how can we transform the literature classroom into a site of democratic education? Drawing on agonistic scholarship, Tysklind et al. (2024) offer the agonistic literary discussion, a novel pedagogical approach aiming to prepare students for the complexities of democracy by forming collective identities and navigating conflictual consensus. To build on the authors’ work, this response article proposes two additions—political literacy and political emotions—and cautions against the risk of antagonism. Agonistic literary discussions can integrate political literacy through teaching relevant knowledge and careful questioning, enabling students to situate characters’ experiences in political contexts …

Action Civics As A Powerful Tool—Not A Panacea—In The Provision Of High-Quality Civic Education. A Response To “The Domino Effect”: How Early Adolescence Describe Their Capacity For Civic Engagement", Daniela Kruel Digiacomo

Democracy & Education

Action civics happens when young people do research, action, and reflection on social or political issues they care about. In this third decade of the 21st century, action civics is often found in after-school and/or out-of-school contexts, and substantive research now shows its power and potential for providing transformative learning experiences for young people, as is evidenced again in "The Domino Effect: How Early Adolescents Describe Their Capacity for Civic Engagement"—one of the feature articles of this issue. At the same time, action civics, precisely because it is so often conceived and enacted in out-of-school time spaces, is not, and …

Beyond The Human: Democratic Education Through The Ethics Of Care And Carriance. A Response To “Reimagining Democratic Education With Care Ethics—Toward Care-Full Democratic Education”, Michalinos Zembylas

Democracy & Education

This is a response to Koponen and Kasa’s argument that feminist theorizing and care ethics have been overlooked as theoretical approaches in the current democratic education debate. Their article draws on these insights to theorize democratic education in ways that combine care and democracy. In my response, I aim to offer clarifying comments and questions while suggesting ideas to expand Koponen and Kasa’s analysis. Specifically, I highlight two perspectives that, in my view, warrant further exploration in democratic education: developing theoretical frameworks that move beyond human-centered and anthropocentric accounts and, embracing care and the concept of "care-carrying" or "carriance" (Ettinger, …

Exploring The Democratic Challenges And Potential Of Alternative Education, Maria Menegaki

Democracy & Education

Does an assembly make a school a democratic space? What happens if a participant is not interested? Democracy for innovation or democracy for social transformation? Can a democratic school be neutral and apolitical? These are some of the questions this article will try to discuss by focusing on democratic aspects of alternative educational proposals. Based on an anthropological, ethnographic, and comparative study of three alternative schools and educational projects in Catalonia, this article sheds light on the challenges and contradictions but also the potential hidden behind such initiatives. More specifically, it first explores educational change in Catalonia through time and …

Science Education For Democracy And Sustainability: A Transnational Critique Of Policy Texts In A Fast-Globalizing Reform Ensemble, Geraldine Mooney Simmie, Sara Tolbert

Democracy & Education

In a fast-globalizing reform ensemble, we reframe science education for a concept of civic engagement connected to a new social contract for democracy and sustainability. The American philosopher of education John Dewey, writing in the early 1900s, asserted that democracy requires a facelift with each generation in order to respond to the urgent needs of the moment. Dewey asserted that education acts as a midwife in the delivery of democracy. In this transnational comparative study, we conduct a generative critique of science education reforms in two democratic nation states, Ireland and New Zealand. We draw from critical and feminist perspectives …

“You Don’T Have To Tell Them It’S A Lie”: Teaching Social Studies Within A Backsliding Democracy, H James Garrett, Mardi Schmeichel, Christopher H. Clark

Democracy & Education

In this essay, the authors posit that democratic backsliding, rather than partisanship, is the prevailing political situation in which civics and social studies teachers are working. The authors then present evidence from focus groups composed of practicing social studies teachers from across the United States to illustrate how the reliance on evidence and argumentation is the primary mode of navigating contemporary political issues. However, while these strategies are built on decades of research in civic education, the authors illustrate a conceptual dilemma: Inquiry strategies may not be able to accommodate the realities of democratic backsliding and its attendant misinformation. The …