Digital Commons Network^™

Providing Instructional Literacy Videos Increases Literacy And Parent Engagement, Maryjoann Wilks

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract MaryJoAnn Wilks Providing Instructional Literacy Videos Increases Literacy and Parent Engagement 2023-2025 Thesis chair Susan Browne, Ed.D., Professor, Department Critical Literacy, Technology & Multilingual Education Master of Arts in Reading Education This qualitative research project explored the impact of a family literacy program designed to enhance third-grade students’ reading skills through the use of instructional videos and at-home literacy activities. Conducted in the town of Bridgeton, New Jersey, the study focused on themes of preparation, motivation, and participation to examine how families engaged with the program and supported their children's learning. Data were collected through observations, parent feedback, and …

Comunidades Y Vacunas: Findings On Vaccine Hesitancy In Latine Families With Autistic Children, Danica Leticia Limon-Mialkowski

Theses and Dissertations

Parent vaccine hesitancy (VH) and subsequent vaccine refusal for children has escalated in the U.S. over the past several years and is more common among parents with an autistic child compared to the general population (Zerbo et al., 2018). This is an important issue to address given that VH has led to a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases (DeStefano & Shimabukuro, 2019; Geoghegan, et al., 2020). Research shows that VH is affected by parent cultural background (Fombonne et al., 2020) and that minoritized groups are more likely to experience VH (48.1% in parents of color [POC] groups versus 22.9% in White …

White Students' Perceptions Of Campus Racial Climate And White Racial Identity Development At A Predominately White Liberal Arts Institution, Katie O'Brien

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to examine the perceptions of White students about campus racial climate at a predominantly White liberal arts college in connection with students’ White racial identity development and liberal arts curriculum. The research study aims to promote a better understanding of campus racial climate at PWIs from the perspective of White students to provide insights on ways to improve campus racial climate, specifically for students of color. The data for this project were primarily collected through semi-structured qualitative interviews with White students. Quantitative data was also collected in the form of a racial attitudes assessment …

Picture This: An Event Designed To Increase Awareness Of And Empathy For Individuals Who Experience Scrupulosity, Savannah M. Travis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Scrupulosity, also known as religious OCD, is often misunderstood and under-recognized by those who have experienced it. This research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, integrating experience design theories and frameworks with research on scrupulosity, to develop an event that aims to increase awareness and empathy among attendees for individuals who experience scrupulosity. The experience design frameworks applied include the design thinking process, the self-determination theory, and the experience-type framework. Current research suggests that there is a need for further research on the case studies and qualitative phenotypes of individuals who have experienced scrupulosity, which this study aims to address.

As part …

July 14 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update, Jeffrey M. Wice

Elections, Census & Redistricting Updates

No abstract provided.

Tightrope Walking: Lived Experiences Of Adult Siblings Of Individuals With Severe Autism, Anna Dega

ETD Collection

No abstract provided.

Akses Jaminan Kesehatan Terhadap Pekerja Perempuan Rentang Umur 25-29 Tahun Pada Setiap Provinsi Di Indonesia Tahun 2017: Studi Cross-Sectional, Rahma Rosita Dewi, Sabrina Putri Fatonah, Zahra Amalia, Intan Silmi Alya Mahmud, Rayhan Ramadhan

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

Health insurance is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Indonesian government. However, coverage among female workers aged 25–29 remains low with significant disparities across regions. This cross-sectional study aims to analyze access to health insurance among female workers aged 25–29 in Indonesia and identify factors contributing to these gaps. The study used secondary data from the 2017 Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (SDKI), involving 8,394 women who met the inclusion criteria, focusing on health insurance ownership status. Descriptive analysis was conducted to assess the distribution of coverage proportions across regions, with bias control performed through data selection and multi-layered validation …

Usa V. Erik Harris

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Exploring K-12 Teachers’ Definitions And Perspectives Of Cybersecurity, Gina Childers, Weverton Ataide Pinheiro, Oluwatosin Daramola, C Lindsay Linsky, Bryson Payne, Jack Byers, Daniel Baker

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Because K-12 teachers have access to private educational data, they are increasingly at risk of being affected by cybersecurity threats. Examining how teachers conceptualize cybersecurity is vital so that cybersecurity training can be tailored to teachers’ understanding of cybersecurity. This study examined K-12 teachers’ (n = 255) personalized definitions of cybersecurity as these perceptions may influence online behaviors. These definitions were also reviewed by teacher type (cybersecurity teacher or non-cybersecurity teacher), teacher self-identified gender, and teacher age. The cybersecurity definitions were aligned and contextualized within a modified NICE Framework Core with a specific focus on three areas: protection and monitoring, …

Integrating Belowground Recovery Into Tropical Forest Restoration Design And Monitoring, Lauren Toro, Leland K. Werden, Shalom D. Addo-Danso, Kelly M. Andersen, Sarah Batterman, Matilde M. Bragadini, Pooja Choksi, Rebecca J. Cole, Liza S. Comita, Daniela Cusack, Daisy H. Dent, Lee H. Dietterich, Joshua B. Fisher, Katrin Fleischer, Lucia Fuchslueger, Nohemi Huanca-Nunez, Janey R. Lienau, Lindsay A. Mcculloch, Ember M. Morrissey, Jennifer S. Powers, Mareli Sánchez-Juliá, Oscar Valverde-Barrantes, Anita Weissflog, Michelle Y. Wong

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

There is growing recognition that tropical forest restoration is key for sequestering carbon and enhancing ecosystem resilience. Soils, roots, and soil biota are central to ecosystem function and services, but belowground recovery is largely overlooked in restoration monitoring frameworks. Here, we outline current understanding of the links between above- and belowground recovery in tropical forests by examining how belowground properties before and after intervention influence recovery; by evaluating whether aboveground recovery can serve as a proxy for belowground dynamics; and by proposing a blueprint for monitoring dynamic soil physical (bulk density, aggregate stability), chemical (organic matter or carbon, pH), and …

Impactor Displacement As A Predictor Of Thoraco-Abdominal Organ Injury: Comparison Of Isolated Organ To Whole Body Tests, Jack Seifert, Jared Michael Koser, Alok Shah, Lance Frazer, Frank A. Pintar, Narayan Yoganandan, Dan Nicolella, Timothy B. Bentley, Brian D. Stemper

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

Body armor is used to protect the wearer from penetrating injuries. However, when the armor defeats the projectile, it deforms at high rates into the wearer, referred to as back face deformation (BFD). This deformation can cause a variety of superficial and internal injuries and consequently should be considered when designing body armor. However, current design standards do not adequately consider the effects of BFD, and new data are necessary to inform future design thresholds for BFD. The objective of this study was to develop blunt impact injury risk curves for in vitro thoraco-abdominal organs and determine their applicability …

Investigating Molecular Mechanisms Of Meiosis And Mitosis In Cryptosporidium Parvum, Abigail Kimball

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The apicomplexan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum (Cp) is a major global contributor to infectious diarrhea in children and poses a serious threat to immunocompromised adults. This dissertation investigates Cp's unique life cycle, which alternates between sexual and asexual reproduction to achieve three critical objectives: producing oocysts capable of transmission, enhancing genetic variation through recombination, and generating sufficient progeny for survival. Sexual reproduction is essential for forming infectious oocysts that facilitate disease transmission. Yet, the process of meiosis in Cp has been historically understudied due to limitations of traditional in vitro culture methods. The newly developed air-liquid interface (ALI) culture system supports …

Watching The Grass Grow: Expanding Outreach And Accessibility Of Itex-Aon, Justin Blough

Masters Projects

Science has an accessibility problem. Though results are published and the component data is archived and made publicly available, distrust in and misunderstanding of science by the lay populace remains common. This work focuses on bolstering the outreach component of the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX)—Arctic Observing Network (AON) to increase public awareness, interactivity, and ultimately, the understanding of how the science of ITEX-AON takes place. This project uses several component methods to further outreach goals of ITEX-AON. These include: documentary photography of researchers, study sites, subjects and the surrounding environments, 360-degree imaging and interactive virtual tour building, building interactive data …

Boricua En La Luna: An Ethnographic Case Study On The Spatializations Of Puerto Ricans In New Mexico, Neritza Díaz Cruz

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

This ethnographic case study investigates the spatializations of Puerto Ricans in New Mexico, a state where the community is small, dispersed, and often invisible. The purpose of this study is to examine how Puerto Rican identity is shaped, expressed, and contested across New Mexican spaces. Drawing from critical spatial theory, this study investigates how broader structures such as language ideologies become spatialized in the everyday lives of five Puerto Rican adults living in the Albuquerque area. Data was gathered through interviews, observations, and participatory mapping. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data with a focus on how lived, perceived, …

Quality Improvement Project Educating Nursing Faculty On The Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric In Simulation, Tiffany Shivers

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This quality improvement project aimed to enhance nursing faculty preparedness in simulation-based education by increasing knowledge and self-efficacy using the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR). A quasi-experimental, one-group pre-/post-intervention design was used to evaluate outcomes among ten faculty participants. The intervention consisted of an educational session introducing the LCJR and structured debriefing techniques. Data were collected using a knowledge assessment and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test were used to analyze changes in scores. Results demonstrated statistically significant improvements in both knowledge (Z = –2.805, p = .005) and self-efficacy (Z = –2.666, p = …

The Relative Importance Of Wind And Hydroclimate Drivers In Modulating Wind-Blown Dust Emissions In Earth System Models, Xinzhu Li, Longlei Li, Yan Feng, Xin Xi

Michigan Tech Publications

Windblown dust emissions are subject to large uncertainties in Earth system models (ESMs), yet model discrepancies in dust variability and its physical drivers remain poorly understood. This study evaluates the consistency of 21 ESMs in simulating the climatological distribution and interannual variability of global dust emissions and applies dominance analysis to quantify the relative influence of near-surface wind speed and five hydroclimate variables (precipitation, soil moisture, specific humidity, air temperature, leaf area index) across different climate zones. In hyperarid regions, the models exhibit poor agreement in dust variability, with only 10 % of pairwise comparisons showing significant positive correlations. Most …

A Stakeholder Approach To The Regulation Of On-Premise Signs, Christopher Auffrey, Mathew S. Isaac, Steven W. Kopp, Hannah Marriott, Aparna Sundar, Charles R. Taylor, Franklin Velasco Vizcaino

Marketing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Using stakeholder theory, this article introduces a framework to inform decision making with respect to the regulation of on-premise signs. Because signage resides in a broader, shared environment and its regulation largely takes place at the local level of government, it can be considered unique among most other marketing-related communications. On-premise signs are important to individual businesses and the communities in which they are used, but at the same time, they are “out in the world,” cannot be avoided, and may not be relevant to or welcomed by many consumers who are exposed to them. A transformative consumer research lens …

A Framework For Countering Organized Crime, David H. Ucko, Thomas A. Marks

Strategic Monographs

States continue to struggle in their efforts to counter organized crime. Despite states having scored successes at the operational level, organized crime has proven too adaptable and too resilient to be seriously affected. Instead, ground has been lost politically, societally, and even territorially to armed gangs, cartels, and other illicit structures. The result is a steady erosion of the rule of law, of norms of sovereignty, of governance, and of human security.

Leadership Experiences Of African American Women Vice Principals, Shakisha Mccray

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation explores the lived experiences of African American women vice principals, an underrepresented group in educational leadership. There is a need to address the gap in scholarly research that disproportionately focuses on principals and European ethnicity. This study includes the voices and counter-stories of five African American women vice principals. Using critical race theory and Black feminist thought as theoretical frameworks, the study examines how race and gender influence their leadership experiences. Data was collected through interviews and analyzed to identify key themes. The research questions focus on how these vice principals describe their roles and responsibilities and …

Ageing And Occupational Medicine In Indonesia: A Timely Integration For An Inclusive Workforce, Iqbal Mochtar

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

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Examining Enrollment Populations At A Predominantly White Research Institution In The Northeast United States, Terrence Calvin Harris

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative critical race case study investigates the underrepresentation of Black and Latinx students at Heister University, a predominantly White public research institution in the Northeastern United States. Despite its location near two diverse cities and its reputation as an affordable, high-quality university, its student body remains disproportionately White. This study explores whether admissions and recruitment policies, either overtly or covertly, contribute to systemic barriers limiting access for students from minoritized groups. Using Critical Race Theory and Colorblindness Ideology, the research examines the intersection of race, policy, and institutional practice through interviews policy reviews, demographic data. Findings reveal that “inclusive” …

Faktor Yang Berhubungan Dengan Keluhan Heat Strain Pada Pekerja Overhaul Tangki Di Pt. X Kota Balikpapan, Bratarini Hassya Chilwindwi, Iwan Muhamad Ramdan, Dewi Novita Hardianti, Muhammad Sultan, Ida Ayu Indira Dwika Lestari

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

Heat strain is a physiological reaction of the body that functions to release excess heat through sweat output, increased body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and weight loss. PT X is a company that operates in the oil and gas sector. The results of the study found that the workload was not appropriate and the incidence of work accidents that occurred due to fatigue. This study was conducted to see the heat strain complaints experienced by tank overhaul workers in the Oil Refinery Area of PT. X Balikpapan City and the associated factors. This research applied quantitative method with analytical …

High- Speed Wireless Interference Separation Based On Photonic Deep Learning Accelerators And Three-Dimensional Image Reconstruction For Medical Applications, Taichu Shi

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is centered on fast wideband interference management through advanced photonic signal processing and hybrid communication architectures. The core of this work is based on an optical pulse sampling technique proposed for photonic blind source separation (BSS) to recover wideband signals from their sub-Nyquist samples. With the use of ultra-short optical pulses to obtain statistically representative samples, this method retains important statistical properties of the signals while significantly reducing constraints imposed by analog to digital conversion and digital signal processing. Building on this foundation, we further apply the photonic BSS system within a hybrid free space optical (FSO) and …

Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes (July 14, 2025), Dmacc

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

This file contains the minutes from the Des Moines Area Community College Board meeting held on July 14, 2025.

Upcycling Of Polydicyclopentadiene (Pdcpd) Via Dynamic Bonds, Catherine Biju

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

Thermoset polymers are valued for their exceptional mechanical strength and thermal stability, but suffer from irreversibility due to permanent covalent crosslinks, limiting recyclability. Polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD), a widely used thermoset, exemplifies this limitation despite its excellent mechanical properties. In this study, we report an upcycling strategy for pDCPD through the incorporation of dynamic imine bonds. The successful integration of imine bonds was confirmed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Mechanical testing revealed that the modified pDCPD (pDCPD-imine) exhibits enhanced tensile strength and maintains its performance across multiple reprocessing cycles. Moreover, the dynamic nature of the imine bonds imparts healability to the network. This …

"Chatgpt Told Me To Say It": Ai Chatbots And Class Participation Apprehension In University Students, Daisuke Akiba

Publications and Research

The growing prevalence of AI chatbots in everyday life has prompted educators to explore their potential applications in promoting student success, including support for classroom engagement and communication. This exploratory study emerged from semester-long observations of class participation apprehensions in an introductory educational psychology course, examining how chatbots might scaffold students toward active and independent classroom contribution. Four students experiencing situational participation anxiety voluntarily participated in a pilot intervention using AI chatbots as virtual peer partners. Following comprehensive training in AI use and prompt design given to the entire class, participants employed systematic consultation frameworks for managing classroom discourse trepidations. …

Intouch Week Of July 14, 2025, New York Medical College

InTouch

• The 2025 Issue of Chironian is Available
• Medical Student Patricia Curtin Awarded Prestigious Neurology Research Scholarship
• Dr. Walter L. Jenkins Appointed Division Chief and Program Director of Physical Therapy
• TCDM Launches in Albuquerque
• Faculty Spotlight: From Pupil to Professor: Alumni Lighting the Way at NYMC

Novel Piperidone And Bispidine Derivatives: A New Approach In Cancer Therapy, Lereen Khaled Youssry

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer remains the second leading cause of death worldwide. As a result, scientists have been trying to find novel therapeutic approaches that target specific metabolic pathways selective to tumor cells. In this study, two novel piperidone and bispidine derivatives, organic molecules that target polyamine metabolism, were synthesized, and their potential cytotoxic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects were investigated. Polyamines are naturally occurring metabolites that were reported to be in excess at cancer cells and were accounted for tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Accordingly, the novel piperidone and bispidine derivatives were expected to disrupt tumor growth and progression via up-regulation of key …

The Influence Of Reference Groups On Branded Apparel Purchases Among Sabah Youth.Pdf, Hajiji Mohammad Ghazali, Desmond Cherng En Lee

Jesselton Journal of Educators and Scholars

This study examines the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education, focusing on both its transformative potential and the challenges it introduces for teaching, learning, and institutional operations. As AI technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics become more prevalent, they offer opportunities to personalize learning, enhance administrative efficiency, and support student success. However, the adoption of AI also presents significant barriers, including technological limitations, faculty resistance, ethical concerns, and disparities in access among students and institutions. Using a qualitative research approach and thematic analysis, this research explores the perspectives of administrators, faculty, and students …

An Empirical Study On Lecturers’ Perceptions Of Digital Gender Equality In Malaysia.Pdf, Fung Lan Yong, Louis Yuk Su Chin

Jesselton Journal of Educators and Scholars

The purpose of this study was to examine lecturers’ perceptions of digital gender equality in Malaysia. A Likert-scale questionnaire was designed to measure perceptions of digital gender equality and was administered to 55 lecturers online. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. First, Mann-Whitney U test revealed that there were no significant gender differences in lecturers’ perceptions of digital gender equality, while Kruskal-Wallis H test indicated no significant differences in relation to age and job experience. Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that four items were significant at p < 0.05, while another eight items were significant at p < 0.001. The overall group mean showed that lecturers’ perceptions of digital gender equality were low, indicating that the majority failed to notice the impediments that women face in the digital era. Overall percentages indicated that lecturers held unrealistic views of women’s participation in the digital economy probably because they lacked knowledge on the disproportionate numbers of women who are still living in the agrarian areas. In light of the findings, several recommendations were made to increase digital gender equality in Malaysia.