Digital Commons Network^™

Winter 2024, Augustana College, Rock Island Illinois

Augustana Magazine

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Case Study Of The Equity-Minded Institute Faculty Reflections: Designing Transformative Faculty Learning Communities, Maria Aguilar Beltran

Dissertations of Practice

A promising professional learning practice that supports faculty transformation are Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) which have the potential to cultivate a deeper sense of self-awareness, holistic critical reflection, and equity-minded andragogical changes. However, the research is limited and mostly focused on university faculty. For this reason, this qualitative case study can contribute to the much-needed research focused on the reflections and experiences of California community college faculty at West Coast College (pseudonym). The data was collected via interviews and post interview reflection recordings from nine faculty that participated in one of two cohorts of a yearlong Equity-Minded Institute at WCC. …

2024 Annual Report, Tennessee. Division Of Forestry And Tennessee. Department Of Agriculture

Forestry Annual Reports

This annual report presents an overview of Tennessee Forestry Commission programs and management.

Empowering Kokal: A Decolonized, Community-Led Development Model In Homa Bay County, Kenya, Kennedy Miruka

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

In Homa Bay County, Kenya, a community-led development initiative called the Power Centre is transforming the fight against poverty and powerlessness. Grounded in principles of decolonization and participatory action, this project addresses the root causes of marginalization by empowering residents of Kokal Village to become active agents of change. Through a robust mixed-methods research approach, the project identifies systemic challenges and leverages existing social networks to build a sustainable, locally-owned model for development. The Power Centre implements a three-pronged strategy, focusing on increasing community participation, strengthening existing groups, and fostering collaborative networks to weave a robust support system. By addressing …

Power Centres: A Collaborative Development Proposal For Addressing Poverty And Related Challenges In Rural Communities In Kenya, Kennedy Okello Miruka, Kennedy Okello Miruka

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

In Homa Bay County, Kenya, a community-led development initiative called the Power Centre is transforming the fight against poverty and powerlessness. Grounded in principles of decolonization and participatory action, this project addresses the root causes of marginalization by empowering residents of Kokal Village to become active agents of change. Through a robust mixed-methods research approach, the project identifies systemic challenges and leverages existing social networks to build a sustainable, locally-owned model for development. The Power Centre implements a three-pronged strategy, focusing on increasing community participation, strengthening existing groups, and fostering collaborative networks to weave a robust support system. By addressing …

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 …

Creating A Community-Centric Framework For Nonprofit Organizations In Hampton Roads, Virginia, Kiandra Quinn

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

This Capstone project investigates the contrasting approaches of donor-centric and community-centric fundraising models. The literature review traces the evolution of modern philanthropic practices, highlighting how the donor-centric model became the standard in the nonprofit sector and examining its limitations, which can hinder a nonprofit's ability to support its clients effectively. In contrast, community-centric philanthropy prioritizes collective community needs, aspirations, and strengths over individual donor preferences. This model engages communities to identify pressing challenges and co-create solutions to address systemic issues, emphasizing the diversity and complexity of communities while fostering empowerment, collaboration, and partnerships among stakeholders for sustainable change.

Drawing on …

Freedom To Flourish: Housing As A Social Good, Laura Stivers

Social Justice | Faculty Scholarship

One cause of gentrification and displacement of multi-generational communities of color has been the increase of private equity firms buying affordable homes, upgrading them, raising rents, and evicting tenants. This paper focuses on housing financialization and the increasing shift from the use value of housing as a place to live to the exchange value of housing as a commodity and investment for corporate profit. After identifying the problem of gentrification and housing speculation in Oakland, California, the paper draws on ecowomanist/mujerista/feminist sources to offer a theological foundation in support of housing as a social good for the freedom of households …

Addictive Religion: Midnight Mass, Dracula, And The Prosperity Gospel, Alyssa Johnson

Journal of Dracula Studies

No abstract provided.

Additional Information - Elois Freeman Interview, Tennessee State University

Hear from Elois Freeman - Native Nashvillian Who Came Home

No abstract provided.

Rollins Magazine, Winter 2024, Rollins College Office Of Marketing And Communications

Rollins Magazine

No abstract provided.

Bombazos Y Belonging: Exploring Belonging And Connection Between Latine Students Through Dance At A Pwi, Gabriella Batista Quintana

Theses & ETDs

By utilizing dance and performance ethnography in tandem with the practice of bomba (an Afro-Puerto Rican dance, genre, and drum), this thesis seeks to understand the themes of belonging and connection amongst Latine students at New College of Florida, a predominately White institution (PWI). How may dance act as a safe space, or counterspace, for students of marginalized identities to foster a sense of belonging? Can connecting to one another, despite our cultural differences within the Latine diaspora, lend itself to finding “home” in an otherwise hostile PWI? According to this study’s participants, finding familiar aspects of one’s culture amongst …

Cultivating Change: Enhancing Urban Agriculture Through Landscape Architecture Design, Patricia Cerda

Landscape Architecture Masters & Design Theses - Archive

The objective of this research is to examine the advantages of applying landscape architecture design principles to urban agriculture landscapes. The study investigates the current and past instances of implementing agriculture in urban areas to comprehend how they benefit the community and local environment and create a connection between people and the food they consume. The study aims to explore how landscape architecture can be efficiently applied to urban farming practices to establish a meaningful and sustainable connection between individuals and their food. The study will be guided by three research questions: (1) What are the environmental benefits associated with …

Generations Growing Together: Intergenerational Learning As A Pedagogical Strategy In Early Childhood Education And Care Services. A Handbook For Practitioners And Trainers, Anne Fitzpatrick

Books/Book chapters

Despite being the oldest form of learning, IGL has declined steadily over time due to wide-ranging social, cultural, economic and demographic changes. Children in the Western world are growing up in smaller, geographically dispersed family circles and, consequently, have fewer opportunities to interact with different age groups and to see themselves as part of a multigenerational society. Older people are living longer, yet are frequently separated from their families by distance, migration and family breakdown and, more recently, by COVID-19. Additionally, with the increasing attendance at age-segregated services, including preschools and care homes, traditional places and opportunities for age groups …

Social Sustainability In Event Management: A Critical Commentary, Judith Mair, Emma Wood, Bernadette Quinn

Articles

This critical commentary focuses on the development of research in Event Management on social sustainability in the context of events. Findings suggest that while there has been a plethora of articles published in the journal that touch on elements of what we understand to relate to social sustainability (e.g., resident impacts; sense of community, place, belonging, etc.) there are very few that have explicitly situated their work in the sustainability field. This means that it is somewhat difficult to pull together the various threads of disparate studies to comment on the evolution of research on events and social sustainability as …

Community Resurrection: Qualitative Research Exploring Methods In Revitalizing Historic Districts Without Gentrification, Gayle Yvonne Green

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This qualitative study examines redevelopment and historic preservation in the Lincoln Street Historic District of Gary, Indiana. Established in 1906 by the United States Steel Corporation, Gary grew as a major industrial center before experiencing decades of disinvestment, abandonment, and renewed interest from commercial investors. Despite the district’s architectural and cultural significance, its historic structures and surrounding neighborhoods continue to face deterioration and redevelopment pressures.

Using a case study approach, this research explores the perspectives of seven residents and two business owners with longstanding ties to the district. Through interviews, participants identified resources needed to revitalize blighted and abandoned properties, …

Building Sustainable Community-Academic Partnerships While Implementing A Nutrition-Based Blackberry Garden Program At A Senior Center, Dawn Brewer, Annie Koempel, Abbey L. Moellering, Tammy Stephenson, Amy Kostelic, Julie Plasencia, Alexis Sheffield, Ben Guerrant, Alethia Price

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Due to limited access to and low consumption of fruits and vege- tables, older adults are at increased risk of worsening or developing chronic diseases. This paper describes a community-academic partnership that provides a sustainable source of blackberries to attendees of a rural senior center. Qualitative research evaluated the partnership following implementation of a blackberry program. Focus groups and interviews included partners from a senior cen- ter, Cooperative Extension Service, and a detention center. Main themes: group power dynamics influenced communication between research and community leadership teams; unexpected project barriers emerged; and community leadership team sug- gested strategies to promote …

Local Content And Placemaking In Small And Medium-Sized Towns (Smsts) : A Tale Of Two Cities In South Korea, Dongsuk Huh

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This study aims to explore the process of sustainable placemaking in small and medium-sized towns utilizing local cultural resources and examine the characteristics of their local content. A qualitative analysis is conducted on two cases, namely, Gongju and Buyeo in South Korea, which are experiencing depopulation and regional shrinkage. These two cases emphasise the local content and placeness that can be subjectively experienced in small towns and villages instead of focusing on the creation of large-scale landmarks and iconic artefacts. By highlighting connectivity and unified storytelling amongst various places in their neighborhoods, these cases were able to stimulate the cultural …

To Thine Own Self Build True: Institutional Mission As Expressed In The Built Environment, Stephen Morley

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how institutional mission is expressed in the physical environment. Theoretical frameworks from institutional identity, campus ecology, and organizational strategy literature inform the paradigm of this inquiry. Content analysis was utilized to examine the mission statements and campus master planning documents of ten small, independent, colleges located across the United States. This methodology accounts for the examination of written text as well as additional content such as images, graphics, and sketches utilized to communicate information. The analysis of institutional mission statements resulted in seven themes: (a) liberal arts, (b) residential education, (c) undergraduate …

Empowering Student Employees: Integrating Information Literacy With Practical Training, Paige Crowl, Stephanie Darden, Molly Faust, Virginia Hudgins, Alexandrea Kord, Jacob Lackner, Jessica Robinson

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2024

No abstract provided.

Transcendent Boundaries: The Impact Of Art Festivals On Rural Revitalization In East Asia, Yili Peng

MA Theses

This thesis explores the intricate relationship between biennial art festivals and rural development, offering a comprehensive analysis of how these cultural events contribute to the socio-economic development of global art exchange. Anchored in the study of biennial culture, with a historical lens on the pioneering Venice Biennale, the research digs into the evolution of biennial events from exclusive art gatherings to transformative cultural phenomena with global outreach and impact. It underscores the role of these festivals in fostering international cultural exchange, enhancing contemporary art visibility, and influencing social and economic landscapes in East Asia.

A Community-Academic Partnered Approach To Designing A Virtual Village To Address The Needs Of Older Adults Living With Hiv, Annie L. Nguyen, Andrea N. Polonijo, Jerome T. Galea, Moka Yoo-Jeong, Jeff Taylor, Erik L. Ruiz, Karah Greene, Jasmine L. Lopez, Christopher Christensonf, Brandon Brown

Social Work Faculty Publications

Many older adults living with HIV face unique challenges, including comorbidities, loneliness, and isolation. This community-academic partnered study elicited viewpoints from older adults living with HIV about the characteristics of a digital environment (“Virtual Village”) to combat against loneliness and isolation. We utilized Choice-Based Conjoint Analyses to determine preferred attributes of a Virtual Village. We also conducted focus groups and interviews with older adults living with HIV and used an iterative, data-driven approach to systematically identify emergent themes. Participants (N = 82) were aged 50–82 years and racially/ethnically diverse. The majority were men (78%), gay (66%), and lived with …

Fandom “For You”: Understanding The Perceptions, Experiences, And Motivations Of Tiktok Creators In Anime Fandom, Noah Glose

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This study examines the perceptions, experiences, and motivations of TikTok content creators who actively create videos related to the topics and genre of anime. Specifically, this study aimed to examine the gratifications sought by TikTok’s anime creators, the platform-specific affordances offered to the anime creator, and the interplay between gratifications and affordances in affecting the themes of content produced by creators. A sample of 15 US participants who regularly create content in the anime fandom on TikTok were interviewed to better understand the central questions proposed. Inductive qualitative thematic analysis of data was performed, which implemented a multi-step coding process …

111 Crawling Before We Walk: Transdisciplinary Insights Into Improving The Liveability And Walkability Of Campus Settings, Lorraine D'Arcy, Eoin Mcgillicuddy, Caren Gallagher, Leo Mcconnell

Conference Papers

Since the 1960s, development patterns influenced by upstream land use planning policies have favoured a more suburban car-based approach for street and neighbourhood design (McGrath, 1992), subsequently influencing transport system needs and scheme design. In turn, transport policy and design influence population physical activity levels and emissions. As we moved to this more suburban design, our university campuses followed suit and now we have challenges that deter physical activity to and through our university campuses. Furthermore, air quality issues encouraged by a suburban design can enhance an individual's discomfort in participating in physical activity and may influence their decision to …

Exploring International Graduate Students’ Internship Experiences In The Usa: A Case Of Eastern Illinois University Students, Wale Ishola

Masters Theses

International graduate students in the United States begin their academic journey with the goal of professional growth, but they frequently struggle to secure internships due to bureaucratic barriers and competitive marketplaces. This study explores Eastern Illinois University's international graduate students' experiences through the perspective of sensemaking theory, with the goal of understanding how they make sense of the internship process. In-depth qualitative interviews with ten students revealed that students make sense of their internships in two ways: on one end, the struggles, and on the on the other end, how they are strengthening. Through sensemaking, students analyze and adapt to …

Community Engagement/Involvement In School Life: Connecting The Missing Pieces Between School And Community, Shanika Hardy-Hickmon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Long Creek Elementary School is a small, rural school with approximately 292 students in Sallis, Mississippi. Long Creek Elementary School has historically struggled with stronger parent involvement in their children’s school life. To address this concern, the administration, faculty, and staff at Long Creek Elementary School targeted barriers to parental involvement/engagement to increase community engagement/involvement in school life and connect the missing pieces between school and community. This has led to discussions of the creation of a parent center to provide parents with daily support and needed resources to contribute to their child/children’s academic success.

The purpose of this study …

A Case Study In Program Evaluation: A Prospective Program Evaluation Of Timely Reporting And Action Of An Infectious Disease Outbreak, Destiny Cozart

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus also known as MRSA is an infection of a staph bacteria. High school athletes are at risk of contracting MRSA through skin to skin contact and/or MRSA contaminated equipment. This case study uses the CDC's six-step framework for program evaluation to measure the effectiveness of the online training modules designed to increase the knowledge of staff and stakeholders about MRSA and infectious disease outbreaks. The findings from this evaluation will advise the potential change(s) implemented in training modules, ultimately to enhance competency for decision makers and prevent MRSA and infectious disease outbreak amongst high school athletic programs.

Bridging Theory & Functionality: Our Urban Spaces, Tate Hurley

Undergraduate Honors Theses

On a global scale, our communities are complex in their identities, culture, and traditions. Yet, these characteristics often fail to translate into the spaces that define public environments, such as parks, natural reserves, or walking spaces in urban life. This problem is systematically rooted in landscape architecture and design's flawed educational and professional setup. The intersectionality of our society should not be washed over by capitalism, gentrification, or the new “green wave” of architecture and construction. Large corporations who fund projects are more valued in design than the people who inhabit and interact with these “third places.” This inherently limits …

Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling And Potential Environmental Impacts, Sam Gold, Yuxin Wang, Tasneem Tawalbeh

Research Days Posters 2024

Growth of Lithium-Ion Battery (LIBs) in consumer electronics and the electric vehicle fleet has highlighted the need to address recycling issues. Recycling of spent LIBs is in its infancy and less than 5% of LIBs are recycled globally. LIBs are manufactured with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are persistent, mobile, and toxic environmental contaminants. Little is known about the environmental risks of LIBs recycling. This research presents an overview of fluorinated compounds used in LIBs. Recognizing the need for LIBs recycling, this project also presents LIBs disposal management methods and their environmental impacts from landfilling and recycling techniques including …

Do Universities Meet Their Democratic Obligations?, Neil Fulton

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.