Digital Commons Network^™

Generative Ai In Cs Education: Navigating The Intersection Of Student Usage And Faculty Vision, Matthew Scott Mcclenahan

Graduate Theses - Engineering Management

Generative AI tools are rapidly transforming both educational and professional landscapes, creating an imperative for computing education to adapt. This mixed-methods study investigates how Computer Science and Software Engineering students utilize these tools and how faculty perceive their impact within a small private STEM institution. Through surveys of 40 CS/SE students and 29 faculty members, complemented by in-depth interviews with 10 faculty, this dual perspective enables direct comparison between student practices and faculty perceptions, helping to identify areas where educational policies and practices may need adjustment.

Analysis identified six distinct categories of GenAI usage: Learning Enhancement (29.2%), Productivity and Efficiency …

My German Experiences, Katie Herbel

2024-2025 Field Notes

While still in the midst of their study abroad experiences, students at Linfield University write reflective essays. Their essays address issues of cultural similarity and difference, compare lifestyles, mores, norms, and habits between their host countries and home, and examine changes in perceptions about their host countries and the United States. In this essay, Katie Herbel describes observations during their study abroad program at the University of Nurtingen-Geislingen in Nurtingen, Germany.

Low-Field Magnetoresistance In Nanocomposites Of La₀.₇Sr₀.₃Mno₃ And Metal Oxides, Nicholas K. Thiel-Hudson

University Scholar Projects

Pure La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ (LSMO) exhibits colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) with large applied magnetic field over a narrow temperature range (intrinsic behavior), limiting its application to narrow temperature ranges. In contrast, the extrinsic CMR effect originates from inhomogeneities at larger length scales, such as grain boundaries and phase separation, where the structural features act as tunneling barriers, leading to a low-field magnetoresistance (LFMR) response, thereby expanding the application of LSMO into the low-field regime over a broader temperature range. In this work, the magnetotransport behavior of pure LSMO thin film is compared to the composite layered heterostructures of …

The Impact On General Education Preschool Teachers Mainstreaming Children With Special Needs: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study That Aims To Explore General Education Preschool Teacher Experiences Regarding Challenges And Strategies When Mainstreaming Students With Special Needs In The General Education Preschool Classroom, Magdalena Tapia Lamas

Dissertations

Purpose: This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore general education preschool teacher experiences regarding challenges and strategies faced in differentiating instruction while engaging and supporting all students in learning based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession.Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological methodology was conducted using semistructured interview questions with 12 general education preschool teachers. Results of interviews and an artifact collection and review were used to analyze how general education preschool teachers described their experiences regarding challenges and strategies faced in differentiating instruction, based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP).

Findings: The findings from the study indicate …

Daily Announcements May 2025, Wofford College. Office Of Marketing And Communications

Communications Office Daily Announcements

No abstract provided.

Politics, Pedagogy, And Public Perception: A Shifting Understanding Of Liberalism In America, Jackson Trahant

Honors Theses

At Harding University, and in broader American political discourse, liberalism has been contorted from a prolific political philosophy into a meaningless misnomer. This paper studies what liberalism is to define what it isn't, by building a foundation of understanding in both modern theorists, like Sheldon Wolin, Alan Ryan, and Ian Adams, and the seminal works of classical liberal thinkers such as Locke, Tocqueville and Mill. Next, I deploy a self-designed survey, consisting of 4 passages derived from the literature written by those above. 80 Harding students responded, and their responses were gathered into SPSS, a data processing software, and ran …

The Effects Of An Administrator’S Years Of Service On A K-12 School’S Culture Perceived By Teachers, Mitchell S. Schank

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This correlative study explored the relationship between the length of service of K-12 administrators and teachers’ perception of school cultures in public schools. The study used a correlation analysis to determine significance in these two variables. Three key domains were used to measure school culture: engagement, safety, and environment. Data was collected through a survey using a modified questionnaire from the ED School Climate Survey (EDSCLS) to assess perceptions of school culture. These findings found no significant correlation between the length of service of administrators and teachers’ perceptions of school culture. R2 values of each domain were below 0.1, showing …

Clemson Commencement Program, May 2025, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Dean Sicking: Celebrating Safety, Ashley S. Mcguire

Patent Coloring Books

Patent coloring book

Mentorship As Experienced By Black Woman In Stem At Predominantly White Institutions, Chelsei Lasha Arnold

Honors Theses

Black female college students have experienced a marginalized history in STEM higher education. Although students associated with this identity are enrolling and earning college degrees at historic rates, there is a gap in the resources available, especially at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), for these students once they reach collegiate level. The goal of this study is to examine the role of mentorship in the lived experiences of Black women STEM students at PWIs. I used interpretive phenomenological analysis on transcribed interviews to examine psychological patterns, and then I carefully analyzed the phenomenon of being mentored. Through the analysis, I sought …

Can Consumers Protect Themselves Against Privacy Dark Patterns?, Matthew B. Kugler, Lior J. Strahilevitz, Marshini Chetty, Chirag Mahapatra, Yaretzi Ulloa

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

Dark patterns have emerged in the last few years as a major target of legislators and regulators. Dark patterns are online interfaces that manipulate, confuse, or trick consumers into purchasing goods or services that they do not want, or into surrendering personal information that they would prefer to keep private. As new laws and regulations to restrict dark patterns have emerged, skeptics have countered that motivated consumers can and will protect themselves against these manipulative interfaces, making government intervention unnecessary. This debate occurs alongside active legislative and regulatory discussion about whether to prohibit dark patterns in newly enacted comprehensive consumer …

Layered Alignment, Spencer Williams

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

Most artificial intelligence (ai) researchers now believe that ai represents an existential threat to humanity. The most dangerous threat posed by ai is an issue known as the alignment problem: the risk that a sufficiently intelligent and capable ai system could become misaligned with the goals and values of its human creators and instead pursue its own objectives to the detriment of humanity, including the possibility of extinction. The tension at the heart of the alignment problem is familiar to scholars of agency, contracts, and corporate law, though it goes by a different name: the principal-agent problem. In the traditional …

May The Micro Forces Be With You: Pharmaceutical Research And Patents In Space, Erin R. Gaddes

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of The Mechanical, Microstructural, And Biocompatibility Properties Of Novel Magnesium-Based Hybrid Nanocomposite Materials For Orthopedic Applications, Thomas H. Mcgehee

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Bone fractures and complete joint replacements are becoming more common, primarily because of accidents and age-related issues. Conventional solutions to treat these orthopedic injuries involve inert metal alloys to correct bone fractures until the healing process is complete, where a secondary revision surgery is then required to remove the implant. Issues regularly associated with these solutions include stress shielding, bone resorption, infection, inflammation, and implant loosening. Magnesium (Mg)-based nanocomposites offer promising potential as an alternative to commonly used metal alloys because of their favorable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. A particularly advantageous property of Mg is its natural biodegradation in vivo, …

The Mighty C: A Fractal Model For Modern Creativity, Joe Todaro

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The persistent ambiguity surrounding the definition of creativity has hindered its advancement across academic, educational, and professional settings. In response, this paper proposes an updated framework—The Mighty C—which defines creativity as the intrinsic human activity of generating meaningful, novel, and useful outcomes through deliberate process. This model addresses critical gaps in conventional definitions, particularly the frequent omission of meaningfulness, intentionality, and the uniquely human nature of creativity. It further emphasizes the recursive nature of these aspects across different levels of creative activity, represented through the structure of fractals. Drawing from scholarly models such as Rhodes’ 4Ps and Kaufman and Beghetto’s …

Reef Fish Movement And Community Assemblages Associated With A Newly Deployed Artificial Reef, Jade M. Carver, Brett J. Falterman, Stephen R. Midway, Christian Walker, Creed C. Branham, Michael A. Dance

Faculty Publications

Artificial reefs provide critical habitat for fish in areas lacking benthic structure, yet our understanding of how artificial reefs function and develop is limited. Here, changes in fish community assemblages were monitored using baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys before and after a new artificial reef was deployed in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Movement of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) and gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) between nearby oil and gas platforms (n = 3) and the new artificial reef was examined using acoustic telemetry, and residency was calculated for fish associated with both structure types. Fish community development at the …

But For A Free Press: A Response To Press Freedom Skeptics, Patrick J. Charles, Kevin Francis O'Neill

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

This Article is divided into three Parts. Part I will outline the history-in-law case for why the historical record sufficiently supports recognizing distinct constitutional press freedoms. Part II then provides a history-in-law response to some of the most common arguments made by press freedom skeptics as to why distinct constitutional press freedoms should not be recognized by the courts. Lastly, Part III makes the case for why the recognition of distinct constitutional press freedoms should become a jurisprudential reality and provides a roadmap to accomplish this.

This abstract has been taken from the authors' introduction.

Fff Process Parameter Identification With Machine Learning Models, Owen Davis Smith

Honors Theses

Additive manufacturing (AM) has seen increasing popularity in recent times, owing to its efficiency and high speeds, particularly with processes such as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). Input process parameters have large impacts on the final part. Incomplete process parameters, which can occur for a variety of reasons, make tasks such as replicating AM studies difficult. A machine learning model can be trained on in-situ layer-wise images collected during a print to combat this issue, predicting process parameters with sufficient data. In this study, two parameters were tested: infill pattern orientation and extrusion width. Twelve parts were produced per parameter and …

Understanding Initial Capacity Loss In Substituted Layered Oxide Cathodes For Lithium-Ion Batteries, Gy Wyco

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

Layered oxide LiCoO₂ (LCO) pioneered the commercialization of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in 1991, yet the growing demand for higher energy density has driven the development of substituted layered oxides, including LiNiᵧMn𝓏Co₁₋ᵧ₋𝓏O₂ (NMC) and LiNiᵧCo₁₋ᵧ₋𝓏Al𝓏O₂ (NCA). Despite the increased energy density, achieving full lithium reversibility during the first charge-discharge cycle remains a critical challenge: approximately 0.08–0.11 Li is “irreversibly” lost after delithiation, resulting in a substantial capacity loss of 10–15%. This loss is conventionally attributed to bulk lithium transport limitations arising from three interrelated factors: (1) contraction of the c-axis lattice during lithiation, (2) reduced rate of tetrahedral site hopping (TSH) …

May 1, 2024, James Madison University

The Breeze, 2020-

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Empowering Through Technology: An Internship Report On Augmentative And Alternative Communication Devices, Olivia G. Macdonald

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices play a crucial role in supporting individuals with communication challenges, particularly children with developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature on AAC and offers a detailed report of an internship experience at the University of Arkansas WE CARE Summer Camp. During the internship, firsthand experiences provided valuable insights into how AAC technologies can be applied to enhance communication, foster social connections, and support behavioral regulation.

The literature review explores the different types of AAC systems, including both aided and unaided options, and discusses the …

Pv Backsheets Survey Protocol: A Framework For Geo-Spatial Field Surveys For Bulk Material Characterization And Reliability Analysis Applied Across 41 Pv Systems, Raymond J. Wieser, Zelin Li, Xuanji Yu, Laura S. Bruckman

Faculty Scholarship

As widespread adoption of photovoltaic (PV) technologies continues, understanding the lifetime of modules is paramount to the viability of the industry as an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional energy generation. Although power degradation can affect the total energy production of a module over its lifetime, module safety failures necessitate the removal of a module leading to a loss of not only the particular asset, but the earning potential of the device. Therefore, it is critical to ensure that the components that provide essential safety functions for PV module operate for their entire rated lifetime. PV backsheets provide necessary electrical insulation …

Vicksburg: The Crowning Point Of The American Ulysses, Anthony Gruidl

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Thesis Paper and Presentation on a military analysis of the Vicksburg Campaign from the US Civil War, focusing on the generalship and leadership of General Ulysses S. Grant.

Toward Whole-Person Fit Assessment: Integrating Interests, Values, Skills, Knowledge, And Personality Using The Occupational Information Network (O*Net), Zihan Liu, Kevin A. Hoff, Chu Chu, Frederick L. Oswald, James Rounds

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Measuring person–occupation fit serves many important purposes, from helping young people explore majors and careers to helping jobseekers assess fit with available jobs. However, most existing fit measures are limited in that they focus on single individual difference domains without considering how fit may differ across multiple domains. For example, a jobseeker might be highly interested in a job, yet not possess the requisite skills or knowledge to perform the job well. The current research addresses this issue by evaluating an integrative set of person–occupation fit assessments that measure 88 fit dimensions across five domains: vocational interests, work values, knowledge, …

Assessing Perceived Safety Of Non Motorized Travel With Virtual Reality, Vahid Balali, Sahand Fathi

Mineta Transportation Institute

Cycling is increasingly advocated as a healthier and more sustainable mode of transportation, as reflected in both scholarly literature and policy initiatives. Nonetheless, the escalation in bicyclist crash fatalities underscores deficiencies in extant roadway designs that inadequately safeguard these vulnerable users. A persistent challenge in the examination of bicyclist safety, behavior, and comfort is the paucity of comprehensive cycling data. To enhance understanding of cyclists' behavioral and physiological responses safely and efficiently, this investigation utilizes a bicycle simulator within an immersive virtual environment (IVE). Off-the-shelf sensors are employed to evaluate cyclists' performance metrics (speed and lane position) and physiological responses …

Mathematics-Ai Based Phylogenetic Analysis Of Influenza Virus Mutation Data, Emilee Walden

Mathematical Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The influenza virus is one of the most common viral infections each year and can mutate rapidly. Viral mutations pose significant threats to public health by increasing infectivity and strengthening vaccine resistance. To track these evolving patterns, agencies like the CDC annually evaluate thousands of virus strains to understand viral mutagenesis and evolution in depth. Therefore, a computational method for analyzing high-dimensional, noisy virus data could aid in the rapid identification of antigens essential for an effective influenza vaccine for the upcoming season. Through the integration of genomic analysis, clustering, and dimensionality reduction methods, this study specifically aims to develop …

Some Interpolation Problems In The Projective Plane, Lilah Estes

Mathematical Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Given some set of r general points in the projective plane, we want to better understand: what is the smallest degree of any polynomial passing through the points m times? How many linearly independent equations of this degree pass through the points m times? The investigation of these questions, particularly for the case of m=3 and r< 16, motivates the development of several results. We translate Terracini's inductive argument, a tool for evaluating the expectedness of certain sets of double points, into a version which can be used for triple points, and prove that the argument holds. We compute the minimal graded free resolutions for the ideals corresponding to up to 15 points, for m up to 6, and we conjecture a connection between the expectedness of these ideals and what their resolutions look like. Further, we prove that this conjecture holds when m=1, and we either fully or partially prove that these ideals are …

Fungi To Form: Exploring Mushroom Mycelium As A Bio-Material For Zero-Waste Interior Furnishings And Forms, Drew M. Gobbi

Interior Design Undergraduate Honors Theses

This capstone explores new applications for mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, in the architecture and interior design industry. Due to its naturally renewable and 100% compostable nature, mycelium proves itself to be a highly sustainable material. Through a combination of research, analysis, and hands-on experimentation, both the challenges and possibilities of mycelium are documented and defined in the context of solutions for fast-furniture waste, a phenomenon that includes mass-produced, low-cost items designed for short-term use. Following a foundation of literature reviews and case studies, this paper documents small-scale prototyping of mycelium-based models for the Ground-Up Chair, a simple yet …

Experiential Advertising: The Immersive Evolution Of Marketing, Julianna Ferguson

Interior Design Undergraduate Honors Theses

Experiential advertising is revolutionizing marketing by creating immersive, emotionally resonant brand environments that foster consumer engagement and loyalty. This thesis explores the integration of experiential design in commercial branding, emphasizing how sensory-driven storytelling enhances brand identity and consumer connections. Through case studies such as the Gucci Garden in Florence, this research highlights the effectiveness of flagship stores, pop-ups, and sensory campaigns in transcending traditional advertising methods. Employing firsthand observations and analytical frameworks, the study identifies critical design strategies, including interactive installations and curated spaces, that reshape retail environments into platforms for emotional connection and advocacy. Findings reveal that experiential design …

Analytics & Insights Internship At Market Performance Group, Ava Mccrary

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

An Honors Thesis discussing the growth of analytics in the corporate world.