Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Self-Doubt In Community College Computer Science: Evidence From Exploratory Factor Analysis, Trent W. Dawson

Research & Publications

Community college (CC) students make up a growing portion of introductory computing courses, yet little is known about their attitudes going into early programming experiences. This pilot study explored CC students’ initial perceptions of readiness for introductory computing. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two initial dimensions: a higher-perceived-ability factor based on positively framed items and a lower-perceived-ability factor based on negatively framed items. The higher perceived ability factor showed little difference between students with and without programming experience, indicating that early optimism may limit distinctions on positively worded items. In contrast, the factor of lower perceived ability indicated evident differences between …

Commonwealth Times 2026-02-18

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Organizational Approach To Collecting, Monitoring, Analyzing Workplace Violence Data And Providing Support To Staff Affected, Brandi C. Bosley, Amanda L. Schweng, Shanan K. Sims

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Significance – Healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than other industries, and 73% all non-fatal workplace violence injuries resulting in missed days of work occur in healthcare settings (OSHA, 2021). WPV costs facilities an estimated $428.5 million nationwide (Van Des Bos et al., 2017). WPV is attributed to burnout, decreased employee morale, increased absenteeism, and increased staff turnover, negatively impacting patient care (Somani et al., 2021).

Background: The organization is a Level 1 Trauma hospital with 573 beds. The Workplace Violence Committee formed in 2018 in response to growing workplace violence incidents. The committee adopted …

Staff Education To Prevent Falls Among Older Adults In Primary Care, Chioma Nwosu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls are a significant health concern for the elderly population and a major cause of injury and functional decline among older adults, yet fall prevention practices are inconsistently applied in primary care. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the impact of staff education on fall risk screening and prevention for adults aged 65 years and older using the CDC’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) framework. This project employs a pre–post quality improvement design in a primary care clinic. Clinical staff received education on STEADI-based fall risk assessment, documentation, and evidence-based interventions. Data were collected through chart …

Perceptions Of Former Inmates’ Mental Health And Substance Abuse Treatment Received During Incarceration, Garla Kathleen Snapp-Hart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Access to effective behavioral treatment is critical for the imprisoned population and newly released individuals to reduce reentry into the penitentiary system. Social workers within correctional facilities can determine the need for treatment, how often treatment is required, what specific treatment is necessary, and what resources will be needed to provide those treatments. A qualitative exploratory design was used in this study. I explored the quality of behavioral health treatment provided to the incarcerated population. Systems theory was used as the theoretical framework this study. There were 17 participants in this study who had been incarcerated in a Kentucky prison …

The Effectiveness Of Rehabilitative Activities In Social Reintegration Of Ex-Parolees Into Guyanese Society, La-Toya Lucrisha Arthur-Tucker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many parolees struggle with successful reintegration into society. Further research was needed to assess the benefits of parole for both parolees and former parolees in Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America. The insights of ex-parolees may make the country’s parole process more meaningful to offenders’ rehabilitative experience and overall social reintegration. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the effectiveness of rehabilitative activities in the social reintegration of ex-parolees into Guyanese society. The risk–need–responsivity model, general strain theory, and social support theories provided a framework for the investigation. The focus was on ex-parolees who had been …

A Nurse-Led Staff Education Program To Prevent And Detect Elder Abuse By Caregivers In The Home, Nicola Violet Brown-Walters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was a nurse-led, evidence-based staff education initiative designed to improve the prevention and detection of elder abuse in the home by caregivers within an outpatient primary care setting. Elder abuse places older adults at risk for physical harm, neglect, medication mismanagement, and violations of autonomy and patient rights. Elder abuse remains a pervasive and underrecognized problem in nursing practice, often resulting from limited staff education, inconsistent screening practices, and uncertainty regarding mandatory reporting requirements. The practice-focused question examined whether implementing a nurse-led targeted education program guided by the ADDIE instructional design model and …

Preferred Social Support Systems Of Black Women With Fibromyalgia Syndrome And Mood Disorders, Briana Beverly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black women managing Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) and mood disorders navigate complex health care experiences within systems that often fail to recognize their needs. Health care disparities, cultural expectations, and systemic barriers create distinct interpretive contexts for this population, who often encounter delayed diagnoses, inadequate treatment, and dismissal of their symptoms despite often reporting higher levels of pain severity. Using the biopsychosocial model as a conceptual framework, this qualitative study utilized interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore how Black women make sense of their experiences across physical, psychological, and social dimensions. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with six participants. Key findings …

Colorism And The Black Family: Effects Of Colorist Messages Among Black Women, Carolyn Frink

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem examined in this study is how colorism affects Black families. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the lived experiences of Black women and the colorist messages they received from family members, how those messages were internalized, and the messages perceived effects. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the colorist-historical trauma framework, and data were obtained through individual interviews with Black women ages 22–70, from various socioeconomic backgrounds and selected through purposeful sampling. A multiple case study approach was used to examine similarities and differences among the participants. A thematic analysis was …

The Relative Importance Of Cultural Competence And Compassion Fatigue In Predicting Nurse Prescribing Self-Efficacy, Debarah Lane Jowett-Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As a result of the growing diversity among citizens requiring medical care, there has been a substantial increase in immigrants globally and in the United States. In the U.S. healthcare system, nurse practitioners (NPs) have been facing increased cultural challenges. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relative importance of cultural competence and compassion fatigue in predicting nursing prescribing self-efficacy. Cultural competence served as the theoretical framework, as it focuses on how NPs can effectively communicate with patients from diverse backgrounds by understanding and respecting cultural differences, thereby building trust, improving patient outcomes, and providing quality healthcare. …

School Administrators’ Perspective On Juvenile Delinquency, Ebonee Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of school administrators in Maryland public schools regarding the implementation of discipline policies and their impact on juvenile delinquency. Prompted by rising concerns about delinquent behavior and inconsistent consequences for students, the research investigated how administrators perceive and navigate the challenges of enforcing discipline and the strategies they employ to foster safe, positive school environments. Grounded in defiance theory and social learning theory, the study used open-ended surveys to gather insights from 16 retired and current principals and assistant principals in Maryland public school systems. The findings reveal that while discipline policies provide …

Student Senate Meeting Minutes February 18, 2026, Student Senate-Winona State University

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

This document is the official Winona State University Student Senate Minutes for February 18, 2026.

2026 Hillsborough County 4-H Presents, Carrie A. Finke

UNH Cooperative Extension

Hillsborough County 4-H is excited to once again bring you Hillsborough County 4-H Presents!/Activities Day,  Saturday April 18^th, 2026 at Crotched Mountain School 1 Verney Drive Greenfield, NH.  The Event will begin with registrations starting at 12:30pm with various categories of events taking place starting at 1pm.

What is 4-H Presents?  4-H Presents is an opportunity for 4-H youth to demonstrate their presentation skills and subject matter knowledge. Every 4-H member is encouraged to give a presentation each year. A 4-H presentation can be a demonstration, action exhibit or public speech. Through presentations, youth learn to research a …

No Patient Left Behind: Treatment Considerations For Patients With Alzheimer’S Dementia Who Are Excluded From Disease-Modifying Therapies, Rachel Goodreau, Robert Martin

Advocate GME

No abstract provided.

Utah's Value-Added Food Processing Options, Karin E. Allen, Kynda R. Curtis, Makaylie Langford

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of the benefits of producing and marketing value-added foods and outlines key considerations for new ventures. It also details the two primary programs available to smaller-scale processing in Utah—the Cottage Food Program and the Homemade Food Act—assisting producers in evaluating their products, markets, and resources to choose the best path forward.

Confinement And Consent: A Comparative Analysis Of Sexual Abuse In Finnish And U.S. Prisons, Madison A. Greico

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

The Bangkok Rules and The Basic Principles for The Treatment of Prisoners are a specific outline of protections and rights for individuals( Bangkok specifically about women) within prisons adopted by the United Nations compromising states. While The United States is a leader in the United Nations and adopted this set of rules, their failures of commitment are extremely apparent. Every year, thousands of prison rapes occur behind bars in New York alone by the very guards meant to protect them. In Finland, another United Nations member, however, has virtually no record of sexual abuse within their prisons. In investigation of …

A Semantic Knowledge-Enhanced Assessment Method For Spectrum Effectiveness Of Low Earth Orbit Constellations, Yiqing Liu, Qiuyang Zhang, Chunyu Liu, Yao Xue, Zhiwei Wei, Yan Feng

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In order to scientifically assess the spectrum effectiveness of low earth orbit constellations, the problems of insufficient adaptability of the traditional assessment framework and inaccurate estimation of KPIs under sparse data conditions were solved, a semantic knowledge-enhanced assessment method for spectrum effectiveness of low earth orbit constellations was proposed. A comprehensive multi-level, all band, and multi-dimensional spectrum effectiveness assessment framework covering link level, system level, geographical level, and service application level was constructed. A KPI intelligent prediction agent model integrating semantic knowledge and machine learning was proposed to quantify text-like design parameters using SentenceTransformer, so as to rapidly …

Simulation Method For Multi-Crew Construction Processes Based On Large Language Model-Powered Agent, Yifan Wang, Bin Yang, Congjun Wang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Traditional construction simulation methods typically rely on predefined rules or static scheduling mechanisms, making it difficult to simulate interactive decision-making under complex constraints by dynamically adapting multi-crew construction scenarios. As a result, workforce idleness caused by process dependencies and spatial occupation fails to be solved. A simulation method for multicrew construction processes based on a LLM-powered agent was proposed. The distributed crew agents endowed with construction scenario understanding and reasoning capabilities were constructed, as well as a centralized project manager agent. A “single-manager and multiple-crew” decision-making mechanism for multi-agent interaction in construction was designed. Autonomous decision-making and coordination mechanism …

The Lumberjack, February 18, 2026

Cal Poly Humboldt's Student Newspaper

The student newspaper of Humboldt State University.

A Civilization’S Soul : Positioning Architectural Works In The Argument For Greater Restrictions On Ai Training, Alexandria B. Noble

Chicago-Kent Journal of Intellectual Property

No abstract provided.

Algorithmic Chopin—Musical Authorship In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence, Eyal Brook

Chicago-Kent Journal of Intellectual Property

No abstract provided.

Integrated Development Environment For Digital Test Applications Based On Cloud-Edge-End Architecture, Wenguang Yu, Qun Li, Hongjie Dang, Hao Chen, Ping Yang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Digital test applications need to be constructed using the unified digital test development tool. After analyzing the features of digital test applications such as large-sample autonomous run, high computational efficiency requirement, and diverse task scenarios, this paper proposes the integrated development environment (IDE) for digital test applications based on cloud-edge-end architecture. The layered expandable architecture, the hybrid integration framework of multi-source heterogeneous models, and the cloud-edge-end collaborative deployment architecture are designed for the IDE of digital test applications. The IDE supports the rapid development, integration, and execution of digital test models and enables development of digital test applications on …

Research On System And Application Framework Of Tactical Wargaming Simulation Driven By Ai4s, Dayong Liu, Qisheng Guo, Zhiming Dong, Xuehuan Qiu, Zhuoli Liu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Tactical wargaming simulation, as a crucial tool for combat analysis, simulation training, and equipment demonstration and test, has become a significant means for generating combat effectiveness. Integrating AI into simulation not only enhances simulation efficiency but also diminishes reliance on humans. To assist professionals engaged in tactical wargaming simulation in mastering AI application methods, fostering a systematic mindset, and understanding evolving trends, this paper provided a concise overview of the principles behind AI for science (AI4S). Subsequently, it conducted an analysis of AI4S's application effectiveness in tactical wargaming simulation, established an AI4S-driven wargaming simulation system, and elucidated its composition, …

Knowledge Closed-Loop Driving-Based Intelligent Game Confrontation Simulation, Quan Liu, Yu Wang, Linyue Liu, Hao Chen, Jian Huang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: For human-machine intelligence integration and collaborative intelligence enhancement, a “knowledge-model-data-knowledge” closed-loop paradigm for combat simulation is proposed to guide the design of a DRL-based game confrontation simulation architecture. By building a combat priori knowledge-guided DRL agent model, mining and analyzing the time series data of agent interactions generated during simulations, and extracting combat posterior knowledge that expands the cognition boundaries of commanders, the knowledge closed-loop driving mechanism for intelligent combat simulations is achieved. The experimental results indicate that the proposed mechanism can effectively endow the combat simulation system with intelligence growth capabilities, providing valuable reference for the deepening …

Enhancing The Professional Well-Being Of Us Nurses Through Healthy Nutrition, Emily Daly Matthews, Emma Kurnat-Thoma

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Poor diet is the leading cause of mortality in the U.S. due to the direct relationship with diet-related chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) which disproportionally affects underserved communities and exacerbates U.S. health disparities. ^1,2,3 The U.S greatly needs effective, evidence-based policy solutions to significantly improve nutrition and foster an equitable and sustainable food system to improve health and reduce diet related chronic disease.⁴ Approximately half of nurses in the United States have poor diet according to a 2018 systematic review.⁵ Healthy nutrition policy solutions should be implemented in the nursing workplace to …

Resource-Efficient Continuous Learning Framework For Edge Real-Time Video Analytics, Shuxia Wu, Junjie Zhang, Delong Chen, Zheyi Chen

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: By deploying lightweight models at the network edge, edge systems can provide services of real-time video analytics. However, due to the data drift caused by the discrepancy between model training and actual deployment, it is challenging to construct lightweight models that match real-world environments. To address this challenge, a resource-efficient continuous learning framework for edge real-time video analytics (CL4VA) was proposed. A region of interest-granularity predictor for accuracy degradation was introduced to efficiently select key samples from real-time video streams. A two-layer mixed sample pool was constructed to adaptively trigger the model's continuous learning and avoid the issue of …

Reinforcement Learning Based Method For Uav Team Orienteering Optimization Under Multi-Constraint Condition, Can Yang, Kai Chen, Feng Zhu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Traditional optimization methods struggle with efficiency, while reinforcement learning approaches often yield low solution quality and high training costs. In response, this paper proposes an attention mechanism-based reinforcement learning method. A dynamic attention strategy network with multi-information fusion is designed to improve solution quality. A visibility-graph approach is employed to simplify threat zone constraints and speed up convergence, and a decoding sequence reordering mechanism is introduced for further performance optimization of the solution. The simulation results show that the method generates high-quality solutions within milliseconds, achieving total rewards that approach or even surpass those obtained by traditional solvers …

Strike Strategy Planning Method Of Unmanned Ground Vehicles Based On Improved Ppo Algorithm, Bingkun Wang, Yue Wang, Mei Yang, Pengnian Zhang, Bohao Fan, Jie Tang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: An improved PPO algorithm based on the hybrid action space and gated recurrent unit (GRU) is proposed to address the limitations of predefined strike rules in maximizing the hitting accuracy of unmanned ground vehicles and the difficult coupling and optimization of continuous motion planning and discrete strike decision-making. The environmental model and target model are built for the process of unmanned ground vehicles' strike missions, coupled with a three-layer model for unmanned ground vehicles that fuses kinematic constraints, situational awareness, and dynamic decision-making. Two distinct policy networks are employed, including the continuous motion planning network for path planning, and …

Intelligent Decision-Making Method In Imbalanced Air Combat Based On Asymmetric Self-Play, Wei Zheng, Jiahao Tang, Xiaoping Xiong, Xin Fan

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To solve the problem of strategy convergence caused by role homogenization in traditional self-play for imbalanced air combat, an intelligent decision-making method based on asymmetric selfplay was proposed. This method decoupled tactics from control by employing a hierarchical reinforcement learning framework and designed differentiated reward functions for advantaged and disadvantaged sides. Bidirectional independent policy pools were constructed to promote the co-evolution of strategies. The proximal policy optimization algorithm was utilized to train the model. Experiments in 1v1 weapon-imbalanced and 2v1 numerically-imbalanced scenarios demonstrate that compared to symmetric self-play, the proposed method increases the kill rate of the advantaged …

Agent-Based Pathfinding Method For Indoor Fire Emergency Evacuation, Ao Tian, Jianqin Zhang, Zheng Wen, Chaonan Hu, Hong Zhao, Bo Shen

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To improve emergency evacuation efficiency and reduce casualties in dynamic fire scenarios, a real-time path re-planning method based on agents and dynamic A* algorithm framework is proposed. The behavior and actions of the agent is modeled. A reward function is designed, and an agent-based evacuation framework is constructed. Based on fire simulation data, a dynamic cost network involving parameters such as thermal radiation, smoke visibility, and CO concentration is constructed to achieve spatiotemporally continuous modeling of fire environments. By optimizing the composite cost function through dynamic weight allocation, combined with an improved heuristic function and dynamic search mechanism, local …