Digital Commons Network^™

Assessor Experiences In Cmmc Level 2 Certification Assessments: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Role Expectations, Samuel Heuchert, John Hastings

Research & Publications

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program requires that third-party assessments be conducted under a non-consultative model. The model is intended to ensure impartiality for organizations seeking certification. While this structure defines expectations for assessor behavior, assessor experiences and interpretations of these constraints remain underexamined. The study examines the lived experiences of CMMC-Certified Assessors and how they navigate role expectations within the non-consultative model. Using Role Conflict Theory as a guiding framework, the study applied Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to semi-structured interviews to explore how assessors make sense of their roles. The analysis identified experiential themes that describe how assessors construct …

Smart Applications To Enhance English Language Skills: The Role Of Self-Learning Motivation As A Mediating Variable, Mahmoud Sabri Alasal

Journal of Arabic Sciences and Humanities

This study aims to examine the impact of using smart applications on learners' English language skills in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, focusing on self-learning motivation as a mediating variable. The study adopted a quantitative research methodology using a standardized questionnaire to measure the impact of key variables: smart application use, self-learning motivation, and English language skills. Data was collected from 212 learners at higher education institutions in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using a five-point Likert scale. The results of the statistical analysis showed a positive and statistically significant impact of using smart applications on improving English language skills. It was …

Academic Performance In College Students: The Roles Of Physical Activity, Perceived Academic Control, And Bmi, Erin Vanderbunt, Jenna Woolley

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Volume 7: Issue 1, Article 3, 2026.  Background: Health behaviors and motivational factors are increasingly recognized as contributors to academic performance in college students. Physical activity (PA), perceived academic control (PAC), and body mass index (BMI) have each been linked to academic outcomes, yet their combined effects remain understudied. Purpose: To examine the relationships between PA, PAC, BMI, and academic performance in undergraduate students. Methods: A total of 299 undergraduates from a regional Midwestern university participated in this study. Students completed a survey assessing demographic variables, physical activity (via IPAQ-SF), PAC, BMI, and self-reported academic performance on a …

Analyzing Accessibility And Efficacy Of One Research Survey Website To Test Readability Of Physical Activity Promotion Material Disseminated Online: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study, Jafra D. Thomas, Anuraj Dhillon, Yi Sheng Wu, Jasmine C. Wong, Regina F. Hockert

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Volume 7: Issue 1, Article 2, 2026.  Accessibility is the effort and ability required to access and navigate environments and participate in activities. Physical activity educational materials disseminated to the public and used within behavior change interventions may be hard to read and navigate, decreasing their accessibility and a study’s validity. This study documented, and addressed, issues that may hinder researchers’ ability to gauge accessibility of their online educational materials using the cloze procedure (a direct readability measure, requires guessing missing words from text passages). A multi-stage, mixed methods pilot study was utilized (August 2022 to May 2023). Phase 1: …

Communication & Theater Association Of Minnesota Journal, Volume 49, Issue 2, 2026

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Volume 49, Issue 2 (2026) of the Communication & Theater Association of Minnesota Journal.

Overcoming The Blank Page: In Class Ai Brainstorming For Public Speaking Topics, Jacquelyn K. Seymour

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

This activity introduces students to their speech assignment, allows for a discussion on the ethical uses of AI, and allows for class-wide use of AI to select speech topics (Slade et al., 2025). Ideally, every student will leave class with a topic for their speech to begin the process of research and writing rather than be stuck on selecting a topic.

"From An Activist Spirit And History": An Examination Of Midwest Professors Who Teach Gender Studies In The Current Political Climate, Mena Faber

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Gender studies is an interdisciplinary field spanning higher education institutions globally. Yet the experiences of scholars within specific regional contexts remain understudied. This study examines the lived personal and pedagogical experiences of gender studies and gender communication scholars in the Midwest. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore participants’ experiences, perceived pressures, and responses to the current political and academic climate. Interview questions focused on the challenges scholars face as well as the communicative practices they adopt in response to shifting attitudes toward gender studies. This research seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of how scholars …

Debating Without Format: A Portrait, A Propsal, A Possibility, Stephen M. Llano

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

This essay distinguishes "Debate" — competitive, tournament-driven, and governed by fixed procedural rules — from "debate," rhetoric's older practice of persuading an audience. Drawing on the dual etymology of "format" (to shape, and to arrange data for machine processing) and on Goodhart's law, the essay argues that competitive format has displaced audience assent as debate's real aim, training students to satisfy a judge's rules rather than move real listeners. As an alternative, it proposes a co-curricular model rooted in the university rather than the tournament circuit, treating rules as adaptable paradigms rather than algorithms to execute. Drawing on Perelman and …

From Burnout To Belonging: A Faculty Well-Being Director's Perspective On Leadership, Workplace Culture, Organizational Efficiency, And The Broader Role Of Physician Well-Being, Ajit K. Bisen

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Burnout remains a major challenge in health care, despite increasing investments in physician well-being initiatives. As the faculty well-being director for my department, my perspective on physician well-being has shifted from focusing primarily on individual resilience, mindfulness, and wellness initiatives to recognizing the important roles of leadership, workplace culture, and organizational efficiency. Physician well-being is an essential foundation for high-quality patient care, stronger teams, patient safety, quality improvement, and healthier organizations. Here, I discuss the 3 key shifts in thinking that have influenced my approach as faculty well-being director.

Towards Upstate Well Center: Lessons Learned In Organizational Well-Being Over The Last Decade, Nayla M. Khoury, Asalim Thabet, Kerryanna M. Elhage, Jarrod L. Bagatell, Kaushal Nanavati, Leslie J. Kohman

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Background: Upstate Well has evolved over more than 10 years through the integration of multiple partners, programs, and initiatives. The scope and complexity have increased alongside stronger relationships, shared ownership, and supportive infrastructure.

Methods: This report analyzes implementation lessons learned through program development and impact assessment over 5 years.

Results: Upstate has a growing number of wellness champions across the institution, collaboration among multiple wellness programs, and lessons learned from select programs. Themes include (1) supportive infrastructure, including new full-time equivalent positions to support Upstate Well; (2) active collaboration between stakeholders, and appointed wellness champions in each department; (3) improved …

Feasibility And Pilot Study Of Implementing Mindfulness-Based Attention Training In A Pediatric Health Care Setting, Thomas B. Ayres, Seth Sonnevile, Angela Myers

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

We present herein our preliminary evidence from a pilot study of the feasibility of implementing Mindfulness-Based Attention Training (MBAT) in a pediatric health care institution. MBAT has been implemented primarily in military settings, representing another high-stress work environment. Furthermore, MBAT has had favorable evaluations from being implemented with medical students. Mindfulness-based interventions have received increasing attention in health care environments. This interest from health care institutions and the focus on developing attention-based resources through MBAT created a use case for implementing MBAT. We had 5 health care workers with a variety of job roles in our institution complete a train-the-trainer …

Pebbles In The Shoe: A Multidisciplinary Program To Identify And Resolve Workplace Inefficiencies In A Pediatric Oncology Division, Reeja Raj, Kate Gazouleas, Pavilia Francis, Nancy Gordon, Vidya Gopalakrishnan, Amy Heaton, Ishwaria Subbiah, Priti Tewari, Harjeet Singh, Aaron Walton, Shehla Razvi, Martha Askins, Lisa Triche, Karen Moody

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Introduction: Occupational burnout is a significant concern among pediatric oncology faculty and multidisciplinary staff, characterized by emotional depletion, detachment from work, or a diminished sense of professional achievement. Inefficient work processes can be important contributors to burnout. This report describes the implementation and outcomes of Pebbles in the Shoe (also referred to as Pebbles), a pediatric division–wide initiative designed to address workplace concerns and inefficiencies.

Methods: The Pebbles program was developed and led by our pediatric division's wellness task force. Division members were invited to anonymously submit work-related concerns and irritations through a QR code–accessible electronic form. Five discipline-based work …

Creating A Culture Of Well-Being By Removing Barriers To Participation In A Multi-Campus Cancer Center, Adam Siegman, Miranda M. Phillips, Jennifer Bickel

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Background: Healthcare professionals in geographically distributed cancer care settings may face barriers to accessing workforce well-being resources due to geographic distance, staffing constraints, and operational demands. Disconnect & Refresh was developed to improve access to restorative wellness opportunities across community-based cancer care sites.

Methods: Disconnect & Refresh was implemented at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center across 4 Houston area locations. The initiative included BeWell Paws, virtual reality meditation, chair yoga, and creative wellness activities delivered during the workday. Participation was voluntary and tracked through employee badge scans. Participants were invited to complete an anonymous post-event survey, and …

Leadforward: A Department-Based Leadership Development Program To Support Workforce Well-Being, Leisa A. Bryant, Denise Marshall, Loreal Williams, Miranda M. Phillips

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Introduction: Leadership development is increasingly recognized as an important strategy for supporting workforce engagement, professional growth, and succession planning in healthcare settings. To address leadership development needs within Food, Nutrition, and Patient Transportation (FNPT) departments, a structured leadership development program, LeadForward, was developed for emerging and midlevel leaders.

Project Description: LeadForward was implemented within the FNPT departments at a comprehensive cancer center. Ten participants completed the inaugural cohort. The curriculum was organized into 6 instructional modules designed to develop leadership competencies among emerging and midlevel leaders. Leadership outcomes were assessed using pre- and postprogram self-assessments across 14 leadership competency …

Trauma-Informed Teaching And Psychological Safety In Health Professions Education, Kevin R. Clark

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Introduction: Health professions students frequently encounter academic, professional, and personal stressors that may affect their learning, engagement, and well-being. Trauma-informed teaching has emerged as an educational approach designed to create supportive learning environments characterized by safety, trust, transparency, and learner-centered practices.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore students’ perceptions of trauma-informed teaching practices implemented in undergraduate and graduate health professions courses and identify the specific instructional strategies students found most meaningful and supportive.

Methods: A mixed-methods educational research design using a practice-based case study approach was used. Undergraduate and graduate students who completed courses taught by a …

Unlocking Faculty Potential: A Quasi-Experimental Study Of Coaching And Academic Performance In Health Care Settings, Amanda Woods Herron, Katelyn J. Cavanaugh, Michelle Figliuolo Deveau, Courtney L. Holladay

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

As faculty in academic medicine face mounting demands to excel in clinical care, research, teaching, and administrative responsibilities, interventions that support professional sustainability are increasingly critical. Coaching has emerged as a promising developmental strategy within health care leadership, yet its impact on research and clinical outcomes in academic medical centers remains underexplored. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the effectiveness of a coaching program using intentional change theory (ICT) as a conceptual framework. ICT emphasizes sustainable personal transformation through alignment between the ideal self and professional goals. We examined a sample of 189 coached clinical faculty and 200 matched peers who had …

Why Should A Data-Driven Cancer Center Prioritize Well-Being?, Peter Pisters

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

No abstract provided.

Actualizing Leaders To Inspire A Group Network (Align): Feasibility And Pilot Of Implementing A Commensality Group Program For Leaders In A Pediatric Healthcare Setting, Thomas B. Ayres, Kristin Ray, Angela Myers

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Background: Leadership behaviors in pediatric health care settings are strongly linked to leader burnout, professional fulfillment, and self-care in addition to influencing their teams. Despite their pivotal role, leaders often face substantial emotional burdens associated with their roles. Commensality groups, defined as small, recurring gatherings centered around shared meals and structured discussions, have emerged as a promising approach to enhancing connection, community, and resilience among health care professionals. A gap in the literature regarding commensality groups is understanding the mechanism of this well-being intervention. Our hypothesis is that commensality groups act as resource caravans and provide psychosocial resources to health …

Volume Cxlvi, Number 5, October 23, 2026, Lawrence University

The Lawrentian

No abstract provided.

Preserving Threatened Wisdom In Indigenous Houses As Living Archives: An Ethnographic Study Of Spatial, Gendered Knowledge, And Community-Based Preservation Strategies In The Philippines, Lalin Abbacan Tuguic

The Qualitative Report

This qualitative study explores how Indigenous houses function as living archives of identity, ecological wisdom, and gendered knowledge in Kalinga communities in the Cordillera region of the Philippines. Using an ethnographic design grounded in prolonged engagement and reflexive practice, the research documents how historical experience, social and cultural meanings, environmental adaptation, and community‑based preservation strategies are materially and symbolically embedded in Indigenous house construction and use. Data were generated through participant observation of everyday life and rituals in and around traditional square and octagonal houses; semi‑structured interviews with elders, women, builders, youth, and community leaders; focus group discussions in local …

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Education, Education Systems Center

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

This guide is designed to support the design and implementation of high-quality programs of study in education that lead to in-demand, living-wage careers, in alignment with Illinois statute. The recommended programs of study should be customized by local K-12 and community college partners.

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Physical Health, Education Systems Center

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

This guide is designed to support the design and implementation of high-quality programs of study in physical health that lead to in-demand, living-wage careers, in alignment with Illinois statute. The recommended programs of study should be customized by local K-12 and community college partners.

The Application Of Electronic Games In Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation In Saudi Arabia, Alaa Mohammad Arafah, Bdoor Khalid Bajamal, Jumana Fawaz Alharbi, Shahad Hussein Majhoom, Wesam Qurban

Journal of Medical Rehabilitation Science

Objectives: This study explores the application of electronic games in occupational therapy rehabilitation in Saudi Arabia, focusing on therapists' knowledge, usage patterns, and perceived benefits and barriers.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 103 occupational therapy professionals working in Saudi Arabia. The survey included 25 questions on the use of electronic games in their rehabilitation settings.
Results: The results revealed that only 39.8% of respondents currently use electronic games in clinical practice. Nevertheless, 87.2% of therapists acknowledged increased patient engagement as a major benefit, while 66.7% noted improvements in motor skills and motivation. Additionally, 67% of participants reported receiving …

Character-Value Internalization Through Tembe Nggoli Motifs And Weaving Practices In The Mbojo Weaving Community Of Wawo District, Indonesia, Imamatul Islamyah, Meisar Ashari, Irsan Kadir

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

Traditional weaving constitutes an important part of Indonesia's cultural heritage, yet its role in character-value learning remains underexplored. This study examines how character values are interpreted, experienced, and reinforced through Tembe Nggoli motifs and weaving practices within the Mbojo weaving community of Wawo District, Indonesia. Using a qualitative mini-ethnographic design, data were collected from four participants through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and documentation and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis. The findings indicate that character-related values are encountered through three interrelated dimensions: visual symbolism, embodied weaving practices, and community participation. Within the observed setting, participants associated these dimensions …

Did College Football Betting Markets Correctly Assess Game-Shortening Rule Changes?, Kevin Krieger, Justin Davis

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Established rules and norms are standard within competitive sports. However, changes are often made to create better functioning contests or improved viewer experiences. We examine the impact of one such change on sports wagering markets. To shorten college football games, starting in 2023, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) adopted rule changes that would, in part, enable the game clock to run more frequently. This decision might create games with fewer plays, and scoring in such games might also be lower. We document the impact of these changes and question whether the sports betting markets quickly ascertained the impacts of …

Prosopagnosia, Pure Alexia, And The Spectrum Of Hemispheric Specialization For Faces And Words: A Narrative Review, Ege Şırlakoğlu

Modern Psychological Studies

This article reviews prosopagnosia and pure alexia as windows on hemispheric specialization for faces and words. Classical case reports describe prosopagnosia after right fusiform damage and pure alexia after left occipito-temporal lesions. These double dissociations have been used to argue for separate and strongly lateralized modules. Recent evidence from clinical, neuroimaging, developmental, and neurosurgical studies complicates this view. Some patients with prosopagnosia show mild but reliable deficits on reading tasks. Some patients with pure alexia show subtle deficits in face recognition or object recognition. Lesion mapping and diffusion imaging studies point to damage in shared but biased networks rather than …

Village Government Officials Competence And Commitment, Leadership Style, And Their Influence On Village Fund Accountability, Hesni Salwari, Sri Mulyani

Journal of Accounting Auditing and Business

Since 2015, village governments have received village funds from the central government based on Law No. 6 of 2014. The purpose of providing these village funds is to improve development, infrastructure, and the village economy. These village funds must be managed accountably. The competence and organizational commitment of village government officials are essential to prevent mismanagement of village funds. Likewise, good leadership is also needed in the management of these village funds. This study aims to determine the influence of the competence and commitment of village government officials and leadership styles of village head on the village fund accountability. This …

Factors Contributing To Executive Function In Young Adults, Lindy Janae Stevenson

McNair Scholars Research

Executive functions (EF) are skills used to complete desired behaviors and inhibit undesired ones. These skills are necessary for everyday life, and even more so in higher education and the workplace. This study examined the combined impact of sleep and exercise on five facets of EF in young adults enrolled in undergraduate or graduate courses. It also examined how perceived effort and performance in college classes interact with EF. The first five hypotheses studying sleep and exercise were analyzed using a 2x2 between-groups ANOVA. The data divided participants into those averaging fewer than 7 hours of sleep a night and …

From “Build The Wall” To “Mass Deportations” In Contemporary U.S. Political Discourse, Anthony Salazar Vazquez

CUNY Mexican Studies Institute

No abstract provided.

Mapping The Association Of College And Research Libraries Framework To Baylor’S Four Cs Of General Education, Ellen Hampton Filgo

The Christian Librarian

As institutions increasingly seek to articulate the value of information literacy within broader educational missions, academic libraries are challenged to align instructional practice with institutional learning goals. This article explores that alignment by placing the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education in conversation with Baylor University’s general education outcomes, known as the Four Cs. Through an interpretive mapping of the Framework’s threshold concepts to the Four Cs, the study reveals how information literacy supports multiple dimensions of undergraduate learning, including communication, critical thinking, civic engagement, and Christian perspective. The analysis demonstrates that Baylor’s …