Digital Commons Network^™

Redefining Online Education: Integrating A Quality Assurance Rubric Process In A Community College Setting, Judy K. Howell

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education At Morehead State University by Judy K. Howell on Kentucky March 20, 2026.

Examining The Effects Of Success Coaching At West Kentucky Community And Technical College: A Quantitative Analysis Of Academic Performance, Retention, And Credential Completion, Sanci E. Teague

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Sanci E. Teague on March 20, 2026.

The Theatrics Of Political Representation: Homestyle, Boundary Work, And Emotional Labor Among Florida Legislators, Donald E. Mullins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how political representation is performed and sustained in the Florida Legislature. Rather than treating representation primarily as votes, bills, or policy outcomes, it approaches it as interactional work through which legislators remain believable, accessible, and authoritative across overlapping audiences. Grounded in an interpretivist epistemology and Goffman’s dramaturgy, the study develops an ethnographic account of representation through three analytic anchors: Fenno’s homestyle, Lamont’s boundary work, and Hochschild’s emotional labor. Methodologically, the project draws on ~100 days of participant observation during the 2025 legislative season, hundreds of pages of fieldnotes, and semi-structured interviews with ten Florida legislators. The findings …

Una Student Organizations, Student Engagement Center, University Of North Alabama

Documents

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Technology-Integrated Science Of Reading And Kindergarten Readiness On Reading Fluency, Jeffrey Maxey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Science of Reading (SoR) model has influenced curriculum reform through state mandates and classroom practices emphasizing explicit, systematic phonics instruction in response to national trends indicating significant deficits in students’ reading abilities. The problem addressed through this study was the gap in knowledge on the effect of technology-integrated SoR on early elementary students’ reading skills at a large southeastern U.S. public school district. Grounded in Gough and Tunmer’s simple view of reading theory, the purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the main and interaction effects of students’ Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) levels and 2 years of technology-integrated …

The Evolution Of Science And The Transformation Of Human Understanding: Toward A Generative Framework Of Learning And Reality, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

This essay argues that the development of science can be understood not as linear accumulation, but as a sequence of structural transformations in human understanding. Such a view aligns with a generative framework in which knowledge is not passively received or merely constructed, but emerges through dynamic interactions that reorganize cognitive and experiential structures. By situating this framework within the history of science, we can better understand both the nature of scientific progress and its indispensable role in human development.

Pressed For Time: The Role Of Time Pressure And Attentional Awareness On The Mental Health Of Employed Informal Dementia Caregivers, Kate Bishop

University Honors Theses

Informal caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementias (ADRD) experience increased time demands and poorer well-being, especially when caregiving is combined with paid employment. Subjective feelings of high time pressure, which include feeling rushed and short on time, relate to poorer self-reported measures of mental health more than objective task load. Attentional awareness is one of the fundamental components of mindfulness alongside nonjudgmental acceptance; it has been linked with more optimal mental health and feelings of having enough time. This cross-sectional study examined whether higher levels of perceived time pressure would relate to poorer self-reported mental health functioning and …

Implementing Staff Education To Improve Depression Detection In Primary Care Using Patient Health Questionnaire (Phq-9), Ukamaka Okeke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This staff education project focuses on improving depression detection in a primary care settings using Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) screening tool. Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, requiring reliable and adaptable screening tools. The diagnosis of depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in primary care but is poorly identified and frequently missed. The lack of consistent screening for depression among patients often results in delayed identification of symptoms, which postpones early treatment, increasing the risk of complications associated with untreated depression. The practice site identified that depression screening was frequently missed during patient intake, …

Welcome To The Trump Administration’S Board Of Immigration Appeals. The Immigrant Always Loses., Jason A. Cade

Scholarly Works

The first 100 opinions in Volume 29 of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ precedential decisions—issued at more than three times the historical pace—constitute a project. The Trump Administration has used the Attorney General’s self-referral power and a reconstituted, ideologically aligned Board to engineer a body of precedents that reliably produces one result: removal. This Essay organizes these decisions, cataloged in a full Appendix, into five main categories: (1) narrowing relief for noncitizens alleging persecution; (2) expanding mandatory detention while narrowing discretionary release; (3) maximizing the immigration consequences of criminal history and related grounds while foreclosing the relief mechanisms Congress created …

Curricular Changes Proposed For 2025-2027 Morris Catalog, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

Includes documentation on the discontinuation of Sociology, Geology, German Studies, and Latin American Area Studies (LAAS).

Beyond Technical Performance: Preliminary Findings On Algorithm Aversion In Digital Library Environments, Hengyi Fu, Fenfang Cao

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Introduction. This study examines algorithm aversion in digital library contexts, where users increasingly encounter algorithm-enabled services. Prior research in healthcare and finance shows that users often resist algorithmic systems even when they outperform human alternatives, yet little is known about how this phenomenon manifests in the digital libraries context. Method. As part of an ongoing project, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 users from two Chinese universities. Participants were selected through theoretical sampling. Interviews were analysed using constructivist grounded theory. Analysis. Open and axial coding of the first 18 interviews produced 42 initial concepts organised into 16 categories under five …

Conquering Today's Health Paradox With The Power Of Heal - An Expert Consensus Report Plus Research Priorities And Policymaker Roadmap, Katharina C Wirnitzer, Mohamad Motevalli, Derrick R Tanous, Clemens Drenowatz, Maximilian Moser, Holger Cramer, Thomas Rosemann, Karl-Heinz Wagner, Andreas Michalsen, Beat Knechtle, Zlatko Fras, Adilson Marques, Nataša Fidler Mis, Fatima C Stanford, Christian Schubert, Nandu Goswami, Claus Leitzmann, Per Morten Fredriksen, Gerhard Ruedl, Rodrigo A Lima, Christian Kessler, Michael Jeitler, Naim A Khan, Hassan Joulaei, Maryam Fatemi, Karl W Kratky, Kara K Palmer, Bernd Haditsch, Boštjan Jakše, Walter Kofler

School of Health Professions

BACKGROUND: Despite growing scientific evidence and health guidelines, the global health paradox persists, with rising lifestyle-related diseases and escalating healthcare costs exposing the inadequacy of current efforts.

OBJECTIVE: Three multidisciplinary congresses were held to generate evidence-based conclusions aimed at addressing the global health paradox.

METHODS: A total of 58 experts from 62 entities participated in the international research and knowledge-exchange panels. Experts reviewed the latest findings to develop practical strategies and identify key research and policy priorities, focusing on the Healthy Eating & Active Living (HEAL) approach.

RESULTS CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: The expert consortium endorsed a 33 evidence-based consensual-statement policy …

Learning As Becoming: A Restored Gospel-Based Reinterpretation Of Scientific Discovery And Human Growth, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

For many educators of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, a persistent dissonance exists between the secular textbooks we utilize and the restored truths we cherish. Traditional science often presents the universe as a closed, material system where learning is merely the acquisition of data. However, as we align our academic pursuits with the light of the Restored Gospel, we discover that scientific inquiry is not independent of spiritual growth. Rather, it is a primary mechanism through which we experience a fundamental shift in our very nature—moving from "knowing" to "becoming."

The Synthesis Of Truth: Integrating Research-Based Science Education With The Restored Gospel At Brigham Young University, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

Modern science education identifies six core principles for student engagement: active participation, inquiry, cognitive challenge, social interaction, meaningful context, and balanced guidance. While these principles are validated by secular research (e.g., Piaget, Vygotsky, Kolb), their implementation at Brigham Young University (BYU) takes on a unique dimension through the lens of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. This paper argues that effective science education at BYU is not merely a pedagogical strategy but a spiritual imperative. By synthesizing scientific inquiry with divine revelation, learners transition from passive recipients of information to active agents of discovery, fulfilling the prophetic mandate to "seek …

“Makes Me Wanna Holler”: Psychological Safety In Program Development Under Anti-Dei Legislation, Derrick B. Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This evocative autoethnographic study explores the professional and emotional experiences of a Black male higher education administrator who developed a college success program for Black male students at a mostly White institution in Northeast Florida. The research took place as new state laws against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) were introduced, showing how these changes disrupt DEI efforts. By using narrative inquiry, the study emphasizes how laws, campus culture, and racial expectations directly affect the emotional intelligence and professional identity needed to support Black male student success.

By focusing on the author's personal experiences, this evocative autoethnography shows the emotional, …

I Think You Overuse That Word: A Theoretical Examination From Multiple Lenses Of "Why Relational Beings Have Become Hesitant To Commit.", Rafe Karen

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This paper serves as a companion to a documentary film that explores the shifting landscape of modern relationships. The film presents personal narratives about dating, connection, and commitment, and the paper offers an experiential exploration of these themes, focusing on dating dynamics, social media, online dating, lack of connection, Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19), video games, and the effects of overwhelming choice. Drawing from existing literature and insights gained during the filmmaking process, the paper analyzes broader societal and psychological patterns shaping modern relationships. Using a combination of filmed interviews and direct observation, the study examines the lived experiences of individuals navigating …

Limited English Proficiency, Acculturative Stress, And Quality Of Life Among Korean American Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B, Hee-Soon Juon, Gilbert C. Gee, Julia G. Katcher, Daniel Yang, Katherine Smith, Ann C. Klassen

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is one of the most widespread liver diseases in the world and disproportionately affects Asian Americans, who are further impacted by the lower quality of life imposed by the infection. Limited English proficiency (LEP) and acculturative stress play an important role in the study of patients with CHB, but the interrelationships of LEP, acculturative stress, and health outcomes are not well studied in this population. This study aims to explore how acculturative stress mediates the relationship between LEP and health outcomes among Korean American patients with CHB.

METHODS: A total of 365 CHB patients completed …

Dartmouth Global Health Equity In Rwanda: An Oral History, Joseph Martinelli

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

After the genocide in Rwanda in 2014, there were as few as 100 physicians left to provide health care for the entire country. The Rwandan Ministry of Health reached out to US academic institutions for assistance in rebuilding capacity and educating Rwanda’s next generation of medical professionals. The Human Resources for Health (HRH) program in Rwanda was instituted and led by the Rwandan Ministry of Health with support from the Clinton Health Access Initiative. The Geisel School of Medicine led by its Center for Global Health Equity, participated in the HRH program in Rwanda, from 2012 to 2019. This oral …

The Harms Associated With Simplifying Our Language Choices, And The Need For A New Typology For Dog Breeders And Consumers, Rebekah Gregory

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

‘Animal’ exploitation is not a new phenomenon. Whilst categorising ‘animals’ by broader groups rather than species helps us understand their experiences, our language still limits our ability to capture the nuances of their treatment. Dogs appointed as domesticated companions are subjected to a variety of experiences. Some are fed gourmet meals and taken to privately rented parks; and others suffer from the consequences of impulsive purchasing and physical abuse. This diversity in treatment is significantly determined by the intentions of the dog’s breeder and consumer. Subsequently, referring to all breeders and consumers with the same terminology instead of highlighting the …

Navigating Stem Integration: Instructional Strategies Employed By Teachers In High School Classrooms, Yousef Alrashdi, Paul Asunda

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

This study examined the instructional strategies used by high school STEM teachers to incorporate real-world problem solving in their classroom teaching. A qualitative approach was utilized, and data was collected through teacher interviews, classroom observations, and documents. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data, and the following themes emerged: (a) there is no single instructional strategy, but teachers adapt their strategies to the context, (b) the importance of preparation using various sources and building on student’s prior knowledge, (c) a focus on asking "why" questions as a priority, (d) the necessity of making group work tangible, (e) the use of …

Mokken Scale Analysis Of The Teacher Formative Assessment Practice Scale, Eric Asare

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

This study examined the nonparametric item response characteristics of the Teacher Formative Assessment Practice Scale (TFAPS) using Mokken scale analysis within its established two‑factor structure. The TFAPS includes a teacher‑directed subscale (items 1–6) and a student‑directed subscale (items 7–10), each intended to capture distinct dimensions of formative assessment practice. Weighted Loevinger scalability coefficients for polytomous items were computed to assess how well each subscale met the assumptions of the monotone homogeneity model. Results indicated that the teacher‑directed subscale had a scalability coefficient of H = 0.354 and Cronbach’s alpha of 0.721, suggesting weak but acceptable internal structure. In contrast, the …

From Tiktok To Transcendence: Reclaiming Focus Through Contemplative Education, Araceli Gordus Huizar

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

In an era shaped by the attention economy and digital technology, students in higher education navigate constant stimulation that fragments attention, increases stress, and challenges emotional regulation. Research in psychology and neuroscience suggests that chronic exposure to social media, AI tools, and multitasking environments contributes to divided attention and diminished cognitive performance. While institutional responses, such as phone bans, attempt to manage distraction, they often fail to cultivate the internal capacities necessary for sustained focus and meaningful learning.

This paper argues that contemplative education--grounded in Buddhist and Hindu contemplative traditions and informed by humanistic psychology and contemporary mindfulness-based interventions--offers a …

Authority Injection Attacks In Ai Assistants (When Confidence, Titles, And “Expert Sources” Quietly Hijack Ai Reasoning), Pranav Bhatnagar Mr

Defensive Publications Series

Abstract

Why AI Systems Can Be Tricked by Information That Simply Sounds Important

Trust is one of the most powerful forces shaping human decision-making. People frequently evaluate information not only based on evidence, but also based on perceived authority. Titles such as “expert,” “official guideline,” or “research finding” often influence how strongly a claim is believed. Artificial intelligence systems trained on human language patterns inherit many of these same interpretive tendencies. This paper introduces Authority Injection Attacks, a class of adversarial influence techniques in which attackers manipulate AI reasoning by inserting information that appears authoritative or expert-level. Instead of directly …

Diet Intervention By Villas Association (Diva) Manual, Fe Garcia-Nguyen, Esmeralda Heredia, Phung Le, Josh Liu, Ella Morey, Paulina Ordonez

Public Health Science Capstones

The DIVA (Diet Intervention by Villas Association) program is a 3-week program designed to help college students build healthier eating habits while managing busy schedules and limited resources. The program addresses common barriers to healthy eating including lack of time, cooking skills, nutrition knowledge, and awareness of affordable food options.

Each week, students receive access to a cooking demonstration kit that includes a simple, budget-friendly recipe, a step-by-step video, a grocery list with prices, and practical cooking tips. These materials are available in an online repository, allowing students to learn at their own pace and revisit resources as needed.

To …

Psychometric Properties And Validation Of The Filipino Satisfaction With Life Scale, Razel Bacuetes Milo, Patricia Calero, Cynthia D. Connelly

School of Nursing and Health Science: Faculty Scholarship

Introduction:

Life satisfaction is the cognitive evaluation of an individual’s current life situation and personal criteria influenced by their acclimatization process. Since the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was introduced in 1985, it has been translated into 30 different languages. To date, there is limited knowledge about Filipino life satisfaction and its correlation to mental health. SWLS has not been translated, and its psychometric properties have not been established in Filipino. This study establishes the psychometric properties of the Filipino SWLS and examines the correlations between life satisfaction and mental health among Filipino Americans.

Methods:

The study design is a …

"Bibliotherapy In Counseling, Spirituality, And Self-Care-How Reading The Right Book Can Heal", Michelle P. Cross

English

Bibliotherapy can be used as an integral component of mental and emotional self-care, spiritual growth, and professional therapy. Reading can be instrumental for sharpening mental acuity, alleviating depression, and furthering spiritual journeys. Bibliotherapy can provide a modicum of treatment to those who cannot access traditional clinics or religious/spiritual centers.

You Can Observe A Lot Just By Lookin’: 30 Years Of Discovery In Pediatric Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Peter C. Rowe

Grand Rounds

1. Describe the case definition of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome according to the 2015 Institute of Medicine case definition.
2. Describe the epidemiology and impact of pediatric Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
3. Describe the modern management of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in light of research advances over the past 3 decades.

Automating Literature Synthesis: Parsing And Structuring Pdf Highlights, Keah Tandon

AI Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Topological Clustering Of Aphasic Brain Networks, Jiaying Yi, Jian Yin, Rahul Ghosal Ph.D., Dirk Den Ouden Ph.D., Julius Fridriksson Ph.D., Rutvik Desai, Yuan Wang

AI Day 2026

Stroke disrupts brain connectivity. A left-hemisphere stroke could lead to post-stroke aphasia (PSA).

Statistical Problems in PSA

• Subtyping: Traditionally based on behavioral scores, ignoring underlying information in the brain.

• Treatment outcome trajectory: Tracking longitudinal changes in the brain over course of treatment.

Modeling Challenge & Solution

• Standard graph-theoretic methods rely on thresholding networks at a single scale.

• Persistent homology (PH) yields multiscale topological features in both signals and networks.

Topological Clustering of Brain Signals & Networks

• State-of-the-art topological clustering methods are highly efficient computationally but require additional transformations for signals.

• We also need a …

Intimate Partners Of National Guard And Reserve Members And Veterans With A Mental Health Diagnosis, Christine Sutton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has documented increasing mental health challenges among military service members; however, limited scholarship examines the lived experiences of partners of National Guard and Reserve members when a mental health diagnosis is present within the relationship. Despite expanded attention to active-duty families, National Guard partners remain underrepresented while navigating dual civilian–military demands, fragmented support systems, and inconsistent access to care. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore and interpret the lived experiences of partners of National Guard and Reserve service members diagnosed with a mental health condition. Guided by a hermeneutic phenomenological framework, the study explored how …