Digital Commons Network^™

Educators' Uses Of Social Capital In K-12 Book Challenges, Danielle E. Sachdeva, Sue C. Kimmel

STEMPS Faculty Publications

In this case study, we apply understandings of social capital informed by Pierre Bourdieu and Nan Lin to analyze how seven educators used their capital to navigate book censorship incidents in K-12 public schools. Our findings indicate that participants often used social capital to meet expressive goals, such as seeking support from others, and less often to meet instrumental goals like advocating for policies and legislation in support of students’ intellectual freedom. These findings have implications for practitioners, school administrators, and university faculty, especially now as an unprecedented number of books is being challenged in public institutions throughout the U.S.

Instructional Designers' Reflections On Generative Ai Use For Scenario-Based And Performance-Centered Learning: A Collective Autoethnography, Nour El Houda Maache, Dan V. Dao, Jiyoon Jung, Jayanth Nadheri, Nari Kim, Chikezie Ozuzu, Xinyue Ren

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This study examines how instructional designer-instructors (IDIs) use and evaluate generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) when designing scenario-based and performance-centered authentic learning in higher education. Using a collective autoethnography (CAE) approach, the study draws on semi-structured interviews and reflective narratives from five IDIs with varied professional experience. Findings indicate that GenAI enhanced design capacity by accelerating scenario development, translating complex content, and supporting scenario-based and performance-based task construction. At the same time, participants reported limitations related to contextual misalignment, output unreliability, and the cognitive demands of prompt refinement. Across cases, effective integration depended on sustained human oversight, disciplinary judgment, and ethical …

Chatgpt In Secondary English Language Learning: Educators' And Students' Literacy, Perceptions, And Experiences, Victoria Brenes, Sierra Outerbridge, Xinyue Ren

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has shown the potential of transforming teaching and learning practices in various educational settings, such as in English language learning (ELL). As English language learners (ELLs) often experience many challenges and barriers in schools in the United States, it is urgent to leverage the educational affordances of GenAI in fostering the effectiveness of ELL. Given the limited research investigating GenAI adoption, especially ChatGPT literacy within K-12 ELL, this convergent mixed methods research aims to investigate students' and teachers’ perceptions of using ChatGPT and their ChatGPT literacy in secondary ELL contexts. We will …

Peacock Competency Model For Online Library Instruction, Rebeca Peacock

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Academic librarians are an integral part of academia offering niche expertise that benefits faculty and students alike. But they often lack specific guidance on developing competencies for the online teaching that is increasingly expected of them. This article addresses the lack of field specific guidance for academic librarians' online teaching by proposing a competency model grounded in expert practice. The study used semi-structured interviews with 18 academic librarians to address this gap asking: what knowledge, skills, and attitudes are needed for academic librarians to be successful in providing effective online library instruction?

2026 Jan Term Course Catalog, Saint Mary's College Of California

Jan Term Course Catalog

No abstract provided.

First Responders' Best Friends: A Mental Health And Trauma-Informed Care Program For First Responders, Jordan Postiglione

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

First responders experience consistent exposure to traumatic events in their day-to-day profession, placing them at increased risk for mental health challenges, including stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.  The First Responder’s Best Friends doctoral capstone quality improvement project aimed to increase mental health and well-being in first responders as well as to bring awareness to the importance of mental health and the impact of trauma.  The capstone project consisted of three different areas of focus: program development and implementation, advocacy, and clinical practice skills.  Program development and implementation was a 12-week mental health program at the Kingston Fire …

Effects Of Student And School Technology Adoption On Student Reading Achievement In The United States: The Case Of Pisa 2018, Mikah J. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

This study examined the relationship between student and school-level information and communication technology (ICT) factors and reading achievement using data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 in the United States. In an increasingly digital world, reading and information literacy are essential skills, yet significant gaps in digital competencies persist. This study investigated how ICT access, use, and perceptions relate to reading achievement in the context of student and school background factors.

A two-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) framework was employed to account for the nested structure of students within schools. The sample included approximately 4,000 students across …

Act Thompson Garden Project: Proposal And Accessibility Recommendations, Craig A. Condella, María Barragan, Olivia Costa, Kate Markowski, Sophiabella Nebroski

ENV 334 Environmental Justice

As a community oriented environmental justice project, the authors researched community gardens in school settings to make recommendations regarding the building of a community/school garden at Thompson Middle School in Newport, RI.

“Good Don’T Listen”: Application Of Situational Crisis Communication Theory To Online Cancelation, Teresa R. Sacchinelli

ENG 490 Senior Seminar Capstone

The cancel culture movement forces organizations to learn how to address a new kind of online crisis. Corporations use Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) to alleviate the reputational threat from an ongoing crisis. This study examines SCCT potential application in addressing cancelation through analysis of pop star The Weeknd’s response to backlash regarding his HBO show The Idol (2023). Findings revealed use of SCCT strategies in The Weeknd’s tweets, interviews, and press conference during the cancelation, but failure to follow theory guidelines, resulting in an ineffective reputation recouperation. Thus, the study finds possible application of the theory for cancelation if …

From Perfect Victim To Resilient Upstander: How Educators Can Help Middle-School Students With Asd Thrive Despite Peer Aggression, Julie R. Johnson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are more likely to be bullied by peers (46-94%), bullied by siblings, and chronically bullied than typically developing students (30.5%). Some victims become bullies, particularly when impulsivity and hostility are high or perseverance or prudence are low. Students with ASD are more likely to become bully-victims, especially if they have certain comorbidities. This literature review explores how educators can mitigate this cycle. Schools need a multi-tiered system of supports to support victims with ASD so they do not become bullies: Tier One needs clear policies, anti-bullying programs, and neurodiversity-affirming classrooms. Tiers Two and Three …

Impact Of Trauma-Informed Models In Schools, Amber R. Clinton

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores trauma-informed models in schools and the impact on students in different educational settings. Trauma-informed models are systemic changes that support all students in school, but it is especially important for students who have experienced trauma. This model helps them feel safe in the school environment. This paper reviews literature on how trauma-informed models impact student behaviors, academics, and learning within traditional educational approaches and special education settings. The research also reviews gaps, for instance it is unclear what parts of trauma-informed models contribute to positive outcomes for students in school. The gaps also revealed the need for …

Physical Activity And Cognitive Function Among Youth: Implications And Recommendations For Increasing Physical Activity Participation, Allison C. Ims

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Physical activity is extensively recognized as an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. For children, it is important for the development of their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being. Nationally, there are physical activity recommendations for youth; however, most children and adolescents do not meet these recommendations. It’s recommended that youth participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. However, many youth are not achieving this recommendation due to physical, environmental, and social barriers. The purpose of this thesis was to look at the relationship between physical activity, executive functioning, and academic performance among youth. …

How Do Teacher-Student Relationships Affect Behavior Outcomes In Students With Disabilities?, Charles E. Linder

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teacher-student relationships are an essential part of schooling for all students. For students with disabilities, it may be more important. The reasoning behind this could be that creating positive relationships with teachers is crucial for students who have deficits in their social, emotional, and behavioral skills. By creating positive relationships, students with disabilities can see an increase in academic achievement, better behavioral outcomes, and an increase in the well-being of the student. Teachers can achieve this by creating an environment that welcomes engagement and inclusion of all students and offering praise, especially to students with disabilities. When positive relationships are …

Predictability, Flexibility, And Relationship-Building In Trauma-Informed Middle School Ebd Classrooms, Julie Tong

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in middle school often experience significant challenges with regulation and engagement, frequently rooted in trauma and adverse childhood experiences. This literature review examined the guiding research question: How do predictability, flexibility, and relationship-building within trauma-informed middle school EBD classrooms impact student regulation and engagement? Synthesis of the literature revealed that predictability reduces uncertainty and supports safety, flexibility allows teachers to respond to dysregulation without escalation, and relationship-building fosters the trust students need to accept correction and engage in learning. Together, these practices create a structured, responsive, and relationally safe classroom. Implications include the …

John Singer Sargent’S Ladies In White: Identity, Atmosphere, And Society, 1883-1892, Esmé Benjamin

MA in Fine and Decorative Art and Design Dissertations

This dissertation will examine how the white clothing of four portraits painted by John Singer Sargent between 1883 and 1892 operates symbolically, psychologically, and technically. Often symbolizing virtue, purity, wealth, and social status in Western society, white could also symbolize more abstract qualities such as emotion, time, and dual realities. The white clothing created concurrent storylines, broaching many areas of the subject’s life. Silk, satin, organdy, organza, cotton, flat, sheer, shiny, thin, heavy, voluminous, sleek: the textures, density, and abundance of the white fabric allowed Sargent to expand the psychological narrative while creating atmosphere. The paintings Daughters of Edward Darley …

Hear Me Out: A Lesson In Civil Discourse, Cheryl Black

Funded Scholarship

This article describes an innovative and engaging lecture and class exercise designed to 

teach students how to think critically about issues from different perspectives and communicate effectively with those who disagree with them. The interactive lecture and class exercise introduce a civil discourse framework to encourage constructive dialogue. Developed for business law and ethics courses, the civil discourse framework enhances any curriculum that addresses controversial topics or different perspectives on complex issues. The lecture and class exercise offer a concrete, replicable model to teach civil discourse

Launching A Neonatal Resuscitation Escape Room To Combat High Infant Mortality Rates, Ellen Marie Campos, Kathryn L. Dambrino, Jennifer Sternberg, Taryn Mccoy, Shelby L. Lea, Kendell Natt, Lyn S. Prater, Weiming Ke, Leena Lourduswamy, Sheela Victor, Vernonsiya Kirubha, Beth Hallmark, Julie Honey

Funded Scholarship

Background: In South India, infant mortality rates are high, and nurses require advanced training to respond to infants in infant distress. Evidence shows that improved nurse competency in neonatal resuscitation (NNR) and the ability of students to recognize and respond to distressed infants have led to decreased infant mortality rates.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to design and implement a simulated escape room to improve NNR outcomes among undergraduate students in South India.

Methods: This quality improvement project used a quantitative descriptive design. Undergraduate nursing students from 6 schools in South India completed an asynchronous maternal–fetal …

Predicting The Effect Of Transformational Leadership On Job Performance: The Intervening Role Of Happiness At Work, Jean Paolo Lacap, Angela Denise S. Pojanes, Erika Joyce V. De Guzman, Jose Angelo P. Culala, Janelo D. Mariamonte, Patrick S. Carangan

DLSU Business & Economics Review

Happiness at work (HAW) plays a pivotal role in enhancing employee outcomes by fostering a positive work environment and significantly boosting job performance (JP). This study investigates the relationship between transformational leadership (TL) and JP, with HAW serving as a mediating factor. This research involved 230 business process outsourcing (BPO) employees from the National Capital Region in the Philippines. A predictive-causal approach and partial least squares (PLS) path modeling were used to analyze the hypothesized relationships. The results revealed that TL positively and significantly influenced JP and HAW. Furthermore, HAW was found to have a substantial positive impact on JP …

Insights From Indonesia On The Moderating Effect Of Problem-Solving Ability On Factors Influencing Auditors’ Performance, Eko Suyono, Oman Rusmana, Adi Wiratno, Lego Waspodo

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This study aims to determine the moderating role of problem-solving ability on the influence of audit structure, understanding of good governance, organizational commitment, emotional intelligence, motivation, and competency on auditors’ performance. This study used a survey approach to collect data from a population of auditors in Indonesia working at public accounting firms in major cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya between May 1 and November 30, 2021. From 500 questionnaires, 193 were returned. In addition, the hypotheses were evaluated using ordinary least squares and moderated regression analysis on the data. The findings show that understanding of good …

Harm Reduction Awareness And Perceived Norms Around Cannabis Usage Among College Students, Tiana Selimagic

Honors Program Theses

Harm reduction refers to behaviors that are used to reduce the harmful risks or negative consequences that are associated with using drugs and aim to protect individuals. Research indicates that harm reduction strategies associated with cannabis are scarce, but that college students may be unaware of these behaviors since the legalization of cannabis in many U.S. states. However, there are gaps within research in regards to if college students are unaware of harm reduction strategies or if the perception of cannabis-use related harm reduction effectiveness or if there is a social norm aspect that relates to using these strategies. The …

Dementia Related Programs: A Case Study Of Spousal Care And Mental Health, Candace Hoisington

Honors Program Theses

This research paper explores the experiences of informal caregivers of people living with dementia. Focusing on topics such as mental health, caregiver education, and access to supportive resources within dementia related programs. The current literature highlights significant gaps in caregiver education and access to resources for spousal and older adult informal caregivers. A qualitative study was conducted by surveying informal caregivers from the Cedar Valley, Iowa area. Analysis of the survey results included use of Braun and Clarke’s (2020) six-step thematic analysis approach. Results found from four participants caused four major themes to emerge. The informal caregivers identified friends and …

Mad Or Uncontrollable? Reading Female Madness In Three Gothic Texts, Amy Marie Bueno

Dissertations and Theses

My thesis employs comparative close reading framed by disability studies to analyze representations of female madness in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea, and Isabel Allende’s “If You Touched My Heart.” Drawing on theories of socially constructed disability, it argues that Bertha, Antoinette, and Hortensia are framed as “mad women” not through inherent pathology, but through patriarchal violence, colonial domination, and institutional power. By integrating the social model of disability with feminist theory, this thesis examines how women are rendered disabled within societies influenced by Social Darwinism and eugenic ideologies.

This thesis further incorporates Gothic theory and …

Executive Self-Management Of Reading And Writing For College Students With Adhd, Jiajie Li

Dissertations and Theses

Background. College students with ADHD often experience difficulties with self managed academic tasks, for which there are currently few specific interventions. The present study examined associations among ADHD symptom severity, executive functioning, academic achievement, and perceived helpfulness of reading- and writing-focused sessions within a cognitive-behavioral intervention for college students with ADHD. Method. N = 41 undergraduate students (Mean age = 21.32 years, SD = 2.74; 70.7% female) with ADHD were recruited into a 12-week group-based cognitive behavioral intervention for executive functioning difficulties. Two sessions were devoted to skills and strategies specific to academic tasks, Reading for Retention and Planning, Organizing, …

The Ick Factor: Explaining The Term Through Lenses Of Sexual Disgust And Avoidant Attachment Style, Maxum O'Halloran

Dissertations and Theses

The phenomenon of the “ick” has gained significant traction in the context of modern romantic relationships, particularly across social media platforms, where individuals describe trivial negative traits and habits in potential and current romantic partners. Despite their trivial nature, icks are often treated as meaningful dealbreakers, raising questions about whether they reflect genuine psychological processes or are simply a social media trend. The present study examined whether the presence of an ick influences perceptions of attractiveness and dateability, and whether individual differences in sexual disgust sensitivity and attachment style help explain icks and reactions to icks. Participants (N = 236) …

Relational Spirituality And Maternal Coping In Carceral Contexts: A Participatory Action Study Of Meaning-Making And Mental Health Among Formerly Incarcerated Mothers, Jessica Peters

Dissertations and Theses

Maternal incarceration carries significant psychological, familial, and community consequences, yet limited research centers the mental health experiences of mothers themselves. This study explored how religious and spiritual engagement shape mental health and coping among formerly incarcerated mothers using a participatory action research framework. Guided by this, small groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 mothers in collaboration with a community-based organization. This approach prioritized lived experience and aimed to reduce barriers to participation among a population often mistrustful of research institutions. Data were analyzed thematically to identify patterns in psychological distress, coping strategies, and meaning-making. Findings revealed pervasive and …

Shared Burden, Potential Space: A Qualitative Study Of How Psychodynamic Therapists Work With Intergenerational Transmission Of Historical Trauma, Shaun J. Halper

Dissertations and Theses

The intergenerational transmission of trauma (ITT) has been investigated since the 1960s, beginning with research on the descendants of Holocaust survivors. Few qualitative studies, however, have taken up how psychodynamic therapists experience their treatments with adult patients with ITT. This study uses Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (APA) to analyze adult ITT treatments from the perspective of psychodynamic psychotherapists. Ten licensed clinicians in the NYC tri-state area participated in semi-structured interviews, which were organized around three research aims: how clinicians conceptualized and identified ITT, what effective clinical interventions they used, and how they understood the impact of therapist-patient sameness or difference (regarding …

Risk And Releasability: Rethinking “Suitable” Support Networks For Former Foster Youth In Ontario Bail Courts, Marsha Rampersaud

Journal of Law and Social Policy

Contemporary societal trends indicate many young adults rely on their families for financial and other support for longer than in the past, often well into their 20s. Youth leaving the child welfare system, however, do not have similar supports to rely on when they reach the age of majority (eighteen in Ontario). In bail court, the experiences of those who have familial support differ markedly from those who do not. Qualitative interviews with youth, lawyers, and social workers illuminate the experiences of young adults (ages eighteen to twenty-four) who have exited the child welfare system and come into conflict with …

The Closed Door At 301 Wellington Street, Tom Nichini, Kim Brooks

Journal of Law and Social Policy

Although women and racialized lawyers comprise significant proportions of the Canadian bar, they and other equity-deserving lawyers remain markedly underrepresented among counsel making oral submissions before the Supreme Court of Canada. This article presents findings from a five-year empirical study (2017–2021) examining who appears before the Court through an observational analysis of 273 cases and a survey of 279 counsel. The research reveals that presenting counsel are predominantly white, cis-male, and have extensive experience at the bar: e.g., women account for only 26.9% of appearing counsel, while racialized lawyers comprise 12.8%. After evaluating whether this gap can be attributed to …

Predicting Healthcare-Seeking For Childhood Diarrhea Across Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Madi Baltagulov

Public Health Theses

Healthcare-seeking behavior (HSB) for childhood diarrhea is a central but persistently uncertain input for rotavirus burden models and vaccine cost-effectiveness analyses. Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) provide the only nationally representative measurements, yet they are expensive and absent from the majority of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This thesis asks whether publicly available country-level indicators can substitute for DHS data when survey estimates are unavailable.Using the most recent DHS conducted between 2011 and 2024 in 51 LMICs (78,008 children under five with diarrhea), I fit a multilevel modified Poisson regression and a two-stage random-effects meta-regression with four World Bank moderators: …

Dietary, Physical Activity, Mental Health And Substance Use Among Adolescents In American Samoa: A Cross-Sectional Study, Arwen Chen

Public Health Theses

Adolescent mental health is an important public health concern in American Samoa, but limited research has examined how modifiable health behaviors relate to mental health outcomes in this population. This cross-sectional study examined associations of dietary patterns, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption, and physical activity with depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and substance use among 449 high school students in American Samoa. Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, substance use, diet, and physical activity were assessed using self-reported survey measures, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for Adolescents (PHQ-9A), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7), Dietary Screener Questionnaire (DSQ) items, and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for …