Digital Commons Network^™

Building Culturally Informed Classrooms Through Professional Learning, Samantha Grimm

Masters Projects

Black Americans remain disadvantaged within today’s current education system. Teachers are not always equipped with equitable resources and teaching practices to effectively teach literacy to historically marginalized groups, where cultural differences are complex. When teachers utilize a culturally informed pedagogy that values students’ cultural identities, personal and academic achievement are enhanced. Culturally informed instruction builds upon previous research by Gloria Ladson-Billings, Geneva Gay, and Gholdy Muhammad. This project is designed to support teachers when working alongside culturally diverse students. The resources created in this project are intended to create positive and equitable learning experiences for Black students. These students deserve …

The Parkinson's Pathway: Enhancing Knowledge And Care Management In Skilled Nursing, Kaitlyn Chau

Master's Projects and Capstones

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is commonly diagnosed among the older population, contributing to high utilization of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. Objective: SNF A’s current onboarding and training program for staff discussed general geriatric topics but failed to include structured PD-specific education. This may lead to gaps in competence, confidence, and workflow related to PD care and management, resulting in low quality of patient care, poor health outcomes, and decreased safety and satisfaction. Aim: The project aimed to establish and incorporate a structured PD-specialized education program within a SNF located in Northern California, to increase employees’ self-reported confidence, competence, …

Calibrated Simulations For Dynamic Focusing Of Ultrasound Through The Temporal Window, Ehsan Dadgar-Kiani, Vibha Hebbale, Malachy W. Newman, Grace Attalla, John L. Alvarez, Suraya Dunsford, Kevin A. Caulfield, Cameron H. Good, Andrew D. Krystal, Leo P. Sugrue, Joline M. Fan, Elsa Fouragnan, Charles F. Caskey, Samuel Pichardo, Kim Butts Pauly, Keith R. Murphy

School of Psychology

Focused ultrasound can be delivered through the temporal window to modulate heterogeneously located brain areas. Acoustic simulations allow for safety assessments when dynamically targeting brain structures, but the mismatch between simulation and measured focal pressure can vary across the steerable range due to mechanically inaccurate assumptions made about the skull and transducer. Here, we describe efficient methods for simulation-measurement calibration using axisymmetric projections and sparse sampling across a 3D steerable subspace encompassing deep brain targets across 157 subjects. To address the simulation-reality mismatch in skull transmission, we used the measured and predicted pressure values through eight human temporal window fragments …

The Transformation Of Russia’S Foreign Policy Strategy (2022–2025): From Confrontation To Multilateral Normative Leadership, Shafiya Nurkhalisa, Sugeng Riyanto

Jurnal Politik

This study aims to explain the transformation of Russia's foreign policy strategy in the 2022–2025 period from a confrontational-defensive orientation to a strategy oriented towards multilateral normative leadership. Using a qualitative descriptive-explanatory approach with a single case study, this study explores the relationship between systemic pressures due to global sanctions, the re-articulation of strategy in the Foreign Policy Concept 2023, and Russia's involvement in multilateral institutions such as BRICS+, SCO, and G20. The research data are sourced from official documents, collective declarations of multilateral forums, and independent economic reports from the IMF, World Bank, CREA, and Bruegel. The results show …

The Nexus Between Social Media Use And Mental Health Among Tertiary Students, Claretah Makuvire, Pinias Chikuvadze, Sekai Kamba

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This study examines the connection between social media use and mental health among tertiary education students. The study was motivated by growing concerns about psychological well-being in digitally-connected educational environments and the need for evidence-based interventions in Zimbabwean contexts. The researchers used a mixed-methods case study design, and the participants consisted of 85 students from Seke Teachers College. The researchers employed questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and observations to generate data. The research revealed that students use social media intensively. Usage averaged 6.45 hours daily with 100% WhatsApp penetration. The data revealed that 67.1% of participants experienced depressive symptoms, …

Teaching Phonics And Phonemic Awareness To Grow Reading, Brianna N. Wildey

Masters Projects

Research has revealed important information about students reading proficiently, yet most students in public schools throughout the country are reading below their grade level. As proficient readers, early elementary students need to know how to read the words on the page and understand what they mean. Students cannot read for knowledge or fun if they don’t know what the words are on the page. Two theoretical frameworks have informed this project to improve student reading. One is Orthographic Mapping Theory and the other is Alphabetic Phase Theory. This project explores the background of teaching reading, both past and present. Students …

Building Engaged Readers: Fostering Students Engagement And Motivation, Breanna R. Gierak

Masters Projects

Student engagement and motivation are essential components of literacy development and academic achievement in elementary classrooms. However, research indicates that many elementary students are becoming disengaged due to a variety of factors, including increased technology use, decreased motivation, limited family involvement, and fewer opportunities for meaningful interactions around literacy. This masters project is grounded in research that examines the importance of fostering engagement and motivation in elementary literacy and synthesizes current research on the instructional practices that promote positive reading experiences. The literature highlights the influence of supportive classroom environments, teacher-student relationships, collaborative learning, purposeful technology integration, and storing family-school …

Frailty As A Framework To Understand Tuberculosis Severity, Recovery, And Sequelae, Yoscelina Estrella Martinez-Lopez, Benjamin W. Black, Jessica Lee, Brian J. Buta, Lisa Y. Armitige, William A. Fountain, Rafael Samper, Aanand D. Naik, Joanne Turner, Blanca I. Restrepo

School of Medicine Publications

Tuberculosis (TB) causes profound systemic illness, and many survivors experience long-term sequelae associated with disability and premature mortality. Current TB severity indicators capture isolated aspects of disease and may not reflect the integrated physiological impact of infection on the host. Frailty, a multidimensional syndrome characterized by reduced physiological reserve and increased vulnerability to stressors, predicts adverse outcomes and guides clinical management in geriatrics. We propose frailty as an integrative framework for understanding the systemic effects of TB across the life course, encompassing disease severity, recovery, and long-term sequelae. We discuss biological mechanisms through which Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection may erode physiological …

The Implicit And Explicit Representation Of Men And Women In The Discourse Of Selected Arabic Novels: Love’S Second Carbon Dioxide — A Pragmatic-Cognitive Approach, Sarah Bint Yousef Bin Saleh Al-Kulaib

UB Journal for Humanities

This study seeks to clarify and analyze the explicit and implicit strategic structures in two types of discourse—male discourse and female discourse—through the lens of pragmatics and cognitive linguistics. It examines concepts such as implicature, context, presupposition, shared knowledge, and the principles governing discourse (the Cooperative Principle and the Politeness Principle), all of which contribute to identifying the explicit and implicit strategies employed in both forms of discourse. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach in an attempt to answer the following questions:

1. What are the concepts of the explicit and the implicit in pragmatics and cognitive linguistics?

2. What …

Community School Hubs: A Path To Literacy For English Learners And Families, Elizabeth Ortiz-Wright

The Reading Professor

This qualitative narrative study examined the perceptions of community school hub members and Hispanic English learner parents at an elementary school in a suburban district. Eighty-four percent of the students at the study site were economically disadvantaged. The inquiry drew on sociocultural theory and Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory to explore how these hubs support families. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and field observations and analyzed using Quirkos software. The findings demonstrate the overall value of community school hubs in addressing basic needs, increasing the potential for academic success. However, a significant lack of clarity exists; many parents were unaware …

Beyond The Deficit Lens: Black Family Literacy As Social, Cultural, And Historical Practice: Implications For Literacy Teacher Education, Tasean D. Baldwin

The Reading Professor

Literacy education in the United States has long centered on standardized English and formal classroom instruction. While intended as a universal benchmark, this approach systematically overlooks and delegitimizes the rich literacy history and traditions rooted in Black families and communities. Through the application of frameworks such as New Literacy Studies, Gee's Theory of Discourse Communities, Yosso's Community  Cultural Wealth model, and Critical Race Theory, this article reframes Black family literacy through a social, cultural, and historical lens. It is forged and perpetuated by resistance to racial oppression, through the intergenerational exchange of knowledge, and oral traditions within the community. This …

Beyond Screening: Using Multiple Sources Of Evidence To Inform Early Literacy Instruction, Cheryl Kahn

The Reading Professor

Educators today collect more literacy data than at any previous point in history, yet many students continue to experience reading difficulties that are identified far later than they should be. This article argues that the problem is not a lack of information but a failure to integrate available evidence to prompt timely instructional action. Drawing on research in reading development, early identification of reading difficulties, teacher knowledge, assessment literacy, instructional decision-making, and responsive literacy instruction, this article proposes the Multiple Sources of Evidence Framework to strengthen early literacy decision-making. Rather than relying on any single assessment or screening result, the …

Beyond The Label: Investigating The Relationship Between Ell Placement And Teacher Expectations For Academic Rigor, Bruce A. Torff, Audrey Figueroa Murphy

The Reading Professor

Urban teachers (N=142) completed a survey assessing how placement of English learners in common pedagogical settings that vary in ESL models (self-contained, pull-out, push-in, bilingual, and dual language) was associated with teachers' beliefs about rigor of curriculum. Teachers significantly favored low-Critical Thinking (CT) curricular activities over high-CT ones consistent with "rigor gap" research showing that teachers tend to view ELLs in need of low-CT curriculum. Beliefs consistent with the rigor gap also emerged within the ELL population, based on placements. Teachers preferred curriculum tilted toward low-CT instruction for students with the greatest challenges--those given the most ESL-sequestered placements (self-contained and …

It All Begins With A Dream, Eileen M. Riley

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Eileen is an English major from a military family near Fort Devens in Ayer, Massachusetts. Her interest in vintage fashion led her to research representations of women in early 20th century advertisements for the Maidenform bra for her Composition II class. Impressed by the beautiful artwork she discovered in these depictions, Eileen was intrigued by the portrayals of women in roles that were traditionally held by men. Her essay explores how “these ads fed women’s desires for the gender norm dictates of that post-war time in America [and] went beyond these norms by depicting aspirational scenarios.” Eileen lives in Dorchester, …

Profanity And Perceptions, Elizabeth Lefrancois

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Lizzie is an Exercise and Health Science major from Blackstone, Massachusetts. Assigned by her Composition II instructor to research an aspect of language that interested her, Lizzie chose to research swearing, which was never allowed in her home. Lizzie’s research enabled her to “open [her] eyes and see much more than a lack of vocabulary” when she heard others using profanity. She explains, “I felt as if I was programmed to think that swearing was this terrible thing that no one should do, and, because of that, I never thought about the positive side of this language.” Lizzie’s essay explores …

The Good Samaritan: The Role Of Religion In One's Morality, Kamla Javier

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Kamla is an Economics major currently living in Boston, Massachusetts. Kamla’s essay, created for her Composition II course, began as an exploration of morality. She set out to examine the stereotypes against non-believers in order to better understand the development of the moral compass and the role religion plays in morality. She writes: “In this day and age where all kinds of people can freely express their opinion, both hurtful and helpful, I also wish to communicate my own beliefs through a logical presentation of information.” Kamla wanted to voice a position that is accepting of all people and “hopefully …

Greenovation As A Strategic Leverage For Sustainable Competitive Advantage, Amiya Kumar Mohapatra, Anil Kumar, Yiğit Kazançoğlu

Management Dynamics

Greenovation is the new currency of the global economy which focuses on ‘green and innovation’ that generates environmental benefits through reduced resource consumption, lower carbon emissions, and improved ecological performance aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Greenovation focuses on long-term value creation by integrating environmental externalities, resource circularity, and multi-stakeholder governance and accountability structures. Greenovation integrated with corporate strategies can provide greater strategic competitive advantages which is also termed as green competitive advantage. By systematically integrating product and process improvements through Greenovation, firms can attain competitive advantage for long-term value creation for both internal and external stakeholders. It is imperative …

Bim-Safety Integration In The Nigerian Construction Industry Using The Unified Theory Of Acceptance And Use Of Technology (Utaut) Model, Ranti T. Adebiyi, Ganiyu Amuda-Yusuf, Olubola Babalola, Nurudeen A. Bello, Aminat D. Amuda, Kaosarat A. Olowookere

Engineering and Technology Journal

Health and Safety (H&S) challenges are a significant concern in the Nigerian construction industry, largely due to the lack of a reliable national accident database and the persistence of a fatalistic safety culture. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a transformative digital framework that enables visual hazard identification and proactive risk simulation; however, its use in site safety management remains limited and inconsistent. This study investigates the behavioural, social, and structural determinants influencing the adoption of BIM-based H&S practices among construction professionals, utilising the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A hypothetical multi-level design was used to model …

Promoting Safety And Confidence: Standardizing Intimate Partner Violence Screening And Improving Staff Screening Confidence In A Predominantly Latinx Community Health Center, Jordan Jiang

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent public health problem that is screened far less consistently than comparably common conditions and disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including low-income, Spanish-speaking, and undocumented individuals. This quality improvement project was conducted in an outpatient community health center serving a primarily Latinx, Spanish-speaking population in San Francisco, where screening across the Adult Health, Women's Health, and Teen Clinics was inconsistent, with a baseline rate of 4.1% in June 2026. Aim: The project aimed to increase overall IPV screening by 10 percentage points, from 4.1% to 14.1%, by July 31, 2026. Methods: Rogers' Diffusion of …

Urine Good Care: Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Prevention At The Bedside, Ruby Yost

Master's Projects and Capstones

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs) have been associated with increased morbidity, mortality, healthcare costs, and length of stay and is one of the most common healthcare-acquired illnesses accounting for up to 40% of hospital-acquired infections (Rubi et al., 2022). Because 65-70% of CAUTIs are preventable, reducing the incidence has become a focus area for infection control and nursing quality management among hospital organizations (Tang et al. 2025). CAUTIs are urinary tract infections that occur in patients with indwelling urinary catheters and are typically associated with bacterial colonization of the urinary tract. The aim of this QI Project is to increase …

Standardizing Intimate Partner Violence Screening Among Latinx Patients In A Community Clinic Setting, Peyton O'Callaghan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern that may go unrecognized when screening practices are inconsistent. Objective: To standardize IPV screening practices and improve staff confidence across the Adult Health, Women’s Health, and Teen/Pediatric clinics of a community health center serving a predominantly Latinx, monolingual Spanish-speaking, and underserved population. Aim: To increase the overall IPV screening rate by 10% during a three-week implementation period. Methods: The project team developed and implemented a standardized four-question printed screening tool, medical assistant scripts in English and Spanish, and a staff educational in-service. These interventions addressed low screening rates, limited staff …

Nourish And Flourish: Building Confidence In Healthy Food Selection Among Older Adults In An Independent Living Facility, Emily Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

The nutrition education program aims to increase confidence in selecting and maintaining healthier food choices and dietary habits for chronic conditions through weekly workshops. This quality improvement project was conducted in an independent senior living facility in Richmond, CA serving the elderly population ages 65 and up. To address the concern of low confidence levels and management of dietary patterns and chronic health conditions pertaining to nutrition, a comprehensive nutrition education program was developed with pre- and post-intervention assessment surveys to compare baseline confidence levels. The weekly workshops for this nutrition education program aims to increase confidence levels of the …

Standardizing Group Visits For Gestational Diabetes Education: A Quality Improvement Initiative In An Outpatient Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinic, Nha Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: At an outpatient maternal-fetal medicine clinic in Northern California, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) education is delivered inconsistently across nurse practitioners (NPs) and registered dietitians (RDs), with no standardized curriculum, referral criteria, or educational materials. Aim: By August 12, 2026, this project aimed to develop and implement a standardized GDM group visit framework for NPs, RDs, and scheduling staff in maternal-fetal medicine clinic, increasing compliance with standardized referral, enrollment, and educational processes from a baseline of 0% to 50%. Methods: Using baseline observations, workflow assessment, stakeholder input, and a literature review, the QI team developed standardized bilingual slide …

Demographic And Clinical Characteristics Of Frequent Users Of Emergency Medical Services In Türkiye ​, Burak Bekgöz, İshak Şan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Overuse of emergency medical services (EMS), particularly unnecessary ambulance requests, places considerable strain on limited healthcare resources and can delay responses to urgent cases. The present study analyzes the demographic characteristics, diagnoses, urgency, and hospital transfer status of frequent users of EMS in Türkiye.

Materials and methods: Included in the study were 41,113 patients who requested EMS four or more times within a year (defined as frequent users for the purpose of the study), excluding interhospital transfers. Data were accessed from the Emergency Medical Services Automation System (ASOS) database, which contains details of patient demographics, diagnoses, triage codes, reasons …

Comparing Age Of Obesity Onset, Concerns About Weight And Body Shape, And Quality Of Life In Individuals Seeking Bariatric Surgery ​, Vi̇ldan Çakir Kardeş, Özge Saraçli, Nuray Atasoy, Levent Ati̇k, Si̇bel Kahraman Gi̇rgeç

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: This study explored the relationship between concerns about weight and body shape and quality of life in bariatric surgery candidates with morbid obesity regarding the onset of the weight problem in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood.

Materials and methods: We included 453 patients who applied to our center for preoperative bariatric surgery assessment between January 2010 and April 2019. We reviewed the sociodemographic information, psychiatric diagnoses, and results of the Body Shape Questionnaire-34, Quality of Life Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory of all patients.

Results: Concerns about weight and body shape were increased in women (p < 0.001), unemployed patients (p = 0.001), those with a comorbid psychiatric disorder (p < 0.001), and those with childhood- or adolescent-onset of weight problems (r = –0.170; p < 0.001). Concerns about weight and body shape had a relationship with the vitality (r = –0.434), mental health (r = –0.464), social functioning (r = –0.418), pain (r = –0.307), and general health (r = –0.352) subscale scores of quality of life. Physical functioning was higher (p = 0.037) in patients with childhood- or adolescent-onset obesity compared to patients with adult-onset obesity, while mental health was higher (p = 0.001) in the latter group. Individuals with childhood- or adolescent-onset obesity inquired about bariatric surgery options at an earlier age (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: …

Beyond Individual Willingness: Family Veto, Legal Knowledge, And The Dynamics Of Organ Donation In Türkiye ​, Hasan Gi̇ray Ankara, Hakan Değerli̇, Semi̇h Baş

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The aim was to understand the factors underlying the dynamics of organ donation behavior by focusing on three different aspects. Three models were tested in this regard, namely (i) individual willingness for the donation of one’s own organs, (ii) willingness to approve organ donation for close relatives, and (iii) a family veto gap.

Materials and methods: A national-level adult sample from the Eurobarometer 72.3 survey (collected in 2009) conducted in Türkiye was utilized. Standard and penalized logistic regression models were employed to conduct the analyses.

Results: The results show that discussing organ donation with family members and being aware …

Vitamin D Deficiency, Depression Severity, And Suicide Risk: Evidence From Patients With Major Depressive Disorder ​, Eli̇f Küçük, Feri̇de Uysal, Seda Şenkardeş Kandemi̇r, Özgür Özkalayci, Canay Pamukçu, Ni̇hal Taşteki̇n, Meri̇h Altintaş

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common psychiatric condition characterized by depressive symptoms and suicide-related clinical features. Vitamin D status has been investigated as a potential clinical correlate of depression and suicidal ideation, but the direction and specificity of these associations remain uncertain. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the associations among serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels, depressive symptom severity, suicidal ideation, and suicide-related cognitive–affective dimensions in adults diagnosed with MDD.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study included 97 adults aged 18–65 years who were diagnosed with MDD according to DSM-5 criteria. Depressive symptom severity and suicide-related outcomes were …

Advancing Beyond An Entry-Level Job, Paul Hill, Osei Vega-Sandoval

All Current Publications

Entry-level positions are a gateway into the workforce, yet advancing beyond an early-career role is necessary to broaden one’s professional experience and earn a higher salary. Whether following the traditional path of moving up within an organization or developing extensive expertise, there are a variety of career paths and concepts to consider. This fact sheet provides strategies and insights for advancing to higher-level positions within organizations.

You Haven't Been Forgotten: A Patient-Centered Initiative Restoring Trust Through Intentional Staff Communication In The Emergency Department, Daniel A. Aliakseyeu

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: Approximately 70% of patients in this 36-bed emergency department (ED) in Hospital X are not roomed and spend the majority of their visit in the waiting room, where they are susceptible to gaps in communication about their care and wait times. Baseline Press Ganey Scores from May 2026 showed that only 61.4% of patients felt informed about delays. Baseline observation data of 50 nurse-patient communication interactions confirmed these gaps: 24.5% of nurses introduced themselves, 13% provided a timeline of care, and 0% addressed potential delays. Aim: Improve communication-related patient satisfaction scores regarding delays among non-roomed patients in the ED …

Staff Education On An Electronic Health Record-Based Tracking And Reminder System For Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics, Osereme Nora Agboifo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Missed or delayed administration of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic medications remains a practice concern in outpatient mental health care because treatment gaps can interrupt continuity, increase relapse risk, and contribute to avoidable hospitalization. The practice problem addressed in this staff education project was inconsistent use of a standardized electronic health record (EHR)-based LAI tracking and reminder workflow. The project purpose was to improve staff knowledge, documentation consistency, reminder use, and follow-up practices for adults receiving LAI antipsychotic medications. The practice-focused question asked whether staff education on an EHR-based LAI tracking and reminder system would improve adherence monitoring and follow-up processes …