Digital Commons Network^™

Reported Value Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices Of Virginia Agricultural Education Teachers, Natalie K. Ferand, Kendrick Spencer, Bradley Bowen

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

To address the increasing diversity in schools and the monolithic culture of teachers, researchers have called for pedagogies that reflect the diverse and pluralistic identities of students. While core academic areas have long adopted culturally relevant pedagogy, school-based agricultural education (SBAE) has lagged behind. This study aimed to determine the views of agricultural education teachers in Virginia on culturally responsive pedagogy dispositions and identify areas of professional development need. Teachers valued the differences among students and the communities in which their schools are located. However, results revealed a need for professional development in using the local community as a resource …

Online Experiential Learning In Career And Technical Education, Matthew Bornak

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

This scoping review investigates the integration of OEL into Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. Using Arksey and O’Malley’s five-step scoping review framework, articles were identified through ERIC and Google Scholar and managed in Zotero. MAXQDA was used for coding, revealing thematic clusters related to modalities (synchronous, asynchronous, hybrid), technologies (LMS, AR/VR, simulation tools), and learner characteristics (nontraditional students, CTE-specific learning styles). The review highlights the conceptual anchors of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, Carver et al.’s Experiential E-Learning Model, and Baasanjav’s online experiential design. Findings reveal that while OEL in CTE remains underexplored, it offers potential to increase accessibility, inclusivity, …

Supporting Career Navigation With An Online Occupational Information-Sharing Platform, Jay W. Rojewski, Janette R. Hill, Eunice Kim, Sejung Kwon, Linda Mccauley, Ikseon Choi

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Rapid changes to the nature of work and the workplace have shifted responsibility for career success from organizations to individual workers. Successful navigation of one’s career requires a proactive perspective where individuals anticipate training needs and make decisions for achieving both short- and long-term career goals. Relevant and accurate occupational information is an essential component of career success; yet few sources of reliable and targeted information exist for adult workers. This article provides a conceptual overview of an online system (eMPACT) that provides personalized occupational information for selected health care professionals. The contributions and benefits of key stakeholders—employees, trainers, employers—in …

Clarifying The Role Of Need For Uniqueness In Preferences For Conspiratorial Beliefs, Marie Altgilbers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Need for uniqueness has previously been identified as an individual difference predictor of conspiratorial beliefs, but has not been studied systematically. The current research investigated this relationship across 3 studies through the lens of uniqueness theory. Study 1 replicated previously reported associations and identified new moderators of this relationship. Study 2 experimentally tested the impact of receiving high uniqueness vs. high similarity feedback on conspiracy beliefs. This feedback did not impact conspiracy beliefs by itself, but interacted with cognitive processing preferences. Study 3 tested a manipulation of high vs. moderate uniqueness feedback on conspiracy beliefs. There were no effects of …

Reverse (Bio)Engineering: A Machine Learning Approach To Optimize Baseball Pitcher Health And Performance, Robert C. Moore

All Dissertations

Ball tracking systems are becoming ubiquitous in sport, creating an unprecedented opportunity for big data applications to optimize human health and performance. These applications are especially common in baseball, a sport known for analyzing ball flight data to quantify performance. Analysts routinely use ball flight data to identify the attributes of top performing pitchers, finding that the best pitchers throw with optimal combinations of release speed and spin to precise locations. However, for certain pitchers, the throwing motion required to produce optimal ball flight places exceedingly high biomechanical load on the elbow, and consequently injury rates continue to rise. This …

Virtual Coaching: Ushering In A New Era In School Improvement, Tygere Alisha West Charles

All Dissertations

This research study examined virtual coaching as a vehicle for principal professional development. The study focused on coaching a principal in a rural, low-performing, high-poverty South Carolina school district to improve support for teachers and students. This study explored virtual coaching and is rooted in improvement science as measured by plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles (Bryk et al., 2017). It explored how virtual coaching supported a rural principal’s professional development needs.

Principals must be transformational leaders who balance their support needs and accountability while meeting the needs of the diverse stakeholders they serve. Ongoing professional development is an essential component in helping …

Teacher Self-Efficacy As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Perceived Stressors And Overall Stress During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Study Of Dominican Public-School Teachers In The Usaid Leer Project, Yira I. Vargas

All Dissertations

This study examined the predictive and moderating roles of teacher self-efficacy (TSE) in the relationship between teacher perceived COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors and overall stress among public-school teachers in the Dominican Republic. Using secondary data from the USAID Leer Project (2021), the study analyzed responses from 142 teachers who completed validated instruments measuring teacher self-efficacy (TSES), pandemic-related teacher stressors (Oros et al., 2020), and perceived stress (PSS-14). The study had three main objectives: (1) to examine whether pandemic-related stressors negatively predicted teacher self-efficacy in student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management; (2) to determine whether teacher self-efficacy moderated the relationship between …

An Experimental Evaluation Of A Gamified Learning Approach To Address Bullying Knowledge, Perceptions, And Self-Efficacy Among Elementary Students: Playing Yozgoo In Albania, Sashen Rexhepaj

All Dissertations

This study evaluated the effectiveness of Yozgoo's web-based gamified educational intervention in enhancing elementary school students’ knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy related to bullying prevention in Albania. Utilizing a true experimental pre-test and post-test control group design, the study involved 120 students (ages 10-12) equally divided by gender and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 60) or a control group (n = 60). The experimental group participated in Yozgoo gameplay sessions over six to eight weeks, while the control group engaged in standard activities without exposure to the intervention.

Three validated measures were administered to assess outcomes: …

Digital Reflections: Evaluating Body Dissatisfaction In Xr Through Eye- And Body-Tracked Virtual Humans, Deyrel Diaz

All Dissertations

In an era where digital and physical realities increasingly intertwine, the perception of body image is undergoing a significant transformation. Traditional understandings of body dissatisfaction, long studied in relation to psychological distress and eating disorders, are now being reshaped by technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Artificially Intelligent (AI)- generated media. These technologies have introduced novel ways of experiencing and interacting with the human form, raising critical questions about their impact on self-perception and internalization of beauty standards.

As virtual representations become more prevalent in entertainment, social media, and interactive platforms, it is becoming more crucial …

Collective Learning In Philanthropy: Ai, Trust, And The Future Of Grant Reporting, Rachel Kimber, Valerie Ehrlich, Blanch Vance, Abigail Osei

The Foundation Review

Grant reporting has largely devolved from a learning tool to a bureaucratic exercise that reinforces power asymmetries and burdens nonprofits. As philanthropy confronts mounting crises demanding equity and transparency, reporting must transform into a space for collective sensemaking.

This paper explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI), paired with Oral and Alternate Reporting (OAR) methods, can build equitable, human-centered reporting systems. We propose the E⁴ framework — Efficiency, Effectiveness, Expansiveness, and Equity — for intentionally leveraging AI in service of more equitable reporting practices.

Traditional reporting often sidelines the expertise of nonprofit staff and communities most affected by funded programs. Drawing …

Base Building Evaluation: Three Opportunities To Improve Its Use And Relevance, Katie Fox, Margaret A. Post

The Foundation Review

The concept of base building comes from the traditions of electoral and labor organizing, where organizers focus on drawing leadership from a specific constituency or geography. Base building is foundational to organizing efforts. It involves the recruitment, training, and leadership development of people who are often most directly impacted by the issues and causes that organizing focuses on.

In recent years, base building has seen increased interest and investment from the philanthropic sector as funders recognize base building as critical to community-led change. As funders expand their investment in base building, they increasingly seek information and data about base building …

Philanthropy As Risk Capital: Shaping Trust And Learning At The Speed Of Ai, Nina Sabarre, Clara Bennett, Laura Chavez-Varela

The Foundation Review

As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes society, philanthropy is increasingly called to act as "risk capital" for the public good. But risk alone is not enough. Without rigorous, field-wide learning, philanthropy's bold bets may remain isolated and short-sighted, failing to catalyze the systemic change this moment demands.

This article draws on three sources of learning at Omidyar Network—an evaluation of The Tech We Want initiative, external strategy consultations with 29 stakeholders, and early learnings from a generative AI portfolio—to identify how philanthropy can uniquely "de-risk" AI innovation for collective benefit.

Through trust-based partnerships, ecosystem infrastructure support, and narrative change, these learning …

Closing The Achievement Gap: School Counselors’ Role In Enhancing College And Career Access For First-Generation Students, Conswyla J. Decoteau

All Dissertations

Professional school counselors play a vital role in supporting each student's academic, experiential, and personal growth, especially in preparing them for success in post-secondary education. Due to social, academic, and financial disadvantages, first-generation students face significant obstacles. Given that inequities persist despite efforts to improve access to higher education, this problem is important to address. To close the academic gap that first-generation students face, effective counseling programs that are sensitive to cultural differences are necessary. In order to better understand how school counselors in rural high schools may help first-generation students close the gap in access to college and careers, …

Navigating Safety: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of Supportive Workplace Practices In Maritime Contexts, Rebecca N. Pool

All Dissertations

Maritime Sailors operate in high-demand and high-risk environments that require sustained adherence to strict safety standards. Using the Conservation of Resources theory (COR), this dissertation examines how supportive workplace practices impact job stress and foster increased safety compliance among U.S. Navy personnel. Using a mixed-methods design, two studies were conducted with data from the Afloat Safety Climate Assessment Survey (ASCAS). Study 1 analyzed quantitative survey responses from active-duty Sailors (N = 15,517) nested in 1,033 departments nested within 122 ships to test a multilevel moderated mediation model linking social support, job stress, psychological safety, and safety compliance. Results indicated …

Utilization Of Mushroom Stems As A Feed Resource For Sustainable Poultry Production, Kayla Stamps

All Theses

Soybean meal (SBM) is the primary protein source in poultry diets; however, its escalating cost and the environmental impact of soybean cultivation underscore the need for sustainable alternatives. Mushroom stems are generated at large volumes as agricultural waste, yet contain bioactive compounds and essential nutrients that may benefit poultry health and productivity. Despite these attributes, limited research has evaluated their potential as feed ingredients across different poultry species. This study addressed this gap by investigating whether mushroom stem powder can partially replace SBM in poultry diets while improving performance, health, and environmental outcomes.

Specifically, four experiments were conducted to evaluate …

A Qualitative Study On Black Women Leaders And Their Career Paths In Higher Education, Beatrice Porter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership roles within higher education, especially in the presidency at historically Black colleges and universities. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the career paths and challenges Black women faced through their lived experiences in leadership roles across higher education institutions within predominantly White institutions and HBCUs. Guided by Black Feminist Thought as the theoretical lens, the study examined the intersecting barriers of race and gender that shaped the participants’ leadership trajectories in higher education. Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires, allowing participants to reflect on systemic inequities, mentorship experiences, and leadership development. Findings revealed …

Understanding Social And Cognitive Influences In Medical Students' Learning Processes For Step 1: An Interpretivist Case Study., Ashley Elaine Triplett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative interpretivist case study explores, at a singular institution, medical students’ perspectives on the social and cognitive factors influencing the learning process as students prepare for the Step 1 examination. While prior research regarding medical students Step 1 preparation have focused primarily on wellness, stress, and career outcomes, limited studies have examined medical students' lived experiences to navigate what occurs during the learning process while they prepare for this critical exam. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, this dissertation draws on fourteen student interviews, seven that passed Step 1 on their first attempt, and seven that failed. Findings reveal …

The Kangaroo Care Project: Implementation Of Skin-To-Skin (Sts) In Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Bianca Wong, Katherine Do, Martha Calero, Lydia Nambala

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

Background: Skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care or kangaroo mother care, is an intervention typically done after birth to promote physiologic stability, bonding, and breastfeeding.

Aim: The Kangaroo Care project aimed to increase the incidence of skin-to-skin contact in the neonatal intensive care unit at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento.

Methods: A pre-survey was conducted to assess staff comfort with skin to skin. Interventions to increase skin-to-skin rates included staff e-learning, unplanned extubation mock codes, nurse champions, and a policy change to Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento’s handbook.

Results: TBD. Preliminary results indicated use of STS in the NICU and post-results …

Losing Control: Evaluative Access And The Limits Of Attributability In Angela Smith’S Theory Of Moral Responsibility, Henry Kissam

Honors Theses

The unwilling addict agent archetype–who wholeheartedly resolves to abstain from taking a drug but takes it regardless–is important to moral responsibility theorists for many reasons, but two in particular stand head-and-shoulders above the rest. The first is the frequency with which the archetype must be reckoned with through our everyday practices of moral assessment. It is not an idle thought experiment, pushing nothing but the theoretical limits of a particular theory. It is a near-ubiquitous presence in real, practical moral assessment. The second reason is a consequence of the first. Because we deal with the archetype frequently, we morally assess …

Cultural Roots Of Eating: A Comparative Analysis Of Organic Discourse And Marketing Practices In China And The United States, Zubing (Jane) Guo

Honors Theses

This thesis examines how cultural frameworks influence the development of the organic food market and shape individual attitudes towards the label “organic” in the U.S. and China. While the popularity of organic food has increased in recent years, cognitive and behavioral reactions toward the label “organic” have differed across societies. In the U.S., healthy eating discourse aligns closely with the individualistic culture and atomistic cognitive style, highlighting the importance of salient elements such as specific nutrients or chemical use. In contrast, Chinese healthy eating discourse is based on balance and harmony, which is directly related to traditional Chinese culture of …

Cool As An Aesthetic Quality, James Kirwan

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

To find a thing cool is to see it as the expression (directly, analogically, or by association) of a certain kind of character. It is primarily attributed to human beings perceived as autonomous to an enviable degree: indifferent to emotions that the perceiver experiences as oppressive. This grounding of cool in the attribution of an intrinsic quality to a person is revealed by the way the attribution may be checked by a perception of effort, vulnerability, or insensibility in their behavior. Objects other than human beings appear cool either by analogy or association with this primary attribution. In finding someone …

Supporting At-Risk Students Through Alternative Education: A Case Study On Reintegration, Behavior, And Stakeholder Perceptions At Sharpie Academy, Bryan O'Neal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a mixed-methods case study examining the effectiveness of Sharpie Academy, an alternative education program within the Chalkboard Champions School District. The study investigated three central research questions: (1) How does participation in the alternative learning environment at Sharpie Academy influence students' behavior upon reintegration into the traditional education setting? (2) What are the perceptions of parents, teachers, and community members regarding the program's outcomes? (3) How do these perceptions influence stakeholder support for the academy? Data was collected from 121 participants, including 43 students and 78 adult stakeholders, using participant observation, semi-structured interviews, surveys, and document analysis. …

Emotion Analysis And Neural Language Models For Classification, Andrew Mackey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emotion analysis is a branch of artificial intelligence and natural language processing focused on recognizing emotions hidden throughout various forms of digital data, including text, images, and multi-modal representations. In this dissertation, we present four published and planned works that investigate different methodologies for natural language analysis tasks using deep learning techniques. The first published work we present considers the task of identifying fake news using various text and emotion representations. We demonstrate that emotion representations combined with word embedding techniques can improve the accuracy of fake news classification. Our second published work further investigates the fake news classification task …

National Hero And Water Deity: The Worship Of Triệu Việt Vương In The Red River Delta, Vietnam, Huong Thi Nguyen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In my dissertation, the theory of collective memory will be deployed to address many questions regarding retaining, recovering, and re-creating the worship of King Triệu Việt Vương. He was a legendary, historical king of Vietnam who supposedly lived in the 6th century. His achievements were connected to the people living in the Red River Delta in their fight against the Liang invasion. The villagers who lived near or in this area also honored him for his spiritual power. They built a small temple/ shrine right by the riverbank to worship this King. The Vietnamese dynasties, Ly (in the 11th century), …

Better Floors, Better Health: A Theory Of Change For An Improved Household Flooring Intervention In Rural Communities In Kwale And Bungoma Counties, Kenya, Stella Kepha, Hugo Legge, Katherine E. Halliday, Victoria Ochwal, Lynne Elson, Jacinta Mwongeli, William E. Oswald, Beatrice Kakoi, James Wambua, Charles Mwandawiro, Ulrike Fillinger, Rachel Pullan, Doris Njomo

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Household flooring is increasingly being investigated as a determinant of health, however the pathways through which flooring may impact health and wellbeing are not yet well understood. The SABABU study is a cluster-randomised controlled trial evaluating the impact of an improved flooring intervention on soil-transmitted helminthiasis, tungiasis, and enteric infections in Bungoma and Kwale counties, Kenya. This paper presents the findings from a theory of change development process that was undertaken as part of the formative research phase of the SABABU project. Methods: A co-creation workshop (n = 1), stakeholder meetings (n = 2), and community meetings (n = …

Once Upon A Time: A Kinesthetic Approach To Teaching Evidence, Peter C. Alexander, Cheryl T. Page, Hannah G. Chapman

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

This Article describes and evaluates a kinesthetic, simulation-based approach to teaching Evidence at Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School. Departing from the traditional Langdellian, case-method model, one section of Evidence requires students to memorize and apply the Federal Rules of Evidence through a series of five scaffolded mini-trials built around fractured fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Drawing on the MacCrate Report, Bloom’s taxonomy, and Vygotsky’s theory of scaffolding, we situate this pedagogy within the broader movement toward experiential legal education and argue that Evidence—because of its centrality to litigation practice—is an ideal doctrinal course in which to integrate trial advocacy …

National Priorty Industry Linkage Fund (Npilf) Roundtable Report To Government, Faith Valencia-Forrester, Caroline Rueckert, Nicola Fish, Elizabeth J. Cook

Other Reports

The National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund (NPILF), introduced in 2021 and piloted from 2022 to 2024 with an extension year in 2025, significantly expanded and diversified Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) across Australian higher education. The fund aimed to increase WIL opportunities for students, grow the pipeline of STEM-skilled graduates and improve their employment outcomes, and support universities to develop and strengthen partnerships with industry. To reflect on NPILF’s impact and identify priorities for sustaining WIL quality, equity and industry engagement in the years ahead, WIL Australia convened a national roundtable in October 2025. The event brought together 126 participants from …

Entre La Sombra Y El Lienzo: Clea Dessendre Como Modelo De Personaje Secundario Complejo, Lydia Huijbregts Jaen, Antonio Horno López

GDI. Revista de investigación de Género, Diseño e Innovación

Introducción: Este artículo analiza a Clea Dessendre en Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, explorando su versión real y la pintada en el lienzo, y su impacto en la narrativa del juego. Metodología: Se aplicó un análisis narrativo, psicológico y ludológico, integrando teorías de duelo (Kübler-Ross), socialización (Baumrind) y comunicación (DiSC) vinculadas con la jugabilidad. Resultados: Clea-Real encarna disciplina y perfeccionismo; Clea-Pintada, una proyección maternal. El gameplay conecta su psicología con la experiencia del jugador. Discusión: Las identidades paralelas muestran cómo traumas y expectativas moldean personajes complejos. Conclusiones: Clea evidencia cómo la narrativa y la mecánica se fusionan para crear …

The Effect Of Zakat Compliance On Institutional Performance Through Strategic Planning As A Mediating Variable: An Applied Study At The General Authority Of Zakat, Yemen, Ali Nasser Al-Ahnomi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This study aims to analyze the mediating role of strategic planning in the relationship between zakat compliance and institutional performance in the General Authority for Zakat in Yemen, filling a research gap in fragile environments (Bin-Nashwan et al., 2021; Bryson, 2018).  The study employed a quantitative descriptive-analytical approach using a questionnaire as a key tool which was distributed to all administrative and functional leaders in the Authority and its branch in the capital, Sana'a, totaling 515, thereby representing a comprehensive survey of the research community. A total of 417 questionnaires were received. However, 398 were valid for final statistical analysis. …

Female Politicians And Corruption In Rural India, Somdeep Chatterjee, Shiv Hastawala, Elisa Taveras

School of Economics and Finance Faculty Publications

This paper leverages random assignment of female quotas for leadership positions on Indian village councils to assess its causal effect on corruption. Since the mid-1990s, India has mandated that at least one third of village council chief positions be randomly reserved for women. Using data from the Rural Economic and Demographic Survey (REDS) 2006, we find that an additional term reserved for a female head as opposed to just a single one reduces both the occurrence and bribe amounts paid to the local government by households. This reduction is also observed in bribes paid to other local officials suggesting downstream …