Digital Commons Network^™

Disciplinary Literacy In Preschool Classrooms, Mckenna Beam

Graduate Teacher Education

The research questioned the potential impact disciplinary literacy may have on academic growth in early childhood classrooms and considered how preschool teachers can implement developmentally appropriate practices focusing on disciplinary literacy to support academic readiness skills. Schools emphasize a need for early intervention in the math and literacy domains to combat the academic achievement gap, but Chapin (2006) recognized a need for early intervention in the science and social studies domains as well. With this knowledge in mind, specific developmentally appropriate methods for integrating science, social studies, music, and art instruction in preschool classrooms were highlighted. Systemic methods of implementing …

The Role Of Parental Involvement In Student Academic Achievement In Lutheran Schools, Andrew Strickland

Graduate Teacher Education

Parental involvement in academic achievement and faith formation are often studied, yet they are still necessary topics to understand the methods and means to involve parents. Shifts in social dynamics have led to a decline in parental involvement in schools, including declines in involvement in Lutheran schools. This research focused on examining the impact of parent involvement on academic achievement and explored the connection between parent involvement and faith formation in Lutheran schools. Parents' and educators' perceptions of involvement formed the first aspect of the review. Studies on school and parental perceptions examined differing views in preschool and adolescence. Research …

Lindenwood University Spring Fashion Show And Market (May 3, 2025), Lindenwood University

Fashion Show Event Programs & Related Items

Program for the Lindenwood University Spring Fashion Show and Market (May 3, 2025).

Validating A Reading Comprehension Assessment For College Students: Preliminary Findings, Sarah E. Carlson, Virginia Clinton-Lisell, Terrill Taylor, Heather Ness-Maddox, Amanda Dahl, Mark L. Davison, Ben Seipel

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to validate a novel reading comprehension assessment for college students named MOCCA-College. A random sample of college students (N = 63, average age of 22.5) were recruited from various education programs (e.g., first-year courses, TRIO, SONA) and completed MOCCA-College Online and were later recruited to complete face-to-face think-aloud and recall tasks, as well as standardized assessments such as the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT) and the Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE-2). Based on the think-aloud findings, correct answers on MOCCA-College were associated with meaningful connections to background knowledge. Incorrect answers were associated with …

Assessing Implications Through General Strain Theory: Comparative Analysis Of Crime Rates In Flint And Pontiac Michigan, Jennifer Harrison

Honors Projects

Flint, Michigan suffered a city water change from the Great Lake’s Lake Huron water pipeline to an old system using the Flint River as the main source of water (Reuben, et al., 2022). The change took place in an effort to make budget cuts (Denchak, 2024). The switch occurred before checking the safety of the pipes, which were severely corroded (Reuben, et al., 2022). Lead poisoning and Legionnaires disease spread through the Flint community and the water was visibly not safe for use (Reuben, et al., 2022). The people of Flint experienced stress that they could not control. They feared …

Composition Honors Recital And Lecture, Hannah Simmers

Honors Projects

This project demonstrates compositional techniques and development. It provides a view on the writing process of musical compositions and an analysis on the different components of the pieces. The project included public speaking, where I spoke about each piece and different aspects of the pieces to listen for. A large portion of my role before the recital consisted of organizing musicians, creating a program, and writing my essay.

Shepherds Of Loss: Religion And Grief In The Shenandoah Valley, Ewan Benjamin

Honors Projects

This study explores the relationship between faith leaders and religious communities with the human experience of grief, death, and loss. Inspired by the researcher's own experience, this paper argues that the United States has a generally uncomfortable relationship with death and hypothesizes that religious traditions can serve to assist with grief in a positive way. After interviewing six religious leaders in the Shenandoah Valley, two themes arose: the mystery of death and the concept of "making space" for the grieving, dying, and dead. In the paper's conclusion, the faith leaders make known their own concerns with death in the United …

Revolutions In July: A Decade Of Unrest 1958-1968, Eric Wilbur

Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Jtc 25: Drum Major With A Mission, Andrea Drummond

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2025 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Models Of Inquiry And The Learner: A Fresh Look, David Vickers Loertscher, Michelle Young

Learning Hub

This article re-examines models of inquiry through a learner-centered lens, challenging traditional notions of how information fluency is taught in school libraries. Drawing from decades of inquiry research and current developments like artificial intelligence, design thinking, and student motivation science, the authors advocate for a more personalized, visual, and student-driven approach to inquiry instruction. Key examples include student-generated inquiry models and visual representations of learning journeys as tools for assessment and reflection. The article also explores the librarian’s role in embedding inquiry across disciplines and collaborating with educators to foster critical, creative, and self-directed learners. Practical proposals include the use …

Bridging The Gap: A Structured Curriculum For Occupational Therapy Students On Level Ii Fieldwork In Acute Care, Caroline Cameron, Otr/L

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Culminating Presentations

Introduction: Students achieve entry-level competence through didactic education and fieldwork (Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education [ACOTE], 2023). However, transitioning from student to practitioner can be challenging (Mason et al., 2020). Research has identified challenging areas globally across fieldwork settings environment (Knecht-Sabres et al., 2013; Mason et al., 2020) and specifically in the acute care. These challenges indicate a compelling need to cultivate lacking skills and close the gap between students' didactic curriculum and clinical placement in acute care, where supervisors have the highest expectations for students (Kemp & Crabtree, 2018).

Objectives: This project aimed to develop an educational program …

Doctor Of Medicine Commencement: May 3, 2025, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Doctor of Medicine Commencement program from May 3, 2025.

Empowering Occupational Therapists: Integrating 3d Printing Into Rehabilitation For Spinal Cord Injury Patients, Juliana Sullivan, Ms, Otr/L, Cbis

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Culminating Presentations

Introduction: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) encounter significant challenges in performing activities of daily living (ADLs). Adaptive equipment (AE) is widely recognized as essential for enhancing ADL participation, which in turn improves quality of life, autonomy, and long-term functional outcomes (Sturm et al., 2021). However, access to AE is hindered by barriers such as lack of personalization, lesion level, financial limitations, and limited rehabilitation access (Hertig-Godeschalk et al., 2017). 3D printing to create custom AE can increase patient satisfaction, adherence, and participation (Schwartz et al., 2019). Occupational therapists (OTs) working in inpatient rehabilitation focus on maximizing patient independence before …

To Trade Or Not To Trade, Joseph Mizrahi

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review (CICLR) Blog

A free trade policy is one in which there is minimal or no government influence on the import and export of goods and services. Free trade agreements are deals entered into between multiple nations to reduce impediments and barriers on imports and exports between them. Under these agreements commerce in goods and services can occur with reduced or no tariffs, quotas, or other inhibitions. The concept of free trade which these agreements is the opposite of trade protectionism, under which countries work to protect their interests with tariffs.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law …

Ceasefires, Proportionality, And International Law Of Armed Conflicts: The Legal Implications Of Israel’S Ground Invasion After Signing A Ceasefire With Palestine, Emma Lee

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review (CICLR) Blog

Israel signed a ceasefire with Palestine on January 17, 2025, after 15 months of war following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. During the initial attack, Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and seized 251 Israeli hostages. A key part of the ceasefire involved the return of these hostages.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review on May 03, 2025. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above.

The Future Of International Ecosystem-Based Conservation, Gwyneth Zinan Chen

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review (CICLR) Blog

One does not have to search on the internet to conclude that our home, Earth, had greatly changed since its birth approximately 4.6 billion years ago. Perhaps, what is the most obvious is how our Earth went from being blue, green, and brown landscapes to a world of concrete jungles. Inevitably, there will be biodiversity and habitat loss. Biodiversity loss, as defined by United Nations office for Disaster Risk Reduction “refers to the reduction of any aspect of biological diversity (i.e.., diversity at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels) in a particular area through death (including extinction), destruction or manual …

Public And Private Police And Their Impact On Crime: Evidence From American Universities, Cruz K. Marquis

Honors Capstones

This study quantitatively assesses the effect of fully deputized private police (FDPP) on nine measures of crime on 770 American university campuses over thirteen years. Building on the analysis of FDPP found in Stringham (2015), this study offers a public choice analysis of the incentives resulting from private ownership, positing that officers serving in such systems face systemically different incentives than their public counterparts, leading to a more vigilant and consumer-focused security posture. This increases the likelihood that criminals will be apprehended, which thereby reduces the expected utility of criminality, leading to fewer such instances. By building a unique dataset …

Jtc 25: Writing Her Own Path, Harrison Holley

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2025 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Make Some Noise: The Intersection Of Music Therapy And Classroom Management, Erica Ewell

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review defines and explores the themes at the intersection of music therapy and mental health counseling techniques and general education practices for classroom management. This work explores how general education teachers, who are not therapists or musicians, might use music to engage students so that their classrooms feel safe (physically and emotionally), productive, and ideally, fun. From recent and relevant literature in music therapy, psychology, and education journals as well as classroom management guidebooks grounded in trauma-informed theory, five major themes emerged: (1) Student Intrinsic/Extrinsic Motivation, (2) Student-Teacher Relationships (3) Social/Emotional Learning, (4) Psychological Safety/Well-Being in School, and …

Exploring Self-Portraiture As A Means Of Centering Sessions With A Resistant Client, Brenna L. Almborough

Expressive Therapies Theses

This study intended to explore how self-portraiture could be used in a therapeutic setting as a means of processing self-identity, increasing self-confidence, and working through defenses to center the session on the participant. The findings of increased independent artistic engagement, shift in contact, and increased authenticity reflect the work done with a single client in a therapeutic setting. This methodology utilized a client-centered approach, and each directive was tailored to the participant. A variety of portraits were used, ranging from abstract to representational, as a means of continuously exploring the way the participant viewed themself.

The Interlace: Creating Suburban Connections, Annikka Fairfield

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Many cities in the United States are designed based on suburban sprawl, which contributes to excessive automobile-dependency and unwelcoming streets for pedestrians, and metro Atlanta is no exception. Alpharetta, Georgia is a growing city with the potential to become a more walkable suburban city. Alpharetta can be invigorated along specific corridors at the human scale to increase both walkability and connectivity by focusing on pedestrian wellbeing. Research shows that Biophilia's various facets have the power to improve human wellbeing. Prospect, refuge, and presence of water were selected to guide the thesis design. Urban-scale precedents like the Beltline in Atlanta, Georgia …

Site U1309, A. M. Mccaig, S. Q. Lang, P. Blum, N. Abe, W. Brazelton, R. Coltat, J. R. Deans, K. L. Dickerson, M. Godard, B. E. John, F. Klein, R. Kuehn, K. Y. Lin, C. J. Lissenberg, H. Liu, E. L. Lopes, T. Nozaka, A. J. Parsons, V. Pathak, M. K. Reagan, J. A. Robare, I. P. Savov, E. Schwarzenbach, O. J. Sissmann, G. Southam, F. Wang, C. G. Wheat

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Secondary Principals’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Role Of Principals In Supporting Teacher Engagement In Professional Development, E. Rachel Evans

Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative research study explored the perspectives of secondary principals and teachers in an East Tennessee School District regarding the influence of secondary principals’ instructional leadership behaviors on active teacher engagement in professional development. I used questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect data from 8 secondary principals and 30 secondary teachers at the top five performing schools based on the average professional development hours earned per teacher. In the study, I examined the instructional leadership behaviors of framing the school goals, communicating the school goals, incentivizing teachers and learning, and promoting professional development. Findings revealed an apparent disconnect between the …

Frank O'Hara: The Figure That Remains, Madeline T. Zafon-Whalen

The Criterion

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Parental Mental Health On Children’S Mental Health In Childhood And Later Adulthood: A Systematic Literature Review, Chloe Steffel, Yujun Liu

Honors Capstones

Through reviewing and examining existing literature on parental mental health and children’s mental health in childhood and adulthood this paper aims to examine two areas (1) the various ways that parental mental health affects an offspring’s mental health, and (2) factors that are associated with the relationships between parental mental health and children’s mental health in adulthood. In terms of the scope, both the biological/genetic and environmental/social influences were included in the review to detect factors that play vital roles in contributing to the development of certain mental health disorders among children. These adverse exposures and mental health were further …

Susan Pedigo Bids Farewell With Wisdom And Warmth, Marisa C. Atkinson

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – After 25 years of inspiring those around her to enjoy the journey and remain curious, Susan Pedigo delivered her last lecture at the University of Mississippi.

Variant Minds: Designing For Neurodiversity In Office Spaces, Maya Schiltz

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

By recognizing and accommodating the natural diversity in human cognition, neurodiversity, Variant Minds proposes an inclusive office design strategy that supports both neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals alike.

Originally used in reference to Autism, the term “neurodiversity” now encompasses a broader range of conditions, including ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Alzheimer’s, depression, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and Tourette’s syndrome. With an estimated 1 in 5 of the global population being neurodivergent, designing for inclusivity is both a moral imperative and a strategic advantage. Neurodiverse individuals bring unique strengths to the workplace, such as innovative thinking, strong pattern recognition, and heightened attention to detail. Studies …

Understanding Practices And Perceptions Of Teaching Sexual Pleasure In Undergraduate Anatomy & Physiology, Julia M. Bogunia

Honors Capstones

It is well established that sexual health is a crucial component of individual health and wellbeing. The WHO defines sexual health with emphasis on the equal importance of positive sexual experiences and absence of negative sexual health outcomes (WHO, 2006). In the classroom, instructors play a vital role in helping students learn, such as those heading towards health fields. The current study investigated what instructors’ practices and perceptions of teaching sexual pleasure are in undergraduate A&P courses. We used the Woodbury and Gess-Newsome’s Teacher-Centered Systemic Reform Model as a framework and adapted for the context of sexual pleasure. Six semi-structured …

School Of Education Honors Late Educator's Legacy Of Service, Don Feitel

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi School of Education has posthumously inducted Jeanne Carter Luckey, a champion for accessible education and community service across the state, into its Hall of Fame.

Jtc 25: The Teacher She Never Had, Marvis Herring

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2025 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.