Digital Commons Network^™

From Page To Perspective: Book Clubs & Book Reviews Enhance Learning In The College Classroom, Kim Nehls

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Incorporating book clubs and book reviews into my International Business Capstone course (UNLV BUS 498) offered a dynamic and fun learning experience that enhanced both academic development and personal growth. Following this assignment, students demonstrated strengthened skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and global awareness.

Using Game-Based Learning As An Active Learning Technique In Nursing Education Classes, Margaret Trnka

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

In nursing education it is essential to prepare the students for complex clinical settings. The use of active learning activities such as game-based learning combines nursing content with gaming to increase engagement, knowledge retention, and critical thinking. This poster presentation shares information on game-based learning, how to use it, where to gather more information on the topic, and resources to implement game-based learning in the classroom. Game-based learning offers students an engaging and active way to learn in not just nursing education but all areas of education. Game-based learning is a strong activity that promotes deeper learning in both didactic …

How Not To Teach With Technology: A Lighthearted Look At Educational Technology Pitfalls, Alethea Inns, Safiyya Bintali, Andrew Borts, Ted Weisman, Lindsay Erdem

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Educational technology can be both a catalyst for engagement and a source of unexpected chaos. The Do's and Don'ts of Teaching with Technology: A Lighthearted Look at Educational Technology Pitfalls distills insights from IT support tickets, faculty consultations, and student feedback into practical (and lighthearted) DOs and DON’Ts. This poster highlights four key areas of tech use in higher education: Choosing the Right Tools, Setting Expectations, Avoiding Tech Overload, and Designing Intentionally, complete with comic-style illustrations and real-world wisdom. A companion guide, available via QR code, expands on these themes with additional examples, citations, and strategies for designing tech-enhanced learning …

Leveling The Playing Field: The Power Of Pre-Class Structure In Inclusive Education, Andrew Kauffman

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Many students enter UNLV without prior instruction on effective learning strategies or class preparation, and their limited classroom contact hours further hinder the development of essential study and self-regulation skills. This challenge is particularly pronounced among students from underrepresented and underserved communities. To address this, I created structured pre-class activities designed to equip students with effective study habits and learning strategies that support their success both in and out of the classroom. Before each class session, students complete a “Pre-Class Guided Practice” handout, which includes an overview of the new material, clearly defined learning objectives, a QR code linking to …

Helping Students Frame Their Educational Experiences, Nathan Slife, Joseph Ervin

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

What separates a good instructor from a great instructor? One crucial aspect of a great instructor is their ability to help students frame their educational experiences. This framing assistance occurs for both good and challenging student experiences. Instructors play an important role in helping students understand their educational experiences. An instructor may not recognize that they have such a role. We encourage instructors to be intentional about their role in students’ framing.

When Realism In Testing Backfires: Lessons From An Unstructured Practical Exam Pairing, Jennifer Nash

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Physical therapists must adapt quickly and independently in diverse neurologic settings. To reinforce diagnostic readiness and self-sufficiency, students were not assigned partners in advance and received their exam schedule only on the day of testing. This format was designed to challenge adaptability under realistic conditions, promote independent preparation across all course skills, and reduce reliance on rehearsed teamwork.

Designing Futures: Embedding Life Design Into Second-Year Seminar, Janel Doll, Lauren Gatto, Chelsie Hawkinson, Anne Jacklin

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

In COE 202: Second-Year Seminar (SYS), students engage in Life Design to build purpose-driven academic and career pathways. We use design thinking to help students:

• Identify values, strengths, and goals
• Explore possible life and career directions
• Reflect on academic choices in relation to future plans

Life Design Portfolio — Includes:

• Worldview & Lifeview reflections
• Odyssey Plans
• Decision-Making Matrix
• Prototyping conversations and experiences

Learning Outcomes:

• Apply design thinking to life and career planning
• Demonstrate reflective decision-making skills
• Articulate personal and professional values
• Connect coursework to long-term aspirations

One-Page Rpgs: An Engaging Alternative To Group Ppts, Bill Doyle

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Looking to increase student engagement and interest, I added the one-page RPG as an option my HON 110 students have for their group project. Ideally, student-designed games help them think more carefully about class readings and related contexts and connect meaningfully to that material in ways that make the Honors College’s second-year seminar a more memorable, transformative experience. These games also help students better understand a potentially unfamiliar genre. Finally, because materials are shared outside of class, there is a reduced stress level related to conventional, in-front-of-the-class, end-of-semester group presentations.

No More Deer In The Headlights: Interview Practice With Ai, Helen R. Neill

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Ever had a student (or been the student) who froze like a deer in headlights during an interview? Been there. Whether it’s for a job, graduate school, or a conversation with a potential mentor, high-stakes interviews can spark panic. This teaching practice introduces AI-powered mock interviews to give students—both traditional and adult learners—a low-pressure space to prepare. Using AI, students rehearse:

• Informational interviews
• Job interviews
• Graduate school and assistantship interviews

Why it works: Students receive meaningful, low-stakes practice and instant feedback on tone, clarity, and content. They can revise, retry, and gain confidence with each round. This approach also supports …

Real-World Applications: Strategies To Inspire Students To Learn Calculus And Differential Equations Through Modeling, Aleksei Talonov

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Key elements of strategy to inspire students include:

• Pre-Class Preparation;
• Historical Context (Starting each lecture with a brief historical overview to provide relevance and context to the material);
• Interactive Real-Life Problem Solving (Discussing the main concepts of the lecture and collaboratively solving challenging problems);
• Proof Techniques (Demonstrating mathematical methods used to prove key statements from the current lesson);
• Real-Time Feedback.

Supporting Effective Online Teaching And Learning, Serena Scalzi

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Literature identifies numerous related concepts that support effective online education. These concepts include identity, mental models, social presence, motivation, social learning, self-regulated learning, communities of practice, cognitive load, and Universal Design for Learning. After a review of the literature, action research was conducted among participants from across the field of Online Education, including instructors, instructional designers, and embedded instructional technologists. This research collected and analyzed data regarding the practical application of these theoretical concepts, as well as the techniques, tools, and resources to support this application. The result of this action research project was a set of proven best practices …

Oh, The Lessons You'll Teach! Bringing Dr. Seuss Into Graduate Field Work, Megan Griffard

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Teaching Practice and the Need It Addresses

• Incorporated classic Dr. Seuss children's literature into graduate Educational Policy and Leadership field experience coursework.
• Used one story per class session to guide discussions and activities.
• Connected themes from four Dr. Seuss books to students’ real-world work on school improvement initiatives.
• Literature supported students’ year-long capstone projects, helping them

Co-Creating Learning Journeys, Yvonne Houy

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Viewing education as a journey of exploration and discovery, I invite students to co-create our path. As a “guide on the side,” I help students build a foundation while encouraging autonomy through co-creation—where students contribute to course design, content, assessment, and learning activities. This collaborative approach fosters deeper engagement, critical thinking, and meaningful learning. Research shows co-creation improves academic performance, skill development, and student-staff relationships. Instructors can support this by framing learning as exploration, modeling curiosity, building inclusive learning communities, and offering flexible, student-driven curricular choices that include research, topic proposals, and the creation of assessments based on co-developed content.

Thesis Equations: A Standard Formula To Help Craft A Thesis Statement, Meanna Williams

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Thesis Equations is an outlining method that can be used for writing argumentative papers. It proposes a formulaic structure that acts as a base for students to craft a simple thesis. Students need to know how to make a claim. With the emergence of AI use, and the decreasing knowledge of foundational practices, utilizing proper brainstorming and outlining skills persists to be a difficult task for student writers.

Designing And Implementing A Classification Model For Mangoes Based On Size And Ripeness Using Image Processing, An Van Vo, Hau Van Mai, Hung Duy Ha, Tam Thanh Bui

Makara Journal of Technology

Image processing is an advanced technology that significantly supports production, identification, and quality control for fruits. This paper uses image processing techniques to develop a mango classification system based on size and ripeness. The system integrates hardware, including an Arduino microcontroller, camera, sensors, actuators, and a user-friendly computer interface for monitoring and control. The classification algorithm extracts key features of the mangoes, such as their color and shape, to categorize them into predefined quality classes. Experimental results demonstrate that the system achieves an accuracy exceeding 90% for both ripeness and size classification, with a productivity level of 300 kg/hour, surpassing …

Cottonseed Polyol-Based Composite Evaluated With Inorganic Fillers, Kehinde Esther Ayodeji

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Composites are extensively utilized as raw materials in an industry. In this study, we synthesized polymer composites, cottonseed oil polyol-based composites, incorporating inorganic fillers. This synthesis process involves the epoxidation of cottonseed oil followed by ring opening. Various characteristics of the polyol, such as the presence and quantity of hydroxyl groups (-OH), iodine value, and viscosity, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was determined. The composite samples were prepared by mixing different fillers (SiO₂, TiO₂, and Al₂O₃). These composite formulations underwent three-week processing period, with each filler being incorporated at room temperature. …

Detection Of Mthfr C677t Genotyping For Spina Bifida Defects Using Arms-Pcr Technique, Halah Kamal Al-Qazzaz, Zahraa F. Al-Khero, Hameed Husham Hameed

Baghdad Science Journal

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are complex structural deformities in newborn infants. These defects are caused by a blend of genetic and environmental factors in the abnormal phenotype. The current study aims to determine the genetic variation polymorphism for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T rs180133 genotyping and to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a DNA sample of Spinal Bifida (SB) and compare it with control newborn children. Blood samples were collected from newborns (50 children under one year old) (25 cases of spinal bifida (SB) and 25 controls). The DNA was extracted and amplified by the tetra ARMS-PCR technique (Amplification Refractory …

Correction: A Mapping Review And Critique Of The Literature On Translation, Dissemination, And Implementation Capacity Building Initiatives For Different Audiences, Ana A Baumann, Danielle R Adams, Laura-Mae Baldwin, Rachel G Tabak, Sara Malone, Maura M Kepper, Anita D Misra-Hebert, Kathleen R Stevens, Maria E Fernandez, Sunil Kripalani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This corrects the article "A mapping review and critique of the literature on translation, dissemination, and implementation capacity building initiatives for different audiences", 34.

States-In-Waiting: A Counternarrative Of Global Decolonization, Sannoy Das

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

How should we, international lawyers, especially with an interest in history, apprehend the experience of, and the horizon of expectation that opened up with, the dissolution of European empires in the decades following the end of World War II? We know that during these decades a Eurocentric international order marked by alien rule and the denial of statehood to large swathes of the world's population was nominally transformed into one marked by sovereign equality. Triumphalist accounts of progress would yoke this transformation to the realization of other good things such as human rights, and economic development.But more commonly today, we …

Caregivers’ Satisfaction With And Perceived Cultural Sensitivity Of A Modification Of A Child Injury Prevention Program For Spanish-Speaking Families, Karen Padilla

Honors Theses

Unintentional injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States. Caregivers play a critical role in reducing children’s risk of injury by adopting appropriate supervision behaviors and engaging in safety-proofing practices. The Supervising for Home Safety (SHS) program is a video-based intervention developed to increase caregiver supervision for children ages 2–5 by targeting beliefs about injury vulnerability, injury preventability, and self-efficacy for implementing safety precautions. While SHS has demonstrated effectiveness in English-speaking populations, no research has examined its adaptation and impact among Spanish-speaking caregivers. This study aimed to examine caregivers perceived cultural sensitivity and satisfaction with …

Daca’S Impact On Recipients: Interviews With Three Daca Recipients From Michigan, Jazmin Moron

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the lived experiences of three Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients residing in Michigan. It examines how DACA has impacted their lives across three distinct phases: pre-DACA, while applying for DACA, and post-DACA. Through qualitative, semi-structured interviews, this research uncovers key themes: normal childhood, proof of presence, skeptical DACA future, and restricted immigration pathways. While DACA offered recipients increased opportunities in education, employment, and stability, it also imposed systemic challenges such as costly renewals, limited career growth, and continued legal uncertainty. By focusing on Michigan—a state with a relatively small Hispanic/Latino population—this study highlights the unique …

How New Mass Transit Affects Labor Markets: The Honolulu Skyline, Justin Tyndall

Upjohn Institute Policy and Research Briefs

No abstract provided.

Synergetic Effects Of Spironolactone And Dehydro-Cortistatin A On Hiv Suppression, Alexander Lopez

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses

HIV remains a significant challenge due to its ability to establish latent reservoirs in CD4+ T cells, requiring lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART). As part of the general effort to find a functional cure for HIV, this study investigated the effects of spironolactone (SP) and dehydro-cortistatin A (dCA) on HIV expression, both individually and in combination, using J-Lat 10.6 cell models. Cells were treated with SP (10 μM), dCA (20 nM), and a combination of both drugs in a longitudinal study, with samples collected at multiple time points. Results indicate that both SP and dCA individually suppress HIV expression compared to …

Content Analysis Of Food Items In Youtube Videos Viewed By Children, Julie M. Zaituna, Tiffany Munzer, Sarah Morris, Jane Harness, Megan H. Pesch

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background: Children have historically been a target of the food advertising industry because their preferences for certain foods are known to be shaped by food portrayals in digital media. In the most popular YouTube videos with child influencers, 90% featured ultra-processed and branded food products. Given the algorithmic specificity in YouTube, some children may be differentially exposed to more ultra-processed or branded food content; however, no studies have examined YouTube video characteristics or family characteristics associated with such food content.

Objective: To examine YouTube video characteristics and child and caregiver characteristics associated with greater exposures to ultra-processed or branded food …

Ai-Generated Content And Copyright Infringement: Analyzing Corporate Liability In The Era Of Artificial Intelligence, Gloria Domingos, Dr. Daria Koucherets

Seattle University Law Review Online

Recent lawsuits by major content creators against artificial intelligence companies have brought a critical legal question to the forefront: Under current U.S. copyright law, can AI companies be held liable for direct copyright infringement when their systems generate outputs that substantially mirror protected works? This question has gained particular urgency as AI systems like ChatGPT and DALL-E demonstrate increasingly sophisticated capabilities to generate content that may replicate elements of copyrighted materials.

The answer, based on current legal precedent and statutory frameworks, is that AI companies can likely be held liable for direct copyright infringement. However, traditional tests for establishing such …

Hegemonic Masculinity: Exploring How Asian And Pacific Islander Emerging Adult Males Describe Masculinity, Eman'on Wanderer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The phenomenon of hegemonic masculinity presents a significant mental health concern among diverse emerging adult males. This generic qualitative study was an exploration of the perspectives of Asian and Pacific Islander emerging adult males regarding their descriptions of masculinity. Gender schema theory (GST) is the foundational framework of this study. Rooted in social cognitive theory, GST exemplifies how environmental factors shape the initial development of gender identity and the enduring effects this gendering has on cognitive processes throughout an individual's life. The primary research question in this study was: How do Asian and Pacific Islander emerging adult males describe masculinity? …

Navigating Ethical Dimensions In The Metaverse: Challenges, Frameworks, And Solutions, Mousa Al-Kfairy, Saed Alrabaee, Omar Alfandi, Amr Taha Mohamed, Souheil Khaddaj

All Works

The Metaverse is rapidly evolving into a transformative digital ecosystem, bringing with it unprecedented opportunities and a complex array of ethical challenges. This narrative review, based on an in-depth analysis of 105 full publications, explores the key ethical themes associated with the Metaverse, including privacy and data security, identity and behavior, digital inclusivity, mental and physical health, ethical AI, content moderation, intellectual property, governance, environmental sustainability, harassment, cultural representation, and economic implications. Proposed solutions for these challenges encompass privacy-by-design frameworks, robust identity verification systems, equitable access initiatives, explainable AI, and blockchain-based intellectual property protections. Additionally, the review examines governance and …

"It's Not Your Job To Save The World, Young Women": Evangelical Women On Social Media, Ilaria P. Johnson

Master's Theses

Masters research thesis on the role of evangelical influencers on social media in spreading their beliefs on conservative politics, Christian motherhood, and Christian womanhood. Five Instagram accounts are analyzed and profiled.

Spectrum Of Congenital Anomalies Detected Through Anatomy Ultrasound At A Referral Hospital In Ghana, Alim Swarray-Deen, Morgan Yapundich, Sarah Boudova, Kwaku Doffour-Dapaah, Jeff Osei-Agyapong, Perez Sepenu, Alex K. Boateng, Teresa A. Mensah, Patrick Anum, Nana Essuman Oduro, Theophilus Adu-Bredu, Promise E. Sefogah, Jerry Coleman, Samuel A. Oppong

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Africa has a high burden of congenital anomalies due in part to limited preconception care, infections, and environmental exposures. However, the true prevalence of congenital anomalies is unclear because of insufficient access to prenatal diagnostic services. We aimed to determine the rate of congenital anomalies, and characterize the anomalies detected prenatally at a referral hospital in Ghana.

METHODS: We performed a four-year retrospective review of all fetal anomaly ultrasounds performed and congenital anomalies detected from January 1st, 2020, to December 31st, 2023, at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana. Data were extracted from the electronic database on maternal age, …

2025-04-25 Minutes Of The Executive Committee Of The Academic Senate, University Of Dayton. Academic Senate. Executive Committee

ECAS Minutes

Approved minutes of a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate of the University of Dayton.