Higher Education Commons^™

A Gravity Model Of International Student Flows, Luciana Mendoza, Samuel Schreyer

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Our research aims to use a gravity model to assess the importance of geographical distance and other macroeconomic factors associated with the destination country chosen by students when pursuing tertiary education abroad. We analyze a large sample of data that includes international students from nearly every country in the world from 2013 to 2021. Our results indicate that geographical distance is an important factor when students choose to study abroad and that this effect is most pronounced for students from lower-income countries. We also find that the flow of international students became more sensitive to geographical distance as the years …

Child Soldiers Of Verona: The Antiauthoritarian Antiwar Subtext Of Romeo And Juliet, Carl L. Sage

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Common practice has Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet identified as a tragic love story, which has antecedents tracing back as far as Pyramus and Thisbe by Ovid. Though valid, this interpretation plumbs only a limited portion of the text. It is the position of this paper that, like Shakespeare’s later work Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet was written with a political subtext in mind. Both texts play on the social memory of the War of the Roses, as well as continuing sectarian strife between Protestant and Roman Catholic adherents contemporaneous to the era. However, while Macbeth served to prop up the …

Construct Validation Of A Learning Resources Rubric [Lrr]: A Modified Delphi Study, Lei Wang, Andrew Feldstein, Tiffany Koszalka

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study delivers a comprehensive exploration of the construct validation of the LRR, employing a Modified Delphi study coupled with Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling to analyze data. Through rigorous analysis involving 576 expert instructional designers, the study achieves consensus on the LRR’s multifaceted indicators, evidenced by high I-CVI values, confirming their relevance, appropriateness, and robustness. The combination of quantitative and qualitative data, including surveys, focus groups, and online document analysis, establishes the rubric’s validity and points to areas for refinement. Grounded in alignment with three well-established deeper learning theories (Generative Learning Theory, Cognitive Flexibility Theory, and Reflection …

Understanding Implications Of Restaurants In A Post-Pandemic World:​ A Tourism And Hospitality Case Study For La Tasca, Callyn Anderson, Marisol Banda, Katie Hale

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The impact of COVID-19 has had implications for every single lifestyle and business (Sharma et al., 2022). Not only did it impact the economy, but the service industry took the brunt of it. The industries most affected by COVID-19 over the period January 2020 to January 2022 included “airlines, automobiles, energy equipment and services, hotels-restaurants-leisure, and specialty retail (Vidovic, 2022). When airlines and recreation parts of the industry did not return to pre- pandemic levels in November of 2021, the United States saw a reflection of the appeal for more local tourism (Linn et al., 2022). Local tourism, including restaurants, …

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (Ai) For Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Presentations, Christine Hober

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Objective: The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive pilot study was to determine best approaches for incorporating generative artificial intelligence (AI) into nursing research change project poster disseminations.

Methodology: Following structured course implementation of normally assigned research posters, process modifications for best practices using AI were implemented within infancy parameters.

Findings: Pending further project analysis. Preliminary study findings using aggregated Likert-type survey data analyzed via SPSS © Paired T-Test and open-ended comments using Thematic Analysis via Dedoose©.

Conclusion: This pilot project analyzed transformative applications of generative AI for in person and virtual classroom use of the art and science of nursing …

Successful Rocket Launch In Argonia, Seungyou Cho

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The object of launching the PK-56 (The name of the kit) rocket is how to take off and land safely using the parachute deployment. To inspect the engineering process, I tried to get an L1 certification from Tripoli Rocketry Association who is judging whether the rocket was flying stable. This consisted of building the structure, deployment system, engine system, anddesigning process. The most important thing was to read the instructions thoroughly, and to build a safe rocket.

Since launching high-power rockets needs a comprehensive understanding of those processes, I tested with small rocket with a motor that impulses 1.26 N …

Detecting The 2-Micron Plasmid In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Caitlin C. Allen, Eric T. Gillock

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This research is a continuation of work started by a previous student, Camryn Greving. Camryn was screening for the presence of the 2-micron plasmid using PCR primers specific for the REP2 gene, devised by Nakayashiki et al. In this research, we confirmed the presence of the plasmid by using primers specific for the RAF1 gene, which were designed by Strope et al.

Impact Of Exercise On Burnout Of Nursing Students, Kelly Foudray

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Background: An important topic as a nurse educator is how to provide nursing students with adequate self-care strategies to help prevent feelings of burnout. Burnout is an issue not only that affects healthcare workers, but also those who are studying to work in the medical field, for example nursing students. Nursing students experience high levels of stress due to the significant workload throughout nursing school. Nursing students also go through a rigorous curriculum that is often inflexible. Many nursing programs have a competitive atmosphere among classmates, and they are also preparing for the NCLEX examination. All these factors can …

Ty4 Retrotransposon Presence In Yeast Strains, Maria P. Walters, Eric T. Gillock

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Yeast is used in everyday life. It is important to understand the genetic components of yeast. In various laboratory yeast strains, there are findings of TY1, TY2, and TY3. TY1 through TY3 have been well studied, while TY4 and TY5 are retroelements that have yet to be thoroughly studied. It is known that TY4 is found at only one to three copies per haploid genome.

TY4 is a retrotransposon, which shares similarities with retroviruses, making it essential to study its presence in

yeast. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of TY4 among lab strains, brewing strains, and baking strains …

Using Artificial (Ai) To Predict A Structure Of Protein Complex, Yiqing Zang

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Proteins play pivotal roles in essential life processes and elucidating their three-dimensional (3D) structures is crucial for understanding their functions. AlphaFold2, an advanced artificial intelligence-based method developed by Google DeepMind, has emerged as a promising tool for predicting protein structures. In this study, we evaluated the predictive capabilities of AlphaFold2. Our findings highlight AlphaFold2's efficacy in providing valuable insights into protein structure prediction, albeit with certain limitations. While AlphaFold2 represents a significant advancement in the field, its utility is best realized when integrated with complementary experimental approaches. Consequently, combining the strengths of AlphaFold2 with experimental validation remains essential for achieving …

Simulating Continuous Gravitational Waves, Ivan Mihael Villalba Moran

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Using a table-top Michelson Interferometer to replicate Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) arrangement, we use sound waves to simulate Continuous Gravitational Waves (CWs). Using the NumPy package in Python programming, we recover the frequency of the injected sinusoidal signal using the mathematics of the Fourier Transform. Currently, we are trying to implement the Hidden Markov Model along with the Viterbi Algorithm as a method to detect Wandering Continuous Gravitational Waves.

Anything But Another Essay: Understanding Undergraduate Stem Student Perceptions Of Creative, Project-Based Learning, Emily M. Redding, Lorelei E. Patrick

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The training of innovative and diverse scientists starts with creative teaching practices. Much of the pedagogy literature on incorporating nontraditional teaching practices in college STEM courses focuses on the use of in-class active learning activities. Less study has been devoted to creative, project-based assignments, such as “UnEssays”. The “UnEssay” is a semester-long assignment that challenges students to complete a library research project on a topic of their choosing and present it using anything but an essay. Although gaining popularity, few studies have assessed STEM student's perceptions of the assignments. To do so, Zoology students were asked to complete pre- and …

Screening Environmental Soil Samples For Antibiotic Production, Paige Mattick

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Antibiotic resistance is a detrimental worldwide challenge, producing bacterial infections that are progressively more difficult to treat and cure. To attempt to help alleviate this issue, we screened soil samples for the presence of antibiotic-producing microorganisms. Soil samples were collected and diluted to 1:100 and 1:1000 ratios of soil and distilled water. These soil mixtures were then streaked onto tryptic soy agar (TSA) plates and incubated at 30℃ until colonies developed. These colonies were then selected and plated on a lawn of Serratia marcescens, which was utilized as the target organism.

Serratia marcescens was selected due to its known resistance …

Utilizing Mindful Mediation To Reduce Burnout And Compassion Fatigue In Emergency Department Nurses, Allison Hickman

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The purpose of this paper is to examine if implementing mindful meditation can reduce burnout and compassion fatigue in emergency department nurses. Methods. The research pulled from a sample size of 12. Six emergency nurses from varying shifts were given techniques and instructor guided meditations after taking a ProQOL survey and then six emergency nurses from varying shifts on took the ProQOL survey and did not receive any meditation. The sample of twelve then retook the ProQOL to compare compassion fatigue results. Results. The research showed a positive relation between those who were given mindful meditation techniques and those who …

Ungrading’S Affect On Student Agency In The Education Classroom, Linda E. Feldstein, Robyn Hartman, Janet Stramel

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study investigates the impact of ungraded classroom evaluation structures on students' development of agency for learning. Through survey research comparing traditionally graded classes with those employing ungrading practices, student responses are analyzed. Results suggest potential increases in student agency among those in ungraded classes. This challenges prevailing education practices, highlighting the shift towards student-centered, formative learning experiences when agency is actively encouraged.

Lgbtq+ Youth In The Juvenile Justice System, Matthias B. Pearce, April Terry

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Many experts agree that the juvenile justice system has flaws, resulting in the need for different modifications. One area of particular concern within the juvenile justice system is the involvement of LGBTQ+ youth. LGBTQ+ youth are grossly overrepresented in both the juvenile and adult systems, including those who are incarcerated. This rate is highest for queer women and trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals (Buist, 2020; Donohue et al., 2021; Hereth & Bouris, 2020). This known pathway clearly depicts a systemic issue—one that warrants attention and remediation. This poster provides background information on the disparities that exist for LGBTQ+ youth …

Juvenile Recidivism Rates, Logan Stump, April Terry

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Juvenile crime peaked in the 1990s and has been on a downward decline since that time. However, youth remain overly represented in various stages of the juvenile and criminal legal systems. This poster outlines known criminogenic and non-criminogenic risk factors that influence juvenile offending. These risk factors have been identified in decades of correctional research and are reflected within many validated risk assessment instruments. The most widely used actuarial risk assessments will be outlined to demonstrate their effectiveness in predicting future offending behavior in youth. Lastly, based on known factors, this poster offers primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention and intervention …

Status Offending To Criminal Legal System Involvement, Ryan Deitering, April Terry

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Status offenses are behaviors that are not crimes but are prohibited by the law due to an individual’s status as a minor. If these behaviors were committed by an adult, they would not be deemed illegal. Examples include truancy, running away, and curfew violations. Research shows that girls, especially girls-of-color, are more likely to be adjudicated as status offenders. Status offenses result in youth being involved within the juvenile justice system. Research suggests that this pathway does not end in one’s youth; instead, these youth then enter the criminal legal system as adults. Labeling theory is one theoretical perspective that …

A Novel Study Of Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon Pyrrhonota) Feather Coloration In Relation To Habitat Characteristics, Colony Size, And Body Condition, Sonja Brandt, Medhavi Ambardar

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Feather coloration is used for social signaling in many avian species, and can be associated with their ability to live and breed in habitats with high quality resources (Jenkins et al. 2013, Saino et al. 2013). It can signify individual quality, (Saino et al. 2013) and influence mate choice (Bennet et al. 1996). We analyzed different aspects of Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) feather coloration in relation to morphology and habitat characteristics. We measured luminance, hue (theta and phi), and saturation for four different color patches on the swallows. We predicted that individuals in brighter coloration would be able to settle …

Software Based Approach To Realtime Sports Graphics, Honesty Beaton

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

My research presents a software-based approach to real-time sports graphics, leveraging Unity, C#, and OpenCV. We aimed to enhance viewer engagement by providing dynamic and interactive graphics during sports broadcasts. My method involves real-time analysis of video feeds to cut out players, place them onto a virtual court, and underlay immersive visuals, giving the appearance that virtual visuals physically exist beneath a player. Evaluation of this approach demonstrates the effectiveness of utilizing a software-based approach for real-time sports graphics, akin to traditional hardware-based solutions

Presence Of Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus C In Domestic Pigs In Kansas, Avery Welton, Eric T. Gillock

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

There is currently a shortage of organs available to perform allotransplants in humans, prompting the exploration of xenotransplantation as an alternative. Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of living tissues between different species, with porcine tissues being a promising option. However, concerns arise regarding cross-species transmission, particularly in relation to Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs). PERVs are retroviruses that are integrated into the germ-line cells of pigs and are permanently embedded in the host cell’s DNA, allowing for vertical transmission. Of significant concern is the infectious nature of two PERV subtypes, A and B, to humans, which can potentially recombine with the third …

The Relationship Between Parenting Practices And Juvenile Delinquency, Megan E. Bechtold, April Terry

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Delinquency may take on many definitions, but the most widely accepted definition is a minor crime committed by a young person, generally under the age of 18. Youth may also deal with legal trouble in response to status offending. These are behaviors that are age-based and would not be charged if committed by an adult. Examples include truancy, running away, drinking alcohol and using tobacco, and being incorrigible. Offending is a term that can be used to describe the actions of adults and youth, with definitions extending beyond just a “minor” crime (e.g., homicides and rapes). Many factors may contribute …

Crossover Youth, Gunner Ebert, April Terry

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Crossover youth is a term used for youth under supervision within both the child welfare system and juvenile justice system. This is also referred to as ”dually involved youth.” Cross-agency communication is lacking for these youth while research shows many youth receive services from both systems. Research shows that crossover youth have longer stays in detention facilities, high rates of recidivism, and poorer long-term outcomes in multiple areas of life (e.g., education and mental health). When referring to crossover youth, intersectionality (e.g., gender and race)—the interconnectedness of social demographics that overlap to form oppression—helps in understanding this dual-system involvement. Additionally, …

Naloxone Prescribing For High-Risk Opioid Patients In Primary Care, Theresa Turk

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Objective: Primary care providers have an integral role in combating the opioid epidemic and preventing opioid-related deaths. One method of prevention is prescribing naloxone to patients at high risk for overdose. Naloxone is a medication that bystanders may administer during an overdose situation that can reverse the life-threatening side effects of opioids. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase the number of naloxone prescriptions written by primary care providers to patients on opioids considered at high risk for overdose. High-risk patients were considered those prescribed opioids over 50 morphine equivalents (MME) and those who had co-prescribed benzodiazepines. …

Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee!, Kobe D. Rome

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

By injecting an electron into the empty pie* molecular orbital (LUMO) of Amino Acids in gas phase, we measure the Vertical Attachment Energies (VAEs) for the formation of short-lived anion states of these species using electron transmission spectroscopy (ETS). Our ETS study, a first of its kind to measure the VAE for the simplest of proteins, Glycine-Glycine (Gly-Gly), is currently in progress. Based on our previous measurements for several Amino Acids including Glycine, we expect a common range of attachment energy (1.50 – 2.00 eV) for Gly-Gly.

Leadership Tools To Support The Transformational Leadership Style, Emily P. Haire, Dr. Catherine E. Barrett, Dr. Ashley C. Johnson, Dr. Bradley Mills

Academic Leadership Journal in Student Research

The lives of many have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (Dumulescu & Mutiu, 2021). In higher education, students, professors, instructional aids, and other school staff were sent home from institutions to protect health and safety. There became an immediate need for clear, straightforward leadership to guide and lead higher education students and professionals through these unprecedented times, and amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, transformational leaders have been effective in changing the world of higher education institutions. This paper will explore the findings of effective leadership styles for individuals after going through a global pandemic.

Video Game Creation Class, Darec Wagner, Dylan Wagner, Joshua Gage

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Developing games is not a straight line and you often encounter problems and inconsistencies within your game. There are many more parts to making a game than you would initially think. Animation and character interactions have been particularly difficult for our group to perfect.

Does Clinical Exposure Increase Nursing Student Exam Scores?, Kyle Betzen

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Objective: Bedside teaching and learning has been deemed essential to the development of professional nursing students. Without exposure to living patients’ students are not able to see real-time disease presentation and progression and utilize his or her critical thinking skills to intervene. Additionally, the professional nursing student must pass a series of high stakes exams throughout their selected collegiate program to prepare them for a state licensure examination. The objective of this study was to determine if clinical exposure increases didactic exam scores for nursing students. Methods: A mixed methodology approach was used for this study including a retrospective …

Fhsu Sport & Recreation Day - A Pilot Program Integrating Cross-Disciplinary Experiential Learning Practices To Enhance Content Knowledge And Professional Competencies In Recreation And Leisure Programming, Luke Kriley, Taylor Kriley

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

In the spring of 2023, FHSU Sport and Recreation Day was established to bridge the gap between curricular and co-curricular learning and assessment. The Spring 2024 class of HHP 371 Leisure Administration and Programming, in partnership with FHSU Student Engagement, FHSU Athletics, and USD 489 Lincoln Elementary, successfully implemented a program that combined both types of activities. The objective was to improve student professionalism and retention of programming principles related to recreation and leisure activities. Thanks to the participation of experts from various fields utilizing the philosophical framework of stewards of place; students, participants, and staff were able to integrate …

Game 'Make 24', Seunghyeok Jang

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

• Basic numerical skills are a must-have in today’s world. However, children are not picking up the four basic numerical skills adequately.

• To improve their mathematical skills, they need a way to learn the numerical skills easily.

• "Make 24" is a game for young children who are having a difficult time with basic numerical operations. The game helps children improve their numerical skills by playing this game.