Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Designing For Neurodiversity In Web Spaces, Kelly Getz, Kimberly Shotick

Faculty Books & Book Chapters

In this chapter, we share how we carried out library website usability studies with neurodivergent students. The research is situated within the Social Model of Disability and places value on students' experiences challenges. Through usability studies and inclusive web service redesign plans, we center the opinions and expectations of neurodivergent student users in ways neurotypical users have been centered and designed around in the past. The chapter will share methods and best practices for conducting usability studies with neurodivergent individuals as well as findings from our own study.

Recipient Experiences Of Donor-Funded College Scholarships: “I Don't Know What You Want To Know About Me. I Don't Know What I Know About You.”, Teresa Waddle Gotthardt

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This qualitative study explores the experience of receiving donor-funded scholarship support facilitated through a higher education institution, especially when the recipient has interacted with the donor of the funding. This recipient-and-donor-interaction is common at American post-secondary institutions in the form of written thank you notes and attendance at donor recognition events. This research addressed the following questions: How do donor-funded scholarship recipients experience this funding? How do donor-funded scholarship recipients experience interaction with the donor of the scholarship? These questions were explored through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 23 recent alumni from five private universities and colleges who received donor-funded scholarships …

From Ads To Enrollment: Understanding How Targeted Marketing Affects College Choice, John W. Roberts

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the perceived impact of targeted marketing on college choice. Research on college choice is an established area of scholarship that explores the variables that are at work when a student chooses to attend a college or university. Given that the enrollment landscape for higher education continues to be competitive, colleges and universities are doing what they can to “stand out” among the competition in a crowded marketing and advertising space. And, as technology improves, segmenting and personalizing marketing to reach the right students at the right time is becoming more commonplace …

The Struggle For Equity In Education: Affirmative Action And Systemic Change, Derek Truong

Tredway Library Prize for First-Year Research

Derek’s paper analyzed both the oppressive and liberating roles the education system holds within society. He grounded this research by examining this paradox within the case study of affirmative action, particularly alongside the experiences of Asian Americans and other historically marginalized perspectives. By examining educational theories, Derek argued that a critical analysis of affirmative action demystifies this paradox and exposes deeper systemic inequities in the education system. With a nuanced view of affirmative action based on theory, Derek concluded that systemic and pedagogical changes can occur with internal reforms, such as integrating a more inclusive curriculum that reflects a diverse …

Academic Freedom Under Attack: How Faculty And Students Can Protect Their Rights Situated In The Scholarly And Public Spheres, Emma Hansen

Honors Senior Capstones and Theses

This thesis project challenged me to apply my learning to the larger community and accomplish something that would make a lasting impact at Roger Williams University. When I was attempting to come up with my topic, I tussled with how my project could accomplish my main goal, to help people. With the current threats to academic freedom and institutional autonomy from the Trump Administration, I recognized that the faculty were expressing concern about the permanence of their jobs. The general feeling on campus and in the news was fear. So, I thought to myself, “How do I put these fears …

Encouraging Selection Of Effective Learning Strategies, Kaya Easley

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

College students have difficulty selecting effective learning strategies, often due to their perceptions of cost and value of these strategies. The goal of the present study was to examine ways to increase students’ perceptions of value to outweigh their perceptions of cost to help them select an effective learning strategy (generation). Students were randomly assigned to one of five conditions in an additive design: no treatment control, experience comparing generation to a less effective learning strategy, experience plus information about its application to one’s life, experience and application plus evidence of the effectiveness of generation, or experience, application, and evidence, …

Sealing The Deal: A Case Study Of A Private, Southeastern, Regional College’S Student Onboarding Practices, Alicia R. Gaston, Kristen Meyer, Tyler Ogden, Jennifer Perkinson, Casey Yocum Michaels

Doctor of Education Capstones

Each year, higher education institutions offer support to new, incoming students through an onboarding process that requires dedication and collaboration across multiple departments. Offering streamlined guidance and clear communication throughout the onboarding process is essential to ensure incoming students understand action steps without becoming overwhelmed with new terminology, processes, and environments. This explanatory case study is set to understand the current communication practices and technology use across onboarding departments at Brightside College – also referred to as Brightside or BC (pseudonym). The research team aimed to understand Brightside's onboarding staff's perspective of current processes and practices. With emphasis on the …

Addressing Food Security In Cameroon, Stacy A. Adams, Ruth Abunaw Besong

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Cameroon Africa has experience a period of nearly a decade of unrest as militants fight for independence for two Anglophone regions within a predominantly Francophone country. The English-speaking minority have felt aggrieved for continued erosion of rights by the central government. Protests have rapidly spread since 2016, causing closure of schools, businesses, and medical facilities. People have lost homes and been displaced, negatively affecting food production and crop availability. The United States Department of State leads an effort of diplomacy beyond emergency food relief through the Mandela Washington Fellowship that connects American professionals to innovative and impactful young African leaders. …

The Impact Of Whiteness Among Black College Students' Racial Identity, La'quida Reneé Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Although the impact of racism is well-documented in both conceptual and empirical research on the experiences of Black college students, some scholars have pointed out that many of the negative, race-based experiences these students face on college campuses extend beyond overt acts of racism (e.g., individual racism, institutional racism; Gusa, 2010; Hargons et al., 2022; Ingram & Wallace, 2019; Le et al., 2020; Smith et al., 2011; Tyler et al., 2022). Whiteness has been identified as an overt factor shaping the lived experiences of Black individuals (Leonardo, 2009; Matias, 2016; Tyler et al., 2022) and is, therefore, believed to impact …

The Predictors Of Self-Censorship On College Campuses, Henry I. Long

CMC Senior Theses

Across U.S. colleges, speech climates are poor. Self-censorship and discomfort expressing views are common. At the same time, we find wide variation in speech climates across different institutions. This study is the first to identify factors that predict variation in speech climates. Drawing on data from multiple sources, including a survey of 58,807 undergraduates across 257 colleges and universities from the Foundation from Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), this study constructs a first-of-its-kind dataset to test three core theories of self-censorship found in the literature—student-centric theories, faculty-centric theories, and administrator-centric theories. We find moderate evidence to support each theory. Overall, …

Tax Education For Financial Empowerment, Job Buenrostro-Diaz

Second-Year Seminar Posters (COE 202)

Research Question: In what ways can understanding tax concepts help with financial literacy in improving money management decisions for lower income individuals?

This proposal outlines a strategy to increase quality education in middle to low income communities.

From Street Codes To School Codes: Transformative Educational Intervention For Gang Affiliated Student. An Active Research Study, Alexandra Saldivar

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Gang-affiliated youth face significant challenges in educational and community settings, often resulting in lower graduation rates, limited career opportunities, and an increased risk for behavioral problems. While gang activity on school campuses has increased in recent years, there is limited research and little effort specifically tailored to meet the needs of this vulnerable population. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the WhyTry intervention, a resilience-focused program designed for at-risk populations, modified with additional counseling and a gang-intervention emphasis to address the unique challenges gang-affiliated students face. The study explores whether the modified WhyTry program can improve academic performance, …

Improving Concentration -- Three Techniques, Lauren Martins

A. Listening in Class and in Professional Settings

A one-page infographic based on the work of Clifford G. Schuette and others. The three techniques for improving concentration are especially important for classrooms and professional settings. These techniques are:

Be Here Now

The Spider

Worry Time

Fant Memorial Library Annual Report, 2025, Hillary A. H. Richardson

Fant Library News and Reports

A report of the activities from Fant Memorial Library in 2025.

Implementing A Z-Course Program At Fort Hays State University, Claire Nickerson

Library Faculty Publications

In 2018, the Fort Hays State University (FHSU) Open Educational Resource (OER) Committee proposed a Z-Course Program to track and incentivize the use of zero-cost course materials. It included a course-marking initiative, the implementation of a small cost-share fee to students to fund the program and incentivize departments to offer Z-courses, and a Z-Course Grant Program for faculty who wanted to convert their courses. The proposal was approved in 2020 and implemented beginning in 2021. Since then, the course-marking and fee implementation have been streamlined, and the committee is working on qualitative assessment.

Profiles Of First-Year First-Generation Students’ Library Perceptions And Use: An Intersectional, Mixed Methods Study, Megan Hodge

Theses and Dissertations

To effectively support first-generation students, academic libraries must understand their needs. However, limited library research has been conducted into how these students, who often embody multiple structurally disadvantaged identities, perceive and use academic libraries or how their intersecting identities manifest in differing library needs. This study aimed to build understanding of first-year first-generation students’ perceptions and use of academic libraries. To do so, the researcher used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. First-year first-generation students at Virginia Commonwealth University were surveyed using Winkler and Sriram’s (2015) Academic Capital Scale and Anwar et al’s (2012) AQAK: Library Anxiety Scale for Undergraduate Students. …

Intersections Of Inattention: A Qualitative Inquiry Into The Experiences Of Multiply Marginalized Students In Community College Settings, Jana N. Knibb

Open Access Dissertations

Educational research has examined the impact of expanded access to higher education for historically marginalized groups. However, research on the experiences of students who are both racially minoritized and dis/abled is limited. Findings suggest that, due to their intersectional identities, multiply marginalized dis/abled students (MMDS) navigate policies and practices related to racist ableism, which further marginalize them and create additional barriers in their higher education experiences. Expanding this research requires theoretical frameworks that account for students' identities, experiences, and barriers in higher educational spaces and contexts. This qualitative study, grounded in Dis/ability Studies and Critical Race Theory in Education (DisCrit), …

Understanding First-Generation College Students’ Perceptions Of Sorority Recruitment, Megan Morecraft

Masters Theses

This study explores first-generation college students’ discovery of sororities, influences for going through a recruitment process, and motivations for selection. There is a gap in the literature when it comes to first-generation college students and greek organizations, specifically sororities, and this study aides in bridging the gap and providing information regarding strategies for recruitment and marketing practices. With more informed practices on first-generation student populations, an increased quality of marketing and programming could be implemented, as well as retention. This study and its findings allow for more intentionality and enhancements to occur, especially when promoting the greek experience and sorority …

2025 January, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for January of 2025.

Exploring The Experiences Of Collegiate Black Female Student-Athletes From A Phenomenological Perspective, Deja L. Jackson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Collegiate Black female student-athletes at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) face a unique experience as they navigate the complex intersections of race, gender, and sports while striving for academic and athletic success. Their encounters with racism, discrimination, and marginalization remain largely underexplored. This research provides findings from a transcendental phenomenological study that examined the lived experiences of these athletes. The goal was to understand how racism, discrimination, and marginalization impact these student-athletes both individually and in context sport. Grounded in social constructivism and informed by Black Feminist Thought and Intersectionality Theory, the study involved semi-structured interviews with eight current and former …

Implementing Information Literacy Practices In Curriculum, Ongelle Schroeder

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This literature review explores the value of integrating information literacy instruction into existing curricula, with a focus on collaboration between faculty and librarians. As students face an overwhelming volume of information, equipping them with the skills to navigate, evaluate, and use sources effectively is increasingly essential—especially in course that require source-based writing, research, and critical analysis. The review highlights key approaches and resources to support educators in embedding information literacy into instruction. While this literature review was written for the contexts of ENG 101 and COMM 100/102, its themes are applicable to a wide range of teaching contexts.

Smu At 25: Celebrating A Legacy Of Innovation And A Bold Vision For The Future, Singapore Management University

SMU Press Releases and News

Twenty-five years ago, Singapore Management University (SMU) started out as a bold experiment in transforming the higher education in Singapore. Today, it has already gained the recognition of being a globally recognized institution at the forefront of transformative education and cutting-edge research, shaping future leaders in Asia and beyond. As SMU marks this milestone, the university is not just reflecting on its achievements but charting a path forward with renewed purpose.

Smu Announces New Leadership Appointments: Mr Kuok Khoon Ean And Justice Judith Prakash, As Pro-Chancellors, Singapore Management University

SMU Press Releases and News

Singapore Management University (SMU) is pleased to announce key leadership appointments that will further strengthen its governance and strategic direction. These appointments underscore SMU’s commitment to delivering excellence in education, research, and community engagement. Effective 1 January 2025, SMU welcomes two distinguished individuals, Mr Kuok Khoon Ean and Justice Judith Prakash, as Pro-Chancellors.

Teachers’ Perspectives On Behavioral Classroom Expectations Of Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Jennifer E. Brewer

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was that adolescents with emotional and behavior disorders (EBD) were failing in general education courses. The purpose was to investigate how teachers’ perceptions and biases influenced EBD students. Participants included five teachers (two special education teachers and three general education teachers) from each of Grades 6, 7, and 8 recruited from social media. The study was guided by the case study research design, and the interview instrument was the Indepth Interview Protocol. Data analysis was guided by a coding system that facilitated searching the interview responses for themes.

Research Question 1 queried about forms …

Factors That Contribute To Employment Success For Young Adults With Disabilities Completing A Postsecondary Education Program, Leatha Pfanmiller

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this research was low employment rates for young adults with disabilities. Young adults with disabilities are employed at a much lower rate than their neurotypical peers. The factors identified in this study could be beneficial to other college and postsecondary education (PSE) programs with employment components, to promote higher rates of employment for students with disabilities who attend those institutions.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify factors that contribute to employment success for young adults with disabilities completing a PSE program. The study was conducted at a medium-sized, 4-year, public university in the …

Uso De Herramientas De Inteligencia Artificial Generativa Por Parte De Docentes En Una Escuela Del Suroeste De Puerto Rico, Glorimar N. Rodríguez Guiliani

Theses and Dissertations

Esta disertación aplicada fue diseñada para investigar el nivel de conocimiento, uso y dificultades que enfrentan los docentes de quinto a duodécimo grado en una escuela privada del suroeste de Puerto Rico respecto a tecnologías emergentes las cuales presentan desafíos significativos para los docentes y los estudiantes. Se exploró la utilización de herramientas de inteligencia artificial generativa (GenAI) como ChatGPT dentro y fuera del aula para actividades pedagógicas y administrativas.

Los hallazgos revelaron una notable carencia en el conocimiento docente sobre el uso y habilidades de la inteligencia artificial. Se identificó, también, una deficiencia en la capacidad de los docentes …

How Marriage And Family Therapy Graduate Programs Awaken, Develop, And Teach Clinical Intuition: A Hermeneutic Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Jessica Fountas

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This research explored how marriage and family therapy graduate programs awaken, develop, and teach clinical intuition. Using criterion-based sampling and snowball sampling, six licensed marriage and family therapists participated in a two-step hermeneutic phenomenological study consisting of individual semistructured interviews and a follow-up focus group. Requirements for participation were licensed marriage and family therapists who were in clinical practice, had experienced the phenomenon of clinical intuition and awakening of clinical intuition, and used clinical intuition in therapy with clients and in systemic supervision with supervisees. The research findings highlighted 14 themes: Reflection of the Experience of Clinical Intuition; Bodily Knowing, …

Empowered Margins: Women, Work, And Justice In Educational Labor, Erin Woodford

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines economic justice and employment precarity faced by educators in both K-12 and post-secondary education systems. While literature explores themes of changing demographics in union membership, collective bargaining, labor activism, and gendered and intersectional inequities in academia, and women in leadership in unions, a critical gap of disabled women’s voices and solutions to the inequities remains. This study highlights how job insecurity, unequal pay, hiring biases, limited recognition of prior learning, and inadequate institutional support exacerbates mental health challenges, professional invisibility, and economic instability. In the K-12 unionized system, systemic barriers such include disregard for substitute teaching as …

Parent Social Validity Ratings Of Receiving Functional Communication Training, Shani Davies

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide greater insight on parent and caregiver views and perceptions on participating in functional communication training. While extensive research exists regarding the effectiveness of functional communication training and parent training in general for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, evidence on the social validity with respect to caregivers is lacking.

The researcher utilized evidenced-based social validity scales to explore parent/caregiver perceptions of receiving caregiver functional communication training, their perceived effectiveness of the treatment modality, and overall acceptance of the approach.

An analysis of the data revealed that parents’ overall perception was neutral regarding general views …

Graduate And Undergraduate Quantitative Education In Psychology In The United States: A Mixed Methods Approach, Abby L. Braitman, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Quantitative methodology is part of the core curriculum for training in psychology and is required of graduate students across all subdisciplines; as such, the depth and breadth of course content is a universal issue among psychology training programs. Required and supplemental quantitative content is constantly evolving with the development of new techniques or applications. Therefore, the purpose of this inquiry was fourfold; we aimed to (1) describe the current state of undergraduate quantitative education and establish a common set of current undergraduate curricular topics; (2) characterize graduate quantitative education in terms of required coursework, optional coursework, and omitted topics; (3) …