Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Editor's Note, Joseph A. Cernik

Missouri Policy Journal

No abstract provided.

An Overview Of The Nonprofit Sector In Missouri, Ivy Shen

Missouri Policy Journal

This paper examines the key characteristics of nonprofit organizations, analyzes the data obtained from the IRS, provides a snapshot of the nonprofit sector in Missouri, discusses the breakdown of various types of these organizations, compares the nonprofit sectors in Missouri and at the national level, and highlights key statistics of the sector. As of November 2022, Missouri is home to 38,460 nonprofit organizations, out of which 501(c)(3), 501(c)(7), and 501(c)(4) are the most common IRS tax codes. By the NTEE classification system, the top two classifiable categories of Missouri nonprofits are human services and religious congregations. The Missouri nonprofit sector …

In Real Time, A Crisis In Public Education: Teacher Shortages In Missouri And Kansas, Dong Hwa Choi, Judith Mcconnell Mikkelson

Missouri Policy Journal

Communities throughout the United States have experienced a shortage of teachers for several years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this teacher shortage has escalated, creating a major crisis in public education. The struggle to hire and retain a highly qualified teaching staff is true in all fifty states, including Missouri and Kansas. In this article, complex reasons for the growing teacher shortage in Missouri and Kansas are detailed and needed actions to rectify this dire situation are discussed.

Book Banning Trend Fuels Far-Reaching Effects, As Well As Challenges To Restrictions, Elizabeth Macdonald

Missouri Policy Journal

Recently, there has been a rapid rise in educational censorship efforts in Missouri and nationwide. There have been escalating book bans in Missouri schools accompanied by conservative backlash against diversity initiatives and manufactured outrage over Critical Race Theory (CRT). While public opinion opposes banning books, legislative efforts surrounding Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Critical Race Theory initiatives have contributed to the rapid increase of bans. Conservative media misrepresents critical race theory to justify censorship in all academic settings. Postsecondary education faces unique challenges, with proposed bans on DEI initiatives threatening accreditation, academic freedom, and quality of education. With bans …

Missouri Policy Journal -Volume 2, Issue 1 (2024) -Full Issue

Missouri Policy Journal

No abstract provided.

Bi-Negativity: An Assessment Of Negativity Surrounding Bisexuality From The Lgbtq+ And Heterosexual Communities, Whitney R. Ford

The Confluence

This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that negative attitudes towards bisexual people (bi-negativity) exists within the LGBTQ+ and heterosexual communities and to determine if levels of bi-negativity are higher within the LGBTQ+ group. I administered the Gender-Based Attitudes Towards Bisexuality (GBAB) Scale by Nielsen et al. (2022) to measure bi-negativity using an online survey. The results, obtained from 87 participants who identify as LGBTQ+ and 121 participants who identify as heterosexual between the ages of 18 and 80, support my hypothesis that bi-negativity exists within both groups. However, contrary to my second hypothesis, higher levels of bi-negativity were …

Direct Relationships Between The Five Internal Senses: The Extremes And In-Between Of The Inner Experience, Sydnie Hoyt, Camryn O'Neal, Miranda Brannum, Sara Bagley

The Confluence

Inner experience of all 5 modalities were investigated to determine if there were correlations amongst them and how visual mental imagery and internal hearing were used in an applied story. Our sample (N = 137) completed the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ; Marks, 1973) and the Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire (Psi-Q; Andrade et al., 2013) to obtain trait measures of the different modalities within the inner experience. Results showed statistically significant positive correlations between each of the trait measures of the 5 sensory modalities (visual mental imagery, inner hearing, taste, smell, and touch). Based on their VVIQ total scores, …

The Unstoppable Rise Of Ai: An Interview With Dr. John Sanford, Spencer Burrows, And Anna Birchler, Brandon Powell, Spencer Burrows

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

AI can both help and hurt the education field (higher education and secondary education). Despite Hollywood’s depiction of artificial intelligence solely in the form of killer death robots decades into the future, AI is much more versatile - and far more dangerous - than any killer robot could be. As artificial intelligence develops at a breakneck pace, its effect on our society will increase exponentially.

Emerging Technology And Pedagogical Application In Design Education, Ritesh Ranjan, Pooja Rana Ms.

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

This research paper investigates the emerging technologies and pedagogical applications in design education. The rapid development of technology has opened up new possibilities for design education, and it is important to explore how these emerging technologies can be used to enhance pedagogical practices. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential of emerging technologies in design education and their impact on pedagogical practices.

The study employs a qualitative research methodology and draws on a range of literature sources, including academic articles, books, and reports. The research explores the use of emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented …

Rebranding Originality For The Age Of Ai, Jason Gulya

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

"Originality" has been a longstanding focal point within the college classroom, with students being encouraged to embrace creativity and boldness. The traditional view of originality, relying solely on one's wit and imagination, has lost its effectiveness in the present era. The concept of learning has undergone a significant transformation, no longer resembling the isolated ivory tower of the past where individuals would immerse themselves in books, hoping to be inspired. Instead, modern learning has become more social and collaborative. Students compare and contrast class material with online resources, engaging in conversations, both in person and virtually, to solidify their understanding. …

Finchain: Adaptation Of Blockchain Technology In Finance And Business - An Ethical Analysis Of Applications, Challenges, Issues And Solutions, Naresh Kshetri, Keith Miller, Gaurango Banerjee, Bikesh Raj Upreti

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

Blockchain Technology is a distributed database technology that has emerged as a ground-breaking technology with several possible solutions to critical applications, say from supply chain management, agribusiness, marketing to healthcare industry including internet of medical things. Although it started as a digital coin (popularly known as bitcoin), it is slowly influencing business, marketing policy and society. We have presented an in-depth study and ethical analysis of how blockchain is applied over the economic and financial sector including banks, credit unions and other retail giants. During our research, we have also investigated how blockchain technology can affect financial institutions around the …

Editor's Forward, James Hutson

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

No abstract provided.

Knowledge Management & Decision Making: How Leaders Can Make More Informed Decisions, Jennifer Riad

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

People make decisions daily, but the question remains: Are they making sound judgments in the decision-making process? This article aims to understand better knowledge and decision-making, the limitations accompanying those, and how to improve these actions. Leaders must be conscious of these limitations and actively work against them to make more informed decisions. A review of the literature revealed four themes—the nature of knowing, cognitive limitations, groupthink, and ethics. This article imparts a brief “crash course” on various examples that interfere with good decision-making to educate readers and conclude with corresponding recommendations. Recommendations include acknowledging the limitations that impede decision-making, …

Curriculum, Instruction, And Leadership As A Practice Of Reflexivity In World Language Education: A Systematic Review Of Literature, Jerry L. Parker

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This article presents the findings of a systemic review of research published by Robert C. Lafayette. Lafayette was a French teacher and teacher educator who worked to revolutionize the teaching of world languages through his articles, books, textbooks, grants, conference presentations, and other scholarly work. To uncover the value of his work in today’s language schooling, this study examined 17 of his articles and book chapters. Using content analysis methodology, the findings of this study concluded that his work contributed mainly to our understanding of curriculum, instruction, and leadership in world language education. His scholarship also provides world language teachers, …

Six Feet Apart: A Deeper Look At The Psychological Effects Of Covid-19, Ellen M. Komp, Stephanie Afful

The Confluence

There has been little research conducted on the impact that COVID-19 has had on people, both at an individual and group level. The aim of our study was to see what effect COVID-19 stress versus general health stress has on collective self-esteem and how that translates to political values. Collins and colleagues (2021) studied how political identity impacts people’s level of concern regarding COVID-19, specifically that those who identified as Democrats experienced more distress surrounding COVID-19. Social Identity Theory explains that stressors can result in lower collective self-esteem (Crocker & Park, 2003). To examine this, we compared collective self-esteem and …

The Effectiveness Of Visual Vs. Auditory Presentation Of Information On Memory, Hannah L. Edwards

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

This research project aimed to determine whether it was easier for individuals to memorize and recall words when being presented with a visual presentation than with an auditory presentation. Method: To gather data, an online survey was designed and conducted to test participants more sufficiently. This study consisted of individuals that were 18 years or older and who have good visual and auditory abilities. This study was conducted using two lists of 10 words that contained six letters, three syllables, and were nouns. Half of my participants were presented with 10 words visually whereas the other half of the participants …

Hearing Productivity: Music And Productivity Study, Sydney Beins

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The current study explored the research question which music genre increases one’s productivity the most? Methods: Data was collected from 45 participants from social media (Reddit, Instagram, Twitter) and the Lindenwood Participant Pool. An online Qualtrics survey was created to test participants productivity through typing tasks and a few demographic questions were asked at the end. Participants were asked to type as many nonsense words as they could in a minute while having one of the four music genres: R&B, classical, Latin, and rap playing in the background. The task was completed four times so all participants were exposed to …

2022-2023, Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal, Full Issue

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

No abstract provided.

Prologue, Michiko Nohara-Leclair

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

No abstract provided.

Editor's Note, Joseph A. Cernik

Missouri Policy Journal

No abstract provided.

Student Outcomes And Spending On Teachers In The Aftermath Of Recession, Howard J. Wall

Missouri Policy Journal

This short paper looks for evidence of a link between K-12 education spending and student outcomes in Missouri during the years following the Great Recession. There are two reasons why this period is of interest. First, several studies have argued that an erosion in student outcomes occurred in many states during the period because severe budget crises led to spending cuts for K-12 education. Second, because the spending cuts were larger and more sustained than is typical, any negative effects on student outcomes would be exacerbated and more apparent. Thus, the period might be useful statistically given that causal links …

International Students In Missouri: Countering Enrollment Declines, Retaining High-Skilled Graduates, And Supporting Local And Regional Economies, James Kaemmerer, Matt Foulkes

Missouri Policy Journal

Tens of thousands of international students have studied at Missouri’s colleges and universities, making invalua-ble academic and cultural contributions to campus and community life. Perhaps less well-known have been the significant contributions that international students have also made to state and local economies. In recent years, the number of international students studying in Missouri has been on the decline (a trend that pre-dates the pandemic), and as a result local economies have potentially lost out on millions of dollars in revenue. The focus of this paper is first to explore the changing enrollment trends of international students in Missouri leading …

Cover, Jeanie Thies

Missouri Policy Journal

Photo Caption MPJ Issue 12

This gigantic eyeball sculpture known as “Eye” is located in Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis, created by artist Tony Tasset. Photo by Jeanie Thies.

Raise The Age: Perceptions Of Missouri Juvenile Justice Actors, Angela M. Collins, Maisha N. Cooper

Missouri Policy Journal

In 2018, the Missouri General Assembly joined the ranks of forty-six other states and D.C. in the Raise the Age movement and raised the upper age of jurisdiction of the juvenile court from 17 to 18 years old. Senate Bill 793 was signed into law by Governor Eric Greitens on June 1, 2018, and was set to go into effect on January 1, 2021. Similar to other state and county level juvenile justice stakeholders, those in Missouri have expressed concerns over the potential fiscal challenges, increases in workload, and issues related to the allocation of resources and programming within the …

Shades Of Emotion: Color And Emotion Study, Sydney Beins

The Confluence

The present study investigated a connection between color combinations, saturation, and emotions. This study collected data from 87 participants from social media sites and the Lindenwood Participant Pool. Participants were asked two sets of questions on an Online Qualtrics survey. The first set exposed participants to images varying in color scheme and saturation and asked them to indicate their emotional reactions toward the images. The second set of questions contained demographic questions. The finding revealed there to be a connection between emotional responses based on color scheme and saturation but not based on both factors. The implications of these findings …

The Impact Of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) On Learning In Children, Jessica J. Shaw

The Confluence

Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) commonly struggle in academic institutions as they face symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and other traits that prohibit them from succeeding in academics. Children with ADHD may also exhibit behavioral issues such as hostility and aggression towards their peers that may diminish interpersonal relationships with peers and parents. Such issues can cause learning difficulties in children with ADHD as it is difficult to stay still, focus, and listen to teachers in academic settings. Interviews conducted by a clinician are the first step towards an ADHD diagnosis. An ADHD diagnosis is important because the disorder can …

2021-2022, Full Issue

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

No abstract provided.

Prologue, Michiko Nohara-Leclair

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

No abstract provided.

The Gifted Child In Adulthood: Opinions On Educational Experiences And Their Relation To The Current Self, Miranda Brannum

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Giftedness is defined as excelling in a topic beyond the capability of other peers. Oftentimes gifted students are placed in gifted programs and/or assigned gifted Individualized Education Programs in order to provide acceleration and enrichment. My survey asks participants ages 18 years of age or older questions about how they feel gifted programs or gifted Individualized Education Programs may have influenced them, and if they have any comments or suggestions for improving these programs. I intended my study to be descriptive and exploratory to provide insight on any common themes and tendencies people in gifted programs may report. Descriptive and …

The Effect Of Mood On Task Completion Time, Maia M. Busi

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Studies on mood and task completion tend to focus on task outcomes and task performance. It is typically found that positive mood states result in better test scores and better task outcomes (Martinez & Bartosek, 2015). This study examines the effect mood states have on task completion time through an anonymous online survey involving a mood manipulation and a timed visual search task. I hypothesized that that participants who were exposed to a positive stimulus will complete a visual search task quicker on average than participants who were exposed to a neutral stimulus. A total of 34 participants completed the …