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Implementing Generative AI While Writing: The Impact on Demonstrated Critical Thinking in Undergraduate Writing
No full textAs Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Grammarly are increasingly finding their ways into higher education contexts, there is a need to better understand the impacts of using such technology on the thinking and learning habits of students. As Generative AI redefines the field of education, there is a collective necessity to investigate how students’ thought processes are set up, enabled, or even compromised by their use. This dissertation explored the impact of utilizing Generative AI on quality of critical thinking that undergraduate students exhibit in their writing. Drawing from Paul and Elder’s critical thinking model (2010), Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988), and the Human-AI Hybrid Adaptivity Framework (Holstein et al., 2020), this dissertation used a quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest design to compare students who used Generative AI and those who did not employ it in terms of the quality of critical thinking that they exhibit in their writing. Students’ quality of critical thinking was assessed through the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric (HCTSR) with focus on inference, evaluation, and explanation dimensions to assess change in demonstrated cognitive capacity. Students from the experimental group were taught the ethical uses of AI through Lin’s (2024) Five-Stage Framework and used AI tools across the stages of writing in their posttest. On the other hand, students from the control group also received the same instruction but did not use any Generative AI tools in their essays. The study included a final sample of 80 undergraduate students, with 39 in the control group and 41 in the experimental group, recruited from developmental reading and writing courses at a Texas public university. A 2x2 Mixed Factorial ANOVA revealed a statistically significant Group x Time interaction effect (F(1, 78) = 30.909, p < .001, ηp2 = 0.284). The findings suggested that experimental group students showed statistically significant gains on critical thinking quality measures in their essays from pretest (M = 1.90) through posttest (M = 2.80), whereas their control group peers did not (M = 1.82 pretest, M = 1.74 posttest). These empirical results revealed that intentional and ethical integration of Generative AI tools can be used to develop critical thinking abilities in the writing process. This investigation contributes to the emerging debate about the application of AI in education, and for developmental writing classes more generally, and gives guidance for educators, curriculum developers, and institutions who wish to apply AI.Curriculum and Instructio
Instance Theory of Automaticity: Reimagining Rehearsal Approaches in CBT for Improved Outcomes
No full textThis study examined the persistence and flexibility of automatic cognitive responses using Logan's Instance Theory of Automaticity, with implications for cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Drawing parallels between second-language acquisition and cognitive restructuring, we investigated whether automatic responses decay over time and how readily individuals can establish new automatic responses to previously automatized stimuli. One hundred twenty-nine participants completed two sessions of cognitive tasks (Letter or Self-Descriptive) separated by two or four weeks. Participants trained to automaticity on one task then either continued the same task (Consistent condition) or switched to a conflicting task (Switch condition). Primary measures included reaction time and accuracy across 512 trials per session. Results showed that automatic responses persisted across delays but evidenced decay, with minimal slowing after two weeks (5 ms) but greater slowing after four weeks (43 ms) in Consistent conditions. Switch conditions revealed substantial interference at both delays (134-170 ms), demonstrating persistent influence of prior learning. All participants rapidly reestablished automaticity, typically within one to three blocks, with Switch conditions requiring more practice to develop new automatic responses than Consistent conditions to reacquire previous ones. These findings have important implications for CBT. The persistence of automatic responses underscores the challenge of cognitive restructuring, while rapid relearning suggests that intensive, focused practice may effectively establish new automatic thought patterns. Results support minimizing activation of maladaptive thoughts while directly strengthening adaptive alternatives, analogous to immersive language learning.Psycholog
Surface Doping and Quality Factor Improvement for Polycrystalline Diamond via Pulsed Laser Irradiation
No full textDiamond, with its ultrawide bandgap (5.47 eV), high thermal conductivity (2200 W/m.K), and exceptional carrier mobilities (μ = 4500 cm2/V.s and μ = 3800 cm2/V.s) stands out as a strong material for the next-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. But there is a problem: doping and surface-related issues limit its integration into current silicon-based device processes. In polycrystalline diamond (PCD), grain boundaries further aid or complicate the incorporation process, altering the material's structural, electrical, mechanical, and optical properties. This two-step novel research investigates boron incorporation as a dopant into lab-grown and industrial-grade PCD crystals, addressing the dual problems of achieving controlled doping while preserving their intrinsic properties.
In the first study, boron atoms dissociated from boric acid (H3BO3) were thermally driven into a 5 x 5 mm2 lab-grown PCD sample via pulsed laser irradiation (PLI). Initially, a rastered high-laser energy density of 0.34 J/cm2 was used with 500 pulses to break the bond in the acid, enabling the formation of successful boron (B+) atoms. This energy fluence not only facilitated dissociation and diffusion of these atoms but also led to a slight decrease in the crystal quality factor of the PCD sample (from 94.01% to 93.70%). Moving on, to counteract this degradation and graphitization, a subsequent application of lower energy density (0.17 J/cm2) with 4000 pulses was performed, restoring the quality factor to 94.16% (~0.2% exceeding the pristine sample’s quality factor). Also, after the two-step irradiations, the measured Hall effect showed a hole carrier concentration of +4.46 x 1019 cm-3, with a corresponding mobility of 0.594 cm2/V·s. In the same vein, a commercially purchased polished PCD sample from MSE, analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, revealed a quality factor of 100%. Following these dual laser treatments, a 43.08% reduction in the intensity of the trans-polyacetylene (TPA) band, with Hall measurements indicating a carrier concentration of +1.166 x 1019 cm-3 and a hole mobility of 7.09 cm2/V·s.
In the second study, a larger sample size of a 10 x 10 mm2 lab-grown PCD crystal was subjected to the same irradiation processes. Raman analysis showed that at the same sequential raster energy density of 0.34 J/cm2 and pulse count, the crystal quality factor decreased from 96.42% to 94.39% with a broadened FWHM. In contrast, the subsequent lower fluence of 0.17 J/cm2 at 4000 pulses increased the quality factor to 96.77% and narrowed the FWHM. Thereafter, a boron-doped diamond (BDD) sample was used as a reference to quantify the boron concentration in the lab-grown PCD sample through ToF SIMS, resulting in a dopant concentration of 6.15 x 1021 atoms cm-3 to a depth of ~60 nm. The thermal effects and dynamics of the laser treatments were modeled using Simulation of Laser Interaction with Materials (SLIM) and COMSOL simulations, with peak surface temperatures of ~1960 K at 0.34 J/cm2 (500 pulses) and ~610 K at 0.17 J/cm2 (4000 pulses).
In summary, this research in the two provided studies provides a scalable approach for engineering diamond’s electrical properties and advancing its use in high-power optoelectronic applications.Engineerin
Find Meaning in the “Rando-MESS”: Creating Your Own Wandering Map to Discover Possible Paths
No full textA major doesn’t always equal a certain career. Join us to learn about Dr. Katharine Brooks’ Wise Wanderings System, a career coaching method that considers a non-linear approach via chaos theory. In this interactive session, students will be guided through a visual thinking exercise to develop their own personalized wandering map. Intentionally reflecting on past and current experiences, students will “connect the dots” and discover themes of interest and skills, illuminating possible career pathways forward
Human, I know how you feel: Individual psychological determinants influencing smartwatch anthropomorphism
No full textHow can Human-AI Interaction and Human-Machine Communication with smart devices leverage users' mental health and well-being?
Loneliness became a public health epidemic since 2023, with 30% of adults reporting weekly loneliness in early 2024 (APA, 2024). At least 23% of US adults reported limited social interaction and financial constraints as barriers post-pandemic (YouGov America, 2021). 43% said their level of loneliness didn’t change since the pandemic (APA, 2024). This study examines the effects of psychological determinants of anthropomorphism [chronic loneliness, social connectedness, need for affect, and uncertainty avoidance] in smartwatches and sociodemographics on users' tendency to attribute human-like qualities to their AI wearable devices & how this can be leveraged for users’ mental health.Journalism and Mass Communicatio
Making MicroLearning macro: Building online learning infrastructure at scale
No full textIn 2022, Texas State University Libraries received more instruction requests with less librarians to respond. To meet this demand, they reimagined their library instruction to offer digital learning objects for faculty to use in their course sites. For courses that needed specialized instruction, librarians were still available to teach in a flipped-classroom setting, after students completed the digital materials. This allowed students to learn at point of need, and the digital-first instruction alleviated the demand on the instruction librarians. This iteration did not last long; too much customized coding and a lack of reusability with the library website led the instructional designer to rethink the delivery methods entirely. Using digital tools already available, including SpringShare LibGuides, Canvas, and H5P interactives, the instructional designer transformed the content to solve the problems of quality control, brand consistency, and reusability, while better meeting the learning needs of the students. Now, even as the learning objects continue to iterate, there is a sustainable system for future growth. This lightning talk will highlight how to use digital tools creatively to solve problems while maintaining stability and sustainability in the collection.University Librarie
Fail Better* y No Te Rajes**: How to build authentic learning communities in public high school math classrooms
Get PDFResearch Question: How can authentic learning communities be built in public high school classrooms? Despite widespread and perennial efforts to improve academic achievement, public high school classrooms in the United States often prioritize instruction aimed at test performance rather than authentic education. This trend, rooted in the legacy of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and its emphasis on standardized testing, has narrowed the curriculum, reducing education to a series of discrete skills measured by high-stakes assessments. As a result, the deeper aims of education — fostering critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and the formation of authentic learning communities — have been marginalized. The problem this research addresses is the persistent gap between instruction, defined as the transmission of information designed to meet external accountability standards, and education, defined as the cultivation of meaningful, engaged, and communal learning experiences. In many public high school settings, students are prepared to succeed on tests but are not consistently invited into authentic communities of inquiry and practice, where learning is dynamic, relational, and personally meaningful. This study explores how public high school classrooms can be reimagined as authentic learning communities that emphasize real understanding, student and teacher agency, and a fresh combination of ideas, rather than mere compliance with standardized assessments.Educational and Community Leadershi
Eat or Be Eaten: Dynamics of Power in Cannibalism in Renaissance Europe
No full textThe idea “cannibal” originated at the very end of the fifteenth century, therefore, analyzing the idea “cannibal” at a time when the concept was still in its infancy reveals new structures of power within the hierarchies of sixteenth-century Europe. Dynamics of power in cannibalism can be described by the Cannibal Power Axis, constituting Order cannibalism when the powerful eat the less powerful, Disorder when the less powerful eat the powerful, Sport when the powerful eat the powerful, and Grotesque when the less powerful eat the less powerful. In an act of Order cannibalism, such as the high popularity of corpse pharmacology throughout Europe during the sixteenth century, the body is commodified, and the cannibal is unfulfilled. In an act of Disorder, such as the infamous Great Betrayal of the Baglioni family of Perugia in 1500, cannibalism is used to upset the established power hierarchy, and the cannibal takes power from their victim. In Sport cannibalism, such as that of the groups collectivized as the Tupi peoples of Brazil, the cannibal is, in the sixteenth century European colonial imagination, motivated by revenge, and competes with rivals for power. In instances of Grotesque cannibalism, such as the execution of György Dózsa in Hungary in 1514, the less powerful are forced to participate in the act of cannibalism, and power is instead granted to the voyeur of the act. These concepts work in tandem to uncover a new lens through which one may view the cannibal, granting long overdue respect to both the act of cannibalism and to the peoples who had practiced cannibalism during the sixteenth century.Histor
San Marcos, TX Queer Council (SMTXQC): Come as you are, come as you can
No full textThe San Marcos TX Queer Council (SMTXQC) is a grassroots non-profit functioning as a LGBTQ+ Community Center serving Hays County and surrounding areas. SMTXQC is building coalitions among LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, and organizations supporting its mission to “foster belonging and wellbeing” for the LGBTQ+ community. SMTXQC serve a wide demographic, including parents of LGBTQ+ youth, LGBTQ+ elders, and LGBTQ+ individuals seeking alternatives to bar culture. Its biggest challenge is not having a brick-and-mortar location, which is also its biggest asset. This allows SMTXQC to function as a mycorrhizal network, funneling resources and support wherever they are most needed, including rural areas. This liminal status shields SMTXQC from acts of hate or discrimination but also poses challenges to authentically building community. There may be continued growing pains as SMTXQC expands, until it amasses the necessary resources to truly serve as a hub for the LGBTQ+ community in Hays County.Sociolog