28653 research outputs found
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Predicting academic achievement: the role of cognitive and social-emotional factors in an alternative school setting
No full textThis study examined whether general intellectual functioning and social-emotional functioning predicted academic performance and grade level differences in math and reading among 87 students enrolled in an alternative school serving grades 5 through 12. Cognitive ability was measured using Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) or General Ability Index (GAI), while social-emotional functioning was assessed using the Behavioral Symptoms Index (BSI) from the Behavior Assessment System for Children – Third Edition. Multiple regression analyses revealed that general intellectual functioning significantly predicted academic achievement and grade level differences in math and reading. Students with lower cognitive scores demonstrated greater grade level differences. Social-emotional functioning did not significantly predict academic outcomes in either domain. These findings suggest that students with lower cognitive baselines may benefit from individualized supports. These results emphasize the need for strength-based, data-informed instructional planning and highlight the complexity of interpreting social-emotional measures with specialized educational environments.M.S
A narrative inquiry into key experiences affecting women's persistence in STEM fields following the bachelor's degree
No full textThis qualitative narrative inquiry study explored the lived experiences of eight women who completed STEM degrees but did not pursue STEM careers. The aim of the study was to better understand the social, cultural, academic, and institutional factors that influenced their experiences. The theoretical framework was guided by critical feminist theory and intersectionality and examined how race, gender, neurodiversity, sexuality, power relations, and systemic inequity shaped participants’ experiences in STEM. Eight women participated in virtual, recorded, semi-structured narrative inquiry interviews that were analyzed using critical feminist theory. Researcher reflexivity and dialogical co-construction allowed for the participant voice to remain authentic and centered. Four core themes, belonging, resilience, authentic, passion-driven work, and self-confidence/self-efficacy, emerged across all participants, indicating thematic saturation. Bias and discrimination were a fifth theme that emerged with near saturation. The participants, through the process of narrating their experiences, described navigating social, cultural, structural, and institutional barriers, developing agency, and redefining career paths. The findings showed how intersectional identities affected participants’ experiences and decisions, and that systemic barriers persist in the STEM field. The study contributes to critical feminist epistemology through showcasing participant narratives as valid, situated knowledge that fits within the framework of critical feminist theory in practice. The results of this study can inform educational and institutional policymakers to advocate for equity-based policies that not only improve women’s persistence in STEM, but also further the work of dismantling residual systems of oppression associated with STEM education and careers.Ph.D
Perceptions, engagement, and transference of gamified FERPA training: a case study
No full textThrough gamified training, learners can become more engaged, experience increased motivation, and achieve higher retention rates. The caveat is that gamification needs to be done well and with intentionality. The purpose of this study was to understand how the implementation of gamification around the topic of FERPA for K-12 (children’s education) nonteaching staff could effectively engage learners and increase their transfer of knowledge. Social constructivism and andragogy were the frameworks for this research. The study answered the questions: 1) How do adult learners perceive gamification as a learning strategy, in the context of FERPA training? 2) What gamified elements (game mechanics) do the learners identify that most engaged them in the FERPA training? 3) What gamification strategies do participants identify as effective for future training of FERPA? This qualitative case study used a gamified FERPA training as the research instrument. The training was designed specifically for the target learner persona based on their demographics, psychographics, and motivators. The research began with participants completing a screening survey that collected information about their demographics, employment, and previous FERPA training. The training was led by a third-party trainer while the researcher was a participant observer. Semi-structured interviews collected additional data from the participants. Three themes emerged from analysis of the data: 1) connection with others, 2) engaged with the training and information, and 3) training impact and retention. This research addressed gaps in the literature. However, additional gaps and recommendations for research remain, including those related to successes and failures in the use of individual game mechanics, ethics of using game mechanics and gamification, and long-term retention of information learned during gamified training. Recommendations for practice focus on not just slapping a game mechanic in a training and calling it gamified but strategically incorporating gamification into training.D.Ed
Volume
No full textVolume investigates the human struggle and futile pursuit of perfect balance and the necessity of prioritizing what we can hold at any given moment. It is a mixed-media installation that focuses on vessels as both functional forms and symbolic containers of human capacity. This installation is influenced by the organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, Dehmie Dehmlow’s use of form and texture, and the scale and technicality of Austin Coudriet’s work. It is also inspired by the natural balance that is being worked towards on Apricot Lane Farms and the use of regenerative agriculture. My process relied heavily on intuition, observation, and the willingness to learn. Through the use of clay, glass, plants, and books, Volume questions whether balance is truly attainable and calls the audience to acknowledge how much they can really hold.B.F.A.School of Ar
Daemon: obscura
No full textFor Daemon: Obscura I have illustrated a series of seven drawings using an autobiographical perspective of relationship imbalance to enable the viewer to consider their relationship with technology. This series uses artistic inspiration from Mark Tansey, Henrick Uladen, Brom and Franz Von Stuck to develop the conceptual and technical frameworks of narrative driven imaginative realism. Physical, traditional approaches to image making are emphasized, alongside digital elements. Using thoughtful compositional construction, symbolic elements, autobiographical portraiture and layered game interface components; a dialogue emerges about the interplay of memory, imagination, and technological entities fueled by accelerationism.B.F.A.School of Ar
Sex differences in ASD symptomology within the ADOS-2 module 1
No full textSex differences in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continue to raise questions about how accurately diagnostic tools capture symptom presentation across males and females. This study examined whether sex differences appear on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) Module 1 using retrospective unidentified data collected from routine pediatric neuropsychological evaluations. In a clinical sample of 99 autistic children, females showed higher Social Affect (SA) and total ADOS-2 raw scores than males, while no sex differences were found for Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors (RRB). When language level was considered, children who used more expressive language showed fewer observable symptoms, although the difference between sexes stayed consistent. Overall, females in this sample demonstrated more noticeable social-communication behaviors during structured testing, suggesting that girls referred for diagnostic evaluations may represent cases with more overt symptom presentation. These results highlight the importance of continued research on how sex and language level influence early ASD assessment.M.S
TMS effects on neuropsychological functioning in patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder
No full textExtensive research into the neurocognitive effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has demonstrated its efficacy in treating a number of disorders. There however remain inconsistent findings regarding neurocognitive effects after rTMS to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), especially regarding effects after full treatment of 30 sessions. rTMS to the DLPFC is the primary TMS protocol for the treatment of treatmentresistant Major Depressive Disorder (TR-MDD). Most research supporting rTMS has focused on TMS as a treatment of depression, and there are few studies investigating cognitive effects of rTMS on those with depression. This study investigated effects on performances in processing speed, working memory, and executive functioning after 30 sessions of rTMS to the DLPFC in patients with TR-MDD. This particular rTMS treatment protocol is a novel approach, referred to as sequential bilateral (SBL) with high-frequency rTMS (HF-rTMS) to the left DLPFC and intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) to the right DLPFC. Cognitive performance was evaluated through several measures: the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-A), the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV), and the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS). After Bonferroni correction (α = .0125), results indicated significant improvement in processing speed (p = .006) and self-reported executive functioning (p = .008). Performances related to working memory (p = .19) and task-specific executive functioning (p = .04) did not show significant changes. This improvement in processing speed was consistent with depression’s link to slower psychomotor speed. Improvements in self-reported executive functioning, while significant, did not coincide with improvements in task-specific executive functioning performance. This supports the need for more research into the cognitive effects of rTMS, especially in one of its target populations of patients with TR-MDD.M.S
Me siento en casa (I feel at home): a qualitative narrative inquiry understanding how learning English in bilingual classrooms influences adult L1 Spanish-speakers' personal identity and agency
No full textUsing a qualitative narrative study, this dissertation investigated the relationship between adult Spanish-speakers’ identity and agency and learning English as a new language in a bilingual classroom with seven L1 Spanish-speaking adult learners. The research question that guided the investigation was
• How does learning English in a bilingual classroom influence adult Spanish-speakers’ personal identity and agency?
Data was collected with semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically through a constructivist framework with additional lenses of andragogy, experiential learning, and the interdependence of multilingual learning. Four major themes emerged from the participants’ English journeys: trauma, necessity, negative monolingual learning experiences, and transformation. The results of this study revealed that the participants’ identities and agency were positively affected in a bilingual classroom, including English abilities and how they felt about themselves as Spanish-speaking immigrants in the United States. Participant narratives aligned with the positive effects of bi/multilingual education and provides academia with student voice, something that is lacking in research. Recommendations may be of interest to adult English learners, practitioners of adult English education, teacher preparation programs, and the field of adult education.D.Ed
Honoring history: a look at modern Viking reenactment
No full textThis thesis examines the creative process behind the short documentary Honoring History: A Look at Modern Viking Reenactment. The film explores how contemporary reenactors engage with Viking history, using performance, craft, and community to construct meaningful connections to the past. Through a combination of ethnographic research, interviews, and observational footage, the documentary highlights the cultural significance of reenactment as both historical interpretation and modern identity-making. The written component of this thesis reflects critically on the stages of production— research, pre-production, filming, and post-production—while analyzing the artistic choices that shaped the documentary’s visual and narrative style. Drawing on theories of creative practice, subcultural performance, and documentary storytelling, the paper situates the project within broader scholarly conversations about authenticity, representation, and the role of media in cultural memory. Ultimately, this work demonstrates how creative practice research can bridge academic inquiry and artistic expression, offering both a cinematic portrait of Viking reenactment communities and a reflexive account of the filmmaker’s evolving creative methodology.M.A
Thesis defense
No full textTitle IX mandates universities provide sexual violence (SV) prevention programs. Research suggests these programs impact perceptions of bystander blame, but we don’t know if they impact victim and perpetrator blame. This study uses survey and interview data from 51 college students to explore this issue. Results suggest the assignment of blame is complex and contingent on whether participants responded via surveys or interviews. When reading SV scenarios and answering survey questions, students generally exonerated the victims and blamed the perpetrators. However, during follow-up interviews, students frequently invoked victim blaming ideologies and contradicted their earlier survey responses. Thus, while survey findings suggest campus programming increases the likelihood that students will hold perpetrators, rather than victims, responsible for sexual violence, interview findings suggest rape culture and implicit biases continue to influence students’ perceptions of blame. These results highlight the complexity of blame and have implications for future approaches to SV prevention programming.M. A