The beneficial effects of nature and natural environments have been extensively researched and the findings generally support that nature and natural environments can reduce stress and improve cognitive function. To evaluate if self-reported stress levels are reduced, or if cognitive functions are enhanced among adult learners in the presence of a…

Navigating indoors without a map can be challenging, especially for visually impaired individuals in unfamiliar settings. Many existing indoor navigation methods rely on building maps, pre-deployed infrastructure (like BLE beacons or RFID), or visual-based systems that require a clear line of sight to a camera. These requirements can make…

The campus built environment is an omnipresent force at an institution of higher education. That force is influential during a student's transition into the post-secondary system. Literature on this subject suggests that understandings of the relationship between the campus built environment and the student experience are limited and demand…

Secondary students with disabilities are given accommodations to support deficits they have in learning and/or behavior. Higher levels of test anxiety within this population are a factor often unaddressed by administrators. The physical environment in which students with disabilities take tests influences their ability to achieve maximum…

This article examines the visual environment on the campuses of two Historically Black Colleges or Universities and two Predominantly White Institutions. I use photos and observations to identify common physical campus variables that may give some insight into the Historically Black Colleges or Universities' campus culture and the unique traits…

Richard Louv's "Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder" published in 2008 inspired the world to explore the outdoors. He brought to light the decreasing time children are spending in nature and just enjoying all the benefits it has to offer. Many studies have also explored nature deprivation and the…

Special education comprises specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities (IDEA, 2017, Sec. 300.39). IDEA further states that specially designed instruction can be implemented in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings. Placement decisions are…

This survey study, N = 44 university students, from an urban campus, measured post-pandemic digital divide perceptions, focusing on motivational, physical, skills, and usage access to ICTs through the lens of van Dijk's resources and appropriation theory. Statistical tests, including one-sample t-tests, correlation analyses, one-way and repeated…

The landscape of higher education campus environments continues to change as student populations diversify (Parsons, 2023; Renn & Reason, 2013) and campus spaces extend into the digital realm. This critical phenomenological study examined organizational features that racialize digital campus ecology by examining the phenomena of interest,…

This dissertation proposes novel Domain Adaptation (DA) methods in real-world industrial settings, where the availability of labeled data is limited and test data can significantly differ from training data. Particularly, our research addresses key challenges in DA, including the applicability of DA methods in industrial settings, strategies to…

This dissertation explores the impact of physical campus spaces on the sense of belonging among commuter students. Drawing on qualitative data collected through photography, videos, interviews, observations, and campus materials, this study investigates how the physical campus environment shape students' perceptions of connection, inclusion, and…

This qualitative study considered how adventure education leaders can utilize the natural outdoor environment combined with appropriate leadership techniques to catalyze spiritual experiences among participants. Considerations included the impact of outdoor adventure best practices as well as the effects of situational leadership behaviors,…

The first year of teaching has profound implications for career length, job satisfaction, and teacher effectiveness. Establishing relationships with multiple colleagues has been found to help new teachers improve their practice and create a sense of identity within their schools and within the profession. Lack of physical proximity among teachers,…

School planning and design implicitly enters the realm of urban development when public school districts make land-use decisions on where to locate, construct, operate, maintain, and close their facilities. Moreover, schools and their campuses can impact the physical environment, influence urban design and development patterns, affect the local…

Background: Nature exposure is beneficial to human health and wellbeing, but the evidence base for nature-based interventions (NBI) is still developing. Heterogeneous naming conventions, study designs, and intervention contexts create difficulty in accessing and assessing the evidence for such programming. While NBI have been utilized in a wide…