The National University System Repository exists to increase public access to research and other materials created by students and faculty of the affiliate institutions of National University System. Most items in the repository are open access, freely available to everyone.
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Item Strategic Implementation of the AIDA Model into Military Marketing Strategies: An Army National Guard Study(2026-03)This qualitative study examined how military marketing messages capture attention, generate interest and desire, and motivate action among the military’s target market in the digital age. The research problem addressed in this study was that military marketing efforts often struggle to resonate with their target market, individuals aged 17 to 34, limiting engagement and reducing behavioral response among potential recruits. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how Army National Guard marketing messages influence audience progression through the AIDA model. The study was guided by this framework, which conceptualizes marketing effectiveness as a sequential process moving audiences from awareness to behavioral intent. A qualitative research design using qualitative content analysis was employed to examine participant perceptions of military marketing advertisements. The study included 20 participants aged 18 to 34 with no prior military service. Participants viewed 20 digital advertisements and responded to structured open-ended survey questions. Data were analyzed using directed qualitative content analysis aligned with the four stages of the model and interpreted in terms of cognitive, affective, and conative response patterns, which informed recommendations for improving the effectiveness of military marketing messaging. The findings indicated that advertisements were effective at capturing cognitive attention but less successful at sustaining affective engagement or producing conative behavioral intent. The study concludes that military marketing campaigns may benefit from more emotionally resonant and personally relevant messaging to strengthen audience progression toward action. Future research may examine repeated exposure to messages and additional communication formats to further evaluate marketing effectiveness.Item Transformational Experiences on Long-Term Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Depressive Disorder in Men(2026-03)Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) combined with a depressive disorder creates complex challenges that affect men’s health, relationships, and ability to sustain recovery. Although treatment options exist, little is known about the personal turning points that lead to lasting recovery when both conditions are present. This gap limits how practitioners and researchers understand the experiences that drive long-term change. The purpose of this study was to explore the transformational experiences that contributed to sustained recovery among men with histories of alcoholism and comorbid depression. Addiction recovery as a transformative learning (ARTL) framework guided the study, extending transformative learning theory to the context of addiction and identity change. A qualitative narrative inquiry design was used. Nine men in long-term recovery, ranging from five to 40 years of sobriety, participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews followed an open-ended guide designed to elicit stories of pivotal change, identity shifts, and recovery milestones. Transcripts were coded inductively to capture themes and deductively to apply the tenets of ARTL. The guiding research questions asked: How do men with alcohol use disorder and comorbid depressive disorder describe their transformational experiences in relation to long-term recovery? Analysis revealed six major themes: emotional healing and self-acceptance, identity transformation, recovery practices and strategies, relationship repair and social support, spiritual and existential insights, and sustained growth and life integration. Across participants, the reconstruction of personal identity emerges as the central mechanism linking transformational experiences with sustained recovery. Identity was described as both a source of vulnerability in addiction and a cornerstone of recovery. Transformational moments frequently occurred at times of crisis or existential questioning, sparking enduring shifts in worldview, purpose, and sense of self. The findings demonstrate how transformational learning processes support recovery as a lifelong endeavor. Implications for practice include integrating identity-focused counseling, encouraging narrative reconstruction, and designing interventions that address co-occurring depression alongside addiction. Recommendations for research include extending this inquiry to diverse populations and exploring non-twelve-step recovery pathways.Item Supporting Special Education teachers in High-Needs Classrooms: A Qualitative Descriptive Case Study(2026-03)Students with high-needs disabilities are increasing across the country, especially children diagnosed with autism. The problem addressed in this study was that, because of a focus on IDEA mandates, Special Education teachers in K-12 urban public-school districts are often required to teach high-needs students without sufficient instructional and administrative support, which negatively impacts student achievement. The purpose of this study was to understand Special Education teachers' perspectives on the instructional and administrative support needed for high-needs students to succeed, as well as administrators' perspectives on the resources required to support teachers in high-needs classrooms effectively. The conceptual theory examined in this study was Billingsley’s four themes for special educators’ retention and attrition, which focus on staffing shortages, recruitment, and attrition, issues that concern policymakers and school districts. A qualitative descriptive case study was used in this research study. The setting for this study was a western New York public school district, one of the state's largest. The sample consisted of nine Special Education teachers and ten building-level administrators. Data collection involved three components: Special Education teachers participated in individual interviews and a focus group, while building-level administrators completed an online questionnaire. The data collected were coded using Quirkos, an online data analysis tool, and analyzed using the six-phase thematic analysis process. The findings suggest that both Special Education teachers and administrators need additional guidance and support from their administrators to problem-solve and provide the best possible educational experience and opportunities for students, despite their uniqueness and challenges.Item Online Faculty Experiences with Implementing LLM and AI Tools in Online Academia: A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study(2026-03)In fully online higher education, the use of large language model artificial intelligence (LLM-AI) tools created new instructional considerations related to teaching, learning, and academic integrity. The problem addressed in this study was that many faculty members teaching in online higher education viewed LLM-AI tools with skepticism, which often led to concerns regarding academic integrity, a perceived decline in instructional quality, and resistance to shifting pedagogical roles. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to investigate the experiences of online faculty members in successfully implementing LLM-AI tools in their classrooms to support student learning. Transformative Learning Theory served as the theoretical framework for the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight online faculty participants representing varied disciplinary contexts, followed by a virtual focus group to support triangulation. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s updated seven-phase reflexive thematic analysis framework. The study was guided by two research questions: (1) What strategies did online faculty use to implement LLM-AI tools? and (2) How did online faculty implement LLM-AI tools in their classrooms to support student learning? Four themes were developed from the analysis: Purposeful and Intentional AI Integration, Explicit Boundary-Setting for AI Use, AI as a Support for Student Learning Processes, and AI as a Tool for Instructional Efficiency and Support. The results showed that online faculty implemented LLM-AI tools through intentional, ethically grounded instructional practices that emphasized pedagogical alignment, transparency, scaffolding, and efficiency-oriented support. Implications for practice included the need for clearer institutional guidance, expanded faculty development, and structured approaches to ethically responsible LLM-AI integration in fully online higher education.Item A Quantitative Comparison of Female High School Students STEM Degree versus STEM Non-Degree Completion(2026-02)Women remain underrepresented among degree completers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics despite increased exposure to secondary-level enrichment programs. However, there remains a lack of empirical evidence examining whether participation in high school programs is associated with higher rates of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degree completion. This study investigated the relationship between female participation in the FIRST Robotics project-based learning program during high school and subsequent completion of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees. The study was guided by social cognitive career theory, which emphasizes the influence of learning experiences, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations on educational decision-making. A quantitative, correlational research design was adopted for this investigation. The participants included female students who participated in the FIRST Robotics program during high school and a comparison group of female students who did not participate. Archival data on postsecondary enrollment and degree completion were analyzed to address the research questions. Pearson’s chi-square test revealed a statistically significant association between STEM degree completion and the two groups. The results indicated that female students who participated in the FIRST Robotics program were more likely to graduate with a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics than non-participants. The findings have implications for high school project-based learning experiences, such as the FIRST Robotics program, in fostering readiness for college-level science, technology, engineering, and math, as well as degree-completion outcomes for female students. A future qualitative phenomenological study could examine the lived experiences of female students in higher education, exploring their personal stories of persistence, to identify best practices in curriculum design and guide the design of project-based learning structures.
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