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 Advancing Equity for Women and Girls with Disabilities: A Small Wins Approach for Inclusive and Rights-Based Education(2026)This Open Educational Resource (OER) presents original research titled Advancing Equity for Women and Girls with Disabilities: A Small Wins Approach for Inclusive and Rights-Based Education. The research provides the conceptual foundation for a five-unit curriculum designed for secondary and postsecondary learners, equipping students to examine barriers to inclusion and advance rights-based educational practices. The OER first outlines the research framework supporting the curriculum and then presents the instructional modules in the Appendix. Women and girls with disabilities remain among the most marginalized learners globally, facing intersecting barriers shaped by gender, disability, poverty, culture, and structural inequality. This OER examines these inequities through a global lens and proposes the Small Wins strategy as a practical, evidence-informed approach to advancing inclusive education. Drawing on international frameworks, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 5, and 10), the work illustrates how incremental changes in policy, pedagogy, and school culture can collectively expand access, agency, and educational opportunity. Designed for educators in disability studies, gender studies, global education, and human rights education, this resource provides classroom-ready models, discussion pathways, and instructional examples demonstrating how Universal Design for Learning (UDL), culturally sustaining pedagogy, and rights-based teaching can translate global commitments into everyday educational practice. Ultimately, the analysis highlights how sustained, strategic small wins can generate meaningful and lasting change within educational systems. The Small Wins Approach to Gender and Disabilities Curriculum consists of the following modules: Module 1: The Global Landscape of Women, Girls, and Disabilities in Education Module 2: Barriers and Intersectionality: Violence, Poverty, Culture, and Policy Module 3: The “Small Wins” Strategy: Theory and Application Module 4: Education as Empowerment: Rights, Development, and Practice Module 5: Implementation Pathways: From Policy to PracticeItem The Impacts of Intergenerational Trauma on African Americans and their Perspectives on Seeking Mental Health Treatment(2026-03)This qualitative ethnographic study addresses the negative impact of intergenerational trauma on African Americans' perspectives on seeking mental health treatment in the U.S. The objective was to understand how cultural norms and practices shape perspectives on mental health and to explore how the history of intergenerational trauma can reduce willingness to seek mental health support. The study focused on African American adults aged 21 and over, using purposive sampling to select 14 participants who understood cultural values, customs, or beliefs and could serve as representatives. Social learning theory served as the foundation for this research. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews to obtain information on the negative impacts of intergenerational trauma. A narrative analysis was utilized for this study to identify key themes in each participant's experience. The research findings revealed a variety of themes, including effects of intergenerational trauma on African American communities, how cultural norms and practices shape mental health perspectives, and the impact of the history of intergenerational trauma. The findings of this research study identified several barriers resulting from intergenerational trauma, including mistrust of healthcare systems, financial hardship, limited access to care, and a lack of culturally competent providers. The results also highlighted the complex and sometimes contradictory roles that cultural factors play in shaping mental health perspectives and behaviors within African American communities. Based on these findings, this study offers three recommendations for practice. First, for African Americans to develop trust in the healthcare system, resources must be accessible, affordable, and tailored to their needs. Second, to minimize stigma, silence, and secrecy around help-seeking and mental health discussions, additional community spaces should be established to facilitate dialogue about the benefits of mental health services. Third, African American communities should focus on reshaping their self-narrative, prioritizing self-perception over societal views.Item An Examination on the Challenges that Black Women Experience in Starting a Business in Georgia: A Phenomenological Study(2026-03)The problem addressed in this study was the challenges that Black women entrepreneurs experienced when starting and sustaining a business in Georgia (Williams, 2024). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the challenges that Black women entrepreneurs experience when starting a business in Georgia and to identify strategies that promote business sustainability and success. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of 15 Black women entrepreneurs who owned or sustained businesses in Georgia, focusing on the systemic challenges they encountered during business initiation and sustainability. The intersectionality theory and disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship examined how gendered racism, discrimination, and institutionalized chauvinism converged to shape entrepreneurial trajectories. The disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship posits that Black women pursue entrepreneurship not solely for opportunities but also due to exclusion from traditional labor markets and systemic racial barriers that hinder financial success. The phenomenological approach was employed to obtain rich narratives that illustrated structural and relational constraints, including funding issues, lack of support, non-acceptance, and racial and gender discrimination from dominant entrepreneurial networks, and persistent racialized and gendered bias. Participants provided strategic insights for rising Black women entrepreneurs and emphasized the importance of community building, mentorship, resilience, and engagement in professional development. Based on the findings, Black women-owned businesses in Georgia accounted for a significant share of new ventures and entrepreneurial networks, yet these networks remained inequitable and under-resourced. The findings suggested a need for policy reform and support from other Black businesses and from local, state, and federal agencies. This study contributed to the growing body of entrepreneurship literature by enriching the knowledge of entrepreneurship through the lens of intersectionality theory and the disadvantaged theory of entrepreneurship. These frameworks collectively highlighted the interconnected systems of oppression that shaped the participants’ entrepreneurial voices as business owners in Georgia, thereby impacting the sustainability and viability of their businesses.Item Virtual Simulations Enhance Student Learning and Attitudes in Microbiology Laboratory Courses(2026-01)Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of virtual laboratories in microbiology instruction was limited; however, their adoption increased rapidly during campus closures. Despite this shift, few studies have examined if and how virtual simulations support student learning and attitudes in college-level microbiology laboratory courses across instructional modalities. This quasi-experimental study examined whether virtual simulations support student learning and attitudes in a pre-allied health microbiology laboratory course required for a nursing and other health programs. Virtual labs were aligned with course learning outcomes. In-person students completed simulations before class and performed hands-on experiments during lab sessions; while online students completed only virtual labs. Learning was measured using pre- and post-test questions aligned with course outcomes. At the same time, student attitudes were assessed through end-of-course surveys to gauge confidence, motivation, anxiety, and perceptions of self-paced learning. Mixed-effects modeling revealed significant learning gains in both groups. All students improved in six of seven outcomes, while a few learning gains varied by modality. Surveys showed increased confidence and motivation, and reduced anxiety across modalities. A 5-year follow-up of students in the study showed that 69% and 50% of the in-person and online-only students, respectively, had graduated from nursing or allied health programs. Overall, this study showed increased student learning using microbiology simulations was significant over time as well as a positive effect on student attitudes towards microbiology lab.Item Adults' Perspectives on Resiliency After the Trauma of Being Chronically Verbally Bullied in Adolescence.(2026-03)The problem addressed in this study was to investigate the challenges associated with chronic verbal bullying that individuals encountered during adolescence and how these experiences manifested in adulthood. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory, multiple-case study was to investigate how adults who endured chronic verbal bullying during adolescence articulate their experiences of developing and sustaining resilience into adulthood. The primary aim was to examine the contextual factors within participants’ social environments that contributed to overcoming negative experiences and fostering resilience. Social cognitive theory guided this study highlighting how individuals learn by observing behaviors, self-efficacy, and environmental factors. Data were collected through semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 12 participants, who provided in-depth reflections on their experiences. Two central research questions guided the inquiry: RQ1: How do adults who experienced chronic verbal bullying during adolescence articulate their processes of developing and sustaining resilience in adulthood, particularly in relation to personal and social challenges? RQ1-a: How do these adults reflect on the strategies they have employed to cultivate resilience and navigate adversity across diverse life domains, including relationships, employment, and emotional well-being? This study aimed to contribute to the broader understanding of resilience-building after trauma, emphasizing the critical role of social context in shaping adaptive responses to adversity.
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