Now showing items 1-20 of 328

    • Post-Pandemic Impacts on the Psychosocial and Academic Outcomes of University Students

      Boyd, Benjamin (SUNY Oneonta, 2025)
      Evidence that the coronavirus shifted the overarching scope of academic delivery has been well documented through research and policy. However, it’s unclear how the pivot from in-person course delivery to fully online, flex, merged, and hybrid courses shaped student experience as we move forward to post-pandemic world. This experimental report attempts to examine the post-pandemic impacts on the psychosocial and academic experiences of university students through qualitative interviewing and thematic analysis. Results indicated a series of themes on reflection of COVID-19 student life. As it pertains to student and faculty responsibility, thematic analysis suggests mid-pandemic literature reflects an exacerbation of pre-existing academic and psychosocial issues. However, creative efforts to find homeostasis within the turbulence is unique to an on-campus environment. Some themes reflect previous data collected, but idiosyncrasies lay within this data that proves significant for both students and faculty.
    • How Does Race Affect Experiences with Police Brutality

      LaDore, Mackenzie (SUNY Oneonta, 2025)
      Throughout history, there has been long-standing conflict and palpable tension between law enforcement agencies and racial minority groups. Historically, and in the present day, being part of a minority group meant being prone to racialized stereotypes of being aggressive or dangerous (Yadon, 2022). This issue continues to be relevant within our society today. This paper will explore if there truly is a correlation and connection between race and police brutality and if they factor in each other. Studies will show whether certain races are more susceptible to police brutality; if certain races experience the most extreme forms of police brutality, and if there are personal biases within officers and who they may choose to profile. This paper will explore different evidentiary support that examines numerous accounts of whether police brutality can be justified.
    • Expression of the Female Struggle through Theft in Wartime

      Gockel, Ava (SUNY Oneonta, 2025)
      Throughout historical and criminological study, women have often been viewed as the “milder” sex, and less likely to commit crimes such as theft. However, as Beattie stated, women stole just the same as men, and stole “for the same reason men stole [during the Revolution] – largely as a means of survival, as a way of supplementing inadequate wages or of supplying the most basic wants.”1. It can be inferred that women, who were driven to crime by their needs, would have been greatly impacted by the Revolutionary War and attracted to theft as a support. In a time where women were unable to own property or work in occupations that were traditionally male dominated, there were few options to support oneself or one’s family with many “heads of the household” at war. There is also a factor to be examined in the seasonal frequency of crime. In a temporal context that is highly dependent upon a quality summer and fall harvest, individuals struggled more during the winter months to survive. Through this understanding, we can begin to question the impact of two variables: gender roles and seasonal impact. The goal of this essay is to examine the impact of gender roles on female theft during the time of the Revolutionary War, along with the impact of seasons and the progression of war on crime. To do so, we will examine cases of theft offences with guilty verdicts archived in the Old Bailey On-Line database for 6 periods: January to March 1776, June to August 1776, January to March 1780, June to August 1780, January to March 1783, and Jun to August 1783.
    • Evolution of Women's Issues

      Burkowski, Lulu (SUNY Oneonta, 2025)
      The rights and status of women has been one of the most prevalent social issues throughout world history. Women have faced both constant and changing issues across Western civilizations and time periods, such as the Byzantine Empire, 14th century France, and 16th century England. These issues become evident when examining historical texts created by women, such as The Alexiad by Anna Comnena, The Book of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pisan, and the Speech to the Troops at Tilbury by Queen Elizabeth I. Many issues that women have dealt with throughout different time periods and geographical locations share more similarities than differences, including their right to be educated, their influence in government, and their social status relative to men. While progress has been made to combat these issues, theyhave continued to limit women’s rights throughout history.
    • Implementing International Labor Standards ( ILO)-The Impact of Supply Chain: Management and Economics

      O'Connor, Kaelin; Plaisted, Lucas (SUNY Oneonta, 2025)
      This paper aims to highlight the global trend of corporate social responsibility, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promulgated by the United Nations. As companies become transnational, there will be increasing pressure on the human resource management function in those organizations to respond to the changing environment. Existing methods for encouraging companies to be accountable for implementing the international labor standards in the United States are inadequate. After rejecting the concept of mandatory compliance. The focus directed in this document will discuss findings on supply chain management and the impact it has on economics pertaining to multinational enterprise (MNE) labor standards.
    • Hours Spent Decreasing Mental Health

      Lettich, Mikayla (SUNY Oneonta, 2025)
      The topic being researched is the association between social media use and poor mental health. Social media is a huge part in everyone’s lives and is all around us. Because of the prevalence of social media in our lives, it is certainly affecting us whether the effect is positive or negative. It can have a negative effect on mental health, specifically increasing depression. Depression is a mental health disorder I feel is typically closely related to social media use because of feeling left out of fun plans, feelings of loneliness because less in-person social interaction, wanting to look like someone else online, not being able to escape bullies or harassment even when at home, etc. My study seeks to find a correlation between social media use and experiencing poor mental health.
    • Letter from the Editor

      Champlin, Hayley (SUNY Oneonta, 2025)
      The interconnectedness of history and social science disciplines has always allowed for the collision of personal and political issues, particularly for those fighting for justice. Volume 8 of the SOAR Journal will dive into the intersections of identity, injustice, and resilience. This journal volume will take you through a rollercoaster, from the realities of racialized policing to the psychological tolls overwork has. In the article by Boyd, “Evolution of Women’s Issues,” we dive into historical texts written by women, highlighting issues they have dealt with over periods of time. In the article written by O’Connor and Plaisted “Implementing International Labor Standards (ILO) - The Impact of Supply Chain: Management and Economics,” we learn about the findings on supply chain management and their impact on economics. As for the article by Lettich, “Hours Spent Decreasing Mental Health,” we learn about the effects social media has on mental health.
    • Hopis and the Counterculture Traditionalism, Appropriation, and the Birth of a Social Field

      Haley, Brian D (2025-02)
      Dr. Brian Haley from the Department of Anthropology present his recently published book Hopis and the Counterculture: Traditionalism, Appropriation, and the Birth of a Social Field.This book addresses how the Hopi became icons of the followers of alternative spiritualities and reveals one of the major pathways for the explosive appropriation of Indigenous identities in the 1960s. It reveals a largely unknown network of Native, non-Indian, and neo-Indian actors who spread misrepresentations of the Hopi that they created through interactions with the Hopi Traditionalist faction of the 1940s through 1980s. Significantly, many non-Hopis involved adopted Indian identities during this time, becoming "neo-Indians." Exploring the new social field that developed to spread these ideas, Hopis and the Counterculture meticulously traces the trajectories of figures such as Ammon Hennacy, Craig Carpenter, Frank Waters, and the Firesign Theatre, among others.
    • Effects of Digital Badging on Middle School Students’ Writing Motivation

      Zyskowski, Catherine (2024)
      This study explored whether digital badges can effectively increase students’ motivation to write and revise their assignments. Conducted in a seventh-grade Digital Short Stories elective class, the study involved four students who wrote four short stories based on similar prompts. On each assignment, students received feedback through suggestions on their Google Docs, comments in Google Classroom, and scores on the assignment rubric. For the final two writing assignments, students could earn up to five digital badges for demonstrating mastery of the specific components outlined in the rubric. Earned badges were displayed on their Google Sites digital portfolios. Quantitative data were collected through the amount of time students spent writing and revising each assignment, as well as their grades on their first submission and revised resubmission. Qualitative data were collected through surveys administered at the beginning and end of the study, along with observations about the quality of student work on each assignment. Although the small sample size limits the generalizability of its findings, participants had a positive experience with digital badges during this study. The average time students spent writing each assignment increased after the implementation of digital badges, and all students revised at least one writing assignment, with every participant revising the final assignment. In contrast, only one student revised their work before the introduction of digital badges. Participants reported that their attitudes toward writing improved or remained unchanged after their experience with digital badges, and they also performed better on the assignments on which they could earn digital badges. Finally, all students responded that they felt that digital badges were effective at motivating students to write and revise. While more research is needed to determine the broader effectiveness of digital badges, the results of this study suggest that this form of gamification has the potential to enhance students’ motivation and engagement in writing and revision.
    • Exploring the Impact of Gamification on High School Students’ Motivation in Social Studies Learning

      Jimenez, David A (2024)
      This study examines the impact of integrating gamification methods into studying practices on high school students' motivation and behavior. The research aims to assess the effectiveness of gamification techniques in promoting studying behavior and motivation among high school students and exploring their perceptions, experiences, and attitudes towards studying approaches integrating gamification. The core problem addressed is students' struggle to maintain interest and motivation in their studies, potentially leading to negative effects on learning outcomes and assessment grades. Qualitative methods, including interviews and observations, were utilized to delve into students' experiences, perceptions, and attitudes. The study's findings provide insights into the potential benefits and challenges of gamification. The method of technological gamification that was used as the intervention is the online platform Quizizz. Ultimately, this research aims to emphasize or discredit the usefulness of incorporating gamification methods in education to enhance students' motivation and engagement in their studies, with implications for improving learning outcomes and academic performance.
    • Evaluating Nearpod as an Anticipatory Set Tool in Secondary Mathematics Education

      Pastore, Samantha (2024)
      An important aspect to teaching is finding the most effective strategy for starting a class period that allows for continued discussion and connecting key ideas throughout the lesson. The purpose of this qualitative study is to discover how using Nearpod as an anticipatory set encourages students to make connections within the material for high school math students. An Algebra II teacher was the participant of this study. This study was a qualitative case study with notes on lesson plan design, planned Nearpod activities, and a reflection from the teacher through an interview. The data collection consisted of digital notes taken during and after the interview. The data and participant interview supported the idea that Nearpod anticipatory sets increases students’ willingness to participate in discussion both at the beginning and throughout the rest of the class period. The results showed that Nearpod anticipatory sets are beneficial for promoting discussion, reviewing fluency skills quickly, and having students create predictions further into the lesson.
    • Empowering Special Education in the Age of Generative AI: Assessing the Impact of IXL on Reading Comprehension and Student Confidence

      Sevor, Aimee E (2024)
      This action research study investigates the integration of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool, IXL, into a special education classroom to enhance students’ reading comprehension skills. The research explores the efficacy of AI technology to not only personalize learning experiences but also provide targeted support for students with diverse learning needs. This study employs a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches through the analysis of IXL data, classroom artifacts and pre- and post-surveys of the students' feelings regarding their reading comprehension skills. The participants in this study are 9th-12th grade students in a self-contained special education classroom in a suburban area.
    • The Impacts of iCivics’ Digital Games: Exploring Middle School Students’ Engagement in Social Studies Learning

      Lucia, Michael C (2024)
      This qualitative action research investigates the impacts of integrating iCivics’ digital game Do I Have a Right? on student engagement in a seventh-grade civics elective course. Informed by the New York State Civic Readiness Initiative and the need to improve student engagement in teaching, this study explores the multidimensional nature of student engagement within the context of educational digital games. Utilizing classroom observations, a survey, and interviews, this study aims to understand how this digital game impacts student engagement. By examining these impacts, this research contributes to pedagogy in civic education and the potential of digital games to improve student engagement and learning outcomes.
    • Implementing Gimkit to Examine Effectiveness in Middle School Student Vocabulary Engagement

      Wright, Shanae S (2024)
      This study revolves around the idea of how best to engage students with vocabulary instruction and if Gimkit is the best way to do so. Students have struggled to stay engaged post COVID pandemic, and in recent years, students writing and reading skills have decreased and a portion of that is their lack of vocabulary and the inability to stay engaged with it. The purpose of this study is to better understand how Gimkit engages 8th grade students with vocabulary. This decrease in skills prompts the question how can Gimkit increase student engagement with vocabulary? The participants in this study are 8th grade English Language Arts (ELA) students who were selected with convenient sampling. This study is an action research study that utilizes mix of qualitative and quantitative data. Possible participants were sent home with a consent and ascent form to complete with their parents or guardians and return.
    • Examining The Effect of Sight-Reading Factory on High School Students’ Engagement in Music Learning

      DeNova, Christopher M. (2024)
      Music educators are always looking for new technology to incorporate into their classrooms. The applications educators incorporate into their classrooms must be engaging and motivating for students. This qualitative study aims to address the problem of the need for technology in our music classrooms. This study helped identify the successes and failures of a popular music technology that we could integrate into our classrooms. The participants of this study were 5 music students from my school located in the northern United States. This research was conducted to assist other educators in incorporating music technologies into their classrooms. This helped give insight to new educators as they can see what has already been done by their predecessors.
    • The Impact of Chromebook Integration on Writing Engagement Among Special Education Students

      Ferraiola, Jacob T  (2024)
      Technology profoundly affects the academic success of students, especially those with learning disabilities. The integration of technology into special education has yielded endless positive results over the 21st century. As it pertains to the concept of engagement and motivation, technology can increase these levels within all students regardless of their situation. Informed by the engagement theory, this study explores how Chromebooks have potential to foster secondary school students’ engagement in writing tasks.
    • Exploring the Middle School Student’s Writing Experience: Traditional Pen-and-Paper vs. Computer-Based Writing

      Shields, Katherine (2024)
      This action research study investigates whether typing or handwriting impacts student performance on writing assignments in the middle school setting within the context of English Language Arts (ELA) classrooms. Writing is a high-level skill that students perpetually work on and refine as they go through their secondary education. As technology becomes more prevalent, not only in society but in the education field, students are being required to type their writing assignments for standardized computer-based tests (CBT) while still having handwritten assignments. This dichotomy raises the question of how each format, digital or traditional, should be used in the classroom to be most efficient and comfortable for students at the secondary level to perform their writing abilities. This mixed method, action research study employed quantitative data in student writing samples and rubric-based writing assignments with qualitative data from student surveys and classroom observations. This study's participants include one section of 8th-grade students from a district in Long Island, New York. In this district, students are equipped with 1:1 Chromebooks which sparked the discussion, along with the rise of CBT, amongst the department’s ELA teachers if writing assignments should be created online or if they should be facilitated with pen and paper. This study provides a clearer understanding of how the format of writing tasks impacts student outcomes; analysis of the data gathered offers practical recommendations for educators approaching the nuance of writing engagement design in the 21st Century. Overall, this study contributes to the persisting conversation around technology in pedagogical practices. The results yield a basis for educators to make informed, evidence-based decisions in the ELA classroom to optimize student learning outcomes with a purposeful integration of technology to uplift student writing.
    • Non-Analog Behaviour of Eastern African Herbivore Communities During the Last Glacial Period

      O'Brien, Kaedan; Ashioya, Lilian; Faith, J. Tyler (Wiley, 2025-01)
      Modern African ungulates navigate seasonal variation in resource availability through diet-switching (primarily mixed-feeders) and/or migrating (primarily grass grazers). These ecological generalizations are well-documented today, but the extent to which they apply to the non-analog ecosystems of the Pleistocene are unclear. Drawing from serially-sampled stable isotope measurements from 18 Kenyan large herbivore species from the Last Glacial Period (LGP), we evaluate how diet, diet-switching, and migration compare to observations from present-day settings. We find a higher grazing signal in most LGP species and a greater magnitude of diet-switching than in the present. Additionally, we find that the relationships between grass intake, migration, diet-switching, and body size during the LGP were unlike those observed today. This establishes a revised paleoecology of LGP herbivore communities and highlights that LGP herbivores were behaviorally non-analog. Our results imply that ecological observations from present-day settings offer an incomplete perspective of herbivore-environment interactions.
    • Exploring the Digital Frontier: Unveiling the Influence of IXL and First in Math on Fourth-Grade Math Engagement

      Ginley, Kaitlin F. (2024)
      This action research study explored the impact of online learning platforms First in Math and IXL on fourth-grade students’ mathematical engagement. Data collected through surveys, interviews, and observations revealed that the gamified features of these tools, including rewards and competitive leaderboards, increased student motivation and enthusiasm for math practice. However, findings also highlighted limited independent use outside of teacher-guided sessions, emphasizing the need for strategies to promote self-directed engagement. This study underscores the value of integrating digital platforms into traditional math instruction to enhance student engagement.
    • Permission To Play: Expressive Arts Therapy for Team Building and Communication

      Avanzato, Olivia (2022)
      Permission To Play examines the use of Expressive Arts Therapy exercises as a method of staff development and team building, as well as facilitating interpersonal communication styles in a work environment. The project was conducted at a staff development retreat for the non-, Friends of Recovery:Delaware & Otsego Counties (FOR-DO). Staff from four branch locations participated in a two-hour workshop designed to provide education and an interactive experience to connect to build confidence around interpersonal communication. The presentation focused on five workplace communication styles, modeled after Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages. Staff members identified their preferred way to receive appreciation in the workplace The group then participated in an activity in which they made “Communication Creatures” using an art therapy technique that involves all participants in a fast paced, drawing activity. Once their Communication Creature was created, each person presented it to their peers. Utilizing an Expressive Arts Therapy technique of personification, staff were able to introduce their creature with their preferred communication style, as well as a name for their creature. This supported a playful and safe environment to discuss communication preferences in a way that invited laughter and broke down hierarchical formality. An additional art therapy exercise focused on communication and team building through storytelling and drawing. The staff was divided into small groups and were each given the same story to create a poster showing what the story was about. Each group was given a different communication challenge that made the group drawing more difficult. After debriefing about the project, team members shared that communication challenges and strengths that came up in the project mirrored those that came up in their day-to-day work. The group then brainstormed how to shift the challenges. Using Expressive Arts Therapy techniques within a staff development environment is an innovative approach for colleagues to address communication issues in a playful, creative way. This workshop can be duplicated and customized to offer a new approach to staff development within any organization or department.