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Title: BLOGGING FOR PROFIT IN THE 21ST CENTURY: AN AUTOETHNOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS.
Creator: Warren, Samantha L, Roozen, Kevin, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this thesis is to conduct an autoethnographic analysis on my literate activities as a blogger to better understand the content creation and monetization practices of modern bloggers. In Chapter 1, I introduce readers to my blog and discuss some current lines of scholarship on blogging. In Chapter 2, I discuss my research methods and justify my use of autoethnography for my study. In Chapters 3 and 4, I explain my content creation and monetization processes in detail. In Chapter...
Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to conduct an autoethnographic analysis on my literate activities as a blogger to better understand the content creation and monetization practices of modern bloggers. In Chapter 1, I introduce readers to my blog and discuss some current lines of scholarship on blogging. In Chapter 2, I discuss my research methods and justify my use of autoethnography for my study. In Chapters 3 and 4, I explain my content creation and monetization processes in detail. In Chapter 5, I draw conclusions from my analysis and provide a few further directions for research. My suggestions for future research include to analyze other bloggers' work, use different research methods in addition to autoethnography, and look at different types of blogs instead of just sites in the lifestyle category. One of my key takeaways from my research is that blogging is an interdisciplinary activity that requires skills in not just writing, but design, technology, and marketing.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFH2000446, ucf:45802
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000446

Title: OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE: A PREDICTOR OF TECHNOLOGY USE AT ANY AGE?.
Creator: Ojalvo, Olivia, Chin, Matthew, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Technology is an integral part of both modern culture and day-to-day communication. Older adults' relationships with technology are completely different than younger adults' because of the way they have learned to incorporate it into their lives. Past research has shown that certain personality traits can predict technology use in younger adults. The current research hopes to take that finding and see if it applies to older adults, too. Four hypotheses were generated. Participants took a...
Show moreTechnology is an integral part of both modern culture and day-to-day communication. Older adults' relationships with technology are completely different than younger adults' because of the way they have learned to incorporate it into their lives. Past research has shown that certain personality traits can predict technology use in younger adults. The current research hopes to take that finding and see if it applies to older adults, too. Four hypotheses were generated. Participants took a survey that consisted of five different scales and measures. Participants also were asked to answer demographic questions. Independent-sample t-tests and bivariate correlations were run on the data. Results showed that general technology use was not significantly correlated to a participant's age. There were significant correlations between the two age groups and psychological well-being, feelings of attachment to peers, technology use subscales and sensation seeking subscales. Future studies should examine the possible relationship of technology use subscales amongst the older population and their attitudes towards technology.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFH2000431, ucf:45880
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000431

Title: THE KIOSK CULTURE: RECONCILING THE PERFORMANCE SUPPORT PARADOX IN THE POSTMODERN AGE OF MACHINES.
Creator: Cavanagh, Thomas, Kitalong, Karla, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Do you remember the first time you used an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM)? Or a pay-at-the-pump gas station? Or an airline e-ticket kiosk? How did you know what to do? Although you never received any formal instruction in how to interact with the self-service technology, you were likely able to accomplish your task (e.g., withdrawing or depositing money) as successfully as an experienced user. However, not so long ago, to accomplish that same task, you needed the direct mediation of a service...
Show moreDo you remember the first time you used an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM)? Or a pay-at-the-pump gas station? Or an airline e-ticket kiosk? How did you know what to do? Although you never received any formal instruction in how to interact with the self-service technology, you were likely able to accomplish your task (e.g., withdrawing or depositing money) as successfully as an experienced user. However, not so long ago, to accomplish that same task, you needed the direct mediation of a service professional who had been trained how to use the required complex technology. What has changed? In short, the technology is now able to compensate for the average consumer's lack of experience with the transactional system. The technology itself bridges the performance gap, allowing a novice to accomplish the same task as an experienced professional. This shift to a self-service paradigm is completely changing the dynamics of the consumer relationship with the capitalist enterprise, resulting in what is rapidly becoming the default consumer interface of the postmodern era. The recognition that the entire performance support apparatus now revolves around the end user/consumer rather than the employee represents a tectonic shift in the workforce training industry. What emerges is a homogenized consumer culture enabled by self-service technologies--a kiosk culture. No longer is the ability to interact with complex technology confined to a privileged workforce minority who has access to expensive and time-consuming training. The growth of the kiosk culture is being driven equally by business financial pressures, consumer demand for more efficient transactions, and the improved sophistication of compensatory technology that allows a novice to perform a task with the same competence as an expert. "The Kiosk Culture" examines all aspects of self-service technology and its ascendancy. Beyond the milieu of business, the kiosk culture is also infiltrating all corners of society, including medicine, athletics, and the arts, forcing us to re-examine our definitions of knowledge, skills, performance, and even humanity. The current ubiquity of self-service technology has already impacted our society and will continue to do so as we ride the rising tide of the kiosk culture.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001348, ucf:46989
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001348

Title: THE EFFECTS OF INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGYINTO AN 8TH GRADE SCIENCE CURRICULUM.
Creator: Brunton, Gregory, Jeanpierre, Bobby, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The growing need for technological literacy has increased its presence in public classrooms more than ever before. The purpose of this research study was to study the effects of technology integration on student achievement and attitudes toward science and technology. The participants in this 18-week study involved the 86 8th grade students at Winding Hills School in Orlando, Florida. Data were collected using a pre and post vocabulary assessment, weekly vocabulary quizzes, student attitude...
Show moreThe growing need for technological literacy has increased its presence in public classrooms more than ever before. The purpose of this research study was to study the effects of technology integration on student achievement and attitudes toward science and technology. The participants in this 18-week study involved the 86 8th grade students at Winding Hills School in Orlando, Florida. Data were collected using a pre and post vocabulary assessment, weekly vocabulary quizzes, student attitude surveys, student and parent correspondence as it relates to the study such as parent notes and e-mails, and classroom observation notes. Several conclusions were made. The effects of technology on student performance as originally planned was inconclusive in this study. It was found that there was no correlation between typing assignments and student performance. Students felt that technology increased their academic performance. Students had positive attitude towards science class though the percentage decreased during the study. Students enjoyed using technology, saw it as a benefit, felt it helped them with publishing and improved their attitudes towards technology.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: CFE0000375, ucf:46338
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000375

Title: ADAPTIVE TECHNOMYTHOGRAPHY: THE APOTHEOSIS OF MACHINE AND DEVELOPMENT OF LEGEND IN A SYSTEM OF DYNAMIC TECHNOLOGY.
Creator: wolf, roger, Robinson, Brady, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Human beings will effectively deify any suitably complex system that cannot be explained through basic haptic interaction. Our culture loves technology. These days it seems we need it to feel whole. In an effort to explore the development of mythology and modular aesthetic in a technological age I have designed and constructed a number of interactive robotic 'organisms' to engage in arbitrary movement in geometric enclosures. Through observation and dialog I seek to assess the extent...
Show moreHuman beings will effectively deify any suitably complex system that cannot be explained through basic haptic interaction. Our culture loves technology. These days it seems we need it to feel whole. In an effort to explore the development of mythology and modular aesthetic in a technological age I have designed and constructed a number of interactive robotic 'organisms' to engage in arbitrary movement in geometric enclosures. Through observation and dialog I seek to assess the extent to which people assign human characteristics to the random and oft times aberrant mechanical behavior. To supplement this endeavor, a fictional astrological system that proposes logical (albeit mythological) explanations for the peculiarities in these relationships has been created.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001677, ucf:47197
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001677

Title: FLORIDA FIRST YEAR TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF PREPAREDNESS TO MEET NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS (NETS-T).
Creator: Bedenbaugh, Larry, Taylor, Rosemarye, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study was to determine if first year teachers in Florida perceived they were adequately prepared by their preservice education programs to meet the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). The study was designed to gather data about first year teacher perceptions of personal technology proficiency and self-reported technology integration practices. The data were measured using the First Year Teacher Perceptions Related to Preparedness to Meet...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if first year teachers in Florida perceived they were adequately prepared by their preservice education programs to meet the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). The study was designed to gather data about first year teacher perceptions of personal technology proficiency and self-reported technology integration practices. The data were measured using the First Year Teacher Perceptions Related to Preparedness to Meet National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) survey instrument. The sample (N=257) for this study was drawn from the population of Florida first year PreK-12 public classroom teachers from the 2005–2006 school year who were still teaching during the 2006-2007 school year. Demographic variables, perceptions of personal technology skills, and self-reported technology integration practices were collected on the sample. Descriptive and comparative statistics were used to identify relationships between the variables. It was concluded that first year teachers in Florida who held a professional teaching certificate or graduated from a Florida public university's teacher education program perceived they were better prepared to meet national educational technology standards than first year teachers in Florida who did not. It was also determined that there was a statistically significant relationship between first year teacher perceptions for preparedness for technology integration and their perceived personal technology skills, as well as between self-reported technology integration practices of first year teachers and their perceptions of their ability to integrate technology. Two additional findings came to light during the study. The majority of first year teachers in Florida did not take the traditional university teacher preparation program as their path to certification. Additionally, the vast majority of first year teachers in Florida gave credit to independent learning in increasing their own personal technology skills.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001727, ucf:47320
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001727

Title: SPACE MATTERS: AN INSTITUTIONAL CRITIQUE OF DISTANCE LEARNING WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ENGLISH DEPARTMENT.
Creator: Mumpower, Lori, Kitalong, Karla, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This dissertation examines distance learning within a local, particular context: UCF's English department. In order to fully examine distance learning in this specific environment, I employ institutional critique as my methodology, a rhetorical and spatial approach that allows me to map distance learning within UCF's English department. Drawing upon the work of David Harvey, I examine the experienced, perceived, and imagined spaces of distance learning in our department. Through an...
Show moreThis dissertation examines distance learning within a local, particular context: UCF's English department. In order to fully examine distance learning in this specific environment, I employ institutional critique as my methodology, a rhetorical and spatial approach that allows me to map distance learning within UCF's English department. Drawing upon the work of David Harvey, I examine the experienced, perceived, and imagined spaces of distance learning in our department. Through an examination of the history of naming UCF, rhetorical analyses of institutional documents that reference technologies, analysis of survey results noting faculty attitudes and perceptions of online learning, and postmodern mapping of faculty members' perceived and ideal spaces, we can find local solutions for local problems related to distance learning.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001708, ucf:47331
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001708

Title: RECREATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ITS IMPACT ON THE LEARNING DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN AGES 4-8: A META-ANALYSIS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM.
Creator: Templeton, Joey, Dombrowski, Paul, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This research focuses on technology (specifically video games and interactive software games) and their effects on the cognitive development of children ages 4-8. The research will be conducted as a meta-analysis combining research and theory in order to determine if the educational approach to this age group needs to change/adapt to learners who have been affected by this technology. I will focus upon both the physical and mental aspects of their development and present a comprehensive...
Show moreThis research focuses on technology (specifically video games and interactive software games) and their effects on the cognitive development of children ages 4-8. The research will be conducted as a meta-analysis combining research and theory in order to determine if the educational approach to this age group needs to change/adapt to learners who have been affected by this technology. I will focus upon both the physical and mental aspects of their development and present a comprehensive review of current educational theory and practice. By examining current curriculum goals and cross-referencing them to research conducted in fields other than education (i.e. technology, child development, media literacy, etc.) I hope to demonstrate a need for change; and, at the end of my research, be able to make recommendations for curriculum adaptations that will work within the current educational structure. These recommendations will be made with respect to budget and time constraints.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001970, ucf:47458
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001970

Title: TECHNOLOGIES TO ENHANCE OPTIMAL GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN YOUNG ADULTS WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES.
Creator: Hassett, Shannon L, Gonzalez, Laura, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Background People with type 1 diabetes make up approximately two million of the American population. Every day, these two million people struggle to fight this lifelong, sometimes life threatening disease. While type 1 diabetes currently has no cure, there are technologies that can make diabetes management more effective. This study surveyed the type 1 diabetes (T1D) young adult population aged 18-30, to evaluate what technologies and tools are most often associated with achieving optimal...
Show moreBackground People with type 1 diabetes make up approximately two million of the American population. Every day, these two million people struggle to fight this lifelong, sometimes life threatening disease. While type 1 diabetes currently has no cure, there are technologies that can make diabetes management more effective. This study surveyed the type 1 diabetes (T1D) young adult population aged 18-30, to evaluate what technologies and tools are most often associated with achieving optimal glycemic control (OGC). Methodology The instrument is a 35 question, investigator developed survey that is designed to measure how often a participant utilizes the technology identified in each question, with the response choices ranging from 0 (never) to 5 (multiple times daily). In addition, there were some yes/no and fill-in-the-blank questions to identify demographic variables. The technology topics that were explored are 1) mode of insulin therapy, 2) mode of blood glucose monitoring therapy, 3) mode of communication with designated care provider, 4) electronic applications used, 5) demographic variables, and 6) pertinent comorbidities. This information was used to evaluate variables that assist T1Ds in achieving optimal glycemic control. Participants were invited to participate in this study via email using the Students with Diabetes email listserv. The email contained the IRB approved explanation of research letter, which informed participants of the study and the research being conducted. If the student chose to participate, they checked a box that served as an electronic signature, and they continued on to the 35-question survey. All responses to the survey will be kept confidential; as the survey and research did not require any personal identifying information. Data regarding the specific demographics, technologies used for diabetes control, and hemoglobin A1C levels were recorded and analyzed. The results of the survey will be shared with the participants via the same email list-serv by which they were originally recruited. Results There were 59 participants. A total of 21 out of 59 respondents had optimal glycemic control (A1C less than 7.0, per American Diabetes Association guidelines). Eighty eight percent of those with OGC wore their CGMs all the time, while only 66% of those with IGC wore their CGMs all the time. Ninety five percent of those with OGC used their insulin pumps all the time, while 89% of those with IGC did. It is likely that the combination of both CGMs and insulin pumps worn all the time are the most powerful tools to achieving OGC. Students that were employed, enrolled in classes, and still under their parent�s insurance plans had a higher incidence of optimal glycemic control. Discussion It was hypothesized that those with OGC would have a higher incidence of diabetes technology use. This PI found that even though almost all participants had access to the diabetes technology, still only 37% of the participants had optimal glycemic control. There are many components to diabetes care that impact glycemic control that were not explored within this scope of this diabetes technology study. Conclusions It is likely that both CGMs and insulin pumps worn all the time are the most powerful tools to achieving OGC. Students who graduate from college and transition to adulthood are vulnerable as they may encounter added stressors such as employment, and financial responsibility that cause them to deviate from the recommendations for diabetes technology use. Care providers need to be cognizant that young adulthood is a vulnerable time in terms of OGC and optimal diabetes management. Providers need to work with young adults, and encourage them to adhere to the recommended diabetes care regime.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000030, ucf:45592
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000030

Title: THE REPRESSIVE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN AMERICAN AND BRITISH DYSTOPIAN NOVELS OF THE COLD WAR.
Creator: Wolk, Gabriela, Grajeda, Anthony, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Cold War was a time of extreme conformity, with an equally extreme reaction against forced conformity. Representations of such reactions were not to be omitted in the literature of the time. Throughout the novels, the characters and society itself are repressed into an alternate state of being. This investigation analyzes the role that technology plays in this process in Fahrenheit 451, Sirens of Titan, 1984, Lord of the Flies, and A Clockwork Orange. The novels were all written during...
Show moreThe Cold War was a time of extreme conformity, with an equally extreme reaction against forced conformity. Representations of such reactions were not to be omitted in the literature of the time. Throughout the novels, the characters and society itself are repressed into an alternate state of being. This investigation analyzes the role that technology plays in this process in Fahrenheit 451, Sirens of Titan, 1984, Lord of the Flies, and A Clockwork Orange. The novels were all written during the Cold War and follow a dystopian society. Society is controlled and maintained in its respective disarray through the utilization of technology, whether it be pushed down upon them by their governments or by themselves. Through close analysis of the novels themselves and existing discourse related to the topic, it becomes evident that technology is able to manipulate and dictate the lives of people, diminishing their individualism. A dichotomy between creative expression and technology arises in all of the studied novels, pointing to the significance of individualism and its existence through creativity. This investigation concludes that such acts of expression, including creative writing and nonconformist acts, are vital to maintaining a stable societal system. The literature points to the ultimate evil that arises from technology and the power that inevitably comes with it, warning that humanity itself may be lost without the existence of free will and individual thought.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFH0004795, ucf:45336
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004795

Title: OLDER ADULTS AND ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING: RELATING ISSUES OF ATTITUDES, EXPERTISE, AND USE.
Creator: Hernandez, Elise, Smither, Janan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The social transition to older adulthood can be challenging for elderly individuals and their families when isolation poses a threat to well-being. Technology is currently providing younger generations with an opportunity to stay in contact with social partners through the use of online social networking tools; it is unclear whether older adults are also taking advantage of this communication method. This study explored how older adults are experiencing online social networking. Specifically,...
Show moreThe social transition to older adulthood can be challenging for elderly individuals and their families when isolation poses a threat to well-being. Technology is currently providing younger generations with an opportunity to stay in contact with social partners through the use of online social networking tools; it is unclear whether older adults are also taking advantage of this communication method. This study explored how older adults are experiencing online social networking. Specifically, this research addressed how older adults' attitudes towards online social networking are related to their expertise in using computers and the internet for this purpose. A survey methodological approach was employed whereby older adults aged 65 and over were recruited from senior centers across the Central Florida area to fill out a series of questionnaires. The Computer Aversion, Attitudes, and Familiarity Index (CAAFI) was used to measure attitudes and expertise with computers. The Internet Technical Literacy and Social Awareness Scale was used to measure interest and expertise with the internet. The relationship between older adults' use of online social networking and their attitudes and expertise was also investigated. Finally, social connectedness, (measured using the Social Connectedness Scale) and subjective well-being (measured using the Satisfaction with Life Scale) were measured to explore whether older adults receive a psychosocial benefit from using online social networking. Findings showed expertise and attitudes scores were strongly correlated, and these scores were also predictive of online social networking use. The results of this study may help social service providers for elderly individuals begin to understand the many factors associated with using new forms of technology.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0004078, ucf:44786
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004078

Title: GENERATION AND THE GOOGLE EFFECT: TRANSACTIVE MEMORY SYSTEM PREFERENCE ACROSS AGE.
Creator: Siler, Jessica, Hancock, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: A transactive memory system (TMS) is a means by which people may store information externally; in such a system the task of remembering is offloaded by remembering where information is located, rather than remembering the information itself. As Sparrow et al. (2011) suggest in the article Google Effects on Memory: Cognitive Consequences of Having Information at Our Fingertips, people are beginning to use the internet and computers as a TMS, and this use is changing the way people encounter...
Show moreA transactive memory system (TMS) is a means by which people may store information externally; in such a system the task of remembering is offloaded by remembering where information is located, rather than remembering the information itself. As Sparrow et al. (2011) suggest in the article Google Effects on Memory: Cognitive Consequences of Having Information at Our Fingertips, people are beginning to use the internet and computers as a TMS, and this use is changing the way people encounter and treat information. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether preference for TMS type (either with books or with computers) varies across age groups. An interaction between TMS preference and age was hypothesized. Before the onset of the internet age, information was primarily found in books and other print materials whereas now the internet is more frequently used, thus this shift in thinking and habit across generations was expected to emerge in the data. The study yielded a total of 51 participants, 32 from the young age group (ages 18-24) and 19 from the old (ages 61-81). A modified Stroop task and question blocks (for priming purposes) were employed to examine whether people are prone to think of book- or computer-related sources when in search of information. Also, a "Look up or Learn" tendencies survey was used to better understand how people decide whether certain information should be learned or left to be "looked up" later (Yacci & Rosanski, 2012). The mixed ANOVA did not reveal main effects for question difficulty or TMS type, nor was an interaction with age found. The results were not consistent with those of Sparrow et al. (2011) and did not show significance for TMS preference. Future studies should continue to examine the Google effect and TMS preference, as it bears important applications for a number of fields.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004473, ucf:45118
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004473

Title: THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN ADOLESCENT RELATIONSHIPS AND IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT.
Creator: Cyr, Betty-Ann, Berman, Dr. Steven, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging, and social networking sites are changing the way people interact with each other. The popularity of these communication technologies among emerging adults in particular has grown exponentially, with little accompanying research to understand their influences on psychosocial development. This study explores the relationship between communication technology usage (text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging, and social networking) and adolescent...
Show moreText messaging, e-mail, instant messaging, and social networking sites are changing the way people interact with each other. The popularity of these communication technologies among emerging adults in particular has grown exponentially, with little accompanying research to understand their influences on psychosocial development. This study explores the relationship between communication technology usage (text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging, and social networking) and adolescent adjustment among 268 high school students. It was hypothesized that use of communication technology would be related to psychological adjustment, including identity development, relationship attachment and peer conflict. Participants were recruited from three public high schools in central Florida (69% female, 81.9% White). Time spent using communication technology was significantly correlated with psychological symptom severity (i.e. anxiety and depression), identity distress, peer aggression, and existential anxiety. It was also significantly but negatively correlated with relationship avoidance. Degree of usage of communication technology for interpersonal communication was significantly correlated with peer aggression, relationship anxiety, and existential anxiety. Those with a preoccupied style (high in relationship anxiety, low in relationship avoidance) spent significantly more time using communication technology than those in the dismissive (high in avoidance, low in anxiety), fearful (high in both), and secure (low in both) styles. Further analyses and their implications for adolescent development will be discussed.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFH0004213, ucf:44908
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004213

Title: INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDHOOD OBESITY: EVALUATING TECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS TARGETING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVEL AND DIET.
Creator: DiPietro, Jessica, Norris, Anne, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Overweight and obese children have increased risks for multiple preventable diseases and conditions which can impair their physiological health and significantly increases the overall cost of their healthcare. Free mobile applications and technology for weight loss, dietary tracking, and physical activity may be quite useful for monitoring nutritional intake and exercise to facilitate weight loss. If so, nurses are well positioned to recommend such tools as part of their efforts to prevent...
Show moreOverweight and obese children have increased risks for multiple preventable diseases and conditions which can impair their physiological health and significantly increases the overall cost of their healthcare. Free mobile applications and technology for weight loss, dietary tracking, and physical activity may be quite useful for monitoring nutritional intake and exercise to facilitate weight loss. If so, nurses are well positioned to recommend such tools as part of their efforts to prevent childhood obesity and help children and parents better manage childhood obesity when it is present. However, there are no guidelines that nurses can use to determine what applications or technologies are most beneficial to children and their parents. The purpose of this project is to develop such guidelines based on a review of the scientific literature published in the last 5 years. Articles regarding healthy-lifestyle promoting mobile applications and technological approaches to health and fitness interventions were identified by searching articles indexed by CINAHL, Psychinfo, Medline, ERIC, IEEE Xplore, and Academic Search Premier. Identified articles were assessed using Melnyk's hierarchy of evidence and organized into tables so that implications for research and suggestions for practice could be made.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004616, ucf:45255
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004616

Title: LISTENING TO STUDENT VOICES: WEB-BASED MENTORING FOR BLACK MALE STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL DISORDERS.
Creator: Grant, David, Dieker, Lisa, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The voices of Black male students labeled ED are seldom heard regarding their perspectives on education and their lives in general. By excluding their opinions, educators are missing an important aspect that could improve educational services for Black males with ED. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the implications of Web-based mentoring as a platform for Black male students with ED to articulate their thoughts on the factors that impact their behaviors and achievement....
Show moreThe voices of Black male students labeled ED are seldom heard regarding their perspectives on education and their lives in general. By excluding their opinions, educators are missing an important aspect that could improve educational services for Black males with ED. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the implications of Web-based mentoring as a platform for Black male students with ED to articulate their thoughts on the factors that impact their behaviors and achievement. Mentoring as an intervention granted Black males with ED a platform to share their thoughts. Technology was used as an educational resource to academically engage students with ED. Mentoring and technology were combined in a Web-based mentoring model designed to simulate traditional mentoring. Individual mentoring was simulated using live video conferencing. Role modeling was simulated by featuring video clips of the mentor in authentic capacities and group mentoring discussions were simulated by featuring a participant blog on the web site. To determine the implication and emergent themes of Web-based mentoring, two Black males with ED in high school participated in the study. Results of the study revealed that the participant's behavior and achievement were impacted by negative school and home environments. For Student One, negative school environments, specifically poor peer relations, resulted in aggressive behaviors that interfered with his academic progress. He stated, "I thought it would be different in high school, but it is the same as middle school. Student Two expressed disappointment with his home environment stating, "With all I got going on, it is hard to focus on school." Implications of the model on attendance, achievement, and behavior did not demonstrate an appreciable impact. However, both student participants expressed satisfaction with the model and the opportunity to share their thoughts openly.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002316, ucf:47828
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002316

Title: INNOVATION ON A BUDGET:THE DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY TECHNOLOGY DURING THE INTERWAR PERIOD,1919-1939.
Creator: Deupree, William, Foster, Amy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis investigates the progress of technological development during the interwar period of 1919 to 1939. The interwar period was a time of slashed military budgets and isolationist policies. However, despite political, financial, and organizational handicaps, each branch of the military made significant progress in the development of military technology, and the air corps and navy achieved significantly better results. The reason these two branches were able succeed was through a...
Show moreThis thesis investigates the progress of technological development during the interwar period of 1919 to 1939. The interwar period was a time of slashed military budgets and isolationist policies. However, despite political, financial, and organizational handicaps, each branch of the military made significant progress in the development of military technology, and the air corps and navy achieved significantly better results. The reason these two branches were able succeed was through a combination of organizational policy and the development of an overarching goal for their respective branch. Within this thesis, I investigated each of the major military branches during the interwar period, specifically the United States Army, Army Air Corps, and Navy. The air corps is considered a separate branch despite being a segment of the army due to its different strategic goal and its growing independence during the interwar period. In my research I found that the army made by far the least technological progress, but did make significant strides in terms of the development of individual components for larger projects. For example, the army developed the M1 rifle and state-of-the-art shock absorbers for tanks. The air corps succeeded in transforming from a small army auxiliary made up of wood-and-fabric biplanes into a largely independent branch of the military made up of all-metal monoplane bombers. The navy developed the aircraft carrier and aircraft to accompany the new ships, in addition to making substantial upgrades to existing ships. These upgrades included strengthening ships against torpedo attacks, making engines more efficient, and adding anti-aircraft guns to the ships' arsenals.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004036, ucf:49174
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004036

Title: ARE WE BECOMING SUPERHUMAN CYBORGS? HOW TECHNOMORPHISM INFLUENCES OUR PERCEPTIONS OF THE WORLD AROUND US.
Creator: Lum, Heather, Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Although traditionally researchers have focused on making robotics more user-friendly from a human perspective, a new theory has begun to take shape in which humans take on the perspective of a robotic entity. The following set of studies examined the concept of technomorphism defined as the attribution of technological characteristics to humans. This concept has been mentioned anecdotally and studied indirectly, but there is nothing currently available to tap in to the various forms that...
Show moreAlthough traditionally researchers have focused on making robotics more user-friendly from a human perspective, a new theory has begun to take shape in which humans take on the perspective of a robotic entity. The following set of studies examined the concept of technomorphism defined as the attribution of technological characteristics to humans. This concept has been mentioned anecdotally and studied indirectly, but there is nothing currently available to tap in to the various forms that technomorphism may take. Therefore, one goal of this dissertation was to develop a scale to fill that purpose. The results of the Technomorphic Tendencies Scale (TTS) indicated that there are marked differences between those who technomorphize and those who do not. Further, the wording of the TTS items may have influenced an individual's propensity to respond in a technomorphic way. It may also be that, since technology is so new from an evolutionary perspective, it was difficult for humans to have the adequate verbiage to express their feelings about it. The other goal of this dissertation was to examine where the individual differences may lie in the tendency to technomorphize. During the scale validation process, the Technomorphic Tendencies Scale was used alongside other scales, including those measuring anthropomorphism, acceptance of technology, perceptions of robots, and personality characteristics to determine what characteristics helped determine in what contexts people technomorphize. The results indicated that there were indeed individual differences between those who do and do not technomorphize as it relates to other constructs. An examination of the individual differences also was performed by capturing the low level and more objective differences that may have existed. To do this, the researcher utilized an eye tracker to examine exactly what the participant focuses on while viewing the model pictures. There were indeed differences in the self reported and attentive level scores between those who fell in the different ranges of technomorphism. The results of both the scale validation and individual differences component of this dissertation suggested that technomorphism does indeed exist. Furthermore, it may be related to how we see each other. Through the study of technomorphism, researchers have come slightly closer to the question of how technology is influencing our perceptions of what it means to be human. The findings from this work should help fuel the desire of others in the field to think about the potential influences of technomorphism during the design and implementation of new devices as well as in how technology may be related to how we perceive each other.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003937, ucf:48697
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003937

Title: A SCREN OF ONE'S OWN: THE TPEC AND FEMINIST TECHNOLOGICAL TEXTUALITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
Creator: Barnickel, Amy, Bowdon, Melody, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In this dissertation, I analyze the 20th century text, A Room of One's Own, by Virginia Woolf (2005), and I engage with Woolf's concept of a woman's need for a room of her own in which she can be free to think for herself, study, write, or pursue other interests away from the oppression of patriarchal societal expectations and demands. Through library-based research, I identify four screens in Woolf's work through which she viewed and critiqued culture, and I use these screens to...
Show moreIn this dissertation, I analyze the 20th century text, A Room of One's Own, by Virginia Woolf (2005), and I engage with Woolf's concept of a woman's need for a room of her own in which she can be free to think for herself, study, write, or pursue other interests away from the oppression of patriarchal societal expectations and demands. Through library-based research, I identify four screens in Woolf's work through which she viewed and critiqued culture, and I use these screens to reconceptualize "a room of one's own" in 21st Century terms. I determine that the new "room" is intimately and intricately technological and textual and it is reformulated in the digital spaces of blogs, social media, and Web sites. Further, I introduce the new concept of the technologized politically embodied cyborg, or TPEC, and examine the ways 21st Century TPECs are shaping U.S. culture in progressive ways.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003500, ucf:48939
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003500

Title: FROM SHADOWMOURNE TO FOLK ART: ARTICULATING A VISION OF ELEARNING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY.
Creator: Kapp, Christina, Campbell, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examines mass-market applications for some of the many theories of eLearning and blended learning, focusing most closely on a period from 2000-2010. It establishes a state of the union for K-12 immersive eLearning environments by using in-depth cases studies of five major mass-market, educational, and community-education based productsÃ‚Â--Gaia Online, Poptropica, Quest Atlantis, Dimenxian/Dimension U, and Folkvine. Investigating these models calls into play not...
Show moreThis study examines mass-market applications for some of the many theories of eLearning and blended learning, focusing most closely on a period from 2000-2010. It establishes a state of the union for K-12 immersive eLearning environments by using in-depth cases studies of five major mass-market, educational, and community-education based productsÃ‚Â--Gaia Online, Poptropica, Quest Atlantis, Dimenxian/Dimension U, and Folkvine. Investigating these models calls into play not only the voices of traditional academic and usability research, but also the ad hoc voices of the players, commentators, developers, and bloggers. These are the people who speak to the community of these sites, and their lived experiences fall somewhere in the interstices between in-site play, beta development, and external commentary (both academic and informal.) The works of experimental academic theorists play an acknowledged and fundamental role in this study, including those of Ulmer, Barab, Gee, and McLuhan. These visionary voices of academia are balanced with a consideration of both the political and financial constraints surrounding immersive educational game development. This secondary level of analysis focuses on how issues around equity of access, delivery platforms, and target disciplines can and should inform strategic goals. While this dissertation alone is unlikely to solve issues of access, emergent groups including the OLPC hold exciting promises for worldwide connectivity. My conclusion forms a synthesis of all these competing forces and proposes a pragmatic and conceptual rule-set for the development of a forward-looking and immersive educational MMORPG.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003549, ucf:48906
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003549

Title: EVALUATING AN ONLINE PERSONALIZED FAMILY-BASED INTERVENTION TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHANGES.
Creator: Hayes, Sharon, Tantleff-Dunn, Stacey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The current study evaluated the initial feasibility, efficacy, and acceptability of a motivationally-tailored family-based intervention designed to promote the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors associated with physical activity and nutrition. Parents (N=132) of children 6 to 11 years old were randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition, and they completed a series of online questionnaires. Intervention participants (n=61) received a single motivationally-tailored feedback...
Show moreThe current study evaluated the initial feasibility, efficacy, and acceptability of a motivationally-tailored family-based intervention designed to promote the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors associated with physical activity and nutrition. Parents (N=132) of children 6 to 11 years old were randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition, and they completed a series of online questionnaires. Intervention participants (n=61) received a single motivationally-tailored feedback report via e-mail. Control participants (n=71) completed measures and immediately received information about a free online resource that provides information about healthy lifestyle behaviors (www.mypyramid.gov). Feasibility data indicate that an online feedback program has high dissemination potential (parents from 31 states participated). However, the current methodology is not sufficient in reaching families who are at greatest risk for developing chronic health conditions associated with obesity or low activity level. In general, the intervention was acceptable to parents. Outcome data revealed that the intervention and control groups did not differ significantly on most variables at one month follow-up. Exploratory analyses provided additional evidence for the importance of including parents and targeting parent-child interactions in the context of pediatric nutrition and physical activity interventions. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003359, ucf:48438
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003359

internet (3)	+ -
video games (3)	+ -
art (2)	+ -
culture (2)	+ -
cyborg (2)	+ -

digital (2)	+ -
education (2)	+ -
gaming (2)	+ -
gender (2)	+ -
mathematics (2)	+ -
mixed reality (2)	+ -
parents (2)	+ -
physical activity (2)	+ -
rhetoric (2)	+ -
science (2)	+ -
technology integration (2)	+ -
text (2)	+ -
writing (2)	+ -
2001: A Space Odyssey (1)	+ -
20th century (1)	+ -
20th century history (1)	+ -
A.I. (1)	+ -
Anthropocentrism (1)	+ -
Artificial Intelligence (1)	+ -
Automated Labor (1)	+ -
Automation (1)	+ -
Black (1)	+ -
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Culture (1)	+ -

ETD Collection (32)	+ -
Honors Collection (10)	+ -

University of Central Florida (42)	+ -
Bowdon, Melody (3)	+ -
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Taylor, Rosemarye (2)	+ -
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