Current Search: assessment (x)
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- Title
- "Build Your Own Adventure" ACT Prep Manual: Beating the Odds of High-Stakes Standardized Assessments.
- Creator
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Holter, Natalie, Boote, David, Hayes, Grant, Taylor, Rosemarye, Vitale, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Today's focus on high-stakes standardized tests has had a massive impact on education throughout America, and standardized test preparation is one of the ugly, open secrets of education. Ever since 2001 when President Bush signed into law No Child Left Behind (NCLB), a bipartisan reauthorization of Johnson's landmark Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, students have been bombarded with standardized tests from the earliest grades. Politicians believe these measures are the only way...
Show moreToday's focus on high-stakes standardized tests has had a massive impact on education throughout America, and standardized test preparation is one of the ugly, open secrets of education. Ever since 2001 when President Bush signed into law No Child Left Behind (NCLB), a bipartisan reauthorization of Johnson's landmark Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, students have been bombarded with standardized tests from the earliest grades. Politicians believe these measures are the only way to remedy the perceived weaknesses in the education system because (")stringent accountability mandates… [provide] vital levers of change, inclusiveness, and transparency of results(") (Education Week, 2011, para. 15). Yet as time progresses, the quantity and importance of the exams increase to such proportions that, by the time students are in high school, their performance dictates whether they will graduate or attend college. While proponents of such exams say that they only test the skills that students ought to be learning anyway, the reality tends to be that teachers start to focus only on the specific questions the test will cover, and thereby lose the ability to provide full, comprehensive education. "Teaching to the test" is the much-maligned experience of most high schools. In order to combat the pressure students feel to perform and teachers feel to shortchange the learning experience, a (")Build Your Own Adventure(") manual designed around research-based principles demonstrated to improve student learning gains will allow students to focus on the key areas needed to improve test performance, demystify the test itself, and thus help students obtain score improvement. In so doing, students will not only perform better on standardized assessments, but ultimately be able to attend more elite colleges.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005806, ucf:50031
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005806
- Title
- Context-Aware Mobile Augmented Reality Visualization in Construction Engineering Education.
- Creator
-
Shirazi, Arezoo, Behzadan, Amir, Oloufa, Amr, Tatari, Mehmet, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Recent studies suggest that the number of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees has been generally decreasing. An extensive body of research cites the lack of motivation and engagement in the learning process as a major underlying reason of this decline. It has been discussed that if properly implemented, instructional technology can enhance student engagement and the quality of learning. Therefore, the main goal of this research is to implement...
Show moreRecent studies suggest that the number of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees has been generally decreasing. An extensive body of research cites the lack of motivation and engagement in the learning process as a major underlying reason of this decline. It has been discussed that if properly implemented, instructional technology can enhance student engagement and the quality of learning. Therefore, the main goal of this research is to implement and assess effectiveness of augmented reality (AR)-based pedagogical tools on student learning. For this purpose, two sets of experiments were designed and implemented in two different construction and civil engineering undergraduate level courses at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The first experiment was designed to systematically assess the effectiveness of a context-aware mobile AR tool (CAM-ART) in real classroom-scale environment. This tool was used to enhance traditional lecture-based instruction and information delivery by augmenting the contents of an ordinary textbook using computer-generated three-dimensional (3D) objects and other virtual multimedia (e.g. sound, video, graphs). The experiment conducted on two separate control and test groups and pre- and post- performance data as well as student perception of using CAM-ART was collected through several feedback questionnaires. In the second experiment, a building design and assembly task competition was designed and conducted using a mobile AR platform. The pedagogical value of mobile AR-based instruction and information delivery to student learning in a large-scale classroom setting was also assessed and investigated. Similar to the first experiment, students in this experiment were divided into two control and test groups. Students' performance data as well as their feedback, suggestions, and workload were systematically collected and analyzed. Data analysis showed that the mobile AR framework had a measurable and positive impact on students' learning. In particular, it was found that students in the test group (who used the AR tool) performed slightly better with respect to certain measures and spent more time on collaboration, communication, and exchanging ideas in both experiments. Overall, students ranked the effectiveness of the AR tool very high and stated that it has a good potential to reform traditional teaching methods.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005257, ucf:50609
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005257
- Title
- Integrated Sustainability Assessment Framework for the U.S. Transportation.
- Creator
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Onat, Nuri, Tatari, Omer, Nam, Boo Hyun, Oloufa, Amr, Pazour, Jennifer, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This dissertation aims to investigate the sustainability impacts of alternative vehicle technologies and develop comprehensive sustainability assessment frameworks to analyze potential impacts of these vehicles in the U.S. In order to assess sustainability impact of vehicle alternatives, life-cycle based models has been extensively used in the literature. Although life cycle-based models are often used for environmental impacts of alternative vehicles, analysis of social and economic impacts...
Show moreThis dissertation aims to investigate the sustainability impacts of alternative vehicle technologies and develop comprehensive sustainability assessment frameworks to analyze potential impacts of these vehicles in the U.S. In order to assess sustainability impact of vehicle alternatives, life-cycle based models has been extensively used in the literature. Although life cycle-based models are often used for environmental impacts of alternative vehicles, analysis of social and economic impacts of these vehicles has gained a tremendous interest. In this regard, there is a growing interest among the international platform and academia to use the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment framework to have more informed sustainable products, material and technology choices by considering the environmental, as well as social and economic impacts. The Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment framework is still under development and there is an ongoing research to advance it for future applications. In this dissertation, current and future needs of sustainability assessment frameworks and the U.S. transportation are identified and addressed. The major research gaps are identified as follows: (1) there has been small emphasis on effects of spatial and temporal variations on the sustainability impacts of alternative vehicle technologies, (2) no national research efforts as of now have been directed specifically toward understanding the fundamental relationship between the adoption of electric vehicles and water demand, (3) there has been a lack of understanding the dynamic complexity of transportation sustainability, encompassing feedback mechanisms, and interdependencies, for the environmental, social, and economic impacts of alternative vehicles, and (4) there is no emphasis on addressing uncertainties inherent to the U.S. transportation and its complex relationships with the environment, society, and economy.The environmental, economic, and social impacts of alternative vehicles are highly critical for truly assessing and understanding the long-term sustainability of vehicles and propose economically viable, socially acceptable, and environmentally-friendly transportation solutions for U.S. passenger transportation. This dissertation provides a more comprehensive sustainability assessment framework by realizing following objectives: (1) inclusion of spatial and temporal variations when quantifying carbon, energy, and water footprints of alternative vehicle technologies, (2) quantifying environmental, social, and economic impacts of alternative vehicle technologies, (3) capturing the dynamic relations among the parameters of U.S. transportation system, environment, society, and the economy, (4) dealing with uncertainties inherent to the U.S. transportation sector considering the complexity of the system and dynamic relationships. The results of this dissertation reveal that the results with consideration of uncertainties, temporal and spatial variations, and dynamic complex relationships among the system variables can be significantly different than those of without consideration of those. Therefore, when developing policies the robustness of proposed scenarios should be valuated with consideration of uncertainties, temporal and spatial variations as well as the dynamic feedback mechanisms. The outcomes of this study can pave the way for advancement in the state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice in the sustainability research by presenting novel approaches to deal with uncertainties and complex systems.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005857, ucf:50904
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005857
- Title
- DIGITAL INTERACTIVE GAMES FOR ASSESSMENT: A STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A DIGITAL GAME AS A MEASURE OF STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF BOOLEAN LOGIC.
- Creator
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Haji Mohammad Ali Sabbagh, Shabnam, Moshell, Jack, Underberg, Natalie, Lindgren, Robb, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Digital games have been used mostly for entertainment but recently researchers have started to use digital games in other areas such as education and training. Researchers have shown that digital games can provide a compelling, creative, and collaborative environment for learning. However, the popularity of computers and the Internet brings this question to mind: Are the assessment methods falling behind and remaining traditional? Will the traditional methods of learning and knowledge...
Show moreDigital games have been used mostly for entertainment but recently researchers have started to use digital games in other areas such as education and training. Researchers have shown that digital games can provide a compelling, creative, and collaborative environment for learning. However, the popularity of computers and the Internet brings this question to mind: Are the assessment methods falling behind and remaining traditional? Will the traditional methods of learning and knowledge assessment be sufficient for this new generation who are starving for new technology?This study investigates the effectiveness of using a digital interactive game as an assessments method (-) in this case a mini-game that was designed to assess the student's knowledge on basic Boolean logic. The study reports on the performance differences of the students who participated in this study and correlations between the performance of these students in a digital interactive game, written tests and their in-class performance to examine the effectiveness of using a digital game as a new knowledge assessment method.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005343, ucf:50494
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005343
- Title
- THE RELATIONSHIP OF 10TH-GRADE DISTRICT PROGRESS MONITORING ASSESSMENT SCORES TO FLORIDA COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT TEST SCORES IN READING AND MATHEMATICS FOR 2008-2009.
- Creator
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Underwood, Marilyn, Taylor, Rosemarye, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The focus of this research was to investigate the use of a district created formative benchmark assessment in reading to predict student achievement for 10th-grade students on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in one county in north central Florida. The purpose of the study was to provide information to high school principals and teachers to better understand how students were performing and learning and to maximize use of the formative district benchmark assessment in order to...
Show moreThe focus of this research was to investigate the use of a district created formative benchmark assessment in reading to predict student achievement for 10th-grade students on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in one county in north central Florida. The purpose of the study was to provide information to high school principals and teachers to better understand how students were performing and learning and to maximize use of the formative district benchmark assessment in order to modify instruction and positively impact student achievement. This study expanded a prior limited study which correlated district benchmark assessment scores to FCAT scores for students in grades three through five in five elementary schools in the targeted county. The high correlations suggested further study. This research focused on secondary reading, specifically in 10th grade where both state and targeted county FCAT scores were low in years preceding this research. Investigated were (a) the district formative assessment in reading as a predictor of FCAT Reading scores, (b) differences in strength of correlation and prediction among student subgroups and between high schools, and (c) any relationships between reading formative assessment scores and Mathematics FCAT scores. An additional focus of this study was to determine best leadership practices in schools where there were the highest correlations between the formative assessment and FCAT Reading scores. Research on best practices was reviewed, and principals were interviewed to determine trends and themes in practice. Tenth grade students in the seven Florida targeted district high schools were included in the study. The findings of the study supported the effective use of formative assessments both in instruction and as predictors of studentsÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ' performance on the FCAT. The results of the study also showed a significant correlation between performance on the reading formative assessment and performance on FCAT Mathematics. The data indicated no significant differences in the strength of correlation between student subgroups or between the high schools included in the study. Additionally, the practices of effective principals in using formative assessment data to inform instruction, gathered through personal interviews, were documented and described.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003214, ucf:48573
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003214
- Title
- THE INFLUENCE OF STUDENTS'COGNITIVE STYLE ON A STANDARDIZED READING TEST ADMINISTERED IN THREE DIFFERENT FORMATS.
- Creator
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Blanton, Elizabeth Lynn, Kysilka, Marcella L., University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to examine the means of scores on three forms of a standardized reading comprehension test taken by community college students in developmental reading classes. The three forms of the test were administered as a timed multiple-choice test, a constructed response test, and an un-timed multiple-choice test. Scores on the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) were used to classify the students who participated in the study as having field dependent (LOW GEFT),...
Show moreABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to examine the means of scores on three forms of a standardized reading comprehension test taken by community college students in developmental reading classes. The three forms of the test were administered as a timed multiple-choice test, a constructed response test, and an un-timed multiple-choice test. Scores on the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) were used to classify the students who participated in the study as having field dependent (LOW GEFT), mid-field dependent/independent (MID GEFT), or field independent (HIGH GEFT) tendencies. The paired samples test was used to analyze the scores among the students classified as LOW GEFT, MID GEFT, and HIGH GEFT for mean differences in scores on the three test formats. The data revealed that for LOW GEFT students, the format of the test impacted their scores, with the mean of the scores of the un-timed multiple-choice test being significantly higher than the timed multiple-choice test and the constructed response format. The data also showed that for the MID GEFT students the mean of the scores for the un-timed multiple-choice test was significantly higher than the means for the timed multiple-choice test scores and the constructed response test scores. However, no significant mean difference was found between the timed multiple-choice test scores and the constructed response test scores. For the HIGH GEFT students, significant mean difference existed only between the un-timed multiple-choice and the timed multiple- choice scores. The means of reading comprehension test scores on the three formats between the LOW GEFT, MID GEFT, and HIGH GEFT students indicated significant mean difference between the timed multiple choice test scores but not between the means of the scores for the constructed response and the un-timed multiple-choice test scores.Demographically, when the means of the reading test scores were analyzed with ethnicity as the controlling variable, the Hispanic students had a significantly higher mean on the scores for the constructed response test format. No other significant mean differences were found between the scores of the African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, or Native American students. When the means of the reading test scores were analyzed with gender as the controlling variable, no significant mean difference was found between the reading comprehension scores of the men and women. This study indicated that cognitive style had more impact on students' performance on a standardized test of reading comprehension than did ethnicity or gender. The un-timed multiple-choice format also had an equalizing effect on the means of the scores for these students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- CFE0000055, ucf:46085
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000055
- Title
- ARTICULATION AND PHONOLOGICAL SYSTEMS OF SPANISH-ENGLISH SPEAKING FLORIDA 4 AND 5 YEAR OLDS.
- Creator
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Dennis, Jennifer, Brice, Alejandro, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
There are currently five million children three to five years of age (i.e., 59.5% of all children from three to five), who are bilingual, living in the United States. By 2025, Census data show that the population of Florida will increase by some 26 percent adding another 5.5 million people to the state. There are a limited amount of studies yielding data on the development of Spanish phonology in 4 and 5 year old children residing in the United States, particularly in Florida. Consequently,...
Show moreThere are currently five million children three to five years of age (i.e., 59.5% of all children from three to five), who are bilingual, living in the United States. By 2025, Census data show that the population of Florida will increase by some 26 percent adding another 5.5 million people to the state. There are a limited amount of studies yielding data on the development of Spanish phonology in 4 and 5 year old children residing in the United States, particularly in Florida. Consequently, there is limited normative information pertaining to articulation and phonological development in Spanish speakers. It was postulated that normal, bilingual, Spanish/ English speaking children, ages 4 to 5 years old, would display different articulation and phonological processes in English and Spanish when measured with standardized English and Spanish articulation and phonology tests. Sixteen participants from the Orlando and Miami, Florida areas were tested. The participants consisted of eight 4 year olds and eight 5 year olds with six females and ten males. The children ranged in age from 3.7 to 5.7 with a mean age of 4.8 years. A diverse Spanish dialect (Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central American, and South American Spanish) was obtained from the participants. All children were normally developing. In addition, language, oral motor skills, and hearing were screened. It was hypothesized that there would be differences for the group of 16 bilingual (i.e., Spanish-English speaking) children for place, manner and voicing of articulation in English versus Spanish as measured by percentage of consonants correct. Only one consonant in the initial position was significantly different, i.e., /sh/. The /sh/ phoneme is an affricate which means it is part stop and part fricative. Spanish contains only one fricative (i.e., the /sh/) whereas English contains two affricates (i.e., /sh/, /dg/). Spanish speakers therefore, have little practice producing affricates. It was hypothesized that there would be differences in the group of 16 bilingual (i.e., Spanish-English speaking) children for phonological processes as measured by percentage of occurrence errors in English versus Spanish phonology. Two of the seven phonological processes were significantly different in their comparisons: (a) Stopping; and (b) Velar Fronting. Stopping could have been more difficult for children in English (9% occurrence) than in Spanish (0% occurrence) because there are more fricatives in English which can be stopped as compared to Spanish where there is only one fricative, which could be stopped. Fronting occurred 4% of the time in English and 0% of the time in Spanish. This could be due to the Spanish language being more anteriorly placed than English (Brice, 1996). Normative articulation and phonological Spanish data from this study were obtained and are particularly useful for speech-language pathologists in today's public school. As the Hispanic school population increase this information is beneficial as a reference for Spanish speech productions. Further research should include more participants, e.g., Spanish-English speaking children with phonological disorders, as the Hispanic population is increasing especially in the state of Florida. Larger sample sizes should be studied in order to create a more accurate valid representation of the population of Spanish-English speaking children in Florida. Research on this topic should be expanded to include normative data for disordered bilingual children in order to apply more appropriate treatments. In addition, other languages should be studied as the state of Florida and the nation are also experiencing growth in other languages beyond Spanish.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001226, ucf:46927
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001226
- Title
- EVALUATING NEONATAL FACIAL PAIN EXPRESSION: IS THERE A PRIMAL FACE OF PAIN?.
- Creator
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Schiavenato, Martin, Byers, Jacqueline, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Pain assessment continues to be poorly managed in the clinical arena. A review of the communication process in pain assessment is carried out and the hierarchical approach often recommended in the literature with self-report as its "gold-standard," is criticized as limited and simplistic. A comprehensive approach to pain assessment is recommended and a model that conceptualizes pain assessment as a complex transaction with various patient and clinician dependant factors is proposed....
Show morePain assessment continues to be poorly managed in the clinical arena. A review of the communication process in pain assessment is carried out and the hierarchical approach often recommended in the literature with self-report as its "gold-standard," is criticized as limited and simplistic. A comprehensive approach to pain assessment is recommended and a model that conceptualizes pain assessment as a complex transaction with various patient and clinician dependant factors is proposed. Attention is then focused on the pediatric patient whose pain assessment is often dependent on nonverbal communicative action. The clinical approaches to pain assessment in this population mainly the use of behavioral/observational pain scales and facial pain scales, are explored. The primal face of pain (PFP) is identified and proposed theoretically as an important link in the function of facial pain scales. Finally, the existence of the PFP is investigated in a sample of 57 neonates across differences in sex and ethnic origin while controlling for potentially confounding factors. Facial expression to a painful stimulus is measured based on the Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS) and applying an innovative computer-based methodology. No statistically significant differences in facial expression were found in infant display thereby supporting the existence of the PFP.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001808, ucf:47373
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001808
- Title
- EVALUATING TEACHER PERFORMANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION:THE VALUE OF STUDENT RATINGS.
- Creator
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Campbell, Judith, Bozeman, William, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purposes of this research were to: (a) assess community college students' perceptions of the student evaluation practice; (b) assess community college faculty members' responses to student evaluations of teachers and the extent to which instructional modifications resulted from student ratings; and (c) assess community college administrators' responses to student evaluations of teachers, the extent student ratings influenced administrators' evaluations of faculty, and how the results from...
Show moreThe purposes of this research were to: (a) assess community college students' perceptions of the student evaluation practice; (b) assess community college faculty members' responses to student evaluations of teachers and the extent to which instructional modifications resulted from student ratings; and (c) assess community college administrators' responses to student evaluations of teachers, the extent student ratings influenced administrators' evaluations of faculty, and how the results from student ratings were used to promote instructional effectiveness. A total of 358 students, faculty, and administrators from 5 Florida community colleges contributed their opinions on the value of the practice of student evaluation of teaching. Data were collected using mixed methodology. The survey and interview sessions were conducted on location at the respective community colleges. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression procedures, one-way analysis of variance, t-test, and phenomenological analysis were used to analyze the data. Quantitative results indicated that these 320 community college students believed that student ratings had value, and, thus their role as instructor evaluator was important. Furthermore, the students believed student evaluations were important to faculty and administrators. However, most students were either unaware or did not believe that student evaluations had any effect. Phenomenological analysis of the extensive descriptions provided by 21 faculty participants suggested that the numeric data provided by student evaluations was generally an ineffective method to impact instruction. Faculty described their frustration with inadequately designed instruments, ineffective methods of receiving ratings results, and limited or non-existent feedback from supervisors. Phenomenological analysis of the 17 administrators' transcriptions suggested that although the student ratings practice was vital to institutional integrity the results from student evaluations were marginally valuable in their impact on enhancing instruction and of limited value in faculty evaluation. Implications for student evaluation practices drawn from this study included the need for institutions to: (a) assess the value of their student evaluation practice and its impact on teaching effectiveness; (b) define and clearly articulate a statement of purpose for conducting student evaluations; (c) refine procedures for administering the student evaluation practice; (d) examine their student evaluation practices and instrument on a regular review cycle; (e) adopt alternative methods for collecting and disseminating student feedback; (f) implement student evaluation measures that reflect the varied teaching approaches and diverse learning environments.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000593, ucf:46481
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000593
- Title
- ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR THE EVALUATION AND PRIORITIZATION OF UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGIES FOR LICENSING AND COMMERCIALIZATION.
- Creator
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Rahal, Ahmad, Rabelo, Luis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
US corporations have long recognized university related scientific research as an important source of long term economic growth and technological innovation. This dynamic involvement with industry has drastically increased the university technology transfer and licensing activities, and has stretched the human and financial resources of Technology Management and Licensing Offices of many US universities. This research provides a mechanism that can aid in the complex process of properly...
Show moreUS corporations have long recognized university related scientific research as an important source of long term economic growth and technological innovation. This dynamic involvement with industry has drastically increased the university technology transfer and licensing activities, and has stretched the human and financial resources of Technology Management and Licensing Offices of many US universities. This research provides a mechanism that can aid in the complex process of properly assessing university-owned technologies and intellectual properties, to identify those with licensing and commercialization potential for the pursuit of truly important breakthrough discoveries. This research focuses on the university technology licensing and commercialization process from the perspectives of those licensing professionals whose firms' activities are engaged in licensing-in university technologies. The objectives of this research are to: 1.Identify the decision factors and licensing determinants that influence or impact the licensing and commercialization of university technologies. 2.Build and conduct a survey among those licensing professionals involved in the technology licensing process to determine the relative importance of each of the licensing determinants identified in the literature review, and their most current and up to date selection criteria for technologies they license. 3.Develop a framework to assist the University Technology Management & Transfer Office's personnel and other stakeholders in the assessment of the potential viability of the university technologies for licensing and commercialization.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000659, ucf:46505
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000659
- Title
- FRAMEWORKS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICYMAKING IN BRAZIL AND CHILE: A COMPARATIVE POLICYMAKING ANALYSIS OF THE BELO MONTE AND HIDROAYS�N DAMS.
- Creator
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Vogan, Robert J, Wilson, Bruce M., University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A global proliferation of large dam construction since the 1950s has been accompanied by scientific research challenging the benefit of these projects while drawing attention to their numerous negative environmental and social impacts. The institutions that assess the costs and benefits associated with large dam proposals, creating policies either approving, altering, or disapproving them, collectively form what is known as a policymaking framework. Examining these frameworks allows observers...
Show moreA global proliferation of large dam construction since the 1950s has been accompanied by scientific research challenging the benefit of these projects while drawing attention to their numerous negative environmental and social impacts. The institutions that assess the costs and benefits associated with large dam proposals, creating policies either approving, altering, or disapproving them, collectively form what is known as a policymaking framework. Examining these frameworks allows observers to trace policies through outlined decision-making processes and can help to reveal inherent biases within those systems that may impact policy outcomes. Often, divergent policy outcomes, like the those observed in the cases of the Belo Monte dam in Brazil and HidroAys�n dam in Chile, are a result of variations in the environmental policymaking frameworks of the deviating cases. The subjects of this study present similar arrangements of costs and benefits but resulted incongruous policy outcomes, specifically that the HidroAys�n dam was not built while the Belo Monte dam is currently under construction. Existing bodies of literature outlining the environmental policymaking frameworks of Chile and Brazil fail to fully address the influence of external variables, including presidential influence, corruption, and electoral politics, on these cases. This project synthesizes an outline of the environmental policymaking frameworks of Chile and Brazil from existing literature and uses the divergent cases of the Belo Monte and HidroAys�n dams to provide evidence for the incorporation of these external variables to better understand the incongruous policy outcomes these frameworks produce.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFH2000129, ucf:46011
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000129
- Title
- THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG WELLNESS, SEVERITY OF DISTURBANCE, AND SOCIAL DESIRABILITY OF ENTERING MASTER'S-LEVEL COUNSELING STUDENTS.
- Creator
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Smith, Heather, Robinson III, Edward H. "Mike", University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A wellness paradigm may hold promise for unifying and strengthening the identity of the counseling profession. The construct of wellness may also hold implications for assessment of entering master's-level counseling students, as a tool for continuous evaluation of students, or for overall program evaluation. In this study, the only counseling-based wellness assessment measure, the Five Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle, was tested for its relationship to two other constructs:...
Show moreA wellness paradigm may hold promise for unifying and strengthening the identity of the counseling profession. The construct of wellness may also hold implications for assessment of entering master's-level counseling students, as a tool for continuous evaluation of students, or for overall program evaluation. In this study, the only counseling-based wellness assessment measure, the Five Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle, was tested for its relationship to two other constructs: psychological disturbance and social desirability. In order to test the research hypotheses, a total of nine programs (in five states) and 204 entering master's-level counseling students completed instrumentation packets comprised of the Five-Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle, the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, and the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2. The results of the analyses indicated statically significant relationships in 52 out of 55 correlations between the instruments' total scores and subscale scores. The first null hypothesis was rejected in favor of the alternative hypothesis; there was a statistically significant negative relationship between level of psychological disturbance and level of wellness. The results of the study failed to reject null hypothesis two; the relationship between wellness and social desirability was found to have no statistical significance after removing the influence of psychological disturbance. Null hypothesis three was rejected in favor of the alternative hypothesis; there was a statistically significant negative relationship between level of psychological disturbance and social desirability. Number and percent of participants exceeding psychological disturbance cutoff scores was examined. Measures of central tendency and the effects of demographic variables for each of the instruments were presented. Exploratory data analysis revealed that the first-order wellness factor, second-order wellness factors, and social desirability mean scores of those scoring above the cutoff for Severity of Disturbance, difficulty in Interpersonal Relations, Symptom Distress, and Difficulty in Social Roles were lower than those scoring below each cutoff score. Results of the study were summarized, factors to consider in the interpretation of the results were discussed, and implications for counselor education and future research were provided.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001032, ucf:46827
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001032
- Title
- NURSE PRACTITIONER STUDENT KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS SKIN CANCER ASSESSMENTS.
- Creator
-
Woodmansee, Ryan, Loerzel, Victoria, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Background: Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer each year in the United States. With skin cancer and the demand for nurse practitioners (NPs) in primary care both on the rise, an accurate assessment of how well NP students are being prepared to perform skin cancer assessments is needed. Patient outcomes are directly linked to early detection and treatment which is essential for all types of skin cancer, especially melanoma. Nurse Practitioners need to be able to recognize the...
Show moreBackground: Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer each year in the United States. With skin cancer and the demand for nurse practitioners (NPs) in primary care both on the rise, an accurate assessment of how well NP students are being prepared to perform skin cancer assessments is needed. Patient outcomes are directly linked to early detection and treatment which is essential for all types of skin cancer, especially melanoma. Nurse Practitioners need to be able to recognize the early stages of malignancy versus benign skin lesions and perform accurate skin examinations. The ability to assess practitioners' knowledge while they are still students will give us a better understanding of how well they are being prepared to perform skin cancer assessments in primary practice. This information will inform educators where improvement in skin cancer education is needed. Methodology: Following IRB approval, nurse practitioner students enrolled in a gerontology course fall 2016 were invited to participate in this exploratory, descriptive study. Twenty NP students completed the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice of Skin Cancer Assessments (KAP-SCA) survey. The survey has 80 questions about lesion identification, knowledge of general skin facts, education in NP Program, and knowledge, attitudes, and confidence levels during skin care assessments. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used to analyze demographics. Total scores and subscale scores for the KAP-SCA instrument were examined with descriptive statistics. Spearman's Rho statistics were used for correlations among knowledge, attitude, training and practice. Results: The typical NP student was female, age 31 years and enrolled in the family nurse practitioner program at UCF. The majority of NP students had an average knowledge score for general skin cancer knowledge and photo lesion identification questions. However, the majority (70%) of NP students did not agree that the dermatology training they received in their NP program prepared them for practice. Discussion: Most NP students do not feel confident performing skin cancer assessments and basic dermatology procedures upon graduation. Most NP students had a difficult time differentiating between benign and malignant lesions, and would refer the patient to a specialist due to their lack of knowledge or confidence in diagnosis. Conclusions: Information obtained from the KAP-SCA survey demonstrated that the majority of NP students lacked confidence performing skin cancer assessments and had difficulty recognizing if a lesion was benign or malignant. This information can be helpful in informing educators on where improvement in skin cancer education is needed in NP programs.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFH2000153, ucf:45925
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000153
- Title
- FEAR OF FALLING ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTIONS IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS: A MIXED METHODS CASE STUDY.
- Creator
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Cappleman, Amanda S., Thiamwong, Ladda, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Background: Fear of falling has significant adverse physical and psychological effects for the community-dwelling older adult. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess fear of falling in community-dwelling older adults and explore participant perceptions of fear of falling assessments and interventions. Methods: A mixed methods case study was utilized to gain an in-depth understanding of older adults' perceptions. It consisted of quantitative data collection by objective measures...
Show moreBackground: Fear of falling has significant adverse physical and psychological effects for the community-dwelling older adult. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess fear of falling in community-dwelling older adults and explore participant perceptions of fear of falling assessments and interventions. Methods: A mixed methods case study was utilized to gain an in-depth understanding of older adults' perceptions. It consisted of quantitative data collection by objective measures and qualitative data collection by four individual in-depth interviews. A sample of four community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older and living in Orlando, Florida, completed the study in their home environment. To combine quantitative and qualitative data for each participant, a case-specific analysis was used, resulting in narratives with a storytelling approach aiming to explore each participant independently. This was followed by a cross-case analysis to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the participants in relation to one another. Results: Four themes emerged: 1) Feedback from an objective measure is valuable; 2) Family experiences with fear of falling drive personal interventions; 3) Fundamental assessments for fear of falling are missing, and 4) Fluctuating definitions of "fear" contribute to difficulty in assessments and interventions. Conclusion: Clear perceptual themes developed to provide a comprehensive understanding of community-dwelling older adults' perceptions of fear of falling assessments and interventions. Future research is needed to determine how to best combine feedback-oriented assessments with established interventions, such as exercise. Standardization of a subjective measure for fear of falling to use in combination with objective measures is also needed. Keywords: assessment, intervention, fear of falling, older adults, community-dwelling, mixed methods
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFH2000567, ucf:45683
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000567
- Title
- AN ETHNOGRAPHIC CASE STUDY IN A BRITISH PRIMARY (ELEMENTARY) SCHOOL CLASSROOM OF ACADEMIC SELF-EFFICACY.
- Creator
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Iliff, Kelly, Eriksson, Gillian, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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An ethnographic case study of a Year 6 (5th grade) classroom in Southwest England was conducted in order to explore factors that contribute to academic self-efficacy in British education, specifically in this classroom. Data was collected through qualitative observations, a teacher interview, and student questionnaires to determine the level of academic self-efficacy in the classroom. The class consisted of 14 female students and 9 male students, ranging from ten to eleven years old. Of the...
Show moreAn ethnographic case study of a Year 6 (5th grade) classroom in Southwest England was conducted in order to explore factors that contribute to academic self-efficacy in British education, specifically in this classroom. Data was collected through qualitative observations, a teacher interview, and student questionnaires to determine the level of academic self-efficacy in the classroom. The class consisted of 14 female students and 9 male students, ranging from ten to eleven years old. Of the total number of students, parental consent was received to allow 9 boys and 7 girls to complete questionnaires. Data was analyzed by examining critical issues and comparing anecdotal records to a teacher interview and student questionnaires. Recurrent themes that materialized were: bullying, uniforms, discipline, competition, assessment, and exceptional students. Results showed that these core issues contributed to positive academic self-efficacy among students in this classroom in the context of the British educational system.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFH0003860, ucf:44691
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003860
- Title
- TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF THE ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES ON STATEWIDE ASSESSMENTS.
- Creator
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Gromoll, Maryann, Little, Mary, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Each year as a growing number of students with learning disabilities are included in statewide assessments, teacher perceptions and beliefs toward student achievement are being identified and examined. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(NCLB) and the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) raise the achievement expectations of students with disabilities and require that teachers are knowledgeable about state academic content and achievement...
Show moreEach year as a growing number of students with learning disabilities are included in statewide assessments, teacher perceptions and beliefs toward student achievement are being identified and examined. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(NCLB) and the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) raise the achievement expectations of students with disabilities and require that teachers are knowledgeable about state academic content and achievement standards (Thompson, Lazarus, Clapper, & Thurlow, 2006). State departments of education are responsible to ensure that teacher competencies and expectations are specific to the achievement of grade level content standards (Thompson, et al., 2006). Educational reform, increased knowledge in the teacher-learning process, and greater access to the general education curriculum require changes in instructional practice. This study investigated special education teachers' perceptions, backgrounds and beliefs related to test performance of third grade students with learning disabilities who passed the reading portion of the state assessment in Florida, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). The comparative descriptive research design was used to identify these factors and their effects in the study (Creswell, 2002). Quantitative data collection was used. A survey instrument was developed to include information on teachers' background, beliefs, experience, and perceptions toward statewide assessments. The survey was sent to seventy six third grade teachers of students with learning disabilities. Teachers receiving the survey were categorized into two groups based on the outcome of the 2007 FCAT in reading. Significant differences between teacher responses were found in the areas of professional development for test accommodations, co-teaching, and working with professionals in the general curriculum. Response to survey items on service delivery models indicated that students who spend the majority of time in the general education classroom or in a resource room setting have increased student achievement on statewide assessments. Differences were also found between teachers on questions related to school location, percentage of minority students, students who are eligible for free and reduced lunch, and positions employees held in education by the teachers in the study. One of the most significant findings of this study concluded that increased time spent in the general education classroom and collaboration of special education teachers with general education staff proved to be most beneficial when addressing the needs of students with learning disabilities and statewide assessment. The concept of teacher knowledge base and continued awareness of perceptions andbeliefs addressed in this study allowed for further research investigations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002299, ucf:47830
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002299
- Title
- Developing and Validating the Secondary Literacy Professionals Needs Assessment Matrix.
- Creator
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Kennedy, Analexis, Zygouris-Coe, Vassiliki, Gill, Michele, Jahani, Shiva, Johnson, Jerry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a needs assessment matrix for secondary specialized literacy professionals that identified the professional learning needs of literacy coaches. This tool was developed in order to inform school districts and secondary specialized literacy professionals about the types of professional learning support they will need for them to effectively meet the literacy needs of teachers in secondary schools. The Secondary Literacy Professionals Needs...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to develop and validate a needs assessment matrix for secondary specialized literacy professionals that identified the professional learning needs of literacy coaches. This tool was developed in order to inform school districts and secondary specialized literacy professionals about the types of professional learning support they will need for them to effectively meet the literacy needs of teachers in secondary schools. The Secondary Literacy Professionals Needs Assessment Matrix (SLPNAM) was created using a variety of methods. A synthesis of literature regarding school improvement, adolescent literacy, 21stcentury skills, adult learning, literacy coaching and the 2017 International Literacy Association's Standards for Specialized Literacy Professionals was used to provide the conceptual framework for the SLPNAM. The SLPNAM items were developed by interviewing coaching and content experts, going through several iterations before the final instrument was developed. Construct validity was established through exploratory factor analysis, and internal reliability was determined through Cronbach's Alpha. Sixty-four participants from 18 school districts in Florida responded to the SLPNAM. Data analysis indicated that the SLPNAM had a high level of internal reliability, and data reduction was used to ensure that items correlated with constructs it was intended to correlate with. Data from the exploratory factor analysisof the SLPNAM confirmed that construct validity was established. The results from this study provide opportunities for school districts to differentiate professional learning for literacy professionals. It also provides data for school administrators to define the role of the coach and assists secondary literacy professionals in setting professional learning goals specific to their roles.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007825, ucf:52826
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007825
- Title
- Implementation of roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists working in schools.
- Creator
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Nir, Tamar, Ehren, Barbara, Sims, Valerie, Towson, Jacqueline, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this study was to determine how the roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in schools are being implemented, whether speech-language pathologists in schools feel comfortable with their roles, and whether they are willing to engage in professional learning activities to hone knowledge and skills in role areas in order to inform pre-service and in-service learning This study utilized an online survey to collect responses. The survey included questions...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine how the roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in schools are being implemented, whether speech-language pathologists in schools feel comfortable with their roles, and whether they are willing to engage in professional learning activities to hone knowledge and skills in role areas in order to inform pre-service and in-service learning This study utilized an online survey to collect responses. The survey included questions related to the rate of implementation, comfort level, and desire for further professional learning with regards to the roles and responsibilities prescribed by American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) for the SLP in the school. Additionally, this survey examined whether SLPs in schools felt that their scope of practice has shifted focus from traditional speech-sound disorders to one of language/literacy disorders, whether they received adequate support from the schools and/or districts, and whether their university programs prepared them for clinical practice. A total of 609 SLPs participated in this study, with 98% being female. Most participants were between the ages of 45-64 years (45%).The results of this study indicated that with regards to rate of implementation and comfort level, participant responses varied depending on the role and responsibility. Sixty-one percent of participants were confident with critical roles, or roles/responsibilities that are typically considered cornerstones of the practice of speech-language pathology. Participants tended to be less confident with roles related to collaboration and leadership. With regards to the additional questions addressed by this study, over 50% of participants agreed that their career has shifted in focus from traditional speech-sound disorders to one of language/literacy disorders, and that they received adequate support from their school and/or district. Participants also tended to agree that their university program prepared them well for clinical practice and that they desired more professional learning for the delineated roles/responsibilities that they did not feel confident implementing. The implications of this study are that despite overall ratings of frequent implementation and comfort with certain roles/responsibilities, there are still areas that SLPs require further education in order to hone their skills within the context of the expanding landscape of speech-language pathology. An in-depth summary of the data, limitations of the study, and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007509, ucf:52656
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007509
- Title
- The Client Assessment of Multicultural Competent Behavior (CAMCB): Development and Validation.
- Creator
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Oh, Seungbin, Shillingford-Butler, Ann, Lambie, Glenn, Taylor, Dalena, Witta, Eleanor, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The significance of multicultural counseling competence (MCC) has been increasingly recognized in the literature on mental health. Cultural diversification in the United States has prompted greater research in specialized mental health needs among diverse populations. However, despite the specialized mental health needs, diverse cultural groups have faced challenges in finding multiculturally competent mental health services. Accordingly, mental health professions have placed a greater...
Show moreThe significance of multicultural counseling competence (MCC) has been increasingly recognized in the literature on mental health. Cultural diversification in the United States has prompted greater research in specialized mental health needs among diverse populations. However, despite the specialized mental health needs, diverse cultural groups have faced challenges in finding multiculturally competent mental health services. Accordingly, mental health professions have placed a greater emphasis on the development of therapists' MCC through the training and education, but also made ongoing efforts to integrate MCC into evidenced-based treatment. However, the mental health professions have faced difficulty in exploring evidence for the validity of MCC in therapy, due to a measurement concern regarding MCC. Specifically, such measurement concern in the MCC literature is involved with the fact that there has not existed a client-rated instrument designed to measure therapists' actual MCC performance (i.e., multicultural competent behaviors) in therapeutic process. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop the Client Assessment of Multicultural Competent Behavior (CAMCB) and examine its psychometric properties with a sample of clients.With a correlational research design, the present study involved two phases (Phase I and II) with a sample of diverse clients to inform the development and validation investigation of the CAMCB. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 280) with the initial pool of 30 items resulted in a three-factor, 23-item CAMCB model. Subsequently, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 282) was performed to cross-verify the three-factor, 23-item structure of the CAMCB (as identified from EFA) and accumulate evidence of its psychometric properties. CFA resulted in a final three-factor, 19-item CAMCB model with an acceptable model fit. The final CAMCB was found to have good internal consistency reliability and initial evidence for convergent validity with the current data. Lastly, results from a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated small but significant difference in the CAMCB total or subscale scores by some subgroups (e.g., race, gender, religion). Discussion of results, limitations of the present study, recommendations for future research, and implications for mental health professionals, researchers, and educators are provided.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007582, ucf:52566
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007582
- Title
- The efficacy and feasibility of neuropsychological services in a primary care setting.
- Creator
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Herring, Danielle, Paulson, Daniel, Sherod, Megan, Blaney, Cerissa, Cannarozzi, Maria, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Integrated primary care assimilates psychologists into the primary care setting, thus improving health outcomes and physician satisfaction. Neuropsychology has also begun to assimilate into primary care, as neurocognitive impairment is a correlate of many medical disorders. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a common complaint among older adults, is an increasingly recognized warning sign of non-normative cognitive aging. These patients typically present first to their primary care providers...
Show moreIntegrated primary care assimilates psychologists into the primary care setting, thus improving health outcomes and physician satisfaction. Neuropsychology has also begun to assimilate into primary care, as neurocognitive impairment is a correlate of many medical disorders. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a common complaint among older adults, is an increasingly recognized warning sign of non-normative cognitive aging. These patients typically present first to their primary care providers who may play a critical role in the early detection of cognitive impairment. Given the growing awareness about cognitive health and disability, the importance of neuropsychological assessment as a standard component of integrated care has been recognized by providers. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy and feasibility of neuropsychological services, for memory concerns, in a community primary care setting. The study also explored the relationship between SCD and performance on neurocognitive measures and satisfaction levels for both patient participants and medical providers. A total of 16 patient participants completed the study. On average, patients were in their late-60's and mostly female and Caucasian. Participants completed a brief interview, neurocognitive evaluation, self-report measures of SCD and mood, and satisfaction survey. Results did not reveal significant correlations between SCD and neurocognitive performance. Significantly more referrals were made to the onsite neurocognitive clinic, than were made for outside services in a nine-month period preceding the described program. Patients referred to the onsite clinic were also significantly more likely to have an accessible report located in their EMR than those referred offsite. Both participants and medical providers were reportedly satisfied with clinic services. Results suggest that a clinic of this nature has promising benefits and is well-liked by both patients and providers, though barriers related to full utilization of services remain a challenge. Further research with a larger, more diverse sample is recommended. ?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007653, ucf:52508
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007653