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- Title
- The Influence of Instruction in Base 8 on Prospective Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching.
- Creator
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Harshman, Katie, Haciomeroglu, Erhan, Andreasen, Janet, Witta, Eleanor, Safi, Farshid, Lewis, Nancy, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The focus of this research project was to extend existing research literature by providing insight to how prospective teachers with differing levels of mathematical knowledge developed their conceptual understanding of whole number concepts and operations. Prospective teachers of interest were enrolled in an Elementary School Mathematics Course for Teachers (in the College of Education) with a whole number concepts and operations unit set entirely in base 8. In this mixed-mode study,...
Show moreThe focus of this research project was to extend existing research literature by providing insight to how prospective teachers with differing levels of mathematical knowledge developed their conceptual understanding of whole number concepts and operations. Prospective teachers of interest were enrolled in an Elementary School Mathematics Course for Teachers (in the College of Education) with a whole number concepts and operations unit set entirely in base 8. In this mixed-mode study, participants were given the MKT, a measure designed to measure teacher mathematical knowledge for teaching, before and after taking the base 8 unit. The researcher focused on two specific constructs: Common Content Knowledge (CCK) and Specialized Content Knowledge (SCK). The qualitative portion of the study involved carefully constructed student interviews which allowed the researcher to deeply explore how prospective teacher conceptual understanding changed as a result of taking the unit in base 8. Four participants with varying levels of knowledge were selected to be interviewed based upon initial scores on the MKT: 1) low CCK and low SCK, 2) low CCK and high SCK, 3) high CCK and low SCK, 4) high CCK and high SCK. Results of the interviews were used to help explain results from the MKT. Quantitative and qualitative results showed that participants did not significantly increase their CCK, but did experience an increase in their conceptual understanding (SCK) as a result of taking the unit in base 8. Most prospective teachers entering the Elementary School Mathematics Course already had high procedural knowledge of the algorithms associated with elementary mathematics, which could account for the non-significant increase in CCK. Prospective teachers all showed deeper conceptual understanding of whole number concepts and operations at varying levels by the end of the base 8 unit. Prospective teachers showed their increased understanding by way of explanations, justifications, and alternate solution strategies.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006321, ucf:51552
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006321
- Title
- Three Studies Examining The Effects of Informal Management Control Systems and Incentive Compensation Schemes on Employees' Performance.
- Creator
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Akinyele, Kazeem, Arnold, Vicky, Sutton, Steven, Tian, Yu, Libby, Theresa, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This dissertation is comprised of three studies investigating the effects of informal management control systems (MCS) and different types of incentive compensation schemes on employees' performance. Prior research describes informal MCS as implicit sets of structures that management adopts to encourage employees to act in a way that aligns with overall organizational goals (Berry et al. 2009). Management usually puts informal MCS in place to inspire self-regulation behaviors among employees;...
Show moreThis dissertation is comprised of three studies investigating the effects of informal management control systems (MCS) and different types of incentive compensation schemes on employees' performance. Prior research describes informal MCS as implicit sets of structures that management adopts to encourage employees to act in a way that aligns with overall organizational goals (Berry et al. 2009). Management usually puts informal MCS in place to inspire self-regulation behaviors among employees; hence, management may not reward or penalize employee behavior that is consistent or inconsistent with this informal MCS (Berry et al. 2009; Christ et al. 2008). Informal controls are implied by social pressures, such as employees' feedback, and management communication, such as a value statement or the organizational culture, where no explicit enforcement measures exist (Berry et al. 2009; Kachelmeier, Thornock and Williamson 2015). The first study examines whether the presence of a value statement (an informal MCS) can be used to motivate employees to perform important, but uncompensated subsequent tasks. The second study extends the first study by examining whether the interactive method of delivery of a value statement (informal MCS) can be used in conjunction with an incentive scheme to improve employees' performance. Lastly, the third study investigates the impact of an important aspect of organizational context, specifically organizational culture (informal MCS), and different types of incentive compensation schemes on strategy surrogation. The first study investigates whether the presence of a value statement (an informal MCS) can be used to motivate employees to perform important, but uncompensated tasks. Additionally, this study seeks to examine the type of incentive scheme that will result in the highest subsequent uncompensated task performance in the presence of an organizational value statement. Considering that incentive contracts cannot completely govern all the employees' responsibilities (Christ, Emett, Summers and Wood 2012), this study investigates how employees will perform their important but uncompensated tasks. The study shows that under fixed pay compensation, the presence of a value statement improves the performance of employees compared to the absence of a value statement. Conversely, under a piece rate incentive compensation, the presence of a value statement negatively influences the performance of employees in the important but uncompensated task. The study also shows that the intrinsic motivation of employees operating under piece rate compensation is more likely to be crowded out by their incentive pay relative to employees operating under a fixed wage. The second study examines whether the interactive method of delivery of a value statement (informal MCS) through electronic integration can be used in conjunction with an incentive scheme to improve employees' performance. Prior research shows that effectiveness of incentive systems is influenced by the presence or absence of a nonbinding value statement in the organization. A value statement is a declaration that communicates an organization's priorities and core beliefs to its customers and employees. Drawing upon the mere-exposure effect, the results of the study show that the employees who experience the interactive delivery of a value statement do not perform significantly better than employees who experience the passive delivery of a value statement. However, employees who receive a piece-rate incentive perform significantly better than employees who receive a fixed pay incentive. As predicted, the method of delivery of an organizational value statement moderates the effectiveness of a fixed pay incentive scheme.The third study draws upon the theory of inattentional blindness to investigate whether different types of organizational culture, control dominant or flexibility dominant, impacts strategy surrogation. Strategy surrogation occurs when managers focus on the measures in the SPMS on which they are compensated and completely or partially lose focus on the overall strategic objectives of the organization (Choi et al. 2012, 2013). Organizational culture is defined as a set of dominant values, beliefs, and assumptions that governs how people behave in organizations (Henri 2006). The results of the study show that there is no significant difference between employees operating under a control-dominant culture and employees operating under a flexibility-dominant culture. Similarly, the type of organizational culture does not moderate the relationship between incentive systems and strategy surrogation. However, employees operating under a pay-for-performance compensation scheme significantly surrogate more than employees operating under a fixed pay compensation scheme.Collectively these studies contribute to management accounting research by examining how different types of informal MCS such as organizational value statement and organizational culture interact with incentive compensation scheme. Specifically, these three studies highlight how and when we can use informal MCS to improve employees' performance as well as their decision making in the organization. Study one contributes to research and practice by highlighting situations where a pay-for-performance incentive scheme may result in unintended consequences. Study two contributes to the management control literature by demonstrating how utilizing technology can enhance the delivery of an organization's value statement and ultimately improve employees' performance. Study three contributes to the incentives and organizational culture literature as well as strategy surrogation research by examining institutional factors that may inhibit or exacerbate surrogation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006850, ucf:51783
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006850
- Title
- Peering Into The Future: Three Essays on the Nascent Phenomenon of Collaborative Consumption.
- Creator
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Dellegrazie-Perren, Rebeca, Massiah, Carolyn, He, Xin, Tafaghodijami, Ata, Grauerholz, Liz, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The primary objective of this dissertation is to examine the theoretical and practical implications of the collaborative consumption phenomenon for individuals, businesses and society. To accomplish this goal, a research approach at three levels of analysis is used to explore how market institutions and consumer practices negotiate a social order that combines the social domain of peers with the economic domain of market exchange. The first essay of the dissertation approaches this objective...
Show moreThe primary objective of this dissertation is to examine the theoretical and practical implications of the collaborative consumption phenomenon for individuals, businesses and society. To accomplish this goal, a research approach at three levels of analysis is used to explore how market institutions and consumer practices negotiate a social order that combines the social domain of peers with the economic domain of market exchange. The first essay of the dissertation approaches this objective from a macro level to examine how social order is produced and sustained through the systemic interactions of service firms and peers. This essay provides a framework to understand the emergent business models by developing a typological theory that explains how platforms can be configured for higher value creation. The second essay approaches our understanding of the phenomenon from a meso level analysis to examine how peers interact with the social order of collaborative consumption markets to negotiate key existential tensions between consumer resistance and market appropriation. This essay explores the metaphors that peers use to construe the field of collaborative consumption. Through the interpretive analysis of participant-generated images, this research uncovers the prevailing use of a liberation metaphor that reveals a new way of thinking about resource circulation. Lastly, the third essay employs a micro level of analysis to examine how participation in collaborative consumption practices provokes intrapersonal dynamics leading to moral decay. By relying on a social cognitive framework that considers how behaviors impact personal and environmental factors in a recursive fashion, this essay scrutinizes when and how prolonged participation can erode moral identity and negatively impact prosocial behaviors. Together, this holistic approach advances our theoretical understanding of the collaborative consumption phenomenon and provides practical implications for managerial practice and public policy.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005783, ucf:50055
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005783
- Title
- Electrical Conductivity Imaging via Boundary Value Problems for the 1-Laplacian.
- Creator
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Veras, Johann, Tamasan, Alexandru, Mohapatra, Ram, Nashed, M, Dogariu, Aristide, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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We study an inverse problem which seeks to image the internal conductivity map of a body by one measurement of boundary and interior data. In our study the interior data is the magnitude of the current density induced by electrodes. Access to interior measurements has been made possible since the work of M. Joy et al. in early 1990s and couples two physical principles: electromagnetics and magnetic resonance. In 2007 Nachman et al. has shown that it is possible to recover the conductivity...
Show moreWe study an inverse problem which seeks to image the internal conductivity map of a body by one measurement of boundary and interior data. In our study the interior data is the magnitude of the current density induced by electrodes. Access to interior measurements has been made possible since the work of M. Joy et al. in early 1990s and couples two physical principles: electromagnetics and magnetic resonance. In 2007 Nachman et al. has shown that it is possible to recover the conductivity from the magnitude of one current density field inside. The method now known as Current Density Impedance Imaging is based on solving boundary value problems for the 1-Laplacian in an appropriate Riemann metric space. We consider two types of methods: the ones based on level sets and a variational approach, which aim to solve specific boundary value problem associated with the 1-Laplacian. We will address the Cauchy and Dirichlet problems with full and partial data, and also the Complete Electrode Model (CEM). The latter model is known to describe most accurately the voltage potential distribution in a conductive body, while taking into account the transition of current from the electrode to the body. For the CEM the problem is non-unique. We characterize the non-uniqueness, and explain which additional measurements fix the solution. Multiple numerical schemes for each of the methods are implemented to demonstrate the computational feasibility.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005437, ucf:50388
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005437
- Title
- A Study of The Marzano Teacher Evaluation Model and Student Achievement at 24 Elementary Schools In A Large Suburban School District In Central Florida.
- Creator
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Flowers, Amy, Murray, Kenneth, Doherty, Walter, Murray, Barbara, Baldwin, Gordon, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The focus of this research was to examine the initial year of implementation of the Marzano Teacher Evaluation Model and iObservation(&)#174; tool (Learning Sciences International, 2012) as it related to student achievement in the School District of Osceola County, Florida and to determine if the Marzano model improved the ability to determine teacher effectiveness with more accuracy than previous models of teacher evaluation used in the school district. Twelve research questions guided this...
Show moreThe focus of this research was to examine the initial year of implementation of the Marzano Teacher Evaluation Model and iObservation(&)#174; tool (Learning Sciences International, 2012) as it related to student achievement in the School District of Osceola County, Florida and to determine if the Marzano model improved the ability to determine teacher effectiveness with more accuracy than previous models of teacher evaluation used in the school district. Twelve research questions guided this study concerning the relationship and predictability between the variables of teacher instructional practice scores, number of observations reported in the iObservation(&)#174; tool, and student achievement in Grades 3-5 using reading and mathematics FCAT 2.0 DSS scores.Linear Regression analysis suggested that for Grade 3 reading and mathematics the instructional practice mean had statistical significance in predicting performance and was a strong predictor of Grade 3 FCAT reading and mathematics performance. Linear Regression analysis suggested that for Grade 3 reading and mathematics the instructional practice mean had statistical significance in predicting performance and was a strong predictor of Grade 3 FCAT reading and mathematics performance. Linear Regression analysis further suggested no statistical significance or predictability for Grades 4, 5 for instructional practice mean and Grades 3,4,5 for observation mean related to FCAT reading and mathematics performance. Caution should be used when attempting to interpret these findings, as this study was based solely on initial year implementation data. Implications for practice are also discussed in this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004841, ucf:49711
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004841
- Title
- Perceptions of Education as an Avenue to Life Course Success: A Study of Millennials.
- Creator
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Smith, Patrick, Gay, David, Lynxwiler, John, Wright, James, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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For more than a half a century the role of education and its influence on social mobility and status attainment has been a subject of research. Further more, education has been shown to be an important contributor for success over the life course. Much of the research surrounding status attainment and higher education has dealt with the Baby Boomer cohort. The purpose of the study is to examine education from a perspective that is less talked about to this point. This study uses data gathered...
Show moreFor more than a half a century the role of education and its influence on social mobility and status attainment has been a subject of research. Further more, education has been shown to be an important contributor for success over the life course. Much of the research surrounding status attainment and higher education has dealt with the Baby Boomer cohort. The purpose of the study is to examine education from a perspective that is less talked about to this point. This study uses data gathered by the Pew Research Center and examines a specific age group, current 18-30 year olds (Millennials), to gather a better understanding of their attitudes towards the value of higher education within the current era of the economy, education, and job opportunity. According to the analysis, females report higher odds of feeling that a college degree is important to success later in life. Equally important, results indicate that Blacks have greater odds of perceiving education to be important for success in life. Results also demonstrated that in this particular study, other factors such as income and employment status did not significantly affect respondent's perceptions on the importance of education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005263, ucf:50572
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005263
- Title
- Hidden in Plain Sight: Development and Testing of a Model to Evaluate Political Leadership Tactics.
- Creator
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Citron, Albert, Hamann, Kerstin, Handberg, Roger, Houghton, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This thesis analyzes the kinds of verbal and nonverbal signals elites manifest to show leadership qualities. Launching from Max Weber's conceptual framework of charisma as a power term and Harold Lasswell's study of propaganda, this study takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying political leadership with elements of communication methodology and an ontological basis in evolutionary psychology. The study's goal is to offer a framework for defining and evaluating the diverse signal...
Show moreThis thesis analyzes the kinds of verbal and nonverbal signals elites manifest to show leadership qualities. Launching from Max Weber's conceptual framework of charisma as a power term and Harold Lasswell's study of propaganda, this study takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying political leadership with elements of communication methodology and an ontological basis in evolutionary psychology. The study's goal is to offer a framework for defining and evaluating the diverse signal patterns employed by political elites in three real-life situations. These are the Malta Summit, the 1992 Virginia Presidential Debate, and the 2012 South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary. The cases were chosen because they display a diverse set of signal variations during different types of interactions.The three case studies are evaluated by measuring frequency and patterns of occurrence of the five different interaction constructs (indicator of interest, indicator of disinterest, demonstration of high value, demonstration of low value, and compliance testing) to explain different interaction patterns. A simple frequency distribution of the different signals during a given interaction is used to display the empirical findings and to compare patterns across the case studies. This study reveals that the presence of DLV (demonstration of low value) signals weaken an elite's position in relation to other elites and the public while the presence of DHV (demonstration of high value) signals strengthen an elite's position. It is largely the presence, absence, and frequency of these two signals that determines who conveys leadership qualities effectively regardless of leadership style. Studying the signaling patterns of political elites would allow scholars to understand better the kinds of signal patterns and signal frequencies that are used in different types of leadership styles and norm ranges for signals including for political elites belonging to different cultures and subcultures.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004984, ucf:49563
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004984
- Title
- Lattice-Valued T-Filters and Induced Structures.
- Creator
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Reid, Frederick, Richardson, Gary, Brennan, Joseph, Han, Deguang, Lang, Sheau-Dong, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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A complete lattice is called a frame provided meets distribute over arbitrary joins. The implication operation in this context plays a central role. Intuitively, it measures the degree to which one element is less than or equal to another. In this setting, a category is defined by equipping each set with a T-convergence structure which is defined in terms of T-filters. This category is shown to be topological, strongly Cartesian closed, and extensional. It is well known that the category of...
Show moreA complete lattice is called a frame provided meets distribute over arbitrary joins. The implication operation in this context plays a central role. Intuitively, it measures the degree to which one element is less than or equal to another. In this setting, a category is defined by equipping each set with a T-convergence structure which is defined in terms of T-filters. This category is shown to be topological, strongly Cartesian closed, and extensional. It is well known that the category of topological spaces and continuous maps is neither Cartesian closed nor extensional.Subcategories of compact and of complete spaces are investigated. It is shown that each T-convergence space has a compactification with the extension property provided the frame is a Boolean algebra. T-Cauchy spaces are defined and sufficient conditions for the existence of a completion are given. T-uniform limit spaces are also defined and their completions are given in terms of the T-Cauchy spaces they induce. Categorical properties of these subcategories are also investigated. Further, for a fixed T-convergence space, under suitable conditions, it is shown that there exists an order preserving bijection between the set of all strict, regular, Hausdorff compactifications and the set of all totally bounded T-Cauchy spaces which induce the fixed space.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007520, ucf:52586
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007520
- Title
- THE NATURE OF LOVE: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH.
- Creator
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Schroeder, Samantha, Strawser, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Since the time of Socrates, the idea of love and the conception of the human heart have been devalued by thinkers who, by definition, are known as "lovers of wisdom." Considered pejoratively as "the passions," the subject of emotion was deemed inferior to thought centered upon the human faculty of reason. Many studies in the sciences, from biology to psychology, claim to have pointed us to the source of the human experience of love - but do they help us to understand love properly? In order...
Show moreSince the time of Socrates, the idea of love and the conception of the human heart have been devalued by thinkers who, by definition, are known as "lovers of wisdom." Considered pejoratively as "the passions," the subject of emotion was deemed inferior to thought centered upon the human faculty of reason. Many studies in the sciences, from biology to psychology, claim to have pointed us to the source of the human experience of love - but do they help us to understand love properly? In order to provide a full consideration of love in my philosophical research, I will focus my analysis on love under the philosophical lens of phenomenology. Known as the study of firsthand human experience, phenomenology became the influential school of thought for many German philosophers in the early twentieth century. My research will closely examine the writings of Max Scheler, Dietrich von Hildebrand, and Jean-Luc Marion within the context of this tradition. Moving from a justification of love in philosophy to the topic of self-love, I hope to define effectively what it means to love another. I shall also attempt to disambiguate the common assumptions regarding the nature of love. Is there a fundamental difference between the phenomenon of "falling in love" and of love itself? I question whether love, in its essence, is defined by the element of choice - of a willful emotional giving of oneself to another - and whether it can be distinguished from a passive feeling and an active loving will. I aim to bring the human affective sphere into the full light of philosophical inquiry, considering whether love is a moral act of the will that involves a total participation of the self - in mind, body, and spirit. Love is arguably the most powerful of the human emotions, one that elevates the human sphere of emotions and the ethical existence beyond simple desire. As I hope to show, a philosophical study of love is highly relevant today, since the sciences have not adequately answered the perennial question: What is love?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFH0004194, ucf:44836
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004194
- Title
- A Comparison of Self-Service Technologies (SSTs) in the U.S. Restaurant Industry: An Evaluation of Consumer Perceived Value, Satisfaction, and Behavioral Intentions.
- Creator
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Zaitouni, Motaz, Murphy, Kevin, Zhang, Tingting, Wei, Wei, Severt, Kimberly, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Innovation in technology has been growing rapidly in recent years. Many restaurants have been utilizing different types of self-service technologies (SSTs) to enhance their operations and customer satisfaction. Despite, the rapid spread of SSTs in the restaurant industry, very limited empirical research has been conducted to evaluate the influence of SSTs type on customer dining experience.Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to examine the SSTs values that influence restaurant...
Show moreInnovation in technology has been growing rapidly in recent years. Many restaurants have been utilizing different types of self-service technologies (SSTs) to enhance their operations and customer satisfaction. Despite, the rapid spread of SSTs in the restaurant industry, very limited empirical research has been conducted to evaluate the influence of SSTs type on customer dining experience.Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to examine the SSTs values that influence restaurant customers' satisfaction and their decision to continue to reuse SSTs. More specifically, this study utilized the Theory of Consumption Values (TCV) to examine consumers' perception of the SST values across different types of restaurant proprietary SSTs (kiosk, tabletop, restaurant mobile app, and web-based SSTs).In order to examine the hypothesized relationships, a quantitative research approach was utilized with the survey research method. An online self-administered questionnaire was developed in Qualtrics for each type of SSTs. The questionnaires were distributed utilizing Amazon mechanical Turk (MTurk). Data was collected in May 2019 from restaurant customers who previously used/experienced one of four SSTs. A total of 619 questionnaires were usable and retained for the data analysis procedures. PLS-SEM and PLS-MGA were utilized to evaluate the conceptual model.The results revealed that emotional values were the most significant SST values that influence customer satisfaction with the restaurant SST experience and continuance intention. SSTs customization features were positively related to customer satisfaction across all the SSTs included in this study. The theoretical and practical implications of the results were discussed as well as the limitations of the study and future research directions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007744, ucf:52406
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007744
- Title
- Essays on the Effect of Excess Compensation and Governance Changes on Firm Value.
- Creator
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Dah, Mustafa, Frye, Melissa, Whyte, Ann, Gatchev, Vladimir, Schnitzlein, Charles, Campbell, Terry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This dissertation consists of three essays on the effect of excess compensation and corporate governance changes on the firm's performance. The first paper utilizes a cost minimization stochastic frontier approach to investigate the efficiency of director total compensation. Our findings suggest that board members are over compensated. We show that, on average, the director actual compensation level is above the efficient compensation level by around 63%. Our results suggest that an increase...
Show moreThis dissertation consists of three essays on the effect of excess compensation and corporate governance changes on the firm's performance. The first paper utilizes a cost minimization stochastic frontier approach to investigate the efficiency of director total compensation. Our findings suggest that board members are over compensated. We show that, on average, the director actual compensation level is above the efficient compensation level by around 63%. Our results suggest that an increase in director excess compensation decreases the likelihood of CEO turnover, reduces the turnover-performance sensitivity, and increases managerial entrenchment. Thus, the surplus in director compensation is directly associated with managerial job security and entrenchment. Furthermore, although director excess compensation is not significantly inversely related to the firm's future performance, it has an indirect negative effect on future performance through its impact on the entrenchment-performance relationship. Therefore, this essay proposes that the overcompensation of directors is directly associated with a board culture predicated by mutual back-scratching and collusion between the CEO and the board members. The second essay tests the effect of an exogenous shock, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002, on the structure of corporate boards and their efficiency as a monitoring mechanism. The results suggest an increase in the participation of independent directors at the expense of insiders. Consequently, we investigate the implications of board composition changes on CEO turnover and firm value. We document a noticeable reduction in CEO turnover in the post-SOX period. We also demonstrate that, after SOX, a board dominated by independent directors is less likely to remove a CEO due to poor performance. Finally, we highlight a negative association between the change in board composition and firm value. We propose that our findings are predicated on an off equilibrium result whereby firms were forced to modify their endogenously chosen board composition. Therefore, contrary to the legislators' objectives, we suggest that the change in board structure brought about inefficient monitoring and promoted an unfavorable tradeoff between independent directors and insiders. The third essay examines the relationship between the firm's governance structure and its value during different economic conditions. We show that both relative industry turnover and CEO entrenchment increase during economic downturns. We also find that relative industry turnover and managerial entrenchment have opposite impacts on the value of the firm throughout the recessionary period. While industry turnover leads to an appreciation in firm value, managerial entrenchment reduces shareholders' wealth. The negative impact of managerial entrenchment on firm value, however, outweighs the positive impact of industry turnover. Accordingly, we propose that a recession provides managers with a good opportunity to camouflage their behavior and extract more private benefits and, thus, blame the poor performance on bad economic conditions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004202, ucf:49029
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004202
- Title
- PRE-SERVICE SECONDARY SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS' EFFICACY TOWARDSCHARACTER EDUCATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY.
- Creator
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Waters, Kevin, Russell, William, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Character education is one of the most controversial aspects of academic institutions in the United States. The responsibility of educating children about democratic principles and moral values is something many states and schools are taking very seriously as a vital part of a teacher's role in the classroom. This study investigated the personal teaching efficacy and general teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-service secondary teachers at a large university in the state of Florida. This study...
Show moreCharacter education is one of the most controversial aspects of academic institutions in the United States. The responsibility of educating children about democratic principles and moral values is something many states and schools are taking very seriously as a vital part of a teacher's role in the classroom. This study investigated the personal teaching efficacy and general teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-service secondary teachers at a large university in the state of Florida. This study investigated the responses of 130 pre-service secondary teachers in language arts, science, social studies, and mathematics within one teacher education program. The questionnaire utilized in this quantitative research study was the Character Education Efficacy Belief Instrument (CEEBI), which was designed by Milson and Mehlig (2002). This instrument is composed of 24 items designed to understand personal teaching efficacy (PTE) and general teaching efficacy (GTE) beliefs. This study examined if there was a statistically significant difference in PTE and GTE scores between secondary pre-service teachers based on the independent variables of a) program/major, b) gender, c) race/ethnicity, and d) coursework in character education. The results of this survey adds to a rich field of research and literature on character education and teacher education by taking a closer look at the specific beliefs of secondary preservice teachers regarding their PTE and GTE for character education. This study was an attempt to better understand the teaching efficacy beliefs for secondary pre-service teachers graduating from a teacher preparation program within a state that mandates character education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003686, ucf:48839
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003686
- Title
- Value-of-Information based Data Collection in Underwater Sensor Networks.
- Creator
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Khan, Fahad, Turgut, Damla, Yuksel, Murat, Behal, Aman, Bassiouni, Mostafa, Garibay, Ivan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Underwater sensor networks are deployed in marine environments, presenting specific challenges compared to sensor networks deployed in terrestrial settings. Among the major issues that underwater sensor networks face is communication medium limitations that result in low bandwidth and long latency. This creates problems when these networks need to transmit large amounts of data over long distances. A possible solution to address this issue is to use mobile sinks such as autonomous underwater...
Show moreUnderwater sensor networks are deployed in marine environments, presenting specific challenges compared to sensor networks deployed in terrestrial settings. Among the major issues that underwater sensor networks face is communication medium limitations that result in low bandwidth and long latency. This creates problems when these networks need to transmit large amounts of data over long distances. A possible solution to address this issue is to use mobile sinks such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to offload these large quantities of data. Such mobile sinks are called data mules. Often it is the case that a sensor network is deployed to report events that require immediate attention. Delays in reporting such events can have catastrophic consequences. In this dissertation, we present path planning algorithms that help in prioritizing data retrieval from sensor nodes in such a manner that nodes that require more immediate attention would be dealt with at the earliest. In other words, the goal is to improve the Quality of Information (QoI) retrieved. The path planning algorithms proposed in this dissertation are based on heuristics meant to improve the Value of Information (VoI) retrieved from a system. Value of information is a construct that helps in encoding the valuation of an information segment i.e. it is the price an optimal player would pay to obtain a segment of information in a game theoretic setting. Quality of information and value of information are complementary concepts. In this thesis, we formulate a value of information model for sensor networks and then consider the constraints that arise in underwater settings. On the basis of this, we develop a VoI-based path planning problem statement and propose heuristics that solve the path planning problem. We show through simulation studies that the proposed strategies improve the value, and hence, quality of the information retrieved. It is important to note that these path planning strategies can be applied equally well in terrestrial settings that deploy mobile sinks for data collection.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007476, ucf:52683
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007476
- Title
- A Value Sensitive Design Approach to Adolescent Mobile Online Safety.
- Creator
-
Ghosh, Arup Kumar, ,, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
With the rise of adolescent smartphone use, concerns about teen online safety are also on the rise. A number of parental control apps are available for mobile devices, but adoption of these apps has been markedly low. To better understand these apps, their users, and design opportunities in the space of mobile online safety for adolescents, we have conducted four studies informed by the principles of Value Sensitive Design (VSD). In Study 1 (Chapter 2), we conducted a web-based survey of 215...
Show moreWith the rise of adolescent smartphone use, concerns about teen online safety are also on the rise. A number of parental control apps are available for mobile devices, but adoption of these apps has been markedly low. To better understand these apps, their users, and design opportunities in the space of mobile online safety for adolescents, we have conducted four studies informed by the principles of Value Sensitive Design (VSD). In Study 1 (Chapter 2), we conducted a web-based survey of 215 parents and their teens (ages 13-17) using two separate logistic regression models (parent and teen) to examine the factors that predicted parental use of technical monitoring apps on their teens' mobile devices. Both parent and teen models confirmed that low autonomy granting (e.g., authoritarian) parents were the most likely to use parental control apps. The teen model revealed additional nuances, indicating that teens who were victimized online and had peer problems were more likely to be monitored by their parents. Overall, increased parental control was associated with more (not fewer) online risks. In Study 2 (Chapter 3), we conducted a structured, qualitative feature analysis of 75 Android mobile apps designed for promoting adolescent online safety. We found that the available apps overwhelmingly supported parental control through restriction and monitoring over teen self-regulation or parental active mediation. In Study 3 (Chapter 4), we conducted a qualitative analysis of 736 reviews of 37 mobile online safety apps from Google Play that were publicly posted and written by teens. Our results indicate that teen ratings were significantly lower than that of parents with 76% of the teen reviews giving apps a single star. Teens felt that the apps were overly restrictive and invasive of their personal privacy, negatively impacting their relationships with their parents. For our final study (Chapter 5), we developed a mobile app prototype suggesting alternative designs for keeping teens safe online and conducted a user study which showed that parents and children (ages 10-17) both significantly preferred our new app design over existing parental control apps. Both parents and children reported that our VSD informed design is less privacy-invasive for children and would improve communication and trust relationship between them. Yet, more work needs to be done to improve approaches for risk detection and mediation that support online safety. In summary, this research will enable researchers and designers to create more effective solutions for teen online safety that will help promote more positive parent-teen relationships.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007181, ucf:52256
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007181
- Title
- Cross-Continental Insights into Jaguar (Panthera onca) Ecology and Conservation.
- Creator
-
Figel, Joseph, Noss, Reed, Quintana-Ascencio, Pedro, Jenkins, David, Quigley, Howard, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a widely distributed large carnivore and the focal species of a range-wide connectivity initiative known as the jaguar conservation network (JCN). Comprised of ~83 Jaguar Conservation Units (JCUs) and ~75 corridors from northern Mexico to Argentina, the JCN functions as a conduit for jaguar movement and gene flow. Key linkages in the network are imperiled by human population growth, large-scale agriculture, highway expansion, and other infrastructural development...
Show moreThe jaguar (Panthera onca) is a widely distributed large carnivore and the focal species of a range-wide connectivity initiative known as the jaguar conservation network (JCN). Comprised of ~83 Jaguar Conservation Units (JCUs) and ~75 corridors from northern Mexico to Argentina, the JCN functions as a conduit for jaguar movement and gene flow. Key linkages in the network are imperiled by human population growth, large-scale agriculture, highway expansion, and other infrastructural development. Labeled (")corridors of concern,(") these vulnerable linkages are imperative to the maintenance of connectivity and genetic diversity throughout jaguar distribution. I take a multi-faceted approach to analyze conservation issues and identify potential solutions in three of the most vulnerable connections of the JCN. I estimate densities and assess local residents' perceptions of jaguars in a fragmented JCU in western Mexico, analyze 3 years of data from 275 camera-trap sites to evaluate jaguar habitat use in a corridor of concern in Colombia, and quantify the umbrella value of jaguars for endemic herpetofauna in Nuclear Central America, a ~ 370,000 km(&)#178; sub-region of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot. My research produces the first jaguar density estimate in a JCU containing human population densities (>)50 people/km2 and provides the strongest support for jaguar association with wetlands collected to date. In Nuclear Central America, one of the most important yet vulnerable areas of the JCN, I demonstrate the umbrella value of this wide-ranging felid. I conclude with a discussion on the need to reevaluate extirpation thresholds of jaguars in human-use landscapes, to direct more research on wetlands as keystone habitats for jaguars, and to further assess the utility of umbrella analyses using jaguars as focal species to support holistic conservation planning.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006591, ucf:51258
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006591
- Title
- The Ontological Sociology of Cryptocurrency: A Theoretical Exploration of Bitcoin.
- Creator
-
Villarreal, Omar, Gay, David, Hinojosa, Ramon, Corzine, Harold, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
For millennia, money has been a basal element of everyday life reality in market-organized societies. Albeit money has changed extrinsically (e.g., form, use, utility) countless of times, some intrinsic characteristics remain the same, i.e., money is reified value. But why? What gives money value? Even more crucial, what is money in the first place? This exploratory study delves into the intricacies of money, in particular the revolutionary 21st century pecuniary techno-phenomenon, a...
Show moreFor millennia, money has been a basal element of everyday life reality in market-organized societies. Albeit money has changed extrinsically (e.g., form, use, utility) countless of times, some intrinsic characteristics remain the same, i.e., money is reified value. But why? What gives money value? Even more crucial, what is money in the first place? This exploratory study delves into the intricacies of money, in particular the revolutionary 21st century pecuniary techno-phenomenon, a cryptocurrency called Bitcoin. Though cryptocurrencies have been the topic of several financial and legal scholarly publications for a few years, we rather focus our analysis on Bitcoin's ontological characteristics under a schema of overlapping theoretical layers: Social Exchange Theory, Marxian Dialectics, and Social Construction of Reality. Our intention is to dissect Bitcoin sociologically and empirically examine its global exchange, consumption, and institutionalization. Consequently, we venture to ask, can Bitcoin redefine the meaning of money and how we relate to it? Reformulate the role of banking? Disrupt the universally accepted objective reality of currency value attached to sensorial experience? Transfer trust from ambivalent human relations to an incorruptible algorithm? Or even become (")the Internet of money(")?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006412, ucf:51468
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006412
- Title
- An Investigation of Low Performing Central Florida Teacher Evaluation Feedback and Improvement Plans as Related to Value-Added Model Scores and Instructional Practice Scores.
- Creator
-
Butler, Tara, Murray, Barbara, Doherty, Walter, Murray, Kenneth, Baldwin, Lee, Hutchinson, Cynthia, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to determine if low performing Central Florida teachers, according to Florida VAM scores, had related instructional practice evaluations that were being used to determine placement on improvement plans in the 2013-14 school year. Additionally, the feedback held within the instructional practice evaluations was analyzed to discover the levels of feedback most frequently rendered by administrative evaluators to the lowest performing teachers. Deidentified data from...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if low performing Central Florida teachers, according to Florida VAM scores, had related instructional practice evaluations that were being used to determine placement on improvement plans in the 2013-14 school year. Additionally, the feedback held within the instructional practice evaluations was analyzed to discover the levels of feedback most frequently rendered by administrative evaluators to the lowest performing teachers. Deidentified data from a population of 528 Central Florida teacher evaluations and improvement plans within the lowest 10% of VAM scores for the 2013-14 school year were gathered from a Florida Department of Education database and public record requests. Data were analyzed to determine if any significant relationship existed between VAM scores and instructional practice scores. A very weak relationship existed between these two variables. Tenured teachers were rated significantly more favorably on summative instructional practice evaluations than nontenured teachers. Within the population, fewer than 1% of low-performing teachers (two total) were prescribed an improvement plan, regardless of tenure or nontenure status. Finally, evaluation feedback was largely low-level without reference to student growth or achievement. Evidence of administrative barriers within the three dimensions of individual conflict avoidance, bureaucratic procedural interferences, and administrative procedural faults were inferred from the literature and subsequent findings. To improve upon the current evaluation system, administrators must be aware of, and well-prepared for the demands of evaluating, remediating, and providing feedback to teaching professionals relative to student achievement and growth in a manner that is simultaneously respectful, candid, fair, timely, and actionable.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006937, ucf:51677
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006937
- Title
- Stochastic Optimization for Integrated Energy System with Reliability Improvement Using Decomposition Algorithm.
- Creator
-
Huang, Yuping, Zheng, Qipeng, Xanthopoulos, Petros, Pazour, Jennifer, Liu, Andrew, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As energy demands increase and energy resources change, the traditional energy system has beenupgraded and reconstructed for human society development and sustainability. Considerable studies have been conducted in energy expansion planning and electricity generation operations bymainly considering the integration of traditional fossil fuel generation with renewable generation.Because the energy market is full of uncertainty, we realize that these uncertainties have continuously challenged...
Show moreAs energy demands increase and energy resources change, the traditional energy system has beenupgraded and reconstructed for human society development and sustainability. Considerable studies have been conducted in energy expansion planning and electricity generation operations bymainly considering the integration of traditional fossil fuel generation with renewable generation.Because the energy market is full of uncertainty, we realize that these uncertainties have continuously challenged market design and operations, even a national energy policy. In fact, only a few considerations were given to the optimization of energy expansion and generation taking into account the variability and uncertainty of energy supply and demand in energy markets. This usually causes an energy system unreliable to cope with unexpected changes, such as a surge in fuel price, a sudden drop of demand, or a large renewable supply fluctuation. Thus, for an overall energy system, optimizing a long-term expansion planning and market operation in a stochastic environment are crucial to improve the system's reliability and robustness.As little consideration was paid to imposing risk measure on the power management system, this dissertation discusses applying risk-constrained stochastic programming to improve the efficiency,reliability and economics of energy expansion and electric power generation, respectively. Considering the supply-demand uncertainties affecting the energy system stability, three different optimization strategies are proposed to enhance the overall reliability and sustainability of an energy system. The first strategy is to optimize the regional energy expansion planning which focuses on capacity expansion of natural gas system, power generation system and renewable energy system, in addition to transmission network. With strong support of NG and electric facilities, the second strategy provides an optimal day-ahead scheduling for electric power generation system incorporating with non-generation resources, i.e. demand response and energy storage. Because of risk aversion, this generation scheduling enables a power system qualified with higher reliability and promotes non-generation resources in smart grid. To take advantage of power generation sources, the third strategy strengthens the change of the traditional energy reserve requirements to risk constraints but ensuring the same level of systems reliability In this way we can maximize the use of existing resources to accommodate internal or/and external changes in a power system.All problems are formulated by stochastic mixed integer programming, particularly consideringthe uncertainties from fuel price, renewable energy output and electricity demand over time. Taking the benefit of models structure, new decomposition strategies are proposed to decompose the stochastic unit commitment problems which are then solved by an enhanced Benders Decomposition algorithm. Compared to the classic Benders Decomposition, this proposed solution approachis able to increase convergence speed and thus reduce 25% of computation times on the same cases.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005506, ucf:50339
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005506
- Title
- Inclusion: A Question of Practice, Stance, Values and Culture.
- Creator
-
Sellers, June, Martin, Suzanne, Little, Mary, Hewitt, Randall, Bernier, Christopher, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Exclusionary practices based on a deficit perspective of disability are not supported by law and are inconsistent with the rigorous standards for teaching, learning, and accountability in our public schools. Moreover, consequences of failed change will continue to have significant negative effects on the performance of educational organizations. The purpose of this mixed-methods phenomenological research (MMPR) study was to explore the lived experience of teachers who identify as champions of...
Show moreExclusionary practices based on a deficit perspective of disability are not supported by law and are inconsistent with the rigorous standards for teaching, learning, and accountability in our public schools. Moreover, consequences of failed change will continue to have significant negative effects on the performance of educational organizations. The purpose of this mixed-methods phenomenological research (MMPR) study was to explore the lived experience of teachers who identify as champions of inclusion, including their views, perceptions and appraisal of the status of inclusion in a large urban school system. The research questions were designed to generate insight and recommendations for establishing norms, values, practices and policies that might mitigate teacher resistance to inclusion, support and reinforce inclusive culture, and position the organization (school district) itself as a facilitator of implementation and agent of change in cultivating positive attitudes and beliefs about inclusion as a social justice imperative in the public schools. The lived experiences of teachers who have this distinct perspective and insight into the phenomenon of inclusion were explored through focus group sessions and individual interviews. The results of the study suggest that (1) organizations can build and strengthen a culture of inclusion by identifying individuals who demonstrate a commitment and competency for supporting inclusion, by supporting them as they promote change through coaching, educating, networking and mentoring efforts and embed and reinforce inclusive values throughout the system; and (2) educational organizations must be responsive to norms, values, practices and policies that both support and work against inclusive organizational culture. The findings suggest that this type of research may be of value to organizations in identifying contextual factors which either facilitate or inhibit inclusive education and therefore either advance or diminish educational outcomes for students with disabilities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006180, ucf:51339
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006180
- Title
- Factors Affecting Systems Engineering Rigor in Launch Vehicle Organizations.
- Creator
-
Gibson, Denton, Karwowski, Waldemar, Rabelo, Luis, Kotnour, Timothy, Kern, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Systems engineering is a methodical multi-disciplinary approach to design, build, and operate complex systems. Launch vehicles are considered by many extremely complex systems that have greatly impacted where the systems engineering industry is today. Launch vehicles are used to transport payloads from the ground to a location in space. Satellites launched by launch vehicles can range from commercial communications to national security payloads. Satellite costs can range from a few million...
Show moreSystems engineering is a methodical multi-disciplinary approach to design, build, and operate complex systems. Launch vehicles are considered by many extremely complex systems that have greatly impacted where the systems engineering industry is today. Launch vehicles are used to transport payloads from the ground to a location in space. Satellites launched by launch vehicles can range from commercial communications to national security payloads. Satellite costs can range from a few million dollars to billions of dollars. Prior research suggests that lack of systems engineering rigor as one of the leading contributors to launch vehicle failures. A launch vehicle failure could have economic, societal, scientific, and national security impacts. This is why it is critical to understand the factors that affect systems engineering rigor in U.S. launch vehicle organizations.The current research examined organizational factors that influence systems engineering rigor in launch vehicle organizations. This study examined the effects of the factors of systems engineering culture and systems engineering support on systems engineering rigor. Particularly, the effects of top management support, organizational commitment, systems engineering support, and value of systems engineering were examined. This research study also analyzed the mediating role of systems engineering support between top management support and systems engineering rigor, as well as between organizational commitment and systems engineering rigor. A quantitative approach was used for this. Data for the study was collected via survey instrument. A total of 203 people in various systems engineering roles in launch vehicle organizations throughout the United States voluntarily participated. Each latent construct of the study was validated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the relationships between the variables of the study. The IBM SPSS Amos 25 software was used to analyze the CFA and SEM.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007806, ucf:52348
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007806
