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Title: INVESTIGATING THE MECHANISMS THAT DRIVE IMPLICIT COORDINATION IN TEAMS.
Creator: Hoeft, Raegan, Jentsch, Florian, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study was to empirically test the oft-noted hypothesis that shared mental models lead to implicit coordination. Specifically, this dissertation investigated the underlying mechanisms of implicit coordination and how different aspects of shared mental models affect the process. The research questions tested in this study were (a)how perceptions of sharedness affect the initiation of implicit coordination, (b) how actual levels of sharedness affect the process of implicit...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to empirically test the oft-noted hypothesis that shared mental models lead to implicit coordination. Specifically, this dissertation investigated the underlying mechanisms of implicit coordination and how different aspects of shared mental models affect the process. The research questions tested in this study were (a)how perceptions of sharedness affect the initiation of implicit coordination, (b) how actual levels of sharedness affect the process of implicit coordination, and (c) how quality of task mental models affects successful implicit coordination. Sixty same-gender, two-person teams engaged in a complex military reconnaissance planning task in which the team members were required to work together by exchanging information to plan routes for one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and one unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). The results provided partial support for the influence of different facets of shared mental models on the process of implicit coordination. Specifically, individual mental model quality, not perceptions of sharedness or actual mental model sharedness, was the biggest predictor of the initiation of implicit coordination. Additionally, perceptions of sharedness and actual mental model sharedness interacted with one another, such that teams in mismatched conditions (high perceptions of sharedness but low actual sharedness [false consensus], or low perceptions of sharedness and high actual sharedness, [pluralistic ignorance]) tended to increase their communications. The implications and recommendations for future research on implicit coordination and shared mental models are discussed. Additionally, the implications for operators of unmanned vehicles are also discussed.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001181, ucf:46857
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001181

Title: SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS' ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
Creator: Goddard, Yvichess, Burg, Mary Ann, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Affordable Care Act is creating major political changes, on the state and federal levels, and is redefining American citizens' ability to access health services. Medical and mental health social workers are in high demand within the health care workforce to advocate and assist patients in navigating through a complex health care system. Little research has been conducted in understanding future social work professionals' views and knowledge about the legislation. This exploratory...
Show moreThe Affordable Care Act is creating major political changes, on the state and federal levels, and is redefining American citizens' ability to access health services. Medical and mental health social workers are in high demand within the health care workforce to advocate and assist patients in navigating through a complex health care system. Little research has been conducted in understanding future social work professionals' views and knowledge about the legislation. This exploratory-descriptive study used a convenience sample of 105 Bachelors (BSW) and Masters (MSW) level social work students to explore views on health care policy and reform based on students' personal experiences accessing health care. The study also obtained an understanding of how demographic factors affect students' support for health reform. Implications of this study show the need for greater implementation of health policy education in the social work curriculum and further research on the factors affecting students' knowledge and attitudes of health reform.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004649, ucf:45306
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004649

Title: TEXT COMPLEXITY AND CLOSE READING: TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE LANGUAGE ARTS FLORIDA STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION.
Creator: Diaz-Davila, Clare, Wenzel, Taylar, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Florida Department of Education revised the Common Core State Standards into what are now known as the Florida Standards in February 2014, approving 99 revisions to the original standards that were accepted in 2010 (Dunkelberger, 2014). The purpose of this research was to identify current teachers' attitudes towards the new Language Arts Florida Standards (LAFS), specifically regarding teachers' perceptions of text complexity and close reading as enacted in the reading curriculum....
Show moreThe Florida Department of Education revised the Common Core State Standards into what are now known as the Florida Standards in February 2014, approving 99 revisions to the original standards that were accepted in 2010 (Dunkelberger, 2014). The purpose of this research was to identify current teachers' attitudes towards the new Language Arts Florida Standards (LAFS), specifically regarding teachers' perceptions of text complexity and close reading as enacted in the reading curriculum. Additionally, this study will attempt to identify how teachers' attitudes impact their implementation of the new standards. This research used a self-administered survey to collect the teacher perceptions of the LAFS in six different categories. The sample entailed the participation of 21 practicing teachers from the Central Florida area. The survey revealed that, although teachers don't necessarily dislike the construction of the standards, they feel that they are not knowledgeable in some integral areas of the LAFS, such as text complexity and close reading. The implications of the results are discussed, and some improvements for the future of the LAFS are given.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004682, ucf:45281
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004682

Title: STUDENT PERCEPTION OF BARRIERS TO STUDY ABROAD.
Creator: Walker, Jessica, Valdez, Carlos, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Studying abroad during the collegiate experience is an idea sought by the many high school seniors and college freshmen alike. The social, intellectual, and cultural benefits received from participating makes it a seemingly easy decision. Yet, lack of action plagues the nation as there exists a miniscule number of students who follow through with their desire to study abroad. Prior research exemplifies that students rely on the perceptions of their peers and family when approaching an...
Show moreStudying abroad during the collegiate experience is an idea sought by the many high school seniors and college freshmen alike. The social, intellectual, and cultural benefits received from participating makes it a seemingly easy decision. Yet, lack of action plagues the nation as there exists a miniscule number of students who follow through with their desire to study abroad. Prior research exemplifies that students rely on the perceptions of their peers and family when approaching an unfamiliar subject. These perceptions result in concocted barriers that dissuade the student from participating in study abroad before they seek concrete information. There are a limited number of studies completed at universities to identify these specific barriers. Thus, this research examines the student population at the University of Central Florida, the perceived barriers they possess concerning study abroad, and their sources of these perceptions. This is a qualitative and quantitative study that investigates the effects of perceived cost and graduation delay on the willingness of a student to study abroad. The unexpected ramifications of the marketing mix, utilized by the department of Study Abroad, will shed light upon the steps necessary to revise their position in order to transform student intent into action.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFH0004876, ucf:45418
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004876

Title: PERCEPTION OF MENTAL ILLNESS BASED UPON ITS PORTRAYAL IN FILM.
Creator: Hanley, Erika, Donley, Amy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Perceptions can be influenced by the media concerning different groups of people. As a result of the importance of the media in how individuals obtain information and formulate opinions, how different groups are presented whether negatively or positively is important. This research examines the portrayal of mental illness in films and the impact that such portrayals have on the perceptions of mental illness of the viewers. Mental illness representations can be found quite prevalently among...
Show morePerceptions can be influenced by the media concerning different groups of people. As a result of the importance of the media in how individuals obtain information and formulate opinions, how different groups are presented whether negatively or positively is important. This research examines the portrayal of mental illness in films and the impact that such portrayals have on the perceptions of mental illness of the viewers. Mental illness representations can be found quite prevalently among film and the way in which it is represented can be important as to how populations perceive those with mental disorders. This thesis looks to explore perceptions of mental illness and beliefs from those who have viewed films that portray characters with mental disorders. Through the use of an online survey, one hundred and ninety five participants provided data for this study. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized that individuals who had seen more films portraying mental illness would have more knowledge and sympathy regarding mental illness compared those who had seen less films portraying mental illness. It was also hypothesized that social stereotypes surrounding mental disorders would be present in the knowledge that individuals had more so than factual data about mental disorders. Women were predicted to express more sympathy than men. A statistical analysis program was used to analyze the resulting data including the use of correlations and t-tests. Evidence indicated that the amount of films viewed portraying mental illness did not have an impact on knowledge or sympathy regarding mental illness. Perceptions of mental illness are still a relevant topic and the awareness of facts surrounding mental disorders should continue to be spread.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFH0004848, ucf:45441
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004848

Title: THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BASIS OF THREAT PERCEPTION AND ITS EFFECT ON THE USE OF FORCE BY US PRESIDENTS.
Creator: Kazazis, Collin J., Schafer, Mark, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis creates a new variable for threat perception built upon psychological concepts and then applies this new variable to the question of why leaders use military force in certain situations. The concept of threat perception has a long history in the field in terms of its effect on leaders choosing to use military force. However, while the concept of threat perception is inherently psychological, previous proxies for the variable have included only situational factors, which is highly...
Show moreThis thesis creates a new variable for threat perception built upon psychological concepts and then applies this new variable to the question of why leaders use military force in certain situations. The concept of threat perception has a long history in the field in terms of its effect on leaders choosing to use military force. However, while the concept of threat perception is inherently psychological, previous proxies for the variable have included only situational factors, which is highly problematic. By utilizing the Operational Code, this study creates a new threat-perception variable based on cognitive constructs. Using a sample of US presidents, this new variable is tested in two different ways. The first examines three psychological characteristics (need for power, in-group bias, and distrust) from Leadership Trait Analysis that are thought to influence the level of threat perception in a leader. The second examines threat perception as an explanatory variable for the use of force alongside three other important control variables (economic violence, presidential popularity, and US power). The use of force variable is derived from Meernik's Use of Force dataset with each case in the dataset representing an opportunity to use force. The psychological data are derived from the verbal material of US presidents using at-a-distance methods found in the literature. OLS regression and probit are used to model the research questions. The project finds that levels of threat perception are indeed affected by a leader's level of distrust, in-group bias, and need for power. In addition, the new psychologically-derived threat-perception variable is a very good predictor of a president's use of force: presidents with higher levels of threat perception have a much higher probability of using force when the situation presents an opportunity.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFH2000559, ucf:45649
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000559

Title: PERCEPTIONS OF PRESERVICE TEACHER CANDIDATES TOWARDS GIFTED EDUCATION TRAINING AND OBTAINING THE GIFTED EDUCATION ENDORSEMENT CERTIFICATE IN FLORIDA.
Creator: Laschober, Zachary, Eriksson, Gillian, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: According to the Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration, training in gifted education is inaccessible by teacher candidates in colleges of education in the United States. This study involved the use of questionnaires with 100 teacher candidates enrolled on an introductory course on diversity in education in a Florida university. Teacher candidates responded to a series of items to identify beliefs about giftedness within and outside the context of education as well as the value of...
Show moreAccording to the Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration, training in gifted education is inaccessible by teacher candidates in colleges of education in the United States. This study involved the use of questionnaires with 100 teacher candidates enrolled on an introductory course on diversity in education in a Florida university. Teacher candidates responded to a series of items to identify beliefs about giftedness within and outside the context of education as well as the value of training in gifted education for educators. Of the 100 respondents, 79% agreed or strongly agreed with the need for specialized training for educators working with gifted students. 60.6% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with outcomes with gifted students being positively influenced by research of and experiences with gifted students. The data showed a statistically significant, positive correlation between attitudes towards giftedness within education and agreement with outcomes with gifted students being positively influenced by research of and experiences with gifted students. Results suggest teacher candidates recognize a value in training in gifted education but do not see themselves as gifted educators and are unaware of how to be trained in gifted education.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFH0004277, ucf:44940
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004277

Title: DOES KNOWLEDGE PREDICT FEAR: PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF MASS SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND STUDENTS FEAR OF CRIME ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS.
Creator: Rosenbaum, Emily, Donley , Amy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: On April 16, 2007, 32 students and faculty were killed on the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University campus, making this incident the deadliest mass school shooting in United States history. Other school shootings, such as the infamous Columbine High School shootings and the more recent Northern Illinois State shootings, have become popular topics in today's social media (Kaminski et al, 2010; Reese 2009). Due to these events, schools and universities have become interested in...
Show moreOn April 16, 2007, 32 students and faculty were killed on the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University campus, making this incident the deadliest mass school shooting in United States history. Other school shootings, such as the infamous Columbine High School shootings and the more recent Northern Illinois State shootings, have become popular topics in today's social media (Kaminski et al, 2010; Reese 2009). Due to these events, schools and universities have become interested in the safety of their students as well as the students overall feelings towards crime while on their campus. New research studies have taken an interest in students' overall fear of crime and how this fear is impacted by variables including sex of the student and the time of day (Kaminski et al. 2010; Murray 2001). Though these studies have found who is more fearful of crime and which types of crime are feared most among their samples, these studies and others do not take into account whether the student is aware of shooting incidents that have occurred on college campuses around the country. The current study addresses this gap. The purpose of this study is to measure whether a University of Central Florida student's knowledge of mass school shootings influences their own levels of fear regarding crime and criminal victimization. Using an anonymous online survey, data from students at the University of Central Florida was collected and analyzed. The survey used quiz style questioning to gauge a students' overall knowledge on mass school shootings. Other questions such as demographics fear of various types of crime, and fear of different locations on campus were also asked. This research addresses which areas of the University of Central Florida that students fear most (such as the Parking Garages), whether a student who lives in off campus housing is more fearful then a student who lives on campus, and whether having more knowledge of mass school shootings cause more fear of crime in students then those with less knowledge, and do students with more knowledge feel that they will be victimized more. This research hopes to help the University of Central Florida's Counseling center and well as the UCF Police Department to help understand students fears and needs to help create a safer learning environment and help those students in need in addition to adding to the overall literature on fear of crime.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004380, ucf:44989
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004380

Title: SOCIAL WORK STUDENT'S PERCEPTIONS OF WOMENS' ROLES IN THE MILITARY.
Creator: Restivo, Nichole, Leon, Ana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Women have continually become more visible in the military. With the recent changes that now allow women to participate in direct combat occupations, various questions and concerns emerge about how the public perceives these new role changes for women. This exploratory-descriptive study examined the perceptions of 50 University social work student's (B.S.W. and M.S.W.) about women's roles in the military. This research was conducted using Qualtrics.com, and included demographic questions....
Show moreWomen have continually become more visible in the military. With the recent changes that now allow women to participate in direct combat occupations, various questions and concerns emerge about how the public perceives these new role changes for women. This exploratory-descriptive study examined the perceptions of 50 University social work student's (B.S.W. and M.S.W.) about women's roles in the military. This research was conducted using Qualtrics.com, and included demographic questions. Frequencies, chi-squares and cross tabulations were used to examine relationships between variables. The results indicated that although no significant relationship between these variables was found, other possible considerations on the topic emerged. One important, though not statistically significant finding of this study was that social work students are accepting of women in the military. This research has implications for social work education as well as, in practice. Evaluating social work student perceptions toward women serving in the military can lead to a better understanding of biases against women in military roles.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004542, ucf:45221
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004542

Title: DIRECT MANIPULATION OF VIRTUAL OBJECTS.
Creator: Nguyen, Long, Malone, Linda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Interacting with a Virtual Environment (VE) generally requires the user to correctly perceive the relative position and orientation of virtual objects. For applications requiring interaction in personal space, the user may also need to accurately judge the position of the virtual object relative to that of a real object, for example, a virtual button and the user's real hand. This is difficult since VEs generally only provide a subset of the cues experienced in the real world....
Show moreInteracting with a Virtual Environment (VE) generally requires the user to correctly perceive the relative position and orientation of virtual objects. For applications requiring interaction in personal space, the user may also need to accurately judge the position of the virtual object relative to that of a real object, for example, a virtual button and the user's real hand. This is difficult since VEs generally only provide a subset of the cues experienced in the real world. Complicating matters further, VEs presented by currently available visual displays may be inaccurate or distorted due to technological limitations. Fundamental physiological and psychological aspects of vision as they pertain to the task of object manipulation were thoroughly reviewed. Other sensory modalities – proprioception, haptics, and audition – and their cross-interactions with each other and with vision are briefly discussed. Visual display technologies, the primary component of any VE, were canvassed and compared. Current applications and research were gathered and categorized by different VE types and object interaction techniques. While object interaction research abounds in the literature, pockets of research gaps remain. Direct, dexterous, manual interaction with virtual objects in Mixed Reality (MR), where the real, seen hand accurately and effectively interacts with virtual objects, has not yet been fully quantified. An experimental test bed was designed to provide the highest accuracy attainable for salient visual cues in personal space. Optical alignment and user calibration were carefully performed. The test bed accommodated the full continuum of VE types and sensory modalities for comprehensive comparison studies. Experimental designs included two sets, each measuring depth perception and object interaction. The first set addressed the extreme end points of the Reality-Virtuality (R-V) continuum – Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) and Reality Environment (RE). This validated, linked, and extended several previous research findings, using one common test bed and participant pool. The results provided a proven method and solid reference points for further research. The second set of experiments leveraged the first to explore the full R-V spectrum and included additional, relevant sensory modalities. It consisted of two full-factorial experiments providing for rich data and key insights into the effect of each type of environment and each modality on accuracy and timeliness of virtual object interaction. The empirical results clearly showed that mean depth perception error in personal space was less than four millimeters whether the stimuli presented were real, virtual, or mixed. Likewise, mean error for the simple task of pushing a button was less than four millimeters whether the button was real or virtual. Mean task completion time was less than one second. Key to the high accuracy and quick task performance time observed was the correct presentation of the visual cues, including occlusion, stereoscopy, accommodation, and convergence. With performance results already near optimal level with accurate visual cues presented, adding proprioception, audio, and haptic cues did not significantly improve performance. Recommendations for future research include enhancement of the visual display and further experiments with more complex tasks and additional control variables.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002822, ucf:48060
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002822

Title: TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF THE ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES ON STATEWIDE ASSESSMENTS.
Creator: Gromoll, Maryann, Little, Mary, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: 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.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002299, ucf:47830
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002299

Title: Threatening Instructions During a Hurricane Influence Risk Perceptions: The Case of Fear Appeals and Changing Hurricane Projections.
Creator: Whitmer, Daphne, Sims, Valerie, Chin, Matthew, Bowers, Clint, Kapucu, Naim, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The goal of this research was to examine the effectiveness of persuasive language in the protective action recommendation of an emergency warning, which instructs people how to prepare and stay safe. Study 1 was a pilot study, which suggested that participants were able to make distinctions between hurricane categories. In study 2, the presence of fear language and second-person personal pronouns (i.e., (")you(")) in a recommendation was manipulated. Overall, fear language was more...
Show moreThe goal of this research was to examine the effectiveness of persuasive language in the protective action recommendation of an emergency warning, which instructs people how to prepare and stay safe. Study 1 was a pilot study, which suggested that participants were able to make distinctions between hurricane categories. In study 2, the presence of fear language and second-person personal pronouns (i.e., (")you(")) in a recommendation was manipulated. Overall, fear language was more influential than a pronoun on risk perceptions. To understand how context influences risk perceptions, participants in study 3 made decisions after each piece of information received. The severity of the hurricane increased, decreased, or stayed the same before decision point 2 and a recommendation containing fear or neutral language was presented before decision point 3. Those who read the fear message were more likely to be in the danger control process than those in the neutral language condition, which suggested that the fear message emphasized threat but did not diminish participants' perception of efficacy. Behavioral compliance with the warning was high in all conditions. In terms of change in perceived threat from decision point 2 to 3, participants in the decrease condition who read the fear appeal had the largest increase in perceived threat. In contrast, the hurricane increasing in intensity may be fear provoking enough that a fear appeal does not enhance risk perceptions. When examining individual differences, high Need for Cognition women had the largest increase in perceived message persuasiveness in the decrease and increase conditions.Phrasing guidelines for emergency management are discussed, along with the theoretical contributions of using social psychological methodology to examine emergency warnings. While individual differences are important predictors of warning interpretation, future research needs to reconcile the conundrum of emergency management's current limitations regarding individualized warnings.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007554, ucf:52611
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007554

Title: Teachers' Perceptions of Safety Regarding School Shootings.
Creator: Olive, Megan, Donley, Amy, Reckdenwald, Amy, Mustaine, Elizabeth, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As a result of high media attention surrounding school shootings in recent years, it may appear that American public schools are becoming dangerous places (Schildkraut (&) Elsass, 2016; Elsass, Schildkraut, (&) Stafford, 2016; Toppo, 2013). Though schools remain to be one of the safest locations for children, various safety measures are discussed and implemented in schools to combat this perceived problem and ensure the safety of school campuses. Discussions of best safety practices spikes...
Show moreAs a result of high media attention surrounding school shootings in recent years, it may appear that American public schools are becoming dangerous places (Schildkraut (&) Elsass, 2016; Elsass, Schildkraut, (&) Stafford, 2016; Toppo, 2013). Though schools remain to be one of the safest locations for children, various safety measures are discussed and implemented in schools to combat this perceived problem and ensure the safety of school campuses. Discussions of best safety practices spikes directly following a school shooting event from relevant parties, such as school administration, law enforcement agencies, parents, and students, (Crawford (&) Burns, 2015; Chrusciel, Wolfe, Hansen, Rojek, (&) Kaminski, 2014) but little existing literature focuses on teachers, more specifically how safe teachers perceive schools to be with regard to gun violence and school shootings. This study seeks to build upon the small body of literature that currently exists on teachers' perceptions of safety and hopes to introduce new opportunities for research in the future. This study is comprised of 212 teachers throughout Central Florida. The results of this research show that while teachers overall feel very safe teaching at their schools, there are areas they believe can be improved upon. Of the safety measures used to prevent and reduce gun violence at schools, program-based safety measures and School Resource Officers make these teachers feel the safest. These perceptions of safety do not vary from one Central Florida county to the next, as most teachers are largely in agreement as to what measures make them feel safe. It was also revealed that most teachers in the sample are also unsupportive of legislation that would allow classroom teachers to carry firearms on school campuses.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007698, ucf:52449
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007698

Title: PERCEPTIONS OF REALITY.
Creator: Dombrowski, Matthew, Hall, Scott, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: My thesis explores the relationship between the human psyche and the perception of reality through the use of computer generated media. In a society in which we are bombarded with multimedia technology, we must look inside our selves for a true understanding of our past and memories. Rather than it acting as an escape from reality, my art becomes an opening for truth in reality.
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002103, ucf:52847
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002103

Title: Perceptual Judgment: The Impact of Image Complexity and Training Method on Category Learning.
Creator: Curtis, Michael, Jentsch, Florian, Salas, Eduardo, Szalma, James, Boloni, Ladislau, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The goal of this dissertation was to bridge the gap between perceptual learning theory and training application. Visual perceptual skill has been a vexing topic in training science for decades. In complex task domains, from aviation to medicine, visual perception is critical to task success. Despite this, little, if any, emphasis is dedicated to developing perceptual skills through training. Much of this may be attributed to the perceived inefficiency of perceptual training. Recent applied...
Show moreThe goal of this dissertation was to bridge the gap between perceptual learning theory and training application. Visual perceptual skill has been a vexing topic in training science for decades. In complex task domains, from aviation to medicine, visual perception is critical to task success. Despite this, little, if any, emphasis is dedicated to developing perceptual skills through training. Much of this may be attributed to the perceived inefficiency of perceptual training. Recent applied research in perceptual training with discrimination training, however, holds promise for improved perceptual training efficiency. As with all applied research, it is important to root application in solid theoretical bases. In perceptual learning, the challenge is connecting the basic science to more complex task environments. Using a common aviation task as an applied context, participants were assigned to a perceptual training condition based on variation of image complexity and training type. Following the training, participants were tested for transfer of skill. This was intended to help to ground a potentially useful method of perceptual training in a model category learning, while offering qualitative testing of model fit in increasingly complex visual environments. Two hundred and thirty-one participants completed the computer based training module. Results indicate that predictions of a model of category learning largely extend into more complex training stimuli, suggesting utility of the model in more applied contexts. Although both training method conditions showed improvement across training blocks, the discrimination training condition did not transfer to the post training transfer tasks. Lack of adequate contextual information related to the transfer task in training was attributed to this outcome. Further analysis of the exposure training condition showed that individuals training with simple stimuli performed as well as individuals training on more complex stimuli in a complex transfer task. On the other hand, individuals in the more complex training conditions were less accurate when presented with a simpler representation of the task in transfer. This suggests training benefit to isolating essential task cues from irrelevant information in perceptual judgment tasks. In all, the study provided an informative look at both the theory and application associated with perceptual category learning. Ultimately, this research can help inform future research and training development in domains where perceptual judgment is critical for success.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004096, ucf:49139
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004096

Title: An investigation of the relationship between visual effects and object identification using eye-tracking.
Creator: Rosch, Jonathan, Schoenfeld, Winston, Likamwa, Patrick, Wu, Shintson, Vogel-Walcutt, Jennifer, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The visual content represented on information displays used in training environments prescribe display attributes as brightness, color, contrast, and motion blur, but considerations regarding cognitive processes corresponding to these visual features require further attention in order to optimize the display for training applications. This dissertation describes an empirical study with which information display features, specifically color and motion blur reduction, were investigated to...
Show moreThe visual content represented on information displays used in training environments prescribe display attributes as brightness, color, contrast, and motion blur, but considerations regarding cognitive processes corresponding to these visual features require further attention in order to optimize the display for training applications. This dissertation describes an empirical study with which information display features, specifically color and motion blur reduction, were investigated to assess their impact in a training scenario involving visual search and threat detection. Presented in this document is a review of the theory and literature describing display technology, its applications to training, and how eye-tracking systems can be used to objectively measure cognitive activity. The experiment required participants to complete a threat identification task, while altering the displays settings beforehand, to assess the utility of the display capabilities. The data obtained led to the conclusion that motion blur had a stronger impact on perceptual load than the addition of color. The increased perceptual load resulted in approximately 8-10% longer fixation durations for all display conditions and a similar decrease in the number of saccades, but only when motion blur reduction was used. No differences were found in terms of threat location or threat identification accuracy, so it was concluded that the effects of perceptual load were independent of germane cognitive load.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004591, ucf:49219
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004591

Title: Crossing Literate Worlds: Exploring How Students With Rich Identities as Writers Negotiate Multiple Writing Contexts.
Creator: Shrum, Autumn, Wardle, Elizabeth, Wallace, David, Scott, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study investigated the literate identities of college students who engage in various school and non-school writing practices simultaneously. In case studies of three student writers, the researcher seeks to explore how the discourse community roles, self-perceptions, negotiation of multiple writing processes and development of authority impacted the students' identities as writers. Triangulated research methods included weekly interviews with the student participants, observation of the...
Show moreThis study investigated the literate identities of college students who engage in various school and non-school writing practices simultaneously. In case studies of three student writers, the researcher seeks to explore how the discourse community roles, self-perceptions, negotiation of multiple writing processes and development of authority impacted the students' identities as writers. Triangulated research methods included weekly interviews with the student participants, observation of the students in their writing classrooms and analysis of the students' school and non-school texts over one semester. Students experienced several conflicts and synergies between contexts. Main findings indicated that writing across many academic and extra-academic settings during a short time period may alter self-perceptions, encourage or discourage the repurposing of writing processes, and limit the development of authority. Implications for teachers and researchers of college-level writing center on awareness of the literate lives of students beyond classroom walls. Future research questions are raised regarding the transfer of writing-related knowledge as it may occur in students with strong literate identities.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004167, ucf:49061
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004167

Title: Gifted Students' Engagement in a Middle School Research and Critical Thinking Course.
Creator: Crupi, Samuel, Jeanpierre, Bobby, Gresham, Regina, Haciomeroglu, Erhan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This action research was an analysis of a group of eighth grade gifted students 'classroom engagement in a large urban school district. Over a two-week period a variety of data were collected. Data were collected using the Student Engagement Instrument (Appleton (&) Christenson, 2004), which is a self-report of students' perceptions of engagement. Observation data of student engagement were collected using a teacher developed student engagement checklist, which measured academic and...
Show moreThis action research was an analysis of a group of eighth grade gifted students 'classroom engagement in a large urban school district. Over a two-week period a variety of data were collected. Data were collected using the Student Engagement Instrument (Appleton (&) Christenson, 2004), which is a self-report of students' perceptions of engagement. Observation data of student engagement were collected using a teacher developed student engagement checklist, which measured academic and behavioral indications of student engagement. At the end of the two week observation period students participated in an exit interview focused on their perceptions of student engagement. The student engagement interview was adapted from an analysis of elementary student engagement carried out by Parn (2006). The data collected were analyzed according to the academic, behavioral, cognitive, and affective engagement sub-types. The findings showed that the highest levels of engagement were in the sub-types of behavioral and academic engagement. Levels of affective/psychological engagement were lower than levels of cognitive engagement. The results demonstrated that affective/psychological student engagement was positively related with cognitive engagement, behavioral engagement, and academic engagement.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004313, ucf:49466
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004313

Title: THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: PERCEIVED DETERRENT EFFECT ON CAMPUS CRIME.
Creator: Rhinehart, David, Watkins, R. Cory, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of the deterrent effect of School Resource Officers on crimes that may occur on school campuses and the factors that may influence those perceptions. The first school resource officer (SRO) program was implemented in 1953 and gained popularity in the 1990s. This study (conducted in 2008) reveals that the majority of students perceive that school resource officers are a deterrent to specific crimes and the overall crime rate on...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of the deterrent effect of School Resource Officers on crimes that may occur on school campuses and the factors that may influence those perceptions. The first school resource officer (SRO) program was implemented in 1953 and gained popularity in the 1990s. This study (conducted in 2008) reveals that the majority of students perceive that school resource officers are a deterrent to specific crimes and the overall crime rate on school campuses. The results of the survey indicated that the crimes of rape (74.1%), homicide (73.7%), aggravated assault or threat with a weapon (70.5%), sexual assault (67.0%), robbery (64.9%), and weapon possession (68.4%) had the highest percentage of students who responded agree (strongly agree or agree) that the school resource officer was a perceived deterrent to those crimes on the school campus. The incident with the lowest perceived deterrent effect was truancy with 48.9% of the students responding with strongly agree or agree. Based on a multivariate analysis, this study found that the factors that influenced the students' perceptions of the School Resource Officer as a deterrent to crime were students' age, class standing, school attended, exposure to a SRO, friends' crime history, and family crime history. The students' race, past crimes, income level, and gender were not statistically significant for any of the dependent variables. The examination of the ordinal logistic regression showed the percentage of variance the model explained was low. Based on this research with the limitations presented, the SRO is perceived as a deterrent to crime on school campuses. The deterrent effect was not stronger in any one demographic group. Peer pressure was one factor that was an influence in the majority of studied crimes.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003765, ucf:48718
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003765

Title: Perceptions of Secondary Education Teachers Working in an Inclusive Setting.
Creator: Pacha, Destiny, Hopp, Carolyn, Reyes, Maria, Vitale, Thomas, Pratt Marrett, Caroline, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This dissertation in practice addresses the continuous underperformance of students with disabilities (SWD) on standardized assessments when compared to their non-disabled peers. This dissertation on the complex problem of practice investigates secondary education teachers' perceptions of students with disabilities and their ability to be included in the general education classroom. The purpose of this research is to develop a professional development framework to enhance inclusive practices....
Show moreThis dissertation in practice addresses the continuous underperformance of students with disabilities (SWD) on standardized assessments when compared to their non-disabled peers. This dissertation on the complex problem of practice investigates secondary education teachers' perceptions of students with disabilities and their ability to be included in the general education classroom. The purpose of this research is to develop a professional development framework to enhance inclusive practices. Students with disabilities nationwide are increasingly taught in the general education classroom in order to provide them access to their least restrictive environment and instruction of the general education curriculum. The beliefs held by teachers about students with disabilities and their inclusion in the general education classroom is one key variable to the successful inclusion as measured by student outcomes. To provide necessary support, it is imperative to understand teachers' attitude towards students with disabilities and their inclusion in the general education classroom. Based on the survey results and relevant research, the professional development framework to enhance inclusive practices was developed and will focus on three elements: (a) school culture and understanding of inclusion, (b) effective inclusive teaching strategies, and (c) collaboration models and techniques. The goal of the professional development framework is for administrators and other school leaders to provide appropriate learning opportunities for teachers to enhance their understanding of inclusion and to provide them strategies and techniques to improve student outcomes in an effort to close the achievement gap between students with and without disabilities.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0006368, ucf:51495
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006368

perceptions (19)	+ -
perception (18)	+ -
Perception (11)	+ -
Perceptions (5)	+ -
attitudes (4)	+ -

identity (3)	+ -
professional development (3)	+ -
science (3)	+ -
self-efficacy (3)	+ -
students (3)	+ -
survey (3)	+ -
teacher perceptions (3)	+ -
Classroom (2)	+ -
Direct Perception (2)	+ -
Gender (2)	+ -
Immersion (2)	+ -
K-12 (2)	+ -
Kinematics (2)	+ -
Performance (2)	+ -
Teacher Perceptions (2)	+ -
anthropomorphism (2)	+ -
auditory perception (2)	+ -
campus (2)	+ -
college students (2)	+ -
crime (2)	+ -
education (2)	+ -
ethnicity (2)	+ -
face perception (2)	+ -
gifted (2)	+ -
individual differences (2)	+ -

ETD Collection (77)	+ -
Honors Collection (38)	+ -

University of Central Florida (111)	+ -
Sims, Valerie (7)	+ -
Donley, Amy (5)	+ -
Jentsch, Florian (5)	+ -
Taylor, Rosemarye (5)	+ -

Chin, Matthew (4)	+ -
Doherty, Walter (4)	+ -
Kennedy, Mary (4)	+ -
Social Sciences (4)	+ -
Allen, Kay (3)	+ -
Hancock, Peter (3)	+ -
Hartshorne, Richard (3)	+ -
Hopp, Carolyn (3)	+ -
Little, Mary (3)	+ -
Szalma, James (3)	+ -
Bai, Haiyan (2)	+ -
Baldwin, Gordon (2)	+ -
Bowers, Clint (2)	+ -
Bushy, Angeline (2)	+ -
DeLorme, Denise (2)	+ -
Eriksson, Gillian (2)	+ -
Fidopiastis, Cali (2)	+ -
Fritzsche, Barbara (2)	+ -
Gerking, Shelby (2)	+ -
Gunter, Glenda (2)	+ -
Hoffman, Elizabeth (2)	+ -
McConnell, Daniel S. (2)	+ -
Smither, Janan (2)	+ -
Sukthankar, Gita (2)	+ -
Vitale, Thomas (2)	+ -

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