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- Title
- "IN THE DROWNING CITY" AND OTHER STORIES.
- Creator
-
Segarra, Malyn, Leiby, Jeanne, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
"In the Drowning City" and Other Stories is a collection of fiction written and revised during Malyn Segarra's graduate studies at the University of Central Florida. Most of the collection examines the transient nature and fragility of identity and shifting roles within the family unit. All focus on a particular span of time, the transition into young adulthood. Each character is faced with an obstacle or event that tests his or her beliefs, integrity and sense of self. As each one...
Show more"In the Drowning City" and Other Stories is a collection of fiction written and revised during Malyn Segarra's graduate studies at the University of Central Florida. Most of the collection examines the transient nature and fragility of identity and shifting roles within the family unit. All focus on a particular span of time, the transition into young adulthood. Each character is faced with an obstacle or event that tests his or her beliefs, integrity and sense of self. As each one struggles to make a unique and permanent impression in the world, he or she must come to terms with the past, in some cases, breaking away from it. Although the characters come from varying backgrounds, the themes that thread the collection are universal. The three stories that serve as the backbone of the collection, "Slashing, Tripping and Other Offensive Plays," "In the Drowning City," and "This Is Just a Modern Love Song" find the protagonists striving to adapt to their newly transformed environments. As the situations they face become more complicated and the resolutions exceedingly compromised, the innocence and certainty associated with childhood is jeopardized.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001870, ucf:47386
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001870
- Title
- "IN TRANSITION": AN ACTIVITY THEORETICAL ANALYSIS EXAMINING ELECTRONIC PORTFOLIO TOOLS' MEDIATION OF THE PRESERVICE TEACHER'S AUTHORING EXPERIENCE.
- Creator
-
Fiedler, Rebecca, Baumbach, Donna, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Co-chairs: Dr. Donna Baumbach Dr. Gail West Background: Electronic portfolios are increasingly used to make critical decisions about teacher candidates and program accreditation. Adoption rates for portfolios are at nearly 90% for schools, colleges, and departments of education (Salzman, Denner, & Harris, 2002). Over 50% of institutions who rated themselves or were nominated by others as exemplary users of electronic portfolios use web-based database-driven electronic portfolio systems ...
Show moreCo-chairs: Dr. Donna Baumbach Dr. Gail West Background: Electronic portfolios are increasingly used to make critical decisions about teacher candidates and program accreditation. Adoption rates for portfolios are at nearly 90% for schools, colleges, and departments of education (Salzman, Denner, & Harris, 2002). Over 50% of institutions who rated themselves or were nominated by others as exemplary users of electronic portfolios use web-based database-driven electronic portfolio systems (Strudler & Wetzel, 2005b; Wetzel & Strudler, 2005b). There is a paucity of theory-driven, systematic, rigorous research on electronic portfolios and a need for in-depth, context-aware research on such initiatives. Purpose: To explicate the differential impact of different portfolios systems on preservice teachers. The overarching research question was, "What are the preservice teachers' experiences using tools to create an electronic portfolio?" Setting: The Teachers College at a large university and the Education Department at a small liberal arts college. Participants: Six preservice teachers at each institution served as key participants. Informal interviews with numerous other participants provided additional data. Research Design: Qualitative multi-site case study informed by Engeström's Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) (Engeström, 1987). Data Collection and Analysis: Document analysis, focus group interviews, individual interviews, thinkaloud work sessions, and lab and classroom observations provided data. Qualitative data analysis was informed by Creswell's "data analysis spiral" and Engeström's CHAT. Findings: Visits at both institutions presented several of the key ideas in the CHAT framework including the networked nature of activity, the portfolio as a boundary activity, contradictions within the portfolio activity, and changes to the portfolio activity system. Additional themes included transition, creativity, reflection, and resources.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001015, ucf:46830
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001015
- Title
- "Indivim-kara: An Exploration of Ego and the Archetypes in Art".
- Creator
-
Justice, Jared, Mills, Lisa, Adams, JoAnne, Poindexter, Carla, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this document is to demonstrate how I use my art making as an active meditation in order to temporarily subvert ego and create a new subjective reality in visual form. The results of my research will provide the reader with the ability to connect existing philosophies of the Yoga Sutras and Jungian Theory with new art works that explore active meditation, neurosis, and the archetypes of the collective psyche. My goal is to reconstruct these concepts into a visual medium that...
Show moreThe purpose of this document is to demonstrate how I use my art making as an active meditation in order to temporarily subvert ego and create a new subjective reality in visual form. The results of my research will provide the reader with the ability to connect existing philosophies of the Yoga Sutras and Jungian Theory with new art works that explore active meditation, neurosis, and the archetypes of the collective psyche. My goal is to reconstruct these concepts into a visual medium that reshapes facts and theories into images of my own truth, giving free play to fantasy akin to that of magical realism by detailing works from Corrupted Chakras: A Bestiary, You Want Alchemy, and the State of Mind: Chitta Vritti series. The reader and viewer will be challenged to think about how the art I make resynthesizes these concepts in a unique way, which communicate my feelings and strivings that ultimately affect a measure of personal and creative transformation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006610, ucf:51296
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006610
- Title
- "METHODS SHORT OF WAR": THE UNITED STATES REACTS TO THE RISE OF THE THIRD REICH.
- Creator
-
Negy, Kenneth, Crepeau, Richard, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This project analyzes the various opinions in the United States of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis during the 1930s and studies the amount of information that was available in the United States regarding Nazi Germany before entering World War II. Specifically, it seeks to understand why the United States did relatively little to influence German and European affairs even in the face of increasing Nazi brutality and bellicosity. The analysis has been divided into three different categories. The...
Show moreThis project analyzes the various opinions in the United States of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis during the 1930s and studies the amount of information that was available in the United States regarding Nazi Germany before entering World War II. Specifically, it seeks to understand why the United States did relatively little to influence German and European affairs even in the face of increasing Nazi brutality and bellicosity. The analysis has been divided into three different categories. The first focuses on the United States government, and the President and Secretary of State in particular. The second category analyzes the minority opinion in the United States that had Nazi sympathies. Finally, the third deals with the American public in general. The evidence suggests that there was enough information regarding Nazi Germany for Americans to make a reasonable judgment. Most of the United States was opposed to Nazism and the German government. In spite of this, the majority agreed that the United States should not intervene or enter war. This study is significant because it helps shed further light on a debate in the country that continues to the present day: what role should the United States have when it comes to world affairs? The research in this thesis suggests that, in spite of opposition by the American public, if there is enough verifiable evidence of a humanitarian crisis to justify intervention, the government should act.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFH0004415, ucf:45094
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004415
- Title
- "Sealing the Bond": A Qualitative Study of African American Funeral Rituals.
- Creator
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Grant, Danielle, Hastings, Sally, Sandoval, Jennifer, Musambira, George, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Death is a universal phenomenon; yet, reactions to death are uniquely diverse. Handling the loss of a loved one has the potential to completely change how an individual sees their world, and their response to death can vary by race, religion, gender, and culture. The bereavement process in many ways is culturally guided, and understanding how culture guides the bereavement process through rituals is imperative. Despite cultural difference, responses to death within the academic community are...
Show moreDeath is a universal phenomenon; yet, reactions to death are uniquely diverse. Handling the loss of a loved one has the potential to completely change how an individual sees their world, and their response to death can vary by race, religion, gender, and culture. The bereavement process in many ways is culturally guided, and understanding how culture guides the bereavement process through rituals is imperative. Despite cultural difference, responses to death within the academic community are only representative of one group of people. This study looks at funeral rituals seen within the African American community, and addresses possible meanings behind the rituals discussed. Through the use of focus groups participants were asked about their experiences while attending African American funerals the meaning behind specific rituals. It was found that within African American funerals there are certain acts that hold special significance for the community and work to strengthen the community. Funerals have a larger symbolic meaning to the African American community and those symbols and meanings are discussed within this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006312, ucf:51579
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006312
- Title
- "SET A LIGHT IN A DARK PLACE": TEACHERS OF FREEDMEN IN FLORIDA, 1863-1874.
- Creator
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Wakefield, Laura, Adams, Sean, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As the Civil War closed and Reconstruction began, a small army of teachers arrived in Florida. Under the auspices of northern aid societies, churches, and educational associations, they proposed to educate the newly emancipated slaves, believing that education would prepare African Americans for citizenship. Teachers found Florida's freedmen determined to acquire literacy by whatever means they could, but they faced a white populace resistant to outsiders. Reformers, politicians, literate...
Show moreAs the Civil War closed and Reconstruction began, a small army of teachers arrived in Florida. Under the auspices of northern aid societies, churches, and educational associations, they proposed to educate the newly emancipated slaves, believing that education would prepare African Americans for citizenship. Teachers found Florida's freedmen determined to acquire literacy by whatever means they could, but they faced a white populace resistant to outsiders. Reformers, politicians, literate blacks, and Yankee businessmen intent on socially, politically, and economically transforming Florida joined educators in reconstructing Florida. Florida's educational system transformed during Reconstruction, and an examination of the reciprocity between Reconstruction-era teachers and Florida's freedmen provides a window into how Florida's learning community changed. Teachers exerted a profound influence on Florida's freedmen and on the development of Florida's educational system. But it was not simply a matter of outsiders transforming freedmen. While previous writers have emphasized the teachers' limitations, conservatism, or sacrifice, this study examines the complex interplay, and at times mutual dependence, between northern reformers and freedmen. Teachers partnered with Florida's black community, which was determined to seize education by whatever means available; they joined with the state's white community, struggling to come to terms with radical social changes; and they worked with Yankee strangers, who saw education of freedmen as an opportunity to transform the state politically. The reciprocal process of social change created a new politically charged educational system in Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- CFE0000199, ucf:46164
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000199
- Title
- "TECHNIQUE ARMS THE IMAGINATION" DEVELOPING AN ACTING THEORY BEST SUITED FOR MOTION CAPTURE PERFORMANCE AND THE CREATION OF A VIRTUAL CHARACTER.
- Creator
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Rogers, Brendan, Niess, Christopher, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
"The untrained body, like the sculptor's marble, can express nothing but its own limitations" (Lust 70). As acting styles have changed through the years, corresponding schools of thought have arisen to prepare performers for their unique challenges. Perhaps the goal of producing a "gripping performance," one in which the audience is truly invested, has remained the same since the time of Thespis. How one arrives at this desired result, however, has varied greatly through the ages. Techniques,...
Show more"The untrained body, like the sculptor's marble, can express nothing but its own limitations" (Lust 70). As acting styles have changed through the years, corresponding schools of thought have arisen to prepare performers for their unique challenges. Perhaps the goal of producing a "gripping performance," one in which the audience is truly invested, has remained the same since the time of Thespis. How one arrives at this desired result, however, has varied greatly through the ages. Techniques, not surprisingly, tend to build on previous theories, beliefs and practices. Etienne Decroux's corporeal mime technique builds on the teachings of Jacques Copeau, but as a result, takes the art form into a radically new direction. Vsevolod Meyerhold studied with Stanislavski, learning his inside-out approach to performance, and, with biomechanics, creates a performance technique that turns Stanislavski's approach on its head. The point is not that these theorists developed something that undermines the previous work, but that they built their theories from knowledge of older techniques. In essence, these theorists learned from the past to prepare for the future. Advancements in film technology have dramatically changed both the nature of film, and performance, itself. Computer-generated characters and environments are becoming more commonplace in film due to the flexibility they provide in composing shots, and the relatively low price tag that comes with them. Technology still can't replace the subtlety that comes from a human performance, so currently, actors find themselves in the unique position of having one foot in the real world and the other foot in the virtual world. The motion-capture process, or moCap, is the best example of this unique relationship. By placing sensors at key joints on an actor's body, their performance can be tracked by a computer and then directly applied to a computer-generated model (Hooks 30). In a sense, it's digital puppetry. Because only the movements are being recorded and not the actor's physical appearance, performers can play parts that are not necessarily their physical type or even their own species. Director Peter Jackson cast Andy Serkis to play a forty-foot-tall ape in the 2005 remake of King Kong, and thanks to the motion-capture process, the result is a perfect blend of live acting and computer-generated graphics. The relatively low cost and flexibility of this process has made it available, not just to filmmakers in Hollywood, but also to the independent market. I am currently directing a feature length film that utilizes both computergenerated backgrounds and virtual characters accomplished through the motion-capture process. This production has been in the works since I started graduate school. As I learn more and more about specific acting techniques in class, I am always looking for something that I could apply specifically to motion-capture performance. Currently there is little research on the topic and certainly, there's no specific acting theory that applies to this medium. In this paper I hope to formulate an acting technique that is tailored for the field of motion-capture performance, building upon theories of the past. Further study in this technique will better prepare future performers in this field, as well as provide insights for directors new to the medium. The following three techniques in particular, each with their emphasis on an outside-in approach to acting, will provide the basis for this theory: Meyerhold's biomechanics; Decroux's corporeal mime; and Edward Gordon Craig's uber-marionette concept. I will provide detailed sections on each one of these approaches, discussing the theoretical sides of each, as well as specific exercises students in these schools are asked to perform. Next, I will provide a detailed section on the motion-capture process, discussing how it works and the challenges it presents to performers. Finally I will apply each one of the three theories to the motion-capture process, finding points where the theories apply and also where they fall short. By choosing specifically what applies to the moCap process from each one of the techniques, we will be left with a new theory that specifically relates to virtual performance. This will not only serve as an invaluable guide to both future performers and directors entering the field of motion capture, but will hopefully be the beginnings of an acting theory that can bring performance education programs into the 21st century. Working in the virtual realm requires a performer to use his imagination, but having training and knowledge in theories of the past will mean the imagination is not the only thing actors have to work with.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003975, ucf:48679
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003975
- Title
- "THAT'S SO GHETTO": A STUDY OF THE RACIAL/SOCIOECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TERM "GHETTO".
- Creator
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Richardson, Shaun, Donley, Amy, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The term ghetto has an ambiguous meaning in American society. The term frequently has been used as either a noun or an adjective. As a noun the term "ghetto" is often used to describe a place- Small describes the ghetto as a:"...a particular type of neighborhood; it exhibits a cohesive set of characteristics, such as deteriorating housing, crime, depopulation, and social isolation"(2008: 78.) This description as a noun is indicative of unsavory social conditions and climate that fosters an...
Show moreThe term ghetto has an ambiguous meaning in American society. The term frequently has been used as either a noun or an adjective. As a noun the term "ghetto" is often used to describe a place- Small describes the ghetto as a:"...a particular type of neighborhood; it exhibits a cohesive set of characteristics, such as deteriorating housing, crime, depopulation, and social isolation"(2008: 78.) This description as a noun is indicative of unsavory social conditions and climate that fosters an unproductive populace. As an adjective the term remains more difficult to solidly define. The bulk of available research often has worked to define what the ghetto is in reference to a physical location. The term seems to be more pervasive than simply being a place; it can be used to describe people, particular behaviors and traits as well as objects. The current study seeks to gain a deeper understanding of what a ghetto is and how the word is used in a variety of ways. This study will analyze the multifaceted applications of the term ghetto and how the term works to promote negative socioeconomic racialized ideologies. This study is pertinent because it addresses issues of institutionalized discrimination and prejudiced language. Findings are predicted to address the manners in which discrimination functions through language usage.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFH0004553, ucf:45181
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004553
- Title
- "The Best and Worst of All That God and Man Can Do": Paternalistic Perceptions On the Intellectually Disabled at Florida's Sunland Institutions.".
- Creator
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Dickens, Bethany, Cassanello, Robert, Foster, Amy, Lindsay, Anne, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Historians have studied mental institutions in the mid-20th century; however, few have discussed them within the context of the period's paternalistic social movements and perceptions. Florida's Sunland program provides a lens for studying the parental role the institutions and general public took toward the intellectually disabled. Specifically, administrators saw residents of the Sunland Training Centers and Hospitals as perpetual children, trapped in an (")eternal childhood.(") The...
Show moreHistorians have studied mental institutions in the mid-20th century; however, few have discussed them within the context of the period's paternalistic social movements and perceptions. Florida's Sunland program provides a lens for studying the parental role the institutions and general public took toward the intellectually disabled. Specifically, administrators saw residents of the Sunland Training Centers and Hospitals as perpetual children, trapped in an (")eternal childhood.(") The institution was presented as a family unit, abiding by 1950s ideals of the companionate household. When the Sunlands proved generally unsuccessful, Florida's communities began to supplement their efforts. The social movements of the 1960s inspired community care organizations and other special programs in lieu of institutionalization. Reports of neglect and abuse at the Sunlands contributed to the community's subsequent perception of residents as (")victimized children,(") deprived of a (")normal(") life. Such a view of the intellectually disabled continues to dominate discussions of the Sunlands, community care, and (")normalization.(") This study informs a broad understanding of the past while contributing to these contemporary considerations. Research into the Sunland Training Centers and Hospitals, as well as their surrounding communities, relies on subjective sources. The flagship training center, located in Gainesville, published an internally-circulated newsletter utilized in this work. Detailed studies of Florida's newspapers provide the perspective of Florida's community members, including women's clubs and civil rights activists. Finally, articles and books written on Sunland (")hauntings(") illustrate recent attempts to define and patronize the intellectually disabled. All of these sources point toward a liberal paternalism that dominated discussions of the intellectually disabled in the mid-20th century.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005156, ucf:50707
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005156
- Title
- "The Best Thing Sociology Can Do": The Transformative Potential of a Community Action and Involvement Course.
- Creator
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Savage, Brenda, Mustaine, Elizabeth, Grauerholz, Liz, Carter, Shannon, Sweet, Stephen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This research explores the transformative potential of a Community Action and Involvement course, an undergraduate sociological elective taught at a large southeastern university, to develop or support undergraduates' sense of personal agency and provide the resources necessary for them to engage in the work of social change. The research is rooted in both Bourdieu's conceptualization of habitus and the work of Carmen Mills (2008) on the simultaneous existence of a reproductive and...
Show moreThis research explores the transformative potential of a Community Action and Involvement course, an undergraduate sociological elective taught at a large southeastern university, to develop or support undergraduates' sense of personal agency and provide the resources necessary for them to engage in the work of social change. The research is rooted in both Bourdieu's conceptualization of habitus and the work of Carmen Mills (2008) on the simultaneous existence of a reproductive and transformative habitus within students. This is a mixed methods study, which includes the analysis of pre- and post-course survey data and over 800 student writings collected during the course to uncover student attitudes and behaviors regarding social change. Results suggest that many of the 47 students credited the course with their increased optimism and confidence in their own potential to change things in society; additionally, they felt they gained tools they needed to cause social change. Further, in relation to the theorization of the dialectic of the reproductive/transformative habitus, complexities emerged as indicators, including desire, feelings, beliefs, and actions, were uncovered, thus complicating the attempt to understand if the students in the class were exhibiting a reproductive or a transformative habitus. This research, though limited to the outcomes of a single course contributes to the understanding of both the need for and the student response to action-oriented sociology courses; it also suggests pedagogical aspects that students might find helpful in such classes. Finally, this study opens the door for further research into the effect of social location on undergraduates' outlook on society and their ability to cause change, as well as additional testing of the theorization of the reproductive/transformative habitus.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006790, ucf:51828
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006790
- Title
- "The Cause of Zion": Divisions Between Southern Baptists in Antebellum North Carolina.
- Creator
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Steele, Kristian, Sacher, John, Murphree, Daniel, Zhang, Hong, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This project examines the ways in which divisions within Baptist churches in antebellum western North Carolina were caused by the Second Great Awakening and the Market Revolution. More precisely, these schisms were reactions to theological changes made by the governing bodies of the Baptist denomination as well as the social reform endeavors propagated by the new emerging middle class. With state funding no longer going to certain churches, denominations now competed on equal footing for...
Show moreThis project examines the ways in which divisions within Baptist churches in antebellum western North Carolina were caused by the Second Great Awakening and the Market Revolution. More precisely, these schisms were reactions to theological changes made by the governing bodies of the Baptist denomination as well as the social reform endeavors propagated by the new emerging middle class. With state funding no longer going to certain churches, denominations now competed on equal footing for congregants. Baptists began to adapt their theology in order to reach a broader audience. But their accommodations in doctrine were challenged by members of their own denomination who saw no reason to alter their interpretations of scripture. Concomitantly, a rapidly expanding market economy gave rise to a new middle class of individuals whose unique social perspectives differed sharply from both rural lower and upper classes in the South. And as more members of the Baptist ministry began identifying with this emerging class of professionals, citizens who found themselves disconnected from market centers and bereft of the benefits of a growing economy took issue with the unfamiliar social mentality propagated by these preachers. Recent historiographic trends have upset traditional narratives that have long-argued social reform could not take root in the Old South. However, these studies have failed to fully examine the significant role played by churches in heated political and economic debates. Rather than only focus on how churches inserted themselves into the secular sphere, this thesis looks inside the churches and analyzes the degree to which socioeconomic and cultural forces radically changed the ways in which North Carolinians made sense of their world in religious terms.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006401, ucf:51452
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006401
- Title
- "THE GIRL IN 14G:" ANALYZING SOLUTIONS FOR VOCAL ISSUES THROUGH VOCAL PEDAGOGY.
- Creator
-
Pires-Fernandes, Catherine, Chicurel, Steven, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The intent of this thesis is to study a variety of vocal techniques and identify how to solve different vocal challenges in the musical theatre song, "The Girl in 14G." In order to be successful in the entertainment business, it is imperative that a singer performs healthily and in a variety of music styles. Through an exploration of Lessac Kinesensic Training, Estill Voice Training Systems and Bel Canto techniques, a singer can gain a holistic perspective about voice. I will study with three...
Show moreThe intent of this thesis is to study a variety of vocal techniques and identify how to solve different vocal challenges in the musical theatre song, "The Girl in 14G." In order to be successful in the entertainment business, it is imperative that a singer performs healthily and in a variety of music styles. Through an exploration of Lessac Kinesensic Training, Estill Voice Training Systems and Bel Canto techniques, a singer can gain a holistic perspective about voice. I will study with three voice teachers, each of whom specializes in one of the aforementioned techniques. This thesis will reveal how each voice teacher brought her expertise to the lesson. It is a singer's responsibility to ensure she is well rounded and knowledgeable about her voice, and the different approaches to teaching voice. Solutions that reflect different techniques will be analyzed. Observations and discoveries made in private voice lessons will also be described. Documentation of lessons with each teacher will provide insight about the distinctions and similarities in vocal techniques. This thesis is intended to serve as a starting point for students and teachers to satisfy their own vocal curiosity and exploration.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFH0004610, ucf:45320
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004610
- Title
- "THE IMPACT OF POLICY ON STUDENT SUCCESS IN SECONDARY ONLINE EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL".
- Creator
-
McPherson, Rhonda, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Florida Virtual School (FLVS) was established in 1997 as an online education alternative for the residents of Florida. The purpose of this study was to identify policy changes at the organizational, state, and federal levels that had the propensity to impact student success (as measured by student's final letter grade) at FLVS. In addition, this study identified which type of institutional isomporphic policy (coercive, mimetic, or normative) best classified major policy changes in the...
Show moreFlorida Virtual School (FLVS) was established in 1997 as an online education alternative for the residents of Florida. The purpose of this study was to identify policy changes at the organizational, state, and federal levels that had the propensity to impact student success (as measured by student's final letter grade) at FLVS. In addition, this study identified which type of institutional isomporphic policy (coercive, mimetic, or normative) best classified major policy changes in the organization from 1997-2007. The use of institutional theory as the guiding framework for this study proved to be beneficial and enabled the researcher to conclude which types of policy are the most effective in increasing student success in the secondary online education environment. This study utilized ANOVA and regression analysis to detect whether or not changes in policy at the organizational and federal level have a statistically significant impact on student success in the secondary online education environment. This study reveals that student success at FLVS is consistently decreasing and that the change is statistically significant. Regression analysis found that the policy changes at FLVS in this study explain some of the variance detected in the change in the mean, or GPA, of the school. This study found that both coercive and mimetic policies have a statistically significant impact on student success in the secondary online education environment as identified in the isomorphic mechanisms outlined in institutional theory. This study is important to the field of literature regarding secondary online education in that it opens the discussion regarding types of policy and the potential impact that policy changes have on student success in the secondary online education environment. In addition, this study serves as a framework upon which future studies can be conducted and are recommended in this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002423, ucf:47741
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002423
- Title
- "This Stuff Is Finished": Amiri Baraka's Renunciation of the Ghosts of White Women and Homosexuals Past.
- Creator
-
Stone-Lawrence, Susan, Rusnock, Joseph, Harris, Lani, Listengarten, Julia, Boyd, Belinda, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study examines auto/biographical, theoretical, critical, literary, and dramatic works by and about LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka, primarily focusing on the eruption of (")Hate Whitey(") sentiment and rhetoric that characterized a decadelong cultural nationalist phase of the henceforth self-declaredly Black poet-playwright's career. As a black militant, LeRoi Jones left his white wife and other white associates in Greenwich Village, moved to Harlem, changed his name to Amiri Baraka, converted...
Show moreThis study examines auto/biographical, theoretical, critical, literary, and dramatic works by and about LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka, primarily focusing on the eruption of (")Hate Whitey(") sentiment and rhetoric that characterized a decadelong cultural nationalist phase of the henceforth self-declaredly Black poet-playwright's career. As a black militant, LeRoi Jones left his white wife and other white associates in Greenwich Village, moved to Harlem, changed his name to Amiri Baraka, converted to Islam, and started the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School. This thesis contends that Baraka's Black Arts Movement era plays emphasize negation of the value of white women and gay men, who had formed his most intimate prior cohorts, and use extreme imagery to malign, belittle, and abjure representatives of both groups as evil, ridiculous, and disgusting archetypes in an attempt to affirm the political stance of the author and preempt doubt about his level of commitment to his chosen cause during that period. Through these plays written from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s, Baraka denies his own personal history and appears to protest too much the virtues of corrective Afrocentric relationships which his works fail to affirm as much as he condemns their alternatives. However, after the purgative effect of these revolutionary works, Baraka's evolution arrived at a place where he could once again acknowledge and promote a diverse equality that included respect for the partners and peers he had abnegated. Conclusions of this research suggest connections between the personal implications of Baraka's individual journey and prominent themes stressed in the broader field of identity politics. ?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0005062, ucf:49948
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005062
- Title
- "TRULY AN AWESOME SPECTACLE": GENDER PERFORMATIVITY AND THE ALIENATION EFFECT IN ANGELS IN AMERICA.
- Creator
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Gorney, Allen, Campbell, James, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Tony Kushner's two-part play Angels in America uses stereotypical depictions of gay men to deconstruct traditional gender dichotomies. In this thesis, I argue that Kushner has created a continuum of gender performativity to deconstruct these traditional gender dichotomies, thereby empowering the effeminate and disempowering the masculine. I closely examine Kushner's use of Brechtian and Aristotelian tenets in the first Broadway production of the play to demonstrate that Kushner sought to...
Show moreTony Kushner's two-part play Angels in America uses stereotypical depictions of gay men to deconstruct traditional gender dichotomies. In this thesis, I argue that Kushner has created a continuum of gender performativity to deconstruct these traditional gender dichotomies, thereby empowering the effeminate and disempowering the masculine. I closely examine Kushner's use of Brechtian and Aristotelian tenets in the first Broadway production of the play to demonstrate that Kushner sought to induce social awareness of gay male oppression, contingent on the audience's perception of Kushner's deconstruction of the traditional gender dichotomy. I also scrutinize the role of the closet and its implications in the play, primarily analyzed with Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's theoretical framework, suggesting Kushner's partiality to openly gay men who can actively participate in the cessation of gay male oppression.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000901, ucf:46731
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000901
- Title
- "UNNATURAL CONDUCT & FORCED DIFFICULTIES": AUSTEN, READING, AND THE PARADOX OF THE FEMININE IDEAL.
- Creator
-
Dickens, Faith, Oliver, Kathleen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Though some scholars have maintained that Jane Austen closely adheres to the ideology of courtesy novels and conduct literature, I argue that Austen uses her knowledge of this ideology to reveal the flaws in reader assumptions about the presumed commonsensical nature of the courtesy novel and its feminine ideal. Austen is familiar with the conventions of eighteenth-century fiction, but, rather than adopting its tropes in her own work, she uses realism to parody its excesses and...
Show moreThough some scholars have maintained that Jane Austen closely adheres to the ideology of courtesy novels and conduct literature, I argue that Austen uses her knowledge of this ideology to reveal the flaws in reader assumptions about the presumed commonsensical nature of the courtesy novel and its feminine ideal. Austen is familiar with the conventions of eighteenth-century fiction, but, rather than adopting its tropes in her own work, she uses realism to parody its excesses and improbabilities; this realism then works against reader expectations and exposes paradoxes inherent in the courtesy novel and in conduct-book literature itself. In my thesis I observe how Austen uses courtesy novel tropes to expose or even mock the courtesy novel's inherently unrealistic qualities, and I do so by examining the act of "reading" in her novels: specifically, I argue that the literal reading that Austen's characters engage in does not produce the expected outcomes predicted by conduct books and courtesy novels; that the figurative reading of one character by another demonstrates the dangerousness and unsuitability of the heroine as "open book," as conduct books and courtesy novels urged her to be, as well as the irrationality and hypocrisy of acting the part of "closed book" to her intended lover; and, finally, that the act of reading an Austen novel is intended to prevent the absorption or interpretation of unrealistic ideals, through insistence on (more) realistic outcomes and through narrative intervention.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFH0004095, ucf:44784
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004095
- Title
- "WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ADDICTIONS, BUT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR RECOVERY": A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATORY STUDY OF THE LIFE HISTORIES OF HOMELESS ALCOHOLICS IN RECOVERY.
- Creator
-
Rayburn, Rachel, Wright, James, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This is an exploratory, qualitative study of homeless, recovering alcoholics and the problems they encounter maintaining sobriety. Using semi-structured interviews, I analyze the experiences of ten men in their forties, who are in a recovery program designed for homeless men. I ask them how they stay sober without a place to live. Three kinds of problems are inferred from their narrative histories. First, the men have difficulty identifying as alcoholics. They have trouble fully integrating...
Show moreThis is an exploratory, qualitative study of homeless, recovering alcoholics and the problems they encounter maintaining sobriety. Using semi-structured interviews, I analyze the experiences of ten men in their forties, who are in a recovery program designed for homeless men. I ask them how they stay sober without a place to live. Three kinds of problems are inferred from their narrative histories. First, the men have difficulty identifying as alcoholics. They have trouble fully integrating into the AA program. Second, the men struggle to form relationships with others, especially with a sponsor. Third, the process of "working the steps" is adapted complexly, more than in a normal twelve-step setting. The findings indicate that homeless men face special barriers to achieving and maintaining sobriety. I conclude by discussing the larger implications for sobriety, homelessness and social change within this community.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002226, ucf:47886
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002226
- Title
- "WE'RE BECOMING BILINGUAL AND BILITERATE!" AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY ON HOW A DUAL-LANGUAGE PROGRAM IN FLORIDA CONTRIBUTES TO THE LITERACY DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH-LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
- Creator
-
Black, Diane, Lue, Martha, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to determine whether participation in a dual-language program by English-language learners (ELLs) contributed to the literacy development of this student population. This qualitative research spanned 5 months and was conducted within an elementary school located in central Florida. It is important to note that the researcher was also a teacher within the dual-language program under study, hence possessed an inside perspective of the program and the...
Show moreABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to determine whether participation in a dual-language program by English-language learners (ELLs) contributed to the literacy development of this student population. This qualitative research spanned 5 months and was conducted within an elementary school located in central Florida. It is important to note that the researcher was also a teacher within the dual-language program under study, hence possessed an inside perspective of the program and the progression of several participating students. The study was guided by the following research questions: 1. What factors contribute to the improved literacy development for ELLs through participation in a two-way, dual-language program? 2. What factors contribute to the failure to improve the literacy development for ELLs participating in two-way, dual-language programs? As an ethnographic study, the qualitative methods of observation, interviewing, and examination of artifacts (i.e., work samples) were employed. ELLs attending the 1st through the 5th grades were observed during their Literacy Block and interviewed regarding their feelings about learning two languages. Parents and teachers were also interviewed to determine their beliefs surrounding the contribution of the dual-language program to the literacy development of the participating ELLS. Work samples, including reading scores and journal samples, were also examined. The four processes of the W. P. Thomas and V. P. Collier (1997) prism model--sociocultural processes, linguistic processes, academic development, and cognitive development--served as the theoretical framework for the data analysis. The prism model facilitated elaboration of how all processes involved in the development of the ELLs' literacy skills are related and intertwined. After triangulation of the data from the observations, interviews and work samples, ten factors affecting second-language acquisition for ELLs participating in a dual-language program were discovered in this study. Nine appeared to contribute to successful literacy development and one factor appeared to contribute to failure in the acquisition of second-language literacy skills. Based upon the findings, it appears that participation in a dual-language program indeed contributes to literacy development in ELLs. Contributions to the field and recommendations for related future research are presented.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001522, ucf:47134
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001522
- Title
- "What We Eat Matters": Perspectives on Food and Health in the Mexican Im/migrant Farmworker Communities in Indian River County, Florida.
- Creator
-
Puerto, Hugo, Reyes-Foster, Beatriz, Mishtal, Joanna, Matejowsky, Ty, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The dramatic increase of type-2 diabetes within the Latino community is of great concern in the U.S., especially among Mexican im/migrant farmworkers. Anthropological scholarship shows that health issues within im/migrant groups in the U.S. are poorly understood from a sociocultural and local perspective. In Indian River County, Florida, farmworker leaders created a community garden in response to health problems in this community. This initiative was launched to educate families about the...
Show moreThe dramatic increase of type-2 diabetes within the Latino community is of great concern in the U.S., especially among Mexican im/migrant farmworkers. Anthropological scholarship shows that health issues within im/migrant groups in the U.S. are poorly understood from a sociocultural and local perspective. In Indian River County, Florida, farmworker leaders created a community garden in response to health problems in this community. This initiative was launched to educate families about the health and economic benefits of growing their own food. The Indian River County Health Department and the local leaders are working collaboratively to inform the community about the risks of type-2 diabetes by providing educational lectures about health, food, and nutrition, in an effort to engage the farmworkers to actively participate in community gardens. However, little engagement to this initiative has been observed within the farmworker community. This ethnographic investigation examines the challenges of involving Mexican im/migrant farmworkers in community-based solutions to health problems. Based on participant observation, survey, and interview data with farmworkers and key informants from the Farmworkers Association of Florida, this project examines the perspectives of health concerns and the role of grassroots initiatives in addressing health needs. Specifically, it analyzes barriers to healthy eating and explores how community gardens can improve health outcomes in farmworker communities. This research contributes to the understanding of Mexican im/migrant farmworkers' health in Indian River County, and it has the potential to guide health-related policies pertaining to im/migrant communities in general.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005692, ucf:50114
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005692
- Title
- "WHITE MAN'S BURDEN?" THE PARTY POLITICS OF AMERICAN IMPERIALISM: 1900-1920.
- Creator
-
Carandang, Joven, Kallina, Edmund, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This dissertation is an interpretive analysis of the political background of the American annexation and administration of the Philippine Islands between 1900 and 1920. It seeks to analyze the political value of supporting and opposing imperialism to American political parties and elites. Seeking to capitalize on the American victory over Spain in 1898, the Republican Party embraced the annexation of the Philippines as a way to promote an idea of rising American international power....
Show moreThis dissertation is an interpretive analysis of the political background of the American annexation and administration of the Philippine Islands between 1900 and 1920. It seeks to analyze the political value of supporting and opposing imperialism to American political parties and elites. Seeking to capitalize on the American victory over Spain in 1898, the Republican Party embraced the annexation of the Philippines as a way to promote an idea of rising American international power. Subsequently, their tenure in the Philippines can be analyzed as bringing industrialization to the Philippines for political gain, casting themselves in a politically popular role of nation builders and bringers of democracy. In opposing the Republicans, Democrats became anti-imperialists by default. After overcoming the initial unpopularity of that ideology, they were able to redefine it in such as way as to co-opt the original Republican successes in the Philippines. As such, the Democratic tenure in the Philippines emphasizes political gamesmanship and patronage that allowed them to effectively "steal" the credit for the democratization of the Philippines for partisan gains against the Republicans.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001760, ucf:47256
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001760