View All Items

Title: THE BORN VERSUS MADE DEBATE: AN EXAMINATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE INSTRUCTORS' BELIEFS AND TEACHING PRACTICES.
Creator: Hardin, Christina, Gill, Michele, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Research on the development of K-12 teachers' beliefs about and approaches to teaching and learning suggests that exposure to professional development programs can lead to the use of conceptual change strategies that engage students as active participants in the learning process rather than on teacher-centered strategies focused on information transfer. However, within the existing literature on the development of teacher beliefs and approaches to teaching and learning there exists a void of...
Show moreResearch on the development of K-12 teachers' beliefs about and approaches to teaching and learning suggests that exposure to professional development programs can lead to the use of conceptual change strategies that engage students as active participants in the learning process rather than on teacher-centered strategies focused on information transfer. However, within the existing literature on the development of teacher beliefs and approaches to teaching and learning there exists a void of information pertaining to the development of community college instructors' beliefs and approaches. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between pre-tenure community college instructors' beliefs about teaching and learning, their approaches to the learning process, and the training they receive via a professional development program specifically established to provide training in teaching methods, pedagogy, curriculum, and/ or instruction. Forty community college instructors going through an established three-year tenure process completed a revised version of the Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI-R) created by Trigwell and Prosser (1998). Data analysis revealed that there was no difference in the scores of instructors who had participated in the professional development program on teaching and learning and those instructors who had no exposure to courses that focused on teaching and learning. Further, findings suggest that instructors' participation in the courses is not related to their beliefs or teaching approaches. The findings of this study warrant a closer examination of programs designed to provide higher education instructors with training in pedagogy and instruction. Additionally, the findings present an opportunity for professional development programs to improve current practice.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003577, ucf:48920
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003577

Title: DIRECT, HANDS-ON OR INQUIRY INSTRUCTION: A STUDY OF INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCING AND MOTIVATION IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM.
Creator: Vander Wiede, Jamie, Gill, Michele, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Currently, a debate exists between the strengths and weaknesses of direct and inquiry instruction. Inquiry instruction is related to positive effect on learner motivation whereas supporters of direct instruction point to its ability to adequately support learners' working memories (Hmelo-Silver, Duncan, & Chinn, 2007; Kirschner, Sweller, & Clark, 2006; Kuhn, 2007; Sweller, 1988). This study examined the possibility of combining the best features of both inquiry and direct instruction by...
Show moreCurrently, a debate exists between the strengths and weaknesses of direct and inquiry instruction. Inquiry instruction is related to positive effect on learner motivation whereas supporters of direct instruction point to its ability to adequately support learners' working memories (Hmelo-Silver, Duncan, & Chinn, 2007; Kirschner, Sweller, & Clark, 2006; Kuhn, 2007; Sweller, 1988). This study examined the possibility of combining the best features of both inquiry and direct instruction by sequencing them together. A two-part lesson on electrical circuits was presented in three separate sequences of instruction to middle school students to determine if differences in student motivation and academic achievement emerge depending on whether a guided inquiry lab followed or preceded direct instruction. Results indicated equal levels of perceived competence by students across all instructional sequences and greater interest/enjoyment and perceived autonomy support when the instructional sequence began with a guided inquiry lesson. No significant differences in achievement were reported among the sequences.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003902, ucf:48737
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003902

Title: THE EFFECTS OF DELAY OF GRATIFICATION ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, and VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OF MIDDLE-SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SETTINGS.
Creator: Herndon, John, Gill, Michele, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examined the effects of delay of gratification on academic success, substance abuse, and violent behavior. The participants in this study were chosen from an alternative learning school comprised of middle school students in Florida. The hypothesis for this study is as follows: Delay of gratification is negatively related to substance abuse and violent behavior, and positively related to academic achievement. The analysis of the data was conducted on the primary predictor variable ...
Show moreThis study examined the effects of delay of gratification on academic success, substance abuse, and violent behavior. The participants in this study were chosen from an alternative learning school comprised of middle school students in Florida. The hypothesis for this study is as follows: Delay of gratification is negatively related to substance abuse and violent behavior, and positively related to academic achievement. The analysis of the data was conducted on the primary predictor variable (delay of gratification), alternate predictor variables (substance abuse and violent behavior) and the ultimate outcome variable (academic achievement) of this study. Initial statistical inquiry involved descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, kurtosis and skew) of the aforementioned variables, partial correlations (variable interrelationships), and the formulation of a multiple regression path analysis to investigate the particular paths individually within the proposed theoretical model (Wagner, 1993).
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003756, ucf:48790
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003756

Title: THE ROLE OF COGNITIVE AND METACOGNITIVE READING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES IN THE READING AND INTERPRETATION OF MATHEMATICAL WORD PROBLEM TEXTS: READING CLINICIANS' PERCEPTIONS OF DOMAIN RELEVANCE AND ELEMENTARY STUDENTS' COGNITIVE STRATEGY USE.
Creator: Clements, Taylar, Gill, Michele, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The intent of this concurrent mixed method study was to examine teacher perceptions and student applications of cognitive reading comprehension strategy use as applied to the reading and interpretation of a mathematics word problem. Teachers' perceptions of the relevance and application of cognitive reading comprehension strategies to mathematics contexts were investigated through survey methods. Additionally, students' cognitive strategy use was explored by eliciting verbalization of...
Show moreThe intent of this concurrent mixed method study was to examine teacher perceptions and student applications of cognitive reading comprehension strategy use as applied to the reading and interpretation of a mathematics word problem. Teachers' perceptions of the relevance and application of cognitive reading comprehension strategies to mathematics contexts were investigated through survey methods. Additionally, students' cognitive strategy use was explored by eliciting verbalization of cognition using think aloud protocol and clinical interview probes with purposively selected first through sixth-grade students. An experimental component of this study involved the random assignment of teachers to a professional development book study focused on either a) instructional methods supportive of integrated cognitive strategy instruction in reading and mathematics (treatment group) or b) a review of cognitive strategy instruction in reading (control group). The results of this study indicate that the elementary student participants did not recognize the cognitive comprehension strategies that they were using during the initial reading of the mathematical text as relevant to mathematics based text, which is why initial patterns of strategy use were not sustained or renegotiated, but were instead replaced or extinguished without replacement upon identification of the text as mathematical. This may be due to a lack of: 1) domain-general instruction, 2) varied text examples in their schooling, and/or 3) conditional knowledge instruction for strategy use, effects that may be caused by the students' teachers' own domain-specific perceptions of cognitive strategy use at the elementary level. The teachers in the treatment group demonstrated greater awareness of the relevance of cognitive reading comprehension strategies for mathematics text than the control group; however, there was no evidence that this new awareness impacted their instruction in this study. Implications for professional development, integrated cognitive strategy instruction, and contributions to existing literature are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003687, ucf:48832
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003687

Title: Eye Movements and Spatial Ability: Influences on Thinking During Analogical Problem Solving.
Creator: Schroeder, Bradford, Sims, Valerie, Szalma, James, Neider, Mark, Gill, Michele, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Classic studies have examined the factors that influence the way in which people can solve difficult (")insight(") problems, which require creative solutions. Recent research has shown that guiding one's eye movements in a pattern spatially congruent with the solution improves the likelihood of formulating a spatial solution. The authors in this line of research argued that guiding eye movements in a pattern spatially equivalent to the solution of the problem yields an embodied cognitive...
Show moreClassic studies have examined the factors that influence the way in which people can solve difficult (")insight(") problems, which require creative solutions. Recent research has shown that guiding one's eye movements in a pattern spatially congruent with the solution improves the likelihood of formulating a spatial solution. The authors in this line of research argued that guiding eye movements in a pattern spatially equivalent to the solution of the problem yields an embodied cognitive benefit that aids problem solving. Specifically, guiding eye movements leads to the generation of a mental representation containing perceptual information that helps a problem solver mentally simulate the problem features, increasing likelihood to generate a solution to the problem. However, evidence from a small but critically relevant area of research supports that this embodied effect may be more simply a creativity-priming effect. The proposed research aimed to disentangle these ideas while addressing other research questions of interest: do embodied problem solving benefits transfer to later problem solving? Do individual differences in spatial ability influence how people solve these problems? The present study combined previously established methodologies in problem solving and analogical problem solving to investigate these research questions. Results of the present work tentatively support the embodied priming effect, mediated by a creativity-priming effect that influences problem solving performance. Both effects emerged after manipulating problem solvers' eye movements. There is also modest support for a link between spatial ability and analogical problem solving, but not initial problem solving. These results are interpreted through the lens of embodied cognitive theory, providing tentative support that guiding eye movements can influence reasoning through an enhancement of creativity.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007366, ucf:52079
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007366

Title: Investigating Instructional Designers' Decisions Regarding The Use Of Multimedia Learning Principles in E-learning Course Design.
Creator: Arguelles, Victor, Hartshorne, Richard, Gill, Michele, Vitale, Thomas, Swan, Bonnie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study employed a qualitative research design using the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB) to investigate instructional designers' use of multimedia learning principles (MLPs) in e-learning course design. While MLPs have been extensively studied in educational research and are largely associated with positive results, evidence suggests that instructional designers are not uniformly implementing these strategies when designing e-learning environments. The purpose of this study...
Show moreThis study employed a qualitative research design using the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB) to investigate instructional designers' use of multimedia learning principles (MLPs) in e-learning course design. While MLPs have been extensively studied in educational research and are largely associated with positive results, evidence suggests that instructional designers are not uniformly implementing these strategies when designing e-learning environments. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to understand better the alignment between instructional designers' knowledge and demonstrated implementation of MLPs; and (b) to understand the factors that influence instructional designers' intent and actual implementation of MLPs in their e-learning course design. Based on two interviews conducted with seven instructional designers and an analysis of representative work samples, this study produced seven findings. Participants were recruited using homogenous purposive sampling method from two small corporate organizations whose primary business is the development of e-learning environments. Overall, these findings suggest that, despite being exposed to MLPs and holding positive behavioral beliefs regarding the usefulness of them, instructional designers may hold negative beliefs and face constraining conditions that pose significant barriers to the utilization of MLPs in e-learning course design. Other findings regarding MLP use in design are discussed and future directions for practice, policy, and research are offered.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006716, ucf:51898
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006716

Title: How do after-school staff use social networks to support at-risk youth? A social capital analysis.
Creator: Philp, Katherine, Gill, Michele, Biraimah, Karen, Bai, Haiyan, Hewitt, Randall, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Little is known about the social capital of adults in after-school settings or the ways in which they use social contacts to support youth success, particularly for at-risk youth. Their effectiveness as brokers for learning opportunities may depend on aspects of their social capital: both the quantity and quality of their social networks as well as their attitudes and beliefs related to seeking help from social contacts. This mixed-methods study surveyed 50 after-school program staff serving...
Show moreLittle is known about the social capital of adults in after-school settings or the ways in which they use social contacts to support youth success, particularly for at-risk youth. Their effectiveness as brokers for learning opportunities may depend on aspects of their social capital: both the quantity and quality of their social networks as well as their attitudes and beliefs related to seeking help from social contacts. This mixed-methods study surveyed 50 after-school program staff serving teens in high-poverty neighborhoods to examine the characteristics of adult social capital and to explore attitudes towards mobilizing social resources to support youth. Surveys measured social network size (total contacts), network social status (average prestige of known occupations), and network orientations, as well as social resource mobilization (brokering). The results of an initial logistic regression found that only total known contacts was a significant predictor of resource mobilization. Six participants were identified for follow-up interviews. Exposing youth to novel experiences emerged as a critical theme related to youth interest development and adult brokering action. Interviews also indicated that structural elements of youth programs might influence the need for staff to draw on personal connections, suggesting possible targets for intervention. This study provides novel insight into the characteristics of the social networks held by adults working in after-school programs, as well as into the attitudes and beliefs held by these individuals towards brokering learning opportunities for youth.
Show less
Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007707, ucf:52419
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007707

Title: An Analysis of the Representation of Hispanic Students in Gifted Programs in Florida's K-12 Public Schools.
Creator: Luis, Dalena, Johnson, Jerry, Baldwin, Lee, Taylor, Rosemarye, Gill, Michele, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This mixed-method study was conducted to investigate characteristics influencing the representation of Hispanic students in gifted programs across Florida K-12 school districts. Characteristics included school district enrollment, school district poverty level, school district percentage of minority students, grade level, and policies and practices relevant to gifted identification. Results showed a statistically significant positive relationship between school district enrollment and the...
Show moreThis mixed-method study was conducted to investigate characteristics influencing the representation of Hispanic students in gifted programs across Florida K-12 school districts. Characteristics included school district enrollment, school district poverty level, school district percentage of minority students, grade level, and policies and practices relevant to gifted identification. Results showed a statistically significant positive relationship between school district enrollment and the percentage of Hispanic students identified for gifted education in 2016-2017, indicating that Hispanic gifted representation was higher in Grades 6-8 than in Grades K-5 or Grades 9-12. Qualitative methods were utilized to analyze exceptional student education (ESE) policy manuals in two purposively sampled school districts and data from interviews with gifted coordinators in those same districts to determine how policies influenced school-level practices in increasing Hispanic representation in Florida's K-12 gifted programs.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007220, ucf:52231
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007220

Title: Site-Embedded Professional Development as a Means to Increase Teachers' Sense of Efficacy: Lessons from a Middle School Quasi-Experimental Study.
Creator: Roy, Melissa, Gill, Michele, Allen, Kay, Hutchinson, Cynthia, Dehlinger, Robin, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to provide site-embedded professional development and coaching support to middle school teachers in an attempt to increase their sense of efficacy for teaching even the most difficult students. The entire faculty (64 teachers) at Jordan Ridge Middle School participated in this intervention. The theoretical framework used to guide this study was conceptual change theory (Pintrich, Marx, (&) Boyle, 1993); specifically, Gregoire's (2003) Cognitive...
Show moreThe purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to provide site-embedded professional development and coaching support to middle school teachers in an attempt to increase their sense of efficacy for teaching even the most difficult students. The entire faculty (64 teachers) at Jordan Ridge Middle School participated in this intervention. The theoretical framework used to guide this study was conceptual change theory (Pintrich, Marx, (&) Boyle, 1993); specifically, Gregoire's (2003) Cognitive-Affective Model of Conceptual Change (CAMCC) informed the design and interpretation of the intervention. A 33-item adaptation of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES, Tschannen-Moran and Hoy, 2007) served as a quantitative measure and was administered to teachers at Jordan Ridge Middle School as a pre- and post- test. The same measure was administered to teachers at a neighboring school with similar demographics as a post-test to serve as a comparison. Additionally, qualitative data were gathered in the form of survey open response questions as well as monthly end-of class reflections in order to further illuminate the quantitative findings. The study's findings indicate that providing targeted, responsive, collaborative professional learning opportunities to teachers in the context of their own school may favorably influence their sense of efficacy. This study has practical and theoretical implications for the ways in which K12 teachers are provided opportunities for professional learning and growth.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006383, ucf:51538
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006383

Title: The Effects of a Loving-Kindness Meditation Intervention on Positive Emotions, Social Connectedness, and Problem Behaviors in Second and Third Grade Students.
Creator: Collinsmchugh, Doreen, Gill, Michele, Allen, Kay, Hutchinson, Cynthia, Young, Mark, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Concerns about K-12 students' mental health and social, emotional, and ethical development have prompted some schools to implement programs designed to promote student well-being and healthy social and emotional functioning. Most of these programs are distinguished as social and emotional learning (SEL) programs and/or character education programs. Although there is growing empirical support for the potential of school-based mindfulness interventions to positively influence students' well...
Show moreConcerns about K-12 students' mental health and social, emotional, and ethical development have prompted some schools to implement programs designed to promote student well-being and healthy social and emotional functioning. Most of these programs are distinguished as social and emotional learning (SEL) programs and/or character education programs. Although there is growing empirical support for the potential of school-based mindfulness interventions to positively influence students' well-being, the number of school-based mindfulness studies is limited, and the majority of the investigations have focused on students' cognitive rather than affective capacities. Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM), a mindfulness- and compassion-based practice, is garnering recent attention as an effective intervention for positively affecting numerous factors related to well-being. For instance, research has demonstrated LKM's effectiveness in enhancing positive emotions, empathy, and social connectedness, and improving problem behaviors in adult populations. Although LKM is a component of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, and a number of mindfulness-based school programs are MBSR- adapted, to date LKM has not been studied with children or youth populations. With this in mind, the purpose of this active comparison trial investigation was to examine the effects of a loving-kindness meditation intervention on positive emotions, empathy, social connection, and problem behaviors in second- and third- grade students. Findings suggest LKM may be more appropriately used in school settings as a sequential part of a comprehensive mindfulness program and introduced after a solid mindfulness practice has been established.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006286, ucf:51584
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006286

Title: The Preservice Elementary Teacher Affect Scale for Science: A Validation Study.
Creator: Wilder, Otis, Gill, Michele, Butler, Malcolm, Allen, Kay, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The current study details the creation of a new scale for measuring preservice teachers' positive affect for science, the Preservice Elementary Teacher Affect Scale for Science (PETAS-S). This new instrument is designed specifically to measure the level of positive affect towards the subject of science in preservice elementary teachers. Confirmatory factor analysis reveals the instrument loads on the single factor, positive affect. Reliability is robust, with Cronbach's alpha of .96. Positive...
Show moreThe current study details the creation of a new scale for measuring preservice teachers' positive affect for science, the Preservice Elementary Teacher Affect Scale for Science (PETAS-S). This new instrument is designed specifically to measure the level of positive affect towards the subject of science in preservice elementary teachers. Confirmatory factor analysis reveals the instrument loads on the single factor, positive affect. Reliability is robust, with Cronbach's alpha of .96. Positive affect has shown to predict future levels of engagement in domain specific academic subjects (Ainley (&) Ainley, 2011) and is expected to aid preservice teachers in understanding the complex relationship between their students' interest and enjoyment of science with their own. This research contributes to the important role of emotion in preservice teachers' attitudes toward the subject of science and how it may affect the way they teach it to their future students.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006198, ucf:51104
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006198

Title: Ice Hockey Coaches' Beliefs and Perceptions of Coach Education.
Creator: Chriest, Alexander, Gill, Michele, Stout, Jeffrey, Hewitt, Randall, Fisher, Thomas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this descriptive study was to provide insight into ice hockey coaches' beliefs and perceptions of coach education programs. USA Hockey is the governing body for all hockey in the United States and requires education through the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program. Gaining a better understanding of how hockey coaches perceive coach education programs provided information that can be used in the evaluation and development of future programs. The theoretical framework used in...
Show moreThe purpose of this descriptive study was to provide insight into ice hockey coaches' beliefs and perceptions of coach education programs. USA Hockey is the governing body for all hockey in the United States and requires education through the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program. Gaining a better understanding of how hockey coaches perceive coach education programs provided information that can be used in the evaluation and development of future programs. The theoretical framework used in this study was expectancy-value theory. USA Hockey youth coaches (N = 410) were surveyed using the Coaching Education Questionnaire, a 55-item instrument used to collect quantitative data. The study's findings indicated that coaches found communication with athletes (M = 4.27, SD = 0.90), advanced instructional drills (M = 4.03, SD = 0.96), and motivational techniques (M = 4.02, SD = 0.98) to be topics that are most helpful in a coach education program. Coaches were most likely to pursue further education if the program contained relevant topics (M = 4.01, SD = 0.91), had online availability (M = 3.97, SD = 1.04), and was convenient (M = 3.80, SD = 1.08). Coaches rated items related to coaching education pursuit (M = 2.60, SD = 0.48) higher than items related to coaching education beliefs (M = 2.77, SD = 0.38) by coaches. These findings revealed the need for a more robust evaluation program for USA Hockey's Coaching Education Program. Additionally, the findings suggest the formal education program offered by USA Hockey may not be sufficient in developing effective coaches; a formal mentoring program should be developed to complement the current program.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006727, ucf:51888
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006727

Title: Understanding the beliefs and attitudes of mid-career secondary school teachers toward teacher evaluation and its effect on their professional practice: A mixed method phenomenological study.
Creator: Booth, William, Gill, Michele, Taylor, Rosemarye, Hutchinson, Cynthia, Mullins, Mark, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this mixed-method phenomenological study is to understand the beliefs and attitudes that mid-career secondary school teachers have regarding the teacher evaluation process and its effect on their professional practice. Mid-career secondary school teachers (defined as having between 14-21 years of classroom experience) from Bayview Public Schools were selected to participate. A total of 152 mid-career secondary school teachers completed an electronic survey. Additionally, a...
Show moreThe purpose of this mixed-method phenomenological study is to understand the beliefs and attitudes that mid-career secondary school teachers have regarding the teacher evaluation process and its effect on their professional practice. Mid-career secondary school teachers (defined as having between 14-21 years of classroom experience) from Bayview Public Schools were selected to participate. A total of 152 mid-career secondary school teachers completed an electronic survey. Additionally, a total of 9 participants took part in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. The theoretical framework used to guide the study was the theory of planned behavior (TPB) (Ajzen, 1988; 1991) and Bandura's theory of self-efficacy (1977). The quantitative results from the electronic survey were used to augment qualitative data collected from interviews with willing participants.The interviews with study participants were analyzed for emerging themes. In all, a total of nine emerging themes came to light through the analysis of interview data. The data revealed areas of concern regarding the current method of evaluating teachers in Bayview Public Schools. A presentation of the findings with regard to the theoretical framework, literature, and practice were presented. Furthermore, a list of recommendations was provided addressing the specific concerns of participating teachers. In conclusion, recommendations were also made concerning future research that might continue to add to the body of knowledge concerning teacher evaluation.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005765, ucf:50077
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005765

Title: Gestures and mental models: A triple coding hypothesis.
Creator: Austin, Maura, Gill, Michele, Sims, Valerie, Verkler, Karen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Gestures and speech have been intertwined since the beginning of human communication. Recently the role of gestures in cognition and learning has become a topic of interest in both cognitive and educational psychology. Some researchers have speculated that gestures inherently communicate information that is not provided in purely verbal communication, and that this supplemental information can lead to more thorough mental models in the receiver by acting on a physical/motor modality in...
Show moreGestures and speech have been intertwined since the beginning of human communication. Recently the role of gestures in cognition and learning has become a topic of interest in both cognitive and educational psychology. Some researchers have speculated that gestures inherently communicate information that is not provided in purely verbal communication, and that this supplemental information can lead to more thorough mental models in the receiver by acting on a physical/motor modality in addition to the two modalities proposed in the dual code hypothesis. To further understand this issue, in this study, we examined the effects of watching a gesturing or a non-gesturing lecturer on the learner's cognitive load and mental model development. The results have implications for cognitive psychology as well as educational psychology, particularly in multimedia learning.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005760, ucf:50083
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005760

Title: Developing and Validating the Secondary Literacy Professionals Needs Assessment Matrix.
Creator: Kennedy, Analexis, Zygouris-Coe, Vassiliki, Gill, Michele, Jahani, Shiva, Johnson, Jerry, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a needs assessment matrix for secondary specialized literacy professionals that identified the professional learning needs of literacy coaches. This tool was developed in order to inform school districts and secondary specialized literacy professionals about the types of professional learning support they will need for them to effectively meet the literacy needs of teachers in secondary schools. The Secondary Literacy Professionals Needs...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to develop and validate a needs assessment matrix for secondary specialized literacy professionals that identified the professional learning needs of literacy coaches. This tool was developed in order to inform school districts and secondary specialized literacy professionals about the types of professional learning support they will need for them to effectively meet the literacy needs of teachers in secondary schools. The Secondary Literacy Professionals Needs Assessment Matrix (SLPNAM) was created using a variety of methods. A synthesis of literature regarding school improvement, adolescent literacy, 21stcentury skills, adult learning, literacy coaching and the 2017 International Literacy Association's Standards for Specialized Literacy Professionals was used to provide the conceptual framework for the SLPNAM. The SLPNAM items were developed by interviewing coaching and content experts, going through several iterations before the final instrument was developed. Construct validity was established through exploratory factor analysis, and internal reliability was determined through Cronbach's Alpha. Sixty-four participants from 18 school districts in Florida responded to the SLPNAM. Data analysis indicated that the SLPNAM had a high level of internal reliability, and data reduction was used to ensure that items correlated with constructs it was intended to correlate with. Data from the exploratory factor analysisof the SLPNAM confirmed that construct validity was established. The results from this study provide opportunities for school districts to differentiate professional learning for literacy professionals. It also provides data for school administrators to define the role of the coach and assists secondary literacy professionals in setting professional learning goals specific to their roles.
Show less
Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007825, ucf:52826
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007825

Title: The Role of Teacher Perceptions of Response to Intervention, Racial/Ethnic Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy in Special Education Referral Decisions.
Creator: Cash, Kristine, Gill, Michele, Edwards, Oliver, Clark, M. H., Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study is an exploration of the aspects related to the disproportionate representation of minority students in special education. The investigation specifically focused on the relationship between teacher perceptions of Response to Intervention (RTI), teacher racial attitudes, and teacher self-efficacy with respect to their special education referral decisions. Teachers assigned to grades K-5 (n=51), from three Florida public school districts, completed an online survey. The survey...
Show moreThis study is an exploration of the aspects related to the disproportionate representation of minority students in special education. The investigation specifically focused on the relationship between teacher perceptions of Response to Intervention (RTI), teacher racial attitudes, and teacher self-efficacy with respect to their special education referral decisions. Teachers assigned to grades K-5 (n=51), from three Florida public school districts, completed an online survey. The survey included reading four vignettes each describing a fictitious 3rd grade, male, Black/African American student and rating the severity of the academic concern, the severity of the behavior concern, and the likelihood that they would refer the student for a special education evaluation. Participants also completed a revised RTI Survey, the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS), and the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES). Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated as well as an ordinal logistic regression. A statistically significant relationship was found between the Unawareness of Institutional Discrimination subscale score of the CoBRAS and the behavior concern for a student described as having mild behavior and academic concerns. A statistically significant relationship was found between the rating of the behavior concern and the Efficacy in Student Engagement and Efficacy in Classroom Management subscale scores on the TSES for the vignette describing a student with a severe reading concern and a mild behavior concern. The teachers' perceptions of RTI, racial attitudes, and sense of efficacy did not appear to have a statistically significant impact on their rating of the likelihood of referral for any of the students described in the vignettes.
Show less
Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007608, ucf:52545
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007608

Title: Use of Video-Enhanced Debriefing in Clinical Nursing Skill Acquisition: Indwelling Urinary Catheterization as an Exemplar.
Creator: Hoyt, Erica, Gill, Michele, Clark, M. H., Chase, Susan, Gonzalez, Laura, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Nursing students struggle to acquire and maintain clinical psychomotor skills. Hiring agencies bear the cost of retraining graduate nurses inept with skills learned early in their nursing curriculum. Improperly performed clinical skills pose a risk to patient safety, resulting in pain and suffering for the patient. This empirical study aimed to determine if video-enhanced debriefing (VED) improved initial skill validation scores, skill feedback, satisfaction with learning, and reduced skill...
Show moreNursing students struggle to acquire and maintain clinical psychomotor skills. Hiring agencies bear the cost of retraining graduate nurses inept with skills learned early in their nursing curriculum. Improperly performed clinical skills pose a risk to patient safety, resulting in pain and suffering for the patient. This empirical study aimed to determine if video-enhanced debriefing (VED) improved initial skill validation scores, skill feedback, satisfaction with learning, and reduced skill decay among first-semester, pre-licensure BSN students performing female indwelling urinary catheterization (IUC) in a simulated clinical setting compared to no debriefing. Participants received standard instruction, then video-recorded their IUC skill. Participants randomized into the VED group individually participated in an advocacy/inquiry debriefing with the principal investigator while viewing their performance video. Both groups completed a summative IUC skill validation per standard course instruction and submitted their skill performance ratings. All participants completed a survey including their perceived IUC knowledge, amount of skill practice, learning satisfaction with VED, and an evaluation of their skill performance feedback. All participants re-recorded their IUC skill and received performances ratings with the same instruments again ten weeks after the initial skill validation. The analysis revealed that VED did not improve nursing skills, knowledge, practice, or perceptions of the learning experience compared to the video-only group. Nursing students in the VED condition did rate their skill performance feedback higher than those in the video-only group. Students improved performance in both conditions, showing that learning via video is an effective teaching strategy to enhance student's satisfaction with learning, to engage in repetitive practice with feedback, and to improve learning.
Show less
Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007656, ucf:52504
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007656

Title: Educating Gifted Students with Asperger's Syndrome: A Case Study of Three Students and Their Classroom Experiences.
Creator: Horn, Beverly, Gill, Michele, Eriksson, Gillian, Pearl, Cynthia, Nye, William, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Much research has focused on students with Asperger's Syndrome (AS), and much research has also been done on gifted students with special needs, yet very little has been published that looks at the characteristics of students who have been identified as both Gifted and as having Asperger Syndrome (G/AS), and what teachers are doing in the classroom to meet their needs. This is an important topic because this group of twice exceptional students has characteristics of both exceptionalities, and...
Show moreMuch research has focused on students with Asperger's Syndrome (AS), and much research has also been done on gifted students with special needs, yet very little has been published that looks at the characteristics of students who have been identified as both Gifted and as having Asperger Syndrome (G/AS), and what teachers are doing in the classroom to meet their needs. This is an important topic because this group of twice exceptional students has characteristics of both exceptionalities, and trying to meet the special needs of both groups in the same classroom would likely be a challenge for the teacher. Without understanding what these students are like, and how classroom teachers are trying to meet the needs of this special population, little can be recommended that will help the students succeed. This study examined the academic, social, and behavioral characteristics of three students with G/AS through observations and interviews of students, as well as interviews of their teachers and parents, and records reviews. Using an individual case study approach, information was gathered that was designed to understand the behaviors of specific students with G/AS and what their teachers were doing to meet their needs. By examining characteristics of students with G/AS and their teachers' practices, information pertinent to an improved understanding of the varying profiles of students with G/AS can be described that may improve decision making and planning when attempting to meet the needs of this population of students.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004188, ucf:48987
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004188

Title: Practicing Teachers' Beliefs Regarding Racially, Culturally, Ethnically, And Linguistically Diverse (RCELD) Students In A Title I Secondary-School Environment.
Creator: Sabino, Lisa, Gill, Michele, Kaplan, Jeffrey, Boote, David, Lue, Martha, Oldham, Lucile, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Based on school-level data that included disparities in discipline rates, Title I status, teacher attrition, and teachers' statements, I designed a dissertation in practice to understand practicing teachers' personal and professional diversity beliefs regarding racially, culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse (RCELD) students in a Title I, secondary-school setting. Four hypotheses concerning type of secondary degree, years of experience, subjects taught, and racial or ethnic...
Show moreBased on school-level data that included disparities in discipline rates, Title I status, teacher attrition, and teachers' statements, I designed a dissertation in practice to understand practicing teachers' personal and professional diversity beliefs regarding racially, culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse (RCELD) students in a Title I, secondary-school setting. Four hypotheses concerning type of secondary degree, years of experience, subjects taught, and racial or ethnic background were tested. Pohan and Aguilar's (2001a) Teachers' Belief Survey was administered to 59% of the GHS staff in order to measure the personal and professional beliefs of practicing teachers. I used descriptive and parametric tests to analyze the survey's data. Based on the parametric and non-parametric tests no statistically significant differences were found for the four hypotheses tested. Although no statistically significant differences were noted in the data, this dissertation in practice starts a conversation about diversity issues at GHS. The initial school-level data were indicative of a problem of practice at GHS, and practicing teachers did self-report high levels of diversity beliefs. I recommend that further research build upon this study and include a qualitative component. I conclude that further research is necessary in order to investigate why practicing teachers' self-report diversity beliefs were high, yet school-level data indicated discriminatory practices.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006174, ucf:51123
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006174

Title: Classroom Error Climate: Teacher Professional Development to Improve Student Motivation.
Creator: O'Dell, Sean, Gill, Michele, Cox, Dr. Thomas, Hoffman, Bobby, Flanigan, Jacquelyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Student motivation and achievement are often low for students from low socioeconomic status households and may decline when children from all walks of life enter middle school. Despite years of studies describing these declines and efforts to improve learning outcomes, the trends continue. Motivation has been studied from several theoretical standpoints, among them, self-efficacy, beliefs, goal orientations, and emotions. This dissertation introduces error orientation: how teachers and...
Show moreStudent motivation and achievement are often low for students from low socioeconomic status households and may decline when children from all walks of life enter middle school. Despite years of studies describing these declines and efforts to improve learning outcomes, the trends continue. Motivation has been studied from several theoretical standpoints, among them, self-efficacy, beliefs, goal orientations, and emotions. This dissertation introduces error orientation: how teachers and students react to and use errors in the classroom. A positive error orientation, one that views errors as opportunities to learn rather than punishments, may help improve students' emotions, self-efficacy, and future goal orientations, while aligning their beliefs in a more adaptive direction, thus reducing maladaptive academic motivation. A professional development design is proposed here to train teachers in using errors to the advantage of the learner by creating a positive error climate in their classrooms.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005856, ucf:50917
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005856

self-efficacy (3)	+ -
motivation (2)	+ -
professional development design (2)	+ -
Academic Achievement (1)	+ -
Adolescence. (1)	+ -

Alcohol Abuse (1)	+ -
Analogical Problem Solving (1)	+ -
Asperger's Syndrome (1)	+ -
At Risk Populations (1)	+ -
Athletic Coaching (1)	+ -
Clinical competence (1)	+ -
Coach Education (1)	+ -
Coaching (1)	+ -
Coaching Education Program (1)	+ -
Community College (1)	+ -
Conceptual Change (1)	+ -
Creative Thinking (1)	+ -
Creativity (1)	+ -
Curiosity (1)	+ -
Debriefing (1)	+ -
Delay of Gratification (1)	+ -
Deliberate practice (1)	+ -
Diverse Students (1)	+ -
Drug Abuse (1)	+ -
Embodied Cognition (1)	+ -
Feedback (1)	+ -
Florida Gifted (1)	+ -
Florida Gifted School Policy (1)	+ -
Florida Minority Gifted (1)	+ -
Gifted Hispanic Under-representation (1)	+ -

Gill, Michele (23)	+ -
University of Central Florida (23)	+ -
Allen, Kay (4)	+ -
Hutchinson, Cynthia (4)	+ -
Sims, Valerie (3)	+ -

Clark, M. H. (2)	+ -
Hewitt, Randall (2)	+ -
Johnson, Jerry (2)	+ -
Puig, Enrique (2)	+ -
Taylor, Rosemarye (2)	+ -
Zygouris-Coe, Vassiliki (2)	+ -
Arguelles, Victor (1)	+ -
Austin, Maura (1)	+ -
Bai, Haiyan (1)	+ -
Baldwin, Lee (1)	+ -
Biraimah, Karen (1)	+ -
Boote, David (1)	+ -
Booth, William (1)	+ -
Butler, Malcolm (1)	+ -
Cash, Kristine (1)	+ -
Chase, Susan (1)	+ -
Chriest, Alexander (1)	+ -
Clements, Taylar (1)	+ -
Collinsmchugh, Doreen (1)	+ -
Cox, Dr. Thomas (1)	+ -
Dehlinger, Robin (1)	+ -
Edwards, Oliver (1)	+ -
Engel, Susan (1)	+ -
Ergle, Roberta (1)	+ -
Eriksson, Gillian (1)	+ -

Search In

Pages

Pages

Sort Results By:

Narrow results by:

Topical Subject

Collection

Type of Resource

Language

Creator

Format

Owner