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- 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
- NET GENERATION RESEARCHERS: AN INQUIRY INTO HYPERTEXT READING AND RESEARCH STRATEGIES OF FIRST-YEAR COMPOSITION STUDENTS.
- Creator
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Thompson, Susan, Bell, Kathleen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Hypertext and hyperlinks are present on almost every web site or electronic document. As integral components of visual rhetoric, they are foundational to any discussion of technology and literacy. This inquiry is designed to explore first-year composition students' advances in technological literacy, specifically hypertext reading and research strategies. To accomplish this, a hypertext-reading project was designed to investigate the ways in which first-year composition students...
Show moreHypertext and hyperlinks are present on almost every web site or electronic document. As integral components of visual rhetoric, they are foundational to any discussion of technology and literacy. This inquiry is designed to explore first-year composition students' advances in technological literacy, specifically hypertext reading and research strategies. To accomplish this, a hypertext-reading project was designed to investigate the ways in which first-year composition students assimilate and employ hypertext information as a source from which they must extract information to use in the development of an argument. A program, designed and written specifically for this project, presented research participants, 76 students enrolled in second semester first-year composition, the components of hypertext reading as an online reading and research activity. Participants first completed a technology survey designed to reveal each participant's prior experience and self-perceived expertise with current technology, after which they completed a two-part exercise consisting of a hypertext reading assignment and a post-reading questionnaire. Participants were instructed to use their reading to inform and develop a thesis for an argument. The article selected for this study was "Illegal Immigration," accessed by navigating to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_immigration. The article discusses a current controversial national concern, illegal immigration. While the use of Wikipedia, an online user-edited encyclopedia, often raises credibility concerns, the site in general offers excellent examples of hypertext reading that include textual as well as graphic links. In the analysis, it is revealed that while the study group rated themselves highly proficient users of Internet search engines, email, social networking, and word processing applications, the majority initially did not recognize a relationship between the actions they take as users of those applications and hyperlinks or hypertext. Post-reading responses revealed that the majority of the group read the article from top to bottom with few to no diversions. Furthermore, while most did recognize the hyperlinks as information portals, they made conscious decisions to not access the links for a variety of stated and implied reasons. This research involved a relatively small student sample that defines the limited scope of the findings; however, the data suggests attitudes and expectations of this group that may reflect student populations with similar or shared demographics. These data are used to inform potential pedagogical application suggestions, including the usefulness of technological proficiency assessments and research using technology within the classroom as well as in external assignments.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001904, ucf:47489
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001904
- Title
- A COMPARISON OF THREE PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS TOOLS USED TO IDENTIFY PHONEMIC AWARENESS DEFICITS IN KINDERGARTEN-AGE CHILDREN.
- Creator
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Robelo, Edgard, Schwartz, Jamie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to determine if three different tests of phonological awareness: the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processes (CTOPP) (Wagner, Torgesen, & Rashotte, 1999), The Phonological Awareness Test (PAT) (Robertson & Salter, 1997), and the Pre-Literacy Skills Screening (PLSS) (Crumrine & Lonegan, 1999) measure the same phonological awareness skills (content) in the same manner (procedures) and, whether typically-developing kindergarten-age students perform similarly on...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if three different tests of phonological awareness: the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processes (CTOPP) (Wagner, Torgesen, & Rashotte, 1999), The Phonological Awareness Test (PAT) (Robertson & Salter, 1997), and the Pre-Literacy Skills Screening (PLSS) (Crumrine & Lonegan, 1999) measure the same phonological awareness skills (content) in the same manner (procedures) and, whether typically-developing kindergarten-age students perform similarly on each of the tests. Twenty-five kindergarten students consisting of 14 males and 11 females (mean CA of 72.24 months) participated in this study. All participants were attending the second half of kindergarten in a public school in Orlando, Florida. Prior to the administration of the three tools, all participants were administered the Fluharty Preschool Speech and Language Screening Test - Second Edition (Fluharty-2) (Fluharty, 2001) to ensure that no formal speech and/or language assessment was needed. A comparison of the CTOPP, PAT, and PLSS revealed that the PAT and CTOPP produced similar outcomes. That is, participants who performed well on one tool also did well on the other. Results of this study have shown that tasks on these two tools are comparable measures of phonological awareness known to strongly predict future reading ability. However, when the PLSS was compared to either the CTOPP or PAT, similar outcomes were not obtained. Three participants were identified "at risk" for reading disability on the PLSS. No participants were identified "at risk" on either the CTOPP or PAT. Using a standardized battery to identify children "at-risk" for reading failure and planning intervention may be more advantageous than using a screening measure like the PLSS. Even though it will take more time to complete, a comprehensive assessment battery may be of more value to the clinician. A summary, possible limitations of study, and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0000924, ucf:46720
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000924
- Title
- TEXT COMPLEXITY AND CLOSE READING: TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE LANGUAGE ARTS FLORIDA STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION.
- Creator
-
Diaz-Davila, Clare, Wenzel, Taylar, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The Florida Department of Education revised the Common Core State Standards into what are now known as the Florida Standards in February 2014, approving 99 revisions to the original standards that were accepted in 2010 (Dunkelberger, 2014). The purpose of this research was to identify current teachers' attitudes towards the new Language Arts Florida Standards (LAFS), specifically regarding teachers' perceptions of text complexity and close reading as enacted in the reading curriculum....
Show moreThe Florida Department of Education revised the Common Core State Standards into what are now known as the Florida Standards in February 2014, approving 99 revisions to the original standards that were accepted in 2010 (Dunkelberger, 2014). The purpose of this research was to identify current teachers' attitudes towards the new Language Arts Florida Standards (LAFS), specifically regarding teachers' perceptions of text complexity and close reading as enacted in the reading curriculum. Additionally, this study will attempt to identify how teachers' attitudes impact their implementation of the new standards. This research used a self-administered survey to collect the teacher perceptions of the LAFS in six different categories. The sample entailed the participation of 21 practicing teachers from the Central Florida area. The survey revealed that, although teachers don't necessarily dislike the construction of the standards, they feel that they are not knowledgeable in some integral areas of the LAFS, such as text complexity and close reading. The implications of the results are discussed, and some improvements for the future of the LAFS are given.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFH0004682, ucf:45281
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004682
- Title
- AN EXAMINATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON READING IN STRUGGLING STUDENTS AND AN AUTOETHNOGRAPHY OF A PRESERVICE TEACHER.
- Creator
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Campanile, Megan, Wegmann, Susan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Educators have never had the possibility of incorporating technology into the classroom like they do today. Although technology can have its difficulties, it can truly help the development of reading for struggling students. Reading research is providing more and more clarity about how to use technology effectively within our school communities to support and enhance the academic performance of today's students (i.e. Gallagher, 2009; Isazadeh, 2004; Rice, 2011). A review of studies conducted...
Show moreEducators have never had the possibility of incorporating technology into the classroom like they do today. Although technology can have its difficulties, it can truly help the development of reading for struggling students. Reading research is providing more and more clarity about how to use technology effectively within our school communities to support and enhance the academic performance of today's students (i.e. Gallagher, 2009; Isazadeh, 2004; Rice, 2011). A review of studies conducted by the CEO Forum (2001)emphasizes: "technology can have the greatest impact when integrated into the curriculum to achieve clear, measurable educational objectives." This meaning that with the help of technology and all of the resources it provides, if used within the curriculum correctly teachers can reach their learning goals better. Technology can aid the growth of reading development in students with, or without, a learning disability. The beginning chapter will define students who are struggling readers and outline the effects technology will have on these students. Following, will be a present case study of a student who struggles with reading in order to frame the research in a contemporary setting. There will also be a personal experience with technology,focusing primarily on the IPAD, and a self-reflected journey within each chapter in a quest in becoming a technology savvy teacher. The next chapter will present the use IPADs within the classroom. It will then describe ways teachers can spark their students' interests in reading with alternative practices. With the help of a local, technology savvy teacher, there will be a real-life circumstances that have aided struggling readers at any specific grade level.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFH0004280, ucf:44924
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004280
- Title
- Internet Reading and Learning in a Guided Reading Context.
- Creator
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Van Allen, Jennifer, Zygouris-Coe, Vassiliki, Boote, David, Damico, Nicole, Vitale, Thomas, Butler, Lorrie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Many employers are calling for high school graduates who are equipped with skills to research, manage, and process information from multiple sources and communicate effectively to others through a variety of sources. Yet, students are not being appropriately prepared with online research and comprehension skills in schools today. A major factor impacting this problem is that teachers do not possess the knowledge and skills to effectively address online research and comprehension skills in the...
Show moreMany employers are calling for high school graduates who are equipped with skills to research, manage, and process information from multiple sources and communicate effectively to others through a variety of sources. Yet, students are not being appropriately prepared with online research and comprehension skills in schools today. A major factor impacting this problem is that teachers do not possess the knowledge and skills to effectively address online research and comprehension skills in the intermediate grades. This dissertation in practice proposes a solution to this problem of practice through the design of an educative curriculum that introduces online research and comprehension skills to upper elementary students. It also provides teachers with necessary knowledge to aid their pedagogical design capacity throughout the curriculum. Prior to the development of the curriculum, a case study was conducted to determine how a fourth-grade teacher integrates digital tools during guided reading lessons to support students' development of online research and comprehension skills. The results showed that the implementation was challenging and resulted in role changes for both the teacher and students. These findings supported the design choices of the base curriculum for students, set within the guided reading framework, and educative features to support teachers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006702, ucf:51909
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006702
- Title
- English Language Arts Preservice and Inservice Teacher's Knowledge about How to Use eTextbooks and Open Educational Resources to Support Students' Comprehension: A Case Study.
- Creator
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Smith, Lourdes, Zygouris-Coe, Vassiliki, Roberts, Sherron, Damico, Nicole, Wilson, Nance, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The focus of this qualitative, descriptive case study was to (a) investigate the knowledge English Language Arts preservice and inservice teachers had about eTextbooks and Open Educational Resources (OERs) and (b) how they planned to use that knowledge to develop their current/future 6-12 grade students' comprehension and content knowledge. Included within the study were specifics regarding how eTextbooks and OERs can be used to support adolescent learners and how online comprehension skills...
Show moreThe focus of this qualitative, descriptive case study was to (a) investigate the knowledge English Language Arts preservice and inservice teachers had about eTextbooks and Open Educational Resources (OERs) and (b) how they planned to use that knowledge to develop their current/future 6-12 grade students' comprehension and content knowledge. Included within the study were specifics regarding how eTextbooks and OERs can be used to support adolescent learners and how online comprehension skills can be developed. Data were analyzed in order to determine themes related to the use and planning for eTextbooks and OERs in the secondary ELA classroom. Data sources for this study included the participant interviews, document analysis, and a focus group interview. Findings revealed that participants (N=6) were both excited and apprehensive about using technology and that although they had some personal experiences with eTextbooks and OERs, they would need more specific support in helping their future or current students to develop online reading comprehension skills. Implications and recommendations are offered for preservice teacher educators, classroom teachers and professional developers, researchers, and publishers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006797, ucf:51922
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006797
- Title
- Effects of a Reading Inference Strategy Intervention on the Reading and Social Inference Abilities of Adults with Asperger Syndrome.
- Creator
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Murza, Kimberly, Nye, William, Ehren, Barbara, Schwartz, Jamie, Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The ability to generate inferences is a skill that is necessary to fully comprehend a text and understand the intentions, behaviors, and emotions of a conversational partner. Individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS) have been shown to demonstrate significant difficulty in inference generation in both social contexts and in reading comprehension. Although, the reciprocity of the four components of literacy (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) has been established in the literature ...
Show moreThe ability to generate inferences is a skill that is necessary to fully comprehend a text and understand the intentions, behaviors, and emotions of a conversational partner. Individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS) have been shown to demonstrate significant difficulty in inference generation in both social contexts and in reading comprehension. Although, the reciprocity of the four components of literacy (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) has been established in the literature (Bradley (&) Bryant, 1983; Catts (&) Kamhi, 2005; Englert (&) Thomas, 1987; Gillon (&) Dodd, 1995; Hiebert, 1980; Kroll, 1981; Ruddell (&) Ruddell, 1994); the relationship between inference generation in reading and social inference generation is not well understood. The present study investigated the efficacy of a language-focused reading inference strategy intervention (ACT (&) Check Strategy) on the general reading comprehension, inference generation in reading, social inference, and metacognitive ability of adults with AS. Twenty-five adults with AS were randomly assigned to either a treatment or a control group. The treatment group participants were divided into groups of 3-4 based on their availability and preferred location for treatment resulting in a total of 4 groups. Each group met in one-hour sessions twice a week for a total of six weeks. When controlling for pretest scores, the treatment group was found to perform significantly better on one measure of inference generation in reading and metacognitive ability compared to the control group. Significant differences between groups were not found in two measures of inference generation in reading comprehension or social inference ability. These findings suggest that the ACT (&) Check strategy was effective in improving participants' ability to generate inferences as they read and their metacognitive reading ability. However, instruction in inference generation in reading does not appear to generalize to other language modalities (i.e., social inference generation). This research provides support for an explicit language-focused strategy intervention addressing the reading inference deficit area. Further research is warranted to investigate potential interventions to address social inference skills for individuals with AS.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004146, ucf:49045
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004146
- Title
- Deconstructing Differences in Effectiveness of Teachers of Tenth Grade Non-Proficient Readers in One Florida School District.
- Creator
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Williams, Mary, Taylor, Rosemarye, Doherty, Walter, Murray, Barbara, Baldwin, Gordon, Zugelder, Bryan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Despite an intense focus and considerable financial commitment to remediate non-proficient readers in high school, the large suburban school district that was the target of this study had been unable to consistently improve student achievement in the lowest 25% of students as measured by outcomes on the FCAT Reading. Scholarly literature on high school reading had focused mostly on evaluation of curriculum rather than on teacher practices. A clear understanding of these differences in...
Show moreDespite an intense focus and considerable financial commitment to remediate non-proficient readers in high school, the large suburban school district that was the target of this study had been unable to consistently improve student achievement in the lowest 25% of students as measured by outcomes on the FCAT Reading. Scholarly literature on high school reading had focused mostly on evaluation of curriculum rather than on teacher practices. A clear understanding of these differences in practice will inform future decisions related to staffing, scheduling, and professional learning. This study sought to identify the underlying professional and instructional differences between the most effective and least effective teachers of tenth grade intensive reading courses through teacher and principal/assistant principal surveys along with teacher evaluation data. This study revealed with regards to a teacher's preparation to teach reading (research question one), that years of experience in the classroom and years of experience as a high school reading teacher were the only significant factors that influenced a teacher's effectiveness. For research questions two and three; which had to do with the beliefs and professional practices of the teacher, the educationally relevant belief that the more effective teachers were more confident about their abilities than their less effective peers was noted. Research question four provided the data with regards to the general classroom teaching strategies and the adolescent reading strategies the effective teachers employed. This data revealed that the more effective teachers implemented posting and communicating daily and long term learning goals more frequently than their less effective peers. In addition, the general classroom teaching practices of efficient use of learning time, establishing and maintaining classroom routines, and checking for understanding proved to be educationally relevant. Additionally, the adolescent reading strategies of sustained silent reading, paired/partner readings, and students reading one-on-one with teacher, were educationally relevant as well. Finally, in regards to research question five, it was of statistical significance that administrators valued the use of the general classroom teaching strategy of posting and communicating daily and long term learning goals and were able to recognize the use of this strategy when observing and evaluating the teachers.?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004960, ucf:49573
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004960
- Title
- A CORRELATIONAL STUDY BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY WEALTH BEHIND EACH STUDENT ATTENDING FLORIDA DISTRICT SCHOOLS AND THE ACADEMIC PROFICIENCY AMONG 5TH GRADE WHITE, BLACK, AND HISPANIC STUDENTS IN READING WITHIN THE 67 COUNTIES OF FLORIDA.
- Creator
-
Saenz, Willie, Doherty, Walter, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As the concern for standardized testing continues to rise, so to does the concern for providing students with an appropriate and equal educational opportunity. The goal of this research was to investigate relevant data to determine if there is a relationship between the wealth behind each student and the academic proficiency amongst 5th grade white, black, and Hispanic students within the 67 counties of Florida. The desired outcome of this study was to produce information relevant to...
Show moreAs the concern for standardized testing continues to rise, so to does the concern for providing students with an appropriate and equal educational opportunity. The goal of this research was to investigate relevant data to determine if there is a relationship between the wealth behind each student and the academic proficiency amongst 5th grade white, black, and Hispanic students within the 67 counties of Florida. The desired outcome of this study was to produce information relevant to political leaders, educational leaders, and teachers in Florida public school districts with influential strategies necessary to increase the proportion of 5th grade students achieving academic proficiency. The review of literature and analysis of the data gathered from the Florida Department of Education for the school year 2006-2007 and the Florida Department of Revenue, 2007 revealed the following findings: (1) there is a statistically significant correlation between reading scores among white and black students in grade 5 as measured by the FCAT and the wealth behind each student within the state of Florida; (2) there is no statistically significant correlation between reading scores among Hispanic students in grade 5 as measured by the FCAT and the wealth behind each student within the state of Florida. In other words, as school districts are deemed more wealthy, white and black students in grade 5 tend to do better in reading than their white and black counterparts in poorer districts. In contrast, Hispanic students in wealthy school districts do not do better in reading than their Hispanic counterparts in poor districts.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0002980, ucf:47982
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002980
- Title
- THE RELATIONSHIP OF 10TH-GRADE DISTRICT PROGRESS MONITORING ASSESSMENT SCORES TO FLORIDA COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT TEST SCORES IN READING AND MATHEMATICS FOR 2008-2009.
- Creator
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Underwood, Marilyn, Taylor, Rosemarye, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The focus of this research was to investigate the use of a district created formative benchmark assessment in reading to predict student achievement for 10th-grade students on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in one county in north central Florida. The purpose of the study was to provide information to high school principals and teachers to better understand how students were performing and learning and to maximize use of the formative district benchmark assessment in order to...
Show moreThe focus of this research was to investigate the use of a district created formative benchmark assessment in reading to predict student achievement for 10th-grade students on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in one county in north central Florida. The purpose of the study was to provide information to high school principals and teachers to better understand how students were performing and learning and to maximize use of the formative district benchmark assessment in order to modify instruction and positively impact student achievement. This study expanded a prior limited study which correlated district benchmark assessment scores to FCAT scores for students in grades three through five in five elementary schools in the targeted county. The high correlations suggested further study. This research focused on secondary reading, specifically in 10th grade where both state and targeted county FCAT scores were low in years preceding this research. Investigated were (a) the district formative assessment in reading as a predictor of FCAT Reading scores, (b) differences in strength of correlation and prediction among student subgroups and between high schools, and (c) any relationships between reading formative assessment scores and Mathematics FCAT scores. An additional focus of this study was to determine best leadership practices in schools where there were the highest correlations between the formative assessment and FCAT Reading scores. Research on best practices was reviewed, and principals were interviewed to determine trends and themes in practice. Tenth grade students in the seven Florida targeted district high schools were included in the study. The findings of the study supported the effective use of formative assessments both in instruction and as predictors of studentsÂÂÂÂÂÂ' performance on the FCAT. The results of the study also showed a significant correlation between performance on the reading formative assessment and performance on FCAT Mathematics. The data indicated no significant differences in the strength of correlation between student subgroups or between the high schools included in the study. Additionally, the practices of effective principals in using formative assessment data to inform instruction, gathered through personal interviews, were documented and described.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003214, ucf:48573
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003214
- Title
- Academic Performance among Homeless Students: Exploring Relationships of Socio-Economic and Demographic Variables.
- Creator
-
Moore, Miriam, Bryer, Thomas, Zhang, Ning, Steen, Julie, Bai, Haiyan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study examines homeless student academic performance, types of temporary housing used among the homeless, degree of stability or instability for families with school-aged children, child needs for academic success, the importance of parental involvement in a child's academic growth, and other known factors in relations to child student academic performance, with a focus on grade level and racial differences. A multiple linear regression model is used to test the hypotheses while...
Show moreThis study examines homeless student academic performance, types of temporary housing used among the homeless, degree of stability or instability for families with school-aged children, child needs for academic success, the importance of parental involvement in a child's academic growth, and other known factors in relations to child student academic performance, with a focus on grade level and racial differences. A multiple linear regression model is used to test the hypotheses while controlling confounding variables. Statistically significant relationships are reported between race and academic performance, and grade level and academic performance. Practical and policy implications are discussed, as well as limitations of the study and need for future research.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005848, ucf:50910
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005848
- Title
- Computational Approaches for Binning Metagenomic Reads.
- Creator
-
Wang, Ying, Hu, Haiyan, Li, Xiaoman, Zhang, Shaojie, Wu, Annie, Savage, Anna, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Metagenomics uses sequencing technologies to study genetic sequences from whole microbial communities. Binning metagenomic reads is the most fundamental step in metagenomic studies, which is essential for the understanding of microbial functions, compositions, and interactions in environmental samples. Various taxonomy-dependent and taxonomy-independent approaches have been developed based on information such as sequence similarity, sequence composition, or k-mer frequency. However, there is...
Show moreMetagenomics uses sequencing technologies to study genetic sequences from whole microbial communities. Binning metagenomic reads is the most fundamental step in metagenomic studies, which is essential for the understanding of microbial functions, compositions, and interactions in environmental samples. Various taxonomy-dependent and taxonomy-independent approaches have been developed based on information such as sequence similarity, sequence composition, or k-mer frequency. However, there is still room for improvement, and it is still challenging to bin reads from species with similar or low abundance or to bin reads from unknown species.In this dissertation, we introduce one taxonomy-independent and three taxonomy-dependent approaches to improve the performance of metagenomic reads binning. The taxonomy-independent method called MBBC, bins reads by considering k-mer frequency in reads without reference genomes. The first two taxonomy-dependent methods both bin reads by measuring the similarity of reads to the trained Markov Chains from different taxa. The major difference between these two methods is that the first one selects the potential taxa with the taxonomical decision tree, while the second one, called MBMC, selects potential taxa using ordinary least squares (OLS) method. The third taxonomy-dependent method bins reads by combining the methods of MBMC with clustering Markov chains from the assembled reads. By testing on both simulated and real datasets, these tools showed superior or comparable performance with various the state of the art methods. We anticipate that our tools can significantly improve the accuracy of metagenomic reads binning and thus be widely applied in real environmental samples.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006515, ucf:51380
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006515
- Title
- Reading comprehension deficits in children with ADHD: The mediating roles of working memory and orthographic conversion.
- Creator
-
Friedman, Lauren, Rapport, Mark, Beidel, Deborah, Vasquez, Eleazar, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Reading comprehension deficits in children with ADHD are well-established; however, limited information exists concerning the cognitive mechanisms that contribute to these deficits and the extent to which they interact with one another. The current study examines two broad cognitive processes known to be involved in children's reading comprehension abilities(-)(a) working memory (i.e., central executive processes [CE], phonological short-term memory [PH STM], and visuospatial short-term...
Show moreReading comprehension deficits in children with ADHD are well-established; however, limited information exists concerning the cognitive mechanisms that contribute to these deficits and the extent to which they interact with one another. The current study examines two broad cognitive processes known to be involved in children's reading comprehension abilities(-)(a) working memory (i.e., central executive processes [CE], phonological short-term memory [PH STM], and visuospatial short-term memory [VS STM]) and (b) orthographic conversion(-)to elucidate their unique and interactive contribution to ADHD-related reading comprehension deficits. Thirty-one children with ADHD and 30 typically developing (TD) children aged 8 to 12 years (M = 9.64, SD = 1.22) were administered multiple counterbalanced tasks assessing WM and orthographic conversion processes. Relative to TD children, children with ADHD exhibited significant deficits in PH STM (d = -0.66), VS STM (d = -0.84), CE (d = -1.24) and orthographic conversion (d = -0.85). Bias-corrected, bootstrapped mediation analyses revealed that CE and orthographic conversion processes modeled separately, partially mediated ADHD-related reading comprehension impairments, whereas PH STM and VS STM did not. CE and orthographic conversion modeled jointly fully mediated ADHD-related reading comprehension deficits wherein orthographic conversion's large magnitude influence on reading comprehension occurred indirectly through CE's impact on the orthographic system. The findings suggest that adaptive cognitive interventions designed to improve reading-related outcomes in children with ADHD may benefit by including modules that train CE and orthographic conversion processes independently and interactively.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006103, ucf:51210
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006103
- Title
- An exploration of secondary science grade teachers' written artifacts about their experiences with an online professional development in reading research and instruction: A grounded theory study.
- Creator
-
Woodhall, Carmen, Zygouris-Coe, Vassiliki, Jeanpierre, Bobby, Lambie, Glenn, Swan, Bonnie, Haggerty, Dorothy, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Classroom teachers deal with numerous pressures in their classrooms including students' difficulty with reading at the middle and high school levels. Often, teachers can identify the problems, but are often unable to rectify them because of a lack of understanding and support in incorporating reading as part of their content area instruction. This research was conducted to investigate the impact of a sustained, online reading professional development on the teaching practice of middle school...
Show moreClassroom teachers deal with numerous pressures in their classrooms including students' difficulty with reading at the middle and high school levels. Often, teachers can identify the problems, but are often unable to rectify them because of a lack of understanding and support in incorporating reading as part of their content area instruction. This research was conducted to investigate the impact of a sustained, online reading professional development on the teaching practice of middle school and high school science teachers who took the 14-week course. This grounded theory research used the reflective assignment, a comprehensive, 10-week, job-embedded assignment of 62 science teachers, to generate categories and themes about the reading challenges they perceived in their own classrooms, what strategies and tools they chose to remedy those challenges, and the perceived changes they saw in their students and themselves. The theory that was derived from the data speaks to how effective, job-embedded reading professional development can impact the knowledge, motivation, and instructional practice of science teachers in the classroom.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004618, ucf:49932
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004618
- Title
- The Relationship Between Reading Coaches' Utilization of Data Technology and Teacher Development.
- Creator
-
Behrens, Cherie, Blair, Timothy, Taylor, Rosemarye, Kelley, Michelle, Cartwright, Vickie, Flanigan, Jacquelyn, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The use of technology in assisting educators to use student data in well-devised ways to enhance the instruction received by students is gaining headway and the support of federal dollars across the nation. Since research has not provided insight as to whether or not reading coaches are using data technology tools with teachers, this mixed methods study sought to examine what behavioral intentions reading coaches have in using data technology tools with teachers, what variables may influence...
Show moreThe use of technology in assisting educators to use student data in well-devised ways to enhance the instruction received by students is gaining headway and the support of federal dollars across the nation. Since research has not provided insight as to whether or not reading coaches are using data technology tools with teachers, this mixed methods study sought to examine what behavioral intentions reading coaches have in using data technology tools with teachers, what variables may influence their behavioral intentions, and what trends may emerge in their views about using technology data tools with teachers. A mixed methods approach was deployed via a survey embedded in an email, and data from 61 Florida reading coaches from elementary, middle, and high schools in a large urban school district were examined using an adaptation of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The results showed that collectively all reading coaches have a high level of behavioral intentions towards using a data technology tool with teachers. The study also showed that elementary, middle, and high school reading coaches vary in their degree of behavioral intentions in using a data technology tool based on different variables. Trends in data showed that reading coaches think data technology tools are helpful, but that trainings are needed and that technology tools should be user-friendly. Discussion is provided regarding the implications of the study results for all stakeholders.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004357, ucf:49425
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004357
- Title
- The war and slavery, and their relations to each other : a discourse, delivered in the Old South Church, Reading, Mass., December 28, 1862.
- Creator
-
Barrows, W. (William)
- Description
- This pamphlet is a discourse delivered by Reverend William Barrows about the relations between the War and Slavery. The pamphlet is a second edition and, as noted on the title page, was "published by request."
- Date Created
- 1863
- Identifier
- DP0010862, E449.B276 1863
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/DP0010862
- Title
- The relationship between participation in tutoring and accountability outcomes in three urban middle schools.
- Creator
-
Rajadhyax, Pamela, Taylor, Rosemarye, Doherty, Walter, Baldwin, Lee, Fritz, Ronald, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This quantitative study was conducted to determine the relationship between participation in a school based tutoring and change in accountability measures on the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) in Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) in the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years. The research was designed to determine the impact of participation in tutoring for urban middle school students. All students who attended one of the three urban middle schools and participated in the...
Show moreThis quantitative study was conducted to determine the relationship between participation in a school based tutoring and change in accountability measures on the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) in Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) in the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years. The research was designed to determine the impact of participation in tutoring for urban middle school students. All students who attended one of the three urban middle schools and participated in the administration of FSA for mathematics or ELA in both the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years were divided into two groups: students who participated in school based tutoring and students who did not participate in school based tutoring. The results from this study unveiled the relationship between participating in school based tutoring and change in accountability measures on state assessments. The relationship of participation in tutoring and change in accountability measures was identified for all students, English learners, and students with disabilities who participated in school based tutoring and those who did not participate in school based tutoring. Lastly, the difference in mean change of accountability measures and participation by delivery model of school based tutoring: computer-based tutoring, small group tutoring, and a mixed mode of computer-based and small group tutoring was assessed. Findings from Pearson Correlations, independent samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA did not indicate a statistical significance between change on accountability measures and participation in tutoring based on subgroups, delivery model, or grade level assessed. Though this study found no statistical significance, several of the mean changes on accountability measures based on subgroups, tutoring delivery models, or grade level was higher for students who participated in tutoring than for students who did not participate in tutoring. There is still much to be understood about the impacts of tutoring on student achievement.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006782, ucf:51823
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006782
- Title
- EXPLORING THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THEORY OF MIND AND DRIVE FOR THINNESS.
- Creator
-
Hudak, Sarah, Tantleff Dunn, Stacey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Research suggests that, similar to individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, people with Anorexia Nervosa demonstrate an inability to utilize Theory of Mind concepts. Theory of Mind allows healthy control populations to attribute mental states to others by accurately predicting and understanding the behavior of others. This study's intent was to further explore the relationship between eating disorders and Theory of Mind. Using an online survey management system (Qualtrics), 210 female...
Show moreResearch suggests that, similar to individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, people with Anorexia Nervosa demonstrate an inability to utilize Theory of Mind concepts. Theory of Mind allows healthy control populations to attribute mental states to others by accurately predicting and understanding the behavior of others. This study's intent was to further explore the relationship between eating disorders and Theory of Mind. Using an online survey management system (Qualtrics), 210 female students from a large metropolitan southeastern university completed the Drive for Thinness subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes task. It was predicted that higher Drive for Thinness would be associated with a diminished capacity for Theory of Mind concepts. Using a bivariate correlation, the findings were not found to be statistically significant in support of the hypothesis, but provide strong implications for future research.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFH0004576, ucf:45164
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004576
- Title
- Kindergarten is Not Child's Play: An Exploration of Pedagogical Approaches Related to Learning in a Play-Based and a Contemporary Classroom at a Title I Elementary School.
- Creator
-
Allee-Herndon, Karyn, Roberts, Sherron, Lue, Martha, Clark, M. H., Garcia, Jeanette, Hu, Bi Ying, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This dissertation is divided into three separate, related, naturalistic, quasi-experimental research studies, all using data from two kindergarten classes at Gator Elementary, a public Title I elementary school in Sunshine District in Central Florida. Each of these studies tested hypotheses that kindergarten children, especially those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, will show greater gains in receptive vocabulary, executive function, and academic achievement when purposeful play is used...
Show moreThis dissertation is divided into three separate, related, naturalistic, quasi-experimental research studies, all using data from two kindergarten classes at Gator Elementary, a public Title I elementary school in Sunshine District in Central Florida. Each of these studies tested hypotheses that kindergarten children, especially those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, will show greater gains in receptive vocabulary, executive function, and academic achievement when purposeful play is used as a pedagogical approach than similar children in typical, contemporary kindergarten classrooms. The first study explored the effects of play-based and contemporary pedagogical approaches on students' receptive vocabulary using the PPVT-4, the second explored students' executive functions using the BRIEF2, and the third explored students' movements using Actigraph GT9X Link accelerometers. All three studies analyzed these data in relation to students' academic achievement as measured by i-Ready Diagnostic assessments. Statistically significant differences were detected in students' receptive vocabulary and reading growth as well as statistically significant differences in students' executive function health as reported by teachers and reading and math academic growth by classroom conditions. A strong association between receptive vocabulary and reading performances was revealed alongside strong negative correlations between levels of executive function concern and reading performance. No statistical differences in math growth between classrooms were found, although there was a moderate effect size, and less of an association between math performance and executive function presented. While strong correlations between academic achievement and total movement by day or movement types were revealed, these associations were inconsistent. Nor were there significant differences in movement by classroom conditions, although there was a moderate effect size suggesting some differences in movement by condition. The findings from this dissertation, while limited, point to a bourgeoning area of research connecting neuroscientific findings with developmentally appropriate practices to explore effective interventions to increase educational equity for vulnerable students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007596, ucf:52556
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007596
