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- Title
- AN EXAMINIATION OF COMPETENCIES, ROLES, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTANCE EDUCATORS WHO TEACH MATHEMATICS.
- Creator
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Williams, Falecia, Kaplan, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study describes the perceptions of both distance education administrators and faculty who teach mathematics online in a Florida community college setting with regard to the relative importance of core competencies and roles in teaching online courses and the need for professional development that is supportive of these competencies and roles. The perceptions of administrators and online faculty for level of importance indicated for core competencies and skill area needs for faculty...
Show moreThis study describes the perceptions of both distance education administrators and faculty who teach mathematics online in a Florida community college setting with regard to the relative importance of core competencies and roles in teaching online courses and the need for professional development that is supportive of these competencies and roles. The perceptions of administrators and online faculty for level of importance indicated for core competencies and skill area needs for faculty development when teaching an online course were examined. Results of these perceptions by group were re-examined in relation to gender, age, ethnicity, years of community college teaching experience, and years of online community college teaching experience. The Survey of Competencies for Teaching an Online Course, a 23-item instrument designed by the researcher, was mailed to 28 distance education administrators with membership to the Florida Distance Learning Consortium (FDLC) and 100 faculty teaching mathematics or statistics online during spring term 2006. Twenty administrators and fifty-two online faculty returned surveys, for a usable response rate of 71% and 52%, respectively. Results from the study suggested: (a) distance education administrators and online faculty ascribed a similar level of importance to core competencies and roles for teaching an online course; (b) providing grades and feedback, facilitating online activities to support learning, and creation of online assignments and tasks were perceived to be the most important competencies and roles for online instruction; (c) distance education administrators and online faculty ascribe varying levels of importance to skill areas needed for faculty development to support a fully Web-based course; (d) knowledge of distance education instructional techniques and planning and instructional design skills were perceived to be the most important skill area need to target for faculty development; and (e) neither gender nor age had any bearing on distance education administrator and online faculty perceptions of the need for faculty development to support online instruction. The results further indicate that although the perceived importance of core competencies and roles for teaching online were similar for distance education administrators and online faculty, the levels of importance for each competency and role varied within each group based upon gender, age, ethnicity, years of community college teaching experience, and years of online community college teaching experience. For example, male faculty, more so than female faculty, viewed greater relevance for production of new and relevant knowledge as competency. Distance education administrators between the ages of 30 and 40, more so than administrators between 49 and 55 years old, consider facilitating to understand course content a high priority competency. Recommendations for further study included conducting a parallel study by varying the faculty subject area, the institution type, geographic location, or level of accreditation. Further research is also suggested to examine ethnic minority representation within distance learning. For this study, the distance education administrator sample was just above 5%, and it was only 10% among the online faculty as it relates to ethnic minorities. Further research is needed to analyze the factors contributing to overall under-representation of ethnic minorities, particularly African-Americans.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001066, ucf:46806
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001066
- Title
- ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF OYSTER REEF AND LIVING SHORELINE RESTORATION ON MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY ASSEMBLAGES IN MOSQUITO LAGOON, FLORIDA.
- Creator
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Searles, Adam, Cook, Geoffrey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As the world continues to experience substantial rates of habitat loss, habitat restoration has become of prime interest to ecologists worldwide. Restoration has shown to be successful in recovering targeted components of certain ecosystems but it is important to achieve a holistic understanding of the resulting ecological impacts it has on communities. To address this, four oyster reefs and three living shorelines were restored during the summer of 2017. These sites, along with four dead...
Show moreAs the world continues to experience substantial rates of habitat loss, habitat restoration has become of prime interest to ecologists worldwide. Restoration has shown to be successful in recovering targeted components of certain ecosystems but it is important to achieve a holistic understanding of the resulting ecological impacts it has on communities. To address this, four oyster reefs and three living shorelines were restored during the summer of 2017. These sites, along with four dead oyster reefs, four living oyster reefs, and three undisturbed (control) living shorelines, were sampled before restoration and regularly post-restoration for one year using lift nets. Macroinvertebrates were collected and enumerated in the lab. Diversity indices, community composition, and similarity percentages were then calculated and compared across treatments, time, and treatment-by-time. Live reefs displayed significantly higher species richness and Shannon diversity than restored and dead reefs. Simpson diversity did not differ between live and restored oyster reefs but both were significantly higher than dead reefs. Though not statistically detectable, species richness and Shannon diversity on restored reefs were relatively similar to dead reefs before restoration but became increasingly similar to live reefs over the course of the study. Additionally, analyses revealed significantly different community compositions between live reefs and restored reefs, as well as between live and dead reefs. Living shorelines showed no significant differences in diversity indices but did experience similar seasonal fluctuations in diversity across treatments. Just as with oyster reefs, restored and control living shorelines harbored significantly different communities across time. The findings of this study emphasize the need for dedication to thorough monitoring and multi-metric evaluation of success in restoration efforts. This study and future research will equip resource managers with ways to quantify the effects of restoration that will consider several important ecosystem components.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFH2000545, ucf:45646
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000545
- Title
- SIGNALS: THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN LITERACY, GENDER, AND SEMIOTICS.
- Creator
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Parker, Patricia, Preston-Sidler, Leandra, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this study is to examine adult literacy beyond its constraints as a social problem and instead consider the implications of illiteracy as a particular form of lived experience, analogous to women's oppression at large. Through a complex system of meaning making, the knowledge accrued by illiterate adults is qualitatively different, and examining these differences in terms of their correlation to coping mechanisms developed in the face of social alienation and diminished...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is to examine adult literacy beyond its constraints as a social problem and instead consider the implications of illiteracy as a particular form of lived experience, analogous to women's oppression at large. Through a complex system of meaning making, the knowledge accrued by illiterate adults is qualitatively different, and examining these differences in terms of their correlation to coping mechanisms developed in the face of social alienation and diminished professional prospects yields a greater understanding of class privilege and how nontraditional learners fit into a larger social structure. From the perspective of academic feminism, adult illiteracy presents several problems regarding the scope of an inclusive feminist community that acknowledges privilege and difference. The primary method through which information regarding feminism is conferred is printed materials, which utilize highly specific, specialized jargon, and unwittingly create an exclusive community marred by internalized racism and class stratifications. This study explores other methods through which feminist ideation might theoretically be possible, i.e. cultural "reading" communities and vocational and continuing education programs focused on cultural competencies, as women come out of their imposed silences and become aware of their circumstances in a way that resembles feminist thought, if perhaps without sophisticated language with which to communicate those ideals. In this way, feminist ideation and semiotics tie in together, as attitudinal change may occur without the semantic realization of what this entails. This goal of this paper is also, in part, to justify why acknowledging gendered learning differences and a particular female subjectivity for adult literacy clients will yield better results for their self-valuation, as gender is a component of diversity all but ignored within the scheme of adult literacy pedagogical theory.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFH0004266, ucf:44963
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004266
- Title
- SELF-DETERMINATION AMONG COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS DIAGNOSED WITH ASPERGER'S SYNDROME: A QUALITATIVE STUDY.
- Creator
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Szentmiklosi, Jillian, Cintron, Rosa, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This qualitative research study investigated the self-determination of community college students diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome (AS). Varying levels of self-determination were displayed within each of the five participants. However, despite the unique characteristics and experiences of the participants, five major and two minor themes related to the collegial experiences of these students were revealed. The major themes highlighted were that community college students with AS (a)...
Show moreThis qualitative research study investigated the self-determination of community college students diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome (AS). Varying levels of self-determination were displayed within each of the five participants. However, despite the unique characteristics and experiences of the participants, five major and two minor themes related to the collegial experiences of these students were revealed. The major themes highlighted were that community college students with AS (a) enjoyed academic success, (b) found disability services and accommodations important, (c) chose majors based on personal interests, (d) relied on family members for support, and (e) had difficulty developing social connections on campus. The minor themes related to the particular importance of faculty and attendance at a community college to some of the students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002880, ucf:48030
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002880
- Title
- LEADERSHIP ORIENTATIONS OFCOMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENTS AND THE ADMINISTRATORS WHO REPORT TO THEM: A FRAME ANALYSIS.
- Creator
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McArdle, Michele, Taylor, Rosemarye, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Presidents of Community Colleges and the administrators who reported directly to them were the subjects for this study based on the Four Frame Leadership Theory of Bolman and Deal (1990b). The Leadership Orientation (Self) Survey (LOS) was mailed to 169 community college presidents and administrators in the presidents' direct report teams. The final usable response rate of 69.82% to the survey fell within the acceptable range for education as defined by Boser and Green (1997). In addition...
Show morePresidents of Community Colleges and the administrators who reported directly to them were the subjects for this study based on the Four Frame Leadership Theory of Bolman and Deal (1990b). The Leadership Orientation (Self) Survey (LOS) was mailed to 169 community college presidents and administrators in the presidents' direct report teams. The final usable response rate of 69.82% to the survey fell within the acceptable range for education as defined by Boser and Green (1997). In addition, the subjects were asked to write about the most difficult challenge they had faced in their current position and how they handled that challenge. The purpose of this study was to determine (a) the usage of leadership frames from both groups; presidents and their administrative teams, (b) if gender or years of experience in their current positions were factors in leadership frame usage in each group, and (c) if there was a relationship between a president's frame usage and the frame usage of the members of the direct report team. The major findings were: 1. The presidents and administrators displayed the highest mean scores for the human resource frame with the mean scores of the three remaining frames (structural, political, and symbolic) clustering as a second unit of responses. In the narrative segment of the survey, the most frequently rated central theme among the presidents and the direct reports was the political frame. 2. The results from statistical analysis of the responses from both groups (presidents and the administrators who directly reported to them) did not show any statistically significant difference among frame use based on gender or number of years of experience in their positions. 3. The correlation coefficients did not indicate that there was a relationship in either direction regarding leadership style between the two groups (presidents and administrators). A phenomenological analysis of the scenario statements from these two groups indicated that presidents who used the political frame as a central theme tended to have administrators who also used the political frame as one or as a pair of central themes. Presidents who used the symbolic frame as a central theme tended to have administrators who used all four frames as central themes in their narratives. 4. A fourth finding was the discrepancy in the ability of the leaders to use multiple frames as demonstrated in the results from the quantitative and qualitative findings. The quantitative data suggested that these leaders were practicing the techniques of multi-framing more than one-half of the time. Contrary to this finding, the qualitative data showed that 5 of 30 scenario statements showed paired frames being used as central frames. 5. One additional finding based on the qualitative statements by presidents and their administrators revealed much thought and intentional practice in the leaders' ability to build teams.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002301, ucf:47872
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002301
- Title
- The Impact of the Community Partnership Schools Model Community School on Graduation and Attendance Rates in One Florida High School.
- Creator
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Ellis, Amy, Johnson, Jerry, Doherty, Walter, Williams-Fjeldhe, Karri, Castor Dentel, Karen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify and describe the nature and extent of the relationships, if any, that existed between a Community Partnership Schools(TM) (CPS) model community school and the outcomes of graduation and attendance rates at one public high school in Florida. An evaluation study utilizing an interrupted time series (ITS) design addressed this problem by identifying and describing the relationship between the CPS model and the key outcome measures using...
Show moreThe purpose of this quantitative study was to identify and describe the nature and extent of the relationships, if any, that existed between a Community Partnership Schools(TM) (CPS) model community school and the outcomes of graduation and attendance rates at one public high school in Florida. An evaluation study utilizing an interrupted time series (ITS) design addressed this problem by identifying and describing the relationship between the CPS model and the key outcome measures using visual analysis and descriptive statistics. Graduation and attendance rates for seven years before the CPS model was introduced (2003-2010) and seven years after the CPS model was introduced (2010-2017) at the CPS school were compared to the graduation and attendance rates for the same time frames of five other matched comparison high schools that had not implemented a CPS model community school. Findings of this study, though mixed, suggest the Community Partnership Schools(TM) model may have provided a positive environment for improvement in key measures at the targeted CPS high school. Though no definitive conclusions were reached, this study alongside other evaluations of the Community Partnership Schools(TM) model may be helpful in informing decision makers regarding the potential positive influence of the CPS model on such measures as graduation and attendance rates.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007452, ucf:52698
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007452
- Title
- Local Community Influences on Interpretation at Historical Sites and Museums.
- Creator
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FitzGerald, Jason, Cheong, Caroline, Gannon, Barbara, Walker, Ezekiel, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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(")Local Community Influences on Interpretation at Historical Sites and Museums(") is an analysis in how interpretations of historical content are chosen for visitors and to what degree local communities contribute to this decision process. What determines which stories and historical narratives are presented at historical sites and museums? Is the process of determining how to interpret historical events as simple as relating the event to the time and place that corresponds with that...
Show more(")Local Community Influences on Interpretation at Historical Sites and Museums(") is an analysis in how interpretations of historical content are chosen for visitors and to what degree local communities contribute to this decision process. What determines which stories and historical narratives are presented at historical sites and museums? Is the process of determining how to interpret historical events as simple as relating the event to the time and place that corresponds with that particular site? Is it possible that public historical sites and museums reflect the social values and points of interests of the local communities rather than accepted and popular history of American culture? This analysis demonstrates how local communities affect the interpretation through three case studies and through three components (-) governance, stakeholders, and funding. The simplified version of presenting history at historical sites (")because it happened here(") no longer becomes viable. Interpretation is affected and these three components demonstrate to what degree local communities contribute.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007456, ucf:52669
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007456
- Title
- The Community College Baccalaureate and Adult Students: A Qualitative Analysis.
- Creator
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Kersenbrock, Angela, Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Boyd, Tammy, Owens, James, Whiteman, JoAnn, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The focus of this qualitative research was to investigate the motivations, experiences, and constructs of non-traditional adult students who elected to enroll in community college baccalaureate programs. The participants in this investigation were a homogeneous sample of adult students who had priorities other than school, such as employment and families. The research questions which guided the study sought to explore the narratives adult students shared of their reasons for choosing to...
Show moreThe focus of this qualitative research was to investigate the motivations, experiences, and constructs of non-traditional adult students who elected to enroll in community college baccalaureate programs. The participants in this investigation were a homogeneous sample of adult students who had priorities other than school, such as employment and families. The research questions which guided the study sought to explore the narratives adult students shared of their reasons for choosing to enroll in a community college baccalaureate degree program, how they described meaning to having access to these new degrees, and what impact the community college baccalaureate had on the decision to return for the bachelor degree. The voices of the students were captured during semi-structured individual interviews.Six central themes emerged from the data gathered: Resiliency vs. Obstacles: Managing Life, Finding Self Through Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivational Factors, The Community College Degree as Key to Economic Stability, Limited Alternatives to Baccalaureate Degree Attainment, Importance of Communality to Adult Students Feelings of Belonging, and Neither Difference nor Disadvantage to Obtaining a Community College Baccalaureate Degree.The study's results led to recommendations and implications for legislators, higher education faculty and administrators, and admissions and marketing specialists.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004561, ucf:49243
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004561
- Title
- KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT DETERMINANTS OF CONTINUANCE BEHAVIOR: EVALUATING THE AIR FORCE KNOWLEDGE NOW KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
- Creator
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Tucker, Eric, Kotnour, Timothy, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Knowledge management (KM) encompasses the set of capabilities, processes, tools, and techniques for the most effective use of knowledge by an organization. The goal of KM is to improve the organizationÂÂ's ability to create, transfer, retain, and apply knowledge. Knowledge management is a goal that many organizations seek to achieve. Organizations apply their strategies, plans, and implementation to achieve KM. Organizations use technology to implement their KM strategy...
Show moreKnowledge management (KM) encompasses the set of capabilities, processes, tools, and techniques for the most effective use of knowledge by an organization. The goal of KM is to improve the organizationÂÂ's ability to create, transfer, retain, and apply knowledge. Knowledge management is a goal that many organizations seek to achieve. Organizations apply their strategies, plans, and implementation to achieve KM. Organizations use technology to implement their KM strategy. For some, this approach has worked well; however, for others, the results have fallen short. KM shortcomings revolve around employeesÂÂ' infrequent use of the technology. This research seeks to understand what influences a userÂÂ's behavior to use a KM system and why a user becomes a routine user. This research provides a model of KM continuance behavior and post-acceptance usage behavior. Post-acceptance usage behavior is how an individual decides to use a system after its initial acceptance. The KM continuance model incorporates technology, community, individual, and organizational elements that influence a userÂÂ's intentions and actual use of a KM system. The specific context of this research is a KM system known as the Air Force Knowledge Now (AFKN) system. AFKN emphasizes KM through expertise-sharing activities in Communities of Practice (CoPs). The AFKN KM system facilitates and enhances the relationships in the community. The data for this study were obtained by using an online questionnaire. The results are analyzed using Partial Least Squares structural equation modeling with a two-step data analysis approach. The first step assessed the properties of the measurement model. The second step assessed the path model. Path coefficients and t-values are generated to evaluate the 14 proposed hypotheses. The results of the investigation show that community and technology KM both positively influence a userÂÂ's evaluation of the KM environment. The results produced a coefficient of determination of 60% for KM continued-use intention and 31% for KM continued-use behavior. The outcome of this research is a model that allows organizations to tailor their KM systems efforts to the organizational environment in order to maximize their resources. This investigation serves as a foundation for further research and development in areas of KM, KM systems, and post-acceptance usage.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003328, ucf:48484
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003328
- Title
- Civic Engagement of Community College Students: A Qualitative Research Study On Community College Curriculum and Civic Engagement.
- Creator
-
Shephard, Landon, Russell, William, Hewitt, Randall, Waring, Scott, Jewett, Aubrey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Social scientists claim young United States (U.S.) citizens have become disengaged in civic life which jeopardizes democracy (White et al., 2007; CIRCLE (&) Carnegie, 2003, p.8). As a nation, the U.S. has failed to teach students the skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary for democratic life (White et l., 2007). Social scientists claim young U.S. citizens have become disengaged in civic life since the 1980s (Colby, 2007; CIRCLE (&) Carnegie, 2003, p.4). Compared to past generations, young...
Show moreSocial scientists claim young United States (U.S.) citizens have become disengaged in civic life which jeopardizes democracy (White et al., 2007; CIRCLE (&) Carnegie, 2003, p.8). As a nation, the U.S. has failed to teach students the skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary for democratic life (White et l., 2007). Social scientists claim young U.S. citizens have become disengaged in civic life since the 1980s (Colby, 2007; CIRCLE (&) Carnegie, 2003, p.4). Compared to past generations, young citizens in the United States are less engaged in political life and lack an understanding of what it means to be an active and engaged citizen (Colby, 2007; White et al., 2007; CIRCLE (&) Carnegie, 2003, p.4). The idea of engaged citizenship has become narrowly defined as the simple act of voting, limiting the possibilities of citizens in improving society through community involvement (White et al., 2007). However, social scientists and social science educators have witnessed an increase in volunteerism of young U.S. citizens since about 2000. Along with this increase in volunteerism, other empirical evidence has painted a more positive picture of young Americans' civic engagement (Zukin et al., 2006). While researchers admit that young U.S. citizens are less politically engaged, young citizens demonstrate an interest in civic engagement (e.g., volunteering and participating in social campaigns) (Zukin et al., 2006). Historically, kindergarten through twelfth-grade (K-12) social-studies education has responded, through a civic-focused curriculum, to the needs of the United States. The nation's colleges and universities have also traditionally focused on the education of the country's future civic leaders, paying particular attention to teaching citizenship for the common good while promoting civic duty and responsibility. In comparison, little attention has been focused on the civic education of the community college student. The primary focus of community colleges has been to stimulate local economies and provide training for workforce development. In addition to workforce development, community colleges have provided access to under-prepared students who are interested in completing a four-year degree at a university, where civic leadership has been integrated into the curriculum. This research study followed a qualitative phenomenological approach that investigated the attitudes and perceptions of community college students and their civic and political engagement. The researcher collected data pertaining to civic engagement from three sources: open-ended qualitative questionnaires, student focus-groups, and a drawing activity completed by students. This research study was conducted in a large urban community college located in the southeastern region of the United States. Wilson Community College is a pseudonym used to conceal the identity of the college that was used in this research study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004440, ucf:49337
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004440
- Title
- PRINCIPAL AND TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF CHANGE IMPLEMENTATION PRACTICES IN 2007 AND 2008 SMALL LEARNING COMMUNITIES GRANT RECIPIENT HIGH SCHOOLS IN FLORIDA.
- Creator
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Bristo, Benjamin, Taylor, Rosemarye, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Leading through change is a difficult process. School leaders who hope to create meaningful, long-term change must be cognizant of numerous factors. This study was undertaken with the hope of increasing educational leadersÂÂ' awareness of how their decisions are viewed by those who follow them. Case studies revealed pertinent data within two schools that have undertaken a significant change initiative. All 2007 and 2008 Small Learning Communities (SLC) grant-recipient...
Show moreLeading through change is a difficult process. School leaders who hope to create meaningful, long-term change must be cognizant of numerous factors. This study was undertaken with the hope of increasing educational leadersÂÂ' awareness of how their decisions are viewed by those who follow them. Case studies revealed pertinent data within two schools that have undertaken a significant change initiative. All 2007 and 2008 Small Learning Communities (SLC) grant-recipient schools in Florida were invited to participate in a series of case studies. Participating principals were questioned about their perceptions of how they fulfill their change leadership role related to the seven factor of second-order change, as identified by Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005). Teachers were questioned about their perceptions of the principalÂÂ's performance in leading the new initiative by the same seven factors. Principal and teacher scores were then compared for each school to identify potential differences in perceptions related change implementation and the seven factors. Although the data cannot be generalized, statistical analyses did reveal significant differences in perceptions of between principals and teachers in each of the two participating schools. In Study 1, these differences existed in Knowledge of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment; Optimizer; Flexibility; and Ideals/Beliefs. In Study 2, differences were identified in the same areas as in Study 1, but in Intellectual Stimulation and Monitoring/Evaluating as well. Differences in teacher perceptions across the schools were identified in Knowledge of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment; and in Intellectual Stimulation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003047, ucf:48367
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003047
- Title
- A CASE STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY IMPLEMENTATION AND ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA URBAN SCHOOLS.
- Creator
-
Ellis, Amanda, Taylor, Rosemarye, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The focus of this research was to examine the professional learning of school instructional and administrative staff as they focused on the elements of becoming a professional learning community. Existing research examined the components and behaviors collectively or independently. This research describes the relational data between the critical elements of focus, the leader, teams, and individual teacher as related to student achievement. It was determined through the literature review and...
Show moreThe focus of this research was to examine the professional learning of school instructional and administrative staff as they focused on the elements of becoming a professional learning community. Existing research examined the components and behaviors collectively or independently. This research describes the relational data between the critical elements of focus, the leader, teams, and individual teacher as related to student achievement. It was determined through the literature review and results of this study that there were constructs of professional learning communities that were related to student achievement. In particular, a statistically significant relationship between proficiency in reading and teacher reflection was found. Additional behaviors of teachers and leaders were discussed in relation to increased student achievement. Suggested uses for the study included the consideration of practices by leaders in creating professional learning communities that support student achievement. An additional suggestion was the utilization of reflective practice and action research as means for increased student achievement.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003179, ucf:48619
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003179
- Title
- Student Community Detection and Recommendation of Customized Paths to Reinforce Academic Success.
- Creator
-
Shao, Yuan, Jha, Sumit Kumar, Zhang, Wei, Zhang, Shaojie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Educational Data Mining (EDM) is a research area that analyzes educational data and extracts interesting and unique information to address education issues. EDM implements computational methods to explore data for the purpose of studying questions related to educational achievements. A common task in an educational environment is the grouping of students and the identification of communities that have common features. Then, these communities of students may be studied by a course developer to...
Show moreEducational Data Mining (EDM) is a research area that analyzes educational data and extracts interesting and unique information to address education issues. EDM implements computational methods to explore data for the purpose of studying questions related to educational achievements. A common task in an educational environment is the grouping of students and the identification of communities that have common features. Then, these communities of students may be studied by a course developer to build a personalized learning system, promote effective group learning, provide adaptive contents, etc. The objective of this thesis is to find an approach to detect student communities and analyze students who do well academically with particular sequences of classes in each community. Then, we compute one or more sequences of courses that a student in a community may pursue to higher their chances of obtaining good academic performance.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007529, ucf:52623
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007529
- Title
- A Phenomenological Study on the Implementation of Louise Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory and its Impact on Teacher-Efficacy for Literacy Instruction in an Online Environment.
- Creator
-
Vu, Marcus, Olan, Elsie, Vitale, Thomas, Hewitt, Randall, Owens, J. Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The present study sought to examine the teacher-efficacy for literacy instruction (TELI) of instructors who teach in an online environment. The phenomenological methodology sought to answer the following research questions: (1) What pedagogical practices do instructors use to provide literacy instruction in an online environment? (2) How do instructors perceive their TELI in an online environment? and (3) What impact, if any, will a Professional Learning Community (PLC) focused on Rosenblatt...
Show moreThe present study sought to examine the teacher-efficacy for literacy instruction (TELI) of instructors who teach in an online environment. The phenomenological methodology sought to answer the following research questions: (1) What pedagogical practices do instructors use to provide literacy instruction in an online environment? (2) How do instructors perceive their TELI in an online environment? and (3) What impact, if any, will a Professional Learning Community (PLC) focused on Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory have on TELI in an online environment?The study consisted of a group of seven online instructors. The researcher the acting as facilitator administered the initial interviews and exit interviews and adapted an Action Research PLC with activities modeled after those that influence self-efficacy. In initial interviews, the participants described their literacy practices as mostly dialogic conversations with students in which they provide examples and non-examples for students. They used some aesthetic strategies, but their practices were mainly efferent and low taxonomically. The initial interviews also revealed that instructors felt that they did not know their students well and that their literacy instructional practices were mostly silenced by the dominant role of the standardized curriculum. It was observed that teachers sourced their confidence in TELI in an online environment not from the practices they used in an online environment, but in the practices they once used in the traditional classroom which are now silenced in an online environment. During the Action Research PLC, the researcher and participants collaborated in creating questions and instructional resources that helped students take a more aesthetic stance while still meeting the standards of the curriculum through the use of aesthetic questions and discussions, semantic association, and narrative-centered learning. The PLC structure also incorporated the four influential experiences on self-efficacy. The results of the exit interviews revealed that the teachers either remained confident or increased in confidence in their TELI in an online environment. In addition, viewing TELI through Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory aided in closing the gap in transactional distance observed by the participants because they were able to engage in more positive dialogues with their students. The PLC provided a creative space for teachers to work and deliver their personalized instruction enabling them to voice their once silenced literacy instructional practices. It can be determined that the transactions that teachers have with students mediated in an online environment have a far greater impact on TELI. Viewing literacy instruction through Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory provides a reflective experience where teachers revisit whether or not an instructional practice can improve their teaching through more aesthetic dialogue thus improving their TELI.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006818, ucf:51790
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006818
- Title
- The Impact of Board Capital and Servant Leadership on Board Effectiveness: A Study of Florida Community Foundations.
- Creator
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Obyrne, Lauren, Kapucu, Naim, Hu, Qian, Feldheim, Mary Ann, Sowa, Jessica, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Community foundations have considerable potential for positive social change in the communities they serve yet are understudied in nonprofit management and leadership literature. Recently, community foundations have become one of the largest avenues of organized philanthropy. The boards of community foundations frequently consist of a different composition of members than other nonprofit organizations, making a focus on individual characteristics of board members a worthwhile area of study....
Show moreCommunity foundations have considerable potential for positive social change in the communities they serve yet are understudied in nonprofit management and leadership literature. Recently, community foundations have become one of the largest avenues of organized philanthropy. The boards of community foundations frequently consist of a different composition of members than other nonprofit organizations, making a focus on individual characteristics of board members a worthwhile area of study. This exploratory study considers board capital through human capital, structural capital, and social capital and the impact this has on board effectiveness. In addition, it considers the impact of servant leadership on board effectiveness. The purpose of the study is to assess capital and leadership factors of community foundation board members and examine their influence on perceived board effectiveness. Based on survey data from 71 community foundation board members and executive directors representing 13 different community foundations associated with the Florida Philanthropic Network, the dissertation uses ordinal regression to test hypotheses. Additional data was also collected with follow up focus groups. The study finds that board capital, measured by human capital, structural capital, and social capital, as well as servant leadership, do play a factor in board effectiveness. Further, community foundation boards in the survey population are highly effective, and have unique attributes that make them distinct from other types of nonprofit boards. Follow up focus groups suggested that, although board members define board effectiveness in a number of ways, boards are creating social change within their communities in different ways. Findings have potential for significant insight on an important segment of nonprofit sector organizations, particularly for strengthening communities through philanthropy.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006155, ucf:51135
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006155
- Title
- The Community College Student's Social Construction of Global Learning in the Florida College System.
- Creator
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Robertson, Jennifer, Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Owens, J. Thomas, Nutta, Joyce, Marshall, Nancy, Lee, Shara, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine the Florida community college student's understanding of and engagement in global learning through the lens of constructionist theory. Using a grounded theory methodology, seven students in three Florida community colleges were interviewed to hear in their own words how personal and academic experiences have shaped their interest in other countries, cultures, and current international events. The goal of this study was to explore...
Show moreThe purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine the Florida community college student's understanding of and engagement in global learning through the lens of constructionist theory. Using a grounded theory methodology, seven students in three Florida community colleges were interviewed to hear in their own words how personal and academic experiences have shaped their interest in other countries, cultures, and current international events. The goal of this study was to explore students' perspectives using the principles of social constructionism and constructivism to create a new model of understanding of global learning.The final results of the study found that students primarily think of culture when asked about global learning, and they do not have a solid understanding of the concept in an academic sense. This understanding has been formed throughout their lives as their interest began well before their current community college experience. Remarkably, all seven students had some experience with global learning long before enrollment in their current institution, and all seven students had an unremarkable college experience thus far as it pertained to global learning. In the end, there were five major influences found to be involved in the formation of students' understanding and engagement level in global learning, which included the family, peers, academic experiences, work experiences, and the external environment. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of the community college's role in helping to prepare college graduates for the 21st century workplace.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006170, ucf:51145
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006170
- Title
- A Comparative Study of Student Performance, Attendance, and Discipline in a Community School in a Large Urban School District in the Southern United States.
- Creator
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Morrow, Juanita, Murray, Barbara, Baldwin, Lee, Storey, Valerie A., Doherty, Walter, Doaks, Synthia, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The goal of this research was to investigate the impact of the community school practices such as extended/supplemental enrichment time, character development, anger management, counseling, tutoring, and mental and physical healthcare on student performance, attendance and discipline at a community school in a large urban school district in the southern U.S. The select population and sample for this study was the school's 2011-2012 senior cohort, before the school's implementation of...
Show moreThe goal of this research was to investigate the impact of the community school practices such as extended/supplemental enrichment time, character development, anger management, counseling, tutoring, and mental and physical healthcare on student performance, attendance and discipline at a community school in a large urban school district in the southern U.S. The select population and sample for this study was the school's 2011-2012 senior cohort, before the school's implementation of community school practices and the school's 2015-2016 senior cohort, after implementation of community school practices at the select community school. In an effort to more accurately determine the effectiveness of the community school practices, the study also compared the performance of the community school after implementation of the community school practices to two comparison high schools in the same urban school district; not incorporating the community school practices into instruction, organizational structure, and policy. T-tests analysis and descriptive statistics analysis demonstrated that there was statistical improvement in student performance in regard to cumulative grade point average, graduation rate, and attendance for the 2015-2016 senior cohort. However, improvement was not present in discipline and the frequency distribution of industry certifications for the 2015-2016 senior cohort when compared to the 2011-2012 senior cohort.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006769, ucf:51871
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006769
- Title
- Understanding Arson Through Community Resilience.
- Creator
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South, Rhena, Corzine, Harold, Huff-Corzine, Lin, Li, Yingru, McCutcheon, James, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Over 40,000 arsons were reported in the 2014 Uniform Crime Report; however, this number is underestimated since there are no official arson trends reported by the FBI due to the lack of agencies reporting this offense. Arson is one of the most destructive and under researched crimes. This lack of research can be attributed to the dual definition of arson (-) that is, the destruction of one's own property or someone else's property (-) the opportunistic nature of arson, and the inability to...
Show moreOver 40,000 arsons were reported in the 2014 Uniform Crime Report; however, this number is underestimated since there are no official arson trends reported by the FBI due to the lack of agencies reporting this offense. Arson is one of the most destructive and under researched crimes. This lack of research can be attributed to the dual definition of arson (-) that is, the destruction of one's own property or someone else's property (-) the opportunistic nature of arson, and the inability to determine a measurable rate. The current study uses data from the Chicago Police Department's Citizen Law Enforcement Analysis and Reporting (CLEAR) System and the 2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates to explore arson offending among and across neighborhoods within the framework of routine activities theory and social disorganization theory. Spatially weighted negative binomial regression is used to test correlation and significance. Analyses were run in STATA and ArcGIS 10.4.1. Results are consistent with prior arson research showing that rates of occurrence are increased by structural measures such as social disorganization, physical disorder, and public transportation. However, racial heterogeneity and accessibility to public transportation are shown to both increase or decrease rates of arson occurrence depending on the subtype of arson. These results suggest that community characteristics may play a greater role in understanding arson offending than previously thought.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006800, ucf:51816
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006800
- Title
- Influence of Personal and State Level Variables on Perception of State Emergency Management Network Resilience In 47 States.
- Creator
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Jennison, Victoria, Wan, Thomas, Zhang, Ning, Ramirez, Bernardo, Kapucu, Naim, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Emergency management coordination in the United States has fallen victim to over a century of strategies to organize, reorganize, consolidate, or decentralize disaster preparedness, planning and response. Regardless of the agency in charge at the federal level, individual citizens have been responsible for their own well-being immediately after any disaster or emergency event for more than 100 years because it takes time to mobilize and deliver aid. The system most often charged with managing...
Show moreEmergency management coordination in the United States has fallen victim to over a century of strategies to organize, reorganize, consolidate, or decentralize disaster preparedness, planning and response. Regardless of the agency in charge at the federal level, individual citizens have been responsible for their own well-being immediately after any disaster or emergency event for more than 100 years because it takes time to mobilize and deliver aid. The system most often charged with managing that mobilization during an emergency event that exceeds the response capacity of local public safety agencies is the state emergency management network. Many entities in a state emergency management network have different responsibilities during disaster states vs. non-disaster states. Regardless of their role and function, entities need to be able to exchange resources and information with each other, often under time, economic, or other constraints during disasters. This resource exchange generates trust, an essential element of a resilient network. Resilient networks suffer fewer negative impacts from disaster related loss and are more likely to retain collective capacity to respond and help communities recover.The purpose of this study is to explore the ability of individual and state level attributes to explain variability in perception of network resilience. One-hundred fifty one state emergency management agency employees were surveyed regarding their perception of 5 constructs of network resilience (rapidity, redundancy, relationships, resourcefulness, and robustness) and individual level attributes. State level indicators from FEMA, NEMA, American Human Development Index, and Social Vulnerability Index were also analyzed. Overall, it was found that the individual attribute of perception of network integrity had the most influence on perception of network resilience, followed by perception of community resilience and state level attributes including disaster experience, state well-being, and number of full time state emergency management agency employees. These findings can improve network resilience by informing state emergency management network development activity. Networks that increase member opportunities to develop relationships of resource and information exchange will increase their resilience. That increased network resilience impacts community resilience because, as Winston Churchill's wise words during World War II reconstruction advise, (")We shape our communities and then they shape us(").?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005812, ucf:50040
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005812
- Title
- Seeing a Whole Life: Genre and Identity in Occupational Therapy.
- Creator
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Johnson, Stefanie, Wardle, Elizabeth, Hall, Mark, Roozen, Kevin, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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A significant body of writing and rhetoric research focuses on the literate practices that reflect or construct the professional self, particularly in disciplines that rely heavily on the use of forms to categorize or identify customers, clients, or patients. Many of these studies examine the influence of discipline-specific genres on the creation of a professional self for healthcare practitioners. Occupational therapy, a nearly 100-year-old yet little understood profession, is significantly...
Show moreA significant body of writing and rhetoric research focuses on the literate practices that reflect or construct the professional self, particularly in disciplines that rely heavily on the use of forms to categorize or identify customers, clients, or patients. Many of these studies examine the influence of discipline-specific genres on the creation of a professional self for healthcare practitioners. Occupational therapy, a nearly 100-year-old yet little understood profession, is significantly different from many other healthcare disciplines, in part, because the genres used by occupational therapists reflect the profession's careful attention to the whole life of a patient. These genres are built around an understanding of a patient's occupation as the object of the profession's activity system. (")Occupation(") (commonly defined too narrowly by those outside of the profession as (")work(")), is, quite simply, anything that meaningfully and purposefully occupies a person's time. This broadly defined object invites an expansive professional vision that includes the patient's life and history outside of a diagnosis. This study presents the narratives of four occupational therapists and the literate activities that inform their practice. Their voices, as excerpted in this case study, join a strong, ongoing conversation in writing and rhetoric studies about the relationship between genre and identity. Using the lens of activity theory, this is one account of a healthcare profession that pays unusual attention to patients' whole lives through genres that mediate shared agency between the caregiver and patient. It is also, however, the story of the ways in which this identity, as a uniquely occupation-based discipline, becomes obscured as therapists translate their work to genres created and controlled by other, more powerful activity systems.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005813, ucf:50036
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005813
