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Title: Ideology and Influence: Balancing Conservative and Neoconservative Power in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Creator: Corsi, Rachel, Sadri, Houman, Morales, Waltraud, Kinsey, Barbara, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The evolution of the Pasdaran over the past thirty years has brought the group furtheraway from its original role as a protector of the revolution and closer to a parallel, if notcompeting, economic, political and social institution. In the last decade, conflict dominating the political landscape of the Islamic Republic of Iran has shifted from being defined primarily by the Reformists (Islamic Left) and the Conservatives (Islamic Right), to a multi-dimensional struggle between the Reformists...
Show moreThe evolution of the Pasdaran over the past thirty years has brought the group furtheraway from its original role as a protector of the revolution and closer to a parallel, if notcompeting, economic, political and social institution. In the last decade, conflict dominating the political landscape of the Islamic Republic of Iran has shifted from being defined primarily by the Reformists (Islamic Left) and the Conservatives (Islamic Right), to a multi-dimensional struggle between the Reformists, Conservatives, and Neo-Conservatives, represented by theIRGC and President Ahmadinejad. The IRGC's defiance against the authority of the clerics,evidenced by President Ahmadinejad's deteriorating relationship with the Supreme Leader, is an indication of a shift in the sources of influence in domestic and foreign policy making and the necessary attempts of the ruling regime to compensate for its loss of control. It appears that the IRGC may be in a position to seriously challenge the authority of the clerics; however, this research hypothesizes that as the organization has evolved parallel to the velayet-e faqih, it does not have the necessary autonomy or cohesion to effectively usurp the rule of the clerics. This study proposes that the competitive disunity that has propelled the growth of the IRGC over thepast three decades is prohibitive of the collective consolidation of influence necessary to wrest authority from the clerical regime.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004095, ucf:49136
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004095

Title: Understanding faculty donors: Giving at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the southern region of the United States.
Creator: Proctor, Curtis, Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Welch, Kerry, Boyd, Tammy, Ehasz, Maribeth, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate the motivational factors that lead to faculty giving to their employing institutions. Giving practices in relation to the life experiences and independent influences of faculty members who were employed at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) were examined. In addition this study contributes to the limited amount of literature provided on HBCUs institutional advancement offices as well as the effectiveness of...
Show moreThe purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate the motivational factors that lead to faculty giving to their employing institutions. Giving practices in relation to the life experiences and independent influences of faculty members who were employed at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) were examined. In addition this study contributes to the limited amount of literature provided on HBCUs institutional advancement offices as well as the effectiveness of their solicitation efforts as perceived by faculty members employed at the colleges and universities.Three research questions were considered in this study. First, what life experiences contribute to the predisposition of faculty donors in giving to their institutions? Second, what intrinsic motivational elements influence faculty donors to give to their employing institutions? Third, how are the strategies used to solicit funding from faculty related to giving?Basic interpretive qualitative methodology was used to analyze the data gathered from the research participants. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven faculty members employed at HBCUs in the southern region of the United States. It was determined that faculty members attribute their giving practices to many of their life experiences. Religious involvement, childhood experiences, and family history, were all discussed by faculty members as being instrumental to their giving habits. Participants also discussed the sense of community that is established at HBCUs as being inspirational in determining whether or not they gave of their time, talent, or financial resources. Responses to open-ended questions about the effectiveness of institutional advancement offices provided additional qualitative data that could be used by HBCUs to increase the amount of annual giving to the university.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004283, ucf:49531
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004283

Title: "The Best and Worst of All That God and Man Can Do": Paternalistic Perceptions On the Intellectually Disabled at Florida's Sunland Institutions.".
Creator: Dickens, Bethany, Cassanello, Robert, Foster, Amy, Lindsay, Anne, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Historians have studied mental institutions in the mid-20th century; however, few have discussed them within the context of the period's paternalistic social movements and perceptions. Florida's Sunland program provides a lens for studying the parental role the institutions and general public took toward the intellectually disabled. Specifically, administrators saw residents of the Sunland Training Centers and Hospitals as perpetual children, trapped in an (")eternal childhood.(") The...
Show moreHistorians have studied mental institutions in the mid-20th century; however, few have discussed them within the context of the period's paternalistic social movements and perceptions. Florida's Sunland program provides a lens for studying the parental role the institutions and general public took toward the intellectually disabled. Specifically, administrators saw residents of the Sunland Training Centers and Hospitals as perpetual children, trapped in an (")eternal childhood.(") The institution was presented as a family unit, abiding by 1950s ideals of the companionate household. When the Sunlands proved generally unsuccessful, Florida's communities began to supplement their efforts. The social movements of the 1960s inspired community care organizations and other special programs in lieu of institutionalization. Reports of neglect and abuse at the Sunlands contributed to the community's subsequent perception of residents as (")victimized children,(") deprived of a (")normal(") life. Such a view of the intellectually disabled continues to dominate discussions of the Sunlands, community care, and (")normalization.(") This study informs a broad understanding of the past while contributing to these contemporary considerations. Research into the Sunland Training Centers and Hospitals, as well as their surrounding communities, relies on subjective sources. The flagship training center, located in Gainesville, published an internally-circulated newsletter utilized in this work. Detailed studies of Florida's newspapers provide the perspective of Florida's community members, including women's clubs and civil rights activists. Finally, articles and books written on Sunland (")hauntings(") illustrate recent attempts to define and patronize the intellectually disabled. All of these sources point toward a liberal paternalism that dominated discussions of the intellectually disabled in the mid-20th century.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005156, ucf:50707
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005156

Title: The Moral Oppression of the Teaching Profession: Learning to Transcend.
Creator: Smith, Rebecca, Hewitt, Randall, Carter, Shannon, Terzian, Sevan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis is both descriptive and philosophical, and at its core, it justifies the need for social foundations of education courses and programs in the university setting. It begins by analyzing the meaning of oppression and the part knowledge plays in confining the individual. The analysis then draws upon Patricia Hill Collins' theory of intersecting oppressions to get at the complexities and restrictions of working in the public schooling institution. It works through the ways in which...
Show moreThis thesis is both descriptive and philosophical, and at its core, it justifies the need for social foundations of education courses and programs in the university setting. It begins by analyzing the meaning of oppression and the part knowledge plays in confining the individual. The analysis then draws upon Patricia Hill Collins' theory of intersecting oppressions to get at the complexities and restrictions of working in the public schooling institution. It works through the ways in which sexist, classist, and racist practices afflict everyone in the institution through the bureaucratic mechanism and collateral oppression. The four components that make up the wires on the cage (gender, class, race, and bureaucracy) not only confine; they cause varying degrees of direct and indirect harms (psychological, emotional, moral, financial) to those on the inside. The concept of the institutional cage is then merged with Rodman Webb's work on schools as total institutions. Through an analysis on the characteristics of total institutions, it becomes apparent that standardization, technological developments, and the influence of venture philanthropy have brought schools more in-line with the total institution. The study then clarifies the ways in which corporatic, bureaucratic, and technocratic mentalities infect the institution, where they intersect, and how they restrict those within. The components coalesce into the conceptualization of moral oppression: the act of being coerced to ignore and suppress one's morality, moral impulses, and moral way of knowing. The remainder of the study explores the meaning of moral action and suggests some ways educators can let go of the ways of thinking and acting that may be keeping them from confidently doing what they know to be good and just.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004940, ucf:49621
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004940

Title: Transforming a University? A Qualitative Analysis of the Grantee-Grantor Relationship Between Florida Institute of Technology and the F. W. Olin Foundation.
Creator: Ruane, Matthew, Owens, J. Thomas, Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Boyd, Tammy, Waring, Scott, Perdigao, Lisa, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this research is to discuss and examine the nature of the grantor-grantee relationship between the F. W. Olin Foundation and Florida Institute of Technology in the larger context of grants by foundations and philanthropies to higher education. At the center of the research is a $50-million-dollar grant that (")transformed(") Florida Institute of Technology in ways that were perhaps unforeseen by either the grant-issuing foundation or the higher-education institution itself....
Show moreThe purpose of this research is to discuss and examine the nature of the grantor-grantee relationship between the F. W. Olin Foundation and Florida Institute of Technology in the larger context of grants by foundations and philanthropies to higher education. At the center of the research is a $50-million-dollar grant that (")transformed(") Florida Institute of Technology in ways that were perhaps unforeseen by either the grant-issuing foundation or the higher-education institution itself. This research will include a brief history of the two institutions involved and the circumstances that led to this grant proposal and its eventual implementation by the university, interviews with the main actors, and an examination of the challenges and opportunities presented to Florida Institute of Technology in accepting a grant from the F. W. Olin Foundation. Finally, an analysis of the outcomes brought about by accepting what the F. W. Olin Foundation marketed as a (")transformational(") grant ties this research into the larger question of the roles of foundations and philanthropies in higher education.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005545, ucf:50294
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005545

Title: "THE IMPACT OF POLICY ON STUDENT SUCCESS IN SECONDARY ONLINE EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL".
Creator: McPherson, Rhonda, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Florida Virtual School (FLVS) was established in 1997 as an online education alternative for the residents of Florida. The purpose of this study was to identify policy changes at the organizational, state, and federal levels that had the propensity to impact student success (as measured by student's final letter grade) at FLVS. In addition, this study identified which type of institutional isomporphic policy (coercive, mimetic, or normative) best classified major policy changes in the...
Show moreFlorida Virtual School (FLVS) was established in 1997 as an online education alternative for the residents of Florida. The purpose of this study was to identify policy changes at the organizational, state, and federal levels that had the propensity to impact student success (as measured by student's final letter grade) at FLVS. In addition, this study identified which type of institutional isomporphic policy (coercive, mimetic, or normative) best classified major policy changes in the organization from 1997-2007. The use of institutional theory as the guiding framework for this study proved to be beneficial and enabled the researcher to conclude which types of policy are the most effective in increasing student success in the secondary online education environment. This study utilized ANOVA and regression analysis to detect whether or not changes in policy at the organizational and federal level have a statistically significant impact on student success in the secondary online education environment. This study reveals that student success at FLVS is consistently decreasing and that the change is statistically significant. Regression analysis found that the policy changes at FLVS in this study explain some of the variance detected in the change in the mean, or GPA, of the school. This study found that both coercive and mimetic policies have a statistically significant impact on student success in the secondary online education environment as identified in the isomorphic mechanisms outlined in institutional theory. This study is important to the field of literature regarding secondary online education in that it opens the discussion regarding types of policy and the potential impact that policy changes have on student success in the secondary online education environment. In addition, this study serves as a framework upon which future studies can be conducted and are recommended in this study.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002423, ucf:47741
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002423

Title: Exploring the Experiences Contributing to the Success of High-Achieving Black Female Undergraduate Students at a Predominantly White Institution.
Creator: Watkins, Whitney, King, Kathy (Kathleen), Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Malaret, Stacey, Hopp, Carolyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Much of the literature regarding Black students at predominantly White institutions (PWI) focuses on these students' academic difficulty, while there is far less attention paid to the performance of higher achieving Black students (Fries-Britt, 1998; Fries-Britt (&) Griffin, 2007). Therefore, this study explored the lived experiences of high-achieving Black female students, focusing particularly on the experiences which contribute to their success at a PWI. The qualitative phenomenological...
Show moreMuch of the literature regarding Black students at predominantly White institutions (PWI) focuses on these students' academic difficulty, while there is far less attention paid to the performance of higher achieving Black students (Fries-Britt, 1998; Fries-Britt (&) Griffin, 2007). Therefore, this study explored the lived experiences of high-achieving Black female students, focusing particularly on the experiences which contribute to their success at a PWI. The qualitative phenomenological research design was used to highlight emergent themes revealed during the study. Eight purposely selected students participated in one-on-one semi structured interviews and a Sister Circle group process.The participants' stories were highlighted both independently and collectively, reflecting a wide range of sentiments. During the data analysis process, there were six themes that emerged from the data which highlighted the experiences which contributed to the students' success at a PWI. Those themes included: 1) Support, 2) Processing Situations, 3) Defining Success, 4) Involvement, 5) Motivation, and 6) Background. The emergent themes provided strategies and recommendations for Black female students, higher education practitioners, and institutions. These recommendations included areas regarding programming, retention and recruitment strategies, resource creation, and relationship building. Additionally, implications were made for future research initiatives. The data, coupled with the researcher's reflections served as the basis for the implications and recommendations for this study.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006821, ucf:51788
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006821

Title: Local Health Department Adoption of Health Information Technology and Its Impact on Population Health.
Creator: Yeung, Tina, Wan, Thomas, Cortelyou-Ward, Kendall, Liu, Albert Xinliang, Dziegielewski, Sophia, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Since the enactment of the HITECH Act in 2009, the US has invested billions in building a robust health information technology (HIT) infrastructure that is secure, capable of the electronic transfer of data and allows for real-time access of patient medical data, among others. This empirical study explored the driving forces (coercive, mimetic, and normative) in the adoption of HIT (i.e. EHRs and HIEs) by local health departments (LHDs) and how it has impacted the population health of...
Show moreSince the enactment of the HITECH Act in 2009, the US has invested billions in building a robust health information technology (HIT) infrastructure that is secure, capable of the electronic transfer of data and allows for real-time access of patient medical data, among others. This empirical study explored the driving forces (coercive, mimetic, and normative) in the adoption of HIT (i.e. EHRs and HIEs) by local health departments (LHDs) and how it has impacted the population health of counties in the US. The researcher conducted a cross-sectional, quantitative study using secondary data sources. The study included data on 505 local health departments and 433 counties' population health data. Institutional theory guided this research and generalized estimating equations, logistic regression, and multiple linear regression were utilized to analyze health IT adoption by LHDs and its impact on county-level health outcomes. Results showed that normative forces, measured by the employment of IS specialists was most impactful in the adoption of both EHRs and HIEs. Mimetic forces, measured by the completion of a CHA and coercive forces measured by the implementation of the HITECH Act were not found to be statistically significant in the adoption of EHRs or HIEs. Finally, EHR adoption was statistically significant at improving population health at the county level. This research study has contributed in three areas: 1) to fill a knowledge gap on the impact of health IT adoption by LHDs on health outcomes; 2) to formulate a theoretically grounded framework to study population health and its variability; and 3) to identify target areas for public health interventions. In conclusion, a substantial amount of resources dedicated in creating a robust health IT infrastructure requires close analysis of the impact health IT has on the population health of our nation.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006825, ucf:51801
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006825

Title: Virtual Interactions with Real-Agents for Sustainable Natural Resource Management.
Creator: Pierce, Tyler, Madani Larijani, Kaveh, Wang, Dingbao, Jacques, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Common pool resource management systems are complex to manage due to the absence of a clear understanding of the effects of users' behavioral characteristics. Non-cooperative decision making based on individual rationality (as opposed to group rationality) and a tendency to free ride due to lack of trust and information about other users' behavior creates externalities and can lead to tragedy of the commons without intervention by a regulator. Nevertheless, even regulatory institutions often...
Show moreCommon pool resource management systems are complex to manage due to the absence of a clear understanding of the effects of users' behavioral characteristics. Non-cooperative decision making based on individual rationality (as opposed to group rationality) and a tendency to free ride due to lack of trust and information about other users' behavior creates externalities and can lead to tragedy of the commons without intervention by a regulator. Nevertheless, even regulatory institutions often fail to sustain natural common pool resources in the absence of clear understanding of the responses of multiple heterogeneous decision makers to different regulation schemes. While modeling can help with our understanding of complex coupled human-natural systems, past research has not been able to realistically simulate these systems for two major limitations: 1) lack of computational capacity and proper mathematical models for solving distributed systems with self-optimizing agents; and 2) lack of enough information about users' characteristics in common pool resource systems due to absence of reliable monitoring information. Recently, different studies have tried to address the first limitation by developing agent-based models, which can be appropriately handled with today's computational capacity. While these models are more realistic than the social planner's models which have been traditionally used in the field, they normally rely on different heuristics for characterizing users' behavior and incorporating heterogeneity. This work is a step-forward in addressing the second limitation, suggesting an efficient method for collecting information on diverse behavioral characteristics of real agents for incorporation in distributed agent-based models. Gaming in interactive virtual environments is suggested as a reliable method for understanding different variables that promote sustainable resource use through observation of decision making and behavior of the resource system beneficiaries under various institutional frameworks and policies. A review of educational or "serious" games for environmental management was undertaken to determine an appropriate game for collecting information on real-agents and also to investigate the state of environmental management games and their potential as an educational tool. A web-based groundwater sharing simulation game(-)Irrigania(-)was selected to analyze the behavior of real agents under different common pool resource management institutions. Participants included graduate and undergraduate students from the University of Central Florida and Lund University. Information was collected on participants' resource use, behavior and mindset under different institutional settings through observation and discussion with participants. Preliminary use of water resources gaming suggests communication, cooperation, information disclosure, trust, credibility and social learning between beneficiaries as factors promoting a shift towards sustainable resource use. Additionally, Irrigania was determined to be an effective tool for complementing traditional lecture-based teaching of complex concepts related to sustainable natural resource management. The different behavioral groups identified in the study can be used for improved simulation of multi-agent groundwater management systems.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0005045, ucf:49953
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005045

Title: PREPARING ELEMENTARY TEACHERS TO TEACH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: A COMPARISON OF PROGRAM STRUCTURES & ELEMENTS ACROSS TEACHER PREPARATION INSTITUTIONS.
Creator: Close, Jessica, Williams, Karri, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Students with disabilities have the right to the least restrictive environment (IDEA, 2004). Elementary teachers are teaching more of these students in the inclusive classroom because of this right. Elementary teachers are willing to take on this responsibility, but most feel they are not prepared to do so. In order to address this concern, elementary teacher preparation at the institution level must be addressed. This is a descriptive thesis which identifies and compares methods that...
Show moreStudents with disabilities have the right to the least restrictive environment (IDEA, 2004). Elementary teachers are teaching more of these students in the inclusive classroom because of this right. Elementary teachers are willing to take on this responsibility, but most feel they are not prepared to do so. In order to address this concern, elementary teacher preparation at the institution level must be addressed. This is a descriptive thesis which identifies and compares methods that different institutions across the country use to prepare teachers to teach students with disabilities. Institutions chosen for this thesis were recognized by either the U.S. News and World Report (2010) or the Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel (2010) for effective preparation of preservice elementary teachers. This thesis addresses the University of Central Florida with the aforementioned institutions. A continuum with three main types of structures was used to identify programs ranging from "discrete" meeting minimum requirements, to completely "merged" programs between special education and elementary education. While "merged" results in dual certification and the most effective preparation according to Blanton and Pugach (2007), it is most often offered as a choice and not as a requirement. Through analysis of program requirements of elementary education and special education programs, course descriptions, and syllabi, this investigator concluded that there were inconsistencies across teacher preparation programs. Institutions are distributed widely across the continuum. If elementary teachers are required to teach to all students, then teacher preparation programs should address all students thoroughly. The investigator's hope is that the evidence presented and the suggestions made in this thesis will incite changes in institutions that are preparing elementary teachers to teach students with disabilities.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0004072, ucf:44781
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004072

Title: SAUDI ARABIA AND EXPANSIONIST WAHHABISM.
Creator: Baroni, Samiah, Handberg, Roger, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis examines the development of Wahhabism as an ideology into a rapidly expanding, transportable, contemporary Islamic political system. Serving as the territorial foundation, individuals maintain allegiance to Makkah, the center of the Islamic world, through symbolic Islamic prayer. Along with a central, globally financed economic distributive mechanism, and Wahhabi social and educational institutions emerging from the traditional mosque, Wahhabism serves the demand for an Islamic...
Show moreThis thesis examines the development of Wahhabism as an ideology into a rapidly expanding, transportable, contemporary Islamic political system. Serving as the territorial foundation, individuals maintain allegiance to Makkah, the center of the Islamic world, through symbolic Islamic prayer. Along with a central, globally financed economic distributive mechanism, and Wahhabi social and educational institutions emerging from the traditional mosque, Wahhabism serves the demand for an Islamic political system in a late capitalist world. Wahhabism is fluid within contemporary dynamic political systems and rapidly changing international relations. Wahhabism continues to expand at a global level, at times, providing a foundation for new forms of contemporary terrorism.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001005, ucf:46838
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001005

Title: L2 ANXIETY IN SPANISH-SPEAKING ADULT ESL POPULATIONS: POSSIBLE CAUSES AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES.
Creator: Freiberger, Scott, Mihai, Florin, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Anxiety has been identified as a plausible factor affecting second language (L2) acquisition. However, more research is needed on how anxiety may influence Spanish-speaking adult English as a Second Language (ESL) populations. Determining precisely what causes anxiety in Spanish-speaking adult ESL populations should be of interest not only to L2 researchers but also to ESL instructors who may have adult Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs) in their classes. This study researched...
Show moreAnxiety has been identified as a plausible factor affecting second language (L2) acquisition. However, more research is needed on how anxiety may influence Spanish-speaking adult English as a Second Language (ESL) populations. Determining precisely what causes anxiety in Spanish-speaking adult ESL populations should be of interest not only to L2 researchers but also to ESL instructors who may have adult Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs) in their classes. This study researched L2 anxiety in Spanish-speaking adult ESL learners. Specifically, it considered possible causes and cultural influences of L2 anxiety in 10 Spanish-speaking adult ESL students at a university English language institute (ELI). Participants were given a choice of completing an English or Spanish version of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and then participated in follow-up interviews. Results were documented and evaluated. A total of 14 causes of L2 anxiety were identified, including incompatible goals, using English in professional contexts, the native country, and the need for error correction. Finally, contrary to the literature, collaborative group work was found to cause L2 anxiety in Spanish-speaking adult ESL students enrolled at a language institute.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003050, ucf:48364
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003050

Title: Institutionalizing Service-Learning as a Best Practice of Community Engagement in Higher Education: Intra- and Inter-Institutional Comparisons of the Carnegie Community Engagement Elective Classification Framework.
Creator: Plante, Jarrad, Cox, Dr. Thomas, Robinson, Sandra, Bryer, Thomas, Bowdon, Melody, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Service-learning, with a longstanding history in American higher education (Burkhardt (&) Pasque, 2005), includes three key tenets: superior academic learning, meaningful and relevant community service, and persistent civic learning (McGoldrick and Ziegert, 2002). The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has created an elective classification system (-) Carnegie Community Engagement Classification (-) for institutions of higher education to demonstrate the breadth and depth of...
Show moreService-learning, with a longstanding history in American higher education (Burkhardt (&) Pasque, 2005), includes three key tenets: superior academic learning, meaningful and relevant community service, and persistent civic learning (McGoldrick and Ziegert, 2002). The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has created an elective classification system (-) Carnegie Community Engagement Classification (-) for institutions of higher education to demonstrate the breadth and depth of student involvement and learning through partnerships and engagement in the community (Dalton (&) Crosby, 2011; Hurtado (&) DeAngelo, 2012; Kuh et al., 2008; Pryor, Hurtado, Saenz, Santos, (&) Korn, 2007). Community engagement (")is in the culture, commonly understood practices and knowledge, and (CCEC helps determine) whether it is really happening (-) rhetoric versus reality(") (J. Saltmarsh, personal communication, August 11, 2014). The study considers the applications of three Carnegie Community Engagement Classification designated institutions to understand the institutionalization of service-learning over time by examining the 2008 designation and 2015 reclassification across institution types (-) a Private Liberal Arts College, a Private Teaching University, and a Public Research University located in the same metropolitan area. Organizational Change Theory was used as a theoretical model. Case study methodology was used in the present qualitative research to perform document analysis with qualitative interviews conducted to elucidate the data from the 2008 and 2015 CCEC applications from the three institutions. Using intra- and inter-comparative analysis, this study highlights approaches, policies, ethos, and emerging concepts to inform how higher education institutions increase the quality and quantity of service-learning opportunities that benefit higher education practitioners as well as community leaders.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005864, ucf:50852
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005864

Title: The Response of American Police Agencies to Digital Evidence.
Creator: Yesilyurt, Hamdi, Wan, Thomas, Potter, Roberto, Applegate, Brandon, Lang, Sheau-Dong, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Little is known about the variation in digital forensics practice in the United States as adopted by large local police agencies. This study investigated how environmental constraints, contextual factors, organizational complexity, and organizational control relate to the adoption of digital forensics practice. This study integrated 3 theoretical perspectives in organizational studies to guide the analysis of the relations: institutional theory, contingency theory, and adoption-of-innovation...
Show moreLittle is known about the variation in digital forensics practice in the United States as adopted by large local police agencies. This study investigated how environmental constraints, contextual factors, organizational complexity, and organizational control relate to the adoption of digital forensics practice. This study integrated 3 theoretical perspectives in organizational studies to guide the analysis of the relations: institutional theory, contingency theory, and adoption-of-innovation theory. Institutional theory was used to analyze the impact of environmental constraints on the adoption of innovation, and contingency theory was used to examine the impacts of organizational control on the adoption of innovation. Adoption of innovation theory was employed to describe the degree to which digital forensics practice has been adopted by large municipal police agencies having 100 or more sworn police officers.The data set was assembled primarily by using Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) 2003 and 1999. Dr. Edward Maguire`s survey was used to obtain 1 variable. The joining up of the data set to construct the sample resulted in 345 large local police agencies. The descriptive results on the degree of adoption of digital forensics practice indicate that 37.7% of large local police agencies have dedicated personnel to address digital evidence, 32.8% of police agencies address digital evidence but do not have dedicated personnel, and only 24.3% of police agencies have a specialized unit with full-time personnel to address digital evidence. About 5% of local police agencies do nothing to address digital evidence in any circumstance. These descriptive statistics indicate that digital evidence is a matter of concern for most large local police agencies and that they respond to varying degrees to digital evidence at the organizational level. Agencies that have not adopted digital forensics practice are in the minority. The structural equation model was used to test the hypothesized relations, easing the rigorous analysis of relations between latent constructs and several indicator variables. Environmental constraints have the largest impact on the adoption of innovation, exerting a positive influence. No statistically significant relation was found between organizational control and adoption of digital forensic practice. Contextual factors (task scope and personnel size) positively influence the adoption of digital forensics. Structural control factors, including administrative weight and formalization, have no significant influence on the adoption of innovation. The conclusions of the study are as follows. Police agencies adopt digital forensics practice primarily by relying on environmental constraints. Police agencies exposed to higher environmental constraints are more frequently expected to adopt digital forensics practice. Because organizational control of police agencies is not significantly related to digital forensics practice adoption, police agencies do not take their organizational control extensively into consideration when they consider adopting digital forensics practice. The positive influence of task scope and size on digital forensics practice adoption was expected. The extent of task scope and the number of personnel indicate a higher capacity for police agencies to adopt digital forensics practice. Administrative weight and formalization do not influence the adoption of digital forensics practice. Therefore, structural control and coordination are not important for large local police agencies to adopt digital forensics practice.The results of the study indicate that the adoption of digital forensics practice is based primarily on environmental constraints. Therefore, more drastic impacts on digital forensics practice should be expected from local police agencies' environments than from internal organizational factors. Researchers investigating the influence of various factors on the adoption of digital forensics practice should further examine environmental variables. The unexpected results concerning the impact of administrative weight and formalization should be researched with broader considerations.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004181, ucf:49081
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004181

Title: Faculty Perspectives and Participation in Implementing an Early Alert System and Intervention in a Community College.
Creator: Bentham, Claudine, King, Kathy (Kathleen), Cox, Dr. Thomas, Hopp, Carolyn, Bosley, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Early alert systems have been recognized as a high impact practice designed to improve student engagement and student success. Early alert is designed to identify students with at-risk behaviors early in the semester before they decide to drop-out, withdraw, or fail their classes, using resources such as a predictive analysis tool or advising. For an early alert to be successful and efficient, faculty should be included in the process of early alert. This qualitative study examined faculty's...
Show moreEarly alert systems have been recognized as a high impact practice designed to improve student engagement and student success. Early alert is designed to identify students with at-risk behaviors early in the semester before they decide to drop-out, withdraw, or fail their classes, using resources such as a predictive analysis tool or advising. For an early alert to be successful and efficient, faculty should be included in the process of early alert. This qualitative study examined faculty's perspective and experiences when implementing early alert strategies and intervention in a two-year institution. Using Cranton's seven facets of transformative learning as a conceptual framework, this study examined the changes, perception, and experiences of faculty as a result of implementation. The literature reviews best practices that can be considered when faculty designs their early alert strategies and intervention. Participants shared their During and After Implementation Journal experience by completing reflection journals. After careful analysis of their journals and initial interview, the following major themes emerged: a) at-risk behaviors, b) high-impact practices, c) intentionality, d) personal connection, e) perspective transformation, and f) value. As a result of these themes, recommendations were provided to assist faculty development and change agents in two-year institutions in improving early alert methods to increase student success.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006857, ucf:51742
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006857

Title: BULLYING: OUT OF THE SCHOOL HALLS AND INTO THE WORKPLACE.
Creator: Cooney, Lucretia, Huff-Corzine, Lin, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The primary purpose of this study is to identify those people at most risk of being bullied at work. While much research is being conducted on school bullying, little has been conducted on workplace bullying. Using data gathered from a 2004 study conducted by the National Opinion Research Center for the General Social Survey, which included a Quality of Work Life (QWL) module for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), linear regressions indicated significant...
Show moreThe primary purpose of this study is to identify those people at most risk of being bullied at work. While much research is being conducted on school bullying, little has been conducted on workplace bullying. Using data gathered from a 2004 study conducted by the National Opinion Research Center for the General Social Survey, which included a Quality of Work Life (QWL) module for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), linear regressions indicated significant findings. As predicted, workers in lower level occupations, as ranked by prestige scoring developed at National Opinion Research, are more likely to be victimized. Data also suggest that being young, Black, and relatively uneducated may contribute to being bullied in certain situations. Future research is needed to examine influences of socio-economic, legal, and other demographic factors that may predict the chance of being bullied.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003235, ucf:48512
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003235

education (3)	+ -
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institutional theory (3)	+ -
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educational (2)	+ -
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institutions (2)	+ -
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Huff-Corzine, Lin (2)	+ -
King, Kathy (Kathleen) (2)	+ -
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