Current Search: practice (x)
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Title
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NURSE PRACTITIONER STUDENT KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS SKIN CANCER ASSESSMENTS.
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Creator
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Woodmansee, Ryan, Loerzel, Victoria, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Background: Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer each year in the United States. With skin cancer and the demand for nurse practitioners (NPs) in primary care both on the rise, an accurate assessment of how well NP students are being prepared to perform skin cancer assessments is needed. Patient outcomes are directly linked to early detection and treatment which is essential for all types of skin cancer, especially melanoma. Nurse Practitioners need to be able to recognize the...
Show moreBackground: Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer each year in the United States. With skin cancer and the demand for nurse practitioners (NPs) in primary care both on the rise, an accurate assessment of how well NP students are being prepared to perform skin cancer assessments is needed. Patient outcomes are directly linked to early detection and treatment which is essential for all types of skin cancer, especially melanoma. Nurse Practitioners need to be able to recognize the early stages of malignancy versus benign skin lesions and perform accurate skin examinations. The ability to assess practitioners' knowledge while they are still students will give us a better understanding of how well they are being prepared to perform skin cancer assessments in primary practice. This information will inform educators where improvement in skin cancer education is needed. Methodology: Following IRB approval, nurse practitioner students enrolled in a gerontology course fall 2016 were invited to participate in this exploratory, descriptive study. Twenty NP students completed the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice of Skin Cancer Assessments (KAP-SCA) survey. The survey has 80 questions about lesion identification, knowledge of general skin facts, education in NP Program, and knowledge, attitudes, and confidence levels during skin care assessments. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used to analyze demographics. Total scores and subscale scores for the KAP-SCA instrument were examined with descriptive statistics. Spearman's Rho statistics were used for correlations among knowledge, attitude, training and practice. Results: The typical NP student was female, age 31 years and enrolled in the family nurse practitioner program at UCF. The majority of NP students had an average knowledge score for general skin cancer knowledge and photo lesion identification questions. However, the majority (70%) of NP students did not agree that the dermatology training they received in their NP program prepared them for practice. Discussion: Most NP students do not feel confident performing skin cancer assessments and basic dermatology procedures upon graduation. Most NP students had a difficult time differentiating between benign and malignant lesions, and would refer the patient to a specialist due to their lack of knowledge or confidence in diagnosis. Conclusions: Information obtained from the KAP-SCA survey demonstrated that the majority of NP students lacked confidence performing skin cancer assessments and had difficulty recognizing if a lesion was benign or malignant. This information can be helpful in informing educators on where improvement in skin cancer education is needed in NP programs.
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Date Issued
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2017
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Identifier
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CFH2000153, ucf:45925
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000153
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Title
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THE IMPACT OF A NURSE-DRIVEN EVIDENCE-BASED DISCHARGE PLANNING PROTOCOL ON ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND PATIENT SATISFACTION IN PATIENTS WITH CARDIAC IMPLANTS.
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Creator
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King, Tracey, Sole, Mary Lou, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Purpose: Healthcare organizations are mandated to improve quality and safety for patients while stressed with shorter lengths of stay, communication lapses between disciplines, and patient throughput issues that impede timely delivery of patient care. Nurses play a prominent role in the safe transition of patients from admission to discharge. Although nurses participate in discharge planning, limited research has addressed the role and outcomes of the registered nurse as a leader in the...
Show morePurpose: Healthcare organizations are mandated to improve quality and safety for patients while stressed with shorter lengths of stay, communication lapses between disciplines, and patient throughput issues that impede timely delivery of patient care. Nurses play a prominent role in the safe transition of patients from admission to discharge. Although nurses participate in discharge planning, limited research has addressed the role and outcomes of the registered nurse as a leader in the process. The aim of this study was determine if implementation of a nurse-driven discharge planning protocol for patients undergoing cardiac implant would result in improved organizational efficiencies, higher medication reconciliation rates, and higher patient satisfaction scores. Methods: A two-group posttest experimental design was used to conduct the study. Informed consent was obtained from 53 individuals scheduled for a cardiac implant procedure. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a nurse-driven discharge planning intervention group or a control group. Post procedure, 46 subjects met inclusion criteria with half (n=23) assigned to each group. All subjects received traditional discharge planning services. The morning after the cardiac implant procedure, a specially trained registered nurse assessed subjects in the intervention for discharge readiness. Subjects in the intervention groups were then discharged under protocol orders by the intervention nurse after targeted physical assessment, review of the post procedure chest radiograph, and examination of the cardiac implant device function. The intervention nurse also provided patient education, discharge instructions, and conducted medication reconciliation. The day after discharge the principal investigator conducted a scripted follow-up phone call to answer questions and monitor for post procedure complications. A Hospital Discharge Survey was administered during the subject's follow-up appointment. Results: The majority of subjects were men, Caucasian, insured, and educated at the high school level or higher. Their average age was 73.5+ 9.8 years. No significant differences between groups were noted for gender, type of insurance, education, or type of cardiac implant (chi-square); or age (t-test). A Mann-Whitney U test (one-tailed) found no significant difference in variable cost per case (p=.437) and actual charges (p=.403) between the intervention and control groups. Significant differences were found between groups for discharge satisfaction (p=.05) and the discharge perception of overall health (p=.02), with those in the intervention group reporting higher scores. Chi square analysis found no significant difference in 30-day readmission rates (p=.520). Using an independent samples t-test, those in the intervention group were discharged earlier (p=.000), had a lower length of stay (p=.005), and had higher rates of reconciled medications (p=.000). The odds of having all medications reconciled were significantly higher in the intervention group (odds ratio, 50.27; 95% CI, 5.62-450.2; p=.000). Discussion/Implications: This is the first study to evaluate the role of the nurse as a clinical leader in patient throughput, discharge planning, and patient safety initiatives. A nurse driven discharge planning protocol resulted in earlier discharge times which can have a dramatic impact on patient throughput. The nurse driven protocol significantly reduced the likelihood of unreconciled medications at discharge and significantly increased patient satisfaction. Follow-up research is needed to determine if a registered nurse can impact organizational efficiency and discharge safety in other patient populations.
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Date Issued
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2008
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Identifier
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CFE0002188, ucf:47915
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002188
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Title
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COMPARING MIDDLE SCHOOL GENERAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATORS' USE OF RESEARCH-BASED INSTRUCTION IN MATHEMATICS FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES.
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Creator
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Robertson, Shelby, Little, Mary, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences between general and special educators regarding the implementation of research-based strategies that target the needs of students with LD in mathematics, as well as general and special educators' perceptions of their preparedness to use instructional strategies in mathematics. A sample of general and special educators who taught mathematics to students with learning disabilities (LD) at the middle school level responded to an online...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate the differences between general and special educators regarding the implementation of research-based strategies that target the needs of students with LD in mathematics, as well as general and special educators' perceptions of their preparedness to use instructional strategies in mathematics. A sample of general and special educators who taught mathematics to students with learning disabilities (LD) at the middle school level responded to an online survey. The survey examined teacher self-reported classroom use of instructional practices specifically aligned with NCTM standards, direct instruction, graduated instruction, grouping practices, and self-monitoring. Additionally, educators responded to perceptions of their preparedness to use the aforementioned instructional practices. From the survey results, several strategies exhibited statistically significant differences between general and special educators. Special educators showed significantly greater use of two instructional strategies, as well as significantly greater perceptions of preparedness to use two instructional strategies. Overall, significantly more special educators reported using the research-based strategies aligned with all instructional practices. Additional results, limitations, implications for practice, and recommendations for future research are provided.
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Date Issued
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2008
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Identifier
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CFE0002256, ucf:47857
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002256
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Title
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Analyzing Pre-Inhumation Breakage Ceramics at Lamanai, Belize: A Conjunctive Approach.
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Creator
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Enger, Ryan, Callaghan, Michael, Kovacevich, Brigitte, Williams, Lana, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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During the Terminal Classic period (9th-10th centuries A.D.), the ancient Maya at Lamanai, Belize, began to practice pre-inhumation breakage of ceramics in mortuary contexts. Previously, the custom had been to bury whole vessels with the deceased. This conspicuous shift in behavior suggests important changes in beliefs regarding the role of ceramics in death and interment at a pivotal moment in ancient Maya culture history. Despite this significant change, there has been no published research...
Show moreDuring the Terminal Classic period (9th-10th centuries A.D.), the ancient Maya at Lamanai, Belize, began to practice pre-inhumation breakage of ceramics in mortuary contexts. Previously, the custom had been to bury whole vessels with the deceased. This conspicuous shift in behavior suggests important changes in beliefs regarding the role of ceramics in death and interment at a pivotal moment in ancient Maya culture history. Despite this significant change, there has been no published research conducted specifically on these vessels. In fact, there has been no clearly delineated set of characteristics for what qualifies as a pre-inhumation breakage vessel (PBV). This study offers a working definition for PBVs and converts the original Lamanai grave descriptions of those that contain PBVs to a classification system for ease of future comparative analyses. Finally, the sex and age of individuals buried with PBVs are considered. The result is a conjunctive analysis that provides data not only on PBV forms and quantities, grave types, and the sex and age of those interred with PBVs, but also several statistically significant correlations among these variables. I argue that the conjoined data suggest that one of the primary purposes for the pre-inhumation breakage of ceramics in mortuary contexts was a strategic one, a method selected by Lamanai leadership, and enacted community-wide, as a way to protect the community from potentially harmful energies and to maintain communal confidence at a time of great uncertainty in the southern Maya lowlands.
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Date Issued
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2019
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Identifier
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CFE0007801, ucf:52343
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007801
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Title
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Cultural Responsiveness and K-12 English Learners: Exploring Policy and Implementation Fidelity.
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Creator
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Raubaugh, Lauren, Purmensky, Kerry, Grissom, Donita, Nutta, Joyce, Johnson, Jerry, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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This critical policy analysis and collective case study, informed by ethnographic techniques, involved reviews of twelve Florida school district ESOL policies (included within the 2016-2019 District English Language Learner Plans, required of all Florida districts to complete) whose English learner (EL) populations met or exceeded ten percent (10%) of their total enrollment. A priori coding of these policy documents was conducted using nine criteria pulled from the literature on culturally...
Show moreThis critical policy analysis and collective case study, informed by ethnographic techniques, involved reviews of twelve Florida school district ESOL policies (included within the 2016-2019 District English Language Learner Plans, required of all Florida districts to complete) whose English learner (EL) populations met or exceeded ten percent (10%) of their total enrollment. A priori coding of these policy documents was conducted using nine criteria pulled from the literature on culturally responsive practice (CRP), which served as the theoretical framework for the study. Subsequent observations and practitioner interviews within two schools from the same district were conducted in order to ascertain how practice seemed to align with policy, how these practices differed from site to site despite their location within the same district, and ultimately to assess the efficacy of observed pedagogical and administrative practices within the theoretical framework of CRP. Results were mixed and indicated a lack of consistency across the board in terms of policy, implementation, and culturally responsive practice.
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Date Issued
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2019
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Identifier
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CFE0007711, ucf:52443
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007711
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Title
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A Study of the Grant Writing Policies and Practices of Municipalities in Polk County Florida Having a Population Less Than 25,000.
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Creator
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Carter, Michael, Jones, Daniel, Flammia, Madelyn, Cameron, Jody, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this study is to identify the grant writing policies and practices of the fifteen municipalities in Polk County, Florida having a population less than 25,000, compare these findings qualitatively, and to present the data in a form usable by any city in Polk County so each city can make any needed adjustments to their grant writing strategy that will increase their success of grant funding. This study is needed now because smaller cities are continuing to feel the effects of the...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is to identify the grant writing policies and practices of the fifteen municipalities in Polk County, Florida having a population less than 25,000, compare these findings qualitatively, and to present the data in a form usable by any city in Polk County so each city can make any needed adjustments to their grant writing strategy that will increase their success of grant funding. This study is needed now because smaller cities are continuing to feel the effects of the recession, a slumping housing market, and a reduction of real estate property values which means lower tax revenue. City managers and staff need to sharpen their grant writing skills to maximize the success of their grant applications. Both quantitative and qualitative research methodology were used in this study. The quantitative research data was gathered with the aid of a survey sent to each city manager of the selected cities. The qualitative research data consists of follow-up interviews with the fifteen city managers. Fourteen of the fifteen cities responded and all returned surveys were 100% complete. The results of the survey include respondent demographics, a lengthy discussion of each city's attitudes and history with grant application and administration, and the training level of staff involved in grant writing. The chapter goes on to analyze and discuss the policy of local elected officials regarding grants and concludes on the topic of challenges facing Polk County municipalities and possible solutions that may increase their grant writing success. The final chapter brings the study to a conclusion with a summary and a review of the findings from the survey. Several recommendations are offered that, if implemented, could increase the success rate cities are currently achieving with grant applications. Several implications are offered of possible outcomes if no changes are made, and finally, specific areas of future research and study are discussed.
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Date Issued
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2011
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Identifier
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CFE0004092, ucf:49129
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004092
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Title
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USING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) IN SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF MORTUARY PRACTICES IN THE KELLIS 2 CEMETERY, DAKHLEH OASIS, EGYPT.
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Creator
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Abd Elsalam, Heba, Dupras, Tosha, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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This thesis focuses on the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to examine mortuary practices in the Romano-Byzantine period Kellis 2 cemetery located in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. The first research objective examines the relationship between age, sex and grave substructures of 701 burials in Kellis 2 cemetery. The aim of this research objective was to determine if the presence and style of grave substructures were influenced by sex or age. Although not statistically significant, GIS...
Show moreThis thesis focuses on the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to examine mortuary practices in the Romano-Byzantine period Kellis 2 cemetery located in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. The first research objective examines the relationship between age, sex and grave substructures of 701 burials in Kellis 2 cemetery. The aim of this research objective was to determine if the presence and style of grave substructures were influenced by sex or age. Although not statistically significant, GIS analysis revealed that most of the graves in the Kellis 2 cemetery have no associated substructures, but of those that did have associated substructures,adult male burials were more likely to have a substructure than adult females or juveniles. Moreover, males and females aged from 22 to 50 years were more likely to have an associated substructure than younger and older individuals. In the juvenile age categories, newborns and children aged 1 to 5 years were more likely to have an associated substructure than the other juvenile age categories. This may be related to the second research objective which focused on the spatial relationship between infant and adult burials in the Kellis 2 cemetery. The second objective was to determine if infants were more likely to be buried between two adults, perhaps representing family units. GIS and statistical analysis revealed that the infants in the Kellis 2 cemetery were more likely to be buried closer to each other or to adult females than to adult males. Of those 25 infants buried between two adults most of them were either buried between two adult females, or between an adult male and female. Only three infants were found buried between two males. Interestingly, many of the adult females buried in close proximity with an infant were of child-bearing age. GIS was a very useful tool for examining questions of mortuary practices, particularly in examining spatial relationships between variables recorded for the Kellis 2 cemetery.
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Date Issued
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2011
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Identifier
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CFE0004082, ucf:49134
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004082
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Title
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Crossing Literate Worlds: Exploring How Students With Rich Identities as Writers Negotiate Multiple Writing Contexts.
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Creator
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Shrum, Autumn, Wardle, Elizabeth, Wallace, David, Scott, John, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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This study investigated the literate identities of college students who engage in various school and non-school writing practices simultaneously. In case studies of three student writers, the researcher seeks to explore how the discourse community roles, self-perceptions, negotiation of multiple writing processes and development of authority impacted the students' identities as writers. Triangulated research methods included weekly interviews with the student participants, observation of the...
Show moreThis study investigated the literate identities of college students who engage in various school and non-school writing practices simultaneously. In case studies of three student writers, the researcher seeks to explore how the discourse community roles, self-perceptions, negotiation of multiple writing processes and development of authority impacted the students' identities as writers. Triangulated research methods included weekly interviews with the student participants, observation of the students in their writing classrooms and analysis of the students' school and non-school texts over one semester. Students experienced several conflicts and synergies between contexts. Main findings indicated that writing across many academic and extra-academic settings during a short time period may alter self-perceptions, encourage or discourage the repurposing of writing processes, and limit the development of authority. Implications for teachers and researchers of college-level writing center on awareness of the literate lives of students beyond classroom walls. Future research questions are raised regarding the transfer of writing-related knowledge as it may occur in students with strong literate identities.
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Date Issued
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2011
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Identifier
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CFE0004167, ucf:49061
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004167
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Title
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TESTING THE IMPACT OF TRAINING WITH SIMULATED SCENARIOS FOR INFORMATION SECURITY AWARENESS ON VIRTUAL COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE MEMBERS.
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Creator
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Tidwell, Craig, Reilly, Charles, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Information security has become a major challenge for all private and public organizations. The protection of proprietary and secret data and the proper awareness of what is entailed in protecting this data are necessary in all organizations. This treatise examines how simulation and training would influence information security awareness over time in virtual communities of practice under a variety of security threats. The hypothesis of the study was that security-trained members of a virtual...
Show moreInformation security has become a major challenge for all private and public organizations. The protection of proprietary and secret data and the proper awareness of what is entailed in protecting this data are necessary in all organizations. This treatise examines how simulation and training would influence information security awareness over time in virtual communities of practice under a variety of security threats. The hypothesis of the study was that security-trained members of a virtual community of practice would respond significantly better to routine security processes and attempts to breach security or to violate the security policy of their organization or of their virtual community of practice. Deterrence theory was used as the grounded theory and integrated in the information security awareness training with simulated scenarios. The study provided training with simulated scenarios and then tested the users of a virtual community of practice over an approximately twelve-week period to see if the planned security awareness training with simulated security problem scenarios would be effective in improving their responses to the follow-up tests. The research subjects were divided into four groups, the experimental group and three control groups. The experimental group received all of the training and testing events throughout the twelve-week period. The three control groups received various portions of the training and testing. The data from all of the tests were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis ranked order test, and it was determined that there was no significant difference between the groups at the end of the data collection. Even though the null hypothesis, which stated that there would be no difference between the groups scores on the information security awareness tests, was not rejected, the groups that received the initial training with the simulated scenarios did perform slightly better from the pre-training test to the post-training test when compared with the control group that did not receive the initial training. More research is suggested to determine how information security awareness training with simulated scenarios and follow-up testing can be used to improve and sustain the security practices of members of virtual communities of practice. Specifically, additional research could include: comparing the effect of training with the simulated scenarios and with training that would not use the simulated security scenarios; the potential benefits of using adaptive and intelligent training to focus on the individual subjects' weaknesses and strengths; the length of the training with simulated scenarios events, the time between each training event, and the overall length of the training; the demographics of the groups used in the training, and how different user characteristics impact the efficacy of the training with simulated scenarios and testing; and lastly examining how increasing the fidelity of the simulated scenarios might impact the results of the follow-up tests.
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Date Issued
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2011
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Identifier
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CFE0003566, ucf:48923
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003566
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Title
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Coaching in an Interactive Virtual Reality to Increase Fidelity of Implementation of Discrete Trial Teaching.
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Creator
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Vince Garland, Krista, Wienke, Wilfred, Pearl, Cynthia, Dieker, Lisa, Vasquez, Eleazar, Sundeen, Todd, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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In teacher preparation, more effective pathways and practices are needed for preparing, placing, and supporting beginning teachers and principals (Darling-Hammond, 2010; U.S. Department of Education, 2009b). A common issue in the field of special education is the lack of skill transfer from one setting to another (Dieker, Hynes, Hughes, (&) Smith, 2008). It has been posited that (")practicing up(") is not ethical in that novice teachers must attempt to teach with a limited knowledge of...
Show moreIn teacher preparation, more effective pathways and practices are needed for preparing, placing, and supporting beginning teachers and principals (Darling-Hammond, 2010; U.S. Department of Education, 2009b). A common issue in the field of special education is the lack of skill transfer from one setting to another (Dieker, Hynes, Hughes, (&) Smith, 2008). It has been posited that (")practicing up(") is not ethical in that novice teachers must attempt to teach with a limited knowledge of appropriate pedagogy and skill (Dieker et al., 2008). The new challenge becomes finding an effective mechanism that provides essential learning experiences and opportunities to refine teaching techniques to the highest standards of fidelity in a safely controlled and coordinated environment (Odom, 2009).Perhaps because of the ethical concerns in honing teacher skills on actual children, and despite the strong demand for professionals who are trained in discrete trial teaching (DTT), few studies have been published on training methodologies and fidelity of implementation (Fazzio, Martin, Arnal, (&) Yu, 2009). The training of teachers to implement evidence-based interventions such as DTT with fidelity while they are working with students with ASD cannot be over-emphasized in a teacher preparation program (Scheuermann, Webber, Boutot, (&) Goodwin, 2003; Simpson, 2004; 2005). The researcher utilized the TLE TeachLivE simulation classroom laboratory at the University of Central Florida as a mechanism to infuse cutting-edge technology and learning activities within program/project coursework. The TLE TeachLivE virtual classroom serves as a venue for pre-service and practicing teachers to safely gain proficiency and enhance fidelity of implementation of evidence-based practices. Participants experienced an immersive, real-time environment that featured interactions with Austin, an avatar that portrayed a student with autism. A trained interactor remotely controlled the behavior and responses of the avatar with which teachers engaged for practice sessions consisting of ten discrete trials. Between sessions, participants received individualized clinical coaching (ICC) on their performance. Upon termination of the intervention, two generalization probes were conducted to measure retention of fidelity over time within actual classroom settings. Results indicated that all five participants strongly benefited from learning DTT with ICC in the TLE TeachLivE learning platform.Across participants, the overall mean gain in fidelity from baseline phase (14%) to intervention phase (80%) was 66%. The fidelity means of participants in the generalization phase held to 90%, thus supporting the use of virtual environments for teacher preparation. Mean time among participants to attain higher than mastery level performance of 90% in intervention was 1.25 hours. This resulted in shorter training times than previously researched training programs (Arnal et al., 2007; Fazzio et al., 2009; Leblanc, (&) Luiselli, 2005; Thiessen et al., 2009). This investigation endeavored to reduce the potential of diminished pupil learning gains as a necessary consequence when honing skills in the appropriate delivery of instruction of discrete trial teaching.
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Date Issued
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2012
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Identifier
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CFE0004450, ucf:49327
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004450
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Title
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The Many Pedagogies of Memoir: A Study of the Promise of Teaching Memoir in College Composition.
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Creator
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Lee, Melissa, Wallace, David, Bartkevicius, Jocelyn, Marinara, Martha, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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This thesis examines the promise and problems of memoir in the pedagogy and practices of teaching memoir in college composition. I interviewed three University of Central Florida instructors who value memoir in composition, and who at the time of this study, were mandated to teach memoir in their composition courses. The interviews focus on three main points of interest: (1) the instructors' motivations behind their teaching of memoir, (2) how these instructors see memoir functioning in their...
Show moreThis thesis examines the promise and problems of memoir in the pedagogy and practices of teaching memoir in college composition. I interviewed three University of Central Florida instructors who value memoir in composition, and who at the time of this study, were mandated to teach memoir in their composition courses. The interviews focus on three main points of interest: (1) the instructors' motivations behind their teaching of memoir, (2) how these instructors see memoir functioning in their classes, and (3) what these instructors hope their students will gain in the process of writing the memoir essay. By analyzing these interviews, I was better able to understand the three instructors' pedagogical choices and rationales for teaching memoir in their classes. I have also collected data and research from scholarly journal articles, books, and from my experiences teaching memoir in the composition classroom. This thesis challenges the widely accepted notion that memoir and the personal in composition scholarship, pedagogy, and teaching practices are (")'touchy-feely,' 'soft,' 'unrigorous,' 'mystical,' 'therapeutic,' and 'Mickey Mouse'(") ways of meaning-making and teaching writing (Tompkins 214). My findings show that memoir in the classroom is richer and far more complex than it might appear at first, and that the teaching of memoir in composition can, in fact, be greater than the memoir essay itself. Even though each instructor I interviewed values the personal and believes memoir belongs in composition curriculum, it turns out that none of these instructors' core reasons for teaching memoir was so his or her students could master writing the memoir essay, although this was important; rather the memoir essay ultimately served in the instructors' classrooms as a conduit through which they ultimately could teach more diverse writing skills and techniques as well as intellectual concepts that truly inspired them. Since the teaching of memoir seems to be even more dynamic and versatile in process and pedagogy than many of the other essay genres traditionally taught in college composition, this thesis makes recommendations for how memoir needs to be viewed, written about, and taught in order to harness the promise of this essay genre more consistently in the discussion of composition pedagogy and in the teaching of memoir to our students in the composition classroom.Thompkins, Jane. A Life in School: What the Teacher Learned. Reading: Addison-Wesley. 1996. Print.
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Date Issued
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2012
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Identifier
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CFE0004293, ucf:49469
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004293
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Title
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Deconstructing Differences in Effectiveness of Teachers of Tenth Grade Non-Proficient Readers in One Florida School District.
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Creator
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Williams, Mary, Taylor, Rosemarye, Doherty, Walter, Murray, Barbara, Baldwin, Gordon, Zugelder, Bryan, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Despite an intense focus and considerable financial commitment to remediate non-proficient readers in high school, the large suburban school district that was the target of this study had been unable to consistently improve student achievement in the lowest 25% of students as measured by outcomes on the FCAT Reading. Scholarly literature on high school reading had focused mostly on evaluation of curriculum rather than on teacher practices. A clear understanding of these differences in...
Show moreDespite an intense focus and considerable financial commitment to remediate non-proficient readers in high school, the large suburban school district that was the target of this study had been unable to consistently improve student achievement in the lowest 25% of students as measured by outcomes on the FCAT Reading. Scholarly literature on high school reading had focused mostly on evaluation of curriculum rather than on teacher practices. A clear understanding of these differences in practice will inform future decisions related to staffing, scheduling, and professional learning. This study sought to identify the underlying professional and instructional differences between the most effective and least effective teachers of tenth grade intensive reading courses through teacher and principal/assistant principal surveys along with teacher evaluation data. This study revealed with regards to a teacher's preparation to teach reading (research question one), that years of experience in the classroom and years of experience as a high school reading teacher were the only significant factors that influenced a teacher's effectiveness. For research questions two and three; which had to do with the beliefs and professional practices of the teacher, the educationally relevant belief that the more effective teachers were more confident about their abilities than their less effective peers was noted. Research question four provided the data with regards to the general classroom teaching strategies and the adolescent reading strategies the effective teachers employed. This data revealed that the more effective teachers implemented posting and communicating daily and long term learning goals more frequently than their less effective peers. In addition, the general classroom teaching practices of efficient use of learning time, establishing and maintaining classroom routines, and checking for understanding proved to be educationally relevant. Additionally, the adolescent reading strategies of sustained silent reading, paired/partner readings, and students reading one-on-one with teacher, were educationally relevant as well. Finally, in regards to research question five, it was of statistical significance that administrators valued the use of the general classroom teaching strategy of posting and communicating daily and long term learning goals and were able to recognize the use of this strategy when observing and evaluating the teachers.?
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Date Issued
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2013
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Identifier
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CFE0004960, ucf:49573
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004960
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Title
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SUPPORTING A STANDARDS-BASED TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: A CASE STUDY OF AN EXPERT MIDDLE SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHER.
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Creator
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Akyuz, Didem, Dixon, Juli K., University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Although it has been more than 20 years since the publication of Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 1989) and 10 years since the second version of standards, Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000), the research underlines the lack of essential practices for standards-based teaching (Franke, Kazemi, & Battey, 2007). The literature also emphasizes the importance of planning in standards-based teaching, although few studies focus on the direct...
Show moreAlthough it has been more than 20 years since the publication of Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 1989) and 10 years since the second version of standards, Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000), the research underlines the lack of essential practices for standards-based teaching (Franke, Kazemi, & Battey, 2007). The literature also emphasizes the importance of planning in standards-based teaching, although few studies focus on the direct planning of the teacher (Kilpatrick, Swafford, & Findell, 2001). The aim of the current study was to conduct a case study to extract the planning and classroom practices of an expert seventh grade mathematics teacher. The extracted practices were interpreted using the teaching-in-context theory which is based on the beliefs, goals, and knowledge of the teacher. The case study was conducted in a design experiment environment where the instructional sequence was revised based on the classroom instruction. The data were collected through different resources including videotapes of classroom sessions, teacher notes, students' artifacts, audiotapes of daily teacher interviews, weekly teacher meetings and classroom small groups in five weeks. Transcripts were used to observe the action patterns of the teacher during both planning and classroom practices. By triangulating the data, planning practices were separated into five categories: preparation, reflection, anticipation, assessment, and revision. These practices were interrelated in an environment of collaboration. Classroom practices also were categorized into five groups, namely creating and sustaining social norms, facilitating genuine mathematical discourse, supporting the development of sociomathematical norms, capitalizing on students' imagery to create inscriptions and notation, and developing small groups as communities of learners. Similar to the planning practices, these were also highly interrelated with social norms playing a key role in application of all other practices. The results showed that the expert teacher used a diverse set of practices with each practice comprised of multiple actions to create and sustain a standards-based environment. The results also indicated that standards-based teaching requires a rich and connected body of knowledge about students, curriculum, content, and literature. It was found that the depth of the teacher's knowledge allowed her to develop practices that were consistent with her beliefs and goals. Finally, the planning and classroom practices were found to be highly interrelated. While effective planning practices facilitated the application of standards-based teaching, the classroom teaching practices equipped the teacher with the data necessary to perform effective planning practices.
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Date Issued
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2010
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Identifier
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CFE0003449, ucf:48395
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003449
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Title
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AN INVESTIGATION OF COUNSELOR EDUCATORS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO THE INCORPORATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION CURRICULA.
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Creator
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Patel, Samir, Hagedorn, Bryce, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The overall purpose of this study was to investigate counselor educatorsÃÂ' attitudes towards evidence-based practices (EBPs) and perceived barriers to the inclusion of EBPs in counselor education curricula. Additionally, this study aimed to assess whether counselor educatorsÃÂ' level of agreement towards the presence of motivational interviewing (MI) principles in the counseling relationship impacted attitudes towards EBPs. As such, this...
Show moreThe overall purpose of this study was to investigate counselor educatorsÃÂ' attitudes towards evidence-based practices (EBPs) and perceived barriers to the inclusion of EBPs in counselor education curricula. Additionally, this study aimed to assess whether counselor educatorsÃÂ' level of agreement towards the presence of motivational interviewing (MI) principles in the counseling relationship impacted attitudes towards EBPs. As such, this researcher analyzed four research questions using two instruments and a demographic questionnaire. Two hundred sixty nine counselor educators (39.8% response rate) from the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision responded to an electronic survey, which consisted of the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS; Aarons, 2004), the BARRIERS Scale (Funk, Champagne, Wiese, & Tornquist, 1991), and a demographic questionnaire. Specifically, this study investigated four research questions to determine: (a) the difference in attitude towards adopting EBPs among counselor educators with respect to specific individual factors (i.e. specialized training in evidence-based practices, years of professoriate experience, and primary counselor education focus); (b) the difference in perceived barriers towards adopting EBPs into counselor education curricula among counselor educators with respect to organizational factors (i.e. type of program, status of CACREP accreditation, and faculty position); (c) the influence of EBP attitude on perceived barriers to the inclusion of EBPs in counselor education curricula; and (d) the correlation between counselor educators reported level of agreement towards MI principlesÃÂ' presence in the counseling relationship and their attitude towards EBPs. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were computed to analyze the data for the first two research questions, while linear regressions were utilized to compute the data for the last two research questions. In terms of individual factors, study results indicated that neither specialized training in EBPs nor years of professoriate experience resulted in significant differences with regards to attitudes towards EBPs. However, data analysis did reveal a significant difference between counselor educators with a clinical focus and counselor educators with a vocational focus. With regards to organizational factors influence on perceived barriers to the inclusion of EBPs in counselor education curricula, analyses revealed that neither CACREP accreditation nor faculty position resulted in any significant differences. Although, analysis did reveal that counselor educators in masters only programs perceived significantly less barriers to the inclusion of EBPs than did counselor educators in doctorate granting programs. Furthermore, results suggested a negative correlation between attitude towards EBPs and barriers towards the inclusion of EBPs in counselor education curricula, and a positive correlation between counselor educatorsÃÂ' agreement towards the inclusion of MI principles in the counseling relationship and their attitudes towards EBPs. Limitations of the study, implications for this study, and recommendations for future research as it relates to EBPs in counselor education and the counseling profession are addressed.
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Date Issued
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2010
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Identifier
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CFE0003063, ucf:48293
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003063
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Title
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THE EFFECT OF BRIEF TRAINING IN MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING ON CLIENT OUTCOMES AND TRAINEE SKILL DEVELOPMENT.
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Creator
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Young, Tabitha, Hagedorn, Bryce, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based practice that focuses on working through client ambivalence and increasing clientsÃÂ' motivation to change. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effect that a unique student-based training in MI had on counselor traineesÃÂ' ability to perform MI, and on client outcomes. This training program consisted of one initial four-hour training session, two hours of follow-up supervision, and...
Show moreMotivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based practice that focuses on working through client ambivalence and increasing clientsÃÂ' motivation to change. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effect that a unique student-based training in MI had on counselor traineesÃÂ' ability to perform MI, and on client outcomes. This training program consisted of one initial four-hour training session, two hours of follow-up supervision, and formal feedback via MITI 3.0 scores. Counselor-trainee skill was assessed via the MI Knowledge Questionnaire, the Helping Responses questionnaire, and the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code 3.0. In addition, the following instruments were used to assess client outcomes ; attendance via observation assessments, the Session Summary, the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2, and the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire. The sample consisted of 43 graduate-level counselor trainees in their first or second semesters of practicum and 81 adult clients being seen in a university-based graduate student-training counseling clinic. Participants were purposefully assigned to either a treatment or control group. The counselor trainees in the treatment group received the unique training program, follow-up supervision, and feedback whereas the participants in the control group received a four-hour orientation to the student-training counseling clinic. There were four primary hypotheses proposed for analysis within this study (a) How does a brief training in Motivational Interviewing given to counselor trainees affect their ability to accurately perform MI?, (b) How does a brief training in Motivational Interviewing given to counselor trainees affect client functioning?, (c) How does a brief training in Motivational Interviewing given to counselor trainees affect client adherence?, and (d) How does a brief training in Motivational Interviewing given to counselor trainees affect client satisfaction with treatment? The statistical analysis of these variables yielded significant findings. Specifically, counselor-trainee skill in MI significantly improved in the treatment group as compared to the control group as assessed by the MITI with regard to the following variables: evocation, collaboration, autonomy/support, empathy, direction, MI non-adherent giving information, closed questions, simple reflections, complex reflections, total reflections, global scores, ratio of open questions, ratio of reflections, and ratio of MI adherent behavior. In addition, analysis revealed significant between group differences with client attendance. Specifically, between group-differences suggested that clients in the MI treatment group attended more sessions, missed fewer sessions, and completed therapy more frequently than clients in the control group. Detailed procedures and results as well as implications for the counseling profession and future research are explored within this study.
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Date Issued
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2010
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Identifier
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CFE0003054, ucf:48361
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003054
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Title
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Practicing Teachers' Beliefs Regarding Racially, Culturally, Ethnically, And Linguistically Diverse (RCELD) Students In A Title I Secondary-School Environment.
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Creator
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Sabino, Lisa, Gill, Michele, Kaplan, Jeffrey, Boote, David, Lue, Martha, Oldham, Lucile, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Based on school-level data that included disparities in discipline rates, Title I status, teacher attrition, and teachers' statements, I designed a dissertation in practice to understand practicing teachers' personal and professional diversity beliefs regarding racially, culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse (RCELD) students in a Title I, secondary-school setting. Four hypotheses concerning type of secondary degree, years of experience, subjects taught, and racial or ethnic...
Show moreBased on school-level data that included disparities in discipline rates, Title I status, teacher attrition, and teachers' statements, I designed a dissertation in practice to understand practicing teachers' personal and professional diversity beliefs regarding racially, culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse (RCELD) students in a Title I, secondary-school setting. Four hypotheses concerning type of secondary degree, years of experience, subjects taught, and racial or ethnic background were tested. Pohan and Aguilar's (2001a) Teachers' Belief Survey was administered to 59% of the GHS staff in order to measure the personal and professional beliefs of practicing teachers. I used descriptive and parametric tests to analyze the survey's data. Based on the parametric and non-parametric tests no statistically significant differences were found for the four hypotheses tested. Although no statistically significant differences were noted in the data, this dissertation in practice starts a conversation about diversity issues at GHS. The initial school-level data were indicative of a problem of practice at GHS, and practicing teachers did self-report high levels of diversity beliefs. I recommend that further research build upon this study and include a qualitative component. I conclude that further research is necessary in order to investigate why practicing teachers' self-report diversity beliefs were high, yet school-level data indicated discriminatory practices.
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Date Issued
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2016
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Identifier
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CFE0006174, ucf:51123
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006174
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Title
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Evaluation of a Mind-Body Website by Women with Breast Cancer.
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Creator
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Beck, Laura, Loerzel, Victoria, Sole, Mary, Morrison, Kimberly, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Despite having access to volumes of information, women newly diagnosed with breast cancer report a moderate level of distress related to their diagnosis, treatment, life expectancy, threat to current roles, and life-changing surgery and treatment choices. Web sites designed to teach people strategies to reduce distress are readily available online. The online format may be useful and practical for women who can access the site at their convenience, learn the components of the interventions at...
Show moreDespite having access to volumes of information, women newly diagnosed with breast cancer report a moderate level of distress related to their diagnosis, treatment, life expectancy, threat to current roles, and life-changing surgery and treatment choices. Web sites designed to teach people strategies to reduce distress are readily available online. The online format may be useful and practical for women who can access the site at their convenience, learn the components of the interventions at their own pace, and practice the strategies in the comfort of their home. The purpose of this study was to evaluate an online Mind-Body web site (http://www.www.preparingforyoursurgery.com) designed to reduce distress related to surgery for its usability, practicality, and appropriateness for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Results of this study will be used to either adopt use of the web site into standard of care at our cancer center or explore development of a similar web site to meet the needs of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Women recently diagnosed with breast cancer, who had breast cancer surgery in the past 60 days, were asked to evaluate an online Mind-Body web site and then respond to an online questionnaire measuring the web site usability, practicality, and appropriateness. Thirty-one women evaluated the web site and completed the online survey. The majority of women agreed the web site is useful, practical, appropriate, and would recommend to others. There was no significant relationship between age, income, level of education, frequency of Internet use, or experience with Mind-Body techniques and women who agreed the web site is useful, appropriate, or practical compared to women who were neutral or disagreed the web siteis useful, appropriate, or practical. The results of this study suggest the web site could be introduced to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer at our cancer center regardless of age, income, education, frequency of Internet use, or experience with Mind-Body techniques.
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Date Issued
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2013
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Identifier
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CFE0005085, ucf:50752
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005085
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Title
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Mental rotation: Can familiarity alleviate the effects of complex backgrounds?.
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Creator
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Selkowitz, Anthony, Sims, Valerie, Jentsch, Florian, Chin, Matthew, Cash, Mason, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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This dissertation investigated the effects of complex backgrounds on mental rotation. Stimulus familiarity and background familiarity were manipulated. It systematically explored how familiarizing participants to objects and complex backgrounds affects their performance on a mental rotation task involving complex backgrounds. This study had 113 participants recruited through the UCF Psychology SONA system. Participants were familiarized with a stimulus in a task where they were told to...
Show moreThis dissertation investigated the effects of complex backgrounds on mental rotation. Stimulus familiarity and background familiarity were manipulated. It systematically explored how familiarizing participants to objects and complex backgrounds affects their performance on a mental rotation task involving complex backgrounds. This study had 113 participants recruited through the UCF Psychology SONA system. Participants were familiarized with a stimulus in a task where they were told to distinguish the stimulus from 3 other stimuli. A similar procedure was used to familiarize the backgrounds. The research design was a 2 stimulus familiarity (Familiarized with the Target Stimulus, not familiarized with the Target Stimulus) by 2 background familiarity (Familiarized with Target Background, not familiarized with Target Background 1) by 2 stimulus response condition (Target Stimulus, Non-Target Stimulus) by 3 background response condition (Target Background, Non-Target Background, Blank Background) by 12 degree of rotation (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270, 300, 330) mixed design. The study utilized target stimulus and target background familiarity conditions as the between-subjects variables. Background, stimulus, and degree of rotation were within-subjects variables. The participants' performance was measured using reaction time and percent of errors. Reaction time was computed using only the correct responses. After the familiarization task, participants engaged in a mental rotation task featuring stimuli and backgrounds that were present or not present in the familiarization task. A 2 (stimulus familiarization condition) by 2 (background familiarization condition) by 2 (stimulus response condition) by 3 (background response condition) by 12 (degree of rotation) mixed ANOVA was computed utilizing reaction time and percent of errors. Results suggest that familiarity with the Target Background had the largest effect on improving performance across response conditions. The results also suggest that familiarity with both the Target Stimulus and Target Background promoted inefficient mental rotation strategies which resulted in no significant differences between participants familiarized with neither the Target Stimulus nor the Target Background. Theoretical conclusions are drawn about stimulus familiarity and background familiarity. Future studies should investigate the effects of long term familiarity practice on mental rotation and complex backgrounds.
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Date Issued
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2015
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Identifier
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CFE0005998, ucf:50789
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005998
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Title
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Driving performance adaptation through practice with and without distracters in a simulated environment.
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Creator
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Gentzler, Marc, Smither, Janan, Neider, Mark, Rinalducci, Edward, Mcconnell, Daniel, Ray, Roger, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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A preponderance of research points to the detrimental effects of distraction on driving performance. An interesting question is whether practice can improve distracted driving. The results from the few longitudinal simulator-based research studies conducted on driving distraction have been inconclusive. This may be because practice effects could be confounded with participants adapting to driving in the simulator. Therefore, participants in the current studies were trained until performance...
Show moreA preponderance of research points to the detrimental effects of distraction on driving performance. An interesting question is whether practice can improve distracted driving. The results from the few longitudinal simulator-based research studies conducted on driving distraction have been inconclusive. This may be because practice effects could be confounded with participants adapting to driving in the simulator. Therefore, participants in the current studies were trained until performance reached a steady state prior to introducing the distracters.In this dissertation, two single-subject design studies were used to investigate the effects of training on distracted driving. The first study included two participants who experienced several different types of distracters. In the second study distracters were introduced before and after the training phase. The two distracters selected for Study 2 included conversing on a handheld phone and texting on a touchscreen phone continuously while driving in a city scenario. Previous research has not compared texting to phone, has had relatively littleexamination of texting and driving alone, and has primarily focused on hands-free phones and on highway settings. Participants drove on a city route which they had previously memorized to add realism to the driving task. Measures collected included speed maintenance, lane deviations/position errors, stop errors, and turn errors in both studies. In Study 2, subjective workload and reaction time were also collected.Findings indicated that training improved performance substantially for all participants in both studies compared to the initial baseline. Participants who experienced six and even nine sessions of the initial baseline did not necessarily improve more than those who only had three sessions. Performance for some participants did not improve in the initial baseline. The lower error levels in training remained fairly stable in subsequent baselines showing that actual learning did occur. Texting had higher error levels than phone both pre and post-training. There were no practice effects noticed for the distracters post-training for any of the participants, and in fact errors increased across sessions for phone and especially texting in Study 2. Training helped improve performance during the phone distraction more so than texting overall, although this varied for different dependent measures. Although errors were reduced after training in the distracter phases, the data actually showed that the performance difference between the baselines and the distracters pre-training was smaller than the differences post-training. Based on these findings, it is recommended that researchers conducting driving simulation research systematically train their participants on driving the simulator before they begin data collection.
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Date Issued
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2014
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Identifier
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CFE0005169, ucf:50658
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005169
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Title
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Low Impact Development Analysis and Comparative Assessment of Wet Detention Ponds with Floating Treatment Wetlands.
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Creator
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Hartshorn, Nicholas, Chang, Ni-bin, Kibler, Kelly, Wanielista, Martin, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The aim of this thesis is to examine, develop, and assess innovative best management practices (BMPs) in stormwater management for pollutant reduction, flood control, and environmental sustainability. Previous research has clearly shown that urban stormwater runoff quickly transports pathogens, metals, sediment, and chemical pollutants to receiving waterbodies, resulting in the degradation of receiving waters and disruption of ecological networks. In response to this growing concern,...
Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to examine, develop, and assess innovative best management practices (BMPs) in stormwater management for pollutant reduction, flood control, and environmental sustainability. Previous research has clearly shown that urban stormwater runoff quickly transports pathogens, metals, sediment, and chemical pollutants to receiving waterbodies, resulting in the degradation of receiving waters and disruption of ecological networks. In response to this growing concern, regulatory agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), have set forth regulations aimed at protecting and restoring waterbodies. These regulations include numeric nutrient criteria (NNC) and total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), which enable effective monitoring of a waterbody with regard to nitrogen and phosphorus pollution and help to restore waters not attaining their designated uses. Currently, many stormwater management systems do not provide sufficient nutrient reduction to meet growing regulations; thus, there is a clear need to develop additional BMPs to enhance nutrient reduction.Firstly, this thesis provides an overview of BMPs used in urban regions across the globe to create networks of low impact development (LID), with a focus on policy analysis. Chapter 2 examines the regulatory policies in areas of the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia from a federal, state, to local perspective in order to pinpoint what policies are supporting the shift from gray cities to green cities. Gray cities are cities comprised mainly of impervious surfaces, with little regard to the ecological health and hydrologic characteristics of the area. Green cities utilize LID to mimic pre-development hydrologic and ecological characteristics, resulting in a city that is both environmentally sustainable and offers many ecosystem services. The results of the global policy analysis identified the policies and other factors, such as funding and public involvement, necessary to facilitate the shift from gray cities to green cities and support the widespread implementation of LID.Secondly, this thesis provides a comparative analysis of three stormwater wet detention ponds, which all contained floating treatment wetlands (FTWs). FTWs are a new BMP, used to enhance nutrient reduction rates in stormwater wet detention ponds. FTWs are a manmade ecosystem, utilizing plants that grow on interlocking floating foam mats, that mimics natural wetlands. Both episodic (storm event) and routine (non-storm event) sampling campaigns were carried out at the three stormwater wet detention ponds located in Gainesville, Ruskin, and Orlando, Florida. The comparative analysis of the three stormwater wet detention ponds was based on two perspectives. The fist analysis, found in Chapter 2, focuses solely on the nutrient reduction potential of FTWs and how the installation of FTWs can be used to improve nutrient reduction rates in stormwater wet detention ponds. The second analysis, found in Chapter 3, focuses on the interaction between nutrients, microcystin, and chlorophyll-a in the stormwater wet detention ponds before and after installation of the FTWs. These two studies provide a holistic understanding of the environmental and ecological aspects of utilizing FTWs as a BMP in stormwater management. FTWs were found to have a significant impact on nutrient reduction rates in the three stormwater wet detention ponds, with total nitrogen (TN) reduction rates reaching 33% at the Ruskin pond during storm events and total phosphorus (TP) reduction rates reaching 71% at the Gainesville pond during storm events. Moreover, microcystin concentrations were found to have a negative correlation with nutrient concentrations, specifically total phosphorus, for both storm and non-storm events across all three ponds.
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Date Issued
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2016
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Identifier
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CFE0006113, ucf:51206
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006113
Pages