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- Title
- A COMPARISON OF THE PERCEIVED LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT SCORES.
- Creator
-
Fisher, Thomas, Magann, Douglas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this inquiry was to examine the possible extent to which specific, identifiable leadership characteristics of Central Florida school principals differ between middle and high school administrators, and to examine if these leadership characteristics display a relationship, either positively or negatively, with the obtainment of student scores on state measures of education accountability (FCAT reading scores). Data from the research sample were collected through the...
Show moreThe purpose of this inquiry was to examine the possible extent to which specific, identifiable leadership characteristics of Central Florida school principals differ between middle and high school administrators, and to examine if these leadership characteristics display a relationship, either positively or negatively, with the obtainment of student scores on state measures of education accountability (FCAT reading scores). Data from the research sample were collected through the administration of a modified version of the Audit of Principal Effectiveness (APE), a survey instrument developed by Dr. Jerry Valentine through the Middle Level Leadership Center at the University of Missouri-Columbia (Valentine & Bowman, 1984). The survey instrument used for this study contained 52 statements regarding principal leadership characteristics divided into two domains (organizational environment and educational program). The organizational environment domain (questions 1-37) establishes the ability of the principal to nurture the on-going climate of the school through development of positive interpersonal relations among the staff members and effective daily operational procedures for the school. The second domain, educational program, ascertains the principal's ability to serve as the educational leader of the school through active involvement in instructional leadership and curriculum development. Teachers were asked to rate their principal on a 9-point Likert-type scale (1 = not effective, 5 = moderately effective, 9 = very effective) on the extent they perceived the principal to be effective in that leadership skill. A sufficient number of surveys (minimum of 7) were returned from teachers at 60 schools (35 middle schools and 25 high schools) out of a possible 104 for a response rate of 57.7%. The investigation found the following: 1) There was no statistically significant difference between the mean scores representing teacher perceptions of principal leadership on either the organizational environment or educational program domains of the (APE) between middle schools and high schools; 2) There was no statistically significant correlation, when middle school and high school principals were treated as one group, between the mean scores representing teacher perceptions of principal leadership on either the organizational environment or educational program domains of the APE and student achievement; 3) There was a statistically significant negative (inverse) correlation between FCAT reading percentage and low-SES percentage for all schools; 4) As teacher rating mean scores on the APE organizational environment domain increased, the negative (inverse) correlation between FCAT reading percentage and low-SES percentage decreased but not at statistically significant levels; and 5) A positive correlation between teacher rating mean scores and FCAT reading percentage was indicated for high school principals on both the organizational environment and educational program domains of the APE. These correlations were not statistically significant at the higher alpha required for multiple correlation tests, but they were positive and the correlation for the organizational environment domain approached significance.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000400, ucf:46345
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000400
- Title
- STUDY AND ANALYSIS OF UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS AMONG STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA.
- Creator
-
Anzueto, Deberly M, Saleh, Suha, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Upper gastrointestinal symptoms can be caused by many different diseases and can present themselves in many different forms and range in intensity depending on the person. In previous research, upper gastrointestinal symptoms have been correlated with stress, smoking, alcohol intake, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), among others. The purpose of this study will be focusing on finding any association between these risk factors mention and symptoms of upper gastrointestinal...
Show moreUpper gastrointestinal symptoms can be caused by many different diseases and can present themselves in many different forms and range in intensity depending on the person. In previous research, upper gastrointestinal symptoms have been correlated with stress, smoking, alcohol intake, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), among others. The purpose of this study will be focusing on finding any association between these risk factors mention and symptoms of upper gastrointestinal disease among college students. The study will utilize an Izumo scale questionnaire for the assessment of abdominal symptoms and Quality of Life (QOL). The questionnaire was built using Survey Monkey and distributed via email to students at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The main hypothesis was that the more the student's advancement in their college career, stress load, alcohol consumption, smoking, poor diet and a high consumption of some over the counter medication (specifically Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs), the more prone the students will be to present symptoms of upper gastrointestinal disease. The results were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS), and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to find any associations. The One-Way ANOVA tests showed an association between gender, ethnicity, student status, major, cigarette smoking habits, alcohol consumption, binge drinking, diet, stress, sleeping, and overall health. The results of this study present clear evidence that among college students, their demographics as well as lifestyle and school choices have significant associations to the amount of gastrointestinal symptoms they present with.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFH2000132, ucf:45949
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000132
- Title
- EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC PARTICIPATION ON MATH SCORES AND HIGH SCHOOL RETENTION.
- Creator
-
Halperin, Marin, Goodman, Constance, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
"If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music... I get most joy in life out of music." -Albert Einstein In the spirit of recent legislation, educational leaders are in search of ways to ensure a quality education for all students in America, vowing to leave no child behind. Unfortunate-ly, most of the rhetoric surrounding quality in education fails to acknowledge the impact of the arts in...
Show more"If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music... I get most joy in life out of music." -Albert Einstein In the spirit of recent legislation, educational leaders are in search of ways to ensure a quality education for all students in America, vowing to leave no child behind. Unfortunate-ly, most of the rhetoric surrounding quality in education fails to acknowledge the impact of the arts in standards-based reform initiatives. In fact, some school districts have discussed cutting the arts entirely from the curriculum. The purpose of this study is threefold: (1) to ex-amine the impact of music education on high school students' achievement in mathematics, and (2) to examine the relationship between schools with music programs and their gradua-tion rates, (3) to explore the personal impact of music participation through auto-ethnographic study. The results of this study revealed that participation in a music program can have a positive impact on mathematics retention of high school students. This study revealed information about the need for student participation in order to make a clear determination. However, the auto-ethnography shows a clear example of the impact music can have on student academic success.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFH0004111, ucf:44869
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004111
- Title
- The Effects of Scoring Technique on Situational Judgment Test Validity.
- Creator
-
Miller, Daniel, Jentsch, Kimberly, Jentsch, Florian, Fritzsche, Barbara, Burke, Shawn, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs) are frequently used by organizations as a face-valid selection measure with low adverse impact and a relatively strong relationship with relevant criteria. Despite their common use, there remain several research questions regarding the theoretical foundations and characteristics of SJTs. Additionally, developments in SJT scoring provide fertile ground for research to validate new scoring techniques to better predict criteria of interest. Motowidlo and his...
Show moreSituational Judgment Tests (SJTs) are frequently used by organizations as a face-valid selection measure with low adverse impact and a relatively strong relationship with relevant criteria. Despite their common use, there remain several research questions regarding the theoretical foundations and characteristics of SJTs. Additionally, developments in SJT scoring provide fertile ground for research to validate new scoring techniques to better predict criteria of interest. Motowidlo and his colleagues (2006) recently developed a scoring technique for SJTs based on the principle of Implicit Trait Policies (ITPs) which are implicit beliefs concerning the effectiveness of different behavioral choices that demonstrate varying levels of targeted traits. Individuals high in these targeted traits will rate item responses that demonstrate high levels of that particular trait as more effective. Taking into consideration this new method, and also considering the multitude of scoring methods already available to test developers, it logically follows that these different scoring methods will have different correlations with constructs of interest, and that by using this new method it may be possible to achieve a much higher correlation with personality. The effects of scoring technique on relationships between SJT scores and constructs of interest such as personality will in turn have effects on the criterion validity of the SJT. This research explored how scoring methods affected the relationship SJT scores have with general mental ability, personality traits, typical performance, and maximum performance. Results indicated significant differential validity as a function of the respondents' race. For minority participants, SJT scores predicted (")maximum performance ratings(") in a simulation exercise but not (")typical performance ratings(") provided by familiar peers. However, the reverse was true for Caucasian participants. The two scoring methods demonstrated differential validity. However, the nature of these differences varied as a function of the performance dimension in question (i.e., agreeableness, extraversion). Implications for future research will be discussed as well as the practical implications of these findings.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004484, ucf:49314
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004484
- Title
- I'm off for Charleston.
- Date Created
- 1850
- Identifier
- DP0012808
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/DP0012808
- Title
- A STUDY OF AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY OF TEACHERS' HOLISTIC SCORES OF ELEMENTARY WRITING THROUGH IN-HOUSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
- Creator
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Farmer, Lisa, Hynes, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based training that attempted to improve the reliability of holistic scores teachers assigned to the writings of elementary school students. Seventeen teachers at one suburban elementary school located in the Southeastern United States participated in three training sessions that allowed for scoring practice and group discussions. The trainers, or presenters, were "faculty-experts." A comparison of scores the participants assigned to students...
Show moreThis study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based training that attempted to improve the reliability of holistic scores teachers assigned to the writings of elementary school students. Seventeen teachers at one suburban elementary school located in the Southeastern United States participated in three training sessions that allowed for scoring practice and group discussions. The trainers, or presenters, were "faculty-experts." A comparison of scores the participants assigned to students' writings before and after the training was conducted. The analyses included t-tests that compared the participants' mean scores to the scores assigned by raters from the state, a within-group analysis of reliability as measured by Cronbach's Alpha, and percentage agreement analyses. The results suggested that the in-house training activities promoted higher inter-rater reliability of scores assigned to students' writings by the teachers in this study. This study also compared teachers identified as being highly confident writers with teachers who reported low levels of self-confidence related to writing. Prior to the training, the highly confident teachers' scores tended to be lower than the state scores and the scores assigned by their less confident peers. During group discussions, however, the "high-confidence" group was just as likely to change their scores to a higher level as to a lower level, and by the end of the training, both groups demonstrated more consistent score patterns.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002297, ucf:47855
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002297
- Title
- A Causal Comparative Analysis of a Computer Adaptive Mathematics Program Using Multilevel Propensity Score Matching.
- Creator
-
Seabolt, Justin, Sivo, Stephen, Bai, Haiyan, Swan, Bonnie, Vitale, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a computer adaptive mathematics program, i-Ready(&)#174; Mathematics Instruction in Central Florida School District (CFSD) using a variety of quantitative analyses. In particular, students in the fifth grade at CFSD were examined in relation to the gains made on their end-of-year statewide mathematics assessment, known as the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA Math). Per i-Ready(&)#174;, students who use i-Ready(&)#174; Mathematics...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a computer adaptive mathematics program, i-Ready(&)#174; Mathematics Instruction in Central Florida School District (CFSD) using a variety of quantitative analyses. In particular, students in the fifth grade at CFSD were examined in relation to the gains made on their end-of-year statewide mathematics assessment, known as the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA Math). Per i-Ready(&)#174;, students who use i-Ready(&)#174; Mathematics Instruction for a minimum of 45 minutes per subject per week for at least 25 weeks show significantly greater gains than those who do not (Curriculum Associates, 2017b). Therefore, two propensity score matching methods (one considering the multilevel structure of the data) were examined and compared to split students into the following two comparison groups: those who used the program with fidelity and those who did not. Next, a series of multilevel models, using both propensity score matching methods, and dependent t-tests were examined to evaluate the effectiveness of i-Ready(&)#174; Mathematics Instruction. In conclusion, the use of the multilevel propensity score matching technique yielded a better fit for explaining the variation in relation to gains students in the fifth grade made on the FSA Math assessment. Additionally, i-Ready(&)#174; Mathematics Instruction did positively impact fifth grade students in Central Florida School District who used the program with fidelity with relation to their FSA Math score gains, compared to those who did not use the program with fidelity.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007245, ucf:52210
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007245
- Title
- Can a Multiple Intervention Approach Improve College Students' Persistence, GPA, and Credits Earned?.
- Creator
-
Guillemette, Joshua, Sivo, Stephen, Swan, Bonnie, Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie, Vitale, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The research conducted tested a theory based on work by Tinto (1999), Astin (1984), and the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE, 2012) that multiple interventions are needed to significantly improve graduation rates at community colleges. The literature says little about this approach for community college students; therefore, this dissertation contributes to the knowledge base for educational programs.A first-year program at a large, diverse community college using...
Show moreThe research conducted tested a theory based on work by Tinto (1999), Astin (1984), and the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE, 2012) that multiple interventions are needed to significantly improve graduation rates at community colleges. The literature says little about this approach for community college students; therefore, this dissertation contributes to the knowledge base for educational programs.A first-year program at a large, diverse community college using multiple interventions assisted in determining the validity of the theory. The interventions built into the first-year program included learning communities, a student success course (SSC), proactive advising, and experiential learning. The CCCSE and others identified these components as high-impact practices for improving student achievement. A common theme and faculty tied interventions together across the first year of the program. The small sample (n = 21) and the fact this was the pilot year represent the most critical limitations in ascertaining the efficacy of the theory.The program's outcomes were evaluated using propensity score matching (PSM). Updates in statistical software continue to make the method easier to implement and evaluate. Consequently, this method is increasing in popularity in education to determine causality where random assignment is not feasible. Hence, the dissertation spends some time describing the method, so others can benefit from the method in their research. The author compared the program group to matched students from the same campus in the fall and spring terms. Characteristics of the match were chosen based on a careful search of the literature and historical data of the institution to ensure that students in the match group would be comparable. Differences in persistence, grade point average (GPA), and credits earned served to determine the effectiveness of the theory in this pilot.The program did not show a statistically significant increase (p (>) .1) in persistence, GPA, or credits earned over the matched group. Yet, a small effect was measured for GPA (d = 0.51, fall and d = 0.12, spring), credits earned (d = 0.17, fall and d = 0.13, spring), and persistence (OR = 1.28, fall and OR = 1.25, spring). The positive finding encourages more research into the theory of multiple interventions for community college students.In conclusion, future research should include following up with the participants in year two to determine how long the intervention effect persists. Also, increasing the sample size by including other first-year programs run by the institution improves the ability to detect differences and improve confidence. Finally, multiple interventions need to be tried on many different types of students to determine who benefits most.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006879, ucf:51717
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006879
- Title
- An analysis of the difference between assessed instructional practices, value-added measures, and learning gains of secondary reading teachers.
- Creator
-
Fritz, Ronald, Taylor, Rosemarye, Baldwin, Lee, Doherty, Walter, Kennedy, Mary, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship that exists among instructional practice scores, value-added measures, and learning gains for the Large Urban School District (LUSD) among reading teachers in Grades 6-12 for the 2012-2013 school year. In addition, this study was also conducted to address the perceptions of secondary school principals and assistant principals regarding the relationship of the three variables and their relevance in making personnel decisions....
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship that exists among instructional practice scores, value-added measures, and learning gains for the Large Urban School District (LUSD) among reading teachers in Grades 6-12 for the 2012-2013 school year. In addition, this study was also conducted to address the perceptions of secondary school principals and assistant principals regarding the relationship of the three variables and their relevance in making personnel decisions. Quantitative data were obtained from school district databases for observation scores, value-added measures, and standardized assessment achievement data to determine the relationship among the variables. In addition, a perception survey was completed by secondary school principals and assistant principals. With a sample size of 138, the survey yielded a return rate of 84%. The data were analyzed to determine actual relationships among instructional practice scores, value-added measures, and learning gains, as well as how the participants perceived each variable in isolation. The literature review supported the findings regarding the inflation of observation scores by school administrators. The only significant relationship (.48) existed between value-added measures and learning gains. Likewise, school leaders in the LUSD believed that their observations were important in analyzing the needs of their teachers and should be included in summative evaluations. Learning gains were supported by the participants more than instructional practice scores and value-added measures as evidence of effective instruction. The literature review revealed past program evaluation studies regarding the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) as a valid measure for assessing grade level benchmarks. The information in this study is valuable and suggests that continued professional learning for school leaders regarding classroom observations to improve inter-rater reliability is needed. Likewise, school leaders would benefit from understanding the relationships that exist among instructional practice scores, value-added measures, and learning gains to drive conversations with teachers regarding rigorous instruction.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005494, ucf:50362
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005494
- Title
- An Investigation of Low Performing Central Florida Teacher Evaluation Feedback and Improvement Plans as Related to Value-Added Model Scores and Instructional Practice Scores.
- Creator
-
Butler, Tara, Murray, Barbara, Doherty, Walter, Murray, Kenneth, Baldwin, Lee, Hutchinson, Cynthia, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to determine if low performing Central Florida teachers, according to Florida VAM scores, had related instructional practice evaluations that were being used to determine placement on improvement plans in the 2013-14 school year. Additionally, the feedback held within the instructional practice evaluations was analyzed to discover the levels of feedback most frequently rendered by administrative evaluators to the lowest performing teachers. Deidentified data from...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if low performing Central Florida teachers, according to Florida VAM scores, had related instructional practice evaluations that were being used to determine placement on improvement plans in the 2013-14 school year. Additionally, the feedback held within the instructional practice evaluations was analyzed to discover the levels of feedback most frequently rendered by administrative evaluators to the lowest performing teachers. Deidentified data from a population of 528 Central Florida teacher evaluations and improvement plans within the lowest 10% of VAM scores for the 2013-14 school year were gathered from a Florida Department of Education database and public record requests. Data were analyzed to determine if any significant relationship existed between VAM scores and instructional practice scores. A very weak relationship existed between these two variables. Tenured teachers were rated significantly more favorably on summative instructional practice evaluations than nontenured teachers. Within the population, fewer than 1% of low-performing teachers (two total) were prescribed an improvement plan, regardless of tenure or nontenure status. Finally, evaluation feedback was largely low-level without reference to student growth or achievement. Evidence of administrative barriers within the three dimensions of individual conflict avoidance, bureaucratic procedural interferences, and administrative procedural faults were inferred from the literature and subsequent findings. To improve upon the current evaluation system, administrators must be aware of, and well-prepared for the demands of evaluating, remediating, and providing feedback to teaching professionals relative to student achievement and growth in a manner that is simultaneously respectful, candid, fair, timely, and actionable.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006937, ucf:51677
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006937
- Title
- COLLEGE STUDENTS' RECALL OF AND ATTITUDES TOWARD BRAND PLACEMENT IN REALITY TELEVISION PROGRAMMING.
- Creator
-
Fayemi, Temitayo, Kenney, Richard, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This thesis measures college students' attitudes toward, and the effectiveness of, brand placement in the genre of reality television. Surveys were used to discover the level of brand recall for the products and brands displayed in reality television programming and to discover viewers' reported reasons for paying attention to these brands. The study found that viewers tended to have positive attitudes toward brand placement in reality television and that focus on a brand was a major reason...
Show moreThis thesis measures college students' attitudes toward, and the effectiveness of, brand placement in the genre of reality television. Surveys were used to discover the level of brand recall for the products and brands displayed in reality television programming and to discover viewers' reported reasons for paying attention to these brands. The study found that viewers tended to have positive attitudes toward brand placement in reality television and that focus on a brand was a major reason for recall. Furthermore, the study found no significant difference in the recall scores of reality television viewers versus non-viewers and no significant difference based on the perceived level of the reality of the programming.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0000921, ucf:46735
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000921
- Title
- Modeling Mass Care Resource Provision Post Hurricane.
- Creator
-
Muhs, Tammy, Kincaid, John, Rollins, David, Dorman, Teresa, Taylor, Gregory, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Determining the amount of resources needed, specifically food and water, following a hurricane is not a straightforward task. Through this research effort, an estimating tool was developed that takes into account key demographic and evacuation behavioral effects, as well as hurricane storm specifics to estimate the number of meals required for the first fourteen days following a hurricane making landfall in the State of Florida. The Excel based estimating tool was created using data collected...
Show moreDetermining the amount of resources needed, specifically food and water, following a hurricane is not a straightforward task. Through this research effort, an estimating tool was developed that takes into account key demographic and evacuation behavioral effects, as well as hurricane storm specifics to estimate the number of meals required for the first fourteen days following a hurricane making landfall in the State of Florida. The Excel based estimating tool was created using data collected from four hurricanes making landfall in Florida during 2004-2005. The underlying model used in the tool is a Regression Decision Tree with predictor variables including direct impact, poverty level, and hurricane impact score. The hurricane impact score is a hurricane classification system resulting from this research that includes hurricane category, intensity, wind field size, and landfall location. The direct path of a hurricane, a higher than average proportion of residents below the poverty level, and the hurricane impact score were all found to have an effect on the number of meals required during the first fourteen days following a hurricane making landfall in the State of Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004143, ucf:49053
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004143
- Title
- Rapid Response Teams versus Critical Care Outreach Teams: Unplanned Escalations in Care and Associated Outcomes.
- Creator
-
Danesh, Valerie, Neff, Donna, Aroian, Karen, Andrews, Diane, Unruh, Lynn, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The incidence of unplanned escalations during hospitalization is undocumented, but estimates may be as high as 1.2 million occurrences per year in the United States. Rapid Response Teams (RRT) were developed for the early recognition and treatment of deteriorating patients to deliver time-sensitive interventions, but evidence related to optimal activation criteria and structure is limited. The purpose of this study is to determine if an Early Warning Score-based Critical Care Outreach (CCO)...
Show moreThe incidence of unplanned escalations during hospitalization is undocumented, but estimates may be as high as 1.2 million occurrences per year in the United States. Rapid Response Teams (RRT) were developed for the early recognition and treatment of deteriorating patients to deliver time-sensitive interventions, but evidence related to optimal activation criteria and structure is limited. The purpose of this study is to determine if an Early Warning Score-based Critical Care Outreach (CCO) model is related to the frequency of unplanned intra-hospital escalations in care compared to a RRT system based on staff nurse identification of vital sign derangements and physical assessments. The RRT model, in which staff nurses identified vital sign derangements to active the system, was compared with the addition of a CCO model, in which rapid response nurses activated the system based on Early Warning Score line graphs of patient condition over time. Logistic regressions were used to examine retrospective data from administrative datasets at a 237-bed community non-teaching hospital during two periods: 1) baseline period, RRT model (n=5,875) (Phase 1: October 1, 2010 (-) March 31, 2011), and; 2) intervention period, RRT/CCO model (n=6,273). (Phase 2: October 1, 2011 (-) March 31, 2012). The strongest predictor of unplanned escalations to the Intensive Care Unit was the type of rapid response system model. Unplanned ICU transfers were 1.4 times more likely to occur during the Phase 1 RRT period. In contrast, the type of rapid response model was not a significant predictor when all unplanned escalations (any type) were grouped together (medical-surgical-to-intermediate, medical-surgical-to-ICU and intermediate-to-ICU). This is the first study to report a relationship between unplanned escalations and different rapid response models. Based on the findings of fewer unplanned ICU transfers in the setting of a CCO model, health services researchers and clinicians should consider using automated Early Warning score graphs for hospital-wide surveillance of patient condition as a safety strategy.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006212, ucf:51093
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006212
- Title
- Digital Education: The Impact of Change, Acceleration, and Student Achievement Improvement.
- Creator
-
Walsh, Sarah, Olan, Elsie, Puig, Enrique, Jeanpierre, Bobby, Damico, Nicole, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The aim is to understand if the implementation plan in place by the public school system is exceeding the expectations of the stakeholders or if it is falling below what is expected. This quantitative research examines the English Language Arts (ELA), Florida Standard Assessment (FSA) scores for the state of Florida with a closer inspection of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) with relation to their digital implementation plan. With an increase in digital technology and amplified emphasis...
Show moreThe aim is to understand if the implementation plan in place by the public school system is exceeding the expectations of the stakeholders or if it is falling below what is expected. This quantitative research examines the English Language Arts (ELA), Florida Standard Assessment (FSA) scores for the state of Florida with a closer inspection of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) with relation to their digital implementation plan. With an increase in digital technology and amplified emphasis on technology-based learning, the objective of this research was to determine what impact students and schools are experiencing in regards to test scores after the first year of implementation. Data reflects a decrease in gains in relation to ELA test scores, specifically within the year of implementation of technology. With the knowledge of this information the conversation needs to be started about what needs to be done to help this from becoming a permanent issue. There needs to be an allotment for adjustments to allow for the inclusion of strategies to assist in the minimizing of the achievement gap.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007740, ucf:52396
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007740
- Title
- A comparison of eighth grade athletes and non-athletes: Academic achievement, time spent on homework, future educational goals, and socioeconomic status.
- Creator
-
Shelby, John, Taylor, Rosemarye, Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie, Doherty, Walter, Ford, Robert, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study examined the differences between eighth grade athletes and non-athletes in terms of mathematics and reading achievement based on standardized test scores from direct cognitive assessments in mathematics and reading. The data for this study came from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K). Data were collected from student and parent surveys in conjunction with direct cognitive assessments. The research questions were as follows: 1. To what...
Show moreThis study examined the differences between eighth grade athletes and non-athletes in terms of mathematics and reading achievement based on standardized test scores from direct cognitive assessments in mathematics and reading. The data for this study came from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K). Data were collected from student and parent surveys in conjunction with direct cognitive assessments. The research questions were as follows: 1. To what extent is there a difference in mathematics achievement between eighth grade athletes and non-athletes while controlling for self-reported future educational goals and socioeconomic status?2. To what extent is there a difference in mathematics achievement between eighth grade athletes and non-athletes while controlling for self-reported weekly time spent on homework and socioeconomic status?3. To what extent is there a difference in reading achievement between eighth grade athletes and non-athletes while controlling for self-reported future educational goals and socioeconomic status?4. To what extent is there a difference in reading achievement between eighth grade athletes and non-athletes while controlling for self-reported weekly time spent on homework and socioeconomic status?Factorial ANOVA's were used answer each research question. An additional variable, gender, was utilized to further evaluate differences in mathematics and reading scale scores. Based upon the results, no statistical significance was found in the three-way interaction effects for any of the research questions. As the two-way and main effects comparisons were evaluated, statistical significance was indicated within each question based on the multiple independent variables. Overall, the athletes did not outscore non-athletes.There were consistent differences in mean scores in reading and mathematics based upon self-stated future educational goals where students maintained higher mean scores in reading and mathematics as their educational goals increased. In addition consistent differences in mean scores in reading and mathematics were indicated where students below the poverty level had lower mean scores than students at or above the poverty level. Finally, students' mathematics and reading achievement significantly increased as their self-reported weekly time spent on homework increased.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004166, ucf:49064
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004166
- Title
- Analysis of the Effects of Formative Assessment in Promoting Transfer of Learning in an Undergraduate General Microbiology Laboratory Course.
- Creator
-
Rediske, Andrea, Butler, Malcolm, Boote, David, Sivo, Stephen, Chini, Jacquelyn, Moore, Sean, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The undergraduate microbiology lab serves an important role in establishing a foundation of best practices in aseptic technique and infection control for pre-medical, pre-nursing, pre-pharmacy, or pre-allied health students. The high incidence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in the US and evidence in the literature of less effective implementation of proper aseptic technique among apprentice doctors and nursing students suggests that more effective transfer of learning could improve...
Show moreThe undergraduate microbiology lab serves an important role in establishing a foundation of best practices in aseptic technique and infection control for pre-medical, pre-nursing, pre-pharmacy, or pre-allied health students. The high incidence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in the US and evidence in the literature of less effective implementation of proper aseptic technique among apprentice doctors and nursing students suggests that more effective transfer of learning could improve implementation of these procedures in the clinical setting. The research described in this study aimed to assess learning transfer as it applied to aseptic techniques and infection control skills learned in the undergraduate microbiology lab from pre- and post-lab formative assessments to midterm and lab practical summative assessments. Assisting students in building connections between the aseptic techniques learned in general microbiology and their application in the clinical setting through pre-lab formative assessments and reflective practices may lead to improvements in use of aseptic techniques and infection control measures as they progress into clinical careers and may ultimately reduce infection rates and mortality rates due to HAIs.The first major aim of this study was to explore the experiences of students with respect to learning transfer through qualitative analysis of student responses to post-lab free-response questions regarding difficulties faced in the lab and the relevance of microbiology to students' future careers. The second major aim of this study was to determine if the implementation of an in-class pre-lab formative assessment facilitateslearning transfer as evidenced by significant improvements on summative lab midterm and final lab practical exam scores.Qualitative analysis of student responses to open-ended reflection questions indicated evidence of predominantly low-road transfer with respect to transfer of automaticity. Additionally, qualitative analysis of student responses indicated evidence of lateral transfer regarding transfer of complexity. Finally, there was evidence of an evolution from near to far transfer of context indicating that students were able to perceive the application of the knowledge gained in the microbiology lab in contexts similar to the lab as well as contexts outside of the lab. Evidence from student responses suggested that primarily students intending to pursue careers in healthcare fields were able to perceive specific applications of the microbiology lab to their future careers. Further, evidence from student responses suggested that students predominantly had difficulties with procedures, interpretation of results, manual dexterity with microbiological equipment and materials, and expressed the need to practice these procedures and techniques.Statistical analyses provided quantifiable evidence that the implementation of pre-lab quizzes had both a statistically significantly positive impact and a practically positive impact on lab practical final scores in both of the semesters studied as compared to historical control groups with a large effect size. The statistically and practically significant impact of the pre-lab quizzes on lab practical final exams is an important finding and will add to the current literature on the importance of formative assessment in undergraduate microbiology education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006784, ucf:51824
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006784
- Title
- Quantifying Trust and Reputation for Defense against Adversaries in Multi-Channel Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks.
- Creator
-
Bhattacharjee, Shameek, Chatterjee, Mainak, Guha, Ratan, Zou, Changchun, Turgut, Damla, Catbas, Necati, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Dynamic spectrum access enabled by cognitive radio networks are envisioned to drivethe next generation wireless networks that can increase spectrum utility by opportunisticallyaccessing unused spectrum. Due to the policy constraint that there could be no interferenceto the primary (licensed) users, secondary cognitive radios have to continuously sense forprimary transmissions. Typically, sensing reports from multiple cognitive radios are fusedas stand-alone observations are prone to errors...
Show moreDynamic spectrum access enabled by cognitive radio networks are envisioned to drivethe next generation wireless networks that can increase spectrum utility by opportunisticallyaccessing unused spectrum. Due to the policy constraint that there could be no interferenceto the primary (licensed) users, secondary cognitive radios have to continuously sense forprimary transmissions. Typically, sensing reports from multiple cognitive radios are fusedas stand-alone observations are prone to errors due to wireless channel characteristics. Suchdependence on cooperative spectrum sensing is vulnerable to attacks such as SecondarySpectrum Data Falsification (SSDF) attacks when multiple malicious or selfish radios falsifythe spectrum reports. Hence, there is a need to quantify the trustworthiness of radios thatshare spectrum sensing reports and devise malicious node identification and robust fusionschemes that would lead to correct inference about spectrum usage.In this work, we propose an anomaly monitoring technique that can effectively cap-ture anomalies in the spectrum sensing reports shared by individual cognitive radios duringcooperative spectrum sensing in a multi-channel distributed network. Such anomalies areused as evidence to compute the trustworthiness of a radio by its neighbours. The proposedanomaly monitoring technique works for any density of malicious nodes and for any physicalenvironment. We propose an optimistic trust heuristic for a system with a normal risk attitude and show that it can be approximated as a beta distribution. For a more conservativesystem, we propose a multinomial Dirichlet distribution based conservative trust framework,where Josang's Belief model is used to resolve any uncertainty in information that mightarise during anomaly monitoring. Using a machine learning approach, we identify maliciousnodes with a high degree of certainty regardless of their aggressiveness and variations intro-duced by the pathloss environment. We also propose extensions to the anomaly monitoringtechnique that facilitate learning about strategies employed by malicious nodes and alsoutilize the misleading information they provide. We also devise strategies to defend against a collaborative SSDF attack that islaunched by a coalition of selfish nodes. Since, defense against such collaborative attacks isdifficult with popularly used voting based inference models or node centric isolation techniques, we propose a channel centric Bayesian inference approach that indicates how much the collective decision on a channels occupancy inference can be trusted. Based on the measured observations over time, we estimate the parameters of the hypothesis of anomalous andnon-anomalous events using a multinomial Bayesian based inference. We quantitatively define the trustworthiness of a channel inference as the difference between the posterior beliefsassociated with anomalous and non-anomalous events. The posterior beliefs are updated based on a weighted average of the prior information on the belief itself and the recently observed data.Subsequently, we propose robust fusion models which utilize the trusts of the nodes to improve the accuracy of the cooperative spectrum sensing decisions. In particular, we propose three fusion models: (i) optimistic trust based fusion, (ii) conservative trust based fusion, and (iii) inversion based fusion. The former two approaches exclude untrustworthy sensing reports for fusion, while the last approach utilizes misleading information. Allschemes are analyzed under various attack strategies. We propose an asymmetric weightedmoving average based trust management scheme that quickly identifies on-off SSDF attacks and prevents quick trust redemption when such nodes revert back to temporal honest behavior. We also provide insights on what attack strategies are more effective from the adversaries' perspective.Through extensive simulation experiments we show that the trust models are effective in identifying malicious nodes with a high degree of certainty under variety of network and radio conditions. We show high true negative detection rates even when multiple malicious nodes launch collaborative attacks which is an improvement over existing voting based exclusion and entropy divergence techniques. We also show that we are able to improve the accuracy of fusion decisions compared to other popular fusion techniques. Trust based fusion schemes show worst case decision error rates of 5% while inversion based fusion show 4% as opposed majority voting schemes that have 18% error rate. We also show that the proposed channel centric Bayesian inference based trust model is able to distinguish between attacked and non-attacked channels for both static and dynamic collaborative attacks. We are also able to show that attacked channels have significantly lower trust values than channels that are not(-) a metric that can be used by nodes to rank the quality of inference on channels.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005764, ucf:50081
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005764
- Title
- LIGHTING DESIGN FOR FROM SUN TO SUN: A DAY IN A RAILROAD CAMP.
- Creator
-
Szewczyk, Nathan, Scott, Bert, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
In this thesis the notion of a theoretical approach to the beginning stages of designing lighting for a theatrical production will be discussed. The topic being researched is: How a theoretical approach to entering the design process will enhance the final lighting design. The target audience for this study is theatrical lighting designers. A theoretical approach, in this case to the beginning of the design process, could be described as utilizing current dramatic theories to develop a better...
Show moreIn this thesis the notion of a theoretical approach to the beginning stages of designing lighting for a theatrical production will be discussed. The topic being researched is: How a theoretical approach to entering the design process will enhance the final lighting design. The target audience for this study is theatrical lighting designers. A theoretical approach, in this case to the beginning of the design process, could be described as utilizing current dramatic theories to develop a better understanding for the design of this production. In order to better understand this topic one would need to know how the process of lighting design is typically created and where the theoretical approach is implemented. An issue with this approach is that the short period allowed for the design process does not allow sufficient time to utilize a theoretical approach in a real world setting. A way of determining if this process is effective is through personal self review. Journaling and discussion with my advisor for this production will be the method of data collection. The method of validation will be a self reflection at the end of the final performance. An issue with the collection process is its reliance on personal opinions, including the author's. There are no ethical issues relating to this study. When applied, a theoretical approach to the design process will enhance the quality of the final lighting design through allowing the designer to be better prepared for a specific scene that he/she is struggling with.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003609, ucf:48874
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003609
- Title
- The Social Function of For-Profit Higher Education in the United States.
- Creator
-
Baird, Andrew, Carter, J. Scott, Carter, Shannon, Gay, David, Roos, J., University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study uses the competing Burton Clark's (")Cooling Out Theory(") and Daniel Bell's (")Theory of the Postindustrial Economy(") to examine the function that for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs) play in American higher education and how it is different from non-profit traditional colleges and universities (TCUs). This was done through three sections of analysis. The first examined if students who enroll at these FPCUs are less academically prepared than those attending non-profit...
Show moreThis study uses the competing Burton Clark's (")Cooling Out Theory(") and Daniel Bell's (")Theory of the Postindustrial Economy(") to examine the function that for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs) play in American higher education and how it is different from non-profit traditional colleges and universities (TCUs). This was done through three sections of analysis. The first examined if students who enroll at these FPCUs are less academically prepared than those attending non-profit traditional colleges or universities. The second tested if academic preparedness is associated with postsecondary performance at FPCUs to the same degree it is at TCUs. The final section of analysis looked at FPCU graduates to see if they have different short-term job outcomes when compared to traditional college graduates. This research utilizes The Beginning Postsecondary Survey 2009- a restricted-use longitudinal data set produced by the National Center for Education Statistics that followed 16,700 first-time college enrollees from 2003 until 2009. This data set includes information on student demographics, academic performance, enrollment history, and job outcomes. The results of this study indicated that when compared to traditional college students, FPCU students are less likely to be academically prepared for college and are more frequently characterized by risk factors that previous research has shown makes it less likely they will complete their degree. This research also found that unlike TCUs, high school academic performance is not associated with post-secondary performance or likelihood of degree attainment at FPCUs. Finally, it was observed that FPCU graduates were less likely to have jobs related to their degree and earned less income than TCU graduates, but had about the same degree of job satisfaction.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005761, ucf:50096
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005761
- Title
- THE RELATIONSHIP OF 10TH-GRADE DISTRICT PROGRESS MONITORING ASSESSMENT SCORES TO FLORIDA COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT TEST SCORES IN READING AND MATHEMATICS FOR 2008-2009.
- Creator
-
Underwood, Marilyn, Taylor, Rosemarye, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The focus of this research was to investigate the use of a district created formative benchmark assessment in reading to predict student achievement for 10th-grade students on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in one county in north central Florida. The purpose of the study was to provide information to high school principals and teachers to better understand how students were performing and learning and to maximize use of the formative district benchmark assessment in order to...
Show moreThe focus of this research was to investigate the use of a district created formative benchmark assessment in reading to predict student achievement for 10th-grade students on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in one county in north central Florida. The purpose of the study was to provide information to high school principals and teachers to better understand how students were performing and learning and to maximize use of the formative district benchmark assessment in order to modify instruction and positively impact student achievement. This study expanded a prior limited study which correlated district benchmark assessment scores to FCAT scores for students in grades three through five in five elementary schools in the targeted county. The high correlations suggested further study. This research focused on secondary reading, specifically in 10th grade where both state and targeted county FCAT scores were low in years preceding this research. Investigated were (a) the district formative assessment in reading as a predictor of FCAT Reading scores, (b) differences in strength of correlation and prediction among student subgroups and between high schools, and (c) any relationships between reading formative assessment scores and Mathematics FCAT scores. An additional focus of this study was to determine best leadership practices in schools where there were the highest correlations between the formative assessment and FCAT Reading scores. Research on best practices was reviewed, and principals were interviewed to determine trends and themes in practice. Tenth grade students in the seven Florida targeted district high schools were included in the study. The findings of the study supported the effective use of formative assessments both in instruction and as predictors of studentsÂÂÂÂÂÂ' performance on the FCAT. The results of the study also showed a significant correlation between performance on the reading formative assessment and performance on FCAT Mathematics. The data indicated no significant differences in the strength of correlation between student subgroups or between the high schools included in the study. Additionally, the practices of effective principals in using formative assessment data to inform instruction, gathered through personal interviews, were documented and described.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003214, ucf:48573
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003214
