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Title: THE INFLUENCE OF BELIEFS ON PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION OF ILLNESS IN THE SPANISH GOLDEN AGE.
Creator: Cruz, Nicole, Garcia, Martha, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Medicine is a field of science that is always changing and promoting new ideas and innovations. Throughout history, medicine has been an important factor in the lives of people around the world since the beginning of civilizations. This study focused on the literature of medicine as it relates to the Spanish Golden Age period. By looking at the history and critical studies in medicine during sixteenth and seventeenth century Spain as well as during the pre-colonial period in America, this...
Show moreMedicine is a field of science that is always changing and promoting new ideas and innovations. Throughout history, medicine has been an important factor in the lives of people around the world since the beginning of civilizations. This study focused on the literature of medicine as it relates to the Spanish Golden Age period. By looking at the history and critical studies in medicine during sixteenth and seventeenth century Spain as well as during the pre-colonial period in America, this thesis overviews the effects and influences in regards to health and illness in Spain and the Americas during the Spanish Golden Age era.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFH0004319, ucf:45038
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004319

Title: BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE TO ENDOGENOUS RISK IN THE LABORATORY.
Creator: Sen, Shabori, Harrison, Glenn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Risk is endogenous when an individual is able to undertake mitigation or self protection actions that reduce the risk that he faces. Most risky environments studied in economics involve endogenous risk. This dissertation studies the conceptual and behavioral implications of introducing endogeneity in the controlled environment of the laboratory. The dissertation consists of three different experiments designed to examine how endogeneity affects risk attitudes and risk perceptions in simple...
Show moreRisk is endogenous when an individual is able to undertake mitigation or self protection actions that reduce the risk that he faces. Most risky environments studied in economics involve endogenous risk. This dissertation studies the conceptual and behavioral implications of introducing endogeneity in the controlled environment of the laboratory. The dissertation consists of three different experiments designed to examine how endogeneity affects risk attitudes and risk perceptions in simple experimental set ups. All three experiments employ a virtual reality scenario where the subject is able to form his own beliefs, based on naturalistic cues provided by the virtual reality experience. In the first experiment, a Ã‚Â"short runÃ‚Â" individual experiment, subjects experience several forest fires that allow them to form beliefs about the probability of a house in the simulated forest being destroyed by fire. The evidence suggests that endogenous risk settings do cause subjects to employ different subjective beliefs than they use in an exogenous risk setting, although risk attitudes appear stable across these settings. Typically, the risk of natural disaster in any area is very small, and an adverse event like a forest fire occurs only once in a couple of decades. This has implications for self-protection expenditure where risk is endogenous. A Ã‚Â"long runÃ‚Â" individual experiment with several rounds of decision making allows the estimation of subjective beliefs about the risk of the property burning when a fire may occur. This design allows for the study of the effect of an actual experience of forest fire on a subjectÃ‚Â's beliefs. Several mitigation options are collective in nature and require group contributions for the self-protection action to be provided. In an extension of the long run design, we study the effect of an actual experience of fire on beliefs when the risk is faced by a group rather than an individual. This framework also allows us to compare behavior in a public goods game involving risk, with the standard public goods game.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003315, ucf:48485
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003315

Title: UNDERSTANDING THE SUBJECTIVITIES OF PASTORS AND BELIEFS ABOUT THE CURRENT AMERICAN CHURCH CULTURE.
Creator: Anderson, Michael, Mishtal, Joanna, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study investigates the spiritual subjectivities of pastors in the Mainstream White Middle Class Evangelical Church in the context of American capitalism. The Evangelical church carries extreme amounts of power and influence in shaping the beliefs of individuals in American society. However, very little pointed research of pastors' spiritual subjectivities that guide their teachings and views in this sub-sect of church culture is present in academia. Anthropology, along with other...
Show moreThis study investigates the spiritual subjectivities of pastors in the Mainstream White Middle Class Evangelical Church in the context of American capitalism. The Evangelical church carries extreme amounts of power and influence in shaping the beliefs of individuals in American society. However, very little pointed research of pastors' spiritual subjectivities that guide their teachings and views in this sub-sect of church culture is present in academia. Anthropology, along with other disciplines, often focuses on dominant churches from an etic perspective of politics and power relations without fully considering the spiritual beliefs of pastors. This etic perspective can miss the deeply interwoven factors, including understanding of the Scriptures and pastors' roles in their congregations, challenges associated with religious consumerist competition, and conceptualizations of church "success" that shape pastors subjectivities, and in turn help shape American Christian culture. Pastors navigate the tension between the broader capitalistic social forces and their spiritual and Biblical beliefs as many pastors of the church aim to change the unquestioned adherence to these ideals. Building on my seven years of experience as a pastor in the Orlando area and drawing on current research with a group of Evangelical pastors, I demonstrate in this study that although capitalistic social forces shape many ideals of individuals in the American Evangelical church culture, understanding pastors' spiritual subjectivities is crucial when investigating the influence of the church in America.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003732, ucf:48771
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003732

Title: SEXUAL CONTENT IN MUSIC LYRICS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON SEXUAL COGNITION.
Creator: Nowotny, Nicole, Wright, Chrysalis L., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study was to examine the sexual content found in music lyrics of different genres and their relationship to specific sexual cognitions. The study included 902 participants, both male and female, belonging to various ethnic backgrounds, ages 18 and up. It was hypothesized that listening to music containing frequent sexual lyrics will have an affect on men and women�s sexual cognitive beliefs. Results indicated that there was a relationship between frequency of sexually...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the sexual content found in music lyrics of different genres and their relationship to specific sexual cognitions. The study included 902 participants, both male and female, belonging to various ethnic backgrounds, ages 18 and up. It was hypothesized that listening to music containing frequent sexual lyrics will have an affect on men and women�s sexual cognitive beliefs. Results indicated that there was a relationship between frequency of sexually explicit lyrics and views on sexual cognitions. The breakdown by genre shows a more detailed relationship between the lyrics and sexual cognitions. Overall, the results supported the notion that frequent exposure to sexually explicit lyrics has a significant relationship to sexual cognitions.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000009, ucf:45603
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000009

Title: EXAMINING THE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF EFFECTIVE SCHOOL LEADERS AS THEY RELATE TO SERVING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
Creator: Steinke, Kimberly, Martin, Suzanne, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As academic reform movements push schools to provide more rigorous learning environments for students, it is essential that the ÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â"person in chargeÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â" at the school level be prepared and capable of meeting the demands of high stakes measures that affect critical dimensions of school life....
Show moreAs academic reform movements push schools to provide more rigorous learning environments for students, it is essential that the ÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â"person in chargeÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â" at the school level be prepared and capable of meeting the demands of high stakes measures that affect critical dimensions of school life. Educational leaders today face a significant amount of pressure to improve the quality of education at all levels and across all disciplines. While school leaders face the pressures of No Child Left Behind in terms of increased student performance, they must also be concerned about serving students with disabilities appropriately. The purpose of this study was to examine the beliefs and practices that effective school leaders in a large urban school district revealed in the specific area of serving students with disabilities. An examination of the school leaderÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â's beliefs and knowledge in relation to the leadership practices put in place at their schools when serving students with disabilities was completed. Identification of a relationship between the leaderÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â's beliefs and practices as associated with the leaderÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â's prior education and leadership experience was possible. Finally, through a grounded theory perspective, the researcher discovered specific practices put in place by these effective school leaders that can be generalized to other school settings under fellow school leaders.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003038, ucf:48340
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003038

Title: SCIENCE TEACHERS' BELIEFS CONCERNING REFORM POLICIES: COMPARISONS BASED ON GRADE LEVEL, ACHIEVEMENT HISTORY, AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.
Creator: Hallett, Rachel, Jeanpierre, Bobby, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In an effort to increase the relevance and rigor of the science curriculum being taught in schools throughout Florida, the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards were developed and districts throughout the state began processing them for use in the K-12 classrooms. With a history of adopt and abandon reform strategies, one district wanted to follow a more structured implementation approach to better ensure a successful transition to the new standards. As the first aspect of the approach,...
Show moreIn an effort to increase the relevance and rigor of the science curriculum being taught in schools throughout Florida, the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards were developed and districts throughout the state began processing them for use in the K-12 classrooms. With a history of adopt and abandon reform strategies, one district wanted to follow a more structured implementation approach to better ensure a successful transition to the new standards. As the first aspect of the approach, teachers in grades 3-8 were asked to complete two instruments which gauged their beliefs regarding the Next Generation Standards in science. Quantitative analysis of the responses revealed differences in beliefs among teachers at different grade levels, at schools with different socio-economic statuses, and at schools with different standardized test performance histories. Qualitative analysis uncovered the nature of the differences and allowed for a clearer view of the current state of science reform in the district.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003203, ucf:48584
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003203

Title: HOW DISGUST, PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY AND MORAL FOUNDATIONS MAY PREDICT POLITICAL ATTITUDES AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.
Creator: Mannion, Kayla M, Modianos, Doan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The goal of this research synthesis is to obtain evidence about a new and upcoming idea of how political ideology and religious beliefs may be predicted by disgust, moral codes and physiological activity. Previously, it was believed by some that politics and religion were a product of an individual's environment and influences of an individual's family and friend's beliefs. Current research is trying to explain how much a person's biology influences their beliefs. This thesis will aim to...
Show moreThe goal of this research synthesis is to obtain evidence about a new and upcoming idea of how political ideology and religious beliefs may be predicted by disgust, moral codes and physiological activity. Previously, it was believed by some that politics and religion were a product of an individual's environment and influences of an individual's family and friend's beliefs. Current research is trying to explain how much a person's biology influences their beliefs. This thesis will aim to explain how it is possible to obtain these types of data and why this research is important.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000184, ucf:45970
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000184

Title: A LIFE CYCLE SOFTWARE QUALITY MODEL USING BAYESIAN BELIEF NETWORKS.
Creator: Beaver, Justin, Schiavone, Guy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Software practitioners lack a consistent approach to assessing and predicting quality within their products. This research proposes a software quality model that accounts for the influences of development team skill/experience, process maturity, and problem complexity throughout the software engineering life cycle. The model is structured using Bayesian Belief Networks and, unlike previous efforts, uses widely-accepted software engineering standards and in-use industry techniques to quantify...
Show moreSoftware practitioners lack a consistent approach to assessing and predicting quality within their products. This research proposes a software quality model that accounts for the influences of development team skill/experience, process maturity, and problem complexity throughout the software engineering life cycle. The model is structured using Bayesian Belief Networks and, unlike previous efforts, uses widely-accepted software engineering standards and in-use industry techniques to quantify the indicators and measures of software quality. Data from 28 software engineering projects was acquired for this study, and was used for validation and comparison of the presented software quality models. Three Bayesian model structures are explored and the structure with the highest performance in terms of accuracy of fit and predictive validity is reported. In addition, the Bayesian Belief Networks are compared to both Least Squares Regression and Neural Networks in order to identify the technique is best suited to modeling software product quality. The results indicate that Bayesian Belief Networks outperform both Least Squares Regression and Neural Networks in terms of producing modeled software quality variables that fit the distribution of actual software quality values, and in accurately forecasting 25 different indicators of software quality. Between the Bayesian model structures, the simplest structure, which relates software quality variables to their correlated causal factors, was found to be the most effective in modeling software quality. In addition, the results reveal that the collective skill and experience of the development team, over process maturity or problem complexity, has the most significant impact on the quality of software products.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001367, ucf:46993
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001367

Title: RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS: THE PREDICTIVE POWER OF SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICSAND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BELIEFS.
Creator: Nabors, Erin, Jasinski, Jana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examines relationship violence among college students, focusing on the predictive roles of their sociodemographic characteristics and domestic violence beliefs. College students experience an extremely high level of abuse among intimate partners, with prevalence rates ranging between 20 and 50%. Since relationship violence among college students is such a widespread problem, it is important to understand what lies at the foundation of this type of abuse. Findings from previous...
Show moreThis study examines relationship violence among college students, focusing on the predictive roles of their sociodemographic characteristics and domestic violence beliefs. College students experience an extremely high level of abuse among intimate partners, with prevalence rates ranging between 20 and 50%. Since relationship violence among college students is such a widespread problem, it is important to understand what lies at the foundation of this type of abuse. Findings from previous studies demonstrate correlations between sociodemographic characteristics and perpetration of relationship violence as well as correlations between beliefs supportive of abuse among intimate partners and perpetration of relationship violence. However, research to date fails to fully explore the potential interactions between these variables. In an attempt to fill this void, the current study uses data from the Relationship Characteristics Study conducted in 2001, which includes a sample of 1,938 college students, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of relationship violence among college students. This study examines the associations between students' (1) sociodemographic characteristics, including race and ethnicity, university year, parents' education, family income, parents' marital status, and students' relationship status as well as additional risk factors, consisting of alcohol consumption, drug use, and witnessing interparental violence, (2) domestic violence beliefs, including empirically-based and myth-based domestic violence causation endorsements as well as physical and sexual abuse, stalking, and verbal abuse definitions, and (3) relationship violence perpetration, including negotiation, psychological aggression, physical assault, sexual coercion, and injury. Separate analyses are conducted for male and female college students. Based on previous research and theoretical foundations, it was expected that both college students' sociodemographic characteristics and their domestic violence beliefs would be predictive of relationship violence perpetration. It was further hypothesized that students' sociodemographic characteristics would impact their domestic violence beliefs. Findings generally support these expectations. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0000951, ucf:46757
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000951

Title: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS AND PARANORMAL BELIEF.
Creator: Perdue, Autumn, Azimi, Cyrus, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Studies into paranormal belief and the effects thereof have been gaining more attention. This study looked at the Big Five Personality Traits and how they could relate to belief in the paranormal, specifically which personality traits, if any, lended themselves to paranormal belief more than others. Four hundred forty-six college-age participants completed a Big Five survey as well as the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale. Results from a multiple regression showed a significant relationship...
Show moreStudies into paranormal belief and the effects thereof have been gaining more attention. This study looked at the Big Five Personality Traits and how they could relate to belief in the paranormal, specifically which personality traits, if any, lended themselves to paranormal belief more than others. Four hundred forty-six college-age participants completed a Big Five survey as well as the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale. Results from a multiple regression showed a significant relationship between gender, religion, level of education achieved by the participant's mother, extraversion, and neuroticism (emotional stability) in relation to paranormal belief. Implications and elaboration of findings are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004508, ucf:52902
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004508

Title: THE EFFICACY OF EFFORT: DIFFERENCES IN TEACHERS' SENSE OF EFFICACY BASED ON TYPE OF TEACHER TRAINING AND NUMBER OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
Creator: Shane, Julie, Allen, Kay, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Current federal reforms require a highly-qualified teacher in every classroom to promote higher levels of student performance. In an attempt to provide a sufficient and sustainable number of highly qualified teachers in the workforce, alternative certification training programs have come alongside traditional college of education training programs. Proponents of alternative certification programs contend the process of on-the-job training will potentially address the problem of teacher...
Show moreCurrent federal reforms require a highly-qualified teacher in every classroom to promote higher levels of student performance. In an attempt to provide a sufficient and sustainable number of highly qualified teachers in the workforce, alternative certification training programs have come alongside traditional college of education training programs. Proponents of alternative certification programs contend the process of on-the-job training will potentially address the problem of teacher shortages. However, opponents see these programs as an inadequate training process with future ramification for both teachers and students. As more and more classroom teachers are choosing alternative certification routes, there is growing uncertainty as to whether or not this is an effective way to train teachers. There is a substantial body of research that indicates a teacherÃ‚Â's self efficacy beliefs can be an indicator of his or her performance in the classroom. Evidence demonstrates a relationship between teachersÃ‚Â' beliefs about their personal ability to affect studentsÃ‚Â' achievement and the outcomes of both the teachersÃ‚Â' and the studentsÃ‚Â' efforts (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2007). By identifying strengths and weaknesses in self-efficacy beliefs, it is possible to provide interventions such as professional development or peer mentoring to increase an individualÃ‚Â's sense of efficacy, which could then improve his or her teaching performance, and ultimately improve student achievement. The purpose of this research study was to identify and describe the differences between (1) the self-efficacy beliefs of teachers from traditional college of education programs and from alternative certification programs in order to identify patterns or correlations between type of training and teachersÃ‚Â' sense of efficacy, and (2) the self efficacy beliefs of novice, experienced, and expert teachers in order to determine patterns or correlations between years of experience and teachersÃ‚Â' sense of efficacy. This research study investigated the self-efficacy beliefs of 125 high school teachers in Brevard County, Florida, with either college of education training or alternative certification training and with either novice, experienced, or expert classroom teaching experience. The first part of the study analyzed teachersÃ‚Â' responses to the 24 items on Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk HoyÃ‚Â's TeachersÃ‚Â' Sense of Efficacy Scale; the second part analyzed 6 researcher-designed items referring to teacher training programs and personal classroom experience. The three subscales that directed the items on the questionnaire were Efficacy for Student Engagement, Efficacy for Instructional Strategies, and Efficacy for Classroom Management. Factor analyses indicated 21 of the 24 items from the current research study loaded on the same three factors identified on the TeachersÃ‚Â' Sense of Efficacy Scale. The 6 items created specifically for this study loaded into two factors identified appropriately as training program and classroom experience. A reliability analysis resulted in a total alpha coefficient of .9271 for the 24 items on the TeachersÃ‚Â' Sense of Efficacy Scale for the 125 participants in the current research study which is consistent with an alpha of .94 in previous studies using the same scale. A total alpha coefficient of .6973 was determined for the 6 researcher-designed items. Findings from the t-tests and ANOVAs indicated that there was no relationship between self-efficacy beliefs of college of education trained teachers and alternative certification trained teachers; few relationships between novice, experienced, and expert teachers; and few interaction effects between type of teacher training and number of years of classroom experience. While the results of the study did not reveal statistically significant differences in the teacher groups, the teachersÃ‚Â' responses and comments indicated personal classroom experiences created higher levels of self-efficacy than teacher training programs. Contrary to the researcherÃ‚Â's expectations and conventional wisdom, both alternative certification teachers and novice teachers perceived themselves to be efficacious in the classroom. One possible explanation for the failure to reach statistically significant differences in the type of training and years of experience variables is that there simply are not distinct differences. Generally teachers with alternative certification training are immersed in programs that provide on-the-job training and support from a mentor, and as experts in their field of study, they exhibit self-assurance in their classroom behaviors. Commonly novices enter teaching with high expectations and they bring innovative practices and a fresh outlook to the classroom. Another possible explanation for the failure to reach statistically significant differences is the over-representation of some groups which could possibly have skewed the results. From the group of 125 participants, 86 teachers had college of education training while only 39 had alternative certification training. There were 79 expert teachers with ten or more years of experience, 35 experienced teachers with four to nine years, and only 11 novice teachers with three or less years. While the results of the research study did not offer statistically significant differences in the groups of teachers, there is much practical significance to be gained for district and school-level personnel in planning professional development opportunities. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses in teachersÃ‚Â' self-efficacy beliefs, professional development and peer support can be provided to address the unique needs of each teacher group. Recommendations were made for a synthesis of current practices from both college of education programs and alternative certification programs: a series of half-day internship experiences with relevant content coursework could be combined with on-the-job experience and mentoring support based on current alternative certification programs. This research study lacks generalizability, so further research should include middle school and elementary teachers, and teachers from other counties and states. Because teachersÃ‚Â' self-efficacy beliefs are personal and not necessarily reflective of actual practice, an investigation of the relationship between perceived self-efficacy beliefs and observed classroom effectiveness should be investigated.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003268, ucf:48558
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003268

Title: COLLEGE SCIENCE TEACHERS' INQUIRY BELIEFS AND PRACTICES IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM.
Creator: Bisogno, Janet, Jeanpierre, Bobby, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of the study was to examine college science professors' beliefs regarding the use of inquiry in the college science classroom, how these beliefs impacted their instructional choices and how these beliefs were enacted in the classroom. Additional questions were how teachers' beliefs vary across institution types (community college, private, four year college, and large research institution), and how beliefs vary across disciplines (life sciences and physical sciences). A case study...
Show moreThe purpose of the study was to examine college science professors' beliefs regarding the use of inquiry in the college science classroom, how these beliefs impacted their instructional choices and how these beliefs were enacted in the classroom. Additional questions were how teachers' beliefs vary across institution types (community college, private, four year college, and large research institution), and how beliefs vary across disciplines (life sciences and physical sciences). A case study design was required for this study due to the complexity of the topic and different data sources needed to answer the fore stated research questions. These data sources included surveys, interviews, classroom and laboratory observations and written records such as laboratory activities and syllabi. Twelve college professors at three different institutions; large research institution, small, private four year college and community college were interviewed. In addition to interviews, classes and labs were observed, a questionnaire on the five essential features of inquiry was given and samples of labs and syllabi were obtained. A laboratory coordinator was also interviewed as she was responsible for the laboratory section for two of the professors at the research institution. All schools were located in the southeast United States. The perception of inquiry by college science professors has been found to be a barrier to the inclusion of inquiry in college classrooms and was supported in the current study. While the professors described constraints to inquiry such as large class size, lack of time, disinterest of students, and lack of equipment, these limitations were due, in part, to the professors' incomplete view of inquiry as what researchers do. This view was most pronounced with the professors at the large, research institution. At the research institution, observations in the classroom mirrored the beliefs of inquiry. Lecture was the primary instruction in the science classroom, and the labs were scripted and shown to be "cookbook" with little or no evidence of inquiry noted in the labs obtained. There was more evidence of inquiry at the private four-year college and community college than at the large research institution; what was observed in the classroom mirrored what the professors believed about inquiry. There was a difference in the beliefs between institutions with the professors at the research institution holding an incomplete view of inquiry while the professors at the private college and community college included many aspects of the inquiry continuum in their view of inquiry. There were no differences noted between disciplines.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003607, ucf:48854
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003607

Title: Parallel Distributed Discrete Event Simulation Optimization Using Complexity and Deep Learning.
Creator: Cortes, Edwin, Rabelo, Luis, Lee, Gene, Kincaid, John, Elshennawy, Ahmad, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Parallel distributed discrete event simulation (PDDES) is the execution of a discrete event simulation on a tightly or loosely coupled computer system with multiple processors. The discrete-event simulation model is decomposed into several logical processors (LPs) or simulation objects that can be executed concurrently using partitioning types such as spatial and temporal. PDDES is exceedingly important for the reduction of the simulation time, increase of model size, intellectual property...
Show moreParallel distributed discrete event simulation (PDDES) is the execution of a discrete event simulation on a tightly or loosely coupled computer system with multiple processors. The discrete-event simulation model is decomposed into several logical processors (LPs) or simulation objects that can be executed concurrently using partitioning types such as spatial and temporal. PDDES is exceedingly important for the reduction of the simulation time, increase of model size, intellectual property issue mitigation in multi-enterprise simulations, and the sharing of resources.One of the problems with PDDES is the time management to provide flow control over event processing, the process flow, and the coordination of different logical processors to take advantage of parallelism. Time Warp (TW), Breathing Time Buckets (BTB), and Breathing Time Warp (BTW) are three time management schemes studied by this research. For a particular PDDES problem, unfortunately, there is no clear methodology to decide a priori a time management scheme to achieve higher system and simulation performance.This dissertation shows a new approach for selecting the optimal time synchronization technique class that corresponds to a particular parallel distributed anddiscrete simulation with different levels of simulation logic complexity. Simulation complexities such as branching, parallelism, function calls, concurrency, iterations, mathematical computations, messaging frequency, event processing, and number of simulation objects interactions were given a weighted parameter value based on the cognitive weight approach. Deep belief neural networks were then used to perform deep learning from the simulation complexity parameters and their corresponding optimal time synchronization scheme value as measured by speedup performance.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0006211, ucf:51114
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006211

Title: COUNSELING STUDENTS' ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS TOWARD LGBTQ INDIVIDUALS AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS.
Creator: McHarg, Samantha, Molina, Olga, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Attitudes and beliefs influence how counselors practice. This study explored four psychosocial factors and their correlation to the attitudes of graduate counseling students' (N = 28) toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) individuals. The four main psychosocial factors that were identified in previous research include knowledge level, religiosity, political affiliation, and previous experience with LGBTQ individuals. The hypothesis of this study was...
Show moreAttitudes and beliefs influence how counselors practice. This study explored four psychosocial factors and their correlation to the attitudes of graduate counseling students' (N = 28) toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) individuals. The four main psychosocial factors that were identified in previous research include knowledge level, religiosity, political affiliation, and previous experience with LGBTQ individuals. The hypothesis of this study was there are relationships between attitudes toward LGBTQ individuals and the aforementioned psychosocial factors. Students were invited to participate through emails sent by the Director of the Counseling Education program. The survey used to collect data included a demographics questionnaire and three scales. The findings did not show any significant correlations between knowledge level, religiosity, and political affiliation and attitudes. Personal relationships and attitudes could not be tested due to limitations of the study. These findings were not congruent with previous research.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004417, ucf:45090
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004417

Title: TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF THE ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES ON STATEWIDE ASSESSMENTS.
Creator: Gromoll, Maryann, Little, Mary, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Each year as a growing number of students with learning disabilities are included in statewide assessments, teacher perceptions and beliefs toward student achievement are being identified and examined. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(NCLB) and the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) raise the achievement expectations of students with disabilities and require that teachers are knowledgeable about state academic content and achievement...
Show moreEach year as a growing number of students with learning disabilities are included in statewide assessments, teacher perceptions and beliefs toward student achievement are being identified and examined. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(NCLB) and the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) raise the achievement expectations of students with disabilities and require that teachers are knowledgeable about state academic content and achievement standards (Thompson, Lazarus, Clapper, & Thurlow, 2006). State departments of education are responsible to ensure that teacher competencies and expectations are specific to the achievement of grade level content standards (Thompson, et al., 2006). Educational reform, increased knowledge in the teacher-learning process, and greater access to the general education curriculum require changes in instructional practice. This study investigated special education teachers' perceptions, backgrounds and beliefs related to test performance of third grade students with learning disabilities who passed the reading portion of the state assessment in Florida, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). The comparative descriptive research design was used to identify these factors and their effects in the study (Creswell, 2002). Quantitative data collection was used. A survey instrument was developed to include information on teachers' background, beliefs, experience, and perceptions toward statewide assessments. The survey was sent to seventy six third grade teachers of students with learning disabilities. Teachers receiving the survey were categorized into two groups based on the outcome of the 2007 FCAT in reading. Significant differences between teacher responses were found in the areas of professional development for test accommodations, co-teaching, and working with professionals in the general curriculum. Response to survey items on service delivery models indicated that students who spend the majority of time in the general education classroom or in a resource room setting have increased student achievement on statewide assessments. Differences were also found between teachers on questions related to school location, percentage of minority students, students who are eligible for free and reduced lunch, and positions employees held in education by the teachers in the study. One of the most significant findings of this study concluded that increased time spent in the general education classroom and collaboration of special education teachers with general education staff proved to be most beneficial when addressing the needs of students with learning disabilities and statewide assessment. The concept of teacher knowledge base and continued awareness of perceptions andbeliefs addressed in this study allowed for further research investigations.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002299, ucf:47830
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002299

Title: Public Speaking Instructors' Perceptions of College Students Who Stutter.
Creator: Harvey, Charlotte, Miller, Ann, Katt, James, Francies, Regina, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study queried collegiate level instructors of public speaking asking if there was a gender based difference in their attitudes and beliefs about stuttering. The survey examined for relationships between instructor level of education and: sources of knowledge, knowledge of causation and, amount of knowledge about stuttering. Communication literature searches indicated there were few, if any, studies which specifically addressed the knowledge levels, sources of knowledge and causation...
Show moreThis study queried collegiate level instructors of public speaking asking if there was a gender based difference in their attitudes and beliefs about stuttering. The survey examined for relationships between instructor level of education and: sources of knowledge, knowledge of causation and, amount of knowledge about stuttering. Communication literature searches indicated there were few, if any, studies which specifically addressed the knowledge levels, sources of knowledge and causation information for stuttering. Stuttering occurs in approximately 1% of the worldwide population so it is reasonable to expect that most collegiate level instructors would have individuals who stutter presenting in their classrooms. A Qualtrics survey, presented the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes (-) Stuttering, to participants across the United States who were members of the Basic Course in communication list serv or who were subscribed to CRTNET. A total of 134 individuals responded to the survey. The majority of respondents were native English speakers, with a small number speaking Spanish as a second language. Respondents represented thirty six of the fifty United States with 113 respondents reporting they actively were teaching the basic course in public speaking. Statistical analyses indicated there were no significant differences between master and doctoral level educated instructors in their: sources of knowledge; information on causation of stuttering, and; amount of knowledge about people who stutter. There were no significant differences between instructor gender and attitudes about stuttering, and beliefs about people who stutter. Findings underscored the limited amount of information which this sample of public speaking instructors possessed regarding the causation of stuttering as only 37.7% of respondents selected genetics as an underlying factor in the occurrence of stuttering. The majority of instructors reported some information to none about people who have a stuttering disorder. They indicated their knowledge was acquired through personal experiences, school, and to a lesser degree, print media.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007333, ucf:52121
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007333

Title: Deconstructing Differences in Effectiveness of Teachers of Tenth Grade Non-Proficient Readers in One Florida School District.
Creator: Williams, Mary, Taylor, Rosemarye, Doherty, Walter, Murray, Barbara, Baldwin, Gordon, Zugelder, Bryan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Despite an intense focus and considerable financial commitment to remediate non-proficient readers in high school, the large suburban school district that was the target of this study had been unable to consistently improve student achievement in the lowest 25% of students as measured by outcomes on the FCAT Reading. Scholarly literature on high school reading had focused mostly on evaluation of curriculum rather than on teacher practices. A clear understanding of these differences in...
Show moreDespite an intense focus and considerable financial commitment to remediate non-proficient readers in high school, the large suburban school district that was the target of this study had been unable to consistently improve student achievement in the lowest 25% of students as measured by outcomes on the FCAT Reading. Scholarly literature on high school reading had focused mostly on evaluation of curriculum rather than on teacher practices. A clear understanding of these differences in practice will inform future decisions related to staffing, scheduling, and professional learning. This study sought to identify the underlying professional and instructional differences between the most effective and least effective teachers of tenth grade intensive reading courses through teacher and principal/assistant principal surveys along with teacher evaluation data. This study revealed with regards to a teacher's preparation to teach reading (research question one), that years of experience in the classroom and years of experience as a high school reading teacher were the only significant factors that influenced a teacher's effectiveness. For research questions two and three; which had to do with the beliefs and professional practices of the teacher, the educationally relevant belief that the more effective teachers were more confident about their abilities than their less effective peers was noted. Research question four provided the data with regards to the general classroom teaching strategies and the adolescent reading strategies the effective teachers employed. This data revealed that the more effective teachers implemented posting and communicating daily and long term learning goals more frequently than their less effective peers. In addition, the general classroom teaching practices of efficient use of learning time, establishing and maintaining classroom routines, and checking for understanding proved to be educationally relevant. Additionally, the adolescent reading strategies of sustained silent reading, paired/partner readings, and students reading one-on-one with teacher, were educationally relevant as well. Finally, in regards to research question five, it was of statistical significance that administrators valued the use of the general classroom teaching strategy of posting and communicating daily and long term learning goals and were able to recognize the use of this strategy when observing and evaluating the teachers.?
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004960, ucf:49573
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004960

Title: SUPPORTING A STANDARDS-BASED TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: A CASE STUDY OF AN EXPERT MIDDLE SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHER.
Creator: Akyuz, Didem, Dixon, Juli K., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: 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: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003449, ucf:48395
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003449

Title: Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs About Science Using Critical Incident Technique: A Case Study Approach.
Creator: Ravikumar, Meera, Jeanpierre, Bobby, Everett, Robert, Hopp, Carolyn, Dieker, Lisa, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The primary goal of this case study using qualitative and quantitative methods was to investigate pre-service elementary teachers' initial self-efficacy beliefs about science and science teaching by exploring the K-12 science experiences of these prospective elementary teachers. Of the 108 participants who completed the science teaching efficacy belief survey (STEBI-B) (Enochs (&) Riggs, 1990), 12 participants were selected to be interviewed using Flanagan's (1954) critical incident technique...
Show moreThe primary goal of this case study using qualitative and quantitative methods was to investigate pre-service elementary teachers' initial self-efficacy beliefs about science and science teaching by exploring the K-12 science experiences of these prospective elementary teachers. Of the 108 participants who completed the science teaching efficacy belief survey (STEBI-B) (Enochs (&) Riggs, 1990), 12 participants were selected to be interviewed using Flanagan's (1954) critical incident technique. Participants were asked to share their past positive and negative incidents during their K-12 years with science and science teachers. They were also asked to report how past incidents affected them at present and how they believed they would impact them as future teachers of science in elementary schools.The past positive and negative incidents were analyzed using Bandura's (1977) four sources of self-efficacy (mastery, vicarious, social persuasion, and physiological/emotional) and by school level; and the impact of the past science incidents on the subjects' present and future beliefs as science teachers were categorized. The results of this study revealed that pre-service elementary teachers' self-efficacy and beliefs were largely influenced by their past experiences with science in the K-12 years, and mastery experiences dominated as a source of self-efficacy. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research were made based on the findings of the study.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004916, ucf:49632
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004916

Title: Belief and Christmas: Performing Belief and the Theory and Practice of Christmas Performance.
Creator: Nicely, Brenna, Listengarten, Julia, Seay, Donald, Larson, Peter, Wood, Mary, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In the United States, Christmastime has become a time of tension between the holy ideals of family togetherness, childhood innocence, and goodwill towards men and commercial idolatry. Christ and Santa Claus are pitted against each other in the war on Christmas between religion and secularism instead of feasting together on ham and figgy pudding in the traditional fashion. While many would agree that the everyday realities of the Christmas season do not often live up to the ideals imposed upon...
Show moreIn the United States, Christmastime has become a time of tension between the holy ideals of family togetherness, childhood innocence, and goodwill towards men and commercial idolatry. Christ and Santa Claus are pitted against each other in the war on Christmas between religion and secularism instead of feasting together on ham and figgy pudding in the traditional fashion. While many would agree that the everyday realities of the Christmas season do not often live up to the ideals imposed upon the holiday, few are able to tell why this is so or even trace the roots of their discontent.In an exploration of the unique anomaly of the hierosecular American Christmas, I propose that the unique systems of Christmas belief extend beyond the usual boundaries of sacred and secular to create a complex web of different beliefs that are performed together to create the unique feeling of Christmas. From a performance theory perspective, I use performance as both traditionally theatrical and as a paradigm for understanding and expressing belief in an effort to explore the essential but elusively defined cultural signifiers of the American Christmas.Through a series of case studies focusing on various traditions of Christmas performance, I apply the performance theories of Diana Taylor, Patrice Pavis, Victor Turner and others to such Christmas staples as Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. In doing so, I propose different points for viewing Christmas and introducing new points of inquiry for questioning the meaning of Christmas, belief, and performance.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004731, ucf:49823
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004731

beliefs (11)	+ -
belief (3)	+ -
motivation (3)	+ -
Beliefs (2)	+ -
attitudes (2)	+ -

college students (2)	+ -
self-efficacy (2)	+ -
stereotypes (2)	+ -
A Christmas Carol (1)	+ -
Alternative certification (1)	+ -
Bandura (1)	+ -
Bayesian Belief Networks (1)	+ -
Church (1)	+ -
Community College (1)	+ -
Culture (1)	+ -
Deep Belief Network (DBN) (1)	+ -
Diana Taylor (1)	+ -
Dickens (1)	+ -
Disgust (1)	+ -
Drumcliff (1)	+ -
ESL (1)	+ -
Florida (1)	+ -
Florida School Grades (1)	+ -
Higher Education (1)	+ -
Hybrid-Technology FPGA (1)	+ -
Instructors (1)	+ -
Internet access in the classroom (1)	+ -
Internet distractions (1)	+ -
Ireland (1)	+ -
LGBTQ (1)	+ -

ETD Collection (26)	+ -
Honors Collection (6)	+ -

University of Central Florida (32)	+ -
Jeanpierre, Bobby (3)	+ -
Doherty, Walter (2)	+ -
Gill, Michele (2)	+ -
Hoffman, Bobby (2)	+ -

Taylor, Rosemarye (2)	+ -
Wu, Annie (2)	+ -
Akyuz, Didem (1)	+ -
Allen, Kay (1)	+ -
Anderson, Michael (1)	+ -
Andreasen, Janet (1)	+ -
Azimi, Cyrus (1)	+ -
Baldwin, Gordon (1)	+ -
Baldwin, Lee (1)	+ -
Beaver, Justin (1)	+ -
Beheshti, Rahmatollah (1)	+ -
Bisogno, Janet (1)	+ -
Boloni, Ladislau (1)	+ -
Bozeman, WIlliam (1)	+ -
Brooks, Lisa (1)	+ -
Cortes, Edwin (1)	+ -
Cox, Dr. Thomas (1)	+ -
Cruz, Nicole (1)	+ -
Dadurka, David (1)	+ -
DeMara, Ronald (1)	+ -
Dieker, Lisa (1)	+ -
Dixon, Juli (1)	+ -
Dixon, Juli K. (1)	+ -
Eisenreich, Heidi (1)	+ -
Elshennawy, Ahmad (1)	+ -

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