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(1 - 6 of 6)
- Title
- SCIENCE TEACHERS' BELIEFS CONCERNING REFORM POLICIES: COMPARISONS BASED ON GRADE LEVEL, ACHIEVEMENT HISTORY, AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.
- Creator
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Hallett, Rachel, Jeanpierre, Bobby, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003203, ucf:48584
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003203
- Title
- ATHLETIC TRAINERS KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF TESTICULAR CANCER AND TESTICULAR CANCER PREVENTION PRACTICES.
- Creator
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Mings, Christopher, Schellhase, Kristen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Context: Collegiate male athletes have a higher risk of testicular cancer due to their age group, an increased risk of testicular contusions, and a lack of secondary prevention education. As the athletic training profession increases emphasis on evidence-based practice, it is important for athletic trainers to understand testicular cancer and testicular-self examination as it is outlined within their scope of practice. A general understanding of testicular cancer and the prevention techniques...
Show moreContext: Collegiate male athletes have a higher risk of testicular cancer due to their age group, an increased risk of testicular contusions, and a lack of secondary prevention education. As the athletic training profession increases emphasis on evidence-based practice, it is important for athletic trainers to understand testicular cancer and testicular-self examination as it is outlined within their scope of practice. A general understanding of testicular cancer and the prevention techniques will be important for athletic trainers to promote awareness and health behavior practices. Objective: To examine the athletic trainers actual knowledge, concern, perceived responsibility, training, feeling of embarrassment, and professional/personal practices. Design: Cross sectional survey. Participants: 249 randomly selected athletic trainers employed in collegiate settings. 65.6% of the respondents reported being between the ages of 21 and 35 years old. Intervention: Actual knowledge, concerned, perceived responsibility, trained, embarrassed, and personal and professional practice behavior scores served as dependent variables. Main Outcome Measures: A Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated between participants actual knowledge, perceived responsibility, and concerned scores. Two one-way MANOVAs were conducted to determine if there was a difference in actual knowledge, perceived responsibility, and concerned scores that was dependent upon participants age and gender. Results: Athletic trainers in collegiate settings had a fairly high actual knowledge of testicular cancer (X=7.62 [plus or minus] 1.42 out of 10). Athletic trainers reported that they should be concerned about testicular cancer in male athletes (X=7.26 [plus or minus] .167 out of 10). Athletic trainers had a low feeling of responsibility suggested by their reported score (X=3.93[plus or minus] 0.18 out of 10). A weak correlation (r(169)=.199, P [less than] .009) was found between the actual knowledge and perceived responsibility scores, and between the actual knowledge and concerned scores (r(169)=.285, P [less than] .001). A medium to strong correlation (r(169)=.486, [less than] .001) was found between the concerned and perceived responsibility scores. Athletic trainers reported a decreased feeling of training about testicular cancer and testicular self-examination (X=2.28 [plus or minus] 2.10 out of 10). Also, athletic trainers reported (X=2.71 [plus or minus] 2.42 out of 10) that they were not embarrassed to discuss testicular cancer. Athletic trainers reported performing either a testicular self-exam or breast-self examination on themselves (X=76%). Conclusions: College athletic trainers have a low feeling of embarrassment, adequate knowledge, and a high feeling of concern regarding testicular cancer, but report a low feeling of perceived responsibility and training
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFH0004564, ucf:45190
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004564
- Title
- Essays on Marketing Strategies in the Context of Interdependent Consumption.
- Creator
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Talebi Ashoori, Minoo, Stock, Axel, Liu, Lin, Mao, Huifang, Caputo, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This dissertation consists of two essays in which I study the impact of two interdependent consumerbehaviors, fairness concerns and exclusivity seeking, on a companys marketing strategiesand profits specifically in a context where it tries to expand its clientele with the objective of generatingrepeat purchases, for example by running deals on daily deal platforms. In the first essay,I examine the impact of customers fairness concerns on the profitability of a company runningpromotions on...
Show moreThis dissertation consists of two essays in which I study the impact of two interdependent consumerbehaviors, fairness concerns and exclusivity seeking, on a companys marketing strategiesand profits specifically in a context where it tries to expand its clientele with the objective of generatingrepeat purchases, for example by running deals on daily deal platforms. In the first essay,I examine the impact of customers fairness concerns on the profitability of a company runningpromotions on daily deal platforms. With the prevalence of social media and the internet, informationabout such targeted promotions can become available to all consumers including those whodid not have access to the platform and paid a full-price. Conducting a laboratory experiment,I demonstrate that knowledge about targeted promotions often leads to post-promotional fairnessconcerns among these consumers resulting in an increased tendency to switch providers. Incorporatingthe results of the experiment in a two-period game-theoretic model I analyze the impactof customers post-promotional fairness concerns on the profits of quality differentiated companieswho compete by running targeted promotions. I find that the low quality provider always suffersfrom consumers sensitivity to unfairness. Contrary, I show that the high quality provider can counterintuitivelybenefit from consumers fairness concerns as long as its quality advantage is not toolarge. Furthermore, I analyze how profits are impacted when information about the targeted dealsleaks to non-targeted customers who would have bought at the regular price. I find that, counterintuitively,competing firms profits increase with leakage. In the second essay of this dissertation, Istart with the observation that many platform members are new customers and are uncertain aboutthe quality of the companys product or service until they consume it. In such a context, I examinea high quality sellers optimal signaling strategy in a market where consumers prefer to purchase ascarce product due to desire for exclusivity or to receive a service in a non-crowded environmentdue to better experience and service delivery. Utilizing a repeat purchase signaling model I show that, consistent with prior literature, the high quality firm signals its quality by making its productscarce as well as charging a high price when consumers desire for exclusivity is high and cost ofquality is great. Contrary, I also find conditions under which the high quality firm counterintuitivelymakes its product widely available and prices it low to signal its quality. The model may inpart explain how high quality sellers market their products or services on daily deal websites.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005890, ucf:50855
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005890
- Title
- A THEORY OF COMPLEX ADAPTIVE INQUIRING ORGANIZATIONS: APPLICATION TO CONTINUOUS ASSURANCE OF CORPORATE FINANCIAL INFORMATION.
- Creator
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Kuhn, John, Cheney, Paul, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Drawing upon the theories of complexity and complex adaptive systems and the Singerian Inquiring System from C. West Churchman's seminal work The Design of Inquiring Systems the dissertation herein develops a systems design theory for continuous auditing systems. The dissertation consists of discussion of the two foundational theories, development of the Theory of Complex Adaptive Inquiring Organizations (CAIO) and associated design principles for a continuous auditing system supporting a...
Show moreDrawing upon the theories of complexity and complex adaptive systems and the Singerian Inquiring System from C. West Churchman's seminal work The Design of Inquiring Systems the dissertation herein develops a systems design theory for continuous auditing systems. The dissertation consists of discussion of the two foundational theories, development of the Theory of Complex Adaptive Inquiring Organizations (CAIO) and associated design principles for a continuous auditing system supporting a CAIO, and instantiation of the CAIO theory. The instantiation consists of an agent-based model depicting the marketplace for Frontier Airlines that generates an anticipated market share used as an integral component in a mock auditor going concern opinion for the airline. As a whole, the dissertation addresses the lack of an underlying system design theory and comprehensive view needed to build upon and advance the continuous assurance movement and addresses the question of how continuous auditing systems should be designed to produce knowledge – knowledge that benefits auditors, clients, and society as a whole.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002848, ucf:48052
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002848
- Title
- ANTICIPATED TELEHEALTH DEVICE USAGE IN YOUNGER ADULTS.
- Creator
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Bull, Tyler, Szalma, James, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Telehealth and telemedicine have revolutionized the healthcare system in terms of access to information and remote medical treatment. While there is a great deal of literature on current perceptions of telehealth care systems, relatively little is known about perceived user needs and acceptance of future telehealth systems. One way to assess future attitudes is to evaluate anticipated usage of telehealth devices through perceived advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, this study seeks to...
Show moreTelehealth and telemedicine have revolutionized the healthcare system in terms of access to information and remote medical treatment. While there is a great deal of literature on current perceptions of telehealth care systems, relatively little is known about perceived user needs and acceptance of future telehealth systems. One way to assess future attitudes is to evaluate anticipated usage of telehealth devices through perceived advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, this study seeks to assess the reliability of a new measure of technology acceptance that capitalizes on human motivation using self-determination theory. An online survey consisted of an original 40-item measure of motivation to use telehealth technology, the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS; Jutai & Day, 1996), questions adapted from Edwards et al. (2014) about perceived advantages and disadvantages of telehealth devices, and open-ended questions about advantages, disadvantages, and concerns of interacting with telehealth devices in the future. The open-ended questions were coded for themes. Results also indicated that there was a high reliability between the MUTT and the PIADS, however the MUTT was slightly more reliable. Significant correlations were found between the overall MUTT and subscales of autonomy, competence, relatedness, and goals, as well as moderate correlations between the subscales of the PIADS (i.e., competence, adaptability, self-esteem) and the MUTT. The results of this research will be discussed further.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFH0004794, ucf:45338
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004794
- Title
- The Identification and Segmentation of Astrocytoma Prior to Critical Mass, by means of a Volumetric/Subregion Regression Analysis of Normal and Neoplastic Brain Tissue.
- Creator
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Higgins, Lyn, Hughes, Charles, Morrow, Patricia Bockelman, Bagci, Ulas, Lisle, Curtis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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As the underlying cause of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is presently unclear, this research implements a new approach to identifying and segmenting plausible instances of GBM prior to critical mass. Grade-IV Astrocytoma, or GBM, is an aggressive and malignant cancer arising from star-shaped glial cells, or astrocytes, where the astrocytes, functionally, assist in the support and protection of neurons within the central nervous system and spinal cord. Subsequently, our motivation for...
Show moreAs the underlying cause of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is presently unclear, this research implements a new approach to identifying and segmenting plausible instances of GBM prior to critical mass. Grade-IV Astrocytoma, or GBM, is an aggressive and malignant cancer arising from star-shaped glial cells, or astrocytes, where the astrocytes, functionally, assist in the support and protection of neurons within the central nervous system and spinal cord. Subsequently, our motivation for researching the ability to recognize GBM is that the underlying cause of the mutation is presently unclear, leading to the operative that GBM is only detectable through a combination of MRI and CT brain scans, cooperatively, along with a resection biopsy. Since astrocytoma only becomes evident at critical mass, when the cellular structure of the neoplasm becomes visible within the image, this research seeks to achieve earlier identification and segmentation of the neoplasm by evaluating the malignant area via a volumetric voxel approach to removing noise artifacts and analyzing voxel differentials. In order to investigate neoplasm continuity, a differential approach has been implemented utilizing a multi-polynomial/multi-domain regression algorithm, thus, ultimately, providing a graphical and mathematical analysis of the differentials within critical mass and non-critical mass images. Given these augmentations to MRI and CT image rectifications, we theorize that our approach will improve on astrocytoma recognition and segmentation, along with achieving greater accuracy in diagnostic evaluations of the malignant area.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007336, ucf:52111
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007336
