Current Search: Fitness (x)
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Title
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Investigating Personal Fitness Trainers' Qualifications.
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Creator
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Akerson, Michael, Boote, David, Fisher, Thomas, Valdes, Anna, Vitale, Thomas, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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A threefold approach was utilized to analyze the problem of defining personal fitness trainers' qualifications. First, the problem was explored nationally, internationally and locally. Within the local context, the history of the exercise science program, stakeholders and culture at the University of Central Florida and in the central Florida marketplace was examined. Next, a systematic literature review examined possible causes within the knowledge context, learning/motivational context and...
Show moreA threefold approach was utilized to analyze the problem of defining personal fitness trainers' qualifications. First, the problem was explored nationally, internationally and locally. Within the local context, the history of the exercise science program, stakeholders and culture at the University of Central Florida and in the central Florida marketplace was examined. Next, a systematic literature review examined possible causes within the knowledge context, learning/motivational context and organizational/cultural context. Then, an original research study investigated the qualifications for Central Florida, Personal Fitness Trainers (PFTs) by examining the relationship(s) and/or differences between variables such as education, certification, years of experience and income as well as attitudes, opinions and beliefs (AOBs) regarding those variables. An online questionnaire was emailed to 196 PFTs in the central Florida area and utilized to assess qualifications as they relate to income. The 48 PFT participants were compared based on education (ED), certification (CE), and experience (EX) and their effect on income. There were no statistically significant differences in 2012 income based on (ED) level, F(4,26) = 2.283, p=.086. The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) were the preferred (CE) companies (ranked 1st or 2nd, 65% and 45% of the time respectively). From the 48 PFTs that answered the survey, 54% of PFTs agreed (A) or strongly agreed (SA) that a degree should be required in order to practice, 73% (A) or (SA) that (CE) is helpful in gaining employment, and 66% (A) or (SA) that a national board exam or license should be required to practice. The least number of (ED) courses was taken in biomechanics and business marketing. In conclusion, PFT level of education and certification type does not significantly affect income given the current system. PFTs agree that more stringent guidelines are needed to limit entrance into the profession to those who are more qualified. The author presents a new model for undergraduate curriculum and instruction requiring hands on coursework, certification and internship or service learning project.
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Date Issued
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2014
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Identifier
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CFE0005120, ucf:50684
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005120
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Title
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MODELING INTER-PLANT INTERACTIONS.
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Creator
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Larson, Jessica, Kaup, David, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the interactions between two plant species endemic to Florida and develop a model for the growth of one of the plant species. An equation for the growth of Hypericum cumulicola is developed through analyzing how the distance to and the height of the nearest Ceratiola ericoides (Florida rosemary) affects the growth of Hypericum cumulicola. The hypericums were separated into five separate regions according to the distance to the nearest rosemary plant....
Show moreThe purpose of this paper is to examine the interactions between two plant species endemic to Florida and develop a model for the growth of one of the plant species. An equation for the growth of Hypericum cumulicola is developed through analyzing how the distance to and the height of the nearest Ceratiola ericoides (Florida rosemary) affects the growth of Hypericum cumulicola. The hypericums were separated into five separate regions according to the distance to the nearest rosemary plant. The parameters for a basic growth equation were obtained in each of the five regions and compared to each other along with the average deviations in each of the five regions. Analysis of the five separate regions aided in the creation of different growth equations that each encompassed all of the regions together. Four different growth equations are developed and then compared and analyzed for their accuracy.
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Date Issued
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2006
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Identifier
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CFE0001374, ucf:46998
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001374
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Title
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Body Mass Bias Mitigation for Females in Military Physical Readiness Testing through Load Carriage Implementation.
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Creator
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Yeaton, Aaron, McCauley, Pamela, Rabelo, Luis, Lee, Gene, Cummings, Nancy, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The US Military requires specific fitness testing, known as the Physical Readiness Test (PRT), for its members to determine their overall fitness levels. The test currently being used has been shown to have bias towards heavier mass individuals of up to 20%. Prior research has been completed and several recommendations have been made to eliminate mass bias, but this has been conducted almost exclusively on males. There is very little data and research on military physical fitness testing for...
Show moreThe US Military requires specific fitness testing, known as the Physical Readiness Test (PRT), for its members to determine their overall fitness levels. The test currently being used has been shown to have bias towards heavier mass individuals of up to 20%. Prior research has been completed and several recommendations have been made to eliminate mass bias, but this has been conducted almost exclusively on males. There is very little data and research on military physical fitness testing for women besides combat specific evolution exercises. A possibility exists to eliminate the bias for females through implementing load carriage during PRT events. A specified load is to be placed on women while performing the PRT and compared to a non-loaded control test. The results should show if the load carriage devised has a beneficial effect on current testing methods through eliminating the mass bias for women.
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Date Issued
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2015
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Identifier
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CFE0006020, ucf:51009
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006020
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Title
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WHEN PEOPLE WORKING IN AN OFFICE DON'T WANT TO WORKOUT: AN EXPLORATION OF CORPORATE BENEFIT USE AND CORRELATES TO THE BIG FIVE MODEL OF PERSONALITY.
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Creator
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Harris, Dominique T, Fritzsche, Barbara, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Many corporate offices now offer fitness benefits to their employees. Evidence shows that corporate fitness programs are linked to decreased tardiness, absenteeism, and reduced healthcare costs. These programs also help address the growing obesity crisis threatening one in every three American adults. However, many employees do not participate in corporate fitness plans in spite of the convenience many programs offer. Thus, I wished to explore the personality and lifestyle factors that...
Show moreMany corporate offices now offer fitness benefits to their employees. Evidence shows that corporate fitness programs are linked to decreased tardiness, absenteeism, and reduced healthcare costs. These programs also help address the growing obesity crisis threatening one in every three American adults. However, many employees do not participate in corporate fitness plans in spite of the convenience many programs offer. Thus, I wished to explore the personality and lifestyle factors that contribute to older (age 25+) employees' exercise habits, their use of corporate benefits and correlates to the Big Five model of Personality along with other personality measures. I gathered 94 participants aged 25 and above, who work full-time (at least 32+ hours per week).I had my participants report their demographic information and take a survey through Qualtrics and Amazon Mechanical Turk analyzing their exercise habits and use of corporate benefits. Based on my findings, the Big 5 facet that correlated with corporate benefit use the most was immoderation. Other factors that correlated included Externally Controlled Motivation, Autonomous Motivation, and Perceived Competence. Furthermore, participants were able to share tips for how to improve corporate benefit use. The study could have benefitted from a larger sample size and observation-based reporting, however overall it serves as a good indicator of traits that make a person more inclined to participate in exercise programs and poses suggestions for the improvement of said programs.
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Date Issued
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2016
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Identifier
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CFH2000101, ucf:45518
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000101
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Title
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TRULY ACCOMPLISHED: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF MOTIVATION AND SOCIAL INFLUENCE.
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Creator
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Tucker, Carly, Fritzsche, Barbara, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this study was to examine the motivation of individuals to use Truly Accomplished (TA) as a fitness intervention, with or without a social support component. All participants utilized the TA Software as a fitness intervention and received weekly feedback on their progress. Thirty participants were randomly assigned to either participate in the regular TA process or a modified TA process with the addition of a social support component in the form of a social media group....
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the motivation of individuals to use Truly Accomplished (TA) as a fitness intervention, with or without a social support component. All participants utilized the TA Software as a fitness intervention and received weekly feedback on their progress. Thirty participants were randomly assigned to either participate in the regular TA process or a modified TA process with the addition of a social support component in the form of a social media group. Participants in the modified condition posted weekly to a Facebook group page about successes and obstacles they faced and gave feedback to their peers. It was hypothesized that participants, regardless of condition, would show fitness gains in the 6-week study. Also, with the added social support component to TA, participants were expected to have higher levels of self-determination in relation to the three psychological needs (i.e. autonomy, relatedness, and competence) and higher levels of perceived social support. A between-subjects deign was used to measure overall effectiveness, changes in fitness performance (plank, push-ups, wall-sit, step-test) and body composition (BMI, percent body fat), perceived social support, levels of psychological needs satisfaction as it relates to the three basic needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), and satisfaction with TA. No significant differences were found between conditions for satisfaction with TA, levels of perceived social support, or levels of psychological needs satisfaction post-intervention. However, a significant increase was found regardless of condition in terms of autonomy and guidance. A significant increase was shown in both the plank and modified push-up post-intervention measure, regardless of condition. Finally, the condition with the added social support had a significantly higher overall effectiveness gain than the condition with no added social support. The practical and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.
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Date Issued
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2015
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Identifier
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CFH0004782, ucf:45389
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004782
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Title
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Three Studies Examining Auditors' Use of Data Analytics.
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Creator
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Koreff, Jared, Sutton, Steven, Arnold, Vicky, Baudot, Lisa, Brazel, Joe, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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This dissertation comprises three studies, one qualitative and two experimental, that center on auditor's use of data analytics. Data analytics hold the potential for auditors to reallocate time spent on labor intensive tasks to judgment intensive tasks (Brown-Liburd et al. 2015), ultimately improving audit quality (Raphael 2017). Yet the availability of these tools does not guarantee that auditors will incorporate the data analytics into their judgments (Davis et al. 1989; Venkatesh et al....
Show moreThis dissertation comprises three studies, one qualitative and two experimental, that center on auditor's use of data analytics. Data analytics hold the potential for auditors to reallocate time spent on labor intensive tasks to judgment intensive tasks (Brown-Liburd et al. 2015), ultimately improving audit quality (Raphael 2017). Yet the availability of these tools does not guarantee that auditors will incorporate the data analytics into their judgments (Davis et al. 1989; Venkatesh et al. 2003). The first study investigates implications of using data analytics to structure the audit process for nonprofessionalized auditors. As the public accounting profession continues down a path of de-professionalization (Dirsmith et al. 2015), data analytics may increasingly be used as a control mechanism for guiding nonprofessionalized auditors' work tasks. Results of this study highlight negative ramifications of using nonprofessionalized auditors in a critical audit setting. The second study examines how different types of data analytics impact auditors' judgments. This study demonstrates the joint impact that the type of data analytical model and type of data analyzed have on auditors' judgments. This study contributes to the literature and practice by demonstrating that data analytics do not uniformly impact auditors' judgments. The third study examines how auditors' reliance on data analytics is impacted by the presentation source and level of risk identified. This study provide insights into the effectiveness of public accounting firms' development of data scientist groups to incorporate the data analytic skillset into audit teams.Collectively, these studies contribute to the literature by providing evidence on auditors' use of data analytics. Currently, the literature is limited to demonstrating that auditors are not effective at identifying patterns in data analytics visualizations when viewed before traditional audit evidence (Rose et al. 2017). The three studies in this dissertation highlight that not all data analytics influence judgments equally.
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Date Issued
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2018
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Identifier
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CFE0007210, ucf:52289
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007210
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Title
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Three Studies Examining the Effects of Business Analytics on Judgment and Decision Making in Accounting.
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Creator
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Lang, Bradley, Trompeter, Gregory, Robb, Sean, Tian, Yu, Trinkle, Brad, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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This dissertation consists of three studies investigating the relationship between business analytics and decision making in accounting. In an effort to improve performance, organizations increasingly emphasize fact-based decision making supported by business analytics, which translate complex data into manageable information through statistical analysis. While the recent focus on business analytics is transforming how managers make decisions, analytics alone do not generate increased...
Show moreThis dissertation consists of three studies investigating the relationship between business analytics and decision making in accounting. In an effort to improve performance, organizations increasingly emphasize fact-based decision making supported by business analytics, which translate complex data into manageable information through statistical analysis. While the recent focus on business analytics is transforming how managers make decisions, analytics alone do not generate increased performance; the synergy between business analytics and user judgments is a vital component of realizing value. To this end, Study I experimentally investigates how various characteristics of business analytics affect individuals' reliance and perceptions of the analytic. Through the lens of cognitive fit a 2(&)#215;2 between-subjects experiment is conducted examining business analytics effects of input and process attributes on users' reliance. Cognitive fit theory posits that effective problem solving depends on the match between the technology and the decision process. The second study investigates the impact of management interventions (i.e. actions influencing adoption) toward improving reliance on business analytics. From an organizational perspective, an important concern for management is promoting greater employee acceptance and utilization of business analytics. Building on the Technology Acceptance Model, Study II experimentally examines the effect of management support and consensus of multiple analytics on increasing reliance and on participants' evaluation of the business analytic. Study III further explores the relationship between characteristics of business analytics and the decision maker by developing a theoretical model regarding the effects of perceived decision similarities between the user and the business analytic on users' perceived usefulness. Overall, the results reported in this dissertation suggest that 1) characteristics of business analytics influence users' judgments and decision making, 2) management can take actions to influence the relationship between users and business analytics, and 3) users are likely to evaluate their cognitive similarity to these business analytics, and these perceptions influence perceived usefulness of the business analytics.
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Date Issued
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2018
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Identifier
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CFE0007578, ucf:52562
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007578
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Title
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EXAMINING ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS ACCEPTANCE OF NETWORK VIRTUALIZATION TECHNOLOGY USING THE TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE MODEL.
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Creator
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Yousif, Wael K. Yousif, Boote, David, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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This causal and correlational study was designed to extend the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and to test its applicability to Valencia Community College (VCC) Engineering and Technology students as the target user group when investigating the factors influencing their decision to adopt and to utilize VMware as the target technology. In addition to the primary three indigenous factors: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and intention toward utilization, the model was also...
Show moreThis causal and correlational study was designed to extend the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and to test its applicability to Valencia Community College (VCC) Engineering and Technology students as the target user group when investigating the factors influencing their decision to adopt and to utilize VMware as the target technology. In addition to the primary three indigenous factors: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and intention toward utilization, the model was also extended with enjoyment, external control, and computer self-efficacy as antecedents to perceived ease of use. In an attempt to further increase the explanatory power of the model, the Task-Technology Fit constructs (TTF) were included as antecedents to perceived usefulness. The model was also expanded with subjective norms and voluntariness to assess the degree to which social influences affect students decision for adoption and utilization. This study was conducted during the fall term of 2009, using 11 instruments: (1) VMware Tools Functions Instrument; (2) Computer Networking Tasks Characteristics Instrument; (3) Perceived Usefulness Instrument; (4) Voluntariness Instrument; (5) Subjective Norms Instrument; (6) Perceived Enjoyment Instrument; (7) Computer Self-Efficacy Instrument; (8) Perception of External Control Instrument; (9) Perceived Ease of Use Instrument; (10) Intention Instrument; and (11) a Utilization Instrument. The 11 instruments collectively contained 58 items. Additionally, a demographics instrument of six items was included to investigate the influence of age, prior experience with the technology, prior experience in computer networking, academic enrollment status, and employment status on student intentions and behavior with regard to VMware as a network virtualization technology. Data were analyzed using path analysis, regressions, and univariate analysis of variance in SPSS and AMOS for Windows. The results suggest that perceived ease of use was found to be the strongest determinant of student intention. The analysis also suggested that external control, measuring the facilitating conditions (knowledge, resources, etc) necessary for adoption was the highest predictor of perceived ease of use. Consistent with previous studies, perceived ease of use was found to be the strongest predictor of perceived usefulness followed by subjective norms as students continued to use the technology. Even though the integration of the task-technology fit construct was not helpful in explaining the variance in student perceived usefulness of the target technology, it was statistically significant in predicting student perception of ease of use. The study concluded with recommendations to investigate other factors (such as service quality and ease of implementation) that might contribute to explaining the variance in perceived ease of use as the primary driving force in influencing student decision for adoption. A recommendation was also made to modify the task-technology fit construct instruments to improve the articulation and the specificity of the task. The need for further examination of the influence of the instructor on student decision for adoption of a target technology was also emphasized.
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Date Issued
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2010
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Identifier
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CFE0003071, ucf:48313
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003071
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Title
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IDENTITY AS A SEXUAL MINORITY IN THE WORKPLACE: A LOOK AT PERSONALITY AND CONTEXTUAL FACTORS.
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Creator
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Resende, Samuel, Negy, Charles, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Sexual identity in the workplace is an exploratory topic in an age when sexuality is becoming a topic of discussion. However, protection of sexual minorities (Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals) is not universal despite evidence that heterosexist climates are disadvantageous for employers. In this study, I examined if sexual minorities who perceive their place of employment to be relatively free of heterosexism would be more satisfied with their jobs, perceive more organizational fit, and report...
Show moreSexual identity in the workplace is an exploratory topic in an age when sexuality is becoming a topic of discussion. However, protection of sexual minorities (Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals) is not universal despite evidence that heterosexist climates are disadvantageous for employers. In this study, I examined if sexual minorities who perceive their place of employment to be relatively free of heterosexism would be more satisfied with their jobs, perceive more organizational fit, and report less work stress. In addition, I sought to determine if selected personality variables would mediate the relations among critical study variables. The personality variables were internalized homophobia, level of "outness," and cynicism. Two samples of university students consisting of sexual minorities (n =43) and heterosexuals (n = 67), completed questionnaires online. Results revealed a positive correlation for both groups between organizational climate (i.e., less perceived heterosexism) and job satisfaction, although the correlation for the sexual minority group did not achieve statistical significance, likely due to the small sample size. Due to statistical conditions not being satisfied, partial correlations were performed instead of mediational analyses. Internalized homophobia was found to partially account for the relations between perceived organizational climate and job satisfaction and perceived organizational climate and work stress, respectively. This study encourages further investigation into the role of sexual identity in the workplace, particularly the role of internalized homophobia as possibly influencing sexual minorities to perceive their workplace environment more pejoratively than necessary.
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Date Issued
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2015
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Identifier
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CFH0004902, ucf:45500
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004902
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Title
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COED ADOLESCENT SOCCER PLAYERS IN A COMPETITIVE LEARNING MILIEU: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF GENDER ATTITUDES, PERCEPTIONS, AND SPORT SPECIFIC TESTING.
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Creator
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O DONNELL, FRANCIS, Rohter, F. D., University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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ABSTRACT:The history of association soccer dates back to the 1800's, and all indications are that prospects for the female athlete was scarce in all sports. The researcher has arranged an environment where young females can train with males in a soccer setting that has all the necessary elements for the athletes to learn, improve and compete with their own gender as well as opposite gender. The female group has been noticeable underachievers in this sport and is not aware of their potential....
Show moreABSTRACT:The history of association soccer dates back to the 1800's, and all indications are that prospects for the female athlete was scarce in all sports. The researcher has arranged an environment where young females can train with males in a soccer setting that has all the necessary elements for the athletes to learn, improve and compete with their own gender as well as opposite gender. The female group has been noticeable underachievers in this sport and is not aware of their potential. The research methodology is ethnographic in nature and study could easily be related to a traditional way to learn and develop in this sport. The method stresses the importance of reproducing procedures that were taught to the researcher. The employment of this method was to provide motivation and additional teaching resources to assist and enhance development of the research participant's potential.This was an ethnographic endeavor that accumulated several sources of data on 13 elite male and female athletes. Based on the data collected interpretations were made regarding their perceptions of the opposite gender. Ethnography was combined with descriptive statistics and employed to elicit and compile the data in the soccer specific testing components and the interviews. Merging techniques of observation (participant observation), field notes, video analysis, individual and group interviews were the sources of rich information for the researcher. This was a practical approach to bring out or discover any overt or covert trends, and to determine what possible barriers to learning would limit and reduce participation in the sport of soccer. The theoretical nature of the research, formal sociology is very much related to observational methods, choosing to gather data in a controlled and organized approach. The researcher's decision to tape the interview process and his preference to videotape events would thereby collect a complete and accurate account of the training progression subject matter. The results in the soccer specific testing indicated that the males were generally faster on sprint runs and had more endurance on the distance runs. However, a few of the females did better some of the males' scores in the aerobic and anaerobic events. The technical and tactical data indicated a slight improvement for the females when comparing pre and posttest results. Once more, the males were more advanced than the females. The psychological data showed the females progressed on the posttest scores. However, there was no overall male domination on the 20 categories. There are different areas on the inventory where females scored higher and other areas where the males would top the females. The interviews provided some enlightening information that confirmed aspects of male domination exist in sport and the feminist's role in sport as bringing attention to many gender issues, the positive and negative aspects of education and sport, the goals and motivation to participate in sport. Finally, the contrasting viewpoints between the American adolescent in this study and the English adolescent in Flintoff's (1993) dissertation and Flintoff and Scraton's (2001) study on physical education and gender issues. The most important finding was that learning had occurred in the training milieu. Learning was accomplished through the males' ability to facilitate the dynamics of attention and discipline required throughout the training sessions that were offered. The soccer specific test results indicated a much more motivated female group and the females' spring season was very successful; the team went undefeated in all competitions. The males in the study began to shed the superior attitude to one of more respect and tolerance of their female counterparts. The female differs emotionally from the male as the interview data illustrated and the co-education environment was both positive and productive, but there are limits to the inclusion of th
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Date Issued
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2004
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Identifier
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CFE0000066, ucf:52853
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000066
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Title
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An Integrated Framework for Automated Data Collection and Processing for Discrete Event Simulation Models.
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Creator
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Rodriguez, Carlos, Kincaid, John, Karwowski, Waldemar, O'Neal, Thomas, Kaup, David, Mouloua, Mustapha, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Discrete Events Simulation (DES) is a powerful tool of modeling and analysis used in different disciplines. DES models require data in order to determine the different parameters that drive the simulations. The literature about DES input data management indicates that the preparation of necessary input data is often a highly manual process, which causes inefficiencies, significant time consumption and a negative user experience.The focus of this research investigation is addressing the manual...
Show moreDiscrete Events Simulation (DES) is a powerful tool of modeling and analysis used in different disciplines. DES models require data in order to determine the different parameters that drive the simulations. The literature about DES input data management indicates that the preparation of necessary input data is often a highly manual process, which causes inefficiencies, significant time consumption and a negative user experience.The focus of this research investigation is addressing the manual data collection and processing (MDCAP) problem prevalent in DES projects. This research investigation presents an integrated framework to solve the MDCAP problem by classifying the data needed for DES projects into three generic classes. Such classification permits automating and streamlining the preparation of the data, allowing DES modelers to collect, update, visualize, fit, validate, tally and test data in real-time, by performing intuitive actions. In addition to the proposed theoretical framework, this project introduces an innovative user interface that was programmed based on the ideas of the proposed framework. The interface is called DESI, which stands for Discrete Event Simulation Inputs.The proposed integrated framework to automate DES input data preparation was evaluated against benchmark measures presented in the literature in order to show its positive impact in DES input data management. This research investigation demonstrates that the proposed framework, instantiated by the DESI interface, addresses current gaps in the field, reduces the time devoted to input data management within DES projects and advances the state-of-the-art in DES input data management automation.
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Date Issued
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2015
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Identifier
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CFE0005878, ucf:50861
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005878
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Title
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A Fitness Function Elimination Theory for Blackbox Optimization and Problem Class Learning.
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Creator
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Anil, Gautham, Wu, Annie, Wiegand, Rudolf, Stanley, Kenneth, Clarke, Thomas, Jansen, Thomas, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The modern view of optimization is that optimization algorithms are not designed in a vacuum, but can make use of information regarding the broad class of objective functions from which a problem instance is drawn. Using this knowledge, we want to design optimization algorithms that execute quickly (efficiency), solve the objective function with minimal samples (performance), and are applicable over a wide range of problems (abstraction). However, we present a new theory for blackbox...
Show moreThe modern view of optimization is that optimization algorithms are not designed in a vacuum, but can make use of information regarding the broad class of objective functions from which a problem instance is drawn. Using this knowledge, we want to design optimization algorithms that execute quickly (efficiency), solve the objective function with minimal samples (performance), and are applicable over a wide range of problems (abstraction). However, we present a new theory for blackbox optimization from which, we conclude that of these three desired characteristics, only two can be maximized by any algorithm.We put forward an alternate view of optimization where we use knowledge about the problem class and samples from the problem instance to identify which problem instances from the class are being solved. From this Elimination of Fitness Functions approach, an idealized optimization algorithm that minimizes sample counts over any problem class, given complete knowledge about the class, is designed. This theory allows us to learn more about the difficulty of various problems, and we are able to use it to develop problem complexity bounds.We present general methods to model this algorithm over a particular problem class and gain efficiency at the cost of specifically targeting that class. This is demonstrated over the Generalized Leading-Ones problem and a generalization called LO**, and efficient algorithms with optimal performance are derived and analyzed. We also tighten existing bounds for LO***. Additionally, we present a probabilistic framework based on our Elimination of Fitness Functions approach that clarifies how one can ideally learn about the problem class we face from the objective functions. This problem learning increases the performance of an optimization algorithm at the cost of abstraction.In the context of this theory, we re-examine the blackbox framework as an algorithm design framework and suggest several improvements to existing methods, including incorporating problem learning, not being restricted to blackbox framework and building parametrized algorithms. We feel that this theory and our recommendations will help a practitioner make substantially better use of all that is available in typical practical optimization algorithm design scenarios.
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Date Issued
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2012
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Identifier
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CFE0004511, ucf:49268
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004511
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Title
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JOB SATISFACTION AND VALUE PRIORITIES OF COUNSELORS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE AND AGENCY SETTINGS.
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Creator
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Cunningham, Laura, Daire, Andrew, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Counselors can work at a variety of locations (Vacc & Loesch, 2000). Yet very little is known about each setting (King, 2007) and what type of counselors would have an optimum fit. Burnout is a pervasive issue in counseling (Lawson, 2007) and providing good-fit information could lessen turnover and burnout from the counseling field. The primary purpose of this study included investigating the differences between job satisfaction and value priorities of counselors in private practice and...
Show moreCounselors can work at a variety of locations (Vacc & Loesch, 2000). Yet very little is known about each setting (King, 2007) and what type of counselors would have an optimum fit. Burnout is a pervasive issue in counseling (Lawson, 2007) and providing good-fit information could lessen turnover and burnout from the counseling field. The primary purpose of this study included investigating the differences between job satisfaction and value priorities of counselors in private practice and agency settings. The overarching theoretical framework included Frank Parsons' (1909) 'goodness of fit' theory, which is a person-organizational fit theory for job satisfaction. Schwartz Value Theory (Schwartz, 1992, 1994) provided the trait of the person under investigation: value priorities. The use of global and facet measures of job satisfaction provided the 'good-fit' measure (Brief & Weiss, 2002). The final analysis included one hundred and thirty-five counselors, with seventy-two agency counselors and sixty-three private practitioners. Counselors completed two assessments and a survey in a descriptive correlational design. Two methods of group and e-mail administration produced a 98.7 % and 33% response rates, respectively. The data collection instruments included: The Schwartz Value Survey (SVS; Schwartz, 1992), the abridged Job Descriptive Index (aJDI; Stanton et al., 2002), the abridged Job In General Scale (aJIG; Russell et al., 2004), and the Counselor History Questionnaire (Cunningham, 2009). The statistical procedures used to analyze the data included two one-way MANOVAs and four standard multiple regressions. Post- hoc analysis included ANOVA for five subscales on the aJDI measure. The three research questions included; (a) Are there any differences between job satisfaction between counselors in private practice and agency settings? (b) Are there any differences between value priorities of self-transcendence and self-enhancement between counselors in private practice and agency settings?, and (c) Are there any relationships among the variables of job satisfaction and value priorities of counselors in private practice and agency setting? The first research question was supported, with private practitioners reporting statistically significant higher levels of job satisfaction on two measures, with 12.9 % of the variance explained by the model. Furthermore, the results of the post-hoc included private practitioners reporting statistically significant higher ratings on the aJDI subscales of Work and Income, and Agency counselors reporting higher scores on the Supervision subscale. The second and third research questions were not supported; as there were no differences in value priorities of counselors in private practice and agency. Furthermore, no predictive relationships existed among the variables of work location, value priorities, and job satisfaction. The data suggested that private practitioners experienced a higher level of job satisfaction than their counterparts in agency settings. Furthermore, the non-significant results of value priorities suggested that counselors, as a whole, possess similar value priorities which are not altered by different work settings. Implications for counselors and counselor educators were presented, along with areas of future research.
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Date Issued
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2010
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Identifier
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CFE0003334, ucf:48434
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003334
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Title
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Do programs designed to train working memory, other executive functions, and attention benefit children with ADHD? A meta-analytic review of cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes.
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Creator
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Orban, Sarah, Rapport, Mark, Beidel, Deborah, Cassisi, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Children with ADHD are characterized frequently as possessing underdeveloped executive functions and sustained attentional abilities, and recent commercial claims suggest that computer-based cognitive training can remediate these impairments and provide significant and lasting improvement in their attention, impulse control, social functioning, academic performance, and complex reasoning skills. The present review critically evaluates these claims through meta-analysis of 25 studies of...
Show moreChildren with ADHD are characterized frequently as possessing underdeveloped executive functions and sustained attentional abilities, and recent commercial claims suggest that computer-based cognitive training can remediate these impairments and provide significant and lasting improvement in their attention, impulse control, social functioning, academic performance, and complex reasoning skills. The present review critically evaluates these claims through meta-analysis of 25 studies of facilitative intervention training (i.e., cognitive training) for children with ADHD. Random effects models corrected for publication bias and sampling error revealed that studies training short-term memory alone resulted in moderate magnitude improvements in short-term memory (d= 0.63), whereas training attention did not significantly improve attention and training mixed executive functions did not significantly improve the targeted executive functions (both nonsignificant: 95% confidence intervals include 0.0). Far transfer effects of cognitive training on academic functioning, blinded ratings of behavior (both nonsignificant), and cognitive tests (d= 0.14) were nonsignificant or negligible. Unblinded raters (d= 0.48) reported significantly larger benefits relative to blinded raters and objective tests (both p (<) .05), indicating the likelihood of Hawthorne effects. Critical examination of training targets revealed incongruence with empirical evidence regarding the specific executive functions that are (a) most impaired in ADHD, and (b) functionally related to the behavioral and academic outcomes these training programs are intended to ameliorate. Collectively, meta-analytic results indicate that claims regarding the academic, behavioral, and cognitive benefits associated with extant cognitive training programs are unsupported in ADHD. The methodological limitations of the current evidence base, however, leaves open the possibility that cognitive training techniques designed to improve empirically documented executive function deficits may benefit children with ADHD.
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Date Issued
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2013
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Identifier
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CFE0005040, ucf:49962
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005040
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Title
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TOWARD A THEORY OF PRACTICAL DRIFT IN TEAMS.
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Creator
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Bisbey, Tiffany, Salas, Eduardo, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Practical drift is defined as the unintentional adaptation of routine behaviors from written procedure. The occurrence of practical drift can result in catastrophic disaster in high-reliability organizations (e.g. the military, emergency medicine, space exploration). Given the lack of empirical research on practical drift, this research sought to develop a better understanding by investigating ways to assess and stop the process in high-reliability organizations. An introductory literature...
Show morePractical drift is defined as the unintentional adaptation of routine behaviors from written procedure. The occurrence of practical drift can result in catastrophic disaster in high-reliability organizations (e.g. the military, emergency medicine, space exploration). Given the lack of empirical research on practical drift, this research sought to develop a better understanding by investigating ways to assess and stop the process in high-reliability organizations. An introductory literature review was conducted to investigate the variables that play a role in the occurrence of practical drift in teams. Research was guided by the input-throughput-output model of team adaptation posed by Burke, Stagl, Salas, Pierce, and Kendall (2006). It demonstrates relationships supported by the results of the literature review and the Burke and colleagues (2006) model denoting potential indicators of practical drift in teams. Research centralized on the core processes and emergent states of the adaptive cycle; namely, shared mental models, team situation awareness, and coordination. The resulting model shows the relationship of procedure—practice coupling demands misfit and maladaptive violations of procedure being mediated by shared mental models, team situation awareness, and coordination. Shared mental models also lead to team situation awareness, and both depict a mutual, positive relationship with coordination. The cycle restarts when an error caused by maladaptive violations of procedure creates a greater misfit between procedural demands and practical demands. This movement toward a theory of practical drift in teams provides a conceptual framework and testable propositions for future research to build from, giving practical avenues to predict and prevent accidents resulting from drift in high-reliability organizations. Suggestions for future research are also discussed, including possible directions to explore. By examining the relationships reflected in the new model, steps can be taken to counteract organizational failures in the process of practical drift in teams.
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Date Issued
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2014
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Identifier
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CFH0004636, ucf:45300
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004636
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Title
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APPLICATION OF THE EMPIRICAL LIKELIHOOD METHOD IN PROPORTIONAL HAZARDS MODEL.
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Creator
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HE, BIN, Ren, Jian-Jian, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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In survival analysis, proportional hazards model is the most commonly used and the Cox model is the most popular. These models are developed to facilitate statistical analysis frequently encountered in medical research or reliability studies. In analyzing real data sets, checking the validity of the model assumptions is a key component. However, the presence of complicated types of censoring such as double censoring and partly interval-censoring in survival data makes model assessment...
Show moreIn survival analysis, proportional hazards model is the most commonly used and the Cox model is the most popular. These models are developed to facilitate statistical analysis frequently encountered in medical research or reliability studies. In analyzing real data sets, checking the validity of the model assumptions is a key component. However, the presence of complicated types of censoring such as double censoring and partly interval-censoring in survival data makes model assessment difficult, and the existing tests for goodness-of-fit do not have direct extension to these complicated types of censored data. In this work, we use empirical likelihood (Owen, 1988) approach to construct goodness-of-fit test and provide estimates for the Cox model with various types of censored data.Specifically, the problems under consideration are the two-sample Cox model and stratified Cox model with right censored data, doubly censored data and partly interval-censored data. Related computational issues are discussed, and some simulation results are presented. The procedures developed in the work are applied to several real data sets with some discussion.
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Date Issued
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2006
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Identifier
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CFE0001099, ucf:46780
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001099
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Title
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An Analysis of Race and Gender in Select Choice Programs Within Brevard County Public Schools.
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Creator
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Doaks, Synthia, Murray, Barbara, Murray, Kenneth, Baldwin, Lee, Thedy, Elizabeth, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The focus of this research was to compare the student membership population proportions, by race and gender, of Brevard County Public School students with the actual participation in select choice programs offered to Brevard County public high school students. This study was based on an analysis of the scores of 1,152 eighth-grade students who received a score of 4 or 5 on the 2008 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) mathematics and a score of 4 or 5 on the 2008 Florida Comprehensive...
Show moreThe focus of this research was to compare the student membership population proportions, by race and gender, of Brevard County Public School students with the actual participation in select choice programs offered to Brevard County public high school students. This study was based on an analysis of the scores of 1,152 eighth-grade students who received a score of 4 or 5 on the 2008 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) mathematics and a score of 4 or 5 on the 2008 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) reading and their participation in high school advanced academic courses. The advanced academic choice programs selected for this study consisted of the four Florida articulated accelerated college credit seeking programs: Advanced Placement (AP), Dual-Enrollment (DE), International Baccalaureate(&)#174; (IB) Diploma Programme, and the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE). The proportion comparison consisted of student membership data and eighth-grade FCAT scores from 2007-2008 and the student membership data and high school course load data from the 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011, and 2011-2012 academic school years. Chi-square goodness-of-fit tests were run to analyze the proportions by race and gender of the sample groups and student membership populations. For each respective year involved in this study, there was a statistically significant difference in the race and gender proportions of the samples and the student membership populations.
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Date Issued
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2014
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Identifier
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CFE0005325, ucf:50509
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005325