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Title: A Framework for Assessing the Quality and Effectiveness of A National Employment System: A Case Study of Saudi Arabia.
Creator: Alsulami, Hemaid, Elshennawy, Ahmad, Lee, Gene, Xanthopoulos, Petros, Rahal, Ahmad, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: National employment systems have been established in several countries to tackle the unemployment dilemma between citizens while the labor market flooded by expatriates. Lack of performance measurement indices among these systems caused failure to provide jobs to citizens and caused a state of confusion and dissatisfaction among employing entities. In Saudi Arabia, unemployment rate has increased in the last few decades and have since become a very political issue for the Saudi government....
Show moreNational employment systems have been established in several countries to tackle the unemployment dilemma between citizens while the labor market flooded by expatriates. Lack of performance measurement indices among these systems caused failure to provide jobs to citizens and caused a state of confusion and dissatisfaction among employing entities. In Saudi Arabia, unemployment rate has increased in the last few decades and have since become a very political issue for the Saudi government. Compared to other countries, the problem is different since many expatriates in Saudi Arabia are already employed in their markets while citizens are seeking jobs. In Saudi Arabia, there are 1.4 million unemployed citizens and 8 million expatriates working in the Saudi labor market. In 2011, the Saudi government established a new project for boosting citizen's employment in the private sector. This project has initiated an employment system that divides organizations into four categories (or rankings) based on their performance in employing Saudi citizens' job seekers. Organizations in the Saudi private sector are allocated services from Ministry of Labor depending on their ranking in the system. Consequently, there are mixed reactions from social and economic groups toward the system's significant impact on increasing the number of national (citizen) workers in the labor market.This study develops a framework to assess the quality and effectiveness of this government employment system and how the private sector has been affected after its implementation. The framework proposes a national employment index to help government leaders manage the labor market and reduce the unemployment rate. In addition, the framework is proposing employers satisfaction index to assist in improving the cooperation betweenivgovernment and private sector. Finally, the study demonstrates the various advantages and disadvantages of this concept and proposes solutions to improve the national employment system's quality and effectiveness.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005124, ucf:50674
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005124

Title: AN ANALYSIS OF FLORIDA PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATIONS' PERFORMANCE MEASURES FROM 2002-2004.
Creator: Sanders, Karen, Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The focus of this research was to examine the performance of Florida public community college foundations from 2002-2004 using performance ratios. The findings from this study may assist community college foundation leaders to better understand the performance of their own organizations, compare this performance to other similar organizations, establish relative performance standards, and influence the strategic initiatives to improve an existing foundation. This study was designed to...
Show moreThe focus of this research was to examine the performance of Florida public community college foundations from 2002-2004 using performance ratios. The findings from this study may assist community college foundation leaders to better understand the performance of their own organizations, compare this performance to other similar organizations, establish relative performance standards, and influence the strategic initiatives to improve an existing foundation. This study was designed to research the financial performance measurement ratios for the 28 public community college foundations in Florida. Ex post facto data that were publicly available were utilized to acquire the information needed for the statistical analyses; therefore, the population was comprised of all 28 Florida community college foundations. Data were collected from each institution's Form 990. A total of 27 ratios were calculated by year for 2002, 2003, and 2004 and were categorized into 6 areas: (a) measures of fiscal performance, (b) measures of fundraising efficiency, (c) measures of public support, (d) measures of adequacy of resources to support mission, (e) measures of use of resources to support mission, and (f) measures of investment performance and concentration. The study included benchmarking data in the form of descriptive statistics for these ratios and comprehensive analysis. In addition, three repeated measures analysis of variance models were computed to determine if the contributions and grants, fundraising expense, and program service expense ratios varied over time. There were no mean differences over time during the three-year period from 2002 to 2004.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002408, ucf:47751
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002408

Title: ANTON CHEKHOV:THE CHARACTERIZATION AND INTERPRETATIONOF A HISTORICAL FIGURE FOR THE STAGE.
Creator: gALLANT, Alan, Seay, Donald, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: ABSTRACT This thesis will explore the execution of the monograph role of "Anton Chekhov" in the original one-act play, An Evening with Anton Chekhov. The play script, rehearsal and public performances of the piece are all self- generated by the candidate, with the proper assistance of the thesis committee. This written thesis serves as the completion of the thesis project, and includes analysis of several key areas of the development of the script and thesis role. This document includes the...
Show moreABSTRACT This thesis will explore the execution of the monograph role of "Anton Chekhov" in the original one-act play, An Evening with Anton Chekhov. The play script, rehearsal and public performances of the piece are all self- generated by the candidate, with the proper assistance of the thesis committee. This written thesis serves as the completion of the thesis project, and includes analysis of several key areas of the development of the script and thesis role. This document includes the original script with endnotes and a structural analysis. Social and historical background of the character, Anton Chekhov, a real person, is presented. This background includes the history as it pertains to Anton Chekhov and the national mindset in pre-revolutionary Russia. This background is integral in not only the development of the character, but also of the script which supports the character. Much of what is contained in the script is from correspondences, anecdotes, and written material from and about Anton Chekhov. These materials will be used as interpretive tools in the development of the character, and includes clues to physical appearance and personality. The character analysis contained herein is, in part, a reflection of these historical and environmental concerns. In addition, external and internal portrayal and the means used to achieve them are discussed. These means include physical and vocal techniques for the stage in conjunction with the use of emotional recall, behaving "as if," and being emotionally and energetically present for the acting partner. Since this is a "one man show," the acting partner will take the form of the audience as other or confidante. This phenomenon, and its effect on the performance, is included in the written thesis. The acting approach in execution of the monograph will also be reflected in a journal, which will contain a record of the successes, challenges, choices and adjustments made in the rehearsal/performance process. Included among these will be the various adjustments made in order to achieve a higher level of spontaneity in movement and transition, and how this semi-improvisational approach aided in adjusting to each unique audience in performance. Analysis will be provided by members of the committee. Dr. Julia Listengarten and Mark Brotherton will submit performance analysis, while the committee chair, Dr. Donald Seay will also provide rehearsal reports. Script work on An Evening with Anton Chekhov will begin in October of 2005, with rehearsals commencing on February 6, 2006. Two performances will be given at the Black Box theatre on the campus of UCF on Monday, February 27, and Tuesday February 28, 2006.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0000961, ucf:46722
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000961

Title: Assessing the Effectiveness of Workload Measures in the Nuclear Domain.
Creator: Mercado, Joseph, Reinerman, Lauren, Hancock, Peter, Lackey, Stephanie, Szalma, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: An operator's performance and mental workload when interacting with a complex system, such as the main control room (MCR) of a nuclear power plant (NPP), are major concerns when seeking to accomplish safe and successful operations. The impact of performance on operator workload is one of the most widely researched areas in human factors science with over five hundred workload articles published since the 1960s (Brannick, Salas, (&) Prince, 1997; Meshkati (&) Hancock, 2011). Researchers have...
Show moreAn operator's performance and mental workload when interacting with a complex system, such as the main control room (MCR) of a nuclear power plant (NPP), are major concerns when seeking to accomplish safe and successful operations. The impact of performance on operator workload is one of the most widely researched areas in human factors science with over five hundred workload articles published since the 1960s (Brannick, Salas, (&) Prince, 1997; Meshkati (&) Hancock, 2011). Researchers have used specific workload measures across domains to assess the effects of taskload. However, research has not sufficiently assessed the psychometric properties, such as reliability, validity, and sensitivity, which delineates and limits the roles of these measures in workload assessment (Nygren, 1991). As a result, there is no sufficiently effective measure for indicating changes in workload for distinct tasks across multiple domains (Abich, 2013). Abich (2013) was the most recent to systematically test the subjective and objective workload measures for determining the universality and sensitivity of each alone or in combination. This systematic approach assessed taskload changes within three tasks in the context of a military intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The purpose for the present experiment was to determine if certain workload measures are sufficiently effective across domains by taking the findings from one domain (military) and testing whether those results hold true in a different domain, that of nuclear. Results showed that only two measures (NASA-TLX frustration and fNIR) were sufficiently effective at indicating workload changes between the three task types in the nuclear domain, but many measures were statistically significant. The results of this research effort combined with the results from Abich (2013) highlight an alarming problem. The ability of subjective and physiological measures to indicate changes in workload varies across tasks (Abich, 2013) and across domain. A single measure is not able to measure the complex construct of workload across different tasks within the same domain or across domains. This research effort highlights the importance of proper methodology. As researchers, we have to identify the appropriate workload measure for all tasks regardless of the domain by investigating the effectiveness of each measure. The findings of the present study suggest that responsible science include evaluating workload measures before use, not relying on prior research or theory. In other words, results indicate that it is only acceptable to use a measure based on prior findings if research has tested that measure on the exact task and manipulations within that specific domain.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005666, ucf:50188
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005666

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

Title: BEYOND PERFORMANCE: PORTRAYING A GAY CHARACTER TRUTHFULLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
Creator: Fucci, Bryan, Ingram, Katherine, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Queer culture is finding an ever-increasing voice in the arts. Plays like The Laramie Project, Rent, and Angels in America have contributed to making queer identity a very present voice in popular culture. In this thesis, I investigate the excitement and complexity of a straight actor becoming a gay character on stage. Using my interpretation of "Jack" in Debbie Lamedman's new play, Triangle Logic, as a case study, I catalogue a three-month journey towards the effective embrace of...
Show moreQueer culture is finding an ever-increasing voice in the arts. Plays like The Laramie Project, Rent, and Angels in America have contributed to making queer identity a very present voice in popular culture. In this thesis, I investigate the excitement and complexity of a straight actor becoming a gay character on stage. Using my interpretation of "Jack" in Debbie Lamedman's new play, Triangle Logic, as a case study, I catalogue a three-month journey towards the effective embrace of truthfulness on stage. I expand the idea that actors must not layer on possibly offensive stereotypes to convey sexuality, but, instead, focus on telling the story through honest character relationships.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003626, ucf:48892
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003626

Title: BLACK CATS, BERLIN, BROADWAY AND BEYOND: CABARET HISTORY IN THE MAKING.
Creator: Leffner, Josephine, Wuehrmann, Nicholas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Cabaret as a genre has influenced and is influenced by musical theatre. As cabaret has evolved throughout history, musical theatre has often paralleled its journey. Cabaret thrived before the term "musical theatre" was coined and suffered hard times during the Golden Age of Musical Theatre. The correlation of the two genres cannot be denied, and exploring cabaret history will reveal how deeply the connection lies. My collaborator Debbie Tedrick and I will attempt to define cabaret through a...
Show moreCabaret as a genre has influenced and is influenced by musical theatre. As cabaret has evolved throughout history, musical theatre has often paralleled its journey. Cabaret thrived before the term "musical theatre" was coined and suffered hard times during the Golden Age of Musical Theatre. The correlation of the two genres cannot be denied, and exploring cabaret history will reveal how deeply the connection lies. My collaborator Debbie Tedrick and I will attempt to define cabaret through a two-woman cabaret show we will write, produce, and perform together. The show, Black Cats, Berlin, Broadway and Beyond, will be a one-act historical look at the genre of cabaret. It will include material garnered from historical research of the cabaret genre, specifically focusing on some of the famous women, songs, stories, lives, and important contributions. The cabaret show will cover information and art from cabaret's inception in the Paris Montmartre district in 1881 to its height in Germany during the Weimar Republic and will culminate with cabaret's insurgence into American culture up to, and including, the state of American cabaret today. American cabaret will be emphasized, but a portion of the show will explore American cabaret's European roots. My thesis will explore the triumphs and tribulations of putting together the show. As the culmination of my UCF studies, this project will test my abilities as a librettist, performer, creative artist, director, and collaborator. This thesis will include the actual show performances as well as a written monograph document recording the project's journey from its inception to conclusion.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001422, ucf:47062
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001422

Title: BLACK CATS, BERLIN, BROADWAY AND BEYOND: THE GENRE OF CABARET.
Creator: Tedrick, Deborah, Wuehrmann, Nicholas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Music and Theatre have always captivated me. As a child, my parents would take me to live performances and cinematic shows and I would sit rapt, watching the theatrical events and emotional moments unfold before my eyes. Movie musicals and live shows that combined music and theatre were my favorite, especially theatrical banter and improvisation or sketch comedy. Some of my favorite youthful memories were my annual family summer trips to Las Vegas to visit my grandparents for six weeks. As a...
Show moreMusic and Theatre have always captivated me. As a child, my parents would take me to live performances and cinematic shows and I would sit rapt, watching the theatrical events and emotional moments unfold before my eyes. Movie musicals and live shows that combined music and theatre were my favorite, especially theatrical banter and improvisation or sketch comedy. Some of my favorite youthful memories were my annual family summer trips to Las Vegas to visit my grandparents for six weeks. As a youngster, I got to experience the "old school" Las Vegas, replete with extravaganza, spectacle, cabaret, circus, lounge and nightclub acts, stand-up comedy, intimate revues, and all things marketed under the guise of entertainment, art, or both. Those summers, while not overtly planned as academic or educational in nature, proved, in retrospect, to be the training ground for what was to become my passion: the art of the cabaret genre. As a person who has always loved theatrical diversity, I am drawn to cabaret as an art form. Anything that fuses other forms interests me, and cabaret amalgamates many of the artistic forms I have grown to love. I come from a unique background of classical, jazz, musical theatre and pop styles, and have studied these styles in both the piano and vocal arena. The cabaret genre allows me to realize fully the stylistic variety of performance techniques with which I excel. My mother is a classical singer and my father a jazz pianist; during my youth they would perform at the piano, "meeting in the middle" so to speak in the world of Musical Theatre, through the fusion of cabaret, classical, jazz, and pop. Growing up hearing a song like "Summertime," from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, equally artistically rendered as both a classical aria and a jazz tune in my home was rich fodder for the vital informal education I received by being the offspring of musicians. It is due to this musical legacy that was passed on to me through my parents that I learned to explore the myriad of possibilities one can achieve through artistic musical and theatrical interpretation. Beyond the freedom of stylistic variety, cabaret performance also allows conventions such as direct interaction in the form of the proverbial "lowered fourth wall," allowing me to use my improvisational acting and interactive skill set as well as my musical skills. Cabaret is generally more intimate and personal in nature and I enjoy the camaraderie cabaret affords. Cabaret is interactive and intellectual and I am drawn to those aspects; I like the fusion of interactive banter and intellectual artistry. Also appealing to me is the "insider" sense cabaret not only allows but also encourages. Recalling my youthful memories of the Vegas shows in which the performer spoke directly to audience members, I remember the sense of belonging I felt at the recognition of some of the inside jokes. I knew I wanted to be involved with any aspect of music and theatre that would allow me the freedom to go with the moment, to reach people differently on any given day, to change with the times, and adapt to my audience and to the shifting world around me. I knew I had found a home in this intimate, insular, interactive, and intellectual art form known as cabaret. For these reasons and more I have chosen the genre of cabaret to be my intended thesis research project. I will produce, direct, and perform in a cabaret show, which will be the thesis performance. For the performance aspect of my thesis, in collaboration with my thesis partner, Josephine Leffner, I will perform a one-act chronological, historical, and stylistically varied cabaret show. The show will include material garnered from historical research of the cabaret genre, specifically settling on some of the famous women, songs, stories, lives, and important contributions. The cabaret will cover information, music, and spoken-word art from cabaret's inception in the Paris Montmartre district in 1881 to its height in Germany during the Weimar Republic. The show will culminate with cabaret's insurgence into American culture up to and including the state of American cabaret today. While my performance will focus mainly on American cabaret, a portion of the show will explore cabaret's European roots. Creating and performing this show will educate me further on the genre itself, as well as expand my performing skills through the varied styles in which I will perform within the realm of a single evening's entertainment. Creating and performing the show will also challenge me as a producer, director, promotional and administrative coordinator, music director, arranger, vocal director, collaborator, vocalist, pianist, actor, and writer. The show is intended as a kind of "Cabaret 101," in that the intended audience is treated to a night of variety entertainment with some historical background on the genre of cabaret. The audience is not expected to have any prior academic or experiential knowledge of cabaret in order to understand or enjoy the show. The cabaret intellectual will also be able to enjoy the show, as the songs, poems, skits, and sketches are intended to amuse and delight both the novice and the experienced cabaretist. For the research and analysis portion of my thesis monograph document I will provide information on cabaret's roots in France and Germany, as well as include informative research on American cabaret, its history and its current trends. I will have several chapters dedicated to the historical research and to other items such as the formatted libretto, documentation of a performance report from my thesis committee head, and a list of references used throughout the research and libretto chapters. I will include a structural and role analysis of the show itself and my contributions to it as outlined by the parameters of my graduate studies program. Several chapters of appendices will be included as information pertinent to the show such as costume, props, lighting lists as well as band and technical needs for the show itself. An introduction and conclusion will be created to bookend my document solidly and reveal myself as a person as well as a performer. This section will include reflective information on my intentions, triumphs, and tribulations, and will be codified through the opening and concluding perspectives. Through the process of writing the thesis monograph document I will create a public and personal record of the process, research, performance challenges, and decisions made throughout this journey. This document will be used as historical help to me should I need to refer to my thesis for later personal or professional use. The document will also be on record for the UCF theatre department, as I apply not only my performance training (as exhibited through the show itself) but also the research and critical thinking skills required of a masters degree candidate at a conservatory training program such as this one. Beyond its use for myself or for the department, I write this monograph document for others whose love and interest in studying the genre of cabaret match my own.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001421, ucf:47043
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001421

Title: DETERMINANTS OF THE WELL-BEING OF POLICE OFFICERS IN THE TURKISH NATIONAL POLICE.
Creator: YILDIZ, SERDAR, WAN, THOMAS, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: ABSTRACT This research evaluates the relationships of time balance, social relations, role conflict, perception of work environment, and fourteen control variables to police officers' well-being in Turkish National Police. Well-being is identified in the management literature as having a strong relationship with performance. Therefore, by finding the factors affecting well-being, this research seeks to identify intervention strategies, which can promote a healthy workforce and police...
Show moreABSTRACT This research evaluates the relationships of time balance, social relations, role conflict, perception of work environment, and fourteen control variables to police officers' well-being in Turkish National Police. Well-being is identified in the management literature as having a strong relationship with performance. Therefore, by finding the factors affecting well-being, this research seeks to identify intervention strategies, which can promote a healthy workforce and police performance. Such interventions, in addition, may improve police performance through improved well-being. Individual police officers were analyzed to better understand the relationship between work environment on family life, social life, and the well-being of the police officers. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the seven geographic regions of Turkey for all branches of Turkish National Police. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to validate the measurement of latent constructs and their relationships. A 45-item questionnaire collected demographic data and items associated with the latent constructs such as time balance, social relations, role conflict, perception of work environment, and the police officers' well-being. This 45-item questionnaire was based on two survey instruments that have been used by Eurofound in Europe for two decades. The response rate for the questionnaire in this dissertation was 47.14% with 495 respondents out of 1,050 subjects. The analysis revealed statistically significant relationships between following latent constructs: time balance and well-being (an indirect effect via role conflict), time balance and social relations, time balance and role conflict, social relations and role conflict, role conflict and well-being, and perception of work environment and well-being. In addition, six control variables (rank, department, optimism, isolation, income sufficiency, and working days per week) were statistically significantly related with well-being. No direct significant relationship was found between time balance and well-being, and social relations and well-being constructs. Eight control variables (gender, marital status, service time, extra work, confusion, region, work type, and working hours per day) had no significant relationship with well-being. These findings support some commonly expressed complaints of police officers. These findings also suggest that attention should be paid to the effects of time balance, income sufficiency, work environment, and workdays on the well-being of the officers.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002238, ucf:47904
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002238

Title: Dialectics of Microbudget Cinema.
Creator: Ajdinovic, Milos, Stoeckl, Ula, Watson, Keri, Peters, Philip, Danker, Elizabeth, Perez, Jonathan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Magic Kingdom is a feature-length, microbudget motion picture, produced, (")written("), directed, and edited by Milos Ajdinovic as a part of the University of Central Florida's Masters in Fine Arts program in Digital Entrepreneurial Cinema. Its narrative is a product of the collective improvisation between a group of collaborators (-) Chealsea Anagnoson, Henry Gibson, Mikaela Duffy and Marcus Nieves (-) moderated by Milos Ajdinovic. This written dissertation is an attempt to document the...
Show moreMagic Kingdom is a feature-length, microbudget motion picture, produced, (")written("), directed, and edited by Milos Ajdinovic as a part of the University of Central Florida's Masters in Fine Arts program in Digital Entrepreneurial Cinema. Its narrative is a product of the collective improvisation between a group of collaborators (-) Chealsea Anagnoson, Henry Gibson, Mikaela Duffy and Marcus Nieves (-) moderated by Milos Ajdinovic. This written dissertation is an attempt to document the concepts and processes that surrounded the production of this film.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006849, ucf:51787
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006849

Title: DIRECTION OF REFLECTION: THE MEANS BY WHICH ONE ESTABLISHES DIRECTORIAL AND CHOREOGRAPHIC PROFICIENCY.
Creator: Wood, Nicholas, Weaver, Earl, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Introduction I examined how one may establish directorial and choreographic proficiency in the contemporary society of American musical theatre. I did so by completing an examination of five personal observations in my craft. These observations included: (1) Directorship and choreography of Welcome to Vegas, an original jukebox musical; (2) Mentorship on Theatre UCF's Nine as Assistant Director and Co-Choreographer; (3) Research on the methodologies of various directors and choreographers; (4...
Show moreIntroduction I examined how one may establish directorial and choreographic proficiency in the contemporary society of American musical theatre. I did so by completing an examination of five personal observations in my craft. These observations included: (1) Directorship and choreography of Welcome to Vegas, an original jukebox musical; (2) Mentorship on Theatre UCF's Nine as Assistant Director and Co-Choreographer; (3) Research on the methodologies of various directors and choreographers; (4) Directorship and choreography of Welcome to Broadway, an original jukebox musical; and (5) Assistant to the Program Director of Broadway Theatre Project. I evaluated parallels of my directing and choreography methodologies with those of noted directors and choreographers in the entertainment industry. These industry professionals include famed choreographer Ernest O. Flatt, Ron Field, Hermes Pan, Joe Layton, and Lee Theodore, acclaimed directors Harold Clurman, Dr. Louis E. Catron, and Jon Jory, and prolific director-choreographers Patricia Birch, Donald Saddler, Bob Avian, Bob Fosse, Tommy Tune, and Michael Bennett, as well as Professor Weaver. I have worked for people who believe that experience alone is enough to make one a successful director, choreographer, or director-choreographer. My experience working with and observations of professional directors, choreographers, and director-choreographers, however, has proven that it takes more than experience alone in order to succeed. I predicted the process of establishing my own directorial and choreographic proficiency will stem from a combination of inspiration, mentorship, trial and error, and experience. Background A director coordinates and mounts theatrical productions while unifying the script, design elements, and cast to serve the world of the play. By dictionary definition, a director is, "�a person who supervises the production of a show for stage or screen with responsibility for action and rehearsals" (Webster 414). Underneath the producer, the director serves as the apex of the production. As compared to directors, choreographers fill a more visually aesthetic capacity in musical theatre. A choreographer is "�a person who designs or arranges the movement of a dance" (Webster 259). The choreographer acts in lieu of the director wherever there is music and step sequence. This is the case with exception being given to the director-choreographer. In an interview with Svetlana McLee Grody, Donald Saddler, original member of the American Ballet Theatre, expressed, "...director choreographer really give a musical a whole concept, a patina of style. Their contribution is a good 40 - 50 percent of the success of the show" (Grody and Lister 16). Experiences I will explicitly reflect on four profound career proceedings. Each will be as an effort to learn to become a better director-choreographer. These observations will chronicle an insightful phase of my learning process. Welcome to Vegas Welcome to Vegas is an original jukebox musical I authored, produced, directed, and choreographed. It was intended that the production would be a cathartic experience for the audience, allowing them to escape from the confines of everyday life by entering the humorous, loquacious, and musical world of the play. The story chronicles the triumphs and misadventures of a struggling young man in New York. When this waiter-by-day, singer-by-night becomes the opening act of a famous Vegas lounge singer, he embarks on an outrageous and witty journey across America in his Pontiac GTO. The musical's book was written while I attended my first semester at the University of Central Florida. The absurd vignette-style scenes were inspired by the sketch comedy of The Carol Burnett Show and the staging of Ernest O. Flatt. The production rehearsed four days per week for nine weeks and utilized a cast of 17 performers who ranged in age from 6 to 67. During production numbers, I drew strongly on the choreographic and visual inspiration of Bob Fosse, utilizing knocked-knees, sickled feet, 1960s movement influence, and a significant use of props, white gloves, fishnet tights, and bowler hats. I used this choreographic and visual concept to create a fervent contrast to the set and costumes, which emulated the visual aesthetics of Stan Lee's comic books. Nine With music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a script by Arthur Kopit, Nine is a dark musical based on Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 and catalogues "...the last days of a director's once brilliant career" (Kopit 66). As the Assistant Director and Co-Choreographer, I was mentored by and worked directly under Professor Earl Weaver, Artistic Director of Theatre UCF. Upon entering my apprenticeship, I anticipated an authoritarian relationship where I would serve as a supervisory assistant, without exploiting my creative skills. To my pleasant revelation, I served as an intimate and integral component of the production's artistic process, conceptualizing choreography, staging three numbers, and giving notes, in addition to the duties of a managerial assistant. I created a choreographic vision for my work by fusing the styles of the Parisian Folies Bergere with American burlesque, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Golden Age movie musicals, and, of course, Bob Fosse's sensual silkiness. I did this while attempting to blend with and compliment Professor Weaver's choreographic style that resided within his world of the production. Welcome to Broadway Welcome to Broadway is an original jukebox musical I authored, produced, directed, and choreographed. My directorial style was greatly influenced by Professor Weaver, after observing his methodologies on Nine. My choreographic style strongly had been inspired by Bob Fosse and Michael Bennett. The production opened and ran for a nearly sold out engagement. My intention for the show was to encapsulate all the magic of the MGM Golden Age movie musicals into 105 minutes, featuring a cast of 25 entertainers, ranging in skill from first production to Equity veteran. My script was highly inspired by the cliche romanticism of Hollywood hits, such as Casablanca, Royal Wedding, Holiday Inn, The Public Enemy, and White Christmas. The story picks up where Welcome to Vegas left off. Michael, the formerly struggling young artist, has now made a name for himself, has inherited a production company, and is about to open his first show on Broadway when things begin to go awry. A jealous, washed-up producer has concocted an outrageous scheme to get rid of Michael on opening night. Chaos ensues behind the scenes, while the show must go on in front of the curtain. My scenic vision was to capture the auspicious spectacle of Footlight Parade, Mary Poppins, and Singing in the Rain. In post-show reflection, I realized my production displayed some similarities to Susan Stroman's succinct comedic timing and physical humor and Hal Prince's fast, moment-to-moment pace, leading me to believe that, perhaps, I had been subconsciously influenced by their works. Broadway Theatre Project Broadway Theatre Project celebrating its 26th anniversary as a summer intensive that Playbill.com refers to as "...the world's most prestigious musical theatre arts education program for high school and college students" (Broadway Theatre Project web). Entering my third year with the project, I serve as the Assistant to the Program Director and Director of Public Relations. My contribution is both administrative and creative, as I work directly under Program Director/Music Director David Sabella-Mills, Co-Artistic Director Darren Gibson, and President/Co-Artistic Director Debra McWaters. Gibson has established himself as a performer and dance captain working with Broadway veteran Ann Reinking on the national and European tours of Fosse. In addition, he has staged ballets for the Richmond Ballet, the Boston Ballet, and the American Ballet Theatre. He is currently Education Director for TexARTS. Gibson is an excellent mentor because he has a wealth of knowledge he is willing to share with me. For instance, he has taught me that in order to be an outstanding choreographer, one must look deeper than merely studying other musicals; one must study how/by whom the choreographers of those musicals were initially inspired. By heeding his counsel, I will be able to go from modifying and/or re-teaching others' choreography to establishing my own choreography. McWaters has had an enviable career directing and choreographing on stages around the world, including Broadway. For 15 years, she served as Assistant then Associate Choreographer for Reinking on Chicago, Fosse, and The Visit. She is an excellent mentor for me because not only is she a disciple of Fosse's, but she has afforded me the opportunity to serve as her Assistant to the Choreographer for three numbers, including staging the original choreography to "Yellow Shoes." This will allow me to analyze and understand the inner workings of a true artistic genius who is seasoned in the craft I wish to pursue. Industry Professionals Additionally, I will research the styles, methodologies, and philosophies of numerous established industry professionals, including: Ernest O. Flatt Ernest O. Flatt was "a dancer, choreographer and director who won four Emmy Awards for his work in television" (Obituary: Ernest O. Flatt). He made his silver-screen debut as a dancer in Dancing in the Dark and his television debut as choreographer in Your Hit Parade. He danced with Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain, choreographed the movie Anything Goes, and his dancers were fixtures on The Judy Garland Show, The Entertainers, and The Steve Lawrence Show. Flatt's most lasting television work was for The Carol Burnett Show, on which he served as the choreographer for eleven years (Grody and Lister 24). Despite the fact that Flatt is primarily recognized as a television choreographer, I am compelled to study his work because I admire his style. Although it is reminiscent of years gone by, particularly with partnering, his work is still entertaining and holds value for contemporary theatre as classic musicals are being revived. Studying his work in-depth will serve to enhance my style by showing me how to vary my choreography so the dance numbers do not all look similar. In addition, Flatt believed that allowing the ensemble or solo performer to contribute too much was stifling to his creativity (Grody and Lister 32). On previous productions, I have fallen into this pitfall. Further study of his work will enable me to subscribe to his focus and not be so influenced by what dancers are comfortable doing, as opposed to what they can do in order to expand their personal growth and my growth as a choreographer. Harold Clurman One of the three founders of New York City's Group Theatre, Harold Clurman directed more than 40 productions and was nominated for several Tony Awards. In addition, he was a widely-feared theatre critic for over 30 years; he helped to shape American theatre by writing about it. I will specifically study On Directing, one of Clurman's seven published works on the art of directing. Elia Kazan, who is commonly referred to as one of the most honored and influential directors in Broadway and Hollywood history, has called this particular book "the most influential book on direction ever written" (Clurman Preface). I would be compelled to study Clurman based on Kazan's recommendation alone; however, I am even more motivated to do so because I am discovering that I closely practice his stated philosophy on directing, "Direction is a job, a craft, a profession, and at best, an art. The director must be an organizer, a teacher, a politician, a psychic detective, a lay analyst, a technician, a creative being�All of which means he must be a "great lover" of the art" (Clurman 14). By examining the work of a man who is credited with helping to shape American theatre and whose philosophy so closely matches mine, I desire to formally establish my methodology as a director. Jon Jory Jon Jory learned to act first-hand from his parents, who were successful Hollywood actors of the 1940's and 50's, earning his Actors' Equity card as a young child. He grew to prominence as a director in the early 60's and, since then, he has mounted over 1,300 professional productions. I will specifically study Jory's Tips: Ideas for Directors. Jory says that he worked "making the same mistakes for years that a tip or two by a peer or veteran could have shortcutted" (xiii). His goal with this book is to help directors improve their craft more quickly by passing along the tips he has learned over the years. I am compelled to study Jory because of his willingness to share his tips on what has made him a successful director for approximately one-half of a century spanning nine countries. In addition, he headed the Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Kentucky, for more than 31 years, which he helped to build into one of America's most respected regional theatre companies, earning him a special Tony Award for Achievement in Regional Theatre (Jory xv). Since one of my professional goals is to become an Artistic Director at a regional theatre, Jory is a perfect selection for my research. Bob Fosse Deeply inspired by Fred Astaire and coping with his own psychological and physical abnormalities, Bob Fosse created the most unique and stylized iconic movements and vocabularies in musical theatre history. His most lasting works included Chicago, Damn Yankees, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, and Pippin. Fosse is an eight-time Tony Award-winning consummate artist. Ben Vereen says, "To have worked with Bob Fosse is to have had your hand directly on the pulse of life. To have applied this world-recognizable style into your repertory is to truly know how to dance forever" (McWaters Foreward). I have had the good fortune of learning his distinct techniques from some of his disciples while studying at Broadway Theatre Project. I am compelled to study Fosse because he was a renowned producer, director, choreographer, playwright, screenwriter, dancer, and actor--all of which are aspirations of mine. According to Vereen, Fosse was often called "demanding," "strenuous," and a "task master," yet he was highly respected by his dancers (McWaters Foreword). Fosse's ability to earn respect while demanding perfection is a quality I hope to learn and emulate with further study of his work. Tommy Tune Tommy Tune, nicknamed Broadway's tallest tapper, is considered one of Broadway's most accomplished director-choreographers. He is a 10-time Tony Award winner. "Tommy is the first person in theatrical history to have won a Tony Award in four different categories: Best Featured Actor, Choreography, Best Actor, and Direction" (Grody and Lister 142). At the June, 2015 Tony Awards ceremony, he received a Lifetime Achievement Honor. I am compelled to study Tune's methodology because he is considered a living legend; he has been a big time showman for over 50 years. In addition, I am compelled to study Tune's philosophy because he speaks to me with respect to security as an artist. Tune says, "There is no such thing as security. You must always be willing to expect the unexpected because the journey is never what you expect it to be. So be prepared to be surprised" (Grody and Lister 149). I must learn to trust this philosophy as I face not only the uncertainty of life beyond graduation from the University of Central Florida, but also as I face each door that opens in my future. Michael Bennett Michael Bennett's fascination with West Side Story was the impetus for Bennett to become a director-choreographer of the standing of Jerome Robbins (Grody and Lister 114). As a director, choreographer, writer, and actor, Michael Bennett is a seven-time Tony Award winner. His choreographic works were highly athletic and engrossed in technique. He is best known for his work on Promises, Promises; Follies; Company; and A Chorus Line, and he was fortunate to have had the opportunity to be inspired by such greats as Bob Fosse, Michael Kidd, Ron Field, Lee Theodore, and Danny Daniels (Grody and Lister 114). I am compelled to study Bennett because our early backgrounds are similar: neither of us had dance lessons until we were in our teens, and neither of us could read music, although we both listened to a great deal of it. I am inspired to learn/practice Bennett's methodologies for overcoming these challenges, such as his recommendations to see every musical possible in order to see how good directors-choreographers work and to prepare for a show as far as possible ahead of time (Grody and Lister 101). In addition, I am compelled to study Bennett's technique of compensation when he could not choreograph a number as conceptualized due to the limited skill of the dancer(s) with whom he was working at the time (Grody and Lister 103). Studying and applying these methods and techniques when faced with challenges will enable me to be a better director-choreographer. Deduction It is essential for me to delve into extensive research of directorial and choreographic concepts and pedagogy because I strongly desire to learn the means by which one establishes proficiency as a Director-Choreographer artist. It will help me to answer such questions as: How does one begin to direct/choreograph a piece? How knowledgeable does one need to be with respect to music? How knowledgeable does one need to be with respect to different forms of dance? What affects one most with respect to choreographing a number? Is there value in working with assistants? Since my study will include not only my own personal experiences and observations, but also those of renowned professionals, it will enable me to formally establish my own unique style of directing and choreographing.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFH0004889, ucf:45417
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004889

Title: EFFECT OF REPEATED FUNCTION ALLOCATION AND RELIABILITY ON AUTOMATION INDUCED MONITORING INEFFICIENCY.
Creator: Jones, Lauriann, Mouloua, Mustapha, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study is to extend previous findings of Mouloua, Parasuraman, and Molloy (1993), Parasuraman, Mouloua, and Molloy (1996), Hilburn, Parasuraman, and Mouloua (1996), and Oakley, Mouloua, and Hancock (2003) by: 1) examining the effect of repeated adaptive function allocation to manual control of minimal length (5 minutes) to reduce of human error and minimize workload; 2) explore the placement or timing of adaptive function allocation intervals (approximately 20 minutes of...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is to extend previous findings of Mouloua, Parasuraman, and Molloy (1993), Parasuraman, Mouloua, and Molloy (1996), Hilburn, Parasuraman, and Mouloua (1996), and Oakley, Mouloua, and Hancock (2003) by: 1) examining the effect of repeated adaptive function allocation to manual control of minimal length (5 minutes) to reduce of human error and minimize workload; 2) explore the placement or timing of adaptive function allocation intervals (approximately 20 minutes of automation control to reduce the human operators' monitoring decrement between intervals, maintain adaptive recovery performance levels, and improve response times); 3) examine different levels of automation reliability (30%, 60%, and 90% reliable); 4) explore factors that may be manipulated to reduce automation-induced monitoring inefficiency, increase detection of automation malfunctions, improve situation awareness, reduce response/reaction times, and reduce workload in a simulated complex aviation system. The study was a 2 (non-adaptive control vs. adaptive group) x 3 (30%, 60%, and 90% automation reliability condition) x 4 (repeated 25 minute session) mixed factorial design. Fifty-four undergraduate participants' (i.e., 27 participants per group; 9 participants per condition; at least 18 yrs. of age) percentage of detected malfunctions, response times, and subjective workload were gathered from the Multi-Attribute Task Battery and the NASA TLX. Results indicated a significant improvement in detection of malfunctions and response times during adaptive-function allocation to manual control but without adaptive recovery. There was a significant effect for workload found between baseline measures and experimental sessions by group in the first session but not across experimental sessions. Theoretical and practical implications, limitations and future research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001874, ucf:47387
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001874

Title: Examining Preservice Teachers' Performances and Pedagogies of Practice in an Urban Classroom Through the Use of a Simulated Learning Environment.
Creator: Jennings, Kelly, Szente, Judit, Hopp, Carolyn, Englehart, Deirdre, Dieker, Lisa, Hartle, Lynn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The failure to staff the nation's classrooms with highly qualified teachers, especially those in disadvantaged schools, is a problem in American education. Novice teachers who begin teaching in urban, low-income, diverse schools leave the field of education at alarmingly high rates. Schools are not being provided with the teachers they deserve; new teachers are especially ill-prepared to meet the needs of students in high-need urban settings. In return, these low-income schools are not...
Show moreThe failure to staff the nation's classrooms with highly qualified teachers, especially those in disadvantaged schools, is a problem in American education. Novice teachers who begin teaching in urban, low-income, diverse schools leave the field of education at alarmingly high rates. Schools are not being provided with the teachers they deserve; new teachers are especially ill-prepared to meet the needs of students in high-need urban settings. In return, these low-income schools are not retaining sufficient numbers of the teachers they do recruit. A teacher's performance has a tremendous impact on a child's learning and academic journey. Teacher preparation programs need to increase effectiveness by preparing teachers who perform at a proficient level or higher from the first day they step foot in the classroom. Preservice teachers must have an understanding of how to teach effectively through the use of pedagogical knowledge and culture. Universities can assist prospective teachers to simultaneously learn content and pedagogy through training. The revolving door of teachers leaving impoverished communities must stop. Students are not in warrant of substitute teachers, unqualified or uncertified novice teachers year after year. Teacher preparation programs have a vital role in shaping initial levels of teacher commitment. One way to build this bridge between preparation of teachers for urban or diverse settings is to consider new options for teacher preparation. While teacher preparation programs can offer theories and pedagogies of practice, the use of a virtual reality (VR) environment permits teacher preparation to provide preservice teachers with varied experiences in order to prepare them for a high-need urban setting. This fully immersive environment could allow preservice teachers to create an environment that best supports the needs of their learners, strengthening knowledge gained in coursework to examination in the field. A traditional teacher preparation program cannot offer this understanding of pedagogy in a consistent and constant format. It is the obligation of schools and colleges of education to improve teacher education programs. Universities need to prepare culturally responsive educators who can effectively perform in the urban classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact a simulated learning environment had on preservice teachers' classroom performances as measured by onsite and virtual observations. Pedagogies of practice are described through categories of personal connections, life experiences, engagement and assessment of prior knowledge as demonstrated in reflective writing of preservice teachers who participated in a simulated learning environment versus those who did not. The researcher proposed the use of a VR to provide an expanded view to preservice teacher preparation within a simulated classroom. It was hypothesized this scaffolding of learning beyond typical textbook learning would deepen the knowledge of the preservice teacher, leading to effective performance within a high-need urban setting. A mixed-methods approach of the embedded experimental design was used for collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. The Chi-square Test of Independence, supported by Fisher's Exact Test and Cramer's V used to analyze data measured on a nominal scale for the experimental group and control groups. Data analysis showed a significant difference in teacher indicators in three of the four observations. Specifically the preservice teachers (experimental group) who participated in the simulated learning environment related and integrated the subject matter with other disciplines and life experiences and reviewed previous class material before instruction more often than the control group. Key words in context (KWIC), word count and content analysis were used to identify themes through language as demonstrated in the reflective writing. Underlying patterns were used to form relationships between performance in the urban classroom after participation in a simulated learning environment, followed by reflective writing in the categories of personal connections, life experiences, engagement and assessment of prior knowledge. The preservice teachers in both the experimental and control groups exhibited many of the teacher behaviors needed in a high-need urban setting through their reflective writing. However, the intervention of TeachLivE(TM) continued to be an outlier, which not only strengthened the preservice teachers' reflections but performance in the classroom. The simulated learning environment offered the preservice teachers in the experimental group a medium to learn through doing. Exposure to the tools and methods in TeachLivE(TM), followed by reflective writing, provided opportunities to improve pedagogies of practice, impacting preservice teacher's performances in the urban setting. Future research recommendations based on continued observations to gather further data of the study, improvement of performance over time, and an expanded observational group are presented. Academic achievement of the students in the participant's classrooms who took part in TeachLivE(TM) in order to analyze whether the variable of TeachLivE(TM) impacted preservice teacher performance in the urban classroom could be measured. Finally, faculty mentors at the university could design professional development opportunities for novice teachers in TeachLivE(TM), assisting in coaching and self-reflection of lessons taught, working towards understanding of content and pedagogy. Reflection afterward would be collaborative between novice teachers and faculty mentors based on observations. Scaffolding novice teachers learning while in a simulated environment can be motivating and effective in learning gains.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005187, ucf:50617
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005187

Title: EXPECTANCY THEORY AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER COMPENSATION.
Creator: Leonard, Edward, Saunders, Carol, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Major League Baseball (MLB) organizations spend millions of dollars each year on athletes with the end goal of winning a World Series title. However when an organization signs a player to a long term contract are they actually receiving the production that they paid for? Under the MLB's current form of player compensation players may not be properly motivated or at least not motivated to perform at their highest level. The intent of this thesis was to apply expectancy theory in assessing...
Show moreMajor League Baseball (MLB) organizations spend millions of dollars each year on athletes with the end goal of winning a World Series title. However when an organization signs a player to a long term contract are they actually receiving the production that they paid for? Under the MLB's current form of player compensation players may not be properly motivated or at least not motivated to perform at their highest level. The intent of this thesis was to apply expectancy theory in assessing Major League Baseball's current form of player compensation. It evaluates how well players are currently motivated to perform on the field, and if any improvements can be made. This is done through the statistical analysis of MLB organizations yearly salary data, yearly win-loss record, and the performance of 65 players two years prior to, one year prior to, and during their first contract term directly following or extending past arbitration eligibility. Evidence shows that player motivation, especially for position players, can be increased and several suggestions are made as to how this can be improved and how MLB organizations can increase the odds of player production matching compensation.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004406, ucf:45091
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004406

Title: From Tunnel Vision to Bird's-Eye View: The Development of a Broad Harassment Construct.
Creator: Dhanani, Lindsay, Joseph, Dana, Fritzsche, Barbara, Beus, Jeremy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Research on workplace harassment has increased in recent years, resulting in a large body of evidence suggesting that perceiving harassment at work leads to a host of negative outcomes (Jones, Peddie, Gilrane, King, (&) Gray, 2016; Pascoe (&) Richman, 2009; Triana, Jayasinghe, (&) Pieper, 2015; Willness, Steel, (&) Lee, 2007). However, despite calls to broaden the conceptualization of workplace harassment, the dominant approach in the literature has been to study a single, discrete form of...
Show moreResearch on workplace harassment has increased in recent years, resulting in a large body of evidence suggesting that perceiving harassment at work leads to a host of negative outcomes (Jones, Peddie, Gilrane, King, (&) Gray, 2016; Pascoe (&) Richman, 2009; Triana, Jayasinghe, (&) Pieper, 2015; Willness, Steel, (&) Lee, 2007). However, despite calls to broaden the conceptualization of workplace harassment, the dominant approach in the literature has been to study a single, discrete form of harassment in isolation. The current paper addresses this limitation by simultaneously assessing multiple forms of harassment (i.e., ethnic harassment, sexual harassment, age harassment, heterosexist harassment, and religious harassment) to determine if these constructs reflect a single latent harassment variable. Additionally, the current paper proposed and tested antecedents and outcomes thought to be shared across multiple forms of workplace harassment. Lastly, the current work considers whether harassment is more strongly related to outcomes when both are conceptualized broadly in comparison to when they are conceptualized narrowly. Data from three samples demonstrated support for conceptualizing and modeling workplace harassment more broadly. Results also suggest that multiple forms of workplace harassment share a common set of predictors and outcomes. Harassment was also found to have a stronger relationship with task performance and employee health consequences when a broader conceptualization of harassment was utilized. The findings of the current paper contribute to the development of an integrated theory of workplace harassment and highlight the need for organizational and legal interventions aimed at curtailing workplace harassment.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006584, ucf:51319
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006584

Title: INHERITING THE MOTLEY MANTLE: AN ACTOR APPROACHES PLAYING THE ROLE OF FESTE, SHAKESPEARE'S UPDATE OF THE LORD OF MISRULE.
Creator: Clateman, Andrew, Ingram, Katherine, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Playing role of Feste in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night presents a complex challenge to the actor. Feste is at once a character in the world of the play and a clown figure with specific dramatic functions having roots in the Lord of Misrule of the English holiday and the Vice of the morality play. How can the actor playing Feste create a believable psychological portrayal that is aligned with the functions Shakespeare assigns the role? And be entertaining as well? I suggest that actor...
Show morePlaying role of Feste in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night presents a complex challenge to the actor. Feste is at once a character in the world of the play and a clown figure with specific dramatic functions having roots in the Lord of Misrule of the English holiday and the Vice of the morality play. How can the actor playing Feste create a believable psychological portrayal that is aligned with the functions Shakespeare assigns the role? And be entertaining as well? I suggest that actor will benefit greatly from an exploration the traditional function of the clown its development in society and literature before Shakespeare, and how Shakespeare's use of the clown developed up to the writing of Twelfth Night. The actor will thereby have a better understanding of what Shakespeare might by trying to achieve with Feste,, and he (or she) may better find the motivations for Feste's sometimes-enigmatic words and actions, which will, in turn, give shape and purpose to the clowning. I put this thesis to the test in preparing for and playing the role of Feste in Theater Ten Ten's production of Twelfth Night in the spring of 2010 in New York City. My research and preparation will include: a substantial immersion in much of Shakespeare's cannon, and viewing of performances of it (mainly on video); research on the role of the clown, how it developed through history until Shakespeare's time, and how Shakespeare appropriated and developed that tradition, culminating in Feste; a performance history of the role; a structural analysis of Feste's role in Twelfth Night; a character study of Feste; a rehearsal and performance journal documenting my ongoing exploration, challenges and choices. The main challenge, as I foresee it, is to arrive at my own unique performance of Feste while fulfilling both my director's vision and Shakespeare's intention.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003751, ucf:48795
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003751

Title: METADATA AND DATA MANAGEMENT IN HIGH PERFORMANCE FILE AND STORAGE SYSTEMS.
Creator: Gu, Peng, Wang, Jun, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: With the advent of emerging "e-Science" applications, today's scientific research increasingly relies on petascale-and-beyond computing over large data sets of the same magnitude. While the computational power of supercomputers has recently entered the era of petascale, the performance of their storage system is far lagged behind by many orders of magnitude. This places an imperative demand on revolutionizing their underlying I/O systems, on which the management of both metadata and data...
Show moreWith the advent of emerging "e-Science" applications, today's scientific research increasingly relies on petascale-and-beyond computing over large data sets of the same magnitude. While the computational power of supercomputers has recently entered the era of petascale, the performance of their storage system is far lagged behind by many orders of magnitude. This places an imperative demand on revolutionizing their underlying I/O systems, on which the management of both metadata and data is deemed to have significant performance implications. Prefetching/caching and data locality awareness optimizations, as conventional and effective management techniques for metadata and data I/O performance enhancement, still play their crucial roles in current parallel and distributed file systems. In this study, we examine the limitations of existing prefetching/caching techniques and explore the untapped potentials of data locality optimization techniques in the new era of petascale computing. For metadata I/O access, we propose a novel weighted-graph-based prefetching technique, built on both direct and indirect successor relationship, to reap performance benefit from prefetching specifically for clustered metadata serversan arrangement envisioned necessary for petabyte scale distributed storage systems. For data I/O access, we design and implement Segment-structured On-disk data Grouping and Prefetching (SOGP), a combined prefetching and data placement technique to boost the local data read performance for parallel file systems, especially for those applications with partially overlapped access patterns. One high-performance local I/O software package in SOGP work for Parallel Virtual File System in the number of about 2000 C lines was released to Argonne National Laboratory in 2007 for potential integration into the production mode.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002251, ucf:47826
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002251

Title: Mindful Acting.
Creator: Lee, Terence, Reed, David, Thomas, Aaron, Ingram, Kate, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As we transition into a more goal-oriented society, our ability to nurture and cultivate individual growth in emotional, spiritual, and mental awareness in the performing arts has been stifled by the desire to get ahead in our modern-day race for success. This fierce struggle brings with it a risk of subconscious deterioration in mental, spiritual and emotional health. As actors in an aggressive industry, we are often faced with the monumental task of preserving our artistry while competing...
Show moreAs we transition into a more goal-oriented society, our ability to nurture and cultivate individual growth in emotional, spiritual, and mental awareness in the performing arts has been stifled by the desire to get ahead in our modern-day race for success. This fierce struggle brings with it a risk of subconscious deterioration in mental, spiritual and emotional health. As actors in an aggressive industry, we are often faced with the monumental task of preserving our artistry while competing in the industry, and we often find ourselves overwhelmed by the inescapable pressures in the business of acting. In (")Mindful Acting("), I will synthesize a metaphysical approach to actor-training centered around the concept of mindfulness, meditation and the self. The goal of my thesis is to refine and integrate pre-existing actor training methods with practices in mindfulness and meditation to reclaim the actor's artistry in life and in performance.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007486, ucf:52666
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007486

Title: Neither Teacher nor Scholar: Identity and Agency in a Graduate Teacher's Life.
Creator: Pierson, Caitlin, Wheeler, Stephanie, Edwards, Dustin, Scott, Blake, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis examines how graduate student teachers (GTA's) employ agency in order to establish and perform professional identities. Understanding agency as interactional, performative, and acting in a way (")unintended by power(") (Butler, 1997, p. 15), this thesis examines the spatial practices and performances of a graduate student teacher through a mixed methods approach combining video recordings with autoethnography.This project begins by using Lefebvre's (1991) social imaginary to...
Show moreThis thesis examines how graduate student teachers (GTA's) employ agency in order to establish and perform professional identities. Understanding agency as interactional, performative, and acting in a way (")unintended by power(") (Butler, 1997, p. 15), this thesis examines the spatial practices and performances of a graduate student teacher through a mixed methods approach combining video recordings with autoethnography.This project begins by using Lefebvre's (1991) social imaginary to examine the potent arguments being made to and about GTA's from their shared office, using visual rhetorical analysis to examine how this space communicates ideas of identity and place that work at rhetorical purposes counter to the performances GTA's are employing within that space. Exploring how GTA's respond to the social imaginary within space, this thesis conducts an analysis of the tactics employed, using De Certeau (1984) as a framework. Graduate student teachers use spatial practices and performances to make do with the space and the power allotted to them; however, they employ key tactics such as altering body position and vocal tone to turn interactions with students and with each other into dynamic moments for the production of agency.Finally, this thesis argues that, while GTA's use tactics and spatial practices to negotiate the performances and spaces allotted to them, their agency is temporal and limited. Departmental investment in relationships with GTA and integrating them further into the life of the department through apprenticeship can bolster the tenuous agency of the GTA.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007235, ucf:52232
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007235

Title: OPTIMIZING DYNAMIC LOGIC REALIZATIONS FOR PARTIAL RECONFIGURATION OF FIELD PROGRAMMABLE GATE ARRAYS.
Creator: Parris, Matthew, DeMara, Ronald, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Many digital logic applications can take advantage of the reconfiguration capability of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to dynamically patch design flaws, recover from faults, or time-multiplex between functions. Partial reconfiguration is the process by which a user modifies one or more modules residing on the FPGA device independently of the others. Partial Reconfiguration reduces the granularity of reconfiguration to be a set of columns or rectangular region of the device....
Show moreMany digital logic applications can take advantage of the reconfiguration capability of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to dynamically patch design flaws, recover from faults, or time-multiplex between functions. Partial reconfiguration is the process by which a user modifies one or more modules residing on the FPGA device independently of the others. Partial Reconfiguration reduces the granularity of reconfiguration to be a set of columns or rectangular region of the device. Decreasing the granularity of reconfiguration results in reduced configuration filesizes and, thus, reduced configuration times. When compared to one bitstream of a non-partial reconfiguration implementation, smaller modules resulting in smaller bitstream filesizes allow an FPGA to implement many more hardware configurations with greater speed under similar storage requirements. To realize the benefits of partial reconfiguration in a wider range of applications, this thesis begins with a survey of FPGA fault-handling methods, which are compared using performance-based metrics. Performance analysis of the Genetic Algorithm (GA) Offline Recovery method is investigated and candidate solutions provided by the GA are partitioned by age to improve its efficiency. Parameters of this aging technique are optimized to increase the occurrence rate of complete repairs. Continuing the discussion of partial reconfiguration, the thesis develops a case-study application that implements one partial reconfiguration module to demonstrate the functionality and benefits of time multiplexing and reveal the improved efficiencies of the latest large-capacity FPGA architectures. The number of active partial reconfiguration modules implemented on a single FPGA device is increased from one to eight to implement a dynamic video-processing architecture for Discrete Cosine Transform and Motion Estimation functions to demonstrate a 55-fold reduction in bitstream storage requirements thus improving partial reconfiguration capability.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002323, ucf:47793
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002323

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