Digital Commons Network^™

Unexplored Conceptions: What Writing Center Tutors Think About Writing, Andrew Petrykowski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Writing center tutors enact their conceptions of writing in every tutoring session, and yet their conceptions of writing have not yet been systematically researched. This thesis researches the conceptions of writing of writing center tutors at the University of Central Florida's University Writing Center. To uncover tutors' conceptions of writing, I interviewed three tutors by asking them open-ended questions about their experiences with writing and tutoring. After coding and analyzing the transcripts of these interviews, I found seven shared conceptions of writing. These conceptions are the basis of my argument. Because these conceptions are shared but not taught, I turn …

"You Tell Me How They Work": First-Year College Composition Instructors' Purposes And Practices For Choosing And Using Worked Examples, Rena Perez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This thesis describes and analyzes the how and why behind first-year college composition (FYC) instructors' practices for choosing and using examples for teaching writing at UCF. In educational research, developments related to cognitive load theory, analogical transfer, and worked examples reject discovery learning pedagogy, instead advocating for providing examples to aid in problem-solving. Scholars in ill-structured disciplines have studied the use of worked examples (Kyun et al.; Ondrusek et al; Rourke and Sweller), paving the way for fields such as composition studies to apply this concept in new contexts. Although composition scholarship recommends the use of models or sample texts …

Naming More Of What We Know: Critical Memoirs & The Ecological Metaphor As A Threshold Concept In Writing, Loren Cooper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

"Naming More of What We Know: Critical Memoirs & the Ecological Metaphor as a Threshold Concept in Writing" contributes to the work begun by Adler-Kassner and Wardle to gather and name Writing Studies' body of disciplinary knowledge as "threshold concepts." This thesis answers their call to engage in the ongoing development of threshold concepts by offering an additional critical construct: Writing as ecological. To explicitly acknowledge that writing is ecological is an essential addition to the content of our knowledge because it (1) meets the threshold-concept criteria adapted from Meyer and Land (2003), (2) establishes a codified, embodied, 3-dimensional system …

Adachigahara Project: A 3d Iterative Series, James Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This project tested an aesthetic use of 3D space to create alienation and immersion. It expanded upon it through iteration into other methods of cinematic alienation. To do this the project produced three short films each used the aesthetic of stereoscopic space. Two of the films were tested in conjunction with other methods of alienation while one served as a baseline. The project was able to render the spatial method of alienation and immersion, and found that other methods of alienation had an effect on it. While the project was able to test the use of 3D space to alienate …

Australian And New Zealand Army Corps (Anzacs) In World War One: The Making Of National Identity And Erasure Of Women And People Of Color, Simran Pawar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

My work seeks to understand the origins of national identity as it pertains to the Anzacs of Australia and New Zealand, their service at the Battle of Gallipoli, and its use in the establishment of a white, male creation myth in both nations following the end of World War One. I furthermore plan to examine how this Anzac myth excluded and even erased the place of marginalized communities in the birth of Australia and New Zealand as modern nations. In other words, my thesis explores both the insiders and the outsiders of the Anzac myth. My cutting-edge research aims to …

Some Southern Waters, Julian Baner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Some Southern Waters is a microbudget feature-length film written, directed, and produced by Julian Baner as part of the requirements for earning a Master of Fine Arts in Entrepreneurial Digital Cinema from the University of Central Florida. The film is a black and white, semi-abstract narrative mainly in the mystery genre, with elements of thriller, horror, and black comedy throughout. This thesis is a description of the creative impetus behind the project, as well as the technical process from pre-production through production, and post-production.

Pestilence And Poverty: The Great Influenza Pandemic And Underdevelopment In The New South, 1918-1919, Andrew Kishuni

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines the "Spanish" influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 in the U.S. South, using case-studies of Jacksonville, Savannah, New Orleans, and Nashville to sculpt a "Southern flu" more identical to the Global South and the developing world than the rest of the U.S. I examine poverty and political and economic paralysis in the years between the end of Reconstruction and 1918, and the poor results of political indifference on public health and disease control. I also analyze the social and institutional racism against persons of color that defined high infectious disease mortality in Southern cities.

I argue that Southerners faced …

Representation In The Story: The Social Impact Of Diversity In Transmedia, Tiffany S. Tanaka-Cooper

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to take a more profound and nuanced look into the effects of diversity in transmedia storytelling (also known as transmedia narrative or multiplatform storytelling) on society, more specifically, how the representation in these stories affect the minority groups that interact with transmedia. This thesis investigates the depiction of minority groups in transmedia storytelling and the influence of identifiable characters and plotlines. The research and following interviews I have engaged in will encapsulate into a screenplay set in a fictional court that offers the discourse of "forced diversity" within the transmedia narrative: whether or not …

Metatheatre And Critical Race Theory: A Combination For Compelling Storytelling And Effective Changemaking, Andrew Coleburn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Vaclav Havel once said that "[t]heatre is always a sensitive seismograph of an era, perhaps the most sensitive one there is; it's a sponge that quickly soaks up important ingredients in the atmosphere around it." One of the more important "ingredients" in our cultural atmosphere in modern America is the issue of identity. In his book on metatheatre, Richard Hornby posits that theatre is "a kind of identity laboratory, in which social roles can be examined vicariously." In this thesis, I examine Hornby's theory of the five different modes of metatheatre, critique each, and argue for the addition of a …

Alexander: A Dive Into Identity, Inspiration, And Release Of The Creative Self, Alyssa Garoogian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Alexander is a story of overcoming the fear of personal artistic expression. Alexander is the son of an affluent family who was found to have musical talent at a young age. Alex grows to enjoy music, but rote exercises alone begin to disillusion the promising musician. Regardless, Alexander dutifully practices piano exercises daily, bored by the lack of creative stimulation but afraid to openly admit it. After an accidental music note sparks his imagination, Alexander escapes into fantasy: a colorful visualization of the original music he creates. Within this fantasy, a warm, supportive community leads Alexander to his most significant …

Seeds Of Doubt, Amber Hilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Seeds of Doubt is a two-dimensional (2D) animated film that explores how anxiety can stifle personal growth. The film demonstrates how accepting and coping with this anxiety can help you return to a place of calm and allow you to blossom. Roma, a young witch, struggles to use her magic to successfully make her crops grow. Her lack of confidence leaves her stuck inside the greenhouse until she is ready to move on to the tomato fields outside. She must first re-center herself and overcome her self-doubt before it consumes her completely. This idea is sourced largely from my own …

Director Methods For High School And Amateur Theatre Implementation, Tyler Leeps

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

My aim with this thesis is to take college and professional level directing techniques and break them down in a digestible way so new directors can take these techniques and implement them at the high school and community theatre level. I discuss five different approaches to directing theatre with student or amateur actors, each tied to common practices and standards used in professional theatres. My goal is to take theoretical techniques taught at universities and create a practical mindset to implement them on the high school and community theatre level. Spending four years balancing teaching world history with being theatre …

Everybody Says Don't: An Examination Of Works By Stephen Sondheim In High School Theatre Programs, Matthew Nash-Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The works of Stephen Sondheim are some of the most complex in the musical theatre canon. The storylines are often about adults in tumultuous relationships and the music contains indiscernible melodies and abnormal rhythms. These are works often difficult for even the most experienced performers, let alone any high school student. As a high school theatre teacher, it is important my students are challenged and prepared to tackle any and all theatrical works. I have dissected a number of Sondheim's works in order to find ways to make them more accessible to high school students. While the characters and their …

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Echoes: Digital Political Discourse And Vectors Of Ideological Propagation, Devon Razey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This study analyzes the discursive strategies used by participants in online non-political spaces to negotiate and propagate political ideologies. Through the use of Critical Discourse Analysis in rhetorical studies (Huckin et. al.), this study produced a theory of political ideological vectors in digitally connective social network platforms. The analysis uses discussions taken from Twitter and Reddit surrounding the introduction of an Asian female character, Nagini, in the Fantastic Beats: Crimes of Grindelwald trailer immediately following its release in September 2018. Ultimately, this study found that participants are less likely to isolate themselves within politically congenial echo chambers than previously theorized …

Control, Consumption, And Connections: The Women Of Eighteenth-Century Colchester, Virginia, And Their Participation In The Atlantic World Of Goods, 1760-1761, Bryce Forgue

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This study examines the economic agency and participation of sixty-five women in Colchester, Fairfax County, Virginia throughout the years of 1760-1761 based on ledgers from a general store where they purchased goods on credit. To expand the view of women of different social standings in the colonial south, this study builds a more complicated picture of eighteenth-century women's scope of economic participation. "Control, Consumption, and Connections" explores how women could acquire credit, how they used that credit to make informed consumer purchases, and how they used the extensive social networks they lived in to earn and consume. By studying their …

Two's Accompany: Understanding Acceptance Through Animation, Brian Phinn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Animation as a medium has broad appeal based on its ability to convey stories in universal ways. This art form bridges cultural barriers that allow relationships to form through shared interests. Music also shares similar traits. Based on the global understanding of music and its history of use in film, the conclusion is the acceptance of different musical tastes can parallel acceptance of differing ideologies. When clashing ideological beliefs cause societal conflict, it is essential to remember that friendships cultivate through commonalities. The purpose of this study is to create an animated short film that presents the story of two …

The Memory Remains: Why The Migration Period And The Fall Of Rome Continue To Be Mischaracterized As A Barbarian Invasion, Walter Napier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The Fall of Rome (or more specifically the Western Roman Empire) remains a hotly debated subject in the history of Late Antiquity. The Battle of Adrianople can be argued to be the beginning of Rome's end, but the cause of the battle lay more with Rome's imperial mismanagement than any deliberate attempt at war from the barbarians. Rome turned against those who would have defended the empire, and for many centuries had done just that. Despite being forced into an antagonistic relationship with Rome, their reputation as the cause of Rome's calamity has remained to the present day. This thesis …

Radio Vs. Streaming Services: Exploring How Radio Is Facing Competition, Kyra L. Allen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

With the increasing number of online streaming services available in the world, it is astounding to note how radio is still around maintaining excellent ratings and listener interaction. It is essential to analyze the media industry, and while there are many outlets a person is capable of accessing music, people still turn to their local radio. The literature indicates how the business of radio still exists with the primary competition of today.

The study includes interviews from twelve radio professionals at Cox Media Group (CMG) Orlando, the home of seven different format radio stations. All interviewees hold a range of …

The Level Of Creative Thinking Of Stem-Oriented Middle And High School Children Associated With The Level Of Self-Motivated Play And Success Within A Builder Game And Engagement In Builder Gaming Communities' Social Media Culture, John Aedo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Literature indicates that the United States has fallen behind other countries in the world in terms of creativity. At the same, children's self-motivated gaming and involvement in gaming communities have grown as a major pass time. The literature is inconsistent on the relationship between games and creativity with some indicating benefit while others indicate harm. Might the observed level of creative thinking among children be associated with the level of a priori self-motivated engagement with creative games and associated social media? Given the wide spectrum of the kinds of games, this research considers the "builder" (e.g. Minecraft) genre and related …

How Artists Can Capture Us: Educating About The Works Of Stephen Sondheim Through Parody, Jarrett Poore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This thesis examined the modern renaissance man and his relationship between musical theatre history and parody; it examined how the modern artist created, produced, and facilitated an original parody in which humor can both influence and enhance an individual's interest in the art form. In the creation and production of The Complete Works of Stephen Sondheim [abridged], I showcased factual insight on one of the most prolific writers of musical theatre and infused it with comedy in order to educate and create appeal for Stephen Sondheim's works, especially those lesser known, to a wider theatrical audience. My two greatest research …

Evita: A Practical Approach To Creating And Implementing Choreography For Professional Theater, Kimberly Ball

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

From Oklahoma!, 42nd Street, and A Chorus Line to Hairspray, Kinky Boots, and Hamilton, we have watched musical theater dance transcend conventional boundaries and open up worlds that were once unimaginable and distant. Musical theater choreography is a crucial element to the storytelling process. When dialogue, either spoken or sung, isn't fully able to express feelings, dance is there not only to heighten the emotion, but also to reveal character depths and further the plot. As an extension of expressed language, movement becomes the link that connects text and emotion, and ultimately the story and the audience. How does a …

Life Narratives As Technologies Of Self: Explorations Of Agency In A Son Of The Forest And The Autobiography Of Malcolm X, Tiffanie Kelley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

In A Son of the Forest (1829) and The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965), the narrators describe their most formative experiences in relation to addiction and their respective religions. Though these narratives emerged at different periods (almost a century apart) in North American history, there are considerable similarities between them. As William Apess describes his struggle with alcoholism, he also appropriates both the language of popular literature and print culture in the Methodist movement, and in turn criticizes the white supremacist ideals ingrained in early American culture. Similarly, Malcolm X details his experience with substance abuse while criticizing white supremacist …

The Uniqueness Of A Kingdom: The Frontier Kingdom Of Norman Sicily In Comparative Perspective, Onyx De La Osa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The frontier was once described as lands on the periphery of a culture. I argue that frontier spaces are a third space where hybridity can occur. Several of these areas existed in the medieval world with many centering around the Mediterranean and its surrounding lands. The Norman kingdom of Sicily is one such place. Utilizing three chronicles of the time, while looking through the lens of the frontier, something not done by other modern historical texts, a distinctiveness begins to become apparent. The geographic location, the island's past, and the eventual conquest by the Normans provide a base for hybridity …

The Art Of Reflection: A Personal Account Of Reflexive Teaching Artistry And Personal Praxis, Kate Kilpatrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Teaching Artists (that is, artists who teach) are in a constant state of reflection and self-evaluation. Reflexive Teaching Artistry is the ability to apply personal reflection to practice as a means to better support and engage students. Reflection is certainly useful at the culmination of a class or project, but how does reflecting throughout the creative process benefit participants? How can a Teaching Artist's reflections be applied to their practice throughout a creative process to better serve the objectives of a program? Using the lens of Reflexive Teaching Artistry, this thesis examines three unique drama-based projects and the instances of …

Playing Disability, Daniel Romano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Disability in performance has a long history, starting with fictional characters such as Shakespeare's Gloucester/Richard, progressing through the freak shows of the early twentieth century, and finally with artists such as Neil Marcus, Mat Fraser and Deaf West Theatre in the past twenty years. Looking to the work of disabled artists, activists, and theorists such as Petra Kuppers and Carrie Sandahl, I will examine the history of both disability in performance and the performance of disability. I will discuss my performance of Garret, a man with muscular dystrophy, in my original play, The Sick Parents Club. Through analysis of what …

Initiating Change, Connection, And Community, Janine Papin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Augusto Boal said "Theatre is a form of knowledge; it should and can also be a means of transforming society. Theatre can help us build our future, rather than just waiting for it." I have been a teacher in a private school setting for 27 years. In my work with students, it becomes increasingly important to me that the projects in which I engage become transformative, not only for me and my students, but for my audiences as well. Finding ways that promote awareness of social justice, both locally and globally, has become paramount. My ongoing goal is to inspire …

Mau Mau Blasters: The Homemade Guns Of The Mau Mau Uprising, James Stoddard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The Mau Mau Uprising was a violent anticolonial struggle that took place in Kenya between 1952 and 1960. During the Uprising, firearms were extremely difficult for Mau Mau fighters to obtain. The few precision weapons they could acquire came from raided government armories or those found on the battlefield. In order to make up the difference, the Mau Mau leadership turned to resources that were more readily available and relied on the ingenuity of their supporters. The result was a series of homemade firearms manufactured by Mau Mau fighters and sympathizers. This thesis argues that homemade guns were a unique …

Stages Of Color: An Exploration Of Drama Through A Chromatic Lens, John Norton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The human eye can see approximately seven million different colors and within this vastly wide spectrum of refracting and reflecting light waves, an almost equal number of connotations have been attached to these various shades and tones. Whether originating from cultural histories, religious traditions, or a myriad of other sources, these associations succeed at quite literally coloring one's view of what is illuminated in front of them, especially when it comes to any and all attached emotional implications. This knowledge raises the question of how does an artist navigate not only the utilization of color in their work, but the …

Reading Between The Lines: Language Ideologies And Tutor Education Readings, Michele Cintron Toney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Language difference and socially-just writing center praxis have long been points of discussion within writing center scholarship. Writing center administrators and tutors recognize that the praxis within their writing centers does not always correspond to their beliefs about working with student writers or the role of the writing center within the academy—particularly in the areas of language equality and social and racial justice—and they acknowledge the impact that course readings have in tutor education. While tutor education readings may not specifically state a particular ideological viewpoint regarding language difference, their discussions of language and rhetorical practices, multilingual writers, and tutoring …

Death In The Land Of Flowers: Environment As Enemy In The Second Seminole War, Nicholas Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This thesis argues that Florida's natural environment was one of the United States Army's most formidable enemies during the Second Seminole War (1835–42), and that environmental factors, more than hostilities from Native peoples themselves, led the United States to abandon the War. Many White soldiers from the North were unprepared to cope with the environmental challenges posed by Florida. In order to build a foundation for this argument, the thesis examines how previous newcomers to Florida dealt with the environment, from the original First Peoples who arrived several thousand years ago, to European explorer/colonizers, to White Americans in the decades …