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Human Sexuality Education In The Middle Grades Classroom: A Review Of Curricula In A Sample Of Florida School Districts, Melinda Myrick Jan 2007

Human Sexuality Education In The Middle Grades Classroom: A Review Of Curricula In A Sample Of Florida School Districts, Melinda Myrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the extent to which human sexuality topics are covered in Florida middle school science classrooms and the process by which curricular decisions are made regarding human sexuality education on a county-wide basis. Primary data included interviews with county-level administrators who oversee curricular decisions related to the middle-grades science curriculum or health curriculum in twelve school districts within the state. These districts represented four geographic locations and districts of various sizes. Administrators from four of the twelve studies in the sample chose to provide information regarding their human sexuality education curriculum. In two cases, teacher leads were identified …


What Is College-Level Writing? - The Common Ground From Which A New Secondary Post Secondary Composition Partnership Can Be Formed, Nancy Jane Berger Jan 2007

What Is College-Level Writing? - The Common Ground From Which A New Secondary Post Secondary Composition Partnership Can Be Formed, Nancy Jane Berger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the Introduction to What is "College-Level" Writing?, editors Patrick Sullivan and Howard Tinberg state that the title asks "one of the most important questions in our profession" (xiii). However, even after 418 pages of essays written from the perspectives of high school teachers, college instructors, students, and administrators, the answer remains elusive because college-level writing does not, in fact, start in college - it starts in high school - where high school teachers believe they are instilling in their college-bound students the writing skills required by post-secondary institutions. The students, meanwhile, show up in first-year composition classes to find …


The Effects Of Reciprocal Teaching Strategies On Students' Comprehension Of A Seventh Grade Life Science Text, Brooke Bess Jan 2007

The Effects Of Reciprocal Teaching Strategies On Students' Comprehension Of A Seventh Grade Life Science Text, Brooke Bess

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This action research study was conducted with 7th grade life science students at a public middle school in central Florida. The author used Reciprocal Teaching (RT) as described by Annemarie Palincsar and Anne Brown (1984) to examine changes in student comprehension when reading their life science textbook and changes in how the students used the predicting, questioning, and summarizing strategies. The RT strategies ask students to employ 4 strategies: predict what they will read, generate questions about what was read, clarify any ideas that were not understood in the reading, and summarize the main idea of the reading. Students were …


Principals Application Of Knowledge To The Structure And Support Of Special Education Programs In Florida Middle Schools, Lisa Fuehrer Bugden Jan 2007

Principals Application Of Knowledge To The Structure And Support Of Special Education Programs In Florida Middle Schools, Lisa Fuehrer Bugden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was developed to determine middle school principals' knowledge about the structure of the special education program in their schools and the support given to the personnel who serve students with disabilities in that program. The principals' knowledge was compared to the application of their knowledge to determine if principals were applying what they knew when making decisions about structuring and supporting the special education program in the school and the teachers and staff who work within the programs. In addition, various personal and school factors were analyzed to determine if any of these variables were significant in explaining …


An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Counseling Self-Efficacy And Counselor Wellness Among Counselor Education Students, Jennifer Curry Jan 2007

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Counseling Self-Efficacy And Counselor Wellness Among Counselor Education Students, Jennifer Curry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent research in counselor training has focused on the difficulties and challenges facing counseling practitioners that result in high stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and counselor impairment. The American Counseling Association's (ACA) Code of Ethics has addressed the ethical issues inherent in counselor impairment. Further, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has focused on the development of counselors that will assist them in being resilient to workplace stressors. Wellness is a theoretically based construct that holds much promise for bolstering the resilience of pre-service counselors. In addition, counselor self-efficacy has been linked to greater …


Academic Advising In Higher Education: Distance Learners And Levels Of Satisfaction Using Web Camera Technology, Terri Hernandez Jan 2007

Academic Advising In Higher Education: Distance Learners And Levels Of Satisfaction Using Web Camera Technology, Terri Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of in-seat face-to-face advising in contrast to web camera advising of College of Arts and Sciences psychology majors in the 2005-2006 academic year. Satisfaction levels were determined and analyzed based on random assignment to either the control group (in-seat face-to face) or the experimental group (web camera) advising. The data collected for this study consisted of participants' responses to the Academic Advising Inventory (AAI) administered to undergraduate psychology majors (N = 102). Overall, students were satisfied with advising services regardless of the advising group to which they were randomly assigned. …


Rural Teacher Satisfaction: An Analysis Of Beliefsand Attitudes Of Rural Teachers' Job Satisfaction, John Huysman Jan 2007

Rural Teacher Satisfaction: An Analysis Of Beliefsand Attitudes Of Rural Teachers' Job Satisfaction, John Huysman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand the beliefs and attitudes of teachers that affect their perceptions of job satisfaction in one small rural Florida school district. Data collected included a self-administered survey of Likert-type items measuring 20 factors for job satisfaction (96% response rate), individual semi-structured interviews, and focus groups. Analysis of the data confirmed prior research suggesting that multiple factors influence job satisfaction. Intrinsic satisfaction factors were the best predictors of overall job satisfaction: security, activity, social service, variety, and ability utilization. Extrinsic factors were most likely to predict overall dissatisfaction: recognition, company policies, opportunities for advancement, …


High School Literacy Coaches In Florida: A Study Of Background, Time, And Other Factors Related To Reading Achievement, Donald Boulware Jan 2007

High School Literacy Coaches In Florida: A Study Of Background, Time, And Other Factors Related To Reading Achievement, Donald Boulware

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to understand the work lives of literacy coaches in central Florida by studying who they were, what they did, and what they believed influenced student achievement. In addition, it was important to understand the perceptions of literacy coaches as to what factors influenced positive changes in student achievement. Of 27 central Florida literacy coaches, this study examined the academic and professional background of each coach, explored the time spent on ten key literacy coaching activities, and analyzed work factors related to student achievement in reading on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Although the literacy …


Virtual Vistas: High School Students Describing Their Experiences In Online Courses., Amy Scheick Jan 2007

Virtual Vistas: High School Students Describing Their Experiences In Online Courses., Amy Scheick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current research indicates that distance education courses can be as effective as traditional courses when the method and technologies used are appropriate to the instructional tasks. The number of states, counties, and school districts that provide online courses for high school students has rapidly expanded during the last ten years. The number of students, who enroll in these courses, has often grown by double digits each year. Understanding K-12 students' experiences in, and expectations of, online learning is important for many reasons. Online learning is certainly growing and may become a graduation requirement in more states. Currently Michigan requires every …


Internationalization Efforts At State Universities In Florida, Rachid Bendriss Jan 2007

Internationalization Efforts At State Universities In Florida, Rachid Bendriss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Today's global environment poses more and more challenges for higher education institutions to provide learning opportunities that enable students to become globally competent and prepared to face the challenges of an increasingly global society. For many universities, internationalizing their campuses can help students acquire knowledge, skills, and experiences to be able to compete in the global economy and become productive members of a diverse world society. The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which internationalization had been realized in Florida's public universities by determining (1) whether there was a relationship between articulated commitment and the level …


Factors That Influence Transfer Of Hazardous Material Training: The Perception Of Selected Fire-Fighter Trainees And Supervisors, Divya Bhati Jan 2007

Factors That Influence Transfer Of Hazardous Material Training: The Perception Of Selected Fire-Fighter Trainees And Supervisors, Divya Bhati

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the influence of factors on transfer of training and was based on the work of Broad and Newstrom (1992). For the purpose of this study the Broad and Newstrom (1992) transfer of training barriers are rephrased into positive statements. The nine transfer of training factors are: (1) reinforcement on the job; (2) little interference from immediate (work) environment; (3) supportive organizational culture; (4) trainees' perception of training programs being practical; (5) trainees' perception of relevant training content; (6) trainees' being comfortable with change and associated effort; (7) trainer being supportive and inspiring; (8) trainees' perception of training …


A Case Study Of The Perceptions Of Principals Of Voucher Eligible High Schools In Florida, Robert Bolen Jan 2007

A Case Study Of The Perceptions Of Principals Of Voucher Eligible High Schools In Florida, Robert Bolen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The publication of A Nation at Risk in 1983 has prompted a series of attempts to revise the educational system's outcomes. Legislative and executive reform bills have resulted in Educational Vouchers being a prime source of reform. A case study of the perceptions of public high school principals in Florida that are at Voucher Eligible high schools to those perceptions of principals at schools graded 'A' as of the 2002-03 academic school year was the focus of this study. Four public high school principals from two Florida districts were used in this study. Two schools were identified as Voucher Eligible …


Effects Of Advance Organizers On Learning And Retention From A Fully Web-Based Class, Baiyun Chen Jan 2007

Effects Of Advance Organizers On Learning And Retention From A Fully Web-Based Class, Baiyun Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the short-term and long-term effects of two kinds of advance organizers (AOs), a visual concept map and a text outline. The AOs were administered in a fully Web-based course in health care ethics. The outcome measures are students' knowledge acquisition and application in two posttests. This study was conducted through a post-test only control group design with a random assignment. The population of the study involved 166 college students who participated in this online class in their junior or senior year. The voluntary research participants were randomly assigned into the two treatment …


Characteristics Of Academic Writing In Education, Andrew Kemp Jan 2007

Characteristics Of Academic Writing In Education, Andrew Kemp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to Stangl (1994), Jalongo (2002), Richards and Miller (2005) and a host of other authors regarding publishing in educational journals, understanding the audience for an article is of utmost importance. Huff (1999) notes that an author must understand the audience for whom s/he writes. While much of this understanding of audience comes down to suitable topics (Silverman, 1982), articles must also fit the style of the journal to which it is being presented (Olsen, 1997). With this in mind, the purpose of this study is to characterize the writing style of academic writing in education. This research will involve …


The Impact Of Co-Teaching On Student Learning Outcomes In Secondary Social Studies Classrooms Implementing Content Enhancement R, Kimberly Zgonc Jan 2007

The Impact Of Co-Teaching On Student Learning Outcomes In Secondary Social Studies Classrooms Implementing Content Enhancement R, Kimberly Zgonc

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine if differences exist in student learning outcomes between students who are instructed in a co-taught or non co-taught environment in secondary social studies classrooms implementing Content Enhancement Routines (CER). This study examined student and teacher data from seventeen matched pairs of co-taught and non co-taught middle and high school general education social studies teachers who participated in professional development in CER and professional development in co-teaching if applicable. Of the 34 participating teachers, 23 were visited by school district personnel to verify implementation of CER. Five co-teaching teams, each consisting of a …


A Study Of Gender Equality At Private And Public Two-Year And Four-Year Florida Institutions, Stacey Lazenby Malaret Jan 2007

A Study Of Gender Equality At Private And Public Two-Year And Four-Year Florida Institutions, Stacey Lazenby Malaret

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to examine the perception of gender equality from the viewpoint of women administrators at Florida public and private two- and four-year institutions. Potential respondents were chosen from American College Personnel Association and/or National Association of Student Personnel Administrators databases. The data used for this study were obtained from 32 female administrators (50% response rate) who completed a self-administered online questionnaire, distributed to potential respondents in August and September, 2007. Collected data were entered into an SPSS database. Through data analysis, confidence intervals were reported for each survey item. Comparable means were studied for each of the six …


Direct And Indirect Effects Of Selected Factors On School Grades In Public High Schools In The State Of Florida, Joseph Miller Jan 2007

Direct And Indirect Effects Of Selected Factors On School Grades In Public High Schools In The State Of Florida, Joseph Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of selected factors on school grades in public high schools in the state of Florida. A sample of 316 public high schools was created using data obtained from the Florida Education and the Florida High School Athletic Association. The selected factors that were chosen to be measured in the study were: minority percentage as measured by the proportion of minority students in relation to the total student body at a given school, socio economic status percentage (SES) as measured by the proportion of students participating in the …


Cooperative Education As A Predictor Of Baccalaureate Degree Completion, Amanda Celeste Pacheco Jan 2007

Cooperative Education As A Predictor Of Baccalaureate Degree Completion, Amanda Celeste Pacheco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Baccalaureate degree completion statistics are surprisingly low. National four-year graduation rates hover around 38%, and six-year graduation rates have remained steady at approximately 63% (Berkner, He, & Cataldi, 2002). At the University of Central Florida, as at many public research institutions, the numbers are even lower. Literature has emerged, however, which suggests that students who participate in cooperative education programs may experience increased motivation to continue the formal education process (Avenoso & Totoro, 1994; Schambach & Dirks, 2002; Somers, 1986). This study investigated the effect of co-op participation on undergraduate degree completion in the context of several risk factors for …


An Analysis Of Improving Student Performance Through The Use Of Registered Therapy Dogs Serving As Motivators For Reluctant Read, Julie Paradise Jan 2007

An Analysis Of Improving Student Performance Through The Use Of Registered Therapy Dogs Serving As Motivators For Reluctant Read, Julie Paradise

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This investigation studied the impact of registered therapy dogs assigned to students in order to improve reading skills. The purpose of this study was to determine if children assigned to registered therapy dogs improve significantly in reading achievement and related school performance such as attendance and discipline when compared to students of similar characteristics not assigned to registered therapy dogs. Specifically, the study used data to ascertain whether students assigned to registered therapy dogs improved their reading skills and if these students demonstrated more or less growth than students of similar characteristics not assigned to registered therapy dogs. This study …


An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Graduate Counseling Students' Perceptions Of Spirituality And Counselor Self-Ef, Sandra Pollock Jan 2007

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Graduate Counseling Students' Perceptions Of Spirituality And Counselor Self-Ef, Sandra Pollock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Counseling and psychology have experienced a conflicted relationship with the issue of spirituality over the last century. Spirituality is a construct that has been receiving more attention in counseling over the last fifteen to twenty years. More counselors and educators are affirming its place and value in the counseling relationship. Yet, there is a disparity between this and what counselors-in-training are being taught regarding spirituality, its value to clients and counselors, and its role in the counseling relationship. Very little research has been done examining spirituality and its relationship to counseling students level of confidence and competence in their work--their …


A Case Study Of The Effects Of Inquiry Based Professional Development Through The Use Of A Mentor On An Alternatively Certified, Michelle Thrift Jan 2007

A Case Study Of The Effects Of Inquiry Based Professional Development Through The Use Of A Mentor On An Alternatively Certified, Michelle Thrift

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One alternatively certified elementary teacher was the subject of this sixteen week research study on science teaching self-efficacy. The researcher taught inquiry based student level science lessons to the fourth grade teacher. The teacher participant, in turn, taught those same lessons to her class while the researcher observed and took field notes. The participant responded to specific open ended questions in a journal after each science experience and also completed three interviews with the researcher. Each sequential lesson from the researcher was then modified based on participant needs. The participant completed the STEBI (Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument) as a …


Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Counseling: The Role Of Outcome Expectations And Emotional Openness In English-Speaking C, Wendy-Lou Greenidge Jan 2007

Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Counseling: The Role Of Outcome Expectations And Emotional Openness In English-Speaking C, Wendy-Lou Greenidge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The college environment is documented as a universally stressful period where students face many challenges (Baysden, 2002; Pandit, 2003). In addition to these potential stressors, international students face other unique challenges such as loss of support network, feelings of isolation, economic hardship, coping with oftentimes competing cultures, and anxiety which emanates from unfamiliarity (Kim & Omizo, 2003; Rounds & Kline, 2005). Unsuccessful resolution of these challenges can negatively impact the acculturation process, their mental health, and their academic programs (Roysircar, 2002). Despite these many challenges, research consistently shows that international students are less likely than their US counterparts to …


Retaining Qualified Teachers Through School-Based Induction: A Study Of Elementary Schools In Two Public School Districts In Flo, Junella Handley Jan 2007

Retaining Qualified Teachers Through School-Based Induction: A Study Of Elementary Schools In Two Public School Districts In Flo, Junella Handley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine teacher induction strategies and effectiveness at the school level, specifically focusing on how the principal designed and implemented induction activities. It also investigated if the following factors influenced teacher retention: (a) number of instructional staff members, (b) number of first-year teachers, (c) number of second-year teachers, (d) number of third-year teachers, (e) principal's gender, (f) principal's age, (g) principal's highest degree earned, (h) principal's total years in education, (i) principal's years in an instructional position, (j) principal's administrative experience, (k) year the school opened, (l) student enrollment, and (m) free and reduced …


Historical Comparison Of Florida And National Title Ix Compliance Trends In High School Sports From 1985-2005, Coury Matthew Knowles Jan 2007

Historical Comparison Of Florida And National Title Ix Compliance Trends In High School Sports From 1985-2005, Coury Matthew Knowles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the Title IX compliance trends of high school sports in Florida over the past two decades (1985-2005) against national trends. The literature review discusses: the historical events leading to Title IX, the administrative implementation of Title IX, the legal perspective of Title IX, and the impact of Title IX on gender equity in sports. The study was conducted between January and June, 2007. The data focused on: male and female participants in high school sports in Florida, the numbers of male and female participants in high school sports across the nation, and …


The Effects Of Increasing Family Involvement On Student Achievement In Scientific Inquiry, Patricia Denoon Jan 2007

The Effects Of Increasing Family Involvement On Student Achievement In Scientific Inquiry, Patricia Denoon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that there is a positive correlation with student performance when there are members of the family, primarily a parent, who are actively involved with the student and their education. The following action research plan was designed to determine how increasing parental involvement affected student performance in a scientific inquiry program. This was done by offering "parenting a middle school student" workshops, encouraging family run practices at home, and inviting parents to attend a class with their student. This research was conducted in a large middle school in a central Florida school district with two 7th grade classrooms. …


Faculty Perceptions Of Alignment Ofadministrative Practices With A University Missionutilizing A Hospitality Model, Duncan Dickson Jan 2007

Faculty Perceptions Of Alignment Ofadministrative Practices With A University Missionutilizing A Hospitality Model, Duncan Dickson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of a university's faculty as to how the strategies, staffing policies, and systems procedures were aligned with the mission statement. Differences in perceptions were examined by college affiliation, rank, primary teaching assignment and gender. Data were analyzed to determine if there were correlations between faculty members' perceptions of alignment of the university's mission statement with administration's actions, policies, and procedures and their level of organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and overall satisfaction with their job and the organization The population for this study was comprised initially of 1363 teaching faculty members …


Central Florida High School Principals' Perceptions Of The Florida School Indicators Report, William Gaught Jan 2007

Central Florida High School Principals' Perceptions Of The Florida School Indicators Report, William Gaught

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions that central Florida public high school principals had regarding the Florida School Indicators Report (FSIR) and its usefulness. The FSIR, published by the Florida Education, was designed to be a comprehensive, single source document for parents, lawmakers, and school administrators to compare key performance indicators to similar schools or districts state wide. It provided information on 74 different indicators of school or district performance. A total of 70 public high school principals from 13 central Florida school districts responded to a postal survey and provided their perceptions regarding the importance …


The Effect Of An Inquiry-Based Science Curriculum On Student Attitudes And Participation, James Perlmutter Jan 2007

The Effect Of An Inquiry-Based Science Curriculum On Student Attitudes And Participation, James Perlmutter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed as a collaborative action research study and focused on the use of an inquiry-based unit in an eighth grade honors science class at a middle school with a diverse population in the southeastern portion of the United States in the Spring of 2005. The inquiry-based unit was taught through the use of the electronics unit in Full Option Science System (FOSS). The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of an inquiry based curriculum on the level of participation in, attitudes of, and academic performance of students towards science. This collaborative action research study …


The Relationship Between The Basic Skills Proficiency Of Counselor Education Master's Level Students And Client Outcome, Lorie Welsh Jan 2007

The Relationship Between The Basic Skills Proficiency Of Counselor Education Master's Level Students And Client Outcome, Lorie Welsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A review of literature on the history of psychology and counseling revealed a limited amount of research on counselor education training programs, specifically basic skills versus client outcome. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between counselor educator student's basic skills and the effects these skills had on client outcome. By way of a multiple regression, two independent variables, the Global Scale for Rating Helper Responses (GSRR) and the Counselor Skills and Professional Behavior Scale (CSPBS) were analyzed in relation to the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45.2). Results indicated that there was no statistical significance between basic skills and …


The Effects Of A Structured Lifestyle Intervention Program In Conjunction With Dietary Supplementation On Weight Loss And Risk F, Linda Zukley Jan 2007

The Effects Of A Structured Lifestyle Intervention Program In Conjunction With Dietary Supplementation On Weight Loss And Risk F, Linda Zukley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a structured weight loss program that included hypocaloric diet, exercise and dietary supplementation, on weight loss, metabolic syndrome risk factors and antioxidant levels in healthy overweight and obese females. Thirty-seven healthy overweight and obese women (BMI 29.5 ± 2.3 kg/m2, 41.1 ± 7.1 yrs) participated in this study. The subjects were randomized into one of two groups: an exercise, hypocaloric diet and antioxidant supplement (LifePak®; LSANT group, n=20) or an exercise, hypocaloric diet and appetite suppression supplement (HTP Complex® and TēGreen®; LSAS group, n=17). A significant weight loss occurred …