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University of Central Florida

HIM 1990-2015

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Design Of A Physical Windkessel Model For Use In Lvad In-Vitro Benchtop Modeling, Kyle W. Beggs Dec 2015

Design Of A Physical Windkessel Model For Use In Lvad In-Vitro Benchtop Modeling, Kyle W. Beggs

HIM 1990-2015

Despite improved life expectancy compared to medical management alone, Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) recipients show survival rates of 80% at 12 months and 70% at 24 months. A large portion of VAD-associated mortality results from increased risk of stroke with an event frequency reported between 14-47%. Recent concerns have been raised about unprecedented increases of thrombus formation in VAD recipients with subsequent reports pointing towards implantation techniques as a critical contributor to these events. Thus, the overall prognosis with mechanical support can improve by advancing the surgeon’s approach to VAD implantation. Previous studies using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) were aimed …

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Effects Of Binary Solvent System On Morphology Of Particles, Patrick Besana Dec 2015

Effects Of Binary Solvent System On Morphology Of Particles, Patrick Besana

HIM 1990-2015

Recent advancements in cancer research has led to the synthesis of a new drug known as docetaxel. Meant to replace paclitaxel, its more natural counterpart whose ingredients are difficult to obtain, the drug is known to effectively treat a wide array of cancers, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer. The establishment of a synthetic alternative to paclitaxel has increased its bioavailability, thereby lowering the cost needed to utilize the drug. Still, the limiting factor in minimizing costs is the method in which the drug is processed. Current methods in drug processing have their limitations, which include the introduction …

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The Association Of Body Image And Interpersonal Relationships As It Relates To Happiness, Michelle J. Chen Dec 2015

The Association Of Body Image And Interpersonal Relationships As It Relates To Happiness, Michelle J. Chen

HIM 1990-2015

As one of the most important emotional goals pertaining to humankind, achieving happiness has been the central focus of scientists, philosophers, and the general population alike since the beginning of recorded history. This study strove to examine the association of body image satisfaction and relationship quality as it relates to happiness. Four hundred college-age participants completed the Subjective Happiness Scale, the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (Appearance Scales), and the Network of Relationships Inventory (Relationships Quality Version) for close friendships of the same-sex and opposite-sex. Statistical analysis indicated that while body image satisfaction was significantly correlated with happiness, quality of interpersonal …

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Terahertz Radiation From High-Temperature Superconducting Bscco Mesas Of Various Geometries, Daniel P. Cerkoney Dec 2015

Terahertz Radiation From High-Temperature Superconducting Bscco Mesas Of Various Geometries, Daniel P. Cerkoney

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the radiation from high-temperature superconducting mesas of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+ (BSCCO). This is motivated by the need for coherent sources of continuous wave terahertz (THz) emission capable of radiating practically in the THz frequency band. As BSCCO has been shown to be tunable from 0.5–2.4 THz (i.e., through the entire socalled terahertz gap centered about 1 THz), and has a higher peak operating temperature near 1 THz than most alternative sources, it is a good candidate for imaging and spectroscopy device applications [1]. When a static DC voltage is applied to a BSCCO mesa, …

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Linguistic Relativity And Multilingualism, Nicholas M. Casorio Dec 2015

Linguistic Relativity And Multilingualism, Nicholas M. Casorio

HIM 1990-2015

Over the last decade, linguistic relativity has seen a resurgence in research and discourse on thought, language, and culture. One particular facet of this research, multilingualism, has been relatively sparse in comparison to the wealth of research available focusing on individual languages and monolingual speakers. This study represents a preliminary investigation that enters this arena by focusing specifically on how speakers of English as a second language use English basic color terms in respect to monolingual speakers. This is done by using a modified methodology from the World Color Survey as a comparative model of a speaker’s division of colors. …

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To Hydrate Or Chlorinate: A Regression Analysis Of The Levels Of Chlorine In The Public Water Supply, Drew A. Doyle Dec 2015

To Hydrate Or Chlorinate: A Regression Analysis Of The Levels Of Chlorine In The Public Water Supply, Drew A. Doyle

HIM 1990-2015

Public water supplies contain disease-causing microorganisms in the water or distribution ducts. In order to kill off these pathogens, a disinfectant, such as chlorine, is added to the water. Chlorine is the most widely used disinfectant in all U.S. water treatment facilities. Chlorine is known to be one of the most powerful disinfectants to restrict harmful pathogens from reaching the consumer. In the interest of obtaining a better understanding of what variables affect the levels of chlorine in the water, this thesis will analyze a particular set of water samples randomly collected from locations in Orange County, Florida. Thirty water …

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Taxing Working Memory: The Effects On Category Learning, Ashley Ercolino Dec 2015

Taxing Working Memory: The Effects On Category Learning, Ashley Ercolino

HIM 1990-2015

In the past decade, the COVIS model (Ashby, Alfonso-Reese, Turken, & Waldron, 1998) has emerged as the only neuropsychological theory for the existence of multiple brain systems for category learning. COVIS postulates that there are two systems, explicit and implicit, which compete against one another. These two systems reply on two discrete networks: explicit, or rule based categorization relies on executive function and working memory while implicit, or information integration categorization is mediated by dopaminergic pathways. The purpose of this pilot study was to further provide evidence for the existence of multiple systems of category learning. In all three experiments, …

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Musical Autodidacts, Can We Do It Ourselves?: Exploring The Histories Of Those Who Have, Abigail Cline Dec 2015

Musical Autodidacts, Can We Do It Ourselves?: Exploring The Histories Of Those Who Have, Abigail Cline

HIM 1990-2015

Artistry, particularly musical, is subjective and success in artistry can be achieved by more than one route. I consider myself an autodidactic musician by the musical and compositional achievements I have made without formal music training. I chose to research the compositional traits of other autodidacts to see their successes and challenges with their knowledge. George Gershwin, Danny Elfman, and John Bucchino come from a different background, a different time period in music, and each comes from a different stylistic genre. This research describes each of these composers’ influences, approach to composing, and any advantages or disadvantages they have faced …

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Perceived Locus Of Control In The Children Of Military And Civilian Families Affected By Deployment And Divorce, Rebekah Z. Kanefsky Dec 2015

Perceived Locus Of Control In The Children Of Military And Civilian Families Affected By Deployment And Divorce, Rebekah Z. Kanefsky

HIM 1990-2015

This study was designed to explore the differences between locus of control (LOC) in children from civilian and military families and to investigate whether military deployment is associated with an external locus of control more than other family dynamics. The literature has focused on the negative implications of external LOC for children’s mental health and achievement as well as in childhood chronic illness, parental absence, and parental alcoholism. However, prior research regarding this construct related to children of military families is significantly lacking. In the present study, LOC was measured by the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children, a …

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Development Of A Set Of Force Response Equations To Represent The Musculature In Infants To Study Development Dysplasia Of The Hip, Brendan Jones Dec 2015

Development Of A Set Of Force Response Equations To Represent The Musculature In Infants To Study Development Dysplasia Of The Hip, Brendan Jones

HIM 1990-2015

This paper describes how a force response equation was created to model muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the hip joint to improve a biomechanical model of an infant hip to study Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH). DDH is the most common abnormality in newborn infants and is defined as any amount of instability in the hip including complete dislocation. Researchers at our institution are attempting to increase the success rate of treatment methods by creating computer models of the biomechanics of infant hip instability and dislocation. The computer model used a scaled adult pelvis, femur, tibia, fibula and foot …

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An Examination Of The Factors That Impact Elementary School Principal's Perceptions Of Their Leadership Role, Kathryn M. Kish Dec 2015

An Examination Of The Factors That Impact Elementary School Principal's Perceptions Of Their Leadership Role, Kathryn M. Kish

HIM 1990-2015

A growing body of research supports the idea that large-scale school reform efforts often fail to create sustained change within the public school sector. When implementing deep organizational change, both novice and veteran educators are challenged to learn new skills, reexamine their instructional practice and content knowledge, and re-shape their underlying beliefs and values about schools. This qualitative study explored principals’ perceptions of their leadership roles in the school system. Data collection was done through a series of three interviews with three elementary school principals in Central Florida. In addition to their perceptions, it also studied factors that may influence …

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Effects Of Real Estate Cycles On Residential Amenity Values For Water Resources, Amy L. Hillard Dec 2015

Effects Of Real Estate Cycles On Residential Amenity Values For Water Resources, Amy L. Hillard

HIM 1990-2015

Little research has been conducted on the effects of housing price cycles on preferences for environmental landscape attributes over time (Cho, Kim, & Roberts, 2011). If the economic value of scarce resources like water resource amenities depends on consumer preferences, then it is useful to address possible effects of cyclical variation in the housing market on these values. This issue is addressed in the primary research question for this thesis: Did the 2007-2009 recession and consequent real estate bust affect marginal willingness to pay for water resource amenities for properties in proximity to the lower St. Johns River (SJR) in …

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Psychological Factors That Impact The Drop-Out Rate In Adolescent Sports, Nicole S. Mcclone Dec 2015

Psychological Factors That Impact The Drop-Out Rate In Adolescent Sports, Nicole S. Mcclone

HIM 1990-2015

Children are dropping out of sport at alarming rates. With the highest numbers of dropout occurring between the ages of ten and seventeen, the focus of this research is on the drop-out rates of adolescents from sport. Athletic participation has been linked to positive academic performance, key development of leadership skills, and increased engagement in the community. The research that has been conducted related to sport persistence has had a greater focus on examining factors related to the physical domain. Attention is now beginning to shift however, and researchers are looking outside the physical domain and analyzing sport attrition more …

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Drama Has Issues: A Brief Retrospective On The American Theatre Critic In New York From 1925 To Present, Teresa M. Kilzi Dec 2015

Drama Has Issues: A Brief Retrospective On The American Theatre Critic In New York From 1925 To Present, Teresa M. Kilzi

HIM 1990-2015

Theatre criticism has evolved with the advancement of technology and the decline of print journalism. As consumers are given increasing agency by which they can filter the news and reporting they read and occasionally replace it with their own, the idea that a sole voice on a certain topic brandishes more dominance over it than the masses of people involved in its creation and sustainment becomes progressively absurd. Conversely, however, readers rely on theatre critics to make theatergoing decisions for them explicitly because critics are supposed experts on the subject and their opinions are to be respected and observed accordingly. …

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Exploring The Differences Between Pre-Service Teachers' Analyses Of Various Informal Reading Inventory Results In The Elementary Grades, Tara A. Miller Dec 2015

Exploring The Differences Between Pre-Service Teachers' Analyses Of Various Informal Reading Inventory Results In The Elementary Grades, Tara A. Miller

HIM 1990-2015

Reading is a fundamental skill in our modern society; being able to read with comprehension and fluency is an important skill in all core academic subjects. Reading teachers are charged with the task to analyze student data in order to drive their instructional decisions. Informal Reading Inventories (IRIs) are one type of an informal reading assessment that teachers can use in the classroom to learn about student reading behaviors and drive instruction. Informal Reading Inventories assess fluency and comprehension. Research suggests that fluency and comprehension have a reciprocal relationship; meaning, if you improve one skill, you improve the other skill …

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Entrenched In Context: Perceptions Regarding Intimate Partner Violence And Viable Interventions Among Undergraduate Students, Julio Montanez Dec 2015

Entrenched In Context: Perceptions Regarding Intimate Partner Violence And Viable Interventions Among Undergraduate Students, Julio Montanez

HIM 1990-2015

Many policies and programs have relevance to intimate partner violence (IPV), such as no-drop policies, firearm-related policies, mandatory reporting, mandatory arrest, and others. IPV affects persons from a multitude of demographics and statuses. Dating violence has its mark on college campuses. The present research studies both attitudes toward IPV and attitudes toward interventions that pertain to IPV. Attitudes toward IPV have been found to relate to a number of explanatory variables: attributions, socioeconomic status, age, class standing, race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality, attitudes toward gender, violence in the family of origin, and previous IPV histories. Perceptions of IPV interventions have been found to …

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Identity As A Sexual Minority In The Workplace: A Look At Personality And Contextual Factors, Samuel Resende Dec 2015

Identity As A Sexual Minority In The Workplace: A Look At Personality And Contextual Factors, Samuel Resende

HIM 1990-2015

Sexual identity in the workplace is an exploratory topic in an age when sexuality is becoming a topic of discussion. However, protection of sexual minorities (Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals) is not universal despite evidence that heterosexist climates are disadvantageous for employers. In this study, I examined if sexual minorities who perceive their place of employment to be relatively free of heterosexism would be more satisfied with their jobs, perceive more organizational fit, and report less work stress. In addition, I sought to determine if selected personality variables would mediate the relations among critical study variables. The personality variables were internalized …

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Orthographic Similarity And False Recognition For Unfamiliar Words, Jeffrey Perrotte Dec 2015

Orthographic Similarity And False Recognition For Unfamiliar Words, Jeffrey Perrotte

HIM 1990-2015

There is evidence of false recognition (FR) driven by orthographic similarities within languages (Lambert, Chang, & Lin, 2001; Raser, 1972) and some evidence that FR crosses languages (Parra, 2013). No study has investigated whether FR based on orthographic similarities occurs for unknown words in an unknown language. This study aimed to answer this question. It further explored whether FR based on orthographic similarities is more likely in a known (English) than in an unknown (Spanish) language. Forty-six English monolinguals participated. They studied 50 English and 50 Spanish words during a study phase. A recognition test was given immediately after the …

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The Influence Of Gun Control Legislation On Rampage Shootings, Andrew D. Manor Dec 2015

The Influence Of Gun Control Legislation On Rampage Shootings, Andrew D. Manor

HIM 1990-2015

The United States has experienced several mass shootings in the past few years. It has been averaging one shooting every week in 2015, and something must be done about it. This problem appears to be limited to the United States since several other nations have been able to minimize, and almost eliminate the number of mass shootings. By taking an analysis of the gun laws of the United States with those of Australia and Canada it can be concluded that some aspects of strict gun control can reduce the number of mass shootings. Further, the United States should look at …

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Developmental Challenges And Opportunities Of Brazil In The 21st Century, Henrique Ruda Vianna Ribeiro Dec 2015

Developmental Challenges And Opportunities Of Brazil In The 21st Century, Henrique Ruda Vianna Ribeiro

HIM 1990-2015

As Brazil develops into the first South American world power many changes in its society, economy and political system are necessary for a successful transformation. Nevertheless this is no easy task as the country battles corruption, vast inequality and a severe problem with freedom of information within the media. For decades the Brazilian mainstream media has been controlled by elite political forces together with elite families influencing and controlling many factors that are responsible for social, economic and political development. As new developments and implementations in the last fifteen years have been ongoing within Brazil, such as welfare programs, social …

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Attitudes Toward Diversity And Life In The U.S. Held By Children Of Hispanic Immigrants: Do Their Parents Play A Role?, Vanessa Ruiz Dec 2015

Attitudes Toward Diversity And Life In The U.S. Held By Children Of Hispanic Immigrants: Do Their Parents Play A Role?, Vanessa Ruiz

HIM 1990-2015

The present study explores how children of Hispanic immigrants (CHIs) perceive life in the U.S., and how they view cultural diversity. Questionnaires were given to 92 non-U.S. born CHIs and one of their non-U.S. born Hispanic immigrant parents (HIPs) who have lived in the U.S. between 1 and 17 years (M yrs = 8.43); their views of the U.S. were assessed along with their acceptance of diversity, acculturative stress, and levels of acculturation. In this study, I found that CHIs generally hold positive views of the lives in the U.S. and also hold favorable views toward cultural diversity. Furthermore, this …

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The Impact Of Meditation And Mindfulness In The Elementary Classroom: A Review Of Research Literature Across Five Disciplines, Kayli Routhier-Martin Dec 2015

The Impact Of Meditation And Mindfulness In The Elementary Classroom: A Review Of Research Literature Across Five Disciplines, Kayli Routhier-Martin

HIM 1990-2015

Mindfulness meditation programs, benefits, and outcomes were examined through research previously conducted and published by professionals within five differing disciplines: health and wellness, psychology, elementary education, exceptional education, and medicine. The goal was to find common themes within the differing disciplines in order to gather information about the effectiveness of a mindfulness meditation program to be used in an elementary classroom. In this thesis, the chapter of Health and Wellness is a review of literature that tells the benefits found within meditators, which are not found within non-meditators. The chapter of Psychology explains the social-emotional needs of students, the causes …

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A Comparative Analysis Of The Usa Patriot Act Of 2001 To The Usa Freedom Act Of 2015: Balancing Security With Liberty, Richard L. Russo Dec 2015

A Comparative Analysis Of The Usa Patriot Act Of 2001 To The Usa Freedom Act Of 2015: Balancing Security With Liberty, Richard L. Russo

HIM 1990-2015

Freedom and safety are two ideals that American citizens value greatly; however, the balance between privacy and security determines whether or not both can be achieved in a reasonable manner. Security and privacy are not mutually exclusive; however, they tend to exhibit an inverse correlation with regards to maintaining individual liberties. Security and privacy are highly beneficial, but when one is given too much weight, the other most often suffers. When the United States citizens are given too much privacy through regulations, the citizens risk their well-being by not allowing the government the ability to prevent dangerous activities being done …

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Mental Rotation With Martial Arts Expertise, Michael E. Torres Dec 2015

Mental Rotation With Martial Arts Expertise, Michael E. Torres

HIM 1990-2015

This research aims to investigate whether expertise, specifically martial arts expertise, is transferrable across domains, which would indicate spatial skills in one task can also apply to a seemingly unrelated one. In this study, reaction time during a mental rotation task was compared between experts and novices. Participants were shown two images and had to decide if the images were the same or mirror reflections. The images were comprised of Shepard-Metzler blocks, people in martial arts poses, and people in neutral poses. The results suggest expertise is not transferable across domains. While experts outperformed novices with some of the martial …

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Family Struggles And Substance Use Among First Generation College Students, Barbara Vehabovic Dec 2015

Family Struggles And Substance Use Among First Generation College Students, Barbara Vehabovic

HIM 1990-2015

The current study seeks to examine the relationship between family struggles, as measured by social class and parental marital status, and substance use among first-generation college students. 902 students from the University of Central Florida participated in an online questionnaire that assessed their social class, parents’ marital status, drug and alcohol use, as well as demographic variables. Results indicated a significant positive correlation between substance use and social class as well as generational status. Males were also more likely to use drugs and alcohol than females. A regression analysis indicated social class, gender, junior and senior academic years were all …

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Student Perception Of Barriers To Study Abroad, Jessica Walker Dec 2015

Student Perception Of Barriers To Study Abroad, Jessica Walker

HIM 1990-2015

Studying abroad during the collegiate experience is an idea sought by the many high school seniors and college freshmen alike. The social, intellectual, and cultural benefits received from participating makes it a seemingly easy decision. Yet, lack of action plagues the nation as there exists a miniscule number of students who follow through with their desire to study abroad. Prior research exemplifies that students rely on the perceptions of their peers and family when approaching an unfamiliar subject. These perceptions result in concocted barriers that dissuade the student from participating in study abroad before they seek concrete information. There are …

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Direction Of Reflection: The Means By Which One Establishes Directorial And Choreographic Proficiency, Nicholas J. Wood Jr. Dec 2015

Direction Of Reflection: The Means By Which One Establishes Directorial And Choreographic Proficiency, Nicholas J. Wood Jr.

HIM 1990-2015

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 …

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Bystander Apathy: An Investigation Of Intervening Versus Non-Intervening Bystanders In Witnessing To Bullying, Alexandria Smith Aug 2015

Bystander Apathy: An Investigation Of Intervening Versus Non-Intervening Bystanders In Witnessing To Bullying, Alexandria Smith

HIM 1990-2015

David Cash was a college student who found himself in the women's restroom of the Primadonna in Nevada. He witnessed his friend, Jeremy Strohmeyer raping and killing a 7-year-old girl. Cash did not take any action in trying to prevent this heinous crime. There are many elements to consider when bystanders neglect to take action. Research examining bystander apathy in critical situations is lacking, yet the number of violent crimes witnessed by others where intervention is not offered continues to escalate. Bullying often occurs in the presence of others. Bystander apathy is believed to play a passive role in most …

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Economic And Legislative Effects On Performance Based Funding And Licensed Practical Nursing Programs, Andrew Papa Aug 2015

Economic And Legislative Effects On Performance Based Funding And Licensed Practical Nursing Programs, Andrew Papa

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this research paper is to evaluate different elements of the State University System of Florida. Specifically, this paper will analyze how universities will respond when appropriated 20 million dollars of performance based funding and will also evaluate how efficient the 2009 changes in Florida's [statute] 464 were. This paper will use comparative statics and a duopoly model in order to explain behavior of universities when they are appropriated performance based funding. Moreover, this paper will use measures of central tendencies and hypothesis testing in order to statistically analyze data of Florida's Licensed practical nursing programs provided in …

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Exploring The Perceptions And Motivations Of Pre-Service Elementary Teachers Towards Aesthetic Reading In An Undergraduate Course In Literature For Children, Anne Williams Aug 2015

Exploring The Perceptions And Motivations Of Pre-Service Elementary Teachers Towards Aesthetic Reading In An Undergraduate Course In Literature For Children, Anne Williams

HIM 1990-2015

Past research shows that feelings toward aesthetic reading, or reading for enjoyment, are down across the nation, even in those pursuing a degree in elementary education (Applegate & Applegate, 2004; National Endowment for the Arts , 2004). As reading rates drop, it becomes even more imperative that our future educators have a passion for reading, and are able to intrinsically motivate their students (McKool & Gespass, 2009; Nathanson, Pruslow & Levitt, 2008). The recommended practices for breaking the cycle of aliteracy are to deemphasize textbook driven lectures (Krashen, 1993; Nathanson et al., 2008; Sardo-Brown & Beeghly, 1996), enable text self-selection …

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