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An Examination Of The Instability And Exploitation In Congo From King Leopold Ii's Free State To The 2nd Congo War, Baldwin Beal Dec 2014

An Examination Of The Instability And Exploitation In Congo From King Leopold Ii's Free State To The 2nd Congo War, Baldwin Beal

HIM 1990-2015

This thesis will analyze the Congo from King Leopold II's Free State to the 2nd Congo War. After a thorough investigation of the colonial period, this thesis will analyze the modern period. This thesis contends that the underdevelopment of the Congo, and its continuing warfare and poverty are the consequences of an exploitative colonial history. To be sure, King Leopold II of Belgium created the template for administering the Congo through the installation of concessionary companies that were more interested in harvesting huge profits than creating the conditions for a self-sustaining Congolese economy. Indeed, the policies implemented by King Leopold …


The Representation Of Poverty In Great Depression American Literature, Cavel Austin Dec 2014

The Representation Of Poverty In Great Depression American Literature, Cavel Austin

HIM 1990-2015

The objective of this thesis is to explore how American authors represented poverty across different states during the Depression Era. I have chosen to review social reform author John Steinbeck, and proletariat authors, Michael Gold, Meridel Le Sueur, and William Attaway. Before addressing the issues presented in the data collection tools (novels): The Grapes of Wrath, Jews Without Money, The Girl, and Blood on the Forge, I reviewed the fundamentals of the events leading up to the crash of the stock market, which spiraled the United States and the world at large in the greatest Depression ever known. In this …


Physical Health Outcomes Of The Stigmatizer, William Butler Dec 2014

Physical Health Outcomes Of The Stigmatizer, William Butler

HIM 1990-2015

This thesis explores physical health outcomes of individuals that hold stigma against those with mental illness. The stigmatizer is mentioned in the literature as an individual that holds a stigma towards another group. In this thesis, stigma refers to those that hold prejudice and may express discrimination towards a targeted group. Two studies were conducted that looked at multiple demographic variables as well as symptomology and degree of stigma towards those with mental illness. The first study looked at overall stigma without the stereotypical psychosomatic symptoms (chest pain and abdominal pain). The second study looked at a second dimension of …


The Constitutionality Of Warrantless Cell Phone Searches: Incident To Arrest, Kylie Brown Dec 2014

The Constitutionality Of Warrantless Cell Phone Searches: Incident To Arrest, Kylie Brown

HIM 1990-2015

As technology has developed, Americans have come to carry their most private information around with them in their pockets in digital form on their cell phones. A cell phone has immense storage capacity and can contain a wide variety of communicative information about its owner. In the past, there had been a disagreement among the lower courts as to whether police officers could search the contents of an arrestee's cell phone when making an arrest. The United States Supreme Court settled this disagreement in Riley v. California; in that case, the Court held that the warrantless search of a cell …


Why Evidence Matters: Examining The Knowledge And Perception Of Pre-Service Teachers, Stefanie Campbell Dec 2014

Why Evidence Matters: Examining The Knowledge And Perception Of Pre-Service Teachers, Stefanie Campbell

HIM 1990-2015

Evidence-based educational policymaking has become a global phenomenon (Wiseman, 2010). According to the Institute of Education Sciences, evidence-based education is "an integration of the professional wisdom and the best available empirical evidence on making decision about how to deliver instructions" (IES, US Department of Education, 2012). This suggests that best practice requires teachers to ensure that instructional strategies and programs implemented in their classroom have been studied in scientific experiments to determine their effectiveness. The general public, as well as practicing teachers, holds an assumption that educators have knowledge as to what is evidence-based education. However, this is not always …


Media Sensationalism And Its Implications On The Public Understanding Of Science, Christopher Barsoum Dec 2014

Media Sensationalism And Its Implications On The Public Understanding Of Science, Christopher Barsoum

HIM 1990-2015

Myths, misinformation, and sensationalism. These are common enemies that directly inhibit the public understanding of science. In particular, the media is often responsible for mishandling or otherwise misrepresenting scientific information, historically and presently speaking. Many sources can combat the public understanding of science through pseudoscientific means. This includes but is not limited to religion, the media, politics, or just simple hearsay. For example, Young Earth creationism is deeply rooted in Christian theology, but the beliefs hold no scientific basis. Yet, almost half of Americans still believe in Young Earth creationism. Another such example is anti-vaccination campaigns due to fears of …


An Empire On The Brink Of Destruction: The Stability Of The Seleucid Empire Under Antiochus Iv (175 B.C. - 164 B.C.), Tyler Campbell Dec 2014

An Empire On The Brink Of Destruction: The Stability Of The Seleucid Empire Under Antiochus Iv (175 B.C. - 164 B.C.), Tyler Campbell

HIM 1990-2015

The Seleucid Empire expanded its territory to stretch from Thrace to India under the leadership of Antiochus III, making it one of the most expansive empires in the Hellenistic World. Antiochus III's subsequent loss at the Battle of Magnesia to Rome in 190 B.C. caused some of the satrapies of the empire to begin to rebel, and has led some historians to believe that the empire began an unrecoverable decline. In this investigation I will argue that the myth of decline in the post-Antiochus III era is invalid through analyzing the stability brought to the empire during the reign of …


A Comparison Of Teacher Perceptions Of Middle School Mathematics Textbooks In The United States And The United Kingdom, Porscha Clonts Dec 2014

A Comparison Of Teacher Perceptions Of Middle School Mathematics Textbooks In The United States And The United Kingdom, Porscha Clonts

HIM 1990-2015

This study was a qualitative research study dedicated to the deep investigation of a regular and advanced seventh grade mathematics textbook used in Florida and the United Kingdom. A questionnaire was created for a teacher in both locations, along with the researcher, to rate the textbooks according to different characteristics. The two research questions that were answered through the research include: 1. In what ways, if any, is diversity represented in the pages of each seventh grade mathematics textbooks examined? a. In what ways is the diversity of each textbook comparable to the observed diversity of the country in which …


Text Complexity And Close Reading: Teachers' Perceptions Of The Language Arts Florida Standards And Curriculum Implementation, Clare Diaz-Davila Dec 2014

Text Complexity And Close Reading: Teachers' Perceptions Of The Language Arts Florida Standards And Curriculum Implementation, Clare Diaz-Davila

HIM 1990-2015

The Florida Department of Education revised the Common Core State Standards into what are now known as the Florida Standards in February 2014, approving 99 revisions to the original standards that were accepted in 2010 (Dunkelberger, 2014). The purpose of this research was to identify current teachers# attitudes towards the new Language Arts Florida Standards (LAFS), specifically regarding teachers# perceptions of text complexity and close reading as enacted in the reading curriculum. Additionally, this study will attempt to identify how teachers# attitudes impact their implementation of the new standards. This research used a self-administered survey to collect the teacher perceptions …


A Price-Volume Model For A Single-Period Stock Market, Yun Chen-Shue Dec 2014

A Price-Volume Model For A Single-Period Stock Market, Yun Chen-Shue

HIM 1990-2015

The intention of this thesis is to provide a primitive mathematical model for a financial market in which tradings affect the asset prices. Currently, the idea of a price-volume relationship is typically used in the form of empirical models for specific cases. Among the theoretical models that have been used in stock markets, few included the volume parameter. The thesis provides a general theoretical model with the volume parameter for the intention of a broader use. The core of the model is the correlation between trading volume and stock price, indicating that volume should be a function of the stock …


Predicting Science Literacy And Science Appreciation, Robert Hellmuth Dec 2014

Predicting Science Literacy And Science Appreciation, Robert Hellmuth

HIM 1990-2015

Research has shown that the benefits of having a populace literate in science are great. Even if citizens are not literate in basic science, it is important that citizens still appreciate science and those with expertise in the field for many reasons. Recent research suggests that the United States (U.S.) has lower levels of science literacy than it should. Evidence may also suggest that many U.S. citizens are not appreciative of science. Overall, little research has been conducted on what may predict science literacy and science appreciation which is the aim of this research. Specifically, I have examined socio-personal variables, …


A Comparison Of Anthropometric And Maximal Strength Measures In Rugby Union Players, Thomas Gamazo Dec 2014

A Comparison Of Anthropometric And Maximal Strength Measures In Rugby Union Players, Thomas Gamazo

HIM 1990-2015

To examine differences in body composition and maximal strength between collegiate (CLG) and men's club (CLB) rugby union players, as well as between the forward (FW) and back (BK) positions, seventeen resistance-trained men (24 ± 2.4 yrs; range: 20 ± 27 yrs; 179.3 ± 5.4 cm; 93.7 ± 12.9kg) from a collegiate rugby team (n=11) and a local men's rugby club (n=6) were recruited to participate in the present investigation. Prior to strength testing, height (± 0.1 cm), body mass (± 0.1 kg), and body composition via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry were assessed to determine total percent body fat (%FAT), …


Melatonin And Neurogenesis: A Comparative Study Of The Efficacy Of Melatonin, Its Precursors, And L-Dopa On Neural Stem Cell Metabolism In Human Adult Neurospheres, Omar Heriba Dec 2014

Melatonin And Neurogenesis: A Comparative Study Of The Efficacy Of Melatonin, Its Precursors, And L-Dopa On Neural Stem Cell Metabolism In Human Adult Neurospheres, Omar Heriba

HIM 1990-2015

Human neurosphere stem cells offer promising potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Their well characterized multi-potency of differentiating into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes when exposed to the optimum exogenous growth factors make them an exciting area of study (38). Finding novel endogenous methods of modulating stem cell metabolism will allow for the safer treatment of various brain disorders (34). In this experiment, melatonin, N-acetylserotonin, L-tryptophan, and L-DOPA are added in three different concentrations to neurospheres suspended in HNSC/GBM media with less than optimal concentrations of exogenous epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). The alamarBlue assay (resazurin) …


Synthesizing The Music Integration Research To Explore Five Common Themes In Intermediate Elementary Classrooms, Alexandria Harkins Dec 2014

Synthesizing The Music Integration Research To Explore Five Common Themes In Intermediate Elementary Classrooms, Alexandria Harkins

HIM 1990-2015

Much scientific research has been conducted to examine the effects of music on the brain and abilities of people. The results have shown a positive correlation between music used in various ways and the abilities and skills of people, especially children. However, the use of music in the general intermediate classroom is lacking. After reviewing scientific research to provide a foundation for the study and synthesizing the five Music Integration Practices, two teachers were interviewed and observed on their use of music in their general intermediate classrooms. The interviews, observation checklists, and anecdotal notes taken by the researcher provide music …


Institutional Design And Economic Inequility: Socioeconomic Actors And Public Policy In Germany And The United States, Jennifer Hudson Dec 2014

Institutional Design And Economic Inequility: Socioeconomic Actors And Public Policy In Germany And The United States, Jennifer Hudson

HIM 1990-2015

In this thesis I conduct a comparative analysis of the influence of socioeconomic actors, business and labor, on public policy in Germany and the United States, specifically public policy that has an impact on economic inequality. The objective of this study is to gain a better understanding of how institutional constructs may determine the level of influence by different socioeconomic actors on public policy. In particular, I examine the link between institutional design and economic inequality, specifically the relative influence of business interests in varying types of capitalist economies and democratic systems, and assess those facets of institutional design that …


Exploring A Relationship Between Social Anxiety Disorder And Bilingualism, Nicholas James Dec 2014

Exploring A Relationship Between Social Anxiety Disorder And Bilingualism, Nicholas James

HIM 1990-2015

This study investigated the possible relationship between bilingualism and social anxiety disorder. Past research has indicated developmental delays in language as increasing risk for other psychological difficulties. With the pressure to learn two languages, possibly in the drastically different environments of home, school, and/or work, individuals may be vulnerable to becoming socially anxious in conjunction with language use. This study examined a series of factors surrounding linguistic development and reports of social anxiety. Participants were divided into 4 groups: Socially Anxious (SA; n = 43) monolinguals, Non-Socially Anxious (Non-SA; n = 81) monolinguals, SA bilinguals (n = 30), and Non-SA …


Cultural Relevance In Medicine: An Evaluation Of Cultural Competence Curriculum Integration In Southeastern Medical Schools, Leslie Gannon Dec 2014

Cultural Relevance In Medicine: An Evaluation Of Cultural Competence Curriculum Integration In Southeastern Medical Schools, Leslie Gannon

HIM 1990-2015

Cultural competence in health care provision has been broadly identified as the need for providers to acknowledge, address, or incorporate an understanding of the cultural and social context of patients' lives into the process of treating and managing patient's illnesses. However, how cultural competence can be incorporated has been the subject of debates in biomedicine and anthropology, and has often been met with difficulties in physician practice. These challenges arise from differing perspectives about how cultural competence is understood and institutional neglect of culturally relevant education. While the need for cultural competence integration into health care practitioner training during medical …


Secondary English Teachers' Perceptions And Expectations Of High School Athletes, Sarah Jarem Dec 2014

Secondary English Teachers' Perceptions And Expectations Of High School Athletes, Sarah Jarem

HIM 1990-2015

In the United States, there are currently over seven million high school athletes, all of whom are required to take four years of core classes as well as elective classes. Core subject areas consist of math, science, social sciences, and English language arts. Of the four core subject areas, both national and state education committees place emphasis and scrutiny on English language arts. The research within this thesis, conducted in the form of an interview, is meant to explore English language arts teachers' possible attitudes and expectations of their student athletes in concern to their writing abilities. Special emphasis will …


Libertarian, Liberal, And Socialist Concepts Of Disributive Justice, Daniel Kassebaum Dec 2014

Libertarian, Liberal, And Socialist Concepts Of Disributive Justice, Daniel Kassebaum

HIM 1990-2015

What makes for a just society constitutes one of the most intensely debated subject among political philosophers. There are many theorists striving to identify principles of justice and each believes his/hers theory to be the best. The literature on this subject is much too voluminous to be canvassed in its entirety here. I will, however, examine the stances and arguments of three key schools of thought shaping the modern discussion of social justice: libertarianism (particularly Robert Nozick and Milton and Rose Friedman), liberal egalitarianism (John Rawls and Ronald Dworkin), and socialism (Karl Marx and John Roemer). Each of these schools …


The Association Of Attachment Style And Perceptions Of Caregiver Experience, Kandace Luther Dec 2014

The Association Of Attachment Style And Perceptions Of Caregiver Experience, Kandace Luther

HIM 1990-2015

This research examines caregiver experiences as they relate to attachment style. The overarching hypothesis is that perceptions of the caregiver role differ depending on the degree of avoidance and anxiousness in the caregiver's attachment style. Caregiver response was measured in the areas of filial obligation, work reduction, perceived control, caregiver burden, depressive symptomatology, and preparedness for caregiving. The final sample consisted of 150 caregivers who identified as the primary caregiver for a parent over the age of 65. This sample was recruited using Mechanical Turk, an online survey distribution tool. The survey was created online with Qualtrics software. Data were …


Investing In An Interconnected Workforce: Global Education Reform, Amelia Klug Dec 2014

Investing In An Interconnected Workforce: Global Education Reform, Amelia Klug

HIM 1990-2015

Regardless of culture, socio-economic background, and quality of life, all students deserve the highest quality of education. But the reality is, many education systems around the world do not offer it. Investing in structural reforms in education has the potential to boost economic growth in countries around the world. By learning from different education systems strengths and weaknesses, policy decisions can be made that ensure students are given the opportunity for higher educational outcomes. This study analyzes high, middle, and low quality education systems around the world and the infrastructures that lead to educational success or failure. Fifteen education systems …


The C.S.I. Effect: Exploration Of Its Influence On Perception Of Criminal Behavior, Alexandra Mcconnell Dec 2014

The C.S.I. Effect: Exploration Of Its Influence On Perception Of Criminal Behavior, Alexandra Mcconnell

HIM 1990-2015

This study explores the C.S.I. effect in relation to its influence on criminal activity. Expansive research exists concerning the C.S.I. Effect, but very little pertains to the influence it has on individuals' perception of crime and their ability to get away with it. The study explores whether heavy viewers of crime show dramas such as Law & Order and C.S.I. display increased confidence in their ability to commit and get away with a crime. Essentially, this study explores whether these crime television shows are not only entertainment, but also may serve as guides on how to commit crimes. Participants in …


Queen Isabella And The Spanish Inquisition: 1478-1505, Lori Nykanen Dec 2014

Queen Isabella And The Spanish Inquisition: 1478-1505, Lori Nykanen

HIM 1990-2015

Queen Isabella (1451-1505) daughter of King John II of Castile and Queen Isabella of Portugal has been accredited for some of the most famous accomplishments of medieval Spain. Through her succession to the Castilian throne in 1479 Isabella created a secular government, which enabled her to restore the monarch's power and wealth, and gave her a wide reaching authority over her kingdom. The Queen, being a pious Catholic, reestablished Catholicism as the official religion of Castile and brought forward a tribunal to help her reinforce her desires for sincere Christian piousness and to bring retribution to those who were heretical …


Madama Butterfly: The Mythology; Or How Imperialism And The Patriarchy Crushed Butterfly's Wings, Adriana Nieves Dec 2014

Madama Butterfly: The Mythology; Or How Imperialism And The Patriarchy Crushed Butterfly's Wings, Adriana Nieves

HIM 1990-2015

As a popular historic work with constant and worldwide performances, the sexist and racist narratives disseminated by Giacomo Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly causes harmful social and political ramifications. Many scholars point to this opera specifically when discussing the fetishization of Asian females, and mention the title character as the quintessential example of damaging stereotypes. Thus, I conduct a postcolonial and feminist reading of Madama Butterfly, through analysis of the opera's libretto, the libretto sources, and the opera's score. I unravel the Orientalist assumptions that make up the foundation of the Butterfly narrative, and trace them as they make their way …


Media Influence On Risky Driving Behaviors Among Adolescents And Emerging Adults, Kelly Silberman Dec 2014

Media Influence On Risky Driving Behaviors Among Adolescents And Emerging Adults, Kelly Silberman

HIM 1990-2015

Within the last few decades there has been an abundant increase in the amount of violent video games and movies shown within the media. Many of these violent videogames and movies include reckless driving behaviors or certain car scenarios that engross the viewer into wishing to imitate the actions they see on the screen. With that being said, majority of these viewers are adolescents or emerging adults who are beginning to drive and are prone to replicating what they see as adequate driving behaviors. The intent of this thesis is to indicate whether or not the amount of risky driving …


Elementary Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions Of Thematic Unit Instruction Versus Single-Subject Instruction, Shana Shea Dec 2014

Elementary Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions Of Thematic Unit Instruction Versus Single-Subject Instruction, Shana Shea

HIM 1990-2015

The focus of this research project was to determine whether thematic unit instruction or traditional, single-subject instruction was perceived to be the more effective and engaging way of teaching as decided by pre-service teachers. Research has shown that incorporating multiple subjects into one unit or topic of study helps to create more engagement and connections to which students can relate. In creating these connections, students can relate the content to their real life and in turn, better comprehend and retain the material. The pre-service teachers attend the University of Central Florida's College of Education and Human Performance. They voluntarily participated …


Using The Yeast Two-Hybrid System To Determine The Function Of Parkin E3 Ubiquitin Ligase, Vanessa Nguyen Dec 2014

Using The Yeast Two-Hybrid System To Determine The Function Of Parkin E3 Ubiquitin Ligase, Vanessa Nguyen

HIM 1990-2015

Parkin is a cytosolic E3 ubiquitin ligase that is recruited to the mitochondria during cellular stress and has been suggested to be involved in a variety of biological processes such as mitophagy. The recruitment of Parkin (PARK2) to the mitochondria is dependent upon the kinase activity and the accumulation of PINK1 on damaged mitochondria. Mutations in either PINK1 or Parkin genes disrupt this protective pathway and lead to the accumulation of damaged mitochondria. From a clinical standpoint, mutations in the PARK2 gene have been associated with the progression and onset of autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism. Without the presence of a …


Exploring The Effects Of Social Media Use On The Mental Health Of Young Adults, Amelia Strickland Dec 2014

Exploring The Effects Of Social Media Use On The Mental Health Of Young Adults, Amelia Strickland

HIM 1990-2015

The intent of this thesis is to explore the relationship between social media use and mental health in the young adult population. Current research indicates that there is a connection between increased social media use and deteriorated mental health. Unfortunately, young adults, the most active social media users, have a predominantly high risk for developing mental health issues, making this connection particularly concerning. At present, it is unclear how social media and mental health are connected; therefore this thesis explores the individual and social theories that may give reason for this connection. Theories that are discussed include: the impact of …


Exploring The Impact Of Bibliotherapy And Family Literacy Bags On Elementary Students Experiencing Divorce, Simone Smith Dec 2014

Exploring The Impact Of Bibliotherapy And Family Literacy Bags On Elementary Students Experiencing Divorce, Simone Smith

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this research project was to use picture books to create family literacy bags surrounding the topic of divorce, in order to explore their impact on children and families. Divorce is on the rise and so many children are facing, or may face divorce, in their preadolescent lives. This thesis involved creating a tool that will help enrich family support and guidance with issues or stressors that arise from the divorce. As educators, caregivers and school personnel consider the use of family literacy bags, my research has the potential to impact these students and their families. Through my …


The Changes That Preservice Teachers Have Seen In The Attitudes Of Teachers About Social Studies In Elementary Schools, Katherine Syracuse Dec 2014

The Changes That Preservice Teachers Have Seen In The Attitudes Of Teachers About Social Studies In Elementary Schools, Katherine Syracuse

HIM 1990-2015

Ever since national legislation has become involved in the testing of our students, the face of social studies education in elementary school classrooms has changed drastically. With the passage of Goals 2000 in 1993, social studies instruction in elementary school classrooms has seen a steep decline in the time allotted. Also, the attitude of administrators and teachers in elementary schools has taken away the importance of social studies in the classroom. While social studies has seen a big change in the amount of time dedicated to instruction in the past 20 years, there is still hope for the important topics …