Digital Commons Network^™

Vulnerability And Resilience In A Tourism Destination, Sergio Alvarez, Alan Fyall

Rosen Research Review

In an industry that is critically vulnerable to hazards, some destinations are hit harder than others by the same or similar events. UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management researchers, Dr. Sergio Alvarez and Dr. Alan Fyall, have developed a conceptual model that sees the destination's vulnerability as the sum of its physical, social-cultural, economic, ecological/environmental, and institutional vulnerabilities, nestled within its level of exposure to different hazards. Their framework offers to better equip destination management organizations (DMOs) by identifying vulnerabilities and facilitating more effective planning and decision making.

How Hurricanes Impact Florida's Tourism Industry, Arthur Huang

Rosen Research Review

Almost every year, hurricanes bear down upon the state of Florida. The storms appear to be growing in occurrence and severity. While the media cover the damage and death toll, the impacts on the state's critical tourism sector remain largely anecdotal. The full story lies buried in data. Dr. Arthur Huang from UCF's Rosen College of Hospitality Management has investigated different data sets to understand the impact of hurricanes on the tourism industry. What has been uncovered has significance not only for Florida but for tourism sectors elsewhere affected by these giant storms.

Damar Hamlin's Cardic Arrest, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

The exact cause of Damar Hamlin’s collapse following a tackle in Monday’s night’s NFL game between Cincinnati and Buffalo is not known. He remains in the Intensive Care Unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Millions of football fans watched this tragedy unfold on television along with all those in the Stadium. Millions more have seen replays and listened to discussions and reactions to the incident. What is known is that Hamlin experienced cardiac arrest and is now fighting for his life.

Communication Scholarship And The Quest For Open Access, Preston Carmack, Michael R. Kearney, Abbey Mccann

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

The advent of black, green, and gold open access publication models poses unique questions for scholars of communication. Plato’s (1956) classic critique of writing in the legend of Theuth and Thamus warned that the printed word “rolls about all over the place, falling into the hands of those who have no concern with it” (pp. 69–70). More than two 2 millennia later, scholars and administrators at all levels of the discipline face just such a phenomenon. As scholars of cyberspace debate whether “information wants to be free” (Levy, 2014), a communication perspective involves consideration of the importance of authorship and …

Chatgpt Assignments To Use In Your Classroom Today, Kevin Yee, Kirby Whittington, Erin Doggette, Laurie Uttich

UCF Created OER Works

No abstract provided.

Academic Affairs Diversity Taskforce Enewsletter #007, Academic Affairs Diversity Taskforce

Academic Affairs Diversity Taskforce

“Committed to a globalized, competitive and innovative workforce through diversity and inclusiveness” Academic Affairs Diversity Taskforce Newsletter Information on professional development and Diversity & Inclusion related news and events delivered directly to your inbox every semester.

Summer 2023 edition of the UCF Academic Affairs Diversity Taskforce Newsletter introduces LaVerne Parchman (the HRBC leader for Academic Affairs), calls for participation in the taskforce, promotes LinkedIn Learning, and provides reading recommendations.

Learning To Think Like A Leader, Mark Hickson Iii

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This is the second in a three-part series that the author has been working on. The first part was included in an earlier issue of this journal.

Journal Of The Association For Communication Administration: Complete Volume 40

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This is the complete volume of JACA Volume 40.

The Impact Of Student Motivation, Preparation, And Learned Helplessness On Undergraduate Students’ Communication With Advisors, Heather Carmack

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine communication factors that influence students’ academic advising appointments, including predictors of scheduling future advising appointments. Undergraduate students’ motivation and feelings of learned helplessness were related to their advising meeting preparation and their communication involvement during advising meetings. Students who reported high levels of motivation and low levels of learned helplessness were more likely to prepare for advising meetings and be communicative during meetings. Students with immediate advisors were more likely to communicate with their advisors during meetings. Advising meeting preparation, motivation, and learned helplessness were significant factors in future advising appointments.

Open, Organized, And Onerous: Understanding And Recognizing The Labors Of Open Science, Nick Bowman, Patric R. Spence, Lindsay Hahn

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

In the face of high-profile cases of scientific fraud, there has been a renewed call among scholars to reconsider current best practices in academic publishing. Prominent in these discussions is a set of open science practices that ask scholars to “publish more” of their research—not in terms of manuscripts, but in terms of supplemental materials to the scientific enterprise. Through creating, curating, and publishing artifacts such as study materials (experimental stimuli, survey texts, etc.), datasets and analysis code, and other content, the scientific process is made more transparent for readers. However, such practices involve a substantial labor cost to researchers …

Boys To Men, Brandon Bradley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Primarily through adolescent narrators, Boys to Men is a series of short stories that attempts to identify the lessons, traumas, and joys that offer—and in some cases, withhold—the tools that allow Black boys to become Black men. In "Hard Ball," an eleven-year-old baseball player on the cusp of entering middle school wants nothing more than to be less sensitive. In "That's the Way Love Goes," a fifteen-year-old visiting Florida for the summer faces his first hurricane, alone with only his grandmother and unresolved family turmoil as company. And in "Hallelujah," a young church-goer publicly challenges a powerful, yet unruly spiritual …

Exploring Risk Factors Associated With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptomatology In Police, Lori Camacho

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Mental health outcomes, especially post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in police have become more of a concern for law enforcement administrators, peers, family and friends. Using culture as a theoretical framework, the current cross-sectional, convergent mixed methods study explored the relationship between personal cumulative exposure to different types of critical incidents and likelihood of reporting PTSD symptoms in a sample of officers (n=71) from one municipal police department. This study also examined how personal cumulative exposure to different types of critical incidents and likelihood of reporting symptoms of PTSD may be moderated by the degree of perception of social support from …

Inkling: An Exploration Of Visual Effects As A Character, Joshua Cooper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Inkling is an animated short film about a creature made of ink falling into a cycle of anxiety. This film explores the use of visual effects in character design. Inspiration for this film was drawn from Absurdist essays and stories and used abstract imagery and cinematic devices to manipulate the audience into feeling the character's anxiety. This thesis briefly examines the foundation of methods pioneered by visual effect artists. To produce this short film, critical decisions in software and animation were made to streamline the process to allow more time to focus on creating a method for the visual effect …

Heat Release And Flame Scale Effects On Turbulence Dynamics In Confined Premixed Flows, Max Fortin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

As industry transitions to a net-zero carbon future, turbulent premixed combustion will remain an integral process for power generating gas turbines and are also desired for aviation engines due to their ability to minimize pollutant emissions. However, accurately predicting the behavior of a turbulent reacting flow field remains a challenge. To better understand the dynamics of premixed reacting flows, this study experimentally investigates the evolution of turbulence in a high-speed bluff-body combustor. The combustor is operated across a range of equivalence ratios from 0.7-1 to quantify the role of heat release and flame scales on the evolution of turbulence as …

Social Equity Through Vaccinations During Covid-19: A Study Of Equitable Utilization Of Resources During Emergencies And Crises, Rebecca Entress

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Governments provide resources that enable people and neighborhoods to return to normalcy after emergencies, which enhances community resilience. Past research found that such resources are not always equitably utilized by communities, where oftentimes communities with high social vulnerability receive fewer resources. COVID-19 was one of the largest and most widespread public health emergencies. In response to the emergency, the United States (U.S.) government sponsored the creation and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. COVID-19 vaccines reduce the probability of severe illness and death, making them an important resource for community resilience. This study uses an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design to …

Music Direction And Piano Accompaniment In Musical Theatre: A Practical Guide, Danielle Hayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Music direction for musical theatre is not a topic that has been widely theorized, defined, or researched; there are a handful of resources available to the inclined reader, and a scant few universities that offer a degree in Music Direction for Musical Theatre. Due to this, many music directors, myself included, have had to piece together our educations á la carte, researching each aspect of the job individually. Thus, I have created a practical "how to" guide that can be used to advance you, the reader, through a production as the music director from booking the gig to closing night. …

Developing A Physics-Informed Deep Learning Paradigm For Traffic State Estimation, Jiheng Huang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The traffic delay due to congestion cost the U.S. economy $ 81 billion in 2022, and on average, each worker lost 97 hours each year during commute due to longer wait time. Traffic management and control strategies that serve as a potent solution to the congestion problem require accurate information on prevailing traffic conditions. However, due to the cost of sensor installation and maintenance, associated sensor noise, and outages, the key traffic metrics are often observed partially, making the task of estimating traffic states (TSE) critical. The challenge of TSE lies in the sparsity of observed traffic data and the …

Identification And Modeling Social Media Influence Pathways: A Characterization Of A Disinformation Campaign Using The Flooding-The-Zone Strategy Via Transfer Entropy, Jasser Jasser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The internet has made it easy for narratives to spread quickly and widely without regard for accuracy or the harm they may cause to society. Unfortunately, this has led to the rise of bad actors who use fake and misleading articles to spread harmful misinformation. These actors flood the information space with low-quality articles in an effort to disrupt opposing narratives, sow confusion, and discourage the pursuit of truth. In societies that prioritize free speech, maintaining control over the information space remains a persistent challenge. Achieving this requires strategic planning to protect the dissemination of information in ways that promote …

A Framework Of Critical Success Factors For Implementation Of Industry 4.0 In Aerospace And Defense Industries, Lina Khan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, is essential to the success of Aerospace and Defense (A&D) organizations as it showcases the ability to adapt, innovate, and remain competitive. Industry 4.0 technologies such as cyber-physical systems (CPS), big data, cognitive computing, smart factories, connected manufacturing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) focus on revolutionizing manufacturing through embedding digital and physical systems, with the goal to maximize the desired output(s) while using minimal resources. Although there are numerous advantages, there are challenges associated with implementation of these complex systems. This doctoral research investigates the critical factors needed for successful implementation of …

A Conceptual Model For Quality 4.0 Deployment In U.S. Based Manufacturing Firms, Thomas Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Manufacturing is currently undergoing a fourth industrial revolution, referred to as Industry 4.0, enabled by digital technologies and advances in our ability to collect and use data. Quality 4.0 is the application of Industry 4.0 to enhance the quality function within an organization. Quality practitioners are uniquely positioned within organizations and already possess data application skillsets. Despite a perception that Quality 4.0 will be critical to future success shared by a majority of industry, most companies have not attempted to implement Quality 4.0 strategy, and those that have report very low rates of success. The goal of this study was …

Population Differences In Human Mandibular Growth, Madison Hubbart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Mandibles are one of the most common bones encountered in the human archaeological record. Variation in mandibular morphology is often associated with differences in subsistence strategy as masticatory stresses influence bone growth and development. Bone growth is stimulated by bone modeling, the process by which formation and resorption occur through the uncoupled activities of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, respectively. There is a limited understanding of bone modeling patterns in humans due to a lack of quantitative data and small sample sizes. The aim of this research was to address the question: is there a shared bone modeling pattern in the mandible …

It's In The Design: Student Perceptions Of Intercultural Interactions In Online Communication Classrooms, Darius Lana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This study identifies how intercultural interaction takes place in online communication courses within higher education. Radically politicized efforts to remove discussion around identity and difference from education and increased enrollment in online courses has raised a concern regarding the degree to which diversity, equity, and inclusion goals are being met in college classrooms generally and online sections specifically. This study identified how current pedagogical content, structure, and delivery of online communication courses may impact intercultural interaction and interaction. Findings indicate a need to address the design of online communication courses to better meet the desired intercultural interaction of the students …

Flow Theory In The Actor's Process: Can The Pursuit Of Optimal Experience Alleviate Anxiety?, Kimberly (Kimber) King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Using techniques from acting scholars and practitioners, this practice as research study seeks to lesson anxiety in actors by measuring the actor's preparation, rehearsal and performance process against each of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's conditions of flow. Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory describes flow as an "optimal experience" in which a person is so invested in their goals, there is "no threat for the self to defend against" (M. Csikszentmihalyi 76). His research identified conditions that when present, can induce a state of flow. However, actors can be plagued by negative thoughts and self-consciousness. While a certain amount of anxiety is expected and normal, …

Tin Hammock, Ian Lindsay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Tin Hammock features the first four chapters of a novel. The keystone setting is a trailer park called Oak Hammock, located on a developed pine forest reaching into the swamplands off U.S. 41. The subsidiary settings are predominantly written in Florida with occasional shifts elsewhere. The literary project was written with nods to the Faulknerian Southern Gothic, borrowing from traditions of science fiction and horror, with an emphasis on expanding the forms of past hegemonic narratives. The stories explore trauma and redemption, answering how characters have arrived and live, often in poverty and violence, in this trailer park. Tin Hammock …

Reflective Planar Optics With Cholesteric Liquid Crystal For Near-Eye Displays, Yannanqi Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Display market has undergone dramatic changes as the near eye displays (NED) are gaining increasing attention because they offer a deeper level of human-computer interaction with the advancement of electronic devices and computer sciences. The NEDs can be presented in two ways: virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). The former is completely immersive while the latter combines the digital information with the surrounding scenes. Although several VR headsets have been commercialized for consumers and AR products for prosumers because of their high cost, but there is still a long way to go to satisfy the strict requirements of human …

The Process Is A Journey, Victoria Micaletti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Actors are tasked with the opportunity to perform roles from multiple assorted styles of theatre performance throughout their career. How can performers best create an effective acting process that allows them to develop a pathway that is unique and dynamic across all styles to best embody the characters that they are cast as? I am seeking to refine and develop an approach that will be comprised of a series of steps which include exercises from the acting techniques of Jerzy Grotowski, Michael Chekhov, and Konstantin Stanislavski to create a character that is unique and dynamic. Through the investigation of the …

Perceived Barriers To And Comfort Levels With Hypothetical Intimate Partner Violence Help-Seeking Among Arab Americans, Jana Mostafa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Members of the Arab American community experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) face unique barriers to help-seeking and have different comfort levels with using formal and informal resources. This thesis surveyed Arab-Americans to identify perceived barriers and comfort levels with IPV help-seeking. A culturally informed and centered approach was taken to examine connections between individual level factors, perceived barriers and comfort levels in using resources. To do so, I gathered data via an online survey with 82 Arab American participants. Findings suggest that participants perceived the greatest barriers to seeking help for IPV are related to how others view and understand …

Creative Collaborations: An Arts Integrated Educational Business, Michele Perkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

One of the main reasons I have been attracted to the world of theatre is its versatility. Theatre incorporates many other disciplines: Science, Mathematics, History, Language, Philosophy, and Psychology to name a few. I have always had daydreams about running a school program that utilizes a play as the unifying force behind the research and application of traditional academic subject. When I first started as an English teacher, I created many projects that incorporated other disciplines, such as creative writing, acting, and music. When I began teaching theatre, I began to focus solely on skills that applied to theatre. I …

Justice For George Floyd: The Tipping Point?, Christopher C. Odom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Through the lens of the justice for Gorge Floyd protests, my dissertation offers a critique, consultation, creation, and contribution to the visual imagery emerging from the digital activism of social movements. Built upon a foundation of counterpublics, critical race counterstory, counternarratives, the Black public sphere, rhetorical-cultural narrative, rhetorical-cultural memory, visual social semiotics, hashtag activism, and media framing and schemas, I engage in a rhetorical-semiotic-technocultural analysis of the justice for George Floyd protests, as a social movement. I position myself as a visual specialist artist, activist, academic, and advisor for social movements engaged in social justice and social change. I argue …

Neural Dynamics Of Categorical Representations Used For Visual Search, Ashley Phelps

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Decades of visual attention research have predominantly used pictorial search paradigms that cue participants with the exact perceptual details of the target. However, in everyday life, people often search for categories rather than specific items (i.e., any pen rather than a specific pen). To study visual attention in a more realistic context, researchers can use categorical search paradigms that cue participants with text indicating the target category. In these instances, one must rely on long-term memory to retrieve categorical features of the target. Both experiments in this study were a reanalysis of experiments previously designed and collected by Schmidt and …