Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of Multicultural Literature In The Early Childhood Classroom, Deborah Wheeler, Jennifer Hill

Journal of English Learner Education

Culture equates to identity; therefore, the implementation of multicultural literature in the early childhood curriculum is an essential method for securing children’s concept of self and cultural identity. This qualitative study explored the implementation of multicultural literature in early childhood classrooms, and the research included questions pertaining to multicultural literature training, instructional methods, and barriers encountered. The purpose of the study was to answer questions regarding teachers use of multicultural literature in the classroom, how often teachers read multicultural literature and how teachers integrated multicultural literature into instruction. An additional question inquired about what multicultural books titles were teachers reading …

Examining The Prevalence And Representation Of Diverse Populations In Children's Literature Found In Elementary Classroom Libraries, Trishell M. Matthews

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to (1) examine the prevalence of diverse populations in the pieces of children’s literature found in three Title I third grade classrooms, and (2) to examine if the diverse populations are authentically and relevantly represented. Researchers have emphasized the impact and importance of children’s literature that represent student’s diverse backgrounds authentically and relevantly, as they have the potential to affect students’ motivations, aspirations, and how they view themselves and the world at large. Particularly, Bishop (1990) suggested that students need books that act as “mirrors” that allow them to see themselves, their experiences, and …

Authoring Inclusion: The Sonnet's Shifting Form, Aloysius Devine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The history of canonical love poetry is inaccurate without the inclusion of minoritized groups. The relevance of the sonnet’s incomplete history and its lingering impact on contemporary poetry are not examined enough within academia. The sonnet is taught through white-, straight-, and cisgender-centered lenses, contributing to the erasure of historically relevant sonneteers who do not align with these identities. This thesis celebrates the diverse history of sonneteering, while drawing attention to the remaining narrow-mindedness within the poetic community. This thesis dismantles traditional elements of the sonnet through varying form, subject matter, and stylistic choices.

When viewed in the physical form, …

Spark A Conversation On Metadata Inclusiveness, Sai Deng

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This session introduces the context for metadata inclusiveness and presents some of the efforts the speaker has been involved with, including helped create the Inclusive Metadata & Conscious Editing Resources List as a member of the Sunshine State Digital Network (SSDN) Metadata Working Group, and organized “Embracing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in Library Cataloging” for the ALA Core Interest Group Week in Spring 2021. It focuses on describing cases, examples and other resources from the SSDN Resources List, so as to give librarians and staff members in Technical Services at the University Central Florida Libraries a better understanding and …

Nursing Education For Lgbtq Patients: A Literature Review, Shelley A. Jones

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the United States (US), lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals are at an increased risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections, are less likely to receive recommended health screenings, are more likely to abuse alcohol and other substances, are at a higher risk for attempting suicide, and experience greater health disparities compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Compounding these health-related problems is a significant discrepancy whereby LGBTQ people have poor or no access to health care. One approach to correct the health disparities the LGBTQ community faces is through LGBTQ-specific health education for nursing students. A review of the …

Analyzing Children's Literature Awards, Literary Criteria, And District Demographics To Create A Diverse And Inclusive Elementary School Classroom Library, Casey L. Lavallee

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Future elementary school teachers are tasked with the responsibility to ensure that the children in their classrooms have access to high quality books every day. This can be accomplished by building classroom libraries with titles that are not only of high literary quality but are also inclusive of the students in the classroom as well as the people these children will encounter outside of the classroom. Children should be able to see themselves represented in the literature they read, and they should also be able to develop empathy for people who are different than they are. Diverse literature can have …

My Tv Wish List For Future: Latin-Culture Network But With English Dialogue, Amanda Osorio

UCF Forum

I am watching beautiful, empowering African American women being celebrated on a BET show called Black Girls Rock! The audience is full of African Americans celebrating their accomplishments, and network CEO Debra Lee and first lady Michelle Obama come out onstage to address these successful women.

University Theatres Should Open People's Eyes To New Ideas, Heather Gibson

UCF Forum

Content guides and advisories, which list all of the parts of a production that a viewer might find offensive, are becoming commonplace with theatre companies.

A Qualitative Assessment Of Preservice Teachers' Perceptions Of The At-Risk Student, Andrea M. Quintero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify preservice teachers’ perceptions of the at-risk student and their perceptions toward their educational preparation to effectively teach the at-risk student. A ten-question survey was conducted to gain insight on 15 preservice teachers’ perceptions of the at-risk student. The results showed that 100% of the preservice teachers believe at-risk students could learn, but then were dissatisfied with the training that the teacher preparation program at the university has provided them. These findings suggest the importance of conducting further research on preservice teachers’ preparation programs. Preservice teachers’ ability to effectively teach the at-risk student …

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 …

Broad Changes Are Needed To Move Toward Social Harmony, Vanessa Lopez-Littleton

UCF Forum

I wonder if the need for workplace-diversity initiatives is an indicator of an underlying societal issue? If so, could a more comprehensive approach to diversity serve as a catalyst for social transformation?

‘Be Nice To People’ – Grandmother’S Advice Could Fix Many Of World’S Problems, Anthony Major

UCF Forum

As I began to write this column, my ears were ringing with the news story of another senseless shooting. This time it’s of nine people at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.

Live, Learn – And Let Live, Anthony Major

UCF Forum

I grew up in a segregated community in Florida and attended supposedly “separate but equal” schools in a small town that had separate water fountains, bathrooms and even beaches, among other restrictions. We were expected to cross the street when a white woman was approaching and never look a white man in the eyes - that is if you didn’t want to appear defiant.

Sagging Pants Does Not Equate To Sagging Values, Vanessa Lopez-Littleton

UCF Forum

I teach a class in the DeVos Sport Business Management graduate program at the For years I’ve debated the issue of people wearing sagging pants with anyone who cared to listen. I’ve hesitated to speak publicly for fear people would think I was condoning the style of dress. For the record, I believe style is a matter of personal expression.

Hmong Americans In Higher Education: Exploring Their Sense Of Belongingness And The Concept Of The American Dream., Janet Daugherty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I conducted this study to examine Hmong American college students' perspectives on sense of belongingness and their idea on the American Dream. The college experience can serve as a precursor to improving the social and economic situation of the Hmong students when aligned with the personal desire to gain upward mobility and motivation to circumvent social and academic inconsistencies. The methodology of the study was designed for one-on-one phenomenological informal interviews with Hmong American college upper-classmen using a two-part interview protocol to elicit demographic and experiential information. Moustakas' approach to the analysis of data provided guidelines to review individual transcripts …

The Future Will Require Learning How To Exist In A Multicultural Society, Vanessa Lopez-Littleton

UCF Forum

Why should I have to tell my sons to respect the police?

Redefining America's Ethnicity, Gender And Race, Anthony Major

UCF Forum

When redefining the ethnicity, gender and race of American society, I find it is interrelated with the cultural dialogue. The African-American experience has always been tied to those topics.

Are Diversity And Inclusiveness Really Possible?, Vanessa Lopez-Littleton

UCF Forum

I recently overheard one manager ask another if he knew a nurse who was looking for a job. After a moment of thinking, he remembered someone. Within a week, an offer of employment was made for a great-paying job with a wonderful schedule. It is a position that will open doors and create opportunities as well as move this individual into circles he may not have been privy to otherwise

The Failure Of College Sport As An Equal Opportunity Employer, Richard Lapchick

UCF Forum

As someone who has worked for institutions of higher education for more than four decades, it is especially embarrassing for me that colleges have the worst record in sports for hiring women and people of color.

Life Is Like A Salad Bowl (Or Should Be!), Anthony B. Major

UCF Forum

Everyone in the world eats salad of some sort. We enjoy all the different ingredients in our salads depending on what we have a taste for at the time.

America Needs To Reclaim Status As 'Land Of Opportunity', Erin O'Flaherty

UCF Forum

If America really is the “land of opportunity,” then it is only fair that everyone truly should have equality while on life’s endeavors. Sadly, however, when I reflect on the evolution of our great country, I don’t believe we are the land of promise we once were. With the world so full of discrimination, the term “land of opportunity” often gives people false hope.

The New Flavors Of The Century: Salsa And Guacamole, Maritza Martinez

UCF Forum

Not too long ago, being Hispanic in the United States was…no bueno.

The Cost Of Being Me: Assessing The Consequences Of Compliance With Perceived Pressure To Assimilate In Work Roles, Tangela Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Acculturation refers to the process of change and adaptation that occurs between members of cultural groups, especially when one or more minority groups merge with the majority (Berry, 1980). In order to effectively manage diversity, organizational leaders are beginning to realize the importance of understanding the dynamics associated with cross cultural interactions in the workplace. This dissertation focuses on the acculturation mode of assimilation relative to the experiences of 101 African Americans employed in faculty and staff positions in colleges and universities located in the Southeastern United States. Specifically, the moderating role of ethnic identity on the relation between perceived …

The Lack Of Diversity On The Bench In Florida's State Courts, Verlinda Wells

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diversity in the judiciary is essential to ensure impartiality, public confidence, and the perception that all members of society are represented on the bench. Minorities and women are significantly underrepresented as judges in Florida in proportion to their numbers in the general population. Because we live in an increasingly global world, diversity is best described when people of different races, colors, ethnicity and genders work to develop a mutual respect for each other. It was important to use diversity in this research because it required recognition, understanding, and acceptance of the special contribution that each member of a group can …

College Of Health And Public Affairs Annual Report, 1995-1996, University Of Central Florida. College Of Health And Public Affairs

Research Activities & Annual Reports

University of Central Florida College of Health and Public Affairs Annual Report, 1995-1996.