Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Moderating Effect Of Training Content Complexity On The Relationship Between Training Media And Training Outcomes, Benjamin P. Granger

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Web-based training (WBT) and classroom instruction (CI) constitute two training media that are commonly employed by organizations. Although the effectiveness of one medium relative to the other depends on a number of factors (e.g., Sitzmann, Kraiger, Stewart, & Wisher, 2006) this study aims to address several methodological issues common in the extant media research and investigate the moderating role of training content complexity on the relationship between media and important training outcomes. Utilizing a 2x2 experimental design, one hundred forty-two undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of four training courses. Each training course involved a PowerPoint 2007 training tutorial …

Sharing The Power Of Words And Changing Lives Through College-Level Instruction In Grammar And Mechanics, Carol Ann Tillema

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Intrigued by the English language and its far-reaching applications worldwide as a standard means of communication, I begin my disquisition with a focus on the meaning and derivation of grammar and its place in the trivium of ancient and modern study. I stress the need to reemphasize college-level instruction in grammar and mechanics as a complement to rhetoric and logic by studying and teaching editing, which involves semantics, syntax, phonology, morphology, conventions, mechanics (spelling, punctuation and format), in writing centers and classrooms. Noting growing nationwide illiteracy, I research the pedagogies and writing of experts in the field of rhetoric and …

The Role Of Image Resolution To Locomotion Tasks In Virtual Desktop Wayfinding, Lisa Dawn Anderson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An experimental study at a large research university evaluated the role of image resolution on 60 participant's locomotion tasks in an interior virtual desktop wayfinding environment. Four virtual environments were developed using different resolutions for wayfinding images including high level 150 ppi, medium high level 100 ppi, medium level 75 and low level 30 ppi images. The environment was designed to accommodate forward, backward, sideways and figure 8 locomotion tasks as defined by the VEPAB. The effects of the different image resolutions on time-on-task performance scores to navigate through the environment, object-based visual attention as recorded by two eye movements …

Naturalism In The Philosophies Of Dewey And Zhuangzi: The Live Creature And The Crooked Tree, Christopher C. Kirby

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation will compare the concept of nature as it appears in the philosophies of the American pragmatist John Dewey and the Chinese daoist Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) and will defend two central claims. The first of these is that Dewey and Zhuangzi share a view of nature that is non-reductive, philosophically liberal, and more comprehensive than the accounts recurrent in much of the Western tradition. This alternate conception of nature is non-reductive in the way that it avoids the physically mechanistic outlook underwriting much of contemporary Anglo-American thought. It is philosophically liberal in that it accepts a more generous and …

The Effect Of A Reasoning Warning On Faking In Personality Testing For Selection And The Perception Of Procedural Justice, T Ryan Dullaghan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A major concern with using personality tests in the selection process is the prevalence of applicant faking behavior which can influence the rank order of applicants such that fakers are hired at an elevated frequency. This study examined the effects of the detection/consequence warning and a more applicant-friendly warning on faking and perceived procedural justice. I hypothesized that a positive warning (reasoning warning) and a detection/consequence warning would show similar mean personality trait levels compared to honest responses, with all means showing less socially desirable responding than no warning prompt. Results suggested that the detection/consequence warning is more effective at …

Self-Directed Learning: Measures And Models For Salesperson Training And Development, Stefanie Leigh Boyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Academic researchers and marketing practitioners are exploring methods to improve salesperson training. Recently, self-directed learning projects were proposed as a new paradigm for learning to take place in the sales domain (Artis & Harris, 2007). Current conceptual work provides a strong foundation for understanding salesperson self-directed learning; however, prior to quantitatively testing proposed models, scales must be created and modified to address salesperson specific learning endeavors. The purpose of this dissertation is: 1) to develop scales to measure salesperson willingness to use self-directed learning projects (SDLP's), 2) to develop a conceptual model of salesperson self-directed learning, 3) to modify current …

Responding To Crises: A Test Of The Situational Crisis Communication Theory, Courtney Wright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Crisis management includes efforts designed to prevent and to detect potential crises, and to learn from crisis experiences. The SCCT posits that certain crisis responses (matched) produce better outcomes for organizations than others (unmatched), depending on the situation. In addition, the results from this study attempt to support the situational crisis communication theory in aiding crisis managers in protecting their organizations against crises.

Considerations Of Multicultural Science And Curriculum Reform: A Content Analysis Of State-Adopted Biology Textbooks In Florida, Margaret H. Delgato

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the extent to which multicultural science education, including indigenous knowledge representations, had been infused within the content of high school biology textbooks. The study evaluated the textbook as an instructional tool and framework for multicultural science education instruction by comparing the mainstream content to indigenous knowledge perspectives portrayed in the student and teacher editions of 34 textbooks adopted in Florida within the last four adoption cycles occurring from 1990 to 2006. The investigation involved a content analysis framed from a mixed methods approach. Emphasis was placed, in consideration of the research questions …

A Case Study In Public K-12 Education: Hispanic Female (Latinas) School Administrators’ Perceptions Of Their Role And Experiences As Principals Within Central Florida, Martha Santiago

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A gradual but significant change in America's demographic composition has occurred during the last few years. Millions of Hispanic students, many of them immigrants, have been absorbed in the nation's schools, turning public institutions into multiracial, multicultural, and to some degree, multilingual sites (Tallerico, 2001; Ferrandino, 2001).

In light of the demographic changes and the important role of school leaders, how is the Hispanic principal in the K-12 public schools reflecting the growth of the Hispanic school population? This research studies perceptions the Hispanic female principal attached to their role and role expectations as a principal.

This qualitative case study …

The Provision Of Spousal Support: Antecedents, Consequences, And Crossover Effects, Jay M. Dorio

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study had four main objectives. First, the relationship between the provision of spousal support and its theoretical antecedents and consequences was assessed as informed by the conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989). Second, the crossover of physicians' work interference with family conflict on their spouses' family demands (perceived family demands and family hours) was investigated. Next, the mediating role of social support as an explanation for the crossover process was examined using two distinct pathways. Lastly, the fourth objective of the present study was to investigate the relationships described above across multiple time points and using dual-source data …

Siento Que Tambien Yo Podria Borrarme Con Facilidad: Epistolaridad Y Constitucion Del(Os) Sujeto(S) En Querido Diego, Te Abraza Quiela, Pablo A.J. Brescia

World Languages Faculty Publications

A través del personaje de Angelina Beloff, la escritora refiere no sólo una autobiografía sino el mundo interno de un conflicto aparentemente irresoluble. La forma epistolar permite adentrarse en la intimidad de la pintora para narrar desde dentro la historia de un desamor.
The writer uses an autobiography of the character of Angelina Beloff to explain an apparently unresolvable conflict. The epistolary format allows us to delve into the intimacy of a narration of unhappy love.

My Enemy’S Enemy Is My Friend: Why Holding The Same Negative Attitudes Of Others Promotes Closeness, Jonathan R. Weaver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Holding the same negative, as compared to positive, attitudes about a third party has been shown to predict increased liking for a future interaction partner (Bosson, Johnson, Niederhoffer, & Swann, 2006). The current work extended past research by examining two possible mediators of this effect: perceptions of "knowing" the future interaction party, and state self-esteem. Participants learned that they held the same positive or negative attitude of a professor with a future interaction partner, and then rated their feelings of "knowing" their partner, their own state self-esteem, and the closeness they felt to their future interaction partner. It was predicted …

Ecological Coexistence: A Nature Retreat And Education Center On Rattlesnake Key, Terra Ceia, Florida, Richard F. Peterika

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Applied ecology has been used to design communities around the world; however suburban neighborhoods in west central Florida do not usually utilize existing or potential ecological function as a modeling parameter or success measure.

Since the end of the great depression, developments in the Tampa Bay Area have displaced many wetland and upland natural communities. Private ownership and development of sensitive natural lands have restricted their use and hampered the functional longevity of important ecological systems in this area. These displaced areas have historically functioned as habitat for many types of animal life, have passively conveyed nutrient loads, and have …

Managing Geographic Data As An Asset: A Case Study In Large Scale Data Management, Clay Smithers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Geographic data is a hallowed element within the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) discipline. As geographic data faces increased usage in distributed and mobile environments, the ability to access and maintain that data can become challenging. Traditional methods of data management through the use of file storage, databases, and data catalog software are valuable in their ability to organize data, but provide little information about how the data was collected, how often the data is updated, and what value the data holds for an organization. By defining geographic data as an asset it becomes a valuable resource that requires acquisition, maintenance …

Redefining What Is Sacred, Sarah A. Sisson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within the last twenty years, Evangelical Protestants, primarily in the southeastern United States, transformed the functions of their churches from a traditional sacred gathering space to an open outreach resource for the community. Architectural form did not follow these new functions and the complexity of their modern spatial usage has never been resolved. Modern typologies, such as the mega-center or its smaller counter-part the metal building chapel, ignore their responsibility to the community as a symbolic presence.

Protestant churches began community outreach programming like life wellness series and youth enrichment programs. Once viewed as secular, these programs increased accessibility of …

Design And Implementation Of A Hard Real-Time Telerobotic Control System Using Sensor-Based Assist Functions, Eduardo J. Veras-Jorge

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a novel concept of a hard real-time telerobotic control system using sensory-based assistive functions combining autonomous control mode, force and motion-based virtual fixtures, and scaled teleoperation. The system has been implemented as a PC-based multithreaded, real-time controller with a haptic user interface and a 6-DoF slave manipulator. A telerobotic system is a system that allows a human to control a manipulator remotely and the human control is combined with computer control. A telerobotic control system with sensor-based assistance capabilities enables the user to make high-level decisions, such as target object selection, and it enables the system to …

Metadrama And Antitheatricality In Shakespeare’S King Lear And Troilus And Cressida, Douglas R. Willcox

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Shakespeare uses metadrama as a rhetorical vehicle for responding to antitheatricalism; realistic drama and staged theatricality therefore coexist in his plays. The cultural context of the early modern era, especially its antitheatrical rhetoric and the predominance of theatricality throughout the structures of its society, illumines the interaction of metadrama and antitheatricality Shakespeare's plays, particularly Troilus and Cressida and King Lear. By failing to consider adequately the unique nature of the emergence of early modern theater and the equally distinct reaction to its popularity, previous scholarship considering antitheatricality has exhibited essentialism and a universalizing tendency similar to that of the …

Living Chassis: Learning From The Automotive Industry; Site Specifi C, Prefabricated, Systems Architecture, Christopher Emilio Emiliucci Cox

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Suburban Americans suffer from homes built with: a low standard of craftsmanship, poor efficiency of construction, excessive use of material resources and a disregard for their site. Architectural diversity is at a low, driven by a consolidation of homebuilders and fewer floor plans. The current home production workflow from commission to build pales in comparison to the automotive industries solutions.

Influenced by heavy machinery and hot swappable computers, ideas are born for a better way to build houses. These ides evolve though understanding the principles of several successful vehicles, analyzing census data, and studying floor plans.

The flexible autonomous systems …

Great Apes And Other Stories, Ryan Zimmerman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Thoreau said that, "in wildness is the preservation of the world." The characters in the following collection of stories might be tempted to rephrase that statement to read, "in wildness is the preservation of the criminal world." These stories feature wild places where the natural world often is not as dangerous as the people who seek refuge in the borderlands between wilderness and civilization.

Many crime stories take place in cities-for good reason. More people usually equates with more crime. However, anywhere that people choose to live, crime is sure to follow-crime against each other, crime against themselves, and even …

Daughter Of The Moon And Other Stories, Shannon Zimmerman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

All of the protagonists in this collection of stories are starving. The world around them buzzes with the electric hum of modern society, a siren song that tempts these girls and women with the promise of love, opportunity, affluence, and dreams. Instead, they find themselves lost somehow, left behind, victims of circumstance, confused by dysfunctional families, and romanced by the media. They no longer know themselves, and stumble in their quest for happiness. They are lured into competitions with imaginary adversaries, and sometimes lose. The less control they have in their own lives, the more desperate they become, often going …

Benthic Microalgae And Nutrient Flux In Florida Bay, Usa, Merrie Beth Neely

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to address the relationship between benthic microalgal communities and the phosphate nutrient dynamics of Florida Bay sediments and how they relate to benthic and water column primary production. In situ phosphate (P) flux between the sediment and the water column was measured in three regions of Florida Bay. Differences in the ratio of inorganic to organic phosphate flux were found between the three regions in relation to the amount of phosphate measured in the water column. Based upon the average sediment flux in my study, more than 1600 metric tons of P would be …

Reside…Commute…Visit... Reintegrating Defined Communal Place Amongst Those Who Engage With Tampa’S Built Environment, Matthew D. Suarez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The phenomenon of place has always been a key issue of inquiry throughout theoretical discourse in relation to architecture and urban planning. To comprehend such a phenomenon, one must begin to understand how to concretize the factors that can be used to create such a meaningful environment. With respect to such a topic, what becomes of interest are the four primary elements that come together to illustrate how the structure and spirit of place are defined. Space, character, orientation, and identification are the elements that begin to provide such a definition.

Ever since the end of the Second World War, …

Linking Health Hazards And Environmental Justice: A Case Study In Houston, Texas, Marilyn Marie Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation seeks to extend quantitative research on environmental justice and address methodological limitations of previous studies by: (a) using new indicators of exposure to air pollution and contemporary risk modeling techniques; (b) assessing disparities in human health risks, instead of focusing only on potential exposure or proximity to pollution sources; and (c) using multivariate regression models that consider the effects of spatial dependence. The case study examines racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in the geographic distribution of exposure to airborne toxic emissions from industrial point sources in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria metropolitan statistical area. Industrial pollution sources for this study comprise facilities …

Development Of Novel Biocompatible Hydrogel Coatings For Implantable Glucose Sensors, Chunyan Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Due to sensor -tissue interactions, currently none of the commercially available glucose sensors are capable of continuous, reliable monitoring of glucose levels during long-term implantation. In order to improve the lifetime of implanted glucose sensors, two series of biocompatible novel hydrogel coatings were designed, synthesized and the physical properties were measured.

Different hydrogels with various 2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate (DHPMA) compositions were coated onto glucose sensors. Results show that the higher freezable water content, swelling rate and uniform porosity that resulted from high DHPMA content increased the sensitivity and shortened the response time of glucose sensors. The linear range of a glucose …

Analysis Of Pump Oil And Alkanes Evaporation, Nathaniel A. Waldstein

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are many products, including hard drives, which require trace amounts, on the order of several mg, of lubricants for proper operation. The following study investigated the evaporation rates of pump oil and several alkanes, which have a wide range of applications, using a thermogravimetric machine. Both static and dynamic temperature tests were conducted. The rate of evaporation of the test specimen was determined as the percentage of mass loss per unit time. Using the Arrhenius Equation, the activation energy of the evaporation process, Ea, can be calculated as the slope of the best fit line for a plot of …

Determination Of Decay Rates And Differential Survival Of Escherichia Coli And Enterococcus Spp. Strains Under Hydrodynamically Active Conditions Using Box-Pcr Typing, Phoebe West Koch

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Indicator organisms (IOs) such as Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. are used to predict the presence of pathogens in waters. Determining the relationships between environmental factors, IOs, and pathogens is a key to assessing water quality and ensuring public health, yet certain strains of E. coli and Enterococcus spp. survive for long periods in natural waters. Molecular subtyping, using repetitive extragenic palindromic DNA sequences (BOX-PCR), has been used to discriminate among environmental E. coli and Enterococcus spp. isolates. The reproducibility of BOX-PCR patterns varies with DNA purification methods; therefore, it is important to develop a standardized, rapid, high throughput DNA …

Architectural Strategies In Reducing Heat Gain In The Sub-Tropical Urban Heat Island, Mark A. Blazer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Most scientists agree that the earth's temperature continues to rise. The heat gain is more pronounced in urban areas due to a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. The urban heat island effect is a seemingly inevitable result of urban development, which has far reaching consequences. With energy costs skyrocketing and the destruction of the environment at risk, urban structures and buildings must do more to make our urban settings more environmentally friendly.

So far, there are two well known ways to combat these effects. First, the heat island can be slightly be negated by adding well-watered vegetation …

Blurring The Disconnect: [Inter]Positioning Place Within A Struggling Context, Eric Luttmann

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Downtown Tampa, a struggling city core, will continue to struggle as it holds no true identity to its relationship with important surrounding context, as well as within itself. Evidence in the lack of inhabitable, urban spaces with the scale and comfort to support integral human activity on a day-to-day basis has resulted in the absence of a city center within downtown.

One lost opportunity for downtown is its disconnection with the University of Tampa, one that could result in an activated edge condition. As UT appears vertically congruous with downtown, it has no relationship as it is separated from it …

The First Icomde A Library For The Information Age, Daniel Elias Todd

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The library has existed as a repository for knowledge for centuries. However, in spite of the information revolution and its watershed component, the internet, this institution has found itself fundamentally unchanged. Great strides have been taken to adapt the library to this changing world, but these incremental changes are timid and reactionary.

Through the internet the floodgates have opened; individuals are creating and sharing information both personal and academic, in the form of not-so-private journals, works of creative fiction, works of journalism, works of scholarship, and every other form of intellectual (and not so intellectual) propagation imaginable.

Additionally, advances in …

Urban Fabric As A Calayst For Architectural Awareness: Center For Architectural Research, Bernard C. Wilhelm

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Architects throughout have been forced to practice design surrounded by a society that generally lacks of architectural awareness and interest. A growing trend to transition from a relatively isolated profession into a field that promotes stronger public involvement is critical for architecture to evolve. Within the past 10 years, the growth of architectural centers have begun to dissolve the barrier between the profession and the general public in that their primary function regardless of what form they represent, is to introduce and educate issues of architecture that are an inescapable part of our built environment.

An investigation of architectural research …