Education Commons^™

A Macro Social Examination Of The Relationship Between Disabilities And Crime Using Neighborhood And County Level Data, Natasha A. Baloch

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the last few decades, there has been a consistent increase in mental illnesses in the US population. This has also lead to increased interactions of those with mental illnesses and/or disabilities with law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Despite these instances, there is limited research on the relationship between disabilities, mental health issues and crime in the large body of criminological research. Further, the current extant research is a) outside the field of Criminology, b) primarily focuses on those with only intellectual or developmental disabilities and/or c) does not examine this relationship at the macro level, despite evidence …

Inaccuracies In Patient Self-Report Of Genetic Testing Results For Hereditary Cancer Risks Could Impact Risk-Management Practices, Brittany Faye Sears

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pathogenic variants (PV) or likely pathogenic variants (LPV) in a cancer risk gene increase lifetime risks of developing cancer. National guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations on cancer risk management (CRM) strategies tailored to the cancer risks associated with PV/LPV in different genes. Emotional responses after learning of a PV/LPV have been studied as predictors of patient adherence to CRM, but less attention has been given to whether patients remember their actual genetic test results and the impact this may have on subsequent adherence to CRM. We surveyed a group of 114 participants registered with the Inherited Cancer Registry (ICARE), all of …

Reconceptualizing Global Citizenship: Experiences From Women Who Have Studied Abroad, Jessica L. Colston

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study used self-curated photo elicitation to express students’ awareness of power, privilege, and identity. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore how female undergraduate students interacted with their environment and conceptualized a critical understanding of global citizenship. As such, this inquiry asked: (1) To what extent do female undergraduate students from the United States who have participated in a study abroad program develop a critical understanding of global citizenship? (2) How are students’ awareness of power, privilege, and identity reflected in their documentation and narration of their experiences abroad?

Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory and transnational feminism explained …

Curricular Assemblages: Understanding Student Writing Knowledge (Re)Circulation Across Genres, Adam Phillips

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation proposes that the field of Writing Studies (WS) as well as writing program administrators (WPAs) should integrate quantitative methods into curricular assessment in order to improve pedagogical practices within their curricula. Through the use of the theoretical framework of assemblage theory, a theory that has been underutilized within WS, and the lens of linguistic, cultural, and substantive (LCS) language patterns, this study attempts to identify and understand student writing knowledge circulation and recirculation within one local curriculum. As well, with the incorporation of technological tools such as RAND-Lex, WPAs and WS researchers can identify granular patterns within student …

A Principal's Story Of Leadership: The Evolution Of School Culture In A School For Gifted Education, Lori Wiley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A school’s culture evolves over time and guides the ways in which those who interact within the school think, feel, and act. It is grounded in shared meanings, foundational beliefs, and value systems created by a school (Deal & Peterson, 2009). The principal plays a key and critical role in influencing and shaping school culture. The literature representing gifted education, school culture, and the role of the principal in shaping school culture is substantial; however, there is a gap in the literature that explores the role of the principal in gifted education and how the principal might shape the culture …

Racial And Ethnic Difference In Music Performance Self-Efficacy Among Undergraduate Students, George W. Shannon Ii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Musical self-efficacy is an area that has been studied in areas such as music performance (McCormick & McPherson, 2000; Zelenak, 2011) and music achievement (Zelenak, 2019). McPherson and McCormick (2006) conclude that the relationship between music self-efficacy and music performance is significant. With this understanding, the present study will determine if there is a significant difference by race or ethnicity in music performance self-efficacy among undergraduate students. Researchers have long reported the need for additional racially diverse studies in educational research with newer studies needed in music. Using the Music Performance Self-Efficacy Scale (MPSES), African-American, Caucasian, and Mixed responded to …

Instrumental Music Instruction And Executive Functions: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Romanian Children (10-12 Years), Adrian Sorin Iordache

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in verbal fluency, verbal memory, and processing speed of children (age 10-12) enrolled in a Romanian vocational music school as compared to a group enrolled in vocational visual arts school, and a group enrolled in a regular public school. This is the first study to assess children enrolled in a music school in Romania. A total of 105 participants (43 males and 62 females) 10 to 12 years old (M = 11.13, SD = .34) competed the testing. There were 36 participants (15 males and 21 females) in the music …

Labor-Based Grading Contracts In The Multilingual Fyc Classroom: Unpacking The Variables, Kara Kristina Larson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive, exploratory study’s purpose is to determine the effects of labor-based grading contracts on students whose historical exclusion results in their current day underrepresentation in higher education. A key component of this study is the emphasis on the student’s own perceptions and feelings about the use of labor-based grading contracts. Using a purposive sample of multilingual First-Year Composition (FYC) sections at an R1 university, I investigated the variables of labor-based grading contracts: demographics and written language characteristics, student motivation, ecological variables (i.e., perceptions of grading contracts), and academic performance measures. Research questions include: 1) How do labor-based grading contracts …

Pressure Retarded Osmosis: A Potential Technology For Seawater Desalination Energy Recovery And Concentrate Management, Joshua Benjamin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Currently, a significant challenge with reverse osmosis-based desalination is reducing the energy consumption and environmental impacts of the process. This project analyzed the viability of using pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) for energy recovery in seawater desalination facilities using brine concentrate (the draw solution) and other water sources (the feed solution) such as wastewater effluent. The primary goal of this project is to decrease the cost and overall energy consumption of seawater desalination through PRO-based energy recovery. Process modeling, statistical and sensitivity analysis, energy and cost analysis, geospatial and GIS analysis, laboratory-scale testing, water quality analysis, SEM-EDS microscopy, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), …

Spin Coupling In Magnetic Core - Shell Nanoparticles, Corisa Kons

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) have garnered much interest due to the unique properties that emergewhen compared to their bulk counterparts. In particular, core-shell (CS) NPs offer the ability to tailor the magnetic properties of the system through careful selection of core and shell constituent materials. In this work, the magnetic ordering of CS NPs with contrast in core/shell features (moment, anisotropy, coercivity, etc.) have been investigated using a combination of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy (XMCD) and polarized small angle neutron scattering (SANS). First, temperature-dependent analyses of XMCD and SANS studies were carried out for CS NPs featuring a core composed …

Internship And Job Acquisition Experiences Of Veterans In A Graduate Cybersecurity Degree Program, Stephen P. Gary

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

My purpose in this qualitative inquiry was to explore how student veterans experience cybersecurity internships and job acquisitions. I chose Schlossberg’s individual transition theory viewed through a constructivist lens to support the inquiry. Five participants, who completed graduate cybersecurity internships and acquired cybersecurity positions, provided responses. I employed semi-structured interviews to collect data from the participants. I engaged reflexive thematic analysis to guide my data analysis. Based on my analysis, I generated the following discoveries applicable to the inquiry: (a) opportunities for developing practical experience are regarded as essential for successful participation in an internship; (b) a flexible internship program …

An Assessment Of Nutrient Improvement In Surface Water Due To The Conversion Of Onsite Sewage Treatment And Disposal Systems To Sewerage, Jenelle A. Mohammed

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Florida represents approximately 12% of all onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS) in the United States. Properly designed, constructed and maintained OSTDS are effective eco- friendly alternatives for the treatment of domestic wastewater from households not serviced by public sewer systems. However, conventional OSTDS are not designed to effectively remove nitrogen. If installed and improperly used, they may contribute other pollutants. OSTDS have also been linked to degraded water quality in some regions. However, it has been difficult to quantify OSTDS impacts on water quality because of various confounding factors such as point and non-point sources of nutrient input. …

Material And Topographically Optimized Thermal Dissipation For High-Performance Electronic Devices Utilizing Vapor Chambers, Derek Joseph Daniels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Advances in materials science and engineering in the field of thermal transport and dissipation enable the use of higher-performance electronic devices that are smaller and generate more heat. Phase change thermal transport systems such as heat pipes and vapor chambers enable passive dissipation from devices that generate excessive heat without the need for actively pumped cooling systems. Properly designed vapor chamber enabled systems easily exceed the thermal conductivity of manufactured diamond at a small fraction of the cost.[1][2][3] While heat pipe phase change systems are generally one-dimensional with a limited cross section, vapor chambers are generally two-dimensional with a small …

Comprehensive Leadership Development: Principal Characteristics, Experience And Performance, Gregory Basham

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The significance of the principal’s role in creating a generative learning environment to influence student achievement is well documented in research (Davis et al., 2017; Hitt & Tucker, 2016; Leithwood, 2012; Leithwood, & Jantzi, 2008; Sebastian et al., 2017). This research has led to the creation of frameworks for developing leaders and constructs identifying effective leadership practices (Leithwood, 2012; Murphy et al., 2006; Sebring et al., 2006), but very little research has been done to investigate the relationship between prior roles and principal performance. Research designed to focus on the professional background of effective principals, the relationship of how prior …

Advances In Global Education And Research: Volume 4, Waynne B. James, Cihan Cobanoglu, Muhittin Cavusoglu

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This is the fourth volume of the Advances in Global Education and Research Book Series. This volume has the following parts:

• Part 1: Adult Education
• Part 2: Curriculum and Instruction Development
• Part 3: Educational Technology
• Part 4: Education in Other Specialties
• Part 5: English as a Second Language
• Part 6: Global Competence
• Part 7: Higher Education and Educational Leadership
• Part 8: Inclusive Education
• Part 9: International Education
• Part 10: PreK-12
• Part 11: Research Methods in Education

ISBN: 978-1-955833-04-2

Adult Education

• Teaching for knowledge transfer: Best practices from a graduate-level educational psychology distance learning program
  • Bobby Hoffman
• A study on the …

Financial Threat And Financial Literacy On Willingness To Change The Financial Behavior, Salman B. Memon, Abdul S. Dahri, Ayaz A. Maitlo

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Grounded on “Theory of Planned Behaviour” (TPB), this study analyzes the influence of financial threat and financial literacy on ‘willingness to change’ the financial behavior. The ‘primary data’ collected from the university students by using convenience sampling technique. Multiple regression results shows that financial literacy and financial threat has significant influence on willingness to change the financial behavior of the university students. This implies that increase in the financial threat leads to change in the financial behavior, which supports the fact that investor’s intention to invest is affected by different factors. Employing TPB thus offer researchers to enhance understanding in …

Fiber-Based Supercapacitor For Wearable Electronics, Rohit Lallansingh Yadav

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Supercapacitors are significant devices that are used for energy storage and also have the capability of delivering energy at a faster rate than batteries. The increase in the significance of portable and wearable electronic equipment giving rise to pace in the development of flexible supercapacitor and flexible electrodes in recent years. A fiber-based supercapacitor (FSCs) is one of the most significant devices which have even helped us give pace knowing the properties of supercapacitor. These FSCs are said to have excellent electrochemical properties and flexibility. This did make function it in different forms of individual fibers or integrated textiles which …

Development And Validation Of A Scale To Measure Songwriting Self-Efficacy (Sses) With Secondary Music Students, Patrick K. Cooper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Social cognitive theory was developed to explain how individuals learn, in part, by witnessing the behavior of others. Self-efficacy is a construct within social cognitive theory which indicates the beliefs that an individual can be successful at a task under specific situational demands. The sources of self-efficacy include self-evaluating past experiences to predict future success, comparing our abilities to those around us, the verbal and social feedback we get from others, and the physiological feelings we experience when engaged in or thinking about the task. Measures of self-efficacy have been shown to be accurate predictors of successful learning outcomes, achievement, …

Advanced Organic Polymers For The Nanoscale Fabrication Of Fiber-Based Electronics Using The Electrospinning Technique, William Serrano Garcia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Electrospinning has become one of the most interesting techniques for fabricating nanofibers for multiple applications. The high surface-to-volume ratio nanofibers offer make the perfect structure for filters, sensors, and fiber-based electronics that could lead to a wide range of flexible electronics applications. This technique makes organic semiconducting polymers a promising alternative for single fiber electronics structures. Indeed, a wide variety of structures can be fabricated using electrostatic techniques for polymer manipulation from droplets, fibers, and coaxial structures. Although techniques such as electrospinning led the use of electrostatic forces to generate fibers of a precursor solution, electrospinning requires large enough polymer …

Measuring Parental Involvement As Parental Actions In Children’S Private Music Lessons In China, Cancan Cui

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anonymity has long been discussed as a source of disinhibition. The myth of the Ring of Gyges illustrates how a person may act immorally solely because they know they will not be caught (Plato, 375/2017). Incorporating perspectives of rational choice and deterrence, anonymity serves as a form of risk reduction within hedonistic calculus (Beccaria, 1764/1963; Bentham, 1781/2000). Analogous to the myth of the Ring of Gyges (Plato, 375/2017), techniques of anonymity “hide” users from others while online. These techniques serve as a form of risk reduction, reducing the certainty of punishment (Becarria 1764/1963). Additionally, there are many ways by which …

Mbe Growth And Modifications Of Early Transition Metal Tellurides, Paula Mariel Coelho

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two dimensional (2D) materials present interesting property variation when compared to bulk materials as they are single layer materials with reduced dimensions effects, minimal interlayer interactions and may present changes in lattice symmetry. Van der Waals (vdW) materials are layered materials with strong in-plane covalent bonds and weak out-of-plane vdW forces, which allows crystals to be isolated down to a single molecular layer and these single layers to be classified as 2D materials. The ability of combining these materials independent of lattice matching and modifying electronic properties by using vdW heterostructures makes them promising materials for electronic devices applications. Moreover, …

Ethical Leadership And Decision Making: Learning From The Perspectives Of Experienced High School Administrators, Samuel A. Mclain

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Researchers and practitioners in educational leadership have used multiple ethical paradigms, such as ethics of care, critique, community, and the profession, to better understand how ethical decisions are made (Dempster et al., 2004). Research in this field noted a gap in ethical leadership skills possessed by leaders and addressed ways in which leaders could gain these skills (Begley & Stefkovich, 2007; Langlois & Lapointe, 2010; Mullen, 2017). But, how do leaders come to understand ethical leadership and decision making, particularly in the context of a particular school or district?

This study used a qualitative, phenomenological design with the researcher incorporating …

Flow Visualization And Aerosol Characterization Of Respiratory Jets Exhaled From A Mannequin Simulator, Sindhu Reddy Mutra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It is important to understand the airborne transmission of infectious diseases due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical experiments were conducted to understand the dispersion of aerosols emitted from a mannequin simulator replicating human tidal breathing through the nose and mouth with and without a protective face mask in an enclosed space. Flow patterns are observed via high-speed visualization, and the concentration and size distribution of the particles is measured as a function of distance from the mannequin using an optical particle sizer. Masks were shown to effectively reduce the horizontal dispersion of aerosol for both mouth and nose breathing. Further, …

Blaine Amendments And The Judiciary: An Analysis Of Government Aid To Religious Schools, Dustin A. Robinson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

First introduced in 1875, Blaine Amendments restrict private, parochial schools from utilizing publicly acquired funds. While the federally proposed Blaine Amendment died on the Senate floor, 37 states have adopted constitutional language that limits and/or bars religious schools from receiving public funds. Fraught with bigotry and labeled as discriminatory, such measures have not gone without challenge and the judicial system has delivered numerous decisions on funding public and private schools. However, jurisprudence reveals significant shifts in court decisions over time. Through analysis of Supreme Court cases from Everson v. Board of Education (1947) to Espinoza v. Montana (2020), this work …

Do I Belong? What Students Teach Us About Belonging To A New University, Jennifer Ann Scaia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Foundational to this evaluation study, the participating institution aspired to improve its retention rate. Students’ perceived sense of belonging has been identified as an important variable related to student retention and persistence (Bean & Eaton, 2000; Strayhorn 2012; Strayhorn 2019; Tinto, 2017). For students to succeed beyond their first year in college, it is fundamentally important that they view themselves as valued members of the university community (Bean & Eaton, 2000; Bollen & Hoyle, 1990; Murphy, 2016).

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how undergraduate students, predicted as less likely to retain into their second year, described their …

Social Studies Through The Visual Arts: A Case Study Of A Professional Development Program On Teachers' Curricular And Instructional Decision-Making, Cristina M. Viera

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ongoing educational reforms and the accountability movement in public education can pose significant challenges for teachers as they strive to meet a critical, social-justice vision for the social studies. Teachers’ continued professional growth and learning are viewed as the main factors towards achieving this goal; however, quite often the long-term impact of professional development goes unexplored. This qualitative case study explores the impact of an arts-based professional development program called InsideART on social studies teachers’ decisions for curriculum development and instruction. Semi-structured interviews, curricular and instructional artifacts, and researcher’s reflective journaling illuminated the impact of InsideART on social studies teacher-participants’ …

A Study Of The Implementation Of Technology In The Elementary Setting, Matthew J. Hoff

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this self-study was to explore the technology implementation that took place at one Title I elementary school over the course of a four-year period. The implementation of technology in the school was undertaken for three specific reasons: to invigorate school culture, to enhance classroom instruction, and to raise student achievement.

The research of the technology implementation at Comet Elementary used a self-study approach. Data collected and analyzed during the self-study included the following: school culture and climate surveys, teacher evaluations and observations, student standardized assessments, school budgets, teacher technology integration surveys, and student technology integration surveys.

The …

Parallel Computation Of Feynman Path Integrals And Many-Body Polarization With Application To Metal-Organic Materials, Brant H. Tudor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Space Research Group is a computational outfit, and so the work presented herein will reflect that. Much of our simulation code is developed in-house and so what follows is a small exploration of that development—although the physics underpinning our software development is never ignored for long. Following the programming centric work, the code and the physics are put to the test. The final chapter describes a scientific endeavor in which a new, robust force field has been validated. Indeed, the new potential has taken a first step in proving itself by making accurate predictions in what have historically found …

Dismantling Hegemony Through Inclusive Sexual Health Education, Lauren Wright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the process of developing a sexual health education curriculum that is not only tailored to the unique needs of foster-engaged young women, but also those who may experience further marginalization from other mainstream programs due to their race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or their religious beliefs. In conjunction with the Adolescent Sexual Health Education and Research (ASHER) Program, I helped develop a sexual health education curriculum, "Choosing Myself," targeted toward foster-engaged young women and young women (ages 13-24) in the state of Florida. "Choosing Myself" is intended to be an inclusive program that empowers participants, improves their …

The Validation Of The Self Advocacy Skills Inventory Beta, Richard Aaron Chapman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study is meant to explore the psychometric properties of The Self-Advocacy Skills Inventory Beta. The Beta is a measurement of self-advocacy skills for individuals with different disabilities. This dissertation presents the results of a confirmatory factor analysis, as well as an examination of reliability of the Beta as well as its scales. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the theorized factor structure of The Self-Advocacy Skills Beta did not fit the data. However, the Self-Advocacy Skills Inventory Beta is measuring self-advocacy skills reliably. Implications for counseling education and future development of The Self-Advocacy Skills Beta are …