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Electronic Theses and Dissertations

2014

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Full-Text Articles in Education

An Examination Of School Principals' Moral Reasoning And Decision-Making Along The Principalship Track And Across Years Of Experience, Trent Ling Jan 2014

An Examination Of School Principals' Moral Reasoning And Decision-Making Along The Principalship Track And Across Years Of Experience, Trent Ling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research by Vitton & Wasonga (2009) and Strenth (2013) found public school K-12 principals struggling in the moral reasoning and decision-making measures of the second Defining Issues Test ("DIT-2"). In response to these studies, this research sought to collect, to examine, and to compare DIT-2 data for educational leaders at various stages of the principalship track in an effort to determine and/or to isolate the locus of principals' reported underperformance. The moral reasoning and decision-making of regular-education K-12 public school principals and assistant principals in Florida, and current master's degree students in educational leadership programs at a large public …


Ethical Decision-Making In Higher Education: A Sociological Examination Of Graduate Students' Understanding Of Appropriate Academic Sharing, Jennifer Parham Jan 2014

Ethical Decision-Making In Higher Education: A Sociological Examination Of Graduate Students' Understanding Of Appropriate Academic Sharing, Jennifer Parham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most prior research and scholarship views cheating as an individual failing rather than a sociological or organizational phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges students face in graduate education and the factors that affect ethical beliefs towards academic dishonesty. This study used a mixed method research approach including an online survey with approximately 1,250 responses from graduate students representing each of UCF's colleges and fifteen interviews with students in fourteen different disciplines. Results of the online survey indicated no significant differences between international and domestic students. Survey and interview data indicate that graduate students' perceptions of …


Game-Based Strategies Implementation During Social Skills Training For Non-Elementary Aged Individuals, Joan Fenaughty Jan 2014

Game-Based Strategies Implementation During Social Skills Training For Non-Elementary Aged Individuals, Joan Fenaughty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of practice that has been identified is the lack of games as a social skills tool. Individuals with Autism may face many daily challenges. One of the known deficits for this population is their challenges related to social skills. One way to provide social skills instruction is through game-based strategies. When thinking about play it is not uncommon to automatically envision young children, but the inclusion of game-based play during social skills instruction can be appropriate for all age groups. As children age interventions tend to move away from the inclusion of play. In order to teach social …


Global Perspectives Of Pre-Service Teachers: A Comparative Study, Cynthia Poole Jan 2014

Global Perspectives Of Pre-Service Teachers: A Comparative Study, Cynthia Poole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The importance of global education cannot be overstated in modern American society. A crucial first step to promoting global perspectives in the K-12 classroom is to ensure that the teachers have developed their own global perspectives. Multiple global education frameworks have suggested that two keys to globalizing teacher education curricula are the integration of global content courses and participation in co-curricular cross-cultural experiences. Therefore, this study sought to determine the extent to which global content courses and co-curricular cross-cultural experiences had been integrated into the teacher preparation of pre-service teachers in multiple certification areas at a large public university in …


Antecedents And Consequences Of Customer Experience In Beverage Establishments, Milos Bujisic Jan 2014

Antecedents And Consequences Of Customer Experience In Beverage Establishments, Milos Bujisic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is estimated that there are approximately 42,000 beverage establishments in the U.S. whose annual revenue surpasses $20 billion (First Research, 2014). To facilitate discussion of beverage establishments, it is essential to recognize beverage establishments as businesses whose majority of sales come from alcoholic drinks (Moss, 2010a). In this research, beverage establishments are divided into beverage-only bars, bar/entertainment combinations, and food and beverage combinations. Even though they are a well-established industry, beverage establishments have received little academic attention (Moss, 2010b). For example, previous studies have given little attention to the development of the model that examines the relationships between quality …


Hope And Low Level Literacy Of Haitians In Petit-Goave: Implications For Hope Theory And Adult Literacy Education, Donita Grissom Jan 2014

Hope And Low Level Literacy Of Haitians In Petit-Goave: Implications For Hope Theory And Adult Literacy Education, Donita Grissom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional study extended Snyder's Hope Theory (1991) by analyzing the difference in trait hope levels, pathway thinking, and agency thinking of pre-literate (no prior access to literacy) and non-literate (access to literacy, but little or no prior literacy education) Haitian adults. The data were derived from archival records of 135 students enrolled in Haitian-Kreyol adult literacy classes in Petit-Goave, Haiti. Mann-Whitney U results indicated that there were no significant differences in trait hope, pathway thinking, or agency thinking between the pre-literate and non-literate Haitian adults. Both groups reported average trait hope, average pathway thinking, and low agency thinking. Potential …


Investigating The Relationships Between Preferences, Gender, And High School Students' Geometry Performance, Bhesh Mainali Jan 2014

Investigating The Relationships Between Preferences, Gender, And High School Students' Geometry Performance, Bhesh Mainali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this quantitative study, the relationships between high school students' preference for solution methods, geometry performance, task difficulty, and gender were investigated. The data was collected from 161 high school students from six different schools at a county located in central Florida in the United States. The study was conducted during the 2013-2014 school year. The participants represented a wide range in socioeconomic status, were from a range of grades (10-12), and were enrolled in different mathematics courses (Algebra 2, Geometry, Financial Algebra, and Pre-calculus). Data were collected primarily with the aid of a geometry test and a geometry questionnaire. …


Identifying The Initial Mental Health Messages Of Army Rotc Students And Exploring Their Connection To Mental Health Stigma And Help-Seeking Behaviors, Kristopher Hall Jan 2014

Identifying The Initial Mental Health Messages Of Army Rotc Students And Exploring Their Connection To Mental Health Stigma And Help-Seeking Behaviors, Kristopher Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental health stigma among military service members has been recognized as a significant barrier to mental health treatment as researchers (Greenberg, Langston, & Gould, 2007; Greene-Shortridge, Britt, & Castro, 2007; Hoge et al., 2004; Pietrzak, Johnson, Goldstein, Malley, & Southwick, 2009) have concluded that military service members are reluctant to engage in help seeking behaviors to avoid negative labeling in the form of stereotyping. Additionally, links have been made between leadership and stigma, acknowledging that military service members are more likely to seek mental health treatment if they perceive that their leadership is supportive (Britt, Wright, & Moore, 2012; Hoge …


Ipads For Students With Asd: Comparing Delivery Modes For Visual Activity Schedules, Jillian Gourwitz Jan 2014

Ipads For Students With Asd: Comparing Delivery Modes For Visual Activity Schedules, Jillian Gourwitz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Visual Activity Schedules (VAS) are tools that present an abstract concept, such as time, in a more concrete and manageable form. VAS allow students to anticipate upcoming events and activities, develop an understanding of time, and facilitate the ability to predict change. Prior investigations have used VAS to increase on-task behavior while enhancing the student's ability to independently make transitions from one activity to another and are particularly appropriate as they capitalize on the visual strengths exhibited by many students with autism. Mobile devices such as the iPad are becoming a tool for teaching students with disabilities, and research is …


Community College Faculty With Corporate Leadership Experience And Full Range Leadership Theory, Gloria Hardee Jan 2014

Community College Faculty With Corporate Leadership Experience And Full Range Leadership Theory, Gloria Hardee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Community colleges have developed into vital resources for affordable, easy access, high quality education. Community college instructors with previous leader experience possess the credentials needed to teach their curricula and to lead learning experiences in the classroom. Researchers have found that instructors who display transformational leadership qualities can influence student actions, awareness, and learning outcomes. This study was conducted to explore community college faculty who possess transformational leadership qualities in relation to student extra effort, student perception of instructor effectiveness, and overall satisfaction with the instructor. The conceptual framework is the full range leadership theory which is one of the …


An Evaluation Of The Iowa State University Ecosystem, Cherie Mazer Jan 2014

An Evaluation Of The Iowa State University Ecosystem, Cherie Mazer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose - This dissertation in practice is an evaluation study conducted at Iowa State University, entitled, Learning Ecosystem Assessment Review of Needs (LEARN). The evaluation posed these questions: (a) What educational technologies are currently used and what technologies will be needed in the future? (b) What are the attitudes and practices of faculty and students toward online and blended learning? (c) What academic technology support services are used? What are the perceptions of the support provided for the application of academic technologies? Methodology/design - The study was a mixed-methods design employing interviews with deans and focus groups and surveys of …


An Examination Of The Practice Of Instructional Design And The Use Of Instructional Design Models, Jennifer Twilley Jan 2014

An Examination Of The Practice Of Instructional Design And The Use Of Instructional Design Models, Jennifer Twilley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in practice utilized a sequential mixed methods research design to investigate the performance or exclusion of instructional design activities commonly prescribed by instructional design models during a typical instructional design project. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of instructional design activities by practicing instructional designers with the performance of an experienced instructional designer to determine if instructional design models are being used to guide the practice of instructional design. In this study, quantitative data was collected from a sample of 224 instructional designers to determine the activities routinely performed and excluded from typical projects. …


Evaluation Of A Secure Laptop Based Testing Program In An Undergraduate Nursing Program, Jinyuan Tao Jan 2014

Evaluation Of A Secure Laptop Based Testing Program In An Undergraduate Nursing Program, Jinyuan Tao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation paper introduced a program evaluation of a secure laptop-based testing (SLBT) program, which was implemented from 2009 to 2014 in an undergraduate nursing program at a private institution in the southeastern region of the United States (US). Computerized testing is an old topic in the educational research field, but the instructor-made, laptop-based secure testing that utilizes learning management systems (LMS) for undergraduate nursing programs is a fairly new topic in the US. Traditionally, testing has been administered with paper and pencil in the undergraduate nursing programs in the US for security reasons. Recently, with different robust LMSs, …


Composing The Classroom, Constructing Hybridity: Writing Technology In(To) First-Year Composition Course Design, Christopher Friend Jan 2014

Composing The Classroom, Constructing Hybridity: Writing Technology In(To) First-Year Composition Course Design, Christopher Friend

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Online education has received excessive attention in recent decades as its characteristics and potential have undergone intense debate and scrutiny. Similar debate and scrutiny surround the content of first-year composition (FYC) courses. As we continue to define what composition studies entails, we redefine what we study in FYC. Yet discussions of blended delivery mode---using both online and on-ground teaching methods---get lost amid these debates. This dissertation addresses the dearth of research on blended online writing instruction by asserting the essential nature of connections between the content and the delivery of FYC courses. Through case studies of two experienced instructors teaching …


An Analysis Of The Difference Between Assessed Instructional Practices, Value-Added Measures, And Learning Gains Of Secondary Reading Teachers, Ronald Fritz Jan 2014

An Analysis Of The Difference Between Assessed Instructional Practices, Value-Added Measures, And Learning Gains Of Secondary Reading Teachers, Ronald Fritz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship that exists among instructional practice scores, value-added measures, and learning gains for the Large Urban School District (LUSD) among reading teachers in Grades 6-12 for the 2012-2013 school year. In addition, this study was also conducted to address the perceptions of secondary school principals and assistant principals regarding the relationship of the three variables and their relevance in making personnel decisions. Quantitative data were obtained from school district databases for observation scores, value-added measures, and standardized assessment achievement data to determine the relationship among the variables. In addition, a perception …


Understanding The Effect Of Formulaic Language On Esl Teachers' Perceptions Of Advanced L2 Writing: An Application Of Corpus-Identified Formulaic Language, Alison Youngblood Jan 2014

Understanding The Effect Of Formulaic Language On Esl Teachers' Perceptions Of Advanced L2 Writing: An Application Of Corpus-Identified Formulaic Language, Alison Youngblood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A quantitative study was conducted to determine if the amount of formulaic language influenced ESL teachers' perceptions (n=102) of non-native writing skill, as evidenced by composite and sub-scale scores on the ESL Composition Profile (Jacobs et al., 1981). Formulaic language was operationalized as 25 three-word strings sampled from the writing sub-list of the Academic Formulas List (Simpson-Vlach & Ellis, 2010) and further validated as frequent in the Michigan Corpus of Upper Level Student Papers. The target formulaic sequences were divided into three experimental groups representing a low, mid, and high amount of formulaic language. Four advanced non-native writers generated argumentative, …


The Impact Of Computer-Assisted Instruction On Ninth- And Tenth-Grade Students, Melanie Mcneely Jan 2014

The Impact Of Computer-Assisted Instruction On Ninth- And Tenth-Grade Students, Melanie Mcneely

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With over 60 years of education reform, including the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) in 1958, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975, and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2002, the achievement gap still existed at the beginning of the 21st century, and the effectiveness of the U. S. public school system continued to be questioned. This study was conducted to examine the effect of the use of a computer-assisted instruction curriculum, Achieve 3000, among select secondary reading students in a central Florida school district and their implications for student achievement. This study showed significant difference existed in …


Supporting Middle School Students With Emotional Or Behavioral Disorders In Blended Learning: A Fraction Intervention Using Virtual Manipulatives, Barbara Serianni Jan 2014

Supporting Middle School Students With Emotional Or Behavioral Disorders In Blended Learning: A Fraction Intervention Using Virtual Manipulatives, Barbara Serianni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) are more likely than other students with disabilities to drop out of school (Blackorby & Wagner, 1996) and suffer societal consequences that include higher probabilities and rates of incarceration, poverty, drug abuse, homelessness, low wages, and unemployment (Bradley, Doolittle, & Bartolotta, 2008; Wagner, 1995). High school graduation is a critical factor to improve post-secondary outcomes for students with EBD; yet it is often mathematics, specifically algebra, that stands in the way of graduation (Blackorby & Wagner). Students with EBD often enter middle school lacking foundational mathematics skills, such as fractions, which sets them …


The Role Of Invitational Theory On Minority Student Enrollment In Advanced Placement Courses, Jason Mcdonald Jan 2014

The Role Of Invitational Theory On Minority Student Enrollment In Advanced Placement Courses, Jason Mcdonald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The number of students enrolling in Advanced Placement (AP) classes has been increasing in Florida and across the nation over the last decade. However, this trend is not happening for traditionally underserved groups of students such as African Americans, Hispanics, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. These minority groups are underrepresented in AP classes, while Asian and White students are overrepresented. This trend is alarming because there are qualified minority students who have a great chance of being successful in AP classes according to AP Potential data. For some reason though, these qualified minority and low income students are nevertheless …


Linking A Business Capstone Course To Employer Needs In Central Florida, Lauren Degeorge Jan 2014

Linking A Business Capstone Course To Employer Needs In Central Florida, Lauren Degeorge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Capstone courses are well embedded into the curriculum of undergraduate programs in Colleges of Business and are often used to assess program outcomes and curricular goals. Assessment of best practices of Capstone programs and skills within Capstone courses are examined as assurance of learning requirements under AACSB mandates. The conceptual framework of problem-based learning serves as the foundation for national Capstone course models with student-centered pedagogies that enhance learning about a subject through the experience of problem solving by using thinking strategies and domain knowledge. Rubrics assess student mastery of content, professionalism, organization, language structure and presentation skills. The main …


The Effect Of Habitat For Humanity Homeownership On Student Attendance And Standardized Test Scores In Orange County Florida School District, Charles Harris Jan 2014

The Effect Of Habitat For Humanity Homeownership On Student Attendance And Standardized Test Scores In Orange County Florida School District, Charles Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The mobility of low-income students who do not have access to stable housing creates numerous challenges both at home and in school. Among these challenges, academic performance certainly is one of the most important. The lack of a more permanent, familiar, and safe environment is presumed to impact home life as well as students' performance in the classroom. This research compares two groups of current and former students of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) in Florida (1) children of families who are Habitat for Humanity (HFH) homeowners, and (2) a matched socioeconomic control group. The HFH program is designed to …


A Multiple Case Analysis Of Technology Integration Knowledge By Practicing Elementary Teachers In An Urban Charter School, Kendra Lynn Minor Jan 2014

A Multiple Case Analysis Of Technology Integration Knowledge By Practicing Elementary Teachers In An Urban Charter School, Kendra Lynn Minor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the perceived and demonstrated technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of practicing elementary teachers in an urban charter school setting. Contextual factors that influence teachers' abilities to apply technology integration knowledge were also identified. A qualitative research design with multiple case study strategy was used to study practicing teachers in a charter school setting in two phases. The first phase of the study included nine participants and used the Teachers' Knowledge of Teaching and Technology Survey to garner insight on teachers' perceived technological pedagogical content knowledge. Descriptive statistical procedures were used to calculate …


An Exploration Of Communication Perceptions Between Elementary School Staff And The Parents Of The Children They Serve, Cynthia Gardner Jan 2014

An Exploration Of Communication Perceptions Between Elementary School Staff And The Parents Of The Children They Serve, Cynthia Gardner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to explore the perceived school communication between elementary school staff and the parents of the children they serve. Staff members and parents, from a central Florida public school district, in both Title I and Non-Title I schools completed an online survey regarding (1) timely school communication, (2) school's website being informative and easy to use, and (3) staff members knowing what is going on in schools. Researchers have long explored the importance of family involvement in children's academic success, communication between home and school is an important link in the process. The …


Customer Evaluation Of Managers' Responses To Online Complaints, Eric Olson Jan 2014

Customer Evaluation Of Managers' Responses To Online Complaints, Eric Olson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Managers have begun to respond to customers' online reviews of services on online review websites. However, it is not known how viewers evaluate company-initiated service recovery in the form of manager responses to online reviews. This research has three objectives: (1) to explore how managers are currently responding to electronic word of mouth; (2) to investigate whether a manager's response to electronic negative word of mouth (eNWOM) positively influences viewers' behavioral intentions; (3) to examine which elements in a manager's responses increases viewers' evaluations of trust and behavioral intentions towards the company. Three studies were conducted, one for each objective. …


Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Effect Of Age And Military Status On The Military Population's Awareness Of Community Mental Health Resources, Susan Stapp Jan 2014

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Effect Of Age And Military Status On The Military Population's Awareness Of Community Mental Health Resources, Susan Stapp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to explore the existence of a relationship between age and/or military affiliation (active, veteran, or family member) and awareness of local community mental health programs available for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. The study separated age from military affiliation to better distinguish between influences on awareness level. Considerations that remain critical regarding post-traumatic stress disorder were described and used to guide a comprehensive review of the literature to find directions to fulfill the goal of this study. A survey was conducted and 586 active military, veterans, and their family members responded to an instrument that contained …


The Contribution Of College Students' Attachment Styles And Social Media Practices On Their Relationship Development, Renee Sherrell Jan 2014

The Contribution Of College Students' Attachment Styles And Social Media Practices On Their Relationship Development, Renee Sherrell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the directional relationship between college students' attachment styles and social media practices with their relationship development. This investigation tested the theoretical model that undergraduate students' (N = 717) attachment styles (as measured by the Experiences in Close Relationships-Short form [ECR-S; Wei et al., 2007]) and social media practices (as measured by the Facebook Intensity Scale [FBI; Ellison et al., 2007] and Motives for Going Facebook Official Scale [MGFBO; Fox & Warber, 2013]) contributed to their quality of relationship development (as measured by the Parks Relational Development Scale [PRDS; Parks & Roberts, …


Talking Back: Mathematics Teachers Supporting Students' Engagement In A Common Core Standard For Mathematical Practice: A Case Study, Mercedes Sotillo Turner Jan 2014

Talking Back: Mathematics Teachers Supporting Students' Engagement In A Common Core Standard For Mathematical Practice: A Case Study, Mercedes Sotillo Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher in this case study sought to determine the ways in which teachers support their students to create viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others (SMP3). In order to achieve this goal, the self-conceived classroom roles of two teachers, one experienced and one novice, were elicited and then compared to their actualized roles observed in the classroom. Both teachers were provided with professional development focused on supporting student engagement in SMP3. This professional development was informed by the guidelines that describe the behaviors students should exhibit as they are engaged in the standards for mathematical practice contained in …


Multiple-Case Study And Exploratory Analysis Of The Implementation Of Value-Added Teacher Performance Assessment On Eighth Grade Student Achievement In Ohio, Pennsylvania, And Tennessee, James Carter Jan 2014

Multiple-Case Study And Exploratory Analysis Of The Implementation Of Value-Added Teacher Performance Assessment On Eighth Grade Student Achievement In Ohio, Pennsylvania, And Tennessee, James Carter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to analyze the academic impact of the implementation of the Value Added Assessment Model. The researcher analyzed the Value Added Assessment Models in the three Value Added Assessment Model states that had implemented the Value Added Assessment Model for more than five years. Additionally, the research was done by analyzing the academic impact as measured by the eighth grade reading NAEP and the eighth grade mathematics NAEP. The researcher paired the three states that had implemented Value Added Assessment Model for more than five years, with three demographically matched states that had not implemented …


The Role Of Freedom In Assessing The Relationship Between Tourism Competitiveness And Quality Of Life: The Case Of Central America, Marketa Kubickova Jan 2014

The Role Of Freedom In Assessing The Relationship Between Tourism Competitiveness And Quality Of Life: The Case Of Central America, Marketa Kubickova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation study is to investigate the relationship among tourism competitiveness, quality of life, and freedom. The main premise is that the degree of freedom shapes the relationship between tourism development and quality of life. The study hypothesized that the greater the degree of freedom is, the greater impact tourism development will have on quality of life of residents of a destination. The theoretical framework of this study is based on combining Sen's capability approach with the tourism competitiveness theory. Tourism competitiveness aims at enhancing the quality of life, while Sen's capability approach provides the ingredients for …


A Case Study Of The Self-Efficacy Of High School Aged Underrepresented Minority Women Entering The Medical Pipeline, Jennifer Dames Jan 2014

A Case Study Of The Self-Efficacy Of High School Aged Underrepresented Minority Women Entering The Medical Pipeline, Jennifer Dames

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the self-efficacy and experiences described by a purposively sampled case (n = 8) of high school-aged underrepresented minority women (URMW) as they entered the medical career pipeline through their participation in a formal medical pipeline program. The study was framed by three theories: intersectionality, positionality, and self-efficacy. Research questions were analyzed qualitatively, using case study methods, and quantitatively, using a paired sample t-test. Study data revealed that participants came into the program with high levels of self-efficacy in several self-efficacy factors. Yet, participants in the pipeline program made significant improvements in their self-assertive efficacy. Analysis of …