Digital Commons Network^™

Lesson Study As A Catalyst For Including Concepts And Procedures In Planning And Implementing Fraction-Based Mathematics Lessons: An Elementary School Case Study, Nisha A. Phillip Malahoo

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This qualitative case study investigated how lesson study influenced teachers’ pedagogical strategies and content knowledge by leveraging the interplay between conceptual understanding and procedural fluency, with conceptual knowledge forming the foundation for procedural fluency in the planning and implementation of fraction-based mathematics tasks. The study aimed to address two research questions: (1) How does the engagement of teachers in the creation and analysis of fraction-based mathematics tasks in lesson study influence their instructional decision-making processes? and (2) How do teachers construct pedagogical strategies that integrate procedural and conceptual knowledge through lesson study? The sample size consisted of seven elementary school …

Investigating K–12 Teachers’ Attitudes, Beliefs, And Self-Efficacy After Implementation Of Problem-Based Learning, Paulina Bzdun

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This mixed-methods study investigated the factors that impact K–12 teachers' perceived self-efficacy, attitudes, and beliefs regarding the implementation of problem-based learning (PBL), with a specific focus on the influences within a K–11 schoolwide setting. The first part of the study analyzed 21 responses to the pre- and post- Teacher PBL Self-Efficacy, Attitude, and Implementation Questionnaires; the second part analyzed three individual teachers’ interview responses gathered during one-on-one Zoom interviews with the researcher.

The quantitative data questionnaires covered relationships between teachers’ perceived attitudes and beliefs, self-efficacy, and implementation of problem-based learning. Findings showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between …

Examining Changes In Pain Sensitivity Following 8 Minutes Of Cycling At Varying Exercise Intensities, Brandi B. Antonio

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This study assessed the effect of an eight-minute cycling intervention using varying intensities on exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). Generally, current research examines EIH using protocols that last for more than 10 minutes and reach 75% of an individual's VO2 peak. The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of varying intensities on pressure pain threshold (PPT) and heat pain threshold (HPT) at the thigh and forearm, tested pre- and post-cycling intervention.

Healthy male participants (n=16) performed a graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer to establish their peak power output (PPO). In subsequent visits, participants completed five different …

Advancing Policy Insights: Opinion Data Analysis And Discourse Structuring Using Llms, Aaditya Bhatia

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The growing volume of opinion data presents a significant challenge for policymakers striving to distill public sentiment into actionable decisions. This study aims to explore the capability of large language models (LLMs) to synthesize public opinion data into coherent policy recommendations. We specifically leverage Mistral 7B and Mixtral 8x7B models for text generation and have developed an architecture to process vast amounts of unstructured information, integrate diverse viewpoints, and extract actionable insights aligned with public opinion. Using a retrospective data analysis of the Polis platform debates published by the Computational Democracy Project, this study examines multiple datasets that span local …

An Examination Of Religious Leaders' Perceptions Of Scrupulosity, Nicole K. Hale

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Religious obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or scrupulosity is a subtype of OCD consisting of religious-themed obsessions and/or compulsions. Individuals with scrupulosity are most likely first to disclose symptoms and seek help from their religious leaders. As a result, religious leaders’ responses to disclosed symptoms may have a substantial impact on the course of the disorder, including how individuals interpret their symptoms and whether they decide to seek assistance from a mental health provider. Despite the potentially important role of religious leaders in the course of scrupulosity, research focused on the religious leaders’ perceptions of scrupulosity is limited. Further, little is known …

Bootstrap Regression For Investigating Macroeconomics Factors Affecting Usa Home Prices, Benedict Kongyir, Emil Agbemade

Data Science and Data Mining

This study investigates the impact of macroeconomic indicators on US home prices, underscoring the importance of understanding these dynamics due to their signifcant socioeconomic consequences. Utilizing a dataset from Kaggle, originally collected by FRED, the research examines variables like the Consumer Price Index, Population, Unemployment, GDP, Stock Prices, Income, and Mortgage Rate to discern their efect on housing market fuctuations. The analysis identifes multicollinearity among predictors, necessitating a shift from traditional multiple linear regression to a more robust bootstrap regression method due to violations of parametric assumptions. Key fndings reveal that Real Disposable Income is a signifcant predictor of home …

Predicting Road Accident Injury Severity For Drivers In Automobile Crashes In United States Using Machine Learning Models And Ai, Emil Agbemade, Benedict Kongyir

Data Science and Data Mining

This study analyzes data from the National Highway Trafc Safety Administration’s 2021 Crash Report Sampling System to identify key factors contributing to the severity of injuries in car accidents. By utilizing various machine learning algorithms and cross-validation techniques, we assessed metrics such as accuracy, sensitivity, precision, specifcity, and the area under the curve (AUC) to evaluate the efectiveness of predictive models. All data preprocessing and model building was done using KNIME Analytical software [9]. Our fndings reveal signifcant correlations between certain variables such as airbag injection, weather conditions, intoxication, vehicle state, driver distractions, and injury severity. These insights underscore the …

Diagnostic In Neuroimaging: A Comparative Study Of Deep Learning And Traditional Approaches, Amina Issoufou Anaroua

Data Science and Data Mining

In the realm of medical diagnostics, precise classification of brain tumors is pivotal. This study conducts a comprehensive comparative analysis of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) against traditional machine learning models, Logistic Regression (LR) and Support Vector Machines (SVM) on a dataset of MRI scans for multi-class brain tumor classification. The CNN, tailored for image recognition, is evaluated alongside LR and SVM, which have established benchmarks in classification tasks. The investigation reveals that the traditional models hold their ground in terms of precision and interpretability, with the SVM, in particular, achieving remarkable accuracy. However, the CNN distinguishes itself by demonstrating …

Ucf Pegasus Plan - 2nd Grade - Supply & Demand, Renata Veronica Nunez Saenz, Valeria Bonilla, Julia Buquicchio, Leah Silverman, Mya Buck

Pegasus Plans: Social Studies Unit Plans for Florida Teachers

During this unit, students will explore the fundamental concepts of economics. Through collaborative discussions, multimedia resources, and formative assessments, students will develop a robust understanding of how markets operate in their community and how people provide goods and services based on societal needs. Students will investigate the production process of familiar goods and learn the roles of producers and consumers in economic systems. They will also examine the concept of supply and demand with real-world applications by analyzing how changes in supply and demand affect prices and consumer behavior. The unit includes vocabulary introductions, practical demonstrations, and visual aids to …

Ucf Pegasus Plan - 1st Grade - Maps & Globes, Anna C. Howell, Alejandra Vega-Casillas, Gianna M. Astriab, Georgia De Los Santos, Lindsay Schultz

Pegasus Plans: Social Studies Unit Plans for Florida Teachers

During this unit, students will explore, analyze, and construct maps. The students learn about what a globe is and how they are similar to and different from traditional maps. The daily lessons delve into the elements of maps, including cardinal directions, map symbols, and map keys, in addition to the seven continents and what makes each of these land masses unique. Through developmentally appropriate songs, games, and books, students will be highly engaged throughout this geography unit.

Ucf Pegasus Plan – Kindergarten – American U.S Symbols, Nicki Lynn Elia, Alma Tovar, Valerie Day, Jasmine Molina

Pegasus Plans: Social Studies Unit Plans for Florida Teachers

This unit plan on U.S American Symbols includes interactive lessons, videos and context for Kindergarteners at any comprehension level including English learners.

Fourth And Fifth-Grade Teacher Experiences With Els In The Science Classroom, Kiana Cheverez

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Science classrooms are places where students build knowledge through interacting with others and building new experiences by experimenting (Lee et al., 2009). English Learners (ELs) are students learning English, and the population of ELs has steadily risen in America (Tran, 2015). Although ELs are learning English, they are still expected to participate in conversations, exams, and learning in the Science classroom, regardless of their English abilities. This project focused on understanding teachers’ perspectives and experiences teaching ELs in the Science classroom. To do this, the researcher completed a phenomenological study and interviewed teachers to gain insight into their experiences. Afterward, …

Henry Viii & Rulership: A Contemporary Perspective Of His Reign, 1509-1537, Jeremy M. Rodriguez

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Henry VIII is one of the most infamous monarchs in English history, known by both medievalist and modernists. Historians have spent decades toiling over if Henry was a “good” monarch, attempting to either argue his strength or his weakness as a monarch. Instead of focusing on what he may or may not be in terms of his morality and effectiveness, this thesis looks at Henry’s reign by considering the political landscape he was born into. It considers the political culture in late medieval and early modern England to assess his rulership in the context of contemporary political thought. Using works …

External Boundary Conditions For Solidification Process Modeling Of Equiaxed Investment Castings, Weston Olson

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The equiaxed investment casting process is a multi-physics problem which requires knowledge from engineers who have expertise in materials, metallurgy, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and heat transfer. Process modeling is a tool used by foundries to help predict casting defects such as shrinkage porosity, hot tears, dimensional distortion, and poor grain structure. ProCAST is the numerical simulation suite used in this dissertation and is considered an industry standard due to its extensive proven track record. The reliability of these predictions is strongly dependent on the accuracy of the thermal boundary conditions set in the model. This dissertation consists of two studies. …

Numerical And Analytical Evaluations Of Impact Of Atmospheric Particles On Aircraft, Brendon A. Cavainolo

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The Volume-of-Fluid method, an Eulerian multiphase flow model that adds a volume fraction transport equation to the CFD governing equations, is widely used for any fluid-fluid interface tracking problem. There are important aspects of multiphase flow that impact aircraft flight, especially flight in extreme environments. These extreme environments can range from wet, icy conditions to sandstorms, and volcanic debris. The problems posed by these harsh environments are only exacerbated by aircraft that tend to travel at higher Mach-numbers. The specific aims of the proposed research include application of the Volume-of-fluid method to the following aspects of aircraft flight: shock-droplet interactions, …

A Framework For Improving Employee Experience In The Hospitality Industry, Scott Hall

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation explores the unique aspects of employee experience within the hospitality industry. By conducting in-depth interviews with 40 employees, both within and outside of the hospitality sector, this research aims to identify the factors that distinguish the employee experience in hospitality and to lay the groundwork for future improvements in this field.

The study employs a thematic analysis to uncover key themes that define the hospitality employee experience. The findings reveal that job satisfaction in hospitality is significantly influenced by factors such as workplace culture, career development opportunities, and the intrinsic satisfaction derived from serving guests. Moreover, the research …

Shock Tube Measurements Of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Sooting Tendencies For Supersonic Commercial Transport, Koby D. Rouviere

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Sustainable Aviation fuels (SAFs) have been launched to the forefront of the aviation industry as the desire to push the boundaries of flight continues to grow. The Concorde, a symbol of cutting-edge aerospace technology, was decommissioned due to its extreme inefficiency, as it formed high levels of soot, carbon monoxide (CO), and ethylene (C₂H₄), among other emissions. The UCF shock tube experiments aim to investigate the variation between sustainable aviation fuel and traditional commercial jet fuel under supersonic conditions similar to those seen on the Concorde. The test mixtures were formulated using Jet-A, Gevo’s Alcohol-to-Jet sustainable fuel, a 50/50 blend …

Adaptive Anomaly Prediction Models, Ashkan Farhangi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Anomalies are rare in nature. This rarity makes it difficult for models to provide accurate and reliable predictions. Deep learning models typically excel at identifying underlying patterns from abundant data through supervised learning mechanisms but struggle with anomalies due to their limited representation. This results in a significant portion of errors arising from these rare and poorly represented events. Here, we present various methods and frameworks to develop the specialized ability of models to better detect and predict anomalies. Additionally, we improve the interpretability of these models by enhancing their anomaly awareness, leading to stronger performance on real-world datasets that …

Corporate Restructuring Spin-Off In A Technical Project-Based Organization, Stephen J. Davis

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

A technical project-based organization (TPBO) is a type of organizational setup that uses project management as the main economic driver. An TPBO tends to be adept at accepting change due to its inherent trait of constant change within the organization as resources move from project-to-project accepting scope changes along the way. Regardless of its ability to accept more change, every organization goes through a lifecycle. At some point, the organization must implement a change in the life cycle to avoid failure. A corporate restructuring spin-off is one way an organization can avoid organizational failure. Although the tool is used in …

Agile Healthcare: The Effects Of Information Technology Ambidexterity And Human Resource Practices On Workforce Agility And Job Performance, Jorge Flavio Sarmiento Falla

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Healthcare organizations grapple with uncertainties and rapid changes, necessitating agility within their workforce. However, empirical studies on healthcare agility are notably scarce, impeding efforts to foster an agile workforce. Through a systematic literature review, human-related dimensions and information technology aspects were found to be relevant to healthcare agility. This study addresses the impact of Information Technology Ambidexterity (ITA) and Human Resource Practices (HRP) on establishing Workforce Agility (WA). Subsequently, the study also addresses the importance of WA for the job performance of healthcare professionals. Lastly, it evaluates the mediation effect of WA on the impact of both ITA and HRP …

Typography And English As A Second Language (Esl) Reading: Impact Of Variable Font Width, Letter Spacing, And Line Spacing On Reading Performance And Experience, Md Mamunur Rashid

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The mixed-method experimental study explores whether basic alterations in digital text formatting can enhance reading performance and experience of reading for the adult English as a Second Language (ESL) populations. Native English speakers are included as a comparison group. The study specifically examines the effects of varying font width, letter spacing, and line spacing on reading speed, comprehension, and self-reported levels of enjoyment and perceived difficulty.

The participants comprise 459 proficient adult readers, split between native English, native Spanish, and native Mandarin speakers. Each participant silently reads a series of 150-word English passages at an 8th-grade difficulty level, with manipulations …

Architectural And Training Regime Modifications To Transformer Models For Low Data Applications, Azwad Tamir

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

A significant catalyst of the recent Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning revolution is attributed to large language models (LLMs), which include many prominent AI systems such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Gemini. The majority of high-performance LLM models are based on the transformer architecture and the primary factor behind the recent enhancement in the performance of these models is attributed to the increase of layer quantity and dimensionality, resulting in an exponential rise in the total number of learnable parameters, necessitating substantial data for effective training. This may pose a significant barrier in certain application domains, such as bioinformatics, pharmaceutical research, …

Ammonia For Aviation, Brandon Cotto

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Aviation’s share of total global carbon emissions has been on the rise as both the decarbonization of other industries and the number of flights has increased. Ammonia as a jet fuel has been receiving attention as a potential carbon free energy storage pathway, both as a fuel and as a carrier of hydrogen. Utilizing ammonia as a fuel requires energy intensive processes making this pathway a compromise specifically intended for power generation purposes that cannot directly use sustainable energy. It is pertinent to understand the cost of realizing ammonia’s advantages as a fuel in the hard to decarbonize industry of …

Advanced Analysis Of Mode Veering Variations In Academic Blisks, Nicolas Olore

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis presents an in-depth investigation into the vibrational dynamics of bladed disks (blisks), with a focus on understanding the conditions that lead to mode veerings and shifts in natural frequencies under varying geometric configurations. By utilizing maps of frequencies across nodal diameters, this study explores the effects of altering inner and outer disk radii, blade Aspect Ratios, and height ratios on the modal behavior of blisks. The study analyzes these geometric modifications to determine their influence on both mode interactions and frequency shifts, offering insights into how the number of veerings can be controlled. Mode veerings are of particular …

Robust Machine Learning Based Frameworks For Localization And Mmwave Beam Prediction In Massive Mimo Systems, Katarina Vuckovic

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The primary focus of this doctoral dissertation is the investigation of robust massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) communication systems. The study centers on two closely related issues: i) single-site user localization, and ii) millimeter Wave (mmWave) beam prediction. The motivation is to develop a system that simultaneously offers users reliable communication and precise localization using a single infrastructure. This dissertation specifically addresses three key challenges in data-driven solution: i) the limited availability of position-labeled training datasets, ii) robustness in time-varying dynamic environments, and iii) the generalization of models to unseen scenarios. The study introduces three localization and two beam …

Evaluating Sexual Dimorphism In Occipital Morphological Shape Through Modern Human Ontogenetic Changes, Jennifer S. Barritt

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Sex estimation is vital to building the biological profile in forensic anthropology. Cranial nonmetric traits are often used in adult sex estimation due to their sexually dimorphic nature. However, only one nonmetric trait is assessed on the occipital despite the bone’s postmortem durability. While these sex estimation methods were developed for use on adult crania, juvenile sex estimation is less accurate due to differences in the age at which individuals reach sexual maturity. The aim of this study was to improve upon existing sex estimation methods by accounting for shape differences that exist within the occipital. This study used computed …

The False Identity Of A Filmmaker, Cheyanne Miller

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The False Identity of a Filmmaker is a multimedia installation and essay film on imposter syndrome within artists. Starting as an exploration into the topic, The False Identity of a Filmmaker became a personal self-discovery in my creative practice, resulting in an essay film that explores my relationship with imposter syndrome in relation to films that are often recognized as canonical. The multimedia installation places the essay film among a textural design of 16mm film strips to recognize filmmaking as a source of my imposter syndrome.

Women, artists, and those with careers in academia experience imposter syndrome quite often but …

Applications Of Plasmonic Biosensors In Chiral And Achiral Sensing, Aritra Biswas

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Monitoring biological systems is crucial in healthcare, driving the need for reliable and noninvasive solutions. The proliferation of unverified drugs in the market necessitates reliable methods for their detection and identification, especially amidst advancements in pharmaceuticals. Plasmonic biosensors emerge as a great platform for ultra-sensitive detection, identification, and manipulation of biomolecular systems. This dissertation report addresses the critical need for precise detection and monitoring of biomolecules and drugs, presenting innovative solutions through the design of a plasmonic biosensor to tackle challenges in sensitivity, selectivity, and label-free detection and identification. We introduce a robust and tunable, cavity-integrated plasmonic nanopatterned sensor that …

Mindful Approaches, Transforming Hearts: Cultivating Elementary Students' Positive Mathematics Identity Development Through An Equity-Based Morning Mathematics Club, Kayla N. Blankenship

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This dissertation examines how third through fifth-grade students' mathematics identities developed through a strengths-based mathematics club focused on equitable teaching practices. In this study, theories of Communities of Practice (Wenger, 1998) and Figured Worlds (Holland et al., 1998) were combined with recommendations from Catalyzing Change (NCTM, 2020) and equity-based practices (Aguirre et al., 2013) to promote students’ positive mathematics identity development. Students with positive mathematics identities have increased mathematics engagement and achievement, and are more likely to seek careers in STEM. Mathematics identities are developed through and influenced by various sociocultural, personal, and educational factors. Incorporating evidence from student surveys, …

Nonprofit Compliance: Perceptions Of Small Nonprofit Leaders To Be Compliant, Andrea C. Ortega

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Small nonprofit organizations (NPOs) are at higher risk of having their IRS tax-exempt status revoked due to a lack of funding, governance, and structure. Organizations that fail to file an annual information return or notice for three consecutive years automatically lose their tax-exempt status by revocation. In May 2020, the IRS revoked the status of more than 30,000 NPOs for failing to file tax returns. This research contributes to the very limited number of qualitative studies on nonprofit leaders' knowledge of federal compliance, which is unknown and may contribute to small nonprofits losing their IRS-exempt status. This qualitative study examines …