Digital Commons Network^™

Gamification: Badges And Feedback, Brian Macon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gamification, the implementation of game elements in a non-game context, is a rapidly growing field of research. One element of gamification that has experienced a rapid growth in popularity is the use of digital badges. Despite widespread adoption in educational settings, there are still gaps in the understanding of their effects on motivation, engagement, learning, and other factors. Furthermore, feedback delivered through badges can include a symbolic reward for successful completion of a task, providing a credential for gaining a skill, or acknowledging mastery of a particular piece of knowledge. This study implemented digital badges in online courses at a …

Government Responsiveness In Matters Of Racial Sensitivity, Vickie Carnegie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study assesses factors influencing the responsiveness of government officials in Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina regarding the public display of the Confederate Flag on state grounds in the aftermath of the Charleston, South Carolina shooting. The purpose of this dissertation research is to understand the factors influencing how government officials make decisions during racially/culturally sensitive events. Two research questions frame this study: 1) What factors are relevant to understanding state government officials' decision- making regarding the display of the Confederate Flag on public grounds? 2) Under what conditions of public decision making regarding the Confederate flag is executive authority, …

The Heralds Of The Dawn: A History Of The Motion Picture Industry In The State Of Florida, 1908-2019, David Morton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Often overlooked in its contribution to cinema history, the State of Florida has the distinction of being among just a handful of regions in the United States to have a continuous connection with the American motion picture industry. This relationship in turn has produced iconic entertainment that has shaped the state's image to the outside world, while production spending has served as an important booster for local economies across Florida. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how the sometimes cooperative and often contentious dynamics between film and television producers and state politicians have influenced this history of film …

Novel Fuel-Producing Fungi And Methodologies For Increasing Fuel Production, Yuemin Wang Kovaleff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An endophytic fungus Hypoxylon sp. (BS15) has recently been isolated and found to produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that have potential relevance as hydrocarbon fuels. In the work described here, the traditional refined carbohydrate (e.g., sucrose) diet source was replaced by simple sugars produced using a solvent free green chemistry mechanocatalytic method involving ball milling in the solid. BS15 is able to grow on this degraded cellulose as well as the more traditional potato dextrose broth. The volatile compounds produced from both media were largely the same. Unfortunately, it is observed that long term in vitro growth of BS15 results …

Living With Cain: Associations Among Sibling Trauma, Sibling Aggression, Social Adaptability, And Risk Taking In College, Chad Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the relationship between three different dimensions of sibling abuse– verbal, physical, and sexual– and communicative social adaptability and risk-taking outcomes. A quantitative survey (N = 477) explored the frequency of such abuse among college students and self-reported risk-taking behavior, social experience, social wit, appropriate self-disclosure, social confirmation, and social composure. Moreover, participants responded to nominal prompts asking whether they ever reported their sibling abuse. Independent sample t-tests and correlation tests show that survivors of sibling trauma are moee likely to appropriately disclose socially and are more likely to report engaging in an index of various risky behaviors …

Performing Feminism: Boy Gets Girl During The #Metoo Movement, Amanda Dayton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual misconduct is currently a very hot topic in the media. Not only has the #MeToo Movement encouraged many women to come out with their stories of sexual assault, but it has also given women of many different backgrounds an opportunity to band together in support. I will be exploring the role of Theresa Bedell in Boy Gets Girl, by Rebecca Gilman. I will use the given character relationships to build an honest portrayal of the struggles Theresa faces as a woman in the world. I will touch on the mindset behind as well as the effects of victim blaming, …

Gender Performance In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Amanda Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cross-dressing is a recurrent theme in Shakespeare's comedies, and the theatrical trend of gender bending casting has added an extra layer of complexity to performing his work. How does the gender of the actor affect the performance of a role in Shakespeare? How does it affect the perception of the role, and how can an actor utilize that perception to connect more fully with the audience? How does the female perspective illuminate hitherto unexplored elements of Shakespeare's text and characters? I was inspired by Orlando Shakes' all male production of Twelfth Night to research gender theory in relation to classical …

A Critical Race Analysis Of Transition Level Writing Curriculum To Support The Racially Diverse Two-Year College, Jamila M. Kareem

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This article applies critical race theory to an institutional analysis of writing curricular outcomes to assist two-year college writing program administrators, curriculum coordinators, and instructors with examining the racist implications of writing curriculum outcomes and to develop antiracist curricula that support the academic, professional, and civic success of the majority of their students.

Disney: Castles, Kingdoms And (No) Common Man, Anahita Dalmia

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

Disney: A company with media and experiences that are studied over and over again, almost exhaustively. However, there is good reason that this company, recognized by its emblematic castle, is studied so intensely. No other company has prolifically created such successful experiences across platforms and settled so comfortably in audiences’ hearts, making so many of them feel special. This paper explores why and how Disney creates this impact through examining Disney’s transmedia world building techniques through the lens of the psychological schema theory. The theory explains the way humans process information, empathize and learn from experiences which are not their …

Physical And Digital Architecture For Collection And Analysis Of Imparted Accelerations On Zip Line Attractions, Kai David Quizona, Shelly Sicat, Nicholas Holman, Madison Glozer, Alan Black, Alex Ferworn, Kathryn Woodcock

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

The accelerations experienced by riders of Zip Line attractions is an underexplored area of public safety assurance. These amusement devices require complex processes to collect and analyze acceleration data. Highly versatile and effective rider-worn and ride-carried devices are necessary to collect acceleration and velocity data without affecting the integrity of the ride. This paper introduces the use of a sensor device for collecting Zip Line acceleration data in the form of a Trailing Trolley. This architecture extends the work of Sicat et. al.’s which proposed the use of a Sensor Vest and Headwear to collect linear and rotational accelerations of …

Dark Rides And The Evolution Of Immersive Media, Joel Zika

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

The dark ride is a format of immersive media that originated in the amusement parks of the USA in the early 20th century. Whilst their numbers have decreased, classic rides from the 1930s to the 70s, such as the Ghost Train and Haunted House experiences have been referenced is films, games and novels of the digital era. Although the format is well known, it is not well defined. There are no dedicated publications on the topic and its links to other media discourses are sparsely documented. Today, entertainment media is utilising technology extensively to create immersive experiences for audiences, transporting …

Disability And Participation In Amusement Attractions, Kathryn Woodcock

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

Eligibility to participate on an amusement attraction may be limited for patrons with certain characteristics, including size, age, disability, and health conditions. Human rights and equal access laws increasingly mandate the inclusion of people with disabilities in as many activities as possible, although safety is an accepted basis for exemption. This paper reports on practices and evidence pertaining to eligibility and safety of patrons with disabilities, including a content analysis of status quo criteria from 100 amusement ride manufacturers’ manuals and prevalence of references to disability in reports of serious and fatal injury. The analysis found that restrictive criteria exclude …

Leveraging Neo-Localism For Experience Innovation: A Case Study Of An Urban Park And Entertainment Venue, Lori J. Sipe

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

In the past decade, spending on experiences relative to other types of consumer spending has increased dramatically. Companies with an experience economy mindset focus on differentiation as opposed to standardization and rely on innovation activities for growth. This design research project examined how an urban park and entertainment venue leveraged its unique brand and core experience to design and innovate memorable guest experiences. The Quartyard study integrated key concepts of experience economy logic and memorable tourism experiences with principles of human centered design. Interviews were conducted with key stakeholders to include the architects, general manager, members of the local business …

Soft Skills With Teeth: Creating Authentic Learning Environments With Charismatic Mega-Projects, J .E. Johnson, Karen Maness

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

In every industry, effective teams depend upon a collection of non-technical competencies often described as soft skills: leadership, verbal and written communication, collaboration, analytical thinking, creativity, decision-making, problem-solving, and flexibility. Though the importance of soft skills is widely acknowledged, soft skills curricula are either non-existent or underdeveloped in most universities. This soft skills training gap leaves students under- prepared and often over-confident as they enter the workforce. In response to this gap in our department at The University of Texas at Austin, we defined and implemented an emergent, project-based pedagogical framework to recruit an interdisciplinary roster of students and deliver …

Summary Of Exploring A Three-Dimensional Narrative Medium: The Theme Park As “De Sprookjessprokkelaar,” The Gatherer And Teller Of Stories, Carissa Baker

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

This paper presents a summary of the author’s doctoral dissertation, which examines the pervasiveness of storytelling in theme parks and establishes the theme park as a distinct narrative medium. It traces the characteristics of theme park storytelling, how it has changed over time, and what makes the medium unique. This was accomplished using a mixed methods approach drawing data from interviews with creative professionals, archival research, fieldwork, and an analysis of more than eight hundred narrative attractions. The survey of narrative attractions revealed the most common narrative expressions to be dark rides and stage shows. Source material tends to be …

Toyo Ito, Anthony Poltorak, Dalton Lackey, Miguel Segovia, Mathew Dejesus, Simon Salamanca

ARC3743 Final Projects

This project was designed to allow us as a group to research a famous architect and begin to understand what influenced his style of work and how he grew through his years. By looking at several of Toyo Ito's works and his background, we began to develop a deeper connection and understanding to why and how he became the designer he currently is. The analysis of this architect allowed us to be influenced by his work and pushed us to develop our own styles of architectural design further with the exposure to new information and techniques.

Library Support For Researchers, Tim Bottorff, Shane Roopnarine

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This presentation was given to faculty and graduate student researchers at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management on March 27, 2019. Topics include: about the UCF Libraries, finding materials, off campus access, getting help, citation management, STARS, publishing resources, copyright, research profiles, and research impact.

Donald Trump And Doublespeak: An Unsettling Precursor To The Dystopian Society Of George Orwell's 1984, Ivy Mckay

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

This paper analyses Donald Trump's 2016 Presidential campaign alongside George Orwell's 1984 I analyze specific social elements, including the rhetoric of Trump's supporters, the idea of post-truth, and power, and I exemplify how Trump's campaign and the government in Orwell's novel (the Party) share several commonalities. Trump's self-contradictory speaking and the use of Doublespeak in 1984 is one of the similarities between the fiction of Orwell's text and the reality of our lived experience. Furthermore, the paper discusses the possible effects of this Orwellian Party-like administration. In the final analysis, I conclude that George Orwell's vision of a dystopian future …

Earthseed Planted: Ecofeminist Teachings In Octavia Butler's Parable Of The Sower, Delia Shahnavaz

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower is set in a world where patriarchal supremacy has stifled not only womankind, but also the natural environment of the Earth. By exploring the innate connection between the desecrated Earth and the strangled matriarchy, this paper draws direct links to Butler's world and ecofeminist theory by Vandana Shiva and others, ultimately concluding that Butler's "Earthseed" serves as a representation of a world in which ecofeminism reigns supreme.

Rhm Author Interview: Dr. Lisa Meloncon, Rhm Editor, Interviews Dr. Abby Dubisar And Sara Davis On Their Persuasion Brief, “Communicating Elective Sterilization: A Feminist Perspective”, Lisa Meloncon, Erin Trauth, Cathryn Molloy

Rhetoric of Health & Medicine

Download includes 1) Interview transcript and 2) Appendices A, B, and C from Dr. Abby Dubisar and Sara Davis

Returning From Wonderland, Sarah A. Norris, Christina Wray

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Workshop presented as a part of the Alice’s Adventures in Scholarly Conversations week-long event hosted by UCF Libraries.

Workshop summary:

When is a tweet as important as a journal article? Does it matter which journal an article is published in? Are books always better? Join us as we explore how the context in which a scholarly conversation happens can provide important clues about who can be trusted and when you are being hoodwinked. The final clue to Alice’s location will be revealed!

The Maga Kid, Inkblots And Ufos, Alvin Wang

UCF Forum

An event unfolded recently at the Lincoln Memorial that captured the attention of the news and social media. Various videos of the event depict a Caucasian high school boy wearing a MAGA hat standing nose-to-nose with a Native American elder who was drumming and chanting an American Indian Movement song.

25st Annual Joseph C. Andrews Mentoring Celebration, February 4, 2019, Black Faculty & Staff Association

BFSA Collection - Mentoring Breakfast Materials

This is the program for the 25th Annual Joseph C. Andrews Mentoring Celebration that was held on February 4, 2019.

Super Bowl Liii, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

The Super Bowl LIII (that is 53 for non-Romans) is almost here as we come to the end of Super Bowl Week. The amount of nonsense, madness, consumption, and hot events is now approaching infinity. As a public service to the nation, I have worked my way through the websites of media and the NFL, so you would not have to do so, searching for the most insignificant materials available that illuminate the essence of the Super Bowl.

Featured Bookshelf: 2019 Black History Month, Megan M. Haught

Featured Bookshelf

The national celebration of African American History was started by Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-trained historian and the founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, and first celebrated as a weeklong event in February of 1926. After a half century of overwhelming popularity, the event was expanded to a full month in 1976 by President Gerald Ford.

Here at UCF Libraries we believe that knowledge is key to living a good life and that sharing information benefits everyone. This is why our featured bookshelf suggestions range from celebrating outstanding African Americans to having difficult conversations …

Who Should Self-Driving Cars Be Programmed To Protect?, Stephen M. Kuebler, Jonathan Beever

UCF Forum

Technology advances at breakneck speed. That’s exciting to early adopters, who can’t wait to get their hands on the latest piece of tech. For some, the rapid onslaught of technology is frustrating. But there are bigger issues that need our attention.

Face Your Challenges Like A Linebacker—And Don’T Be Afraid To Blitz, Nicole Wills

UCF Forum

I traveled to New York last summer to hear some inspirational women at Her Conference 2018, a development event for college women and recent graduates. I arrived excited to soak up as much information as I possibly could—especially from the speakers who were currently living out my dream career as a writer—and I left with a notebook filled with ideas and quotes to inspire me.

Nano-Biophysical Approaches For Assessing Nanoparticle Interactions With Biological Systems, Zachary Untracht

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding interactions between nanoparticles and biological systems is fundamental for the development of emerging nano-biotechnology applications. In this thesis, I present an investigation of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles interactions with biomolecules in two separate studies. The first section of my thesis covers tracking and detection of ZnO nanoparticles using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). ZinkicideTM is a bactericidal ZnO nanoparticle which has been developed for agriculture. The characterization of Zinkicide in biological media and in solution has been difficult due to its high dispersibility and ultra-small size. SDS-PAGE is considered a golden standard for protein qualitative interpretations. In …

I Have Questions, Lorena Matejowsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The poems in this thesis explore mid-life feminism, family, mental illness via anxiety and panic, identities of southern girlhood/womanhood, and the challenges of a social media saturated life. Mothering plays a large part in many of these poems, both embracing it and confronting gendered expectations about it. Telling the truth is explored through poems about white women's complicity in racist systems in the southern United States and how being quiet about it benefits us. Fear and the myriad ways it has manifested in my life is a common thread in this work, especially the fears that accompanied white girls growing …

Let's Take A Selfie! Living In A Snapchat Beauty Filtered World:The Impact It Has On Women's Beauty Perceptions, Angelina Cruz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Snapchat's beauty filters have become a prominent force in the social media realm. It's vital in understanding the impact in how Snapchat's beauty filters shape beauty standards among young women. This became the primary motivation of conducting this qualitative study. Six focus groups were conducted to explore the depths of why female college students between the ages of 18-25 decide to post either selfies with Snapchat's beauty filters applied or natural images. Dialectical tensions theory was used as the foundation for this study to explore both the internal and external discursive struggles young women face when deciding to post natural …