Digital Commons Network^™

Qualities Of Instructors Adult Second Language Learners Identify As Being Most Effective In Supporting Their Language Skills In Intensive English Programs, Nick Myrca Gauthier

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This qualitative research discusses the importance of the pedagogical and social qualities of instructors in the academic achievement of adult second language (L2) learners enrolled in intensive English programs (IEP). Its primary goal is to comprehend the role of social traits such as empathy, patience, approachability, supportiveness, and respectfulness and of pedagogical traits such as building trust, motivation, and minimizing language learning anxiety when instructing adult L2 learners. Within the framework of this study, a semistructured interview format was used to gather the lived experiences of seven participants who were either enrolled or had been enrolled in a university’s intensive …

Handwritten Digit Recognition Using Machine Learning Classifiers, Md Ahiduzzaman

Data Science and Data Mining

This project explores and compares the performance of various machine learning classifiers for handwritten digit recognition using the MNIST dataset. The classifiers include Logistic Regression, k-Nearest Neighbors, and Convolutional Neural Networks. Each classifier is evaluated based on accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and confusion matrix analysis.

The Effect Of Cuban Tree Frogs (Osteopilus Septentrionalis) On Native Anuran Populations. ​, Ava Dennison, Hannah Hettenbach, Kelsey Peterson, Patrick Baker, Tarajade Ebanks, Matthew Atkinson, Jenna Palmisano, Hannah Degraw

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2025

No abstract provided.

Captivating Chemistry: Luminous Lava Lamps, Linsey Vo, Brinlie Bergman, Kylie Daum, Shayan Noor, Akshay Aramjisingh

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2025

Our group participated in STEM Day, an engaging biannual event that brings together K–12 students to explore the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on experiences. When planning our presentation, we aimed to create an activity that was both visually exciting and easy for students of all ages to understand. We chose to demonstrate the concepts of polarity and density through a fun and interactive experiment in which students created their own lava lamps. This activity allowed the students to observe scientific principles in action while encouraging curiosity and enthusiasm for STEM learning.

Saving The Arctic: Learning Through Animals And Art, Sara A. Wieschhorster, Andrea J. Goldfarb, Linda Walters Dr

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2025

The Arctic is one of the most fragile ecosystems on Earth, and protecting it is vital for our planet’s future. For our service‑learning project, we partnered with Ms. Snow and Wedgefield Elementary to engage her first‑grade classroom in learning about Arctic animals and their adaptations. We introduced a variety of species, highlighting unique adaptations, and reinforced this knowledge through a craft activity where students created walrus masks to take home. Beyond animal adaptations, we discussed habitat fragmentation and encouraged students to take action against environmental threats by planting trees, recycling, and staying informed. Our goal was to spark environmental awareness …

The Threshold Of Experience: Critiquing The Self And Society Through Domestic Exploration, Janessa Douds

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis body of artwork investigates theories of “home,” the phenomenology of space, and the uncanny, exploring where the familiar becomes unfamiliar and the ordinary transforms into an enigmatic realm. Through depictions of domestic environments, these paintings challenge conventional perceptions of space and confront the eerie in the everyday to reflect on how those spaces shape our emotional and psychological experiences.

Shaping Future Leaders: Empowering Youth Through Experiential Learning, Beatrix L. Alerte

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2025

During my spring break, I participated in the UCF Alternative Break Program, where I worked with Junior Achievement of Memphis to help educate students on financial literacy and career readiness. Junior Achievement provides hands-on learning experiences, allowing students to take on real-world roles in a simulated city. My role focused on mentoring students in the media radio station, where I guided them in creating advertisements, managing radio segments, and understanding media business operations.

Through this experience, I learned the power of experiential learning in preparing students for future careers. I also developed my ability to adapt my communication style to …

Coach For The Approach: The Educator’S New Role In The Age Of Ai, Kevin Yee, Laurie Uttich, Elizabeth Giltner, Anastasia Bojanowski

UCF Created OER Works

No abstract provided.

Ai-Infused Discussion Boards: Enhancing Engagement, Reflection, And Academic Integrity In Anatomy And Physiology Education, Wade Dauberman

Teaching Repository of AI-Infused Learning

This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of an AI-infused discussion board assignment that promotes ethical AI engagement, enhances student learning in anatomy and physiology, and addresses academic integrity concerns in higher education.

Ai-Infusion Through A Three-Step Model Of Assignment Analysis, Steve Covello

Teaching Repository of AI-Infused Learning

A three-step process model was employed by the instructor to determine if there was an opportunity for using an AI tool as part of completing a summative assignment. Three areas were identified for AI-infusion based on them being secondary to the primary focus of assessment. Resources and guidelines were developed to support students in using ChatGPT to independently generate content to use in editing a project plan.

Sharpening Marketing Strategy Through Smart Chatgpt Prompts, Wenkai Zhou

Teaching Repository of AI-Infused Learning

Students will use ChatGPT to simulate real-world marketing scenarios by crafting precise and targeted prompts. They will focus on generating creative content, uncovering customer insights, and optimizing pricing strategies. Through iterative prompt refinement, students will learn how to guide ChatGPT to deliver more relevant and strategic outputs. Ethical guidelines will be incorporated into the prompting process, ensuring students understand the boundaries and responsible uses of AI-generated content. This exercise enhances their critical thinking, communication skills, and ethical decision-making capabilities.

Zero Fluf(F): Guided Activity For Effective Ai Prompting And Output Review With The Fluf(F) Test, Jennifer L. Parker

Teaching Repository of AI-Infused Learning

To support AI literacy, educators integrate the FLUF(F) Test Guided Practice Activity as a structured approach to teaching effective GenAI interactions. This strategy emphasizes the dual nature of AI engagement—prompt generation as input and critical evaluation as output. Learners use the FLUF(F) Test templates to craft purposeful prompts and assess AI-generated responses across formats like text, images, or multimedia. Over time, this guided practice helps students internalize the process, enabling confident and natural interactions with AI tools.

Yoodli: Ai-Enabled Feedback To Enhance Communication Confidence In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Maureen J. Baker, Theresa Raphael Grimm

Teaching Repository of AI-Infused Learning

An AI-enabled speech feedback tool, Yoodli, was integrated into an undergraduate Relationship-Centered Care nursing course to facilitate the development of interpersonal therapueitc communication skills. Using Yoodli, students recorded short peer interviews, received real-time analytics on clarity, filler words, and pacing, and reflected on their growth while also providing peer feedback. Results from 55 participants showed significant improvements in communication confidence and peer connectedness, highlighting Yoodli’s potential as a scalable, innovative teaching strategy in nursing education.

Occupancy Prediction In Airbnb Listings Using Deep And Classical Machine Learning Models, Liam Kilkenny

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Airbnb hosts and renters lack reliable tools to anticipate future occupancy, which is critical for setting competitive prices, planning availability, and making informed booking decisions. This is especially true as artificial intelligence capabilities continue to advance, so focusing on using the most efficient and effective models is vital. This is especially important when considering an average user, who might want a specialized model but has limited resources. By using the correct models, accuracy and computing time can be optimized for the end user. This thesis addresses that practical gap by evaluating several state-of-the-art machine learning models for predicting Airbnb listing …

Investigation Of Hydrogen Gas Production And Motility In Δselab And Δfdhf Mutants Of Clostridioides Difficile, Ria D. Gupta

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive, spore-forming, anaerobic bacterium and the leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea worldwide. During infection, antibiotic-induced disruption of the gut microbiota allows C. difficile to colonize and proliferate. Motility, enabled by flagella, is an important factor in colonization and may be influenced by metabolic activity. Recent experiments have observed gas production during C. difficile motility assays, but the biochemical basis of this phenomenon remains unknown. Because gas formation in other bacteria such as E. coli involves the formate hydrogenlyase complex and the enzyme formate dehydrogenase (FDH), we hypothesize that C. difficile gas production under motility conditions is …

Implementing Holograms To Perform Cognitive Health History Screenings, Franchesca I. Gonzalez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Marginalized populations, defined as a group of individuals who experience systematic disadvantages due to various social identity factors (Oxford Review, n.d.), experience uneven barriers to cognitive and mental health assessments, including socioeconomic, linguistic, and educational inequities, that contribute to misdiagnosis (Petersen et al., 2018, Saeed & Masters, 2021). This study investigates the feasibility of hologram-based patient simulations as an educational intervention for undergraduate nursing and graduate Nurse Practitioner students. Culturally representative, three-dimensional holographic patients were created to replicate complex geriatric encounters and facilitate cognitive health screenings. Established assessment tools, including the Mini-Mental Status Examination, Patient Health Questionnaire 2 and Patient …

Exploring The Link Between Relationship Status And Emotion Regulation Strategy Use, Abigail A. Echols

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Romantic relationships affect many areas of life and are important sources of interpersonal emotion regulation, yet little research has investigated whether relationship status influences emotion regulation strategy use and emotion dysregulation. Considering that the types of emotion regulation strategies individuals use significantly affect their well-being, understanding the link between relationship status and emotion regulation strategy use is important. This study compared single, partnered, and recently separated individuals’ emotion dysregulation and use of eleven intrapersonal and eleven interpersonal emotion regulation strategies in general (i.e., trait) and in a specific situation (i.e., state) through retrospective self-report scales and an autobiographical writing task. …

A Constitutional View Of Administrative Agencies, Anthony J. Diego

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research focuses on a nuanced area of American law and history: the constitutionality of administrative agencies. Determining their constitutionality requires a sound and fundamental understanding of administrative agencies’ history and purpose, as well as applicable constitutional principles. Reliance on core legal and historical documents founding the United States, as well as existing literature analyzing them, is essential to this determination. Administrative agencies have existed within the United States government since the Founding, though not without scrutiny and exception to government operations. Recently, Supreme Court precedent dramatically changed agency operative functions, making it now an opportune time to analyze the …

Developing New Methods For Quantifying Karenia Brevis In Florida Waters, Antonia N. Ferguson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), known as red tides, have long impacted Florida’s coastal ecosystems. Caused by the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, these blooms are named based on the characteristic red discoloration of coastal waters. Negative impacts of K. brevis range from fish kills, neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, and respiratory irritation in humans. Traditionally, K. brevis monitoring has been conducted weekly by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWC-FWRI) using light microscopy for cell identification and enumeration of collected water samples. However, this method is time-consuming, costly, and relies on deep taxonomic expertise for proper cell …

Salinity Effects On Cu(Ii) Bioremediation By Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Microalgae, Jennifer Hughes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Microalgae offer a sustainable approach to wastewater treatment by removing pollutants such as excess nutrients, CO₂, and heavy metals. Among various species, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii shows strong potential in removing Cu(II) ions from wastewater. In addition, salinity stress in C. reinhardtii has been linked to morphological and metabolic changes that enhance lipid and phytochemical production. While salinity stress has been studied for enhancing biofuel production, its impact on microalgal removal of heavy metals, particularly Cu(II), remains largely unexplored. Understanding how varying salinity conditions affect both algal growth and the efficiency of Cu(II) remediation could provide critical insights for improving integrated wastewater …

Cultural Barriers To Mental Health Support: Exploring Stigma In Childhood Trauma Survivors In Aruba, Ralitsa I.C. Hart

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study explored whether negative attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help among people in Aruba who reported experiencing childhood trauma were predicted by perceived social stigma and the intensity of the trauma. An online survey measuring childhood trauma, attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help, and perceived stigma was administered to 162 participants using a cross-sectional correlational design. To determine the predictive relationship among these variables, a multiple regression analysis was performed. Results showed that perceived stigma significantly predicted more negative attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help, while the severity of childhood trauma did not. Among the trauma subscales, emotional abuse …

Venezuela's And Mexico's Oil Industries: Policy Making Sets The Course, Camila Gimenez Valero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The puzzle of Venezuela's crisis is one that researchers often try to understand. How did one of the richest nations in the world become one of the poorest? Venezuela is nowadays seen as a country with political unrest, where people struggle to get by and with a corrupt government. However, this was not always the case. Throughout the 20th century Venezuela had remarkable economic stability. Having discovered the world's largest known oil reserves, the nation's economy quickly developed, and the country also became known for its long-standing democracy. After the election of Hugo Chavez in 1998, Venezuela began to decline …

Investigating The Consequences Of Workplace Violence Among Certified Nurse Assistants, Daniela Florez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Workplace violence is one of the most prevalent issues in healthcare, negatively affecting the physical and emotional well-being of nursing professionals. The present study investigated the role of workplace violence in adverse outcomes for Certified Nursing Assistants. Specifically, the research aimed to examine its association with six key outcomes: (1) turnover intention, (2) burnout, (3) compassion fatigue, (4) secondary traumatic stress, (5) job satisfaction, and (6) work engagement. A cross-sectional approach was used. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Professional Quality of Life Scale 5, the Compassion Fatigue-Short Scale, the Work Well-being Inventory, the Workplace Violence Scale, the …

Crisis, Controversy, And Credibility: Rhetorical Appeals In Governor Desantis’ State Of The State Addresses, Victoria E. Laird

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper examines how Governor DeSantis has used rhetoric to advance his political identity and policy during the Florida legislative sessions from 2019 to 2025. Using rhetorical analysis, the study identifies linguistic techniques and persuasive devices that help shape DeSantis’s policy agenda and drive legislation. This study is important as it explores the ability of political figures to ground themselves in language and push political ideologies. The findings reveal a consistent emphasis on ethos while simultaneously appealing to unity, strengthen, and moral clarity. Over time, DeSantis’s rhetoric evolves from defensive to assertive leadership framed by appeals to national policy and …

Criminal Defenses In The Age Of Ai: An Examination Of How Technological Advancements Are Challenging Traditional Duress And Mistake Of Fact Defenses, Lauren Lepage

Honors Undergraduate Theses

AI has rapidly evolved into a defining force of modern life, transforming industries by automating tasks, streamlining workflows, and enhancing everyday experiences. However, the same advancements, especially in deepfakes, now enable highly convincing manipulation of audio, images, and video, blurring the line between truth and fabrication. As these technologies grow more accessible, they not only reshape digital interactions but also challenge core principles of criminal law and culpability. This research examines the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deepfake technology and analyzes the challenges they pose to traditional criminal defenses. Employing a doctrinal legal research approach, it evaluates statutory …

Measuring Personality And Animal Treatment Attitudes With The Pet Scale, Zackery J. Hilton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous research has looked at the association between personality traits and the proclivity, or history, of committing acts that are characterized as animal abuse or animal cruelty. Much research has also found that individuals who exhibit this type of behavior towards animals also tend to exhibit similar behavior towards other individuals, mainly in the form of domestic or child abuse. Previous studies have measured animal abuse using very explicit and extreme criteria, using acts that are without question blatant abuse or torture; however, there is some grey area where many may argue whether certain acts should be considered abuse, which …

A Systematic Literature Review On The Benefits Of Biofeedback Therapy As A Treatment For Diabetes Mellitus Induced Chronic Peripheral Neuropathy, Amy Krueger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The objective of this systematic literature review is to examine the research on biofeedback therapy and evaluate its effectiveness in treating chronic diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This comprehensive review was conducted using the PRISMA 2020 method of analysis. All studies included at least 10 patients with T1D or T2D and current or past foot ulcers and/or DPN. Each study was also available in their entirety. Studies with fewer than 10 participants, those which examined neuropathy unrelated to diabetes, or those with healthy test populations were excluded. Studies that were only partially available were also not used. The databases used were PubMed, …

Pregaming Behaviors And Negative Alcohol-Related Consequences In College Students, Natalie M. Lima

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study was conducted to examine the association between pregaming behavior (i.e., frequency and quantity) and negative alcohol-related consequences among college students. Specifically, it sought to replicate previous research demonstrating significant associations between pregaming behaviors and negative alcohol-related consequences in GenZ college students. While there are some recent studies on pregaming, many studies on pregaming were conducted approximately a decade ago, and pregaming behaviors may have changed within this timeframe. This project involved secondary analysis of data collected from a multi-site study in which college students completed an online survey that included questions regarding their demographics, pregaming frequency and quantity, …

Ultra-Plex Immunofluorescence Stainings To Classify Precancerous Lesions For The Stratification Of Their Risk For Progression Toward Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Arthi Jaishankar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most common and fatal type of esophageal cancer since it is usually only diagnosed at a later stage. Similar to other cancers, ESCC arises through precursor lesions which are known as dysplasias and occurs when cells have uncontrolled growth and changes to both the tissue structure and gene expression. Clinical intervention at the precancerous stage would greatly improve survival rates, however predicting which lesions will actually become malignant continues to be a challenge. The current traditional method for ESCC diagnosis is hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) histopathology, but it is not sufficient for predicting …

Effect Of Sapropterin Dihydrochloride On Neuropsychiatric Functions For Individuals With Phenylketonuria: A Systematic Review, Ricky Lin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare metabolic disorder that occurs in approximately 1 in 10,000 births worldwide. Individuals with PKU cannot properly metabolize phenylalanine (Phe) due to a deficiency in phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), leading to elevated Phe levels and associated cognitive and neuropsychiatric impairments. Although early dietary management has reduced the risk of severe intellectual disability, many individuals with PKU continue to experience deficits in attention, executive functions, and mood regulation. Sapropterin dihydrochloride, a synthetic form of the PAH cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), offers a pharmacological alternative that enhances residual enzyme activity in responsive individuals. While its efficacy in lowering blood Phe …