Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing Student Graduation Rates By Mitigating Failure, Dropout, And Withdrawal In Introduction To Statistical Courses Using Statistical And Machine Learning, Shahabeddin Abbaspour Tazehkand

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The elevated rates of failure, dropout, and withdrawal (FDW) in introductory statistics courses pose a significant barrier to students' timely graduation from college. Identifying actionable strategies to support instructors in facilitating student success by reducing FDW rates is paramount. This thesis undertakes a comprehensive approach, leveraging various machine learning algorithms to address this pressing issue. Drawing from three years of data from an introductory statistics course at one of the largest universities in the USA, this study examines the problem in depth. Numerous predictive classification models have been developed, showcasing the efficacy of machine learning techniques in this context. Actionable …

Bayesian Variable Selection With Shrinkage Priors And Generative Adversarial Networks For Fraud Detection, Amina Issoufou Anaroua

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This research paper focuses on fraud detection in the financial industry using Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) in conjunction with Uni and Multi Variate Bayesian Model with Shrinkage Priors (BMSP). The problem addressed is the need for accurate and advanced fraud detection techniques due to the increasing sophistication of fraudulent activities. The methodology involves the implementation of GANs and the application of BMSP for variable selection to generate synthetic fraud samples for fraud detection using the augmented dataset. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the BMSP GAN approach in detecting fraud with improved performance compared to other methods. The conclusions drawn …

Deep Learning One-Class Classification With Support Vector Methods, Hayden D. Hampton

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Through the specialized lens of one-class classification, anomalies–irregular observations that uncharacteristically diverge from normative data patterns–are comprehensively studied. This dissertation focuses on advancing boundary-based methods in one-class classification, a critical approach to anomaly detection. These methodologies delineate optimal decision boundaries, thereby facilitating a distinct separation between normal and anomalous observations. Encompassing traditional approaches such as One-Class Support Vector Machine and Support Vector Data Description, recent adaptations in deep learning offer a rich ground for innovation in anomaly detection. This dissertation proposes three novel deep learning methods for one-class classification, aiming to enhance the efficacy and accuracy of anomaly detection in …

School Experiences Of Young Adults Since The Passing Of "Don't Say Gay", Heather M. Summers

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

As of 2020, the US is home to an estimated over nine percent of youth 13-17 who identify as LGBTQ+ (Conron, 2020). There are hundreds of bills that have been passed into laws that restrict rights for LGBTQ+ individuals (Union, Mapping attacks on LGBTQ rights in US state legislatures in 2024, 2024). With risk factors specific to youth and with legislation altering the operation of schools, there is concern regarding the effect of such laws on students (Day, 2019). This dissertation provides an overview of how LGBTQ+ youth in schools have experienced the implementation of laws that emerged between 2022 …

Academic Resilience And Wellness As Predictors Of Imposter Syndrome In First-Generation Graduate Students, Timothy Eng

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This study is a two-part manuscript dissertation that examined the relationships between academic resilience (perseverance, negative affect and emotional response, reflecting and adaptive help-seeking), wellness (spiritual, social, emotional, intellectual, physical, and psychological wellness), and imposter syndrome among first-generation graduate counseling students (FGGCS). Survey data from 172 FGGCS’s was analyzed using bivariate correlational and regression analyses to answer four primary research questions: (1) Is there a statistically significant correlation between FGGCS’s level of imposter syndrome and academic resilience, (2) Is there a statistically significant correlation between FGGCS’s level of imposter syndrome and perceived wellness, (3) Are FGGCS’s level of academic resilience …

Self-Transformation And Spirituality In Marketing, Mrudul Nilangekar

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Self-transformation and spirituality have not been extensively investigated in marketing research. However, these concepts are deeply impactful in an individual's life and are advocated by religious and spiritual traditions across the world. In Essay 1, I extend research on compassion, distance between self and other, and power by examining the effect of self-compassion on prosocial behavior. I test the effect of self-compassion on prosocial behavior mediated by the distance felt between self and other and moderated by felt power. Across five studies, I find that individuals in the self-compassionate and equal power mindset display higher prosocial behavior and lower empathy …

Analyzing The Impact Of United Against Poverty Food Centers On Individuals Affected By Food Insecurity Throughout Florida, Aidan Cadiz, Amy Donley Phd

Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS)

Food Insecurity is often overlooked by those who are fortunate enough to afford and sustain an abundance of products for themselves and their family. Despite lack of awareness, there are programs such as the "Membership Share Grocery Program" by United Against Poverty that seek to alleviate this problem. The program utilizes donated goods and sells the products based only on their shipping costs. Program Membership requires a family income that is below the Area Median Income to gain access to the discounted prices. The current study utilized both quantitative and qualitative techniques to identify the impact this program has on …

Lorna Doone Apartments - Lake Mann Homes: Aspectos Destacados De La Encuesta A Los Residentes, Jacquelyn Reiss

Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS) Presentations

Como parte del proceso de planificación de Choice Neighborhoods, Lift Orlando, la Autoridad de Vivienda de Orlando y el Instituto para Ciencias Sociales y del Comportamiento encuestaron a los residentes de Lorna Doone Apartments y Lake Mann Homes (LD/LH) para evaluar sus necesidades, percepciones y prioridades con relación a el proceso de planificación y redesarrollo. Los resultados de la encuesta se destacan a continuación y representan totales combinados para todos los residentes a menos que se especifique lo contrario. En conjunto, un total de 209 hogares completaron la encuesta de 90 preguntas logrando una tasa de respuesta del 80% en …

Comparative Analysis Of Metric And Non-Metric Ancestry Estimation Methods Of Maya Individuals, Griffon G. Binkowski, Channing Cook

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2024

Ancestry estimation finds its place in many fields of anthropology, including biological anthropology, osteoarchaeology, and paleopathology. A biological profile creates a framework for identity; with ancestry, it can aid researchers in determining the population group an individual is most genetically affiliated with. The heritability of dental traits makes teeth useful in estimating affinity. Ancestry estimation statistical programs using dentition, however, were originally developed upon limited and well- preserved databases, so archaeological Indigenous individuals are often grouped incorrectly as East Asian due to shared genetic traits. By using RStudio for anthropological statistical analysis, we aim to test the preservation bias and …

Effective Communication For Department Chairs: Thinking Like A Leader, Acting As A Colleague, Mark Hickson Iii

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This is the third essay in a three-part series that the author has been working on. The first and second parts appear in earlier volumes of the Journal of the Association for Communication Administration.

Student Engagement In The Communication Classroom: An Intervention To Encourage Student Success, Jay Baglia, Elissa Foster, Kendra Knight, Stephanie Grau

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

Universities implement a variety of interventions to address student engagement and retention. This is especially true post-pandemic as faculty attempt to return to a pre-pandemic structure. Emerging adulthood aligns with the personal responsibility demanded of college students as well as changes in personal growth. In the current climate, stress has been shown to negatively impact executive functioning, the cognitive processes necessary for academic success. This essay describes an intervention encouraging student self-reflexivity around processes for engagement, academic success, and retention. Communication Fundamentals for College Success—a 5-week, two-credit workshop—was developed and delivered by the authors. Curriculum focused on time management, study …

Mapping The Ferment: Mediated Communication Research In Cios-Indexed Journals From 1970-2020, David J. Atkin, Kenneth A. Lachlan, Timothy D. Stephen, Carolyn Lagoe

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This study profiles scholarly publishing in the domain of mediated communication, based on an analysis of media-themed communication journals—as indexed in the CIOS’s ComAbstracts database—from 1970–2020. Analysis of 22,300 articles from media-themed scholarly journals paints a portrait of scholarly publishing configurations across the domains of Journalism and Communication. Criterion articles were subjected to cluster analysis that yielded a comprehensive unified field portrait of interlinkages among topical pairings encompassing 58 topical categories. Results suggest that just 7 of our 37 criterion journal outlets date to the 1970s, 6 additional titles were launched in the 1980s, 10 more in the 1990s, and …

Terminological (In)Justice: Terminology And Reality In A Coordinated Community Response To Intimate Partner Violence, Julio Montanez Ma, Amy Donley Phd

Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS)

Definitions and terminologies are paramount for operationalizing the community-wide effort against intimate partner violence (IPV). However, definitions and terms that do not reflect reality are of little use. This is particularly true in IPV coordinated community responses that attempt to harmonize data collection and legal apparatuses at the federal, state, and local levels. Using qualitative (e.g., focus group and interview data from survivors, interviews with system actors) and quantitative data (e.g., Uniform Crime Reports) from a year-long study in a large southeastern county, the current study aims to answer the following research question: Do IPV-related terms (in data collection and …

Teaching Through Play: Creative Drama, Elizabeth Pelland

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2025

Play is something that many children experience. However, we as a society do not give it nearly enough credit for just how much it can achieve. Through play, children can learn so much more and retain that information, while giving them the skills to transfer their knowledge to situations outside of the classroom. Play encourages creativity, problem-solving, and social interaction. By teaching kids through play, they are able to comphrend more at younger ages, and I have found that it can also help them express their emotions in ways that I was not able to at such young ages. As …

Critical Discourse Analysis Of The Dialogical Demands Of Florida's 10th Grade B.E.S.T. English Language Arts Standards, Amanda Nb Kaplowitz

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This study investigates the extent to which the Florida B.E.S.T (Benchmark for Excellent Student Thinking) English Language Arts (ELA) standards demand that students participate in dialogic interactions within the 10th grade ELA classroom. Dialogic demands, characterized by active discourse and collaborative sense-making, are the opportunities students interact with one another or with a text. The dialogic elements of classroom pedagogy are an increasingly recognized critical component of effective literacy instruction in contrast with the monologic classroom where teachers are the primary source of information. A Critical Discourse Analysis through the lens of Fairclough is used as this research aims to …

The Impact Of Well-Designed Graphics And Multimedia On Student Engagement And Learning In Online Classes, Joseph E. Lloyd

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The purpose of this research study was to examine the graphical redesign of an online Psychology course and determine the impact of that redesign on student engagement in the course, and students’ perceptions of the course, and the impact of the redesign elements on their learning. It also examined whether this redesign impacted students’ performance in the course. The results from this study could provide insights for instructors, instructional designers, and graphic designers on how the inclusion of such graphics affects student engagement and learning. In addition, how the students view their own engagement and learning with the addition of …

A Critical Discursive Analysis Of The Effects Of Confidence Chats On The Positioning Of Students With Disabilities During Mathematics Discourse, Kelly R. Penny

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This qualitative study investigated how confidence chats affect how students with disabilities (SWD) position themselves during mathematics discourse and the impact the confidence chats had on a student’s mathematical identity. A critical discourse analysis was conducted over a three-month period using transcripts from classroom observations, student-teacher confidence chats, and teacher interview debriefs. Findings revealed that following the confidence chats, SWD participated in discourse, and students were able to adjust their positioning in relation to others. Over the course of the study, student collaboration increased and their reliance on teacher support decreased. In addition, the findings indicated that confidence chats provided …

University Of Central Florida Graduate Catalog, 2024 - 2025, University Of Central Florida

UCF Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Design Modifications To Reduce A Brushless Exciter Response Time, Esnick Felissaint

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

As an alternative to converting a brushless exciter to static excitation in order to improve an exciter’s response time, conversion of the existing conventional brushless exciter is possible. A high initial response (HIR) brushless excitation system has the ability to force its output to ceiling voltage in 0.1 second or less, which is a response time similar to a static excitation system. To achieve the required fast response time, various modifications to the existing exciter components are required, including the ac exciter stator, permanent magnet generator (PMG), and voltage regulator. This paper describes those required modifications and associated technical information. …

Design Parameters For A Piezoelectric-Based, High-Authority, High-Bandwidth Flow Injection Valve, Sydney A. Giannuzzi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Aeromechanical Identification Methodology (AIM) is an approach to measure damping in turbomachinery to identify and map flutter boundaries across various operating conditions. Previous approaches required entering, or nearly entering, flutter to produce a binary “flutter” / “no-flutter” boundary. AIM is significantly safer; however, it is limited by actuation authority and bandwidth. A non-contact, high-frequency, high-amplitude piezoelectric-based valve provides a promising solution to bridge these gaps. This valve operates by ejecting high-frequency oscillatory flow from a piezoelectric-based converging nozzle as a non-contact method of imparting a harmonic force. This valve has broad applications for high-frequency flow modulation beyond the motivating structural …

Towards Robust And Accurate Text-To-Code Generation, Saleh Almohaimeed

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Databases play a vital role in today's digital landscape, enabling effective data storage, management, and retrieval for businesses and other organizations. However, interacting with databases often requires knowledge of query (e.g., SQL) and analysis, which can be a barrier for many users. In natural language processing, the text-to-code task, which converts natural language text into query and analysis code, bridges this gap by allowing users to access and manipulate data using everyday language. This dissertation investigates different challenges in text-to-code (including text-to-SQL as a subtask), with a focus on four primary contributions to the field. As a solution to the …

The Impact Of Bilingualism On Visual Semantic Processing, Ancuta Margondai

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Bilingualism has been shown to influence a variety of cognitive aspects, including attentional control, behavioral regulation, and the adaptation to fluctuating linguistic demands. Nevertheless, the influence of bilingualism on visual semantic processing remains ambiguous, characterized by inconsistent previous findings.. The present study aims to investigate the bilingual switch cost effect, characterized by slower response times and increased inaccuracy for bilinguals, in the context of visual semantic processing.

The study is grounded in three theoretical models: the Bilingual Interactive Activation (BIA) model, the Adaptive Control Hypothesis, and the Visual World Paradigm Theory. These models hypothesize that bilinguals would demonstrate enhanced visual …

Transformer-Based Methods For Starcraft Macromanagement And Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning, Muhammad Junaid Khan

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Transformers have emerged as the driving force behind innovative advancements in artificial intel- ligence (AI), particularly in the domain of generative AI. Originally designed for natural language processing, transformers have since demonstrated remarkable versatility across various domains, including computer vision and reinforcement learning. This dissertation investigates the application of transformer-based models to decision-making in the real-time strategy game, StarCraft II. StarCraft II (SC2) serves as an ideal platform for developing and testing AI agents due to its complexity and strategic depth. SC2 requires players not only to fight skirmishes (micromanagement) but also to build an army and construct fortifications (macromanagement). …

Strengthening The Cyber-Physical Resilience Of Active Distribution Systems, Xue Gao

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Inverter-based Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) have experienced a significant rise in popularity due to their distinct advantages, such as improved power quality, advanced functionalities, and rapid response capabilities. These attributes make them particularly well-suited for modern power systems, where the growing demand for efficiency, flexibility, and reliability is crucial. As a result, the integration of inverter-based DERs into distribution networks has been steadily increasing, as they play a critical role in enhancing system performance and meeting the evolving requirements of contemporary power infrastructures.

However, the integration of inverter-based DERs presents several challenges that must be addressed for effective implementation. One …

Gait Entrainment & Energetics Of Young Adults To Discrete Mediolateral Perturbations, Lindsey D. Lee

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Entrainment is a natural phenomenon that occurs with synchronization to a rhythmic stimulus which can be auditory, visual, or mechanical. An everyday example is walking next to someone and synchronizing your steps. Previous studies have explored entrainment from auditory cues, such as a metronome, and mechanical cues, such as an exoskeleton applying a force at the ankle. These studies have found entrainment is more likely to occur if the stimulation frequency is close to the person’s natural locomotion frequency. Previously we found when discrete mediolateral perturbations were applied on a treadmill, participants increased their speed and retained this increased speed …

Using Lidar Data And Gis Analyses To Understand Looting Patterns In The Maya Biosphere Reserve, Chloe E. Sherwood

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This research examines looting activity at archaeological sites in the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Petén, Guatemala, focusing on areas both inside and outside established national park boundaries. The study covers sites occupied by the ancestral Maya from the Middle Preclassic to Terminal Classic periods (800 BC – AD 900), including El Mirador, Nakbé, and Wakná. This research uses LiDAR data and GIS analyses to identify looting clusters, comparing areas within the park to those outside, and investigates the relationship between looting activity and infrastructure such as trails, camps, and fresh water reservoirs.

Findings reveal that looting is more concentrated outside …

Quantifying Age And Growth Rates Of Gray Snapper (Lutjanus Griseus) In Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, Wei Chen

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) is a common reef fish inhabiting the western Atlantic Ocean. In estuaries of the Southeastern United States, such as Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, oyster reefs, seagrass, and mangrove shorelines are vital nurseries, also known as essential fish habitat (EFH), for juvenile fish. However, EFH in Mosquito Lagoon has declined from historic levels due to human activity. To mitigate these losses, oyster reef and living shoreline restoration projects have occurred to putatively increase the availability of EFH. For gray snapper in Mosquito Lagoon, past studies have assessed local habitat preferences and trophic structure, but the biotic …

The Influence Of Natural And Anthropogenic Drivers On Estuarine Food Webs At Various Spatio-Temporal Scales And Levels Of Complexity, Michelle Shaffer

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Global coastal ecosystems support human life by providing critical services like food, water purification, and coastal protection, yet these ecosystems are among the most threatened due to natural and human-driven disturbances. The long-term maintenance and restoration of these ecosystems is a complex challenge for resource managers due to the wide range of factors affecting these ecosystems ecological condition over long timespans. Most studies in marine ecology evaluate ecosystem change over relatively short temporal scales (ago), often resulting in shifting baseline syndrome. To effectively manage and restore these ecosystems, resource managers must consider long-term ecosystem baselines.

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) …

On Immunogenomic Evolution And Disease In Marine Turtles, Katherine R. Martin

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Characterizing immune gene diversity and function is paramount to understanding population adaptive potential and species survival in the face of selective pressure from infectious disease. In this dissertation, I examined immune gene evolution and function using sea turtles to better understand the selective forces shaping reptile immunogenomic diversity. I focused on four species from the northwest Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico: loggerheads (Caretta caretta), green turtles (Chelonia mydas), leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea), and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii). In Chapter 2, I characterized MHC class I (MHCI) evolution and diversity in Ca. caretta …

Past And Present Communities Of Pottery Practice In Guatemala, Karla J. Cardona

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This research aims to identify pottery technological traits and attributes that suggest the presence of communities of pottery practice in archaeological contexts. Through the combination of ethnoarchaeological approach and archaeological ceramic analysis of vessels produced in present communities, we can identify communities of pottery practice in the past. The data obtained using diverse ethnographic methods and multiple archaeological analyses are relevant to archaeologists, as they allow the study of the organization of production in the absence of manufacturing contexts within the archaeological record. At the same time, as contemporary pottery-making practice is becoming scarcer in Guatemala it is relevant to …