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Commencement Convocation Program, Sarasota - Manatee Campus, May 3, 2015, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

Golden Bull Service & Outstanding Leadership Award - Jabari Williams; Outstanding Graduate - Colleen Bankuty; Outstanding Professor - Elaine Augustine; Paul Searls Webecke Award - Gregory Farrenkopf

Commencement Convocation Program, St. Petersburg Campus, May 3, 2015, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

King O'Neal Scholars - Lena-Alyeska Huebner, Zachary P. McNiece, Jennifer Nesslar, Jessica Woods, and Carlos Agatep; Outstanding Graduate - Jennifer Nesslar

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, Baccalaureates, May 1, 2015, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

Distinguished Citizen Award - Jane Castor; Honorary Doctor of the Arts - Sherrill Milnes; Distinguished Citizen Award - MaryEllen Elia; Outstanding Graduate - Hiram Rios; King O'Neal Scholars - Ivamae Arnold, Adam Bent, Kelly Clark, Katrina Corcoran, Jordan Cosentino, Kaitlin Deutsch, Holly Donovan, Keri Erb, Jelena Evans, Giampiero Fuentes, James Jacobelli, Fiona Kearns, Daniel Kwitko, Garrett Lentz, Shazia Majid, Alan Mohammed, Nghi Nguyen, Colleen O'Kennedy, Holly Osborne, Jennifer Rives, Jason Rodencal, Jordan See, Nadia Tenouri, and Andreas Zacharopoulos

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, Health, May 1, 2015, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

President's Fellow Medallion - Peter Levin

Book Review: The Holodomor Reader: A Sourcebook On The Famine Of 1932–1933 In Ukraine, Laura C. Collins

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

The Thesis Of Norm Transformation In The Theory Of Mass Atrocity, Paul Morrow

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

Theoretical accounts of genocide and mass atrocity commonly embrace the thesis of norm transformation. This thesis holds, first, that individual and institutional participation in such crimes is at least partially explained by transformations in basic norms that structure social and political life. It holds, second, that preventing future occurrences of such crimes requires changing norms that currently govern the actions of particular individual and institutional actors. This paper clarifies, defends, and extends the thesis of norm transformation. It clarifies this thesis by providing a general account of the nature and dynamics of norms. It defends this thesis against charges of …

Spatially-Weighted Ethnic Density And Residential Segregation: Effects On Health Status Among Older Mexican Americans, Sung Han Rhew

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that living in communities with high densities of persons from their own ethnic group improves the overall health of older Mexican Americans. One hypothesis is that residing in high ethnic density areas allows characteristics of Mexican culture such as strong social ties and social cohesion, to have a beneficial effect. The majority of investigations focused on ethnic density effects, however, have utilized relatively loose interpretations of what constitutes the appropriate social-geographic area to be studied. Moreover it is not clear how certain dimensions of residential segregation are protective or harmful toward health, particularly when measuring ethnic residential segregation …

The Effects Of Blog-Supported Collaborative Writing On Writing Performance, Writing Anxiety And Perceptions Of Efl College Students In Taiwan, Hui-Ju Wu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Compared with first language (L1) writing, writing in a second or foreign language (L2) is considered to be more challenging and difficult. The challenges and difficulties may result from both the cognitive and the affective aspects of writing. To mitigate the difficulties of L2 writing and help students master L2 writing, teachers could consider using the pedagogical strategies which can help enhance students' cognition in writing or students' writing performance, and also can help reduce students' fear of L2 writing. One of the pedagogical strategies is online collaborative writing supported by CMC. Collaborative learning helps enhance students' cognitive outcomes, such …

Effect Of Interactive Digital Homework With An Ibook On Sixth Grade Students' Mathematics Achievement And Attitudes When Learning Fractions, Decimals, And Percents, Jennifer Zakrzewski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, technology has become a prominent feature in our lives. Technology has not only been integrated into our lives, but into the classroom as well. Teachers have been provided with a tremendous amount of technology related tools to educate their students. However, many of these technologically enhanced tools have little to no research supporting their claims to enhance learning.

This study focuses on one aspect of technology, the iBook, to complete homework relating to fractions, decimals, and percents in a sixth grade classroom. An iBook is a digital textbook that allows the user to interact with the …

Teaching About Race In Introductory Anthropology Courses: An Ethnographic Study, Jennifer Gilroy Hunsecker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

American anthropology has focused on issues related to race from the start of the discipline. From past work designed to categorize humans into phenotype-based categories to current work to undo those categorizations, many anthropologists consider race to be one of the most important topics for students to learn. In this dissertation, I use in-depth ethnographic case studies consisting of interviews, observations, and focus groups, to learn about the way in which anthropologists at four institutions of higher education teach the topic to students in their introductory, four-field general anthropology class. I found that anthropologists are committed to sharing anthropological perspectives …

Pahn-Ti-Pan: The Rise And Fall Of Complex Socio-Political And Economic Systems As Attested In Subterranean Site Contexts Of Central Belize, C.A.

KIP Theses and Dissertations

The question that drives this dissertation is "As integrated and varied ritual contexts, how do changing patterns of pre-Columbian cave use inform on the complex of historical, social, political, economic and related ideological processes in action during the inception, florescence, and collapse of Tipan Chen Uitz and other nucleated centres in the region [Central Belize]?"

Examining Experiences Of Early Intervention Providers Serving Culturally Diverse Families: A Multiple Case Study Analysis, Wendy Lea Bradshaw

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The cultural and linguistic diversity of the United States is growing rapidly and early intervention service providers are very likely to work with families whose cultures differ from their own. Service providers must consider the multiple cultural factors of families which contribute to family dynamics and the potential for miscommunication is high when the cultural frameworks of early intervention providers differ from those of the families they serve. Culturally responsive practices have been put forth in the theoretical literature as a way to increase successful communication and service provision but there is limited research investigating the beliefs, experiences, and practices …

The Preservation Of Afro-Cuban Culture In The Writings Of Lydia Cabrera, Alex Bravo

Revista Surco Sur

Lydia Cabrera wrote the stories of Cuba and its African descendant slaves, and each story became a piece of culture, a piece of religion, and a piece of history. She saved what would have been many lost traditions. Lydia Cabrera published over one hundred books in her life; she was an ethnographer, a historian, and a writer. Her writings painted the pictures that preserved the heart of Afro-Cuban culture, Santería.

The Political Pilgrim: William Lithgow Of Lanark On God And Country, Philip Anthony Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Travel literature has been understood to comment on the expectations and impressions of the traveler as they encountered foreign spaces, customs, and people. There has been an unspoken understanding, at best, that travelers who wrote their tales used these foreign spaces to engage in debates that were meaningful to their domestic audience. However, the author has been central to much of the analysis, disconnecting travel literature from other linguistic exercises that more directly offered observations that were directly rooted in domestic culture. Author-centered analysis isolates the traveler from the wider world in which they engaged. It also ignores the other …

Facilitating Motivation In A Virtual World Within A Second Language Acquisition Classroom, Andrew Warren Gump

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Acquisition And Generalization Of Tacts Across Stimulus Modes In Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Luz Elena Correa Gómez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the speed of acquisition and level of generalization of tacts across three different stimulus modes: picture-flashcard, video clip, and 3D object. Three young children diagnosed with autism participated in this study. The acquisition of tacts was evaluated during Discrete Trial Training sessions (DTT). Two of the three participants learned the tacts more rapidly in the video clip condition in contrast with the picture condition. All three participants generalized the three tacts learned through a specific stimulus mode to the remaining stimulus modes. One week after the generalization test, all participants generalized to all novel 3D objects.

Using Awareness Training To Decrease Nervous Habits In Public Speaking, Claire Spieler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research on components of habit reversal suggests that awareness training alone may be an effective and efficient intervention for reducing nervous habits. This study evaluated the effectiveness of awareness training for the reduction of three nervous habits that manifest in public speaking: filled pauses, tongue clicks, and inappropriate use of the word "like." Four university students delivered short speeches during baseline and assessment sessions. Awareness training consisted of response description and response detection. Awareness training resulted in meaningful reductions in target behaviors for all participants. Booster awareness training sessions were necessary for all participants to achieve further reductions in target …

Myths And Miracles In Mexico City: Treatment Seeking, Language Socialization, And Identity Among Deaf Youth And Their Families, Anne Elaine Pfister

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research investigates the experience of deafness among deaf youth, adults, and their families in Mexico City, Mexico. Deaf children cannot fully access the spoken languages of their hearing families and mainstream society. Hence, participating families embarked upon extensive treatment-seeking pilgrimages, encountering myths about deaf lifeways and the promise of miracle cures that formed Mexico City's cultural system for coping with childhood deafness. This ethnography uncovers persistent misconceptions in medical and mainstream discourse, including strong recommendations against exposure to sign language, which directly impacted participants' access to relevant communities of practice, the social networks that proved most significant to …

Stabilizing De Facto Conflicts In The Post-Soviet Space : The Role Of The European Union In Conflict Resolution In Moldova, Marissa Wyant

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The European Union (EU) is frequently credited for the peace and stability in Western Europe since World War II. The Union’s creation of the common market and its efforts to promote liberal ideals of democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights are among the many reasons cited. After the end of the Cold War with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the expansion of the EU through Eastern Enlargement became a prominent topic both within the EU and within the former Soviet states. Resolving conflicts in the region is vital to the stability of the region, and will …

Speaking Their Language: Textisms In Today's Communication, Adam Lloyd Drum

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study is an exploratory look into the use of text-based slang, or textisms, in modern communication. People use textisms in multiple media of communication, whether it is in text messages, emails, and various types of social media. This study asked a focus group about their uses and gratifications from textisms. The focus group delved into their appreciations as both users and receivers. Participants reflected on their personal experience and preferences with textisms for their personal communications as well as their opinion for various types of businesses using them in their larger message design efforts.

The participants were comprised of …

Navigating Collective Activity Systems: An Approach Towards Rhetorical Inquiry, Katherine Jesse Royce

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this formative intervention was to design a professional and technical communications course around rhetorical inquiry. The participants, undergraduate health sciences majors (N=22 for section A, N=20 section B), were observed throughout the fall semester of the 2014-2015 academic year. A rhetorical inquiry framework was applied via activity systems, and data were collected using several methodologies including participant observations, research questionnaires, as well as participant deliverables, and were transcribed using Daisy Mwanza's Eight-Step Model. Results demonstrated students successfully used activity systems as a means of approaching rhetorical inquiry. Furthermore, students indicated a high level of engagement in the …

Let's Go To The Carnival: Hybridization Of Heterotopian Spaces In The Films Of Kevin Smith, Anthony L. Sylvester

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper argues against the charges of puerility in the films of Kevin Smith. I analyze Mallrats (1995), Clerks II (2006) and Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008). To illustrate my contention, I offer close readings of the director's films, particularly the protagonists' bodily/linguistic performances. My efforts will vindicate my assertion that through these specialized performances, through the forceful assertion of their marginal identities, the films' protagonists encroach upon, and finally appropriate, historically dominant spaces. As a result, the spaces they appropriate acquire a new, characteristic hybridity. Michel Foucault's concept of heterotopia provides a framework for delineating the dominant …

Parental Deportation And Cape Verdean Youth Experiences: A Case Study, Leila Rosa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The consistent academic underperformance of students from diverse backgrounds is a national concern and the subject of study by numerous researchers. Some scholars suggest this underperformance indicates teacher lack of preparation to address the needs of a highly diverse student population (Hollins & Guzman, 2005; Ford, 2008; Darling-Hamond, 2004). Central to the overall efforts for improving achievement outcomes should be a focus on the educational experiences of the segment of population that is underperforming, namely students of color, from diverse cultural and linguistic background. Policies of immigration are particularly relevant for the students who are immigrants to the United States …

Crow's Nest, January 26, 2015, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The January 26, 2015, issue of the Crow's Nest.

Effects Of Reducing The Cognitive Load Of Mathematics Test Items On Student Performance, Susan C. Gillmor, John Poggio, Susan Embretson

Numeracy

This study explores a new item-writing framework for improving the validity of math assessment items. The authors transfer insights from Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), traditionally used in instructional design, to educational measurement. Fifteen, multiple-choice math assessment items were modified using research-based strategies for reducing extraneous cognitive load. An experimental design with 222 middle-school students tested the effects of the reduced cognitive load items on student performance and anxiety. Significant findings confirm the main research hypothesis that reducing the cognitive load of math assessment items improves student performance. Three load-reducing item modifications are identified as particularly effective for reducing item difficulty: …

Anthropology, 2015-2016, University Of South Florida St. Petersburg

Academic Learning Compacts

The Academic Learning Compact for 2015-2016 for the Bachelor's of Arts in Anthropology.

World Languages & Culture, 2015-2016, University Of South Florida St. Petersburg

Academic Learning Compacts

The Academic Learning Compact for 2015-2016 for the Bachelor's of Arts in World Languages and Culture.

World Heritage Papers, Unesco

KIP Articles

This publication presents the most up-to-date research on the peopling of the Americas. The studies and discoveries brought to the reader in these articles review the latest developments in this field of knowledge: how the Americas were first experienced, how and where their colonization took place, and what aided the successful development of cultural diversity at the last continental frontier for the human species. This book stems from the international meeting, The First Peopling of the Americas and the World Heritage Convention, held in Puebla, Mexico, from 2 to 6 September 2013. It is thanks to this meeting and the …

Bo43-6-Web.Pdf, Bird Observer

Bird Observer

No abstract provided.

Valuing Illusion: A Comparative Analysis Of Jean Baudrillard And Eihei Dogen, Nicholas Boynton

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the overlapping themes, ideas, and strategies of Jean Baudrillard and Eihei Dogen. The rationale for such an endeavor lies in the absence of any comparison of Baudrillard and Dogen, when there is a plethora of scholarship that places their respective philosophies into conversation with post-structuralism and Zen Buddhism. I approached this project from the perspective of examining how Dogen’s enigmatic ideas helped in understanding Baudrillard’s complex theory, and vice-versa. By looking more closely at each philosopher’s writing, themes, and concerns, I highlight ideas from separate and distinct socio-historical situations and find ways …