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Development And Validation Of A Scale To Measure Misconceptions About Educational Psychology Among Pre-Service Teachers, Morgan Mcafee Jan 2018

Development And Validation Of A Scale To Measure Misconceptions About Educational Psychology Among Pre-Service Teachers, Morgan Mcafee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Misconceptions are widespread or commonly held beliefs explicitly contradicted by empirical evidence. When teachers harbor misconceptions or unjustified beliefs about teaching, learning, and human motivation, the potential pedagogical consequences are profound, and these inaccurate beliefs may be instilled into future students through ineffective teaching strategies and gross misinterpretations of learning science. While existing research has examined misconceptions about general psychology and neuroscience among various populations, no prior work has evaluated pre-service teachers' misconceptions about topics of educational psychology, comprising inaccurate beliefs about teaching, learning, and human motivation. The purpose of this research is to describe the development and validation of …


Ignition Studies Of Oxy-Syngas/Co2 Mixtures Using Shock Tube For Cleaner Combustion Engines, Samuel Barak Jan 2018

Ignition Studies Of Oxy-Syngas/Co2 Mixtures Using Shock Tube For Cleaner Combustion Engines, Samuel Barak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, syngas combustion was investigated behind reflected shock waves in order to gain insight into the behavior of ignition delay times and effects of the CO2 dilution. Pressure and light emissions time-histories measurements were taken at a 2 cm axial location away from the end wall. High-speed visualization of the experiments from the end wall was also conducted. Oxy-syngas mixtures that were tested in the shock tube were diluted with CO2 fractions ranging from 60% - 85% by volume. A 10% fuel concentration was consistently used throughout the experiments. This study looked at the effects of changing the …


Characterization, Classification, And Genesis Of Seismocardiographic Signals, Amirtaha Taebi Jan 2018

Characterization, Classification, And Genesis Of Seismocardiographic Signals, Amirtaha Taebi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Seismocardiographic (SCG) signals are the acoustic and vibration induced by cardiac activity measured non-invasively at the chest surface. These signals may offer a method for diagnosing and monitoring heart function. Successful classification of SCG signals in health and disease depends on accurate signal characterization and feature extraction. In this study, SCG signal features were extracted in the time, frequency, and time-frequency domains. Different methods for estimating time-frequency features of SCG were investigated. Results suggested that the polynomial chirplet transform outperformed wavelet and short time Fourier transforms. Many factors may contribute to increasing intrasubject SCG variability including subject posture and respiratory …


Determining The Small-Scale Structure And Particle Properties In Saturn's Rings From Stellar And Radio Occultations, Richard Jerousek Jan 2018

Determining The Small-Scale Structure And Particle Properties In Saturn's Rings From Stellar And Radio Occultations, Richard Jerousek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Saturn's rings consist of icy particles of various sizes ranging from millimeters to several meters. Particles may aggregate into ephemeral elongated clumps known as self-gravity wakes in regions where the surface mass density and epicyclic frequency give a Toomre critical wavelength which is much larger than the largest individual particles (Julian and Toomre 1966). Optical depth measurements at different wavelengths can be used to constrain the sizes of individual particles (Zebker et al. 1985, Marouf et al. 1983) while measurements of optical depths spanning many viewing geometries can be used to determine the properties of self-gravity wakes (Colwell et al. …


Characterization Of Anisotropic Mechanical Performance Of As-Built Additively Manufactured Metals, Sanna Siddiqui Jan 2018

Characterization Of Anisotropic Mechanical Performance Of As-Built Additively Manufactured Metals, Sanna Siddiqui

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies use a 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) model to develop a component through a deposition and fusion layer process, allowing for rapid design and geometric flexibility of metal components, for use in the aerospace, energy and biomedical industries. Challenges exist with additive manufacturing that limits its replacement of conventional manufacturing techniques, most especially a comprehensive understanding of the anisotropic behavior of these materials and how it is reflected in observed tensile, torsional and fatigue mechanical responses. As such, there is a need to understand how the build orientation of as-built additively manufactured metals, affects mechanical performance …


Designing A Virtual Embedded Scenario-Based Military Simulation Training Program Using Educational And Design Instructional Strategies, Christina Cook Jan 2018

Designing A Virtual Embedded Scenario-Based Military Simulation Training Program Using Educational And Design Instructional Strategies, Christina Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation in practice was to develop and implement a new training program for designers of military intelligence simulation scenarios used to train soldiers. The use of education and design instructional strategies assisted in the ability for designers to gain mastery skills in creating realistic, high-fidelity scenarios that are applied in the training process. The use of simulation scenarios to train adult learners has increased significantly with improvements in technology and its fidelity to engage learners in a realistic way. Despite these advances, the lack of effective design, implementation and analysis of military simulation training programs in …


A Comparison Of Student Achievement In Florida Charter Schools With For-Profit And Not-For-Profit Management Models, Maurice Kaprow Jan 2018

A Comparison Of Student Achievement In Florida Charter Schools With For-Profit And Not-For-Profit Management Models, Maurice Kaprow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, the researcher compared student achievement in Florida charter schools by investigating differences in those managed by for profit and not-for-profit entities in all 530 charter schools that reported results on the 2016 Florida Standards Assessments in Grades 4, 8, and 10 in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. Using a two-way analysis of covariance, this investigation found statistically significant achievement differences only in 10th-grade ELA when using poverty as a moderator variable and eighth-grade mathematics using both school cohort size and poverty as moderator variables. Also, the covariates of percentage of minority students, percentage of disabled students, …


Exploring High Performing Second Grade Students' Reading Achievement And Time Spent On I-Ready With Their Motivation To Read., Chloe Webb Jan 2018

Exploring High Performing Second Grade Students' Reading Achievement And Time Spent On I-Ready With Their Motivation To Read., Chloe Webb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The motivation to read plays a key role in any student's reading development and success. In the context of 21st century literacies and learning, students engage in reading with print and digital texts and read in traditional and multimodal settings. This situated thesis explored the topic of second grade students' motivation to read through the lens of reading performance and time spent reading and improving their reading skills using i-Ready. Fourteen second grade students in a Central Florida elementary school classroom received the Motivation to Read Profile- Revised (MRP-R) (2013), an established survey, that is designed to gauge elementary school …


Fiber Optimization For Operation Beyond Transverse Mode Instability Limitations, Joshua Bradford Jan 2018

Fiber Optimization For Operation Beyond Transverse Mode Instability Limitations, Joshua Bradford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transverse Mode Instabilities (TMIs) stand as a fundamental limitation to power and brightness scaling in laser systems based upon optical fiber technologies. This work comprises experimental and theoretical investigations into fiber laser design that should minimize the effects of Stimulated Thermal Rayleigh Scattering. Theoretical discussions and simulations focus on how fiber parameters affect transverse mode coupling. These include core geometry optimization, pump geometry optimization, in addition to the effects of HOM content and losses on the TMI threshold. Experimentally, a high-power laser facility is commissioned with beam quality diagnostics to quantify the thresholds of the onset of modal interferences and …


Community College Leadership: The Pathways, Competencies, And Preparation Of Presidents And Chief Academic Officers, Richard Minton Jan 2018

Community College Leadership: The Pathways, Competencies, And Preparation Of Presidents And Chief Academic Officers, Richard Minton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

At the beginning of the new millennium, concerns were raised that a leadership crisis was soon to develop due to a high percentage of community college presidents and chief academic officers (CAOs) approaching retirement within the decade. With concerns that there would not be a sufficient number of leaders ready to assume these roles, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) developed a list of six competencies essential to community college leadership (AACC, 2005). The purpose of this study was to examine the pathways, competencies, and preparation of community college presidents and CAOs. Leaders in those positions at two-year colleges …


Social Media As A Healthcare Tool: Case Study Analysis Of Factors Influencing Pediatric Clinicians' Behavioral Intent To Adopt Social Media For Patient Communication And Engagement, Rachel Mustonen Jan 2018

Social Media As A Healthcare Tool: Case Study Analysis Of Factors Influencing Pediatric Clinicians' Behavioral Intent To Adopt Social Media For Patient Communication And Engagement, Rachel Mustonen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social media aids communication among users worldwide. However, a notable gap exist among social media users, healthcare professionals utilizing social media in the work place. While the concept of harnessing social media as a professional tool is not novel, healthcare professionals have yet to embrace the practice as standard workflow. This study identifies factors influencing clinicians' behavioral intent to adopt social media for patient engagement and communication. A new framework, the Healthcare Social Media Adoption Framework (HSMA), guided this mixed-method approach to assess 7 factors identified by theory and literature as adoption influencers. A custom, web-based survey collected data from …


Fourth Grade Teachers' Implementation Of An Explicit Vocabulary Teaching Technique With Students Who Are Socioeconomically Disadvantaged, Joanna Spielvogel Jan 2018

Fourth Grade Teachers' Implementation Of An Explicit Vocabulary Teaching Technique With Students Who Are Socioeconomically Disadvantaged, Joanna Spielvogel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study investigated the impact of fourth grade general education teacher implementation of the Vocabulary Scenario Technique – General Education 16 (VST-GE16) protocol on the vocabulary knowledge gains of students from low socioeconomic status (SES) circumstances. For children living in poverty, vocabulary knowledge deficits begin in toddlerhood and persist throughout their lives. Early deficits in vocabulary knowledge translate to performance gaps in vocabulary knowledge, literacy, and academic success between students from higher and lower SES homes. The development of explicit instructional protocols to be used by general education teachers is critical to the amelioration of these intransigent gaps. The study …


Animals Of The Cloud Forest: Isotopic Variation Of Archaeological Faunal Remains From Kuelap, Peru, Samantha Michell Jan 2018

Animals Of The Cloud Forest: Isotopic Variation Of Archaeological Faunal Remains From Kuelap, Peru, Samantha Michell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stable isotopic analyses of faunal remains are used as a proxy for reconstructing the ancient Chachapoya dietary environment of the northeastern highlands in Peru. Archaeologists have excavated animal remains from refuse piles at the monumental center of Kuelap (AD 900-1535). This archaeological site is located at 3000 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.), where C3 plants dominate the region. The study presented here is one of the few in the Central Andes that uses faunal remains to develop local isotopic baselines, reconstruct resource exploitation, and provide insight into dietary variation. Bone collagen stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes are used …


Low Income And First Generation Students' Engagement Of Authority Figures, Josalie Condon Jan 2018

Low Income And First Generation Students' Engagement Of Authority Figures, Josalie Condon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Numerous studies acknowledged the potential struggles that first generation (FG) and low-income students (LI) face as they attempt to navigate the college degree pipeline. One struggle these students may face is an aversion to engaging authority figures. Unlike their peers, both FG and LI students can come from families with little to no college literacy, and this lack of support, coupled with not seeking out assistance from authority figures on campus, could lead to potential problems. This lack of engagement with authority figures may be related to childhood socialization such as Cultivation of Intellectual Independence (CII). Individuals with high …


Development Of A Non-Human Primate Model For Staphylococcus Aureus Nasal Carriage, Amanda Lasseter Jan 2018

Development Of A Non-Human Primate Model For Staphylococcus Aureus Nasal Carriage, Amanda Lasseter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage (SANC) is largely asymptomatic, but presents a risk of autoinfection and dissemination to new immunocompromised hosts. SA disease states range from mild cutaneous infections to life-threatening bacteremia. Historically utilized rodent models do not naturally carry SA in the nose, are insufficient in longitudinal SANC experimentation, and lack immune factors that are vital in human clearance of SA. The nasal passages of non-human primates are similar anatomically and histologically, and reproductive mucosal studies have shown similar immune responses to pathogens and human-relevant microbial profiles. Seventeen captive pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) were found to naturally carry SA in …


Crosslinguistic Analysis Of Stuttering And Typical Disfluencies In Polish-English Bilingual Adults Who Stutter, Aleksandra Krawczyk Jan 2018

Crosslinguistic Analysis Of Stuttering And Typical Disfluencies In Polish-English Bilingual Adults Who Stutter, Aleksandra Krawczyk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study examines the types and frequencies of stuttering, typical disfluencies, and speech rate in Polish-English bilingual adults who stutter across a variety of speaking situations. As Polish and English are phonetically and morpho-syntactically disparate languages, they provide grounds for evaluating the cross-linguistic correlates that may contribute to dysfluency in bilingual individuals who stutter in hopes of contributing to more effective assessment, diagnostic determination, and clinical practice. Participants were all native Polish speakers who spoke English at an intermediate or higher level, were diagnosed with a developmental stutter, and were at least 18 years old. Given that the participants …


Machine Learning Methods For Flow Cytometry Analysis And Visualization, Emily Sassano Jan 2018

Machine Learning Methods For Flow Cytometry Analysis And Visualization, Emily Sassano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Flow cytometry is a popular analytical cell-biology instrument that uses specific wavelengths of light to profile heterogeneous populations of cells at the individual level. Current cytometers have the capability of analyzing up to 20 parameters on over a million cells, but despite the complexity of these datasets, a typical workflow relies on subjective labor-intensive manual sequential analysis. The research presented in this dissertation provides two machine learning methods to increase the objectivity, efficiency, and discovery in flow cytometry data analysis. The first, a supervised learning method, utilizes previously analyzed data to evaluate new flow cytometry files containing similar parameters. The …


The Evolution Of Peristenus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Taxonomy, Phylogenetics And Ecological Speciation, Yuanmeng Zhang Jan 2018

The Evolution Of Peristenus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Taxonomy, Phylogenetics And Ecological Speciation, Yuanmeng Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parasitoid wasps are ecologically and economically important as biological control agents. However, little is known about the diversity, distribution and biology of most hymenopteran parasitoids due to their small size, morphological conservatism, and complex life styles. The focus of my PhD research was to investigate the evolution and speciation of euphorine braconid wasps, using a combination of multilocus phylogenetics and population genomic techniques combined with traditional taxonomy. The three data chapters of my dissertation are divided into different taxonomic ranks of euphorine braconids, focusing on genera, species, and populations. For chapter 2, I built a multilocus phylogeny of the tribe …


The Impact Of 21st Century Community Learning Centers On Middle Schools In Seminole County, Ashley Buxton Jan 2018

The Impact Of 21st Century Community Learning Centers On Middle Schools In Seminole County, Ashley Buxton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of the study was to research the impact 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) has on Title 1 middle school students in Seminole County. A mixed methods design was used to interview and survey teachers working for the after-school program, and student data was collected to assist in identifying the impact of the program. Initially, interviews were conducted to research the implementation of the program. Following interviews, willing participants completed the survey sent out to all middle school teachers who work for 21st CCLC. The survey investigated how the vision of the program was presented to staff and …


Boots On The Ground: A Participant-Oriented Approach To Program Evaluation, Nikki Djak Jan 2018

Boots On The Ground: A Participant-Oriented Approach To Program Evaluation, Nikki Djak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite best efforts to fully prepare pre-service teachers (PSTs) with the knowledge and skills they will need as educators, many universities nationwide fall short of doing so. Poor or unrelated pre-service preparation of education majors prior to graduation creates disconnects between college coursework requirements and real-world expectations of educators, which decreases the value of these education programs. It also leaves many PSTs entering internship and subsequent first-year employment ill-prepared to handle all of the classroom responsibilities expected of them, which contributes to another nationwide problem: low retention of novice teachers. To address comprehensive preparation of PSTs, professors at one large …


Stem Academic Engagement In Young Children With Autism: A Single Case Design Study, Yixuan Ji Jan 2018

Stem Academic Engagement In Young Children With Autism: A Single Case Design Study, Yixuan Ji

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher examined the academic engagement in Circle Time activities and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities for three young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who attended a large Orange County Public School, enrolled in an ASD preschool classroom. Given the increasing number of children diagnosed with ASD each year and many STEM job opportunities for individuals with ASD, it is becoming important to know how young children with ASD learn and engage in STEM activities. Strengths of individuals with ASD in the STEM field have been reported in several research studies (Chen & Weko, 2009; Kirchner, Ruch …


Countering The Narrative: Exploring The Relationships Among Wellness, Resilience, And Empowerment Within Black Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With Hiv (Bmsm+), Nevin Heard Jan 2018

Countering The Narrative: Exploring The Relationships Among Wellness, Resilience, And Empowerment Within Black Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With Hiv (Bmsm+), Nevin Heard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The HIV epidemic continues to disproportionately impact marginalized populations, where one in two Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. The lack of research regarding the wellness of Black men who have sex with men living with HIV (BMSM+) inhibits understanding, which could hinder professions missioned with bettering the wellness of BMSM+. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to investigate if resilience and empowerment predict BMSM+'s wellness. However, a lack of internal consistency among the empowerment measurement required the researcher to remove the scale and adjust the scope of the …


An Examination Of Perceptions And Intentions Of Preservice Educators In Title I Settings, Annemarie Bazzo Kaczmarczyk Jan 2018

An Examination Of Perceptions And Intentions Of Preservice Educators In Title I Settings, Annemarie Bazzo Kaczmarczyk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the shifting demographics of our nation and increased vacancies in schools, teacher preparation programs must equip teachers to work with today's culturally, academically, racially, and economically (CARE) diverse student population effectively. University-based teacher preparation programs are called to examine the steps taken and experiences provided to develop effective teachers to work with CARE students and fill vacancies, specifically in Title I schools. Preservice teachers, 15 total, participated in this qualitative study examining the perceptions and intentions of PSTs who were exposed to course content and field experiences that focused on Title I and CARE students. The PSTs were placed …


Quality Indicators For Classrooms Serving Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Construct Validation Study, Rebecca Hopkins Jan 2018

Quality Indicators For Classrooms Serving Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Construct Validation Study, Rebecca Hopkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A rise in the prevalence of students with ASD points to the need for more qualified and effective teachers to meet the needs of this population. Existing research delineates evidence-based practices and teaching standards positively improve educational outcomes for students with ASD. Teacher evaluation systems have the potential to highlight strengths and areas for improvement in special education teaching practices. Research on observation instruments to evaluate the unique skills and knowledge of special education teachers of students with ASD is limited. A need exists for high quality observation instruments to measure teacher performance in special education classrooms serving students with …


An Examination Of Movement Between Preschool And Kindergarten Classrooms For Young Children With Developmental Disabilities, Faith Ezekiel-Wilder Jan 2018

An Examination Of Movement Between Preschool And Kindergarten Classrooms For Young Children With Developmental Disabilities, Faith Ezekiel-Wilder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher in this investigation describes the similarities and differences of movement in preschool and kindergarten classrooms for young children with developmental delay. Through the use of a mixed method research design, the researcher examined how movement is integrated throughout a school day and integrated into teacher-directed mathematics activities. This study used a multiple case study method that included observations of preschool (n = 3) and kindergarten (n = 3) classrooms to determine similarities and differences in movement. In addition, a quantitative measure was embedded within the multiple case study design to compare movement of children with developmental delay. A …


The Unheard Voices Of Nontraditional Students In Higher Education: Learning To Become A Student, Marcelo Julio Maturana Jan 2018

The Unheard Voices Of Nontraditional Students In Higher Education: Learning To Become A Student, Marcelo Julio Maturana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the lived experiences of older students who work and have family responsibilities while attending an undergraduate program full-time. Research indicates that this segment of the student population is the only one that is growing today and is projected to grow in the future; this also is the largest the group of students that does not finish their studies in spite of the many services aimed at supporting students' academic success. This study critically investigated the category of the nontraditional student and reviewed the literature about students' college experiences, including the limitations of its theoretical assumptions to describe …


Warrior Women: A Phenomenological Study Of Female Veterans Transitioning Into And Through College, Alma Sorensen Jan 2018

Warrior Women: A Phenomenological Study Of Female Veterans Transitioning Into And Through College, Alma Sorensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current research and theory primarily focuses on identifying holistic challenges of the veteran student demographic and does not focus on challenges specific to female veterans when transitioning into and through college. Additionally, current research and theory does not focus on positive and negative experiences of female veterans within four key areas of academia: courseware, faculty, staff/administration, and student services. As a result, current research and theory do not adequately explain why female veterans may or may not successfully transition into and through college, resulting in a lack of resources available for female veterans, and Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). This phenomenological …


Mechanical And Physical Characteristics Of Knee Flexors And Extensors Following Different Warm Up Protocols In Collegiate Male Soccer Athletes, Michael Redd Jan 2018

Mechanical And Physical Characteristics Of Knee Flexors And Extensors Following Different Warm Up Protocols In Collegiate Male Soccer Athletes, Michael Redd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: To compare potential differences in mechanical and physical characteristics of knee flexors and extensors in collegiate male soccer players following different warm up protocols. METHODS: Sixteen collegiate male soccer players (20.33 ± 1.33 years, 176.97 ± 6.72 cm, and 78.43 ± 7.42 kg) participated in this study. A small sided games warm up (SSG), a dynamic warm up (DYN), and a plyometric warm up (PLY) were completed using a randomized crossover design. Tensiomyography (TMG) was used to assess contraction time (Tc), delay time (Td) and maximal displacement (Dm) of the rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) of both …


Non-Hermitian Optics, Absar Ulhassan Jan 2018

Non-Hermitian Optics, Absar Ulhassan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From the viewpoint of quantum mechanics, a system must always be Hermitian since all its corresponding eigenvalues must be real. In contrast, the eigenvalues of open systems-unrestrained because of either decay or amplification-can be in general complex. Not so long ago, a certain class of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians was discovered that could have a completely real eigenvalue spectrum. This special class of Hamiltonians was found to respect the property of commutation with the parity-time (PT) operator. Translated into optics, this implies a balance between regions exhibiting gain and loss. Traditionally, loss has been perceived as a foe in optics and something …


Ethnic Exclusion & Conflict In The Caspian: Comparing Kazakhstan & Azerbaijan, Danny Krikorian Jan 2018

Ethnic Exclusion & Conflict In The Caspian: Comparing Kazakhstan & Azerbaijan, Danny Krikorian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Political science explains various motives for political violence. This research focuses on a particular kind of motivation: ethnicity. The 20th century has seen many instances of ethnic violence, and this research seeks to understand why it occurs in one place and time and not the other. Traditionally the literature on ethnic violence reflects on economic conditions, regime type, geopolitics and historical context as significant variables. This research posits that Kazakhstan managed to avoid ethnic violence because it is more politically developed. The existence of an accommodative legislative assembly, which assures the rights of ethnic minorities, is an example of Kazakhstan's …