Digital Commons Network^™

Reimagining The Community Of Inquiry Model For A Workplace Learning Setting: A Program Evaluation, Krista Kirby Singleton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to conduct an evaluation on a workplace training program using the Community of Inquiry (COI) model as a guide for course construction. Given that online and blended learning programs have gained popularity in the past two decades, companies have struggled with how to prepare trainers in the areas of online teaching methods and instructional technology usage to create an effective and engaging learning environment. In this study, I utilized the COI model, created for use in higher ed settings, in a workplace setting as a curriculum framework to revamp an unsuccessful online learning program. …

Autism And Inclusion In England’S Multi Academy Trust: A Case Study Of A Senior Leadership Team, Danielle Lane

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I explore how the senior leadership team at an Academy Trust in England understands and operationalizes inclusion, particularly for pupils whose learning profile includes autism. England’s policies regarding inclusion appear to focus on the placement of pupils with disabilities in the mainstream provision; however, the Academy Trust, a specialist provision, suggests their school is inclusive. Gaining insight into the senior leadership team’s understandings and operationalization of inclusion will provide further understandings of inclusion in Multi Academy Trusts that are specialist provisions. In this study, I examine the understandings of eight members of a senior leadership team at …

American Converts To Islam: Identity, Racialization, And Authenticity, Patrick M. Casey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Working within a social identity theory model, which posits that identities gain or lose salience depending on the situation and the actors, this study brings into focus the identity management of Americans who have converted to Islam. More specifically, this study of American Muslim converts seeks to understand how the authenticity of their religious identities is challenged and affirmed by others and themselves. Thirty-nine in-depth interviews were examined and interpreted using the insights of narrative analysis and racialization theory. The first finding is that although converts may tell a variety of different stories about how and why they converted to …

Phishing In Dark Waters: A Quasi-Experimental Approach With Evaluating Cyber-Security Training For End-Users, Jaclyn Martin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing amount of digital storage of personal and organizational data, there has been an increasing number of cyber-attacks, which has spurred much research on how to reduce phishing susceptibility. However, there are several gaps in the current research. There is little research on the effectiveness of different interventions on phishing susceptibility. There is no research on the differential impact of interventions on sensitivity (ability to detect phishing emails) and response bias (propensity to treat emails as threatening) or the influence of individual characteristics on phishing email training success. This study addresses these gaps using a quasi-experimental approach to …

Time On Task Across Skill Sets In Construction Trades Classrooms: Preparation Of Skilled Craft Workers, Zachary D. Riffell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The construction industry is an essential component of the U.S. economy, yet even amid good wages, construction companies are having trouble finding enough individuals who are ready for work in the industry, and they fear they will not be able to do so in the future because training options for potential workers are inadequate. Better training options are needed. Much research has pointed to soft and academic skills as necessary skills for successful workers that are missing from worker preparation programs, but little has been done to establish an actual correlation between these skills and workforce readiness.

In this study, …

Genetic Testing And The Power Of The Provider: Women’S Experiences With Cancer Genetic Testing, Dana Erin Ketcher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Genetic testing has become ubiquitous in contemporary society, from determining ancestry to addressing health concerns. This dissertation focused on a qualitative, feminist approach to understand women’s experiences of genetic testing for hereditary cancer syndromes, as well as their perspectives of risk. A total of 33 participants agreed to a semistructured interview and drawing of their family tree (pedigree). Eleven (40.7%) participants had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and 16 (59.3%) participants with ovarian cancer. Thirty-one (93.9%) participants had genetic testing, and of those, 17 (54.8%) had genetic counseling. Participants voiced several reasons why they wanted to undergo genetic testing or …

Force Feedback And Intelligent Workspace Selection For Legged Locomotion Over Uneven Terrain, John Rippetoe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Legged robots present an incredible opportunity for humanity to conduct dangerous operations such as search and rescue, disaster recovery, and planetary exploration without ever placing themselves in harms way. The ability of a leg to more freely dictate its shape, orientation, and length gives it tremendous mobility and adaptability demanded of a system intended for operation outside of a controlled environment. However, one only need look at the average cat, dog, or friendly neighborhood squirrel to understand the immense gap that exists between what is possible of legged systems and their current set of capabilities.

Areas of study relevant to …

Advanced Proteomic And Epigenetic Characterization Of Ethanol-Induced Microglial Activation, Jennifer Guergues Guergues

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, can exhibit a broad range of activation phenotypes and have been implicated in several diseases and disorders of the central nervous system. Here, we described a method optimized for sensitive and rapid quantitative proteomic analysis of microglia that involves suspension trapping (S-Trap) for efficient and reproducible protein extraction from a microglial cell count expected from an individual mouse brain (~300K) while also simultaneously providing the first comprehensive proteomic characterization of a novel adult-derived mouse microglial cell line. This enhanced method was used throughout all subsequent works and was especially necessary when we …

Investigating The Role Of The Chromosome 19 Microrna Cluster In Human Trophoblast Differentiation And Infantile Hemangioma, Ezinne Francess Mong

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Trophoblast differentiation and invasion is essential for normal implantation and establishment of the maternal-fetal interface, which allows for proper nutrient exchange and support of the fetus. For this to occur, cytotrophoblasts must undergo an epithelial to mesenchymal transition and differentiate into migratory and invasive extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) that invade the maternal decidua and myometrium. Trophoblast differentiation, migration and invasion is highly regulated by a complex network of signaling pathways, adhesion molecules and transcription factors and is important for the remodeling of maternal spiral arteries from low flow, high resistance to high flow, low resistance vessels to allow optimal perfusion of …

Saudi Special Education Preservice Teachers’ Perspective Towards Inclusion, Sarah Binmahfooz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In Saudi Arabia, students with disabilities have historically received education in special and segregated schools. As times progressed, regulations and laws changed the manner in which students with disabilities were served. Regulations order that students with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment; however, preservice teachers’ perspectives continue to differ in regard to working with students with disabilities in a general education setting. Research has shown that teachers who portray positive attitudes towards inclusion are more likely to work with students with disabilities in an inclusive classroom (Dev & Hayes, 2015). Today, inclusion has occurred in schools around the …

Psychological Responses To High-Intensity Interval Training Exercise: A Comparison Of Ungraded Running And Graded Walking, Abby Fleming

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of ungraded running and graded walking as modalities of HIIT on enjoyment, perceived exertion, and affect. 29 healthy males and females (aged 23.3 ± 5.1) volunteered to participate in the study. Participants completed six visits to the laboratory: the first was a medical screening to ensure safety of the participants. For the second and third visits, participants completed two maximal treadmill exercise tests, one running and one walking. On the fourth visit, the speed needed for the run HIIT (running speed: 6.9 ± 1.2mph) and the grade needed for the walk HIIT (walking speed: 3.3 …

Full-Waveform Inversion Of Common-Offset Ground Penetrating Radar (Gpr) Data, Sajad Jazayeri

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Maintenance of aging buried infrastructure and reinforced concrete are critical issues in the United States. Inexpensive non-destructive techniques for mapping and imaging infrastructure and defects are an integral component of maintenance. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a widely-used non-destructive tool for locating buried infrastructure and for imaging rebar and other features of interest to civil engineers. Conventional acquisition and interpretation of GPR profiles is based on the arrival times of strong reflected/diffracted returns, and qualitative interpretation of return amplitudes. Features are thereby generally well located, but their material properties are only qualitatively assessed. For example, in the typical imaging of …

Effects Of External Memory Aid Assessment And Treatment On Everyday Task Performance Of Individuals With Mild Neurocognitive Disorder, Alyssa M. Lanzi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with mild neurocognitive disorder complete many activities of daily living independently; however, they may require the use of compensatory strategies while performing everyday tasks. Compensatory strategies, such as external memory aids, incorporate a strengths-based approach to enhance the functional needs of individuals. Although external memory aids have a strong evidence-base, limited assessment tools and interventions are available to facilitate the development of individualized treatment plans that promote sustained strategy use. To better support the everyday needs of individuals with mild neurocognitive disorder and to inform clinicians who are developing interventions, the current dissertation includes four paper that examine a …

Because My Garmin Told Me To: A New Materialist Study Of Agency And Wearable Technology, Michael Repici

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Wearable technologies are being adopted in increasing numbers and the market space appears poised for continued growth in virtually all areas, from medicine, to self-quantification, to sports. While the overwhelming majority of work on wearables has been done on their medical applications and their role in shaping identity, this dissertation examines the roles that wearable technologies play on the decision-making processes in athletic contexts. Using new materialism and Actor Network Theory as lenses, I attempt to break from the Cartesian model that places human subjectivity and intentionality at the center of a rhetorical situation and, rather, allow that non-human actants …

Machine Learning, Game Theory Algorithms, And Medium Access Protocols For 5g And Internet-Of-Thing (Iot) Networks, Mohamed Elkourdi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the first part of this dissertation, a novel medium access protocol for the Internet of Thing (IoT) networks is introduced. The Internet of things (IoT), which is the network of physical devices embedded with sensors, actuators, and connectivity, is being accelerated into the mainstream by the emergence of 5G wireless networking. This work presents an uncoordinated non-orthogonal random-access protocol, which is an enhancement to the recently introduced slotted ALOHA- NOMA (SAN) protocol that provides high throughput, while being matched to the low complexity requirements and the sporadic traffic pattern of IoT devices. Under ideal conditions it has been shown …

Tip-Enhanced Nano-Optical Imaging Of Superacid Treated Bilayer Mos2-Ws2 2d Lateral Heterostructures, Amala Dixit

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nanoscale optical characterization of two-dimensional (2D) materials and heterostructures is important for the design of novel optoelectronic flexible nano-devices. Nano-optical photoluminescence (PL) and Raman imaging of bilayer 2D materials has been a challenging problem due to weak signals. The exciton-dominated light emission of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) materials is affected by the formation of defects and doping states. Previous studies have shown that chemical treatment modifies the defect and doping states of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown monolayers of MoS₂ and WS₂, which provides a promising possibility for engineering the optoelectronic properties of these 2D TMDCs. …

An Application Of The Trial-Based Functional Analysis To Assess Problem Behavior Evoked By Ritual Interruption, Jennifer R. Weyman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Higher-order restricted and repetitive behavior includes a rigid adherence to routines and schedules or insistence on sameness or completeness. Some individuals with autism spectrum disorder engage in problem behavior when these higher-order rituals are interrupted. Modifying the trial-based functional analysis to assess problem behavior evoked by the interruption of higher-order rituals might allow therapists and teachers with limited resources to assess this function of problem behavior. In addition, it may mitigate some of the risks associated with the traditional functional analysis. Thus, the first purpose of the current study was to evaluate the use of the trial-based functional analysis to …

Some Effects Of Functional Analysis On Problem Behavior Outside Of Session, Karie S. John

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Conducting a functional analysis (FA) is the most empirically supported method of determining problem behavior, yet clinicians report various barriers to conducting FAs. A common concern associated with conducting FAs is that by reinforcing problem behavior during assessment, problem behavior may increase outside of the assessment context (Hanley, 2012). However, little research has validated this concern. In fact, behavioral contrast research suggests the opposite may be more likely. Behavioral contrast can best be described as a change in behavior in one context as a result of the rate of reinforcement of the behavior in another context (Reynolds, 1961). The purpose …

Evaluating Behavioral Skills Training To Improve Individual’S With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities Bowling Form, Margaret Green

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral skills training (BST) as an intervention to improve bowling form. Three individuals with mild to moderate intellectual disability participated. A multiple baseline design was used to evaluate the changes in each participant’s bowling form. Each of the participant’s bowling form improved after BST was introduced. Two of the three participant’s performance increased with BST alone. The third participant showed minimal improvement after BST, however with the addition of a reinforcement component, the participant’s form increased substantially from baseline. The results of this study suggest BST is an effective intervention to use for improving …

Evaluating The Effects Of Matched Stimulation On Vocal Stereotypy And Skill Acquisition, Joel D. Greenbaum

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stereotypic behavior is often observed in children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Stereotypy can inhibit skill acquisition by leading to inaccuracy on task performance and/or slower task completion (e.g., Koegel & Covert, 1972; Morrison & Rosales-Ruiz, 1997). Several studies have demonstrated that access to preferred matched stimulation leads to a reduction of vocal stereotypical behavior (e.g., Lanovaz, Rapp, & Ferguson, 2012). However, it is paramount that treatments not only be effective in decreasing the problem behavior, but do so without further inhibiting academic progress. The current study evaluated the effects of matched stimulation (i.e., …

Assessing Teacher Preference For Training Modalities For Behavior Intervention Plans, Laurel M. Porter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within public schools, teachers and instructors may require training to implement procedures listed in a behavior intervention plan (BIP) to support students with disabilities. It is crucial that teachers receive training that is both effective and efficient. Behavioral skills training (BST) and video modeling are two training modalities that are proven to be effective for a wide range of skills and learners. Written instructions, although they are not supported as an effective training method in the literature, can be used as task analysis for the steps that are needed to be performed for a procedure. At present, there is no …

Animal-Assisted Therapy To Increase Independent Reading Forchildren With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Taylor L. Butts

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) has become a popular intervention for the health and behavioral community as evidenced by media attention. The research that has been done on AAT has been mostly qualitative and anecdotal. The current study adds to the literature on AAT by collecting quantitative data on AAT. A multiple baseline design across three participants was used to evaluate the independent reading duration under a baseline condition (no dog present) and a non-contingent access to dog condition (which simulated how dog therapy is typically conducted). If reading did not increase during the non-contingent dog condition, a contingent access to …

Implementation Of Differential Reinforcement Of Other Behavior And Response Cost Procedures In Children With Down Syndrome, Melissa S. Giblin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is some discrepancy on how differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) and response cost (RC) affect responding within the context of token economies. We evaluated DRO and two variations of response cost with and without verbal feedback to decrease response errors in the context of academic skills for three children diagnosed with Down syndrome. The results suggest that a token economy intervention alone, with or without verbal feedback, was not effective for 2 of 3 participants. Gestural prompting was required to reduce response errors for those 2 participants and is possibly responsible for reducing response errors for the third …

Medical Decision Making Among Individuals With A Variant Of Uncertain Significance In A Hereditary Cancer Gene And Those With A Chek2 Pathogenic Variant, Deanna J. Almanza

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite national guidelines, women with a BRCA VUS or CHEK2 pathogenic variant are choosing to have risk-reducing surgeries such as bilateral mastectomies which are not aligned with their level of cancer risk based on genetic test results alone. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 6 women with a BRCA VUS and 12 with a CHEK2 pathogenic variant exploring the factors influencing their decision-making process when considering medical management options. Patients from a cancer registry agreed to a recorded telephone interview. Coding was performed using the main constructs from the Ottawa Patient Decision Guide including: knowledge, uncertainty, values, and support. Iterative …

Weaponizing Ordinary Objects: Women, Masculine Performance, And The Anxieties Of Men In Medieval Iceland, Steven T. Dunn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis unravels the deeper meanings attributed to ordinary objects, such as clothing and food, in thirteenth-century Icelandic literature and legal records. I argue that women weaponized these ordinary objects to circumvent their social and legal disadvantages by performing acts that medieval Icelandic society deemed masculine. By comparing various literary sources, however, I show that medieval Icelandic society gradually redefined and questioned the acceptability of that behavior, especially during the thirteenth-century. This is particularly evident in the late thirteenth-century Njal’s Saga, wherein a woman named Hallgerd has been villainized for stealing cheese from a troublesome neighbor. If Hallgerd were a …

The Peruvian Minstrel: An Analysis Of The Representations Of Blackness In The Performance Of El Negro Mama From 1995 To 2016, Ana Lucía Mosquera Rosado

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Peruvian mass media has failed in addressing and representing the cultural and ethnic diversity of its country, as the presence and representation of ethnic minorities (indigenous and Afro-Peruvian) are almost exclusively reduced to the reproduction of stereotypes in comedy shows, in which they are often racialized and the target of offenses directly related with their ethnic identities. The analysis will focus on the figure of El Negro Mama, a very popular character in Peruvian television thought to be a portrait of the Afro-Peruvian population. Through the use of textual analysis, the paper will explore of this character in order to …

Water Scarcity In The Face Of Hurricanes: Improving The Resilience Of Potable Water Supplies In Selected Florida Counties, Fautemeh Sajadi Bami

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Severe storms can threaten the reliability and accessibility of drinking water supplies. The state of Florida is frequently impacted by hurricanes and is often struck more than once a year. An example of this can be found in 2017 when hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria caused much damage. Compromised utilities, well contamination, and shortages in bottled water and ice are just some of the problems that may threaten peoples’ drinking water.

Faced with these issues, preparation and response efforts must be effective in order to promote human health. Recent events like Hurricane Irma caused shortages in potable water which suggest …

Power Conditioning System On A Micro-Grid System, Tamoghna Banerjee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents renewable energy, power electronics, and distributed generators. The focus is on wind farm generator, photovoltaic cell, and battery bank system. Power Conditioning system improves the performance of a power system. Apart from the benefits of converting between DC/AC, there is adequate control of real power and additional control of economic reactive power. This is possible because of multiple sources in the system.

This project throws light on the basic principle of power system conditioning, its operation and control, and the economic studies.

The Effects Of A Daily Behavior Report Card Intervention: Inclusion Of A Peer Mediator Component, Deanna Canfield

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that children with disabilities are more likely engage in problem behaviors and have behavioral, social, and academic deficits in a school classroom than those children without disabilities (e.g., Owens et al., 2012; Pierce, Reid, & Epstein, 2004). Daily Behavior Report Cards (DBRCs) have been found to improve disruptive behaviors, such as task refusal or calling out in class, of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, intellectual and developmental disorders and typically developing students; however, research evaluating the efficacy of DBRCs with students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) is lacking. Studies also indicate that DBRCs can be effectively implemented by …

Using The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce For Secondary (Ptr-Sec) Model For High School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Deanna Deenihan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the use of the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Secondary (PTR-SEC) model as an individualized Tier 3 intervention within the School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) in three high school classrooms. Three teaching staff (two teachers and one instructional aide) and three students with autism spectrum disorders participated in the study. The study examined the degree to which the classroom staff implemented the PTR intervention plan with fidelity and its impact on the students’ behaviors, using a multiple baseline across participants design. The results indicated that the teaching staff implemented the PTR intervention plan with high levels of fidelity, …