Digital Commons Network^™

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Technology As A Catalyst For Constructivist Practices In The Classroom: A Case Study, Lynne Brown Menard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research described and analyzed teachers’ perceptions of technology as a catalyst for stimulating classroom constructivist practices. The teachers were located at multiple schools in one Florida county. The teachers were selected based on participation in the Education through Dynamic Global Experiences (EDGE) program. This One-toOne program provides one laptop for every classroom teacher and student. The most frequent ideas in the literature fell into three sections. First is the need to integrate technology as part of the curricula and use constructivism as a theoretical framework for technology integration. The second relates to the best practices of incorporating classroom technology …

Through The Lens Of A Global Educator: Examining Personal Perceptions Regarding The Construction Of World-Mindedness, Kenneth T. Carano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As we embark upon the 21st century, the world is becoming increasingly interconnected. Yet, despite increasing globalization, educational systems are not reflecting this phenomenon. The overwhelming majority of countries, including the United States, still emphasize nationalistic curricula (Parker, 2008; Tye, 2009). Global education is a movement whose supporters advocate an education reflecting the push towards globalization by providing students with the components necessary to live and thrive in an increasingly interconnected world system. Global educators have a common bond as advocates that a global perspective needs to be developed in the classroom. The degree to which this is being done …

Technology Integration For Preservice Science Teacher Educators, Nina C. Stokes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current state of technology integration in science teacher education programs is examined with a view to providing science teacher educators with practical information and diverse examples of technologies they can model in their own courses. Motivators and barriers to technology integration and use are discussed, and recommendations for choosing and evaluating science technologies made. A brief history of how computers, related communication technologies, and science teacher education reform "fit" together is provided. Multiple interpretations of what is meant by "technology" and associated terms (distance learning, online courses, Web-enhanced courses, simulations, authentic data sets etc.) are included to set the …

Exploring Evaluation In School Districts: School District Evaluators And Their Practice, Susan Hibbard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the evaluation practices of internal evaluators in public school districts in a large southern state. The individuals who conduct evaluations in school districts as internal evaluators were identified and background information was collected. The education and training in evaluation was investigated and the types of evaluations typically conducted by those individuals. Respondents (n = 134) revealed conducting evaluations was a secondary role and part of their main job responsibilities. The types of evaluations carried out and the way in which evaluation was practices were revealed. A descriptive framework of the individuals who conduct evaluations in school districts …

The Influence Of Narcissism And Self-Control On Reactive Aggression, Melissa L. Harrison

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The empirical literature to date has indicated that narcissism is associated with reactive aggression; however, exactly why narcissists respond with aggression to provocation is yet to be determined. The present paper is an exploration of two possible means through which a lack of self-control could be an important predictor involved in narcissists‟ aggressive behavior: 1) a lack of self-control could explain the link between narcissism and aggression, and 2) the combination of insufficient self-control and narcissism could increase the likelihood of aggressive response to provocation.

To explore these possibilities, an experiment was conducted in which 214 participants were first administered …

Towards Understanding Water Conservation Behavior In Southwest Florida: The Role Of Cultural Models, Bernard T. (Terry) Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This applied anthropology dissertation aims to enhance public policy and best practices for conserving potable water resources, using the Tampa Bay region of southwest Florida as a case study. It addresses not how humans conserve, but why they may or may not choose to do so. To date, a limited anthropological focus on water conservation behavior in western, urban settings has created a gap in the role culture plays in understanding why people conserve. The research problem is to identify how water conservation behavior in Tampa, Florida can be enhanced through a better understanding of beliefs and values reflected in …

Migration, Education, And Health Policy: A Closer Look Into The Reasons Behind Poor Health Outcomes In Rural Ecuador, Lauren Harris

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite an increase in the number of Ecuadorian medical professionals, health outcomes in rural areas of the country have steadily declined over the past decade. Using a political economic framework and data collected from interviews with Ecuadorian doctors, government officials, policy makers, and local rural populations, this thesis investigates how the interplay among medical migration, educational structures, and public health policy contributes to growing health disparities between urban and rural dwellers. Addressing each of these factors both individually and collectively, this thesis also outlines a series of policy recommendations that will allow the Ecuadorian healthcare system to better meet the …

An Exploration Of Synchronous Communication In An Online Preservice Esol Course: Community Of Inquiry Perspective, Aylin Tekiner Tolu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Based on a collaborative and socio-constructivist approach to online education, the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model emphasizes creating an effective learning environment where students feel a connection with other learners and the instructor and engage in well-designed collaborative learning activities.

Following a naturalistic methodology, this qualitative case study investigated the use of synchronous communication for creating a community of inquiry and student satisfaction in an online ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) endorsement course for preservice teachers. Elluminate Live was used for class meetings while an instant messenger, Gmail Chat served the needs for impromptu interactions between a student and …

Melville’S Unknown Pathology: The Humoral Theory Of Disease And Low Grade Lead Poisoning In Bartleby The Scrivener, Gerard Bogin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Melville wrote Bartleby the Scrivener as a literary portrayal of the Humoral theory of disease. Virchow disproved that theory five years after the novella was published, suggesting Melville was humanizing an unknown pathology. A clinical assessment of the text reveals low-grade lead poisoning, which best explains the strange behavior, abnormal appearance, and premature death of the character Bartleby as depicted by the author. In conjunction with the textual substantiation, historical evidence indicates that at the time Melville wrote the work, one in ten people he encountered suffered from the effects of the same disease. Informed with the identity of Melville’s …

An Assessment Of Microevolutionary Change Among Prehistoric Florida Populations Through The Analysis Of Craniometric Data, Samantha M. Seasons

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The analysis of craniometric data collected from skeletal remains, combined with

archaeological data, can provide very valuable information pertaining to biological

distance and gene flow among prehistoric populations through space and time. The goal

of this study was to examine microevolutionary change among prehistoric populations in

south Florida based on the degree of cranial variation among populations at seven

prehistoric sites. It was expected that as time progressed, microevolutionary forces

caused significant changes in the crania of the various populations based on the relative

geographic proximity of the sites and the temporal distance between sites.

A Microscribe 3-DX digitizer was …

Small Plots, Big Hopes: Factors Associated With Participation In An Urban Garden Project In Lesotho, Charlotte Ann Noble

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Studies of food insecurity have frequently focused on rural dwellers as vulnerable

populations. However, during the ‘global food crisis’ of 2007-2008, riots in more than

50 countries visibly demonstrated the vulnerability of urban populations to food

insecurity due to rapidly rising food prices. This study examines factors associated with

participation in an urban garden project (UGP), utilizing surveys (n=61) and in-depth

household interviews (n=37) to examine food security and dietary diversity of households

in urban Lesotho.

Households that participated in the garden project were more food insecure and

had lower dietary diversity than those that did not participate. However, it …

Teacher Attitudes, Perceived Influences, And Self-Reported Classroom Behaviors Related To School Nutrition Environments, Beverly Lawler Girard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study determined attitudes of kindergarten through fifth grade teachers about school nutrition environments, their perceived influence on school nutrition environments, and self-reported classroom behaviors. Specific objectives were to: (a) identify perceived factors that influence the school nutrition environment, according to teachers surveyed; (b) examine relationships between elementary school teacher attitudes about school nutrition environments and perceived influence on the environment; (c) examine relationships between elementary school teachers’ attitudes about school nutrition environments, and self-reported classroom behaviors; (d) examine relationships between perceived influence over the school nutrition environment and self-reported classroom behaviors; and, (e) examine relationships between teachers’ demographic characteristics …

School Counselor Accountability Practices: A National Study, Cindy M. Topdemir

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on school counselor accountability practices. The role of the

school counselor is changing and the need to be more accountable is now here. This study

attempted to answer several critical questions regarding school counselor accountability.

It examined the degree to which school counselors use accountability measures, to what

extent they believed certain accountability practices were deemed helpful to their school

counseling program, and what they believed their barriers were. Accountability is a “hot”

topic in present school counseling literature; but little research has been done up to this

point investigating these issues related to school counselor accountability …

Assessment Of “Community Stepping Stones,” A Community-Based Youth Art Education Program, Jennifer E. A. Pedraza

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Community Stepping Stones is an art education program whose objective is to

“provide education, mentor children and adolescents, enhance the community

economics, and enrich the quality of life in the community” (Community Steppping

Stones [CSS], 2009a). Community art education programs, particularly for youth, have

become increasingly popular as a way to address and prevent delinquent behavior.

However, art education programs have proven challenging to evaluate and sustain.

The goal of my thesis was to explore how Community Stepping Stones

implemented and evaluated a community-based youth arts education program

compared to other, similar programs and how the organization could make the …

Developing A Culturally Responsive Literacy Pedagogy: Preservice Teachers, Teaching Cases, And Postcard Narratives, Annmarie Alberton Gunn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The results of the U. S Census provide evidence that our population is becoming more varied and that diversity is most salient in our schools. This demographic shift will continue to have a significant impact on the curriculum, students, teachers, and other aspects of education as we have historically known it. One of the most challenging aspect is that while our students are becoming more diverse, our teacher population is not. Eighty to ninety percent of the teaching population is White, heterosexual, middle class females, with little experiences with people from diverse backgrounds. (Lowenstein, 2009; Sleeter, 2001).

The academic achievement …

Nautical Knowledge: An Experimental Analysis Of The Influence Of Public Relations Strategies In Safe Boating Communication, Emily N. Guilfoil

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the effect of public relations message strategies on beliefs,attitudes, and behavioral intentions of individuals regarding boater safety. An experiment was conducted using seven safety messages. Specifically, Fishbein and Ajzen’s (1975) theory of reasoned action and J.E. Grunig’s (1997) situational theory of publics were used to examine the communication effects of message strategies proposed by Hazleton and Long’s (1988) public relations process model.The findings of this study support the predictions of the theory of reasoned action—that salient beliefs predict attitude toward behavior and attitude toward behavior and subjective norm predict behavioral intent. Of the three attitude items measured—attitude …

Evaluation Of Immunogene Therapy Using A Plasmid Encoding Il-15 Delivered By Electroporation In A 3d Tumor Model And A Mouse Melanoma Model, Bernadette Marrero

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Melanoma is an aggressive disease with few effective treatment options. Non-toxic, anti-tumor therapies and prophylactic approaches are currently being investigated to identify treatment options that will control and remove late-stage melanoma.

The overall goal of this project was to establish an effective delivery method for a plasmid encoding human interleukin (phIL-15) into mouse melanoma cells (B16.F10) using the gene transfer technique electroporation (EP)¹. The EP delivery phIL-15 was optimized using an in vitro 3D tumor model. The purpose was to translate these IL-15 delivery conditions into an in vivo mouse melanoma model to study IL-15 signal transduction and …

The Ports Of Tampa And Hamburg And The Qualitative Impacts On Their Communities, Gerhard Becker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study researches the past, present and future role of ports, specifically the Ports of Tampa and Hamburg linked to their cities. It examines the legal structures of port authorities which play a major role in their economic priorities and impact their cities’ social, environmental and cultural quality of life. From a humanistic perspective, one can look at a port as a place or space. By animating ports, they may provide “ fields of care” over time, and a home with character for the region’s residents. In this case, their success needs to transcend economics, adding qualitative attributes to the …

Adolf Hitler – America’S First Black President And Other Oval Office Demons: The Right-Wing Rhetorical Assault On Barack Obama’S Health Care Plan, Daniel Ruth

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis endeavors to examine the imagery and rhetoric surrounding the portrayal of President Barack Obama during the national debate over health care reform from the summer of 2009 into the spring of 2010. It is argued that the critics of the health care reform legislation used images to portray the president as Adolf Hitler, Che Guevara, The Joker, as well as other images such as the swastika and the Wehrmacht symbol as stand-in euphemisms for race to discredit Barack Obama.

A number of exemplar images have been selected from various websites and publications specifically addressing the portrayal of Barack …

Perceptions Of The Roles, Professional Development, Challenges, And Frustrations Of High School Principals, Stephen J. Knobl Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current perceptions of high school principals regarding their perceived roles, professional development experiences that impacted their careers, and the challenges and frustrations they face when enacting their roles as high school leaders. This qualitative study investigated perceptions of high school principals and addressed three research questions: (1) What are the perceptions of high school principals regarding their role as school leaders? (2) What professional development experiences do high school principals report are most important in impacting their careers? (3) What do high school principals perceive are their greatest challenges and frustrations? …

Multi-Elemental Chemical Analysis Of Anthropogenic Soils As A Tool For Examining Spatial Use Patterns At Prehispanic Palmarejo, Northwest Honduras, Kara A. Rothenberg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plazas and patios were important spaces for expressing power and social identity in prehispanic Mesoamerica. However, plazas can be analytically problematic, because they were often kept clean of material debris. Previous geoarchaeological studies of anthropogenic soils and sediments have shown that specific activities leave characteristic chemical signatures on prepared earthen surfaces. The research presented here uses soil chemical residue analysis and excavation data to examine use patterns in the North Plaza of Palmarejo, Honduras during the Late Classic period. The goal is to determine whether the plaza was used for residential or ceremonial purposes. The chemical results indicate that activities …

More Than Bows And Arrows: Subversion And Double-Consciousness In Native American Storytelling, Anastacia M. Schulhoff

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

W. E. B. Du Bois‘ legendary reflections on the ―peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one‘s self through the eyes of others‖ has been applied almost exclusively to the souls of African American people (Du Bois 1903). This thesis shows how the concept of double-consciousness is alive in the stories told by Native Americans. I draw upon data from two websites that have recorded the stories told by ―exemplary indigenous elders, historians, storytellers and song carriers‖ and their oral traditions that serve the ―purpose of cultural preservation, education, and race reconciliation‖ (Wisdom of the Elders, 2009). …

Comparison Of Risky Decision Making Processes In Dyads And Individuals, Moumita Mukherjee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The thesis compared the likelihood of taking risks in dyads and individuals in

varying situations. Patterns of risky decision making were examined in the standard risky

choice task and a novel risk management task. The relative successes of two theories of

risky decision making were assessed: Prospect Theory emphasizes perceptual and

psychophysical processes, whereas Security-Potential/Aspiration Level Theory

emphasizes dispositional and motivational processes. The thesis also examined dyads’

decision behavior in light of competing social influence perspectives regarding risky

versus cautious shifts and group polarization.

Participants, as individuals or as part of a dyad, made decisions in 23 trials about

hypothetical …

Mutual Elements And Substrate Effect Analysis On Patch Antenna Arrays, Matthew J. Wallace

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There have been many different technology advancements with the invention of solid state electronics, leading to the digital era which has changed the way users employ electronic circuits. Antennas are no different; however, they are still analog devices. With the advancements in technology, antennas are being fabricated on much higher frequencies and with greater bandwidths, all while trying to keep size and weight to a minimum. Centimeter and millimeter wave technologies have evolved for many different radio frequency (RF) applications. Microstrip patch antennas have been developed, as wire and tubular antenna elements are difficult to fabricate with the tolerances required …

Exploring The Relationships Among Work-Related Stress, Quality Of Life, Job Satisfaction, And Anticipated Turnover On Nursing Units With Clinical Nurse Leaders, Mary Kohler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) (AACN) role with the variables of work related stress, quality of life, job satisfaction and anticipated turnover of acute care nurses. Participants included registered nurses (RNs) (N= 94) in Florida recruited from 3 (not for profit) Magnet hospitals in the Tampa Bay Florida area. An ex post facto design was used to test the hypotheses of this study; independent t-tests compared RN’s responses on survey tools measuring work-related stress, quality of life, job satisfaction, and anticipated turnover. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine …

Rethinking Ethical Naturalism: The Implications Of Developmental Systems Theory, Jared J.. Kinggard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biological research has the capacity to inform ethical discussions. There are numerous questions about the nature of sexual orientation, intelligence, gender identity, etc., and many of these questions are commonly approached with the benefit of implicit or explicit biological commitments. The answers to these sorts of questions can have a powerful impact on social, ethical, and political positions. In this project I examine the prospect of naturalizing ethics under the umbrella of developmental systems theory (DST). If one is committed to DST, then those ideas involved in DST that steer biological research will also have implications for ethics. There has …

Ernest Hemingway’S Mistresses And Wives: Exploring Their Impact On His Female Characters, Stephen E. Henrichon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

“Conflicted” succinctly describes Ernest Hemingway. He had a strong desire to make his parents proud of him but this was in constant conflict with his need to tell a story, warts and all. Of particular importance is his relationship with his mother and the crippling effect it has on his relationships with women. Hemingway’s life becomes a series of dysfunctional relationships that fail to meet his needs, leaving him perpetually searching for the right woman. Kert posits that Hemingway’s contempt for women is related to his inability to make the transition from lover to husband, fueled by Hemingway’s belief that …

Puerperal Fever In Britain: Failed Models Of Disease Causation, Jessica Wells

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Britain, a bacterial infection which we now

know to be caused primarily by a streptococcus, was killing women in childbirth at an

alarming rate. The disease, called puerperal, or childbed, fever, was being transmitted

primarily from doctor to patient by a doctor’s unwashed hands and filthy, contaminated

clothing and linens. Despite this evident and, in retrospect, obvious vector, the doctors of

this period never discovered how to prevent their patients from dying a gruesome and

painful death. Many physicians wrote extensive accounts of the illness but often ended

their works in despair, unable to find the …

Evaluation Of Oncology Nurses' Knowledge, Practice Behaviors, And Confidence Specific To Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy, Rebecca Denise Mcallister

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) remains one of the most serious and challenging symptoms oncology nurses encounter in caring for patients receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy. CIPN is under-addressed, under-reported, and symptoms are minimized by healthcare providers, which adversely affect patient quality of life, physical function, and emotional well-being. There is an absence of research examining nurses’ knowledge and practice behaviors related to CIPN. The purpose of this study was to explore oncology nurses knowledge, practice behaviors, confidence, and the relationship between education, experience, and knowledge specific to CIPN.

Data was collected at Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Chapter meetings throughout central and …

Examination Of The Effect Of Child Abuse Case Characteristics On The Time A Caseworker Devotes To A Case, Christopher J. Card

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study used an explanatory research model that determined the effect on caseworker time and therefore workload caused by specific characteristics of cases assigned after the child abuse investigation is complete. The purpose of this study was to explain the relationship between child protection case characteristics and the time an assigned caseworker devotes to a case. With this knowledge an informed methodology to assess the current workload of a caseworker could be used to assure that the caseworker is able to successfully complete the tasks required for each child assigned. Further, the knowledge of the amount of time spent on …