Digital Commons Network^™

Preservice Teachers’ Responses To An Interactive Constructivist Model For Web-Based Learning, Cherry O. Steffen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

College and university teacher education programs are not, and should not be, exempt from the growing demand for distance education opportunities. Science teacher education is no exception to this growing demand. While there are some distance-learning courses and even complete programs for teacher education, the majority of these are offered as continuing education or post-graduate education opportunities. The number of programs offered specifically in science teacher education (either undergraduate or post-graduate) is extremely limited. Those distance-learning classes that are available for teacher education rarely reflect the instruction expected from teachers by the National Science Education Standards when they enter the …

The Effects Of In-Group Bias And Decision Aids On Auditors’ Evidence Evaluation, Eileen Zalkin Taylor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effect of in-group bias and decision aid use on auditor judgments, confidence, and decisions in an analytical procedures task. In-group bias, a product of Social Identity Theory, may impair auditor independence by influencing auditor judgments. Auditors rely on client representations to support their opinion of the financial statements; however, clients are sometimes former auditors of the external audit firm. This prior relationship could lead the auditor to exhibit unwarranted trust of client representations. In an online mixed design experiment using staff and senior auditors, I test whether auditor judgments, confidence in those judgments, and decisions to …

The Relationship Between Anxiety And Spirituality In Persons Undergoing Chemotherapy For Cancer, Cindy Tofthagen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is a common problem for cancer patients, especially those who must receive chemotherapy. Anxiety may have a negative effect on quality of life, interrupting sleep, causing uncomfortable physical symptoms, and inhibiting sound decision-making. This study examined the relationship between spiritual well-being and anxiety in patients on chemotherapy for cancer. The convenience sample consisted of 30 patients, 15 male and 15 female, receiving chemotherapy in a two physician private medical oncology practice in Southwest Florida. Patients completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well- Being Scale.

Participants ranged in age from 31 to 88, …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Religiosity And Subjective Well-Being In Older Adults: The Mediating Role Of Optimism, Teri A. Trede

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The proportion of adults aged 65 and older in the United States has been increasing steadily for years. Although most would agree that this increased longevity is a remarkable achievement, there is growing concern regarding the resources that will be necessary to provide care and services for this rapidly expanding segment of the population. From a public health perspective, simply increasing longevity is no longer the ultimate outcome sought. A more pertinent goal is increasing the quality of life years, or promoting resilience and successful aging. Strategies that assist adults in delaying the onset of disability or reducing the severity …

A Case Study Of The Perceived Decision-Making Practices And Patterns Of Secondary Administrators Using Four Scenarios, Elizabeth M. Tuten

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research study explored practitioners' perceived understanding and situational use of seven decision-making models of educational administration. In examining the extant literature of the field, the following research problem emerged to guide this study: scholars and practitioners struggle to understand how school administrators make workplace decisions, and how school leaders perceive their decision-making strategies and actions. Based upon Pettigrew's (1985) Conceptual Framework of Organizational Change and relevant literature (see chapter 2), the researcher developed a series of questions in order to explore the aforementioned purpose and problem. Specifically, three principals, three assistant principals of curriculum, and three assistant principals for …

A Closer Look At The Work Hours And Work/Family Relationship: The Moderating And Enhancing Effects Of Fit, Matthew D. Tuttle

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Managing the conflict between work and family role demands is a critical issue that has generated substantial interest for both individuals and organizations in recent decades. One factor thought to contribute to the occurrence of work-family conflict (WFC) is the amount of time committed to activities in either the family or to the work domain. Because time is a finite resource, it has been posited that when one dedicates a certain amount of time to one domain, this will invariably take away from the amount of time available for activities in the other domain. The result of this is conflict …

A Structural Approach To The Study Of Intra-Organizational Coalitions, Dean T. Walsh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coalitions are widely associated with collective or collaborative attempts to influence organizational members, decisions, policies and events. Yet, surprisingly, relatively little is known about how coalitions develop within organizations. Employing an exploratory case study design and using social network analysis, the Rokeach Value Survey, and semi-structured interviews, this research demonstrated that it is possible to identify and study coalitions in a real organizational setting. I suggest that the inclusion and investigation of member relationships may advance the state of the art in organizational coalition research. A benefit of this study, and contrary to most coalition research, is that it used …

Associations Between Individual, Social, And Service Factors, Recovery Expectations And Recovery Strategies For Individuals With Mental Illness, Gary W. Walby

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Clinical and consumer recovery efforts continue to advance more successful recovery agendas. Limited research into the effect of the expectation to recover and what strategies are most effective in enhancing recovery impedes coherent recovery programming. What factors are significantly associated with recovery expectancy and recovery strategies is still largely unknown. Thus, this study addresses three key gaps in the field.

First, which factors associate with the expectation of recovery and is expectation related to strategy choice? Second, what are common strategies for recovery from mental illness and what factors are associated with each strategy? Third, does recovery expectancy or severity …

Managing Employees Dependent Care Challenges: Human Resource Professionals' Perspectives, Jennifer R. Bradley, Katherine J. Huffstutter, Eileen M. Brennan, Julie M. Rosenzweig

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

PDF version of a presentation given at the 86th annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Palm Springs, CA.

Milwaukie Ave Main Street Plan, Sine Adams, Matt Johnson, Lance Lindahl, Kate Marcello, Erin Wilson

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

This plan provides an analysis of Milwaukie Avenue as a neighborhood Main Street and provides recommendations for its growth and improvement. Methods of analysis included a comprehensive land use and transportation safety inventory, data collection from neighborhood residents and master of urban and regional planning students, comparison to other Main Streets, and feedback from a technical advisory committee. The analysis shows that Milwaukie Avenue has great potential as a Main Street, although improvements in the existing zoning code and transportation infrastructure will greatly benefit its condition. Other features, including Green Streets and elements that provide neighborhood identity, will also improve …

Combining Linear Regression With Reconstructability Analysis: A Study Of Differences In Health Status, Renato Carletti, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

A linear regression model was used to predict variations in health status with the hypothesis that literacy level as a proximal measure for educational attainment would show a strong correlation with health status. Groups of other independent variables have also been introduced in the model to test whether the effect of literacy on health would have been mediated by other factors, or increased by them. The linear regression model did not show any strong relation between literacy and health, but pointed to other factors as predictors of health status.

Methods of data mining have been used for exploring throughout all …

Evaluating A New Urbanist Neighborhood, Jennifer Dill

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

New Urbanist neighborhoods aim to improve sustainability by reducing automobile use, increasing walking and cycling, increasing the diversity of land uses and people, and increasing social capital, through strengthened personal and civic bonds. With more New Urbanist communities being constructed, it is now more feasible and necessary to evaluate their success. Much of the existing research uses older, traditional neighborhoods as a proxy for New Urbanism. This research compares a New Urbanist development with two conventional subdivisions and finds that some of the objectives are being fulfi lled, in both direct and indirect ways. While New Urbanist residents are walking …

Commitment And Communication: The Aesthetics Of Receptivity And Historicity, Todd Mei

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

A general tension in contemporary aesthetics can be described as existing between objective truth claims and historical relativity. The former is generally represented by the Enlightenment approaches and its descendants that ground aesthetic judgment in rationality. The latter characterizes the postmodern appeal to historicity and the exposure of historical prejudice. Following mostly the hermeneutical philosophy of Heidegger, Gadamer, Ricoeur, and Dupré, this paper argues how aesthetic theory, defined by either pole, inadequately accounts for historicity. In response to this critique, this paper attempts to navigate between these two poles in returning to an analysis of the nature of history and …

Musical Experience As Aesthetic: What Cost The Label?, Wayne Bowman

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

This brief essay draws upon a number of themes introduced in Carolyn Korsmeyer's recent book Gender and Aesthetics: An Introduction (New York: Routledge, 2004; ISBN: 0415266599). It does not attempt a comprehensive or critical review of her book; instead it focuses selectively on certain of her points in order to raise concerns of some significance to the music education discipline and, perhaps, to philosophical aesthetics. [1]

Horizontal Political Externalities The Supply And Demand Of Disaster Management, Ben Depoorter

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Brief Of Constitutional Law Professors David L. Faigman And Ashutosh A. Bhagwat, Et Al., As Amici Curiae In Support Of Respondents In Gonzales V. Carhart And Gonzales V. Planned Parenthood, Nos. 05€€Œ830, 05€€Œ1382 (Introduction And Published Brief To United States Supreme Court), Ashutosh Bhagwat, David L. Faigman, Kathryn M. Davis

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Heart Of The Matter: Aligning Curriculum, Pedagogy And Engagement In Higher Education, Kevin Kecskes, Seanna Kerrigan, Judy Patton

Public Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

This essay explores the themes of curriculum and pedagogy, as outlined by the editors of this special edition, in the context of Portland State University's institutional transformation. We elucidate select mechanisms that support curricular-community interactions, known at PSU as "community-based learning." In doing so we discuss how CBL and other civic engagement strategies relate to the disciplines, departments, and interdisciplinary work as well as how these various collaborative approaches affect pedagogy and epistemology at PSU.

African American Parents In The Search Stage Of College Choice: Unintentional Contributions To The Female To Male College Enrollment Gap, Michael J. Smith, Michael Fleming

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

A serious imbalance exists in today’s African American undergraduate student population where women far outnumber men. Although at the macro level political, sociological, and economic forces frame this gender enrollment gap, scant research has explored micro level influences such as parents and parenting. This study uses a qualitative methodology and Hossler’s model of college choice to examine African American parent involvement during the search stage. The study found that the parents, who were mostly female, had higher aspirations for daughters, encouraged daughters to consider four-year colleges more often, but showed equal levels of tangible support for sons and daughters. The …

The Impact Of Ethnicity And Acculturation On Identity Formation, Christina K. Edmondson

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Exam Stress, Depression, Social Support, And Sleep Disturbance, Leticia Mayoral

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Personality And Affect On College Students' Motives For Marijuana Use, Lindsey W. Hawkins

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has examined the relationship between motives for drinking and alcohol use. However, less research has been conducted on the relationship between motives for marijuana use and marijuana use/problems. This study attempted to examine what predictors of marijuana use and problems are mediated by motives for marijuana use. Prior research has identified several predictors of marijuana use including psychological distress, expectancies, sensation seeking, and various personality factors. In addition, previous studies have suggested that use-related problems are not merely a function of how much of a substance one consumes, but also one's motivation for using that substance. The current …

The Nontraditional Presidential Transition: A Case Study Of An Academic Outsider, Laura Naff Butler

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the internal and external forces driving the lived transition experience of a college president who primarily gained professional experience outside of higherEducation. This qualitative study was designed as a single case study comprised of one nontraditional president and constructed on the basis of personal narrative, archival data, and accounts of perceptions of trustees, faculty, and senior administrators at the president's home institution. Three predominant themes emerged from the data: financial crisis, leadership style, and institutional turmoil. The university faced a number of serious financial difficulties at the time …

The Relationship Between Basking Behavior, Parasite Load, And Growth Rates In Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys Picta Marginata ), Jennifer M. Panek

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Very little is known regarding the relationships between, body size, basking behavior, parasite load, growth rates, and social status in turtles. For example, parasite load is generally thought to affect overall health and condition of individuals. However in ectotherms, such as turtles, parasite load may have more long-term effects on growth rates and overall health conditions since they exhibit indeterminate growth. While studies are beginning to focus on the effects of parasites on growth rates of animals such as birds and lizards, there has not been any focus on turtles. My objective was to investigate the interrelationships between these variables …

The Relationship Between Emotional Recognition And Personality Traits, Lyndon A. Mitchell

Theses

This study investigated the relationship between personality traits and the ability to recognize emotions from facial expressions. A sample of undergraduate and graduate students (n = 52) were administered the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire 5th Edition (16PF-5) (Cattell, 1993) and an abbreviated version of Ekman's Pictures of Facial Affect (Ekman & Friesen, 1976). Pearson product-moment correlations revealed that the personality trait, Apprehension, was associated with the accurate recognition of most of the emotions. Further, regression analyses revealed that the recognition of fear was best predicted by the 16PF factors Dominance, Self Reliance and Apprehension. Personality differences were also identified between …

School Effectiveness Research In China, Shujie Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The major purpose of this study was to identify the processes of effective schools in China, thereby enriching the international study of school effectiveness. A multistrand concurrent mixed model design was utilized to test the research hypotheses and answer the research questions. Both probability and purposive sampling strategies were employed in this study. The MANOVA analyses from the teacher, student, and parent questionnaires revealed a consistent result: there were significant differences between more effective and less effective schools across all the traditional school effectiveness variables. The MANOVA results for classroom teaching also demonstrated significant differences between more effective and less …

Suicide And Community Traumatic Events: Is There A Connection?, Regina T. Praetorius

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between community traumatic events (CTEs) such as the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the temporal distribution of suicide in a metropolitan Louisiana parish (county) in the Southern United States over the period of January 1, 1994 to December 31, 2004. The researcher used data on suicides (homicides and accidental deaths were used for comparison) in the selected parish to describe the distribution of suicides over the 11 year period. A procedure was developed for identifying and categorizing CTEs sustained by the selected parish (county). A spectral analysis …

Factors Influencing The Importance Of Incorporating Competencies Regarding Mass Casualty Incidents Into Baccalaureate-Degree Nursing Programs As Perceived By Currently Employed Faculty, Kristin Whitty

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Whether they are naturally occurring, caused by environmental forces, or generated by humans, disasters have placed extraordinary stresses on society. Following September 11, 2001, the Department of Homeland Security was created to protect the nation and coordinate responses to future emergencies at the federal, state, and local levels. However, Governmental agencies can’t handle all aspects of mass casualty events. Healthcare professionals, such as nurses, who are knowledgeable and trained in mass casualty incidents (MCIs) are needed to provide competent care to the victims. Although others expect a knowledgeable nursing response, the majority of nurse educators have not received mass casualty …

Rethinking Representations Of Slave Life A Historical Plantation Museums: Towards A Commemorative Museum Pedagogy, Julia Anne Rose

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Historical plantation museums have been criticized for biased interpretation practices that marginalize the historical presence of enslaved African Americans. This is a curriculum question that is relevant to historical museums that are wrestling with impacting social change and developing equitable practices to serve increasingly broad and diverse audiences. I conducted an action research study with five museum workers at Magnolia Mound Plantation (MMP) in south Louisiana to better understand the limits and possibilities of expanding slave life representations at this museum. I implemented the study using action research and archival research. Action research involved ethnographic methodologies including tour observations, interviews, …

Measuring Player Perceptions Of Advertising In Online Games, Ben Lewis

LSU Master's Theses

An experiment with 100 participants aged 18-24 was conducted to measure the effects of advertising in an online role-playing computer game on perceived interactivity and other aspects of gameplay experience. Results from a post-test questionnaire revealed insight into players' attitudes toward advertising in video game environments, and reflected varying levels of advertising awareness and recall, message recognition, and factors in purchasing habits. Results suggested that while advertising in online games can sometimes trigger high advertising awareness rates, it can also reduce a game's perceived sense of realism and genuinely annoy players if not appropriately coordinated with the game environment. Whereas …

Generation "X" Professional Women Leaving The Workforce To Become Full-Time, Stay-At-Home Mothers: A Qualitative Analysis Of Motivation, Meaning, And Mindful Parenting, Monisa Shackelford

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Using qualitative data gathering and analysis, the current trend of professional women leaving workforce to rear their children full-time is examined. Women in the second generation to enter the labor force in large numbers indicate that there are factors that push them out of the workforce, such as a non-family friendly workplace, and factors that pull them back home, such as a profound need to rear their own children. While the transition from professional to stay-at-home mother is a complex process, the women in this study deal with this identity shift, and its attendant resistance, by framing their change in …