Education Commons^™

Coding Connections: Exploring Relationships Between Computer Science Learning And Mathematics Achievement In Secondary Education, Bradley Hayes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in practice explores the intersection of computer science education, specifically computational thinking and programming, with mathematics achievement among 15-year-old students in selected English-speaking countries. The research addresses a gap in understanding whether skills developed through computer science can positively influence mathematics performance by assessing the extent to which learning in computer science transfers to mathematics.

To achieve this, a quantitative methodology was employed, incorporating pilot study data from a single school and large-scale survey data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022. The analysis assessed the correlation between regular participation in programming activities and mathematics attainment, …

Do Students Notice If Institutions Require Their Faculty To Prepare For Teaching?, Adam M. Caskie

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Higher Education is the gateway to a successful life, and students need their institution's support to make it to graduation. Undergraduate students have their primary academic interactions with a university through its faculty and the courses they are required to complete to earn a degree. Engagement with faculty is a key factor in student satisfaction with their institution. The extent to which faculty make time for excellent teaching and additional experiences for students is driven by the reward systems at the institutions where they research, teach, and advise.This research study investigates whether student perceptions of faculty interactions and teaching effectiveness …

Baseline Factors And Their Association With Refractive Error And Control In A Pediatric Randomized Clinical Trial Of Overminus Therapy For Intermittent Exotropia, Julianne L. Robinson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Intermittent exotropia (IXT) is a condition resulting in an eye deviation away from normal alignment, potentially treatable with overminus lenses. These induce accommodation of the eye, combatting the eye drifting outward. Overminus lenses may help treat IXT but also potentially worsen refractive error. Analyses aimed to find associations of baseline factors as they relate to IXT control outcomes, as well as the risk of worsening spherical equivalent refractive error (SER). One hundred ninety-six participants aged 3 to <11 treated with overminus lenses for 12 months were analyzed to explore associations between age, sex, race, ethnicity, strabismus severity, accommodative convergence/accommodation ratio (AC/A), and baseline SER with outcomes of change in SER and change in control. Analyses included outcomes for both SER and control as continuous and binary outcomes, and a secondary combined outcome. More myopic baseline refractive error and older age were associated with a worsening in SER after 12 months, -0.08 diopters (D) worsening SER per 1 year age increase (95% CI -0.13 to -0.03), and -0.30 D worsening SER per additional 1 D of myopic refractive error (95% CI -0.39 to -0.21). A larger AC/A ratio was associated with better distance control (0.11 points improvement per D of AC/A, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.19). The combined SER and control outcome showed the same factors (age, baseline refractive error, and AC/A ratio) were significantly associated with improving outcomes. Overminus lens therapy may be beneficial for some patients, but further study is needed to explore the results of these exploratory analyses.

Examining Emergency Remote Teaching And Undergraduate Academic Outcomes During The Pandemic, Melissa S. Ramge

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic represented an extraordinary public health emergency, leading to the most profound disruption to education systems in modern history. As higher education institutions expand their post-pandemic online course catalogs, it is necessary first to explore the student outcomes and student perceptions of learning related to the pandemic. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design to assess the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and students’ perceptions of online learning. The purpose of the study was to examine what, if any, trends in undergraduate student course grades and student perceptions of the instruction occurred coincident with the …

Emergent Magnetism And Magneto-Transport Phenomena In Helimagnet-Based Heterostructures For Spin-Based Device Applications, Nivarthana Waruni Yapa Abeyrathna Yapa Mudiyanselage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The study of magnetoresistance (MR) phenomena in magnetic materials has been pivotal for advancing magnetic sensors and spintronic devices. Helimagnets, characterized by a non-collinear arrangement of magnetic moments that form a helical or spiral configuration, present an intriguing avenue for MR-based device applications. Theoretical predictions suggest that the MR magnitude in the helimagnetic (HM) regime can exceed that in the ferromagnetic (FM) regime by over an order of magnitude. However, in metallic helimagnets like manganese phosphide (MnP), the MR in the HM phase remains modest (< 10%), limiting its applicability in MR devices. This dissertation investigates the emergent magnetism and magneto-transport phenomena in nanostructured MnP helimagnets and their interfaces with ferromagnets (Fe) and ferrimagnets (Fe3O4), aiming to enhance device performance.

In the first part of the dissertation, we present a novel approach to achieve …

A Case Study Of A Large School District’S High School Principals’ Instructional Decision-Making For Students With Disabilities, Laura Meehan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a case study of a large school district and it’s high school principals’ approach to instructional decision making for students with disabilities. This study explores how principals utilize teaching resources and make instructional decisions for students receiving special education services on their campus. Using district-wide quantitative data on special education students in high school, this study offers a comprehensive view of how these students are served. Additionally, five in-depth interviews with high school principals currently serving in the district provide qualitative insights into leadership practices. Findings from this study reveal variation in how students with disabilities are …

Forgotten Partners: Mothers’ Perceptions Of Early Literacy Instruction For Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Andrew Payne

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Families are often the forgotten partners in education and in educational research. It is important to consider input from families regarding their children’s education. Their voices are crucial ones that should be heard more often. The research is currently lacking information about families’ perceptions about the education of their children with significant disabilities. This qualitative study explored mothers’ perspectives on the literacy education of their children and the role they play in the process. Stories of five participants and their lived experiences of supporting their children with intellectual and development disabilities in acquiring early literacy skills are shared. Themes relating …

Self-Doubt: Impostor Phenomenon And The Doctoral Seeking School-Based Leader, Rose Apollon-Simon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative narrative inquiry explores the experiences of school-based administrators in K-12 public school settings within the state of Florida who navigate the challenges of Impostor Phenomenon while concurrently pursuing a doctoral degree. The research draws on the personal stories of four participants—three women and one man—who are currently or previously employed as principals or assistant principals. The study focused on how participants manage the psychological tensions coming from their experiences with Impostor Phenomenon or the persistent self-doubt and the fear of being exposed as a fraud. While most Impostor Phenomenon research has concentrated on fields like business, medicine, and …

Infiltration Of Immune Cells And Lipid Nanoparticle-Mediated Drug Delivery In A Skin Cancer Model, Aynur Sanem Yilmaz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is notorious for its rapid mutation rate and high potential for metastasis, making effective treatment particularly challenging. Immunotherapy has emerged as a significant advancement in melanoma therapy, leveraging the immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells. These achievements have motivated further investigation into immune system-based strategies for this aggressive cancer. Cell-based drug delivery has been primarily achieved by either using immune cells as direct carriers for therapeutics or by employing active molecules through drug delivery systems, most often nanoparticles. While immune cells exhibit innate tumor-homing abilities, they face challenges such as limited …

The Collapse And Revival Of The Teacher Soul- A Study Of Resilience In Experienced Elementary Teachers, Joadie Durfee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sustaining talented teachers has become a challenging worldwide pursuit. Even the most successful teachers are exiting the profession at alarming rates (Clandinin et al., 2012; Mason & Matas, 2015). Although seemingly all teachers experience highly stressful factors in the workplace, some remain and continue to thrive as they inspire and help countless students through their educational pursuits. To better understand this contrast and promote quality teachers to remain in the profession to retirement, I conducted a qualitative study of three passionate, experienced, highly effective teachers who have considered leaving the profession but ultimately decided to stay. Using interview and artifact …

Selective Pericyte Recruitment To Ec-Lined Tubes, Vessel Assembly Enhancement Through Pericyte Timp-3 Induction, And Pericyte Tbx2 In Capillary Formation And Maturation, Ksenia Marilyn Yrigoin Kaluguina

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Capillaries, the smallest blood vascular networks, are formed by narrow and elongated endothelial cell (EC)-lined tubes with associated pericytes anchored to the abluminal tube surface. Our laboratory demonstrated that dynamic interactions between ECs and pericytes during capillary tube network assembly are required for basement membrane matrix deposition and maturation. We have also shown that key EC-derived factors promote pericyte recruitment, proliferation, and pericyte-induced basement membrane formation during capillary assembly. In the first section, we aim to identify if vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) respond to the same factors and have the same invasive ability as pericytes since they are both …

The Attitudes, Perceptions, And Motivations Of Student-Athletes In Intermediate Algebra, Alexandra Green

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research delves into the attitudes, perceptions, and motivations of student-athletes enrolled in Intermediate Algebra courses. It focuses on the distinct challenges they encounter in juggling academic and athletic responsibilities at a southeastern university in the United States. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study gathered quantitative data through surveys to assess students' attitudes, perceptions, and motivations toward learning mathematics, as well as to determine the influence of their instructors on these factors. The qualitative segment provided deeper insights into their personal experiences, shedding light on their prior encounters with mathematics, their most memorable moments during the current course, and their …

Revision Strategies And Academic Socialization Of Multilingual Graduate Students, Sean E. Farrell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that revision is a complex practice guided by a variety of factors; however, the nature of the relationship between these factors and the revisions themselves, along with how the revision process contributes to academic socialization, remains understudied. A more comprehensive understanding of revision can lead to a deeper understanding of the support that will be most effective for multilingual graduate students. This study thus aims to determine (1) what revision strategies multilingual graduate students use, (2) what factors mediate these strategies, and (3) the extent to which these revisions index a shift in academic socialization. To answer these …

Exploring Saudi Arabian Teachers' Perceptions Of Smartboard Instruction For Students With Communication Disorders, Mohammed Alqahtani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Using smartboards with students with communication needs in the classroom is one way to apply technology in educational settings. Research has shown the benefits of using the smartboard with students with disabilities (SWDs) and second-language learners. There is still a need to understand further teachers’ perceptions towards using the smartboard in their classrooms with students with communication needs. Therefore, I conducted an exploratory qualitative study to explore Saudi teachers' perceptions regarding the use of smartboards with students with communication needs in the classroom. I collected data via in-depth interviews, smartboard screen recordings, and audio recordings of teachers’ lessons taught using …

Perceived Workplace Obstacles And Compensatory Strategies Used By School Psychologists With Disabilities, Gary E. Schaffer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite efforts to recruit and retain school psychologists from diverse backgrounds, there has been little focus on school psychologists with disabilities. This oversight is concerning given that school psychologists deliver extensive support to students with disabilities yet simultaneously remain largely absent from diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The current study sought to learn about school psychologists with disabilities by providing much-needed demographic information on this population while also focusing on their workplace experiences. Two-hundred-fifty-five participants were asked about their perceptions regarding the systemic challenges they encountered, personal challenges they faced, reasons they disclosed or did not disclose their disability, and …

The Use Of Developmental Program Evaluation For State Continued Approval In Educator Preparation, Suzanne L. Roberts

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Working as a teacher educator today means working under an ever-present regulatory gaze. Accountability mechanisms, including state program approval processes, have been layered resulting in complexity. External assessments have failed to provide the data needed to support continuous improvement. There have been calls for combining external and internal evaluation processes to better drive continuous improvement. Developmental Program Evaluation (DPE) is an approach that claims to support program development in the middle space between top-down and bottom-up forces. This study examines the use of DPE in the middle space between mandated state approval processes and a small educator preparation program’s effort …

A School Leader’S Experiences With Ableism In An Educational System, Scottie Basham

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current organizational autoethnographic study aims to problematize ableism as an ideology that permeates and contributes to the inequities students with disabilities face in education. I share how I came to see ableism as an ideology that permeates and contributes to recursive practices in special education and share experiences that illustrate to school leaders ableist assumptions that are ingrained in leading a Special Education Center. Using organizational autoethnography, I share my experience as a first-year principal to provide a first-hand account of recursive practices within the educational organization, rooted in ableism, and discuss how those practices affected both myself, as …

Modification Of 2d Chalcogenides By Metal Vapor Reaction, Vimukthi Viraj Perera Pathirage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The interest in studying 2D materials has increased over time due to their unique physical and chemical properties, which have the potential to lead to numerous applications in technology. For instance, their small size makes them useful for technology that requires greater efficiency, faster processing speeds, and less physical space. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are a type of 2D material that is composed of one transition metal layer sandwiched between two chalcogen layers. The study of TMDs is of significant importance due to their layer-dependent properties and the fact that different phases exhibit distinct properties, including electronic properties. However, it …

Research In Extreme Subsurface Environments: Logistic Support And Safety Considerations, Viorel Traian Lascu

FRONTIERS UNBOUND: Exploring Extreme Environments

No abstract provided.

Inquiry Into Equity Practice In A “White Space”: Student-Led Discussions And Academic Discourse, Caran Mullins

Journal of Practitioner Research

In this study I used teacher inquiry to explore how to better engage my Black and Brown elementary students in student led discussions that could enhance academic discourse. The research questions driving my work emerged at the intersection of my beliefs and commitment to creating an equitable learning environment. Specifically, I wanted to know: (1) How do I scaffold my minority students to increased participation in academic discourse?, (2) How might these scaffolds support their development of metacognition, reading comprehension, and deeper critical thinking?, And (3) How do these scaffolds contribute to student feelings about their voice and place in …

Teacher Candidates’ Engagement In Practitioner Inquiry Within An Equity-Centered Initial Teacher Preparation Program: Illuminating Equity’S Presence And Pitfalls, Lauren Weisberg, Blake Beckett, Nancy Fichtman Dana, Michelle Commeret, Rachel Silva

Journal of Practitioner Research

Growing numbers of initial teacher preparation programs are incorporating practitioner inquiry into clinical field experiences due to its proven capacity to empower educators and learners. To uphold practitioner inquiry’s tradition of interrogating the current culture of pedagogy, scholars advocate for an equity-centered approach to inquiry in these programs. We investigated the efficacy of such an approach by exploring how equity manifested, and was threatened, in teacher candidates' inquiries in an equity-centered program rooted in the cross-pollination of Universal Design for Learning and culturally sustaining pedagogy. Our findings indicate that while equity-centered teacher preparation programs have potential in nurturing teacher candidates’ …

Co-Teaching In The Classroom: Perceptions Of The Student Teacher, Classroom Teacher, And Students, Allison Nicole Dale

Journal of Practitioner Research

Co-teaching, where the clinical teacher and classroom teacher teach using different models, has become widely used in clinical teaching placements. This action research study, conducted in a second-grade classroom, had two purposes: to learn teachers’ and students’ perceptions towards co-teaching, and how different co-teaching models were used in different content areas. Through collecting surveys, interviewing students and the classroom teacher, and composing journal entries, qualitative data was analyzed to find common themes that emerged, while quantitative data from the surveys was calculated to find the mean and mode. The study found that co-teaching enriched the learning experience and provided more …

Advocating For Data Access, Nathan D. Grawe

Numeracy

Participants in the numeracy movement have long recognized that an understanding of the social construction of quantitative evidence holds a place in the center of critical thinking about quantitative reasoning. Often, social construction manifests itself in choices about what should be counted and how. But an equally important choice is what data should be made available and to whom. As the movement matures, numeracy advocates must take their place alongside librarians in lobbying for broad access to basic data related to public policy.

Quantitative Reasoning: What’S Math Got To Do With It?, Pamela Burdman

Numeracy

This keynote address explores the history and role of college math requirements with a focus on ensuring math courses serve to expand students’ horizons, rather than serve as gatekeepers. It discusses the advent of general education math courses, which brought more students into math departments, which ultimately contributed to broadening the scope of the courses to align with more students’ interests and majors, since their purpose was to advance quantitative reasoning, not mathematics skill per se. It also examines several practices to address calculus’ gatekeeping role: revising placement practices and prerequisites, redesigning courses, and updating instruction and assessment practices. Lastly, …

Development And Initial Validation Of The Musical Discrimination And Styles Task: Measuring Children And Adolescent Music Aptitude And Achievement, Dawn R. Mitchell White

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation had two purposes: 1) to create and document the development of a new music achievement test entitled the Musical Discrimination and Styles Task (MDAST), and 2) to describe the strength of the evidence supporting the validity and reliability of this new developmentally appropriate music aptitude and achievement instrument. I created a theoretical framework based on 1) the cognitive theory of child development of Jean Piaget, 2) the phase model of artistic development by David Hargreaves, and 3) the theoretical models of music discrimination, audiation, and music achievement by Edwin Gordon. The MDAST’s design assessed students’ abilities to evaluate …

Breaking The Sound Barrier: Strategies For Reducing The Educational Debt In Underserved School Bands, Alfonzo V. Kimbrough

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this multiple explanatory case study was to investigate the preparation of underserved school band programs for a Music Performance Assessment (MPA). Specifically, I examined racial, economic, and social inequalities, which are well documented in the research literature, and the related achievement gaps of underserved public school bands. Using Ladson-Billings’ four pillars of educational debt, a replication approach highlighted four cases as a small sample of the success rate of Title I school bands scoring a Superior at an MPA contest. I compared how contextual issues impacted the four band directors at these schools in preparations for their …

Migrant Advocates' Perceptions Of School-Based Collaboration, Michael Young

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Migrant farmworker students are a marginalized group with unique needs. Federal law provides funding for Migrant Farmworker Advocates who support the educational and material needs of migrant farmworker students and their families in public schools. This exploratory study examines the question, how do migrant advocates collaborate with other professionals to support their students with graduation and transitioning to post-secondary opportunities? The study analyzes this unexplored professional relationship between migrant advocates and high school personnel and how they work together to serve migrant students. Data were collected through semi-structured single subject interviews from seven current or former Title I funded Migrant …

Identification And Characterization Of Intrinsically Disordered Protein Regions, Guy Wayne Dayhoff Ii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates protein intrinsic disorder and intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDPRs) through the development and application of advanced computational and experimental techniques. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to protein intrinsic disorder, outlining the historical context and fundamental concepts that highlight the importance of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and IDPRs in various biological processes. Chapter 2 focuses on the rapid prediction and analysis of protein intrinsic disorder. We introduce RIDAO (Rapid Intrinsic Disorder Analysis Online), a high-efficiency web-based tool that integrates multiple disorder predictors. RIDAO significantly outperforms existing predictors in computational efficiency, making it suitable for large-scale proteomic studies. We …

Online Teaching And Learning At Chinese Universities During Covid-19: Insiders’ Perspectives, Youliang Zhang, Yidan Zhu, Tongjie Chen, Tongfei Ma

Journal of Global Education and Research

During attempts to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic in China, higher education programs shifted their traditional educational models to online models. This paper aimed to explore how Chinese universities organized online teaching and learning during the pandemic. It investigated the factors affecting the implementation of online teaching and provided policy recommendations for improving the quality of education in the post-pandemic period. The primary data for this study came from in-depth interviews with nine students and five teaching and administrative staff at eight major universities in mainland China. Literature was obtained in both English and Chinese from January 2020 to …

Teachers' And School Directors' Perceptions Of The Benefits Of Arts-Integrated Instruction K-2: Before, During, And After Covid-19, Alison H. Mehler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences and perceptions of teachers who use arts-integrated instruction and their directors of K-2 students before, during, and after the unique period of online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March of 2020. Arts integration is a method of teaching in which students are taught comprehension of subject areas (i.e. – math, science, reading, social studies) through art forms. These art forms include music, theatre, dance, art, and writing. I collected he qualitative data for this research through virtual interviews with five female participants. I transcribed these interviews and …