Education Commons^™

Comparing Participants In Discipline And Non-Discipline Specific First-Year Seminars: A Study On Student Characteristics, Expectations, And Changes In Major, Caroline Kaufmann Twachtman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

First-year seminar (FYS) courses tend to focus on preparing students for successful academic and social integration into the college environment. Many of the studies on FYS courses focus on measuring outcomes such as college grades, retention, and graduation rates. While there is notable documentation of several different types of FYS courses, relatively few studies compare the different types of FYS courses. What, if any, differences might there be in the profiles of students who take either type of course? Is there a certain type of student that enrolls in the discipline-specific course, or a certain type of student that enrolls …

Measuring And Improving Student Attitude In College-Level Chemistry: A Novel Survey Methodology And Social-Psychological Interventions, Ying Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students’ attitude has been an important focus in the chemistry education community. However, there is a lack of research in evaluating interventions aiming to improve students’ attitude. Social-psychological interventions (SPIs), brief interventions that target students’ subjective experiences, were demonstrated to improve students’ attitude in instructional settings. In addition, accurately measuring students’ attitude helps researchers better understand the impact of the intervention. Therefore, the major goal of this work is to explore practices, particularly a novel survey methodology and a social-psychological intervention (SPI), to facilitate measuring and improving students’ attitude in college-level chemistry courses. This work also paid particular attention to …

Distributed Leadership: Formal Leadership, Barriers, And Facilitators For Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support, Joseph D. Latimer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Currently, educators are exposed to an increased environment of accountability, which prioritizes student academic achievement. That environment of accountability is reinforced by multiple pieces of legislation that also call attention to the implementation of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). Even with these federal mandates, educators are continuously overwhelmed implementing MTSS and often leverage distributed leadership practices such as school leadership teams to carry out school improvement tasks. Both distributed leadership practices and MTSS are directly impacted by the practices of formal leadership (i.e., principals). In addition, enablers of and barriers to distributed leadership for MTSS should be investigated. This current …

2d Lateral Heterostructures For Optoelectronic Devices, Florence Ann Emila Nugera

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two-dimensional (2D) materials show remarkable physical properties when compared to their bulk form. These are single layer materials where the atoms are covalently bonded to each other. Among the 2D materials, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have special consideration due to its unique electrical, optical and mechanical properties. These materials can be combined either vertically or laterally to form heterostructures and can be mixed to form alloys in order to expand the number of members in the 2D family. In turn optoelectrical properties can be tuned for better performances when develop for potential applications.

In the first part of this dissertation, …

A Macro Social Examination Of The Relationship Between Disabilities And Crime Using Neighborhood And County Level Data, Natasha A. Baloch

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the last few decades, there has been a consistent increase in mental illnesses in the US population. This has also lead to increased interactions of those with mental illnesses and/or disabilities with law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Despite these instances, there is limited research on the relationship between disabilities, mental health issues and crime in the large body of criminological research. Further, the current extant research is a) outside the field of Criminology, b) primarily focuses on those with only intellectual or developmental disabilities and/or c) does not examine this relationship at the macro level, despite evidence …

Inaccuracies In Patient Self-Report Of Genetic Testing Results For Hereditary Cancer Risks Could Impact Risk-Management Practices, Brittany Faye Sears

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pathogenic variants (PV) or likely pathogenic variants (LPV) in a cancer risk gene increase lifetime risks of developing cancer. National guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations on cancer risk management (CRM) strategies tailored to the cancer risks associated with PV/LPV in different genes. Emotional responses after learning of a PV/LPV have been studied as predictors of patient adherence to CRM, but less attention has been given to whether patients remember their actual genetic test results and the impact this may have on subsequent adherence to CRM. We surveyed a group of 114 participants registered with the Inherited Cancer Registry (ICARE), all of …

The Specifics Of Specific Learning Disability: An Analysis Of State-Level Eligibility Criteria And Response To Intervention Practices, Lora M. Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The field of specific learning disability (SLD) in the United States has changed considerably since reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA; (§3007); State Education Agencies (SEAs) have been transitioning away from the severe discrepancy model of SLD identification and towards a Response to Intervention (RTI) model (Hauerwas et al, 2013). This study aimed to review SLD practices in the United States through the analysis of SEA documents and to evaluate the progress made since the reauthorization of IDEA. The aim of the current study was to provide a snapshot of 1) how SEA regulations defined SLD; 2) when …

A Case Study In Applied Behavior Analysis: Using Prevent-Teach-Reinforce Strategies To Decrease A Student’S Task Refusal, Kiersten L. Whitaker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Task refusal might hinder academic performance (e.g., grades, test scores, etc.); however,one model that has been proven to help decrease problem behaviors is the Prevent-TeachReinforce (PTR) model. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the PTR model on the assessment and treatment of problem behavior for one high school student’s task refusal. Results demonstrated the PTR model helped identify plausible functions of task refusal; furthermore, the PTR model led to the development of an effective intervention that was feasible, function-based, and resulted in decreasing task refusal. Keywords: classrooms, function-based intervention, prevent-teach-reinforce, task refusal

Impact Of Perinatal Exposure Counseling On Patient Reported Emotional Outcomes And Decisional Empowerment, Madison J. Lake

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, 88.8% of pregnant patients utilize at least one medication during pregnancy. The lack of guidance on medication use and teratogen exposures during pregnancy can induce stress and impact decision-making about continuing or adding medication in pregnancy. Although previous research has evaluated changes in patient knowledge after exposure counseling, we are unaware of studies that examined emotional outcomes or the extent to which patients feel informed and empowered to make decisions related to medication use. Our quasi-experimental study measured changes in patients’ feelings of guilt, anxiety, and decisional empowerment after receiving exposure counseling from trained teratogen information …

Evaluating Technology-Based Self-Monitoring Of Performance With Reinforcement For Students With Disabilities, Madeline Rose Risse

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the use of a technology-based self-monitoring intervention augmented with differential reinforcement and focused on self-monitoring of performance to increase task completion and reduce off-task behavior in students with disabilities. Three students with disabilities served in an inclusive 5th-grade general education classroom participated in the study. A concurrent multiple baseline design across participants with an ABC sequence was used to evaluate the intervention outcomes. A general education teacher of the participating students implemented the intervention that involved student training on self-monitoring of performance (SMP) using an app and delivery of reinforcement contingent on task completion and accuracy of …

Effective Statistical And Machine Learning Methods To Analyze Children's Vocabulary Learning, Houston T. Sanders

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Poor methodological and statistical practices can lead to unreliable results. The collaboration between statisticians and researchers can remedy this. Early education intervention research rarely uses advanced statistical techniques. Within early education, vocabulary instruction has been well-studied, yet outcomes continue to be underwhelming. The specialized knowledge and expertise statisticians possess has the potential to enhance word learning research by applying sophisticated analyses not commonly used. Choosing vocabulary words for instruction can be a daunting task and is highly subjective. In an effort to aid in the selection process, researchers use a word selection framework that groups words into three tiers. Even …

Accelerated Resolution Therapy (Art): A Review Of Treatments For Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Henry B. Burns Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the past, patients diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were treated with medications that masked their conditions or through the use of various mental health treatments like Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) with limited success. Each of these treatments, lasting weeks or months, are mentally exhausting for the patient, and, over time, contribute to burn-out for the practitioner as well. The purpose of the study was to compare mental health treatments from the practitioner’s point of view regarding burn out. Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is a new form of …

Reconceptualizing Global Citizenship: Experiences From Women Who Have Studied Abroad, Jessica L. Colston

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study used self-curated photo elicitation to express students’ awareness of power, privilege, and identity. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore how female undergraduate students interacted with their environment and conceptualized a critical understanding of global citizenship. As such, this inquiry asked: (1) To what extent do female undergraduate students from the United States who have participated in a study abroad program develop a critical understanding of global citizenship? (2) How are students’ awareness of power, privilege, and identity reflected in their documentation and narration of their experiences abroad?

Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory and transnational feminism explained …

Transfer Students And The Excess Credit Hour Surcharge: A Program Evaluation Of An Excess Credit Hour Surcharge Training, Chandra Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The transfer student population is rising on college campuses in the United States. Consequently, higher education institutions want to better understand how to support this growing and diverse population. Faced with increased demand for accountability, colleges and universities have developed various initiatives to increase college graduation rates. One such initiative is the Excess Credit Hour Surcharge. The Florida state statute, commonly known as the Excess Credit Hour Surcharge, was introduced by legislators in 2009. The Florida legislature incentivizes state university students to graduate promptly and efficiently to avoid a surcharge. However, the legislation affects transfer students in a unique way …

Curricular Assemblages: Understanding Student Writing Knowledge (Re)Circulation Across Genres, Adam Phillips

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation proposes that the field of Writing Studies (WS) as well as writing program administrators (WPAs) should integrate quantitative methods into curricular assessment in order to improve pedagogical practices within their curricula. Through the use of the theoretical framework of assemblage theory, a theory that has been underutilized within WS, and the lens of linguistic, cultural, and substantive (LCS) language patterns, this study attempts to identify and understand student writing knowledge circulation and recirculation within one local curriculum. As well, with the incorporation of technological tools such as RAND-Lex, WPAs and WS researchers can identify granular patterns within student …

The Impact Of Teachers’ Treatment Fidelity To The Good Behavior Game On Problem Behaviors Exhibited Within A Self-Contained Classroom Setting, Jennifer M. Hodnett

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Challenging behavior in the context of education poses a number of significant issues for students and teachers, alike. Students who engage in significant challenging behaviors face poor educational outcomes and interpersonal conflict with peers. Educators must balance curriculum responsibilities and administrative duties while also addressing behavioral concerns that arise. Additionally, most educators are provided limited, if any specific training on the use of behavioral interventions. The proposed study aims to examine a classwide, behavioral intervention, the Good Behavior Game (GBG) and its utility in addressing challenging behaviors while informing research questions relevant to efficient practices for training educators.

A Principal's Story Of Leadership: The Evolution Of School Culture In A School For Gifted Education, Lori Wiley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A school’s culture evolves over time and guides the ways in which those who interact within the school think, feel, and act. It is grounded in shared meanings, foundational beliefs, and value systems created by a school (Deal & Peterson, 2009). The principal plays a key and critical role in influencing and shaping school culture. The literature representing gifted education, school culture, and the role of the principal in shaping school culture is substantial; however, there is a gap in the literature that explores the role of the principal in gifted education and how the principal might shape the culture …

Sense Of Belonging Among Dual Enrolled First-Year Students In Grand Cayman: Perceptions, Experiences, And Culturally Engaging Campus Environments, Patricia E. Robinson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how the experiences, perceptions, and culturally engaging campus environments build a sense of belonging and persistence among first-year dual-enrolled college students in a unique and diverse nation in the Western Caribbean (Greater Antilles) is an area of inquiry that had yet to be researched prior to this study. Using a case study qualitative research approach that included 10 individual semi-structured interviews, document elicitation of three university advertised campus events posts, and one focus group session, participants shared their experiences and perceptions of being a first-year dual-enrolled student and to what extent their campus’ environments influenced their sense of belonging. …

Racial And Ethnic Difference In Music Performance Self-Efficacy Among Undergraduate Students, George W. Shannon Ii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Musical self-efficacy is an area that has been studied in areas such as music performance (McCormick & McPherson, 2000; Zelenak, 2011) and music achievement (Zelenak, 2019). McPherson and McCormick (2006) conclude that the relationship between music self-efficacy and music performance is significant. With this understanding, the present study will determine if there is a significant difference by race or ethnicity in music performance self-efficacy among undergraduate students. Researchers have long reported the need for additional racially diverse studies in educational research with newer studies needed in music. Using the Music Performance Self-Efficacy Scale (MPSES), African-American, Caucasian, and Mixed responded to …

Perceptions Of Preservice Teachers Of Students With Intellectual Disabilities About Their Preparation For Inclusive Education, Abdullah Aljudaya

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Inclusive education improves social skills, cognitive abilities, and quality of life for students with special needs and has significant implications for governments, economies, and the workforce. Implementing inclusive education is a challenging process, however, that requires support from all sectors to provide the necessary skills and training to pre-service teachers. Empirical evaluations of teachers’ first-hand perceptions of the content and quality of these training programs are necessary to advance inclusive education practices and pre-service training to ensure special education teachers are prepared for their roles. To address this issue, this dissertation presents an in-depth review of the literature, followed by …

Labor-Based Grading Contracts In The Multilingual Fyc Classroom: Unpacking The Variables, Kara Kristina Larson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive, exploratory study’s purpose is to determine the effects of labor-based grading contracts on students whose historical exclusion results in their current day underrepresentation in higher education. A key component of this study is the emphasis on the student’s own perceptions and feelings about the use of labor-based grading contracts. Using a purposive sample of multilingual First-Year Composition (FYC) sections at an R1 university, I investigated the variables of labor-based grading contracts: demographics and written language characteristics, student motivation, ecological variables (i.e., perceptions of grading contracts), and academic performance measures. Research questions include: 1) How do labor-based grading contracts …

A Multimodal Literacy Exploration: Lived Experiences Of Haitian Immigrant Adolescent Girls In The Bahamas, Natasha Swann

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the geographic landscape of our world increasingly changes, a constant migration is occurring, with people seeking refuge and asylum. Many of those seeking a better way of life are children and adolescents. It is important not only to consider and accommodate how children and adolescents develop and grow, but how they do so in a country that is not their home and with language and literacy practices that are often new to them. Adjusting and acculturating into host countries might compound issues youth experience during child and adolescence development. This study provided a space and a platform for immigrant …

Walking The Line: Understanding The History And Development Of The Nhtsa Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, Jon D. Gurney

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the early 1980’s within the United States, state legislatures criminalized the practice of driving under the influence of alcohol due to the efforts of moral entrepreneurs such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving that served to vilify the drunk-driver. During the political culture of the early 1980’s, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sought to develop field sobriety tests that would assist law enforcement in the detection and arrest of drunk drivers.

This study provided a brief historical account of the development of the NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Test battery, which consisted of the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test, the Walk …

Learning Connections Inventory© Validation Using A Physician Assistant Training Program, Roberta Worsham

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to validate the Learning Connections Inventory for use with the military Physician Assistant students at the Interservice Physician Assistant Program at Fort Sam Houston, TX. The 61 participants in this study completed both a demographic survey and the Learning Connections Inventory (LCI©). The results of the demographic questionnaire depicted the characteristics of the participants and the LCI© described the learning patterns of each participant.

Research Questions one, confirmation of the current LCI© model, and two, the instructor assessment and the current model agreement, were answered using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and construct validity. The …

Instrumental Music Instruction And Executive Functions: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Romanian Children (10-12 Years), Adrian Sorin Iordache

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in verbal fluency, verbal memory, and processing speed of children (age 10-12) enrolled in a Romanian vocational music school as compared to a group enrolled in vocational visual arts school, and a group enrolled in a regular public school. This is the first study to assess children enrolled in a music school in Romania. A total of 105 participants (43 males and 62 females) 10 to 12 years old (M = 11.13, SD = .34) competed the testing. There were 36 participants (15 males and 21 females) in the music …

Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Global Competency-Based Program Modules In Higher Education, Parandoosh Sadeghinia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Global competency-based modules are relatively new in higher education. As a way to measure global competency the USF Global Competency Test (GCT) modules objectively measure global competencies for individuals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of three global competency-based program modules and undergraduate student perceptions of the Unite Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the basis for the modules.

This study addressed the questions:

1. What are the change scores based on the Global Competency Test module pre/postassessment scores for students who participated in Operation: Global Action/Academic and Cultural Engagement program during Summer 2021?
2. Are there differences in the …

Incarnational Literacy: Multimodal Explorations Through Virtual Reality And Transformational Autoethnography, Csaba Osvath

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Incarnational literacy is a multimodal, maker-centered, arts-based literacy engagement. As an emerging method and theoretical orientation, it incorporates core principles and transformative tools from the domains of creativity, arts-based inquiry, literacy, and spirituality. This experimental, multimodal dissertation chronicles the conception and ongoing development of incarnational literacy through a series of autoethnographic narratives, demonstrating the existential benefits of the integrated practice of artmaking and literacy engagements. This study also highlights the role and function of videogames and virtual reality experiences, revealing the benefits of introspective gameplay as tools of inquiry and meaning-making - further enriching the developing practice and domain of …

Pressure Retarded Osmosis: A Potential Technology For Seawater Desalination Energy Recovery And Concentrate Management, Joshua Benjamin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Currently, a significant challenge with reverse osmosis-based desalination is reducing the energy consumption and environmental impacts of the process. This project analyzed the viability of using pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) for energy recovery in seawater desalination facilities using brine concentrate (the draw solution) and other water sources (the feed solution) such as wastewater effluent. The primary goal of this project is to decrease the cost and overall energy consumption of seawater desalination through PRO-based energy recovery. Process modeling, statistical and sensitivity analysis, energy and cost analysis, geospatial and GIS analysis, laboratory-scale testing, water quality analysis, SEM-EDS microscopy, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), …

Principal Preparation For The Bahamas: A Partnership Approach, Raquel R. Edgecombe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Current literature has investigated university-district partnerships in numerous ways; however, based on a review of the literature, no study has sought the insights of potential partners about the partnership arrangement prior to the start of the partnership agreement. The purpose of this study was to explore educational leadership practitioners’ understandings of partnership in principal preparation. This inquiry was guided by the following research questions: (a) How do educational stakeholders perceive the ideal partnership arrangement for the preparation of principals; and (b) In what ways do the perspectives of educational stakeholders reflect broader discourse about the quality of educational leadership preparation? …

Exercise Prescription Practices In University Counseling Centers: Testing The Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model, A'Naja M. Newsome

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The co-occurence of physical inactivity and poor mental health in the college student population can lead to chronic health issues that have negative short-term (e.g., academic success and weight gain) and long-term (e.g., obesity, serious mental illness, and premature mortality) impacts. Integrating exercise prescription into the mental health treatment plan of college students could enhance the holistic care model described by The American College Health Association (ACHA) and Healthy Campus task force. Understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that mental health professionals (MHPs) hold regarding exercise prescription is important for policy formation and program development for college student health. The …