Other Education Commons^™

Data-Driven Modeling Of Calcium Homeostasis And Bioenergetics In Alzheimer’S Disease, Down’S Syndrome And Leigh’S Syndrome., Abdul Rahim Umar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis is implicated in the pathogenesis of several neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), AD-like pathology in Down's Syndrome (DS) and Leigh’s Syndrome (LS). In astrocytes, disrupted intracellular Ca2+ signaling can compromise numerous brain functions, including synaptic transmission, neurovascular coupling, andbioenergetics. In our first project, we investigated the effects of brain extracts from AD patients on calcium signaling within cells and found that these extracts triggered a release of calcium within the cell, similar to synthetic components of amyloid beta plaques, a hallmark of AD. We developed a computational model to analyze how these changes in calcium …

Exploring Online Language Learning Activities And Intercultural Communicative Competence: Perspectives Of International Students, Moneera Abdulaziz Alsubaihi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Societies are increasingly aware of the need to connect and communicate globally. Thus, navigating diverse cultural contexts becomes critical, which necessitates intercultural competence—the skill of effective communication and understanding across cultures. As the digital age reshapes our interactions, online learning platforms have emerged as dynamic spaces that foster intercultural engagement and competency development. The purpose of this study was to explore this engagement and development through online English language activities that enhance international students' intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and language learning experience. This qualitative study aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of international students' experiences in online English language courses, …

“It’S Not Me, It’S You:” A Critical Race Exploration Of University-Community Partnerships (Ucps) With Black Community Leadership, Christopher Ellis Matthew Darby

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite the growing number of initiatives and efforts by universities to engage with their local communities, university-community partnerships (UCPs) remain complex relationships from their development to implementation—specifically, UCPs between Black communities and predominantly White institutions (PWI). However, research that centers on Black communities and their UCPs is limited. This study delves into the dynamics of UCPs with Black communities, aiming to explore and comprehend the attitudes, perceptions, and experiences from the viewpoints of both university and Black community leaders. Employing a convergent parallel mixed methods research design and utilizing Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Community-Based Educational Leadership (CBEL) to inform …

Exploring Spin Dynamics Using Time-Resolved Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect Spectroscopy, Arup Barua

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The interaction between light and matter plays a crucial role in numerous systems, including optoelectronicdevices such as Photodiode (PD), Laser diode (LD), LED, solar cells to even biological components like photosystem II, and potential upcoming quantum technologies. Light is absorbed or emitted usually at a scale smaller than a nanometer, with associated processes happening within attosecond to picosecond durations. It is known that in a vacuum, static magnetic fields do not affect light. On the other hand, the magnetic field or magnetization of a material affects the light that passes through or is reflected by the material. The magneto-optic effect …

Peritraumatic Distress And Dissociation In People With And Without Disabilities Utilizing Emergency Departments, Sydney C. Hart

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To date the literature on peritraumatic distress and peritraumatic dissociation in individuals receiving emergency medical treatment has not examined people with disabilities or chronic health conditions as a specified population, despite these populations’ disproportional utilization of medical facilities and additional stressors faced in those environments. Thus, this study assessed and compared the prevalence and averages on the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) and Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire (PDEQ) in people with and without disabilities and/or chronic health conditions after Emergency Department (ED) visits. A sample of 138 participants 18 years of age or older, of which 109 reported disabilities and/or chronic …

Unveiling Ferroelectric And Multifunctional Insights In Hybrid Formate Perovskites, Abduljelili Popoola

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Formate perovskites, denoted as AB(HCOO)3, represent a diverse group of hybrid organic-inorganic compounds, renowned for their numerous phase transitions and a wide array of properties. These properties encompass (anti)ferroelectricity, ferroelasticity, (anti)ferromagnetism, and multiferroism. Despite extensive research on these materials, a comprehensive examination of their properties across a substantial number of formate perovskites remains scarce. This scarcity stems from structural complexity of these materials, potential systematic errors arising from different measurement techniques or incomplete data. For instance, data for critical parameters like piezoelectricity, dielectricity, and elasticity tensors have been lacking.

In this study, we address these challenges by employing first-principles density …

An Investigation Of Quaternary Metal Chalcogenide Semiconductors Possessing Intrinsically Low Thermal Conductivity, Oluwagbemiga P. Ojo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Inorganic materials with unique physical properties are vital components of modern technology, from electronic devices to energy storage and conversion systems. Recent advancements in materials research and development have garnered significant interest, particularly in the realm of sustainable energy applications like thermoelectrics and photovoltaics. The development of novel materials with enhanced electronic and thermal properties has emerged as a focal point in advancing these critical applications. Furthermore, low thermal conductivity materials are sought after for technologically significant applications such as thermal barrier coatings, rewriteable data storage utilizing phase change materials and thermoelectrics. However, the current efficiency levels of materials used …

Emergent Magnetism And Hyperthermia In Phase- And Size-Tunable Iron Oxide Nanostructures, K Mudiyanselage Tharindu Supun Bandara Attanayake

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) hold immense potential across diverse fields, from spintronics, magnetic hyperthermia to drug delivery, biodetection, and magnetic resonance imaging. Unlocking these applications hinges on our ability to tailor the magnetic properties of IONPs, and this dissertation presents novel and powerful approaches for enhancing magnetic and hyperthermic responses of multiphase iron oxide nanostructures. This is achieved by manipulating their phase volume fraction, size, and shape with a focus on the magnetic tunability of nanostructures via strategic control over structural and environmental parameters. The aforementioned has been achieved by the following three key approaches: (i) phase-tunability of iron oxide …

Effects Of Intercultural Interactions In 3d Virtual World On Efl Students’ Intercultural Communicative Competence, Foreign Language Anxiety, And Motivation, Umi H. Saidah

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Virtual worlds (VWs) as emerging technologies have been perceived as positive by students for foreign language (FL) learning. VW affordances of presence and immersion have enabled FL researchers and practitioners to design and develop classroom-like environments in virtual settings, allowing authentic intercultural interactions from different geographical locations, in a variety of languages. This study conducted mixed methods research to deliver English lessons via an immersive 3D VW for avatar-context-avatar interactions via voice chat with a view to improving ICC necessary for effective intercultural interaction. The avatar-avatar interactions were between a native English-speaking instructor and English as a foreign language (EFL) …

Developing Cultural Humility Through The Arts: Evaluating An Arts Intervention For Healthcare Provider Leaders, Katie L. Nickel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

At all levels of healthcare, providers are experiencing rising levels of professional burnout. For healthcare provider leaders, burnout is particularly critical since leaders must maintain healthy and trusting relationships with patients and their teams of healthcare professionals. This utilization-focused evaluation study explores an arts intervention program designed to promote cultural humility among healthcare providers. Increased cultural humility may provide coping tools for healthcare providers to ward off burnout. The arts intervention took place over three sessions: one at a museum, one virtual, and one at a hospital. Four types of data were collected including a quantitative pre- and post-survey, observation …

Abc It's Easy As...: Clarifying Alphabet Knowledge Development In Preschool Populations, Lauren Arielle Mckeever

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alphabet Knowledge (AK) is a critical precursor to literacy development. Despite a clear linkage between AK and childhood reading and later academic success, the progression of how this skill is acquired remains unclear. Through a series of investigations, this dissertation examined the assessment and intervention of AK in preschool populations.

The first study was a systematic review to delineate aspects of AK, focusing on instructional practices, measurement techniques, and how they align. This study synthesized existing literature on AK through a systematic review of 32 studies to identify common themes related to AK definitions, instructional content, and measurement approaches. The …

Band Members’ Attitudes Toward The Queer Community And Perception Of Band As A Safe Space, Brian J. Panetta

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework of human development and Yuval-Davis’ analytical framework of belonging as a lens to explain how the band environment might cultivate positive attitudes toward the queer community, this study investigated band members’ attitudes toward the queer community and their perception of the band as a safe space. Utilizing adapted inventories with established reliability and validity, the following research questions were addressed: 1) What are queer and non-queer band members’ attitudes toward the queer community? 2) What are queer and non-queer band members’ attitudes toward the band as a safe space? 3) What differences exist between the independent …

Count Me In: A Study Of Social Validity, Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports, And A High School, Amie Dia Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) has been attributed to a decrease in office discipline referrals (ODRs) and suspensions and to increase academic performance, and engagement, as well as staff, family, and student perceptions of a safe and positive school climate. High schools have had more significant issues than elementary sites with implementing PBIS and garnering staff support due to larger faculty, staff, and student size, multi-faceted organizational culture, and the age of the students served. In addition, factors that have also been cited as inhibiting successful implementation at the high school level are lack of student …

Becoming Conscious: An Autoethnographic Study Analyzing The Relationship Between Identity And Leadership, Aaron Izzo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to define the connection between one’s perceptions of self and how one conceptualizes leadership. This study first conceptualized my own identity, seeking to connect my past experiences and interactions with others utilizing a term borrowed from Eastern philosophy, samskara, to see how they impact my current practice within leadership. Within the current body of research, various forms of leadership approaches, such as relational, appreciative, feminist, queer, and conscious leadership, were described and explored. What was found to be missing from the current body of work was a connection between who a person is, how they identify, and …

Going Through To Get Through: Life Histories Of Black Women In Educational Leadership, Ann Marie M. Mobley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black women who become school-based administrators are severely understudied in scholarly research (Lomotey, 2019). Studies suggest that Black women in the United States, who ascend into educational leadership positions, rely on professional training(s) associated with their employment and understandings accrued from inter/personal background experiences (cultural, familial) to navigate discrimination while attempting to lead. The purpose of this study was to examine how Black women use personal and professional lessons to reconcile tensions and contradictions in their administrative roles in public schools. Using a life history approach, I gathered data by interviewing seven Black women administrators (all identified as African American), …

Disability, Blackness, And Online Community: Black Twitter As Self-Narrative, Morgan S. Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black disabled people, especially those with invisible disabilities, are often not included or welcomed by all in the disabled community. In addition, Black disabled individuals also face discrimination and exclusion within the Black community due to ableism. This project will be an investigation of Black disabled community and health culture in online spaces, specifically using Twitter hashtags as a starting point. This research project is about helping to write the whole story, an opportunity that my Black ancestors did not have but still demand, for our generation and those who will come after us. For this project, I conducted an …

Caring In Social Studies: An Examination Of Teacher Preparation Standards, Vanializ Agramonte

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Care is something we expect educators to demonstrate towards their students, but are theythemselves being taught the importance of care in education and prepared to enact it in their classrooms? The existing literature on care and care theory in education is limited, but shows a link between care and student success; many educators also point to anecdotal evidence of the importance of care. This study sought to examine themes of care in national standards for teacher preparation. Through the use of directed qualitative content analysis, three national teacher preparation standards (the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the Interstate …

Forgotten Learners: An Examination Of The Experiences Of English Language Learners In Advanced Placement And International Baccalaureate Social Studies Courses, Elizabeth Rasmussen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States is rapidly increasing, particularly in high schools. Although the number of ELLs is growing at a fast pace in the United States, the number of ELLs enrolled in advanced educational programming has not increased. After an in-depth review of the extant literature, it is evident that limited scholarly research on ELLs in advanced coursework exists. This is especially true in AP and IB social studies courses, where in many states where “Open Access” and “AP for All” have been adopted. This qualitative study sought to reveal the lived experiences …

Interfacial Magnetism And Anisotropy In Dirac And Weyl Semimetals, Noah Schulz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Semimetals have gained intense interest recently due to their exotic magnetic and electronic properties. One of the most widely studied semimetals is graphene, a Dirac semimetal. The utilization of graphene in devices and sensors requires interfacing it with other materials, which may induce potentially strong interfacial effects. Furthermore, graphene alone does not possess magnetic order. Studying the interfacial effects between graphene and magnetic materials is therefore of great importance in the application of graphene to meet modern technological needs. Furthermore, by understanding the fundamental interfacial physics between graphene and magnetic materials, new properties can be unlocked, broadening the possible applications …

Secondary Educator Approaches To Cemetery-Based Education In Florida, Hillary M. Van Dyke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive case study is to study how teachers utilize cemeteries as a teaching space, specifically for instruction in Black history and for enacting social studies curriculum by examining the curricular and instructional strategies two educators use with historically Black cemeteries as a place of learning for students in west coastal central Florida. Conversations around what to do about the issue of historically Black cemeteries are growing in Florida, including the state dedicating resources to place-based education in cemeteries. Thus, this study is timely. A purposeful sampling strategy was used to select the two educators who …

Formulating Utopian Pasts: Time As A Coping Method For Lgbtq+ Floridians, Elise M. Kuechle

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Florida has emerged in recent years as a breeding ground for a new generation of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The state has introduced 10 anti-LGBTQ+ laws so far in 2023, touching on issues such as bathroom access, healthcare, and education. This paper analyzes the experiences of queer and transgender people living in Florida to ask: How do LGBTQ+ people in Florida cope phenomenologically with rising anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination? Drawing on data from 22 interviews with LGBTQ+ people situated in and around Florida in 2023, this paper captures a distinct political moment for the people that I spoke with, as anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments continue to …

Employing The Use Of Molecular Dynamics To Explore Protein Stability And Optimize Free Energy Protocols, Taylor A. Rodman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Molecular dynamics (MD) is a powerful technique that can be used to provide informationabout a system over time. MD simulations can be used to explore behaviors of many systems such as protein-ligand interactions protein-protein interactions. Additionally, these simulations can be used to generate trajectories of a system to further be used for free energy simulations. The work discussed in Chapter 2 involves the use MD simulations to identify potential drug candidates capable of binding to and stabilizing the nuclear binding domain of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator protein. Using ProBiS, we were able to find a potential binding site …

The Discussion – Conclusion Section Of Quantitative Versus Qualitative Research Articles In Second Language Writing: Rhetorical Structure And Interactional Metadiscourse, Oksana Bomba

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed and compared the rhetorical structure of the Discussion – Conclusion sections from quantitative versus qualitative research articles (RAs) in the interdisciplinary field of Second Language Writing (SLW). Although Discussion and Conclusion sections are critical components in the RA genre that present a challenge to novice writers, little is known about the rhetorical organization of RA Discussion – Conclusion sections and how quantitative and qualitative research paradigms may shape the ways RA writers present and discuss their findings.

This corpus-based study analyzed the rhetorical structure of the SLW RA Discussion – Conclusion sections from quantitative and qualitative research …

Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Simulations Of Nearshore Langmuir Circulation And The Formation Of Oil-Particle Aggregates, Juan J. Penaloza Gutierrez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Langmuir turbulence in the inner shelf coastal ocean is characterized by Langmuir circulation (LC) or cells that can span the full depth of unstratified water columns. A Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation strategy resolving full-depth LC coupled with an oil-particle aggregate (OPA) formation model is introduced. The RANS methodology is employed in two different cases. The first case corresponds to a shallow shelf zone of uniform depth, focusing on vertical mixing and transport of OPAs. The second case pertains to a surf-shelf transition zone with variable depth, comprising vertical and horizontal mixing of OPAs. In the latter case, a wave model …

Lgbtq+ Inclusivity In The Implicit And Explicit Social Studies Curriculum: A Descriptive Exploratory Study In Teacher Self-Efficacy, K. B.F. Francis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive exploratory study describes teacher self-efficacy in providing LGBTQ+ support in the implicit and explicit social studies curriculum in the wake of numerous anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in education in Florida. Four high school social studies teachers from three different Florida public school districts were interviewed to answer three main questions. All participating teachers expressed broad knowledge of their subject matter but could not identify LGBTQ+ inclusivity in their state and district-mandated curriculum. All participants had a great sense of self-efficacy in supporting their LGBTQ+ students but low self-efficacy in educating their colleagues about these issues. All participating teachers expressed a …

The Performance Of Subgrid-Scale Models In Large-Eddy Simulation Of Langmuir Circulation In Shallow Water With The Finite Volume Method, Seyed Mohammad Javad Zeidi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Wind and wave-driven Langmuir circulation (LC) in the upper ocean mixed layer and in shallow inner shelf regions of the coastal ocean has been extensively studied via field measurements and numerical simulations by the ocean turbulence-physical oceanography community. LC consists of counter rotating vortices or cells induced by the wind and surface gravity waves. As with all turbulence regimes, LC is characterized by a wide range of scales, with the largest and most energetic LC scales serving to promote vertical transport (and thereby mixing). However, numerical studies and field measrements of Langmuir turbulence under the influence of coastal boundaries and …

Restorative Practices Interrupted, Celeste Kellar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The initial critical event precipitating the problem of practice at my school was the repercussions of the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Florida on February 14, 2018. This shooting and the resulting legislative mandates of Florida Senate Bill 7026, led to my administrative decision to adopt Restorative Practices at my school, a school for students with disabilities. Restorative Practices purport to encourage the development of positive relationships, repair and restore existing relationships thereby decreasing the chance of a repeated offense and improving school climate (Zehr, 2015). Additional rationale for the adoption was to address the disproportionality …

The Application Of Memes On English Learners' Idiomatics And Motivation, Fatima Azzahraa Raafat

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students nowadays live in a visually rich world where they continually generate meaning and knowledge through images (Romero & Bobkina, 2017). To satisfy two technology-savvy generations, the Millennial and Generation Z, field practitioners had to generate multimodal environments that include written text, visual images, and design elements from various viewpoints. An effective pedagogy of idiomatics can support second language acquisition (SLA) and idiomatic competence development, that is, idiomatic language and figurative language study (Liontas, 2021, p. 3, 32). Idiomatics should be incorporated into educational programs for SL learners as early in their education as possible (Liontas, 2008). For my study, …

Fostering A Sense Of Online Community: Faculty Reflections Through Narratives, Brittany D. Anthony

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study will explore how MSW faculty describe a community in online courses and what strategies they use in fostering a sense of community within courses from an online Master of Social Work program at the University of South Florida. There is an imperative need to ensure online courses provide a sense of community to support students for success. During the timespan of an online course, strategic pedagogical approaches to fostering a community are essential to enriching the overall learning experience for students. Many studies tend to focus on the challenges faced when building an online community. Still, the …

Predictors Of Growth In Socioemotional Functioning From Kindergarten Entry To 5th Grade For Students With And Without Disabilities, Sydney Shupe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The link between socioemotional functioning and academic achievement is well established, as is the evidence showing that children with disabilities often develop socioemotional functioning differently than peers without disabilities. However, few studies have considered how early skills are associated with growth of socioemotional functioning for children, and how that may differ for children with disabilities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of academic, social, and behavioral skills at the start of kindergarten on the growth of socioemotional functioning from kindergarten to 5th grade; early socioemotional functioning, academic and cognitive skills were analyzed in a series …