Current Search: University of West Florida (x)
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- Title
- Overshadowed: history, public engagement, and conflict archaeology at Florida's natural bridge.
- Author
- Johnston, Janene Whitley
- Abstract/Description
-
The Civil War Battle of Natural Bridge was fought within miles of Tallahassee, Florida, in March of 1865. The site, which is now the Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park, was the subject of a historical and archaeological investigation incorporating documentary evidence, metal detection survey, trench excavations, LiDAR, and firearms identification analysis. The survey was conducted with the help of a wide range of volunteers and community stakeholders including students, members of...
Show moreThe Civil War Battle of Natural Bridge was fought within miles of Tallahassee, Florida, in March of 1865. The site, which is now the Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park, was the subject of a historical and archaeological investigation incorporating documentary evidence, metal detection survey, trench excavations, LiDAR, and firearms identification analysis. The survey was conducted with the help of a wide range of volunteers and community stakeholders including students, members of Florida State Park Service, the local archaeological society, and Civil War reenactors. The results from the survey are being utilized to provide an updated analysis of the conflict which demonstrates how the Confederate forces expertly utilized the landscape to their tactical advantage. Additionally, this project can be used as a guide for on-site interpretation or future research involving the recent acquisition of the remainder of the battlefield.
Show less - Identifier
- 1129044081, WFE0000660
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Examining the educational philosophy of Henriette Delille: a case study.
- Author
- Powell, Charletha D'Lane
- Abstract/Description
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This dissertation explores Henriette Delille's educational philosophy that was developed during the antebellum era of New Orleans and her contributions to modern day education. The researcher investigated the pervasive culture of White privilege, which existed and denied the enslaved Black populace access to education. Within the literature, there was a lack of information examining the foundation of Delille's philosophy of education as a free Black woman in antebellum New Orleans. The...
Show moreThis dissertation explores Henriette Delille's educational philosophy that was developed during the antebellum era of New Orleans and her contributions to modern day education. The researcher investigated the pervasive culture of White privilege, which existed and denied the enslaved Black populace access to education. Within the literature, there was a lack of information examining the foundation of Delille's philosophy of education as a free Black woman in antebellum New Orleans. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the factors that influenced Henriette Delille's educational philosophy as well as her contributions to modern day education through the theoretical framework of W. E. B. DuBois' (1903) theory of double consciousness, which included the theoretical constructs of self-consciousness and racial identity. The researcher developed questions that addressed validity, value, and credibility as well as the depth and breadth of the research through the use of descriptive data. Historical and archival data became the voice of Henriette Delille because she is deceased. Major findings included emergent themes of racialization, political manipulation, religious influence, imperialism, and enslavement. The researcher concluded that race, religious influence, and the social strata of antebellum New Orleans guided Henriette Delille's philosophy of education. Implications of this research resulted in policies to address curriculum inequalities, racialization, and inclusive pedagogy. Future research will benefit from the examination of White privilege, disparities in the availability of quality education, and classroom segregation in modern day New Orleans' schools.
Show less - Identifier
- 1129598851, WFE0000669
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- "Foolish men that prayse gin eke t'envy": armes, armor, and eroticism in Spenser's The Faerie Queene.
- Author
- Desimone, Noah Ryan
- Abstract/Description
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In Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene, scenes of armament and disarmament allegorize the way that idealized and degenerate forms of masculinity are forged. Armor, in Spenser, is less a physical than a psychological shield. Donned at the wrong time, the knights become cruel, untrustworthy, and apathetic. Removed at inappropriate junctures, they descend into lust, avarice, and gluttony. Spenser's epic models the self-fashioning by which gentleman could come to embody the harmony of Venus and...
Show moreIn Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene, scenes of armament and disarmament allegorize the way that idealized and degenerate forms of masculinity are forged. Armor, in Spenser, is less a physical than a psychological shield. Donned at the wrong time, the knights become cruel, untrustworthy, and apathetic. Removed at inappropriate junctures, they descend into lust, avarice, and gluttony. Spenser's epic models the self-fashioning by which gentleman could come to embody the harmony of Venus and Mars. Empedocles' principle of love and war--the idea that eros and strife must come together for the generation of life to occur--is central to Spenser's idea of exemplary masculinity as well as to his political and artistic vision of harmony. The epic models a paradigm of courtly masculinity that places a premium on intense emotional relationships between men, even as it divorces eros from the realms of martial honor and patriarchalism. Since Spenser's vision of self-fashioned masculinity depends upon his understanding of court culture and the woman presiding over it, I conclude my thesis by looking at the epic's critique of Elizabeth I's use of romantic tropes and erotic pageantry
Show less - Identifier
- 1296388542, WFE0000781
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Microplastics in sandy environments in the Florida Keys and the Panhandle of Florida and ingestion by sea cucumbers and sand dollars.
- Author
- Plee, Tara Ashley
- Abstract/Description
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Microplastic pollution is an increasing problem in the marine environment. This study had five research objectives: establish if seagrass habitats are accumulating more microplastics compared to sandy habits in the Florida Keys; determine if there are microplastics present in sea cucumbers in the Florida Keys; determine the number of microplastics in Pensacola Beach sediment; determine the number of microplastics in St. Joseph Bay sediment; determine if there are microplastics present in sand...
Show moreMicroplastic pollution is an increasing problem in the marine environment. This study had five research objectives: establish if seagrass habitats are accumulating more microplastics compared to sandy habits in the Florida Keys; determine if there are microplastics present in sea cucumbers in the Florida Keys; determine the number of microplastics in Pensacola Beach sediment; determine the number of microplastics in St. Joseph Bay sediment; determine if there are microplastics present in sand dollars in the panhandle of Florida; and conduct a laboratory experiment on the sand dollar Mellita tenuis to determine if it is selecting for microplastics. Microplastics were extracted from samples using a saturated CaCl2 solution and visual examination. Both seagrass beds and sandy areas in the Florida Keys contained microplastics. Sediment near Pensacola Beach and in St. Joseph Bay contained microplastics. Sea cucumbers collected in the Florida Keys and sand dollars collected in the panhandle of Florida had microplastics as part of their gut content. In the laboratory, M. tenuis ingested microbeads in slightly lower proportions compared to surrounding sediment. Both sea cucumbers and sand dollars may make useful animals for monitoring sandy environments for microplastics pollution.
Show less - Identifier
- 1129598452, WFE0000667
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Haunting truth: crime mapping around cemeteries in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Author
- Barrett, Elizabeth
- Abstract/Description
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New Orleans, Louisiana is a famed tourist location in the United States. It is known for hosting elaborate Mardi Gras celebrations, creating mystery through the popularization of Voodoo, and calling itself home to major sports teams such as the New Orleans Saints. Alongside these claims to fame, New Orleans is also a city known for its high crime rate and elaborately designed cemeteries. Cemeteries are often a highly visited area within the city due to their unique history and architecture....
Show moreNew Orleans, Louisiana is a famed tourist location in the United States. It is known for hosting elaborate Mardi Gras celebrations, creating mystery through the popularization of Voodoo, and calling itself home to major sports teams such as the New Orleans Saints. Alongside these claims to fame, New Orleans is also a city known for its high crime rate and elaborately designed cemeteries. Cemeteries are often a highly visited area within the city due to their unique history and architecture. This project aims to educate tourists to the city about what crimes are most prevalent around the cemeteries in the city so they can stay safe while paying homage to the deceased of New Orleans. This project examines crime within a half mile radius of all New Orleans cemeteries from 2011-2018 by utilizing ArcGIS Pro to spatially examine the calls for service for the city during that time frame. By examining patterns of crime in these areas, tourists can be properly informed as to the crime they could experience while visiting the unique cemeteries in the city.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- Identifier
- 1154769909, WFE0000705
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Exploring the use of The Big Bang Theory in ESL teaching.
- Author
- Cook, Stephen Todd
- Abstract/Description
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This qualitative case study investigated how adult ESL students in a postsecondary English for academic purposes (EAP) program in the Southwest region of the United States experienced The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) television sitcom as a source of humorous authentic teaching materials. Krashen's (1982) affective filter hypothesis served as the theoretical framework to explore 12 participants' experiences in terms of the affective factors of anxiety, self-confidence, and motivation. Corpus...
Show moreThis qualitative case study investigated how adult ESL students in a postsecondary English for academic purposes (EAP) program in the Southwest region of the United States experienced The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) television sitcom as a source of humorous authentic teaching materials. Krashen's (1982) affective filter hypothesis served as the theoretical framework to explore 12 participants' experiences in terms of the affective factors of anxiety, self-confidence, and motivation. Corpus linguistics analysis revealed that 3.96% of all words spoken on the pilot episode of TBBT occurred more frequently in the academic writing section of the Corpus of Contemporary American English database compared to only 0.25% on the words in the pilot episode of Modern Family. These findings suggested the potential suitability of TBBT for use in EAP contexts to expose students to target academic vocabulary and content in a low-filter environment. Semi-structured interviews, observations, and interview guides revealed that TBBT reduced students' affective filters due to its inclusion of humor, authentic language, different communication styles, and different personality types. In contrast, participants reported that TBBT could increase students' affective filters due the show's rapid speed of dialogue, inclusion of potentially inappropriate topics or humor, or its unfamiliar words and content. With proper excerpt selection and preparation, these findings suggested that TBBT could be used to reduce postsecondary EAP students' affective filters. Further research is needed to understand how the use of TBBT may influence learning outcomes in EAP contexts.
Show less - Identifier
- 1128883774, WFE0000651
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Lost at sea: utilizing photogrammetry to monitor two submerged F8F Bearcats.
- Author
- Whitehead, Hunter Weatherly
- Abstract/Description
-
Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, renowned as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation", has been a fundamental pilot training facility for the U.S. Navy since its establishment in 1914. World War I ensured aviation would remain an important aspect of U.S. naval warfare and led to an increased influx of prospective aviation cadets at NAS Pensacola. Subsequent decades of training led to hundreds of training accidents and the loss of naval aircraft in the waters off Pensacola, Florida. Two F8F Bearcat...
Show moreNaval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, renowned as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation", has been a fundamental pilot training facility for the U.S. Navy since its establishment in 1914. World War I ensured aviation would remain an important aspect of U.S. naval warfare and led to an increased influx of prospective aviation cadets at NAS Pensacola. Subsequent decades of training led to hundreds of training accidents and the loss of naval aircraft in the waters off Pensacola, Florida. Two F8F Bearcat wreck sites are discussed here, including the methods involved in aircraft investigation and the historical documents referenced for their identification. Utilizing photogrammetric modeling techniques, the author tests the applicability of photogrammetry as an in situ site-monitoring tool.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019, 2019
- Identifier
- 1153167926, WFE0000701
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Spatial and temporal variability in water quality in three urbanized bayous of the Pensacola Bay System, Escambia County, Florida, USA.
- Author
- Sommerville, Grace Lily
- Abstract/Description
-
Anthropogenic influence from urbanization affects the health of estuaries all over the world. Three urbanized bayous in the Pensacola Bay System (Bayou Texar, Bayou Chico, and Bayou Grande) are estuarine systems affected by their surrounding watersheds. Land use in Bayou Texar's watershed is mainly residential properties. Bayou Chico's lower watershed is mainly industrial, while the upper watershed is residential. In Bayou Grande, one shoreline is home to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, and...
Show moreAnthropogenic influence from urbanization affects the health of estuaries all over the world. Three urbanized bayous in the Pensacola Bay System (Bayou Texar, Bayou Chico, and Bayou Grande) are estuarine systems affected by their surrounding watersheds. Land use in Bayou Texar's watershed is mainly residential properties. Bayou Chico's lower watershed is mainly industrial, while the upper watershed is residential. In Bayou Grande, one shoreline is home to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, and the other shoreline is residential. This study examined spatial and temporal variability of water quality in these systems. Comparison of bimonthly samples with historical data provided a perspective of how water quality has changed and responded to urbanization in these systems. High nutrients and chlorophyll were observed in Bayou Chico and Bayou Texar. Seasonal variation in nutrients was smaller than expected. Mixing curves of nutrients showed non-conservative mixing reflecting spatially distributed sources and sinks. DIN to DIP ratios showed that phosphorus was the limiting nutrient in Bayous Chico and Texar, whereas in Bayou Grande there was a seasonal change in nutrient limitation from nitrogen to phosphorus. Warm temperatures, and high light availability, make these urban bayous susceptible to eutrophication.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019, 2019
- Identifier
- 1153167804, WFE0000700
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The violence comes soon after: LGBTQ+ perceptions of safety and its effects on mental health in Pensacola.
- Author
- Harshman, Brenna
- Abstract/Description
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In Pensacola, Florida, there are many conservative residents who object to the presence of LGBTQ+ members in the community despite the long, rich history of relative LGBTQ+ tolerance. Due to the outward display of intolerant behavior, many LGBTQ+ people question their ability to safely express their sexual orientation and gender identity. This paper explores the primary data on main stressors that affect the perception of safety among the LGBTQ+ community in the Pensacola area as well as the...
Show moreIn Pensacola, Florida, there are many conservative residents who object to the presence of LGBTQ+ members in the community despite the long, rich history of relative LGBTQ+ tolerance. Due to the outward display of intolerant behavior, many LGBTQ+ people question their ability to safely express their sexual orientation and gender identity. This paper explores the primary data on main stressors that affect the perception of safety among the LGBTQ+ community in the Pensacola area as well as the mental health consequences linked with the stress of feeling unsafe. Data was gathered through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. I hypothesize that the LGBTQ+ community in Pensacola is more likely to have poor mental health and this inequity is linked to discrimination and feeling unsafe.
Show less - Identifier
- 1151767416, WFE0000685
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Mapping colonial strategies: a comparison of British and Spanish Pensacola.
- Author
- James, Cody B.
- Abstract/Description
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When interpreted alongside written documentary evidence, cartography informs a view of how colonists directed expansion across the landscape. The qualities and content of maps illuminate significant details about their culture of origin; the attributes captured and omitted in cartography can shed light on the content considered relevant at the time of a map creation. For this research, a comparison between Spanish and British colonial maps from mid-18th-century Pensacola reveals a varied...
Show moreWhen interpreted alongside written documentary evidence, cartography informs a view of how colonists directed expansion across the landscape. The qualities and content of maps illuminate significant details about their culture of origin; the attributes captured and omitted in cartography can shed light on the content considered relevant at the time of a map creation. For this research, a comparison between Spanish and British colonial maps from mid-18th-century Pensacola reveals a varied assemblage of attributes, accuracy, detail, and scale that portray modest development for the First Spanish and rapid, organized expansion in the subsequent British period. Using historic maps, two divergent modes, and experiences of colonization can be traced, revealing how environment, socioeconomics, and relations with native peoples influenced the settlement of Pensacola's frontier.
Show less - Identifier
- 1129043933, WFE0000659
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Incest and feminine bodies in the garden of "Rappaccini's Daughter".
- Author
- Reyes-Wright, Lydia Faith Gyulavics
- Abstract/Description
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This thesis examines sexual connotations of the garden space in Hawthorne's "Rappaccini's Daughter." Its focus is the sexuality of the protagonist Beatrice within the traditional patriarchal family unit. Her sexuality is a fixation for her biological father and her courter-turned-brother, and is reflected in the poisonous flowers that surround her. She, too, is envenomed from having cultivated the plants. As a result, they come to take on a familial relation. This shared toxicity shows the...
Show moreThis thesis examines sexual connotations of the garden space in Hawthorne's "Rappaccini's Daughter." Its focus is the sexuality of the protagonist Beatrice within the traditional patriarchal family unit. Her sexuality is a fixation for her biological father and her courter-turned-brother, and is reflected in the poisonous flowers that surround her. She, too, is envenomed from having cultivated the plants. As a result, they come to take on a familial relation. This shared toxicity shows the dangerous nature of feminine sexuality. Beatrice and the plants have provocatively sexual beauty on display for the men in the garden to fixate on, fear, and punish, manifesting in incest. This thesis reveals parallels between Beatrice's experiences in the garden and the biblical Eden concerning sexual awareness of the physical body. This inverted Eden makes its few inhabitants, including Beatrice's sister-plants, into a quasi-family. It becomes the stage where incestual taboos and their repercussions play out. Ultimately, Hawthorne's text is a cautionary tale for when feminine beauty is flaunted and male control turns perverse.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1201532566, WFE0000708
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Nonnative accent bias in high school: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.
- Author
- Roberts, Sarah Kay
- Abstract/Description
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A problem exists in the inequitable opportunities experienced by nonnative accented students in terms of academics, belongingness, and self-efficacy because of accent bias in the United States high schools. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis was to explore accent bias for nonnative-accented students in a high school located in the Southeastern United States. Social identity theory was used as a framework to organize and understand aspects of accent bias...
Show moreA problem exists in the inequitable opportunities experienced by nonnative accented students in terms of academics, belongingness, and self-efficacy because of accent bias in the United States high schools. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis was to explore accent bias for nonnative-accented students in a high school located in the Southeastern United States. Social identity theory was used as a framework to organize and understand aspects of accent bias for students. Six high school seniors who self-identified as speaking English with a Haitian Creole accent or a Spanish accent were chosen to participate in observations, individual interviews, and journal writing to explore accent bias experiences in this study. Based on its commitment to context and idiographic detail, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was chosen to be the methodological subtype to make sense of the participants' experiences. The first conclusion was that the participants subscribed to common accent myths which placed a disproportionate amount of responsibility and blame for poor communication on them. Another major conclusion from this study was that these nonnative-accented students perceived explicit forms of accent bias more easily than implicit forms and often denied the existence of both. Third, the participants responded to accent bias through silence. The three major findings that may relate to accent may be an observable characteristic that is to categorize individuals and compare social groups. This research study illuminates new and varied opportunities for future research on accent bias in educational contexts.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1233323062, WFE0000749
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Gravestone choices: an examination and analysis of the gravestones of the Mare Island Naval Cemetery.
- Author
- Foster, Elaine F.
- Abstract/Description
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Gravestones from the Mare Island Naval Cemetery were recorded, compared, and analyzed for evidence of a connection between the choice of gravestone style, material, or location with five aspects of identity: age, sex, occupation, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. The cemetery is separated into six sections, labeled A, B, C, D, E, and F. Data on gravestone style, material, and location were collected during two public cultural resources surveys in collaboration with the City of Vallejo....
Show moreGravestones from the Mare Island Naval Cemetery were recorded, compared, and analyzed for evidence of a connection between the choice of gravestone style, material, or location with five aspects of identity: age, sex, occupation, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. The cemetery is separated into six sections, labeled A, B, C, D, E, and F. Data on gravestone style, material, and location were collected during two public cultural resources surveys in collaboration with the City of Vallejo. Historical research supplemented the data gathered on site. Data was gathered for all 903 gravestones within the cemetery. Analysis of these data included a spatial analysis of maps pertaining to the five aspects of identity and statistical analysis using chi-square and Cramer's V to determine the level of association between two variables. The spatial analysis indicates that individuals with a monthly income of $90.00 or more as well as individuals of a higher ranking occupation were located at the top of the hill in the cemetery in Section A and the top of Section C. Section A, at the top of the hill, also contained the most youth (age 17 and younger). These data suggest these areas were reserved for high ranking or upper-class individuals and their families. Statistical analysis indicated that none of the aspects of identity had a strong influence on the choice of gravestone material or style, which suggests an equality in death regarding style and material.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1202001630, WFE0000714
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Teaching students living in poverty: perceptual experiences about training, strategies, and resources.
- Author
- Gibson, Paul Dennard
- Abstract/Description
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Many American children live in poverty in the United States and struggle daily with seven basic resource deprivations that represent the constructs of this study. The constructs are: "health and nutrition, vocabulary, effort and energy, mindset, cognitive capacity, relationships, and stress" (Jensen, 2013a, p. 8). The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was to explore the perceptual experiences of elementary school teachers working with students who live in poverty...
Show moreMany American children live in poverty in the United States and struggle daily with seven basic resource deprivations that represent the constructs of this study. The constructs are: "health and nutrition, vocabulary, effort and energy, mindset, cognitive capacity, relationships, and stress" (Jensen, 2013a, p. 8). The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was to explore the perceptual experiences of elementary school teachers working with students who live in poverty and attend a low-SES elementary school in the Southeastern United States. This study used the framework of Jensen's brain-based learning theory to explore the phenomenon of students living in poverty, which was the impetus for development of Jensen's theory (Jensen, 2013a). The findings support Jensen's theory regarding academic engagement influences relative to the constructs. Using an IPA , the findings reveal that participants felt students living in poverty faced challenges in academics that more affluent students did not encounter but still had the capacity to learn at some level and were academically responsive to strategic, personal attention from the participant teacher. Participants revealed parental feelings of responsibility for the care and nurturing of students, which often grew out of a lack of parental involvement from students' parents or guardians. Participants discussed feelings of responsibility to procure needed resources for students when available and to provide resources personally when unavailable. Finally, participants expressed feelings of love and ministry for students and believed that positive influences in the lives of students living in poverty could change students' lives in a beneficial manner.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1293882251, WFE0000764
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Predicting middle-achieving students' achievement in eighth-grade algebra 1.
- Author
- Jacobson, Jennifer Swann
- Abstract/Description
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Eighth-grade students who are placed into Algebra 1 but fail end-of-course exams may experience lowered grade point averages (GPAs) and loss of motivation for math or avoid taking advanced mathematics courses in high school. Middle-achieving students present challenges in terms of mathematics placement. Self-efficacy theory and locus of control theory suggest the noncognitive traits mathematics self-efficacy (MSE) and academic locus of control (ALOC) are associated with mathematics...
Show moreEighth-grade students who are placed into Algebra 1 but fail end-of-course exams may experience lowered grade point averages (GPAs) and loss of motivation for math or avoid taking advanced mathematics courses in high school. Middle-achieving students present challenges in terms of mathematics placement. Self-efficacy theory and locus of control theory suggest the noncognitive traits mathematics self-efficacy (MSE) and academic locus of control (ALOC) are associated with mathematics achievement and could predict achievement in eighth-grade algebra. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine whether MSE, ALOC, and prior-year State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) mathematics score predict achievement in eighth-grade algebra among middle-achieving students in South Texas more accurately than prior-year STAAR mathematics scores alone. The sample included 111 eighth-grade algebra students in a large suburban school district in South Texas, whose scores on the previous year's STAAR mathematics exam fell between the 25th and 75th percentiles. MSE predicted meeting grade-level standards (R 2 = .229), performance category (R 2 = .327), and percent score on the NEISD Algebra 1 Benchmark exam (R 2 = .317). ALOC was not associated with achievement on the NEISD Algebra 1 Benchmark exam. These results suggest that predictions of achievement in eighth-grade algebra for middle-achieving students were improved with the addition of measures of MSE, but not ALOC. Suggestions for future research include developing a mathematics locus of control instrument and broader studies exploring the relationship between MSE and achievement in eighth-grade Algebra 1.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021, 2021
- Identifier
- 1293881341, WFE0000763
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Elementary teachers' experiences with social studies professional development in Alabama.
- Author
- Landry, Nicole Andress
- Abstract/Description
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Limited professional training regarding elementary social studies content and pedagogy contributes to the reduction of elementary social studies instruction. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore how the experiences of elementary educators during the 2018 Alabama Bicentennial Summer Institutes held in Mobile, Alabama, have contributed to their professional development in social studies instruction. This study sought to understand how the experience of a social...
Show moreLimited professional training regarding elementary social studies content and pedagogy contributes to the reduction of elementary social studies instruction. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore how the experiences of elementary educators during the 2018 Alabama Bicentennial Summer Institutes held in Mobile, Alabama, have contributed to their professional development in social studies instruction. This study sought to understand how the experience of a social studies professional development for elementary teachers contributed to instructional methods, instructional planning decisions, collaboration, and the use of primary sources. Transformative learning theory (TLT) provided the theoretical perspective for understanding how changes in adult learners may occur in a professional development setting such as the 2018 Alabama Bicentennial Summer Institute. Learning in TLT transpires during critical reflection and rational discourse resulting in changes in the frame of reference (Mezirow, 1996, 1997). Principles of phenomenology guided me to realize interrelated themes. I purposefully selected six participants to represent the experiences of Grades 3-5 teachers from multiple districts and systems. The process included professional development, analysis of lesson plans, purposeful selection of participants, observations, interviews, data triangulation, and intense interaction. Data collection and analysis for emergent themes occurred cyclically during the 2018 Alabama Bicentennial Summer Institute activities, classroom observations, lesson plan analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Emerging themes suggested a transformative influence of the 2018 Alabama Bicentennial Summer Institute experience on the participants' classroom instruction, instructional planning, and use of primary sources.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1293882707, WFE0000765
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Turnaround principals' practices in the southeastern United States: a case study.
- Author
- Lopez-Romano, Brianne Marie
- Abstract/Description
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Turnaround principals of chronically inadequately performing schools faced myriad challenges and required the requisite skills to derive positive transformational change (Duke, 2015). Challenges include identification of the root causes, development of a cohesive turnaround plan, successful implementation, and progress monitoring (Duke, 2015). The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to explore best practices of principals leading turnaround reform efforts. Four cases...
Show moreTurnaround principals of chronically inadequately performing schools faced myriad challenges and required the requisite skills to derive positive transformational change (Duke, 2015). Challenges include identification of the root causes, development of a cohesive turnaround plan, successful implementation, and progress monitoring (Duke, 2015). The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to explore best practices of principals leading turnaround reform efforts. Four cases whereby turnaround principals who have successfully derived rapid school-improvement results provided information that can be used to understand the best practices inherent to a successful turnaround. The research was conducted at each school, and data was gathered from interviews, field observations, and artifacts. Rapid school improvement is nebulous; however, precise methods are limited. Deming's insistence on the leader's role as a predominant factor in improving productivity complements the turnaround principal's role in the improvement process. His work and scholarship influenced the conceptual framework created for this study. The conceptual framework included identification, development, implementation, and assessment and provided a sequential route to understanding nuances inherent in a school turnaround effort. A convergence of evidence model was used to identify common themes and synthesize conclusions. A comprehensive approach is required to understand the enormity of a successful turnaround effort. Similarly, instructional leadership, communication, tenacity, and recognition are essential practices that are evident in a successful turnaround effort. Findings can be used to scale turnaround efforts and build expertise. Questions for future research include understanding the varying contexts, leading schools with different demographic profiles, and expanding similar facets using other approaches.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1293884176, WFE0000767
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Responsive evaluation of a community college mathematics laboratory: a dissertation in practice.
- Author
- Hollinger, La Shannon Neru
- Abstract/Description
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This dissertation in practice (DIP), responsive evaluation (RE) explored relationships of the Faulkner Academic Math Excellence (FAME) Laboratory characteristics and specific perceptions of students enrolled in developmental mathematics education courses at a rural community college in Alabama's southeastern region. This program evaluation examined information surrounding the effectiveness of the FAME Lab program and service activities housed within a two-year community college. The study...
Show moreThis dissertation in practice (DIP), responsive evaluation (RE) explored relationships of the Faulkner Academic Math Excellence (FAME) Laboratory characteristics and specific perceptions of students enrolled in developmental mathematics education courses at a rural community college in Alabama's southeastern region. This program evaluation examined information surrounding the effectiveness of the FAME Lab program and service activities housed within a two-year community college. The study explored perceptions of students within a community college developmental mathematics education program relative to three areas of focus: (a) students' expressed access and use of the FAME Lab program services, (b) students' perceptions of the influence of the FAME Lab program services relative to academic performance levels, and (c) students' perceived value of the FAME Lab program relative to successes in developmental math courses. The researcher performed an extensive review of the literature and identified a critical problem of low numbers of students successfully completing developmental mathematics courses among colleges across the United States as a pervasive challenge, uniquely identified within community colleges and evidenced by 96% of colleges across the country requiring remediation courses, primarily in mathematics (Butrymowicz, 2017). The participants in the study were community college developmental education students and faculty of the community college. A potential limitation of this study includes researcher bias. The magnitude of the problem identified in the literature provided the impetus for the investigation and aligned with the nature of the meaning and purpose for using the DIP, explicitly recognizing an existing problem in practice and performing a study aligned with the need acknowledged by the problem in practice. The Faulkner Academic Math Excellence (FAME) Laboratory program exemplifies and aligns with the type of intervention programs reflective of the remediation programs that colleges across the United States are utilizing to curb or remedy the problem of low numbers of students successfully completing developmental mathematics courses. The researcher communicated with the Vice-President of Instruction and the Math Division Chair and received approval to conduct the DIP study. The researcher created a questionnaire for the student participants and conducted a RE of the FAME Lab program to respond to the problem defined for investigation. The current study provided a practitioner approach to examining the problem by incorporating the use of the RE model (Stake, 2014) to discern the problem within a focused setting, explicitly utilizing the FAME Lab program within a two-year college located in the southeastern region of the United States. The use of the RE protocol provided the researcher with strategies to inform results focused on three areas of consideration: (a) the examination of program activities rather than program goals or intents; (b) the acquisition of students' needs, reactions, and information rather than college leaders' intentions or purposes; and (c) the reporting of differing perspectives in determining the success and failure of the program. Based on the researcher's critical use of the RE protocol, a 12-step implementation plan for the FAME Lab program to assist students in attaining success within developmental mathematics was provided to college officials and are is provided for consideration by other developmental math programs at colleges across the United States. These 12 considerations, presented in Chapter 5, coupled with additional discussions of study results, add to the body of literature supporting students' preparation for entering college mathematics programs, a practitioner problem pervasive in colleges across the United States. The study will inform and advance the professional practice by informing the implementation of developmental mathematics education for students who do not complete developmental mathematics courses successfully.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1293983842, WFE0000768
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Vocabulary instruction strategies for elementary English language learners in southeastern elementary schools.
- Author
- Fultz, Lisa Sue Nitschke
- Abstract/Description
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The increasing diversity in American public schools presents challenges to teachers and administrators. Current methods of reading instruction for English language learners (ELLs) have been ineffective to meet their needs in acquiring vocabulary. Meanwhile, the amount of time afforded ELLs to become proficient with grade-level vocabulary presents challenges for all stakeholders. Consequently, ELL students are not demonstrating growth on Florida's annual standards assessments. The purpose of...
Show moreThe increasing diversity in American public schools presents challenges to teachers and administrators. Current methods of reading instruction for English language learners (ELLs) have been ineffective to meet their needs in acquiring vocabulary. Meanwhile, the amount of time afforded ELLs to become proficient with grade-level vocabulary presents challenges for all stakeholders. Consequently, ELL students are not demonstrating growth on Florida's annual standards assessments. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to explore the vocabulary instruction used by elementary teachers of ELLs in the southeastern United States. The study's contextual framework comprised the five hypotheses of Krashen's second language acquisition theory: acquisition-learning, monitor, natural order, input, and affective filter. The research questions aligned with the theoretical framework and were the means used to identify strategies and describe instruction for ELLs. Nine purposefully selected participants provided rich descriptions of strategies and curricula used during vocabulary instruction to improve language acquisition. Research findings suggest the benefit of promoting partnerships among stakeholders to support vocabulary instruction for ELL students and the importance of continued professional development of vocabulary instruction strategies for staff. An unexpected finding was the value placed on using media for differentiated instruction of academic vocabulary with ELL students. The study provided information for policy and practice on the value of differentiated curriculum with an emphasis on ELLs' language acquisition needs. Future researchers could explore the use of auxiliary resources for ELL students, providing additional opportunities for differentiation in reading vocabulary instruction.
Show less - Identifier
- 1294536614, WFE0000773
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- St. Joseph's Seamen's Cemetery: An investigation of a cemetery section for red snapper fishermen.
- Author
- DuBose, Michael Lane
- Abstract/Description
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The Seamen's Cemetery is a section of St. Joseph's Cemetery dedicated mostly to red snapper fishermen of Pensacola, Florida, and reflects aspects of those men. The cemetery provides a sample of names which allowed for an in-depth analysis of the fishermen. Organizations that contributed to the formation of the cemetery and the fishermen themselves are investigated through both historical documentation and the physical components of the cemetery. The Pensacola Fishermen's Benevolent...
Show moreThe Seamen's Cemetery is a section of St. Joseph's Cemetery dedicated mostly to red snapper fishermen of Pensacola, Florida, and reflects aspects of those men. The cemetery provides a sample of names which allowed for an in-depth analysis of the fishermen. Organizations that contributed to the formation of the cemetery and the fishermen themselves are investigated through both historical documentation and the physical components of the cemetery. The Pensacola Fishermen's Benevolent Association, a fishermen's union, was the most active organization contributing to the cemetery. Working in the interests of the fishermen, actions of the union indicated that the fishermen particularly valued their income, reputation in society, and burials. During the course of this thesis, conservation efforts restored the cemetery closer to its original appearance. These conservation efforts allowed the author to explore how the cemetery expressed the values of the fishermen concerning burials of their comrades, specifically the values of having a body to bury and equality in remembrance. Furthermore, the fishermen of the cemetery were analyzed through personal documentation to understand their life, ethnic composition, and death of the red snapper fishermen of Pensacola.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1201542226, WFE0000712
- Format
- Document (PDF)
