Current Search: UWF Theses and Dissertations (x)
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- Title
- Rethinking education: Anthony Benezet and the Quakers.
- Author
- Garland, Megan Elizabeth
- Abstract/Description
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Examining the education practices in early America provides a glimpse into the structure of colonial society as a whole. More specifically, the education system sheds light on how traditionally marginalized groups gained improved opportunities within society. This thesis examines the education of three key groups of people: women, Africans, and Native Americans. More specifically, this thesis traces the increase in educational opportunities made available to each of these groups in eighteenth...
Show moreExamining the education practices in early America provides a glimpse into the structure of colonial society as a whole. More specifically, the education system sheds light on how traditionally marginalized groups gained improved opportunities within society. This thesis examines the education of three key groups of people: women, Africans, and Native Americans. More specifically, this thesis traces the increase in educational opportunities made available to each of these groups in eighteenth-century Philadelphia. With the Quakers at the forefront, traditionally marginalized people began to receive improved educational opportunities. Writings from a Quaker central to education reform, Anthony Benezet, are examined in order to show how the Quakers in eighteenth-century Philadelphia created a unique system of educational inclusivity. Benezet was an early abolitionist and educator who played a significant role in the education of women and minorities in eighteenth-century Pennsylvania. Benezet and the Quakers reimagined education by providing quality educations to less-fortunate groups of people. Their work served as an example of how women and minorities were capable of high-level academic achievement.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021, 2021
- Identifier
- 1293868060, WFE0000756
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Soil health in Northwest Florida: the effects of agricultural land use.
- Author
- Hopko, Michael Nicholas
- Abstract/Description
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The conversion of land for agriculture is known to degrade certain characteristics of soil health, but the rate of change is not described in detail. Northwest Florida offers the opportunity to study soils that have been converted to agriculture over varying timescales to provide insight into (a) the rate of change of soil health indicators; (b) the minimum time needed for significant impacts to develop; and (c) the magnitude of change that results from conversion to agriculture. Samples were...
Show moreThe conversion of land for agriculture is known to degrade certain characteristics of soil health, but the rate of change is not described in detail. Northwest Florida offers the opportunity to study soils that have been converted to agriculture over varying timescales to provide insight into (a) the rate of change of soil health indicators; (b) the minimum time needed for significant impacts to develop; and (c) the magnitude of change that results from conversion to agriculture. Samples were analyzed to quantify the effect of conversion from pine forest to agriculture on soil pH, electrical conductivity, particle size, carbon content, aggregate stability, soil respiration, color, and bulk density. With the exclusion of the 30 series soils from the dataset, carbon content, electrical conductivity, and silt content had relatively linear trends over time (R² > 0.6). When including this series, no trendline had an R² > 0.2. Aggregate stability, pH, carbon content, bulk density, and clay content were all significantly different between land uses after 33.5 years of agriculture, silt content after 75 years. The overall differences between land uses are significant for every soil characteristic tested except sand content, demonstrating the impact that agricultural management has on soil conditions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1293872265, WFE0000757
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Ropa, herramientas, y armas: comparison of the material assemblages of 16th-century Spanish probate records to the artifact assemblages at the Luna Settlement site and the Emanuel Point I Shipwreck.
- Author
- Bleuel, Casey Elizabeth
- Abstract/Description
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Probate records, documents including wills and estate inventories and auctions, are excellent tools for historical archaeologists who want to better understand the material possessions of past peoples. Probate and archaeological data are particularly amenable to comparison because they both quantify material culture. This thesis compares a sample of 76 16th-century Spanish probate records (both inventories and auctions) compiled in Spanish America to the archaeological assemblages of the 1559...
Show moreProbate records, documents including wills and estate inventories and auctions, are excellent tools for historical archaeologists who want to better understand the material possessions of past peoples. Probate and archaeological data are particularly amenable to comparison because they both quantify material culture. This thesis compares a sample of 76 16th-century Spanish probate records (both inventories and auctions) compiled in Spanish America to the archaeological assemblages of the 1559-1561 Luna Settlement site and Emanuel Point I (EPI) Shipwreck in Pensacola, Florida excavated by the University of West Florida. The probate records of a variety of Spanish individuals were chosen to reflect the types of people that would have inhabited the site including soldiers, sailors, carpenters, blacksmiths, doctors, artisans, women, etc. This work involves the transcription and translation of historical Spanish documents and the creation of a Probate Inventory Database and an artifact database. The primary goal is to demonstrate the utility of synthesizing material culture data from both the documentary and archaeological records as well as provide an analysis of the similarities and differences between these data sources using the Luna Site and EPI as case studies. An emphasis is made on the idea of "personal property" in 16th-century Spanish America. This project is a model for synthesizing quantitative data from documentary and archaeological sources.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298231842, WFE0000783
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Comparisons of mortuary data and demography for AME Zion cemetery and the Poor Farm in Pensacola, Florida.
- Author
- Hutson, Allison M.
- Abstract/Description
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Populations from two historic cemeteries in Pensacola, Florida were researched, analyzed, and compared through the use of archival and site survey records in order to understand connections between causes of death, ages at death, and socioeconomic status (SES). A total of 1,267 individuals were analyzed within this research (404 from AME Zion and 863 from the Escambia County Poor Farm) to answer 1) how the socioeconomic status (SES) of a selection of a population connects to their eventual...
Show morePopulations from two historic cemeteries in Pensacola, Florida were researched, analyzed, and compared through the use of archival and site survey records in order to understand connections between causes of death, ages at death, and socioeconomic status (SES). A total of 1,267 individuals were analyzed within this research (404 from AME Zion and 863 from the Escambia County Poor Farm) to answer 1) how the socioeconomic status (SES) of a selection of a population connects to their eventual cause of death and age at death; and 2), how SES is or is not reflected in the burial practices evident through extant surface material at cemetery site(s). The goal of this research was to better understand how the life experiences of people in the past affected their representations in death. Initial analysis of the overall populations (AME Zion n=404; Poor Farm n=863) showed higher rates of infant deaths and males at the Poor Farm than was seen in the AME Zion Pre1970 population sample of all ages. For these full samples, susceptibility to the most frequent causes of death categories (Illness and Disease) were the same at each site. With these similar levels however, individuals at neither site were living substantially longer than the other even when individuals at the Poor Farm had a significantly average SES. Analysis of the cause of death and age at death analysis samples (AME Zion n=240; Poor Farm n=419) as well as analysis of the SES subsamples (AME Zion n=133; Poor Farm n=408) highlighted sex and SES differences between the sites where the Poor Farm had a higher frequency of males and higher wages, on average. Conclusions found no connection between SES and the existence or absence of extant surface materials at AME Zion or the Poor Farm but brought to light the possibility of other cultural factors such as church affiliations and burial associations.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298231672, WFE0000782
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Ecological dynamics of vibrio vulnificus and vibrio parahaemolyticus: distribution, molecular tools, and harmful algal bloom interactions.
- Author
- Potdukhe, Trupti Vilas
- Abstract/Description
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With the rising threat of anthropogenic climate change, human pathogens Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) and parahaemolyticus (Vp) may become more problematic to world health. The aims of this study were to i) report baseline Vv and Vp abundances, ii) develop new oligonucleotide primer sets for detection of Vv and Vp pathogens, and iii) explore interactions with other waterborne nuisances. We sampled surface waters, sediments, and invertebrate biofilms from 43 locations in two estuarine systems over...
Show moreWith the rising threat of anthropogenic climate change, human pathogens Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) and parahaemolyticus (Vp) may become more problematic to world health. The aims of this study were to i) report baseline Vv and Vp abundances, ii) develop new oligonucleotide primer sets for detection of Vv and Vp pathogens, and iii) explore interactions with other waterborne nuisances. We sampled surface waters, sediments, and invertebrate biofilms from 43 locations in two estuarine systems over seven dates in winter 2020. Culturable Vv was present in most water and sediment samples, but Vp only in about half of the surface waters. Surface Vv covaried with bottom water pH and tidal coefficient. Vp surface concentrations correlated negatively with surface salinity, and positively with total surface nitrogen. Both species correlated with wind, suggesting resuspension was important. These regionally-novel winter baseline Vibrio abundances will aid in predicting risk factors in each waterbody of interest. In-house databases were constructed to design better primer pairs for virulence genes. End-point PCR was used to verify new trh and tdh primers for more accurate detection of Vv and Vp type strains. A novel Vv tdh gene pair showed promise, whereas the vvhA pair was no better than published primers. These in silico and preliminary end-point PCR data will inform future efforts in quantifying Vibrio with quantitative PCR. Finally, an exploratory study showed that Karenia brevis (Kb), a toxic dinoflagellate rampant in southwest Florida waterways, inhibited Vv growth by 150-fold, and Kb had little to no effect on Vp growth.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298232859, WFE0000784
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A rapid structure from motion (SFM) based 3-D modeling framework using a team of autonomous small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS).
- Author
- Smith, Douglas Shane Jr.
- Abstract/Description
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This research effort develops a framework capable of cross-platform integration to develop a Structure from Motion 3-D model using a team of autonomous small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS). In the development of this framework, a simulation environment with a house is used as an example of a simulated mission. The framework is composed of two major goals to accomplish this. The 3-D reconstruction software is evaluated with two separate datasets for optimization with the intent to reduce the...
Show moreThis research effort develops a framework capable of cross-platform integration to develop a Structure from Motion 3-D model using a team of autonomous small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS). In the development of this framework, a simulation environment with a house is used as an example of a simulated mission. The framework is composed of two major goals to accomplish this. The 3-D reconstruction software is evaluated with two separate datasets for optimization with the intent to reduce the computational time required to build a model that is usable. One dataset is a lab controlled environment for initial observations and the other dataset is of a real world environment for applicability to hardware implementation. The priority is usability of the model and speed in reconstruction. During this evaluation, four parameters are manipulated in software for evaluation quality, image number, camera angle, and multi-view formation. An optimum set of parameters is suggested for the framework to work successfully. The Distributed Behavior Model is based on the entropy of the system where distance between the sUAS is the variable used. As the distance between each sUAS decreases, the entropy of the system also decreases. An investigation into the Distributed Model Behaviour is conducted with the intent to have a robust and scalable algorithm capable of navigating the sUAS to the desired objective. Parameters used for evaluation are (i) minimum distance between sUAS and (ii) entropy threshold. Simulations are run with 3, 5, 7, 9, 15 and 20 sUAS to confirm scalability, robustness, and threshold values. A minimum distance setting is confirmed, and a function for scaling the threshold value is determined. Finally, these two portions are combined in simulation to demonstrate the framework operability and evaluate the completeness and speed of the reconstructed model. The simulations show that the framework operates and is capable of generating complete models as desired autonomously.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298600732, WFE0000786
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Quantifying microplastics in fjords along the western Antarctic peninsula.
- Author
- Garza, Tristyn Nicole
- Abstract/Description
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Microplastic pollution is ubiquitous to water sources around the world, including freshwater, drinking water, salt water, and sea ice. Microplastics have also been documented in all parts of the water column from the sea floor and sediments to surface water. It was believed that microplastic pollution was concentrated in coastal areas with large human populations around the world. While remaining either entirely absent or minimal from remote areas where human influence is minimal such as in...
Show moreMicroplastic pollution is ubiquitous to water sources around the world, including freshwater, drinking water, salt water, and sea ice. Microplastics have also been documented in all parts of the water column from the sea floor and sediments to surface water. It was believed that microplastic pollution was concentrated in coastal areas with large human populations around the world. While remaining either entirely absent or minimal from remote areas where human influence is minimal such as in Antarctica, specifically the Antarctic Peninsula. This project determined microplastic concentration of three fjord habitats on the Western Antarctic Peninsula where glaciers are rapidly retreating within the fjords. Over a three-year period from 2017 to 2020 water samples were collected from the surface and benthos from 16 stations in Marian Cove, King George Island, Börgen Bay, Anvers Island, and Sheldon Glacier, Adelaide Island. For each station, three liters from the surface and three liters from the benthic were collected using a CTD rosette with Niskin Bottles, vacuum-filtered with a Buchner-Filter hand pump then, quantified under a compound microscope to determine the classification of microplastic, (fragment, fiber, or bead) color, and size. Comparisons over time and location were made in average microplastic per liter. It was determined that all the fjord habitats had microplastic present every year sampled, but the microplastic concentration was also increasing over time in the three fjords. This demonstrates that even with barriers such as the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, plastics are present and increasing in the Western Antarctic Peninsula during this time.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298600763, WFE0000785
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Constructions of Ramanujan graphs from classes of regular graphs.
- Author
- Beach, Ross Joseph
- Abstract/Description
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In this paper, we are going to show the existence of Ramanujan graphs among different classes of graphs. The main areas of research surrounding these graphs consider their classification and existence for different degrees and orders. The focus of this body of work is to observe different classes of graphs, and to see if they fit the definition of Ramanujan graph under certain conditions. First, we examine whether all strongly regular graphs are Ramanujan. Then, different restrictions are...
Show moreIn this paper, we are going to show the existence of Ramanujan graphs among different classes of graphs. The main areas of research surrounding these graphs consider their classification and existence for different degrees and orders. The focus of this body of work is to observe different classes of graphs, and to see if they fit the definition of Ramanujan graph under certain conditions. First, we examine whether all strongly regular graphs are Ramanujan. Then, different restrictions are placed on the parameters of strongly regular graphs, and we explore whether those yield Ramanujan graphs. Some other results related to graph factors and some special graphs are observed as well.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298600893, WFE0000787
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Academic achievement of black males in a rural middle school.
- Author
- Bozeman, Tonya Dukes
- Abstract/Description
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Educational statistics have consistently recorded low academic performance for Black male students, particularly those in high-poverty settings. Research studies have documented that very few Black male students can perform at the level of their counterparts from other racial categories. Circumstances such as poverty, deprivation, and lack of mentorship affect Black males' academic achievement and underachievement. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to explore the lived...
Show moreEducational statistics have consistently recorded low academic performance for Black male students, particularly those in high-poverty settings. Research studies have documented that very few Black male students can perform at the level of their counterparts from other racial categories. Circumstances such as poverty, deprivation, and lack of mentorship affect Black males' academic achievement and underachievement. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to explore the lived experiences of select Black male students who have been academically successful at a high-poverty rural middle school in the Southern United States. I used, per Bandura's (1977) social cognitive theory (SCT), the framework of the study, human learning and development occur through personal experiences and examination of the actions of others. I explored how behavioral, personal, and environmental factors interact to affect the selfefficacy of 12 Black male students in the school setting. Findings revealed participants perceived positive family support, positive friend or peer network, positive teacher influence, and positive self-image as supportive factors that contributed to their academic success. This study shifts the focus from Black male deficiencies to emphasizing their achievements and how internal factors such as self-perception, attitude, and self-confidence outweigh external factors such as low socioeconomic factors and lack of mentors that could reduce opportunities for success. Study participants' desires for academic achievement created a transformative bridge between their self-efficacious beliefs and their drive for education. Future research should continue to focus on understanding the contributing factors to young Black males' school success and giving them positive voices.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298604350, WFE0000790
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Side channel attacks and device vulnerabilities: methodologies of attack and prevention.
- Author
- Easley, Ronda Rae
- Abstract/Description
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Side channel attacks are methods by which the encrypted data on a device or network can be obtained through observation and manipulation of the unintended outputs of the device such as power or electromagnetic radiation fluctuations, timing variances, or even discrepancies in sound or acoustic levels while the device is processing cryptographic functions. These attacks have become more prevalent as internet-of-things (IoT) devices have become more commonplace. Often the priorities in the...
Show moreSide channel attacks are methods by which the encrypted data on a device or network can be obtained through observation and manipulation of the unintended outputs of the device such as power or electromagnetic radiation fluctuations, timing variances, or even discrepancies in sound or acoustic levels while the device is processing cryptographic functions. These attacks have become more prevalent as internet-of-things (IoT) devices have become more commonplace. Often the priorities in the manufacture of such devices are compact size and low power consumption. Meeting these design parameters leads builders to insert less security measures into both the device hardware and the encryption software. Prior research details both the attack methods and countermeasure strategies that can be deployed during the design phase to offer higher security to the device. The research within this thesis defines and details the known methods of side channel attacks and identifies the intrinsic vulnerabilities of specific device types and encryption methods. This work further offers a tabular representation of the research which can be utilized by builders to identify vulnerabilities and recognize appropriate countermeasures.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298604408, WFE0000789
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Evaluating critical initiatives related to climate at a high-poverty middle school.
- Author
- Taylor, Douglas Anthony
- Abstract/Description
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McMillan Public Schools (MPS) is a public school system in the southeastern part of the United States that serves approximately 28,000 students. Gregory Middle School (GMS) is one of 52 schools within MPS that serves 985 students. I used MPS and GMS as pseudonyms to anonymize the school system and school. In July 2019, I was appointed as the principal of GMS, and I quickly implemented critical initiatives related to the climate. School climate is defined as the prevailing atmosphere within...
Show moreMcMillan Public Schools (MPS) is a public school system in the southeastern part of the United States that serves approximately 28,000 students. Gregory Middle School (GMS) is one of 52 schools within MPS that serves 985 students. I used MPS and GMS as pseudonyms to anonymize the school system and school. In July 2019, I was appointed as the principal of GMS, and I quickly implemented critical initiatives related to the climate. School climate is defined as the prevailing atmosphere within the school, which encompasses physical, academic, and social dimensions (McGiboney, 2016). Based on data from the 2018-2019 school term, it was clear that the school's climate required immediate attention. All available data sources were reviewed, including student discipline reports (MPS, 2020a), stakeholder surveys (Cognia, 2019), and the school report card (State Department of Education, 2019). Each area of concern contributed to a negative school climate and created an environment that was not conducive for teaching and learning. The leadership team implemented critical initiatives in the areas of (a) human resources, (b) student discipline, (c) student safety, (d) school operations, and (e) school facilities. This program evaluation identified (a) the strengths, (b) the weaknesses, (c) the opportunities, and (d) the threats (SWOT) of the critical initiatives implemented at GMS related to the school's climate during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school terms. After conducting a literature review, I adopted the learning organization evaluation (LOE) conceptual framework paired with SWOT analysis, which provided a formal structure for conducting my program evaluation. The LOE is composed of four major steps, including (a) focusing the evaluative inquiry, (b) carrying out the inquiry, (c) implementing inquiry activities, and (d) applying learning (Preskill & Torres, 1999). Collaborative learning and evaluative inquiry guide the LOE conceptual framework. The LOE model facilitates success for organizations that wish to study internal processes or procedures. The LOE model is a systematic series of steps that should be followed when conducting a program evaluation (Preskill & Torres, 1999). I paired the LOE with a convergent parallel design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2018). Next, I invited the current faculty and staff employed during the 2019-2020 school term to participate in the program evaluation. A coinvestigator conducted the qualitative focus group interviews on two separate occasions. The coinvestigator ensured employee anonymity. Twenty-one faculty and staff members participated in the focus group interviews. I utilized deductive content analysis to analyze the focus group interviews. Additionally, I distributed the quantitative research instruments via Qualtrics, and I received 31 responses. The small sample size was a limitation. As a result, inferential statistics were not possible. Because qualitative and quantitative research represent data differently, I developed joint display matrices to merge the information from both data sources. To sufficiently answer the evaluation questions, I created four main categories based on the (a) strengths, (b) weaknesses, (c) opportunities, and (d) threats of the critical initiatives related to the change in the school's climate. Based on each main category, I created categories in alignment with the definition of school climate. Despite the recent improvement in the climate of the school, it remains an area of concern. While I noted improvement in many areas, the results revealed a need for further intervention in some areas. To further school improvement efforts, I developed a continuous improvement plan (CIP) based on the results of the SWOT analysis. The CIP will include critical initiatives for each area in order to facilitate success. I will communicate the results to the faculty and staff of GMS and school system administrators in a series of future round table discussions and professional development sessions.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298604390, WFE0000791
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Air traffic control specialists' perceptions of simulation for developing job-related competencies.
- Author
- Harris, Colin Alwin
- Abstract/Description
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Inexperienced and poorly trained Air Traffic Control Specialists (ATCSs) contribute to aircraft accidents and other serious aviation mishaps, which negatively impact human safety, the environment, government and personal property, and the efficient and smooth operation of the National Airspace System (NAS). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can help remedy this problem by ensuring that ATCSs receive academic and simulator competency-based training. The purpose of this qualitative...
Show moreInexperienced and poorly trained Air Traffic Control Specialists (ATCSs) contribute to aircraft accidents and other serious aviation mishaps, which negatively impact human safety, the environment, government and personal property, and the efficient and smooth operation of the National Airspace System (NAS). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can help remedy this problem by ensuring that ATCSs receive academic and simulator competency-based training. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to understand how ATCSs at an air traffic facility in the southeastern region of the United States (U.S.) described their experiences with the ATCoach simulation training (ATCoach) in developing job-related competencies. I employed Bloom et al.'s (1956) taxonomy of the cognitive domain and its six classifications (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) to frame and align the study's research questions and interview questions to determine if five ATCSs perceived simulation as a valuable instructional method. Participants revealed that the ATCoach experiences is a valuable instructional method for enhancing ATC professionals' knowledge and skill levels by preparing them to transfer previous knowledge to practice in dayto-day ATC operations and improve their judgment, critical thinking, and decision-making skills--not their self-confidence. However, the simulator's physical fidelity limitations had an adverse influence on participants' learning experience. The findings, therefore, indicate ATC knowledge does not necessarily occur during the ATCoach but instead during previous classroom learning or experience. Future research should evaluate the entire ATC training program taking a learner from Certified Professional Controllers in Training (CPC-IT) status to Certified Professional Controllers (CPC).
Show less - Identifier
- 1298604671, WFE0000793
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Stem field preparedness: comparing the effects of early learning environments.
- Author
- Piper, Kareem David
- Abstract/Description
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Minority underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) perpetuates the income inequality that minorities experience and leads to a lack of diversity in STEM. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to examine the effect of student demographics, STEM, science technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM), and traditional middle school learning environments on student preparedness for the STEM fields as measured by student test scores on the...
Show moreMinority underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) perpetuates the income inequality that minorities experience and leads to a lack of diversity in STEM. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to examine the effect of student demographics, STEM, science technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM), and traditional middle school learning environments on student preparedness for the STEM fields as measured by student test scores on the eighth-grade Florida Standards Assessment in math (EGFSAM), in an urban school district in South Florida. I adopted Bandura's (1977) social cognitive theory (SCT), consisting of reciprocal causation elements that stimulate learning as follows: "action" school designation, "interpersonal factors," student test scores and demographics, and "environment" type of learning environment. A hierarchical multiple linear regression analyzed the data (n = 597). Four major results are female students outperform male students by 5.309 points, t(1) = 2.967, p = .003; STEM middle school students underperform traditional middle school students (TPMS) with -10.481 points, t(1) = - 4.838, p < .00; STEM middle school students demonstrate the highest unique variance on the DV, (-.195)2 = 4%, p = .000; and only STEM middle school students demonstrate a statistically significant underperformance. Overall, Model 2 (i.e., all triadic elements) is a better indicator of 21stcentury preparedness. The results indicate minority students' 21st-century preparedness occurs at traditional public middle schools, which makes minority students' mathematical aptitude regardless of school type critical. Future research should examine the relationships between minority students' math self-efficacy and actual STEM field preparedness.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1298604580, WFE0000792
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Thermal tolerances and preferences of adolescent Louisiana alligators (Alligator mississippiensis).
- Author
- Lawrence, Tyler James
- Abstract/Description
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With global temperatures achieving new extremes each year, it is not immediately clear the effect these temperatures will have on American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Thermal tolerances have been estimated on American alligators before, but a full thermal niche has never been determined. An eccritic temperature, thermal preference, has been estimated for alligators, but results have varied. I used standardized thermal methodologies to estimate acclimation ranges, upper and lower...
Show moreWith global temperatures achieving new extremes each year, it is not immediately clear the effect these temperatures will have on American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Thermal tolerances have been estimated on American alligators before, but a full thermal niche has never been determined. An eccritic temperature, thermal preference, has been estimated for alligators, but results have varied. I used standardized thermal methodologies to estimate acclimation ranges, upper and lower acclimation response ratios, thermal niche areas, and the eccritic temperature in adolescent alligators. Alligators had an upper chronic limit of 39.1°C and a lower chronic limit of 16.2°C. Alligators exhibited a larger gained cold tolerance zone in their niche than anticipated at 131.6°C 2 and an intrinsic tolerance and gained heat tolerance zones of 509.7°C 2 and 61.4°C 2 , respectively. Cold acclimation response ratio was roughly twice that of the heat response, with alligators losing or gaining 0.5°C or 0.2°C heat tolerance per every 1°C change in acclimation temperature. Alligators expressed an eccritic temperature of 32°C with little variation between animals. Evidence suggested there is an undescribed physiological process that allows alligators to acclimatize to lower temperatures. Comparing thermal niche and eccritic temperature data to temperature trends in alligator's natural habitat suggested that alligators could be affected by changing temperatures.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298604066, WFE0000788
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Freedom for hire: free black apprenticeship in New Orleans.
- Author
- Crain, Maggie Eleanor
- Abstract/Description
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During the early 1700s and into the early 1800s in Louisiana, a unique community of free black people created a fluid political and cultural identity within New Orleans. Surrounded by plantation slavery, free black people living in this important urban port city accumulated a degree of wealth, property, and agency that free and enslaved people of color did not have access to in other areas of the South. Though this community faced many obstacles and limitations due to their precarious place...
Show moreDuring the early 1700s and into the early 1800s in Louisiana, a unique community of free black people created a fluid political and cultural identity within New Orleans. Surrounded by plantation slavery, free black people living in this important urban port city accumulated a degree of wealth, property, and agency that free and enslaved people of color did not have access to in other areas of the South. Though this community faced many obstacles and limitations due to their precarious place within a hostile and rigid racial system, free black people, as individuals and as a community, used the often confusing and fluid nature of their racial identity to bolster their agency and place in New Orleans. One such way free black people accomplished this was through the extensive practice of apprenticeship, a labor practice that allowed young people to learn a skill from an artisan, who in exchange for their training, used the free or low wage labor from their apprentice. Using over four hundred contracts between free children of color, local artisans, and a sponsor, this research explores how apprenticeship was in part a formal educational opportunity for black youth. The role that family members, especially black mothers and white fathers, played in acquiring and sponsoring apprenticeships for their children attests to the importance of education and establishing relationships with local artisans and business owners in New Orleans. Using the data collected from these documents, as well as supporting public records, this research reveals the complex and interconnected ways that the free community navigated their material and cultural environment to survive, and often thrive, in the face of increased racial hostility and threats to free black agency in the decades leading up to the Civil War.
Show less - Identifier
- 1294639545, WFE0000775
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Control of hybrid generation microgrids based on consensus algorithm.
- Author
- Albaz, Rakan Khaled Kamal
- Abstract/Description
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Utility grid companies are currently facing many challenges. These challenges include energy management, efficiency, and power quality issues. It is well known that improving power systems' management, control, and quality results in better economic benefits, increased electronic device lifetime, and reduced power interruptions, leading to the satisfaction of utility and consumer. Many research efforts were done in the past decades focusing on power systems control, quality, and management....
Show moreUtility grid companies are currently facing many challenges. These challenges include energy management, efficiency, and power quality issues. It is well known that improving power systems' management, control, and quality results in better economic benefits, increased electronic device lifetime, and reduced power interruptions, leading to the satisfaction of utility and consumer. Many research efforts were done in the past decades focusing on power systems control, quality, and management. The need for more green energy resources has inspired these researchers to find ways to integrate renewable energy resources into the grid. The current grid is facing issues due to a number of reasons such as increased Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) types and number, increased loads' types and number, and the increased distance between the DERs, loads, and the grid. The study of this thesis aims at finding creative energy management and control solutions through observing and understanding the characteristics of the utility grid and implement these solutions in a simulation software called MATLAB/Simulink. Consensus-based control will be implemented in a hybrid generation microgrid which will support the grid and work on restoring voltage and frequency levels with optimum power sharing between the DER.
Show less - Identifier
- 1295678222, WFE0000777
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Characterizing reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico using environmental DNA metabarcoding.
- Author
- Giraldo-Meneses, Juliana
- Abstract/Description
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A wide range of environmental pressures and anthropogenic stressors, such as overfishing, climate change, and coastal development, have negatively affected fish communities in the Gulf of Mexico, specifically reef fish inhabiting natural or artificial reefs. Fish communities in the Gulf of Mexico vary both spatially and temporally due to movements in the water column, migrations, and environmental pressures making conventional survey sampling challenging to perform. Conventional methods can...
Show moreA wide range of environmental pressures and anthropogenic stressors, such as overfishing, climate change, and coastal development, have negatively affected fish communities in the Gulf of Mexico, specifically reef fish inhabiting natural or artificial reefs. Fish communities in the Gulf of Mexico vary both spatially and temporally due to movements in the water column, migrations, and environmental pressures making conventional survey sampling challenging to perform. Conventional methods can often be costly, time-consuming and invasive to the target organism. A possible resolution to overcome these challenges to inventory reef fish species lies with environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding. Water samples were collected from artificial and natural reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. The 12s rRNA mitochondrial gene was amplified using elasmobranch and MiFish primers. Only elasmobranch primers were able to provide valuable reads. Amplicon libraries generated by PCR were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq. Environmental DNA metabarcoding revealed 4 reef-associated species out of 12 detected species, the Rough scad (Trachurus lathami), Sand diver (Synodus intermedius), Pearly razorfish (Xyrichtys novacula) and the invasive Lionfish (Pterois spp.). Fish species detections across nine sites were grouped by habitat and IUCN status. Surface and benthic fish detections were grouped by temperature and salinity. A generalized linear model and linear regression were used to test for correlation. This project demonstrates the utility of eDNA and metabarcoding as a valuable tool for characterization of reef fish species in the Gulf of Mexico.
Show less - Identifier
- 1295644282, WFE0000776
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Characterizing the effects of atypical antipsychotics on the neutrophil model cell line, PLB-985.
- Author
- Robbs, Emily J.
- Abstract/Description
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Atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) are a class of drug used to treat several mental diseases like bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. However, these substances are also known to cause a rare, yet severe and sometimes fatal syndrome known as neutropenia. Neutropenia (and its more acute form, agranulocytosis) is characterized by a significant decrease in an individual's circulating neutrophils--the most abundant white blood cell. Neutrophils are essential for proper...
Show moreAtypical antipsychotics (AAPs) are a class of drug used to treat several mental diseases like bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. However, these substances are also known to cause a rare, yet severe and sometimes fatal syndrome known as neutropenia. Neutropenia (and its more acute form, agranulocytosis) is characterized by a significant decrease in an individual's circulating neutrophils--the most abundant white blood cell. Neutrophils are essential for proper innate immunity, and depletion can result in higher risk of developing life-threatening illnesses. How atypical antipsychotics induce neutropenia is not well-understood, though research is ongoing. In this study, we aim to characterize the effects of four AAPs--clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine and aripiprazole--on PLB-985 cell viability, as assessed by the XTT Cell Viability Assay. We found that only aripiprazole is able to significantly decrease dPLB-985 cell viability after 48-hour treatment. We hypothesized that aripiprazole's negative effect on cell viability is through its unique mechanism of action as a partial dopamine agonist; however, our results suggest that aripiprazole's effects are independent of dopamine receptor agonism.
Show less - Identifier
- 1294639220, WFE0000774
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The relationship between test-taker characteristics and initial teacher certification examination performance.
- Author
- Stevenson, Nathan James
- Abstract/Description
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Basic teacher certification examinations serve as the primary tool for assessing the academic readiness of candidates to enter teacher education programs in many parts of the United States. However, data indicate that teacher examinations disproportionately hinder diverse individuals. Current research has linked Florida's General Knowledge, Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE) with the stagnation of qualified teacher education applicants but has failed to investigate the...
Show moreBasic teacher certification examinations serve as the primary tool for assessing the academic readiness of candidates to enter teacher education programs in many parts of the United States. However, data indicate that teacher examinations disproportionately hinder diverse individuals. Current research has linked Florida's General Knowledge, Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE) with the stagnation of qualified teacher education applicants but has failed to investigate the examination specifically. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between test-taker characteristics and the number of attempts test-takers required to pass the General Knowledge FTCE at a Southeastern U.S. public university. Astin's (1993) input-environment-outcome (I-E-O) model guided the study by suggesting test-taker characteristics may be related to the test-taker outcome of passing the General Knowledge FTCE. I utilized Spearman's rank-order correlation and Pearson's chisquare test to analyze the relationship between academic and demographic characteristics of the sample (N = 623) and the number of General Knowledge FTCE attempts. The study did not find a statistically significant relationship or difference between grade point average (GPA), firsttime-in-college (FTIC) status, transfer status, or gender and the number of General Knowledge FTCE attempts. A small negative monotonic relationship between age and the number of General Knowledge FTCE attempts and a statistically significant difference between race and the number of test attempts were found. I discuss implications pertaining to the need for further research on the relationship between age and teacher certification examination success, alternative teacher certification assessments, and General Knowledge FTCE score reporting.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298717951, WFE0000794
- 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)