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- Title
- More social capital please!: a study of a Brazilian immigrant community.
- Creator
- Esteves, Jessica., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
Researchers who study Brazilian immigrants in the United States have noted a lack of camaraderie and social networks among Brazilians. Based on recent research conducted in Broward County, Florida, Manuel Vâasquez argues that while there are clear structural impediments to community formation among Brazilian immigrants, Brazilians do form social networks. This thesis examines the survey and ethnographic data from Vâasquez's sample to test a series of hypotheses about which factors impact...
Show moreResearchers who study Brazilian immigrants in the United States have noted a lack of camaraderie and social networks among Brazilians. Based on recent research conducted in Broward County, Florida, Manuel Vâasquez argues that while there are clear structural impediments to community formation among Brazilian immigrants, Brazilians do form social networks. This thesis examines the survey and ethnographic data from Vâasquez's sample to test a series of hypotheses about which factors impact levels of social capital and the potential for network creation and mobilization among Brazilian immigrants. Analysis of the data suggests that religious participation and levels of perceived discrimination are correlated with higher levels of social capital in this sample. For a group of immigrants characterized by a lack of collective solidarity and facing an increasingly hostile economic and social climate, religious organizations may be essential locales for achieving sufficient social capital for social, economic, and political integration.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3335017
- Subject Headings
- Social capital (Sociology), Infrastructure (Economics), Social networks, Brazilian Americans, Social conditions, Brazilian Americans, Cultural assimilation, Brazilian Americans, Ethnic identity, Emigration and immigration
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- What remittances can't buy: the social costs of migration and transnational gossip on women in Jacaltenango, Guatemala.
- Creator
- Sabbagh, Jocelyn., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
The academic debate on gender and migration has missed some of the key factors that impact women's lives and communities of origin. Interviews conducted in Jacaltenango, a Mayan sending community in Guatemala, suggest that while the migration of a spouse does bring substantial financial benefits there are significant individual and social costs that result from migration. More importantly, the interviews uncovered the crucial impact of transnational gossip on women's lives, a feature that has...
Show moreThe academic debate on gender and migration has missed some of the key factors that impact women's lives and communities of origin. Interviews conducted in Jacaltenango, a Mayan sending community in Guatemala, suggest that while the migration of a spouse does bring substantial financial benefits there are significant individual and social costs that result from migration. More importantly, the interviews uncovered the crucial impact of transnational gossip on women's lives, a feature that has been absent in previous academic treatments of gender and migration. Transnational gossip has exacerbated the negative effects of migration for women in migrant-sending locations, pushing women to stay in the "private sphere" and serving as a form of social control that keeps women from actively participating in their communities. For many women, long periods of time living apart from their spouses combined with fears about transnational gossip have brought severe loneliness, anxiety, health problems and even seclusion. This phenomenon is helping define the contemporary social structures of Jacaltenango, and represents one of the most important effects of migration in terms of the lived reality of spouses and families of the predominantly male immigrants who leave Mayan communities in Guatemala to seek work in the United States.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/11603
- Subject Headings
- Women heads of households, Guatemalans, Family, Emigration and immigration, Social life and customs
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Attitudes and perspectives about backyard food gardening: a case study in South Florida.
- Creator
- Zahina-Ramos, John G., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
As cities grew throughout the past century, the availability of locally grown food declined, mostly because urban expansion occurred at the expense of adjacent agricultural land. As a result, city dwellers turned to commercial food market systems that import food from distant production areas. Private greenspace, which is one of the largest land cover types in cities, offers the potential for substantial agricultural production. Because urban food production on private land, such as backyards...
Show moreAs cities grew throughout the past century, the availability of locally grown food declined, mostly because urban expansion occurred at the expense of adjacent agricultural land. As a result, city dwellers turned to commercial food market systems that import food from distant production areas. Private greenspace, which is one of the largest land cover types in cities, offers the potential for substantial agricultural production. Because urban food production on private land, such as backyards, requires the willing participation of landowners, resident's feelings about and experience with food growing are important to understand. The demographic groups that were most likely to food garden were those in long-term relationships, higher income brackets, those with college education and residents over 50 years old. Incentives and programs focused on producing more from existing gardens may be most appropriate for people in these demographic groups, while other groups will most require basic food growing information. Study participants highly valued intangible benefits of food gardening (e.g., relaxation, feelings of happiness and satisfaction), often more than the provision of food. Most barriers and problems with backyard food growing, such as a lack of space and the need for gardening information, were similar for those who food garden and those who do not. Results from this study indicate that traditional agricultural incentives and perspectives must be rethought if they are to be applied in urban settings. By creating incentives and initiatives that reflect the needs and challenges faced by urban growers, urban agriculture will become an integrated part of the community, improving food quantity and quality while enriching residents' lives.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3361258
- Subject Headings
- Backyard gardens, Food chains (Ecology), Garden ecology, Green movement, Sustainable development
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Collaborative governance and the implementation of the Ryan White CARE Act: a case study of HIV health services planning councils in two South Florida counties.
- Creator
- Agbodzakey, James K., College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
- Abstract/Description
-
The complex problems of the twenty-first century cannot be effectively addressed with twentieth century top-down bureaucratic governance alone because of limited stakeholder participation in collective decision making and/or implementation. The somewhat limited stakeholder participation in the policy process, especially, that of target populations, can impact generating viable solutions to complex problems. Collaborative governance has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional...
Show moreThe complex problems of the twenty-first century cannot be effectively addressed with twentieth century top-down bureaucratic governance alone because of limited stakeholder participation in collective decision making and/or implementation. The somewhat limited stakeholder participation in the policy process, especially, that of target populations, can impact generating viable solutions to complex problems. Collaborative governance has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional management in addressing contemporary complex problems. Collaborative governance is thus a type of governance that promotes joint participation of state and non-state stakeholders in decision making and/or implementation by using agreed upon processes of engagement to collectively address problems. Such governance is especially beneficial for addressing the challenges posed by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This dissertation uses the collaborative governance concept to explicate the efforts of HIV Health Services Planning Councils in Broward County and Palm Beach County of South Florida with the purpose of accentuating how collaborative governance works in providing various categories of services to meet the needs of people with AIDS (PWAs), as part of the implementation of the Ryan White CARE Act. The study focuses on critical variables of collaborative governance such as facilitative leadership and institutional design, the collaborative process variables such as trust building, commitment to the process and shared understanding, and outputs such as allocation priorities of the Councils. This study employed mixed methods in collecting data from various relevant sources., The combined findings from surveys, interviews, observations and document reviews were essential to knowledge and understanding of collaborative governance of the respective Councils. The results revealed more similarities than differences between the Councils in their efforts towards addressing the HIV/AIDS problem. The Councils are similar in all variables of collaborative governance with few exceptions relative to facilitative leadership and institutional design. The differences were relative to membership, number of committees, amount allocated for various service categories and number of clients served. Furthermore, the Councils were slightly different in reaching consensus on subjects of deliberation. On the average, Palm Beach County's Council make decisions by consensus relatively easily when compared with the Broward County's Council. Nonetheless, both Councils are consensus-oriented and strive to make decision by consensus as evidenced by unanimous votes or simple majority votes on various subjects of deliberation. In addition, representation and participation of target populations in collaborative governance have contributed to the empowerment of those target populations. The study contributes to the literature by developing a conceptual model for HIV/AIDS collaborative governance for producing outputs to help meet needs of target populations. Also, the study contributes to collaborative governance theorizing by drawing a nexus between variables of collaborative governance and by complementing the existing non-linear perspective of collaborative process for collective problem solving. Collaborative governance involving state and non-state stakeholders thereby enhances efforts of public managers by harnessing resources to effectively manage and/or address complex problems for the benefit of society.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/368614
- Subject Headings
- HIV infections, Government policy, AIDS (Disease), Patients, Services for, Public-private sector cooperation, Public administration, Decision making
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Cumulative trauma among adult Mayas living in southeast Florida.
- Creator
- Millender, Eugenia I., Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
- Abstract/Description
-
The toxic combination of social, psychological, environmental, cultural, and physiological trauma Mayas living in Southeast Florida face daily places them at higher risk for mental and physical disorders (Marmot & Wilkinson, 2006; WHO, 2010, September). The burden of disease is not limited to mental disorder comorbidities; psychological stress can also induce or exacerbate chronic medical diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension (Brunner & Marmot, 2006; Sridhar, 2007). ... The...
Show moreThe toxic combination of social, psychological, environmental, cultural, and physiological trauma Mayas living in Southeast Florida face daily places them at higher risk for mental and physical disorders (Marmot & Wilkinson, 2006; WHO, 2010, September). The burden of disease is not limited to mental disorder comorbidities; psychological stress can also induce or exacerbate chronic medical diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension (Brunner & Marmot, 2006; Sridhar, 2007). ... The continuation of this disregard will add to the health disparity of this nation by delaying assessment, treatment, and development of interventions. The purpose of this study was to explore cumulative trauma as it related to social determinants of health and pathophysiological, psychological, and health behaviors of 102 adult Mayas living in Southeast Florida. The trauma profile for the Mayan population sample obtained through this study reflected high exposure to different types of trauma; collective identity trauma was most frequently reported, followed by survival trauma, achievement trauma, secondary trauma, and personal identity trauma, with high rates of repetition of the same traumas ... Key words: Maya; alcohol; ASSIST; cumulative trauma; Beck Depression Inventory-II; genocide; Guatemala; Hispanic; social determinants of health.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362554
- Subject Headings
- Psychic trauma, Adjustment (Psychology), Resilience (Personality trait), Medicine and psychology, Immigrants, Cultural assimilation
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Cultural perspectives among children of Guatemalan Maya immigrants in Lake Worth, Florida.
- Creator
- Sprague, Tara., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
- Abstract/Description
-
Every day children of Guatemalan Maya immigrants balance two cultures. They reside in The United States and attend American schools but are being raised by their Guatemalan Maya parents. They continually navigate between the two and are faced with challenges daily. Since these children are influenced by two cultures, my interest was primarily on the cultural perspectives of these children, more specifically: what effects does the new culture have on the old? Through volunteering at a...
Show moreEvery day children of Guatemalan Maya immigrants balance two cultures. They reside in The United States and attend American schools but are being raised by their Guatemalan Maya parents. They continually navigate between the two and are faced with challenges daily. Since these children are influenced by two cultures, my interest was primarily on the cultural perspectives of these children, more specifically: what effects does the new culture have on the old? Through volunteering at a Guatemalan Maya after-school program, interviewing and administering the Children's Apperception Test, results showed these children to be influenced by American culture. The biggest indicator, play, was reported to be an important aspect in their lives, which is not considered essential in Maya culture. At the same time, these children keep close ties to their cultural heritage through their strong family ties. Overall, these children are influenced by American culture, but at the same time, keep their heritage.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3352884
- Subject Headings
- Children of immigrants, Social aspects, Guatemalans, Social conditions, Immigrants, Cultural assimilation, Guatemalan Americans, Ethnic identity
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Collection and analyses of physical data for deep injection wells in Florida.
- Creator
- Gao, Jie., College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
- Abstract/Description
-
Deep injection wells (DIW) in Florida are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the state of Florida through the Underground Injection Control regulations contained within the Safe Drinking Water Act. Underground injection is defined as the injection of hazardous waste, nonhazardous waste, or municipal waste below the lowermost formation containing an underground source of drinking water within one-quarter mile of the wellbore. Municipalities in Florida have been...
Show moreDeep injection wells (DIW) in Florida are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the state of Florida through the Underground Injection Control regulations contained within the Safe Drinking Water Act. Underground injection is defined as the injection of hazardous waste, nonhazardous waste, or municipal waste below the lowermost formation containing an underground source of drinking water within one-quarter mile of the wellbore. Municipalities in Florida have been using underground injection as an alternative to surface disposal of treated domestic wastewater for nearly 40 years. The research involved collecting data as of September, 2007 on all the Class I DIWs in the state of Florida and evaluating the differences between them. The analysis found regional differences in deep well practice and canonical correlation analyses concluded that depth below the USDW is the most significant factor to prevent upward migration of the injected fluid.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2796085
- Subject Headings
- Groundwater flow, Mathematical models, Artificial groundwater recharge, Groundwater, Pollution, Management, Deep-well disposal
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Filipina-South Florida international Internet marriage practice: agency, culture, and paradox.
- Creator
- Haley, Pamela Sullivan., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Sociology, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
This dissertation concerns the structures and individual agency of Filipina brides who met their American husbands through Internet or pen pal advertisements. Popular media, legal scholars, and some feminists have largely described the phenomenon in terms of its oppressiveness toward the women involved, thus dismissing any agency on the part of the women. Similarly, much of the scholarship has located the American Internet grooms as ogres who are out to exploit these women for domestic and...
Show moreThis dissertation concerns the structures and individual agency of Filipina brides who met their American husbands through Internet or pen pal advertisements. Popular media, legal scholars, and some feminists have largely described the phenomenon in terms of its oppressiveness toward the women involved, thus dismissing any agency on the part of the women. Similarly, much of the scholarship has located the American Internet grooms as ogres who are out to exploit these women for domestic and sexual services. If prominent researchers of this phenomenon are correct in their assessments that Filipina Internet brides operate as effective agents, then one also assumes these women continue that agency when they settle into their new lives as Filipina wives married to American men. Therefore, my central research question is: How has this agency manifested itself, and has this manifestation been problematic for the American groom, who, from the typical Internet ad's text and images and couple d with prevailing American cultural assumptions, assumed he was getting a submissive wife? To explore possible answers to these questions I performed a rhetorical analysis of two typical Internet advertisements. The focus on the ads is important to my study because the Internet advertisements both shape and reflect the popular view of the so-called Filipina "mail-order bride." Next, in order to gain the Internet brides' and grooms' perspectives of the phenomenon, I interviewed three Filipina-Americano couples currently living in South Florida between November, 2005, and October, 2007. My findings support the scholars who forefront the brides' agency and, therefore, reject the stereotypes projected on the Internet advertisements. My findings also reject the stereotype of the exploitative husband. From my interview data, the women appeared agentive and the men encouraged their wives' agency., An unanticipated and paradoxical outcropping of the interview descriptions of their courtshand subsequent marriages. In this one area both the brides and grooms unanimously deemphasized their own agency, and instead highlighted romantic narratives with each insisting that they had "fallen in love."
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/186295
- Subject Headings
- Arranged marriage, Social aspects, Marriage brokerage, Intercountry marriage, Mail order brides
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Florida School Recognition Program: the relationship between participation in the program and adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act.
- Creator
- Wanza, Valerie Smith., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study was designed to determine the relationship between Florida School Recognition Program (FSRP) participation and adequate yearly progress (AYP) criteria met during school years 2004-2008. It also intended to discover whether schools' socioeconomic status, minority rates, and levels moderated this relationship as well as a difference in average AYP criteria met for schools that maintained FSRP participation and those that do not. The study further sought to determine whether these...
Show moreThis study was designed to determine the relationship between Florida School Recognition Program (FSRP) participation and adequate yearly progress (AYP) criteria met during school years 2004-2008. It also intended to discover whether schools' socioeconomic status, minority rates, and levels moderated this relationship as well as a difference in average AYP criteria met for schools that maintained FSRP participation and those that do not. The study further sought to determine whether these school characteristics and schools' grades predicted maintenance of participation in the FSRP. A quantitative method, including three statistical analyses, was employed to respond to 6 research questions and test 14 corresponding null hypotheses. Three thousand and seventy-seven schools were identified for data collection and analysis. Six independent variables were defined as school level, average socioeconomic status, average minority rate, average percentage of AYP criteria, aggregate number of years 100% of AYP criteria was met, and average school grade. One dependent variable was defined as aggregate years of FSRP participation. The study found that there was a relationship between participation in the FSRP and AYP criteria met, and school level, socioeconomic status, and minority rate moderated this relationship. While school level and minority rate moderated a difference in average percentage of AYP criteria met in schools that maintained participation in the program and those that did not, socioeconomic status did not. Moreover, all independent variables served as predictors for maintenance of participation in the FSRP. The study found that schools' demographic characteristics influence student achievement and participation in incentive pay programs., Six implications for future research were identified to further explore the FSRP and AYP relationship, the unintended consequences of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the appropriateness of incentive pay education, the distribution of FSRP award dollars in schools, and student achievement by school level. Recommendations were to add an AYP criterion to the FSRP, assess the effectiveness of inducement policies in education, and add a provision for program evaluation to the FSRP statute.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/332912
- Subject Headings
- Academic achievement, Education and state, Educational equalization, Education, Aims and objectives
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Florida middle grades pupil progression policies: their effects on middle school student achievement and retention rates.
- Creator
- Murray, Mary A., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida H.B. 7087 (2006a), otherwise known as A++legislation, was created and adopted as a means to increase the rigor and relevance of a public school education, specifically at the middle school and high school levels. The anticipated result of the implementation of this bill was to better prepare middle school students for high school and thereby increase high school student performance and decrease the dropout rate. However, in increasing the promotion standards for middle grade students,...
Show moreFlorida H.B. 7087 (2006a), otherwise known as A++legislation, was created and adopted as a means to increase the rigor and relevance of a public school education, specifically at the middle school and high school levels. The anticipated result of the implementation of this bill was to better prepare middle school students for high school and thereby increase high school student performance and decrease the dropout rate. However, in increasing the promotion standards for middle grade students, interpretation and implementation have created additional barriers to grade level advancement. As a result, the possibility now exists for more students and especially those already at-risk of failure will be subject to higher retention rates. This may place them further at-risk of poor academic performance and of potentially dropping out of school, an opposite effect of the intent of the bill. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the revised policies on middle school students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2683536
- Subject Headings
- Education and state, Educational tests and measurements, Educational accountability, Achievement in education
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Foreclosure effects: the changing landscape and those left behind in Broward County, Florida.
- Creator
- Shaw, Cindy M., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
The recent financial crisis which has beset the United States has made itself felt in a number of ways, not the least of which has been its adverse effect on the housing market. As foreclosure percentages accelerated, increasing numbers of properties across the country became empty and abandoned, leaving a visible imprint of deterioration in neighborhoods that were significantly affected. Initial GIS analysis of both foreclosed and non-foreclosed residential land in Broward County Florida was...
Show moreThe recent financial crisis which has beset the United States has made itself felt in a number of ways, not the least of which has been its adverse effect on the housing market. As foreclosure percentages accelerated, increasing numbers of properties across the country became empty and abandoned, leaving a visible imprint of deterioration in neighborhoods that were significantly affected. Initial GIS analysis of both foreclosed and non-foreclosed residential land in Broward County Florida was conducted, showing that there is a discernible spectral difference in the lawn space of these two types of properties, with foreclosed properties exhibiting more brownness, or loss of green space. In order to evaluate whether or not this visible deterioration has had an effect on residents left behind in areas of foreclosure and their own habits, 950 mail-in surveys were distributed throughout 19 different census tracts in Broward County, inquiring about demographics, surrounding foreclosures, degrees of concern for home value and appearance, and changes in lawn maintenance since the foreclosure crisis along with reasons for such change if such exists. Data received from respondents was then analyzed in order to identify any attributes or correlations which might contribute to further neighborhood change, and how any of these factors might be affecting attitudes or perceptions of those left behind, as well as their lawn maintenance habits.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3361063
- Subject Headings
- Financial crises, Foreclosure, Community development, Urban, Land use, Urban, Economic conditions
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- English language learners in Florida: a dissertation about a legal and policy study of Florida's Multicultural Educaton Training and Advocacy (META) Consent Decree.
- Creator
- Rodriguez, Maria de L., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The increasing number of English language learners (ELL) in Florida's public schools has brought challenges to educational leaders as they work to provide educational opportunity to these children. In 1990, several community and activist groups filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Education to pressure it to provide adequate English language programs in all public schools. The lawsuit resulted in Floridas META Consent Decree (MCD), a legal accord by which Florida agreed to...
Show moreThe increasing number of English language learners (ELL) in Florida's public schools has brought challenges to educational leaders as they work to provide educational opportunity to these children. In 1990, several community and activist groups filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Education to pressure it to provide adequate English language programs in all public schools. The lawsuit resulted in Floridas META Consent Decree (MCD), a legal accord by which Florida agreed to provide adequate teacher training and educational programs, thereby improving access to equal opportunity for ELLs. ELLs are also called limited English proficient (LEP) students in other states. This term was changed in Florida because the LEP label brought with it a negative connotation as it referred to proficiency within the learning of English as a limitation rather than as an asset. The study presents a comprehensive review of the MCD and its eleven main components. Through document and content analysis, the study intended to ix determine whether Florida's 67 public school districts comply with the decree and whether policies are in place to implement the court authorized processes. The study begins with an introduction, which includes historical data and Florida demographics that relate to the issue of second language learners. A review of the literature incorporates legal cases and pertinent educational policies that have preceded the decree., The review also examined the major political and educational barriers that English language learners (ELL) encounter in Florida, as well as the research that suggests what programs and practices are required for successful second language learning. From the impact of antiimmigrant sentiments and English-only movements, to the League of United Latin-American Citizens (LULAC) v.FL Board of Education (1990) class action lawsuit, the study investigated the status of ELL programs in the state of Florida and the debates that surrounds them.The study intended to inform fellow educational leaders of these topics so that our work on behalf of K-12 ELLs can be more effective. Recognizing and preparing for the impact that the increasing numbers of ELLs will continue to have in Florida is an integral part of becoming a well-rounded educational leader and facilitates providing the services these students require, deserve, and to which they are entitled. The study also informs policymakers and practitioners of the pending needs and provides a roadmap to improving second language learning programs and practices in Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3333311
- Subject Headings
- English language, Study and teaching, Foreign speakers, Second language acquisition, Minorities, Education, Language arts, Educational equalization
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Effects of national board certification on retention of teachers in the classroom.
- Creator
- Jackson, Lewis., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study probes the impact that the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification process has on teachers, schools, and school districts. In particular the study provides research to determine if National Board Certification significantly affects teachers staying in the classrooms as full time teachers. The NBPTS process is explored to better understand the background of the endeavor and how it may thereby assist in promoting teacher retention and whether this...
Show moreThis study probes the impact that the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification process has on teachers, schools, and school districts. In particular the study provides research to determine if National Board Certification significantly affects teachers staying in the classrooms as full time teachers. The NBPTS process is explored to better understand the background of the endeavor and how it may thereby assist in promoting teacher retention and whether this concept is being realized. The history of leadership is also explored and discussed as it pertains to education and the NBPTS process. Beyond researching the relationship between National Board Certification and teachers leaving the classroom as full time teachers, this study also sought to determine if ethnicity (Black, White, Hispanic or Other) and/or gender were statistically significant moderators of this relationship. Of the total number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) who completed the survey (N=220), 22 participants reported that they were not teaching full time in the classroom at the time of this study. Of the total number of teachers who had not obtained NBC (general education teachers or GETs) who completed the survey (N=110), 28 participants reported that they were not teaching full time in the classroom at the time of this study. The results from this study indicate that GETs left the classroom as full time teachers, while remaining employed with the Broward School Board, at more than twice the rate of NBCTs.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/359925
- Subject Headings
- Teachers, Certification, Teacher turnover
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Family, obligation, and educational outcomes: unraveling the paradox of high aspirations and low academic achievement among the children of Haitian immigrants.
- Creator
- Nicholas, Tekla., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
- Abstract/Description
-
The desire for academic success is shared by Haitian parents and their American-born children. Yet, despite this will to succeed, second generation Haitian students have been shown to fare poorly in school when compared to other ethnic groups. This qualitative study revealed that students' poor results in high school were not due to adversarial attitudes toward education; rather, they reflected inadequate foundations in basic academic skills. In particular, limited vocabularies hamper the...
Show moreThe desire for academic success is shared by Haitian parents and their American-born children. Yet, despite this will to succeed, second generation Haitian students have been shown to fare poorly in school when compared to other ethnic groups. This qualitative study revealed that students' poor results in high school were not due to adversarial attitudes toward education; rather, they reflected inadequate foundations in basic academic skills. In particular, limited vocabularies hamper the academic achievement of many Haitian American students. Some students who expected that passing grades would lead to college are unable to pass the FCAT exam required to earn a high school diploma. Surprisingly, the highest levels of academic achievement were attained by the students with the poorest and least educated parents. They displayed extraordinary motivation attributed to a strong sense of familial obligation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77648
- Subject Headings
- Minorities, Education, Haitian Americans, Education, Children of immigrants, Education, Motivation in education
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Edna Pearce Lockett: lady of the house.
- Creator
- Dooley, Terry L., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of History
- Abstract/Description
-
This thesis demonstrates how some women used the power of their ancestry and family name to run for political office, to become a positive role model for other women, and also to help pass laws favorable to the improvement of gender equality. Edna Pearce Lockett was unique, but also a reflection of the values of her community. Women who ran for office tended to have strong male figures in their lives that treated them as equals. They often were savvy enough to use the novelty of their gender...
Show moreThis thesis demonstrates how some women used the power of their ancestry and family name to run for political office, to become a positive role model for other women, and also to help pass laws favorable to the improvement of gender equality. Edna Pearce Lockett was unique, but also a reflection of the values of her community. Women who ran for office tended to have strong male figures in their lives that treated them as equals. They often were savvy enough to use the novelty of their gender to encourage positive press. Far from trying to be men, they accentuated their femininity through press accounts detailing their fashion sense, their dedication to feminine pursuits, and their ability to be ladies as well as serve their constituency. Edna Pearce Lockett's life also illustrates what society was like in central Florida during the first half of the 20th century for men and women living on and around the cattle industry.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/186679
- Subject Headings
- Political and social views, Frontier and pioneer life, History, Women in politics, History, Feminism, History and criticism, Women, History, History
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Influences of climate variability and change on precipitation characteristics and extremes.
- Creator
- Goly, Aneesh, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
- Abstract/Description
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This study focuses on two main broad areas of active research on climate: climate variability and climate change and their implications on regional precipitation characteristics. All the analysis is carried out for a climate change-sensitive region, the state of Florida, USA. The focus of the climate variability analysis is to evaluate the influence of individual and coupled phases (cool and warm) of Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) and El Niäno southern oscillation (ENSO) on regional...
Show moreThis study focuses on two main broad areas of active research on climate: climate variability and climate change and their implications on regional precipitation characteristics. All the analysis is carried out for a climate change-sensitive region, the state of Florida, USA. The focus of the climate variability analysis is to evaluate the influence of individual and coupled phases (cool and warm) of Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) and El Niäno southern oscillation (ENSO) on regional precipitation characteristics. The two oscillations in cool and warm phases modulate each other which have implications on flood control and water supply in the region. Extreme precipitation indices, temporal distribution of rainfall within extreme storm events, dry and wet spell transitions and antecedent conditions preceding extremes are evaluated. Kernel density estimates using Gaussian kernel for distribution-free comparative analysis and bootstrap sampling-based confidence intervals are used to compare warm and cool phases of different lengths. Depth-duration-frequency (DDF) curves are also developed using generalized extreme value (GEV) distributions characterizing the extremes. ... This study also introduces new approaches to optimally select the predictor variables which help in modeling regional precipitation and further provides a mechanism to select an optimum spatial resolution to downscale the precipitation projections. New methods for correcting the biases in monthly downscaled precipitation projections are proposed, developed and evaluated in this study. The methods include bias corrections in an optimization framework using various objective functions, hybrid methods based on universal function approximation and new variants.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362383
- Subject Headings
- Climatic changes, Environmental aspects, Global temperature changes, Environmental aspects, Precipitation (Meteorology), Measurement, Bootstrap (Statistics)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Immigrant status, substance use and sexual risk among Afro-Caribbean adolescents living in South Florida.
- Creator
- Jolly, Kim., Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
- Abstract/Description
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Objectives: To describe the co-occurrence of substance use and sexual activity behaviors among Afro-Caribbean adolescents living in South Florida, with attention to legal status, socio-demographic factors and risk-taking attitudes and behaviors. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to select 106 Afro-Caribbean adolescents from community centers in South Florida. A descriptive exploratory study was conducted. Data was analyzed using an independent t test, frequencies and crosstabs. Results:...
Show moreObjectives: To describe the co-occurrence of substance use and sexual activity behaviors among Afro-Caribbean adolescents living in South Florida, with attention to legal status, socio-demographic factors and risk-taking attitudes and behaviors. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to select 106 Afro-Caribbean adolescents from community centers in South Florida. A descriptive exploratory study was conducted. Data was analyzed using an independent t test, frequencies and crosstabs. Results: The study consists of 106 adolescents, 75% (n = 79) documented and 25% (n = 27) undocumented. Forty-one documented and 10 undocumented adolescents were sexually active. Of those, 14.6% of the documented and 40% of the undocumented adolescents had been drinking alcohol while engaging in sexual activity; 7.3% of documented and 30% of undocumented adolescents used drugs while engaging in sexual activity. Undocumented adolescents had less adult presence before and after school; Creole was spoken at home more than English, and none of the parents had gone to or graduated from college. There was no significant difference in risk-taking and social adaptation scores as measured by the Adolescent Risk-Taking Instrument (ARTI) for the documented and undocumented Afro-Caribbean adolescents. The ARTI had acceptable internal consistency reliability for the risk-taking (.87) and social adaption (.82) scale in this population. The mean score of risk behavior was 2.04 (SD = .44) for documented Afro-Caribbean adolescents and 1.89 (SD = .47) for undocumented adolescents. For social adaptation, mean scores were 3.23 (SD = .45) for documented and 3.20 (SD = .35) for undocumented adolescents. The co-occurrence of substance use and sexual activity is nearly triple for alcohol use and more than triple for drug use when comparing undocumented to documented adolescents., However, scores on the ARTI did not differ.Socio-demographic factors related to risky behaviors suggest that the undocumented adolescents were more at risk. Health risk of undocumented adolescents demands more research attention if nurses wish to address the unique needs of this population.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/228769
- Subject Headings
- Behavior disorders in adolescence, Behavioral assessment of teenagers, Adolescent psychopathology, Acculturation, Transcultural nursing
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Persistence of EAP students in associate degree and college credit certificate programs.
- Creator
- Frank, Pradel R., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this study was to examine the persistence of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) students at a large multi-campus community college/baccalaureate degree-granting institution in South Florida. The study aimed to determine whether there was a relationship among a specific set of independent variables, background and defining variables (age, enrollment status, prior college education, gender, race, ethnicity, and marital status), academic integration variables (academic goal and...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the persistence of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) students at a large multi-campus community college/baccalaureate degree-granting institution in South Florida. The study aimed to determine whether there was a relationship among a specific set of independent variables, background and defining variables (age, enrollment status, prior college education, gender, race, ethnicity, and marital status), academic integration variables (academic goal and first semester GPA), social integration variables (faculty interaction, college facilities and grounds, sense of community, college services, and student life), and environmental variables (family responsibilities, employment status, outside encouragement, and financial aid) and the dependent variable, EAP student persistence. The variables were extrapolated both from student academic transcripts and from an adapted version of the State University of New York (SUNY) Student Opinion Survey-Form A (ACT, 2006). T test and chi square analyses were performed. No relationship was found between any of the independent variables and the dependent variable. The thirteen respondents had high first semester GPA, favorable environmental support, and were socially integrated into the institution.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/246047
- Subject Headings
- English language, Study and teaching (Higher), Foreign speakers, English language, Rhetoric, Study and teaching (Higher), Second language aquisition, Classroom environment
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Pre-disaster planning at Florida community colleges: a comparison of FEMA guidelines to processes and practices.
- Creator
- De Palma, TImothy J., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the pre-disaster planning processes and practices used by Florida's community college administrators as of December 2008. FEMA's Building a Disaster Resistant University (DRU) model was the conceptual lens for this study. A mixed methods research design included 15 surveys completed by Florida community college business officers and six semi-structured interviews with staff most involved in pre-disaster planning. Data were compared to DRU...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to explore and describe the pre-disaster planning processes and practices used by Florida's community college administrators as of December 2008. FEMA's Building a Disaster Resistant University (DRU) model was the conceptual lens for this study. A mixed methods research design included 15 surveys completed by Florida community college business officers and six semi-structured interviews with staff most involved in pre-disaster planning. Data were compared to DRU guidelines to establish whether processes and practices were congruent with the DRU. Six quantitative findings were reported in this study. First, 5 of 14 (35.7%) survey respondents appointed a project manager ; second, 14 of 15 respondents (93.3%) conducted a risk assessment ; third, 13 of 15 (87%) respondents reported contacting 2 to14 stakeholders; fourth, 14 of 15 (93.3%) survey respondents conducted an inventory of buildings and infrastructure assets; fifth, majority of survey respondents ( 87.7%) reported they identified mitigation goals and objectives; sixth, 8 of 14 (57.1%) respondents' president formally adopted the pre-disaster mitigation plan., Qualitative findings were, first, wide internal and external stakeholder representation was organized; second, advisory committees have no mission statement; third, one site identified hazards by consulting with stakeholders, but neither one could provide a list of hazards; fourth, sites used only half of the DRU's building inventory items; fifth, recording and mapping of infrastructure (i.e., utilities) are evolved at one site, while both sites backup administrative systems; sixth, neither site considered several hazard profile formula variables recommended by the DRU; seventh, Beta's internal and external stakeholders conduct a rigorous vetting process, which allows it to establish a prioritized list of mitigation goals and objectives; eighth, neither site uses an adequate formula for benefitcost an consultant has been hired to do so; ninth, only one participant could articulate how the mission guided mitigation action prioritization; tenth, key internal and external stakeholders adopted mitigation actions; eleventh, no plan for measuring mitigation action efficacy exists; and twelfth, mitigation action successes are communicated to internal stakeholders, but not external stakeholders making it difficult to achieve plan momentum and funding. Recommendations are provided for community college administrators.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3170599
- Subject Headings
- Emergency managment, Planning, Universities and colleges, Security measures, Universities and colleges, Safety measures
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The art of leadership: a study of administrative practices in Florida's schools of the arts.
- Creator
- Perry, Kevin Gardner., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify common practices of school-of-the-arts administrators and to determine if these commonalities differ from the practices of effective school leaders in general. A sample of administrators (n=92) completed a 3-part Likert survey based on the 21 attributes identified in the balanced leadership model. Five research questions guided this study which looked for both common and unique leadership challenges facing principals in schools of the arts...
Show moreThe purpose of this exploratory study was to identify common practices of school-of-the-arts administrators and to determine if these commonalities differ from the practices of effective school leaders in general. A sample of administrators (n=92) completed a 3-part Likert survey based on the 21 attributes identified in the balanced leadership model. Five research questions guided this study which looked for both common and unique leadership challenges facing principals in schools of the arts. Prinicpals ranked the practices in order of importance. Although the statistical analyses revealed no significant differences among the variables of instructional levels (elementary, middle, and secondary), gender, or school grade designations, descriptive statistics as well as qualitative data found a number of emergent themes including principal outreach, principal advocacy, focus, flexibility, curriculum, funding challenges, and the commitment to being there(i.e., at the school). Based on the findings, a plus one model was developed illustrating the tensions across organizational management, instructional leadership, and artistic leadership, all of which must function simultaneously in order to lead a successful school of the arts. While only one study, the findings suggest that regular school principals might want to consider incorporating successful school-of-the-arts practices in their own schools.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3352282
- Subject Headings
- Educational leadership, Educational administration, Arts, Study and teaching, Teacher-principal relationships
- Format
- Document (PDF)