Research and Impact Showcase

Policies and Practices related to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Problem-Solving Courts

Barbara Andraka-Christou, Global Health Management and Informatics, UCF
Jill Viglione, Criminal Justice, UCF
M.H. Clarke, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF
Rachel Totaram, Public Affairs, UCF
Fatema Ahmed, Public Affairs, UCF

Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are underused by people in problem-solving courts (PSCs). We sought to identify PSC MOUD policies and practices using individual interviews and focus groups with 54 court staff during 2022. Data were analyzed using iterative categorization. All court staff said their court permits MOUD initiation, but they strongly preferred court participants to receive MOUD from providers who formally collaborate with the court. Some courts did not have collaborators offering all MOUD types. Barriers exist to participants choosing their own providers. Court staff prefer collaborating with MOUD providers who regularly communicate with the court and offer mental healthcare.

Collaborative Development of an Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Screening Tool for Use in College Student Health Services

Bethany Backes, Criminal Justice and Social Work, UCF
Julia O’Connor, Social Work, UCF
Shelleta Ladonice, Public Affairs, UCF
Kayla Toohy, Sociology, UCF
Jana Jasinski, Sociology, UCF
Amy Reckdenwald, Sociology, UCF
Jacqueline Woerner, Sociology and Psychology, UCF
Karina Villalba, Population Health Sciences, UCF
Lisa Newberry, Clinical Services, UCF
James Schaus, Clinical Services, UCF
Michael Deichen, Student Health Services, UCF
Mary Schmidt-Owens, Medical Health Administration, UCF

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern and screening to identify IPV is neither common nor standardized across universities. This pilot project developed a 10-item screener that identifies IPV in a college sample and for use in Student Health Services. The screener was developed through an iterative process with violence experts, campus stakeholders, and students to ensure content validity. Participants indicated less severe IPV happened more frequently but were less important to include compared to severe IPV. Additional findings identify language students use to refer to “romantic partners” and students' views on the normalcy of IPV.

How Do Leaders Create an Inclusive Culture?

Catherine Bush, Global Health Management and Informatics, UCF

Although it is common for organizations to invest in efforts to improve diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) among employees, the majority of these efforts focus on compliance and awareness trainings and policies, with little focus on developing skills and behaviors that create inclusion. Leader behaviors likely have an important impact on an employees’ experience of inclusion at work, however, specific leader behaviors impactful for this purpose have yet to be explored. This study uses a mixed-method approach to identify key inclusive behaviors of leaders, including quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis toward building a model of inclusive leadership behaviors.

Evaluating the Psychometric Properties of the College Success Factors Index 2.0

H. Clark, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF

The purpose of this study was to provide psychometric evidence to support the validity and reliability of the College Success Factor Index 2.0 (CSFI-2), a 100-item instrument used to determine college readiness. Results from a confirmatory factor analysis provided some support for the 10-factor structure, but not all fit indices were sufficient. Although nine of the 10 factors had good internal consistency, the test-retest reliability was below accepted standards. While the CFSI 2.0 is a useful tool for measuring students’ non-cognitive skills related to success in college, it may be improved by modifying some of its items.

Project English-Learner Infused Training and Experience (ELITE)

Marjorie Ceballos, Educational Leadership and Higher Education, UCF
Florin Mihai, Modern Languages and Literatures, UCF
Joyce Nutta, Teacher Education, UCF
Vassiliki Zygouris-Coe, Teacher Education, UCF

English-Learner Infused Training and Experience (ELITE) will provide educators in public VPK through Grade 3 with job-embedded professional learning coupled with individualized coaching that (a) addresses a set of key instructional skills promoting English learner school readiness and achievement and (b) advances English learner parent, family, and community engagement in a culturally and linguistically responsive manner. These aims will be accomplished by using a three-pronged approach which includes professional learning for educators, implementation of the Bilingual Village to increase public awareness of the benefits of bilingualism, and a Parent Ambassador program to foster mutually supportive partnerships between home-school communities.

Intersection of Science, Second Language, and Literacy Acquisition (ISSLLA): A Practice-Based, Interdisciplinary Teacher Preparation Program

Su Gao, Teacher Education, UCF
Vassiliki Zygouris-Coe, Teacher Education, UCF
Joyce Nutta, Teacher Education, UCF
Haiyan Bai, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF
Kristina Otero, Science Education, UCF
Kelsey Beeghly, Science Education, UCF

The ISSLLA project aims to serve the national interest by improving curricula in secondary science teacher education programs and exploring a model to better prepare the next generation of science teachers to support all students, including English Learners (ELs). Preservice teachers (PSTs) in this program are expected to increase their lesson planning and teaching skills using a tri-focal design. This collaborative project is funded by the NSF IUSE program to support four targeted undergraduate courses in the STE at UCF. Mixed methods research has been conducted to examine PSTs’ performance and learning outcomes of their students in the internship classrooms.

Racially Disparate Outcomes of Death Disqualification in Capital Juries

Jacinta Gau, Criminal Justice, UCF
Patrick Harris, Criminal Justice, UCF

U.S. Supreme Court jurisprudence permits trial courts to exclude from capital juries any person categorically opposed to the death penalty. Since people of color oppose capital punishment at higher rates than White people do, death disqualification may lead to systematic removal of people of color from capital juries. Criminal defendants are disproportionately Black and Brown, and death sentences handed down by predominantly White juries against Black and Brown defendants can lack legitimacy. The present study uses data from a sample of capital jury selection voir dire hearings in Florida to determine whether death disqualification disproportionately affects prospective jurors of color.

Don’t Take it Personally? The Role of Personal Relevance in Conceptual Change

Michele Gill, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF

The overall purpose of this study was to investigate the role of personal relevance in conceptual change. First, we used an experimental design to investigate the role of augmented activation – which directly implicated teachers’ personal prior beliefs about mathematics learning and instruction – and refutational text manipulations on short and long-term conceptual change in preservice and inservice teachers’ constructivist beliefs about mathematics to test for a mechanism of change. Second, we examined the relationships among affect, cognitive processing, and conceptual change to clarify our understanding of the mechanisms of the conceptual change process and to empirically test key hypotheses in the Cognitive-Affective Model of Conceptual Change (CAMCC). Our results indicated that messages that heighten the personal relevance and challenge to prior beliefs with contrary evidence (i.e., augmented activation) produced conceptual change in preservice and inservice teachers’ mathematics beliefs, whereas there was no consistent effect of refutational text. We also found support for several key pathways in the CAMCC, with implications for conceptual change theory and teacher education.

Rethinking Diversity in Policing: An Analysis of the Standards of Diversity Training in Basic Police Academies Across the U. S

Doug Goodman, Public Administration, UCF
Galia Cohen, Public Administration, Tarleton State University

Recent events of police interactions with citizens have raised a nationwide debate on the effectiveness of police training and whether police officers are prepared to address the needs of and successfully interact with populations of diverse cultural background. This research uses mixed methods design to explore the emphasis placed on diversity training in state-mandated basic police curricula across 49 U.S. states from a public administration-oriented perspective. The study analyzes interviews and courses content and hours to evaluate the coverage of four dimensions for effective diversity training: 1) why is diversity relevant in basic police training? 2) who are “the diverse” addressed in the training? 3) What is the diversity content in the basic police curriculum? And, 4) How is diversity taught in basic academies? The article concludes by offering practical recommendations on how to improve diversity competencies in police training and practice.

Analyzing Data Incompleteness of Electronic Health Records

Varadraj Gurupur, Global Health Management and Informatics, UCF
Elizabeth Trader, Computer Engineering, UCF
Shashank Dubey, Computer Science, UCF

Our key contribution in this area lies in our solution to assess and analyze data incompleteness of electronic health records. The author first received the NSF award (CNS-1735841) in seed funding from Fall 2018 UCF I-Corps Site program titled, “I-Corps: Data Completeness and Data Inconsistency in healthcare Data” and then received from award number 1928279 from the National I-Corps Teams program titled “Analyzing Data Completeness and Inconsistency to Reduce Misdiagnosis and Mitigate Re-imbursement Errors.” In addition to this, the patent (US 10,790,049 B2) for measuring data completeness of electronic health records was issued by the United States patent office. This groundbreaking research is not only applicable to regular monolithic systems that manage electronic health records but also to telehealth since many times patient data may be collected over the phone using an app. In this invention data completeness is defined using the Record Strength Score (RSS) score by first developing a concept map of an ideal complete electronic health record and then measuring the missing elements. Overall, this research project has been supported by three NSF grants, and has resulted in one patent issued, and two other patent applications.

Smart and Sustainable Cities: A Descriptive Overview

Christopher Hawkins, Public Administration, UCF

This research provides descriptive findings of local sustainability initiatives and administrative arrangements for implementation. Results are based on a 2016 nation-wide survey of U.S local governments.

Empirical Research Review on Housing Models Promoting Aging in Community

Su-I Hou, Global Health Management and Informatics, UCF
Xian Cao, Public Affairs, UCF
Khristen Holmes, Public Affairs, UCF

Many older adults prefer aging in their own homes or communities. Four promising housing models promoting Aging-In-Community (AIC), including the village, Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC), senior cohousing, and University-Based Retirement Community (UBRC) were reviewed. A total of 34 unduplicated empirical studies were identified to examine these models’ impact, including enhancing social support and improving older adult's well-being, remain independence at homes, and community social and civic participation. It is critical to update current knowledge to capture emerging research areas and lessons learned for housing and community developers, and for policymakers to addressing the critical and growing AIC needs.

Human Trafficking and Natural Hazards: Does Sex Trafficking Increase Following a Hurricane?

Xi Huang, Public Administration, UCF

Vulnerable populations, such as orphaned children, disabled individuals, victims of previous sexual abuse, and minorities are regularly targeted by human traffickers as they are often easier to recruit, control, and exploit. Natural disasters increase vulnerability to human trafficking as “these events are [opportunities] for traffickers seeking to exploit individuals experiencing heightened economic vulnerability and lack of government protection.” In light of the amplification of vulnerabilities in the aftermath of disasters and the increased likelihood of sex traffickers exploiting these vulnerabilities, this study examines the extent to which there is an increase in sex trafficking in the aftermath of hurricanes by answering the following research question: What is the relationship between hurricanes and online sex trafficking advertisements following Hurricane Laura? Specifically, Hurricane Laura is examined because it was a Category 4 hurricane that occurred from August 20 to August 29, 2020, causing 47 deaths and about $19 billion in damages in the U.S. Answering this research question can provide significant insights on whether sex traffickers are taking advantage of hurricane victims and can help to shed light on possible secondary impacts of hurricanes on communities and allow policymakers, emergency management communities, and government entities to find ways to address this problem.

Association of Food Security with Severe and Moderate Periodontal Disease in US Adults

Christian King, Global Health Management and Informatics, UCF
Giang Vu, Global Health Management and Informatics, UCF
Wei Liang, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Gina Thornton-Evans, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between food security with severe and moderate periodontal disease (PD) among US adults. The 2009-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data were used. The study sample included 6,106 US participants aged ≥ 30 years. PD status measured by means of a full-month oral examination at 6 sites per tooth for clinical attachment loss and periodontal probing depth. Food insecurity was assessed by the 18-item US Food Security Survey Module. Multiple logistic regression model was conducted to examine factors associated with PD among individuals with and without food security.

Defining Social Equity in Emergency Management: A Critical First Step

Claire Knox, Public Administration, UCF

How scholars and practitioners define social equity is profoundly important for assessing and making recommendations related to social equity in government practices, especially in a disaster or crisis. Yet this concept in emergency management remains subjective. While the vagueness provides fertile grounds for intellectual debate, the failure to arrive at a single, formal definition leads to confusion and an inability to measure it as a policy or program goal. After analyzing 15 years of social equity research in emergency management, we propose a working definition of social equity, a theoretical framework, and recommendations to measure the concept in research and practice.

Factor Structure and Validity of the Multidimensional Dispositional Greed Assessment with Undergraduate College Students

Glenn Lambie, Counselor Education and School Psychology, UCF
Caitlin Frawley, Counselor Education, UCF

The Multidimensional Dispositional Greed Assessment (MDGA) is an instrument that measures individuals’ levels of dispositional greed across three domains: (a) desire for more things, (b) insatiable pursuit for more at all costs, and (c) retention motivation (Lambie et al., 2022). The presenters conducted a three-part research study investigating the reliability, validity, and factor structure of MDGA scores with undergraduate college students. The presenters will review the results and discuss evidence for the test-retest reliability, stability and factor structure, and concurrent validity of MDGA scores with undergraduate college students.

Teacher Quality Partnerships: Downtown Experience-Enhancing Quality in Teacher Preparation in Mathematics within Urban Partnerships

Mary Little, Teacher Education, UCF
Melissa Carli, Teacher Quality Partnership, UCF
Christine DeStefano, Methodology, Measurement, and Analysis, UCF
Lindsey Pike, Exceptional Education, UCF

Given critical shortages of highly qualified teachers, especially in high-needs schools (HNS), recruitment, development, and retention of diverse teachers is paramount (Pelletier et al., 2021) to improve student achievement (Isenberg et al., 2016; Reyes et al., 2012) by fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion for underserved students was developed and researched. This TQP partnership is designed to recruit, prepare, and sustain highly effective teachers from diverse backgrounds through the expansion of high-quality methods and various pathways. Through this project, interdisciplinary teams of national researchers, university faculty, and school district administrators and teachers collaboratively recruited diverse teacher candidates. School-based teams and university faculty developed and facilitated professional learning and classroom use of evidence-based, instructional practices in literacy, social-emotional learning, and differentiation to assure equity and access. This project improved, evaluated, and assessed high-quality classroom implementation of evidence-based instruction, differentiation, and interventions within HNS by preservice teachers through a process of professional learning and use of multiple qualitative and quantitative formative and summative measures. Processes, products, and research will be shared.

Executive Function Coaching

Matthew Marino, Teacher Education, UCF
Eleazar Trey Vasquez III, Teacher Education, UCF
Kiera Anderson, Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute, UCF

Enrollment rates of students with disabilities (SWD) in postsecondary education continue to rise, yet SWD continue to face challenges with persistence toward degree completion. Executive function deficits (e.g., difficulty concentrating, managing time, problem-solving, or planning) often impact academic, social, and occupational function. Academic and social adjustment to the complexity of life beyond students' homes can be stressful, further exacerbating difficulties with executive function skills necessary for postsecondary success. Coaching can assist young adults during postsecondary education to enhance executive function skills and has the potential to reduce stress and anxiety.

The H.O.P.E. Circle: Using Youth-led Participatory Action Research to Address Youth Gun Violence in Central Florida

L. Trenton S. Marsh, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF
Itunu Ilesanmi, Public Affairs, UCF
Jasmine Haynes, Public Affairs, UCF

Gun violence is a public health concern in the U.S. Youth are adversely impacted socially and emotionally when exposed to gun violence. Black males (15-34) are disproportionately impacted, making up 2% of the U.S. population but accounting for 37% of gun homicide fatalities. It is important to understand how youth perceive the issue of gun violence and its impacts on their lives. It is also important that youth are centered as active agents in addressing the issues. The current study describes a youth participatory action research initiative implemented with 15 Black youth affected by gun violence in their community.

Nested Complex Crime: Assessing the Convergence of Wildlife Trafficking, Organized Crime and Loose Criminal Networks

William Moreto, Criminal Justice, UCF

Wildlife trafficking is considered to be a form of transnational organized crime by policymakers and enforcement agencies. The present study qualitatively examines the intersection of wildlife trafficking and organized crime from a crime mutualism framework to explore how these criminal activities and entities converge. Based on fieldwork conducted in Uganda and China, while organized crime appears to have a presence in illegal wildlife markets, such involvement is more relevant during specific stages, and reflect loose, informal criminal networks in others. Findings provide insight on understanding illicit resources, personnel, and transport routes, while identifying pinch points for investigation, enforcement, and prevention.

Investigating Covariate Selection Criteria: To Draw Causal Inferences from Observational Data in the Presence of Unmeasured Covariates Using Regression and Propensity Score Methods

Uday Nair, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF

The aim of causal effect estimation is to find the true impact of a treatment or exposure. Observational data is employed in social sciences to estimate causal effect but is susceptible to self-selection and unobserved confounding biases. Covariates included in analysis should strive to address these biases. This research focuses on investigating covariate selection approaches––common cause criterion (CC), Disjunctive Cause Criterion (DCC), Modified Disjunctive Cause Criterion (MDCC), and modified cause criterion (MCC)––in linear regression (LR) and propensity score methods (PSM) causal effect estimation in the presence of unmeasured confounding. Realistic social science scenarios such as––inclusion of proxy variables with varying degrees of strength, misidentification of the unmeasured covariate as a confounder, small sample sizes, and measurement error in proxy covariates—were investigated. For LR and PSM, five causal effect estimation models were built using different covariate selection approaches and compared on three performance metrics––bias, coverage, and empirical SE. Results showed that in the presence of an unmeasured confounder, the causal effect estimate is biased. Study 1 results indicate that MDCC approach resulted in more consistent and efficient causal effect estimates in the presence of unmeasured confounders. Studies 2a and 2b indicate that the MDCC approach is robust to the unobserved variable being a confounder and can be employed even if the unmeasured covariate is not a confounder without adversely impacting the performance measures. Studies 3 and 4 showed including a proxy of the unmeasured confounder, even a weak proxy (r ~ 0.20) or one with measurement error, results in an improvement in the consistency of the causal effect estimate and in the efficiency of the causal effect estimator. As the correlation between the proxy covariate and the unmeasured confounder gets smaller the causal effect estimator becomes less efficient and the causal effect estimate becomes less consistent.

Visual Discourse Analysis: Visual Texts and Novice Teachers' Professional Identity

Elsie E. Olan, Teacher Education, UCF
Sydney M. Smith, Curriculum and Instruction, UCF

This visual discourse analysis established connections between visual texts, preservice teachers' experiences with students, and their own pedagogies. Findings revealed how visual activities enabled participants to express their teaching experience, teacher identity and problems of practice dealt with during their first year of teaching. The four cueing systems categorized participants’ need for safe, open, and respectful classroom environments where students’ and teachers’ lived experiences were valued and mirrored in curricula. In this study, visual texts served as a reflective tool where novice teachers identified and connected behaviors that inform their learning and teaching while shedding light into students’ needs.

Exploring Poverty and Financial Status in 21st Century Caldecott

Sherron Killingsworth Roberts, Teacher Education, UCF
Nancy Brasel, Teacher Education, UCF
Patricia Crawford, Early Childhood Education, University of Pittsburgh

In the U.S., child poverty rates increased to include 3.7 million more children in poverty since 2021, with children of color most impacted (CWLA, 2022).

Given the vicarious power of literature to navigate stress, this content analysis explored the portrayal of poverty 21st century Caldecott books. What children read influences their view of themselves and others, comprehension, and motivations to read. Findings revealed: 1) recent themes of financial stressors; 2) intersections of race and poverty across time; 3) intersections of poverty with genocidal racism, refugees, and immigration; 4) the status quo in most books; 5) rare models of helping needy; 6) internal solutions for poverty; and 7) persistent hope in all books. Future research should analyze ways to leverage literature for children facing seemingly impossible events, to invite empathy and advocacy for action.

“It was Just a Little Situation”: A Research Note on Proceeding Without Counsel by Misdemeanor Defendants

Alisa Smith, Legal Studies, UCF

An estimated 13 million misdemeanor defendants are prosecuted annually, and their arrest, detention, prosecution, and punishment are consequential. Yet, many misdemeanor defendants proceed without counsel, and limited inquiry has attempted to understand why. This research poster presents the initial qualitative findings from a pilot study where twelve misdemeanor defendants were interviewed immediately after resolving their cases at arraignment. The primary research question focuses on understanding why they decided to resolve their cases without counsel. Their reasons and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Policy Making in the Dark: The Impact of Information Asymmetry on Power Outages in Resilience Planning

Kelly Stevens, Public Administration, UCF

Electric grid reliability is an important aspect to consider while making policy decisions that affect access to clean energy. However, some utilities withhold information on power outages from local governments. We conducted virtual interviews with 18 local policymakers across the State of Florida in resilience-related positions on their access to power outage data from electric utility providers in high and low-performing reliability areas. Based on a qualitative review of the interviews, we provide more background on what type of information policymakers typically do and do not have, and consider if information asymmetry may be affecting grid performance.

Implications of COVID-19 for Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Programs

Judit Szente, Teacher Education, UCF

The presentation shares results of an original study that was conducted in Spring 2020 on 50 live virtual sessions with toddlers and preschoolers when the COVID-19 pandemic started (Szente, 2020). These sessions originated from teachers of a private early childhood center and lasted for 20-30 minutes each. All sessions were analyzed in terms of what worked well and what did not work well. Qualitative methodology was implemented to identify recurring themes from the analysis. These were: “1) implementing digital sessions with young children; 2) establishing and maintaining home-based child engagement through technology; and 3) ensuring family involvement/engagement through technology” (Szente, 2020, p. 375). Implications of the study are shared for teacher preparation institutions and are also organized in the Taxonomy for Developing Online Learning Opportunities for Young Children (Szente, 2020).

Project Harmony: Effectiveness of PREP’s Within Our Reach Program in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Low-income Couples

Dalena Dillman Taylor, Counselor Education and School Psychology, UCF
Sejal Barden, Counselor Education and School Psychology, UCF
Kathleen Hawkins, UCF Marriage and Family Research Institute, UCF
Ryan Carlson, Counselor Education, University of South Carolina

Presenters will discuss the outcomes of a five-year, federally-funded relationship education program, serving low-income couples. We randomly assigned 1,480 couples in treatment immediately or 6-month wait-list control. Participants completed assessments at baseline, 1-month, 3-months, and 6 months post-random assignment. Participants received 12 hours of PREP, the relationship education curriculum, (TX group) or 8 hours of PREP after 6- month data was collected. In addition, participants received family case management and participant supports through the duration of the programs. Results presented will include impact of the program on individuals' and couple's emotional regulation, individual distress, relationship, satisfaction, stress communication, and parental teamwork.

Social and Structural Determinants of Health Inequities: Complex Disparities in Accessing Medical Care among Medicare Beneficiaries in the US

Samuel Towne, Global Health Management and Informatics, UCF
Boon Ng, Nursing, UCF
Adam Reres, Public Affairs, UCF
Dawn Oetjen, Global Health Management and Informatics, UCF
Reid Oetjen, Global Health Management and Informatics, UCF
Su-I Hou, Global Health Management and Informatics, UCF

We examined factors associated with accessing medical care using a US nationally representative sample of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries (2017). Survey-weighted multivariable binary logistic regression analyses modeled the dichotomous outcome of being unsatisfied versus satisfied with ‘the ease and convenience of getting to a doctor or other health professional’; where being unsatisfied was associated with: Hispanic ethnicity; higher education; age; usual time taken to get to doctor’s office; and the interaction of rurality and having social limitations (versus-not) due to health. Social and structural determinants of health inequities were critical in measuring variation in the level of satisfaction among Medicare beneficiaries.

National Center for Innovation Design and Digital Learning

Eleazar Trey Vasquez III, Teacher Education, UCF
Matthew Marino, Teacher Education, UCF
Kiera Anderson, Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute, UCF

The Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning (CIDDL) is serving as the National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Personnel Preparation and Leadership Personnel Preparation Programs. The mission of CIDDL is to increase faculty capacity, knowledge, adoption, and use of educational technologies at institutions of higher education (IHE). This poster session will describe how CIDDL engages in the development of research-based resources and provides an IHE professional learning community for enhancing personnel or leadership program’s adoption of technology to better prepare educators and leaders for serving students with disabilities (SWD) and in early intervention and early childhood education (EI/ECSE).

Looking In and Looking Out: A Collaborative Autoethnography on Cocreating Learning from a Disability Lens

Abeer Ali, Exceptional Education, UCF
Shalece Kohnke Exceptional Education, UCF
Michelle Patterson, Exceptional Education, UCF
*Audra Skuskauskaite, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF

Through collaborative autoethnography, we sought to deepen our understanding of the experiences of teaching and learning with regards to students with disabilities in higher education. As three doctoral students and a professor, we drew on recorded conversations framed around journals completed in a shared course. Looking through multiple lenses- from a blind student, a student with multiple learning disabilities, a student who researches Universal Design, and a professor who facilitates instruction, we reflected on respective cultures of disability and higher education. Through our in-depth, reflexive, and at times, challenging, discourse, we sought to know ourselves and each other.

*Faculty member

Public Administration During Times of Conflict with Both Militant Islamist and Jihadist Rebel Group Boko Haram in Nigeria: Impacts on Governance and Service Delivery

Babajide J. Asaju, Public Affairs, UCF

Public administration and governance issues play crucial roles in overarching peacebuilding issues in Nigeria's democratic processes. In the 1970s and early 1980s, neo-liberalists instituted programs that led to diminishing roles of public and local administrators. At times of crises or conflict, public administration plays a role in normalizing the situation. This made the process of governance difficult. Public administration agencies such as law enforcement bodies have greater responsibilities during conflict times (An B.Y. 2021). For instance, the current Nigerian government has struggled with both militant Islamist and jihadist rebel groups Boko Haram since returning to democracy in 1999, it has proven difficult to maintain Boko Haram insurgence in the country. In the public sector, conflicts may arise due to conflicting interests of ruling elites. For instance, in any organization, conflict emerges due to different reasons like promotions, poor governance, and poor living conditions. References: An, B. Y. (2021). Bottom-Up or Top-Down Local Service Delivery? Assessing the Impacts of Special Districts as Community Governance Model. The American Review of Public Administration, 51(1), 40-56.

Consequential Learning Through Reflexivity and Art

Kate Babb, Counselor Education, UCF
Megan Mitchell, Curriculum and Instruction, UCF

Arts-based research is a heuristic which allows for a deeper and more complex understanding of the world. The methods integrated in qualitative research add new layers of meaning and invoke researcher creativity and reflexivity in new ways (Leavy, 2018; Mulvihill & Swaminathan, 2019). As thoughtful reflexivity is a vital component of qualitative research, we wanted to understand how reflexivity, embedded in a qualitative research class, may impact doctoral student learning and engagement with arts-based practices. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the processes of how doctoral students learned qualitative research through reflexivity and engagement with arts-based practices.

Influences of Professional School Counseling Recruitment and Retention: A Grounded Theory

Kate Babb, Counselor Education, UCF

The purpose of this study is to theorize the influences of school counselors in selecting their profession and the factors that encourage professional school counselors to stay in the field for more than three years. Twenty-one participants were individually interviewed, and data was analyzed following the constructivist grounded theory methodology. Seven codes and seven subcodes emerged. The findings can contribute to the thoughtful recruitment of potential school counseling students and can increase retention through supportive efforts by school districts.

Understanding Organizational Factors on Ranger Perceptions Through a Mixed-Methods Approach

Christina Burton, Criminal Justice, UCF

The intersection of protected area management and crime prevention are particularly important areas of study within criminal justice research. Often, these protected areas serve different roles for different constituents, such as preservation of biological and archaeological resources to recreational activities. Due to this, it becomes necessary to understand employee perceptions and behavior to accomplish these competing goals, especially through concepts of job satisfaction, job stress, perceptions of role and organizational commitment. Anonymous online surveys and confidential interviews were used via an exploratory mixed-methods approach to investigate the relationship of these variables within rangers. Implications and results will be discussed.

It Takes a Village: An Examination of Educational Enrollment for Transition-Age Youth in Foster Care

Khalilah Caines, Public Affairs, UCF

The structural and social characteristics of communities have been associated with a variety of youth outcomes prompting the need for macro-level approaches to improve youth outcomes. This study examined the association of county-level risk and protective factors with educational enrollment for youth in foster care at the age of 18 based on a sample of 50 Florida counties. Multiple regression models were analyzed to test the strength and association between variables. Study findings provide public affairs professionals and child welfare administrators with a refined approach to strengthen communities and improve outcomes for the youth and families they serve.

A Longitudinal Analysis of School-Based Referrals to Florida’s Juvenile Justice System

Benjamin Cohn, Criminal Justice, UCF
*Jennifer H. Peck, Criminal Justice, UCF
*Kristina K. Childs Fisher, Criminal Justice, UCF

The passing of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (MSD Act) mandated the presence of at least one school resource officer (SRO) in every public school across Florida. However, the presence of SROs has occurred without an understanding of the potential costs for justice involved youth. The current study examines whether the juvenile court outcomes that youth receive after being referred to Florida’s Department of Juvenile Justice differ depending on the location of the arrest (school versus community), and if these relationships depend on if the referral occurred prior to or after the implementation of the MSD Act.

*Faculty members

Applying Crime Pattern Theory and Risk Terrain Modeling to Examine Environmental Crime in Cambodia

Devin Cowan, Criminal Justice, UCF

The spatial-temporal analysis of crime has significantly evolved. One innovative technique recently developed is risk terrain modeling (RTM). RTM, however, has yet to be used for environmental crime. This research applies RTM and draws from crime pattern theory to examine illegal activities in two protected areas in Cambodia. Findings suggest that pathways, edges, areas with suitable targets, conservation posts, landcover, and prior incidents are related to fauna- and flora-related illegal activities, though this relationship varies by season, units of analysis, and study area (i.e., patrol-based compared with official designation). Implications for theory and policy are outlined

Politics, Democracy, and Education: A Cross-National Analysis of the World Value Survey (WVS) Wave 7

Funke Dada, Methodology, Measurement, and Analysis, UCF

This study considers the perceptions of the public on the importance of politics as it relates to elections and democracy. There were 44,521 individuals within 42 countries that participated. Models were estimated using hierarchical generalized linear modeling. At the person-level, predictors were related to perceptions of and satisfaction with their country’s politics and democracy. Country-level predictors were political corruption and education expenditures. The proportion of variation in the outcome between countries was about 22%. Only perceptions of elections, importance of democracy, satisfaction with the performance of political system, and sex were statistically significant predictors of importance of politics in life.

The Relationship Between Teacher Preparation and Classroom Student Academic Performance in High Needs Schools

Christine D. DeStefano, Methodology, Measurement, and Analysis, UCF
Christopher A. Polera, Biomedical Sciences, UCF
Oluwaseun Farotimi, Methodology, Measurement, and Analysis, UCF
*Debbie L. Hahs-Vaughn, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF
*Mary Little, Teacher Education, UCF

Cultivating and maintaining effective teachers to address the diverse landscape of K-12 students is critical to the success of the American education system. Some research suggests that new teachers are not prepared to meet the demands of today’s diverse classroom, and this contributes to poor student achievement. Several teacher preparation programs have examined teacher candidates’ Teacher Work Sample (TWS) to understand student learning gains. The current study examined classroom effect sizes obtained from TWS of teacher candidates conducting their student teaching in high needs schools during Fall 2019 and Spring 2020.

*Faculty members

Female Rangers in Latin America: An Assessment of Role, Recruitment, and Work Environment

Richard Elligson, Criminal Justice, UCF

This study explores ranger respondents’ perceptions towards the role, recruitment, and working environment of female rangers in Latin America.

Interview data were obtained from 28 respondents across 11 Latin American countries. Findings suggest female rangers' roles are consistent with their male counterparts, though different strengths were highlighted. Factors that led to a supportive work environment for female rangers included camaraderie, opportunities for professional development and growth, and attentive supervisors and subordinates. Conversely, the persistence of a machismo culture and discriminatory policies and practices were considered obstacles. Implications regarding gender diversity within the ranger profession and researcher-practitioner partnerships are discussed.

Social Equity and Vaccine Utilization: A Study of US Counties

Rebecca Entress, Public Affairs, UCF

COVID-19 is the most significant public health crisis of modern times, with over 78 million cases and over 933,000 deaths as of February 20, 2021.COVID-19 vaccines reduce the probability of death and severe infections, making vaccines one of the most important tools for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and enabling communities to transition to normalcy. Using county-level data, this study explores the relationship between social vulnerability and resource utilization during COVID-19 to examine social equity in response to COVID-19. This finding can provide lessons on how to improve equity during current and future public health emergencies.

Auditory Processing Disorder: How to ‘Process’ the “Silent” Disability

Sarah Finley, Educational Leadership, UCF

How do we use spoken language to help students with Auditory Processing Disorder? While students are taught the same material per age-appropriation practices, we do not all learn the same or the same way. How does learning affect those who have learning disabilities in a “one-size-fits-all” method? DUC or Discovery, Understanding, and Clarity seeks to spread knowledge of auditory processing disorder by highlighting ways educators can better understand the disability to support APD students. By utilizing real experience and evidence-based data, educators will be better prepared for effective changes in their teaching methods to advance linguistically diverse students.

Designed with Development in Mind: Tailoring Curriculum to Students’ Needs

Alexandra Frank, Counselor Education, UCF
James Rujimora, Counselor Education, UCF

What if we took Kolhberg seriously? In 1972, Kolhberg and Mayer presented an argument for designing curriculum through an explicitly developmental lens. While the authors drew heavily on child-development theory and Piaget’s cognitive theory, Counselor Educators could use a similar lens for future counselors in training in their Theories courses. Our poster presentation will provide past and current research on developmental theory as it applies to adult learners. Drawing on Perry, Kolhberg, and Bronfrenbrenner, the presenters will suggest a new paradigm for teaching Theories courses with development as the explicit aim for counselors and their future clients alike.

An Investigation of Change Mechanisms Using Psychophysiological Data: Child-Centered Play Therapy with Children Exposed to ACEs

Caitlin Frawley, Counselor Education, UCF

The presenter conducted an intervention study and examined whether Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) theory-driven processes predicted autonomic nervous system regulation among children exposed to multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACES). The presenter will describe how counselors’ facilitative responses (e.g., reflections of feeling, limit setting) predicted moment-to-moment shifts in children’s sympathetic nervous system (SNS; as measured by skin conductance responses [SCR]) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS; as measured by heart rate variability [HRV] frequencies) regulatory responses during play therapy sessions. Additionally, the presenter will discuss connections between child-counselor physiological synchrony and the play therapy treatment process with children exposed to adversities.

Uniting Teams, Enhancing Outcomes: Examining the Impact of Universal Design for Learning and Adult Learning Theory on Professional Development for Early Steps Providers in Florida

Ashley Grays, Exceptional Education, UCF
Tahnee Wilder, Exceptional Education, UCF
Justin Nazario, Communication Sciences and Disorders, UCF
Elizabeth Levin, Communication Sciences and Disorders, UCF
Vanessa Ruiz, Communication Sciences and Disorders, UCF
Gionna DeBuono, Communication Sciences and Disorder, UCF
Haley Wilms, Communication Sciences and Disorders, UCF

This research proposal will review the teamwork performed by Undergraduate and Graduate Students in the Communication Disorder Program and doctoral students in the Exceptional Education Program in the development of professional development for Early Steps providers in the State of Florida., Our team will utilize Universal Design for Learning and the Adult Learning Theory to develop webinars and modules for professional development. We will look at the impact of Universal Design for Learning and the Adult Learning Theory on the quality of Needs assessments, Webinars, and Modules. We will use surveys and interviews to understand better how the professional development design affects the modules' effectiveness.

Dream 2B: Supporting Inclusive Elementary Math Instruction through Game-based Learning and Universal Design Principles

Kenneth Holman, Exceptional Education, UCF

Dream2B is a game-based learning environment that utilizes a universal design for learning approach and narrative-based mathematics instruction to help all students understand and conceptualize fractions. The game focuses on tier-2 fractions intervention to help introduce and reinforce learners’ fundamental understanding of fractions. Dream2B was designed to draw upon the benefits of both game-based mathematics curricula (Alafari et al., 2012; Siew, 2018) and the principles of Universal Design for Learning as a means of creating an accessible, asset based experience. The objective of this session is to introduce Dream2B as an inclusive instructional tool and discuss ongoing work.

An Exploratory Study on the Barriers to Rebuilding among Returnees

Itunu Ilesanmi, Public Affairs, UCF

The adverse impact of displacement on individuals extends to associated environmental destruction. During reintegration, returnees focus on rebuilding their lives, livelihoods, and community, although they face challenges while completing this reintegration phase. This study examines three essential things as they rebuild their personal lives, livelihoods, and communities. First, this process entails repairing all that had been destroyed or damaged during insurgency and displacement. 20 Participants were interviewed for this study in Michika Local Government Area to assess the barriers to rebuilding from their lived experiences. Participants indicated different factors needed to be put in place to achieve this. Participants also elaborate on the importance of support as a vulnerable group and the detriments associated with ineffective welfare intervention and unstable infrastructure. Finally, for reintegration to be sustainable, returnees express that all the barriers shared from their lived experience need to be addressed; only then can returnees gain or come close to regaining holistic stability (emotional, economic, physical, and social stability for reintegration).

The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Emergency Management: A Survey of Emergency Managers and Practitioners in Florida

Sara Iman, Public Affairs
*Yue Ge, Public Adminstration

This study examines the role of emergency-management-focused public-private partnerships (PPPs) in response to disasters. Using a web survey of the emergency managers and operators from public, private, and nonprofit sectors in Florida, this research proposal aims to answer the following research question. Do factors involved in the process of PPPs in emergency management predict emergency managers’ and operators’ perceptions of organizational resilience, PPP institutionalization, and PPP effectiveness? The findings of this study will help emergency managers across all sectors and policymakers to plan for, manage, and utilize their limited resources when collaborating with other organizations in response to disasters.

*Faculty member

Organizational Politics and Organizational Silence in the Public Sector: The Moderating Role of Public Service Motivation

Hanvit Kim, Public Affairs, UCF

Despite the sector and cultural differences, there are only a few research on the organizational silence in public organizations in the non-western culture. This article examines the effects of perceptions of organizational politics on organizational silence and the moderating effects of public service motivation on the relationship between the perceptions of organizational politics and organizational silence in local government in South Korea. For the estimation, we used OLS regression with 464 samples from Seoul metropolitan government in South Korea. The results indicate that perceptions of organizational politics are positively related to both acquiescent and defensive silence. Moreover, public service motivation mitigates the positive impact of perceptions of organizational politics on both acquiescent and defensive silence.

A Counseling Approach to Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP): The Multidimensional Benefits of a Counseling Focus in PAP

Kyle LaChance, Counselor Education, UCF

This paper examines research on psilocybin-assisted psychotherapies (PAP) in treating various client populations and seeks to make a case to move toward integration of psilocybin administration with current evidence-based counseling practices to expedite and improve client outcomes. Considering the mounting positive, significant, and sustained benefits of psilocybin use both in and out of a therapeutic treatment setting, and the increasing need for mental health services, there seems to be considerable merit in combining the two for reaching a larger audience, by reducing total number of therapy sessions, increasing retention of positive outcomes post-termination, and reducing stigma around mental health treatment.

What Brings an Innovative Mindset in Public Organizations? Examining the Links Between Public Service Motivation, Innovative Mindsets, and Transformational Leadership

Kyungmin Lee, Public Affairs, UCF

What makes constituents in public organizations more innovative? This study aims to address this question by analyzing the impact of public agencies’ public service motivation on their innovative mindsets. In addition, the impact of transformational leadership on public agencies’ public service motivation and innovative mindsets as a contextual factor. With structural equation modeling, this study estimates path coefficients with an observation of South Korea’s public agencies in central and local governments. The findings show that public service-motivated public agencies tend to entail an innovative mindset, which is affected by their supervisors’ propensity for transformational leadership. This study may contribute to a better understanding of the direct/indirect impact of transformational leadership on public service motivation and innovative mindsets.

Attitudes and Knowledge about Mental Health: Evaluating the Effectiveness of MHFA among Correctional Officers

Ashley Lockwood, Criminal Justice, UCF

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a gatekeeper training program designed to educate professionals on how to identify and respond to the mental health needs of adults. Limited research evaluating the effectiveness of MHFA among professionals working in justice system settings exists. As individuals with mental health issues are overrepresented in the correctional system, assessing preexisting attitudes toward mental health and the effectiveness of a mental health training program among correctional officers is important. Using a pretest/posttest design, the current study explored the effectiveness of the MHFA training program among a sample of 194 correctional officers in one Florida county.

The Taxonomy for Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Programs

Melanie Lopez, Exceptional Education, UCF
*Janice Seabrooks-Blackmore, Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities, UCF

Institutions of higher education offer comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities. A systematic process for strategically planning their postsecondary programs was needed. Therefore, a mechanism that combines existing literature and research to address program development specifically for students with intellectual disabilities was developed. A nominal group technique approach was used to identify strategies and practices to frame existing categories from a well-researched postsecondary taxonomy to develop the Taxonomy for Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Programs. These categories were incorporated into a planning tool used to assist institutions in developing comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs throughout Florida.

*Faculty member

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Exploring Teacher Experiences with Professional Development in Middle School English Language Arts Classrooms

Duaa Lutfi, Curriculum and Instruction, UCF

High-quality and effective professional development is necessary and “…should be made available to all teachers” (Borko, 2004, p. 3). This dissertation focuses on teacher professional development (PD) and an exploration into the meaning teachers attribute to a Professional Development (PD) experience. Stemming from interdisciplinary questions such as, how do we align PD to meet teachers’ needs and expectations? And how do teachers learn?, this study aims to examine the experiences and meanings of specific sixth grade ELA teachers in their participation in Freedom PD, a district-led PD series using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). IPA stems from qualitative and ontology research perspectives and captures the context of human experience, phenomena, and life. After thorough analysis of each participant interview transcript and reflection, the results of this dissertation shed light about the reality of the Freedom PD experience for each of the three participants. Moreover, these findings indicated four themes: embodiment, the Freedom PD experience, the meaning of PD, and connections to the Expectancy Value Theory (EVT). These themes demonstrated the need for teachers to be heard, their epistemological beliefs to be acknowledged, their meanings of a PD experience, and the design of PD that enhances task value, expectancies for success, and cost across all PD experiences. Results suggested the flexibility of IPA and its application to current PD practices of teachers’ experiences and meaning. Implications and recommendations such as, a prescreening survey given to future participants would aid the development of an aligned PD for teacher participations and collecting data across all four sessions of Freedom PD would better inform this phenomenon. Further research into teacher PD and IPA across other disciplines are also presented and discussed. These include researching participatory research approaches, a longitudinal study of Freedom PD over a course of two years, and the intersectionality of teacher PD, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, and Expectancy Value Theory (EVT).

Minorities and Healthcare: Is It Only Fear?

Audrey Lyons, Health Administration, UCF

Numerous articles have been written discussing the topic of why minorities do not utilize healthcare resources that may or may not be available to them. The reasoning is often centered around inaccurate fallacies that continue to get misconstrued time and time again. Although countless pieces of work argue what they believe is right, many lack the fieldwork that justifies the information they have inputted. This particular research that I have done takes a nosedive into said articles and determines the methods applied to collect the data and from whom the data was collected.

Technology-Supported Peer Feedback in ESL/EFL Writing Classes: A Grounded Theory Study

Padideh Fattahi Marnani, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, UCF

Research on the efficiency of technology-supported peer feedback activities in the ESL/EFL writing classroom has led to contradictory results. Some studies claim that it improves learners’ writing skill. Others mention technical difficulties or drawbacks affecting learners’ experiences. This ongoing debate calls for a meta-synthesis of studies published between 2011 and 2022. In this study, the authors identified 20 primary studies and analyzed them under the lens of Glaser and Strauss’s (1967) grounded theory constant comparison method. The findings revealed that students’ preferences, capabilities, and attitudes regarding the features of technology used in classes, contextual factors, suitable online platforms, and training both on the provision of proper feedback and the use of the selected technologies can determine the extent to which implementing technology-supported peer feedback activities would be successful.

The Competing Roles of Legal and Social Oppression on Black Americans

Katherine Wilson McCoy, Public Affairs, UCF

It is an axiom among both researchers and the public that American perceptions of the police are racially divided. Previous studies have traditionally focused on interracial perceptions, and have found support for social variables (e.g. education) and legal variables (e.g. prior arrest). The current study seeks to determine if legal oppression or social oppression are better predictors of negative attitudes toward the police among a sample of black university students. OLS regression was utilized to determine which set of factors better predict police perceptions. This intra-racial examination allows future research to parse nuances among police perceptions in the black community.

Learning in Virtual Spaces: An Interactional Ethnographic Perspective of Graduate Students Embracing Uncertainty for Learning During COVID-19

Megan Mitchell, Curriculum and Instruction, UCF
Lakelyn Taylor, Strategic Communication, UCF
Kate Babb, Counselor Education, UCF
Nicole Narkiewicz, Methodology, Measurement, and Analysis, UCF
Joseph Lloyd, Curriculum and Instruction, UCF
Patricia Cummings, Curriculum and Instruction, UCF
*Audra Skukauskaite, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced opportunities to experience learning and connection in unique ways. Learning in virtual spaces calls for agency to embrace uncertainty and discomfort (Skukauskaite et al., 2018). We argue graduate students can engage these challenges as opportunities through student organizations. Drawing on an interactional ethnographic perspective (Green & Bridges, 2018) focusing on discursive construction of common language and meanings, we explore how students created a virtual interdisciplinary research club. We use developmental research sequence (Spradley, 2016) and discourse analytic methods for analysis, following with findings of implications for faculty and students engaging in qualitative research dialogues beyond classes.

*Faculty member

Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports for Students with Social/Emotional Behavior Disabilities

Simonie Moore, Exceptional Education, UCF

Historically, students with disabilities weren’t allowed in the general education setting but Individuals with Disabilities Act IDEA (1990) and its amendments recognized by Congress, mandated schools must be inclusive of all students and use evidence-based approaches to support the behavioral needs students with disabilities (SWD). The current problem of behavior of students in elementary and middle school requires a preventative, whole-school approach (Sugai & Horner, 2002). The aim of the the literature review is to address strategies and conceptual frameworks to address K-12 students with social skill impairments, hindering their ability to remain full-time in inclusive, general education classrooms.

Assessing Social Media based Crisis Communication of Local Agencies During Hurricane Irma

Naiyara Noor, Civil Engineering, UCF

This research aims to examine crisis communication activities of a variety of local agencies on the Twitter platform in response to Hurricane Irma. In this study, we addressed three questions: 1. Which local agencies are leading in disseminating crisis information during a disaster in social media? 2. How to measure engagement activities of local agencies in social media for effective crisis communication? 3. How are the Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) associated with the engagement of agencies active in crisis communication posts? The study analyzed 13,353 hurricane-related tweets posted by the local agencies from eight counties in East Central Florida as well as federal and state agencies, and other nonprofit and private organizations during the hurricane response period.

Interorganizational Networks and Coordination in Emergency Management: Policy and Practice in Response to Disasters

Ratna Okhai, Public Affairs, UCF

Using network theory and network governance, this study measured the designed versus implemented networks during disaster response. Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Central Florida counties were used to examine interorganizational network effectiveness. The guiding research question was: What are the structural similarities and differences between planned and implemented interorganizational networks in response to disasters? Using a mixed method approach, this research analyzed policies/plans, after-action reports, and focus group interviews to understand the network differences. This research will demonstrate the practical need to examine the interorganizational network differences, and how policy change and adaptation can reflect the lessons learned from disaster response.

Reliability of Scales in Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Project for Engineering and Nanoscience of Materials and Device Applications in Biotechnology and Medicine

Comfort Omonkhodion, Methodology, Measurement, and Analysis, UCF

The aim of this study was to develop and improve the psychometric properties of nine scales for measuring the attitudes, intentions, research skills, self-efficacy, leadership, scientific identity, and communication skills of Nanoscience undergraduate student during an REU program at the University of Central Florida. We piloted several scales with the Nanoscience undergraduates on a pre- and post-questionnaire. Items were removed in order to increase reliability and decrease redundancy of the scales. Final reliability coefficient was greater than .860 for all scales. This set of scales can be used in evaluating other research program tailored towards undergraduate students in nanoscience.

Leveled Up: An Ethnography of the Student Union Game Room

Michelle Patterson, Exceptional Education , UCF
Nicole Narkiewicz, Methodology, Measurement, and Analysis, UCF
Megan Mitchell, Curriculum and Instruction, UCF
Padideh Fattahi Marnani, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, UCF
*Audra Skukauskaite, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF

Highlighted as the ‘heart of the campus’, the student union not only physically sits at the center of the campus but provides a social center for members of the UCF community to fully become part of campus life. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many students at UCF did not have a traditional start to their college experience. The purpose of our ethnographic study was to better understand the role of the student union, specifically the game room, for UCF students through interviews with students and stakeholders, observations, and discourse.

*Faculty member

Preservice Teacher Intersectional Awareness

Lindsey Pike, Exceptional Education, UCF

Intersectionality refers to the interconnection of social categories such as race, class, ability, and gender, which creates overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination, disadvantage, and/or oppression. Scholars in the field of special education emphasize the importance of intersectional frameworks for addressing educational equity. This presentation shares findings from a descriptive phenomenological study which explores the lived experiences related to intersectionality of preservice general education teachers completing an internship in an urban, Title 1-funded school. Results include tertiary and primary themes from participant interviews and a discussion around the implications for integrating intersectionality into teacher education research and practice.

Goin’ Back to de Island: Searching for a Culturally Relevant Methodology as a Bahamian Doctoral Student

Zonovia Proctor, Counselor Education, UCF , UCF
*Audra Skukauskaite, Learning Sciences and Educational Research

The presenters will share their journey to identifying an indigenous methodology for a counselor education dissertation and will introduce the chosen methodology: Liming and Ole Talk. Drawing on the learning journal of a Bahamian doctoral student, we explore the processes of searching for and learning methodology that speaks in culturally relevant and sensitive ways. The existing literature in counselor education discusses the need for studies utilizing non-western methodologies, yet methodological preparation and scholarship on emerging indigenous methods and their application is rarely present in doctoral education and research.

*Faculty member

Examining Interagency Relations During COVID-19

Krystle Roman, Criminal Justice, UCF
*Bethany Backes, Criminal Justice, UCF
Kayla Toohy, Sociology, UCF
Mackenzie Masters, Criminal Justice, UCF
*William Moreto, Criminal Justice, UCF
*Erica R. Fissel, Criminal Justice, UCF
Amy Reckdenwald, Sociology, UCF
Shelleta Ladonice, Public Affairs, UCF

The COVID-19 pandemic led to major disruptions in the operation of the criminal justice system. Interagency relations were particularly challenged as stay-at-home mandates and remote work required varying agency personnel to work together to navigate the unknowns of the pandemic and provide victim services. Data for this study were collected from police officers, criminal justice system-based domestic violence advocates, and prosecutors. Preliminary findings suggest that interagency relations experienced both challenges and improvements. The study discusses key findings on the experiences of criminal justice personnel and how they responded and adapted to the pandemic to support domestic violence victims.

*Faculty members

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health in a Community Counseling Clinic

James Rujimora, Counselor Education, UCF
Dania Fakhro, Counselor Education, UCF
Sarah L. Mendoza, Counselor Education, Montana State University
*Melissa Zeligman, Counselor Education and School Psychology, UCF

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a public health crisis known to effect adult social and emotional functioning. We investigated the presence of ACEs in a clinical training clinic (i.e., a clinic serving the community while also providing counselors-in-training with actual community clients), as well as the impact of these ACEs on client symptoms before and after attending counseling (N = 90). The results showed that 68% of the sample reported two or more ACEs, but that ACEs were not predictive of client symptoms prior to counseling or following three weeks of counseling. Implications for counseling and supervision are provided.

*Faculty member

"It becomes a family I'm a part of...we get to carry each other." Themes from Qualitative Interview of Patients Enrolled in an Inpatient Palliative Care Support Program for Adolescents and Young Adults

James Rujimora, Counselor Education, UCF
Anna Swygert, University of Florida
Andrew Walker, Emory University
Zachary McNiece, University of Florida
Eunhui Yoon, Florida State University
Mercedes Machado, University of Florida
Kenneth Myers, University of Florida
Eric Richardson, Veteran Affairs
Emilie Lenes, University of Florida
Lindsay Hebert, Unite Us, Baltimore, Maryland
Emily Marchi, University of Florida
Zoe Arthuson-McColl, Chicago-Kent College of Law
Joanne Lagmay, University of Florida
Ana Puig, University of Florida

Limited evidence exists about the lived experiences of adolescents and young adults (AYA) in palliative care. A retrospective, cross-sectional study was completed using thematic analysis of interviews with AYA’s. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted at a large, southeastern hospital in the United States. Five major themes emerged: 1) normalization of life in hospital, 2) mental health and instillation of hope, 3) companionship and connection, 4) diversity of volunteers, and 5) gratitude. Results revealed peer support participation in a palliative care program benefited from volunteer social support. Implications and recommendations for pediatric palliative care programs are suggested.

Discourse Analysis Study: Depictions of Anxiety in Young Adult (YA) Literature

Sydney Smith, Curriculum and Instruction, UCF

This critical discourse analysis was conducted to determine language used in the depictions of the protagonists in two young adult fiction texts. Further, this study explored how the authors of the two YA fiction novels provided readers with authentic behaviors about anxiety disorders in alignment with the diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Ed., DSM-5). Findings from this critical discourse analysis revealed that the authors of theses novels provided authentic behaviors about anxiety disorders and presented accurate depictions of the protagonists’ experiences, behaviors, identities, and social relationships.

Social and Systemic Influences on International Students’ Choice of a STEM Major

Rebecca Soto, Applied Learning and Instruction, UCF
*Shiva Jahani, Learning Sciences and Educational Research, UCF

Countless factors and experiences influence the choices students make regarding their education and career. In this study, we examined the potential impacts on international students’ decisions to study STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) through the lens of Social Cognitive Theory (Bussey & Bandura, 1999). We surveyed 208 international students at the University of Central Florida on 10 potential reasons why they chose STEM majors, how they finance studying abroad, gender stereotypes they observed throughout their K–postsecondary education in their countries of origin, and how they perceive women’s global representation in STEM fields. Then, we used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the dataset with gender- and finance-related constructs as explanatory variables that impact the salience of various reasons for selecting a STEM major. The analysis resulted in three main findings. First, financial considerations and the availability of government-funded opportunities explained 6.0% of the variance in choice of STEM major (p < .05). Second, women's lack of prominence in respondents' lived experiences in higher-education and the availability of government-funded opportunities explained 4.1% of the variance (p < .01). Finally, (a) job outlooks for women and the "chance to help others" and (b) women's lack of prominence in secondary education and the prospect for steady employment each explained 2.4% of the variance (p < .05). Overall, these findings support the salience of both financial concerns and gender-stereotyped, patriarchal culture influencing respondents to choose STEM majors for financial safety and/or egalitarianism.

*Faculty member

The Role of Virtual Campus Tours in the College Selection Process

Christopher Thompson, Educational Leadership, UCF

Due to decreases in state funding and hypercompetitive applicant pools, college admission offices must leverage new recruitment practices to remain competitive. In response to Covid-19, many colleges incorporated virtual campus tours as a recruitment tool. The purpose of this study is to understand if or how virtual tours influence a student's college choice process by analyzing how virtual tours fit into college choice models and how they affect a student’s perceived level of institutional fit. Understanding how students use virtual tours will assist colleges in recruiting students and providing students with the information needed to make an informed college choice.

A Qualitative Study of Barriers/Facilitators to Harm Reduction Program Sustainability

Rachel Totaram, Public Affairs, UCF

The US is experiencing an opioid crisis and increasing rates of HIV/AIDS. Harm reduction programs (HRPs) reduce overdose and HIV transmission. We sought to identify barriers and facilitators to sustaining US HRPs. Methods: We conducted 15 focus groups with a national convenience sample of 62 HRP leaders. We analyzed data using iterative categorization to identify sustainment barriers and facilitators. Results: Themes identified include: funding, trust between HRPs/their participants, government policy, community relationships, stigma, and physical availability of services. Stigma was directly/indirectly related to all themes. Conclusion: Because stigma related to all themes, stakeholders could prioritize addressing drug use-related stigma.

Drug Testing and COVID-19: A Mixed Method Study of Testing Protocol Changes in Community Supervision

Marlana Vazquez, Criminal Justice, UCF

This presentation explores how agencies changed drug testing protocols, including whether they implemented new testing capabilities as a result of COVID-19. In addition to agency-level changes, this presentation examines probation/parole officer experiences with drug testing during the pandemic. This presentation draws on surveys of agency directors and interviews with officers collected during October 2020 through January 2021. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used that demonstrate significant changes and reductions in agencies' use of drug testing methods, but key innovations and adaptations were identified. Results from logistic regression indicate agency-level characteristics and the ability of the agency to implement COVID19 mitigation strategies influenced drug testing capabilities. Qualitative analyses identified themes surrounding officer concerns about the inability to drug test clients and fears about widespread drug use since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings have important implications for thinking about policies to ensure safety and health during drug testing, but also considerations for both client needs and supervision effectiveness.

Using Biometrics to Explore Self-Regulation Skills in Students with Disabilities

Tahnee L. Wilder, Exceptional Education, UCF

Our research will explore the use of biometrics to explore self-regulation skills in students with disabilities. Many students with disabilities struggle with self-regulation skills, making communication and academic tasks difficult. We will explore the potential of biometrics to measure self-regulation. We will discuss how biometrics can be used to objectively measure the physical and emotional states of students with disabilities and observe the impact of interventions on self-regulation. This research could have far-reaching implications for the development of self-regulation skills of students with disabilities and could lead to the development of more effective interventions. Ultimately, we hope to demonstrate that biometrics could be an effective tool for understanding and developing self-regulation skills in students with disabilities.