Mon Feb 1
The Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office selected two UCF legal studies students to help develop an educational video for a new underage drinking diversion course, which launched in December 2020. Last semester, Marc Consalo, associate lecturer of legal studies, offered students extra credit in his Professionalism & Civility in the Law course if they pitched ideas for the video. Students…
Wed Jan 20
A few years ago my Aunt Vickey called me, and I answered. The answering part is important to the story because I have a reputation for sending calls to voicemail. But it was Aunt Vickey, and I have learned that when your aunt calls, you answer. So, I answered, and after exchanging pleasantries, our conversation…
Tue Dec 8
Research shows that students with disabilities become disenfranchised with the idea of pursuing a career in a STEM-related field by the time they enter middle school, explains Matthew Marino, professor of exceptional student education. There are several reasons for this, says Marino, from simply struggling with the content to being discouraged due to their disability, despite…
Fri Dec 4
When academics and experts from different disciplines collaborate, major advancements and necessary changes can happen for the betterment of the field, especially in education. In 2011, the National Science Foundation created CADRE, the Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education, to facilitate an environment for this collaboration to occur. The group of early STEM researchers…
Thu Dec 3
Sometime after Lindsey Palm graduates this month — soon after UCF’s virtual commencement ceremony and her celebration with her COVID bubble — she plans to find a moment of quiet in her home to sit at her laptop and start an email. Even though it will sit in an inbox unread for the next 16…
Thu Dec 3
Teacher preparation programs are instrumental for long-term improvement in teacher effectiveness and retention. STEM teacher preparation programs are designed to prepare undergraduate and graduate students to become certified teachers in mathematics or science education. The programs consist of STEM-related content courses, teaching methods courses and field-based experiences, including student teaching internships in K-12 schools. Research…
Mon Nov 30
Presentations on interrupting the achievement gap of students, technology for cooling devices, and understanding near-earth asteroids received the top prizes this year at UCF’s annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition. The international event challenges doctoral students to present their research in three minutes using only one slide as a prompt. Judging of the students is…
Mon Nov 30
The University of Central Florida and its partners this month will launch the Center for Innovation, Design and Digital Learning, a national hub that will be open 24/7 to help professors get a leg up on using technology. Before the global pandemic rocked the country, the U.S. Department of Education was already talking about a…
Fri Nov 27
During the next five years, a team of researchers from UCF will work with UCP of Central Florida, a nonprofit organization and charter school system, to investigate whether artificial intelligence and robots can help elementary students with autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities be more aware of their emotions and recognize other’s nonverbal cues in…
Mon Nov 23
When Destini Johnson arrived to escort more than 60 elementary students to after-school care on February 14, 2018, the last thing she expected was to be alerted to an active assailant at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School – less than two miles away. Johnson, a recreation aide for the City of Parkland at the time,…
Fri Nov 20
Anew report co-authored by a University of Central Florida researcher has found that easing state regulations affecting solar energy production in Florida could result in a more than $3 billion economic benefit to the state, support 18,000 jobs and reduce numerous greenhouse gases emitted each year. The regulations state that anyone selling power in Florida, regardless of…
Wed Nov 18
UCF has patented new technologies that use sensors to create virtual simulations that respond to individuals to help people conquer fears and anxiety. The premise is to use emerging sensor-based technology to help people suffering from anxiety disorders, individuals with autism spectrum disorder or those with executive functioning issues, says Lisa Dieker, an exceptional student education professor and…
Wed Nov 18
Our parents are our first teachers, and in my case they were also my Girl Scout troop leaders. Although I was not the most enthusiastic Brownie or Junior Girl Scout, I endured campsite latrines for the opportunities to sell cookies, accumulate badges and socialize with other girls my age. Having my parents as troop leaders…
Tue Nov 17
The number of Americans age 65 and older continues to increase as the baby boom generation ages and people are living longer. At the same time, many seniors plan to “age in place,” or continue living in their current homes, despite needing more assistance as they get older. One strategy for aging in place is…
Thu Nov 12
Anthony Daniels wakes up every morning with a single word in his mind: focus. It’s taken the UCF student years to get to this point in his life; a place of acceptance for the abuse he suffered as a child and the disappointments he has had to endure. Now, as the 30-year-old is one semester…
Thu Nov 12
Researchers from the University of Central Florida are conducting a study to determine if mini robots used in the classroom to teach children coding skills can also help students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder improve their communication and social skills. These minibots, also known as social robots, are designed to interact with humans through speech,…
Thu Oct 29
University of Central Florida researchers are leading an interdisciplinary project to help communities use artificial intelligence and smart technologies to bounce back from disasters quickly. The project is funded by a recently announced $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation as part of its Smart and Connected Communities program. The three-year project will examine…
Wed Oct 28
The work of the Community Counseling and Research Center was recognized recently when they were given the “Pete Fisher” Humanitarian Award from the Florida Counseling Association. The award is given to an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to the betterment of humanity and the human condition. The center is a clinical and supervision…
Wed Oct 28
Each fall, the university recognizes faculty who have made a national and international impact through their research, teaching and service, by inducting new members into the Scroll and Quill Society. What started as two different prestigious faculty clubs in the 1980s is now a recognition program for faculty of all disciplines. “This society is a…
Wed Oct 21
Local governments offer a myriad of initiatives to support the needs of their communities. The challenge of launching and sustaining new policies is often tied to difficulties collaborating effectively. This effort of coordination and communication within city government is what Christopher Hawkins, professor of public administration, will be researching with a colleague from the University of Kansas…