A Focus Group Study of Blind Voters in Alachua County

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 1111-1113
Author(s):  
Brianna Posadas ◽  
Imani Sherman ◽  
Divyalashmi Mahendran ◽  
Gabriela Burgalia ◽  
Juan Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
County Council ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Voice Input ◽  
Alachua County ◽  
Voting System ◽  
Electronic Voting System ◽  
The University

Of the 15.6 million people with disabilities who voted in the 2012 United States Presidential Election, one- third had difficulties voting at the precinct. This statistic is one of the reasons work continues on Prime III, an all-accessible electronic voting system, designed to be used by all voters, regardless of ability or disability. To describe the current state of voting for disabled voters and identify issues Prime III can further address, focus groups were conducted with the Alachua County Council of the Blind in Florida. Four focus groups were run with 18 participants in total. Preliminary results find that while the current accessible voting machines satisfactorily allow disabled voters to cast their votes, there are features and functions Prime III can provide that are not available now such as voice input, universal access, and privacy. Next steps include conducting focus groups with disabled students at the University of Florida.

Do Lower Student to Counselor Ratios Reduce School Disciplinary Problems?

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott E Carrell ◽  
Susan A Carrell
Keyword(s):  
School Counselors ◽  
Low Income ◽  
School Counselor ◽  
Unobserved Heterogeneity ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Alachua County ◽  
Disciplinary Problems ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The University

AbstractThe American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommends that there be no more than 250 students to each school counselor. Although numerous studies in the education literature show that school counselors play a positive role in educating children, to our knowledge, this is the first study answering the question of whether lower student to counselor ratios, all else equal, improve student outcomes. Using data provided to us by Florida's Alachua County School District and the University of Florida Counselor Education Department, we show that lower student to counselor ratios decrease both the recurrence of student disciplinary problems and the share of students involved in a disciplinary incident. These effects are greater for minority and low-income students. The fixed-effect models used, control for all unobserved heterogeneity across schools, isolating the effects on discipline from the within-school changes in the student-to-counselor ratio. The empirical methodologies employed produce unbiased estimates as long as the variation in the student to counselor ratio is not driven by unobserved factors that affect disciplinary outcomes.

scholarly journals Determination of the diversity of astroviruses in feces from cats in Florida

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia E. Lawler ◽  
Kirstin A. Cook ◽  
Hannah G. Williams ◽  
Linda L. Archer ◽  
Karen E. Schaedel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Outreach ◽  
Outreach Program ◽  
Enteric Disease ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Alachua County ◽  
Three Samples ◽  
Causative Relationship ◽  
The University ◽  
Future Test

Astroviruses are small, nonenveloped RNA viruses that have been linked to numerous diseases in a variety of species, including enteric disease in humans and cheetahs. Species Mamastrovirus 2, previously known as feline astrovirus, has been isolated from the feces of domestic cats and cheetahs. A total of 122 cat fecal samples from Alachua County, FL Animal Services and the Veterinary Community Outreach Program at the University of Florida were analyzed, and 35 contained astroviral RNA that was amplified and identified using consensus RT-PCR and sequence analysis. Using phylogenetic analysis, 19 of the astroviral sequences were identified as Mamastrovirus 2, making it the most prevalent astrovirus in this population. Three samples were identified as an astrovirus similar to viruses previously identified in foxes in The Netherlands and a cat in California, and one was similar to a bat astrovirus. One astroviral sequence was identified as an Avastrovirus. Although a causative relationship between mamastroviruses and enteric disease in cats has yet to be established, it is clear that mamastroviruses are prevalent, and an understanding of prevalence of astroviral types may help direct future test development.

scholarly journals Usability and Users’ Satisfaction on Online Electronic Voting System

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Adib Sarkawi ◽  
Aiza Johari ◽  
Azlina Bujang ◽  
Zainon Haji Bibi
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Method ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
Likert Scales ◽  
Social Club ◽  
Voting System ◽  
General Elections ◽  
Spss Software ◽  
Electronic Voting System ◽  
The University ◽  
Usability Criteria

This paper identifies the respondents’ views towards e-Voting (electronic technology voting) such as the process, users’ satisfaction, and relevancy, and to determine the usability criteria of e- voting’s interface, in which it employs a quantitative method, using self-administered adapted questionnaires. The survey involves 250 respondents (voters), who immediately completed five Likert scales survey after they had voted for the committee members in two general elections: a social club for the university’s staff (using Internet) and an organization for the female staff of the university (using the Intranet). The respondents were of different demographic backgrounds and they casted their online votes at two different periods (two years difference). The data were analysed using the SPSS software. The study found positive responses from most of the voters in which they expressed their satisfaction that e-Voting was convenient and easy to be used in the voting process, where the system illustrated relevant content and generated adequate procedures. Notably, the usability criteria of the interface of e-Voting as indicated by most respondents are between good to very good scales (navigation, graphic, user-friendliness andconsistency, content, and transparency).

scholarly journals Internal Medicine Residents’ Perceptions of Nephrology as a Career: A Focus Group Study

Kidney360 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (10) ◽  
pp. 1050-1057
Author(s):  
Natalie Beck ◽  
Seth Furgeson ◽  
Michel Chonchol ◽  
Jessica Kendrick
Keyword(s):  
Internal Medicine ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
University Of Colorado ◽  
Internal Medicine Residents ◽  
The University

BackgroundInterest in nephrology as a career has declined dramatically over the past several years. Only 62% of nephrology fellowship positions are filled for the upcoming 2020 appointment year. The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions, attitudes, motivators, and barriers to a career in nephrology among internal medicine residents.MethodsWe recruited focus groups of internal medicine residents (N=25) from the University of Colorado, and asked questions aimed at exploring perceptions, attitudes, and barriers to a career in nephrology, and ways to increase interest in nephrology. All focus groups were conducted on the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus. Focus group sessions were recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was used to identify key concepts and themes.ResultsResidents described many barriers to a career in nephrology, including lack of exposure, lack of advances in the field, low monetary compensation, high complexity, lack of role models/mentors, and low-prestige/noncompetitive nature of the field. Most residents had no exposure to outpatient nephrology. Lack of new therapeutics was a significant deterrent to nephrology. Nephrology teaching in medical school was described as not clinically relevant and too complicated. Several residents felt they were not smart enough for nephrology. Only three residents had a role model within nephrology. Residents used the word “stigmatized” to describe nephrology, and discussed how low prestige decreased their interest in a field. Participants expressed suggestions to increase interest in nephrology through earlier and more outpatient nephrology exposure, enhanced interactions with nephrologists, and research and advancements in the field.ConclusionsResidents identified several modifiable barriers to a career in nephrology. Changing how nephrology is taught in medical school, enhancing interactions with nephrologists through increased exposure, and highlighting research and advancements in nephrology may change the perception of nephrology and increase the number of residents entering the field.

scholarly journals The Association of Severe Epidemics of Cucumber Mosaic in Commercial Fields of Pepper and Tobacco in North Florida with Inoculum in Commelina benghalensis and C. communis

Plant Disease ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 82 (10) ◽  
pp. 1172-1172 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. Kucharek ◽  
D. E. Purcifull ◽  
R. G. Christie ◽  
K. D. Perkins
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cucurbita Pepo ◽  
The United States ◽  
Yield Losses ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Commelina Benghalensis ◽  
Alachua County ◽  
Coat Protein Mediated Resistance ◽  
The University ◽  
Line Patterns

Since 1995, severe epidemics of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) have occurred in select fields of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and pepper (Capsicum annuum) in three counties in northern Florida. Yield losses greater than 50% have occurred in both crops. Baker and Zettler (1) identified the presence of CMV in one plant of tropical spiderwort (Commelina benghalensis) in an organic garden on the campus of the University of Florida 10 years ago. In addition, they infected tropical spiderwort and Asiatic dayflower (Commelina communis) with isolates of CMV. Since 1995, in one area of northern Alachua County, Asiatic dayflower has been found in abundance in and around some fields and found to be infected with CMV. Prior to this time, CMV had not been known to be epidemic in any crop in northern Florida. Also, commelinaceous weeds did not occur in such abundance in northern Florida. In Hamilton County, an epidemic of CMV occurred in one field of tobacco in 1997. Tropical spiderwort with viral-like symptoms was growing abundantly in that field. The symptoms in this weed included chlorotic ringspots and chevron-like line patterns. Light microscopy, with Azure A stain, revealed the presence of typical inclusions of CMV in pepper, tobacco, tropical spiderwort, and Asiatic dayflower. Symptomatic samples of the tobacco and the tropical spiderwort reacted in an immunodiffusion test with antiserum to a winged bean isolate of CMV (2). Extracts from tropical spiderwort (isolate 3603) were rubbed on squash. This isolate was thereafter maintained in squash (Cucurbita pepo cvs. Prelude II or Early Prolific Straightneck). Infected plants of both of these cultivars developed strong mosaic symptoms and were stunted. After passage through squash, the 3603 isolate induced mosaic in tobacco (cv. Burley 21). Some plants of the squash cultivars Destiny III and Liberator III, which have transgenic, coat protein-mediated resistance to CMV, developed restricted symptoms after inoculation with this isolate. CMV was recovered by back inoculation from symptomatic plants of these cultivars. Symptomless plants of tropical spiderwort transplanted from the field developed chlorotic ringspots and chevron-like line patterns following inoculation in the greenhouse with isolate 3603. Back inoculations to squash followed by immunodiffusion assays confirmed the presence of CMV in the inoculated tropical spiderwort plants but CMV was not detected in noninoculated control plants. This is the first report of tropical spiderwort being infected with CMV in a commercial situation in the United States. Because commelinaceous plants are well known to be excellent hosts of CMV (1), we believe that the increased presence of perennial, commelinaceous weeds is a factor contributing to the epidemics of CMV in northern Florida. References: (1) C. A. Baker and F. W. Zettler. Plant Dis. 72:513, 1988. (2) C. A. Ku-wite and D. E. Purcifull. Plant Dis. 66:1071, 1982.

scholarly journals Closing the feedback loop for clicker questions

2016 ◽  
pp. 30-33
Author(s):  
Simon Bates ◽  
Keith Brunton
Keyword(s):  
Academic Staff ◽  
Software Tool ◽  
Electronic Voting ◽  
Teaching Innovation ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Voting System ◽  
System Data ◽  
Electronic Voting System ◽  
Physics Course ◽  
The University

We describe the output from a recently-funded JISC Learning and Teaching Innovation Grant: Electronic Voting Analysis and Feedback for all (EVAF4All). We have created a web-based software tool (EVAF) that allows electronic voting system data captured at the point of delivery in lectures, to be fed back to students, thus providing valuable formative feedback of their progress over what can be a large number of such questions. In institutions where 'loanership' models of handset distribution are used (typically, when students keep the same handset for a whole course or year) this is particularly powerful as it can supply students with their own data as well as the aggregate data from the rest of the cohort. Academic staff can use the tool to evaluate the effectiveness of their clicker questions as an aide to course monitoring or development processes. We briefly cover the technical aspects of the system we have built and also present a case study of its use in an introductory Physics course taught at the University of Edinburgh.

FloRunTM ‘331’ Peanut Variety

EDIS ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry L. Tillman
Keyword(s):  
Seed Size ◽  
Growth Habit ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
High Yield ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
High Oleic ◽  
Central Stem ◽  
Research And Education ◽  
The University ◽  
High Yield Potential

FloRunTM ‘331’ peanut variety was developed by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, North Florida Research and Education Center near Marianna, Florida.  It was released in 2016 because it combines high yield potential with excellent disease tolerance. FloRunTM ‘331’ has a typical runner growth habit with a semi-prominent central stem and medium green foliage.  It has medium runner seed size with high oleic oil chemistry.

2011 BEEF FORAGE SURVEY RESULTS

EDIS ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja C. Crawford ◽  
Christa L. Kirby ◽  
Tycee Prevatt ◽  
Brent A. Sellers ◽  
Maria L. Silveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Program Evaluation ◽  
Organizational Development ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
South Florida ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Development Unit ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
County Extension ◽  
Ranch Management ◽  
The University

The University of Florida / IFAS South Florida Beef Forage Program (SFBFP) is composed of county Extension faculty and state specialists.  The members, in conjunction with the UF/IFAS Program Evaluation and Organizational Development unit, created a survey in 1982, which is used to evaluate ranch management practices.  The survey is updated and distributed every 5 years to ranchers in 14 South Florida counties: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Okeechobee, Polk, and Sarasota.  The responses are anonymous.  

Undoing Difference: Academic Historians and theDownton AbbeyAudience

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-41
Author(s):  
Charles Upchurch
Keyword(s):  
Public Engagement ◽  
First World War ◽  
Fan Culture ◽  
World War ◽  
Academic History ◽  
Voting System ◽  
Popular Interest ◽  
The 2008 Financial Crisis ◽  
The University ◽  
First World

A number of proposals have been put forward in recent years by historians in both the British and American academies for increasing the audience for academic history. In part this is due to the significant reduction in support for history programmes in both countries since the 2008 financial crisis. Absent from those proposals, however, is a call to use the popular interest generated by programmes such as Downton Abbey to foster an appreciation for academic history outside the university. Drawing on theories of fan culture developed within media and cultural studies, this article argues for the compatibility of academic history and communities created by fans. It discusses my experience of using Downton Abbey to lecture on the pre-First World War British voting system, utilising the biographies of the show's characters to demonstrate the ways in which British voting was far more restricted in practice than it seemed. The article argues that even those committed to the most traditional forms of academic history can take advantage of opportunities presented by shows like Downton Abbey. It then explores the connections between this method of public engagement and Judith Butler's arguments in Undoing Gender, which examine how conditions for recognition and communication across ideological and cultural divisions can be created.

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