UNT Theses and Dissertations - 75 Matching Results

Search Results

Background Characteristics and Matriculation Rationale of Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Students in Selected Two-Year Colleges: The research was designed to test the hypothesis that significant differences exist between Hispanic and non-Hispanic students respecting background characteristics and reasons for enrollment in selected two-year colleges. The findings led to firm conclusions regarding the need for educational institutions to provide remedial and tutorial services, liberal financial aid, culturally sensitive institutional ambience, diversity in faculty, counselors, and staff, and instructional and student development programs responsive to the cultural diversity of all students.
Attitudes of Faculty Members Toward the Integration of Faith and Discipline at Selected Southern Baptist Colleges and Universities: The attitudes toward the integration of faith and discipline of full-time faculty members at five selected Southern Baptist colleges and universities which are members of the Christian College Coalition were explored for this study. The integration of faith and discipline is a concept unique to Southern Baptist higher education. Arthur Walker, Jr., of the Education Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention defines the concept as referring to the mission of the institution, the personal faith of faculty members, and the professional involvement and interaction of faculty members with their students, regardless of disciplines. Since little information exists on faculty attitudes toward this concept, data were collected through a survey instrument on three dimensions of integration: professorial integration in the classroom, professorial integration in and out of the classroom, and institutional integration of faith and discipline.
Effect of Non-Uniform Calculation of Grade Point Average and Rank in Class by Texas Public School Districts upon Admissions to Public Four-Year Higher Education Institutions in Texas: This study sought to determine the ways in which Texas public school districts differ in their calculation of Grade Point Average/Rank in Class (GPA/RIC), how district size affects weighting practices, and the effect of non-uniform calculation of GPA/RIC on admissions to college. Descriptive and non-parametric analysis techniques were used.
Secondary Social Studies Teaching Competencies as Perceived by Student-Teachers, Instructors, and Administrators in Thailand: The major purpose of this study was to determine what differences exist among groups of social studies student-teachers, instructors, and administrators in eight teachers colleges in Northern Thailand regarding their perceptions of the importance of selected social studies teaching competencies.
Competencies and In-Service Training of Functional Literacy Teachers in Northeastern Thailand: This study was designed to determine (a) the most important knowledge and skills for functional literacy teachers; (b) the most important competencies to be covered in in-service training; (c) whether there were any differences between the perceptions of functional literacy teachers, supervisors, and administrators in terms of needed competencies or areas of training; and (d) whether there were any differences in the perceptions of teachers, supervisors and administrators regarding the need for competencies and for training of functional literacy teachers based upon these variables: age, years of experience in formal and nonformal education, and training in the functional literacy program. It was found that teachers, supervisors, and administrators agreed that most competencies listed in the instrument were important. No significant difference was found in their perceptions of the importance of the competencies. A significant difference was found in the perceptions of the needs for training among these three groups.
The Development of Public Administration as a Field of Study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: The purpose of this study was to investigate the evolution and development of the field of public administration in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Factors which brought about programs of public administration and which have been influential in the development of these programs were analyzed. Although the historical roots of Saudi public administration are traced to the recapture of Riyadh by the late King Abdulaziz Al-Saud in 1902, modern public administration in the Kingdom actually began in 1953 with a royal decree which established the Council of Ministers. Factors that led to the establishment of the Institute of Public Administration and the birth of public administration programs at major Saudi universities include the country's rapid socioeconomic growth, rapid administrative expansion, and policies of administrative reform, higher education development, and the ambitious Five-Year Plans. Despite the fact that attention to the field of public administration in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia dates back to the establishment of the College of Commerce at King Saud University in 1959, the real start of teaching public administration in Saudi universities is considered recent. The field of public administration is paralleled with the establishment of the Departments of Public Administration in King Abdulaziz University in 1971, followed by similar steps at King Saud University in 1978. This study revealed that the Saudi Institute of Public Administration and institutions of higher education offering programs of public administration have played a highly influential role in the development of public administration in the Kingdom. However, current research in the field and practice of public administration at the university level is narrowly focused on faculty promotion. The research conducted for this study did not clarify the degree to which efforts are being made to bring theory closer to actual practice. However, a greater need for coordination between university-based public …
The Development of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Bangkok, Thailand: The purpose of this study was to describe the development of Thailand's oldest private university, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Bangkok, Thailand, from 1963 to 1987. This historical research used records and documents which are primary sources from the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Association of Private Higher Education Institutions of Thailand together with interviews with the chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, president, faculty and staff of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. Secondary sources were reports and publications from the Ministry of University Affairs and libraries in Thailand. The areas of emphasis in the study were government policies on private higher education, legislation that initiated the founding of the University, the founder, the university's goals, the university's organizational structure, financial sources, admission policies, physical plants, programs, faculty and students. It was found that the Thai government encourages the establishment of private higher education institutions. The Private Higher Educational Institution Act of 1979 was enacted to allow Private universities to be equal to government universities. The university of the Thai Chamber of Commerce was founded by the Thai Chamber of Commerce with the purpose of training Thai students for the business sector and promoting the economic stability of the nation. The university's organizational structure is centralized and is self-supporting. The university strives for academic excellence, and thus supports the development of the nation. Suggestions for further study include: (a) the study of private higher education institutions which were established with all of the various fields of study in place, and (b) a study to identify factors that will contribute to the future development of the university of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and other private universities in Thailand.
A Historical Study of the Impact of the Christian Development on the Contributions of Frank C. Laubach in Literacy Education: Frank C. Laubach made substantial contributions both to literacy education and the Christian life. There were between sixty and one hundred million people who learned to read through his literacy campaigns. He traveled to 130 countries developing literacy primers in 312 languages. At the same time, Laubach was a missionary mystic, spiritual experimenter and leader among Protestant Christians. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between two important parts of Laubach's life: his Christian development and literacy education. The study presents an overview of the family and social background of Frank C. Laubach from a chronological framework. Additional chapters examine: the importance of i-he Christian disciplines in Laubach's life, the impact of the missionary call and Laubach's concern for Christian social responsibility. The final chapter summarizes and evaluates the research. Both the Laubach collection, found in the George Arents Research Library at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, and the library at Laubach Literacy International in Syracuse, provided the resources for comprehensive research in the life of Frank C. Laubach.
Participants and Nonparticipants in Nonformal Education in Thai Rural Areas: A Secondary- Analysis: This study was a secondary analysis of survey data on participants and nonparticipants in Thai rural education programs. The original data were collected in 1987 by the Office of the National Educational Commission, Office of the Prime Minister, Bangkok Thailand. This study was conducted in order to examine the effect of selected demographic variables on participation and to determine why some rural villagers participate in nonformal educational programs and other villagers do not. The data were collected from a survey of nonformal education in Thai rural areas conducted as part of the evaluation of the Fifth Five-Year Plan. The population consisted of 590 participants in nonformal education programs and 860 nonparticipants. The statistical techniques employed to analyze data were logit analysis, z-test, tables of binomial distribution, and ranking by each of the groups (participants and nonparticipants). The evidence from this study indicates that the average nonformal education participant is an adult between the age of 36 and 50 years, who has completed four or less years of education, and who is married and works in farming (cultivating rice). The findings reveal that participants and nonparticipants in nonformal education programs were significantly different according to their needs for health knowledge, agricultural knowledge, further education, knowledge for living, and vocational knowledge. The reasons associated with participation in nonformal education programs, in this study, were to gain knowledge useful for making a living, for personal interest, to interact with instructors and students, or to make new friends. In this study, the reasons that villagers did not participate in the program were because they lacked time and transportation. While majority of the participants responded that they were satisfied with the nonformal educational courses, four subgroups, adults from age 21 to 35 years, single adults, adults who completed P.5 (grade 5) and above, and farmers, …
Physiologic and Hematologic Responses Resulting From High-Intensity Training Among Elite Female Middle- and Long-Distance Runners: The problem addressed in this study is whether physiologic, hematologic, and performance parameters obtained during and after a long term program of anaerobic and aerobic exercise can be used as markers of chronic fatigue.
Police Academies at Community Colleges in Texas: The problem of this study was selected aspects of public community college non-credit law enforcement training programs in Texas. Purposes of the study were: (a) to examine the development of police academies at community colleges in Texas; (b) to provide normative data describing the academies in terms of background, organization and administration, adequacy of facilities and equipment, personnel, student policies and practices, the program administrator's perceptions of internal and external support, involvement of outside forces and the extent of the program, and (c) to provide data which community colleges can use in organizing and developing police academies.
Thai High School Compute Literacy: A Content Analysis: This study examined the extent to which each computer literacy objective domain, each specific mode of instruction, and each type of question were treated in Thai high school computer literacy text materials. Two textbooks and their accompanying teachers' manuals were examined using three analytical schemes as frameworks for the examinations. The Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (MECC) computer literacy objectives were used to classify the content in the text materials in order to determine the degree of emphasis on each computer literacy objective domain. The Hawaii state Department of Education (HSDE) instructional modes were used to classify the content in the text materials in order to determine the degree of emphasis on each mode of instruction. Bloom's taxonomy of education, cognitive domain, was used to classify the review questions and exercises in the text materials in order to determine the degree of emphasis on each cognitive level. Detailed findings are given as numerals, percentages, and decimal values. Perspectives are offered on the need for textbooks which reflect the values and feelings objectives. Conclusions were that (a) text materials focus most on the programming/algorithms objectives and tend to exclude the values and feelings objectives; (b) text materials use only three modes of instruction, focusing first on the topic mode, second on the tutee mode, and last on the tool mode; (c) text material questions focus more on higher cognitive than on lower cognitive levels.
Toward the Identification of a Body of Classic or Seminal Works in Adult Education: a Citation Analysis: This bibliometric study examined 19,385 citations in the bibliographies, book reviews, and reading lists of 70 volumes of Adult Education Quarterly, Adult Education, Adult Education Bulletin, Adult Education Journal, and Journal of Adult Education, and 13 volumes of the Handbook of Adult Education in the United States to identify books published before 1960 which have been frequently cited before and after 1960. Through citation analysis, an initial list of 434 titles was reduced to a core list of 64 books cited five times or more during the years between 1934 and 1988. For the purposes of this study, numbers of citations were taken to mean importance of works by indicating usefulness to subsequent authors. Of the 64 books, 55 had received at least one citation before 1960 and 57 had received at least one citation after 1960. While not all 64 of the core works constitute what might be called "classic works," it is suggested that classic works are likely to be found within the listed works.
The Association Between Computer- Oriented and Non-Computer-Oriented Mathematics Instruction, Student Achievement, and Attitude Towards Mathematics in Introductory Calculus: The purposes of this study were (a) to develop, implement, and evaluate a computer-oriented instructional program for introductory calculus students, and (b) to explore the association between a computer-oriented calculus instructional program, a non-computer-oriented calculus instructional program, student achievement on three selected calculus topics, and student attitude toward mathematics. An experimental study was conducted with two groups of introductory calculus students during the Spring Semester, 1989. The computer-oriented group consisted of 32 students who were taught using microcomputer calculus software for in-class presentations and homework assignments. The noncomputer-oriented group consisted of 40 students who were taught in a traditional setting with no microcomputer intervention. Each of three experimenter-developed achievement examinations was administered in a pretest/posttest format with the pretest scores being used both as a covariate and in determining the two levels of student prior knowledge of the topic. For attitude toward mathematics, the Aiken-Dreger Revised Math Attitude Scale was administered in a pretest/ posttest format with the pretest scores being used as a covariate. Students were also administered the MAA Calculus Readiness Test to determine two levels of calculus prerequisite skill mastery. An ANCOVA for achievement and attitude toward mathematics was performed by treatment, level, and interaction of treatment and level. Using a .05 level of significance, there was no significant difference in treatments, levels of prior knowledge of topic, nor interaction when achievement was measured by each of the three achievement examination posttests. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between treatments, levels of student prerequisite skill mastery, and interaction when attitude toward mathematics was measured, at the .05 level of significance. It was concluded that the use of the microcomputer in introductory calculus instruction does not significantly effect either student achievement in calculus or student attitude toward mathematics.
The Association Between Systematic Exposure to Information About Computers and Attitude Changes Among Students Who Are Non-Computer Majors: The problem with which this study is concerned is the association between systematic exposure to information about computers and attitude changes to computers among students who are non-computer majors. The experimental design includes a semester length course in introduction to computers at a small community college in Texas. The study has a twofold purpose. The first is to determine the pre-instruction direction and valence of attitudes of non-computer majors towards computers. The second is to determine the post-instruction direction and valence of attitudes of non-computer majors towards computers. A questionnaire was used to measure attitudes of students towards computers as a pre-test and post-test. The test results were encoded for computer statistical analysis. To determine the valence of changes in attitudes, chi-square tests were applied for each statement of the questionnaire with combinations between pre-test and post-test and each of the variables: gender, age, student performance, and instructor. To determine changes of direction in attitudes, a phi coefficient was applied for each statement of the questionnaire. The following conclusions may be drawn from the data collected for this study. 1. Based upon gender, age, student performance, and the variable of instructor, there was a significant difference in the valence of changes in attitudes towards computers. 2. Based upon gender, age, student performance, and the variable of instructor, there was no difference in the direction of change in attitudes towards computers.
Computer Literacy Levels and Attitudes toward Computers of Thai Public University Students: The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze computer literacy and general attitudes toward computers of students at Thai public unversities. The comparative study of computer literacy levels and attitudes toward computers among Thai students with various demographic classification was performed followed by the study of relationships between the two variables among the samples. A fifty-eight-item questionnaire was adapted from the computer literacy questionnaire developed by the researchers at the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium. The items were designed to assess knowledge and attitudes relative to computers. The questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 492 students who took at least one computer course from thirteen public universities in Thailand. Statistical tests used to analyze the data included t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson product moment correlations. Based on the research findings, the following conclusions were drawn: (1) Thai university students exhibited a moderate computer literacy level. (2) While a higher proportion of female students enrolled in computer classes, male and female students reported similar computer literacy levels. (3) Graduate students had higher computer literacy levels than did other students from different educational levels. (4) Academic majors and academic performance (GPAs) were also factors affecting computer literacy levels. Education majors displayed higher computer literacy levels than mathematics majors and science majors. (5) Students with higher GPAs had higher levels of computer literacy than the groups with lower GPAs. (6) Computer literacy was not age dependent. (7) Generally, Thai university students showed positive attitudes toward computers. (8) Males and females both showed positive attitudes toward computers. (9) Graduate students exhibited more positive attitudes toward computers than all other groups. (10) The groups of students with lower GPAs displayed lower positive attitudes toward computers. (11) There was a strong positive relationship between students' knowledge and their attitudes toward computers. …
The Effect of Sequencing Microeconomics and Macroeconomics on Learning: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect on student learning from the sequence in which microeconomics and macroeconomics courses are taken. The sample for this study consisted of all students enrolled in 23 sections of Economics 1100 (Principles of Microeconomics) and 10 sections of Economics 1110 (Principles of Macroeconomics) during the fall semester, 1987, at the University of North Texas. The sample also consisted of all students enrolled in 14 sections of Economics 1100 and 12 sections of Economics 1110 during the spring semester, 1988, at the University of North Texas. The instruments chosen for use in measuring cognitive gains were two versions, each with 14 items, selected from the Joint council on Economic Educations's Revised Test of Understanding College Economics. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression on five models. Each model used a different dependent variable to measure cognitive gain. The dependent variables were additive grade points, additive absolute improvement posttest scores, gap-closing posttest scores, microeconomic gap-closing scores and macroeconomic gap-closing posttest scores. The general hypothesis that students who complete microeconomics instruction followed by macroeconomics instruction have significantly higher cognitive gains than students who complete macroeconomics instruction followed by microeconomics instruction was not verified by the main effects. While the main effect of sequence was not significant, the interaction of sequence with previous high school economics was significant in the models using dependent variables of additive absolute improvement posttest score, gap-closing posttest score and microeconomic gap-closing posttest score. In addition, the interaction of sequence with previous college economics was significant on the dependent variable gap-closing posttest score. These findings seem to indicate that students who complete a sequence of macroeconomics followed by microeconomics with no previous exposure to economics have higher cognitive gains. In addition, students who complete a sequence of microeconomics followed by macroeconomics and …
The Effects of Goal Setting on Performance Enhancement in a Competitive Athletic Setting: The purpose of the investigation was to determine if goal setting has an effect on physical performance in a realistic, natural, and competitive athletic environment. Results revealed no significant differences between the goal-setting group and the "do your best" group when performing lacrosse skills. However, results from the questionnaire indicated significant main effect difficulty of the tasks. These results imply that athletes in the goal-setting group felt that their goals were not realistic and that it was increasingly difficult to reach their goals as the season progressed. Because the athlete does not have control over some factors which influence game situations, he or she may be hindered in reaching his or her goals, whether specified or individually chosen. Therefore, a research methodology that manipulates and attempts to control types of goal setting may not be appropriate or realistic when applied to the natural field environment of a highly organized competitive sport.
Ethical Reasoning Among Baccalaureate Female Nursing Students: The focus for this study was ethical reasoning among baccalaureate female nursing students. This descriptive and correlational study examined the ethical reasoning of freshmen and senior students at a large southwestern university for women. The research instrument used was the Defining Issues Test developed by Rest. The senior nursing students differed significantly (p < ,05) from the freshmen nursing students in ethical reasoning. However, nursing majors did not differ significantly from the non-nursing majors. A multiple regression analysis was performed that identified two factors associated with ethical reasoning (viz., age and GPA), The correlation coefficients were r= .377 for age and P_ score and r= .315 for GPA and P score. Older students were found to be significantly more advanced in ethical reasoning than were younger students. Students with higher GPAs used principled reasoning significantly more often than did students with lower GPAs. Of interest are the findings related to demographic characteristics, ethnicity, and religious preference. The sample was predominantly white, but a significant difference in use of principled reasoning between whites and non-whites was found. In the sample, whites used ethical reasoning more often than did non-whites. The students in the sample who labeled themselves as Baptists were significantly different from Traditional Christians (Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and members of the Church of Christ) and Other Christians (all others, excluding Baptists, Catholics, and the Traditional Christians). The Baptist group used principled reasoning less often than did the other two groups of Christians. The Catholics were not significantly different from the Baptist, Traditional Christian, or Other Christian groups. The results are ambiguous and may reflect only a conservative philosophy or a conservative theological ideology rather than cognitive processing.
Higher Education in Haiti, 1958-1988: an Analysis of its Organization, Administration and Contributions to National Development: The problem of this study was the status of higher education in Haiti. The purposes were to analyze the organization, administration, and contributions of higher education to national development from 1958 to 1988 and to provide background information from foreign literature which might assist in the improvement Haiti's system of higher education. In an effort to locate information necessary to achieve these purposes, a computer search was conducted. A survey of available literature in French, Creole, and English and personal and telephone interviews were also conducted. The results of this study reveal that, in the past three decades, higher education in Haiti has merely functioned as a symbol of social prestige. Haiti's system of higher education exhibits no apparent direction, purpose, of long-term goals. With more than 90 percent of its professors part-time and ill-prepared, its curriculum unrelated to the needs of Haitian society, and its student body in revolt for the past three years, higher education in Haiti is urgently in need of radical reform. Any contribution made to national development by the system of higher education is weak at best. The small but oppressive elite group that dominates the economic and political realms in Haiti has proved to be a stumbling block to educational reform. The prospect of the establishment of an adequate system of education depends heavily on the establishment of a democratic government. The State University, which is the prominent instrument for higher education, must be reorganized and strengthened so that it can meet the basic academic standards of a university. This reorganization must include the redesign of the curriculum and the retraining of current professors. It is urgent that the qualitative aspects of higher education be given attention. Higher education should also develop a working relationship with industry in order to prepare individuals who are …
Identifying Determinants of Quality for Public Two-Year Colleges: The purpose of this study was to identify a set of determinants of quality for public two-year colleges. To identify specific measures of quality for public two-year colleges, 61 variables of quality were selected from recent research on quality in higher education and consolidated on the Inventory of Determinants of Quality (IDQ). This instrument was mailed to a random sample of two-year college presidents, two-year college faculty members, four-year college deans, and community business leaders. Of the 476 surveys mailed, 315 were returned. The ANOVA procedure identified 24 IDQ items which the four study groups agreed were important to determining quality at public two-year colleges and 6 IDQ items which were less important. The study groups differed significantly in rating the remaining 31 IDQ items as determinants of quality for public two-year colleges. The majority of items found to be important to determining quality at public two-year colleges were related to student outcomes and academic standards. Items related to faculty characteristics, such as research productivity, were found to be less important. Four-year college deans differed significantly from the other three study groups on 13 IDQ items. The major differences were on items related specifically to two-year colleges such as diverse instructional delivery systems and the relationship between the two-year college and its local community. The results of the study led to two major conclusions regarding the determination of quality of public two—year colleges. First, a different set of criteria must be used for measuring quality at two-year colleges. Second, outcome measures must be an integral part of any two-year college evaluation system. Further research is recommended to determine the degree to which the items identified as determinants of quality for two-year colleges should be measured.
Medication Knowledge and Compliance among the Elderly: Comparison and Evaluation of Two Teaching Methods: The problem of this study was to compare and evaluate two methods of teaching medication compliance to an elderly population with a variety of medical problems, cultural backgrounds, and educational levels. Eighty patients over 65 years old who were attending clinic at a county health care facility participated in the study and were randomly placed into two groups. The Medication Knowledge and Compliance Scale was used to assess the patients' medication knowledge and self—reported compliance. Group I (control) received only verbal teaching. Group II (experimental) received verbal teaching as well as a Picture Schedule designed to tailor the patients' medication schedule to their daily activities. Each patient was re—evaluated two to three weeks later. Medications were also counted at each visit and prescription refill records were examined. Knowledge and compliance did increase significantly among all 80 participants. Patients in Group II demonstrated a significantly greater increase in compliance than Group I but did not show a greater increase in knowledge. Patients in Group II also improved compliance as evidenced by their prescription refill records. This study demonstrates that even though significant barriers to learning exist, knowledge and compliance can be significantly improved when proper teaching techniques are utilized.
Northern Minnesota Public Television: a Historical Perspective: Northern Minnesota Public Television is an independent, non-profit corporation operating as KAWE television on the campus of Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minnesota. This study focuses on the lack of educational/public television in the northern section of Minnesota and develops a historical perspective of Northern Minnesota Public Television from an idea of two men until sign-on in 1980. The study describes the early beginnings, organizational structure, problems encountered, and educational philosophy. KAWE television operates on Channel 9 with a satellite station in Brainerd, Minnesota, operating on Channel 22.
The Relationship between Western and Thai Music Objectives in the Undergraduate Music Programs of Selected Thai Universities and Colleges: The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between Western and Thai music objectives in the undergraduate music programs of selected Thai universities and colleges. The data were collected from two sources: (1) an investigation of university music catalogs and syllabi for potential conflict areas in Western and Thai music objectives, and (2) questionnaire responses from university music teachers regarding their opinions about those potential conflict areas found from reviewing catalogs and syllabi. The dissertation is organized into six chapters: the introduction in Chapter I; the synthesis of related literature and background information regarding music study in higher education in Thailand in Chapter II; the design of the study in Chapter III; the comparisons of required music programs of six Thai universities in Chapter IV; the analysis of questionnaire data in Chapter V; and the summary, conclusions, discussions, and recommendations in Chapter VI. It was found that Western and Thai music objectives tended to be seen as supporting each other in the areas of music theory, orchestration, form and analysis, music history, counterpoint, composition, and the practice of pitched and unpitched musical instruments. Sight reading practices in Western music were found to support the rote method utilized in the study of Thai music. Western and Thai singing methods tended to be seen as conflicting somewhat with each other. The Western diatonic scale system tended to be seen as conflicting somewhat with the Thai musical scale system. The establishment of a course in the sight-reading of Thai music was recommended in Thai universities.
The Relationship of Collegiate Television News Curricula With the Employment Marketability of Television News Graduates: This study examined the relationship the television news sequence at four-year colleges and universities has with the employment marketability of those students who major in television news. Both vocational and academic approaches were examined. Three factors were taken into consideration: if the completion of any television news curriculum aids in the television news graduate's employment marketability, if the television news curriculum has merit when weighed against work experience without completion of such a discipline, and if another academic sequence might better prepare the aspiring television journalist. The study is significant in that the field of television news has been glutted in recent years by an influx of graduates who believe that the work is glamorous and exciting. Many graduates lack the basic verbal and mechanical skills to compete in the job marketplace. The first two chapters discuss the research problem and the factors comprising it. Details of the research design follow, dividing the study into an assessment of the problem and the analysis of the results of a questionnaire that was mailed to 213 television news anchors selected through a stratified random process. A background chapter on various television news curricula is included, with numerous books and periodicals cited. Educational profiles of selected network news anchors are also featured. Almost 60 percent of the local news anchors contacted completed and returned the questionnaires. The nominal data is discussed and presented in tabular form; the data is also analyzed through a series of cross-tabulations using specific demographical information and responses. Findings of the survey indicate that the television news sequence does not appreciably aid the graduate in securing employment, that practical experience outweighs the merits of completing such a sequence, and that the aspiring television journalist might benefit more from a concentration in the liberal arts.
Self-Directed Learning Projects of Older Adults: This study determined the number of self-directed learning projects undertaken by older adults and examined the motivational factors and anticipated benefits related to the learning activities. In addition, obstacles to conducting self-directed learning were identified by the respondents. A list of 20,032 names of adults, aged 50 or more years and residing in Tom Green County, Texas, was obtained from voter registration rolls and the residential rolls of four retirement complexes. Four hundred names were randomly selected to serve as the sample of the study. Of the 400 potential subjects, 120 persons agreed to be interviewed. Indepth interviews were conducted using the questions from Tough's Interview Schedule for Studying Some Basic Characteristics of Learning Projects and a probe sheet to identify obstacles to conducting self-directed learning projects. The interviews focused on the learning activities of older adults during the previous year. The 120 subjects of this study conducted a total of 239 learning projects in the previous year, an average of 1.99 self-directed learning projects per person. Ninety-five (95%) percent of the persons interviewed reported to have conducted at least one learning project in the past year. The majority of the learning projects were self-planned for the purpose of self-enjoyment and self-fulfillment. The most frequent obstacles to conducting self-directed learning projects identified by the subjects included: 1) finding the time for the learning activity; 2) the cost of the learning activity; 3) home responsibilities; 4) difficulty deciding what knowledge or skill to learn; 5) difficulty remembering new material or information; and 6) poor health. Comparisons of the results of this study were made with the results of previous studies by Tough, Hiemstra, and Ralston. The data support the belief that books, pamphlets, and newspapers are the primary source of information for the older adult. The results of this study indicate …
A Study of College Stress and Its Measurement: The purpose of the study was to compare the academic stress of freshmen in a community college with that of freshmen in a university. An additional purpose was to determine if gender, ethnicity, or semester course load was related to perceived academic stress. The sample consisted of a total of 303 university and community college freshmen from English and Psychology classes at the University of North Texas and Richland Community College during the spring semester, 1989. The instrument that was administered to these volunteer students was the Academic Stress Test, a 35-item checklist of possible academic stressors. The students were asked to check the items which were perceived by them to be stressful and had occurred during the current semester. The T-statistic was used to analyze the total mean stress score for each variable being considered. Multiple regression was used to determine if there was any possibility that the variables might have a predictive effect for academic stress. It was found that for these freshmen students there was a significant difference between the perceived academic stress of community college freshmen and university freshmen. The mean academic stress score for university freshmen was higher than the mean for community college freshmen. Likewise, the perceived academic stress of females was significantly higher than that of males, and higher for those taking more semester hours than for those taking fewer semester hours. There was found to be no significant difference in the perceived academic stress of white and non-white freshmen college students.
Tribhuvan University and its Educational Activities in Nepal: The purpose of this study was to discuss the role of Tribhuvan University in the development of higher education in Nepal by examining the university's historical development and educational activities. Despite negligence and opposition to public higher education by the rulers of Nepal before 1951, Nepalese higher education began with the establishment of Trichandra College in 1918. From 1951 until the establishment of Tribhuvan University in 1959, several public as well as private colleges were also established. The establishment of the university in 1959 marked the beginning of the government-controlled system of higher education in Nepal. As the first and only national institution of higher education, Tribhuvan University has played a significant role in developing a system of higher education in the country. During its first ten years, Tribhuvan University did not operate as a comprehensive institute of higher education. The Tribhuvan University Act of 1971, however, altered the structure, organization, and functions of the university and gave it additional roles and responsibilitites. By the mid-1980s, Tribhuvan University had increased its number of colleges from 49 (1970) to more than 128. Moreover, these colleges have expanded their programs and levels of education. This dissertation's six chapters describe the demographic, cultural, and historical setting of Nepal, the educational activities of Nepal before the establishment of Tribhuvan University, and the university's educational activities from its establishment in 1959 through the mid-1980s. The study shows that the university, in a 26-year period, had expanded it activities significantly and had proven its role as an important factor in the development of higher education in Nepal. The study also indicates that various governmental and non-governmental agencies have been actively involved in determining the educational activities of Tribhuvan University in Nepal.
Competency Needs of Administrators in Teacher Training Colleges in Kenya As Perceived By Administrators and Faculty: The problem of this study was the needed administrative competencies of administrators in teacher training colleges in Kenya as perceived by administrators and faculty. A questionnaire (Inventory of Administrative Competencies) was mailed to principals, vice-principals, and four faculty members selected at random from sixteen teacher training colleges in Kenya. Ninety-six questionnaires were returned, yielding a return rate of 100 percent. Responses were analyzed using t-tests and one-way analyses of variance utilizing the F-test of the statistical test. A series of post hoc comparisons was made using Duncan's New Multiple Range Test to locate significant differences. Based on the analysis of data, it was concluded that both administrators and faculty considered the desired status of the competency very high. The administrators were performing below the desired status. Size of college was the major factor for the differences in perceptions of the respondents. Years of experience and educational background had little or no effect on the respondents' responses to the questionnaire. The following recommendations were made: A future study should investigate the perceived desired status and present performance ratings assigned to a validated set of competency statements of those levels of administrative activities not included in this study. Such a study would involve school inspectors, provincial education officers, deans of students, and heads of departments. A study should be made to investigate the current methods of evaluating administrative competence in teacher training colleges in Kenya. The results of this study should be analyzed by the Ministry of Education teacher college program developers responsible for conducting administrative workshops or in—service training in Kenya. This study could provide developers with additional information for improving the adequacy and relevance of both pre—service and in-service programs for practicing administrators.
Cooperative Research Center Directors: Importance and Satisfaction of Factors in the Work Environment Related to Organizational Performance: This study explored the importance attached to and the degree of satisfaction with 53 job aspects in the work environment of cooperative research center directors. A survey instrument was mailed to the 105 individuals identified as directors of research units that are (a) committed to multidisciplinary or engineering research, (b) organized as integral units of a university, and (c) supported and funded by industry and other sources. Responses were categorized into two groups: directors involved in NSF (National Science Foundation) Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC), and directors involved in other types of cooperative research endeavors. A 69% response rate was obtained. One purpose of this study was to measure: (a) factors that influence job satisfaction; (b) factors likely to influence center performance; and (c) success factors in industry/university cooperative research. This study was also designed to: (a) compare job attitudes between the two groups of directors; (c) determine the relationship between measures of importance and satisfaction for each group; and (d) develop predictive models of centers' performance using collected data; Directors assign a high degree of importance and a low degree of satisfaction to the majority of the job aspects; and they tend to be somewhat dissatisfied with those factors they consider most important in their work environment. Directors in the NSF I/UCRC group rated factors related to professional activities and industry/university interactions as significantly more important. In developing models to predict the total operating budget and the number of industrial members at a center, combinations of importance and satisfaction ratings were found to be significant factors.
The Educational Needs of Wives of Seminary Students During the First Five Years of Their Ministries: A survey instrument was mailed to a random sampling of wives of graduates of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, from 1982 to 1986. The purpose of the survey was to determine if wives of seminary graduates have ministry-related educational needs during the first five years of professional ministry that can be met by an educational program. Furthermore, demographic and attitudinal variables were investigated as potential contributing factors. Finally, suggestions were sought from the wives themselves for the implementation of an education program. For each wife, a total educational need score was calculated from her responses. Of the 240 respondents who completed the entire survey document, almost 42% of the respondents indicated a high educational need score with 5% producing a very high need score. Of the top twenty educational needs, only one was from the Theological/Christian Education category; the top three were all from Self Needs regarding stress management, dealing with criticism, and conflict resolution. The Chi Square Test for Independence was used to identify contributing factors, both demographic and attitudinal. The following were validated at the .05 level (unless indicated otherwise) as having a relationship to the wives' scores: Year of Husband's Graduation, Husband's Degree, Size of Community (.06), Wife's Age, Wife's Field of Highest Degree, Age of Youngest Child, Type of Wife's Most Recent Position, Number of Educational Opportunities Participated in while at the Seminary, Satisfaction with Current Roles, and Perceived Education Gap. Variables for which there was not sufficient evidence of the existence of a relationship were: Number of Years of Husband's Full-time Ministry, Husband's Most Recent Position in Ministry, Size of Largest Congregation, Highest Level of the Wife's Education, Date of Marriage: Before or After Seminary, Number of Children, Age of Oldest Child, Employment during Seminary, Current Employment, Primary Reason for Current Employment, Number …
The Historical Development and Demise of the University of Plano: The University of Piano was a private, liberal arts college with a campus in Piano, Texas and an extended campus in Frisco, Texas. The University was incorporated in 1964 under the original name of the University of Lebanon. Classes began in temporary space in downtown Dallas in 1964 and continued on its campuses in Piano and Frisco until the summer of 1976. The University of Piano was comprised of two separate schools within the University: the School of Developmental Education and the Frisco College of Arts and Sciences. This study explores the curricula of both schools and the students and faculty who participated in both programs. This study focuses on the establishment, development and final closing of a wholly privately supported university which accepted both traditional college students and students whose basic academic skills or neurological development prevented their acceptance into traditional college programs. It addresses the history of the University, the roles of its leaders, and the lasting effects of its programs.
The Influence of Selected Factors on Nonpersistence of Nontraditional Students at a Comprehensive Community College: The purpose of the study was to determine the direct influences of selected environmental, academic, and background factors as well as academic outcomes and expression of intent to leave on persistence or non-persistence of nontraditional students at a comprehensive community college in the Dallas County Community College District. The study applied a conceptual model of nontraditional undergraduate student attrition. Data for this study were collected during the Fall, 1987 semester from 312 first-year nontraditional students using the two-year institution questionnaires from the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. In addition, follow-up surveys were administered to the 97 students who did not re—enroll for the Spring, 1988 semester. The data were analyzed using discriminant function, chi square, and product-moment correlation. For these nontraditional students, educational goal commitment, cumulative grade point average (GPA) and expression of intent to leave at the end of the semester had significant direct influence on persistence or non-persistence decisions. In contrast, environmental factors such as finances, employment status, and family responsibilities, and background factors such as high school academic performance, enrollment status and parents' education level did not directly influence dropout decisions. Nontraditional students reported receiving moderate to high levels of encouragement to remain in college from outside sources, especially employers. In spite of this encouragement, a frequent reason given for leaving college was the inability to cope with working and going to school at the same time. The results generally confirmed that the conceptual model used in this study provided a valid framework for research on nontraditional student attrition. Accurate prediction of persistence or non-persistence of nontraditional students in a community college appears quite difficult due to the heterogeneity of this student population and their diverse educational goals.
An Investigation into the Effectiveness of Intelligent Tutoring on Learning of College Level Statistics: The present research incorporated the content of basic statistics into the Artificial Intelligence Physics Tutor (ARPHY), which was used as the expert system shell, and investigated the effects of the Artificial Intelligent Statistics Tutor (ARSTAT) as a supplement to learning statistics at the college level. Two classes of an introductory educational statistics course in the Department of Educational Foundations, University of North Texas, were used in the study. The daytime class was used as the experimental group and the evening class was used as the control group. The experimental group's lecture/discussion was supplemented with ARSTAT, and the control group received only lecture/discussion. A one-way analysis of covariance was used to compare students' test scores. No significant difference was found; however, the adjusted mean score of the experimental group was slightly higher than that of the control group. A two-way analysis of covariance showed no significant main effect or interaction between gender and study technique. A second two-way analysis of covariance showed no significant interaction between the students' attitude toward statistics and the study technique used. However, the students with a statistics-positive attitude scored significantly higher on the test than students who had a negative attitude toward statistics. This study concluded that the ARSTAT can be used effectively as a tutor for students taking an introductory course in educational statistics. The following recommendations for further study were made: incorporate more advanced topics of statistics into the ARPHY teaching model; incorporate the ARPHY learning theory and statistical content using another version of LISP language or another programming language such as PROLOG; and compare the ARSTAT tutor to some other kind of supplement to lecture/discussion.
Job Satisfaction among Faculty Members at Six Metropolitan Area Teachers Colleges in Bangkok, Thailand: The purpose of study was to compare job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction among faculty members at six teachers colleges in the Bangkok metropolitan area with respect to age, gender, length of experience, level of education, administrative position, academic rank, department, faculties, and salary. The findings of this research were compared with previous studies of Vatthaisong (1982) and Karoonlanjakorn (1986), which measured job satisfaction among faculty members in the Northeastern part and in the non-metropolitan areas of Central Thailand. Additionally, this inquiry expanded the two previous studies and speculated on the possibility that Herzberg's two-factor theory is adaptable to Thai faculty members in Thailand. The instrument consisted of ten demographic items and a 67-statement questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on Herzberg's two-factor theory, and used a five-point rating scale for ten facets of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction. The total stratified random sampling population was made up of 400 faculty members from six teachers colleges in the Bangkok metropolitan area. The returned rate for questionnaires was 383 (95.75%). Frequency, percentage, mean, t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Scheffe method were used for analyses. The level of significance was set at .05. The findings of this study indicated that faculty members with high ages, high work, experiences, high salaries, high academic ranks, high levels of education, and high administrative positions were more satisfied with their jobs than faculty members with lower rankings in these demographic variables. Male faculty members were more satisfied than female faculty members. The results of this research were similar to Vatthaisong's and different from Karoonlanjakorn's. The faculty members of Vatthaisong's inquiry and those of the present study were satisfied with their jobs in every facet except salary, while Karoonlanjakorn's findings reported that no areas of dissatisfaction were revealed. Because the factors described in Herzberg's theory were not the same as those …
Job Satisfaction Among Physical Education Instructors at Teachers Colleges in Thailand: The purpose of this study was to investigate job satisfaction among physical education instructors at Teachers Colleges in Thailand by using the Faculty Job Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction Scale developed by Olin R. Wood, which was translated into the Thai language by Vatthaisong. The investigation was based on the 10 facets of job satisfaction selected from Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene theory: achievement, growth, interpersonal relations, policy and administration, recognition, responsibility, salary, supervision, the work itself, and working conditions. The questionnaire consisted of 68 items. A 6-point rating scale was used for the 10 facets of job satisfaction. A total of 169 physical education instructors from 36 Teachers Colleges in Thailand, or 86.22% of the population, participated in this study. For this investigation, frequencies, percentages, one-way ANOVA, and the Scheffe method were used for data analysis. Significance was established at the .05 level. From the findings of this study it could be concluded that physical education instructors were satisfied with their jobs. The major sources of satisfaction were ranked as follows: interpersonal relations, the work itself, achievement, recognition, responsibility, working conditions, growth, policy and administration, supervision, and salary. The gender variable did not contribute significantly to job satisfaction, while region, age, level of education, work position, years of teaching experience, and salary level did contribute significantly to job satisfaction. There were no significant differences between the overall job satisfaction (item 68) of the physical education instructors and their demographic classifications. The levels of overall job satisfaction derived from the 10 facets and item 68 were similar. Thus it could be concluded that physical education instructors at Teachers Colleges in Thailand were satisfied with their jobs.
A Study of the Incidence of Learning Disabilities among Soldiers in the U. S. Army's Basic Skills Education Program: One of the U.S. Army's requirements for reenlistment of first term soldiers is a minimum score on the General Technical composite of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery of one hundred. The score is a measure of academic ability. The primary goal of the Basic Skills Education Program is to assist the soldier in gaining basic skills, with a secondary goal of enabling him or her to retest at a sufficient level to become eligible for reenlistment. While most soldiers are able to meet this goal, a few are unable to achieve an acceptable score on the retest. It was hypothesized that some of these soldiers are learning disabled. The Army has not recognized learning disabilities or the need of the learning disabled for special teaching and testing methods. This study was designed to identify students enrolled in the Basic Skills Education Program who are learning disabled. Two instruments were involved: the Revised BETA II, which yields a measure of aptitude, and the Tests of Adult Basic Education, which produce achievement scores in the areas of reading, mathematics, language, and spelling. The instruments were correlated on 112 soldiers from the Training Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas. They were then administered to 100 first term soldiers enrolled in the Basic Skills Education Program at Fort Bliss. Two formulae acceptable in the field of learning disabilities were applied to the results. The Frequency of Regression Prediction Discrepancy model identified nine soldiers as learning disabled in ten academic areas. The Standard Score Difference model, which does not account for regression, identified sixteen soldiers in twenty four areas. With evidence that learning disabled soldiers exist in the Basic Skills Education Program, recommendations were made that the U. S. Army recognize and address learning disabilities and incorporate appropriate testing and teaching methods to accommodate those …
Teacher Education Programs in Member Institutions of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI): a Comparison With NCATE Standards: The problem of this study concerns the structure and content of teacher education programs in colleges and universities which are members of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). A questionnaire was developed and consisted of four sections: (1) general background information of the respondent; (2) questions relating to the live NCATE standards using a Likert scale of 1 to 3, regarding respondent's teacher education program; (3) general information concerning Bible credit hours required, critical problems and factors considered in job placement of graduates; and (4) an opinionnaire concerning current issues in teacher education, significant changes in respondents' programs and cooperative and unusual program arrangements. One hundred questionnaires were mailed to the 100 collegiate members of ACSI in 1987. Of the 75 returned, 57 were usable. This represents a 57 percent response rate. Based on the information provided by the chairpersons participating in the study, the following conclusions are drawn relative to ACSI teacher education programs: 1. The influence of an outside agency, such as the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), seems to benefit teacher education programs. 2. State accreditation of teacher education programs appears to be important to both NCATE and non-NCATE accredited programs. 3. Of the five NCATE standards, knowledge base for professional education was the standard that seemed to be the strongest to ACSI collegiate members. 4. ACSI schools emphasize biblical and theological education concurrent with teacher education. 5. Institutions with NCATE accredited programs seem to be satisfied with NCATE accreditation, although institutions with non-NCATE accredited programs seem to favor additional accreditation from an organization other than NCATE. 6. The small number of ACSI programs accredited by NCATE may be due to (1) theological conflicts, (2) fiscal requirements, (3) the amount of work involved in the accreditation process, or any combination of the …
A Descriptive Profile of Freshman Student-Athletes on a Division IAA University Intercollegiate Football Team for Consideration in General Administrative Decision Making Processes: The purpose of this study is to identify which characteristics of student-athletes are most helpful in making administrative decisions about intercollegiate athletic programs, and then to develop a descriptive profile of a group of student-athletes at a particular university. Additional purposes include comparing these descriptive data with other group data and with perceptions of the same group of student-athletes by faculty administrators at the same university. Data were collected in four phases. First, a jury of three experts developed a list of student-athlete characteristics they believed to be helpful in making administrative decisions regarding those athletes. Next, information was gathered to develop a descriptive profile of a selected group of eighteen student-athletes based on the identified characteristics. Next, statistical comparisons were made with available data from other groups of students and from the eight Athletic Council members' perceptions of the study group. Major findings include the identification of useful characteristics, inconsistencies between student-athlete high school ranks in class and SAT scores, high scores in hostility, and accurate perceptions of student-athletes by Athletic Council members.
The Effects of an Educational Program on Registered Nurse Students' Ability to Write Complete Nursing Diagnoses: This study examined the effectiveness of a training program on the ability of registered nurse students to write complete nursing diagnoses. A comparison group was used as a control. There were 47 participants in the training group and 51 participants in the comparison group who received no training. Five hypotheses were used to examine the (1) complete nursing diagnoses, (2) labels, (3) clarifiers, (4) etiologies, and (5) mislabeled medical diagnoses or clinical problems as nursing diagnoses. As a pretest and posttest, participants in both groups viewed a video tape of a nursing situation and were asked to write nursing diagnoses. The training group received nine clock hours of classroom instruction on the nursing process of which three hours were on nursing diagnosis with a focus on the inclusion of label, clarifier, and etiology necessary for a complete nursing diagnosis. In the clinical component of the educational program the training group wrote nursing diagnoses as part of the nursing process. It was assumed that the comparison group did not receive comparable education. The mean difference of proportions between the pretest and posttest was computed for each group on the item tested by the hypotheses and for the difference between the two groups. Three of the five hypotheses tested in the study were accepted. The training group did have a significant increase in the average (mean) difference of proportions in the number of complete nursing diagnoses and etiologies and a significant decrease in the number of mislabeled nursing diagnoses. There was no significant difference in the number of labels and clarifiers. The training group did show a percentage increase in the number of labels and clarifiers written. There was little or no change in the comparison group over the time period of the study.
Government and Private Funding of Nonprofit Visual Arts Organizations in the State of Texas: An Analysis: The problem addressed in this study is the administrative process and criteria used by nonprofit visual arts organizations in the State of Texas in acquiring government and private funding. The purposes of the study were to examine the organization and administrative process of the nonprofit visual arts organization, to determine the criteria utilized by government and private funding sources for distribution of funds to nonprofit visual arts organizations, and to examine the process used by nonprofit visual arts organizations when acquiring funds from government and private sources. The data were obtained by means of a descriptive survey questionnaire which was mailed to 336 selected nonprofit visual arts organizations in the State of Texas. These organizations represent the following six areas of visual art: foundations, galleries, museums, associations, photography, and schools. From these areas the population was further refined to include only museums and associations, which represent the extreme diversity of administrative processes used. The resulting subpopulation was comprised of forty-six organizations which had filed for grants from the Texas Commission on the Arts within the past three years. Thirty research questions were answered from the results of the questionnaire. Research questions one, and three through thirty were analyzed and presented in narrative discussion with the results. Categorical data were listed to show range. The second research question was analyzed using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient. On the basis of the literature review and the survey responses received, an authentic problem exists in the funding process of these organizations. The organizations surveyed appear to recognize the funding problems, but the results of the study reveal that many have yet to develop effective and efficient strategies to solve several of these problems.
The History of the Baylor University School of Nursing, 1909-1950: This study traces the development of the Baylor University School of Nursing from its beginning in 1909 through the establishment of the baccalaureate nursing program in 1950. Primary data including official records of the School of Nursing, minutes of the Baylor University Board of Trustees, reports of the School of Nursing to accrediting agencies, and interviews of former students and deans were examined using the historical research techniques of external and internal criticism. A review of the literature that is relevant to the development of nursing education is presented in Chapter II. Chapter III presents the events in the development of the Baylor University School of Nursing. Chapter IV discusses the accreditation criteria which influenced the development of the School of Nursing. Chapter V discusses the curriculum, teaching methods, and faculty qualifications. Chapter VI discusses the people who were the most influential in the development of the School of Nursing. Implications of the study include the recognition that nursing education and nursing service have differing priorities. Conflicts between the needs of patients for care and the needs of students for education arose when the Superintendent of Nurses was responsible for both areas. Usually the needs of patients for care took priority over the needs of students resulting in long hours and less than optimum learning conditions for students. External factors played a major role in the development of nursing education by determining the needs of society for nurses and thus for nursing education. Accreditation criteria established by state and national agencies determined the standards by which the School of Nursing was judged. National accreditation had more impact on the School since higher standards were required. The leadership of the School played a significant role in the development of the professional nursing program. Leaders who had educational preparation and vision for …
The Measurement of the Association between Aircrew Members' Flying Proficiencies and Graduate Study: This ex post facto inquiry investigated the existence of an association between advanced formal education and the largely psychomotor task of flying military aircraft. The analysis of data indicated that such an association does exist. Data were analyzed by computer comparison of two separate data bases. The first data base included selected U.S. Air Force officers' educational histories. The second set of data included aircrew standardization/evaluation qualification grade scores. Individual subjects were identified, and for each subject a record was formed that included the subject's standardization flight proficiency grade and advanced educational background. Group subsets of selected variables were then recorded in 2 X 2 contingency tables and statistical calculations using chi square tests of independence were applied.
Perceptions of College and University Auditors Concerning the Importance of Selected Factors Associated with Operational Auditing: The primary purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the perceptions of college and university auditors concerning the importance of selected factors associated with operational auditing. The secondary purpose was to determine whether the perceptions of certified auditors differ significantly from those of noncertified auditors. Selected factors associated with operational auditing for colleges and universities were categorized in three attribute groups—organizational, personal, and environmental. The identification of organizational and personal attributes was based mainly on concepts set forth in the Standard for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing published by the Institute of Internal Auditors (1978). Identification of environmental attributes was based on a review of the relevant literature, as well as on discussions with selected college and university auditors. Each attribute, whether categorized as organizational, personal, or environmental, was used as a basis for the identification of detailed factors associated with operational auditing. The findings of this study reveal that factors dealing with organizational attributes were perceived as considerably more favorable than were factors dealing with personal or environmental attributes. With regard to the secondary purpose of this research, a total of 14 hypotheses were developed and subjected to t-tests to determine whether the perceptions of certified auditors differed significantly from those of noncertified auditors. Of the 14 hypotheses tested, there were no significant differences between perceptions of the two groups concerning the importance of independence, audit plan, audit program, audit supervision, continuing education, training, audit follow-up, objectivity, technical competence, experience, and interpersonal skills. Certified auditors perceived attributes that deal with audit report and professional certification to be more important to operational auditing than did their noncertified counterparts. With regard to the importance of a knowledge and understanding of the higher education environment (i.e., knowledge of characteristics uniquely identifiable with institutions of higher education) to operational auditing, …
Perceptions of Decision-Makers of the Future Role of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in the Funding Process for Public Senior Colleges and Universities: This study compares the perceptions of presidents and academic and fiscal vice presidents of Texas public senior colleges and universities and with those of (appointed) members of the Texas Coordinating Board. A survey instrument was developed, based upon appropriate coordinating board functions discussed in the literature review, A five-point scale was used to measure intensity or agreement or disagreement. Responses were subjected to one way analysis of variance to determine differences between administrators and board members. Differences significant at the .05 level are reported. Administrators and board members differed significantly on all statements related to centralized control versus internal autonomy. Board members endorsed a greater variety of roles and a higher level of activity for the board than did administrators, although members were not expansionistic. Administrators indicated diverse opinions regarding the board's role. Responses related to formula funding were similar. Board members believed that requests to the legislature for higher education funding needs should be presented in terms of a statewide system; administrators indicated uncertainty. Both agreed on the increasing importance of long-range planning in formula development, but administrators were unsure whether such planning would help provide stability and realistic expectations in funding. Both groups endorsed a greater role for the board in collecting, interpreting, and disseminating information regarding higher education institutions. Neither subgroup offered an opinion regarding subjection of higher education budget requests to the criteria used for other state agencies. Board members and administrators disagreed as to whether private business standards were appropriate for higher education institutions. The relationship between funding recommended by the board and appropriations passed by the legislature was not considered appropriate for evaluating board success. State appropriations for higher education were seen as an investment in the state's economic future. Administrators did not believe college and university faculties understood the board s role in …
A Public View of Adult Education: In this study the public view of adult education in the United States was inferred from articles published in nationally distributed magazines. Two hundred twenty-eight articles from fifty-three non-professional magazines published in the United States from January 1,1970, through December 31, 1987, were reviewed. The articles were selected from those listed under "adult education," or cross referenced as "see also" under "adult education" in the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. The research questions were: What concept of adult education appears in the print media? To what extent is this view congruent with professional views of adult education? Leisure learning and literacy programs were prevalent and available from a variety of sources. Adult illiteracy was reported as a national concern. Programs that were commonplace (basic education, general equivalency degree classes, job skills training, and industrial training) were reported less often than new or novel programs. Most articles were positive in tone, promoting adult education activities as useful, rewarding, and enjoyable experiences, but ignored adult education as a professional field. The public view as reflected in the articles was positive with programs available to adults of many levels of educational attainment. The public view was not congruent with professional writings. Group activities were more in evidence than self directed learning. Learners tended to be urban, educated, and Caucasian. Although few programs restricted participation because of age or gender there were discernible groups of aged people and women. Programs were usually sponsored by institutions of higher education and entrepreneurs, and rarely by public school systems, community organizations, or cultural groups. Program content reflected adult interest in self improvement and entertainment rather than professional growth. To refine an understanding of the public view, further research focusing on other information sources such as national and regional newspapers and the electronic media is needed, making it …
The Sociological Factors Associated with the Career Development of Women Theological Graduates: Because it is representative of other Southern Baptist seminaries and distinguished by a vigorous graduate program, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) was chosen as the institution from which the population was taken. The study, conducted in 1984, collected data about women graduates of SWBTS for the years 1975, 1978, and 1981, with the following purposes: (1) to develop a profile of women who choose seminary education as an avenue of career preparation; (2) to determine the degree of influence of significant others --individuals in the family, school, peer group, and the church -- on women pursuing graduate education in order to prepare for ministry vocations. Among the findings of the study are these observations: 1. Despite a consistently supportive role from church pastors about respondents' career choices before, during, and after seminary, few seminary graduates encountered clergywomen as role models, or received material support from their home churches, and many encountered gender bias and discrimination as they sought ministry-related careers throughout their educational careers and afterwards. 2. The most desired career choices expressed by respondents include missionary, age group minister, counselor, minister of education, and college or seminary teacher. 3. The least desired career choices of respondents include minister of music, graded choir director, church musician, minister of outreach, pastor, associate pastor, chaplain, and recreation specialist. 4. Mothers, fathers, campus ministers, close friends, fellow seminary students, and missionaries and mission activities were cited, variously, as positively influencing seminary graduates at different stages of their careers. The study's conclusions include the further observation that despite disturbing discrimination against them, the women querried remained faithful to the Southern Baptist denomination, desired to serve, and wished for self improvement in their study and growth.
The Spiritual Quest and Health and C.S. Lewis: In this study, C. S. Lewis's books, essays, stories, and poems, in addition to biographies and essays written about Lewis, were read in an attempt to understand the relationship between Lewis's spiritual quest and his total health. The spiritual quest is defined as the search for the ultimate truth and meaning of life. For Lewis, who was a Christian, the quest for the Spirit is a journey toward God-Jesus-the Holy Spirit. Health is defined as total experience; the interrelationship of the body, mind, and spirit with all there is, has been, and will be. Health is considered a changing perception, not a fixed state. The dimensions of Lewis's health—physical, psychological, social, and spiritual—are studied. Lewis's physical states, literary works, literary themes, friendships, ethics, marriage, and views on religion are considered as each relates to his determination to know and to love God. For Lewis, anything without God is nothing. God is the creator of all living things and all matter. He is the inventor of all loves and is Love. In Lewis's opinion, one's health is in direct proportion to one's love for God. When man loves God he is healthy, the more he loves Him the healthier, the less he loves Him the less healthy.
A Study of One Computer-Driven Text Analysis Package for Collegiate Student Writers: This study examines the effects of the computer-assisted text analysis program, WRITER'S WORKBENCH, on writing performance, levels of writing apprehension, students' writing processes and attitudes about using the computer and WORKBENCH for writing. A sample of 275 subjects enrolled in freshman composition were divided into an experimental group (N = 200) who used WORKBENCH in a mandatory computer lab component in addition to their composition course and a control group (N = 75) who received only the course, itself. Because random selection of participants was not possible, a Nonequivalent Control Group design was utilized. Holistic scoring of pre and posttest essays revealed a significant improvement in writing among both groups as a result of the treatments, but there was no significant difference in writing gains between the group using WORKBENCH and the group who did not (p = .942) . Similarly, though both groups demonstrated a small decrease in writing apprehension after instruction, there was no significant difference in the degree of decrease between the two groups (p = .201). Also, the data did not support a relationship between writing performance and apprehension. A 40 item questionnaire was given to the experimental group to determine: 1) attitudes about writing with a computer, 2) how students use WORKBENCH, and 3) students' attitudes about WORKBENCH. Some highlights of these findings are that narrow majorities enjoyed and were comfortable using the computer and WORKBENCH, but substantial minorities dissented or were uncertain. While 60% felt happier with their essays after using WORKBENCH and preferred using a computer to write, 89% of students felt word processing represented the greatest advantage and SPELL was the next most popular feature. Personal interviews conducted with 13 of the most and least apprehensive WORKBENCH users revealed that some students ignored the WORKBENCH analyses, and highly apprehensive students experienced more …
The West Indies College and its Educational Activities in Jamaica, 1961-1987: The West Indies College is an institution of higher education in Jamaica which was established by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in 1909. It has had three names: 1909-1923, West Indian Training School; 1924-1958, West Indian Training College, and 1959-present, West Indies College. The school has been served by over 20 presidents. The needs of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, the Mandeville community, Jamaica, and the West Indies region continue to play an important role in the addition and elimination of academic programs at the college. Present programs have attracted students from Africa, North and South America, the West Indies, and Europe. The college has industries that are used as facilities to provide the work-study program for students to fulfill the college's operational philosophy of educating the entire person. The industries assist students in the development of manual skills and in the payment of tuition. The West Indies College is funded by grants of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, tuition fees, profits from industries, and individual contributions. The school also receives a financial advantage in the form of tax exemption from the Jamaican government. An organized Department of Alumni Affairs assists the college in moral, professional, and material support. Due to the generosity of individual alumni, scholarships have been established to help needy students.

UNT Theses and Dissertations - 75 Matching Results

Search Results

Add Filters

Applied Filters