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The Association Between Postmodernistic Trends and Historical Scholarship With Implications for the College-Level Teaching of History
The debates among historians regarding the "crisis in history" have been directed to various problems. The fragmentation of historical scholarship and writing embodied in the "new history," the alleged overspecialization of historical scholarship, and recent challenges to the objectivity of historical fact and interpretation receive attention. Successive chapters attend to a general background study and description of postmodernism, the association between postmodernistic trends and historical scholarship as seen in poststructuralism and deconstruction, and the implications of postmodernistic criticism for post-secondary history instruction. Deconstruction, or the hermeneutical challenge of poetics, is a criticism of historical epistemological presuppositions and practices. Deconstruction yields insights that are useful to judge historical knowing. However, deconstruction does not present a compelling alternative to accepted standards of historical scholarship and practice
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.
Cultural Identity in Thai Movies and Its Implications for the Study of Films in Thailand
The primary purpose of this study was to find the content and form of movies which conform to the taste of the majority of Thai audiences and, at the same time, are universal enough to attract international audiences. Because film is an extension of other art forms, this required extensive research into the roots of Thai performing arts.
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.
Gender Bias in Textbooks in Selected Kinesiology Courses in Texas Colleges and Universities
Gender bias, as well as other forms of discrimination, have been deemed unacceptable by today's standards. Research indicates that while it is not obtrusive, gender bias in the media is pervasive and potent. Textbooks are a communication medium which not only convey the requisite knowledge of a particular subject, but also, subliminally, norms and expectations of behavior for individuals in society. These subliminal messages, sometimes termed the hidden curriculum, may serve as inhibitors of an individual's aspirations and goals. The purposes of this study, therefore, were to analyze current kinesiology literature to determine if gender bias was present and if so, was the gender of the author associated with the presence of bias. A third purpose was to compare the results of this study with previous related research.
The Historical Development and Future of the National Technological University
The National Technological University (NTU), a consortium of more than twenty American engineering schools, broadcasts courses produced at member institutions to professional engineers at corporate sites across the country. It is a nonprofit institution.begun in fall 1984 with headquarters in Fort Collins, Colorado, which offers only course work leading to the Master of Science degree in various branches of technology, or applied science. Students must be sponsored by their corporate employers who pay their tuition. This is the first systematic examination of the instructional process at an educational institution created in response to the demands of the governmental and corporate sectors' technological needs. This study includes an attempt to explore the effectiveness of that instructional process and the use of computers in distance education at NTU and implications for institutions of the future. This study focuses on distance education, corporate education, national universities and nontraditional institutions and the extent to which NTO exemplifies each of these concepts. It covers the organizational structure and methods of operation of NTU, and offers opinions of students, faculty, and other personnel associated with the institution as reflected by surveys, interviews, and the media.
The History of the R. Jan Lecroy Center for Educational Telecommunications of the Dallas County Community College District
The R. Jan LeCroy Center for Educational Telecommunications of the Dallas County Community College District is a leading producer of telecourses for credit at the college level. In addition, the center is becoming involved with other kinds of electronic communication for educational purposes, including the Community College Satellite Network (CCSN), the State of Texas Academic Resources Link (STARLINK), and Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS). This study chronicles the DCCCD's progress in electronic distance learning from the time of its first telecourse in 1972 to the present time. This study also describes the center's purposes, the reasons for its growth, the problems that have been encountered, the people who provided its leadership, and the telecourses that have been offered and produced by the DCCCD.
Institutional Inbreeding among Mathematics Faculty in American Colleges and Universities
The purpose of this research was to estimate (1) the extent to which institutional inbreeding is prevalent among mathematics faculty at colleges and universities throughout the United States; (2) the extent of institutional inbreeding among mathematics faculty at American colleges and universities classified according to institutional genre; (3) the extent of institutional inbreeding among mathematics faculty classified according to gender; and (4) the extent of institutional inbreeding among mathematics faculty in American colleges and universities classified according to regions of the country. Institutional inbreeding was defined as faculty employment at the institution from which one received the highest earned degree. An exhaustive review of the literature on inbreeding was used to develop this research. All public-supported and private-supported American universities that offer a doctorate in mathematics were identified by consulting the 1991 American Mathematical Society Professional Directory. Catalogs for the academic year 1991-1992 were requested from each institution. One-hundred sixty-seven institutions of higher education which offer the Ph.D. degree in mathematics and 5,961 faculty members were identified. The results of the analyses found a mean proportion of inbred mathematics faculty of 3.46 percent, which is one-tenth of the most recent study examining mathematics faculty. A chi-square goodness of fit test using specified frequencies, found a statistically significant difference between rates of institutional inbreeding among mathematics stratified according to gender. A chi-square goodness of fit test using specified frequencies was used to test the association between mathematics faculty when stratified by Carnegie classification and regions of the country. No association was found between rates of institutional inbreeding of mathematics faculty when institutions were stratified according to the Carnegie classification and regions of the country. This research indicates institutional inbreeding is on the decline among mathematics faculty in American Colleges and Universities.
Malcolm Shepherd Knowles, the Father of American Andragogy : A Biographical Study
This is a qualitative, single-subject, historical, and biographical study. Malcolm Shepherd Knowles is the subject of this research. The problem of the study is to explore the uniqueness of Malcolm S. Knowles in light of his contributions to adult education and to the andragogical model of adult learning.
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.
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, …
The Professional Contributions of Ruth I. Anderson to Business Education
This study explored the professional contributions of Ruth I. Anderson, retired professor of Business Administration, The University of North Texas, Denton, Texas. The data for this study were gained through questionnaire responses, a telephone interview, and personal interviews with faculty, staff, students, and business people who have worked closely with Anderson and an interview with Anderson herself. During a literature review, many of the journal articles written by Anderson were read in order to obtain insight into the thoughts and ideas Anderson had toward business education. The dissertation, divided into six chapters, begins with an introduction to the study. Chapter 1 includes the statement of the problem, purposes of the study, research questions, significance of the study, rationale for the study, and design of the study. Chapter 2 contains a biographical sketch of Ruth Anderson and offers a chronology of her career in business education. Anderson's educational philosophy is the focus of Chapter 3. Chapter 4 addresses her major accomplishments and contributions to business education. Anderson's impact on business education is the topic of Chapter 5. A summary is provided in Chapter 6. This study recognized Ruth Anderson as a significant person in the field of business education. Anderson, who was employed in the field for more than forty years, is the author, or co-author, of six books and the contributor of more than eighty articles published in professional journals. Major educational contributions of Ruth Anderson included publications, research, and involvement in professional organizations at the local, state, and national levels. Anderson made an impact on the field of business education through being a role model for former students, being a well-respected colleague, and being well known in the business education profession. Perhaps her greatest gift to the profession was her superior classroom teaching ability. Ruth Anderson's greatest contribution continues …
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 Internet Listservs as Post-Teleconference Support to Faculty at Community Colleges and Two-Year Institutions
This case study examined three listservs as follow-up activities for STARLINK® (State of Texas Academic Resources Link) satellite teleconferences for community college faculty development during the 1993-94 season. Purposes included determining through self report and other data: (a) appropriateness of listservs as follow-up activities for teleconferences, (b) if combining video satellite teleconferences with a listserv satisfied perceived needs, (c) purposes of accessing a listserv and if listservs facilitated changes in the performance of work, were supportive of teaching, and provided resources beyond teleconferences' content, (d) what aspects of listservs are helpful or not helpful to participants.
Subsidy ("Vanity") Publishing Among American College and University Faculty
The problem of this study was subsidy ("vanity") publishing among college and university faculty. The purpose of the study was to estimate the extent to which postsecondary faculty use subsidy presses for the publication of their scholarly writings and the professional reasons for which academicians choose these presses to publish their works, viz., tenure, promotion, or salary increase. An additional purpose was to compare the subsidy publication experiences of faculty according to the types of institutions which employ them. The study involved 11 national subsidy publishers and 1,124 subsidy-published authors throughout the United States. Subsidy-published authors were identified occupationally as faculty by their appearance in the 1990 edition of The National Faculty Directory. The subjects in this study consisted of (a) faculty members listed in The National Faculty Directory. 1990 who are (b) known to have used subsidy presses for publishing their writings. A major finding of the study was that the proportion of vanity-published authors who are college and university faculty was small. Twenty-seven percent of the faculty whose books had been published by subsidy presses indicated that they had written and published in order to earn salary increases. Another 23% indicated that they had their books published to obtain promotions. Seventeen percent had their books published for the purpose of gaining tenure. Finally, one-third of the faculty surveyed identified miscellaneous other reasons for publishing their books through subsidy presses. More than two-thirds of the faculty who had used vanity presses (69%) claimed that their subsidy-published books had been effective in helping them achieve their purposes for publishing. Thirty percent judged their subsidy-produced books as ineffective. The majority of the subsidy-published faculty in the study were employed either by research universities or community/junior colleges. Only 26% of those surveyed indicated that they would choose a subsidy publisher if they …
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