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A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Three Approaches to Preservice Human Relations Training for Teachers
This study was an investigation of the different effects of three procedures of human relations training in changing the personality characteristics and attitudes of preservice teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference between a structured group laboratory experience, a non-structured group counseling experience, and a regular classroom lecture experience on the development of interpersonal attitudes of preservice teachers, and to ascertain the extent to which attitudinal and personality changes take place.
The Written Production of Four Kindergarten Children in a Whole Language Classroom: Frequency, Function, and Form
The problem of this study was to describe, analyze, and compare the effects of learning centers and curricular themes upon the writing production of four children within a kindergarten classroom which followed the whole language approach. This study was conducted in a public school. Four subjects were identified from the administration of the Book Handling Knowledge Task. Using the qualitative research method of case studies, the teacher-researcher kept observational notes concerning the writing behavior of the subjects. The written compositions of the subjects were collected daily throughout the school year and were assigned a context, learning center and curricular theme. The compositions were then coded as to writing frequency, function, and form. The following findings resulted from the study: writing occurred most frequently in the art center followed by dramatic play, language, sand, science, social studies, "other," eyes and hands, mathematics, and library-listening; writing occurred most frequently during the curricular theme of Christmas followed by self-concept, shapes and colors, farm animals, Thanksgiving, Winter, transportation, nursery rhymes, patriotic, Valentine, food and nutrition, Halloween, Spring, wild animals, community helpers, gingerbread man, Summer, Easter, and pets; all five functions of language were used in the art center, four in the language, dramatic play, social studies, and "other" centers, and three in all other centers; all five functions were used during the Valentine curricular theme, four during self-concept, transportation, Spring, and farm animals, three during food and nutrition, and nursery rhymes, two during eleven other curricular themes, and only one during Easter and pets; and gains were made in form by the end of the study. Writing was often in the last stage of spelling development and more print concepts were in evidence. The conclusions made were that some learning centers and curricular themes prompt more frequent writing and the use of more language …
A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Inservice Education Programs for Members of Local Boards of Trustees in Selected Texas School Districts: A Descriptive Study
The problem of this study was to describe inservice education programs for members of local boards of trustees and to assess the knowledge and attitude toward inservice of participating and non-participating board members. The major purposes of this study were to describe training programs carried on in selected school districts, and to assess and compare the knowledge and attitudes toward inservice education of board members who do and do not participate in those training programs. The project involved the identification of skill areas necessary for board members, the development of instruments to measure knowledge and attitudes toward inservice, the selection of boards of trustees from six school districts for an experimental and a control group, the description of inservice education programs in operation in districts comprising the experimental group, and the assessment of knowledge and attitudes of members of the experimental and control groups.
Errors in Looping and Assignment by Novice Assembly Language Programmers
The problem with which this investigation is concerned is an analysis of errors in looping and assignment made by novice assembly language computer programmers. This analysis is made after subjects write three computer programs. The verbal definition of the problem for each program specifies, without naming, either a for, while, or repeat looping structure. The purposes of the study are the following; to determine whether using the appropriate looping structure is related to writing a correct program; to determine the incidence of assignment errors in incorrect programs; to determine the degree of relationship between mathematical aptitude, and the type of assignment errors made; to determine the degree of relationship between use of the appropriate looping structure and mathematical, verbal, and scholastic aptitude; to determine the degree of relationship between gender and use of the appropriate looping structure, and to determine the degree of relationship between gender and the number of assignment errors.
The Effects of a Group Vocational Counseling Method on Selected Variables Among Community College Students
The problem of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a group vocational counseling method among community college students. The purposes of this study are to present an application of developmental counseling to group vocational counseling with community college students, and to determine whether this vocational counseling program will have an effect upon certain selected variables. Self-concept congruence was measured by a semantic differential, the Personal Concept Scale; and vocational maturity was measured by the Attitude Scale of the Vocational Development Inventory. Anxiety associated with the concepts "myself," "other people," "choosing a career," and "five years from now" was assessed by the Concept-Specific Anxiety Scale. Certainty and satisfaction with vocational plans were assessed by eleven-point rating scales included on the Vocational Status Sheet, an instrument designed specifically for the present study. Included on this same instrument was a check list designed to measure vocational information gathering activity.
A study of freshman interest groups and leadership practices at Texas Woman's University
This study investigated the level of leadership practices and retention rates of freshman students at Texas Woman's University. The data for the study were collected using the Leadership Practices Inventory, Student Version. The sample for the study consisted of 151 freshman students. The students were each placed in one of three control groups. Group A students (the treatment group) were in the Neighbors Educated Together Program (NET). Group B students (control group) were in one of two university-sponsored programs (COLORS or University 1000), and Group C students (control group) were the residual group of first-time college freshmen. These three groups were surveyed prior to their participation in the NET program or a university-sponsored program and again at the end of 14 weeks. In addition, retention rates were examined on the 12 class day of the spring semester. The study found statistically significant differences (p <. 05) on the pretests and posttests between Group C, residual students, and the other two groups on the Enabling the Followers to Act subscale, the Inspiring a Shared Vision subscale, and Encouraging the Heart subscale. Group A, NET students, and Group B, COLORS/University 1000 students, showed no statistically significant differences between groups. The difference from the residual group could indicate that students who self-select into programs such as NET, COLORS, and University 1000 are more likely to engage in practices measured by the subscale prior to enrollment in the respective programs. No statistically significant differences were found on the Challenging the Process or Modeling the Way subscales. The lack of significance shows that there are no differences in practices for any of these groups prior to enrollment at the university or as a result of participation in a university-sponsored program such as NET, COLORS, or University 1000. A chi-square test was performed following the 12 …
Reliability of a Graded Exercise Test During Deep Water Running and Comparison of Peak Metabolic Responses to Treadmill Running
Populations that utilize deep water running (DWR) are described in Chapter I. A review of the literature concerning maximal and submaximal responses during DWR, shallow water running and swimming is presented in Chapter II. The protocols to elicit maximal responses during DWR and treadmill running (TMR), subject characteristics, and statistical methods employed are described in Chapter III. The results, presented in Chapter IV, indicate that the DWR protocol is a reliable test for eliciting peak oxygen consumption and heart rate. Furthermore, the metabolic responses during DWR are lower than TMR. Chapter V discusses factors which might limit maximal responses during DWR. Chapter VI contains suggestions for further research. Raw data are presented in Appendix A.
Voiception: a Theoretical Study Employing the Highest Cognitive-Affective Processes in Vocal Pedagogy
The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of developing a theory in vocal pedagogy, voiception, which could provide teaching techniques with tangibility for gaining control of both voluntary and involuntary functions of the singing act. This study appears to show that feeling tone and cognition are innately involved with singing, since the vocal instrument is actually a part of the singer. Analysis of the sung vowel through the singing sensation is the connecting link for gaining control of involuntary vocal functions.
A Study of Failure in First and Second Grade and Intervention Through Group Counseling
This investigation of failure in the first two grades and the effectiveness of group counseling upon the failing children seeks first to determine whether students who have failed hold a different self-concept or attitude toward school from those of students who have not. The second aim is to determine the effect of group counseling on self-concept and attitude toward school of failing students. The third purpose is to analyze the implications of these findings for elementary school counselors and teachers. The investigation's two phases include a survey study and an experimental study. The ninety-six subjects for the survey phase were selected by identifying forty-eight first and second grade students who failed their grade level in the 1972-1973 school year, and by randomly selecting a control group of forty-eight second and third grade students who had not failed a grade. For the experimental phase of the study, the forty-eight failing students were divided into an experimental group and a control group. Twenty-four were randomly placed in the counseling groups, with the remaining twenty-four as a control group.
The Current Status of High School Mathematics Programs in North Central Texas as Related to Selected Factors
The problem of this study was to investigate and compare the current status of mathematics programs in large, medium, and small high schools in North Central Texas in relation to selected factors.
The Development of a Comprehensive Program in Higher Education for School Health Educators
The problem of this study was the development of a comprehensive health education program in higher education for the preparation of public school health educators. The purposes were fivefold: (1) to conduct a survey of the historical nature and significance of the concept of health education in higher education within the United States; (2) to conduct a survey of the major health needs in the United. States; (3) to survey the degree of attention given to curriculum areas in current bachelor degree programs of health education in the United States; (4) to develop the criteria for a comprehensive program of health education in higher education; and (5) to develop a comprehensive program of health education in higher education. After all of the research had been completed, the data gathered were analyzed; and the development of the criteria for, and the comprehensive program of health education in higher education was developed. The proposed comprehensive health education program presented in this study developed the concept that the thrust of health education should be directed toward the development of a positive mental and emotional health concept within the individual. Within the program each course relates to the concept of positive mental and emotional health.
An Analysis of the Effects of a Human Relations Component in an Introduction to Education Course on the Self Concept and Interpersonal Relations of Secondary Education Pre-Service Teachers
The problem of this study was to analyze the effects of a human relations component in an introduction to education course on the self-concept and interpersonal relations of secondary education pre-service teachers. The purposes of this study were (1) to develop a human relations component to be used in an introduction to education course; (2) to utilize the component in an actual teaching situation; and (3) to examine the effects of the course on the self-concept and interpersonal relations of secondary education pre-service teachers. The results of the statistical analyses revealed that the differences between the experimental and control groups on measures of the self-concept and interpersonal relations were not statistically significant. No significant gains were made by the experimental group on both criterion measures. Findings derived from personal observations indicated that the experimental group became aware of the affective dimension of the teaching-learning process. It was also evident that factors in addition to increased scores should be considered in research concerning enhancement of the self-concept and interpersonal relations.
An Empirical Investigation of Marascuilo's Ú₀ Test with Unequal Sample Sizes and Small Samples
The study seeks to determine the effect upon the Marascuilo Ú₀ statistic of violating the small sample assumption. The study employed a Monte Carlo simulation technique to vary the degree of sample size and unequal sample sizes within experiments to determine the effect of such conditions, Twenty-two simulations, with 1200 trials each, were used. The following conclusion appeared to be appropriate: The Marascuilo Ú₀ statistic should not be used with small sample sizes and it is recommended that the statistic be used only if sample sizes are larger than ten.
A Study of the Effects of Attending a Human Relations Workshop on Teacher Anxiety Scores
The purposes of the study were: (1) to determine whether the experience of attending a human relations workshop produces a change in anxiety levels as measured by two instruments, the Janet Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale and the Anxiety Scale (Omnibus Personality Inventory); (2) to compare the mean anxiety scores of the experimental treatment group and the control group using the variables of sex, teaching level, and years of experience in public school teaching; and (3) to determine the retention effect on anxiety over an intervening time span of four months for the experimental treatment group. The following are conclusions derived from this study: 1. Whatever effect the experience of attending a human relations workshop had, it cannot be measured by the Anxiety Scale (OPI) or the TMAS. 2. No segment of a school population will experience increased anxiety as a result of attending a Thiokol human relations workshop (1). 3. No significant changes in levels of teacher anxiety can be expected from attending a one-week human relations workshop with the possible exception of individuals with six or more years’ experience who did report lowered anxiety. 4. There is no longitudinal effect on levels of anxiety for teachers as a result of a human relations workshop experience.
The Achievement of Student Development Tasks by Male College Scholarship Athletes and Non-Athletes: A Comparison
The problem with which this study is concerned is to determine whether or not differences exist in the achievement of student development tasks by college student athletes and non-athletes. The investigation also tested for differences in the achievement of developmental tasks between athletes and non-athletes based on the variables of race (black or white), classification, and interpersonal behavior orientation. The sample was composed of 276 male students (201 non-athletes and 75 athletes) who attend a large private university in Texas. Each participant completed both a student developmental task inventory questionnaire, which measures individual achievement of the tasks of developing autonomy, purpose, and mature interpersonal relationships, and an interpersonal relationship orientation-behavior instrument, which measures an individual's orientation to others on the scales of inclusion, control, and affection.
An Analysis of Job Satisfaction Among Public, College or University, and Special Librarians
The problem with which this study is concerned is that of determining the relative differences in the job satisfaction of professional librarians employed in public, college/university, and special libraries. The purposes of the study were as follows: 1. To determine the differences in job satisfaction experienced by professional librarians working in public, college/university, and special libraries. 2. To determine if differences in job satisfaction are influenced by the factor of sex. 3. To determine if differences in job satisfaction are influenced by the factor of the size of the library staff. Statistically significant differences were found in job satisfaction between public and special librarians. Statistically significant differences were also found in the JDI Work scale between public and special librarians. Statistically significant differences were found on the JDI Pay and Work scales between female librarians and the females in the norms supplied by Patricia C. Smith. No statistically significant differences in job satisfaction were found associated with the size of the library staff or with sex. Females had higher scores on four of the five Job Descriptive Index scales than did males, but none of the differences were statistically significant.
John F. Walvoord at Dallas Theological Seminary
This study gives a historical analysis of the life and career of John F. Walvoord. He has served Dallas Theological Seminary for over fifty years in various capacities. The process of gathering information included a review of literature, a review of the institutional records of the Seminary, and a systematic search of the Archives, providing a chronological history of personal correspondence from the Office of the President from 1924 through 1954. An interviewing process concluded the study and served as the means of evaluation and review.
Strategic Planning in Dental Education
The extent of the application of the strategic planning process on dental education institutions was the problem in this descriptive study. The specific purpose was to describe the status of strategic planning based on the perceptions of the respondents. The organization, the characteristics and the impact of the strategic planning process would be investigated and described by this research. The total population of the doctoral and post-doctoral dental education institutions were included in the study. A specifically developed research instrument was used to elicit the perceptions of the respondents, both experts and chief executive officers (deans). All the experts (100 percent) completed and validated the research instrument and 65 percent of the dental education institutions completed the research instrument. The research instrument evaluated three areas of strategic planning: organization, characteristics, and the impact of strategic planning on their institutions. It was concluded that all dental education institutions participate in the strategic planning process and that the organization in the strategic planning process and that the organization and characteristics are generally similar to those in higher education institutions. The application of the strategic planning process has been proven beneficial in higher education institutions and there are perceived benefits in dental education. The study also concluded that there were conflicting perceptions that showed differences between dental and higher education institutions. These differences demonstrated that the dental education^institutions were not using the strategic planning process at the same functioning level as higher education institutions.
A Study of the Effect of School-Sponsored, Extra-Curricular Activities on High School Students' Cumulative Grade Point Average, SAT Score, ACT Score, and Core Curriculum Grade Point Average
This study investigated the effect of school-sponsored, extra-curricular activities on academic achievement for students at a private school in north central Texas. Students selected for this study were graduates from the classes of 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000. With a minimum participation of two years during grades nine through twelve, students were categorized into subgroups of activities. After eliminating students who participated in more than one of the extra-curricular activities of music, drama, visual arts, and athletics, three hundred sixty-one students were represented. The identity of students was encoded and information was recorded for gender, school-sponsored, extra- curricular activities, cumulative grade point averages, SAT Scores, ACT Scores, and cumulative grade point averages in core curriculum subjects. A two-way ANOVA test with a two-by-five factorial design was completed for research questions one through four. A one-way ANOVA with a one-by-five factorial design was completed for research question five. When a significant F was found, Scheffe and LSD post hoc tests were completed to determine pair wise interaction. Statistical differences did exist when comparing school-sponsored, extra-curricular activities and cumulative grade point averages with musicians having a significantly higher cumulative grade point average, SAT scores, and ACT scores than athletes. A significant difference was found among the activity subgroups regarding the cumulative grade point averages in the core curriculum subjects of foreign language, history/English (an interdisciplinary subject at the studied school), mathematics, and science with musicians scoring significantly higher than athletes in all subjects. It is recommended that further studies be conducted to investigate the impact of activities on student achievement. Studies might include larger and different populations, the impact of participation at a younger age, and the impact of other activities on student achievement.
The Status of Home Visitations as a Part of Vocational Homemaking Education in Texas as Perceived by Useful Homemaking Teachers
The problem of this research study was to identify the status of home visitations as a part of Vocational Homemaking Education in Texas as perceived by useful homemaking teachers. The study had a twofold purpose. The first was to develop and validate a survey instrument which would address specific concerns related to home visitations and which may be used as a model for future research studies in Vocational Education. The second was to survey a random sample of useful homemaking teachers in Texas to identify the perceived status of home visitations. Findings indicated that useful homemaking teachers believe home visitations should continue to be a part of homemaking programs, although they are not satisfied with the current status of home visits. The teachers did not perceive home visits as they now exist to be important to the total homemaking program and believed the program would be effective without home visits. Nevertheless, a majority of the homemaking teachers indicated that they would make home visits even if no conference period were provided for the purpose of visits and that they currently make home visits at times other than the designated visitation period. Approximately 40 per cent of the teachers reported they expected to visit only 25 per cent or less of their students by the end of the school year. Scheduling home visits was identified as the major difficulty by a very high percentage of the homemaking teachers.
The Effects of Collective Bargaining on the Powers of Principals: An Analysis of Teacher Contracts
This study analyzed a random sample of thirty-six collective bargaining contracts between teachers and their respective boards of education in Wisconsin, New York, Tennessee, and California. The contracts were studied to assess the effect that collective bargaining has had upon the powers of principals over time. This was done by comparing each contract to a comprehensive list of traditional powers that were available to principals prior to collective bargaining (Pre-Collective Bargaining Power Profile of Principals). This analysis of contracts was a two-phase process. The first step was to identify whether or not the profile statements in the Pre-Collective Bargaining Power Profile were referred to in each contract. The second step was to describe how the presence of references to these statements affected the Power Profile of Principals. The principal's power was reported as being affected in three ways: deleted, constrained, or authorized. The general conclusion of this study was that the effect of teacher collective bargaining upon the powers of principals has been marginal. The data from the analysis of the contracts revealed that the majority (66 percent) of the statements in the Pre-Collective Bargaining Power Profile were not referred to in the collective bargaining contracts. The effects of the references to the statements that were identified were mixed. In the role areas of personnel management, pupil personnel management, and instructional leadership, the negotiation process authorized more power to principals than it deleted. In the role area of business and plant management, the principals' powers were deleted much more than authorized. This was due solely to the inclusion into the contracts of two items (i.e., the power to control building space and the power to control who may and may not enter the building). In the role area of community relations, the frequency of references was so small that the …
Male Basketball Players' and Coaches' Perceptions of Factors Influencing Players' Choice of University
The purposes of this study were as follows: (1) to compare what coaches deem important with what players consider important in the player's selection of which university to attend; (2) to compare black athletes with white athletes and their reasons for the selection of university; (3) to determine if there are differences in the reasons athletes choose private institutions rather than state institutions; (4) to determine if Texas basketball players choose universities for different reasons than students from other states; and (5) to compare decisions made by high school recruits and junior college recruits with respect to their choice of a university to attend.
A Study of the Emphasis that Junior College Counselors, Academic Faculty and Occupational Faculty Believe that Counselors Should Place on Specific Counseling Activities
The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences exist among counselors, academic faculty, and occupational faculty, on two campuses of a junior college district, with respect to the emphasis they believe that counselors should place on specific counseling activities.
The Relationship Between Leadership Style and Communication Satisfaction of Selected Principals in High Schools with an Enrollment of 125 to 265 Students
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the leadership style of high school principals and their faculties' level of communication satisfaction. The study was also concerned with the relationship of the respondents' biographical data with leadership style and communication satisfaction. Subjects were selected from a population that consisted of thirty—two high schools in the North Central Texas Area. Each school that participated in the study had its faculty respond to the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire and a teacher biographical data survey. Each school's principal responded to the Least Preferred Co—Worker Scale, principals' Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire, and a biographical data survey. The results were then analyzed using simple and multiple regression.
A Comparison of Three Methods of Detecting Test Item Bias
This study compared three methods of detecting test item bias, the chi-square approach, the transformed item difficulties approach, and the Linn-Harnish three-parameter item response approach which is the only Item Response Theory (IRT) method that can be utilized with minority samples relatively small in size. The items on two tests which measured writing and reading skills were examined for evidence of sex and ethnic bias. Eight sets of samples, four from each test, were randomly selected from the population (N=7287) of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students enrolled in a large, urban school district in the southwestern United States. Each set of samples, male/female, White/Hispanic, White/Black, and White/White, contained 800 examinees in the majority group and 200 in the minority group. In an attempt to control differences in ability that may have existed between the various population groups, examinees with scores greater or less than two standard deviations from their group's mean were eliminated. Ethnic samples contained equal numbers of each sex. The White/White sets of samples were utilized to provide baseline bias estimates because the tests could not logically be biased against these groups. Bias indices were then calculated for each set of samples with each of the three methods. Findings of this study indicate that the percent agreement between the Linn-Harnish IRT method and the chisquare and transformed difficulties methods is similar to that found in previous studies comparing the latter approaches with other IRT methods requiring large minority samples. Therefore, it appears that the Linn-Harnish IRT approach can be used in lieu of other more restrictive IRT methods. Ethnic bias appears to exist in the two tests as measured by the large mean bias indices for the White/Hispanic and White/Black samples. Little sex bias was found as evidenced by the low mean bias indices of the male/ …
Social Skills and Problem Behavior Assessment of General and Special Education Vocational Students
The purpose of this study was to analyze students' specific ITP-related social skills goals, student self-reported social skills, and the relationship between teacher and employer ratings of vocational students social skills and problem behaviors. This study examined (48) vocational students, (24) general education vocational students and (24) special education vocational students in grades nine through twelve. The students' vocational teachers and employers also participated in the study. This represented (144) individual assessment of social skills and problem behaviors utilizing the Social Skills Rating System -Student version (SSRS-S) and the Social Skills Rating System Teachers -version (SSRS-T). The findings indicated no specific social skill goals were deliminated in the students' ITP's. However, the findings did indicate the general education vocational students rated themselves higher, on average, on the empathy subscale than did the special education students. The analysis of data comparing standardized social skill scores, social skill subscale scores, standardized problem behavior scores, and standardized problem behavior subscale scores between teachers and employers for general and special education vocational students indicated employers rated special education students higher on the cooperation subscale only. No other differences were found.
A Study of Organizational Climate and Principal Leadership Behavior in New Elementary Schools
The purposes of this study were to determine, based on the perceptions of teachers and principals, during the first year of operation in new elementary schools: (1) the extent of change in organizational climate, (2) the extent of change in principal leadership behavior, (3) the difference between teachers' and principals' perceptions of climate and principal leadership behavior, and (4) the relationship between the openness factor of climate and the principal leadership behavior factors of consideration and structure. The major findings of the study included: 1) Both teachers' and principals' perceptions of the organizational climate in the school changed during the course of the school year. 2) Both teachers' and principals' perceptions of principal leadership behavior changed during the course of the school year. 3) The differences in teachers' and principals' perceptions of climate and principal leadership behavior as measured by the openness score of the OCDQ and the two dimension scores of the SBD were not statistically significant. 4) For the scores for the total group of subjects, the calculated correlation coefficients for the relationship between openness and consideration were all positive.
The Relationship of Fifth-Grade Students' Self-Concepts and Attitudes toward Mathematics to Academic Achievement in Arithmetical Computation, Concepts, and Application
The purpose of this study was to determine the interrelationship of self-concept and attitude toward mathematics to academic achievement in the areas of arithmetical computation, concepts, and application.
The Effects of Behavioral Charting, Token Reinforcement, and Social Reinforcement on the Production Rates of Sheltered Workshop Clients
This investigation concerned the effects of behavioral charting, token reinforcement, social reinforcement, and combinations of behavioral charting with token or social reinforcement, upon the production rates of sheltered workshop clients. The differential effects of these reinforcement methods were investigated by arranging for the application of each reinforcement mode in a sheltered workshop setting and comparing the mean production rates achieved by two groups of sheltered workshop clients under each reinforcement condition. The findings derived from this sample led to the conclusion that positive reinforcement, and specifically social reinforcement used both alone and in combination with behavioral charting, can be a very effective mode of reinforcement for sheltered workshop clients. It was suggested that more attention might be devoted in rehabilitation facilities to using the simpler and more readily available forms of reinforcement which behavioral charting and social reinforcement represent.
Knowledge and attitudes of preservice teachers towards students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered.
The study used a survey design to ascertain the levels of knowledge and attitudes of special education and non-special education preservice and inservice teachers towards students with different sexual orientations. The results of this study are based on 408 responses from preservice and inservice teachers enrolled at seven institutions of higher education within North Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia offering teacher training programs in regular and/or special education. Two previously developed instruments were used to measure dependent variables in this study. Koch's modified version of The Knowledge about Homosexuality Questionnaire developep by Harris, Nightengale & Owen was used to measure the dependent variable of the preservice and inservice teacher's knowledge about homosexuality. Herek's Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men (ATLG) measured the dependent variable of attitudes towards homosexuals. The study found no significant differences reported mean scores for knowledge or attitude of homosexuality among the teacher groups surveyed: (a) special education preservice teachers, (b) non-special education preservice teachers, (c) special education inservice teachers, and (d) non-special education inservice teachers. Neither gender nor age were found to be factors in measures of knowledge or attitude of preservice or inservice teachers. Receiving prior instruction in serving the needs of GLBT students, or with a focus GLBT issues, contributed to higher levels of knowledge and more positive attitudes. This research identified current levels of knowledge and attitudes of preservice and inservice teachers towards GLBT youth, and this information may help outline areas of possible changes necessary in teacher preparation programs, research, and policy.
Factors related to technology implementation of K-12 principals and teachers.
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between principals' leadership styles and principals'/teachers' implementation of technology. The Leadership Effectiveness and Adaptability Description (LEAD) Self was used to identify the primary and secondary leadership styles of principals. The Level of Technology Implementation (LoTi) Questionnaire was used to identify the level of technology implementation (LoTi), personal computer use (PCU) and current instructional practice (CIP) scores for both teachers and principals. Data collected from 390 K-12 teachers and 22 principals of three large suburban districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex was included in data analysis. The findings suggest that differing leadership styles do play a role in the LoTi, PCU, and CIP scores among teachers. Based on descriptive statistics it was determined that teachers with "participating" principals had higher mean LoTi and PCU scores than those with "telling" and "selling" principals. The difference in the mean PCU scores was statistically significant (p<.05) for teachers with "selling" and "participating" principals. Results also showed there was a statistical significance (p<.05) in the mean PCU and CIP scores of teachers working for principals with weak and high adaptability. Due to the low number of principals participating in this study, there is a need to conduct the same research using a larger more diverse sample of principals. The majority of principals in this study had either a primary leadership style of "participating" and a secondary leadership style of "selling" or vice versa. A larger population of principals would hopefully allow for the study of additional leadership styles and their effect on teacher use and implementation of technology.
The Relationship Between Intelligence and Two Major Categories of Reading Comprehension: Literal-Explicit and Inferential-Implicit
This study examined correlations between assessed intelligence and two major categories of reading comprehension: literal-explicit and inferential-implicit. In addition, efficiency of prediction for criterion variables was investigated by utilizing two regression models which incorporated intelligence scores squared and the square root of intelligence scores. Since it is generally accepted that the higher the assessed intelligence of an individual, the higher will be his achievement in all areas of reading comprehension, the present study sought to discover whether there was a curvilinear relationship between intelligence and the two categories of reading comprehension with the factor of intelligence statistically controlled. It was felt that the hypothesized curvilinear relationship would result in significantly better performance by brighter students on inferential questions and significantly better performance by less-bright students on literal questions. Although no cause and effect has been established, based on the data presented in this study and within the. limitations of this study, the following conclusions seem tenable. 1. Since reading comprehension may be viewed as a thinking process, it is important to note that a relationship exists between the assessed intelligence of an individual and his performance on both literal and inferential tests of that process. 2. This study has demonstrated the curvilinear nature of the relationships hypothesized. The higher the assessed intelligence of an individual, the increasingly higher will be his performance on inferential questions. Brighter students tend to make more inferences, but they lose some detail in the process. The less bright students, on the other hand, do very well with detail questions but experience less success in making inferences concerning what is read.
An Evaluation of a Contingency Management Approach in Teaching an Introductory Psychology Course
The problem of this study was to compare the effect of a contingency management approach with that of a lecture approach in an introductory psychology course.
A Comparison of Some Continuity Corrections for the Chi-Squared Test in 3 x 3, 3 x 4, and 3 x 5 Tables
This study was designed to determine whether chis-quared based tests for independence give reliable estimates (as compared to the exact values provided by Fisher's exact probabilities test) of the probability of a relationship between the variables in 3 X 3, 3 X 4 , and 3 X 5 contingency tables when the sample size is 10, 20, or 30. In addition to the classical (uncorrected) chi-squared test, four methods for continuity correction were compared to Fisher's exact probabilities test. The four methods were Yates' correction, two corrections attributed to Cochran, and Mantel's correction. The study was modeled after a similar comparison conducted on 2 X 2 contingency tables and published by Michael Haber.
A Descriptive Study of a Native African Mental Health Problem Known in Zimbabwe as zvirwere zvechivanhu
This is a study conducted in Zimbabwe which compared a group of 50 zvirvere zvechivanhu patients and a group of 50 non-patients in age, sex, marital status, level of education and claims of spirit possession. Claims of spirit possessions and types of spirits, as pointed out by Bennel (1982), were used as symptoms of zvirwere zvechivanhu. The two groups were also compared in symptom dimensions of the SCL-90-R used in the study. The SCL-90-R, developed by Derogatis (1975), is a 90-item symptom check list used to screen people for psychological problems reflected in the nine symptom dimensions of somatization, obsessive/ compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, psychoticism and in the three global scores of Global Severity Index, Positive Symptom Distress Index and Positive Symptom Total. The subjects were chosen from two different sites, using a systematic sampling method. Three statistical methods were used to analyze the data. The Chi-square was used to analyze data on descriptive variables. The T-test and 2 x 2 analysis of variance were used to analyze the data on symptom dimensions and global scores. The study had one main hypothesis and nine subhypotheses. The main hypothesis was that zvirwere zvechivanhu patients were significantly different from the non-patients on the overall global scores. The nine subhypotheses stated that the patient and non-patient groups were significantly different in the nine separate symptom dimensions. The study concluded that the zvirwere zvechivanhu patients were significantly different from the non-patients in the overall global scores. In the nine separate symptom dimensions, it was concluded that the two groups were the same in all except the somatization and obsessive/compulsive system dimensions.
Effects of Massed and Distributed Practice Upon Motor Learning and Retention of a Novel Gross Motor Task
The problem of this study was to investigate the effects of massed and distributed practice upon the learning and retention of a novel gross motor task. The motor task was a soccer dribble around three evenly-spaced standards.
Burnout Among Student Affairs Professionals at Metropolitan Universities
The purpose of this study was to determine the level of burnout among student affairs professionals at the 52 U.S. member institutions of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities. Packets containing the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Moos Work Environment Scale (WES), and a demographic survey were mailed to 371 senior student affairs administrators at the member institutions, with a completed response rate of 58.22%. The senior student affairs administrators surveyed included the chief student affairs officers and the professional staff who reported to them. The research design employed t-tests, analyses of variance, and Pearson's Product Moment correlations. The scores obtained from the MBI and WES subscales were compared overall and along 9 independent variablestitle of position, size of institution, appointment, salary, years in current position, years in profession, age, gender, and highest degree attained. Average levels of burnout were found on each of the MBI subscores. Contrary to earlier studies, women did not suffer from statistically significant higher levels of burnout than men, and burnout levels decreased with age and years in the profession for both sexes. Lower scores on the MBI depersonalization subscale were found in employees in mid-career and in professionals from smaller schools. Emotional exhaustion was not a factor. Environmental factors relating to burnout and job satisfaction were also explored. Statistically significant differences on the WES were found on all of the independent variables except the years in the current position variable. The metropolitan environment may have been effective in reducing the amount of burnout felt by this group of student affairs professionals. The study underscored the need for continuing research in burnout for student affairs professionals and for continued professional development throughout the career span.
An Exploratory Study of the Perceptions of Texas Public School Superintendents on Occupational Sources of Stress
The purpose of this study was to determine the stress factors which create the most difficulty for the superintendent; to determine which, if any, groups are most responsible for generating these stress factors? to determine if variables in the personal life of the individual superintendent are related to the amount of stress felt by him; and to suggest ways in which the amount of stress may be reduced. The population of this study was the school superintendents in Texas. The instrument used in this study was a two-part questionnaire consisting of thirty-five items designed to elicit perceptions of superintendents toward those situations that were most bothersome on their job.
An Analysis of Higher Education in Iran and a Proposal for Its Improvement
The problem with which this study is concerned is the development of a plan to reform the structure of the current system of Iranian higher education, both quantitatively and qualitatively. These goals have been set by the Charter of Educational Revolution and coincide with the Development Plans of the nation which have aimed to bring about a fundamental change in society. Educational history of Iran since ancient times is discussed, with special emphasis on higher education, and the religio-cultural influences in shaping the organization of educational institutions and curricula are overviewed. The nation developed one of the world's oldest scholastic centers of higher learning, Gondi-Shapur Academy, whose international faculty contributed significantly to the advancement of knowledge. Iranian culture was exposed to Islam following the Arab invasion; and Islamic doctrine, which has been opposed to secular education, has dominated the educational philosophy of the country. Western education came to Iran through military institutions and religious institutions. Modern schools increased during the last decades of the nineteenth century; however, their progressive development can be traced only from the reign of Reza Shah, beginning in 1925. The first modern university of Iran was established forty years ago. The provincial universities and other institutions of higher learning came into existence in following years. After adopting the Charter of Educational Revolution in 1968, Iran experienced a rapid expansion of its institutions of higher learning. The percentage of total student enrollment in these institutions has never exceeded 0.37 per cent of the population, however, because the institutions could not expand rapidly enough to accommodate the students who applied for admission. Graduate education is also in the primary stages of development, currently comprising 2.4 per cent of the college students of the nation. To cope with these shortcomings, the study has come to the following conclusions: 1. …
Principal's Role Behavior and Administrative Performance as Perceived by Selected Teachers
This study was based on the assumption that classroom teachers were in an advantageous position to judge their principal's role behavior and their principal's administrative performance. The problem of this study was to determine whether or not significant differences existed between teachers' perceptions of their principal's role behavior; whether or not significant differences existed between teachers' perceptions of their principal's administrative performance; and whether or not there was any relationship between teachers' perceptions of their principal's role behavior and his administrative performance. The findings in this study led to the following conclusions: Factors such as sex, education level, teaching experience, school level, school size, and school district do not effect principal’s behavior or administrative performance. However, differences were found in teacher perceptions for teachers with 5 years or less of teaching experience, rural/urban school setting, principal’s sex don’t differ in their role behavior; differing instead in educational leadership ability. It is concluded that principals are least effective in the area of educational leadership when comparing the four areas of administrative decision-making, communications, general administrative behavior, and educational leadership. They are most effective in general administrative behavior. Principals, in general, tend to exhibit transactional behavior. The majority of teachers do not indicate that their principal's role behavior has any relationship to their administrative performance as school principals.
The Effect of Two Levels of Noise, Two Types of Noise, and Anxiety on Student Performance of a Coding Task
This study dealt with the effect of low-level noise and high-level noise, of white noise and varied noise, and of high manifest anxiety and low manifest anxiety on college students' performance on a coding task. The conclusions of the study, based upon the hypotheses, were as follows: 1. Level of anxiety does not affect performance on a coding task. 2. The level of white and level of varied noise does not affect performance on a coding task. 3. Varied noise has a positive effect on performance on a coding task.
Social Interest and Job Satisfaction Among Full-Time Employed Nurses
This cross-sectional survey examined the relationship between social interest, as postulated by Alfred Adler, and job satisfaction among full-time employed registered nurses to determine whether social interest was related to work attitude and whether job satisfaction was related to age, level of education, experience, and type of position in nursing.
Attitudes of Selected Resident Undergraduate Military Veterans Toward Selected Campus Organizations at a State University
The problem of this study was to determine and report the attitudes of selected undergraduate military veterans toward selected campus organizations at North Texas State University. The purpose of this study was to provide a basis for evaluating and possibly improving the campus organizations at this university. As a result of this study, it was concluded that the majority of responding veterans had very little knowledge concerning the majority of campus organizations. It was concluded that the majority of responding veterans preferred the miscellaneous type of organizations as opposed to the national honorary and professional, departmental, and social types. It was also concluded that all the responding veterans stated the overall groups of campus organizations were between "good" and "fair," and felt they needed help from their advisors about the organizations on this campus.
Shoulder Muscle Electromyography During Diagonal and Straight Plane Patterns of Movement
The purpose of this study was to further investigate the relationship between patterns of shoulder movement and muscular response. Thirteen females were tested against maximal manual resistance in twelve different patterns, eight straight plane, and four diagonal. Five of the six subjects who met established kinematic criteria were used for electromyographic (EMG) analysis of the anterior deltoid (AD), the middle deltoid, the posteroir deltoid (PD), and the pectoralis major. No significant differences were found between number of muscles solicited or duration of muscular effort during the different movements. Maximal EMG was significantly higher for the AD in abduction and in flexion than in the other patterns, and for the PD in diagonal flexion with abduction and in transverse abduction.
Homecourt: A Nondirective Student Support Group
The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze how Homecourt, a nondirective support group at a public high school in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, operates and how it affects students.
The Standardization of the Basic Movement Performance Profile for Profoundly Retarded Institutionalized Residents
The problem of this study was to standardize the Basic Movement Performance Profile with male and female profoundly retarded residents from the ten Texas state schools for the mentally retarded. To standardize the Basic Movement Performance Profile, the following objectives were formulated: 1. To determine if the test items found in the Basic Movement Performance Profile were valid and appropriate items to measure the basic movement skills of profoundly retarded residents of state institutions. 2. To establish the reliability of the Basic Movement Performance Profile test items utilizing the test-retest method with thirty profoundly retarded males and thirty profoundly retarded females at the Denton State School for the Mentally Retarded. 3. To establish performance level norms utilizing percentile ranks for both sexes on the Basic Movement Performance Profile.
A Study of the Perceptions of Currently Practicing Nurses of Their Competency to Deal with Mentally Retarded Clients
One of the outgrowths of legislation enacted during the 1960's has been the deinstitutionalization of mentally retarded persons and the retention of others within the community. This study addressed the problem of nurses' perception of their competency to deal with this population wherever they might be encountered within community health care settings. The first hypothesis looked for differences in perceived competency based on the level of basic nursing education. Since sample sizes were not equal, the Kruskal Wallis test was utilized and a significant difference at the .001 alpha level was found. Hypothesis two looked for a relationship between perceived competency and degree of clinical contact with a mentally retarded population provided by the basic nursing preparation. Hypotheses three through six looked for relationships between perceived competency and adequacy of samples of content related to mental retardation provided by the basic nursing education: (1) risk factors; (2) etiology; (3) skills and techniques; (4) support systems. Hypothesis seven looked at the relationship between perception of competency and the adequacy of continuing education offerings to which nurses have been exposed. Hypothesis eight looked for a relationship between perceived competency and sustained personal contact with a mentally retarded person. A Pearson product moment correlation was run on each of these hypotheses and each revealed a positive significant relationship.
An Analysis of the Treatment of Work Modes in Elementary Basal and Supplementary Reading Textbooks
The purposes of this study are to (1) determine the extent of bias in elementary textbooks in terms of frequency of reference to various work modes, and (2) to determine if qualitative bias exists in the portrayal of work modes.
An Empirical Investigation of Matrix Sampling Involving Multiple Item Samples in a Two-Factor Analysis of Variance Design
The primary purposes of this study were: (1) to study empirically differences that might occur among item-samples and (2) to compare empirically the effect of test item samples on matrix sampling estimates of the mean and variance of a population of test scores, and (3) to study empirically an analysis of variance design through multiple matrix sampling.
The Integrative Potential Of The Division For Student Affairs: An Exploration Of Conflict Resolution Modes In An Institution Of Higher Education
The integrative potential of the division for student affairs was investigated in this study using as the basis for assessment the six determinants for effective integrative units delineated by Lawrence and Lorsch. A review of related literature indicated that three of five of the determinants were at least partially, if not substantially, met by the division for student affairs. Student affairs was found neither to have influence based upon competence within higher education institutions nor operate within a setting of high total organization influence. Analysis of the data indicated that confrontation was not the primary mode of conflict resolution utilized in the southwestern multiversity studied, but rather, the compromise mode was ranked first by upper- and middle-level managers. The sixth determinant, then, was not met. It appeared that since three of the determinants were met and three not met, the potential for student affairs acting as an integrative unit was limited. Other data gathered through questionnaires, interviews, and factor analysis in this investigation suggested that there was a wide disparity between the modes of conflict resolution actually used on campus and those perceived as desirable in handling disagreements. It was shown that the modes were viewed differently in the higher education setting studied than in business or public school settings. An inquiry into certain personal and positional variables evidenced that they had little influence upon the modes used or considered most desirable.
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