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A Test Of Factor Analysis As A Validation Procedure For Physician Certification Examinations, Jeffrey D. Greene

Dissertations

Two physician certification examinations from different medical specialties were investigated. The purpose of the study was twofold: 1) to determine the similarities between the factor structure of the examinations and their respective tables of specifications; and 2) to demonstrate the relative efficacy of factor analysis in differentiating the structure between two related but dissimilar domains of information. Specialty A is a homogeneous discipline focused on a relatively narrow concentration of organs, body systems and anatomy. This examination contained 309 items. There were 845 cases available for analysis. Specialty B is a heterogeneous area of specialty concerned with numerous areas of …

How Does It Mean? Literary Theory As Metacognitive Reading Strategy In The High School English Classroom, Lisa J. Schade

Dissertations

In the last two decades, serious scholarly attention has been paid both to theories of teaching reading and to theories of literary interpretation. These potentially related fields have been treated as separate, focused either on teaching reading in the elementary grades or on teaching interpretation to advanced college literature students. Until very recently the relevance of either reading theory or literary theory to middle school or high school pedagogy has remained unexamined. My research, as a reflective practitioner, addresses this important gap. I focus on the teaching of literary theory in the high school English classroom as a strategy to …

Classroom Questioning Strategies As Indicators Of Inquiry Based Science Instruction, Linda Hale Goossen

Dissertations

Inquiry teaching often rests upon the assumption that through the use of questioning and response strategies, teachers can stimulate students to actively construct knowledge. Based on this hypothesis, middle-school science lessons were observed and questioning and response strategies were identified that are related to inquiry-based instruction.

Twenty-four science lessons were observed, videotaped, and ranked by inquiry characteristics other than questioning strategy. The video and audio portions of the recordings were analyzed to determine the student and teacher’s questioning and response strategies in each classroom. These strategies were then compared to teaching style, along a continuum from traditional to inquiry, to …

An Autobiographical Study Of My Beliefs, Attributes, And Practices As An Instructional Support Consultant, Jennifer Wilcox Dove

Dissertations

Problem . People ask what I do as an instructional support consultant. Over time, I have created my own approach to instructional support. This study uncovers the beliefs and attributes that drive my practices as an instructional support consultant, as well as those that comprise my model of instructional support.

Method . Using a narrative autobiographical approach, I analyzed early experiences that provided a foundation for beliefs I have about teaching and learning. With the help of close colleagues, I analyzed my current beliefs,attributes, and practices. I wrote stories using my journals and conversations I had with close colleagues. I …

A Descriptive Case Study : The Implementation Of A Field-Based Master's Program, Jeanne Renita Grant

Dissertations

Purpose of study. This study focuses on the implementation of the Field-based Master's Program at Midwestern Christian University. The three-step Adoption Change Model (Fullan, 1991) guided me through this innovation: (1) adoption, (2) implementation, and (3) institutionalization of the program. This 2-year study describes the program's adoption and implementation stages. Institutionalization was not included as it takes 3-10 years to occur. Three research questions guided this study.

Research questions. (1) What did the teacher training in the uses of processes look like during the initial summer session of the Field-based Master's Program? (2) What did the transfer of training …

The Empirical Development Of A Curriculum On Identification Of The "Tongues" Of 1 Corinthians 14 Utilizing A Socio-Exegetical Approach To Interpretation, Angel Hernandez

Dissertations

Problem. The Corinthian tongues is a subject that has been extensively covered in the literature, especially in exegetical Bible commentaries, but no empirically developed curriculum for college-level instruction has been found. The purpose o f this study was to develop such a curriculum. The approach to the interpretation o f the tongues of 1 Corinthians 14 was interdisciplinary: both theological and sociological.

Method. The instructional product development method formulated by Baker and Schutz and revised by Naden was used in this study. The process consisted of ten steps including; assessment of the need for a new curriculum, identification and …

Means And Ends Of The Andrews University Leadership Program: A Study Of Its Critical Components And Outcomes As They Relate To The Mission Statement, José A. Alaby

Dissertations

Problem. The history of education shows tensions between its means and ends. Tensions became more apparent in contemporary Christian educational institutions. The Leadership Program (LP) of Andrews University was developed as an alternative and innovative means of delivering graduate education with a defined mission. It is job-embedded-theory and practice are united in the participants' workplaces, where they show their competency in 20 areas. It stresses the importance of the individuality of the participant in the development of a teaching/learning community. Yet, the dialectical relationship of the LP's ends and means has not been systematically studied in light of its …

A Study Of The Reported Long-Term Attitudinal And Behavioral Effects Of An Eighth-Grade Environmental Education Project And The Development Of An Innovation Configuration To Promote Environmental Education, Jean Lomino

Dissertations

Problem. Increasing scientific evidence reveals that this planet is in serious environmental jeopardy. Since 1977, when an international group of K-12 educators met in the USSR and established goals for teaching environmental education worldwide, many schools have endeavored to fulfill these goals through the use of various curricula and teaching strategies. Although some progress has been made, most K-12 public schools have not done enough to meet the demands of environmental problems. In 1996, my co-teacher and I designed and implemented an environmental project, called Mission Environment, that we hoped would help our students develop long-term positive environmental attitudes …