Education Commons^™

Selected Elementary Music Educators’ Perceptions Of Curriculum, Scheduling, And Workload, Mara Nowlin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Elementary music is a field that many people would agree is important, but the subject does not always get an equal opportunity when stacked up against subjects that are regulated with standardized tests, such as math or language arts. I set out to study elementary music programs in the region where I am employed (the Four State Region of Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma) in the Midwest. Some questions I sought to answer were what types of elementary music curricula are available and popular, and how districts come to select their music curriculum. Additionally, I wanted to examine the school …

A Brief Review Of Selected Research-Based Strategies For Helping Young Singers Match Pitch, Dirk Myers

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this review of literature was to identify ways to help varying levels of novice singers manage and improve their vocal pitch matching ability. The review identified the work of prominent pedagogues and researchers. The literature review revealed that techniques aiding the novice singer yield varying levels of success. Most of the research showed that remedial techniques work best in small groups, one-on-one settings, and solo singing. The research did not address the issue of effective teaching and its effect with regard to student achievement (e.g., classroom management and issues related to effective or ineffective teaching ability).

From Classroom To Real-World: Preparing Students For The Newsroom, Katherine Allred

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the preparedness of college graduates entering the news field. Employers search for the best possible person with the necessary skills and qualifications required to complete the day-to-day functions of a job. In television news, very specific traits and skills are needed to work in the newsroom environment. Working as a news producer at a small TV station for almost seven years, new employees, specifically reporters, would struggle with some of the basic skills needed for their job. Are universities teaching students everything they need to know? How are they succeeding? If they …

Equivalence-Based Instruction To Teach Single-Subject Designs In Higher Education, Griffin Decuir Williams

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

With the increasing prevalence of online courses and instruction, advanced methods to teach technical concepts for students in higher education are of value. Equivalence-Based Instruction (EBI) is an effective, efficient, and empirically validated teaching methodology. This study developed a match-to-sample EBI protocol embedded in CANVAS to teach four common single-subject designs to graduate students. Results were compared between an equivalence group receiving a reduced-intensity EBI protocol and a group receiving a traditional video lecture to serve as the control. The ability of the participants to generalize the trained relations to novel stimuli was also evaluated. Results indicate that the EBI …

Mandatory Busing And Desegregation: Wichita, 1954 – 1999, Pilar Pedraza-Bailey

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Wichita opened its first officially integrated school in 1954. Yet, by 1965, approximately 85% of schools in Wichita were predominantly white. After a 1966 complaint to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) and a protracted legal battle, a federal administrative judge ordered the district to come up with a plan for integration or lose federal funding in 1971. The resulting mandatory busing plan remained in effect in Wichita for more than 40 years. Yet, in 2016, nine years after the official end of mandatory busing in Wichita, 25% of the city’s schools had already returned to what the …

A Second Language Task Based Learning Experience For Children, Sofia L. Alfieri

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The study was designed to investigate the implementation phase of a Task Based Learning approach for teaching English as a Second Language to an intact sample of 25 children, six to seven years of age and whose first language in Asuncion, Paraguay was Spanish. Most of the theory behind Task Based Learning (TBL) was accomplished with adolescents and adults. The present researcher found that many of the tasks researched were either not developmentally appropriate or likely needed significant adaptations. Therefore, tasks were developed and adapted to be likely appropriate for children 6 to7 years of age. Findings revealed that adaptations …

College Student & Parenting: How Many Hours Does This Take?, Kristi Lynn Riggs

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Nontraditional students with children are a growing population within the college and university environment (Ross-Gordon, Jovita 2011). Many questions about the struggles these students endure to achieve a degree have yet to be discovered. The aim of this exploratory descriptive study is to examine the relationships between the average study times of nontraditional students with children, versus students without children who attend Pittsburg State University (PSU) in the Spring 2017 semester. Data for this study was collected through a survey instrument which was administered through Survey Monkey^tm. The instrument was delivered via the PSU Mr.Bulke email system to …

In The Tristate Area Consisting Of Kansas, Missouri, And Oklahoma, A Local And State Level Comparison Of High School Chemistry Prerequisites, High School Chemistry Instructor Preparation, And The Readiness Of A High School Student For College Chemistry, Greg Howard

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to create an awareness among secondary and post-secondary instructors as to the student’s preparation in high school Chemistry I and the student’s readiness for General Chemistry I in college for a tristate area consisting of Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Student preparation in this research included chemistry I course prerequisites, high school chemistry teacher qualifications including preparation, and student exposure to rigorous science and math course patterns in high school as these relate to college readiness.

Data was gathered from a local cohort group consisting of high schools in Southeast Kansas (SEK), Southwest Missouri (SWM), …

University Students' Involvement In A Health Promoting Lifestyle: Influencing Factors Of The Health Promotion Model, Madison Estrada

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Abstract: This is a correlational study utilizing Nola Pender’s Health Promotion Model (HPM) for examining the key influential factors regarding involvement in a health promoting lifestyle (HPL) among undergraduate students at Pittsburg State University. Ninety-six (96) undergraduate students enrolled in general psychology courses at Pittsburg State University completed the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II; Walker, Sechrist, & Pender, 1987), the Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale (EBBS; Pender, Walker, & Sechrist, 1987), the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale (SEE Scale; Resnick & Jenkins, 2000), and the Physical Activity Stages of Change Questionnaire (Marcus, Selby, Niaura, & Rossi, 1992). Spearman Correlation coefficients (one-tailed tests), were …

Clinical Instructors Perceptions Of The Pta-Cpi Assessment Of Critical Thinking, Trudy L. Hansen

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze how critical thinking skills are assessed for Physical Therapist Assistant students within the state of Kansas. Eight face to face interviews were conducted with clinical instructors who use the Physical Therapist Assistant Clinical Performance Instrument (PTA-CPI) as the instrument to assess critical thinking. Physical Therapy educational facilities supplied the names of clinical instructors who met the study’s criteria. Clinical instructor’s gave their definition of critical thinking, stated the advantages and disadvantages of the PTA-CPI, described their perceptions of a PTA student’s critical thinking skills in the clinical educational setting, and discussed what …

Peculiar History Of Women's Suffrage In Jasper County, Missouri., Mark A. Van Es

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The women’s suffrage movement in Jasper County Missouri was unlike the same movement anywhere else in the state. The election of 1890 began a series of events that made the county one of the most important places in Missouri for the suffrage movement. Jasper County strongly supported women’s suffrage, and its citizens were not afraid to demonstrate their support through letters, newspapers, and public events. Once Tennessee ratified the Nineteenth Amendment on 18 August 1920, men and women alike joined in celebrating its passage in all of the cities of the county, and finally a battle that had raged on …

Are Teachers Prepared To Teach Sex Education?, Adrien Stolifer

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explored the history of the United States and its complicated relationship with sex, and how this relationship correlates back to the individuals who are responsible for teaching it to students. History was gathered beginning at the late 1800’s up to current national standards. Seven teachers from three schools around the Pittsburg KS area, including elementary, middle/junior high and high schools, were interviewed and asked what they thought about their experience teaching sex education. Through these first hand experiences, key elements surfaced of communication between teacher and student, disproving that all sex education communication is negative.

A Descriptive-Correlational Study Exploring Post-Secondary Student Tracks Chosen By Learners With High Spatial Ability, Robert S. Mcgowan

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

People that process though using pictures rather than words have difficulty in school. Previous research has shown that characteristics of Spatial Learners, or people that process thought spatially, by thinking in pictures rather than words, have poor spelling, are less likely to graduate high school, have a lower grade average, are likely male, don't read instructions carefully, are late bloomers, have a bedroom that is disorganized, lose track of time and have difficulty memorizing words. Many of history's great problem solvers are believed to be highly spatial people.

It is theorized that the majority of highly spatial learners are not …

A Descriptive Study Of Dependent And Independent Personality Characteristics Among Psu Singleton And Non-Singleton Students, Jiani Wu

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This descriptive study was designed to explore, describe, and compare singleton and non-singleton Pittsburg State University Chinese students, who self-reported their independent and dependent personality characteristics. Data for this study were obtained from a survey instrument developed by this investigator and administrated to volunteer Chinese students (Mainland or Taiwan) enrolled in 2010 fall semester at Pittsburg State University. Participation was voluntary and anonymity was assured. No statistically significant differences were found in independent and dependent personality characteristics among singleton and non-singleton Chinese college students at Pittsburg State University. Conclusions were that the findings from the present study were consistent with …

A Comparison Of Word Processing Instructional Methods In Kansas Community Colleges And Secondary Schools, Richard Stewart Orszulak

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of instructional methods utilized in community colleges in the State of Kansas as compared to a random sampling of secondary schools in Southeastern Kansas. Also included in the study was an analysis of word processing courses currently offered with respect to software packages being taught. In addition, change in enrollment and if general education courses included a course in word processing were also studied.

Stability And Change In The Self-Esteem Of Kindergarten Through Ninth Graders: A One Year Developmental Study, Loeta Jeanette Adams Erwin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the following questions: 1) Does self-esteem change over a one year period (as measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale)? 2) What is the extent and direction of individual score changes? and 3) Are there grade and/or gender differences in change patterns? Subjects (N=328) were students, K-9, in the Baxter Springs, Kansas, school district. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and one-way ANOVA were preliminary analyses. To answer question #1, a two-way ANOVA was used with gender and grade as independent variables and a "difference score" between the two times of testing as the dependent variable with …

A Comparative Study Of Occupational Stress Experienced By Special Education Teachers, Charles E. Buscher

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine whether or not special needs instructors in public schools and penal institutions had common stressors which contribute to job dissatisfaction and burn out.

Special needs educators in three public schools and three correctional facilities were administered a Likert-type Teacher Attitude Survey. Two hundred and three survey forms were sent out with one-hundred and thirty four being completed and returned.

The survey contained fifty questions dealing with five areas of concern which include; (1) Staff Relationships, (2) Discipline, Safety and Security, (3) Teacher work load, (4) Administration, and (5) Salaries, Contracts and Fringe Benefits.

Responses …

A Study Of Factor B Of The Early School Personality Questionnaire(Espq) As A Valid Measure Of General Mental Ability, Claude S. Iles

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the validity of the general ability factor, Factor B of the Early School Personality Questionnaire(ESPQ), in two ways. First, validity coefficients for Factor B were obtained by computing product-moment correlation coefficients between the ESPQ Factor B raw scores of 40 developmentally disabled subjects and their raw scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R). Second, the Kruskal-Wallis rank sums test and a distribution-free multiple comparisons test were employed to determine if there were significant differences among the mean ESPQ Factor B raw scores of subjects designated as mentally retarded, learning disabled, or normal. Specifically, it was …

The Leadership Role Of The Principal In The Development Of The Elementary School Library Or Library Media Center, Dorothy J. Sutton

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover the extent and nature of the leadership role of the elementary school principal in the development of school library programs. A review of the literature revealed general agreement that the principal should assume a leadership role in the development of the school library, and is in a strategic position to do so. Questionnaires were sent to ninety-one elementary principals in the following countries of Southeast Kansas: Allen, Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, Mongomery, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson; seventy-three were returned. According to answers received on the questionnaire, elementary principals in Southeast Kansas do …

Identification And Comparison Of The Secretarial Science Curricula Offered By The Nineteen Public Community Junior Colleges In Kansas, Mary Miller Martin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research study is to examine the secretarial science programs presently being utilized in the nineteen public community junior colleges in the state of Kansas according to their 1972-1973 college catalogs. The researcher utilized the catalogs to compare the offerings of these colleges as stated in the secretarial science department.

The Middle School: An Approach To Organizational Structure, Carlos M. Polk

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the implementation of the middle school in Pratt, Kansas. The planning, research and inservice necessary for implementation was of primary concern. Information was obtained from Wichita State University library, Kansas State College of Pittsburg library, and from the central office resource center of Pratt Unified School District #382. The following middle schools were visited: Hesston Middle School, Hesston, Kansas; Rogers Middle School, Spencer, Oklahoma; Rincon Middle School, West Covina, California, and their programs were reviewed for this project.

The Relationship Between Anxiety And Reading Achievement Of Sixth Grade Boys And Girls, Ruth O. Beer

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship of anxiety and reading achievement levels. The study was concerned with the following questions:

1. Are the boys and girls who are achieving below their expected reading levels more anxious than those who are achieving above their reading levels?

2. Are the girls who are achieving below their expected reading levels more anxious than those who are achieving above their expected reading levels?

3. Are the boys who are achieving below their expected reading levels more anxious than those who are achieving above their reading levels?

Sixty-four boys and girls …

Confirmation And Disconfirmation Of Expectancies During Modeling, Roy Steven Garrett

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

To determine the function or confirmation and disconfirmation of expectancy during modeling behavior, 60 primary school children were exposed to a training film (adult male model), and then to three conditions or expectancy confirmation (group C, 100% group CNC, 50%; group NC, 0%) through a second experimental film. Ss' responses were observed under incentive and no-incentive conditions. Though expectancy was not significant, incentive was (p< .01). S responses which matched M's responses in the film showed that confirmation of expectancy did not affect imitative learning. While the perceptual definition of expectancy in this study had no effect, expectancy as a motivational condition and measured during actual observational learning (training film) was discussed as having an effect on number of matching responses in modeling.

The Difference Between The Number Of Correct Responses Of Three Intellectually Defined Groups On The Digit Symbol Subtest Of The Wais, Brian Lange

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This study was a preliminary endeavor concerned with an investigation into whether young adults of defined age ranges and defined intellectual levels obtain significantly different scores on the Digit Symbol sub-test of the WAIS.

With the confidence level set at .05, the null hypothesis that there was no significant difference between the Digit Symbol sub-test scores of the retarded, normal, and superior groups was tested. The term young adults was used to describe subjects between the ages of seventeen and twenty-five. The intellectual level defined as retarded, included Intelligence Quotient scores between 50 and 70; the normal level had Intelligence …

Examiner Influence With Children In The Draw A Person Test, Stephanie Syler

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the influence of the examiner on children administered Machover's Draw A Person Test. Forty third and fourth grade children from two elementary schools served as subjects. The administrators were college students.

The subjects were randomly divided into four groups of 5 at each school, so that each examiner administered the test twice, once at each school. Examiners were also randomly assigned to their groups.

It was hypothesized that children tend to use the administrator of the DAP as a model for their drawings. The statistical analysis of data, however, did not support the hypothesis.

During the course …

A Comparative Analysis Of Aptitudes Measured By General Aptitude Test Battery (Gate ) For Student Groups In Various Specialties Of The Vocational Technical Training Department At Kansas State College Of Pittsburg, Jerry D. Harreld

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Are there differences in the aptitudes as measured by the General Aptitude Test Battery of students in the various course specialties of the Vocational-Technical- Training Department of Kansas State College of Pittsburg?

This study investigated the GATB aptitudes of 812 students enrolled in Vocational Technical Training Department of Kansas State College of Pittsburg from May 1, 1960 to June 30, 1964. The statistical techniques of analysis used in this investigation of the measures of variability and central tendencies of the GATB aptitudes were Bartlett's Test of Homogeneity of Variance and the single classification of analysis of variance.

Bartlett's Test established …

The Effects Of Listening Training On Achievement, Kenneth D. Vineyard

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Reading has long been recognized as a necessary skill but only recently has there been much interest in listening skills even though listening is the most frequently used language activity. Within the past decade many studies have indicated that listening ability correlates highly with intelligence, vocabulary, and report card grades, and some investigators claim that listening training will improve listening ability. If listening ability correlates positively with report card grades then listening training should aid academic achievement.

The present experiment has investigated the effect of listening training on the grade point averages of college freshmen. Since special treatment of experimental …

Video Tape Demonstrations In The Teaching Of Learning In General Psychology: An Experimental Study, Kenneth D. Keith

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The present study was concerned with the effects of supplementary televised demonstrations on achievement in general psychology. Previous research has established television as an effective instructional medium for many fields of study. The conclusions of research utilizing televised programs as instructional supplements have been equivocal however, with some studies lending support to the use of supplementary programs, and some showing their effects to be negligible. The present study was designed in view of the lack of research investigating the relationship of televised supplements to general psychology.

Classical Conditioning Of Shock-Elicited Fighting Behavior In Paired Rats, Jerry T. Treadway

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The present experiment investigated the effectiveness of two methods of stimuli presentation in classically conditioning shock elicited fighting behavior in paired rats.

The results indicated that fighting responses occurred to the unconditioned stimulus (shock), however, at no time did a fighting response occur to any of the tone-alone test trials.

Therefore, it was concluded from the data in the present study that shock-elicited fighting in paired rats did not appear to be a behavior which could be classically conditioned using either a simultaneous or a random method of stimuli presentation.

Relationship Between Training Programs Being Offered In State And Federal Penal Institutions And The Unfilled Job Openings In The Major Occupations In The United States, John Thomas Torrence

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The principal hypothesis of this study was that training programs in penal institutions were not related to unfilled job openings by major occupations in the United States. It was further hypothesized that training programs being reported would have a wide variety of titles rather than follow the Dictionary of Occupational Titles format. The design for this study was the questionnaire-survey method, since the scope of the research entailed a wide geographic area. A transmittal letter was compiled, as well as a check sheet which listed training areas being offered by the Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Department of Justice. Questionnaires were …