Education Commons^™

A Structural Analysis Of Higher Education Government Relations Organizations And Their Relationship To State Funding, Randall Brumfield

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Competing interests for state government funding have affected the status of public higher education as a budget priority. State legislators and executive officeholders are increasing appropriations to areas such as public K-12 education, health care, infrastructure, and social services programs at the expense of state colleges and universities. As such the higher education community must effectively utilize its government relations organizations to communicate with elected officials the importance of state funding. The purpose of the study was to identify the functional and personnel trends existing within government relations offices, and, to determine the extent a relationship may exist between organizational …

Attitudes Of Counselor Educators Toward Persons With Disabilities, Adrianne Johnson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of nine variables with attitudes of Counselor Educators toward persons with disabilities. The objective was to identify several potential variables that may influence attitudes. Nine variables were examined to test their relationship with attitude among the participants. An analysis was completed of the significance between each of the factors and attitude as measured by the SADP (Antonak, 1981). The independent variables were: a) age; b) gender; c) ethnicity; d) amount of contact with disabled persons; e) knowledge of disability legislation; f) comfort with type of disability; g) theoretical orientation; h) …

A Comparative Study Of Hybrid And Internet-Based Educational Technology Course Modules, Nilly Adnan Al-Banna

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine students’ attitudes and performance toward the teaching methods in an educational technology course. Undergraduate students enrolled in the Educational Technology course ETEC 2002L at the University of Arkansas had been exposed to both on-line modules and in-class instruction. The sample size for this study was 155. The results included 110 valid surveys completed by the students on paper. The data collected from the survey were analyzed using percentages, means, and t test of paired samples to find if there was a significant difference in students’ attitudes toward on-line versus hybrid instruction. Four …

Examining The Relationship Between Student Support Services And Student Outcomes At A Four-Year Institution, Angela Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study identified and examined the service variable combination(s) provided by Student Support Services (SSS) TRIO program that had a statistically significant relationship with program participants’ academic performance and retention. SSS is a federally funded program designed to increase the retention and graduation rates of undergraduate first-generation, low-income, disabled college students. While SSS has played a significant role in the retention of disadvantaged students, scarce empirical research exist which examine the combination of SSS services that affect students’ academic performance and retention. Considering SSS programs will probably not experience large increases in federal support in the future and given the …

The Stress Management Self-Efficacy Inventory (Smsei): Development And Initial Psychometrics, Kristin Higgins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of the current study was to develop, pilot, and establish the initial psychometrics of the Stress Management Self-Efficacy Inventory (SMSEI). Once developed and positive psychometrics established, middle school counselors and other mental health professionals can use the SMSEI to identify children who lack self-efficacy in the area of stress management. Once adolescents are identified as having low stress management self-efficacy, this measure can also aid professionals in creating programs and interventions. The SMSEI measures how well adolescents believe they can manage their stress as well as measures specific areas or management techniques that a child believes they …

Comparing State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies With High Verses Low Rates Of Competitive Employment For Blind Consumers: Defining Quality Employment And Describing Effective Service Patterns, Edward Bell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies were rank ordered by their rate of competitive employment for consumers who are legally blind. Based on each state's competitive closure rate (CCR), the top six- and bottom six-ranked agencies were identified and formed two groups of high- and low-performing states. Top- versus bottom-ranked agencies were compared by quality of jobs obtained, services offered, consumer characteristics, and geographic/economic differences. The quality of jobs obtained was assessed via three indices: average wage, medical insurance, and selfsupport. Six services were hypothesized to explain differences between high- and lowranked states: cost of case services, adjustment training, college education, …

Missouri A+ Students: How Are They Doing?, Jeffrey Jochems

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if students receiving assistance through the A+ Program exhibited higher academic performance (measured by college cumulative GPA, number of remedial courses taken, and graduation rates) at OTC than two comparison groups of non-A+ students with similar background characteristics. A secondary purpose of the study was to determine if students receiving assistance through the A+ Program (categorized by gender, size of high school, and degree sought) exhibited higher academic performance at OTC than two other comparison groups o f non-A+ students with similar background characteristics.

The A+ Program was established in 1993 …

Instructor On Demand: Can Online Delivery Of Lectures Promote Learning Achievement?, Rebecca Ann Martindale

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reported enrollments of students taking online courses in institutes of higher learning in the 2000-01 academic years were estimated at 3.077 million, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES). Dramatic enrollment increases have led to a need for research that involves both the comparison of learning achievement based on delivery mediums, and student attitudes concerning alternative delivery methods. This study compared the learning achievement of students when the deliveries of course lectures were presented both in-class and online, as well as measured attitudes of students concerning delivery mediums. Both types of lectures were presented …

The Effects Of Cultural Congruity, University Alienation, And Self-Concept Upon Multiracial Students' Adjustment To College, Derrick Adam Paladino

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine key factors that relate to the self-perception of cultural congruity, university alienation (powerlessness, meaninglessness, and social estrangement), and self-concept (perceived intellectual ability, perceived scholastic competence, perceived social acceptance, appearance, and global self-worth) in multiracial college students. One goal of this study is to discover if there is a relationship between cultural congruity, alienation, and self-concept among multiracial college students. In addition, this study examined what factors predict cultural congruity, university alienation, and self-concept in multiracial college students. Finally, this study explored the relationship of cultural congruity, university alienation, self-concept, and specific demographic …

Correlates Of Depression In Young Adult Caregivers, Mark Gillen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research examined depression in young adult caregivers. It was hypothesized that levels of depression in 18 to 40 year olds who provided care to older adult family members would be similar to depression levels of middle age adult caregivers. This study also examined the relationship between depression, gender, employment, physical health, and relationships. Participants included 172 young adult caregivers that were employees of one of three mid-west universities or colleges. All employees in the young adult age range were contacted and provided with a survey packet. The survey included the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and predictor …

Spirituality And Self-Efficacy In Counseling And Social Work Trainees, Pam J. Matthews

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships of the counseling/social work trainee spirituality and religion/spirituality awareness to trainee self-efficacy in counseling clients with religious/spiritual issues or backgrounds. In addition, the study explored the influence of demographic variables on spirituality, religion/spirituality awareness, and self-efficacy including: (a) religious/spiritual affiliation (Christian, Non-Christian), (b) ethnicity (Caucasian, Non-Caucasian), (c) training/accreditation program affiliation, (d) gender, and (e) age.

Performance Motivation: Tests Of An Integrated Model, Jerry Kopf

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Different individuals, with the same ability and faced with the same environmental constraints, exert varying amounts of effort, and, to the extent that performance is a function of effort, achieve different levels of performance. This study proposes and tests a theory of motivation which is an integration of what have previously been considered separate, and often conflicting, theories of motivation. The study hypothesizes that motivational differences in effort or performance may be due to either differences in goal level or differences in goal commitment and tests the integrated model against a model which uses assigned goals to predict effort (goal …