Education Commons^™

Picture Postcard, Anthony Fife

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Humanities at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Anthony Fife on December 14, 2007.

A Documentation Of The Choreography Process For Chicago, Summer F. Copley

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Humanities at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Arts by Summer F. Copley in December of 2007.

The Mother Dust, Elizabeth Oquinn Frazier

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Humanities at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Elizabeth OQuinn Frazier on December 1, 2007.

Attitudes Toward And Knowledge Of Affirmative Action In Higher Education, Erika Ann Carr

Dissertations

Affirmative action has become an increasingly important topic in higher education because colleges and universities are key battlegrounds regarding how affirmative action policies are enacted. Senior-level higher education administrators have historically taken the lead in shaping affirmative action policies in higher education, and knowing their own community's standpoints on the policies could assist them in deciding how to proceed in defending affirmative action in the face of increasing opposition.

This study measures individuals' attitudes toward and knowledge of affirmative action within one university in the state of Michigan, where affirmative action was banned through a state-wide election in November 2006. …

Cultural Disparities Of Sat Scores And The Influence On Higher Education Opportunities For African American And Latino Students, Nichelle Hoover

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Inequalities in the distribution of education resources and cultural identification can lead to lower SAT scores for African American and Latino students. By using SAT scores as one of the primary sources to determine admission to institutions of higher education, educators may be denying minority students admission to a variety of colleges and universities, depriving the student of his or her best choice and the college of an engaged and diverse student body, and contributing to the perpetuation of inequalities in the system. The evidence contained in this literature review shows that, given the current system, those students' SAT scores …

Retaining Exploring Students: A Comparison Study Of Decided And Undecided College Students, Betty D. Dennis

Dissertations

U.S. four-year institutions graduate fewer than 50% of its first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students within six years Today, improving college student retention and graduation rates is a primary focus of higher education nationwide. Scholars have found that students who enter college undecided and are still exploring majors need a great deal of support to be retained. Research has also demonstrated that between 20% and 50% of entering freshmen have not selected a major course of study and that colleges and universities are concerned these students are at a higher risk of leaving the institution. What is unclear is whether selecting a …

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 …

Moral Development In Pilot Populations, Erica Anne Diels

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Ethical issues are becoming more commonplace in society today and while most industries are taking steps to improve poor ethical decisions through ethics education, aviation is lagging behind in both understanding of ethical issues inherent to the industry and ethics education. In this study three groups of pilots (students, instructors, and faculty) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University are examined in an effort to determine moral development level in terms of P score on the Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT2) and two domain specific additional questions. It was hypothesized that differences would be found between the groups and that the moral development …

School Counselor Supervision And Evaluation In Minnesota, Billie Jo Kruse Steen

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

The purpose of this study was to examine the state of school counselor evaluation procedures in Minnesota through counselor responses to a survey instrument. School counselors, like many other school support personnel, receive little supervision and feedback on their performance. School counselor evaluation and supervision provides many challenges to school administrators. Counselors are often evaluated by administrators with little knowledge of what the school counselor does or should do in the educational setting . . Consequently, counselors are either seldom evaluated, or evaluated using instruments that were developed to assess classroom teachers. One hundred members of the Minnesota School Counselor …

Differences In Bachelors Degree Attainment: Are College Degrees A Function Of Habitus?, Colin S. Mccaleb

Dissertations

This study sought evidence that Pierre Bourdieu's habitus influences college graduation and college transferring patterns. Hypothesizing that low socio-economic students have to change their habitus in the elitist environment of higher education, two research questions were advanced to explore this phenomenon, the first asking if there was evidence consistent with the idea that habitus influenced graduation rates, the second question asking if there was evidence consistent with the idea that habitus influenced transferring patterns. Under each research question, several hypotheses were tested using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, Chi square tests of independence, and logistic regressions. Income and civic participation …

Performance Testing An Inline Network Intrusion Detection System Using Snort, Richard Wagoner

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Richard Wagoner on November 16, 2007.

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Higher Education And Police Misconduct In The New Jersey State Police, Steven C. Gerding

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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An Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of The Morehead State University Dual Enrollment Pilot Project At Pike Central High School, Lula N. Bowling

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

An applied project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Education Specialist at Morehead State University by Lula N. Bowling on August 15, 2007.

Effective Critical Thinking Teaching Strategies As Perceived By Affiliated Program Evaluation Faculty, Dhaifallah Almatrodi

Dissertations

Critical Thinking (CT) skills are important for effective evaluation. In order to increase CT competency and use in evaluation to improve evaluation results, training programs for evaluators should incorporate CT instruction.

This study focused on three areas of interest relative to CT strategies, teac practices, and assessments to measure CT performance. Six research questions were identified to investigate Program Evaluation (PE) faculty's perceptions of effective CT teaching strategies. They are: (1) How many CT teaching strategies are faculty members aware of in teaching graduate students?; (2) How often PE faculty utilize CT teaching strategies in their teaching profession?; (3) Which …

Cognitive Vs. Supportive Therapy For Distressed Collegians, Jean Clore

Dissertations

Rates of depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and low self-esteem appear to be growing on college campuses. Determining how best to help distressed collegians is an important public health concern, as these individuals appear to be at significant risk for further deterioration, disrupted quality of life, and impaired ability to succeed in college. This study compared the effects of (a) six sessions of cognitive therapy (CT; training in two cognitive modification strategies—building positive self-thoughts and disputing negative self-thoughts) to (b) six sessions of non-directive, supportive therapy (ST). Fifty-three students from a large mid-western university reporting low self-esteem and significant levels of …

The Influences Of Interaction On The Satisfaction, Achievement, And Retention Of Developmental Community College Students, Elizabeth Copeland Wilmer

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of social and academic interaction, demographic characteristics, social and academic adjustment, and learning communities on the satisfaction, achievement, and retention of developmental English community college students.

The literature presented discusses the retention theories of Tinto, Astin, and Bean and their overlapping ideas on persistence. A common thread among these theories is the role of academic and social interaction on the personal development, satisfaction, achievement, and retention of students. Learning communities represent one academic structure that has proven effective in increasing the level of academic and social interaction. Unfortunately, the existing …

The Impact Of Intercultural Training On The Satisfaction And Achievement Of Undergraduates Taught By International Teaching Assistants, Kirsten Jensen

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Much has been done to prepare international teaching assistants to teach American undergraduates, but very little has been done to help the undergraduates learn effectively from instructors of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. This research used a quasi-experimental, quantitative approach combined with a small ethnographic study to examine the impact of a short intercultural training activity on the satisfaction and achievement of freshman students in the fall Freshman Biology laboratory course at a large public university in Virginia. Satisfaction was measured by the responses of students on an end-of-course questionnaire, and achievement by their grades in the course. Audio interviews …

Creating A Comprehensive Early Warning System To Further Student Success And Retention, Shane P. Hammond

CCLA Capstone Projects

Student retention is critical to successful outcomes in higher education today. This completed project is about how to better track a student's performance and work with those struggling academically so that they are given the tools to better academic performance. This project reviewed the Academic Deficiency Report System at Greenfield Community College and identified flaws in the process that did not serve the students well. Based on the author's research of early warning models in the literature and best practices across the state of Massachusetts, an Early Progress Report and notification process was developed. This new version of the early …

An Analysis Of The Potential Of Hydroelectric Power In Kentucky, Terry White

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science at Morehead State University by Terry White on June 15, 2007.

Conservation Of The Sos Operon, Umudc, In Acinetobacter Species, Ching-Li Lin

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science & Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Ching-Li Lin on May 1, 2007.

State Political Culture And The Affordability Of Higher Education : A Multivariate Analysis Of The Impact Of State Higher Education Boards On The Cost Of Attending College., Sara Elizabeth Yount

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand variance in state system performance of affordability using variables describing the state political environment and the structure of state higher education boards. The researcher utilized the National Center for Public Policy in Higher Education's Measuring Up (2006) grade for the dependent variable. Three control variables were examined: (a) institutional strength of the governor, (b) professionalism of the state legislature, and (c) impact of the special interest groups. The independent variable was state higher education boards. Three levels existed for this variable: (a) consolidated governing board, (b) coordinating board, and (c) planning/service agency. …

Using Geographic Information Systems To Identify Student Retention Patterns, Cheryl Hanewicz

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Student retention continues to be a salient issue for administrators and scholars in higher education. For more than 50 years researchers in numerous disciplines, including sociology, psychology, and economic theory, have tried to discover the reasons why students decide to remain in school until graduation. However, retention rates have remained stagnant at about 50%. Serious consequences result when large numbers of students do not graduate (e.g., fiscal appropriations may be reduced). Additionally, an institution’s reputation is created, in part, on its graduation rate and the racial diversity of the student body.

Researchers have recommended finding innovative, interdisciplinary methods to address …

Political Actors And Boundaries In The Public Proclamations Of Osama Bin Laden, Daniel Aaron Bradley

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Humanities at Morehead tate University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Daniel Aaron Bradley on April 20, 2007.

Effect Of Calcium Channel Antagonists And Sex On Bone Metabolism In Aged Brown Norway Rats, Brent Kidd

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science & Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Brent Kidd on April 19, 2007.

Analysis Of Quality Costs For Vrp-109 And Larox Power Pf And Intensifying The Manufacturing Process, Tapani Kilpelainen

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science & Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Tapani Kilpelainen on April 13, 2007.

A Comparative Study Of Learning Styles And Job Satisfaction To Medical Specialty Chosen Among Physician Assistant Graduates, Eric H. Vangsnes

Dissertations

Since the mid-1980s, a trend has developed whereby Physician Assistants (PAs) are making a transition into medical and surgical specialties (Hooker, 1992). In 1984, 18% of PAs worked in medical and surgical specialties; by 1991, this proportion had risen to 22%; and by 2006, 43% of all PAs worked in medical and surgical specialties ( American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) Census Data 2006 , 2007; Hooker, 1992). One development that may have increased the number of PAs entering specialties was the creation of post-graduate residency programs.

This research examined possible associations between learning style and medical specialty, medical specialty …

Scholarly Art: The Writing Experiences Of Student Affairs Professionals, Wanda L.E. Viento

Dissertations

Special issues of the major student affairs journals recently have reflected on the scholarship of the profession (Blimling, 2001; Roper, 2002). The focus of these recent reflections, as well as prior publications on student affairs scholarship (e.g., Davis & Liddell, 1997; Engstrom, 1999; Hunter, 1986; Hunter & Kuh, 1987), largely has been on mentoring research, describing scholarship trends, critiquing existing patterns, and/or envisioning the shape of future scholarship. While the profession of student affairs acknowledges the critical need to promote scholarship and the dissemination of information, little has actually been done to help people get there. Only a few articles …

Foundation Year Field Instruction In A Master Of Social Work Program: A Comparison Study Of Learning Outcomes For On-Campus And Off-Campus Students, Martha T. Early

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

One of the major concerns in delivering a Master of Social Work program away from the main campus is comparability with the program as it is delivered on campus. Field education constitutes a substantial portion of the hours in a graduate program and is valued as the place where theory meets practice. Persons are involved in the delivery of field education include the students, the clients, the field instructors, and the field liaisons who teach the accompanying field seminars, and the Field Office personnel. This paper reports on a study that focused on learning outcomes of a foundation year field …

The Effects Of Post-Secondary Education On State Troopers’ Job Performance, Stress Levels, And Authoritarian Attitudes, Carl J. Lafata

Dissertations

This study was designed to determine the effects of post-secondary education on police officers' job performance, stress levels, and levels of authoritarianism as measured by Altemeyer's (1996) Right-Wing Authoritarianism Scale questionnaire. It involved the analysis of data voluntarily and anonymously submitted via an internet-based survey by 356 of the Michigan State Police's approximately 1,800 enlisted members (those members who are state-certified police officers), along with information collected from informal personal interviews held with a select group of seven of the department's senior leaders. Subsequent analysis of the collected quantitative data revealed no statistical support for the project's first two hypotheses, …

The Social Construction Of Authorship: An Investigation Of Subjectivity And Rhetorical Authority In The College Writing Classroom, Johannah Rodgers

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Although we use the term author on a daily basis to refer to certain individuals, bodies of work, and systems of ideas, as Michel Foucault and other critics have pointed out, attempting to answer the question “What is an Author?” is by no means a simple proposition. And, starting from the position that there is no single, or definitive answer to this complex question, this dissertation seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion of the genealogy of authorship by investigating the ways in which conceptions of the author have informed models of the writing subject in the field of rhetoric …