Education Commons^™

Relationships Between Teachers' Perceptions Of Principals' Leadership Behavior And Level Of Work Motivation, Raquenel Sanchez-Perkins

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teachers' perceptions of the principal's leadership behavior, either initiating structure or consideration and work motivation of elementary school teachers. The three subscales of motivation are: (1) Intrinsic, (2) Extrinsic, and (3) General Satisfaction. This study also examined the relationship between work motivation and job satisfaction of elementary school teachers based on the teachers' age, years of work experience, and the student enrollment of the school they work in. The two instruments used to gather the data from elementary school teachers were the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire and the Minnesota …

Academic Achievement As A Function Of Attributions Of Success And Failure And Socio-Cultural Variables In Mexican-American Students, Mary Alice Reyes

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this research was to examine Mexican-American 8th grade students' attributions of success and failure in school-related contexts. The relationship between and among these attributions, socio-cultural variables and academic achievement was also explored and analyzed. Attribution theory formed the theoretical foundation for the study.

The study utilized three instruments as the primary sources of self-reported data: the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS ), Student Achievement Responsibility Survey ( SARS ) (Ryckman, 1985), and the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanic Youth ( SASH-Y ) (Barona & Miller, 1994). Other data including gender and migrant status were obtained from …

Relationship Between Cognitive Performance And Sociocultural And Linguistic Variables In Bilingual Mexican American Children, Lorraine Geralyn Boudville

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study investigated the relationship between cognitive ability (dependent variable) and 5 independent variables: acculturation, socioeconomic status (SES), oral acquisition of syntactic structures, family size, and family structure. Instruments used were the WISC-III, Bilingual Syntax Measure (BSM), Sociocultural Scales in the System of Multicultural Pluralistic Assessment (SOMPA). The sample consisted of 96 bilingual Mexican American children aged six and seven years, randomly selected from five school districts in south Texas; 47 were female, and 49, male. The method of analysis was multiple linear regression. The null hypothesis was tested at the .05 level of significance, using a F distribution. Results …

Reducing Aberrant Behavior Utilizing Functional Communication Training In Whole-Group, Small-Group And One-To-One Settings, Twila Dawn Sprowl Figueroa

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Functional communication training (FCT) with extinction, as well as multiple manding choices were utilized to reduce aberrant behavior with three individuals with mild to moderate mental retardation or learning disability. The setting was a self-contained special education classroom for students ages six to 11 years old in an elementary school in South Texas. FCT with extinction was utilized within whole group, small group and one-to-one instruction. The findings indicated that FCT did reduce aberrant behavior and did increase communication for all three subjects. FCT is a differential reinforcement of an alternative behavior (DRA) method which has viable uses within the …

The Effects Of Multi-Sensory Teaching Practices On The Reading Fluency And Comprehension Of Bilingual 2Nd Grade Students, Gloria Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Language, the heart of the educational process, is the vehicle through which students are primarily being educated and prepared throughout their schooling (Lam, 1996). Language acquisition is described as having four processes: socio-cultural, linguistic, and academic and cognitive. Teaching, learning, and curriculum content must; therefore, be culturally meaningful, interactive, and collaborative. Since a student's learning style is a major contributing factor in teaching and not all students learn in the same manner, educators must know and understand the bilingual and bicultural child's identities and emphasize interdisciplinary, cooperative, and multi-sensory lessons in their classrooms (Chamot,1994). Educators must incorporate the wealth of …

Visual Iconic Object-Oriented Programming To Advance Computer Science Education And Novice Programming, Nancy Silva Martinez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Learning how to program a computer is difficult for most people. Computer programming is a cognitively challenging, time consuming, labor intensive, and frustrating endeavor. Years of formal study and training are required to learn a programming language's world of algorithms and data structures. Instructions are coded in advance before the computer demonstrates the desired behavior. Seeing all the programming steps and instruction code is complicated. There exists a tremendous gap between the representations the human brain uses when thinking about a problem and the representations used in programming a computer. Often people are much better at dealing with specific, concrete …

Ensuring Educational Opportunity For Students With Disabilities: A Legal Analysis Of Section 504 Of The Rehabilitation Act Of 1973, Jacques Evan Trevino

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The study was a legal analysis of the reasonable accommodation standard as defined and applied by the judiciary in carrying out the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The purpose of the study was to identify problem areas in interpreting Section 504 as it applies to the responsibilities of public schools in light of differing standards applied by the Department of Education and the judiciary. An analysis of case law, federal statutes, and federal regulations helped to determine the current practices regarding the accommodation of disabled students in our public schools.

The study focused on the …

An Analysis Of Key Leadership Behaviors Of The Principal In A High -Performing Elementary School Serving Mexican American Children In South Texas, Alda T. Benavides

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study is based on the theoretical framework that defines leadership as an influence process, one that depends on the extent to which people eventually perceive leadership as a quality someone possesses and as a result of that perception, consent to be led (Greenfield, 1998). Leadership is the process of being perceived as a leader (Lord and Maher, 1993). Doing good work at one's school and being seen to do such work is likely to be the most powerful strategy for positively influencing teachers' perceptions of one's leadership. This study expands on the theory that it is what you do …

A Study Of Parental Involvement At A Blue Ribbon Elementary School On The Texas-Mexico Border, Jay Scott Hollinger

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The involvement of parents in their children's education influences student achievement. In 1995, researchers identified mechanisms necessary for effective parent involvement. Although substantial research has been done on parent and family involvement, few studies have described the phenomenon among low socioeconomic Mexican-American families. In 1996, one case study was conducted at a high school and another was conducted at a middle school on the Texas-Mexico border. These studies described strategies and tactics used by the principal, teachers, and support staff to influence parents to become more involved in their children's education. The present study expands on these works by investigating …

A Comparison Of Prison Rehabilitation Classes, Linda Sue Jackson

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study employed a Pretest-Posttest Comparison Group Design in order to determine the comparative effectiveness of two prison rehabilitation classes. The experimental group was comprised of 14 adult, male, incarcerated offenders enrolled in a Prerelease class designed to impact their attitudes, thinking, and values. The comparison group consisted of 22 adult, male, incarcerated offenders enrolled in a GED preparation class. Both groups received a battery of pretests and posttests consisting of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, the Adjective Checklist (ACL), and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2). There was an interval of 23 school days between the pretests and posttests. Between …

Colonia Outreach Assistance And Training (C.O.A.S.T.), Eunice Aida Garcia

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This project examines the benefits of Educational and/or Job Training under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Title II-A and Title II-C programs for Colonia residents in Hidalgo County. The design will be a pretest-posttest non-randomized experiment, conducted by the County of Hidalgo Office of Employment and Training (CHOET). This paper will present the background of the study, describe the methodology, present facts about the living standards of the colonias within Hidalgo County, the procedures of the project, and the measurement of the project impacts.

Using Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities To Identify Gifted Students And Augment Their Gifted Potential, Sande Kristiansen-Hagne

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study was to examine the potential for using Dabrowski's theory of overexcitabilities as an alternative method for identifying gifted students and augmenting development of gifted potential in students. Specifically, in what ways can Dabrowski's psychic overexcitabilities and Theory of Developmental Potential be used to find and serve the educational and emotional needs of the residual group of unidentified and unserved gifted students?

Educational implications and strategies are suggested and discussed. Pedagogic and curricular strategies that utilize the interactive nature of Dabrowski's psychic overexcitabilities and emotional development are examined. The benefit of development of an instrument to measure overexcitabilities at …

Perceptions Of Competencies For Americorps Supervisors Within The Texas Agricultural Extension Service: An Exploratory Study, Ruben Javier Saldana

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

As a special project of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, the AmeriCorps program requires special supervisional and management competencies on the part of supervising agents at the local level. This study tested 131 variables as indicators of high performance and surveyed all fourteen agent supervisors. Management areas were divided into structure, performance management, office management, and competencies. Exemplary supervisors were identified in a triangulation model that involved nominations by peers, immediate supervisors, and the AmeriCorps project director.

Findings were that the use of the plan of work and incorporation of project goals were highly related to high performance. Coaching behavior …

Teachers' Attitudes And Preceptions Towards Inclusion Of Gifted Students, Bertha Belen Perez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study was to determine if middle school teachers' attitudes and perceptions towards gifted students in inclusionary classrooms are affected by experiential variables. Specifically, are receptivity towards gifted, training and knowledge in giftedness, and preferences towards teaching gifted students affected by teachers' attitudes? Are preferences and perceptions towards inclusive programs in the middle schools affected by teachers' attitudes?

The population is comprised of 135 general education teachers from three middle schools in the La Joya Independent School District, La Joya, Texas. The Teacher Report Questionnaire was designed using twenty-three questions. The questions were developed for general education teachers in the …

Factors That Affect Parental Involvement In Gifted Education, Lynne Ann Mahony

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study was completed to identify various factors that affect the level of involvement of parents who have children in gifted programs. Specifically this thesis attempts to identify the reasons parents do or do not attend parent meetings for the gifted, and the types of agendas at the meeting that these parents find to be the most beneficial.

The population studied consisted of parents of 117 gifted students, kindergarten through twelfth grade, located in a school district on the Western Slope in Colorado, who completed the Parental Involvement Strategies Survey. Data were complied by axial coding and analyzed for development …

The Political Resources Model Of Representation: A Local Approach, Joe Manuel Cavazos

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of the study was to determine the applicability of the Political Resources Model of Representation to the Rio Grande Valley and to ascertain if political resources (poverty levels, educational attainment, and Hispanic representation) provide an adequate explanation of educational outcomes (ACT, TEAMS, and dropout rates).

The political Resources Model of Representation, used by Meier and Stewart, served as a theoretical framework for the study. Formerly, the model had been used at a national level and a state level. Representation variables were used to predict the applicability of the model to a region.

Political Resources variables were used to …

A Study Of Factors On The Performance Of The Texas Academic Skills Program Test, Billy B. Watkins

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

At least thirty percent of students who enter Texas public higher education each year have basic skills deficiencies and cannot perform effectively in college. The TASP Test was developed to identify these students. Moreover, this test must be passed in order to obtain a degree from a Texas public institution.

A survey of 150 entering freshmen from the University of Texas-Pan American was examined to identify variables that influence student performance on the TASP Test.

Chi-square tests uncovered academic, socioeconomic, and institutional bivariate relationships with TASP performance. Multiple regression analysis indicated that academic variables primarily predicted TASP performance.

Bilingual Special Education: A Comparison Of The Perceptions Between Bilingual And Special Education Directors, Sarita Garcia

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study was conducted through a survey instrument. The quantitative aspect examined the question: Is there a significant difference in the mean scores between the directors' perceptions with respect to the need for: (a) bilingual special education (BSE) programs in the public schools; (b) training programs for teachers who serve students with limited-English proficiency and disabilities; (c) formal BSE certification; and (d) universities to offer BSE training? Positive and negative BSE attributes including suggestions comprised the qualitative dimension. The sample consisted of 40 bilingual education directors and 27 special education directors from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas …

A Content Validity Analysis Of The University Of Texas-Pan American English 1320 Grammar And Usage Exam, Cynthia Eilene Elder

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study examines the degree of content validity of the grammar and usage exam administered to The University of Texas-Pan American's developmental writing classes (English 1320). Final exam essays from the freshman composition course (English 1301) were divided into groups according to their scores and examined for the occurrence of adjective agreement, apostrophe, pronoun usage, punctuation of clause, sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, and tense usage errors, which are tested on the exam. An Analysis of Variance was then calculated for each error type; none of the error types proved statistically significant at the.05 level. The students within each group did …

A Descriptive Profile Of The Philosophical, Organizational, And Curricular Program Structure Of The Reading Programs In Six Selected School Districts Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley, June Ann Mccullough Burger

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This descriptive study was undertaken in order to provide the communities and educational organizations in the Lower Rio Grande Valley with a profile of the philosophical, organizational and curricular structure of reading programs in the school districts of the area. Six school systems were selected as representative of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and were chosen on the basis of population, school enrollment and geographical location.

A questionnaire was prepared to insure continuity of the collected data and to serve as a basis for conducting interviews with appropriate administrative personnel. The data collected revealed that while school systems of the …