Education Commons^™

A Study Of Integrated Learning Systems In The Public Schools, Mary N. Parker

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of an Integrated Learning System (ILS). This study focused on how public school districts in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Iowa were using the ILS. Eighty-five surveys were sent to public school contact persons whose names were provided by Computer Curriculum Corporation (CCC) which produces an ILS called SuccessMaker. Other software providers refused to cooperate in supplying names for the study. The study also asked if the ILS were effective in producing student gains.

While this study did not statistically evaluate the effectiveness of the ILS compared to control groups, or …

Merits Of Traditional And Alternative High School Schedules In Southern And Central Illinois As Perceived By High School Principals, Tom Sherman

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to determine the merits of traditional and alternative high school schedules (Block 8, Block 4, etc.) as perceived by principals of central and southern Illinois high schools (schools south of Interstate 80). The study took place during November and December, 1997, utilizing a survey of 200 randomly selected Illinois high school principals south of Interstate 80. Of the 200 surveys sent out, 168 were returned for a response rate of 84%. A survey was constructed to gather data on six research questions. The High School Schedule Survey and cover letter were developed and field tested by …

A Study Of Parent Perceptions Of The Home/School Connection With Technology In Georgetown-Ridge Farm Cusd #4, Andy Weathers

Masters Theses

The last three years has brought dramatic changes in implementation of technology for the Georgetown-Ridge Farm Unit District #4 (G-RF Unit #4). Since 1995 the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has initiated increased grant funding for schools in the areas of technology deployment, staff development and software purchase and upgrades. ISBE has placed special emphasis on the home/school connection with technology. Districts are required to assess what ISBE refers to as their "current reality" in these areas and take steps to close the gap in the inequities that exist. Districts were required to use gap analysis data to prepare …

Strategies, Obstacles, And Methods Related To Conducting Building Bond Campaigns In Rural Illinois Unit (K-12) School Districts, Todd E. Pence

Masters Theses

This study was designed to determine (a) the strategies used by school district personnel in rural Illinois unit school districts to help pass school building bond issues, (b) the obstacles that school district personnel in rural Illinois unit school districts faced when trying to pass building bond issues, and (c) the methods used by school district personnel in rural Illinois unit school districts to overcome the obstacles.

The study took place during the spring of 1998. The study included a survey that was sent to the superintendents of the 88 small and medium sized (less than 1,800 students) rural Illinois …

An Exploration Of The Undergraduate Experiences Of Faculty, Shannon M. Horn

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the undergraduate experiences of faculty members at one institution. A review of the literature revealed that there does seem to be a positive relationship between faculty-student interaction and the student's retention at the university level. Students are also more likely to persist if they have become involved in out of class activities. The need to bring these out of class activities in line with the academic mission of the university is clear. Students need to be developed in all aspects of their life.

As student affairs administrators seek to help create seamless …

African American Students On A Predominantly White Campus: Stressful Experiences And Coping Strategies, Katherine Townsend

Masters Theses

Stressful experiences and coping strategies were examined in African American college students at a predominantly white institution. The Ways of Coping-Revised and the Survey of Recent Life Experiences were mailed to all full-time African American students both on and off campus. The results indicated that African American students are not more likely to experience high stress; that stress level does not predetermine coping strategy and that academic class standing does not influence stress level. However, females are likely to experience more stress due to the pressures of time than males. Furthermore, Wishful Thinking was preferred by students who encounter high …

The Effects Of Habitual Physical Activity On Number Of Colds And Incidence Of Cold Symptoms, Katie Lynn Maniatis

Masters Theses

The purpose of this investigation was to compare frequency of colds and symptoms of upper respiratory infection in college students who have different levels of habitual physical activity. Subjects were Eastern Illinois University students (N=535, aged 18-25). A survey was conducted which included questions inquiring about demographic information, physical activity habits, the number of colds contracted the month before the survey, and symptom number and severity. Data collection occurred between February 12th and March 1st, 1998. This particular time period was chosen for several reasons, including that student stress level should have been lower than at the beginning or end …

Predicting Rape Myth Acceptance In College, Kurt E. Hegeman

Masters Theses

This study examined how the following factors found in the American college experience predicted college students' acceptance of myths concerning rape: students' gender, personal knowledge of a rape survivor, attitude toward alcohol consumption, actual alcohol consumption, and fraternity/sorority (Greek) membership. Eighty-eight male and 239 female college students completed a demographic survey, the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (Payne, 1993), and the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (Brown, Christ, and Goldman, 1987). Results indicate that the college students' actual alcohol consumption rate was not predictive of rape myth acceptance. However, all other factors examined in the study interacted in predicting rape myth acceptance. …

A Comparison Of Measures In Physical Fitness And Biological Maturity Between Female Gymnasts And Females Not Involved In Organized Sport, Cara Kokenes

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in physical fitness and biological development between two groups of twelve year old females. One group consisted of idividuals who had been involved in competitive sport for at least two years while the other group was not involved in organized sport. Two groups of 20 subjects were examined in terms of height, weight, flexibility, strength, body composition, maturation, eating attitudes, and cardiorespiratory endurance. The results indicated that the gymnasts were significantly (p<.05) shorter, lighter, stronger in regard to left hand grip strength, lower in percent body fat, less biologically mature, and had greater cardiorespiratory fitness than the non-gymnasts. No significant differences were observed in right hand grip strength or eating attitudes. It was concluded that maturation level as well as gymnastic training played a major role in influencing values obtained through measurements of physical fitness.

Differences In Burnout Among Special Education Teachers, Mike D. De Boer

Masters Theses

A random sample of special education teachers in Iowa completed survey materials including the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a demographic and background information questionnaire (N=179). Results suggested that special educators in Iowa generally experience moderate levels of emotional exhaustion, low levels of depersonalization, and low levels of personal accomplishment. Demographic factors (e.g., age, gender, years of experience) did not predict burnout, nor did most job-related factors (e.g., number of students served, type of classroom setting) . The only factor found to predict burnout in this study was the type of student served. Future research should focus on individual factors that …

Assessing Indicators Of Early Reading Skills, Tammy M. Claypool

Masters Theses

Measures that assess pre-reading skills were examined. The measures included a typical informal kindergarten inventory for Initial Consonant Sound Identification, and Good's (1997) DIBELS measures that include: Letter Naming Fluency, Onset Recognition Fluency, and Phonemic Awareness Fluency. Participants included 50 kindergarten students from three different classrooms from two elementary school buildings in the same school district. Results demonstrated that the four measures were highly correlated with each other, and that the Onset Recognition Fluency measure best predicted the classroom teacher' predictions of at-risk students for reading difficulties. The four measures together were moderately to highly predictive of the teachers' ratings …

Learning Disabilities: The Definitional Dilemma, Gretchen Burman

Masters Theses

As professionals in the fields of education and psychology, we often focus on the children who are having difficulty learning in and adjusting to school, children who may have learning disabilities. We examine test results and what they say about how a child learns; we consider what the teacher says about the difficulties the child has in the classroom. Teachers discuss how frustrating it is to work with children who are ''slow learners" or who "learn differently." However, the definition of learning disability is so variable that we may fail to identify, or we may over-identify, those with a learning …

Report Card Grading And Adaptations For Students With Disabilities: A Survey Of Practices In East Central Illinois, Melissa L. Jones

Masters Theses

The issue of grading the academic performance of students with disabilities has become a challenge as the restructuring of special education has placed these students in general education settings. A survey was conducted within the Illinois counties of Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie, and Shelby in hopes of determining current policy, desired grading formats and practical grading adaptations for students with disabilities. One hundred responses, which questioned the attitudes and opinions of each group, as well as written policy and guidelines were solicited from each of four defined subgroups (teachers of special education, elementary level classroom teachers, secondary level …