Education Commons^™

The Effect Of Using A Read Aloud Nonfiction Picture Book To Strengthen Fifth Grade Students' Comprehension Of Science Content, Jana Robertson Hammond

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a read- aloud nonfiction picture books would increase fifth grade students' science comprehension as measured by a criterion reference test.

Four questions guided the research in this study:

1. What are the benefits of reading aloud to fifth grade students?

2. According to the Fry Readability graph, what is the readability of the Harcourt textbook used in fifth grade and the readability of the nonfiction picture books chosen for this study?

3. Does the use of a read aloud nonfiction picture book increase fifth grade students' comprehension versus a round-robin instruction …

Online Giving And University Development, Peter A. Trakas

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the profile of the potential online donor to a small, private, liberal arts institution. Attitudes towards online giving were studied between participants who donated online and those who did not. Additionally respondents of differing class years were compared to determine which age groups were more likely to donate over the Internet. A total of 576 surveys were returned for an effective response rate of 38%. Collected data were entered into an SPSS database. The data revealed most respondents had been using the Internet for over 5 years, and accessed the Internet almost everyday. Data also revealed that …

A Study Of High School Students' Perceptions Of Their Safety In School, Christina L. Testani Cafiero

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the factors that contributed to high school students' sense of security at school, and what these students perceived as measures that if put in place, would increase their feelings of security. The focus was the relationship between students' perceptions of safety at school and their own opinions of school and their experiences at school.

The study was conducted in the School District of Osceola County, Florida. The population of this study was comprised of all students enrolled in the public high schools in the School District of Osceola County. The sample for the study …

The Efficacy Of Affirmations On Anxiety Reduction, Christine Marie Karper

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent forms of mental illness. There is a great need to acquire techniques which effectively and rapidly treat anxiety. The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of affirmations aids in the reduction of anxiety. In addition, this study examined if the use of affirmations combined with relaxation music aids in the reduction of anxiety and examined if the use of relaxation music alone aids in the reduction of anxiety.

An experimental research design was used in this study. Three treatment groups were investigated and one control group. Each treatment group …

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Amendments Of 1997 And Implications For School-Based Administrators, Connie Woods Collins

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to review historical legislation relevant to the education of individuals with disabilities, examine the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Act and related case law, and to create a knowledge base from which school-based professionals can make legally sound policy and planning decisions and reduce liability for noncompliance with the applicable laws and regulations pertaining to the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In addition, the study provided insight into the law and increased the comfort levels of school-based personnel who deal with exceptional students, thereby increasing the likelihood of …

Three Surveys On Adult Esol Pronunciation: Teachers, Students, Textbooks, Hortensia Louro Bernal

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This study used three instruments to examine the current state of the teaching of ESOL pronunciation. These instruments included a survey of 62 teachers, another survey of 508 ESOL students, and a comparative study of ten pronunciation textbooks in widespread use since 1990. The purpose of the study was to characterize the teaching of pronunciation at present through the voices of the teachers, the opinions of the students, and the content of the textbooks. The study also identified the approaches and types of activities being proposed by the experts and recommended additional activities as well as a rationale for their …

Is There A Difference In Learning Styles Of Honors Versus Non-Honors Students As Assessed By The Geft?, Debra Lee Hollister

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Working Relationship Of International Teaching Assistants And Undergraduate Students, Marcella A. Farina Phd

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The present study was conducted to ascertain undergraduate views about the effectiveness of International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) in the American classroom. The study was administered to a stratified cluster sampling by college of the target population, undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida, in Orlando, Florida. The instrument used, Questionnaire of Undergraduates about International Teaching Assistants (QUITA) as developed by Wanda Fox (1990), is composed of a total of 40 items regarding personal and academic background, cultural exposure to and views about non-native speakers of English, and ITA-classroom effectiveness and problem-solving strategies. On the basis of data from the …

Expectation And Satisfaction Of Freshmen And Seniors In Higher Education, Reuban Beryrl Rodriguez

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the expectation, satisfaction and performance gap levels between selected freshman and seniors as measured by the selected SSI scales. The problem was to determine if expectation, satisfaction, and performance gap levels differed between freshman and seniors in 1995 and freshman and seniors in 1998 based on class level, gender and age. The study examined four selected scales from the twelve scales derived from the Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI): Campus Climate, Campus Life, Campus Support Services, and Instruction Effectiveness. Respondents rated all items on a 7-point Likert scale with respect to their expectations …

Campus Safety Directors: A Leadership Frame Analysis, Ross A. Wolf

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This study is based on leadership frame theory as developed by Drs. Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal who merged several different schools of theory into four different frames: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic. In July, 1998 the Leadership Orientation (Self) survey, developed by Bolman and Deal (1990a) was distributed to 343 campus safety directors at American public four-year postsecondary institutions. A return of 190 (55.4%) useable survey instruments was obtained in this study.

The utilization of leadership frames by campus safety directors was examined as well as the relationship between frame usage and age, education level, length of time …

Florida Social Studies Leaders' Perceptions Regarding An Afrocentric Curriculum, Vicki Kaplan Banks

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to gain insight into the perceptions Florida's leaders have regarding the inclusion of an Afrocentric curriculum. The leaders chosen for this study were the Florida Council for the Social Studies Board and the Association of Social Studies Supervisors. These leaders were sent a questionnaire that contained 57 statements about social studies curriculum content in a Likert scale format. The results of the survey were reported by using mean scores and frequency distributions.

The Likert survey statements examined respondents' viewpoints with regard to diversity, Afrocentrism, and Eurocentrism. The results of the survey were used …

Telecourse And Traditional Computer Applications : Exploring The Impact Of Review Sessions, Carol Odette Bourke

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore the effects of review sessions on student achievement and retention in a computer applications course taught by televised distance learning and traditional instruction. Identified within the study were method of instruction, review, and grades in televised and traditional computer applications courses. A quasi-experimental design was used to measure the effects of review sessions on student achievement and retention in computer applications classes. Intact classes were used to form the 4 groups used in this study. Randomization was limited to choices students made in registering for the classes. The control groups for this …

The Effect Of Water Immersion On Lactic Acid Kinetics During Swimming Interval Training Recovery Periods, Richard P. Morris

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine the difference in the circulation of lactic acid following high intensity swimming, between resting immersed in water or resting sitting on the pool deck, completely out of the water. Six (four male and two female) collegiate swimmers volunteered for the study. The swimmers were randomly assigned to two groups and a counterbalance design was employed, where each group experienced both treatments (one resting out of the water, one resting in the water), in different orders. Each swimmer completed an identical warm-up and then swam five 100 yard swims at 85-95% intensity, with …

Fatigue : Investigation Of A Human Factor For Aviation Curricula, Thomas R. Weitzel

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive study investigated the perceived problem of human fatigue as an operational consideration within the U.S. air carrier industry and the status of fatigue as content within U.S. aviation education/training curricula. An instrument was developed and expert-validated for self-completion by the following three groups (each with its sample size): (a) aviation higher education, represented by a mailing to 50 individuals; (b) air carrier training/management, represented by a mailing to 50 individuals; and (c) a professional training group of 58 general aviation flight instructors, with administration by the researcher during scheduled company meetings. The resultant SPSS data set consisted of …

A Study To Determine Which Factors Contribute To The Implementation Of A Successful Primary Multiage/Nongraded Program, Vicki Hils Osborne

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Child growth and development pedagogy suggests that not all children are ready to learn the same thing, at the same time, in the same way. Multiage/nongraded programs allow pupils to advance from one concept or skill level to the next as they are ready, regardless of age or grade, which results in continuous progress. Multiage/nongraded education has a solid foundation or research and experience to support its use. However, many questions still exist regarding the factors that contribute to the implementation of a successful primary multiage/nongraded program.

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to identify the (a) critical attributes …

Analysis Of Parental Choice : Islamic School Enrollment In Florida, Feryal Y. Elkhaldy

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover and interpret reasons Florida parents enrolled their children in Islamic schools. A selection of 30 parents from 3 different schools in Florida were interviewed by the researcher using a semistructured interview guide which used both oral and written responses. The sample was matched according to the gender of parents interviewed - 15 mothers and 15 fathers were interviewed. the sample was matched according to the gender of the referent child. Out of 30 referent children, 15 were female and 15 were male. The researcher included children of all grade levels. Fifteen were …

An Analysis Of The Early Retirement Programs Offered During The 1992-1993 School Year By The Public School Districts In The State Of Florida, Peter B. Berry

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Using Electronic Portfolios To Archive Student Performance, Phyllis M. Olmstead

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This study regards the use of portfolios for evaluating and documenting student progress and performance. In consideration of the far reaching and global nature of education, the researcher included educators from both the United States and other countries. Based upon the great importance that many countries and states have placed upon servicing students by alternative means, the population sample examined included 500 teachers instructing by both conventional and distance education modalities; Many current educational reform measures and legislative issues concern the attainment of job skills; therefore, both vocational and non-vocational instructors were included in the study.

Examined in the study …

Current Accessibility Of, Knowledge Of, And Experience With Distance Education Technologies At Three Small Colleges In Kelskemet Hungary, Richard Adams Dietzel

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

In Kecskemet, Hungary, three small colleges are discussing plans to form a new university and implement some of their courses using distance education technologies, if political and economic conditions are favorable. The purpose of this case study was to answer some basic questions about: (1) the accessibility to 74 different technologies which could be used in the planning and implementation of distance education programs, (2) the knowledge of the planners about these technologies, and (3) their experience using them. Planners were selected by respective college rectors as: ·Horticulture College (N=16), Mechanical Engineering and Automation College (N-16), Teacher Training College (N=7). …

A Design For Implementing A Simulation For Training School Principals In Decision-Making Utilizing Videodisc Technology, Robert Henry Wright

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to design a simulation using a personal computer-based authoring system that could serve as a vehicle for investigating decision-making styles of educational administrators. The program was designed to be used at the graduate level for students seeking advanced degrees in educational leadership. The simulation makes use of simulation techniques for controlling presentation of material and data collection for subsequent analysis about information search and utilization procedures of administrators. The study was undertaken to demonstrate that nontechnical personnel using state-of-the-art technology could develop affordable and effective multimedia simulations. The study was also designed to demonstrate …

The Emancipatory Effect Of Integrating Communication Research Tenets On Discrete Curriculum Designs, Elizabeth Cheney Michel

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Critical philosophers hold that the underlying cause of our current educational dilemma is a societal condition called modernity, the unique result of the technological orientation that has characterized society for the last two decades. Maintaining that individual human interests cannot be served by an instrumentally-oriented educational system, Habermas declares that the key to effecting change is dynamic, democratic communication in the classroom, oriented in the emancipatory interests of the unique individuals therein. The purpose of this study was to reveal an interdisciplinary link between the tenets of critical educational philosophy and communication theory, and, by implementing the dictates of extant …

An Historical Analysis Of The Philosophies Of The Vocational Education Leaders In Relation To The 1990 Carl D. Perkins Vocational And Applied Technology Education Act Amendments, Cynthia D. Woodley

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Federal vocational education legislation has undergone drastic changes in recent years. This study was designed to determine the educational philosophies of the leaders who pushed for the 1990 Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act Amendments and the degree to which the amendments reflected the philosophies of those leaders. Data were collected on testimonies given before the United Stated Congress during hearings related to the act, to identify who the leaders were. Once the leaders were identified, the published literature and testimony of each leaders was analyzed using a model developed by Lloyd Duck and the educational philosophy …

Assessing The Effects Of A Program To Improve Questioning Skills Of Nurse Educators In Clinical Post-Conferences: An Initial Study, Diane M. Wink

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The use of cognitively high level questions, those classified in Bloom's taxonomy at the application level and above, has been suggested as a teaching strategy which will help students develop critical thinking abilities. This study was designed to determine the effect of a program to teach nursing faculty how to ask cognitively high level questions.

A convenience sample was used. Subjects in the treatment (N=10) and control (N=4) groups were faculty and the students in their clinical laboratory groups from four National League for Nursing accredited undergraduate nursing programs in the state of Florida. Pre- and post-intervention data on the …

Declines In Student Achievement In Science-- Implications For Public Education, Robert P. Hogan

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

During the 1960s and 1970s, major innovative science curricula were introduced into public schools in the United States, and federal funds were used to improve the quality of science teachers. Nevertheless, student achievement in science has generally declined since 1963. This research focused on changes in four of the key variables related to science achievement--teachers, students, curricula, and school goals. The research examined (a) meta-analyses of the effectiveness of the innovative science curricula on student achievement, (b) research on changes in teacher and student characteristics during the last 30 years, (c) educational literature on changes in the goals of public …

Operational Analysis Of Duties Of Florida Elementary School Secretary As Perceived By Secretaries, Principals And Teachers, James Lynwood Mosley

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Information was collected from principals, secretaries and teachers regarding their perceptions of the elementary schoo l secretary's role. Participants· were from three central Florida counties. The instrument for data collection was a survey form consisting of secretarial duties/responsibilities/attributes gleaned from a variety of sources. Participants' perceptions were tallied by means of a modified Li kert Scale. Tallied responses were analyzed statistically in comparison to six null hypotheses which were proposed. Three statistical procedures were employed in the data analysis. These procedures consisted of: (1) analysis of variance, (2) chi-square goodness of fit, and (3) Pearson Product Moment correlation. The .05 …

The Composing Process And Speech Communication An Examination Of The Strategies Of Six Successful Student Speakers, Susan M. Andersen

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Speech is a process, yet studies in human communication generally examine speech as a product. Rather than studying the decisions employed in the construction and reception of messages, most research in speech focuses upon evaluating communication products. This study represents an effort to build communication theory within a different paradigmatic perspective, employing ethnographic interview method for the purpose of generating theory.

The purpose of this study was to examine the composing processes of six successful student speakers as they prepared formal public speeches. The specific strategies and methods employed were found to vary among these students and to deviate significantly …

The Impact On Competency Acquisition, Development, And Performance Of Intern Principals In Two Florida School Districts Using The Preparing New Principals Program, Paul Van Mitchell

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Art Teacher, Parent And Student Perceptions Of The Most Meritorious Goals For A High School Art Program, Clare E. Loveridge

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine and evaluate the perceptions of high school art teachers, parents of high school students and high school students themselves relative to the merits of goals of a district program for high school art education and to determine whether the three populations share a common perception of these goals.

The reveiew of the literature indicated a lack of substantive art programs in the curriculum from kindergarten through grade 12. The emphasis on art productino goals was cited as a major reason art is given such low status in our nation's schools. Many authors …

Learning English Language And Literature In Saudi Arabian Universities: Students' Perceptions Of Successful And Unsuccessful Methodologies, Safa Mansouri

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on identifying students' perceptions of the most successful and least successful methodologies of teaching/ learning- English language and literature in Saudi Arabian universities. The study employed a questionnaire format, which was distributed to the English Departments of three Saudi Arabian universities and one college for women, to gather data. Data analysis revealed that students had many problems, especially with Old and Middle English literature. Language problems, cultural differences, and unfamiliarity with the literary or historical backgrounds of the English literature were cited as the major obstacles to learning. Students of any foreign ,literature need a constantly improved …

The Development Of Non-Credit Programming Within Florida's Community College System : The First Thirty Years, 1957-1987, Ann Sherry Herring

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.