Education Commons^™

A Foundation Model For The Practice Of School Psychology, George Michael Harper

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A major crisis in the profession of school psychology has emerged from the body of recent empirical studies in psychology and education. Research on school psychology assessments has suggested that little, if any, data are produced in these evaluations which is useful for the remediation of students' educational problems. Likewise, psycho- educational treatments of the behavior and learning problems of school children have empirically shown only weak, if any, efficacy. An examination of some of the fundamental philosophical, theoretical, and practical foundations of school psychology yielded reasons for the crisis in the profession. The underlying assumptions of externalism and resulting …

A Study To Identify Stress Factors Of Early Childhood Special Education Teachers, Brenda Marie Hanken-Crawford

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Stress, an everyday fact of life, can be either positive or negative (Bradfield & Fones, 1985a; Truch, 1980). When faced with too little stress, a lack of productivity may occur, however, when faced with too much stress, anxiety and unhappiness may result (Johnson & Harkins, 1984).

A growing interest has developed concerning factors contributing to the stress of special education teachers (Fimian & Santoro, 1983). While the literature on stress has grown, research is very limited in the area of stress and early childhood special education teachers.

The purpose of this study was to identify (a) the stress producing variables …

Incidence Of Adolescent Depression In A Parochial High School, Silvio R. Encinas

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In recent years the problem of depression among children and adolescents has become increasingly important to educators and mental health professionals such as school psychologists. Documented increases in depressive symptoms among school-age youth may be reflected in an increase in acting out behaviors in the school settings which, in turn may adversely affect academic performance, teacher expectations, and peer relationships. This study investigated the incidence of depression in a parochial high school using a self-report procedure and compared with non-parochial studies. Differences between male and female students were analyzed, it was expected to find also an inverse correlation between the …

Comparison Of Locus Of Control And Wisc-R Profiles Of Delinquent And Pre-Delinquent Adolescent Males, Barbara Lynn Brainard-Patterson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Locus of control refers to the degree to which individuals believe they are responsible for the outcomes of their behavior. Internally controlled people believe that they have some control over their successes or failures, whereas externally controlled people believe that their success or failure is a result of fate, luck, or circumstance. It is suggested that children with an internal locus of control are more aware of their environment, and the relationship between their behavior and achievement. Integral to Wechsler's definition of intelligence is the capacity to understand and cope with one's environment. The purpose of this study was to …

The Relationship Between Verbal-Performance Iq And Locus Of Control Among Students With Either A Learning Disability Or A Behavior Disorder, Rick J. Bagnall

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Locus of control is one psychological variable which can explain differences in how students deal with difficulties and how they explain these difficulties to themselves. Studies conducted with students who have emotional and behavioral problems have described them as having an external locus of control when compared to their peers (Kauffman, 1985; Morse, Cutler, & Fink, 1964).

In attempts to find identifying charateristics unique to behaviorally disordered students, research by Dean (1978), using emotionally handicapped children, determined that they had a significantly lower Verbal IQ mean than that obtained on the Performance IQ scale p<.01. The differences between Verbal and Performance IQs were not significant for learning disabled children.

The purpose of this study …

Post-Hoc Longitudinal Study Of The Stability And Validity Of Standardized Test Scores Of Handicapped Children, Randal Dennis Brown

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the delivery of special education services to handicapped children, a requirement to certify the nature and severity of each child's handicap was built into PL 94-142, The Education of All Handicapped Children Act (Reynolds, Gutkin, Elliott, & Witt, 1984). In the aftermath of that legislation has arisen a serious question as to whether or not the process of providing such services on a categorical (by nature of the handicapped) basis has led to an unanticipated social harm (stigma) of such a magnitude that the assessment process needs to be re-evaluated (Guskin, Bartel, & MacMillan, 1975). Part of the social …

The Effects Of A Microteaching Program Upon The Critical Thinking Skills Of Preservice Teachers, Vickie Trent-Wilson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Critical thinking skills have received considerable attention during the past decade as test scores measuring higher-order thinking abilities have declined (Benderson, 1984). It has been advocated that the responsibility for the development of these skills lies with the classroom teacher (Glickman, 1987; Beyer, 1983; Costa, 1981). Brandt (1984) purports that all teachers need to understand cognitive processes and ways to strengthen them. Yet, many teachers have not had the benefit of "systematic cognitive development in their own schooling; they are unprepared to foster cognitive skills in their own students" (Martin, 1984, p. 68). If thinking skills are a desired outcome …

Act Scores Of Iowa Public High School Students: School, Student, And Family Variables, Anthony W. Pappas

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The American College Test (ACT) is a nationally normed test developed by the American College Testing program in Iowa City, Iowa. The test battery assesses the aptitude of high school students and is especially important for those students who wish to attend a post-secondary educational institution. The ACT assessment is a comprehensive evaluation, guidance, and placement service for educators and students in the transition from high school to college. This study examined the relationship between ACT test scores and certain selected student, school and family variables.

The sample for this study was the 1986-1987 ACT test taking population of senior …

Principals' Perceptions About Regular Education Teachers' Attitudes Toward Integration Of Students With Handicaps, Susan Kay Posekany Sherwood

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As the movement to integrate students with handicaps into regular education classrooms continues, regular education teachers are a critical component of the successful implementation of the integration process. Because building principals must assume responsibility for selecting the teachers who will be assigned integrated classrooms, this investigation determined the degree to which principals were able to predict the attitudes of regular education teachers toward the integration of students with handicaps.

From public school districts in a Midwestern state, 85 pairs of teachers and principals were randomly selected from three educational levels: (a) elementary, (b) middle, and (c) secondary. The data were …

Curricular Trends In Four-Year Baccalaureate Degree Industrial Technology Programs, Clayton Ray Diez

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The intents of the research were to determine both curricular trends in four-year baccalaureate industrial technology programs and the role accreditation standards have on such trends. The purpose was to present implications for future curriculum development and to provide a framework and point of reference for both curriculum developers and standards writers.

From the literature review, questionnaire items were designed to answer four research questions. The instrument was validated by a jury process and data were collected from 60 respondents, organized and compiled using National Association of Industrial Technology curriculum categories. Chi square and descriptive statistics were used to analyze …

The Importance Of Technology Assessment Procedures For Missionary Trainees, James Michael Hoeksema

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to identify those technology assessment (TA) procedures that are most important to teach to missionary trainees. This was based on the perceptions of the chief executive officers of U.S. Protestant mission agencies.

A survey was used to collect the research data. A total of 175 usable survey instruments were returned (25.6%). Analysis of the data consisted of frequency distributions and Chi-square.

A "common core" of TA procedures which are being used by mission agencies was identified. These were: (a) on-site field investigation, (b) committee meetings, (c) brainstorming, (d) personal interviews, (e) review of related …

Factors Associated With Student Success In A University Tutorial Program: Does High School Gpa, Act Scores Or Time Spent With A Tutor Make A Difference, Lea Lynnette Roseberry

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis attempts to detect differences between those students who receive tutoring and gained passing grades and those who received tutoring and gained failing grades. Differences are detected by investigating three different independent variables; high school grade point average, American College Test (ACT) scores and time spent with a tutor. The subjects were University of Northern Iowa students who had received tutorial services from Student Support Services from the years 1985 to 1989. The research questions were as follows. 1. Did the students who produced passing grades differ from those who did not on their high school grade point averages …

Assessment Of The Process Of Reading Through The Use Of Think-Aloud Protocols With Elementary Students, Jacqueline F. Holdorf

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was undertaken to investigate the ability of elementary students to generate verbal reports during a reading task, and to determine whether differences in protocols produced exist between readers of differing ability and verbal activity.

The 20 experimental subjects were 5th and 6th grade students from one classroom in an Iowa school district. The subjects were classified as good and poor readers, and verbal and less verbal. Reading ability classifications were based on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Verbal activity classifications were based on teacher judgment.

The subjects were asked to read a passage and then to verbalize …

Prediction Of Maximal Oxygen Consumption In Boys, Ages 11 To 14 Years: An Investigation Of Field Measurements For Use In Schools, Loran D. Erdmann

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study investigated the prediction of maximal oxygen consumption in boys, ages 11 to 14 years, from a shuttle walk protocol and other field measurements appropriate to use in school settings. Maximal oxygen consumption was determined in 67 subjects using a treadmill protocol (M = 52.3 ml^·kg^-1·min^-1, SD = 8.4). Subjects performed an 800-yard shuttle walk as fast as possible on a 20-yard course, with elapsed time recorded. Telemetrically measured postwalk heart rate, height, weight, sum of triceps and subscapular skinfold measurements, body mass index, and exercise frequency were also considered as predictors. Multiple …

A Study Of Teaching About Religions In Selected Iowa Public High Schools, Douglas W. Sprague

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study investigated public high school teachers perceptions about religions in the curriculum, and practices of public high school teachers when teaching about religions in public high school classrooms. The study used a modified version of the analytical induction model of qualitative research presented by (Bogdan & Biklen, 1982). Three pre-selected high schools in the state of Iowa were identified by the researcher for study. A common departmental structure was used to identify teachers from across the curriculum as participants in the study. The schools were of three different enrollment sizes. Thirty-four teachers who taught 79 different courses made up …

Parent And Teacher Reactions To The Referral Question Consultative Decision Making (Rqc) Model For Triennial Re-Evaluations In A School Serving Students With Mental Retardation, Marilyn Lindholm Kinne

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The present study was designed to investigate parent and teacher reactions to the use of the Referral Question Consultative Decision Making (RQC) Model in conducting triennial re-evaluations in an educational facility serving students with mental retardation. The survey population included 30 parents and 15 teachers who were involved in triennial re-evaluations during the 1989-90 school year.

A questionnaire was mailed to the survey population which addressed the areas of referral questions and the written report, participation, and interventions. The survey included questions rated on a five point Likert Scale and open ended questions. Data were analyzed by reporting percentages of …

Principal And Teacher Views On Cooperative Action In The Administration Of Iowa's Secondary Schools, Stephen R. Nicholson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which Iowa secondary school principals and teacher building representatives support a model for cooperative action in the administration of the state's secondary schools. In addition differences in the perceptions of those principals and teachers are examined and the extent to which practices in the schools reflect cooperative practices is determined.

The population for the study included all secondary teachers in Iowa identified by their local education associations as the building representative and the principals of the schools where the building representatives were employed. Data were gathered using a survey …

Role Understanding Between Elementary Counselors And School Psychologists, Robert Lee Brookhart

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The present study was designed to examine professional understanding of roles between school psychologists and elementary school counselors. The study was also designed to examine current perceptions of the school psychologists' role and the elementary school counselors' role. Finally, those functions that are areas of potential conflict or collaboration between the professions were examined. Eighty-five elementary school counselors and 85 school psychologists were identified as working together within public school systems across seven Iowa Area Education Agencies. Subjects were matched by the elementary school in which they both work. The subjects were asked to respond to a questionnaire regarding which …