Education Commons^™

An Analysis Of Dilemmas In English Composition Among Asian College Students, Shuko Nawa

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined common difficulties in English composition among Asian college students, addressing causal factors from psychological, cultural, and linguistic perspectives. The following factors were investigated: affective filter, puberty period, interlanguage, language transfer, accessibility to a target language, morphological differences, syntactical differences, and cultural thought patterns. The results of analyses of errors in the students' compositions reflected two ESL instructors' observations that Asian college students, whose native languages differ from Indo-European languages, experience difficulty in writing in English. A consistent error frequency which appeared in English article usage prompted the researcher to formulate the rules for articles and to construct …

Use Of The Nurse Entrance Test And Other Factors As Predictors Of Academic Success Of Nursing Students, Linda Rhea Hunter

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Attrition from schools of nursing continues to affect almost one third of students enrolled. Attrition is costly financially and personally to the student, to the educational institution, the health care consumer and the profession.

The purpose of this study was to identify variables measurable at time of admission which might alone or together be predictive of successful persistence until graduation from a nursing program. The variables included cognitive and noncognitive characteristics measured by the Nurse Entrance Test (NET) as well as demographic and other academic achievement measurements.

A convenience sample of associate degree nursing students admitted into two successive classes …

Learning Style, Teaching Style, And Attitude Toward Change As Predictors For The Adoption Of Computer Technology By Elementary School Teachers, Bernadette C. Kelley

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the learning style, teaching style, and attitude toward change of elementary school teachers and the relationship of these variables to the adoption of computer technology into teaching and learning strategies. The researcher used four instruments to gather data about the preferred learning style, teaching style, attitude toward change, and current utilization of computer technology both personally and with students.

Survey forms were delivered to seven selected elementary schools in a Northeast Florida public school district. An educational technology survey was distributed to each of the 200 elementary school teachers in these schools. The return rate of completed …

Professional Socialization And Mentoring Relationships In Beginning Nursing Practice, Barbara Ann Barnaby Darby

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold--to gain understanding of early professional socialization in beginning nursing practice from the beginning practitioner's perspective and to explore the influences of mentoring on the professional socialization of beginning nurses. Participants were thirty-one novice practitioners from an associate in science degree nursing program in the Southeast section of the United States.

The unique perspectives of beginning nurses were gained through the use of focus groups. Data analysis consisted of content analysis, data display and reduction, identification of themes, and conclusion drawing.

Findings supported the notion that professional socialization occurs in phases. Beginners anticipate initial …

A Comparative Study Of The Effects Of A Token Economy Program On The Achievement, Behavior, And Attitude Of Middle School Students, Jane Nixon White

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the use of a school-wide token economy program on middle school students' achievement, behavior, and attitudes toward school. This involved the comparison of two similar suburban middle schools, one of which used a school-wide token economy program.

A nonequivalent control-group design was used to examine: (1) the effects on achievement as measured by grades and honor roll status; (2) the effects on behavior as measured by numbers of students attaining perfect attendance, numbers of punches earned, and numbers of detentions and suspensions; and (3) the effects on attitude as …

The Effects Of School-Based Management On The Worklife Of Elementary Teachers: A Case Study, Frank R. Brandao

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This case study was a qualitative investigation to describe the nature of teachers' involvement in school based management (SBM), and to describe how this involvement affected teachers' worklives. The review of related literature provided the historical background that led to SBM restructuring, examined what the literature has revealed on SBM, and investigated organizational commitment in the context of SBM.

A semi-structured interview was the instrument used to gather the data. The participants of this case study were a random sample of teachers, a sample of teachers selected by their principals, and the principals currently employed at each of the three …

A Descriptive Study Of Organizational Culture And Climate In Selected Elementary And Secondary Parochial Schools, Maureen C. Thiec

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to collect and interpret base-line data concerning the organizational culture and climate of selected elementary and secondary schools. The sample consisted of 20 parochial schools, 10 elementary and 10 secondary, in the mideast section of the United states. The study focused on three specific questions: 1) What are the cultural values of parochial schools, 2) What is the organizational climate of parochial schools, and 3) Do the cultural values and climate characteristics of parochial elementary schools differ from those of parochial secondary schools? Nelson's (1990) Cultural Value Analysis Tool (CVAT) was used to gather …

The Use Of The Microcomputer By Principals In Their Roles Of Instructional Leader And Manager, David James Mcdonald

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the use of microcomputers by principals in their roles as instructional leaders and managers, and its impact upon the use of microcomputer technology in the school. The research was done by having the randomly stratified selected sample population respond to a survey. The subjects of this study were elementary, middle/junior and high school principals in the Florida Public School System.

Of the responding principals 82.8% reported having access to a microcomputer in their office at school. One-third of the principals reported not having a microcomputer in their own homes. Word processing was …

Authentic Assessment: How Do Portfolios Fit The Picture?, Pamela Bryan Bagley

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted in response to the growing need for an alternative to traditional assessment instruments in schools. Standardized tests no longer adequately measure a student's knowledge. Curriculum and teaching methods continue to change, and educators are demanding an assessment method which reflects not only what, but how, a student learns. In response to America 2000, a national plan for school improvement, several states have already adopted more "authentic" methods of assessment, portfolio evaluation being one of the more common. The Florida Department of Education is currently considering various alternative assessment methods, and the implementation of a state portfolio …