Education Commons^™

A Study Of Alabama Educators' Perceptions Of Electronically Delivered Professional Development Modules, Joel Wayne Mccay

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover which technological delivery media (web-based, CD-ROM, PDF documents as downloadable files for print from the Internet) Alabama public school educators select most often for delivery of their own professional development, as learning modules, why they select them, and whether or not they prefer those modes of professional development to the more traditional modes previously experienced. There were 28 participants in this study.

The questionnaire which attempted to assess the role of the media for delivery of professional development learning modules was specifically designed for this research. Demographic information collected from the 28 …

Current And Best Practices For Recruiting Qualified Rehabilitation Counselors, Kristi Turner Walker

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) in Rehabilitation Services Administration’s Region IV, along with their current recruitment practices. Written surveys and follow up phone interviews were used to gather data from the 19 Rehabilitation Counselor Education programs and the 12 Federal/State Vocational Rehabilitation programs in Region IV. Additionally, suggestions were obtained from key stakeholders regarding future recruitment activities.

Currently there are 891 positions not filled with qualified Rehabilitation Counselors. In addition, a majority of graduates from the Rehabilitation Counselor Education programs are not seeking employment from the …

Higher Education Accountability In Tennessee: A Corporate Perspective, Donna Ann Tipton-Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations

This in-depth, semi-structured interview study was undertaken to describe Tennessee corporate leaders’ perception of accountability in Tennessee higher education and of current accountability policies and/or programs. Answers to four research questions were sought:

1. What are Tennessee corporate leaders’ perceptions of the meaning of accountability in higher education?

2. What are Tennessee corporate leaders’ perceptions of current higher education accountability policies and/or programs?

3. What expectations do Tennessee corporate leaders have for accountability initiatives in higher education and what do they express as evidence of those initiatives?

4. To whom is higher education accountable as perceived by Tennessee corporate leaders? …

The Evidence Does Not Lie: A Forensic Investigation Program To Bridge The Gaps Between Crime Scene Investigation And Forensic Science, Jacqueline Trinkle Fish

Doctoral Dissertations

There is a heightened pubic awareness of the importance of forensic science to crime scene investigation. This study examined current graduate programs in forensic science and criminal justice in the United States to determine if higher education provides curricula that meets the needs of crime scene investigators.

Using data collected from an online questionnaire, interviews, and a literature review, the researcher examined the perceptions of 51 crime scene investigators and practitioners affiliated with the National Forensic Academy at The University of Tennessee. The data gathered was used to identify and rank the skills most important for accurate processing and collection …

The Role Of Self- And Functional Congruity On Online Retail Patronage Behavior, Minsung Kim

Doctoral Dissertations

Three research objectives were determined for this study. The first objective was to explore online store image using both qualitative and quantitative methods to compare traditional store image dimensions and online store image dimensions. The second objective was to explore the relationships among self-congruity, functional congruity, online retail patronage behavior, and the possible moderators between to two types of congruity and online retail patronage behavior. The last objective was to compare the observed relationships based on the second objective between two types of online retailers: General merchandise online retailers vs. Specialty online retailers.

To collect the data, in-depth interviews as …

Selected Perceptions Of Second Career Novice Teachers, Lucile Faulkner Maples

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain insight into the perceptions that second career novice teachers have about their preservice training and their preparedness for taking on the challenges of teaching during their first semester as “real” teachers. Through an increased understanding of novice teachers’ perceptions and experiences, teacher educators may be better equipped to structure preservice learning that is both relevant and meaningful for teacher education candidates.

Four second career novice teachers were involved in this study that spanned the first semester of teaching after their graduation from a fifteen-month alternative program. Qualitative methods of data collection …

Nutrition Education Intervention And Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes, Louise Patricia Grant

Doctoral Dissertations

The objectives of the current research were to assess the use and extent of nutrition intervention in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) substance abuse treatment (SAT) programs and to determine an association between nutrition intervention and SAT outcomes. The research was divided into three parts. A descriptive, single, cross­ sectional survey was developed and tested to measure associations with nutrition services and changes in Addiction Severity Index (ASI) domains. Nutrition services most likely to be offered included nutrition screening, nutrition assessment, nutrition education, drug­ nutrient interaction instruction, meal service, individualized supplemental feedings and physician-prescribed vitamin/mineral supplementation. Positive associations between individualized …

The Experiences Of Peer Leaders In First-Year Seminars, Suzanne L. Hamid

Doctoral Dissertations

Despite extensive evidence supporting the positive effect of peer leaders on the students with whom they work, and anecdotal reports that the experience is rewarding for the peer leaders, we have known almost nothing about the impact of the experience on the peer leaders themselves. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of peer leaders in first-year seminars.

The study consisted of peer leaders at three universities, in different geographic regions of the United States. Data were collected from questionnaire responses from 83 peer leaders and interviews with 16 peer leaders and 5 program directors from these …

Nutrition Education Intervention And Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes, Louise Patricia Grant

Doctoral Dissertations

The objectives of the current research were to assess the use and extent of nutrition intervention in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) substance abuse treatment (SAT) programs and to determine an association between nutrition intervention and SAT outcomes. The research was divided into three parts. A descriptive, single, cross-sectional survey was developed and tested to measure associations with nutrition services and changes in Addiction Severity Index (ASI) domains. Nutrition services most likely to be offered included nutrition screening, nutrition assessment, nutrition education, drugnutrient interaction instruction, meal service, individualized supplemental feedings and physician-prescribed vitamin/mineral supplementation. Positive associations between individualized and group-nutrition …

Multicultural Initiatives At Aca Colleges, Cara Everett Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations

This study, conducted in two phases, examined the extent and scope of multicultural initiatives at Appalachian College Association (ACA) colleges and the experiences of 15 students, faculty and staff members, and administrators at one predominantly white college in central Appalachian. In the first phase, data was gathered by surveys completed by a random sample of ACA faculty. The purpose of the survey was 1) to examine the extent and scope of multicultural initiatives at ACA schools, and 2) to select one ACA College where a qualitative study of multicultural initiatives could be conducted. The survey findings offer demographic and descriptive …

The Relationships Of Teachers' Levels Of Technology Integration On Student Achievement In Reading And Mathematics, Valerie S. Fields

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent the level of technology integration of fourth and eighth grade teachers in eleven rural school districts in northeastern Louisiana related to student achievement in reading and mathematics.

The sample consisted of 123 fourth and eighth grade teachers and their students from the eleven rural school districts in northeastern Louisiana. Fifty-eight percent of the teachers represented the fourth grade and 42% of the teachers represented the eighth grade. The teachers served a school age population in which 20% or more was from families with incomes below the poverty line.

Mean …

Psychological Type And Epistemology In College Freshmen, Elementary Teachers, Preservice Science Teachers And Scientists: Implications For Science Education Reform, Nancy Eaton Chadwell

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined and compared patterns f perception and judgement measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI, Form G) and epistemology in four populations: college freshman, preservice science teachers, elementary teachers, and scientists. The relationship between dual forms of perception delineated by the MBTI and adherence to the four epistemological dimensions assembled by Schommer’s Epistemological Questionnaire (SEQ, 1990) was also investigated.

A Chi-Square analysis assessing between-group differences in perception and judgement indicated that scientists were more likely to rely on intuitive perception and thinking judgement compared with college freshman, preservice science teachers, and elementary teachers.

An ANOVA procedure to test …

Nursing Students' Assessment Ratings And Treatment Choices For Patients Experiencing Pain In A Case Vignette: Implications For Nursing Education, Crista Briggs

Doctoral Dissertations

Patients’ pain has not been adequately controlled due to inaccurate assessments, inadequate treatments, and inconsistent nursing care. The purpose of this study was to examine nursing students’ assessment ratings and treatment choices for patients experiencing pain in a case vignette. Data collected from junior nursing students (prior to formal classroom instruction) compared to senior nursing students (one year after initial instruction) provided implications for nursing education, as well as conclusions about the understanding of pain assessment among student participants. The sample consisted of 270 junior and senior nursing students from two schools of nursing in East Tennessee, representing 95 percent …

A Study Of Instructional Practices Of Teachers Of Small Classes At Various Grade Levels, Edward William Fickley

Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated the instructional practices of first and third grade teachers of small classes that were part of the Academy program established by an East Tennessee metropolitan school district for at-risk students. Each Academy limited class size to 15. Specifically, this study sought to understand what instructional practices Academy teachers used with their small classes, what differences or similarities existed between first and third grade teachers’ instructional practices, and what were the Academy teachers’ perceptions of how their instructional practices changed from prior experience with larger classes.

This study employed a descriptive, collective case study design, and data were …

The Effects Of Task Demands And Interspersal Ratios On Student Accuracy In Mathematics, James Andrew Hawkins

Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study is to extend research on increasing accuracy on academic assignments through use of the additive interspersal procedure. Additive interspersal is the addition of brief and/or easy problems among longer, more difficult target problems. Research has shown additive interspersal is effective in promoting student choice in regards to engaging in assignments. Only one study has found an increase in student accuracy on interspersed assignments as compared to control assignments when using additive interspersal. The current study attempted to determine if the results of that study are a statistical outlier or whether the uniqueness of that …

Entering Public School Kindergarten: Family Attitudes And Expectations Affecting Young, Black, Working Class Mothers' School Involvement, Judith Collins Hiscock

Doctoral Dissertations

Parent involvement in schools has been a focus of educational improvement for many years. The belief that parent involvement can be the difference between schooling success and failure is shared by students, parents, society, school staff, and government. This belief is based on the American ideal “nuclear family” structure. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and expectations of the families of young, Black, working class mothers as they constructed their role as a parent of children in the public school and developed their definition of parent involvement. Participants for the study were the mothers, preschool teachers, …

Gender Issues In Mathematics Achievement In Tennessee: Does Rural School Locale Matter?, Theresa Mandzak Hopkins

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate achievement differences of middle school and high school students in Tennessee as well as high school mathematics course enrollment as related to gender, school locale, school location, and Socio-economic Status (SES). Using data accessed from the Tennessee Department of Education’s 2003 Report Card, median male and female mathematics scores from the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) were used to examine middle school students’ achievement. Scores from the ACT Mathematics subtest were obtained from students completing the test during the 2002-2003 school year to explore achievement differences at the high school level. Finally, …

The Effect Of A Screening Instrument To Determine Teacher Effectiveness As Measured By Academic Gain Scores, David Eugene Loyd

Doctoral Dissertations

Schools and school districts are constantly faced with the task of screening and hiring potential teachers who will impact student achievement. The Knox County School System addressed this challenge by using a screening instrument called the Urban Teacher Perceiver, which was designed by The Gallup Organization. Tennessee used a statistical methodology entitled the Tennessee Value Added Assessment System to measure teacher effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was any effect between a selected teacher-screening instrument and teacher effectiveness as measured by academic gain scores in mathematics, reading, and language. Also, the study examined the interaction …

A Survey Of High School English Teachers To Determine Their Knowledge, Use, And Attitude Related To Young Adult Literature In The Classroom, Jennifer L. Claiborne

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover as much as possible about high school English teacher’s knowledge, attitude, and use of young adult literature in the classroom. It examined the young adult literature books that teachers use in the classroom. It also looked at teachers’ opinions about using young adult literature in the classroom. Finally, it examined whether or not teachers belonged to certain professional affiliations.

A mail survey approach was used to data collection. The sample for this study consisted of high school English teachers from 12 different schools. Of the 138 teachers who were contacted, 94 returned …

Pre-Service Teachers' Awareness Of Prosocial And Antisocial Behavior In Students With Disabilities, Olena Anatoliivna Kyselova

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate if specific psychoeducational diagnosis influences pre-service teachers’ awareness of students’ prosocial and antisocial behaviors. The student diagnostic categories included (a) general education students, (b) students with behavior disorders, (c) students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and (d) students with learning disabilities or mild mental retardation.

Two experiments made up the current study. In both experiments, pre-service teachers were shown a video tape of middle school students in a classroom during a transition period engaged in different prosocial and antisocial behaviors. After viewing the tape, students were asked to write narrative descriptions of …

Efficacy Of Solution-Focused Brief Counseling On Math Assignment Completion And Accuracy In An Elementary School, Jamie Leigh Yarbrough

Doctoral Dissertations

A multiple-baseline-across-participants design was used to evaluate the efficacy of Solution-focused Brief Counseling (SFBC) for six fifth grade students with math assignment completion problems. Weekly 30-minute sessions of SFBC for 5 weeks were sufficient to produce increases in both completion rates (from 29% completion during baseline to 79.63% during treatment) and accuracy rates (from 23.50% during baseline to 50.01% during treatment). Most increases were maintained during a 1 to 3 week follow up period. In addition, the criterion-related validity of Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) was evaluated by comparing predicted completion and accuracy rates to actual achievement. Independent t tests between …

Tuition Policy Setting: The University Of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1960 - 2000, Mary Hodge Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe tuition policy setting at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1960-2000. A case study method was employed that involved interviews with current and former chancellors, campus business officers, presidents, system business officers, THEC officials, and a member of the board of trustees. A variety of documentary evidence was also reviewed to assist in triangulation of the data. Four significant themes emerged during the study. These four themes include: (1) there is no formal tuition policy at the University of Tennessee, (2) there is significant input in the decision making process, (3) there is …

Using Mom:Tips As A Short-Term Inservice With Four Day-Care Teachers, Kathryn M. Tanner

Doctoral Dissertations

Four day-care teachers were introduced to Methods of Mothering: Training in Parenting Styles (MOM:TIPS), which is a parent-training program that has never been used with teachers. Modules addressing Self-Management, Disciplining/Monitoring, Nurturing, and Teaching Concepts were presented in an inservice training. Four workshops and available one-to-one consultations occurred over the period of one month. Each teacher was evaluated as a single-case in an A-B design using direct observations and self-report questionnaires.

With Self-Management, each teacher reported that she makes daily schedules and follows a routine, but Teachers A, D indicated that they rarely or never used the steps involving more methodical, …

The Effects Of Participation In Extracurricular Activities On The Mean Grade Point Average Of High School Students In A Rural Setting, Anthony Brian Watkins

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of participation in extracurricular activities (band, drama, student council and vocational clubs) on the mean grade point average (GPA) of students at one rural high school located in the South. Male and female students (n=3,274) who were enrolled in the academic program from 1997-2002 were categorized into one of the following four groups: interscholastic athletics only, co-curricular activities only, both co-curricular activities and interscholastic athletics, and no extracurricular activities.

Differences in mean GPAs of the various extracurricular activity groups by gender were tested with a One-way Analysis of Variance, followed …

The Characteristics Of Successful And Effective Teachers Of The Gifted, Jeffrey Wayne Woods

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the defining qualities of teachers of the gifted. Five teachers of gifted students in the Knox County System were identified as being successful and effective based on supervisor and administrator evaluation. A series of structured interviews and observations were conducted. A rubric was also completed by the TAG supervisor. The researcher completed a thick description of each TAG teacher’s classroom. Based on the analysis of interviews, observations, and rubric data, the researcher attempted to identify and describe the characteristics, which contributed to the effectiveness of those teachers. The researcher concluded from the …

Effects Of An Increasingly Precise Socioeconomic Match On Mean Score Differences In Nonverbal Intelligence Test Scores, Laronta Michelle Upson

Doctoral Dissertations

Data consisting of 3,861 participants from the Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test (UNIT) standardization and validity studies samples were used to examine the effects of increased socioeconomic refinement on cultural and racial mean difference scores. Groups were equated not only on age, sex, and highest parent education level, as reported in the UNIT manual, but on two additional socioeconomic status (SES) indicators: community setting and both parent education levels. Results suggest that additional refinement on socioeconomic variables does little to further reduce mean score IQ differences in UNIT Standard FSIQ scores between African Americans and Whites (n=168 in each group; mean …

Reading Education Issues: Principals’ And Teachers’ Perceptions, Sarah Ann Keller

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine middle school principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of the current issues in middle school reading education and to identify the sources of information that these educators use and find helpful to keep informed reading issues.

Participants were employed in the 14 middle schools of the Knox County School System (KCS) in Knoxville, Tennessee. Questionnaires were completed in March and April 2004 by the14 middle school principals and 14 teachers who were reading chairpersons for their schools.

The questionnaire used in this study, Middle School Principals and Teachers: Knowledge of the Reading Program, consists …

Effects Of Divergent Thinking Training/Instructions On Torrance Tests Of Creative Thinking And Creative Performance, Young Ju Lee

Doctoral Dissertations

Using a quasi-experimental design, with pretest and posttest measures with multiple probes, the effects of divergent thinking training (with explicit instruction) on creative worksheets, the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT; Torrance, 1990) and story-based problem solving tasks (Realistic Story Telling Problems Activity) were investigated. Explicit instructions for originality enhanced the originality scores on figural creative worksheets and explicit instructions for fluency enhanced the fluency scores on both figural and verbal creative worksheets for experimental group members (n = 15). In addition, experimental group members made significant gains on originality scores on the TTCT (p. < .05), Problem Solving (p. < .05) tasks from the Realistic Story Telling Problems, fluency scores on the TTCT (p. < .001), and Problem Identification (p. < .05) and Problem Solving (p. < .05) tasks from Realistic Story Telling Problems; control group members (n = 15) did not. Implications of the findings of this study are discussed.

How A Group Of Elementary Deaf Students Interact With Lego Logo Activities: A Case Study, Amy Rebecca Mcdaniel

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to discover how deaf students used problem solving skills as a group and to discern language expression they used during sessions with LEGO LOGO activities. This case study was conducted at Missouri School for the Deaf, a residential school in Fulton, Missouri with five deaf students from grades four and five.

Five sessions of LEGO LOGO activities with the students were conducted and videotaped. During the sessions, the participants completed the activities with LOGO commands, LEGO constructions, LEGO LOGO, and related paper assignments. Transcriptions of selected segments of the videotapes were made and …

Coming Out At Work: African-American Lesbians’ Experiences, Melissa Ann Bartsch

Doctoral Dissertations

The decision whether or not to come out is an important one that African-American lesbians face. This decision impacts all aspects of their lives, including their vocational life. The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the experience of deciding whether or not to come out at work. There were five participants in this study, each of whom was self-identified as an African-American lesbian. In order to be selected for participation in this study, each participant had to (a) define herself as African-American, (b) define herself as a lesbian, (c) be employed at the time of participation, (d) …