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Socioeconomic Characteristics As Factors Of Academic Success On The Exame Nacional De Cursos Among Undergraduate Students Of Selected Study Programs In Brazil, Josmar Sionti Arrais De Matos

Dissertations

This study investigated the possible relationships among socioeconomic characteristics as factors influencing the success levels of Brazilian students. Data were provided by the 2002 Exame Nacional de Cursos [National Examination of Study Programs], or ENC , in five cursos . For this study, the following programs, representing three levels of prestige, were selected: low (Modern Letters and History), middle (Law), and high (Medicine and Dentistry). The purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of the issues associated with relationships among various socioeconomic characteristics, as well as to gain a more global understanding of the implications of the socioeconomic process as …

Data Warehousing And Decision Making In Higher Education In The United States, David Lester Heise

Dissertations

Problem. Compared to the business world, higher education has a lower level of acceptance and a lower rate of adoption of data warehousing for decision making. Studies into the way data warehouses are used in higher education and the extent to which they are used are hard to find. Accordingly, this research examines the use of data warehousing in higher education and its role in decision making.

Method. Internet survey research method was used in this study. I asked college and university presidents to provide me with contact details of senior decision makers and technology managers from their institutions. …

Perceptions Of Board Effectiveness In Selected Institutions Of Higher Education In Zimbabwe, Bonginkosi Zvandasara

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to identify the level of board effectiveness in selected private and public universities in Zimbabwe as perceived by board members. Also, the study sought to determine the influence of such demographic variables as age, education level, and years of service on the seven factors of university functioning: institutional mission, institutional planning, physical plant, financial management, board membership, board organization and performance, and board/vice chancellor relations.

Method

The survey method was used to collect data. Respondents were asked to complete a 47-item questionnaire and indicate their level of agreement on each of the questions …

A Study Of The Influence Of Birth Order And Other Variables On Student Perceptions Of School Effectiveness In A Southwestern Michigan County, Hamil Tobias

Dissertations

Problem. There is an increasing demand for quality education. In his initiative for education reform, U.S. President George W. Bush promoted the concept of no child left behind, in which he calls for more accountability. It is useful to examine student perceptions of how well the education system functions. Instead of a monolithic view, their perceptions were analyzed by birth order, gender, and ethnicity. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent student perceptions differed by their birth order, gender, and ethnicity.

Method. This study utilized a 4 x 2 x 2 (birth order by …

The Relationship Between Demographic And Attitudinal Characteristics Of Primary-School Teachers And Implementation Of The Continuous Assessment Program In Swaziland, Hibajene Monga Shandomo

Dissertations

Problem. The purposes of this study were to determine the extent to which primary school teachers were implementing the Continuous Assessment Program (CAP) and to examine personal and institutional factors that may be related to the implementation of the program.

Method. A questionnaire designed to measure degree of implementation and attitude toward the Continuous Assessment Program was administered to a stratified random sample of 600 Grade 1 to Grade 7 teachers from 54 schools. Personnel from the National Curriculum Center (NCC) delivered and collected the questionnaires from each school. Completed questionnaires were then forwarded to the researcher. Data were coded …

Exemplary Bilingual Teachers In Puerto Rico: A Multiple-Case Study, Aurea Laracuente Araújo

Dissertations

Problem. Within a context of inadequate pre-service training, insufficient administrative support, and an ambivalent social environment regarding the teaching of ESL in Puerto Rico, a number of conscientious bilingual teachers try to overcome the odds of the system and have an impact on students' ability to speak English. Some even become exemplary teachers. How do they learn to meet so many expectations successfully in spite of real short comings found in their job, and how do they acquire the skills and competencies necessary to be exemplary bilingual teachers in Puerto Rico?

Method. A qualitative multiple-case study design was …

Student Perception Of The Attributes Of Peer Mediators: Implications For Program Improvement, Michelle Maree Bell

Dissertations

Problem. Limited research has been done regarding the magnitude of the attributes of peer mediators and its impact on elementary students. The purpose of this study was to examine fourth- through sixth-grade students' perception of the attributes of peer mediators at four rural elementary schools located in Pinconning, Michigan.

Method. This study examined the fourth- through sixth-grade students' perception of the attributes of peer mediators using a qualitative approach. The data collection procedures included using a purposive sample of 24 peer mediators in focus groups, as well as 74 peacemakers and 79 disputants who participated in a questionnaire. Questions …

The Relationship Between Perspectives Ofspiritual Care And Organizational Climate In Seventh-Day Adventist Baccalaureate Nursing Programs In North America, Edelweiss Ramal

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between perspectives of spiritual care held by students and faculty in Seventh-day Adventist baccalaureate nursing programs and their perception of the school climate and compare these between faculty and students, Seventh-day Adventists and non-Seventh-day Adventists, and males and females.

Methodology

The University Version of the Kettering School Climate scale and the Role of Spiritual Care in Nursing Subscale answered by 49 faculty and 159 students of nine Seventh-day Adventist baccalaureate nursing programs provided the data. Pearson correlation, one-way analysis of variance, and t tests at a .05 level of …

The Effectiveness Of The High-School Academic Program In Preparing Graduates For Post-Secondary Education As Perceived By Alumni From Four Seventh-Day Adventist Senior High Schools In Canada, Janice P. Maitland

Dissertations

Problem. Questions have been raised regarding the preparation of high-school students for postsecondary studies. This study was designed to measure the effectiveness of the high-school academic program in preparing graduates for postsecondary education as perceived by alumni from four Seventh-day Adventist senior high schools in Canada.

Method. Respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement for each of 18 statements on a Likert-type (survey) instrument, strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), measured against a scale—I-2.5, minimally effective; 2.51-3.5, moderately effective; and 3.51-5, highly effective. Mean scores and standard deviation scores were calculated to answer the first research question. …

Institutional Activities In International Higher Education : An Assessment Of Advancement Strategies Used At Selected Small Church-Related Colleges And Universities, Janeric Arne Gustavsson

Dissertations

Problem. Small church-related colleges and universities are experiencing financial difficulties. This study assesses the institutional advancement programs at selected Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities. The purpose of this examination was to analyze "what is" to determine the present-day process of the advancement function, and what "ought to be." These data will also suggest potential areas for growth and development.

Method . The study uses a non-experimental, descriptive design. To accomplish the purpose of the study, the literature on institutional advancement was reviewed to find a useable framework. The instrument used for this study was the one used in Willmer's …

Technology Partnership Curriculum Initiative: A Descriptive Case Study Of Its History, Development, And Implementation, Ingrid Wright-Jones

Dissertations

Problem

Curricular reform has a pathetic history. Curriculum documents, some of the major tools of reformers, have had a minor effect on transforming education because the power of pedagogy has been ignored (Cuban, 1993). Teachers in the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) system voiced similar concerns about curriculum documents. Additionally, they felt that their 2-4-day in-service training did not adequately prepare them to implement curricular changes. This initiative, aimed at restructuring both the content and process of teaching, was to be implemented in a distance-learning pilot project in eight one-teacher schools.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to: (1) define the …

A Study Of The Concomitant Problems Facing Most Of The "At-Risk" African American Students In The Benton Harbor Elementary School System: A Case For An Alternative Model, Simon M. Honore

Dissertations

Problem

It would appear that the problem of school truancy, retention, and subsequent academic failure is a major educational crisis which puts most of the African American students at risk in the Benton Harbor area schools.

Purpose

The purpose of this study has been to determine the concomitant educational problems facing the "at-risk" African American students in the Benton Harbor Elementary School System and to suggest positive changes through an alternative model.

Results

The results of the survey indicated that approximately 90-95% of Benton Harbor educators agreed to changes. Administrators and teachers strongly agreed that the recommendations, based on the …

An Analysis Of The Expressed Needs For Vocational Education In Secondary Schools In Barbados, Jonathan H. Lewis

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the views held by administrators, teachers, students, and parents regarding the expressed needs for vocational education in secondary schools in Barbados.

The survey method was used to gather the data. All respondents were asked to complete a 42-item questionnaire. The population sample was 762, which was made up of 122 administrators, 224 teachers, 274 students, and 142 parents. The data were analyzed using the t-test and one-way analysis of variance.

The major findings in the study were: (1) All groups were homogenous in their response and expressed a strong need for all …

Occupational Choice And Academic Planning In The Colombia-Venezuela Union Of Seventh-Day Adventists : A Needs Assessment, Leonardo Suescun Franco

Dissertations

Problem. In Colombia and Venezuela the number of students demanding higher education commonly surpasses the capacity of their educational systems. Furthermore, the academic programs may not match the occupational needs of the region. When academic planning occurs without systematic needs assessment, resources are wasted and graduates are ill prepared tor the labor market.

The Subjects. The subjects included senior high-school students attending SDA institutions, teachers serving those schools, the students’ parents/representatives, school and church administrators, and SDA members within Colombia and Venezuela.

The Method. A design for needs assessment was developed upon the implementation of a Data Flow …

Factors Contributing To The Successful Completion Of The Haitian Baccalaureat (Part I) And Their Administrative Implications, Serge E. Vernet

Dissertations

The Haitian baccalaureat is a difficult centralized state examination. Every year the percentage of students who pass this examination varies from 20 to 30 percent. There was a need for systematic research of the predominant factors which determine success in the Haitian baccalaureat.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not selected factors were related to success in the baccalaureat. Three hundred and sixteen graduates in the baccalaureat for the 1984-85 school year, 150 Rhetorique Teachers, and forty principals served as subjects in this study. The data came from the official records of the National Department of …

The Development Of A Continuing Educational System For The College Of The Bahamas With Implications For Third World Countries, Arthur Leon Roach

Dissertations

Problem. The problem addressed in this study is what form adult education should take and how it should be organized and administered to provide maximum effect for The Commonwealth of the Bahamas, considering its geography. No systematic study has been undertaken with a view to develop such a continuing education system. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop a continuing education system for the College of the Bahamas.

Method. The study utilized a developmental research approach to investigate the organization and administration of continuing education in institutions of higher education in the United States with a view to …

The Historical Development Of Higher Education In Bermuda, Inez E. Browne-Dixon

Dissertations

Phenomenal, pervasive, and fundamental change characterize the 1980s, often threatening to lead to entropy and decay. Innovative ways must be found to maintain equilibrium amidst disorienting world events. The search to find a more meaningful experience has moved education to the center of social and cultural concern and created renewed interest in the foundations of educational practice.

Problem. A diligent search revealed a great lack of systematic studies on the development of higher education in Bermuda. There is a need to select data on higher education and present them in a comprehensible format. This study sought to fill that need. …

Selected Educational Indicators For Monitoring The Primary-School System, Jamaica, Edith G. Marshalleck

Dissertations

Problem. Since the 1960s there has been increasing interest in the development of social indicators, educational indicators being an important subset of these. Studies in the U.S. and Europe have sought to (1) establish a conceptual framework for educational indicators, and (2) identify indicators useful for economic planning and monitoring the state of education. The need for these indicators in developing countries has also been identified. The researcher sought by (1) a correlational/predictive study and (2) an exploratory opinionnaire to validate a list of indicators for monitoring primary education in Jamaica and guiding financial choices.

Method. Utilizing scores from …

Selected Characteristics Of Home Schools And Parents Who Operate Them, Gunnar A. Gustavsen

Dissertations

Problem: The home school movement in America presents a rapidly-emerging alternative to conventional educational systems. The purpose of this study was to identify selected characteristics of home schools and the parents who operate them.

Method: The population used in this descriptive research was drawn from the files of the Hewitt Research Foundation, Berrien Springs, Michigan. Potential respondents were parents indicating recent experience or interest in home school operations. The study was designed to develop a profile of home schools and home school operators by identifying central tendencies in the respondent data. A mailed questionnaire asked the parents questions in five …

Financing Universal Compulsory Free Elementary Education In India, Simon Gurushantappa David

Dissertations

Problem: There is a definite desire and demand from the people of India for elementary educational opportunities for all children. Since not all children between six and fourteen years of age are able to attend school, it is essential to know why. This study examined some of the factors which tended to influence the financial ability of the government to provide a sufficient number of schools so that all children may attend.

Data Collection, Methods, and Procedures: Data has been collected from a review of selected resource material which answer the following questions: What is India presently spending on elementary …

Selected Variables Related To The Knowledge Of, Attitude Towards, And Utilization Of Bilingual Education Services By Spanish American Parents In Two Michigan Cities, Ricardo Garcia Rodriguez

Dissertations

Problem. There has been much controversy over bilingual education programs during the past decade. This has attracted the attention of the news media and local communities throughout the United States. However,parents' views, expectations, or attitudes toward bilingual-education services have not been adequately surveyed. Thus, the problem for this research was to identify which variables or combination of variables are significantly related to: (1) how knowledgeable the parents are regarding bilingual-education services; (2) what attitude they have toward these services; and (3) whether they utilize the bilingual-education services for their children. It was the purpose of this study to discover relationships …

An Analysis Of The Planning Process In Secondary Education In Trinidad And Tobago: 1962-1976, Vernon E. Andrews

Dissertations

Problem. During the period 1962-1976, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago directed very specific attention to the development of education in general and secondary education in particular. Three major documents related to educational planning were prepared. A survey of the literature revealed that a detailed analysis of educational planning in Trinidad and Tobago had not yet been undertaken. The purpose of the study was to analyze the planning process in secondary education in Trinidad and Tobago during the period 1962-1976.

Method. The design of the study conforms to the pattern of descriptive research. The nalysis was based on seven points …

Development Of An Institutional Research Model : Lake Michigan College, Jonas M. Dalton

Dissertations

Problem. Institutional research is a form of organizational self - study designed to help colleges gather data, analyze , and present the results for the purpose of aiding the administration in achieving long -range goals, ascertaining the effectiveness of institutional programs, and identifying new programs and operational changes needed to achieve institutional goals and objectives. In view of the fact that Lake Michigan College does not have an Office o f Institutional Research , the purpose of this study was: (1 ) to develop a proposed Institutional Research Model for Lake Michigan College , and (2) to determine the informational …

A Study Of Curricular And Spatial Characteristics Of Selected Public And Private Secondary School Facilities Constructed From 1967 Through 1976 In Puerto Rico, Manuel Velazquez Jr.

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the spatial allocation for curricular purposes and the special features of each of the twenty-seven public and private secondary schools built in Puerto Rico during the years 1967-1976. The problem was: Were these schools being constructed in accordance with the desired curriculum; was the curriculum an outgrowth of the resulting physical structures, or were the curriculum and the planning of the structures unrelated? -- Method. The spaces within the building were grouped into three major categories: (a) classrooms and laboratories; (b) special facilities; and (c) operation and services facilities. In order …