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The Curriculum Implications Of Liberation Theology As A Theory For Social Change., Alvaro Basista Alcazar
The Curriculum Implications Of Liberation Theology As A Theory For Social Change., Alvaro Basista Alcazar
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
From the perspective of those in the underside of history, contemporary education has so stagnated that it has lost its capacity to be a force for social change in a world plagued by social cruelties and injustice. Liberation theologians have shown considerable success in redirecting tightly institutionalized and intellectualized religious communities from their weddedness to imperial notions and practices of faith into one solidly aligned with the struggle of the poor and the marginalized. These theologians of the poor make a distinction between Christianity and Christendom---the former being the vision of a Jewish religious reformer named Yeshua and the latter …
A Comparison Of Faculty Perceptions Of University Technology Transfer By Level Of Institutional Success In The Technology Transfer Process., Paula T. Jacobi
A Comparison Of Faculty Perceptions Of University Technology Transfer By Level Of Institutional Success In The Technology Transfer Process., Paula T. Jacobi
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The purpose of this study was to gather information concerning faculty perceptions of university technology transfer and to compare the perceptions of faculty towards university involvement in technology transfer activities by the relative success of the institutions in technology transfer. The objectives were to describe selected faculty at two land grant universities in the southern portion of the United States. The study was designed to describe faculty based on certain personal, professional, and demographic characteristics, and to compare faculty at an institution defined as successful in technology transfer and an institution that is relatively unsuccessful on certain selected measures. Participants' …
An Exploration Of Middle And High School Students' Perceptions Of Deviant Behavior When Using Computers And The Internet., Annie Jean Harris Daniel
An Exploration Of Middle And High School Students' Perceptions Of Deviant Behavior When Using Computers And The Internet., Annie Jean Harris Daniel
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
If the current trend continues, the use of computer technologies and the Internet will increase for teaching and education. It is urgent that researchers study computer and Internet deviance. The purpose of this study was to explore middle and high school students' perceptions of deviant behavior when using computers and the Internet. The target population for this study was middle and high school students. The accessible population included all students who attended a middle or high school in the East Baton Rouge Parish School which has computers that are capable of accessing the Internet (1,150 students---575 middle school students and …
Group Evaluation System Measuring Self-Reported Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Program Impact In Adult Limited Resource Audiences With Diverse Literacy Skills., Annrose Mary Guarino
Group Evaluation System Measuring Self-Reported Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Program Impact In Adult Limited Resource Audiences With Diverse Literacy Skills., Annrose Mary Guarino
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
A Group Evaluation System was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Family Nutrition Program for use with adult limited resource audiences with diverse literacy skills. Using existing nutrition education resources, an exit survey instrument was developed and tested for validity and reliability. The group administered test format incorporated food associated graphic illustrations and response symbols with written questions read by the instructor. An instrument mock-up was reviewed by an expert panel and two intended-audience focus groups, one with functional reading skills and one without. During data collection, a pretest was conducted with a convenience …
Perceptions Of Work Ethic Among College Seniors., Patricia Nolen Pierson
Perceptions Of Work Ethic Among College Seniors., Patricia Nolen Pierson
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Orientation and attitudes toward work are important issues in the workforce where fierce global competition and demands for increased productivity threaten virtually every business and industry. Managers and executives perceive an erosion of work ethic by America's young people and claim that today's college students have no realistic concept of "a day's work for a day's pay". The purpose of this study, therefore, was to determine the perceptions of work ethic among university seniors and further, to determine if differences in work ethic exist based on the variables gender, ethnic group, marital status, number of children, age, planned occupation, current …
Differential Modes Of External Change Agent Support In Diffusion Of Innovation., Janet Gibson Stevens
Differential Modes Of External Change Agent Support In Diffusion Of Innovation., Janet Gibson Stevens
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The main goal of this multiple-case exploratory study was to examine and describe the processes, perceptions and changes that occurred at the school level in ten south Louisiana middle schools, as the result of external change agent assistance given through the Louisiana School and District Accountability Program. Within this primary goal, the perception of external change agent influence on: (1) school effectiveness processes (i.e., discipline, teacher collaboration, expectations and quality of instruction); and (2) Fullan's school improvement processes were examined. This multiple case study involved five middle schools in Louisiana with two types of external change agents [i.e., the Distinguished …
Faculty Perceptions Of Communication Effectiveness In The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service., Sally Maureen Soileau
Faculty Perceptions Of Communication Effectiveness In The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service., Sally Maureen Soileau
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The purpose of the study was to determine communication patterns and effectiveness as perceived by specialists and agents of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, and relate communication effectiveness with selected demographic characteristics. A qualitative component of the study focused on personal communication experiences of the faculty. A total of 210 agents and 106 specialists participated in the study. The survey instrument was validated by an expert panel and administered via a web site with an initial electronic mail contact and personal and electronic mail follow-ups. From a choice of 11 different methods of communication, specialists and agents used email and …
The Perceived Influence Of Selected Factors On The Decision Of Louisiana 4-H Teens And Non-4-H Teens To Volunteer., Kenneth Spoto
The Perceived Influence Of Selected Factors On The Decision Of Louisiana 4-H Teens And Non-4-H Teens To Volunteer., Kenneth Spoto
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The primary purpose of this study was to determine the contributions Louisiana 4-H teens and Non 4-H teens make to volunteer organizations and the principal factors influencing the decision of Louisiana teens to volunteer. A random sample of 2,281 teens, ages 14--19 years (9th--12th graders), enrolled in Louisiana public secondary schools of education were the participants of this study. The data collection instrument was pre-tested for reliability and yielded a .95 Cronbach's Alpha internal consistency coefficient for 32 scale items. A total of 3,853 surveys were mailed or hand delivered in October and 2,281 usable responses returned for a response …
Professional Culture And Efficacy Correlates Of Organizational Effectiveness In Cooperative Extension Services., Rebecca Elaine White
Professional Culture And Efficacy Correlates Of Organizational Effectiveness In Cooperative Extension Services., Rebecca Elaine White
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Several important lines of inquiry have been developed during the past fifty years to study the complex nature of educational organizations. In particular, theorists, researchers, and educational policy makers have become increasingly concerned about the effectiveness of educational institutions. Recently, significant research and policy maker attention has been focused on issues of effectiveness of higher education. The Cooperative Extension Services as ancillary outreach units of state land grant universities are no exception and the extant literature has been focused primarily on outcomes as organizational effectiveness measures. This study addresses the need to develop more comprehensive conceptual frameworks for studying perceived …
Navigating Knowing/Complicating Truth: African American Learners Experiencing Oral History As Real Education., Lavada Taylor Brandon
Navigating Knowing/Complicating Truth: African American Learners Experiencing Oral History As Real Education., Lavada Taylor Brandon
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Dominant explanations for why urban African American learners dropout is that these students are "at-risk" (Swanson, 1991; Sartain,1989; Levine, 1988; Macchiarola, 1988). Such explanations blame the victim while exonerating the role schooling plays in shaping students' "at-risk" conditions (Woodson, 1933/1998; Tatum, 1997; Freire, 1970/1997; Shujaa, 1994; Gordon, 1993). This research contests these explanations for why African American learners dropout by centering 10 African American students' voices to highlight the role curriculum plays at casting them at-risk. Consequently, this work shifts reproach from individual students' home environments to the larger structural dimensions of curricula (what we know) and instruction (how we …
Holding Up And Holding On: Socialization Experiences Of Beginning Teachers In Differentially Effective Schools., Pamela Sanders Angelle
Holding Up And Holding On: Socialization Experiences Of Beginning Teachers In Differentially Effective Schools., Pamela Sanders Angelle
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The current study examined the socialization experiences of beginning teachers within the context of differentially effective middle schools. A mixed method design, using quantitative and qualitative approaches, was employed. The sample consisted of ten middle schools in Louisiana, five matched pairs, using an intensity strategy. The study was conducted in six phases of data collection. Phase One designed and carried out a pilot study. Interview data from school principals and mentors was collected in Phase Two, while Phase Three involved the collection of survey data from beginning teachers to measure perceptions of assistance, monitoring, team-building, and intention to remain in …
An Exploratory Study Of The Influence Of National And State Standards On Middle School Science Teachers' Classroom Assessment Practices., Kathy Jean Mcwaters
An Exploratory Study Of The Influence Of National And State Standards On Middle School Science Teachers' Classroom Assessment Practices., Kathy Jean Mcwaters
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Classroom assessment practices of middle school science teachers were identified and the influence of national and state science standards on these practices was examined. In Phase I of this study a mail questionnaire was sent to 450 middle school (grades 5,6,7 and 8) science teachers in 17 parishes in Louisiana to obtain information about their classroom assessment practices. In Phase II, nine middle school teachers in eight departmentalized classrooms, two classes at each grade, participated in a qualitative study. Data were collected through questionnaires, classroom observations, interviews and document analysis. Data analysis revealed three major categories of classroom assessment targets: …
Ways Of Incorporating Photographic Images In Learning And Assessing High School Biology: A Study Of Visual Perception And Visual Cognition., Brenda Chaumont Nixon
Ways Of Incorporating Photographic Images In Learning And Assessing High School Biology: A Study Of Visual Perception And Visual Cognition., Brenda Chaumont Nixon
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
This study evaluated the cognitive benefits and costs of incorporating biology-textbook and student-generated photographic images into the learning and assessment processes within a 10th grade biology classroom. The study implemented Wandersee's (2000) 20-Q Model of Image-Based Biology Test-Item Design (20-Q Model) to explore the use of photographic images to assess students' understanding of complex biological processes. A thorough review of the students' textbook using ScaleMaster R with PC Interface was also conducted. The photographs, diagrams, and other representations found in the textbook were measured to determine the percentage of each graphic depicted in the book and comparisons were made to …
Exploring Organizational Learning Of The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service: A Qualitative Study Involving Parish Chairs Of Less Than Three Years Experience., Cathy Hirsch Hamilton
Exploring Organizational Learning Of The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service: A Qualitative Study Involving Parish Chairs Of Less Than Three Years Experience., Cathy Hirsch Hamilton
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
This qualitative study was designed to facilitate the description, analysis and utilization of continual learning within the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service (LCES). The research linked exploration of a learning culture within an organization with the reflective practice of participatory action research methodology. Learning organizations promote knowledge sharing that allows for individual learning to make the transition into collective organizational learning. In order for transformative learning to occur, individuals must reflect on their actions to make sense of an experience. Explaining and thinking about what one is doing makes tacit knowledge explicit, therefore able to be shared and used for change. …
Effective Lobbying Strategies For Higher Education In State Legislatures As Perceived By Government Relations Officers., Ellen Prothro Murphy
Effective Lobbying Strategies For Higher Education In State Legislatures As Perceived By Government Relations Officers., Ellen Prothro Murphy
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of various lobbying strategies for higher education in state legislatures as perceived by state government relations officers. The target population for the study was defined as individuals currently employed as state government relations officers for public institutions of higher education. Data were collected for this study by surveying government relations officers contacted through the 7th Annual State Relations Conference. The total number of usable responses was 109 (74%) of 147 surveyed from 36 states. The instrument utilized in this study was a researcher designed questionnaire that included a demographic …
Middle School Students' Understanding Of The Natural History Of The Earth And Life On Earth As A Function Of Deep Time., Azalie Cecile Pulling
Middle School Students' Understanding Of The Natural History Of The Earth And Life On Earth As A Function Of Deep Time., Azalie Cecile Pulling
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The purpose of this study was to use deep time, that is geologic time as a mechanism to explore middle school students' understanding of the natural history of the earth and the evolution of life on earth. Geologic time is a logical precursor to middle school students' understanding of biological evolution. This exploratory, mixed model study used qualitative and quantitative methods in each stage of the research to explore sixth grade students, understanding of geologic time, their worldviews (e.g., conceptual ecology), and conceptual change. The study included fifty-nine students in the large group study and four case studies. The primary …
Self -Directed Learning And Learner -Control Sequencing: An Examination Of The Relationship Between Two Instructional Delivery Systems And The Acquisition And Application Of Subject Matter For Teacher Candidates., Martha Ellen Ratcliff
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between different instructional delivery systems (learner-control versus instructor-control) and the acquisition and application of subject matter by teacher candidates. Further, self-directed teaming and student ability are utilized to predict student outcomes. Prior technology ability and student ability and learner-controlled sequencing events during a Web-based lesson are also analyzed for predicting student outcomes. Finally, teaming and assessment time of subjects in the learner-control group are measured. Undergraduate and graduate students (N = 99) enrolled in an undergraduate language arts course participated in the study. Subjects in the learner-control group teamed about …
The Open Gates: The Rise Of Student Loan Indebtedness And The Social Processes Of Borrowing Money In The Pursuit Of Higher Education., Wendell Wayne Brumfield
The Open Gates: The Rise Of Student Loan Indebtedness And The Social Processes Of Borrowing Money In The Pursuit Of Higher Education., Wendell Wayne Brumfield
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of students at a two-year college about their student loan debt management and the level of indebtedness incurred as a result of utilizing student loans. A survey was conducted in the Spring 2001 semester at Louisiana State University at Eunice in which a systematic random sample was selected. The 37-question survey instrument used in the study included 15 demographic questions and one-open ended question requesting respondents to provide suggestions that could be used to help other students. In addition, 21 perception statements were asked loan recipients. This study found that …
An Inquiry Into The Influence Of Taped Books On The Oral Reading Performance Of Struggling Third-Grade Readers., Dolores Doga Harris
An Inquiry Into The Influence Of Taped Books On The Oral Reading Performance Of Struggling Third-Grade Readers., Dolores Doga Harris
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The purpose of the nine-week study was to explore, using taped book intervention, the oral reading fluency of six struggling third-grade readers. The low-income, inner city, African American students were selected using teacher recommendations, standardized test scores, and the school system's Grade Level Indicators of Essential Knowledge---Grade 3 English Language Arts. Procedures used in the study were observing, collecting field notes, reviewing documents, conducting open-ended interviews, prioritizing book selection interests, and making assessments. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included the following: (1) oral reading rate---the Gray Oral Reading Test-3 (GORT-3), two-minute timed readings, and Corduroy benchmark probes; (2) word recognition---Slosson Oral …
School Culture, Teacher Efficacy, And Decision -Making In Demonstrably Effective And Ineffective Schools., Jacquline Jeanine Bobbett
School Culture, Teacher Efficacy, And Decision -Making In Demonstrably Effective And Ineffective Schools., Jacquline Jeanine Bobbett
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The purpose for this study was fourfold. First, a conceptual model was developed to help understand teacher perceptions of the schools' professional culture, teachers' self-efficacy beliefs, participation in decision making and linkages to school effectiveness. Second, an original measure of teachers' self-efficacy beliefs about their own teaching effectiveness was developed and tested. Third, characteristics of the measures (quantitative and qualitative) were reported. Fourth differences in the mediating variables related to school effectiveness were examined. A stratified sample made up of 1,057 total school faculty in 41 elementary schools representing the uppermost and lower most quartiles of poverty in a southern …
Teacher Education Reform And Accountability: A Study Of The Louisiana Blue Ribbon Commission On Teacher Quality., Patricia Ann Davis Exner
Teacher Education Reform And Accountability: A Study Of The Louisiana Blue Ribbon Commission On Teacher Quality., Patricia Ann Davis Exner
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
This study describes Louisiana's 1999--2000 Blue Ribbon Commission on Teacher Quality, focusing primarily on Commission proceedings and the evolution of its recommendations within a context of standards-based teacher education reform history. Employing case study methodology contextualized in historical and ethnographic narrative, this nine month study examined policy recommendations for Louisiana's teacher education programs that resulted from Commission meetings. Aims of the study included describing the development of these recommendations, their relation to national teacher education reform movements, and their potential impact on university teacher preparation programs. The research provides not only documentation of Commission proceedings of some historical value, but …
Effects Of Reading Styles On African-American Preschoolers Of Disadvantage., Elizabeth Nowlin Witt
Effects Of Reading Styles On African-American Preschoolers Of Disadvantage., Elizabeth Nowlin Witt
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
This study investigated the effects of two styles of storybook reading within the storybook reading event (SBRE) upon African-American preschoolers of disadvantage (AAP-D). One style, performance-oriented, was thought to be closer to cultural frameworks familiar for this population. This style was contrasted with the interactive style familiar to children of middle-class. Each style was utilized with two groups of five children (ten children per condition) across three storybooks, which were each read six times. Pre- and posttesting were used to determine changes in language (semantic and discourse ability, as measured by retelling), literacy, and world knowledge. A control group of …
Linking Postsecondary Sub -Baccalaureate Institutional Experience To The Career Planning Needs Of Future Workforce., Joycelyn Harrison Brunswick
Linking Postsecondary Sub -Baccalaureate Institutional Experience To The Career Planning Needs Of Future Workforce., Joycelyn Harrison Brunswick
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Recent changes in the labor market and predictions by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that many of the jobs available in the 21st century will not require a four-year college degree, in contrast to what many high school students perceive will provide their entree to a successful career. Jobs which will be in demand necessitate highly specialized skills which can be developed at post-secondary sub-baccalaureate (PSSB) institutions. High school graduates who do not have the ability, time, money or inclination to earn a bachelor's degree may well obtain economic security by acquiring those skills in great demand, enabling them …
A Narrative Study Of Selected Introductory College Biology Students' Struggles To Gain An Understanding Of Scale And Measurement., Juliana Guillory Hinton
A Narrative Study Of Selected Introductory College Biology Students' Struggles To Gain An Understanding Of Scale And Measurement., Juliana Guillory Hinton
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Case studies, developed with criteria from Yin's Case Study Research: Design and Methods (1994), probed single mental constructs of four introductory college biology students who were recent high school graduates. Data sources included autobiographical essays, interviews, coconstructed concept maps (Wandersee & Abrams, 1993), a videotape questionnaire, and graphics. A multisensory microscopy experiment provided the setting for the construction of shared meanings by the participants. Concept maps were used then to explore the existing cognitive framework of the participants. This research affirmed the value of supporting graphic organizers for understanding science (Good & Berger, 1998; Hyerle, 1996; Trowbridge & Wandersee, 1998). …
Input And Environmental Characteristics In Student Success: First -Term Gpa And Predicting Retention At An Historically Black University., Marcus S. Babaoye
Input And Environmental Characteristics In Student Success: First -Term Gpa And Predicting Retention At An Historically Black University., Marcus S. Babaoye
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
This study is aimed at determining the input and environmental factors which contribute to the academic success or failure of students at an historically black institution. Three files were merged with first-time and transfer freshmen characteristics to serve as a basis for the quantitative analyses. On the qualitative front, a case study of college life at Southern University, Baton Rouge was performed. Data were collected from interviews with students, recent graduates, and University personnel. Additionally, the case study involve analyses of institutional records between 1993--1997. The quantitative data analyses revealed that ACT scores, gender, enrollment status, age, and housing arrangement …
Environmental Education Programming For The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service., John William Branch
Environmental Education Programming For The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service., John William Branch
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Environmental education is a component of community-based education programs. Environmental education in the United States and in Louisiana was described (Objectives 1 and 2). Because of rapid changes in environmental science, and the responses of citizens to environmental topics, extension faculty need additional programming techniques and more process and strategic skills training. Programming techniques and skills training were reviewed (Objective 3). Extension has included representatives from key state and federal agencies with expertise in, and responsibility for, environmental topics on its environmental education advisory committees. The Delphi technique was utilized in this study, with agency representatives as panelists, to determine …
School Life On The Mississippi: An Inquiry Into The Impact Of The Louisiana Reform Movement Related To Standards In World History Instruction In Three Secondary School Settings., Michael Joseph Schramm
School Life On The Mississippi: An Inquiry Into The Impact Of The Louisiana Reform Movement Related To Standards In World History Instruction In Three Secondary School Settings., Michael Joseph Schramm
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of standards on the instruction of world history in three secondary school settings. Contact with the Department of Education of the State of Louisiana found that the implementation of standards had only begun in 1997. After a grace period for implementation, the inaugural testing of the accountability system for these standards occurred in the spring of 2000. Therefore, this study became an exploratory investigation into the use of standards as they impact world history instruction. The first research question was designed to assist the researcher in exploring the influence that …
The History Of Our Lady Of The Lake College, 1923--2000: A Study Of Organizational Change., Linda Carol Rakestraw Pendergast
The History Of Our Lady Of The Lake College, 1923--2000: A Study Of Organizational Change., Linda Carol Rakestraw Pendergast
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
This qualitative research study investigated the history of Our Lady of the Lake College from 1923 through 2000. It endeavored to determine the influence of the times, the events, the people, and the traditions that have contributed to its development and progress in the seventy-seven years that have passed since it was established. The study also sought to document the important institutional events that transpired during this time period and establish a continuity of the College's progress through the years from a hospital-based diploma program in nursing to a free standing degree granting institution. In addition to the evolutionary development …
Sociomathematical Norms Of Elementary School Classrooms: Crossnational Perspectives On The *Reform Of Mathematics Teaching., Jeongsuk Pang
Sociomathematical Norms Of Elementary School Classrooms: Crossnational Perspectives On The *Reform Of Mathematics Teaching., Jeongsuk Pang
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Mathematics education reform in the United States has marshaled large-scale support for instructional innovation, and enlisted the participation and allegiance of large numbers of mathematics teachers. However, there is concern that many teachers have not grasped the full implications of the reform ideals. This study explored the breakdown that may occur between teachers' adoption of reform objectives and their successful incorporation of reform ideals by comparing and contrasting two reform-oriented classrooms. This study was an exploratory, qualitative, comparative case study using constant comparative analysis. Seven mathematics lessons were video-taped from each class, and intensive interviews conducted with the two teachers. …
The Impact Of Human Resource Expenditures And The Minimum Foundation Program's Level 3 Subsidy On Academic Productivity In Louisiana., John Paul Beaudoin
The Impact Of Human Resource Expenditures And The Minimum Foundation Program's Level 3 Subsidy On Academic Productivity In Louisiana., John Paul Beaudoin
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
This study investigated the impact of instructional salaries with and without a state-sponsored, supply-side subsidy on the academic productivity of schools in Louisiana. The subsidy under investigation was the Level 3 allocation for instructional salaries outlined in Louisiana's Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) that provides fiscal support for educational costs to local school boards. An educational production function model within the general systems framework outlined by Rossmiller and Geske (1977) was used in this study. All selected variables were aggregated to the school-level, which served as the unit of analysis for the study. The study's final sample (n = 296) approximated …