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The Development Of A Comprehensive Plan For Gifted Education For Windsor Community Unit #1, Sharon Keck

Masters Theses

One of the responsibilities of educators is to meet the needs of all students. Since these needs vary according to the student, the opportunities afforded to each student must also be varied. Gifted/talented students need special educational opportunities; otherwise, they may not reach their potential. This study developed a plan to meet the needs of gifted/talented students in a small rural setting. This study encompassed a comprehensive plan for differentiated education in grades K-12 involving the six fundamental learning areas for Windsor Community Unit School District Windsor, Illinois. This comprehensive plan includes a needs assessment, a philosophy statement, an identification …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Peer Counselors And Computer-Assisted Career Guidance Systems At Eastern Illinois University, Kathleen C. Ritten

Masters Theses

Eastern Illinois University, located in east central Illinois, is dedicated to providing high quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable cost for the citizens of the state of Illinois (Eastern Illinois University college catalog). The university's primary mission is to provide its approximately 10,000 students with a comprehensive undergraduate program of liberal studies as they seek degrees in applied sciences, business, education, fine arts, health, physical education and recreation, and liberal arts and sciences (Mission and Goals of Eastern Illinois University). To complement its undergraduate curriculum, Eastern's Graduate School also offers master's and specialist degree programs in various concentrations. …

Consolidation Study For Illinois Community Unit School Districts No. 10 And No. 20, Judith J. Phipps

Masters Theses

The main purpose of this field study was to examine factors related to school consolidation in Lawrence County, Illinois. Two unit school districts-Community Unit School District No. 10 and No. 20-have been in operation since 1972 in southeastern Illinois. Both districts have full recognition by the Illinois State Board of Education and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

In 1991-92, approximately 2,800 students attended kindergarten through twelfth grade in Lawrence County. However, financial considerations were the primary concerns of the schools/ operations. Due to revenue losses in farmland reassessment, property taxes and general state aid, Lawrence County administrators examined …

Organization Of A K-3 Guidance Program, Gwyneth James Snider

Masters Theses

The field study project was undertaken to study the role of the elementary guidance counselor and to develop a workable K-3 guidance program. Results would show the importance of guidance at the elementary level and the counselor's role within the total program.

The role of the elementary counselor was studied through a review of available literature. In addition, a survey of some central Illinois elementary guidance counselors was conducted to study elementary guidance programs already in existence and the role of the counselor within that program. Goals and a job description for an elementary guidance program were developed and the …

An Evaluation Of Educational Indicators In Illinois' New Illinois Accountability Law, Leon Francis Gobczynski

Masters Theses

In the fall of 1992, P.L. 87-559 will change the way schools and districts in Illinois are evaluated for the purpose of recognition. This is commonly known as Illinois' new accountability law. This law shifts recognition from solely legal compliance to include school performance and school improvement.

Five educational indicators were chosen for Illinois' new accountability law by the State Legislature in conjunction with the Illinois State Board of Education. This research study measured administrators perceptions about the five educational indicators used in Illinois' new accountability law. In addition, ten national educational indicators were selected and administrators were requested to …

Adopting An Eight Period Day Schedule: An Analysis Of The Merits For Oakland Community Unit School District #5, Norman L. Tracy

Masters Theses

In coping with financial problems and changing demands on students' course selections, it has become increasingly more difficult to provide secondary school students with the best education possible. This seems to be especially true for the smaller school districts. Many small school districts have reduced their staffs to the "bare bones" due to budget cuts. Such reductions have often resulted in fewer course offerings and a reduced number of section offerings for required classes. When this problem was coupled with the Illinois Board of Higher Education's increased college entrance requirements that high school students must complete, the common result was …

The Meyersville School's Utilization Of Windows On Science, Art D. Anthony

Masters Theses

This study was designed to determine if the students and teachers of Meyersville School, Meyersville, Texas, liked the Windows on Science^® program better than learning and teaching science using the traditional book. All students, grades three through six, and teachers, grades one through six, were surveyed regarding their opinion of Windows on Science^®.

This field experience indicated the students and teachers liked the Windows on Science^® program better than using standard science textbooks. The male students had a higher mean score than the female students or teachers. The teachers felt they needed more experiments to help …

The U.S. State Department Position At The Geneva Conference On Indochina In 1954, Eva Dragosits

Masters Theses

This paper intends to provide a coherent analysis of the United States position at the Geneva Conference on Indochina in 1954. The paper is based on U.S. State Department documents, edited in 1981 in the Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) series.

At the Berlin Conference in January 1954, the French, against the will of the United States, placed Indochina on the agenda of the Geneva Conference, which was to start on May 8, 1954. The United States, concerned that the French might accept an unfavorable Communist settlement, regarded participation in the Conference as essential in light of their …

Social Facilitation: The Effects Of Audience's Status On Performances Of A Pursuit Rotor Task, Richard J. Baranowski

Masters Theses

In a study of social facilitation, 20 college students performed a pursuit rotor task in the presence of an audience of other students or faculty members. The results indicate that subjects performing in the presence of an audience of student peers displayed a significant enhancement in performance when compared to a baseline performance measurement. Subjects performing in the presence of an audience of faculty members displayed a nonsignificant decrement in performance when compared to baseline performance. The results suggest that the status of an audience affects individual performance.

Vocal Registration: History, Analysis, And Modern Pedagogical Applications, Patricia L. Finks

Masters Theses

A controversial aspect of vocal pedagogy is vocal registration or common divisions of the compass of the voice. A history of theories of registration, beginning in 1250, is compiled in chronological order. From this list, five contrasting theories are examined. Practical suggestions have been presented for use and application of this information, especially by the high school voice teacher.

Accuracy Of Perceived Self-Efficacy In Relation To Levels Of Depression, David M. Cummins

Masters Theses

In the investigation of the relationship between accuracy of perceived self-efficacy and levels of depression, conflicting results have been found. Some studies have shown that depressed subjects are more accurate at assessing their actual self-efficacy than nondepressed subjects, while other studies have shown that nondepressed subjects are more accurate than depressed subjects at assessing their actual self-efficacy. One common problem that exists in these studies is that their external validity is weak due to the uniqueness and random nature of the experimental designs. The present study attempts to address this problem by examining the relationship between levels of depression and …

Effects Of Hypoxia On Egg Development In The Giant Waterbug (Belostoma Flumineum), Miki Furuya

Masters Theses

I quantified the oxygen requirements of developing eggs and the adaptive significance of male brooding behavior in the giant waterbug (Belostoma flumineum). Egg pads brooded by males, and egg pads experimentally removed from the dorsa of males and maintained in a metabolic shaker, were tested for hatching success in four oxygen treatments (5%, 8%, 10% and 21%-control) in a closed laboratory system. All of the control male brooded egg pads, and 100% of the eggs/pad, hatched whereas none of the egg pads hatched in the 5% oxygen treatment. Fifteen of 20 (75%) male brooded egg pads in the 10% oxygen …

Predation Risk And Feeding Site Preferences In Winter Foraging Birds, Yen-Min Kuo

Masters Theses

A foraging animal's choice of feeding location may represent a trade-off between maximizing its energy or nutrient intake and avoiding predation. In the present study, two hypotheses were investigated to test the influence of predation risk on feeding site preferences of birds: 1) there are differences among the preferences of feeding heights of birds, 2) the magnitude of preference increases with increasing predation risk found in different habitats. In my study site, three feeding stations (located in the woods, the woods/field edge, and an open field) each containing three feeders (0 m, 1.5 m, and 3 m from the ground) …

African American Self-Esteem: Racial Ideology And Racial Identity, Carrie Wilson-Brown

Masters Theses

This study empirically investigated the relationships among global self-esteem and racial self-esteem, ethnic and racial ideology, cultural identity, and anti-white sentiment in a sample of 109 African-American students enrolled in the Partnership for Excellence program at Eastern Illinois University. The findings suggest that these dimensions are interrelated and anchored in the relationships with family and friends in the black community. Self-esteem is strongly correlated with racial self-esteem, cultural knowledge, and black separatism. The data do not support a relationship between self-esteem and system-blame, anti-white sentiment, and interracial contact. Implications of this study are that black self-esteem is insulated from systems …

Dr. Professor Mommy: Working Mothers' Gender Role Self Images In The University Community, Dawn Renee Krywanio

Masters Theses

A common misperception exists that working mothers experience their professional lives differently than other working women. This is often the basis for differential treatment of mothers in the workplace. This thesis describes gender role self image among university women in administration, faculty, and staff positions who are also parents; it relates to professional relationship satisfaction in the workplace. Data were collected through the use of open ended surveys of 185 female employees at Eastern Illinois University, follow up interviews, and a Likert scale survey within the same population. Content analysis of the data and qualitative results are the descriptive basis …

A Herpetofaunal Survey Of The Braidwood Dunes And Savanna Nature Preserve, Daniel J. O'Connell

Masters Theses

A herpetofaunal survey was conducted on two sand prairie areas in Will Co., IL.; The Braidwood Dunes and Savanna Nature Preserve (BD+S), and Sandridge Savanna. Drift fences with pitfall traps, herpetological attractor panels, aquatic hoop traps, and manual collecting were used to sample the two preserves. A species list was compiled, and the habitat preferences and relative abundance of each species present were determined. The species list was compared with the species lists of other Illinois sand areas and the Nebraska sandhills. Guilds represented by the herpetofaunae of each area were also compared.

Seventeen species were recorded at BD+S and …

99 Bottles: An Exploration Of Oral Interpretation As Rhetoric, Jeffrey T. Hess

Masters Theses

This thesis attempts to combine the elements of oral interpretation and rhetoric in order to create a group performance piece that contains interesting movement and dialogue as well as persuasive rhetorical elements. This new genre of group oral interpretation is called Rhetorical Theatre and implements only non-fictional material for the manuscript. Metaphoric blocking and direction is discussed, as well as the use of other conventions currently employed in group interpretation.

Telling Grimm Tales: Rhetoric That Molds, Comforts And Remains, Constance S. E. Cooper

Masters Theses

An explanation of oral tradition and its portent for language clarifies the fairy tale genre. Its purpose, various cultural impacts, criticism and limitations are introduced. Ludwig and Wilhelm Grimm translated their personal interest into a form of speech that endures past cultural and linguistic barriers. The Grimms' scholastic credentials and lifework reveal the original storytellers and subjects in a historical/geographical framework. Part II isolates 68 tales of animal dialogue, discusses human-like character responses of help and harm, and submits a brief narrative criticism of the conglomerate rhetorical entity. Character insights and communication findings are resolved with Delphi compilations of 27 …

How Actualities Affect The Credibility And Audience Evaluation Of Radio Newscasts, Michael G. Bradd

Masters Theses

This study tests the hypotheses that actualities increase the audience appeal and credibility of a radio newscast. Two treatment newscasts of identical content were produced using the same announcer. One of the treatments used actualities in four of the seven stories while the other treatment had no actualities. Analysis of variance was used to compare subjects' evaluations of the two treatments. The study found that contrary to common wisdom in the radio industry, actualities have no statistically significant impact on the audience appeal of a newscast. The data did not confirm the credibility hypothesis; it strongly suggested that actualities do …

Factors Affecting Psychosocial Adjustment Of Individuals Following Ostomy Surgery, Margot Knapp

Masters Theses

The literature has documented the traumatic effect of ostomy surgery. Individuals who need to integrate a new body image must go through a period of psychosocial adjustment. Several studies have been done to analyze components of adjustment and to ascertain variables which might affect adjustment. Psychosocial adjustment to ostomy surgery is a new field of study and previous research has been limited in scope.

The current study sought primarily to identify both demographic and categorical variables predictive of a broad range of adjustment factors, and by using a comprehensive sample. Independent variables included age, level of education, precipitating illness, type …

Perestroika From Below: Civil Society And Informal Associations In The Soviet Union, Jerry James Sheehan

Masters Theses

During the 1980's the Soviet Union underwent a decade of dramatic change. The study of these changes initiated by the Gorbachev government has focused primarily on the reforms initiated by the state- perestroika from above. However, by the mid 1980's it was apparent that the state was not so much reforming society as society was drastically altering the state. Some analysts at this time began to shift to examining reforms at the grassroots level- perestroika from below.

This thesis is an examination of these perestroika from below reforms. The thesis seeks to asses the usefulness of the civil society model …

A Biosystematic Study Of Panus Conchatus (Basidiomycetes; Agaricales), James Edward Johnson

Masters Theses

As part of a biosystematic study of Panus conchatus (Bull.: Fr.) Fr., North American and European herbarium specimens from the Field Museum and the University of Michigan were examined and a description of the taxon prepared. Tissue and single spore isolates were obtained from basidiocarps collected in Illinois. Single and polyspore isolates were obtained from a collection made in Switzerland by R. H. Petersen. Culture mat analyses were completed on several media and the taxonomic value of cultural characters assessed. Based on this study, the identification of somatic cultures by cultural characteristics is unlikely. Single spore isolates from the Illinois …

Rhetoric In Fiction: A Fantasy-Theme Analysis Of Conrad’S Heart Of Darkness, Thomas S. Caldwell

Masters Theses

This study meets three primary objectives.

First, it demonstrates how rhetorical theory and Iiterary criticism are compatible fields of study and explains how Ernest Bormann's rhetorical theory based on "fantasy-theme analysis" can be used as an appropriate method for the analysis of literary works.

Secondly, this study identifies a trend in late Nineteenth Century "adventure stories" in which travel to foreign lands and European influence on the cultures of those lands is portrayed as "good" and "philanthropic."

Finally, this study concludes with a fantasy-theme analysis of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness which reveals that Conrad's adventure fiction breaks away from …

Training Guidelines For New Staff In A Community Integrated Living Arrangement (Cila) Program, Michael R. Finney

Masters Theses

Adequate staff training prior to working with developmentally disabled individuals in a Community Integrated Living Arrangement program is a state requirement. This study gives some background information and suggestions for such training requirements in concise blocks of time.

A training period before new staff begin working with clients is important because it enables staff to understand various facets of their job. It is important that all new staff understand the types of individuals with whom they will be working and what is expected of them in regard to working with the agency's clientele.

To ensure that staff comprehend the rationale …

Gender Differences In Evaluation Styles, Jean B. Hudson

Masters Theses

There is currently extensive research on gender differences in the area of speech communication. This study explores the gender differences in speaking styles and their relation to evaluation styles. Subjects were students enrolled in Introduction to Speech Communication at Eastern Illinois University. After compiling 722 speech evaluation sheets, an analysis of variance, factor analysis, and content analysis was conducted. Significant results concluded that sex of the instructor, sex of the speaker, and sex of the evaluator influence each other. Implications of this study were that speech instructors must be aware of their own speaking and evaluation style to avoid any …

Biochemical Systematics Of Notothenioid Fishes From Antarctica, Mara A. Mcdonald, Michael H. Smith, Michael W. Smith, James M. Novak, Paul E. Johns, Arthur L. Devries

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Genetic variation at 30 protein-coding loci was examined in seven forms of notothenioid fishes from Antarctica. Multilocus heterozygosity varied from 0.018 to 0.078 across taxa. An analysis of the allozyme data revealed the probable existence of an unrecognized cryptic species within Trematomu5 bemacchii. Pagothenia borchgrevinki is as closely related to some species of Trematomus as are some species of Trematomus to each other. Speciation among the species of Trematomus and Pagothenia appears to have taken place primarily after the separation of Antarctica from Australia.

Grand Prairie Friends Notes (January 1992), Grand Prairie Friends

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