Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Adventure-Based Training Programs For Adult Learners, Jean Mee

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The nature of the problem was a lack of data supporting the validity of the adventure education movement; it was not known whether various adventure-based programs and experiences are teaching what they claim to be teaching. The purpose of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of adventure-based training programs for adult learners. The study addressed several research questions. First, "Are existing adventure-based training programs utilizing adult learning principles?" Second, "Are existing adventure-based training programs 3 for adult learners effective in meeting the learning needs of program participants?" Third, "What are the goals of adventure-based training programs, and are those …

Development Of An Adjunct Handbook For The Graduate Teacher Education Program At Nova Southeastern University, Sandrine Lavallee

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The Graduate Teacher Education Program (GTEP) regularly hires new adjuncts. The problem was that new and returning adjuncts complained that they did not understand various procedures. The purpose of this study was to develop an adjunct handbook for new and returning GTEP adjuncts.

The development methodology was utilized for this study. The research questions were {a) what is the appropriate and valid content for a GTEP adjunct handbook that will inform new and returning adjuncts about procedures and processes? (b) What is the appropriate and valid content for a GTEP adjunct handbook • that will assist employees? (c) What the …

The Effect Of An Internship On Undergraduate Perceptions Of Career Related Skills And Interests At The University Of Connecticut, Cynthia F. Jones

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Career Resource Assistants (CRA's) deliver several of the comprehensive career services provided for students at the University of Connecticut through their participation in a structured internship program at Career Services. The literature in the field of career development shows that students usually gain crystallization of career interests and skills through participation in an experiential learning experience such as an internship.

The purpose of this practicum project was to determine whether the internship experience for CRA' s at Career Services provides the benefits traditionally associated with internship experiences for students. The research questions for the study were: "Will there be a …

Evaluation Of An Outreach Packet For Clinicians On Smoking Cessation, Patricia L. Harper

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Clinical practice guidelines are designed to assist clinicians in making the transition from research findings to evidence based practice and treatment. Many busy clinicians, however, do not have the time to read the many clinical practice guidelines available for a variety of disease and preventive Interventions. An easily accessible packet of information to promote implementation of the PHS Clinical Practice Guideline Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence was piloted In the fall of 2001. These packets were introduced to clinicians in Wisconsin clinics using an academic detailing model by the University of Wisconsin Medical School's Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention …

Comparison Of Grade Equivalents Of Participants And Non-Participants In The Summer Bridge Program, Burchell Love

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem under investigation was that a large percentage of eighth grade students in the Chicago Public Schools System were unsuccessful in scoring the minimum required score of7.0 on their year-end standardized achievement tests. A new promotion policy with pre-established criteria for promotion, required students that failed to meet the minimum requirements to attend a summer remediation program. At the end of the summer program, test scores would determine if a student is promoted to high school. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a summer remediation program and to compare year-end grade equivalents of participants …

Ameliorating The Cycle Of Teenage Pregnancy Among Minority Families, Gloria H. Myrick

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This report describ.es a program to ameliorate the cycle of teenage pregnancy among Black females in a suburban high school, thereby decreasing the dropout rate of these at-risk students. The younger siblings of childbearing teens were the targeted population for the pregnancy prevention program. Twenty at-risk siblings in Grades 9 through 12 participated in this program. An analysis of a survey conducted by the guidance department and the teenage parenting program indicated that 31% of the students at the targeted high school became teenage parents and eventually dropped out of school before graduating.

A major goal of this program was …

A Comparison Of Student Learning Outcomes In A Web-Based And Face-To-Face Applied Research Methods Course, Trula Morehead Nicholas

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem of focus in this study related to student learning outcomes in the Human Services Department, Bellingham campus at Western Washington University. The purpose of this study was to compare learning outcomes of students in a web-based applied research methods course to those of students in a face to- face applied research methods course.

The research question was "Do students who take the face-to face applied research methods class have higher quiz scores than students who take the web-based applied research methods class?" Using the research methodology literature focusing on distance education and web-based learning was reviewed.

A total …

Assessment Of The Validity Of Course And Non-Course Prerequisites In Predicting Success Of Associate Degree Nursing Students At Monterey Peninsula College, Debra Schulte

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem under investigation was that the nursing program was not in compliance with the mandate from the Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges that each mandatory prerequisite be a valid predictor of student success in the program. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of each course and non-course prerequisite as meaningful predictors of success for Associate Degree Nursing students.

Four research questions were under consideration. The first is "Which course prerequisites have content validity as prerequisites for the Associate Degree Nursing program?" The second was "Is each of the course prerequisites for the Associate …

An Evaluation Of The Availability Of Courses At Bevill State Community College, Teresa L. Johnson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this study was to determine whether courses are offered at Bevill State Community College (BSCC) to allow a student to complete an associate degree within two years. The problem was that a significant number of students transfer to four-year institutions without completing an associate degree at BSCC.

There was one research question for this study: "Does the schedule of courses at BSCC allow students to complete an associate degree within two years?''

The procedures consisted of a literature review, establishment of criteria, selection and validation of evaluation model, selection and administration of a needs assessment instrument to …

A Design For The Infusion Of State Mandated Technology Standards Into A Teacher Education Credentialing Program, Paul F. Massmann

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to infuse state mandated technology standards into the curriculum of a small university accredited to grant teaching certification. The state recently revised its requirements for the entire credential process. In doing so, they developed a much more demanding set of technology standards than those currently in place in the program. This new set of requirements included not only specific standards to be met by the credential candidate, but required the faculty to model these standards in their traditional face-to-face classes. The goal was to effectively implement these new standards.

The solution had two distinct tracks. …

Teacher Personal Characteristics And School Organizational/Contextual Factors That Contribute To Retention In The Teaching Profession, Nelson E. Diaz

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is the area’s largest employer with 21,399 instructional professionals. During the 2000-2001 school year, 3,100 new teachers were hired in the district due mainly to growth in the student population and attrition of personnel.

The purpose of this practicum was to identify the personal and organizational factors that have contributed to teachers’ decisions to remain employed in M-DCPS during the first five years of employment. The initial cohort of teachers selected for this study was 1,015 newly hired teachers during the 1996-97 school year. The sample population selected for this study was 749 teachers from …

Development Of A Student Satisfaction Survey For The Office Of Residence Life At Virginia Wesley An College, Keith Moore

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem is that poor student retention rates at Virginia Wesleyan College affect the financial stability of the institution. The college has become increasingly dependent on funds generated by residential fees. Thus, the purpose of the study was to develop a survey instrument that could be utilized regularly to determine student satisfaction with the residential services and facilities at Virginia Wesleyan.

There were two research questions for this study: What are valid criteria for a survey instrument that could be used to determine student satisfaction with the services provided by the office of residence life at Virginia Wesleyan College? What …

Development Of A Management Course Syllabus For The Child And Family Development Program At Southwest Missouri State University-West Plains, Renee S. Moore

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The associate of applied science degree program in child development at Southwest Missouri State University-West Plains contains a management of early childhood programs course. The course is listed in the catalog and is required for successful completion of degree requirements. The problem was that the course had never been taught, did not have a course syllabus, and needed careful curriculum consideration prior to implementation.

The purpose of this study is to develop the course syllabus for an associate level management of early childhood programs course for delivery on the West Plains campus of Southwest Missouri State University. The research question …

Evaluation Of The Preceptors’ Perceptions Of Benefits, Rewards, And Support At All Children’S Hospital, Carol Botwinski

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Preceptor programs have been shown to produce nurses, who stay with their jobs, have increased confidence, and competence in the clinical setting. The nurse preceptors are an integral part of these programs. Professional burnout is risked if preceptors are repeatedly asked to assume additional responsibilities without appropriate rewards and support. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the preceptor's perception of benefits, rewards, support, and their commitment to the preceptor role.

The research questions that guided the study were was there a relationship between the preceptor's perception of benefits, rewards, and support associated with the preceptor …

The Development Of A Survey Insttument To Identify The Perceived Needs For Professional Development Of Credentialed Ministers Of The Assemblies Of God In Australia, Victoria, Brendan Roach

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem under investigation was that it is unknown what are the perceived needs for professional development of credentialed ministers of the Assemblies of God in Australia, Victoria. The purpose of the study was to develop a survey instrument to measure what are those perceived needs. The research question was, "What should be contained in a needs assessment survey to identify the perceived needs for professional development of credentialed ministers of the Assemblies of God in Australia, Victoria?"

A literature review was conducted to identify the competencies required by credentialed ministers to develop in their ministry function. The findings of …

Development And Implementation Of An Occupational Safety And Health Administration Education Program For Healthcare Organizations Including A Plan For Evaluation, Anita L. Huse

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Today's healthcare organizations must comply with a myriad of laws, regulations, and other requirements governing the organization, delivery, and reimbursement of health care services (Ziel, 1998, p. 1032). The problem is that loss of educational support in the institutions as a result of cut backs often results in non-compliance with federal regulations. Many healthcare institutions are no longer meeting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) educational requirements (Peck, 1997, p. 20). These healthcare institutions must now outsource to educational consultants to provide programs to address this compliance issue.

The purpose of this project was to develop and implement an …

There Is A Relationship In The Classification Of The Level Of Concern Of Student Teachers Regardng The Use Of Technology Between Student Teachers Who Participated In Educational Technology 301 And Those Who Did Not, Kathy Hawks

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Concord College has focused on improving the classroom use of technology among preservice teachers. This is done in an effort to reduce anxiety concerning technology and increase the level of comfort. Recent requirement changes mandate that all preservice teachers participate in a new course, Education 301, Instructional Technology in Education.

The problem is it is unknown if there is a relationship in the level of concern of student teachers, regarding the use of technology in the classroom, between the student teachers who have participated in Education 301 and those who have not.

The purpose of the study was to determine …

Development Of A Seamless Transition Program For Inmate Students At The Community College Of Southern Nevada, Theo A. Byrns

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The prison education program at the Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN) has been in place since 1988. The Department of Prison Education offers a five-semester Associate of General Studies at facilities of incarceration in Southern Nevada. The purpose of the project was to develop a seamless transition program from a prison-based course of study to a course of study outside of the prison for community college inmate students and an implementation and evaluation plan. The seamless transition program would provide students with an opportunity to continue their higher education when released from prison.

There were six research questions in …

A Study To Determine The Relationship Between Where African American Students Graduated High School In New Jersey And Their Participation In Co-Curricular Activities In College, Jocelyn D. Briddell

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

African American women at Douglass College do not seem to be involved in mainstream campus organizations and activities. It has been suggested the students who come from urban areas in New Jersey are less involved in co-curricular activities because of a lack of state funding. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship between where African American Douglass women graduated from high school in New Jersey and their participation in co-curricular activities.

There was one research question for this study: Is there a relationship between student participation in co-curricular activities based upon whether the …

Development Of A Curriculum In Interdisciplinary Studies And Communication Skills For The Doctor Of Philosophy In Biblical Studies Degree At Baptist Bible Seminary, Lee D. Kliewer

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem for this study was that the Doctor of Philosophy degree curriculum at Baptist Bible Seminary does not develop communication skills and theological studies integration in its graduates. The purpose of this study was to develop a curriculum in interdisciplinary studies and communication skills for this program.

Two research questions were addressed in this study. What are the objectives, form, and content that should be included in an interdisciplinary studies and communication course curriculum for the Doctor of Philosophy program at Baptist Bible Seminary? What delivery system of this curriculum would best serve the students in this degree program? …

Improving Student Achievement And Attitude In Middle Grade Social Studies Classes Through Learning Style Instruction And Design, Jennifer D. Vincent

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to improve student achievement and attitude in a middle school social studies class. Students were not performing well on tests and exams after experiencing traditional visual and auditory instructional methods. The Jack of diversity and creativity in delivery of instruction resulted in limited academic achievement and poor attitude towards social studies learning. Furthermore, long-term memory was also negatively affected because the traditional teaching approaches did not emphasize higher level thinking that promotes greater retention. The study integrates theoretical research concerning how students learn to the development of a strong historical rationale for implementing learning styles …

The Developnient Of A Religious Education Parish Training Manual For Novice Clergy In The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Of America, Frank Marangos

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA) is responsible for preparing clergy for Orthodox parishes through America. An important responsibility of Orthodox clergy is the training a:nd development of parish religious educators. Greek Orthodox clergy, however, are rarely graduates of academic programs specifically designed with an emphasis on teacher preparation. Consequently, newly ordained clergy have difficulty developing their respective parish teachers. The problem is that novice clergy are not provided support resources for effectively teaching parish religious educators how to teach.

The seven research questions answered in this applied dissertation were as follows: What are the most recurring problems experienced …

Constraints, Compromises And Choice: Comparing Three Qualitative Research Studies, Julia Connell, Colin Lynch, Peter Waring

The Qualitative Report

Although a number of texts explore social research strategies and methods, most are limited to a basic discussion of such methods and their associated advantages and disadvantages. Few if any, evaluate and compare methods in the context of actual research experiences. This paper endeavours to bridge that gap by reporting the experiences of three researchers working on three separate qualitative studies. All three studies were concerned with investigating the social milieu within organizations. While the research questions were different in each case, all the researchers shared a common goal - to develop explanations for complex social phenomena manifest both internally …

Building A Typology Of Self-Renewal: Reflection Upon-Life Story Research, Izhar Oplatka

The Qualitative Report

The current paper provides a researcher's account of the life-story method used in a study which aimed to identify patterns of the self-renewal process among women school principals in mid-career. The subjects of this study were 25 elementary school women principals aged between 43 and 52 in Israel. The paper outlines the practical aspects of the life-story method and contributes to our understanding of the consecutive pragmatic ways to implement a life-story method aimed to explore and develop a typology of a yet unknown phenomenon. Further, the ethical implications of doing life-story interview are discussed and presented.

Toward An Understanding Of Acquired Hearing Loss In A Family: Narrative Play Format As A New Voice In Qualitative Methodology, Bruce A. Kent, Brett E. Furlonger, Delwyn A. Goodrick

The Qualitative Report

This study examines how the reality of acquired hearing loss effects one family. Some consideration is given to the medical elements of the condition but the primary concern is with the psychological and social affects of hearing loss. The affects of the loss are revealed, by using systematic introspection in a narrative play format. This writing format is evaluated as the chronology of events, emotions, turning points and coping strategies are revealed.

Social Learning Theory And The Influence Of Male Role Models On African American Children In Project 2000, Rhonda Wells-Wilbon, Spencer Holland

The Qualitative Report

This study is an assessment of observational learning commonly known as social learning theory of a group of 55 African American students who are participants in a mentoring program known as PROJECT 2000. From first through sixth grades male role models, who were largely African American, were in the classroom as teacher assistants. At the time of the study all student participants were in fifth grade. An interview was conducted featuring a short open-ended questionnaire. Students in PROJECT 2000 had an opportunity to express their feelings about the male role models that worked with them in their classroom. These interviews …

The Knight Volume 12: Issue 5, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Choices And Prospects, Noam Chomsky

Peace and Conflict Studies

Excerpt

In examining the attacks on the U.S. on September 11, we must first identity the perpetrators of the crimes. It is generally assumed, plausibly, that their origin is the Middle East region, and that the attacks probably trace back to the Osama Bin Laden network, a widespread and complex organization, doubtless inspired by Bin Laden but not necessarily acting under his control. Let us assume that this is true. A sensible person would try to ascertain Bin Laden’s views, and the sentiments of the large reservoir of supporters of much of what he says throughout the region. About all …

Front Matter, Peace And Conflict Studies

Peace and Conflict Studies

No abstract provided.

The Knight Volume 12: Issue 5, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.