Digital Commons Network^™

Investigation Of The Correlation Between The Tech Prep Initiative And The Restructuring Of Curriculum In Selected Illinois High Schools, Sandra K. Ward

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the Illinois Tech Prep Initiative and the restructuring of high school curriculum in Illinois. Tech Prep is a structured sequential program which emphasizes continuity in learning, integration of academics and vocational studies with technology, context-based teaching, and completion of the program with an associate degree.

This study examined the scope and degree which Tech Prep has influenced school districts to create new applied courses, implement new applied methods of teaching, and institute a new focus on technology. A questionnaire was mailed to principals of randomly selected high schools in …

An Empirical Analysis Of The Recent Decline Of Union Membership In The United States, Mojgan Tajbakhsh Izadi

Masters Theses

The union membership in the United States has declined since 1970 and reached less than 14 percent of labor force in 1989. A number of studies have been conducted to examine the causes of decline in union membership. Among researchers nearly all believed that structural change in the United States economy plays an important role. The theories of managerial opposition and substitution of government and employers for unions were also supported by many researchers. This study examined the effect of the number of female and part-time workers from the labor force as a measure for structural change in the economy. …

Locus Of Control And Student Leaders: Perceptions Of Leadership Traits, Maggie Sullivan

Masters Theses

Leadership is a multi-faceted phenomena that has been the object of studies throughout the 20th century. Locus of Control has been a focal point for scientific research over the past thirty years. This study examines locus of control among college student leaders. The purpose of the study was to determine if leaders with different loci of control identify different traits as important to leadership. Three hundred surveys were distributed to executive officers of student organizations at Eastern Illinois University. One-hundred thirty-five surveys were returned for a response rate of 45 percent. Results indicated that locus of control did not affect …

Biotic, Abiotic, And Behavioral Patterns Associated With The Nocturnal Movements Of Shrews, Patrick T. Sullivan

Masters Theses

Thirteen trails left by shrews coated with fluorescent powder were examined for microhabitat documentation. Thirteen data parameters were collected from each trail, two of which differed significantly between Blarina brevicauda and Sorex longirostris. The small soricid Sorex longirostris was captured in areas with higher grass content, and lower wooded content, than the larger Blarina brevicauda. The difference in microhabitat use may be a key mechanism in reducing competition between these two species.

Customer Satisfaction Among Cable Tv Subscribers: A Case Study Of Tci Of Illinois, Inc., Gail M. Gilliland

Masters Theses

This study gauges customer satisfaction among subscribers of TCI of Illinois, Inc., cable company. Two research questions were formulated in order to determine the customer satisfaction levels: "Can a satisfaction instrument be generated to measure customer satisfaction among cable subscribers?" and "What are the levels of customer satisfaction among TCI of Illinois, Inc., subscribers?" Data was obtained from personal, mail and telephone surveying of a 10% random sample of Charleston cable television subscribers. The results indicate that a reliable and valid measuring device was generated and 39.5% of the respondents were satisfied with TCI overall.

A Comparison Of Division I And Division Ii Student-Athletes' Backgrounds, Time Demands And Perceptions Of Academics And Athletics, Denise Reifel

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Of Devaluation, Imports, Exports, Balance Of Payments And The Imf In Malawi: A Case Study, Vincent G. Malunga

Masters Theses

In International Economics, conventional wisdom suggests that devaluation improves the trade balance for a country. This is possible because, by worsening the terms of trade for a country, devaluation leads to import substitution and enhanced competitiveness in the export sector. The trade balance is expected to improve via the J-curve, where the trade balance worsens first, until a country is able to adjust to the contractual problem.

This project sought to identify the presence of the J-curve or a lack thereof in Malawi, a country in South Central Africa, within the contextual frame work of the IMF's structural adjustment programs. …

Effects Of Information And Physical Positioning On Attitudes Toward An Individual Who Is Nonspeaking And Physically Disabled, Paige M. Lepak

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effects of printed information and four physical positions in space on attitudes of individuals who are nondisabled toward a person who is nonspeaking with severe physical disabilities. Employing a 4 (positions in space) X 2 (presence/absence of information) factorial design, subjects were presented with four photographs depicting a male who is both physically disabled and nonspeaking having a communicative interaction with a male who is nondisabled. Subjects in Condition 1 viewed 4 photographs depicting the individual who is nonspeaking sitting in a chair; Condition 2 subjects viewed photographs of the individual sitting in a wheelchair; Condition …

The Multiple Voices Of Frederick Douglass, Gesthemane Vasiliadou

Masters Theses

In this rhetorical analysis of Frederick Douglass' style, I argue that the power of his language comes from the multiplicity of voices arising from his work. I specifically concentrate on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself (1845), as well as on some of the speeches he delivered soon after the book was published.

Coming from a different culture, I was intrigued by my reaction to Douglass' writing style. I find him a writer with very strong rhetorical skills which have a tremendous appeal to any reader. My personal response explores the reasons …

Superintendent Evaluations: Superintendent And Board President Perspectives, W. Robert O'Dell

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field experience was to examine the formal evaluation process of superintendents from the perspective of superintendents and school board presidents. A survey of 72 public school district superintendents and board presidents in six counties in Southern Illinois was conducted. Those surveyed were asked to respond to questions concerning the evaluation instrument itself, the frequency and purpose of the evaluation, and criteria used to evaluate the superintendent.

In addition, a review of current literature associated with superintendent evaluations was presented. Included in the review were articles related to the importance of a good evaluation procedure to both …

Development Of A Physical Ability Test For Screening Mental Health Technician Trainee Candidates, Brett Andrew Dolezal

Masters Theses

This study was designed to establish a valid physical ability test for use by the Illinois Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities to screen job applicants for the position of Mental Health Technician Trainee. Physical ability tests to determine physical qualifications for jobs requiring substantial physical effort are permitted under current Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines if the required physical standards are job related and consistent with business necessity. In order to determine the physical demands encountered by Mental Health Technicians, a job analysis was conducted. The job analysis phase included: (i) …

The Effect Of Age On Recovery Of Heart Rate After Exercise, Shari A. Delisle

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if heart rate recovery, following exercise, of active women aged between 50-63 years was significantly slower than the recovery of active women aged 23-24 years when both groups exercised at the same relative perceived intensity. Ten female subjects, five young and five older, were tested during a five minute bout of treadmill exercise while working at a rating of perceived exertion(RPE) of 14. Heart rate was measured prior to and during testing and into recovery using the Vantage Performance Monitor. The time, measured in seconds, it took for each subject to drop …

Growth And Survival Of Larval Fishes: The Role Of Zooplankton Abundance And Competition, Michael T. Welker

Masters Theses

Interactions among larval gizzard shad, bluegill and zooplankton prey were examined via a controlled mesocosm experiment and field sampling in Lake Shelbyville, Illinois. In the mesocosm experiment gizzard shad growth and survival were negatively correlated with shad density and positively correlated with macrozooplankton prey. Bluegill growth was also positively correlated with prey availability, but survival was uniformly high despite differences in zooplankton abundance and fish density. Declines in macrozooplankton and copepod biomass were related to fish density. In Lake Shelbyville limnetic overlap of larval gizzard shad and bluegill was limited to a three week period, with the interval of greatest …

Women's Communication In Country Music, Heather Elizabeth Yarbrough

Masters Theses

The lyrical content of female performed country songs was evaluated in this study. Female soloist performer's songs ranking in the top hits of each year between 1950 and 1989 were examined. After indepth research into the history of country music and the female role in country music, several songs performed by females and listed as hits between the years 1950 and 1989 were analyzed. The characteristic found in most female songs was relationships with men and family and how women react to the positive and negative aspects of these relationship.

Mentoring Relationships In The Real Estate Industry: A Descriptive Analysis, Angela Jacqueline Sweeney

Masters Theses

Mentoring is an old phenomenon which dates back to ancient Greece. It has recently gained the attention of researchers in organizational and business settings. The study examines mentoring relationships in the real estate industry. The purpose of this study was to identify whether mentoring takes place in a particular occupation, specifically real estate, and to further investigate the functions and qualities of the mentoring relationships. Sixty-three questionnaires were distributed to local real estate agents. Twenty-seven were returned yielding a response rate of 42%. Six follow-up interviews were conducted to compliment the quantitative data from the questionnaire. Results indicated that 80% …

The Effects Of Partner Training On Request Behaviors With An Aac User, Amy J. Fiala

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to examine the effects of partner training on request behaviors with an AAC user. A review of literature indicated that AAC users are often placed in respondent roles rather than initiator roles. Additionally, speaking individuals tend to dominate conversations over individuals who are nonspeaking. Such domination puts AAC users at risk for a loss of independence in communication of the basic communication interactions. Thus, inadequate social interaction skills are a common problem among AAC users. Utilizing communication partner training as an intervention target may serve to increase active participation in all areas of communication. The purpose …

Perceptions Of Lifeguard Training Programs From Park District Aquatic Managers In Illinois, Erika L. Smith

Masters Theses

The responses from park district personnel concerning the American Red Cross Lifeguard Training program (ARCLTP) and the Ellis & Associates National Pool and Waterpark Lifeguard Training program (E&ALTP) were examined and analyzed in this study. Subjects were employees from park districts, which are members of the Illinois Association of Park Districts and/or the Illinois Park & Recreation Association. Data were collected by a questionnaire, which measured each lifeguard training program's rescue procedures in terms of: l) emergency action plans, 2) communication systems, 3) entries, 4) approaches, 5) rescues, 6) risk management and 7) legalistic concerns. Demographic data were analyzed by …

An Electromyographic Study Of Forward Vs Retrograde Stair Climbing On The Stairmaster 4000 Pt Machine, W. Lynette Rasmussen Thornburgh

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate, through electromyography, whether forward or retrograde stair climbing on the StairMaster 4000 PT machine demonstrates a greater muscle contraction duration, differences in intensity of muscle contractions, or variation in initiation of muscle contractions. The muscles examined were the Rectus Femoris, Vastus Medialis, and Biceps Femoris. A gender difference was also evaluated.

Twenty-one subjects apparently healthy volunteered for this study. There were two groups of ten male subjects and eleven female subjects. Subjects were assigned to subgroups according to gender. The subgroups determined which position the subject was tested in first.

The descriptive …

"And The Woman Is A Stranger": The Double-Voiced Discourse In Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea And Voyage In The Dark, Hsiao-Chien Lee

Masters Theses

As the daughter of an English father, Jean Rhys inherited from her father and his sister the assertion that England was her motherland. On the other hand, growing up in Dominica which is inhabited mostly by African-Caribbean people, and surrounded by black servants--some of whom were her childhood playmates, Rhys naturally identifies herself with blacks. In her unfinished autobiography (Smile Please 1979), Rhys points out that she used to envy black people, feeling that they laugh a lot and seem to have a better time than whites do. Nevertheless, the problematic tensions of colonial and postcolonial society obstructed the …

Information Obtained Regarding Pre-Employment Contracts By Physical Therapists In Michigan, Cindy Clapp, Teri Culver, Pamela Thelen

Masters Theses

Pre-employment contracts, which offer financial assistance to students in exchange for a work commitment after graduation, are becoming a popular means of recruitment in physical therapy. Concerns about contracts include limited student knowledge and preparation prior to signing a contract. The purpose of this study was to examine physical therapy students' preparation prior to committing to a pre-employment contract. Questionnaires were mailed to 225 randomly selected Michigan healthcare facilities, surveying graduates of 1988 through 1992 about pre-employment contracts. Sixty questionnaires were analyzed representing 31 identified facilities. Thirty-three percent signed a contract. Prior to signing a contract most respondents did not …

The Impact Of Demographic Variables On Views About Nursing As A Profession, Sandra Kaye Fatum

Masters Theses

Understanding the impact of demographic variables on views about nursing will provide essential knowledge for nursing. This study evaluated the possible impact of demographic variables on the individual's view of the nursing profession. The sample was beginning students, senior students, recent graduates, and faculty from traditional and unified bachelor programs utilizing data from Setter-Kline's (1990) study. A significant difference was not found between the demographic variables of marital status (F = 2.248, df = 4, 463, p =.0630), role model (F =.653, df = 2, 37, p =.5263), and basic faculty preparation (F =.666, df = 4, 81, p =.6176) …

Training Of Elementary Education Teachers In Physical Management Of Students With Physical Disabilities, Laura L. Gregory, Marnie S. Wittenbach

Masters Theses

This study was designed to examine what training regular elementary teachers receive and need in the physical management of students with physical disabilities who have been mainstreamed into their classrooms. This study also attempted to determine when this training should be provided. A questionnaire was sent to 57 teachers within two counties and forty-one were returned and utilized. The questionnaire was designed to obtain information about the following areas: (a) demographics, (b) competency in physical management, (c) knowledge of diagnoses, (d) knowledge of medications, and (e) need and support for training in physical management. The data was analyzed using the …

Educational Preparation And Clinical Experience As Variables In Moral Judgement Development Of Staff Nurses, Jacquelyn A. Keehne

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare moral judgement development levels of staff nurses with diverse levels of educational preparation and different lengths of clinical experience. Kohlberg's theory of moral development served as the theoretical basis for this descriptive correlational study. The Judgements About Nursing Decisions (JAND) was used to measure moral judgement in this study. The subjects (N = 115) were practicing staff nurses in the clinical areas of orthopedics, oncology, medical/surgical care, cardiac care/telemetry, and intensive care services. Varying lengths of clinical experience were reported and the majority recorded a Bachelors Degree in Nursing (BSN) as their …

Life Satisfaction Of Persons With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Dennis A. Bertch

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to describe the adaptation of persons with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on continuous nasal cannula oxygen using a self-reported assessment of life satisfaction tool. The Roy Adaptation Model provided the conceptual framework to describe perceived life satisfaction considering the effects of gender, age, race, education, marital status, employment status, length of time on nasal cannula oxygen, and amount/liter flow of oxygen.; A convenience sample of 56 persons was obtained through a medical supply company that services most of southwest Michigan. The majority of respondents (56.6%) were satisfied with life. No significant differences were reflected …

The Effects Of The Corporate, Private And Government Sectors On The History Of Art Education In American Schools, Nancy Vanderboom Lausch

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of corporate America on the presentation of art education throughout the history of American public education. The needs of Industrial America forced the entry of art into the curriculum in 1870. Over the years art has been justified and offered to serve numerous ends. Art education has prepared draftsmen for industry and crafts, trained a moral citizenry, promoted creativity and self-expression and provided aesthetic understanding of the nature of beauty. As these needs evolve to the philosophic end of the spectrum the arts are perceived as less functional to the …

An Object Oriented Preemptive Multitasking Kernel, Lee Gene Shipman

Masters Theses

“This paper describes a preemptive multitasking kernel designed and coded using C++ using an object oriented paradigm. The kernel design, while implemented on an Intel 80386 based IBM PC running MS-DOS 4.01, can be ported to any platform, rewriting only the low level, hardware specific code.

The kernel, in application framework form, enables the applications developer to create real-time multitasking applications. This can be done in a systematic way by capitalizing on the power of object oriented program development.

A simulation was created to verify the correctness of the kernel against a traditional non-multitasking approach. This simulation provides the proof …

Raiders Of The Lost Ark And The Hollywood Tradition: Nostalgia, Parody, And Postmodernism, Michael F. Deters

Masters Theses

The film Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in 1981 to immediate success. Using a noticeably retrospective style, Raiders appealed to the public's desire to experience once again the same kind of viewing pleasure that Hollywood offered in the classical period. Accordingly, the film's nostalgic recreation of classical Hollywood entails a reliance on type characters, tough dialogue, and stock situations--with an overarching emphasis on maintaining a breakneck pace in its action. The appeal for the viewer, then, involves the satisfaction of a need to return to a superficially "simpler" time when the movies themselves were "simpler"--as they fulfilled the …

Examination Of Community Mental Health Services For Persons With Serious Mental Illness: A Descriptive Study Of 31 Counties In Michigan, Pamela C. Werner

Masters Theses

Thirty-one out of 55 Community Mental Health Boards participated in a survey conducted by the Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Michigan. This study examined a number of variables in the questionnaire using a product-moment correlational analysis.

Results indicated that family and consumer input is modestly correlated with comprehensive service delivery and staff/consumer education and training. Budget and the active number of mentally ill cases had a low correlation with comprehensive service delivery and staff/consumer education and training. Interagency collaboration was modestly correlated with program evaluation, and comprehensive services available to consumers. Weaknesses were noted in the management structure of …

A Study Of Ground-Water Quality In A Priority Agricultural And Livestock Watershed, Cass County, Michigan, Matthew Alan Stuk

Masters Theses

A study of ground-water contamination in a shallow, sandy, glacial drift aquifer was performed in a watershed dominated by swine feedlots and crop fields in Cass County, Michigan. Monitoring wells were installed and sampled to study the flow pattern, chemistry, and contamination of ground water.

Results of chemical analyses show contamination from fertilizers and other soil-applied chemicals as well as the infiltration of breakdown products from pig waste. Shallow wells in impacted areas show potassium and nitrate from the breakdown of fertilizers, calcium from field application of lime, and additional nitrate from pig waste. Elevated calcium, potassium, and nitrate concentrations …

Eztex: A Graphical User Interface System For Latex, Ravi K. Kosaraju

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.