Digital Commons Network^™

An Internship In A Public School System, Joann Mulder

Masters Theses

The internship project is a requirement for the Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership. The intern chose to fulfill this requirement in a particular school district. The intern centered her project around the role of an elementary principal.

The school district is located just north of a city with a population of 50,000 on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is approximately 150 miles west of Detroit, Michigan, and 170 miles northeast of Chicago, Illinois. The school system serves students K-12 with a total enrollment of 3,600 students. In addition, the system serves as fiscal agent for a community education program …

Group Structure And Humor, Effects On Group Cohesion And Affective Meaning, Mary Ellen Rus

Masters Theses

The ability to identify therapeutic components of an activity is an important skill of occupational therapists trained in activity analysis. This study examined potentially significant factors in activity analysis: the use of humor and group structure. Four groups (two with a parallel structure and two with a project structure) participated in a hat making activity designed to elicit humor. Four groups (two with a parallel structure and two with a project structure) participated in a bookmark making activity. Subjects' affective responses were measured by Osgood's short-form semantic differential, and the cohesion among group members was assessed by the Group Environmental …

A Summary Of Experiences In An Administrative Internship With The West Ottawa Public School System, Randal E. Busscher

Masters Theses

The objective of my internship was to become familiar with the role and duties of a K-12 school principal. I was exposed to a wide variety of experiences. Those experiences, through readings, personal interviews, and group meetings are the focus of my internship. My experiences included working with the Challenge Program, which is for the gifted and talented students, and helping to re-word some of the present job descriptions. I also assisted with the realignment of boundary lines and research on teacher evaluations. Absence policies and junior high level programs were also investigated.

A Report Of An Internship With Kalamazoo Adult Education Kalamazoo, Michigan, Charmane Walker

Masters Theses

This report summarizes a 23 week internship with the Community Education program of the Kalamazoo Public School System. It presented the opportunity to work closely with the director o f the center and to play an active role in the programs that were offered. Particular projects to work on were given in addition to the regular obligations of the Community Education Director. This paper will provide the reader with a knowledgeable awareness of how the director and supervisors of the program work hand in hand to prepare materials and resources to furnish the students with a worthwhile program. There are …

The Trend In Canopy Composition In A Young Mesic Forest, Zhenchang Li

Masters Theses

Brewer Woods, a young disturbed mesic sugar maple-beech (Acer saccharum-Fagus grandifolia) forest in Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, was investigated by point-quarter and transition matrix methods. The results indicate that this forest is dominated by sugar maple in both canopy and understory composition. Beech is the second most important species. Fourteen species were found as canopy trees or replacements. The hypothesis that a young forest is more diverse than comparable climax forests such as Warren Woods and Hueston Woods was supported. Its successional trend is that sugar maple will become more abundant at the expense of the other species. Beech is a …

The Prehistory Of The Birch Run Road Site, Saginaw County, Michigan, Caven P. Clark

Masters Theses

The Birch Run Road site (20SA393), located in the archaeologic ally complex Saginaw Valley, was partially impacted by the extension of Birch Run Road across the Flint River. In many respects typical of Saginaw Valley sites as a whole, the Birch Run Road site produced artifacts attributable to the Early Archaic, Late Archaic, Late Woodland and historic periods. The prehistoric occupations are evaluated with special attention to the context and form of lithic raw materials, and use of projectile points in determining temporal placement. The Late Woodland component, ca. A.D. 800-1100, represents the most intensive occupation of the site. Physical …

Use Of A Supervisory Safety Checklist And Safety Meetings To Reduce And Prevent Hazardous Safety Conditions In An Automotive Plant, Todd Alan Brighton

Masters Theses

Hazardous safety conditions and incidents were operationally defined for an assembly division at an automotive plant. The conditions were observed and recorded on two different employee shifts for an 11 week period. The experimental design used had three distinct phases. In the first phase baseline data were recorded on the number of hazardous safety conditions by two safety observers. In the second phase two shift supervisors used the safety checklist to record hazardous safety conditions. In the last phase data were taken but the supervisory safety checklist was not used. The data from all observations were discussed in safety meetings …

Subsurface Stratigrapy And Sedimentologic Control On The Productive Middle Devonian Age Richfield Member Of The Lucas Formation In The Michigan Basin, Sukru Nail Apak

Masters Theses

The depositional system of the Middle Devonian Richfield Member of Lucas Formation in the Michigan Basin was delineated using well logs, cores, drillers' records, and the literature. The Richfield Member was deposited in Sabkha and lagoonal environments characterized by cycles of anhydrite, dolomite, and limestone. Seven significant productive dolomitic zones, interbedded with anhydrite and limestone can be correlated throughout the study area. These zones change laterally to anhydrite towards the west flank and to dense limestone towards the east flank of the basin. Post-depositional diagenetic history of the Richfield was established with the aid of scanning electron microscopy and electron …

Robbery: Toward A Multidimensional Approach, Dick Taver'shima Andzenge

Masters Theses

This study identifies some major factors related to robbery, categorizes them, and attempts to assess their interrelatedness. The major purpose of the study is to explore how these factors can be studied more effectively in an attempt to explain the crime. Data on randomly selected convicted robbery cases in the Kalamazoo County during 1979-1983 were compiled and analyzed.

The study shows that factors related to robbery fall into four categories. These are: (a) social factors, (b) Individual offender characteristics, (c) situational factors, and (d) push factors (or motivational factors). The results of the analyses showed that these factors are closely …

The Effects Of Self-Evaluation Procedures On The Numbers And Accuracy Of Alphabet Letter Writing Behavior Of Preschool Children, Kevin R. Coleman

Masters Theses

This study assessed the effects of self-evaluation procedures on the rate and accuracy of alphabet letter writing. Three preschoolers served as subjects. During Phase I, students were given instructions, and the experimenter modeled accurate letter writing. During Phase II, instructions and modeling were again presented. Additionally, the students were given a rule statement that instructed them to use a stamper and a stamp pad to stamp their paper after first writing each of a row of four letters. The results indicated that the introduction of self-evaluation procedures was associated with immediate increases in frequency of attempts, but a decrease in …

The Use Of Job Aids As An Alternative To Training New Employees, William D. Powers

Masters Theses

Lack of knowledge required to perform a job, has often been dealt with by implementing some sort of training program. However, some businesses cannot afford to implement training. This study tested the effectiveness of using job aides as an alternative to training two new employees at a small business which had no training program. Step-by-step instructional aids were developed for rebuilding Series 40 MT Delco starters and Series 10 SI Delco alternators. A multiple-base-line between subjects design, with an ABABAB reversal, was used.

The data showed the average time required by the new employees to rebuild Series 40 MT Delco …

The Effect Of Word Abbreviation On Decoding Speed And Accuracy, Frances Piccione

Masters Theses

An experiment was conducted to verify the existence and determine the magnitude of the human response latency differential between words and their abbreviations in a decoding task. Forty-eight Naval Officer Candidates learned a set of abbreviations obtained from operational aircraft cockpits. Abbreviations and corresponding words were divided into easy and hard difficulty levels. Subjects responded by saying the correct whole-word for both stimulus types. Response times measured by a voice key revealed a mean of 0.534 seconds for words and 0.662 seconds for abbreviations. An analysis of variance produced significant main effects (p < .05) for stimulus types and difficulty levels; the interaction effect was not significant. Also, t-tests for correlated scores revealed significant differences (p < .05) between difficulty levels within stimulus types.

A Needs Assessment Of Gifted Students At Superior High School, Marilou Parker

Masters Theses

The objectives of this study were to identify the needs of 98 intellectually gifted students, grades 9-12; to assess those needs; and based on the assessment, to recommend action to fulfill those needs. An opinion survey, based on the North Central Association's "Secondary Student Questionnaire," was administered.

Approximately a third of the students responded that the faculty set only mediocre standards and held only average expectations for student performance.

The results of this study implied a need for the faculty to evaluate the curriculum considering the needs of gifted students and to consider changes in teaching methods based on current …

Factors Related To Perceptions Of Ethicalness In Behavior Modification, John C. Guthman

Masters Theses

This study examined perceptions of behavior modification held by undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory psychology course and editorial board members for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and for the journal Behavior Modification.

Editor reactions to several terms suggest that ambiguity with respect to the questionable behavior status of several techniques exists within the field. The results show that a large proportion of students, as compared with editors, are unclear as to which techniques constitute behavior modification. In this study, the accuracy of student identification of behavior modification techniques did not significantly relate to perceptions of ethicalness of behavior …

Effect Of Fixed-Ratio Size On Response-Latencies Produced By Other Variables, Albert Edward Neal

Masters Theses

Using a discrete-trial, two-component multiple schedule, pigeons were required to complete a fixed-ratio in the presence of stimuli correlated with different probabilities of reinforcement (Experiment 1), or different amounts of reinforcement (Experiment 2). The amount of separation of graphed median latencies to the onset of the two stimulus conditions as a function of the different reinforcement conditions was investigated in relation to various fixed-ratio values. It was found that previous researchers had chosen an optimal fixedratio size; larger ratios produced greater separation between median latencies, but at the expense of increased session-to-session variability, while smaller ratios failed to produce median …

Supervision Of An Elementary School Summer School Program In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Diana Lee Muller

Masters Theses

This project was undertaken so that an in-depth view of the role of an Elementary Supervisor could be experienced. While there are many facets to the role, much of the time was spent attending to paper work, solving unanticipated problems, and keeping staff on task.

It was determined that the role of an educational leader is complex and unpredictable. Each day brought with it unexpected problems which ranged from dramatic to boring. No two days were identical and no day turned out the way it had been planned. It takes a flexible person with the willingness to take risks and …

Validation And Validity Generalization Of Placement Exercises Used In The Selection Of Clerical Employees, Keith Edward Mitchell

Masters Theses

A follow-up study was conducted to determine the predictive validity of a group of job-related Placement Exercises used in the selection of clerical employees for a northeastern utility company. The present study was also to determine if the obtained validities could be generalized to similar organizational settings.

The subjects included in this study were 98 clerical employees working in the job classifications of Junior Clerk, Clerk, Intermediate Clerk, and Secretary-Stenographer. The obtained results supported the hypothesis that a positive and significant relationship existed between performance on the Placement Exercises and supervisory ratings of employee job performance. After applying the results …

The Effects Of Teacher Directed Small Group Instruction On Quality And Control Of Behavioral Contracts In A Large Study Section Of High School Students, Laurie A. Thompson-Montgomery

Masters Theses

Individualized education has been described as the ideal teaching methodology. The purpose of the present study was to individualize teaching procedure through the use of behavioral contracts in a high school guided study class. The goal of the teacher-directed, small group instruction was to teach students the components of a specific contract task. Following this instruction, all students' contracts improved in the percent meeting content criteria. In addition to improvement in contract content, student on-task behavior also increased. Further, the number of student assignments completed on contract which were received by teachers increased after training. It appears that the use …

A Seismic Study Of An Impact Feature In Cass County, Michigan, Mancheol Suh

Masters Theses

A geophysical investigation, including a seismic study, of the subsurface structure of the Calvin-28 oil field, Cass County, Michigan, indicates that the structure's origin may be related to an impact event. The structural closures in the time structure maps and drilling results both show a central uplift. The fault system in the Trempealeau Formation shows a structure similar to other proven astroblemes. Undisturbed layers just beneath the central uplift also provide evidence of an impact structure. The result of mathematical modeling of the central uplift under the assumption that the structure is an impact structure corresponds well with the drilling …

A Gravity Investigation Of Mountain Flank Thrusting And Normal Faulting, Madison And Tobacco Root Ranges, Montana, Stephen Thomas Wigger

Masters Theses

Gravity modeling of west-dipping, Laramide mountain flank thrusts which involve Archean metamorphic rocks in the western Tobacco Root and northern Madison Ranges supports the idea that these thrusts are gently dipping.

The thrusts provided a favorable location for normal faulting during Neogene extension. The Neogene faults on the eastern portions of the Madison and Jefferson Basins are interpreted to be listric, and merge with the Laramide thrusts. Basin development occurred along a series of such faults, which dropped hanging wall blocks of the thrust sheets to progressively greater depths. The maximum depth of the Madison basin, near Ennis, was found …

Reducing Chemotoxic Stomatitis In Cancer Patients With A Self-Care Oral Hygiene Protocol, Ruthann Brintnall, Jerilyn Binder

Masters Theses

A Pretest-Posttest Control Group design was used to examine the effectiveness of a self-care management approach to reduce the severity of chemotoxic stomatitis. Orem's nursing model. Levin's self-care theory, and Magoon's constructivist research methodology were employed as the theoretical framework. Subjects, 24 short-stay or out-patient oncology clients, were all beginning treatment with known stomatotoxic agents. Buccal cultures were taken to determine changes in normal oral flora during stomatitis.

The experimental group received information and direction for a systematic oral hygiene protocol. Post-chemotherapy oral assessment score means of the experimental group were significantly better (p

Growth Within The Single-Cell Church: An Examination Of The Current Attitudes And Teachings Among Church Growth Authorities, John D. Corcoran

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Cell-Mediated Immunity During A Primary Infection With Pseudorabies Virus, John George Chosay

Masters Theses

This research defines the role and sequence of cell-mediated immune events in an in vivo virus infection. Pseudorabies virus infected CF1 mice lungs, were assessed by his to logical or immunohistochemical means. Using fluorescein isothiocyanate Tabled anti-T lymphocyte (ATG) and lissamine rhodamineB200 labeled anti-macrophage globulins (AMG), the number of lymphocytes and macrophages were determined. An early increase in T cells (four hours post-innoculation) was followed by an increase in macrophages (15 hours post-innoculation). Thereafter tissue levels of T cells and macrophages remained constant. Thymus dependent lymphocyte; failed to show increase macrophages clustering as pathology progressed. The first pathological changes in …

Alpha English Correlation Data A Replication Study, Simin Shirzadi

Masters Theses

This study replicates an earlier (7/025,. May 1980) study in Kalamazoo (Michigan) Valley Community College investigating the factors which might influence student success or failure in Alpha English, ENG 098, a remedial English course. It also introduces the control variable of instructional method.

There were no significant changes in the relationship between the dependent variable (success/failure in ENG 098) and the independent variables (grade point average, credit hours attempted/earned, English Placement Exam score, age, sex, race and hours working) in the two studies. Subjects in the present study tended to be younger, were more likely to be male, and slightly …

The Impeachment And Trial Of Secretary Of War William Worth Belknap, Duane Edward Holthof

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to give an account of the events which lead to the resignation of Secretary of War William Worth Belknap in 1876, to examine the circumstances surrounding his impeachment, and to study the testimony in his Senate trial.

Although Belknap was not convicted on charges of accepting bribes, most of those senators who voted to acquit him did so on the technical ground that the Senate lacked the jurisdiction to try a private citizen. The evidence in the case clearly indicated Belknap's involvement, and there seems little doubt that if Belknap did not know what …

Patent Medicine Town A Social History Of Patent Medicines In Marshall, Michigan, Teresa Lou Trupiano

Masters Theses

Marshall, Michigan, once known as "patent medicine town," had over fifty medicine companies. The medicine industry flourished in America until the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 regulated the trade. Marshall provides a microcosm of the industry.

The H. A. Peterman Co. (1870-1890) and Sharpsteen's Family Medicines (1873-1950) introduced Marshall to many techniques, from mail-order marketing to medicine shows. The Voltaic Belt Co. OSSIES) , Chrystal’s Electric Belts (1893-1905), L. F. Page Co. (1891— 1901), and H. A. Horton (1916-1928) sold remedies for "lost manhood." Success of the F. A. Stuart Co. (1893-1956) and Brooks Appliance Co. (1880-present) encouraged …

Reactivity Of Some Nitrogen-Containing Compounds At Supercritical Water Conditions, David M. Tiffany

Masters Theses

The use of water at cuperctirical conditions to remove nitrogen from several nitrogen-containing compounds was studied with the purpose of exploring the use of supercritical water as a method of removing nitrogen from the extraction products of coal. Quinoline and isoquinolone were the primary model compounds used with benzonitrile and carbazole also being examined briefly. Reaction conditions varied in temperature (350-500°C), pressure (3500-5200 psi), and water density (0.170-.0.426g/cc). The major products formed by isoquinoline were benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene as well as nonvolatile tar and char. Quinoline produced aniline and toluidine in addition to those obtained from isoquinoline. Most …

Construction And Testing Of A New Atomic Physics Beam Line At The Western Michigan University Accelerator Laboratory, William Andrew Hollerman

Masters Theses

A new beam line containing a differentially-pumped gas cell and charge state analyzing magnet was constructed for the purpose of measuring a wide variety of atomic inner-shell processes, such as excitation, ionization, and charge transfer. The completed system will be able to measure these individual atomic processes using coincidence techniques. Initial testing of the beam line was performed using 40MeV S⁺⁷+Ar collisions to determine the effect of the collimating slit size on the measured x-ray cross sections. These measurements showed that the slip size on the measured x-ray cross sections. These measurements showed that the slit size affects …

A 73.8 Mhz Radio Interferometer Telescope For Intense Celestial Sources, William Charles Millar

Masters Theses

A 73.8 MHz radio interferometer telescope was built, based on a published design. Although the design was proven, the telescope has thus far given no results on celestial sources. The electronics has been proven to be operational by testing them with hand-held dipole radio sources. Here, the electronics is evaluated with a discussion of possible reasons for the failure of the telescope in overall operation.

The Effects Of A Performance-Management Procedure On High School Students With Poor Academic Achievement, Thomas R. Harwood

Masters Theses

This study evaluated the effectiveness of contracting for all classes and the contigent presentation of incentives for school work completed. fifteen high school students who earned a grade point average below 1.5 (on a 4.0 scale) volunteered for the contracting classroom. The subjects were ranked and randomly assigned to the first experimental group, the second experimental group, or the control group. The first experimental group had incentives contingent upon contracts completed, the second experimental group received the incentive noncontigent upon contract completion, and the control group did not attend the contract completion, and the control group did not attend the …