Digital Commons Network^™

Academic Dishonesty: A Study In The Magnitude Of And Justifications For Academic Dishonesty Among College Undergraduate And Graduate Students, Bryan Hendricks

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the degree to which college undergraduate and graduate students cheat as well as to examine if the justifications for cheating differed amongst these groups. Cheating behavior scores and justifications for engaging in academically dishonest behavior scores were obtained from 138 college undergraduate and graduate students through the use of a survey. One-way analysis of variance revealed a significant difference between the underclassmen, upperclassmen, and graduate students group reporting cheating behaviors. Post hoc tests revealed that underclassmen reported significantly higher levels of cheating than upperclassmen and graduate students. Graduate students were found to …

African American Female Professors' Experiences In An Historically Black College And University Organizational Culture, Nadine Edgerson

Theses and Dissertations

Academic culture has been described as the social or normative glue that holds organizations together and guides and shapes behavior. The majority of the research that has been conducted on this subject relates to predominantly White institutions and their predominant White male faculties. The purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth account of the workplace perceptions and experiences of seven tenure-track African American female faculty members at an historically Black college and university (HBCU).

This study was qualitative research in which subject data were obtained through a series of three consecutive interviews per study participant then coded and …

Nasp Standards And Rowan School Psychology Graduates: Does Knowledge Transfer To On-The-Job Skills?, Kristine E. Dipalo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Rowan University is preparing their school psychology graduates to deliver school psychology services according to professional standards set forth by NASP. This study examined the relationship between interns' self evaluations and supervisors' ratings on a measure of job performance. The information gathered was further correlated with job satisfaction. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data from the questionnaires. The results from this study indicate that there is a correlation between self-ratings and supervisors' ratings of job performance. This does not correlate with job satisfaction. The graduates of the school psychology …

Fostering Critical Thinking With Graphic Organizers, Kathleen Sleeper

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Three Woman Pioneers In Manitoba: Evidence Of Servant Leadership, Carolyn L. Crippen

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Terrestrial Movements And Habitat Use Of Gopher Frogs (Rana Capito) At Fort Benning, Georgia, Jonathan H. Neufeldt

Theses and Dissertations

Gopher frogs (Rana capito) were radio-tracked between the 2000 and 2001 breeding seasons to study their terrestrial movements and habitat use in a longleaf pine- sandhill area on the Fort Benning Military Reservation, Georgia. The telemetry research was conducted in response to the need for biological data concerning gopher frog terrestrial habits. Ultimately the data could aid biologists and land managers in describing critical habitat and the development of a management or recovery plan. Twelve gopher frogs were caught at a herpetofaunal array surrounding two neighboring breeding ponds during a post breeding migration, implanted with miniature transmitters, released and radio-tracked …

Graphic Design: Understanding How Students Learn About And Create Graphic Designs, Jacalyn F. Urbaniak

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed and discussed how students learned about and created entry-level graphic designs. The research examines students' methods of learning graphic design, their attitudes toward learning, students' knowledge of and attitudes toward technology, and how students' acquired knowledge. Qualitative research is conducted in a classroom of an entry-level graphic design course at an Upper Midwest university. Data is collected through interviews and observations during the class. Literature on research strategies, learning styles, technology, and student understanding provide methodological foundation for this study.

Graphic design is defined as visual communication designed with an emphasis on conveying information with meaning and …

The Emotional Intelligence Of Award-Winning Fitness Industry Professionals, Terry Eckmann

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate if award-winning fitness professionals with careers as fitness instructors, personal trainers, and program directors demonstrate higher emotional intelligence than non-award winning fitness professionals as measured by the Emotional Competency Inventory (ECI). The study also compared self and others’ assessment scores as well as differences among women and men and individuals of various ages.

Thirty award winners (23 women and 7 men) and 77 non-award winners (60 women and 17 men) participated in this study. The sample ranged from 23 to 70 years of age. MANOVA was used to analyze the data and …

Healthcare Professionals' Perceptions Of Humor Therapy In A Hospice Setting, Cynthia A. Stedje

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the therapeutic benefit oflaughter for the body, mind and spirit of hospice patients, and how hospice healthcare professionals perceive humor and if they find it as a beneficial therapy. This study identified the healthcare professionals' thoughts of humor use and perceived facilitators and barriers to its use. There are many opportunities for healthcare providers to use humor. Humor has been viewed as a social lubricant in situations that involve conditions associated with the physical, the psychological, and the sociological aspects of life. In order to understand humor and laughter, it should be …

The Making Of The Modern Airport Executive: Causal Connections Among Key Attributes In Career Development, Compromise, And Satisfaction In Airport Management, David Alan Byers

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify specific career development attributes of contemporary senior-level airport executives and to evaluate the relationship of these attributes to the level of satisfaction airport executives have in their career choice. Attribute sets that were examined included early aviation interests, health factors, psychological factors, demographic factors, formal education, and other aviation-related experiences. A hypothesized causal model that expressed direct and indirect effects among these attributes relative to airport executives’ career satisfaction was tested using sample data collected from 708 airport executives from general aviation and commercial service airport throughout the United States. Applying a …

Population Ecology And Expansion Dynamics Of Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs In Western North Dakota, Sara Ann Milne

Theses and Dissertations

Black-tailed prairie dog* (Cynomyt ludlvicianus) are a keystone species that were once widespread throughout the Great Plains. Beginning in the 1900* however, black- tailed prairie dogs experienced serious reductions in range an numbers such that recent estimates suggest they inhabit only 2% of their historic range. As a result of the decline in numbers and range, black-tailed prairie dogs arc currently a candidate species for protection under the endangered species act. Because of the species’ status as a candidate species and their importance as a keystone species, conservation biologists and resource managers are interested in developing effective management approaches directed …

Romantic Physical Affection And Relationship Satisfaction Across Romantic Relationship Stages, Michael Talmadge Hill

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the association between relationship satisfaction and romantic physical affection across three stages of romantic relationships (casual dating, serious dating, committed) among 70 (40 men, 30 women) university students. Twenty-nine types of romantic physical affection were measured across frequency, initiation patterns, importance to relationship satisfaction and intimacy.

Results suggest that relationship satisfaction is strongly correlated with the frequency of romantic physical affection, Significant differences in the frequency of physical affection were found between the casual dating stage and both the serious dating and committed stage. There were no significant gender differences in touch initiation patterns across the three …

Creating An Educational Children's Show For Television, Mary Elizabeth Lizakowski

Theses and Dissertations

The process of creating Eat The Sky, a newly developed educational children’s television series program for a contemporary audience of four to eight year old children, involves researching and examining formulas of successful shows such as Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and Sesame Street.

Using the four elements of respect, compassion, honesty and ihe engagement of young people’s imagination through the use of puppetry as a foundation to build upon, this thesis explains the use of the above four elements used in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and Sesame Street and compares them to Eat The Sky. This thesis also explains the process used …

Effects Of Time Of Day On Executive Function In Native American Children And Non-Native American Children, Jennifer Garaas Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has examined the performance of Native American children on cognitive tasks. The results from these studies indicated that Native American children performed poorer on these tests than Caucasian children, especially on the Verbal IQ scale. Research on cognitive tasks have found that time of day affects performance. One area of cognitive function, not yet examined for susceptibility to circadian influence, is that of executive functioning. The present study examined the effects of time of day on executive functioning in Native American children and Non-Native American children. The study sample consisted of thirty Native American children and fifty-four Caucasian …

The Elders, Finding Long Ago And Now, Our Elders Health Journey, Judy A. Erickson Jacoby

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Evolution Of A Collaborative Teaching Team In Higher Education, Gail Irene Shimer Bass

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research project is the study of a group of University of North Dakota (UND) faculty who developed and are teaching an innovative interdepartmental, transdisciplinary, pre-service early intervention course and the students who have taken the course. The purpose of this research was to study the perceptions of the faculty and students regarding their experiences with the course. The study was designed to answer the following research questions: 1) What are the dynamics within the faculty collaboration that have led to the success and longevity of this course, and 2) How did this happen and why has it lasted? …

"An Arm Around The Shoulder And A Kick In The Pants"; Thirty Years Of Assisting Underprepared Students At Minnesota State University Moorhead's New Center For Multidisciplinar Studies, Maureen Kelly Jonason

Theses and Dissertations

This case study provides the thirty-year history of the developmental program known as the New Center for Multidisciplinary Studies at Minnesota State University Moorhead, a unique alternative-admissions program for underprepared students. A review of literature on Benjamin Bloom's mastery learning approach, the history of developmental education, and the history of experimentation in higher education revealed the strengths and weaknesses of mastery learning, the primary approach used at the New Center at the beginning of the program, and also provided the socio-political-educational context for its initiation. In seeking to find out how the program started, how it has changed over the …

The Use Of Habit Reversal Training In The Treatment Of Trichotillomania: A Single Subject Design, Courtney M. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of self-monitoring and a multicomponent behavioral intervention on the treatment of Trichotillomania (TTM). The subject in this study was a 12-year-old African American female who has demonstrated hair-pulling behavior for several years. The interventions that were implemented were journaling and Habit Reversal Training (HRT). The types of measurements that were used were direct observation, daily logs, and standardized questionnaires. The standardized assessments were the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC, March, 1998) and the Trichotillomania Severity and Impairment Scales (Swedo et al., 1989). In the study, the introduction of journaling …

The Development And Implementation Of A Secondary Peer Mentoring Program, Derryk Sellers

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to help establish a peer mentoring program for ninth grade boys at Lindenwold High School. This study used twelfth grade male positive role models to mentor this group of students. Many of these unmotivated students were the cause of many disciplinary problems. School administration sought to find a way to help these young men to overcome some of the obstacles, which cause their negative behavior. The focus of the study was to help identify those young men who can be mentors as well as young men who need to be mentored. This project helped provide another way …

Assessment Of A Newly Implemented Teacher Induction Program, Jo Ann Doyle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly implemented teacher induction program that commenced in August 2003. Twenty-one teachers who began employment in August 2003 were required to participate in this piloted program. Six months following the initial induction meeting, 18 teachers were surveyed. The survey design conformed to a modified Likert scale. The findings revealed that the need existed for a comprehensive new teacher induction program that was designed to help alleviate some of the fears expressed by the participants. A major goal of the program was to provide all newly hired faculty members …

The Effects Of Nclb On Whitehall Elementary School, Cynthia T. Pritchett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to research factual data regarding NCLB that relates to Whitehall Elementary School. The data were collected through many different resources such as internet web sites, books, newspaper articles, NCLB school district applications, and magazine articles. The purpose of the research was to avoid political opinion and concentrate on factual data. After a preliminary survey indicating various opinions of NCLB and a Corel WordPerfect presentation on NCLB fact finding, a final survey was presented to evaluate differences in opinion of a small school staff subgroup. The final survey was exactly the same as the first …

The Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of New Writing And Problem-Solving Classes And Their Impact On Fourth Grade New Jersey Assessment Of Skills And Knowledge Test Scores, Susan M. Hubbard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not two new programs created for Bellmawr Park School would be effective in raising scores in the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) test for fourth grade students. This research provided a pre and posttest for 62 fourth grade students in the 2003-04 academic school year. The tests included a brief open-ended Language Arts writing picture prompt and a Math problem-solving open-ended question. Both tests were scored using rubrics created by the New Jersey Department of Education, and the results were compared based on means, medians and …

Funding Influences On Special Education Program Selection And Implementation, Gregory Matthew Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of the study was to identify the effects funding had on special education program selection and implementation in a small semi-rural district. The intern sought to identify the special education department's program offerings. The intern sought to reveal the sources of funding available to the special education department, and how the special education department implemented and developed its programs in accordance with funding guidelines. The primary purpose was to examine the degree of influence funding had on the target district's programs. Included in this was the purpose of determining how the special education department manages its program offerings. …

Helping With The Transition To Parenthood: An Evaluation Of The Marriage Moments Program, Elizabeth Brinton Fawcett

Theses and Dissertations

In an attempt to strengthen marriages during the transition to parenthood, the Marriage Moments program was developed from Blaine Fowers' virtues based model of marital quality. Marriage Moments is a non-intrusive, mostly self-guided approach to marriage education, which is easily incorporated into childbirth education classes. The Marriage Moments curriculum stresses building marriage on a strong foundation of friendship and partnership. In this model, marital friendship is strengthened through a shared vision of life and important life goals; partnership is nurtured by the virtues of generosity, fairness and loyalty.

This program was tested on 155 married couples that were expecting their …

Protecting Our Most Valuable Resources, Douglas S. Schmitt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of school supervision, policies, and procedures relating to the safety of the students at Collingswood Middle School using interview and action research. The study will result in a report to inform administrators and board members of changes needed in the present policies to create the safest possible learning environment for the students.

The study includes a variety of data gathering techniques. Seven members of the Collingswood Middle School staff, both past and present, were interviewed on their opinions of the facilities and present school policies. The material culture of the …

Integrating Technology Into The Middle School Social Studies Curriculum, Dawn Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of integrating technology into the social studies curriculum on the delivery of instructional services to middle school students. The use of integrating technology for the middle school means providing teachers and staff with the opportunity to innovatively and creatively interact in the learning process and enhance learning opportunities for students as they strive to attain the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards in Social Studies. Training had been provided by the representative from the textbook publisher on how to use the supplemental curriculum materials as well as the building technology …

Creating, Implementing, And Evaluating A Teacher Mentoring Program For The Mary Bray Elementary And Raymond W. Kershaw Schools In The Mount Ephraim School District, Maureen Vaccaro

Theses and Dissertations

This paper describes key aspects of creating, implementing, and evaluating a teacher mentoring program and handbook. Novice and veteran teachers benefit from a district teacher mentoring program which provides an effective staff development approach for beginning teachers. A novice teacher benefits from a strong start in their career by belonging to a learning community, following a structured induction program, and being mentored by an experienced teacher. Veteran teachers benefit from the sharing, dialogue, and learning during the mentoring process. A mentor group provides a strong training framework that contributes to teacher retention in the school system. Districts are responsible for …

An Investigation Of The Correlation Between Learning And Student Achievement Of Minority Students, Melissa Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate why the grades of minority students in the high school were not up to par with majority students using action research resulting in a description of patterns within the school. At this stage of the research, inequities were generally defined as unfair advantages or disadvantages among groups of students. A sample of the minority population of the high school was compared to the majority population. The subjects participated in the Let Me Learn (LML) program that helped the learner recognize how they learned. By analyzing the data using LML combinations and grade …

K-8 Reconfiguration Of A Middle School And Its Impact On The Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment, Samuel C. Hull

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to determine the effectiveness of the reconfiguration of a middle school to a K-8 building and its impact on the eighth grade students and their performance on the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment (GEPA) test using a method of inquiry design. This study addresses (a) the change agents and how to handle them and (b) identifies the components and ramifications of change. Interviews, observations, and the review of material culture were used to conduct the study. The data gathered was compiled in the narrative with information being shown as tables, charts and graphs. The …

The Efficiency Of A Long Range Facilities Plan In An Abbott School District, Nancy B. Knarr-Pascoe

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the efficiency of the Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) for the Millville School District and sought to determine, through the creation of inventories, the completed and in progress facilities projects, in addition to those that will not be completed by the close of the district's current LRFP. On-going personal communication with the district's facilities coordinator provided continual updates on the status of all facilities projects within the district. In addition, this study examined both the New Jersey Administrative Code (NJAC) (6A:26-8.1) and documentation made available on the New Jersey Department of Education's (NJDOE) School Facilities Web site …