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Development Of The Williams Work Estimator (W2e): A Tool For Determining The Most Effective Match Between Worker Capabilities And Job Task Requirements, Sabrina Natasha Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Demographics indicate that the United States and many other industrialized nations are currently experiencing what is called the ¡°graying¡± of the workforce (Hayslip & Panek, 1993). Today the majority of the workers in many companies are in the age groups of 40-44 and 45-49 years. However, by the year 2010, the largest proportion of workers will probably be in the age groups of 55-59 and 60-64 years (Ilmarinen, 1995). Thus, a growing concern of employers in the near future will be the assignment of older workers to specific job tasks and responsibilities (Williams & Crumpton, 1996) as well as other …

Microbiotic Assessment Of An Upflow Anaerobic/Aerobic Swine Treatment Process, Robert Earl Mcclain

Theses and Dissertations

Confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) relating to swine and their resulting odors continues to be an issue of concern. The primary sources of odors from a CAFO include general ventilation of the confinement house, the anaerobic lagoon, and the land application of lagoon sludge. This paper focuses on lagoon wastewaters, but the results therein could have influence on the other two aforementioned areas. An advanced upflow anaerobic/aerobic reactor system was developed to determine its impact on microbial activities that ultimately result in offensive odors. The microbial activity of SRB (sulfate-reducing bacteria) and hydrogen-sulfide production was monitored closely in each ?zone?, …

Human Thermal Comfort, Kien Khanh Huynh

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to investigate human comfort criteria under steady-state conditions as a function of ambient air temperature, mean radiant temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, level of activity, and clothing insulation. Since the current ASHRAE Standard 55-1994 is for sedentary activity, this study will consider relative humidity (20% to 65%), dry bulb temperature (73 oF to 82 oF), air velocity (30 fpm and 50 fpm), and sedentary-to-moderate activity. The mean radiant temperature will be taken to be the same as the ambient air temperature. The experimental results collected at the Kansas State University Environmental Test Chamber are …

Assessing And Evaluating Students' Perception Of Cooperative Learning Teams At South Main Street School, Andrea Atkins

Theses and Dissertations

The intern conducted an action research project to evaluate the perceptions of fourth graders relative to working in cooperative learning teams in their reading classes. The target population were 38 fourth graders from South Main Street School who are presently involved in Success For All, a cooperative learning program. The intern wanted to determine whether the target students perceived the cooperative learning experience as being positive or negative, and whether this perception impacted on their learning. The intern utilized the survey as the major instrument for data collection. The students were interviewed as well. The intern utilized mean scores to …

School-Family-Community Partnership, Cynthia E. Kates

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of the school, family members, and local community agencies and organizations concerning the development of a school-family-community partnership. The project centered on a needs assessment for the West Avenue School in reference to parental and community involvement. The views of 15 teachers, 79 parents, and 3 community agencies were studied through questionnaires. Teachers expressed a desire for more parental involvement in their child's education, but would like no interference in the area of classroom management. Parents expressed an interest in taking a more active role in the overall …

Linking Parents, Community And School, Migdalia Soto

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop ways to build and create partnerships between parents, community and School by providing a variety of opportunities for parent-community participation. These partnerships will be fostered through the use of effective communication methods, such as coffee club sessions, focus group discussions, and school newsletters.

This action research was conducted via qualitative and quantitative methods to gather and analyze data. The participants for the study were the parents of the children at Parkside school, community members, and the faculty. A pre- and post-survey were sent to a randomly selected group of parents of students …

A Case Study: New Teacher Induction, Keith B. Patterson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine in what areas new teachers were deficient using a case study action research approach. The study will result in recommendations to the administration of Pennsauken Public Schools for a redesign of the new teacher-training academy and for the development of a mentor-training academy. Nine new teachers ranging in one to four years of experience were studied using a variety of instruments designed to answer three research questions. (1) What training do new teachers need in classroom management techniques? (2) What training do new teachers need in lesson planning and instructional strategies? (3) …

Influences Of Leadership Theory And Change Processes During The Implementation Of A Social Skills-Violence Prevention Program, Lanetta Hammill

Theses and Dissertations

An implementation of a prosocial skills program was conducted in the Middle Township School District's K-2 Elementary #1 School, Cape May Court House, New Jersey. Three time periods of the implementation are discussed. The first time period, running from January 1994 to 1998, describes the historical events leading up to the participants desire to implement a social skills program. The second time period, running from January 1998 to December 1998 describes the period when the social skills program was discussed and piloted. During this pilot period, members became discouraged. They felt the program wasn’t giving them the results they wanted. …

A Study To Design, Investigate, Implement And Motivate Parents To Become More Involved In School Activities And In The Education Of Their Children, Bibiana A. Anyanwu-Acholonu

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to define and evaluate the strategies of motivating parents to get involved in the education of their children. The subjects were selected from Sharp School, community businesses, and organizations. The criteria for the selection of the subjects were based on the diverse population of the stakeholders and outside school community interest groups. Questionnaires were administered to parents and teachers. Responses were collected. Data was analyzed and interpreted. Semi-structural interviews were conducted and recorded. Observations were preformed. The result of the observations was recorded. All information obtained from the above were assessed and compared to …

The Effects Of Institutionalization On Romanian Children When Adopted Into Families In The United States, Dawn M. Roy

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to research the dynamic factors involved in the assessment of children placed in adoptive homes in the United States who were taken from large institutional orphanages in Romania. This paper will discuss various aspects of problems that were encountered by children who lack the stimulation, stability and love that are crucial during the early years of development. It also endeavors to provide interventions that will enable these children to progress along more developmentally appropriate guidelines.

This project utilized a single subject design. The analysis was descriptive in nature. It measured the improvement of mean utterance length. The …

What's On Page One? How Minorities Are Depicted In The National Print Press, Susan Guthrie Chang Saridakis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose was to identify how positively minority groups and non minority groups are depicted in the American print media. Fifty-two editions each of USA Today and The Wall Street Journal published during 2000 were rated for how positively and negatively minority and non-minority groups were portrayed. Two raters completed a questionnaire, identifying 1,144 newspaper stories and providing 1,626 ratings of minority and/or non-minority groups. Descriptive data and correlational results were calculated. No relationship between socioeconomic status of readership and positive presentation of group or minority/non-minority group membership and positive presentation of group were found. However, it was found that …

Public Relations Efforts To Promote New Graduate Programs, Joe Chambers

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to accumulate information relative to the various public relations practices, methods, and procedures utilized by Rowan University, a state institution of higher learning, and comparing and contrasting them with that of a private institution of higher learning. The differences and similarities between public and private institutions of higher learning were examined and a survey of Undergraduate Accounting students at Rowan was evaluated quantitatively.

Twenty-four questions were on the survey that covered the universe of undergraduate Accounting I and Accounting Il students at Rowan University during the fall semester 2000. Of these twenty-four questions, thirteen …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of An After-School Peer Tutoring/Homework Help Program, Karen S. Symanski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the students in the after-school peer tutoring/homework help club made greater academic gains when compared to students who did not participate in the after-school program as measured by their grade point average.

The subjects of this study were 30 fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students from a one school district in a rural southern New Jersey town. Fifteen students were enrolled in the after-school program. Fifteen students did not attend the after-school program. Grade point averages were calculated for both groups at the end of marking periods one and two. A …

The Effectiveness Of Increased Support By Special Education Teachers On The Academic Achievement Of Learning Disabled Students In Main Subject Area Inclusionary Classes At The Secondary Education Level When Compared To No In-Class Support, Kelly A. Fitzhenry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of increased support by special education teachers on the academic achievement of learning disabled students in main subject area inclusionary classes at the secondary level when compared to no in class support. This information can help analyze the effectiveness of an inclusion program, validate successful inclusive educational policies that should be continued, and pinpoint the need for revision. Grade point average data of included learning disabled students in Core English II, Core B Math, and Introduction to Earth Science during the 94-95 academic year when no in class support was …

An Evaluation Of First Grade Children's Progress In Reading Using The Success For All Program, Alphefia L. Blount

Theses and Dissertations

This study measured the gains made by students in the Success for All program in the areas of word recognition and reading comprehension. Also, the study examined whether the variables of attendance, student behavior, homework completion and family support affected the results of those gains. The students participated in the Success for All reading program for sixteen weeks. Every eight weeks they were given an assessment to measure progress or regression in word recognition and reading comprehension. The students' reading groups were adjusted accordingly. At the end of the sixteen weeks they were administered the Jerry John's Basic Reading Inventory …

Implementing Best Practices When Modifying An Early Childhood Curriculum To Facilitate Inclusion Of Children With Disabilities, Cordalia D. Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify current best practices when modifying an early childhood curriculum to facilitate inclusion of children with disabilities. A questionnaire consisting of twenty items pertaining to the benefits and barriers to an inclusive preschool program was distributed to thirty-four educators who service preschoolers with disabilities directly or indirectly. Those surveyed strongly agreed that including young children with disabilities in typical preschool program is a viable model of service delivery. They stated that benefits outnumber the barriers in an inclusive program, that such programs can benefit children with and without disabilities, and staff training is …

A Case Study In Augmentative And Alternative Communication: Usage By An Eight Year Old Male With Developmental Apraxia Of Speech, Marie E. Maine

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using a sophisticated electronic voice output augmentative communication device with an eight-year-old male who has been diagnosed with Developmental Apraxia of Speech. The design of this research was a case study. Data collection measured the subject's academic, language, and social status before and after implementation of the augmentative communication device. Measures included standardized and criterion-referenced tests, adaptive behavior rating scales, structured observations, anecdotal data, interviews, and review of school records. Findings indicated the subject was able to participate in several assessments during the post-treatment condition that could not be …

A Study Of The Amount Of Training That Pre-Service And In-Service Special Education Teachers Receive In The Teaching Of Reading, Virginia Egbert

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if special education teachers at the pre-service and in-service levels have received and are receiving enough training to proficiently teach reading to their students, This study attempted to reveal the level of knowledge and training that special education personnel possess in the area of teaching reading. Data was gathered through a questionnaire, and then the responses for all of the participants were analyzed and presented in graphs. The responses were classified as those from in-service teachers or pre-service teachers in order to compare the data between the two groups.

The findings for …

The Effect Of Music In Education On Self-Esteem And Academic Achievement In Students With Special Needs, Tony E. Surrency

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine and support the premise that participation in a school instrumental music program can affect a student's self-esteem and academic achievement. I will review existing literature, applicable studies, and articles to support my proposal. The sample size is composed of ten students with special needs, nine are classified learning disabled and one is classified learning disabled with autism. The measurement instrument will be a survey questionnaire. Participants will be teachers in my district. Study results indicate that most Regular Education and Special Education teachers measured agree that music education can and does affect …

Predicting Drinking And Driving, Peter John Arsenault

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to discover the relationship between personality traits and how they can be used to predict an individual's tendency to drink and drive. Specifically, does an individual's locus of control and self-esteem influence their tendency to drink and drive. Past research has suggested that an individual with low self-esteem and an external locus of control has a greater tendency to drink and drive. 125 participants completed a questionnaire, which measured their self-esteem, locus of control and drinking and driving behavior. A cross tabulation correlation was used to find evidence of a relationship between the …

The Relationship Between Personality Type And Choice Of College Major, Melissa Pollock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between personality type and choice of college major. Twenty-six students in Psychology and thirty students in Engineering majors were used in this study to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in personality types with regard to major. The subjects were administered the Keirsey Temperament Sorter-II to determine their personality type and the Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze the data. Results indicated that no relationship was found between personality type and major or type and sex. However, there was a significant relationship found between sex …

Library Services To Senior Citizens: An Experimental Study, Robin M. Megow

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe and evaluate the effects of the implementation of several enhancements to library service designed to benefit senior citizens in particular. This segment of the population does not seem to be utilizing the full resources of the library. Patrons' attitudes before and after these enhancements were noted and compared.

A total of sixteen senior citizens participated in a series of five classes. Classes were conducted at three branches of the Gloucester County Library System. The classes provided instruction in library skills such as online catalog searching, use of the EBSCOhost periodical database, and …

Am I The Leader? Resident Assistant's Assessment Of Roles And Training, Renee J. Bourdeaux

Theses and Dissertations

Students attend colleges and unversities across the nation in the hopes of receiving an education. Campus culture not only educates students academically, but socially as well. Once area that focuses on developinng community skills is the residential department. A Resident Assistant (RA) is a student who works in the residence halls. RAs must understand four skill areas in order to be effective in their job performance: Leadership, communication, administrative, and problem solving. The questions that this thesis will address by surveying RAs are: "How do RAs perceive their roles and training?", "How can training be improved?", and "Is there a …

The Effects Of Perceived Competence And Autonomy Support On Exercise Adherence: A Test Of Self-Determination Theory, Dennis E. Eickhoff

Theses and Dissertations

!t is well known that participation in physical activity has important health benefits for most people. However, despite the widespread knowledge of the potential benefits, a large segment of the population remains inactive and for those who do exercise, adherence is a problem. Thus, the study of factors that may improve adherence to physical activity has important implications for public health and wellness. Social psychological influences that have motivational potential arc of obvious interest. One theory of human motivation, self-determination theory (SDT) has shown excellent utility in many applications, including industry, education, and health care. However, review of the literature …

Toy Or Tool: Student Perceptions Of A Notebook Computer University, Rilla J. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Notebook computers, on many university campuses, have moved beyond being an educational accessory to being mandatory equipment for a college education. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and gain an understanding of the sense students make of learning at a notebook university campus. In this phenomenological research study, two classrooms, both “wired” for technology, were observed for student and faculty use of notebook computer technologies. In addition, I visited several other courses across divisions on this notebook computer university campus.

Through the use of classroom observations, and student, faculty, and administrative interviews, I examined the impact of …

Parental Perceptions Of Need Of At-Risk Children Age 0-3, Deidra T. Yarbro

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Women As Superintendents In North Dakota Public School Districts, Lenora R. Stevenson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of The Garrison Dam On The Community Of Elbowoods, Melford Mj W. Gunderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to describe and explain the social disorganization and community upheaval of Native Americans in Elbowoods created by the construction of the Garrison Dam. The construction of the Garrison Dam in 1954, by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, was devastating not only for Fort Berthold Indian Reservation but also for Elbowoods. Flooding of the thousands of acres caused the residences of Elbowoods to give up farmland, natural shelter for human and cattle, family structure, community gardens, and a way of life that existed for thousands of years.

The data was collected by interviews, …

The Effect Role Modeling And The Apparent Fatness Of A Physical Educator Has On Student Learning And Attitudes, Kurt K. Weaver

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a physical education instructor appearing overweight versus lean, and role modeling exercise behavior versus “do as I say” on student learning and attitudes.

The results indicated that role modeling desired behavior had a significant and positive effect on the test scores and attitudes of participants. Specifically students who viewed the role modeling tapes scored significantly higher on the knowledge test (ES = 62 SD). The students also showed a significant effect for attitude (F[3,100] = 2.10, p < .05) from the role modeling tapes vs. the “do as I say” tapes.

Further analysis revealed students liked the role modeling instructor better than the …

Perceptions Of Coaches In Small Colleges Regarding Sport Law And Sport Injury, Richard J. Cunningham

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine to what extent head coaches in small colleges provided emergency medical care to injured athletes under their supervision. The secondary purpose of this study was to learn what types of sports medicine and sport law background small college head coaches had and would like to have. The third purpose was to describe the confidence level of small college head coaches in caring for student-athletes with medical emergencies. A survey instrument was developed by the writer and sent to 96 small college head coaches from 10 NCAA Division III schools and 6 …