Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Value Instilling Literature On Elementary Aged Children, Erika S. Pello

Theses and Dissertations

In order to determine the effect of lifeskill instruction on the decision-making skills of third graders, a study was performed in a southern New Jersey elementary school. The sample consisted of approximately forty third grade students between the ages of seven and ten years old. The students in both groups were initially pretested with an opinionnaire, which included twelve multiple-choice questions. Lifeskill education was later incorporated into the curriculum for Group A only, which served as the experimental group for the study. Both classes were then posttested. Two t-tests were performed to determine whether there was a significant difference in …

Public Service Announcements For Broadcast Television: A Guide For Non-Profit Agencies, Karen Anne Jess

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of preparing this guide was to create a reference for non-profit agencies to assist in creating a public service announcement for broadcast television. The author assumed that non-profit agencies are often working with no budget and the quality of the prepared PSAs is unacceptable. Also, the techniques used to create and distribute the announcements are incorrect. Since public service announcements are key to reaching a large audience for little or no money, the author felt it essential to create a reference for non-profit agencies to guide them in the production of their public service announcements. The primary research …

Cybercrisis Management: Handling Crises At The Speed Of Light, Thomas Stanley Jason

Theses and Dissertations

This study's purpose was to compile information on how to handle different types of cybercrises and compile them into an easy to use guide for experienced public relations professionals. The data search included library and Internet searches for information on handling cybercrises. Additionally, an e-mail survey was sent out to on-line public relations personnel to determine their experience with cybercrises. From that survey, professionals who stated that they have handled cybercrises were interviewed via e-mail.

The study determined that 20 percent of those surveyed had faced a cybercrisis. The study determined that the most important parts of cybercrisis management were …

Understanding Students With Diabetes: A Communication Handbook For High Schools, Karen M. Ferguson

Theses and Dissertations

Effective communication between students with diabetes and school personnel is essential to the well-being of the student. The author conducted this study to identify the needs, feelings, and behaviors of students with diabetes.

The author performed literature searches and conducted informal, qualitative research techniques to obtain information for the handbook. The author conducted telephone interviews with seven nurses from selected counties in Southern New Jersey. The author asked the nurses questions about diabetes management in their schools. The author also questioned 15 students with diabetes regarding communication efforts with the school, signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugars, …

New Jersey Municipalities' Methods For Building Non-Emergency Community Relations, Lizabeth Miller Galantino

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of conducting this study was to record the various methods of community relations held in New Jersey municipalities between January 1 and December 31, 1999.

A literature search was conducted; an original mail survey distributed to 210 mayors statewide; data was analyzed and presented in a quantitative format.

The following major conclusions were drawn:

A. If given an unlimited amount of funding, direct mail is conceived as the most effective way to publicize events and projects.

B. Newspapers were reported as the most effective, measurable publicity tool to get exposure for events and projects.

C. Mayors play a …

Public Relations Efforts To Promote New Sports Teams, Nancy Urban

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to accumulate information relative to the various public relations practices, methods, and procedures utilized by the four NHL expansion teams during the two-year period June 25, 1997 to October 7, 1999. The thesis determined the extent of common public relations elements among the four NHL expansion teams. The study was approached from four perspectives: public relations, media relations, community relations and player perspective.

Eighteen questions were asked of each team: Nashville Predators, Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild to determine the extent of communication elements common among them.

Through in-depth interviews, it …

The Role Of Acetaldehyde In The Pathogenesis Of Alcoholic Heart Muscle Disease., Qiangrong Liang

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol abuse is a major health problem in the United States with 14 million people affected. Long term alcohol abuse leads to alcoholic heart muscle disease (AHMD) in one third of alcoholics. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain alcohol's damaging effects on the heart but neither the mechanism nor the ultimate toxin has been established. The principal candidates for the specific toxin are alcohol, acetaldehyde and fatty acid ethyl esters. In order to test the hypothesis that acetaldehyde, the major oxidative metabolite of ethanol by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), is the specific toxin responsible for AHMD, seven lines of transgenic …

Rapid Sample Preparation Methods For Use With High -Speed Gas Chromatography., Robert Wesley Current

Theses and Dissertations

Rapid sample preparation schemes for analysis of high humidity gas and aqueous samples by high speed gas chromatography (HSGC) are described in this dissertation. Sample preparation methods are known to be a limiting factor in HSGC analysis. Most notably, cryointegrating HSGC instruments have been limited to the analysis of dry gas samples. This dissertation addresses known limitations, and provides methods for expanding the use of cryointegrating HSGC to high humidity gas samples, as well as samples in an aqueous matrix. Cryointegrating HSGC was used to monitor the efficiency and changes in activity of a biofiltration apparatus. This was done by …

Elementary School Use Of Interactive Distance Learning, Linda Spano

Theses and Dissertations

In an attempt to discover how distance learning (interactive videoconferencing) is being used in elementary schools, this study was designed to identify the enrichment and remedial applications of distance learning and assess its effectiveness as an instructional tool. Information was gathered using a questionnaire that consisted of 24 multiple choice and open-ended questions that was sent to 100 interactive distance learning coordinators in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Forty-seven coordinators responded to this survey, for a response rate of 47%. The majority (95.7%) of respondents rated interactive distance learning as a very effective or effective instructional tool. The most frequent …

Computers In The Classroom – Do They Really Make A Difference In Student Learning?, Colleen Fitzgerald

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the utilization of computers in the classroom would increase student learning. The participants were eighty-two seventh grade students from Demarest Middle School in Demarest, New Jersey. The students were organized into four heterogeneously mixed classes. The study was conducted over approximately two weeks. All students received introductory instruction on amphibians and frog anatomy and physiology. Two classes then completed the traditional specimen dissection, while the other two classes completed a computer-simulated dissection. The classes then switched and performed the alternative dissection procedure. Their performance was measured by the results on the …

A Guide To Effective Public Relations For The High School Athletic Director, Joseph T. Cranston

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this research project was to develop a handbook for high school athletic directors so they can apply effective public relations practices to their athletic program on a daily basis. Fifteen high school athletic directors from different counties in New Jersey were interviewed to gain first-hand knowledge of the athletic public relations activities that are most effective. A review of several sources, including physical education and administration books, athletic journals and public relations books, supplemented the primary research by providing supporting research by some of the most well-respected public relations practitioners in the athletic arena.

The finished …

Employee Efficiency: A Case Study Of Former Welfare Mothers, Julie Kozempel

Theses and Dissertations

Welfare is a social phenomenon that comes with a variety of stigmas and stereotypes. Recipients are often categorized as lazy, uneducated and socially unacceptable.

Recently, corporations and whole regions are unable to find the qualified labor force they need. This researcher will discover whether ex-welfare recipients make worthy hires, thereby reversing stereotypes and furthering efficiency in the workplace.

A major component of employee relations involves retaining good employees who will extend the company's good image. Image and profits matter to CEO's who worry about the second bottom line. After reading this study, public relations practitioners can approach the CEO and …

Communicating Special Education Student Performance, Michael C. Dicken

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project is to develop effective methods and strategies of communicating special education student progress to the student's parent and school district representatives. The research problem was posed in two questions. (1) What are the effective methods of reporting special education student progress to their parents and school district representatives? (2) Are the current methods of interpersonal communication between special education teachers and the parents of those students promoting academic and behavioral growth within the student population?

Approximately 150 subjects were involved in this project. These subjects were special education teachers, parents of special education students, and …

A School Discipline Plan, Thomas J. Campo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a comprehensive school discipline plan in an elementary school setting where no definitive discipline plan previously existed. This study will take place at the Charles L. Spragg School in Egg Harbor City. C.L. Spragg is a Pre-K to grade 4 school with approximately 375 students from diverse multi-cultural backgrounds. The study will focus around the development and use of a comprehensive disciplinary referral form. This form will serve as the research instrument as data analysis will be bases on the total number of forms completed by teachers during the time …

An Administrative Internship Experience At Maple Shade Junior/Senior High School, Maple Shade, New Jersey, 1999-2000, Frank Jankowski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a plan that would allow teachers in the junior high at Maple Shade High School to incorporate technology into their lessons on a more consistent basis. The use of technology would improve learning and better prepare our students for the future.

The intern used interview and survey as data gathering techniques for the project. The intern brought meaning to the data through a thorough analysis of interview responses. Also, surveys were collected, coded, and analyzed.

Teacher preparation and prior teaching experience were cited as reasons behind the fear of technology. Staff claimed …

Not More Important – Just Different: Concerns Of Middle School Female And Male Students, Marianne W. Gaffney

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the specific needs of middle school females in order to develop a curriculum for an after school female program. This program would enhance the growth of female students ages eleven to fourteen.

After school meetings were held weekly for three months with female students in Orchard Valley Middle School. Attendance at these meetings ranged from eight to twenty girls. From these meetings, concerns pertinent to female students were identified. A survey was developed to determine the focus of middle school student concerns. The hypothesis being that males and females in middle school …

The Renaissance Concept And The Effect Of Positive Reinforcement On Student Performance, Henry N. Kobik

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of extrinsic rewards on the extrinsic and intrinsic motivation levels of high school students. To complete this task, 118 students were chosen to complete a series of surveys which measured perceived levels of academic performance and motivation. This process allowed the students to not only respond in a multiple choice format but also provided the opportunity for written feedback as well. Further information on the topic was gathered from discussion with these students. All of the participants were chosen through random selection using the school roster and they represented the …

Examining The Need For And Completing A Revision Of The New Teacher Mentoring Program At Burlington City High School, Aimee Davis Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to improve the new teacher mentoring services offered at Burlington City High School to provide a more effective assimilation of first-year teachers and experienced teachers new to the school. The intern studied the mentoring practices in place at BCHS, interviewed veteran staff, and surveyed new teachers regarding the program. The conclusions of the study indicated a need for revised and improved mentoring practices, and suggested a need for increased collaboration among staff. Based on the information collected and research on mentoring, the intern developed a New Teacher Assimilation Program, to be initiated in the …

Effective Programming Of A School District's Educational Access Channel, Darren J. Hickman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to develop a district policy and practice of collecting and disseminating school information and public service announcements to the public using Atlantic City Public Schools' educational access channel, ACTV Channel 2. Using a case study research design, the project will result in an evaluation of current usage by parents and families of children who attend Atlantic City Public Schools and what they would like to view.

An upgrade in programming with more educational programs was a major objective for this study. To assist in programming improvement, a questionnaire survey was developed and was administered …

Helping The Slow Learner, Susan E. Little

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to increase academic success through the formulation of additional learning experiences for those students we label "slow learners." The design of this study is one of action research. Through the observation of material culture and interviews of classroom teachers and Pupil Assistance Committee chairpersons, a list of eligible students will be formulated, with weak academic areas detailed. Additional learning situations will then be established for each subject and set into place through the regular classroom teacher and other certified personnel. Through the course of the school year, records will be kept through spreadsheet format …

Multicultural Teacher Education, Carol L. Birnbohm

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to create a method of incorporating multicultural thinking with current curriculums. The main goal was to have the teachers learn that multicultural education is not a one-day, once a year event, but rather a philosophy that must be a part of their everyday lessons and discussions.

Nineteen teachers and 102 students were surveyed from Cherokee High School. There were nine males and ten females in the teaching category. There were 52 male students and 50 female students.

The surveys were distributed twice to each group. The survey was first given prior to any training …

A Multicultural Club At Hammonton High School, Mildred Peretti

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examines the attitude change among rural high school students regarding diversity and tolerance presented through a multicultural club. Fifty randomly selected students and parents of the high school were pre-tested using a survey instrument measuring needs assessment and an attitude profile. Data analysis was conducted using percentages of each of the four questions asked. The entire student body was then exposed to various multicultural facts and experiences promoted through a multicultural club. Activities included daily factual announcements, a trivia contest of information retrieval, guest speakers, music, assemblies, displays of heritage's artifacts, and relevant content knowledge integrated …

A World Of Difference: A Multicultural Program, Newton Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to develop aggregated understandings of bias and how it affects violence in a school's culture using action research. The study, through A World of Difference Program's Anti-Bias Study Guide and peer interventions, will result in improved cultural relations. At this stage in the research, bias is studied and acknowledged.

A fifty thousand-dollar grant was awarded to Atlantic City's Board of Education, with one school piloting the program. The A World of Difference Program focuses on training, education, and interactive activities. Student and teacher volunteers who do the work will recognize and realize, through communications, …

Program Accommodations Made By New Jersey Elementary School Librarians To Meet The Needs Of Exceptional Readers, Beverly S. Siti

Theses and Dissertations

As teacher and educational partner, the elementary school library media specialist must accommodate the diverse abilities and interests of students in all stages and degrees of literacy development. In order to examine if and how school librarians in New Jersey meet the needs of students who read either above or below grade level expectations, a survey was designed to measure key attributes of a library program that successfully accommodates all readers: the librarian's background knowledge of the reading process, his/her collaboration with others who have knowledge of students' strengths and needs, the accessibility of appropriate materials to students within the …

Information Literacy Skills: Successful Cross-Curricular Integration At The Secondary Level In New Jersey, Susan T. Rohrman

Theses and Dissertations

Focusing on information literacy skills instruction at the secondary level, the purposes of the field research were to examine the impact of national and state curriculum standards on library skills curriculum; to explore the instructional role of the school media specialist; and to create a model for successful information literacy skills projects. Field research was conducted at the media centers of two secondary schools, grades 9 - 12 in southern New Jersey. Two educational media specialists in secondary schools and their 10th grade Biology classes were observed during an instructional period. Application of information literacy skills was incorporated into the …

Gender Preferences In The Recreational Reading Of Sixth Grade Students, Dorothy H. Holmes

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared what sixth graders like to read for pleasure by gender with the collection of the Voorhees New Jersey Middle School media center. An interest survey was given to 105 sixth-grade students. A sample of the Voorhees Middle School library was done. A comparison of the two analyzed what is available in the library with what the students like to read. The influence of the Harry Potter books on recreational reading was also studied. This study showed that males and females have favorable attitudes towards recreational reading and enjoy both fiction and nonfiction as well as a variety …

Can Computer Technology Help Elementary Students Achieve Information Literacy?, David Calvanico

Theses and Dissertations

In an attempt to determine if computer technology helps elementary students achieve information literacy, a quasi-experiment was conducted using the Solomon four-group design with two fourth grade and two fifth grade classes. Information Literacy Standards from Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning and Eisenberg and Berkowitz' Big 6™ Information Literacy model were used to structure the experiment. The researcher was a participant observer, the school's librarian. Two classes were pretested and posttested, the other two were only posttested following Solomon four-group protocol. The researcher used a rubric to assess students at each step of the Big 6™ Information Literacy model …

Accommodating Learning Disabled Students In New Jersey Middle School Media Centers, Dawn Duelly

Theses and Dissertations

Learning disabled students are being placed in regular education classrooms because of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act '97 (IDEA'97). A questionnaire was sent to library media specialists in New Jersey middle schools asking how they accommodated learning disabled students. It questioned the library media specialists' training, programs, feelings and how they service this population. It also asked about the accommodations made for the learning disabled student in the library media center. The results of the survey indicated that more staff training is needed. School library media specialists are concerned about finding materials that are low level reading, but high …

Leisure Reading Among Fourth And Sixth Grade Boys, Linda Kissling

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempted to determine whether middle school boys read less for leisure than elementary school boys. Forty-eight boys and 45 girls in fourth grade and 48 boys and 52 girls in sixth grade maintained a log for one week to determine how their time outside school was spent and responded to a survey to describe their attitudes toward leisure reading. Time outside school was divided into three categories; personal, including sleeping, eating, and hygiene; structured or demand time, including homework, chores, and sports and music practice; and leisure, including television, reading, time with friends, etc. The survey asked respondents …

History Of The George J. Mitchell Elementary School Library Media Center, Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, Susan D. Lescure

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to identify the factors that led to the formation of the George J. Mitchell Elementary School Library Media Center and give local historical reference to the community about the library services offered. Data was collected through literature, personal communications, documents, observations, and site visitations. Historical developments illustrated relevant patterns in the evolution of library service to elementary schools. The research was used to inform the community about the history of the library using the district's web page.