Digital Commons Network^™

An Internship Experience In Educational Leadership At Sterling High School District, Cleve W. Bryan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of teacher attitudes on the integration of educational technologies into the curriculum at Sterling High School as a means to assess the effectiveness of the district's technology plan.

A descriptive research method was used in the study that included a school-wide technology survey of teachers and follow-up interviews with 20% of the teaching staff. The technology survey instrument and interview questions were developed by the researcher and reviewed by the technology committee of Sterling High School. Percentages of responses were used as the primary method of data analysis along with …

An Internship Experience In Educational Administration At Haddon Heights Junior-Senior High School, 1997-1998, Ruthmarie Schopfer Weinberg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this internship was to provide the candidate with an opportunity to acquire competencies and skills which are essential to an effective administrator of a secondary school.

The internship focused on the project: Alternate Methods for At-Risk Students Who Disrupt the Educational Environment. The areas addressed in this study were: (1) The purpose and setting of the study, (2) Review of the literature, (3) The design of the study, (4) Presentation of the research findings, (5) Conclusions, implications, and further study, and (6) The need for alternative methods re: Scared Straight – Haddon Heights Style, In-School Suspension, Out-of-School …

Special Educators And Job Satisfaction, Joyce A. Devito

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how specific variables affected job satisfaction among special educators at a special education school district. The variables examined were gender, student population, number of years teaching, number of years teaching a specific population, and age of students. It was hypothesized that female teachers and teachers who worked with emotionally disturbed students would express less job satisfaction than male teachers and teachers working with other special education populations. It was further hypothesized that the greater the number of years teaching and working with a specific population, the greater the expressed job satisfaction. In addition, it was thought that …

America's Freedom Of Information Act And Electronic Records, Jennifer J. Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Comparing The Effectiveness Of Video New Releases And Written News Releases, Art Keegan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if Video News Releases (VNRs) are more effective than written news releases in offering reportable news to television newsroom decision-makers. To answer this question, 45 television newsroom decision-makers from 13 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed. The survey was conducted over the telephone and presented nine questions to decision-makers regarding their usage and storage of VNRs and written news releases. Decision-makers were identified as television news personnel knowledgeable in the usage rate and storage length of VNRs and written news releases.

The study analyzed the responses of all the newsroom …

The Public Relation Firm's Perception Of The Internet's Effect On Its Growth And Profits, Tina Blasberg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to learn if the public relations firm believed that using the Internet had a recognizable effect on its growth and profits. The study attempted to show that if the public relations firm saw that its net profits increased, client base grew, and, as a result, employees' paychecks increased, then it perceived that using the Internet had a positive effect on its growth and profits.

The sample originally selected consisted of 317 United States public relations firms, a sample which consisted of small and large firms ranging from 10 employees up to 100 employees. A …

An Internship Experience In Educational Leadership At Oakcrest High School, Mays Landing, New Jersey, 1997-1998, Linda R. Brennan

Theses and Dissertations

Early identification of academically at-risk students combined with effective intervention has a significant impact on the academic performance of academically at-risk students. Students were identified as academically at-risk if they failed two classes in one report period or if they failed one class twice during their eighth grade year.

Faculty members volunteered to serve as mentors for these students. Through advising, referring to student resource personnel, reviewing work, or providing a quiet place to study, teachers were committed to providing additional time and assistance to their mentees' educational process.

The identified students were also given contact time and opportunities to …

The Association Between Music Intelligence And Learning Process Style, Mary Jane Wishart-Morey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to begin to understand brain function and musicality. The problem of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between learning process style and musical intelligence.

Subjects who were in grade three were administered the Intermediate Measures of Musical Audiation test (IMMA). This test was used to identify musically talented children. Subjects took the test by listening to a tonal cassette and rhythm cassette. The subjects decided whether pairs of tonal or rhythm pattern they heard sounded the same or different. These tests required no reading skills. Students put circles around the …

An Internship In School Administration At The William Davies Middle School, Mays Landing, New Jersey, Robert Baker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this internship was to provide the intern with an opportunity to acquire and utilize professional administrative skills necessary to become a successful school leader.

The internship at William Davies Middle school included the implementation of the PRO plan, a discipline strategy designed to reduce the amount of discipline referrals.

The PRO plan included three main elements: 1) the institution of a teacher-mentor program, 2) the utilization of the Project Success Program and 3) the development of a school discipline committee.

The results of the PRO plan included a forty-three percent reduction of discipline referrals. Additionally, there was …

An Internship Experience In Educational Leadership At Vineland Public Schools, Joseph A. Camardo

Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this study was to show how the Vineland School District could increase its efficiency to meet staff requests to solve computer problems through the use of a help desk system. The intern distributed surveys to district employees before the help desk was implemented. After the help desk system is in place, post questionnaires will be distributed defining satisfaction levels in service and support and determining the effectiveness of a help desk.

There were two major research instruments used in the study for the Vineland School District, surveys and personal interviews. The purpose behind both of these instruments …

A Study On Parental Involvement: Getting Parents Going, Lois W. Lantz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether kindergarten and first grade parents would be more inclined to be actively involved in their children's educational endeavors if provided with workshops and training sessions that would make them more knowledgeable and comfortable in the academic setting. Specifically, the study addressed the following areas: (1) would there be an increase of parental participation in the workshop and training sessions, (2) would more parents be inclined to become active educational partners, and (3) would student achievement increase.

To investigate these areas of the study, a sample of eighty (80) parents of kindergarten …

Foundry Microfabrication Of Deformable Mirrors For Adaptive Optics, William D. Cowan

Theses and Dissertations

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) is a rapidly emerging field of research in which batch fabrication processes are used to construct miniature devices. MEMS devices are particularly well suited to optical applications. Foundry microfabrication offers a substantial cost advantage for prototype system development. In this research, foundry MEMS processes are used to fabricate low-cost deformable mirror systems (MEM-DMs) for adaptive optics. The challenges and design trades associated with fabrication of continuous and segmented deformable mirrors in foundry processes are examined in detail. Micromirror surface figure is shown to be critically important. Beam steering and optical aberration correction experiments conclusively demonstrate the potential …

Trends In Teaching Object-Oriented Programming At The Community College Level, Thomas W. Fargnoli

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the current trends in teaching object-oriented programming at the community college level. A questionnaire was developed and sent to all community colleges in the state of New Jersey to assess the extent of object-oriented material offered in computer science courses. Nine community colleges participated in the study.

All nine colleges reported offering at least one course containing some degree of object-oriented material. Of the eighty-five computer science courses offered, thirty of them (35%) contained some degree of object-oriented material. The degree of the object-oriented material ranged from 5% to 100%. Fourteen of …

A Modular Distributed Source Phantom For Whole-Body Counter Calibration., Liqiang Tao

Theses and Dissertations

"Fuzzy" is the radically new whole-body counter phantom concept that is based on how the human whole-body counter (HWBC) "sees" the inhomogeneous radionuclide distribution within the 3D shape of the human body. "Fuzzy" is used in conjunction with locally placed external detectors. "Fuzzy" is placed on a plastic board 1.91 m long and 0.64 m wide that is divided into 75 equal squares (163 cm$\sp2$ each) which are organized in five columns (A-E) and fifteen rows from head to toe (1-15). To comply with the two fold symmetry of the human body, "Fuzzy" is divided by the Golden section (37.5% …

The Effects Of Feedback On The Validity Of Facilitated Communication., Jan Karen Witte-Bakken

Theses and Dissertations

Facilitated Communication (FC) is a controversial technique which is purported to allow autistic and other developmentally disabled individuals the ability to communicate through typing in a manner which allowed unexpected literacy skills to emerge. This procedure involves physical guidance by an assistant called a facilitator. Subsequent research has shown, however, that the facilitator appears to be influencing the resulting messages and valid communications are not obtained when the facilitator does not have access to the same information as the subject. Previous studies utilized picture or object naming tasks and allowed the subject one opportunity per trial to convey the designated …

Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination: Factors Affecting Sex Allocation In A Northern Population Of Snapping Turtles., Lonnie Lee Baumgardt

Theses and Dissertations

Sex in the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is fated by egg temperature during incubation by a process called temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Natural nests of C. serpentina were manipulated to determine if different clutches incubated together under lab and field conditions would result in equivalent sex ratios among clutches. The plasticity in sex ratio among clutches from both treatments suggests that not only does heritability of sex expression operate in the lab for this TSD population, but also under field conditions where nest temperatures and moisture conditions fluctuate throughout the nesting season. This implies this population of C. serpentina may …

Use Of Cultivated Wild Rice Paddies And Associated Habitats By Migrating And Breeding Waterfowl In Northwest Minnesota., Jay Thor Huseby

Theses and Dissertations

A primary concern for wildlife managers is continued loss and modification of natural habitats and the resulting impacts on natural populations. If habitat alteration continues, more wildlife species will be using affected landscapes, and it will be increasingly important to understand wildlife biology in manipulated environments. I studied use of cultivated wild rice (Zizania palustris) paddies and associated habitats by waterfowl in northwest Minnesota (1993-1995) to evaluate their potential as migration, nesting, and brood-rearing habitat.I censused migrants using paddies during spring and fall and quantified availability of waterfowl food items collected from samples of paddy substrate. Eighteen species and 22.49 …

The Organizational Climate Of Eastern Regional High School, Kirk Martin Rickansrud

Theses and Dissertations

This study was done on the premise that a school's organizational climate affects employee morale, behavior, and motivation. This study was conducted in order to communicate to all administrators and faculty the status of Eastern Regional High School's organizational climate. The essence of this type of study was to create new avenues of open communication, coupled with the push for a more reflective practice, between the faculty and administration. The results have allowed individuals to make suggestions to improve the educational quality and effectiveness of the entire school.

The design of the study was to conduct a survey of employee …

A Report On The Internship Experience In Educational Leadership At Eastern Camden County Regional School District, Audry Cser

Theses and Dissertations

The current system of record-keeping for the various student activity accounts was assessed and revised in order to establish a more accurate and efficient accounting policy of all monies. Internal audits will be implemented in order to demonstrate a more critical accounting for all student activity accounts. In addition to monthly and year ending reconciliation statements it will be necessary at the end of each fiscal year to provide district auditors with accurate financial documents exhibiting the receipt of student monies for various activity accounts.

Prior to developing a revised accounting system for student activity accounts, current practices, procedures and …

Inclusion In The Elementary Specialty Areas: Art, Library, Music And Physical Education, Dawn Danley

Theses and Dissertations

In compliance with providing the least restrictive environment, children with varying degrees of disabilities are being included into the general education classroom. This study focused on facilitating the inclusion of children with moderate to severe special needs into the elementary specialty areas including library, music, art and physical education. This study was conducted in a school district in southern New Jersey using inter-office mailings.

Data was collected by providing a completed student profile and a sample needs assessment to teachers in each specialty area. The teachers completed the sample needs assessment based on their perceived knowledge regarding the child that …

Increasing Student Achievement With Cooperative Learning, Curriculum Changes, And Portfolio Assessment, Lois S. Allen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine if student achievement could be approved by curriculum changes within a cooperative learning framework and the use of portfolio assessment. Students in two classes were involved in the study. Both classes received the same instruction, worksheet and quizzes. In addition, one class worked individually to complete the worksheets to prepare for weekly quizzes. The other class used the cooperative learning technique - Student Teams Achievement Divisions. The cooperative learning students worked in groups of four to complete the worksheets to prepare for the weekly quizzes. The goal was to have everyone in …

An Internship Experience In Educational Leadership At Millville Memorial High School, Stephen R. Saul

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to determine if the at-risk youth employment internship program can improve student performance in the areas of attendance, academic achievement, and discipline offenses. The at-risk youth employment internship program is a two year pilot program supported by the state of New Jersey. The Millville school district was selected as the representative for Cumberland county. The at-risk youth employment internship program places an at-risk student in a job shadowing experience for an eight week period. The student is required to attend three days per week for two hours per day. The student is given a …

A Report On The Internship Experience In Educational Leadership And Parent Conferences At Delsea Middle School, Jill M. Bryfogle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to make parent conferences more meaningful for those involved. To do this, the intern intended to increase parental attendance at conferences in her school. She tried to achieve the goal of increasing attendance by giving out a survey to parents and teachers who were present at conferences. The questionnaire asked people how to improve conferences. Responses were tallied and then discussed with a committee of parents, teachers and administrators who decided which ideas to put into action. Changes were made to conferences. Attendance data was taken before and after the changes. Then the two …

A Feasibility Study On Block Scheduling At Egg Harbor Township High School, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, 1997-1998, Joetta M. Surace

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this internship in Educational Administration at the Egg Harbor Township High School in Egg Harbor Township was to provide the intern with experiences which enhance the skills that are vital to achieving success as a school leader. The purpose of this study in the area of change was to conduct a feasibility study on block scheduling by involving all constituent stakeholders in the process during the 1997-98 school year. The intern researched various block scheduling plans, attended workshops on block scheduling, organized a Block Scheduling Study Committee, visited various block-scheduled schools, and made information available to constituent …

An Investigation Of Food Related Versus Socialization Deficits In A Group Of Prader-Willi Syndrome Adults, Janet T. Fioresi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of behavior incidents of adults in a group home setting who have been diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), to determine if the behaviors are more frequently related to food issues or socialization problems with peers and/or staff. It was hypothesized that documented behavior incidents were more frequently due to socialization problems.

The sample for this study consisted of eight adults medically diagnosed with PWS in a group home setting. All participants' Behavior Incident Forms (BIR's) were looked at throughout a two year period from January 1, 1996 to December 31, …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Full Day Versus Half Day Kindergarten Programs, Deborah C. Gaw

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the children in full day kindergarten programs made greater gains when compared to half day kindergarten programs as measured by an informal teacher made kindergarten screening test.

The subjects of this study were 81 kindergarten students (40 girls, 41 boys) from two elementary schools in southern New Jersey. Thirty-nine (39) students were enrolled in the full day program, and 42 were enrolled in the half day program. Both groups were pretested with a teacher made kindergarten screening test in the beginning of the school year (September/October) and then post tested in …

An Assessment Of Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant Role Functions, Jacqueline Delisi D'Auria

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to survey currently employed Learning Disability Teacher Consultants in Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties for an assessment of their current job priorities, as related to the five role responsibilities, as well as their perceived competencies within their role functions. Thirty-six questionnaires were mailed; a 66 percent return was obtained. Percentages were computed to determine the rank order of importance assigned to the role functions. A rank order of the list of competencies was determined for both the average ratings of importance and the average ratings of proficiency.

The LDT-C ranked the role responsibilities as …

A Suggested Preschool Program For The Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional School District, Dawn Schollenberger

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to suggest a type of preschool curriculum that would be effective for the Woodstown-Pilesgrove School District. This was accomplished in various stages. First, library research was conducted at EIRC and the Rowan University Library to find recent literature on the various types of preschool curriculums. Then, because the needs of the community should be considered when designing a public preschool curriculum, an informal survey was designed to solicit the opinions of present and past kindergarten teachers in the Woodstown-Pilesgrove School District. The results of this narrative survey were used to design the major components …

A Handbook Of Exemplary Training Activities To Improve Access And Success In Higher Education For Students With Learning Disabilities, Heidi M. Mcgarvey

Theses and Dissertations

The number of learning disabled students attending colleges and universities has increased dramatically in the last ten to fifteen years placing greater demands on college personnel to keep abreast of effective service models and educational interventions for this population.

This project attempted to develop an exemplary model to be used by campus disability service coordinators to provide information and technical assistance to members of the post-secondary and high school community in order to enhance educational opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities.

Information for the project was compiled, analyzed, and evaluated from current literature, professional and peer practices, and the writer's …

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Phonemic Awareness Instruction In A Multiply Handicapped Kindergarten Classroom, Janice A. Sanders

Theses and Dissertations

This study is an evaluation of the development of pre-reading skills in kindergarten children in a Multiply Handicapped program. Phonemic awareness activities from the Project ASSIST Kindergarten Curriculum were used to supplement traditional kindergarten instruction in the experimental group. Two kindergarten classrooms for children with Multiple Handicaps comprised the sample (N = 13). The control group had five students, while the experimental group had eight. Instruction in phonemic awareness was delivered to the experimental group for a period of approximately four months. A variety of multi-sensory activities were used daily in the classroom in addition to the kindergarten curriculum. The …