Digital Commons Network^™

Law Libraries And The Layperson: A Bibliography Of Self-Help Books, Kristen M. Mckeaney

Theses and Dissertations

Although the goal of a comprehensive legal library is to be a resource to professionals and the general public, the issue of providing legal assistance to laypersons via the library is a complex one. Compiling the legal resources to benefit the lay public is challenging. This paper attempts to systematically identify and suggest resources following pre-set criteria of affordability, content usefulness, timeliness and reasonableness of management.

The primary form of this paper is a bibliography following a subject specific format. The bibliography is further defined into sections of legal reference books, internet sites, legal directories, general references and agencies. The …

A Study Of Personalized Systems Of Instruction For The Community College Student In Developmental Mathematics, Debra A. Wimer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the Urban Challenge Grant program, a modified "Personalized System of Instruction"(PSI) was more effective and efficient than the traditional lecture method of instruction for community college students testing into the lowest level of developmental mathematics. Students were separated into an experimental group (Urban Challenge Grant program) and a control group (traditional lecture method). Each group was given a New Jersey College Basic Skills Placement Test (NJCBSPT) pre-test. The experimental group, after one semester of instruction, was given the post-NJCBSPT. The control group students were given the post-NJCBSPT after 2 semesters of …

Information Technology Inservice Workshops For The Teachers Of The Cooper B. Hatch Middle School, Camden, New Jersey, Frank J. Indriso

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project is to provide information technology inservice workshops for the teachers of the Cooper B. Hatch Middle School in Camden, New Jersey.

These workshops were developed in response to an ever present need to educate the teaching staff of the Cooper B. Hatch Middle School, regarding the use of the information technology found in the library. The lack of information technology skills was observed by the media specialist through working in the library with the teaching staff and their students over the course of the last school year. The media specialist will work with the teaching …

Teaching Strategies And Methodologies Utilized In Inclusion Education Classrooms, Christine Gentile

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if regular education classroom teachers modify their lesson plans and/or their teaching methods to accommodate the leaning abilities of "inclusion" children within their classrooms.

Seven certified regular education classroom teachers from a single school district participated. The participants were currently practicing teachers who varied in years of teaching experience, areas of certification, and grades taught. Each teacher completed a questionnaire and a checklist which focused on present teaching strategies and methodologies for inclusion children as well as questions based on changes needed for the future of inclusion in their school district.

Data …

Date Rape: Attitudes And Perceptions, Elizabeth Young

Theses and Dissertations

The reasons date rape victims are often blamed for their own assault may be associated with sex-role identification and a lack of education. This study aims to examine the relationship between an individual's measure of sex-role traditionality and their attitudes towards rape by using the Bem Sex-Role Inventory combined with the Rape Attitudes and Perceptions Questionnaire which were administered to two mixed gender classes consisting of 30 juniors and seniors in a rural high school. Approximately one week after the surveys were taken, both classes watched When Romance Turns to Rape, which contains several vignettes on date rape. Then …

A Study Of The N-Body Problem In Celestial Mechanics For College Students, John Atsu-Swanzy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to investigate simple solutions of the many-body problem otherwise known as the n-body problem. The study focuses on elementary solutions of the n-body problem that can be understood by undergraduate students and college preparatory students of applied. mathematics.

Historical origins of the problems were traced to the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, and Greeks. Further development and interest dated back to the time of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and finally to Newton who proposed its modern form.

Analytical and numerical solutions of specific n-body problems were solved to demonstrate solvability of certain types of n-body problems. Analytical …

A Measure Of The Effectiveness Of A Service Improvement Video Used In The Fiscal Year 1997 Communications Plan For The Allegheny Area Of The Usps, Raymond V. Daiutolo

Theses and Dissertations

This project measured the effectiveness of a service improvement video prepared by the U S Postal Service's Allegheny Area Corporate Relations department. The video was directed at the letter carrier craft and disseminated to the ten postal districts comprising the Allegheny Area in October 1996.

Information searches for relevant literature were conducted through several databases cataloging books, periodicals, journals and articles with the use of video communication as part of an employee awareness and training strategy.

This thesis activity reported on the effectiveness of the inaugural video using information collected from interviews with South Jersey letter carriers; a survey of …

A Study Of The Perceptions Of Both Parents And Teachers On Whether Pharmacological Interventions Along With Behavior Modification Work In Controlling Behavior In Students With Add, Carol L. Gallucci

Theses and Dissertations

More and more students are being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and placed on medication.

This study looks at students in both private and public schools who are already diagnosed with ADD/ADHD and are on medication. Both parents and teachers of the same student filled out surveys inquiring whether behavior modification is used along with medication in controlling student behavior at home and in the classroom.

There are 25 pairs of participants in this study. Twenty pairs of respondents are from private schools, with five pairs from public schools.

The surveys sent out included nine questions for parents and …

The Changing Role Of The Physician As A Consequence Of The "Gag Clause" In Managed Health Care Contracts, Emily Riley

Theses and Dissertations

In November 1995, at a meeting of the Managed Health Care Congress, Harvard Medical School professor and physician Dr. David Himmelstein, delivered a presentation that included a slide of what he called the "gag clause" in his U.S. Healthcare contract. Dr. Himmelstein explained that he was being restricted in what he could say to his patients - three days later, U.S. Healthcare terminated his contract.

This event, coupled with Dr. Himmelstein's appearance two weeks later on the Donahue Show, sparked a flood of media attention and, in turn, a public outcry. Managed health care, designed to regulate and curtail growing …

The North Dakota Bridges Project: Middle Level Education Reform Efforts In Six Schools, James W. Stenehjem

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of A College Visual Arts Course: A Multicultural Perspective, Jacqueline A. Badman

Theses and Dissertations

The United States is a multicultural place. With its ever increasing cultural and ethnic diversity, multicultural education is important. Since the visual arts have always been produced and perceived within cultures and offer students unique opportunities to explore human expression and experience, the analysis of an introductory art course taught within a multicultural context at a Midwestern university was a sensible starting point. This was especially timely since little research exists in relation to the visual arts taught from a multicultural perspective at the higher education level, and more theoretical works regarding multicultural visual arts exist than do actual studies. …

An Analysis Of The Design, Implementation And Measurement Of A 401k Employee Communication Campaign For Checkpoint Systems, Inc. Headquarters Employees To Evaluate Their Understanding Of The Plan, Gina Marie Redrow

Theses and Dissertations

This project evaluates the effectiveness of a 401(k) communications campaign for employees at Checkpoint Systems, Inc. headquarters located in Thorofare, New Jersey.

Information searches for relevant literature were conducted through several databases cataloging books, periodicals, journals and articles. The findings of this literature search identified elements of effective 401(k) communication campaigns. These elements were used as a guide to measure the design of Checkpoint's plan.

Focus groups were conducted with managers and employees to determine their understanding of the plan and obtain feedback to be used as evaluation. The compiled data was analyzed to determine the overall effectiveness of the …

Children With Language Delays Enrolled In Head Start Programs, Laurel A. Hulteng

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Homework Behavior Interventions Used With Learning Disabled Junior High School Students: A Comparative Study, Naomi M. Cressman

Theses and Dissertations

A three phase integrated intervention of study skills and work habits direct instruction, use of a self-monitoring device where all homework information and its completion was recorded, and a modified behavior management using self-selected extrinsic rewards was implemented. The sample for this study was three sixth grade learning disabled students serviced in a resource center. The purpose of this study was to determine which, if any, of these interventions would produce a positive effect in the ability of these students to complete independent tasks. While each of the interventions did bring about an improved homework completion rate, it was determine …

African-American Identity, The Quality Of School Life And Academic Achievement, Michael James Mcintire

Theses and Dissertations

Although some studies have linked educational outcomes to identity status (Francis 1981; Hummel & Roselli 1983), only Taylor, Lasten, Flickinger, Roberts and Fulmore, L.D. (1994) have attempted to link educational outcomes to the racial identity status of minority group members. Given the theorized importance of adequate racial identity development for the future psychological health of minority group members, and the impact of educational achievement in high school on subsequent educational, economic, and social outcomes, the present study is designed to assess the quality of school life and the racial identity of African-American high school students, and to determine the extent …

A Study To Determine The Effects Of Nild Educational Therapy On Standardized Test Results And Classroom Performance, Deborah A. Dower

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if the gains evidenced on standardized tests as a result of intensive intervention using the NILD educational therapy model are reflected in functional classroom performance. Twenty-two students who had been diagnosed as learning disabled and enrolled in the NILD educational therapy program participated in this study. Pre- and post-test measures on standardized tests were compared to determine progress of the students in the NILD program. Report cards were analyzed to determine progress in grade point averages in language and mathematics. In addition, information was gathered through initial test reports and anecdotal records …

The Attention Deficit With Hyperactivity Disorder Handbook For Parents And Teachers: Birth To Age 5, Cheryl Moe-Olson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Reverse Mainstreaming As An Alternative Model For Integration, Colleen E. Garland

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Recruitment Of Partners In Dual-Career Couples As Faculty In Higher Education, Heidi L. Newell

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Student Teaching From A Unique Perspective: Portraits Of Three Student Teachers With Learning Disabilities, Linda M. Holdman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of student teachers with learning disabilities to ascertain if they felt an effect of that disability on their teaching performance. Three student teachers with documented learning disabilities were studied for the duration of a one-semester teaching assignment. The participants, one male and two females, were from different state universities within a two-state region. A profile of each participant was developed from the data and included: descriptive background information; experiences through elementary and secondary school years, college years, and student teaching; and their future plans.

Qualitative research methodology was used in …

A Showcase Of Sanford Meisner's Acting Theory: An Experimentation, Marcie K. Gallagher

Theses and Dissertations

Sanford Meisner's theories of acting are based upon his belief thaf good acting is defined by "living truthfully under imaginary' circumstances" (Meisner 15). However, it seems that his theories are more appropriately applied to realistic texts. In my project I explored the use of Meisner's acting techniques in a non-realistic text, Fickv Stingers, written by Eve Lewis, which 1 directed in a rehearsal process with an ensemble of four actors. This work resulted in a showcase of our work together on February 23, and 24, 1997. In Lewis' play she examines the power relations which encompass the issue of rape. …

A Comparison Of Cognitive Moral Reasoning Among Selected Ncaa Division Ii Intercollegiate Coaches And Athletes, Richard Allan Goeb

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the cognitive moral reasoning of NCAv5 Division II coaches and athletes. The Hahm-Beller Values Choice Inventory (HBVCI) (Hahm, Beller, & Stoll, 1989) was used to assess the perceived responses of collegiate coaches and athletes in moral situations using sport scenarios. Specific comparisons included athletes and coaches, female and male athletes, coaches of female and male sports, individual and team sports among athletes, and individual and team sports among coaches. Secondary research was conducted to compare differences among women’s basketball, women's track, men’s basketball, and men's wrestling.

Twenty-eight sport teams consisting of 56 …

Anatomy Of A Gang Suppression Unit: The Social Construction Of An Organizational Response To Gang Problems, Carol A. Erickson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the institutional response of a mid-sized, Midwestern police department, to a perceived growing problem with youth gang activity. More specifically, this thesis analyzes both individual and organizational level variables which provide justification for the creation and existence of a Gang Suppression Unit. The evolution of the Gang Suppression Unit is traced from both formal and informal constructions of a gang problem, from the perspective of the police.

Data collection consisted of 250 hours of participant observation with both uniformed patrol officers and members of the Gang Suppression Unit, from the Cedar Springs Police Department, as well as …

Effects Of A Visual-Gestural Cuing System On The Reduction Of Phonological Processes In Children With Down Syndrome And Low Speech Intelligibility, Jennifer Barthel

Theses and Dissertations

Down syndrome, or Trisomy 21, is an autosomal dominant chromosomal aberration associated with an extra twenty-first chromosome. Down syndrome causes a variety of physical and cognitive characteristics that make speech and language problems probable Phonology is one such area in which disorders commonly occur for this population As young children acquire the adult sound system, they commonly simplify their productions through the use of phonological processes. Children with Down syndrome use phonological processes for a longer period of time than the typically developing child, often rendering their speech unintelligible.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy …

Sexual Coercion: Factors Associated With Women's Reported Experience Of Verbal Coercion, Sandra Jean Caraway

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Burned Sugar Pie: Women's Cultures In The Literature Of Food, Traci Marie Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Distribution And Success Of Galling Insects On Upland Willow (Salix Humilis) In Itasca State Park, Minnesota, Erik J. Harris

Theses and Dissertations

A comparison was made of the distribution of six galling insects on varying-sized shoots and different ages of their host plant, Salix humilis. Survivorship of the most numerous galler, Iteyomia salicifolia, was used to determine if host use patterns were correlated with galler success. In northern Minnesota, all six gallers were non-randomly distributed among shoots of different length; each occurred at greater numbers than expected on the longest shoots. Two of the six gallers were at higher densities on juvenile ramets of S. humilis, than on mature ones. Densities did not vary between juvenile and mature clones.

A comparison was …

Children's Choice In An Elementary School Classroom: Ownership In The Making, Marci Miller Glessner

Theses and Dissertations

Current educational theory and practice emphasize the importance of children's ownership in the learning process. Ownership evolves from a combination of authentic classroom experiences and student-made choices. Providing students with choices in learning may appear to be a simple task; yet, many educators find it to be daunting. This qualitative study describes one elementary literacy environment and the perception of choice as experienced by the students and the classroom teacher.

The data for this study were collected from a sixth-grade classroom using a fourtiered approach including: classroom observations, student interviews, formal and informal teacher interviews, and the collection of classroom …

Breastfeeding Beliefs, Attitiudes, And Experiences Of Rural Native American Women, Joanne Blue

Theses and Dissertations

Breastfeeding has long been recognized as the preferred method of feeding. There is an increasing awareness of the need to return to traditions and values such as breastfeeding, which has been part of the Indian culture in the past. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to determine the attitudes, beliefs, and experiences of breastfeeding among rural Native American women. Ajzen and Fishbein's (1080) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Leininger’s theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality (1991) guided this study.

This study addressed the following questions: 1) What are the attitudes, beliefs and experiences of native American …

A Comparison Of Scores For Adults With Aphasia On The Western Aphasia Battery And Ratings On The Functional Assessment Of Communcation Skills For Adults, Sarah Ranum-Ravnaas

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine for adults with aphasia the relationship between scores on the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) and ratings on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Functional Assessment of Communication Skids for Adults (ASHA FACS).

Sixteen subjects who had previously incurred a left cerebral vascular accident participated in this study including seven adults with nonfluent aphasia and nine adults with fluent aphasia. Each subject was administered the WAB and rated on the ASHA FACS within a two week period in 1997. Subjects ranged in jage from 60 to 91 years with a mean age of 78.44 years. …