Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Altitude On Short Term Memory, Cathy J. Bartholomew

Theses and Dissertations

Previous work has documented that cognitive deficits were observed in subjects tested at high altitudes (15,000 ft to 25,000 ft). Controversy remains as to whether cognitive deficits are observed at altitudes below 15,000 ft. The present study focused on this controversy, looking at the effects of moderate altitudes, 12,500 ft and 15,000 ft, on short term memory and compared them to a control altitude of 2,000 ft. Subjects were 72 students and instructors from the Department of Aviation Sciences at the University of North Dakota. After a series of pretests, including the Vocabulary Subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, …

The Relationship Between Observation And Total Aircraft And Simulator Training Times In Aviation Instruction, Scott P. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This study takes an initial examination of the paired student flight training methodology used by the Aviation Department of the University of North Dakota's Center for Aerospace Sciences from the standpoint of observational learning. An analysis was performed on the relationship between observation time and total flight and simulator time logged by students in the completion of particular flight courses. The study involved student flight records from four flight courses ranging from primary to advanced pilot training, over a time period from the Fall of 1994 to the Spring of 1996.

It was found that only one of the relationships …

The Role Of The Principal In The Transition From A Graded To Nongraded Elementary School, Claudia O. Johannesson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Middle School Language-Related Risk Indicators Of A High School Dropout, Joan M. Shaw

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Male Involvement In Early Intervention For Young Children With Special Needs Both In Home And Inclusive School Settings, Cheryl Leigh Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Service Learning In The North Dakota Middle School Bridges Project, Theresa Kathryn Weigel

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Developmental Taxonomy And Distribution Of Paralarval Squid From The Florida Current, Carrie Leeonne Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Distribution patterns of paralarval squid across the continental shelf of Florida were examined based on five years of collections. Squid occurrence patterns were described in relation to coastal, intermediate, and Florida Current (Gulf Stream) water masses by comparing horizontal and vertical distribution patterns of squid species to physical-chemical distribution patterns Twenty-six squid taxa were collected in this study. Representative taxonomic descriptions and illustrations of all taxa were produced to serve as an identification aid for the paralarval squid from the Florida shelf. Patterns of species composition among stations were analyzed with cluster analysis based on four sampling approaches. Species distribution …

A Comparison Of Two Pre-Referral Intervention Committees, Tammy L. Kouser

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to descriptively analyze two pre-referral intervention committees in a New Jersey suburban school district. The committee is also labeled Pupil Assistance Committee (PAC).

The sample was the two committees observed by the researcher. Questionnaires were also filled out by referral teachers to suggest effectiveness of the committees. The referral teachers vary in age and sex.

This study yielded the following findings: the make up of the committees were very similar, the format of the two committees greatly differed, the number of interventions and time spent on students varied between schools, the effectiveness suggested by …

Annotated Bibliography Of Asian Literature, Lisa Brownback

Theses and Dissertations

Many changes have happened in the world. One change is the growing curiosity of other cultures. One way to learn about other cultures is through literature. The purpose of this thesis is to present an annotated bibliography of Asian literature for the public library. Since Asia covers a large area, this thesis will only view literature from India, China, and Japan.

Two public libraries, two college libraries, and reference books were examined to get an impression of books that should be in a public library. To be able to pick constantly the best books, a library needs a selection policy. …

A Study To Determine The Effectiveness Of Computer Assisted Instruction In The Basic Mathematics High School Curriculum, Karen S. Osborne

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of computer assisted instruction in the basic mathematics high school curriculum.

A 31 day study took place using a population of 25 9th grade basic mathematics students from Washington Township High School. These 25 students were split into two samples. The two samples tested were a control group consisting of 12 students who received the traditional lecture-oriented instruction, with assign-study-recite a common procedure and innovation and experimentation minimal. The experimental group consisted of 13 students who received the traditional lecture oriented instruction along with CAI. Each sample was given a …

The Effects Of A Cross-Age Peer Tutoring Read Aloud Program On Learning Disabled Resource Room Students, Jeffery G. Wellington

Theses and Dissertations

Preventing school failure of special education students is an issue of immense proportion. Apart from academic needs, many special education students have needs in other areas such as improved self esteem, social skills and behavior that far outweigh the needs of regular education students. This study was designed to investigate the effects of a cross-age peer tutoring read aloud program on sixteen fifth and sixth grade learning resource room students. The subjects' self concept, behavior, discipline referral rate and absenteeism rate were examined in a pre/post intervention design. The subjects were required to tutor by reading aloud to third grade …

The Impact Of Interscholastic Activity Program Participation On Self-Concept, Melanie L. Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

Self-concept is one of the most important constructs in an individual's life. It is the backbone of personal development. The purpose of the present study is to determine whether adolescent students participating in an interscholastic athletic program (basketball) accomplish more substantial gains in self-concept than their non-participant peers. The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS:2) was used to assess the baseline data of 40 high school students. Twenty of the students composed the non-active control group, while 20 students composed the experimental, active group. After a ten-week interval, post-test data was gathered. Although results differed based on individual scores, on the average, …

Significant Factors Contributing To The Successful Inclusion Of Students With Moderate To Severe Disabilities Into General K-2 Classrooms, Bonni Rubin-Sugarman

Theses and Dissertations

Since 1975 a federal law has made the local school district responsible for the education of ALL children living within its geographical boundaries, This law, originally known as the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142), and now known as IDEA or The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, guarantees that children with disabilities will have a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. This free and appropriate public education would afford children with disabilities the opportunity, to the maximum extent possible, to be educated in their neighborhood school alongside their non-disabled peers.

The purpose of this …

A Compilation Of Modifications And Accommodations Used By Regular Education Teachers In An Inclusion Program, Susan F. Mcnally

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compile a list of modifications and accommodations regular education teachers use in their classrooms to help classified students succeed in an inclusion setting. Data were collected using a questionnaire, observations, and interviews with teachers in kindergarten through grade six (with grade five omitted). Fourteen regular education teachers in two school districts, representing four elementary schools, participated in this study. Data were compiled in four areas: (1) classroom demographics; (2) teacher education; (3) specific modifications and accommodations used by teachers; and (4) specific teacher needs for future inclusion settings, Information was presented in the …

A Comparison Of Special Needs Children's Development Of Letter Naming And Letter-Phoneme Production In A Traditional And A Whole Language Classroom, June M. Mosher

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared the gains made in recognition and naming of the 21 consonant letters of the alphabet as well as production of the phonemes to the letters by two special needs groups of children from the ages of five to ten. One group of seven students received instruction in a traditional class, with the teacher presenting one letter of the alphabet per week. The second group of eleven students was taught in a whole language class, with an emphasis on reading and writing without isolated instruction in individual letters. The children were pretested in October, 1996 and posttested in …

A Study To Integrate The History Of Mathematics Into The Geometry Curriculum, Karen M. Laszecki

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to integrate the history of mathematics into those topics found in a high school geometry curriculum and to determine the current extent of this integration During the last decade, the History in Mathematics in Education Conference (1990) and the History and Pedagogy of Mathematics Newsletter (1992) are examples of recent efforts to use the history of mathematics as an integral part of the curriculum.

Fifty-one teachers from forty high schools in southeastern Pennsylvania responded to the History of Mathematics in the Classroom questionnaire, which was developed from a review of literature. Geometry teachers rated …

A Study To Determine The Rate Of Participation Of Special Education Students In Extracurricular Activities And Factors Inhibiting Their Participation, Lyn Vetter

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared special education students who join extracurricular activities versus those that do not join, and identified factors that inhibit participation in the various extracurricular activities that are offered. Twenty special education students at the seventh and eighth grade levels enrolled in the Mullica Township Middle School were interviewed individually during their study hall period to determine the extent of their participation in extracurricular activities. Their responses were recorded and analyzed to determine the rate of participation. The groups were then divided into participants and non-participants and responses were content analyzed. Results showed that the majority of the sample …

Utilizing Creative Movement To Enrich The Growth And Development Of Preschool Handicapped Children, Sandra R. Barnett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether exposure to a creative dance instructional program would promote growth in the areas of language development and motor skills with preschool handicapped children. Eight youngsters were selected to serve as an experimental group while eight others served as a control group receiving no formal instruction.

The Learning Accomplishment Profile (LAP) and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales and Activity Cards Test and a Help Checklist served to assess levels before and after the program of instruction.

The results of the study indicated that growth in receptive and expressive language development as well …

A Study To Determine Whether Students Using The Sra Spelling Mastery Program Will Learn To Spell More Words As Compared To Students Utilizing The Graham And Freeman Strategy, Brian Shakespeare

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to determine if the use of the SRA Spelling Mastery Program with emotionally disturbed students would increase the amount of words they could spell as compared to similar students who utilized the Graham and Freeman five step study strategy. All the students in the study have been described as having attentional difficulties. After the completion of the placement test, intervention was begun. Intervention consisted of one hundred words selected from the SRA Spelling Mastery Program. Both the SRA and the Graham group had weekly spelling tests consisting of the same ten words. Unit tests …

A Survey Of Attitudes Toward The Proposed New Jersey Special Education Administrative Code Revisions, Michael W. Gasky

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the reaction of teachers to five proposals for reforming special education. These proposals include the achievement of the Core Curriculum Content Standards, inclusion of exceptional students in state and districtwide assessments, child study team revisions, classification changes, notice reduction, and the redefining of consent. A fifteen closed-ended question survey with five Likert-type rating scale optional answers was developed. Seventy-three graduate students in education participated in this study. The categorical data was illustrated through charts, graphs, and crossbreak tables. Survey analysis revealed that 52% supported the policy proposals, 35.9% were in opposition, 11.2% indicated no opinion, and 0.9% …

The Effect Of A Word Processing Program On Secondary Students With Mild Learning Disabilities In Essay Composition As Compared With Essays Produced Using Paper And Pencil, Donna J. Ewing

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of computer based word processing versus paper and pencil in essay composition. This study used a repeated measure and an alternating treatment design to compare student performance in constructing essays under two experimental conditions a.) using a computer based word processor and b.) using paper and pencil. Analysis of error rate and measure for each student indicated varied improvements under the computer condition for composition length, length of sentences, grammatically correct sentences, paragraph development, content area, composing time, misspellings, and grammatical errors. Participants included twenty-five secondary students with mild learning disabilities.

The …

A Comparison Of Self-Concepts Of Children Placed In A Pull-Out, Resource Center Versus An In-Class Support Model, Stephanie A. Scafario

Theses and Dissertations

Since inclusion is becoming a popular practice in many schools, its effects on children with learning disabilities must be considered. A child's self-concept is an important factor which often influences his success in academic, social, and emotional domains. Therefore, the effect that placement in a full day, in-class support classroom has on students with learning disabilities was investigated. A sample of 28 students with the classifications of perceptually impaired or neurologically impaired from grades 3, 4, and 5 participated in the study. Two groups were studied. One group received special education services through in-class support classrooms, while the other group …

The Development Of Grading Procedures For Students With Educational Disabilities Attending Regular Education Classes, Kathleen Sharp Sweeder

Theses and Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act states that children with disabilities must be educated, to the maximum extent possible and appropriate, in the regular education setting with non-handicapped children. The purpose of this study was to develop grading procedures for students with educational disabilities who attend regular education classes. Current district policies, the teachers' procedures for grading students, and the best practices presented in literature were investigated. Is grading students with educational disabilities in the regular education setting a concern for teachers? Should this school district develop a grading policy for students with educational disabilities? A teacher questionnaire was developed …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Whole Language Instructional Approach In Stimulating Emergent Literacy Development Among At-Risk Kindergarten Students, Eileen C. Baxter

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a whole language instructional approach as a means of stimulating the emergent literacy development of kindergarten students determined to be "at risk." Meaningful growth on reliable observation surveys would indicate a possible correlation between the use of whole language instructional techniques and emergent literacy development.

A review of the literature indicates that young children acquire emergent literacy concepts and skills most efficaciously when they are immersed in a print-rich environment in which a variety of forms and functions are used in meaningful activities.

The study consisted of thirty students …

Making The Transition: Fixed To Flexible Scheduling In Elementary School Media Centers, Karen L. Enggren, Mary P. Henderson

Theses and Dissertations

Because of dissatisfaction with their programs, two Manchester Township elementary school library media specialists made a change from fixed scheduling to flexible scheduling in their media centers, This project relates the step-by-step process used to make the transformation. Extensive research was conducted and utilized to support the change and to gain endorsement from the administration. Curriculum revision, including the restructuring of research skills, was the next part of the transition. The implementation of the program was a slow, steady process which relied on cooperative planning and the support of the teachers. The last part of this paper includes evaluation and …

Practical Applications Of The Internet As A Research Tool For Students In Grades K-8, Mary Moyer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to illustrate practical applications of the Internet as a research tool for students in grades K-8 at Logan Township Elementary School in Swedesboro, NJ, through a multimedia presentation. While there are many educational uses of the Internet for students, this study focused on E-Mail and research capabilities. Specific Internet projects that were incorporated into the elementary curriculum are highlighted and explored through HyperStudio, a multimedia computer software program. Text and graphics describing and illustrating the practical applications of the Internet, along with audio clips with student and teacher comments detailing the benefits to the …

Instructional Lessons For Online Circulation Through The Use Of A Local Area Network In The School Library Media Center, Michael Shea Dennison

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper was to provide the researcher with the opportunity to develop valuable experience and knowledge regarding local area networks in school library media centers.

The researcher focused on the following areas: (1) school visitations to observe and acquire hands-on experiences on how local area networks are used in school and library media center situations, (2) an analysis of the researcher's individual library media center to conduct a comparison of the districts that school visitations took place in order to determine what is necessary to further develop a more adequate local area network, (3) the design and …

African American Children's Literature: Past And Present, Annie L. Freeman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines and analyzes the history of African American children's literature, which began in the 1890s, and highlighted negative stories written by whites about African Americans. It progresses to the 1990s, and highlights warm, rich, stories with similar background experiences, written by and about African Americans.

This thesis discusses the lack of African American children's literature, and the difficulty in finding it in quantities: in libraries, bookstores, or book reviews.

Because of the lack of cultural literature in abundance for African American children, social portraits experienced by African American children in children's literature are generally representative of those expressed …

Integrating Multicultural Literature Into The Curriculum At Pyne Poynt Family School, Camden, New Jersey, Corlette Mays

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis documents the importance of multicultural literature in educational environments and provides strategies for implementing the literature into the curriculum. Without the knowledge and the background of what's available in this particular genre and how it can used effectively, integration of materials into the curriculum cannot occur.

The African American and Hispanic American bibliographies were developed from the materials in the Pyne Poynt Family School Library to be used as teaching tools for the staff when developing resource based units of instruction and assignments. With this awareness, usage of the multicultural materials in the collection should increase over a …

A Survey Of Employers Of Persons With Moderate Mental Retardation And Review Of A Vocational Curriculum, Nancy A. Armbruster

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine the vocational skills employers of persons with moderate mental retardation required for successful employment and to evaluate the vocational curriculum at Burlington County Special Services School to determine if those same skills were being implemented. There was wide agreement regarding the importance of vocational education and the need for employers to provide information concerning skills needed for successful employment.

The methodology employed in this project consisted of interviewing five employers of individuals with moderate mental retardation. A questionnaire was administered to determine the skills employers felt were important for schools to teach. …