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Examining The Effectiveness Of Strategies To Improve Enrollment And Increase Financial Stability At The College Of Our Lady Of The Elms, Sister Nora Harrington

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The Strategic Plan of the College of Our Lady of the Sims, known as Elms Plan, 1986-1990, as seven objectives with appropriate strategies associated with each objective. The purpose of this Major Applied Research Project was to examine the effectiveness of the strategies to improve enrollment and to increase financial stability. The specific research questions considered were: 1. How can past problems (or inadequacies) in student enrollment and retention best be resolved for the College of Our Lady of the Elms? 2. What does the current literature reveal about the issues related to the Major Applied Research Project? 3. What …

A Program To Prepare Parents Isolated From Parenting Role Models For Appropriate Developmental Interaction With Infants And Toddlers, Jane K. Harris

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Because of demographic factors, care givers enrolled in park district infant and toddler programs appeared isolated from parenting role models. A need existed to provide parent education and resource material without detracting from the established purpose of the course.

The author designed and implemented a modification to a series of five, eight-week classes based on a demand-driven model which established the teacher as a resource person for parenting skills in addition to responsibility for the primary curriculum subject matter. Without diverting significant class time from the motor skills oriented classes, the program fostered interaction among the parents and caregivers in …

Development Of An In-Service Training Program Designed To Increase Management Skills Of Child Care Center Directors, Jan H. Martinec

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Due to a lack of management knowledge and experience, center directors encounter many problems that they are not prepared to handle. The problems increase stress that contribute to director burnout. The lack of business knowledge coupled with increased stress, hinder directors’ efforts to provide a quality early childhood program.

The author designed and implemented an in-service training program which presented basic management skill information necessary to the success of directors as managers of personnel. The in-service program consisted of a series of three train sessions. Six concepts were developed in the sessions. The concepts presented were: leadership style, personality types, …

Improving The Performance Of Social Workers During Multi-Disciplinary Team Case Reviews Of Delinquent Adolescents Through Public Posting And Verbal Feedback, Vincent J. Carbone

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The social workers at the project site delivered services to welfare clients using a specialization model. This delivery model led to fragmented and haphazard services to clients. Such an approach did little to ensure the client's success in breaking the chains and cycles of poverty and becoming self-sufficient.

The author designed and implemented a strategy/ to prepare the social workers to begin the first phase of a transition from program component specialists to case managers. Case managers who help their clients to recognize and assist their clients to Overcome ail barriers to self-sufficiency. Strategy implementation began with the very basic …

Improve The Teacher’S Use Of Critical-Thinking Skills In The Elementary School Classroom Through In-Service Training And Teacher, Susan S. Sperrazza

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Many teachers et this elementary school considered Critical thinking skills as  a separate subject and assumed them to be on I y a part of the gifted curriculum. As a result critical thinking skills were not being integrated on a daily basis in the regular elementary classroom.

Thie practicum proposed to eliminate the problem through ln-service training and teacher application of critical -thinking skills in the elementary classroom. There were seven sessions in which the writer trained the teacher on using graphic organizers. Effective questioning techniques. the Inductive model. and the integrative model. After each session the teachers applied and …

Intervention Strategies To Improve Behavior Of Children With Severe Discipline Problems, Carol Rosenbaum

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum aimed to reduce the severely disruptive behavior of problematic children. It also attempted to provide alternative behavior structures in the classroom, and to increase comfort levels of teachers when handling these “acting cut" children.

Twelve counseling sessions were designed to teach alternative forms of behavior. Children were shown different techniques for management and control of their own behaviors. Modeling and coping mechanisms were also used. Children were given reinforcement for progress displayed during the practicum. In addition. parents and teachers were involved. Data was collected before and after the duration of the counseling sessions. Checklists and questionnaires developed …

Development Of An Adoption Agency As Supplement To Current Services Of A Residential Group Care Facility, William E. Painter Jr

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The shortage of adoptive parents trained and prepared to successfully parent sexually abused children to youth indicated a need for this residential group care facility to develop a proposal for the addition of a specialized adoption agency as an adjunct to current agency services.

The author developed a proposal for the addition of a specialized adoption agency based upon extensive research and a needs assessment of referral sources. The plan for the addition of the adoption agency was therefore based upon not only the agency's own experience in placement of the graduates of its preparation for adoption program, but also …

Development Of A Staff Training Program In A Residential Treatment Center For Abused And Neglected Children Ages, Allen F. Nelson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Because no effective staff Training program existed at the residential treatment center to  on issues of severe behavioral management, legal requirements in disciplining residents and emergency procedures, the treatment center and the staff are at risk of legal action should an inappropriate incident occur.

The author developed and conducted a series of five training sessions, which has resulted In the adoption of these sessions into the ongoing in-service training conducted for the treatment center staff, the author has identified five areas of primary concern as expressed by the treatment center director of programs and the supervisor of residential programs. There …

The Development Of Standing Committees For The Board Of Directors Of A Non-Profit Agency, Stanley L. Pryor

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

An effective board of directors is crucial to a nonprofit agency. The effectiveness of the board of directors depends on its organization and its ability to use its resources. Standing committees are the major resource available to boards of directors. However, ineffective development and utilization of standing communities can result in a number of problems.

The author examines the problems that a nonprofit agency encounters when expanding committees were not organized and utilized correctly. A step-by-step procedure was designed and implemented to develop and maintain a variety of standing committees. The procedures consisted of seven steps: defining the problem and …

Training A Management Team In Cooperative Grant Writing In A Christian Residential Treatment Program For Behaviorally And/Or Emotionally Disturbed Youth Ages 10-18, Jeannie Volker

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Because of a significant reduction in income from one funding source, it became necessary for the child care agency to look for other sources of income. By expanding the funding base, the child care agency would improve their financial stability and program longevity.

The author found grants to be a good source of income available to not-for-profit corporations. Grant funds would be an additional funding base for the child care agency, although grant applications seemed complicated. Literature encouraged agency staff to write their own proposals and comment language.

A grant application was submitted to the agency for funding as the …

Supporting First Graders’ Growth As Writers Through Whole-Language Strategies, Diana Deshazo Hyde

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum sought to increase the opportunities first-grade students have to write for real, human reasons and in natural circumstances. They were to use writing as a natural and acceptable outlet for expression and to conceive their writing as an extension of themselves.

This practicum sought to increase the opportunities first-grade students have to write for real, human reasons and in natural circumstances. They were to use writing as a natural and acceptable outlet for expression and to conceive their writing as an extension of themselves.Each day, a name was drawn to take home a stuffed bear which served as …

Instituting Staff Training In A Large Child Care Center Through Development Of A Personalized Orientation Plan, Gail Shreders

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Due to insufficient time and resources, there was a lack of consistent personalized orientation and training at the child care center. Staff needed to learn appropriate methods of child management as well as routines and other responsibilities at the center. Information was collected from the staff in order to determine their needs concerning the delivery of in-service education.

The author designed and implemented a 10-week orientation which consisted of six main topics of staff development. The delivery of information to new employees was mostly through on-the-job training provided by mentors. The author supervised the mentors and the new employees. Individuals …

Increasing School-Aged Mentally Handicapped Students’ Acquisition Of Work Skills Through Instructor And Student Training And Incentives, Jacques P. Jamner

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Increasing the success rate for competitive workshop placement for mentally handicapped students was the focus of the practicum. Through the use of behavior management training of teachers, social skills training of the students, and various reinforcement techniques, 8 out of 8 mentally handicapped students were able to maintain their employment placements. The teachers, supervisors received 20 hours of in-service training. The mentally handicapped students received 10 hours of social skills training and on-site monitoring. To improve generalization, the students were given small group instruction with role-playing exercises to acquire the social skills required to be successful in their jobs. The …

Increasing Affective And Academic Performance Of Ninth Grade Emotionally Handicapped Students Through A Peer Assistance Team Program, Barry W. Birnbaum

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to increase the affective skills and academic competence of students enrolled in a high school program for exceptional student education. Dropout prevention was also addressed as a possible result of no intervention.

The writer developed and administered a needs survey which documented that students were unable to develop effective relationships outside of the ESE classroom. Parents were also asked to complete a survey identifying social interactions of their children while at home. Teachers were asked to complete a survey indicating the number of ESE students who were passing their classes and the interactions with other students …

Developing A Peer Assisted Substance Abuse Program For Early Adolescents, Robert M. Bourgeois

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to reduce the level of alcohol and drug abuse among the early adolescents at the writer's school. The major objectives were to foster a greater sense of personal caution in the lives of the students, to teach specific decision-making skills, to develop student-created models for healthy lifestyles, and to have students identify a personal reduction in substance abuse as a result of participation in the program.

The writer developed needs assessment surveys and administered them to students and to the school's peer helpers, analyzed the results, and examined possible solutions to the problem. Among the proposed …

Promoting Literacy Development Of First Graders Through The Implementation Of A Process Writing Program, Gayal N. Cathcart

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This project was designed to change traditional methods of writing instruction, which had not been effective in meeting the developmental needs of first-grade children. Four goals were selected to address this problem. The first goal was of changing the character of first-grade writing instruction so that emphasis was primarily placed upon content and stimulating the imagination rather than on the mechanics of writing. This was met through the establishment of writing centers in first-grade classrooms. The second goal of providing children with extended writing opportunities, usually a variety of writing forms and audiences, was met through a home writing plan. …

Increasing Social Competence In Kindergarten And First Grade Children Through Modeling And Practice In A Self-Motivating Play Group, Michael P. Ferrentino

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum report describes methods used to increase prosocial behavior and positive peer interaction among kindergarten and first grade students through participation in a self-motivating playgroup. Five students attend daily play sessions in place of outdoor recess time, in which participation included planning cooperative activities, following them through, and reviewing their involvement.

The solution strategy was designed to include a participating teacher who facilitated play and guided students through pertinent intervention strategies during each videotaped play session. Students were shown their inappropriate behaviors through video playback, which was succeeded by instruction and modeling of appropriate behaviors. After practicing the modeled …

Modifying Negative Attitudes Toward Reading Of Eighth Grade Literature Students Through An Individualized Reading Program, Cynthia J. Johnston

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to provide a setting where negative attitudes towards reading in some eighth-grade literature students would be modified. The first goal of this practicum was that members of the eighth-grade literature class would have regular opportunities for successful experiences in reading, since reading for enjoyment usually means having a positive attitude towards reading. A second goal for this practicum was that members of the eighth-grade reading class will enjoy reading this year.

The author presented an individualized reading program as the curriculum for the eighth-grade literature class. Students chose their own reading materials and read during and …

Utilizing Individual Inservice Training Packets For Staff Development With Community-Based Instruction For Severely And Profoundly Handicapped Students (K-12), Pat Kissire

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to improve the skills of the personnel working with students with severe and/or profound handicaps in junior high school to improve staff development and to increase the consistency of services offered in the community-based instruction program K - 12. The primary goal was to increase the skill level of personnel in areas specific to the unique needs of students involved in community-based instruction. A secondary goal was to offer the same training to all personnel regardless of their length of employment to improve the consistency of programming.

The writer administered an assessment survey to certified and …

Increasing Business And Parental Involvement In Grades Four Through Seven By Forming Partnerships Between The School And Local Businesses, Kay S. Hinson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to improve the educational experience of students in grades 4 -7 by increasing the involvement of local businesses and parents in the total education of the students. Because middle grade students have very little experience or understanding of the business world in which they will function more and more as they grow older, it was decided that local businesses would be solicited to form partnerships with the school.

The writer determined a need for increased business and parental involvement for students in grades 4 - 7 based upon teacher input, the State Department of Education's emphasis, …

Improving Academic Motivation In Seventh Grade Students Through Staff Development For Teachers, Donald Graham Mobley

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum addresses the problem of low academic motivation in seventh-grade students. Many exerted little effort to achieve success in school, less than half completed homework, studied, or participated regularly in class activities. Only one-third of all seventh-grade students exhibited overall high academic motivation.

Motivation is an important factor in the process of learning. Therefore, the first goal of this practicum was that students in the seventh grade would improve their academic motivation. The second goal was that teachers of these students would have an increased knowledge base covering causes of motivational problems and teaching strategies for the prevention and …

An Alternative Education Program To Create Successful Learning For The Middle School Child At-Risk, Judith Marged

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to provide a positive experience for at-risk students. The primary goal was to increase the self-esteem, motivation, and interest of students, thereby improving their grades. A second aim was to increase parental involvement in their child's education.

The writer observed students and administrated questionnaires to them. After accessing their needs, contracts between teacher and student were prepared in the forms of dispensing the following fulfillment of the contracts to students also received counseling, individual attention to reading and self-esteem enhancement classes, field trips, and cooperative learning projects were additional components of the program. Students, teachers, and …

Improving Congruency Of Resources/Activities/Assessment In Intermediate-Level Language Arts Programs With Current Knowledge Of Literacy Development, Anne F. Luckhart

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to improve the consistency of resources, activities, and assessment strategies in intermediate-level language arts programs with a holistic, process-oriented perspective of literacy development. The first goal was to implement literature-based programs in several classes. The second goal was to nurture lifelong reading habits by improving students' attitudes towards and interest in reading and increasing the number of books read. The final aim was to foster among intermediate-level teachers a commitment to a holistic approach to literacy development and to instructional practices congruent with this perspective.

The writer, in collaboration with several teachers, helped to implement literature-based …

Increasing Fourth Grade Math Achievement By Using Improved Instructional Strategies, Hui Fang Huang Angie Su

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The writer designed and implemented a math program to increase motivation and self-confidence of fourth grade students in math achievement. The writer's objectives were to increase the number of students displaying mastery of the timetables, increase the number of students making a gain on a math post-test, and increase the number of students liking mathematics.

The writer administers math attitude questionnaires and math pretests on basic math skills to determine the student's attitude toward math and to determine the student's performance level, mental math activities, math games, design contests, in-class competitions, grade-level competitions, computers, calculators, systematic reviews, student-teacher interaction, and …

Developing An Action Learning Approach To Teaching Science To Kindergarten Students In A Marine Wetlands Environment, Jeanne Mills

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to introduce kindergarten students to marine science through a hands-on process approach in a wetland environment. The primary goal was to immerse young children in science through active experimental learning rather than secondhand knowledge. The second aim was to offer young children the opportunity to study the wetlands and to see firsthand how fragile the world's ecosystems are so that they may realize the importance of maintaining them.

After the writer verified the need for this type of learning through surveys, she researched the literature, wrote her curriculum, created a teaching book, developed accompanying activities, held …

Nurturing Children’S Literacy Through The Establishment Of A Community-Funded Preschool Lending Library And An In-Home Family Reading Program, Susan Fay Ryan

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The writer designed the practicum to solve the problem as stated. Preschoolers attending a weekly full-time daycare program needed more exposure to children's literature in order for their literacy development to be properly nourished. The first goal sought to ensure that books and literacy experiences become more available for children off-site at the preschool. The second goal centered around increasing individualized reading nurturing time for children in their homes by providing families with opportunities for shared reading experiences. A third goal aimed toward involving the community in assisting with preschoolers' literacy development.

To solve the problem, the writer/practitioner solicited the …

Improving Student Learning In Content Areas Through An Inter-Departmental Study Skills Program Promoting Structural Notemaking Strategies, Gordon Turner

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to provide a repertoire of thinking strategies to assist early adolescents in developing lifelong learning concepts. The primary goal was to implement a study skill program to promote a variety of basic organizational skills and contemporary note-taking techniques. Another important goal was to foster collaborative perspective among subject disciplines in teaching study skill techniques essential to this team focus on advocacy. Art on advocating basic processing principles across the curriculum was the systematic teaching of an array of systematic, structured note-making strategies to assist students in organizing, personalizing, streamlining, and/or synthesizing information from textual reading.

The …

Computer Education For Teachers Of Young Children: A Developmentally-Based Training Module, Dale Shipley

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to solve a problem related to the provision of a computer training component for students enrolled in an early childhood education teacher training program. Increasing pressures on graduates of the training program to integrate computers and educational software into programs for young children, as well as the students' interest in developing computer skills specifically related to early childhood education, made it necessary to design a computer training module which could be integrated into existing classroom hours in a tightly scheduled training program.

The writer surveyed the students in the training program in order to determine previous …

Improving Educational Advising Services For Lower Division Students At Western Kentucky University., Fred B. Buys

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this project was to conduct a formative evaluation of academic advising practices and relationships at Western Kentucky University. The case study process was utilized as a problem solving method to determine the academic advising needs of lower division students, to identify current academic advising practices, and to develop strategies for dealing with unmet advising needs to improve retention at Western Kentucky University.

Answers were sought through eight research questions designed to provide information about existing advising needs, the kind and/or type of advising as currently done, the kind and/or type of advising environment that should exist to …

A Study Of Psychologists’ And Social Workers’ Values And Roles And Design Of A Model Staff Development Plan, John A. Lucero

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this research project was to explore psychologists and social workers' views and roles within their community mental health organization and professional organizations. The study was to address how the psychologists and social workers' adaptive skills were valued to support the organization in how this adaptation or adjustment affects the individuals' job performance.

We surveyed localized to measure respondents' commitment to community mental health organizations and to his or her profession. The data were collected through a mailed questionnaire to 185 psychologists and 125 social workers and equals to 110 Kansas community mental health organizations. Returned usable questionnaires …