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A Study Of The Perceptions Of Parents In Sacramento County Who Choose Home Schooling For Their Children, Elizabeth Louise Knopf

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to (1) investigate the reasons parents in Sacramento County choose home schooling for their child(ren); (2) describe selected characteristics of the parents; (3) describe selected characteristics of their child(ren); (4) describe the educational programs used in the home schools; (5) describe the perceptions home schooling parents have of local public school administrators; and (6) describe the commitment these parents have to home schooling. Method. A mailed questionnaire was used to collect data. The population used in this study was 117 families who either filed a private school affidavit with the Sacramento County Office …

An Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of A Saturday School Program In Reducing The Rate Of Truancy Among Ninth And Tenth Grade Habitually Truant Students, Robert Howard Bell

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study was undertaken as an empirical investigation to determine whether the rate of truancy, grade point averages and attitudes toward school of habitually truant ninth and tenth grade students were affected after the student's participation in a mandatory Saturday School Program. Subjects were habitually truant ninth and tenth grade students chosen from two selected schools within the Whittier Union High School District in Whittier, California. Of the total sample of 130 students, a total of 55 students participated in a traditional (control) Saturday School Program and 75 students participated in an experimental Saturday School Program. Comparisons were drawn between …

Comprehension Of Extended Narrative Text: The Role Of Spontaneous Mental Imagery While Reading Or Listening, Marilyn Anne Winzenz

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

To investigate the cognitive processes involved in language comprehension, this research examined the role of naturally occurring mental imagery in facilitating college students' understanding of lengthy narrative prose. During hour-long individual interviews, 40 undergraduates read silently or listened to a 1700 word short story. Subjects were asked to free recall as much as they could of the story and to answer higher level comprehension questions which involved verbal reasoning strategies such as inference and drawing conclusions regarding character development and motivation, theme, plot, and personal relevance. Subjects were also asked to describe the mental images they experienced, if any, and …

First Language Instruction And Second Language Acquisition Among Spanish Speaking High School Students: A Case Study, Dolores Villarreal Del Barco

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This case-study had as its principal focus the applicability of James Cummins' theory of developmental interdependence in language acquisition to secondary age students. This theory postulates that, for younger children, the development and strengthening of the first language can ultimately lead to a more rapid and efficient acquisition of the second. The study set out to test the hypothesis that secondary age Limited English Proficient (LEP) students who receive Primary Language Arts instruction demonstrate higher levels of English acquisition than do comparable students who do not receive this instruction. The primary language of the students was Spanish. A quasi-experimental research …

San Joaquin County Teachers' Perceptions Of Collective Bargaining, Richard Kent Rogers

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose of the study. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions teachers in California's San Joaquin County have regarding collective bargaining. The problem. To determine to what extent teachers perceive that collective bargaining has had an affect upon wages, working conditions, communications, and morale. Furthermore, to determine to what extent teachers support statewide collective bargaining. In addition, to determine if teachers' perceptions of collective bargaining vary based on the number of years taught, gender, grade level taught, and current level of association involvement. Methodology. The research was descriptive in nature and employed a survey questionnaire which consisted …

Social Judgment Research Applied Toward Estimating Factors Relevant To Dui Offenders' Intentions To Drink And Drive: A Factorial Survey Approach, Daniel Elvin Dunlap

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was fourfold: (1) to measure the extent to which select circumstances weighed in driving-under-the-influence (DUI) offenders' intentions to drive after drinking; (2) to assess the impact of formal sanction, informal sanction, and moral inhibition with respect to intentions to drive after drinking; (3) to investigate the likelihood of each of fourteen rationalizations to represent a justification to drive after drinking; and (4) to examine possible associations between DUI offender characteristics and the factors indicated above. The offender characteristics of age, prior DUI offenses, and motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol were statistically significant, yet showed negligible …

The Effects Of Word Processing And Two Common Instructional Methods On The Essay Revisions Of Twelfth Grade Students, Jon Louis Walther

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Statement of the problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interaction between two common instructional methods--the use of editing questions and the use of models--and word processing in the revisions of twelfth-grade students. This study addressed the following questions: Will students' revisions of analytical essays be significantly affected by the used of word processing? Will students' revisions be significantly affected by the use of editing questions or writing models? And will there be a significant interaction between instructional method and computer use? Methods. A sample of 33 twelfth-grade students wrote four essays under four different conditions: word …

The Southern Baptist Children's Choir Curricula From 1941 Through 1985 And Influences Of Major Music Education Trends Upon The Curricula., Susan Kitts Messer

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Beginning in 1941 with the inception of the Church Music Department of the Southern Baptist Convention and continuing through 1985 with the publication of a set of curriculum texts, this study presents a history of the Southern Baptist children's choir curricula by describing the background development and content of each of the curriculum books, periodicals, and supplementary materials published during these years. Following the history of the development of the curricula, influences of major music education trends upon the curricula are discussed. The history of the development of the curricula is organized by periods: the organizational years of the Southern …

The Memory Representation Of Motor Skills: A Test Of Schema Theory., Craig John Chamberlin

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Currently, the pre-eminent model of central representation for motor skills is embodied in Schmidt's schema theory of discrete motor skill learning (Schmidt, 1975). Two experiments are reported here that contrast predictions from a schema abstraction model that is the basis for schema theory to those from a specific exemplar model of motor skill memory representation. In both experiments, subjects performed 300 trials per day of 3 variations of a 3-segment timing task over 4 days of acquisition. The subjects then either immediately transferred to 4 novel variations of the same task (Experiment 1) that varied in degree of environmental similarity …

Music Preference: A Comparison Of Verbal Opinions And Behavioral Intentions Of Selected High School Students., Karen O'Neal Graffius

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of the study was to compare high school students' verbal opinions and behavioral intentions for musicians and their music. Subjects were high school students enrolled in a gifted and talented curriculum (N = 57) and students enrolled in the regular curriculum (N = 45). They were further categorized as students with three or more years of music training (N = 56), students with less than three years of music training (N = 46), black students (N = 39) and white students (N = 63). In part one of the study all of the subjects were given a list …

A Longitudinal Examination Of The Structure, Membership And Benefits Of The Louisiana Association Of Principals., David Strauss

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the structure, membership, and benefits provided by the Louisiana Association of Principals. A review of related literature revealed a lack of standards whereby state-level educational organizations could be systematically examined. In this study it was hypothesized that by providing benefits to members, the Louisiana Association of Principals could increase its membership. It was also hypothesized that in order to gain new members, the Louisiana Association of Principals had to effectively deal with internal and external pressures. All of the records of the organization were reviewed. Interviews were conducted with key leaders. Ineffective …

An Investigation Of The Student Equity Effects Of The Public School Finance System In Louisiana., Barbara Yates Lacost

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the Louisiana school funding system on two dimensions of student equity: equality of opportunity and equal treatment of equals. This was accomplished by assessing alternate year data from 1977-78 to 1985-86 in order to document changes, if any, that occurred in the equality associated with the distribution of state and local revenue. Berne and Stiefel's (1984) conceptual framework for measuring equity was utilized to determine the variables and measures used. Of first importance was the investigation of equal opportunity. This principle was represented by the fiscal neutrality standard, which …

How Forgetting Facilitates Remembering: An Analysis Of The Contextual Interference Effect In Motor Learning., Carol Cosgrove Poto

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The experiments reported here were designed to test a hypothesis regarding why the contextual interference (CI) effect in retention of motor skills occurs. It was hypothesized that the high-CI or random group performs better on a retention test than the low-CI or blocked group because the random schedule has included practice in retrieving motor tasks from long-term memory (LTM). This is the same information-processing activity required for successful retention test performance. In essence, both groups learn the motor task to the same extent, but the random group also learns to recall the task from LTM on demand. In the first …

Accessing A Global Language: A Comparison Of G-Telp And Toefl Performance, Paula C. Kelly Edd

Dissertations

The ESL (English as a Second Language) field has traditionally focused on foreign students who come to the United States to learn English to pursue an academic degree. Those students gain English proficiency, earn a degree, and often return home to be leaders in their countries. The author has titled these students first wave learners. As those newly trained leaders return home, they are met by a group of potential followers who do not speak English. These potential followers, or second wave learners, need to acquire English skills to join with their leaders in accessing professional and technical resources and …

A Study Of Shared Instructional Leadership By Mentor Teachers In Southern California, Rita M. King Edd

Dissertations

Can implementation of a mentor teacher program create instructional leadership opportunities resulting in retention of talented and dedicated educators, eliminate teacher isolation, and promote teacher empowerment, collegiality, and teacher and administrator collaboration? The purposes of this research were to determine the extent to which mentor teachers have become instructional leaders and to show activities and interactions in which mentors demonstrated instructional leadership with colleagues within one district. The research examined a sample number of formal and informal key relationships. Six research questions examined qualitative interview data and quantitative survey questionnaire data from mentor teachers, teachers who may or may not …

On Being A Truant: A Phenomenological Study Of Students In A Comprehensive High School, Diane Berger Mcclure Edd

Dissertations

This dissertation was a phenomenological study of eight students in a comprehensive high school who exhibited symptoms of truancy. Student interviews, student journals, and field notes were examined and the content analyzed. Students who began to display a truancy pattern and who have displayed symptoms of truancy in a previous school year were selected from a stratified random sample. Students were chosen to represent the ethnic and gender percentages of their school. During the first months of truancy, behavior modification steps were applied to the students which incorporated successful elements of major exemplary truancy programs. These students having not responded …

Experimental Guidelines For Evaluating The Reliability, Validity And Professional Utility Of Wisc-R Computer Based Test Interpretations (Cbti), Barry Michael Shear

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Problem. Computer Based Test Interpretations (CBTIs) of the WISC-R have experienced rapid growth, are gaining acceptance in clinical use, and have demonstrated potential benefits for psychologists. However, little published research exists on the reliability, validity and professional utility of such interpretation systems. Purpose. (1) Present guidelines to foster the evaluation of CBTIs, (2) Recommend policies and practices to assist psychologists in applying such innovative technologies and (3) Evaluate the reliability, validity and professional utility of three CBTIs for the WISC-R. Procedures. An 80 item questionnaire was designed to collect information from fifteen psychologists concerning three different CBTIs based on one …

The Characteristics Of Elementary Teachers Perceived And Identified As Curricular Leaders, Celia R. Burger

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of elementary teachers who were perceived and identified as being influential in curricular change by peers, principals, and district administrators. The study described characteristics which appeared to be shared by 16 elementary teachers selected from 20 elementary schools in one major school district in a Midwestern state.

Subjects were identified from responses by peers, building administrators, and district administrators to the Instructional Leadership Survey prepared by the researcher. Twenty teachers, identified as influential by all three of the surveyed groups, were considered teacher leaders in this study. Sixteen of the …

Occupational Choice And Academic Planning In The Colombia-Venezuela Union Of Seventh-Day Adventists : A Needs Assessment, Leonardo Suescun Franco

Dissertations

Problem. In Colombia and Venezuela the number of students demanding higher education commonly surpasses the capacity of their educational systems. Furthermore, the academic programs may not match the occupational needs of the region. When academic planning occurs without systematic needs assessment, resources are wasted and graduates are ill prepared tor the labor market.

The Subjects. The subjects included senior high-school students attending SDA institutions, teachers serving those schools, the students’ parents/representatives, school and church administrators, and SDA members within Colombia and Venezuela.

The Method. A design for needs assessment was developed upon the implementation of a Data Flow …

Newsbulletin Vol. 18, No. 6, Salve Regina College

Newsbulletin

No abstract provided.

Effective And Less Effective Schools: Differences In Morale And Leader Behaviors As Revealed By Selected Observations, Jerry A. Lynn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was: (a) to determine if a significant difference exists between leadership behavior of principals in effective schools when compared to leadership behavior of principals in less effective schools as perceived by teachers, (b) to determine if a significant difference exists in teacher morale in effective schools when compared to less effective schools, and (c) to determine if a significant difference exists in the comparison of the correlations between leadership behaviors of principals and factors contributing to teacher morale in effective schools when compared to less effective schools. A total of 158 teachers returned completed questionnaires. …

Listening Comprehension: Adult Second Language Learners, Mary Karen Williams

Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations - Archive

The goal of this work is to discover information that will improve the selection and design of listening comprehension materials for adult second language learners. Chapter 1 treats adult versus child language learning and first versus second language learning, finding that: (1) due to the interdependence between neurological and linguistic development, adult language learning is inherently different from a child's acquisition of his primary language, nevertheless, (2) given fundamental properties common to all language use, processing strategies should be similar for first and second languages. Chapter 2 treats listening and reading as receptive (but not passive) skills. Here it is …

An Analysis Of Problems Identified By Teachers And Selected Social Demographic Variables, Brenda C. Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to investigate the problems listed as bothersome and their frequency as identified by selected elementary teachers. Another objective was to analyze differences between teacher problems and selected social demographic variables. The background research was limited to a review of the literature related to the subject. It was determined that the relevance of professional problem solving as a competency could provide formative information to guide changes in undergraduate, graduate, preservice, and in-service education. A descriptive research design was followed by surveying a selected sample of teachers of grades 1-7 in the nine counties and two …

An Automated Diagnostic Test And Tutorial Package For Basic Skills Of Mathematics In Post Secondary Vocational Education Of Kentucky: Construction And Validation, Odell D. Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to determine characteristics of entering vocational students in Kentucky Area/State vocational schools and to develop a computerized diagnostic instrument and tutorial package for assisting students in the mastery of necessary basic skills in mathematics. After specific math skills were identified in which proficiency is required of vocational education students, item pools were constructed for each skill. The skill item pools were validated using approximately 500 public school students throughout the grades of four through eight in public schools of Harlan County, Kentucky, Lee County, Virginia, and Washington County, Tennessee. The items within each …

Teacher Loyalty To The Principal In Selected Catholic Elementary Schools, Luvern A. Gubbels

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to examine teacher loyalty to the principal. The study was conducted in the Catholic elementary schools of the Archdiocese of Omaha, a 23-county area of northeast and central Nebraska that is under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of th Archbishop.

The Effects Of Administrative Uses Of Computer Assisted Telecommunications On School Attendance, Carroll M. Helm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to determine if students who were called with a computer assisted dialing device would have a better attendance record than students who were not called. One hundred and fifty students from three East Tennessee schools were chosen at the beginning of the 1986-1987 school year to serve as the control group. At the end of the 1986-1987 school year another 150 students were selected from the same three schools who had been called with the computer dialing device. Students were compared based on their attendance record for the entire eight month period. Using the …

The Effects Of Administrative Uses Of Computer Assisted Telecommunications On School Attendance, Carroll M. Helm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to determine if students who were called with a computer assisted dialing device would have a better attendance record than students who were not called. One hundred and fifty students from three East Tennessee schools were chosen at the beginning of the 1986-1987 school year to serve as the control group. At the end of the 1986-1987 school year another 150 students were selected from the same three schools who had been called with the computer dialing device. Students were compared based on their attendance record for the entire eight month period. Using the …

An Analysis Of Problems Identified By Teachers And Selected Social Demographic Variables, Brenda C. Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to investigate the problems listed as bothersome and their frequency as identified by selected elementary teachers. Another objective was to analyze differences between teacher problems and selected social demographic variables. The background research was limited to a review of the literature related to the subject. It was determined that the relevance of professional problem solving as a competency could provide formative information to guide changes in undergraduate, graduate, preservice, and in-service education. A descriptive research design was followed by surveying a selected sample of teachers of grades 1-7 in the nine counties and two …

Interview With Jean Pence (Fa 38), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Oral Histories

Transcription of interview with Jean Pence conducted by Lisa Mason-Jones on 23 November 1987. From folk studies student oral history project concerning Pence's role as a midwife at the Medical Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Newsbulletin Vol. 18, No. 5, Salve Regina College

Newsbulletin

No abstract provided.